Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

"Hahaha, how dare I?" Cheng Yu laughed, replying casually, "Who would dare to kidnap Mrs. Klina? They'd probably be torn to shreds by your bodyguards before they could even touch you."

Ms. Krina nodded slightly, seemingly quite pleased with Cheng Yu's compliment. She clapped her hands, and a servant immediately brought in an exquisite wooden box. Krina opened the box, inside were two cheap cigars emitting a strong aroma. She took one out and handed it to Cheng Yu, "Try it, this is your invention, it's really not bad. If it weren't for this, I really wouldn't have risked getting you out of jail."

Cheng Yu looked at the cigar offered by the waiter but didn't immediately take it. He rubbed his hands together and said with a forced smile, "Mrs. Krina, you really like this thing I've been researching!"

Ms. Krina elegantly exhaled a smoke ring. "It's not just me who likes it; all the demons in Hell City like it. It's a pity that this is only a half-finished product. When will we be able to develop a finished product?"

Cheng Yu smiled awkwardly. How could he possibly know anything about cigar making techniques? He had simply rolled up some tobacco and made a crude version using the most rudimentary method.

"I'm still working on the finished product..." Cheng Yu replied vaguely, "However, I have another thing that can sell well along with tobacco."

Ms. Klina raised an eyebrow and asked with interest, "Oh? Tell me about it."

Cheng Yu took a deep breath and began his carefully prepared sales pitch. "Madam, as you know, Hell City has no shortage of all kinds of slaves. And I happen to possess a unique method for training slaves..."

Ms. Krina listened quietly, the cigar in her hand slowly burning, the smoke swirling and obscuring her expression beneath her mask. Cheng Yu recounted incessantly the various disciplinary techniques he brought from his previous life, from simple bondage and whipping, which already existed in this world, to more advanced psychological manipulation, mental torture, or more effective tools—this world probably didn't yet possess those.

Cheng Yu knew perfectly well that in a place like Hell City, these things would not only not be resisted, but would be very popular.

"Well, Mrs. Klina? My methods will definitely make your slaves more obedient and better able to meet your various... needs. I also know quite a few tools for this process, and I can tell you how to do them," Cheng Yu concluded.

Ms. Klina paused for a moment, then slowly said, "That's interesting. But talk is cheap; you need to produce tangible results."

“No problem!” Cheng Yu replied confidently. “As long as you provide me with some slaves, I guarantee you will see results.”

Ms. Krina nodded. “Alright, I’ll give you that chance. I’ll arrange some slaves for you, and if you can prove your method works, I’ll reward you handsomely. But if…” She paused, her tone turning icy, “you dare to play tricks, and you’ll bear the consequences.”

Cheng Yu felt a chill run down his spine; he knew Ms. Krina wasn't joking. But he wasn't afraid, because he was confident he could make a name for himself in Hell City.

“Madam, to be honest, your way of addressing me does sound a bit…old-fashioned.” Cheng Yu spoke cautiously, afraid of offending this bigwig from Hell City again. “You see, I just like to tell the truth. Although it makes me easy to get beaten up, I can’t help it, I just can’t change this bad habit.” He paused, observing Krina’s reaction, before continuing, “However, I think that when it comes to benefits, addressing someone shouldn’t be such a big deal, right?”

Krina smiled noncommittally, lit another cigar, and the room was instantly filled with smoke. "Speaking of interests," she began slowly, her tone becoming serious, "I spent a lot of money to get you out this time. In Hell, there are no rules, only interests. You angered the three-headed hellhound leader, and if I hadn't spent a fortune to get you out, you'd probably be stuck in that prison for life, until you were corrupted into a demon by the entire Demon City."

Cheng Yu's heart tightened; he hadn't expected things to be this serious. However, he recalled his previous actions, and it seemed he hadn't truly angered the other party. They had even wanted to talk before leaving last time; how had he ended up provoking the Cerberus boss?

Krina seemed to sense his confusion and explained, "That guy is ruthless, but he's not one to kill indiscriminately. He captured you just to teach you a lesson. However, he'll definitely have a problem with me releasing you early. So, you have to show him some real skills and demonstrate your worth; otherwise, you'll have to go back, and you might even implicate me."

Cheng Yu then realized the seriousness of the situation. He asked nervously, "Then... what should I do?"

“There are two options,” Krina held up two fingers. “Either improve your cigars and reduce the smoke, because Big Dog is unable to rest because of the smoke from your cigars throughout the entire Hell Layer, which makes it impossible for him to work properly and he can’t concentrate on his work. If you can’t do that, either find a way to let him get some rest or help him reduce his workload.”

“Reduce smoke?” Cheng Yu frowned. “That… is a bit difficult. I only know how to roll tobacco the simplest way right now; I know nothing about other processes.”

Krina exhaled a smoke ring and said calmly, "Then let's go with the second option. Cerberus Boss has been in a bad mood lately, mainly because of your cigars. Although they're very popular in Hell, he doesn't like them, saying they affect his rest. Now the whole of Hell is filled with the smell of tobacco, and he's incredibly annoyed."

Cheng Yu suddenly realized, "So that's how it is!" He racked his brains trying to figure out how to solve the problem. Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him.

“Madam, I have an idea,” Cheng Yu said excitedly. “The reason why Cerberus is in a bad mood is because he’s not getting enough rest, right? So if we can help him get a good night’s sleep, wouldn’t the problem be solved?”

Krina asked with interest, "Oh? What's your plan?"

“I’ve heard of a special spice that can calm the nerves, help with sleep, and also dispel odors,” Cheng Yu explained. “If we can find this spice, make it into incense, and put it in the hellhound boss’s room, he’ll be able to sleep well and his mood will naturally improve.”

Krina pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "That's a good idea. However, this kind of spice might be hard to find."

“I know where to find them,” Cheng Yu said confidently. “I used to know a merchant who specialized in selling rare spices. I can contact him and see if I can get some.”

A hint of appreciation flashed in Krina's eyes. "Alright, go and do it. If you succeed, I'll give you a generous reward."

Cheng Yu was secretly delighted. He knew this was not only an opportunity but also a challenge. If he succeeded, he could gain a foothold in Hell City and even earn Krina's favor.

"These spices... they're not cheap at all." Cheng Yu's teeth ached at the thought of the price. Back when he was playing the game, buying them always required a lot of effort, and now, for the sake of freedom, it seemed he had no choice but to reluctantly part with them. He hoped Chet would give him a discount because of their friendship. However, there was an even more pressing problem—he was currently just a soul, and if he simply floated back like this, he'd probably terrify Chet before even seeing him. He needed to find a way to restore his physical body, or at least find a suitable vessel.

Cheng Yu's gaze unconsciously drifted towards Mrs. Krina. Perhaps only demons truly understand matters of the soul and the body. Demons are masters of soul magic; controlling the bodies of other beings is effortless for them, and they might even possess other secret arts concerning the soul.

Mrs. Krina seemed to read his mind and said, "It seems the spices you mentioned aren't in Hell City. You want to get a body to take back, right? But the Cerberus leader said you're not allowed to leave Hell City. So, there's only one way now—soul splitting. You must leave half your soul in Hell, and you'll have to stay in the prison. Your current release is only temporary."

Cheng Yu wasn't surprised. It would be absurd if he could escape so easily. "Soul splitting?" he muttered to himself, "This magic... it sounds painful."

"As for the body..." Mrs. Krina paused, then said something that shocked Cheng Yu, "Don't you still have two summoned monsters? Why not just parasitize them?"

Cheng Yu was stunned. "I can't use magic right now, and besides, I don't want to parasitize my subordinates."

Mrs. Krina shook her head. "You can use magic now. Besides, those two monsters weren't completely dead after they were parasitized. As long as you retain their souls, they won't really die."

Cheng Yu thought about it carefully and realized that Mrs. Krina's words made sense. He pulled a transparent photograph from the depths of his soul and gently tossed it into the air. The photograph spun in the air, gradually growing larger, and finally transformed into a giant slime.

“I think slimes are the best fit for me,” Cheng Yu explained. “Slimes can shapeshift, at least they can become like me. If I were to live on a gargoyle, I’d scare Chet to death when we got back.”

Mrs. Krina looked at the giant slime, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips. "Since you've made up your mind, then hurry up and go. Remember, you don't have much time."

Subsequently, with Ms. Krina's help, Cheng Yu separated another part of his soul. He would never experience that painful feeling again. The extra part of his soul was then directly stuffed into the slime's body.

The slime's body gave Cheng Yu a very strange feeling, which reminded him of some wonderful memories.

"Alright, it's done. You can get started now!"

Cheng Yu nodded, controlling the slime's body, and walked out of Hell City. He knew this was a gamble, a gamble concerning his freedom and future. He had to win.

Stepping out of Mrs. Krina's room, Cheng Yu controlled the slime's body, slowly moving it through the streets of Hell City. The surrounding demons cast curious glances at him, but no one stepped forward to stop him. After all, anything could happen in Hell City.

Cheng Yu's goal was the portal to Hell City. He knew that only through the portal could he leave this hellish place. He carefully avoided the patrolling jailers and headed towards the portal.

Along the way, he saw all sorts of demons, some ferocious, some bizarre, and some... even selling snacks at a stall? Cheng Yu couldn't help but sigh, Hell City is truly a magical place. It seems he didn't explore Hell carefully enough last time.

Finally, he arrived at the portal. The portal shone brightly, like a gateway to another world. Cheng Yu took a deep breath, controlled the slime's body, and stepped into the portal.

After a dizzying spin, he found himself in an unfamiliar place. The air was fresh and the sun was shining brightly, a stark contrast to the dark and damp Hell City.

"Finally out!" Cheng Yu was overjoyed. He controlled the slime's body and ran towards the tavern. He knew he needed Chet's help to find that special spice.

Cheng Yu looked down at his enormous slime body, then looked up at a towering tree in the distance, falling silent. Over five meters tall—was he sure he could ever revert to his original form? With a heavy heart, he tried to recall his original appearance. His slime body began to shrink and deform like clay, finally transforming into a werewolf. However, this werewolf was completely transparent, like a wisp of solidified water vapor. Could this really be considered a werewolf? Fortunately, his size had shrunk considerably, returning him to his original height.

Looking down, Cheng Yu frowned again. Transparent slime was still dripping from its transparent body, causing strange images to involuntarily surface in his mind. He quickly shook his head, trying to banish these thoughts. Controlling this slime body felt almost identical to controlling his original body, and there was an added advantage—it could ignore terrain and pass directly through walls.

To be honest, Cheng Yu really wanted to try some daring ideas with this body, but these ideas were too bizarre, and if they were discovered, they would definitely cause a lot of trouble. He had no choice but to give up. His top priority was to get to the Spear Tavern as soon as possible. As for his transparent appearance, he needed to come up with an explanation.

Leaving the underground dungeon where Hell City was located, the surrounding scenery gradually became vibrant. Lush green grass, blooming flowers, and the air filled with the fragrance of earth created a stark contrast to the eerie and terrifying atmosphere of Hell City. Cheng Yu's mood lightened considerably.

He quickened his pace, rushing towards the Spear Tavern. Along the way, he saw many strange creatures, all casting curious glances at Cheng Yu's transparent body, but showing no fear or hostility.

"Damn it, what are you looking at... Believe me or not, I'll just use a soul invasion!" Cheng Yu couldn't help but exclaim. He had been in Hell City for so long that he had almost forgotten how wonderful and diverse the outside world was.

After a long journey, he finally saw the familiar Spear Tavern. The tavern's sign still hung high, and the flags at the entrance fluttered in the wind; everything was just as he remembered.

Cheng Yu took a deep breath to calm his excited emotions, then controlled the slime's body and walked into the tavern.

The tavern was bustling with activity, filled with all sorts of orcs drinking, chatting, and playing drinking games and riddles. Upon seeing Cheng Yu's transparent body, the orcs in the tavern were all stunned.

“What is this…?” a minotaur asked in surprise.

"A ghost? But it looks more like a slime!?" a pig-beastman guessed.

"Don't talk nonsense, ghosts aren't that sticky, it's definitely a slime. But this thing is really weird." A dog-orc retorted.

The tavern owner, Snow, also noticed Cheng Yu. He put down his glass and walked over. "Cheng Yu? Is that you?"

Cheng Yu nodded. "It's me, Uncle Snow."

Snow looked Cheng Yu's transparent body up and down, his eyes filled with confusion. "What... happened to you?"

Cheng Yu sighed and briefly recounted what had happened in Hell City. Of course, he omitted some details, such as the soul splitting and the parasitic slime incident. He didn't want to frighten Uncle Snow.

After listening to Cheng Yu's story, Uncle Snow was silent for a moment, then patted Cheng Yu on the shoulder, "I didn't expect you to have become such a grotesque figure after so long. It feels disgusting to pat you like this. I wonder if Hakan would like you looking like this?"

Just then, Chet, the grocer, also came over. "Cheng Yu! Your body is simply superb! Can I study it properly? I'm sure I can make a fortune!"

Cheng Yu was overjoyed to see Chet. "Chett! I was just looking for you! I need a special spice..."

He told Chet about the Cerberus leader and described the characteristics of the spice. Chet listened, then fell into deep thought. "How did you know I was researching this? I haven't even figured it out yet!!"