Release from Prison

A record player on the teak cabinet was playing classical music.

Next to it is a row of brand-new custom-made bookshelves, which display various Chinese translations of classic books. At the bottom of the bookshelves is a row of DVD collection cabinets.

A huge projection screen, equipped with the latest and most expensive projector, hangs on the wall next to the bookcase.

A height-adjustable electric bed is mounted at the bottom of the projector.

In the darkest and dampest part of the house, the bathroom, hung a birdcage five times the size of a normal bird. Although it contained a crow of normal size, the food trough contained large pieces of rotten raw meat.

Not only that,

The room also has many modern amenities, including a coffee machine and a massage chair.

However, this house was not a hotel or a luxury residence... but a death row cell.

Luo Di was currently brewing a cup of Americano, sitting on the balcony watching "Crime and Punishment" while listening to classical music coming from inside the house.

After returning from hell,

He has been in prison for a full month, which is longer than he expected, but it has allowed him to calm down.

As a "High-Value Death Row Inmate," Luo Di often assists the City Investigation Bureau, and each time he receives high praise from the investigators. As a reward, Luo Di can apply for an external item.

Over time, his cell ended up looking like it does now.

Because there is no need to travel between hell, no need to consider danger and death, and no need to consider matters related to physical growth.

This "quiet" gave Luo Di time to think about many things.

Having roughly learned of the class monitor's situation, Luo Di wasn't in a hurry to rush to the corner. He had already reported the end of his hellish journey to the General Investigation Bureau, and he was willing to accept it as long as the higher-ups didn't delay too long.

Just as Luo Di finished the last sip of his coffee and was about to begin his morning exercise.

Thump!

There was a knock on the door.

Luo Di glanced at the clock in the room. At this time, prison guards usually wouldn't come to the door, so he guessed that something important had happened.

"Come in."

What was supposed to be a very ordinary act of opening the door suddenly made Luo Di's calm state of mind, which had been occupied by reading, become restless.

A wisp of ash drifted in through the crack in the door.

Before the prison guard could speak, Luo Di preemptively asked:

"The warden is awake?"

"Oh? That's right... The warden woke up half an hour ago and is now in stable condition. Mr. Di, you can go see him now."

"OK."

Luo Di instinctively straightened up and stretched his arms forward, clasping them together.

This time, the prison guard shook his head. "The warden said that Mr. Di, you no longer need to wear any kind of shackles. It is estimated that after this conversation, your death row status will be officially removed."

"Oh? An order came from above?"

"Not yet, it was the warden's own judgment."

"As long as the warden is willing to vouch for you, the higher-ups will cooperate. Besides, regarding the incident in Moon City, everyone knows you did the right thing, Mr. Di, and the public outcry has long since subsided."

"Take me there."

"I'm just here to report. The warden said you can go alone."

"Good."

Luo Di only needed to follow the source of the ashes and heat to reach the warden's office again.

When my hand landed on the Door handle, I had a feeling of returning to my home city and about to meet some Chaos Great Demon.

The door was heavy, and it even felt like something was blocking it from moving.

The ashes were seeping out from the crack in the door.

When Luo Di mustered the strength to push open the door, a large amount of ash filled the room, and the indoor temperature reached over 50°C.

The former warden, who once relied on an electric Wheelchair and only had part of his upper body left, now sits in a specially customized metal chair.

Two legs, with a lava-like texture, covered in scorch marks, and even with magma-like blood flowing from their main arteries, were stepping on the ground.

The left half of the body, which was once nonexistent, has now been replaced by a scorched earth body, with the chest resembling an inverted volcano and the heart corresponding to the crater.

His right side was the human body he had retained, which had been restored to its former peak condition, with well-defined muscles and an imposing physique even more exaggerated than those steroid warriors.

Her slightly wavy, messy black hair cascaded over her shoulders.

The thick beard, exuding masculine hormones, seemed to have been neglected for a long time.

"Congratulations to the warden on completing his demon ascension..."

"My original rank in the corner already corresponded to the level above Ascension. Although the systems are different, the essence is similar. It's not a difficult thing. I just didn't expect my body could actually be repaired over there."

The physical forging techniques of Chaos Nest are not available here, and even if they were, they would require spending a considerable amount of wealth to purchase them from depths of the Corner.

Even with the physical body fully forged and the ascension to demonic power complete, this body is only barely formed and requires extensive warfare to fully stabilize it.

The warden stood up from his seat.

With a height of nearly 2.1 meters and such an exaggerated physique, Luo Di felt immense pressure, and his Old Spine even subconsciously braced itself.

The Old Spine also had a sense of shared origin, allowing Luo Di to sense that the warden's spine seemed to have no bone structure, but was instead woven from countless tiny muscle fibers.

A ray of moonlight swept across his pupils, and Luo Di could see that although the warden's body appeared intact, there were actually many flaws inside.

"Warden, were you injured in a corner?"

"Where else could it be? In some remote corner, no one knows what threats we might encounter. Our entire squad was almost wiped out in that operation; I was the only one who dragged my mangled body back."

Most of my physical body was conceptually erased, and my head and part of my body were barely preserved thanks to my pituitary gland.

No modern technology or biological means can regenerate it... Even installing a prosthetic body can cause the connection to fail and the chip to be damaged for some reason.

I am able to recover to this extent entirely thanks to your introduction, Luo Di, which allowed me to passively become a connector to the True Hell.

In return... I'll introduce you to someone.

The acting warden relayed your request to me; your death row status will be revoked tomorrow. Once you're back on normal terms, you'll probably want to go to the corner as soon as possible, right?

"Yes."

The warden handed him a pre-written letter.

"Getting to the [Exploration Bureau] is no easy task."

Those guys are very strict in their selection of personnel. Someone as young as you will most likely have to wait another seven or eight years to get more experience in the General Investigation Bureau and to settle your mindset.

If someone as talented as you were to disappear into some corner of the world, it would be a tremendous loss for all of humanity.

But based on my personal observation, you're already prepared. If those guys won't let you participate in the Exploration Bureau's selection, hand over this letter.

"Thank you, warden."

"Go ahead. I'm only back temporarily this time. I will be participating in the World War with the Spine People later. Don't be a useless piece of trash like me, dragging your broken body back to the surface and hiding in this godforsaken place to survive."

"OK."

"Go ahead, pack your things and get ready to be released. My personal suggestion is that you stay outside for a while longer, at least go to all the places you want to go and see all the people you want to see."

The corner isn't True Hell; once you enter, it's not so easy to get back.

Even if you manage to return, it will come at a considerable cost, and your understanding of the world will change.

"Knew."

The next morning.

Luo Di carried a custom-made birdcage.

He carried a sealed backpack containing the Hell Hilt and his monk's robes, which might have an impact on the outside world. Also inside were his most treasured diary and the DVD of his first film appearance.

Wearing comfortable sneakers and a hooded sweatshirt with a prison logo, he officially left the Border City Prison that held great significance for him.

Before I could even feel the first ray of sunshine,

A sharp car horn sounded from the parking area.

A pink sports car painted with anime-style graphics was parked in a parking space not far away, and a young man wearing round-framed sunglasses was smiling and waving hello.