We Storm the Final Gate Together

"I... don't want to die..."

Deep underground, this series of piercing cries sent shivers down He Wei Ni Ya's spine. She instinctively thought a monster from underground had crawled up and immediately prepared to defend herself.

However, He Wei Ni Ya was far too weak at the moment, and her staff had been destroyed in the previous explosion, leaving her unable to do anything.

Moreover, her movements had inadvertently caused a faint sound.

The sobbing from the depths of the earth immediately stopped.

This is bad, I've been discovered.

He Wei Ni Ya thought to herself, but there was nothing she could do. She could only stare intently at the dark and deep cave entrance, as if a monster would emerge from it at any second.

But after waiting for a long time, no such monster appeared. Instead, a low inquiry came.

"Is anyone there?"

He Wei Ni Ya narrowed her eyes slightly.

What kind of monster is this, that it can even talk?

Should I respond? If I do, will it rush out and attack me immediately?

After all, in the darkness, sound is the best way to pinpoint a location. Many beasts in nature hunt using sound waves, so He Wei Ni Ya had to be vigilant.

As for why the other party would speak human language... this was the Abyss Prison, so encountering any kind of monster was not surprising.

I absolutely cannot take the bait.

He Wei Ni Ya thought this, but the other party's next words disrupted her thoughts again.

"My name is Diana. I am the current Contractor of the Abyss Prison," the voice from the darkness said. "I don't know who you are, but I can tell you that Visas's Ring Finger is in my hands."

Diana? Ring Finger?

He Wei Ni Ya was shocked. After all, when she had left the underground earlier, she had intended to find this Miss Ring Finger.

But now she had appeared right in front of her?

He Wei Ni Ya's first reaction was that this was a trap. The monster in the ground was most likely a mind-reader, knowing what she was looking for and thus disguising itself as this target.

But then again, He Wei Ni Ya only knew that there was a Corpse Fragment holder in the Abyss Prison, but she didn't know which specific Corpse Fragment it was, nor did she know their name.

Could this monster not only read minds but also think and deceive?

He Wei Ni Ya became even more wary.

At this moment, the voice sounded again, but it was not the previous low inquiry, but the earlier, piercing and mournful cry.

"It hurts... it hurts so much..."

"Mom... don't cut my fingers... I don't want that..."

"Please..."

The little girl's sorrowful cries echoed through the empty passage again, making He Wei Ni Ya's scalp tingle.

What is going on? Why is she crying again?

The crying continued for about a minute before it changed back to the previous low and weak female voice.

"I know you're there... Please answer me," she said. "I don't have much time."

He Wei Ni Ya's brow furrowed even tighter.

This monster's state seems very chaotic. Is it because of a serious injury?

The voice continued.

"I sense a familiar aura... It's Visas's power. That means you are Hand Eye?"

He Wei Ni Ya knew that Hand Eye was Bai Wei's codename, but she still didn't speak, just listened quietly.

And the other party quickly denied her guess: "No, that's not right... Your aura doesn't feel like Hand Eye, but it is indeed Visas's aura... Strange, it's really strange, who exactly are you?"

Hearing this, He Wei Ni Ya's suspicion that she was a monster lessened considerably, because monsters shouldn't know so many things.

Yes, her Corpse Fragment was special; it carried power rather than rules.

Power-type Corpse Fragments were naturally inferior to rule-type Corpse Fragments, more like unfinished products. Otherwise, even Bai Wei wouldn't have been able to manifest through her.

A monster shouldn't be able to know so much.

Moreover, with her reminder, He Wei Ni Ya also consciously tried to sense the aura on her.

She did indeed sense it, but... it was strange, different from anything before, very vague, as if separated by a barrier.

And this aura was the same as what she had sensed on those monsters earlier.

It seemed those monsters were indeed controlled by Visas's Corpse Fragments. Although she didn't know the specific method, He Wei Ni Ya could basically confirm that the one conversing with her now was indeed Miss Ring Finger.

"Besides Hand Eye... who else could it be..."

Diana was still muttering to herself, but her condition clearly couldn't support deeper thought. After a period of extremely painful moaning, she said, "It doesn't matter who you are, but since you can be here, you should know the current situation. The Abyss Prison has been destroyed. I failed... No one can stop Isaiah anymore, no one... cough cough cough..."

Diana's words startled He Wei Ni Ya.

The Abyss Prison has already been destroyed by Isaiah? Has the situation outside reached this point?

Just Isaiah alone?

Diana continued, "Obedience of Heavenly Voice still hasn't been activated… something must have happened on the Warden's end too. That means the Abyss Prison only has one final barrier left… the Final Gate… Einhejar."

The Final Gate, Einhejar.

Was this the final gatekeeper?

He Wei Ni Ya silently committed the name to memory.

"Cough, cough, theoretically, no one can defeat Einhejar. But Isaiah is different… he has a chance. He already has three pieces of the corpse, no, four… soon he'll get mine. The number one person under the gods, possessing four corpse pieces, his unpredictability is immense," Diana said. "If Einhejar loses, and the Final Gate is breached… then it's truly over, do you understand what I mean?"

He Wei Ni Ya remained silent.

"Heh heh… I'm being foolish. Since you've already appeared in this place, there's no need to ask why you've come," Diana let out a mocking laugh. "But you can't beat him. No one can stop him anymore, unless you are the Hand Eye. But even with your Hand Eye, I don't know how you would stop Isaiah… Ah, Mama… no…"

Diana's voice became chaotic again, reverting to that of a shrill little girl.

This time, it lasted longer, so long that He Wei Ni Ya wondered if she would ever return.

Finally, the crying stopped, and Diana's voice became incredibly weak.

"I'm going to die," she said softly. "My finger is on the ground, and Isaiah will find it soon. Then my life will truly end… But I can't die like this yet. My work isn't finished…"

As she spoke, He Wei Ni Ya heard a rustling sound, as if a large reptile was slowly approaching her.

He Wei Ni Ya immediately became alert.

"Don't be nervous. I can't possibly hurt you anymore," Diana said. "I'm here to help you leave. I know where you are."

Seeing that Diana could pinpoint her location, He Wei Ni Ya no longer remained silent. She asked, "Why are you helping me?"

"Oh, you're a woman?" Diana's weak voice held surprise. "Why a woman… Ah, I understand. You're the one Luo Qi mentioned… So that's how it is, so that's how it is… You're not the Hand Eye, nor the Tongue. We all misjudged… But it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter."

He Wei Ni Ya heard a long sigh.

"I'm here to tell you one last thing, and the last chance to stop Isaiah," Diana continued. "At the deepest part underground, before the Final Gate, there is a deep well. The well has water, called the Fountain of Redemption."

"The Fountain of Redemption?" He Wei Ni Ya asked. "What is it for?"

"To summon the Gods."

He Wei Ni Ya's pupils constricted instantly.

"The Gods have long since ceased to concern themselves with worldly affairs, even with the Contract Land they themselves constructed," Diana said. "The only way to make them aware of everything is through Einhejar's death, the unsealing of Visas's remains, and… a prayer to the Fountain of Redemption. The latter will bring you ultimate redemption."

Ultimate redemption?

This name made He Wei Ni Ya guess something.

"Anyone who reaches the moment before the Final Gate has already committed a heinous sin. Once the Gods are aware, they will face the most severe punishment, true divine retribution," Diana whispered. "But if you are willing to turn back now and offer prayers and repentance to the Fountain of Redemption, you will receive ultimate redemption. All sins will be cleansed, all past deeds will be forgiven, and you will receive immense Divine Grace. The Gods will grant you anything you desire."

Just as she thought, He Wei Ni Ya had guessed correctly.

"In other words, as long as you reach the Fountain of Redemption and pray to the Gods, they will personally eliminate Isaiah," Diana said. "And you will receive everything – power, strength, money, anything you want, it's not a problem."

He Wei Ni Ya asked, "Then why don't you go?"

"Because the Contract Land is not on the list for ultimate redemption. When someone can reach the Fountain of Redemption, there can only be one possibility: the Contract Land no longer exists," Diana's voice grew fainter. "And I can no longer do anything… So, do you agree?"

Before He Wei Ni Ya could respond, a sudden tremor shook the ground. She looked up and saw a gaunt but tall figure, like a skeleton, forcefully lifting a collapsed pillar, creating an opening for He Wei Ni Ya to escape.

However, this opening led to the abyss.

"How you choose is your own decision," Diana's voice came from the skeleton. "Whether to pray to the Fountain of Redemption or to push down that well and refuse salvation, it has nothing to do with me. I am merely fulfilling the final contract of the Contract Land… Leave here."

After a moment's hesitation, He Wei Ni Ya still struggled to her feet and walked through the opening Diana had created.

Then, as she wanted to say something more to Diana, she heard a sigh of relief.

"My mission is finally over."

"Mama, you really shouldn't have given me that finger."

With that, the pillar slammed down, smashing Diana's last servant into several pieces.

When He Wei Ni Ya looked back, she could no longer sense any life.

Whoosh.

A gust of wind blew away the piled black rubble, revealing a buried black skeleton and the Ring Finger connected to its right hand.

"Finally found you, Miss Ring Finger," Isaiah said softly, having summoned the strong wind. "You've caused me quite a bit of trouble."

The skeleton held no life, and its completely carbonized form made it impossible to discern its appearance in life, but Isaiah still nodded slightly, offering his respects to this "unmet" Miss Ring Finger.

The skeleton naturally did not respond.

But Isaiah still bent down and personally, rather than using a trick spell, detached the finger from the skeleton.

However, the moment he touched the finger, Isaiah felt a faint energy fluctuation, which caused him to show a hint of surprise.

This finger had been in use just a few minutes ago.

This meant Diana was alive until a few minutes ago? And not only alive, but she had even used the power of the [Contract].

Even in that state, she was still thinking of doing something?

Isaiah let out a soft chuckle.

What a troublesome fellow. If only he weren't an opponent.

"Come, let me see what else you have prepared for me."

Isaiah joined his fingers together and then slowly walked to a desolate area, raising his hand.

Left Middle Finger, Right Thumb, Ring Finger, Right Eye.

[Termination], [Disturbance], [Contract], [Eternity].

All four great rules now belonged to him alone.

But Isaiah showed no joy; instead, there was an inscrutable... sense of relief.

"So it was like this?" he murmured softly. "It was like this."

No one knew what Isaiah meant by "like this," nor was there anyone who could explain it.

In the endless desolation, he bent his slightly lonely body and placed his hand on the ground.

Then, he applied a little force.

Rumble.

The earth caved in, and the buried Abyss Prison reappeared before his eyes.

He had finally arrived here.

Following Isaiah's previous ultimate "darkness," most of the sealed beings and ferocious beasts underground had already died, but some still remained.

Isaiah saw them.

They were slumbering in the deeper parts of the earth.

They were dead gods, more terrifying ancient creatures, second only to Einhejar, beings that even Diana could not restrain.

But Isaiah had come. He cut open his wrist and dripped his blood, drop by drop, into the abyss, onto those unnameable, throbbing hearts.

The slumbering hearts resumed their beating, one after another, as if the very earth was trembling in response.

Pairs of crimson eyes then opened, like another night sky.

"Then let's see how far I can go."

Isaiah said with a light laugh.

"Beasts, return to my [Contract] and recognize me as your master."

"Together, we shall... assault the Final Gate."