I Can Meet You Even in Hell!

A long while passed.

Lin En slowly released his arms, and Shakira's limp body slid from his embrace and fell heavily to the floor, her eyes wide open. She had left this world for good.

Lin En looked down at her corpse, crouched, and said:

"If you kill someone, you should be prepared to be killed, Shakira. Whatever made you turn out this way, after all the evil you inflicted on him over these three years, killing you... was already the lightest punishment you deserved."

"But did you know? There was actually another line at the back of that textbook..."

He leaned down to her ear and whispered softly.

"Even after everything you did to him, he still hoped to give you another chance. If you hadn't killed him that day, then maybe... he really would have taken you to another city to start over."

For an instant, her dead eyes seemed to twitch.

But perhaps it was only an illusion.

The night breeze blew in through the curtains.

The whole world lay silent.

Crack-

[Ding! You obtained Shakira's origin substance x1. You can now view it through the panel.]

Soon, the description of that origin substance appeared before Lin En's eyes.

[First-order origin substance]

[Sequence count]: 3

[Maximum sequence count]: 9

[Implant location]: Brain

[Current sequence]: Transmutation, Heart Corrosion, Rot

[Description]: An ability core naturally generated within the body through the power of the Spirit Realm. Continued nurturing can further raise the power ceiling of specific sequences.

Lin En rubbed his chin, studying the smooth crystal in his hand that gave off a faint glow.

"So this is this world's power system?"

To be honest, this was the first time he had seen what origin substance looked like since coming to this world.

It was smooth as jade and crystal clear. It looked like crystal, yet also like some kind of solidified fluid.

He had already witnessed both [Transmutation] and [Heart Corrosion].

They were indeed very good abilities.

It was just a shame.

The third sequence she had unlocked, [Rot], had effectively sentenced her to death. Especially for a woman, watching her own body wither and decay bit by bit was truly an agony more terrifying than death.

Lin En glanced at her and said:

"No wonder you were jealous. The little puppy you'd always controlled had a bright future ahead of him, while you fell into the abyss. What a sad turn of events."

Smack-

Lin En tossed it up and, with a (*￣︶￣) expression, stuffed the origin substance into his ear for safekeeping.

Once he recovered his own origin substance, he would take a good look into this world's power system. After all, if he wanted to establish himself here, having origin substance of his own was absolutely essential.

"Hey! Still out cold? If you don't wake up, I'm leaving you!"

Sitting beside the bed, Lin En picked up the o(x﹏x)o Hana Ye and pinched her little cheeks, his eyes deadpan.

There was no response.

Clearly, she really had been scared out of her wits this time.

Lin En: "..."

Seriously.

All she ever did was faint. She knew he was a Great Demon, and she still fainted!

In that case, there was nothing for it! He could only help his little wife return to the world of the living with the simplest, most primitive method of artificial respiration!

(｀皿´)ﾉ

Lin En pinched her upper lip with one hand and her lower lip with the other. Then he sucked in a bellyful of air like a whale, widened his eyes, settled his breath deep in his abdomen, and aimed at her tiny cherry lips.

Whoooooosh-!

"Mmph-!!"

Hana Ye's eyes flew open, her pupils dilating and her eyes widening like bells. Gusts of breath came whooshing out of her ears, nose, and the top of her head.

Hana Ye's little belly instantly swelled like a balloon.

That feeling...

Filled up! Hana Ye had been filled with something strange!

Smack-

Lin En grabbed her shoulders, set her on the table, and said with deadpan eyes:

"Awake?"

Hana Ye sat there in a daze, staring at the naked man sitting opposite her. Her mind was blank, and she was too stunned to react.

"Uh... wait, your... your head? Didn't it just get smashed apart? Has... has Hana Ye gone to hell?"

Trembling, she instantly looked all around.

"Huh!"

"Huh?"

Her little hand shot up at once. (￣▽￣)／

"I can meet you even in hell! Sumimasen!"

Smack-

A knuckle to the head.

This idiot!

(艹皿艹)

Without another word, Lin En pinned her down, pinched her lips, sucked in another whale-sized breath, and blew hard into her mouth with his eyes wide.

"Mmph--!"

Half a minute later.

Hana Ye held the lump on her head with an o(╥﹏╥)o expression, hiccuping over and over.

"I'm sorry! Waaa, I just didn't catch on right away! How could you blow air into Hana Ye's tummy without asking? That was so mean, waaa!"

Her little belly had already bulged out.

Lin En glanced at her and said:

"All right, can you explain now? Why did you keep following me? Sneaking along under a trash can the whole way-did you think I hadn't noticed? If I hadn't kept distracting her, you idiot, you would've been exposed ages ago!"

Hana Ye hugged her shoulders and said with an (ó﹏ò｡) expression:

"I was just curious..."

"And I'd already said I would help you find your memories, but then such a biiig girl suddenly appeared. Of course Hana Ye wanted to follow and have a look. Besides... if you left, there wouldn't be anyone to protect Hana Ye."

Lin En instantly made a (〝▼皿▼) face and hoisted her by the scruff of her neck again.

"Why should I protect you?!"

With all four limbs dangling, Hana Ye said, ⊙﹏⊙|||:

"B-because I'm your wife!"

Lin En poked her with a (〝▼皿▼) expression and said:

"You're only a contractual wife! And you're only collateral, at that! Why would I take responsibility for you? Besides, aren't you terrified of me? I'm a Great Demon! If I decide to go back on my word one day, I'll eat you in one bite! Do you think I'm some good person who honors contracts?!"

"I-I'm sorry!"

Frightened, Hana Ye instantly covered her head and whimpered, curling her whole body into a ball.

"Waaa... if Hana Ye is bothering you, Hana Ye promises never to pester you again... Hana Ye will raise a big sum of money for you as soon as possible... Hana Ye will disappear from your sight right away..."

Drip-drip-

Tears welled out between her fingers from sheer fright. She seemed to be having a stress reaction.

Lin En: "..."

All right.

She wasn't actually that annoying.

And he didn't want to earn some title like [Loli Frightener], either.

She was indeed a little stupid, a little silly, and a little timid, but she was still a wife he had gotten for free from a quest. Besides...

"He protected me! You killed him! You evil woman, you killed him!"

He glanced at her, recalling what she had said earlier.

Lin En closed his eyes, softened, and stroked her head.

"All right, all right! Don't cry... no crying! You really are dumb, but seeing as you didn't run away just now and even wanted to avenge me, I suppose I'll reluctantly forgive you for the time being!"

Still curled up, Hana Ye cautiously peeked out with both eyes. "Really?"

Lin En gave a cold chuckle and said:

"Have I, Lin En, ever lied?"

Hana Ye stared at him through her fingers and said:

"But didn't you just say you weren't a good person who honors contracts?"

"..."

"..."

A brief silence fell.

"Waaaaa! ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅! (grabbed his leg) You can't leave! You can't leave! I was talking nonsense! Just nonsense!! Don't leave Hana Ye here all alone again!!"