Life and Death, Blood and Flesh

"Call."

Old Jack slammed his hand on the fence, locked the padlock, and looked at the elves inside the cage. He smiled with satisfaction and contentment.

The search party had a good haul. Although it was their first expedition, they had managed to capture so many high-quality elves, which greatly pleased Old Jack. Clearly, choosing this location to build a town was a very wise decision. This was the outskirts of the Eternal Grassland, a place where elves dared not appear. And once the current road was completed, the townspeople could drive their wagons directly to the nearby Rhode City, selling their prey to merchants for a hefty profit. Just two or three more trips, and they could earn enough to propose marriage... She must be getting impatient. So many elves would surely fetch a good price. This was the first time the town had achieved such a bountiful harvest since its founding, and everyone was overjoyed. After all, elves were becoming increasingly difficult to capture, and hunters like them were a minority. This also meant that once they reached the city, they would definitely be able to negotiate a good price with the merchants.

"Jack!"

Just then, a gentle female voice appeared behind him. Old Jack turned around and saw his fiancée running towards him.

"You're back. Are you alright?"

"No."

Old Jack smiled smugly and proudly showed off the muscles in his arms to his fiancée.

"Don't worry, Lanlan, these elves will never be able to hurt me."

How was the harvest?

The woman's eyes widened with delight as she looked into the cage. Sensing her gaze, the spirits inside involuntarily shrank back.

"They look so healthy! We can make a fortune selling them!"

"Yes."

Old Jack gave a wry smile.

"We've come back with a full load this time! Now, if we sell these elves, we can get married!"

"Hmm... then, we'll buy a big house and live a quiet, peaceful life..."

The woman closed her eyes, a happy smile spreading across her face. For a peasant woman like her, that ideal life was what she longed for most. Watching the two of them, the other soldiers guarding the cage couldn't help but smile too; this was the happy life they desired. Some even whistled maliciously at the woman, who only received a sharp glare in return. This caused a burst of laughter from those around them; everything was so peaceful, happy, and serene.

"Don't worry, Lanlan, this time I will definitely make you..."

Old Jack reached out, but he couldn't embrace the woman he loved. In his eyes, the world was split apart, slowly tilting and cracking—or rather, it was his own body that was splitting apart.

"Jay...!!"

Seeing her beloved man being torn apart alive, the woman screamed, but in the next instant, her delicate white hand pierced her chest. Her scream was replaced by indistinct bubbles and blood foam. She trembled a few times nervously, then collapsed and died.

"Huff huff huff... How do we kill all the humans here?"

Angela stretched out her little tongue and gently licked the blood off her finger. Then she squinted and looked at the astonished and stunned elves beside her.

"You all had better stay obediently in the cage. I don't want to accidentally kill a couple of you and then be punished by my master."

A roar erupted.

A gigantic demon engulfed in flames descended from the sky, seizing the mercenaries who were still bewildered by what was happening. Soon, the mercenaries screamed in agony under the scorching flames, before turning into charred remains.

There was a moment of silence, followed by a burst of panicked and terrified screams throughout the town.

"By order of the master, slaughter every living creature here except for the elves!!"

Angela on the woman's head and laughed as she spoke. Then she turned her eyes and stared at the soldiers in the square ahead who were covering the escape of women and children.

"In other words, I don't need humans who haven't become corpses!"

Then, Angela laughed loudly and transformed into a bright red shadow, pouncing forward.

Slightly slower than Angela were the two Pit Fiend. Their desire to slaughter humans was no less than Angela's, but their speed was worlds apart. Even so, their unbridled movement Prime Material Plane was like wolves among sheep to the Pit Fiend. Although the dazzling sunlight made them a little uncomfortable, what did it matter? Compared to the delicious taste of devouring those screaming little creatures, feeling their smooth skin, succulent flesh, and tormented souls digesting in their stomachs, that slight discomfort was utterly insignificant.

For the town, Angela's arrival was tantamount to plunging them into Hell of despair and death. At first, the mercenaries didn't know what was happening, but when they saw the demons engulfed in flames, they finally understood the gravity of the situation. Although they tried desperately to stop these terrible demons from destroying their city, these ordinary warriors were powerless to stop their destructive advance. They watched helplessly as the houses they had painstakingly built were burned to ashes in the flames of Hell, their resistance against the demons' attacks futile. They couldn't even muster the slightest resistance.

The entire town began to descend into Abyss of blood and fire.

Soon, the mercenaries discovered that the two demons didn't seem to intend to kill the elves; wherever the elves were, they escaped the demons' attacks. Although they didn't know what this meant, those who saw a glimmer of hope naturally took action.

"Quick, hide it!"

Holding his crying child in one arm and his wife by the other, the warrior stumbled along with his wife and child to the warehouse behind the room. His longsword, which he never parted with, was gone, and even his hair was singed black. Just then, the dark and enormous figure of the demon became clearly visible outside.

"Hurry, hurry..."

The warrior, his hands trembling, took out the key and opened the warehouse door. Inside were cages of elven slaves; clearly, staying with these elven slaves was the safest option.

His trembling hands were so nervous that he could barely hold the key. But even so, the soldier unlocked the door, then let out a long breath and pushed it open.

"Quickly, you all hide behind these elves, you..."

Where are you planning to hide?

Accompanied by a beautiful and charming voice, Angela slowly emerged from the darkness of the warehouse. She pressed one hand against the door, preventing the warrior from opening it even halfway. Although the warrior used all his strength, the wooden door remained firmly in place.

"Indeed. Catching mice is a lot of fun, especially when you know where they're going..."

Angela's gaze swept over the elves wearing collars and locked in cages in the dark warehouse behind her.

"You're planning to seek refuge here? Unfortunately, there's no place for you."

"Quick, open the door! Please, let me in!!"

The devil's laughter grew closer; clearly, they had found their delicious meal.

"Unfortunately, this is not a place for humans..."

As she spoke, Angela slowly reached out, trying to close the wooden door. The soldier pushed and shoved with all his might, but his struggles were met with no response whatsoever.

"Open the door! Please!! At least let my wife and children in! Please!!"

Angela stopped.

Perhaps I should consult with others.

As she spoke, Angela turned her head and looked at the elves.

"What do you think? Should we leave them outside to die, or let them in for refuge? If you want them in, just say 'yes', okay?"

Please, please!

Seeing the elves slowly raise their heads to look at him, the warrior pleaded loudly.

"Please, at least, at least let my wife and children..."

However, not a single elf spoke. They simply stared intently at the warrior, their hatred and disgust unmistakable.

"The democratic vote is complete."

Angela and smiled slightly.

"Well then, goodnight, humans, sweet dreams."

The wooden door closed slowly but firmly. At the same time, the devil's roar followed.

"No... no... no...!!!"

"Ahhh!! Darling, no..."

"Mommy, help me, it hurts so much, it's so painful..."

Leaning against the door, listening to the pleas and screams outside, Angela softly hummed a song.

"Hmph hmph hmph... Hmph hmph hmph hmph... La la la... Well then, it's time to catch other mice."

Humming an unknown song, Angela disappeared into the darkness once more under the complex gazes of the elves. Then, she reappeared on the rooftop, watching the demons smacking their lips in satisfaction.

"You've finished eating, so it's time to move on... Before that, wipe that piece of clothing you left by your mouth. That's really impolite."

Before long, the bustling town fell silent. Gone were the morning's clamor, the screams and wails of those attacked; only wisps of smoke and corpses remained—most of those who hadn't managed to escape had perished in the first wave of attacks. Those who managed to escape, but were unlucky enough to become Angela's toys to Angela the time, were merely dessert before the main course, utterly insufficient to satisfy her amusement. The real toys were those who remained—those possessed the ability to survive the demons' devastating attacks and to hide; these were the most interesting toys.

Angela was blocked in front of a large mansion.

"Stop, you demon!"

The old soldier gripped a giant sword larger than himself, staring calmly at the little girl before him and the two devils behind her picking their teeth—they had eaten far too much on the journey, and he wondered if it would cause indigestion.

"I will not allow you to take another step forward! This is human land; demons should go back to Hell!!"

"I believe the elves might have a different perspective."

Angela turned her little head and shook it.

"Shut up! I won't be fooled by your sweet talk. This land belongs to humans, not elves! Whatever you want to do, I will stop you! Unless you step over my dead body!"

A figure flashed by.

The old soldier only felt a tremendous force descend from the sky, and then he was stomped heavily on the ground and turned into a lump of flesh.

"As you wish."

Angela nodded with satisfaction to the devil who had perfectly carried out her orders and was now spinning his heels. Just then, a faint sob came from the house behind him, followed by a slight movement of the door before it slammed shut again. Angela turned to the main house and sniffed lightly.

"There's no scent of elves in it, so... I don't actually dislike bonfire parties."

As she spoke, Angela clapped her hands. The demons, having received the order, unleashed crimson Hell upon the house with ferocious and malevolent smiles.

The house was instantly engulfed in flames, and soon screams and cries of agony came from inside, but they stopped shortly afterward.

"That smells awful."

Angela twitched her small nose slightly, a hint of anger flashing across her face. Just then, a small bat flew in front of her, and after receiving the message it conveyed, Angela's eyes lit up.

A new game has begun.

In any era and in any world, there will always be examples of people risking their lives for profit. The present situation is no exception. Although the town is engulfed in flames and almost all its residents have perished at the hands of Angela and the Pit Fiend, a few lucky individuals have managed to escape. Unfortunately, they didn't intend to flee immediately; instead, they loaded two carts with elves before heading out of town. They were completely unaware that, to strictly adhere to Li Lin's orders, Angela had already deployed surveillance in all areas inhabited by elves. Thus, their greed became their gravestone.

"Stop."

Just as they were driving the carriage away from the ruined town, Angela appeared in the mercenaries' sight. The horses, which had been galloping wildly, stopped abruptly under the ghostly aura emanating from Angela. Ignoring the whip, they retreated, pawing the ground uneasily and staring at the girl before them in fear.

"Where do you plan to escape to, human?"

Angela narrowed her eyes as she looked at the mercenaries beside the carriage.

Do you really think there's any way to escape?

A powerful ghostly aura emanated from Angela, its chilling presence, more terrifying than the depths of winter, instantly enveloping everyone.

"No, don't come any closer!!"

Seeing that things were going badly, a mercenary drew his longsword, pulled out a little elf girl, and placed the sword in front of her neck.

"For example, if you dare come any closer, I'll kill it!!"

"..."

Angela stopped in her tracks.

Although Li Lin didn't explicitly ask Angela to guarantee the safety of all the elves, Angela didn't think that way. Perfectly completing the task Li Lin assigned her was Angela's pride. Moreover, if not a single elf died in such a battle, her master would surely praise her.

"Hey..."

Seeing Angela stop, the mercenary knew he had made the right bet. In fact, even now, just by looking at the fact that the elves were unharmed, anyone could probably guess which side Angela and the two devils were on.

"Let us go, or we'll kill all these elves!"

"That's right, kill them all."

"If you dare to lay a hand on them, we'll kill these elves!"

Seeing that the threat was effective, the other mercenaries also drew their swords and aimed them at the elves in the cage. If Angela dared to make a move, they would certainly kill the elves without hesitation.

"How dare you threaten me? You lowly human, how dare you threaten me..."

Angela her teeth, her anger reaching its breaking point. Just then, a low scream suddenly came from the carriage in front.

Upon hearing this voice, all the mercenaries were startled, while Angela opened her eyes wide and extended her right hand.

With a scream, a girl flew out of the carriage, seemingly drawn by an invisible force towards Angela. The mercenaries only saw a blur before Angela grabbed the girl by the neck, her right hand gripping the girl's chest tightly.

"Now we're even, human."

Angela stared at the bewildered mercenaries before her, her eyes red and swollen.

"Release those elves, and I promise I won't harm you... Otherwise, I'll rip out their hearts."

Clearly, this girl is a very important figure among these people. In normal times, most people would have thought of running away in such a situation, so how could they possibly bring along a powerless girl? Such a burden might be understandable if she were family, but judging from the mercenaries' behavior, that's obviously not the case.

Sure enough, the mercenaries stopped as well, staring blankly at the girl in Angela's arms, unsure of what to do.

Just then, the elven girl who had been captured by the mercenaries suddenly spoke up.

"Sister, don't worry about me, kill them!!"

"Hey, you little brat, shut the hell up!!"

The mercenaries panicked at the elf's sudden, seemingly insane behavior.

"You humans! You killed my father and bullied my mother! I'm not finished with you! I won't let you get away with this! I won't let you escape!!"

The little elf shouted loudly, then leaped forward and pounced on the mercenary in front of him, fearlessly letting the sharp sword pierce through his body.

"Sister... don't let... they go..."

As the little elf's body slowly collapsed, Angela's eyes shone with a crimson light.

"How dare you all hinder me from completing my mission?!"

"Waaaaaaah!!!"

The girl let out a horrifying scream, for Angela had ripped her chest and abdomen apart, her internal organs spilling out. Then, like throwing away trash, Angela tossed the girl's corpse toward the mercenaries, and in the next instant, her figure vanished into the darkness. When she reappeared, the mercenaries had no chance to hunt down any more elves. One mercenary, barely managing to strike with his sword, found it shattered into several pieces, and a sharp pain shot through the back of his head.

"How dare you hinder me from completing my mission! Your crime deserves ten thousand deaths!"

As Angela spoke, the mercenary, now with only half a head remaining, collapsed and died.

Meanwhile, the demons of Hell pounced on this group of humans who had no hope of survival.

Hope has vanished; all that remains is despair and lamentation.

"What a foolish brat."

After tearing open the throat of the last survivor, Angela walked to the little elf girl's side, gazing at her increasingly pale face.

"... Sister... Big sister..."

Hearing Angela's voice, the little elf weakly opened her eyes. Although the sword hadn't pierced her heart, it was still a severe injury that the young child couldn't handle.

"Are they... are they all dead?"

"Certainly."

As she spoke, Angela revealed a smug smile, showing the elf the human head she was holding, its face contorted in terror. Not far behind her, demons were chewing on the corpse, a pair of long, slender legs protruding from their mouths, swaying with their movements as if still alive.

"Very good..."

The little elf smiled slightly.

"Thank you... sister..."

"... No need to thank me, this is my master's order, I am merely here to carry it out."

"But... even so... thank you, sister..."

The little elf tried her best to maintain a smile on her face.

"We... my mom and dad and I... were living... very happily, but... but then they came, these terrible... humans..."

At this point, the little elf stopped, breathing rapidly. Clearly, the previous injuries were quite severe for her.

"... Daddy... wanted to protect us... but he was killed... and they bullied Mommy... they bullied Mommy... waaaaah..."

Crystalline tears streamed down the girl's face, dripping into the blood-soaked black earth.

"There's nothing I can do, but... I already... said... I made a promise... No matter what, I won't... let them go... huff... huff..."

Even at the cost of one's life?

Angela asked with a smile, and the little elf nodded vigorously.

"Good awareness."

As she spoke, Angela out her hand, her fair and delicate palm enveloped in a layer of blood-red light.

"Unfortunately, I had no intention of letting you die; after all, it was my mission."

As she spoke, Angela stretched out her hand and pressed it against the little elf's wound.