The first side quest is not too difficult for old players. The players who are still alive have basically entered the second stage and are showing their abilities to join the Demon King's camp.
Gaining the Demon King's favor is no easy feat, but for a select few, it's as easy as taking something from a sack. For example, a black market player who successfully slacked off through three S-level dungeons and earned the title of "Calm as a Chrysanthemum" automatically gives off the impression of being lazy.
This lazy temperament completely matched the lazy demon king Belial's pursuit of a life of magic. Therefore, when the black market players came to seek refuge, he did not set any additional assessment tasks.
A man who had just joined the failed group was standing aside with jealousy, his eyes almost red.
The companion next to him whispered, "At least we survived."
Not long ago, he saw with his own eyes a player who failed to fulfill the requirements of other demon kings and was sucked dry on the spot.
Belial considered the black market players his confidants and gave them special care in front of a group of demons.
The man stared at the scene intently: "I thought of a popular saying from the past."
"What?"
The man said sadly: "He just stands there and doesn't have to do anything, and he will love him."
"…"
Demon kings are generally enormous. When Belial appears in human form, his skin is excessively pale, and his shirt is only buttoned once or twice. The unique horns on his head always exude a dangerous aura.
"Many demons will deliberately pursue laziness in order to please me, but the very act of pursuing it is disrespectful to laziness."
It had been a long time since Belial had spoken so much, which showed that he was really satisfied with the black market players.
"Tell me, what do you want to do most right now?" Beryl asked.
As he spoke, his pupils suddenly became vertical, as if he could see through people's souls.
The black market player didn't say anything about not wanting to do anything, and replied, "Visit Hell safely."
Lazy is a relative term; it doesn't mean being a mess. The stark contrast is when others are busy completing tasks while he's traveling.
Belial seemed satisfied with this answer. He snapped his fingers, and an oxcart suddenly appeared out of thin air. The ox, quite human-like, automatically lay on the ground. The two of them advanced, one in front of the other, their hooves trampling through the black mist as they began to move freely.
The black market players discovered that since they boarded the ox cart, ordinary demons no longer bowed their heads in greeting wherever Belial passed by, which meant that they could not see anything about the ox cart.
"An's territory is ahead." The Bull spoke in human language, "That's a crazy witch."
Black market players have seen an introduction to An in the Demon King Encyclopedia. An is an alien demon king who likes to sew his lover's skin onto his own body.
"Someone actually took the initiative to look for An." Manniu stared at that place with his eyes as big as copper bells, marveling at it.
In hell, you don't need to be summoned to see the Devil. The Devil will personally interview you for about ten days every year.
Once they pass the Demon King's review, their position and status will far exceed those of ordinary demons.
In front of us, huge, rugged rocks and unique red mud form a dividing ridge. The ground is very soft. Standing on it, it feels as if there is endless water underground.
Sitting on the surface of one of the stones, Ji Yuanzhi stood below, being looked down upon.
"I don't need subordinates. What I need is a lover who can make me feel my skin." An stared at Ji Yuanzhi with a fascination, her fiery red hair swaying on the ground like a skirt. "You are lucky. I have never had a lover like you. The skin on your neck is very beautiful."
An has already given a straightforward hint that she has a domineering personality and will not accept any form of rejection. If the other party does not obey, she will drain their blood and inject it into the ground.
Ji Yuanzhi had already read An's information before coming.
"I've heard your 'good story'. You did this so that you could be together day and night." He said slowly, "So that our flesh and blood could be bonded forever."
An became more and more satisfied with him, touched her hair and nodded in agreement.
Ji Yuanzhi's hair suddenly grew longer, revealing mermaid-like features. He took a step forward and said, "I wonder if you've heard of mermaids. They eat each other after mating, and then give birth to flesh and blood."
He smiled very gently: "Superficial skin-sewing is far less intimate than this method."
Ji Yuanzhi only has half a mermaid's heart. Even if he really transforms into a monster, he cannot inherit the mermaid's reproduction method.
But Ann didn't know that, she only saw everything that was close to the characteristics of a mermaid.
The Demon King knew about the mermaid race and how they reproduced. When she looked at Ji Yuanzhi again, the emotion in her eyes suddenly disappeared.
"You are really not afraid of death."
Ji Yuanzhi smiled but said nothing.
The mission is very clear: use the information in the illustration to gain the Demon King's appreciation.
After reading it, he was sure there was only one way: to cater to the other party's preferences.
You must display traits similar to the Demon King, and disguise these traits to deceive the Demon King. The rules of the game are the same for everyone, and as long as you can do this, the opponent cannot reject you.
The mermaid race is a race where paranoia, barbarism, and civilization and order coexist.
An Shenshen glanced at Ji Yuanzhi and said, "I allow you to join my army."
Not far away.
Beryl scoffed and said, "So it's a mermaid."
A disgusting race.
The ox cart continued to shuttle and rush downwards, as if it was passing through an uninhabited area.
On the next floor, the black market players saw Liu Yun, who was being interviewed by the Demon King Dim, who took pride in betrayal.
At Dim's feet lay the corpse of a player, eyes still open. He smiled maliciously, "I hope you won't be like the last idiot who wasted my time. My assessment criteria is simple: a hypothetical question."
"...Suppose you have a secret about me. How can you pass it on without being discovered?"
Dim pointed to the magnificent Demon Castle in the back and said, "That is the territory under my jurisdiction. Every demon there is good at betrayal. You can learn from them."
He held up two fingers: "Give me the answer in two hours."
Liu Yun didn't rush into the Demon Castle impatiently. He said calmly: "I can give you the answer right now."
"I have a twin sister who has already gone to interview with your nemesis, Lil. We have telepathy."
"…"
Manniu passed by and lamented that this batch of new people who went to hell were not good people.
After a tour of the Demon City, they headed to the next level.
The roar of thousands of troops almost overturned the ground. Hundreds of demons grabbed each other in mid-air with their terrifying claws, and their sharp teeth tried to pierce the vital points of their own kind... A war was going on here.
The Bull spoke softly, "Mammon's pursuit of money and power never ceases, and war is the fastest way to plunder."
It acts as a tour guide, introducing everything about hell.
Suddenly, the bull stopped.
The black market player's lazy expression froze slightly, and Beryl also raised an eyebrow.
On the battlefield, Ji Yuanzhi was wearing silver armor and riding a cool mount to follow Mammon and participate in the battle.
"kill!"
He seemed to be shrouded in endless darkness, with only fighting and plundering in his eyes.
Manniu: "...I remember he was just two floors above."
Mammon personally took the field, and it was a near-crushing battle, ending swiftly and bloodily. While the demons were looting the property, Ji Yuanzhi found an excuse to leave, as if to rush off, and immediately headed for the elevator.
Belial signaled the Bull to follow.
A split second before Ji Yuanzhi pressed the button, he sensed something and spun around. High-level monsters and demon kings could see the Bull. Belial didn't normally have grudges against other demons, so the other demon kings turned a blind eye to his wandering through their territory.
Ji Yuanzhi possesses the perception of a mermaid, and when the distance gets closer, he immediately senses something.
Beryl crushed the translucent ice cone. He leaned back in his luxurious chair, his arm casually draped over his side. "What are you going to do?"
Ji Yuanzhi saw the black market players, and considering Belial's lazy nature, he was not surprised.
According to the illustrated guide, Belial does not enjoy killing, and he probably stopped me just out of curiosity.
There are different ways to deal with demon kings of different characteristics. Ji Yuanzhi answered frankly: "Send a mirror to one demon king, and then find a way to win the favor of another demon king."
Song Yan has always longed to devour true spirits. This high-level desire will definitely be favored by the Gluttonous Demon Lord.
Liu Yuan was tripped up, and in order to save time, Ji Yuanzhi prepared to help share the burden of a demon king.
Beryl and the black market player both looked confused.
How many jobs does this mean?
bite.
The elevator door opened, and Ji Yuanzhi walked in. He turned towards them and said calmly, "I like to overload other applicants with excessive workload."
"…"
The elevator door slowly closed, and Ji Yuanzhi disappeared from sight.
Manniu, Belial and the black market players all had the same thought: He really deserves to die.
The incarnation of laziness hates every scroll king equally.
"Mammon!" A fierce shout suddenly descended from the sky, "How dare you come to my territory and act wildly?"
The six wings of holy light stood out against the chaotic hell, and every feather on the newcomer's body betrayed arrogance. Lucifer had been thoroughly enraged by Mammon's previous actions of leading the demon army to plunder wealth.
This demon king is known for his arrogance, and the demons he brings with him are also very arrogant.
There was only one person standing beside the devil, with a calm temperament, as tolerant as a mountain and as flowing water.
Not only Mammon, but also Beryl in the back had an intriguing look on his face.
Today, strange things happened one after another.
Lucifer actually chose someone with such a gentle temperament as the general. Is he out of his mind?
Not long ago, when Li Nan went to Lucifer for an interview, the latter was also very surprised.
Li Nanlai naturally has something to rely on.
Without sufficient strength, mediocrity will become mediocrity. Yu Xingzhou's time-stopping skill is almost invincible. Li Nan can surpass him and become the president of the first guild, so of course he has some outstanding qualities.
[Rebound]
This skill has a long cooldown period, so he generally doesn't use it easily. He only used it once recently in the Screaming House.
To defeat the enemy in his own way is the greatest manifestation of arrogance.
Out of curiosity, the ox cart stayed nearby. After seeing how Li Nan responded to the enemy, Belial, who got the answer, lost interest again.
"Let's go eat something."
He sent Manniu to travel around the area ruled by Gluttony, and on the way back, he saw Li Nan in another place.
Obviously this is also a file king, he finishes his work over there and then starts over here.
Li Nan was facing the direction of the Demon King, known for his jealousy, with a slight frown on his face, wondering how he could gain recognition. Song Yan was certain Pei Wenwei would be able to successfully join, so someone among them had to do the same.
Jealousy is a very strange emotion, and how to display similar qualities is a tricky problem.
Knowing the rules of a hellish interview, Manniu couldn't help but add, "When catering to someone's preferences doesn't work, conquering them becomes the only way."
Li Nan turned around and saw a terrifying giant talking to him.
Don't trust the devil's words.
However, he inexplicably felt that the suggestion made by this cow was somewhat credible.
However, conquering a demon king sounds like a fairy tale.
At this time, Beryl spoke: "You don't have to do anything, just stand there, and Leviathan will be jealous of you."
"…"
"Oh, you are so ordinary." Beryl glanced at Li Nan from head to toe. "Leviathan is jealous of others' excessive success in certain areas."
The "sinful quality" that demons pursue is essentially inseparable from their desire for strength. While players cater to their preferences, they must also demonstrate the strength brought about by this factor.
Laziness does not mean doing nothing, and being ordinary does not mean being weak and humble.
Belial saw through Li Nan's characteristics at a glance. He was like a spring that would not undergo plastic deformation, yet could generate a reaction force to strike the enemy.
As if in response to his words, an angry voice came from the distance.
"Damn, what did I see?" Leviathan was born with the ability to smell the potential of others to be more successful than himself.
Everything happened just as Beryl had predicted. At this moment, he was jealous of Li Nan's ability to make "Ordinary" bigger and stronger, so that the latter could successfully gain a vacant position in Leviathan.
After getting the desired result, Li Nan waited quietly for the prompt sound feedback.
After some time passed, Liu Yun successfully conquered another demon king. At this point, they finally achieved their small goal of gaining the appreciation of the nine demon kings.
"Side quest - The Demon King's Appreciation has been completed."
"You have completed the second simulation with flying colors. Please proceed to the first floor and enjoy the video call."
"…"
Leviathan was so jealous that he didn't want to even look at Li Nan, let alone take him with him. Since Li Nan was a little far from the first floor, he was the last one to arrive when the elevator went up.
As soon as everyone was present, the little scorer immediately recreated the water curtain.
In another vast and brilliant civilization, Wen Shi, far away in the interstellar world, has finished his ocean ball massage.
Several large and sophisticated instruments were in operation, and doctors in surgical gowns were coming and going.
A large screen showed the complete shape of the brain. Another port was connected to the back of Wen Shi's neck, where a small square hole was opened. Countless colorful wires connected the human brain and the instrument. The doctor was performing more detailed operations through the screen.
Interstellar technology is quite advanced, but not in the field of curing diseases, but in the field of prevention.
Wen Shi waved to the water curtain: "Hi~"
The players were slightly stunned. Liu Yuan was the first to ask, "What are you doing?"
Wen Shiyun said calmly: "Since I'm here, I might as well get a brain surgery."
"…"
"I'm kidding, I might need to install a new driver in my brain."
What's the difference? It sounds scary, right?!
Wen Shi stared at the water curtain and didn't see any reflective mirrors. "By the way, don't forget to take Song Yan with you when you leave."
Ji Yuanzhi was the only one who could remember Song Yan, but because he had worked for three demon kings in a row and the workload was too heavy, he temporarily forgot about Song Yan.
Before they could finish their words, everyone was worried that Wen Shi might have been deceived.
After hearing this, everyone looked at each other and said in unison: "Brain plastic surgery really works."