Over the next few days, Liora watched curiously as the news about the Soul Devil spread throughout the City of Embers at an astonishing speed.
Before long, pretty much everyone in the city knew that the Soul Devil had suffered the Demon World's Punishment and that her strength had decreased.
Countless Devils cheered in excitement, believing that their chance to reach the top of the Crucible had finally come.
As long as they devoured the now-weakened Soul Devil, they'd be able to take her place as a strong one.
Seeing the rumors spread like wildfire, Liora instantly sensed that there was something fishy going on.
It was fine if one, ten, or a hundred learned of it, but when the number reached such a scale in such a short period of time, it became obvious that there was someone secretly manipulating this.
She knew that she wasn't the only smart one and that many other Devils could see what she was seeing.
Yet, one fact held true—the Soul Devil had indeed suffered punishment and was currently injured.
That alone was more than enough to make these Devils take a gamble.
"I wonder who the mastermind behind everything is and what's their purpose...", Liora muttered as she took a sip of her drink.
The once-full bar was now empty.
Apart from her, only the grinning Devil sat beside her, while the bartender stood behind the counter, swiping the glasses as always.
Due to the rumors, the traffic in the inn—and subsequently the bar—had completely plummeted.
Liora had keenly spotted that the grin of the grinning Devil had gradually turned darker as a result. By now, although the grin was still there, it reflected his inner anger.
"Isn't it kind of obvious? The mastermind must want these Devils to test the Soul Devil's condition or track down her current location.", the bartender, overhearing Liora's whispers, interjected.
His words won the approval of the grinning Devil, who nodded his head in agreement.
Liora didn't show much surprise. This matched her own speculation and was probably what most of the Devils in the city thought.
"No matter what they wish to achieve, it's none of our business. Weak Devils like us should remain cautious and stay away from such things.", the bartender advised with an earnest expression, as if he was taking care of a close friend.
"You're right! Honest Devils like us should stay away from fighting.", Liora solemnly nodded her head, but inwardly, she sneered.
Although the three of them had become familiar with each other over the past few days, Liora didn't believe a single word that came out of the bartender's mouth.
She knew very well that if she were to let her guard down, neither of these people would hesitate to cut her throat and devour her soul.
Of course, given the chance, she would do the same.
"To us!", Liora raised her glass with a smile and toasted the two Devils, who also smiled in return.
However, no one could guess what any of these three was truly thinking.
--
A few hours later, Liora walked out of the bar with a flushed face and messy steps. Her movements in general were awkward and clumsy, and it looked like she would stumble to the ground at any time.
It was only when she walked up the stairs with difficulty and reached the second floor that her demonic energy surged, and the effects of the Bloody Mary disappeared.
The flush on her face vanished, and her posture returned to normal. It was as if she had never been drunk.
Recalling the state of the two Devils, who looked much like her, Liora sneered before walking towards her room.
She was prepared to enter the Life and Death Arena and continue accumulating victories, only to find that her plans had to be delayed as somebody was actually waiting for her outside the room.
This person, or to be more accurate, this Devil, was someone she had met before—Eshara, the succubus guide.
Seeing her stand in front of her door, obviously waiting for her, Liora couldn't help but become curious. She approached her.
"Hello.", Eshara greeted her as her eyes swept across the hallway, confirming that the two of them were alone. Then, she stepped closer and whispered in a low voice:
"I have something important to talk to you.", she said, her purple eyes constantly scanning the surroundings with vigilance.
Faced with her sudden advancement, Liora cautiously took a step back and prepared to strike.
"Please, give me a chance to talk! I've come to give you a massive opportunity!", Eshara hurriedly explained when she sensed the danger, her tone pleading.
Liora observed her with an indifferent gaze. The air turned sharp with killing intent.
It was only a few seconds later, when she turned away and walked into the room, that the solemn atmosphere vanished.
"Come in.", Liora's voice floated in Eshara's ears.
--
"So... you claim that you've discovered clues regarding the Soul Devil's hiding place?", Liora's doubtful voice echoed in the room, while her eyes were fixed on Eshara.
Eshara looked anxious and fidgeted in her seat, but she still nodded her head:
"That's right. In fact, I'm not the only one. Many Devils have traced the Soul Devil's position. I've heard that they are planning to take action soon."
"What's the point of telling me all this? I believe that we're not that close.", Liora followed up with another question, while staring intently at her.
Eshara hesitated for a few seconds before finally mustering up the courage to speak.
"It's because you are also a human-like Devil. I believe that you already know how rare Devils like us are."
"Because we resemble humans, one of the weakest races, we're frequently looked down upon. No one else wants to team up with me.", she explained, her tone sincere.
However, her answer only made Liora more suspicious.
Although her explanation seemed reasonable at first, if one were to dig deeper, one would discover that it was actually filled with plot holes.
For example, Liora was not the only human-like Devil in the building, much less the City of Embers, so why did she choose her?
How could Eshara possibly trust a person she had pretty much just met?
Many thoughts raced through Liora's mind, and she arrived at a conclusion—this succubus must be plotting something.
On the other hand, seeing the distrust in her eyes grow more and more obvious, Eshara hesitated, then reached into her chest and took a glowing gem out.
"It's because of this..."