Chapter 201 ·How Do You Even Have the Nerve to Show Up

“Too ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍dirty.”

Lilia ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looked at the bit of unknown gray slime stuck to the sole of her shoe, her brows furrowing so tightly they could crush a fly.

“Let’s ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍go, stop standing there.”

Lilia ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍glanced back at the two people still staring blankly at the pile of minced flesh on the ground. “If we’re any later, those gray-robed guys might cook up some even more disgusting stuff to pollute the environment.”

Little ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Red shuddered and hurried to catch up, clutching tightly onto the straps of Lilia’s apron with both hands, afraid she might end up sliced into sashimi as well. Bulara, meanwhile, rotated her neck with a series of mechanical clicks, her red electronic eye scanning the remains on the ground while muttering softly, “Sample collection failed,” “Insufficient intensity,” and similar evaluations.

Lilia ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍activated 【Absolute Senses】.

“Over there.”

She opened her eyes, a cold glint flashing across her crimson pupils.

Since she had already decided to act, she might as well do it cleanly—blow away the source producing all this garbage.

……

The deeper they went, the stranger the sensation underfoot became.

What had originally been a soft layer of rotting leaves now felt oddly elastic, like stepping on a moldy sponge cake that had been left out too long. With every step, they could even feel the ground subtly rising and falling beneath their feet, as if something underneath was breathing.

“Ugh…” Little Red covered her mouth, gagging. “Heroine, why does this place smell like rotten pork…”

Lilia said nothing, only tightening her grip on the short blade.

This was far worse than rotten pork…

The originally withered trees were gone.

In their place were fleshy pipelines burrowing up from underground.

They were a sickly grayish-pink, their surfaces covered in bluish-purple veins that pulsed rhythmically, contracting and expanding.

These pipelines grew wildly like vines, branching and intertwining in midair to form a massive web.

And at the ends of those branches—

Hung countless semi-transparent sacs, like tumors.

Each sac was filled with murky liquid. Through the thin membrane, one could clearly see gray shadows curled up inside.

Some had already taken shape, growing claws and fangs.

Others were still just indistinct masses of flesh, frantically dividing and proliferating.

“Crack.”

Bulara stepped on a shriveled sac that had fallen to the ground, bursting it open as black slime splattered out.

“Inferior mass-production method.” The puppet tilted her head and gave her evaluation. “Using resentful spirit energy to catalyze the growth of such low-tier magical creatures. Low efficiency, extremely unstable output.”

Lilia couldn’t take it anymore. “Don’t narrate it for me. I have zero interest in knowing how shit is made.”

Right now, she just wanted to burn this entire place to the ground.

Lilia quickened her pace.

Following the thickest “main vein,” the three of them passed through a dense forest of flesh and arrived at the entrance of a massive underground cavity.

This place had likely once been a natural cave or sinkhole.

But now, it had been transformed into a blood-soaked altar.

Inside the massive pit, black liquid churned like boiling tar. Countless severed limbs and fragments of organs floated within it.

Around the edge of the pit stood more than a dozen figures in gray robes.

Their faces were covered with lifeless, pale masks. Like diligent worker ants, they mechanically transported barrels of writhing flesh, dumping them into the black pool.

As more “materials” were added, the black pool churned violently.

One by one, grotesque monsters crawled out from the bottom, roaring, only to be shackled with chains by nearby gray-robed figures and dragged into the deeper darkness.

“Seriously…”

Hiding behind a massive rock, Lilia watched this assembly-line operation, her stomach churning violently.

“Absolutely appetite-boosting.”

These lunatics from the Immortality Society had absolutely no sense of aesthetics.

Even if you were going to be villains, couldn’t you at least have a bit of style?

What was the point of something purely disgusting like this, other than causing mental pollution?

“Heroine, are we… are we going in?” Little Red hid behind Lilia, looking at the monsters below that were even larger than the previous one, her legs trembling.

“Go in for what?” Lilia rolled her eyes. “This kind of dirty work is obviously…”

She had originally wanted to say “call for backup,” or just toss in a few magic scrolls and blow the place up.

But then she suddenly remembered that she was currently a “banished” worker, with nowhere to even file an expense report.

“…Forget it.”

Lilia sighed, tying up the hem of her long skirt to expose her slender, straight legs for easier movement.

“Since it’s garbage, it’ll have to be sorted manually.”

She locked onto the gray-robed figure below who looked like the leader.

As long as she took out the one in charge, the remaining trash would just be a few slashes away.

Just as Lilia gathered her strength, preparing to activate 【Shadow Step】 and charge down to go on a rampage—

“Ding—!”

A crisp, pleasant, even slightly playful electronic notification sound suddenly exploded in her mind without any warning.

It felt like watching a horror movie with full concentration, only for someone to suddenly blow a cheerful wedding suona right next to your ear.

Lilia’s foot slipped, and she almost dropped to her knees.

The power she had just gathered instantly dissipated completely.

“?!”

【Host, host! Don’t attack! Absolutely do not attack!】

The system, which had disappeared for several days as if it were completely dead, suddenly revived.

Not only did its voice lack any guilt, it even carried a strange excitement and… a shameless tone.

Lilia took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the urge to pry open her skull and yank this thing out.

“So you still know how to show up?”

She sneered in her mind. “What, did you think I wasn’t disgusted enough yet, so you came out to finish the job? You’ve been playing dead pretty convincingly these past few days. Didn’t pay your electricity bill?”

【Hey now, how can you say that, Host!】

The blue light sphere of the system bounced twice across Lilia’s vision. 【Wasn’t this system just upgrading patches? Look, the moment I detected the host in danger, I rushed right back!】

“In danger?” Lilia glanced at the gray-robed figures below, who looked like they were scooping manure. “These faceless small fries?”

【No, no! Not them!】

The system’s voice suddenly rose by an octave, sounding extremely excited.

【Host, ignore those manure workers! Look to the left! Look at the very center of that pool!】

【The moment I came online, I was practically blinded!】

【That’s absolutely good stuff! Epic-tier… no, possibly even legendary-tier treasure!】

Lilia froze for a moment.

Good stuff?

In this pile of rotten flesh and corpse fluid?

Since when did this system’s taste become so heavy?

Despite her complete disbelief, Lilia still subconsciously followed the system’s guidance and shifted her gaze toward the center of the foul black pool.

Countless severed limbs floated there.

But beneath all that nauseating garbage…

It seemed… there really was something.