Demons Beside You

Chen Zhao walked into the village, where over ten demons had already gathered.

They were all Syngenors with multifarious looks.

“The honored living, can you accept my demonic ritual implement? I’m willing to give you my life. I’ll not retreat even in the face of a god.”

“The almighty living, this is my demonic ritual implement. My strength is limitless and I can become your best fighter.”

There was already a demon who was shamelessly describing Chen Zhao as being almighty. However, the demon who had claimed himself to be all-powerful was only a dwarf. He was at most 1.4 meters tall despite being quite burly indeed.

“You must be the sage from the human world. Please accept my demonic ritual implement…”

“I can almost see Satan’s blessing circling around you. Please accept my demonic ritual implement…”

Chen Zhao was forced to accept over ten demonic ritual implements, all of which were from Syngenors.

Of course, only Syngenors lived in the village.

Those with noble bloodlines would not stay in such a desolate place anyway.

Almost every demon who had a demonic ritual implement gave one to Chen Zhao.

Demonic ritual implements were formed when demons injected their own powers into something. Those with high status would clearly use expensive materials. For example, Beelzebub’s black blade seemed to be exquisitely designed.

On the other hand, Syngenors were powerless and poor, so the materials they would use were also very ordinary. It could be a shining stone, a demonic plant, or even just the soil in Hell.

Demonic ritual implements contained a portion of the demons’ powers. They could also be used to summon demons.

In Hell, when a demon offered his ritual implement to a superior demon, he was effectively devoting himself to the superior demon.

The superior demon could use the ritual implement to summon him at any time and any place.

Therefore, when the Syngenors gave their demonic ritual implements to Chen Zhao, they were pledging loyalty to him.

However, Chen Zhao would not be able to enslave these Syngenors like a superior demon, because these inferior demons were unable to stay in the human world for too long. They could perhaps stay for an hour, or a day, but not much longer than that.

They seemed to be so passionate only because items in the human world were extremely precious in Hell.

Even a potted plant could mean a lot of profit to them, provided the plant could survive in Hell.

To be honest, they were just like foreign workers to Chen Zhao.

Compared to these Syngenors who had demonic ritual implements, there was another group of Syngenors who did not even have the power to create one. Their bodies were fragile, perhaps similar to a human, or even weaker.

Although they also wished to be recognized by Chen Zhao, they knew that it was highly unlikely.

If the former were like the poor, the latter were like refugees.

In any case, they were also curious about the differences between the fabled living and the incomplete souls they could occasionally obtain.

“Beelzebub, did my soul or body enter Hell?”

“Body.”

“Can humans survive the environment in Hell?”

“No, it’s just that you are protected by the rules. If one day you are powerful enough to open the gate to Hell, you will still not be able to survive in Hell. It’s just like how I, a demon, must turn into a human-world species when entering the human world. Such a change is passive, not something I can decide. If I enter the human world in my true demonic form, I’ll die very quickly just like a fish out of water.”

“You know how in many human films, there’s always a villain who wants to open the gate to Hell and release demons into the human world to create chaos. Are they all fake?”

“If there’s really someone who can open the gate to Hell for an extended period of time, he can indeed create some chaos. The atmosphere of Hell will gush into the human world and create a Hell-like environment in a region. However, it’s clearly impossible to affect an entire country, or even the whole world. Not even demon kings can do that.”

Suddenly, an emaciated, green-skinned demon walked up to Chen Zhao and Beelzebub.

“The great Lord Vito and the noble living, I’m the humble Raz. Can I offer you a trade?”

“What trade?”

“He’s a demon goblin. They all like to collect weird things and trade them everywhere.”

“What do you have?”

“This is my fine collection: a talking mirror. I heard that there’s a story in the human world, about someone whom I think is called Snow White. In the story there’s a Magic Mirror which can speak. My mirror isn’t that magical, but it can speak.”

“Don’t be tricked. This talking mirror is made by simply imprisoning a soul in the mirror. It’s worthless and nobody knows when the soul will dissipate.”

“Err… If you don’t like the talking mirror, I still have a wish ring. Look… this ring contains a powerful demonic spirit. He can fulfill many wishes.”

Chen Zhao looked at Beelzebub. “Is this real?”

“Of course not. It’s actually just a demonic spirit which knows illusion spells. Moreover, before we even talk about whether the demonic spirit can really fulfill wishes, if you bring the ring back to the human world and then summon the spirit, it will die immediately. After all, only a handful of demons can survive in the human world, like a large demon or a demon king, or something like the Soulbringers.”

Chen Zhao stared at the green-skinned demon Raz. “Are you trying to fool me? Don’t you have something that’s actually useful?”

“Err… Yes, of course I do, but may I ask what price you’re willing to pay, the honored living?”

“If you have something, show me first. I don’t even know what it is, and you’re already bargaining with me?”

“I have a substitute coin. Please take a look; Lord Vito, you too.”

“Oh! It’s really a substitute coin.” Beelzebub took the substitute coin in surprise.

“What’s its use?”

“It can block fatal damage for you once.”

“Huh? That sounds great. Does it have any flaws?”

“It has restrictions on the user, that is, it’s useless for organisms which are too powerful, like me. But it should work fine for you.”

Chen Zhao took the substitute coin. “How much do you want?”

“The humble I hope to obtain at least one year worth of demonic crystals.”

“Err…” Chen Zhao glanced at Beelzebub. “Did you tell him that I have demonic crystals.”

“Last time, I used demonic crystals to purchase something from him, so he might have guessed it. He’s a profiteer.”

“So do you think this price is reasonable?”

“Yes. Each of you gets what you want. Demonic crystals are priceless for us demons, but you have plenty of those, while the substitute coin is also extraordinarily useful to you, so I think it’s acceptable. Each takes what he needs.”

“Alright, I accept this trade, but I don’t have any demonic crystals with me now. Help me pay for it first.”

“Do I get any interest?”

“No.”