Chapter 972: The Battle for High Tower (Part Six) (Patreon)

In DC World With Marvel Chat Group : Table of Content/Chapter List

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

In the depths of hell, it's not just demons, and among demons, not all are monstrous creatures devoid of human semblance.

As Schiller once remarked, the aesthetics of God's creations are fundamentally similar. Apart from certain races that have evolved differently over time, possessing a more natural and unrestrained appearance, the older demons tend to bear closer resemblance to humans or, one might say, to the very form of God.

There exist within hell numerous humanoid races, among which the demon lord Belial's lineage is most renowned as one of the oldest demon clans. These demons similarly possess two legs, two hands, and walk upright. Aside from differing skin tones and somewhat menacing features, they bear little difference from humans.

Then there are the Shadow Demons, who frequently harass the mortal realm. They resemble human shadows, albeit with a pair of wings on their backs and entirely black bodies. Additionally, there are shapeshifting demons who often roam the human world, deceiving humans by maintaining a human guise themselves.

Furthermore, within hell reside beings akin to human dark sorcerers, cave dwellers, ancient ones, and renegades from antiquity. There are also some fortunate human souls who, due to errors in transactions, find themselves stranded in the desolate wastelands of hell.

Thus, the presence of humanoid beings and human souls here is not uncommon, and not all demons possess the ability to prey upon souls.

In essence, there exists no clear boundary between human souls and demon bodies; the ability to devour human souls directly implies the ability to devour demons themselves. Those capable of such feats include not only powerful demon lords but also seasoned demon generals.

If any random minion of hell could tear apart its own kind with ease, hell could not have remained stable for so many years.

Moreover, within hell, there exists something akin to laws. In simple terms, it operates as a federal state, with Satan as the nominal head of state, though in reality, each region governs autonomously.

Merely from Batman's vantage point atop the mountain, he could see that at least one-third of the slave team consisted of humans or humanoid creatures. Alfred's figure blended inconspicuously within them, yet Batman spotted his old butler at once.

Upon brief consideration, Batman grasped the situation. He descended into hell. Though Constantine had succumbed to mental distress, there was one person whose sanity remained intact: Zatanna.

Despite Zatanna's incongruity with the City of Sin, Gotham, her methods in dealing with the madness of the city might seem too straightforward, bordering on foolishness. However, like Constantine, she was a good person with a duty to save the world, and she couldn't simply stand by as her friends fell into hell.

Batman surmised that it was likely Zatanna who sought to rescue him and Schiller, and Alfred, upon learning of this, joined her in coming to hell.

Standing atop the mountain, Batman sighed. He wasn't sure whether to feel touched or troubled. He knew his butler had a past unknown to many; he was, in simple terms, a former KGB agent.

However, being a KGB agent didn't hold much sway in hell. Their adversaries here weren't agents of the Central Intelligence Agency; those hulking demons couldn't be dealt with by a mere gun or two.

With a sigh, Batman realized his mission had just become more complex. Besides protecting the disoriented Schiller and finding a way to escape, he now had to figure out how to rescue Alfred and ensure his safe passage out of here.

After hesitating for a moment, Batman didn't immediately rush to the slave team where Alfred was. According to his observations from above, Alfred was in good spirits and hadn't suffered any injuries. The demon overseers were pushing him, not to work, but seemingly to familiarize him with the mine.

With this in mind, Batman decided to move Schiller to a safe location first. Without a secure stronghold, rescuing Alfred would be futile if something were to happen to Schiller in the meantime.

As Batman grew busier, his thoughts became clearer. The haunting images of death that had plagued his mind began to fade. His black cloak billowed as he descended upon the mine, landing softly at the entrance of the underground prison. Once again, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"You said you saw Alfred among the slave team?" Schiller squinted at Batman, inquiring. Batman nodded, and Schiller continued, "What's your plan then?"

"I'll first move you to a safe place. I spotted an abandoned mine not far from here. It seems untouched for a long time. I'll take you there for recuperation, then I'll go get Alfred and figure out how to leave this place."

Schiller glanced around but shook his head. "No, I don't intend to leave. They brought us here to be slaves, to mine for them."

"If we stay, we'll have the status of slaves. But if we leave, we'll still be outsiders in hell, unable to explain who we are no matter where we go."

"Do you really want to stay here?" Batman asked. "Isn't the goal to leave?"

"Yes, I know you care about Gotham. But do you truly believe resurrection is such a simple matter? Never mind where the exit of hell is; every inch of land here belongs to the demon lords. Trying to open a portal to the human world without being detected is impossible."

Schiller stood up slowly, looking at Batman. "I think you should be aware of your own soul's situation. You're not just an ordinary human soul. Once the demon lords sense your anomaly, they won't let you leave here alive."

"And, Batman, this is hell," Schiller chuckled, with a hint of mockery and madness in his tone. "You've witnessed the living conditions of the lowest strata in Gotham; you've likened it to hell. So, wouldn't you be curious about the real hell?"

Batman silently regarded him, but Schiller didn't require an answer. He returned to his seat, tilting his head slightly towards Batman. "I've taken care of the corpse of that guard. Now, let's go over there and play the role of slaves..."

With that said, he lowered his head and fell silent. After pondering for a dozen seconds, Batman complied, sitting down as instructed.

One had to acknowledge that Batman indeed harbored some curiosity about hell, or rather, what he had witnessed in hell left him somewhat disappointed.

People often likened Gotham to hell, but from what Batman had observed and heard in just a few short hours, hell was far inferior to Gotham.

During the few minutes he spent observing from the mountaintop, he hadn't witnessed any armed violent conflicts, nor had he seen any demons bleeding or dying—something inconceivable in Gotham.

After a while, a four-armed demon with dark red skin grumbled its way down. Batman noticed that the language used in hell wasn't a specific language but rather a fluctuation of souls, allowing him to understand what the demon was saying.

"That fool Altan must have slacked off again. Damn it, we haven't formed three squads yet today. If the boss finds out, he'll surely scold us!" the demon exclaimed as it approached the cell door, wielding a whip and a bunch of keys. It banged on the iron bars in front of the door with the key ring, then shouted, "Get up! All of you, get up, you bunch of useless idiots! Hurry up and follow me out! We must fill up three squads today!"

Schiller and Batman remained motionless until the demon rudely opened the cell door and beckoned them. "You're new here, aren't you? Do you understand the rules of hell? Hurry up and come out with me. Today, we'll familiarize ourselves with the mine environment. Tomorrow, we start working. You bunch of fools!"

Only when a few slightly frail demons emerged from the adjacent cell did Schiller and Batman blend into the crowd, following behind the overseer as they exited the cell.

"You're lucky, you fools. The big bugs aren't hungry today, so there won't be much loss. They went out twice and brought back over a dozen people. If it were a normal day, half of you would end up in the bug's belly!"

As the demon ushered them out, he continued to grumble, "So, keep your eyes peeled when we enter the mine later. Don't be jumpy. If you don't want to become bug food, work hard!"

Once outside the prison, the overseer shackled all the slaves' feet and hands. Schiller remained silent, allowing them to handle him.

When it was his turn, the overseer sneered, "Those beast tamers are getting lazier. They even captured such weak human souls. They'll fall apart in less than two days... Oh well, hurry up and move along! Don't let me see you again. Bad luck!"

Standing in the back, Batman's heart raced, fearing Schiller might suddenly lash out while he was left behind. Every nerve in his body was tense, ready to act tactically at any moment.

However, to his surprise, Schiller simply walked past the overseer with his head lowered, joining the other team without a word.

When it was Batman's turn, he glanced at the handcuffs and shackles. They were made of a strange metal, with no visible locks or seams. It seemed challenging to remove them. He felt a hint of resistance but, raising his head, he caught sight of Schiller's deathly gaze beside him.

Silent, Batman allowed the overseer to shackle him. Both of them joined the adjacent team, and then the overseer led them into the mine.

As they entered the mine, Alfred's team happened to be coming out, and the two groups locked eyes.

Batman made eye contact with Alfred first. He was about to speak but instantly understood Alfred's expression, signaling him not to say anything.

Then, Alfred's gaze shifted to Schiller, and Batman noticed Merkel, Schiller's butler, trailing behind Alfred.

The three exchanged a series of eye contact exchanges that Batman couldn't decipher, then proceeded speechlessly, passing each other as if they were strangers.

Entering the pitch-black mine, the overseer no longer focused much attention on them. Schiller slowed his pace, walking shoulder to shoulder with Batman. Batman heard him speak in a low voice:

"They'll start working as soon as it's daylight tomorrow. Enter through the door on the right side of this mine. The work site is on the third underground level of the mine. At noon, all the slaves in the entire mine will gather for lunch, for about half an hour..."

"After lunch, Merkel will help you divert the guards' attention, and I'll go meet Alfred..."

Batman's voice was filled with confusion. "Wait, why are you both so adept at this????"

Schiller stared ahead expressionlessly, glanced at Batman, and then said, "Because we're professionals."

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

Next Chapter>>Chapter 973: Battle for the High Tower (Part Seven)