Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: The Infernal Codex

“Collective disappearance?” Lin Xi was filled with disbelief at her words.

“Yes,” Lin Mengran frowned as she recalled the earlier events. “Though, when I say ‘collective,’ it was only three people in total.”

“Is the survival rate really that low?” The willow leaf pattern on Lin Xi’s brow shifted shape with his frown.

“Yeah. It’s rare for the first level to be this difficult, like in your case, but that doesn’t mean the survival rate is higher on other levels. Each level’s difficulty intensifies progressively. Occasionally, a few newcomers arrive, but almost none survive past the fourth level,” Lin Mengran said with a hint of disappointment.

Lin Xi was momentarily at a loss for words, so he silently lowered his head and opened the Hell Manual in his hands.

**Hell Manual**

1. The One-Tenth Rule: When there are more than ten messengers inside Hell, this rule is activated. When only one messenger remains alive, the difficulty drastically decreases and an additional semi-permanent ghost artifact is awarded.

2. Ghost Artifacts: Permanent, semi-permanent (with durability), single-use, and temporary (usable only in specific dungeons and cannot be taken out).

- Offensive ghost artifacts: Tools that can harm both ghosts and humans, possessing exclusive abilities.

- Control ghost artifacts: Tools that restrict the movement of ghosts and humans.

- Defensive ghost artifacts: Tools capable of blocking ghost attacks and damage from other ghost artifacts.

- Functional ghost artifacts (must be single-use): Possess abilities such as seeing through illusions and understanding rules.

Ghost artifacts cannot be transferred or stolen and automatically disintegrate upon the host’s death.

3. Killing among messengers inside Hell is prohibited. If a messenger is killed by a ghost, partial revival is granted. If killed by another messenger, a full revival occurs, and the killer messenger will be hunted relentlessly by the victim’s spirit until revenge is achieved, regardless of level. (Note: The power of a messenger’s ghost strengthens with increasing levels.)

4. “Messenger” is the term used within the eerie residences; the native inhabitants and ghosts of Hell refer to us as “travelers.”

5. Injuries sustained inside Hell instantly heal upon leaving.

6. Imprisonment durations for the eighteen levels of Hell:

- Level one begins upon appearing on the bus.

- Level two begins three days after leaving level one.

...

Lin Xi noticed the manual contained detailed records of many things but lacked any survival rules for each level of Hell.

He glanced at Lin Mengran with a questioning look.

“Why is there no record of experiences inside Hell?”

“Are you running a fever?” Lin Mengran reached out to touch Lin Xi’s forehead, but he subtly avoided her. “Everyone’s journey through Hell is unique. What’s the point of recording it?”

Since Lin Xi explained his Hell experience, Gu Changtian had been deep in thought. Only now did his tightly furrowed brows begin to relax.

“Brother, what should I call you?”

“Lin Xi.”

“Lin Xi, if nothing unexpected happens, you’ll eventually encounter that first-level Hell inn and the strange innkeeper monster.”

“Hm... I kind of guessed as much. My sudden act of kindness probably changed the inn’s dynamics. Have you ever encountered something like that?” Lin Xi asked Lin Mengran and Gu Changtian.

“Yes, but rarely. We generally avoid provoking ghosts and natives inside Hell to ensure our survival. I personally advise you not to stir things up either,” Gu Changtian said earnestly.

“All injuries inside Hell heal, but what about old injuries before entering?” Lin Xi’s wounds had all healed instantly upon arrival at the eerie residence, not only those from the disaster inn but also his longstanding old injuries.

Now, Lin Xi felt fully restored to his peak condition.

“Those heal as well, but only the first time you survive and exit the first-level Hell. After that, injuries from the outside world won’t heal anymore. Injuries sustained inside Hell will heal indefinitely as long as you survive and exit,” Gu Changtian replied after taking a sip of tea.

“You mentioned a collective earlier?” Lin Xi turned to Lin Mengran with a puzzled look. “Is it possible to enter the same level of Hell together? Why didn’t the other four from the disaster inn come to the same eerie residence as me?”

“Firstly, your overall strength is far greater than theirs. Secondly, you didn’t come out together; you went back, which delayed you for a while. Of course, this only applies to the first-level Hell. After that, you don’t need to worry,” Lin Mengran toyed with her hair, tilting her head thoughtfully before answering.

“Brother Lin, here, let’s exchange contacts,” Gu Changtian pulled out his phone towards Lin Xi.

“Ah, I don’t have my phone on me,” Lin Xi said awkwardly, shaking his head.

“Haha, come on, how about you add him, Lin? Us big guys don’t get added easily,” Gu Changtian said meaningfully, glancing at Lin Xi.

“Ah—some special environments inside Hell block phones and other electronics. Once you exit, they’ll automatically appear in your pocket. Don’t believe me? Check your pockets,” Lin Mengran yawned, flipping through her book.

Lin Xi curiously felt in his pocket. What was originally empty now held a phone, a cigarette, and the bizarre dark red bus card he had received earlier that day.

In the lower right corner of the bus card, next to the name, was clearly imprinted the name “Lin Xi.”

“My ghost artifact?” Lin Xi muttered in confusion as he patted his chest. The spot where the female ghost’s severed legs and her high heels had been was now empty.

“It’s on the back of your card,” Lin Mengran said lightly, flipping through her book.

Lin Xi turned the bus card over and saw that the previously blank space now displayed the image of a pair of severed legs and high heels.

“Good grief, you’re twisted to have this kind of ghost artifact,” Lin Mengran joked after glimpsing the back of his bus card.

“That young man, sharp-tongued, huh? Doesn’t he have a lunchbox too?” Lin Xi retorted, following her teasing.

“Hahaha, this youngster has quite unique tastes,” Gu Changtian laughed, patting Lin Xi on the shoulder.

Lin Xi chuckled along, and after exchanging contacts with Gu Changtian, he handed his phone to Lin Mengran.

Pretending to be engrossed in her book, Lin Mengran ignored it at first. Only after Lin Xi took back his phone did she coquettishly pull out her own and say, “I don’t usually add people, you add me.”

Lin Xi added Lin Mengran, then, holding his bus card and hands in his pockets, pushed open the eerie residence’s door and walked toward the nearby bus stop.

He noticed that except for the path from the eerie residence to the bus stop, which was free of the blood-red mist, everywhere else remained shrouded in thick blood mist, obscuring any clear view.

...

After Lin Xi left, Gu Changtian returned to the upstairs room. Only then did Lin Mengran slowly take out her phone and accept Gu Changtian’s friend request. His first message read, “We seem... strangely familiar.”

She knew Lin Xi was teasing her. Unwilling to be outdone, she sent a message back with a charming smile, then put away her phone and immersed herself once more in the book lying between her legs.