Chapter 55 Doing Things Alone Is an Old Monster

Hell
Dungeon
"Reporting to General Heichang, the subordinates have searched the upper ten tiers, but there is no trace of the condemned monarch Bai Yan."
"Reporting to General Heichang, the subordinates have searched the lower seven tiers, but there is no trace of the condemned monarch Bai Yan."
"Reporting to General Heichang, the subordinates have searched every single dungeon on this floor, and there is no sign of the condemned monarch Bai Yan whatsoever."
One voice after another reported in succession, echoing back and forth, yet not a single one was the answer anyone hoped to hear.
Even Meng Hui, who arrived fashionably late, wore a gloomy expression and shook her head. "I have searched the main hall, the Hall of Ruthlessness, as well as the side halls, the Haolan Hall and the Yanhu Hall. I found his aura in none of them."
Heichang was consumed by rage. "So, you are telling me that a living, breathing person has simply vanished within the hell of our Ghost Clan?"
"Thud." Everyone dropped to their knees, including Baichang inside the cell.
"General Heichang, please calm your anger."
"Brother, please calm your anger."
"How do you expect me to calm my anger? We have searched for two and a half hours, and we still cannot find a single person?"
"Brother!" Baichang raised her head, her gaze resolute. "There is still one place we haven't searched."
Heichang shifted his gaze toward her. "Where?"
Meng Hui lifted her head instantly, seemingly guessing the place she was about to name.
"The little sovereign's Heaven-tier dungeon."
Indeed, it was this place.
Heichang turned on his heel and strode away. "Everyone, follow me."
"Understood—"
In an instant, the dungeon emptied out, falling into sudden silence.
Meng Hui slowly stood up, a lingering sense of foreboding washing over her as she looked at Baichang. "Do you think the little sovereign might also..."
Vanished into thin air.
Baichang shook her head, standing up with a somewhat pale complexion. "No, surely not. Inside that dungeon is that old monster."
Although none of them had ever dealt with this old monster directly, they guessed that his cultivation base was unfathomably high. Furthermore, his age exceeded even that of Lord Yama by tens of thousands of years.
To speak with the utmost disrespect, if this old monster were to fight Lord Yama, Lord Yama might not necessarily emerge victorious.
"That's true," Meng Hui nodded. Seeing that Baichang looked rather unwell, she said, "If we truly cannot find Bai Yan, we will inevitably have to report this matter to Lord Yama. When that time comes, I will intercede on your behalf so you can leave this dungeon."
Baichang looked up and offered a faint, bitter smile. "Whether I leave this dungeon or not does not truly matter to me. I only fear that my brother will be punished by His Lordship."
"How could that be?"
"How could it not?" Baichang lowered her head, profound sorrow evident in her expression. "I shared a dungeon with Bai Yan, and now he has managed to escape right under my nose."
"I do not ask for His Lordship's clemency; I only ask that I bear the consequences of my own actions alone, without implicating my brother."
Her brother had already done enough for her. She did not want him to take the blame for her every single time.
Meng Hui nodded, turned around, and walked out. "Very well, whatever happens, I will keep in touch with you."
...
Heaven-Tier Dungeon

"Clack," the heavy lock was unfastened from the outside.
The ghost servant Caofu bowed respectfully, pushed open the dungeon door, and said, "General Heichang, please come in—"
Before Heichang even stepped inside, he asked with a cold expression, "Where is the little sovereign?"
Caofu raised her head in confusion. "What do you mean, General Heichang? The little sovereign is naturally inside the dungeon."
Without a word, Heichang strode into the dungeon, followed closely by his elite ghost generals.
Inside the Dungeon
Two beds sat opposite each other.
One set of bed curtains was pulled open, revealing a soft, cozy little pink bed within. Neatly folded blankets and a small pillow were placed to one side alongside a row of neatly arranged carrots in various colors.
Caofu had brought them in for her half an hour ago. Knowing that her carrots had run out, Caofu had specifically sought permission from Lady Meng Hui to obtain them from Lady Mengpo.
Only now, the little dumpling was nowhere to be seen.
Heichang's gaze swept over the people behind him with a chilling oppressiveness.
Catching his look, Caofu hurried forward and explained, "The little sovereign was just here a moment ago. This servant had only just delivered a few carrots to her."
Everyone: "..."
The little sovereign indeed had a fondness for such things.
Behind the Screen
In front of the other bed, the figure of the little dumpling slowly emerged. Poking out a cute, tiny head, she asked, "Are you looking for me?"
"The little sovereign?!" Caofu cried out in surprise, instantly rushing over. Her body trembled slightly as she whispered,
"You scared me to death, little sovereign."
"It's fine," the little dumpling whispered. She had already returned; everything would be fine.
Fortunately.
Fortunately, they had all made it back in time.
"What is going on here?" Lu Qing stepped out from behind, dressed in an elegant and graceful flowing blue outer robe over a white-and-blue gradient tunic. His purple hair was tied up and secured with a crystal-blue teardrop gemstone hairpin, exposing his delicate and refined features.
"Oh? Is this General Heichang?"
Lu Qing walked up to the group, looking quite surprised and puzzled. "Why, what could have possibly happened in my dungeon to warrant such a grand visit from General Heichang?"
"O-Old monster?!" Everyone gasped in shock.
This was the old monster?!
This was actually the old monster?!
So uniquely charming, noble and elegant, even sharing the same eye and hair color as the pretty little sovereign—how could this possibly be the legendary old monster?!
Heichang stared at him with deep, unreadable eyes. Without answering, his gaze slowly shifted away from Lu Qing and landed upon the little dumpling behind him, growing even darker.
The little dumpling instantly felt a bit frightened by his gaze, as if it could pierce straight through their disguise and see right to the core.
"H-Heichang?" she called out cautiously.
He stepped forward, and the little dumpling backed away step by step under his formidable aura. "H-He-Heichang..."
Lu Qing stepped in to block him, conjuring a fan out of thin air to press against Heichang's chest as he demanded, "What does General Heichang intend to do?"
Heichang met his gaze coldly.

Lu Qing was slightly taken aback. Before he could react, Heichang's ghost generals silently stepped forward and forcefully pulled him away from Heichang's path.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Lu Qing frowned in displeasure, his tone naturally turning hostile.
The ghost generals hauled him aside and released him. Before he could make a move, they surrounded him in a tight circle, preventing him from taking a single step forward.
Lu Qing cursed under his breath, "Damn it."
Over There
Heichang walked up to the little dumpling. Gone was his usual gentle demeanor; instead, he asked in a low, heavy voice, "Has the little sovereign stepped out of this dungeon today?"
The little dumpling hurriedly shook her head. "No, no."
"Have you seen the condemned monarch Bai Yan?"
"No, neither."
"Then has he communicated with you?"
The little dumpling shook her head again. "Still no."
"Are you certain?" The gaze Heichang fixed upon her grew increasingly pressing.
"I..." The little dumpling swallowed hard and nodded, "I am certain. He truly has not communicated with me."
I'm sorry, Heichang.
She had lied.
"Very well!" Heichang abruptly whipped around, his voice booming with a deliberate, bone-chilling coldness.
"Pass down my order: search high and low, both inside and outside of hell, for the whereabouts of the condemned monarch Bai Yan."
"Whoever captures Bai Yan shall be rewarded with an official post, a grand palace, and dominion over a territory."
All the ghost generals dropped to their knees. "Understood, we accept the general's command."
"Once Bai Yan is caught, execute him on the spot."
"Understood, we comprehend."
Just as Meng Hui arrived at the entrance of the dungeon, she overheard Heichang's words.
Stepping inside, she said with a hint of displeasure, "Won't doing this displease His Lordship?"
Wasn't this overstepping his bounds?
What was he trying to accomplish?
Was he trying to coerce someone, threaten someone, or provoke someone into making Bai Yan show himself?
Heichang chuckled lightly and strode past her. "I will report this matter to His Lordship myself, and He shall judge it."
Therefore, whether doing this was right or wrong was not for her to decide.
It had to be judged personally by Lord Yama.
The little dumpling's eyes widened in sudden alarm as she raised her head and muttered to herself, "We're doomed..."
The white radish was finished.
(End of this chapter)