I'm Really Not the Lord of the Abyss - Chapter 31

Tartarus Prison, a place of extreme evil known to all in the world of the extraordinaries.

It was located within the Santvanto Empire, its notorious reputation spread across the entire extraordinary world. However, as one of the most terrifying places in this world, very few had truly seen its face.

The prison guards who worked there would spend almost their entire lives in this prison. It was another world, completely isolated from the rest, hanging high above a cliff.

At the edge of the cliff, people standing on the ground looking up were suffocated by the dark buildings. The chains crisscrossing in mid-air were like ropes hanging the condemned, the mottled rust on them like dried blood.

A team of small drones patrolling in the air flew down, scanning the faces and irises of everyone, updating the database records.

“——K8 Branch, Lu Mi.”

A drone hovered in front of Lu Mi, confirming with a cold electronic voice.

Lu Mi silently observed the construction of this thing, his eyes slightly moved as he fixed on the screen of the drone flashing with green data streams.

“Hey, hello there!” As the drone was identifying him, a voice sounded next to his ear.

A man in a gray shirt and black trousers walked over. The newcomer had deep features, brown hair, and green eyes. His tall figure made him look like a young master from a big family.

“I’m Anbo.” He introduced himself, showing a friendly smile to Lu Mi, “I noticed you on the aircraft earlier. We’re all exchange students from the same batch, so it’s better to get to know each other for future cooperation…”

As he spoke, Anbo glanced at the slowly departing drone, recalling the name he had just heard, “Hmm…Lu Mi?”

Lu Mi calmly responded to his conversation, while taking in the surrounding scenery.

Anbo’s smile remained unchanged, he began to skillfully find topics, and sighed at the scenery in front of him, “Although I heard about the notorious Tartarus Prison early on, it’s really exaggerated when I see it…”

At this time, everyone had already lined up to take the elevator to the main building of the prison.

Ando’s tone was slightly low, “I heard that inside here, countless abyss creatures are imprisoned, as well as extraordinaries who have committed serious crimes…”

“Monsters and extraordinaries are locked up together?” Lu Mi couldn’t help but glance sideways.

“Um,” Ando seemed very pleased that Lu Mi was interested, “Extraordinaries who are powerful to a certain level are no different from monsters, but the most terrifying are the monsters. It is said that every once in a while, there will be ‘prisoners’ trying to escape and causing disturbances. I really don’t understand why they keep these monsters alive when it’s so dangerous.”

That’s because living abyss creatures are more valuable.

Lu Mi instantly thought of the Flying octopus and Fish Bug of the branch. Whether for research or for utilizing the special abilities of these creatures themselves, it was worth the extraordinaries guild’s investment of a large amount of manpower and cost.

This prison, which was both dangerous and comparable to a treasure, was obviously one of the most successful results under such a policy.

Ding——

The transparent elevator on all sides rose to the top.

From this height, the bottomless cliff below could be completely taken into view. Some people would even feel dizzy if they looked down.

The inverted pyramid building was floating.

As everyone stepped out of the elevator, they officially entered the bottom of this prison, which was the smallest part of the inverted pyramid.

“Welcome, welcome——welcome to all of you!”

Suddenly, a tall and thin middle-aged man walked briskly towards everyone with an almost exaggerated smile on his face, “I am the chief consultant of the prison——Smith, I presume you are the exchange students mentioned in the appointment.”

Although he said this, the drones had already transmitted every movement on the ground without omission. Smith spread his arms like he was performing on stage, facing them.

“The top attaches great importance to this activity, hoping that you can fully feel the enthusiasm of Tartarus Prison in this half month! To get improvements in all aspects! If you are interested in joining our big family in the future, that would be even better!”

Everyone looked strange when they heard this.

However, Smith seemed to have no perception, “So, without further ado, let me take you to get familiar with this place next, and arrange where you are going to go!”

He finished speaking and took the lead into the passage, and everyone hurriedly followed.

Behind them, the door they entered closed again, the temperature around them dropped a lot, and a cold, fishy smell faintly floated in the air.

The lights above illuminated the interior of the building to a pale white. High iron walls opened a window every certain distance. In this at least kilometer-high sky, the wild wind made an especially wanton howl.

Lu Mi sensed the direction of the wind and faintly heard the cries of prisoners from the depths. It seemed much larger inside than they had imagined.

“The entire Tartarus is divided into nine levels. In addition to the chief warden who manages everything, a person in charge is set up every three levels.”

Smith, who was leading the way in front, introduced them.

“Now we are at the first level closest to the ground, which belongs to the lower three levels along with the second and third levels. Of course, your internship this time will not involve the middle three levels and the upper three levels. I have already arranged it for you.”

At this time, everyone was handed a list, which clearly stated where everyone was going.

“I’m in the eighteenth area of the second level, what about you?” Ando looked at the quiet young man with silver eyes.

Lu Mi spread out the paper with his name written on it——second level, eighteenth area.

“What a coincidence!” Ando was delighted, then went out for a round and came back, “I found out that there are two other people who are going to the same place as us.” He paused, then said, “The strongest sixth-level extraordinary in our batch seems to have gone to the first level.”

According to Lu Mi’s speculation, the first level should be the safest, and the danger increases as one goes up. Putting the best seedlings in the safest place was not for fear of any accidents.

It seems that this consultant Smith is quite cautious. Lu Mi thought lightly.

However, how the others viewed this “special treatment” apart from Lu Mi was unknown.

Especially when Smith specifically asked that sixth-level extraordinary if he had any dissatisfaction with this arrangement, several people around showed a hesitant look. But since he indeed had the strength to receive preferential treatment, they had to swallow their bitterness and resentment.

Afterwards, everyone quickly found their little partners who were going to the same place as themselves and quickly divided into groups.

Lu Mi stood together with Ando and two other extraordinaries they didn’t know. Compared to the excited other groups, they were much quieter.

Then Lu Mi noticed that the consultant started to frequently look at his watch.

An obvious impatience appeared on Smith’s face, pacing back and forth, “What’s going on, it should be time…”

“Chief Consultant Smith——!” Just then, a shout came from the distant corridor, and several prison guards ran over.

Smith glanced at them, his brows furrowed immediately, “Why only you guys? Where is that guy, didn’t I instruct him to be present?”

“This… the warden said, said, he doesn’t have time to play house with you and these people…”

“How dare he!” A moment of ferocity appeared on Smith’s face. After all, he was the chief consultant specially approved by the top. This was deliberately making him lose face in front of these exchange students, and also smearing the face of the top!?

Fortunately, Smith was mindful of the people present and didn’t immediately lose his temper.

“Where is he now?”

“In…”

Looking at the stammering prison guards, Smith coldly snorted, “Forget it, I’ll go find him myself, you guys take these exchange students to the places written above first, from now on they are the intern prison guards here.”

After speaking, Smith turned his head again and changed his face in a second, encouraging everyone to work hard with a full smile. After all, since he was airborne here, he had always intended to foster his own power, but some things in the prison have been fixed, so he had to pin his hopes on these fresh blood.

(t/n: airborne-high-ranking official in the past was sent directly to a local area to serve as a local official; direct demotion of an official position)

Watching Smith turn his head and leave with a gloomy face, obviously going to find someone to settle accounts, Ando was amazed at this emotional control.

“Then, please come with us.” The remaining prison guards said to everyone.

The group was somewhat at a loss. It was like a group of ambitious newcomers determined to go to an internship company to hone their abilities, but found out on the first day that there seemed to be some problems within the company itself.

But since things had come to this, they had to brace themselves and go on.

“…That way is the eighteenth area, we won’t go there.” The prison guards pointed out the various areas along the way as they walked. Because there were quite a few exchange students, they didn’t escort them to their destinations one by one.

Lu Mi looked at the direction the other party was pointing, politely thanked them, and then calmly took the lead to walk there.

Although it was said to be a prison, it was more like a research institution here. The walls made of special materials painted white, plus countless security doors, were like a huge maze.

So far, Lu Mi had not seen any obvious prison-like buildings and imprisoned criminals. Perhaps because they were currently walking on the main road, the criminals were still behind the deeper security doors.

Thinking this way, as a huge valve door marked as the eighteenth area slowly opened, Lu Mi keenly heard a noisy uproar and human voices, along with a strong smell of blood in the air.

He followed the sound through the corridor to the bottom, and after turning a corner, the scene in front of him finally appeared.

“This is——!!” Ando and the other two exchange students who followed behind Lu Mi instantly widened their eyes, their expressions incredulous.

What appeared in front of the four of them was a huge space like an arena.

About a dozen people dressed as prison guards were sitting in the stands, shouting fiercely at the arena below.

Surrounded in the center was a long-haired man. The man was the first to notice the intrusion of several people, but he just glanced at them with a smile that was not a smile, seemingly not intending to deal with them.

In the arena below, a ferocious monster had just bitten off the throat of the last person on the field, and the scorching blood dyed the yellow sand on the ground red.

Afterwards, the monster, with bloodshot eyes, was panting heavily. It avoided the prison guards in uniforms on the stands and roared directly at Lu Mi and the other three who had just entered.

“…Warden!” At this moment, the other prison guards on the stand seemed to realize the existence of Lu Mi and the others. They couldn’t help showing a shocked expression and called out to the long-haired man in the center.

“Eh…” The man sighed, “They are not food.”

Saying such words, yet the man still sat motionless, with no intention of making a move.

Lu Mi judged in an instant that the other party intended to stand by.

And at this moment, Ando and the others also took action. Despite the sudden incident, they joined hands to prop up a shield, and the invisible shield stood in front of the four.

Lu Mi frowned slightly.

The next second, the monster heavily hit the shield. Except for Ando, the other two grunted and directly knelt down, propping up with their hands on the ground.

Crack——

The moment a crack appeared on the invisible shield, Lu Mi backhandedly took a long spear from a rack next to him.

This rack seemed to be specially provided for the gladiators’ enjoyment, and it was full of various weapons and torture instruments. The one Lu Mi chose was the only spear on the rack. The wooden handle of the spear still had mottled blood stains on it, and it was so old that it seemed to break at any time.

However, as a trace of silver-blue light flashed at the tip of the spear, the spear seemed to be suddenly infused with a soul, and it burst out with astonishing sharpness.

Lu Mi stabbed the monster’s body with a spear, then neatly lifted his leg and kicked the spear shaft.

The next second, the monster was kicked directly with the man and the spear, and with a “boom”, it smashed into the wall on the opposite side of the arena and deeply embedded in it.

“What! What happened!?” It seemed that there was another room right next to the arena. A prison guard’s head popped out of the skylight open on the wall, and he was immediately dumbfounded by the scene in front of him.

——Monster number ge3348 was a notorious execution tool in the lower three levels, invincible. How…who beat it up?

Then the prison guard noticed the man sitting in the center of the stand, and immediately nodded in sincere fear, “You are here, Warden Sholun…!”

However, the man completely ignored him.

This man, known as Sholun, was staring intently at Lu Mi, as if he had discovered an incredible treasure. He put away his right hand supporting his chin and sat up.

“Who are you?” Sholun’s face was full of interest and desire to explore, completely different from his indifference just now.

Lu Mi’s breathing didn’t change at all, his tone steady, “Exchange student from K8 Sector, reporting for duty.”

“You guys?” Sholun’s gaze fell on the other two people who were sitting on the ground, but this time his gaze was much colder. He murmured as if recalling, “I seem to have heard about this.”

A prison guard next to him coughed awkwardly, and had to remind, “It was mentioned by Chief Consultant Smith before…”

Just as they were actively awakening Sholun’s impression, Ando on Lu Mi’s side exclaimed in astonishment, “A monster that even we can’t defend against together, worthy of Tartarus, it would at least be rated as C-level if placed outside. But such a monster was actually blocked by you alone——!”

As for the other two people who hadn’t paid much attention to Lu Mi before, they were now staring at him with a ghostly face, with faces full of words, “Where did this guy come from? Did he really come down with us in the same aircraft!?”

Perhaps, can’t be said to be blocked, but defeated.

Ando looked at the monster embedded in the wall that had obviously lost its ability to move. Although it could not be ruled out that the monster had previously fought with others and consumed a wave, even so, it was already quite astonishing!

There was no mistake, the person that Rota wanted to tell him about was definitely…! Ando’s eyes were astonishingly bright!

On the other side, Sholun finally remembered this matter from the corners of his mind, and he looked at Lu Mi with increasing interest.

“Weren’t these exchange students all said to be newcomers? You don’t look like one…” Sholun said and shook his head on his own, “No, I’ve never heard your name before, maybe that’s why it makes sense. It seems that the headquarters also has times when they make mistakes, otherwise they wouldn’t dare to throw you into this hellhole.”

Of course, this exchange activity was not only in Tartarus, but the better seedlings were noticed by the headquarters early on and arranged to go to places like the assault team that were more likely to attract attention.

Sholun’s voice was full of obvious pleasure. Whether people like Lu Mi were ruined here or recruited by others in advance, it was enough for some people in the headquarters to regret so much that their intestines turned green…He was really looking forward to it, the reaction of those old guys.

“Sholun!” Just then, Smith’s familiar voice came with anger. He first looked at the scene and casually expressed concern to Lu Mi and the others, “Are you guys okay?”

Then Smith looked at Sholun, accusing him sternly, “You actually held this kind of illegal activity again, aren’t you afraid I’ll report it to the top!”

“What are you talking about, Mr. Consultant?” Sholun sneered at him, “I’m just executing the death row in my way, everyone is scum, can they still choose their way of death? I think the matters of the lower three levels are enough with me as the person in charge, it’s not the turn of people outside the prison to point fingers.”

Smith: “You!”

“Alright, Mr. Consultant, thank you for bringing these exchange students to me. Next, I will perform my duties well——”

Sholun didn’t mention the matter just now to him, he was sure that Smith still didn’t know the strength of the young man with silver eyes, otherwise he wouldn’t have the attitude he has now. After all, sometimes the other party’s crazy courting posture, even he found it troublesome.

Sholun looked at Lu Mi and the others, more precisely, he was looking at Lu Mi, and said, “Come on, I will personally arrange work for you…guys.”