Having traversed countless realms, can you possibly be as clever as me?

“Second,” Shirley continued, completely ignoring Angel, “Vicki will introduce the basics of the inn, and I will add more details when appropriate. Third, if Mr. Martyr is willing, we can invite him to tour each room. I have already prepared room number six for demonstration purposes; the sheets are new, and the pillows are—”

“Room Six?” Hesker interrupted. “Wasn’t that Room Six that Angel used to film him just the day before yesterday—”

"Hey!!!" Angel suddenly jumped up from the high stool, making a "shut up" gesture with all four hands at the same time.

Hesker immediately realized what was happening, closed his mouth, but a malicious smile was clearly on his face.

Shirley still had a smile on her face, but Vicky clearly saw her temple throb.

“Room number six,” Shirley said, emphasizing each word, “has been cleaned up again.”

“I used a whole bottle of air freshener,” Vicky added quietly.

Shirley pretended not to hear.

“Fourth—and most important!” she raised her voice, clasping her hands together at her chest, her eyes shining like supernova stars, “I want to ask Mr. Martyr about his methodology! I want to know how he did it! How to get sinners to willingly accept baptism? How to make them believe they can be redeemed? How—”

"How did you turn over a thousand men into his private army?" Alastor's voice came from the direction of the fireplace, neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone to hear clearly.

The air in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment, and Shirley turned to look at Alastor.

The broadcasting devil remained seated in his armchair by the fireplace, one leg elegantly crossed over the other, a glass of red drink emitting a suspicious aroma in his hand, and that unchanging, enigmatic smile on his face.

He seemed to be dressed casually today—a dark red turtleneck sweater with the cuffs slightly rolled up, revealing his pale wrists. But everyone knew that Alastor's casualness was always the most carefully crafted.

“Alastor,” Shirley’s tone became serious, “I know you don’t trust anyone. But at least give him a chance. Just like you gave me a chance back then.”

Alastor's smile remained unchanged.

“My dear Shirley, I didn’t help you build this hotel because I ‘trusted’ you.”

"Why is that?"

Alastor picked up his glass, took a small sip, then put it down, his gaze fixed on the red hue in the glass. He thought for a while before giving a vague answer.

"Because I'm bored." With that, he straightened his suit, turned, and left.

"Someone's coming." Just as Shirley was about to say something, Hesk suddenly spoke up. His voice wasn't loud, but there was an undeniable certainty in his tone.

Everyone fell silent. Shirley whirled around and rushed towards the door, almost touching it with her body.

787

Looking out through the door panel.

At the end of the street, a figure slowly walked towards them.

He wore a long, flowing linen robe that trailed on the ground, and he was barefoot. His long, black, curly hair swayed slightly in the sulfurous wind. Behind him floated a jet-black seven-pointed star wheel, which spun against the blood-red sky, casting a pale golden halo, like an eye slowly opening.

His pace was neither fast nor slow, each step treading on the uneven surface of Pentagram City, yet giving the illusion of walking on clouds. He walked across a pool of blood, yet his feet remained unstained.

"Daddy, he can't really be Jesus, can he...?" Shirley exclaimed in shock.

Trinity Kill Kill Kill: 514. People live to go to heaven!

"So, this is Lucifer's daughter's... palace?"

Looking at the hotel with its incongruous art style from afar, Tsurugi sensed the atmosphere inside and squinted her eyes.

Dongjiang's power is not the strongest in this hell of sinners.

Or rather, for some reason he was unable to break through the upper limit of a power, which involved a contract that Tsugumi was unaware of—a contract that stipulated that someone other than Tsugumi would be the strongest sinner demon in the entire hell.

Of course, this is limited to the power of sinners.

The skin that Tsurugi is wearing is not the skin of a sinner. Even if it is just the skin of a lamb, he is still not a demon.

He has ways to circumvent the contract and exert unimaginable power.

At this moment, he sensed that the owner of the contract was inside the unassuming red hotel in front of him.

Could it be Shirley Morningstar...? No, no, no, that's impossible.

No matter what, Lucifer and Lilith's offspring could not be a 'sinner'. One of them is an angel, and the other is the first woman—or perhaps a succubus, a lost goddess, or something similar.

In any case, the offspring born from the union of the two, even the weakest, are close to demigods like Hercules. To call her a demon would be pure blasphemy.

Demons and fallen angels are two different things, or rather, the former is more of an identity than a race—but in this damned world, who can really say for sure?

But no matter what, Lucifer's daughter will surely enjoy a transcendent status and power in Hell!

What kind of person would such a hellish princess be?

Although Tsugumi knew from the information she gathered before coming that Shirley Morningstar was a rather ambiguous figure, she still tended to believe that the testimony contained mostly rumors and misinformation.

After all—no matter what, she's someone at the very top of hell, how could she possibly be a naive and innocent girl!

Perhaps that easygoing demeanor is just a facade, and she's secretly plotting something with her father or mother. After all... even Tsurue doesn't know how to make a sinner 'atone'.

Yes, Tsurugi really didn't know how to make sinners atone; he could only refer to the experience of the normal biblical world.

Normally, this so-called Pride Ring should be purgatory or the border of hell, where those who atone are either still or have repented. Therefore, they still have hope that they can earn a chance to go to heaven before falling into hell by repenting and atoning for their sins.

Heretics, those who are not too extreme in their heresy, and atheists are most likely to go to heaven. Next are those who have committed some non-subjective sins, and then there are those whose sins are not serious enough to send them to hell.

Tsuruga wasn't that harsh. He believed that increasingly serious sins could be absolved if the sinner could atone for them and receive forgiveness from the person involved. What he couldn't accept was a soul that had committed a grave crime and then been saved.

So out of his more than a thousand apostles, he still managed to pick out more than a hundred who were not considered to be deeply sinful. Dongjiang erased their memories and made them choose to accept his protection. If they did not accept, he would erase their memories and throw them out of the church.

The problem with this arrogant cycle is significant, not only because the crimes of criminals go unpunished, but also because some minor offenders, or even those who are not criminals at all, are forced to associate with serious offenders.

When you mix a few good people with a group of bad people, you can't blame the good people for being forced to become bad—the sins committed for survival are passive sins that are unavoidable.

Therefore, Tsurugi almost never holds them accountable for the crimes they committed after arriving in the Pride Ring.

But the problem returned to the beginning: he didn't know how to send these minor offenders, who had atoneed for their sins, to heaven.

The best way to solve this problem is in Heaven, but unfortunately he can't go there—he can't even go to Hell. His identity as a sinner and a demon prevents him from leaving the Ring of Pride.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have come to visit Shirley, who does the same thing as him, so early.

He felt that Lucifer's daughter should know these ancient secrets.

His purpose in sending away minor criminals who weren't considered serious was simple—if this damned place was beyond saving, he had to find a way to demolish it; whether it was heaven or hell, he had to go through it.

Therefore, he cannot underestimate Shirley Morningstar! Although he doesn't know how she did it, the fact that she can control and manage the strongest sinner lord means that she must have some skills!

With such extreme caution in mind, Tsurugi made his disguise even more flawless.

A 100% replica of Teacher Daye's dignity!!!

With that perfect and compassionate smile, Tsurugi strode towards the hotel.

"Mr. Tsugumi!"

A pale-faced girl in a red women's suit, her makeup somewhat resembling that of a clown, eagerly pushed open the door, her voice brimming with anticipation, longing, nervousness, and unease.

"Welcome—welcome to Hell Inn!"

Dongjiang stopped three steps away from her, tilted his head slightly, and a black seven-pointed star wheel slowly rotated behind him, casting his shadow on the glass door.

"It is a great honor to see your majesty, Your Highness."

Tsurugi's voice is like a river flowing in the dead of night—deep, steady, and possessing a magnetic quality that draws you in irresistibly.

"Oh, please don't be so polite!" Shirley seemed a little flustered, stepping aside and waving her arm towards the door, her smile so bright it almost overflowed with light.

"Please come in, we've been waiting for you for a long time!"

As Tsuruga readily entered the hotel, the first thing that filled her nostrils was the very strong smell of disinfectant.

The lobby was empty, with peeling paper covering the walls, and employees were displayed on both sides.

At the very front was Shirley, followed by... an angel? Then came a one-eyed demon resembling a little girl, a winged, reluctant-looking cat-like demon, and a spider demon dressed as a seductive woman but actually male.

Their reactions to Tsurugi were quite amusing. The angel looked suspicious, the one-eyed girl seemed a little afraid of him, the winged cat muttered that he really was Jesus, and the spider demon kept winking and licking his lips at him, making flirtatious gestures.

“Mr. Martyr, please introduce yourself once again. I am Shirley Morningstar! This is Vicky, this is Hesk, this is Nephthy, and this is Angel.”

Xia Li enthusiastically introduced the inn's staff to Dongjiang, then invited him to sit down, her two gleaming eyes looking at him.

"Our hotel is designed to help the inhabitants of hell achieve salvation, just like your cause, only we can't do it as well—"

"It's alright. Any act of correcting a mistake is commendable and courageous," Tsugumi said with a kind smile.

"I just wonder, Your Highness Shirley, how many souls have you redeemed so far?"

Shirley's expression froze on her face, and after a long while, she timidly gave a zero.

Dongjiang raised an eyebrow—was he playing dumb to fool others?

"Let's get straight to the point!" Xia Li perked up again, pulling out a notebook from somewhere and looking at Dongjiang with eager eyes.

788

road

"How did you persuade so many sinners to follow you? Is there a secret to it? Please enlighten me!"

Looking at Xia Li's pleading face, Tsugumi thought for a moment and said gently...

"Your Highness, let's first determine one thing: how many people in hell do you think deserve forgiveness?"

Shirley was taken aback, clearly not expecting Tsurugi to ask that question. She hesitated for a moment, then carefully said...

"I believe...everyone deserves forgiveness."

—What's going on? Is she pretending? Is she trying to deceive me with this nonsensical saintly persona?

Tsurugi narrowed her eyes and glanced at the photo behind Shirley—it was a family portrait, with the Morning Star royals dressed in gorgeous attire and smiling perfectly, and the words "Don't Give Up" written in red on it.

Tsugumi's gaze lingered on Lucifer and Lilith's faces for a moment before she continued...

"Perhaps," Tsugumi said softly, following Shirley's lead.

"But no matter what the crime is, one must bear the corresponding responsibility to atone for it. The murderer is killed, the thief is robbed, and only by truly experiencing the suffering of the victim can a person's soul be redeemed."

Shirley nodded her little head like she was pounding garlic, and then wrote a paragraph in her notebook.

“What if they are unwilling to accept atonement?” Shirley asked hastily. This was the biggest problem she was facing: the vast majority of those seeking atonement did not even want to begin the process.

"...Let them see the results of their atonement," Tsurugi said without changing his expression.

“I do not know how the end of atonement leads to heaven; perhaps that is a secret known only to angels. But the apostles who atone with me will find peace and tranquility, and I think that is a beautiful outcome.”

"In the end, they're no different from those missionaries on earth," Hesk said with a sneer, flapping his wings.

"This is hell, Father! If they could control themselves, they wouldn't have come here!"