Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Lyle looked around at the other races who were marveling at the sight; the races here almost encompassed all the races of the Wandering City.

Except for the lich.

"Mr. Delusional, are we the first group of lich guests you invited? Why?"

Wang Xiang awkwardly shifted his gaze.

"The Cult of Mechanism pursues the ultimate order, and the liches are inherently incompatible with this place, as I know all too well. You can never imagine how much trouble they can cause here."

Mr. Delusional gazes at the light atop the pyramids.

"I'm also reluctant to put my people under the supervision of the Lich Savior Council, on the very freedom we've worked so hard to gain."

Chapter 514 The Devil in a Suit

A metallic white sheet covered the earth, forcing vegetation and soil to the city's edge. The mechanical city was exquisitely detailed, almost monotonously so, resembling a meticulous black-and-white painting. The mirror-like walls were seamless, devoid of any holes from explosions or bloodstains from experiments. The shadowy gaps between walls held no talking bones draped in robes, nor any chaotic creations thronging the rooms in a frenzy.

Lyle was used to the little surprises in life, and here he felt a sense of peace.

It's not that the Mechanical City is so lifeless; in fact, the city is quite vibrant thanks to the multi-ethnic tourists who come to explore. But without the liches, it always feels like something's missing.

“Property damage report.” Mr. Delusional understood Lyle’s thoughts. “I think this is one of the benefits of not having a lich. Our financial reporting specialist here has a bit of OCD. If there are more troublemakers, his lifespan will be shortened a lot.”

"We will compensate!" Manipulator spoke up for those Andrei liches, "The Wandering City has indeed suffered many losses due to experimental accidents in many regions and among many races, but we are always very generous in compensation, provided that you do not alarm the Dean."

“Of course, I know, and believe me, I’m much more familiar with this process than you are.” The delusional tone seemed a bit lighter. “Using the lich’s compensation to repair those damaged buildings, the Wandering City’s economic vitality remained high under this positive stimulus, and the entire city continued to progress as a result. Apart from Andrei’s reputation and the Wandering City Lord’s hair, there was no other loss. Those arcane people are very clever… and very patient.”

“But this city, without needing stimulation, is constantly progressing; it’s our instinct.” Wang Xiang looked at the pyramid, the focusing crystal subtly shifting its direction with the sun during the conversation, to a degree imperceptible to the naked eye. “Compared to those benefits, Lyle, I hope you can understand that being a member of Andre is certainly a happy thing, but when I am a leader of a certain tribe or the head of a certain area, that happiness turns into pain.”

“But you need the power of the lich now, Mr. Delusional,” he said with a smile.

"To be precise, it's Lyle's personal power. The Cult of Machine God shouldn't be under the shackles of the Salvation Society, and I wouldn't have placed such a time bomb in our city, but now, I need that kind of power to solve our problem. That billion was originally a reward I asked a Salvation Society member to use their abilities to solve the problem..."

"The Salvation Society members only get a billion for an appearance? Plague Doctor, I don't mean to be contemptuous of you, I just... um... you know. I thought those Salvation Society professors were all researchers who were indifferent to fame and fortune." Shining said, looking at Delusional with a suspicious gaze.

"One billion is a price that can express my feelings. Anyway, those people won't care about these glittering numbers, will they? Maybe this mechanical city can still pique their interest, and then..."

"Then you can get the professor's help for free."

"A billion, my friends, I almost cried when I lost it, if only I had tear ducts."

"So, what exactly is the content of your commission, Mr. Delusional? You haven't told us yet." Lyle reminded the somewhat off-topic Delusional. Both his own club members and he were a little distracted, probably due to the novelty of the new environment. As for Mr. Delusional, it was probably the tension brought on by the intense novelty of the lich.

“For now, I need to confirm one more time, alone. Lyle, I need to excuse myself for a while. During this time, please feel free to explore the city... but don't be too free.” The illusion of bending his metal spine caused the projection from the open box to stop five centimeters in front of Lyle.

"The security personnel in this city are my same type of aircraft. Please don't keep them busy, I beg you."

Only after Lyle nodded did Mr. Delusional walk into a small alley with satisfaction. Shining followed him about five steps behind out of curiosity, then stood there dumbfounded at the street corner.

"This is a dead end. He's disappeared."

The remaining people paid no attention to what Shan Liang said. They had already started walking towards the bustling shops.

This is the second street directly opposite the portal, where glowing shop windows display a variety of everyday items, including furniture with mechanical limbs. The smooth, flowing lines of these machines don't actually incorporate much cutting-edge technology; some simple designs could easily be achieved with magic. But these are more convenient and have wider applicability.

Lyle believed the lava lizard's terrarium was originally an automatic cooking pot. A human child looked up at the banging popcorn machine and then put his spellbook homework in. The outcome wasn't so fortunate; the elven tutor with the monocle doubled his homework and rewarded him with a small bucket of snacks for his daring.

A distant buzzing sound rose from among a group of stone golems. One golem, wielding an electric drill, pierced the spiked bodies of its companions, then hammered long, nail-like pieces of discolored metal into their flesh. The golem carrying numerous metal spikes stood out among its companions, and thus, a hippie stone golem was born. It's believed that later, there will be riveted stone golems, death metal stone golems, or something else entirely.

The mechanical city brought new cultures to these races, and the hilarious combinations of racial cultures left Lyle both amused and exasperated.

But there are also some things that are pleasing to the eye.

The Cult of Mechanism brought suits.

The structured and streamlined design of this garment creates a strong visual impact, especially when worn by a succubus.

This suit store, named 00007, was packed with eager succubi.

Oddly enough, women made up the majority. Men might not be very interested in these "boxes worn on the body," but fashion-conscious women were very happy to try on these crisp new clothes.

“They look so neat and tidy, we suspect there’s some subtle connection to the side of order, so we decided to desecrate it, to showcase the allure of chaos with these suits,” a confident succubus in a suit replied. “And I love these dark colors. They suit us perfectly.”

The sharp-eyed Lyle spotted a familiar figure among the crowd trying on clothes. She was standing in front of the mirror, looking at her outfit.

Wearing a black coat over a red suit, Ferma Black Abyss crossed his arms, his awkward posture and shy blush clearly visible to Lyle.

This demon from the Black Abyss seems to be captivated by himself.

"It's been a long time, Ms. Ferma."

“Who!... It’s Lord Lyle. I salute you, Lord Lyle.” The demon princess suppressed her shyness and gave Lyle a crisp bow, though a blush still lingered on her face.

Lyle waved his hands. "There's no need to be so polite, Ferma."

"The demons who survived the last Wandering City should all show you respect, Lord Lyle." His golden-red eyes were filled with a businesslike seriousness.

“You look great in that outfit, Ferma.”

"Hahaha, really? I think so too." The demon princess's voice became quite cheerful. She cupped her burning cheeks in her hands, and uncontrollable laughter squeezed out from between her teeth. Her body swayed from side to side like a maggot.

"..." This is quite an unexpected side of him.

"..." She snapped out of her daze and looked at Lyle coldly. "I apologize for my rudeness, Lord Lyle."

“Ferma really likes this outfit.”

"Stop talking, Lord Lyle, I'll change back right now." Like a little girl whose shame had been exposed, Femma walked toward the fitting room.

"Should we switch back? But you look absolutely adorable right now."

The female demon stood frozen in place as if electrocuted, her body trembling with excitement.

She turned her head away, her teeth pressed tightly against her lower lip, trying to suppress a smile, her face flushed red.

"I've bought it! Don't say anything more!"

Chapter 515 Modified Demon

She stood confidently in the middle of the road, coldly accepting the admiring glances of those around her, and returned a devilishly mocking smile.

Femma Black Abyss possessed a demeanor somewhere between a violent terrorist and a capable butler; her emotions were a mixture of joy and shyness, then unleashed with the characteristic ferocity of a demon. The crowd maintained a certain distance from her, the empty space around her seemingly the physical extent of her aura, all stemming from her black and red suit.

She really liked the new dress.

The black curly hair wasn't secured with clips or headbands as usual; it stretched out naturally, just like the twisted, curved hair.

Then she stomped on the heel of her new shoes and broke it.

The dangerous state of "keep away, strangers don't want to approach" was interrupted by the loss of physical balance, and the high spirits also plummeted.

With a sigh, he took off his new shoes and tossed them into the nearest trash can. Facing the shop window, the demon carefully used clips to neatly arrange his unruly hair into a bun. Femma Black Abyss had transformed back into the eccentric demon who loved cleanliness and order.

"I guess I'm still a demon who enjoys chaos. Finding common ground with my people isn't so bad." The female demon looked at Lyle standing beside her through the glass, a small smile curving her flat lips. "Thank you, Lady Lyle. If I were alone, I probably wouldn't have bought this outfit I like. It would have made me stand out even more among my own kind. But who cares now? Anyone who objects will be killed."

Lyle didn't think he had done anything special; it was just a few words of praise.

"You are probably the woman I have ever met who has the strongest reaction to buying an outfit."

“Demons worship power and take pride in their strong bodies.” Femma introduced her race, her tone revealing her aversion. “Therefore, most demons expose their bodies; thick, tight clothing signifies a lack of confidence in their own flesh and leads to discrimination. But enough of that, Lord Lyle. Is there something important that brings you to this city? This is the first time I’ve encountered a lich in this city.”

"It's a request from Mr. Delusional, though the specifics are unknown. We're currently touring this mechanical city."

"A request from the High Priest of the Cult of Machines, indeed no small matter. If needed, Lord Lyle, the Black Abyss Demons are at your service."

A nerve in his head seemed to click, and Lyle tilted his head, linking the title of "Mr. Delusional" from the Literature Club with the title of "High Priest."

"High Priest of the Cult of Machines, Mr. Delusional?"

Ferma nodded.

"The Cult of the Machine God is a mysterious cult whose members are metallic beings capable of manipulating lightning, possessing magical skills and strange technologies unknown to us. The known public leader is the High Priest of the Cult of the Machine God, Executor 10001, also known as Mr. Delusional. Although rumors circulate that this cult worships a deity, a shattered creator, there are no eyewitness accounts confirming His existence. Currently, the Black Abyss Demons and the Cult of the Machine God have begun some cooperation, all overseen by the High Priest."

Surprisingly, Lyle had always thought the literary society was full of idle, fun-loving people, never expecting that Mr. Delusional actually had a family business.

"Cooperation? You're cooperating with the Cult of Machines? In what areas? Demonology, hell magic?"

“Demon mechanization.” Ferma Black Abyss straightened his collar, a formulaic smile on his face. “I’m in charge of this project. Would you like to take a look, everyone in Andrei…”

……

The area was filled with the smells of sulfur and engine oil, and it was also where the cylindrical cleaning robots were most numerous.

A demon's standard roar pierced through the black iron wall, and the iron door opened with the clanging of gears. A wave of heat and a foul odor rushed out, along with cough-inducing dust in the air. Lyle put on his mask.

With the addition of some iron bars, this place could be considered a standard prison.

"Not all demons are born strong warriors. Those warriors who are physically disabled but mentally strong are brought here for enhancement and modification. The Cult of the Machine God happens to need some experimental samples, and most of them are volunteers."

"What about those who are unwilling?"

"Some unambitious good-for-nothings and those lowly demons and hellish brats. They are too weak and need to be strengthened." Demons revere the strong, and weakness is the original sin. The weak have no citizenship rights, and those low-ranking demon servants can only become slaves or food.

Ferma led the four to a guarded experimental table. Inside, an iron cage contained a dozen or so small goblins that were jumping around. Their abdominal cavities had been hollowed out, and a yellowish-gray circular gear was embedded inside, making a clicking sound.

"Bomb imps, they explode, and their power is far superior to their claws. The original plan was to use higher-level demons to command them into squads and bombard them in waves with sheer numbers. These imps are plentiful in Hell and are not a valuable resource. Everything was planned well, but after the modifications, it was discovered that their brains had developed some problems. They have completely lost the ability to obey orders. Now they've become a bunch of lively bombs."

"The experiment failed just like that?"

"Of course, both sides considered solutions. The Cult of Mechanics proposed a brain implantation command solution. It's amazing that they were able to carve so many runes into that walnut-sized brain. The effect was very good, but we rejected it."

"Because your solution is better?"

“More convenient and much cheaper.” Ferma snapped his fingers, and a demon guard immediately approached the cage.

He opened the cage and pulled out a small bomb-wielding demon. Because of his immense grip, the little demon was on the verge of death.

"Drink!" The demon guard's arm muscles bulged, and with his abnormal strength, he threw the bomb sprite out. After the impact, the bomb sprite exploded.

"..."

"Our solution is to grab it, aim at it, and throw it."

“A violent solution.”

“And it works very well.” Ferma lifted the tarpaulin at the end of the laboratory, gesturing for Lyle and the others to follow. “Let’s see the main event, gentlemen.”

Behind the black tarpaulin was a spacious open space, with several thick black and red stone pillars standing in front of them.

The Nails of Hell.