Inside Arash's personal haya, his boss' tall figure sat cross-legged on the floor, bare-chested. As expected of someone who hit his personal gym almost religiously, he had fine abs just like a Greek god. Those abs must be less than ten percent body fat. Boss Alan had an awkward look plastered on but was trying to remain composed. Tok Silihan was staring at him heavily from his back as if he was using X-ray vision to observe something; it really made one feel uncomfortable. Arash chuckled in his heart, feeling a small win on his part. Finally, he was not alone in being embarrassed like this by the capricious Elder.

 

Arash's smartphone was propped up by a vase made from carved bamboo, placed in Boss Alan and Tok Silihan's direction. There was an ongoing internet call in place as Butler Miles was observing with loudspeakers on.

 

Arash had lobbied hard for this outcome. Naturally, he felt a small amount of achievement. He knew he was threading on a thin line since both parties did not trust each other.

 

Tok Silihan lifted his gnarly hands from Boss Alan's back and let go of his left wrist with scrunched-up brows.

 

"How was it Tok?" Arash quickly asked with concern.

 

"This... It's so complicated! This guy is really hated eh! You said it was from when he was nine?" Tok Silihan grunted in dismay. He had never seen such a complex condition in a patient.

 

Arash quickly nodded. "Can you elaborate on what is wrong with Boss Alan?"

 

"Strip."

 

Arash, O_O

 

A few seconds went by as Arash's saliva ran dry out of panic. He really didn't want to be his boss' mortal enemy. However, being on the receiving end of Tok Silihan's wrath wasn't an option either. Arash swallowed hard and took a deep breath to gather his courage, "...Boss Alan, please strip."

 

Boss Alan and Butler Miles, O__O

 

"When is this ugly boy going to strip?! He's wasting my time!" Tok Silihan's bad temper resurfaced when all three people were frozen in place and weren't cooperating with his demand.

 

"I SAY STRIP!!!"

 

Arash TT____TT "...Tok, you're making this really hard on me. I could lose my job before getting my fully paid one-month leave..."

 

For the first time, the stoic Boss Alan started turning pale. Although he didn't really understand the whole conversation between Arash and the Tok Batin, Arash did tell him what 'strip' meant just now. He didn't want to believe his own ears, but it seemed that the Spiritual Healer did say to remove all garments.

 

He was now regretting his decision, somewhat.

...

 

Kreemore didn't understand what was happening to him as he was dragged to the surface world by a group of Elemental Fiends, the very thing that he looked down upon and foraged as food. He had been insanely abused by many creatures along the way. 

 

He had been strangled by a nasty black serpent, slapped multiple times by a vengeful tortoise who looked like he killed its parents, and doused by water that extinguished his life fire before being nearly drowned by a group of brazen tiny water creatures. Those water creatures were especially ferocious! 

 

As a fire attribute spiritual beast who made his home in the Subterranean World, water was his bane of existence. A tiny bit was alright; he could just burn it off into steam. These were like torrents of never-ending water flow suffocating him just enough without really killing him. 

 

These creatures… They were professional executioners! 

 

They just knew how to inflict the maximum amount of pain without letting him die. It was disheartening, as even a release in death was out of the question.

 

Kreemore had been the alpha of his people for many years. He did anything he wanted and procreated with any females he wished for without a slight ounce of conscience. He suppressed other young males, even killing most of them whom he deemed to have the potential to be future rivals. He enslaved the weaker ones and forced them to deliver resources to him. 

 

After years of controlling the Fire Pangolin Tribe and a few other subterranean subordinate tribes this way, his authority became so solid, no one could ever contend against him. He became the strongest existence within his own small kingdom. The only predator that he couldn’t fight against was the Terra Earthworm, which was not a problem. As long as he gave it ample sacrifices, the stupid worm will let his little tribe be.

 

Winner takes all, and losers were destined to scour at the very bottom as how they should be. However, he was careful not to offend strong spiritual beasts. He knew his limits.

 

It was infinitely better to be a dragon in a small pond than a small fry in the vast ocean.

 

As he was convulsing in never-ending streams of poisonous water, he kept thinking about what actually went wrong and how the world was so unfair to him.

 

He had only been minding his own thing without disturbing any high and mighty creatures. Did he offend any big shot recently?

 

Was it because he targeted the juvenile Elemental Fiends' nest?

 

It was a standard day-to-day food foraging procedure. He could only blame his bad luck for meeting a much bigger predator.

 

What will become of him now?

 

Only the dangerous-looking beast with a black mane who ate souls could answer his question. He still remembered the pain of his soul being torn apart. It was the kind of pain that one will remember for the rest of one's life. Until now, his body still trembled in pain from the lingering agony.

 

He tried to look away from the beast's penetrating gaze but couldn't. He was helpless as he felt that the threat of death was looming.

 

“!!!”

 

Kreemore’s eyes started bulging as his veins popped out one by one. He screamed and screamed in a never-ending torment and pain.

...

 

Hana looked away from the Fire Pangolin's thoughts in disgust. This guy was a classic prick who obtained power and ruled wantonly like a tyrant. Textbook villain-like character. She had forgotten that her own beloved Kuro was also considered a mean villain who killed as he pleased for the sake of accumulating spiritual energy.

 

A rush of Soul Energy Particles with murderous intent bombarded the Fire Pangolin’s imprisoned half-soul within the Soul Hall Domain as Hana invaded his mind telepathically. The Soul Energy Particles were as sharp as thorns and as poisonous as ivy. Unlike the others’ half-soul who received a warm, nourishing effect from the Soul Energy Particle wave, Kreemore’s half-soul was like being stabbed repeatedly by tiny needles while being seared by fire. The Fire Pangolin screamed in agony as if his life was being reaped from him slowly. It was a high-pitched, heart-rending scream with added choking sounds. 

 

Spiritual beasts populating the Serpent’s Lair actually had goosebumps rising from hearing the eerie scream. They witnessed the gigantic Fire Pangolin roll left and right on the clearing with mucus and blood coming out from its orifices, its beady eyes nearly popping out. Again, they learned not to cross the Goddess Mistress in any way, although she seemed like a smiling angel most of the time. 

 

Hana abhorred the life of a philanderer such as this. It was Hana’s biggest taboo; and thus, she became too emotional and lost her rationality after witnessing Kreemore's playboy life. She hated such men, as she was immersed in memories from her life in her old world. Arash was loyal to a fault, a model husband and lover. 

 

However, she had besties who had been betrayed by such men. She had never told anyone that she had seriously considered killing her friend’s husband in some way. Though, her rationality convinced her not to act on such impulsive actions. It was someone else's problem, which she shouldn't carelessly interfere with, especially when her besties still loved their cheating husbands.

 

Hana easily overpowered the pangolin's will and relayed several instructions while digging for more information. 

 

Earth Rabbits, Fanged Moles. Some clusters of Granite Earth Fiends. 

 

Ah, their biggest threat, the apex predator of the Subterranean World, the Terra Earthworm.

 

Hana sweated with the accumulation of threats over her backyard. They were so many!

 

Mommy, please stop.

 

Hana received a telepathic message from Kuro, who was deep within one of the subterranean tunnels. He stayed to observe the movements of other creatures, just in case the Fire Pangolin could rally the others to attack the Serpent's Lair in some way.

 

The needle-like attacks paused, giving the Fire Pangolin a breathing ground.

 

Yes, Ku-chan?

 

Anymore than this, the Fire Pangolin we subjugated will truly die, Mommy. You’re attacking his Soul like a Soul-predator. Is there a change of plan?

 

Stunned, Hana asked back in confusion, …I did?

 

Take it easy, Mommy. This guy is just a small, petty character. It didn’t deserve your attention. However, its group will serve us well, and your Soul Power will increase exponentially as long as we digest the whole group. They will serve as a layer of protection from other future subterranean creatures. Please reconsider.

 

Kuro really thought that Hana wanted to kill off the Fire Pangolin, although he wasn’t sure how the pangolin offended his kind-hearted Mistress so badly. At the same time, he was amazed that Hana had performed the Soul Needle Attack so naturally. It was an elementary soul-based attack that could be taught once a Lightning Serpent’s Soul Power reached the first tier. The guy must’ve brushed Mommy’s reverse scale the wrong way. 

...

 

Nobody noticed the disappearance of the Fire Pangolin Alpha, Lord Kreemore, since he never stayed at the same location more than a few minutes after spreading his seeds on random females daily. His wanton whirlwind actions never changed. However, the first female who bore a son a couple of days later was surprised that the infant wasn't killed outright by the Alpha. 

 

Over a couple of days, Lord Kreemore sent instructions for the leader of his vassal tribes to gather for renewed important instructions. The Earth Rabbit, Fanged Moles, and Granite Earth Fiends' representatives appeared and meekly followed the notorious Lord Kreemore's order. They were led into a secret location for a lengthy meeting. 

 

No one exactly knew where the secret meeting was located and nobody dared to ask since the Lord himself was eager to host and handle all the menial tasks of welcoming the vassals. For all they know, he might be enjoying himself abusing the poor creatures. It wasn't the first time Lord Kreemore did something like this. Besides feeling sorry for them, the ones in the know couldn't do anything but endure.

...

 

Gramps Alpy used Micro Control to utilize the abundant Spiritual Energy into a sharp point and scribbled over a clear cave wall in a deeper section of the Mistress' personal dwelling. The Mistress had graciously granted a wide area for Gramps Alpy to organize and jot down his thoughts into strategies for the Subterranean Subjugation Project. At the moment, Alpy had drafted thirteen different strategies with multiple variations in each one, to compensate for the variables that might arise during implementation.

 

“Hmm…” Gramps Alpy harrumphed deeply as he focused solely on the problems he tried to solve within his mind. 

 

"F7, clean this part, please."

 

Gramps Alpy instructed an Elemental Fiend who stood by his side obediently to clear a part of the wall he wrote. 

 

The idea wouldn't reach the Mistress' target. 

 

F7 sprayed out a small amount of greenish-white liquid from its mandibles accurately. It had the consistency of thick glue and hardened quite fast with a gloss finish, making the wall turn into its preset whitish-green glow. A hint of noxious fume permeated for a few minutes before it dissipated totally into nothingness.   

 

"Thank you, F7."

 

Everyone knew F1 was the Mistress' personal attendant and shouldn't be called upon. F2 to F5 would help out when the Mistress needed more, ahem, assistants. F6 and above lingered within the abode as guards and lamps. 

 

Hence, it was an unspoken rule that high-ranking Soul Brethren must utilize the help of Elemental Fiends of F6 and above only. However, to be able to reside within the Goddess Mistress’ abode was already something to be gratified about. It was well known that only Lord Brother Kuro and Lord Brother Shiro, the right hand and the left hand of the Mistress, stayed in the same chamber as the Mistress at all times. 

 

How his life had been elevated by 360 degrees. 

 

Just yesterday, he broke through a small realm, by unconsciously absorbing the rich heaven and earth energy within the Mistress’ dwelling. 

 

Although all Soul Slaves were contracted to Mistress Hana, Gramps Alpy noticed the bonds between the Mistress’ avatar and the Half-souls in the Soul Hall Domain were minutely different from each other, even when the entry points were the same. 

 

Basically, it was not based only on seniority. In their group of four, Saras’ partial ‘bridge’ disintegrated at a slower rate as compared to the others. Through networking with other Soul Brethren, he understood that the particle wave replenished the unstable ‘bridge’ and cumulatively improved a recipient’s soul slowly. Hence, the more stable the ‘bridge’, the easier for the Half-soul to achieve true Soul-link with the Mistress. A true Soul-link will make the corporeal bridge materialize into a permanent bond. This will improve the absorption of Soul Particle Energy from Mistress Hana, which will then easily elevate his status within the Family.

 

Right now, out of thirteen Soul Brethren, only five Lords had permanent bridges. Lord Brother Kuro had two materialized bridges, the Queen Mother had two, Lord Pii the baby eagle had two, Princess Aranyella had one, and surprisingly, the new Forest Spirit, Lord Taa, had one fully formed bond. He was surprised that Lord Shiro didn't have a permanent bond with Mistress Hana. However, five of Lord Shiro's bridges disintegrated very slowly, much, much slower than everyone else. Oftentimes, the bridges only lacked one or two runes to be completed at all times. Strangely, they just won't fully form. However, he won't pry into other people's business, lest Lord Shiro would be offended in some way. He was still Mistress Hana's top favorite.

 

Another thing to note, Gramps Alpy observed that the Young Miss’ attendant, Chomper, was valued higher by the Mistress than the Young Miss herself, even though he was not even a Soul slave of the Serpent's Lair. The attendant was known to be very polite and quick-witted. From the series of events and teachings, Gramps Alpy noted that the Mistress valued intelligence above all, even strength and power. From this point, just like Lord Shiro, he knew he had an edge.

 

He must contribute more.

 

He needed to be useful.

 

Towards the betterment of Serpent’s Lair!

...