This Eighteen Floors was personally established by Gu Shan. Every person here was rescued by him, including those poisoned people and puppets.
He faced these oppressive environments every day, yet had no way to solve them.
As the number of poisoned people and puppets he rescued grew, the fact that Gu Shan did not go crazy truly proved his strong will.
Gu Shan saw Lin Zaozao secretly looking at him, so he grabbed her hand and gently asked, "Zaozao, where shall we go?"
"To the lowest level. Once we reach the lowest level, I will have a way to save these poisoned people and puppets."
Lin Zaozao forced a smile on her face, holding Gu Shan's hand as they were surrounded by assassins wearing skull masks, heading downwards.
"Zaozao, if you feel uncomfortable, we won't go any further."
"Gu Shan, I'm not feeling uncomfortable."
"Zaozao, I can tell your complexion doesn't look good. We are different from you; everyone here has already gotten used to living in hell.
But you're different, Zaozao. You're a young lady standing under the sunshine. Not a trace of gloom exists within you.
Zaozao, the Eighteen Floors is a responsibility I should bear, and these puppets and poisoned people are troubles I brought upon myself.
But I won't place that burden on my wife's shoulders. So if you're uncomfortable, we'll turn back immediately."
After speaking, Gu Shan held Lin Zaozao's hand and turned to walk upwards.
He should not have brought his young lady to this hellish realm in the first place.
He was truly foolish and wicked.
He had committed the most shameful act:
Using Zaozao's feelings for him to drag her into this hellish realm.
Seeing Gu Shan decisively pulling her upwards, Lin Zaozao quickly grabbed his hand and said solemnly, "Gu Shan, besides being the Empress of Han Country, who else am I to you?"
"Zaozao, you are my wife, the one I love most in this life."
"Since I am your wife and the person you love most, then as your wife and the Empress of Han Country, I have the right and duty to help my husband overcome any difficulty."
"Zaozao, it's too dark here, unsuitable for you..."
"Gu Shan, there's no such thing as suitable or unsuitable. Originally, you and these assassins here all lived under the sunshine.
They ended up here due to the twists of fate. Gu Shan, no one is born to live in darkness.
I now have a way to save them, to let them live under the sunshine again. I cannot abandon them just because of my own slight discomfort.
In one's lifetime, one can indeed follow their heart's desires, be it a saint who saves all beings or an evil demon.
But as long as I don't burden others, as the Empress of Han Country, I naturally wish to be a saint who saves all beings.
Not just for you, but because I am the Empress of Han Country. I'm simply fulfilling my duties."
Upon finishing, without waiting for Gu Shan's refusal, Lin Zaozao pulled his hand as they descended the stone steps one by one.
Little Xibei, who had been following behind Lin Zaozao, clenched and unclenched his fists after hearing her words.
Is the predetermined path truly unchangeable?
Why would Zaozao say those words again?
About being willing to save all beings as long as she doesn't burden others.
In her previous life, Zaozao didn't burden anyone else, but she dragged herself into an endless abyss of hell.
In this life, he and Han Ye refrained from senseless killing, precisely to allow Zaozao to escape the fate of her previous life.
But what's going on now?
The further down they went, the more their fated path seemed to converge with her previous life.
But when Little Xibei's gaze fell upon the pure Buddhist light surrounding Lin Zaozao, he clenched his fists again.
No, this lifetime will be different. He, Han Ye, Xi Luo, and the others won't let Zaozao repeat her past mistakes.
Under the watchful eyes of the assassins in the Eighteen Floors, Lin Zaozao and Gu Shan made their way down to the corpse disposal platform.
Looking down at the churning lava below, feeling the scorching heat waves, Lin Zaozao found it hard to breathe in this suffocating heat.
[System, what should I do next?]
[Host, make everyone retreat, and I'll teach you how to draw the Sacrificial Drawing. Then use the same method as Purgatory Valley to save those poisoned people and puppets all at once.]
[This time, do I not need Gu Shan to accompany me in the sacrificial dance?]
Lin Zaozao asked in confusion.
[...]
[System?]
[No! Make everyone retreat, quickly!!!]
The system said through gritted teeth.
[Okay okay, don't be angry! I'll make Gu Shan and the others retreat right away.]
Lin Zaozao turned to meet Gu Shan's expectant yet conflicted gaze, cradled his face gently and placed a kiss on his lips before saying softly, "Gu Shan, I need to draw the Sacrificial Drawing now. I can't be disturbed during the process, so you and the others wait aside for me, okay?"
"Okay, Zaozao. If anything feels off or uncomfortable, tell me immediately."
"No problem."
After seeing Gu Shan lead the others aside, Lin Zaozao turned and frantically called out to the system in her mind.
[System, there's no one around me now. Tell me how to draw the Sacrificial Drawing!]
[Ahem! Host, let's begin the first step of drawing the Sacrificial Drawing. Take out your hairpin, prick a hole in your finger, and use your blood to draw the image.]
[Take out my hairpin and prick a hole in my finger?]
Lin Zaozao took out a hairpin and gestured at her fingers for a long while, but made no actual motion.
[Host, quickly prick your finger!]
[System! My fingers were just injured a few days ago and haven't fully healed yet!
Now if I use this hairpin to prick my finger, I... I can't bring myself to do it! If I prick a hole in that acupuncture point connected to the heart, the pain would make me fart and poop!]
[You can't do it, then what do you suggest?]
[Why don't you, System, show some love and donate a bit of your blood? Is that possible?]
[Stupid host, I'm a system without a physical body! I don't even have tears, let alone blood! Have your big brain and small brain been filled with dog poop?]
[System, can I use someone else's blood then? I'm afraid of pain.]
[No, others don't have sacrificial abilities. Even if you draw with their blood, it would be a waste of effort.]
[What about Little Xibei? He's also a priest, can his blood be used?]
[No, Han Xibei himself is not a priest. His sacrificial power is inherited from others. So his blood cannot be used!]
[Then what should I do? I just tried clenching my teeth and pricking my finger, but I can't break the skin!]
[Is that so?]
The system asked menacingly.
[Yes, yes!]
Lin Zaozao answered weakly.
[Since the host cannot bring herself to do it, then this system is willing to take over fully.]
[How will you take over?]
[Host, this system will temporarily borrow your body to perform the sacrificial dance.
After the dance is completed, I'll return your body to you. Afterwards, I'll also treat the wound on your finger, and you won't feel any pain at all.
How about it? Stupid host, isn't this system's proposal great?]
[System, it's possible, I guess. But... you won't use my body to do anything bad, right?]
[For instance, go and tease little girls? Or perhaps go and tease handsome young men?]
[Of course not! Does the system seem like that sort of bad system?
This system is a dashing, devilishly handsome, suave, graceful, talented, young and wealthy, intelligent, lively and adorable, eloquent, elegant, extraordinary, and supremely kind universal top-tier benevolent system.]
[...]
[What's wrong? Foolish host, don't you believe this system?]
[Hah! You mangy system, you really can lay the flattery on thick for yourself!]
[Foolish host, do you want this system's help ascending to spiritual immortality or not? If you don't want it, then just squat here cultivating mushrooms by yourself.
This system has matters to attend to now, I'm going out to have some fun.]
[Hold on, I'll temporarily lend you my body. However, you must return my body to me later, and you cannot do anything untoward, understand?]
[Understood, understood. As a system, if I forcibly occupy the host's body for over a day, I'll be annihilated by the Way of Heaven.
This system may not have a physical body now, but I don't want to die just yet! You understand, mangy host?]
[I understand, I understand.]
[Then host, close your eyes, this system will temporarily borrow your body.]
Upon hearing the system's excited words, Lin Zaozao closed her eyes obediently amidst her confusion. After all, if the mangy system couldn't permanently occupy her body, letting it help draw a Sacrificial Drawing to rescue someone wasn't a bad idea.
The moment Lin Zaozao closed her eyes, she felt her soul being confined within a transparent glass case.
She could see what the person outside was doing and hear their voice, but they couldn't see her form.
Next, she clearly witnessed the mangy system shamelessly doing a series of embarrassing things with her body.
As her body reopened its eyes, she saw that the eye color had changed from black to golden.
Her body first stiffly twisted around, then extended its hands to carefully examine them.
The next second, Lin Zaozao watched as the mangy system occupying her body directly groped her chest, constantly muttering to itself:
"This dead girl Lin Zaozao is a woman, yet her chest is as flat as a washboard, just a vast plain to the touch.
With such a flat chest, how does she not eat more papaya and milk regularly to build herself up a little?
Well, I suppose a flat chest is fine, but why is her butt so flat too? When I grab a handful, there's not even any flesh to pinch.
Ah! There is some flesh after all.
But wait, this flesh seems to be in the wrong place...
Good heavens! This dead girl has all her flesh accumulating on her belly instead. One grab seizes a huge handful, like a swim ring. This thick swim ring would just sink straight to the bottom if dropped in water.
Maybe I should grope a bit lower. Since I've already groped what I've groped, I might as well cop a feel while I'm at it!"
