Elves and White Light Angels nodded in unison, their voices ringing with righteousness and conviction:

“Yes, it’s all for the innocent citizens of Lionheart who perished!”

Saga gave a thumbs up, chiming in:

“So that’s how it is, I’m convinced.”

Soon after, Saga found himself back in the red-light district he had first stumbled into. The familiar array of lights was everywhere, casting an ambiguous and enchanting hue over the night, with countless establishments lining both sides, beckoning passersby with hostesses of various races, each with their own unique charm.

“The red-light culture of Laine City is quite developed.”

Amidst such surroundings, Saga remarked.

A middle-aged adventurer chuckled and whispered:

“Kid, you’re still too green. What’s here is nothing. If you’ve been to the Succubus Kingdom, you’d be absolutely shocked by their culture—it’s practically a ‘red-light nation’.”

After a pause, the middle-aged adventurer put on a serious face, waved his hand grandly, and declared:

“Let’s begin our mission now, to investigate every establishment!”

The Elves and White Light Angels, their reflections filled with the dense array of establishments, breathed heavily, legs trembling, yet they solemnly exclaimed, “What a daunting task.”

“But for the people of Laine City, to complete our mission, we will not give up!”

Patting Saga on the shoulder, the middle-aged adventurer spoke with deep feeling:

“Hyperion, you are still a green youth.”

“As an adventurer, sometimes sacrifices must be made to complete a mission.”

“Go on, show me what you’ve got.”

Then, as if nobly marching to their demise, they all shouted:

“To heaven and the Abyss!”

Immediately after, the group dispersed, each striding towards different establishments with heads held high.

Saga:

Watching their excited departure, he imperceptibly shook his head, then gazing at the ambiguous lights of the many establishments, he too felt somewhat dazzled.

Taking a deep breath.

The young dragon murmured to himself:

“Saga, oh Saga, don’t let desire shatter your will.”

Maintaining composure was hardly a challenge for Saga, the Mind Warlock dragon.

Besides, with his Red Dragon bloodline, Saga had a preference for pure maidens, so the red-light district had little effect on him.

Looking at the numerous establishments and the bustling crowd on the bright streets, the dragon youth’s golden dragon eyes seemed to ignite with flames, becoming as deep and unfathomable as a whirlpool.

Psychic energy filled his gaze.

Saga surveyed the passersby around him.

In his psychic vision, the people around him appeared like walking torches, their souls shining brightly or dimly based on the strength of their spirit.

Now experiencing the adventurer’s game, Saga decided to complete at least one adventurer’s task before leaving.

“According to the information at hand.”

“The victims died from soul dissipation, silently, in their sleep.”

“If the source of death is indeed the red-light district, and if the perpetrator continues to act, then it’s highly likely that some of the passersby here have very weak psychic forces.”

Saga pondered calmly as he walked among the crowd, his eyes scanning continuously.

His fellow adventurers were also quick.

With the speed of investigating an establishment in under three minutes, they moved in and out of various places.

Time silently passed.

The night gradually brightened, and as a fish-belly white dawn appeared on the horizon, the nearly overwhelming lights of the red-light district dimmed, one by one, as the establishments began to close for rest.

That night, the members of the hostess connoisseur group found no clues.

Gathered in a nearby tavern inn, with dark circles under their eyes and spirits flagging, the middle-aged adventurer spoke in a feeble voice: “Although we didn’t find the target, I’m sure the perpetrator is in the red-light district, just that they didn’t act last night.”

“We’ll continue to investigate the red-light district, and when the perpetrator tries to act again, revealing any traces, we’ll definitely catch them.”

Saga’s gaze swept over them.

“With your method of investigation, forget about continuing; in a few days, you might all be spent.”

The middle-aged adventurer’s lips twitched into a smile, nodding towards the White Light Angel.

“Little angel, it’s up to you now.”

The White Light Angel nodded, sneezing while casting the Angel’s Blessing spell on the withered and weary middle-aged adventurer and the Elf, instantly rejuvenating them with vigor and vitality.

“I can still fight, to the death if necessary!”

The revitalized Elf slammed his foot on a stool, guzzled a large gulp of alcohol, and shouted without a trace of elven grace.

The middle-aged adventurer clapped for him enthusiastically.

“Using the Angel’s Blessing in a place like this.”

“No wonder the halo is almost turning completely black.”

Saga clicked his tongue in wonder, looking at the angel who floated with a carefree posture.

An angel on the verge of falling in the material world was a novelty to him, something even the dragon legacy had no record of.

In no time.

Night fell again.

The connoisseur group made their second visit to the red-light district.

Like before, Saga strolled the streets, observing the psychic strength of the passersby, judging any anomalies from the outside, while his fellow adventurers delved into the establishments for investigation.

However.

Different from last time.

Saga noticed something amiss this night.

Looking at a young man with unsteady steps before him, Saga’s gaze sharpened.

Although on the surface, the man appeared only slightly weak, in Saga’s psychic vision, his soul’s strength flickered like a candle in the wind, ready to extinguish at any moment.

Approaching, Saga directly faced the young man and asked in a deep voice:

“Which establishments have you just come from?”

The young man was wary, eyeing Saga.

“Who are you?”

The dragon youth, with clear and harmless eyes, suddenly exuded an irresistible kingly aura and calmly said, “Answer my question.”

The young man jolted to alertness, pondering before timidly replying: “Tonight, I visited three places: the Catgirl Inn, Spider’s Love, and Succubus Paradise.”

Spider’s Love?

Didn’t expect the young man to have such a taste.

Saga, now familiar with the red-light district, knew what kind of place Spider’s Love was—the spider hostesses there had the upper bodies of beauties and the lower halves of giant spiders, a form difficult for most humans to accept.

After letting the young man go.

When the adventurers regrouped after their investigations, Saga shared his findings with them.

“Catgirl Inn, Spider’s Love, Succubus Paradise. Alright, let’s delve into these and investigate.”

“Let’s bring the perpetrator to light tonight!”

To them, Saga was just a novice adventurer, but these unscrupulous fellows trusted their team member and immediately split up to head to the three establishments.

Saga, still experiencing the adventurer’s game, continued his observation from the outside.

The middle-aged adventurer went to Spider’s Love.

The Elf headed towards the Catgirl Inn.

Meanwhile, the White Light Angel made his way to Succubus Paradise.

In a blink, the White Light Angel, half-flying, half-walking, was surrounded by a group of Succubi and entered their midst.

“Little angel, you’re back.”

“Which succubus girl do you want to accompany you this time?”

“Get a few more who are free now; I’m going to give you succubi a good thrashing.”

The demon-themed establishment, named after heaven, gave a stark contrast and was a frequent haunt for the White Light Angel, making him a regular there.

According to the angel himself, this was his way of fulfilling his duties, sternly “punishing” demons.

However, usually, the White Light Angel was just a patron seeking pleasure.

This time, with a purpose of investigation, he opened his senses wide, flirting with the Succubi while sensing the situation inside Succubus Paradise.

As an angel, although nearly indistinguishable from a Fallen Angel, he still possessed sharp senses.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed something amiss in the atmosphere.

The Succubi greeted him with smiles, but it was not hard to see they were slightly nervous, their tails involuntarily tensing.

Most crucially, the angel sensed a subtle, profound evil presence.

This evil aura was not something the regular Succubi of the establishment could possess.

“The Succubi of Laine City have always abided by the law, working properly in the red-light district, and with their limited strength, they probably wouldn’t dare to cause fatalities.”

“But if other demons infiltrated here, it would be a different story.”

With a heavy heart, the White Light Angel confirmed that there was something very wrong with Succubus Paradise, likely the perpetrator their group was seeking.

“I just remembered I have something else to attend to.”

“I’ll come back later to deal with you evil succubi.”

The White Light Angel gathered his wits, flirtatiously lifted a Succubus’s chin, and said.

“Oh, why not stay a while longer? What could be more important than an angel punishing demons?”

“Of course, a greater evil.”

With that, the White Light Angel prepared to leave Succubus Paradise, not wanting to investigate alone, planning to inform his companions just in case.

Suddenly.

A raspy, discontented murmur like grinding stones reached the angel’s ears.

“Why would there be angels in a red-light district, damn it.”

“Whatever, preparations are almost complete. If discovered, so be it.”

Abruptly.

The ground lit up with dark purple, sinister patterns, and at the same time, a vast and profound evil aura erupted.

Boom!

After a brief calm, Succubus Paradise shattered, debris flying everywhere, and the angel was sent flying backward.

The ground cracked and collapsed, forming deep abyssal rifts gleaming with purple-black luster, as hordes of lesser demons jostled each other, screeching as they flew out.

A massive illusionary magic circle unfolded, covering the entire red-light district, making it appear unchanged from the outside, but inside, it was turned upside down.

“Ravenous, frenzied lesser demons, harvest souls in the material world for your mighty locust lord!”

Surrounded by the lesser demons.

A robed figure, unnaturally tall and thin, with a pale face and only a pair of eyes, cried out.

This Soul Harvester demon had infiltrated the material world and coerced the Succubi living here to collect souls for it, using soul energy to quietly open a passage to the Abyssal Abyss, allowing a demon army to descend upon the material world.

The Lionheart Kingdom was powerful.

With the abilities of this ninth-tier Soul Harvester, it naturally couldn’t open a large abyssal passage, and the illusionary magic circle wouldn’t last long.

But, as long as it could cause a minor catastrophe, harvesting as many souls as possible before the human powerhouses noticed the anomaly, and offering them to its lord for favor, its goal would be considered achieved.

At the same time.

“Ah, demons.”

“How can there be demons in the royal city?”

“Run!”

Amidst the chaotic crowd, the harmless dragon youth turned his head, looking at the dark mass of lesser demons and the figure of the Soul Harvester surrounded by them, and couldn’t help shaking his head.

“Demons, as expected, trouble follows me wherever I go. I must have a passive trouble magnet aura.”

The dragon youth grinned.

“But this suits me just fine.”

“A journey without a bit of trouble would be far too boring.”