Chapter 527: Hell's Gate

Author: A Smile Weighing Three Hundred JinWord Count: 5396

Popular Novel:"The King of Fighters '98"

On the square screen, shiny, colorful pixelated arcade fonts kept flashing. Below the font was a "Fight Start" button. The background depicted two muscular men with bulging muscles, bare arms, and headbands, who leaped up with a "hahaha" and stylishly crossed their legs in mid-air, forming an 'X' shape.

A white pixelated lightning bolt flashed across the screen; they landed and continued to fight.

*Hahaha!*

They fought furiously, sparks and lightning flying. The opening background scene was very elaborate, and even the fight sequences were never repeated. This was because the fighting AI was programmed to use random moves, essentially two computers battling each other. After all, like traditional arcade machines, this one allowed either two players to fight or a player to fight against the computer.

*Hahaha!*

The cool fighting and grunts now appeared dazzling and glaring in the gloomy, dark Underworld, attracting the attention of many workers from a distant construction site who were still reading newspapers. They all looked over.

Zhang Xiao was greatly alarmed, clutching the screen tightly with both hands, his pupils widening. "What... what is this? Text 'Fight Start,' sounds, and even characters?"

Zhang Xiao had brought Li Sansheng for this test to aid the rise of the Human Dao and find a chance to counter the Celestial Dao. As the first Heavenly Emperor of the Human Dao, he was a man of great vision and courage, daring to be the first to lead his entire nation in resistance against the Celestial Dao. He was normally extremely cautious, but he never expected such a bizarre phenomenon after inserting a coin: Behind the transparent glass, inside this machine, there were actually two muscular miniature figures. He had never witnessed such a strange sight in his life.

"Can the two fellow Daoists inside speak?" Zhang Xiao suddenly leaned against the screen, tapping the glass gently as if knocking on a door. "How did you two get in there, and why are you fighting? Why are your moves so ruthless?"

*Haha!*

The two small figures continued to fight, but there was no response.

"What exactly is going on? Can they not hear us?" This eerie scene unsettled Li Sansheng as well. He hadn't believed Zhang Xiao when he said the Underworld was incomprehensible and mysterious, but now he had no choice but to believe.

"I don't know either. Judging by their fight, with lightning and fire, they seem to be powerful cultivators," Zhang Xiao said with surprise. He lifted the human-sized arcade machine, flipping it up and down to examine any anomalies within. However, no matter how he looked, it didn't seem possible for two people to fit inside. The previous newspapers were somewhat acceptable to Zhang Xiao; after all, the Mortal Dao also had paper books, classrooms with teachers, and scholars. But what he saw now was utterly inconceivable, falling into a category beyond his comprehension.

At this moment, people from a distance also arrived. Seeing the illuminated screen, everyone began to chatter, marveling and exchanging smiles.

"Reincarnation truly is the most mysterious and peculiar place in the world, how strange! Is this the combat pavilion being tested? How can there be two small figures behind the glass of this metal contraption?" A Human Dao being, whose cultivation was quite impressive in his former life and whose insight was not shallow, spoke, frowning slightly. "Could it be similar to the Three Lives Stone, showing images of past lives?"

A Celestial being, seeing the discussion, couldn't help but shake his head and burst out laughing. "That's not it at all! Look, everyone! These two seem to be trapped behind this mysterious glass, fighting endlessly without repeating any moves, just like real people."

Everyone continued to observe closely, hesitant to act rashly. After observing the fight for several minutes, they confirmed that the moves never repeated, indeed not like a rigid recording.

"Such ingenious craftsmanship! Could this be one of those world-class alchemy marvels described in 'The Records of the Grand Alchemist'? Like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon or the Golem of Adolf..." Soon, someone recalled the incredible scenes and legendary alchemy introduced in the novel.

"It really does look like it!"

Immediately, everyone thought carefully, holding their breath. Having learned about the mysterious, vast, and grand wizarding world from the novel, they were already deeply engrossed, and naturally, they couldn't remain calm now. It was important to note that ordinary novels would never have captivated them; at most, they might fascinate common folk. But this epic novel, so realistic and with theories and systems that seemed potentially achievable, deeply moved them, making them forget to eat and sleep. The plots, phrases, and cultivation systems described in these novels were enough to profoundly shake their hearts. As they savored the details, they felt as if they were touching upon the true essence of the world within their own realms of understanding. Many experienced enlightenment, feeling their cultivation path suddenly broaden.

"Wait, could this combat pavilion be the legendary... Gate of Truth that Grand Alchemist Grantham so desperately sought!?" Someone gazed at the screen, as if seeing through to another world.

"The Gate of Truth?"

The more than ten people present immediately stopped smiling. While it seemed like the wild imagination of those engrossed in novels, everyone now felt it bore a strong resemblance! Doesn't it, through its square glass frame, perfectly resemble the utterly mysterious Gate of Truth?

"You must understand, wizards are a pure group of people who seek truth..." As they gazed at the arcade machine, the atmosphere suddenly became solemn and serious. Someone then quietly recited the epic scene from the book where Hermes bestowed divine fire upon the mortals and three witches:

"Alchemy is the mystical study of creating life's unknowns!"

"The path to prying open the Gate of Truth: if one can master this knowledge, they will gain the glorious essence of the world, and all obscurity in existence will vanish from their side."

"All things in the world generate, restrain, and transform each other – this is the principle of alchemy."

"The mystery of alchemy lies within the 'Trinity Formula': one quality pleases another quality, one quality restrains another quality, and one quality dominates another quality."

They continued to recite. Everyone recalled more and more, contemplating the words. These were the principles of alchemy from the wizarding stories, mysterious and profound, containing the ultimate truth sought by wizards.

"If that's truly the case, then perhaps this isn't traditional alchemy, but evil alchemy, a death-aligned school of dark witches..." Someone's breathing quickened as they speculated, pointing at the arcade machine and saying gravely, "Look at these two... they've cruelly imprisoned the souls of the living within this metal contraption, forcing them to fight endlessly, day and night... It's truly a cruel punishment!"

Those around them suddenly understood, nodding in agreement that such a method was indeed cruel. At this moment, the two fighting figures on the screen would likely be battling for hundreds or even thousands of years. Such suffering was indeed a hellish torment, a punishment more cruel than death itself. If they were trapped inside, forced to fight endlessly while people watched for a coin, the thought itself was terrifying!

"The Underworld governs the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and now it wants us to establish Fengdu and create the Path of Hell, a world of torment after death... Perhaps this metal contraption houses those who committed grave sins in life, making them suffer inside to atone for their karma!"

"Perhaps this is the true nature of the Path of Hell; this very box contains hell itself!"

"Hahaha, that makes sense!"

"Brother, your insight is profound!"

"Truly worthy of a Celestial!"

Everyone completely calmed down and, gathered around the arcade machine, chattered excitedly, "And when we insert coins, we can watch their fighting scenes, perhaps gaining some insights into combat principles."

"However, 'Gate of Truth' might not be suitable; 'Gate of Hell' would be much more fitting."

Everyone nodded in agreement, acknowledging its aptness. Is not such constant torment, with no respite from battle, precisely what hell is? The people present were, after all, well-traveled and knowledgeable. Having thoroughly read the Grand Alchemist's biography, they gradually drew conclusions by combining their understanding of the mysterious alchemy within it with continuous deduction.

"And calling it a combat pavilion allows us not only to torment them but also to watch their fights and learn!"

"Indeed, these people are likely all powerful beings!"

Consequently, the crowd sat cross-legged, gazing at the game's start screen, intending to fathom its mysteries. It was as if Hongjun were giving a sermon, with powerful beings seated on meditation cushions below, listening and contemplating.

Cat Jump, who was hiding nearby, was utterly dumbfounded. "Brothers, this is King of Fighters, a fighting game! Why are you watching the opening screen like a movie? What's going on?" His expression gradually shifted, cycling through surprise, shock, blankness, and deep anguish. Suddenly, he felt a suffocating depression welling in his chest, an unbearable sensation that made him finally roar internally:

"What the hell are you looking at?! Press the 'Fight Start' button, quickly!"

He couldn't be blamed for his speechlessness. After months of strenuous effort, diligently and intensely studying electronic circuits and alchemy, combined with the friendly assistance of various powerful figures, he had finally ushered in the era of video games. By integrating alchemy, he had managed to create electronic components, though imprecise and bulky, that just barely met the standards of 1970s and 80s arcade machines. Thus, he had created the most classic arcade game: King of Fighters. And it was the hardcore version. After all, for ordinary players, there were only a few moves, so the difficulty wasn't high. But for strong cultivators? It naturally had to be enhanced. There were thirty complex moves alone, and the difficulty was extremely exaggerated, with actions so fast they were hard to react to. In short, it was designed to be as hardcore as possible. After months of meticulous work, he naturally expected an enthusiastic response. Who knew what he'd witness now...

The live stream was also eerily silent. "This is just too ridiculous."

"Dying of laughter! Hahahaha, this machine connects to the Gate of Truth, hell? Is it torture, with tiny people imprisoned and tormented inside?"

"Don't rush, analyze calmly. I know why they aren't pressing the 'Fight Start' button. It's because they don't understand how to use the joystick. In their eyes, once a coin is inserted and the words 'Fight Start' light up on the screen, and the characters begin fighting, hasn't the game already started?"

"Think about it, those four words appearing with the visuals really can be interpreted that way (realization.jpg)."

Cat Jump thought about it, looking at the comments in the live stream, and couldn't help but feel both amused and frustrated. He had to admit it was his fault for not explicitly explaining things. These ancient deceased beings naturally understood this strange, anachronistic creation in their own ways. It seemed he would have to go up and explain how to play.

But at that moment, someone in the comments started suggesting, "Wait, the 'Gate of Hell' concept is quite cool! Since they believe this is an alchemical marvel that traps people in a cage, why don't we just go with it?"

"That's a good idea! We were just wondering how to build the eighteen layers of hell, and now we have it. Wouldn't designing eighteen levels be great fun? (happy)"

"What a shortcut, devils!"

"And don't even mention it, Great Lady Meng Po would love it too! After all, every time someone enters the combat pavilion and sees the eighteen layers of hell, with a group of people suffering and fighting each other, and being able to control their combat—such torture... it would also deter others on the Path of Hell from acting recklessly (amused)."

"Wait, maybe it can even be made real in the future... Right now, they're just virtual characters, but what if in the future, they could be real people? What if prisoners' souls were truly put inside to become an arcade game!?"

"That idea is brilliant!"

"Ask Meng Po if she can do it!"

"Perhaps we should wait and consult with that legendary Majesty."

"Yes, let's see what kind of aesthetic sense this mysterious being has!"

Amidst their discussions, everyone completely finalized the concept of the eighteen layers of hell: The Arcade Gate of Hell. The Gate of Hell, connected to the eighteen layers of hell. Even they couldn't help but exclaim, "Brilliant!" This concept was indeed excellent.

However, at this point, Cat Jump was ready to go up and explain how to start the game, as the current scene was quite awkward.

"Don't rush, let's watch a bit longer!"

"Many of the powerful figures here are experienced individuals; careful analysis is only natural."

The live stream chat filled with comments. Cat Jump fell silent for a moment, then decided to continue observing secretly. The audience's initial reaction was crucial, as the construction of Fengdu still relied on persuasion.

Three days passed. Besides reading newspapers, the workers now had an additional pastime: coming to the combat pavilion to watch the two figures fight. As the days went on, they realized that the two figures' moves had become completely clear. Each had thirty moves, and they had grown tired of seeing them. Many wondered if these moves contained some hidden mystical techniques, or if these thirty moves embodied the rules of heaven and earth.

After growing bored, they began to notice a set of strange, unknown buttons on the machine. Zhang Xiao couldn't help but boldly start experimenting with them. After pressing a certain button, the row of words flashed and then two options appeared:

"Single Player Mode""Two Player Mode"

"A new screen?" Zhang Xiao was startled and began to try to understand the function of these buttons. Moving up and down would switch between the two modes. After he pressed confirm on "Single Player Mode," countless character portraits appeared:

Kyo Kusanagi.Iori Yagami.

Another round of random selections. In reality, these startup options were enough to understand the purpose of the buttons, and then the actual combat screen appeared.

"Huh?" Zhang Xiao was instantly shocked. He found that he could actually control one character and fight another. His pupils contracted with excitement. "Incredible! Absolutely incredible!! Is this the Gate of Hell? Such ingenious craftsmanship, truly divine skill! Not only can it imprison criminals, but it can also control their bodies for combat?" But in his view, this kind of torture was simply too cruel. Allowing others to manipulate one's own body was something a powerful individual could never accept.

Please select difficulty:Tier 1,Tier 2,

Zhang Xiao immediately selected the highest available difficulty: Tier 3. The subsequent difficulties—Tier 4, Tier 5, Tier 6, Quasi-Emperor, Heavenly Emperor, God—were all grayed out and unavailable. Seeing these difficulty options, the people around them began to breathe heavily. "This... is it because we are too weak that they haven't unlocked yet!"

"Kyo Kusanagi... what kind of mighty powerful being is this?" Zhang Xiao also sat at the control panel, manipulating the character. His combat talent was immense, his reflexes terrifying, and the screen virtually became a blur. The Tier 3 difficulty meant the screen was practically a blur, with countless frames per second, and the magnificent combat became a series of afterimages. And with every elegant and stylish move, the names of several techniques appeared, flowing seamlessly, creating a truly exhilarating and highly pleasing visual experience.

"What a monster! He got hit a few times and then completely mastered it? After knocking down the opponent, he started practicing moves in place?"

"Such combat talent? I never knew our brick-laying foreman was so strong!"

"Truly a man even I admire." Even the Celestial beings were secretly astonished. Everyone around was utterly amazed. People gathered, faces full of excitement around the arcade machine. Cat Jump was utterly bewildered; a thousand thoughts raced through his mind. He never imagined he had underestimated these 'monsters' from the high-level supernatural world. Was this truly the average skill level of everyone here?

"Truly worthy of being called a combat pavilion."

Zhang Xiao was thrilled, his admiration growing even stronger. He awkwardly controlled the character, fighting against the opponent, and called over Li Sansheng, who was simply watching. He earnestly instructed him, "Watch how I fight! Then study carefully, for the future task of saving our Mortal Dao will be entrusted to you... For now, just watch my movements. For instance, this technique, 'Outer Style: Naraku Otoshi,' requires airborne ↓→... a total of eight button presses to execute."