I Am the Devil of This Hell

Chapter 024

The "Recruitment Order" issued by Rex Dalton—a mandate that allowed inmates to exchange a rival's head for a spot in the trials—plunged the entire East Wing into a blood-soaked nightmare.

Those whose names appeared on the Red List lived in terror. Confidence in one's strength meant nothing when a shank could come from the shadows at any moment. To be so close to the door of freedom only to slip on a pool of blood and die on the threshold was a fate no one wanted. They slept with one eye open, trusting no one.

Meanwhile, those who hadn't made the list were desperate. They saw the Red List targets not as men, but as tickets to salvation. It was a simple equation: kill or rot. Freedom or oblivion.

In this crucible of death, nerves were pulled taut like violin strings. Every shadow held a knife; every meal could be the last.

The prison guards, having received subtle orders from above, turned a blind eye. They watched the c*****e with indifferent eyes, allowing the prison to devolve into a true Purgatory. The rules of civilized society had been suspended. Only the law of the jungle remained.

Slaughter. Relentless, omnipresent s*******r. The God of Death walked the halls, collecting his dues.

Yet, amidst this storm of violence, the fifth floor of Cataclysm Block remained an island of tranquility.

Kane Adler (formerly Julian Cross), Rex Dalton, and the freeloading Marcus Grady spent their days in meditation or sparring in the wide corridors. Elias Thorne and Jackson Hayes watched with envy, itching to join in, but Jackson was buried under the logistical nightmare of managing the trials, and Elias’s skills lay in assassination, not open brawling.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, Kane stood by the wall, watching with amusement as Marcus scrambled to dodge Rex’s relentless kicks. The hallway echoed with Marcus’s exaggerated shrieks and Rex’s booming roars.

Suddenly, Elias Thorne leaped into the fray from the doorway, blocking Marcus’s escape route with perfect timing.

Marcus, who had been gleefully bouncing around, yelped and tried to veer off.

But Rex Dalton didn't miss a beat. With a long, triumphant laugh, he unleashed a punch that carried the force of a battering ram, slamming it squarely into Marcus’s right shoulder blade.

THUD!

Marcus was launched through the air like a ragdoll, smashing into the concrete wall with a sickening crunch.

Oof.

He slid down the wall, coughing up a mouthful of blood. He struggled to sit up, pointing a shaking finger at the stone-faced Elias.

"You… you zombie!" Marcus wheezed. "You did that on purpose!"

Elias nodded honestly, then went back to ignoring him.

"Eagle," Elias said calmly. "Two visitors."

Kane and Rex turned their attention away from Marcus, who was still moaning theatrically on the floor. Over the past few days, they had come to understand why he was called the "Undying Fox." Rex’s punches were devastating—enough to kill a normal man or cripple a fighter for months. But Marcus was a freak of nature. Even after taking a full-power beating that left him bruised and broken, he would heal in three days. Shattered bones knit back together in four.

It was baffling. Rex had even joked about dissecting him to see what made him tick. Kane was equally curious about the origins of Marcus’s "unnatural" kung fu, but Marcus always deflected questions about his past with a joke. Respecting his privacy, they stopped asking.

Elias walked over and kicked Marcus lightly in the rear. "Hey. Get up. Company."

Marcus glared at him. "You want to try scratching with a tiger?"

But his eyes lit up as he saw the two figures walking through the gate. He dusted himself off and stood up as if he hadn't just been smashed into a wall, a strange smile playing on his lips.

Rex Dalton narrowed his eyes, l*****g his lips as the Bloodlust flared.

"Ethan Skyler," Rex growled.

The man standing before them was a shadow of the former Aether Block warlord. Ethan was wrapped in bandages, blood seeping through the gauze in several places. His face was gaunt, etched with exhaustion. He looked like a man who had walked through hell.

But his eyes…

Gone was the gray, dead look of despair. In its place burned a fire—clear, sharp, and intensely hot. It was the look of a man who had found a reason to live.

Ethan walked straight up to Kane, stopping ten paces away. He took a deep breath, and then, without hesitation, dropped to his knees.

THUD.

"Ethan Skyler requests to join the Shadow Eagle Clan!" he shouted, his voice hoarse but firm.

Behind him, a nervous Nathan Black followed suit, kneeling and pressing his forehead to the cold floor.

"Nathan Black requests to join the Shadow Eagle Clan!"

Kane chuckled softly. "It seems the allure of freedom is hard to resist."

Ethan looked up, meeting Kane’s gaze directly. "I won't deny my motives. I want out. I want to use you to escape this cage."

Next to him, Nathan flinched. He glanced fearfully at the looming figures of Rex and Marcus, swallowing hard. "E-Eagle… Boss… I… I am sincerely submitting… I…"

Kane waved a hand, silencing Nathan. His eyes remained locked on Ethan.

"I told you," Kane said coldly. "I don't accept cowards."

Ethan’s gaze didn't waver. "The old Ethan Skyler is dead. The man before you is a man again. A man who refuses to yield! If The Eagle can take me out, if you can help me get my revenge in the future, I, Ethan Skyler, swear here and now: I will follow you for lifetime after lifetime. I will never betray you."

He paused, his eyes flashing. "Furthermore… I am also on your Red List of three hundred. And I possess the strength to make you take notice."

Rex snorted. "I heard from the Boss that your strength was… disappointing."

Ethan scoffed. "I am willing to fight you to prove otherwise. Once I am healed."

Rex’s eyes lit up. "You aren't afraid I’ll kill you?"

"That depends on whether you have the skill," Ethan shot back.

"Hahaha! Good! Good!" Rex laughed, clapping his hands. "When you're patched up, I’ll play a round with you. I’ll teach you what real power looks like, you arrogant brat!"

"And I," Ethan replied coolly, "will show you the discipline of a soldier, you mad monk."

Kane looked between the two of them, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. He extended his hand to Ethan.

"Welcome."

Kane had wanted this. Ethan Skyler was a tier-one asset, a fighter almost on par with Rex. Killing him would have been a waste. He had waited these few days, hoping Ethan would find his resolve. If he hadn't come, Kane would have killed him personally before leaving. But he had come. And now, Kane had another general for his army.

Ethan’s hand trembled slightly as he grasped Kane’s. The grip was firm. A pact was sealed.

Nathan Black, watching the handshake, licked his dry lips and forced a smile.

"Eagle… Eagle, Boss," Nathan stammered. "I know we have… history. But I was forced by circumstance! It was self-defense! I just wanted to survive! Please… please understand. I promise, if you take me in, I will be loyal forever. I swear!"

Marcus sneered. "We don't collect trash."

"No, no! I’m not trash!" Nathan pleaded desperately. "Eagle, listen! I don't know what your mission is out there, but whatever it is, you will need money! In this world, money is the left hand of God. It’s not omnipotent, but it’s close!"

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "You have a stash?"

Nathan nodded frantically. "Yes! Eagle, you know my background. I was the Venom. I ran the d**g distribution for the entire northern region. Over ten years, I accumulated a massive fortune. I’m talking twenty or thirty billion."

Twenty or thirty billion?

The room went silent. Even Kane, Rex, and Ethan stared at him in shock. That was an empire's ransom.

Under their collective gaze, Nathan shrank back, scratching his head awkwardly.

"That… that was the old me," Nathan mumbled. "Right now… I have nothing."

Rex’s face darkened. "Are you playing with me?"

"No! No!" Nathan waved his hands in panic. "Listen! I was betrayed by my second-in-command. He took my money, my network, everything. But listen! I know him. I know where the bodies are buried. If you take me with you… with your strength, we can hunt that traitor down. I’m ninety percent sure we can kill him. And once he’s dead… I can rebuild the d**g empire for you! I can build a financial fortress for the Shadow Eagle Clan that will mean you never have to worry about money again!"