Infinite Paradise
Chapter 42 - 32 Clara, hehe, Clara

Chapter 42: 32 Clara, hehe, Clara

Female ghost, Lolita, red eyes, barefoot, over a hundred years old, and still looks cute... Clara’s characteristics almost perfectly strike Le Cheng’s special XP, it’s just a pity that she’s not a white-haired red-eyed girl, otherwise that would’ve been a finishing move!

After hearing Clara’s explanation, though, more than her in herself, Le Cheng was more concerned about something else.

"You said the Devil would consume your souls, so why are you still safe and sound after all this time?"

The existence of Saint Elizabeth Mental Hospital spans over a century. Aside from the early chaotic period, when there were almost no regulations, leading to a large number of innocent victims, after its secrets were exposed to society, the hospital has indeed become somewhat restrained. At least outwardly, they only accepted extreme criminals attempting to escape legal sanctions through feigned mental illness... yes, outwardly.

But regardless of whether or not they have been taking in refugees or vagrants in the dark, the number of victims has indeed decreased significantly.

According to Clara, the Devil’s existence has also spanned over a century; they still consume the souls of the deceased. So, one would expect that with the decline and rise over the years, the number of spirits wandering Saint Elizabeth should have diminished, especially for those like Clara and Sofia who are over a hundred years old. Why are they still "alive" to this day?

It’s not that Le Cheng doesn’t trust her, he just doesn’t believe that ordinary ghosts like Clara can stand up to the Devil.

"Because... there’s that Great One."

"The Great One?"

"Yes." Clara nodded, her tone a mix of excitement and nostalgia, "In the beginning, there were many Devils in this hospital, they preyed on us, the ordinary spirits, like ravenous wolves. Other than running and hiding, we had no way to fight back. But at some point, the Great One appeared. She wielded a giant scythe, brutally slaughtering the Devils, and even took the initiative to invade their lair, killing a vast number of them. It was because of her presence that we were able to survive."

"Who is she?"

"I don’t know. The Great One never communicated with us. We even don’t know where she came from. It seems she took it as her duty to slaughter Devils. As soon as a Devil crosses over, the Great One would immediately appear, but... she disappears every once in a while, gone for a long time before reappearing, and each time her appearance changes. I have seen the Great One three times: the first time she held a scythe, the second time she brandished a great sword, and the third time she was without a weapon."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"Probably... several years ago."

Clara’s tone was uncertain; after all, for her, the passage of time had become quite hazy.

Le Cheng fell into deep thought.

A special existence, opposing the Devils, protecting the lost souls of Saint Elizabeth, regardless of her motives, one thing was certain, she was definitely not an ordinary human ghost!

In fact, her sudden disappearances and changes in form also caught his attention.

After the first disappearance, when she reappeared, she took up the form of a great sword, and the third time, she didn’t even have a weapon.

This was illogical.

Because, whether it’s for humans or ghosts, individual power typically develops from the ground up, and rarely in a lateral fashion. Once a person is accustomed to a certain weapon, unless they completely change their combat style, they do not easily switch weapons. Is it due to some irresistible force, or is her own form undergoing some change?

Lacking sufficient information, Le Cheng couldn’t carry on with the analysis, so he changed the subject.

"Clara, today I encountered some strange incidents... do you know what might be the cause?"

"That’s the Devil’s power seeping out, it’s distorting your perception."

Devils do not use Illusion Technique; their very existence is a form of energy interference that ordinary people cannot withstand. If it’s a pure spirit it’s still okay, but if it’s a living being with a body, being subjected to this energy interference would directly cause a change in the perception of the senses. One would see white as black and black as white, like chocolate-flavored poop and poop-flavored chocolate; you simply cannot tell if it’s poop or chocolate.

Even more dire, it can transform your body into a terrible mutation, turning into some kind of unspeakable monster. By that point, not even your soul could escape unscathed.

Le Cheng suddenly realized that it wasn’t a spiritual attack, which explained why even he had been caught unaware.

But... doesn’t this sound somewhat familiar?

Could the devils hiding in Saint Elizabeth be Nagou’s filial sons?

Hospital, virus.

In a way, these two are a natural match.

"Mr. Le Cheng, please refrain from visiting the Inner World for the time being. It has already been contaminated by the power of the Devil. If you stay there too long, your body will also be contaminated. Rest assured, we will find the Devil’s whereabouts, and by then, we’ll ask you to come and destroy it."

"Are you guys confident?"

"No problem, we’re already accustomed to that place. Once we find traces of the Devil, we’ll immediately notify you."

Clara said cheerfully, knowing that Le Cheng had accepted her request.

Afterward, Clara told Le Cheng that she was going to inform her comrades of the good news and urged everyone to take swift action to locate the Devil as soon as possible.

"What a fortuitous coincidence."

Le Cheng felt somewhat emotional about this. He had originally thought that the ghosts in Saint Elizabeth, if not enemies, were most likely minions of the Devil. He never imagined that they could be allies. If someone with a hot temper or someone prone to scare easily had, without any discussion, slaughtered those ghosts, Clara and Sofia would probably not have come forward to reveal themselves, and the clue would have been completely lost.

Lucky.

I am indeed awesome!

Whoosh!

A moment later, with a flash of light and shadow, Clara returned, but this time she was sitting directly on the bed, her face flushed as she looked at Le Cheng. Then, as if she had finally made up her mind, she mustered the courage, clenched her teeth, and exclaimed, "Mr. Le Cheng, please... please make use of me!"

The girl’s large eyes flickered as she began to disrobe willingly.

Seeing the clothes the girl herself had loosened, Le Cheng said, "Clara, you’re quite forward, aren’t you?"

"Because I’m asking you to do such a dangerous thing, I don’t know how else to repay you, except for myself... and you’re also so... handsome. Although I’m already dead and have no experience, if you don’t mind..."

Clara’s face grew redder as she spoke, and then Le Cheng pulled her into his arms.

"Of course, I prefer girls who take the initiative like you. Let’s start with a kiss first, Clara."

"Woo—"

Feeling Le Cheng’s face close at hand, particularly the unique breath of a living person, Clara felt an almost suffocating sensation making her head swim... Even though she didn’t need to breathe like humans, this feeling of suffocation probably equated to intoxication.

Gradually, the girl lost herself in this unprecedented sensation.