In a world where the gods truly exist, the Netherworld is often not a vague and illusory concept, but rather a kingdom of death buried deep beneath the earth, established in darkness, where life ceases to exist.
The Babylonian Divine Era is no exception.
However, this world, which once only harbored death, recently welcomed a rare living guest.
The shepherd from the mortal world, a special guest invited by the Queen of the Underworld.
Of course, although said to be a guest, in truth, he was forcibly brought here.
Nonetheless, Luo En, the person in question, not only refrained from shouting or denouncing his sister-in-law Aile’s dominance but instead remained calm, even taking an interest in observing the customs and culture of the Babylonian Netherworld during his leisure time.
Luo En climbed to a high point on one of the underground mountain peaks, picked the right angle, and looked down.
The seven gates divided the entire Netherworld into seven areas, each with a different function.
Teams of Garula spirits, shrouded in mist with chilling and eerie auras, served as the Netherworld’s guards, instinctively patrolling and keeping watch over their designated territories.
Dim and winding valleys, enveloped in grey fog created by death energy, with rugged rocks casting heavy shadows, made the environment appear dark and mysterious.
In the center, a surging black river swirled turbulently within its channel, its splashing waves reflecting the distorted faces of humans.
The mournful cries and screams of the departed souls being carried along added a terrifying and eerie feeling to the path.
In stark contrast, the atmosphere on either side of the valley was different, with rows of lance-like cages scattered about, resembling small man-made houses, exuding precision and warmth.
Bluish-white soul flames were housed within, appearing peaceful, their shapes faintly reminiscent of their former human appearance, with some even still showing their bright garments.
Generally speaking, death, decay, and corruption are the basic tones of the Netherworld.
Most souls, after death, enter this realm, with memories, emotions, and reason gradually eroded by the Netherworld, eventually turning into pure magic factors, joining a new cycle.
Those evil spirits slowly dissolving in the Styx are examples.
However, the spear cages on either side of the valley seem to somewhat slow the loss and dispersion of souls, appearing to have functions of comforting and maintaining their sanity.
As a god who brings death and void, showing compassion for the preciousness of life and intellect.
Luo En shook his head and turned to look at the tall structures within the deep valleys of the mountains.
That is the "Mistlamteia" spire-shaped temple, meaning "The Warm Light Existing in the Depths of the Earth," the bedchamber of the Netherworld Goddess Aile, and a manifestation of her authority.
A faint red light emanated from the temple, piercing through the thick death fog, granting this cold and lifeless world a touch of rare warmth and normal alternation of day and night.
But death and decay are the essence of the Netherworld.
In time, even with the protection of the spear cages, without the support of a physical body, these mortal souls will eventually have their memories and emotions worn away and finally return to the essence of nothingness.
All of it, merely in vain.
"Desolate, barren, and boring, right? Everywhere is filled with the stench of death and decay, nauseating enough to make one want to vomit. This is the domain of the Queen of the Netherworld, Ereshkigal, everything I own."
A frigid and gloomy voice came from behind, as the goddess Aile ascended to the mountaintop, holding a lantern.
She looked at the man before her, suddenly snorted coldly: "Laugh if you want."
Luo En, hearing this, showed a hint of confusion on his face:
"Why do you think I want to laugh at you?"
"You wander around all day, picking particularly dangerous places, often writing and scribbling on tablets, surely writing things you don’t dare say out loud, mocking me in disguise! But that’s okay; I am always very magnanimous, here to pardon your rudeness."
"So, have you been secretly following me these past few days?"
"...That’s not the point!"
The "magnanimous" Goddess of the Netherworld was both annoyed and embarrassed, her gloomy cheeks flushed.
She immediately dropped her facade, threatening:
"This transgression ends here; no more running around, and no more writing either!"
"I think you misunderstood."
Luo En, unable to help but chuckle and cry, directly handed over several tablets he was holding.
Aile couldn’t resist her curiosity and quickly examined them.
The content on the tablets was not the slanderous discontent she had anticipated, but rather some records of the Netherworld’s geographical environment and some essays inspired by his observations.
There were even words of praise for her as the manager of the Netherworld.
Realizing she might have made a big mistake, the flush on this Netherworld goddess’s face grew more pronounced, with faint steam almost rising from her head.
Sensitive, suspicious;
Caring about others’ opinions, yet not good at interacting with people;
Probably lived alone for too long, lacking an outlet for communication and feelings, feeling too isolated, making her prone to anxiety.
Based on his experience, Luo En secretly summed up the character of this Goddess of the Netherworld.
Then, he proactively spoke, alleviating the current awkwardness for her:
"Master Aile, you came at the right time. I am very curious about the operation and culture of the Netherworld. If it’s convenient for you, might you explain it to me?"
The goddess, hearing this, as if receiving a great pardon, quickly cleared her throat and began to introduce her underground kingdom to the living man before her.
In the Babylonian Divine Era, various peoples have many names for the Netherworld: Elkara, Kurnuki, Kutu, etc. Of course, it can also directly be called the "Land of No Return," or—"Hell."