Navigating through the mirror maze, the two descended through the vertical tunnel blasted by the BFG to the Fifth Layer.
As soon as they landed, Slayer felt a layer of white fog form on his visor.
[Warning: Ambient Temperature 300°C.]
[Humidity: 100%.]
[Suggestion: Activate Internal A/C.]
This place was basically a giant pressure cooker.
Surrounding them were huge copper steamers, tens of meters in diameter, billowing thick white steam mixed with the screams of ghosts.
"Hot... dying of heat..."
Daoist Singularity, even with a "Fire Avoidance Talisman," was sticking his tongue out from the heat, his robes soaked and clinging to his body.
"This place is uninhabitable!" Singularity wiped his sweat. "The geothermal heat here is too intense, and the exhaust system is completely clogged! If it keeps steaming like this, this layer of Hell will explode before the demons die!"
A swarm of "Revenants" (Flaming Undead) engulfed in fire rushed out of the steam. Carrying rocket packs on their backs, they were in their element in this high-temperature environment, moving extremely fast.
"Intruders! Steam them!"
Two incendiary missiles trailed flames, heading straight for Slayer.
Slayer didn't dodge.
He raised the equipment launcher on his left shoulder.
Pfft—!
Ice Bomb fired.
The moment it touched the high-temperature steam, the ice bomb exploded.
Hiss—!!!
Extreme cold met extreme heat, creating a violent heat exchange effect.
The blinding white steam instantly condensed into water droplets, turning into a torrential downpour.
Those two missiles had their fuses doused by the sudden rain before they could reach him, falling to the ground with a clang as duds.
The swarm of Revenants was dumbfounded too. The flames on their bodies were extinguished, revealing blackened skeletons looking like drowned rats.
Slayer didn't give them a chance to reignite.
He pulled out his double-barreled shotgun.
In the rain, he strode forward.
BANG! BANG!
With every shot, a wet skeleton fell apart.
After clearing this wave of enemies, Slayer walked up to a giant valve still spewing high-temperature steam.
This valve was jammed by some kind of red rust, causing the heat to be unable to vent, accumulating in this layer.
Slayer extended both hands and grabbed the valve wheel, which was bigger than him.
Creak—Creak—
The sound of twisting metal.
Slayer's muscles tensed, and his Praetor Suit emitted a humming sound of overclocking.
Turn... for me!
BOOM!
The valve was forcibly wrenched open.
High-temperature, high-pressure steam accumulated for thousands of years finally found an outlet.
A pillar of white steam shot out from the exhaust port, soaring into the sky (venting through the large hole to the upper layers).
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
As the pressure was released, the temperature in this layer began to drop visibly.
300°C... 100°C... 50°C.
The suffocating pressure cooker now had a temperature that was... just right.
Warm, humid, comfortable.
Daoist Singularity let out a long breath, feeling like he had finally come back to life.
He looked at the exhaust port still emitting wisps of white steam, then at the surrounding large copper pots which, though cooled down, maintained a constant temperature.
A brilliant idea exploded in his mind.
"Big Hero! Don't touch those pots!"
Singularity stopped Slayer, who was preparing to smash the steamers.
"This is a natural Geothermal Hot Spring Sauna!"
Singularity took out his tablet and pulled up the Underworld Employee Welfare Improvement Plan.
"Those Ghost Servants chase ghosts all day, their backs aching. If we convert this place into a leisure center..."
Singularity got to work immediately.
Using spells, he drew snowmelt from the Ice Hell above, injecting it into these copper pots.
Sizzle—
Cold water met the scalding pot bottoms, instantly turning into hot water of the perfect temperature.
Singularity then tossed a handful of "Muscle-Relaxing Blood-Activating Herbs" (herbs he just picked on the way) into them.
A fresh fragrance filled the air.
Slayer looked at this huge "bathtub" steaming with heat and herbal scent.
He was silent for two seconds.
Then, he made a move Singularity didn't expect.
He grabbed Wangcai, who had been running all the way and was covered in dirt.
Splash.
He threw the dog directly into the pot.
Wangcai was startled and paddled a bit. But soon, it found the water temperature very comfortable, and the herbs were healing the wounds on its body.
"Woof!" Wangcai squinted its eyes comfortably and started dog-paddling in the water.
Slayer nodded.
Water's good.
Although he couldn't bathe in his power armor, he didn't mind letting his dog enjoy it.
Singularity excitedly recorded on the side:
[Project: Underworld Royal Sauna Center.]
[Original Site: Steamer Hell.]
[Function: Eliminate fatigue, repair spiritual body damage.]
[Pricing: 50% off for Ghost Servants, free for King Yama.]
"Torture vs Enjoyment."
Steamers once feared by all had now become the paradise most yearned for by the overworked dogs.
"Extra hour, masseur."
This might become the most popular phrase in the Underworld in the future.
Slayer watched the dog frolicking in the water, then turned to walk toward the next layer.
"Next chapter, Sixth Layer: Copper Pillar Hell. That place seems to have a lot of glowing red pillars? Slayer thinks those things would make good barbecue grills... or something else."
