Universe Infinite Canteen

"The Hell you're talking about couldn't be the one I'm thinking of, could it?" Ma Lu's sense of foreboding grew stronger.

Fortunately, the Wandering Sorcerer quickly clarified, "No, it's not."

"That's a relief."

"The Hell I'm researching is many times more dangerous than the one you know of."

"Can you not speak between breaths," Ma Lu's heart leaped again, "and also, since the Hell you're talking about is so dangerous, is there a possibility that the best course of action is to not study it at all?"

"It won't do," the Wandering Sorcerer shook her head, "The seal on that gate is weakening, and I need to repair it. Otherwise, the creatures on the other side will soon break through and descend upon this plane.

"With their strength, the sentient beings of this plane would have no resistance whatsoever."

"Ah... such a big issue, have you discussed it with anyone else?"

"Who?"

"Like... the police station?"

"Do they handle these kinds of things?"

"Probably doesn't meet their criteria for filing a case, fair enough. What about visitors from a different dimension, like the City Manager, or the werewolf named Yan Wu from the hardware store? He looks like he could put up a good fight."

"They don't deal with things like this either. It's the responsibility of me and my clanspeople... We wander the Multiverse to ensure that those who live in Hell cannot reach out to other planes."

"They leave such an important task to you," Ma Lu was shocked, "Is that reasonable? Or do you have other backup? No offense, but you look quite young. If you can't succeed, will your teacher, or your elders from home show up to save the day?"

"Mainly because only my clanspeople and I can repair the Gates of Hell's seal. Others can't help even if they wanted to. My mentor is also busy saving other planes, and I don't know where she is right now. The Wandering Sorcerer clan has always been nomadic, and the Multiverse is vast. Apart from our training period, we rarely encounter other Wandering Sorcerers."

The Female Sorceress paused, then continued, "As for my parents, I was adopted by my mentor when I was very young. I don't know who they are, and there's a high chance they're not Wandering Sorcerers. Our tribe isn't tied together by blood or ethnicity.

"Beliefs, responsibilities, and spells are the bonds between us. Don't worry, I have completed all my training and reached the standard for graduation before coming here."

"So, you are indeed a novice. Can you tell me what the worst outcome is?"

"We will all die, and this place will be consumed by Hell, becoming part of it."

Ma Lu sighed, "I've always wondered, with matters like Earth's destruction, do they arise alongside the emergence of a main character? Because generally, in stories or movies, Earth is just fine for billions of years before any main character appears."

"I… don't really understand what you mean." The Wandering Sorcerer blinked, "My people and I have been resisting the expansion of Hell for tens of thousands of years."

"Nevermind, I was just complaining. What was the negligence you mentioned earlier?" Ma Lu asked again.

"While investigating the Gates of Hell, I removed the original seal to find the damaged nodes. Of course, I made preparations, creating a temporary seal in its place, but during the few seconds it took to switch them, a Red Little Devil slipped through from behind the gate.

"But it's not a concern. Red Little Devils are the lowest level Demons. They mainly create chaos through lies and deceit to feed on negative emotions like fear and hatred. They lack an actual means of attack, at least for now, and I marked it instantly."

"So the one who called out Angie in the store just now was that Red Little Devil, and the reason you showed up here early was also because of that little devil," Ma Lu deduced.

"Yes, but everything is under my control," the Wandering Sorceress reiterated, "I have the power and the responsibility to solve the problems that occur on this plane."

"Glad to hear that," Ma Lu said, "Can I ask one more question, just one."

"Of course."

"How long has it been since that Red Little Devil got out?"

"..." The Wandering Sorcerer fell silent.

"And what happens if it absorbs enough negative emotions?"

"It will evolve into a Deep Red Demon," the Wandering Sorcerer sniffed, "That's a mid-level demon. By then, it won't need to instigate or play pranks to feed. Wherever it goes, all living beings in that area will fall into despair, madness, and pain."

"Please define 'that area.'"

"Roughly the size of a city."

Ma Lu drew in a sharp breath.

"I'll solve it, I just need a bit more time. In fact, I've almost caught it several times before, just by a hair." The Wandering Sorcerer defended herself.

"No, you definitely need help." Ma Lu said, "We might not be able to assist with the seal, but we can certainly lend a hand in capturing that Red Little Devil. Just tell me what to do."
Experience tales at empire

"Alright, I need to replenish my magic power. Creating the temporary seal nearly depleted all of my magic, otherwise, I wouldn't have taken so long to catch a mere Red Little Devil."

Ma Lu snapped his fingers, "That's why you asked for a dish with more than 17% fire element content when you placed your order. No problem, I can fulfill your request."

"Really? My reserved dinner time is 8:30 PM… It seems like you're still open to the general public here."

"Some matters are more urgent than others. Since you're fighting for this plane, as a local, I definitely can't let you struggle alone."

Having said that, Ma Lu went to the kitchen to have Old Wang prepare the evening's dishes, and he also found some helpers for the Wandering Sorcerer.

The Valkyrie People, led by Jigina, mounted their rats and began scouring the city for traces of that Red Little Devil.

In addition, Ma Lu contacted the hardware store owner, who agreed readily after hearing the full story. Ma Lu even had Jigina try contacting Chen Zhengyi.

However, he was always mysterious. Ma Lu didn't even know his phone number, and Jigina could only place a call for help in the designated mailbox.

Ma Lu originally wanted to call on the City Manager as well, since, although the Pigeon didn't seem very strong, Ma Lu always had the feeling it had some extraordinary aspect to it. Otherwise, how could it handle the city filled with all sorts of visitors from different dimensions?

Yet, this suggestion was vetoed by the Wandering Sorcerer. She said they had already caused enough trouble for everyone, especially the City Manager. As long as she could recover her magic power, she could take care of the rest.