150. Soul Reaper

Soul Reaper.

—Hmm. While the Soul Reaper was refining the body containing the soul it had abducted, the Art Pega Unicorn beside me swiftly finished compiling the codex entry.

—Hmm. Not quite. By the way, I'd already exchanged greetings with the Soul Reaper. Infernos had strode forward and introduced us first. Whether it was true that I'd become famous in hell or not, the Soul Reaper seemed to already know about me.

—Hmm. This should be refined enough now.

The Soul Reaper said that as it patted the middle-aged man's body. It had infused it with astonishing regenerative powers so it wouldn't break easily even under torture.

Even so, the threat level was only F-grade. All the power of a prisoner's body was thoroughly restricted. In other words, hell's prisoners posed no threat to anyone else—they were just highly regenerative slabs of meat.

From this point on, the prisoner's fate was to writhe in eternal agony. Trapped in a perfect vessel designed for hell's punishments.

As long as the wardens didn't mess up their strength control during torture, the prisoner's body was practically immortal.

—Hmm.

At first glance of the prisoner, Hwang Mi-reu had chatted that it looked exactly like her uncle. It got buried quick under other chats, though. Pruru, Mysticism, and Ha Yu-mi had spammed grossed-out reactions when the lump morphed into human form.

"Looks like your uncle sinned too, Mi-reu?"

Right as Hwang Mi-reu's chat popped up, the prisoner—who'd been standing rigidly—opened its eyes.

"Ugh..."

The prisoner groaned, coming to. It squinted, looking around to grasp its situation. Then its eyes met the Soul Reaper's.

"Eek... M-monster!?"

—Not a monster. A reaper.

"D-don't come closer!!!"

—Never approached.

The prisoner recoiled in terror, stumbling back.

The prisoner's legs shook as it tried to flee... but thwack—the Soul Reaper's fishing rod sliced its legs off, sending it tumbling.

"Gaaah! M-my legs!! It hurts, it hurts!!! Why're you doing this to me outta nowhere!!!"

—Noisy. A prisoner daring to speak like a sentient being?

The Soul Reaper approached the prone prisoner, grabbed its hair, yanked its head up, and shoved a hand in its mouth to pull out its tongue.

"Guhhh...!"

—Noisy tongues like this are best ripped out.

The tongue came free.

"Aaaah!!!"

—Haha. Right, right. Remember: the only sound a prisoner makes before me is screams.

After yanking the tongue, the Soul Reaper lightly stomped the prisoner's head and began reciting its profile and crimes. Procedural, probably.

—Ahem. Now, the reason you've been dragged to hell. You need to know your sins.

Name: Min Seok-gu. Human male. 46 years old. From planet Earth. CEO of a South Korean construction firm.

Crime of shoddy construction and embezzling materials endangering public safety. Crime ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of ignoring building safety for profit. Crime of recklessly endangering countless innocents with greed. Crime of covering up worker deaths on sites. Crime of running a money-laundering front for human trafficking. Crime of illegal hazardous waste dumping harming the environment. Crime of ordering innocent murders for personal gain. Crime of Ponzi schemes scamming tens of thousands of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠retirement funds. Crime of drugging subordinate women.

And dozens more followed.

Just as I thought, that's the level to end up in hell.

Then, unexpectedly from the Soul Reaper:

—Phew. Felt a different aura from this prisoner, thought it was a big catch, but nah—the crimes are too minor. Mistook it for that rare vibe after so long.

A mistake. Wrong soul nabbed. Not hell-worthy.

The Soul Reaper added as much. I asked incredulously,

"A mistake? With that many crimes?"

The Soul Reaper shook its head.

—Crimes like those don't drag you to our hell. Big in your world, maybe, but minor here. No mass genocide or anything.

What happens to mistaken prisoners? No need to ask—Infernos said even if accidental, sinners get punished same as others. Rehab chance for reincarnation, unlike most.

Whatever. Not my business or authority.

Side note: Innocent souls get compensated—special powers infused for reincarnation perks. Smoother next life.

Anyway, it was Hwang Mi-reu's uncle. Not just looks—same world, name, age, job.

"Mi-reu."

Impossible, but just in case, I asked,

"No desire to save your uncle?"

I could arrange it. Infernos said a word might free one, especially minor sinner.

Her answer was as expected.

"Can't meddle in releases, probably..."

I glanced at the Soul Reaper, asking if it could permanently block this prisoner's release, per Mi-reu.

—Never release this prisoner?

"Yeah. One of my supporters was victimized by it."

—Ask the wardens. One dissenter in release meetings holds it indefinitely.

Hearing that, I recalled the tamed Nightmare—a hell warden. A word to it, and Mi-reu's uncle rots forever.

I relayed this to her.

I couldn't help but marvel. As I checked the sudden coin flood and thanked her,

—I'll head out. Gotta move the prisoner to the punishment chamber.

"Guhhh..."

Mi-reu's uncle, impaled on the Soul Reaper's rod, was dragged off to eternal torment.

Labyrinth Day 75.

After visiting hell again today, Infernos guided me through punishment chambers I missed yesterday. During Nightmare's break, I visited, ate together, played a bit.

Then watched some Soul Reaper soul-fishing before noting Medical Mushroom-004's hatching neared. Warped back to shelter.

Evolution ticket showed remaining time. Unlike Melody Fox buff evo.

"Pat pat, yang. Hatch pretty, yang."

—Kyua, kyua.

35 seconds left. Medical Mushroom's evolution was imminent.