37 The Devil's Work

<Secret Lair Beneath Yeen>

Ainz's POV

'What in the world is that?!'

Surrounded by the broken debris of glass pieces, wood and steel.

What is before me looks like some steel coffin shaped chambers, almost like a cryogenic pod. Some are laid broken, while others are empty and a few of them are not.

There are also glass chambers filled with grayish liquid with some grotesque human or animal floating inside at the side of the room being lined up.

The coffin chamber seems to be made out of the same smooth steel that the door was made of. Runes were etched upon its entirety. A circular and transparent glass window at the front where it enabled me to see what is stored inside.

'It's hideous...' I thought to myself as I tried to comprehend what it is. It's not like 'The Fool' but it's like some human centipede type of fucked up stuff.

Within the chambers, filled with greenish liquid, are massively muscled, big-boned creatures with long arms, sloped foreheads, huge square teeth, heavy jaws, coarse black hair, flat noses that suggest snouts, and thick skins brindled in patterns of brown and white, making them seem more hog-like than human.

'Urgh Humans seriously... No matter the world or the period of time, they never change...'

I solemnly looked at the specimens floating inside and thought to myself.

'I wonder how this one came to be? Cross breeding? Magical Mutation? or just a completely different race altogether being used in fucked up experiments?'

My sight lingered at them for a while as I tried to make sense of what I just saw. I tried to observe the room in its entirety to I find out what happened here and why is it wrecked out.

It is then when I noticed a dug up hole at some corner of the lab. The surrounding stone upon the dug up entrance is filled with claw marks. With the hole leading to who knows where.

'These 'things' must have broken out and trashed this place up. Interesting' I thought to myself.

I know in any civilization, there are bound to be people that are crazy enough to dip their heads into this field but still.

It seems like science fiction are not the only ones capable of genetic manipulation. Oh wait. I forgot about Demiurge's 'Happy Farm'. I guess it's a trend nowadays.

I used the spell [Detect Life] in the whole room and I guess these guys are long dead but well preserved.

And since this place is trashed, I have no doubt that some were able to escape their containers and dug themselves out of here.

But I do wonder... are they capable of communication? Did they actually survive out there? How strong could they possibly be to breakthrough steel and these oily black rocks?

So far the Angels haven't reported to me about any form of findings from the surface. Does that mean they're still underground?

It wouldn't be too far fetched.

"AlexanderXiel" I called.

"Yes, Lord Ainz" He walked near me and bowed.

"Secure the perimeter. Don't let anyone come close or venture Yeen. Also, have some Angels guard this room. Make sure to inform me if anything like those 'things' come out of that small hole"

"Very well, Milord. Anything else?"

I was thinking to myself on how I should to proceed.

As much as I want to explore what that digged up hole would lead me to I doubt I could even fit in there.

'Hmmm... Dwarves perhaps? or small animals? I can't risk wasting {Dwarf Mercenary Scrolls}, who knows maybe those 'things' are strong enough to kill them? All I have are low leveled ones and I only have so few scrolls so that's a no.'

'Also, I don't have any tamers in my arsenal but maybe the Elves can work? Like Aura from the series but then again, can't risk wasting lives and scrolls.'

'[Principalities of Nature] could work. Though they don't have the job class for it, but we can always give it a try'

"Call all [Principalities of Nature]. Tell them to meet me outside. I have a task exclusively for them" I commanded him as I teleported outside.

——————

<A Few Months Later>

Still Ainz's POV

Well I guess you could say the plan worked far better than I expected.

The [Principalities of Nature] were indeed able to tame animals. And boy it was super effective.

Not only that, I even assigned each Principality with a Jobless Level 1 Angel to assist them with their task and to learn from them as I instructed them to try to tame any kind of animal. May it be fish, bat, crocodile or rat. And It worked!

Now I have Exclusive Angelic Tamers on my side!

It was definitely an amazing addition and newfound breakthrough!

Angels were frolicking in the fields and by the big artificial lake made by the [Archangel Waters] by the flatlands beyond the mountain ranges.

The place was filled with all kinds of tamed animals, big or small.

There is even Crysanthiel over the flower fields being surrounded by her tamed butterflies like some kind of Disney Princess.

It is good to see my Angelic children having fun.

Though having too much 'fun' is not fun at all for some Angels. If you consider being chased by large rats as 'fun' then be my guest to be the next Pied Piper in this world.

Anyways, we are getting side tracked here.

After the success of the Taming extravaganza. I instructed the Angels to send some of their tamed animals in the dungeon hole, specifically: bats, rats, moles, snakes and the likes.

Small with echolocation, heat sensors, night vision, etc. What more could you ask for?

'I wanted to assign an Angel to tame some cockroaches but I decided not to. I can't even fathom the pain and trauma my children will go through.'

The 1st plan was a failure since the dark negative energy that is being exuded by the whole city of Yeen proved to be more treacherous and deadly as the 1st group of animals died the moment the were within the dark territory.

But a simple blessing, and a series protective spells and buffs from the [Ladies of the Covenant] and the [Principalities of Observation] were enough to let them survive.

I even used my Job Class [Angelist] to augment the features of a cute snake I found. I named her Medusa!

'Isn't she just cute? Makes me want to reenact the Temptation of Eve with this cutie.'

And after the few weeks of animal adventures, and me trying to make sense of the books that have been restored, it finally lead us to our latest discovery.

Turns out, they are indeed still living beneath the ground. The cave where the underground lair was built in was actually far deep and complex than my initial assessment.

The underground cave system covered a mile distance by the northwestern part of the continent, with Yeen at its center.

We were able to find the 'thing'! Alive and well(?) and found out that they have made the entire place their home.

They made their shelter from digging up holes on the walls to create room. There was even an underground lake with some unknown fishes swimming and weeds growing about.

It is unfortunate though, this place may have been enough sustain the needs of this growing civilization but the inhabitants, are acting like wild animals.

*Grrrrrr* *Sniff* *Snort* *Sasuga!*

They were able to kill some of the animals that were not able to escape fast enough.

Those that survived were transported through [Gate].

I also allowed one of those 'things' to pass through the [Gate] as it chased after the said animals so I could see it myself and try to learn more about it.

With my newfound knowledge from deciphering the text of some of the flesh bound books, I found out that they are actually called as Brindled Men.

I don't know why it's called just 'men' when there are 'women' amongst their kind, blame the author of the books that I was able to read, not me.

They were created through crossbreeding between 'unique' races, like humans, apemen and other fantasy monsters like actual fucking goblins and orcs!

'Urgh! Those greenish fiends. I could already imagine their faces and what they're gonna do to a manly lonesome green haired adventurer. It's giving me the creepy shivers!'

Also, you heard that right! Beastmen! They actually do exist! But it is said here that they are already extinct. How sad.

At least that's what the book says. Maybe they just migrated to other places. The world is vast so, who knows? And considering all the things I have come to read this far. This place has been here for a very loooooong time.

Like 'The Long Night' type of time.

The freaky City of Yeen was actually a city founded by the followers of the Bloodstone Emperor.

The Bloodstone Emperor was the legendary ninth and last ruler of the mythic Great Empire of the Dawn. He was the son of the Opal Emperor and the younger brother of the Amethyst Empress, who succeeded their father. Envious, he slew his sister and proclaimed himself the Bloodstone Emperor.

The Bloodstone Emperor's reign was said to be a reign of terror. His usurpation became known as the Blood Betrayal in the annals of the Further East, which claim that the act of usurping his sister's throne ushered in the Long Night. He practiced torture, dark arts, and necromancy. He enslaved his own people, took a tiger-woman for a wife, feasted on human flesh and cast down the true gods of Yi Ti to worship a black stone that fell from the sky.

'A meteorite maybe? Is this supposed to be Wakanda the Yi Ti's Version?'

It also says on the book that he is the first High Priest of the sinister Church of Starry Wisdom.

The Church of Starry Wisdom, also known as the Cult of Starry Wisdom, is a religion that worships an Outer God of which has no name. It says here that the stone that fell from the sky speaks to the Bloodstone Emperor hence they worshipped it. It is followed in many port cities throughout the known world. Its leader holds the title of High Priest.

'I don't know if those cult following cities still exists. I doubt they actually survived for this long.'

They built the City of Yeen as a hidden hideout. Unknown to the known world. They set foot upon the lands of Sothoryos and made use of its plagues, monstrous animals and thick jungle to hide themselves from and their hidden experiments from being known.

The High Priest who doesn't have a name, and should not have a name in accordance to their beliefs, was assigned to this city and was attempting to perform a spell that was a crude imitation of the Long Night of which the Bloodstone Emperor was said to have evoked.

'This world just became wider and wider. I haven't even stepped foot outside the border of Sothoryos yet!'

Beastmen? Outer Gods? Cult? What more does this Planet have to offer?

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Hello!

I know It's been so long and I missed you guys!

Sorry it took a long while to actually update. Life happens you know? ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ

I had to edit the flowchart of the story so it took a while for me to actually settle with this one.

Lovecraftian horrors everyone? (≧▽≦)

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