Chapter 058: A Deal with Stirl

Li Lekang arrived at the floor occupied by the bald-headed gang, and once again traced the position of the bald man using the magical mark he had discreetly placed on him earlier in the day. It was like a bright torch in the darkness, guiding his way.

Following the mark, he came to a certain room and, as usual, slipped through the wall. The room was unlit and silent, with only the sound of someone breathing in their sleep. The bald man was evidently asleep, and in the faint moonlight, Lekang could see him wearing an eye mask and sleeping deeply. The pink eye mask and pajamas printed with Kitty cats—was this the latest trend among tough guys?

Lekang didn't care. He pondered, recalling that among the many methods of obtaining souls, forcibly taking them was the least valuable, for the struggle often created flaws. A willing transaction was always the most perfect. Years ago, Hell and Heaven had even reached an agreement regarding the ownership of souls: devils could not force humans into deals; it had to be voluntary!

Heaven attracted faith by helping humans elevate their souls, while devils tempted humans to trade away their souls for something they desired, thus abandoning their faith in Heaven. Once humans struck a deal with a devil, Heaven would automatically relinquish guidance for their souls’ ascension.

Lekang didn’t know if the agreement still held, but he didn’t wish to complicate matters. After all, he prided himself on reason.

Thus, a physical wake-up—a slap across the face!
Followed by magical soothing—a spell of silent restraint!
Then, creating a space for friendly dialogue—hypnosis!
Finally, the heart-to-heart negotiation began face to face!

Though it was his first time implementing this sequence, Lekang executed it smoothly.

Awakened abruptly from sleep by a slap, the bald man’s first reflex was to reach under his pillow for a gun; his speed was the peak of ordinary men! Had it been someone else, they would’ve failed miserably. Yet, no matter how formidable his human prowess, he was still outpaced by magic.

He couldn’t move, couldn’t cry out, and was ultimately forced into hypnosis. The man resisted, but a mortal was still mortal. Lekang needed only three minutes to drag him completely into the abyss of hypnosis.

Then he asked, “What is your name?”
The man replied dully, “I... Frank Stoll.”
“What is your occupation?”
“I... I am a deacon of the Saints...”

As the conversation deepened, the bald man revealed himself as an inner member of the Saints—a group steeped in religious ideology, with subsidiary organizations like the Seint Group and other secrets emerging. Stoll had served in the US military, carried out plenty of dirty jobs—killing and arson—and after retiring, had been specially recruited into the group. He started in security, climbed through years of hardship, and eventually reached management.

Deacon was a mid-to-high level position, commanding many subordinates. This trip to the gambling city was to accompany his superior, a bishop-level executive, acting as his fixer and errand boy.

When Lekang asked about his superior, Stoll’s emotions grew agitated. He was filled with grievances, for his superior was a greedy, ugly, and profoundly evil man. Rudolph, driven by lust for power, had encouraged intrigue among his underlings; by greed for food, he’d become grossly overweight; and in a binge of debauchery, had tortured a fallen woman to death, drawing FBI scrutiny and forcing him to flee to the city for sanctuary.

Stoll was ambitious and decisive; had his foolish superior possessed half his resolve, he would never have landed in such filth. Stoll despised him, yet coveted his position. The longer he served, the more intense his jealousy grew, though he never revealed it. He was scheming for the right moment to betray him and take his place.

Stoll grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, and the hypnosis began to weaken. When Lekang asked about his plans, the secrecy of the matter seemed to trigger his alertness—he broke free and regained consciousness.

“Who are you? What have you done to me?!”

Stoll stared at him intently; even in a state of constraint, he exuded the dangerous aura of a trapped beast, his gaze predatory.

Lekang hadn’t decided how to respond when the man scanned the room and analyzed, “You’ve captured me but haven’t killed me; clearly, there’s room for negotiation. What do you want?”

His words spared Lekang much effort. “I wish to make a deal with you. On equal terms, you may propose a reasonable request.”

“What do you need?”

“Your vibrant soul.”

Lekang had expected disbelief or suspicion, but Stoll merely paused to consider before asking, “And what will I receive?”

This was indeed a man daring enough to bargain with the devil. Lekang felt a hint of admiration. “Name something you believe worthy of such a transaction.”

Stoll’s resolve was already evident, and Lekang knew well, “You desire Rudolph’s position.”

“So, you are a devil?”

Stoll asked suddenly.

“You know my secret. You possess such mysterious means. No one has ever approached and hypnotized me in this manner.”

“You may think so,” Lekang replied, standing in the shadows, tall and mysterious, radiating an unsettling aura.

“Do you seek power and status?” he asked.

Stoll replied, “If I say no, will I die?”

Lekang smiled meaningfully. “Of course not. That’s merely the prejudice and misunderstanding of the secular world. Both sides enter willingly, trading as needed. But the opportunity comes only once.”

Stoll pressed, “If I agree, what will happen to me?”

“You will continue to thrive in the mortal world, enjoying the rights you crave, the respect of others, the applause of your subordinates. All you must do is change your faith, trample upon those false sanctities in service to us. For someone as ruthless as you, is this not a fair bargain?”

Lekang’s voice was hypnotic, echoing in Stoll’s mind.

He fell into a stupor, recalling his life, his experiences—his talent stifled by a jealous, petty superior; his ambition buried and ignored...

If there were a chance to rise again, what matter if he signed a pact with the devil?

“I’m willing!”

The moment his words fell, Stoll abruptly awakened.

And before him appeared a parchment scroll.

He saw the arcane script upon it:

I, the young Lord of Devils, Li Lekang, accept on this day the pact with Frank Stoll, and possess his loyal soul. In return, I promise him the power he craves, the applause of the crowd, the respect of kings, honor and extraordinary strength. He will offer me mortal faith and loyalty, will trample all that is holy in this world, and will sacrifice to me on moonless nights. With this contract, he will live freely and boldly among mortals, joining us in our struggle against God!

The parchment burned, its ashes drifting away, and at the very end, Stoll saw the devil’s seal and the imprint of his own soul.