The environment was magnificent yet laced with cruelty, for no human could survive here.
Logically, even if she could kill to silence them, she should have kept a survivor to learn about this world. Their escape left her in a precarious situation.
Now, looking at the debris around her, she realized something was amiss.
She was just an ordinary person; surviving in such an environment without being poisoned was incredibly unexpected. The small creatures had died miserably, instilling more fear in her than surprise. If they weren't just fragile monsters, then something must be wrong with her strength.
Reflecting carefully, she realized she hadn't felt any physical discomfort so far, only stressful. This was highly abnormal, as she faced not just poisonous gas but also high temperature. The ground was at least seventy to eighty degrees Celsius. Yet, she felt as if she was walking on an ordinary road.
"Let's just say I'm lucky," Su Mei murmured, feeling both relieved and worried, before choosing a direction at random and jogging towards the nearest cave.
Within the Living Fire Pit, volcanoes were omnipresent, essentially forming the landscape through their continuous chain. Demons, favoring high-temperature environments, hollowed out many volcanoes to construct fortresses within the mountain, serving as dwellings and military installations. This unique architectural style manifested externally as countless caves dotting the mountains.
Su Mei was on one such volcano. The cave, towering at over ten meters high, forced her to wonder if such massive creatures indeed roamed here.
Eventually, she found a secluded small stone cave, wedging herself into a corner to contemplate her next steps seriously.
She took the black robe out of her bag and shook it a few times. Its texture, needless to say, was like that of the finest silk, naturally falling from her hands. The skull must still retain human habits, given its preference for such light and soft fabric.
However, the comfort of wearing it was inconsequential; its ability to conceal was what mattered. With the robe on, only two blood-red eyes were visible beneath the hood, leaving the rest obscured. This easily led to the conclusion—the robe possessed the ability to mask the wearer's true appearance.
It was this realization that allowed Su Mei to overcome her disgust and take it with her. She thought that having the robe was better than not. The worst-case scenario would be that she couldn't use it, or the robe was cursed, causing anyone else who wore it to perish. But given her current dire circumstances, how was that any different from being cursed?
With the fear of being discovered at any moment, she quickly donned the black robe.
The robe itself seemed normal at first glance. It resembled a large sack made from expensive material, shapeless, without a defined waist, simply pulled over the head. However, as soon as she put it on and began adjusting the hem, she noticed the robe automatically adjusting itself to match her height and waistline.
At the same time, she felt a stronger sensation, a sense that the robe was far from simple. If her feeling was correct, then its function was not limited to concealing her appearance; it could also alter it.
Without further ado, she took out a small makeup mirror to confirm.
Yet upon inspection, she received an even greater shock. She saw, clear as day, a bright yellow eye appearing in the middle of her forehead. However, this eye was not human; it resembled that of a snake, and in combination with her human features, it looked utterly bizarre.
This didn't mean it was ugly. In another context, it could be considered a beautiful eye, capable of inspiring human awe towards nature. But its placement on her head was rather unfortunate.
At first glance, Su Mei didn't understand what it was. Leaning closer for a better look, she screamed and threw the makeup mirror far away. Three seconds later, as if possessed, she scrambled to retrieve the mirror and cautiously examined herself again.
In a state of extreme panic, she had an epiphany, understanding where all the abnormalities stemmed from.
The lich's envious attitude, despite knowing her terrified state and the dire situation she was in, indirectly confirmed her suspicion. He envied her so-called good luck, which clearly referred to this eye.
After making this connection, other questions unfolded smoothly before her, like butter sliced by a hot knife. The two gentlemen had gone through great lengths to summon the yellow eye in the tower's secret chamber. By chance, she had it in her possession at the time, leading to her summoning as well. Perhaps due to some influence en route or the summoning circle's power, the yellow eye became a part of her body.
In short, both the lich and the armored demon desired the yellow eye, indicating its high value. She quickly reasoned it to be a precious asset, not a sign of alien parasitism.
With this realization, the yellow eye suddenly seemed more appealing. Su Mei, fluctuating between despair and amusement, consoled herself that her situation wasn't entirely hopeless, a silver lining in her misfortune.
She thought nervously while testing the yellow eye's capabilities. Its temperature was no different from a normal eye, as if it had always been a part of her. She tried to close it, and it complied smoothly, the skin returning to normal without leaving a trace.
However, whenever the yellow eye was closed, Su Mei's vision reverted to human standards, immediately blurring her sight, and the symbols were no longer visible. Yet, her physical strength and endurance seemed unaffected by the eye's status.
Trying not to dwell on the complexities, she focused on the most crucial task: transforming into an appropriate appearance. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, somewhat cluelessly because she didn't know exactly what to do, she tried envisioning a specific figure wholeheartedly, hoping the robe would function correctly, even if it only created an illusion.
Under her intense concentration, changes indeed began to occur. Though she had anticipated this, it still deeply impressed her. The recent battle, while impressive, had nothing to do with her personally. The combatants were focused solely on each other, seeing each other as the most significant threat, leaving her unattended. Even if that lich had brought an atomic bomb, she would still be just a bystander.
Thus, this was the first time she witnessed magic working and was amazed by its delicacy and convenience.
The face she was familiar with began to change. It's challenging for humans to recreate a complete image in their minds, but with a basic foundation and gradual adjustments, the resemblance can improve significantly.
Slowly standing up, Su Mei moved the mirror back to capture her upper body. As long as she remained conscious of it, her physique and clothing would change according to her will. It didn't take long for her to transform into the image she desired.
The greatness of the black robe went beyond mere illusion. The transformation was tangible, as she could feel her new form when she touched herself, and the texture was no longer smooth and soft.
Although she knew nothing about magic, she could imagine how precious the black robe was and how much effort the lich must have put into obtaining it. In fact, such valuable items usually come with curses or spells, restricting their use to the true owner. Only when the spell is broken or the owner is too weak to maintain their connection does it become ownerless.
This was something Su Mei could not have known or conceived of. Her excitement replaced her fear, like someone who couldn't afford a large mirror, obsessively admiring her reflection in a small, round one. Initially filled with anxiety, her face now showed a mix of excitement and amazement as she continuously adjusted the details. Eventually, she lost all human features. Even if her parents were to see her now, they would not recognize her. The reflection in the mirror was that of a yellow-green trash demon, with a wide mouth, a large head on a small body, a hunched back without a neck, arms hanging down to the knees, ending in sharp claws, reminiscent of the creature that tried to bite her.
Because the small creatures she saw were all unclothed, so her new form lacked clothing as well. Despite multiple inspections, still unsatisfied, she intentionally adjusted her demeanor to be dirtier and sleazier, looking even more disgusting than a real trash demon.