Death Knocks on Hell’s Door Chapter 56

Chapter 56 Job Application

The units in Yanluo Apartments were open to personal customization. Since all the residents were non-human, they could use their abilities to design their homes however they pleased. The neighboring unit, for instance, was lived by spider demon. The moment one pushed its door, they would find themselves surrounded by layers upon layers of spiderwebs, resembling Pansi Cave. If one didn’t know better, they might think the place hadn’t been inhabited for eight hundred years.

Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu’s apartment followed a black-and-white color scheme. The décor was minimalist, yet it did not feel cold or monotonous. Instead, because every item came in pairs, the space exuded a unique warmth that belonged only to the Black and White Impermanence. Meanwhile, Poseidon and Venus had styled their home with a Mediterranean theme. Their ceiling was sky blue, the wallpaper was a deep ocean hue, and the floor was transparent, revealing a real flowing sea beneath, with fish swimming underfoot.

Room 401, however, was a complete embodiment of ancient Chinese elegance.

In Greece, the God of Sun’s palace was a dazzling display of opulent European luxury. But in Yanluo’s unit, gold and silver were not the dominant colors. Even so, anyone with an eye for detail could immediately tell that this was an unmistakable show of wealth.

The floors were paved with jade, as if the material were of no consequence. Instead of Persian carpets, silk from the ancient times covered the ground. A golden nanmu desk was paired with a huanghuali imperial chair, upon which lay the four treasures of the study. A massive antique display shelf occupied an entire wall, filled with priceless ornaments. A delicate vase held a few blood-red flowers. Another wall bore a treasured sword, while yet another was adorned with elegant calligraphy and paintings. Beyond the moon gate, past draped beaded curtains, lay the bedroom.

It was not an ostentatious display, but every detail brimmed with heritage and refinement.

Stepping inside felt like traveling through time.

When Thanatos first entered, he was momentarily stunned.

Many of the objects were unfamiliar to him, but he found them undeniably exquisite. He wanted to know what they were called, especially the striking flower in the vase, which he had never seen before.

His curiosity burned, but it would mean he would have to open his mouth and ask.

Thanatos: “……”

Forget it. He didn’t want to know.

Curiosity had just died at the hands of social anxiety.

Still, Thanatos rather liked his new residence. After all, he was getting half off the rent, and the place came with divine-level interior design. Even at five hundred thousand a month, the rent wouldn’t be too expensive.

At least, it meant he wouldn’t starve.

Not that gods needed to eat to survive. Otherwise, Thanatos would have no choice but to eat soil. No, he couldn’t even afford soil. Land prices in China were absurdly high.

His boss, Hades, also doubled as the God of Wealth. With countless treasures buried underground, the underworld was theoretically not poor.

But they were too lazy to dig up the treasures. The gods of the underworld could be counted on one hand, and none of them had worldly desires. What was the point of wealth, anyway?

And so, Thanatos had arrived in the East with nothing but enough travel funds and a small sum to get by. He hadn’t expected the cost of living to be so high, nor for rent to be this expensive. At most, he could survive here for two months.

After that, he wouldn’t be able to pay rent. He would have nowhere to go.

Logic told him he needed to find a job in the East if he wanted to sustain himself. His true profession was reaping souls, a job that required no talking. But in China, that duty belonged to the ghost envoys. He couldn’t just steal someone else’s livelihood.

Aside from that, every job Thanatos could think of required interacting with people. And even job hunting itself was a social process.

This was so painful.

Being gloomy was the corporate culture of the underworld. So, for the entire first month, Thanatos stayed in the house and did nothing, let alone go out to find a job.

At present, however, he had a different headache to deal with.

His roommate was far too lively. No matter where he was, he always seemed to pop up out of nowhere, greeting him with boundless enthusiasm.

“Hello! Perhaps you’d be interested in a little cultural exchange?”

The moment Thanatos heard the word exchange, he felt an overwhelming urge to flee.

Yanluo was baffled. Was he some kind of monster? He prided himself on being polite, well-mannered, and composed. He had no bad habits that should drive anyone away. So why did his foreign roommate seem so intent on avoiding him? Every time they crossed paths, Thanatos would instinctively keep a safe distance of at least a meter.

Was it because he had mistaken him for a wandering ghost upon their first meeting and casually threatened to send him to hell? Had he unknowingly offended him?

Yanluo had even tried asking about it once, and apologized. But the God of Death had merely shaken his head without a word.

It had now been a full month since Yanluo and the God of Death became flatmates.

Achievement unlocked: One Month of Cohabitation Without a Single Conversation.

If not for the fact that he had clearly heard Thanatos speak on the day they met, Yanluo might have assumed his flatmate was mute. No matter how many times he greeted him or tried to strike up a conversation, Thanatos never responded. At most, he would nod his head as a response. He was so aloof and cold, and eventually, he reached a point where he would simply turn and walk away the moment he saw Yanluo approaching.

There had to be a limit to arrogance. This level of aloofness was simply unheard of.

In the entire month they had lived together, Yanluo had never once seen the God of Death remove his black robe. To this day, he had no idea what his flatmate even looked like. It was as if the robe was permanently fused to Thanatos’ being. At one point, Yanluo even suspected that the robe was the God of Death’s true form.

If not for a quick search on the internet, he wouldn’t have even known his flatmate’s name.

Yes, he hadn’t learned the God of Death’s name by asking him. He had searched it on the internet.

The image of the Western God of Death, clad in a black robe and wielding a scythe, was widely recognized across the world. But his name was not so well known. Before this, Yanluo had only been familiar with the classic depiction. It was only after looking it up that he discovered the God of Death was called Thanatos.

And why had he gone to the trouble of searching online? Because when he had asked directly, Thanatos had simply refused to answer.

Yanluo had been so exasperated that he actually laughed.

Was he, the great King Yan, unworthy of knowing the God of Death’s name?

He had originally wanted to engage in a cultural exchange with the Western God of Death, but now? In his dreams, maybe.

Forget culture, there wasn’t even exchange.

King Yan was a figure of immense authority, revered by the gods of the East. He had always taken pride in surpassing the West, and he was not the type to throw himself at someone who couldn’t be bothered to reciprocate. He had treated his Western guest with the proper respect, but if the other party insisted on being impolite, then perhaps it was time to teach him some manners.

Yanluo’s competitiveness flared once more. He refused to believe he couldn’t make Thanatos speak.

And so, he came up with a brilliant idea.

He placed a phonograph in the living room and played ghastly, bone-chilling wails of the dead on an endless loop. Day and night, the haunting cries echoed through the apartment, transforming what was once a peaceful home into a haunted house.

This was a recording of vengeful spirits wailing at the bottom of the River of Forgetfulness. The resentment was so intense, the sound so penetrating, that not even a soundproof barrier could block it out.

It was pure torture.

Fortunately, the entire third floor was empty, and the only victim was the God of Death.

And Yanluo himself. His strategy was called “killing one thousand enemy soldiers while losing eight hundred soldiers of his own.”

Even with earplugs in, he still had to endure the hellish noise. But there was no way Thanatos wouldn’t be bothered by it. The moment the God of Death couldn’t take it anymore, he would have to come and negotiate. And when that happened, Yanluo would finally force him to speak.

His plan was flawless.

And sure enough, Thanatos was suffering.

In his bedroom, the young man sat on the edge of his bed, cloaked in his black robe, hands pressed tightly over his ears. His lips were drawn into a thin line.

Eyes closed, he struggled to endure the torment of the piercing wails.

But even as the ghostly cries drilled into his skull, he would rather sit motionless and suffer than walk next door and speak to Yanluo.

For Thanatos, the thought of asking someone for something was far more painful than enduring the torment.

In the end, it was Yanluo who broke first. Frustrated, he shut off the phonograph himself. He simply couldn’t believe it.

Was the God of Death not just mute, but deaf as well?

Still in disbelief, Yanluo marched over to Room 202 and knocked. When Poseidon opened the door, he asked, “Does your God of Death have some kind of prejudice against Eastern gods? I’ve lived with him for a month, and he still hasn’t spoken a single word to me.”

“No,” Poseidon replied. “I’ve known him for three hundred years, and he barely talks to me either. The underworld gods…… they’re all a bit autistic. Thanatos has severe social anxiety.”

Whenever Poseidon had a question that Thanatos knew the answer to, the God of Death would respond with either a nod or a shake of his head. If the question couldn’t be answered that way, he would use the shortest possible sentence. And if there was no way to answer briefly……

Thanatos simply wouldn’t answer at all.

Unless absolutely necessary, he remained silent.

Yanluo’s irritation instantly turned into sympathy.

So he’d been mistaken. Thanatos wasn’t ignoring Eastern gods. He ignored everyone, Western gods included. That realization was oddly reassuring.

To be this socially anxious, he must be seriously ill. As flatmates, Yanluo ought to show him more care.

“Maybe I should check in on him more often?” he suggested.

Poseidon: “The kindest thing you can do for him is not check in on him. Just let it go. He really, truly hates talking.”

Yanluo was at a loss for words.

Still, he thought he should at least apologize to Thanatos for the noise pollution.

But when he returned to Room 401, his flatmate was nowhere to be found.

For the first time ever, Thanatos had left the apartment.

Well, it seemed today wasn’t the right time.

Yanluo changed into modern attire and headed out as well. He had businesses to inspect.

In the past month, Thanatos’ movements had been strictly limited to his bedroom and the living room. Occasionally, he would wander around the first floor for a change of scenery, but he never set foot outside the building.

The apartment complex was far too lively for him. In the mornings, demons and spirits gathered for tai chi practice. In the evenings, they danced in the square. And throughout the day, a group of demon children screeched and hollered, competing to see whose voice could overpower the music from the fountain below. The black-robed God of Death was very uncomfortable appearing in broad daylight.

But he couldn’t hide away forever. It had already been a month. If he didn’t find a job soon, he wouldn’t be able to pay rent for the next month. When that happened, he’d be kicked out.

Therefore, finding a job was mandatory.

Not that he had been completely idle in his room.

Thanatos had logged into a global non-human forum, set his location to Qingzhou, and browsed the job listings. There were quite a few postings. Yanluo Hotel was hiring waitstaff, Yanluo Bar needed a bartender, Yanluo Restaurant was looking for a chef, and Yanluo Apartments was in need of a security guard……

The word Yanluo appeared far too often. It was practically an empire at this point.

One job alone wouldn’t be enough to cover his exorbitant rent. Thanatos needed to work two jobs. He had no experience in bartending or cooking, which left him with only two options: waiter or security guard, both of which required frequent interaction with others.

……It was terrifying. But fear led to poverty.

He needed money for rent.

Thanatos pulled his black robe tighter around himself. If no one could see his face, he would feel safer.

“You’re here to apply as a waiter?” Cui Jue asked. He had waited a long time without receiving a single word from Thanatos, so he took a guess.

Thanatos nodded.

Cui Jue continued, “You’ll have to take off your robe so we can see your face. We require our waitstaff to have a presentable appearance. Plus, we need to make sure you’ve successfully taken human form. After all, our restaurant serves human customers too.”

Thanatos wasn’t carrying his signature scythe, and with just the black robe, there was nothing to indicate that he was the God of Death. To Cui Jue, he was probably just another little demon who had yet to perfect his transformation, using the robe to hide his ears and tail.

Thanatos froze. He had assumed that pouring tea, serving dishes, and wiping tables would be his only responsibilities. He had completely overlooked the fact that waiters were required to wear a uniform.

But he couldn’t take off his robe. Without it, he felt exposed. The black robe was the boundary that separated him from the rest of the world.

Cui Jue watched as the black-robed figure remained silent. He assumed the little demon had yet to fully take human form and was too embarrassed to remove the robe. “Apologies, but we can’t hire demons who haven’t completed their transformation — Your Majesty?!”

The office door swung open, and Yanluo stepped inside. “I came to check on this month’s business operations.”

Cui Jue immediately straightened. “I’ll report to you right away.” He shot a glance at Thanatos, silently signaling him to leave.

But Yanluo’s gaze had already landed on him. Or rather, from the moment he entered, he had been looking at him.

Under the weight of that stare, Thanatos’ fingers curled into a tight grip. He hadn’t expected to run into Yanluo here.

He had come to apply for a job. And his flatmate turned out to be the owner.

Yanluo (阎罗). Yanluo (烟落).

It all made sense now.

His roommate was filthy rich.

……But that had nothing to do with him. He was still as broke as ever.

“He’s here to apply for a job,” Cui Jue explained, noticing how Yanluo was staring at the black-robed figure. “But he hasn’t said a word since he walked in, and he won’t take off his robe. My guess is that he’s some little demon who hasn’t fully transformed yet, or maybe he hasn’t even learned human speech.”

Cui Jue turned back to Thanatos. “Listen, little demon, I’d suggest you go back to the mountains and train for a few more years. You’re too young to be trying to survive in society.”

Thanatos: “……”

“Little demon?”

Yanluo suddenly let out a soft chuckle and stepped forward.

Thanatos instinctively retreated, maintaining a strict one-meter distance between them.

Yanluo lowered his gaze, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “Little demon, how about making a deal with me? My days have been rather lonely, and I’d like someone to chat with. If you say just one sentence, I’ll knock a thousand off your rent. No limit. You might even walk away with a profit.”

It was only now that he realized his flatmate might not be financially well-off. Apologies were meaningless, solving real-life problems was what mattered.

Cui Jue: “???”

What the hell was this? A thousand per sentence?!

Was this still the same ruthless, money-hungry, infamously stingy King Yan he knew?!

Since when had King Yan’s money been this easy to earn? Just talking would do?

Cui Jue glanced at the little black-robed demon, scrutinizing him from head to toe. Was there something special about him? Couldn’t he take the job as a conversation partner too?

Meanwhile, Thanatos stood frozen in place, clearly not expecting such an absurd offer.

So this was the power of wealth. When you had enough, you could be as unreasonable as you pleased.

But he really did need money.

Slowly, Thanatos gave a small nod.

Yanluo joked, “Just a nod?”

Thanatos remained silent.

After a long while, the young man softly said, “Okay.”

If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))