As the cat-woman walked toward the passageway, pondering how to deal with the angry Li Ban, she heard someone from the lowest tier of the spectator stands cursing at her.
"Damn it!"
"You filthy half-breed!"
"Playing dead during a duel!"
"Shameless bitch!"
The cat-woman looked up and saw a bare-chested man with bloodshot eyes, spewing saliva as he hurled increasingly vulgar insults. She found it amusing - clearly someone who'd lost his bets. Probably lost big too, might end up selling himself into slavery soon.
"That victory shouldn't count, you family-destroying mongrel!" The enraged man spat out another insult.
"Hmm?"
The cat-woman's expression darkened instantly. She shot the man a glare sharp as a blade's edge.
Withdrawing her gaze, the cat-woman curled her lip disdainfully and finally entered the passageway.
Meanwhile, on the central stands, Manager Li who had been sitting with Tree-Person A leaned forward, still staring where the cat-woman had disappeared.
"What exactly is the origin of your cat-woman? She scared a man to death with just one look?"
Tree-Person A scratched his bark-covered skin, grinning. "None of your concern. Just tell me - did she exceed the limits?"
"No, the warning stone never lit up." Manager Li straightened with a cold expression.
"Good." Tree-Person A stood up, rubbing three fingers together. "Don't forget our wager."
"Won't forget. I'll take you to collect now."
"Heh heh heh..." Tree-Person A followed eagerly.
By this time, the cat-woman had returned to Li Ban. She'd intended to play pitiful, but changed her mind upon seeing his dark expression.
"What? Were you actually worried I'd die, good man?"
Li Ban gritted his teeth silently. Anyone could see now that her earlier vulnerable act had been fake.
The two burly men who should've been ushering the cat-woman back into her cage hesitated, not daring to speak harshly to her retreating back.
Li Ban studied the cat-woman's blood-streaked face with its infuriating smirk, then shifted his gaze to her thigh.
"Your leg was never broken to begin with?"
With a sharp "crack," the cat-woman bent her leg at an impossible angle, then snapped it back straight with another "crack."
"Broke it. Healed it."
Was this some martial technique or elemental ability? Though curious, Li Ban refrained from asking in front of others.
Unexpectedly, the cat-woman suddenly slung an arm over Li Ban's shoulders. "Impressed? You know, back in my prime I was—"
"Li Ban!"
An excited shout interrupted her. Li Ban turned to see Ze beyond the iron bars! Back at the slave grounds, Uncle Ma had told him Ze was sold to the beast-fighting arena. Though preoccupied with the cat-woman's situation, he'd forgotten until now.
Miraculously, Ze had found him first. Li Ban rushed over immediately, causing the cat-woman's arm to slide off his shoulder.
"You're alive! Thank goodness!"
"Uncle Ma said you were here, but I never thought we'd meet like this."
Fellow villagers reuniting, eyes brimming with tears. Seeing Li Ban practically wagging an imaginary tail with joy, the cat-woman snorted and retreated into her cage.
Through several gates, Ze addressed the two large men: "Brother Qi, Brother Meng, may I speak with my fellow villager?"
The man surnamed Qi hesitated, then nodded, gesturing to Li Ban. "Lock the cage first. We'll carry it back while you talk on the way."
Both Li Ban and Ze expressed profuse thanks. While Li Ban secured the cage and draped the black cloth, the cross-legged cat-woman inside snorted again, turning her back to him. Li Ban marveled once more at her mercurial moods before pocketing the key.
As the two strongmen carried the cage away, Li Ban and Ze followed about ten meters behind. Once alone, Li Ban whispered urgently, "I almost died in Death Prison but got a forced logout failure warning. What do I do?"
Ze, who'd been about to ask after Li Ban's wellbeing, froze at this shocking revelation. "Th-that... I've heard of it happening but never thought you'd experience it." His expression was incredulous. "Has your amnesia improved?"
Li Ban shook his head. That wasn't getting fixed in this lifetime.
"Terrible luck." After consideration, Ze admitted there wasn't much they could do within the Witch World. "After completing my phase mission or dying out, I'll report your situation to the director immediately. They'll extract your pod for repairs."
"Be extra careful until then - avoid death if possible. But if the worst happens, don't panic. I'll get them to retrieve you once I'm out."
Li Ban exhaled in relief. "Can they monitor our status from outside?"
"Sadly no. If they could, mission progress wouldn't be so slow."
Their conversation was interrupted as they reached the exit area. Li Ban grew anxious - so many unanswered questions remained.
At the exit, instead of Tree-Person A, they saw Manager Li descending from the second floor, hands clasped behind his back. "Lord A is occupied. Wait next door first. They won't escape under our watch."
Li Ban hesitated. Without Tree-Person A's direct orders, could Manager Li be lying? His hesitation drew Manager Li's displeased glare, clearly offended by the implied distrust.
Ze kept tugging urgently at Li Ban's sleeve. Taking the hint, Li Ban quickly cupped his hands. "Understood, Manager Li."
"I'll take him over." Ze bowed obsequiously to Manager Li, slipping him something with a smile. "Manager Li, this fellow escaped from the same disaster as me. Just catching up."
Manager Li relented sternly. "Don't delay official business."
"Wouldn't dream of it!"
Ze then pulled Li Ban into a nearby small room containing several beds, tables, chairs, and - astonishingly - a stove!
"You live here?"
"Yep. Better than Death Prison, no?"
"Better doesn't begin to cover it!"
Li Ban produced a tightly wrapped bundle, unwrapping it to reveal a section of leopard tail. "Mind if I use your stove?"
"Go ahead. But where'd you get that tail?"
"From a jailer." Without proper tools, Li Ban simply placed the tail directly on the stove to roast.
Though alone, the two undercover agents kept their voices low. Knowing they couldn't discuss missions, Li Ban inquired about elements instead.
"Ze, what do you know about Identity and elements?"
Seeing Li Ban's unfamiliarity, Ze helped with the roasting. "I know. This isn't my first time in, but I rarely obtain them."
While cooking, he explained seriously, "While elements and Identity can strengthen us, they also draw unwanted attention. Unless mission-critical, I avoid pursuing them."
Ze dropped his voice further. "Other agents have been caught showing anomalies. The locals here are ruthless - they torture before killing."
"Tread carefully. Even if we escape physically afterward, the psychological trauma remains."