Seeing Li Ban's somewhat heavy expression, Ze smiled again to comfort him, "Don't be so nervous. It'll definitely be cured."
"Besides, you're in Death Prison where the conditions are much worse than here. To survive, you might have no choice but to grow stronger and climb up. But don't let this seemingly real world deceive you. Remember, whether wealth or power, it's all meaningless to us. Completing the mission must come first."
Li Ban understood Ze's meaning. No matter how real this virtual world felt, no matter how valuable the things they gained here were, it was all fake. Once they left this place, things like identity and elements would just be settings.
Yet Li Ban still had some doubts. Since this was a virtual world, what important mission could possibly require completion within it?
As they spoke, Ze casually tore off a small strip of meat and popped it into his mouth. "Hmm, done. Let me get you some oiled paper to wrap it."
Li Ban thanked him and asked if Ze wanted to keep some meat for himself.
"No need. We don't lack meat here." Ze smiled meaningfully. "Can't you get meat where you are? Wait here, I'll get you a package."
Li Ban suddenly grabbed his arm. "What kind of meat?"
Ze laughed. "What, you think I'd give you that kind? Don't worry, it's non-venomous snake meat. Tastes great."
Ze happily tossed the snake into a cloth bag, but as he was about to leave, he saw a gloomy-faced man blocking the doorway.
"You and your fellow villager seem quite close, giving him meat to eat?"
"Kong, none of your business!" Ze's smile vanished as he faced this person, his lips curling in disdain. "He's the only one left from my hometown. What's wrong with looking out for him? Besides, this was my ration for today. If you're jealous, go eat shit!"
Ze wasn't afraid of offending Kong. In fact, they were currently competing for an Identity. Thanks to inherited advantages and system assistance, Ze was practically guaranteed to obtain it. Kong was destined to be his nemesis anyway, so he might as well offend him thoroughly.
Kong had been watching him constantly. Ze had already decided that once he got his Identity, he'd find an excuse to eliminate this guy. Having someone like Kong watching him would only hinder his mission.
Ze forcefully shouldered past Kong and walked out triumphantly. Near the entrance, he suddenly saw the tree-person jailers and Manager Li coming downstairs, while Li Ban had also emerged from the room.
He immediately broke into a run, reaching Li Ban at the last moment to shove the meat into his arms, saying in a normal voice, "Enjoy your meal!"
Touched, Li Ban understood Ze's real message was "Don't worry, I'll help you with the forced logout failure issue." Clutching the bag, he had no chance to speak as Tree-Person A lifted him onto the cart with a branch.
"What's there to say to a slave?" Tree-Person A, in a good mood, casually cursed before ordering the cart to depart.
Li Ban could only nod back at Ze.
The cart passed through a dark arched tunnel, emerging back into sunlight. With the sun already west, they'd likely reach Death Prison by dusk.
Holding the cloth bag, Li Ban wasn't thinking about food. He hadn't told Ze about Lu. Though Ze was doing relatively well now, he was still a slave without an Identity. He might procure meat, but certainly not medicine. Worse, it might draw suspicion onto him.
Li Ban had decided to handle this himself. With Ze's meat, he could last at least three more days. His grip on the bag tightened. Within three days... he'd deal with Lu!
He'd already made up his mind. Given the tree-person jailers' nature, even if he killed Lu, he'd only be punished by inheriting her duties—cooking and mopping. It would prevent others from poisoning his food daily. Though exhausting, it would be worth it.
...
Watching Li Ban leave, Ze clapped his hands, ready to work. Turning around, he saw Kong whispering something to Manager Li.
Ze frowned, feeling inexplicably uneasy. Though he'd bribed Manager Li before, the amounts were small. His real backer was another manager. Had Kong connected with Manager Li? That would be bad!
As Ze approached, Manager Li looked his way. "I heard you gave Old Lu two taels of silver? Where'd you get that money?"
Ze's heart sank. He didn't know how this got out, but it was true. Forced to admit, he rubbed his hands ingratiatingly. "I brought it with me when fleeing disaster."
"Weren't you sold here by corpse-carrier Old Chen Four? How'd you hide money on you?"
Ze forced a laugh. "Manager Li, I hid it in... unclean places. I fear speaking of it would offend your ears."
Manager Li chuckled skeptically. "Really? Then where'd the large coins you gave others come from? Kong says it totals hundreds. Don't tell me your intestines are miraculously gifted."
"I exchanged the silver for them," Ze said, his foreboding growing as he braced himself.
"With whom? When? At what rate?"
Ze couldn't answer.
Manager Li circled Ze, hands behind his back, examining him thoroughly. "Kong also says you enjoy eavesdropping, even daring to listen in on Death Prison and Eternal Tower matters."
"Are you just curious, suicidal, or... have other reasons?"
"I—I'm just naturally nosy, Manager Li, sir! I mean no harm!"
Ze hadn't expected Kong to have secretly tracked all his recent activities. Despite his experience, he'd underestimated the Witch World natives. When had they become so alert? This was bad!
Manager Li stopped listening. Gripping Ze's nape, he said, "Come see Manager Xue with me. Let's see if he believes your nonsense!"
Ze wore a bitter expression but wasn't truly afraid. He didn't resist—after all, managers held second-tier Identities. His current strength couldn't match even their pinky fingers.
Fine, death then. At least he could report Li Ban's "forced logout failure" issue outside.
But then Kong spoke up again. "Manager, this guy was just whispering with his fellow villager Ban for ages. I think both of them are traitors! Should we arrest them both?"
Ze stiffened but kept his head down, not defending Li Ban. The more he spoke for Li Ban now, the more suspicious it would seem.
Manager Li scoffed. "Arrest who? How? You'll go fetch someone from Death Prison?"
Kong shrank back, silenced.
But after some thought, Manager Li instructed a burly man beside him, "Ride after Death Prison's cart. Tell Master A we've caught a traitor whose fellow villager Ban might also be suspicious. Have him stay alert."
"Yes sir!" The man saluted and hurried off.
Now Ze was genuinely worried. That terrifying Death Prison... would the tree-person jailers even give Li Ban a chance to explain? Should he exit quickly to prevent Li Ban from going insane trapped in a corpse?
Damn his carelessness! Li Ban had struggled to survive in Death Prison, only to be sabotaged by him. He wondered what punishment the Director would mete out...