Manager Li escorted Ze into Manager Xue's room, and in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he came back down.
Kong was still waiting in the same spot. Seeing Manager Li return so quickly, he hurried over. "Manager, what did Manager Xue say?"
He was terrified that Ze might be released - that would mean disaster for him.
"Manager Xue said he was indeed suspicious. Had all his bones removed. Already dead."
"Already dead?" Kong shuddered violently.
Manager Li glanced at him sideways. "Scared?"
Kong immediately plastered on a smile. "After a year in the beast-fighting arena, how could I still be so timid!"
"Good. Then the vacant guard position falls to you. Work hard, and you might even climb to a manager's position someday."
Kong quickly expressed his loyalty. "You flatter me, sir. I'm not ambitious - just happy to serve under you. Following you to enjoy life's pleasures is satisfaction enough."
Kong clasped his fists and bowed deeply. "This humble one has nothing to offer but his life at your service."
Manager Li snorted and left without another word.
Straightening up, Kong looked puzzled briefly before smiling again.
No refusal meant acceptance.
He returned excitedly to his quarters.
Along the way, guards who previously ignored him now nodded in acknowledgment.
With Ze dead, everyone knew he'd be the new guard.
Back in his empty room, Kong's triumphant expression immediately vanished.
"Will the Director blame me for killing Ze?"
He paced back and forth twice.
"No, knowing the Director, as long as the mission succeeds, he won't care about the details."
Kong then thought of Li Ban.
"Was Ze so kind to his fellow townsman to build a generous image, or because he's from the lab?"
"Doesn't matter. The more moles I expose, the more trust I gain from above, the higher I'll climb."
As for whether Ze would hate him for killing a colleague... that wasn't his concern.
Kong had been in the Witch World nearly a year, planning this guard position for over half that time.
To nearly lose it to Ze at the last moment - even if Ze had seniority in the lab, how could he tolerate that?
Telling the Director wouldn't help - he'd just think Kong incompetent.
Fortunately, when Kong entered the Witch World, Ze was still using his previous character, unaware of Kong's identity.
But while temporarily logging out between missions, Kong accidentally learned Ze's identity.
Otherwise, he'd have had no way to deal with Ze.
My apologies. Consider this Ze's sacrifice for my mission.
After all, who climbs up without stepping on a few stones?
...
Li Ban still didn't know Ze had been forcibly logged out.
He'd been pondering how to deal with Lu when hoofbeats interrupted his thoughts.
"Master A, please wait! Manager Li has a message for you."
The old horse stopped without reins, remarkably perceptive.
Tree-Person A, in his log-like state, opened one eye. "What message?"
The burly man lowered his head. "May we speak privately?"
Tree-Person A clicked his tongue. "Such a bother."
But he jumped down and led the man into the woods.
Li Ban watched, unable to hear their conversation.
"What do you think they're saying?"
The cat-woman's voice came from the black-cloth-covered cage.
Li Ban lifted the cloth, curious. "Can you hear them?"
The cat-woman suddenly pressed against the bars and blew air at Li Ban's face.
Li Ban jerked back. "What are you doing?"
"Smell bad?" she asked oddly.
"Can you hear them or not?"
"Just answer - do I smell?"
"...No."
Not bad at all - actually somewhat fragrant.
That made no sense!
He'd never seen her brush her teeth!
Must be the virtual world's illogical settings.
Satisfied with his answer, the cat-woman smiled. "Even if I could hear, I wouldn't tell."
"Tch!" Li Ban snorted coldly, opening his cloth bag. "Chef's special air-dried snake jerky."
The cat-woman hissed, ears perking up.
"No jerky for you!" Li Ban snapped the bag shut.
"I'm sorry!"
True to form, the cat-woman immediately prostrated without dignity.
If not for the cage, she'd have pounced on him.
"Talk!"
Li Ban worried Tree-Person A might return any moment.
The cat-woman looked up pitifully. "I really can't hear."
Seeing Li Ban's eyes bulge, she quickly patted the cage. "Why do you think they keep me in here?"
"The cage suppresses your abilities too?"
The cat-woman slumped against the bars, looking utterly defeated.
"Ah... even cats meet their match."
Li Ban frowned - another veiled insult.
But his focus had already shifted.
"You used to—"
Tree-Person A returned before he could finish.
The other burly man bowed to Tree-Person A before riding off.
As Li Ban watched the man leave, he met Tree-Person A's icy stare.
His spine tingled with sudden dread.
What fresh hell was this?
Just three minutes earlier in the woods, Tree-Person A had asked impatiently, "Well? What is it?"
The man bowed. "Master A, Manager Li asked me to inform you that we've confirmed slave Ze was a mole infiltrating the beast-fighting arena. Ze was close with your slave Ban - they had private contact. Manager Li advises caution against another infiltration."
Tree-Person A was displeased.
"Moles, moles, moles! Where do they all come from? You think Death Prison is some marketplace?"
He swung an arm, nearly hitting the man with a branch.
"Tell Li Fu to mind his own business! Death Prison doesn't need his meddling!"
The man dared show no emotion toward Tree-Person A, nor criticize his own manager, merely bowing silently.
Tree-Person A couldn't take his anger out on an arena guard either, turning to leave. "Go back."
Though he'd dismissed Manager Li's warning outright, Tree-Person A didn't actually trust Li Ban.
But Death Prison had recently caught one mole already - as a jailer, he hated looking incompetent.
If Li Ban really was a mole... he'd handle it internally.
Thus, when Tree-Person A emerged from the woods, his gaze carried murderous intent toward Li Ban.
Li Ban immediately behaved perfectly, remaining silent and still the entire return trip.
He didn't know what the arena messenger had said, but his instincts said it involved Ze.
Before meeting Ze, even the arena guards ignored him.
What could make Tree-Person A suddenly distrust him?
Leaving the cat-woman's cage to barbecue with Ze?
But that was Manager Li's order - how could a mere slave refuse?
Yet why would Manager Li specifically inform the tree-person jailers?
Unless... Ze had been exposed?