Li Ban glanced at the spot where the corpse had been whipped.
Tsk, flesh torn and skin split.
Too gruesome to look at.
Tree-Person A paced back and forth with two long branch arms behind his back, like a drill instructor.
"If you want to avoid mistakes, you must obey! Remember, in this Death Prison there are jailers..."
He patted his chest with a branch.
"There are prison officers, and prison officials..."
He pointed downward.
"We are all your masters, and you must obey us."
Li Ban wasn't buying Tree-Person A's empty promises, but he still forced himself to show an eager expression.
Though he didn't know his mission, gathering more information about this place couldn't hurt.
If he died accidentally, at least he'd have something to report back to the lab.
The lab's technology seemed quite advanced - he needed to remain cautious.
Having made up his mind, Li Ban imitated the girl and young man's behavior, appearing respectful and careful.
After listing numerous rules, Tree-Person A finally began explaining the slaves' work duties.
"There are three types of work. Collecting nightsoil and farming, boiling water and cleaning, or delivering meals to prisoners. Which... would you prefer?"
Li Ban's eyes widened immediately - even in a virtual world, he didn't want to handle feces!
But just as Li Ban was about to speak, the coldest young man spoke first.
"I'll take the nightsoil and farming duty!"
What a saint!
Li Ban gave the young man a surprised look - maybe he was good at this?
The girl who hesitated slightly said next: "I'll take the water boiling and cleaning duties!"
Huh?
Why was the seemingly easiest meal delivery job left unchosen?
Li Ban wasn't stupid - he immediately began considering the implications.
Maybe neither knew how to cook.
Or perhaps delivering meals was actually dangerous - prisoners might attack during food delivery.
He quickly looked at Tree-Person A to see if assignments would respect the slaves' preferences.
Unwilling to waste effort on assignments, Tree-Person A simply told Li Ban: "Then you'll handle meal delivery. Remember, you're only responsible for the first level - don't wander below the second level."
Li Ban's heart sank, but he remained composed.
It's just a virtual world - treat it like a game. Though the mission required seriousness, no need for excessive stress.
Worst case, force logout.
After efficiently assigning duties, Tree-Person A gave the well and brick waterhouse to the girl, while the young man got the fields and latrines outside.
The thatched hut would house all three, though the girl could stay separately in the waterhouse.
Tree-Person A emphasized one rule:
No open flames outside the waterhouse.
Considering the wooden nature of tree-person jailers, Li Ban found this understandable.
Finally freed from his bonds, Li Ban was taken by Tree-Person A into Death Prison.
Past the stone archway lay a gentle downward slope.
Sunlight penetrated only three to five meters before being swallowed by darkness.
They descended blindly until the path leveled out.
At the flat path's start stood a wooden door.
A glowing stone hung above it - likely phosphorescent - barely illuminating the passage.
Black lacquer characters on the door read "Storage Room."
Perhaps thanks to the mission assistance system, Li Ban could read them.
Tree-Person A escorted Li Ban inside.
The thirty-square-meter room also had two glowing stones.
Dim lighting revealed suspicious dark stains on the walls.
Several wooden crates and cabinets lined the walls with simple tools, but most prominent were the central wooden cages and an open iron cage cart.
Li Ban's gaze locked onto one wooden cage.
Because inside... was a pale figure.
Small like a girl, completely naked, curled up and shivering, face buried in arms.
A thin white tail extended from its rear, the tip protruding through cage bars.
"This is a mimic rat - today's food delivery."
The "food" was a girl with a mouse tail?
After seeing tree-people, Li Ban could accept rat-people.
But he couldn't accept a mouse-tailed girl as food!
Especially when hearing "food," the little creature finally raised its face, revealing delicate features, upturned nose, flawless skin, and two trembling teardrops.
Undeniably an adorable little girl!
Aghast, Li Ban asked Tree-Person A, "Is this really a rat? Isn't this a little girl? She's human!"
Unexpectedly, Tree-Person A's previously calm demeanor vanished as he whipped Li Ban's arm with a branch.
A red welt immediately appeared.
Burning pain.
"Can't you see that long tail? What else but a rat? I told you to obey - want to die? I can arrange that!"
Seeing another branch aiming for his neck, Li Ban hastily said, "It's a rat, sir, definitely a rat! I just don't understand the delivery process. Do I cook first?"
Li Ban spoke too quickly - Tree-Person A's vertical eye flashed disappointment at missing another chance to strangle him unconscious.
His tone grew impatient.
"Cook? We're being merciful feeding those death row inmates. Just put the food in the iron cage cart outside, take the white path, and deliver to designated cells."
Tree-Person A's expression suddenly improved slightly.
"Remember: food takes white path, waste takes black path. Don't mix them up, dumping food into waste buckets. Though watching prisoners fish meals from excrement would be hilarious..."
Li Ban was speechless.
Was Tree-Person A encouraging him to dump food into latrines?
"Understood."
"Go now. Today's delivery is the mimic rat to Cell 13 on first level for the cat-woman."
"Cell 13, first level, cat-woman. Got it. No other deliveries?"
"Why so frequent? Feed them when they're near starvation. Better for everyone."
After brief instructions about prison operations, the impatient tree-person jailer left.
Li Ban avoided the pleading gaze of the mouse-girl.
If he refused this job, someone else would do it.
"Just data," he repeated mentally.
Li Ban explored the room, familiarizing himself with its layout.
Two adjacent crates had straw mats and blankets - Tree-Person A said Li Ban could sleep here.
Considering the cold young slave outside, Li Ban decided to stay alone.
After stalling as long as possible, Li Ban finally approached the wooden cage.
He bent down, seeing the red-eyed girl watching him, and pressed his lips tightly.
Just data, he thought.
Unlocking the cage, he reached to transfer the girl to the open iron cart.
The girl recoiled violently, tears falling like raindrops.
Li Ban's resolve wavered.
Even if just data...
Suddenly, the girl's recoil became a lunge.
She pounced on Li Ban.
Escaping?
Knocked down, Li Ban instinctively grabbed her flailing arms.
The moment he caught her, he saw her mouth open wide - revealing long, curved front teeth.
Those teeth rushed toward his face.
"Pop" - his right eye left its socket.