Li Ban wore a bitter expression, pretending to regret his suggestion as he reluctantly agreed. "Well... I'll do my best to try." After speaking, he continued gathering the items on the floor.
When he finished, five ten-tael silver notes appeared on the long table before him. Li Ban had never even touched solid silver before, yet here he was handling paper currency first. The notes weren't large, printed on creamy yellow paper with "Ten Taels" clearly written. Smaller characters indicated the issuance date and banking house information.
What surprised Li Ban most was the note's durability - the intricate, exquisite patterns and the prominent mark in the upper right corner that changed colors like modern banknotes from his previous life. These must be anti-counterfeiting measures. The Witch World wasn't purely ancient after all, so such peculiar technologies weren't unexpected.
Carefully storing the notes, Li Ban heard Zhou Gu say, "Think about what materials you'll need. The day after tomorrow, I'll personally take you to procure them." So soon? Zhou Gu must be truly desperate.
Li Ban mentally asked his mission assistance system about distillation methods and precautions, but received no response. This useless system seemed completely empty except for Witch World mission content! What an embarrassment to the term "system"!
For two days, Tree-Person A remained inactive. Between routine tasks, Li Ban stayed indoors racking his brains about distillation equipment. When the day arrived, he brought his hastily written notes to Zhou Gu.
Zhou Gu led him toward the third level exit. Approaching the doorway, two men appeared - the foremost broad-shouldered and handsome, the follower slightly hunched and plain-looking. They pulled a cart bearing... a black coffin that occasionally rattled, making the whole container shake. The rear man constantly pressed one hand against the lid as if preventing escape.
Spotting newcomers, Li Ban retreated behind Zhou Gu to avoid attention. "Heading out?" the leader asked. "Officer Zhang," even proud Zhou Gu slightly bowed. "I'm purchasing cultivation materials."
The man frowned. "Wait. Where's Zhao Yu?" "He... probably went to Eternal Tower again." "Again? He grows increasingly irresponsible! Retrieve him immediately - we're transferring new prisoners today. Be back before nightfall." Lowering his voice, he added, "Officer Du is coming tonight."
Li Ban assumed the outing was canceled, but Zhou Gu still waved him forward. Hurrying after, Li Ban briefly bowed passing the two jailers. Zhou Gu offered no introductions, so Li Ban remained silent.
However, Zhou Gu quietly explained afterward: "Those two jailers - the leader is Zhang Baishan, our head jailer. The other is Huo Jiang." Li Ban memorized this. Four jailers total - the man he'd met alone must be Zhao Yu, the fourth. Zhang Baishan seemed upright, Zhou Gu coldly stern, Zhao Yu appeared even prouder, while the barely-mentioned Huo Jiang indeed lacked presence. Though compared to mere menial workers like himself, they were all imposing figures.
The third-level exit differed completely from the first-level tree hollow. Beyond lay a wide, smooth ramp with faint patterns, illuminated by slightly finer oil lamps. At the outermost end stood black wooden gates bearing a stone plaque inscribed "Yu Province Death Prison" in majestic calligraphy. This was the true entrance - the Peach Blossom Tree Hollow merely a back door.
Outside sprawled a two-courtyard complex. The inner yard contained residences and kitchens;
the outer held training grounds and stables. Among the horses, Li Ban spotted the familiar gray Old Horse beside a tall brown stallion.
Zhou Gu led the brown horse to hitch to a carriage - not the crude cart from before, but a proper vehicle with compartment, doors, windows, and what appeared to be shock absorbers.
As Zhou Gu finished harnessing, an elderly man scurried from the gatehouse. "Sir, let me handle that!" Zhou Gu treated Old Qin respectfully. "We're going to Eternal Tower." "Right away!" Old Qin cheerfully acknowledged, then noticed Li Ban. "Ah, the new lad who never comes out!"
Following Zhou Gu's lead, Li Ban politely greeted, "Hello, Old Qin. I'm the newly promoted menial worker Li Ban." "Good good, young Li." Smiling, Old Qin took the reins. "Officer Zhou, young Li, ready to depart?"
Inside the carriage, Zhou Gu explained, "Old Qin was once a jailer. Retired due to age. Though now identity-less, you must show respect." So even Death Prison allowed retirement? Li Ban quickly nodded. "Understood."
Pressing to return before dark, Zhou Gu urged Old Qin to drive faster, making the compartment sway. Unbothered, Zhou Gu closed his eyes to cultivate. Nervous facing Zhou Gu and heading toward the often-mentioned Eternal Tower, Li Ban couldn't concentrate enough to cultivate. After watching scenery briefly, he too rested his eyes.
An unknown time later, the sound of rushing water startled Li Ban awake. Approaching a river? Peering out, he saw a turbid yellow river flowing eastward - extremely wide, its misty surface dotted with small boats he assumed belonged to fishermen.
As the carriage neared the river, Li Ban - having missed such views - leaned against the window smiling peacefully. But that smile froze as they drew closer. Through the mist, his right eye finally discerned the river's contents: countless corpses interlacing, floating, sinking, tumbling! Those "fishing boats" weren't catching fish but retrieving bodies!
Using single-handed bamboo poles, they poked and flipped nearby floaters. Finding suitable candidates, they'd lever corpses up with a practiced flick, letting them slide down before hauling them aboard.
Horrified, Li Ban shot up - "THUD!" - cracking his head on the roof and collapsing back down. The noise roused Zhou Gu, who glanced outside and immediately understood. Chuckling, he asked, "Why so shocked? Didn't you float there once yourself?"