"Brother Li." Ke seemed rather awkward at flattery, his words stumbling out haltingly.
He pulled out a small piece of silver from his robe, pinching it carefully between four fingers of both hands as he presented it to Li Ban.
"Brother Li, I...I wish to serve you. Whatever tasks you have, just...just give the order."
Liu Mu had granted Li Ban the authority to select new menial workers, implicitly allowing him to collect bribes in the process.
Truth be told, Li Ban suspected that Liu Mu—who had managed to surpass Wang Hua to become a jailer—wouldn't care about the meager sums slaves could offer.
"Even if I take your money, I can't guarantee you'll get the menial worker position."
Ke quickly replied, "This is merely a small token of respect for you, sir. I only beg for your favor, not the position itself."
Not hoping for it?
Then why hadn't he come offering money before? Why only today when Li Ban had the menial tokens?
He'd given fair warning. If Ke still chose to offer it, he'd naturally take it.
Now, all twenty taels of silver were accounted for.
Only after Ke left beaming did Qi finally arrive.
"Brother Li."
Unlike Ke's nervousness, Qi maintained his usual demeanor despite Li Ban now controlling the menial appointments—respectful yet familiar.
Leaning against the wall, Li Ban chuckled, "Ke came earlier than you."
"I know." Qi grinned as he sat beside Li Ban, deliberately hunching to appear shorter.
"My family was confiscated, so I don't have much money. But my father forced me to study some knowledge before. I hope it can be useful to you."
Knowledge?
Li Ban tilted his head. "Do tell."
Qi's smile faded into reminiscence.
"Before the confiscation, Father had arranged a path for me—I'd gain an Identity at sixteen. But one month before my birthday..."
He licked dry lips.
"Anyway, since the Identity token was already prepared, Father gave me a spiritual essence cultivation method to accelerate absorption. I've copied it for you."
Without bargaining, Qi produced several rough papers covered in charcoal writing.
Curious, Li Ban took them. The first line read: "Spiritual Essence Surging Technique."
If genuine, this was far more valuable than a tael of silver.
Li Ban didn't understand Witch World economics well, but this was easily worth hundreds of taels.
And Qi was giving it away for a menial position?
"How much does this Surging Technique improve absorption?"
"Depends on talent and compatibility. Father said between 5% to 10%."
Only that much?
From an efficiency of 10 to maybe 10.5 or 11?
Seeing Li Ban's disappointment, Qi smiled. "The improvement seems small, Brother Li, but over years it saves significant time."
"You're right. I'm being greedy."
Since Li Ban could fuse more elements than others, he naturally wanted faster absorption.
But something was better than nothing.
He accepted the technique and tossed Qi the menial token.
"Go register with Jailer Liu Mu in the third level's first room."
He could return Ke's silver, but not unlearn Qi's technique.
Moreover, this method perfectly addressed Li Ban's current needs.
As for Min who still hadn't appeared—if she wasn't here by now, she shouldn't bother.
Nothing she could offer would surpass Qi's gift.
Qi thanked him profusely before leaving to find Liu Mu—who still hadn't moved from the menial quarters.
Naturally, Qi would secure his status immediately.
After Qi left, Li Ban examined the technique. "Do you have cultivation methods like this?"
The cat-woman remained haughty and silent around others, but reverted to her true self when alone.
"I do. But do you have equivalent meat?"
Given her status, her techniques would be superior.
Li Ban truly lacked equivalent meat.
Muttering, he stood to test the Surging Technique.
"Hey!" The cat-woman stopped him.
He turned.
"Shouldn't I check it first? You can retrieve given tokens, but no one can fix a ruined body."
"You'd help out of kindness?"
"Three chickens!"
Revealing her true intentions!
"One!"
Bargaining began.
"Less than two and I won't bother."
Pushing her luck!
"I'll ask Officer Zhou to check."
Mutually assured separation.
"My mistake! One is enough!"
Total defeat.
Barely suppressing laughter, Li Ban folded the papers and tossed them in.
Pouting, the cat-woman skimmed them before throwing them back.
"Trash technique, but harmless."
Retrieving the papers, Li Ban inexplicably felt cheated regardless.
Qi smoothly became a menial worker without objection from Tree-Person B or Liu Mu.
Li Ban also learned Qi's full name—Gu Yueqi, sounding rather distinguished.
Ke didn't get the position, but Li Ban assigned him poultry care, ensuring occasional decent meals.
Next day, when Qi appeared in menial attire, he wore no triumphant smile.
Instead, he seemed as calmly resigned as when first becoming a Death Prison slave.
Was this composure from upbringing or something else?
Li Ban didn't probe.
But one related matter required consideration.
With Liu Mu promoted to jailer, fourth-level duties now lacked supervision.
Normally, Qi replacing Liu Mu should inherit his fourth-level responsibilities.
But the fourth level was special—fewer prisoners, yet more important than first and second levels combined.
Li Ban had only been assigned fourth-level cleaning after months as a menial.
Initially, even Tree-People barred him from the third level.
Thus, Li Ban privately believed he'd more likely be assigned to the fourth level.
Unless Wang Hua wanted it.
Yet when Li Ban asked, Wang Hua expressed no desire to leave the third level.
He also thought Li Ban would get the fourth level.
"Fourth level holds highly confidential prisoners. How could new menials go there without thorough vetting?"
Wang Hua had said, even congratulating him:
"Compared to the foul second level, fourth is better—fewer prisoners, smaller area, less work, no strange foods. Most importantly, you'll interact with four jailers regularly, sometimes even Officer Du. What an opportunity!"
After this, Li Ban prepared mentally for the fourth level.
Yet Zhou Gu summoned him.
"I plan to keep you responsible for Death Prison's second level."
Surprised, Li Ban suddenly remembered something.
Jailer Zhao Yu had once mentioned Zhou Gu did more than inspect prisoner corpses.
Recently preoccupied with alcohol distillation and Tree-Person A's death, Li Ban had nearly forgotten.
Zhou Gu's true secret...likely involved corpses.
Wanting no part of it, Li Ban had strictly discussed alcohol during Tree-Person A's scheme, never mentioning corpses.
But Zhou Gu's words today suggested...he might truly become Zhou Gu's "trusted subordinate."
Zhou placed both hands on the long table, fingertips drumming alternately.
"I have matters only you can handle."
"More confidential than alcohol distillation. If leaked..."
"You're the mole."
"If I say you are, you are."
"Understood?"