In the end, it was Qi who got sent to work on the fourth level.
Li Ban didn't know how Zhou Gu managed it, but everything proceeded surprisingly smoothly.
In fact, even Zhou Gu found the situation unusually favorable.
Though right after threatening Li Ban that day, Zhou Gu had immediately added, "Don't worry. If you perform well, I won't be stingy with rewards."
Obey, and receive rewards.
Disobey, and get branded as a traitor.
Especially since Tree-Person A had provided Zhou Gu with some suspicious leads about Li Ban.
These leads were ambiguous at best, lacking concrete evidence—just enough to condemn someone based on a superior's whims.
Previously, Zhou Gu had favored Li Ban. But if Li Ban stopped being obedient, those same reasons could easily be twisted to justify punishing him.
He suspected Zhou Gu had chosen to take him under his wing precisely because some of his behavior seemed questionable.
A subordinate with dirt on them was perfect for handling shady business, wasn't it?
...
After three days, everyone had completed their work handovers.
The power structure on Death Prison's third level had also been reorganized.
Li Ban and Wang Hua now lived in the first menial quarters on the third level.
There were originally two bedrooms with four beds. Now, Liu Mu had claimed an unused jailer's room on the third level.
Jailer rooms housed two people each.
But Liu Mu couldn't possibly share a room with a tree-person, so the other bed in his room remained empty.
Strangely, Gu Yueqi—the former slave Qi—moved in.
This arrangement was actually Liu Mu's suggestion.
He said, "Since the room's empty anyway, it'll just collect dust. Might as well let the new menial worker use it."
At the same time, Li Ban learned that Liu Mu's backer was Zhang Baishan.
He saw Zhang Baishan directly instruct Tree-Person B to defer to Liu Mu on major matters and have Liu Mu report everything to him.
No wonder Liu Mu had convinced Wang Hua so easily.
How could a mere seniority-climber like Wang Hua compete with someone who had real connections?
It seemed all menial workers had some kind of backing.
Wang Hua's situation was unclear, but Lü Qinghe was directly under Officer Du An's protection.
As for Li Ban, his backer was Zhou Gu—but now Zhou Gu had become his problem.
Zhou Gu gave Li Ban no choice—refusal meant death.
Li Ban agreed without hesitation.
Later, Zhou Gu gave Li Ban some insect eggs, instructing him to feed them to prisoners number four and seven during meal times.
If they couldn't swallow them normally, he was to force the eggs down their throats using an iron pipe.
The eggs were stored in small jars of high-proof liquor Li Ban had distilled himself.
On the next scheduled feeding day for second-level prisoners, Li Ban carried two small liquor jars to work with the solemnity of visiting a grave.
The gruel for second-level prisoners was prepared by Wang Hua, Death Prison's head chef—though he only cooked for prisoners.
Other officials got their meals from Old Qin at the main entrance.
Carrying the food bucket Wang Hua gave him, Li Ban went to the second level and began distributing the gruel from back to front.
The process was no different from before.
After finishing the rounds, Li Ban approached cell number four with the nearly empty bucket.
Prisoner number four was female.
Though now it was impossible to tell her age or appearance.
If not for the slight rise and fall of her chest, Li Ban wouldn't have known her gender at all.
Number four was in terrible condition.
Every time Li Ban tapped the bars, it took her forever to crawl from her corner to eat.
Her limbs looked like they'd been run over, flattened and barely functional.
Yet after each meal, she'd painfully crawl back the same way.
Li Ban used to wonder why she didn't just lie by the feeding trough like other prisoners, where she could eat by just turning her head.
Now he understood—number four wasn't avoiding food, but the insect eggs.
Li Ban waited for number four to painfully crawl over, then used his iron hook to drag her closer.
Number four looked blankly at Li Ban, though her clouded, gray eyes were long blind.
Sighing internally, Li Ban took out the liquor jar Zhou Gu had given him.
The moment she smelled alcohol, her whole body began trembling. Tears streamed from her sightless eyes.
Yet she didn't move.
Didn't dare move.
From her reaction, Li Ban knew this wasn't her first time being force-fed eggs.
Holding the small jar in one hand, he used a gruel ladle to pry open her mouth.
She still didn't resist or avoid him.
Li Ban easily poured the eggs down her throat.
The jade-green eggs, mixed with a small amount of liquor, slid smoothly into her mouth.
But the moment she swallowed, she began coughing violently.
Three or four eggs came back up with the cough.
Li Ban quickly used his hook to scoop them back into the jar and pour them down again.
Each jar only held five or six eggs—Zhou Gu had emphasized none could be wasted.
After making sure number four swallowed them all, Li Ban waited to confirm she wouldn't vomit before leaving.
Next was number seven.
Number seven's condition was even worse.
He always lay by the feeding trough, his lower body nearly immobile.
More small insects crawled over him.
Sometimes a few would stray through the bars into the walkway, where Li Ban would crush them during inspections.
Li Ban fed number seven the same way, deciding he'd need to use a tube next time to avoid choking or vomiting.
After finishing, Li Ban carefully produced a third jar.
This one contained real liquor.
He uncorked it to confirm no eggs were inside, took a small sip, then poured some on his hand and flicked it onto his collar.
Exhausted, he carried the food bucket back toward the third level.
From now on, like Zhou Gu, he'd have a reputation as a drinker.
At least as a menial worker, no one cared much as long as he worked sober.
Returning to the third level, Li Ban immediately spotted Zhou Gu and Zhang Baishan at the far end of the corridor.
They were talking.
Li Ban couldn't hear them, but clearly Zhang Baishan was reprimanding Zhou Gu.
When Li Ban reached the bottom step, Zhang Baishan noticed him and ended the lecture, walking away.
Zhou Gu turned around, his expression not particularly troubled.
He approached Li Ban directly. "Come clean my room after you're done."
Knowing Zhou Gu wanted to talk privately, Li Ban quickly handed the bucket to Wang Hua and went to Zhou Gu's third room.
Behind closed doors and a privacy screen, they spoke.
"How did it go?"
"Both fed successfully."
"Anyone see you?"
"No, I kept watch both ways." Li Ban suspected Zhou Gu chose him partly for his right eye.
Though it got him into this mess, without that eye he'd be dead already.
Now he just needed to plan his safe exit.
"Number four was her second feeding, number seven his third. Memorize the schedule—no written records. Observe them regularly. If either dies, bring the body to me immediately."
"Sir, what exactly should I be observing?"
Li Ban followed orders but still didn't understand Zhou Gu's goal.
Zhou Gu lowered his gaze and returned to sit behind his desk.
"Tongues. I'm growing tongues inside them."