"Tongue..."
Li Ban suddenly felt an itch at the root of his tongue.
If he kept handling those green insect eggs, would he grow a new tongue too?
He cleared his throat. "Does subordinate need to observe their tongues?"
"Observe beneath their tongues. After normal feeding three to five times, a new tongue will grow beneath their original one. Same color as a normal tongue, but shorter with a forked tip."
"You must ensure these prisoners stay alive until they 'naturally' die."
Natural death? More like killed by that new tongue.
After death, the corpses would first be sent to Zhou Gu.
Only after removing the second tongue would he hand the bodies over to the prison officers.
But his sneaky methods suggested the second tongue held great value.
This was likely Zhou Gu's side income from the Eternal Tower.
Li Ban worried - if Zhou Gu no longer needed him to cultivate tongues, would he eliminate him too?
"Continue buying and distilling wine normally. If anyone asks..."
"The officer enjoys wine." Li Ban ventured.
"That answer suffices for most. But if Zhang Baishan or Officer Du asks, say strong alcohol kills small insects in wounds. However, this is my secret technique - you only assist with distillation without knowing subsequent steps."
Li Ban nodded in understanding.
After finally finishing with Zhou Gu, Li Ban returned to the menial quarters to cultivate. Outside, Liu Mu returning from an errand encountered Tree-Person B.
"Gu Yueqi, go back first."
Liu Mu instructed Gu Yueqi to store their purchased supplies.
"Find Min at the water room - she'll assign your tasks."
He then directed two newly purchased slaves toward the water room.
Tree-Person B watched them leave before coldly addressing Liu Mu: "Shall we talk outside?"
Outside meant beyond the sinkhole - where few passed by.
And where killing would be easy.
Liu Mu smiled, unbothered by Tree-Person B's attitude.
He patted the saber slung across his left hip.
The blade emitted a low, eerie wail like ghostly howls that chilled the spine.
Tree-Person B immediately narrowed his eyes. "You've fused with a second element?"
"Indeed. Surprisingly compatible with the Ghost-Head Saber - fused on the first try." Liu Mu tilted his head. "What? Did Brother B plan to challenge me before I fused a second element?"
Tree-Person B's eyes flickered with wariness as he studied the saber.
He'd intended to interrogate Liu Mu about Tree-Person A's death before his second fusion.
But Liu Mu had prepared thoroughly, completing the fusion early.
Though newly fused with minimal spiritual essence absorption, all tree-person jailers feared Ghost-Head Sabers.
For good reason - an elementalized Ghost-Head Saber was lethally sharp!
Even Zhou Gu, who'd failed to fuse with one, could effortlessly sever their limbs.
Yet letting Liu Mu go stuck in Tree-Person B's craw.
All four tree-person jailers had come to Death Prison together, with him and Tree-Person A supporting each other in the sinkhole area.
Others looked down on them.
Without unity among tree-people, they'd lose all deterrence.
Tree-Person A's death today could be Tree-Person B's tomorrow.
He couldn't ignore it like the others.
The murderer must learn - tree-people aren't slaves. Provoke them, pay the price!
Seeing Tree-Person B wouldn't back down, Liu Mu's smile faded.
The saber hadn't truly intimidated him.
These half-human half-demon creatures were troublesome.
"I know what you're asking. Tree-Person A's death has nothing to do with me."
"Yet you became a jailer after he died."
"That promotion wouldn't have reached me normally. I begged Officer Zhang through many difficulties before securing it."
Hearing Zhang Baishan's name gave Tree-Person B pause.
Liu Mu noticed, relaxing slightly.
If Tree-Person B disregarded Zhang Baishan, real trouble would follow.
"We're both Officer Zhang's men, same faction. Don't feud and let others benefit."
Tree-Person B understood - persist further, and Liu Mu would report to Zhang Baishan.
"Don't let me discover your involvement in A's death. Otherwise..."
Liu Mu's expression darkened.
Even after invoking their shared superior, Tree-Person B remained disrespectful.
Though the newly fused saber deterred direct attack, Liu Mu knew he'd lose in actual combat.
Then Tree-Person B glanced toward where Qi had departed.
This bastard!
"Don't touch Gu Yueqi. He's under me."
Tree-Person B's gaze turned murderous.
"Can you swear A's death had nothing to do with Gu Yueqi?"
Liu Mu actually couldn't.
He knew Gu Yueqi sought advancement.
Aspiring jailers necessarily removed obstacles.
With Tree-Person A dying suddenly, he couldn't confirm Gu Yueqi's involvement.
"Of course he's unrelated. Just a slave - you think he could kill A?"
Regardless, Liu Mu would protect Gu Yueqi.
"A won't die in vain."
"If you kill indiscriminately, I'll have Officer Zhang intervene."
"...Understood."
Tree-Person B shot Liu Mu a hateful glare before storming into Death Prison.
Liu Mu followed anxiously, only relaxing after seeing Tree-Person B return to his room.
He headed to the first-floor storage room.
"Yueqi, beware Tree-Person B. He might blame A's death on you."
Gu Yueqi set down supplies, unconcerned.
"Understood. I'll avoid him, stay clear of first and second floors."
"About A's death..."
"Not my doing." Gu Yueqi stated plainly. "But whether it connects to that person, I can't say."
"Ask him discreetly. I can't openly conflict with Tree-Person B."
"Fine. But whether he'll tell me..."
Liu Mu sighed helplessly.
Small fry like them couldn't influence the powerful.
Unbeknownst to Li Ban, many speculated about Tree-Person A's killer.
His failed jailer promotion had ironically spared him suspicion.
Lately, he'd been assisting Zhou Gu with tongue cultivation.
Every five to ten days, Zhou Gu provided two bottles of insect eggs for him to secretly feed prisoners.
The neglected second level's poor conditions made this easy.
Meanwhile, his cultivation progressed steadily.
With Surging Tide Technique, his spiritual essence absorption efficiency had indeed improved - exceeding even Gu Yueqi's estimates.
His first elemental absorption had reached 45%.
Even the cat-woman marveled at Li Ban's cultivation talent.
Until seven days after his second feeding, when Prisoner Seven died.