"Well then..." Uncle Ma dragged out his words, "Do you want two who can work, or two with more meat?"
Goosebumps rose again on Li Ban's skin.
It was clear Uncle Ma also knew that the tree-person jailers... ate dead people.
"One who can work, one with more meat." The tree-person jailer cackled.
Li Ban could almost hear the sound of swallowing saliva.
"Right away! Please come inside?"
Only then did Tree-Person A jump down from the carriage, saying to Li Ban before leaving, "Guard the provisions well."
Li Ban had seen many brawny men carrying swords and knives along the way, thinking that if someone really tried to rob them, he wouldn't be able to stop them.
But he had no choice in the matter, as Tree-Person A had already gathered his branches and entered the large shed.
This red bag contained the scarcest goods. If a robbery did occur, Li Ban felt that protecting this one bag might spare him from severe punishment.
Just as he was tensely eyeing everyone as potential bandits, a voice from behind startled him.
"No one would dare steal provisions bought by Death Prison."
Li Ban turned to see Uncle Ma walking out alone.
He looked behind Uncle Ma but saw no sign of Tree-Person A.
"Don't bother looking. Lord A wouldn't leave without having some drinks first."
The grass stem in Uncle Ma's mouth bobbed up and down.
"Who would've thought - a disobedient little slave like you not only survived Death Prison but actually made something of yourself."
Li Ban held no fondness for Uncle Ma, but then realized he had been delivered as a slave by the lab, not directly sold by Uncle Ma.
Of course, the most important factor was that the man could easily beat him up.
Suppressing his emotions, he muttered, "Haven't made anything of myself. Still just a slave."
"Heh." Uncle Ma gave a short laugh. "Being brought out is progress. Survive to the end, and you might even earn yourself an Identity."
At the word "Identity," Li Ban's head jerked up.
Uncle Ma patted Li Ban's shoulder. "But first you have to survive."
That statement was... painfully accurate.
"Uncle Ma, do you know where Ze went?"
"Ze?" Uncle Ma thought for a moment. "Your little hometown friend?"
Li Ban nodded repeatedly.
"Hmm... now I remember. Sold to the beast-fighting arena as a slave. If not torn apart by beasts, he might make something of himself too."
Li Ban's mouth twitched.
So in your book, anyone who survives "makes something of themselves"?
Still, Li Ban mentally noted down "beast-fighting arena."
If possible, he wanted to see Ze again.
A failed forced logout was a terrifying technical failure.
It severely impacted his mission completion.
If Ze could complete the mission and log out, or if he was forcibly logged out someday, Li Ban needed to report this to the lab -
Either extract him or fix the bug.
Li Ban didn't want to end up trapped in a corpse like the former jailer.
His nerves weren't that strong - he'd surely go mad!
After some more conversation with Uncle Ma, Tree-Person A finally emerged.
Two slaves followed behind him -
One slightly plump, the other lean and wiry like the slaves from the grain store.
"You two, sit at the back."
The slaves obeyed immediately, scrambling to their seats and clutching the side panels to avoid falling off.
Strangely, Tree-Person A carried no scent of alcohol - who knew what kind of "drinks" he'd had.
With provisions purchased, slaves acquired, and some daily necessities bought, they turned back toward Death Prison.
The midday summer sun beat down, beads of sweat forming on Li Ban's forehead.
Once out of the city, the moving carriage created a pleasant breeze.
Tree-Person A didn't assign Li Ban to watch the new slaves, seemingly unconcerned about escape attempts.
Li Ban kept lookout while mentally reviewing the route.
"Not far ahead, hills and woods should appear on both sides."
Sure enough, the terrain gradually rose, trees coming into view.
As Li Ban continued memorizing the route, darkness suddenly filled his vision.
Instinctively looking up, his right eye registered a massive beast.
He had no time to observe it properly - those razor-sharp claws seemed inches from his face.
Mind blanking, Li Ban's reflexes - honed by the cat-woman's training - kicked in as he dodged sideways.
But sitting on the carriage edge, his movement sent him tumbling off.
This accidental fall saved his life - the attack that would have grazed him now passed harmlessly overhead.
The plump slave behind him, facing backward, never saw the attacking beast and had no chance to react.
"Aah!"
The claws hooked into his back as beast and slave tumbled off the carriage together.
The old horse reared in panic.
The other slave, paralyzed with fear, fell backward onto the provision bags.
Only after stabilizing himself did Li Ban look up to see the plump slave already gutted by the beast.
Not yet dead, the man twitched and wailed, turning the summer mountain path eerily cold.
Now Li Ban saw their attacker clearly - a panther-like beast, jet black with white-ringed tail.
It pinned the dying slave with its paws, body low, teeth bared as it locked eyes with... Tree-Person A.
"A ring-tailed panther near Qingcheng official road? Are the garrison soldiers complete morons?"
Tree-Person A jumped down, landing heavily with a dust cloud.
Without hesitation he charged, a branch whipping toward the panther.
The beast sank suddenly, springing right like a coiled wire.
As it landed, a second branch lashed out -
But the panther zigzagged left, closing distance rapidly.
Tree-Person A stood his ground as they collided with a metallic clang.
The impact sent Tree-Person A back half a step while the panther rolled completely over.
"Those claws..." Tree-Person A's eyes gleamed. "Beginning elemental transformation?"
He pressed forward, but now the panther dodged and weaved.
One exchange had taught it this opponent outmatched it.
Yet strangely, the panther refused to flee.
Li Ban stayed crouched by the carriage - the panther's speed made escape impossible, and desertion would earn Tree-Person A's wrath.
As he pondered his options, the panther's gaze shifted toward the carriage.
"Is it after the red provisions?"
Uncle Ma said no one would rob Death Prison's goods, but said nothing about wild beasts!
Legs shaking, Li Ban rose slightly to peer into the carriage.
The terrified slave still cowered atop the provision bags.
The precious red bag sat near the driver's seat, just above the slave's head.
Another clash erupted between panther and jailer.
This time the panther avoided direct contact, darting past to strip some weaker branches.
Tree-Person A seemed unable to match its speed, landing only superficial wounds.
Then horrifyingly, the panther broke away - charging straight at Li Ban.
"It wants the red provisions!"
Li Ban screamed as the black death raced toward him.