Li Ban returned to the storage room and changed into slave clothing.
The outfit didn't fit well - it was somewhat oversized - but at least it had been washed and didn't stink.
He stuffed the leopard tail into an empty wooden crate and sighed.
There were no refrigerators here, and it was currently summer. Fortunately, the underground Death Prison storage room wasn't too hot, but the meat definitely wouldn't last more than two days.
It would be best to process the tail as soon as possible.
Just after storing the tail and changing clothes, Li Ban heard the tree-person jailers shouting from above.
"Everyone get your asses over here now!"
Li Ban hurried out, locking the storage room door behind him.
The lock couldn't stop the tree-person jailers, but it could deter other slaves.
His body in the Witch World had long hair, tied up in a bun like ancient people.
No hairpin to secure it, but perfect for hiding small keys.
When Li Ban arrived outside, Lu and Ke were already there.
Having locked the door, he was the last to arrive.
This time Tree-Person B stood waiting outside.
He glanced at Li Ban but, unusually, said nothing, appearing in good spirits.
"A new slave arrived today - you'll handle manure transport and field work first."
"Yes, yes," Ke repeatedly bowed.
Lu kept her head lowered but exhaled quietly in relief.
Who would have thought a girl like her would have to both cook and clean while also farming and fertilizing? It was exhausting enough to drive one mad.
If she'd known earlier, she wouldn't have been so eager to kill that young male slave.
Tree-Person B addressed Lu: "You continue with cooking and cleaning duties."
"Yes," Lu answered respectfully.
The jailer then walked up to Ban. "You performed well today."
Li Ban bowed. "Thank you for your praise, sir."
"Tonight you'll deliver food to Cell Thirteen."
Li Ban nodded repeatedly.
With two veterans present, Tree-Person B simply assigned tasks without explaining rules to Ke before hurrying off.
He seemed quite rushed.
Li Ban guessed he was returning for a meal.
The three dispersed, with Lu voluntarily explaining farming and fertilizing procedures to Ke, who kept thanking her.
After watching briefly, Li Ban returned to the storage room.
That evening, Tree-Person B delivered a mimic rat in a wooden cage.
This mimic rat was rather small.
Following procedure, Li Ban aligned the cage opening with the iron cell door to transfer the creature.
Unexpectedly, though small, the mimic rat proved agile - it suddenly swiped at Li Ban's hand holding the cage.
Li Ban's sharp reflexes detected the attack; he dodged and retaliated by smashing the rat's paw hard enough to deform it, then dumped the creature into the iron cage.
Once inside, the mimic rat became docile.
Like its predecessors, it huddled trembling in a corner.
Seeing this pleased Li Ban.
The previous two mimic rats hadn't attacked during transfer.
But he'd never lowered his guard, allowing this instant counterattack.
Slamming the iron door viciously, Li Ban resisted stabbing the caged creature.
Before leaving, he sliced off a small portion of the leopard tail with his knife, then wheeled the cart to the first-level cells.
The cat-woman sat cross-legged against the wall, appearing tenser than before.
Spotting Li Ban with the mimic rat, she nodded.
"Third time," Li Ban said, carefully aligning the cage opening with the cell's small door.
The cat-woman extracted the mimic rat.
The creature that dared attack Li Ban now sat quivering like a quail in her grasp.
It didn't react even knowing she'd eat it.
"Why don't mimic rats try escaping from either the cage or your hands?" Li Ban voiced his longstanding question.
"Naturally I suppress them with my aura."
Despite three days of full meals, the cat-woman still devoured food ravenously, as if expecting it to vanish.
A habit formed through prolonged hardship.
Only after eating the prized tail did she explain: "As for that cage - you don't know what it once held. Some things leave traces potent enough to override a mimic rat's instincts."
After finishing the rat, the cat-woman suddenly sniffed toward Li Ban.
Her petite nostrils flared, nearly touching him.
Li Ban immediately retreated until his back hit the wall.
The cat-woman smirked. "Call you stupid, yet so cautious."
"High stakes demand caution."
"Just a life. A slave's life has least value."
She sniffed again. "You smell of blood. Hurt? No... not your flesh... You have meat? Brought me meat?"
Li Ban scoffed, producing a palm-sized tail segment from his robe.
"Yes, worthless slave brought you meat. But surely you'd disdain meat from a worthless slave?"
With a thud, the cat-woman knelt, clasping and shaking her hands pleadingly. "Valuable! You're most valuable! I'm so grateful! Please give it to me!"
Resigned, Li Ban tossed the tail segment through the bars.
This time it sailed cleanly between them.
The cat-woman swallowed it whole, fur and all.
Li Ban could only sigh.
Her ability to toggle between arrogance and shamelessness baffled him.
Licking her lips longingly, the cat-woman rubbed her hands together. "Just a small tail piece - fine meat. You've more, yes? Another piece?"
"Can I eat this meat?"
"Yes, and it's energy-rich. Especially benefits beginners cultivating their physique."
Though thick-skinned, she answered honestly, not lying to get more meat.
"If I obtain more later, I'll bring some."
Failing to get more now, the cat-woman reluctantly accepted Li Ban's promise.
Next, under her guidance, Li Ban practiced his rudimentary martial arts until sweating profusely.
Preparing to leave, he spotted Tree-Person A making rounds.
The tree-person jailers inspected once daily, usually at dusk.
Li Ban typically trained with the cat-woman mornings.
But today's outing delayed practice until afternoon, coinciding with inspection.
"Sir," Li Ban approached, pretending he'd been seeking the jailer. "May I cook the tail you granted me at the water room stove?"
The tree-person swayed lazily, overstuffed.
"Go ahead. But no open flames leave that room."
Permission granted, Li Ban saw Tree-Person A off, rushed back for the remaining tail.
After hesitation, he cut off one-third to store, taking two-thirds to the pit-bottom water room.
"Lu, the jailer permitted me to cook this tail. I need the stove."
Lu emerged, eyeing the bloody tail enviously.
"Let me cook it for you."
"No need. The jailer assigned me."
Li Ban squeezed past Lu, who noticed his boning knife and stepped aside.
"Don't use the pot - I need it for meals. Here's a small bucket."
Lu fetched an iron bucket from a corner cabinet, filling it halfway from the water vat.
It fit the small stove perfectly.
Using the boning knife and stove fire, Li Ban crudely removed some fur before giving up and boiling the whole piece.
Soon the water bubbled with white froth.
Skimming this off, Li Ban added coarse salt when the meat changed color.
The slave kitchen only had coarse salt - no other seasonings.
Yet the rich aroma made both salivate uncontrollably.
When done, Li Ban lifted the bucket by its wooden handle to leave.
"I'll return this after eating."
Lu chased to the doorway too late, stomping in frustration.
Once Li Ban disappeared, she turned back to close the door...
And suddenly smiled.