The air inside the Death Row Prison was far from pleasant.
Stagnant and thick with the scent of blood, occasionally punctuated by damp, fishy odors.
When Yun Ji first crossed over, prolonged exposure to such conditions often left her dizzy and nauseous.
But she had grown accustomed to it now.
These things no longer affected her.
Human beings, when driven by the will to survive, could display astonishing adaptability.
Moreover, she wasn’t alone.
The Guard ensured she didn’t go hungry, Wei Sheng kept her company with conversation, and Shen Yinshuo taught her cultivation techniques.
It was because of them that she could suppress those dangerous fantasies, rein in her self-destructive impulses, and grit her teeth to endure.
Now she had also come to know Lin Shu and Lu Xing.
Lu Xing was like a mascot—adorable in appearance and a kind-hearted ghost.
Lin Shu had rescued her from the brink of death and even partially neutralized the poison in her body.
Aside from being able to speak again, her once-swollen limbs had returned to normal, at least allowing her to walk without stabbing pains in her feet.
So when would the Guard return?
Without the Guard bringing her meals, she couldn’t even keep track of how much time had passed.
Didn’t he say he’d be back the next day? How could he vanish without a word for so long?
Could it be that he was having too much fun outside and forgot all about her, starving and waiting in the Death Row Prison?
She decided: when the Guard returned, she would stay silent at first, then speak up when he least expected it, giving him a surprise.
He would probably be thrilled to know they could communicate normally from now on, no longer talking past each other like chickens and ducks.
Then she would ask what her name should be, what crime she had committed, and whether there was any real hope of rescue.
…And she’d ask if the Guard could make some noodles—she was so tired of plain rice that she felt she was turning into a grain of rice herself.
Lost in her thoughts, Yun Ji completely failed to notice the suddenly somber atmosphere. She stared blankly in the direction of the prison bars.
Wei Sheng and Shen Yinshuo exchanged glances but remained silent.
Lin Shu was still internally agonizing over who could despise Poison Cultivators enough to create such vicious antagonists, unaware of the implications in Yun Ji’s words.
It was Lu Xing who spoke up with his characteristically innocent expression: “Sister, are you waiting for that Guard to return?”
Yun Ji nodded.
Lu Xing sighed. For some reason, his naturally sweet face suddenly took on a sinister cast:
“Sister, you should know—this Death Row Prison only holds the most vicious and evil beings.”
Yun Ji didn’t know, but she listened patiently.
Lu Xing continued: “They say the Death Row Prison has three levels, each guarded by prison guards. We’re at the lowest level. Besides multiple layers of restrictions, the guards watching us must strictly follow regulations and cannot leave the prison for extended periods.”
Yun Ji didn’t overthink it: “If they leave for too long, do they get penalties like salary deductions? Then he should hurry back!”
If the Guard had been absent this long, wouldn’t his wages be completely docked?
Lu Xing never expected Yun Ji to respond this way. What he wanted to see was her expression of grief and despair.
He intensely disliked others touching his body, let alone this group using his Human Cauldron—the very thing that confined him—to refine medicines.
Upon realizing Yun Ji was someone all three—Wei Sheng, Shen Yinshuo, and Lin Shu—cared about simultaneously, he had chosen to approach her without hesitation.
Though he couldn’t devour anyone in his current state, driving a mere mortal to despair was still within his capabilities.
Giving someone hope that everything was getting better, then revealing an utterly despairing truth—that expression of plummeting from hope in an instant was what he loved to see most.
But Yun Ji’s reaction was completely different.
How optimistic did one have to be to think the Guard would still return?
Was she always this hopeful?
He was momentarily stunned, unable to react.
Little did he know that Yun Ji, who had grown up in a normal society, never even considered the possibility that the Guard might die outside.
She had no idea what kind of place lay beyond these walls.
Even though she knew this was a fantasy world, most fantasy stories she remembered were about mortals cultivating immortality, slaying monsters to level up, or romancing and redeeming villains.
How could a guard just step out for a moment and end up dead outside?
Noticing Lu Xing had fallen silent, Yun Ji widened her eyes and stared at him, quietly waiting for him to continue.
But Lu Xing seemed to have lost interest in speaking and turned his head away.
Yun Ji was baffled.
Why would this ghost only say half of what he meant?
In the end, it was Shen Yinshuo who picked up the conversation: “If he doesn’t return to the Death Row Prison on time, he’ll face severe punishment. Since he’s been gone for so long, it’s highly likely something has happened to him.”
Yun Ji: “Something happened?”
Wei Sheng, unwilling to dwell on the Guard, abruptly changed the subject: “Don’t worry about food. I won’t let you starve. They’ll probably send a new guard soon… From now on, you’ll follow me to learn the Demonic Art. Once your cultivation reaches a certain level, you won’t need to eat to survive.”
Seeing the serious expressions on both Shen Yinshuo and Wei Sheng’s faces, Yun Ji finally realized something was wrong.
Good heavens, what kind of world was this?!
What kind of world was it where if someone went out and didn’t return on time, everyone assumed they were already dead?!
She couldn’t help but whisper to Lin Shu beside her: “Is the outside world really that terrifying?”
Lin Shu replied gently, “I’m not too sure either. I’ve spent most of my time living in the valley.”
Just as Yun Ji was clinging to a sliver of fantasy, he added, bubbles emerging all over him: “Then, I don’t know what happened, but a group of people came, killed my teacher and friends, and captured me here.”
Yun Ji was dumbfounded.
Was the outside world really this lawless?!
She stammered for a long while before finally speaking under everyone’s collective gaze:
“Then… should we build a tombstone for him?”
Everyone: ?
Yun Ji still hadn’t accepted the possibility that the Guard might be dead.
She sat by the bars, picked up one of Wei Sheng’s bones, and used the light of the Soul Lamp to carve words on the ground.
She didn’t even know the Guard’s name.
She could only scribble randomly on the ground.
Wei Sheng couldn’t stand watching any longer and asked Lin Shu to come over. Following Yun Ji’s instructions, Lin Shu carved the words “Tomb of the Guard” on the ground.
Lin Shu’s confusion was palpable even through the mud, but he still helped.
Though he had never seen a tombstone carved on the ground, he figured Yun Ji must have her reasons.
The characters in this world somewhat resembled the traditional Chinese characters Yun Ji remembered, with only slight differences, but she could still recognize them.
Staring at these four characters, her eyes suddenly grew sore.
If she had known the outside world was so dangerous, she wouldn’t have begged the Guard to bring her a pillow.
The Guard was the first person to give her food after she arrived in this world, and he always gave her a full bowl, making sure she ate her fill.
The guard returned the lamp to her, patiently listening even though he couldn’t understand her words.
How could he just die like that?
Yun Ji was gradually coming to terms with this reality, her vision growing increasingly blurred.
Just before she could burst into sobs, she suddenly heard a pig’s squeal by her ear.
Turning her head, she saw the guard holding a pig while staring blankly at the words in front of her.