The pain in his body gradually brought Lu Hong back from unconsciousness.
A concerned call from an unfamiliar woman reached his ears, "Xiao Zheng, Xiao Zheng..."
Who was Xiao Zheng?
Lu Hong opened his eyes. In the dimly lit prison cell, dozens of n and won were huddled in corners, their clothing tattered, barely using rope-braided grass to cover their private parts.
Am I still in the Nether Prison?
"Xiao Zheng, it’s so good that you’re okay!" The woman beside him was delighted to see Xiao Zheng awake, throwing herself into his arms, crying without restraint.
This, however, drew the jailer’s scolding, "Everyone, keep it down! Whoever wakes up, I’ll throw them into the pot and cook them myself!"
The jailer’s threat was effective. The woman in Lu Hong’s arms covered her mouth, not daring to make a sound.
Lu Hong looked at the young girl before him, confused, "Who are you? Where is this?"
Their eyes t, and the girl’s large, watery eyes couldn’t hold back tears again, "Xiao Zheng, don’t you rember ?"
"I have a bit of a headache, it seems like I can’t recall." Lu Hong pointed at his head, trying to muddle through.
The girl, not pressing for more, imdiately believed Lu Hong’s words and explained, "You are Xiao Zheng, our young clan leader. As for , I am your fiancée, Beisha."
"Young clan leader? Xiao Zheng? Beisha?" Lu Hong was a bit baffled, "Where is this?"
Talking about this, Beisha seed triggered by so deep-seated fear, quivering as she replied, "This is the private prison of Viscount Akes."
"Am I not the young clan leader? Why am I in prison?"
"It’s because Viscount Akes ordered a hunt on our village. You stayed behind to cover the villagers’ escape."
Lu Hong glanced around at the young n and won and asked, "And what about them?"
"They were also captured by Viscount Akes from various places."
"Which village are you from?" Lu Hong was clueless about his current identity and situation and could only keep asking the girl for answers.
"I stayed back voluntarily to stay with you, so I was captured as well."
After talking with the girl, Lu Hong first confird three things: first, he was a captured young clan leader; second, once imprisoned here, one was practically awaiting death; third, this was not the Nether Prison, and the girl knew nothing about the Sacred Empire, the Star Sea, or the Nether Realm.
What’s going on? Was he reborn again?
Having experienced death and rebirth once, Lu Hong quickly accepted these basic premises, though his doubts deepened.
Back then, his body exploded to death during the Naga battle, and after rebirth, he at least retained his original appearance. Now, he directly transmigrated into another young man’s body. What kind of situation was this?
Fortunately, although this young man was frail, his body contained a large amount of spiritual energy. As long as he practiced diligently, starting a professional path wasn’t too difficult.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded in the prison. At the noise, everyone shook with fear, desperately squeezing into the corners, even using the closest companions as shields.
Looking towards the sound, Lu Hong saw a humanoid creature with a crocodile head casually saunter to the cell door.
The sycophantic rat-man jailer opened the cell door, leading the crocodile-man inside.
The crocodile-man scanned the room, his eyes locking onto Lu Hong, smiling, "This one looks good!"
His tone was cheerful, but he looked at Lu Hong as if seeing a delicacy about to be served.
"Is this the one, sir?"
The jailer, holding a steel fork, prepared to take Lu Hong away.
Suddenly, Beisha drew courage from sowhere, standing protectively before Lu Hong, shouting, "Eat instead, you cannot harm him!"
The crocodile-man grinned, "No rush, when Lord Leicester arrives, you will be his finest delicacy. Today, only an ordinary viscount cos."
With that, the crocodile-man flicked his tail, grabbed a man’s neck, and lifted him into the air, "Him it is."
On his way out, he instructed the jailer, "Ensure those two eat well and rest well these few days, fatten them up so Lord Leicester will be satisfied."
"Yes, sir!" The jailer nodded, locked the cell, and escorted the crocodile-man out.
As the footsteps receded, the remaining n and won sighed in relief, but no one knew who would be next sent to death.
Lu Hong frowned and asked Beisha, "Earlier, when he said eat, he ant...?"
"He ans treating us as food, frying, boiling, so beastn even prefer raw..." ntioning this seed to trigger painful mories for Beisha, her body curling up, choking on her words.
Eating people?
Eating people, damn it?!
The ones who had co into the prison were indeed rat-n and crocodile-n, all belonging to the beastman race.
Even the Beastman Empire of the Star Sea had never engaged in cannibalism, so where exactly was he now?
It took a while, but Beisha cald from her grief, looking up at Lu Hong, "Xiao Zheng, we too... will soon be eaten."
As she spoke, Beisha wiped a tear, smiling, "But it’s okay, Beisha isn’t afraid to die. Being with you at the end, Beisha is content."
Lu Hong certainly wouldn’t sit and wait for death, so he asked, "Do you know the rank of that viscount?"
"Rank?" Beisha’s eyes widened, "What does that an?"
"You don’t know about ranks? Do you not cultivate?"
"Cultivate? What is cultivation? Is that like how Uncle Li Ke can conjure little flas?"
Beisha was clueless about Lu Hong’s questions, as were the other young n and won in the prison.
Lu Hong understood now why humans beca beastman fodder. Without cultivation, without understanding how to use nature’s spiritual energy, resisting the beastn was impossible.
Lu Hong needed to escape the prison. To do that, he had to change his profession quickly, which gave him a slim chance.
According to what the crocodile-man said before, he was safe before Leicester’s arrival, but when Leicester would arrive was unknown, so he needed to act fast.
Cross-legged, Lu Hong entered a ditative state, first converting the large reserve of spiritual energy in his body. The amount was vast, consuming less than half allowed Lu Hong to easily surpass level one and step into level two.
In one night, Lu Hong’s level stabilized at level three. Though a level-three warrior seed weak, advancing had repaired all his injuries and enhanced his body through the circulation of fighting spirit.
Opening his bleary eyes, Beisha looked at her fiancé, "Xiao Zheng... you..."
Lu Hong exited his ditation and smiled at Beisha, "What is it?"
"You seem a bit different," Beisha mumbled softly.
"Different how?"
"I don’t know," Beisha shook her head, "But it just feels different."
At this mont, footsteps ca from outside the prison. The rat-n jailer brought in a bucket of rancid swill, dumping it into the cell, "Eat, don’t starve to death!"
Here, there was only one al a day, and the young n and won, starving, fought over even the spoiled swill.
Watching his fellow humans desperately licking at the ground, Lu Hong felt deep sorrow, a naless rage ready to burst, but he had to endure.
With a smile, the rat-n watched the humans eat, then pointed to Lu Hong and Beisha, "You two, change cells today!"
And so, they were moved to a slightly cleaner private cell, where succulent roast at awaited.
The rat-n jailer said, "Eat, finish it all, or you’ll face punishnt!"
Punishnt was naturally severe torture. Beisha quickly nodded, "W-we’ll finish it!"
"Good!" The rat-n jailer locked the door, leaving with satisfaction.
Lu Hong wouldn’t refuse a al, especially one so lavish. Yet, after witnessing such dire scenes, his appetite didn’t follow.
After a few bites, Lu Hong couldn’t eat anymore.
Beisha looked at Lu Hong in confusion, "Xiao Zheng, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you eating? If we don’t finish, we’ll be punished!"
Lu Hong shook his head, "You eat first, I’m not feeling hungry."
Beisha pushed the food towards Lu Hong, "How can that be? We haven’t eaten all day. You should eat more; there might be a chance to escape, you know?"
Yes, escape, they had to escape!
Lu Hong couldn’t bear seeing his fellow humans suffer such indignities. Regardless of where he was now, whether he had cheat skills or not, he had to fight to change the human race’s plight, to defeat this brutal beastman nation!
Three days passed, and Lu Hong reached First Transition, Level Six. Truth be told, this world’s spiritual energy exceeded the Star Sea’s divine grace by several tis, making it a paradise for cultivators. Within ten years, Lu Hong was confident he’d achieve Third Transition.
Two more days went by when the jailer brought the final feast, "Your good days are over. Finish and co with ."
Had Leicester arrived?
Lu Hong gently held Beisha’s trembling hand, speaking softly, "Don’t worry, I’m here."
Following the rat-n jailer, Lu Hong saw the outside world for the first ti. The scorching sun hung high in the sky, the golden halo visible to the naked eye spreading spiritual energy across the world.
Towering iron-clad soldiers replaced the jailers, escorting Lu Hong and Beisha into a magnificent castle.
The two were brought directly to the banquet, not to be eaten raw, but for Leicester’s inspection. Leicester was a notorious connoisseur of human flesh in the beastman nation; he maintained very strict standards for human at, and anything below his standards wouldn’t pass his lips.
Viscount Akes pointed at the arriving Lu Hong and Beisha, "Lord Leicester, do these two-legged sheep et your taste?"
Leicester’s eyes swept over them, his gaze fixed on Lu Hong, smiling, "Good, excellent. Such plump and spiritually rich at is a rare delicacy! Viscount Akes, I see your sincerity. I think the Beixing Mountain area is better suited for you to provide more delicacies for the Empire."
Upon Leicester’s approval, Viscount Akes was elated and quickly ordered, "Take them to the kitchen!"
On the way, Beisha clung tightly to Lu Hong’s arm, her trembles unceasing.
Yet Lu Hong remained calm, having seen both Viscount Akes and Leicester at last. They were only at early Second Transition, and Akes Mansion’s followers were at most First Transition. Escape wasn’t impossible!
In the kitchen, security greatly decreased, with only two iron-clad beastn guarding.
The chef, eagerly waiting, was prepared to carve Lu Hong’s body, ready to serve him and Beisha as delicacies for Leicester.
As the chef, cleaver in hand, approached, Lu Hong suddenly erupted in action, snatching the knife and killing him in one swift motion.
The chef’s eyes bulged in disbelief as his throat was pierced.
Lu Hong’s decisive action left Beisha, standing there dumbfounded.
But now wasn’t the ti for Lu Hong to care for her, as he lunged at the two guards at the door.
Due to the swift nature of the fight, no sound of battle was raised. The guards didn’t realize the kitchen had already changed.
Approaching stealthily, Lu Hong quickly thrust the cleaver through the gap at one beastman’s neck, filling it with fighting spirit, the head exploding within the helt.
The other iron-clad beastman finally noticed the strangeness, but it was too late. Lu Hong took the initiative, bursting fighting spirit into his face, deftly deflecting his weapon, and burying the cleaver into his skull.
The entire process was quick, precise, and ruthless, finishing the fight within three seconds.
Lu Hong grabbed the still-stunned Beisha, whispering, "Put on those iron-clad clothes, quickly follow !"
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