"Isn't this so you won't be bored with nothing to do?"

"I want to sleep!"

"That can't be done!"

Ethan was startled and immediately offered another choice, "How about popcorn? I can go buy some for you, and if you're too sleepy, we can add some coffee." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"No!"

Having not slept all day, the cat was a bit irritable today, with all its fur standing on end.

"Well, in that case."

Ethan simply held the white ragdoll cat in his arms. The cat's gradually irritated mood began to settle down, but as soon as she started to close her eyes, she felt her two paws being held and repetitively kneading.

Completely unable to sleep!

Ethan looked down at Lindong in his arms, who was so tired that she barely had the energy to yawn, but still couldn't fall asleep, and finally felt relieved.

Today, he and Lindong were lying in wait outside the prison not just because they sensed something major would happen on the first day the officials moved in, but for deeper reasons.

Originally, Lindong could have stayed at the inn to rest and didn't need to come. However, after facing cat attacks for two consecutive nights, Ethan decided to thoroughly analyze the reasons behind this negative phenomenon.

The reports from Lizi and Anzi were important triggers, but Ethan discovered a deeper problem.

—Why did Lindong have such good stamina?

It's known that she, like him, is an Elemental Shaper, synonymous with physical frailty. In their interactions, Ethan had never seen her do strength or endurance training. In fact, Lindong's lazy lifestyle exceeded even that of her mage friend Rowena. When traveling, at most, she transformed into a ragdoll cat and perched on his shoulder, unwilling to walk long distances.

The answer turned out to be surprisingly simple for Ethan.

Lindong just rested a lot during the day, which gave people a false impression of her having good stamina.

To address this, many savvy cat owners have long provided a solution—let the cat exhaust itself during the day, and at night the cat will exhaust the person.

So for Ethan, ice cream, popcorn, or hot coffee were not the point. As long as Lindong was willing, he could even bring pizza and tomato meat sauce spaghetti. The key is that neither humans nor cats can eat and sleep at the same time.

"Dong'Er."

"Hmm?"

The ragdoll cat let out a tired nasal sound, her eyes once again squinting to a slit.

"Oh, nothing, just checking if you're asleep."

"Ha!—Awooo~"

Taking advantage of the ragdoll cat's yawn, Ethan casually stuffed a lemon-flavored ice cream into her mouth. The ragdoll cat's half-closed eyes suddenly widened enormously, accompanied by a sharp intake of breath.

Clearly, the lemon ice cream also had a refreshing effect.

............

The other side of the prison could only be described as gloomy.

Mayor Hafeez, urged on by the guards, dragged his heavy feet into the prison cafeteria. There were many old acquaintances here, people he used to dine luxuriously with in high-end restaurants, discussing amusing anecdotes from daily life. But now, the only things on their trays were indiscernible vegetable mush and bread so hard it could be wielded as a weapon.

He felt like something spoiled here, giving off a sour stench.

All the Oasis City officials brought in today had the same question written across their faces—are these things really fit for human consumption?

However, Hafeez's nightmare did not end there.

Apart from them, the newly arrested batch of officials, the prison was a chaotic mix with many "natives", including some nearly two-meter-tall, granite-muscled tough guys, as well as Lower City civilians who had been falsely imprisoned due to various reasons such as whistleblowing.

Now, like the "natives", they were all prisoners.

Not long ago, they received a grand "welcoming ceremony". As they entered the prison area, those "natives" jostled to extend their arms beyond the bars, emitting low growls like beasts. Mayor Hakimi felt these prisoners' eyes would devour them whole.

Keep a low profile.

Perhaps this was the only thing he could do now.

As he carried his tray, cradling the inedible "dog food", a commotion suddenly erupted in the line behind him.

It was the Security Office's director.

Hafeez clearly saw the director's arms restrained from behind, his face full of terror, struggling relentlessly. Yet before the guards could arrive, a small figure darted out from the crowd, stabbing the director's belly with a dining knife.

The crowd erupted into chaos until the guards separated the tangled masses.

The director of the Security Office was still alive, but Hafeez was unsure if that was a good thing.

Because the man clutched his belly with both hands, but blood still flowed, and the director's face twisted in pain, his screams echoing through the cafeteria.

"Thud thud thud, thud thud thud—!"

The knocking sound from across the table caught Hafeez's attention. One man, muscular as granite, sat opposite him, rhythmically thumping his fists on the table as if signaling others.

The "natives" responded immediately to the other prisoners.

"Thud thud thud, thud thud thud—!"

"This is Mayor Hafeez of Oasis City, quite a big deal!"

The robust prisoner introduced Hafeez to the other inmates in the cafeteria, sparking uproarious cheers.

"Hafeez!"

"Hafeez!"

"Hafeez!"

Rowdy and bloodthirsty.

In that moment, all Hafeez wanted was to hide under the table, perhaps it was safer there.

The robust prisoner's eyes glinted with a fierce light, "It's not like outside here, but rest assured, we'll give you a warm welcome."

...

Upon being escorted back to his cell by the guards, the first thing Hafeez did was lie on the bed with a lingering fear. The only good news was that he got a single cell.

However, this wasn't a courtesy to his former mayoral status, but because the guards knew if Hafeez were locked up with the prison's "natives", he'd be devoured alive in a single night—he had to survive until trial, as the acting director of the Security Office was compiling evidence to ensure he faced the proper punishment.

Before his imprisonment, Hafeez thought he was mentally prepared, having committed crimes well beyond the scope of the death penalty, resigning himself to reckless abandon, comforting himself that every additional felony earned after that limit was a bonus.

But his mindset completely changed after one dinner.

He underestimated the level of hatred the prison's "natives" harbored towards them.

What if he was the one stabbed several times in the crowd earlier?

That bloody scene left Hafeez with a lingering dread, unable to die, and thus feeling pain and fear. He could never predict when or where someone might emerge to leave him lying in a pool of blood.

Hafeez even suspected that the prisoners and guards were colluding, as it seemed the attacker deliberately avoided fatal areas.

Not to kill them, but to make them feel fear, to feel pain.

The cold moonlight shone on Hafeez's face, and as he came to his senses, he suddenly noticed a gaze from above. A woman who shouldn't have been in the prison appeared there.

The Goddess was watching him.

With mocking, playful eyes.

This should've been a scene countless believers dreamed of, yet it only left deep fear in Hafeez's heart.

"Escape from prison?"

The Goddess asked.

Hafeez had no idea what this peculiar Goddess was thinking. Clearly, it was Her chosen believers who instigated this trial, and it was She who personally declared his inevitable death sentence. Yet here She was, inciting him to break out of jail.

Hafeez's eyes widened, witnessing a magic different from what he had seen at the Crown of Dawn Cathedral.

The magic power surrounding the Goddess was blood red, radiating an ominous aura.

The scarlet magic formed several fruits, falling beside him.

"If you really can't stand it, share them with your friends."

Then, as if remembering something, the Goddess added, "By the way, Laris sends his regards."

This was a wish made by a Lower City resident.

He actually hoped those hard-to-import officials would manage to escape from Oasis City prison.