Chapter 33: How is my profession panel in an anime art style? Chapter 14

After all, no one knew exactly how many bugs were hiding in the pitch-black environment right now.

Sure enough, two faint, scuttling sounds soon reached Li Ang's ears.

He made his choice quickly.

He could not fight inside the cell; the space was far too cramped, with absolutely no room to dodge.

But the problem was, Li Ang did not know how many bugs were outside, and rushing out blindly was truly dangerous.

Fortunately, he had more than just the Threefold Origin-Reversal skill; with a slight movement of his feet, he arrived at the Xun position of the bug corpse in front of him.

"Xun Character: Wind Appraisal."

A subtle, imperceptible current of air swept in a swirl through the cramped cell and the narrow corridor outside.

"Two of them."

Having obtained the general information, Li Ang felt a sudden sense of confidence, though he did not get cocky; he simply waited quietly for the right moment to arrive.

One second, two seconds.

In the pitch-black prison, the white-haired reaper launched a thunderous strike.

Bang, bang—

In the narrow corridor, two bug corpses with limbs still twitching lay before Li Ang.

Only after confirming they were thoroughly dead did he lean in to examine them.

"Although the blood isn't corrosive, the temperature is strangely high."

"Fortunately, the only threat is their sharp forelimbs."

A moment later, Li Ang had a rough understanding of the strength of these bug-kin, though he did not believe these three bugs represented the general strength of the bugs in this world.

Just as he lifted his foot to leave, he suddenly turned around, took a step, and threw a punch, but then abruptly halted his movement.

"...Huo'er?"

Li Ang looked at the pale-faced, brown-haired man in front of his fist and called out the other's name in surprise.

To prevent any bugs from launching a sneak attack, Li Ang had kept his Wind Appraisal running, which was how he discovered someone was sneakily following him.

And this person was his cellmate, Ivan Huo'er, the intelligence tool Li Ang had previously used to probe for information about this world.

At this moment, Huo'er looked at Li Ang with a pale face and couldn't help but swallow hard: "O-old buddy..."

"So you're a professional..."

As he spoke, he glanced at the bug corpses on the ground.

Bullshit [Prisoner]!

You're telling him this is what a [Prisoner] can do?!

It wasn't as if he hadn't seen how these bugs tortured and killed civilians during this time, yet these terrifying creatures were now lying here like stray dogs on the side of the road.

And recalling Li Ang's entirely white appearance, then feeling his own face, which was aching slightly from the wind of the punch, if this wasn't a professional with an energy level, Huo'er would eat ten tons of it!

Right now, his heart was filled with lingering fear; if the other party hadn't pulled his punch, he would likely be in the same state as these headless bugs on the ground.

Thinking of this, the brown-haired man wore a fawning smile: "Old buddy, can I follow you for a while?"

"?" Li Ang frowned slightly, then pulled back some distance from Huo'er. "Goodbye."

He wasn't stupid; in the current situation, bringing along a dead weight with no self-preservation ability was just asking for trouble.

Besides, who knew what the other party was thinking? What if he stabbed him in the back?

Seeing his lifeline about to run away, Huo'er became anxious immediately: "Old buddy, name your conditions! As long as I can do it, I'll agree to anything!"

Hearing this, Li Ang was amused: "You're a prisoner just like me, what conditions could you possibly meet?"

"And I'm not into men."

Huo'er's expression stiffened instantly; Li Ang's words hit his fatal weakness, leaving him not knowing how to retort. [40] But then he threw caution to the wind and said: "Old buddy, I can help you scout the path ahead!" [41] "In this situation, you don't want to just walk out like that, do you?" [42] Having said that, before Li Ang could speak, Huo'er revealed his abilities to demonstrate his value: "Old buddy, actually I lied to you before. I'm not a civilian; my profession is [Thief], with an added lock-picking skill and a specialty in controlling my aura." [43] Combined with the brown-haired man's previous claim that he was locked up for theft, this explanation seemed somewhat credible to Li Ang. [44] No wonder he hadn't detected Huo'er's presence at first. [45] It's just that this [Thief] likely sat at the same table as [Prisoner], and trying to compare it to [Qi Practitioner (San-Yi)] was still a long way off. [46] After thinking for a moment, Li Ang finally agreed to Huo'er's request. [47] However, there was one more thing he had to do before leaving. [48] Looking at the casual clothes Huo'er was wearing, Li Ang said: "Take me to the place where personal items are stored." [49] Every prisoner needed to store their belongings before being locked up, though it was usually just some clothing. [50] Under Huo'er's guidance, Li Ang arrived at the designated storage area. [51] After finding the Adi-King sneakers he had arrived with, he nimbly changed out of his San-Yi Sect Daoist robe. [52] After changing, Li Ang said to Huo'er: [53] "You lead the way." [54] Huo'er walked in front obediently, and Li Ang followed three to five meters behind him. [55] This distance ensured he could react in time should any unexpected situation arise. [56] But until they reached the main gate of the prison block, the two of them didn't encounter any danger. [57] Along the way, Li Ang calmly asked Huo'er some questions; according to him, because there were no clocks, he didn't know how long had passed since the riot began, but he estimated it to be about a day. [58] During this time, no management personnel had returned to the prison block, so the situation outside was obvious. [59] As for why Huo'er wanted Li Ang to take him out... [60] The answer was simple: if they didn't get out, they would starve to death; the power-cut prison block clearly couldn't supply 'Nutrient Ten'. [61] At this moment, Huo'er, walking in front, said listlessly: "That's all I know, old buddy." [62] "Should we go out now?" [63] As he spoke, he gestured toward the prison block gate, which had been destroyed beyond recognition. [64] Li Ang had intended to go out anyway; after all, staying in this prison forever wasn't a solution. Without further hesitation, he said: "You go out first." [65] Huo'er naturally had no objections; he shrugged his shoulders, then tiptoed out of the prison block gate, disappearing from Li Ang's sight. [66] A moment later, his voice came from outside: "It's safe outside, old buddy, come on out." [67] However, upon hearing this, Li Ang suddenly frowned. [68] Something was wrong. [69] Li Ang didn't think Huo'er was a good person; if it were truly safe outside, he would likely have run away immediately, but instead, he had uncharacteristically notified Li Ang that it was safe. [70] There were two possibilities for this. [71] One was that Li Ang had misunderstood Huo'er; despite being in prison for theft, he was indeed a good person, and it was truly safe outside. [72] Two was... [73] 'Did the bugs threaten him?' [74] 'Are the bugs in this world that intelligent?' [75] Recalling the three sharp-headed bugs he had encountered earlier, Li Ang fell into silence for a moment.

But immediately after, he gave up on all pretense and said, "Brother, I can help you scout the path ahead!"

"In this current situation, you don't want to just walk out like that, do you?"

Having said this, before Li Ang could speak, Huo Er, in order to demonstrate his own value, laid out all his abilities: "Brother, actually I lied to you before. I am not a commoner; my profession is [Thief], which comes with a lock-picking skill and a specialty in controlling my aura."

Combining this with the brown-haired man's previous claim that he had been locked up for theft, this explanation seemed somewhat credible to Li Ang.

No wonder he hadn't discovered Huo Er's presence at first.

It’s just that this [Thief] profession likely sat at the same table as [Prisoner]; it was still far from being able to compare with a [Qi Practitioner (San-Yi)].

After pondering for a moment, Li Ang finally agreed to Huo Er's request.

However, before leaving, he had one more thing to do.

Looking at the casual clothes on Huo Er, Li Ang said, "Take me to the place where belongings are stored."

Every prisoner needs to have their items stored before being locked up, though usually, it's just some clothing.

Under Huo Er's guidance, Li Ang arrived at the designated storage area.

After finding the Adi King shoes that had traveled through time with him, he nimbly changed out of the San-Yi Sect Daoist robe he was wearing.

Once changed, Li Ang said to Huo Er:

"You go first."

Huo Er walked ahead obediently, and Li Ang followed behind him, maintaining a distance of three to five meters.

This distance ensured that if any sudden situation occurred, he could react in time.

But until they reached the main gate of the detention area, the two of them did not encounter any danger.

Along the way, Li Ang calmly asked Huo Er some questions. According to him, because there were no clocks, he didn't know how much time had passed since the riot began, but he estimated it to be about a day.

During this time, no administrative staff had returned to the detention area; the situation outside was self-evident.

As for why Huo Er wanted Li Ang to take him out...

The answer was simple: if he didn't get out, he would starve to death. The power-cut detention area clearly couldn't supply 'Zhu-Shi'.

At this moment, Huo Er, walking in front, said listlessly, "That's all I know, brother."

"Should we go out now?"

As he spoke, he gestured toward the detention area gate, which had been destroyed beyond recognition.

Li Ang had originally intended to leave; after all, staying in this prison forever wasn't a solution. Without further hesitation, he immediately said, "You go out first."

Huo Er naturally had no objections. He shrugged his shoulders, then tiptoed out of the detention area gate and disappeared from Li Ang's sight.

A moment later, his voice came from outside: "It's safe outside, brother. Come on out."

However, upon hearing this, Li Ang suddenly frowned.

Something was wrong.

Li Ang didn't think Huo Er was a good person. If it were truly safe outside, he would likely have just run away. Yet, he had uncharacteristically notified Li Ang that it was safe.

There were two possibilities for this situation.

One is that Li Ang had misunderstood Huo Er; despite being in prison for theft, he was indeed a good person, and it was truly safe outside.

Two is...

'Did the bugs threaten him?'

'Are the bugs in this world that intelligent?'

Recalling the three sharp-headed bugs he had encountered earlier, Li Ang fell into silence.