Chapter 4: Why Is My Career Panel in a 2D Anime Style? Chapter 2

As the familiar bell rang from the speaker, Li Ang knew it was mealtime.

Walking toward the dining area, recalling these past few days, his eyelid twitched involuntarily.

"Could this so-called major event really mean spending my entire life on this twelve-hour shift death assembly line?"

The work intensity rivals the exploitative electronics factory he worked at before his transmigration—without even social insurance or housing fund.

Arriving at the dining area, Li Ang sat at his assigned seat, and a sticky, gelatinous mass slid out from the tube in front of him.

This was his food for the past few days: "Energy Gel Type-Zhu," which, according to other prisoners, was normally used to feed livestock outside.

But having something to eat was better than nothing; Li Ang picked up his spoon and began shoveling it into his mouth.

To be honest, the taste wasn't particularly bad—it had a slight saltiness and sweetness, nothing else, just poor appearance and texture.

But Li Ang wasn't paying attention to the food now; he was eating while staring at the career panel before him.

——

【Career: Prisoner】

【Level: 2/5 (116/200)】

【Attribute Bonus: Body Strength +0.1 per level】

【Career Skill: None】

【Career Specialization: Slow Recovery】

【Career Advancement Paths: Escapee, Prison Boss.】

——

"At this rate, I'll hit level three soon."

Li Ang thought silently to himself; after days of manual labor, he had already leveled his 【Prisoner】 career to level two.

In fact, when he first entered the prison that day, Li Ang never expected he could take up a new career.

Following the principle that more careers meant more options, he directly chose to take it up.

Unfortunately, the 【Prisoner】 career was only slightly better than the pure blank 【Civilian】 career.

Still, even a little better was better—now, level two 【Prisoner】 gave him a +0.2 body strength bonus, making him feel noticeably more energetic.

Combined with the career specialization 【Slow Recovery】, Li Ang didn't find prison life overly exhausting for now.

【Slow Recovery: When resting, your stamina recovery rate increases slightly.】

But even so, 【Prisoner】 was still just 【Prisoner】.

"Thankfully, I have the talent 【Console Player】; otherwise, I'd be doomed for life."

Ignoring the pop-up message 【Survive one hour as a prisoner, +1 experience】, Li Ang quickly finished his "Zhu-Shi."

After completing the morning shift, as a prisoner, Li Ang had a thirty-minute break—but since the dining area was far from the cell block, he chose to rest right where he sat.

But the next moment, a faint disturbance interrupted his nap.

A fine, earthquake-like vibration reached him; he opened his eyes and muttered bitterly, "Can't those bugs just shut up for once?"

Li Ang knew his afternoon nap was ruined—this kind of shaking usually lasted one to two hours.

At that moment, a voice came from beside him, picking up his words: "Bro, you've been here for days—you should be used to it by now."

Hearing this, Li Ang turned his head and saw a brown-haired man staring blankly at the ceiling, clearly annoyed.

"You got woken up too, Hol, and you still have the nerve to lecture me?"

The brown-haired man was Evan Hall, a fellow prisoner Li Ang had met these past two days.

Hearing Li Ang's remark, Hall snapped out of his daze and stared at him with dead, fish-like eyes: "Bro, I'm different from you—I'm only here for theft, maybe a few months, tops. You? Smuggling? You're looking at life."

At those words, Li Ang's face darkened instantly.

He hadn't expected smuggling to carry a life sentence in this world—though most likely, it was because he was an undocumented person; once the Open City government confirmed he had no special talent, they had no interest in feeding him.

At this point, Hall acted as if he hadn't noticed Li Ang's grim expression and continued: "And you took up the 【Prisoner】 career."

"You're just going to rot here until you die."

As he spoke, his eyes filled with pity as he looked at Li Ang.

The information about 【Prisoner】 was, of course, something Li Ang had voluntarily told Hall, hoping to glean details about careers.

After all, no one else knew his career slot was unlimited.

As if to comfort him, Hall rubbed his chin and said: "【Prisoner】 isn't bad—it at least makes you tougher."

"Look, the Energy Gel Type-Zhu you get every day is even more than what we non-career folks get."

In this world, 【Civilian】 was generally considered a non-career status.

Saying this, Hall chuckled to himself.

He could understand Li Ang's choice—if he were in Li Ang's position, he'd have taken 【Prisoner】 too.

After all, if you're never getting out, you might as well figure out how to make prison life bearable.

"But prisoners like you, with long sentences, will eventually be transferred to the nearby Prison Planet."

"That's no place to be—lots of powerful careerists are locked up there."

"【Prisoner】."

As he spoke, Hall shook his head.

Li Ang had, over these past days, quietly gathered some information about the Prison Planet—the place the old boss of the Lei She had used to threaten him.

As the name suggests, it was a planet dedicated solely as a prison, housing long-term inmates and…

Extremely dangerous careerists.

For ordinary people like Li Ang, who had taken up 【Prisoner】, life on the Prison Planet meant being crushed at the very bottom—barely better than wishing for death.

Thinking of this, a shadow flickered in his eyes.

Seeing Li Ang's expression, Hall fell silent—he had no reason to waste words on a 【Prisoner】 with no future.

What he had just said was only because he was bored.

And the thirty-minute break passed quickly.

Amid the cold ringing of the bell, Li Ang returned to his workstation and resumed tinkering with the instrument before him.

【Working in prison, occupational experience +2】

【Working in prison, occupational experience +2】

He did not tell Hall that, unlike this native, he could see occupational advancement paths.

And 【Prisoner】 naturally had an advancement path, however weak it might be, it could still grant him a glimmer of hope.

Of course, the ideal scenario would be to experience a so-called major event and then activate the 【Traveler】 talent to flee immediately.

Thinking this, Li Ang applied more force with his hands, speeding up his craftsmanship.