I continued to bind the Black-Clad Figure with Deathbane Aura, placing him beside the Black Pool. Just in case, John Chou and I had been sitting with our backs to the cornfield for quite a while. John Chou still hadn't said a word.
Do you think that guy is lying?
John Chou gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
There's no need for him to lie. The lowest-ranking soldiers don't know anything—they're just loyal servants of the Dark Banquet. Under the system the Dark Banquet created for them, they work diligently, climbing upward to enjoy greater freedom.
A life like that—even if they don't die, it's just too miserable.
John Chou shook his head and chuckled softly.
Brother, the people here aren't like us. Their concept of time is different. A few years feels long to us, but to them, it's just another ordinary part of daily life—nothing special at all.
Maybe that's true. To recover his sense of self, working like this for fifty-three years probably doesn't mean anything to him. Fifty-three years pass in the blink of an eye.
Just as John Chou said, someone who has finally regained their personality wouldn't lie when facing death. I stood up and walked over.
Don't waste your energy, brother.
What are you doing now?
I sat down in front of the Black-Clad Figure, smiling and shaking my head.
You used to be a resident of the Dark Banquet, right?
The Black-Clad Figure looked at me in confusion and nodded.
Have you ever been to Zhang's Barbecue?
The Black-Clad Figure looked at me, puzzled, then thought for a moment before speaking.
I think it's in District Thirteen.
I responded with a quiet "Mm."
That shop, Zhang's Barbecue, was handed over to me by Boss Lee Gee. How long have you lived in the Dark Place?
It's been almost six hundred years, I think.
I looked at him in surprise.
Why were you chosen to be a soldier for the Dark Banquet?
The man in black shook his head.
There's no need to ask unnecessary questions. I've told you everything I can.
It seemed the man in black wanted me to let him go, but if I released him now, Yin Choujian and I still wouldn't know much, and things could get dangerous.
See, brother.
Just as I walked over, Yin Choujian muttered something.
Not exactly. At least we know these people were originally residents of the Dark Place. Do you think if he hadn't reported the experiment here, the officers of the Dark Banquet would have come?
Yin Choujian shook his head.
Even if they did come, with your current abilities, you still wouldn't be able to beat some of the stronger ones.
I looked at Yin Choujian with a hint of resentment.
You're no better. Right now, you're even weaker than I am.
Smoke from the fire curled upward. Yin Choujian and I broke the corn off the cob, husks and all, then skewered them on sticks and roasted them over the flames.
You two bastards.
The man in black cursed angrily. After a while, the fragrant corn was nearly done roasting in the red flames. Yin Choujian and I grabbed the corn and started eating.
Tastes pretty good.
Yin Choujian commented. We still didn't know what kind of experiments the Dark Banquet people were conducting here, but the things they'd made were edible. It had been so long since we'd eaten corn this fresh and tender.
Brother, keep an eye over there.
I nodded and kept eating. After finishing the corn, we decided to try some other fruits and melons. I had no idea how much time had passed. We lay on the spot marked with numbers, quietly waiting.
It's been five days, brother.