Chapter 8: Warden of Area A

After a moment, the two guards’ expressions toward Fan Zhuo shifted from confusion to reverence, as if they were gazing upon an unfathomable Saint of Sacred Light with a unique healing method.

Truly worthy of being Sage Nolan’s disciple!

That’s professional for sure!

Only Old John’s eye twitched uncontrollably.

He didn’t believe a word of it!

Had he been a warden for decades for nothing? This kid was clearly talking nonsense!

Old John’s gaze landed on Alfea.

The slime queen who used to go feral every mating season and could even dissolve high-level Runes was now standing obediently.

Although she was still a bit dissatisfied with the “lid” on her leg, her eyes were clear and devoid of any violent aura.

After Fan Zhuo adjusted the leg ring, she even shyly whispered, “Thank you…”

Results don’t lie.

No matter what unorthodox methods this kid used, he had indeed settled the biggest headache in Zone C.

At last, they wouldn’t have to replace the prison gates every few days.

Of course, reimbursement was still necessary…

“Ahem!” Old John coughed heavily twice, putting away his stun gun.

“Since everything’s fine, come out quickly! Don’t dawdle inside!”

With that, he turned and left, his back carrying a hint of fluster.

He needed to hurry up and fill out the reimbursement forms.

“Yes, Warden,” Fan Zhuo replied respectfully.

He then turned to Alfea with a gentle smile, “I’m off to work. You can take some time to get used to your new body here. Remember, don’t engage in any intense exercise.”

“Mm!” Alfea nodded firmly, her big blue eyes full of specks of trust and admiration.

“I… I’ll wait for you to come back!”

Fan Zhuo stepped out of the cell, and the alloy door was shut behind him by the guards.

The two guards’ eyes had completely changed, now filled with awe and curiosity.

“Assistant, you… you’re really amazing!”

“Yeah, it’s the first time I’ve seen Queen Alfea so… so obedient!”

Fan Zhuo only smiled inscrutably, offering no explanation.

He could feel that after that “reinforcement therapy,” the sacred power within him had grown another notch.

It was a subtle feeling, as if some corner of his soul had been filled, leaving him mentally refreshed and much clearer in thought.

It seemed that this wasn’t just simple contact — this deeper level of interaction was even more beneficial to him!

***

Warden’s Office.

Old John placed a new bottle of ale on the desk but didn’t open it immediately; instead, he stared intently at Fan Zhuo.

“Kid, tell me the truth.” His voice lowered, “What exactly are you? Don’t try to fool me with that ‘Sacred Light’s pacification’ nonsense. I’m not like those two idiots!”

Fan Zhuo’s heart tightened.

He knew that ordinary excuses wouldn’t work on this seasoned veteran who’d been in the monster prison for decades.

He took a slow breath, his face showing no hint of panic but rather a trace of saintly pity.

Fan Zhuo lowered his eyelids slightly, as if not answering an interrogation but preaching to a lost lamb.

“Warden, you misunderstand.”

“All I’ve done is to guide lost souls back to the right path. Although Miss Alfea is a ‘Nonhuman,’ deep within her soul lies goodness that can be purified by the Sacred Light. What I did was merely to awaken that goodness.”

Old John’s eye twitched; he was clearly unimpressed by this holy roller’s spiel.

Fan Zhuo shifted his tone to one of greater reverence.

“As for the ‘Path of Judgment’ you’re worried about, my mentor is Sage Nolan.”

He paused, then slowly lifted his head, his gaze clear as crystal, looking straight at Old John.

“You should know that during the three years I’ve studied under my mentor, I’ve memorized the Sacred Texts backward and forward and have grasped their supreme truth.”

“Oh? Supreme truth?” Old John sounded intrigued and couldn’t resist taking a sip of ale.

Fan Zhuo took a step forward and said firmly:

“When facing ‘Nonhuman’ beings, my heart and actions are as clear as a mirror; all I do is justice. My will is to purify the impurities in this world.”

At this, his expression turned solemn to the utmost, as if he was about to ascend on the spot.

Old John was momentarily stunned by this display.

Though he didn’t believe it, logically, Fan Zhuo’s words… didn’t seem off.

The Sacred Light’s judgment essentially targeted the inner “desires” of clergy.

If someone could truly maintain a calm heart, theoretically, divine punishment wouldn’t be triggered.

But… could this kid really do it?

Old John’s suspicious gaze swept across Fan Zhuo’s face — more saintly than a statue of the Holy Son.

“So, you mean, as long as your heart’s clear, even if you roll that slime queen around, the Sacred Light won’t interfere?”

“Warden, please watch your words,” Fan Zhuo corrected with righteous indignation.

“That is ‘Form Shaping Therapy.’ Moreover, as long as my heart belongs solely to the Sacred Light, divine punishment will never touch me.”

Old John fell silent, picked up the bottle, and chugged down a large gulp.

Seeing his reaction, Fan Zhuo quietly rejoiced.

His half-truth, half-deception had at least gotten him through—for now.

Noticing Old John’s face growing redder and his attention drifting toward the ale, Fan Zhuo’s gaze casually landed on the silent, perfect figure behind him.

White Rabbit stood quietly, the Maid Outfit tailored to perfection.

Beneath the lace trim at her collar, the seams of the fabric seemed to strain under immense pressure.

His gaze lowered, resting on her slender waist cinched tightly, barely a handful.

And further down…

Fan Zhuo’s eyes lingered on those flawless long legs wrapped in pure white over-the-knee stockings.

A bolder thought sprouted in his mind.

He could touch the slime girl, he could look at the fox spirit… but what about White Rabbit?

She was neither human nor monster.

What exactly was her species? A mechanical girl?

Clearing his throat, Fan Zhuo cautiously posed a question in an academic tone.

“Warden, after reading that book, I have a question about the classification of ‘Nonhuman’ beings that I’d like to ask you.”

“Go ahead.” Old John took another swig, his eyes already a little glazed.

“Miss White Rabbit — in the Sacred Church’s doctrine, does she also count as a ‘Nonhuman’?”

This question made Old John pause.

He narrowed his eyes and carefully examined White Rabbit from head to toe, then glanced at the bottle again.

Finally, he nodded decisively.

“Count? Of course she counts… hic”

Old John hiccupped from the ale.

“She’s a masterpiece personally designed and built by the Zone A Warden. Except for her soul being a Mechanical Core, everywhere else is identical to a real person.”

Zone A Warden?

Fan Zhuo immediately picked up on that piece of information.

“Speaking of which,” Old John seemed to recall some unpleasant memory, his expression turning strange as he rubbed his eyes subconsciously.

“Every time I go to a meeting in Zone A and come back, my eyesight drops a few degrees.

That Sacred Light is too strong! Even if I don’t look directly, I’m dazzled to the point I can’t open my eyes! It’s like a moving sun!”

Too much Sacred Light? A moving sun?

Fan Zhuo was momentarily stunned, then caught on.

This must be the effect of the [Sacred Light] divine technique… Just how…

Suddenly, two enormous, dazzling holy light orbs bigger than Sage Nolan’s head flashed through Fan Zhuo’s mind.

That big… no, that bright…

He was genuinely curious now…