Due to the limitations of his current situation, he had to shelve or at least postpone his plan to open the passage to Level 5. Wilder's intention was simple: until the passage was open, he would use this time to improve himself as much as possible.
The fight with Giant Boar was an accident, and the idea that sprung up afterward was equally spontaneous. Exposing himself so prominently wasn't what Wilder had originally wanted, but if… doing so would bring sufficient benefits…
For instance, using the prisoners as whetstones to hone his skills.
Or perhaps, a promotion?
By putting on a high-profile display to attract the attention of his superiors, if he demonstrated absolute strength to suppress the dangerous criminals in the Blazing Hell, wouldn't such a person gain the appreciation of those in charge?
The benefit of being valued was promotion, and the benefit of promotion was greater freedom and authority.
…
Wilder's eyelids lowered slightly. His thoughts paused here.
It was a question that troubled him greatly, because he wasn't sure if his somewhat ostentatious battle had been seen by the higher-ups via the Visual Den Den Mushi. If not, then his subsequent high-profile actions would be worthless and would likely arouse suspicion, and this plan would be scrapped.
If it had been seen, then the fight with Giant Boar would have left a decent impression on the higher-ups who watched, and the opportunity for promotion might lie here.
But there was also a strong possibility that all of this was just wishful thinking…
Or, even worse, regardless of the outcome, would it just lead to suspicion?
For the first time, Wilder felt dissatisfied with himself. The short amount of time hadn't allowed him enough space to think things through. The moment the fight began, it meant he had acted impulsively.
If only… he could have held back…
Wilder's only concern now was whether or not he was under suspicion.
"Bang!" The door to his room was suddenly pushed open, interrupting Wilder's train of thought. A vein throbbed on his forehead for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and turned his head towards the door.
His little lackey jailer was leaning against the doorframe, panting heavily, his eyes practically shining with excitement. "Wooow~! First! You've made it! The Assistant Jailer Chief wants to see you! It must be because she recognized your strength in defeating Giant Boar! Woo~! You're definitely…! You're definitely going to get promoted! You won't forget your good buddy after you get promoted, will you, First?! Woo-ho-ho-ho…! Come on, First, my good buddy! Tell me, what's my name!?"
"Sorry, I forgot for now. I'll tell you when I remember tonight," Wilder said, his face expressionless. He patted the lackey jailer on the shoulder and walked out of the room.
Things probably aren't too bad…
The corners of Wilder's mouth lifted slightly.
"Guh…" The lackey jailer's expression instantly turned to one of mourning, his smile frozen, his body stiffening by the door.
Soon, a torrent of foul and utterly disgusting curses erupted behind Wilder.
Ignoring the cursing from behind, Wilder knew where the Assistant Jailer Chief's office was, having just walked past it not long ago. Assistant Jailer Chief Sadi... Wilder had only heard her name, but had never seen her in person.
He imagined she wouldn't be too different from how she was depicted in the original story.
After navigating several twists and turns, he stopped in front of a door and knocked.
"Hmm~ Come in, it's unlocked."
A captivating, suggestive voice came from inside the room.
Wilder, his expression unchanging, turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
"Hmm~ So you're First?"
Inside the office, in front of a wall covered in torture implements, a woman in a revealing, tight-fitting uniform, her eyes hidden behind thick bangs, and holding a long whip, was leaning back in her chair in a languid pose. Her long, high-heeled legs were propped up on the desk, and the whip in her hand flicked at the floor intermittently. A seductive voice emanated from the woman's mouth.
"Yes, Assistant Jailer Chief," Wilder said, glancing at the woman's legs on the desk before lowering his gaze slightly, his tone calm.
"Hmm~ Call me Sadi." Her legs disappeared from the desk, and the chair slowly turned around. Sadi looked at Wilder, her delicate tongue tracing a circle around her lips.
Wilder remained silent, keeping his head bowed and his eyes fixed on the floor.
"Hmm~ First… I saw it today, you know, your fight with Giant Boar. Hmm~ Quite impressive. So impressive that you don't seem like an ordinary jailer at all." As Sadi spoke, she extended her tongue and licked her lips again. Wilder didn't need to look to know that her eyes, hidden behind her bangs, were definitely staring at him.
His eyes flickered for a moment. Wilder raised his head and met Sadi's gaze, offering a sheepish smile.
"You're the impressive one, Assistant Jailer Chief. I'm just an ordinary jailer." At this point, over-explaining would only be a sign of covering something up. Her probing seemed more like a casual act born out of slight doubt, so unless he had something to hide, the answer should be simple and straightforward.
Wilder actually felt a sense of relief. Probing was normal; it meant that his identity itself wasn't under suspicion.
"Hmm~" Sadi withdrew her gaze and licked her lips, then looked at Wilder again with renewed interest. "Hmm~ First, Warden Magellan just appointed you as Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief… Hmm~ Sadi is truly envious."
She probably wants to see my shocked expression, followed by that excited, thrilled look, doesn't she? What twisted taste.
Wilder thought a lot in an instant, including the fact that this appointment came directly from the Warden. This meant that Magellan had also seen his fight with Giant Boar. So… this appointment letter, issued on the very same day without any apparent deliberation…
Wilder looked at the appointment letter that Sadi pulled out from her cleavage, his expression momentarily stunned, then filled with disbelief. His hands trembled slightly with excitement. "This! Is this real?!"
Wilder struggled to control his expression, trying to make everything appear as natural as possible. Fortunately, his acting skills had improved considerably over this period, and he managed to get through the whole process without any major hiccups.
"The appointment letter came from Magellan. In less than a day, appointing a jailer he's arguably never even met to the position of Vice-Assistant Jailer Chief…" After leaving the Assistant Jailer Chief's office, Wilder's expression became serious, and he fell into deep thought.
"A hasty show of appreciation? Or suspicion…?"
Wilder's face darkened as he pondered, but he quickly regained his composure, his eyes shifting restlessly. However, in his mind, he had already begun to rule out the possibility of being under suspicion.
So what was the reason?
Countless possibilities flashed through Wilder's mind at lightning speed, until they finally settled on one. Wilder's pupils contracted instantly!
Could it be…!