Bohemia was currently very happy.
She had thought she would have to stay in a cell, feeling frustrated. But unexpectedly, she became the warden right from the start. Who could be more important in the entire prison system than her? She had gained such a significant advantage at the beginning of the game—she had been separated from Lin Sanjiu for less than ten minutes, and her luck had already significantly improved! If there was anything unsatisfactory, it was that the game objectives of 'Prison Storm' could only be revealed in stages. The host would inform her of the objective at a specific time point, and, until then, even if there was nothing to do, she could only wait impatiently.
"When facing the game, you cannot use force beyond that of an ordinary human, and Special Items are also prohibited. The appearance of your character in the game is your own appearance. Since you look like a young girl, your physical strength, speed, and strength are all at the average level of an ordinary young woman."
"What do you mean by 'look like a young girl'? I am a young girl."
The Pocket Dimension host remained unfazed and continued, "Objective 1: Identify your own background, identity, location, date, and time. The next objective will be announced five hours into the game."
Objective 1 didn't sound difficult. After all, it was the first task after entering the game.
"Note that if you cause suspicion from game NPCs, present incorrect conclusions as facts, or create any chaos within the prison... and so on, anything that wouldn't happen to a real warden, then it will be considered a mistake. Each mistake will peel off one layer of the onion."
"I've done some swindling and cheating in the past. If I did it, I did it. I'm not afraid of you mentioning it."
Bohemia glanced at the round, floating onion above her head and muttered while inspecting the office. Achieving Objective 1 should be straightforward since this was her own office. Without further ado, she should check if there was a nameplate on the door.
She opened the office door, and her gaze fell beneath the sign that read 'Warden's Office.' Immediately, she couldn't help but let out a satisfied hum—there was indeed a small, golden nameplate there, with the name 'Sandy Winters' written on it.
See? It was so easy and straightforward, like finding the right medicine for a cure!
Feeling pleased with herself, Bohemia also took a peek outside. In the long, gray-white corridor, apart from the faint aroma of food, there were several brightly lit offices at the other end, presumably where the other prison staff members were located. Before being discovered by NPCs, she quickly retreated, closed the door, and scanned the office with her eyes.
The clock on the wall indicated that it was 12:47 noon. Unfortunately, lunchtime had just passed. The closed blinds were filled with streaks of bright light from the outside. She didn't know the specific date, but she searched the desk for a while, hoping to find a newspaper or calendar.
She lifted the blinds slightly and looked outside through the cracks. Bohemia noticed that not far from the building was the recreation area for the prisoners. At the moment, many inmates wearing orange prison uniforms were gathered in small groups. Beyond the high walls and wire fences that separated the recreation area from the rest of the prison, several paths separated the area, and from above, she could see a few prison guards standing in the corners.
With such strong defenses, her role as the warden seemed safe.
"Do you think they will escape at some point? If they do escape, your role as the warden will be in trouble," the Descartes Spirit said as it joined her shoulder, looking out through the blinds. It blurred the sunlight with its presence, even though it was just a pixelated image without any expression. Now that it was involved in the game, it seemed to be completely absorbed by the game's content, just like the onion above their heads. It followed Bohemia wherever she went, as if afraid of missing any crucial plot clues.
Life waiting on the sidelines to devour others must be quite boring.
"How can you call it luck?" Bohemia snorted through her nose, tapping her temple. "It also requires using your brain! For example, I've already looked around the office and have guessed quite a bit about my character's background."
The Descartes Spirit paused for a moment. Even though it couldn't show any expression amidst the mosaic, it somehow gave off an indignant vibe that made people want to be annoyed with it. When it spoke again, its voice subtly rose, sounding like it was eagerly awaiting a good show. "Oh? What background?"
Bohemia was about to speak but suddenly stopped.
She tilted her head, and the onion above her head also leaned to the side, as if both of them were scrutinizing the Descartes Spirit.
In this office, there were scattered items that introduced her background and identity: a selfie of an elderly couple sitting in the economy class, presumably Sandy Winters' parents; there was also an honorary certificate on the wall, commending her for successfully preventing a conspiracy between the inside and outside of the prison during a major case investigation during her four years in the prison system.
Considering that the host had mentioned her character's appearance being her own, even if Sandy Winters took good care of herself, she couldn't be older than thirty-five. In summary, she was likely from an ordinary middle-class family and had rapidly advanced in her career due to her commendable achievements. From every angle, she seemed like an elite... which perfectly matched her own image.
This background was probably close to the truth. However, the way the Descartes Spirit seemed ready to gloat with every opportunity was both annoying and unsettling.
"You've got something on your mind," Bohemia stated with certainty. "You've noticed something—hmm, let me think... Ah!" She suddenly raised her head, realizing, "You want me to say my speculations out loud!"
She had almost forgotten that the host had mentioned "presenting incorrect conclusions as facts." Originally, she had thought it was a reminder not to say the wrong thing in front of NPCs. But now, thinking back, the host didn't mention the word 'NPC' at all. If there was something wrong with her speculations and she spoke them aloud to the Descartes Spirit, her onion would lose a layer of clothing!
Seeing her catching on, the Descartes Spirit deflated and lazily slumped on the desk. "It's not a big deal to say it. Just try and see if your speculations are correct. Besides, as you said, you're not afraid of people knowing about your past." It transformed into a blurry blob, which could be dizzying to look at for too long. "Moreover, as long as you're not afraid of exposing yourself, the onion doesn't pose a threat. Even if it's stripped naked, there are no ultimate punishment measures."
That's true... even if all of a person's secrets are exposed, it's unlikely to be a matter of life and death. In that sense, this game seems quite mild.
Despite that, Bohemia chose not to voice her speculations. Instead, she grabbed the Descartes Spirit by the Higher Consciousness and scolded it like a punching bag several times. Just as she was fretting about how to inquire about the final date, someone knocked on the door twice, and then a man opened the door.
"Miss Winters," the man, who had clean skin and appeared to be in his thirties, dressed like an ordinary office worker, said. Bohemia's eyes lit up when she noticed he was holding a lunchbox. "They brought you lunch... Did you not have lunch today? I heard the folks from the investigation bureau took up a lot of your time."
The life of a warden was so wonderful!
Bohemia immediately patted the table. "Yes, leave it here—oh, don't worry about the papers on the floor. I'll tidy them up."
Along with the lunchbox, there was also a document placed on the table.
"The folks from the investigation bureau are in a hurry. Could you please sign here?" the man said apologetically.
Bohemia first opened the lid and quickly scanned the document. Then, an idea suddenly occurred to her.
"Ah, I'm starving," she complained, taking a big bite of the sandwich and speaking with a muffled voice, "The folks from the investigation bureau have been causing me a lot of trouble... I'm hungry now... Mmm, I've signed it, here you go."
The man glanced at the document and smiled. "Miss Winters, you forgot to write the date."
"Could you fill it in for me?" Bohemia said, almost burying her head in the food. "Look, my hands are covered in sauce... It's fine as long as my name is signed."
As her subordinate, the man hesitated for a moment but eventually picked up the pen and followed her instructions. As he swiftly signed, Bohemia quickly glanced behind the sandwich. In the date section, the man wrote "Year Bo126, July 30th."
Objective 1 was completed!
Bohemia felt a sense of satisfaction in her mind and stomach—she had completed Objective 1 in just thirty minutes. For the next four hours and more, she could interfere with Lin Sanjiu's game!