"Prisoners can't be released once they're inside, right?" Karl asked.
"Most of them can't get out because they die before they have the chance," Domino nodded, looking at Smoker.
"Unless they manage to escape from prison, but in all my time working here, there hasn't been a single escape."
"Not..." Karl wanted to say something but suddenly stopped. He was about to mention the Golden Lion. Domino hadn't join Impel Down when he escaped from prison.
"At that time, Magellan was only the Deputy Warden."
"Miss Domino, take us to the second floor!"
Hearing Karl speak, Domino immediately beamed with a smile, her cheeks slightly blushing.
"Of course, Major General Karl, please follow me!"
They entered the elevator again and ascended to the second floor.
Upon exiting, Domino immediately pointed to the large iron cages on either side.
"The second underground floor is the Beast Hell. These ferocious monsters in iron cages are where the second floor gets its name."
"Under regular conditions, they are released once a day. If an escape occurs, they are all released to tear apart the prisoners who dared to flee."
Karl nodded, glanced at the busy jailers ahead, and asked:
"Are the prisoners I'm supposed to escort all from the second floor?"
"Yes, look, that shirtless guy there is our Deputy Director Hannibal!"
At that moment, Hannibal also approached Domino, looked Karl and Smoker up and down, and said:
"Domino, what are you doing here? Where's Magellan? In the restroom again?"
"Hmph! Every day he shirks his work. He's truly incompetent as a director! He can't even greet guests."
"Ask me who should be the director."
"Oops!" Hannibal seemed to have noticed something and quickly covered his mouth, whispering to Karl and Smoker, "I've accidentally revealed my ambitions again!"
Karl glanced at the shirtless man before him, dressed like a pharaoh, and couldn't help but smile:
"Hello, Deputy Director Hannibal, I'm Major General Karl from our headquarters."
"Hello, hello, call me..." Domino immediately interjected, "Deputy Director!"
"Hmph! Sooner or later, I will become the director!" Hannibal glared fiercely at Domino.
"Hmph!" No matter how terrible Director Magellan is, he is much stronger than you. Want to become the director? Wait until you get stronger!"
Hannibal's face suddenly fell, showing a look of hurt, much like a woman who had just been insulted.
"Damn! It's impossible to argue, he's indeed stronger than me! Otherwise, I would have become the director long ago!"
Karl quickly said:
"Alright, Deputy Director Hannibal, how many prisoners have you already escorted?"
"Ah! This one is already being escorted. It will take some time. After all, we still need to select healthy prisoners."
Karl nodded, indicating that he understood:
"Then, I'll leave you to it, Deputy Director Hannibal. In that case, we won't disturb your work."
"Domino, take us to the next floor!"
"Yes."
The third underground floor, Hunger Hell.
Starting from this floor, the environment becomes surreal, with the air both hot and dry.
The prisoners confined on this floor are all notorious criminals with bounties over 50 million. Logically, their physical strength is much higher than that of the criminals on the first and second floors, but their condition...
Faces are gaunt, lips cracked, all are emaciated.
One of the inmates, still struggling to breathe in his cell, weakly said upon seeing Karl and his group:
"Please, give me water! Give... water!"
Domino ignored his plea and turned to Karl:
"Pay no attention to him. This level is called Hunger Hell because they are kept in a state of starvation and thirst. They receive a little food and water only once every half month."
"To torment them."
"Well, yes, the first director thought so. Under such harsh conditions, the criminals don't have the strength to think about escaping prison. We don't need to worry about this place."
"Makes perfect sense!"
Karl used to defend the killing of pirates because he always believed it was better to execute them on the spot and return to nature, rather than sending them to Impel Down and wasting resources.
"But now..."
"Well, it's decided. From today, criminals with bounties exceeding 50 million will not be killed, so to speak." It seems sending them to Impel Down to enjoy free lodging is a good idea.
Smoker wiped the sweat from his forehead, saying with some discomfort:
"Let's go! It's too hot here. My clothes are soaked with sweat!"
Smoker, who hadn't been here long, was already sweating profusely and felt embarrassed compared to Karl, who hadn't broken a sweat.
"Oh! I almost forgot!"
Karl conjured two orbs of sacred light and sent them into the bodies of Domino and Smoker. They immediately felt relieved as a cool breeze seemed to blow directly over their heads.
"Yes, the healing effect of sacred light also works in high-temperature environments and acts like an enhanced version of cooling oil."
"Is that why you're not sweating at all? Is this the Major General Karl's ability? Oh yes... It's so comfortable!"
"Ha-ha-ha! Sorry, sorry, let's move on! There doesn't seem to be anything worthwhile here, let's go to the next floor!"
The fourth floor. Flame Hell.
Here is the office of Magellan. Well, to be precise, it's a special bathroom.
Additionally, there is a kitchen and storage area here, where all the supplies from Impel Down are kept.
As soon as they exited the elevator and approached the blood lake, they were enveloped by a scorching heat. This place is like a giant iron cauldron, with a boiling blood lake and a sea of fire surrounding the area.
Karl looked at the steam rising up and immediately understood where the dry climate on the third floor came from.
"The temperature inside is quite high, and special protective clothing is needed to prevent exposure. Major General Karl, would you like to go in and take a look?"
"No, too much trouble."
"Karl came here to travel, not to suffer. He was reassured to see that the prisoners were well-managed."
"By the way, that's Director Magellan's office, but it seems he's attending to personal matters right now, so it's better not to go in."
Smoker nodded quickly. The series of farts during their first meeting with Magellan still haunted him. Fortunately, he had a gas mask on, or the consequences would have been dreadful.
"Right, let's go straight to the fifth underground floor to take a look!"
"Wait a minute!"
Karl turned around to see that it was Magellan, who had just come out of the office, speaking.
"Director Magellan! Why did you come out?" Major General Karl, put on your gas mask!
— Smoker: You are wonderful, you are so noble!