Pain, Grief, and the Forbidden Zone

Under Asimov's lead, they smoothly reached the upper half of the Mid-level Stairway—"Pain."

The sinners here were managed in an organized manner. At different times, they would go to different areas to experience varying degrees of pain, spending at least twenty hours a day in agony. Sleeping here was an extreme luxury.

Of course,

The sinners imprisoned here were basically the most heinous criminals of the Old World. For effective control and appropriate punishment, three Great Prison Monks jointly managed the Mid-level Stairway.

One of the Great Prison Monks was even a perception-type. His chains were shaped like fingers and spread throughout the entire Mid-level Stairway.

Finger-shaped chains could be seen emerging from the ground or crawling along the walls everywhere. Even the fingers of every jailer working here could become that Great Prison Monk's "eyes."

Asimov did not stop at all along the way. He led Nash straight to a certain "changing room" where no finger-shaped chains existed.

The sinners imprisoned in the Mid-level Stairway often had sentences lasting decades or even centuries.

Some sinners, unable to endure the extreme pain each day, would frequently attack the monks or attempt to escape. Once they committed a serious offense and their sentence was increased, they would eventually be promoted to the death penalty.

At that point, professional "executioners" would arrive, change into execution attire, and swiftly carry out the execution with practiced technique.

Executioners generally held fairly high status. They did not need to remain inside the Ladder of Sin at all times and could apply to live outside, returning only when they received an execution assignment.

However.

Asimov's status as an executioner was somewhat special. Aside from carrying out executions, he also served as a doctor. Some sinners might suffer severe injuries while enduring their punishment, and to ensure