Chapter 21#
It was only after Zhao Xing had been gone for three hours that Luo Mingshan realized he was missing.
When he couldn’t find Zhao Xing anywhere, Luo Mingshan nearly went crazy.
He told himself over and over that Zhao Xing would be fine—that Zhao Xing was the most formidable human he had ever met, and no one could hurt him.
Yet at the same time, he was restless with anxiety, terrified that something might have happened to him.
As Luo Mingshan rushed toward the surveillance center, he also used his abilities, straining his ears and eyes, trying to pick up any information related to Zhao Xing.
But suddenly, his vision grew dim, and then he saw a scene so clear it felt as if he were right there.
—It was a dim little room with iron walls on all four sides. Zhao Xing lay on the ground. The bandage Luo Mingshan had wrapped for him at noon was already loose, stained anew with patches of blood. His sleeve was torn, the hem of his shirt stained red, his lips pale, his face utterly bloodless.
Luo Mingshan’s heart nearly stopped.
He stepped forward, trying to lift Zhao Xing into his arms, but the scene dissipated in that instant.
Luo Mingshan knew what he had seen.
It wasn’t an illusion.
Just as his ears could hear sounds from a little farther away than ordinary people, what he had just seen was also a scene from a distance.
This should be a newly awakened ability of his.
But at the same time, it meant that Zhao Xing was locked up in some enclosed space, covered in wounds.
Luo Mingshan could no longer suppress his impulse. He didn’t even have the patience to check the monitors one by one; he headed straight for the warden’s office.
And then, in the hallway, he heard Zhao Xing’s name.
The warden slammed his palm against the desk with all his might, letting out a hoarse sob. “I’ll… I’ll talk… talk…”
Luo Mingshan released his neck, then grabbed him by the collar and roughly threw him into a chair. “Talk.”
“Zhao Xing… Zhao Xing is in the punishment cell of the top-tier factory. It’s a hidden place. I… I’ll have a robot take you there right away!”
As he spoke, he cautiously reached his hand toward the desk to press the robot assistant button.
At the same time, his other hand snuck under the desk.
“Slap!”
His wrist was suddenly seized, and the object in his hand was pinched out by two pale fingers.
Luo Mingshan toyed with the oval button magnetically attached under the desk, squinting. “What’s this?”
Seeing his last hope shattered, the warden trembled with fear all over. “It’s… a device to control… control riots. I’m sorry, I was just too scared.”
“How does it control?”
“…It forces the inmate wristbands within a three-meter radius to discharge electricity.”
Luo Mingshan let out a scornful laugh. He pinched the warden’s chin, pried open his mouth, stuffed the button inside, and forced him to swallow it.
As the warden frantically bent over, coughing and trying to dig it out of his throat, Luo Mingshan grabbed him by the collar again. “Since you don’t want to call a robot, you’ll lead the way yourself.”
The warden had no strength to resist. He could only tuck his tail between his legs and silently guide Luo Mingshan.
When they stepped out, the warden was utterly horrified.
The area outside was in complete disarray. The three checkpoints along the way had all been forcibly broken through, and several guard officers lay on the ground.
The warden was so frightened that he even softened his breathing and footsteps.
Taking two deep breaths, he mustered his courage and whispered, “…Look, I can secretly sneak you out of the prison. Both you and Zhao Xing—I can get you both out and even erase your criminal records. What do you think?”
Luo Mingshan glanced at him with derision. “Is this how you run a prison?”
The warden didn’t even dare to breathe loudly under that look.
Luo Mingshan looked up, quickened his pace, and said in a deep voice, “You don’t need to send us out. Just get us to the surface.”
The warden’s face was full of shock. “You know—”
He covered his mouth and lowered his voice. “How do you know about the surface? Could it be that you’re from up there?”
Come to think of it, Luo Mingshan’s behavior really didn’t seem like that of an ordinary person. But if he were one of those higher-order humans from the surface… maybe… that was possible.
Luo Mingshan didn’t answer his question. Instead, he asked, “What are the humans from the surface preparing 101 people for?”
The warden: “…I don’t know. The humans from the surface just asked me for people and didn’t tell me what for. I’ve never been to the surface. That person only promised to send me up after five years. However, I once heard them describe these 101 people as ‘consumables.’ They’re probably going to do something very dangerous. Are you sure you want to go up there?”
Luo Mingshan actually didn’t care where he went, and he had no great expectations for the surface.
But since Zhao Xing wanted to go, he would naturally follow.
Besides, 13 years ago, Zhao Xing had pinky-sworn with him, saying that when they grew up, he would take him “exploring” up there.
It was getting late. The workers in other districts of the top-tier factory had already clocked out; only District F’s workers were still on shift.
Luo Mingshan was burning with anxiety. He wanted to push the door open and pull Zhao Xing out directly, but his hand stopped when it touched the iron door.
No. He couldn’t explain this to Zhao Xing.
What would he say?
I took the warden hostage to get you out?
It would scare him.
Luo Mingshan halted, turned around, and said to the warden, “Show me the surveillance footage. I want the whole process from Zhao Xing leaving the dorm to being locked in here.”
The robot quickly brought over a tablet playing the surveillance video.
Luo Mingshan fast-forwarded to the end and almost crushed the tablet in his hand.
With a face as cold as ice, he threw the tablet back to the robot and asked the warden a few questions.
But the warden knew nothing.
What kind of device had to be implanted in the body? He didn’t know.
Whether the device could be detected by the people above if left outside the body? He didn’t know.
When would the people from the surface come to pick them up? He didn’t know either.
Luo Mingshan gave the warden two more instructions, then swiped his card and walked through the door.
“Wait.” The warden hesitated for a moment. “You said you want to go up there, but what if they only want 101 people?”
The other 100 people had already had that special device implanted into their bodies, and they knew about District F, so they absolutely couldn’t be released directly.
“Then one of them will just have to die.”
Luo Mingshan’s gaze swept across the tablet he had just viewed, his tone cold and vicious.
When Luo Mingshan walked into District F, the people working overtime all looked over.
“…Who’s this? A newbie?”
“You don’t know him? That’s Luo Mingshan! The face of K13!”
“Is he looking for Zhao Xing?”
Luo Mingshan walked straight toward the iron sheet room, but before he could push the door, someone blocked him.
It was Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue looked at Luo Mingshan with a worried tone. “Why are you here too? Did you follow Zhao Xing?”
Luo Mingshan looked him up and down, then said, “Zhang Yue, let’s talk.”
Zhang Yue’s expression immediately turned ecstatic, his face barely containing his joy. He rubbed his hands together and looked around. “Where do you want to talk?”
Luo Mingshan walked forward, and Zhang Yue followed.
After about ten meters, Luo Mingshan stopped at a corner.
This corner was relatively secluded, with a large robot shell nearby for cover.
Zhang Yue suddenly grew nervous. He straightened his back and licked his lips. “Luo… Luo Mingshan, what do you want to talk about?”
Luo Mingshan looked at him. “About Zhao Xing.”
Zhang Yue’s eyes lit up. “You… you’ve thought it through? You’ve finally mustered the courage to resist Zhao Xing? I’ll help you! I will definitely help you!”
As he spoke, he stepped forward, trying to grab Luo Mingshan’s hand.
But before he could touch him, Luo Mingshan brushed him off.
Zhang Yue seemed to realize his move was a bit rash. He gave a silly laugh and stepped back courteously.
He scratched his head, his expression turning serious. “Luo Mingshan, actually, Zhao Xing isn’t that scary. I think the reason you didn’t dare to resist before is that you were fooled by his outward image. Today, he was a total mess—surrounded by a hundred people, and finally dragged by a robot and thrown into solitary confinement… Luo Mingshan, step out of Zhao Xing’s shadow. Zhao Xing is just a brute with no brains—”
“Shut up!” Luo Mingshan cut him off coldly, a hint of menace in his eyes. “Zhao Xing is the best.”
Luo Mingshan had originally planned to settle accounts with Zhang Yue slowly.
But Zhang Yue had dared to slander Zhao Xing.
Luo Mingshan couldn’t stand to hear it.
Zhang Yue was taken aback. “…You… you actually think he’s good? Do you really like him?”
Like?
Luo Mingshan didn’t know whether Zhang Yue meant “like” in a narrow sense or a broad sense, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t care; too many people had already misunderstood, and even Zhao Xing himself had stopped bothering to correct them.
So he gave a scornful laugh. “If I don’t like him, do you think I’d like you? What kind of trash are you?”
Zhang Yue’s eyes widened in hurt. “…Luo Mingshan.”
Luo Mingshan looked at him, a trace of mockery in his brows. He recited Zhang Yue’s record clearly and coldly. “Zhang Yue, thirty-six years old, violent criminal, imprisoned for serial murder. Hobby: rescuing young, wayward boys, cleaning them up, and then making them into specimens. So far, thirteen cases. Sentenced to life without parole. Because you never believed you were wrong, you’ve been kept in the A-level class.”
Luo Mingshan paused, looking at Zhang Yue’s face, which alternated between pale and livid, and sneered. “A scumbag like you dares to speak Zhao Xing’s name?”
Zhang Yue’s face still looked honest and simple, but his gaze had darkened. “When did you find out?”
Luo Mingshan: “I read everyone’s records before entering the dorm. Zhang Yue, you’re the dirtiest of them all.”
Zhang Yue stared at the beautiful, cold, contemptuous man in front of him and suddenly felt he didn’t recognize him anymore.
For a moment, Zhang Yue felt that every move, every word, even the subtle gestures and micro-expressions of the man before him, were exactly the same as Zhao Xing’s.
As if they were cut from the same mold.
Only more ruthless, colder.
“But I didn’t come to talk to you about this. I said I wanted to talk about Zhao Xing, not to hear you slander him.”
Luo Mingshan lowered his head, leisurely pulling on a pair of thin gloves.
He yanked Zhang Yue in front of him and reached into his pocket before he could react.
He pulled out a screw that was a full finger-length long.
Stained with blood.
Zhang Yue’s face instantly turned ugly. He tried to snatch it back but failed.
Luo Mingshan looked at the screw in his hand and said softly, “During the group fight, you snuck in and stabbed him. Felt good, didn’t it? Because the siege on Zhao Xing was ordered by the prison authorities, your little move didn’t get you any demerits. You must have been pretty pleased with yourself, right?”
How could Luo Mingshan know about this?!
He had been so careful, even Zhao Xing himself hadn’t noticed…
Zhang Yue’s heart pounded with fear, and he instinctively stepped back.
But Luo Mingshan followed closely, looking into his eyes, the screw sliding across Zhang Yue’s upper body. “Do you remember where you stabbed Zhao Xing with this screw?”
Zhang Yue felt the screw sliding over his body like an icy snake, making every hair on his body stand on end. He shook his head instinctively. “I don’t—”
“Thud!”
But Luo Mingshan had no intention of listening to him. The screw aimed straight for the small of his back and stabbed in cleanly!
It went in completely, even burying a little into the bone.
“Ah!”
Zhang Yue was almost fainting from the pain. He fell to his knees with a thud, clutching the wound and groaning.
But Luo Mingshan slowly pulled the screw back out, and blood gushed out.
The screw in Luo Mingshan’s hand continued to slide downward, stopping at the knee. “You also kicked Zhao Xing secretly, didn’t you? Were you happy?”
Another complete penetration.
Zhang Yue could even hear the sound of the screw forcibly splitting his bone.
Zhang Yue let out another scream. His eyes bulged, his clothes soaked with sweat. Amid the excruciating pain, regret surged over him—
He must have been blind. Otherwise, how could he have ever thought that the demonic man in front of him was a cold, stubborn, beautiful, and strong perfect specimen?!
When the pain subsided a little, the screw was pulled out again.
This time, the screw pressed against Zhang Yue’s temple.
Boundless fear engulfed his whole body.
Zhang Yue began to shake violently. “No… no, please, please, I don’t want to die… spare me… I’ll never provoke you again, I’ll move out of the dorm immediately, I’ll—”
The screw pierced the skin one last time and embedded itself into the skull.
Zhang Yue died with his eyes open.
Luo Mingshan took his red card, pulled off the gloves, and threw them onto Zhang Yue’s corpse. Then he walked to the sink, slowly and meticulously washing his hands and the blood splattered on the side of his face.
The entire District F was dead silent.
When Luo Mingshan turned around after washing, many people shuddered, lowering their heads and continuing to work nervously.
Although Luo Mingshan had deliberately gone to a more secluded spot to deal with Zhang Yue, in the enclosed District F, how secluded could it really be?
And Zhang Yue’s screams were utterly unrestrained, so piercing that everyone’s skull chilled to the bone.
But clearly, Luo Mingshan didn’t care about others’ fear or wariness. He didn’t even spare half a glance for these people.
Luo Mingshan took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open.
Zhao Xing was still in the state Luo Mingshan had seen earlier—pale-faced, clothes stained with blood, curled up on the ground.
Luo Mingshan crouched beside him, stroking from his cheek down to his wrist.
There was a black electronic wristband on that wrist. That was what had electrocuted Zhao Xing unconscious.
Luo Mingshan touched the wristband, suppressing his anger. He gave up the idea of forcibly dismantling it and instead used finesse to drain all the electricity inside and damage the auto-charging function.
Only when he was sure the wristband could no longer hurt Zhao Xing did he relax.
Then he took out the ointment he carried with him and began to silently apply medicine to Zhao Xing.
Most of the blood on Zhao Xing’s clothes was from others; he had few wounds himself.
The only serious one was the hole made by the nail Zhang Yue had stabbed him with.
His lower back was still bleeding from that hole, dyeing the hem of his shirt red, a shocking sight.
Luo Mingshan’s fingers trembled as he applied the ointment.
After wrapping the bandage, Luo Mingshan lowered his eyes and, as if he had done it a thousand times, gently blew on the wound. He whispered silently, “Brother Ah Xing, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Then he leaned in and softly pressed a kiss beside the wound, on Zhao Xing’s lower back.
Zhao Xing had been hit hard by the electricity.
He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious before he gradually regained awareness.
He opened his eyes blearily, and the first person he saw was Luo Mingshan.
For a moment, Zhao Xing thought he was dreaming.
“Brother Zhao, you’re awake?” Luo Mingshan looked down at him, his eyes full of concern.
Zhao Xing shook his head hard to clear his mind.
Only then did he realize he was lying with his head on Luo Mingshan’s thigh.
Zhao Xing pushed himself up with his hands on the ground and said hoarsely, “How did you get here?”
Luo Mingshan smiled at him, but as soon as he spoke, his eyes reddened.
As if he had been bullied while Zhao Xing wasn’t around.
“I got caught too, big brother. I’m here to keep you company.”