Chapter 23#
After finishing his words, Zhao Xing turned off his flashlight, sat down in the shadow of the corner, leaned his back against the wall with one knee bent, and prepared to rest.
After a while, he secretly glanced at Luo Mingshan.
Luo Mingshan stood there in a daze for a long time, then slowly crouched down.
He took out the little tiger Zhao Xing had just given him, touched its teeth, then touched its tail.
In the dim light, his face was completely drained of color, his expression vacant. His tall figure curled up in the shadow, like a child abandoned by his parents by the roadside, as if there was no way back.
Zhao Xing couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
He looked away, lowered his head, and picked at his pants.
Only then did he notice that the gauze on his hand had been re-bandaged, and it seemed the medicine had been changed as well.
Besides his hand, the most severe wound on his waist had also been carefully coated with the best medicine—numb, cool, and painless.
He didn’t need to guess who had done it.
Zhao Xing lowered his head even further and continued picking at his pants.
…Had he gone too far just now?
Fine.
He admitted that he was initially a bit angry, so he deliberately said those things to torment Luo Mingshan. And watching Luo Mingshan’s face turn pale gave him a certain satisfaction.
But later… later, it wasn’t so satisfying anymore.
Because he had cursed too harshly.
Yet he didn’t stop. Instead, he kept going, even saying worse things than before. He said that they were just playing a game of good brothers, that if Luo Mingshan dared to go to the surface, he would kill him.
After all, since the stage was set, playing one act was the same as playing two.
He might as well take the opportunity to say even harsher things, completely dissuading Luo Mingshan from going to the surface to die.
That’s right, Zhao Xing believed Luo Mingshan would definitely be done for if he went to the surface.
Zhao Xing didn’t know what they were being sent to the surface for, but the members of 101 were a bunch of vicious criminals who were quite skilled at fighting. It was likely they would be doing some labor-intensive or life-risking work.
Zhao Xing thought that with his own intelligence and physical fitness, once on the surface, he might have a chance to escape and gain absolute freedom.
But Luo Mingshan was different.
Luo Mingshan had strength but was fragile and dependent. Worst of all, he had that kind of dangerously attractive face… Even Zhao Xing doubted he could bring Luo Mingshan out intact.
Luo Mingshan’s family conditions were so good—he could casually throw around hundreds of millions, and even in Zone K13, he could live a comfortable life. Once outside, he would enjoy treatment like a noble prince.
He was the highest kind of elite underground. But what about on the surface?
His most fitting role would probably be a plaything for the powerful.
It wasn’t that Zhao Xing had dirty thoughts.
It was mainly that Luo Mingshan’s face was too lethal, and it had a bizarre attraction for the homosexual community.
He really couldn’t go to the surface.
Zhao Xing had more or less dispelled Luo Mingshan’s idea about going to the surface to die, but… what about the prison?
What if they insisted on Luo Mingshan becoming a member of 101?
Zhao Xing scratched his head, feeling a bit troubled.
Also feeling troubled was the prison warden, who was outside alone, watching the surveillance.
He was nearly dumbfounded by the turn of events.
Before Luo Mingshan had entered, they had discussed everything well, and the task assigned to him was very simple.
All he had to do was find the right moment to go in, make an excuse to cancel the requirement for forcibly installing devices in their bodies, and instead have them carry the devices with them. That way, Luo Mingshan and Zhao Xing could smoothly be sent to the surface along with the other ninety-nine people.
The warden thought such a simple task would take him just ten minutes, but he never expected Zhao Xing to spend three whole hours carving a piece of wood, and Luo Mingshan wouldn’t let him interrupt.
The wood was finally carved, and then the two started celebrating a birthday.
But in the middle of the birthday celebration, they suddenly started arguing.
The surveillance had no sound, so the warden didn’t know what they were arguing about, but he could see the atmosphere was very tense, and Luo Mingshan was basically on the losing side.
In the end, he lost the argument.
The man who had stormed into his office like a god of death was now crouching on the ground like a statue, looking pitiful.
At first, the warden tried sending weak electrical currents to contact him.
But after sending twice, Luo Mingshan suddenly reached out and directly tore off the wristband on his hand.
The warden was stunned.
Was that something a human could do?!
He must belong to the high-class humans from the surface; he probably had some special equipment!
The warden became even more certain of his identity, and also felt that this person was not to be trifled with—perhaps even more terrifying than the high-class humans who came to the prison every year to pick up people.
The warden shuddered and obediently waited another half hour.
But the two people still stayed in their respective corners, one crouching, one sitting, without any movement or communication.
The warden suspected they could stay like that until dawn.
That wouldn’t do.
After all, when Luo Mingshan went in, he had specifically instructed him that Zhao Xing had an injury on his waist and couldn’t stay there overnight, so this matter had to be resolved quickly.
After much deliberation, the warden still walked to the iron door with his highly combat-capable assistant robot.
Just as Zhao Xing was about to fall asleep leaning against the wall, the iron door suddenly opened.
Zhao Xing immediately woke up. He stood up from the ground and sized up the newcomer with a displeased expression.
It was a middle-aged prison guard, exuding an air of “officialdom” all over, and apparently a fairly high-ranking one.
He was accompanied by a tall robot with a solemn face, looking quite imposing.
“Are you Zhao Xing?” The prison guard looked him up and down, as if appraising some commodity.
Zhao Xing didn’t speak, only looked at him warily.
The prison guard paced up to him: “I heard you’re quite arrogant. You refused to wear surveillance devices and organized a gang fight among the prisoners here.”
Zhao Xing sneered: “Would you willingly wear that thing? Who the hell wants a cut in their body to shove something in?!”
Prison Guard: “…”
The warden couldn’t help touching his stomach, remembering the button Luo Mingshan had forcibly stuffed in there.
He coughed and gave Zhao Xing a meaningful look, saying ambiguously: “But once you’re here, you have to follow the rules.”
Zhao Xing was silent for a moment, then compromised: “I’m willing to have it implanted, but I have a condition.”
The warden: “Go on.”
Zhao Xing glanced at Luo Mingshan beside him and said flatly: “I find that person next to me disgusting. I don’t want to work with him. Can you make him leave?”
Prison Guard: “…”
The warden subconsciously glanced at Luo Mingshan.
But Luo Mingshan seemed lost in his own world, head drooping, as if he hadn’t seen the warden at all.
The warden had to improvise.
Of course, having Zhao Xing implant that thing was absolutely out of the question, and making Luo Mingshan leave was also impossible.
The warden sneered: “What right do you have to make conditions with me? Zhao Xing, don’t overestimate yourself. Who do you think you are…”
Luo Mingshan finally looked up, expressionlessly glancing at the warden.
The warden felt as if his throat was instantly sealed, and he even briefly lost his voice.
He turned his head and coughed twice, but his tone suddenly became much gentler: “But you may not have the qualifications, but the repentance points in your hand do.”
Zhao Xing immediately relaxed: “How many do you want?”
The warden had checked. Zhao Xing’s electronic card had a full ten thousand points, which Luo Mingshan had just transferred in.
Damn, so much money.
The warden made a gesture: “Ten thousand.”
Such a rip-off!
Zhao Xing cursed inwardly as he handed over the card.
But as he handed it halfway, he stopped.
Wait, this was all Luo Mingshan’s money.
He had just cursed Luo Mingshan out thoroughly, and now he was about to spend a hundred million of his money without batting an eye.
…Wasn’t this eating soft rice with a hard face?
But while he was lost in thought, the warden had already instructed the assistant robot to take his card and transfer all the repentance points.
Zhao Xing silently took back the electronic card with a zero balance.
Forget it.
Eating soft rice with a hard face it was.
Anyway, he wasn’t a good person.
As for the debt, he could repay it in the next life.
He sure as hell couldn’t repay it in this life, and he wouldn’t be seeing Luo Mingshan again anyway.
The warden turned to Luo Mingshan, his tone involuntarily taking on a hint of flattery: “What about you? Want to use repentance points to exchange for the right not to have surveillance devices implanted?”
Luo Mingshan suddenly spoke: “Isn’t this a top-tier factory? People come here to earn those 10 or 20 repentance points. Whether they work or voluntarily have surveillance devices implanted, the purpose is to earn repentance points. Why are you asking us for points because we don’t want the devices, and starting at ten thousand points?”
Prison Guard: “…”
Wait! Weren’t we on the same team? The script didn’t say you’d call me out like this!
Fine, he admitted the excuse of demanding repentance points was a bit flimsy.
But that wasn’t a reason for you to publicly undermine him. How was he supposed to handle this?!
Zhao Xing also frowned, his expression turning suspicious.
He felt… this prison guard seemed to know that he had come to the top-tier factory not for money but for a more important mission, important enough that he could spend a hundred million without blinking.
Prison Guard: “…”
The warden’s heart grew even more flustered under Zhao Xing’s gaze.
What to do when your teammate stabs you in the back? Asking online, urgent.
At his wit’s end, the warden managed a sneer with a sarcastic tone: “Didn’t you give me the repentance points when I asked? Compared to me, aren’t you even stranger for being willing to spend a hundred million just to work in a top-tier factory? We all know the truth in our hearts. Saying it outright would spoil it.”
…This was practically a direct hint!
Zhao Xing’s heart tightened, and his gaze toward the warden grew more guarded and alert: This guy actually knew he wanted to go to the surface!
Had he been too conspicuous and obvious in his usual behavior?!
Luo Mingshan could guess his real purpose, fine, but why could this guard guess too?
The warden looked at Luo Mingshan: “What about you? Want to be like him and use repentance points to exchange for the right not to have surveillance devices implanted?”
Luo Mingshan lowered his head, silent for two seconds.
Then he slowly spoke: “…I don’t want to work in this factory anymore.”
Zhao Xing wasn’t surprised at all, but the warden was taken aback: “What?!”
Wait, boss, why are you changing the script again?!
Luo Mingshan looked at him, his voice hoarse: “Can I leave?”
“Y-you can…” The warden was dazed, but quickly came to his senses, frowning. “Leave? Do you think this is Solar Plaza? Come when you want, leave when you want?!”
Luo Mingshan lowered his eyes: “I’d like to discuss a personal sponsorship matter with you.”
The warden immediately beamed, picking up the new script: “How about we talk outside?”
Once outside the small iron room, the warden immediately dropped his smile and obediently transferred the ten thousand repentance points back to Luo Mingshan, speaking with a mix of respect and fear: “You… are you really not going to the surface with that Zhao Xing?”
Luo Mingshan didn’t speak.
The warden quietly glanced at his expression, which didn’t look good, so he chose his words carefully and asked cautiously: “Are you… really not going to the surface with that Zhao Xing?”
Luo Mingshan lowered his head, still silent.
He was already standing in the shadows, and the posture of bowing his head completely drowned his face in darkness.
He stood there quietly for a long time before finally speaking.
“…What can I do?”
His voice was hoarse as he looked toward the direction where Zhao Xing was.
Though his gaze and expression were vacant and at a loss, one could feel a surging sadness washing over him like a tide.
Like a child who had just been abandoned at the entrance of an orphanage by his parents.
He muttered again:
“I don’t know what to do.”