"I can handle the fish that just go with the flow, but stirring up trouble like this is just nonsense," Lin Xiaoxiao glared at Ye Wan, "I can put up with the boss badmouthing me, but why are you causing a scene?"
"I'm just telling it like it is," Ye Wan calmly replied, "To business now, how do you plan to test the kid?"
Lin Xiaoxiao thought for a moment, then smiled meaningfully, "I'll start by giving him a nightmare."
Ye Wan frowned, "Moderation is key."
"Don't worry."
At that moment, there was a commotion at the back of the line where the prisoners were getting their food, and Lin Xiaoxiao looked over.
Prison 18 was like a huge, empty metal box, with 21 armed robotic guards deployed around the perimeter during mealtime.
They lacked human emotions and managed all emergent situations within the prison.
Compared to the over three thousand prisoners, 21 robotic guards seemed too few, but every prisoner knew that the real threats were the drones embedded in the high dome ceiling and the six-barreled metal storm.
Cold and powerful.
At noon mealtime, all the prisoners arrived on time and lined up in columns outside the cafeteria, then got their food floor by floor.
Furthermore, each prisoner had to stand in their assigned spot.
Any newcomer who forgot their spot in the line was promptly surrounded by the robotic guards for a warning, and if they failed to return to their place after the warning, the guards would administer an electric shock as punishment before escorting them to their spot.
New prisoners who'd just endured a 'welcome ritual' in the morning were dizzy and couldn't remember where they originally stood, so they ended up being shocked one by one.
The veteran prisoners, on the other hand, watched the newcomers make fools of themselves like it was a recurring comedy show.
Suddenly, the veteran prisoners felt something amiss, how had the young man who played chess with Uncle Li Dong that morning not been punished?
The crowd searched among themselves and then found Qing Chen standing in his own spot, calmly observing everything.
It was odd, with each column holding at least five hundred people, amid so many unfamiliar faces, how did this young man manage to find his own spot?
And Qing Chen, he was sizing up the "newcomers" who had been imprisoned with him.
The newcomers' faces bore no marks of injury, yet their walking postures were extremely peculiar, as if enduring pain.
It appeared the prisoners were restrained in their approach, not hitting the face, and ensuring it wasn't fatal.
As he walked forward with his tray, a hand suddenly pulled him out of the food line.
Qing Chen was startled, he turned to see Lin Xiaoxiao pulling him along and saying, "You don't need to line up with them anymore. Anyone who can play chess with the boss doesn't need to stand in line."
Qing Chen instinctively looked towards the robotic guards, fearing that stepping out of line might result in an electric shock.
However, he realized the robotic guards completely ignored him and urged the other prisoners to fill his spot!
Qing Chen couldn't understand, even if Uncle Li Dong and others had special status, it surely couldn't be to this extent, could it?!
Lin Xiaoxiao led him through the long rows of queues, getting food, sitting opposite Uncle Li Dong to eat, all in one fluid motion.
The surrounding prisoners silently watched this scene, their gazes fixated on Qing Chen.
The previously noisy environment suddenly quieted down, as if everyone held their breath.
At that moment, they realized, Qing Chen was no longer one of them.
Lin Xiaoxiao squatted next to Qing Chen's chair and said with a grin, "Don't be surprised. Anyone who can play chess with the boss naturally gets some special treatment. Go ahead, eat, although the food here in Prison 18 isn't good at all."
Qing Chen looked up at Uncle Li Dong across from him, who was slowly eating his meal without any intent of conversation.
He then glanced at the crowd, where Lu Guangyi in the line was quietly giving him a thumbs up …
Qing Chen didn't understand. Uncle Li Dong had been only willing to play chess with him that morning, but why was there such a significant change in attitude by the afternoon?
Was it because of his identity in this world?
...
At 8:40 pm, Qing Chen returned to his cell at the designated time.
While the others were lining up to return to their rooms, he tried moving freely out of line, and sure enough, the robotic guards no longer paid him any attention.
As long as he was heading toward his own cell, the robotic guards wouldn't focus on him.
The prisoners looked at him with envious eyes; Qing Chen walked along the long hallway like a lone wolf striking its own path.
The single occupancy cell was empty; once the alloy gate closed, he walked toward the washbasin to brush his teeth and wash his face.
But he hadn't taken two steps before he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to sleep.
This sleepiness was not normal, even if he had overexerted his mind during the day, it wouldn't be to the extent that his willpower couldn't support him.
Something was off!
Without further thought, Qing Chen collapsed to the floor.
In his dream, Qing Chen was consciously standing in the living room of a dimly lit villa.
At first, he knew it was a dream, and clearly understood that his body was still in the cell.
But two seconds later, he forgot everything, as if he were meant to be there, no longer recalling that it was a dream.
The living room had a fireplace burning wood, filling the room with a unique damp smell as the water content was roasted by the fireplace, rising and condensing on the ceiling.
The tall ceiling sported a crystal chandelier, which Qing Chen couldn't find the switch for after looking around.
The room felt eerie.
Qing Chen's pupils suddenly constricted.
There were bloodstains on the second-floor staircase.
On the living room sofa, there were claw marks from a cat; the leather had been torn open by sharp claws, creating several splits.
On the fireplace mantel, there was a picture frame with its glass shattered, and the photo was nowhere to be found.
On the wall, there were greyish-blue marks from a knife cut, and as the flames in the fireplace flickered, those marks on the wall and the cracks on the sofa seemed to twist eerily.
On the carpet, there lay a blood-stained dagger.
Someone had written two conspicuous characters in blood on the floor next to the carpet: "Ghost."
Thud, thud, thud—there came a knocking at the door.
Qing Chen took a deep breath. He hadn't touched anything inside and walked to the door. "Who is it?"
A relaxed voice came from outside, "Police, badge number 27149. Did you call the police? Please open the door."
Qing Chen frowned. The voice sounded familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had heard it before.
Strange, was there something wrong with his Memory Power?
He hesitated but opened the door; outside stood a young police officer holding a case file.
As soon as the door was opened, the officer saw blood flowing down from the staircase leading to the second floor. He quickly ascended the stairs while saying, "The person who called, please don't move from your spot, and lock the door!"
Qing Chen was puzzled; the police officer's procedure seemed improper and he wasn't even carrying a gun.
But for some reason, he subconsciously followed the instructions.
The young police officer went upstairs, and Qing Chen remained standing at the door.
Not even half a minute had passed when there was another knock on the door.
Qing Chen asked, "Who is it?"
"Police, badge number 27149. Did you call the police? Please open the door."
Qing Chen startled, hadn't badge number 27149 already gone upstairs? Then who was outside the door?
At that moment, a ghastly voice in his subconscious asked him: What would you do now? Guess, between the inside and the outside of the door, which one is real? Or maybe, neither are real.
The police officer outside was urging, "Hello, please open the door."
Qing Chen took another deep breath and walked back into the house; he tried to pick up the blood-stained dagger from the floor, but there seemed to be a transparent barrier between him and the dagger.
He was only a step away from the dagger, yet he could never touch it.
Someone didn't want him to take the knife.
Someone wanted to trap him here.
Yet the countdown on his arm was still ticking, and his heart and blood were still beating and flowing.
He had come to this cold mechanical world alone and unattached, with no way back.
"Get out of the way," said Qing Chen in a cold tone, his pupils constricted again as if he harnessed all his courage into a blade to cut through something.
A strange sound of glass breaking echoed in the emptiness of the living room, and the barrier between him and the dagger shattered.
Someone let out a soft "Huh."
Qing Chen picked up the knife and turned towards the staircase.
Suddenly, a voice from nowhere asked him: What are you doing with the knife? Aren't you going to open the door for the officer?
Qing Chen answered coldly, "Wait till I kill the one inside then I will."
Lin Xiaoxiao: "???"
At that moment, Qing Chen finally remembered. When he broke the barrier while picking up the knife, he also broke the nightmare's block on his memory.
He recognized the voice as Lin Xiaoxiao's, and the young police officer was also remodeled after Lin Xiaoxiao.
He was in a nightmare created by Lin Xiaoxiao.
It seemed like this world was getting more interesting.
...
Asking for monthly votes, I feel like with a new book I could make it into the top ten! All depends on you!
Also, starting tomorrow, new updates every evening at 6 p.m.!
...
Thanks to:
Penguin in the North Pole
Headmaster Loves Tea
Shy Actor
Ash Drifting Down Gloomily
These four bosses have become patrons of the Silver City Alliance!
Generous bosses! May your fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea and your life as long as the Zhongnan Mountain!