"Get in there, stop dawdling."
Qingcheng City, outskirts, Qingcheng Prison.
Chen Yu, with a face full of reluctance, was led by a middle-aged police officer into the warden's office.
"Zhang, I've brought Chen Yu here." Upon entering, the middle-aged officer released Chen Yu and shook hands with the prison warden enthusiastically, "The rest is up to you guys."
"No trouble at all," the burly man with the title "Warden of Qingcheng Prison" waved his hand, "The documents have come down from above, Wang can rest assured about what's next."
"There's quite a lot to handle back at the station, so I'll get going." The middle-aged officer turned back to point at Chen Yu, reminding, "This kid is pretty slick."
"What kind of slick, can't turn the sky in prison," the warden laughed, "Won't take a month, definitely can be reformed."
"I want to emphasize again, you are breaking the law." Chen Yu said sternly, "I'm going to sue you!"
The middle-aged officer put his hands together, "Anyway, thanks, thanks."
Warden: "It's nothing, nothing."
Middle-aged officer: "Thanks, thanks."
Warden: "You're welcome, you're welcome."
Chen Yu: "Illegal, illegal!"
Middle-aged officer: "Let's go, let's go."
Warden: "Take care, take care."
Chen Yu: "Illegal! Illegal!"
Middle-aged officer: "Goodbye, goodbye."
Warden: "Take care, take care."
Chen Yu: "..."
"Thud."
After the middle-aged officer closed the door and left, in the vast warden's office, only Chen Yu and the warden remained.
"..."
"..."
The two, one big, one small, faced each other in silence for a moment.
Chen Yu struggled, "Illegal."
The warden expressionless, "Quit your babbling."
Moving forward, he reached out and took off Chen Yu's hat, seeing the title "The world's number one serial abuser and dismemberer," the warden couldn't help but grimace, "Impressive."
Chen Yu: "..."
He walked around Chen Yu, clicking his tongue in wonder, "So young and so capable. Really can't tell. Just curious, are you a natural-born psycho, or did it develop later?"
"It's a 'preemptive title,' I haven't broken the law yet," Chen Yu weakly retorted.
"I know." The warden nodded, "If you weren't some 'preemptive title,' by now you would have been executed one thousand four hundred thirty-two times over."
Chen Yu: "...let me out."
Warden: "You're dreaming."
Satisfied with his curiosity, the warden put the hat back on Chen Yu's head, stepped back two steps, sat down on the desk with a plop, and picked up the phone: "Hello? Send two guards, there's someone to pick up from my office."
After hanging up the phone, the warden pointed to a sofa on the side, "Have a seat first."
Chen Yu did not stand on ceremony and sat down straight away.
If you're here, then make the best of it.
The title over his head read "Serial Killer," what could he do...
All he could think about now was to gather all his strength and, once totally free, take out that neighbor who reported him first thing.
You can't teach the government a lesson, but damn it, can't you teach him a lesson?!
The weak lash out at the weaker, as it has been since ancient times, it's only right...
Shortly after.
Two guards in police uniforms arrived.
"Take this young man to the west section of the prison," instructed the warden.
"Yes!" The two went forward, one on each side, ready to take Chen Yu away.
"Hold on," the warden stopped one of the guards, "Let him go on his own, you come here."
The two guards exchanged glances, the one on the left nodded, and continued to escort Chen Yu away.
The remaining guard approached the warden respectfully, "Chief, any instructions?"
"That young man's name is Chen Yu, he's not a criminal. When it's time to sleep, arrange a separate cell for him. He'll eat our food. Everyone should also keep an eye out, don't let those criminals bully him,"
"So that's how it is," the guard realized. "No wonder he was taken from your office."
"He's just a man who's about to commit a crime, but hasn't yet," the warden picked up the cup of tea on his desk and took a light sip. "Intimidate him a bit, a preemptive reformation."
"I understand."
...
"Bang!"
The iron door of the cell was pulled open, and the guard guarding Chen Yu gave him a gentle push, pushing Chen Yu inside, "Get in. If there's anything you don't understand, ask the cell leader."
Since Chen Yu had come from the warden's office, the guard was relatively polite. Had it been any other prisoner, he would have just kicked them in.
"Thud!"
Accompanied by the sound of the iron door closing and locking again, the guard left.
Chen Yu straightened the cap on his head and, wearing a brand-new prison uniform, swallowed and cautiously surveyed the inmates inside the cell.
More than twenty people.
All lying helter-skelter on the large wooden bunks.
Some sitting cross-legged, some doing sit-ups, some sprawled out… a variety of positions.
But unanimously, they were all giving Chen Yu icy stares.
Unblinking.
"Excuse me…hello, everyone," Chen Yu raised his hand with difficulty and greeted.
"The kid seems pretty young," yawned a short-in-stature, rather rat-faced criminal. "What bring you here?"
"Nothing in particular."
The rat-faced criminal looked Chen Yu up and down a few times, then pointed to a corner near the toilet, "That's where you'll sleep from now on."
"Sleep… near the toilet?" Chen Yu felt a twinge in his stomach.
"Stop fucking dawdling," a burly man with tattoos on his arms shouted, "Don't just stand there, you're a fucking eyesore."
Chen Yu was startled and scampered quickly to his assigned spot by the toilet, sitting down.
Meanwhile, the inmate who originally slept by the toilet seemed quite pleased, shifting a bit further out.
Calm returned to the large cell.
'I've really done it now.'
Chen Yu wished he could just die.
To be mixed up and mistakenly treated as a labor reformatory convict...
Damn it.
"Hey, kid?" About five minutes later, the criminal who swapped places with Chen Yu came over, whispering in Chen Yu's ear, "You've offended someone, did you know that?"
"Offended who?" Chen Yu was pulled from his daze and asked in surprise.
"Shush, lower your voice," the inmate pointed to the rat-faced criminal, "You offended him. When he asks you how you got here, just answer. Don't be so dishonest."
"Ah… I see," Chen Yu realized.
"When cell time comes, you should buy some stuff as an apology. Otherwise, you'll get beaten," the inmate's voice grew even lower. "Let me introduce you to the 'big brothers' in our cell; see the one by the door? First bunk. First bunk cell leader, second bunk enforcer, third and fourth bunks, the police squad. Don't mess with them."
"What does all that mean?" Chen Yu was clueless.
"Stop whispering, you two," the bald inmate lying closest to the door opened his eyes, sat up, and beckoned Chen Yu with a finger, "Come here."
It was the "first bunk cell leader."
"Quickly, go!" the inmate beside Chen Yu urged him impatiently.
Chen Yu stood up and walked hesitantly towards the cell leader, "Hello, sir, cell leader."
"Hmm, quite sensible," the bald cell leader stretched out a leg, and immediately an inmate scurried over to massage his thigh, "So, what got you in here?"
'I mustn't lie...'
Remembering the advice given to him, Chen Yu decided to answer honestly, "I killed some people, and got locked up here."
"You trying to fool your dad?" The cell leader paused for a moment, then his anger flared, and he stood up suddenly. He slapped Chen Yu on the head, knocking off his cap, "Motherfucker, as if you can get into this cell for murder..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the cell leader collapsed to the ground with a "thump."
As if struck by lightning.
Above Chen Yu's head, the title of [World's Number One Serial Corpse Mutilating Murderer] was shining brightly...
...