Time was passing, day by day.
Three weeks later.
One afternoon.
Chen Yu closed his eyes to rest, leisurely lying on the wooden bunk, listening to instrumental music playing from his cellphone.
The block leader massaged his shoulders, while a fraudster massaged his legs.
The criminals from bunk three and four, dubbed the "detective squad," held a plate of fruit, diligently feeding him as he occasionally opened his mouth.
Comfortable as hell.
"Cough. That's enough." Chen Yu swallowed a grape, cleared his throat, and waved his hand, "I'm sick of bananas, grapes, apples, and oranges—these cheap fruits. Bring some durian tomorrow."
"No problem," the block leader raised his hand, "Brother, leave it to me. I'll make sure it's the freshest."
"Hmm." Chen Yu, without opening his eyes, nodded in satisfaction, "Good."
"Big brother," the enforcer from bunk four set down the fruit plate, joined the massage team, and asked, "When will you be executed by firing squad?"
"Executed by firing squad, my ass!" the block leader burst into rage, slapping the enforcer viciously across the face, "Who dares to execute our boss?"
In one month, these intelligent criminals had fully understood the terror of Chen Yu.
At night, he slept in a single cell!
During the day, he ate with the guards!
Every few days, heads of the prison guard system would counsel these criminals not to bully Chen Yu...
What formidable connections he had!
The block leaders from the east and west wings speculated that behind Chen Yu might stand a powerful "superhuman." Otherwise, it was impossible to explain how the "world's most notorious serial killer" could live so carefree in prison.
After all, the "title" over everyone's head could not be faked!
"Ah." Smacking his lips, Chen Yu finally opened his eyes, "Stop, your technique is lacking."
"Yes, yes," the bald block leader nodded repeatedly, "We will practice more."
Chen Yu: "Maybe I won't be able to enjoy it anymore."
"What… what do you mean?" the block leader asked blankly.
Chen Yu did not explain, instead he stood up, stretched his arms and legs, and loosened up.
The title above his head changed every month.
A month had passed since the last change.
So at most, by the day after tomorrow, his title "world's number one serial corpse-abusing murderer" would cease to exist.
If it changed to "ordinary person," the public security would have to take him out.
"...Such a pity." Licking his lips, wistfully, Chen Yu bent down to pick up his cellphone from the floor, turned off the music, and prepared to leave the cell to stroll around the prison yard.
Here, he had a special privilege.
Every evening, before going to sleep in his own "dorm," he could freely move about for half an hour.
Thinking it was about time, Chen Yu pocketed his cellphone and turned to walk towards the cell door.
And this turn brought him face to face with the middle-aged officer outside the iron bars—the deputy director of the Hongtukeng Police Station.
Next to him stood the prison warden.
"Ah…hello." Chen Yu felt somewhat awkward, lifted his hand in greeting, "Long time no see."
"Yeah, right." The middle-aged officer's face darkened, "We let you in here to be educated and reformed. Instead, you're enjoying yourself here."
Chen Yu sheepishly grinned, "Bro, when did you get here?"
"Since that guy started dancing for you, I've been here," the middle-aged officer pointed directly at a prisoner inside the cell: "This big and burly guy dancing a folk dance for you, and you can stomach that?"
"Since there're no girls around, I really had no choice," Chen Yu quickly deflected, walking to the door, "Anyway, open the door for me."
The warden shook his head, and a guard stepped forward, took out an electronic card, and unlocked the door.
As Chen Yu stepped through the door, just about to say something, the middle-aged officer waved his hand and turned around, coldly saying, "Follow me."
The deputy director, the warden, and Chen Yu walked non-stop through the entire west wing of the prison, entering a two-story building not far from the prison's main gate.
Having lived there a month, Chen Yu was quite familiar with the entire prison. Seeing they were entering this building, he suddenly exclaimed, "Are you taking me away?"
"Do you want to stay here and retire or what?" the middle-aged officer glared at Chen Yu, then politely said to the warden, "Warden, we can proceed with the formalities now."
"Okay. You all take a seat, and I'll get it done."
The warden left.
The two men found a break room and sat down.
Chen Yu was hesitant, "So... we're leaving tonight?"
"You don't want to get out?" the middle-aged officer muttered.
"It's not that." Chen Yu licked his lips. "It's just that I have an appointment with durian tomorrow..."
"Smack!"
The middle-aged officer was furious and slammed the table hard. "You've really become addicted to this place! Hopeless!"
Chen Yu: "..."
The middle-aged officer: "We're leaving tonight!"
It was oddly coincidental.
Half a minute after the deputy chief's shouting ended, the title above Chen Yu's head, "World's Leading Serial Corpse-Dismembering Killer," began to fade.
The middle-aged officer noticed it immediately! After a moment of surprise, flames of fury erupted.
"What the hell!"
"Huh?" Chen Yu was puzzled. "What now?"
"As soon as I mentioned taking you out of jail, your title changed immediately!" the middle-aged officer clenched his fists so hard they cracked. "You're pushing it too far!"
"My title is fading?" Chen Yu was surprised. "That's a coincidence?"
Faced with such an infuriating creature, the middle-aged officer suppressed the urge to strike him, gritted his teeth, and tried to stay calm. "Fine. Fine, fine, fine. You haven't had enough of this place, have you? Good! As long as you abandon those insane thoughts and behave, change your title. I can talk to the higher-ups, and maybe they could let you come here for a 'vacation' a few days each year."
"Is that even possible?!" Chen Yu was delighted.
The title above his head seemed to fade a bit more...
The middle-aged officer: "..."
After a long silence, the middle-aged officer's anger ebbed, and he tiredly rubbed his face.
He now believed the deputy director had been right.
This guy's "mentality" really was a bit off.
"If it weren't for your title being 'Preemptive,' I could shoot you back and forth several times!" the middle-aged officer spit out fiercely.
"You're right." Chen Yu nodded. "But you don't have the warden's expertise, he said he could put me down over a thousand times."
Two hours later.
All the release procedures were completed.
And everything was properly communicated with public security and the government.
Chen Yu, holding documents stamped by the warden, the chief, and the Qingcheng government office, walked out of the Qingcheng Prison's main gate.
The "squeak squeak" sound of the iron gate opening was crisp and pleasant. Yet, Chen Yu felt regretful.
He hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye to his fellow inmates yet...
Outside the gate, two familiar faces were waiting.
It was the male and female officers who had initially "arrested" Chen Yu.
"Eh?" the female officer was surprised, looking at Chen Yu's title. "Reformed already?"
"Nonsense!" the middle-aged officer pushed Chen Yu. "He just wants to stay in prison. The moment I mentioned taking him out, he got scared and changed his title."
"What the heck." Chen Yu countered. "How could I control my own title."
"It's a 'Preemptive Title.' What it can turn into is just a matter of thought for you," the middle-aged officer said darkly. "I warn you, live properly. Your 'title' is preemptive; although it can't convict you, it precisely reflects your thoughts and intentions. This time and last, I took it as accidental. But if it continues, I can only believe you are threatening the police and challenging the law through your own 'title'!"
"The officer is right," the male officer chimed in seriously. "You're an innocent citizen, and we can rectify and help you. But once we determine you're causing trouble, I believe you never want to experience what our police can do."
"Whatever I say seems powerless," Chen Yu raised his hand, holding up two fingers. "But I swear, I've always genuinely been a good citizen."
As the words fell, the title above his head changed on time.
From "World's Leading Serial Corpse-Dismembering Killer," it changed to "Terrorist."
Male officer: "..."
Female officer: "..."
Middle-aged officer: "It never ends, does it."
...