In life, there comes a time when your preparations fail you. Like how a farmer would prepare for a drought, yet that year it rains normally.
In all honesty, it is never a sin to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
However, anyone would be stunned for a moment when something far beyond their best expectations happens.
I walked onto the third floor of the prison with hopes of encountering some prison guards or perhaps cyborg animals with human-like intelligence attacking me, but what greeted me was a serene silence that made the whole scene feel more dreamlike.
The entire floor had thirty ornate doors, including the one I entered from. The shape was cylindrical, stretching to the size of five average humans. My footsteps vibrated through the tiles, and my shadow hung on the green walls in all eight directions.
My face remained expressionless as I walked to the center and stared at the hole in the ceiling that was two average humans high. A kaleidoscope of colors encircled the edges of the hole.
My mind quickly shrugged off the matter. It was designed to entertain the correction officers. Looking at different colors that resembled stars can help one forget about pressing mental issues and focus on the negative.
I surveyed all thirty doors and could tell that one of these vanished doors led to the fourth floor of the prison, where Hein Malvado was probably recuperating.
That said, the only option to find the door to the fourth floor was to use the trial-and-error method. To make matters worse, even my enhanced hearing couldn't pick up a sound from the closed doors.
"There are way too many," I sighed inwardly as I walked over to the door facing the entrance I used. My steps were calm and collected, neither too fast nor too slow.
"I choose the door on a whim. In terms of probability, this door has the second highest chance of being the entrance to the fourth floor."
Squeak–!
Like a mouse hidden underneath, the door opened with a squeaking sound, only for disappointment to wash over me, yet my face didn't change at all.
The room before me was beyond lavish, and it had a certain charm despite its 20-meter by 15-meter area and the mini-golf course in the middle. In the far left corner was a white stove with an oven below it, connected to a cupboard that was closed by ornate white doors.
On the edge connecting it to the sink were violet flower vases that blended well with the blue paint on the walls. Above them were glass compartments that held neatly lined-up dishes.
Still on the same side, my eyes widened a bit when they fell upon the large flowery window adorned with roses. A blue curtain was tied back to the side, letting rays of light shine on the wooden office desk, which had a rocky chair that bore dirt, indicating it had been a long time since anyone sat on it.
Beyond the glass was a crescent blue moon that was about to set. Below it lay a city filled with towering buildings constructed from the finest materials, all illuminated by electricity, making it seem as if it were daytime.
Two things caught my eye: a giant statue of a white raccoon dressed in black taekwondo attire, its hands on its waist and wearing a half-smile that seemed to conceal many secrets. The other was the largest building, with iron scales as its walls, twisting around like a snake as it rose.
My mind concluded, "Such a building belongs on Earth. Not only does it protect the people inside from any sort of attack, but it also offers unparalleled comfort. Once inside, you won't be able to tell whether the building is twisting or not. In case of a disaster, the building moves to a safe location."
It was too late for me to regret never having entered such a building, even though I had enough money to do so. Maybe my wife and sister would still be alive if they had lived in such a place.
"Sigh... The past is like a ghost that dwells in one's mind, only to resurface at the tiniest spark of regret."
I turned around to try another room, ignoring the bed that seemed to have been made for twin elephants at the opposite edge.
As my left foot went halfway past the room, a thought struck my mind: "Is my goal to climb this fortress of a prison, or is it to escape?"
With brilliance shining in my golden eyes, I turned to look at the flowery window again. I didn't make contact with it, so I could not judge it by sight alone.
Taking off one of my boots, I threw it at the window with all the strength I could muster. I was used to playing javelin in my spare time, so I was a little confident in my throwing skills.
Crack–!
The glass window didn't shatter but formed spiderweb cracks that stretched a few inches from where my boot had landed.
My lips curled up. "It seems heaven has a plan for this break-even."
I walked up to the window, and the moment I reached the crack, I felt cold air rushing into the room. Despite my abilities being sealed, I feigned ignorance to the chill.
Pwaa–!
I smashed the window with the boot I picked up from the ground, shattering it completely, making it seem as if the window had never been there in the first place.
My eyes shone with a joyful glow when I noticed it was only a meter to reach the beautifully paved ground.
"Goodbye, Galactic Prison."