I wasn't sure if he understood my hint, but I still hoped he would make it back to China safely.
At noon, I finally got to eat at the regular cafeteria.
Though there were a few pieces of meat, I didn't dare to eat them. Sister Dinosaur had warned me not to eat the meat. Fortunately, there was freshly cooked white rice and stir-fried vegetables with carrots.
I heard that the chefs who cooked the meals in the big pots were also Chinese, so the food naturally tasted good.
However, a small bowl of rice and watery vegetable soup couldn't satisfy my hunger. But having something to eat was better than nothing.
After I finished my meal and left the cafeteria, the sharp assembly whistle blew again on the playground.
"Someone tried to escape last night and was caught."
"I heard it was a piglet from the building next door..."
"Stop talking and hurry to the assembly, or we'll get beaten."
A group of people pushed and shoved past me, and I couldn't help but follow them to the nearby playground.
Soon, everyone in the camp had surrounded the playground.
In the center were two middle-aged men, bound and in pain. They were naked, covered in wounds, and looked like they had just been severely beaten.
"Everyone, open your eyes and see what happens when you try to escape!" A henchman shouted at us.
Two other henchmen shoved electric batons into the men's mouths, causing them to lose control of their bodily functions on the spot.
Then they drove ten-centimeter-long steel needles under their fingernails.
The men passed out from the pain.
After being revived with cold water, the henchmen used pliers to rip off their fingernails and toenails.
I clenched my fists, wishing I could kill these beasts and rescue my fellow captives. But facing such absolute power, I was helpless. I couldn't even ensure my own safety, let alone save others.
"Stop beating us! We won't run again! Please!" They begged, their voices hoarse.
"Too late!" A henchman smashed a gun butt into one man's knee.
"Crack!" The sound was clear and crisp.
Their legs were broken, with bones piercing through the skin.
I shivered and remembered the fight with Chen Weiqiang that morning. Why hadn't he tortured me or let the henchmen beat me? Was it guilt?
I quickly dismissed this naive thought as Chen Weiqiang approached with a cold demeanor.
He wore sharp dress pants, a white shirt, and shiny black shoes, his long hair flowing. In contrast to our ragged clothes and dirty faces, he stood out like a sore thumb.
"You tried to escape and killed one of my brothers! Today, you'll be fried and fed to the dogs!" Without another word, Chen Weiqiang hit them with his AK-47, blinding them both.
Each man lost one eye, leaving one to see his own torture.
Death or suicide was harder than anything here.
"I didn't expect Assistant Chen to be so ruthless..." Sister Dinosaur said, appearing beside me.
I turned and asked, "Isn't he always like this?"
"This is the first time I've seen him beat someone publicly. No, the first time was when he hit you..."
"He's just a beast in human clothing!" I said angrily, watching Chen Weiqiang, wishing I could kill him.
Around us, many people were crying softly, especially the girls who covered their eyes.
After beating the men, Chen Weiqiang ordered his henchmen to heat oil and coat the men with sauces. Their tongues had been cut out, so they couldn't scream, only convulse in agony.
Once the oil boiled, the henchmen threw them in...
"Crackling sounds"
Minutes later, they were reduced to a sticky black mess.
The henchmen scooped up their remains and fed them to the dogs.
This brutal, bloody scene terrified those who thought of escaping and deeply shocked me. I realized how utterly vile a person could be, far worse than a devil.
My hatred for Chen Weiqiang grew even stronger.
"If you work hard, you can enjoy good food and drinks like me. If you try to escape and get caught, you'll end up in the oil pan," Chen Weiqiang said nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened.
In the crowd, I glared at him, feeling like I had never known him.
He seemed to sense my anger and glanced over, smiling slightly. "Dismissed!" he said.
After helping the trembling Sister Dinosaur back to the office on the second floor, I couldn't calm down. I appeared calm on the surface, but inside, I was panicking.
Because I also wanted to escape, but I didn't want to end up like that.
"Little Bottle, are you thinking about running away too?" Sister Dinosaur's teeth chattered as she whispered to me, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. Her eyes were filled with emotions I couldn't understand.
"…" I twitched my mouth but said nothing.
"Don't be fooled by Scar and the others; you can't escape. I've never seen anyone succeed," she said, concerned for my safety. But I didn't want to share my thoughts, fearing I'd drag her down with me.
"Everyone, stop what you're doing," Meng said happily as he entered, holding up his phone.
Everyone looked up curiously, wondering what he was up to.
"Feifei has crossed the border. Here's a video of him being taken away by Chinese border police," Meng announced, showing the video of Feifei being escorted by the police.
"We keep our promises. If you earn enough money, you can buy your freedom too," Meng said, reminding everyone to work hard and not to rebel or escape, or face dire consequences.
The entire afternoon, I was distracted, the image of the oil pan scene replaying in my mind. It was too horrific and solidified my resolve to escape.
After work, I limped back to the dormitory. Scar told me some bad news: one of the guys locked in the water prison yesterday had died.
I didn't know what to say, so I silently treated my wounds. The red flower oil was from Sister Dinosaur, who had used her money to buy me medicine and snacks.
"Is Sister Dinosaur into you? Watch out! She likes fresh meat like you," Scar joked.
"Huh?" I didn't understand.
"Just kidding. Let's talk seriously."
He leaned closer and asked seriously, "Do you want to go home?"
"Absolutely!" I said firmly.