The mere thought of Supervisor Meili pouting her crimson lips and lecherously touching my abs makes me feel sick.
"Uncle, don't mention her. It makes me want to throw up!"
Uncle Scar stifled a laugh and continued, "Three nights from now at midnight, we'll escape through the broken corner by the public restroom on the east side. Hardly any of the thugs patrol there because the toilet's clogged and the sewage is everywhere, so they avoid it due to the stench. Someone will cut the power at the right moment, and we'll climb over the electric fence and head straight into the woods..."
I couldn't help but ask, "Uncle, where did you get this information? Is it reliable?"
If our plan is exposed, the consequences will be worse than death.
"It's absolutely reliable. I overheard it a few days ago when I went to the infirmary to get you some alcohol. The supervisor from the adjacent park and a doctor were discussing it. They have undercover agents from local bosses too, and they've been plotting something big but were waiting for the right opportunity. You know, the more chaos here, the better it is for them. They can seize control of the parks and make money. By the way, I've hidden some snacks and a knife in a dirt mound near the restroom. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a gun. Remember, at midnight in three days, we meet there and hide. If the Wei family attacks, we escape immediately. Worst case, if they don't come, we can pretend we were just using the toilet. We won't get in trouble."
Uncle Scar was excited and determined about the plan. His confidence was infectious, and I wished it was already midnight three days later.
"I'm too fat and will only slow you down. I'll stay. Going back home means jail anyway. I'll just live as a lone king here," Sister Dragon said dejectedly.
"Sister, as long as I'm here, don't worry. I won't leave you behind. If we're escaping, we're doing it together. With a good attitude, even jail back home is better than this place. In a few years, you can start fresh and be a great woman again," I assured her sincerely. She had helped me, and if there was a chance to escape, I wouldn't abandon her unless she chose to stay.
"Dragon, don't be silly. We're all going together. You're a bit heavier, but we two men can carry you if needed," Uncle Scar also encouraged her. Our dorm had seen everyone else die in these past few days, leaving just the three of us. There's no guarantee we would survive another month in this hellhole. Escape was our only option.
Sister Dragon asked with a strange look, "Little Bottle, you really want to take me with you?"
I replied seriously, "Yes, I won't abandon you halfway. Trust me, Sister."
"Little Bottle, I trust you!" Sister Dragon said, her eyes full of sincerity.
Seeing her genuine look, I grinned, "Actually, I know martial arts. If we have weapons when we escape, I can protect us."
"Little Bottle, you're a treasure!"
"Indeed!"
"Alright, stop joking around. Get some sleep and rest well. We need to complete our tasks tomorrow," Uncle Scar said, lying down in the middle and urging us to rest. Without watches or phones, we couldn't tell the time, relying on the guards' whistles for waking, working, and eating.
We stopped talking, lay down, and each drifted into sleep with our thoughts.
The next morning, after eating a breakfast even dogs would refuse, we returned to our work area to type on the keyboards. In just ten days, several familiar faces were gone, replaced by new ones.
I couldn't understand why people came to this impoverished Southeast Asian place expecting high-paying jobs when they couldn't find them back in China. Here, only an abyss awaited those dreaming of riches, leaving no room for regret.
My sudden appearance startled our team leader, Big Head. Rumors were flying that I'd slept with the old woman Meili to save my life, and I was too lazy to explain. Previously, I would have been outraged at such insults, but now, the more outrageous the rumors, the better it was for me. Here, survival meant having money, power, and a strong backer. The truth didn't matter.
"Little Bottle, enjoying yourself these days? But don't get cocky. You're still working for me, and disobedience will still be punished!" Sister Jade warned, walking over with a stern expression.
"I'll work hard and won't cause trouble," I assured her.
"Good. Don't think that siding with that old woman makes you safe. She might not even survive..." She stopped herself, realizing she was about to reveal too much, and quickly walked away on her ten-centimeter heels.
Watching her leave, I wondered if she was talking about Supervisor Meili. Was her life in danger within three days? It seemed many wanted her dead, but why? It couldn't just be about control of the park. Keeping the workers would make transitions profitable.
"Little Bottle, stop daydreaming. The account I gave you, wasn't it blocked by you? It's active again," Sister Dragon whispered, tugging at my shirt.
"What? Active again? That old man still hasn't given up?" I logged into QQ on the computer and saw numerous requests from him to add me, threatening to commit suicide if I didn't accept. He'd sent these messages this morning. I accepted, planning to dissuade him from doing anything foolish and to tell him I was a scammer, but he didn't believe me. He claimed that not chatting with "me" had made him so distraught that he fell ill.
I was speechless. Did he drink Sister Dragon's bewitching potion to be so obsessed?
Blame it on the overly convincing scam videos from the park.
"Keep chatting, and mention the police again, and I'll send you to the water dungeon," Sister Jade suddenly shocked me with an electric baton, scolding me harshly.
This seductive woman was viciously cruel. To avoid getting shocked, I continued to pretend to chat, randomly sending pictures. Sister Jade glared at me before moving on to supervise others.
"Little Bottle, be serious and land a big score. Otherwise, you'll miss this month's targets," Sister Dragon reminded me.
She was right. After spending ten days in the hospital, it was already the 16th. Failing to meet the 300,000 yuan target this month would cost me dearly.