"You are new here aren't you? If you are then better to never mess with that Miss Fox around here." The saying was always given to any new prisoners who had just entered the largest prison of Beijing.
"M- Miss Fox?" The new prisoner asked the warden as she showed her the way inside the prison cell. "Who is it?"
"You might not know her but I will tell you this as a warning, just stay low for a week as she would be released out of the prison the next seven days," the warden warned before yelling at the prisoners who were making a mess as they had gambled while playing a round of jokers. "She is someone that even a serial killer fear in this place. Currently she is the one who controls everyone in the prison."
"Is she that strong?" The prisoner asked, fiddling with her fingers out of fear.
"Not necessarily strong but everyone here oddly listen to her words like a gospel. I heard you were brought here because of an accidental mistake, so you should know who you shouldn't annoy," the warden warned again. "Ah that. There she is. Miss Fox."
The prisoner slowly turned her face to the single woman who was sitting under a tree in the playground. She was holding a book that appeared like a bible. Holding it with one hand, her figure didn't seem as heinous as the rumors had told her. She had held a serene complexion as she read through the book, flipping the page in an extreme calmness. Her face however, as another reason why the prisoner found herself impressed. She appeared like a fairy, dainty features and soft round eyes. But when she smiled, her eyes turned sultry like a fox. Perhaps that was where her name had came from.
"Ah damn it, not again," the warden said in a mutter.
"What's wrong?" The young prisoner asked.
"Those are the gangs who want to steal the authority that Miss Fox have," commented the warden. "They will pay for that mistake soon though."
"But can she really fight all those seven people alone?" The young prisoner became worried such beautiful fairy would be going against so many women who were holding dangerous items. "This will serve you a lesson. Watch it yourself."
The prisoner thought that the warden had gone crazy, perhaps doing all of this on purpose because she found Miss Fox as an eyesore. But she couldn't be more wrong after finding out that the fairy she had deemed as innocent was indeed a frightening "Fox" in a matter of seconds she had took all the seven women down to the ground, breaking their legs, their arms, and smashing them to the tree with almost no effort.
"That is how you can survive here. Poor her to stay here for six years ever since she came to adulthood," commented the warden after watching that the fight had finished.
AiLin closed the book she had been reading and placed it neatly on the bench which she sat on after. She tilted her head, staring at one of the seven people she had beaten up and crossed her leg with a smirk, "It's been a while since someone had came so daringly to fight me. Especially considering I have only seven days left to stay here. Tell me did someone sent you here?"
The only person whose jaw hadn't been broken could only stare wide and at fear upon hearing the last question AiLin had asked. AiLin could find her answer from the expression. Indeed, the Jiang Family had sent another person to kill her inside the prison. It was funny how they had always been unsuccessful in doing so yet so persistent and never failed to send people after people for the past six years.
"I'm asking you a question aren't I?" AiLin asked as she pulled the book again and opened it to begin her reading. "I hate being left unanswered."
"Y-Yes Miss AiLin! I-It was someone named Jiang NianNian...."
"I see, she seemed so bored with her peaceful life these days," AiLin chuckled and her smile that appeared beautiful only made everyone who saw it including the prisoners around her to feel shiver running down their spine. "I will warn you this since you seem new around here. In this place, there are people you shouldn't mess with and that person includes me. Go to your mistress and tell her to not be hasty. I will see her in seven days."
The group of people who attacked her immediately shiver on their place and winced.
She stared at them again, her eyes narrowing, "Still here? Go, shoo." She waved her hand and immediately had the women to run away one after another as they didn't want to be dead last on the run and be killed by AiLin's hands.
AiLin scoffed before she began to read her book again. Flipping one page after another she then abruptly closed the book. It had been six years. She was brought here for murders she hadn't done. As if that wasn't neigh the Jiang Family couldn't have her alive and was always in urgency of sending people one after another to finish her inside the prison. She knew they feared her coming back out of the prison but never could she thought that they would be so brazen and impatient. If they wanted her dead they should have done it before she entered the prison as staying her made her learn the new skills of survival, allowing her to even control the entire prison in one sweep.
Though soon that achievement wouldn't matter so much in seven days.
Just as she was about to start reading again, a warden had came up to her, "Jiang AiLin."
"I am not Jiang anymore, Warden Sui," AiLin smiled but dangerously being mentioned as one of those venomous family members.
The warden felt a chill but didn't let it appear on her face, "AiLin. Tomorrow you shall be released from prison. By afternoon, at twelve thirty."
AiLin pushed herself from the bench, "Are you drunk Warden Sui? I have seven more days."
Warden Sui coughed, "It is due to all your good efforts. This decision was made by the higher ups. Shouldn't you be happy instead of questioning me?"
The tone was translated as "don't ask too much and accept the kind grace" but AiLin couldn't help and find the nature of this offer far beyond good.
"Whose decision?" AiLin asked again, her tone becoming more menacing.
"I don't know," Warden Sui wasn't lying which made her to frown even more. "It is for your own sake to accept this, AiLin. The person who helped you be released from the prison had came with a good reason."
AiLin chuckled, "I don't think you understand this, Warden Sui. No one is kind for no reason. But," she paused, "If it helps me to leave this place faster then I should be thankful. Do tell that person that I am really grateful as well." At the end of her words, AiLin's tone had became more malicious, uttering it as a warning rather than a grateful expression.
Warden Sui watched as AiLin took her book and left the playground, causing the warden to breathe out the exhale she had kept tight in her lungs. Speaking with AiLin would make anyone nervous even if they feel they have the upper hand. Although Warden Sui believed that having AiLin kept in the prison was better her higher ups had warned her to have AiLin be escorted out of the prison tomorrow afternoon without fail. They couldn't ask why as the higher ups had plans that someone lower rank like her could ask. But she could feel that there was a large force behind the dark, a stronger person in control who had helped AiLin to leave the prison. As to whether this person is good natured or not that was for the future to answer.
For now, Warden Sui could only hope she didn't have to deal with AiLin anymore, praying that the woman who had spent her last six years as soon as she reached adulthood to never step back and live a better life. It wasn't only or AiLin's own sake but also the prison as the control AiLin had in the place was so strong that none could ever deny.
The next afternoon right when the clock struck twelve, AiLin was allowed to leave the prison as Warden Sui had told her. She was still in disbelief but wasn't one to refuse such a good offer.
"Learn your lesson and change after you leave the prison, AiLin," said the guard who had passed her a light bag.
AiLin stared at the light bag and took it to her arms. She turned toward the prison guard and showed him a bright smile, "Sir, have I ever made your day difficult in the prison? Trust me, I have changed."
"Sigh," the prison guard spoke. "I would have trusted you if I don't know your personality. Really, AiLin, I don't think you are someone who would kill. I have seen you for six years and as someone who had guarded this place for so long I know you are different."
"Am I?" AiLin's eyes suddenly turned frosty but she quickly smiled. "I'm glad that you noticed that. Don't worry, grandpa Lin. I will walk out freely now, open maybe a stall of soup shop and I will invite you when that happened."
The prison guard sighed. He had seen this girl six years before and gone was the innocent on her face. Prison could change people yet AiLin seemed to have gained back her energy since she entered prison. She was the only one who would talk nicely to the prison guard, even going so far to calling him "grandpa" after knowing that he had lost his granddaughter in a young age.
"Okay okay, go now. Don't ever look back on your mistake," Grandpa Lin admonished. "Don't ever stoop low and hurt someone."
AiLin didn't promise nor did she reply.
She only looked at the man and smiled widely until her eyes turned crescent. As she waved her hand from the grandpa, she walked away by feet and disappeared into the street.