Chapter Fifty-Two: Storms Within the Prison

After a day of grueling combat training, the three of them were too exhausted to move. Gasping for breath, Xiaobao complained, “Why is my name the worst? I suggested Mu Xiao, even Mu Tong would be fine, but Mu Xiaotong? It sounds like a child with special needs.”

Da Chun mocked himself, “You should be grateful. For a side character to even have a name is already not bad, and you even have a detailed backstory.”

He glanced at the file with the name “An Dagen” and felt deeply disappointed. “Officer Li really wasn’t trying. ‘An Dagen’ sounds like a bunch of random syllables thrown together.”

Ye Dong chuckled, “An Dagen—basically ‘I am Dagen.’ You’re a mighty Dagen! Officer Li must think highly of you!”

He looked at his own file, “He Wentian, father He Ding, mother Yuan Ying, a super-rich family hidden overseas mainly in the finance business, with a web of intricate connections.”

Xiaobao murmured, “Officer Li told us to abandon everything about our old identities. Now, we can’t even go home.”

Ye Dong nodded, “He said all our former records have been wiped from the face of the earth. We need to adapt to our new identities and immerse ourselves in our roles as quickly as possible.”

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. “Ye Dong, are you there?”

Ye Dong’s heart leapt. “Huiyan?!”

He sprang up from the floor and opened the door with a grin. “Coming, coming!”

No sooner had the door opened than a sharp slap landed on his cheek. “From this slap on, Ye Dong is dead! From now on, your name is He Wentian!”

With that, Huiyan turned and left, leaving Ye Dong stunned inside the room.

“He Wentian, I am Mu Xiaotong. Please take care of me.”

“Hello, I am An Dagen. Pleased to meet you.”

The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter, closing the door behind Ye Dong. “Looks like she slapped you just to help Officer Li get even.”

Just then, another knock came from outside. “Ye Dong, open up.” This time it was a man’s voice.

Having just been slapped by Huiyan for no apparent reason, Ye Dong was still fuming. Hearing the knock, he couldn’t help but shout, “Ye Dong’s out on a date with your mom!”

“What!?” The voice outside sounded angry.

“That voice is familiar!” Cold sweat broke out on Ye Dong’s forehead. “Is… is it Master!?”

He hurriedly opened the door to find Chen Yao standing outside, expressionless, with Zilong and the other two behind him barely suppressing their laughter.

“Master, what brings you here so late?”

Seeing Zilong, Ye Dong put away his embarrassed look and eyed Zilong with disdain. “And you three have the nerve to show up?”

Zilong was about to explain, but Chen Yao’s icy gaze cut him off, sending a chill down his spine. “Fine, better to offend my fellow disciple than my master!”

Chen Yao spoke first. “From now on, mind your manners when you speak. We’re here to instruct you in Taoist arts.”

Ye Dong was overjoyed. “Master, you’re teaching us personally!?”

Chen Yao smiled knowingly. “What, are you complaining I didn’t teach you personally before?”

The three of them quickly shook their heads and pulled Chen Yao into the room with them.

...

At the police station, Xiao Li handed over a few files. “Chief, there are only five days left. Can Ye Dong and the others really transform? The time is so short.”

Officer Li put down his teacup, flipping through the files as he spoke. “Those who achieve great things often have the ability to rise to the occasion. I have faith in Ye Dong and his three brothers.” He pointed to a man’s photo in the file. “Get this man into prison. Arrange for him to be in Liang Lingzhi’s cell.”

Xiao Li looked at the photo. “Isn’t this Xu Si? Li Zimu’s new fence from the tomb-raiding gang?”

Officer Li nodded. “That’s right. His name is Xu Si. We can’t get close to Li Zimu directly; we need to start with those around him—step by step, no rush.”

Xiao Li asked, “What charges do we use?”

Officer Li pondered briefly. “Prisoners hate two kinds of people most—rapists and child traffickers. Charge him with attempted rape, and let Liang Lingzhi take care of him. Have him earn a bit of trust from Xu Si.”

...

The cell door clanged open. The short-statured Xu Si was escorted in by the guards.

After a brief explanation, the guard left. The bald, tattooed Liu Fei asked Liang Lingzhi, “Boss Zhi, should we go teach him a lesson?”

Liang Lingzhi already knew from Xiao Li that Xu Si was his target, so he had a plan. “Fei, ask him what crime got him locked up.”

Liu Fei, curling his tongue, led a few thugs to surround Xu Si menacingly. “Our boss wants to know—what crime brought you in here?”

Xu Si, clearly no stranger to prison, knew that admitting to being a rapist would get him beaten.

He muttered, “Theft.”

Liang Lingzhi sneered inwardly. “So he knows the prison code—it’s not his first time.”

Liu Fei glanced back at Liang Lingzhi and saw him shaking his head with a cold smile.

Liu Fei wasn’t stupid; he understood this was his cue. He punched Xu Si hard on the shoulder. “Who do you think you’re fooling!?”

Xu Si’s frail body couldn’t withstand the blow. He slumped against the wall, barely daring to breathe. “Brothers, I—I was framed… for attempted rape!”

“Damn!” At that, Liu Fei and his men were instantly furious. “I can’t stand rapists! Boys, time for some ideological education!”

A barrage of slaps rained down on Xu Si’s face. Before long, he was crying. “Brothers, I was wronged, I really was!”

Liang Lingzhi sneered, “Innocent? Then how did you get accused?”

Xu Si, clutching his bleeding lip, sobbed, “I met that woman at a bar. We had a great time, went to a hotel, but then she turned on me and said I tried to rape her. I didn’t do anything before I got locked up!”

Seeing Liang Lingzhi shake his head again, Liu Fei slapped Xu Si’s face once more. “Can’t admit what you did? Our boss here even assaulted a police officer—did you think you could lie to him!?”

Xu Si was shocked. “My god, this guy assaulted a cop? I’ve ended up in a cell ruled by real criminals!”

“What’s going on?!” The guard glanced through the iron door. “Keep it down in there!”

Liang Lingzhi whispered, “Fei, have him squat in the corner all day.”

Liu Fei obeyed, giving Xu Si a kick. “Did you hear? Boss says you squat there all day!”

Finally, as the beating stopped, Xu Si scrambled to pick up his water dish and huddled in the corner.

Three days passed swiftly. Only two days remained until the antique auction.

The prison gates opened once more as two prisoner transport vehicles drove in.

During the yard break, Liang Lingzhi and his crew watched through the wire mesh as a dozen men got out of one van, but the other remained still.

Two fully armed guards approached the motionless van and dragged out a prisoner shackled at both hands and feet.

Liang Lingzhi’s heart skipped a beat. “Ye Dong!?”