Chapter 124: The Two of Them Quarrel

On the first day in prison, the bathhouse battle officially established Xiao Fen’s capital to run rampant here.

Yevgeny, who was big and burly, had figured out all the major factions in Mountain Pepper Prison in just half a day—far more diligent than Xiao Fen and the others, who were slacking off.

“Currently, there are seven factions in this prison. They mainly gathered by country and ethnicity.”

The lawn in the exercise yard was a withered yellow. The early spring air still carried biting winds that stung the cheeks, and before long, Xiao Fen’s nose tip turned red from the cold.

He shrank his neck. Over his prison uniform, he wore the brown cotton jacket issued by the prison. He tucked his hands into his sleeves and leaned back against the long bench’s backrest, perking up his ears to listen to Yevgeny’s analysis of the situation.

“Besides the Silver Snake Gang, Eastern Europe Gang, Jin Q, and Jiangnan Society, there are three even bigger gangs. They check and balance each other and usually don’t stir up trouble easily. The other two gangs are still a bit weaker, though. The most noteworthy one is the gang led by Killer Gan.” Yevgeny lifted his chin, directing their attention to a man not far away in the exercise yard.

Xiao Fen narrowed his eyes.

The man was tall and thin, bald, and around forty years old. His face held a calm expression as he sat leisurely on the lawn, cradling a Bible in his hands. Below his right eyelid—facing their direction—a green teardrop tattoo marked his cheek. A tattoo extended upward from the corner of his mouth with three vertical lines, like the sewn-shut lips of a clown doll from a horror movie.

“Before prison, he was a professional hitman with over thirty lives on his hands—mostly prominent figures. The FC Bureau paid a heavy price to capture him and shipped him here with barely any interrogation. He’s Mountain Pepper’s biggest boss, the one maintaining the current prison order. No other gang dares provoke his people lightly.”

“The prison’s full of talent,” Ou Yu said with a squinting smile, looking all peaceful and content. “A few days here, and everyone’s gotten more irritable.”

It looked like he needed to borrow a couple of Bibles from the library too.

“And that one—Black Octopus Gudbai, the infamous arms smuggler. He’s been in this prison for fifteen years, making him an old-timer. He usually trades status by smuggling good stuff from the outside. Want something? Find him, and you’re set.”

“I’ve seen them popping sedatives—no illness, no pain. Does the prison allow casual use? Can I have a pound?” Matthew said. His P Country accent was still weird.

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Ou Yu clamped a hand over his mouth and clicked his tongue. “Not afraid of the documentary cameras? So blatant?”

“Everyone in here is never getting out. The state with N City has no death penalty, but their sentences start at a century—basically no hope.” Yevgeny said, “That’s why they love pulling outrageous stunts right in front of the cameras. Shows off their power.”

“Prisoners smuggling contraband, huh.” Xiao Fen said. “Don’t we have that task to help the warden find management loopholes? Got any ideas?”

“I have no ideas. No energy for it right now either.” Yevgeny said.

He never beat around the bush and told Xiao Fen and the others straight up: “Truth is, the three of us from M Country joined this show for a reason. We were specially picked.”

Xiao Fen and Ou Yu leaned in closer.

“Spill.”

【What’s going on? Let me hear too.】

【Extra missions? Keeping it from us? Treating us like outsiders.】

【That thing blowing up online lately?】

“Recently, M Country had several terrorist bombings.” Yevgeny said. “The detonator remnants and screw types match exactly those from over a dozen package bomb cases in P Country and F Country three years ago. We suspect the M Country attacker is a fanboy and copycat of that package bomber.”

It sounded familiar to Xiao Fen. “Who was the guy from three years ago?”

“Qian Ning Landon.”

Xiao Fen’s brow twitched slightly.

“This serial package bomber’s locked up in this prison now?”

“Yep. He knows bombing details the media never released. They definitely know each other.” Yevgeny looked at him. “Been asking around since yesterday, but no luck finding him yet.”

“We can help you look.” Xiao Fen said. “You and Rodion reek of military. These prisoners deal with vice squad officers all the time—they’ll clam up the second you start asking.”

Yevgeny nodded—that was his thinking too. “Thanks. Once we nail the bomber, I’ll scout an escape route from here. You’re coming with.”

They hadn’t forgotten the show’s main goal: escape Mountain Pepper Prison.

“Pleasure doing business.” Xiao Fen stood, shook his hand, and pulled up the hood on his cotton jacket.

“Where you headed?” Yevgeny rubbed his fingertips. The guy’s hand was ice-cold—slender and delicate, but packed with wiry strength.

“Medical office for a dressing change.”

With that, he reached the exercise yard gate and greeted the vice squad officer on guard.

Soon, Ulysses escorted him to the administrative building.

“Inspector Fang coming for you again today?” The blond beauty brimmed with curiosity.

“Vice squad officers visiting criminals—you ask the vice squad. How’s a criminal controlling your movements?”

“Between you and Inspector Fang…” Ulysses mulled a fitting word, cut off by Xiao Fen’s half-smile.

“Chief Inspector, you’re awfully invested in me and Inspector Fang.” Xiao Fen stared him down coldly. “I deserve to know why.”

Ulysses ignored the hostility and flashed a warm smile.

“There’s a crack between you two.”

“You’re overthinking it.”

“I don’t know what went down in the medical office yesterday, but you walked out anxious. Downcast. Hurt. Dodging something.”

He leaned in close to Xiao Fen’s ear. “You’re scared.”

The sky hung heavy and gray. The clock tower pealed—a short, resonant toll. It was only 12:30 p.m., but it felt like winter at four or five.

“No.” After the bell faded, Xiao Fen tilted his head. His left arm hooked Ulysses’s neck in a bro-hug, patting his shoulder. “When I say you’re overthinking, I mean you’re butting in way too much.”

The gale kept howling, laced with faint salty sea air. The ground stayed frozen hard.

The vice squad admin building connected to the cellblock, but the air was worlds better—especially on the first floor’s medical office, scented with disinfectant and meds. Once pungent, now comforting.

The prison doc was a genial three-hundred-pounder. Half a pizza box and a butter-laden veggie salad sat unfinished on his desk.

He gave Xiao Fen’s torn wound a cursory check and muttered for him to avoid big movements or it’d never heal.

Two fresh stitches, some ointment later, Xiao Fen holed up in a side room. He downed anti-inflammatories and two cups of water before a shadow vaulted smoothly through the window.

Xiao Fen perched on the exam bed, watching without a twitch. “No factory access?”

“Mm.” Fang Si Ting leaned against the wall by the window, half a room away. “Ulysses shot down my plan. Bruce follows him blindly.”

“Bet it’s from eavesdropping at the door last time. P Countryman—sides with his own. Tricky.” Xiao Fen propped his chin one-handed, cheek puffing pensively.

“You’re an inspector. Can you reach him?”

“No dice.” Fang Si Ting murmured. “H Countryman here—they’ll lock it down tighter.”

“Ulysses is P Country.” How to leverage that.

Fang Si Ting eyed the window. “You two sync up fine. I won’t intrude.”

“What the hell’s that mean?” Xiao Fen’s face darkened.

Guy’d been sour-faced since yesterday.

He’d been thrilled to see him—got iced instead.

Today? Same dead-fish act. Deliberate distance.

Pissed-off men sucked most.

Time for a bedmate who didn’t sulk.

Fang Si Ting went full official detachment. “Nothing.”

Xiao Fen laughed through his rage. “Spit it out then—no beating around the bush. Always that icy mug, like we all owe you five mil. Botch a simple task, then righteously snap at me?”

“Can’t you see? He’s stonewalling on purpose. Wants you begging. Right up your alley.”

“My alley? You’re all passive-aggressive now. Yeah, I screwed up before—apologized already. What’s your problem? Think you’re my what? Gotta clear everything, bend over backward? Who are you to me!”

“Yeah, I’m nobody to you. Zero relation!” Fang Si Ting stared blankly, eyes pitch-black voids. “So quit begging favors from now on.”

“Who begged? You vice squad pricks are nuts.” Xiao Fen amped his voice.

“You got vision. That guy’s a catch. No loss there.”

“Fang Si Ting, you bastard!”

Ulysses stood mute outside the medical office door—third smoke in hand.

Vanishing CP holed up inside meant their live stream chat shut down temporarily. Half their fans flooded his.

Dazed, they listened to the shut door’s bickering.

【Brother Fen, you good? Don’t actually throw down.】

【Fighting again?】

【Fang Yama, wise up—let him win. Brother Fen’s hurt.】

【Fang Yama sounds salty. Not his style.】

【Scalp numb. Roof’s about to fly.】

Inside.

Xiao Fen snatched paper, scrawled words, shoved it over.

“Tell you what—this grudge is etched. Forget me helping snag your crooks later.”

Fang Si Ting took it, skimmed, added details.

“Never needed your help. Same with or without.” He slid it back.

Xiao Fen read, nodded approval. Then that hand reached again.

He yanked his hem. “Same with or without? Fine—I’ll aid your nemesis. Yevgeny and I teamed up already.”

Fight’s a fight—why grab clothes!

Fang Si Ting snagged the escapee. “Team-up changes nothing.”

Wound check.

“You’re sunk this time. Brace for Ulysses’s mockery.”

I’m peachy—no pity needed! Xiao Fen fumed, cheeks ballooned, twisting awkwardly in his hold.

Fang Si Ting spotted the bite mark dead-center on his nape. Paused two beats. Yanked the fleeing man’s collar, hauling him back.

Thumb and forefinger clamped the nape, pressure building slow.

Index prodded the teeth indents. Tone iced danger.

“Fallen for Ulysses?”

That wasn’t scripted—real jealousy?

Xiao Fen blanked, then gawked up in disbelief.

“I’ll watch you two pair off.”

“Fang Si Ting, you jerk!!!”

The live stream viewers jolted at the scream, resentment blasting sky-high.