“Yeah, I negotiated a good deal with them,” Rodion said softly, tilting his head. “While you were wandering around aimlessly.”
“I was tracking the bomb suspect, seeing who he was contacting!” Yevgeny said angrily. How could he say he was just wandering aimlessly!
“If you don’t integrate with them first, how will they give you what you want? How will you get close to the bomb suspect and pry information out of him?” Rodion disagreed.
“So you’re fawning over these heavy criminals?”
“Hey, that’s harsh talk. When it comes to undercover experience, I’ve got more than you,” Rodion said. “You military types are just too rigid.”
Yevgeny raised his fist but forcibly held back.
Several prisoners at the room door watched the drama with great interest.
“What are you guys talking about? Hurry up, don’t keep the boss waiting.”
Xiao Fen also urged, “Yevgeny, I have urgent business with you.”
Yevgeny lowered his fist and followed Xiao Fen out, his face full of anger.
The two walked to the end of the corridor. Seeing no one around, Xiao Fen said softly, “I have a bad feeling. Rodion’s undercover identity might be exposed.”
“How could that be?!” Yevgeny said in surprise. Just moments ago, Rodion had confidently accused him.
【How did it get exposed? Impossible. I think he’s the best integrated guest this round.】
【Is Xiao scheming to sow discord in another country’s guest team?】
【Very possible.】
【I’ve come to see Xiao as a sly, cunning evil fox. My poor Apollo, completely played for a fool.】
【You’re the stupid ones. You don’t understand the prison dynamics.】
【If you did, you’d know Brother Fen wouldn’t turn against Yevgeny. He’s actually helping him.】
【Why?】
【Given that both sides are lurking in this prison with their own missions, they can cooperate for mutual benefit. What happens after is another matter.】
【Didn’t you see someone planning to take down Rodion?】
【Now that you mention it, there are signs of that. Let me check other guests’ live streams for different angles.】
Xiao Fen explained urgently and softly, “Brother Ou Yu said before that his vice squad officer vibe is too obvious. Think about it—an outsider who follows the rules can spot it at a glance. How could these prisoners, who fight wits with vice squad officers every day, not notice?”
Yevgeny opened his mouth. “But he’s an international inspector with rich undercover experience. You sure you aren’t mistaken?”
“If he were truly successful undercover, he’d blend in naturally like P Country’s retired vice squad officer Luke. But some of his actions are too deliberate, even fawning. His own strength isn’t bad, no need to rush into joining a gang like that.”
As they spoke, louder commotion erupted from downstairs.
On the third floor opposite, a bald man with a clown tattoo on his face stood at the corridor railing, looking down at the crowd gathered on the first floor.
It was Killer Gan.
“Everyone, today we have two compatriots joining the Nordic Gang, becoming one of us.”
Cheers filled the corridors and the ground floor.
This was a kind of announcement. From now on, these two had a gang backing them—whoever dared touch them had to consider the gang boss’s face.
“Too late,” Xiao Fen said, his expression grave.
“You might be wrong,” Yevgeny doubted. “Rodion’s already been accepted by the gang.”
“Do you want all three from M Country eliminated?” Xiao Fen said. “If you’re eliminated, who asks the bomb suspect for info?”
Back then, Yevgeny had blurted out their purpose in the exercise yard under the cameras, completely defenseless. That was really foolish.
Sure, there were no TVs or internet in prison, but everyone knew smuggling channels existed, so information could get in.
Once their identities and goals leaked from outside, their death sentence wasn’t far off.
“What do we do now?” Yevgeny’s mind went blank; he couldn’t think of any solution.
“Escalate the conflict,” Xiao Fen said. “Don’t let them target just Rodion.”
Yevgeny understood his meaning.
Many of these prisoners were impulsive and quick to anger. Once conflicts multiplied, those wanting to target Rodion would have no opening.
He rushed downstairs quickly, squeezed into the crowd of prisoners, and tried to pull Rodion away from the center, attempting to defuse the crisis directly, but Rodion refused.
Rodion pulled at him, wanting to go see the Nordic Gang boss.
Yevgeny looked at the prisoners around him—nearly a hundred just on this floor.
All ruthless, desperate criminals.
Two fists were no match for four hands. No matter how strong his fighting skills, he couldn’t take on so many.
He grabbed Lev, who had sensed trouble. The over-fifty-year-old psychologist was drenched in cold sweat, legs gone weak, barely maintaining his dignity.
Soon, several people blocked their path.
【What now? I’m starting to get scared.】
【Can this live stream not be so immersive? These guys’ faces look so evil. Scared their fists will smash right into my face.】
【I’m already thinking of my epitaph.】
【God, why do you allow these people to exist?】
【This is hell. Those howls are Satan’s revelry. I’d never set foot in a place like this.】
【I wouldn’t last a day in prison, wuwuwu, what kind of demons and monsters are these?】
【Calling vice squad officers, when are you coming?】
“Give us face. This welcome ceremony is just for you guys.”
Yevgeny shook his head, looking fierce. “What face do you have?”
Rodion broke free and headed toward the Nordic Gang boss.
Yevgeny simply spread his arms, provocatively walked a circle in the middle of the open space, and patted one guy’s back.
“Brother, you’re still standing with him? Don’t you know he said behind your back that you’re just a softie who only licks Jin Q’s ass?”
Xiao Fen stood on the second floor and watched as the empty space in the crowd’s center gradually filled. Yevgeny’s provocations began to take effect.
His good rapport from the past few days had yielded useful info, which he now dumped to offend everyone at once.
Some started eyeing each other with hostility. The entire first floor turned into a powder keg, but Rodion was no longer the coveted center.
Strangely, the on-duty vice squad officers showed no sign of action.
Xiao Fen found it odd. Standing on the third floor, he scanned the entire cell block and suddenly looked opposite.
Killer Gan stared at him unblinkingly.
From the front, his face was even more terrifying.
Black spade tattoo on the left cheek, teardrop on the right, four-pointed star on the forehead, blue lines extending from both corners of the mouth, each with three vertical lines of varying lengths.
Killer Gan met his gaze and slowly grinned, revealing a chilling smile.
He raised his right hand and drew it across his neck.
“Cop.” He mouthed the word silently.
All vice squad officers had to die.
Xiao Fen blinked innocently and puzzled, feigning a startled look.
If it were just him, he’d definitely provoke back.
But this round’s guests weren’t just him.
He didn’t know if Killer Gan was bluffing or had solid intel.
In that short time, the crowd downstairs swelled, already turning into physical probes.
In the blind spot right under the surveillance camera, several guys fresh from showers yanked the towels from their necks and draped them over the camera.
Xiao Fen cursed inwardly. He vaulted over the third-floor corridor railing and jumped down nimbly.
Too late.
Someone let out an ambiguous cheer. One man rushed forward and punched Lev, the weakest of the three physically.
Yevgeny roared and charged, throwing the attacker over his shoulder onto the ground.
Everyone here was a desperate criminal. Seeing blood at Lev’s mouth only excited them more; they joined the fray, eagerly punching and kicking the trio.
Others took advantage of the chaos to start fights with those around them.
Curses flew nonstop.
In the blink of an eye, it devolved into a free-for-all. The criminals on the first-floor open space attacked anyone nearby, regardless.
The scene turned into total chaos.
Ou Yu cursed, grabbed his hair in frustration, and dashed downstairs toward the cell block door.
As he reached for the door, several prisoners at the entrance eyed him with mocking smiles.
The cell block door was already locked and barricaded.
“You with Yevgeny?”
“Signaling for help?”
Two approached slowly.
“No,” Ou Yu said, already hearing screams. “It doesn’t matter who they hit. I’m going to the infirmary.”
The prisoners didn’t buy it.
“Where are you hurt? Let me check.” The front two reached to lift his shirt hem.
“I’m with Xiao Fen. Touch me, and you’re messing with him,” Ou Yu said sharply.
Famous from the bathhouse brawl, the prisoners still held some fear of the new arrival Xiao Fen.
They were at a standoff when Fang Si Ting and other vice squad officers kicked open the cell block door with over a dozen more, charging in.
Batons fell indiscriminately on the prisoners—one per person. Here, the vice squad officers treated these societal dregs like troublesome objects.
Bruce’s whistle was drowned in the prisoners’ excited howls. Seeing it hopeless, he squeezed into the crowd to rescue the beaten ones.
At that moment, Xiao Fen, Ou Yu, and Matthew silently pulled disposable paper cup fragments from their pockets, concealing them in their palms.
“Vice squad officers are here, stop fighting,” Xiao Fen said while “breaking up” fights, helping the officers push prisoners aside.
“Fighting means solitary. Calm down,” Ou Yu and Matthew hurriedly joined the peacemaking.
The chaos lasted over twenty minutes until the vice squad officers separated and subdued the prisoners one by one. Only then did people see Rodion standing unsteadily in the center, covered in bruises, while psychologist Lev huddled on the ground hugging his head, trembling.
Lev had been well protected by Yevgeny with few injuries, but at the sight of the vice squad officers, he broke down screaming, clinging to fellow countryman Mikhail and refusing to let go. Clearly terrified out of his wits, he lost all composure.
“Disperse, you scum,” Vice Squad Officer Bruce roared angrily at them. “Who was the ringleader today? Speak up for a reward.”
No one spoke.
Xiao Fen leaned lazily against the first-floor railing, elbows propped up, exchanging glances with Ou Yu and Matthew.
Mission accomplished.
In their pockets lay the disposable paper cup fragments imprinted with the prison keys’ outlines.
“Save him—”
The scream drew everyone’s attention.
“He’s dying!”
