Xu Cenfeng was always polite, no matter the time. Upon hearing the words, he nodded slightly to the prisoners through the iron bars. Under the light above, his jet-black hair shone brightly, appearing exceptionally soft and smooth. “Please take care of me in the future,” he said.
His demeanor was courteous, and his disposition was clean, standing in stark contrast to the menacing atmosphere of the surrounding cells. A female zerg somewhere whistled through the prison door and said teasingly, “Such a pretty little male, come to our cell, so those rough fellows don’t bully you.”
Upon hearing this, Simon tapped the bars with his baton and frowned, warning, “All of you, behave yourselves. He’s staying in a single cell.”
In Blackstone Prison, only two types of prisoners could have single cells. The first type were special offenders, even more dangerous than the high-risk criminals marked with a red card. The second type were those with powerful connections behind them.
News within the prison was always tightly controlled, and since Yenia had secretly transferred Xu Cenfeng, no one knew about the purity of his blood. Even the prison guard Simon was unaware of Xu Cenfeng’s true identity; he only knew that General Wesley had specifically instructed them to take care of this prisoner. Thus, everyone naturally assumed Xu Cenfeng was the latter.
The blue-haired female zerg who had spoken first sneered upon hearing this, “So, he’s someone with connections.”
But how could someone with connections end up in prison for petty theft?
“I don’t have the time to look after him. He’ll have to fend for himself.”
The blue-haired female zerg turned away from the bars and headed back to his room. Simon was momentarily at a loss for words. However, the other prisoners in the cells for high-risk offenders marked with a red card had similar attitudes:
“This is a prison, not a charity.”
“We’re already exhausted from mining ore every day; we don’t have the time to look after a male zerg.”
“Let him stay in his room and not cause trouble, or my fists won’t be gentle.”
Some other prisoners called out enthusiastically, saying they could take good care of Xu Cenfeng, but Simon ignored them and led Xu Cenfeng to the single cell at the end of the corridor. As he swiped his card to open the door, Simon explained to Xu Cenfeng, “In the entire third prison district, only the prisoners in cells 2, 5, and 9 can be interacted with. While they won’t look out for you, at least they won’t harm you. The others are despicable vermin; make sure you don’t get too close to them.”
Xu Cenfeng pondered, “They don’t seem to like me very much.”
Simon replied, “Many of the prisoners here are incarcerated because of male zergs. Either they offended powerful male zergs or killed one. It’s normal for them to be hostile toward you.”
Xu Cenfeng’s ears twitched, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised. “Killed a male zerg?”
Simon continued, “Your Excellency, this is Blackstone Prison. There’s no crime that’s impossible here. From the Lagona Sea to the distant West, there’s no land where the sins are greater than here.”
He finished speaking and escorted Xu Cenfeng into the room. Checking the time on his wrist, Simon added, “In a while, a guard will come to take you to the cafeteria for dinner. There’s still about ten minutes left. You can rest for now.”
Xu Cenfeng nodded. Inside the single cell, the space was slightly smaller compared to those for multiple occupants. It contained a folding bed that felt stiff to the touch. The bathroom had a toilet and a sink, but no shower facilities. It was said that prisoners bathed at specific times in the communal bathhouse; if they missed their slot, they had to wash themselves with cold water in their cells.
But the most heinous criminals probably wouldn’t care about such minor issues.
Xu Cenfeng organized his belongings and suddenly noticed a window in the room used for ventilation, but it was barred with iron bars on the outside.
Iron window, tear.
Xu Cenfeng’s mind inexplicably popped up with these thoughts. He opened the glass window, feeling the temperature outside with his hand, trying to discern directions in the vast darkness. He thought that Hossburgh must be in chaos by now.
Yenia always enjoyed destroying everything that mattered to Faeus, both in this life and the last. Ultimately, Faeus’ A-grade elite squad had exposed too much of what mattered, and Yenia was bound to notice something. When Faeus led the army to attack Hossburgh, he would certainly see Xu Cenfeng as a threat.
Compared to the constant anxiety and passivity of staying inside Hossburgh, Xu Cenfeng preferred being in prison. At least here, any malice was overt and upfront; there wouldn’t be anyone stabbing him in the back.
Before long, the patrol team arrived to open the doors and lead the prisoners to the cafeteria for dinner. Xu Cenfeng stepped out of his cell and saw the prisoners lined up along the corridor shaped like the letter “回” grouped by their rooms, standing in orderly rows. They proceeded downstairs under the guidance of the guards.
Xu Cenfeng occupied a single cell, representing an entire room by himself, which inevitably left him feeling somewhat isolated. Many of the prisoners surreptitiously sized him up, but he showed no reaction, standing quietly at the end of the line, looking earnest and straightforward.
“Room number one, downstairs!”
“Room number two, downstairs!”
The guard continued calling out in sequence, and finally, he reached Xu Cenfeng’s turn. He deliberately glanced at him and said, “Room number six, downstairs, stay close to the line!”
Implicitly, he instructed Xu Cenfeng to stay close behind the prisoners from room number five.
Following the order, Xu Cenfeng moved forward. However, the prisoners from room number five were unusually aloof. They glanced at him dismissively before turning away, then lazily descended the stairs in small groups.
Rooms 2, 5, and 9.
These were the rooms Simon had mentioned Xu Cenfeng could interact with. He observed carefully and noticed that these rooms housed high-risk offenders marked with a red card. They seemed to know each other well, forming a small group, and even the guards treated them with respect.
The remaining rooms were a mixed bag, filled with what looked like a motley crew of lesser criminals, lacking any significant intimidation factor.
The cafeteria was located in the first-floor hall, divided into four sections: southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest, each sprawling beyond sight. After counting the prisoners, the guards dispersed the lines and stationed themselves at the corners for monitoring.
“Mealtime! Dismissed!”
With the guard’s command, the previously quiet cafeteria erupted into noise, akin to boiling water hitting a hot pan. The prisoners, as if relieved from a gag order, began clamoring and lining up at the windows to get their meals, cursing and complaining loudly about everything under the sun.
“This bunch of scumbags, mark my words, one day when I get out, I’ll make sure they pay!”
“Well, you might have to wait until you’re dead.”
“That gossip guy said they brought in a new batch of prisoners today, and there’s a pretty male among them. Who knows if it’s true or just talk.”
“You should shove zerg shit into his mouth. It’s been two years since Blackstone Prison received any males. How could the Empire be willing to send such precious males to this hellhole?”
“Don’t we have like over a dozen in our prison?”
“The purity of their blood isn’t even 20%. They’re trash among trash. Even if you were xxx by them for a hundred years, you wouldn’t be able to bear a cub!”
Blackstone Prison has a rule that prisoners who bear zerg egg can earn a chance for amnesty, making males quite popular inside.
As the group of prisoners struggled to count how many males were left in the prison, a slender figure suddenly appeared before them. Not far from the food window, among the rugged men, was an unfamiliar male zerg with a fair complexion, delicate features, and striking beauty.
His presence brought a moment of silence to the air.
The prisoners who had been swearing moments ago were struck dumb. Some even wondered if they were hallucinating. One of them pointed at Xu Cenfeng in disbelief, saying, “Could… Could that male zerg that gossip guy mentioned be him?”
Around him, many prisoners also looked dumbfounded, clearly unable to believe that such a handsome male would appear in the prison. With his looks, he could easily seduce a high-ranking official and get out. Why would he stay here?
As they hungrily eyed Xu Cenfeng, he calmly assessed them in return, trying to spot Faeus amidst the sea of faces in the crowded cafeteria. However, he found nothing—
If Faeus intended to hide in prison, he would likely conceal his appearance, making him harder to identify.
It might be easier to find Hawke instead.
Xu Cenfeng, reflecting on his thoughts, calmly withdrew his gaze and noticed that it was now his turn in the food line. He grabbed a tray from the side and was about to step forward when suddenly a hand landed on his shoulder, accompanied by a rough, gruff voice near his ear: “Hey, new guy, are you really clueless or pretending to be clueless?!”
Xu Cenfeng turned around to find a sturdy-looking female zerg standing behind him, staring at him with an expression of disdain. He responded calmly, “Um, I just arrived today, so I’m not quite familiar with the rules.”
The female zerg pointed behind him and gruffly ordered, “Move to the back. Those with white badges can only stand at the end and get the leftovers.”
In prison, there’s a hierarchy of disdain based on the color of the chest badges: red badges signify high-risk offenders who shouldn’t be provoked, followed by yellow badges for military offenses, green badges for ordinary crimes, and white badges at the bottom of the food chain.
This means higher-ranking offenders can cut in line freely, while lower-ranking ones have to wait at the back and settle for leftovers.
Upon hearing this, Xu Cenfeng glanced towards the back of the line and indeed saw several prisoners with white chest badges standing at the very end—elderly and infirm individuals.
Remaining composed, Xu Cenfeng responded, “Alright, please go ahead.”
After saying this, Xu Cenfeng turned around and naturally joined the line at the back, appearing calm and composed. His demeanor gave off a sense of powerlessness, as if punching cotton.
The other prisoners observed this scene and exchanged glances, increasingly convinced that Xu Cenfeng was a pushover.
In the front, prisoners continued to cut in line, causing Xu Cenfeng and the group with white chest badges to wait for a long time before it was finally their turn. The cook scraped the empty pot with a ladle for quite a while, managing to gather just enough for one spoonful of food. Impatiently, he asked, “There’s plenty of rice, but we’ve only got a spoonful of veggies left. Who wants it?”
Upon hearing this, Xu Cenfeng glanced at the elderly female with gray hair standing behind him, took a slight step back, and stepped aside, saying, “Please, go ahead.”
He wasn’t particularly hungry, and considering the porridge-like quality of the food in the cafeteria, he didn’t mind whether he ate or not.
Upon hearing Xu Cenfeng’s gesture, the elderly female zerg thanked him and shakily proceeded to the front to get his food. He sat down with another group of elderly prisoners with white chest badges at a nearby table.
The tables in the cafeteria were long and rectangular, accommodating several dozen prisoners each without any empty seats allowed, though there were exceptions for special circumstances. In the middle, a blue long table stood empty except for four or five female zergs, each with plates of food and several packs of compressed jerky, a rare delicacy in the prison.
They were the leaders of the most powerful faction in the Third Sector, and other female zergs dared not encroach upon their territory. The area around them was quiet, forming a vacuum of sorts.
As a patrol guard passed by their table, he lightly tapped the edge with his baton and whispered, “Feiwen, keep your zergs in line these days. Tell them to stay out of trouble and especially steer clear of that new male zerg who just arrived.”
Feiwen, as he was called, heard the words without expression, tearing open the packaging of his jerky with his teeth. He spat out the wrapper, his blue hair looking oddly familiar—it was none other than the hardened criminal housed in the cell next to Xu Cenfeng’s. “I told you, let him fend for himself.”
Opposite him sat a golden-eyed female zerg with light orange-golden hair, lazily lounging in his seat. He spoke in a casual tone, “Can’t control that.”
The other zergs had similar attitudes:
“We don’t need to worry about fathering a zerg egg for a chance at amnesty. Whether that male zerg lives or dies has nothing to do with us.”
“Instead of warning us, you should warn those guys over in Orlott.”
The prison guard, upon hearing this, unconsciously looked towards Xu Cenfeng’s direction. He noticed that the gangsters from the second cell block, led by Orlott, had somehow approached with trays in hand. They surrounded Xu Cenfeng at the table, clearly harboring ill intentions.
“Your Excellency, it’s truly disrespectful to have you eat this awful food. Would I have the honor of dining with you?”
Orlott, the leader of the most influential faction in the Second Sector, had set his sights on Xu Cenfeng from the moment they entered the dining hall. Without saying a word, he forcefully placed his tray on the table, filled to the brim with smoked chicken legs, a rather impressive meal.
Xu Cenfeng had been spooning porridge from his plate when he heard this, freezing momentarily. He then noticed a tangerine-haired female zerg glaring at him with an unmistakably lewd and malicious intent.
Xu Cenfeng politely declined, “Sorry, I’m already full.”
After finishing his statement, he prepared to get up and leave with his tray. However, he was caught off guard as Orlott and his group restrained him by the shoulder, a threatening voice ringing in his ears, full of menace: “Your Excellency, don’t you dare disrespect us. Follow our boss, and you’ll live the high life. Otherwise, you’ll regret it!”
The table Xu Cenfeng was sitting at consisted of lower-level offenders with white badges, who dared not intervene rashly. Upon seeing the situation, they hurriedly moved away with their trays, fearing trouble. Only the elderly female zerg who Xu Cenfeng had declined food from earlier stood up nervously, trying to mediate anxiously: “Your Excellency, it’s your first day here, you don’t understand the rules yet. Let’s talk it out, no need for violence…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Orlott and his companions shoved him to the ground, spilling the food from his tray onto the floor. One of the younger lackeys viciously cursed, “Get lost! Old hag, who said you could speak here!”
Seeing the situation, Feiwen’s group stopped eating. Despite the prison being a mix of various factions, each block typically avoided interfering with others. Orlott’s aggression into the third block’s territory made it clear he disregarded them.
Feiwen dropped his chopsticks and stood up, saying coldly, “Let’s go, let’s go see what’s going on over there.”
However, several other female zergs also stood up and followed suit. They stretched their fists and necks, making crackling sounds that were quite disturbing, clearly intending to teach Orlott and his group a lesson.
Yet, Xu Cenfeng was quicker than them all.
“Bang—!”
A sudden loud bang reverberated through the cafeteria, startling everyone.
The inmates watching nearby witnessed Xu Cenfeng lightning-fast grab the hand gripping his shoulder, twisting it back with a tendon pinch and executing a move akin to the “Golden Snake Wraps the Wrist.” The female zerg cried out in pain instantly. Xu Cenfeng then flipped him over his shoulder onto the table, his head hitting the corner with a sickening thud, causing him to faint immediately.
Upon seeing this, Orlott and his crew were taken aback and immediately moved to intervene. However, Xu Cenfeng’s speed surpassed theirs. His techniques were swift and targeted vulnerable spots, completely contradicting his appearance.
Xu Cenfeng landed a heavy kick into Orlott’s abdomen. As Orlott doubled over in pain, Xu Cenfeng swiftly followed with a spinning kick, knocking him to the ground. Orlott saw stars and almost vomited from the force.
The remaining two young lackeys attempted to come to Orlott’s aid, but Xu Cenfeng swiftly grabbed one by the wrist, dislocating his arm with a sharp crack. At the same time, he delivered a chop to the back of the other’s neck. Their heads collided with a loud thud, and both fell unconscious in a heap.
Xu Cenfeng showed no mercy, swiftly incapacitating them without giving them a chance to react. The surrounding inmates watched in awe as the seemingly delicate and clean-looking male zerg moved with lightning speed, reducing Orlott and his group to near-unconsciousness within minutes. For a moment, they wondered if they were witnessing an illusion.
The cafeteria fell into complete silence.
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