The Storm Gathers

Li Xi pretended to be on patrol and disappeared. He only slunk back guiltily near dawn when it was time to hand over shifts, his face pale and eyes darting around, afraid to meet Xu Qian's gaze.

Xu Qian couldn't be bothered to expose him. He leaned on his saber, feigning exhaustion from a night on duty, and yawned as he completed the handover with Li Xi.

Back in the dormitory, Xu Qian lay on his bed, but sleep wouldn't come. The scene he'd witnessed last night was seared into his mind. Two menacing figures in black, an bribed insider among the Guards, and that fallen prince, radiating death but harboring a sliver of life... All of it signaled that Block E was about to be hit by a storm.

He forced himself to calm down and analyze.

The assassins chose to make their move during the midnight shift change, indicating they didn't want to cause too much of a stir and preferred to resolve the issue quietly. This might be something Xu Qian could exploit.

A direct confrontation was the worst possible option. So, could he find a way to create an accident that would disrupt the assassins' plan without revealing himself?

Several ideas flashed through his mind, but he dismissed them one by one. The risks were too high, the uncertainties too great.

It seems I can only take it one step at a time and act as the situation unfolds, Xu Qian sighed. Faced with absolute power and meticulous planning, his own little tricks and trump cards felt utterly insignificant.

The next morning, while delivering food, Xu Qian deliberately "casually" glanced at cell E-98.

This glance made his heart sink further.

In just one night, the scene inside the cell had changed drastically!

In the vision of the Qi Gazing Technique, the already dense grey-black death aura had almost solidified. It was like a heavy dark cloud enveloping the entire cell. The faint purple royal aura had been compressed to its limit, dim and lifeless, as if it could be extinguished at any moment.

What shocked Xu Qian the most was that the sliver of bright purple life force, which had been stubbornly flickering in the center of the death aura, was now extremely weak, flickering on and off, as if it would be completely swallowed in the next moment!

Inside the cell, the young man sat with his head bowed against the wall, his face obscured. But his once upright posture now exuded an indescribable gauntness and decay, as if his vitality was being rapidly drained.

Was he attacked? Or did his injuries worsen? Xu Qian felt a chill. It seemed the other party not only intended to silence him but also to ensure he died "reasonably" without leaving any loose ends.

He dared not look any longer and quickly put down the food, leaving as usual.

All day long, Xu Qian felt an unusual oppressive atmosphere pervading Block E. Even the usually noisy prisoners seemed much quieter, as if sensing something.

In the afternoon, Xu Qian was called by Zhou Kang to help move a batch of newly arrived supplies. After finishing the work, Zhou Kang pulled him aside, looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered his voice, his expression unusually grave, and said:

"Xu Qian, are you on duty again tonight?"

Xu Qian's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his expression neutral. "Yes, Captain Zhou, the latter half of the night."

Zhou Kang stared at him for a few seconds, a complex, unreadable light flickering in his old eyes. Finally, he just forcefully patted Xu Qian's shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Be sharp! Keep your eyes peeled! Ears up! Tonight... might not be peaceful. Don't look at what you shouldn't, don't listen to what you shouldn't, your own life is the most important thing, understand?"

Xu Qian's heart trembled violently! Zhou Kang's words were almost an explicit hint! He definitely knew something! Perhaps... he was on one side, or perhaps he was just caught up in it and had no choice?

"Yes! Captain Zhou, I understand!" Xu Qian quickly nodded, his face showing an appropriate hint of nervousness and fear. "I'll definitely stay far away!"

Zhou Kang looked at his "cowardly" demeanor and seemed somewhat relieved. He added another warning, "Remember what I said! Some things are not for us to get involved in! Being alive is better than anything!"

With that, he waved his hand, signaling Xu Qian to leave.

Watching Zhou Kang's slightly weary and heavy back, Xu Qian's mood became even more complicated.

Even Zhou Kang, the local strongman, was so cautious, even issuing a warning, which showed how deeply involved this operation tonight was!

The wind is filling the tower before the storm... Xu Qian looked up at the perpetually gloomy and oppressive dome of the Heavenly Prison, feeling the invisible pressure was almost suffocating.

He returned to Block E, performing his daily cleaning duties while subtly observing his surroundings.

He noticed that Li Xi seemed particularly anxious today, fidgeting and constantly glancing towards E-98 before quickly looking away. Fine beads of sweat could even be seen on his forehead.

And near the pile of junk where the two assassins were hiding, it was eerily silent. Even the occasional mice that usually scurried around were gone, as if a more terrifying predator resided there.

The entire Block E was like a giant powder keg, just waiting for the fuse to be lit at midnight.

Xu Qian forced himself to calm down. He recalled Zhou Kang's words—"Be sharp," "Your own life is the most important thing."