260 Act.11 Sympathy for the Devil for the Devil

[Part 1: Spirit Summoning Ritual]

With the Canaanite conflict over, Christmas became an important day for the people in prison.

Peni, a tattoo artist from Sweet Lake City in Eleventh District, packed her bags and headed to the Blackland Royal Hotel to perform a séance for newlyweds staying at the hotel from September to December.

Prisons are very special places, unlike other residences or office buildings.

It is the delay of life, the boundary between life and death.

Once in prison, the criminal has an unforgivable story, requiring the law to enforce procedural justice.

People living in prison also need to undergo séances, much like a newborn's baptism with holy water.

Tattooing is an important ritual, such as the ancient branding punishment, where different patterns were imprinted on the face of the criminal using a flat-handled iron tool. Even if the criminal escaped from Prison Break, he would be recognized during his escape.

The branding punishment used on serious criminals at the Blackland Royal Hotel has been replaced by more civilized methods such as tattooing and body painting.

Besides her tattoo work, Miss Penny also had to carry some gifts for Boss Morian, which were wedding presents for Jielina and Jello.

Starting from the hotel's reception desk, walk to the staff entrance, proceed several hundred meters towards the back of the tea room, and then ascend a spiral staircase to the third floor to enter the reception room, which is the most important conference room in the entire prison.

However, this meeting room now belongs to the criminals.

--Based on the needs of the VIPs, the manager designated this place as the [Loyalty Hall], which is also the place where the leaders of various war guilds and factions discuss business and abide by the rules.

When Miss Penny entered, she saw people gathered around a round table, not a rectangular one, indicating that everyone at the round table was equal, with no host or guest.

The fourteen gang leaders each occupied a different area, and the tableware was divided into two sets, one Eastern and one Western.

A stack of menus was presented and distributed by the waiters to each VIP. Inside the menus were photos of female prisoners G117 and S272, along with documents written by informants, detailing their physical characteristics, travel habits, dietary habits, and basic assessments of their transformation stages.

When Boss Morian asked these criminals to identify people, it started in the cloakroom, and the old butler Edward relayed the information to the various mob bosses.

As soon as Penny entered, the tall, dark-haired man at the round table greeted her enthusiastically.

"The tattoo artist has arrived. Please take a seat in the VIP section."

The person who said this was probably the leader of the Tyrannosaurus Warriors. Knowing that Penny had brought gifts for Jello and Jielina, he treated them well, and every extra word he said was an extra favor.

This politeness only went as far as "taking care of them," and then nothing more.

The dozen or so gang leaders, each with a different expression, showed no interest in the young women on the menu.

--These two women were brought in by Jielina, and they'll most likely join the Tyrannosaurus Warriors family, taking away the title of "stupid to the point of being unable to breathe" from that leader who's addicted to online games.

As for their capabilities, it's unclear from the menu description.

After a while, someone finally spoke.

"Everyone, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now. I haven't sunbathed yet; my little darling is waiting for me."

The person who said this was the leader of the Hydra Chapter.

He smuggled weapons and pyroxene at the Seventh Transportation Division.

"You're just leaving like that? That doesn't make sense, does it? Morian asked you to recognize people, and this is how you do it?"

The person who said this was a priest from the [Scarlet Duke] Church.

--She likes vampires and is also Edward's elder, so she can't stand the sun and that's why she made a fuss.

"I don't think they're involved in shady dealings."

The person who said this was the spear instructor of the [Hung Mun Martial Arts Academy].

--This "big gun" refers not only to cold weapons, but also to the [Hung Mun] that FE204863 once joined. It is a group that takes in people who lack Inspiration but are oppressed by psionicists. It is mainly Chinese. The big gun instructor at the martial arts academy is more like a militia instructor or a private armed force instructor.

This instructor comes from District Six and has sixteen lives on his hands. He is one of the top-notch assassins in the Hung Mun Alliance.

"It looks pretty good, I wonder how it tastes."

These words, spoken in a youthful, slightly immature voice, came from a child.

--This is the opinion leader of [Iranian Child]. There are many underage criminals in the prison who have been brainwashed by criminal organizations. Because of their sensitive age, they are subject to special imprisonment methods. Simple labor reform is not applicable to these serious criminals. They are detained until they turn eighteen and are considered adults before they are executed.

This lecherous brat has already killed six people without any remorse, and takes pleasure in torturing women.

If he was of no use to Ming De, he should have been secretly dealt with long ago.

Immediately afterwards, the fourteen leaders started talking all at once, like a card game in a market, each one of them talking about something completely unrelated.

"Were these two women sent by Ming De?"

"There's no need for that; our every move is under God's watchful eye."

"How are you spending Christmas? Any exciting plans for this year?"

"I don't want them to join the Tyrannosaurus Warriors, no matter what—one of them is a vampire, and I'm a woman too, I'm a vampire too."

"You've had sex reassignment surgery, have some shame. There are probably very few people here who still have pure Homo sapiens blood flowing through their veins. In this prison, Homo sapiens are considered very precious protected animals."

"That's discrimination against transgender people!"

"So, what's the plan for Christmas? Is anyone even listening to me? This house is fucking terribly ventilated."

"I think that guy is right. Ming De doesn't need to send these two people to monitor us."

"Why?"

"Their facial features are too distinctive. Have you ever seen James Bond 007? A spy movie?"

"Oh, you mean?"

"The Bond girls in movies are all incredibly hot and provocative—they practically have 'I'm an agent, I have a problem' written all over their faces. What normal intelligence organization would hire two girls like these as agents? They're too young and too conspicuous."

"Get Jello out here and give us an explanation!"

The leader of the [Falcon] gang slammed his hand on the table and winked at his old nemesis, Tyrannosaurus Warrior, from the male prison area.

One of them was wearing a bright red crocodile skin coat, and the other was wearing a navy blue suit; the red and blue combination was incompatible.

These two were mortal enemies outside of prison. Inside, they each ran their own districts of drug trafficking. They were both big-time drug dealers, and when it came to lucrative business like flea auctions, neither of them would back down an inch. They were the kind of people who would go to great lengths to annoy their rivals during the bidding process, even if it meant losing money.

The leader of the Tyrannosaurus Warriors is actually Andro.

At that moment, he was holding a box of dark chocolates, about to put it in his mouth, and he opened the crocodile skin collar, as if afraid that the dozen or so human tattoos on his chest wouldn't be enough for others to see. Suddenly, he heard his old rival's loud command, as if his DNA had been activated, and like a rebellious child, he immediately wanted to talk back.

"You're going to teach me how to do things? You'll just tell me what to do and I'll do it?"

"The people were brought in by Jello." The leader of the Falcon Gang, named Kun En, was thirty-six years old, like Andro. He had a thin face, a sinister expression, and a hooked nose like an eagle. His arms were crossed, and his suit was spotless. He was a man of principle in the underworld. "Whoever brought in the trouble is responsible for dealing with it. Morian wants to investigate them—we must give them an explanation."

"What kind of talk is that? Are you afraid the matador will test your nucleic acid with a pitchfork?" Andro didn't utter a single swear word, but his words were all vulgar. "I said they're fine, and they're fine—you're afraid to take your pants off, so you want these two women to strip naked in front of us to prove their identities?"

Kun En: "You!"

Andro: "What do you mean, 'you'? You're out here doing shady business, ignoring the law, but you have to follow the rules—what's the most important thing in business? Integrity."

Immediately afterwards--

--Tyrannosaurus Warrior threw an oil paper package onto the table. It was the outer packaging of the bribe money that Mr. Hasben had obtained from the interrogator, along with a small note containing a message.

Andro pointed to the small note and read out, word by word, what Boss Kun En had done.

"Translate this for me. I don't understand Spanish. What does it mean that [it's best not to let these two women out of the serious offender interrogation room]? Translate this, you bastard?"

"Mike!?" Kun En's eyes widened, his anger flaring. "That old bastard took the money and did nothing? He even betrayed me?"

"Oh! Don't blame him! Don't blame him!" Andro grinned, his large gold teeth adorned with inscriptions of various skill symbols, buff icons from his favorite game, FF14: "These two girls pulled out all his teeth, so I gave him a new set, the same kind as the ones I have now."

This hardcore gaming merchandise shut Interrogator Mike up.

[Part 2: Merry Christmas]

Mr. Andro is preparing to press his advantage.

He handed another oil paper package to the table, which, like the Falcon Gang's insignia, also bore his Tyrannosaurus Warrior's small stamp.

"You're offering 200,000 to harm someone."

Andro glanced at the others present and continued.

"I'll offer two hundred thousand to have Mike vouch for him."

He held the small teacup with his large, thick fingers, his expression relaxed and self-satisfied, as if he had already won the negotiation, and he was surprisingly elegant.

"Then you are evil, and I am justice. What's the name of this meeting hall? It's called the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness, you scraggly birds. They're already mine. The fact that they were able to walk out of the interrogation room for serious offenders is their own skill. They were able to cleanly and efficiently deal with that greedy interrogator—I didn't spend a single extra penny, nor did I do anything unnecessary."

This statement sparked much discussion among people in private.

Regardless of what methods the sisters used, whether by force or beauty.

To be able to pass through the gates of heaven and knock out the interrogator's teeth is already a feat of exceptional talent.

Andro's actions did not cross the bottom line of the various leaders, nor did they allow for any criticism.

G117 and S272 were introduced by Jello and his wife. According to the rule of seniority, the sisters should have joined the Tyrannosaurus Warriors, so it seems difficult to recruit them.

They weren't very interested in S272, but G117, this vampire, seemed to possess extraordinary abilities.

She broke through the barriers of Heaven's gates—

--Although I don't know how it was done, at least that silent and powerful God showed her leniency during the interrogation.

In this prison, blessed by the sun, even blood-soaked monsters that can fly find it difficult to escape the Lord of Cinder's pursuit.

However, according to Edward, this vampire doesn't seem to fear the sun. If they can use her to escape from Prison Break, the situation will be completely different.

"I disagree." The first to attack was the leader of [Scarlet Duke], a transgender young woman who, relying on her vampire identity, protested to the Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "According to prison rules, they have to undergo a séance and pay money before we can decide where they go."

If you have a good memory, you'll remember that the most important thing for a newcomer to prison is to find a powerful patron to attach themselves to.

Edward repeatedly brought up this matter with Xue Ming, hoping that his fellow vampires could find a suitable backer to avoid being bullied in prison.

After a child is born, a traditional religious ceremony is held to baptize the child.

The séance is a blessing for this newborn in the underworld, so that he can emerge from his cocoon in prison, gain the power to fight against God, and break free from the cage that imprisons the devil.

At the same time, the tattoo artist would also use paint to tattoo the criminal's crimes onto the criminal's back.

After this ceremony, the criminal is like a piece of raw pork, carefully selected by various families who ultimately offer a price to buy the newcomer into their own camp, to be used as a new henchman, a new think tank, and a new talent pool.

Freedom is a luxury here. If a newcomer doesn't follow the rules and insists on choosing their own side, then they'll have to pay.

Judging from the current situation, almost all the Dadu.

Xue Ming would then have to pay 1.3 million Hui Stone Currency to purchase the freedom to choose his own employer.

Even Teacher Bei Chen from the Hung Mun Martial Arts Academy became interested in these two girls from the same hometown in the East.

If G117 and S272 cannot afford this amount, then Andro will have to cut off a piece of his own flesh and pay for the séance.

The "wrist meat" here refers to the bloody butchering of flesh, the fattest part from the thigh to the buttocks, which was then distributed to the other thirteen VIP bosses in Blackland Prison as an appetizer.

Andro will not do this deal.

Xue Ming, and she couldn't afford to pay that amount.

"So what should we do?" The Big Sister looked up at the anxious Jielina: "What should I do?"

Jielina looked guilty. "I'm so sorry, sister. I never imagined that a simple secondhand auction would cause you so much trouble."

Xue Ming patted Jielina on the shoulder, comforting the bride. "It's okay, what do we do next? I don't have any money. Are we going to throw me on stage like at an auction and let them bid on me?"

"No, there's no chance." Jielina frowned, worried. "It would be worse. You can't expect a pack of man-eating wolves to fight tooth and nail over a newborn—there's never been such a civilized tradition in this prison."

Xue Ming: "What kind of explanation is this? If I can't join the Tyrannosaurus Warriors, you won't help me find someone. That won't do."

"You won't become an auction item." Jielina pouted and said earnestly to G117, "During your séance, you will have to fight against the thirteen warbands and gangs in a series of battles, subduing the wolves of the pack in order to gain their approval. Otherwise, you will have to pay to buy your freedom. That's the rule."

"Wait a minute. What if I don't win? And I don't have the money to buy freedom?" Xue Ming looked surprised, not understanding this Spartan-style parenting method at all. This newborn ceremony was too hardcore.

"Anyone who disrupts my brothers will be killed." Jielina rolled her eyes. "At the Blackland Royal Hotel, although we may not be of one mind in private, this rule is inviolable: we only have one enemy, and that is God."

The meaning is very clear. Those who can't survive in this kind of competition and don't have the money to buy their lives are not worthy of living in Hedland and have no value whatsoever.

As for the brothers' sense of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame, these are merely cloaks draped over their morally corrupt and vile behavior.

Returning from Jielina's room--

A Xing saw the Big Sister just grinning like an idiot.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm very happy."

Why?

"My hands are itching unbearably."

Mr. Wen Bucai, far away in the Mimir Hot Spring Market, is preparing for his Christmas family gathering.

He invited all his old friends over to prepare a barbecue and fireworks show, planning to go all out.

Professor Victor, having long since had a change of heart, brought Bloodhound Lady along to keep their appointment. They sat on the cliff beside the elevator platform, gazing at the bustling Dadu. The observation balloons rising at night offered a breathtaking panorama.

Wen Bucai took out the gun, stroking it gently as if playing with a small toy, then twirled the gun and put it into the holster.

They talked about the students as if they were talking about their own children.

"I'm curious," Victor said, "That anyone could beat a gunsmith while using firearms."

Wen Bucai: "To my knowledge, no."

Victor: "Your experience is limited to the 150 years you know, limited to your memory."

Wen Bucai shrugged dismissively and immediately retorted with a question.

"I'm also curious, is there any creature on earth that can defeat the Big Sister with its bare hands?"

Victor immediately began to pray, putting his hands together in prayer to the gods.

Wen Bucai: "What's wrong with you? Your spirit is a demon, how could you believe in religion?"

Victor didn't speak, but continued reciting the prayer.

"May God know boxing, wrestling, and the divine strike of Saint Geth, and impart this sacred skill to the Great Demon of the Morning Star, to be given to the Pandemonium in Pandemonium, and bestowed upon it upon the millions of demons, so that they may be spared the torment of broken bones and torn flesh."