Act 17: Dust N' Bones

[Part 1: Creed]

The four decided to split up.

Duran and Flavia, members of the Little Brotherhood, were sent to the Religious Affairs Hall as VIP clients of the Falcon Gang to scout the terrain and plan their escape route.

As planned, G117 and S272 were to Tyrannosaurus Warrior Gang buy rooms at the secondhand auction, hoping to uncover the secrets of the universal room.

Xue Ming's situation is going smoothly.

--When Andro learned that the vampire had returned to the Tyrannosaurus Warriors' camp, the simple-minded, muscle-bound mob boss was overjoyed and hugged his groom Jello, and kissed him wildly.

To be honest, Xue Ming didn't know how to distinguish between valuable cultural relics or valuable handicrafts.

But Meteor knew this well.

Bu Mei's house has antiques that can be used as flower arrangements and potted plants. The number of cultural relics and treasures that Meteor has seen since childhood is almost the same as half of the museums in a prefecture-level city.

They helped Andro buy many rooms, including one right next to 1184, where perhaps the secret of the multi-purpose room lies.

Flavia and Duran encountered some minor trouble.

For no other reason than Hasben Madison and Linker Link were closely following behind them, keeping a close eye on their every move.

Hasben's idea was simple: after entering the Religious Affairs Hall, he randomly found a seat and sat down.

He thought to himself, "Since G117 has made things clear and won't reveal any other clues, I might as well talk to these two [benefactors]."

There are many ways to repay a debt of gratitude. If these sisters had no motive to commit a crime, why would they have chosen to serve their sentences in Hedland?

This single-minded ranger only wants to get innocent people out of prison; he embodies the purest form of a meddlesome knight-errant.

But Mr. Link is different--

--This linker from District 33 is neither a Flash Butterfly in the station system nor a VIP.

Most of the staff at the Blackland Royal Hotel are former criminals.

He abandoned his real name and appeared under the code name [LinkMan].

Duran said before--

--She had already sent a message outside the prison, re-establishing contact with the Little Brotherhood.

This "using someone else" means that a price has been agreed upon with the linker.

The chapel of the Blackland Royal Hotel is located on the southwest side of the annex, next to the courtyard garden.

Located on the 27th floor of the hotel, this area has two sky gardens serving as access routes. Normally, few people come to the church to worship God; most of the hotel's prisoners are followers of the Madness Butterfly, and there are very few traditional Christian.

After Duran and Flavia entered the church, they glanced at the confessional and altar. Before they could sit down to listen to the old priest chant, Hasben had already moved closer to Ms. Duran.

"You don't seem to be Orthodox Christians. As far as I know, you are Grey Robe Monk from the Little Brotherhood."

The young man got straight to the point, speaking in a low voice.

"G117 saved my life, she looks a lot like my mother, ladies—does she owe you any favors?"

While Duran was still figuring out how to deal with this hothead,

Hasben has already set his terms, and he's very serious and persistent.

"Duran and Cici, I know you two. You're the Black Snake and White Snake of Forty-Eight District. You're the right-hand men of a major drug lord—I'm more inclined to believe that G117 was deceived and used by you. Her arrival in this prison was purely coincidental, it was all her wishful thinking. I'm going to send her out. Name your price."

Duran suddenly burst out laughing.

Flavia was both amused and exasperated, unsure of what to say.

"Hey! Duran! This guy's weird!"

Even as Hasben faced the strange spiritual pressure emanating from the two Deneb units, he didn't back down. Sitting beside Duran, he whispered, "You damned drug dealers, although I don't know what methods you used, G117 is definitely not the kind of criminal who would collude with you."

Duran glanced sideways, head held high, and looked at Hasben with a tilted head. "Kid, you're going to hell for talking nonsense in the church and falsely accusing people."

"Name your price? Name your price!" Flavia exclaimed excitedly. "He just asked us to name our price! It's like G117 is our top courtesan! He wants to buy this innocent and helpless girl's freedom! How fucking interesting!"

Hasben Madison blushed and didn't know how to retort for a moment.

Flavia pressed on. "You just said G117 looks a lot like your mother? Do you have a mother complex? Hehehehehe!"

Hasben roared in <Heart of Rage>, "Criminal! What nonsense are you spouting!"

"If it weren't for your decent looks," Flavia's face instantly turned sinister. She summoned her soul power, and a black, hairy serpent coiled around her, flicking its red tongue at the reckless young man. "I would have killed you long ago."

When faced with the threat of death, Hasben suddenly chickened out.

Because this crazy woman didn't seem to be joking.

Flavia and Duran stood up, disregarding life and death, and became desperate outlaws who would fight to the death in the streets.

Flavia said, "How much more of a sentence would you get for killing us? It makes no difference to us."

Duran then pointed out to Hasben, "Young man, you have no idea what level of criminals you're dealing with—our sins would require hundreds of executions to atone for. What makes you think we can continue living in Hedland? By repentance?"

Flavia: "Taking your life is nothing compared to having too many debts to worry about."

"How is that possible?" Hasben's eyes were unfocused, seemingly unable to comprehend the outrageous words uttered by the Grey Robe Monk.

He was too naive, too innocent. He didn't understand the survival rules of Hedland, nor the survival rules of Eleventh District.

Those who survive in prison are the strong; this is an ironclad rule in the steel jungle.

For the warden and the boss, when a prisoner is no longer of any value, all the stolen money has been recovered, all the crony networks have been uprooted, and all the henchmen have been purged, that prisoner is doomed.

Criminals like Duran and Flavia are key members of drug cartels. Even if they accidentally kill several criminals in Hedland, they won't be held accountable because their value is far greater than that of other serious offenders.

The grudges and entanglements within the prison can also trigger infighting between the Little Brotherhood and other gangs—a dogfight between the Madness Butterfly Sect.

The more these VIPs caused trouble in prison, the more stable the security became for the Transportation Bureau and the trade hub. From military police to local militia, everyone could sit back and watch the drama unfold, reading the newspapers every day and seeing how many pitiful bastards had died in the Blood Butterfly camp due to feuds and armed clashes.

Hasben's words were like those of an unarmed infant threatening a fully armed soldier.

"Young man, if you want to live a few more years, don't meddle in other people's business." Flavia kindly advised, "I see you're so young, yet you've already achieved immortality—you must be a promising talent. There's nothing to say between us; you're a government soldier, and I'm a bandit."

Duran: "You're using money to bribe thieves and get them to do things for you? Aren't you ashamed?"

[Part ② - My Signature Performance]

These words nearly shattered Hasben's mental defenses. He was just one step away from questioning his existence and turning to the dark side on the spot.

Link stepped forward at the opportune moment and grabbed Hasben's arm, but the young man forcefully broke free.

After a long, long time, Hasben glared angrily at the two women, and finally left in a huff and puff.

Grandpa Link whispered instructions to Hasben.

"Excuse me, I overheard your conversation—I think Ms. Duran makes a lot of sense. You've also seen female prisoner G117's performance in the ring, haven't you?"

Hasben turned around and shouted, "She saved my life! She's a good person! I wouldn't doubt her! Do you think there's anything wrong with what I'm saying?"

Link quickly feigned a look of panic. "No, no, no, I didn't mean to doubt you, but the world isn't black and white, sir—criminals can save people, criminals can be good people, and these blood-bearing beasts can even control their own bodies, alter their neural structures, hormone expression, emotions, and temperament."

Hasben glanced at Duran, then at Flavia.

Finally, he looked at the image of Jesus, said nothing more, and walked straight towards the church door.

After the troublesome hothead left, Sister Duran and Mr. Link began to discuss riddles in a gloomy tone.

How are the pigeons at the pet store?

How are the Little Brotherhood's informants doing?

Link answered softly, "There were originally six, but two flew away."

Four were arrested, but two escaped from Eleventh District.

Duran: "Which pigeon farm did you buy it from? How does it taste compared to the meat pigeons from my hometown?"

Which area's Zero Platform? Is it reliable? How long until I can get back to Forty-Eight District?

Link replied with a grin, "Please don't worry about that. You'll be sitting at table forty-one at the wedding banquet, and everything, including side dishes and sauces, will be prepared."

[Zero Platform in Forty-One District is staffed by nimble and clever individuals. At Jello and Jielina's wedding, you can proceed as planned to open the food lid, retrieve the corresponding Prison Break tools, and then begin your Prison Break plan.]

Duran nodded with satisfaction, then looked at Link with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Well done, you've prepared all the food. I won't treat you unfairly."

Link: "It is an honor to serve the Little Brotherhood."

At this moment, Link said something extra, as if it were a serious matter.

"He's very angry, Ms. Duran."

Duran: "Why?"

What happened next could not be explained using coded language.

Mr. Link took out his Bible, turned the title page towards the altar, deliberately avoiding the old priest's eyes and ears, and also evading surveillance.

The title page was covered with densely written, tragic news from the Little Brotherhood.

[My dear Duran and Flavia, you lost Red Mountain Stone and FE204863—and ended up in jail, spending the better part of half a year living like royalty in Hedland.]

[The Cult Leader is very concerned about this matter and strongly suspects that you have already betrayed the Little Brotherhood —to prove your innocence, you must return with offerings; as for what those offerings are, you can decide for yourselves.]

[Because of you, Little Brotherhood lost three Morpho Butterflies, and H16T hallucinogens worth 610,000 Hui Stone Currency.]

[In the perfumer's shop, Flavia is not at her post, and the entire production line has reduced its capacity by 30% in the past six months.]

[Do you know how much the Cult Leader misses you? He'd love to chop off your legs, tie you to the drug lab, and provide you with plenty of stimulants every day to keep your work running smoothly.]

[It's almost the end of the year, and the financial reports for the third and fourth quarters this year are extremely poor. How will the Cult Leader explain this to the rest of the Little Brotherhood when he's handing out red envelopes (cash gifts)?]

[As for the Red Mountain Stone, the Cult Leader didn't blame you for that—but the gifts you prepare must be truly sincere, extremely lavish, and of the highest quality that will earn the Little Brotherhood.]

Otherwise, ladies, you'd better be prepared.

Mr. Link immediately closed the Bible, his eyes gleaming with a knowing smile.

"I've said everything I needed to say. I wish you both good health."

Wait until Link leaves--

--Duran gripped Flavia's hand tightly, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

The Cult Leader of the Little Brotherhood remained a lingering shadow in the sisters' hearts.

This terrifying man's true identity remains a mystery. He never reveals his true face, relying instead on agents to carry out his duties. He is ruthless, vicious, and utterly wicked.

If Flavia was driven to murder simply because she encountered a beautiful Korean woman on a plane after plastic surgery, then this madwoman could find a pretext to harm others and a clear logic to carry out her crimes.

So what did the Cult Leader do?

He wanted Flavia to manufacture drugs; the categories of soft and hard drugs were incredibly diverse, ranging from neurotransmitters to traditional heroin.

He was a shrewd businessman; to sell these invisible, deadly potions, he was a brilliant criminal genius.

Duran and Flavia said that their sins were so great that even being shot hundreds of times wouldn't be enough to atone for them.

Most of the potions that send people to the realm of pleasure are made by Flavia.

Duran, as an accomplice, used his ability to Timeline to protect the drug lord.

They have harmed countless people—men and women, parents and children, innocent people, or those who sought their own deaths.

Even the most powerful Morpho butterfly, with its strongest willpower, cannot withstand the corrosive effects of poison.

They knew very well what they had done; working for the Little Brotherhood was utterly immoral and heinous, and would never end well.

"Duran," Flavia whispered to her lover, "Do we really have to go against the Cult Leader?"

Duran rolled his eyes. "What else?"

Flavia continued, "Everything we have—our power and wealth, our bloodline and our riches—is a gift from the Cult Leader to us."

Duran: "No, Flavia, you're mistaken. These things weren't given by the Cult Leader. They were obtained by living, breathing people who, after using drugs, turned into dust and bones, exchanging their very essence for them."

Flavia was struck dumb upon hearing this and froze.

So-called power, so-called wealth.

These are all excuses Flavia made up.

--The two sisters had always lived in the Cult Leader.

The old priest on stage finally finished chanting the prayer, then handed a gift box to Duran.

This is the sixth box, the sixth gift, that Miss Duran has received in the past six months—a reward she deserves as a devout believer.

Duran remained silent, led Flavia around the church's arcades to examine the structure of the outer walls, and then hurriedly returned to his room with the box in his arms.

She held her breath, opened the box, and inside was a severed hand with claws resembling those of a lizard, and a sharp, blued steel awl.

The accompanying paper was a letter of consolation from the Cult Leader.

"My daughters, this is the sixth assassin to come and kill you."

"These are the hybrid green-haired lizards of the Star Realm Legion. They don't want my lovely Flavia to return to her warm home. After all, I sell goods, and so do they. The more I sell, the less they sell."

"I care about you so much, I love you so much. No matter what others say, I believe in you. You can feel it too. I, your father, am like a silent and powerful God, watching over you at all times."

"The hand before you is irrefutable proof of my unwavering fatherly love."

"I hope that, as you all say, returning to Zero Platform will bring me some surprises."

"He's looking at me." Flavia was almost breathless with terror. "He's in this prison."

"Don't panic, darling." Duran stroked his lover's chin. "Don't panic. He's bluffing. That old monster's favorite thing to do is lie."

Then Duran lowered his head and kissed his lover's earlobe.

The more afraid you are, the more pleased he becomes.

"These gift boxes were sent by him to intimidate us, to win us over, and to make us obey."

"Flavia, we can't live like this anymore."

"He's not in this prison. If he were capable, after all that talking to Hasben Madison, he should have immediately understood and used that to threaten us."

"After all, that kid was a military policeman at the station—that was common knowledge in the prison."

"It takes time for news to reach Forty-Eight District. Judging from the ink marks, the letters in this box are from several days ago."

"He never mentioned being in prison—yet he gave you the illusion that he was in prison all the time."

"Cici, don't be afraid."

"Sooner or later he'll find out that there's a demon king who's even more ruthless and powerful than him, and who will bring him surprises."

"Don't worry, he'll just turn to dust and bones, like the people we kill."