Act.18 Sweet Child O' Mine · My Sweetheart

[Part 1: Thighs]

"Female inmate G117!" the prison guard shouted. "You have twelve hours to empty this room! Everything you win at the flea market is yours! After twelve hours, nothing in this room belongs to you!"

Xue Ming: "Okay, officer!"

The prison guard was very satisfied and handed the trolley to G117: "Very good! Very energetic! Let's begin!"

After the bystanders left, Tyrannosaurus Warrior Andro curiously looked at the items in living room 1183.

"Hey, ma'am, is there any precious treasure in this house?"

The auction process these past few days has made Andro a fortune; he now respectfully refers to G117 as "Big Sister."

Xue Ming blocked the doorway, preventing Andro from entering.

"You want to touch my things?"

Andro was immediately startled, breaking out in a cold sweat, and refused to take another step forward.

He grinned and said, "No, no, no."

Xue Ming: "I've made you a lot of money, Andro. You can't be too greedy."

Having said that, Mr. Andro wisely refrained from further disturbing G117.

When Xue Ming and Liuxing entered room 1183, they could vaguely sense a very familiar spiritual pressure.

That's the warden's [Heaven's Gate] --

--They had also experienced the psionic tides that occurred when Soul Power was activated when they faced interrogators.

"It's nearby, I can feel it." Xue Ming looked up at the monitor, smiled at the warden, and then grabbed the brass kettle on the coffee table to indicate that he was only there to inventory the auction items.

The A Xing jumped around the room, examining all the furniture, trying to find the hidden door.

After searching around for a while, she found nothing and finally slumped onto the sofa in frustration.

"Sister! Did we buy the wrong house?!"

From the living room to the master bedroom, then to the toilet and kitchen, there are no secret passages, nor is there the multi-purpose room that Duran described.

However, Xue Ming was certain that the warden must have left a back door there; otherwise, how could prisoners 1184, 1185, and 1186 have escaped?

Right now, at this very moment--

--A note was passed to him from outside the gate.

Duran leaned against the doorframe, slipped the note into G117's hand, and hurriedly left.

Xue Ming took it and saw that it was a threatening letter written by the Cult Leader of the Little Brotherhood. She didn't give the note to Liuxing; after reading it, she ate it directly. Traces of pheromones could still be found in the paper.

Although it was very faint and artificially processed, Xue Ming's Inspiration was extremely strong. In addition to Duran and Link the Linker, there was also a strange, fishy smell on the note, a stench similar to mold and blood.

This is the spiritual pressure characteristic of the Cult Leader, and the person who terrified Flavia to the point of tears.

Flavia said that the Cult Leader possessed incredible good fortune.

When business is discussed behind a screen, bullets fired at him will inexplicably change direction and return to the assassin's head.

The vehicle he was in was attacked by a bomb, and after the smoke cleared, not even his body could be found. Yet, the very next day, he received a call from the Cult Leader, who sounded completely unharmed and showed no sign of fear.

A Xing: "What's wrong?"

"Wait for me here." Xue Ming memorized the Cult Leader's spiritual pressure signature and headed towards the restroom. "I'll be right back."

A Xing immediately understood; the Big Sister probably wanted to run to the next room through the toilet. "Do you need my help?"

Xue Ming: "How can you be of any help? Just stay here and watch TV."

A Xing didn't ask any questions. She turned on the TV and turned the volume up to the maximum. Then she put her hands behind her head and lay back on the sofa.

Go to the changing room in the bathroom; the smaller room further inside has no security cameras.

Xue Ming carefully located the listening microphone, called out "Fragrant Dream," and instructed the Steel Cat to dismantle the entire iron plate ventilation duct and move the listening cable closer to the living room.

The loud fighting sounds emanating from the television drowned out all other noises.

She returned to the bathroom, moved the entire bathtub aside, and used her Soul Power attack on the side wall to blast a large hole.

Xue Ming then entered room 1184.

--This was the residence of the three who Prison Break.

The moment they entered 1184, the spiritual pressure fluctuations of the [Heaven's Gate] grew increasingly intense.

This puzzled Xue Ming greatly. If there were traces of soul power, it meant that the warden had never forgotten this multi-purpose room and had been using this passage all along.

But since people have already escaped through this secret passage, why leave it open?

She groped her way out of the dark bathroom, but dared not turn on the light. If there was any light, the living room surveillance camera in 1184 would discover what G117 had done.

She kept her body low to the ground, peering into the dark living room from the sink. Apart from the usual furniture and chairs, there was nothing unusual. The cabinet doors were open, and almost all the drawers had been searched by the prison guards, so there was nothing to hide.

The Fragrant Dream left the body and walked into the darkness.

The camera can't capture Soul Power Spirits, Xue Ming hopes the Steel Cat can find some clues.

Spirits with their own consciousness are very special; they don't obey commands much, but they are not as dependent on their host body.

Even if Xue Ming couldn't see anything, SD's eyes were like those of a feline, possessing night vision. Its large, green eyes widened their pupils, trying to absorb ambient light and detect the surrounding situation.

In less than a minute, Fragrant Dream returned carrying the items.

In the pitch-black environment, Xue Ming was startled when he took the item from Hunwei's arms.

--But it only caused a brief tremor.

This is a thigh; specifically, it is human tissue that has been infused with plaster and then weathered and dried.

Its cuts are clean and even, like a work of art. If it weren't for the muscle texture, blood vessels, and bones, Xue Ming would have mistaken it for an amateur sculpture by an art student several times.

This thigh belongs to a man who is around twenty years old.

There was a slit in its leg bone, which seemed to have been specially cut open to hide something. The slit was about a finger's width and four centimeters long.

Xue Ming reached down along the crevice, but the narrow, cramped space prevented him from reaching the bottom.

Fragrant Dream immediately transformed her arms into supple vines, helping Xue Ming retrieve the object from her thigh.

Under the harsh white light of the restroom, a series of cards came into her view.

They are all HC cards.

All of them are--

--HELLCAT's card.

A total of sixty-one Hui Stone Currency bank cards were hidden inside this plaster cast thigh.

As for how this thigh came about?

Fragrant Dream leaned against Xue Ming's neck, her body becoming one with her host, and murmured through bone transmission.

"I found a body in the bedroom, specifically, a body disguised as a plaster cast."

"My sense of smell is very keen; I smelled him immediately—he had been dead for a very long time, his body tissue sealed in plaster."

"His limbs are detachable, like a piggy bank, with many Hellcats hidden inside."

"He was lying on the bed in the master bedroom, like a prop made for the prison guards to simulate an escape scene."

"But actually, I'm afraid those three criminals didn't escape at all."

"They were turned into dolls, made into specimens, and will remain here forever."

What's the deal with this money?

Xue Ming looked at the HC card--

--The Hellcat Bank Card, like other Braille cards, does not reveal any information about the cardholder. It is used to store large amounts of Hui Stone Currency.

Did she expose the warden's backyard? Did she find out where the old man in the surveillance room hid his secret stash of money?

But this amount of secret stash of money is just too much.

This one corpse alone, conservatively estimated, contained more than three hundred cards.

The warden must never leave Hedland.

What use would he need so much money for?

Wait a moment--

--Never leave Hedland?

[Part 2: When God Speaks]

A thunderbolt struck Xue Ming's heart.

--Only then did I realize the special nature of the [Heaven's Gate].

Since the warden can use surveillance to manipulate different doors and reach different places.

Who says he can only stay in Hedland? In Eleventh District?

Jason Megan's Soul Force has a range that could almost circle the Earth.

Is it possible that the warden isn't even in this prison? He left all his property, all his valuables, here, in the safest place in all of Hedland. He killed three criminals, used their bodies as containers, and left a secret passage so he could retrieve the money at any time.

But where did this money come from?

Just as Xue Ming was hesitating and preparing to go to the bedroom to find out what was going on...

The bedroom light came on. Immediately afterwards, the sound of leather shoes clicking on the floor could be heard.

Xue Ming retreated repeatedly, retracing his steps. Fragrant Dream was flustered and clumsy, unlike the refined spirit form of the male character account. She was simply unable to recreate the brick and stone structure of the broken wall, making it impossible to plug the hole.

The visitor seemed to notice the commotion on the bed and realized that the plaster cast corpse was missing a leg. He immediately rushed to the living room, but in an instant, he became silent again and disappeared into the darkness.

He seemed afraid of something.

It was as if they were on guard against the soul-powerful attack of Fragrant Dream.

Xue Ming's idea was simple: since he couldn't escape, he might as well knock him out.

If the warden were to come, he would probably be afraid and worried.

If anything happens to him, all the prisoners in this jail will regain their freedom.

She clenched her fists, summoning the power of her spirit to surround her, and quietly leaned against the toilet door, no longer daring to take a step forward.

She had witnessed the power of the [Heaven's Gate]; if used to kill, it would be a destructive force that would leave no living being alive.

"You're G117, Glory, right?"

The warden spoke; he leaned against the wall, separated from Xue Ming by only a wall.

Xue Ming did not respond.

The warden continued, "If you don't answer, I'll assume it's you. There's no such thing as 'innocent until proven guilty' in this prison. Ever since you bought room 1183—I've been worried that you might come to my backyard, and sure enough, this terrible thing happened."

Xue Ming still did not respond.

"You must be thinking about how to defeat me, right?" the warden murmured. "I haven't reached the safest spot. You can try using your Soul Power. The moment you break through this wall will probably be your death day— Glory. I won't hide behind the door and meet your gaze. I'd be invincible then, but you'd still see my face, and that's not what I want."

Xue Ming cut to the chase. "I want to Prison Break."

"I've investigated you. You're innocent. Getting out of this prison is very simple. Just pay a few people to bail you out. Ask a bank vault employee to help you overturn your conviction. You don't even need the bank manager to say anything; just give some false testimony." The warden continued, "But why go through the back door? Do you like adventure? Seeking thrills? Why not use the main gate and instead climb over the wall?"

Xue Ming: "And Duran and Flavia, I'm taking them out."

The shortest distance between two points in the world is a straight line.

If you want to escape from prison, you can get the warden to talk, then everything will be fine.

After a very long time, the warden seemed to be thinking about something.

He suddenly left the wall and came to the front door.

He turned off the living room light, half of his body hidden in the shadows and half exposed to the light.

He had pale skin and long, slender arms, which he held in front of his chest.

His bright red hair and chin had just been illuminated by the bathroom light Xue Ming immediately saw a familiar yet unfamiliar face.

It was a face exactly like Hasben Madison's, very similar, with only slight differences in the curve of the bridge and nostrils.

Their eyebrows, eyes, cheekbones, ears, and hair are almost identical.

"Claudia has good taste."

The warden said with a smile.

"Your gift is so beautiful, so beautiful!"

Xue Ming's eyes were unfocused; for a moment, she couldn't comprehend this coincidence.

--Hasben is nineteen years old and comes from a rural town in Eleventh District.

According to him, his father was a rapist and his mother was a victim.

"Your red hair," the warden murmured, "Reminds me of something from a long, long time ago... of my sweetheart."

Xue Ming shouted angrily, "You're the Cult Leader of the Little Brotherhood?!"

Aside from the managers of each generation, no one has ever seen the warden of Hedland.

Apart from the business agents of the Little Brotherhood, no one had ever seen the Cult Leader.

Xue Ming made this judgment because the warden directly read out Duran's real name.

It was impossible for the warden to remember all the prisoners' names in his daily work, so he usually referred to them by their serial numbers.

The money in this room, in this secret passage, is more like the ill-gotten gains of the Little Brotherhood's Cult Leader. This money can be transformed into legal income for Eleventh District through the spending of criminals, into Hedland's taxes, and into the warden's private, legal property.

The entire Blackland Royal Hotel is the Cult Leader's money laundering company!

Xue Ming even suspected--

--Are there other secret rooms in this prison? Could there be a drug lab hidden there?

"Don't be nervous, Glory." The warden remained unmoved and calm. "I'm showing you my true colors simply because I believe you are a trustworthy person."

This time, Xue Ming was at a loss.

The warden then proceeded to explain his speculations in detail.

"I've been watching everything you've done since you entered Hedland."

"At first I didn't understand why you brought that burden along, S272? What's so special about her? But you two have a very good relationship, so good that you can sleep in the same bed. Then it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps these two girls are so innocent and naive that they want to share hardships and advance together. Sometimes, things that can't be explained by any self-interest are very likely driven by pure friendship or love."

"Like Flavia and Duran, my daughters are the same. They came into my life because of just a few words or a spark of attraction, and then they decided to depend on each other for life. I envy that kind of relationship."

"And later, you worked for Andro and defeated thirteen gang fighters. You were quite skilled—I admire you. I'm overjoyed to learn that Duran was an old friend of yours."

"In the interrogation room, I spared your life, and I hope you'll remember this kindness. I'm now speaking to you in my true form because I need your help—I want you to repay my debt."

Xue Ming: "What do you want me to do?"

The warden pulled at his eyelids and scratched his hair.

"You can see my face, right? You've seen this face before, haven't you?"

Xue Ming: "That's right."

The warden said with a smile.

"That's right. In the underworld, almost no one has seen my true face. It's all for the great cause of the Little Brotherhood —anyone who knows what I look like either becomes my confidant or a corpse. There is no third possibility. Hasben Madison is my son, my bastard child left in Eleventh District."

Xue Ming: "What do you mean?"

"Don't speak so quickly, don't be so hasty," the warden said politely, and then explained to G117, "I'm a soft-hearted person, I would never hurt someone I once loved deeply, nor would I hurt my family—that's why I entrusted you with this task."

Xue Ming: "."

Warden: "When Hasben at this prison, I believed it was a sign of destiny. You are the crucial thread connecting us—a life-or-death battle is inevitable between me and my son. He inherited my bloodline and has already displayed astonishing Inspiration pressure. To avert disaster, I must erase his existence. After that, no one can find my true self through this thread. This is a trial, Glory."

Xue Ming: "You're insane! He's your own son!"

Warden: "I like people like you who value loyalty and righteousness—so make your choice!"

Xue Ming: "You want me to help you kill Hasben?"

The warden said, "Either you bring me Duran's head and take Duran place, or you bring me Hasben's head, and from then on you will be my daughter, my own daughter—there is no third option."

Xue Ming: "Why don't you do these things yourself?"

The warden said with a smile.

"I'm just an old man in the monitoring room. I'm already very content to be able to sit in a massage chair and drink milk tea every day."

"Think it over carefully. This question shouldn't be too difficult to answer. Even if you take Duran away and return to Forty-Eight District, I will still kill Hasben. At that time, I won't be so easy to talk to. After all, I will be the leader of the Little Brotherhood then, not some gentleman."

Having said all that--

--The warden walked straight toward the gate.

Then he suddenly disappeared in front of Xue Ming, as if he had returned to his monitoring room.