Mr. Li

"Tiger, word just came in. Old Xie raised the bounty to three hundred thousand."

As soon as he returned to the cell, one of his men reported the news.

Just how much was three hundred thousand?

In this post-apocalyptic world, three thousand could buy a wife, and an ordinary worker earned only a few hundred a month.

Three hundred thousand could lift someone straight into a higher social class.

For the vicious criminals in this prison, three hundred thousand would keep their families fed and clothed for the rest of their lives.

Old Xie was truly afraid Little White Tiger might survive. He could not even wait for his execution.

The bad news kept coming.

"Tiger, we're in trouble! Mr. Li said you have to die today. Every boss in the prison is bringing his men over!"

Ball Head rushed into the cell, so agitated that he could barely get the words out.

"Mr. Li is practically a god in this prison. Even the warden works for him."

Another of his men explained.

He had barely finished when a mass of footsteps sounded downstairs.

Little White Tiger leaned out to look. Hundreds of men carrying weapons were marching across the yard toward them.

The guards who normally stood watch were nowhere to be seen.

"What the hell are you doing, Cao Nima? Get back!"

"You want a war?"

Little White Tiger's brothers roared at the doorway.

But the corridor outside was already packed, forcing his brothers back into the cell.

The bosses from every floor had brought their men to surround them.

The man at the front wore a clean, thick padded coat, his hands tucked into his sleeves. He stared at Little White Tiger through the barred door.

"Brother, you've stirred up a fucking hornet's nest." The man rubbed his frozen hands and sneered. "You went after Old Yang the moment you got here. That broke the rules."

"So?" Little White Tiger blew his nose. "If I hadn't gone after Old Yang, would you have let me live?"

He was dead either way. Fighting killing with killing might at least give him a chance.

If Little White Tiger chose to back down, Old Yang would squeeze him dry and then kill him.

In this post-apocalyptic world, the more cowardly you were, the sooner you died.

"Didn't you ask around before touching Old Yang? We all work for Mr. Li." The man at the front glanced at Little White Tiger.

"I don't give a shit if he's a mister, a youngster, or a fucking beast. If you want to touch me, ask yourself if you can handle my revenge." Little White Tiger plucked the cigarette from the man's mouth and took a deep drag. "I'm getting shot in a month. You want to play tough with me?"

Little White Tiger turned and took a dagger from one of his men, gripping the blade fashioned from a rusty scrap of iron.

The enemy had numbers, but the cell door was only wide enough for one person at a time. They would have to lose a few men to force their way inside.

Their leader saw what Little White Tiger intended and stood motionless at the doorway.

The standoff dragged on until a cough sounded from the end of the corridor.

"If we don't kill you today, we'll never be able to lead our men again."

The leader slowly withdrew into the crowd.

The vicious-looking men began surging toward Little White Tiger's cell.

"Cut him down!"

Someone shouted.

The prisoners outside tried to squeeze into the cell like madmen, homemade weapons in hand.

Little White Tiger showed no fear. Holding his dagger in a reverse grip, he blocked the doorway alone.

Squish. Squish.

Years of street fighting had taught Little White Tiger how to inflict the most damage with the fewest losses.

After driving his dagger through one prisoner's neck, Little White Tiger grabbed him by the collar and used him as a shield. He did not even need to aim. Every thrust could take another life.

"Get inside! Don't fucking stand in the doorway!"

The leader kicked the corpse Little White Tiger was holding, and his men rushed forward together, knocking Little White Tiger aside.

The rest of Little White Tiger's brothers charged without a word, weapons raised, trying to drive the attackers out of the cell.

But there were simply too many of them. Almost every prisoner in the entire cellblock had come.

At first, sheer ferocity let them hold their own. As time passed, however, Little White Tiger's group paid the price for being outnumbered.

A dozen minutes later, Little White Tiger was the only one still standing in the cell. All his brothers had been cut down.

Only when he saw Little White Tiger drenched in blood did the leader dare enter.

"Fuck, I'm starting to regret taking Old Xie's bounty. Three hundred thousand for losing this many men. Hah, ptui." The leader spat out a thick glob of phlegm and looked smugly at Little White Tiger. "No wonder your boss wants you gone. You're vicious. I wouldn't dare keep you around either."

"Got the guts to give me your name?" Little White Tiger had more than a dozen stab wounds. He braced one hand against an overturned iron bed frame, panting heavily.

"Niu San."

The leader smiled. "I run the first floor. I know your brother Old Ninth is outside, but I'm alone here in prison, with no family to worry about. If Old Ninth dares come in, he'll end up just like you."

Niu San patted Little White Tiger's shoulder. Even though they were enemies, it was plain that he admired Little White Tiger.

"Brother, have a good trip to the other side. Thanks for the three hundred thousand."

With that, Niu San turned and left.

A dozen of Niu San's men surrounded Little White Tiger, but none dared make the first move.

This bastard was vicious. Who knew whether he would take someone down with him before he died?

No, he would definitely take someone down with him.

For a moment, even these hardened criminals felt a chill.

The dozen men looked at one another, none willing to stick his neck out first.

Little White Tiger gave a mocking smile. "Dying at your hands would be too fucking humiliating. Don't bother. I'll do it myself."

With that, Little White Tiger raised his bent dagger to slit his throat.

"Mr. Li."

"Mr. Li."

"Sir."

A sudden commotion broke out at the doorway, and Niu San's swagger vanished.

"Mr. Li, what brings you here?"

Niu San hurriedly took off his coat and stepped forward to drape it over the newcomer's shoulders.

The men in the cell cleared a path.

Only then did Little White Tiger get a good look at him: a refined, middle-aged man in glasses and a suit.

Clean men with such fair, smooth skin were a rare sight in prison.

Judging by the other prisoners' attitude toward him, he clearly held considerable status here.

Little White Tiger simply dropped onto his backside beside a corpse and studied the man with curiosity.

"My surname is Li. I'm a prisoner, just like you."

Mr. Li was studying Little White Tiger as well. Seeing that his eyes remained fierce despite his wounds, he gave a slight nod.

"Do you know when a wild beast is at its most dangerous?" Mr. Li turned to Niu San with a smile.

A coarse man, Niu San scratched his head and smiled ingratiatingly. "When it's mating."

"Ah, a vulgar man." Mr. Li stopped looking at Niu San and studied Little White Tiger with interest. "A cornered beast is the fiercest."

"Like him."

Mr. Li pointed at Little White Tiger.

"Everyone, leave."

When Little White Tiger did not respond, Mr. Li waved the men around him away.

Niu San gave Little White Tiger an uneasy glance.

Anyone else would not have worried him, but what wouldn't a reckless bastard like Little White Tiger do?

"Get out."

Mr. Li raised his voice, and only then did Niu San reluctantly leave the cell.

"Smoke?" Mr. Li took out a pack of imported cigarettes and offered it to Little White Tiger.

Little White Tiger accepted without hesitation, put a cigarette between his lips, and pointed at its tip.

Mr. Li paused, then laughed. "You're the first person in years who's dared ask me to light his cigarette."

"The dead deserve respect. I'm about to die, so your connections and your power mean nothing to me." With the carefree air of a man who had nothing left to lose, Little White Tiger leisurely smoked his cigarette.

Mr. Li watched him until he finished. By then, he was certain the young man truly had no fear of death.

"All right, get on with it." Little White Tiger tossed his dagger at Mr. Li's feet. "For the sake of that cigarette, I won't fight back."

As though he had heard an amusing joke, Mr. Li nudged the dagger aside with his foot.

"You won't die today."

"Huh?"

Mr. Li turned and waved at Niu San again, signaling for him to move farther away.

Only after everyone had left the corridor did Mr. Li speak slowly. "How about a deal? I'll help you get out, and you'll help me retrieve something."