"How do you know it won't work unless you try?"
An exceptionally steady voice came from the corner, like a reef standing immovable amid the piercing alarms and wailing.
Two figures emerged from the darkness.
One rubbed her short stubble of hair and looked overhead, her gaze passing through layer upon layer of buildings toward the incoming artillery fire in the distance. A chill gradually filled her eyes.
"Even for a prison, isn't this going too far?"
The other still held the dismantled monitor, her black eyes full of incomprehension.
"Though I'd rather not pass judgment, this behavior is somewhat infuriating."
The black-haired figure raised her hand. The parts in her palm rose, merging with wisps of darkness, and shot upward through the layers of barriers overhead.
At that instant, everyone's shadow vanished for two seconds.
Controlled by a single hand, they were compressed into the flying parts, laden with a dense aura of death. Disregarding the prison's layers as though tearing through paper, they flew up against the boundless blazing light bearing down on them.
On the prison's first level, none of the guards paid any attention to what was happening inside anymore. They all ran at full speed, trying to escape the prison and the falling fire.
But how could people possibly outrun artillery fire?
The warden had stumbled to the ground and was panting heavily. The deputy warden was still trying to drag the fat pig away.
"Stop staring! Get moving!"
The pale-faced warden pushed away the hand gripping him.
"Go, now. I'm not getting out of here. Go to my vault. There's an escape pod inside that can withstand this devastating strike. Hurry!
"When you wake up, remember to tell me what happened. I'll make those bastards pay!"
The deputy warden gritted his teeth, turned, and