Du Wuchen stepped back just in ti, the blade grazing his clothes.
They circled each other, and the tension in the air tightened.
"Why?" Ye Chen spoke suddenly, his voice steady despite the fight.
Du Wuchen didn’t answer.
They moved again.
Blades collided.
Ye Chen pressed forward, forcing Du Wuchen back a step.
"We don’t have any enmity," Ye Chen continued. "So soone must have sent you."
Du Wuchen’s expression didn’t change. But his attacks beca faster. As if agitated.
Ye Chen blocked, stepped aside, and countered with a slash that forced Du Wuchen to retreat.
"Even after all this noise, no guards ca to check..." Ye Chen said, his tone turning colder. "They must be involved too."
Du Wuchen remained silent.
That silence was enough of an answer.
Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Let guess..."
Their blades clashed again.
"Gu Xuan?"
For the first ti, Du Wuchen’s expression shifted.
Just slightly. But Ye Chen saw it.
A low laugh escaped his lips.
"So it’s him."
The laugh grew, carrying a hint of ferocity in his tone.
"No wonder..."
Everything clicked into place.
The harassnt.
The inaction of the guards.
This planned setup.
"Good, good, good." Ye Chen said, his voice dropping. "That explains everything"
His grip tightened around the dagger.
"After I leave this place..."
His gaze sharpened.
"He’d better be ready for my counterattack."
The fight resud instantly.
Du Wuchen’s expression beca apprehensive upon hearing Ye Chen’s words. Gu Xuan was his benefactor; he couldn’t let Ye Chen hurt him. The best outco is to kill Ye Chen right here. Thinking so, he raised his blade, aiming straight for Ye Chen’s throat.
However, Ye Chen was prepared. He blocked it and countered, forcing him sideways.
Du Wuchen stepped back, and his foot ca down near one of his fallen subordinates.
For a brief mont, he hesitated.
His step shifted slightly, avoiding crushing the man beneath him.
That mont was enough to give Ye Chen an opening.
And that he did, making use of the opportunity, Ye Chen moved fast.
His foot stepped down hard, directly onto Du Wuchen’s subordinate’s hand.
A sharp crack echoed, followed by a painful scream.
Du Wuchen’s attention shifted instinctively.
Ye Chen closed the distance instantly.
Then, without hesitation, the dagger drove forward—straight into Du Wuchen’s abdon.
He did not pause after the blade sank in. He stepped forward, closing the distance completely, and drove the dagger deeper into Du Wuchen’s abdon. The force made Du Wuchen’s body stiffen for a brief mont before his strength began to give way.
The corridor fell silent.
The inmates watching from their cells stared without blinking.
The outco was already clear.
Ye Chen pulled the dagger out in one smooth motion, then thrust it forward again. And again. Each strike was controlled and precisely aid at the vitals, as if he was making sure there would be no mistake.
Du Wuchen’s body finally lost all support and collapsed onto the floor.
Ye Chen stood over him for a mont, then crouched slightly and delivered a few more precise stabs. Only after confirming that he would not get up again did he straighten.
The strongest group among the prisoners had fallen.
But the one standing at the centre of everyone’s attention remained calm. As if what he did was just child’s play for him.
Ye Chen lowered the dagger slightly and looked around at all the inmates who had woken up, their faces pressed against the bars, their eyes fixed on him.
"Are you guys interested in going out for a night stroll?" he asked.
No one answered imdiately. But no one looked away either.
---
The ti on the clock had already passed three in the morning, but the Chief Jailer’s office remained brightly lit.
Zhou Kang was still awake.
He had not been able to sit still for long. He stood up, walked a few steps, then returned to his desk, only to stand up again monts later.
He was waiting.
Waiting for the news that Du Wuchen had completed the task.
But as ti passed, a faint unease began to settle in his chest.
’No... I’m overthinking.’
He stopped walking and forced himself to calm down.
’Du Wuchen isn’t weak. And there were enough people with him.’
’How can Ye Chen alone resist them?’
He nodded slightly to himself.
’They should be here any mont now.’
Right then, a knock sounded on the door.
Zhou Kang’s expression brightened instantly.
’They’re here!’
Relief washed over him as he quickly stood up.
"As expected of the man Mr Gu trusts," he muttered, already imagining what would follow—his reward, his promotion, the benefits waiting ahead.
He walked to the door and opened it without hesitation.
"You guys really made wait—"
The words stopped abruptly.
Zhou Kang froze.
Standing outside was not Du Wuchen, but Ye Chen.
"Well, well." Ye Chen grinned. "The esteed Chief Jailer has been waiting to welco ? Sorry, I was delayed by a bit of trouble."
Zhou Kang’s eyes widened, his face turning pale.
"You—! You—! How—?"
"Why am I alive and standing here?" Ye Chen completed his words, his smile fading into sothing colder.
"Because you bugs underestimated ."
As he spoke, Zhou Kang’s hand moved instinctively toward the transmitter on his desk.
Ye Chen’s hand shot out and grabbed his arm before he could reach it.
"We can’t have you do that, Mr Jailer. Please cooperate."
His grip tightened slightly, stopping any further movent.
Then Ye Chen tilted his head back slightly and spoke toward the corridor behind him.
"Alright. You guys can start."
Only then did Zhou Kang realise how many figures were standing behind Ye Chen.
Several prisoners had already gathered here.
"You—! What are you trying to do?" Zhou Kang’s voice trembled.
"Isn’t that obvious?" Ye Chen smiled faintly. Leaned over and whispered.
"Prison break."
The two words landed heavily.
Zhou Kang shook his head repeatedly.
"No... no, you’ve gone insane!"
"Do you even know where you are?"
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