"Guards don’t care what happens in here after lights out," his cellmate whispered. "Long as you’re alive for count in the morning, they don’t ask questions about bruises. So here’s how this works, you do exactly what I tell you, when I tell you, or your first night here gets a whole lot worse than it needs to be."
The cell door clanged open again before Lin Feng could process this threat. Two more n entered, transfers from another section, apparently, being moved into this already cramped space. The first man was in his forties, lean and hard-looking, with scars across his knuckles that spoke of extensive fighting experience. The second was younger, maybe early thirties, but his eyes carried the kind of cold calculation that ca from years of surviving in places like this.
They both stopped when they saw Lin Feng. Then slow, terrible recognition spread across their faces, followed imdiately by expressions of savage satisfaction.
"Well, I’ll be damned," the older one said, his voice rough like gravel scraping concrete. "Lin Feng. Never thought I’d see you in a place like this. Never thought karma would work this fast."
Lin Feng’s blood turned to ice. He knew that voice. Recognition crashed over him with sickening force. Wang Jian. The forr director of operations at one of Lin Feng’s subsidiary companies. Lin Feng had frad him for embezzlent seven years ago, stolen his pension, destroyed his reputation, and ensured he went to prison for cris he hadn’t committed, all because Wang Jian had discovered irregularities in the company’s books that would have exposed Lin Feng’s own financial cris.
"And look who else is here," the younger man said, moving closer with predatory grace. "Rember , Mr. Lin? Chen Wei. You destroyed my family’s business, sued us into bankruptcy over patent disputes that you knew were fabricated. My father had a heart attack from the stress. Died three months after we lost everything. I ended up here because I had to do things I never would have considered if you hadn’t stolen our livelihood."
Lin Feng’s mind raced desperately. This couldn’t be a coincidence. Soone had arranged this deliberately. Soone had made sure he was placed in a cell with three n who had every reason to hate him, who had suffered directly because of his actions, who now had the opportunity for revenge without consequences.
"Wait," he managed to gasp out, his voice shaking. "Wait, please. I have money. Substantial resources. I can pay you, all of you. Whatever you want. Na your price. I can arrange transfers to accounts, paynts to families outside, anything. Just, just don’t hurt ."
Wang Jian laughed, a sound completely devoid of humor. "You think your money ans anything in here? You think we care about your resources when we finally have the chance to pay you back for everything you did to us?"
"I can fix what happened," Lin Feng tried desperately. "I can clear your na, Wang Jian. Admit the embezzlent charges were false. I can compensate Chen Wei’s family for their losses. I can make things right..."
"Make things right?" Chen Wei’s voice turned dangerous. "My father is dead. Your money doesn’t bring him back. Your admission doesn’t give back the years I lost in this place, the things I had to do to survive."
"You took everything from ," Wang Jian added, circling closer. "My career, my reputation, my pension that would have supported my family. My wife divorced because of what you did. My children won’t speak to . And you think offering money now sohow balances that?"
"Please," Lin Feng begged, backing against the wall as the three n closed in around him. "Please, I’m sorry. I made mistakes. I was cruel. But I can change that. I can help you. Don’t do this....."
"Do you rember what you said to ?" Wang Jian asked conversationally, though his fists were clenching in a way that promised violence. "When I confronted you about the false charges? You said, ’Business is war, and in war, there are casualties. You’re simply a casualty of my success.’" He grabbed Lin Feng’s collar, yanking him forward. "Well, old man, this is war too. And now you’re the casualty."
The first cellmate, who’d been watching this reunion with obvious enjoynt, spoke up. "Looks like you boys have history. Good. That makes what happens next even better. We’ve got all night to remind Mr. Lin here exactly what kind of suffering he caused. Make sure he understands what it feels like to be on the receiving end for once."
Lin Feng’s horror was complete and absolute. These weren’t random criminals. These were n whose lives he’d deliberately destroyed, who’d spent years suffering because of his choices, who now had him trapped and helpless with no escape and no one coming to save him. His money ant nothing. His connections ant nothing. His pleas for rcy fell on ears that had stopped listening to his excuses years ago.
"You wanted to play god with people’s lives," Chen Wei said coldly. "Decided who prospered and who suffered based on what benefited you. Now you get to learn what it feels like when soone else makes those decisions about your life."
The beating that followed was thodical, personal, fueled by years of accumulated rage and the sweet satisfaction of finally, finally getting revenge on soone who’d thought himself untouchable. Every blow carried the weight of destroyed careers, ruined families, lives irrevocably damaged by Lin Feng’s casual cruelty.
And through it all, Lin Feng understood with perfect, terrible clarity that this was only the beginning. He had five days until his court hearing. Five days in this cell with three n who hated him more than he’d ever imagined anyone could hate. Five days of learning exactly what he’d put others through.
His screams for rcy echoed off the concrete walls, unheard and unanswered.
Lin Feng’s screams slowly dissolved into ragged breathing, each exhale wet and painful.....
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