Chapter 86: The Prison Break Research Society
“This is where the transport ships dock. The transport ships come to Shattered Lake Prison on the 1st, 11th and 21st of each month to deliver supplies and death row inmates. The ships are medium-sized cargo vessels, and they always have at least one team of Blood Mad Hunters escorting the prisoners. The Hunters usually have one or two wings – three-wing squad leaders only come for really important inmates…”
Ashe glanced at the guard puffing on a pipe not far away and couldn’t help saying, “Maybe we should talk further away?”
Igor glanced at him. “No one will suspect you. This is my business.”
“Business?”
“Didn’t Igor invite you to break out with him when you first met?” Langna stood outside the yellow line at the shore, gazing at the calm, waveless lake surface. The clear blue sky was reflected in the water, and occasional glimmers of silver flashed across the surface – it looked like a beautiful natural scene, if you didn’t know those “silver lights” were schools of Finger Sharks that could crunch bones like potato chips.
“Yeah, but I thought that was just an excuse to lure naive new inmates?” Ashe said.
“While I appreciate your accurate self-awareness, don’t insult my professionalism.” Igor glanced at Ashe. “I never lie. If you check the Club Directory in the library, you’ll see on page 2, line 13 that I started the Prison Break Research Club.”
Many questions bubbled up in young Ashe’s mind. “How can a prison allow… This place has clubs… Why did you start this club?”
“The best hunters often pose as prey.” Igor said calmly. “Remember when we first met, didn’t I seem eager, like a friendly guy trying to recruit a new buddy?
“Even wary new death row inmates get drawn in by the insider information I reveal. And I don’t just talk – I’ve actually researched escape plans and scouted the prison with them.
“As they get to know me, they realize I’m just an idiot obsessed with escaping, and they lower their guard without realizing they’re walking into a trap.
“I’m the bait, the club is my lure.”
Ashe said, “It sounds like a sweet innocent girl who pretends to be pure but actually seduces dirty old men…”
“I’m starting to doubt the speech control abilities of your chip. Those words could easily qualify as spreading obscenity.” Igor said calmly. “In short, pay the guards no mind – I’ve brought people on scouting trips like this dozens of times.”
Ashe blinked. “Is this your scheme? Pretend you’re always thinking of escaping, use that to lure new inmates, then when you actually want to escape, no one will suspect you?”
Igor looked at Ashe in surprise, then smiled amusedly. “Ashe, I’m hurt you think so poorly of me.”
“Hmph.”
After investigating the prison docks, the four headed back inside. Notably, although they reached the perimeter, they never actually went “outside” – Shattered Lake Prison covered the entire island. Other than the occasional glass atrium letting in sunlight, whenever inmates looked up, all they saw was the ceiling. Even the Ocean View terrace had shade canopies.
There wasn’t an inch of land outside the “prison” on the whole island.
Though unconfirmed, the chips’ strong control over inmates probably related to the omnipresent ceiling.
“Where we’re going next is my greatest find in exploring Shattered Lake. I’ve never shown anyone else – you’re the first lucky ones to share the secret.”
Before Ashe could feel moved, Langna calmly said, “Do you say that to every victim? Next will you say ‘So you have to swear to keep all my secrets’?”
Igor looked surprised. “Gourmet, how did you know I say that? Anyone I told should be magically bound by a spirit to keep my secret, unable to tell others. How could you know?”
“Walls have ears, Igor. As a martial mage, I happen to have very sharp hearing, unfortunately.”
“I see, I’ll be more careful and covert when doing dirty work next time – if I can keep living here, that is.”
Ashe glanced at Langna, then at the silent Ronat beside him. Ronat hadn’t said a word, just following Langna around after their talk yesterday.
The details of their subsequent deathmatch could be summed up as shredding a chicken. The aftermath was obvious – if Ronat was Langna’s reluctant servant before, now he was practically an accessory. He didn’t seem happy exactly, but no longer resistant.
Less and less of him belonged to “himself”, more and more to “Langna”.
Eventually when he emerged from the infirmary, even the regenerated parts would be engraved with “Langna’s” name.
Perhaps Igor was right and Ronat was sunk deep in quicksand. He thought commanding Langna’s love was his victory, unaware it was also Langna’s lethal counterattack.
Love is a frightening power – you can use it, but it uses you; you watch it, it watches you; you think you master it, but quickly become its slave.
Once love’s seeds sprout, all else becomes its parasite.
Privately, Ronat’s will to survive remained, insisting on escape, fortunately Langna couldn’t perform his ritual often. Otherwise Ronat would be scrap in days.
According to Igor’s intel, Langna’s “friends” lasted at least a month. Ronat should make it until the next Blood Moon Tribunal – enough, since Ashe just needed a temporary ally. Whether Ronat could resist Langna after escaping depended on his luck.
“But I never lie.” Igor smiled. “This place really is critical for our escape. I’d even call it as important as Ashe’s Purification miracle…”
We arrived. As key as my Slash miracle? A secret passage? Arsenal? Or maybe…
Ashe looked up eagerly, only to see a clear green sign above the room ahead –
“Men’s Restroom”
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