Chapter 701 Feng Mu and the Second Prison have too many secrets
The heavy prison wall and the iron door embedded in the center of the wall slowly slid open to both sides with the low hum of the hydraulic device, revealing a passage sandwiched between the high walls.
The blue and white car drove in, and the wheels rolled over the ground, making a rustling sound.
Inside the car, Li Shang sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window silently.
To be honest, this was not Li Shang's first time to the Second Prison, but he usually came and left in a hurry in the past. This time, perhaps because of his different mood, or perhaps driven by some mysterious intuition, he carefully observed the interior of the prison for the first time.
This observation made him feel a chill in his heart.
It’s nothing, it’s just too strict.
This strictness does not simply come from the standard prison features of high walls, electric fences, and iron bars, but rather a "living" and omnipresent sense of tension.
Starting from the internal passage where vehicles enter, at every corner of the corridor and every access checkpoint leading to different areas, there are armed prison guards standing upright.
They were different from the prison guards Li Shang was used to seeing in other prisons, who wore loose uniforms, stood lazily, and had wandering eyes.
Every prison guard here has his uniform ironed meticulously, with sharp edges and corners, and his standing posture is like a javelin welded to the ground.
Li Shang racked his brains and finally found an extremely incongruous yet extremely appropriate adjective - upbeat.
prison?
Positive and optimistic?
The combination of these two words made Li Shang feel an absurd sense of disconnection.
What surprised Li Shang even more was that every prison guard he met along the way, whether they were standing guard or patrolling, did not reveal their true faces.
They all wore masks of the same style on their faces.
The pattern on the mask is not complicated, it can even be said to be minimalist - pure white, without any unnecessary patterns or colors, and as smooth as the inner shell of an egg.
Only holes were opened at the eyes and nose to ensure unobstructed vision and breathing.
At first glance, it looks a bit like a [Masquerade] mask.
It's scary.
However, the mask of [Mask] is made of bones, revealing a primitive hideousness. Although Li Shang has not touched the masks of the prison guards in front of him, he can judge from his visual observation that they should be stamped out of metal such as iron or aluminum, which makes them look even colder and more regular.
Li Shang and Chang Erbing were walking in the long corridor, led by Guan Zhong.
Guan Zhong didn't cover his face with a mask. It would have been useless even if he had. After all, his broken arm hadn't healed yet, and he was still half hanging in a metal brace, so his features were too obvious.
He casually hung the mask on the side of his head, revealing half of his face below the forehead.
As he led the way, he slightly tilted his head and explained to the two of them:
"The Second Warden has been extremely busy lately. The Minister is currently handling some urgent matters and cannot be away for the time being. That's why he specifically asked me to come and greet you two. Please forgive me."
Li Shang and Chang Erbing didn't care about it, or rather, their minds were full of all kinds of doubts and they couldn't care about anything else.
Before Li Shang could speak, Chang Erbing couldn't help but ask:
"What's with this mask? Why are they all wearing this?"
Guan Zhong seemed to have been waiting for them to ask questions. Hearing this, he didn't even turn his head and explained in a calm tone:
"Oh, this, this is the minister's order. It seems to be some necessary measures taken in advance to cooperate with the upcoming 'Octagonal Cage Beast Fighting' plan that Councillor Wang is vigorously promoting."
There is more to it, and I won’t go into details.
Li Shang and the others felt that Guan Zhong seemed to have answered their question, but it also seemed as if he had not answered it at all. Anyway, the answer was full of room for imagination.
"Octagonal Cage Fighting" plan?
Li Shang had vaguely heard that the Second Prison seemed to be preparing for a major project and had received strong support from Councillor Wang Xinfa.
But it was not until this moment that he learned the specific name of this plan from Guan Zhong - Octagonal Cage Beast Fighting.
It sounds very... evil!
But what does this have to do with whether prison guards wear masks or not?
Upon hearing this, Chang Erbing opened his mouth and wanted to ask a few more details, but Li Shang raised his hand to stop him.
As a detective, even when he is not investigating a case, his brain will work a little more than others. Commonly known as thinking too much, he is a saint who is prone to imaginary things.
He stopped Chang Erbing and said:
"Since this is a plan that the legislators want to promote, it should be kept confidential until it is announced. We should not pry into it."
Chang Erbing suddenly came to his senses and realized that he had almost violated a taboo. He quickly shut his mouth and dared not say anything more.
Guan Zhong smiled noncommittally and continued to lead the way silently.
The structure inside the prison is far more complicated than imagined, with many forks in the road, like a maze.
Guan Zhong did not take the two of them by the shortcut, but instead took a long detour, which was naturally Feng Mu's instruction.
Although Guan Zhong did not understand the minister's intention in giving him such an order, he was 400% loyal to the minister and would not ask a single question but would strictly carry it out.
Yes, during the time he was working while sick, Guan Zhong's loyalty to Feng Mu was secretly increasing.
Feng Mu could naturally feel that Guan Zhong's loyalty to him was growing day by day. It was just like the weeds in the field, which could grow on their own without any irrigation.
Feng Mu himself didn't quite understand this and was very surprised, because he clearly didn't do anything.
Sometimes he also sighed that if the world were full of people like Guan Zhong, it would definitely be peaceful.
Li Shang and Chang Erbing followed Guan Zhong at a slow pace, giving them a chance to look around.
Through rows of evenly spaced iron bars, they saw the scenes inside each cell.
Unlike the noisy, chaotic, or lifeless prison scenes imagined, the interiors of these cells actually present a strange "orderliness".
They were all sitting neatly on their beds or small benches, reading books together under the leadership of a prisoner who seemed to be the "boss".
Prisoner, reading?
Li Shang knew that there were some prisoners who loved reading in prison, but the situation where entire cells were collectively fond of reading was not only unheard of, but also unheard of.
Moreover, if they were not mistaken, all the prisoners seemed to be holding the same book.
When did prisons have unified...teaching materials?!
Chang Erbing and Li Shang looked at each other again. Both of them saw disbelief and astonishment in each other's eyes, but no one asked.
Instead, they all pricked up their ears quietly, wanting to listen to what "holy books" the prisoners were reading.
The "long road" that Guan Zhong led them on happened to be at a not-so-close distance from the prisoners' prison area.
I could see their reading movements and neat formation from a distance, but I couldn't hear the specific content clearly.
The two of them almost held their breath and used their hearing to the utmost, only then could they hear some fragmented and vague sentences intermittently:
“…Prison is my home, and dedication depends on everyone…”
"...I am guilty, I am a sinner, I will work hard to atone for my sins and strive for glory..."
“…We can create value when we are alive, and we can also create value when we die. The key lies in how we die…”
“…We are all one family, and we must love each other…”
Li Shang didn't know whether he heard it correctly or not. He didn't know whether it was due to the distance and echo. He always felt that he had heard something wrong or was hallucinating.
How to say it?
If you take these fragmented sentences and look at them individually, each one is full of "positive energy" and exudes a "high-spirited" feeling.
Encouraging dedication, recognizing mistakes, creating value, unity and friendship... These positive energies are worth promoting in any other context.
However, when these words were read out in such uniform and chanting manner from a group of prisoners, there was an indescribable weirdness and absurdity.
Everything is weird!
Li Shang was suspicious:
"Is this also part of the 'Octagonal Cage Beast Fighting' plan? What exactly does Councillor Wang Xinfa want to do with the Second Prison?"
A prison filled with this kind of "high spirits" from guards to prisoners is really a bit creepy, isn't it?! ! "
Li Shang used all his detective power, his brain worked rapidly, considering various possibilities, but in the end he still couldn't figure out the reason.
Then he felt more and more that there was an unfathomable weirdness in the Second Prison, so his mentality began to change subtly.
He originally came to the Second Prison to question Feng Mu. Although he valued their friendship and hoped to clarify some doubts about the Jade Garden case in person, he also had the intention of asking for an explanation from him.
After all, some of Feng Mu's actions and concealments did make his friend feel passive and embarrassed.
But at this moment, after witnessing the strange scene inside the Second Prison, the thought of launching a military expedition to hold him accountable gradually deflated like a balloon punctured by a needle.
Li Shang secretly warned himself in his heart:
“When I talk to Feng Mu later, I still have to be careful about my attitude and be careful about how I handle things.
We are all good friends. Even if there are mistakes or misunderstandings, we must communicate in a friendly and calm manner. We must not hurt each other's feelings and anger because of impulsiveness."
In fact, he wanted to stop and eavesdrop on the prisoners' reading for a while. This collective atmosphere had a strange appeal.
After just listening for a while, Li Shang felt as if his soul was cleansed by some power, and his thoughts became... more "gentle"?
The sharp edge on his body was smoothed out a little, and his temperament became inexplicably softer.
But Guan Zhong did not give him more opportunities to "receive influence".
The following content is the real internal teaching material of the Second Prison. It contains many classic quotes and thoughts of the minister. It is only suitable for internal study by family members and cannot be eavesdropped by outsiders.
In Guan Zhong's opinion, although Li Shang was recognized as a "friend" by the minister, he was still one step away from becoming a true "family member" with whom he could share all secrets.
Thinking of this, Guan Zhong even felt a little sorry for Li Shang.
So Guan Zhong quickened his pace and led the two out of the corridor of the prison area where the prisoners were and passed by the warden's office.
They are quite familiar with this place, having come here for an investigation not long ago.
At that time, this place was still a charred ruin from the explosion. Now it has been renovated and painted white. A huge and somewhat exaggerated fish tank has been placed in the center of the office.
The fish tank is empty and has not been filled with water yet.
Several huge glass partitions that look extremely thick are leaning against the wall, waiting to be installed.
Li Shang finally couldn't hold back his doubts anymore, pointed inside the office, and asked:
"Could this be?"
Guan Zhong did not hide it and explained casually:
“Oh, this is the reform ordered by the Minister. He said that Warden Qian is about to recover and will be back soon.
Considering that Warden Qian was injured and has not yet fully recovered and needs rest, the office needs to make some more humane and adaptive modifications.
He seemed to suddenly remember something and quickly added a reminder:
“By the way, the news that Warden Qian is about to return is not known outside yet.
What the minister meant was that Mrs. Li wanted to take this opportunity to see clearly who were the enemies disguised as friends outside and who were the truly trustworthy people.
Therefore, this matter is still an internal secret for now. Captain Li, just keep it to yourself, but please don't spread it out."
Li Shang's heart suddenly shuddered, and he felt an inexplicable tingling on his scalp. He felt a sense of crisis in his heart that he couldn't even describe.
All right--
I know nothing about the mysterious "Octagonal Cage Fighting Plan"!
I am completely confused by the strange coordination and preparations within the Second Prison!
I was totally unaware of such important news as Warden Qian's imminent return from injury!
Mrs. Li wanted to use this to conduct internal cleansing and identify friends and foes, and I was kept in the dark!
But more...
There are also many inside stories about the previous Emerald Garden case, and neither Councillor Wang nor Mrs. Li kept them secret from me!
Good, good, good——
You're hiding all the secrets from me, right?
So, I, Li Shang, work hard for you and put my life on the line to investigate the case, but in your eyes, I am still an "outsider" who is not worthy of your complete trust, right?
but…….
Feng Mu seemed to know everything. Yes, he was Madam Li's close confidant, and Madam Li and Warden Qian now had a relationship with Councillor Wang.
I heard that they all started calling him dad.
It is worth mentioning that Li Shangzhen didn’t know many secrets, but he found out the secret of the congressman’s recognition of his son.
Li Shang's brain was like an overloaded computer, running frantically, processing massive amounts of information and weighing the pros and cons.
A mixture of grievance, anger, unwillingness and strong uneasiness surged in his chest. Finally, it turned into a foul breath with the recognition of reality, and was slowly exhaled by him.
At this moment, he made a crucial decision:
"Whether Feng Mu tells me the truth or not, or whether he has more secrets hidden from me, it doesn't matter anymore, and it shouldn't be my focus.
What’s important is that the more secrets he knows, the more secure his position in the circle of power becomes, and the more trusted and close he becomes.
Then, I must and must firmly maintain a good friendship with him!"
(End of this chapter)
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