In the space, there were over 20 guards seated behind computers and desks working tirelessly on heaven knows what: 10 to the left and 10 to the right.
In the forefront of the room were similar machines seen in the ports, and even in the security room they first passed through when entering the prison building.
Why were they doing the same check over and over again?
"Leave your belts, shoes, and all metal and electronic pieces behind."
All 6 men suddenly felt insulted thinking these people were giving them hard times on purpose, but Rowen and the other guards didn't bother explaining. These were the visitor rules for this sector.
If they want to see Marlo, they must do as told.
All 6 men passed through the scanning machine, ensuring no metal followed them.
This was also to protect the guards escorting them down since for all they knew, these people might have something devious planned out.
It was unlikely they would act in the confines of the prison walls, but can never tell.
The guards checking gave Rowen the go-ahead. And soon, the group found themselves in a peculiar elevator with no directional buttons inside, just the call/emergency button.
How odd.
Seeing as the elevator took some time to halt, the group wondered just how many floors they descended.
Rowen chuckled, sending their curiosity.
In truth, they had only gone 1 floor down, but because of the elevator's ingenious design, it made strangers feel they were 2 or even 3 floors down.
Vrmmm!
The doors opened and the group found themselves in a similar room to the one they left.
Again, they hosted the right yet another security check, which honestly made all 6 feel like cursing.
Can they just stop it, already?
Augh~
Luckily, it was the last one.
The group found themselves walking past a wide pathway, with gray walls and heavy metal doors on their left and right.
Cell S-001... Cell S-002... Cell S-003...
Cell numbers were painted on the thick metal doors.
There it is! S-078!
Rowen revealed his badge, and opened it, showing its insides being a stark contrast to the foreboding gray corridor walls.
Why was the space so immaculate? The room was the whitest, they had ever seen. It was so white and luminous that it was hard to make out where it ended.
If not for the thick glass cube at its far end, they would have sworn this was an endless room.
It was strange to say that such a room should give one a sense of peace. Yet, the air was thick with tension, as all 6 slowly entered cautiously.
"Jones, visitor," Rowen announced.
The room turned dead silent, as everyone's focus was on the burly figure currently training within the glass confines.
In the cell, the man was currently doing pushups with his body upside down and his entire weight on a single hand.
That's right.
He was doing pushups with only his right hand, with no help from his legs or knees.
The man's muscles were extraordinary, well-toned, even and gracefully defined. This was evidence of relentless training even within the confines of his prison cell.
For Rowen who has been with the man since day one, the biggest change seen would have to be the man's rascal nature.
Before coming here, he had a heavy air of nobility about him. Now he was like a villain in a Baymardian story, one who enjoyed showing his devilish side.
The corners of the man's lips curled into a wicked smile as he twisted his right hand and spun his body into a somersault, skillfully landing on his feet.
"Oh? And who do we have here?" Jones questioned his voice laced with a dangerous edge.
Rowen stood his ground, unfazed by Jone's intimidations. However, all 6 visitors shuddered, feeling his image magnify 10 times more, as though they were Cubs standing before a giant beast.
Sergeant Rowen, his eyes hardened by years of dealing with such dangerous criminals, stayed calm.
"They claim to be your acquaintances. Deal without yourself. If you don't want them, I assume someone as smart as you should've already mastered the prison rules and knows what to do, yes?"
Jones abruptly places his gigantic hands on the glass walls, causing all 6 to flinch back. They didn't want to admit it, but they felt fortunate the walls existed.
"Rowen, Rowen, Rowen... It's my first time receiving guests. So how can I recall what rules you and your bunch of bastards told me years ago?"
"Sorry. Then that's your problem."
"Huh." Jone's eyes flickered with a mix of defiance and playfulness. "Do you know that after all these years, you're still a prick?"
"Thank you for the compliment. But I don't have time to play your little mind games. No matter how you ask, we will not give you a person to eat."
This guy was quite the stubborn one.
There were quite a lot of cannibals in the prison who were slowly changing after years of reform.
But this guy, though he made some improvements at the start, was still adamant about eating human flesh.
When he first came here he refused to eat anything else for the next 2 months, always wanting to find opportunities to eat the guards.
During his monthly checkups, they must ensure he was put asleep before they dared bring a doctor in the same room with him.
One time, they thought he truly changed, but decided to test him out. And sure enough, like a zombie, he wasted no time biting the shoulders of his most trusted aid when they were placed together in one cell.
It's said when he sleeps, he sometimes calls out human flesh in his dreams. Only if they were insane, would they release such a criminal into the world.
One must remember that back on Magoon Island, they rescued hundreds of people who were kept as his revered food for the next few months.
The guy was too obsessed with human flesh that they wondered how his pirate crew ever lived with him or trusted him.
.
Rowen briefly stared at his watch before turning his attention to the 6.
"Remember, 5 minutes... your clock has begun ticking."