CH 6.1

Conversation

Translated by boilpoil

Edited by boilpoil

He Really Does Not Understand 2091 At All

“Tiger.” Zhang Zheng stands in front of the patient’s bed, irritated and confused, “why are you covering for 2091?”

Tiger has a bandaged arm hanging in front of his chest, and is suffering from immense pain that will last as long as it takes for the fractured bone to regrow——The suture itself, though, was acknowledged by the shameful doctor in attendance that it was done with far superior technique than he is capable of, and does not factor.

In fact, it will not leave any adverse effects in the long term and will heal far quicker than the fracture. Even if it should linger in his memory for far longer.

“Officer Zhang. I’ve told you again and again,” Tiger repeats once more, “xiao-Lin and the others broke my arm. 2091 had nothing to do with it!”

“I didn’t ask who broke your arm, I was asking,” Zhang Zheng raises his volume, “who gave you the wound on your arm!”

Tiger repeats his answer once more, “I’ve said it already. Xiao-Lin and those other guys did it.”

“What about the blade and needle?”

“Go ask them. How should I know?” Tiger looks at Zhang Zheng, “officer Zhang, I’m thankful for your concern for me, but can you please give a patient some time to rest?” He then shakes his hanging arm slightly.

“Lao-Zhang, come give me a hand.” The Chief Physician carries another prisoner in with him.

Zhang Zheng gives Tiger a glare before turning to help the Chief lay the prisoner on another bed.

“I have to go again. Help keep an eye on them.” The Chief Physician, noting the tenseness between Tiger and Zhang Zheng, wisely chooses to evade.

Tiger looks at the new patient, and his eyes linger.

Zhang Zheng gets back up and notices, asking, “an acquaintance?”

“Four-Eyes?” Tiger stops looking and casually wonders, “He got pummelled again? Who’s done him in this time?”

“Tattooed Snake.” Zhang Zheng observes Tiger’s expression closely as he explains, “he claimed he beat him up, but 2091 was there as well…”

Tiger observes Four-Eyes’ general state once more and is certain, “Tattooed Snake did it.”

If Jiang Yiyi was the one who did this, Four-Eyes would either have no visible wounds, or he wouldn’t even be here alive.

Zhang Zheng raises his brow at the confidence, “Tattooed Snake was tight-lipped even when he was sent to confinement.”

Tiger appears disinterested.

“Still, I heard that 2091 worked in the carpentry workshop with Four-Eyes…”

Tiger looks back at Zhang Zheng.

“As soon as you ended up here, he beat the crap out of Four-Eyes. What a coincidence.”

Tiger stares at Zhang Zheng in silence.

“Your lackeys are under investigation. If it’s determined they did it, then having assembled to brawl to such a severe degree…” Zhang Zheng leans towards Tiger, and lowers his tone, “guess if that’s enough to land them on the second floor?”

Tiger’s pupils dilate for one brief moment.

Outside of Jiang Yiyi, every first floor prisoner is aware of how perilous the next floors are.

Simply a colosseum of blood and gore, with mental patients and dangerous elements all around. It’s a graveyard one does not come back from.

After filtering through the many floors, the most dangerous ones are gathered on the bottom floor. They are the hell that even the prison officer veer clear from.

While the second floor is nowhere as scary as the floors that follow, but it’s quite the leap from the absolute safety of the first floor already. And if someone is sent there after evaluation as dangerous——The second floor will only be their beginning.

Tiger’s fingers are twitching slightly.

Zhang Zheng has seen what he needed to, and decides to give another push to shatter the man’s mental defences.

“Tattooed Snake has always been loyal to you. Are you also going to betray him by sending him on to the second floor?”

Tiger’s breathing is hastened.

“2091 is your true enemy instead of them, isn’t he?” Zhang Zheng analyses for him with a slow but methodical pace, “the first floor does not need someone like him. He’d only sow chaos and disruption. You are the first victim, and you won’t be the last.”

“You should know that those people can never become satisfied. He’s stopped in time to suture your wounds this time, but what about next time?” Zhang Zheng pats him on the shoulder, “Tiger, remember, we’re your allies here. We are on the same side that both wants the status quo on the first floor to continue.”

Tiger’s parched lips part slightly.

“Mmpf…” Four-Eyes whimpers quietly.

“Officer Zhang, you’re inducing a false confession.” Four-Eyes is still holding his stomach. The namesake glasses are nowhere to be found, and his terribly bruised face makes him look terrible.

Zhang Zheng’s expression is cold as he straightens himself to look around.

Four-Eyes is quite nearsighted, and he can’t really see anything clearly right now. That does not prevent him from speaking, “I heard you.”

His unfocused gaze is wandering around.

Zhang Zheng knocks on the metal bars of the patient bed, asking sternly, “what did you hear, Four-Eyes?”

“I heard your conversation,” Four-Eyes is smiling weakly, as he repeats himself, “Tiger, I heard it too.”

The fingers outside of Tiger’s cast grips tight instantly.

“Hey, Tiger…” Zhang Zheng turns his head to look at Tiger, but he has shut his eyes, the signs of wavering no longer visible.

He is so peaceful that he does not resemble his usual strongman self, “officer Zhang, I’ve told you xiao-Lin and the gang did this. Please leave me alone now, I need to rest.”

“You’re…” Zhang Zheng is flabbergasted, “Four-Eyes will get transferred to another cell. What are you even afraid of?”

What is he afraid of? Tiger opens his eyes once more to look at Zhang Zheng. He smirks dismissively.

The brass really does not understand 2091 at all.

If he was ever in attendance of the person’s performance, he’ll know exactly——What Four-Eyes was implying.

It’s not even a threat.

But a formal death certificate.

The second floor is scary. They might face death on the second floor, too——But nullifying their previous confession to implicate Jiang Yiyi?

They won’t be going to the second floor. They won’t be going anywhere. They wouldn’t just have the possibility of dying. They will die for certain.

Officer Zhang truly…

In a separate interrogation unit.

“Xiao-Lin, I’ve made the consequences clear enough for you already. Well? Still not going to tell us exactly what happened that day?” Yan Kuan is sitting opposite xiao-Lin, while knocking on the table with a stiff tone.

Xiao-Lin continues hanging his head low in silence.

Yan Kuan raises his brow. They know how these gang members’ minds operate. They pick on the weak but immediately turns tail on the slightest threat. They can only look tough, but act tough to them, and they’re busted straight away——There is no truly dangerous person in the absolute safe zone that is the first floor.

The first floor’s existence is crucial, of course——The Han Federation Stargaol will not have been able to accrue accolades and commendations during conferences every year without the strict security, humane management and friendly prisoner-officer relationships on the first floor.

Yet this time, xiao-Lin and the other gang members are too stubborn for too long.

“Whoever did it, did it. I do believe that Tiger’s arm was broken by you guys.” Yan Kuan says, scrutinising xiao-Lin’s expression in the meantime, “but who caused the freshly sutured wound on his arm? You?”

Yan Kuan slams hard on the desk, “do you even know how to use a needle? Are you are doctor?!”

Xiao-Lin continues hanging his head low without a word.

“Speak!” Yan Kuan pushes relentlessly, “highly uncooperative with the investigation will knock several points off your evaluation too.”

Xiao-Lin spits out, “I did it.”

“You little…” Yan Kuan raises his hand, and xiao-Lin flinches, shrinking his neck.

“What are you doing?” The room to the interrogation unit opens as Zhang Zheng examines the explosive atmosphere. He raises his voice, “the cameras are still on. You trying to get fired?”

Yan Kuan retracts his hand and looks back at Zhang Zheng, “what did Tiger say?”

Zhang Zheng looks at xiao-Lin, who is avoiding eye contact still, “Tiger has accused 2091.”