CH 23.3

“I believe we have a fertile ground for conversation now.” 1203 speaks up next to him.

Lin Yi finally speaks, “on what?”

“On… sending Doctor straight to the fifth and sixth floors.”

Lin Yi is looking at 1203.

“While I am only the Coordinator for the third floor, I can still help you on your way to the fourth floor.” 1203 lays down his offer steadily, “including the termination of your Outstanding Supervisor relationship as well.”

“If you would work with us to send Doctor to the last floors.”

Lin Yi voices his concerns, “I am not sure I have this much influence over this matter. Considering you and the Observers are coworkers, why did you not bring this up to them, or give your thoughts on the matter to the Warden directly?”

“Rules are rules. Everyone must play by the rules.”

“And it is a rule that if I simply say the Doctor is dangerous enough, he will be on the next ride to the bottom floor?”

“Of course it is not enough; however, being Coordinators of where Doctor has made temporarily stays, we will all attest to his danger… The first and second floors are with us.” 1203 explains, “that is enough sway to appeal to the Warden.”

Lin Yi notes his choice of wording, “appeal?”

“The Observers have erred in their evaluation and judgement.” 1023 states, very blatantly this time, “sending Doctor to the fourth floor only is merely going to give him a new playground.”

It seems unfathomable that Observers would err in judgement.

Lin Yi’s mind goes through the wide-open cell door, the Observer who left in a hurry, and believes they have surely experienced the dangers posed by Jiang Yiyi first hand. Why, then, would they have judged that Jiang Yiyi should be transferred to the fourth floor?

“How about it? I do think we have addressed every doubt you have?” 1203 leans forward even more, staring right into Lin Yi’s eyes, “going to the fourth floor with him only puts your mission into jeopardy. Send him to the bottom floor, and you no longer have anything to worry about.”

The bottom floor of Stargaol is infamous. Enough to serve as a scary backdrop for parents to scare children to sleep. They say that all of the most despicable and vicious people of the entire Federation are concentrated there.

“Well? I think it’s a no-brainer. You know exactly what to do.” 1203 taps on the table, “we do not have much time. We should make a move…”

“No.”

1023 stops, “what was that?”

“I refuse.” Lin Yi stands up, and walks outside, “if you still didn’t hear me clearly, I’ll say it again. I refuse.”

“Why?”

Lin Yi slides his card to open the door, “because, you do not understand Jiang Yiyi at all.”

He is reliving a scene in his mind, where Zhang Zheng was complaining.

【“Why? Why do Tiger and his gang keep covering for Jiang Yiyi? I don’t understand. They can send their enemy away and avenge themselves. What are they afraid of?”

How did he answer Zhang Zheng?

“Tiger and his gang are still picking on the weak and avoid confronting the tough; however, it is Jiang Yiyi who is tough in comparison to the prison officers.”】

Now that he thinks about it, his original answer is not entirely accurate.

They were not picking on the easier target. They simply chose the correct course of action in face of danger.

“This is the fourth floor?” When Jiang Yiyi says this, he has the same tone one would have after finally reaching a destination following a treacherous journey.

He looks around. The grey, dull buildings of Stargaol remain the same as always. Poker-faced prison officers line the corridors, only but occasionally meeting Jiang Yiyi’s eyes for a split second. Surveillance cameras are everywhere——There is practically no difference from the third floor, except, if one was stringent, there is this one thing…

The fourth floor is livelier.

Not a conclusion to be drawn from the buildings, mind you, but something in the air——Blood. Death. And also… fear.

Truly a setting for Jiang Yiyi to blend in. Right at home.

“Doctor. Your reputation precedes you.” The prison officer has finished the transfer procedures with the third floor before turning to face Jiang Yiyi.

Jiang Yiyi’s gaze stops on him momentarily.

“Ye Wang. Coordinator of the fourth floor.” Ye Wang extends his hand to Jiang Yiyi.

“No nickname?” Jiang Yiyi shakes hands with him.

“That is my nickname.” Ye Wang then starts slowly wiping his hand with a handkerchief, looking up at Jiang Yiyi, “did you know me?”

“I don’t.” Jiang Yiyi adds a label of ‘clean freak’ to him offhandedly, “and you have a brother?”

“A younger brother.” Ye Wang heads out. He does not seem partial to the topic.

Jiang Yiyi is understanding. He follows after, while appending labels of ‘Friendly’ and ‘Neutral’ to him.

Lin Yi is eyeing Ye Wang up and down discreetly from the side. If he only just felt that Ye Wang looked a little familiar before, Jiang Yiyi has convinced him without a doubt.

They have met Ye Wang’s younger brother.

He goes through a few faces in his memory, but fails to find a match.

Though he may question his own thoughts, he has learned better than to question Jiang Yiyi’s judgement——Such scepticism achieves naught but making himself look like a fool.

Jiang Yiyi continues speaking with Ye Wang.

“I have learned the circumstances surrounding Doctor, and there is currently already an application for transfer in the reviews. When the evaluation is over, Doctor will be heading to the fifth floor.” Ye Wang makes everything clear in his explanation.

“Which means, the length of my stay here depends on how quickly the Observers fail my evaluation?” Though he rose his tone, his confidence makes it sound like a simple statement.

His gaze is on Lin Yi when he spoke. He intends for Lin Yi to hear, without a doubt.

Ye Wang understands, too, but does not answer the question, “I’ve heard the Doctor has left quite the impression on my colleagues.”

He glances at Jiang Yiyi, and receives the look that people most often receive from Jiang Yiyi——A calm poker face, so unmoving it may as well have been sculpted.

“Before you arrived, a lot of people have warned me with dire terms.” Ye Wang stops, “basically, the Doctor will create chaos wherever he goes.”

Lin Yi looks around, and given that Stargaol is laid out the same on every floor so far, he easily works out where the split in the path leads to respectively.

The left, is where they should be——The room for routine inspection of prisoners just after transfer, to root out any illegal objects carried through.

The right leads to the living spaces of prisoners, like the canteen, prison cells, the courtyard, and other facilities.

They should be heading left now, and after the inspection, head to either the canteen or the cell directly, as decided by the Coordinator in question.

Ye Wang stopped at the intersection though. An interesting gesture, to say the least.

At least, Lin Yi is wondering——Is this guy really going to flout Stargaol’s rules?

Jiang Yiyi waits for a couple of seconds, but Ye Wang has finished speaking, “so?”

“There are some people here with sensitive backgrounds; makes it difficult for me if they died.” Ye Wang extends his hand, and a prison officer nearby hands him a folder of information, “that’s why, I want to make a deal.”

“It is not a good idea to make deals with me.” Jiang Yiyi is glancing in Lin Yi’s direction, “everyone who has made a deal with me so far, do not appear to be doing well for themselves.”

Lin Yi is nonchalantly looking around, like he isn’t the one being thrown shade right now.

“Doctor, looks like you don’t have a good evaluation of yourself.” Ye Wang has a smile on, “I’ve heard that some have reached an opportune deal with you in the end.”

Jiang Yiyi widens his eyes a little, as he modifies the labels to remove the ‘Neutral.’ He leaves only ‘Friendly.’

“An opportune deal…” Jiang Yiyi whispers, and comments no further. He asks the prudent question, “what deal are you looking to reach with me?”

Ye Wang hands the folder of information to Jiang Yiyi, “here is a detailed list of people I’d like to see safe and sound during your stay here.”

Jiang Yiyi looks at the folder in front of him, but does not take it.

“In return…” Ye Wang glances at Lin Yi at this point.