Tonight was destined to be a sleepless one for them.
Hong Wu had Zhang Dachong, Ding Wu, and the other seven taken to the infirmary. After having their wounds superficially treated, he promptly called the detention center's two physicians, urging them to come immediately. Several injuries were serious and required professional medical attention.
After contacting the doctors, Hong Wu walked to a quiet corner and, with some reluctance, dialed a number on his communicator.
Beep… beep…
The line rang six times before a voice thick with sleep and deep impatience answered. "Hello? Who is it?"
"Director, it's me, Hong Wu," he replied promptly, his tone formal.
On the other end was Ye Sang, the warden of the South Suburb Detention Center. It was nearly one in the morning, and he had long since fallen into a deep sleep. Having his sweet dreams interrupted naturally displeased him, but hearing it was Hong Wu softened his expression slightly. He rubbed his eyes, his voice still lazy. "Oh, Hong Wu. What is it at this hour?"
Hong Wu took a light breath. "Director, we have a major problem. There's been an incident in Cell B33."
"B33? A major problem?"
Ye Sang was still not fully alert. He murmured the words to himself, then his face changed. He asked, tense and urgent, "Hong Wu, speak quickly. What happened?"
Hong Wu hurried to explain. "Ding Wu and his men were beaten."
"Ding Wu was beaten?"
A flicker of shock crossed Ye Sang's face, followed by confusion. "What's going on? Explain clearly."
Hong Wu continued, "Director, you arranged for that new inmate to be placed in B33 today, right? Ding Wu and the others made their move around midnight. But it turns out the kid is incredibly skilled. He beat Ding Wu and the others. Several are seriously injured, and two were knocked unconscious. They still haven't come to."
"What?! Are you joking with me? Ding Wu had nine men! And he was an underground boxer! How could someone so easily beat him?" Ye Sang's expression darkened drastically. His first instinct was disbelief. He knew the capabilities of the nine men in B33, especially Ding Wu. However, upon second thought, he knew Hong Wu wouldn't fabricate something like this in the middle of the night. What he said must be true. This realization left him both shocked and bewildered.
Ye Sang ultimately accepted the fact. His face grew grim. Ning Hu's request had seemed a minor favor. His greater concern was for the detention center itself. A single inmate getting into trouble wasn't a big deal; as warden, he could suppress it as long as no lives were lost. But this was different. An entire cell block was involved—a major incident for any detention center. The higher-ups would investigate, and the primary responsibility would land squarely on him, the warden. This could severely jeopardize his future prospects.
After a brief silence, Ye Sang suppressed his chaotic thoughts and spoke with forced calm. "Hong Wu, first, give me a detailed account of the specifics."
Hong Wu acknowledged and began recounting the events in Cell B33. He didn't know the precise details himself, having pieced it together from Ding Wu's account and the two surveillance room guards.
After listening, Ye Sang took a deep breath, managing to steady himself somewhat. He said, a trace of bitterness in his voice, "Hong Wu, maintain control of the situation. Also, the fewer people who know about this, the better. We absolutely cannot let those idle media reporters get wind of it. Otherwise, it won't just be me; the entire detention center will be in serious trouble."
Ye Sang's priority was to contain the incident within his sphere of control. If it were exposed, it would be more than just an internal inquiry. Amidst the torrent of public and media scrutiny, his position as warden of the South Suburb Detention Center might become untenable—an outcome he was desperate to avoid.
"Understood, Director," Hong Wu replied quickly, grasping the implication.
Ye Sang gave a slightly satisfied nod and changed the subject. "What about the injured?"
Hong Wu replied promptly, "I've already called Dr. Mo and Dr. Wang. They're on their way and should arrive shortly."
"Good. That's all for now. I'm heading over immediately."
Ye Sang hung up swiftly. He got up, dressed hurriedly, muttered a few words to his worried wife, and rushed out of the house. He got into his relatively upscale white Chery sedan and sped toward the South Suburb Detention Center.
The streets of Baoli City at 1 a.m. were somewhat deserted, and the road to the southern outskirts was even lonelier, accompanied only by rows of street lamps. Ye Sang drove at breakneck speed. A journey that usually took nearly an hour was completed in under twenty minutes.
Getting out of the car, Ye Sang headed straight for the detention center infirmary to get an update from the doctors. The situation was better than he had feared. The two unconscious men were only temporarily comatose, with superficial injuries. Those Hong Wu described as "seriously injured" were not as bad as imagined; only one case was somewhat severe. The others, though looking a mess, had only sustained minor wounds. This allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief. As long as he managed the higher-ups properly, his position as warden should remain secure.
After leaving the infirmary, Ye Sang had the guards bring Ding Wu, the boss of Cell B33, to a private room for a nearly half-hour conversation. Then he went to the surveillance room to review the footage. By then, he had gained a clear understanding of this new inmate, Bai Hao, who required "special care."
"This kid's skills are truly ferocious. This time, I've been set up by Ning Hu," Ye Sang muttered, sitting before the screen, his expression shifting between gloom and helplessness as he sighed quietly.
The two guards standing behind him wore poorly concealed looks of bitterness and worry, their hearts uneasy. They bore significant responsibility for the cell block incident and were prepared for a severe reprimand from Warden Ye Sang.
However, Ye Sang offered no criticism. After watching the footage, he stood up and left. Accompanied by a physician, Instructor Hong Wu, and three guards, he passed through several heavy alloy doors and made his way toward the Zone C cells.
After being taken from Cell B33, Bai Hao had been delivered to Zone C. The corridors of Zone C in the early hours were eerily quiet, the only sound the clear, sharp echo of footsteps.
Soon, he was placed in a small cell of only five or six square meters.
Bai Hao, dragging his heavy body with difficulty, sat down on a narrow single bed. He tore a strip of cloth from his tattered shirt and began gently wiping the wounds almost caked over with dried blood. Wincing occasionally, beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead and temples. The sweat was icy as it traced paths down his cheeks and over the bloody gashes, dripping down silently, one drop at a time.
Half an hour later, Bai Hao had barely managed to tend to his wounds. He leaned against the corner of the bed, breathing in and out lightly. His face was expressionless, but a hint of confusion flickered in his dark eyes. The fight in Cell B33 had been unavoidable—a battle he had to fight, a struggle to defend his dignity. He didn't know what consequences this brawl would bring, nor how the detention center or the Ning family would retaliate. For now, he simply stared blankly at the wall painted black by the night, not thinking, unwilling to think. He only wanted to sit quietly like this, waiting—waiting for the night to pass, or perhaps for the dawn. Maybe tomorrow, a sliver of light would pierce this cold, gloomy cell. Maybe tomorrow's night would be darker than this one. Or maybe tomorrow would simply be another day on an endlessly long road with no end in sight…
Bai Hao didn't know how long he sat there. It was until Hong Wu arrived with the middle-aged man he had glimpsed briefly the previous afternoon, along with a physician and three guards. They entered the cell and scrutinized him carefully, especially Warden Ye Sang, who wanted to see with his own eyes this fierce individual who had taken down his covertly cultivated cell enforcers.
In the small cell, Ye Sang examined Bai Hao intently for a full three minutes without uttering a word. He simply observed, utterly unable to comprehend how this seemingly slender young man possessed such formidable strength.
Finally, Ye Sang gave a slight shake of his head and walked out of the small cell, his eyes complex—a mixture of anger, pity, and curiosity…
Instructor Hong Wu and a physician around fifty years old, wearing a white coat, remained in the cell. The physician first treated the wounds on Bai Hao's face and inside his mouth. Then he had Bai Hao remove his shirt to tend to the injuries on his body, working meticulously and methodically.
Half an hour later, with Bai Hao's wounds attended to, the physician followed Hong Wu out of the small cell.
Clang!
The cell door was locked once more.
In the small cell, Bai Hao sat alone on the bunk, listening to the silent night—a night inhabited only by the sound of his own breathing.