"Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!"
The piercing wail of the alarm resounded once again over the Abyss Prison.
Before the guards could even shout orders, the prisoners on the exercise yard instinctively clasped their hands behind their heads, lying down or sprawling on the ground in unison, creating a scene of utter compliance. This left the guards momentarily speechless.
"Hmm, very good. You’re all behaving yourselves. Keep it up, and you’ll each get a chicken wing with dinner tonight," one of the guards said with satisfaction.
Upon hearing that dinner would include extra meat, the prisoners erupted into a cheer, their carefree laughter echoing through the yard.
"Hey, whoever’s causing this must be doing us a favor—meat for dinner!"
"Must be another fool trying to raid the prison. Last time, so many people died, and they didn’t even get close to the walls. Why are people still so stubborn?"
"I don’t think it’s a raid this time. Feels more like someone’s trying to escape."
"Escape? Are they insane? This is the Abyss! Who could possibly break out of here?"
"Exactly! Even if they manage to escape, they’ll just get caught again. Outside the Abyss is nothing but desert—how can two legs outrun patrol ships? Who’s the idiot this time?"
"Who else? It’s gotta be those idiots from the Thugs’ Gang!"
"Heh, haven’t you noticed? Those fools have been trading cigarettes for rice balls lately. One cigarette for five rice balls—that’s a huge loss. They’re clearly stocking up food for the road."
"So they’ve got supplies. Maybe they actually have a chance to make it out."
"Chance? My ass. With the Abyss guards’ tracking skills, I guarantee they’ll all be caught within three days and hung one by one on the cliffs."
"Three days? Nah, I bet they’ll be back in two."
"I’m saying three days. Wanna bet? I’ll put three packs of cigarettes on it!"
"I’m betting two days—three packs as well!"
"Two days for me too!"
Listening to the prisoners around him setting up a betting pool, Aotu Tailuo could only shake his head in exasperation before closing his eyes again to rest.
"What do you think? How long do you reckon those thugs can last?"
Uekusa Kenji had somehow crawled over to him.
"I don’t care how long they last. As long as they can hold out for one night, that’s enough."
"I’m just worried they won’t even make it through the night. Did you know? I just checked the numbers—at least half of the Abyss guards have been sent out to track them down."
Aotu Tailuo rolled over, pondering for a moment before replying, "It’s fine. The plan I gave them was to split into two groups. One is purely a decoy. They’ll definitely last the night."
"And us? What’s the plan for tonight?"
"Stick to the plan. Tell the brothers to make as much noise as they can. The bigger the commotion, the better. And remember, don’t wander off. Wait for me at the Black Cells’ gate."
"Everyone, stand up! Line up and return to your cells!"
The guards shouted their orders, and the prisoners obediently formed lines, filing back into their cells without resistance.
When Aotu Tailuo returned to his cell and saw the empty bunk, he couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.
"Guess there’s no such thing as loyalty in the underworld."
True to their word, the guards ensured every prisoner’s dinner included a chicken wing or drumstick. The prisoners were in high spirits, loudly and unabashedly expressing their gratitude to the dozen or so escapees who had made this feast possible.
At midnight, the entire Abyss Prison was shrouded in darkness. Suddenly, Aotu Tailuo opened his eyes. With a swift motion, he flipped off his bunk and landed on the floor. Facing the iron lock on his cell door, he quickly formed hand seals.
"Light Release: Laser Technique!"
A powerful beam of light shot out, striking the steel lock. The sturdy metal rapidly turned red-hot and began to soften. In no time, the lock melted, leaving a watermelon-sized hole.
With a forceful kick, Aotu Tailuo sent the heavy iron door flying open.
"Oi! Oi! Oi! Wake up! Time to get moving!"
He called out mockingly, his voice filled with a mischievous glee as he sprinted toward the second-floor control room.
The jarring sound of his voice woke countless prisoners, who erupted into a cacophony of curses and complaints.
The guard on duty in the control room opened the door to investigate, only to be met with a rapidly approaching foot that slammed into his face, knocking him out cold.
"Sorry, brother. Just take a nap for now," Aotu Tailuo said apologetically, flashing a grin as he yanked down the lever controlling all the prison doors. In an instant, every cell in the Abyss Prison was unlocked.
"Quick! Pile up the blankets and set them on fire!"
Meanwhile, Uekusa Kenji was rallying the old guard faction of prisoners, instructing them to create chaos by starting fires.
"Once the fire’s lit, head straight for the laundry room. Move the washing machine at the far end—it should still be open!"
"What about you, Elder?"
"Don’t worry about me! I’ll cover the rear. Remember, take your food and water, split up, and run! Whether you live or die is up to fate!"
After opening the main prison doors, Aotu Tailuo dashed into the Black Cells, keys in hand.
"Light Release: Light Orb Technique!"
A brilliant orb of light illuminated the entire Black Cells area as Aotu Tailuo began unlocking the doors.
"Hurry! Get me out of here!"
Inside her cell, Kazama Xu raised her shackled hands.
Aotu Tailuo quickly approached and got to work.
"Lady, can’t you just use your Dust Release to deal with this? Didn’t you take the antidote?"
"I couldn’t inject it. The chains are too tight—I can’t reach."
Kazama Xu helplessly displayed the syringe, shaking the chains that bound her.
Without hesitation, Aotu Tailuo took the syringe and injected it into her arm.
"The antidote will take about half an hour to kick in. That should be enough time. Can you walk on your own?"
Kazama Xu struggled to stand but failed. After years of imprisonment in darkness, malnourished and weak, standing was a near-impossible feat.
"No time for this. Here, eat this."
Aotu Tailuo pulled out a pill—one of the chakra-enhancing agents—and handed it to her. Without hesitation, Kazama Xu swallowed it, fully trusting him at this point.
"Come on, I’ll carry you!"
Aotu Tailuo hoisted Kazama Xu onto his back and started running. For the first time, Kazama Xu found herself this close to a man. Despite the sweat-soaked stench emanating from him, she felt an inexplicable sense of security.
"You’re late! Hey, what’s with this woman? How is she so skinny? Can she even use Dust Release?"
Uekusa Kenji remarked upon seeing them.
"Shut up and move! We’ll deal with it later!"
Aotu Tailuo snapped impatiently.
By now, the Abyss Prison was in utter chaos. Shouts, clashes, curses, and the sounds of combat filled the air, accompanied by the glow of smoke and fire. Yet, near the main gate, an eerie calm prevailed.
"It’s all on you now. Don’t push yourself too hard—there are still three more gates ahead," Aotu Tailuo said.
"No problem. I’ve recovered enough."
Kazama Xu began forming hand seals, her hands aimed at the massive iron gate.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
A translucent cylindrical barrier shot forward, directly targeting the iron gate.
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