Excessive ferocity due to caution

After lunch break, in the warden's office.

The man sitting in the leather seat had gray hair, and behind him hung a calligraphy scroll with three large characters bearing profound cultural significance:

—Knowing one's destiny.

Since there was no hair on the top of her head, she simply curled the hair on the sides, which seemed to give it a unique look.

He was wearing wire-rimmed glasses and was engrossed in playing on his tablet.

On the rectangular table were many rare fruits that neither the prisoners nor the guards had ever seen before.

He hadn't been playing for long when there was a knock at the door. The warden put down his tablet and said calmly:

"Enter."

The door opened, and the former warehouse manager walked in, forcing himself to stay inside.

In stark contrast to his aloof and indifferent expression in the square that morning, his face was now filled with trepidation and flattery.

"Warrior..."

He gave an awkward smile.

Seeing his reaction, the warden frowned slightly:

"Get to the point."

Fine beads of sweat trickled down the warehouse manager's temples.

"It's like this... Last night, a fight broke out among seventy-four members of the Black Tiger Gang in Warehouse No. 8, resulting in heavy casualties."

The warden said impatiently:

"It's just a few dogs that died. You need to report such a trivial matter to me?"

The warehouse manager was sweating profusely, and the sweat was already streaming down his face.

"No...Warden, they...they're all dead."

The man sitting in the office chair glared:

"What the heck?"

The warehouse manager hurriedly knelt on the ground, trembling with fear, and said:

"They killed each other in the warehouse that night, and they were all dead..."

Upon hearing this, the warden immediately stood up and roared:

"Bullshit!"

"They were all from the Black Tiger Gang, how come so many died in their infighting?!"

The warehouse manager, feeling the terrifying murderous aura emanating from the warden, felt a chill run through him and said:

"But Warden... that's just the way it is."

"I've already handed all the bodies over to Dr. Che for examination. These Black Tiger Gang members don't have the fingerprints of the prisoners found in the other warehouses..."

After hearing this, the warden became even angrier and started punching and kicking the warehouse manager!

"I'll f*** you!"

"So many people have died, and you can't even find the killer, you piece of trash!"

"Did I raise you just so you could eat dry food in prison?"

"Damn it, my backyard plan depends on these fat pigs! You can't find the killer? Fine, then you'll pay with your lives!"

After he finished speaking, he pulled out a pistol from his person and pointed it at the bruised and battered warehouse manager. Upon seeing the dark muzzle of the gun, the latter hurriedly grabbed the warden's leg and howled loudly:

"Warden, please calm down, Warden!"

"There really isn't a killer!"

The warden released the safety on his gun, about to shoot the warehouse manager in the head, when at the critical moment, someone suddenly walked in through the door.

"The bodies were covered in each other's fingerprints. The warehouse was dark at night, and in such a dark environment, if a fight broke out, it would be impossible for the prisoners to completely erase their fingerprints. The fact that their fingerprints were not found means that they did not participate in the fight."

The warden turned his head, his sinister gaze filled with murderous intent falling on the person who had entered.

It was Cherry wearing a white coat.

After a moment of silence, he slowly put the gun away.

"What are you doing here?"

Cherry flashed her big black teeth and laughed:

"Haven't you always wanted me to get you an electromagnetic machine that can withstand wind and sand erosion?"

Upon hearing this, the warden was slightly taken aback, and his eyes immediately lit up with intense joy!

"You agree?"

"Tell me... what conditions do you want?"

Cherry Road:

"I need money."

"A lot of money."

The warden's eyes darted around, a cunning glint in them.

"In this prison of the desert, we will provide you with everything you need free of charge, so what do you need money for?"

Cherry said calmly:

"After a while, I will write an application letter to Z City, wanting to go home to visit my family. I haven't seen them for so many years, and I may not be able to see them many more times in the future. I feel guilty and want to give them some material compensation."

The warden sneered:

"You still won't give up?"

"You should know better than anyone that the people of Z City will never let you go back."

"You'll just rot in this place for the rest of your life."

Cherry's smile faded considerably:

"That way, I can at least send a large sum of money to my wife and daughters."

"Anyway, you have free labor here, and the military will allocate a huge sum of money to you every year. Giving me some money will have no impact on you at all."

The warden was silent for a moment, then agreed.

He kicked the warehouse manager hard, then turned around and went to the desk to get his bank card.

He handed Cherry a bank card with a green floral logo, then suddenly said:

"What's the deal with that new kid from last time?"

Cherry took the bank card, on which the PIN was written.

"What new kid?"

The warden's bulky body landed heavily on the warehouse keeper's back. The latter felt uncomfortable but dared not move at all, for fear of hurting the warden.

"It's the one who came out of you unscathed... It's all over the prison, causing quite a stir, which isn't like you at all."

Cherry raised an eyebrow:

"Zhao Yi?"

"right."

"Nothing much. I was just bored here, and then I ran into someone I could get along with, so I let him go... What, Warden, do I not even have the right to chat with a prisoner anymore?"

The warden lit a cigar for himself.

"Of course not."

"It's fine with you who you talk to; it's your private matter. I won't interfere, and I have no interest in it."

"But this Zhao Yi is a bit special..."

Cherry sensed something strange in his tone:

"What's so special about it?"

The warden replied lazily:

"There's a young master surnamed Li in Z City who sent word this morning, specifically asking for this Zhao Yi."

"I estimate that it won't be long before he sends someone to take this prisoner away."

Cherry remained silent, her eyebrows furrowed.

Seeing his appearance, the warden gave a faint, mocking laugh:

"Don't be ungrateful. If you want someone to talk to, you can pick any prisoner in the jail, but this person... you'd better not have any ideas."

"Don't forget, your wife and daughter are still in Z City."

Cherry suddenly clenched her fist, but said in a calm tone:

"understood."

"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

He turned and pushed open the door to leave.

After Cherry left, the warden whistled, then suddenly remembered the dog under his butt, and said:

"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you off the hook."

"But remember this: I don't want to see what happened last night happen again... Otherwise, no one can protect you, understand?"

The warehouse manager's face lit up with joy, and he said excitedly:

"Thank you so much, Warden, for sparing my life. I will serve you like a slave from now on to repay your kindness!"

The warden looked at him with the eyes of someone looking at a dog, raising his greasy, stubble-covered chin:

"Go and bring Zhao Yi over here so I can take a look."

"This warden wants to see what kind of prisoner Cherry is interested in..."

The warehouse manager immediately nodded and bowed:

"I'll go right away!"

He scrambled out, and with a few guards, escorted Zhao Yi to the warden's office.

"You're Zhao Yi?"

The warden, with his legs crossed and a cigar dangling from his mouth, pointed his nostrils at Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi's slender figure made him appear less intimidating.

"Yes."

The warden exhaled a rapid stream of air from his nostrils and said disdainfully:

"The prisoners were all talking about you, saying you were some kind of demon from hell. Now look, you're nothing special, are you?"

Zhao Yi smiled and said:

"Yes, rumors... always spread like wildfire, one person tells ten, ten tell a hundred, grapes can be called apples, and bananas can be called tomatoes."

The warden stood up, took a pair of pliers, and came to Zhao Yi's side.

The guards nearby quickly restrained Zhao Yi's hands and legs!

The warden stared into Zhao Yi's eyes and said lazily:

"Although I don't know your past, a guy like you must be an utterly wicked bastard in Z City, which is why you were captured and imprisoned in the Sand Sea Cage. And even so, it seems the officials in Z City still have no intention of letting you go. You will soon be taken back to Z City and executed, without even a chance to repent..."

"Tsk tsk..."

"How pitiful."

"But overall, you are still the first super criminal to come to the Sand Sea Cage and be able to leave. Before you go, I want to take something from you as a souvenir."

After saying that, he punched Zhao Yi hard in the stomach. As soon as Zhao Yi opened his mouth, the warden shoved the pliers into Zhao Yi's mouth, clamped a tooth, and twisted it hard!

Chirp!

Fresh blood gushed out suddenly.

The drops fell from Zhao Yi's thin lips onto the ground.

The warden looked at the teeth in his palm with a cruel and morbid smile on his face.

"A toothless dog...how pathetic."

He waved.

"Take him away."

"Don't let him die."

The two guards immediately dragged Zhao Yi toward the door. As they passed the door, Zhao Yi suddenly spoke:

"Warden..."

The warden turned around at the sound, squinting his eyes:

"What's wrong?"

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Zhao Yi said with a smile:

"Please remember this tooth."

The warden stared at Zhao Yi for a moment, then said with a forced smile:

"I will remember that."

PS: First update, 2900 words.

I'll still try my best to reach 1 today!