Chapter 129: The Labor Incident

"Liang Ji, from now on, until we leave this prison, you had better stay by my side at all times. Since Crippled Wolf and his men cannot do anything to me, they will likely try to cause trouble for you. When the time comes for me to leave, I will see if I can take you with me," Ye Fei said.

Since Liang Ji had already chosen to follow him, Ye Fei could not simply watch him get into trouble.

"Leave prison? Brother Fei, is that really possible for me too?" Liang Ji asked, overjoyed. He had been locked up for nearly half a year. Because he lacked power and influence, he had to remain in the prison cell, living every day with extreme caution.

"Yes. Within half a month, I will be leaving. When that time comes, I will pull some strings for you; it shouldn't be a problem," Ye Fei replied. The price Fang Tingfang had set was for Ye Fei to be detained in prison for half a month, with the obvious intent of sending assassins inside during that time to finish him off.

Ye Fei also felt that half a month of tormenting Crippled Wolf would be a fitting tribute to the tragically deceased Xiao Bai.

With so many people outside the prison concerned for his well-being, Ye Fei could not stay here for long. Once he had avenged Xiao Bai after those fifteen days, he would walk out of the prison.

"Thank you, Brother Fei! Thank you! I will listen to whatever you say," Liang Ji said happily. Choosing to swear allegiance to Ye Fei was a gamble.

Liang Ji had guessed that the forces behind Ye Fei were likely significant. Just yesterday, he had easily managed to get a few people released, and he possessed both incredible combat skills and a strong sense of loyalty. That was why Liang Ji had taken the risk. Now, it seemed he had placed his bet correctly.

Originally, Liang Ji was expected to serve at least another three years. Now, it was possible he would not have to stay for the remainder of his sentence at all.

...

"Brother Fei, those people over there belong to Boss Chen. That middle-aged man who looks like a school teacher is Boss Chen himself. He has four lieutenants under his command and is one of the dominant powers in this prison. His men are the most loyal; even Crippled Wolf and his crew prefer not to provoke him."

"Over there, those are the men of Boss Thirteen Blades. The one with the scar across his forehead is the boss himself. It is said that back in the day, during a gang war, he killed over twenty people single-handedly. He sustained thirteen slashes across his entire body, one of which went straight across his forehead and nearly split his skull open. That is how he got the name 'Thirteen Blades'."

Liang Ji walked beside Ye Fei, quietly introducing him to the various factions within the prison.

"Those hulking brutes are the men of Crippled Wolf. The one with the square face is their leader, Brother Bao. In this prison, they are the most tyrannical. Word is that they are hired by certain high-ranking officials to teach specific inmates a lesson, which is why the guards turn a blind eye to their actions."

Ye Fei followed the direction of Liang Ji’s gaze and saw seven burly men standing together. They glared at Ye Fei with dark, menacing expressions. As their eyes met, sparks seemed to fly.

The men whispered among themselves, casting fierce glances toward Ye Fei, clearly plotting how to deal with him. Ye Fei memorized their faces one by one, etching them into his mind.

"Hey! What are you two standing around for? Get back to work!" A prison guard approached, raised his baton, and swung it toward Ye Fei while shouting.

*Thwack!*

Ye Fei caught the baton with his hand. He stared at the guard with icy eyes and said coldly, "I could have you killed with a single word. Do you believe me? Get lost!"

The guard was pushed back two steps, his face turning beet red. After a moment of hesitation, he walked away with a dark expression.

Although Ye Fei had originally refused to leave prison, he had allowed Li Guozhong to use his authority as a member of the Ministry of State Security to warn the guards, just to save himself some trouble. Otherwise, it would have been quite difficult to deal with the guards constantly picking on him. Thus, Li Guozhong had helped handle these minor inconveniences using his official status.

"Brother Fei, you're amazing!" Seeing the guard back down without a word after being reprimanded by Ye Fei, Liang Ji’s confidence in him grew even stronger.

"Don't be fooled. Even if they don't dare to act out in the open, there is no guarantee they won't try to sabotage us behind our backs. You had better stay careful," Ye Fei cautioned.

Liang Ji nodded, but suddenly he exclaimed, "Brother Fei, this is bad! Look!"

The guard who had been scared off by Ye Fei was clearly harboring resentment. He had walked over to a few other inmates, whispered something, and pointed at Ye Fei and Liang Ji. Those inmates immediately picked up their work tools and began walking toward them.

Ye Fei said, "Liang Ji, step back."

Liang Ji immediately moved further away. The other working inmates, seeing the hostile expressions of the approaching group, turned their attention toward Ye Fei.

"Brother Bao, someone is going to mess with that Ye Fei," one of the men said to Brother Bao.

"Let's wait and see. Crippled Wolf is still in agony; this Ye Fei has some real skill," Brother Bao said, keeping his eyes fixed on Ye Fei.

Thinking of how Crippled Wolf was still in such pain that he could barely walk, sleep, or urinate, the men wore expressions of shared animosity, their eyes flashing with malice as they watched Ye Fei.

Boss Chen's men were also watching the scene like spectators. A man with unusually long arms said, "Brother Chen, someone is looking for trouble with that Ye Fei."

Boss Chen looked at Ye Fei with indifference and said emotionlessly, "That kid is a ruthless one. He crippled over a dozen men the moment he got here and left Crippled Wolf in constant pain. Tell our brothers not to provoke him. If anyone dares to stir up trouble, don't blame me, Chen Xianli, for breaking them first."

"Brother Chen, what if he provokes our men?" the long-armed man asked.

"Don't worry. I've already looked into it. The reason Ye Fei is staying here is that one of his subordinates was killed by Crippled Wolf and his men, and he's here for revenge. Once he finishes his business, he'll likely be gone. Besides, there are powerful people who want him dead and powerful people who want to protect him. The mess surrounding him is not something we can afford to touch. These waters are deep. I've seen it clearly enough—anyone who gets involved with Ye Fei's affairs is as good as dead. Yuan Shou, I know your hands are itching for a fight, but hold it in. Do not touch him."

"Tch, I really wanted to have a go at him," Yuan Shou spat, looking disappointed.

On the other side of the yard, the men of Thirteen Blades were also watching the show. Boss Thirteen Blades had a gruesome scar on his forehead, making him look exceptionally fierce. His men, with their shirts open and cigarettes in their mouths, radiated a heavy aura of the underworld.

As they were talking, the group of inmates reached Ye Fei. One of them tilted his head, looking down his nose at Ye Fei, and said arrogantly, "Kid, you're the new guy? Go finish our work quotas for us, and from now on, you'll be under my wing."

"You've come at just the right time. I think you should be the ones to finish my work quota. Besides, even if you wanted to follow me, you aren't qualified. Finish the work and get lost!" Ye Fei retorted bluntly.

These men were clearly here to pick a fight; there was no need to be polite.

"New guy, you're pretty arrogant! If I didn't know better, I'd think you were one of the three bosses of this prison!" the inmate with his nose in the air sneered.

Another inmate suddenly raised his shovel and swung it at Ye Fei. Had it landed, it would have surely left a gaping wound.

Ye Fei didn't move his body; he simply kicked the shovel. The immense force sent it flying back, striking the inmate himself. Instead of hitting Ye Fei, the man was struck by his own tool, and blood immediately spurted out. Ye Fei's kick had been heavy, and the wound was significant; blood flowed as if it were worthless.

The group of troublemakers hadn't expected Ye Fei to react so fiercely and ruthlessly. Having suffered a major loss, they brandished their tools and swarmed him.

Ye Fei had a shovel in his hand as well. He swung it, slamming it into one man's face, knocking out four of his teeth and causing his left cheek to swell instantly.

As another man swung his shovel, Ye Fei blocked it with the handle and kicked the man in the chin.

*Whistle—whistle—*

The nearby guards blew their whistles and shouted warnings: "Stop! No fighting!"

"Everyone drop your tools and squat down with your hands on your heads!" the guards bellowed. All the working inmates dropped their tools and complied, though they all kept their eyes fixed on Ye Fei’s direction.

Ye Fei, however, did not stop. If he did, he would just be standing there waiting to be beaten. He continued to use his shovel, slamming it against the faces of his attackers until they were covered in blood.

"Don't move!" Several guards surrounded Ye Fei, some aiming their weapons at him.

"I'm not moving," Ye Fei said, dropping the shovel.

A guard looked at the injured inmates and said to his colleagues, "Take these men to the infirmary."

Afterward, Ye Fei was locked in an individual holding cell.

"Oh no, Brother Fei has been locked up," Liang Ji thought, his heart sinking. He wasn't worried about Ye Fei; with Ye Fei's skills and connections, he wouldn't suffer too much.

Liang Ji was worried about himself. Without Ye Fei as his protective charm, Crippled Wolf and his men could finish him off in a heartbeat.