Chapter Twenty-Nine: First Duty (Part Two)

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Could this tranquil world before his eyes truly be the gathering place for dangerous individuals that Warden Old Jin and Jiang Hao had so earnestly warned him about? The prison he had expected was nowhere to be found; instead, he was met with a serene area reminiscent of an ancient Chinese garden. People were scattered sparsely throughout, some sitting, some standing, a few even lying comfortably on the ground, basking in the sunlight streaming through the transparent glass above.

A couple of people sat together in conversation, but most kept to themselves. Contrary to Zhao Li’s imagination, the inhabitants here did not look fierce or malevolent. Except for a few who appeared robust and imposing, the majority were refined and genteel. Their ages ranged widely—from white-haired elders to vigorous warriors in their prime.

Was this truly a prison? Zhao Li’s mind went blank. Had Jiang Hao not tugged him along, he might never have realized they had entered. The metal door closed soundlessly behind them, yet Zhao Li stood rooted in place.

The commotion on their side had already caught others’ attention. Seeing Zhao Li’s dumbfounded state, someone burst out laughing. The laughter, infectious in its own way, quickly spread until everyone had taken notice of Zhao Li’s awkwardness and laughed without restraint.

Jiang Hao did nothing to stop the laughter, patiently waiting for Zhao Li to collect himself. Zhao Li, possessing a remarkable strength of mind, soon recovered; ignoring the laughter, he turned to Jiang Hao and asked, “I haven’t come to the wrong place, have I?”

“That’s right,” Jiang Hao replied, a rare smile on his face. “This is the Montbatten Special Prison!”

At last, Zhao Li understood something he’d only heard in passing before: even within prison, some inmates enjoyed privileges far exceeding those of the military police charged with guarding them. Now he was witnessing it firsthand. The convicts enjoyed such an environment, while he himself was confined to a pigeonhole-sized cell—the disparity was staggering. Who would believe that these people were prisoners and he was one of their keepers? Perhaps it should be the other way around.

“Hey, Xiao Jiang, where did you pick up this fledgling?” someone called out to Jiang Hao, the tone ambiguous.

Jiang Hao seemed utterly unfazed by the teasing. Grinning, he replied, “He’s indeed new, sir!”

Hearing Jiang Hao address a prisoner as “sir” left Zhao Li even more bewildered. Was this really a criminal? A serving lieutenant addressing a convict as “sir”?

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“Although they’ve been convicted, the military hasn’t stripped them of their ranks. According to regulations, I have to address them as ‘sir’!” Jiang Hao said, glancing at his own lieutenant insignia and then at Zhao Li’s sergeant’s stripes, adding pointedly, “You have to do the same.” Zhao Li was astonished once again.

“Hahaha, what a cute little fellow!” someone’s voice called from behind, drawing even more attention their way. A few people began drifting over.

At that moment, Jiang Hao showed no intention of looking after the newcomer. He left Zhao Li with only a brief, “Take care of yourself!” and disappeared without a trace.

A group of tough-looking men gathered around, and Zhao Li was struck by a third realization: there seemed to be no clear separation between guards and inmates here. While it was true that, in ordinary prisons, inmates could mingle during exercise, most of the time they were confined or put to labor. Here, it was entirely different.

Cut off from the world, with such limited space, there was likely no place for hard labor. Judging by their relaxed air, it seemed they enjoyed this life. If this was prison, then what did that make the lives of those outside, who toiled from dawn to dusk in monotonous routines?

But what did Jiang Hao mean just now by “take care of yourself”? A sense of foreboding crept up in Zhao Li, and his hand instinctively reached for his baton.

These were all hardened criminals, extremely dangerous—such thoughts flooded Zhao Li’s mind. What were they planning?

“Stop right there! What do you want?” Zhao Li couldn’t help shouting. Only after the fact did he realize he was overly tense. This was a high-security prison, with guards on duty—these men could not possibly do anything out of line.

His outburst only provoked another round of boisterous laughter. It was as if Zhao Li were not a military policeman here to serve, but a comic actor sent to entertain the crowd. His shout was so loud that even those who had previously paid no heed now joined in the laughter.

Looking around, Zhao Li saw only a few blurred figures in uniform, watching but taking no action. He understood then that, as a newcomer, he was yet to make any friends. Those men had not accepted him as a comrade-in-arms. True camaraderie could only be built on trust developed over time, not simply by showing up. At best, he was regarded as a companion, but not a brother-in-arms.

“Hey, where did you find this little guy? Is he here to amuse us?” a burly, intimidating black man called out in a gruff voice to Jiang Hao, who had not gone far.

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Jiang Hao didn’t answer, merely signaling Zhao Li to introduce himself. This place was indeed bizarre—almost all the convicts outranked the guards, who were obliged to address them as “sir,” and now, in this awkward moment, Zhao Li was expected to introduce himself.

The group of burly men stopped a few paces away, clearly aware of the boundaries. Zhao Li knew he was safe, but the undisguised scorn and disdain in their eyes bore down on him, as if he were being roasted alive.

It was a profoundly unpleasant sensation, made worse not only by the contempt of the convicts, but also by the indifference of those who ought to have been his comrades-in-arms.

Zhao Li recalled the advice he once sought from Wolf Tyrant on how to avoid being bullied. The answer resonated in his mind:

“Fight! As long as you win, no one will dare bully you. Or, like today, impress a group with your skills, and no one will trouble you. But if you think keeping your head down and avoiding trouble will stop others from picking on you, you’re a fool. If you’re that easy to bully, who else would they go after?”

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The third update, a bit late—please forgive me!

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