Chapter 84

Chapter 85: On the Brink of Death

In the spotlessly clean corridor of the maximum security wing, the sound of leather shoes tapping on the marble floor was crisp and rhythmic, neither hurried nor slow. Five figures walked towards the black room at the end of the corridor. Zhao Heng was in the middle, flanked by two prison guards in neatly pressed uniforms, all maintaining a solemn silence as they walked.

"Clang—Clank—"

The prison guard respectfully opened a black iron door. In this world, the victor always reigns supreme. Zhao Heng had severed the hands of nearly a hundred members of the Qing Gang and massacred in the prison cafeteria, even subduing the feared Scarface. The guards dared not yell at Zhao Heng.

Not to mention the mysterious connection to the Du family!

The guard gestured with his left hand, "Please!"

Zhao Heng glanced at the guard with a calm gaze, and the guard immediately lowered his head and took a step back, not daring to meet his eyes. Just as Zhao Heng was about to enter, he suddenly heard a faint groan from a nearby solitary confinement cell. This cell, adjacent to the black room, had bars thicker than an arm.

However, it wasn't as enclosed as the black room. Zhao Heng instinctively focused his gaze and, as he scanned the area, his body couldn't help but tremble. He realized it was someone he knew, the imperial guard Zhou Qixuan, who had once fought him in an alley. But he was no longer the spirited and confident man he once was.

"How did he end up here? How did he become like this?"

The Zhou Qixuan that Zhao Heng saw was leaning against the left wall, bathed in pale light. His clothes were tattered, and his expression was haggard. There were over a dozen clear wounds on his body, and his handcuffs and leg irons were extra thick, indicating he had endured much torture. He was almost on the brink of death.

If not for the familiar hint of his proud smile, Zhao Heng would have thought he had mistaken someone.

He turned to the guard, "How did he get in here?"

The guard didn't want to answer this sensitive question but, to get Zhao Heng into the black room quickly, he forced a bitter smile and replied, "I don't know why he was brought in, but I know that higher-ups ordered strict supervision. He must not escape or die. The injuries on his body—"

"Have nothing to do with us; they were already there when he arrived!"

At this, he added, "However, a cold snap hit recently, and his injuries seem to have lowered his resistance, causing a fever. Last night, he was delirious. We wanted to call a doctor, but higher-ups didn't approve, deciding to let him fend for himself."

"In short, no one can approach him without orders from above."

"Go get some fever medicine."

Zhao Heng turned towards the cell door. As the guard hesitated, Zhao Heng already snatched a gun from his hand, "Go quickly! I just want to help him reduce his fever. If you find it difficult, I'll break the door down! You know I have the strength to do it."

The guards looked at each other, wanting to draw their guns but not daring to. Zhao Heng's power was beyond their ability to resist. However, when Zhao Heng disassembled the gun into parts and then reassembled it, they realized that compromising might not be so bad.

Besides, it was just giving Zhou Qixuan some fever medicine.

A guard with a white patch on his head took a deep breath, "I'll get it."

His lips twitched slightly, and he finally gritted his teeth and went to the medical room to fetch the medicine and water. The other three guards, tense and with their hands on their gun holsters, watched Zhao Heng closely. They just wanted Zhao Heng to enter the black room quickly to complete their difficult task and return, as no one wanted to deal with this hot potato.

"Medicine... is here."

The guard, always efficient when it came to matters affecting his career, soon returned with a box of fever medicine, a bottle of purified water, and some trauma medicine. Without waiting for Zhao Heng to say anything, he opened the iron door and entered, as Zhou Qixuan was restrained.

He roughly shoved the medicine into Zhou Qixuan's mouth and poured water into it, placing the trauma medicine beside him. Whether it was the effect of the medicine or the water, Zhou Qixuan's eyes, which had been closed, opened, a fierce light flashing through them, like the flames of paper money burning on the night of July 14th.

The fierce aura startled the guard, who instinctively took a few steps back.

He then hurriedly locked the door. Zhou Qixuan, following the sound, saw Zhao Heng being watched by the guards. He was slightly surprised to see Zhao Heng here, but then he sensed something from Zhao Heng's gentle smile. He blinked twice at Zhao Heng.

No words were spoken, but Zhao Heng clearly understood that it was a thank you. Zhou Qixuan clearly knew that the medicine and water were due to Zhao Heng, as Zhao Heng was the only familiar face he had seen in prison. Then, in his weakened state, he heard Zhao Heng say softly, "Stay alive!"

Zhou Qixuan looked at his former opponent and managed a bitter smile.

He nodded slightly, with a mix of complex emotions.

"Hey, Young Master Heng, he's taken the medicine and water."

The guard, after much deliberation, called out, "I also brought some trauma medicine. Should you go in now?"

Zhao Heng's presence outside the black room made them uneasy. Who knew if he would suddenly attack? Zhao Heng nodded lightly and, without further difficulty, slowly entered the legendary black room. The black room was 1.2 meters high, with a space of only one square meter.

It was not much different from the coffin pit used to bury the dead in the countryside.

Zhao Heng, using the light from outside, saw bloodstains on the walls. In the corner of the left wall, some words were faintly written in blood. Zhao Heng carefully identified them, silently repeating, "Live—no—more—," but the last word, due to the long time, was unclear.

But Zhao Heng could guess what the last word was.

Death!

He took a deep breath to calm himself.

The guard carefully removed the shackles from Zhao Heng's feet and then turned to gently close the door. With the door shut, the light in the black room slowly disappeared, becoming darker and darker. When the last trace of light vanished, the black room was plunged into complete darkness.

Pitch black!

Zhao Heng leaned against the cold wall of the black room, using his limbs to feel the boundless darkness. The black room was eerily quiet, so quiet that Zhao Heng could only hear his own breathing. He felt as if he were floating in an endless universe, a speck of dust adrift.

Lonely, helpless!

The only thing that let Zhao Heng know he was still alive was the steady beat of his heart.

The guard, listening outside, shook his head lightly. He didn't know what Zhao Heng had done to offend Zhao Siqing, but the latter had used the black room to torture him. However, they didn't discuss it, as both Zhao Heng and Zhao Siqing had connections to the Du family, and it was probably a family matter. Speaking out might bring trouble!

As time passed, the endless darkness and silence seemed to pierce Zhao Heng's heart like needles, but he didn't move. Zhao Heng was as calm as a meditating monk, knowing that in such a dark and confined space, the more one struggles, the more fear one feels.

Because one never knows when the darkness will end or how much time has passed. Few can endure such endless, dateless darkness. This mental torment is far more powerful than physical pain and is a lethal technique in every prison.

However, Zhao Heng was not afraid. On the contrary, he smiled.

"Uncle Feng, you are truly a genius."

A long time ago, Uncle Feng had dug a pit on the mountain to train Zhao Heng to overcome the darkness and build his endurance. Except for a necessary breathing hole, Zhao Heng was almost buried alive. After several rounds of training over a year, he could endure seven days and seven nights of extreme torture.

Therefore, Zhao Heng believed he could endure seven days, and this time would be enough for Ye Shishi to act. He had made up his mind that if no rescue came in three days, he would find a way to break out. Three days were enough for outsiders to do many things and to clarify many matters.

Especially the intentions of various parties.

He curled his tongue and spat out a piece of wire, which he had shaved off a thin knife in the cafeteria. With this, the handcuffs and leg irons could not hold him, and the black room would have a weakness when the guard came to deliver food. Therefore, Zhao Heng was very calm and composed, analyzing the current situation with a peaceful mind.

Zhao Heng thought of Ye Shishi, her倾国倾城的容颜, the power of the First Floor, and even her delicate feet. However, he didn't feel much joy. Instead, after some contemplation, he became solemn, feeling that Ye Shishi was using him as a pawn.

At least, she hadn't put her full effort into rescuing him.

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