Chapter 1, Are you crazy?

Bird songs, mountain streams, moss, withered leaves, high walls, iron nets, green lawns------this is not a vibrant campus, but Henshan Prison.

In a high-rise building with a view of the entire prison yard, Tang Chong was sitting at a desk, writing with a brush pen.

"Amidst the vast sea, fish leap; under the high sky, birds fly."

His brushwork was elegant, the ink vivid. The style was lively and graceful.

To be able to write such fine calligraphy at a young age was indeed something to be proud of.

So, Tang Chong did not hesitate to praise himself.

"Really well done. Unprecedentedly good."

"Even the Sage of Calligraphy would weep upon seeing these characters, wouldn't he?"

"Under the high sky, birds fly? Why not under the dark sky, birds fly?------Ancient people were really rascals."

Clang------

The door was slammed open, and a middle-aged prison guard in a gray uniform, panting, stood at the door, shouting: "Second Boss----quick. Class 7 has erupted."

"Erupted?" Tang Chong raised his head and asked, "Where's the First Boss?"

"Not in the duty room," the guard said urgently.

An eruption in the cell meant a serious fight. If not controlled, it could lead to bloodshed and even death.

Once, a death row inmate, under immense mental pressure, 'erupted' and broke the necks of four cellmates in one night.

Tang Chong's delicate brows furrowed. He threw the brush pen into the ink box, stood up, and ran out. The guard, seeing the Second Boss willing to intervene, finally relaxed his tense expression.

They passed through a dark corridor, crossed one iron door after another, and finally stopped at an iron door marked 'Class 7.'

Before entering, they could hear loud shouting and commotion inside.

"Second Boss, I'll open the door," the guard said.

"Wait," Tang Chong stopped him. "Let's listen to what they're saying."

"-----Want to teach me a lesson? You scumbags aren't qualified. Li Laohu has been in and out of prison seven times, and this time he's in for three murders------I never thought of getting out. Want to fight me? You should take a piss and look at yourself."

This was a new voice, probably a new inmate, known in prison slang as a 'new arrival.'

"New arrivals must follow the rules. We're teaching you the rules on behalf of the prison------"

"Phew. What rules?" The new voice became even more arrogant. "You just want to give me a taste of your power, so you can ride on my head and bully me------I, Li Laohu, won't fall for it."

"You--------"

"What about you? Comrade Class Leader, wasn't the beating you got enough? Want me to loosen your bones some more? I'm telling you scumbags, from today on, I'm the Class 7 leader. Listen to me, and you'll have food. Disobey me, and you'll eat shit."

Click------

The copper lock opened, and Tang Chong pushed the iron door and walked in.

"What's going on?" Tang Chong asked with a smile.

Seeing Tang Chong enter, the dozen or so inmates, with shaved heads and wearing earth-gray uniforms, looked delighted. Except for the four or five who were injured and couldn't get up, the others greeted him.

"Second Boss----Second Boss is here."

"Second Boss, this new arrival is defiant. We tried to teach him the rules, but he not only refused to learn, he even hit people------"

"Second Boss, he broke my arm. You have to do something."

------------

Tang Chong turned to look at the scar-faced man sitting casually on the lower bunk and asked, "Are you Li Laohu?"

"That's me. Who are you?" Li Laohu glanced at Tang Chong, full of disdain.

A pale, tender kid, what threat could he pose?

However, seeing the guard standing behind him, looking at him with a smug expression, he felt something was off.

"I'm not a nobody. I'm Tang Chong," Tang Chong said with a kind and patient smile. "There are rules in prison. Since the guards are understaffed, some of the older inmates need to teach the new arrivals the rules------"

"Get lost," Li Laohu said, his arrogance growing. "I said, this is my eighth time in prison------what rules do I need you to teach me?"

"Each prison has its own rules. Henshan Prison has its own rules," Tang Chong said. "They're different."

"My fists are big, so my words are the rules," Li Laohu said viciously, pointing at the inmates on the ground groaning. "If you don't listen, they're your examples."

Tang Chong couldn't help but laugh. "Did you hear what they called me?"

"What did they call you?" Li Laohu jumped off the bed, his large hand pointing at Tang Chong. "Kid, if you don't get lost, I'll slap you to death."

"They call me Second Boss," Tang Chong sighed softly. A strong body but a simple mind, that's what this guy was. "That means, except for the First Boss, everyone in this prison listens to me."

Li Laohu burst into laughter, his face twitching. "Kid, you really don't know when to quit. I've already killed three people, and I don't mind adding one more------"

Tang Chong understood that this was a low-IQ, hot-headed guy. The only way to deal with such a person was to 'order a dish.'

"Order a dish," Tang Chong said, hands in his pockets, looking up. "Candied Pork Knuckle, Spicy Fish, which one do you prefer?"

'Candied Pork Knuckle' means hitting the kidneys with the elbow. If 'eaten' properly, the inmate won't be able to stand straight and might even have blood in their urine. 'Spicy Fish' is even more brutal, using wet electrical wires or hemp ropes to beat the body, leaving the skin flaking like fish scales.

There are other 'dishes' like 'Egg Pancake' and 'Striking from Afar,' all designed to leave no visible marks on the surface.

Li Laohu laughed, cursing, "Order your mother------"

Before he could finish, his mouth closed.

Because Tang Chong had already punched him in the face.

Crack------

A crisp sound, and a few large yellow teeth were mixed in the blood he spat out.

"You didn't order. I'll order for you. Welcome to Henshan, let's start with Candied Knees."

As he spoke, Tang Chong's knee slammed into Li Laohu's waist and kidneys.

Bang------

Bang------

Bang------

Once, twice, three times------

Swift as lightning, fierce as thunder.

In a moment, the mountain-like Li Laohu was spitting blood and falling to the ground.

From start to finish, his proud 'big fists' never got a chance to swing.

"Don't hit me----please, don't hit me------" Li Laohu curled into a ball, hands covering his head, crying for mercy.

Tang Chong stopped, took the towel offered by a fawning inmate, and wiped his hands.

"Can we start the lesson now?" Tang Chong asked.

"Yes, yes," Li Laohu wailed, tears streaming down his face.

"I'll leave it to you," Tang Chong said.

"Thank you, Second Boss."

"Second Boss, take care."

"Second Boss, come back often------who the hell kicked my ass?"

Tang Chong smiled and had the guard lock the iron door.

"Second Boss, thank you for your help," the guard said gratefully.

Tang Chong waved his hand. "It's a habit."

Indeed, it was a habit.

Tang Chong grew up in prison. Since he was old enough to understand, his father had already been the warden of Henshan Prison, known as the 'First Boss.'

Tang Chong suffered from ADHD and couldn't sit still. His father, being busy, let him run around the prison freely.

Because of his special status, he naturally became the 'little prince' of the prison. The guards cared for him, and the inmates tried to please him. Because he was smart and eager to learn, everyone was happy to teach him some unique skills.

Over time, as he grew older, he learned more and more, and his authority increased. People liked to seek his help with problems. When the warden was absent, he would take charge of some tasks. Thus, he became the 'Second Boss' of Henshan Prison.

When Tang Chong returned to his room, he found the door open, and the 'First Boss' and a strange woman were waiting. They looked at him as he approached.

Before the 'First Boss' could speak, the extremely beautiful woman asked with surprise, "Is this Tang Chong?"

The woman had short, red hair, giving her a clean and sharp look. Her eyes were long and bright, her lips full and painted red, like a blooming rose, making one want to bite it.

She wore a silver business suit that accentuated her fiery figure. Her chest was full, her waist slim, and her hips round. She wore large black-rimmed glasses, giving her an intellectual charm.

Her eyes sparkled, and she looked extremely excited, as if she had found a long-lost son.

"Yes," the 'First Boss' said in a low voice. His thick beard covered his mouth, making him sound like a bug inside.

"He looks just like him. Just like him," the woman said repeatedly. "Great. The person I'm looking for is him."

"You talk. I won't join in," the 'First Boss' said, glancing at his son and turning to leave.

"Hey------" Tang Chong called out. The bearded man hadn't introduced the woman yet.

The woman's eyes roamed over Tang Chong's face and body, like a female predator eyeing her prey.

After a while, she extended her hand, smiling seductively, and said, "Let's get acquainted------Bai Su. Bai as in 'free,' Su as in 'vegetarian.'"

"Tang Chong," Tang Chong shook her warm, slightly sweaty hand and introduced himself. "Tang as in 'Tang Dynasty,' Chong as in 'weight,' not as in 'repeat.' But you seem to already know my name."

"Ha------" Bai Su laughed. "Who introduces themselves like that?"

"You've seen it," Tang Chong said.

Bai Su giggled, then looked at Tang Chong seriously and asked with her sexy red lips and alluring voice, "Do you like Leslie Cheung?"

"Yes," Tang Chong answered. He loved the 'A Better Tomorrow' series starring Leslie Cheung.

"Do you like Chow Yun-fat?"

"Yes." In Tang Chong's eyes, Chow Yun-fat's 'Shanghai Bund' was an unsurpassable classic.

"Do you like Andy Lau?"

"Yes." He could act, sing, and was a hardworking, ageless king.

"Do you------want to become a superstar like them?"

Tang Chong looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Drive luxury cars, live in mansions, have your photos in newspapers and magazines, become an idol to countless people, receive worldwide attention and the adoration of young girls------"

"Are you crazy?" Tang Chong looked at her with sympathy.

Such a beautiful woman, how could her mind be so messed up?

PS: Some say that writing about the relationship between men is harder than writing about the relationship between men and women. So, in Lao Liu's new book, the protagonist not only has to conquer women but also men-----how evil.

A new beginning! A new journey!

Dear friends, the Guard Corps, let's fight for honor again!

Favorites! Red tickets! Not a single one can be missing!

My QT room is open! Liu Xia Hui official QT room number [9266]

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