PDLP 177. Welcome the newcomers
177. Welcome the newcomers
"Splash splash splash splash~~~"
The prison's steel gates opened to both sides. Zhou Hongyi and the latest batch of prisoners were brought into the prison by truck, and under the watchful eyes of numerous prison guards, they lined up one by one and walked towards the main prison building.
There were more than ten other prisoners who were imprisoned with Zhou Hongyi. The reasons for their imprisonment were varied, including petty theft, murder and arson, economic crimes, and one person was even arrested for urinating in public in front of a government building.
Zhou Hongyi walked in the middle of the crowd. These prisoners were tied together with a rope. If one of them moved, the others would be dragged to the ground, preventing anyone from trying to escape.
At Zhou Hongyi's request, his entry into the prison and his contact with potential Kuomintang and Red Party underground members were known only to him and a few others, including Kondo. In this prison, everyone, including the warden, believed Zhou Hongyi was truly guilty of a crime and thus imprisoned. This is why no one dared to reveal their true intentions when facing him.
This was Zhou Hongyi's first time entering a prison, and he was quite curious. Although he had done his homework beforehand, it was only after being there that he truly felt the oppressive atmosphere of having his freedom confined.
Because he was still a suspect, he was not placed in the high-security prison or special prison area, but was placed in the ordinary prison area like everyone else.
The general ward is the main area of the prison, occupying the vast majority of the space. Rows of cells are arranged in a long strip, separated from each other by thick brick walls and iron bars.
Urged by the prison guards, Zhou Hongyi and his dozen or so companions entered the general prison area. They lined up to register, each received a set of prison uniforms, and had their heads shaved. They were then herded into the main cell block.
Whenever a new inmate entered, the prisoners who had been held there before would become incredibly excited, as if they had been injected with adrenaline. They would pound and howl through the iron bars, staring at the newcomers with the eyes of predators. Especially when they saw Zhou Hongyi, who had fair skin and a handsome appearance, some even started whistling.
"Look at that pretty boy, how handsome he is. I'm telling you, he's mine, and nobody can take him from me."
"What do you mean 'your'? I clearly saw it first."
“Fatty Qian and Baldy Li, you two had better watch your step. Do you know who that is? He’s Zhou Hongyi, the police chief of the Second Branch of Jing’an Public Security Bureau, and also the owner of the New Paramount. He’s quite the big shot in the outside world.”
At this moment, someone who recognized Zhou Hongyi explained his identity to the older prisoners. This only made the two prisoners shout even louder.
"Police chief? How did the police chief end up here? Hehehe, now that he's here, even a dragon has to coil up, and a tiger has to lie low. We brothers are the ones who call the shots."
“That’s right, I agree with Fatty Qian. He’s the police chief outside, but he’s just a rookie here. Without those backers and halos, let’s see what he can be so arrogant about.”
Zhou Hongyi acted as if he hadn't heard anything, looking left and right as if he hadn't heard the prisoners' foul language.
He carried his washbasin and towel, along with other toiletries, in both hands, and, guided by the prison guards, entered a cell that could hold ten prisoners.
The prison guard knocked twice on the door with his baton, signaling the prisoners who were watching the commotion to back away. He then opened the door and said in a menacing tone, "I don't care what kind of police chief you were outside. Here, you'd better behave yourself, or you'll regret it. From now on, you have no name. Remember the number on your chest; we address each other by numbers here. Understand?"
Zhou Hongyi first answered "Understood," then looked at his chest. There was a number plate embroidered there, with four digits written on it: 0434.
As Zhou Hongyi carried his personal belongings into the cell, the iron gate slammed shut behind him. The prisoners began to shout and make noise again.
"Hey, how about we make a bet? Let's bet on how long our esteemed police chief can hold out tonight before he starts crying?"
"Tonight, judging by his sissy appearance, he might burst into tears as soon as night falls."
"He was locked up in cell number 44, which is a good deal for the guys inside."
"What number forty-four? If I remember correctly, number forty-four is Bai Laoliu's cell. That guy is not to be trifled with."
Bai Laoliu was the warden of cell number 44. Each cell had a warden, who was usually the most ruthless and capable fighter.
Zhou Hongyi was like a child entering kindergarten for the first time, curious about everything. The cell was rudimentary, containing only wooden plank beds side-by-side and a foul-smelling toilet. The prisoners were crammed into this small space, the air was stuffy, and sunlight never reached them.
Under the watchful eyes of the ten prisoners, Zhou Hongyi looked around before standing on an empty bed near the center. Just as he was about to place his personal belongings on it, the prisoner next to him plopped down on it, put his feet on the bed frame, and gave him a defiant look that seemed designed to provoke a beating. It was clear he wasn't allowed to sleep.
"Haha, it's exactly the same as what's shown on TV. This reinforces my stereotypes about prison inmates."
Zhou Hongyi muttered something under his breath, finding it quite amusing. But to the prisoners, his smile was nothing short of a provocation.
"Hey, newbie, do you know the rules? We don't care what kind of police chief you are, once you get here, you have to pay respects to the boss. This is the warden of cell number 44, call him Sixth Brother."
A prisoner with a pointed face and monkey-like features, whether out of kindness or to show off, took the initiative to remind Zhou Hongyi to pay respects to the elder brother after entering.
Zhou Hongyi followed the other person's gaze and saw a pale-skinned, overweight man with cheeks that seemed to connect directly to his shoulders, lacking a neck, sitting in the center. This man's appearance was very distinctive, easily remembered at a glance. Not only did he lack a neck, but he also lacked eyebrows, resembling the kind of villain often seen in movies.
"Heh, you look like a goblin. You could play a monster in 'Journey to the West' without any makeup. Sixth Brother? Since you know who I am, stay away and don't mess with me."
"What did you say? Kid, do you still think you're at the Jing'an Second Precinct? You don't have any police officers protecting you. Are you out of your mind?!"
The prisoner with the pointed face and monkey-like features was startled. The other prisoners instantly glared at him menacingly. The old jailer, known as Old Man Bai, snorted, shook his fat body, and stood up from the bed.
He shifted his thick, elephant-like legs and stood in front of Zhou Hongyi, looking down at him. He spoke in a voice like someone suffering from severe pharyngitis, "I'm going to mess with you today. Did you hear what they're saying outside? They've bet they'll make you cry your eyes out tonight. If you don't want to suffer, you'd better serve the brothers well. I've bullied a lot of people here, but I've never bullied the police chief. If you don't know what's good for you, tonight I'll let you experience the welcoming ceremony of Gaosen Prison."
Zhou Hongyi smiled faintly, looking up at the large, fat man who was at least 1.85 meters tall, and said in a gentle voice, "Don't you understand what I'm saying? I told you to stay away from me and not mess with me. You've been locked up in prison for so long that your knowledge is limited. If you mess with me, Zhou Hongyi, not many of you will survive unscathed."
"What? It seems you're going to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Well then, today we'll give you a proper welcome."
Seeing that Zhou Hongyi was unmoved by reason, Bai Laoliu immediately revealed a sinister smile and opened his fat, greasy hand to grab him on the head.