# 285
Chapter 285: The Prisoner
Lin Qiye walked over to the fixed equipment, picked the loneliest pull-up bar, loosened his limbs, and started doing chin-ups.
A year in a coma had left his body frighteningly weak—less than a third of its former strength. If he wanted to pull off an escape, he had to get back into peak condition.
As he trained, the surrounding prisoners watched him out of the corners of their eyes. When they saw him stop after a little over thirty reps, contempt flashed across their faces.
Most of them had been trained; without using their Forbidden Ruins, thirty pull-ups was bottom-tier.
After eight sets he sat down to rest. Sweat dripped from his cheeks, his breathing ragged.
Just then three burly figures blocked the light in front of him.
Lin Qiye looked up. The leader was nearly two meters tall, arms like pillars inked with snarling demons, small vicious eyes fixed on him, a cold grin splitting his face.
"New fish?" the buzz-cut lackey behind him shrilled.
Lin Qiye gave him a flat glance. "Something you want?"
"Oho, big attitude!" The lackey chuckled and jerked a thumb at the giant. "Let me educate you, rookie. This is Brother Meng, boss of the Black Dragon Gang. From now on you're his property. Say hello to Brother Meng!"
"Black Dragon Gang?" Lin Qiye's gaze swept the trio. "You mean… the three-man Black Dragon Gang?"
Brother Meng's smile froze. He leaned down, grabbed Lin Qiye's collar, and growled, "Wise up, runt. A scrawny thing like you won't last two rounds with me."
He shoved hard, expecting Lin Qiye to sprawl, but Lin Qiye merely drifted back a few steps and set his feet, eyes narrowing, a faint killing intent leaking out.
When the push failed, Brother Meng stepped in, cocking a haymaker at Lin Qiye's jaw; the wind of it howled.
Lin Qiye seemed to read him like a book, sliding back half a pace so the fist whistled past his nose, ruffling the hair across his calm, deep eyes.
Before Brother Meng could reset, Lin Qiye flashed forward, knocked the arm aside, and rammed an elbow into the man's chin.
Crack!
Brother Meng toppled backward, blood beading at his lip.
The two lackeys yelped and lunged. Lin Qiye spun, heel catching buzz-cut in the neck and dumping him, while his other hand twisted the second man's wrist; a clean snap and a shriek rang out.
He tossed the groaning man aside, brushed down his loose hospital pajamas, and planted a foot on Brother Meng's chest.
The struggling giant tried to rise; the foot slammed him back. Lin Qiye punched him square in the right eye.
Expressionless, he withdrew the fist; the socket was already purple.
"Brother Meng, huh? So tough?" Lin Qiye kept his foot in place. "Who told you to test me?"
Pinned and humiliated, Brother Meng flushed crimson. "You sickly punk, don't get cocky, I just—"
Thud!
The left eye socket purpled to match the right. Brother Meng's tiny eyes squeezed shut as he howled.
"Who sent you?" Lin Qiye asked again, voice quiet.
Brother Meng turned his head away, teeth clenched.
Lin Qiye's eyes narrowed. He bent one knuckle and pressed it against the man's throat, slowly increasing the pressure.
A strangled groan escaped; the neck swelled, reddened. One more push and the larynx would shatter.
"I-it… Han—"
"Me."
The word drifted over from the basketball court. A dozen hard-eyed prisoners approached; at their head, Boss Han, face dark, stared at Lin Qiye.
The moment Han spoke, most of the prisoners using the fixed equipment stood up and closed in, forming ring after ring of muscle around Lin Qiye.
Within minutes, nearly sixty percent of the yard was here—all Han's men.
Lin Qiye eased the pressure on Brother Meng's throat and straightened, meeting Han's gaze without emotion.
"I told him to. Got a problem?" Han said coldly.
Lin Qiye glanced around. "So you're the real top dog. Smaller pack than I expected."
Han flicked his eyes toward the few inmates who hadn't moved, then smiled nastily.
"Don't try to stir trouble, kid. You're good—clean, fast, Night Watch style, right?"
Lin Qiye's brows lifted a fraction.
"We've got Night Watch here—not many, but enough. Some better than you. Know why I'm still boss?" Han's grin widened, showing every tooth.
"Because I'm stronger than all of them!"
He stepped in until they were face to face, a wolf baring fangs.
"In here, talent and Forbidden Ruins mean nothing. Power is muscle and numbers. You alone—how many of forty can you drop?"