Chapter 57

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The next day, Bai Zhi woke up alone. Her body was bundled tightly in a thin quilt. The spot next to her was cold and empty; Zhao Zixun was nowhere to be seen. The only proof that last night hadn’t been a dream were the few creases left in the sheets where he had lain.

A deep sense of powerlessness stabbed at Bai Zhi’s heart. She was worried about him—she was worried about his safety, but even more worried about what Ye Xiao had mentioned before: his burdens. (c42)

Zhao Zixun wants to hide her from the darkness and carry all of the weight alone.

However, not knowing anything could also be dangerous. She might accidentally step into a minefield or drag down whatever he had planned.

No matter how dangerous or deadly the game was, she needed to survive.

Bai Zhi pushed the grim thoughts aside and began to ponder the situation from last night.

Xiao Yang and Gu Ze were clearly after the information inside the drawer as well. How did they know about it? Also, Gu Ze and Zhao Zixun were obviously on different sides, yet Gu Ze didn’t expose the fact that they were hiding under the table…

Then there was also the most important question: are the prison guards truly unaware of what was going on under their very noses?

“I know everything that happens, in every inch of this place.” Di Qing had once said these ambiguous words to her. (c21)

She shivered.

She wanted to test the truth behind those words.

The midday sun scorched the dirt field through the barbed mesh wires. The cement paths and even the sides of the small buildings all reflected the dazzling light. She raised her arm to protect her eyes. There was an unusual silence hanging in the air.

Standing out in the open, under the hot sun made her feel dizzy and exposed. Panic swelled inexplicably within her chest.

Her role as a prison guard gave her a little more confidence. She moved quietly. She only made it to the stairwell when she bumped into a hurried-looking Xiang Chen

“Ah-Zhi… Quick, follow me.” The boy spoke without catching his breath. He had a conspicuous bruise on his forehead.

“What happened? How did you get hurt?”

The boy grabbed Bai Zhi by the arm and pulled her down the stairs. She staggered but kept up.

“The prison’s a mess. Zheng Ze and his people suddenly attacked Zhao Zixun. They’re fighting in the cafeteria…”

Zheng Ze was the long-haired man.

“Is Zhao Zixun okay?” Bai Zhi asked, worried.

Xiang Chen’s grip tightened on Bai Zhi’s arm, “… Don’t worry about him, he’s strong. He should have no problem going against three or four of them on his own. The prison guards are probably on their way as we speak.”

“Sh-Should I go as well?” She didn’t want to be a burden to him, like last time.

Xiang Chen glanced at her, “What are you talking about? This is an opportunity. We need to get out. Now!”

Bai Zhi choked. She suddenly understood—

Their escape plan had been moved up.

Xiang Chen dragged Bai Zhi, not in the direction of the long corridor, but around the back of the building in the opposite direction. They stopped in from of a hidden metal gate.

The fence around the prison was simple in design. There were no elaborate carvings or decorations, just polished black metal pickets spaced evenly apart. The same was true for the gate. It blended in so seamlessly with the fence that unless she looked closely, she would not have realized a gate was there.

“This is West Gate 2,” Xiang Chen informed her in a low voice. “Yesterday, Zheng Ze’s group tied me up and forced me to feed them the security footage. I stumbled upon the prison blueprints by chance, and apparently, there are 7 hidden exits!”

He paused for a second, “I am positive the person behind this game is somewhere inside this prison. He wants to participate and has left himself an escape route.”

Bai Zhi was shocked. Even on this hot day, chills still crawled down her spine.

“Just what is the purpose of this sick game?”

“Whatever it is, I don’t plan on playing,” Xiang Chen replied coolly.

He opened the metal gate and lightly tapped the wall three times. There was a grinding sound, and then, the seemingly solid wall unexpectedly began to move.

A dark, rectangular void appeared.

From the darkness, a tall thin figure approached. He grinned, and the sunlight glinted off of his white teeth.

Bai Zhi hid behind Xiang Chen; cold sweat beaded on her skin. But upon closer inspection, she realized that the figure approaching them was Li Xiao. His gaze was fixed on her. There was a strange gleam within his eyes, like a wolf staring down a juicy prey.

Trembling, she swallowed nervously. Her fingers clutched Xiang Chen’s sleeve while her eyes avoided making contact with his strange gaze.

Li Xiao pulled her into his arms. He licked her neck and her shoulder savagely, then let out a contented sigh. Bai Zhi pushed against his chest, but she couldn’t budge him.

Li Xiao’s bandages had been removed. His injuries were not completely healed, but he could move with ease. After he had had his fill, he released her.

“The prison gates are unguarded during the day. We will leave from here.” Xiang Chen explained.

“… Okay,” Bai Zhi agreed, gasping. She followed Li Xiao while Xiang Chen brought up the rear. The three of them walked single-file through the small opening.

It turned out that the so-called trap was a closed-off labyrinth.

The passageways of the maze were narrow; there was only room for one person to pass. The three of them slowed down and stepped carefully inside. No one spoke.

Li Xiao was 1.8 meters tall (5’9”). Although he was thin, he still completely blocked Bai Zhi’s view. He held a flashlight, but all she could see was his dark silhouette outlined in a faint glow.

The inside of the maze was much cooler than outside. As they walked, Bai Zhi felt the ground becoming more uneven and slick.

After walking for five or six minutes, they began to realize that something was wrong.

“No.” Xiang Chen spoke up, his voice dark.

Li Xiao grunted, “This isn’t the way.”

Bai Zhi was confused. A beam of light passed over the surrounding walls and ground. She noticed that the rough path seemed to be carved out of rock, and that there was wet moss covering parts of the wall.

Li Xiao rushed forward with Bai Zhi following closely behind. They were met with an unexpected sight.

The “exit” at the end of the passage was surreal. The path stopped and dropped off into a bottomless void. Looking out into the distance, she saw magnificent, towering mountains surrounded by a sea of mist and clouds.

They were clearly on a cliff. The prison seems to be built side of high plateau.

“Interesting…” Xiang Chen squinted.

“When I went out, I took several wrong turns and had to fend off a dozen people with knives before I even reached the exit. Two more were stationed at the exit wearing bulletproof vests and holding machine guns.” Li Xiao recalled gruffly. There were no forks in this maze; there was only one path leading directly from the entrance to the exit.

Bai Zhi swallowed. She couldn’t tell what impressed her more, the near-impossible fortification of the prison or Li Xiao’s terrifying strength. “H-How far are we from the city?”

“Based on the terrain, we’re definitely outside the province.” Xiang Chen surmised.

Li Xiao nodded, “It takes five hours for the supply truck to deliver goods from the city to the prison.”

“Of the seven doors, at least one of them must safely lead outside; otherwise, the design is meaningless,” Xiang Chen said. “Let’s go back first, and I’ll think about it some more. If we’re gone for too long, Di Qing and Lu Ye will start to get suspicious.”

Other resources: Character List

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