Chapter 36: The Ruse of Self-Inflicted Pain

"That is one way to put it. I have heard that this 'Master Chen' acts in a very eccentric manner. He has an intricate web of social connections and an exceptionally wide network, even reaching into certain circles of the elite..." Duan Jinhu described it vividly.

In truth, Yao Kui had long known about the bio-genetic freak named Chen Houyan, and he already had his suspicions. He had intended to track the man down previously, only to find that he had suddenly vanished.

"What else did you find out?" Yao Kui pressed.

"According to my brother, this guy is miraculous! In prison, he frequently treats inmates for ailments, and even the guards come to him for minor illnesses, all because he can always concoct some magical medicine," Duan Jinhu said, casting a glance at Yao Kui before adding, "I heard that the warden's father had terminal liver cancer, and this man cured him."

Yao Kui asked quickly, "What does this Master Chen look like?" Even as he spoke, he wondered if the Master Chen in prison could indeed be Chen Houyan.

Duan Jinhu seemed to recall something suddenly and slapped his forehead. "His cellmates all call him Master Chen, but my brother didn't describe his appearance. However... I did hear that his voice is quite strange, sounding just like a rooster being throttled by the neck."

"That's him! Chen Houyan, 'Drake' Chen!" Yao Kui became instantly excited, his tone firm.

"Chairman, do you know him?" Duan Jinhu asked, astonished.

Yao Kui replied with certainty, "Of course I know him! Speaking as if someone is pinching his throat—that's Drake Chen, no doubt about it!"

"Is it really him?" Duan Jinhu asked again, fearing a mistake.

"It is!" Yao Kui was adamant. He explained that Chen Houyan had once worked at a bio-genetic laboratory in Country W. In his quest to discover methods for altering life, he had disregarded all legal constraints, privately rewriting and restructuring human genes and conducting cross-species genetic experiments. This resulted in the creation of bizarre organisms and triggered a major biological crisis. How he ended up in the Black Box Prison, however, remained a mystery.

"The Chairman is right. I heard his specialty is genetic rewriting—some kind of 'God Gene' cultivation. They say it can cure all sorts of intractable diseases and even bring the dead back to life," Duan Jinhu added.

Yao Kui had never heard of a "God Gene," but the claim was incredibly seductive. He repeated the words involuntarily: "God Gene?" He then said decisively, "Since he claims to possess the DNA of ancient creatures, regardless of whether it's true or false, get him out for me!"

"That's impossible!" Duan Jinhu shook his head repeatedly.

"Why not?" Yao Kui asked, puzzled.

Duan Jinhu replied helplessly, "The prison they are kept in is the most secure and strictly managed Black Box Prison in the world. Getting someone out of there is no easy feat. Even a formidable character like my brother, Xiao Biao, is trapped inside."

Yao Kui gestured for Duan Jinhu to come closer and whispered a few instructions.

Duan Jinhu nodded repeatedly, giving a thumbs-up. "That would certainly work! The Chairman is brilliant! If you can rescue my brother, I will make sure he works for you!"

Just as Duan Jinhu was about to leave with his men, Yao Kui stopped him. "I hear the Southwest Academy of Sciences is currently executing a project called 'Frozen DF Plan.' Go and find out about it; see if it's of any use to us."

Duan Jinhu acknowledged the order and hurried away with his men.

Deep in the dense jungles of Country E stands a square building that looks ordinary from the outside, but it is, in fact, the dreaded Black Box special prison. It holds the most difficult and cunning inmates from across the globe, many of whom are rumored to possess special skills.

To facilitate supervision, the prison authorities divide inmates into different zones.

It was morning, the time for the prisoners' daily exercise. In the Asian zone, a man with a pointed chin and thick glasses was furtively peddling psychedelic pills.

Forty-two-year-old Chen Houyan was thin and withered, with a sharp, rat-like face. Once a pharmacist at a biological research institute, he had veered into the illegal manufacture of drugs, colluding with criminal syndicates.

Despite his unimpressive appearance, he was a master of drug production. Not long ago, he had been wanted by the police in Country E after his self-made biological drugs caused the deaths of several cancer patients. He was eventually captured during a raid on drug traffickers.

Initially held in a standard prison, he had drugged the guards and escaped, only to be recaptured and sentenced to twenty-seven years. To prevent another escape, he was transferred to the Black Box Prison.

Soon, a saying spread through the prison: "To become immortal, find Master Chen." The psychedelic pills he secretly manufactured could alleviate mental anguish, allowing inmates to experience a heavenly bliss even within the prison walls. Little did Chen Houyan know that a meticulous scheme was being set into motion against him.

To ensure Chen Houyan would willingly defect to his side, Yao Kui had Duan Jinhu bribe several guards through Xiao Biao, intending to abduct "Drake" Chen and his companions from the prison.

On this sunny day, all the prisoners were greedily soaking up their limited time in the sun. Normally, prisoners were held in solitary confinement and only had opportunities to meet during exercise periods.

A burly, pockmarked man strolled lazily toward Chen Houyan, who was still secretly peddling his pills. In the Black Box Prison, no one was unaware of the notorious prison boss, "Pockmark" Lailuo.

Lailuo was a hulking brute, nearly two meters tall, radiating raw strength. His melon-sized head housed a vicious face, and one of his eyes was a glass prosthetic, making him look particularly terrifying.

He suddenly grabbed Chen Houyan and roared, stuttering, "Y-you... you bastard! How dare you d-deceive me? Selling me f-fake medicine. Don't think that just because we're in prison, n-nobody dares to mess with you! I'm n-not afraid of being poisoned!"

With that, he kicked Chen, sending him tumbling head over heels, shrieking "Mama, Mama!" in terror.

"Drake" Chen looked around frantically, his eyes filled with desperation. However, because he had made so much money off the inmates by selling drugs, everyone had long been waiting for a chance to settle scores with him.

Although the Black Box Prison had installed numerous cameras and laser-trigger devices on the walls to monitor these special inmates, the insiders knew there were blind spots if one blocked the view deliberately. At this moment, Lailuo's cohorts were pretending to play a game, cleverly forming a human wall that successfully obscured the cameras.

Just as Chen Houyan lay gasping for breath, a soft voice drifted over: "I think that's enough." Everyone turned their gaze toward the source of the sound.

When Lailuo heard someone interfering, he released Chen and turned to look.

A tall, pale, and gaunt man was leaning against a wall, chewing on a blade of grass, looking completely at ease.

This was Xiao Biao, known as "North Xiao." He didn't look up, continuing to chew his grass as if none of this concerned him.

The burly man glared and demanded, "Who... who wants to stir up trouble?"

Xiao Biao didn't respond. Lailuo, seeing this, turned back to kick Chen again.

As the wails continued, Xiao Biao spoke again, unhurriedly: "Brother, I said that's enough."

"Pockmark" Lailuo glanced sideways. "Who... who are you? You want to m-meddle in this mess?"

Xiao Biao remained nonchalant. "I'm just asking you to stop hitting him."

Lailuo stood up, approached Xiao Biao aggressively, and loomed over him. "Who the h-hell do you think you are? You said enough—who's going to compensate me for my m-medicine money?"

Everyone expected a violent brawl to break out, but it didn't. Xiao Biao turned his head away, silent. Thinking the matter was over, Lailuo turned slowly back toward Chen Houyan, who had already wet himself in terror.

In a flash, the burly man let out a miserable shriek, as if struck by an immense force, and collapsed to the ground.

Xiao Biao’s strike had been fast and brutal—though not particularly honorable. He had attacked from behind, breaking two of the man's ribs with a single blow.

The crowd watched in stunned silence, shocked by the sudden turn of events.

Xiao Biao frowned slightly. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't bother lifting a finger for a man like "Drake" Chen. But he had received word from his brother, Duan Jinhu, to protect this spineless man at all costs.

Chen Houyan, his face covered in blood, scrambled toward Xiao Biao's feet. "Thank you for saving me, brother! Thank you, benefactor! I will surely repay you in the future!" He began to kowtow repeatedly.

Xiao Biao gave a cold smile. "Think nothing of it. Rise, Brother Chen." He then raised his voice deliberately, "From now on, whoever dares to bully you, tell them to come find me, Xiao Biao."

As Chen Houyan limped back to his cell, Xiao Biao spat out the grass and walked over to the injured Lailuo. Lailuo climbed up with difficulty, clutching his lower back as he sat on the ground. "Brother Biao, that was... that was too harsh..."

Xiao Biao casually tossed him a bundle of cash. "Sorry, Brother Lailuo, this is for you. How else could I have fooled him?"