Chapter 37: A Successful Jailbreak

Everyone in the prison knew that Lai Luo was nothing but a scoundrel and a bully, spending years forcing the innocent into disgrace and preying on those who had no one to turn to. This time, he and Xiao Biao had deliberately staged the act because Xiao Biao promised him a hefty reward and assured him of an escape from the prison.

Xiao Biao then spoke to the dazed Lai Luo, “Go back and rest well. I’ll inform you as soon as there’s news.”

Lai Luo replied painfully, “Thank... thank you, Biao... for thinking of me.”

After leaving Lai Luo, Xiao Biao approached Chen Houyan’s cell. Seeing him struggling step by step to move inside, he called out softly, “Brother Chen, instead of enduring 27 years of suffering here, why not go out and achieve something great? What do you say?”

Chen Houyan, long worn down by prison life, was overjoyed at the chance to escape. With tears in his eyes, he said, “Brother Biao, I have nothing to repay you with; I’ll follow whatever plan you make.”

Chen, always cautious, glanced around before whispering, “To be honest, Brother Biao, I’ve already been planning to escape, but I’ve never found the right moment.”

Xiao Biao was slightly surprised. “Oh? What’s your plan?”

Chen Houyan said confidently, “I can make a sedative to knock out the guards.”

Xiao Biao asked, “Where will you get the sedative?”

Chen Houyan smirked slyly. “I have my ways. As long as we get out of this prison, I can knock them out.”

Xiao Biao thought to himself and felt somewhat hopeful.

A few days later, it was time for the prisoners’ outdoor exercise again. Xiao Biao pretended to reconcile Lai Luo and Chen Houyan, but in truth, they were discussing the escape plan.

Suddenly, Lai Luo seemed to have an idea, stammering, “I think… maybe… while they’re not… paying attention, we… knock down the guards and… run…”

Xiao Biao sneered, “Ha! If running were that easy, I’d have run ages ago with your skills. You’d be knocked out before even stepping out the gate. Brother Chen, think of something better.”

Yet, days passed and none of the three could come up with a feasible plan.

One day, a paper ball was tossed into Xiao Biao’s cell. He picked it up, examined it, then chewed and swallowed it. From that day forward, he stopped discussing the escape with Chen Houyan and others.

Spring blossomed, and the labor prisoners were sent out under military guard. Xiao Biao hinted to Chen Houyan to prepare the sedative but did not reveal when or how they would act.

They rose with the sun and rested at dusk. Days passed with no sign of Xiao Biao’s move. Chen Houyan and Lai Luo grew restless, but Xiao Biao signaled them to wait for news from outside.

Soon, the prison organized a group of inmates to go out and repair the railway. Xiao Biao had already informed the relevant people to prepare for the breakout. Chen Houyan carefully crafted the “Mind-numbing Powder” to sedate the guards.

On the return trip, as their vehicle approached a three-way junction, a truck loaded with bottled water suddenly barreled in and crashed headlong into the prisoner transport vehicle. Guards and prisoners alike were thrown to the ground, and countless water bottles spilled everywhere.

The guards from the rear quickly got off to check but were knocked unconscious by Duan Jinhut and his men. At the same time, Chen Houyan used his homemade “Mind-numbing Powder” to sedate the guards in their vehicle.

Just as the fugitives prepared to seize the moment and flee, an armed helicopter from the E nation appeared overhead.

Seeing escape impossible, two strange aerial vehicles suddenly emerged from the clouds.

Originally designed as racing aircars, they were cleverly disguised and moved swiftly, landing right beside Xiao Biao and Chen Houyan.

Duan Jinhut shouted from one, “Get on quickly!”

The armed helicopter spotted the intruding strange vehicles and immediately warned them, activating radar and fire control systems. But someone on the strange vehicles suddenly raised a white flag, waving it while shouting something about a malfunction.

While the helicopter crew was still assessing the situation, both strange vehicles emitted thick white smoke and, without waiting for a reaction, shot upward like rockets.

The helicopter opened fire in response, but flames burst from the rear of the strange vehicles, propelling them rapidly into the sky.

Rescued, Chen Houyan was deeply grateful to “South Duan and North Xiao.” He brought a gift to visit Duan Jinhut, but Duan disliked the man who spoke like a rooster’s crow and said, “This has nothing to do with me; you should thank the chairman.”

Introduced by Duan Jinhut, Xiao Biao and Chen Houyan were soon received by the chairman.

Yao Kui nodded at Xiao Biao. “Good work. From now on, be my bodyguard like Jinhut.” Then he turned to Chen Houyan, eyes filled with suspicion, studying the sly-looking man before him.

Chen’s head was bald on top like a barren wasteland, but he had long hair at the back, creating a mismatched appearance. His slightly bulging eyes resembled two protruding beads set on a sharp, monkey-like face.

Without hesitation, Yao Kui bluntly asked, “Dr. Chen, I’ve heard you possess the skill of substitution and transplantation. How much do you know about alchemy?”

Chen’s appearance hardly inspired trust—his thick glasses distorted his face, and his pale, insincere smile made him the epitome of cunning. Yet he was keenly perceptive of others’ intentions.

He glanced stealthily at Yao Kui and did not answer directly but asked in return, “May I ask, Chairman, which type of alchemy are you referring to?”

Yao Kui smiled broadly, showing uneven teeth. “Of course, the kind that refines the golden elixir.”

Chen Houyan’s expression grew confident. “You must mean the external alchemy, right?” He swallowed and continued, “Alchemy emerged in the mid-Warring States period and flourished through Qin and Han dynasties. After the Song era, Taoism strongly promoted internal alchemy, known today as qigong. Later, the Danjing Sect waned, especially external alchemy, which gradually became marginalized. By the late Ming, external alchemy declined, yielding to herbal science...”

Yao Kui impatiently interrupted, “Can you make it simpler? Just tell me how to refine it!”

Seeing Yao Kui’s urgency, Chen Houyan launched into an explanation. “I recall a scholar once said that alchemy was the precursor to modern chemistry. The experimental tools and substances used were indispensable to early chemical development. These alchemists’ relentless practice contributed objectively to ancient China’s chemical progress...”

No one expected this lengthy discourse to bring a slight smile to Yao Kui’s face. Then Chen Houyan shifted tone: “Chairman, however, this alchemy requires the blood of living beings to succeed.”

Yao Kui was shocked and thought to himself: How could this be? I have studied alchemy for so long and never heard of such a thing.

“Chairman, you surely know Ge Hong from the Eastern Jin Dynasty?” Chen Houyan suddenly asked.

“Of course. Isn’t he the renowned alchemist?” Yao Kui replied.

Chen Houyan smiled subtly. “Exactly. The alchemist Ge Hong, the ‘Little Immortal’ of the Eastern Jin, wrote in ‘Baopuzi’ that the way to immortality lies in the divine elixir...”

The listeners perked up.

Through thick lenses, Chen Houyan’s slightly protruding eyes scanned the group and continued, “Ge Hong discovered that refining the golden elixir not only promised longevity but could also produce real gold and silver...”

At this, everyone’s attention sharpened. But Yao Kui, indifferent to wealth, glared at Chen Houyan and said, “What’s so special about that? Ancient alchemists considered the ability to transmute the divine elixir into gold or silver an important sign of success, mainly to adjust the furnace’s heat based on divination. Only through repeated refining could the elixir be perfected.”

Unbeknownst to them, Yao Kui had painstakingly studied many classics related to alchemy, such as Ge Hong’s “Baopuzi” and “Shenxian Zhuan,” Liu Xin’s “Xijing Zaji” from the Western Han, Li Wenzhu’s “Huangbai Jing” from the Ming era, Sun Simiao’s “Thousand Gold Prescriptions,” plus “Huangdi Neijing,” “Huainanzi,” and twelve Taoist texts.

To produce a genuine golden elixir, he had even heard the old Beijing saying: “For pills and powders, go to Tongrentang; for ginseng and herbs, go to Heniantang.”

He had sought advice from Lei Baisong, a living cultural heritage inheritor of traditional Chinese medicine at Heniantang, who simply replied, “Gold is the medicine perfected.”

Yao Kui scoffed again, “Don’t think I haven’t tried. The so-called gold and silver made by alchemists through quicksilver smelting only resemble real metals in appearance but are actually medicinal alloys.”

Everyone was disappointed by this.

This line of reasoning was a warning to Chen Houyan. Seeing his bluff fail, Chen quickly stopped and changed tack, saying, “Chairman, you are truly knowledgeable, I admire you greatly! However…”

“However what?” Yao Kui asked dismissively.

Chen hurried on, “Most people know that alchemy requires adding substances that are firm and indestructible, but they neglect the vital spirit of the elixir.”

“How so?” Yao Kui pressed.