Chapter 129: The Prison Overlord

Ye Chen was living the high life in prison, as if he could command the wind and rain at will. The only problem was that people on the outside were constantly trying to end his life. Zhang Dadan grew increasingly fearful of him, as Ye Chen was a perpetual threat to his status, and the warden no longer treated him with the same deference or enthusiasm as before. Consequently, Zhang Dadan spent his time in his cell obsessively searching for a way out. He realized that as long as Ye Chen lived, he would never have a chance to get ahead; in fact, he might even be replaced by him.

"Brother Dadan, how about we find a chance to finish this guy Ye Chen off?" one of Zhang Dadan’s lackeys suggested. Ever since Zhang Dadan had been incarcerated, several of his followers had deliberately committed crimes to get locked up just so they could stick by his side.

"Hmph, not yet. We have to wait for the right opportunity!" Zhang Dadan gave a cold laugh. "Right now, he’s the warden’s favorite. It’s not the right time to strike. If we anger that woman, none of us will have an easy life here."

"Brother Dadan is right!" the lackey agreed, with the rest of the group chiming in.

Zhang Dadan sat alone, smoking a cigarette and lost in thought, trying to figure out how to teach Ye Chen a lesson. If possible, he wanted to end Ye Chen’s life without anyone being the wiser, though he knew that was unlikely. Still, the former was a possibility. After much deliberation, he could not come up with a better plan, so he was forced to wait for an opening.

Before leaving, Zhang Yantong had given Ye Chen a few words of advice, telling him to stay put and that with Warden Dian Ling’s care, he would likely see his sentence reduced and be home soon. While in the office, Dian Ling had tried to probe Zhang Yantong about Ye Chen’s past, but Zhang Yantong admitted she knew nothing. Ye Chen’s memories were fragmented, and there was no record of him in the civil registry system.

Dian Ling’s curiosity about Ye Chen reached a new level; he was like a mysterious, magnetic stone, constantly drawing in both her and Zhang Yantong.

As soon as Zhang Yantong left, Dian Ling summoned Ye Chen to her office.

Her office was equipped with a purple bamboo tea set. She sat before the tea table, pouring boiling water over the Yixing clay teapot, covering it to steep, and then immediately discarding the water. As Ye Chen walked in, he couldn't help but sniff the air and smile. "What an aromatic tea. Premium Da Hong Pao—truly top-tier stuff."

"Are you part hound? You could smell that?" Dian Ling looked at him with a smile, seemingly having forgotten how he had taken advantage of her earlier. Ye Chen grinned. "I used to drink tea, but I stopped later on."

"Why did you stop?" she asked curiously.

"I don't remember. My memories are fragmented, but I recall that I was once a person who loved tea," Ye Chen said with a smile as he walked over. "You brewed this pot just for me, didn't you?"

"You figured that out?" Dian Ling’s eyes were beautiful, curved like crescent moons when she smiled. She pointed to a straw mat on the floor. "Sit. You don't mind sitting on the floor, do you?"

"Of course not," Ye Chen chuckled. "In Japan, they call this a tatami mat. Here, we call it a straw mat."

"You certainly know a lot. If Tongtong hadn't told me you lost your memory, I’d find it hard to believe!" Dian Ling giggled. She poured boiling water into the pot again, waited a moment, and served him a cup. "Try it. My skills are mediocre, but I hope you’re satisfied."

Ye Chen nodded and picked up the crystal-clear, emerald-tinted cup. Inside, the golden liquid swirled with a faint wisp of white steam. He admired the color and the rich aroma, nodding in satisfaction before taking a small sip, smacking his lips, and finishing the cup in one go.

"Not bad. It seems you’ve cultivated your tea skills quite well," Ye Chen remarked lightly.

"Hehe, you’re not the first to praise me!" Dian Ling laughed behind her hand.

"However... I’m sure I’m the first to point out your flaws," Ye Chen grinned. "It’s a pity that your Da Hong Pao is old stock from previous years, not the new harvest. It has a slight acidity to it, which is its shortcoming."

Dian Ling’s eyes widened in shock. She stared at him, exclaiming, "Ah! You discovered that? How did you know? To tell you the truth, these leaves were a gift from my grandfather; they are indeed aged. Only an old monster like him could usually detect that acidity. I’m impressed!"

"Haha..." Ye Chen laughed heartily.

"The reason I asked you here today is to discuss something," Dian Ling said, looking down at her cup. The scalding water didn't seem to bother her. Ye Chen looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

"It’s about the prison management system. I believe you’re aware of it?" She looked up at him, her expression turning stern and professional. Ye Chen knew immediately that she was a workaholic.

"I know," Ye Chen nodded. "Using prisoners to manage prisoners—it’s a decent proposal."

"What if... I wanted to promote you to that role?" she asked, twirling the cup in her hands.

"Don't," Ye Chen immediately waved his hand. "Inviting me for tea and chatting is fine, but if you want me to manage those guys, I don't think I'm the right person."

"I think you are," she glanced at him. "Almost everyone in the prison treats you like an idol. You’re the guy who beat up the prison bully the moment you arrived and showed no fear of the warden. They naturally hold you in high esteem. You are the most suitable candidate."

"First of all, I have no interest. Secondly, I find the concept repulsive," Ye Chen said coldly. "Using prisoners to manage prisoners reminds me of feudal slavery. When the authorities couldn't manage the masses, they chose prestigious slaves to oversee the others, giving them meager rewards while ruthlessly exploiting them. I have no intention of following in Zhang Dadan’s footsteps."

With that, he stood up and turned to leave.

"You..." Dian Ling was stunned. She hadn't expected such a strong reaction.

"Oh, by the way, there’s a major flaw in using prisoners to manage prisoners," Ye Chen turned back, a strange smile on his face. "If you let me manage them, I would make every single prisoner loyal to me. Then, at the right moment, I would orchestrate a massive riot and escape with over a thousand men. By then, even with all your guards, you wouldn't be able to round them back up."

Dian Ling gasped. She had never considered that. She had always viewed the prisoners as greedy, shameless, and selfish creatures, never imagining they could be united. But with Ye Chen’s prestige and current status, uniting the inmates of Ward One would not be difficult. A chill ran down her spine. It was fortunate this man didn't have malicious intent, or she would have been in deep trouble.

Watching Ye Chen’s retreating figure, the corners of Dian Ling’s mouth rose slightly. She muttered to herself, "This guy... he’s interesting."

...

Without realizing it, three days had passed in prison.

Ye Chen had rejected Dian Ling, but that didn't mean she had given up. On the contrary, his refusal only made her more determined to have him share the burden of managing the prison. As for Zhang Dadan, because he and Ye Chen were rivals, she had no intention of removing him. Instead, she had to find a way to balance the two.

Dian Ling was a smart woman; only by having two conflicting figures under her command would she maintain control. If Ye Chen truly had ulterior motives, Zhang Dadan would be the first to report it; conversely, if Zhang Dadan stepped out of line, Ye Chen would not let him off easily. She had spent days thinking it through. Conflict and rivalry were the keys to keeping her position as warden secure.

It was a rare morning of rest. Ye Chen was lying on his bed reading a book. In prison, cell phones and computers were forbidden, and all forms of external communication were banned, making life incredibly dull.

In the cell, Liu San crept up to Ye Chen and said with a smile, "Big Brother."

"What is it?" Ye Chen turned to look at him.

"Can you do me a favor?" Liu San asked, looking at him pitifully. Ye Chen was taken aback. Liu San wasn't usually like this. Could he really be in some kind of trouble? Ye Chen didn't even hesitate. "Speak up, what do you need?"

"Come with me!" Liu San was overjoyed and led Ye Chen out toward the yard.