Chapter 3: Deep Night
In a quiet and elegant villa nestled on the mountainside outside Qinggu City.
A youth, not yet twenty, hurried into the basement levels of the villa and knocked on a door.
The youth, named Zhao Qiang, had been adopted by the Zhao family and grew up with Zhao Lingxiao, earning the trust of both Zhao Yu and his son, Zhao Lingxiao.
Inside the room, on the soft, large bed, Zhao Lingxiao pushed away the girl nestled between his legs, put on a robe, and opened the door to face Zhao Qiang.
“What is it?”
Zhao Qiang, out of breath, replied, “That… that Fake Young Master in Rock Prison sent a message to me through someone.”
“Oh? He’s probably trying to ask the family for help,” Zhao Lingxiao asked nonchalantly. “Where’s the messenger?”
“I had someone give him five hundred thousand and sent him away.”
Zhao Lingxiao nodded and asked, “What exactly did that Imposter say?”
“He said he wanted to eat a full meal before he died, and then he said something I didn’t understand.”
“What was it?”
“‘Where did the doll go?'”
As soon as Zhao Qiang spoke, Zhao Lingxiao’s expression changed drastically, a myriad of complex emotions intertwining on his handsome face.
Zhao Lingxiao slammed the door shut behind him. After taking several deep breaths, he regained his composure.
Frowning, his mind churning with unspoken thoughts, he finally asked after a long pause, “Besides me, have you told anyone else about this?”
“No,” Zhao Qiang shook his head. “Not even the Minister knows.”
“Very well. You don’t need to say more, I’ll talk to him,” Zhao Lingxiao breathed a sigh of relief. “It looks like I’ll have to make a trip to Rock Prison.”
“Young Master, your current status is sensitive. You could arrange for someone else to handle it. Why risk it?”
“No, this is something only I can do myself!”
A hint of killing intent flashed in Zhao Lingxiao’s eyes.
Everyone believed he was Zhao Yu’s only son, but few knew that he once had a younger brother, eight years his junior.
Before his brother was born, Zhao Lingxiao, due to his excellent talent, was seen by Zhao Yu as the hope for the Zhao family’s advancement, and had been fully cultivated with resources.
However, his brother was born with a strong Evolution Power within him, possessing even greater talent, and was deeply cherished by Zhao Yu, with great expectations placed upon him by the Zhao family.
Tragically, this young prodigy of the Zhao family died in an accident, falling into a well, just as he turned three years old.
No one knew that he had fallen into the well while trying to retrieve a doll that had fallen to the bottom.
And no one knew that Zhao Lingxiao was the one who threw the doll down there.
After all, who would suspect an eleven-year-old boy?
This had always been Zhao Lingxiao’s deepest buried secret, known only to himself.
Where did the doll go?
When Zhao Lingxiao heard this question, he understood that the scapegoat in Rock Prison knew his identity as a Clone and was threatening him with his most shameful sin.
If he let this slide, during the identification process before his execution tomorrow, the other party would undoubtedly reveal everything. The consequences would be unbearable for him.
Zhao Lingxiao did not know what Su Ze’s true intentions were, but he had no choice. He had to kill the other him in prison to silence him before the execution, and he had to do it himself.
If their secret of using a Clone as a scapegoat was exposed, Zhao Yu would be held accountable, he himself would be a wanted man, and the Zhao family would be ruined.
If he sent experts from the Zhao family into the prison to kill him, Su Ze would surely reveal that he had killed his own brother. Then, the matter would inevitably reach Zhao Yu’s ears.
Zhao Lingxiao had no idea how his calculating father would deal with him after learning that he had killed his own brother.
Therefore, his only option now was to personally enter Rock Prison and kill Su Ze!
Zhao Lingxiao dialed Zhao Yu’s number.
“Hello, Dad.”
“There’s a problem. The imposter in the prison now knows his identity.”
“I plan to go tonight personally. I’ll need you to handle things at Rock Prison.”
“I suspect he also knows about the Princess. I can’t trust anyone else to go, so it’s best I handle it myself.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve already completed my First Evolution and have a second-tier Mysterious Item. Nothing will go wrong.”
…
Rock Prison.
Shortly after dinner, Su Ze leaned back on his bed, wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth, and let out a satisfied bel ch.
His two cellmates didn’t like chicken legs, so the helpful Su Ze had to digest them on their behalf to avoid wasting food.
Compared to Su Ze’s relaxation, “Vampire” and “Sickly Person” were restless and anxious.
Su Ze’s escape plan had instilled a glimmer of hope in the souls of these two death row inmates. However, they now doubted if Su Ze’s plan was just a ploy to get their chicken legs.
“Kid, if you dare to lie to me, I swear I’ll beat the shit out of you before the execution tomorrow!” Vampire said coldly.
Sickly Person added menacingly, “That’s right. You can’t just eat our chicken legs and get away with it. Even if it all comes out as shit, it has to come out the same way it went in.”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. You two just need to wait until deep night. Don’t fall asleep.”
Su Ze spoke nonchalantly, but a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes.
The greatest salvation always arrives in the deepest night.
…
Su Ze’s understanding of Zhao Lingxiao might have surpassed Zhao Lingxiao’s own.
He knew Zhao Lingxiao would come tonight, and he would choose the quietest, deepest part of the night.
Therefore, he had been resting with his eyes closed, maintaining a good state of mind.
His two cellmates, however, were gradually losing patience.
“It’s past midnight, and there’s not even a ghost in sight. Are you playing with me?”
“Shut up!” Su Ze snapped, then whispered, “Listen.”
The three strained their ears and faintly heard the sound of the prison gates opening.
Vampire and Sickly Person’s spirits lifted immediately, and they held their breath.
He’s here!
Su Ze also took a deep breath, preparing himself.
At this moment, the outermost iron gate of Rock Prison slowly opened, and a person wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, sunglasses, and a mask, shrouded in shadows, slowly walked into the courtyard.
This person, needless to say, was Zhao Lingxiao.
What greeted his eyes was a massive metal building resembling an iron box. This was the Containment Zone where the prisoners were held. Beside it stood a three-story cement building, the administrative area of Rock Prison.
Zhao Lingxiao headed straight for the Containment Zone. The entire Containment Zone was constructed from an alloy. Its only entrance and exit was guarded by three guards even in the dead of night, including a Warden Captain in the Cocoon Breaking stage.
However, these three guards acted as if they didn’t see the suspicious Zhao Lingxiao, remaining silent.
The Warden Captain turned around, peered through the small glass window on the Containment Zone’s gate to observe the situation inside, then entered the password and opened the heavy door to the Containment Zone.
Zhao Lingxiao walked straight in without a word exchanged between them.
Meanwhile, in the surveillance room of the adjacent administrative area, the guard responsible for monitoring the cameras suddenly stood up, picked up his phone, lit a cigarette, and walked into the restroom.
The surveillance screen showed a loop of the footage from an hour ago, with no sign of Zhao Lingxiao.
Money truly is power!
