The warden's office was crowded, yet silent, with the warden being the only one speaking throughout. Everyone else listened attentively. Group leaders, when called by name, would stand and respond, then hear which group their team was assigned to.
"Liu Yan."
"Here."
"Assigned to Group Eight."
"Yes."
"Duan Lan."
"Here."
"Assigned to Group Nine."
"Yes."
"Qi Heng."
The warden called Qi Heng's name, and Qi Heng immediately stood up. However, before he could even say "Here," his voice was drowned out by a deafening roar.
BOOM!!!
The colossal explosion shook the entire Class B prison, making the ground tremble and buildings sway. The chandeliers hanging from the ceiling were even knocked to the floor, and everyone experienced a brief moment of deafness.
"What happened?"
"Is it from the prison block of Group One?"
"Let's go check!"
Everyone turned to the surveillance screen. The cameras for the first through fifth prison blocks had all been shattered, rendering them useless. They had no choice but to investigate in person. The warden's face was grim, his wide, staring eyes revealing the depth of his fury. What audacity did some petty thief have to cause trouble in his jurisdiction? He vowed to tear them limb from limb!
They soon arrived between the first and fifth prison blocks. As far as the eye could see, swathes of metal walls were deeply dented. The entire corridor was a scene of devastation, with murals on the walls reduced to ash. Seeing this, Wan Lei's fake body let out a silent compliment. It truly lived up to its reputation as prison building material. His purchased, non-controlled weapon was the most powerful available, and even ten of them hadn't breached the walls. If he had to do it himself, it would take ages to break through, by which time the people hunting him would likely be gathered for a spectacle. Thankfully, he had managed to trick them out of the key.
"Investigate! Find clues! Notify the main hall, check the surveillance! I want to know who did this!" the warden roared, furious. Everyone immediately began to busily pretend to search for clues. It was obvious it was caused by bombs; what clues were there to find?
Meanwhile, seeing that everyone had been drawn to the first prison block, Wan Lei acted without hesitation. He immediately used his Wind Blade Escape technique, arriving at Fang Xiaoyu's cell in the blink of an eye. At this point, he no longer cared about exposing forbidden techniques. Escaping prison was a capital offense, while cultivating forbidden techniques resulted in life imprisonment. Having already committed a major crime, why worry about a minor one?
Wan Lei, disguised as Qi Heng, quickly opened the small window of Fang Xiaoyu's cell and, transforming into a bolt of lightning, entered. Fang Xiaoyu was surprised to see "Qi Heng" arrive, but when she saw the bolt of lightning, she knew Wan Lei had made his move.
"Was that commotion you?"
"I used a bomb," Wan Lei replied. He then directly ripped the cultivation suppressor from Fang Xiaoyu's neck with his hands. Instantly, a torrent of cultivation flowed from Fang Xiaoyu's dantian to her entire body. The feeling of her cultivation returning was incredibly potent.
At that moment, alarm bells blared from prison cell number eighty-nine, and sirens sounded throughout all the corridors and offices of the Class B prison. Wan Lei quickly produced two storage bags and thrust them into Fang Xiaoyu's hands. "One is your original storage bag, the other is filled with weapons. Hurry, let's go."
The two of them, one in the form of lightning and the other a gust of wind, exited cell eighty-nine and swiftly flew towards the main gate. The little fatty opposite witnessed this entire scene clearly. When he saw "Qi Heng" enter Fang Xiaoyu's cell, he felt something was amiss. Then, he saw Fang Xiaoyu escape. The sight left him dumbfounded, but he quickly reacted.
"Big brother, big brother, save me too! I still have money..."
Meanwhile, the warden finally managed to contact the main hall. "Hello, bring up the surveillance for the first through fifth blocks of Class B prison immediately. I need to see who among the suspicious individuals passed through here." The warden's voice was loud and angry. Everyone stood in line, trembling, afraid of incurring their leader's wrath. But soon, the warden's voice became even more furious.
"What? Fang Xiaoyu from the thirteenth block was taken? What's going on?" As he spoke, he glared fiercely at Wan Lei, who was not far away. Everyone else also turned to look at him. After all, everyone in the thirteenth block knew that Wan Lei and the prisoner named Fang Xiaoyu had a good relationship. And they, in turn, knew people from other blocks. Word spread quickly, and everyone knew the reason why Wan Lei, with his Origin-level talent and being the strongest disciple of the Five Elements Hall, was willing to serve in the prison – it was because of that girl. Who would have thought he'd be audacious enough to attempt a prison break?
Facing everyone's gaze, Wan Lei's expression was one of utter innocence. Then, the warden roared again: "What? It was Qi Heng? Qi Heng took Fang Xiaoyu?" At this, everyone immediately looked at Qi Heng again, including Wan Lei.
Qi Heng: Holy hell...
Qi Heng then turned to Wan Lei, expecting a reasonable explanation.
Wan Lei: "Brother Qi, I didn't expect you to be this kind of person."
Qi Heng: You've got to be kidding me... "Why would I break Fang Xiaoyu out for no reason? I've been standing here the whole time!" Qi Heng glared, immediately trying to prove his innocence, as he had a solid alibi. Everyone present could testify.
"What? The Qi Heng who took Fang Xiaoyu used lightning? The surveillance has been retrieved? Wan Lei was in this area this morning?" The warden put down his communication jade, his gaze turning predatory as he looked at Wan Lei. Everyone else also looked back at Wan Lei.
"Warden, I've been here the entire time," Wan Lei attempted to prove his innocence.
The warden gritted his teeth and said, "I remember, during your fight with Jian Fanchen, you used a clone technique in the end. So, is the 'you' standing before me now a clone?"
Upon hearing this, Wan Lei smiled brightly. "Nothing escapes your notice." Then, he looked at Qi Heng. "I'm sorry..." His fake body, turning into motes of energy, dissipated. Qi Heng's eyes held a complex emotion. Being as intelligent as he was, he understood what Wan Lei's words meant. Sorry, I used you. Alas, why go through all this trouble?
"Immediately activate the prison's defensive array, put the guards on high alert. If anyone tries to escape, kill them on sight. All of you, disperse into the corridors and search for Wan Lei. If you encounter him, kill him on sight. If you can't defeat him, sound the alarm immediately. I'll personally guard the exit passage." The warden shouted. At this moment, the communication jade in his hand suddenly beeped. He looked at it, and his expression changed slightly.
"Do not kill him. Capture him alive and bring him before me. I want to see why this strongest disciple of the Five Elements Hall is so bent on self-destruction!"