CH 169 If Jiang Chen Is Dead
Translated by The BL Muse (ko-fi)
Jiang Chen had already left, and He Qianjian's yelling didn't change anything. He kicked the table hard but was restrained by the prison guard watching nearby, only then did he grit his teeth and left.
When Zhou Yang heard the noise, he hid to the side. When He Qianjian was pressed away, he stood there for a while, then turned and returned to the duty room.
As soon as he entered, he heard his two colleagues chatting. For some reason, they stopped talking when they saw Zhou Yang coming. However, this room was not very soundproof, and he had heard a little.
Zhou Yang said: "Are you talking about Mr. Jiang who just came to visit the prison?"
Prison guards Zhang and Zhao looked at each other. They didn't expect him to hear it, but there was nothing to hide. They just thought that Zhou Yang didn't seem to like Jiang Chen who was visiting the prison just now, so they just subconsciously stopped talking.
Thinking of this, Officer Zhang said directly: "Yes, he just came over after the visit and asked us to help He Qianjian move to another cell."
Zhou Yang was stunned for a moment, and his movement of sitting down stopped in mid-air, maintaining a non-standard squat posture. He widened his eyes and askes, "He asked you to help He Qianjian change cells?"
Officer Zhang didn't expect his reaction to be so big, but prison guard Zhao didn't find it strange. Zhou Yang and Jiang Chen didn't know each other at all. They met for the first time today. His hostility and dislike towards Jiang Chen came from prisoner No. 149 inside. When he heard that Jiang Chen wanted to help him, he naturally reacted greatly.
"It's not confirmed yet. It should be that No. 149 said something to him. He asked us to tell the warden to see if what No. 149 said was true. If so, then help him change his cell..."
Zhou Yang was a little stunned. He just trusted others easily, but that didn't mean he was stupid. He heard clearly what He Qianjian said just now. He naturally knew that Jiang Chen was not the person He Qianjian had described at all, and from what Jiang Chen said before leaving, he didn't sound like he wanted to help, but he didn't expect that he still helped He Qianjian in the end without actually telling him.
For a moment, Zhou Yang felt a little complicated.
Officer Zhang didn't notice Zhou Yang's emotions. When his colleague mentioned the matter, he followed his words and continued the topic he just left off: "We have all heard before. The He family asked that the cell where He Qianjian lives be a little far away from the duty room, but this level of prison is only so big. If he changes again, besides No. 14, there will only be cells 15 and 16. If he changes to those two cells, what would happen to him? It’s better not to change…”
"I heard that he had some conflicts with No. 169 in No. 16." Officer Zhao also pondered: "No. 169 is famous for his bad temper, but even if he is moved to No. 16, it will be better than room 15."
Officer Zhang also agreed: "Cell 15 is really not suitable for people to go there."
Only then did Zhou Yang come to his senses. It hadn't been long since he came to work here, but he had heard a lot about the deeds of these prisoners. None of the prisoners in Zhangshan Prison were serious crime prisoners, and most of them would be released within ten years. After being released from prison, if they behave well, their sentence would be reduced, so there were relatively few cases of prisoners showing off their violence, with two exceptions: prisoner No. 9 in cell 16 and prisoner No. 1 in cell 15.
Prisoner No. 9 in cell 16 had a good background and a strong backing. Even in prison, apart from being unable to go out, his days were actually not much lacking than being outside. In addition, he had a monopoly on the sale and purchase of goods in the prison. Those prisoners who could afford to be arrogant would give him face, and those who couldn't afford to offend him would naturally listen to his words. However, this man had a very bad temper and could not bear any grievance. If someone really caught his eye, it was absolutely common for him to have his hands and feet broken or sprained every three days.
It was just that he was also very slick in what he did. Even if everyone knew it was him, there was still no evidence. Coupled with his family background and the fact that he rarely made trouble, the prison guards turned a blind eye.
Prisoner No. 1 in cell 15 was more troublesome than prisoner No. 9 in cell 16. He had been here for nine years. It stood to reason that even if he was sentenced to ten years, if he behaved well and his sentence was reduced, he could be released anytime. But it was not that this one couldn’t get out, it was that he simply didn't want to get out. If No. 169 was the apparent boss in Zhangshan Prison, then No. 151 was the tacitly understood demon who should not be messed with.
——In the same prison cell as him, the two people who had offended him before had both gone crazy.
If the first one was an accident, then no one would believe the second one was also a coincidence. However, no one knew what he had done. They tried to investigate it, but he refused to admit to it, the prison guards also could not ask a madman for an answer. So the incident fell to the side, and gradually everyone forgot about it.
However, unexpectedly, No. 151 was originally serving a three-year sentence. Just before he was released from prison, he used chopsticks to blind the eyes of a fellow prisoner in his cell while eating in the cafeteria. As a result, he stayed and later when his sentence expired, he followed the same pattern, almost slitting a person's throat, and stayed again... Now it was almost time for him to be released from prison. Everyone in the prison was in danger, fearing that they would be the next person he wanted to stab so that he could continue to stay.
Because of this, the prison guards did not allow him to go to the factory or eat in the cafeteria during this period, and only allowed him to stay in his cell.
But this also frightened the other prisoners in the same cell with him. They were trembling every day, not daring to sleep at night, for fear that they would not be able to see the sun the next day. Lack of sleep for a long time naturally led to problems and in addition to living in fright for such a long time, they practically now had the same mental state as the two people who were scared crazy before.
Although Zhou Yang was also a little annoyed that He Qianjian deceived him, he didn't want him to die, so he continued, "Will the warden transfer him to cell 16?"
"It's hard to say, even if it's true, when the warden explains the situation to Mr. Jiang, he may not help No. 149 change cells in the end." Officer Zhang said: "Cell 14 is actually pretty good, and except for the trouble from No. 143, the others are all timid and fearful, and although No. 143 is like that... he generally doesn't force people, so it's better to stay at cell 14 than to change to cell 16."
Officer Zhao also felt the same way: "Although No. 169 has a bad temper, he rarely targets anyone deliberately. However, the people he dowa target end up either lame or disabled. He Qianjian must have offended him some time ago. Sending him there will practically be entering the tiger's mouth."
Zhou Yang thought for a while and sighed inwardly. He was a little worried, but also couldn't help but be curious about what Jiang Chen would choose then.
*
It wasn't time to get off work yet, but He Qianjian was injured and was sent back to the infirmary.
Pulling the bed curtains, He Qianjian lay on the bed. He knew that the prison guard monitoring him was still outside the door, but he breathed a sigh of relief. This was the most relaxed he had felt in the past six months.
But before he could finish breathing in relief, He Qianjian thought of Jiang Chen again.
[Is it really Jiang Chen who caused your disappearance this time?]
System: [It’s him.]
He Qianjian always knew that it should be Jiang Chen, but in his eyes, the System had great powers and was practically a god. He really couldn't imagine how Jiang Chen, an ordinary twenty-year-old college student, would be able to go against the System and even gain the upper hand.
[How did he do it?] This was the question that puzzled He Qianjian the most.
System: [He developed an artificial intelligence system...] He briefly explained the basic situation of the Changjiang system to He Qianjian, and continued without waiting for He Qianjian to finish being surprised: [Jiang Chen cannot be allowed to live.]
He Qianjian came to his senses immediately: [I already told you that we should have gotten rid of him when we had the chance. If you had cooperated with me from the beginning, we would not be at this point.]
The System ignored He Qianjian's complaints and said coldly: [It is very likely that there is another system like mine in this world.]
He Qianjian's complaining expression froze, [What do you mean?]
[That system is very likely in the hands of Jiang Chen. The Changjiang system he developed is proof that it is not something that could be created in this era and this world. Its technological level is far higher than the earth's civilization. According to the earth's technological level it is estimated that it would take at least three hundred years to develop Changjiang.]
He Qianjian didn't understand, but realized that the matter was not simple: [You mean, Jiang Chen also has a system, and that system helped him develop a system called Changjiang, and then deal with us?]
The System was silent for a few seconds, [Changjiang’s algorithm is an advanced algorithm even in the civilization I live in. This world is not even a second-level civilized world. It is impossible for an ordinary human to develop Changjiang.]
He Qianjian didn't know whether he was unwilling to accept that there were other people in this world besides him who also had systems, or he was afraid that there were beings in this world that could rival the system. He subconsciously retorted: [If Jiang Chen had a system, he would have found his way to the He family long ago. How could he have remained unrecognized until his senior year in high school? Besides, I have been sending people to keep an eye on him. You have also seen the information. Apart from his better than average grades, he is no different from others. If he had a system, I would definitely have known about it sooner.]
The System was also confused. In its understanding, a planet would only release one "resource search and collection system". The alliance convention stipulated that when a system locked on a planet, it would continue to send signals to the outside world, even if other systems found Earth, they would have to leave here because of this signal and search for other planets. Moreover, the Earth, as a lower-civilized planet, was located in a remote place, so it was very difficult to find. At that time, it was only found because it had accidentally got lost while jumping through space and came here by mistake.
However, the Earth was rich in resources. If other races or systems from other countries really found the Earth and felt that because it was so remote and difficult to find, it was not impossible to simply violate the convention, wipe out the System and occupy the planet alone.
This also explained why Jiang Chen had never revealed any flaws before, because his system had been dormant in secret, waiting only to eliminate it before completing the mission.
Seeing that the System didn't say anything, He Qianjian knew that it had not confirmed its judgment either yet, and felt relieved for some reason: [Jiang Chen's grades have always been very good, and it is normal for him to have some talent in science and technology. Besides, he is now working in a research institute. If it is true, as you said, according to the level of technology, the system in his hand should have taken five hundred years to develop, then those experts would definitely be suspicious.]
The System mocked: [What do you humans of lower civilizations know? Even the knowledge mastered by the experts you admire the most is only at the level of the current college students in our civilization.]
He Qianjian was already used to arguing with the System. He was not angry when he heard what it said. Instead, he was very happy because of the uncertainty of the System. He then asked the question he was most concerned about now: [What if Jiang Chen doesn't have a system in his hands, and the Changjiang system was really developed by him, could you deal with it?]
[If Jiang Chen dies.]
He Qianjian perked up: [As long as Jiang Chen is dead, you can deal with it?]
The System said definitely: [Yes.]
He Qianjian said immediately: [But this is hard to say, there are many ways to kill him. You help me get out of here first. When the time comes, we should make careful plans. So let's talk about how you plan to help me get out first.]
[You have break time every day. Calculate the time then and I will help you get the key to the cell. When the time comes, I will cause some chaos and destroy the surveillance, and you will take the opportunity to escape.]
[What does thia mean?] He Qianjian looked unhappy: [You want me to break out of prison?]
[What would happen if I just escaped like this? Hide in Tibet all my life? If I am caught and sentenced again, how many more years will I have to be in prison before I then escape again?]
The System said coldly: [This is the only way to get out.]
He Qianjian didn't believe it: [You must have other ways so that I can go out in a dignified manner, and then I can do whatever I want to do outside in a dignified manner.]
The System had long known that He Qianjian blindly believed that it could do anything. In fact, it led him to believe this way from the beginning in order to gain He Qianjian's trust, but at this moment, it just wanted to crack this human's head open and see what was actually inside.
[When you entered prison, all the witnesses and physical evidence were there, and you admitted it yourself at the beginning. Now it’s useless to retract your confession. So how can I help you get out in a dignified manner?]
Hearing that the System didn't want to help him find other solutions, He Qianjian said grimly: "That's your problem. Don't forget, I'm inside, Jiang Chen is outside, and his system is also outside. If he wants to deal with us, you and I are no different to him than squishing an ant to death, and if I don't have freedom and can only rely solely on you, a system that has no entity and cannot be separated from the host, it will be even harder to kill Jiang Chen than to climb to the sky.]
The System was not threatened by He Qianjian, [You are my host and I have been bound to you so I am also locked up here. It is true that I cannot kill Jiang Chen, but it is very easy for me to kill you. When the time comes, if I change hosts, Jiang Chen would think that I am still here with you, and this gap in information is enough for me to kill him in surprise.]
The System's flat voice frightened He Qianjian, and he immediately changed his tone: [That's not what I meant, it's just that if I escape from prison and am chased around, it will be more difficult to help you with things.]
[You don’t need to worry about this, I will naturally find a way to help you get a new identity.]
He Qianjian gritted his teeth, knowing that he had no choice but to compromise with the System: [Then when will we take action?]
The System looked at the prison network, and after a few seconds, replied: [In half a month, the prison will hold a reading activity. By then, everyone will be gathered together, and the guards will be lax, making it easier to cause a riot, and it will be easier for you to run away.]
But He Qianjian thought of Brother Hei, who was in the same cell, and was very reluctant: [Another half month?]
[This is the most suitable time.] The System's tone was cold.
Now that his everything depended on the System, He Qianjian listened to its tone and knew he had no room for negotiation. He could only compromise and threatened in his heart: [You do what you say, don't make any mistakes in half a month. If I can't get away, and you want to kill me and find another host, I will simply contact Jiang Chen and tell him everything about you, and let the system in his hands get rid of you. We will just die together.]
The System seemed disdainful and did not respond at all.
……
That night, when He Qianjian had to come out of the infirmary, he saw Zhou Yang at the door.
Zhou Yang glanced at him with a complicated look. Just when He Qianjian felt vaguely strange, Zhou Yang asked, "Is the cell you are living in not very good?"
He Qianjian was stunned and immediately nodded.
He had not approached Zhou Yang before because he had no say at all here. Even the boss of cell 16 might have more say than him, and what he was most anxious about at the time was getting out of here. If he had arranged for Zhou Yang to contact people and request him to help him change cells, maybe he wouldn't even be able to carry out both things, so it was better to ask him to do only one thing.
But now that Zhou Yang had taken the initiative to ask, he would naturally not hide it. Jiang Chen's side was no longer feasible. No one from the He family or the Jiang family had come to see him. Although the System said that it could help him escape in half a month, Wang Hei had become more and more overt recently. He was no longer so repulsive to Wang Hei touching him, but it did not mean that he, a straight man, could really endure being pressed down by a man. If Zhou Yang could help him change to another cell, at least for this half month then all the better.
Zhou Yang: "Why didn't you tell me before?"
The bruises on He Qianjian's face have not subsided, and were blue and purple all over. There were also bandages on his arms. He looked quite pitiful and lonely: "I don't want to trouble you anymore. I asked you to find my family before which is already violating the rules, and I’m also embarrassed to tell you about this kind of thing.”
Zhou Yang saw his thin and harmless appearance, but the curses he heard in the visiting room rang in his ears. The sight in front of him and the sounds in his ears seemed to be in sharp contrast, giving him the first lesson in his career.
He Qianjian didn't hear Zhou Yang's answer and frowned inwardly. He originally thought Zhou Yang had a solution before asking him, but now he didn't say anything. It couldn't be that he just asked casually without having a solution at all.
"Officer Zhou, can you help me change cells?"
Zhou Yang saw the earnestness on his face. He only felt that it was pitiful before, but now he felt that it was full of calculations. But the previous relationship was still vivid in his mind. Even if he knew that the young man in front of him was not as he thought, and the two could not become friends anymore, he also couldn't bear for him to jump into the fire pit. He looked away and said: "Before Mr. Jiang, who visited you today, left, he contacted the warden and asked him to determine your situation. If you are really harassed, the warden will help you change cells.”
He Qianjian was stunned for a moment, then became ecstatic: "Really?"
Seeing Zhou Yang nodding, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel gleeful. He just knew that Jiang Chen couldn't stand by and watch this matter. Now he was sure that even if Jiang Chen had the backing of the He family and the research institute, so long as he still held onto his ridiculous kindness and principles and weaknesses, it would be easy to find a way to kill him.
It was time to get off work soon. Zhou Yang gave one last reminder before leaving: "The prisoners in No. 14 are relatively simple. It is actually better for you to stay there. If you change cells, the situation may become worse. I suggest you not to change."
But how could He Qianjian listen to him? He sneered in his heart and said that he would consider before leaving.