C18 Showing off in the Prison.

From behind, a voice suddenly cut through the air from among a dozen prisoners, "Beat him up!"

They had suffered under the scarred man's tyranny for too long, and now, seeing someone capable of standing up to him, they couldn't contain their excitement and shouted without regard for the consequences.

Hu Yang shot a cold, indifferent smile at the scarred man before approaching him.

The scarred man watched Hu Yang with a nervous gaze, not daring to make a move.

"Move!" Hu Yang commanded sharply.

Startled, the scarred man hastily sidestepped.

Hu Yang gestured towards the solitary iron bed, "Is this where you sleep?"

The scarred man nodded, and Hu Yang pressed on, "From now on, it's mine. Any objections?"

With a rigid expression, the scarred man replied, "None."

Out of nowhere, Hu Yang sensed a mocking sneer in his mind—Lee Mangniu's +233!

His gaze hardened as he sat on the iron bed and addressed the scarred man with a stern voice, "You're Lee Mangniu?"

"Yes, do you know me?" Lee Mangniu responded with surprise.

"Were you planning to catch me off guard and launch a surprise attack?" Hu Yang's piercing stare bore into him.

"No, not at all," Lee Mangniu stammered, his eyes darting around, betraying his panic, as if to ask, "How did you know?"

"Take your left hand out of your pocket!" Hu Yang commanded.

Lee Mangniu's face twisted in alarm. He bellowed, "You think I'm scared of you? Brothers, let's take him down!"

He drew a palm-sized dagger from his left hand and lunged at Hu Yang, aiming for his chest.

A gasp escaped from the prisoners watching. The two men were so close, Lee Mangniu's dagger was practically upon Hu Yang...

Unbeknownst to anyone, Lee Mangniu had managed to smuggle a blade. By all logic, not only should a restricted knife be impossible to bring into a prison, but even a slightly longer piece of metal should be prohibited.

Yet, Lee Mangniu had defied this rule!

The prisoners around them seemed convinced Hu Yang couldn't evade the strike, all holding their breath in anticipation. Even Lee Mangniu's four henchmen raised their hands, poised to applaud the impending outcome.

To everyone's shock, Lee Mangniu suddenly let out a cry of alarm. They watched, horrified, as a dagger was plunged right through his right palm, completely piercing it and causing blood to gush forth.

The scene looked as though Lee Mangniu had impaled his own hand with his left.

Meanwhile, Hu Yang stood by, seemingly unaffected. He hadn't budged an inch, and it was a mystery how he had managed the attack.

He had also landed two hefty slaps on Lee Mangniu.

"Does it hurt? Want me to pull the knife out for you?" Hu Yang asked, his voice icy as he grasped the knife handle.

Shaking with pain, Lee Mangniu didn't dare move and pleaded desperately, "No, don't pull it out. I'll call a doctor myself."

"For such a minor wound? You need a doctor?" Hu Yang scoffed and yanked the dagger free.

Lee Mangniu couldn't hold back his screams. They were so loud that his voice was unrecognizable, no longer discernible as his own.

Outside the cell, Lyu Jun arrived just in time to hear the commotion. He was pleased, yet his expression was stern as he cautioned the officers who had escorted Hu Yang, "Lee Yiming, Zhang Mo, did you remind Lee Mangniu? A lesson is enough—don't beat him to death. The authorities could come for an interrogation at any moment!"

"Got it, I'm on it," Lee Yiming responded, heading inside swiftly, though he couldn't help but murmur, "Who is this guy, stirring up the higher-ups?"

Lyu Jun glanced over and asked quietly, "Could we have apprehended the wrong person? This guy can't take a hit. He's been inside for just a short time and is already howling."

Zhang Mo offered a reassuring smile. "Boss, you're well aware of Lee Mangniu's reputation. Back in the underground fights, he'd often leave his opponents crippled. If he's set on dealing with someone now, he could flay them alive. Nobody can endure that."

Approaching the cell door, Lee Yiming found the inside in disarray. Someone sat on the iron bed, back against the wall, while Lee Mangniu stood before it, head bowed, his hand wrapped in a cloth that was stained with blood.

A figure lay on the ground, barely visible in the dim light. He instinctively assumed that Hu Yang, who had just been brought in, had been knocked to the floor. He couldn't help but curse under his breath, "Lee Mangniu, that brute, has gone too far, injuring his own hand in the process of beating someone."

With that thought, he quickly called out, "Lee Mangniu, take it easy! Don't end up killing someone!"

Lee Mangniu, looking miserable, responded in a raspy voice, "I'm not dead yet."

Lee Yiming, not hearing him clearly, probably thought that Lee Mangniu had nearly beaten Hu Yang to death, and he let out another curse.

...

Outside the prison, a man in his forties approached the police station building, sporting a black cap. He introduced himself to Lyu Jun, "Deputy Chief Lyu, my name is Zhang Jin Tao, and I'm Hsiao Xinya's cousin."

"You're the renowned Director Zhang!" Lyu Jun's eyes sparkled as he eagerly greeted him with a beaming smile. "I just got a call saying you were coming, and I could hardly believe it! We've captured the accomplice involved in your cousin's kidnapping and are about to conduct a thorough interrogation. Rest assured, we'll soon provide a resolution that will satisfy you."

"No!" Zhang Jin Tao gestured dismissively, "Deputy Chief Lyu, there's been a misunderstanding. I'm fully aware of the circumstances surrounding my cousin's abduction. I was at the Jin Rong Hotel yesterday. There was a crazed young man, highly skilled, who injured many and abducted my cousin. But from what my cousin has told me, the man you've apprehended today, Hu Yang, is not really connected to yesterday's assailant. In fact, he rescued my cousin from the kidnappers. So, I'd like to post his bail. Could you tell me what the procedure is?"

Lyu Jun was taken aback, his brow furrowing in surprise. "Director Zhang, we can't release this individual on bail."

"Why not?" Zhang Jin Tao asked, clearly displeased.

"Let me be frank, Director Zhang. The higher-ups have been notified because this case is tied to a criminal organization. There are suspicions that Hu Yang is the ringleader, using his cover as an employee of a small company. We need to investigate thoroughly, and no one can be released on bail. It's not a matter of disrespect; I ask for your understanding," Lyu Jun explained with courtesy.

"Is the situation really that dire?" Zhang Jintao asked, taken aback.

"It might be even worse than we've imagined. Those recent murders could very well be connected to him," Lyu Jun declared with a grave expression.

Zhang Jintao's surprise deepened. "Are you sure there's no mistake?"

"There's no mistake. The murders were bizarre, with the perpetrator dressed in ancient attire causing chaos in broad daylight. On the day of the most recent incident, five people were slain! And the killer, just like the odd young man you encountered yesterday, slipped away from us with ease. What's more baffling is that despite deploying every tracking device at our disposal, we couldn't locate him. It's as if he doesn't exist in this world at all!"