Chapter 161: Betraying the Camp, Assisting a Tyrant?

Lao Li's miserable howls gradually grew faint; his body slumped limp, yet the hand cruelly pinned by the sewing machine needle still trembled slightly.

Fresh blood dripped along the machine's edge, making a soft sound — "pat" — as it hit the cold floor.

Chen Ya sewed clothes with indifferent seriousness all the same; the pedal beneath his feet went "pat" unperturbed.

Pat!

Pat!

Pat...

The two sounds seemed to have fused into one.

Yuan Dabiao's ferocity did not abate in the least because of Lao Li's screams; the corner of his mouth even hooked a satisfied, savage grin.

He scanned the surroundings, his gaze like a warning to the other prisoners: any slacking or resistance would pay a heavy price.

"All of you work properly for me!" Yuan Dabiao's voice reverberated through the workshop. "No slacking! Whoever I catch not moving fast — this is their fate!"

After a brief pause, Yuan Dabiao's expression suddenly shifted; the corner of his mouth pulled into another, even faker smile, his tone turning gentle, as if soothing frightened lambs.

"No need to be afraid, everyone," his voice carried a hint of feigned concern. "I do this for your own good, too. After all, if someone slacks off and does less, wouldn't the rest of you have to do more for him? As Workshop Team Leader, I can't let everyone suffer a loss. You agree, right?"

The atmosphere in the workshop was somewhat oppressive, but under Yuan Dabiao's fierce glare, all the prisoners silently lowered their heads, numbly treading the sewing machines.

Yuan Dabiao was very satisfied, the corner of his mouth revealing a contemptuous smile.

Only then did he stride over to Chen Ya's side, slamming both hands onto the table with a loud bang: "What did you say just now, telling me to move lightly — are you teaching me how to do things?"

With that slam, the sewing machine beside Chen Ya also shook lightly; the originally straight stitches instantly went crooked, and an irregular white line appeared on the garment.

Chen Ya gently set down the feet that had been treading the sewing machine; his brows knitted tightly into a knot, his face showing a few degrees of puzzlement and incomprehension.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze frank and firm, meeting Yuan Dabiao's bulging, rage-filled eyes, and then he spoke seriously and calmly:

"Team Leader, wasn't it you who demanded we work seriously? Then why are you disturbing my work? This garment was just a bit away from being finished for piecework; now you've ruined it — who's to blame?"

Yuan Dabiao's face turned iron-green in an instant; a flicker of astonishment flashed in his eyes — the other party's answer was truly hard to refute.

Yuan Dabiao's face twisted, revealing a snarling, fierce visage: "You're talking back to me?"

Chen Ya's gaze was firm, his tone calm: "I'm just reasoning with you, speaking logic."

Yuan Dabiao was enraged to the extreme by this sentence, yet he burst into loud laughter instead; his two lackeys laughed along, wearing bizarre expressions as if they'd seen a madman, sizing Chen Ya up and down.

This scene drew the attention of all prisoners in the workshop; they all carefully stole glances at the situation here.

Among them, three or four newly arrived prisoners exchanged covert glances with each other, then all pressed their hands to their foreheads and sighed, silently communicating via lip movements in unspoken accord.

"Done for, the Captain can't help but reason with people again."

"No, I think the Captain just wants to be Workshop Team Leader; the Captain definitely feels that if he were Team Leader, everyone's work efficiency would jump several levels."

"Then I support the Captain; I think the Captain is in the right!"

"No need, brothers; we're just here to serve our sentences in hiding. Why work hard creating surplus value for the prison? That's betraying the camp, assisting a tyrant — and we don't even get wages?"

"Right, it's all because the Captain takes this labor reform too seriously; he even led me astray."

"Seconded!"

"+1!"

"+1!"

Yuan Dabiao scanned the workshop once around, his teeth grinding with a creak: "Like sewing, huh? Like crossing me..."

Chen Ya didn't wait for Yuan Dabiao to finish; he cut him off, tone resolute: "Like it very much!"

Yuan Dabiao's words were forcibly severed; his face turned even uglier, as if something had choked him hard.

He took a deep breath, then suddenly snatched the box beside Lao Li, roughly stuffing it into Chen Ya's arms, the corner of his mouth hooking a savage smile: "Since you like it, then have your fill! Do his share too — ten pieces. You must finish ten pieces for me today. If even one is short, you'll see how I deal with you tomorrow."

Accompanied by the "pat" rhythm, time passed slowly yet steadily.

Suddenly, a Prison Guard walked in, holding a Transfer Notice; his voice was clear and forceful, breaking the workshop's quiet, a string of names echoing in the air.

Suddenly, a Prison Guard entered, holding a Transfer Notice in his hand, his voice clear and powerful, breaking the silence in the Workshop, a string of names echoing in the air.

Slightly slender build, features a touch feminine, expression flat, he stood and answered: "Here!"

Slightly slender in build, features carrying a hint of femininity, expression flat, he stood up and answered: "Present!"

Tall slender build, face slightly youthful: "Here!"

Tall and slender in build, face slightly youthful: "Present!"

Sturdy build, ordinary looks, slightly aged air: "Here!"

Sturdy in build, ordinary in appearance, slightly aged: "Present!"

Tall slender build, a vertical scar on his face, expression cold and hard: "Here!"

Tall and slender in build, a vertical scar on his face, expression cold and hard: "Present!"

Ordinary build, arms reaching knees, left and right eyes different sizes, tone deep: "Here!"

The Prison Guard glanced at the five, indifferently said: "Informing you five: tomorrow early morning you'll be transferred into No. 2 Prison. Come over now, sign for confirmation on the transfer form with me."

"Yes!" The five answered in unison; Chen Ya's face showed no expression, the other four slightly puzzled.

Chen Ya hesitated not at all, immediately stepped forward to sign confirmation; the other four set aside their momentary doubts, followed close behind, likewise swiftly signing their names.

"Alright, your labor reform in this prison ends here. You may now return to your respective cells, tidy up. Wishing you a pleasant life in No. 2 Prison from now on."

The Prison Guard's voice was indifferent as wind, not carrying a trace of emotional color. Finished speaking, he turned, preparing to lead these prisoners back to their respective cells.

Dong Xu, Liu Yi, Gong Ting, Zhao Zhibao — the four almost at the same instant, in a way only they could perceive, cast a meaningful look at Chen Ya.

Then they noticed Chen Ya lightly touch the pen tip, transmitting a silent signal. So they lined up in turn, closely following the Prison Guard's steps.

The Prison Guard's gaze lingered on the motionless Chen Ya for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of doubt: "What are you still waiting here for?"

Chen Ya straightened his spine, voice loud and firm: "Report, I want to complete today's reform task, then return to the Security Bureau."

The Prison Guard's brows lifted slightly, revealing a few degrees of surprise, but quickly he said no more, merely nodded, then turned and led the other four away slowly.

The Prison Guard's brow twitched slightly, revealing a hint of surprise, but soon he said nothing more, merely nodding before turning around and leading the other four away slowly.

Chen Ya slowly sat down, carefully selecting fabric from the basket, and after cutting it, meticulously placed the cloth under the needle, rhythmically pressing the foot pedal as the needle shuttled continuously across the fabric surface, stitching straight white threads.

Yuan Dabiao walked over leisurely, stopping beside Chen Ya, a cold smile hanging at the corner of his mouth, his tone carrying mockery and unconcealed ridicule:

"Kid, your luck today is really not bad; you're transferring prisons first thing tomorrow morning. I originally planned to give you a good lesson tomorrow, looks like you're going to escape a calamity."

His voice dragged out, the ending note carrying a hint of cruelty:

"However, don't celebrate too early. Our Nine Districts' No. 2 Prison is not something ordinary prisons can compare to. The cruelty there is far bloodier than here. Someone like you, I dare bet, once you go there, you won't last a week before being carried out horizontally, hahaha—"

Chen Ya, however, had no reaction at all; his gaze was focused and determined, the work in his hands still precise and flawless.

His face showed no expression, neither joy nor fear, as if Yuan Dabiao's words were merely a gust of wind irrelevant to pain or itch...

(End of Chapter)