Chapter 200

"Yes, understood. I will cooperate with the Prison Warden's work, guarantee there won't be any leaks, please rest assured, Leader."

Zhou Hu stood ramrod straight, his voice transmitted through the phone, filled with respect and obedience.

But once he hung up, his originally calm face instantly turned extremely gloomy.

Ma Xuan hurriedly stepped forward from the side and asked, "What happened?"

Zhou Hu gritted his teeth, the muscles on his face twisting, his voice carrying a trace of ruthlessness and ferocity: "The higher-ups backed down, ordering us to unconditionally obey and cooperate with Prison Warden Qian Huan's work instructions in the near future."

Ma Xuan's expression was grave as he asked suspiciously, "The higher-ups have bowed to Tian Guang Capital? Fully cooperating with Prison Warden Qian Huan's work, wouldn't that be equivalent to handing over our Second Prison to others on a silver platter?"

Zhou Hu let out a cold laugh, that laughter carrying endless mockery and disdain: "The higher-ups didn't bow to Tian Guang Capital, they chickened out before Guangming Group."

Ma Xuan was puzzled: "Why?"

Zhou Hu shook his head: "Do you think the higher-ups would explain the reason to me? Hmph, anyway I've said it before, those sitting in offices are all a bunch of ball-less cowards, unreliable."

A complex light flashed through Ma Xuan's eyes. He hesitated and asked, "Then do we have to listen to the higher-ups?"

Zhou Hu's brows knitted tightly into a knot, his face alternating between dark and pale. He looked at Ma Xuan and asked:

"Do you think if our Second Prison is really ceded to Tian Guang Capital, after the comprehensive equity reform is completed, Prison Warden Qian Huan's side will continue to keep our positions?"

Ma Xuan shook his head with a heavy expression: "Probably impossible. If they take us all in unchanged, then this Second Prison would be the same as before, wouldn't the equity reform have been for nothing?"

Getting confirmation from Ma Xuan, Zhou Hu's face grew even darker. He asked again: "Then if Tian Guang Capital doesn't want us, do you think the Prison System can take us back?"

Hearing this, Ma Xuan's face also alternated between dark and pale. Finally he said with slight hesitation: "They should, right? Otherwise where would we go?"

Zhou Hu coldly laughed: "Ma Xuan, you're still too naive. You've had little contact with those people up there. I know them. They only look at us with respect when we're useful. If we lose our value, they won't give a damn about our lives."

Zhou Hu paused, then lightly patted Ma Xuan's shoulder and said earnestly: "One radish, one hole. Without the Second Prison this hole, what use are we radishes?"

Ma Xuan's voice carried a hint of hoarseness, revealing a few parts helplessness and struggle: "Can't we be transferred to other prisons to continue working?"

Zhou Hu's voice was cold and hard, ruthlessly cutting off Ma Xuan's naive fantasy:

"Would other prisons welcome us? Even if such an opportunity really existed, and the higher-ups were willing to arrange it, could we keep our current positions? Are you willing to give up everything, go to a new prison, and start over as a Prison Guard from scratch?"

Ma Xuan fell silent, only shaking his head stiffly.

Zhou Hu had made a decision in his heart. He said in a deep tone: "So, we must guard our own radish holes well."

Ma Xuan stared at Zhou Hu's gloomy and ferocious demeanor, took a deep breath, his voice carrying a trace of unnaturalness: "Then what do we do? Continue making trouble for the Prison Warden? That would be going against the higher-ups?"

Zhou Hu didn't immediately answer Ma Xuan's question, but changed the subject and asked: "How come Chang Wei hasn't been seen today?"

Ma Xuan thought briefly and replied: "He left in a rush early this morning, seemed like he went to his nephew's school."

Zhou Hu let out an "oh" and sighed:

"Chang Wei only has this one nephew, he's had it rough too. Like this: when Chang Wei returns, you tell him not to wait anymore. The plan is moved up. Tell him to get this thing done. I'll give him a long leave so he can focus on going outside to look for his nephew. Maybe he can even find him back, right?"

Ma Xuan's pupils violently shrank. A chill rose from the bottom of his heart, spreading through his whole body.

Zhou Hu glanced at the phone in his hand, brows slightly furrowed, looking increasingly irritable.

He heavily patted Ma Xuan's shoulder and said in a gloomy, eerie tone: "This matter is entrusted to you to notify Chang Wei. Hmph, I have to go to a meeting now. Prison Warden Qian Huan suddenly called a meeting. Hmph— he's planning to cook up some new tricks again. I'd better hurry over and cooperate with him properly."

Sensing Ma Xuan's silence, Zhou Hu's voice unconsciously rose a few degrees:

"What, you have doubts? Hmph, that's true too. Chang Wei's thinking isn't as sharp as yours. Such an important matter is still more steady and safe in your and my hands..."

Ma Xuan involuntarily shivered. He hurriedly replied: "No problem. As soon as Chang Wei returns, I'll go tell him."

Zhou Hu slowly withdrew his hand and walked out of the office with a gloomy face, heading toward the Conference Room.

Ma Xuan's face turned pale and stiff. He wasn't sympathizing with Chang Wei's plight, but repeatedly savoring in his heart Zhou Hu's heavy warning from just now:

—You're still too naive. You've had little contact with those people up there. I know them. They only look at us with respect when we're useful. If we lose our value, they won't give a damn about our lives.

Ma Xuan stood frozen in place, like a stone statue, for a full half minute. Then a miserable smile appeared on his face as he muttered to himself:

"Yes, one radish, one hole. I must desperately guard my radish hole. So, this can't be blamed on me!"

Ma Xuan deeply exhaled a mouthful of turbid breath, as if expelling the heavy burden in his heart along with it.

He took out his phone and dialed Chang Wei's number: "Hello, where are you? Come back quick. I have an important matter to notify you. Hmph, rest assured, it's good news."

The atmosphere in the Conference Room suddenly tensed up. Zhou Hu's emotions could no longer be contained.

He fiercely slammed the table, eyes bloodshot, staring dead at the Prison Warden, and shouted in uncontrollable rage: "What did you say?"

Qian Huan, on the other hand, had a cold, indifferent face. The caution of the past was gone from his eyes, replaced by a fierce expression, as if his own father had just died.

He met Zhou Hu's gaze without the slightest fear, coldly laughing and mocking:

"Last Place Elimination System. This is a performance appraisal mechanism that many enterprises currently advocate and strictly implement. Director Zhou doesn't even know this. Have you stayed in our relatively closed prison environment too long, to the point of being unable to keep up with the times?"

Zhou Hu nearly laughed from anger. He retorted: "Last Place Elimination System, of course I know. I just want to ask you, are you planning to take that set of things from outside enterprises and bring it into the prison? Are you crazy? This is a prison!!!"

Looking at Qian Huan's appearance, Zhou Hu regarded him like an idiot. He mocked: "Pulling this set of things in a prison, Prison Warden, do you know how many people will die?"

(End of Chapter)