Chapter 202: The Secrets Deeply Hidden Within Feng Mu

The more closed an ecological environment, the harder it is to keep secrets, especially in an extremely high-pressure closed environment like a prison.

Secrets are as if they grew wings, constantly circling and flying within the high walls strung with electric nets, again and again, until the echo of their flapping wings penetrates every corner and reaches the ears of every living creature.

The meeting was held in the afternoon, during dinner time, and whispers of discussion spread throughout the entire prison, from prison guards to prisoners; even the deaf and the mute were using gestures to discuss it.

Simply put, 【Last Place Elimination System】 occupied the top spot on the Second Prison's hot search list today, and it was even the kind suffixed with an 【Explosion】 character.

Listening to Wang Cong chatter like a machine gun beside his ear while patrolling the cells, as if he had been awakened by this heavy bomb, the drowsiness from many sleepless nights seemed to have been driven away, and he spoke without stopping.

Feng Mu listened with narrowed eyes, while secretly feeling shocked in his heart:

"If news can spread this quickly, and if there were no deliberate leaking and secret pushing by Prison Warden Qian Huan behind it, I could take my head off and kick it like a ball."

Feng Mu slightly raised the corner of his eye, caught sight of Wang Cong's extremely excited expression, and couldn't help but secretly shake his head.

He knew that this idiot probably hadn't realized at all the power contained in this news, and what a terrifying earthquake it could stir up in the Second Prison.

To put it bluntly, half a year after this earthquake, it might not even be certain whether half the people in the Second Prison could survive.

Feng Mu was not as naive as Zhou Hu thought; he thought more deeply, and would not favor one side over the other. His concept of "half" did not only refer to prisoners, but also covered prison guards.

"Implementing Last Place Elimination System in a prison to compete for revenue, tsk tsk, it seems his uncle's death has completely blackened this Prison Warden, heh—"

Feng Mu did not quite approve of Qian Huan's revenue plan; in his view, such a practice was no different from draining a pond to catch fish, which was unbearable for someone who treated the prison as his home and cared for it.

"But, chaos is a ladder upward; I can borrow a wind on the fast ship built by the Prison Warden."

It had to be said that Feng Mu's bottom line was very flexible; in the long run, he did not approve of Qian Huan's approach, but in the short term, he was willing to help a tiger devour its prey, to harvest the bloody windfall brought by chaos together.

Feng Mu interrupted Wang Cong's inopportune excitement, asking in a calm tone:

"You're so excited, have you already figured out how to squeeze more oil and water from the prisoners? Are you trying to stand out at Monday's meeting, strive for a high ranking, and replace Captain Tian Tao's position?"

Wang Cong was startled, hurriedly turned his head to look around, saw no one eavesdropping, then slightly sighed in relief and said: "Don't talk nonsense, I really don't have such thoughts, I just, just, just..."

Wang Cong stammered, while Feng Mu spoke for him: "Gloating over others' misfortune, you hope someone else can replace the captain's position; you want to see Tian Tao make a fool of himself?"

Wang Cong had his thoughts exposed and gave a sheepish smile.

Feng Mu looked seriously at Wang Cong and said: "Since you hope so much that Tian Tao gets replaced, why not go up yourself? The Last Place Elimination System is beneficial to you."

Wang Cong widened his eyes, nervously waving his hands: "I, I can't do it."

Feng Mu encouraged him: "You can do it. Think about it—you're already in the last place. What does that show? It shows your potential for advancement is greater than anyone else's, and I will help you."

Wang Cong swallowed saliva, his heart deeply conflicted. The more Feng Mu encouraged him, the more guilty his heart felt, and the more he struggled.

Several times, when facing Feng Mu's sincere and concerned gaze, Wang Cong wanted to tell Feng Mu the whole truth, but each time the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down into his throat again.

Just as Feng Mu said, he was also unwilling to remain at the very bottom of the mud pit forever; he also wanted to climb up. Yes, who would want to stay at the bottom of a mud pit for a lifetime?

Wang Cong lowered his head to avoid Feng Mu's sincere gaze and murmured in a low voice: "Feng Mu, don't say anymore. I know my own limits. I can't do it. I just hope that if we could change captains, maybe my days would be a bit better."

Feng Mu had to extinguish Wang Cong's unrealistic fantasy. He said: "How do you know the new captain who replaces him will be better than Tian Tao? The possibility of things becoming even worse and more severe is greater, isn't it?"

Wang Cong's face turned pale instantly. He understood that what Feng Mu said made sense. After all, someone who could replace Tian Tao was most likely more ruthless and vicious than the former; otherwise, how could they step on Tian Tao to rise to power?

Feng Mu patted Wang Cong's shoulder and said earnestly: "Never place your hopes on others. A person living must rely on themselves."

Wang Cong gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Feng Mu lowered his voice and tempted him: "Think about it—how did they treat you in the past? And if you could become captain and climb over their heads, just imagine that scene. Wouldn't you feel strength surging through your whole body?"

Wang Cong still said nothing, only gritted his teeth even tighter, with flames rolling in his eyes.

Feng Mu's mastery of "heat control" became increasingly proficient. The evidence was that prompt boxes kept popping up on his retina.

【Life is a cooking feast; everyone is a unique ingredient. What flavor you hope these ingredients will emit when served on the table depends on how exquisite your culinary art is.】

【Your cooking technique has been tempered. Culinary Art +2】

【Your mastery of heat control has improved. Culinary Art +3】

【Culinary Art +1】

【…..】

As a true friend, Feng Mu would never force Wang Cong. He was willing to leave his friend sufficient retreat and choice. He simply shared his past true life insights gently and calmly:

"I am not forcing you. I am just telling you that life is actually composed of a few key choices. And now, this fair and upward mechanism given by the Prison Warden is very likely the only chance in your entire life to change your fate. You should grasp it even at the cost of your life."

Wang Cong's gritted teeth loosened slightly. He said anxiously: "Grasping it at the cost of life means possibly dying, right?"

Feng Mu shrugged his shoulders and retorted indifferently: "What does it matter? For people like us without background, isn't life the only and cheapest chip we have left?"

Wang Cong widened his eyes, staring fixedly at Feng Mu, his heart pounding wildly.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that this newly arrived prison guard was not merely the gentle, kind, helpful, and dutiful image on the surface.

Beneath Feng Mu's calm exterior, there seemed to be hidden something he could not match but deeply longed for.

That thing was called—the Fearless and Madman; also called—the Timid yet Ruthless Beast!

…….

(End of Chapter)