Chapter 203: Feng Mu's Reliance, I Will Transform Them

Wang Cong sensed a deeply concealed, dangerous aura emanating from Feng Mu; it was like a wisp of gloomy mist, winding threads of unease around his heart.

However, strangely, enveloped by this fear, he did not choose to retreat completely; instead, he mustered courage unprecedentedly, attempting to continue speaking.

Within that elusive dangerous aura, Wang Cong felt an attraction akin to opium — both deadly and full of temptation — pulling him in an indescribable way, making him afraid yet unable to resist wanting to draw a little closer.

It was as if, if he could just get a little closer, he would truly be able to draw from Feng Mu a bit of what he yearned for…

Wang Cong first twisted his neck lightly, glanced around in a circle to ensure no one was eavesdropping, then tilted his head up slightly, his gaze passing through the corridor to the distant surveillance cameras, confirming that at this distance it was impossible to monitor their conversation.

Only then did he lower his voice fiercely, asking with a trace of trembling: "If — I mean if — I wanted to get ahead a little, what do you think I should do?"

Feng Mu replied with a still-calm expression: "First you have to figure out what exactly everyone is evaluated on in the Last Place Elimination System rules."

Wang Cong contemplated for a moment, then answered: "I think it tests how much profit we can bring to the Prison; in other words, it's about who can squeeze more oil and water from the prisoners they manage."

Feng Mu said noncommittally: "Mm, speak specifically."

Wang Cong answered: "Take our No. 1 Light Prison A District for example; District Chief Chang Wei has three Floor Team Captains under him."

"Take Captain Tian Tao as an example; he is responsible for a total of 14 Prison Guards on our floor. All the money these 14 Prison Guards collect from prisoners each week must be summarized to him by Monday, then handed up uniformly by him."

"Captain Tian Tao's performance is the sum total of the performance of us 14 Prison Guards."

"He needs to use this performance to compare horizontally with the other two captains, even all captains across districts, for ranking. If he ranks last for two consecutive weeks, he will be demoted."

"The vacated position will be filled by selecting one captain from among those ranking high to serve concurrently, meaning a situation may arise in the future where one captain manages multiple floors across districts."

"Or, if the leading captains are unwilling to concurrently manage other districts' floors, the Prison Warden will promote one outstanding Prison Guard from below to fill the vacancy."

As Wang Cong explained, his tone gradually became somewhat frustrated:

"So, if I want to replace Captain Tian Tao's position, I must first ensure Captain Tian Tao ranks last among captains, and second ensure that I can squeeze enough money from the 41 prisoners in the 5 Cells I manage to stand out from the crowd of Prison Guards."

"However, if I perform too outstandingly, wouldn't that instead help Captain Tian Tao boost his performance? This is too hard."

The more Wang Cong thought, the more discouraged he became; the more he thought, the weaker the flame in his eyes grew.

Feng Mu was exactly the opposite; the more he listened, the brighter his eyes shone.

One must know that the Prison interior had not yet officially issued specific documents and detailed rules regarding the 【Last Place Elimination System】, although this news was already spreading wildly throughout the Prison.

However, Wang Cong, as a marginal figure long subjected to exclusion and bullying, was able to gather such detailed information in such a short time and narrate it clearly and logically; one fears these thoughts had already turned over a thousand times in his Nei Xin.

"Heh—, looks like Wang Cong, you aren't as obedient and law-abiding as you always verbally pretend to be." Feng Mu's eyes narrowed slightly into a slit; in his Nao Hai he felt deeply gratified.

A person's words can perhaps deceive others, sometimes even themselves, but a person's behavior cannot deceive anyone.

Feng Mu looked at Wang Cong very seriously, as if through those eyes he had already peered into the most hidden corner of Wang Cong's heart bottom.

He exclaimed in admiration: "Look, haven't you already sketched out a blueprint for advancement yourself? According to you, moving up actually only requires taking two steps."

Feng Mu paused slightly, then slowly raised one finger: "Step one, make the other Prison Guards on this floor unable to collect too much money; this will collectively drag down Captain Tian Tao's performance."

Immediately after, he raised a second finger: "Step two, you collect money far higher than the other Prison Guards, letting your share occupy a standout proportion in Captain Tian Tao's performance composition."

Listening to Feng Mu's summary and synthesis, that light yet powerful tone once again gave him a shot of strong heart stimulant.

He asked hesitantly, his voice carrying a trace of uncertainty: "But how exactly to do it? How can I ensure the other Prison Guards can't collect too much money?"

Feng Mu grinned: "The best method is to make it so they have no way to come collect money."

Wang Cong froze on the spot, his heart gave a shiver, yet his brain involuntarily followed Feng Mu's lead, beginning to uncontrollably sketch out various schemes to make his Prison Guard colleagues unable to come collect money.

A dangerous thought flashed through his Nao Hai — if they didn't exist, naturally no one would come collect money, right?!!

This thought made his heartbeat accelerate, his complexion changing unpredictably between dark and light.

Feng Mu watched Wang Cong's constantly shifting complexion and said with a half-smile: "Pity, unless you can make them all fall seriously ill collectively, it's almost impossible to do."

Wang Cong snapped awake; his heart tightened fiercely, horrified to discover his thought just now was so crazy: "I must have lost my mind just now, what was I thinking?"

He glanced guiltily at Feng Mu, palms slightly sweating, subconsciously wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

At this moment, Feng Mu's voice rang out again, carrying a deep implication:

"Therefore, we can only think of ways to persuade; make the prisoners on this floor all unwilling to cooperate with them, so that in the coming days, even the next week, they collectively pay less or simply don't pay money."

Wang Cong nodded compliantly, then asked suspiciously: "How is that possible? Besides the Cells we manage ourselves, how can we interfere with the prisoners in other Cells?"

Feng Mu smiled: "Daytime is certainly impossible, but don't forget, come night, the entire floor has only the two of us on Night Shift; at that time, theoretically, the entire floor all falls under the two of us to manage, doesn't it?"

Feng Mu retracted his two fingers and said meaningfully: "When it comes down to it, we both ought to thank Captain Tian Tao for the opportunity he gave us."

Wang Cong's mouth gaped open, his eyes flickering nonstop, finally asking: "Then how do we persuade these prisoners to cooperate with us two instead of cooperating with the other Prison Guards?"

Feng Mu's hand slowly reached into his bosom and took out a notebook filled with writing; his voice was gentle yet firm, every word seemingly containing undeniable power:

"Based on the fact that I never casually beat them, that I give them respect as human beings, based on my meticulous listening to their appeals, based on my understanding them better than all other Prison Guards, based on my willingness to help improve their current terrible situation!"

Wang Cong's mouth gradually widened, his eyes revealing more and more shock; he stared at that pitch-black, thin notebook in Feng Mu's hand, suddenly feeling a numbing tingling sensation like an electric shock on his scalp.

As Feng Mu spoke, he slowly and firmly handed the notebook into Wang Cong's hands; his smile was warm enough to melt snow mountains:

"Heart exchanges for heart; I believe these prisoners will be transformed by me, they will definitely stand on our side."

Wang Cong took a deep breath, accepted the notebook, yet felt it heavy, as if bearing incomparable weight, pressing down on him until he could barely breathe.

Then he heard Feng Mu utter a sentence softly by his ear: "And I will definitely stand on your side; I will help you, Captain Wang Cong!"

Wang Cong's breathing seemed to stall at this moment; his face, neck, and back of hand simultaneously broke out in dense, moved-to-trembling goosebumps.

(End of Chapter)