Chapter 322: The Art of Lies, Brand-New Friendship

Lies are the art of language.

Ordinary people lie out of necessity, but Feng Mu can build a stage for lies, weave a script, so that when he utters the final lie with resounding force, that lie instantly dons a "crown of justice" that brooks no profanation.

Ma Xuan's lips turned white; he seemed to understand a little why the people around Feng Mu would be beguiled by him.

"His groundwork for the lie is too thorough, just like the buildup before an evil contamination devours a person in a story — it lures people to step closer bit by bit, until they willingly offer up their own lives and souls in sacrifice."

Ma Xuan stared fixedly at Feng Mu, rapidly calculating his options in his heart.

Without changing expression, he glanced at the two gun muzzles aimed at him, calculating the possibility of dodging the bullets.

Ma Xuan rarely fought with others normally, looking quite refined, but in reality he possessed Third Rank Peak Martial Dao strength; dodging handgun bullets was within his operational capacity.

Feng Mu narrowed his eyes, raised a hand to press down Guan Zhong and Jiang Li's arms, and said in a gentle voice:

"Both of you put your guns down, don't make the atmosphere this tense. District Chief Ma Xuan is merely a suspect right now, not yet fully confirmed. Our Internal Investigation Department will never let a single bad person off, but neither will we wrongly frame a single good person."

Ma Xuan watched the gun muzzles move away; displeasure rose in his heart, but instead his heart gave another heavy thud.

Feng Mu's expression was open and aboveboard as he said in a deep voice:

"Our Internal Investigation Department only wants to ascertain the truth as soon as possible, to give an accounting for the dead brothers. We only want to ask you to come over and answer some questions. If you truly have no problem, we will also restore your innocence. Or is it that you have some misgivings?"

Feng Mu's gaze swept past Ma Xuan, scanned the prison guards behind him, let out a cold laugh and continued:

"Are you afraid of being seen by someone, and ending up silenced like Gong Lao afterwards?"

Ma Xuan's face changed drastically; the cold, ruthless face of Zhou Hu suddenly surfaced in his mind, along with that bizarre phone call Chang Wei had made to him before his death.

To this day, Ma Xuan still could not determine who exactly had killed Chang Wei.

The two people he had suspected most before were Qian Huan and Zhou Hu, but right now, looking at the smiling Feng Mu, another, even more terrifying association involuntarily surged in Ma Xuan's heart.

Feng Mu slowly raised a hand and placed it on Ma Xuan's shoulder:

"Don't be afraid. If you truly have no problem, our Internal Investigation Department will certainly guarantee your personal safety."

Ma Xuan's eyes flickered; his shoulder shook, and he backhandedly clamped onto Feng Mu's wrist, his five fingers suddenly exerting force.

However, unexpectedly, the sensation from his fingertips was not the warm softness of flesh and blood, but a bone-chilling coldness, as if he were gripping a piece of iron and stone wrapped in human skin.

Feng Mu's face still wore that inscrutable smile, only a trace of bewitching magatama faintly flickered in his pupils, and in Ma Xuan's shocked gaze he said faintly:

"You gripping my hand this tightly — does it indicate willingness to cooperate unconditionally, or intent to resist to the end?"

Feng Mu's body leaned forward slightly; his cheek came right up to Ma Xuan's ear, his voice so low only the two of them could hear:

"If you choose resistance, that might fulfill certain people's wishes. But if you choose cooperation, then perhaps you will discover that you will gain several brand-new friendships!"

Ma Xuan blanked for a moment; a meaningful, soothing voice continued by his ear:

"If I were you, I would think more for myself, and also think for my wife and children. Today, Second Prison already has many wives and children who have lost their husbands and fathers. I really don't want to see another tragedy staged. What do you think?"

Ma Xuan instantly felt a chill run through his whole body; he grasped the meaning in Feng Mu's words. His eyes darted frantically, and he hurriedly turned his head to scan the surroundings. In that single glance, he saw Zhou Hu standing in the far corner at the back.

The latter had arrived at some unknown time, staring over with a face full of gloomy ferocity. That look was familiar — he had looked at Lou Rui with that same look just now.

The next moment, Ma Xuan's line of sight was covered by a towering shadow.

He looked up in horror, only to see a towering giant-like figure revealed within that shadow, face fierce, expressionlessly overlooking him. Behind that giant's back, a head exuding a sinister aura like a venomous snake slowly emerged.

It was none other than Li Bashan and Gong Qi.

Just after leaving the Warden's Office, Gong Qi immediately went to find Li Bashan without delay.

Before, when Junior Brother hadn't yet come to Second Prison, Gong Qi also often sought out Li Bashan to hang out.

Regrettably, the two of them — one had no ambition, his greatest pleasure just eating and sleeping; the other had ambition but lacked the ability to write good scripts, so he could only watch Second Prison like a serial drama.

Now, everything had changed. Junior Brother's arrival injected new vitality into Second Prison.

Junior Brother had both ambition and the ability to write scripts; Gong Qi was simply delighted beyond measure, and while delighting, he had not forgotten to go find Li Bashan.

Junior Brother formed the Internal Investigation Department — how could the two Senior Brothers be missing from the feast? No, from escorting and safeguarding him?

On the matter of team building, Gong Qi's attitude was incomparably devout; among the martial brothers, no one could be missing.

Thus... the pressure fell on Ma Xuan's side.

At this moment, two pairs of eyes, four eyeballs, all locked onto the hand with which Ma Xuan was gripping Feng Mu, without prior consultation.

Ma Xuan instantly felt his scalp go numb and near splitting; from head to toe, every pore trembled, as if he were being simultaneously targeted by an ancient ferocious beast and a venomous python.

Compared to them, Zhou Hu's pair of eyes merely carrying a human coldness seemed downright docile — like a donkey kicking its hooves?

Ma Xuan let go of Feng Mu's hand like lightning, but unexpectedly was back-gripped by Feng Mu again. Ma Xuan's face turned ashen, nearly crying.

Just now it was because Lou Rui wouldn't let go that that prison guard's head blew a hole, so...

Ma Xuan suddenly realized, throat dry, he urgently said to Feng Mu: "I'll cooperate, I'll absolutely cooperate, new friends."

Feng Mu held Ma Xuan's stiff hand, lightly patted the back of his hand, and said in a gentle voice: "I'm very happy. You made the correct choice."

Zhou Hu watched with an iron-green face as Ma Xuan obediently followed Feng Mu away, angrily humming in his heart: "Gutless waste!"

Yet he did not step out to stop it. On one hand, because Ma Xuan had already been pulled in; he might not be able to pull him in again. From the overall situation, at this critical juncture of survival, the Security Bureau could not do without him presiding over the big picture.

On the other hand, because Zhou Hu was upright and unafraid of a crooked shadow. Today's riot in the dead zone really had not a single cent to do with him, Zhou Hu.

He, Zhou Hu, had never been this clean in his entire life in Second Prison!!!

(End of Chapter)