Chapter 437: Entering the Cell

The chief called over a duty junior police officer: "This is Lu Jingzhang of the Capital City Railway Bureau Traffic Police Team."

The junior officer glanced at Lu Cheng, nodded hurriedly, assuming he was here for an inspection from above.

"Arrange a good room for Lu Jingzhang, as clean as possible."

The officer hurriedly nodded: "Alright, alright, Lu Jingzhang, I'll accompany you to the Guesthouse."

Lu Cheng smiled: "No need to go to the Guesthouse; what the chief means is to find me a room here in Haozi Li."

"Huh?" the officer stared, thinking he misheard, but after looking at the chief, realized that was indeed the meaning.

He was momentarily confused—what kind of trick was this?

At that moment the chief spoke: "You don't need to know too much; just follow orders, remember to take good care of Lu Jingzhang, don't let anyone bully him, and provide a fresh set of laundered bedding."

The officer was just a lowly guard, and the chief saw no need to explain further; he could only obey.

Finally Lu Cheng shook hands with the chief, exchanged a few pleasantries, and the junior officer brought over the bedding and a long string of iron‑ring‑shaped cell keys.

"Lu Jingzhang, please, go ahead…"

The junior officer wasn't sure whether to use the word "please"; after all, if you were the one who committed a crime and came to prison, the key point is that the chief himself is arranging it.

It left him not knowing how to treat this Lu Jingzhang.

Lu Cheng saw his conflicted emotion and simply said: "I just have some matters I haven't fully reported to the organization, so I'm temporarily detained here; just treat me normally."

The junior officer immediately understood; so that's why the chief said I should receive special treatment.

Since the issues haven't been fully explained yet, it suggests the possibility of innocence; before the final outcome is known, it's best not to offend him.

"Then, Lu Jingzhang, you can stay in this room; this one has a bed."

Lu Cheng looked around; Haozi Li was quite noisy, every room filled with inmates.

Probably because new arrivals are frequent, no one paid any mind to Lu Cheng's arrival; those playing cards played cards, those sleeping slept.

The room the junior officer mentioned, though also shabby, was better than others—some only had mats on the floor—but this one at least had four two‑tier iron bunk beds.

"Alright, I'll stay in this room, thank you."

"No need to thank you, Lu Jingzhang; it's what I should do."

Hearing the junior officer, Lu Cheng felt it was a bit improper; everyone was being overly courteous to him.

This didn't feel like a prisoner being confined; it seemed more like a leader voluntarily experiencing life.

If Qin Shou were to be born here, wouldn't his flaws be easily exposed?

Before entering the room, Lu Cheng whispered: "Comrade, you don't have to heed your chief; just treat me with a normal mindset—treat me the same way you treat other inmates."

The junior officer hesitated: "Uh, that's not… right, is it?"

Lu Cheng, to ease him, said: "It's fine; now the two of us can run a little drill."

Seeing Lu Cheng wasn't joking, the junior officer tentatively asked: "A drill, then?"

"Yes, a drill…"

But before he finished, a sudden kick to his butt sent him into the cell.

Watching Lu Cheng stagger, the junior officer couldn't help laughing: "Is this okay?"

Lu Cheng wanted to curse, realizing this is how prisoners are usually treated, but since he volunteered, it's hard to blame them.

"Fine, fine, it's good."

Lu Cheng clutched his sore butt—just the right amount of force, bewildered but unharmed.

Then the junior officer slammed the door shut, locked it, and shouted to all rooms: "All of you be honest, don't cause trouble, or I'll lock you in the Small Black Room."

After shouting, the junior officer strode away.

Lu Cheng turned back and saw several inmates in the same cell giving him an unfriendly stare.

Among seven men, four were sitting on the beds playing cards; near the wall, a leg stretched out, sat a scarred man—Daoban Lian—with a fierce expression.

Though it was already October weather, the guy was still shirtless.

In his previous life, Lu Cheng had worked at a Police Substation for decades, and was thoroughly familiar with life in this cell.

How to put it, this is also a Little Jianghu, and because everyone here has committed crimes, this Little Jianghu is even more complex than the outside world.

In the Jianghu, there's always fighting and a leader is needed.

Thus each room spawns a boss; usually it's claimed by force—anyone who opposes is beaten until they submit.

Clearly, Daoban Lian is the boss of this cell, big and burly, obviously strong.

While playing cards, one man massaged his shoulders, another his legs, and a third stood by with a cup, ready to hand it over whenever Daoban Lian got thirsty.

He didn't know what crimes they'd committed, but Lu Cheng ignored it, surveyed the room, and headed straight for a lower bunk by the window.

Of the four two‑tier iron bunk beds housing seven men, this particular bunk was empty.

The wooden planks were stacked with some daily items—cups, towels, washbasins, and the like.

Lu Cheng carried the bedding over, placed it at one end, and prepared to move others' belongings onto the floor to spread his bedding.

But as soon as his hand touched the washbasin, a sharp‑voiced man from the opposite bunk shouted: "Put it there! Who told you to move the basin!"

Lu Cheng straightened his back and looked at the man: "I need to sleep here."

The man instantly became displeased: "You sleep? Then where does my basin sleep?"

Lu Cheng gestured to the floor: "This is a bed, meant for sleeping; the basin should be on the floor."

"Put it on the floor to sleep? Hey, you damn liar, this basin has been with me for months, closer than my own mother; could I bear to let my own mother sleep on the floor?"

Lu Cheng almost laughed at his words, thinking he sounded like a real person; everyone here is in prison, obviously they've committed crimes—if they truly had such filial piety, they wouldn't have ended up here.

Lu Cheng knew clearly that in this place one must never be cowardly, or else they'd only get bullied.

So Lu Cheng ignored the man's protest and tossed the basin and everything onto the floor.

This infuriated the man; since Lu Cheng was new and backed by Daoban Lian, he immediately rolled up his sleeve, intending to teach this young guy a lesson.

Just as he was about to get up and act, Daoban Lian stopped him: "What's the rush? We're all in Haozi Li; there's plenty of time to deal with him slowly. First, ask what crime he committed."

Daoban Lian's meaning is simple: almost everyone who comes in cannot escape the fate of being beaten up; it's just boredom, looking for some fun.

But how severe the beating is depends on what this person did.

Generally, those who come in after fighting and hurting people get a lighter beating; men, after all, it's normal to get into a fight.

But if you're in here for molesting women, you'll get a harsher beating; if you're in for harming or trafficking children, you can forget about having any good days—you'll be waiting for a beating every day.

The sharp-tongued man had no choice but to follow the Boss's orders, standing there and asking Lu Cheng.

"Little brat, what did you do to get in here?"

Lu Cheng, while spreading the bedding, casually replied: "Nothing."

"No crime? You're bullshitting a foreign devil! If you didn't do anything, how could you possibly be here? I advise you to come clean quickly, or else my fists aren't for show."

Lu Cheng had no choice but to straighten up again, looking at the person opposite, and said in a neutral tone: "Huh? Really nothing… I just… killed a few people!"