Chapter 530: Prison Treatment (8/10, Autumn Subscription)

Jing Yan was dumbfounded.

They can even do this?!

Like a nest of snakes and rats, no?

When a mature-sister type woman, who looked like she hadn't woken up, yawning all over her face, and carrying a freshly brewed coffee, came to visit him in his cell, Jing Yan had absolutely no idea how to react.

He was timid, afraid of being done in by someone……

"So you're the one who reported Tengli Group for releasing the Death Game?"

"I, I'm mentally ill, it's all my delusion, Tengli Group hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Stop pretending, the surveillance footage from over there has been sent over. Oh…… your IP address also pulled up an image of a game death case."

"……"

Jing Yan opened his mouth wide, his heart sank, and he felt a deep sense of helplessness.

Facing the massive 【Network Association】, an official organization like that, his individual strength was truly too insignificant, too trivial.

"Am…… am I going to be killed?" Jing Yan asked, his eyes red, gripping the iron bars of his cell, his voice hoarse.

"Killed? You're a legal citizen, why would we kill you?"

"I won't be silenced??"

The hope of survival instantly lifted Jing Yan from hell back to heaven.

As long as he could stay alive, he swore, there absolutely wouldn't be a next time, absolutely no more curiosity.

"That depends on whether you cooperate. In any case, we'll lock you up for a month or two to observe first."

"Huh? I promise I won't tell anyone anything, sis, let me out?"

"Oh? Then call me Yingjie and let me hear it." Yingjie elegantly took a sip of coffee.

"Yingjie! Yingjie, Yingjie! Let me out."

"Not sweet enough, no feeling, no release."

Just as they were talking, someone outside shouted: "Yingjie, time to work. That workaholic Qiu Dugu patrolled all night again, President Qian is blaming us for being too slack!"

As the words fell, Jing Yan saw Yingjie's face darken. She angrily gulped her coffee into her mouth and was about to walk outside.

Only then did Jing Yan notice that Yingjie…… had no tongue.

Her coffee flowed directly down her throat and into her stomach.

"Wait, wait!! Yingjie, I'll be obedient, I'll be obedient, I'll do whatever you say, let me out!"

Tap tap.

Only then did Yingjie stop, turning her head to look at Jing Yan.

"Rushing to work, almost forgot to tell you. Here, everything from food, clothing, housing, and transportation is arranged for you by someone, no different from being in prison. The only thing you're allowed to do is one thing, and that is to go online and play the game. But you are absolutely not allowed to mention these things to anyone else, otherwise you also don't want to…… go 'boom,' right?"

Jing Yan's face instantly went deathly pale, his body trembling.

He naturally knew what Yingjie meant by going "boom."

But, but……

"But if I die in the game……"

"Right, so cherish this little life of yours well, and become strong enough."

Yingjie began walking outside again, leaving behind a meaningful remark.

"This world has already become so dangerous that it can't take care of everyone's safety. So, look out for yourself, clever young man."

Look out for himself……

Jing Yan was a bit dazed.

He looked at the Game Watch in his hand.

On his body, apart from this Game Watch, everything else had been taken away, his phone naturally being no exception.

But regarding whether to go online and play the game, Jing Yan felt a deep, genuine fear from the bottom of his heart.

Just looking at the Game Watch, his mind would recall the image of Huangmao exploding during their video call, replaying endlessly in his brain like a death loop.

Jing Yan observed the prison cell: a bed, a wardrobe, a toilet with a showerhead attached above it.

Opening the wardrobe, it was filled with identical prisoner uniforms, all standard sizes, some even stained with blood, looking not very clean.

Emptying his mind, Jing Yan sat on the bed, motionless, feeling as if he were dreaming.

Clearly, just one day ago, he still owned one of the most famous studios in the "Blue Sea" game, with a wonderful life and a promising future.

Yet just one day later, he was locked in a cell with nothing to do, the only thing permitted being to play that Death Game.

Jing Yan felt that the fact he hadn't broken down yet was simply a miracle.

"I must hold on! I must hold on! Someone will definitely come looking for me, whether it's the studio or my family, someone will definitely come find me!"

"If they discover……"

The hope Jing Yan had just been clinging to instantly plummeted to rock bottom.

Because the ones holding him were an official organization, people from the 【Network Association】. Although Jing Yan didn't know them, they should be people from the 【Network Association】, right!

And if an official organization did something like this, then what would happen to those who investigated for his sake, he didn't dare to think deeply about it.

At this moment, he instead prayed that his family and friends absolutely would not come looking for him, would not follow his trail and arrive here.

Amidst these complex emotions, a day and a night quickly passed.

During this time, apart from a person dressed like a cleaner who placed a bowl of rice in front of him, no one else came at all.

Jing Yan firmly refused to eat. He figured that since the other party was from an official organization, they should at least have some humanity, right? Keeping him alive meant they wouldn't let him starve to death, right?

Using this as a condition, perhaps there could be a turning point through negotiation.

But soon, on the second evening, the cleaning auntie came again. Seeing yesterday's rice still on the ground, she turned around and left without hesitation, not even replacing it with a fresh bowl.

Jing Yan was stunned for a moment, forced himself to endure, and found it remained the same.

At this, he hurriedly shouted, "I'll eat! I'll eat! Don't leave! I'm starving to death!"

Only then did the cleaning auntie show a sliver of mercy. With a look of disdain, as if watching some pitiful wretch — not much killing power, but deeply insulting — she set the new bowl of rice down on the floor.

"Eat."

With that, she turned to leave.

Jing Yan grew anxious: "Wait! I know you people aren't going to let me out, but at least improve my meals, will you? Sure, I often call myself a rice-devouring man, but if you actually make me devour plain rice, I... I, I'm a little..."

The cleaning auntie understood what Jing Yan meant, fumbled around on herself for a moment, pulled out a card, and tossed it over.

Jing Yan picked it up doubtfully and took a look.

"Postnatal Third-rate Realm: one bowl of rice (medium) + one bowl of vegetables."

"Postnatal Second-rate Realm: one bowl of rice (large) + one bowl of vegetables + one bowl of soup (random)."

"Postnatal First-rate Realm: one bowl of rice (large) + one meat dish + one bowl of vegetables + one bowl of soup."

"Innate Third-rate Realm: may meet the leadership."

"Note 1: Anyone who reaches the Postnatal Realm gets one extra chance per day to refill rice."

"Note 2: Rice-devouring man, rice-devouring soul, rice-devourers are all top among men — keep it up!"

"Note 3: Upon reaching the Postnatal Realm, you may receive a custom phone to view missions customized by 【United Front】. Completing missions grants extra rewards, such as one day out of prison, requesting an outside phone call, or traveling to a scenic spot to relax..."

Jing Yan:...

Good lord!

I'm straight-up good-TM good lord!

(End of chapter)