After announcing a series of strict management measures during the fighting tournament, warden Picard began to read out the list of prisoners selected to set up the tournament venue. The selected prisoners were those with relatively short sentences and well-behaved ones who would construct a large circular stand between the laundry room and the management building on the east side of the prison yard.
In the center of the stand, capable of seating three thousand people, lay an open-air fighting arena. This arena consisted of eight small fighting arenas close to the stands and a large one in the middle. The entire venue was simple in design but with a strong visual impact. Especially during the group matches, sixteen contestants fought like beasts amidst the nobles’ whistles and laughter, with only one person ultimately standing in the center, earning the right to advance.
In the modern age of highly developed human civilization, this ancient and traditional combat appealed to the darkest parts of many people’s hearts. In the name of tradition, they tore off their gentlemanly masks and joined in a primitive and savage revelry. At this time, women were not allowed to watch; this was a man’s paradise, a heaven of blood and excitement.
Fatty, as an untried spy, naturally had no chance at this favorable task. In the cell, only Big Plane and Rex qualified to bask in the warm sunshine while working this not-too-hard job. In addition, prisoners participating in the construction work could get an extra meal, hoping they would fully unleash their initiative in this political task.
From this moment on, it also signaled that the power struggle surrounding the fighting tournament had entered a white-hot phase.
After announcing the list, Picard waved his hand, the automatic doors of the cell opened, and the day’s work officially began. The group led by Gino was the first to step out of the cell, looking arrogant. The fighting tournament had truly been put on the agenda, and Gino’s faction, confident of winning the championship, had long been impatient. After this competition, they would completely rule the prison, and other rival forces would be defeated one by one during and after the tournament. Their number-one assassin, Ghost, could openly and grandly use combat to eliminate any opponent of rival forces, or show mercy to those who had defected to them.
During the tournament, the prison’s practice was not to meddle in the power struggles unless someone crossed the prison’s bottom line; the prison authorities would turn a blind eye. They would watch from afar, provoking and maintaining conflicts like a director. The disputes among prisoners were originally part of the grand tournament. A match without tempers and bloodshed could not satisfy the nobles’ bloodlust. Only the sharper the confrontation, the more brutal and crazy the bloodshed scenes would become.
As the crowd went downstairs, Rex, Big Plane, and Fatty separated. They had to gather in the ground-floor hall to receive the guards’ assignments. Fatty walked while stealthily watching other prisoners arriving at the hall until he confirmed that at least three warriors from the Freedom Front lurking in the prison were also among those selected, then sped up his steps towards the machine shop.
During work, Tian Xingjian took a chance to slip into the management room. Over a month of prison life, Fatty had already become friends with Davis, the guard supervisor in charge of the workshop. His identity in the Mythical Army and his expertise in Mecha made Davis turn a blind eye to Fatty sneaking into the management room for a smoke. Since the guard said nothing, Beilu was content to relax, as long as Fatty completed the assigned tasks each day without anyone bothering. With Fatty’s quick hands, it was impossible not to complete the prison’s assigned tasks, even if he smoked in the management room for two hours, he could still finish his work on time.
Seeing Fatty enter the door, Elliot quickly pulled out a cigarette for Fatty to light and looked vigilantly at the movement outside the window while hurriedly reporting the news transmitted from outside.
"The base has fully gathered the Freedom Fighters and is now preparing for our final action. The personnel infiltrating various departments have been contacted, and they will closely cooperate with us when needed to ensure the operation is foolproof." Elliot took out a lighter to light Fatty’s cigarette and continued, "However, we have discovered another anti-government force in action. We have never seen this force before; they seemed to appear out of nowhere. According to observations, these people are well-trained Professional Soldiers from various nationalities. The guide asked me to ask you if it’s necessary to contact them?"
"Oh?" Fatty exhaled two streams of smoke through his nostrils, blinked, and said, "You’ve never seen these people, all professional soldiers?"
Elliot glanced outside the window and nodded, "Yes, the three guides tried to gather information on these people but alerted the other party and had to break contact. We are certain that the other party has never appeared in Mezrich! They are hidden very secretly, but they still used the network in the slum area, otherwise, we wouldn’t have discovered them."
"Don’t make extra trouble, have people closely monitor their activities, and avoid stirring up unnecessary trouble." Fatty held a cigarette between his fingers, striking a pose like a great man, while calculating in his mind: "Damn, why bother with so many side issues. My goal is to escape from this damn place. Guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines is none of my business."
"I understand, Messenger. Additionally, the base needs us to provide specific action timing; the transport ship you requested is ready and undergoing coating. At most, it will be ready in a week."
Fatty crawled under Elliot’s desk, prying open a floorboard while assembling parts smuggled by the guards, saying, "Don’t rush the attack on Tanville. Earlier, you said there were some other people, now you need to find out their objectives. No matter where this group of guys came from, if they can help us draw the army’s attention, all the better." He tucked a wire inside the game controller and peeked out half his head, saying, "I’m now considering whether we could wait a little longer. The prison is holding a fighting tournament, and I heard the Gazalin Emperor will be coming. At that time, our operation will be easier. Perhaps..." Fatty bared his teeth and chuckled, "We could pull off a big one and throw this country into chaos, who would then care about a bunch of prisoners?" Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by ɴo(v)elFɪre.ɴet
Elliot was shocked, lowering his voice, "Are you saying..."
Fatty grinned insidiously for a while, then sighed, "Damn, just dreaming. However, the fighting tournament will be the easiest time for our transport ship to pass through the air defense control zone. I have a way for the cell block, but I’m a bit worried about those four observation towers. We need outside help to suppress the communication and control systems of these towers."
"But, the Mythical Army over there..." Elliot was deeply wary of this highest military force of the Gazalin Empire. If the Mythical Army couldn’t be diverted, the Freedom Front’s attempt to attack Abnosk Prison would be practically walking into a trap. Forget about those Professional Soldiers on long-term battlefield engagements, even an ordinary Armored Division would be enough to give the not-so-numerous Mecha of the Freedom Front a hard time. According to Fatty’s plan, a week before the escape began, the Freedom Front would attack several planets around the Little Pyrenees through allied organizations outside to divert the Mythical Army. While executing the escape operation, the Freedom Front’s main force would launch large-scale, multi-point assaults on Tanville and several surrounding cities to make Abnosk Prison fall outside the Gazalin Guard Force’s key focus.
However, now Fatty plans to launch the escape plan during the fighting tournament, which is too risky. Perhaps, the start of the fighting tournament would make it convenient to fish in troubled waters in the Abnosk area. But due to the arrival of the Gazalin Royal Family and the nobility, the guards here would certainly increase exponentially, not just the prison’s own guards, but also the Royal Guard’s presence!
Fatty assembled the parts in his hands quickly and said, "The Mythical Army should still follow the original plan for deployment, but our forces are limited, and the harassment and assault targets are too many and too scattered. To carry out the plan here in Mezrich, the Freedom Front has almost consolidated all its forces. Whether the joint organization outside can divert the Mythical Army remains unknown. Besides, if we flee during ordinary times, they can concentrate their forces to catch us. Who knows how far a transport ship can escape. I thought about it, if we launch during the fighting tournament, once the Freedom Front attacks, the primary defense target of all the security forces will certainly be the Gazalin Royal Family members and nobles."
By the time one cigarette burned out, Fatty asked Elliot for another one, lit it, took a couple of puffs, and said, "Tell those warriors building the stands to be vigilant, don’t do the work too earnestly. At a critical moment, the collapse of the stand could ensure chaos. I’ll take some time to make something for you, let them find a chance to place it on the stand."
Elliot was speechless, "A bomb?"
Fatty curled his lips and said, "There’s no technical content in that thing. Besides, you can’t even find an energy block here; what do you expect me to use to make a bomb? Mine is a high-tech product!"
Elliot asked in surprise, "What is it?"
Fatty proudly replied, "A mortise used to fix the assembled stands!"
Elliot almost fainted; since when was this considered a high-tech product.
"It’s an exclusive formula. You can make it with leftover scraps from the workshop. I’ve checked; there’s plenty of RH20 metal in the workshop. Just add a little something. When the time comes, I’ll point out the stress points on the stand; replace them with these mortises, and once it reaches the resonance point, it’ll snap instantly! Screw them over!"
Sunday, spent time with the kids. Rushed to release a Chapter.
(To be continued, for more Chapters, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM, support the author, support legal reading!)