Espionage: You're tasked with spying, but you'll blow up the Special Higher Police?

185. Shall we wash together?

After a private conversation with the warden, Zhou Hongyi was happily sent off to make arrangements, while Zhou was taken back to his cell. For the time being, nothing else happened.

However, Zhou Hongyi soon noticed some subtle changes. The prison guards spoke to him in a much softer tone and with a more gentle attitude. The supervisor who had whipped him with a bamboo stick earlier that day was inexplicably beaten up, apparently because his cousin and the warden had put in a good word for him. Indeed, no matter who you are, money can truly change your circumstances.

That evening, when Zhou Hongyi went to the canteen to get dinner, he was told by a prison guard not to go in yet and to wait a while. Then, to the bewilderment of all the prisoners, Zhou Hongyi, dressed in prison uniform, walked into the canteen where the prison guards worked and began to enjoy three dishes, a soup, and a plate of white rice.

Of the three dishes and one soup, one is a meat dish, plus a plump chicken leg.

After finishing his meal, Zhou Hongyi picked his teeth with a fish bone, still holding an apple in his hand, and swaggered out, drawing envious glances from the other prisoners.

The monkey approached, puzzled, and whispered, "Boss Zhou, how...how can you eat in the prison guards' canteen? This...this isn't in accordance with the rules."

Zhou Hongyi chuckled twice, tossed the apple in his hand to the monkey, and said, "Go back. Rules are made by people. And the money in my hand can make those who make the rules ignore them. You can have this apple; I really can't eat anymore."

"Give...give it to me? Thank you, Boss Zhou, thank you, Boss!"

"Damn it, brat, don't get too cocky." Not far away, Zhu Qingfeng looked at the smug Zhou Hongyi, his eyes practically spitting fire. On the other side, Diao Zhen's expression was also not good, for reasons unknown.

Not long after finishing his meal, Zhou Hongyi was given a rare opportunity to shower in prison. The prisoners lined up, carrying their basins, their faces beaming with long-lost smiles. After all, it was a hot shower, a luxury for people at the bottom of society like them.

Zhou Hongyi whistled as he carried a basin containing a towel and a small bar of soap specially given to him by the warden, heading towards the bathroom.

Just as he reached the door, he noticed two burly men had appeared in front of him. The monkey's expression changed upon seeing this, and he quickly turned around, only to see two more burly men behind him.

"Young Master Zhou, our Master Diao invites you to have a chat."

Zhou Hongyi squinted and said with a forced smile, "Master Diao? He dares to call himself 'Master'? He really has no shame. If he wants to see me, let him come to me himself. I'm busy, get out of the way, I need to take a shower."

As Zhou Hongyi was about to rush in, the two burly men in front of him blocked his way like iron towers.

But who is Zhou Hongyi? He has always maintained a tough image in public, so how could he easily back down? He twirled the towel in his hand in the air, twisted it into a rope, and with a "smack," struck a burly man to the side in the groin, causing the latter to turn purple with pain.

"What? You actually dared to lay a hand on me?"

Seeing this, the other three burly men were about to attack. Zhou Hongyi, however, wrapped the bar of soap given to him by the warden in a towel, twisted and tightened the towel, and swung it like a weapon, smashing it against one of the burly men's heads.

While soap can't compare to a real weapon, this solid soap is as hard as a brick. Wrapped in a towel, its lethality is somewhat reduced, but it can still cause internal injuries and leave bruises.

Zhou Hongyi swung the towel and swung it wildly at the three men, making them run away in terror, howling in pain.

"Stop, stop fighting!"

A dignified voice came from inside. Zhou Hongyi then put away the towel wrapped with soap and looked inside. He saw a burly, bald man covered in scars appear in the shower room.

"Young Master Zhou, would you mind taking a shower together?"

Zhou Hongyi shivered and cursed, "Who the hell wants to shower with you? This young master doesn't like men."

The bald man was none other than the jailer, Diao Zhen. His lips twitched, and he realized that what he had just said might have been inappropriate, so he changed his words: "Then let's sit down and talk."

Zhou Hongyi shrugged, tossed the towel and soap to the monkey next to him, and said, "Let's talk, what should we talk about? But I'm not used to talking naked."

As Zhou Hongyi spoke, he picked up a rather large bath towel, wrapped it around himself, and sat down. He was the only one with such a large towel; the other prisoners only had small towels, making their situation rather awkward in comparison.

Diao Zhen was a bachelor, and since everyone was a man, there was nothing to be embarrassed about. He sat there, pointing to his arm, and said, "This scar is from when I was eighteen and fighting bandits with the regimental commander. The bullet was stuck in my muscle and bone, but I didn't utter a sound. I cut open the wound with a knife and pulled the cartridge out."

After saying that, he pointed to a scar on his chest and said, "This is where I got stabbed when I was fighting the Japanese devils with bayonets. I was fighting two against one, I killed one, but I was also stabbed myself. In the end, I fought back and killed the other one. It was because of this scar that I became a squad leader."

After saying that, he pointed to the side of his head: "This scar is the most dangerous. It was cleaved down from above by a Japanese soldier. His brain was exposed. But I still endured the excruciating pain and smashed that guy's head to pieces with a rock. However, that slash almost killed me. I was unconscious for three days and three nights before I pulled through."

At this point, Zhou Hongyi couldn't help but interject, "Town Chief Diao, right? You stopped me here just to tell me about the origins of your scars? Sorry, I'm not interested in your story."

Seeing that Zhou Hongyi was about to leave, Diao Zhen slowly said another sentence, which surprised the latter.

"What if I told you I knew you came in to rescue a Red Party underground member?"

"Ok?"

Zhou Hongyi's relaxed smile vanished abruptly, replaced by a chilling killing intent. He stared coldly at Diao Zhen, a prison warden who had faced countless life-and-death situations, and at that moment, he felt fear. He had no doubt that in the next second, this man, nearly a head shorter than him, would use any means necessary to attack and kill him. Yes, Diao Zhen had no doubt that Zhou Hongyi possessed this ability, and could do it with remarkable ease.

The bald, burly man's facial muscles twitched twice. Before the other party could launch an attack, he hurriedly added, "I told you the story behind my scars because I want to say that I'm also a patriot. I fought many battles against the Japanese before. Although my unit was defeated and even lost its designation, my heart has never changed. Seeing you publicly provoke Zhu Qingfeng today, I respect you as a true man."

Actually, after learning that you were the boss behind the Razor Claw Society, I decided to befriend you. I'd heard a little about what the Razor Claw Society did inside the Great Firewall, and all I can say is, well done! Those bastards in the Viper Gang are all lackeys and traitors; they deserved to die! As for why you were imprisoned, Young Master Zhou, I also know a thing or two. If I'm not mistaken, you've completely broken ties with the Japanese, or rather, the Special Higher Police, and seen through their true nature, haven't you?"