As Xie walked through the corridors,
The stench of antiseptic mixed with something more metallic—iron, maybe blood. The walls were stark white, freshly painted, humming lights flickered above, and muffled voices echoed from behind closed doors. Someone was sobbing. Somewhere else, someone was laughing—too loud, too long. They arrived at his room. One of the guards unlocked the door.
"Bro got the VIP," the man snorted ", Best we've got."
The door creaked open. Inside was a single cot. A small bathroom tucked in the corner. White tiled walls. A surveillance camera blinking red. No windows. "Welcome home, Mr. Lu," one of the men said mockingly before slamming and locking the door. Xie Lu sat on the edge of the bed, hands still cuffed, staring into nothing.
"Everything hit at once—the betrayal, the humiliation, the sickening unknown" He lowered his forehead to his fists and whispered, "Xiao Si… I'm here. I kept my word. Now stay alive… until I come for you." Moments later, a quiet knock interrupted the silence. The door didn't open fully, just enough for a shadow to appear.
A soft voice—female—spoke urgently while undoing his cuff,"You don't know me. But I was told to check on you. I brought your materials. I've seen what they do here. Be careful… not everyone is what they seem." A pause."Just be tame. Otherwise… you'll bring your nightmare."
Then tossed a paper cup of pills into the room and she was gone. Xie stared at the spot she had vanished from, his mind spinning with a thousand questions. Who was she? Who sent her? Later, another guard came by who was with him in the car
The orderly handed Xie Lu a phone casually. "Mr. Jin is on the line. He wants to speak with you."Xie Lu narrowed his eyes, suspicion brewing under his calm surface. With no other choice—since all his devices had been confiscated upon arrival—he took the phone and pressed it to his ear.
"Hello?" Jin's cheerful voice came through. "How's everything going in there? I made sure you got the best cell room. Comfortable, isn't it?"
His tone, sickeningly sweet, made Xie's blood boil. The casual cruelty in his voice was unbearable. Still, forcing his emotions down, Xie asked through clenched teeth, "Did you let her go?"
"Oh, of course I did," Jin replied smoothly. "You know I keep my promises. Once this call ends, the guard will show you the video of her being released. But don't get any clever ideas—if she tries to help you, she dies."
Those words hit Xie like a slap—but under the sharp sting, a fragile relief began to grow. She's safe... She's out of this mess. That was all he needed for now. "If you ever touch her," Xie said coldly, "I'll make sure you pay the price."
Jin chuckled. "Don't worry. I would never hurt her... at least, not her. If it were anyone else, maybe. But I'm a man of my word."
Xie froze. 'At least, not her.' Something about that phrasing unsettled him. Still, he said only, "When will you let me out?" "Oh, Xie... I'm not letting you go that easily," Jin replied, his voice dropping into something darker—more calculated. "Father thinks you'll recover in a month or two, maybe even take the company back after that. I can't let that happen."
Xie's stomach dropped. "I'll make sure your condition appears to be getting worse. Once Father officially signs over the company to me in the will, then I'll free you. Until then… hang in there, little brother.
"But Jin had no intention of ever letting him out."
The words cut through Xie like shards of glass. Two months—two months in this hellhole was enough to destroy anyone. And the worst part? He had walked right into it. For her. Jin's voice came again. "I'll come visit in two months, but I'll stay in touch. The manager here—she's my right hand. All your communication goes through her, so behave."
Xie said nothing. Silence was the only weapon he had left. Jin scoffed lightly. "Alright, then. If you've got nothing else to say, I'll hang up. Have a pleasant life in there, brother. cya"
The call cut.
Xie stared blankly at the phone before handing it back. One of the guards, following orders, showed him the promised video. In it, he saw Xiao Si—dishevelled but alive—being released. But Jin's threat echoed: She dies if she tries to help. His heart clenched. Tears welled in his eyes but didn't fall. He whispered as if she could hear him, "Wait for me. I'll come back for you… Dear, I promise."
The phone was taken away. The door shut behind the guard with a hollow click, locking Xie back into silence. Alone again—with nothing but shadows, betrayal, and a storm of vengeance building inside.
Later, Xie stood up and flushed the medication down the toilet. He wasn't going to let them drug him.
---
Alone again, the walls closed in. Shadows danced on the floor, and unease crept beneath his skin. Sometime past midnight, he heard something. It wasn't crying. It wasn't screaming. It was something… else. He got out of bed and stepped quietly toward the door. As the sound grew louder, he realized it wasn't grief—it was pleasure. Or something far more twisted. His chest tightened. What kind of asylum is this? Disturbed, he crawled back into bed. This place… it's a prison for the damned. He spoke
---
Morning came with the loud clang of the lock. Suddenly, Xie Lu woke up. A nurse entered, placed some medications on the table, and said, "Get up. You've got ten minutes to freshen up. Breakfast is served in the canteen. No special treatment here—get in line, take your tray, eat, return to your cell. Your schedule will be explained later." Xie nodded silently. "Okay." The nurse left, the door locked behind her.
Xie Lu sat silently on the bed, the call with Jin echoing in his mind like poison. He wasn't in the mood to eat, but he got up and washed his face with cold was to make him refreshed
A loud clang of metal echoed through the corridor as the door creaked open. A guard barked, "Out. Move!"
He stepped into the hallway. Other inmates—if they could even be called that—were shuffling out of their cells too. Frail. Gaunt. Hollow-eyed. Some didn't even look human anymore, just broken shells in wrinkled hospital gowns.
As Xie merged into the slow-moving line, a voice called from behind, light and casual.
"Hey. New here?"
Xie turned his head around to see a young guy, about 22-23 years old. Skinny, with silky black hair and a faint smile on his face. Not sick-looking in mind, exactly—just... out of place, somehow. Too bright for this graveyard of sanity.
"So?" Xie asked coldly. "Want something?"
The guy shrugged as they walked. "Just being friendly. Name's Olive. I stay in the cell next to yours."
Xie kept his gaze forward. "And?"
"Well," Olive continued, unfazed, "I figured you might wanna sit with me during breakfast. I could fill you in on the dark stuff they don't tell you on the welcome tour. You know... things that might keep you alive."
That caught Xie's attention. His mind flashed back to last night—the cries, the unnatural sounds behind locked doors. He hesitated. Then nodded once.
"Fine."
Olive grinned. "Then it's a deal."
They arrived at the canteen, a large, sterile hall with rows of benches. A metal tray line stretched near the wall. The food counter was managed by two bored-looking workers who scooped sludge into trays without looking at anyone.
As he stood in line, a sudden scream caught his attention
"PLEASE—I DON'T WANNA DO IT AGAIN! I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE! LET ME GO! PLEASE—AHH!"
Xie turned sharply. Near the far end of the hall, a young man—almost feminine in appearance-was being restrained by two guards and a nurse. He had tousled brown hair, soft grey eyes, freckles on his pale face, and was clutching a plastic fork like a weapon.
"DON'T TOUCH ME! YOU SICK FREAKS! YOU'RE THE MONSTERS—NOT US!"
For a moment, Xie could only stare. He's right, he thought. They are the monsters.
"Sedate him," one of the staff muttered. A guard nodded.
The nurses grabbed him roughly and plunged a syringe into his neck. Within seconds, his body went limp. They dragged him away like a doll.
"Hey! You gonna move or just stand there and gawk?" barked the worker at the counter.
Xie snapped out of it, grabbed his tray, and walked ahead. The food looked like mush—barely enough to sustain a grown man. He muttered under his breath, "How the hell is this supposed to keep anyone alive?"
A moment later, Olive appeared beside him, his expression casual but observant.
"That scene back there?" he said softly. "Daily occurrence. Poor guy's probably gonna get cycled back into the 'program.' Try not to think about it too hard... unless you wanna lose your mind faster."
Olive studied Xie's face for a moment, then muttered, "Damn. You're gonna be in danger."
Xie turned to him, confused. "What? What are you talking about? What danger?"
Olive gave him a half-smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Your face, man. You're pretty. That kind of face? It draws attention. The wrong kind."
Xie's stomach turned. "What the hell do you mean, face? Speak clearly."
Olive leaned in slightly, his voice a quiet warning. "Let's sit down. I'll explain everything."
Hi Readers,Thank you <3 Coming this far I really appreciate it