Chapter 4: Subdue

Words : 1891 Updated : Mar 27th, 2025

Jones didn't die, but he was crippled, destined to spend the rest of his life bedridden. Calvin's prison sentence was doubled. However, Calvin didn't care at all. After being in solitary confinement for two weeks, he returned to his cell. This time, the guards were smarter. They sent him straight back and increased security. Calvin sat in his cell while seven others huddled on the other side, staring at him in fear. They were all Jones' men, but none dared to speak of revenge. Calvin sat momentarily before suddenly standing up and glaring at the seven. "I heard you want to kill me to avenge Jones." The seven flinched in fear, waving their hands defensively. "No... no, absolutely not!" Calvin's expression didn't change as he looked them over. "You've heard about me, haven't you?" "My parents died because of me, and I don't plan on living either." "But dying alone is too lonely." "If I can take a few down with me, it won't be a wasted death, right?" The group turned pale with fear. Facing a madman bent on dying, their numbers meant nothing. They couldn't kill Calvin because they still hoped to be released one day. Calvin was different. He didn't care if he ever got out. If given a chance, he'd take them down with him. Jones was the proof. A quick-thinking guy forced a smile. "Mr. Cox, you misunderstood us." "Jones was a bully. We couldn't stand him for a long time." "You took him down, avenging us. We can't thank you enough." "From now on, you're our leader. Whatever you say goes, right, everyone?" They all nodded, calling Calvin their boss. Calvin spat at them, cursing, "Cowards!" "Scram!" They didn't dare protest, shrinking into the corner, too scared to sleep. From that moment, Calvin became the cell's leader, his intimidation far exceeding Jones'. Just a look from him sent shivers down their spines. The next day, Calvin walked into the cafeteria during breakfast, drawing all eyes. Jones had forty men in the prison, and while Calvin's cellmates were cowed, others glared at him menacingly. Calvin ignored them, got his meal, and walked to a table. Sitting there were Jones' men, none from Calvin's cell. They used to order Calvin around and beat him often. Now, Calvin stood before them, eyes cold as ice. One burly man sneered, "What the hell are you staring at..." Before he finished, Calvin acted. A slender stone dropped from his sleeve with a flick of his wrist. Calvin found this stone while working outside and sharpened one end to a point. After he blinded Jones, the prison banned forks, forcing Calvin to find another weapon. During his hospital stay, he studied medical books, memorizing the body's fatal points. He stepped forward, swiftly driving the stone into the man's neck and slashing. Blood gushed as the man collapsed, convulsing on the floor. The others froze, but Calvin didn't hesitate. He grabbed another man by the neck, thrusting the stone toward him. The man reacted quickly, blocking desperately, but the stone pierced his palm, eliciting a scream. "Help! Help!" His cries snapped the others from their daze, and they rushed toward Calvin. Unfazed, Calvin shielded his head with one hand, stabbing the stone into several legs. Outnumbered, Calvin took a beating, but the others fared worse. Fortunately, the guards intervened, subduing Calvin with batons. The guard captain arrived, veins bulging in anger. "Calvin, do you have a death wish?" "I'm reporting this to the higher-ups." "You're heading straight for the death penalty!" Blood streaming down his face, Calvin growled, "Then you'd better hurry!" "If you're not fast enough, I'll kill them all!" The men recoiled from Calvin's fierce gaze while his cellmates were relieved they hadn't crossed him. This incident earned Calvin another two weeks in solitary. Yet, it cemented his reputation as the prison's untouchable madman. Upon his release, Jones' former henchmen approached Calvin, begging for forgiveness, aware of his suicidal tendencies. None dared challenge a man with nothing to lose. Having subdued the inmates, Calvin sought out Ezra again. "Ezra, I've survived." "Now, tell me how to escape." Ezra smiled approvingly. "You've impressed me, kid." "Alright, I'll keep my promise since you've proven yourself." He handed Calvin a map. "This is the sewer map. It's wide enough for a person to crawl through." "Follow it for about five kilometers, and you'll reach a nearby river." "Once in the river, you can escape." Calvin frowned. "The sewer entrances are outside the prison." The design placed the sewer entrances outside to prevent escapes. Inside, only narrow pipes the size of basketballs existed, impossible for a person to go through. Ezra chuckled. "There's a larger entrance in the kitchen. I've measured it. You can crawl through." "I've already tampered with it. Just sneak into the kitchen at the right moment." Calvin asked, "What moment?" Ezra replied, "A moment of chaos." "When chaos erupts, and all eyes are elsewhere, you can slip into the kitchen and escape." Ezra patted Calvin's shoulder. "Creating chaos is your task." "If you can do that, I'll help you escape." Calvin thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, I'll take care of it." He turned to leave while Ezra watched him go, a sly grin on his lips.

Chapter 4: Subdue

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