Chapter Nineteen: Turning the Tables

Wujue and An Yi were captured by the prisoners and locked inside a cell.

Because Wujue practiced ascetic meditation, he remained seated cross-legged, perfectly still. The prisoners could not force him to change his posture, so they simply carried him inside as he was, threatening that he would pay for it eventually.

An Yi, on the other hand, was taken elsewhere, her whereabouts unknown for the moment.

When Wujue finally looked around, he saw four or five battered men lying in the cell with him. Upon inquiry, he found that they were prison guards.

After Ghostface led a riot and seized control of the prison, these guards became the prisoners, suffering abuse at the hands of those they once watched over.

Through questioning, Wujue learned some background about Ghostface. The man had been a habitual criminal, guilty of kidnapping, murder, and the vilest acts against women. He was slated for execution just days before, but the outbreak of the zombie crisis intervened. The warden had been bitten and killed outside, so the remaining guards sealed the prison, not daring to venture out.

That was when Ghostface incited the prisoners and took over.

“How many prisoners are under Ghostface’s command?” Wujue asked, frowning.

A guard sat up, coughing, and replied, “Seventy or eighty, perhaps. I’m the deputy warden here, most familiar with the prison. Some prisoners have already turned into zombies, and certain cells have fallen. They need us to guide them to food, so they haven’t killed us—yet.”

Wujue was surprised at the man’s trust, his gaze betraying some suspicion.

The deputy warden explained, “Master, don’t misunderstand. We saw what happened in the plaza just now. You are clearly no ordinary man. The world is in chaos—even escaping prison doesn’t guarantee survival. Only someone like you can save the world.”

Though the man’s words were full of trust, Wujue’s face showed little joy. “Unfortunately, my friend has been taken. If only I could rescue her…”

He walked to the cell door, peering through the iron bars. The prisoners had all left, leaving the place eerily empty.

He felt for his earpiece—thankfully, it had escaped notice. Perhaps he could reach out to Xiao Han and Xiao Yang.

Yet the guards in the cell made him uneasy, filling him with a vague sense of foreboding.

He coughed twice, lowered his voice, and asked, “Xiao Han, can you hear me? Reply quietly.”

Soon, Xiao Han’s anxious voice came through the earpiece: “Master, I saw you both get captured—I was worried sick! I’m trying to find a way inside. Are you two alright?”

Wujue didn’t answer immediately. He sensed the deputy warden had come up behind him.

“Master, do you not trust us? I actually know how to open this cell,” the man said. He pointed to the screws anchoring the iron bars. “I know this structure well—some cells were built shoddily. If you apply a little force, the screws come right out.”

As he spoke, he produced a length of wire and deftly twisted it around a screw, removing it in moments. He turned to Wujue. “Master, if you want to seize this opportunity, now’s your chance.”

Watching the man’s skillful movements, Wujue made his judgment, though his expression remained devout as he pressed his palms together. “Amitabha. Benefactor, you do humble this poor monk. In times like these, who can afford not to act expediently?”

He reached out and twisted the remaining screws. They came away effortlessly—clearly, they had been loosened beforehand.

This “deputy warden” was an imposter. Only a seasoned thief could have such skills; Wujue’s own experience in the underworld made it clear.

He removed the bars and, without hesitation, stepped out. As the fake deputy emerged, but before the other guards could follow, Wujue suddenly replaced the bars, driving them into the ground with his supernatural strength to block their exit.

He trapped the others behind him, and before the imposter could react, seized him by the throat. “Drop the act. You’re no deputy warden. Where is Ghostface? Take me to him.”

Using the man as a hostage, Wujue set off to rescue Princess An Yi, while instructing Xiao Han to contact Xiao Yang and the others to bring the vehicle and prepare for extraction.

When the time was right, they would coordinate from inside and out to retake the prison in one blow.

They split up. Wujue, holding his captive, made his way through the cells to the place where An Yi was being held. There, to his surprise, the cell door was wide open, and a fierce struggle was underway.

Princess An Yi was bound in chains, suspended in midair. No longer feigning unconsciousness, she fought furiously, kicking away anyone who attempted to grab her.

Ghostface stood to one side, watching with malicious amusement, a revolver in hand. “Marvelous,” he sneered. “A caged beauty—so you like being tied up? Boys, tie her legs too!”

His men, eager to please, brought out more ropes. An Yi’s arms and chest were already bound in chains, and now, as the ropes entwined her legs, her wild spirit shone all the brighter.

An Yi shouted, “Dream on! These chains can’t hold a princess like me!”

With a mighty effort, she nearly snapped the chains binding her hands. Seizing the moment, Wujue shoved the fake deputy aside, leapt into the fray, and unleashed a flurry of blows, felling more than a dozen prisoners.

He rushed to An Yi, tore the ropes from her legs, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and channeled a mysterious surge of power into her.

An Yi felt strength flooding her body. With a sharp crack, she shattered the chains and leapt down, seizing a broken length to brandish at Ghostface.

“Villain! Prepare to be punished!”

With a thunderous swing, the chain flew at Ghostface, who dodged nimbly, letting it smash a gaping hole in the wall.

Without hesitation, Ghostface opened fire at the pair, then slipped out through the hole amid the chaos.

An Yi was furious she had let him escape. “Don’t run! I’ll kill you for this!”

But Wujue held her back. “Don’t pursue a desperate foe. Let’s secure the other prisoners first.”

He turned, kicked the man groveling at his feet, and demanded, “What’s your name? Lead me to the plaza. Gather all the prisoners. Tell them Ghostface is finished.”

The man, groaning in pain, scrambled up, rubbing his backside. “Don’t kill me, Master! I’m just a petty thief—call me Quickhands. I’ll take you where you want to go.”

He hurried ahead, guiding the way.

Princess An Yi glared in the direction Ghostface had fled. “I won’t let him go.”

They left the cell and rushed to the plaza. The prisoners there, unaware of what had transpired, were surprised to see the two arrive.

“Quickhands, what’s going on? Weren’t you supposed to lock them up? Why bring them out?” they called out.

Quickhands gave them a covert look. “Don’t try anything! These two are no ordinary folks. Ghostface has fled—we’re better off surrendering.”

Wujue stepped forward, facing the noisy crowd. His voice was cold: “Enough! Your lawless days are over. Today, we take Ghostface’s place and seize control.”

Without another word, he lunged into the throng like a tiger among sheep, lifting the two most defiant prisoners above his head.

The chapter ends here.