Chapter 159

EP.159 Annoying(?) Prison Life

Marcella had really tangled with the higher-ups.

How do I know? Just look at the dozens of armed police cars chasing me right now.

The doctor must have already escaped, right? Now, let’s get caught on purpose.

While fleeing at full speed, I deliberately slowed down.

Then, an armed police car pulled up beside me,

BAM!

It mercilessly rammed the side of my car.

The impact shattered the window, and shards flew into my face.

My neck snapped to the side, and an enormous shockwave coursed through my body.

But I didn’t get thrown out. People really should wear their seatbelts properly.

The car rolled two or three times on the grassy roadside before flipping over.

Hanging upside down in the driver’s seat, blood dripping, I soon lost consciousness as the police rushed over and forcibly pried open the door, acting as a fugitive who had lost the will to escape.

Dragged out by two officers, I was handcuffed with my face buried in the grass.

“You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can be used against you in a court of law…”

Seeing the officer diligently reciting the Miranda rights made me laugh involuntarily.

Now, I’ll experience a lot of absurdities.

For example, being sent to prison without a trial or having the charges grossly inflated.

Because the corrupt high-ranking politicians would see me as a thorn in their side.

But they won’t try to kill me.

Marcella will stop them.

She’ll manipulate things so I can be safely imprisoned in a regular prison where I can mingle with others.

“Ugh…!”

Blood gushed out of my mouth.

My body felt quite stiff.

It seemed a few bones were broken from the impact. But being the Demon King’s body, I recovered quickly.

Soon, I was forcibly lifted and put into a police car.

Leaning my sweat-soaked head against the window, I wondered how many days it would take to get to prison.

I’ll find out as time passes.

Thinking that, I sighed deeply and closed my eyes.

**

The administrative procedures concerning me were unusually fast for sluggish America.

Thanks to that, I was sent to a maximum-security prison in just two days.

It was a process that made no sense to anyone, but thinking about it, it was obvious.

Five states wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible.

Of course, Marcella’s manipulation played a big part.

According to the intelligence officer who came to interrogate me, I’d be waiting there for trial, but I didn’t believe that.

I didn’t bother arguing.

If ordinary people received such treatment, they’d feel extremely wronged, but for me, it was a good thing.

Why? Because the more unfairly I’m treated, the angrier the doctor will get.

Clunk!

Lost in thought, I frowned as the transport bus shook from the impact.

This has been going on since earlier. Can’t you drive properly?

After sitting for a long time, looking out the window, I saw the Florida State Prison where I’d be staying.

The walls were so high they could be called fortresses, with drones armed with guns patrolling all around.

Numerous watchtowers were filled with guards. It was a high-security facility.

“Ugh… Fuck…! Fuck…!”

The inmate sitting next to me, seeing the prison’s exterior, spat out curses in frustration.

Others were the same. Their faces were stiff with fear.

What’s with all this whining… They’re all major offenders.

If they didn’t want to come, they shouldn’t have committed crimes.

Some had familiar, indifferent expressions.

Among them, some were filled with anticipation.

Soon, the transport bus stopped at the prison entrance, and the front door opened as a guard waiting in the seat unlocked the barred door.

Then, in an emotionless tone, he said,

“If you mess around, you’ll be turned into Swiss cheese. Get up and get out.”

At his words, the inmates sluggishly got up.

Most of them started sobbing. Even though they were hardened criminals, their reaction showed how notorious this place was.

‘How long until the doctor comes?’

If she thinks of me, she’ll try to visit as soon as possible and work to get me out.

Until then, I’ll have to act like a man gradually deteriorating.

**

After a dehumanizing body search, I changed into a brown prisoner uniform.

My inmate number was 7777. What a crappy number.

I wished it was 4444… or 1313 in Western style.

Prison really isn’t the place to be.

“Next! Inmate number 7777!”

Looking around the outdated facility with curiosity, I snapped back to attention at the guard’s call distributing supplies.

The supplies I received were just two rolls of toilet paper.

With a baffled expression, I asked,

“Is this it? The guy before me got a blanket.”

The guard, seemingly used to such questions, didn’t even look at me and started preparing the next roll.

“That’s because he paid with deposit money. You, 7777, have no deposit money, so you can’t buy anything. Work to earn money or ask visitors to deposit money during visits. From now on, you won’t even get scraps of toilet paper.”

“Not even a toothbrush or toothpaste?”

Clang!

The guard banged the bars with his baton, gesturing for me to leave.

I wondered why it was noisy when receiving supplies, but it seemed some inmates were treated like this, pissing them off.

Here, you have to buy everything from the commissary.

If you have no money, you sleep on the floor and can’t even brush your teeth.

What a system! Well, giving free stuff to criminals is a waste of taxes.

Sighing lightly, I followed the guard’s instructions and was assigned to a cell block.

Section H. Standing at the entrance with a fellow inmate, the door opened with a loud beep, and I surveyed the cell block.

A three-tiered cell block like in movies or dramas.

Stretching long in one direction, it was designed so you couldn’t even talk to the opposite cells.

I felt eyes scrutinizing me from all sides.

The atmosphere was quite tense. The section seemed to have about 200 inmates.

From behind, I heard a gulp, someone swallowing their fear.

My cellmate must be scared.

He won’t last long. Let’s survive on our own.

As the guard pressed his baton against my back, urging me forward, I stepped into Section H.

Whoosh!

Then, a whistle sounded.

Curious, I turned to see a large Hispanic guy in the far end cell on the first floor licking his lips at me.

Want to get your ass torn? Don’t mess with me if you don’t want to be ripped apart.

My cell was at the end of the second-floor corridor.

Cell number 77. Inmate number and cell number… Today’s luck is really bad.

“Hang in there.”

The guard behind me sneered.

I slightly turned my head and asked,

“Any rules?”

“Learn them yourself.”

Unfriendly. Understandable.

The guard shouted to the control room to open cell 77.

Beep-!

With a less noisy sound, the door opened, and the guard pushed me in with his baton, smirking as he closed the bars.

He probably thought I wouldn’t last, and if I were human, I wouldn’t.

But now, with the Demon King’s body, it’s different.

This prison life is going to be very interesting.

The cell had a two-tier bunk, a sink, and a toilet.

The musty-smelling place had a roommate.

A white guy in his late 20s, looking at me with curious eyes.

His sly gaze showed interest in me.

Bigger and more muscular than me, he stood up and extended his hand as the cell door closed and the guard left.

“Name’s Jacob. Jacob Pope.”

I shook his hand.

“Alex Song.”

“Asian?”

“Yep.”

Jacob smirked.

Asians aren’t common in American prisons.

A race that gets ostracized during gang formations.

Ignored by default, and if there are homosexuals, they’re targeted first.

But if you can hold your own, the story changes.

“Handsome.”

Jacob seemed to have marked me as prey.

His sly eyes confirmed it.

I rolled my eyes, scanning the cell.

No surveillance cameras… I thought maximum-security prisons had no regard for human rights, but surprisingly, they did.

“Here for manslaughter? Or fraud?”

Jacob’s question.

Just listing crimes showed his disregard for me.

I shrugged, dodging the question.

“Maybe.”

“First time in prison?”

“Yep.”

“Sentence?”

“Don’t know, haven’t been tried yet.”

Jacob snorted at that.

“Here without a trial? Not a detention center?”

“I don’t get it either.”

“Yeah, that happens. It happens.”

He’s sure I’m lying.

I heard that people who commit crimes like child molestation, the worst even in prison, don’t like to talk about their charges.

Jacob seemed to treat me as one of those.

Always composed, Jacob continued,

“I’ve been here nine years.”

“That’s a long time.”

“This place is hell. Guards only care about bribes. If you pay enough, they’ll give minimal protection, but if not…”

“Sounds like they won’t care what happens to me, right?”

“Good comprehension.”

Jacob said, eyeing me like a snake.

With only toilet paper as supplies, he clearly thought I had no money.

I asked with a smile,

“So, if I, penniless, mess with someone, what happens?”

“If the person you mess with pays protection to the guards or inmate factions, you’ll be retaliated against.”

“Ah, I see. Are you paying protection?”

“I’m on the receiving end.”

“Aha…”

So, he’s quite powerful among the inmates.

I asked again,

“How do I pay protection?”

“Well… other factions take goods for barter, but I’m different. I take goods, but also services.”

“Services?”

“You know, like sexual favors. You seem quite soft-hearted, so if you play nice with me, I’ll make sure no one bothers you here.”

“Ah… So, you want me to be your pet?”

Jacob’s eyes widened, then he burst into laughter.

“Putting it so directly is embarrassing. To answer your question… Yes. Will you be my pet?”

What the fuck.

Inmate number 7777, cell number 77, and a roommate eyeing me with a sly gaze, a neutrally-toned gay guy…

Today’s really unlucky. The verdict is death.

I snapped my neck left and right, then instantly lunged at Jacob, knocking him down.

“Ugh!”

As he got pounded, he reached for his pocket.

Must have a weapon there? I kneed his wrist.

Crack!

“Argh!!”

A scream loud enough to silence Section H.

The cell block fell silent briefly before bustling again.

Used to it, they adapted quickly.

But the inmates who realized the scream came from Jacob’s cell were extremely panicked.

Even the neighboring cells.

They asked Jacob what happened, if he was okay.

I choked Jacob’s neck with one hand as he struggled.

“Gack! Gack…”

He gasped for breath.

Smirking, I brought my hand to his eyes.

My thumb, index, and middle finger felt the round, large eyeballs.

Seeing Jacob’s eyes fill with terror, I said,

“What’s the point of having eyes if you have no insight… Right?”

“Gack! Gack!”

Jacob, struggling, hit me with his unbroken hand, driven by survival instinct.

Like a rubber hammer. The Demon King’s body is really something.

Should I kill him and pluck his eyes, or pluck them and kill him?

Let’s go with the latter. Deciding, I plucked his eyeball in one swift motion.

Squelch!

“Argh! Argh!”

Blood gushed from his right eye, along with pained groans.

Looking at the blood-dripping eyeball, I tossed it through the cell bars.

Thud! A faint sound, then someone shouted, “It’s an eye!” and Section H fell silent, not even an ant could pass.

Isn’t plucking someone’s eyeball common? I thought this place was notorious.

Snap!

I broke Jacob’s neck and sat on the bed.

I planned to act weak, get beaten, and act pitiful when the doctor came, but my roommate forced my hand.

I can’t let my ass get torn to provoke the doctor’s anger and sympathy.

Since it’s come to this, there’s no choice.

When the doctor comes… I’ll bang my head against the bars or ask someone to beat me.

Should I use this guy’s bedding? No, it’s too dirty.

I wiped my hand on the edge of Jacob’s blanket.

Beep!

Then, a mechanical sound, and the cell door automatically opened.

I thought the guards were coming, but no.

Inmates came out, whispering, so it must be free time.

Soon, a group of skinhead whites gathered in front of my cell.

Jacob’s buddies, probably.

They alternated between looking at Jacob, dead with a grotesquely broken neck and one eye, and me, sitting relaxed on the bed, looking dumbfounded.

‘Perfect timing.’

I need daily necessities until the doctor visits, so I’ll take them from these guys.

Slowly standing, I raised one corner of my mouth and said,

“Bedding, toothpaste, toothbrush… Whoever gives me these, I’ll protect.”

To be continued―――――――――――――――――――――

---