Chapter 160

EP.160 Annoying(?) Prison Life #2

Thud!

The prison warden grabs me by the collar and slams me against the wall.

He asks,

“What are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you kill three people on your first day here?”

Three people, including Jacob, died by my hand.

Right after killing Jacob, I made a provocative remark, and a group of skinheads attacked me.

I brutally killed two of them.

I smashed their gums, tore off their ears, and broke every bone in their bodies.

After that, the skinheads seemed too scared to approach me, but the guards noticed the commotion and dragged me here.

That’s why I’m now in the warden’s office.

“I was just defending myself.”

At my answer, a guard behind the warden steps forward and smacks my face with a baton.

*Whack!*

A stinging sensation. My mouth bursts, and I taste the metallic tang of blood.

For a prison that supposedly doesn’t care who dies, their reaction to me killing three trashy inmates is surprisingly intense.

The guards around me are glaring with murderous eyes.

Judging by their reaction, it seems Jacob was paying them protection money, and they were getting a cut.

Jacob was able to move relatively freely under their watch.

They must’ve been making a tidy profit, and I clearly disrupted that.

Blood drips from my lips, and the swollen area on my face throbs.

The warden grinds his teeth as he looks at my calm expression despite the pain.

Without taking his eyes off me, he asks another guard,

“What’s this guy’s info?”

A guard fiddles with a device on his wrist and scans my face.

After checking the info, he replies,

“Alex Song, 20 years old, Korean. Captured in Mississippi three days ago and imprisoned here today.”

“Charges?”

“None yet. It’s pre-trial.”

“He was sent here immediately after being captured? Without a trial?”

“Yes.”

“This guy’s suspicious as hell. Is he a terrorist or something?”

I answer that question myself.

“If I were a terrorist, I’d have been sent to a political prison. I wouldn’t have been brought here in just three days.”

*Slap!*

My head snaps to the side.

The warden had slapped me.

He growls in a low voice,

“Who told you to open your mouth?”

“I was wrongfully brought here.”

“Every criminal says that. You killed three people brutally and still act calm. You must’ve been pretty famous outside. Were you the boss of some Asian gang?”

“No.”

“Doesn’t matter. From this moment on, you’re marked.”

“I have a proposal for you.”

“Funny.”

“You were taking protection money from Jacob’s gang, right? You, and everyone here, including the prison director. Splitting that money must not leave much for each of you.”

The warden, who was about to swing his baton, freezes at my words.

He takes a deep breath and lowers his arm.

“You’re making wild assumptions.”

“If that weren’t true, you wouldn’t have brought only me here, leaving out the instigators. Plus, judging by his expression, I think I hit the mark.”

I gesture with my chin toward the youngest-looking guard.

The warden glances at the flustered guard and turns his gaze back to me.

“So? What changes if that’s true? Are you going to blackmail us?”

“Not at all. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. I have the means to do so. Until then, I want to live comfortably. If you accommodate me, I’ll send you enough money to satisfy you. Consider it a bribe.”

The warden and the guards are visibly shaken.

Not by the amount, but by the implication that I can leave anytime.

My calm demeanor throughout this ordeal has also left an impression.

If I had acted submissively, they would’ve beaten me mercilessly without even considering my offer.

“You’re broke. You don’t even have deposit money.”

“This is my first time in prison, and I was brought here suddenly. I didn’t have time to deposit money. Need proof? Let me make one call, and I’ll deposit money right now. Who should I send it to? Your wife? Kids? Or your parents?”

The warden silently stares at me, then pulls out his phone from his pocket and hands it to me.

“Go ahead. Do you need the account number too?”

“No need for that.”

I take the phone, grin, and call Marcella while the guards look on in confusion.

The warden snatches the phone and puts it on speaker.

A moment later,

“Yes, boss. What do you need?”

Marcella’s voice, disguised as a young woman, comes through.

“It’s me. Send $200,000 to the warden of Florida State Prison right now.”

“Understood.”

The call ends abruptly.

The warden’s face turns red and purple.

He thinks I’m messing with him.

As he raises his arm to hit me,

*Beep!*

His phone rings.

He looks at it with a “no way” expression, and his eyes widen as he checks the amount.

He slightly opens his mouth and releases his grip on my collar.

“How did you know this account?”

“It’s a secret back account, right? Don’t worry, it’s untraceable. If the amount isn’t enough, I can send more.”

“What…”

“Just accept the offer. I’ll make sure everyone here gets their share. I’ll even take care of any troublesome inmates for you. But… I clearly called your phone, right?”

“So?”

“The secretary naturally called me ‘boss.’ Didn’t you find that strange?”

“…..”

The call came from an unknown number, yet the person on the other end knew it was me.

The warden, realizing this, is visibly shaken.

I seize the moment to speak.

“I’ll be out soon. Why not make a big score before I leave? What’s the point of splitting peanuts? And you have to share it with so many people. You’re already underpaid, barely making ends meet. You’re not getting any younger. Shouldn’t you be saving for retirement? What do you say?”

The warden takes a step back.

His suspicious look remains. He wants to confirm if the money is safe to accept.

For now, he’s skeptical, but they’ll have no choice but to accept my offer.

Money, appealing to their primal desires, combined with the abilities I’ve demonstrated, has planted unease in the warden.

If I know about their secret accounts, they’ll assume I have access to all their personal information, including their families’.

And that’s true.

Marcella has already gathered all the personal information of everyone in Florida State Prison.

“Hmm…”

The warden’s dumbfounded expression shows he’s deeply unsettled.

But what can he do?

If he’s been extorting high-ranking gang members among the inmates, he should’ve been prepared for backlash.

After a moment of hesitation, the warden’s momentum wanes.

“I need to make sure this is safe. My answer is on hold until I confirm.”

“How do you plan to confirm? Do you even have the ability to do that?”

“…..”

“Well, do what you must. And for today, I’d like to rest…”

The warden, understanding my hint, nods.

In a more relaxed tone, he says,

“Should I take care of Jacob’s gang for you? Or move you to a comfortable solitary cell for now. Choose one.”

Even though he said his answer is on hold, taking care of the skinheads for me implies he’s leaning toward accepting my offer.

“I’ll take the solitary cell. Bring me bedding, food, and other necessities. You just got a lot of money.”

“Fine. But if this money turns out to be fake…”

“Do whatever you want with me.”

“Deal.”

The warden orders a guard to move me to a solitary cell.

It’s the same guard who hit me with the baton earlier, but now he’s treating me with extreme caution.

Following his lead, I’m taken to the solitary cell, and I’m genuinely surprised.

The cell is twice as large as the regular ones.

The mattress is thick, and the pillow looks soft.

There’s even a switch to turn the lights on and off inside the cell.

It’s more than just “comfortable.”

It’s almost a shame there’s no TV. The guard closes the door behind me and says,

“Stick out your hand.”

I obediently place my hand on the large food slot in the center of the door, and the guard removes my handcuffs. I ask,

“Other solitary cells aren’t like this, right?”

“Of course not.”

They must’ve modified this one for wealthy inmates.

If all cells were like this, the inmates would riot to get in…

Still, it’s more corrupt than I imagined. Not that there’s anywhere that isn’t…

“I’ll bring the things you asked for now.”

“Okay. When’s dinner?”

“In two hours… but if you need it now, let me know.”

“Bring it now. And some books to read.”

“Got it. Oh, and… um…”

The guard hesitates.

He clearly wants to ask me for something.

I smile gently at him.

“Go ahead.”

“My wife’s relative is drowning in debt. Can you help with that too? It’s about $130,000.”

“Phone.”

The guard, glancing around, slips his phone through the food slot.

“The relative’s name is…”

“No need. Just your last name is enough. Sinclair… right?”

“Yeah.”

“Are there any other guards with the same last name?”

“No.”

“Understood.”

I call Marcella, explain Sinclair’s request, and order her to resolve it before handing the phone back.

Then I say,

“Check it after work or call to confirm.”

“Ah, got it.”

Sinclair, half-doubting, mutters “no way” as he leaves the corridor.

**

For the next two days, the warden and guards don’t react.

They’re probably still verifying if the money is safe… Once confirmed, they’ll guarantee my freedom to do as I please.

And they’ll keep my actions from leaking outside by keeping everyone’s mouths shut.

If all the guards cooperate, they can easily cover up any story.

*Thud.*

Lying on the soft pillow, I hear the sound of metal clashing at the door and sit up.

The food slot opens, and Sinclair’s voice comes through.

“Hey.”

“What is it?”

“You have a lawyer visit.”

Finally, Dr. Cash has come to see me. She must be disguised as a lawyer.

I jump up and stick my hand through the food slot.

Sinclair handcuffs me and opens the cell door.

As he leads me to the visitation room, he expresses his gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“The debt’s taken care of, right?”

“Yeah. And about hitting you… sorry. Being here makes you mean.”

This is why people… no, demons need power.

When you show your abilities, they naturally fall in line.

“It’s understandable. I get it. Does the warden still not trust me?”

“He’s still skeptical. Honestly, $200,000 appearing out of nowhere… it’s natural to be cautious.”

“True. But you seem to trust me?”

“I’m quicker on the uptake than the warden. I read your record. You were captured just three days ago, with no time to do anything, and then sent here?”

“Yes.”

“Given what happened last time, and the fact that you were sent here without even having time to hire a lawyer, I’m convinced you’re a big shot. I’m curious about your identity, but I don’t want to know. As you said, I’ll accommodate you as much as possible until you leave. Just don’t cause trouble.”

“You’re reasonable. I like people like that. My rights are protected, right?”

I’m referring to the recording and surveillance in the visitation room.

Sinclair nods.

“No recording or observation. But once inside, your hands and feet will be restrained. That’s non-negotiable. If caught, it won’t end well for us.”

“That’s fine.”

As we chat, we arrive at the visitation room.

Before opening the door, I put on my most pained expression.

*Creak…*

The door opens, and Sinclair leads me inside.

There, standing in the cramped room, is Dr. Cash.

She looks a bit pale. She must’ve been really worried.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen her. I really want to hug her.

She looks anxious at first, but her face lights up when she sees me.

However, upon noticing my bruised lips, the wounds on my knuckles, and my swollen face, her whole body starts trembling.

She remains standing, silent, just staring at me until Sinclair secures me to the chair.

Her pupils are shaking, and her body trembles as if an earthquake has hit. She’s clearly furious.

As soon as Sinclair finishes and leaves the room,

“Huuu…!”

Dr. Cash bursts into tears.

She rushes over and hugs me tightly, burying her face in my shoulder and repeatedly apologizing.

“I’m sorry…! I’m sorry, Jihyuk…!”

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

My voice trembles slightly.

I want to stay composed in front of the woman I love, but the harsh prison life is taking its toll.

“Waaah…!”

Falling completely for my act, Dr. Cash breaks down into loud sobs.

To be continued―――――――――――――――――――――