The thirty-minute break was short-lived. Soon, all the prisoners handed over their utensils under the roar of Chief Guard Jason, and were escorted back to the lower level of the prison.
The prisoners had to continue living in fear and darkness for seven days, eagerly anticipating the next meal break.
After the cells were locked and the guards left the underground prison in disgust, Chen Chong did not waste time like the other prisoners. Instead, he started doing exercises such as push-ups, squats, leg lifts, and handstands, like a prisoner in training.
This wasn't a sudden idea from Chen Chong, but rather something he had been doing since his first week in this unfamiliar world. He exercised his weak body not only to survive Catherine's cruel methods but also to prepare for the day he could escape.
After three months of intense training and pushing himself to the limit, Chen Chong's body had become stronger and more solid. Although he was still far from being as muscular as Chief Guard Jason, his muscles were more defined, giving him a rugged look.
Chen Chong didn't reveal much about the escape plan to Lin Kun, but he asked him to inform the other three participants and patiently wait for the right moment. Chen Chong didn't want any unexpected incidents to occur because people's hearts are unpredictable.
On the first day after the break, the entire prison remained calm. Lin Kun quietly passed on the information to the three other prisoners nearby, seemingly discussing something important. The information provided by Chen Chong was crucial, and they felt the need to plan carefully.
On the second day, the calm was shattered by the arrival of four fierce Caucasian guards, who opened one of the cells with an evil grin.
The cell contained a middle-aged prisoner who was clearly aware of his impending fate. His suppressed spirit broke down completely, but no amount of cursing, crying, yelling, begging, or hysteria could change the reality. He was easily controlled by the four strong guards and taken away from the prison.
Chen Chong coldly observed everything.
In this chaotic world, human life was worth less than a dog's. He had become accustomed to life and death in this underground prison and had long passed the stage of righteous indignation. From the first day he arrived in this unfamiliar world, he knew that fear, weakness, and begging were all useless. If he wanted to survive and even be free someday, he had to rely on himself and fight with blood and life!
A whole day passed, and the prisoner who was taken away did not return.
...
On the third day.
The underground prison was dimly lit, and most of the idle prisoners were dazed and uninterested. Silence filled the cells.
There was no distinction between day and night in the underground prison. The only way to determine the time was when the duty guards changed shifts. This was the 233rd shift change that Chen Chong recorded, and it was also the time when Supervisor Diris and his team left the base to transport supplies!
The cells were quiet, and Chen Chong silently waited for the time. His ten fingers rubbed against the rough ground, and his untrimmed nails became sharp like a beast's claws.
"It's time!"
Listening to the commotion coming from the end of the prison hallway as the guards changed shifts, Chen Chong opened his eyes. His gaze appeared brighter in the shadows, like that of a predator waiting for the right moment to pounce.
Chen Chong scanned the cells, making sure no one paid attention to his own cell. He took a deep breath:
"Now is the time to confirm whether what's in my mind is real or not. If this incomplete main god is really as I think, and if the manifested props truly possess the fantastic power in reality..."
In the cell, Chen Chong concentrated all his mental energy and directed his consciousness towards the "main god" in his mind, making a choice:
"Manifest, Super God Water!"
Buzz!
Just as Chen Chong made up his mind and focused his entire being on giving instructions to the "main god," his mind suddenly shook, as if something was being drawn away from him, and there was a momentary blankness!
His vision blurred, and Chen Chong felt as if his soul had left his body, losing all sense of time and space.
But this eerie state was extremely short-lived. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, Chen Chong's senses had returned to normal, his body remained the same, and the cell was unchanged.
However, in the next instant when his senses returned to normal, Chen Chong's gaze froze!
Because before him, on the cold floor that should have been empty, a small teacup appeared out of nowhere without any warning! The cup was filled with sparkling liquid, as if it had always been there!
Out of nothingness, a fantastic miracle had appeared right in front of Chen Chong's eyes.
Staring intently at the cup of liquid that suddenly appeared, Chen Chong carefully reached out his hand and picked it up, sniffing it gently at his nose but not detecting any scent.
This is the Super God Water?
At this moment, Chen Chong's heart boiled, and his heart raced violently.
In the entire base, there were over thirty armed guards, all well-trained and heavily armed. It would be impossible for Chen Chong, an untrained ordinary person, to escape the base under their watchful eyes. Faced with these wolves and tigers, having a strong will meant nothing.
As a half-fanatic of manga and novels in his previous life, Chen Chong knew very well the extraordinary effects of the "Super God Water" from the Dragon Ball world. The little Goku with Saiyan heritage experienced an explosive increase in power after taking it, going from being easily beaten by Master Roshi to being able to fight him head-on!
As an ordinary person with no mutations or divine powers, Chen Chong didn't believe that taking Super God Water would have the same astonishing effect as the fictional Goku. However, it could still transform him and greatly increase his chances of success in his plan!
Chen Chong had already weighed his options and concluded that manifesting the Super God Water was the best choice given his current situation. With time running out, he lacked the manifestation power for the "Bone Cleansing Pill," and the risks of the "T-Virus Improved Version" were difficult to control. Only the Super God Water could quickly turn into combat strength. Although it had the downside of requiring willpower to resist its poison, Chen Chong had gained a strong will through his torments, giving him some confidence.
With his cramped cell, Chen Chong stared intensely at the small cup of Super God Water in his hand.
After hiding his fangs and claws and enduring so much, this was the moment he had been waiting for.
"I don't have time to accumulate more manifestation power... Life and death hang in the balance with this move!"
Chen Chong tilted his head back and downed the small cup of Super God Water in one gulp.
Then----
"Ahhh---!"
Like drinking a cup of scorching magma, in an instant, it flowed through every limb and burned every nerve in Chen Chong's body. He collapsed directly to the ground, convulsing and roaring in extreme agony, echoing throughout the underground dungeon!
"Who?"
"What's going on?"
All the prisoners were startled and looked towards the direction where Chen Chong was.
"It's 416."
The howl emitted by Chen Chong was so desperate that it didn't seem like something a human could produce. All the prisoners were alarmed.
Several prisoners who were closer could only vaguely see Chen Chong curled up on the cold ground through the gaps in the railing. He seemed to be enduring some unbearable torture, his face contorted, and his whole body trembled violently as he let out terrifying screams.
"416, 416! Can you speak!?"
"What happened to him!?"
A few prisoners asked in horror, but all they received in response were more beast-like roars.
The prisoners in the cells exchanged glances, no one knew what had happened or why Chen Chong, who had been fine just moments ago, was acting so crazily. Everyone knew how strong-willed 416 was, so what could have caused him to become like this?
Lin Kun, one of the inmates who had been observing Chen Chong closely along with three other accomplices planning an escape, became extremely nervous:
"What is he doing?"
Just three days ago, they had formed an alliance, but Chen Chong hadn't revealed the specific escape plan yet. They were still in the process of planning and preparing to use the underground river to save their lives. It was incomprehensible why Chen Chong would cause such a commotion at this moment!
Just as Lin Kun doubted and panicked, the electronic door to the prison cell opened with a loud bang. The guards at the entrance had heard the commotion and rushed over.
"Which damn scum is shouting so loudly?"
Four or five white guards approached with furious expressions, swinging their electric batons, their eyes cruelly scanning each cell.
"No matter what trick you're playing, you're in trouble!"
The prisoners looked terrified. "It's 416! His mind or body seems to be having problems."
"Hmm?"
The agonizing howls didn't stop even for a moment. One of the guards raised an eyebrow, suppressed his anger, and walked towards Chen Chong's cell. When they got closer, one of them took out a flashlight and shone it inside.
In the flashlight's beam, within the cell, Chen Chong curled up on the cold ground, twisted and trembling, his face covered in exposed veins, continuously howling from his throat like a fierce ghost. It was a horrifying sight.
"Oh, shit, this kid doesn't seem to be pretending!"
The guard was startled by the bulging veins on Chen Chong's face and his extreme pain. He quickly pulled out his radio:
"This is the prison guard, calling Captain Jason, calling Captain Jason. Number 416 is exhibiting severe abnormal reactions that don't seem fake. Requesting instructions, requesting instructions!"
Different from other prisoners, Chen Chong was an important subject of observation instructed by Dr. Catherine. At the moment, the supervisor, Dr. Derek, was not there, so when the guard saw Chen Chong's severe abnormal reaction, he quickly reported it to the captain, Jason.
"Severe abnormal reaction?"
After a few seconds, Captain Jason's voice paused in the radio, and then responded:
"You guys keep an eye on him, I'll inform the doctor."
"Yes!"
In the prison cell, the other three white guards turned back and asked the nearest inmate to Chen Chong's cell:
"I'm asking you, did he have any unusual behavior before this? Be honest!"
The inmate, still frightened, glanced at Chen Chong, who was still trembling and roaring, and said:
"He... was just like usual, no special behavior. We don't know what happened to him either."
The guards asked a few more prisoners, but they all received the same replies. Just as they were about to inquire further, Captain Jason's voice came through the radio again:
"The doctor needs to examine her toy. Bring him to the laboratory immediately without any complications!"
"Understood!"
After receiving the order, one of the guards unlocked Chen Chong's cell with a key. Then, four guards cursed and entered, quickly restraining the violently trembling Chen Chong and dragging him out towards the exit.
The guard locking the door smirked strangely and looked around at all the prisoners:
"It seems our warrior's good luck has run out! Don't you want to say goodbye to him?"
No one answered. The prisoners in the dungeon silently watched the five guards escorting the helpless Chen Chong out, their eyes filled with a sense of despair.
The legend of 416 had come to an end. Prisoners whose minds had completely collapsed or died would never be brought back here. The research subjects that lost their value often ended up on the operating table, dissected into piles of meat by that wicked woman, providing another set of data for her research log.
They understood that whether it was themselves or Number 416, they were just toys manipulated by that wicked woman and destined to meet the same fate.
At this moment, inside the prison cell, Lin Kun stared intently at Chen Chong's fading figure, feeling that this series of events was strange from beginning to end:
"What does he want to do!?"
Like drinking a cup of scorching magma, in an instant, it flowed through every limb and burned every nerve in Chen Chong's body. He collapsed directly to the ground, convulsing and roaring in extreme agony, echoing throughout the underground dungeon!
"Who?"
"What's going on?"
All the prisoners were startled and looked towards the direction where Chen Chong was.
"It's 416."
The howl emitted by Chen Chong was so desperate that it didn't seem like something a human could produce. All the prisoners were alarmed.
Several prisoners who were closer could only vaguely see Chen Chong curled up on the cold ground through the gaps in the railing. He seemed to be enduring some unbearable torture, his face contorted, and his whole body trembled violently as he let out terrifying screams.
"416, 416! Can you speak!?"
"What happened to him!?"
A few prisoners asked in horror, but all they received in response were more beast-like roars.
The prisoners in the cells exchanged glances, no one knew what had happened or why Chen Chong, who had been fine just moments ago, was acting so crazily. Everyone knew how strong-willed 416 was, so what could have caused him to become like this?
Lin Kun, one of the inmates who had been observing Chen Chong closely along with three other accomplices planning an escape, became extremely nervous:
"What is he doing?"
Just three days ago, they had formed an alliance, but Chen Chong hadn't revealed the specific escape plan yet. They were still in the process of planning and preparing to use the underground river to save their lives. It was incomprehensible why Chen Chong would cause such a commotion at this moment!
Just as Lin Kun doubted and panicked, the electronic door to the prison cell opened with a loud bang. The guards at the entrance had heard the commotion and rushed over.
"Which damn scum is shouting so loudly?"
Four or five white guards approached with furious expressions, swinging their electric batons, their eyes cruelly scanning each cell.
"No matter what trick you're playing, you're in trouble!"
The prisoners looked terrified. "It's 416! His mind or body seems to be having problems."
"Hmm?"
The agonizing howls didn't stop even for a moment. One of the guards raised an eyebrow, suppressed his anger, and walked towards Chen Chong's cell. When they got closer, one of them took out a flashlight and shone it inside.
In the flashlight's beam, within the cell, Chen Chong curled up on the cold ground, twisted and trembling, his face covered in exposed veins, continuously howling from his throat like a fierce ghost. It was a horrifying sight.
"Oh, shit, this kid doesn't seem to be pretending!"
The guard was startled by the bulging veins on Chen Chong's face and his extreme pain. He quickly pulled out his radio:
"This is the prison guard, calling Captain Jason, calling Captain Jason. Number 416 is exhibiting severe abnormal reactions that don't seem fake. Requesting instructions, requesting instructions!"
Different from other prisoners, Chen Chong was an important subject of observation instructed by Dr. Catherine. At the moment, the supervisor, Dr. Derek, was not there, so when the guard saw Chen Chong's severe abnormal reaction, he quickly reported it to the captain, Jason.
"Severe abnormal reaction?"
After a few seconds, Captain Jason's voice paused in the radio, and then responded:
"You guys keep an eye on him, I'll inform the doctor."
"Yes!"
In the prison cell, the other three white guards turned back and asked the nearest inmate to Chen Chong's cell:
"I'm asking you, did he have any unusual behavior before this? Be honest!"
The inmate, still frightened, glanced at Chen Chong, who was still trembling and roaring, and said:
"He... was just like usual, no special behavior. We don't know what happened to him either."
The guards asked a few more prisoners, but they all received the same replies. Just as they were about to inquire further, Captain Jason's voice came through the radio again:
"The doctor needs to examine her toy. Bring him to the laboratory immediately without any complications!"
"Understood!"
After receiving the order, one of the guards unlocked Chen Chong's cell with a key. Then, four guards cursed and entered, quickly restraining the violently trembling Chen Chong and dragging him out towards the exit.
The guard locking the door smirked strangely and looked around at all the prisoners:
"It seems our warrior's good luck has run out! Don't you want to say goodbye to him?"
No one answered. The prisoners in the dungeon silently watched the five guards escorting the helpless Chen Chong out, their eyes filled with a sense of despair.
The legend of 416 had come to an end. Prisoners whose minds had completely collapsed or died would never be brought back here. The research subjects that lost their value often ended up on the operating table, dissected into piles of meat by that wicked woman, providing another set of data for her research log.
They understood that whether it was themselves or Number 416, they were just toys manipulated by that wicked woman and destined to meet the same fate.
At this moment, inside the prison cell, Lin Kun stared intently at Chen Chong's fading figure, feeling that this series of events was strange from beginning to end:
"What does he want to do!?"