The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

The heavy iron door was pulled open, and two prison guards in black uniforms stood at the door, expressionless.

One of the taller prison guards was carrying a bunch of keys, while the other, shorter and stockier, had his hands on his hips and coldly scanned the cell.

"Liu Si, let's go."

The tall prison guard's voice was flat and devoid of any emotion.

Upon hearing this, Master Liu was stunned for a moment, and then his lifeless eyes suddenly flashed with disbelief.

He scrambled to his feet from the haystack, staggering and nearly falling because his legs were numb.

Liu Siye didn't care about anything else. His face instantly plastered with an almost fawning smile, a mixture of immense surprise and humble flattery. He nodded and bowed repeatedly.

"Hey, hey, let's go, let's go. Thank you both, bosses, for your hard work."

As he spoke, he hurriedly brushed the bits of grass off his clothes, trying to make himself look presentable, though the effort looked comical and futile against his filthy prison uniform and disheveled white hair.

"When I get back to the car factory, I will never forget the two bosses."

"Good wine, good food, and...and your thoughtfulness, I will definitely serve you."

His voice was trembling with excitement, as if he had just survived a disaster, as if he could already see the sunlight in the factory yard.

The short, stocky prison guard let out a short, mocking snort.

He looked Liu Siye up and down, his eyes like he was looking at a ridiculous madman.

"Have you lost your mind, you old bastard? A car factory? Going out? Where do you think you're going?"

He paused, and each word came crashing down like shards of ice.

"You'll never get out of here in this lifetime."

The smile on Liu Siye's face froze instantly. The slight ingratiating curve of his lips still lingered, but the light in his eyes had been extinguished, replaced by a huge sense of bewilderment and a gradually spreading fear.

The tall prison guard took over the conversation, his tone equally cold and businesslike.

"You severely injured someone and trafficked people; the evidence is irrefutable. Just wait and see."

He turned slightly to the side, gesturing towards the door.

"Come on, we're sending you to a hardened criminal prison. You don't have many days left to live."

"Peanuts..."

Master Liu repeated himself to himself, the color draining from his face at a visible speed until it turned deathly pale.

His legs went weak, and he would have collapsed to the ground if he hadn't been holding onto the damp, cold wall.

Liu Siye's lips trembled even more violently, his eyes widened as he stared intently at the two prison guards, as if trying to find a trace of a joke on their faces.

"Two...two bosses, please...please stop joking around."

His voice was dry and tight, with a hint of crying.

"I...I'm good friends with Chief Liu of the Xisi North Police Station."

"He...he helped me and the victim resolve our grievances, and I've prepared the money...how could he...how could he execute me?"

The short, stocky prison guard gave Liu Siye a meaningful look, his eyes filled with pity, but mostly with indifference as if it were none of his business.

"You old codger, you probably didn't even know you were locked up here, did you?"

He took a half step forward, lowered his voice, and made every word clearer into Master Liu's ears.

"Your daughter has run away with your money from the car factory. She's gone and disappeared."

As if struck by lightning, Master Liu's body swayed violently, his ears ringing, and he could barely hear what was said afterward.

"Director Liu has been helping you with everything, bribing officials and other people, and he even paid out of his own pocket a lot of money."

"In the end, it's all for naught."

The tall prison guard added, his tone calm, yet every word was piercing.

"How could he not be angry?"

The short, stocky prison guard grinned, revealing a sinister smile.

"He specifically asked us brothers to look after you."

"When the next batch of prisoners is executed, you'll be first in line."

"They'll roll up their bags and fly away...like trying to fill a basket with water..."

Master Liu murmured, his eyes unfocused, as if his soul had been ripped away in an instant.

He leaned against the wall, slowly slid down, and dug his fingers deep into the wet mud in the cracks of the wall.

After the initial shock came a surge of anger and a bone-chilling fear.

"A money-loser... a money-loser is unreliable..."

He squeezed out those words through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse, filled with deep-seated hatred and despair.

But the instinct for survival immediately overwhelmed everything. He abruptly raised his head, the last vestiges of anger on his face instantly replaced by an extreme pleading and humility.

Liu Siye crawled forward half a step using both hands and feet, raised his pale, tear-streaked face, and looked at the two prison guards.

"Two bosses...two bosses..."

His voice choked with emotion, and he almost broke down in tears.

"Please...please help me send a message to Director Liu."

"Please, sir...condescend to come here and see me, no matter what."

"I told him... I told him I would never let him work so hard for nothing. I'll take out my savings for my funeral and give them to him as a token of my respect."

He added hastily, as if grasping at the last straw.

"Of course, I will also give a generous reward to the two bosses after I leave. I will never forget it, I will never forget it."

The short, stocky prison guard crossed his arms and looked down at Liu Siye, who was crawling on the ground, with undisguised suspicion and mockery on his face.

"Liu Si, we're all street hustlers, we all know each other."

He kicked the straw at his feet.

"You're just a small car factory owner. Your daughter ran off with the money, and the factory is probably in complete chaos now. What are you going to offer to Director Liu?"

The tall prison guard also shook his head.

"We'll help you deliver the message, but what if you come back and mess with Director Liu?"

"We guys will be caught in the crossfire too. Getting slapped a few times isn't worth it."

His tone was cold, carrying a resolute air of detachment.

"You should just accept your fate."

"No...no...I do...I really do..."

Liu Siye was trembling with anxiety. Seeing the two prison guards turn to leave, in desperation, he suddenly fell to the ground, his forehead hitting the cold cement floor with a dull thud.

"Both of you, bosses!"

He raised his reddened forehead, his face streaked with tears and dust, his voice mournful and desperate.

"Even if I had the audacity of a dragon, I wouldn't dare lie to you, much less to Director Liu."

"Please, you two... please pass on a message for me. Just one sentence... I promise you won't waste your time. I, Liu Si, swear to heaven, if I utter a single falsehood, may I die a horrible death and be childless!"

As he spoke, he repeatedly kowtowed, making a loud thumping sound.

The short, stocky prison guard next to him frowned, his eyes flickering as he looked at Master Liu's appearance.

He turned his head to the side, gave the tall prison guard a wink, and lowered his voice, speaking in a consultative tone.

"How about... we give it a try?"