Warden of the Beast World: Everyone is a Hakimi

Chi Heng, holding the access card that Lu Yu had just given him, swiped it on the security door recognition area of ​​the observation zone with his beak—with a "beep," the heavy alloy door slid open in front of him.

He stood in the doorway, one foot on the corridor floor tiles, the other still on the charred stone platform in the observation area, spreading his wings and stretching out a big yawn.

Crimson wings unfurled under the corridor lights, each feather gleaming with a molten gold-red luster. Tail feathers trailed behind, their tips creating a gentle wave of heat as they swept through the air. The taste of freedom.

He had been confined in the observation area for more than three months. Although Ye Tang fed him all sorts of delicious food and desserts during that time, being able to go out and go wherever he wanted was a completely different feeling. He folded his wings and did not go directly to the living area. Instead, he turned a corner and strolled leisurely to the entrance of Observation Area No. 3.

Ling Shou was standing on his perch, a nutrient solution for the day dangling from his mouth—he hadn't even unscrewed the cap yet, as he was undergoing a long mental preparation, convincing himself to swallow the tube of paste. Then he saw Chi Heng.

The firebird stood outside his glass wall, its feathers bristling, a black access card dangling from its beak, its crimson eyes brimming with undisguised schadenfreude. Ling Shou's eagle eyes swept from the access card in Chi Heng's beak to the corridor behind him leading to the free world, his pupils contracting slightly.

"You poor free-range chicken," Chi Heng spat the access card onto the ground, stomped on it with one paw, and tilted his head to look through the glass wall.

The falcon's feathers bristled instantly. Its silvery-gray plumage stood erect from its neck to its wingtips, making the bird resemble a bursting silvery-gray sea urchin. Its sharp cry pierced the glass wall and echoed throughout the corridor.

"Firebird! You're asking for death!" Chi Heng's reaction to the eagle's cry was to shake his tail feathers and remain completely unmoved.

He and Ling Shou had fought since they were children, from the southern border to the northern frontier, from cubs to adults. He had personally experienced countless instances of Ling Shou's bristling, threats, and harsh words in actual combat. Ling Shou's eagle cry was a psychological shock to others, but to Chi Heng it was just white noise.

"I have free access, you don't." Chi Heng shook the black card under his paw.

"You think it's something special?!" Ling Shou jumped up and down on the perch.

"I have mango crepe to eat, you only have nutritional supplements."

"You—!" This hit the sore spot. Ling Shou's dinner today was indeed a nutritional supplement; the light gray tube of paste was now being squeezed and crunched by his claws.

"I have strawberry ice cream made by the warden himself, but you don't."

"Chiheng, are you determined to fight today—?"

"I have tiramisu, bubble tea, chocolate lava cake, mango pancakes, fruit tea, iced cola—" Chi Heng took a step forward with each dessert he named, his bird-like expression growing increasingly smug, his tail feathers curling higher and higher. By the time he finished the last one, the bird was practically pressed against the glass wall, concluding in an extremely irritating tone, "—You, don't, have any of them."

Ling Shou was trembling with anger and was about to retort when Chi Heng suddenly picked up the access card he had been stepping on and put it back in his mouth. He took two steps back and said in a tone that said, "I suddenly remembered that I have something more important to do and I'm not going to waste my time with you anymore. I'm not going to bother with an illiterate bird. I'm going to find the warden for a snack."

Then he transformed into human form in front of Ling Shou.

His long, crimson hair cascaded down to his waist like a waterfall, the golden-red highlights at the ends shimmering in the corridor light. A dark red robe was casually draped over his shoulders, the hem half-open, revealing dark red feather patterns extending below his collarbone. His crimson pupils gleamed slightly. With the access card dangling from his mouth, he turned and ran towards the living quarters, his footsteps making a crisp patter on the corridor tiles, his red hair flying behind him. His steps were as light as if he were going to a long-awaited date.

"Chiheng, come back here—!" Ling Shou's roar echoed behind him.

Chi Heng waved without turning his head, turned the corner of the corridor, and disappeared from Ling Shou's sight.

Ye Tang was watering the newly planted scallions in the yard when she heard light footsteps coming from the entrance of the living area.

She straightened up, still clutching the plastic watering can in her hand, and turned her head to see a red-haired, red-eyed boy striding toward her little detached house.

His dark red robe billowed behind him, a half-eaten chocolate-coated ice cream dangling from his mouth, and an expression that said, "I have good news, but I need to finish my ice cream first."

"You—how did you get out here?" Ye Tang almost dropped her water bottle.

"I can be released now, Warden." Chi Heng stood at the entrance of the detached house, tilting his head, his tone matter-of-fact, as if this was just a trivial matter.

Ye Tang hadn't even had time to process the news—Chi Heng was out of prison? When did that happen? Why didn't Lu Yu tell her? Why was he coming to her doorstep instead of going home after being released?

A silver-gray shadow had silently blocked her and Chi Heng's path. Youlie strolled out of the house, his steps steady, his silver-gray fur gleaming with a cool metallic sheen in the afternoon sunlight.

He made no threatening sounds or gestures; he simply stood quietly in front of Ye Tang, like a furry wall, separating Chi Heng and Ye Tang by a full two meters. His grey-blue eyes stared at Chi Heng calmly and unquestionably.

Chi Heng took a bite of his ice cream, looked down at the giant silver-gray wolf that was blocking his way from Ye Tang, and blinked: "Little puppy, don't be angry, I just came to drop by—"

Ghost Hunter bristled. From the back of his neck to his tailbone, every single hair on his silver-gray mane stood on end, and his body instantly swelled up. He called him a dog. No one but Wild Tang was allowed to call him a dog. If Wild Tang called him a dog, it was a sign of affection; if anyone else did, they were asking for death. Ghost Hunter lowered his forelimbs, his shoulder blades bulging high, assuming a fighting stance.

Chi Heng stuffed the last bite of ice cream into his mouth, chewed twice, swallowed, and then tossed the ice cream stick aside. A hint of eager excitement flashed in his crimson-gold eyes. He loved fighting the most; if he saw something he liked, he'd take it; if he was unhappy, he'd fight. He and Youlie had never had a proper fight before. They were both S-rank—no, Youlie seemed to be SS-rank now, but who cared? He'd fight first.

Chi Heng transformed directly into beast form.

Suddenly, a large, crimson bird appeared in the yard, with a wingspan of six meters, long, drooping tail feathers like flames, and golden-red plumage shining brightly in the sunlight.

Vermilion Bird True Fire swirled across the surface of its feathers, distorting the surrounding air slightly. Two or three of the newly sprouted garlic shoots in the vegetable garden wilted under the heat. Chi Heng let out a clear cry, flapped its wings, creating a gust of scorching wind, and pounced towards You Lie.