Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

With Sun Yue's consent, Bai Ling followed an officer out of the office. The two passed through a hidden passage behind the main building of the Special Operations Division, and then through a checkpoint that required identity verification, before arriving at a special underground prison area.

As soon as she opened the door, Bai Ling frowned. This place was noticeably different from the prisons she had been to before.

The guard posts were strict and the walls were thick, not to mention that because it was underground, there was no sunlight in the entire prison area, only a faint light flickering.

The air was filled with disinfectant and a damp, chilly smell.

There wasn't a sound in the entire prison area except for the sound of her and the officer walking, echoing in the empty corridor.

This atmosphere is a bit scary, isn't it?

The two stopped in front of an iron gate, where the officer showed them the release document signed by Sun Yue.

After being carefully checked, the iron gate slowly opened, allowing them to enter.

Behind the door was an even narrower passage, with rows of completely enclosed cells on either side. Only a small window, about the size of a palm and welded with iron bars, above the door allowed a glimpse inside.

Most of the cells we passed were empty and dark.

The atmosphere made Bai Ling feel a little uncomfortable, and her hand unconsciously went to her waist.

The officer stopped deep inside the passage: "The person you're looking for is right here. Look..."

Before Bai Ling could speak, a scream that sounded inhuman came from inside the cell. It was extremely hoarse and sounded like a wail.

"Boss! Has a leader arrived?"

The sounds of scrambling and crawling came from the three nearby cells. Through the small window in the door, Bai Ling squinted and adjusted her eyes before she could see the situation inside clearly.

The cells were all pretty much the same, with a bare wooden bed and a bucket.

The cell she was staring at contained a man dressed in filthy clothes, with disheveled hair and beard, sunken eyes, and a gaunt face. He crawled to the door like an animal, grabbing the iron bars of the small window.

The other two cells were slightly better than his, but not by much; they were still quite slovenly. He ran to the door and desperately peered out through the small window.

Zhou Feng's feeling was correct; these three people had become so numb that they could no longer generate any emotional value.

From their initial paranoia about whether they would be dragged out and shot, to their daily pleading when food was delivered, to their emotional breakdowns and wailing, and finally to their current taciturnity, with all the light in their eyes gone.

Sha Zhu even resorted to self-harm by banging his head against the wall due to his irritability, but in the end, no one paid any attention to them. Even the wound on Sha Zhu's head healed on its own, and no one took him to see a doctor.

For so long, they felt like they had been abandoned by the whole world. Their only connection with the outside world was the food delivery window that was opened twice a day, but the person delivering the food was like a deaf-mute, never giving them any response!

This feeling of utter isolation, of being completely forgotten by the world and stripped of all social identity and interpersonal connections, is more devastating to one's will than physical torture.

What level eight worker, what projectionist, what cafeteria chef—it's nothing!

These three people were in such an environment that they were on the verge of a mental breakdown.

We couldn't see the sky or the sun, and we didn't know how many days had passed outside, or what day it was or what night it was.

If we were to place this in 60 years, these three people could all go to some book and tell us how they contracted Jade Syndrome.

So when the ear-piercing sound of the iron gate being opened came, the three people huddled in the corner almost simultaneously shuddered, because it didn't seem to be time for the meal yet!

Upon hearing the officer's voice again, an incredulous light suddenly shone in the three men's empty eyes.

Xu Damao was the first, and Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai also joined in.

Finally, we can hear someone else's voice!

But when they could see clearly in the dim light that it was Bai Ling standing outside, all three of them stiffened at the same time, and then began to tremble, as if they had been electrocuted.

How could they not know the relationship between Bai Ling and Zhou Feng!

"Comrade Bai... Comrade Bai Ling!"

Xu Damao frantically banged his head against the iron gate, tears and snot streaming down his face, his voice hoarse and barely human: "Comrade Bai Ling! Save me! Let me out! I know I was wrong! I really know I was wrong! I'll never do it again!"

"Zhou Feng... Comrade Zhou Feng is a good man! I'm a bastard! I made a false accusation! I deserve to die! Please, let me out! This is no place for a human being!"

Seeing that Bai Ling didn't reply, he bent down again, trying to reach out from the food delivery tray to grab Bai Ling's trouser leg, but was directly blocked by the staff member next to him with his foot.

Yi Zhonghai, who lived next door, also struggled to his feet. Leaning against the wall, tears streamed down his face. His once straight back was now hunched over, and his voice trembled as he said, "Comrade Bai Ling... Has the organization... has the organization finally sent someone? I... Yi Zhonghai, I'm guilty! I confess, I deeply confess! I shouldn't have listened to slander, I shouldn't have led the trouble, and I shouldn't have had improper thoughts about Comrade Zhou Feng... I was so foolish!"

"Please give me a chance to turn over a new leaf. I promise to start anew and contribute more to the factory and the country with my old bones! I beg you!"

As he spoke, he knelt down at the doorway, almost kowtowing.

Sha Zhu was the last to react. This usually reckless guy burst into tears the moment he saw Bai Ling, like a wronged child.

"Comrade Bai Ling, Sister Bai Ling, Grandma Bai Ling! I'm convinced, I'm truly convinced!"

"Zhou Feng... Zhou Feng is amazing! I can't beat him! I'll avoid him from now on! I promise I'll never mess with him again! Please, have mercy, talk to the boss and let me out! It's so scary in here! There's no one to talk to... I'm going crazy!"

He was initially crying and wailing, but his emotions became increasingly agitated, and he even started hitting his head with his hands.

Bai Ling glanced at the three people in the cell in front of her. She still remembered what these three people looked like in the courtyard.

I never imagined that in such a short time, I could actually be forced into this situation.

Given their current state, calling them pathetic is an understatement; they're more like completely broken down!

He swallowed hard. No wonder Zhou Feng said he would release the three of them.

Judging from the current situation, if they are not released soon, these three people probably won't live much longer in this prison.

I never imagined the Special Operations Unit's prisons were this tough!