Chapter 5: Prison Rescue

His intuition told him that the person coming to see him today should be unusual

Before Shen Yuan could finish speaking, Zhen Nanfang handed him a document bag: "Brother Shen, please don't be in a hurry to refuse. Just take a look first, and then we can discuss it. This case is truly complicated, and I hope to receive your assistance. As for the matters concerning the prison, I will handle them myself."

Zhen Nanfang nodded: "Brother Shen, I won't beat around the bush. I have encountered a tricky case and would like to ask for your assistance. I hope you won't refuse."

Zhen Nanfang nodded: "This indeed appears to be a simple murder case, but the deceased is an important target recently identified in a major case we are handling. We want to ascertain whether his death is merely a criminal case or if it is related to our case. To avoid alerting the snake in the grass, we have not yet contacted the police; they will investigate their matters while we investigate ours. If necessary, we will propose to them the takeover of the case."

The middle-aged man cast a glance at him: "You might as well give up. I do have the secret, but it won't be of any use to you because you cannot change your messy lifestyle. I am also quite puzzled; I have spent so many years with you, and I don't even know how I have managed to endure it."

On the wall hangs a powerful calligraphy piece: The right path in the world is one of vicissitudes

The old man coughed twice: "For the third time, you have been here for five years, four months, and six days. This is the third time I have seen you smile, and today you have spoken the most you ever have!"

The old man laughed heartily: "It’s not that my teaching is so good that you can learn it well; it relies on your insight. Moreover, your hands are naturally suited for handling knives. I believe that any knife in your hands can fully demonstrate its wonderful utility." The middle-aged man said nothing, his face showing not even a hint of expression, yet it was filled with the marks of time.

"That is also due to your excellent teaching." In the sixth room, two individuals were seated in front of a recently completed root carving. One was an elderly man in his sixties, appearing somewhat lecherous, with shoulder-length hair that looked disheveled and was speckled with wood shavings. The other was a middle-aged man in his thirties, who, although slender, had a pair of very spirited eyes.

A person is standing by the window in the office, appearing to be around twenty-four or twenty-five years old from the back. He is not the deputy warden, and it is estimated that he is someone who wishes to meet him.

The middle-aged man is Shen Yuan

At that moment, the gate of the courtyard was pushed open, and a prison guard walked in: "7447, come with me!" The middle-aged man glanced at the guard and followed him out of the yard. The old man stood at the door of the room, watching the middle-aged man's back, and let out a long sigh.

Shen Yuan took the document bag, hesitated for a moment, and then carefully took out the materials inside to examine them.

The middle-aged man smiled and shook his head

The middle-aged man said softly, "If one can leave, one should leave; nothing is more important than freedom." The old man looked at him and asked, "What about you? Do you still have a chance to go out?" The middle-aged man remained silent, stood up, and walked into the courtyard, looking up at the expanse of sky above.

In the courtyard, there is only a row of single-story houses, totaling six rooms. The first two rooms contain completed root carvings, while the third room serves as a simple study, furnished with a writing desk, a chair, and two bookshelves. The bookshelves are filled with various books on astronomy, geography, history, and medicine, all neatly arranged.

The middle-aged man sighed: "You will be released from prison the day after tomorrow. Once you leave, I will be the only one left here." The old man fell silent as well; he lit a cigarette: "This is the freest place in the entire prison. I have been here for eighteen years, doing the same thing every day. In fact, I really don't want to go out. My wife has already passed away, and my children probably won't even recognize me. It might be better to spend my remaining years here."

The old man was momentarily taken aback, then smiled: "In fact, life is simply about being born and living on. We have already completed the act of being born; what remains is to live on. As for how to live, everyone has their own way of doing so, as long as it is comfortable for oneself." As he spoke, he reached into his clothing and scratched at himself for a while: "Damn fleas, all they do is suck my blood all day long. I will strangle you!"

Shen Yuan pondered for a moment and asked, "Can you tell me some details about the major case you are investigating?" Zhen Nanfang smiled and replied, "Of course, but can I assume that Brother Shen has already agreed to help us?"

The prison guard gently closed the door and left. The young man then turned around to look at the middle-aged man, a smile on his face: "Brother Shen, we meet again!" The expression of the middle-aged man slightly changed: "You are..." Suddenly, it seemed he remembered something: "You are from the Southern Town?"

The middle-aged man said lightly: "I am now a prisoner, what can I help you with? Besides, what difficult case could possibly stump you?" Zhen Nanfang gave a wry smile: "As for this case, I truly have no way out. If it weren't for Old Shu's reminder, I wouldn't have thought to come to you. Old Shu said that to solve this case, it must be the ghost doctor Shen Yuan!"

Your knife skills have improved remarkably; with just a few strokes, a 'Pine Tree Watching Chess' has been rendered vividly, truly impressive for someone of your age! The voice came from the sixth room, belonging to an old man.

The middle-aged man was brought to the office of the deputy warden, and he raised his eyebrows slightly. In the more than five years he had been here, it was the first time he had been taken to this place. Previously, others had come to see him, but they were always taken directly to his residence, which was in the third prison district.

After approximately half an hour, Shen Yuan finally put the materials back.

Shu Yi holds me in too high regard, but...

The old man seemed to have grown accustomed to the demeanor of the middle-aged man. He said, "You have been here for about five or six years, haven't you? I find it quite strange; when you first arrived, you looked the same as you do now. Meanwhile, my hair and beard have turned gray, yet you still look so fresh and clean. It's not scientific. Why don't you teach me? What is the secret to maintaining such a good appearance?"

"What you showed me is merely a simple criminal murder case. Although the methods are somewhat brutal, this should fall within the scope of police investigation, right?" Shen Yuan remained as indifferent as ever

The fourth and fifth rooms are both bedrooms, yet they give you a completely different feeling. The fourth room is tidily arranged, with even the quilt on the bed folded neatly, resembling the square blocks folded by soldiers. The bed sheets are also washed to a pristine white. There is not a trace of clutter in the room; the windows are bright and clean, and everything is organized in an orderly manner.

However, the fifth room was different; the bedding and clothes on the bed were in disarray, the floor was littered with cigarette butts, and a pair of stinky socks was thrown on the chair by the bed. The bedding and sheets on the bed were almost unrecognizable in their original color, and upon pushing the door open, a musty odor wafted out.

The third monitoring area of the Second Prison of Leizhou City is an independent small courtyard, where many old tree root stumps are haphazardly piled up. These serve as excellent materials for root carving.