Apocalypse Survival Guide for a Beta [GB] - Chapter 53

Seeing Zhuang Liang and Lou Tiannan arrive, Xu Di let out a sigh of relief.

He stepped forward and reported in a low voice, “President Tang forced her way in after hearing the little girl crying. President Bai followed her. When Jed saw the two of them, he attacked first…”

Zhuang Liang’s brow furrowed even deeper at the mention of Jed’s name. “What is he doing here?”

Xu Di looked even more troubled. “He wanted to come and we couldn’t stop him…”

Lou Tiannan glanced at Jed, the same man who had aimed a biochemical gun at them at the prison gates. Zhuang Liang had just told him that Jed was the younger brother of Aurora’s deputy, Coomber, and had now gained considerable influence within the Federation.

Xi Ya huddled in Tang Mary’s arms, her eyes red and swollen, looking deeply aggrieved. When she saw Lou Tiannan, her grievance only intensified. She pointed at Jed and complained, “Uncle… he hit me…”

Jed was so furious he nearly jumped. He pointed at Xi Ya and snapped, “What nonsense are you talking about, kid? When did I ever hit you?!”

Tang Mary’s voice was even louder than his, shouting angrily, “What are you barking about?!”

“Exactly! Why are you acting so aggressive? The red mark on Xi Ya’s face is proof enough!” Bai Chuan added fuel to the fire with expert precision.

Jed was already seething from Tang Mary’s insult. Ever since he had leveraged his brother’s influence to gain a position in the Federation, no one had dared to speak to him like this. But remembering Tang Mary’s status, he forced down his rage and defended himself, “I didn’t hit her! That’s just a scrape!”

Xi Ya puffed up her cheeks in anger and accused him loudly, “You did! And you tried to steal my bag! And my doll!!”

Jed felt like the little girl was the most infuriating creature he had ever encountered, twisting the truth completely. He retorted, “So what if I wanted to take a look at your stupid doll?! What if you have something dangerous in your bag? Isn’t it normal for me to check?! You’re just an uneducated little—”

“Jed!” Zhuang Liang shouted, cutting him off.

But it was already too late.

Before he could finish speaking, a chair suddenly flew through the air and smashed into Jed’s leg.

Jed let out a cry of pain but before he could even look for the culprit, a spiked mace was pressed against his throat, pinning him to the wall.

The sharp metal spikes dug into his skin, drawing blood. Seeing Tang Mary standing before him, he suddenly felt a wave of fear. “You—you… what are you doing?! This is the Federation—ah!”

He hadn’t even finished his sentence when the pain in his neck intensified.

With Red Sand on one side and Coomber’s brother on the other, even a former high-ranking Security Bureau Director could only step in to de-escalate the situation.

“President Tang, it’s just a misunderstanding. There’s no need for violence,” Zhuang Liang said calmly.

“It looks like you’re not managing your people very well. I’m doing you a favor by handling it for you,” Tang Mary countered without backing down, pressing the mace harder against Jed’s throat.

The suffocating pressure made Jed’s eyes bulge, his mouth hanging open in desperation. His survival instincts kicked in and he began gathering his energy, preparing to unleash his ability in a counterattack.

As an iron arrow began to take shape in Jed’s palm, about to be shot at Tang Mary, Zhuang Liang knew he couldn’t let what was originally just a minor verbal dispute escalate into a conflict between the Federation and Red Sand. He stepped beside Jed, pressing down on his hand. Without seeming to exert much force, he forcibly dispersed the forming iron arrow.

The fact that Zhuang Liang could suppress Jed’s abilities, despite the latter being a B-rank ability user, meant that Zhuang Liang’s power far exceeded Jed’s.

Tang Mary lifted the corner of her eyebrow, thinking to herself that the old man was still the same as ever. Indeed, he had some strength.

“Jed, apologize to this child,” Zhuang Liang said coldly.

Tang Mary didn’t loosen her grip on her spiked club in the slightest.

Jed, unable to use his ability at the moment and with a weapon pressed against his vital spot, didn’t dare make a sound. His Adam’s apple moved slightly, touching the steel spikes of the club, making him breathe cautiously. He suppressed the resentment in his eyes and reluctantly said, “I’m sorry.”

Tang Mary pressed the club closer and asked, “A fly is louder than you. Who are you even talking to?”

Jed’s face turned purple with frustration but since Tang Mary showed no intention of giving Zhuang Liang any face, he didn’t dare resist further. Gritting his teeth, he turned to Xi Ya and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched your things.”

Xi Ya, completely unimpressed, turned her head away with a huff. “Bad guy!”

Jed’s mouth twitched involuntarily. He never expected that such a wild little kid would be the reason Tang Mary took action.

Seeing that the situation had calmed slightly, Zhuang Liang said seriously, “President Tang, rest assured, the fault is mine for failing to discipline my subordinate. I will punish him severely once we return.”

“Don’t try to fool me with those empty words. Punish him right now, in front of us!” Tang Mary hated people who beat around the bush. She wasn’t stupid. She could tell that the man named Jed had backing. If they let him go, who knew if the punishment would actually happen or if the matter would just be swept under the rug?

Left with no choice, Zhuang Liang turned to face Jed. “You abandoned your post, acted recklessly, and spoke out of turn. Your rank is reduced by one level and your supplies for the next month are revoked. Any objections?”

Jed gritted his teeth fiercely. “No.”

“Hmph, what a light punishment,” Tang Mary scoffed but she still withdrew her spiked club. As someone well-versed in business dealings, she knew when to stop pushing.

Jed collapsed onto the ground, finally managing to catch his breath.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from outside. Before the person even arrived, their panicked voice rang out, “Director Zhuang! Elena is missing!”

The news was like a boulder dropped into a pond, sending waves of shock through everyone.

Tang Mary smirked sarcastically. “Looks like your security isn’t that great after all. A million-volt electric gate, yet someone still escaped?”

Ignoring Tang Mary’s remark, Zhuang Liang rushed toward Elena’s holding cell.

When he arrived, sure enough, the room was empty. Only a pair of handcuffs remained. Strangely, the door was still locked properly.

Someone must have cut the power, used a key to open the cell, and then locked it again afterward.

Zhuang Liang stepped inside, carefully inspecting every inch of the cell but he found no clues, yet Elena had vanished without a trace.

“Seal off the entire base! Interrogate everyone, one by one!” Zhuang Liang felt a sharp headache coming on. The Federation had long been wary of Elena’s potential betrayal. He had finally captured her, yet in such a short time, she had managed to escape.

The entire night, the Security Bureau conducted a thorough search but there was no trace of Elena. However, based on the time the surveillance cameras went offline, they determined that she had escaped between 11:34:15 PM and 11:35:46 PM. In that brief minute and a half, she had vanished from her prison cell.

During that time, Zhuang Liang and the others had been in the interrogation room dealing with the conflict between Jed and Xi Ya. Because of Jed’s actions, the guards outside the prison had been at their most lax.

They had no idea how Elena had bypassed the high-voltage security doors or how she had slipped past the external guards. Somehow, a living, breathing person had simply disappeared into thin air.

Jed immediately accused Tang Mary and Bai Chuan, claiming it was their plan all along and that they had conspired with the traitor Elena.

Zhuang Liang had considered that possibility but he dismissed it quickly. Tang Mary and Bai Chuan’s reactions didn’t seem staged at all.

Tang Mary stared in amazement at the tightly sealed prison door. “Wow, Bai Chuan, how do you think Elena escaped? This door is electrified, the walls have no signs of damage, the windows are fake… and yet she vanished without a trace?”

“The Adjudicator has some real skills,” Bai Chuan remarked as he carefully inspected the room.

Watching the two of them genuinely trying to find clues, Zhuang Liang thought to himself that if they were behind it, then their acting skills were truly impeccable.

“Director Zhuang, I think you must have a mole in your bureau,” Tang Mary suggested earnestly, trying to help Zhuang Liang analyze the situation. “Otherwise, how could she remove her handcuffs and escape alone? Plus, she knew the situation outside even from deep inside the prison. Someone must have told her.”

Zhuang Liang had already considered that. It was his primary suspicion. He had even wondered if Lou Tiannan’s team had secretly helped her. But during that crucial minute and a half, Lou Tiannan’s subordinates had all been in interrogation and Lou Tiannan, Tang Mary, and Bai Chuan had been right under his watchful eye. There was no way they could have done anything.

Despite a thorough investigation, Zhuang Liang still couldn’t figure out who had aided Elena. Did she have a hidden ally inside the Security Bureau?

No one could understand how Elena had managed to escape.

***

Five hours earlier, 11:30 PM.

Everyone else had been taken away for questioning, leaving Elena alone in her cell. She could hear the footsteps of guards moving outside. She stared at the window, lost in thought. Now that she had fallen into the Security Bureau’s hands, escaping wouldn’t be easy. But she had to find a way. Her friends were waiting for her.

As she was thinking, a sudden flash of light flickered before her.

Elena caught it immediately. On the blacked-out fake window, small square-shaped light signals were blinking.

Was someone sending her a message?

The lights flickered irregularly and Elena’s expression changed slightly. The flashing pattern matched a signal code she recognized.

Dot-dot-dot, dot-dash-dot, dash-dash-dot…

Three minutes later, outside, security…

The flashing light dots instantly transported Elena back to the time when she had been trying to rescue the kidnapped Mi Xing. Back then, she had been at a loss and just like now, she had received a coded signal. The difference was that, at that time, the signal had come through her earpiece in the form of tapping sounds, long and short knocks conveying detailed intelligence about the skyscraper.

The light flashes lasted only a short time but it was enough for Elena to understand their meaning. She didn’t know who had sent them but she knew it was her chance.

Three minutes. That was plenty of time.

Elena glanced at the electric shock handcuffs on her wrists. Her hands emitted a layer of frost, freezing the surface of the handcuffs and cutting off the electric current. She then melted the ice into water, let it drip into the keyhole, and froze it again, shaping it into the form of a key.

Click.

The handcuffs unlocked.

As for the mechanical door, she used the same method. Years ago, she had been involved in designing the locks for the Eastern District One’s Border Prison. No one knew their specifications and dimensions better than she did.

Watching the time closely, she used ice to block the electrical current running through the surveillance system, unlocked the door, and effortlessly stepped out. She didn’t forget to close the prison door and restore the power before leaving.

Just as the light signal had indicated, there were barely any guards outside. No one was more familiar with the layout of the Border Prison than she was. As she passed through a particular corridor and slipped into a temporary rest area, she could even hear Tang Mary and Zhuang Liang’s voices.

Without hesitation, she quickly found a uniform and changed into it. Then, keeping a calm demeanor, she walked through the hallway. At that moment, everyone’s attention was focused on the interrogation room. No one would notice an unfamiliar figure blending in among them.

Thanks to the electronic screens covering the entire Border Prison, the light signals continued to guide her path.

Until she safely left the prison.

Who was helping her?