"Search!" the man who had cut the power barked as he stormed into the archives.
His companions immediately fanned out, combing the room for Jiang Hai.
Jiang Hai scanned the area. Escaping would be easy enough—if not for the woman beside him. Sigh. Troublesome.
He couldn't force his way through, so hiding was the best option. Gently pulling Lois Knightley along, he crept toward a dark corner. He had noticed the stacks of large cardboard boxes when he first entered—perfect for concealment.
Quietly, he shifted several boxes to create a hiding spot, then ducked in with Lois Knightley. He held her head down to prevent any sudden movements. Peering through the gaps in the cardboard, Jiang Hai watched the intruders. As expected, they weren't particularly sharp—they wandered in circles, leaving the shelves untouched, which was a relief.
Just as Jiang Hai began to relax, he realized a certain… vulnerable part of himself was exposed. Looking down, he saw Lois Knightley fiddling with it.
Jiang Hai almost shouted, but Lois shushed him with a finger to her lips. Speechless, he could only ask with his eyes what she was doing.
She didn't answer. Instead, she leaned down and put it in her mouth. Her movements were clumsy, but the stimulation was overwhelming. Jiang Hai's mind went blank—yet the situation left him no choice but to stay alert to the intruders outside.
After about five minutes, a burly man approached their commander. "Nothing," he said in a muffled voice.
The commander shoved him aside and scanned the archives room with eagle-like eyes—but Jiang Hai was nowhere to be seen.
"I know you're here, outsider. Let me introduce myself. I am Doflamingo Campbell. I don't know why you're here, but for my sake—and for theirs—you are destined to be caught. Come out obediently, and I might offer you a chance to join us. Resist, and I'll make you wish you were dead!" Doflamingo Campbell's voice boomed across the room.
Jiang Hai curled his lip in disdain. Shameless. Crazy, too. Acting like a lunatic instead of a normal person. Jiang Hai wasn't insane.
Seeing no response, Doflamingo Campbell shook his head, waved dismissively, and left, his men following. Jiang Hai exhaled slowly, finally able to relax. He glanced at Lois Knightley, still preoccupied.
"Hey, they're gone. What are you—hiss…" Jiang Hai whispered, only for Lois Knightley to intensify her actions. Jiang Hai felt the same overwhelming stimulation return. Unable to maintain control, he finally yielded. Lois Knightley finished, raised her head, cleaned up, and returned everything to its proper place.
"Phew! You're crazy! How could you do something like that at a time like this?" Jiang Hai exclaimed, a mix of frustration and disbelief.
"I had no choice," Lois Knightley said, smiling. "If I didn't, I was afraid you wouldn't consider me one of your own." Jiang Hai could only smile wryly.
"You're not actually crazy, are you?" Jiang Hai asked, assessing her during their journey. While her behavior seemed unhinged, his instincts told him otherwise.
"That depends on how you look at it," Lois Knightley shrugged. "Even normal people go crazy in a place like this."
"What do you mean?" Jiang Hai asked, confused.
"The medications here suppress the nerves. They're harmful to the brain. People forget everything—memories, how to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, speak. Those confined for ten years or more lose their language, emotions, and humanity entirely. Many here are like that," she explained, gently tucking her hair behind her ear. Sadness touched her voice.
"So if you're not crazy, why are you here?" Jiang Hai asked, meeting her clear eyes.
"Didn't you see my file? If I hadn't come in, I would have died. Better to live ten more years inside than die outside, right?" Lois Knightley said with a faint, calm smile.
"Tell me your story," Jiang Hai said after a pause. He didn't want to pry unnecessarily, but fate had brought them together, and he felt it was only polite to listen.
"My name is Lois Knightley," she began. Over the past year, she had forgotten much—brands she endorsed, advertising slogans, even her career—but she remembered the events that led her here. She had had a loving boyfriend.
A wealthy, entitled heir took a liking to her. He was a pervert who only wanted women to submit willingly. When she refused, he used her boyfriend as leverage. Her boyfriend, skilled in martial arts, broke free and tried to escape with her. But at the crucial moment, the heir's bodyguards shot him dead.
Lois Knightley escaped the warehouse, but her boyfriend, using his last strength, closed the door behind her. Nearby were barrels of diesel fuel, which he ignited, engulfing the warehouse in flames. Both her boyfriend and the heir perished. When authorities arrived, only Lois remained. Her grief and trauma caused her to lose her mind temporarily.
The heir's father, grief-stricken and unwilling to accept his son's death, fabricated charges, hired the best lawyers, and convicted Lois Knightley of murder and arson.
Though the US death penalty is rarely applied, the powerful can manipulate the system. Lois Knightley had feigned insanity under police guidance, hoping to overturn her case later. But the wealthy heir's father used his influence to ensure her punishment—a fate worse than death.
Jiang Hai felt a mixture of anger and empathy. She had suffered immensely, and though he himself had power, he didn't intend to let her suffer further. Compassion overrode caution.
(To be continued.)