Chapter 51: Prison Riot (Part One)

“To try to please everyone is the most foolish idea!” Kang Hongyuan indeed held absolute authority in this matter. If interpersonal politics and power struggles could be measured like academic status, Kang Hongyuan would unquestionably be at the level of a doctoral advisor.

“At all times, you must remember never to entertain unrealistic notions,” the old man Kang said, harboring no resentment toward Zhao Li, especially considering Zhao Li had pulled him back from the brink of death amidst turbulent chaos. Though now a prisoner himself, it was only natural for him to offer some proper guidance.

“Was my decision really that foolish?” Zhao Li felt a bit defiant. After all, he had saved their lives; shouldn’t that count for something?

“It was indeed foolish, if you abandon your own position,” Kang Hongyuan bluntly struck at Zhao Li’s confidence. “You detached yourself from your team. You are a prison guard, yet your interests leaned toward a group of inmates. That’s a matter of allegiance. If someone like you appeared in my team, the first person I’d remove would be you!”

Zhao Li hadn’t expected that his small, somewhat self-interested choice would become such a serious issue. Moreover, hearing Kang Hongyuan elevate it to such a grave level made him wonder if he had saved the wrong people.

“However, from my perspective, you did the right thing!” After delivering the blow, Kang Hongyuan softened his tone, offering a morsel of sweetness. “There’s nothing better than what you did. You are a messenger sent from heaven, a dark warrior seeking the light, a…”

Before Kang Hongyuan could finish, Zhao Li cut him off, unwilling to hear any more. If it continued, it would mean he was a “freedom fighter” who had dishonorably abandoned his prison guard role to side with the inmates.

“So, what should I do?” Zhao Li looked at Kang Hongyuan with hope, eager for concrete direction.

“That depends on what you want to become!” Kang Hongyuan did not answer directly but laid down a fundamental premise.

“What I want to become?” Zhao Li was puzzled. Was there really a difference?

“Of course there is!” Kang Hongyuan eyed him as though he were a naive child ignorant of the world. “Your goals determine your actions. Every move you make should be aimed at your life’s purpose. Otherwise, it’s a deviation from your goal, a futile effort, or even a betrayal of your own ideals.”

“If you want to retire here quietly and live a peaceful life, then you shouldn’t make decisions that go against the majority. You should follow the crowd, avoid standing out, and trade your safety for a smooth retirement.” Seeing Zhao Li’s confused expression, Kang Hongyuan earnestly began to guide him.

“If you aspire to achieve a career like that old man’s,”—referring to the old prison warden—“you must do things at the right times that catch his attention. That will help you leave a good impression, win his favor, and gradually get promoted. Then you’ll have a chance to enter his faction, slowly rise through the ranks, whether to become a general or hold another position. What you ultimately accomplish depends on your own abilities.” Zhao Li knew the old warden was no ordinary man, but he had never imagined that Kang Hongyuan saw him wielding such formidable power.

“What do you ultimately want to do? Once you’ve figured that out, then consider what you should do now!” Kang Hongyuan concluded their conversation with a classic approach: first setting a premise, then offering a solution. Beyond dispensing a lengthy lecture filled with lofty ideals—some of which seemed somewhat meaningless—he gave no specific plan.

Yet Zhao Li fell into deep thought. Kang Hongyuan’s words made sense. What did he truly want? He had yet to clarify that. Without a defined life goal, any concrete steps would be empty talk.

Before, he had simply wanted to avoid being a lab rat, so he kept a low profile, concealed everything, and his sole wish was to learn the military’s combat techniques and escape that fate. That seemed achieved. But then, he felt life in the military lacked meaning, so he drifted along, waiting for retirement.

However, after the shock involving his parents, Zhao Li changed. He could no longer remain so low-key; when the time came to act, he had to act. That’s why he had clashed with Sanders and even, under some strange impulse, made a passionate choice he never imagined.

But such impassioned recklessness had led to his current predicament. He hadn’t yet settled on what he truly wanted; his attitude had changed, but his goal remained vague.

To become a high-ranking official? Judging by the old warden’s demeanor, even a lieutenant colonel could live luxuriously and speak boldly to generals. Kang Hongyuan had just hinted that even within the old warden’s faction, becoming a general was not impossible. But Zhao Li was only a sergeant—could he really become a general?

Whatever the case, life must go on. A new prison, a new life. Zhao Li and his fellow guards were all under someone else’s roof here. The old warden had already departed to handle affairs at the new prison, leaving a temporary lieutenant colonel in charge.

Days passed quietly, returning to a routine of normal duty and rest. Zhao Li kept to a fixed schedule for patrols and downtime. During rest, he stayed inside, focused on cultivation. During duty, he patrolled widely, chatting freely with whomever he met.

However, Jiang Hao increasingly distanced himself from Zhao Li, no longer patrolling alongside him, merely watching from afar.

Zhao Li no longer harbored illusions. Since he hadn’t yet decided on his path, he would maintain the status quo—for now. Perhaps things would change once they moved to the new prison.

Yet tensions within the prison were growing sharper. The high-grade treatment of this group of inmates stoked jealousy among the original prisoners, leading to frequent disputes during yard time. For now, both sides restrained their inmates, preventing direct contact.

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Final day of the ranking battle—please vote! Thank you all!