Chapter Twenty-Six: First Arrival (Part One)

Page 1/3

“Zhao Li, male, twenty-two years old, residence at...”
“In July, Year xx31, enlisted in the army.”
“In July, Year xx32, completed basic training.”
“Comprehensive assessment: Recommend for official military training, suggested field: high-security prison management.”
“Combat technique level assessment: Level Four.”
“Military rank: Sergeant.”

This was a very simple resume for Zhao Li, and from the looks of it, there was nothing particularly remarkable about him. He enlisted after finishing high school, underwent basic training, and was finally assigned to serve at the Special Prison on Montbatten Star.

His resume, along with a more detailed dossier, lay on the warden's desk at Montbatten Star Special Prison. The one reading them was the elderly warden himself, hair and beard as white as snow.

Although the warden appeared advanced in years—his hair and beard completely white—his spirit remained vigorous, his posture upright, showing none of the stoop common in the elderly. His eyes would occasionally flash with a sharp light, entirely unlike the dull gaze of most old men.

The other file contained records of Zhao Li’s performance during basic training. From his first day in the camp, his comprehensive evaluations, all his performances in the first, second, and third phases—everything was meticulously noted. Even his martial arts progress during high school was recorded in detail. Every instructor’s assessment—Instructor Arnold, Instructor Xiao Qiang, and even Christine’s comments—were all listed comprehensively.

The thoroughness of the file was almost unsettling. If Zhao Li were to see it, he would be baffled as to why such a dossier was placed before the warden.

From his resume and records, there was nothing suspicious about Zhao Li. He excelled in the first phase of training; though his personal score in the second phase wasn't the highest, his leadership score topped the charts. In the third phase, his weaponry and combat skills were described as exceptionally proficient—this was Instructor Xiao Qiang’s assessment. The only minor shortcoming was that his combat technique level was just Level Four. However, this Level Four recruit once fought one against fifteen, holding his own even when surrounded by two Level Six and several Level Five comrades.

How had such a rookie been assigned to the Special Prison on Montbatten Star, a facility with secrecy levels among the highest in the system? This was precisely what puzzled the old warden, and the reason he had Zhao Li’s records collected.

Page 2/3

After pondering for a moment, the warden pressed the communicator. The call was answered swiftly. “Major Hamas, it’s me.”

“Good evening, sir!” Although Major Hamas was already the commanding officer of the camp, he spoke to the warden with deep respect, his tone strictly formal.

“Sounds lively over there. Are you having a drink?” The noises in the background weren’t just from Major Hamas. There was loud music and the chatter of animated conversations.

“A welcoming party for the newcomers—same old tradition, sir!” Major Hamas replied with a laugh, though the background noise was rapidly fading, suggesting he was moving away from the crowd.

“It’s first-level alert. Make sure you keep your eyes open! Any impressions of the new recruit I told you to watch?” The warden didn’t press further, but gently reminded the major before steering the conversation to Zhao Li.

“He’s a good kid,” Major Hamas replied, his tone openly appreciative. “Survived the newcomer’s rollercoaster without a hitch—even Simpson was a mess, but that kid was perfectly fine; when the hatch opened, he was already standing there with his luggage, ready to go. You should have seen Simpson’s sorry state—hilarious! Now everyone calls the kid the ‘Rollercoaster King.’ Ha!”

“Oh? He’s that impressive?” The warden’s eyes brightened a little. “And how did he do during the alert drill?”

“The alert seemed to scare him stiff. He froze, didn’t know what to do. Had to be dragged along by Wolf, and just stood around at the entrance to the bunker, doing nothing.” The sound of an automatic door opening and closing came through the communicator, likely as the major entered his office. “Frankly, he doesn’t seem like one of those specially trained types,” he added, the sound of water being poured echoing in the background.

“Hmm. I’m just curious. It’s highly unusual for a recruit with such an ordinary background and no military connections to finish basic training and then suddenly be posted to a Special Prison like this,” the warden explained. “What’s your take on him?”

“He drinks heartily, tolerates a bit of rough play, and blends in easily. Good kid, but still rough around the edges.” Although Major Hamas hadn’t paid much special attention to Zhao Li, it seemed he’d never taken his eyes off him.

“Sounds like an interesting young man,” the warden concluded, echoing the major’s tone. “Sorry to interrupt your fun.”

“Not at all, sir!” the major replied with exaggerated protest. “It’s my pleasure to help you—no trouble at all. I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

“Thank you, then. Send him over tomorrow,” the warden said, ending the conversation.

Page 3/3

After hanging up, the warden leaned back comfortably in his tall chair, a mysterious smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Interesting. A Level Four combat technique rookie, and even Simpson at Level Seven had to yield to him.”

As if recalling something, the warden immediately sat upright and dialed another number. “Hello, it’s me. Are you well?”

...

“I’m not dead yet. As long as you’re alive, how could I dare die?”

...

“Right, I need you to check someone for me. Yes, check his physical records. What’s the name? Simpson, serving on Montbatten Star—yes, Air Force. Found him? Send it over, thanks!”

Simpson’s records quickly appeared on the warden’s desk. The warden scanned them at lightning speed, finally stopping at a particular line.

“Maximum sustained G-force under normal conditions: 10g. Excellent!”

“Ten times Earth gravity?” The warden read the record, unable to suppress a delighted laugh. “An elite Air Force pilot, and yet not as tough as a green recruit? Fascinating!” With a chuckle, he picked up Zhao Li’s file again and began leafing through it.

After a while, he seemed to notice something odd. He put down the file, frowning. It seemed, in the first phase, Zhao Li’s performance had been altogether too ordinary—even Christine’s assessment, who was responsible for testing susceptibility to temptation, was unremarkable. Yet in later stages, Zhao Li stood out as exceptional. This was something worth pondering.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Here’s the second update. I’m climbing the rankings, and need your recommendations—thank you all!