Chapter 146
Number 14 stood not far ahead, his ever-present black gloves that he always wore were nowhere to be seen, and the gun bags on his waist and legs were also gone.
His black hair, which used to be neatly combed back, was now casually flowing, adding some gentleness to his usually meticulous, dangerous and imposing temperament.
He was dressed in ordinary prisoner clothes, ordinary yet not ordinary.
Hearing Shen Yue call him, Number 14 bowed to Shen Yue as he did in the past, but his way of addressing Shen Yue had changed, "Master, I'm back."
Shen Yue's eyes were slightly downcast, not revealing her thoughts.
But she did not refute Number 14's words, instead naturally continuing, "I was just about to go eat."
Hearing Shen Yue respond to him, Number 14 also acted as if he did not see the two eminent people beside them. He only asked Shen Yue, "What would you like to eat today?"
Shen Yue shook her head. "I don't know."
"Then I'll just grab you a few random things like before."
After hearing this, Shen Yue did not respond right away. She quietly looked at Number 14, seemingly pondering something.
Tang Yi was originally about to speak, but seeing Shen Yue suddenly fall silent, he also did not open his mouth for the time being.
Under normal circumstances, the inmates and guards in Building 1 were mutually vigilant towards each other, appearing harmonious on the surface but not really taking each other seriously.
Aside from why Number 14, an excellent former prison guard, would appear here, just the obedient relationship presented in the previous dialogue between these two people was very interesting.
Tang Yi suddenly wanted to see how Shen Yue would handle this prison guard sticking to her - would she torture the poor guard's body severely using the methods he taught her today?
Tang Yi could see very clearly that the guard's right hand was obviously seriously injured. He really hoped that Shen Yue would also notice, so that the time he invested would be meaningful.
At that moment, Si Chengyou stood on the other side of Shen Yue. It was unclear what he was thinking, but evidently, he also did not intend to step in and interfere with Shen Yue. The inmates around them now saw the scene of three prison overlords surrounding a woman, and they also stopped in their tracks, quietly standing to the side, even breathing lightly, afraid that they might accidentally provoke the psychopaths and overlords, as well as a certain most powerful former prison guard, losing their precious lives right on the spot.
In fact, Number 14's reputation resonated loudly throughout the entire prison.
According to prison rules, the relationship between guards was supposed to be equal, with no one having more power than others.
But Number 14, relying on his understanding of prison regulations, had unknowingly turned the other guards into something like his subordinates, to the extent that not only the inmates feared him, even the guards were afraid of him.
Before Number 14 was transferred to serve the nobles and dignitaries in Building 1, most of the inmates in the prison were afraid of the number 14.
Even now, the person in power of Building 8, a certain unjustly accused, was taught a lesson by Number 14 when he first entered the prison.
Under such background, which inmate would not be curious about the scene before them now?
They were curious, yet did not dare to be blatantly curious, even more not daring to make any big moves that might startle the four main characters at the center. Thus, the current situation became Shen Yue pondering, while it was dead silent around her.
So quiet you could hear a pin drop.
After quite a while longer, Shen Yue finally raised her head to look at Number 14. There was unconcealed confusion in her eyes, "Number 14, you became an inmate in the Newcomer Building."
Hearing Shen Yue's words, Number 14's eyes softened. He gently said, "I am your dog. Wherever you go, I go."
When Number 14 said this, his feeling was completely different from his previous stiff and formal manner. Instead, there was a different kind of tenderness, as if longing for something.
At the same time, this statement was also announcing the relationship between him and Shen Yue to everyone present.
In front of the two overlords and the surrounding inmates, Number 14 had explicitly stood by Shen Yue's side...in a subordinate position.
In an instant, different thoughts arose in everyone's minds.
But Shen Yue was still the exception.
At that moment, Shen Yue only cared about one important problem. She earnestly said to Number 14, "Number 14, you have to pay to eat in the cafeteria."
This seemed to come out of nowhere, but Number 14 did not show any surprise at all. He was clearly already used to Shen Yue's points of attention, and even preemptively resolved the confusion she had not yet voiced, "Previously in Building 1, your meal fees were summed up monthly and paid uniformly from the outside. But inmates other than those in Building 1 do not have this treatment."
Shen Yue nodded. "Then do you have money?"
Just as Number 14 was about to speak, Tang Yi walked right up to Shen Yue, blocking her line of sight to Number 14 and forcibly occupying her field of vision.
Tang Yi stared into Shen Yue's eyes, the corners of his mouth still smiling, but his eyes had already become extremely dangerous. Shen Yue could even feel the dangerous aura emanating from Tang Yi's body at that moment, as if he would pounce over the next second to tear her apart. "I have money, I have a lot of money. I don't want him to be your dog."
As an overlord, Tang Yi naturally knew the meaning behind the word "dog" in Flightless Bird.
It was not some vulgar play, nor childish roleplaying. In Flightless Bird, the identity of a dog represented loyalty and commitment that offered up one's life.
The relationship between a dog and its owner was not one of domination and subjugation, but of using one's life to follow and protect.
And it was precisely because of this that Tang Yi was angry now.
He had spent time and effort preparing a companion that belonged to him, but that companion had made a lifelong pact with someone else instead. Why should he allow that?
He was unwilling.
He stared at Shen Yue, seemingly trying to use the destructive aura radiating from his body to force Shen Yue into giving an answer.
And Shen Yue did answer.
She said, "Number 14 is my dog."
Upon her words, a smile appeared at the corner of Number 14's mouth, while Tang Yi's expression visibly darkened.
From when Tang Yi met Shen Yue, this was the first time he had shown displeasure before her.
"Shen Yue." He seemed to be putting all his strength into chewing over those two words.
Just when all the inmates thought Tang Yi was going to erupt like before and start tormenting someone, he suddenly lowered his head instead. Using both hands, he grabbed Shen Yue's shoulders so she could not move.
Then he lightly rested his head in the crook of her neck, murmuring softly, "I want to be your dog too."
Shen Yue felt the grip on her shoulders, understanding that she would not be able to break free with her own strength. She looked at Number 14, but in the end still turned her head and chose another answer. "Si Chengyou."
Shen Yue only called out Si Chengyou's name, but she knew he would understand what she meant.
There was a deal between them.
And indeed, upon hearing that Shen Yue was finally directing the fire towards him, Si Chengyou walked over to Tang Yi's side and easily grabbed his hand. "It's very rude to touch a woman without permission."
Although restrained by Si Chengyou, Tang Yi's eyes were still fixed on Shen Yue as he repeated, "I want to be your dog too."
**
Not only was there overtime work today, I also had to revise my thesis. This is the last of my courtesy. I'm gone.