Freedom!

In the dim underground prison, silence and oppression filled the air.

It had been two hours since Chen Chong was taken away.

The other prisoners were idle and aimless, but Lin Kun stood between the bars of his cell, his gaze nervous, occasionally glancing towards the entrance of the prison passageway as if waiting for something.

"Chen Chong's sudden accident should not have happened without warning."

Lin Kun's mind raced:

"His actions just now must have had a purpose."

Although Lin Kun had limited interaction with Chen Chong, he could still see that this young man was very different from the other prisoners in the jail. Not only was he strong-willed, but he was also meticulous and never gave up hope of escaping. This could be seen from his ability to deduce the existence of an underground river based on subtle clues.

Therefore, Lin Kun had a vague feeling that Chen Chong's abnormality just now was not a sudden occurrence, but a premeditated plan!

"What does he want to do... Could it be that he wants to take advantage of Derry's absence and seize Catherine!?"

A thought flashed in Lin Kun's mind, and he couldn't help but feel shocked by this bold speculation.

You see, all experimental projects follow strict procedures, from being escorted to being bound to the experimental table. The entire process is under strict control, and the guards escorting them are all strong and heavily armed. For ordinary people, there is almost no opportunity. He couldn't figure out how Chen Chong would do it.

Just as Lin Kun was deep in thought, rushed footsteps came from the front of the prison passageway. They were accompanied by loud cursing. Then, about a dozen guards with grim faces rushed into the prison, using the butts of their guns to strike heavily against the bars of each cell one by one.

"You pigs! Get up, all of you!"

"Everyone, come out! To the laboratory!"

"You're in luck!"

The doors of the cells were quickly opened by the guards, and most of the prisoners had panicked expressions. A few even thought that all the prisoners were going to be executed, and they began to cry and beg for mercy.

However, Lin Kun's heart leaped with joy when he heard the words of the guards!

Obviously, his bold speculation just now was not only true but might have become a reality!

...

A few minutes passed.

In the current experimental hall, all the researchers had been evacuated, leaving only a dozen base guards led by Johnson scattered in a fan shape, still aiming their guns at Chen Chong who was hiding behind Catherine in the corner. The atmosphere was silent and oppressive.

Including Johnson, every guard looked extremely nervous, sweat visible on their foreheads, staring intently at Chen Chong concealed behind Catherine.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.

In the silent hall, a faint smell of blood hung in the air, and the sound of blood dripping onto the ground could be heard clearly.

The smell and sound of the blood came from Catherine, who was held tightly by Chen Chong.

"Hehe... hehe..."

At this moment, Catherine was still held by Chen Chong, her consciousness gradually weakening due to continuous blood loss. Only meaningless sounds came from her throat.

Johnson's eyes twitched, his face turned pale, and he couldn't help but say:

"416, we've done as you requested. Can you please stop the bleeding for Dr. Catherine? If she dies, you..."

"Beautiful Dr. Catherine is different from ordinary people."

Chen Chong, like an tireless robot, showed no signs of relaxation. His deep voice resounded:

"Don't you know? Catherine is also an Awakener, with much stronger vitality than an ordinary person. She won't easily die from this bleeding in a short period of time. But if you continue to procrastinate, the outcome may not be good."

In fact, Catherine's current appearance, covered in blood, seemed extremely pitiful, but her limbs were only disabled, and there was no damage to any vital areas. With the extraordinary life force of an Awakener, even with continuous blood loss like this, she could support for at least an hour or two.

But for Chen Chong, the strong one admired by everyone in this base, Derry might return soon. He had to seize the opportunity and act quickly; otherwise, there would be more variables that might arise during the night.

"Dr. Catherine is an Awakener?!"

The news revealed by Chen Chong shocked Johnson and the other guards. They had been stationed in this base for half a year and knew nothing about it!

Before they could think too much, a large number of footsteps came from outside the hall, followed by more than a dozen guards escorting over twenty prisoners, who looked frightened and confused, streaming into the hall.

"That's... Catherine... 416!?"

One of the prisoners, who had just entered the experimental hall with an anxious heart, saw the situation in the hall and the figure pointed at by a dozen guns in the corner. His eyes bulged!

Then everyone realized what had happened, and their hearts filled with joy!

They were not fools; when they saw this situation, they knew exactly what had happened. Obviously, two hours ago in the prison, 416 deliberately pretended to have a seizure and then, taking advantage of the opportunity when being escorted to the experimental hall, somehow got rid of the restraints and kidnapped Catherine. That's why this scene appeared!

 The prisoners were excited, their hands trembling uncontrollably, as if they finally saw hope in the endless darkness. Hidden among the crowd, Lin Kun and the other three prisoners who had planned in advance exchanged glances, their eyes filled with ecstasy and excitement. They realized that their plan was to take advantage of the situation. Quickly counting the number of people, Chen Chong nodded in satisfaction in the corner. "Johnson, very good, we have a basis for further negotiation. Now let the guards step aside and let them come over!" 

In fact, the reason why Chen Chong asked the guards to bring the prisoners was not because he was a saint who sympathized with others, but because although he used the blind spot to hold Catherine hostage and intimidate Johnson and others, it also restricted his own movement. With the help of other prisoners, this problem could be naturally solved. More importantly, if they successfully escaped, even if the base guards pursued them, the more than twenty prisoners could share most of the pressure for him. Hearing Chen Chong's words, Johnson narrowed his eyes and remained unmoved. Whoosh! Behind Johnson, all the guards turned their guns towards the more than twenty prisoners who were brought over, freezing the ecstatic expressions on their faces. 

"Huh?" Seeing this scene from the shadows, Chen Chong raised his eyebrows and grinned sinisterly.

"Johnson, don't you have a brain? Do you want to use them to threaten me? How about we play a game now? You kill one of them, and I'll stab Catherine. Let's see if you can kill them all first, or if Catherine dies first. Are you brave enough to play? " Dirty, despicable, shameless lunatic! Hearing Chen Chong's sinister laughter, Johnson's face twitched fiercely.

He felt an extreme cruelty and madness coming at him, and he gave up his plans in his heart and said coldly, "416, the people are already here, and the map is also obtained. I have complied with your request.

What else do you want before you release Dr. Catherine?" In the corner, Chen Chong smirked mysteriously.

"You already guessed what I want to do, right?" Indeed, he wanted to escape through the secret underground river behind the experimental area. Johnson's heart sank as he realized that the other party did not ask for vehicles or anything like that, but instead wanted to bring other prisoners to the experimental area.

His intentions were now clear. As the captain of the guards, Johnson naturally knew that the entire experimental base was located in a huge underground cave, and behind the experimental area, there was an underground river with a considerable flow, which provided water and electricity for the base. However, he never expected that even ordinary guards did not know this secret, but 416, as a prisoner, not only knew, but also devised a plan to escape, which had already been successful to a large extent! "Now, all guards, take off your magazines and hand them over to my fellow inmates!" As Johnson's thoughts turned, Chen Chong laughed and made his next demand: "Don't worry, we only want the ammunition to ensure our own safety!" Chen Chong understood that once they escaped, the base would definitely not let them off easily.

They would most likely be pursued, so he took advantage of the current opportunity to maximize the reduction of the guards' strength.

Hearing Chen Chong's words, the faces of all the guards changed, and they nervously looked towards their captain, Johnson. Johnson's expression twisted in silence for a few seconds, and he stared fiercely at Chen Chong, then gritted his teeth and said, "Give it to them!" The guards looked at each other hesitantly.

Johnson roared, "Do it! Are you afraid of these monkeys that even a gust of wind can blow away?" The guards reluctantly followed his orders and took off the magazines from their guns, throwing them on the ground. Chen Chong's demand was cleverly designed. He didn't ask to confiscate the guards' firearms, but only took away the ammunition, which just reached their psychological limit.

Taking away their firearms would undoubtedly mean that the prisoners had the ability to directly threaten their lives.

It was like entrusting their lives to these prisoners who had accumulated countless resentments and grudges.

How could these guards be willing? "Well..." In the hall, one by one, the prisoners picked up the magazines that the guards had thrown on the ground. Chen Chong looked around and coldly reminded, "I know that each guard has at least one spare magazine. My fellow inmates, for the sake of your own lives, you better check each guard carefully and not miss anyone, otherwise your carelessness will be paid for with your life!" Including Lin Kun, all the prisoners suddenly shivered and began to count the number of magazines. Johnson remained silent, and the guards threw out the hidden magazines with grim faces.

After a few minutes, led by Lin Kun, the prisoners ensured that the number of guards corresponded to the double amount of magazines, and after examining the map brought by the guards, Lin Kun nodded to Chen Chong with admiration in his eyes.

"Chen Chong, no problem." Chen Chong carefully put away the map, laughed heartily, took the highest authority identity card from Catherine, and moved towards the passage on the other side of the hall.

"Everyone, let's go!" That was the way out of the experimental area and also the only passage to the base's small hydroelectric power station! "Roar!" "Freedom! Freedom!" At this moment, even the numbest, weakest prisoners raised their arms and shouted with beast-like ecstasy.

They were about to embrace the freedom they had longed for, even if they would fall in the next moment. They were so close to hope and had no regrets!