Chapter 4589

Every prisoner in this facility was a resource for the City Lord’s Mansion. Their lives held value—not out of compassion, but for the utility they provided. If any of them died, it would be a waste of the City Lord’s resources, and Captain Zhou would be held accountable.

Standing outside the formation’s shimmering barrier, Captain Zhou had seen everything: how Kai had effortlessly defeated more than a dozen Mahayana cultivators.

A flicker of recognition crossed his face as a memory surfaced. “Damn it… I remember now. This kid came to the prison to visit someone.”

Turning to a guard beside him, he asked, “Why is he in here?”

The guard straightened and replied, “He beat up Qiu Yu, the son of the Qiu family. Got arrested on the spot.”

Captain Zhou’s brows furrowed. “Beat Qiu Yu? Sounds like he’s deliberately stirring the pot.”

“I wouldn’t know, Captain,” the guard said with a shrug. “But after this kid was locked up, Boss Liu—the one who trades in fairy stones—sent over 500 purple gold spirit coins.”

Captain Zhou’s expression shifted, intrigued. “Boss Liu? That miser actually paid up? For this kid?”

“Exactly,” the guard confirmed. “It’s strange. Liu Zhongnan doesn’t part with a single coin unless it’s worth his while. This must mean the kid’s identity is anything but ordinary.”

Captain Zhou narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Kai as if trying to unravel his secrets. “Interesting. If Liu’s willing to shell out that much, there’s no way this kid’s just some random Tribulation Realm cultivator. Could he be tied to Liu’s family somehow?”

The guard hesitated before leaning closer. “Captain, should we intervene? If he gets into a fight with Bai Cheng…”

Before the guard could finish, Captain Zhou waved him off impatiently. “No need. Let them fight it out.” His tone was dismissive, but there was a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes. “Bai Cheng’s been strutting around here, acting high and mighty, for far too long. If this kid can take him down a peg, I’d be happy to watch.”

The guard frowned. “But Captain, if Bai Cheng gets hurt, won’t we have to explain it to the City Lord’s Mansion?”

Captain Zhou snorted. “Explain what? I didn’t throw a punch. Besides, the City Lord hasn’t been seen in ages. Who knows what’s going on over there?”

The guard remained uneasy but said nothing more. Zhou, on the other hand, crossed his arms and watched the scene unfold with growing interest.

For now, Kai’s true identity remained a mystery, but Zhou could tell one thing for certain: this so-called Tribulation Realm cultivator was no ordinary prisoner.
Captain Zhou snorted coldly, his expression icy.

The guards around him immediately fell silent, their faces pale with fear. None of them dared utter another word.

Beast City had long been in chaos. The absence of the City Lord had thrown its governance into disarray, leaving the city under the rule of the three Beast Generals. While nominally loyal to the City Lord, the generals were notorious for their constant infighting, each vying for control and influence.

This discord had trickled down to the city’s officials and enforcers. Corruption thrived, and those in power seized the opportunity to line their pockets.

Captain Zhou was no exception. As the captain of the prison guards, he had turned his position into a lucrative business. Bribes flowed freely—whether for releasing prisoners, arranging private visits, or turning a blind eye to certain activities.

Then there was Liu Zhongnan, the official in charge of purchasing resources. The man had built a fortune by skimming profits and selling fairy stones on the black market.

All of this was possible because the City Lord, the one figure who could restore order, had not been seen for a long time.

In his absence, figures like Qiu Yu—the son of one of the Beast Generals—acted with impunity. Even if Qiu Yu had broken every rule in the book, his father, as the executor of those very rules, would ensure his son faced no consequences.

And now, the same corrupt system had thrown Kai into this chaos.
Kai, unaware of the attention he was drawing, walked steadily toward Bai Cheng.

The air seemed to crackle with tension as the two locked eyes. Bai Cheng’s lips curled into a faint smile, his gaze brimming with fighting spirit.

It had been a long time since anyone had dared challenge him.

The other prisoners looked on in stunned silence, their gazes shifting between Kai and Bai Cheng. Most of them didn’t care who won or lost; they were just eager to watch the fight. But there was an undercurrent of hope—if Kai could defeat Bai Cheng, perhaps the oppressive reign under the ancient tree would finally end.

The youngest sister’s brother stood off to the side, fists clenched tightly. He prayed silently, his heart pounding in his chest.

Kai and Bai Cheng now stood face-to-face, the tension between them so thick it was almost tangible.

And then, just as the first blow seemed imminent, a shrill bell shattered the stillness.

DONG! DONG! DONG!

The sound echoed through the prison grounds, harsh and unrelenting.

It was the signal to return. All prisoners were required to return to their cells the moment the bell rang.

The crowd’s excitement deflated like a punctured balloon. The gathered prisoners began to disperse reluctantly, casting lingering glances at Kai and Bai Cheng as they trudged back to their cells.

Kai paused, his gaze never leaving Bai Cheng.

“You got lucky,” Kai said with a faint smile.

Bai Cheng chuckled softly, the anticipation in his eyes undimmed. “The bell won’t save you forever.”

The tension between the two lingered, unbroken, as they turned and walked in opposite directions. The fight had been postponed, but the clash was inevitable.

And somewhere outside the formation, Captain Zhou watched with growing interest.

“This is going to be fun,” he murmured to himself, a sly grin playing at his lips.