Great! I'm surrounded by villains!
Chapter 316 - 235: Boiling Point

Chapter 316: Chapter 235: Boiling Point

The prisoners in Sector D17 were seriously ill.

Along the way, Duan Mingyuan saw many prisoners whose skin had blistered from burns. Far from being in pain, they had a look of satisfaction on their faces. When they saw the broadcasting crew carrying their filming equipment, they exaggeratedly posed in front of the camera, waving hello to the audience in the live stream.

The number of viewers in the live broadcast room was growing, and the discussion in the bullet comments was becoming more heated.

This was the scene the audience wanted to see, and it also fit their stereotypical image of Prison Planet—an odd and grotesque spectacle. Even better, they didn’t have to feel guilty about taking pleasure in the prisoners’ suffering as the torture inflicted on them was deemed deserved.

All the viewers needed to do was find joy in the morbid curiosity and even satisfy the dark desires hidden deep within their hearts.

"The environment can subtly influence people. The prisoners in Sector D17 generally have a much higher tolerance for heat than the average person."

Prison Governor Norton pointed out that most of those who had blistered skin were "newcomers" who had only been allowed in today. It wouldn’t be long before they could comfortably endure the 62-degree water temperature just like everyone else.

The human body is quite miraculous.

Our life energy is much more resilient than one might imagine.

These were the insights Norton had gradually acquired after taking on the role of Prison Governor on Prison Planet.

Of course, for the prisoners on this planet, this extraordinary resilience wasn’t a good thing. He felt that death was instead a blessing for these criminals.

The criminals would find release in death.

Now, it seemed someone had found another way out. In a steamy room, Duan Mingyuan and others came upon the "Debt Collector." It was hotter inside than out, with visibility extremely low, only a dim figure sitting cross-legged could be seen.

The "Debt Collector" was far from subdued, having attacked the prison guards multiple times after incarceration, and planned three jailbreaks. Though all attempts ended in failure, and he woke up in the infirmary after being knocked out by mechanical guards each time, the "Debt Collector" seemed incapable of learning his lesson.

Norton speculated that this might have something to do with his unique constitution; the kinds of pain that would be unbearable for most people were, conversely, a pleasure to him.

He was a complete sadist.

The chilling smiles were imprinted in the hearts of every prison guard, which made Sector D17 one of their least favorite sectors to patrol.

And now, this sadist was about to be cooked.

This was a message in the bullet comments. The viewers, seeing the Debt Collector’s body turning red on screen, commented that the crabs they steamed at home were the same color.

Duan Mingyuan also watched very carefully, for this was his first time being so close to a person who was soulless.

After observing for a long time, he finally noticed something subtle.

Duan Mingyuan had originally thought that the "soul" the mechanical guards referred to was what was called Life Energy, which took energy from the prisoners, stripped them of their desires, and forced them into a state of compulsory calm.

It reminded him of frontal lobotomy.

As the medic aboard the Ranger, Duan Mingyuan was supposed to study some medical knowledge.

This surgery was originally meant to treat mental patients, to help them return to calmness from their chaotic emotions. However, subsequent research indicated that it only achieved superficial calmness.

Patients who underwent the surgery often suffered cognitive dysfunction, resulting in speech and social disorders.

Turning a mentally ill person into an idiot was the outcome presented by researchers from another planet centuries ago. With the advancement of medicine, this surgery has been universally banned across the universe, and anyone conducting the operation privately would be charged with crimes against humanity, earning a one-way ticket to Prison Planet.

It happens that such criminals against humanity are imprisoned in some sectors of Prison Planet.

However, it seems that the Judge took inspiration from them and modified the procedure. They didn’t remove any parts of the prisoners’ bodies or cause them any physical harm but rather allowed their Life Energy to "calm down."

In Mingyuan’s eyes, Life Energy was like a burning flame, constantly consuming itself.

When the flame went out, it signified the passing of a life.

The Life Energy in the "Debt Collector" was in a state Mingyuan had never seen before.

It had turned into a mist, with no fluctuations whatsoever.

The mental state of the "Debt Collector" was just like the mist, devoid of any highs and lows.

He would never be trapped in pain or despair, nor would he feel excitement or ecstasy, having obtained the absolute serenity of life, just like a plant.

As Mingyuan was conducting his medical observations, Owl’s interview efforts also encountered difficulties.

The mental state of the "Debt Collector" was too stable, hardly any different from monks who had seen through the vanity of the world, with no pre-battle trash talk, no unshakeable belief. This psychopath, who had satisfied the morbid curiosity of countless viewers, was facing the camera and pondering philosophical questions.

"All pain stems from within the heart."

The "Debt Collector" sat motionless on the ground, his tranquil expression unsettling to the audience. He seemed to have figured out everything, "As soon as one lets go of desire, one can immediately attain peace; otherwise, even if one escapes from this prison, from this planet, one’s future life will still be spent in constant anxiety."

?

The screen full of question marks expressed the dissatisfaction of the viewers.

No, did the brothers get up early, even risking being caught by their bosses during work hours to sneak a peek at the live stream, just to hear you talk about philosophy?

What the brothers wanted to see was your setting of bold pre-battle flags, your revelations of the company’s dirty secrets on camera, and your claims that one day you’ll successfully make a jailbreak, and when that day comes, everyone responsible for sending you to the Prison Planet will pay!

As for whether the "Debt Collector" Vida’s jailbreak plan could truly be realized, and whether he could find satisfaction and release through revenge was not a concern for the viewers.

Some aggressive viewers pointed out that what the "Debt Collector" should be doing now was stepping out of the public bathhouse and taking out all his competitors with a preemptive strike.

The company’s upper management also expressed dissatisfaction with the live broadcast team, pointing out that the atmosphere of the livestream was very disappointing; they hoped the atmosphere of the trial would be more intense.

This would greatly promote discussion of the topic, thus continuously attracting new viewers.

"Old Duan, what do we do now?"

Owl turned to Mingyuan for help, as he was not skilled in dealing with a "master" who had seen through the world’s vanity.

"Let me try."

While observing the "Debt Collector’s" Life Energy, Mingyuan had an idea.

If the prisoners’ calm stemmed from the change in the Life Energy’s form, then would reigniting the spark of their lives bring them back to normal?

He slowly controlled the mist, altering its shape, making it return to a flame-like appearance.

As the form of the Life Energy changed, the "Debt Collector’s" expression shifted as well.

He lifted his bowed head, looking up at the Owl who was closest to him.

Suddenly, he grinned, revealing the same twisted smile that was identical to the one on the promotional poster for the previous episode.

"Die, company lapdog!"