As long as you swallow it, you can be freed from this nightmare.

He placed the pulp in his palm and felt a heartbeat, as if it were alive.

The Security Office Chief understood Hafeez, knowing that things would not go as smoothly as promised. If swallowing the fruit meant escaping, why didn't Hafeez consume it himself, instead of giving him a segment?

Yet even so, he eventually swallowed the fruit.

Because the wound in his abdomen was excruciating, and the prisoner's threat seemed to echo in his ears—this won't kill you, because this is just the beginning.

At the moment he swallowed the fruit, his body began to twist. He heard the doctors in the clinic scream, watched them scatter in panic, and when he came to his senses he had already transformed into what he was now. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

He couldn't control his body well nor stop moving forward, but his consciousness was not completely lost, allowing him to feel everything happening around him.

He realized bullets couldn't pierce his body and that the iron bars in front of him were as fragile as a sheet of sheepskin paper.

He also heard a sound not far away.

The Acting Prison Warden gathered all the prison's defense forces, setting up obstacles ahead to await his arrival.

This would be a battle deciding life and death.

The Security Office Chief, having become a monster, stepped forward through the darkness, entering the light ahead, only to face rows upon rows of black, yawning gun muzzles.

But they all knew what would happen in the end.

Bullets wouldn't stop his steps; what awaited the prison guards was a one-sided massacre.

Yet they had to stand their ground, a price that had to be paid for "reform".

The Chief's vision grew clearer, but what lay on the other side of the light exceeded his expectations, even making the monster halt temporarily.

Because the scene looked so bizarre.

No gun muzzles, no guards lined up for a life-and-death struggle awaited him; he saw only a group of disheveled people gathered together, including the Acting Warden, whose eyes were veined with blood as he muttered words like the others.

"Gold!"

"Gold!"

"Bring forth gold!"

"It should come!"

They surrounded a simple pentagram Array, with the elements being a handgun, a rotten tomato, a police uniform stripped off someone, a toothbrush, and a shoe. No one even stopped to look at him for a second before this life or death battle began.

It seemed more like a casino, with people crowding around, some standing on tiptoe to see, while others formed human pyramids.

The Security Office Chief saw those five "sacrifices" dissolve into white light, converging at the center of the Array, blending together and transforming into a dazzling golden radiance.

"Damn! It's here!"

The Acting Warden clenched his fists and howled, and the guards erupted in deafening cheers.

The golden light twisted into shape, finally becoming a pitch-black longsword.

This sword had no tangible blade, instead, it swirled endlessly with darkness.

"Congratulations on obtaining the 'Magic Sword - Dark Matter'."

A girl with long green hair, holding a thick Sheepskin Book, announced the prize information to them.

The Security Office Chief watched as the Warden, sword in hand, charged at him without hesitation.

Although the sword was strange, his speed was too slow, seeming no different from a snail's pace in his eyes.

He raised his arm high, bringing it down on the approaching Warden.

He intended to kill the Warden and seize this strange Magic Sword for himself.

He saw the future where his blow would smash the Warden to pulp, followed by—

Huh?

The Security Office Chief's consciousness briefly faltered, and when he regained it, he found the scene before him had dramatically changed. This was no longer the prison but the second floor of some Lower City inn, and a sound coming from the doorway ahead beckoned him to enter.

Once more, his body reacted against his thoughts.

A slender hand grasped the doorknob, forcefully yanking the closed door off its hinges.

This was a strange room.

Inside lived a seven-eyed demihuman woman, a little girl with twin braids, and even a large fluffy bird sitting on a chair; they were gathered around a table, with even a few playing cards wedged within the bird's feathers. To a Lower City resident, this combination was incredibly peculiar.

But since he'd been discovered, he couldn't leave any witnesses.

After eliminating the witnesses in this inn, he planned to escape the city through a Lower City exit.

And all this blood debt would be on that arrogant Warden's head. When he realized what he'd done, his expression would surely be a sight to see.

Only a pity, he was destined not to witness it as he left this city.

The monster let out a shrill cry, approaching the two humans and bird, frozen in fright before him.

Blame it on the Church Court and their Saint!

He wanted to say, but only incoherent mumblings came from his mouth.

.........

At the same time, outside prison zone C2.

"We have a traitor among us!"

Having dispatched the monster with a single sword strike, the Acting Warden's face was grim.

Just after he sent off the monster, a panicked medical staff member fled out, telling them of the recent abnormal events in the clinic.

A prison guard named Marshall had approached the Security Office Chief and seemingly handed him an item, after which the Chief transformed into a monster.

Zone C2 was already utter chaos, with the monster tearing apart the guards' barricades and releasing all the prisoners. Now they had completely taken over the area, and some medical staff and guards who hadn't escaped were in their hands.

Among the prisoners were some informers falsely imprisoned from Lower City, but also many violent felons convicted of murder, robbery, and other serious crimes.

The residents of Lower City were never a united front, and the chaotic atmosphere nurtured these vicious criminals.

"Marshall? How could it be him?"

The Acting Warden was both shocked and furious upon hearing this.

He knew the man, also from Lower City, working in the Upper City prison. In fact, most laborers in Upper City were Lower City residents.

Marshall, despite his old tenure, was somewhat somber and rarely interacted with others; nothing else seemed out of the ordinary.

Hafeez, too, was stunned.

Zone C2 had spiraled entirely out of control, and he realized that Marshall was the main instigator of all this, which made Hafeez shudder.

He thought he'd bribed Marshall, never expecting Marshall intended to incite a riot from the start.

The tall, vicious prisoners all gathered in front of Marshall.

What surprised Hafeez more was Marshall bringing more crimson fruits, neatly placed in a basket, and expanding and contracting rhythmically like beating hearts.

"You're saying if we eat one of these fruits, we'll become as strong as that monster?"

The prisoners couldn't hide their excitement.

"No."

Marshall's response slightly puzzled the prisoners, but he smiled and explained, "That 'test subject' just ate one segment earlier. If you eat a whole fruit, you'll gain several times its power!"

"Move aside!"

One tall prisoner, unable to contain himself, rushed forward, grabbing a fruit and stuffing it into his mouth, chewing frantically lest others snatch what was meant for him.

The next moment, his eyes widened, his muscles bulged, and something seemed to writhe madly beneath his skin.

With a "boom" sound.

The prisoner didn't even have time to scream before his entire body exploded into pieces, spraying blood mist everywhere.

Marshall wiped the blood off his face indifferently, addressing the shocked and angry prisoners, "Too bad, bad luck—you failed to evolve."

His face twisted into a devilish grin, gazing at the prisoners who dared not advance, "The Goddess' blessing has a price; do you dare take a gamble?"

He lined the fruits on the table, "Gamble, who among you will be the lucky one to receive the Goddess' blessing?"