Chapter Eleven: The White Cocoon

"It's you..."
Mu You was briefly stunned, then, forgetting his own predicament, burned with rage as he threw a punch.
"Bang." The false Mu You stood motionless, letting the fist land squarely on her face.
Yet the scream came from Mu You himself.
That punch felt as if he'd struck his own face, the pain fiery and intense.
The false Mu You laughed wantonly, her gaze cruel as she tightened her grip.
"Ugh, ugh..."
Mu You felt as if a bone were stuck in his throat; he coughed violently, desperately trying to breathe, his legs instinctively struggling as his eyes rolled back.
Seeing the real Mu You lose all resistance, the false Mu You finally regarded him with lively interest, cocking her head and leaning close to his ear, her playful smile growing ever more flamboyant.
"My ability not only changes appearance; it also transfers any harm I receive onto the original. Even if you stab my heart right now, the one who dies will be you!"
As she spoke, Dongguan limped back to Mu You, and without any explanation, delivered a vicious kick to the false Mu You's groin. When the howl came from the real Mu You, she remembered something, glared at the false Mu You in annoyance, then returned to her previous dazed look. Her hands roamed over Mu You's body before finally unlocking the Final Punishment and gently fastening it around his neck.
The clear click of the lock sounded like the final farewell to freedom.
After securing the device, Dongguan pressed a button; instantly Mu You felt a sharp pain at his neck, as though something were injected into his body.
Having completed this, Dongguan collapsed onto Mu You's rigid body in convulsive ecstasy. Her lower body was drenched, fluids mingling with the rain, trickling down her thighs.
The false Mu You reverted to her true form: a woman with half a shaved head and the other half cropped, dyed neon green. Silver rings covered her ear cartilage, and her lips, both upper and lower, were pierced with silver studs that glinted as she spoke.
She rolled her eyes at Dongguan, unable to stand her, "You climax whenever you see a man. If you ever get played by one, you'll die of dehydration."
Dongguan's flushed face hadn't faded. Though panting, she adopted a serious expression, "Warden, how many times have I told you? I like women, but men's bodies make it easier for me to climax. Besides, this is the male form used to breed the Noon Soulworm."
After speaking, Dongguan couldn't resist inhaling deeply near Mu You, savoring his scent. The Warden shivered in disgust and tossed Mu You at the feet of the special police officers, coldly announcing:
"So, how does it feel? Furious? Want revenge? You can try, but you must survive until you meet me again. Remember who gave you your first lesson in Death Row Playground: Warden. Codename: Bionic Bird."
With that, the Warden slowly extended her tongue—a large golden ring pierced through it. She licked her lips and turned coldly to the special police:
"Final Punishment can suppress his abilities; now he's no different from ordinary people. He was quite arrogant getting out of the car, so now you can take your revenge. Just leave him breathing—he won't die."
The Warden beckoned Dongguan and sashayed away, her legs so far apart that they never met from thigh to ankle, leaving the officers parched and speechless.
"Her legs never even meet..."
"Shut up! Do you think we're dealing with ordinary death row inmates?"
The lead officer snarled at his subordinate, who quickly fell silent. Turning to Mu You, the officer gave a sinister smile:
"But this one—he's fair game."
With that, they surrounded Mu You, who had only just caught his breath.
"He offended us, so let's cripple him. In Death Row Playground, he won't survive. If you cut the grass, you must pull out the roots."

Laughter full of malice echoed, and soon Mu You's miserable cries filled the air.
...
Three days later.
Left Wing, Building A, 13th Floor of Death Row Playground, just past eight in the morning.
Zzzz—zzz—zzz—
Electronic locks on every death row cell clicked open in unison; doors swung out almost simultaneously. The inmates stretched, donned their uniforms, and stepped out, but all wore heavy expressions.
A hundred inmates lived on the thirteenth floor. Strangely, there was no chatter among them—only hurried footsteps and the sound of bodies brushing past.
"Good morning, Sister Dong."
"Mm."
"Good morning, Sister Dong."
"Good."
"Good morning, Sister Dong."
"Hello."
Tap, tap, tap—high heels rang out, growing closer. The crowd instinctively parted to make way, some greeting Dongguan as she approached. Dongguan, in a good mood, replied to each, still wearing her revealing uniform, a stethoscope dangling from her chest, swinging idly over her flat stomach.
None dared meet Dongguan’s gaze; all bowed their heads, even their greetings delivered while avoiding her eyes.
Watching the ant-like, hurried crowd before her, Dongguan suddenly felt annoyed.
"I'm here for business. Ten seconds—disappear from my sight, or tonight's game will have a 'special course'!"
Hearing "special course," the crowd instantly grew terrified. Their pace became a stampede; anyone knocked down didn't bother to curse, scrambling to their knees and crawling toward the exit.
Yet a few were still too slow. Dongguan slipped her left index finger into her red lips, savoring it, then withdrew, her sharp cherry-colored nail scratching her lips, leaving a trail of blood.
"Fragmented Pattern: Phoenix Butterfly Glamour."
Dongguan flicked her finger, sending two streaks of blood at the last two inmates.
One shivered, gritted his teeth, didn't dare look back, and left immediately.
The other, having just gotten up despite a twisted ankle, desperately ran for the exit. Just as he neared it, a burning pain struck his back, and a cherry blossom-colored phoenix tail mark appeared.
"Sister Dong... please, please, it's not even been fifteen seconds." The inmate knelt far from Dongguan, begging desperately.
"Pardon me, what did you say?" Dongguan leaned forward, feigning confusion.
"I said... Sister Dong, the time isn't up yet... ah!! Ahhh!!"
Before he finished, the phoenix tail mark on his back turned crimson and began to eat into his flesh. The air filled with the scent of cooked meat.

"Sister Dong... spare me... spare me, please!"
His shrill screams pierced the floor; he knelt, clutching at the brand, finally smashing his head against the ground to seek brief unconsciousness from the pain.
"One word, one centimeter deeper. 'I, said, Sister, Dong, the, time, isn't, up, yet.' Thirteen words. Tsk, tsk... you'll be corroded right through."
Dongguan counted thoughtfully and sighed sympathetically, "I gave you a chance. If you hadn't repeated your insubordination, maybe tomorrow you'd get just a 'special course.' You might even survive tonight's game of 'Manhunt.'"
After her lament, Dongguan chuckled softly and, remembering something, cast a pitying glance at the half-dead inmate, "But with your mindset, you won't get through. Better to die by my hand..."
Saying this, Dongguan turned back toward the end of the corridor.
"You... damned witch!"
The inmate staggered to his feet, face twisted in anger, lunging at Dongguan, hands reaching for her throat.
"...That's cleaner."
Just before he reached her, Dongguan spoke calmly. The inmate froze mid-motion, lowering his head mechanically. His chest had been pierced through by the crimson phoenix tail mark.
"Witch, I... I... pth!"
His chest eaten away, the inmate mustered his last strength to spit at Dongguan, but the phoenix tail mark accelerated its corrosion, and his defiant cries faded as his pupils lost their light.
His hands fell to the empty floor, quickly covered in bloody lines, until only an inch-long worm remained, squirming briefly before being consumed.
Throughout, Dongguan never glanced at him again, striding confidently to the end of the corridor.
A solitary iron door stood there, without any numbers from one to a hundred—only the word "Zero" painted in black.
Room Zero.
Dongguan took a deep breath; though murder was commonplace to her, nervousness now tinged her composure. She coughed lightly, showed her fingertips, and pressed them to the fingerprint scanner.
"Esteemed Chief Physician Dongguan, please submit to iris verification."
A pair of light beams scanned her retinas, then the door opened, revealing a tempered glass barrier through which the room could be seen at a glance.
Through the glass, Dongguan saw the person she'd dreamed of day and night—or, more accurately, a white "human cocoon."
"You are about to interact with a dangerous inmate. Please confirm your choice." Two selection boxes appeared on the glass.
Without taking her eyes off the white "human cocoon," Dongguan extended her tongue and licked the confirmation box with force.
"Verification successful. Wishing you a pleasant day."
Now, nothing stood between Dongguan and the white "human cocoon."
A flush colored Dongguan's cheeks. "My little darling, your sister is here..."