Chapter 111 – Jail War #3

Soon after breakfast time. It didn't take long for the guards to realize that something was wrong.

“This group of scum is crazy!"

Even though it was time for some work, a few people were gathered. The new guard next to him giggled and said,

“Are they lazing off after eating?"

"We will put them all in solitary confinement. Let's go see."

"I understand, Sunbae-nim."

The new prison guard was filled with a strange confidence shortly after arriving here. He felt like a hero judging heinous criminals. He twirled his rod and entered one of the cells.

"Number 304! What are you doing? Go to work!"

The man sitting on the toilet raised his head. The face that had been fine just yesterday was now in pain. Number 304 groaned and said,

"Guard-nim. I'm sorry. M-My stomach…"

“Ah, what is this smell? Finish up and come out."

"Yes, I understand."

The cell next door had a similar situation. No, it was worse.

"F-Finish quickly! I don't want to see this."

"It keeps coming. I can't stop it in the middle."

"F-Fuck, leaking…"

“Get out of here!"

Something was strange. The same thing was happening in most of the cells. In one room, the person hadn't been able to reach the toilet and there was a disgusting smell in the room.

"Number 411! Ya, hey!"

The new guard was dismayed as there was no reaction from the prisoner. In the end, he opened the door with a key and went inside.

"……"

Number 411 had collapsed on the bed like he was dead. The bed was messed up with vomit and feces.

"Stomach pains… Nausea, diarrhea… This is food poisoning!"

In addition, it seemed to be affecting many prisoners.

"We need to report this to the warden!"

The new guard realized that he had to tell the warden before the situation became serious. After an hour went by, the warden and guards gathered for an emergency meeting.

@

“Food poisoning?”

The warden's face distorted as he heard the report of the prison guards.

A few days ago, the logistics line had broken down, but there was still one ship that could be operated. There were also food ingredients piled up in the warehouse. However, one of the remaining bastions, the food warehouse, had bacteria growing that was causing food poisoning.

Even so, he couldn't panic. After a week, he could harvest the money from the farms. If outsiders entered here, then he would have to pull them all out. He wanted to avoid that no matter what.

"There aren't good crops these days so the output is decreasing… If we fail to properly harvest it at this time…"

Just imagining it was terrible. The warden issued instructions to the guards.

“Go to the warehouse and use the food poisoning bacteria detector! We purchased it just for occasions like this."

“Yep! I understand."

Some of the guards hurriedly rushed out. In such a situation, it would take a long time to do a full investigation.

“I need to mobilize the remaining supply ship as soon as possible. Damn. In addition, the budget…"

At that time, one of the prison's secretaries raised his hand.

“Why?!”

“Warden-nim… I was going to tell you today, but the engine for the remaining supply ship is broken."

“W-What the?"

The warden felt dizzy. It would take a week for the repairs on the other ship to finish. However, if he asked for support from the outside then he risked exposing his gardens.

"Damn. I need to hope that a lot of ingredients are safe."

The warden sat in his chair and waited for the investigation people to come back. Bad news constantly came in.

“Warden-nim! There is no more room in the infirmary. There are more than 50 patients."

“There are even guards who are patients. The entire prison is paralyzed."

“Warden-nim…!"

“Ward.."

His last hope was that the food poisoning bacteria hadn't spread too much.

One hour passed by. Eventually, the team that went to investigate the food ingredients returned.

“Fortunately, not all of the food supply was contaminated with the bacteria.”

"R-Really? I'm glad… How much is still fine?"

"30… No, it is around 20%. There isn't enough for the guards to eat."

"Ha!"

The warden collapsed onto his chair as he became aware of the desperate situation. It was the worst.

"What should I do…"

However, he couldn't get a clear answer.

@

Tae-hyuk went to the store selling food.

They were selling simple food like sausages, canned tuna, and smoked chicken legs. He would like to buy all of it, but it would be considered suspicious if he did so. In the end, he bought only enough to fit into a box of sweets.

“What type of dinner are you having?"

The food store worker asked with a curious expression. Tae-hyuk just smiled instead of answering. This was enough for him to eat alone for a week.

The guards were distracted by the food poisoning epidemic inside the prison.

“They wouldn't even realize if I tried to escape right now."

Tae-hyuk muttered with a sausage in his mouth. Ever since he put the bacteria on the food, he hadn't eaten anything other than instant food.

Once he returned to his cell, Yoo Cheol-ho was groaning on the bed. He had been sitting on the toilet all night but it seemed like it was blocked.

"Kuook…"

Yoo Cheol-ho grabbed his belly and groaned. There were so many patients in the infirmary that he had to stay in his cell. He received a few treatment pills and an IV. In order to prevent dehydration, it was necessary to continue taking electrolytic water, which was simply salt water.

"…Water, give me water."

Tae-hyuk smiled and grabbed bucket on the table next to Yoo Cheol-ho. His cellmate ended up suffering from his work.

“Do you want me to feed you?"

"…I'll take care of it."

Yoo Cheol-ho took the bucket of water with trembling hands and gulped it down. However, more of it flowed down his chin than into his mouth.

"Damn… Those scum should cook the food properly."

Yoo Cheol-ho grunted from his spot on the bed. Tae-hyuk hid his food in between the sheets. Then he ate one more sausage as he watched the guards walking around.

@

Once a person had food poisoning, they had to drink plenty of water to prevent symptoms of dehydration. If they took antibiotics to treat the bacterial poisoning, they could be cured within a few days.

“Make sure to take the antibiotics 30 minutes after eating. Drink at least two liters of water a day for three days."

"Ah, thank you."

The patients in the infirmary finished their treatment and started returning to their rooms. It seemed like the food poisoning incident was finished.

But the main problem was in the dining room. White rice porridge was on the menu twice in a row, which wasn't even enough to fill their stomachs. One of the inmates spoke after receiving the food from the worker,

"What is this? Are we in Auschwitz? Why are we eating something like this?"

The worker responsible for the food distribution replied,

"This is the warden's command. Since everybody became sick from the food poisoning, he ordered porridge to be served. Just eat."

“Fuck, did I get food poisoning?"

A watching guard came running over and grabbed the inmate's collar.

“Get away right now, Number 974! Didn't I say you would be put in solitary confinement if you fought one more time?"

Then Number 974 said to the guard,

“Ah, is this too much? Still, I'm not eating this."

“Eat the meal. It is a precious food made from the taxes of the people, so eat it."

"……"

“What expression is this bastard making?"

“Nothing."

Number 974 smiled before heading to his seat with his tray. Of course, Number 974 wasn't the only one who complained. There was no need to use a spoon; they just tilted their plates and poured it into their mouths.

“This isn't enough. Damn, I'm going to get some chicken legs from the store."

The inmates started flocking towards the store. Although it cost money, they couldn't handle just one bowl of porridge. Number 974 joined the long line to the store. He was able to enter the store just as lunchtime was over.

"What? It is all gone!"

The food that could be eaten had disappeared like locusts had passed by. There were only a few condiments left, such as sesame oil and hot pepper paste. Number 974 asked the worker responsible for the store.

“When will more goods be coming in?"

“I don’t know. At least a week."

"Crazy. Isn't there anything to put out this fire?"

The worker pulled out a link of sausage and a chicken leg hidden in a corner of the counter.

"I'll give this to you. Don’t tell anybody else."

“I understand. I will eat it well."

Number 974 went outside thinking that he had become friends with the worker. After a day or two, this rush would end.

He laughed at the thought.

@

Another day passed.

However, the meals didn't return to normal. The inmates were eating things like anpan. Of course, most of them grabbed their bellies and groaned from hunger.

“What is this? Everything is crazy.

“I heard from someone that the guards are eating very well."

"Shit. What are we?"

They were trapped in a prison and there was no place to relieve their accumulated stress. After a few days of the food crisis, their anger was reaching a boiling point.

“Hey, do I smell sausage from your body?"

“What nonsense are you saying?"

“No, I'm sure of it. Did you eat secretly?"

The prisoners' feelings became more intense. Little by little, they became harder for the guards to deal with.

Tae-hyuk watched from a corner and realized that it was almost time for the final stages. The prisoners would now become bombs that would explode. However, they couldn't do anything against armed guards.

‘I need a hot explosion for the prison war, and it can only be done by him.'

Tae-hyuk looked around for a certain person's face and sat in front of him.

"The meal is delicious."

“It is nice to eat."

Kim Tae-sung smiled as he faced Tae-hyuk. However, there were no emotions in his eyes. It felt as if he had transcended all things in this world.

"…Bomber Kim Tae-sung."

Tae-hyuk quietly said the other person's nickname. Kim Tae-sung's hands trembled.

“You know my nickname.”

“I know very well.”

“My identity is classified as first class confidential."

Tae-hyuk smiled.

Not many people knew that Kim Tae-sung was confined here. He was a man who could make a bomb that would blow up a building. There was a chance he could be taken into a criminal organization, which could lead to terrorism.

The man who smashed the Taesung Group with only one bomb stared at Tae-hyuk with empty eyes.

“I'll get straight to the point. Kim Tae-sung, I want you to do something."

The God of Crime and the Bomber had a reunion.