Eternal Life: I Rely on Fortune Points for Improvement-Chapter 35: Merits and Rewards

"Ah!"

Jiang Feng let out a miserable cry.

Clutching his shoulder, he staggered backward.

Pleading, he said, "Captain Li, your claw almost tore my shoulder off. Thank you for holding back."

"Well..."

Captain Li was stunned for a moment. Even if he was foolish, he understood Jiang Feng was giving him a way out, genuinely unwilling to make an enemy of him—it was Li himself who had been pressing aggressively, insisting on causing trouble for Jiang Feng.

So he quickly put down his hand and laughed, "Prison Chief Jiang’s strength is not weak; I concede, I concede. We’re working together now, so we’re like family.

You just started your post on the third floor today; I ought to hold a banquet at Fengyue Building to welcome you and wish you well. I hope Prison Chief Jiang won’t refuse."

"Of course, let’s drink plenty tonight."

Jiang Feng knew Li Minhe was making friendly overtures—how could he decline?

He felt secretly relieved. As long as he got along with Li Minhe, he wouldn’t have to worry about Li Minhe abusing his power to trip him up and cause danger or trouble in the future.

"Han... Commander Han."

But just at that moment—

Jiang Feng saw a figure standing at the doorway.

Zhenbei Prison Vice Commander.

Han Dong.

Han Dong’s little courtyard was just on the other side of this compound, separated by only a wall.

She’d heard the sound of Jiang Feng’s fist force.

She felt curious.

Who among the prison personnel had such strength? She hadn’t expected it to be the little prison guard who’d transferred from the first floor.

"Your punches are not bad."

Han Dong nodded slightly toward Jiang Feng.

She left this remark behind, then turned and departed.

"Thank you for the praise, Commander Han."

Jiang Feng hurriedly thanked her.

But inside, he felt uneasy.

He couldn’t help but feel regret.

Blamed himself for being too impatient and not holding back.

If only he’d discreetly taught Captain Li a lesson in private, he could have turned things around—why reveal his strength within the prison and draw Commander Han’s attention?

"Brother Jiang, take care of me from now on!"

However, seeing Han Dong’s attitude, Li Minhe became increasingly convinced Jiang Feng and Han Dong had some secret dealings, growing more humble by the minute.

"Captain Li, stop teasing me. I’ll get to work now."

Jiang Feng worried Li Minhe would talk even more, so he quickly returned to the workspace.

He checked his Fortune Point change.

Found there was nothing unusual.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

It seemed letting Han Dong know his strength wouldn’t bring trouble, at least in the short term.

Besides, he hadn’t revealed his full cultivation.

Even if some trouble did arise—

He should still have room to respond.

Soon it was time for Jiang Feng to hand over his shift and head back.

He’d gone from a little prison guard on the first floor, to Prison Chief of the third floor.

His rank had jumped several grades.

Uncle Huo and several squad leaders and prison chiefs from the first floor were all waiting at the door to help him celebrate.

Jiang Feng had no choice—he first had to go out drinking with Li Minhe and the others, to avoid any further unpleasantness.

At the wine table, Li Minhe acted upright, but Jiang Feng was even more humble, pouring tea and wine for Li Minhe, giving him ample face.

This made Li Minhe value Jiang Feng even more; at the banquet, both of them addressed each other as brothers, and tossed all unpleasantness aside.

Prison Chief Sun and several others also underwent a complete change in attitude toward Jiang Feng—everyone knew Jiang Feng was a capable person.

The next day, Jiang Feng took the initiative to find Uncle Huo, asking him to gather his buddies.

They were all familiar faces from the first floor.

Jiang Feng had to drink with them, so people couldn’t gossip.

Together, they went to Fengyue Building, sat around a table, and drank several pots of wine.

Uncle Huo drank himself completely drunk.

He was happy for Jiang Feng.

And also felt sad for himself.

At the table, he cursed the guy who knocked him out a dozen times, and finally had to be carried home by two squad leaders going the same way.

After saying goodbye to everyone—

Jiang Feng used his Qi and Blood Power to dispel the effects of the alcohol.

He returned all the way to Chaoyang Alley.

Sitting on the bed, he couldn’t help thinking again about how he should act on the third floor in the future, how to minimize contact with those Royal Family and Relatives and Senior Officials of the Court.

He knew very well—even though things were leisurely and the environment was nice inside—

If anything happened,

A wrong move would spell eternal damnation.

"Forget it, I’ll take it one step at a time. If I really run into a big issue I can’t solve, I can always escape."

Jiang Feng couldn’t figure it all out, and kept turning these thoughts in his mind.

Now, he had Fifth Grade Blood Refining Realm cultivation, the Monkey Escape Technique, and had reached Great Success Level—not as weak as before, when leaving Zhenbei Prison meant certain death.

A month passed like this.

Jiang Feng gradually adapted to life on the third floor.

As Prison Chief—

He didn’t have to deliver meals to prisoners; each day he just needed to keep an eye on his squad leaders and prison guards, making sure they didn’t cause trouble.

For this, Jiang Feng made all subordinates copy the four don’ts.

Don’t ask about background or crimes.

Don’t listen to sweet talk, complaints or appeals.

Don’t concern yourself with power struggles of court or affairs of the jianghu.

Don’t accept gold, silver, jewelry, divine skills, or secret techniques.

To be absolutely safe, he even held meetings twice a day—morning and evening.

Strictly supervising everyone.

To prevent anyone from secretly scheming with prisoners behind his back.

He would never forget the fate of Xu Gang’s father, who’d been Prison Chief on the first floor, implicated by Da Zhuang—such tragedy could never be allowed to repeat with him.

These standards also made Chief Wang and a few others grumble privately, but since Jiang Feng was only strict and not suppressing them at work, and most requirements followed prison regulations,

There wasn’t much for them to complain about.

Furthermore—

Li Minhe and the other prison chiefs’ attitude toward Jiang Feng made it clear to everyone he was no ordinary person, so they all cooperated seriously and did not dare stir up trouble for now.

During this month—

The Court also commended merits and handed out rewards for the prison hijacking incident involving the Rebel Faction.

Every prison guard in Zhenbei Prison received ten taels of silver, and those on duty that day got an extra ten taels.

Each prison chief got fifty taels, and those on duty got an extra hundred taels.

Each captain got a hundred taels, and those on duty that day got two hundred extra.

The news spread, and every prison guard in Zhenbei Prison was jubilant.

Even Jiang Feng was inspired—for his reward was calculated at the prison chief’s level, even though on the hijack day he was still just a little prison guard.

And on the day the Red Lotus Sect Young Master was executed, Officer Yuan, who was gravely wounded, recovered completely under expert care from the Imperial Hospital, rose two ranks, becoming Vice Commander of Zhenbei Prison, with a reward of a thousand taels.

Today, he returned to Zhenbei Prison.

Jiang Feng and the other prison chiefs, led by the captains and supervisors, all gathered outside Zhenbei Prison to welcome him.

Yuan Tiangang was full of vigor.

He promised the officers and captains a banquet at Fengyue Building that evening, to celebrate and clean off the dust.

Afterwards, he went to report before Han Dong.

"Subordinate greets Commander Han."

Yuan Tiangang saluted at the gate of the courtyard.

"No need for that, Commander Yuan. Our ranks are the same now—no need to stand on ceremony. Come in!"

Han Dong’s voice came from inside the courtyard.

"Yes."

Yuan Tiangang just made a show of it, then strode in.

The two sat down.

Han Dong poured Yuan Tiangang a cup of tea and said, "Commander Yuan, are you aware there are suspicious circumstances in the death of the Red Lotus Sect Young Master?"