This kind of mind-blowing boost is just too powerful. Yesterday, Brian Carter took the pill, which allowed him to easily hop on and off moving vehicles, hitch rides, and check into hotels without leaving any trace or clue.

Now, with half an NZT state or even more mental power, his cumulative improvement is also tremendous.

As he was lost in thought, a sudden clanging sound of someone banging on the metal gate echoed—it was Matthew Brooks shouting, “Hey, someone, it’s mealtime!” Today, the solitary cell only housed one person: Matthew Brooks.

Brian Carter let out a low chuckle, then, after composing himself, yelled a curse down the corridor, put on a prison guard uniform, and slipped away unnoticed.

……

A few days passed in a flash.

It was now just two hours short of seven days and seven nights since Brian Carter was escorted into Stanley Prison and then immediately broke out.

In the office of the head of the Security Section, Killer Jack’s piggish face had regained some of its former vigor, but his expression was still worse than if he’d eaten shit.

“Still no leads?”

Suppressing the urge to explode, Killer Jack glared fiercely at the prison guard in front of him. The guard, under his gaze, looked utterly disheveled. “No, we’ve already re-checked the inside of Stanley for the sixth time, and there’s absolutely no trace or clue of Brian Carter. Chief, do you think he’s already left Hong Kong Island on a smuggler’s boat?”

Killer Jack grabbed the files on his desk and threw them at the guard. “Go check again! The previous record for a prison break from Stanley was seven days. The warden gave me a seven-day deadline. If I can’t catch him, I’ll be demoted to the lowest rank of Correctional Assistant II. There are still two hours left. If there’s no news, you can start over from the bottom with me!”

The guard who got hit walked out of the office with a pale face, but as soon as he left, his expression turned to disdain and mockery.

Who didn’t know that when Brian Carter first broke out, the warden personally went to the infirmary and told Killer Jack that if he couldn’t catch Brian Carter, he’d be stripped of his uniform and kicked out.

Now it’s changed to a demotion to Correctional Assistant II? That’s obviously some serious bootlicking and probably some bribery too, right?

In the Hong Kong Island police force, rookies start as Constable, then Senior Constable, Sergeant, Station Sergeant, Probationary Inspector, Inspector, Senior Inspector, and Chief Inspector, moving up step by step.

At the Senior or Chief Inspector level, you’re basically the head of a major crimes or anti-triad unit in a police station. Superintendent, Senior Superintendent, or Chief Superintendent can become the head of a police station.

Prisons fall under the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department.

They have their own ranks too. Newbies start as Correctional Assistant II, then Correctional Assistant I.

Above that are Correctional Officer, Senior Correctional Officer, and Chief Correctional Officer—these three ranks are basically the heads of the Education Section, Security Section, Medical Unit, and various workshops within a prison.

Then there’s Correctional Services Supervisor, Senior Supervisor—these are the deputy warden and warden.

At the top are Chief Supervisor, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and Commissioner of Correctional Services—these are the highest ranks, on par with the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Killer Jack’s current rank isn’t low—he’s a Senior Correctional Officer.

Letting Brian Carter escape and only being demoted to the bottom is already letting him off easy.

As for why Killer Jack doesn’t just take off his uniform and find a new job in society? Isn’t it because he’s always been ruthless and domineering in front of the inmates, and now he’s too scared to take off his uniform? As long as he keeps the uniform on, he can still rely on his old connections for some protection.

If he took off the uniform and tried to find a new job? Who knows how many gangsters would come after him.

“Only two hours left, what’s the point of searching? Better start greasing some palms so I don’t get dragged down with him. Once I keep my position, who cares about a Killer Jack.”

The prison guard hurried away, with no intention of working hard to catch anyone. It’s almost seven days—what’s the point of catching anyone now!

Brian Carter, this escape artist, after breaking out of Lai Chi Kok, left multiple traces within just a day or two and was repeatedly caught by the police. But this time, after escaping from Stanley, even with many police officers helping the prison guards search outside, not a single trace was found.

No clues outside Stanley, but inside, according to Old Thompson from the main canteen, on the afternoon of Brian Carter’s escape, a new, unfamiliar guard calling himself Tom came to the canteen for a meal, claiming to be with Uncle Joe from the laundry... But when they checked later, Uncle Joe didn’t know any Tom.

That was just ridiculous.

Could that have been Brian Carter in disguise? Everyone knew he stole a guard’s uniform during his escape.

After that, there were several more major searches in Stanley, some open, some secret and swift, but still nothing was found.

Killer Jack was about to be finished—this was already the moment when the tree falls and the monkeys scatter.

……

Two hours passed in a flash.

In the Stanley warden’s office, Killer Jack, barely holding himself together, knocked on the door. As soon as he entered and opened his mouth, the warden waved him off with a dark face, “No need to say anything. You’re starting over as a rookie.”

“This is the new Chief Smith, transferred from Shek Pik Prison to take your place.”

All color drained from Killer Jack’s face. Chief Smith strode over with long legs, looking fierce. “Let’s get acquainted. From now on, you’ll be working under me. You can call me Chief Smith, Chief Qiu, or even ‘the terror of ghosts!’”

“Was it Brian Carter who escaped on your watch?”