The world's most famous prison, "The Devil," is located on a small island in California's San Francisco Bay. For decades, this scenic island has been used to incarcerate hardened criminals, earning it the nickname Devil's Island.
On June 6th, the gates of "The Devil" suddenly swung open, and a young Chinese man in his twenties casually walked out.
He was handsome, his resolute yet sunny face bearing a playful, devil-may-care smile. He squinted at the azure sky, seemingly unaccustomed to the bright light after so long.
As a gentle sea breeze blew, the young man's eyes slowly opened. His pupils were as black as the vast, starry sky—deep, mysterious, and so captivating that one could get lost just by gazing into them.
He spat on the ground. "Damn it. Locked up for a year and finally out. It's so much better out here… but now that I'm leaving, I kind of miss those bastards inside."
The young man spoke with discontent, his tone a stark contrast to his sunny appearance.
Just then, the roar of a powerful engine echoed across the water. A speedboat carved a trail of waves across the sea before pulling up to the island's shore.
"Lin Kuang, get on board," a military officer in his thirties shouted in fluent Chinese.
"Hey, Colonel Ge Er," the young man named Lin Kuang said with a grin. He walked to the edge of the island and, with a suave backflip, landed steadily in front of the colonel.
Ge Er gave him a helpless look. "Here's your passport and military ID. Keep them safe. I'll take you to your flight."
As he spoke, Ge Er handed Lin Kuang a pre-prepared bag.
Lin Kuang accepted it with a smile. He had to hold onto these, or he'd never be able to get back home.
"Thanks, Colonel Ge Er," Lin Kuang said cheerfully to the colonel, who was piloting the speedboat.
"No need to thank me. It's my duty," Ge Er replied with a shrug.
"Alright, well, I wasn't really thanking you anyway," Lin Kuang said, rubbing his nose with a hint of theatrical helplessness.
Ge Er just smiled, unconcerned. He knew Lin Kuang well enough to understand he only joked like this with friends.
A few minutes later, Ge Er brought the speedboat to a halt at the coast. "Let's go."
Lin Kuang nodded and followed Ge Er into a military jeep, which then sped off.
Ten minutes later, the two men entered San Francisco International Airport.
"Alright, this is as far as I can take you. Goodbye," Ge Er said with a shrug, looking at the ever-smiling Lin Kuang.
"Goodbye, my friend. I hope we get the chance to see each other again," Lin Kuang said with a smile. He shook Ge Er's hand and turned to enter the security checkpoint.
Watching Lin Kuang walk away, Ge Er gave a wry smile. "I really hope we don't meet again. Otherwise, the United States is in for another disaster."
With that, Ge Er turned and left.
「In a high-security compound in Yanjing, China」
A middle-aged man hurried to the door of a room and knocked gently.
"Come in."
A slightly aged yet resonant voice came from inside, firm and filled with an undeniable authority.
"Yes, Father." The middle-aged man stepped into the room.
The room was brightly lit. An old man in a crisp military uniform sat meticulously in a rosewood chair, sipping steaming tea without turning around.
"Father, Kuang was released from prison today," the middle-aged man said respectfully from behind the elder, his voice tinged with excitement. "His plane from San Francisco arrives in East Sea at two this afternoon."
The teacup in the elder's hand trembled visibly, spilling a few drops of tea.
"Oh, I see. You go handle it," the old man said flatly. His tone remained as commanding as ever, betraying no trace of emotion.
The middle-aged man flinched, his expression complex. He opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, simply left the room with a sense of helplessness.
Boy, are you blaming your grandfather? Or are you blaming all of us? But you are a soldier. There are some things you must bear... and your grandfather is getting old.
As the door closed, the old man's ramrod-straight back suddenly seemed lonely, a heart-wrenching sight.
After leaving the room, the middle-aged man made a phone call. "Go to East Sea and bring Lin Kuang back," he ordered before getting into a car and driving away.
「Meanwhile, aboard the plane」
Lin Kuang sat in his first-class seat, nodding in satisfaction at the luxurious surroundings.
This is way more comfortable than a helicopter. he thought with a grin.
"This is it, Bingbing! These are our seats."
A grating voice suddenly sounded in Lin Kuang's ear.
Ordinarily, Lin Kuang wouldn't have cared about people talking nearby, but this particular voice was so jarringly affected it gave him goosebumps. He couldn't help but glance over.
The moment he saw the speaker, Lin Kuang wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to be so damn curious and look?
Standing next to him was a textbook example of an effeminate man.
The man wasn't bad-looking, but his face was caked in a thick layer of makeup that made Lin Kuang's stomach turn. That, combined with the pungent perfume wafting off him, made him feel genuinely queasy.
But that wasn't the worst part. The man held his fingers in a delicate pose, and his voice was shrill. Lin Kuang wanted to plug his ears. Sharing a flight with someone like this had to be punishment for sins in a past life.
"Ooh, and a handsome fella sitting here," the man chirped in his affected voice, plopping down in the seat next to Lin Kuang.
At that moment, Lin Kuang wanted to curse Ge Er a thousand times. This must be the result of eight lifetimes of bad luck!
"Hey, handsome, be a dear and help us with our luggage, would you? I'm soooo tired, and my poor arms and legs are just aching all over."
The effeminate man spoke again in that same unnerving tone.
"Shut up! I'll do it!" Lin Kuang snarled, his face darkening as he stood up.
It was only then that he saw her: a breathtakingly beautiful woman standing right in front of him.
She was about 1.7 meters tall, dressed in a simple white dress. Her fair skin was crystalline and supple, and her full bust stood out proudly. Long, black hair cascaded casually over her shoulders, framing a face of devastating beauty that held a faint smile. The sight was utterly captivating, like a fairy from a painting who had descended to the mortal realm. She exuded a pure and holy aura that would make anyone hesitate to profane her.
"Hi," Lin Kuang said, his tone suddenly serious.
The girl smiled slightly. "Hello."
"Hey! I asked you to help with the luggage, not to try and pick up my Bingbing, you hear!" the effeminate man's voice whined, the resentful tone making the hair on Lin Kuang's arms stand up.
Lin Kuang whirled around and glared at him. "You, shut your mouth!"
The girl named Bingbing smiled politely at Lin Kuang. "Sir, please forgive him. Xiao You can be thoughtless. I apologize."