CHAPTER 429: CHAPTER 264 TURNING POINT_2

Staring at the dead guard Ailer, his eyes unclosed, Dean indifferently grabbed the nearby disinfectant used for cleaning and poured it over his blood-stained body.

During his transfer, he had seen patrol teams here, each with a police dog in tow.

These police dogs were typically trained to have a conditioned reflex to specific scents.

The smell of disinfectant could, to some extent, mask the scent of blood on him.

The anomaly here will likely be discovered very soon.

Since I can’t count on Barton...

Then I’ll have to save myself!

Wet disinfectant dripped onto the floor.

Dean put on the guard uniform he had taken from Ailer’s body. After adjusting his breathing, he opened the sealed door at the end of the corridor and stepped out of the chilling solitary confinement.

After leaving solitary confinement, Dean first confirmed by observing the surrounding buildings that Ailer hadn’t lied to him.

Ailer’s greatest value had been providing Dean with the safest escape route.

Dean planned to flee through the morgue!

This approach was undoubtedly more covert and safer than releasing prisoners and causing a major commotion.

Along the way, Dean appeared to walk normally, but in reality, he had focused his Spirit to the utmost, fearing an encounter with a patrol team leading police dogs.

Perhaps the commotion Barton had caused in the kennels earlier had been a huge help.

Dean didn’t encounter any patrol team members until he neared the first checkpoint leading out of the area. Due to the angle, the guard on duty in the watchtower above couldn’t see Dean’s face. Seeing Dean act normally, the guard didn’t grow suspicious.

Just like that, Dean smoothly reached a small iron door.

Through this iron door was the morgue the guard who’d been shot in the head had mentioned.

Climbing the morgue’s structure would allow Dean to jump over the prison wall and escape to freedom.

Outside the iron door stood a guardhouse. It faced inward, not outward.

This made Dean suspect there was another guardhouse further out.

Therefore, he didn’t shoot immediately. Instead, he approached and waited. Only when he saw suspicion on the on-duty guard’s face did he suddenly rush forward, draw his gun, and threaten, "Speak, and I’ll kill you..."

「At that moment,」

In a small motel room, Guard Barton, on whom Dean had pinned his hopes, weakly opened his eyes.

Just as he regained consciousness, intense pain shot through his lower body.

Barton immediately recalled the scene before he lost consciousness: several people swarming him, subjecting him to a brutal assault as his heart nearly burst from his chest!

"You’re awake?"

Just then, the woman who had easily subdued Barton earlier appeared before him again.

With his legs dislocated, Barton couldn’t get up. Lying on the ground, he said in despair, "I think you can believe me now."

"I’ve already sent the substance for testing. Since you’re still alive, it means that even if there are side effects, they probably aren’t too serious. So..." Excitement flashed in the woman’s eyes. "We can start negotiating what you want in exchange for this substance’s formula!"

Her words rekindled Barton’s Spirit; he had been despondent over the loss of his brothers.

He said eagerly, "I want you to send me, my family, and all my relatives to the United States. Provide us with legal, safe identities and stable jobs. As long as you don’t silence us, I have no other demands!"

"That’s all?"

The woman was shocked!

Anyone with normal intelligence would realize the value of the reagent Barton had taken.

In comparison, Barton’s conditions were far too modest.

Barton nodded. "That’s all!"

In prison, he’d seen too many emerging kingpins die from their own greed; he had a clear grasp on reality. Besides, Dean was the true owner of the formula. Barton preferred to ask for less rather than end up silenced.

The woman looked at Barton intently and nodded, "I swear on my family’s honor: as long as we get the formula, your terms will be met, regardless of whether the formula ultimately proves to have the corresponding value! Now, you can produce the formula!"

Barton shook his head. "The formula isn’t in my hands. Actually..."

He knew that the more people who were aware of this, the safer he actually was. But he had no choice right now.

Luckily, he’d brought a group of relatives with him this time.

And Dean was still in prison.

This woman, he figured, probably wouldn’t take such a risk.

So, Barton explained everything.

After listening to Barton’s account, curiosity flickered in the woman’s eyes.

Dean... a detective framed by the Narcotics Division. To save himself, he’d risked persuading Barton, that greedy guard... Interesting.

She nodded and tossed Barton’s cell phone to him. "Understood. I’ll have someone bring him out. As for you and your relatives, keep your mouths shut and don’t leave this city for now!"

Barton breathed a sigh of relief.

Success!

He took the phone. Just as he was about to speak, he saw seven or eight missed calls on it, and his expression changed.

The missed calls were from the prison captain and the daytime guards from the solitary confinement unit. Had something happened to Dean?

He quickly told the woman before him about this.

If Dean were dead, his hope of escaping this country with his family would be completely shattered. Worse, he might anger this woman and meet a miserable end!