Chapter 3: Eddie's Past

Eddie's gesture instantly quieted the noisy yard.

The mocking crowd around them also became serious, and the expressions of the two warriors blocking Eddie softened considerably.

"Adam... is this kid one of yours?"

One of them asked the bald giant, his face paling instantly.

If Eddie was indeed associated with Adam, they had truly hit a steel wall - one that could break their legs.

"No."

However, under everyone's gaze, Adam decisively shook his head, denying the notion.

His voice was clear enough to reach everyone's ears, even from a distance, silencing all whispers.

He sat beside the mech, looking coldly at Eddie: "Kid, I don't care what trick you're playing, but let me tell you, I'm not in a good mood today. You better not provoke me."

So, this kid was just stalling for time... The two assassins smirked viciously again, slowly advancing towards Eddie, one in front and one behind.

A prisoner with no backing and no skills, his death would be inconsequential.

The Ninth Prison spanned fifteen zones, covering over a third of the planet, with deaths occurring almost daily.

In a few days, everyone would forget about this, and the Ninth Prison would remain the same.

"I never said I was your man, nor did I plan any tricks." Facing the encirclement of the two warriors, Eddie remained calm, tilting his head towards Adam not far away: "I said I could survive because of you, as I can be of help to you. You need me."

At this statement, the two assassins halted, glancing viciously at Eddie before looking towards Adam, like employees seeking direction from a leader.

Although they thought Eddie was likely bluffing, since the matter involved Adam, they preferred to err on the side of caution.

Killing Eddie hastily might disrupt Adam's plans, which would be a real trouble.

In Zone H, Adam was, in some ways, more fearsome than the warden!

"You say I need you?"

Adam also stood up, walking towards Eddie.

The warrior in front of Eddie stepped aside like a hyena yielding to a lion, allowing Adam to approach Eddie unhindered. Adam's nearly two-meter height made Eddie, a little over 1.8 meters, look small: "Then you better clarify what I need you for... You should know, toying with me is worse than death."

How could I toy with you? I'm seeking help... Eddie first looked up, locking eyes with Adam for a few seconds, then slightly turned his head, pointing at the field mech behind Adam: "I can fix it. Is that enough?"

"Fix it?"

Adam looked skeptically at the mech behind him and then back at Eddie, his gaze finally changing.

After scrutinizing Eddie for a while, he slowly turned around and gestured for Eddie to follow, heading towards the mech.

Eddie, following behind, was relieved to see the two assassins not daring to stop him.

He had gambled correctly!

...

"Damn it!"

In an office in Zone H.

Jesse, watching Eddie unharmed, grew increasingly venomous.

As the largest and most advanced prison in the Aether Prime galaxy, the Ninth Prison's security and surveillance covered everything, and Jesse was acutely aware of all activities.

This was precisely why she was more furious.

A prisoner with no background, nearly killed, had survived just like that?

The man who had just offended her, did he just easily gain Adam's protection?

"Who exactly is this Eddie?"

Jesse turned and walked quickly to her desk, pulling out a communicator from the drawer and dialing out.

After a few busy tones, a man's voice answered: "Miss Jesse, is the matter settled?"

"Before that... answer me a question," Jesse ignored his query, asking her own: "Is that Eddie a mechanic?"

"..."

Silence followed her question. After a moment, the voice answered seriously: "Miss Jesse, I remember instructing you not to investigate Eddie's past. It seems you didn't heed my advice."

"I didn't investigate him..." Jesse's face changed, but she persisted, explaining the situation between Eddie and Adam.

"You know what kind of person Adam is, sir. If Eddie truly has the skill to fix a mech and gains Adam's protection, how could I make a move?"

Another silence ensued, longer this time.

The office, filled with soft light and a small greenhouse with various plants, felt oppressively silent.

"Foolish... You're more foolish than I thought, Miss Jesse."

Finally, the voice spoke, its tone harsh: "It's just killing a regular person, and you've complicated it so much. I wonder what you're thinking."

"Sir, please let me explain..."

"I don't need explanations, I want results," the man interrupted Jesse firmly.

"But he's now with Adam, how should I proceed?" Jesse frowned.

Although not explicitly stated, his response implied Eddie was indeed a mechanic.

So, the question arose: how to kill a mechanic protected by Adam?

"That's your problem," the voice grew impatient: "I don't care about Adam; that's irrelevant to me. I just want Eddie dead, nothing else matters."

"Not related?" Jesse's eyebrows raised, her anger evident as she coldly said: "Sir, don't forget, it's because of you politicians constantly considering 'balance of interests', afraid to judge people like Adam, cramming them into my prison, that my Ninth Prison became what it is today. Are you sure this has nothing to do with you?"

"Watch your tone, Warden!"

Suddenly, a scolding reminder came through the communicator, halting Jesse's retort.

Jesse cooled down, looking at the communicator with no further words.

"Good, it seems you know what to do."

A moment later, a satisfied voice came through, followed by the call ending, leaving a busy tone once again.

Bang!

The next second, Jesse grabbed the communicator and threw it against the wall, shattering it into pieces.

She leaned on her desk, breathing heavily from anger, her eyes growing colder.

"Eddie..."