Chapter 48: Prison S

"What's going on?" Captain Dean muttered to himself, unable to reconcile the scene in front of him. Bald was supposed to arrest Tacito, but here he was, unconscious and bloodied on the ground. And the young man standing before him...could it really be? "Are you Tacito?" Dean's voice trembled as he spoke, his pupils narrowing in fear. Without realizing it, he took several steps back. Tacito simply smiled and nodded. Though his demeanor appeared harmless, something about him sent chills down Dean's spine, a creeping sense of dread that made the captain feel utterly uneasy. "Damn it! Tacito, how dare you attack the police!" Dean's face contorted in anger and fear as he turned towards the police station behind him. His voice boomed with authority as he shouted, "Someone! Come quickly! Arrest this murderer!" In response to his call, five or six officers in full gear rushed out of the station. But as soon as they saw Bald lying on the ground, their expressions changed to one of shock. Without hesitation, they moved to apprehend Tacito. "Stop! Stop immediately!" shouted the two officers who had accompanied Bald. They were nearly paralyzed with fear, having witnessed Tacito's brutal efficiency firsthand. They had seen him disarm their colleague with his bare hands and take precise, deadly shots. His skill and ruthlessness were beyond anything they had ever imagined. The officers rushing towards Tacito hesitated, stopping in their tracks. Confusion and fear gripped them as they noticed the blood dripping from the wrists of their colleagues—wounds inflicted by Tacito. "My God, Jax! Your hand...you've been shot too?" one of the officers exclaimed, finally noticing the injuries on his comrades. Dean and the others stared at the gruesome scene—Bald's twisted wrist, the guns lying useless at his knees, and the two officers with bleeding wrists. The realization that this destruction had been caused by one man sent a cold wave of fear through them, making their scalps tingle. "This...this guy's a complete madman," one officer muttered under his breath, echoing the thoughts of everyone present. But Tacito, unfazed by the fear he had instilled, smiled calmly at Dean. "No need to go to such trouble," he said, his voice eerily composed. "Didn't you want to avenge Satisha? I'm giving you that chance." Dean was momentarily stunned, but then a wave of relief washed over him. If Tacito was offering himself up, it meant they wouldn't have to struggle to subdue him. The captain's mind raced—if they could just lock Tacito away, the nightmare might be over. "Good! Since you've decided to turn yourself in, we'll make sure everything is handled properly," Dean said quickly, eager to seal the deal before Tacito changed his mind. He ordered the officers behind him, "You two, escort him to Prison S! And make it quick!" Prison S was notorious, and the mere mention of it made the officers shudder. They understood Dean's intentions immediately. "Come on, kid, follow us," one of the officers said, giving Tacito a look that mixed pity with fear. They led the way, with Tacito following closely behind, but not before he paused beside Dean. Tacito leaned in slightly and, with a half-smile, said, "Remember this: I hope you're ready to face the consequences." The warning hung in the air as Tacito casually patted Dean on the shoulder and walked off with the officers. Dean's face darkened with anger. "Arrogant!" he spat. Tacito's calm confidence grated on his nerves. "Consequences? What consequences? You're just a useless son-in-law. What could you possibly do to me?" After Tacito was out of sight, Dean turned to the two injured officers. "Now, tell me exactly what happened," he demanded. The two officers, still shaken, recounted the entire encounter. They described how Tacito had effortlessly overpowered Bald, disarmed him, and shot him with cold precision. The tale left everyone, including Dean, in stunned silence. "Captain," one of the injured officers pleaded, "Tacito is no ordinary man. His skills are beyond anything we could have anticipated. Please, don't go up against him. The consequences could be... catastrophic." Dean sneered, dismissing their warnings. "Hmph! So what if he's good with his fists? Even the best fighter can't take on an army. Once he's in Prison S, he's as good as dead." Seeing the officers' puzzled expressions, Dean elaborated, "Do you know who's in charge at Prison S? Master Blade!" The officers' eyes widened in shock. In the underworld of Jackville City, two names were feared above all others: Master Blade in the North, and Black Tiger in the South. Black Tiger, once the undefeated underground boxing champion, now served as the muscle for the city's most powerful crime syndicate. But Master Blade... he was a legend in his own right. Born a beggar, he had clawed his way up through sheer ruthlessness, becoming a feared figure in the city's criminal underworld. His reputation was built on a trail of bodies, over twenty confirmed kills, though the authorities could only pin lesser crimes on him. "No wonder you're so confident," one officer murmured, finally understanding why Dean wasn't worried.