THE KILLING HOUR

Chapter 20 · The Pitiful Prisoner

[Ask him how he got hurt.]

The medically savvy viewer had already examined the inmate through [Mia]'s view. He had his answer, but still had [Mia] ask the guard.

"Tell me how he got hurt."

[Mia] made a show of checking the wound, feeling for the boy who looked younger than her. Nothing like the vicious criminals she'd imagined — which eased her nerves,

and with two guards present, she felt reasonably safe.

"His cellmate says the guy fell off the top bunk. Beyond that we don't know."

The guard had his suspicions but said nothing more.

Two teeth knocked out — no way that was just a fall. Meaning his cellmate did it. But he didn't call it out; things like this were common in prison,

and he couldn't be bothered to stop it.

[Two teeth out, that's a minor injury. Good thing you got here early. A little later and—

"the wound would have healed."

"But this definitely wasn't a fall. He was hit hard enough to knock two teeth out. The positions and the damage look like nothing else."

"If you want to use medicine, take the first bottle on the left of the third row in the cabinet in front of you and sprinkle it on the wound."

The medically savvy viewer explained again. Petty violence was common; what this sudden situation was, he had no idea. As a viewer he'd just help within his ability.

The rest was up to the streamer. But without her pro teammates, [Mia] alone would struggle to finish this mission.

"His injury isn't serious. Some medicine will do."

[Mia] dropped that line like a real doctor,

and took down a bottle of powder for external use as instructed.

"Big sister, it hurts so much, boo hoo—"

Then she went to the medicine cabinet.

The boy sobbed and wept, and his pitiful look was heartbreaking.

God knew what wrongs and injustice he'd suffered.

Especially hurt this badly and still shackled at wrists and ankles.

Seeing him bleed, [Mia] ached too, gently soothing the inmate who didn't dare speak up even after being bullied. Such a small child — a child much younger than her — and this was how he was treated?

"There there, open your mouth. Big sister will put some medicine on and it won't hurt anymore."

[Mia] bent over the boy with the bottle, her heavy curves pulling at her without her noticing. The guards drooled at the sight, but the boy only bawled without moving,

which made [Mia] ache for him even more.

The moment the powder fell, a shrill scream rang out.

As if shocked, the docile inmate suddenly thrashed, and his flailing hand grabbed [Mia]'s clothes. There was a "Riiip—"

and [Mia], in her thin clothes, was instantly exposed. Freed from the coat, her stunning figure was on display for everyone.

She was still in underwear, but the sight had the two hormone-fueled guards bug-eyed. For the inmate's behavior, they had only one thing to say: "Nice."

[Worth it.]

[Holy crap, this guy gets me.

[Insane, 666]

[If the game didn't have protection, this would be even better, right?]

Comments flooded in. [Mia] loved to joke around, but a "stream accident" this big had never happened.

Snapping to, she covered her virtual body, big eyes filling with tears of grievance. Before she could scream, she saw something horrifying.

The boy who'd "accidentally" torn her clothes reached into his pants and pulled out a knife. While the guards were still enjoying the view, the blade sliced one man's throat open.

By the time the second guard reacted it was too late. The inmate drove the knife into his skull.

"Don't scream. Otherwise

I'll cut you into slices."

The guards' blood painted Kyle's face. The frail boy was gone; now he looked like a demon from hell, sneering at Mia five meters away, his cold gaze resting on [Mia]'s slender neck like an invisible blade.

[Fear +3]

[Fear +3]

System chimes rang out one after another. Terrified past reason, Mia forgot to breathe, to shout, even to beg. Blankly she watched the inmate kill two guards and unlock his own cuffs and shackles with their keys.

Utterly unruffled, Kyle went to the sink, ran the tap and washed the blood off his face, cleaning his bloody hands and knife too.

"Kind miss, forgive my rudeness. It's only a game. I don't think you mind, do you?"

Cleaned up, Kyle walked step by step to [Mia] and looked at the beauty who'd been a caring big sister a second ago, now collapsed in terror on the floor.

He'd ignored the only surviving witness until he was completely cleaned up.

The boyish face had regained its composure. Under the light it looked gentle — if you hadn't seen him kill two guards, you'd never believe the boy was this terrifying.

Even if the guards were game data, this technique was just—

Too sharp.