Of course, this prison also housed enemies of The Shelby Family, especially when it came to facing Tiger.
They acknowledged that this kid was unusual—in some ways, even more vicious than his brothers. But no matter how formidable he was, he was still just a child.
How dangerous could he really be?
As Tiger slowly walked into the crowd toward the central cafeteria's kitchen, some of those who'd been sitting at tables eating quietly stood up like predators sensing opportunity...
"Hmm hmm hmm~"
"Well, well, look who's here?"
"You're finished, little Shelby."
"Smashed The Viper Gang's territory, and you still think you just made some small mistake? Come here to suffer for a few days?"
A corpulent black man blocked Tiger's path, laughing with sinister delight that echoed off the concrete walls.
"I heard you also took out a congressman?"
"Those two things combined—the Shelbys are in for big trouble, aren't they?"
Looking at the ugly face before him, Tiger's expression grew increasingly impatient. The Shelby Family had never held any fondness for blacks—a prejudice as deeply rooted as their violence.
"You know what?"
"Right now, your brothers are probably dying in screams of agony."
"When you get out..."
"The Shelby Family will probably be gone."
"Oh wait, no no..."
"You'll never get out. For the rest of your life, you'll be forced to stay locked up with us."
"Right?"
The black man turned his head with an arrogant smile, surveying the area like a king addressing his court.
The surrounding Viper Gang prisoners burst into sinister laughter, as if confirming his words with their bloodthirsty grins.
As he spoke, a sharpened toothbrush handle slid discreetly from his sleeve to rest behind his wrist—a prison shiv honed to razor sharpness.
"The Viper Gang?"
The Russian Gang boss looked at the clown performing solo before him and shook his head with considerable sympathy.
"Probably long gone."
As a gang that had neighbored The Shelby Family and been recently destroyed by the Shelbys, he knew all too well how this criminal family operated. After all, he'd been personally sent here by that bastard Tommy Shelby.
Unlike other British gangs' style, the historically established Shelbys never relied on interests or oppression to bind each other together. They relied only on bloodline and surname.
And everyone in this family was a madman and beast wrapped in elegant skin.
Perhaps to protect this little guy, every time the kid came "home," it coincided with The Shelby Family doing big things...
The Viper Gang? So what if they had a congressman as backing?
Heh. They were already history.
Watching The Viper Gang members gradually surrounding Tiger, the Russian Gang boss showed an imperceptible mocking expression. Besides, this little guy didn't need protection at all.
Seeing Tiger show no reaction to his provocation, the black man's eyes flashed with malice. He stepped forward half a pace and said in a hoarse voice:
"Maybe I can help you get out, let you see your brothers one last time."
"What do you think, kid—"
Before he could finish, he flipped his hand to reveal the spike and stabbed viciously toward Tiger's throat, his smile excited and bloodthirsty.
CRACK!
Under disbelieving gazes, Tiger's palm completely locked onto the attacking wrist with inhuman speed and strength.
The black man's smile froze. His expression turned to shock as he struggled to pull his arm back, but it remained motionless as if welded in place by a vise made of flesh and bone.
Tiger lifted his leg and kicked the knee. The violent sound of bone fracturing suddenly exploded at the black man's kneecap like a gunshot.
His right leg bent backward at ninety degrees—a grotesque angle that made several prisoners look away.
The black man's face contorted as he collapsed to his knees, his gums clenched tight and bloody, remarkably making no sound. Tough bastard.
"Viper Gang member?"
"You're surprisingly tough."
"Better than that congressman."
The elegant aura of his suit instantly vanished. Like a beast baring its fangs, Tiger's smile turned savage—a expression that belonged in nightmares.
He smashed the glass display case beside him with one elbow, grabbed the boiling oil pot, and slammed it down on the black man's head with casual brutality.
"Sizzle..."
"AHHHHH!"
Along with the frying sound of boiling oil scalding his entire body, the black man could no longer endure it and let out piercing screams that echoed through the cafeteria like the wails of the damned.
The agonized cries were like a blade thrust into the heart and constantly twisted, making the faces of The Viper Gang prisoners surrounding Tiger turn deathly pale.
Looking at the fish and chips scattered across the floor, the Russian Gang boss sighed helplessly.
God almighty, going hungry again.
Damn Shelbys—where did this tradition of flipping tables at the slightest provocation come from?
"It seems you don't understand..."
Venom's pale white eyes gradually covered Tiger's face, black tendrils spreading across his head like living shadows. The transformation was subtle but terrifying—humanity bleeding away to reveal something far more dangerous.
The bone-chilling killing intent deeply stimulated everyone's nerves, leaving The Viper Gang prisoners completely paralyzed with primal fear.
"It's not that I'm forced to be locked up here with you."
Venom's rough, raspy voice mixed with Tiger's voice as they roared together in perfect, terrifying harmony:
"It's you!"
"Who are forced to be locked up with me!"
Under The Viper Gang's terrified gazes, Tiger—possessed like a demon—lunged at them with a savage grin that promised nothing but pain...
Thanks to Tiger's consistently vicious and cruel methods, the prisoners scattered and fled the moment the melee began, rather than watching the show as usual. Tearing off legs, breaking arms like snapping carrots—who would dare get involved in such a bloody scene?
The Shelby Family members really weren't normal. Even the little one.
[Damn it! You're hogging all the food again!]
[Let me out, bastard!]
[Chocolate beans! My chocolate beans!]
The moment Venom stirred restlessly, Tiger quickly and decisively suppressed it back into his body with practiced ease.
Aside from the scattered limbs and remains on the ground, no one had witnessed that savage, terrifying scene. No matter what, he didn't want to become material for others to slice up and study.
Even though it was only 1991, Tiger didn't believe Venom could escape the encirclement of the national war machine...
In the empty central cafeteria, even the cooks had fled, leaving only Tiger alone with his thoughts and the lingering scent of violence.
Too lazy to deal with Venom's cursing in his head, Tiger went into the kitchen alone to search for ingredients.
However, the ingredients in the kitchen were either moldy or sour—a testament to British prison cuisine. Tiger walked out of the kitchen with a hateful expression.
"Those despicable, shameless, filthy cooks!"
"I'll send them to hell!"
[Those! Those!]
[Though they're not fresh...]
Venom's comments were as chilling as ever, but the things on the ground weren't on Tiger's menu. He had standards, after all.
Tiger looked up at the light filtering down from above, planning to get some food from the guards during their night patrol.
Just then, a black dot circled several times at the top of the smokestack, as if confirming something, then wobbled as it flew in, looking quite exhausted.
"What's this?"
"A Scottish Round-Faced Chicken?"
Tiger licked the corner of his mouth with anticipation, then turned and walked into the kitchen to look for seasonings.
Due to the central cafeteria's architectural features, birds would often fly in and be unable to find their way back, eventually becoming extra meals for the cafeteria cooks. He wasn't surprised by this at all. In fact, he was rather looking forward to it.
Seeming to see that Tiger was about to leave, the owl hurriedly flapped its wings a few times and dove toward Tiger with desperate urgency.
At that moment, Tiger brought out a large pot filled with water from the kitchen and set it on the stove outside the kitchen door.
Splash!
The exhausted owl, unable to keep flapping its wings, plunged straight into the pot, sending water splashing everywhere in a display of either incredible misfortune or cosmic irony.
Tiger, splashed with water, blinked and looked incredulously at the pot, then up at the sky.
[This kind of service attitude...]
[Really moves a symbiote.]
[If only those chocolate beans could do the same—jump into the pot on their own...]
Venom was obviously shocked too, its complex, sighing tone full of drooling anticipation.
"Indeed, with service like this, I almost don't have the heart to eat it..."
"Hmm?"
Seeing a letter suddenly floating on the water's surface, Tiger instinctively stopped his complaining.
On the envelope, there seemed to be his own name...
Written in emerald green ink.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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