Chapter 14: The Shadow of Tai Lung
Tommy swore that in both this life and his last, it was the first time he had ever seen a Black man's face turn that pale.
Whatever Lance Vance thought he saw, the fear in his eyes bordered on hysteria.
But Tommy had no time to indulge the man's delusions. Sara needed to work, and he wasn't about to let some junkie interfere.
With one decisive punch, Tommy knocked Lance unconscious, dropping him into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The room went quiet again.
"Is he high on something?" Tommy muttered, shaking his head. He could never figure out how these people's minds worked.
Sara, however, wasn't surprised. She had reviewed Lance's medical file—he had a long history of drug abuse.
"Classic withdrawal," she explained, pulling her gloves tighter. "Hallucinations, paranoia, erratic behavior. It comes with the territory."
Tommy shrugged, unconcerned.
Before either could say more, another commotion erupted outside. Shouts echoed down the hallway as guards marched in several more wounded inmates.
Sara's eyes widened. Too many witnesses. If Tommy stayed, their secret would spill wide open. She shot him a sharp glance, silently urging him to leave.
Understanding instantly, Tommy slipped away, returning to his ward. By the time the door creaked open and the stretchers rolled in, he was already under his blanket, feigning sleep like nothing had happened.
---
Alone in the dim silence, Tommy opened the system panel in his mind.
Name: Tommy Vercetti
Character Card: Nobi Nobita
Ability: None
Points: 1200
"So it wasn't my imagination."
He remembered hearing the faint ding in his mind back in the storage closet. At the time, his attention had been elsewhere, but now he saw the truth: his points had risen.
New prompts flashed before him:
> Achievement unlocked: "Newcomer" (Prison)
Reward: 100 points
Achievement unlocked: "Problem Inmate" (Prison)
Reward: 300 points
Tommy smirked. "So my reputation's finally caught up with me."
His fights, his defiance, the storm he'd stirred in Redhaven—every whisper of his name had fueled the system's recognition.
But more intriguing than the points was the new branch in the achievement tree.
If he rose high enough—if he claimed the title of Prison King—the reward wouldn't just be points.
Prison King: You are as comfortable in prison as you are at home. Your presence bends criminals to your will, making them obey without hesitation.
A shiver of excitement ran through him. With that ability, he wouldn't just survive Redhaven—he'd rule it.
Still, Tommy forced himself to temper his ambitions. "The ultimate prize isn't handed out for a few fistfights. Nobita's card came with master-level skills because he was the best in his world. For me to become Prison King… it won't be enough to dominate Redhaven. I'd have to crush prisons beyond this one. Maybe even interstellar ones."
He chuckled darkly. "Not exactly a weekend project."
For now, he set the fantasy aside. His immediate concern was survival.
His wound was nearly healed. Once the stitches closed, he'd be sent back to his cell. There, the White Gang's thirst for revenge, the Nostra Family's shadow, and Belick's simmering hatred all waited for him.
"Looks like I've made more enemies than friends," Tommy muttered. His gaze hardened. "Time to change that."
Only one thing could tip the balance—another system draw.
He focused. "System, start the lottery."
The wheel spun wildly in his mind's eye, colors blurring into streaks of light. Familiar characters whirled past—faces from anime, cartoons, and childhood memories—until at last the wheel slowed… and stopped.
On a tall, gray-and-white figure.
Reward Acquired: Martial Arts Talent
Source: Tai Lung
Origin: Kung Fu Panda
Tommy's eyes widened. "Tai Lung?"
He hadn't expected the lottery to reach beyond TV cartoons into animated films. But what mattered wasn't the source—it was the prize.
Memories of the film replayed in his head: Tai Lung, the prodigy of Master Shifu. A fighter who relied on raw talent, relentless training, and unmatched instinct. A warrior who escaped the inescapable, breaking free from twenty years of chains and starvation to demolish the Furious Five in a single battle.
That was the level of mastery Tommy had just acquired.
This wasn't some flashy technique or toy. This was the foundation of combat itself.
Martial arts awareness. Battle instinct. The ability to turn weakness into strength and weapons out of nothing.
Tommy flexed his fists under the blanket, a slow grin spreading across his face.
"Now we're talking."