Chapter 299: Time to Counterattack Veronica, waiting at the assembly point, widened her eyes. Although the voices from deep within the corridor were faint, her ears vaguely caught Aiden's voice. "Move out!" She waved her hand decisively, leading the riot squad directly towards the corridor's depths. At that moment, in Cell Block Twelve, Dailey and Priscilla stood at their cell door, peering towards the main block gate. "Those people blocking the corridor outside suddenly went quiet," Dailey remarked. Just then, Carmilla from the adjacent cell burst out laughing: "Ha! I already hear the head screw's voice! Those guys are screwed!" "More importantly, Dailey, did you hear that?" Priscilla whispered to Dailey. "I feel like I just... heard Qimora voice?" "Me too," Dailey confirmed. In the corridor outside the Core Block gate, a deathly silence reigned. The escaped female inmates and the pirate crew stared dumbfounded at Aiden, who had materialized among them. The female inmates shrieked in terror. The pirates, including Navia, immediately distanced themselves from him, hands hovering over their weapons—a reflexive action. They hadn't forgotten the "harm is forbidden" rule, but the enemy leader suddenly appearing among them undetected instilled a strong sense of crisis. Anne, leaning against her father, was speechless. Only Navia, still astonished, pointed at Aiden and asked, "You... Where did you come from!?" "I've been waiting here for you for a long time," Aiden walked over to Qimora side, leaning on his cane, his back turned to the crowd without any sense of danger. "Ever since you arrived, I've been right beside you, accompanying your tour." "How is that possible?" Navia couldn't comprehend it. Before Aiden materialized, they hadn't seen even a hair of him. Just then, the riot squad led by Veronica charged around the corridor corner, coming face-to-face with Aiden. "Sir!!" Veronica and the riot squad members showed expressions of overjoyed relief. "Thank you for enduring for so long. You may begin the counterattack now," Aiden gave his subordinates an approving smile, then began issuing orders crisply. "Notify all personnel: begin sweeping the prison for invaders. Lethal force authorized. I've secured the vault; I'll handle things here. You go deal with the other areas!" "Understood!!" The personnel acknowledged the order and immediately sprang into action. No one doubted Aiden's ability to handle the crowd before him alone. However, before turning away, Veronica couldn't resist glancing a couple more times at the woman dressed like a movie star beside the Warden. Though filled with questions about this woman's identity, she ultimately prioritized the urgent task at hand and quickly led her team away. At this point, Navia Drake finally calmed down, stared at Aiden, and spoke: "You say you'll handle things here. You intend to stop us alone?" "Is there a problem?" Aiden turned around. "What do you plan to do?" Navia narrowed his eyes, simultaneously pressing a hand to his chest. He could feel it; the Codex was still tucked inside his clothes. He always kept it securely tied to his chest. This indestructible Codex could even serve as a heart protector. With the Codex stipulating "harm is forbidden" and "restriction of personal liberty is forbidden," all means of preventing their departure from the prison were sealed off. "!" Aiden suddenly drew his gun with lightning speed and shot Navia Drake in the leg. "Ah!!" Navia cried out, nearly collapsing. "Father!?" Anne quickly supported him. The pirates erupted in chaos. They were long accustomed to the power of their captain's "Sea God's Blessing" (as Navia Drake called it). When the blessing was active, no one should be able to attack! Navia gasped sharply through the intense pain, looking incredulously at the wound on his leg. How is this possible? Even he, the holder, couldn't defy the Codex. Why could this person violate the Codex and shoot him? He pressed his chest again, still clearly feeling the book's presence. Just then, Aiden mysteriously opened his uniform collar and pulled out a thick book from within. "Were you looking... for this?" Navia and Anne froze simultaneously, feeling a chill run down their spines from head to toe. It was indeed the Codex Anomos that Navia Drake possessed. Aiden directly opened the Codex to a specific page. Four lines were written there. The first three read: Intentionally harming others, directly or indirectly, is forbidden. Violators shall suffer corporal punishment.Restricting the personal liberty of others by any means is forbidden. Violators shall suffer the punishment of imprisonment.Any tracking or surveillance activities are forbidden. Violators shall suffer the punishment of exile. These three lines appeared faded, the characters incomplete, and were visibly fading further, as if being absorbed by the page. Then, the fourth line, written clearly in a completely different script from the lines above: "The above rules are hereby repealed, effective immediately." Navia watched helplessly as the rules he set were nullified. Then, like a madman, he shoved his hand into his collar, searching for the Codex hidden on his chest. Only then did he realize the ropes that had securely bound the Codex to him were already loose. He yanked the book out violently and looked closely. On this book's cover, clearly printed in large, gold-stamped letters, were the words: "Criminal Code of the Cardelia Autonomous Prefecture."(TN: 卡德里亚自治州刑法 (Kǎdélǐyà Zìzhìzhōu Xíngfǎ) - Criminal Code of the Cardelia Autonomous Prefecture.) "Carrying the Autonomous Prefecture's Criminal Code on your person... what a studious pirate," Aiden chuckled, then quickly wiped the smile away. "But didn't you see it in the Criminal Code? Jailbreaking... is a serious crime!" Navia suddenly drew the pistol from his waist, decisively aiming at Aiden's head. But Aiden, already prepared, simply shifted his wrist slightly and immediately shot the gun out of Navia's hand. "Fire! Kill him!!" Navia ignored his bullet-hit right hand and roared the command. Since the rules were nullified, it had devolved into a battle of survival of the fittest. No matter how good this man's marksmanship was, he couldn't possibly handle over a dozen guns simultaneously. The pirates reacted, drawing their guns. Firearms of different models roared consecutively, and then... nothing happened. The most update n0vels are published on novęlfire.net Aiden stood unharmed, not a single bullet hitting him. Rather, none of the bullets ever left the gun barrels. The pirates watched in astonishment as the gunpowder smoke emerging from their pistols seemed to reverse time, being sucked back in. "Close Gate Number Three," Aiden commanded. The iron bar gate installed in the corridor descended from the ceiling, separating Aiden from the jailbreak group, effectively trapping them inside.