Strange remembered the guard Anderson he met just now.
Anderson had already revealed that the warden had ordered him to transport a prisoner's body to his office - and Strange speculated that he obviously needed the corpse as a medium for some sort of ritual.
So what if this isn't the first time this has happened
Strange frowned slightly.
He has always been in contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers in formation, and he has long been suspicious of the prison, so he contacted Stark and asked him if there was a way to enter the prison for investigation.
Unexpectedly, things are easier than he imagined, and Mr. Warden seems to be defenseless - which may prove that he is very confident in what he is secretly planning.
Then he must go to the site of the execution of prisoners in Oliver's memory.
Strange stood up from behind his desk, and stuffed Oliver's files into the bottom of the pale green filing cabinet.
But the nurse left again at this time, and he had to wait for more than ten minutes before seeing a big man in a blue-green uniform running over panting to open the door for him.
Strange nodded at him.
The nurse couldn't help but sighed, but didn't say anything in the end.
In Oliver's memory, the site where the warden used to execute prisoners was actually incomplete at this time. The prison has been rebuilt many times. Besides the accident in the transformer room, there were several fires in the kitchen.
Because the warden has never installed sprinkler fire extinguishing devices in crowded places.
This matter also made Strange feel puzzled—after all, after experiencing many fires, setting up basic fire extinguishing facilities is a proper countermeasure, and the warden has always been unwilling to do so.
One can't help but guess whether the warden wants to use this to cover up something—such as the next "centralized execution of prisoners"
Strange slowed down, looking at every scene he passed.
He saw a few prisoners standing in handcuffs not far away. They must have committed some fault and were being placed under confinement.
The afternoon sun was a bit harsh, and the prisoners hung their heads and couldn't see their expressions.
Until someone felt Strange's gaze, raised his head, bared his teeth maliciously at him, and whistled.
"You, turn your back and face the wall." Someone from the side ordered solemnly.
Strange felt that this voice was inexplicably familiar, and when he looked over, he found that it was that Anderson just now.
The Anderson guard also saw the doctor approaching, froze for a moment, and nodded to him from a distance, but did not show a relaxed look, because he was facing several criminals.
"It's time to prevent confinement, turn around." Anderson ordered with a straight face.
The prisoners turned around, and guard Anderson uncuffed them, and then dispersed the few people who were fighting just now, and then stepped up to Strange.
"Doctor." He smiled slightly.
Strange waited for a while, but he was thinking about a question.
This Anderson guard already has doubts about the warden. Should he hide the true face of the other warden? If he is left alone to doubt the warden, it may be easier to suddenly disappear in this prison.
What he meant was—involuntarily silenced.
"I need your professional help with some things." Strange glanced at Anderson, "Would you like to come over?"
Guard Anderson paused slightly: "I'd love to do you a favor, doctor—but the truck is coming soon, and the cooks and workers need someone to open the door for them when they're moving materials."
Strange: "…"
This is also one of the recent incomprehensible behaviors of the warden, who replaced the staff doors on all passages with prison doors.
Anderson looked at him: "Doctor, I can just get to the passage as soon as possible later."
Strange nodded, and Anderson followed behind him.
"Guard Anderson, about your speculation about the warden—I hope you don't tell anyone." Strange said lightly.
Anderson was slightly taken aback: "Doctor..."
"I mean—do you see a movie, Anderson?" Strange asked suddenly.
Anderson looked confused: "Yes, doctor..."
"In film and television works, when someone finds out that his secret has been learned by others, it may be..." Strange paused slightly, "he will have some ideas."
Although Anderson was not well-informed, he was not a fool. He widened his eyes slightly and fell silent.
"I don't want to speak ill of the warden behind his back, Guard Anderson." Strange said solemnly, "but I hope you will stop casually revealing what you have learned to others like today."
Anderson nodded in a daze, seeming a little scared.
He followed Strange silently for a while, and suddenly said: "Doctor, you mean that many of the rumors I heard in the staff dormitory may be true?"
Strange frowned: "What rumors have you heard?"
"For example, the warden would keep some prisoners secretly in the dark room of the office," Anderson racked his brains to recall. "If he got bored, the prisoner would die."
"Office?" Strange frowned and pondered, "Isn't it somewhere else?"
Anderson could only shrug his shoulders: "The dead prisoner, Seike Stone, was imprisoned in the cell of the warden's office before. The door of the cell was covered by a bookshelf. Except for the guards, many other employees did not know This matter." Anderson showed some confusion after finishing speaking, "Actually... I'm not sure, doctor. Other employees seem to seldom chat, and some guards are like this. I just heard that they are called 'prisoners' today." long puppet man'."
He swallowed, looking annoyed: "I don't think I should say this, doctor..."
Strange became alert: "Shouldn't it? Why?"
Anderson hesitated, remembering that Nursing didn't talk about the "puppets" in front of Strange, and maybe he shouldn't either.
Suddenly, as if all the clues were connected together, Strange stopped asking, but grabbed Anderson's clothes suddenly: "Has there ever been a corpse that disappeared before?"
Anderson replied with some horror: "I don't know, doctor, I've never transported a corpse, and today is the first time—in fact, I just realized today that other people said that 'puppet people' don't pick tasks, let them transport corpses What means."
He paused, and asked cautiously, "What happened, doctor?"
Strange glanced at him: "Maybe, they are those corpses."
Anderson seemed terrified.
"But...but, doctor, they are actually very easy to get along with." He said with some difficulty, "Those 'puppet' guards, I even expected to be on duty in the dormitory in Area A, because they are very quiet and never Hide anything."
Anderson scratched his hair: "I don't know why they are called 'puppet people'—they are more like soldiers, and they perform tasks quickly and efficiently."
"..." Strange glanced at him lightly, "I know."
Anderson: "…"
This made him feel a little frustrated. Doctor Strange, who heard the word a few hours later than him, already knew why they called those earliest guards that way.
Strange suddenly asked again: "You just said that they never hide anything?"
Anderson thought for a while: "Yes, doctor, they are very talkative, and everyone can memorize all the prison regulations. They should be very good talents."
Strange thought about it.
"So... can you call one of them over?"
Originally, he just wanted to take the opportunity of needing Anderson's help, and give him a little secret advice, so that he should stop revealing the warden's affairs to others—this stupid guard seems to be not as good at self-protection as the prisoner Oliver, when they first met He revealed a lot of information to Strange.
But from the current point of view, this stupid guard has a deeper understanding of the prison than he did when he first came here. What's more, he usually lives in the staff dormitory, so he will have more sources of information.
Strange frowned secretly, he needed Anderson's help - he could only find a way to keep him safe from the warden.
Anderson nodded very positively: "No problem, doctor, they will be happy to answer your questions-oh, I also figured out one thing. If they encounter a question they don't want to answer, they will ask you to repeat your question." Question, that's very polite."
Strange: "…"
He felt that the guard might also have a problem with his mind.
Anderson walked away, and not long after, he came before Strange with a guard.
The guard looked ordinary, but judging from his expression, he seemed very calm and calm. He walked up to Strange, and said in a straight tone, "Doctor Strange, do you have something to do with me?"
Strange sized him up slightly.
Unexpectedly, only a few seconds later, the guard repeated again: "Doctor Strange, do you have something to do with me?"
Strange: "... Yes, I have a few questions for you." He glanced at the name tag on the other's chest, and read out the name on it: "Guard MacPherson Hall?"
The guard replied, "Yes, Doctor Strange."
Strange had arrived at his real destination at this time—the address that Oliver remembered was used to execute prisoners, which was actually near the northernmost confinement room. More than half of it has been occupied by the newly built confinement room, while the other half is left outside the wall of the confinement room. The soil and gravel on the ground do still have some scorched black traces after being burned.
He pointed to the ground there and asked the guard, "Before the establishment of the confinement room, what kind of building was there?"
The guard replied without thinking: "It's a transformer room."
Strange's eyes lit up slightly: "What is it for?"
The guard's answer was watertight: "To power the prison."
Anderson was very confused by the conversation between them. He opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to speak, but Strange raised his hand to stop him, and there was a little excitement in his eyes when he was close to the truth: "So... why was it leveled? "
The guard answered truthfully, "Because there was a fire."
Strange raised the corner of his mouth slightly: "When the fire broke out...was there anyone inside?"
The Hall guard nodded: "Several people lived in the small prison dormitory in the transformer room, and they died in this fire."
Anderson gasped, glanced at Strange in horror, and was speechless again.
"So, after someone died here, it was leveled and the evidence was destroyed?"
Hall guard looked at Strange: "Doctor Strange, please repeat your question."
Strange smiled slightly: "No need, Guard Hall, all my questions have been answered."
The Hall guard nodded and turned to leave, but was suddenly stopped by Anderson: "Why is the prisoner's dormitory in the transformer room? How is this possible? Has no one suspected it?"
Strange frowned, stepped forward and pulled Anderson's hand.
Guard Hall stopped, and turned to look at Anderson: "Because Mr. Warden set up the prisoner's dormitory next to the transformer room, there is no partition wall in between. Guard Anderson, please repeat your other questions."
Anderson stared at him blankly.
Strange said, "I have one last question—Guard Hall, will you report today's events to the Warden?"
The Hall guard turned to Strange: "Doctor, I will not report today's incident to the warden, there is no such rule in the prison."
Strange nodded: "Then Guard Hall, I have no other questions."
Guard Hall turned and left.
Guard Anderson seemed to have been greatly shocked, and Strange knew that he didn't need to explain, the other party already understood what was going on.
The warden did "handle" some prisoners here.
But Strange was increasingly puzzled—if the Warden had somehow "resurrected" or controlled the guards while they were dying, why would they answer truthfully about everything
In other words, the questions they refused to answer were the ones Mr. Warden didn't want to reveal
In other words, he doesn't mind letting people know that he executed a large number of prisoners privately here
Strange couldn't figure it out.
But at least he got the answer he wanted.
As for how the Warden controls the guards—maybe the answer lies in that pale green healing pin. Obviously, both Batman and Iron Man had obtained the sample of the treatment needle in the case of random entry and exit of the prison, but no one successfully reversed its composition.
As a surgeon, Strange also wanted to give it a try—but he didn't have high hopes, so he put it off again and again.
After all, he didn't want to attract Mr. Warden's attention.
Though after a few days, he found out that the warden probably didn't mind anyone running around in the prison—he even heard that both the Joker and Lecter were briefly transferred to cells in the morgue and sent out to serve labor. But soon after they tried to escape from prison, they were put back in the confinement room under strict guard.
Strange thought for a while, and felt that the reason for the warden's behavior was actually not difficult to guess—it was nothing more than an excuse to imprison them forever.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that there were doubts everywhere, and he sighed slightly.
Especially Anderson beside him seemed to have been greatly shocked, his eyes widened and his hands trembled slightly.
"So... Doctor, Mr. Warden... eat them all?"
Strange: "?"
This sentence was beyond his expectation.
Guard Anderson always surprises him.
"What are you talking about?" Strange asked, frowning.
"It's what you told me before—the problem of cannibalism." Anderson swallowed with some fear.
Strange was very confused: "When did I say... oh, you mean I asked you if you wanted to eat people-I thought you had the same psychological problem as Guard Joyce? Did you say that, Then there's nothing to worry about."
"But Mr. Warden he... he was talking to Hannibal Lecter in his office not long ago!" Coston's name, Doctor."
Strange was silent for a moment: "You mean... the corpse hidden in the warden's room, the prisoner named Sekestone, and the warden are... lovers?"
Anderson didn't know that the doctor had never heard of this well-known rumor.
"Doctor, I thought—everyone knew this." Anderson paused, looking a bit complicated, "I heard the warden call Sekestone's name in the morgue, he sounded like..." The guard took a deep breath, "It seems that I can't believe that Seikeston died like this, as if he can come back just by calling him a few times."
Strange was even more silent.
Maybe Anderson's guess is right. This time Mr. Warden didn't intend to make Seikestone into a so-called "puppet", but was inspired by the ogre
Strange frowned, which made people feel a little sick.
"But, doctor..." Anderson continued, "I've heard some people who know the truth say that Mr. Warden sent Sikestone to die on purpose - but they don't understand why the prisoner didn't escape, but according to the code The warden ordered to monitor clowns and ogres.” He thought about it slowly, recalling that when Seikestone was just imprisoned, he was also a difficult thorn in the mouth of other guards, “Although this Seikestone may It's a little bit capable, but even so, he can't stand up to the clown and the ogre, this is clearly to let him die on purpose."
Anderson shook his head: "This Saike Stone, after being imprisoned privately by the warden, has never caused trouble again. Only once, he stabbed Joyce's guard, which was reported by Joyce It was given to Mr. Warden—but then that Joyce went insane for no reason, and even tried to kill the ogre, and is still locked in the confinement room of the psychiatric ward."
Strange frowned slightly.
No wonder that Joyce was inexplicably crazy. What kind of conflict occurred between him and the prisoner Sike Stone is not known, but the consequences are well known-Sike Stone died, and Joyce went mad.
Could this be why the warden wanted to frame Joyce and kill Sekestone
Strange looked at Anderson: "There are too many mysteries in this matter, I will investigate slowly."
Anderson looked at him strangely: "But aren't you a doctor?"
Strange couldn't directly reveal his identity, so he could only say: "...Actually, I am a detective. I was entrusted by a private person to investigate the warden."
Anderson suddenly realized: "So that's it." He gritted his teeth, looked at Strange and said, "Mr. Detective, if you need any help, please remember to call me—I used to serve in the army."
Strange smiled slightly: "Then, you are my Watson."
Anderson scratched his hair: "Doctor, I just don't want more innocent people to die."
Strange paused for a moment, and then said: "Whether you are innocent or not is still uncertain, but we must find out the truth—Guard Anderson, since we already know the secret of the warden, we must pay attention to protecting our own safety."
Anderson nodded solemnly: "I understand, doctor." He then asked again: "But I think, if I take a look at the warden's office now, maybe I can... find something?"
Strange looked at him for a moment, frowning in thought.
Anderson said to Strange: "Don't worry, doctor, I won't give away my purpose--just take a look, find a reasonable excuse to rely on, and Mr. Warden won't know that we have discovered his secret."
Strange leaned against the wall outside the confinement room, closed his eyes and thought for a moment before slowly answering: "Anderson, some serial killers will deliberately display their works for future generations to appreciate and admire - of course, this is their Self-righteous thoughts. Mr. Warden’s behavior is a bit beyond common sense, and it can even be said that he often reveals these to others on purpose. Therefore, he may have known that we were probing his secrets, but deliberately used us to show off his achievements."
Anderson was dumbfounded.
"So..." He racked his brains for a while, "Maybe Mr. Warden will ask us to check it on purpose?"
Strange nodded slowly.
Anderson was at a loss: "Then what should we do, doctor?"
"Unless," Strange took a deep breath, "we have other informants."
In the warden's office, Zhang Dianyu opened the door of his room behind the sofa chair after the guard named Anderson left.
He has always been more inclined to directly assign tasks to the pixel villain guards, but he did not expect to overturn this time.
It wasn't his fault—this Anderson looked like a low-intelligence person, and he was indeed a bit like a pixel villain, which made him mistaken.
But there also seemed to be some problems with the guard's psychological state.
Zhang Dianyu once observed the usual work arrangements of the guards. According to what he saw, most of the time it was the pixel villain guards who transported the corpses, and the other guards often had psychological changes in their treatment of prisoners and corpses. Like those psychiatric ward nurses who were later recruited, they would be terrified of clowns.
So he sent this Anderson guard there to increase the workload of Doctor Strange.
Zhang Dianyu closed the door of the room, frowning and looking at the body of Saike Stone.
He lifted the white cloth covering the corpse, just like in the past, the weapons carried by the corpse would also remain on the mortuary table—this once troubled Zhang Dianyu very much.
Whenever a guard or a prisoner with a hidden weapon dies, the morgue becomes lively in a short period of time. Zhang Dianyu can always see prisoners on the map running in to lick their bags and pick up the weapons around the corpse.
It wasn't until the morgue was occupied by the Joker that it suddenly disappeared—even if Banner later lived in it, no prisoner would go in and steal weapons as often.
Zhang Dianyu was puzzled, but it was a good thing, otherwise he would have had to install the prison's first metal detector in the morgue in advance.
At this time, beside Seike Stone's body, there was also the table knife that took him to stab the clown quietly.
Zhang Dianyu picked up the knife. The sharp blade was already covered with dark red dried blood, which was the blood of the clown, he frowned in disgust.
He lifted the white cloth a little, exposing Sekestone's upper body.
For Zhang Dianyu, when he is unconscious, consciousness leaves the body in which it resides—just like anyone else. When the warden was shot and fell into a coma, his consciousness left the warden's body, and he became Sekestone when he woke up. And when Sekestone was seriously injured and fell into a coma, he obviously didn't become someone else, but returned to the warden's body.
From a certain point of view, he thought that Sike Stone might still be alive at that time.
And from the common sense, it is not a problem for the general to be able to linger on for a while before his body dies.
But he did not confirm Sekstone's death.
Although there are already red blood bars at the feet of the corpses on the map, marking the word "Death", and Zhang Dianyu has been unable to switch roles.
But when Saike Stone was in a coma, Zhang Dianyu would even be forced to go offline by this body.
In any case, he still had to determine whether Seikestone was really dead, and then consider what happened to the file and whether he could be resurrected.
If there is no death, how can there be resurrection
Zhang Dianyu frowned and thought for a while. He is not a professional in this area. For ordinary people, the way to confirm death is to see if the heart is still beating.
He slowly raised his left hand and placed it on Sekestone's chest, groping for where the heart should be.
At this moment, someone pushed open the door of the room.
Banner bit the bullet and said, "Mr. Warden, this document—"
His voice stopped abruptly.
Mr. Warden in the room held the table knife that Seikestone had used to try to kill the clown, and put his other hand on his heart, frowning with a hesitant expression.
Banner held his breath.
When Strange found him who was doing nothing in the restaurant and revealed his identity and purpose, he instinctively wanted to resist this speculation.
He heard about Strange from Stark, and the two met a few days ago, but they didn't communicate too much.
And Mr. Warden did ask him to leave the office on purpose just now, as if something had to be kept from him.
Banner accepted the warden's arrangement because he did not want to pry into the warden's secrets.
Everyone has their own secrets.
But behind Strange's request, there really seemed to be a huge conspiracy. Banner didn't want to believe it, and instead decided to grant the request in order to prove it.
Even if he disobeyed Mr. Warden's order, he still had to enter his room without authorization.
Maybe this will allow the warden to take back all his privileges, and let him be locked in a small and cramped cell at all times like in the hands of General Ross, and there is a team outside at any time and place prepared to use a large number of guns specially for Hulk. Tranquilizer special forces on standby.
Banner hurried back to the warden's office, randomly found a document on his desk that required the warden's signature, thought of an excuse, and walked into the warden's office with an empty door frame.
Sure enough, Mr. Warden did not sit on his sofa and meditate as usual.
Banner felt his heart drop slightly, as if he had some bad premonition.
He pushed open the door at the back, and inside was the warden's room.
What came into view was the blood-stained mortuary table, and the warden who was watching him from behind the mortuary table. The warden's hand rested on Seikestone's heart, and he turned his head slightly to listen. The dried blood on the knife in his hand was a bit glaring.
Zhang Dianyu: "..."