"F Plan"

Ming Qiuxue's gaze was intensely oppressive.

Lu Mi pursed his lips. "He wasn't coming for you."

Lu Mi's expression was icy as he laid out the facts.

"Yu Tu's Diamond Rank Energy Crystal was dug out. When he arrived on Calamity Planet, he was still wearing custom-made shackles.

"Besides, he only has memories from the past two months. Cang Qi's appraisal can't be wrong."

A look of astonishment surfaced in Ming Qiuxue's eyes. He turned and sat back down in his chair, deep thought flashing through his gaze.

If that was the case, Yu Tu really had not put himself into the trap.

The cost of digging out an Energy Crystal was far too great.

Even the strongest anesthetics were ineffective on the skin around an Energy Crystal.

Digging out an Energy Crystal meant not only enduring inhuman pain, but also being left with barely any strength.

Most importantly, once an Energy Crystal was dug out, it could never be restored.

It was indeed impossible for a Diamond Energy Master to come to Calamity Planet at the cost of himself.

"Besides..."

Lu Mi gave a disdainful snort.

"What the hell are you? Why would he put himself through this for you? I'm right here. Aren't I more attractive to him than you are?"

Ming Qiuxue: "..."

Ming Qiuxue curled his knuckles and tapped them lightly against the desk.

"Warden Lu, let me remind you: who was it that said Yu Tu was no different from any other serious criminal to you?"

Lu Mi looked at him contemptuously. "You believe whatever I say? I've never seen you trust me this much before."

Ming Qiuxue changed the subject. "Back to business. I'm glad you're willing to join the F Plan, but I want you to keep this plan secret from Yu Tu. Even if Lan Xiao killed him with his own hands, I still wouldn't dare trust him."

Lu Mi nodded. "Don't worry. I don't want him involved in the F Plan either."

"Fine."

Ming Qiuxue stood and extended a hand toward Lu Mi. "We have an agreement, then. Here's to a pleasant partnership."

Their black leather-gloved and white-gloved hands briefly clasped before separating. Ming Qiuxue swept the long hair beside his right cheek back.

"Come on. Hit me here."

Lu Mi took the whip hanging at his waist, stepped back, and lashed it mercilessly across Ming Qiuxue's face, instantly leaving a bloody mark.

That was not enough. He casually overturned Ming Qiuxue's desk and struck the wall twice more with his whip.

Ming Qiuxue was clearly used to this. Once Lu Mi reeled in the long whip, he immediately took out an energy gun.

"Hey, wait." Lu Mi stopped him. "Don't use that. Use your Longevity Lock."

Ming Qiuxue raised a brow.

Lu Mi undid his cuff and rolled up his sleeve, exposing his lean arm.

Then he unfastened the button at his collar, revealing his snow-white neck.

"Don't hold back. Make it brutal—make it look as horrifying as possible."

Lu Mi said seriously.

"The First Prison Warden and Second Prison Warden being at odds, with only petty clashes all the time, would make it too easy to spot the flaws."

Ming Qiuxue snorted coldly. "Let's hope that's really what you think."

As he spoke, Ming Qiuxue clenched his fingers. A golden chain condensed from his palm and lengthened, like a venomous serpent filled with life. One end coiled around Lu Mi's left wrist, its middle wound around his neck, and the other end wrapped around his right wrist.

With a flick of Ming Qiuxue's finger, the chain constricted viciously, making veins bulge across Lu Mi's body from the instant pain.

Ming Qiuxue's Longevity Lock did not keep people safe.

Like the Diamond-Grade Golden Python he had awakened, once it found its prey, it decisively cut off all chance of survival.

Ming Qiuxue quickly withdrew the Longevity Lock. Even though he had held back, Lu Mi still choked and coughed several times.

Ming Qiuxue opened a drawer, took out a small box, and tossed it to Lu Mi. "Seeing how hard you worked, here's a consolation prize."

Lu Mi caught it casually and gripped the long box firmly in his hand. He twisted his neck and looked very satisfied with the purple bruises on his wrists.

"I'm leaving. If anything comes up, have Golden Eye notify me."

He and Ming Qiuxue rarely used communication devices to contact each other.

Lu Mi opened the door with a cold face. Outside, Black Shadow was growling low at Golden Eye, who hung from the chandelier overhead.

At the same time, a teacup grazed past Lu Mi's cheek, hit the floor, and shattered into pieces!

Behind him came Ming Qiuxue's furious voice—

"Lu Mi, get the hell out! If there's a next time, I'll kill you!"

Black Shadow shifted its gaze and unleashed a furious string of roars at Ming Qiuxue inside the room.

"Roar roar roar! Roar roar! Roar!"

It was obviously cursing filthy things!

Lu Mi kicked its iron ass. "Let's go."

Heh, he was getting addicted to acting?

Lu Mi walked out with a grim expression, the wounds on his neck and wrists exceptionally conspicuous.

They made anyone who saw them shudder.

The two prison officers followed after him.

"Warden Lu, Warden Ming went too far, didn't he? Should we report this?"

Lu Mi touched his neck and hissed.

"Report it? The emperor is far away and the mountains are high. What good would reporting it do?"

Lu Mi revealed a vicious smile.

"If it really comes to a fight to the death, it's still anyone's guess who kills whom!"

—

Lu Mi pushed open the door to the warden's resting cabin.

Third Prison Warden Qi An's call arrived, late but not absent.

Lu Mi accepted the call, turned on speaker mode, set the communicator on the table, then opened the small box Ming Qiuxue had given him.

"Lu Mi, did you go give Qiuxue trouble again today?"

As the box opened, Lu Mi's gaze suddenly softened, though his voice remained cold. "I did!"

"Oh, Lu Mi, honestly. Why did you go give Qiuxue trouble again?"

Qi An's rambling voice drifted through the air...

Lu Mi took out the item in the box, turned around, and skillfully inserted one end into the gap in the third shelf compartment.

He then sat down in the computer chair, adjusted it downward with his right hand, pressed the backrest down, and turned sitting into reclining.

Lu Mi raised both hands behind his head, lazily watching the item gently swaying above him—

The cat teaser Ming Qiuxue had given him.

There was no bell, just a simple stick, an elastic cord, and a little ball.

After staring at it for a while, Lu Mi finally could not resist reaching out and lightly pawing at the swaying ball.

His eyes narrowed instinctively, and he looked relaxed and pleased.

After awakening an Energy Source, Energy Masters were more or less affected by it.

Just as Yu Tu needed water, Lu Mi, after awakening the Diamond-Grade Black Panther, could not resist any cat teaser.

He had once consulted a specialist about this.

He could not understand it. Why would a black panther be unable to resist cat teasers?

After giving him a full examination, the doctor's answer had been—

Probably because black panthers belonged to the feline family.

Lu Mi sulked over it for a week. In the end, he bought a whole box of cat teasers to comfort himself.

He played with the cat teaser as he listened to Qi An's advice.

"...Look at the two of you. It's been so many years, and you still can't stand each other. Can't you coexist peacefully?"

Qi An sighed repeatedly.

"I heard this was all caused by Yu Tu. How about this? Transfer Yu Tu to the Third Prison. As for this First Commander, neither of you should manage him. Let this old man handle him!"

Lu Mi gripped the little ball, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Qi An, I already told Ming Qiuxue this.

"Let me formally notify you one more time—

"Yu Tu is my prisoner—Lu Mi's. No one gets to take him!"

Qi An clicked his tongue. "You little brat, why are you taking your anger out on me? Oh, right... Yu Tu really is your ex-boyfriend?"

Lu Mi snorted coldly. "That's right. I'm keeping him so I can skin him alive and pull out his bones. Whether it's you or Ming Qiuxue, stay out of it!"

"Oh, Lu Mi, listen to my advice!"

"Go advise Ming Qiuxue. I'm hanging up!"

"Hey, don't—"