Clash

A little over a month ago, Ming Qiuxue had indeed received orders for Yu Tu to be detained in his Second Prison.

Lu Mi had tampered with the escort during the transfer.

Inside the spaceship beneath Lu Mi's feet, the effeminate-looking man revealed a smug smile.

"Lin Luo, deputy warden of the First Prison, awakened Energy Source: Gold-Grade Rainbow Illusion Butterfly.

"There are Rainbow Illusion Butterfly Energy Masters in the Blue River System, but Gold Rank... that's the pinnacle among Rainbow Illusion Butterflies!

"Warden Lu, if I'm not mistaken, you had Lin Luo personally submit false orders to the escort officer in charge of Yu Tu, changing the destination from the Second Prison to your First Prison, didn't you?"

Lu Mi raised his foot and stomped heavily on the transparent hatch with his black boot, instantly leaving spiderweb cracks across its surface.

"Excellent guess. So, Yi Que, where are my men?"

Yi Que, former deputy chief inspector of Blue Star's Central Inspectorate, had been stripped of his position by Yu Tu two years ago for using public office for private gain.

The moment Lu Mi saw him, he had already guessed the whole story.

Yi Que had been keeping an eye on Yu Tu, first because of their old grudge.

Second, because Yu Tu's conviction and punishment had drawn the attention of their superiors, and the place he was being sent to happened to be the Second Prison under Ming Qiuxue's jurisdiction.

The Ming family had not had it easy these past years. Yu Tu had once been the foremost commander; if Ming Qiuxue made even the slightest mistake in handling him and Yi Que discovered and reported it, Yi Que might earn merit and rise again.

Still, the person causing trouble for Lu Mi was not an active public official. That was good news for him.

Once he killed Yi Que, this matter could temporarily come to an end.

Yi Que spread his hands innocently. "Sorry, I hit them a little too hard. I killed them."

Yi Que rose from the control chair. "Still, I have to say, Warden Lu, you really raised three fine dogs. I chopped them into human sticks, yet their mouths were still so tight. They insisted they had abandoned their posts and acted on their own initiative.

"Compared to them, Warden Lu, you're far too emotional. Just one sentence from me, and you obediently came here."

"You bastard!"

Lu Mi raised his foot and stomped down again, blasting a huge hole through the transparent hatch!

At the same time, Yi Que raised a hand.

"Catch him. Don't kill him. I'll present the living, heavily convicted criminal Lu Mi to His Majesty and use him as a stepping stone to climb back to the top!"

The heaps of garbage around them suddenly heaved like little mountains.

In the blink of an eye, twenty-eight people crawled out from the trash.

Lu Mi's gaze swept across them, and he could sense the formidable fluctuations of their Energy Sources.

They were all Energy Masters.

Yi Que opened the hatch, and Lu Mi nimbly leaped sideways onto the ship's hull.

As Lu Mi retreated, Yi Que flashed down from below and landed opposite him.

A rose was pinned to the little breast pocket of Yi Que's suit. He took it out and sniffed it, raised his right hand in a delicate gesture, and said, "Everyone, move."

None of the twenty-eight Energy Masters were Diamond Rank, so they could not condense their own source-energy weapons.

At Yi Que's command, they all drew their energy weapons.

Most were energy guns, while only a few carried energy blades or swords.

With their energy weapons in hand, they moved with agile speed and immediately launched an attack on Lu Mi!

The blade-wielding Energy Masters engaged him at close range, while the others surrounded Lu Mi and sprayed him with energy gunfire. The muzzle flashes streaked through the dark sky like meteors, and Lu Mi instantly transformed into a nimble black panther, evading every attack with extreme agility!

He had come alone, seeming to leave no opening untapped, yet not a single bullet truly struck him!

Lu Mi remained airborne, chaining three leaps in succession, and still found time to taunt Yi Que.

"Yi Que, you want to climb back to the top? I'd bet that the first thing Lan Xiao does when you stand before him is chop off your head!"

In the Blue River System, non-public officials were forbidden from possessing energy guns.

Privately possessing an energy gun was a serious crime.

After all, even an ordinary person could kill an Energy Master with one of those things.

Yi Que wanted to capture him and claim a reward from Lan Xiao, yet he himself knowingly broke the law.

Lan Xiao would not spare him.

Yi Que smiled. "As expected of the famous Diamond-Grade Black Panther. You're certainly hard to kill. No matter."

Yi Que tossed away the rose and crushed it beneath his foot. When he looked up again, strange brown spots had appeared on his face.

Yi Que raised his hand, and a source-energy weapon resembling long claws instantly condensed.

Lu Mi flipped backward through the air. As energy markings emerged across his face, he summoned the Dark Whip.

The Dark Whip cracked through the air with a series of sharp snaps, accurately knocking away a whole volley of bullets!

Lu Mi landed swiftly and lightly, then looked at Yi Que and laughed.

"As expected of the famous... grassland ass-wiper. Come on, Spotted Hyena, show me your fine skills at digging through holes!"

Yi Que's face instantly darkened.

The Energy Source he had awakened was the Diamond-Grade Spotted Hyena.

Though it was also the pinnacle among Spotted Hyena Energy Masters, his detractors always loved harping on the Spotted Hyena's hunting methods!

He loved beauty so much. How could he possibly be a "hole-digger"?

"Lu Mi, I'll kill you!"

Calamity Planet, Second Prison.

The moment his white boots stepped through the entrance to the inner building, Ming Qiuxue halted.

His golden eyes settled on the sofa to one side, and his cold, striking brows lifted slightly. "Oh? Warden Qi. What a rare visitor."

Qi An was the oldest of Calamity Planet's three wardens. His official age was one hundred and three. He wore a blue uniform, and two blood-red skulls were likewise displayed on his epaulets.

He was short and slightly plump. His fitted uniform made his round little belly look even more prominent. He had the classic ears of a wealthy man, and his round face always wore a pleasant smile, making him appear kind and benevolent.

He was also known as Calamity Planet's foremost peacemaker, having long mediated the conflicts between Lu Mi and Ming Qiuxue.

Though it had never done much good.

"Warden Qi An, Lu Mi isn't here with me."

Qi An rose cheerfully, produced the observer's warrant, and looked at Yu Tu behind Ming Qiuxue, whose face was pale.

"Warden Lu has gone out on business. I was ordered here to observe the interrogation. Warden Ming, shall we begin immediately?"

Ming Qiuxue smiled. "We've traveled for a day and a night. We'll make some adjustments first. How about this? Warden Qi, go back and rest. Once the interrogation begins, I'll send someone to notify you."

"But I'm already here."

"What?"

"It was clearly stated above that I need not merely observe. Since Warden Ming is tired, how about I conduct the interrogation while you observe?"

Qi An's smile remained gentle.

"Warden Ming, we've known each other for so many years. Don't you trust me?"

Ming Qiuxue nodded seriously. "Ah, Warden Qi, you got that exactly right. Even the little fox I treasured in my palm could stab me in the back, much less an old thing like you."

As he spoke, Ming Qiuxue headed straight inside. "Yu Tu will temporarily be held in solitary cell 09. After a brief rest, we'll conduct an emergency interrogation first thing tomorrow morning."

After giving the order, Ming Qiuxue paused and turned his head. A cold glint flashed in his golden eyes.

"Warden Qi, you have no objections to my arrangements, do you?"

Qi An smiled. "Of course. Then, I'll see you tomorrow morning, Warden Ming."