Forbidden to Covet the Warden

After a long while, Lu Mi took a step back, lowered his head to look at Yu Tu's face, and removed the leather glove from his right hand.

His slender, pale fingers reached out, their pads lightly brushing the corner of Yu Tu's mouth.

Lu Mi bent down, the corner of his lips lifting slightly.

"0456, did you understand?"

Yu Tu's Adam's apple bobbed, his breathing slightly uneven. The vine above his head swayed from side to side.

"I... I understood."

Lu Mi opened the infirmary door and let Rete and the prison officers enter.

He glanced at Yu Tu. "Remove his shackles."

When escorts delivered serious criminals to Calamity Planet, they would normally complete a handover with the prison officers, which included the keys to the criminals' shackles.

The escort responsible for Yu Tu had fled too quickly and failed to complete the handover. Only after the warship had departed Calamity Planet at faster-than-light speed did they remember and hurriedly send someone to deliver them.

The prison officer looked hesitant.

"Warden Lu, 0456... is a Diamond Energy Master."

Most serious criminals sent to Calamity Planet had their shackles removed after entering the prison.

With the Energy Lock Rings limiting them, they could not stir up much trouble here.

The exceptions were a few especially vicious criminals and powerful Energy Masters. Shackles served as a second layer of restraint for them.

Yu Tu's notorious reputation made it hard for the prison officer not to hesitate.

Lu Mi sneered. "What? Do you think this warden needs you to remind me? Open them."

The prison officer could only step forward. The instant he took out the key, fingers wrapped in a black leather glove reached in from the side, the index finger slipping through the key ring and hooking it away.

Lu Mi stepped forward, just blocking the prison officer's line of sight behind him. "I'll do it. 0456, hold out your hand."

Yu Tu's gaze had remained fixed on Lu Mi the entire time.

He obediently raised his hands.

The shackles on his hands opened but did not fall away. In the middle of each semicircular shackle was a spike made of the same material, piercing straight through Yu Tu's wrists.

What Yu Tu wore were not ordinary shackles, but custom-made ones.

Rete found it unbelievable. "This... shouldn't be possible, right?"

The authorities never used custom-made shackles.

They were used by a handful of nobles specifically to restrain slaves.

Energy Lock Rings and ordinary shackles were already enough to limit an Energy Master's movements, not to mention that Yu Tu wore a full five Energy Lock Rings.

Most importantly, even if Yu Tu had committed First-Degree Treason, the merits he had earned were real.

Using such custom-made shackles on him was no different from humiliating him.

In Rete's eyes, even if Yu Tu deserved death, he should not have been treated this way.

"Who would be bold enough to..."

His words cut off abruptly.

Aside from that person, no one was likely bold enough to put custom-made shackles on Yu Tu.

Lu Mi's lips tightened. "Anesthetic."

Rete mixed the medication, drew it into a syringe, and brought it over to inject Yu Tu.

Yu Tu's expression suddenly changed. Violence surfaced on his face, and even his eyes turned bloodshot. "Get lost!"

Yu Tu's eyes widened as he stiffly twisted his neck. Veins faintly bulged, and the white vine above his head stood straight up like a needle.

Rete jumped and looked to Lu Mi for help.

Lu Mi raised a hand and gently patted Yu Tu's back. "I only want to help you remove the custom-made shackles on your wrists."

Yu Tu calmed down and said softly, "I'll do it myself."

Before Lu Mi could react, Yu Tu had already lowered his head and bitten down on the middle of the chain around his hands. Then he yanked both wrists in opposite directions.

He moved incredibly fast.

Lu Mi's brow twitched. "Yu Tu!"

Rete watched in horror. Even as a doctor, he could not stop himself from sharply sucking in a breath.

Blood poured from Yu Tu's wrists. With the shackles still clenched between his teeth, he froze when he saw Lu Mi's angry expression, then opened his mouth. The shackles hit the floor with a clatter.

Lu Mi was practically gritting his teeth. "Bandage him!"

He stared at Yu Tu and emphasized each word. "Do. Not. Make. Me. Do. It."

Rete worked quickly. For some reason, although he was only bandaging Yu Tu's wrists, he wrapped both of Yu Tu's palms as well, turning them completely into two white rice dumplings.

Yu Tu moved his hands. The white vine above his head bent into a question mark.

Rete stared at the white vine in fascination for a while.

Lu Mi said, "Sit over there."

The shackles on Yu Tu's feet had not been removed yet.

Yu Tu sat down properly. Lu Mi slowly knelt on one knee before him. Since the lock was on the side, he gently lifted one of Yu Tu's feet and placed it on his knee. After removing the long boot, he unlocked it with the key.

When the shackles on his feet opened, they turned out to be the same as those on his hands—custom-made shackles.

Spikes thicker than the ones through his wrists had pierced through his ankles.

Rete blurted out, "Commander Yu Tu, doesn't it hurt?"

Of course custom-made shackles hurt, but at least the wrists did not need to walk.

Yet when Yu Tu had taken those few steps earlier, aside from his pale face, Rete had not seen the slightest sign that he was in pain.

Yu Tu answered seriously, "It hurts!"

The white vine above his head swayed back and forth.

Rete: "..."

He gave Yu Tu a thumbs-up. "As expected of the First Commander."

Truly unhinged.

Lu Mi said, "Give him the anesthetic."

As he spoke, he looked up at Yu Tu, his gaze a warning. "You have no right to refuse."

Yu Tu opened his mouth.

Lu Mi said, "Close your mouth!"

Yu Tu closed his mouth, but when he saw the syringe in Lu Mi's hand, he seemed on the verge of losing control again.

Lu Mi stood and pulled the curtain shut, blocking the other two prison officers' view.

Then he stood before Yu Tu and pressed down on his head, making him bury his face against Lu Mi's waist. "Close your eyes. Don't look."

Yu Tu's mood improved a little. He casually wrapped his arms around Lu Mi's waist.

And rubbed his head against him twice.

"Rete, do it," Lu Mi said.

The instant the needle went in, Yu Tu suddenly threw back his head. His bloodshot eyes looked terrifying enough to make Rete's hand tremble.

The next second, Lu Mi pinched Yu Tu's chin between his thumb and forefinger, lowered his head, and kissed his lips, easily prying open his teeth.

Rete: "..."

His hand stopped shaking, but he was staring blankly.

Lu Mi pulled away briefly, drawing a silver thread between them. He shot Rete a dissatisfied look. "Hurry up already."

"Oh, yes, yes!"

The medication was injected, and Lu Mi kissed Yu Tu again.

The kiss lasted a little long, giving Rete enough time to remove the custom-made shackles from Yu Tu's feet and bandage his ankles.

"All done."

Having finished everything, Rete was drenched in sweat.

Lu Mi really knew how to kiss.

As he stood up, he could no longer look at the First Prison warden with the eyes of a perpetually single old bachelor.

Lu Mi nodded and released Yu Tu. Even after Lu Mi had moved away, Yu Tu maintained his previous posture, staring up at him blankly.

His expression was coldly alluring yet innocent.

Lu Mi took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wiped Yu Tu's mouth. "0456, wipe away your drool. Prisoners are forbidden to covet the warden."

Rete: "..."

That was more than a little shameless.

The two prison officers outside, who had no idea what was going on: "?"

What? The First Commander had drooled over Warden Lu!

That would not do!

The next second, the curtain was pulled open.

Lu Mi appeared before them carrying Yu Tu in his arms.

"Warden Lu, let me do it!"

Lu Mi swept him a cold glance. "Get lost."

"..."