"Use Torture on Me! Right Now!"

With the howl of the wind, black ankle boots stepped into First Prison.

The defense system overhead had already been activated, successfully shutting out the raging yellow sand outside.

Urgent footsteps rang out all around as the serious offenders moved under the prison guards' command.

The passage opened for Lu Mi closed, cutting off the wind as he continued forward without slowing.

"The water system wasn't affected, was it?"

"Two pipelines ruptured. The maintenance department has already been notified to make emergency repairs."

"Tell them to hurry."

"Yes, Warden Lu."

Lu Mi strode toward the warden's office.

On Calamity Planet, natural disasters struck far more frequently than on other planets. Ordinary sandstorms were as commonplace as drinking water, and no one paid them much mind.

But with a disaster of this scale, as the warden of First Prison, he had to worry about more than just the situation inside the prison.

Outside First Prison, which held serious offenders, there were prison guards on field duty and serious offenders sent out to work.

Every prison in the Blue River System promoted the principle of not supporting dead weight.

Even after being convicted and imprisoned, inmates had to earn their own meal and lodging fees with their hands.

Every inmate in First Prison had to earn a base wage of 2,800 Blue Star Credits each month.

If they earned more than 2,800 Blue Star Credits, First Prison would deposit the excess into the serious offender's designated bank card.

If they failed to earn 2,800 Blue Star Credits, then they could wait for their meals to be downgraded.

From proper meals to steamed buns, then clear soup and water, and finally a hole in the ground.

The Blue River System had abolished the death penalty, true enough, but the law could not control the various accidental deaths of serious offenders.

Since Lu Mi had taken office, First Prison had firmly held the number one spot on the Blue River System's prison inmate accidental death rankings.

The neighboring Second Prison was no slouch either, having remained the eternal runner-up on that list.

Lu Mi entered the warden's office through facial recognition.

It was spacious inside and brimming with interstellar technology. Walking through it felt like stepping across the stars.

The wall on the left displayed every surveillance feed in First Prison, while the wall on the right showed electronic photos of every prison guard.

Prison guards out on field duty had the red words "Field Duty" marked in the upper-right corner.

Beneath every electronic photo was a status light for that prison guard.

Green meant healthy, yellow meant poor condition, and flashing red meant danger.

Right now, most of the field-duty prison guards' status lights had turned yellow.

Lu Mi activated the communications system. "This is First Prison. I am Lu Mi, warden of First Prison. All First Prison guards on field duty, respond upon receipt."

After a series of beeping connection tones, the electronic photos of the field-duty guards began flashing.

This signified that communications had connected—

"I'm Deputy Warden Lin Luo. Temporarily safe."

"I'm Prison Guard Mo Ke. Temporarily safe."

"I'm Prison Guard Luo Wei. Temporarily safe."

One prison guard after another spoke up. Lu Mi's gaze settled on Lin Luo's electronic photo, and he let out a breath of relief.

"Very good. Field-duty guards of Calamity Planet, listen to my orders."

He had not slept all night.

The terrifying sandstorm finally dispersed, and the perpetually dim skies of Calamity Planet were blessed with rare clear weather.

Lu Mi raised a hand to rub between his brows and walked out of the warden's office.

Ahead, a prison guard hurried toward him.

"Warden Lu, we've received an emergency order from above."

Zhang Jiao lit up the electronic tablet in his hand. He was considered administrative staff at First Prison, as well as Lu Mi's secretary.

The three major prisons shared superior directives, and Zhang Jiao's task was to identify the orders intended for First Prison.

Zhang Jiao handed over the electronic tablet.

"Emergency Order: Interrogate Yu Tu immediately. Use any means necessary to make him sign a public confession of guilt."

Yu Tu had committed a first-degree treason offense, and the evidence was conclusive. All that remained was a public confession of guilt.

An energy wielder's confession differed from that of an ordinary person. It had to be signed using the origin of one's energy. The signature would bear the pattern of the signer's energy markings, and it could not be signed unwillingly.

Lu Mi withdrew his gaze from the tablet and strode ahead. "Read it and don't reply."

Zhang Jiao froze. "What?"

Zhang Jiao hurried after him, suspecting that he had misheard. "Warden Lu?"

"Distant water can't put out a nearby fire."

At worst, they would get scolded by their superiors.

They were separated by hundreds of thousands of miles. What could those people above possibly do?

Zhang Jiao said, "...Warden Lu, I must remind you that the three major prisons on Calamity Planet supervise and balance one another."

For an emergency interrogation like this, the prison receiving the order had to upload a video. If First Prison failed to act, Second Prison and Third Prison would likely not sit still.

Especially Ming Qiuxue. He had already come to First Prison once to demand Yu Tu.

Lu Mi sneered. "Yu Tu is seriously injured. So what if Ming Qiuxue and Qi An come? Are they expecting me to torture a severely injured prisoner? That goes against the original purpose of First Prison."

"Wait, Warden Lu. What exactly is First Prison's original purpose?"

Huh? They had one of those?

Lu Mi halted, his expression icy. "To convince people through virtue."

Lu Mi continued walking.

The three people behind him all stopped at once, their eyes widening in disbelief.

Warden Lu, did he even hear what he was saying?!

Prison Cell No. 5.

Lu Mi had someone open the door.

On the way over, he had calmed down somewhat and made a concession. "I'll interrogate 0456 according to the superior's orders. As for torture, we'll discuss it once his injuries have healed."

The door opened.

Standing at the entrance, Lu Mi saw Yu Tu's back.

The single-occupancy cell had a tiny window facing outside. The window was made of a special transparent material. Yu Tu was pressed against the wall, craning his head up at the blue sky.

Lu Mi said, "0456, did you hear what I said? If you don't want me to use torture on you, then confess voluntarily."

The white vine atop Yu Tu's head, nearly blended into his hair, suddenly stood straight up.

Then it rose and fell in swaying waves.

Yu Tu turned around, his red eyes filled with delight like a child who had received candy.

He strode to Lu Mi and stopped before him. "In yesterday's room? Warden Lu, use torture on me. Hurry, right now!"

Lu Mi stared at Yu Tu's face.

It was still pale, cold, and bewitching, yet now it wore an infuriatingly innocent expression.

The key point was that the wounds on Yu Tu's face had completely healed!

Even the wound at the corner of his mouth, which had nearly torn apart half his face, showed not the slightest trace of injury!

Behind Lu Mi, Zhang Jiao poked his head out. "Huh? Warden Lu, didn't you say Yu Tu..."

With a bang, Lu Mi slammed the cell door shut. The sudden movement caused the door to strike Zhang Jiao's nose, making tears spring from his eyes in pain.

"...Heartless!"

Inside the cell, Lu Mi stared at Yu Tu's face. "What. Is. Going. On?"

Yu Tu touched his own face, his five fingers curling into claws.

"Don't—"

Lu Mi raised a hand to stop him, but it was already too late.

Three claw marks appeared on Yu Tu's face. It was clear he had not held back at all. Flesh curled outward from the deepest wound as blood gushed out and dripped down Yu Tu's face.

Unwilling to waste even a drop, Yu Tu stuck out his tongue, caught the blood, and swept it all into his mouth.

Lu Mi closed his eyes, his teeth grinding with a creak.

"0456, who told you to hurt yourself?"

When he opened his eyes again, his pupils involuntarily contracted.