Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Proof of Intimacy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi receives prescriptions from Rete for medicines that replenish yang energy, along with a mysterious bag containing ointment and detailed instructions.
• Lu Mi confides in Rete about Yu Tu’s alarming behavioral changes. During their recent encounter, Yu Tu acted violently and instinctively, seeming to treat Lu Mi as an object rather than a person.
• Rete explains that ordinary drugs or physical modifications are unlikely to affect a Diamond Energy Master for long. However, he suggests that an alchemist may have created a drug capable of causing Yu Tu to lose control.
• Rete advises Lu Mi to consult Lord Lan to confirm Yu Tu’s condition.
• Back at his Rest Cabin, Lu Mi discovers that his pet mech, Black Shadow, has destroyed all of his treasured cat teaser wands.
• As punishment, Lu Mi forbids Black Shadow from sleeping beside him, depriving it of the energy it needs to recharge.
• When Black Shadow sees the injuries Yu Tu left on Lu Mi, it becomes enraged on his behalf. Lu Mi jokingly taunts it, calling the marks “proof of intimacy” and boasting that Black Shadow has none.
• Lu Mi later opens Rete’s bag and discovers that it contains wound ointment intended for intimate injuries. The instructions forbid sex and spicy food, causing Lu Mi to realize that Rete has completely misunderstood the situation.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: Becomes increasingly concerned about Yu Tu’s mental and physical state, recognizing that his behavior cannot be explained solely by memory loss or imprisonment. Despite his injuries and worries, Lu Mi retains his sarcastic, playful personality, especially when interacting with Black Shadow.
• Yu Tu: Is portrayed as dangerously instinct-driven and physically aggressive. His behavior raises the possibility that he has been drugged or affected by an alchemical substance.
• Rete: Demonstrates medical expertise and gives a serious explanation for Yu Tu’s condition, though his assumptions about Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s relationship lead to an embarrassing misunderstanding.
• Black Shadow: Shows strong attachment to Lu Mi, both through its destruction of the cat toys and its protective anger upon seeing Lu Mi’s injuries. Its childish, expressive behavior provides comic relief.

Significant Themes

• Loss of control and altered identity: Yu Tu’s behavior suggests that external forces may be affecting his instincts and judgment, raising questions about whether he remains in control of himself.
• Intimacy and misunderstanding: Lu Mi interprets Yu Tu’s marks as evidence of closeness, while Rete assumes a more conventional romantic or sexual relationship.
• Care expressed through conflict: Black Shadow’s destructive misbehavior and outrage both stem from its attachment to Lu Mi, showing affection through comic and aggressive actions.
• Humor amid danger: The chapter balances serious concerns about Yu Tu’s possible drugging with Lu Mi’s teasing, his argument with Black Shadow, and Rete’s awkward medical instructions.

Chapter Summary: “Mmh”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a freezing night at First Prison, sudden hail causes the temperature to drop sharply. Yu Tu awakens in Cell 05 and remembers his intense encounter with Prison Warden Lu Mi the previous day.
• Ashamed and convinced that he has seriously wronged Lu Mi, Yu Tu stands barefoot in the corner of the cell as self-punishment. He worries that Lu Mi hates him and wonders whether he should apologize.
• Lu Mi notices Yu Tu missing from his bed through the surveillance feed. Concerned because Yu Tu is highly sensitive to cold, he immediately goes to check on him.
• Lu Mi scolds Yu Tu for punishing himself and forces him back into bed after discovering that his feet are freezing.
• Lu Mi declares that Yu Tu is his prisoner and has no right to punish himself without permission. He then “punishes” Yu Tu through an intimate kiss.
• Yu Tu asks whether Lu Mi enjoyed or hated their previous encounter and promises to restrain himself if Lu Mi disliked it. When Lu Mi asks whom Yu Tu would seek out instead, Yu Tu seriously considers the people in his limited memories, provoking Lu Mi’s jealousy and irritation.
• Yu Tu eventually assures Lu Mi that, among everyone he remembers, Lu Mi is the only person he wants. Lu Mi reluctantly agrees to let Yu Tu treat him as he did the previous day, though he asks for a temporary truce and offers to help him instead.
• The chapter ends with a playful, intimate exchange in which Lu Mi repeatedly checks whether Yu Tu is warm, and Yu Tu responds sleepily, “Mmh.”

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Reveals a vulnerable, guilty side beneath his dangerous exterior. He is deeply anxious about losing Lu Mi’s affection and responds to guilt by physically isolating and punishing himself. His innocence and limited memory make him take Lu Mi’s questions literally, but he ultimately expresses clear emotional preference for Lu Mi.
• Lu Mi: Although outwardly harsh and sarcastic, he is highly attentive to Yu Tu’s physical condition and immediately worries when Yu Tu is absent from bed. His behavior exposes strong possessiveness, jealousy, and concern. He shifts from anger to caretaking and intimacy while maintaining an authoritative, dominant stance.
• Their relationship becomes more emotionally explicit: Yu Tu seeks reassurance, while Lu Mi demands confirmation that he is uniquely important to Yu Tu.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and self-punishment: Yu Tu believes he must atone for his actions, while Lu Mi rejects his self-imposed punishment and insists on controlling the consequences himself.
• Possessiveness and exclusivity: Lu Mi reacts strongly to the idea that Yu Tu might seek someone else, while Yu Tu reassures him that he wants only Lu Mi.
• Vulnerability beneath hostility: Both characters hide concern and affection behind insults, coldness, and authority.
• Care expressed through control: Lu Mi’s harsh commands and physical dominance function as both discipline and protection.
• Memory and emotional instinct: Despite Yu Tu’s incomplete memories, his attachment to Lu Mi appears instinctive and emotionally certain.

Character Interactions

• Yu Tu repeatedly asks Lu Mi to scold him, hoping to confirm that Lu Mi still cares rather than truly hating him.
• Lu Mi physically turns Yu Tu away from the wall, carries him to bed, covers him, and warms him after finding his feet cold.
• Their confrontation becomes an intimate exchange involving kissing, teasing, jealousy, and reassurance.
• Yu Tu’s earnest declaration that Lu Mi is the only person he wants softens Lu Mi, even though Lu Mi conceals his satisfaction behind a detached “Oh.”

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Lu Mi discovers that the Bean Sprout growing from Yu Tu’s head reflects Yu Tu’s hidden emotions. It sways when he is shy, thrashes when he is excited or upset, nuzzles Lu Mi when Yu Tu is being affectionate, stiffens when he is angry, and droops when he is weak. Yu Tu explains that he does not know how it appeared. After awakening as a prisoner in darkness, he concealed his fear behind a cold expression to intimidate others. The Bean Sprout later emerged as an outlet for the feelings he could not openly express. When Yu Tu pulls it off, it disappears but immediately regrows.

Character developments

Yu Tu’s vulnerable past is revealed: he was frightened and helpless after becoming a prisoner, but learned to hide his fear behind an intimidating exterior. The Bean Sprout represents his more honest, playful, and emotionally expressive side. Despite his weakness, Yu Tu is comfortable enough with Lu Mi to tease him and reveal his secret. Lu Mi, meanwhile, recognizes how deeply traumatized Yu Tu may have been and becomes protective, insisting that Yu Tu receive medical attention.

Significant themes

The chapter explores emotional repression, vulnerability, and the ways hidden feelings find indirect forms of expression. The Bean Sprout symbolizes Yu Tu’s suppressed emotions and contrasts with the cold persona he adopted for survival. Trust and intimacy also develop as Yu Tu shares his secret with Lu Mi and allows himself to behave affectionately and mischievously.

Character interactions

Lu Mi studies and touches the Bean Sprout with fascination, while Yu Tu explains its connection to his emotions. Yu Tu affectionately presses against Lu Mi and jokes that the sprout likes him because it resembles Yu Tu. He then playfully squeezes Lu Mi’s cheeks, surprising the normally stern warden. In exchange for keeping the secret, Lu Mi asks Yu Tu to agree to see a pharmacist for examinations. Yu Tu worries about being exposed during the examination and asks that only Lu Mi see him, prompting Lu Mi to clarify that the pharmacist will conduct a proper, non-invasive evaluation.

Chapter Summary: “Prisoner 01, Lan Su”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Lu Mi finishes explaining the situation, Yu Tu unexpectedly restrains him with white vines and places him on the bed so he can treat Lu Mi’s injuries.
• Yu Tu removes his Energy Lock Rings and examines Lu Mi’s body using vines, repeatedly asking whether he is in pain. Lu Mi becomes increasingly irritated by Yu Tu’s constant questions and awkward treatment technique.
• Lu Mi sarcastically offers to treat Yu Tu instead, calling him an “old bastard.” Before leaving, he criticizes Yu Tu’s medical technique, clearly provoking a flustered reaction.
• Three days later, Lu Mi prepares Yu Tu to meet another prisoner. He places him in black handcuffs and blindfolds him, explaining to prison officers that these precautions are necessary because the prisoner they are visiting dislikes seeing strangers and Yu Tu has a dangerous reputation.
• While being escorted, Yu Tu secretly hooks his fingers around Lu Mi’s hand. When Yu Tu stumbles, Lu Mi scolds him but then carries him through the prison, unintentionally creating gossip among the high-security prisoners.
• The prisoners speculate that Yu Tu may have become Lu Mi’s “pet,” since some inmates traditionally exchange submission or companionship for protection. This is especially surprising because Lu Mi has forbidden such relationships in the prison.
• Lu Mi takes Yu Tu through a restricted entrance to the Sky Prison Cell, a special facility located in the starry sky above Calamity Planet.
• He explains that the cell was built by Cang Qi and houses Prisoner 01, Lan Su—the former crown prince of Blue River and elder brother of the current emperor, Lan Xiao.
• Lan Su is the only senior pharmacist on Calamity Planet. Lu Mi secured the special cell for him by using Cang Qi’s name and political connections. The chapter ends as Lu Mi and Yu Tu arrive at Lan Su’s door.

Character Development

• Lu Mi: Although he maintains a cold, professional exterior, his actions toward Yu Tu reveal growing protectiveness and familiarity. He allows Yu Tu to treat him, carries him when he stumbles, and softens visibly when Yu Tu clings to him. He also manipulates prison procedures and uses Cang Qi’s influence to protect or accommodate important prisoners.
• Yu Tu: Yu Tu remains socially awkward and instinctively relies on physical affection and restraint to express concern. He is attentive to Lu Mi’s injuries, becomes anxious when Lu Mi releases him, and seeks reassurance through touch. His innocent confusion contrasts with his intimidating reputation.
• Lan Su: Lan Su does not appear directly, but his importance is established. He is a politically significant former crown prince and a highly valuable pharmacist who receives exceptional treatment despite being imprisoned.

Significant Themes

• Affection beneath hostility: Lu Mi and Yu Tu communicate through sarcasm, teasing, physical closeness, and reluctant care rather than open emotional honesty.
• Public reputation versus private reality: Yu Tu is feared as a dangerous prisoner, while his interactions with Lu Mi reveal him as dependent, gentle, and emotionally uncertain.
• Power and protection in prison: The prison’s social hierarchy includes inmates seeking protection through submission, but Lu Mi officially rejects this system. His own closeness with Yu Tu causes others to question whether he is secretly violating his principles.
• Political privilege and special treatment: Lan Su’s royal status, unique skills, and connection to Cang Qi allow him to live in an extraordinary prison facility, showing that influence and usefulness shape the prison system.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s relationship becomes increasingly intimate and playful, despite Lu Mi’s constant complaints.
• Yu Tu treats Lu Mi’s wounds while Lu Mi alternates between irritation and passive acceptance.
• Lu Mi publicly presents his treatment of Yu Tu as strict professional control, but privately carries and protects him.
• The prison officers observe their unusual behavior and are encouraged to view it as a lesson in handling dangerous prisoners.
• The high-security inmates interpret Lu Mi carrying Yu Tu as evidence of a romantic or submissive relationship, creating gossip and highlighting the pair’s growing notoriety.

Chapter Summary: “Diamond-Grade Beluga”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi brings Yu Tu to meet Lan Su, the First Prison’s highest-ranking serious criminal. Yu Tu, who currently has only two months of memories, is carried in Lu Mi’s arms and behaves clingily and impulsively.
• Yu Tu’s suggestive remarks about how good the humid sea air makes him feel create an embarrassing misunderstanding, which Lu Mi tries unsuccessfully to explain away.
• Lan Su examines Yu Tu and deliberately provokes him by poking his cheek and calling him unintelligent. Yu Tu becomes furious and threatens to “glare him to death,” forcing Lu Mi to restrain and calm him.
• Lu Mi explains that Yu Tu’s current personality differs greatly from the Commander Yu Tu he once was, since Yu Tu has lost most of his memories.
• At Lan Su’s request, Lu Mi removes the black cloth covering Yu Tu’s eyes. Upon seeing Lan Su, Yu Tu experiences a vague sense of recognition and studies him intensely.
• Lan Su introduces himself as the First Prison’s first serious criminal and reveals that his awakened Energy Source is a Diamond Rank White Whale. However, his legs were severed above the knees, rendering both his body and his Energy Source effectively useless.
• Lan Su questions Yu Tu about his recent physical desires and experiences. Yu Tu admits that he has only been intimate with Lu Mi and has no such desire toward anyone else.
• The chapter ends with Lan Su asking Yu Tu to provide some blood for testing, implying that he suspects something unusual about Yu Tu’s condition or transformation.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Displays a childish, emotionally direct personality, intense attachment to Lu Mi, and a volatile temper. Despite his apparent innocence and limited memories, he retains flashes of recognition when looking at Lan Su. His exclusive desire for Lu Mi also suggests a strong instinctive bond that survives his memory loss.
• Lu Mi: Acts as Yu Tu’s caretaker and protector, repeatedly restraining, soothing, and explaining his behavior. He is embarrassed by Yu Tu’s overly intimate comments but remains patient and attentive. His anxiety about Yu Tu damaging the prison shows both concern for the facility and fear of Yu Tu’s unstable power.
• Lan Su: Presents himself as calm, amused, and deliberately provocative. He teases Yu Tu to observe his reactions, yet quickly takes control of the conversation by conducting a focused interrogation. His damaged body and mysterious Diamond Rank Energy Source add to his enigmatic presence.

Significant Themes

• Identity and memory: Yu Tu’s current personality contrasts sharply with the commander he once was, raising questions about whether identity is defined by memory, instinct, or innate nature.
• Power and vulnerability: Lan Su possesses an exceptionally powerful Energy Source but has been physically crippled, emphasizing the gap between potential power and actual capability.
• Attachment and loyalty: Yu Tu’s dependence on Lu Mi and exclusive desire for him suggest that emotional or instinctive bonds can persist even when memories are erased.
• Control versus instability: Lu Mi must constantly manage Yu Tu’s temper and strength, while Lan Su deliberately tests him to uncover the limits of his altered state.
• Appearance versus reality: Lan Su appears gentle and composed but carries a dangerous history, while Yu Tu appears naïve yet possesses enough power to threaten the prison.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their relationship is protective, intimate, and emotionally dependent. Lu Mi restrains Yu Tu physically while reassuring him, and Yu Tu repeatedly seeks Lu Mi’s approval and protection.
• Yu Tu and Lan Su: Their first meeting is immediately antagonistic. Lan Su teases and insults Yu Tu, while Yu Tu reacts with outrage and suspicion, though he also feels an unexplained familiarity with Lan Su.
• Lu Mi and Lan Su: Lan Su enjoys embarrassing Lu Mi and exposing details about his relationship with Yu Tu. Lu Mi is deferential toward Lan Su but tries to prevent him from provoking Yu Tu too far.
• Lan Su and Yu Tu: The interrogation shifts their interaction from playful hostility to clinical investigation, ending with Lan Su preparing to test Yu Tu’s blood.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi brings Yu Tu to Lord Lan Su’s sterile workroom for blood testing.
• Because Yu Tu has a severe fear response to needles, Lu Mi distracts and calms him by kissing him while Lan Su draws blood.
• Lan Su teases Lu Mi about his intimacy with Yu Tu and deliberately suggests that Lu Mi treats Yu Tu no differently from the other prisoners under his command.
• Yu Tu misinterprets Lu Mi’s defensive claim that he is “only my prisoner” and becomes furious after leaving the workroom. He nearly strangles Lu Mi and reaches for the Energy Lock Ring.
• Lu Mi quickly reassures him, insisting that Yu Tu is the only person he has kissed and affectionately calling him “baby.” Yu Tu calms down, realizes he lost control, apologizes, and massages Lu Mi’s injured waist.
• Lu Mi deliberately displays their affectionate dynamic in front of Lan Su’s surveillance camera, asserting their closeness and “family status.” Lan Su mocks them from inside the workroom.
• After nearly an hour, Lan Su finishes analyzing Yu Tu’s blood. He reveals that Yu Tu contains residues from over a hundred drugs, especially a dangerous prohibited substance called Desire Compound.
• Desire Compound dramatically increases sexual desire and cannot be metabolized by Diamond Energy Masters. The only known way to reduce it is through intercourse.
• Yu Tu’s levels have reached a potentially lethal amount. Lan Su concludes that the compound is likely causing his emotional instability and that Yu Tu has survived only through extraordinary luck.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Displays an intense needle phobia and volatile emotional reactions, but also reveals deep dependence on Lu Mi’s reassurance. His jealousy and hurt arise from Lu Mi’s denial of their relationship, while his immediate remorse afterward shows that he does not truly wish to harm Lu Mi.
• Lu Mi: Demonstrates both practical control and genuine affection toward Yu Tu. He uses intimacy to calm Yu Tu, becomes visibly panicked when Yu Tu turns violent, and openly reassures him that he is the only person Lu Mi has kissed. His behavior suggests that their relationship is far more personal than he admits aloud.
• Lan Su: Acts as both scientist and provocateur. He teases Lu Mi and Yu Tu for his own amusement, intentionally sowing misunderstanding between them, but ultimately provides crucial medical information that may explain Yu Tu’s condition.
• Yu Tu and Lu Mi’s relationship: Their dynamic shifts between prisoner and warden in public and affectionate partners in private. The chapter makes their emotional attachment increasingly undeniable.

Significant Themes

• Suppressed identity and denial: Lu Mi verbally insists Yu Tu is merely a prisoner despite treating him like a lover, creating emotional confusion and conflict.
• Jealousy and emotional vulnerability: Yu Tu reacts violently because Lan Su’s insinuations expose his fear that Lu Mi does not truly value him.
• Affection as control and comfort: Physical intimacy serves both to manage Yu Tu’s dangerous reactions and to reassure him emotionally.
• Medical exploitation and survival: The discovery of excessive Desire Compound suggests that Yu Tu may have been deliberately drugged or subjected to experimentation.
• Trust and dependence: Yu Tu’s survival and stability appear closely tied to Lu Mi, while Lu Mi’s panic at the thought of losing control over Yu Tu reveals his own attachment.

Important Character Interactions

• Lan Su and Lu Mi: Lan Su repeatedly teases Lu Mi about his relationship with Yu Tu and challenges his attempts to deny their intimacy.
• Lan Su and Yu Tu: Lan Su manipulates Yu Tu’s insecurities by emphasizing Lu Mi’s statement that he is “only a prisoner.”
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their confrontation moves from anger and near-violence to reassurance, apology, physical affection, and playful domesticity.
• Lan Su and Lu Mi after the test: Lan Su delivers the alarming diagnosis that Yu Tu’s emotional instability may be caused by a lethal concentration of Desire Compound, turning the scene from comic teasing to serious medical danger.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Key Events

• Lan Su reveals a confidential Blue Star Pharmaceutical Research Institute report about the inheritance of Low-Grade Vine abilities. The report concludes that pairing a Low-Grade Vine Energy Master with a female Energy Master of an inferior plant type gives offspring the highest chance—though still only 0.03%—of inheriting vine power.
• The report, along with a list of more than nine hundred missing unmarried female Energy Masters, exposes the authorities’ plan to exploit Yu Tu, the only Diamond-Grade Vine in the Blue River System, as a breeding tool.
• Lan Su speculates that Yu Tu killed the women brought to him because, despite being given a lethal dose of the Desire Compound, he refused to produce offspring or submit to the experimenters.
• Lu Mi is enraged by the abuse Yu Tu suffered and realizes that Yu Tu’s unusual obedience toward him may be connected to his genuine feelings for Lu Mi. He also asks whether the compound can be removed; Lan Su confirms that it can, recommending physical exertion.
• Yu Tu becomes furious after discovering that Lan Su has drawn a pig and labeled it with Yu Tu’s name. Lu Mi restrains and carries him away while Yu Tu repeatedly threatens to attack Lan Su.
• Cang Qi arrives with mechanical devices for Lan Su and interacts with White Star, Lan Su’s pet mech, which now functions as Lan Su’s wheelchair. Lan Su finally admits that he loves Cang Qi, leading to an emotional confession, kissing, and a promise to cherish him for life.

Character Development

• Lu Mi: His anger over Yu Tu’s exploitation reveals the depth of his protectiveness and emotional attachment. He is increasingly forced to confront the possibility that he and Yu Tu share a romantic bond.
• Yu Tu: Despite his normally controlled and obedient behavior, he displays childish indignation and aggression when insulted. His resistance to the breeding experiments also demonstrates immense willpower and loyalty.
• Lan Su: He remains sharp-tongued and mischievous, deliberately provoking Yu Tu, but his investigation exposes the horrifying truth behind Yu Tu’s captivity. His tenderness toward Cang Qi reveals a more vulnerable and loving side.
• Cang Qi: His devotion to Lan Su is confirmed. He is emotional, shy, and overwhelmed when Lan Su returns his feelings, finally receiving reassurance that Lan Su does not hate him.
• White Star: Though no longer a conventional pet mech, White Star remains emotionally connected to Lan Su and symbolizes the bond between Lan Su and Cang Qi.

Significant Themes

• Exploitation and bodily autonomy: Yu Tu’s power and body were treated as resources by institutions seeking to engineer superior descendants.
• Love as protection and freedom: Lu Mi’s concern for Yu Tu and Lan Su’s commitment to Cang Qi contrast with the coercive “inheritance” program.
• Trauma and healing: The characters cope with abuse and loss through loyalty, affection, humor, and emotional reassurance.
• Hidden affection and confession: Both Lu Mi/Yu Tu and Lan Su/Cang Qi are shown through indirect signs of attachment, though only Lan Su and Cang Qi openly confess their feelings here.
• Humor amid darkness: Yu Tu’s anger over the pig drawing and Cang Qi’s awkward emotional reaction lighten an otherwise disturbing revelation.

Important Character Interactions

• Lan Su and Lu Mi discuss the breeding program, with Lan Su teasing Lu Mi about his relationship with Yu Tu.
• Lu Mi comforts and physically restrains Yu Tu, acting protectively while managing his volatile behavior.
• Yu Tu and Lan Su engage in a comic confrontation over Lan Su’s insult.
• Cang Qi defends Lan Su, then becomes flustered when Lan Su reveals that both he and White Star love him.
• Lan Su comforts Cang Qi with a kiss and promises never to make him sad again, solidifying their relationship.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Tu resists entering solitary Cell 05, prompting Warden Lu Mi to threaten him with punishment and force him inside.
• Once alone, Lu Mi pulls Yu Tu into his arms, places him on the bed, and kisses him after Yu Tu reveals that he deliberately allowed his small sprout to appear only for Lu Mi.
• Yu Tu, having overheard Lu Mi’s conversation with Lan Su, asks to “exercise” with him, joking that he has an illness cured only by intimate activity. Lu Mi refuses despite being tempted, claiming he has already helped Yu Tu enough for the day.
• Lu Mi tells Yu Tu to signal the surveillance camera if he genuinely cannot endure his condition, though he warns him not to abuse the signal.
• After returning to his office, Lu Mi receives orders from higher authorities requiring Yu Tu to complete the standard daily activities for serious offenders: recreation, cafeteria meals, work, and compensation-related tasks.
• When Lu Mi tries to contact Deputy Director Tian, he learns that Yu Tu may be transferred away from Calamity Planet if he fails to comply. Realizing that the authorities are unusually interested in Yu Tu, Lu Mi reluctantly agrees to follow the orders.
• Lu Mi creates a highly individualized schedule for Yu Tu, supposedly to control the dangerous prisoner. In reality, the schedule is dominated by repeated “special interrogations,” clearly reflecting Lu Mi’s personal motives.
• Zhang Jiao mistakenly assumes Lu Mi’s interrogations are harsh punishment and worries Yu Tu will be unable to withstand them. Lu Mi insists he is changing his methods, while privately the joke is that Lu Mi himself is the one struggling to resist Yu Tu.
• Lu Mi ends the chapter by taking Zhang Jiao on patrol, warning that anyone who provokes him will regret it.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Becomes increasingly bold and openly flirtatious with Lu Mi. He deliberately exploits his condition and their mutual attraction to seek more intimacy, while also showing cleverness by eavesdropping on Lu Mi’s conversation.
• Lu Mi: Although outwardly stern and authoritative, he is deeply attached to Yu Tu and easily affected by his provocations. He continues to disguise concern and desire as discipline, creating an absurdly restrictive schedule under the pretense of managing a dangerous prisoner.
• Zhang Jiao: Remains obedient but increasingly confused by Lu Mi’s behavior. He accepts Lu Mi’s explanation that Yu Tu requires special control, failing to recognize the personal relationship behind the schedule.
• Higher Authorities: Their unusual attention to Yu Tu suggests that he is politically or strategically important beyond being an ordinary serious offender.

Significant Themes

• Power and concealed vulnerability: Lu Mi has formal authority over Yu Tu, but Yu Tu’s emotional and physical influence repeatedly undermines Lu Mi’s control.
• Desire disguised as discipline: Lu Mi frames affection, punishment, and repeated private encounters as official prison procedures.
• Surveillance and manipulation: Yu Tu uses the prison’s systems and his own apparent weakness to manipulate Lu Mi, while the authorities attempt to control Yu Tu through institutional pressure.
• Bureaucratic absurdity: Serious prison regulations are twisted into a schedule designed primarily to enable Lu Mi’s private interactions with Yu Tu.
• Hidden political significance: The higher-ups’ insistence that Yu Tu complete routine activities—and their threat to transfer him—imply that his presence on Calamity Planet matters greatly.

Character Interactions

• Yu Tu and Lu Mi: Their confrontations are playful, flirtatious, and charged with mutual attraction. Yu Tu openly requests intimacy, while Lu Mi pretends to enforce discipline but repeatedly indulges him.
• Lu Mi and Zhang Jiao: Zhang Jiao takes Lu Mi’s instructions literally and interprets his actions as professional concern, creating comic misunderstandings. Lu Mi becomes defensive whenever Zhang Jiao questions the schedule.
• Lu Mi and the higher authorities: Lu Mi resents being pressured and suspects that the authorities are using Yu Tu’s possible transfer to control him.
• Zhang Jiao and the prison system: Zhang Jiao acts as the practical intermediary delivering orders, though he cannot understand why Yu Tu receives such exceptional treatment.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Lu Mi visits Yu Tu in Cell 05 and gives him a strict daily schedule to follow beginning the next day.
• He establishes three rules for Yu Tu’s safety:
  1. Follow the prison schedule.
  2. Do not use his Diamond-Grade Vine, since even a single “bean sprout” could justify further experimentation.
  3. Do not speak to or trust serious criminals; Lu Mi insists that he is the only person Yu Tu can fully trust on Calamity Planet.
• Yu Tu playfully confronts Lu Mi for acting harshly and presses himself against him, attempting to “settle” the issue through intimacy. Lu Mi rejects this, partly because Yu Tu nearly injures his back, though he remains visibly possessive and affectionate.
• The following day, Yu Tu attends the group cafeteria for breakfast. His intimidating presence causes the inmates and prison officers to panic, although he behaves correctly and quietly.
• The inmates eagerly give up their seats and allow Yu Tu to move to the front of the food line. Yu Tu mistakenly interprets their fear-driven politeness as genuine goodwill.
• After smiling at everyone and taking a large bite of his steamed bun, Yu Tu unintentionally terrifies the cafeteria again.
• A prison officer reports that Yu Tu intimidated everyone, but Lu Mi reviews the surveillance footage and defends Yu Tu, declaring that he behaved excellently. This further fuels rumors among the officers that Yu Tu is Lu Mi’s favored “pet.”
• During the exercise period, Lu Mi’s mutated pet mech, Black Shadow, enthusiastically approaches Yu Tu. Lu Mi orders it away, but Yu Tu secretly pets it as he passes.
• Black Shadow becomes ecstatic, racing around the yard. Lu Mi then brings Yu Tu to the special interrogation room and hurriedly explains that Black Shadow is merely a mutated pet mech and is unlike him.

Character developments

• Yu Tu: Begins adapting to prison life but remains socially oblivious. He follows instructions, avoids conversation, and behaves properly, yet his cold appearance, powerful aura, and unsettling smile make everyone fear him. He also displays growing affection toward Lu Mi and Black Shadow.
• Lu Mi: Becomes increasingly protective, controlling, and openly possessive of Yu Tu. He worries about Yu Tu’s safety, defends him from criticism, and insists that Yu Tu rely only on him. Despite his sternness, he is physically affectionate and concerned about maintaining his relationship with Yu Tu. His injured back also reveals the physical consequences of Yu Tu’s impulsive behavior.
• Black Shadow: Is revealed to be Lu Mi’s mutated pet mech. It immediately adores Yu Tu and reacts with extreme excitement after receiving a pat, contrasting with Lu Mi’s attempt to distance himself from the mech’s energetic personality.
• Prison officers and inmates: Their fear of Yu Tu grows, while their awareness of Lu Mi’s favoritism leads them to speculate about the intimate nature of the two men’s relationship.

Significant themes

• Protection versus control: Lu Mi’s rules are intended to keep Yu Tu safe, but his insistence that he is the only trustworthy person also reflects possessiveness and control.
• Fear and misinterpretation: Yu Tu sees frightened behavior as courtesy, while the inmates and officers interpret his neutral actions as threatening. This creates much of the chapter’s humor.
• Isolation and trust: Yu Tu is warned to remain separate from the criminals, reinforcing his vulnerable position within the prison and his dependence on Lu Mi.
• Affection beneath severity: Lu Mi’s stern commands conceal concern and intimacy, while Yu Tu expresses attachment through physical closeness and his interest in Black Shadow.

Character interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu share a tense but flirtatious exchange in the cell, with Yu Tu teasing him and Lu Mi trying to maintain authority.
• Lu Mi gives Yu Tu direct safety instructions while physically showing affection by nibbling his ear and handling his hair.
• Yu Tu’s silent interaction with the cafeteria crowds—especially his smile and large bite of food—causes widespread panic despite his peaceful intentions.
• Lu Mi protects Yu Tu from a prison officer’s complaint after reviewing the footage.
• Black Shadow eagerly seeks Yu Tu’s attention, Lu Mi pushes it away, and Yu Tu secretly pets it, forming an immediate bond between the prisoner and the mech.

Chapter Summary: “Lu Mi Was the Pet?!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After four intense interrogation sessions with Yu Tu, Lu Mi orders the officers to escort Yu Tu to dinner and continue the interrogation the next day.
• The prison officers mistakenly interpret the situation as Yu Tu being Lu Mi’s “pet,” but they soon conclude that Lu Mi has effectively become Yu Tu’s subordinate—or “owner.”
• Lu Mi leaves the interrogation room exhausted and physically unsteady. Although he angrily rejects the officers’ offers of support, he nearly collapses moments later.
• Back in his resting pod, Lu Mi admits that Yu Tu has overexerted him and complains that his waist hurts. Since the medicinal ingredients he ordered will take a week to arrive, he uses spirit patches for temporary relief.
• Lu Mi visits Lan Su to seek medicine that can restore his energy and help him withstand Yu Tu’s intense needs.
• At Lan Su’s cell, Lu Mi discovers that Lan Su and Cang Qi have become romantically involved. Lan Su reveals that he kissed Cang Qi and teasingly pulls him onto his lap, making the shy Cang Qi extremely embarrassed.
• Lu Mi privately asks Lan Su for medicine to replenish his energy. Lan Su laughs at his condition but agrees to make a special purple medicine, warning Lu Mi not to exceed ten milliliters per dose or fifty milliliters per day.
• Before Lu Mi leaves, Lan Su says he will tell Cang Qi about Lu Mi’s embarrassing request, leaving Lu Mi resigned and frustrated.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: His usually intimidating and proud image is undermined by his exhaustion and vulnerability. Though he pretends to remain in control, his physical weakness shows how overwhelming Yu Tu’s demands have become. He also displays genuine concern and happiness for Cang Qi’s relationship with Lan Su.
• Yu Tu: His status rises dramatically in the prison officers’ eyes. They assume he has transformed from Lu Mi’s pet into the person controlling the relationship, despite being the one under interrogation.
• Lan Su: He is revealed to be openly affectionate toward Cang Qi and much more emotionally expressive than before. He continues to tease Lu Mi but also generously agrees to help him.
• Cang Qi: His romantic relationship with Lan Su has progressed significantly, though he remains extremely shy and easily flustered. His protective instincts appear when he shields Lan Su from Lu Mi.
• The prison officers: They develop an exaggerated and humorous misunderstanding of Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s relationship, believing Lu Mi has fallen hopelessly in love and lost control.

Significant Themes

• Reversal of power: The apparent interrogator, Lu Mi, is physically overwhelmed, while Yu Tu is perceived as the true dominant figure.
• Public image versus private reality: Lu Mi maintains a fierce, authoritative persona in public, but privately suffers from exhaustion and embarrassment.
• Romantic intimacy and teasing: The chapter contrasts Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s intense relationship with Lan Su and Cang Qi’s shy but affectionate romance.
• Friendship and mutual support: Although Lan Su mocks Lu Mi, he helps him because Lu Mi has supported Cang Qi in the past.
• Humor through misunderstanding: The prison officers’ assumptions and Lu Mi’s attempts to preserve his dignity create much of the chapter’s comedy.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their off-page interrogation sessions imply an intensely physical relationship, with Lu Mi pretending to punish Yu Tu while actually being the one exhausted.
• Lu Mi and the prison officers: The officers worry about Lu Mi’s condition, but their concern irritates him because it threatens his pride.
• Lan Su and Cang Qi: Lan Su is openly affectionate and possessive, while Cang Qi is bashful but clearly cares deeply for him. Cang Qi’s protective reaction confirms his feelings.
• Lu Mi and Lan Su: They trade insults and teasing remarks, but their friendship is evident. Lan Su ultimately provides Lu Mi with the medicine he desperately needs.
• Lu Mi and Cang Qi: Lu Mi sincerely congratulates Cang Qi and shows concern for his well-being, while Cang Qi later protects Lan Su from him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi returns from the Sky Prison Cell to the Warden’s Rest Cabin, where his Black Panther Mecha, Black Shadow, enthusiastically greets him.
• Lu Mi jokingly scolds Black Shadow for being overly affectionate toward Yu Tu, revealing that he is jealous of the attention Yu Tu gave the mecha.
• He deliberately shows Black Shadow the kiss marks—“strawberries”—Yu Tu left on his neck, smugly boasting that Yu Tu kissed him repeatedly. Black Shadow reacts dramatically with jealousy and despair.
• In private, Lu Mi stops pretending to be confident and solemnly relies on the purple potion given to him by Lan Su, hoping it will help him endure the next day’s interrogations.
• During the following day’s four interrogation sessions, Lu Mi takes ten milliliters of the potion before each session. It dramatically boosts his energy and stamina, astonishing both Yu Tu and the Bean Sprout.
• When Yu Tu asks whether he took a miracle medicine, Lu Mi proudly claims that he was “strong to begin with,” though he secretly takes an additional dose.
• After the final interrogation, Lu Mi visits Doctor Rete, who gives him a box containing a waist brace, energy boosters, and injury medicine. Rete assumes Lu Mi is physically exhausted from his intimate encounters with Yu Tu.
• Lu Mi repeatedly insists that he is not tired and finally admits that he obtained a special potion from Lan Su. Rete is horrified that Lu Mi used a senior pharmacist’s valuable resources for such a purpose.
• Lu Mi explains that he only has enough of Lan Su’s potion for a week and plans to use Rete’s cheaper prescription afterward. Rete watches him leave with mixed feelings, recognizing that Lu Mi’s prideful behavior cannot hide his need for help.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: Displays a playful, competitive, and jealous side, especially in his interactions with Black Shadow. Although he boasts about his strength, his private reliance on the potion reveals insecurity and concern about maintaining his image in front of Yu Tu. He also remains too proud to openly acknowledge his physical exhaustion or dependence on others.
• Yu Tu: Shows growing affection and concern for Lu Mi, clinging to him during the interrogations and questioning the sudden change in his energy. His affectionate behavior is the source of Lu Mi’s confidence and jealousy.
• Black Shadow: Acts like an affectionate, emotionally expressive pet rather than a disciplined mecha. It enjoys Yu Tu’s attention and becomes comically jealous when Lu Mi boasts about receiving kisses.
• Rete: Demonstrates practical concern for Lu Mi by supplying medical and recovery equipment, while also teasing and misunderstanding the nature of Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s relationship. His admiration for Lan Su emphasizes his respect for professional medicine.
• Lan Su: Though absent from the chapter’s events, his status as Calamity Planet’s senior pharmacist is reinforced through the effectiveness and rarity of his potion.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus vulnerability: Lu Mi constantly insists that he is powerful and unaffected, but his secret use of the potion and acceptance of Rete’s supplies reveal his physical limits.
• Affection and jealousy: Lu Mi’s rivalry with Black Shadow humorously expresses his desire for Yu Tu’s exclusive attention.
• Comic misunderstandings: Rete interprets Lu Mi’s condition and relationship with Yu Tu in increasingly embarrassing ways, creating much of the chapter’s humor.
• The cost of strength: Lu Mi’s enhanced performance comes from a rare, expensive potion, suggesting that appearing invincible requires sacrifice and reliance on others.
• Intimacy expressed through teasing: Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s affection is conveyed through kisses, playful provocation, and physical closeness rather than direct emotional declarations.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi scolds and mocks Black Shadow, while Black Shadow responds with exaggerated jealousy and playful defiance.
• Yu Tu clings to Lu Mi during the interrogations and questions his unusual strength, prompting Lu Mi’s boastful “I was strong to begin with” response.
• Rete gives Lu Mi medical supplies and repeatedly teases him about being exhausted by Yu Tu, while Lu Mi grows increasingly frustrated trying to deny it.
• Lu Mi’s final admission about the potion leaves Rete appalled at the waste of Lan Su’s expertise, though Rete still views Lu Mi with concern and reluctant sympathy.

Chapter Summary: “Yu Tu Killed Someone!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Five days after Yu Tu’s earlier interrogation, he is assigned to the Seventh Operations Room, the prison’s only assembly room.
• Yu Tu has been benefiting from Warden Lu’s special treatment, which has left him energetic and physically refreshed.
• He quickly masters the unfamiliar assembly work, once again demonstrating his exceptional intelligence and dexterity.
• A group of prisoners secretly stages a fight to lure the prison officers out of the room. They then destroy the surveillance camera and barricade the door.
• The prisoners’ leader, Ai Mu, approaches Yu Tu. He reveals that Yu Tu arrested him for premeditated murder three years earlier and claims to have been obsessed with him ever since.
• Ai Mu attempts to sexually intimidate and assault Yu Tu, believing that the five Energy Lock Rings on Yu Tu have weakened him enough to make him defenseless.
• Yu Tu abruptly retaliates by stabbing Ai Mu with a screwdriver. His fingers transform into white vines, which restrain Ai Mu, force objects into his mouth, and coil around his neck.
• The horrified prisoners realize that Yu Tu is strangling Ai Mu. They call for help, shouting that Yu Tu has killed someone.
• A report reaches Warden Lu: prisoner 0456, Yu Tu, has killed prisoner 0763, Ai Mu. Lu immediately reacts upon hearing the news, leaving the chapter on a cliffhanger.

2. Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Becomes increasingly confident in his abilities and accepts that he is extraordinarily gifted. Although he initially appears calm and uninterested in the prisoners’ scheme, he reveals a frighteningly ruthless side when threatened. His transformation into a deadly, controlled combatant shows that the Energy Lock Rings do not make him helpless.
• Ai Mu: Is revealed to be a dangerous, obsessive criminal with a fixation on Yu Tu dating back to Yu Tu’s arrest of him. His arrogance and belief that Yu Tu is vulnerable lead directly to his downfall.
• Warden Lu: Though absent from the room, Lu’s influence remains central through his special treatment of Yu Tu. His immediate concern upon hearing the emergency suggests that Yu Tu’s safety and actions matter greatly to him.
• The other prisoners: Initially cooperate with Ai Mu’s plan, but their confidence quickly turns into fear once Yu Tu begins attacking him. They recognize that provoking Yu Tu—and possibly angering Warden Lu—is extremely dangerous.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden power beneath apparent weakness: Yu Tu’s restraints and Energy Lock Rings cause others to underestimate him, but his abilities remain formidable.
• Obsession and possession: Ai Mu treats Yu Tu as an object of desire rather than a person, turning his past arrest into a justification for attempted assault.
• Violence and self-defense: The chapter explores how quickly prison intimidation escalates into lethal violence when Yu Tu is cornered.
• Fear and power dynamics: Yu Tu’s calm appearance conceals a terrifying force, reversing the expected relationship between prisoner and victim.
• Consequences: Yu Tu’s retaliation may have been justified, but the official report labels it murder, creating likely conflict with Warden Lu and the prison authorities.

4. Character Interactions

• Yu Tu interacts briefly and politely with the prisoners before returning to his work, showing his detachment from their schemes.
• Ai Mu confronts Yu Tu and recounts their past encounter, using suggestive and threatening language to assert control over him.
• Yu Tu rejects Ai Mu with a blunt insult and responds to the attempted assault with overwhelming violence.
• The surrounding prisoners shift from supporting Ai Mu to panicking and pleading for intervention.
• The chapter ends with Lu Mi being informed of Yu Tu’s alleged murder, setting up his likely confrontation with Yu Tu or the prison officials.

Chapter Summary: “Punishment”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi arrives at the Seventh Operations Room after hearing that Commander Yu Tu has killed another prisoner, 0763/Ai Mu.
• He finds Yu Tu sitting calmly on a worktable. One set of vine-like fingers holds Ai Mu suspended with a screwdriver embedded in his chest, while the other set assembles machinery.
• Prison officers claim Yu Tu suddenly went berserk after the surveillance camera was damaged and the guards were distracted by a fight. Lu Mi immediately suspects the incident was staged or mishandled.
• When questioned, Yu Tu bluntly explains that Ai Mu tried to have sex with him, so he “fucked him to death.” His wording leaves Lu Mi uncertain whether he means literal sex or killing, but the extent of the injury makes the meaning clear.
• Lu Mi arrests Yu Tu and takes him to the Special Interrogation Room. Although Yu Tu has five energy-lock rings suppressing him, he remains capable of using his powers, making the incident particularly serious.
• Yu Tu apologizes and insists Ai Mu was provoking him. Lu Mi scolds him for using his powers publicly, reminding him that he could have reported the harassment and relied on Lu Mi to retaliate on his behalf.
• Lu Mi sentences Yu Tu to fifteen days in the Ghoststone Forest, presenting it as the lightest punishment possible for killing another heavy criminal. He promises to retrieve Yu Tu personally and prepares supplies for Yu Tu’s needs.
• Before Yu Tu leaves, the two share an intimate moment, emphasizing their romantic and sexual relationship.
• Lu Mi assigns Cang Qi, Zhang Jiao, and Black Shadow to escort Yu Tu to the Ghoststone Forest. He warns Black Shadow to guard Yu Tu carefully and prevent him from escaping.
• After the escort departs, Lu Mi visits Ai Mu in the infirmary. Although Ai Mu is likely to survive, Lu Mi deliberately suffocates him and orders Doctor Rete to report the death as resulting from his injuries.
• Rete agrees to falsify the report, confirming Lu Mi’s reputation for secretly eliminating prisoners and framing their deaths as deserved punishment.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Revealed to be extraordinarily powerful despite his restraints, emotionally dependent on Lu Mi, and impulsive when provoked. He shows a childlike, obedient side around Lu Mi, quickly apologizing and becoming upset at the prospect of separation. His lethal response also demonstrates how little restraint he has toward perceived sexual harassment.
• Lu Mi: Presents himself as a strict warden but clearly protects and indulges Yu Tu. He recognizes Yu Tu’s vulnerability and special status, yet also threatens and disciplines him when necessary. His secret killing of Ai Mu reveals a ruthless, corrupt side beneath his protective behavior.
• Ai Mu: Established as someone who sexually harassed or attempted to assault Yu Tu. Though he initially survives Yu Tu’s attack, Lu Mi ensures that he ultimately dies.
• Doctor Rete: Demonstrates loyalty to Lu Mi and familiarity with covering up prison deaths.
• Prisoners and officers: The criminals suspect Lu Mi of favoritism toward Yu Tu, while the officers fear Lu Mi’s authority and avoid openly challenging him.

Significant Themes

• Punishment versus justice: Official punishment is presented as procedural, but true retribution occurs through Lu Mi’s secret execution of Ai Mu.
• Abuse of power and corruption: Lu Mi manipulates investigations, suppresses evidence, and falsifies medical records, showing that authority in the prison operates outside the law.
• Protection and possessiveness: Lu Mi shields Yu Tu from harsher consequences and promises to avenge him, but his protection is controlling and tied to their intimate relationship.
• Violence as communication: Both Yu Tu and Lu Mi respond to threats through lethal violence rather than legal or institutional means.
• Public discipline versus private intimacy: Lu Mi must punish Yu Tu publicly, while privately comforting, kissing, and sexually engaging with him.
• Perception and concealment: Yu Tu’s seemingly innocent behavior hides his dangerous strength, while Lu Mi’s stern professionalism conceals his favoritism and brutality.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and the prison crowd: Lu Mi silences prisoners who accuse him of favoritism, reinforcing his dominance.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their interrogation becomes a mixture of reprimand, emotional reassurance, flirtation, and intimacy. Lu Mi scolds Yu Tu for killing but also validates his grievance and promises personal protection.
• Lu Mi and the escort team: He entrusts Yu Tu’s safety to Cang Qi, Zhang Jiao, and Black Shadow, stressing Yu Tu’s importance.
• Lu Mi and Rete: Lu Mi orders Rete to falsify Ai Mu’s cause of death, and Rete cooperates without hesitation, revealing an established partnership in concealing executions.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three days after the previous incident, Lu Mi discovers that communications with several prison officers have failed. The indicator lights for Lin Luo, Mo Ke, and Luo Wei show communication failure.
• He attempts to contact Ship 03, but the connection and forced communication both fail. The ship’s black box confirms that Ship 03 has been destroyed.
• Partial voice data from the damaged black box contains a mysterious message: someone is waiting for Lu Mi at the abandoned planet Z60 on January 27, 2046.
• The last known location of the black box is also Z60, strongly suggesting that Lin Luo and the others—or whoever destroyed the ship—are there.
• Lu Mi contacts Cang Qi to ask about Commander Yu Tu, whom he previously sent to Ghoststone Forest. Cang Qi reports that Yu Tu appears energetic and claims to enjoy the location.
• A video reveals that Yu Tu is experiencing hallucinations caused by the forest’s illusion-inducing ghoststone. In his illusion, Lu Mi appears extraordinarily powerful and moves Yu Tu to tears.
• Lu Mi realizes that Yu Tu’s apparent happiness is actually evidence that he is affected by the forest’s negative illusions. He asks Cang Qi to continue watching over Yu Tu and to contact Ming Qiuxue if anything goes wrong.
• Before leaving, Lu Mi tells Cang Qi that if he does not return, he should tell Yu Tu: “Lu Xiaojiu, forever loving his commander.”
• Lu Mi then orders Ship 01 prepared and leaves command of First Prison to his subordinates while he heads toward the danger at Z60.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi becomes increasingly serious and emotionally vulnerable. The destruction of Ship 03 and the disappearance of his officers force him to take personal action.
• His concern for Yu Tu reveals the depth of his attachment, especially when he worries about Yu Tu’s physical and mental condition in Ghoststone Forest.
• Lu Mi’s final message shows that, despite his usual restraint and teasing, he genuinely loves Yu Tu and fears he may not return.
• Yu Tu appears cheerful in the video, but his behavior is revealed to be shaped by dangerous hallucinations. His fixation on an idealized, powerful Lu Mi suggests both affection and emotional dependence.
• Cang Qi continues to provide comic relief through his complaints and teasing, but he also serves as a reliable caretaker and confidant.
• Lin Luo, Mo Ke, and Luo Wei become central to the emerging crisis through their unexplained disappearance and connection to the destroyed Ship 03.

Significant Themes

• Love and sacrifice: Lu Mi’s final declaration emphasizes his willingness to risk himself for his subordinates and his love for Yu Tu.
• Duty versus personal attachment: Although Lu Mi is responsible for First Prison, he chooses to personally investigate the disaster at Z60.
• Illusion versus reality: Ghoststone Forest distorts Yu Tu’s perceptions, making apparent happiness unreliable and highlighting the dangers of emotional and psychological manipulation.
• Uncertainty and impending danger: The destroyed ship, failed communications, and threatening message create a sense that Lu Mi is heading into a planned trap.
• Hidden emotional vulnerability: Beneath Lu Mi’s controlled exterior, he is deeply worried about Yu Tu and afraid of leaving him behind.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi interacts with the prison’s AI and communication systems, methodically investigating the loss of Ship 03.
• His conversation with Cang Qi shifts between humorous banter and serious concern. Cang Qi teases Lu Mi about Yu Tu’s supposed happiness, while Lu Mi asks him to protect Yu Tu.
• The recorded video shows Cang Qi caring for Yu Tu and Yu Tu describing his hallucinated vision of Lu Mi.
• Lu Mi’s final message to Yu Tu, delivered indirectly through Cang Qi, serves as both a confession of love and a possible farewell.

Chapter Summary: “Emergency Interrogation, 0456”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi travels aboard Ship 01 toward the Z60 Abandoned Planet. Using Cang Qi’s Brain-Integrated Control Helmet, he pilots the ship entirely through thought.
• Before departing, Lu Mi touches the Partner Mark on his chest, a reminder of Yu Tu. His concern and longing are evident despite his determination to leave.
• At First Prison, a sudden blizzard overwhelms Ghoststone Forest. Yu Tu is given extra quilts, but the cold remains severe.
• Yu Tu’s punishment involves enduring daily illusions created around Lu Mi. Because of the freezing weather, the illusion changes from intimate exercise to Lu Mi trying to force Yu Tu into winter swimming.
• Cang Qi visits Yu Tu and discovers how deeply Yu Tu misses the real Lu Mi. Yu Tu explains that the illusionary Lu Mi feels emotionless and mechanical, unlike the real Lu Mi, who complains, tires easily, and affectionately praises him.
• Cang Qi delivers Lu Mi’s parting message: “Lu Xiaojiu will always love his commander.” Neither of them understands who “Lu Xiaojiu” is, leaving Cang Qi frustrated and curious.
• Their conversation is interrupted by Ming Qiuxue, who arrives with an official emergency Interrogation Order. He claims that Yu Tu used Source Power to kill someone in First Prison and must be questioned immediately.
• Zhang Jiao objects, arguing that Ming Qiuxue has no authority to bypass Lu Mi. However, Ming presents a valid order bearing the signature and seal of Deputy Director Tian of the Blue Star Prison Directorate.
• With Lu Mi absent and unable to resist the order, Cang Qi reluctantly agrees to let Ming Qiuxue take Yu Tu away for interrogation.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: His departure reveals his emotional attachment to Yu Tu. Although he is focused on reaching Z60 Abandoned Planet, he leaves behind a deeply personal message and remains concerned about Yu Tu’s safety.
• Yu Tu: His longing for Lu Mi becomes more explicit. He can distinguish the artificial version of Lu Mi from the real one and finds comfort in remembering the latter’s ordinary weaknesses and affectionate behavior.
• Cang Qi: He acts protectively toward Yu Tu by providing extra quilts and visiting him during the blizzard. Despite being humorous and easily distracted, he remembers Lu Mi’s instructions and recognizes the seriousness of Ming Qiuxue’s order.
• Ming Qiuxue: He appears authoritative, calculating, and confident in using official power. His arrival creates a direct threat to Yu Tu while Lu Mi is away.
• Zhang Jiao: He attempts to defend prison procedure and Yu Tu’s rights but is forced to yield when confronted with the higher authorities’ authenticated order.

Significant Themes

• Separation and longing: Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s physical separation intensifies their emotional dependence on each other.
• Reality versus illusion: Yu Tu’s ability to recognize the false Lu Mi emphasizes the difference between genuine intimacy and an artificial imitation.
• Authority and vulnerability: Despite being powerful figures, Yu Tu and the prison staff are constrained by institutional commands and higher-ranking officials.
• Love expressed indirectly: Lu Mi’s cryptic message and Yu Tu’s memories of his everyday habits show affection through small details rather than direct declarations.
• Threat beneath humor: The playful winter-swimming illusion and Cang Qi’s comedic confusion contrast sharply with the imminent danger of Yu Tu’s forced interrogation.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their relationship is shown through Lu Mi’s Partner Mark, Yu Tu’s memories, and Lu Mi’s message promising enduring love.
• Yu Tu and Cang Qi: Cang Qi provides care and companionship, while Yu Tu openly confides his loneliness and discomfort to him.
• Cang Qi and Lu Mi: Though Lu Mi is absent, his instructions guide Cang Qi’s actions and reinforce his trust in Lu Mi.
• Zhang Jiao and Ming Qiuxue: Their confrontation centers on jurisdiction and whether Ming has the right to interrogate Yu Tu.
• Cang Qi and Ming Qiuxue: Their tense exchange ends with Cang Qi submitting to Ming’s authority, setting up Yu Tu’s emergency interrogation.

Chapter Summary: “Why Wasn’t It Lu Mi?”

Key plot points and events

• Yu Tu is re-shackled and removed from Ghoststone Forest by prison officers from Second Prison under Ming Qiuxue’s orders. He is being taken back for an emergency interrogation.
• Yu Tu is disappointed that Lu Mi does not come to collect him, since Lu Mi had promised to do so. His confusion and emotional distress suggest that he is not fully lucid.
• Before leaving, Yu Tu notices the six bean sprouts he painted on the wall and realizes that “it isn’t time yet,” apparently interpreting them as part of a plan or signal.
• Cang Qi reassures Yu Tu that Lu Mi will keep his promise and lends him his cotton-padded coat before Yu Tu is taken into the snow.
• Afterward, Cang Qi repeatedly attempts to contact Lu Mi, but every message fails to send. He becomes alarmed and asks Black Shadow where Lu Mi has gone.
• Meanwhile, Lu Mi has traced the wreckage of Ship 03’s black box to a fog-covered garbage planet. He retrieves and crushes a piece of the wreckage, then confronts whoever is hiding nearby.
• A mushroom-shaped spacecraft emerges from the garbage. Its occupant accuses Lu Mi of tampering with Yu Tu’s transfer and detention, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character developments

• Yu Tu appears emotionally vulnerable and confused, but retains flashes of awareness. His fixation on Lu Mi’s promise and his relief over the six bean sprouts reveal both his dependence on Lu Mi and his belief that events are following a larger plan.
• Cang Qi shows genuine concern for Yu Tu, treating him protectively by giving him his coat and trying urgently to warn Lu Mi.
• Lu Mi is portrayed as calm, physically powerful, and determined. Rather than reacting emotionally to the danger, he methodically tracks the wreckage and confronts the hidden party.
• Ming Qiuxue acts with authority, ordering Yu Tu’s transfer and personally overseeing his removal, though her motives remain unclear.

Significant themes

• Separation and loyalty: Yu Tu trusts that Lu Mi will come for him, while Cang Qi tries to uphold Lu Mi’s promise in his absence.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Yu Tu’s transfer, Lu Mi’s missing communications, and the accusation that he altered prison arrangements suggest a larger conspiracy.
• Vulnerability versus control: Yu Tu is physically restrained and mentally unstable, while Lu Mi remains composed and powerful as he investigates.
• Uncertainty and suspense: Failed messages, unexplained movements, and the mysterious spacecraft build tension around Lu Mi’s actions and the true circumstances of Yu Tu’s detention.

Character interactions

• Yu Tu repeatedly asks Cang Qi why Lu Mi did not come, revealing his hurt and reliance on him.
• Cang Qi comforts Yu Tu, lends him his coat, and promises that Lu Mi will not abandon him.
• Ming Qiuxue formally commands Yu Tu to return to Second Prison, while the officers enforce the transfer.
• Cang Qi’s unsuccessful messages to Lu Mi show his growing panic.
• Lu Mi confronts the hidden spacecraft’s occupant, who directly accuses him of interfering with Yu Tu’s imprisonment.

Chapter Summary: “Clash”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter reveals that Ming Qiuxue did receive official orders to detain Yu Tu in the Second Prison, but Lu Mi secretly interfered with the transfer. He had Deputy Warden Lin Luo, whose Gold-Grade Rainbow Illusion Butterfly made him exceptionally powerful, falsify the escort orders and redirect Yu Tu to Lu Mi’s First Prison.
• Lu Mi confronts Yi Que, a former deputy chief inspector whom Yu Tu dismissed for corruption. Yi Que had been monitoring Yu Tu in hopes of finding evidence against Ming Qiuxue and using the situation to restore his own political career.
• Yi Que reveals that he killed the three men Lu Mi sent to deal with him. He then ambushes Lu Mi with twenty-eight Energy Masters, intending to capture him alive and present him to Lan Xiao as a means of regaining power.
• A battle begins. Lu Mi, a Diamond-Grade Black Panther Energy Master, displays extraordinary agility, evading gunfire and close-range attacks. He summons his Dark Whip to deflect bullets and trades insults with Yi Que.
• Yi Que reveals his own Diamond-Grade Energy Source: the Spotted Hyena. His anger intensifies when Lu Mi mocks the animal’s scavenging and burrowing reputation, setting up a direct clash between the two Diamond-ranked opponents.
• Meanwhile, at the Second Prison on Calamity Planet, Ming Qiuxue arrives with Yu Tu. Warden Qi An is already waiting with an observer’s warrant and claims he has authority to oversee—or even conduct—the interrogation.
• Ming Qiuxue refuses to let Qi An take control. He orders Yu Tu placed in solitary cell 09 and postpones the interrogation until the following morning, clearly distrusting Qi An despite the latter’s friendly demeanor.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi is shown as fiercely protective of his plans and subordinates, reacting violently when he learns Yi Que killed his men. Despite being outnumbered, he remains confident, agile, and verbally provocative.
• Yi Que emerges as a vindictive and ambitious former official. His goal is not merely revenge against Yu Tu but political restoration: he wants to capture Lu Mi and use him to climb back into power. His willingness to possess illegal energy weapons also shows his disregard for the law when personal advancement is at stake.
• Ming Qiuxue demonstrates sharp political awareness and distrust. He recognizes Qi An’s attempt to gain control of the interrogation and firmly asserts his authority, while also revealing lingering bitterness over being betrayed by people he once trusted.
• Qi An maintains a pleasant, harmless façade, but his insistence on conducting the interrogation suggests hidden motives and a desire to influence Yu Tu’s treatment.
• Yu Tu remains largely silent and physically weakened, but his presence continues to drive the political conflict among the wardens and officials.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and mistrust: False orders, political manipulation, and past betrayals shape every major interaction. Ming Qiuxue’s distrust of Qi An reflects his broader inability to rely on former allies.
• Power and political ambition: Yi Que treats Lu Mi’s capture as a stepping stone to regain status, while Qi An attempts to expand his authority over Yu Tu’s interrogation.
• Law versus corruption: Yi Que seeks to enforce justice against Lu Mi while illegally possessing energy guns himself, exposing the hypocrisy of officials who use the law for personal gain.
• Clash of formidable individuals: The confrontation between Lu Mi and Yi Que pits two Diamond-Grade Energy Masters against each other, emphasizing both physical strength and psychological provocation.
• Appearances versus reality: Qi An’s genial appearance conceals potentially dangerous intentions, while Yi Que’s polished manner contrasts with his brutality and corruption.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yi Que: Their encounter is driven by old resentment, threats, and mockery. Yi Que tries to capture Lu Mi for political gain, while Lu Mi taunts him about his Spotted Hyena Energy Source and predicts Lan Xiao will punish him.
• Ming Qiuxue and Qi An: Their courteous conversation is a veiled power struggle. Qi An challenges Ming’s authority by offering to conduct the interrogation, but Ming rejects him through sarcasm and a firm order.
• Ming Qiuxue and Yu Tu: Ming takes responsibility for Yu Tu’s immediate custody, placing him in solitary confinement and maintaining control over the timing and conditions of the interrogation.

Chapter Summary: “Just Teasing You”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On Z60 Abandoned Planet, Yi Que and his group have suffered severe losses after nearly a full day of fighting Lu Mi. Of the twenty-eight Energy Masters they brought, only eight remain.
• Believing Lu Mi has finally been driven away, Yi Que orders a retreat to his spacecraft. However, Lu Mi has already infiltrated the ship and is waiting in the control room.
• Lu Mi reveals that his apparent struggle was deliberate. After fully transforming into a black panther-like beast, he tells Yi Que that he had merely been “teasing” him while testing whether he had hidden reinforcements or other plans.
• Lu Mi kills Yi Que instantly by crushing his heart. Five of the remaining Energy Masters are also killed, while the last three are revealed to be Lu Mi’s allies in disguise.
• Lin Luo used his Rainbow Illusion Butterfly ability to create realistic energy-field illusions, allowing himself, Mo Ke, and Luo Wei to impersonate Yi Que’s subordinates and avoid being killed.
• Lu Mi discovers a token bearing the words “Royal Imperial Guard” on one of the dead men, realizing that Yi Que had secretly recruited someone connected to the Imperial Guard.
• The spacecraft’s self-destruct system activates when it detects that its owner’s energy level has fallen to zero. Lu Mi damages the console to stop the surveillance backup from being uploaded, then escapes just before the spacecraft explodes.
• On Calamity Planet, Ming Qiuxue and Qi An interrogate Yu Tu in the Second Prison. Yu Tu readily admits killing another prisoner, claiming the man angered him, but he refuses to reveal or demonstrate his mysterious white-vine power.
• Qi An pressures Yu Tu by suggesting that demonstrating the ability could earn him freedom. Yu Tu firmly refuses, saying he does not want to leave Calamity Planet because Lu Mi is there.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi demonstrates overwhelming strength, intelligence, and patience. He deliberately prolongs the battle to uncover Yi Que’s hidden resources before striking, showing that he had controlled the situation from the beginning.
• Yi Que realizes too late that he has become the hunted rather than the hunter. His confidence collapses when Lu Mi appears in his spacecraft, and he is killed without being able to plead for mercy.
• Lin Luo, Mo Ke, and Luo Wei are revealed to be alive and loyal to Lu Mi. Lin Luo’s illusion ability proves crucial to their survival and to Lu Mi’s plan.
• Yu Tu shows unwavering loyalty to Lu Mi. Although he accepts responsibility for killing a prisoner, he refuses to expose Lu Mi or cooperate with the interrogators, even when offered possible freedom.
• Qi An emerges as the more perceptive and manipulative interrogator, recognizing that the real issue is Yu Tu’s unexplained power rather than the killing itself.
• Ming Qiuxue conducts the formal interrogation but appears more cautious and restrained than Qi An.

Significant Themes

• Hunter and prey: The chapter reverses Yi Que’s expectations, revealing that Lu Mi has been controlling the pursuit all along.
• Deception and strategy: Illusions, disguises, hidden identities, and concealed motives determine the outcome of the conflict.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Lu Mi’s allies risk themselves to support him, while Yu Tu willingly remains imprisoned rather than endanger Lu Mi.
• Power hidden beneath restraint: Lu Mi’s beastification and Yu Tu’s suppressed white-vine ability both suggest that their true capabilities far exceed what others understand.
• Freedom versus attachment: Yu Tu rejects freedom because remaining imprisoned is worthwhile if it allows him to stay near Lu Mi.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi taunts Yi Que, treating their prolonged battle as a game and asserting complete dominance over him.
• After the battle, Lu Mi warmly praises Lin Luo, Mo Ke, and Luo Wei, contrasting with his merciless treatment of Yi Que.
• Lin Luo explains the deception that saved them and complains humorously about Lu Mi’s dangerous plan.
• Qi An challenges Ming Qiuxue’s interrogation and redirects the questioning toward Yu Tu’s unusual power.
• Yu Tu remains emotionally distant but becomes firm and resolute when Qi An attempts to tempt him with release, making clear that his loyalty to Lu Mi outweighs his desire for freedom.

Chapter Summary: “Lu Mi’s Fury”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qi An pressures Yu Tu to display his Diamond-Grade Vine on camera, claiming it would earn him better conditions and help Warden Ming avoid trouble with higher authorities.
• Yu Tu refuses, insisting he does not want to leave Calamity Planet. Qi An’s insistence reveals that the authorities are using Yu Tu’s powers and the threat to Ming Qiuxue’s position to force compliance.
• Ming Qiuxue confronts Qi An after realizing he is indirectly threatening the Ming Family. He ends the interrogation, but Deputy Director Tian Chi overrides him through a video call.
• Tian Chi orders Yu Tu to be electrocuted, beginning at level ten and steadily increasing the voltage. Qi An carries out the orders while Ming Qiuxue is forced to remain present.
• Despite extreme pain, Yu Tu refuses to release his white vines. He fights against the violent impulse in his mind to kill his torturers, remembering his promise to Lu Mi never to use the vines in front of others.
• After several stages of electrocution, Yu Tu loses consciousness without revealing his power. Tian Chi concludes that Yu Tu’s earlier use of the vines may have been accidental and orders the interrogation stopped.
• Lu Mi arrives at Second Prison with Lin Luo, Mo Ke, and Luo Wei. Ming Qiuxue apologizes to him and opens the interrogation-room door.
• Lu Mi discovers Yu Tu suspended by hooks and chains, severely mutilated and unconscious. Overcome with rage, he attacks Qi An and threatens to kill him.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Demonstrates extraordinary endurance and loyalty. Although he is terrified of losing control, he withstands escalating torture rather than break his promise to Lu Mi or reveal the white vines.
• Ming Qiuxue: Shows growing moral opposition to the interrogation. He confronts Qi An, attempts to stop the electrocution, and argues that Yu Tu will die if the torture continues. However, Tian Chi’s threat involving his parents forces him to withdraw.
• Qi An: Reveals himself as manipulative and calculating. He exploits institutional pressure, deliberately provokes Ming Qiuxue, and willingly carries out Tian Chi’s brutal orders.
• Tian Chi: Appears ruthless and sadistic, treating Yu Tu’s suffering as an experiment and using Ming Qiuxue’s family to control him.
• Lu Mi: His restrained concern for Yu Tu erupts into violent fury when he sees the torture’s aftermath. His reaction confirms the depth of his protectiveness and attachment to Yu Tu.
• Yu Tu and Lu Mi: Yu Tu’s endurance is motivated partly by his promise to Lu Mi, while Lu Mi responds to Yu Tu’s suffering with immediate, uncontrolled vengeance.

Significant Themes

• Abuse of authority: Prison officials and higher-ranking leaders use torture, threats, and bureaucratic power to force obedience.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Yu Tu endures unbearable pain to keep his promise, while Ming Qiuxue risks conflict with his superiors to protect him.
• Moral powerlessness: Ming Qiuxue recognizes the cruelty of the interrogation but is trapped by threats against his family and the hierarchy above him.
• Suppressed rage: Yu Tu restrains his murderous instincts, while Lu Mi’s anger finally breaks through when he sees Yu Tu’s condition.
• Human value versus institutional exploitation: Yu Tu is treated not as a person but as a valuable weapon whose powers must be tested and controlled.

Important Character Interactions

• Qi An and Ming Qiuxue: Their confrontation exposes their hostility. Qi An needles Ming Qiuxue by invoking his family, while Ming Qiuxue warns him to stop.
• Tian Chi and Ming Qiuxue: Tian Chi dominates Ming Qiuxue through direct orders and threats involving his parents.
• Tian Chi and Yu Tu: Tian Chi attempts to break Yu Tu psychologically and physically, but Yu Tu refuses to cooperate.
• Ming Qiuxue and Yu Tu: Ming Qiuxue witnesses Yu Tu’s torture and becomes increasingly distressed, eventually trying to halt it.
• Ming Qiuxue and Lu Mi: Ming Qiuxue apologizes and allows Lu Mi into the room, implicitly acknowledging his failure to protect Yu Tu.
• Lu Mi and Qi An: Lu Mi attacks Qi An in a burst of fury after seeing Yu Tu’s injuries, ending the chapter on a violent confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “With His Flesh, He Hid His Mark”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi attacks Qi An after learning that Yu Tu has been brutally tortured in Second Prison. Lin Luo and the others restrain him, warning that Lu Mi is too injured to kill anyone.
• Qi An reveals that Yu Tu was tortured under Deputy Chief Inspector Tian’s supervision but insists Yu Tu will survive. He also warns Lu Mi not to let personal feelings affect his judgment.
• After Qi An leaves, Lu Mi checks Yu Tu’s condition. Yu Tu is barely conscious and mistakes Lu Mi for someone coming to take him home, complaining that the prison guards hurt him and want him to leave Calamity Planet.
• Lu Mi comforts Yu Tu, praising him for controlling himself and “being good.” He promises to take him home.
• With the doctors’ help, Lu Mi removes the hooks impaling Yu Tu’s body. Yu Tu remains unnaturally silent despite the severe pain, and Lu Mi carries him out of Second Prison.
• Lu Mi takes Yu Tu aboard Ship 01 and brings him toward First Prison. He removes Yu Tu’s Energy Lock Rings and encourages him to wake up and heal himself.
• Yu Tu’s white vines emerge from his wounds and begin repairing his body. Relieved, Lu Mi finally turns to treat his own injuries, revealing a massive wound through his chest caused by Yi Que’s ship explosion.
• Lu Mi collapses while trying to stop his bleeding. As the ship reaches First Prison, his Partner Mark glows, signaling that his life is in danger.
• Yu Tu’s hidden Black Panther Brand also begins glowing. The chapter reveals that he never truly removed the mark: he cut away the flesh containing it and regrew the tissue over it to conceal it.
• The activation of the mark awakens Yu Tu. His eyes turn completely white, his hair grows dramatically, and he finds Lu Mi bleeding on the floor.
• Yu Tu places Lu Mi on the bed, kisses his cheek, and tenderly calls him “My Lu Xiaojiu,” suggesting a deeper identity, memory, or emotional connection.
• The chapter ends with a comedic contrast: Lu Mi checks the comments and desperately insists that, despite his current condition, he is still the dominant one.

Character Development

• Lu Mi: His protective feelings for Yu Tu become unmistakable. Though badly wounded himself, he prioritizes rescuing and comforting Yu Tu, calling him “big brother” and patiently coaxing him to heal. His desperation reveals both emotional vulnerability and deep dependence on Yu Tu.
• Yu Tu: Even while severely injured and barely conscious, Yu Tu remains focused on Lu Mi and refuses to leave Calamity Planet. His healing ability reactivates once free of restraints. Concealing the Black Panther Brand demonstrates his determination to stay connected to Lu Mi despite the danger.
• Qi An: He acts as a provocative observer, criticizing Lu Mi’s emotional attachment to Yu Tu while remaining confident and composed. His comments underline the authorities’ view of Yu Tu as a dangerous criminal rather than a person.
• Ming Qiuxue and the prison staff: Their silence and assistance emphasize the seriousness of the situation and Lu Mi’s authority, while the doctors help save Yu Tu despite the extreme circumstances.

Significant Themes

• Devotion and sacrifice: Both men risk their lives for each other. Lu Mi rescues Yu Tu despite his own fatal injury, while Yu Tu secretly preserves their bond by hiding his Partner Mark.
• Identity and concealment: Yu Tu’s decision to cut away and regrow the flesh over his mark symbolizes his attempt to hide his true connection and perhaps protect himself from those who would exploit it.
• Humanity versus institutional cruelty: The prison treats Yu Tu as a criminal to be broken or expelled, while Lu Mi recognizes his suffering and offers compassion.
• Emotional restraint and vulnerability: Lu Mi tries to appear strong and authoritative but breaks down when Yu Tu is hurt. Yu Tu’s normally controlled nature also slips through in his delirious pleas and tender awakening.
• Life bonds and mutual danger: The glowing Partner Marks establish that the two characters’ lives are mystically linked; one person’s mortal danger affects the other.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Qi An: Their confrontation reflects opposing views of Yu Tu—Lu Mi reacts emotionally and protectively, while Qi An offers cold, pragmatic warnings.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their reunion is the emotional center of the chapter. Lu Mi comforts Yu Tu, calls him obedient, and promises to take him home. Later, the awakened Yu Tu reverses the caretaker dynamic by rescuing the collapsing Lu Mi.
• Lu Mi and the doctors/guards: Lu Mi commands the rescue operation, personally overseeing the removal of Yu Tu’s hooks and directing the medical response.
• Yu Tu and Lu Mi after awakening: Yu Tu’s affectionate “My Lu Xiaojiu” hints at a past relationship or hidden recognition, deepening the mystery surrounding their bond.