Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu return to Little Seven Castle, which is now crowded with Drifting Refugees, especially women and children.
• Lin Luo explains that Lan Su’s reputation has attracted many refugees because of his plan to apply for an independent planet. Cang Qi has submitted the application to the Interstellar Alliance, and a decision is expected the following day—meaning Lan Xiao will soon learn about their activities.
• The children enthusiastically gather around Lan Su, asking whether he will give them homes and whether he will become their king. Ming Qiuxue is also surrounded by children, who braid his hair despite his irritation.
• Yu Tu’s intimidating reputation causes the children to panic and cry. Lu Mi attempts to defend him, but his own aggressive behavior only worsens the situation.
• After the refugees leave, Lu Mi explains the next military operation: he and Yu Tu will return to Sinwheel City in two days using a captured Imperial spacecraft. Its tracking system will lure Imperial forces toward Little Seven Castle, allowing the castle’s defenders to attack them. They expect Lan Xiao to send several waves of troops.
• The residents formally salute and thank Lu Mi and Yu Tu for their efforts.
• Yu Tu gives Lu Mi a box of candy to distribute to the children, explaining that Cang Qi had learned there was no candy at Little Seven Castle. Though Lu Mi complains, he delivers it to every child while threatening them humorously.
• Zhang Jiao secretly gives Lu Mi a handwritten diary titled Thirty-Six Strategies for Taming a Pretty Husband, which he created because he could not find the kind of book Lu Mi wanted.

Character Developments

• Lan Su is shown as a natural leader whose past reputation inspires trust among the refugees. He is already viewed by some as a future king.
• Yu Tu remains cold and frightening to outsiders, but his purchase of candy reveals a considerate, protective side, especially toward children and Cang Qi.
• Lu Mi continues to act possessive and sharp-tongued, becoming jealous when others crowd Yu Tu. Despite his complaints and threats, he quietly helps Yu Tu care for the children.
• Ming Qiuxue is increasingly integrated into the community, though he remains sarcastic and uncomfortable with the children’s attention. His exchange with Lu Mi also highlights his vulnerability regarding romance and social relationships.
• Zhang Jiao demonstrates loyalty and initiative by writing Lu Mi a personal guide, even though he is embarrassed by its subject.

Significant Themes

• Building a new community: Little Seven Castle is transforming from a military base into a potential home and nation for displaced people.
• Leadership and hope: Lan Su’s independence plan gives the refugees a sense of security and a future.
• Hidden tenderness beneath harsh exteriors: Yu Tu and Lu Mi appear intimidating, but both show care through practical actions.
• Resistance and sacrifice: The planned operation places Lu Mi and Yu Tu in danger as they draw Imperial forces away from the castle.
• Humor amid conflict: Children’s fear, Lu Mi’s exaggerated threats, and the absurd “husband-taming” diary lighten the chapter’s political and military tension.

Character Interactions

• The children treat Lan Su as a beloved future ruler, while they fear Yu Tu because of his terrifying reputation.
• Lu Mi reacts defensively and possessively to the attention Yu Tu receives, clashing with Ming Qiuxue over his attitude and manners.
• Yu Tu asks Lu Mi to distribute his candy, creating a contrast between Yu Tu’s quiet kindness and Lu Mi’s gruff delivery.
• Ming Qiuxue, Lan Su, and the residents collectively thank Lu Mi and Yu Tu, reinforcing their growing role as protectors of the new community.
• Zhang Jiao’s secret exchange with Lu Mi adds a comic, personal dimension to Lu Mi’s apparent interest in “taming” Yu Tu.

Chapter Summary: Yu Tu Is My Life

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi arrives at Little Seven Castle’s amusement park intending to gather and control the children, using his intimidating whip and threats to silence them.
• The frightened guards worry that Lu Mi may hurt the children and send for Yu Tu, fearing the incident could damage Freedom Star’s political situation as it seeks interstellar independence.
• Contrary to expectations, Lu Mi is not harming the children. He performs an elaborate, acrobatic display in his beastified panther form, quickly winning their admiration.
• Lu Mi tells the children that Yu Tu—not himself—is the strongest and most important person in his heart. He challenges their fearful view of Yu Tu, explaining that Yu Tu buys them candy and is not the cruel “Great Demon King” they imagine.
• He makes the children promise not to fear Yu Tu and to greet him warmly.
• When Yu Tu and the others reveal that they witnessed the performance, Lu Mi becomes embarrassed but hides it behind his usual arrogance.
• A young orphan girl named Xiaomi asks Lu Mi and Yu Tu to check in at the amusement park as her two “daddies.” They agree, holding her hands and participating in the family-themed activity.
• Xiaomi kisses both men on the cheek. The gesture deeply moves Yu Tu, who realizes that Lu Mi has helped him experience a kind of warmth and affection he has never received before.
• Yu Tu promises Xiaomi that Freedom Star will become independent and provide a permanent home for all the children. Lu Mi reinforces the promise, saying that they will have a home as well.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: His supposedly brutal and cold personality is revealed to conceal genuine tenderness. He uses intimidation to control the children at first, but his real goal is to entertain them and help them feel safe. He openly praises Yu Tu and shows how deeply dependent and devoted he is to him, calling Yu Tu his life.
• Yu Tu: Though initially alarmed that Lu Mi might harm the children, Yu Tu quickly becomes emotionally touched by Lu Mi’s actions. His softer side emerges when he accepts Xiaomi’s affection and promises her a secure future. He also trusts Lu Mi’s judgment and silently encourages him to accept the girl’s request.
• Ming Qiuxue: He observes Lu Mi’s performance with amused admiration, acknowledging that Lu Mi is impressive while teasing him for his dramatic behavior.
• The children: They move from fearing Lu Mi and Yu Tu to admiring Lu Mi and accepting Yu Tu. Their changing attitudes show the success of Lu Mi’s reassurance.
• Xiaomi: As an orphan, she seeks the family experience represented by the amusement park activity. Her request allows Lu Mi and Yu Tu to act as parental figures and strengthens their emotional bond.

Significant Themes

• Hidden tenderness beneath brutality: Lu Mi’s frightening manner contrasts sharply with his protective, affectionate behavior toward the children.
• Reputation versus reality: Yu Tu is viewed as a terrifying killer, but Lu Mi helps the children recognize that his actions—such as buying them candy—show compassion rather than cruelty.
• Found family and belonging: The amusement park, the “Daddy” activity, and Xiaomi’s wish for family emphasize the importance of emotional bonds among displaced people.
• Hope for a homeland: Yu Tu’s promise of independence and permanent homes reflects the broader political and emotional hopes of the Freedom Star community.
• Love expressed through actions: Lu Mi’s performance, Yu Tu’s candy-buying, and their willingness to care for Xiaomi all demonstrate affection more powerfully than verbal declarations alone.

Important Character Interactions

• The guards panic over Lu Mi’s apparent mistreatment of the children, while Yu Tu rushes to intervene.
• Ming Qiuxue and the onlookers watch and praise Lu Mi’s unexpected performance.
• Lu Mi teaches the children to respect and welcome Yu Tu, presenting Yu Tu as someone who protects rather than terrorizes them.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu publicly take on parental roles for Xiaomi, holding her hands and participating together in the check-in.
• Xiaomi’s kisses emotionally affect Yu Tu, while Lu Mi recognizes that they have both gained a small but meaningful step toward having a home and family.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Interstellar Alliance publicly announces Freedom Star’s application for independence, escalating tensions with the Empire.
• Cang Qi reveals that Lan Xiao has ordered at least 5,000 Imperial Army troops to attack Commander Yu Tu. Since the Imperial Army tracked them through captured ships, Lu Mi and Yu Tu decide to leave immediately for Sinwheel City, where they can prepare for a prolonged war.
• Lan Su assigns Ming Qiuxue to prepare spacecraft and attempt to draw the fighting away from Freedom Star. Lin Luo temporarily takes command of Freedom Squad’s First Squad, while Lan Su and Ming Qiuxue oversee Freedom Star’s defenses.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu depart the next morning aboard the Q16 spacecraft, receiving an emotional farewell from the children and residents.
• During the journey to the Invincible Battleship, Lu Mi comforts Yu Tu and playfully draws out a confession from him. Yu Tu calls Lu Mi “husband,” reinforcing their romantic bond. Yu Tu also hints that he will reveal a secret later.
• On Blue Star, Lan Xiao reacts furiously to Freedom Star’s independence application. He summons Qi An to question him about Yu Tu and then orders Lu Mi’s records to be brought to him.
• Upon seeing Lu Mi’s profile, Lan Xiao recognizes him as “Lu Xiaojiu,” exclaiming that he is not dead.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu shows growing emotional attachment and vulnerability. He regrets not properly saying goodbye, envies Lu Mi’s easy connection with the children, and openly acknowledges his love by calling Lu Mi “husband.”
• Lu Mi remains playful, possessive, and affectionate, using teasing and intimacy to reassure Yu Tu. He also reveals how deeply he values their relationship by declaring that Yu Tu is the one who truly “won him over.”
• Lan Su takes on a strategic leadership role, coordinating the defense of Freedom Star and assigning responsibilities for the coming conflict.
• Ming Qiuxue and Lin Luo are entrusted with important military duties, demonstrating the growing organizational structure of the independence movement.
• Lan Xiao shifts from anger over Freedom Star’s rebellion to personal interest after recognizing Lu Mi’s true identity.
• Qi An serves as a source of information for Lan Xiao, though his knowledge of Yu Tu is limited.

Significant Themes

• Struggle for independence: Freedom Star’s application marks an open challenge to Imperial authority and sets the stage for war.
• Found family and belonging: The children’s farewell and the wish for Freedom Star to become a home emphasize the community the characters are fighting to protect.
• Love and emotional openness: Yu Tu’s increasing willingness to express affection contrasts with his formerly restrained personality.
• Hidden identities and the past: Lan Xiao’s recognition of Lu Mi as the supposedly dead Lu Xiaojiu introduces a major revelation and suggests that Lu Mi’s past will directly affect the conflict.
• Separation and sacrifice: Lu Mi and Yu Tu leave despite their bonds with the people of Freedom Star, accepting danger to protect their cause.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their farewell journey is intimate and teasing, with Lu Mi reassuring Yu Tu and encouraging him to express his feelings. Yu Tu promises to share a secret, hinting at an upcoming revelation.
• Yu Tu and the children: The children nervously say goodbye and encourage him to return safely. Yu Tu tries to respond kindly but unintentionally frightens them, creating a humorous and affectionate moment.
• Lan Su, Cang Qi, Ming Qiuxue, and Lu Mi: They coordinate military preparations and divide responsibilities in anticipation of Lan Xiao’s attack.
• Lan Xiao and Qi An: Lan Xiao interrogates Qi An about Yu Tu, then investigates Lu Mi’s history.
• Lan Xiao and Lu Mi’s identity: Lan Xiao recognizes Lu Mi from his holographic records as Lu Xiaojiu, revealing that Lu Mi has been believed dead and setting up a major confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “The Hidden Little Wildcat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lan Xiao recognizes that Lu Mi was once known as Lu Xiaojiu, revealing a hidden connection between Lu Mi and the emperor’s past.
• Lan Xiao recalls that Yu Tu spared Lu Mi and helped him awaken a Diamond-Grade Black Panther, which he sees as proof that Yu Tu is disloyal and dangerous.
• After reviewing Freedom Star’s independence application, Lan Xiao notices that Ming Qiuxue and Lan Su, along with surviving officers from the First Prison, have signed it. Although Lu Mi and Yu Tu’s names are absent, Lan Xiao concludes that Yu Tu declared war to protect Lu Mi and create an opportunity for Freedom Star to become independent.
• Lan Xiao orders five thousand additional Imperial Army soldiers to attack Yu Tu, placing Qi An in command. He deliberately allows Yu Tu’s plan to proceed because he wants Yu Tu dead.
• Lan Xiao requests Lu Mi’s old transfer order and discovers that it bears the signature of Yan Mei, the director general of the Blue Star Prison Directorate. He orders the document destroyed, suggesting that Lu Mi’s origins and transfer conceal politically sensitive information.
• The Q16 spacecraft reunites with the Invincible Battleship as Yu Tu and Lu Mi prepare for the enlarged Imperial Army assault.
• Lu Mi receives medicine from Vicks and checks on the prisoners and villains aboard the battleship. Meanwhile, Yu Tu reads Lu Mi’s handwritten erotic novel and becomes inspired by its themes of restraint and role reversal.
• Yu Tu summons Lu Mi back to the Q16, throws Black Shadow out of the ship, and pulls Lu Mi inside with a vine. He restrains Lu Mi and attempts to imitate the novel’s scenes, though he repeatedly checks the text for guidance.
• Afterward, Yu Tu continues following the novel’s instructions and asks Lu Mi to demonstrate the “Thirty-Six Stratagems for Pleasing Me,” turning the encounter into a playful but embarrassing reversal of power.

Character Developments

• Lan Xiao is shown to harbor deep resentment toward both Yu Tu and Lu Mi. His obsession with eliminating Yu Tu is linked to his regret over not executing him earlier. His reaction to Yan Mei’s signature implies that Lu Mi’s past is connected to secrets he wants erased.
• Yu Tu remains outwardly cold and militarily determined, but his private behavior reveals curiosity, possessiveness, and a playful willingness to experiment. Reading Lu Mi’s novel gives him new ideas and temporarily reverses their usual dynamic.
• Lu Mi remains confident and sarcastic despite the coming battle. He is committed to Freedom Star’s independence and trusts Yu Tu’s judgment, but he becomes helplessly embarrassed when Yu Tu uses his own novel against him.
• Qi An demonstrates loyalty to Lan Xiao and eagerly accepts command of the reinforced Imperial Army.
• Black Shadow continues to cling to Yu Tu, irritating Lu Mi and providing comic relief.
• Vicks shows concern for Lu Mi by preparing medicine, highlighting the affectionate bonds developing among the former prisoners and their allies.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and suppressed history: Lu Mi’s former name and mysterious transfer reveal that his past remains politically important.
• Freedom versus control: Freedom Star’s independence movement contrasts with Lan Xiao’s imperial authority and his desire to control or destroy those who resist him.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Lan Xiao views Yu Tu’s protection of Lu Mi as betrayal, while Yu Tu’s actions demonstrate loyalty to Lu Mi and the independence cause.
• Power reversal and intimacy: The novel allows Yu Tu to experiment with reversing the usual balance between him and Lu Mi, blending humor, desire, and emotional trust.
• The contrast between public violence and private comedy: The chapter moves from military preparations and political danger to an intimate, absurd scene, emphasizing the unusual relationship between Lu Mi and Yu Tu.

Character Interactions

• Lan Xiao and Qi An discuss Lu Mi, Yu Tu, and the independence application, with Lan Xiao manipulating the situation to ensure Yu Tu’s death.
• Lan Xiao’s silent reaction to Yan Mei’s signature suggests a buried connection between Lu Mi’s past and the imperial system.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu exchange their usual teasing and trust, with Lu Mi relying on Yu Tu’s judgment regarding the future independent star.
• Yu Tu’s reading of Lu Mi’s novel directly shapes his later actions, creating a humorous interaction in which Lu Mi becomes the unwilling subject of his own fictional fantasies.
• The chapter ends with Yu Tu demanding that Lu Mi continue the role-play, leaving their relationship in a playful, intimate, and deliberately embarrassing state.

Chapter Summary: Little Fox Misses You

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Invincible Battleship arrives above Sinwheel City, whose inhabitants fear Yu Tu and are relieved when he leaves.
• Cang Qi informs Yu Tu that the Imperial Army’s advance has unexpectedly stopped and that there is no news from the troops sent to Freedom Star.
• Yu Tu contacts Lan Xiao and learns that Lan Xiao has abandoned the direct assault on Sinwheel City. Instead, he is targeting Freedom Star, forcing Yu Tu to choose between defending the city and protecting his people.
• Yu Tu immediately turns the battleship around and returns to Freedom Star, correctly predicting Lan Xiao’s strategy.
• In the Blue Star palace, Lan Xiao explains to Yan Mei that Yu Tu’s devotion to Freedom Star—and especially to the people connected to him—makes him predictable. Lan Xiao intends to kill Yu Tu while sparing Lan Su and Ming Qiuxue.
• Yan Mei privately rejects Lan Xiao’s belief that Lu Xiaojiu is Yu Tu’s weakness. He considers Lu Xiaojiu, and Ming Qiuxue in his own case, to be a form of “armor” rather than a vulnerability. He mourns Ming Qiuxue, whom he believes now hates him.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu reach Freedom Star and discover that the residents have refused to evacuate. They regard Freedom Star as their first true home and insist on defending it.
• The defenders organize for battle. Lan Su, Yu Tu, Lu Mi, White Star, and the main fighters prepare to confront the Imperial Army, while Cang Qi, Zhang Jiao, and Vicks remain in Little Seven Castle to operate its powerful defenses.
• Cang Qi refuses to remain passive and vows that the support team can also fight. The adults encourage the children to survive, grow stronger, and someday become Freedom Star’s protectors.

2. Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Demonstrates his unwavering sense of responsibility by abandoning the tactical safety of Sinwheel City to defend Freedom Star. His instinct to protect his people confirms Lan Xiao’s assessment that Yu Tu cannot ignore those dependent on him. He also shows an unusually comic but stern side when he angrily reprimands the children.
• Lan Xiao: Reveals himself as a calculating strategist who manipulates Yu Tu by attacking what he values most. He views Yu Tu’s attachments as exploitable weaknesses and remains confident that Yu Tu will respond exactly as predicted.
• Yan Mei: Shows a more vulnerable and emotionally conflicted side. He challenges Lan Xiao’s interpretation of Yu Tu’s motives and reveals that Ming Qiuxue remains central to his own emotional survival, despite their estrangement.
• Lu Mi: Acts as both a leader and protector of the refugees. He supports Yu Tu, helps manage the children, and reinforces the close, teasing relationship between himself and Yu Tu by calling Yu Tu his boyfriend.
• Lan Su: Takes responsibility for coordinating the defense and demonstrates quiet resolve, even as he separates from Cang Qi before battle.
• Cang Qi: Develops from a support figure into an active defender. Rather than retreating, he insists that the rear forces also have a duty to fight and protect Freedom Star.

3. Significant Themes

• Protection versus vulnerability: Lan Xiao sees emotional attachments as weaknesses, while Yan Mei argues that loved ones can serve as armor, giving people strength and purpose.
• Home and belonging: Freedom Star represents the first real home many refugees have ever had. Their refusal to evacuate reflects their determination to defend not merely a location, but a community and identity.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: Yu Tu knowingly returns to danger because he cannot abandon Freedom Star. The defenders accept that they may lose, but still choose to stand together.
• Hope and legacy: The children are told that the protection they receive today should inspire them to become protectors tomorrow, emphasizing the continuation of Freedom Star’s ideals.
• Manipulation and free will: Lan Xiao believes Yu Tu is trapped by his own nature, while Yu Tu’s actions suggest that choosing to protect others is not simply weakness but a deliberate moral commitment.

4. Character Interactions

• Yu Tu and Cang Qi exchange information about the Imperial Army’s suspicious movements, leading Yu Tu to identify the threat to Freedom Star.
• Lan Xiao taunts Yu Tu during their communication, openly explaining that he is redirecting the attack to force Yu Tu into a difficult choice.
• Lan Xiao discusses Yu Tu’s past and motives with Yan Mei, while Yan Mei silently resists Lan Xiao’s cynical interpretation.
• Yan Mei’s private remarks about Ming Qiuxue reveal his loneliness and unresolved love, contrasting sharply with his outwardly dangerous and composed persona.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu interact humorously with the children, with Lu Mi teasingly calling Yu Tu his boyfriend and Yu Tu awkwardly accepting being called “Brother Yu Tu.”
• Lan Su and Cang Qi share a poignant farewell before dividing their forces, each accepting a different role in the coming battle.
• The adults collectively reassure the children, framing the battle as both a desperate defense and the beginning of a future in which the younger generation will protect Freedom Star.

Chapter Summary: “Strangulation!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Imperial Army approaches Freedom Star in overwhelming numbers, prompting Little Seven Castle to activate its full integrated defense system. Protective barriers, aerial weapons, seabed cannons, and the self-destruct system are placed on standby.
• The children inside the castle encourage one another, insisting that they are not afraid despite the impending battle.
• Yu Tu boards the Invincible Battleship and prepares to lead the defense. Lu Mi ties Yu Tu’s hair, then formally declares his loyalty and devotion to him.
• Yu Tu reassures Lu Mi that Freedom Star will win and promises the Little Black Panther that it will one day have a home there. He then orders the battle to begin.
• A massive space battle erupts between the Imperial Army and Freedom Star’s forces. Advanced Imperial weapons attack the castle’s barrier and the allied spaceships, while Little Seven Castle’s defenses retaliate.
• Ming Qiuxue uses the Longevity Lock to capture and drag an entire enemy spaceship into the sea.
• Yu Tu and Lu Mi board an Imperial vessel. Lu Mi defeats and restrains more than twenty soldiers, while Yu Tu destroys the ship’s controls. They escape as the vessel crashes into another Imperial spaceship.
• Several criminals from Sinwheel City attack the Invincible Battleship and sever Yu Tu’s vine arm, but he rapidly regenerates and kills them.
• After Yu Tu returns to the battleship, Zhao Jie, Dibu, and other criminals reveal that they have betrayed him in exchange for Qi An’s promise of survival and Imperial rewards.
• Yu Tu reveals that he had secretly planted seeds from his blood inside the criminals when previously binding them with his Violet Slaughter Vine. The seeds sprout inside their bodies, killing them brutally when he orders them to be strangled.
• The chapter ends with Yu Tu, Lu Mi, and Black Shadow boarding Q16 and preparing to rejoin the battle.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Fully embraces his role as commander and protector of Freedom Star. He remains calm and decisive under extreme pressure, combining battlefield confidence with ruthless judgment. His promise to give the Little Black Panther a home reveals his commitment to building a true refuge, but his execution of the criminals demonstrates that he will not tolerate betrayal or allow dangerous criminals to remain among his people.
• Lu Mi: Shows unwavering loyalty and affection toward Yu Tu. He treats Yu Tu both as his commander and chosen partner, eagerly fighting beside him despite the danger. His enthusiasm and protective instincts are evident, though Yu Tu repeatedly orders him to remain behind and follow military discipline.
• Black Shadow: Continues to act protectively toward Yu Tu, attempting to shield him from danger alongside Lu Mi. Its behavior suggests deep loyalty despite its aggressive appearance.
• Zhao Jie, Dibu, and the criminals: Their betrayal exposes their fear and opportunism. They believe Yu Tu’s side cannot survive, but their treachery activates the punishment Yu Tu prepared in advance.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus betrayal: The contrast between Lu Mi’s absolute devotion and the criminals’ self-serving treachery is central to the chapter.
• Freedom and belonging: Yu Tu’s promise that the Little Black Panther will have a home reflects Freedom Star’s larger purpose as a sanctuary for those without one.
• Ruthless justice: Yu Tu defines Freedom Star as a place with no room for criminals who threaten others. His premeditated punishment emphasizes the harsh, uncompromising justice he believes is necessary for survival.
• Courage and solidarity: The children’s refusal to be afraid and the allies’ willingness to fight together reinforce the idea that unity can withstand overwhelming oppression.
• Love amid war: Lu Mi’s romantic declaration and Yu Tu’s restrained response add emotional intimacy to the battle, while Yu Tu’s reassurance shows that he values their shared future rather than treating the fight as a final sacrifice.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi ties Yu Tu’s hair and formally salutes him, declaring that fighting beside him is the greatest fortune of his life.
• Yu Tu responds by affirming their future and urging Lu Mi not to behave as though he is delivering a final confession.
• Yu Tu and Lu Mi fight together aboard an enemy spaceship, with Lu Mi handling the soldiers and Yu Tu disabling the vessel.
• Yu Tu repeatedly tells Lu Mi and Black Shadow not to shield him or stand in front of him, reinforcing his authoritative and independent nature.
• Yu Tu confronts the traitors without hesitation and reveals that their apparent freedom had always been controlled by him, turning their betrayal into a fatal trap.

Chapter Summary: “Target: Yu Tu”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning to the ship, Lu Mi discovers that Yu Tu’s wrist has suffered a deep wound because the injury inflicted on the Violet Slaughter Vine transferred to Yu Tu’s body. Yu Tu’s rapid healing soon closes the wound.
• Lu Mi scolds Yu Tu for treating himself carelessly and relying too heavily on his extraordinary regenerative abilities. Yu Tu promises to change, though he still agrees to fight.
• The Freedom Squad is gradually being overwhelmed. Unlike the Imperial Army, which can continually receive reinforcements, the Squad has limited personnel, weapons, and supplies. Their defensive barrier is eventually shattered, forcing them into retreat.
• Yu Tu identifies the Imperial command ship and launches an attack on it, intending to kill Qi An. He breaks through the ship’s supposedly impenetrable canopy with ease.
• Once inside, Yu Tu realizes the ship is a trap. Its interior is made from material equivalent to an Energy Lock Cage, weakening his Violet Slaughter Vine and preventing escape.
• Lan Xiao reveals that he deliberately used Qi An and the Imperial forces as bait to lure Yu Tu into the trap. He considers Freedom Star’s independence irrelevant and intends to eliminate Yu Tu.
• Lan Xiao orders General Rong Meng to kill Yu Tu, then abandons the ship and everyone inside it. Qi An realizes that he and the other occupants have become disposable pawns.
• The Imperial fleet withdraws and bombards the trapped warship with fire. The ship becomes a burning prison, exploiting Yu Tu’s vulnerability to extreme heat.
• Lu Mi panics upon seeing the flames and tries to reach Yu Tu with Black Shadow. Ming Qiuxue stops him with the Longevity Lock, fearing that Lu Mi will die attempting the rescue.
• The chapter ends with Lu Mi pleading to be released. He insists that Yu Tu needs him and explains that Yu Tu is emotionally timid despite his strength, suggesting that Yu Tu may not cope well if Lu Mi is absent when he escapes.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Remains self-sacrificing and willing to endure injury, but shows concern for Freedom Star and Little Black Panther’s future. He calmly enters the trap once he believes Freedom Star has gained independence. His vulnerability to fire becomes a major tactical weakness.
• Lu Mi: Becomes increasingly protective and emotionally dependent on Yu Tu. Although he initially criticizes Yu Tu’s recklessness, he later risks his own life to rescue him, demonstrating the depth of his attachment.
• Qi An: Shifts from confidence to despair after realizing Yu Tu can breach the warship and that Lan Xiao has abandoned him. He recognizes that he was used as part of Lan Xiao’s larger plan.
• Lan Xiao: Is revealed as calculating, ruthless, and willing to sacrifice his own soldiers and allies. He specifically designs the trap around Yu Tu’s weaknesses.
• Ming Qiuxue: Acts pragmatically by restraining Lu Mi, but her complicated concern for him creates tension between protecting him and respecting his desire to save Yu Tu.
• Black Shadow and Bean Sprout: Black Shadow supports Lu Mi in battle and during his attempted rescue, while Bean Sprout quietly draws attention to Yu Tu’s injury and reflects the group’s concern for him.

Significant Themes

• Self-sacrifice versus self-preservation: Yu Tu repeatedly treats his body as expendable, while Lu Mi tries to force him to recognize his own value.
• Love and emotional dependence: Lu Mi’s desperation shows that their relationship has become mutually essential. He believes Yu Tu cannot face the aftermath alone, just as he cannot bear leaving Yu Tu in danger.
• Manipulation and expendability: Lan Xiao’s strategy demonstrates how individuals and entire military forces can be used as disposable tools for political and personal objectives.
• Freedom and its cost: Freedom Star’s independence is achieved, but the victory comes alongside severe losses and Yu Tu’s entrapment.
• Strength and vulnerability: Yu Tu is physically powerful and nearly impossible to kill through ordinary means, yet his susceptibility to fire provides Lan Xiao with a way to threaten him.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Mi confronts Yu Tu about his injury and makes him promise to take better care of himself; Yu Tu placates him with affection.
• Yu Tu tells Lu Mi and Black Shadow to remain close while he attacks Qi An, promising that Lu Mi can finish off the enemies.
• Yu Tu and Qi An face each other aboard the command ship, with Yu Tu easily overpowering Qi An’s confidence.
• Lan Xiao taunts Yu Tu through the communications system and explains the trap, while Yu Tu remains calm because Freedom Star is safe.
• Lu Mi desperately tries to enter the burning warship, but Ming Qiuxue restrains him.
• Lu Mi pleads with Ming Qiuxue to release him, insisting that Yu Tu needs him and revealing how emotionally vulnerable Yu Tu truly is.

Chapter Summary: “Little Black Panther, Goodbye”

Key Plot Points and Events

• As a massive fireball threatens to destroy Little Seven Castle, Ming Qiuxue decides to risk his life to reach Yu Tu. He undergoes Complete Beastification and merges Golden Eye with the Longevity Lock, transforming it into a gigantic golden python that forms a path toward Yu Tu’s burning battleship.
• Lu Mi follows Ming Qiuxue on Black Shadow, determined to rescue Yu Tu even if it means dying alongside him.
• Lan Su intervenes, summoning the phantom of a White Whale with Unknown Whale to raise a massive wall of seawater. He blocks Ming Qiuxue and Lu Mi temporarily and uses the water to suppress the fireball.
• Despite Lan Su’s efforts, Rong Meng orders the Imperial Army to continue attacking. Yu Tu remains trapped inside the overheated battleship, severely dehydrated and burned, while the soldiers around him resign themselves to death.
• Qi An, once Yu Tu’s enemy, reveals that he has lost faith in Lan Xiao and believes Ming Qiuxue was right to rebel. He removes his own Diamond-grade Energy Crystal and uses it to cut an escape route through the battleship’s hull.
• Qi An dies after creating the opening, urging Yu Tu to survive. Yu Tu honors him by closing his eye and escaping through the flames.
• Once outside, Yu Tu sees Lan Su barely being supported because of the blood he has sacrificed, while the remaining members of Freedom Squad continue fighting.
• Rong Meng orders all weapons to target Yu Tu. Realizing that the enemy’s entire strategy depends on killing him, Yu Tu sends Lu Mi, Ming Qiuxue, and Black Shadow away with Violet Slaughter Vine.
• Yu Tu reveals that his blood can act as seeds. Although there is no land nearby, he cuts himself repeatedly and uses his own body as the source of roots, causing enormous vines to grow toward Lei Meng’s battleship.
• As Lu Mi desperately calls for him to return, Yu Tu gives him a final farewell: “Little Black Panther, goodbye.”

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Despite his injuries and exhaustion, Yu Tu remains calm and self-sacrificing. He recognizes that his survival is endangering everyone else and deliberately turns himself into a distraction and weapon. His farewell suggests he expects to die.
• Lu Mi: His devotion to Yu Tu becomes unmistakable. He is willing to follow Yu Tu into death and reacts with panic and anger when Yu Tu sends him away.
• Ming Qiuxue: He abandons caution and openly risks his life for Yu Tu, showing his determination to protect his comrades and oppose the Imperial Army.
• Lan Su: He demonstrates immense power and self-sacrifice by using the White Whale to suppress the fire. He reassures Cang Qi even while suffering severe blood loss.
• Qi An: He undergoes a major moral reversal. After a lifetime of loyalty to the Blue River emperors, he rejects Lan Xiao’s rule and sacrifices himself to save Yu Tu.
• Cang Qi: His emotional response to Lan Su’s danger highlights their close bond and concern for one another.
• Rong Meng and Lei Meng: They remain focused on eliminating Yu Tu at any cost, treating him as the decisive target in the battle.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and loyalty: Nearly every major character risks death for comrades, ideals, or a larger cause.
• Freedom versus tyranny: Qi An’s rejection of Lan Xiao and his acknowledgment that Ming Qiuxue was right to rebel reinforce the conflict between imperial control and Freedom Star’s independence.
• The burden of leadership: Yu Tu accepts responsibility for the danger surrounding his allies and chooses to sacrifice himself so they can survive.
• Redemption: Qi An’s final act transforms his earlier hostility into an act of genuine compassion and loyalty.
• Hope amid impending loss: Even as Yu Tu prepares to die, he tells Lu Mi that Freedom Star will become independent and that they will have a home.

Important Character Interactions

• Ming Qiuxue and Lu Mi cooperate to reach Yu Tu, despite their usual differences.
• Lan Su reassures the crying Cang Qi while continuing to fight, showing tenderness beneath his commander’s authority.
• Qi An and Yu Tu share a final exchange in which Qi An sacrifices himself and Yu Tu promises to live.
• Lu Mi tries to stop Yu Tu from sacrificing himself, while Yu Tu quietly sends him away and gives him a heartbreaking farewell.
• Yu Tu’s final words to Lu Mi emphasize both their deep bond and the emotional cost of his decision.

Chapter Summary: “Partner Mark, Lit Up!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Tu endures a devastating attack by fire, with vines erupting from his wounds and repeatedly burning away and regenerating. The process incinerates his own flesh and causes immense pain.
• Lu Mi realizes that the white-vine mark on his chest is reacting to Yu Tu’s suffering. He tries to reach Yu Tu, but Yu Tu’s blood-generated vines restrain him and suspend him in space, forcing him to watch.
• Under the pressure of near death, Yu Tu’s sealed memories and latent abilities awaken. He successfully mutates, becoming the fully awakened Yu Tu who remembers everything.
• Yu Tu asks Lan Su to become a good Star Lord. Lan Su promises, and Yu Tu accepts his word before moving toward Rong Meng’s warship.
• Yu Tu hijacks the warship’s loudspeaker and orders the Imperial forces to obey their emperor and kill him. Rong Meng, bitterly, gives the order for the attack to continue, even though he is aboard the vessel.
• Yu Tu escapes in the burning warship while Imperial spacecraft pursue him. Lu Mi is left behind, emotionally devastated, and eventually falls into the sea when the vines release him.
• For twenty days, Lu Mi remains in Little Seven Castle, refusing to recover emotionally or physically. The Imperial Army repeatedly searches for Yu Tu, but after a massive attack on an abandoned planet, Yu Tu is listed as missing.
• Little Seven Castle lacks the materials needed to repair its spacecraft, leaving Lu Mi unable to pursue Yu Tu. Meanwhile, Yu Tu travels alone through space, badly burned and continually healing.
• In his solitude, Yu Tu instinctively longs for Lu Mi’s kiss to ease his pain, then remembers that he may never see or kiss Lu Mi again.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Reaches a major transformation by awakening his memories and mutating under extreme physical trauma. Despite his suffering, he remains focused on protecting Lu Mi and the Freedom Squad, deliberately drawing the Imperial Army away and sacrificing himself.
• Lu Mi: His love and dependence on Yu Tu become unmistakable. He is overwhelmed by Yu Tu’s pain, attempts to save him, and later collapses into grief and despair, neglecting food and recovery.
• Lan Su: Accepts Yu Tu’s final request and is entrusted with becoming a responsible Star Lord.
• Rong Meng: Is forced to command the Imperial attack against Yu Tu, revealing the ruthless power structure and the emperor’s willingness to sacrifice even those close to him.
• Ming Qiuxue and Cang Qi: Support Lu Mi after the battle. Ming Qiuxue tries to care for him, while Cang Qi works desperately to restore a spacecraft and monitor news of Yu Tu.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and self-destruction: Yu Tu willingly suffers and isolates himself to protect Lu Mi and the others.
• Love expressed through separation: Yu Tu’s actions show devotion, but he believes staying away is the only way to keep Lu Mi safe.
• Pain and emotional connection: The vine mark links Yu Tu and Lu Mi, making Yu Tu’s physical suffering emotionally unbearable for Lu Mi.
• Fate and hopelessness: Yu Tu reflects on being repeatedly forced onto a path toward death, while Lu Mi struggles against the seemingly impossible distance between them.
• Rebirth through suffering: Yu Tu’s mutation and recovered memories emerge only after he is pushed to the brink of death.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi tries to reach Yu Tu and begs him not to continue, but Yu Tu restrains him to prevent interference.
• Yu Tu and Lu Mi communicate indirectly through the vine mark, which allows Lu Mi to feel Yu Tu’s pain.
• Yu Tu entrusts Lan Su with the future of the Star Lord position, creating a final moment of trust between them.
• Yu Tu mocks and challenges Rong Meng, manipulating him into ordering the attack that allows Yu Tu to flee.
• Afterward, Ming Qiuxue cares for the devastated Lu Mi, while Cang Qi provides updates about the search for Yu Tu.
• Alone, Yu Tu mentally reaches for Lu Mi’s comfort, highlighting how deeply he still longs for their intimacy despite believing their separation is permanent.

Chapter Summary: “Freedom Star, Independent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Severely injured and hiding in a spacecraft, Yu Tu contacts Little Seven Castle using an untraceable BF398 Emergency Communicator.
• He communicates through tapping codes rather than speaking. Ming Qiuxue identifies the Imperial Army code:
  • Yu Tu first asks who is present.
  • He then tells Lu Mi that Bean Sprout is safe, indirectly assuring him that Yu Tu himself is alive.
  • His message also implies that Lu Mi must not search for him.
• Lu Mi and the Freedom Squad realize Yu Tu deliberately destroyed the tracking source, making it impossible to find him.
• Despite his grief, Lu Mi is relieved that Yu Tu survived and regains some emotional strength, returning to his responsibilities.
• Freedom Star successfully completes its public-notice period, receives recognition from the Interstellar Alliance, and becomes the Blue River System’s fourth independent planet.
• Little Seven Castle rises from the ocean and becomes the center of the new sea-based city. Cang Qi organizes a celebration.
• During the festivities, Lu Mi remains withdrawn. He later receives an unofficial delivery addressed to him.
• Inside are homemade cat teaser wands and a note reading, “Little Black Panther. Happy housewarming.” Lu Mi immediately recognizes Yu Tu’s handwriting.
• The gift causes Lu Mi to break down in tears as he remembers Yu Tu giving him a home and realizes how empty that home feels without him.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Though gravely wounded, Yu Tu remains resourceful and protective. He risks contacting the castle only to reassure Lu Mi, then destroys the communication trail to keep everyone from following him. His handmade gift shows that he still cares deeply for Lu Mi despite his continued absence.
• Lu Mi: He moves from despair and anxiety to relief after learning Yu Tu is alive. His love and dependence on Yu Tu become especially clear: he wants to praise and comfort him, but ultimately cannot reach him. His emotional collapse after receiving the gift reveals that Yu Tu is not merely his partner but the person who gave him a sense of home.
• Cang Qi: His grief over Yu Tu and the losses suffered by the Freedom Squad is evident, but he tries to support Lu Mi with humor and emotional openness.
• Ming Qiuxue and Chang Feng: Their former Imperial Army experience allows them to interpret Yu Tu’s coded message and help Lu Mi understand it.
• Freedom Squad: The group is grieving heavy losses, caring for wounded comrades, and trying to celebrate the founding of Freedom Star despite their sorrow.

Significant Themes

• Hope amid separation: Yu Tu’s brief message proves he is alive, giving Lu Mi and the others hope even though they cannot reunite.
• Love expressed indirectly: Yu Tu cannot speak openly, so he communicates through code and a personal gift. His actions convey affection more powerfully than direct words.
• Home and belonging: Freedom Star’s independence establishes a physical home for the refugees, while Yu Tu’s memories reveal that “home” is also an emotional bond between people.
• Freedom and sacrifice: The creation of an independent planet is achieved alongside immense personal losses, showing the cost of liberation.
• Grief and resilience: The characters continue building a future while mourning absent or fallen comrades.

Character Interactions

• Yu Tu’s coded communication is interpreted by Ming Qiuxue for Lu Mi, allowing Yu Tu to reassure Lu Mi without revealing his location.
• Cang Qi and Lin Luo try to comfort Lu Mi, while Cang Qi openly cries to help him release his emotions.
• Lu Mi observes Ming Qiuxue awkwardly entertaining children during the celebration, briefly finding humor in the scene before retreating.
• Cang Qi delivers Yu Tu’s package to Lu Mi, unknowingly triggering Lu Mi’s deepest memories.
• Lu Mi’s final recollection of Yu Tu promising that “Xiaojiu” now has a home emphasizes their intimate bond and the pain of Yu Tu’s absence.

Chapter Summary: Black Cat Planet

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Tu lands on barren Planet z9560 and enters a hidden underground settlement through a secret stone-door mechanism.
• The settlement houses Drifting Refugees—women, elderly people, and children—whom Yu Tu secretly rescued and supported over several years.
• The children eagerly embrace him, revealing their deep affection and trust despite his intimidating reputation.
• Yu Tu recalls how Lan Xiao discovered the settlement and accused him of plotting treason. During Yu Tu’s interrogation, Lan Xiao forcibly removed his Energy Crystal and threatened to kill him.
• The refugees’ fathers and family members attempted to rescue Yu Tu, knowingly sacrificing their lives in a palace riot. Yu Tu accepted blame for the supposed coup to protect them from being branded traitors.
• The families show Yu Tu the seventy-three letters left by the dead men. Each letter praises Yu Tu as a hero and urges their families to trust and follow him.
• Yu Tu offers to take the refugees to Freedom Star, but they refuse to leave without him. He accepts their decision and declares the barren planet their home.
• Using seeds he buried years earlier and his original power, Yu Tu causes enormous vines to grow across the planet, creating a protective, habitable environment where the refugees can live aboveground.
• He renames the planet Black Cat Planet, after a lost black cat, and vows to find it again.
• The chapter ends with Yu Tu preparing to turn against Lan Xiao, declaring that the weapon Lan Xiao created will now strike him.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: Although physically weakened and emotionally burdened by guilt, Yu Tu’s compassion becomes clear. He has secretly devoted himself to protecting displaced people and refuses to let them suffer political persecution. His interaction with the refugees restores his sense of purpose and strengthens his resolve to oppose Lan Xiao.
• The refugees and children: They view Yu Tu not as a feared commander but as a protector and benefactor. Their loyalty demonstrates their gratitude and willingness to remain with him despite danger.
• The deceased men: Through their letters and sacrifice, they are portrayed as courageous, devoted family members who willingly risked everything to repay Yu Tu’s kindness.
• Lan Xiao: He is revealed as a paranoid and authoritarian ruler who interprets Yu Tu’s humanitarian efforts as treason and treats loyal people as disposable tools.

Significant Themes

• Compassion beneath violence: Yu Tu’s history as a military commander and killer contrasts with his tenderness toward abandoned children and refugees.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: The seventy-three men knowingly sacrifice themselves for Yu Tu, while their families remain loyal to him in return.
• Justice versus authoritarian power: Lan Xiao labels the refugees’ protectors as traitors, while Yu Tu recognizes that the true injustice lies in a system that leaves people homeless.
• Home and belonging: The refugees transform from displaced survivors into a community with a place they can call home.
• Rebirth and hope: The vines turning a dead planet into a living one symbolize Yu Tu’s ability to create life and hope despite oppression and loss.
• Revenge and liberation: Yu Tu’s final declaration marks his transition from Lan Xiao’s weapon to an opponent determined to destroy the ruler who abused him.

Character Interactions

• The children overwhelm Yu Tu with hugs and affection, while their families reassure him that they understand he never forced anyone to follow him.
• The families share the dead men’s letters, allowing Yu Tu to confront both his grief and the love others hold for him.
• Yu Tu and the refugees disagree over leaving for Freedom Star, but their refusal to abandon him ultimately convinces him to let them remain.
• Yu Tu creates the planet’s protective vines for the community, transforming his relationship with them from hidden benefactor to openly acknowledged leader and protector.

Chapter Summary: “Reunion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three years after previous events, the Black Shark Battleship travels through the Galactic Boundary Belt toward Freedom Star. The ship carries more than one hundred Energy Masters and is commanded by the mysterious “Bai Jiu,” who conceals his appearance behind black robes and a mask.
• Black Shark’s AI calculates the fastest route, but Bai Jiu hesitates because the route passes through Freedom Star’s territory. Avoiding it would add seven days to the journey due to increased inspections throughout the Blue River System.
• Despite his concerns, Bai Jiu orders the ship to follow the shortest route, insisting they are only passing through.
• Upon entering Freedom Star’s jurisdiction, the ship is intercepted by a Freedom Army vessel. Rather than requesting the usual transit fee, the officials demand seventy percent of the Ninth Army’s gains from the Galactic Boundary Belt.
• Chen Jun identifies the official behind the demand as Lu Mi, Freedom Star’s prison warden-general, a powerful Diamond-Grade Black Panther.
• Bai Jiu initially reacts angrily and calls Lu Mi suicidal for abusing his authority. However, once he learns Lu Mi is personally involved, his attitude changes abruptly: he orders Chen Jun to pay the seventy percent and charge it to his own account.
• The crew is confused by Bai Jiu’s sudden deference, while he privately becomes increasingly tense as Chen Jun and Wang Mo take too long to return.
• Lu Mi eventually boards the Black Shark Battleship in person. He immediately recognizes that Bai Jiu has hurried into the lounge to avoid meeting him and teasingly remarks that the commander seems eager to “sleep” with him, setting up their reunion.

Character Developments

• Bai Jiu: Remains an authoritative and intimidating commander, but his unusual nervousness around Freedom Star—and especially Lu Mi—reveals a more emotionally vulnerable side. His contradictory reactions show that Lu Mi holds special importance to him.
• Lu Mi: Appears confident, mischievous, and fully aware of his influence over Bai Jiu. His demand for seventy percent seems less like ordinary corruption and more like a deliberate way to force a personal encounter.
• Chen Jun: Acts as a straightforward representative of the Ninth Army. His confusion and disbelief at Bai Jiu’s behavior provide comic relief and highlight how unusual the commander’s response is.
• Black Shark AI: Has been programmed with shifting “character settings” and currently speaks in an excessively cute baby-like voice. Its cheerful behavior contrasts with Bai Jiu’s seriousness and the crew’s tension.

Significant Themes

• Reunion and unresolved feelings: Bai Jiu’s avoidance and Lu Mi’s playful confrontation suggest a complicated relationship and emotional history between them.
• Public authority versus private emotion: Bai Jiu is feared and obeyed as commander, yet Lu Mi can make him visibly anxious and cause him to abandon his usual composure.
• Political tension: Increased patrols and inspections across the Blue River System indicate growing instability beneath its outward calm.
• Comedy through contrast: The AI’s childish voice, the crew’s reactions, and Bai Jiu’s abrupt change in attitude provide humor amid the political and emotional tension.
• Power and personal leverage: Lu Mi uses his official position—and possibly an intentionally inflated “transit fee”—to secure access to Bai Jiu and provoke a reaction.

Character Interactions

• The crew repeatedly complains about Black Shark’s cute voice, while the women aboard enthusiastically defend it.
• Bai Jiu gives orders to the AI and receives playful, overly affectionate responses that frustrate him.
• Chen Jun reports Lu Mi’s demand and challenges the fairness of surrendering seventy percent of their earnings. Bai Jiu dismisses his objections and orders compliance.
• Lu Mi boards the ship and immediately targets Bai Jiu with teasing remarks, exposing their familiarity and establishing the chapter’s central reunion dynamic.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Inside the Ninth Army’s battleship, Lu Mi insults Commander Bai Jiu, provoking the Ninth Army members to draw their weapons and threaten him.
• Lu Mi’s Freedom Army escorts prepare to retaliate, but he stops them. Tension rises as both sides confront one another.
• Bai Jiu unexpectedly orders his soldiers, through a written message, to put away their weapons and politely escort Lu Mi out. Lu Mi interprets this as Bai Jiu yielding without truly surrendering.
• Refusing to leave quietly, Lu Mi demands that Bai Jiu open the door. When Bai Jiu appears, Lu Mi immediately handcuffs him and announces that he is arresting him under Freedom Star’s law for “bullying” an officer.
• The Ninth Army protests, but Bai Jiu calmly admits that he did bully Lu Mi—by lightly kicking him moments earlier—making Lu Mi’s arrest technically lawful.
• Bai Jiu instructs his subordinates to return home and conceal the incident, claiming that he is merely taking a short vacation. Lu Mi then brings him aboard the returning vessel.
• Alone, Lu Mi reveals that Bai Jiu is actually Yu Tu, someone from his painful past. He angrily accuses Yu Tu of avoiding him while sending occasional cat-related messages.
• Yu Tu explains that he never intended to abandon Lu Mi; he wanted to love him openly and “under the sunlight,” rather than make Lu Mi follow him into the darkness of his life.

Character developments

• Lu Mi is shown as fierce, impulsive, and emotionally wounded beneath his intimidating authority. His mockery and arrest are partly a way to force Yu Tu to acknowledge and confront him.
• Yu Tu/Bai Jiu appears controlled, self-sacrificing, and willing to accept humiliation or arrest rather than fight Lu Mi. His confession reveals that his distance came from a desire to protect Lu Mi, not a lack of love.
• The Ninth Army demonstrates intense loyalty to Yu Tu, immediately defending him, but also obeys him without question when he orders them to stand down.
• Luo Wei recognizes the political danger of Lu Mi’s actions and worries that arresting the Ninth Army’s commander could trigger a war.

Significant themes

• Love versus separation: Yu Tu has kept away because he believes his dangerous life would harm Lu Mi, while Lu Mi refuses to accept protection through abandonment.
• Law as an emotional pretext: Lu Mi’s arrest is technically justified but clearly serves as a personal excuse to reclaim contact with Yu Tu.
• Sacrifice and protection: Yu Tu’s decision to remain in “hell” alone reflects his belief that protecting loved ones requires distance.
• Public authority versus private vulnerability: Lu Mi commands respect as Chief Warden, yet breaks down emotionally when confronted with Yu Tu.
• Loyalty and restraint: The Ninth Army is prepared to fight, but Yu Tu’s authority prevents violence, highlighting both their devotion and his control.

Character interactions

• Lu Mi and the Ninth Army clash over their loyalty to Yu Tu, with insults and threats nearly escalating into violence.
• Yu Tu defuses the confrontation by surrendering voluntarily and accepting Lu Mi’s accusation.
• Lu Mi forcefully takes Yu Tu away in handcuffs, reversing their earlier power dynamic.
• In private, their hostility gives way to grief, affection, and emotional honesty. Yu Tu comforts Lu Mi tenderly, while Lu Mi’s anger exposes how deeply he has missed and loved him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi confronts the masked commander Bai Jiu, who is secretly Yu Tu, accusing him of abandoning Lu Mi for the second time and disappearing for three years.
• Lu Mi reveals how deeply Yu Tu’s absence affected him. Unlike their earlier five-year separation—when he knew Yu Tu was safe—these three years were filled with uncertainty and fear.
• Yu Tu struggles to comfort Lu Mi but reassures him through physical affection. Their emotional reunion turns into a passionate, playful exchange of kisses and teasing.
• Lu Mi jokingly treats Yu Tu as his prisoner, calling him “0456” and insisting that Yu Tu can only be punished by him.
• Yu Tu finally repeats the words Lu Mi wanted to hear: “I love you very much.” Lu Mi pretends to remain offended but clearly forgives him and promises to make him regain the weight he lost.
• The chapter briefly shifts into comic, suggestive narration, with Tomato humorously refusing to describe what happens after the reconciliation.
• Yu Tu explains how Lu Mi recognized him: the Ninth Army is led by a commander named Bai Jiu with unknown abilities, but the real giveaway was the army’s unmistakable pink cat-paw flag.
• After their private reunion, Lu Mi publicly keeps up the appearance that Yu Tu is a dangerous prisoner with suspicious motives. He handcuffs him and takes him to his residence for “round-the-clock surveillance.”
• Luo Wei worries about the political consequences of Lu Mi detaining the Ninth Army’s commander. Ming Qiuxue orders him not to interfere, suggesting that Lu Mi may have discovered a serious hidden motive behind the Ninth Army’s visit.
• Ming Qiuxue privately realizes that Yu Tu is the only person capable of making Lu Mi lose his composure so completely.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: His anger is shown to be rooted in fear, grief, and love rather than genuine hostility. He remains proud and sharp-tongued, but his affection and relief become obvious once Yu Tu returns. He also demonstrates his political authority by protecting Yu Tu under the guise of detention.
• Yu Tu: Though emotionally restrained and poor at verbal comfort, he shows sincere devotion through touch and eventually directly confesses his love. His thinner appearance suggests that the past three years have also taken a physical toll on him.
• Luo Wei: He is nervous and confused by Lu Mi’s treatment of Bai Jiu, recognizing that the situation is far more personal and politically dangerous than it appears.
• Ming Qiuxue: He understands Lu Mi’s feelings immediately and adopts a strategically cautious attitude, allowing the detention to continue in case it exposes a threat from the Ninth Army.

Significant Themes

• Love enduring separation: The reunion emphasizes that love can survive years of distance, but uncertainty and not knowing whether someone is safe can be more painful than separation itself.
• Fear beneath anger: Lu Mi’s harsh accusations and playful punishments conceal his terror of losing Yu Tu again.
• Public identity versus private truth: Yu Tu must remain officially known as Commander Bai Jiu, while Lu Mi privately recognizes him as his beloved Yu Tu.
• Protection disguised as punishment: Lu Mi uses his authority to imprison and monitor Yu Tu, but in reality he is keeping him close and shielding him from political consequences.
• Humor amid emotional intensity: Teasing, exaggerated “prisoner” language, the pink flag, and Tomato’s interruptions lighten an otherwise highly emotional reunion.
• Possible political danger: The Ninth Army’s unexplained activity hints that Yu Tu’s return may involve a larger military or conspiratorial plot.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their confrontation quickly becomes an intimate reconciliation. Lu Mi expresses his pain openly, while Yu Tu responds through kisses and a heartfelt confession. Their banter restores their familiar dynamic of mock hostility, affection, and mutual teasing.
• Lu Mi and Luo Wei: Lu Mi dismisses Luo Wei’s concerns and orders him to treat Yu Tu as a highly suspicious prisoner, concealing their true relationship.
• Luo Wei and Ming Qiuxue: Luo Wei seeks guidance about the commander’s detention. Ming Qiuxue reassures him that the situation should be allowed to unfold and hints that the Ninth Army may pose a serious threat.
• Ming Qiuxue and Lu Mi: Though they do not interact directly, Ming Qiuxue understands Lu Mi’s emotional motivation and trusts his instincts enough to let him act.

Chapter Summary: “Yu Tu, You Know I’ll Get Angry.”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Little Seven Castle sets sail, Freedom City is established around it, becoming the home of the Freedom Squad. Lu Mi lives in the city’s tallest residence.
• Yu Tu follows Lu Mi through a private passage to his home. He admires the bright blue sky, the Sky Garden, and the peaceful environment, showing how much he appreciates Lu Mi’s world.
• At the residence, Yu Tu encounters Black Shadow, Lu Mi’s animal-like companion. Lu Mi becomes jealous when Yu Tu shows Black Shadow affection, revealing his possessive and playful attitude.
• Lu Mi unlocks Yu Tu’s restraints and gives him new slippers, allowing him to enter the home freely. Yu Tu notices that the residence is nearly empty and assumes Lu Mi has been poorly paid.
• Yu Tu offers to buy furniture himself, but Lu Mi agrees to furnish the home together, implying that Yu Tu’s arrival has transformed the residence into a true shared home.
• Their reunion quickly becomes emotionally and physically intense. Lu Mi teases Yu Tu about missing him, while Yu Tu admits he has not used suppressants and has struggled to control his desire during their separation.
• Yu Tu retreats to bathe alone because he feels overwhelmed. While in the bathroom, he removes his bandages and clothing, exposing extensive scars covering his body.
• Yu Tu’s Iris-Color Potion begins to wear off, causing his eyes to turn dark red. He deliberately reopens one of his wounds so that White Vine can heal it, suggesting he is concealing both the scars and the healing process.
• Lu Mi discovers him and angrily breaks into the bathroom. Though he initially smiles, his anger and hurt become clear as he confronts Yu Tu for hiding the injuries.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: He appears relaxed and affectionate in Lu Mi’s home, but beneath that comfort he remains deeply damaged and ashamed of his body. His instinct is to hide his wounds and manage them alone, even from Lu Mi. His self-inflicted reopening of the scar suggests a complicated relationship with pain, healing, and secrecy.
• Lu Mi: He is affectionate, teasing, and possessive toward Yu Tu, but his playful behavior shifts into genuine anger when he realizes Yu Tu has concealed severe injuries. His anger stems from concern and emotional pain rather than simple authority or jealousy.
• Black Shadow: The creature’s enthusiastic welcome provides a lighter moment and highlights Lu Mi’s jealousy when Yu Tu gives it attention.
• White Vine: Its healing ability is shown directly, emphasizing Yu Tu’s unusual condition and the supernatural or biological means by which he conceals his injuries.

Significant Themes

• Home and belonging: The empty residence becomes a home only when Yu Tu arrives, emphasizing that emotional connection—not furniture or architecture—creates a sense of belonging.
• Reunion after separation: Yu Tu and Lu Mi’s intense reunion reflects the emotional and physical strain caused by their three years apart.
• Secrecy and vulnerability: Yu Tu hides his scars because he fears Lu Mi’s reaction, showing his difficulty accepting care and exposing his pain.
• Love expressed through anger: Lu Mi’s anger is rooted in fear and concern. His reaction demonstrates how deeply Yu Tu’s suffering affects him.
• Healing versus concealment: Although Yu Tu can heal his wounds, the need to hide and repeatedly manage them suggests that physical healing has not erased his emotional trauma.

Character Interactions

• Yu Tu admires Lu Mi’s home and casually interacts with its plants, while Lu Mi watches him with possessive affection.
• Lu Mi playfully reprimands Yu Tu for favoring Black Shadow, revealing their teasing intimacy.
• Yu Tu worries about Lu Mi’s finances and offers to buy furniture, while Lu Mi reassures him by saying they can choose everything together.
• Their flirtation exposes Yu Tu’s longing and Lu Mi’s awareness of it, but Yu Tu remains embarrassed and overwhelmed.
• The chapter ends with a sharp emotional confrontation: Lu Mi discovers Yu Tu’s scars and demands to know why he hid them, making clear that Yu Tu’s secrecy has wounded him as much as the injuries themselves.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Mi confronts Yu Tu over his secrecy and self-destructive behavior. He drags Yu Tu into a hot shower, punishing and caring for him at the same time.
• Lu Mi makes clear that Yu Tu’s actions hurt him more deeply than any physical mistreatment could. He says Yu Tu may harm or abandon him, but cannot continue destroying himself without explanation.
• After bathing Yu Tu, Lu Mi deliberately frustrates his attempts to seek comfort or intimacy. He restrains Yu Tu to the bed and forces him to endure the effects of his pain and longing without relief.
• During the night, Lu Mi finally expresses the depth of his own suffering. He compares Yu Tu’s silence and disappearances to being trapped in flames, emphasizing that he has been left waiting without knowing whether Yu Tu would return.
• Yu Tu breaks down and apologizes, explaining that he kept Lu Mi away because he wanted to protect him from the deadly path he had chosen.
• Lu Mi demands honesty and sets new conditions for their relationship: Yu Tu must tell him everything, stop disappearing, remain in contact, and never lie to him again.
• Yu Tu agrees and reveals the secrets he has concealed over the past several years, including:
  • The removal of his Diamond-grade Energy Crystal.
  • His connection to the Drifting Refugees and the accusation of treason.
  • His decision to undergo memory alteration before going to Calamity Planet.
  • The existence of Black Cat Planet, which he and his allies secretly claimed.
  • His conflict with Lan Xiao and his inability to kill him because the Violet Slaughter Vine would not attack Lan Xiao.
  • His efforts to build the Ninth Army and destabilize the Blue River System.
• Yu Tu also reveals that he opened a secret Interstellar Alliance Bank account for Lu Mi and transferred money to him regularly. The account now contains slightly more than one hundred million Blue Star Credits, leaving Lu Mi stunned.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu: His emotional defenses collapse. He admits that his secrecy came from a desire to protect Lu Mi, not from a lack of trust or love. He finally accepts that protecting Lu Mi also requires allowing him to understand and share the burden.
• Lu Mi: He moves from anger and deliberate cruelty to vulnerable honesty. Beneath his cold behavior, he is terrified of being abandoned and devastated by Yu Tu’s refusal to let him participate in his life. His demands establish a more open and equal relationship.
• Their relationship: The pair shifts from a painful dynamic based on concealment and waiting toward one based on communication, shared decision-making, and mutual acknowledgment of suffering.

Significant Themes

• Love versus protection: Yu Tu believes love means shielding Lu Mi from danger, while Lu Mi argues that exclusion is another form of harm.
• The cost of secrecy: Yu Tu’s silence protects Lu Mi physically but causes severe emotional damage and makes Lu Mi feel abandoned.
• Shared suffering: Both characters have endured pain—Yu Tu through war, injury, and sacrifice, and Lu Mi through uncertainty, waiting, and helplessness. The chapter insists that neither person’s pain should be dismissed.
• Trust and communication: Lu Mi’s conditions emphasize that intimacy requires honesty, continued contact, and the right to know the truth.
• Sacrifice and self-destruction: Yu Tu has turned himself into a “towering wall” for others, enduring wounds and hardship without proper treatment. The chapter questions whether such sacrifice is noble if it destroys the person making it.
• Power and vulnerability: Although Lu Mi physically controls the situation, his confession reveals emotional vulnerability, while Yu Tu—despite his military strength—becomes helpless when confronted with Lu Mi’s pain.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi alternates between harsh punishment, practical caretaking, and emotional confession, showing that his anger comes from love and fear rather than indifference.
• Yu Tu repeatedly apologizes and submits to Lu Mi’s demands, but the important change is that he eventually speaks openly instead of hiding behind vague promises.
• Their conversation transforms physical tension into emotional confrontation: Lu Mi forces Yu Tu to recognize that he is not the only one suffering.
• The chapter ends on a lighter note when Lu Mi learns that Yu Tu has secretly supported him financially, humorously revealing that Lu Mi has been unknowingly living off Yu Tu’s money while their larger emotional conflict remains unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Yan Mei, an Old Acquaintance?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three days after reuniting with Yu Tu, Lu Mi is physically exhausted from their intense relationship but still struggles to leave him.
• Lu Mi finds Yu Tu resting in the sunroom he designed for him. Although Yu Tu is eager to continue, Lu Mi insists that he sleep while Lu Mi returns to work.
• Lu Mi orders his pet mech, Black Shadow, to guard Yu Tu and forbids it from entering the sunroom. Their exchange is comedic and jealous, with Lu Mi insisting that Yu Tu belongs to him.
• At Commander Ming Qiuxue’s office, Lu Mi complains about Ming’s single status and is embarrassed when Ming reminds him of his past dependence on Vicks’s medicinal tonics during his recovery.
• Lu Mi and Ming then discuss political developments. Yu Tu has revealed that unrest between planets is growing and that the Blue River System may soon become unstable.
• Lu Mi suggests contacting Yan Mei, director-general of the Blue Star Prison Directorate. Yan Mei was responsible for Yu Tu’s transfer to Calamity Planet Prison and appears to know about Lu Mi.
• Because Yan Mei may not be completely loyal to Lan Xiao, Lu Mi proposes using him as a possible opening against Lan Xiao’s regime. Ming agrees to discuss the idea with Lan Su.
• After Lu Mi leaves, Ming privately smokes a cigar and reflects uneasily on Yan Mei’s involvement, ending with the remark that Yan Mei should have stayed out of the coming conflict.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: Reveals a softer, domestic side through his concern for Yu Tu’s sleep, comfort, meals, and household needs. He is also openly possessive and proud of their relationship. Despite his playful behavior, he remains politically perceptive and quickly recognizes Yan Mei’s potential importance.
• Yu Tu: Appears affectionate, physically eager, and emotionally dependent on Lu Mi. His innocent manner contrasts with his overwhelming vitality and strength. His information about Yan Mei and the political unrest becomes crucial to the larger plot.
• Ming Qiuxue: Continues to act as Lu Mi’s calm, sarcastic counterpart, but his private reaction shows that he views Yan Mei as a serious and potentially dangerous factor. His smoking suggests anxiety and unresolved concern.
• Black Shadow: Acts comically jealous of Yu Tu and highlights Lu Mi’s possessiveness. It also remains loyal and protective, accepting Lu Mi’s order to guard Yu Tu.
• Yan Mei: Though absent from the chapter, he is established as a politically influential figure with uncertain loyalties and a past connection to Yu Tu’s transfer.

Significant Themes

• Love, possessiveness, and domestic intimacy: Lu Mi’s relationship with Yu Tu is portrayed through teasing, physical exhaustion, caretaking, and jealousy.
• Recovery and renewed life: Lu Mi’s return to work and vitality contrasts with his former weakened state, which Ming recalls through the medicinal-tonic joke.
• Political instability and revolution: The growing unrest among planets signals that the characters’ personal reunion is occurring alongside an approaching upheaval.
• Uncertain loyalties: Yan Mei’s possible independence from Lan Xiao introduces the theme of hidden alliances and political maneuvering.
• Humor amid danger: Sexual jokes, teasing, and Black Shadow’s jealousy lighten a chapter that otherwise advances serious revolutionary planning.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi and Yu Tu: Their affectionate but playful exchange shows Yu Tu’s eagerness and Lu Mi’s exhaustion, tenderness, and authority.
• Lu Mi and Black Shadow: Lu Mi scolds the mech for being jealous and orders it to protect Yu Tu, creating a humorous owner-pet dynamic.
• Lu Mi and Ming Qiuxue: Their banter shifts from personal mockery to strategic discussion. Ming embarrasses Lu Mi over his past, while Lu Mi brings forward the key proposal concerning Yan Mei.
• Ming Qiuxue and Yan Mei: They do not meet directly, but Ming’s final monologue reveals apprehension about Yan Mei entering the political conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Brother Is So Delicate”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving Ming Qiuxue, Lu Mi visits Central Prison on Freedom Star, where former First Prison officers are training.
• He performs an exaggerated series of exercises with ease, then taunts the officers for being unable to match him. His unusually smug and energetic behavior makes them suspect something is wrong.
• Lu Mi encounters two children skipping school and scares them into running away, interpreting their reaction as proof that Freedom Star’s children are enthusiastic about studying.
• He returns home with cooking supplies and discovers Yu Tu waiting inside. Lu Mi refuses to let Black Shadow, the black panther mecha, enter because he considers the house private.
• Yu Tu acts dependent and delicate, asking Lu Mi to care for him. Lu Mi willingly dresses him, puts on his socks, and carries him around, revealing his growing tenderness and protectiveness.
• Furniture Yu Tu ordered has arrived. Although Yu Tu did not pay without permission, the order costs 436,800 Blue Star Credits—far more than Lu Mi has available.
• Refusing to use Yu Tu’s money, Lu Mi asks Ming Qiuxue for an emergency loan of 200,000 credits. Ming Qiuxue reluctantly transfers the money, privately questioning why he remains friends with Lu Mi.
• Lu Mi pays for the furniture, and the previously empty residence begins to feel like a shared home.

Character Developments

• Lu Mi: Displays an unusually cheerful, cocky, and affectionate side after bringing Yu Tu home. He is attentive toward Yu Tu but insists on maintaining pride and financial independence, refusing to rely on Yu Tu’s money.
• Yu Tu: Behaves sweetly and helplessly, enjoying Lu Mi’s care. He takes initiative in making the house more comfortable by ordering furniture, while still respecting Lu Mi’s instruction not to spend money without permission.
• Ming Qiuxue: Continues to be exasperated by Lu Mi’s demands but ultimately helps him. His internal reaction shows reluctant loyalty and affection beneath his annoyance.
• Black Shadow: Is comically excluded from the home and reacts with offended dignity, emphasizing the playful domestic atmosphere.
• Prison officers: Notice Lu Mi’s strange new energy and speculate humorously about its cause, unknowingly recognizing his romantic happiness.

Significant Themes

• Domestic intimacy: The chapter shifts from prison life and public authority to the private routines of a couple building a home together.
• Pride versus dependence: Lu Mi wants to care for Yu Tu and support the household himself, even when he lacks the money to do so.
• Healing and renewed happiness: After years of emotional hardship, Lu Mi’s teasing, warmth, and excitement suggest he is beginning to recover and embrace companionship.
• Found family and home: Furnishing the residence transforms it from an empty assigned house into a genuine shared home.
• Comedy through contrast: Lu Mi’s fearsome reputation contrasts with his tender caretaking, financial embarrassment, and childish teasing.

Character Interactions

• Lu Mi mocks the prison officers, while they privately discuss his abnormal behavior.
• He intimidates the children in a misguided attempt at friendliness.
• Yu Tu clings to Lu Mi, kisses his energy crystal, and persuades him to carry out every small task, while Lu Mi indulges him.
• Lu Mi and Yu Tu coordinate over the furniture delivery, with Yu Tu waiting obediently for permission to pay.
• Lu Mi turns to Ming Qiuxue for financial help, producing a humorous exchange that highlights their brother-like bond and Ming Qiuxue’s long-suffering loyalty.

Chapter Summary — Wind Rises

Plot Points and Events

• On Blue Star, Queen Mother Elisa celebrates her fiftieth birthday at Blue River Palace. Although the palace is filled with officials, music, and festivities, Emperor Lan Xiao is increasingly restless because Yan Mei is being held in the heavily guarded Cloud Palace.
• Lan Xiao abruptly leaves the birthday celebration to return to Cloud Palace.
• Meanwhile, Yan Mei manipulates a drunken young nobleman into approaching him. When the man calls him a “Little Fox,” Yan Mei angrily stomps him and then stages an intimate-looking scene, pretending to flirt with the nobleman.
• Lan Xiao arrives, sees Yan Mei apparently involved with another man, and attacks in a jealous rage, killing the nobleman before realizing Yan Mei engineered the situation.
• Yan Mei openly mocks Lan Xiao and admits that he set the trap. Lan Xiao orders him taken back into custody and commands that the dead nobleman be buried secretly to prevent scandal.
• On Freedom Star, Yu Tu’s expensive new holographic television arrives. Lu Mi is dismayed to discover that the purchase has emptied his savings.
• Lu Mi first asks Ming Qiuxue for another loan, but Ming refuses. He then requests two years of salary in advance from Lan Su, learning that Ming Qiuxue has also requested an advance.
• Lan Su approves the payment, and Vicks transfers the money. Because Lu Mi failed to request confidentiality, Vicks becomes concerned that he is experiencing financial or personal difficulties and asks Lin Luo to check on him.
• Yu Tu activates the television’s childlike artificial intelligence, OO, and has it play news broadcasts. Lu Mi jokingly asks for adult entertainment, but OO explains that it is too young to search for such material for another ten years.
• Yu Tu suggests buying an adult AI instead, but Lu Mi embarrassedly refuses. At the end of the chapter, Yu Tu suddenly notices something on the news that captures his attention.

Character Developments

• Lan Xiao is shown to be deeply jealous and emotionally reactive despite his position as emperor. His anxiety over Yan Mei’s presence and his violent reaction reveal how strongly Yan Mei affects him.
• Yan Mei remains mischievous, provocative, and psychologically manipulative. He deliberately exploits Lan Xiao’s jealousy, while also showing his pride and fiery temper when insulted.
• Lu Mi is revealed to be financially impulsive and somewhat embarrassed by his dependence on others. Nevertheless, he maintains his pride, insists he can repay the money, and believes he can earn quickly through private work.
• Yu Tu is caring and indulgent toward Lu Mi, buying expensive technology and feeding him personally. He is also practical and financially secure, treating the costly television as insignificant.
• Ming Qiuxue is portrayed as blunt and unwilling to lend money, though his own request for an advance suggests he may share Lu Mi’s financial strain.
• Vicks and Lin Luo demonstrate concern for Lu Mi, remembering his past emotional breakdown and taking his salary advance as a possible warning sign.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and emotional vulnerability: Lan Xiao’s imperial authority cannot protect him from jealousy, and Yan Mei intentionally weaponizes that weakness.
• Power and manipulation: Yan Mei controls the situation through performance and deception, showing that emotional influence can challenge political power.
• Pride versus dependence: Lu Mi struggles with accepting financial help, highlighting his desire for independence despite his current reliance on colleagues and Yu Tu.
• Care beneath comic behavior: The humorous domestic scenes reveal genuine concern and affection among Yu Tu, Lu Mi, Vicks, and Lin Luo.
• Technology and changing society: The advanced holographic television and growing AI reflect the futuristic setting, while OO provides comic relief through its childlike restrictions.

Character Interactions

• Lan Xiao and Yan Mei’s confrontation is the chapter’s central interaction: Yan Mei teases and provokes him, while Lan Xiao responds with possessiveness and violence.
• Lu Mi’s failed request to Ming Qiuxue and successful request to Lan Su emphasize the contrast between blunt refusal and formal support.
• Vicks and Lin Luo discuss Lu Mi’s welfare, showing that his companions quietly monitor and care about him.
• Yu Tu and Lu Mi share a domestic, affectionate dynamic, with Yu Tu indulging Lu Mi while Lu Mi handles daily care such as cooking and feeding him.
• Yu Tu, Lu Mi, and OO create a comic sequence that ends with Yu Tu’s attention being drawn to important breaking news.

Chapter Summary: “Under Currents”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A mechanical news host reports several sensational stories, including the death of Simutan, the only son of Duke Otto of Tamu Planet. Simutan’s body was reportedly buried in the rear garden of Blue River Palace.
• Yu Tu explains that Simutan’s death is politically significant. Tamu Planet contains the Blue River System’s largest Psionic Crystal Ore mine, and Duke Otto has long been hostile toward Emperor Lan Xiao after losing control of the planet’s profits.
• Simutan had effectively been kept on Blue Star as a hostage to restrain Otto. His death could push Otto into rebellion and destabilize the empire.
• Yu Tu orders Lu Mi to contact Ming Qiuxue and have him trace the source of the news report.
• Ming Qiuxue activates a secret operative or system designated 005. The source is identified as Yan Mei.
• At Cloud Palace, Queen Mother Elisa demands Yan Mei’s execution, accusing him of causing Simutan’s death. Yan Mei claims Simutan tried to molest him and argues that Emperor Lan Xiao killed Simutan while administering justice.
• Lan Xiao removes Elisa from the palace and orders the guards replaced and doubled, treating the situation as a serious security threat.
• Once alone, Yan Mei drops his tearful act and reveals that he is waiting expectantly for Elisa, suggesting he has a hidden plan or intends to provoke further conflict.

Character Developments

• Yu Tu demonstrates his strategic intelligence and political awareness. He immediately recognizes Simutan’s death as a possible trigger for rebellion rather than an ordinary murder.
• Lu Mi is initially playful and jealous, but quickly understands Yu Tu’s explanation and proves capable of grasping the political implications. His mood darkens when Yu Tu leaves, hinting at insecurity or resentment connected to his shackles and limited freedom.
• Ming Qiuxue continues to act as Yu Tu’s reliable agent. He infers that Yu Tu has maintained hidden networks on Blue Star and reacts strongly upon learning that Yan Mei released the news.
• Yan Mei presents himself as helpless and victimized, but his theatrical crying and final expression reveal a calculating, manipulative personality.
• Lan Xiao appears pressured by the competing demands of political stability, his mother Elisa, and Yan Mei. He responds by tightening security rather than openly clarifying Simutan’s death.
• Elisa is portrayed as domineering and furious, demanding immediate punishment while struggling to control events within the palace.

Significant Themes

• Political instability beneath ordinary news: A seemingly simple death carries consequences involving military power, resource control, imperial authority, and possible rebellion.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Characters conceal their true intentions behind public performances, especially Yan Mei’s feigned tears and Yu Tu’s indirect investigation.
• Information as power: The real-time news broadcast, secret operatives, and tracing of the report’s source show how control of information shapes political action.
• Power and coercion: Simutan served as a political hostage, while Lu Mi’s shackles symbolize the personal control and unequal power within his relationship with Yu Tu.
• Public appearance versus reality: The palace’s official narrative, Yan Mei’s accusations, and Lan Xiao’s actions all obscure what truly happened.

Character Interactions

• Yu Tu and Lu Mi: Their exchange combines affection, teasing, and strategic discussion. Yu Tu kisses and praises Lu Mi while explaining the political situation, but Lu Mi becomes uneasy when Yu Tu withdraws and focuses on political matters.
• Lu Mi and Ming Qiuxue: Lu Mi contacts Ming Qiuxue on Yu Tu’s behalf, using crude humor while conveying the serious request to investigate the report.
• Ming Qiuxue and Yu Tu’s hidden network: Ming activates 005, confirming that Yu Tu’s influence and contingency plans survived the earlier purge.
• Yan Mei and Elisa: Their confrontation is openly hostile. Elisa demands Yan Mei’s death, while Yan Mei insults her and provocatively claims innocence.
• Yan Mei and Lan Xiao: Yan Mei hides behind Lan Xiao and relies on him for protection, while Lan Xiao appears increasingly frustrated but still shields him.
• Lan Xiao and Elisa: Lan Xiao restrains his mother and escorts her away, then strengthens Cloud Palace’s security, showing both filial conflict and imperial authority.