Always a step behind and a dollar short.

Death Prison Paradise, the Dreamshatter Workshop.

Crack!

“Beautiful shot!” You Tong called out.

Beneath a shimmering crystal chandelier, two peak S-rank death-row inmates strolled leisurely around a dark, matte-finished solid-wood billiards table, chatting and laughing as they played. The place was vast beyond measure, equipped with every kind of entertainment imaginable. Even the pleasures of high society were available here, so long as one had enough Points.

The luxurious and tranquil Dreamshatter Workshop existed solely for the inmates of Death Prison Paradise to unwind and vent themselves. Its entrance requirement: S-rank.

“That girl Ye Xi has been gone forever. Why hasn’t she settled things yet?”

Fei Mo took another shot, then turned and focused his gaze on a single point in space, as though his eyes could pierce through layer upon layer of walls and descend upon some distant location.

“Heh. Do you really expect that sweet, airheaded little fool to stop a fully unleashed Tiantong? It’s nighttime now. That sleepyhead’s biological clock is completely different from an ordinary person’s. At this hour, she’s probably excited enough to wipe out an entire army. How exactly is Ye Xi supposed to stop her?”

You Tong gave Fei Mo a scornful yet helpless look. He truly could not understand why the man trusted everyone around him so unconditionally. Even when someone seemed utterly unreliable, Fei Mo still dared to entrust them with his life.

You Tong had always marveled—and would continue to marvel—that Comrade Fei Mo was still alive. It was practically one of the Eight Wonders of Death Prison Paradise.

In fact, You Tong had once submitted a proposal to the planning department of Death Prison Paradise, attaching numerous examples of the miracles proving that Comrade Fei Mo was protected by heaven. To his surprise, Mo Han had actually approved it. Thus, the Seven Wonders of Death Prison Paradise gained a new entry:

Wherever Fei Mo stands, there is always a place of unwavering loyalty behind him.

That incident became one of the greatest jokes of You Tong’s life. No matter what desperate situation he and Fei Mo encountered on a mission, the moment he thought of that joke, regardless of the time, place, or occasion—even while serving as a congressional mole and preparing to assassinate someone at an international assembly attended by tens of thousands—You Tong would burst out laughing just as he raised the tip of his blade.

As a result, the two of them had found themselves in mortal peril more than once.

“It’s fine.” Fei Mo wore a black tank top. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel draped over his shoulder, took a drink of water, and said with absolute confidence, “I believe in her. If it’s her, she’ll definitely be able to do it.”

“I really don’t understand…” You Tong spun his cue with practiced elegance, then planted its butt on the floor to support part of his weight. His brow furrowed so tightly it looked capable of crushing a king crab. “Do you trust everyone around you as much as you’d trust your own mother?”

“Of course. In Death Prison Paradise, anyone who isn’t worthy of my trust won’t even get close to me…” Fei Mo’s ever-smirking lips curved upward. A trace of demonic coldness entered his playful expression. “I’ll have killed them first. So everyone around me is absolutely safe.”

As he spoke, Fei Mo returned to his usual carefree manner. He patted You Tong’s slightly dazed cheek, then suddenly remembered something and added, “I don’t have a mother. That pleasure-seeking woman was killed by me a long time ago, in the bed of some strange man. I heard he was a high-ranking official. It caused quite a stir back then; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been sent here. I avenged my father by dealing with that useless coward, and he actually betrayed me afterward! So he died too.”

Fei Mo shrugged, as though he were talking about something utterly insignificant.

“That was the day I swore I would never allow an untrustworthy beast to remain at my side. If there ever was one, there would be only one possible fate for them—death!”

Fei Mo gently laid the cue on the billiards table. It struck the wooden rail with a crisp sound, his words ringing with finality.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me any of this before?” You Tong asked, abandoning his usual proud reserve. His eyes reddened as he looked at Fei Mo.

“If I had told you before, would you have… felt sorry for me like this?” Fei Mo pressed You Tong against the billiards table and gazed at his tearful, bashful expression with immense amusement.

“You’re impossible. Get off me, quickly. What if someone sees us? Why have you become so shameless?”

“Have I? You’ve forgotten how the two of us broke through to peak S-rank together? That was an entire major realm. You were very happy that night, weren’t you?”

Fei Mo continued teasing him without mercy, lowering himself further. You Tong half-heartedly pushed at him, then closed his eyes. Their lips were just about to meet when the wall beside them exploded.

“Ah! I’m furious, furious, furious, furious! I’ve never been this furious in my life! Ye Xi, you actually threatened to curse me into letting those little pests below A-rank go! And I didn’t dare refuse! I’m terrified of your cursed words, all right? What an incredible entertainment opportunity! The Immoral Story! It only happens once a year in Death Prison Paradise, and you, you hopelessly innocent idiot, ruined the whole thing!”

A petite figure in deep purple kicked through the wall and strode inside. As she entered, another voice came from behind her.

“I’m sorry.”

The newcomer had short, refreshingly neat hair and a tall, graceful figure. Her pure black dress fluttered briskly around her legs, while her colorless gleaming armor blended naturally and harmoniously with its surroundings, as though she could merge into the environment at any moment. Her timid gaze was as clear as water, her beauty fresh and unadorned.

Unlike the purple-haired girl’s fury, the black-haired girl looked deeply apologetic.

“Uh…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

The two men froze at the sight before them.

“I’m sorry. We walked into the wrong scene. Please, carry on. Go ahead.”

Tiantong tossed her long, dark-purple hair and immediately dragged the bewildered Ye Xi away. They vanished from the spot.

“Let go of me!” You Tong cried, red-faced.

Fei Mo obeyed at once, an awkward expression spreading across his face.

A moment later—

“Ahahahahahaha! Oh, I can’t—my little Fei Mo, my little You Tong! Who would have thought? Who could have imagined it? Ahahahahaha!”

Tiantong slapped her thighs as she laughed, pointing at the two of them with tears in her eyes and the smug expression of someone who had just triumphed over her enemies.

“That’s enough! How long are you going to keep laughing?”

“That’s enough! When exactly are you planning to stop?”

Fei Mo and You Tong shouted the same words at once, unable to bear it any longer. They exchanged a glance, and both their faces flushed scarlet.

“Oh, look at you two, growing bold! I know your little Brokeback Mountain secret is important, yet you still dare talk to me like that. Which one of you was it who had Ye Xi threaten to curse me and force me to come back?”

Tiantong’s pretty face turned cold. She stared at Fei Mo with sinister intent.

Fei Mo fell silent.

“Oh, now I remember! That threat was aimed at me! I was terrified, absolutely terrified. Good heavens, I was truly scared out of my wits.”

You Tong had finally had enough of Tiantong’s delight at having discovered a new continent. Nevertheless, he restrained his impatience and asked curiously, “What did Fei Mo have Ye Xi threaten you with? Given Ye Xi’s personality, she surely wouldn’t know what your weak point was.”

“Oh, right! I’d forgotten all about that. It makes me furious! Ye Xi, tell him yourself. Brother Fei Mo, you’re vicious.”

Seeing Tiantong become so incoherent with rage, You Tong grew even more curious and turned toward Ye Xi.

“I’m sorry. I was only trying to frighten her. I told her I would curse her so that she would never get anything while it was still hot—even when eating filth. Oh, Fei Mo taught me that.”

The moment Ye Xi finished speaking, all three of them turned toward Fei Mo with dark, expressionless faces.