Chapter 87: Detoxification

"No, no, I don't want to," Dongguan whined, finally finding an excuse to cling to Mu You. She had spent so much energy healing his battered body that she now grew weary and began to act spoiled.

Right Ba's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked with rage at the spectacle.

No one expected Dongguan to behave so coquettishly in front of everyone. Who exactly was Mu You, to have earned such favor?

"Is it really alright for you to act so spoiled and willful?" Mu You, noticing the breath of the condemned prisoners fading as they listened intently to their conversation, asked helplessly.

"What do I care? Even if it's not alright, so what? I'm the strongest here; no one dares to defy me, nor could they if they tried. Whether I make it public or not, it makes no difference to me." As she spoke, Dongguan lifted her finger and tapped Mu You's nose with affectionate tenderness.

"You may not care, but you've brought me trouble for no reason, you know?" Mu You glanced at Right Ba, then at the assembled condemned prisoners, appearing unconcerned as he chided Dongguan.

"Isn't that a good thing? Now you have motivation to become stronger," Dongguan replied, raising her hands. The cherry-blossom-patterned phoenix butterflies on her skin shattered into countless crystalline fragments, sweeping over all the condemned prisoners.

The markings on her thighs, chest, and abdomen faded away, and the condemned prisoners gradually regained the ability to move.

"Thirty seconds. Disappear immediately. If anyone dares linger, they'll get extra punishment!" At her words, everyone scrambled to their feet. The other instructors instantly vanished from sight, leaving only Right Ba, who glared at Mu You and Dongguan, stomped his foot in frustration, and then disappeared as well.

As for the condemned prisoners, none dared linger a moment longer. They fled in utter panic, crawling and stumbling away.

"Boss..." He Jing and the others, seeing Mu You and Dongguan in this position, were at a loss.

She was the woman even the instructors feared, and Mu You, their boss, had pulled off something extraordinary! From the looks exchanged between Xu Chen and the small-eyed prisoner, Mu You sensed deep admiration; both gazed at him with awe, as if he were the epitome of wild, cool arrogance. Mu You sighed to himself—his youthful innocence was forever lost.

Wan Yan Cang and the other floor leaders of the condemned prisoners stared at the pair as if they'd seen ghosts. Others might not understand Dongguan, but these veteran prisoners knew her as domineering, capricious, and moody. Seeing Mu You's weary, almost indifferent expression, they sincerely gave him a thumbs-up.

At that moment, Hu Lei, holding the weakened Xuan Yao, looked at Mu You with a complicated expression. Mu You met his gaze, neither speaking. In the end, Hu Lei withdrew his gaze first, nodded to Mu You, and quickly left.

The last to depart was An Ruxiang, who ignored Mu You entirely and vanished in an instant like the instructors.

Thirty seconds later, only Mu You and Dongguan remained in the desolate ruins.

"Are you satisfied?" Mu You broke the silence first.

"It'll do..." Dongguan murmured, enjoying Mu You's embrace.

"It'll do?!" Mu You raised an eyebrow, exasperated. "You've just announced to everyone that I'm your personal boy toy. That's one thing, but how am I supposed to explain myself to those around me? You must know about the battle earlier—I can't betray them."

"Do you like those two?" Dongguan asked bluntly.

"Uh..." Mu You was momentarily at a loss.

"See? It's simple. There's nothing to feel guilty about when feelings are mutual. If others willingly treat you well, that's their choice. As for what you do, no one has the right to interfere. To survive, one must... look upward." Dongguan lifted Mu You's chin, hinting meaningfully.

Mu You gazed earnestly at Dongguan, as if pondering something, but said nothing.

"Do you like me?" Dongguan asked again, seriously.

"I don't." This time, Mu You answered with absolute certainty.

Dongguan laughed, as if expecting this answer, utterly unoffended. "That's exactly the kind of reckless, independent spirit I like. But after being so good to you, your denial does sting a little..."

"It's not quite like that," Mu You retorted, shaking off Dongguan's hand with a mischievous grin. "Being able to speak honestly to you, that's the greatest respect and sincerity I can offer. In this condemned playground, there can't be too many who treat you so genuinely, like a real younger brother."

As he spoke, his powerful chest muscles twitched. Dongguan's cheek pressed against them, and she let out a soft cry as sweat broke out across her body.

"You're too wicked!"

Dongguan hadn't expected Mu You's chest to be so firm now, and her body couldn't withstand such playful teasing.

"How could I compare with you, big sister? In front of so many people, you branded me as a pretty boy. Shouldn't I get a little interest in return?"

Dongguan, flustered by his antics, calmed herself before countering, "This goes both ways. Why not mention that they might think I've made you my exclusive plaything?"

"It's simple... You're stronger than me," Mu You replied, enunciating each word.

Dongguan fell silent, lying atop Mu You and taking in his youthful scent.

A rare moment of peace settled between them.

"What are you doing?" Mu You asked, noticing Dongguan limp and breathless, as if she were entering a peculiar state.

"Sweating, detoxifying," Dongguan murmured, then perked up with renewed curiosity. "Wait, with your personality, when I tease you like this, shouldn't you grab me and ravage me like last time? Why are you behaving so properly today?"

Mu You inhaled deeply and replied, "Because your legs have been pressing down on my hands this whole time."

Dongguan let out a soft "oh," realizing her mistake, and shifted to release Mu You's blood-starved hands, flashing him a sly smile.

"Sorry about that~~~"

Mu You flexed his aching wrists, and, catching Dongguan off guard, pulled her tightly beneath him.

The sudden movement left Dongguan stunned, as if she’d hoisted a stone only to drop it on her own foot.

"What are you doing?!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Nothing—just helping you detox."

Mu You grinned with roguish charm, but his hands didn't stray. Dongguan relaxed, but then spotted a wicked glint in his smile. Suddenly, his chest muscles began to bounce, pinning Dongguan even more tightly.

"No! Stop!"

Dongguan's cry rang out once more, echoing across the sky...