Chapter 81: The Prison

Chapter 81: The Prison

In the hierarchy of the military prison, Lu Tianxing was not considered a highly "dangerous" inmate.

His mental power ranked at B, and he had no physical training. Despite the severity of his crimes, he exhibited no violent tendencies and possessed low combat capabilities.

"The prisoner, Lu Tianxing, requests an unmonitored visit," the guard informed, gesturing towards the adjacent meeting room. "The glass surrounding it is soundproof, and we will constantly monitor the situation inside. Should any abnormal behavior arise, we will intervene immediately."

"Additionally... according to regulations, in case of any uncontrollable conflict during the meeting, your battle pet must remain outside."

Wolf: "Awooo!"

Ayin was quite reluctant.

Rong Mi had managed to convince Lu Yi to allow the meeting with Lu Tianxing, despite the wolf's attempt earlier that morning to pull the young man back into the house. Now, being denied entry into the meeting room, the wolf was even more unwilling.

"Don't be nervous," Rong Mi patted the wolf's head, his gaze sweeping over the security robots in the prison corridor and the guards stationed everywhere.

He could sense that the entire prison was equipped with energy suppression facilities. Even if a conflict were to break out within its walls, it would be challenging for it to escalate out of control.

Rong Mi: "Be a good Ayin, wait here for me."

Wolf: "..." Howl.

The wolf then stood still outside the glass wall of the visiting room, watching Rong Mi push open the door to the chamber alone.

The interview room's door swung open from the outside, and Lu Tianxing, shackled with mental restraints on both his wrists and ankles, lifted his head from the chair.

He appeared significantly thinner than the last time Rong Mi had seen him, with faint sunken eye sockets. The refined demeanor he once possessed seemed to have been eroded by the torture. As he appraised Rong Mi, his gaze held an unnoticeable hint of neurosis, accompanied by a subtle quirk of his lips.

Rong Mi takes a seat before him.

"I'm quite curious as to why you've sought me out," the young man says casually, breaking the silence first.

Lu Tianxing studies him for a moment before his lips curve into a smile.

"It's because it seems you have a great interest in Lu Yi."

"Xiao Yi also appears to be very concerned about you."

"Performance," Lu Tianxing repeated.

"You've noticed it, haven't you?" he continued. "No matter how much he cares for you, when it comes to you as an individual... versus the so-called humanity, he'll always choose humanity."

Rong Mi pondered carefully.

"If you're referring to your loved ones sacrificing themselves in the battle against the Ice Butterflies... I believe that if Lu Yi had a choice, he would rather have been the one to go into battle back then."

"But humans simply don't possess the ability to divide."

"Both Lu Yi's mother and your wife knew what they were facing when they went to the war zone."

"You seem to have difficulty comprehending Lu Yi's pain."

"Or perhaps it's because you yourself are unable to fight the Ice Butterflies, unable to declare war on the true enemy, that you resort to finding scapegoats in a twisted mindset."

A sarcastic smile tugged at Lu Tianxing's lips.

"I don't think Xiao Yi genuinely feels pain anymore. Whether it was my sister leaving us or my wife leaving me... I was once enraged by these losses, but they no longer hold significance to me."

"I want him to pay with his life."

"If you're unwilling, then bear the consequences in his stead."

"The thing he cares about most is the Human Federation..."

"The price to lift the Ice Butterfly poison from him and let him live... would be the fragmentation of the very Federation he loves."

"Is this the price you're willing to pay?"

"And if not, that's fine too." Lu Tianxing fixed his gaze on Rong Mi, his smile widening. "He'll suffer a slow and painful death, more so than my wife or my sister did... The Ice Butterfly poison will make him wish for death itself."

"No one will choose him over the Federation, just as he didn't choose my loved one..."

"Wait a moment." Rong Mi couldn't endure it any longer, interrupting Lu Tianxing's deranged rambling.

"It's hard for me to imagine," the young man said, his tone casual as ever. Only those who knew him well could discern the icy fury hidden deep within his dark pupils.

Lu Tianxing failed to notice the shift in Rong Mi's demeanor, only hearing the question, "What makes the Ice Butterfly poison you injected into Lu Yi so special that it requires the destruction of the Federation to neutralize?"

Lu Tianxing raised a smile.

A complicated expression, blending pride, fear, and admiration, appeared on his face. Rong Mi suddenly had an idea and spoke before Lu Tianxing could, "Chengdie?"

The young man's thoughts were swift.

"You've met Cecil," he stated confidently. "Your mental energy poison... is it related to Chengdie's mental energy?"

"...That was a great Sovereign," Lu Tianxing said. "Lord Cecil... he will bring about the destruction of the Federation."

"But it will bring a new future for humanity!"

"The old order will be shattered, and a new world will rise."

"The Ice Butterfly's genes merged with humans, freeing us from worries of mental domain diseases, cosmic radiation-induced illnesses during interstellar exploration, mental energy disorders from excessive combat, and the shortage or inadequacy of therapists leading to preventable deaths."

"Lord Cecil granted me a strand of mental energy, from which I extracted a highly concentrated special Ice Butterfly toxin. I tailored it to Lu Yi's body data and mental energy patterns."

"That toxin isn't just in his body, harming his organs. If not removed promptly, it will eventually enter his mental domain... Oh right, you're his therapist."

Lu Tianxing sneered. "Old Master Lu has placed all his hopes on you to cure Lu Yi."

"But what can a fifty percent compatibility of mental energy do? Not to mention your mental strength is so high."

"As an exceptionally talented mecha pilot, you're destined not to become an excellent healer."

"Did you enter his mental domain? You couldn't soothe him effectively, could you? Let alone remove the insectoid poison..."

The information about Rong Mi's ability to heal Lu Yi's mental domain had never been disclosed.

The young man leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and watched Lu Tianxing's outburst with a cold gaze.

"If you want to save him and completely eliminate the mental energy within his body and mind, you'll need Lord Cecil to personally come and release its unique mental energy threads into Lu Yi's mental domain to absorb the poison."

"How do you propose we achieve that?" Lu Tianxing asked with a smile. "You have to find Cecil's fragments of mental energy without attacking it."

"Will the military cooperate, or do you plan to carry this out secretly on your own?"

"How will you ensure that Lu Yi's mental domain remains his own? What will you offer in exchange for Lord Cecil's assistance?"

Rong Mi let out a soft sound but didn't respond. Lu Tianxing leaned forward, feigning concern. "I could offer you some advice."

"You might stumble upon unexpected discoveries near the outermost boundaries of Zone 3's AE sector."

"Lord Cecil is after the Federation, not the destruction of humanity. Trading vital information about the Federation for Lord Cecil's aid could be an option..."

"If you feel that you can't do it alone, you can seek allies."

"Lu Yi has some close friends... You've probably already met them, like the former military genius mecha pilot, Gu Hong, or Chen Mo from the Spiritual Power Research Institute."

"Of course, they also cherish the Federation, so you might not be able to tell them the whole truth. But for Lu Yi, they'd be willing to bend their principles..."

"You don't have to do that," Lu Tianxing observed, understanding Rong Mi's silence. He nodded and continued, "You could try waiting to see if the current medication can cure Lu Yi."

"The medicine will have some effect, but its potency will gradually fade over time until it becomes insignificant."

"By the time Lu Yi's condition deteriorates to that point, you may no longer have time to find Lord Cecil."

"Five days ago, you wanted to see Lu Yi," Rong Mi looked straight into Lu Tianxing's eyes, speaking calmly. "Is this what you wanted to tell him back then?"

Lu Tianxing was taken aback.

He clearly hadn't expected that after revealing such earth-shattering information to Rong Mi, the young man would remain unperturbed and even change the subject to ask him questions.

Not having had time to react, Lu Tianxing subconsciously shook his head.

"No," he answered Rong Mi's question without thinking. "I just wanted to see... how pathetic he's become."

Rong Mi nodded.

"So all those things you mentioned just now were thought up during your interrogation at the military department these past few days?" he said coldly. "It seems the military's interrogation process is still a bit too humane, leaving room for you to ponder."

"…The military's interrogation process?!" Lu Tianxing raised his voice, his eyes filled with horror and madness. "They tortured me! Forced me to confess my crimes! They want to execute me for betrayal of humanity!"

"But during my time at First Hospital, I saved countless lives! Working with Lord Cecil, though it meant sacrificing high-ranking officials of the Federation, it was the way to save even more people… Uh!"

"Thud!"

Rong Mi, who had remained calm since entering the meeting room, suddenly raised his hand and pressed down on Lu Tianxing's head, slamming it hard against the table below.

The young man, with Rong Mi's grip on Lu Tianxing's head, rose to his feet.

Lu Tianxing was overwhelmed by the sudden burst of excruciating pain, causing him to see stars. He let out a pained cry and struggled fiercely, but couldn't break free from Rong Mi's grasp.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!" Rong Mi's movements were swift and decisive.

He knew that the prison guards were watching from outside and would soon detect the disturbance, rushing in to stop him.

Before that happened, he intended to strike Lu Tianxing as hard as possible!

"Ice Butterflies nurture humans much like how humans breed livestock," Rong Mi said, looking down at Lu Tianxing. Blood trickled from the youth's nose, his forehead swollen and bruised. Dazed, when Rong Mi lifted his head by the roots of his hair, Lu Tianxing's eyes rolled back.

"They may even show affection to you when they're in a good mood, pretending as if you're their friend, caring for your health and growth."

"But all this is merely to fatten you up until they can devour your Spirit Domain, using it as fuel for their own advancement."

"And those fortunate enough to escape the Ice Butterfly's captivity will lead a life without a permanent home, drifting through the cosmos. They'll never have set foot on stable ground or witnessed a sunrise or sunset of their own."

"They'll forever be on high alert, perpetually on the brink of war."

"I never meticulously plan beyond the coming week, treating every encounter with friends as if it were our last."

"In the vast expanse of the universe, I am enveloped by a sparse yet enduring despair that stretches on endlessly."

"Fueling myself with the courage and lives of my loved ones, of all people, in search of an escape route that lies somewhere unknown."

"Uncertain whether I'm seeking a way out or merely clinging to life in a desperate struggle for survival..."

"Thud!"

"If you wish to be livestock for Ice Butterflies, don't drag others down with you. If your wits truly fail you, it's fine to let go as well."

"Bang!"

Once more, Rong Mi forcefully pressed Lu Tianxing down onto the metal desktop before him.

The young man's expression remained composed, but the strength in his hands increased, veins bulging on the back of his wrists as he forcefully pressed Lu Tianxing's head against the desk.

"Thud! Thud!"

In the midst of Rong Mi's relentless repetition, Lu Tianxing's limbs convulsed under the shackles of mental energy, his cries of agony transforming into feeble gasps.

"You did that for Lu Yi," the young man's gaze was as cold as frost. "He's been cursed to have you as kin, as has his mother, and your wife too."

"Tell me. Where in the AE sector are Cecil's fragments of mental energy?"

Lu Tianxing: "..."

"Ugh... ugh..." His head was pressed against the table, his eyes bloodshot as he stared blankly at Rong Mi. His lips quivered twice, forming fragmented syllables.

"No… I only know that there is something there…"

Rong Mi was not surprised by this answer.

If Lu Tianxing truly knew the whereabouts of the item, he would have doubted the level of intelligence that Cecil had evolved.

"However, your collaboration with Cecil seems quite intimate," Rong Mi mused. "As a doctor, you must know many people."

"You were the means through which it infiltrated the military and the academy."

"I've heard that you've divulged all the information you know to the military, but I find it hard to believe."

Rong Mi's palm glowed with a purple radiance.

The young man's mental energy infiltrated Lu Tianxing's mental domain. The person slumped in front of the table trembled violently, his eyes suddenly shooting open amidst the searing pain surging through his mental realm, letting out a blood-curdling scream like a pig being slaughtered.

"Stop that," Rong Mi said calmly. "The pain that Lu Yi experienced was far more intense than what you're feeling now. But even the Admiral wouldn't whimper if he remained conscious."

"I'm not saying he was right. But you're being awfully noisy."

"Cut down on the screaming," Rong Mi looked down at him. "Tell me something useful."

"Reveal everything you haven't told me. Otherwise, I can make you suffer even more..."

"There's... There's nothing left! ...Ahhhh... ...No... Yes... Yes!"

"The Capital Star Region... The Capital Star Region! There's actually a hidden Subbutterfly there!"

"He's the result of a fusion between a human and an Ice Butterfly...! Undetectable! He's been secretly approaching military officers."

"An officer from the Capital Star... An officer returning from the warzone for rotation and reporting..."

"It uses various methods to inject its mental threads into their minds. Through these scattered threads, it covertly controls the officers' actions at crucial moments!"

Rong Mi's brows furrowed.

He recalled over a month ago, when he found the Yade Mental Threads within Sandel's mental domain.

And the surprise attack in the warzone that caused the death of his original parents.

Not to mention the accidents that Ellen had mentioned occurring in the warzone.

Rong Mi: "Did it also leave mental threads in your mind?"

His mental energy was within Lu Tianxing's mental domain, allowing him to confirm that there were no remnants of Ice Butterflies' mental threads within.

"There... There... It once..."

"I understand." Rong Mi whispered, "It once left mental threads behind, 'guiding' your actions."

"Not until they realize how deeply you despise Lu Yi, how much you loathe the Federation, and your unwavering loyalty to Cecil."

Rong Mi lifted his head, finally releasing his grip on Lu Tianxing's skull.

The meeting room fell silent. Unable to withstand any longer, Lu Tianxing passed out the moment Rong Mi let go.

The young man took a step back, his brow furrowing in concern.

He sensed an ominous irregularity.

Despite torturing Lu Tianxing for so long within the meeting room, no one had intervened.

This was abnormal.

Rong Mi pulled a tissue from the table, wiping the blood off his hand, then turned his head to look outside the room.

The glass wall was soundproof. No noise could escape or enter the room. Moreover, it blocked external energy. The original purpose of this design was to prevent outsiders from breaching the meeting room and launching an attack. It also prevented those inside from detecting any disturbances outside.

It was only when Rong Mi turned to look that he noticed the prison guard who had escorted him into the meeting room had, at some point, collapsed on the floor.

A formidable Silver Wolf stood at the entrance of the conference room, baring its sharp fangs as it faced off against an approaching figure.

The wolf's figure was largely obscured by the glass curtain wall of the meeting room. Rong Mi took a step towards the meeting room's exterior, positioning herself in the gap where the wolf's fur couldn't block the view, and made eye contact with the person in the corridor.