Chapter Sixty-Five: The Winds of Change

"What do you want from me? Speak." Mu You tossed Dongguan onto his bed and got straight to the point, removing his trousers to reveal jet-black briefs.

Mu You’s body was already tall and well-proportioned; now, stripped down to just his underwear, he radiated a robust masculine aura, his roguish gaze brazenly invading Dongguan’s still-shy and trembling figure.

Dongguan immediately tightened her work uniform, looking back at Mu You with timid defiance. “What… what are you trying to do? If you keep messing around, I’ll take action…”

“You dirtied my trousers. I’m just changing, is that so wrong?” Mu You replied, slipping into new pants and lying shirtless beside Dongguan.

Dongguan instantly shrank to the corner of the bed. If their skin touched, she feared her emotions would surge uncontrollably.

“Put your shirt back on!”

“Why should I? This is how I am.”

“You!” Dongguan’s face flushed with anger. She was fearless in most situations, yet with Mu You, an inexplicable timidity overcame her.

“Go ahead, say what you came to say.” Mu You stopped teasing her, sat up, feet together, hands resting on his ankles, his casual gaze growing serious.

Seeing this, Dongguan leaned against the headboard, put on her stethoscope, and placed the other end on Mu You’s chest.

Mu You didn’t move, letting the cold touch linger.

Dongguan checked several spots before withdrawing her hand, somewhat embarrassed. “You’re fine now. You’ve fully recovered. I never expected you to survive such serious injuries.”

“I was surprised myself. I escaped a death sentence, but your people turned a blind eye. Aren’t you worried about leaving such an unpredictable element alive? Aren’t you afraid I’ll rebel?”

Mu You looked at Dongguan with deep meaning, abandoning all pretense and voicing his doubts directly.

“Hmph…” Dongguan sneered, as if mocking Mu You’s naivety, but her tone softened with resignation and fatigue.

“Don’t call yourself an ‘unpredictable element.’ You’re far from qualifying. Even if the Meridian Soulworm in you fully devoured you and you went berserk, Death Row Paradise could dispatch any S-class convict to defeat you effortlessly.”

“Ah… so you know me inside and out.” Mu You spoke, feeling a wave of helplessness. Death Row Paradise was terrifying; even the power of 'Burning Lotus' wouldn’t rank among S-class.

“What was it that finally brought you back to consciousness?”

Dongguan suddenly asked the most crucial question.

“No comment.” Mu You’s face darkened instantly.

“No need to be nervous. I was just asking offhand. I’ve already erased that footage and kept your secret. Also… I want to ask you for a favor…”

“Are you threatening me?” Mu You raised an eyebrow.

“Absolutely not.” Dongguan’s tone turned unusually earnest and sincere. “I probably know your body better than anyone. You’re definitely a potential powerhouse. I want to support you to grow stronger as quickly as possible, and see if you can shatter the sky of Death Row Paradise.”

“You have that much faith in me?”

“Mm. Your Meridian Soulworm is too powerful. I’m excited to see its final evolution. Besides, my own Meridian Soulworm is deeply attached to yours – they only fall in love once in a lifetime. If you die, the heartbreak would make my life unbearable. So, I’ll protect you completely. Join my faction. Death Row Paradise is about to change…”

Dongguan cast her olive branch with hope.

“Oh?” Mu You pressed Dongguan beneath him. This time, she didn’t struggle, gazing sincerely at him.

“Which faction are you part of?” Mu You stared into Dongguan’s eyes, his voice mischievous.

“Of course…” Dongguan raised her hand, caressing Mu You’s face. “The faction that survives in the end…”

“If you move again, I’ll devour you right now.”

Seeing Dongguan’s hands become restless, Mu You feigned a threat.

“If we become one, our partnership deepens—wouldn’t that be better?”

Dongguan followed his lead, advancing step by step. Just as they were about to go further, her Bluetooth earpiece rang.

Hearing the message, Dongguan sighed, regretfully pushing Mu You away.

“I’ve got urgent business. No more fooling around. The opening of the Academy of Perfection is a herald of change. Improve your strength quickly. Points aren’t just for meals; they can buy many things. When you reach S-class, we’ll discuss true cooperation. Also, don’t use your ‘arbitrary request’ reward lightly. This time’s A-class assessment is an absolute death trap—save it for then. The Academy opens tomorrow. Survive, show me your worth, and then I’ll consider how far to help you.”

“I understand. By the way, what’s your rank?”

“One casual strike from me would erase your soul completely…”

With that, Dongguan deliberately slid her collar aside, and Mu You saw that Dongguan’s pride had been taken, replaced now by a familiar phoenix tail tattoo—similar to the one on the Warden’s End Punishment, but seemingly more advanced.

Mu You looked at his own End Punishment—still bare.

“Good luck, little one. By the way, your friends weren’t as lucky as you to escape their death sentences. They merely suppressed the poison due to their strong constitutions. Tonight, after seven days, the poison will truly activate and they’ll die. Saving them comes at a high price, but you should be able to do it…”

Dongguan said, tossing Mu You a glass vial containing golden, semi-liquid medicine, glittering with tiny stars in the sunlight.

“Thank you.” Mu You kissed the bottle in gratitude.

He watched Dongguan leave, then lay back on the bed, staring at the golden potion in his hand.

“Big brother, were you really going to take that big sister just now?”

“If she wanted, I’d oblige. Even if it’s my first time, I wouldn’t mind. To survive, I’ll do whatever it takes. Besides, she doesn’t like me—she’s just cooperating.”

“That sister… she’s really strong.”

“Yes. Holding her, I could sense the tumultuous power inside her. I almost wanted to devour her.”

Mu You licked his lips, a surge of craving for human flesh rising within him. Clearly, the Meridian Soulworm’s influence on his mind was growing, and he needed to get stronger quickly, to balance its transformation and make it serve his own ends.

“How about you?” After all that turmoil, Mu You was truly concerned for Mou You’s condition.

“Oh, really, I’m fine. Secretly, I’ll tell you—the Meridian Soulworm keeps absorbing negative energy, but seventy percent of it is being absorbed by me. Though nearly a thousand soul fragments have dissipated, my core remains unharmed.”

Hearing this, Mu You finally relaxed.

He scanned the vial with his mechanical watch. An electronic voice rang out: “Sorry, Dangerous Convict Mu You, your level is insufficient to access this. Would you like to upgrade?”

A dialog box appeared with seven levels. Only LV1 was bright yellow; the rest were grey.

Mu You, flush with cash, tapped directly on LV5.

“Sorry, your points are insufficient. Unlocking LV5 requires 90,000,000 points.”

“Ninety million?! Damn, why not just rob me!” Mu You cursed, trembling as he tapped LV2.

God help me, please let it be within my reach! Please don’t let me be broke again!

“Hello, Dangerous Convict Mu You, unlocking LV2 requires 90,000 points. Would you like to unlock it?”

“Damn! Ninety thousand points? This is robbery!” Mu You gritted his teeth and confirmed. Might as well risk it—better to be broke than blind!

“Congratulations, Dangerous Convict Mu You, your account has been upgraded to LV2. Please use it wisely.”

Staring at his meager balance of just over a thousand points, Mu You was truly on the verge of tears. One upgrade, and he was back to square one!