The only SSSS-level fertility constitution in the entire interstellar space

Lu Yao looked at the shocking scars on Zhou Jinlu's wrists and tried to open the metal handcuffs.

She reached out and gently touched the cold metal shackles with her fingertips.

The shackles were very tight, almost embedded in Zhou Jinlu's flesh.

"Is there any way to open it?" she asked softly, her fingers tracing the edge of the shackles, trying to find the interface or keyhole.

Zhou Jinlu shook his head slightly: "It requires a specific unlock code, which was set by A-Qi, and only he knows it."

Lu Yao pursed her lips, unwilling to give up, and continued to explore.

The shackles were standard restraint devices used by the Federal Army; she had seen something similar at Fu Ciyan's place.

This device usually has an emergency unlocking mechanism on the side, where her fingertips touched a slightly raised part.

"Here." Her eyes lit up, and she leaned closer to take a closer look.

It was a tiny groove, like the location of some kind of identification device.

"We need a fingerprint or ID card," Zhou Jinlu said softly, his tone devoid of much expectation. "Yaoyao, don't bother."

"If you don't open it, your hand will be ruined." After saying that, she stood up abruptly. "Wait for me."

"Yaoyao!" Zhou Jinlu called out to stop her, but Lu Yao didn't stop at all.

Lu Yao rushed out of Zhou Jinlu's cabin and headed straight for the command room, intending to go directly to A Qi.

Lu Yao's footsteps echoed hurriedly in the corridor.

She didn't know where she got the courage from, nor what the consequences of doing so would be, but she only knew that if Zhou Jinlu was left hanging like that again, his hands would really be ruined.

Ah Qi wanted her cooperation.

So she would cooperate in exchange.

At the end of the corridor was a metal door larger than the ordinary cabin door. There were no markings on the door, but Lu Yao remembered that she first met Ah Qi here.

She took a deep breath and reached out to press the communicator by the door.

"Who is it?" came an unfamiliar voice from inside.

"Lu Yao," she said, her voice surprisingly calm, "I want to see A-Qi."

There was a few seconds of silence on the communicator.

Then, the metal door slid open silently.

Lu Yao stepped inside.

Seeing the familiar surroundings, Lu Yao was certain she hadn't come to the wrong place.

Walking to the innermost part, Ah Qi was lazily leaning back in a large chair, his legs crossed and propped up on the control panel.

Upon seeing Lu Yao, he raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his peach blossom eyes before curving into two crescent moons.

"Sister?" His voice was filled with surprise. He put his leg down, stood up, and came to her side. "Why are you here? Did you miss me?"

Lu Yao ignored his teasing and looked up, saying, "Release Zhou Jinlu, and I'll agree to whatever your conditions are."

Ah Qi tilted her head, her peach blossom eyes filled with innocence.

"What are you saying, sister?" He blinked. "Isn't Young Master Zhou perfectly fine? I have people taking care of him. How could I possibly hurt him?"

Looking at his feigned ignorance, Lu Yao felt a surge of anger, but she forced herself to suppress it.

"I went to see him. His hands were slinged, and the shackles were digging into his flesh. If this continues, he'll be crippled."

Ah Qi's smile faded for a moment.

But soon he laughed again: "My sister really misses him. I thought she came to see me because she missed me, but it turns out it was also for him."

He moved closer, almost touching Lu Yao.

"Sister, you're making me unhappy."

Lu Yao did not back down, but instead met his gaze.

"What will it take for you to let him go?"

Ah Qi blinked, a hint of interest appearing on her impossibly beautiful face: "Then, sister, kiss me, if you're willing..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Yao reached out and cupped his face, then kissed him.

Ah Qi's eyes widened suddenly, clearly not expecting that his joking words would be taken seriously.

The touch on his lips felt so real, but just as he wanted to savor it a little longer, Lu Yao released his grip, took a half-step back, and looked at him: "That's enough."

"Ha!" Ah Qi chuckled, amused by her carefree attitude. "Sister, you really are something else. You'd do anything for him. Does that mean you'd agree to whatever I ask?"

"All I need is for you to unlock his shackles," Lu Yao said, her eyes pleading.

A strange feeling welled up in Aqi's heart. The unfamiliar sensation made him feel somewhat uncomfortable, but he didn't say anything more. He simply picked up a name tag from the table and handed it to Lu Yao: "I hope that one day, my sister can treat me like this too."

Lu Yao reached out and took it, smiling at him: "Thank you."

After saying that, Lu Yao left without looking back.

Watching her figure disappear, Ah Qi frowned slightly, turned around and pursed her lips, the soft touch seeming to linger on her lips.

Slightly annoyed, she rubbed her burning ears: "Aze, get in here. How did she find Zhou Jinlu's room?"

*

Lu Yao returned to Zhou Jinlu's room with A Qi's identity token.

When Zhou Jinlu saw her return, he asked anxiously, "Yaoyao, are you alright?"

Lu Yao smiled and waved the identity token in her hand: "I'm fine, don't worry."

As soon as she finished speaking, she swiped her ID card across Zhou Jinlu's handcuffs, and then the handcuffs opened, finally freeing Zhou Jinlu's hands.

Lu Yao quickly reached out to rub his hands, but Zhou Jinlu grabbed her hand and gently pulled her into his arms.

Zhou Jinlu's hug was very light, as if to confirm her real existence, or as if to suppress some kind of emotion that was about to get out of control.

Lu Yao did not struggle.

"Do you know how worried I was when you rushed out like that?" Zhou Jinlu's voice came from above her head, terribly hoarse, "

Lu Yao didn't say anything, but gently patted his back.

Zhou Jinlu tightened his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder.

"If he did anything to you," his voice was muffled, "I'd rather be hanging like that forever."

"He didn't do anything to me," she said softly, trying to reassure him. "Don't overthink it, I won't let anything happen to me."

"I should be the one protecting you, but now I'm the one dragging you down."

Zhou Jinlu knew very well that A Qi was using him to threaten Lu Yao.

Without him, Lu Yao would never be in such a passive position.

"You're not a burden." She stepped slightly away from his embrace, raised her head, and met his light brown eyes filled with self-reproach.

"Zhou Jinlu, listen to me." Her fingers gently pressed on his arm. "If you hadn't been by my side, I would have been even more scared and wouldn't have known what to do during these days I was tied up. You made me realize that I'm not alone in facing all of this."

Zhou Jinlu's Adam's apple bobbed.

"But I still let you..." Lu Yao interrupted him.

"It was my own choice to go find him." Lu Yao looked directly into his eyes. "If it's just a small price to pay so that we can both be safe, it's worth it. Only if we're both safe can we have a chance to leave here. Zhou Jinlu, don't overthink it. With you here, I have the courage."