Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 6

In the holographic image in front of Joanna, one of the five blue dots had already turned red, indicating that the satellite had broken free from Leo’s control. The mid-range AI within the satellite had recovered from the hacking attack. It quickly scanned the near-Earth orbit, and the radar informed it of an unidentified ship intruding on Hecate. According to protocol, it initiated armed defense. The satellite’s front shell opened to the sides, revealing a dark cannon barrel, and the firing unit began charging.

In 0.1 seconds, the AI calculated the enemy ship’s trajectory and aimed the cannon at the ship’s engine based on the calculation. Three seconds later, fully charged, a high-energy beam shot towards the Lady of the Night!

Everything happened in a flash! The Lady of the Night suddenly tilted to the right, and the beam narrowly missed the ship’s stern.

The second satellite turned red. It restored its management system and quickly shared data with its sibling, analyzing the ship’s damage status and evasive trajectory. Clearly, this intruder had remarkable reflexes. As the AI predicted its moves, it was also predicting the AI’s. The second satellite deployed its beam cannon and began charging.

Now, the Lady of the Night was simultaneously targeted by two satellite cannons. Fortunately, the remaining three satellites were on the other side of the planet, and one was a geostationary satellite dedicated to ground surveillance. It had started recording the escape of Hecate prison inmates and had taken over the paralyzed ground command system.

Three seconds later, the two satellites fired their beam cannons in succession. The two high-energy beams formed a slanted cross. The Lady of the Night should have been incinerated at the intersection of the cross, but she veered again, dodging one beam while the other grazed her side.

The ship shook violently, but its speed didn’t decrease at all. Before the next wave of attacks could arrive, she had left the tactical satellites’ attack range. The two AIs reluctantly ceased their assault.

“Damn, the tactical satellites have started attacking,” Joshua Plunk growled, his face twisted with anger. Alois was busy dealing with his nausea and barely reacted before a cat was shoved into his arms.

“Don’t give it to me!” He tried to push the clawing black cat back, but the assassin grabbed his hair, pressing him close, while holding onto the wall’s handrail with the other hand.

The floor beneath them suddenly tilted, causing Alois to stumble and fall onto Joshua. If Joshua hadn’t cushioned his fall, he would have hit the wall. The assassin let out a muffled groan, apparently in pain. Alois scrambled to get up and was about to thank him, but the ship violently shook again, a rumbling sound indicating that it had been hit, or at least grazed.

Joshua steadied himself against the wall, holding Alois tightly. A few seconds later, the second wave of attacks hit, causing more severe tilting and shaking than before. If Joshua hadn’t gripped the handrail firmly, they and the cat would have rolled around like balls.

The corridor lights suddenly went out, plunging everything into complete darkness. It was utter darkness, without any light from the stars or the moon. There was no one around, and in the silence and darkness, they could clearly hear each other’s breathing and heartbeats. Joshua held Alois tightly, eyes wide open, staring into the void, repeatedly telling himself he wasn’t alone. But the heavy darkness still pushed vivid nightmares in front of him. It felt like he was back on that lonely ship in his memory. Or maybe he had never left it.

“Joshua?” came a weak voice from his arms.

After a few breaths, the assassin broke free from the quagmire of memories and returned to reality. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Can you… lighten up a bit? Though I’m happy you’re holding me, I’m suffocating…”

Joshua loosened his grip. A furry ball rolled to the floor, hissing. He guessed it was the frightened black cat. Then someone climbed onto him, warm lips pressing against his.

“What are you doing?” Joshua asked sharply.

Alois bit at the muscles on his neck. “I suddenly want you.” God help him. He had wanted this silver-haired man since he first saw him. When vision failed, other senses became unusually acute. Now, Alois, held by the man he had longed for—not even a day—felt the strong and flexible body, the slightly rapid heartbeat, and heavy breathing enticing him to sin. He could no longer suppress his desire, passionately entangling Joshua’s lips, his tongue prying open his teeth, entwining with his.

Alois was surprised at his own impulsiveness. Maybe some hormone stimulating the senses was secreted under tension? Who cared! He desperately wanted to possess Joshua, to be entwined with him until the end of the world. Joshua was the most handsome man he had ever seen—the first man to defeat him in Hecate prison—Joshua, the assassin Mourner…

He suddenly pushed Joshua away.

The corridor lights came back on. Alois saw himself straddling the assassin, the man underneath cold-faced, starkly contrasting with his reddened lips from the bite.

They stared at each other wordlessly until a voice from above broke the silence. “Sorry, folks, there was a small issue with the power system. I’ve switched to backup power. The Lady of the Night is out of the tactical satellites’ attack range. I’m checking the ship’s damage. If the warp drive is unaffected, we’ll enter warp in an hour. Please be ready.”

Joshua propped himself up with one hand and pressed down on Alois’ crotch with the other, speaking in a low voice. “I extremely dislike what you just did. If you don’t want to undergo genital transplant surgery, don’t do it again.” He roughly pushed the pale Alois away, picked up the shocked black cat, and followed the green arrows towards the quarters.

Footsteps rushed behind him.

“Are you… are you angry?” Alois asked nervously as he caught up.

“Yes. I’m very angry,” Joshua replied calmly without looking back.

“But you were the one who hugged me first.”

“I was protecting you.” He turned a corner. “You helped me, so I’m helping you.”

“Then… since I harassed you, will you do the same?”

Joshua nearly stumbled. Did Hecate do some illegal brain modification on this guy? What kind of logic did he have?

“Why aren’t you speaking?” Alois felt aggrieved. “My skills are really good. Don’t you want to try?”

“No!”

The green arrows pointed to one of the rows of cabin doors, indicating the quarters prepared for the two new members. Joshua pressed the smart lock on the door, which recognized his fingerprint. With a swish, the door slid open. The assassin carried Schrödinger inside, coldly glaring at Alois who stood outside.

The omnipresent, omnipotent voice above said, “Family member, your quarters are next door.”

“We’re roommates! Why can’t we stay together?!” Alois shouted at the ceiling.

“For your safety, I think it’s better to separate you.”

Alois, fuming, walked to the next room.

Joshua closed the door and examined the interior. The room was small and simply furnished, like all spaceship cabins, with a bed, a table, a chair, and a wardrobe. Nothing more.

He collapsed onto the bed, holding the black cat, gently stroking its smooth fur.

“If he hadn’t let go of me just now, I would have snapped his neck.” Joshua scratched the black cat’s chin. “Don’t you agree?”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 5

“Captain! Welcome back!”

As soon as Joanna crawled out of the space shuttle, she was surrounded by enthusiastic crew members. She hugged everyone she could reach, but the crew seemed to think this was far from enough. People in the back kept trying to squeeze to the front, causing a small commotion.

“Captain, I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too.”

“Captain, you look thinner! Was the food in prison bad?”

“It wasn’t great.”

“Captain, can I get a hug?”

“Wipe the snot off your mustache first.”

“Captain, who are they?” A young crew member pointed warily at Joshua and Alois, who had just climbed out of the shuttle.

“Well…” Joanna stroked her chin. “This is a companion I met in prison, Joshua Planck, the assassin ‘Mourner’.”

The crowd let out a low murmur. “Did you hear that? He’s the Mourner?”

“Look at his eyes, the Abyssal Fire!”

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m seeing the Mourner live!”

Joshua crossed his arms. “I never agreed to join you.”

“Then we’ll have to throw you off the ship.”

“I was joking.”

Joanna nodded in satisfaction.

The crew member then pointed at Alois next to Joshua. “Who is he?”

The silver-haired assassin patted Alois on the shoulder. “He’s family.”

The female pirate raised an eyebrow. “I never heard you had family.”

“Just recognized.”

Alois brushed off Joshua’s hand. “Who the hell is your family?!”

“Then we’ll throw you off the ship.” The assassin glared at him.

Alois turned to Joanna. “Yes, I’m family.”

The female pirate’s eyes flashed with cold light. “What’s that on your neck? A cat fur scarf?”

Schrödinger, who was hanging around Joshua’s neck and pretending to be a scarf, flicked its tail and meowed at Joanna. The assassin took the cat down and held it in his arms. “I hope there’s no rule against having pets on board?”

“Oh, of course, you can have pets. We already have a dog, and now a cat too. Ah, I can foresee the ship will be… very lively.”

With that, the female pirate blew a loud whistle. There was a howl, and a golden retriever burst out from the crowd, pounced on Joanna, and put its paws on her shoulders.

“Good boy. Pavlov, you’ve gained weight again!” Joanna squeezed the dog’s paws. “Go meet your new friend!”

The dog happily walked over to Joshua and sniffed the black cat in his arms. “Woof woof!”

The black cat glanced at it coldly and curled back into the assassin’s embrace without a sound.

“Whine…” The dog lowered its head in disappointment.

Someone in the crowd stifled a laugh.

A clear male voice came from above. “Alright everyone, the time for reunion is always sweet and short. In 1 minute and 40 seconds, we will be blasted to bits by tactical satellites. If you don’t want to meet again in the afterlife, please return to your posts immediately. The ‘Lady of the Night’ is about to accelerate through the atmosphere. Fasten your seatbelts and be careful not to get flattened by the acceleration. Cleaning up that mess is a hassle…”

“Enough, Leonard! Would it kill you to say less?” The crew members complained, but nonetheless, they left the lower deck in an orderly manner. Some headed to the bridge, while others went to man the cannons. A young girl led Pavlov away. The dog looked back wistfully at Joanna and whined sadly at Schrödinger.

Alois immediately felt this ship was a terrifying place, where even the dog seemed to have depression.

The voice from above continued, “Mr. Joshua Planck and his family, please follow the glowing markers to the quarters prepared for you. Captain Joanna, please come to the bridge. Given your familiarity with the ship’s interior, I won’t light up the markers for you.”

The female pirate clicked her tongue and turned to Joshua. “Follow the markers. Keep an eye on your cat and family. Don’t let them wander off.”

“Am I the same as a cat?” Alois protested, but Joanna ignored him and climbed the spiral staircase to the bridge.

A green arrow lit up on the floor, pointing to an open door in the lower deck. Joshua freed one hand and tugged on Alois’ sleeve. “Let’s go.”

“Am I the same as a cat?” the angry “family” questioned again.

The assassin walked through the door, which led to a straight corridor, and another green arrow lit up on the floor. “Of course not,” he replied casually. “A cat can be eaten. Can you?”

Alois and Schrödinger shuddered in unison.

Joanna sprinted through the corridors of the Lady of the Night. To outsiders, these crisscrossing corridors would be a complex maze, and without glowing markers, they would definitely get lost. But Joanna had been running around the ship since she was a little girl; she knew the ship like her jewelry box. She knew where every fork led and where to turn for the best shortcuts. This advantage allowed her to reach the bridge at the same time as the previously departing crew members.

The 360-degree circular screen displayed the environment around the ship, with six control stations evenly distributed below the screen. In the center of the bridge was the command seat, a deep red chair resembling a queen’s throne. Joanna sat in the command seat and found not a speck of dust on the armrests. During her absence, the crew had carefully wiped the seat every day, as if the captain had never left.

Before the female pirate could express her joy at reuniting with her crew, the ship suddenly accelerated. The acceleration pushed Joanna deep into the seat. She cursed and fastened her seatbelt, then swiped her fingers in the air to bring up the holographic map of Hecate. Five blue dots floated around the round planet. Those were Hecate’s tactical satellites.

“20 seconds until control of the tactical satellites is lifted,” the voice above said.

“How long until we leave the satellite’s attack range?” Joanna asked.

“About 30 seconds,” the voice replied.

The captain held her forehead. “10 seconds is enough for us to be blasted a hundred times.”

“I can activate the manual evasive system. But to save energy, I need to disable the gravity grid.”

“Manual evasion, Leo,” Joanna ordered. “If we survive this, you can play whatever TV show you want during dinner.”

“You’re the most understanding captain in the universe!” the voice above cheered.

Joshua followed the green arrows through the vein-like corridors. Alois, trailing behind him, repeatedly doubted if they were going in circles.

“How long until we get there?” he complained in a low voice.

“At your speed, maybe in your next life.” The wall beside them suddenly spoke, and Alois’s hair stood on end. “Gravity grid disabled, manual evasive system activated. The ship may shake violently. Grab onto something solid. I don’t want to send a robot to clean blood off the ceiling.”

Alois felt a lightness in his body. Although it wasn’t zero gravity, the loss of weight made him slightly nauseous. Alois Lagrange hadn’t lived in zero gravity space for many years. The last time he experienced it was in military school drills.

Schrödinger let out a screech. The black cat, born and raised on Hecate, fell into a state of panic. This made Alois feel a sense of superiority.

Joshua held the black cat tight, mumbling in some strange dialect (Alois caught the words “God”, “hell”, and “death”, guessing it was either a prayer or a curse), then suddenly looked up. “Damn, the tactical satellites have started attacking.”

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Creative names for their pets. Schrödinger is named after Schrödinger’s cat, while Pavlov is named after Pavlov’s dog (classical conditioning).

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 4

Alois Lagrange glared at the bed board of the upper bunk. His bunkmate had been tossing and turning all night, disturbing his rest as well.

“Are you not used to the bed?” He finally couldn’t hold back any longer. “Stop rolling around! Even if you can’t sleep, I need to!”

“It’s my first time in prison. Can’t I have one sleepless night?” Joshua turned over again. “Talk to me, or I’ll keep thinking random thoughts.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“About whether I’ll die here.” The assassin’s eyes shone brightly in the dark. He stared motionlessly into the darkness, as if there were hidden enemies there. But in reality, there was nothing. It was just a wall. The wall had a window through which you could see the starry sky outside, sparkling like diamonds. “If I die… then there’s nothing. From nothing, ultimately returning to nothing.”

“I think you need to see a psychiatrist.”

Joshua scratched Schrödinger’s chin, and the black cat purred contentedly. The assassin’s eyes searched the darkness but found nothing.

“I’m very afraid of death,” he said. “I’ve been sentenced to 530 years. By the time my sentence is up, there won’t even be bones left. I’m afraid I’ll spend my entire life in prison. I still have a lot of things to do. I can’t die.”

Alois yawned. “You’re really tough. Only you in all of Hecate have a longer sentence than mine. I got 230 years for murder. But I was framed. What about you?”

“I killed a lot of people. I’m an assassin.”

“Uh-huh. I used to be a member of the Royal Guard.” Alois wiped away the tears that came from his drowsiness. Suddenly, something flashed through his mind, fast as a bullet, so fast that he couldn’t catch it before it slipped away.

Joshua asked, “You said you were framed?”

“Absolutely. I was assigned to protect the prince’s lover, but she was killed by an assassin sent by the Duke, and I was framed. Can you understand that?”

“Of course. You’re a pawn in a political struggle.” Joshua stared intently at the window. The starlight was bright, but all he could see was the darkness under the starlight. Everything was dark—darkness was everywhere, and darkness followed like a shadow. He had to quickly find a topic to distract himself, or he’d be swallowed by the inner darkness. “Don’t you want to clear your name and restore your honor? In Hecate, you can’t do anything but be forgotten.”

Hecate was like a ship drifting in the vast universe, unable to contact the outside world and without a destination, blindly sailing into the depths of the star dust.

“Oh, of course I do,” Alois said irritably. “But I’m just a small fry, and my opponents are the Queen, the Duke, and the huge monster of politics. In front of them, I’m like a powerless baby.”

“The first consul of Neo Athens once said, ‘Whoever has power has the right to speak.'”

“Do you have power?”

“I…”

Before the words were out, a “click” was heard, and the cell door lit up with a green light and slowly opened.

“What’s going on?” Alois walked to the door and peered outside. The prison was laid out like rows of matchboxes, and now every box had its door open.

A head popped out from the neighboring cell. “What’s happening? A fire drill?”

The cellmate said, “Maybe the warden lost his cat again? Remember last time he woke us all up for a carpet search? Nearly killed us!”

“No,” Joshua’s denial came from behind. He jumped to the ground, leaned against the iron bars on the window, and revealed a look of eager longing. “No…”

Alois walked over to him. “What?”

“Look, the sky.”

At first, Alois saw nothing, just the usual night sky. But soon, he noticed a few stars missing from the starry sky. It was as if there was a hole in the star-filled night curtain—not a hole, but stars being obscured by something. That thing must be huge, maybe a ship. But that’s impossible! Hecate has five tactical satellites that monitor every inch of the planet around the clock. If there were an invasion, it would be turned into a meteor before entering the atmosphere.

“God! Have the Federation dogs finally attacked Hecate?”

“It’s not the Federation!” Joshua dropped this sentence and then dashed out the door like lightning.

“Come back! Are you crazy?” Alois had no time to stop his mad behavior and followed him out.

The silver-haired man sprinted down the corridor, shouting as he ran, “What are you waiting for? Run! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

The prison was in an uproar. The inmates finally realized this wasn’t a drill, nor was the warden playing around. Hecate’s central computer had lost control, and every door was open for them. Someone took the lead and shouted, and soon each matchbox was pouring out a few people, more and more, forming rivers and seas, shouting as they rushed towards the main gate of the prison.

Several night-shift guards waved their batons, trying to drive the crowd back to their cells. “Get back, you scum!” A prisoner grabbed one of the guards from behind, but another snatched the baton, and hit the guard on the head.

“Riot! It’s a riot!” The captain of the guards took out his walkie-talkie and shouted to the central control room, but the response was a piece of lyrical singing by the galactic diva Camilla. “Damn it! The computer’s been hacked!”

Alois followed Joshua closely, afraid of losing him. Luckily, the assassin’s silver hair was particularly noticeable in the dim prison.

“Come back, Joshua Planck! You’re inciting a riot!” he shouted.

Joshua slowed his steps, looked back at Alois. “Don’t you want to escape? Do you want to rot in here?”

“I don’t want to be a fugitive!”

“At least if you get out, you’ll have a chance! Stay here, and there’s nothing!” Joshua extended a hand, as if inviting him.

He had only one second to think. In that second, many images flashed through Alois’s mind. He thought of the innocent Miss Leia, who had been brutally murdered at home; he thought of the timid but kind Prince Annot, who always stood with his sister, Princess Alveira, in his memories; he thought of the letter from Caspar last month, which read: [My friend, how are you in Hecate? At last month’s reunion, I met our old school beauty…]

Alois grasped Joshua’s hand.

The assassin pulled him into a sprint. They squeezed through the frenzied crowd, rushed out the door, and onto the empty playground outside the cell block. Many people were already crossing the playground toward the helipad. Guards, woken from their sleep, were firing beam guns into the crowd. A few prisoners fell, hit by the beams, while more continued forward, trampling over the fallen.

Joshua didn’t head towards the helipad but instead ran toward the women’s cell block. The spaceship that obscured the starlight hovered right above the women’s prison.

“Lagrange! Stop!” A guard’s warning came from behind.

“Don’t look back!” Joshua tightened his grip on Alois’s hand.

A laser beam grazed Alois’s arm. He grunted, enduring the searing pain, and kept up with the assassin. Another beam narrowly missed him, and Alois wanted to crouch down and surrender, but Joshua’s firm grip wouldn’t let him break free.

“Damn it! If I die here, I’ll haunt you!”

“Feel free!”

The women’s prison was right in front of them, but Alois saw, with despair, a high wall blocking their path. The wall was topped with electrified barbed wire, and it looked too smooth and sturdy to climb.

They stopped before the wall. The footsteps behind them indicated that several guards had followed. Alois didn’t dare turn around. He knew several guns were pointed at his back, ready to fire if he made any sudden moves.

“You’re trapped! Surrender now!” a guard shouted.

“Joshua…” Alois glanced sideways at his cellmate. The silver-haired assassin was staring dreamily at the starry sky.

The guard shouted again, “Hands on your heads! Squat down! Now, I’ll count to three!”

“One!”

“Hurry…” Joshua’s lips moved.

“Two!”

“I’m here…”

“Three!”

From behind the wall, a small spacecraft rose—a “Gondola” model made in Neo Venice. The Gondola shone a bright light, blinding the guards. Alois shielded his eyes from the painful brightness.

The Gondola flew over the wall. Its hatch opened, and a woman leaned out, showing a wild smile. “Good evening, Mr. Mourner.”

“For an assassin, the day is just beginning!”

The woman extended her hand. “Come on up!”

Joshua gave Alois a push. “You first!”

Alois, bewildered, grabbed the woman’s arm, and she pulled him into the Gondola’s cabin. Joshua then jumped up and climbed aboard.

Laughing, the woman lifted the craft, not even closing the transparent hatch. The howling night wind rushed into the cabin. Alois would never forget this scene: under the starlight, the woman’s red hair blew in the wind like flames, like a blood-stained flag fluttering. And Joshua Planck was pressed against him, the golden rings around his pupils shining like the light of the star.

“Rejoice, boys! We’re free!” The woman sang as the Gondola rose higher and higher, leaving the rioting prison and frantic guards far below. It flew like a bird towards the spaceship darker than the night above them.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 3

With his nostrils stuffed with two cotton balls, Alois Lagrange felt like he had never been more humiliated in his life as he returned from the infirmary. To make matters worse, his fellow inmates were staring at him with envy, whispering in small groups, “Did you hear? Johnson attacked one of Alois’s men and got sent to the infirmary!” “What’s wrong with Alois’s nose? Did Johnson hit him?” “No way! I heard from Von Neumann that he had a nosebleed from being too excited with that silver-haired beauty in the shower.” “Oh, what good fortune!”

Alois silently decided that anyone who dared to mention “good fortune” in front of him again would get their nose broken.

Back in his cell, Alois threw himself onto his bed and hugged his beloved pillow. He wished he could sleep and wake up to find that the weird cellmate and nosebleed in the shower had been just a dream.

Joshua put down the bamboo basket full of clean clothes and was about to climb to the top bunk. Suddenly, the pile of clothes moved, and a small black head popped out.

“Meow.” Schrödinger called to the silver-haired man.

Alois rested his head on one arm and made a shooing gesture with the other. “Shoo, shoo, go find your daddy! Or your daddy will come to check the cells at night!”

The cat jumped out of the laundry basket, circled Joshua’s feet, and rubbed against his ankles. “Meow.”

Joshua poked Alois. “Is it hungry again?”

“Even if it is, I have nothing to feed it. All I have is cigarettes! Do cats smoke?”

“I saw you have half a pack of jerky under your pillow.”

“What do you want to do? That’s my emergency food supply!”

Without waiting for an answer, Joshua lifted the pillow and grabbed the half pack of jerky hidden underneath. Alois grabbed his hand, but Joshua quickly broke free. The silver-haired man stepped back a few steps, threw a piece of jerky to the cat, and stuffed another piece into his own mouth before quickly climbing to the top bunk. The cat picked up the jerky, gave Alois a provocative look, and jumped onto the bed.

“You two bastards!” Alois roared as he climbed to the top bunk, his movements clearly less agile than Joshua and the cat.

“Don’t come up here. The bed will collapse,” the silver-haired man said, lying flat with the black cat curled up beside him.

“It won’t! I’ve done exercises up here, and it never collapsed!” Alois pressed down on Joshua, staring into his black and gold eyes. Neither spoke for a moment. They were so close now, they could almost accidentally kiss. If someone saw their position now, they would definitely think the two were about to do something. In fact, Alois did have such a thought for a moment, given how close they were… He could feel Joshua’s heartbeat through his muscles and clothes and the warm breath on his face. The freshly washed silver hair was still damp, scattered on the pillow, feeling cool and silky, like some kind of precious fabric. Joshua’s skin was so pale it was almost transparent, and the collar of his prison uniform had an unbuttoned button, revealing a beautifully shaped collarbone.

Alois’s breathing quickened as he carefully touched the hollow between the collarbones, then slowly moved his hand down, slipping it into the clothes.

“No.” Joshua pressed down on the misbehaving hand, bent one knee, and it just so happened to press against Alois’s groin.

The movements stopped. Alois trembled, recalling Joshua’s rough “treatment” earlier. Now the silver-haired man’s expression seemed to say, “If you dare to touch again, I’ll kick your balls.” Damn, it was still aching even now. Would it be alright? He’d better see a doctor tomorrow.

“Lagrange, you better get up.”

“I won’t!”

“If you don’t get up, Schrödinger will be crushed to death by you.”

Alois looked down and saw the black cat glaring at him with a pitiful expression, trapped under his arm.

“What…what are you looking at! If you dare, go complain to your daddy!” He grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck and threw it off the bed. The black cat meowed a few times and persistently jumped back up.

“When did you get so close to the cat?” Alois grumbled.

Joshua smiled and gently stroked the black cat. “You don’t understand. Fatten it up, and it can become a mobile emergency food…”

Schrödinger shivered.

“Are…are you serious?”

“Just kidding.” Joshua tore the last piece of jerky in half, giving one part to the black cat and holding the other in his mouth.

“You son of a…” Alois wanted to curse but found himself at a loss for words. Finally, he could only say angrily, “Save some for me!” He bit the half piece of jerky in the silver-haired man’s mouth and swallowed it without chewing.

Joshua blinked. “Was that a kiss just now?”

“That was ‘snatching food from a beast’s mouth’!”

……

Joanna Begrel sat cross-legged, eating potato chips while watching TV. Hecate treated her quite well. She didn’t have to work in the sewing factory, laundry room, or kitchen like other female prisoners. She just had to stay in her cell every day. Compared to where others lived, her cell could almost be considered a pleasant environment: a wooden bed with soft bedding, a barely tolerable but manageable sofa, an old flat-screen TV (receiving twenty-six Empire channels, twelve free city state channels, and three Federal channels, far inferior to the holographic projector on the spaceship, but thank God, Joanna was always easygoing and never picky), and a 24-hour surveillance camera monitoring her. Except for the lack of freedom and poor food, she had almost everything she needed.

Now the female pirate was leisurely watching a midnight drama: a zombie suddenly sat up from a coffin, and several women screamed in terror.

“Lisa, we need to get out of here quickly!” one woman waved to her companion.

The companion took two steps back and spoke in a man’s voice, “Hey, Joanna, good morning. Is the drama good?”

Joanna calmly crunched on a potato chip. “Leo, it’s midnight.”

The woman on TV continued in the man’s voice, “According to the interstellar standard calendar, it’s now 6 AM. How long have you been here to have your biological clock messed up?”

The female pirate said, “Alright. I’ll adjust to the time difference. Leo, did you hack into Hecate’s computer system?”

“Yes.” This time, it was the zombie speaking. “I can see you through the surveillance camera. God, is Hecate really a prison, not a star hotel? Seeing how comfortable you’re living, I almost don’t want to rescue you. You could live like this for the rest of your life, really.”

“Leonard!”

“My bad, Captain.” The voice had no remorse at all. “I’m dealing with Hecate’s tactical satellite. In twenty minutes, ‘Lady of the Night’ will enter the atmosphere. Then I’ll unlock all the prison doors and drop a gondola to the ground. You’ll have seven minutes to take the gondola back to the mothership. If you exceed the time limit, we’ll be blasted to space dust by the tactical satellite.”

“You can only hold out for seven minutes?”

“Trust me, Captain. Anyone else wouldn’t even last seven seconds.” The voice was somewhat sullen. “Hecate has five tactical satellites, each equipped with different mid-level artificial intelligence. I have to control all five simultaneously. Do you know how difficult that is?”

“Alright, alright, don’t explain such complex stuff to me!” The female pirate ate the last potato chip.

“You’re the kindest captain in the entire universe! I’m starting the countdown!”

A small timer appeared in the upper right corner of the TV screen. At first glance, it looked like an electronic clock that appears at the top of every hour. The numbers changed from 00:20:00 to 00:19:59.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 2

Joshua suddenly let out a piercing scream, jumping up from his seat and shouting in alarm, “What is this?!”

His enemy leisurely walked out from under the table, swishing its tail. “Meow.”

The prisoners burst into laughter.

“Oh, it’s just a cat,” Alois said, shoulders shaking. “A black cat. Don’t worry. It won’t hurt you. Have you never seen such a creature before?”

The cat meowed again, its amber eyes with almond-shaped pupils.

Joshua calmed down, returning to his indifferent demeanor. “No. I’ve only seen a creature called a panther. This cat looks a bit like its cub.” He looked at the cat rubbing against his foot, puzzled. “What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s hungry. Give it some food.”

Without thinking, Joshua picked up the broccoli from his tray. Alois sighed. “It doesn’t eat that.” He picked out a grilled fish, threw it on the ground, and the cat sniffed it before eating contentedly.

“…Can I kill this little beast?” Joshua frowned. It was eating better than humans!

“Of course not. It’s the warden’s pet. If you do, you won’t see tonight’s moon.”

The cat quickly finished the fish, then leapt onto the bench, eyeing the remaining food on the tray. Joshua hurriedly shielded his tray, afraid the cat would do something irreversible.

The cat squinted, showing an expression that could only be described as “disdain”, then turned to Alois.

“Don’t look at me! Shoo, go find your owner!” Alois shooed the black cat away.

As soon as Alois finished speaking, a commotion erupted at the cafeteria door. The prisoners, who had been sitting and eating, stood up in waves like a human tide. The governor and warden of Hecate, surrounded by a crowd of guards, made his entrance. The warden was a middle-aged man with a perpetually sorrowful face, deep nasolabial folds that spoke of professional misfortune. In his youth, he might have been known as a melancholic handsome man, but now he was just a balding, chubby middle-aged man.

The warden surveyed the crowd, and everyone stood at attention, afraid of being beaten for showing disrespect. In Hecate, the warden’s authority was second only to the head chef’s. The warden’s gaze swept across everyone’s faces, finally stopping on Joshua and Alois. His previously dull eyes suddenly lit up, burning with an intensity that made them shiver.

Just when they thought this malicious man was going to make their lives miserable, the warden suddenly squatted down, opening his arms joyfully and shouting, “Schrödinger! My dear little sweetheart. You’re here after all!”

The black cat jumped down from the bench, running into his arms. The warden lovingly stroked the cat’s smooth fur, choking up. “You little rascal, you scared Daddy to death. Daddy thought something happened to you! Don’t run off next time. You know there are a lot of creepy uncles here who love to eat cat meat…” He kept muttering as he turned and walked out the door, leaving the crowded cafeteria behind. The guards coughed awkwardly, waving for everyone to sit down. The cafeteria returned to its noisy state.

Joshua put the tray back on the table, his eyes glinting as he asked Alois, “So… cats are edible?”

“What are you planning?!”

In the dark expanse of space, a ship blacker than darkness was speeding towards its destination: a desolate planet on the edge of the galaxy, the prison planet Hecate.

After dinner, the prisoners began their colorful nightlife. The game room was the most popular spot, but not everyone could secure a place there. The fight for spots often involved bloody violence and body trading. In his first month at Hecate, Alois secured a reserved spot by the pool table.

However, today he had no interest in facing the jeers of his fellow inmates in the game room. Gathering a few clothes, Alois headed to the bathroom. As soon as he walked in, he was once again taken aback by the scene before him.

Joshua Planck, using his incredible intelligence, luck, and humility in asking questions, had found the bathroom without Alois Lagrange’s guidance. Now he was nonchalantly bathing amidst a group of burly, energetic men. Alois swallowed, greedily watching as water soaked Joshua’s silky silver hair, flowing down his smooth back, sliding into the cleft of his ass, and then down his straight, long legs. Joshua’s skin glowed like some kind of jade, looking even more lustrous when wet. Just imagining the smooth texture made Alois want to rush over and press Joshua against the wall for a rough assault.

While he was indulging in his fantasies, a dirty hand ruined the beautiful scene.

“Hey, little chick, are you new?” Johnson Caron leered, slapping Joshua’s butt, eliciting laughter from those around. “Pretty fresh. Wanna have a go with me?”

Joshua looked at him coldly. “Take your hand off.”

“Oh, I’m so scared. Daddy, come save me!” Johnson Caron mimicked in a shrill voice, then chuckled.

“I’ll repeat, take your hand off.”

Johnson ignored the threat, instead pinching the pale skin. Joshua stepped back, trying to shake off the big man, but his wrist was grabbed.

“Let go!” The silver-haired man’s eyes narrowed, the black and gold irises glaring like a beast in the misty bathroom air.

Johnson whistled, intending to continue his harassment.

“I hate repeating myself more than three times.” Joshua grabbed the big man’s arm, twisting it lightly. With a crisp “crack”, Johnson howled and collapsed on the floor.

“My hand! My hand!” He rolled on the ground, splashing water everywhere. Joshua frowned and wiped his hands with a towel.

The guards outside heard the commotion and tried to come in. Alois blocked the door, saying casually, “It’s nothing. Johnson slipped and broke his arm.”

The guards hesitated, glancing at the big man on the ground, then at “boss” Alois Lagrange, nodding as if nothing had happened.

Alois turned to the others in the bathroom. “What are you standing around for? Help him to the infirmary!”

The men snapped out of their daze, hastily lifting the big man and, guided by the guards, carried him out. As they passed Alois, he pinched the big man’s broken hand hard, making him scream like a pig being slaughtered.

“That’s what you get for touching what’s mine!”

“Sorry… Lagrange. I didn’t know he was…”

“Now you know. Do it again, and I’ll break your dick!” Alois threatened, then walked into the bathroom. If it were Joshua, he might really break Johnson’s dick. Today, Alois had experienced that excruciating pain…

He walked over to Joshua, who was clumsily soaping his back.

“You shouldn’t have broken Johnson’s hand. He’s quite influential in Hecate, and he might retaliate.” For some reason, Alois familiarly took the soap, helping Joshua wash his back as if they had known each other for years.

“He needs the ability to do so.” Joshua yawned, silently enjoying Alois’s service. In return, he allowed the “boss” to sneak a feel.

Alois lathered up, finding it hard to believe the silver-haired man’s apparent docility. He continued to greedily stroke the smooth skin, suddenly feeling like he was petting Schrödinger. “In a one-on-one fight, Johnson isn’t your match. But what if he gathers a group to ambush you in a dark alley? Can you guard against a sneak attack?”

“Ah… isn’t that what you’re for?”

“…!” Alois felt a warm rush in his nose. He wiped at it with emotion, only to find blood on his hand.

Joshua noticed the person behind him suddenly freeze. “What’s wrong, Lagrange?”

“Nosebleed.”

“…How pathetic.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 1

The initial encounter between Alois Lagrange and Joshua Planck was quite unpleasant, as Alois was in the middle of an enjoyable activity with one of his bedmates, Seth. Suddenly, the cell door opened, and a guard walked in with a new prisoner.

“Hi, Lagrange,” the guard said flatly, as if discussing the weather. “This is your new roommate. Get to know each other.”

“Couldn’t you have picked a better time?” Alois glared. Underneath him, Seth whimpered. “Why did you have to put this guy in my cell?”

“This cell happened to have an empty bed,” the guard replied nonchalantly. “And you’re probably the only one in Hecate who can keep him under control. Do your best, Lagrange. We’re all betting on who will survive the longest. I’ve got a hundred bucks on you, so don’t let me down.”

“Enough!”

Alois had been through many ups and downs and was no stranger to unexpected situations in life. He wouldn’t be discouraged by being interrupted in the middle of a piston motion. However, Seth’s mental resilience was clearly not as strong. The young man let out a sob, and his ass tightened abruptly. Then…

“Fuck! Seth, you… I… can’t… pull out…” Alois immediately wanted to find a hole to hide in.

“Oh, this looks really bad,” the guard said regretfully. His subtext was, “Too bad it didn’t crush your damn dick.” “Do you need me to call a doctor? Dr. Pythagoras would be happy to help.”

At this point, the new prisoner spoke up. “I can help. I have a medical license.”

Before Alois could agree, the prisoner stepped forward, grabbed the base of his penis, and gave it a hard pull—

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!” Alois’s scream echoed through the entire prison.

“Got it out.” The prisoner shrugged at the guard, who looked admiringly at him.

“As expected from someone with a medical license!”

Alois collapsed on the bed, covering his crotch. Seth, sobbing, got dressed and fled.

The guard clapped his hands. “Alright, it’s touching to see you help each other on your first meeting. This aligns with our tradition of mutual assistance in Hecate. Keep up the good spirit! Goodbye.” He turned and left the cell. The computer-controlled iron door clanged shut, separating the inside and outside worlds.

Alois wiped away the tears of pain from the corners of his eyes and tried to put on a brave face. He was the boss of the Hecate men’s prison now, and he couldn’t afford to lose face in front of a newcomer.

“Alright, newbie, I’ll let it slide since you’re new here. I’m Alois Lagrange. And you?”

“Joshua Planck.”

Alois climbed out of the lower bunk, intending to give the newcomer an unconventional lesson, but he froze, mouth agape, unable to utter a word.

The man before him was tall and lean, but not frail. The thin gray prison uniform clung to him, faintly outlining his muscular lines, making him look like a sleek leopard. The man had long, silver hair that flowed like a waterfall, draping casually over his shoulders without appearing messy. His facial features were deeply chiseled, like a statue of an ancient Greek hero from Neo-Athens. And his eyes—his irises were black, but there was a golden ring around his pupils, like a solar eclipse’s corona, or a glow emanating from the depths of a dark abyss.

Alois had been in prison for two years, and his sense of aesthetics had been forcibly altered. The galactic diva Camilla was no longer his dream girl; he had learned to appreciate the qualities of men. The man before him was undoubtedly a beautiful specimen, with a slightly aloof expression and a magnetic bracelet on his wrist that added a touch of asceticism, making Alois’s blood boil. He couldn’t help but imagine the silver-haired man in various enticing poses on the bed, and his recently abused member sprang back to life.

Joshua noticed his erection too. “Good physical condition,” he said with a slight smile.

“This is all your fault, Joshua Planck,” Alois said, not hiding his excitement. He leaned back on the bed, slightly raising his chin as if inviting Joshua forward. “You’re too beautiful, making me have improper thoughts.”

“Although it’s not the first time I’ve heard such a ‘compliment’, I’m still pleased.” The silver-haired man stood still, making Alois a bit anxious.

“Since you started the fire, you have to put it out.”

Alois thought Joshua would refuse, but to his surprise, he calmly said, “Alright, since I have a medical license.”

He approached slowly, knelt between Alois’s legs, and wrapped his long fingers around the erect desire, skillfully manipulating it. Alois sighed in satisfaction, feeling the calluses on Joshua’s fingertips, knowing they came from long-term gun use. The slight pain enhanced the pleasure, and as the ecstasy reached its peak, the stroking became faster and faster. Just as Alois was about to climax, Joshua suddenly squeezed hard—

“Ahhhhhhhh!” Alois’s scream pierced the sky of Hecate.

“You… You…” Alois rolled in pain, his penis completely incapacitated.

Joshua calmly washed his hands at the sink, as if nothing had happened. “You asked me to put out the fire, and now it’s out.” And it wouldn’t reignite for a long time.

Alois pounded the bed fiercely, seriously considering the possibility of pushing Joshua Planck into a mine pit to kill him.

By dinner time, Alois’s crotch was still throbbing with pain, but at least he could stand up and walk. He hobbled out of the cell, merging into the flow of prisoners heading to the cafeteria. Joshua followed closely behind.

“Stop following me!” Alois turned and snarled.

“I’m new here and know nothing. You have to guide me.” The silver-haired man smiled and added, “Senior.”

The guards waved their batons, making the prisoners line up to get their meals. A robot handled the food distribution, giving different dishes based on dietary balance, personal preferences, and the prison’s budget. When it was Joshua’s turn, the robot gave him a few seemingly burnt small fish, two pieces of bread, and a large spoonful of onions.

“I hate onions.”

So the robot replaced the onions with fresh, green broccoli.

“I hate broccoli too.”

The robot’s eyes glowed red, and it played a recording of a middle-aged woman shouting, “You’re lucky to get food at all! Eat it or leave it!”

Joshua disgustedly took the broccoli.

“Don’t look like you just ate a fly.” Alois led him to a table. “You have to get used to prison food. Do you expect five-star hotel treatment here? And you better not leave any food, or you’ll get beaten up by the chefs.”

“This place is awful,” the silver-haired man vented his frustration on the broccoli with a plastic fork.

“No kidding!” said a small, thin man sitting across the table. His eyes were darting around like a cunning rat. “The worst place in the galaxy, the galactic garbage dump, Hecate!”

A burly man next to him let out a booming laugh. “Haha, Lagrange, we all heard the screams from your cell today. Oh, what a commotion!”

Alois’s face turned pale.

The thin man said, “Lagrange, you’re too greedy. You’ve monopolized all the handsome guys in the prison, even the new beauty. You should leave some for us brothers!”

“Yeah!” the burly man echoed. “Since you have a new favorite, give Seth to me! You must be tired of him by now…”

Alois breathed a sigh of relief. They had all assumed the earlier scream came from Joshua. Meanwhile, Joshua Planck raised an eyebrow as if contemplating, “Should I reveal the truth? Should I? Should I?”

Alois really wanted to throw all the broccoli in Joshua’s face.

Just as Alois was about to put his plan into action, Joshua suddenly let out a sharp scream and jumped up from his seat.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Prologue 2

The man sat with his head bowed, resting with his eyes closed in the cabin.

He remained completely still, and if it weren’t for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he could easily be mistaken for a wax figure. His hands and feet were bound by magnetic shackles, making movement extremely difficult. So he simply sat still, finding it more comfortable that way.

The man had long silver hair that flowed like mercury down his back, with a few strands falling to his chest, covering half of his face.

“Hey,” someone called out to him from nearby. “What brand of shampoo do you use?”

The man opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voice. The cabin was divided in half by a wire mesh, and the speaker was a woman on the other side of the mesh. They were the only two people in the cabin. The woman was lounging with her legs crossed with a lit cigarette between her fingers. As she spoke, she continuously played with her fiery red hair with her free hand.

“What brand of shampoo do you use?” the woman asked again.

“We both have long hair, so why does mine have so many split ends?” She pulled at her hair in a slightly depressed manner.

“It’s a matter of constitution,” the man replied. The woman raised an eyebrow, noticing that the man had pitch-black eyes with a faint gold ring around the pupils.

“Why aren’t you shackled?” the man asked, seemingly displeased with the disparity in treatment. “Is this gender discrimination?”

“I think it’s individual discrimination.” She stretched like a large cat and moved nimbly to the wire mesh, looking down at the man on the other side. “What did you do to get locked up?”

“I committed all sorts of evil.”

“That’s quite a reason!” The woman laughed heartily, almost doubling over, nearly hanging herself on the wire mesh. She laughed for about three minutes before gradually stopping.

“Your eyes.” She wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. “Black and gold, known as ‘Abyssal Flame’, right? If I remember correctly, only the legendary assassin ‘Mourner’ has those eyes.”

The man nodded politely. “I usually wear contact lenses.”

There were many legends in this galaxy: the headless black-clad woman riding a floating motorcycle, the suspicious old man shuttling through free city states selling eggs, the man who slits women’s throats on remote planets, the space elevators encircling the satellites of the Federal capital…

Among all the galactic legends, the Mourner was the most unique. Because he wasn’t just a legend.

The Mourner was a terrifying assassin with black-gold eyes, poetically called “Abyssal Flame”, which was said to be the gaze of a devil from hell. He habitually wore a black suit akin to mourning attire, with a white flower pinned to his chest, like a mourner attending a funeral. His appearance signaled that a funeral was imminent, as he would personally send his targets to their graves, leaving a white flower on their bodies: a white chrysanthemum for men; a white lily for women.

Thus, he was called “The Mourner”. He was also known as “The Black Blade” or “The Silver Assassin”. Regardless of his nickname, everyone had to admit he was a legendary figure. Sometimes he demanded huge sums from his clients, while other times he worked for free, entirely at his discretion. He had assassinated despotic dictators on remote planets and greedy tycoons in free city states. Some viewed him as a notorious murderer, others as a righteous hero. He was the idol of many hot-blooded youths and the dream lover of countless young girls. He was the top target of many bounty hunters and interstellar police, yet he always remained at large.

No one could catch him, not even touch a single hair on his head. The assassin Mourner was a living legend.

Now, this legendary assassin was sitting on a spaceship bound for the prison planet Hecate, chatting with a strange woman.

“Never thought even the Mourner could fail. I need to reevaluate the abilities of the interstellar police.” The woman took a drag on her cigarette and exhaled slowly.

The Mourner shook his head. “It was my client. He accidentally leaked the plan, implicating me.”

“Oh, a teammate like a pig.”

The assassin nodded in agreement.

“So you’re being sent to Hecate to serve your sentence?” The woman gazed intently at his black-gold eyes.

“I was sentenced to 530 years.” The assassin shrugged. “Sometimes I wish the Empire would reinstate the death penalty.” — In fact, the jury was highly divided on his sentencing; some believed he deserved a heavy sentence, while others thought he should be sent to a museum exhibit.

“Look on the bright side, brother.” The woman waved her hand to disperse the smoke. “You’re still alive, which means you have endless opportunities.”

“I recall Hecate has a nickname, ‘The Infinite Endpoint’.” The Mourner seemed a bit despondent.

“Don’t be like that! You’re too pessimistic!” The woman rummaged through her belongings. “Want a cigarette?” She pulled out a pack of cigarettes, took one out, lit it with her own, and passed it through the wire mesh. The Mourner shifted laboriously on the bench, moved closer to the wire mesh, and bit the cigarette.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, “…Soft Southern Star, a women’s cigarette.”

The woman glared at him. “Be grateful I gave you a cigarette. So picky!”

The Mourner stopped talking.

He quickly finished the cigarette, spat the butt on the floor, and extinguished it with his foot. “What about you?” He tilted his head and asked the woman, “What did you do?”

“Pretty much the same as you. All sorts of evil.” The woman gave a sly smile. “But getting caught was my own fault. I got drunk and was hit over the head in a dark alley. Fortunately, I was saved by a good Samaritan. Unfortunately, that Samaritan was a cop. So I was quickly sent to the dock. Bless the Lord, I never thought the Empire’s bureaucracy could work so efficiently.”

“I’m sorry,” the Mourner tried to say something comforting, but the woman declined.

“No need to pity me. I don’t need it.” The woman spread her arms as if embracing the sky. “My companions will come to rescue me. They will pilot the most advanced spaceship in the galaxy into Hecate’s sky, destroying all shackles! I will eventually gain my freedom!”

At that moment, a mechanical female voice came from the top of the cabin. “The spaceship is about to dock. Repeating, the spaceship is about to dock.”

Doors on either side of the cabin opened, and two fully armed guards walked in. One guard lowered the lock level on the assassin’s magnetic shackles, allowing him to stand and walk. The other guard, with a respectful, almost fearful attitude, put magnetic shackles on the red-haired woman and led her out of the open door.

The woman walked towards the door with her head held high, as if she was going to an award ceremony stage, not a desolate prison planet. She stopped at the door, turned around, and asked, “Assassin, what’s your name?”

“Joshua Planck,” the Mourner replied truthfully.

“I’m Joanna Begrel.”

The assassin widened his eyes.

No wonder the guards didn’t put shackles on her; they didn’t dare and didn’t need to. Simple shackles couldn’t stop this woman. She was Joanna Begrel, owner of the “Lady of the Night”, a famous space pirate, wanted by all planets, and regarded as a hero. In the endless war between the Empire and the Federation, she helped one side defeat the other as a free mercenary and then turned around and did it again. Politicians scornfully called her the “Mad Bitch”, while her former allies and defeated foes respectfully called her the “Mad Queen”.

If the assassin Mourner was a living legend, then Joanna was an undefeated myth.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Prologue 1

Alois Lagrange had many “never thought” moments in his life. He never thought his father would die due to non-combat attrition in the Battle of Datia (the official term actually referred to friendly fire), never thought he would be taken in by the National Orphanage, never thought he would enter military school, never thought he would be selected for the Royal Guard, never thought he would become the personal bodyguard of the first heir to the throne, His Highness Annot, never thought His Highness would fall in love with a commoner, and never thought His Highness would assign him to protect that commoner—Miss Leia.

Alois thought his “never thought” life had come to an end at this point, but he had clearly underestimated the God of Fate’s enthusiasm for “playing with humans”. Although he had experienced it before, it was never this profound…

The imperial royal family was a tragedy in every sense: Her Majesty the Queen was a sentimental and timid woman. Her husband, Prince Sorey, was a notorious philanderer with countless lovers and an almost equal number of illegitimate children, and the Queen was powerless against it—perhaps “inaction” would be a better description—she couldn’t stop her husband’s infidelity and could only wallow in self-pity in the depths of the White Radiance Palace, while the hateful Chancellor Greenwald held the reins of power. The future of the Empire, the first heir, Prince Annot, and the second heir, Princess Alveira, each inherited flaws from their mother’s character. Prince Annot was extremely timid, which could be described kindly as gentle and kind-hearted, unable to harm even a fly; Princess Alveira was sentimental and a bit stubborn.

The third heir was the Queen’s cousin, Duke Winnet, who was ambitious and was currently arranging a marriage between his daughter and Prince Annot, hoping to control the Empire as the king’s father-in-law. However, neither party seemed enthusiastic about this. The Duke’s daughter was immersed in her own 2D world, indifferent to the outside world, while Prince Annot had met the beautiful Leia during an outing and fell in love at first sight. This Cinderella-and-prince love story marked a new phase in Alois Lagrange’s life—from “never thought” to “couldn’t have imagined even if beaten to death”.

He couldn’t have imagined, even if beaten to death, that the usually timid prince would be so determined to be with that girl. The prince sent Alois to protect Miss Leia and provide liaison services for their secret meetings. In this aspect, the prince was quite like his father.

But Alois couldn’t have imagined, even if beaten to death, that Duke Winnet would be insane enough to send someone to assassinate Miss Leia.

That dreadful day began on a gloomy morning, with Alois squatting in the bushes near Miss Leia’s house, chewing on a hard piece of bread, and watching her door like a perverted voyeur. Leia lived with her mother, and her father had died years ago in the war between the Empire and the Federation. The two single women were very cautious about their safety and rarely let strangers into their home—so that dreadful day was definitely an exception.

Just as Alois was about to break his teeth on the bread, a man in a suit came to Miss Leia’s door and rang the doorbell. He was carrying a white plastic bag, bulging with unknown contents, possibly cosmetics. Alois thought he was a salesman because he had just rung the bells of all the neighbors, saying something to them with animated gestures, and was then coldly turned away.

The door opened, and Miss Leia, dressed in a white long dress, appeared at the door. The salesman gesticulated enthusiastically, and unlike before, Miss Leia’s makeup-free face showed a look of surprise. She invited the salesman in and then called out loudly enough for Alois to hear. “Mom! There’s free cosmetic samples! Come and see!”

‘Ah, women’s nature,’ Alois thought.

The door closed again. About ten minutes later, the door opened again. The disappointed salesman came out, still carrying the unchanged plastic bag, and closed the door. Alois watched him leave with sympathy.

About an hour later, Alois began to feel something was wrong. Normally, at this time, Miss Leia’s mother would go out shopping, but she hadn’t appeared today. The uneasy bodyguard stepped out of the bushes, not even bothering to brush off the leaves on his body, and went to the door, ringing the bell several times with no response.

Damn it, something’s definitely wrong. Alois circled to the side of the house and looked inside through the living room window. What he saw shocked him—Miss Leia was lying face down on the floor, a dark red pool of blood spreading from her head, and her mother was lying on the sofa, one hand hanging weakly to the floor, with blood extending from the sofa to the floor.

It was that salesman! Alois gritted his teeth. He pushed the window, found it unlocked, and jumped into the living room, quickly going to Miss Leia’s side and checking her carotid artery—there was no pulse. She had been dead for almost an hour. The living room was tidy, with half-eaten breakfast still on the table. It seemed the salesman hadn’t killed for money, and kind Miss Leia couldn’t have provoked such a deadly enmity. There was only one possibility—he was an assassin sent to kill her.

Typically, Alois should have been devastated, full of self-blame. He had let an assassin kill Miss Leia! Prince Annot had sent him to protect her precisely to prevent such an event. He had betrayed the prince’s trust, let two innocent lives perish, and couldn’t absolve himself even in death!

However, Alois had no time for self-blame. Because the house’s front door was smashed open with a bang, and a group of armed police officers rushed into the living room, countless gun barrels pointed at the bodyguard’s head.

“Drop your weapon!” the police shouted.

Alois was stunned and then realized he was mistaken for a suspect. Looking at the scene, it did indeed seem like he had killed the two women. The bodyguard’s face twitched, trying to explain, but was interrupted by the police’s authoritative shout, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court!”

‘I don’t want to remain silent!’ the bodyguard thought. “Wait, listen to me! I’m a member of the Royal Guard, my name is…”

“Seize him!”

Several police officers twisted Alois’s hands and pinned him to the ground.

“I’m Alois Lagrange! I was ordered by Prince Annot to protect Miss Leia… I…”

“Make him shut up!”

A man who looked like a doctor approached with a syringe and injected it into the bodyguard’s neck.

This… this is a mistake! This is an injustice! Alois’s consciousness faded, but he realized that whether it was a mistake or an injustice, it didn’t matter. Someone wanted to kill Miss Leia and then frame him, removing the two closest people to Prince Annot.

When he woke up, Alois was already in prison. He was sent to trial at lightning speed, so fast that if they always worked at this efficiency, the Empire’s crime rate would have dropped to zero long ago. Alois had no chance to defend himself and was sentenced to two hundred thirty years for murder, without parole—thank God the Empire had long abolished the death penalty—and was sent to serve his sentence on the prison planet Hecate.

Before going to Hecate, he met with his former colleague Casper. Casper told him part of the truth. “Prince Annot has been confined to the palace by Her Majesty the Queen,” the young officer said worriedly. “I guess it must have been Duke Winnet who sent someone to assassinate Miss Leia. He always wanted the prince to marry his daughter, but the prince fell in love with a commoner. Her Majesty the Queen considered this a disgrace to the royal family and tacitly approved the Duke’s actions. You became a victim of the conspiracy.”

“…It’s too late to talk about this now.” Alois shook his head. “How is His Highness?”

“He’s very sad. He has attempted suicide several times but was stopped by the Princess. Now he is on a hunger strike,” Casper said. “Lagrange, rest assured, you won’t stay in prison for life. I will find a way to get you out.”

Alois hugged his colleague. Though moved, he knew Casper was just comforting him. Only the dead were those who would leave Hecate.

Hecate was a planet rich in tin mines, home to the Empire’s most terrifying prison. Prisoners on Hecate lose not only their freedom but also have to endure heavy mining labor. In an era where low-end AI and robots were widespread, manual mining was costly and unprofitable. But, thank God, a bunch of prisoners didn’t need profit. It was just something to keep them occupied. Mining was merely a side job.

Alois could never have imagined, even if beaten to death, that he would be exiled to such a place. His life was full of strange twists. Once honored as a member of the Royal Guard, he was now a prisoner. The prison had its own moral standards and codes of conduct, and Alois found that the common sense of the outside world didn’t apply here.

For example, he never thought he would end up sleeping with men. Alois always thought he would only make love to women he liked, and they had to be beautiful, even if not as stunning as the Galactic Diva Camilla, then at least as pure and lovely as Miss Leia. But on the prison planet Hecate, there were only men around him, only male creatures. Even the warden’s pet cat was male! Of course, there were female prisoners on Hecate, but male and female prisoners could only meet once a year, at the annual Christmas party.

So, for the remaining 364 days of the year, Alois had to stay with men. This was quite painful for a young man full of vigor. So he learned to find joy amidst suffering. In prison, if you didn’t take others, others would take you. After Alois thwarted a group of men plotting to assault him in the shower, he decided to take the initiative. Many were willing to offer themselves. After all, Alois was young, handsome, and strong, and being with him meant being under the protection of a powerful person.

Alois never lacked bedmates, but he felt very empty. He knew he lacked a soulmate—a spiritual pillar—someone who understood him and could support him through his 230-year sentence without parole. And this person had never appeared.

Just when Alois Lagrange thought he would waste his life away, as the saying went, he could never have imagined, even if beaten to death, that he would meet “that person” in prison. This person had many nicknames. Admirers called him “The Living Legend of the Galaxy”; others called him “The Black Blade”, or “The Silver Assassin”. In the most widely circulated version, this person was known as “The Mourner”, and his name was Joshua Planck, a killer.

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Kinky Thoughts:

I’ve been on a western binge lately. I had an interest in this project for a while now and finally got around to it.

I mean, it has it all, space pirates, assassins, interstellar voyage and warfare—there’s even smut and a switch to boot. What more could I ask for.

Enjoy.

Just a note, the author’s name is an idiom referring to when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. It refers to a situation where two things are closely related that the loss of one will directly affect the other.

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