This left Shen Ying utterly speechless. Despite her wealth of life experience and having encountered countless people, Lien was uniquely special in certain ways.

Shen Ying reminded him, "Have you forgotten you escaped from prison? You weren't released after serving your sentence."

Lien brushed it off without a care. "So what? Does that have anything to do with teaming up for a game?"

Shen Ying replied, "Logically, I should use the system to track your signal, report your coordinates, and have the military arrest you."

Lien, with the calm of someone who might not be in prison but couldn't be fooled, scoffed, "Cut the crap. You're hiding from the Empire's forces yourself. I heard they're trying to hold you accountable, but it's stuck in a stalemate."

Shen Ying said, "So if I report your whereabouts now, it’d break the deadlock."

Lien smirked. "As if they could catch me even if they tried."

After a few more exchanges, Lien grew impatient. "Just add me as a friend already. It’s annoying having to track you down every time."

Shen Ying raised an eyebrow. "How did you even find me?"

Lien snorted. "Memorizing a user code with dozens of digits? Please, I have 3S-level mental power. Was that supposed to be hard?"

Shen Ying was incredulous. "You had the presence of mind to remember a game user code in that situation?"

Lien’s face flushed slightly, but he doubled down. "Of course. I told you I’d break out eventually. Wouldn’t it be a shame if I couldn’t come back and see the look on your face when you realized it?"

He then urged her again, "Stop wasting time. Just click the damn 'Add Friend' button in the top-left corner."

Shen Ying didn’t move, lazily replying, "My friend list is full."

Lien exploded. "Bullshit! You have less than ten game friends. Don’t think I don’t know."

Shen Ying shrugged. "Your reputation in-game is terrible. Teaming up with you would get me ostracized."

Lien fumed. "Who’s spreading lies about me? My god-tier skills deserve respect, not slander!"

Shen Ying said, "Maybe check the forums? There are still posts calling you a cheater. I’d rather not ruin my gaming experience."

With that, she mercilessly kicked him out of the team lobby and queued up with her usual teammates.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the universe, Lien was livid. "She actually kicked me out?"

"How dare she? I only charged her eight hundred per session, and after all that, she won’t even add me as a friend?"

His crew gathered around, curious. One asked, "Boss, what’s this 'eight hundred' thing?"

"Since when did you take on such small-time jobs? What were you selling?"

Before Lien could answer, another crewmate chimed in, "Game boosting, right? Still, that’s dirt cheap."

"With Boss’s skills, reflexes, and tactical mind, he could dominate intergalactic tournaments. Carrying someone for just eight hundred? Damn, prison really screws you over."

Another nodded. "Yeah, I remember gaming scouts offering Boss annual contracts worth hundreds of millions before."

"Don’t ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‍think too much about it. Prison life’s rough."

Lien listened to their chatter, feeling a pang of guilt. How could he admit that the "eight hundred" was payment for something far more compromising?

He swore to himself to keep that secret buried, but his hands moved swiftly. Soon, he located Shen Ying’s game session and joined in.

This mission took place on a mechanical planet, where every living thing was made of machinery—even the "grass" was sharp metal blades.

A tiny spider could wreak havoc, let alone the mechanical strays lurking in dark alleys or the metallic tendrils bursting from the ground.

Shen Ying’s team was cautious. She was skilled, and her teammates were among the best amateurs.

As the match progressed, their squad remained intact while others fell, increasing their odds of victory.

But just as they entered a chemical plant for supplies, they were ambushed. The enemy knew the terrain well, catching them off guard.

Before they could assess the layout, they were sitting ducks—especially with an enemy sniper picking them off one by one.

Only Shen Ying was left standing.

She sighed. "Such a promising start, ruined."

"Should’ve teamed up with me," Lien said, appearing behind her with a smug grin.

"This planet actually exists. It’s rich in liquid minerals—the core fuel for mechs. Too bad it’s too dangerous to mine. I’ve scouted it a few times, so I know these places like the back of my hand."

Shen Ying deadpanned, "Oh? Even better than you know the prison?"

Lien scowled. "You never let me explore the prison freely."

Ignoring that, Shen Ying said, "You wrecked my game. What’s your compensation plan?"

Lien scoffed. "Your teammates were trash. Not my fault. Want to climb the ranks? Easy—just team up with me, and I’ll carry you to #1 on the leaderboard."

Shen Ying countered, "So the whole universe can learn that not only did I let a prisoner escape, but I also teamed up with a fugitive to dominate an online game? Now that’s headline material."

Lien frowned. "Who’d even know it’s us? Besides that idiot Crown Prince."

"Wait—are you worried he’ll find out? Does he even remember how he escaped?"

"Speaking of which… don’t tell me you went easy just to let him out. Were the rest of us just collateral?"

Shen Ying smirked. "Some things are better left unsaid."

Lien nearly choked on his fury. Just then, his crew closed in around them.

One eyed Shen Ying and sneered, "So this is Warden Shen Ying of the Sky Prison?"

Another grinned maliciously. "Our boss has been under your… care for a while now."

Shen Ying smiled back, cryptic. "No worries. He paid his dues."

The crew froze. There was an unsettling weight to her words.

They didn’t dwell on it, though—nor did they notice Lien’s flushed ears—as they encircled her.

One taunted, "This game’s pain settings are adjustable, but most hardcore players keep it at the max—60%."

"Warden Shen’s in a high-tier lobby. Lowering pain sensitivity would be embarrassing, right?"

"Sure, 60% isn’t as bad as the real thing, but if we hit hard enough, it’ll still make you wish you were dead."

"Of course, you could always just log out."

"But imagine the Sky Prison’s warden fleeing from escaped convicts. Now that’d be a sight."

They weren’t planning anything extreme—just reclaiming some dignity for their boss after his time under her watch.

If she ran, maybe Lien would stop brooding over whatever was eating at him.

They blamed his recent mood swings on the humiliation of being subdued in prison.

But Shen Ying just glanced at her settings. "Pain perception? Oh, I have it fully disabled."

The crew: "…"

"Seriously, look at the mess you've organized. Aren't your teammates judging you for this?"

At that moment, Lien kicked one of the men aside, breaking through the circle surrounding him. "I wasn't finished speaking yet. Why are you all crowding around like a wall?"

"Get out, all of you!"

After shooing his subordinates away, he pulled Shen Ying aside into a corner and asked, "Has anything unusual happened in the prison lately?"

Shen Ying smirked at him. "Get this straight—this is a prison, not the hometown you’re so nostalgic about. Did you miss it so much you wanted to come back for a visit?"

Annoyed by her feigned ignorance, Lien snapped, "I’m just worried that after we leaders left, you might take it out on the lower ranks."

"Even though we didn’t spend much time together, they were still my subordinates. I can’t let them suffer in my place."

Shen Ying raised an eyebrow. "Do I seem like that kind of person? When it comes to discipline, I never punish the innocent."

Somewhat reassured, Lien pressed further, "How’s the maintenance on the prison’s simulation pods?"

Shen Ying shrugged. "No idea. I’ve been too busy dealing with headquarters’ interrogations to play around."

Lien smirked in satisfaction. "No big deal. Worst case, we defect from the Empire. What’s there to fear? Just give me the coordinates, and I’ll help you take on the military."

Shen Ying gave him a teasing look. "Prisoner 3077, you’ve really got a new lease on life after getting out, huh?"

Flustered, Lien quickly changed the subject. "I told you to add me as a friend."

"Otherwise, when the military comes knocking and you need backup, don’t blame me for not giving you the chance today."

Shen Ying waved him off. "Forget it. I’m not planning to defect and become a wanted criminal. Having to tiptoe around just to go shopping sounds exhausting."

Just as Lien was about to argue further, a voice interrupted from Shen Ying’s side.

"Warden, I’m coming in."

The voice belonged to a man—young, with a soft, unassuming tone. It sounded almost docile, yet carried an undertone that could easily stir darker impulses.

Lien’s pupils contracted, his entire body tensing with alarm. "Who’s in your office? Who is that?"

Shen Ying ignored him, prompting Lien to grab her arm, preventing her from logging off. "Answer me! What, you’ve already found a new troublemaker in just a few days?"

Shen Ying sighed. "Tu Yi is no troublemaker. There aren’t any troublemakers left in my prison now."

Lien frowned, mentally matching the name to one of the inmates—a reformed prisoner.

"Tu Yi? That sniveling coward who’s always on the verge of tears?"

"I told you before, that guy’s no good."

But his opinion didn’t matter. Tu Yi’s voice came through again. "Warden, I don’t know if it’s because of yesterday’s physical examination, but I’ve been feeling strange—nauseous, like I might throw up."

Lien nearly exploded. "Physical examination? What the hell? You said you weren’t using the simulation pods!"

Shen Ying rolled her eyes. "Don’t be ridiculous. If an inmate shows symptoms, of course I’d examine them in person. Why would I use a simulation pod for that?"

"Besides, it’s rare to find someone interested in my traditional medical skills. I take it seriously."

Lien felt his vision darken. "Then what’s wrong with him? Why would a guy feel nauseous like that?"

Shen Ying shrugged. "How should I know? That’s why I called him in for a recheck."

With that, she prepared to log off. This time, no amount of Lien’s shouting could make her hesitate.

As her figure vanished from the screen, Lien trembled with rage. He immediately disconnected, storming into the ship’s cockpit.

He barked at the row of pilots, "Lock onto the airborne prison’s coordinates. Now."

His second-in-command blinked. "Boss, what are you planning?"

Lien clenched his fists. "I didn’t escape on my own merits. I can’t let this go."

The crew exchanged glances.

This guy’s a damn idiot.