Arsenal

Li Ming rested his chin on his hand, pondering Lin Xi's words.

Forget about the blind date—given his father’s impression of him, would he really hand over such an important task without even a single word of instruction?

Li Ming could hardly believe it.

After walking around the prison today, he hadn’t found anything particularly unusual. Maybe it was all just coincidence, a series of accidents.

Aside from inexplicably gaining a system, Li Ming couldn’t figure out what danger could possibly lurk here.

He recalled the dream he had when he fainted—in it, he had also obtained a system, but it was controlled by that unscrupulous author.

Yet the tasks he received in reality were far better than the absurd ones from the dream. Perhaps he had just stumbled upon a system by chance, and the unscrupulous author was merely a figment of his imagination.

Shaking his head, he decided there was no point overthinking it. He’d take things one day at a time. His father wouldn’t throw his only son into a pit, would he?

“Hey, Lin Xi! Speaking of blind dates, it’s been years since we last met. Haven’t you gotten yourself a boyfriend or something?” Li Ming studied Lin Xi’s stunning face with curiosity.

Logically, with her looks, she could have any man she wanted. The line of suitors probably stretched from here to her doorstep! Why even bother with a blind date?

“What’s a boyfriend? My goal is the stars and the cosmos! I don’t need something so useless,” Lin Xi replied coolly.

“Unlike you, Young Master Li. Rumor has it you’ve had quite the romantic escapades over the years—hanging out in bars and nightclubs, groping female DJs’ backsides, haven’t you?”

“Hahaha! Nonsense! All lies! You know how strict my family is. If I were really fooling around like that, my dad would’ve come down hard on me!” Li Ming laughed, not entirely lying. Though he frequented bars, he prided himself on being a playboy who never got entangled.

“Oh? Really? Then how come I heard about a certain Zhang Ya—someone you’re apparently quite close with? An ex? Or… current girlfriend?” Lin Xi narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Li Ming’s expression for any flicker of reaction.

“Huh? How do you know about Ya’er?” Li Ming stared at her in surprise.

“‘Ya’er’? Calling her so affectionately—sounds pretty special to me!” Lin Xi raised an eyebrow.

“Haha! Seriously, it’s not like that. My parents may spoil me, but if I were actually dating someone, do you think they’d send me here to meet you?” Li Ming chuckled, trying to explain.

“I trust Uncle and Auntie, but who is this Zhang Ya then?” Lin Xi pressed, still skeptical.

When she learned Li Ming was coming to serve as prison warden and meet her for a blind date, she’d asked a friend to look into his recent activities. The findings were… eye-opening.

Li Ming’s routine was simple—home to the bar and back, staying out until the early hours every night.

His social circle wasn’t messy, but one name stood out: Zhang Ya. She was always by his side whenever he was out, making their relationship hard to ignore. It had bothered Lin Xi enough that she couldn’t help needling him about it.

“Ya’er is just a friend. She’s the daughter of the bar owner I usually go to. Since I’m a regular, we got to know each other. She just drinks with me when I’m there—nothing like what you’re imagining,” Li Ming clarified.

“Hmph! Fine, I’ll take your word for it—for now. But if I find out you’re lying, you’ll regret it!” Lin Xi stood up abruptly and strode out of the room.

Li Ming sighed, spreading his hands helplessly before following.

A woman’s heart was as fathomable as the ocean. He couldn’t for the life of him understand Lin Xi’s mood swings—one moment warm, the next icy. She was unpredictable, even unreasonable, nothing like the likable girl he remembered from childhood.

Lin Xi then took Li Ming on a tour of the prison’s departments, key locations, security checkpoints, and the armory.

At the armory, Li Ming couldn’t tear himself away.

Despite his privileged background, he’d never had the chance to handle firearms before.

As a child, he’d been fascinated by these mysterious weapons, but the closest he got was looking at them from a distance. Whether it was Uncle Wang, his father’s bodyguard, or his own security detail, no one ever let him touch a gun.

Today, he finally got his hands on a pistol.

Gripping it, he marveled at its weight and solid feel—and this was without the magazine. Loaded, it would be even heavier.

Raising it, he aimed at a distant target, lining up the sights. He had a hunch he’d be a natural marksman—just pure talent!

After a moment of reluctant admiration, he set the pistol back down, his gaze drifting to the assault rifles and sniper rifles nearby.

He hadn’t expected such heavy firepower in a prison.

The walls were lined with bulletproof vests, grenades, and other tactical gear, making his fingers itch with curiosity. His eyes flicked to the black, unidentified pistol holstered at Lin Xi’s waist.

Noticing his stare, Lin Xi smirked, walked over, and picked up the pistol he’d just handled, pressing it back into his hands.

“Keep it. As the warden, you’re authorized to carry. Just don’t flip the safety off unless you mean to fire. The range here is open for practice—we’ve got plenty of ammo, so feel free to train when you’re free. But remember, the gun stays inside the prison. No carrying it outside. Got it?” she warned sternly.

“Seriously? I get my own gun? Haha, this is amazing! I’ve always wanted to try! Teach me how to shoot—let’s fire a few rounds before we go!” Li Ming eagerly raised the pistol again, sighting the target.

“Tch. Amateur. Load the magazine—live rounds. Get into position. I’ll show you once,” Lin Xi clapped her hands, handing him the magazine.

Though he’d never done it before, Li Ming mimicked what he’d seen, loading the gun and assuming a stance. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a figure pressed against his back.

Lin Xi leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder, her hand guiding his grip on the pistol.

Her voice murmured in his ear, “Lower your center of gravity. Breathe steadily—adjust your aim with each exhale. Keep your arms firm to handle the recoil. Grip tight with both hands. The kick is strong.”

“Slow your breathing. Slower. I said slower! Why’s it getting faster?” Lin Xi complained.

“Uh… you’re this close—how am I supposed to stay calm?” Li Ming grumbled.

He wasn’t some saint! A healthy, red-blooded man with a beauty like her pressed against him, her warm breath tickling his ear—his pulse was racing, his breathing ragged…