Lin Qian is a little con artist.
She fooled border inspectors, police officers, pirates, and the eyes of an entire empire.
Until she got caught by a border inspector at the customs checkpoint on Planet M: her stuffed toy was cut open on the spot, and twenty boxes of contraband drugs spilled across the floor.
Lu Yun had been a border inspector for three years: impartial and unmoved by anything.
She thought it was just another ordinary day: issue a fine, confiscate the goods, and never see the girl again.
That night, she ran into the little con artist again in a warehouse, this time with a corpse.
A purple mineral. A flame tattoo. A murder hastily closed three years ago.
The dead were her parents. She had investigated for three years, losing her home and then losing hope.
And the little con artist became her only lead, her only partner, and her only surprise.
"I'm hiring you as my bodyguard," Lu Yun said.
"That'll cost extra." Lin Qian smiled slyly.
In the end, she never got paid, but nearly lost her life.
Later, someone stepped in front of a gun for her, and someone destroyed a secret that could have toppled the empire.
A lie told a thousand times, and only one thing was true:
"Lu Yun, this time I didn't lie to you."
CP: Calm, self-possessed border inspector x interstellar con artist who talks a mile a minute
(Older love interest, six-year age gap, each other's first love, 1v1, HE)
Content warning: Angst in the middle, a truly wicked villain, happy ending.
Theme: Truth, love, and freedom are all worth protecting with your life.
