FRGL chapter 78

Luo Hai had never lost control like this in his entire life.

There was something magical about this performance and this stage—it stripped away all reason and rules, allowing people to unleash and express themselves without restraint.

Here, he could cry, he could laugh, he could be an Omega, he could be an Alpha. He could do anything reckless or outrageous without fearing punishment or harm.

The song was too short.

Too short for Luo Hai to fully recover from the madness of the moment when it ended.

But it was also too long.

Long enough for him to memorize every note that flowed from Eugene’s fingertips amid the deafening cheers. Long enough for him to remember every glimmer of light in Eugene’s eyes.

The final note of the guitar rang out through the underground venue. Sweat clung to Eugene’s forehead as he raised his arm high before bowing to the crowd. “Thank you all for watching!”

A roar of applause erupted from below. People began tossing coins and bills onto the stage—some of considerable value—raining money down like a storm.

Even after stepping out of that dim underground space, Luo Hai’s ears were still buzzing with phantom echoes.

The sky outside had completely darkened. The stars shone brilliantly, and the moon was half-covered by drifting clouds, swaying with the night breeze.

Eugene held a cloth pouch filled with money from the audience. He shook it, making it jingle, and clicked his tongue.

“Damn, this is incredible. This is more than twice what I make performing alone. You really have a way with the crowd. If I had known, I would’ve brought you along sooner.”

Luo Hai rubbed his temples, still trying to shake off the lingering noise in his head. “So all those late nights—this is what you’ve been doing? Being an underground rock musician?”

“Of course not.” Eugene juggled the money pouch in his hands and smirked. “I’m also a bartender, a street food vendor, a flea market mover, and a big, dumb cat performing acrobatics at a kids’ amusement park.”

Luo Hai couldn’t help but chuckle. “Life’s tough, huh? Even terrorists have to take side gigs.”

“What else can I do?” Eugene caught the pouch mid-air and arched an eyebrow at Luo Hai. “Where do you think the money for feeding all of Lightwing’s members comes from? How do you think we fund our operations? It used to be even harder. But ever since we got the inhibitors, at least Xiao Lau and the others can go out and work too. It takes some of the pressure off me.”

Luo Hai looked at Eugene. The other man’s voice remained lighthearted, as if he were simply telling a funny anecdote.

But after seeing and understanding the real Lightwing, Luo Hai couldn’t laugh anymore.

He had no idea how Eugene had managed to sustain such a massive organization all on his own for so long.

And he had even less idea how, during that one month when Eugene was absent, the others had survived and managed to execute such a complicated plan in his place.

No matter who he was facing—enemy or ally—Eugene always carried himself with effortless ease.

No one knew how much suffering he endured behind the scenes.

And he never shared that pain with anyone.

“Are you thinking of something terrible?” Eugene chuckled softly. “Relax, it’s not as bad as you think. If Lightwing were really that poor, where do you think this luxurious hotel came from?”

Luo Hai was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t even considered that.

“Lightwing has a major benefactor. I’m just stubborn—I always want to be self-sufficient if I can. But if I really couldn’t hold on, no one would starve to death,” Eugene said with a smile.

“A major benefactor?”

Luo Hai had investigated plenty of information about Lightwing while at the prosecutor’s office, but he had never heard of any secret benefactor supporting them.

“You’ll meet him sooner or later,” Eugene said with a small smile, offering no further details.

Luo Hai blinked but chose not to press the matter.

They walked side by side out of the alley. As night fell, the streets became quieter, with only a few shops still lit. A shop owner leaned against a tree at the entrance, yawning and stretching, while an elderly woman hunched over, carefully picking through the last few vegetables on a shelf.

“What exactly is your plan?” Luo Hai asked in a low voice.

“What plan?” Eugene asked casually.

“Me, you, Lightwing, the prosecutor’s office,” Luo Hai said simply. “You can’t possibly keep me here forever.”

“Can’t I?” Eugene looked at him with a smile. His eyes were full of laughter, yet they pricked at Luo Hai ever so lightly.

“Don’t say something so foolish,” Luo Hai muttered.

“Forever doesn’t have to mean literally forever,” Eugene said lightly. “A single smile, a single glance from you—if I see it and remember it, that’s forever. Even if you’re by my side for just a second, as long as I remember your warmth and your scent, forever will always be forever.”

Luo Hai was speechless.

He had no idea how Eugene could say something so embarrassingly sentimental without a hint of shame. His tone was so calm, as if he weren’t confessing but simply stating a fact.

Even after saying all that, Eugene showed no awkwardness. He only turned to him with a smile. “Do you want to go back? Or take a walk? I’ve already hit my earnings goal for today, so I don’t have anything else to do.”

After experiencing such sudden madness and release, a person would inevitably feel a sense of emptiness. The night looked no different from usual, the moon hung in the sky just as it did yesterday, yet Luo Hai felt that night was colder than normal.

Eugene noticed Luo Hai’s mood. Without waiting for a response, he took his hand. Almost instinctively, Luo Hai tightened his grip in return—only to realize that Eugene’s fingers weren’t much warmer than his own.

But when their fingers intertwined, their warmth merged, and together, they felt less cold. Two people walking side by side were always warmer than one walking alone.

“Do you want to see fireworks?” Eugene asked, his voice lifting at the end. “I’ll take you.”

“Fireworks?” Luo Hai was surprised. “A place like Lansai has fireworks?”

“They do. You can see them in the suburbs, and it just so happens they’re tonight. The timing should be…” Eugene glanced at his watch. “…fifteen minutes from now.”

“Fifteen minutes to get to the suburbs?” Luo Hai said helplessly. “There’s no way we’ll make it. Let’s just go back.”

“Says who?” Eugene raised an eyebrow. “If I say we can make it, we can make it.”

Luo Hai was about to retort when he saw Eugene stride toward a roadside tree. Parked underneath was a flashy, multicolored motorcycle that looked incredibly cool. Eugene hopped onto the seat, pulled a key from his pocket, and started the engine.

“That’s your bike?” Luo Hai asked in surprise.

“Who else? Is there anyone in all of Lansai as stylish as me?” Eugene put on his helmet and tossed another one to Luo Hai. “Get on!”

Eugene didn’t give Luo Hai a single moment to hesitate, as if, if he refused, Eugene would ride off and blow up the entire city.

Luo Hai’s body moved before his brain could process it. By the time he realized it, he had already put on the helmet and was sitting on the back seat of Eugene’s motorcycle.

“Hold onto my waist. Don’t let go!” Eugene said before twisting the throttle.

Luo Hai barely had time to react before he felt a massive force pulling him backward. Startled, he instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around Eugene’s waist.

For a moment, all he could hear was the roar of the wind and the thunderous rumble of the motorcycle. His entire field of vision was blocked by the flapping hem of Eugene’s coat.

“Are you crazy?!” Luo Hai shouted against the wind. “Slow down!”

Eugene’s voice drifted lazily back, carried by the wind. “If I slow down, we won’t make it! Hold on tight!”

Luo Hai had a whole string of curses stuck in his throat, but all he could do was watch as Eugene pushed the speed even higher.

The people of Lansai had never seen such a reckless motorcycle rider before. Their gazes filled with shock and anger as Eugene sped past them. The drivers he cut off yelled furiously, but their voices vanished instantly into the wind.

Luo Hai’s heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest. Unable to take it anymore, he shouted again, “Eugene!”

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Eugene laughed, shouting back. “Come on, shout with me! Wuhoo—!”

Luo Hai didn’t know whether to be angry or amused. Fifteen years had passed, yet this man hadn’t changed a bit. He was still just as childish, impulsive, and recklessly bold.

And yet, even he had to admit—the wind against his face felt exhilarating, and the feeling of rushing forward without hesitation was pure freedom.

Even if freedom was fleeting, even if eternity was just a second, humans would never stop chasing that moment.

In just fifteen minutes, Eugene actually managed to race from the city center to the outskirts.

The moment he began to slow down, a bright firework suddenly bloomed in the ink-black sky, followed by another, and another.

The boundless night was lit up by the dazzling fireworks. Their glow illuminated half the city, reflecting in Luo Hai’s eyes, capturing a fleeting eternity.

Eugene parked the motorcycle, smiling as he removed his helmet—and then reached over to take off Luo Hai’s as well. “So? Pretty nice, right?”

“Yeah.” Luo Hai could only manage a single syllable after a long pause.

“Lansai only sets off fireworks once a year—not even during the New Year or holidays, just this one time. Someone funds it in memory of their anniversary with a loved one. Of course, in Nantes, you see fireworks almost every month, so this probably isn’t anything special to you. But for me… I guess it’s just a selfish little wish. I thought maybe, if I watched these fireworks, I’d get a blessing too… that I could stay with the person I love, for a long, long time…”

Eugene trailed off and chuckled. “Forget it, saying it out loud sounds dumb. You’re probably going to call me childish agai—”

Before Eugene could finish his sentence, Luo Hai suddenly wrapped his arms around his neck, lifted his head, and kissed him.