Outside the cave, a stream flowed gently, its murmuring waters seeming to stretch into infinity.
Lin Kong wrapped Hermes in his coat, pressing down on his shoulders as they sank into the water together until it reached their necks. Even the blood moon on the horizon seemed too ashamed to witness the scene, quietly retreating behind the dark clouds. The light around the dense forest grew dimmer still.
Lin Kong first stripped off his own clothes, weighing them down with a stone nearby, before submerging himself again to remove Hermes’ soaked garments. The latter flinched slightly, as if resisting.
Seeing this, Lin Kong quietly slipped under the coat, thinking to himself—could this pervert actually be shy? “What are you hiding from? How are you supposed to bathe without taking off your clothes?”
Hermes: […]
His hand, hanging by his side, clenched and loosened repeatedly, a clear sign of his struggle to suppress his rising anger.
Seeing this, Lin Kong decided to stop teasing him. He rummaged through a plastic bag and pulled out a bottle of body wash, lathering it into foam before rubbing some onto Hermes. It was something he had brought along for the trip, though unfortunately, it was only a travel-sized bottle and wouldn’t last long.
Hermes frowned. [What is this?]
“It’s body wash—something for bathing. You have clothes, but you’ve never seen this before?”
Lin Kong subtly probed into Hermes’ background. “By the way, you still haven’t told me—where’s your home?”
[Home?]
Hermes’ expression turned mocking. [I have no need for a home.]
Animals have only their dens for shelter, and exiles survive by seizing territory. Home? What even is that?
Suddenly, Lin Kong said, “You’re really pitiful.”
The word seemed to strike a nerve. In an instant, Hermes seized Lin Kong by the throat, his entire presence turning ice-cold. [You’re nothing more than prey on the verge of death—how dare you pity me?]
Lin Kong keenly noticed that the grip around his neck wasn’t as tight as the last two times. That small hesitation was a flaw—one that gave him confidence. “Of course you’re pitiful,” he continued. “No home, no companion, and no one to love you.”
Home. Companion. Love.
The three words that spilled from Lin Kong’s lips were things Hermes had never truly understood before. At the sound of them, his fingertips trembled uncontrollably for just a fraction of a second. After a long, heavy silence, he finally let go of Lin Kong. His voice was sharp, almost ruthless—
[I don’t need them!]
He didn’t need them.
[You say all this, but it’s nothing more than an attempt to make me spare you.]
[But I have never spared my prey.]
So…
[You still have to die.]
Hermes’ eyes seemed to pierce straight into the depths of the soul. He stared at Lin Kong’s striking, vividly alive face, almost anticipating the fear and terror that should surface. But to his disappointment, Lin Kong showed nothing at all.
“I’ll help you bathe.”
Lin Kong pretended not to hear his words. He lathered the body wash in his hands, spreading the foam over himself before casually smearing some onto Hermes as well. Right now, he had only one thought in his mind—lure this lunatic in, or he wouldn’t live to see tomorrow.
Lin Kong washed with great focus, the body wash carrying a faint lemon scent. Hermes didn’t particularly dislike the fragrance, so he allowed the other to continue without resistance.
The outside was clean—now the inside needed washing too.
But the moment Lin Kong reached out, Hermes immediately grabbed his wrist. [What do you think you’re doing?]
Lin Kong blinked innocently. “Helping you bathe, of course. You washed the outside—shouldn’t the inside be clean too?”
He tried to make it sound perfectly reasonable.
But Hermes clearly detested being touched in such private places. His brows furrowed as he shook off Lin Kong’s hand, hastily throwing on his previously discarded shirt. Without another word, he strode out of the stream and headed straight back to the cave.
“Hey, don’t leave.”
Lin Kong glanced at the moon, now hidden behind thick clouds, then quickly dressed and followed after him. Inside the cave, there was a stone bed—Hermes often sat there at night to cultivate. Lin Kong, however, found it far too uncomfortable. He would rather sleep on the ground than endure the hard, unyielding surface.
Of course, it wasn’t like he dared to fight Hermes for it anyway.
Hermes’ clothes were still dripping wet, water trickling down in thin streams. Seeing this, Lin Kong stepped behind him and peeked over his shoulder. “Don’t be mad, okay? If you don’t like me touching you, I won’t. But aren’t you cold wearing wet clothes?”
Lin Kong was a spoiled young master, impossible to please, and his suitcase was packed with all sorts of random things. If nothing else, he had an abundance of designer clothes. After speaking, he walked over to his luggage, rummaged through it, and pulled out a dry short-sleeved shirt, handing it to Hermes. “Here, put this on. I don’t have any long sleeves left, so you’ll have to make do.”
[I don’t need it.]
Hermes lay back on the stone bed, eyes shut. He must have been out of his mind to let Lin Kong meddle with him like this. In his heart, he silently counted the passing seconds, hoping that dawn would come sooner—so he could finally kill this prey.
“What if you get sick from wearing wet clothes? I’d be worried.”
Worried.
Lin Kong repeated the word softly—whether he truly meant it or not, only he would know.
In the darkness, he quietly climbed onto the stone bed. Seeing that Hermes didn’t react, he grew bolder, unfastening the buttons at the other’s collar and peeling away the damp shirt, tossing it to the ground.
Hermes’ eyes slowly opened in the darkness, watching silently, curious as to what Lin Kong was up to this time. But Lin Kong merely took the soft T-shirt and placed it beneath him, then leaned in close to his ear, his voice dripping with honeyed sweetness.
“Let me teach you how to be more comfortable, okay?”
Hermes frowned in silence, though a trace of curiosity flickered in his mind.
Seeing this, Lin Kong chuckled softly and pressed a warm, lingering kiss to his forehead. In a hushed voice, he explained, “This is called a kiss—something only companions do.”
Hermes’ voice remained cold as he reminded him, [You are my prey.]
“I know. I never said I wasn’t.”
With that, Lin Kong lowered his head and kissed him again—gentle, deliberate. The kind of kiss that could almost make someone believe they were loved. Hermes felt an unfamiliar sensation—something between a tickle and a quiet comfort. He flinched slightly but soon fell still.
The air inside the cave was gradually warming. Lying on the cold stone, Hermes felt an unexpected heat creeping into his body. Then, in the darkness, Lin Kong found his lips with unerring precision, capturing them softly before prying them open, his tongue seeking out Hermes’ own.
Hermes wondered what kind of strange action this was now. He shifted uncomfortably, but before he could pull away, Lin Kong’s whispered voice brushed against his ear, “Hold me.”
Hermes froze for a moment, lifting his gaze to Lin Kong, his eyes blank with confusion. In matters like this, he was as pure as an untouched sheet of paper, [Hold?]
“Yes, hold me.”
Lin Kong gestured toward his own arms wrapped around Hermes. “Just like how I’m holding you.”
Who would embrace their prey? Hermes wondered. Yet, in the darkness, he hesitated for only a moment before slowly reaching out. His hands settled at Lin Kong’s waist, then tightened, pulling the warm body against him.
So warm.
He could even feel Lin Kong’s heartbeat—rapid, pounding.
No wonder his life force was so vibrant.
Lin Kong leaned in again, deepening the kiss. The slick sound of their tongues entwining echoed through the cave, unbearably clear, enough to make one’s heart race. His fingers traced along Hermes’ cold ankle, then slowly slid up his calf. He couldn’t help but think—this guy really has no shame, walking out of the stream with nothing but a shirt, not even bothering with pants.
Those legs were undeniably beautiful—long, powerful, and almost blindingly pale. But beneath the smooth skin, the taut muscles hinted at danger, a silent warning. There was no doubt that a single well-placed kick from him could leave someone spitting blood.
Lin Kong had just made Hermes feel good all on his own. He didn’t even bother to wash his hands—perfect for lubrication. He was determined to take down this pervert in one go.
After all, the other’s body had gone soft, and their gaze was unfocused—it was the perfect moment to take advantage of the opening.
However, Lin Kong had overlooked the fact that this was also his first time. “Innate talent” was never something associated with him from childhood to now. Hermes, struck by a sharp pain, turned deathly pale and instantly sobered up, shoving Lin Kong away in an instant.
“Thud—!”
Lin Kong hit the ground in a spectacular fall, his vision spinning as he lay there, momentarily dazed. Instinctively, he looked toward Hermes, only to see the other man sitting on the stone bed, glaring at him in fury. His expression was dark and menacing, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked.
[This is what you call ‘feeling good’?!]
Hermes was in so much pain that a breath got stuck in his chest, neither rising nor falling. He wanted to touch the spot but didn’t dare. Instead, he gripped the stone bed beneath him with all his strength—so hard that he tore off a chunk of rock and crushed it into dust.
[Are you messing with me on purpose?!]
Hearing this, Lin Kong instinctively glanced down at his own hand. That was when he noticed a faint trace of blood on his fingertips—barely visible, yet undeniable. He lowered his head, falling into deep thought: “…”
He was screwed. A total newbie with no experience—and now he’d made the other person bleed.
Was Hermes going to strike him down on the spot?
Would he even live to see the sun rise tomorrow?
One question after another popped into Lin Kong’s mind, but none had an answer. He swallowed hard, struggling to come up with an excuse for himself, “I… I didn’t have any experience. It was my first time…”
After speaking, he quietly picked up his clothes from the ground and hugged them to his chest. Inch by inch, he scooted toward Hermes. Tentatively, he reached out to touch the other man’s hand. When Hermes didn’t react, he tightened his grip slightly, “Can I just apologize?”
A dead silence filled the air. Hermes still didn’t speak, his expression as dark as ever.
Lin Kong casually wiped his hands on the dirty clothes on the ground, his tone filled with both concern and guilt. “You’re bleeding… Does it hurt?”
Hermes had never imagined he would be injured by such a low-level prey. He shot Lin Kong a cold glare, just about to take action—when suddenly, a gentle warmth pressed against his eyelids. Lin Kong had pulled him into an embrace, placing a soft, consoling kiss there. “How about… you hit me to vent your anger?”
As long as he didn’t kill him, that was fine.
Hermes wanted to push Lin Kong away, but instead, he was held even tighter. To an outsider, they might have looked like a couple—Lin Kong patiently coaxing his angry boyfriend with such tenderness, such care.
Lin Kong kissed Hermes again and again, each touch impossibly gentle, as if this gesture alone could melt his resistance. His final kiss landed on Hermes’ cold, tightly pressed lips. Just as he was about to pry them open, a sharp pain shot through him—Hermes had bitten down, hard.
Lin Kong hissed in pain, but before he could react, he found himself staring into a pair of dark, blood-red eyes. He froze for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. Instead of retreating, he leaned in once more, pressing another kiss to Hermes’ lips, slowly wearing down his defenses.
Kisses and embraces had a way of making people lose themselves.
In a daze, Hermes once again found himself pressed down onto the stone bed by Lin Kong. He didn’t respond to the kiss, but he didn’t push him away either. His brows were furrowed tightly, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Lin Kong didn’t dare touch the wounded area again. Instead, he used his warm palm to gently massage around it, over and over, as if trying to knead the pain away. Only when he felt Hermes’ body gradually relax did he finally whisper, “Does it still hurt?”
Hermes’ expression darkened. [Do you think I’m afraid of pain?]
When Zerg hatchlings first broke out of their shells, they were all in their insect forms without exception. They fought ruthlessly for nutrients, devouring their own kind, and only after accumulating enough energy could they evolve into humanoid form.
Hermes had clawed his way out of countless battles, rising above thousands upon thousands of his kin. Every step he had taken was paved with blood—so how could he possibly fear pain?
Lin Kong thought to himself, But you obviously do fear pain. Just a moment ago, a little bit of blood had drained the color from Hermes’ face, his eyes turning red as if he were on the verge of tears.
But even he wasn’t foolish enough to say that out loud. Instead, he pressed another soft kiss onto him and murmured, “But I’m afraid of you being in pain.”
His voice was so sincere, so earnest…
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