Moonlit: Happy 100th chapter, everyone!!~~
After staking out continuously for several days, Chong Xiao finally returned. The information Chong Xiao brought caused He Fang to fall into silence for a moment.
This mobile city is called Xinghuo City. It is a very ordinary small mobile city. Because they couldn’t contact Hope City, He Fang also couldn’t get enough information from Guo Miaofeng. But Chong Xiao said this should be a place that doesn’t need much special attention, because everything around is quite normal, the population is not many, roughly about one hundred thousand people, about the same size as Light City.
And after Zhang Guangshi entered Xinghuo City, he actually settled down directly in Xinghuo City, as if he had already held a position there long ago. He was very familiar with the entire structure of Xinghuo City, and many things didn’t even require training before he started working. Moreover, people around knew him and said Zhang Guangshi had gone out of the city on a diplomatic mission.
After hearing Chong Ying relay Chong Xiao’s words, He Fang opened the map and input Zhang Guangshi’s attribute list. Suddenly, behind Zhang Guangshi’s name, the Light City tag had already dimmed, but next to the Light City tag, a Xinghuo City tag suddenly appeared.
In He Fang’s mind, a word instantly came up—multiple spy.
“So, does it mean he’s actually a spy for many different cities?” Chong Ying still seemed unable to understand the complicated twists behind it.
“After all, before we left, Zhang Guangshi said he was from Light City, but Light City had obviously already been sacrificed. Without hesitation, Zhang Guangshi came directly to Xinghuo City and even occupied an important position there. He should also be a spy for Xinghuo City.” He Fang rubbed his brow. “It’s just that we don’t know who Zhang Guangshi’s true loyalty is to.”
“A spy? This isn’t a spy at all, this is a parasite. I think he’s actually quite impressive, being able to escape unharmed from a bunch of nightmare beast seeds,” Chong Ying said frankly.
“The nightmare beasts can communicate,” He Fang thought of those nightmare beasts with very clear objectives. “They continue the thinking habits of humans. Although they are enemies, as long as they can think, they can weigh pros and cons.”
Chong Ying listened to He Fang’s words, his eyes slowly widening. “Could it be that the person called Zhang Guangshi can actually communicate with the nightmare beasts and has betrayed humanity?”
He Fang couldn’t deny this possibility.
Chong Ying looked up, glanced at Chong Xiao, then said, “Brother said that what Zhang Guangshi is doing is thankless and difficult, so there must be a reason for him to do it. Does that mean the person behind Zhang Guangshi is Ao City?”
The only clue He Fang had about Ao City came from that air raid on Angel City. How could they confirm that the person behind was really Ao City?
“Hope City, Angel City, Arrival City, Light City, Xinghuo City…” He Fang counted these city names one by one. Each city’s name represented a very clear vision for the future of that city. These names full of beautiful dreams were more like tragedies hidden beneath dreams. “Since Zhang Guangshi is so familiar with this, it’s very likely not the first time he’s used these cities.”
Thinking about this reality made He Fang feel a tightness in his chest.
“City Lord, what should I do?” Chong Ying asked.
He Fang tilted his head to look at Chong Ying and asked back, “What do you want to do?”
Although He Fang found this matter very unpleasant, he still didn’t intend to intervene. Just like when Chong Ying asked if he trusted the people of Hope City to protect the entire city, He Fang also trusted his NPC to handle this matter well.
Chong Ying was silent. He looked up at Chong Xiao and thought for a long time.
He Fang didn’t rush him but quietly waited for him to think.
“Actually, we don’t know either. We don’t have the talent to build cities. We understand how difficult it is to have a good city, a city where everyone can live and work in peace and happiness. So, the way Zhang Guangshi is doing things, we really hate it.”
In Chong Ying’s tone, there was a bit of discouragement. He Fang’s expression unconsciously softened. It was a good thing that the Chong brothers could express such clear likes and dislikes about one matter. He didn’t intend to force the Chong brothers to do something they didn’t want to. If they couldn’t decide, then he would think it through himself.
“My brother and I, the only thing we’re good at is force. Other than that, we don’t know what we should do. But… but…” Chong Ying slowly stepped forward and sat beside He Fang, like a confused little earth dog, placing both hands on He Fang’s leg. He looked up, full of confusion, yet trying hard to think. “Before, my brother and I never thought about how force should actually be used. We just used it according to other people’s orders. But now, City Lord, I really want to kill Zhang Guangshi.”
He Fang looked intently at Chong Ying. The boy was confused, but he was also thinking hard.
“My brother and I don’t know if thinking this way is right or wrong. I don’t know if doing this will affect the whole plan. But I really, really want to kill him. Is thinking this way correct, or is it wrong?”
What Chong Ying said always represented both of them. Chong Xiao, who never spoke much, appeared calm, but even his thoughts could not tell right from wrong.
However, once you learn to think, that is a good thing.
He Fang said, “Zhang Guangshi deserves to die. Whether he is the mastermind behind the scenes or just a pawn being used, when he caused the death of an entire city’s hundred thousand lives, or even more, no matter what reason he has, he deserves to die.”
He Fang reached out and ruffled Chong Ying’s hair. The little earth dog-like Chong Ying looked at He Fang with innocent and confused eyes, rubbing his head against He Fang’s palm, full of sorrow.
“No matter if he’s a good person or if he has difficulties, when he did this thing, killing innocent people, there’s no need to use any reason to wash away his sins. Maybe we don’t have the right to judge, but in this apocalypse, no one has that right anymore.”
Chong Ying’s wet eyes looked at He Fang pitifully, completely dependent in that expression.
“As long as we do what we want to do, that’s enough,” He Fang said.
“Won’t we become big villains? Won’t we break the law?” Chong Ying asked.
“If this were Hope City, yes, breaking the law would happen. But this is not Hope City,” He Fang answered decisively. “No matter the consequences, many things are done first and discussed later.”
Right now, they had no leads and couldn’t confirm who was behind Zhang Guangshi. But compared to spending time on harsh torture, the method that might suit Chong Xiao and Chong Ying best was to act first, then discuss afterward.
Though there were better methods.
But He Fang decided to let his NPCs run free.
From He Fang’s eyes, Chong Ying saw a feeling that made his heart seem to swell and overflow. The endless emptiness once felt in the world of killing had changed because of this. Where was emptiness? Where was death? Where was despair? Under the leadership of their City Lord, they were forever bathed in sunlight.
He Fang noticed that at this moment, Chong Xiao’s gaze was fixed on him. He raised his head and looked toward his strongest NPC, who was always surrounded by darkness. In his deep black pupils, He Fang vaguely thought he saw a flicker of shattered light, faint and fleeting. He Fang even thought he might have been mistaken.
“Brother is going to do it,” Chong Ying whined, curling his body, smaller than He Fang’s, into He Fang’s arms like a spoiled child. “City Lord, encourage brother, okay?”
Encourage?
“How am I supposed to encourage him?” He Fang was stunned.
“Give brother a kiss, okay? Although brother is a quiet type, he really wants encouragement and praise. City Lord, will you kiss brother?” Chong Ying lay in He Fang’s arms, eyes bright and full of expectation.
Yet He Fang froze—kiss… kiss the NPC? What kind of mission was this? He was pretty sure he was playing a no-romance-building game, wasn’t he?
“Isn’t there that kind of kissing ritual?” Chong Ying persistently said to He Fang. “Like when parents want to encourage their kids, or show they like them, don’t they always give kisses?”
He Fang was stunned.
Good grief, was Chong Ying treating him like a foster parent?
Thinking carefully, He Fang felt that what he was doing now was indeed like a parent teaching a child.
With a somewhat helpless sigh, even though he hadn’t actually agreed, Chong Ying seemed to have heard agreement in He Fang’s sigh, and immediately shouted at Chong Xiao, “Brother, you brainless idiot, squat down quickly! The City Lord is going to encourage you! Why are you still so indifferent? Come down! Squat down!”
He Fang’s expression was truly extremely awkward—somewhat helpless, and he found it a bit funny. These NPC algorithms were getting more and more interesting.
But Chong Xiao actually did squat down.
Half-kneeling.
His naturally tall but slender figure, curled down like that, surprisingly gave off a unique and graceful feeling. He Fang always felt Chong Xiao looked exactly like the handsome, long-legged male lead from a comic. Now, this kind of person knelt before him and lowered his head. Black strands of hair hung down, making He Fang unable to see his face clearly.
He was half-kneeling to ask for a kiss, but with his face so lowered, how was he supposed to be kissed?
He Fang was a little helpless. He moved forward slightly and kissed the crown of Chong Xiao’s hair.
With a snap, He Fang was startled. Looking down, he saw that Chong Ying was actually holding a phone, taking pictures. He Fang: “…”
“Ahhhhhhhh! That’s my heirloom! My heirloom! Ahhhhhhh!” Chong Ying hugged the phone and screamed, continuously pushing into He Fang’s arms, looking overwhelmed.
He Fang: “…”
Did the official “Ruins Without Restart” somehow write some strange fangirl personality algorithm into Chong Ying’s character?
He Fang looked at Chong Xiao helplessly, hoping the older brother could control this uncontrollable little brother. But he found that Chong Xiao was still half-kneeling there, motionless.
He Fang: “Chong Xiao?”
At that moment, Chong Xiao’s body jerked abruptly, looking as if he had suddenly snapped out of a daze. He quickly stood up, and before He Fang could see his face, Chong Xiao had already turned his back to him.
He Fang stared at that dark figure. Chong Xiao seemed absolutely unwilling to turn around and show his face, looking utterly confused.
Chong Xiao had gone to Xinghuo City during the night and returned the next morning, clean and tidy, with no traces of an assassination attempt. Chong Ying helped report the movements in the city.
To avoid causing a stir, Chong Xiao had already figured out Xinghuo City’s way of handling corpses beforehand. Like other mobile cities, human bodies were treated as resources. Chong Xiao dealt with Zhang Guangshi directly. Zhang Guangshi’s disappearance made his servants in Xinghuo City suspicious, but since they couldn’t find him, they didn’t investigate further, as if his sudden disappearance was normal.
He Fang glanced at Chong Xiao several times. As always, Chong Xiao showed no expression, as if the death in his hands wasn’t even human.
Chong Xiao took out many of Zhang Guangshi’s seemingly useful personal items. Among them, he found the black little box Zhang Guangshi had used before, and in Chong Xiao’s hand was a strange object. On Chong Xiao’s fingertip, it was stained with blood, looking very odd.
“What is that?” He Fang asked.
Chong Ying ran over to take a look and said, “Brother said it was taken out from Zhang Guangshi’s heart. It seems like it can detect Zhang Guangshi’s heartbeat. This should be some kind of signal transmitter. Once it detects the heartbeat stopping, it will send out some kind of signal. It looks like it has been removed. Right now, brother is using his hand to simulate a heartbeat, so this thing should still be working.”
He Fang frowned; obviously, Zhang Guangshi’s spy work wasn’t exactly comfortable.
He Fang had no idea what kind of structure this black little box had. Chong Ying specialized in weapons but didn’t know how to handle this little box. To uncover its secrets, they definitely needed to go back and find Zhu Yan.
“This thing might be sending signals to the little box. If the signal stops, the little box will probably self-destruct,” Chong Ying guessed. “Brother, you have to keep the heart beating at all times.”
“Is there any other way?” He Fang asked.
“I’m just a weapons specialist…” Chong Ying bit his finger awkwardly.
He Fang blinked. “Then can you just make a beating heart—like one that explodes if the heartbeat stops?”
Chong Ying was stunned for a moment, then suddenly enlightened, his eyes lighting up.
He Fang: “…”
So basically, if it’s related to weapons, Chong Ying could actually make it? This algorithm really was interesting.
But the information they got on this trip was really too little. First, this little box; second, Zhang Guangshi’s spy identity. It only confirmed that someone was behind Zhang Guangshi.
“Should we go back?” Chong Ying frowned tightly, looking at Zhang Guangshi’s personal belongings. “But we worked so hard walking all the way here, and we’re only bringing back this little bit of information. Zhu Yan’s going to be mad, and we’ll lose face.”
He Fang blinked—NPC face?
“Eh, brother, are you serious?” Suddenly, Chong Ying looked up in surprise and asked. He Fang was baffled. Chong Ying immediately explained, “City Lord, brother got the range information for Ao City just now!”
“Eh?” He Fang was puzzled.
“It’s information found through the positioning system in Xinghuo City. During this time, Ao City has been activating its location signal for one second every night, so we’ve been able to track its coordinates. Let’s go to Ao City and see what’s going on!” Chong Ying was full of excitement. He slapped the little pushcart. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! Bro! Pull the cart!”
He Fang couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Chong Ying, as the younger brother, never seemed to consider how he viewed his older brother. He just made him do everything.
But Chong Xiao was always especially obedient. Although he was never much of a talker, whenever Chong Ying made a request, Chong Xiao never refused.
He Fang felt a bit envious of that kind of brotherly bond.
However…
He Fang didn’t tell them that, actually, his own system had always been able to pinpoint Ao City’s location. After thinking it over, he ultimately decided to stay quiet.
——
“Sai Gu, Sai Gu!” A charming young boy with rosy lips and white teeth tugged at Sai Gu’s clothes in the spacious room. Reflected in the boy’s eyes was the image of the silver-haired man, his gaze filled entirely with admiration and affection. “Will you stay here and sleep with me tonight? Please? Pretty please?”
The silver-haired man looked down at the short-statured boy. The boy wore a very thin, loose white nightgown with a wide-open collar, exposing his delicate collarbones and smooth skin. This child was probably the face of Ao City—the very pinnacle of beauty.
“Your Highness, although I would very much like to spend a lovely night with you, our statuses are different. I’m just a drifting mercenary, unworthy of staying in your luxurious palace.” Sai Gu’s low and husky voice echoed in the quiet room, made all the more alluring by the silence. Just hearing Sai Gu’s voice made the young boy’s cheeks flush red.
“No one dares say anything about us! Whoever dares, I’ll kill them!” The young prince stood barefoot on the ground, rising on tiptoe as he tried to throw himself at Sai Gu. But suddenly, Sai Gu wrapped an arm around his waist. The young prince’s face turned scarlet in an instant. “Sai Gu, does that mean you agreed?”
“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but I cannot agree. If I did, His Majesty would surely have me killed. You’re the child he treasures most. If I so much as lay a hand on you, the next time you see me, there wouldn’t even be a hair of me left.” Sai Gu’s voice was full of indulgence and helplessness. No matter how clingy the young prince got, he showed not a trace of impatience.
“But Sai Gu, I want you to stay with me.” The young prince looked at Sai Gu with deep reluctance, his attachment written plainly all over his face.
Sai Gu smiled indulgently, his voice so gentle it could drown anyone who heard it in tenderness. “I’ll come again tomorrow, Your Highness. Our mercenary group will be staying here for quite a while. I’ll be by your side until the day you grow tired of me.”
“Can’t you just not leave? How much money can mercenaries even make? Sai Gu, whatever you want, I can give it to you.”
Sai Gu’s smile remained soft, his silver hair casting a faint shadow across his exceptionally handsome face. He bent down and took the young prince’s hand, pressing a kiss to it in a formal gesture. The young prince’s cheeks flushed an even deeper red because it wasn’t just a kiss on the hand. Sai Gu’s fingers trailed slowly from the palm of the prince’s hand to his forearm, then to his shoulder, to his neck, and finally to his cheek.
The young prince was obsessed with the warmth of Sai Gu’s fingers—so light and gentle, like the softest, most cherished feather in the world brushing against his skin. It was so beautiful, it felt unreal.
Sai Gu’s long silver hair fell to the prince’s side, carrying with it a strangely intoxicating scent. The young prince could never understand: how could someone like Sai Gu, who always looked a little scruffy and unkempt, smell so good? So good that he wished he could stay in his arms forever, embraced by those broad shoulders, stroked by those gentle hands. That must be the happiest thing in the world.
“Of course, I don’t want to leave my little prince. You are the most beautiful person I have ever met in this world. I wouldn’t even fear death if it meant sharing a night with you. But even more than that, I wish to live—to spend many more days and nights by your side, like a stream flowing long and slow, rather than clinging to a fleeting moment that ends in life and death.”
Sweet and beautiful words of love might sound insincere coming from others, but the one speaking them was Sai Gu—the very man he was completely captivated by, in every way.
“I understand, Sai Gu. I understand how hard this is for you. I’m sorry for putting you in such a difficult position.” The young prince reached out and wrapped his arms around Sai Gu’s shoulders. The moment he felt Sai Gu’s breath fall against his own shoulder, a shiver ran down his spine, and his eyes reddened. “If… if I weren’t a prince, but the emperor instead…”
But his voice was silenced by Sai Gu. Those treasonous words never left his lips in the end. The young prince’s eyes were wet with unshed tears as he watched the man he was so infatuated with walk away from him.
“It’s only for one night, Your Highness.” That’s what Sai Gu said, yet the young prince could clearly see the reluctance in his eyes, so filled with yearning, as if they wished to take him along to the edge of the world and never part.
The young prince felt utterly aggrieved.
He couldn’t be with the one he loved most.
He had no freedom at all.
After closing the young prince’s door behind him, Sai Gu used the prince’s identity ring, which granted him access to many restricted areas without obstruction. The young prince was very fond of him—or rather, Sai Gu had never believed that there could be anyone in this world who didn’t like him.
Sai Gu had been staying here longer than expected, but that was because the situation in Ao City was unusually complex. It required more time. Moreover, the Black Flag squad seemed determined to use Ao City to stir up trouble for Hope City, and so they had yet to leave Ao City.
Even so, Sai Gu had been living quite well during this time. The longer he stayed, the more he learned about Ao City, and the more information he could gather to report back to his adorable little city lord.
Ao City was an alliance city, but unlike ordinary alliances formed between various independent cities, this one was divided in a distinctly feudal style. Ao City could be seen as the imperial capital, while the surrounding cities were like feudal territories orbiting around it. All the cities in the surrounding area were considered subordinate “fiefs” within its territorial domain. Their city lords held positions akin to “princes”.
Though these cities appeared to be independent at first glance, in truth, they all paid “taxes” to Ao City. And whenever problems arose, they would turn to Ao City to request aid.
This had already become a massive feudal region in all but name. At least based on the information he had gathered so far, Ao City’s “territory” wasn’t shaped in any regular way. Rather than calling it territory, it was more accurate to say it was a web of connections established with various cities.
So, it was more accurate to call it a vast mobile city system, rather than a simple alliance city.
Moreover, Ao City openly “welcomed the wise” and “recruited talent”. Any city that showed potential for development or profit could be absorbed into Ao City’s domain. While to the other cities, this looked like mutual aid and cooperation, the emperor of Ao City didn’t see it that way. He believed he was the one ruling over those smaller cities.
It was indeed a very interesting form of rule. What he wanted to confirm now was how many cities had already been brought under Ao City’s governance.
Through his interactions, he’d come to believe that due to Ao City’s unique style of governance, it was only natural for “succession struggles” to arise. The young prince was currently the most favored of the emperor’s children. Although he didn’t seem like someone who used his brain much, his personality had clearly inherited the emperor’s preference for acting as he pleased. He exuded the kind of “domineering aura” fitting of royal blood, which was precisely why he was so beloved by the emperor.
To Sai Gu, all of these cities seemed to be playing some kind of childish house game. But after digging into Ao City’s history, he realized this was far from child’s play—it was a real and bloody war. And the one who finally sat on the throne would be the victor. Once someone successfully ascended to the throne, all the collateral branches of the royal family would be ruthlessly wiped out. Sai Gu narrowed his eyes.
Ao City had already begun to show interest in Hope City, stirred by curiosity over its rise, and pushed further by the coaxing of the Black Flag squad. They had begun to take action against Hope City. But judging from the information he’d managed to gather through the young prince, there hadn’t yet been any major moves.
Since Ao City had already begun targeting Hope City, then they could no longer allow Ao City to behave so arrogantly. Now that he understood how Ao City operated, a vague idea was beginning to take shape in his mind.
He returned to his modest little inn. As soon as he opened the door, a pillow was flung at him. He caught it and held it in his arms, then looked up to see Qiao Qiao standing there, eyes red, clearly heartbroken and jealous.
With all the experience he had with matters of love and desire, how could he not see the deeper meaning hidden in Qiao Qiao’s gaze?
But he chose to let Qiao Qiao’s feelings continue to grow. He would never sever the emotional ties anyone had for him—for a drifter like him, that was simply too cruel a thing to do.
“What’s wrong? Is our little princess of the Black Flag Squad throwing a tantrum again?” Sai Gu didn’t smile, but his somewhat messy silver hair casually fell over his eyes. His gaze, deep and piercing, fixed on Qiao Qiao, and his voice was incredibly gentle, so soft it was like a whisper in the ear.
“Did you go looking for that so-called prince again?” Qiao Qiao’s voice carried the edge of tears. “Did you and he…”
“What did you find out?” A cold male voice suddenly cut her off before she could finish. Qiao Qiao was just about to get angry when someone beside her gently soothed her. Zhou Fang’s icy gaze swept across her. Qiao Qiao shuddered under it, not daring to say another word.
Sai Gu stepped forward and teasingly pinched Qiao Qiao’s cheek. It was just a trivial little gesture, yet Qiao Qiao felt comforted by it, and her mood instantly improved a lot.
“Right now, the Lord of Hope City, Bei Ji, has already entered Hope City,” Sai Gu said. “He confirmed that all the information being sent out from within Hope City is real.”
Zhou Fang gritted his teeth. “Is there seriously no major move at all?”
“Ao City is being very cautious, too.” Sai Gu casually found himself a water cup. It was full. He glanced at Qiao Qiao with a half-smile, half-not expression. Qiao Qiao blushed and immediately turned her head away. He continued, “At first, they tried to send in a spy—it already failed. But Ao City had a backup plan. Maybe even a second one. Right now, Ao City is likely waiting for the backup it planted to start taking effect.”
“For such a massive Ao City to be struggling so much against a Hope City that nearly got wiped out… Honestly, we gave Ao City too much credit.” Zhou Fang glanced at Zhou Yuan, then quickly looked away.
Sai Gu shrugged noncommittally. “I actually think Ao City is doing the right thing. Regardless of what kind of backup plan it is, now that it’s confirmed Hope City matches the rumors, that alone proves Hope City harbors some hidden power unknown to others.”
“Is that so?” Zhou Fang fell silent, thinking about what more he could do in this entire incident.
“Right now, the former Lord of Hope City has entered the city safe and sound, and is even continuously sending out information. This is clearly Hope City’s tactic of ‘inviting the enemy into the jar’.” Sai Gu’s eyes swept over everyone present with a half-smiling, half-mocking glint. “Since Hope City can use lie detectors, how could they possibly not know what the former city lord is really up to? The fact that they let him in proves that Hope City is indirectly showing Ao City a display of strength. If they dare to directly challenge the emperor, then they must have the capability to back it up. I actually think the emperor of Ao City has thought this through very carefully.”
Zhou Fang’s expression was grim. It was clear he hadn’t expected Hope City to be so recklessly bold, like they truly dared to do anything.
“What exactly is Hope City relying on?!” Zhou Fang gritted his teeth hard, glaring fiercely at Sai Gu. “Haven’t you heard anything negative about Hope City at all?”
The corners of Sai Gu’s mouth, hidden in the shadows, curled into a faint smile, veiled beneath his disheveled silver hair. “I have.”
Zhou Fang was stunned, then immediately became agitated. “What is it? Tell me!”
“The lord of Hope City governs with extreme compassion.” Sai Gu’s hoarse voice spoke a sentence that left everyone a little confused.
“Compassion? How is that a bad thing?” Qing Qing asked at that moment, also puzzled.
Sai Gu leaned lazily against the wall. He yawned, looking utterly exhausted, and slowly slid down from the wall onto the bed.
“Rumor has it that because the lord of Hope City cherishes their people too much, anyone with blood ties to its residents who wishes to reunite with family and return to Hope City will be granted the same treatment as a native citizen. Not only Hope City, this includes also the men from the former Arrival City who were sold off. Those men, too, wherever they may now be scattered in various cities, each one of them is vital to Hope City.”
Sai Gu lay down. He looked truly worn out, as if even saying those few sentences had taken all his energy. He turned over, his back to the group, and before long, his breathing became slow and steady.
Qiao Qiao saw how tired Sai Gu looked and gently placed a blanket over him.
However, Zhou Fang fell into silence, deep in thought, turning over Sai Gu’s words in his mind.
Those people who are not currently in Hope City but already possess the status of Hope City residents are scattered throughout other cities. Since these individuals are so important to Hope City, they are practically bargaining chips that Ao City can seize with ease.
At first glance, it sounds like praise for Hope City, but from another angle, this is precisely Hope City’s greatest weakness.
Zhou Fang stared at Sai Gu’s back, his expression complex. He had to admit, this man indeed possessed an incredibly strong ability to analyze information. Fortunately, he wasn’t someone from Hope City.
Zhou Fang stood up, opened the door, and walked out.
As for this piece of information, Zhou Fang believed Ao City would be very pleased to have it.
Meanwhile, the “sleeping” Sai Gu slowly revealed a faint, unreadable smile.
“Sai Gu, Sai Gu.” The young prince clung to Sai Gu cheerfully, full of reliance in his eyes. Sai Gu’s hand lightly supported him, never quite touching. But at that moment, the young prince seemed slightly dissatisfied. “Sai Gu, you’re too gentle.”
Sai Gu raised his brows slightly, a trace of a smile playing on his charming, handsome face. Then, suddenly, he grabbed the young prince’s delicate wrists and pinned them against the wall. The forceful move startled the young prince, catching him off guard, and Sai Gu’s hand locked tightly around his neck.
The young prince’s initial fear quickly shifted to excitement when he looked up and met Sai Gu’s alluring, seductive smile. The Sai Gu he liked—this powerful, commanding version—could truly fulfill every fantasy he had about a lover.
“I’ve only treated you a little nicer lately, and it seems you’ve already forgotten who you are?” Sai Gu’s low, hoarse voice echoed beside the prince’s ear. This feeling of being restrained and dominated made the young prince tremble all over in excitement. Yet Sai Gu, almost deliberately, never actually touched him, though his gaze left him with no place to hide.
“I… I’m sorry, Sai Gu. I was wrong.” The young prince unconsciously squeezed his legs together, breathless with excitement under the force of this dominant man.
The tall and powerfully built man had the fragile young prince pinned against the wall, his body nearly enveloping him entirely. Sai Gu sneered and said coldly, “You’d better say something nice now. Say something I want to hear.”
The broad palm tightened slightly, and the young prince felt the pressure on his neck. It was clearly something that should instill fear, but for some reason, Sai Gu’s strength, his voice, and his every movement only made the prince feel aroused.
“I—I love you, Sai Gu… Your Highness Sai Gu…”
“Oh?” Yet Sai Gu’s eyes remained icy. The corners of his lips curled up into a cold, bitter smile, one that made the young prince feel a strange sense of contempt, as if he were being looked down on.
The prince’s heart clenched. “Sai Gu, I… No, I’ve always been on your side. Let me think… let me think… Right! That spy—that one named Zhang… Zhang… Anyway, the one with the surname Zhang—he’s dead! My imperial father’s other plan failed!”
Sai Gu didn’t respond, his cold expression making the young prince’s scalp tingle.
“He was killed by someone, but the thing he was carrying has been on the move. That object—it’s heading toward Ao City right now! Father is definitely already making some kind of preparations!” The prince pleaded with Sai Gu, desperation in his voice. Even he didn’t know why—on impulse—he had spilled everything he knew. In front of Sai Gu, he had no dignity, no sense of self. Everything about him was exposed, with nowhere to hide.
The young prince looked up at Sai Gu with all his strength, his eyes filled with fear, but at the bottom of that fear was a spark of longing.
But Sai Gu suddenly let out a sigh and released him. “Your Highness, these kinds of things shouldn’t be so casually shared with outsiders. You really are far too trusting of those around you.”
The prince felt a bit wronged. “I only let my guard down around you… You wouldn’t hurt me.”
Sai Gu chuckled. “And how do you know that I wouldn’t?”
“Because you just wouldn’t!” the prince replied firmly.
Sai Gu stared at the young prince, his deep eyes reflecting the boy’s face. At last, he smiled. Under the dim light, his silver hair glinted faintly with a bluish hue. His fingers gently caressed the prince’s neck, where there was no mark at all. “You’re right, Your Highness. I wouldn’t do anything cruel to someone who loves me. I’m truly sorry. Did I hurt you?”
The young prince was clearly delighted, his eyes sparkling brightly. “Sai Gu, I really like you. Even if you hurt me, it doesn’t matter. Just now… that… that was actually really nice. I liked it a lot.”
Suddenly, Sai Gu bent down and embraced the young prince. The prince felt his heart pounding wildly, as if it might leap out of his chest. Sai Gu’s embrace was strong and forceful—forceful in a way that stirred the prince’s heart.
At that moment, Sai Gu’s deliberately low and husky voice murmured softly beside the young prince’s ear, “Your Highness, do you know that if you can’t become emperor, then your own brothers will kill you? You’re so beautiful, like a delicate rose in full bloom. I want you to keep blooming forever… not to watch you wither away before my eyes.”
The prince’s body stiffened, the heat in his heart cooling somewhat. His voice carried a trace of malice. “Sai Gu, even if it’s just for you, I will become emperor.”
Sai Gu buried his face into the prince’s neck like a fragile child. The young prince, heart aching, gently held Sai Gu’s hair, like he had made up his mind about something.
Thank you for the chapters, and happy 100!! 🥳
100 already 😭😭😭 this story is ending too soon!