FRGL chapter 39

With the mission declared a failure, there was no longer a need to stay alert. Walking through the bustling commercial street, Luo Hai felt a rare sense of peace.

The sun was sinking westward, stretching the shadow of the Goddess of Fortune statue ever longer. Children played by the fountain, splashing water, as mist rose in the sunlight, forming a faint, shimmering rainbow.

Luo Hai, dressed in his sharp new suit, carried a ridiculous number of stuffed animals, drawing curious glances.

But Eugene was no better off. He clutched a giant alpaca in his arms, its head towering above his own, forcing him to awkwardly crane his neck sideways just to see where he was going.

Luo Hai sighed. “I told you to give them to some random kid. What are you, a grown man, going to do with all these plushies?”

“No.” Eugene’s voice was firm. “These are trophies. Don’t you get it? Whether they’re useful or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that they prove our strength—like a warrior’s badge of honor!”

Luo Hai sighed again.

First, a warrior’s badge wasn’t as tall as a person. Second, our? He was the only one who won them.

“Suit yourself,” Luo Hai said indifferently. “We’re still far from the car. I’m not carrying anything for you.”

“Don’t need you to!” Eugene hoisted the alpaca higher. “I’ll get you home safe, won’t I, Big White?”

“…” Luo Hai turned away, unable to tolerate Eugene’s childish antics.

Eugene laughed for a while, then peered around the alpaca’s head to look at Luo Hai.

“You know, when I was little, I always imagined growing up, marrying a beautiful spouse, moving to the big city, strolling down city streets, drinking coffee you can’t get in Fuba Port, eating delicacies they’ll never see there…”

“Ambitious for a kid,” Luo Hai remarked dryly. “So, after all these years, did you find your beautiful spouse?”

Eugene only smiled at him, eyes full of mischief.

Luo Hai frowned. “Cut it out. If you act any weirder, someone’s going to call the cops, and I’ll have to explain.”

“Are you really that oblivious, or are you pretending?” Eugene grinned. “You seriously don’t remember the bet we made as kids?”

A flicker of memory surfaced, one Luo Hai had no interest in recalling.

He scowled. “Eugene Oddis—”

But that didn’t stop Eugene. He continued speaking with amusement, “That spring, we played house under the peach blossom tree. I said that when I grew up, I would definitely marry you. But you said that if anyone was getting married, it would be you marrying me. Then we started arguing. In the end, you suggested a race—three laps around the courtyard wall, and whoever reached the chicken coop first would be the husband. The loser would have to be—”

“That was just a childish joke! How could it possibly count?” Luo Hai interrupted, unable to take it any longer.

“I know. To you, it might have been just a joke. But to me, it was one of the happiest memories I had in all my years at the orphanage.”

Eugene still wore a smile, but there was a faint trace of sorrow mixed in.

“When I was four, my biological father killed my mother. When I was six, my adoptive uncle beat me into the ICU. After I barely survived, I realized that no one wanted me anymore. The nurse sent me to an orphanage, but even there, no one wanted to associate with the child of a murderer. Everyone either stayed far away from me or threw stones and dirty water at me… Only you, Luo Hai. Back then, only you were willing to talk to me and even respond to my one-sided fantasies.”

“…” Luo Hai remained silent.

Eugene lifted the alpaca plush toy slightly, peeking out from behind its fluffy head with a bright smile. His tone lightened again. “But thinking about it now, my childhood fantasies have more or less come true. I came to Nantes, drank coffee I could never get in Fuba Port, ate delicious food I never imagined, and I did all of it with you. Even though it’s only for a month, isn’t that still considered ‘living together’?”

Luo Hai stopped in his tracks. The shadow of the roadside trees completely enveloped him, while the setting sun shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting a hazy glow on his face.

Only the bag in his hand, filled with plush toys, made a faint rustling sound.

“So I’d say I’ve lived a pretty fulfilling life.” Eugene also stopped walking, playfully stepping backward to face Luo Hai. “I’ve experienced different lives, met all kinds of people, tasted all kinds of food, and found you. And now, you’ve even won me all these plush toys! Speaking of which, when I’m buried, can you burn these toys with me? Or at least place them next to my memorial photo at the funeral? You could even put two QR codes there—one linking to our duet recording, and the other to the security footage of you winning these toys… By the way, do death row inmates even get funerals? What do the regulations say about—”

Eugene’s words were abruptly cut off by Luo Hai’s sudden action.

Luo Hai suddenly grabbed Eugene by the neck, pulling him back forcefully, then kissed him.

For several long seconds, Eugene’s mind went completely blank. The world vanished into that kiss, everything frozen in place—except for Luo Hai’s soft lips and searing warmth.

Luo Hai’s bag fell to the ground first. Two seconds later, Eugene tossed away the bulky alpaca plush and pressed Luo Hai against the tree trunk.

The plush toys landed on a thick layer of golden fallen leaves, making a crisp sound. A cool autumn breeze rustled through the treetops, its soft whispers forming a harmonious symphony above their heads.

Luo Hai was unusually cooperative and passionate. No matter how intense Eugene’s touch became, he accepted everything willingly, responding to each caress, each kiss, and each heated exchange with equal fervor.

Their bodies pressed tightly together, warmth transferring between them. Eugene couldn’t control himself—he drowned in that kiss, greedily taking in Luo Hai’s taste.

Only when the heat escalated and their pheromone levels inevitably rose did Eugene finally pull away, though he still lingered, reluctant to part.

Luo Hai’s lips were slightly swollen, with a small tear at the corner, burning crimson in the dappled sunset. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, his slightly misted eyes avoiding Eugene’s gaze, flickering to the side.

He looked like a freshly baked strawberry shortcake—so irresistibly sweet that one would want to take a bite.

“Why?” Eugene asked in a low voice.

“…No reason.” Luo Hai’s eyelashes trembled slightly, his voice hoarse. “You said it yourself—you only have a dozen or so days left. Even if I kissed you twice a day, I’d only have to do it twenty-something more times.”

Eugene chuckled, his chest vibrating against Luo Hai’s. Then he wrapped his arms around the Omega in front of him again, resting his chin against Luo Hai’s neck, inhaling the faint scent of mint from his skin.

Luo Hai remained still, allowing Eugene to hold him. He lifted his arms, stroked Eugene’s back twice, then slowly exhaled and looked forward.

In the direction behind Eugene, Alin—who had disappeared earlier—stepped into an unassuming optical store. From this angle, Luo Hai could clearly see her talking to the shopkeeper before twisting a mechanism on a wall-mounted lamp. Moments later, the wall rotated, revealing a hidden passage.

“I knew it. You’ve always been stubborn but softhearted. You’ve been like that since we were kids,” Eugene whispered into Luo Hai’s ear, his breath warm and teasing. “So it’s settled, then. Twice a day. No take-backs.”

Luo Hai watched as Alin disappeared into the secret passage. Only when the wall returned to normal did he finally close his eyes and answer Eugene.

“…Mm. No take-backs.”

…..

Back at the apartment, Eugene was like an excited child. The moment he walked in, he grabbed the pile of plush toys and rushed into the bedroom, eagerly figuring out where to place each one.

Luo Hai took off his shoes and drank some water. Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He glanced at the screen and picked up the call.

Colin’s voice came from the other end.

“Good evening, boss. Have you gone to bed yet?”

“Not yet.” Luo Hai set down his glass.

Colin’s tone immediately grew tense. “Ah, then… is this a good time? If it’s inconvenient—”

“It’s fine,” Luo Hai interrupted. “The times that used to be convenient might not be anymore. Just say what you need to say.”

“Alright. I investigated the transactions of Oddis’s estate. Instead of investigating the seller directly, I traced their donation history, and sure enough, I found several individuals suspected to be members of the Lightwing Society…”

Just then, Eugene called out from the bedroom. “Luo Hai! What are you doing? Come help me with this!”

Luo Hai sighed and walked over. Eugene’s tiny bedroom was packed with the plush toys they had won that day—so crowded it looked as if an army of stuffed animals had taken over.

Even so, there still wasn’t enough space for the largest alpaca plush. If they placed it on the bed, there wouldn’t even be room for a person to sleep.

Yet Eugene still clutched the massive alpaca, searching for a place to put it. “Where do you think Big White should go?”

“…Wherever you can fit it, just stuff it there.” Luo Hai paused before turning back to the phone. “Go on.”

Colin hesitated but, under Luo Hai’s command, pressed on. “I also investigated Alin and Dandan’s social circles. It turns out that one of the suspects I found from Oddis’s estate is actually their child’s kindergarten teacher.”

Eugene propped the alpaca against the bedside, stepped back to inspect it, then shook his head and moved it to the desk. But as soon as he placed it down, the oversized plush tumbled off, knocking over several smaller ones in the process.

“Not surprising. I’m not even the least bit shocked,” Luo Hai said.

“How about on your end?” Colin asked cautiously. “Did you find Lightwing’s base in Nantes Square?”

“Yes.” Luo Hai’s tone was calm. “Everything went smoothly.”

Halfway through the sentence, Eugene raised an eyebrow and looked at him with an annoyed expression. “Who could be so important that you have to take a call right now?”

“My assistant. Even on vacation, he can’t sit still. Just checking on how I’m doing—it’ll be over soon.”

As soon as Luo Hai finished speaking and before he could bring the phone back to his ear, Eugene grabbed his wrist, pulled him down onto the bed, and kissed him.

Luo Hai barely managed to let out two muffled protests before Eugene locked his arms in place.

The air fell silent, leaving only the sound of heavy breathing and the unmistakable intimacy of wet kisses.

Luo Hai’s phone call remained connected the entire time. It wasn’t clear how long had passed before Eugene finally let him go.

Those amber eyes looked at him mischievously, like a hunter who had set up a perfect trap. “Twice a day. That was the second time.”

Luo Hai panted slightly, lifting his head. His lips still glistened with moisture as he finally spoke after a moment. “…All your plushies fell on the floor.”

Eugene let out a startled “Ah!” and jumped off the bed. Sure enough, the neatly arranged plushie army had been scattered all over the floor from their movements just now.

“Idiot.” Luo Hai sighed.

“Fine, fine, you’re the smart one. You’re the super genius of the century.” Eugene grumbled as he picked up the fallen plushies. “I won’t bother you anymore. Go to bed already, or your brilliant brain won’t function at work tomorrow.”

Luo Hai chuckled softly, then picked up his phone and walked out of Eugene’s room, closing the door behind him.

The moment he was out of Eugene’s sight, the smile on his face froze—then slowly disappeared.

He lifted his phone to his ear, stepping into his own room as he asked calmly, “Colin, you still there?”

On the other end of the line, Colin had been listening in, blushing furiously. He jolted in surprise, almost losing control of his voice. “…Yes! I-I’m still here.”

“The hideout in the square is at Clotho Optical Store. The secret passage is triggered by the wall lamp on the south-side wall, to the left. Their meeting time is typically between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning,” Luo Hai stated coldly. “Tomorrow morning, I’ll take the detectives and set up an ambush nearby. Your job is to keep an eye on the area and make sure every last one of them enters the passage before we move.”