“You actually hid this much energy from the Zerg King?!”
Lin Kong had always thought Hermes was just like the other zergs—utterly loyal to the Zerg King. After all, the guy never stopped saying “My King” this and “My King” that, like some brainwashed killing machine.
But seeing all those blue energy orbs Hermes had secretly stashed away, Lin Kong suddenly wasn’t so sure anymore.
[…]
Hermes was silent for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, he felt like something had short-circuited in his brain. Why the hell had he shown Lin Kong all that for no reason?
With a flick of his wrist, the glowing energy orbs vanished into thin air. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he gave a flat, emotionless threat: [If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you.]
Then why the hell did you show me in the first place, huh? For funsies?
It wasn’t the first time Lin Kong thought Hermes had a few screws loose. He’d secretly counted the energy orbs just now—at least twenty of them, if not more.
Tugging at Hermes’ sleeve, he said, “Then hurry up and heal yourself already.”
Hermes’ left hand was a mangled mess of flesh and blood. The wound was so deep that bone was visible, and Lin Kong couldn’t help but feel a little shaken.
Hermes met his worried gaze, then quickly looked away and gave a low grunt: […I know.]
His tone hadn’t changed much—still flat or chillingly cold—but after speaking, he immediately closed his eyes and began to cultivate. Still, Lin Kong couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. Maybe it was just his imagination, but Hermes almost sounded… more human. Calmer, at least.
When Hermes meditated, he could sit for hours on end—pulling an all-nighter wasn’t out of the question. With nothing else to do, Lin Kong dug around in his bag, pulled out his phone and tablet, and tried turning them on.
Back when he first fell into the dense forest, Lin Kong had tried using his phone to call for help—but there was absolutely no signal. Worried about wasting battery, he’d powered it off. Now that he was certain he’d traveled through time and had no way of going back, there wasn’t much point in saving power anymore.
He had two phones and a tablet, which he usually rotated between. The first phone—the new one—had been fully charged, but after booting up, it only had 60% left. The second one was in worse shape, showing just 30%. As for the tablet? Useless—the screen didn’t even light up.
He uninstalled all the power-hungry apps, then opened the front camera and pointed it at himself, carefully inspecting his face and features.
Perfect. Still as handsome as ever—just a bit skinnier.
Lin Kong brushed aside his slightly overgrown bangs and let out a sigh for reasons he couldn’t quite explain. He might really be stuck in this place for the rest of his life—never seeing another human being again. The thought weighed heavily on his chest.
For once, he fell into a rare silence. In the cave, the only sounds were the soft whistle of cold wind drifting in from outside, and the quiet trickle of the spring. It was hard to tell whether this place was patiently awaiting discovery by some distant traveler, or had already been long forgotten by the gods.
Hermes had long since grown used to this kind of solitude. Year after year, over and over—it had always been this way, like an endless loop. But now, something about it felt… off.
He opened his eyes and looked at Lin Kong. The other was hunched over, fiddling with a glowing rectangular object in his hands. The soft light lit up the tip of his nose, and the screen was densely packed with text.
Hermes frowned and asked, [What are you doing?]
Lin Kong paused mid-typing and looked up at him. “I’m writing a will. Aren’t you supposed to be healing?”
[What is a will?] Hermes asked.
Lin Kong waved it off. “Even if I explained, you wouldn’t get it.”
It was just the product of a little melodrama, nothing more.
After speaking, Lin Kong powered off his phone, stuffed it back into his bag, and walked over to check Hermes’ injured hand. To his surprise, the once mangled flesh had completely healed—only a few pale pink scars remained.
He couldn’t help but exclaim, “That healed way too fast.”
But Hermes was still stuck on the earlier question, his dark red eyes stubborn. [What is a will?]
Lin Kong replied casually, “A will is something I leave behind for the living to read after I die.”
He paused for a second, then added, “But you wouldn’t be able to read it anyway—you don’t know our writing system. I’ll teach you someday, if I get the chance.”
Hermes seemed to have grasped the meaning of “will” but he was young and strong, not one to dwell on such bleak and passive words like “death.” His voice turned low and serious as he said, [Lin Kong, I told you, if you can survive this winter, I won’t kill you.]
Lin Kong suddenly looked up at him and replied, “But I won’t survive this winter.”
Hermes froze for a moment, caught off guard.
Fearing that Hermes hadn’t heard him clearly, Lin Kong repeated himself with serious conviction, “Hermes, the winter is too cold. There’s no food, no way to keep warm. I won’t survive it.”
Lin Kong had nearly frozen to death even in a heated room, let alone in the harsh wilderness.
“Just because you’re not killing me now doesn’t mean you won’t later. The Zerg King needs to eat so much every day, and if you can’t find other prey one day, you’ll still end up killing me.”
Lin Kong didn’t doubt Hermes’ words, but survival was a brutal reality. Even blood brothers could turn against each other. And as little time as they’d known each other, he couldn’t be sure what Hermes would do when it came down to it.
Lin Kong hadn’t actually thought he’d survive until next year.
Really.
Hearing that, Hermes’ expression darkened in an instant, his mood heavy and clouded with irritation. He didn’t know why he felt so vexed. [I can give you food. I can give you animal pelts to keep you warm.]
Lin Kong thought to himself—did that mean he’d gone from being prey to becoming a pet?
“But you said there wouldn’t be any food this winter. What if the Zerg King gets hungry and orders you to kill me? Would you just do it?”
[…]
Hermes paused at Lin Kong’s words, falling silent. He quietly clenched his fingers, unsure if it was a silent admission or hesitation. Lin Kong, assuming it was the former, didn’t press further. He fumbled around in his pocket for a while before finally pulling out the last remaining milk candy, tearing off the wrapper, and offering it to Hermes’ lips.
“You’ve never had this before, have you? It’s a milk candy. It’s really good.”
Hermes frowned and turned his head slightly. [I don’t need food.]
Lin Kong thought to himself, Doesn’t know good things when he sees them. “Come on, just try it. It’s the last one I have. What if you want some later and there’s none left?”
Lin Kong, with a slight push, forced the milk candy into Hermes’ mouth. Hermes had no choice but to bite down. In that instant, a wave of sweet, creamy flavor spread across his tongue—something he’d never tasted before, and strangely, it was a little addictive.
Hermes chewed expressionlessly, pausing for a moment before continuing to chew, his face giving away no hint of whether he liked it or not.
Seeing this, Lin Kong immediately realized Hermes didn’t mind sweets. A tiny, amused smile flickered in his eyes. “Well? Not so bad, huh?”
Hermes was about to respond when, out of nowhere, warmth suddenly pressed against his lips. Taken by surprise, he found himself staring into Lin Kong’s obsidian eyes, and for a moment, his breath caught.
Lin Kong kissed Hermes lightly, almost like a fleeting touch. His eyes lowered, his usual smiling face now quiet, yet there was an unexpected tenderness to it, one that was strangely captivating. His voice was soft, almost a whisper: “Hermes, meeting you… isn’t all that bad.”
Lin Kong had always thought of himself as unlucky—sure, a travel disaster was one thing, but falling into a primitive forest and ending up in the clutches of a big pervert? That was another thing entirely.
But now, looking back, it didn’t seem so bad. This big pervert at least protected him and found him food. Lin Kong didn’t want to admit it, but… he was, in fact, quite content.
Lin Kong originally just wanted to kiss, but unexpectedly tasted the sweetness in the other person’s mouth, and couldn’t help but deepen the kiss. He made Hermes half-kneel on the stone bed, the black robes slipping down, soft and draped beneath his body, cutting off the chill of the night.
This posture, resembling submission, irritated Hermes a little: [Lin Kong!]
“What is it~”
Lin Kong lay on Hemes’ shoulder, his voice dragging in a lazy tone as he tilted his head and nipped at Hermes’ earlobe, seemingly displeased: “You even knelt for that big white worm, but when I ask you to lie down for a while, you’re unwilling?”
The big white worm?!
Hermes froze for a moment, then realized Lin Kong was referring to the Zerg King. He turned to look at him, a mix of emotions flickering in his eyes. [You dare insult the Zerg King?]
Lin Kong, with his usual sharp tongue, replied defiantly, “Who insulted it? Isn’t it big? Isn’t it white? Isn’t it a worm?”
Hermes fell silent: […]
Hermes didn’t argue with Lin Kong, turning his head with a grim expression. He knelt and leaned on the edge of the stone bed, feeling that his mood was different from when he had knelt before the Zerg King. There was an indescribable sense of shame.
But Hermes quickly had no time to think about those things. Lin Kong’s skills in bed had advanced by leaps and bounds, from the awkwardness of their first time to now becoming more practiced. Hermes was no match for him; his eyes were red and teary, and soon he couldn’t even remember his own name.
Lin Kong was also helpless. The primal forest had no internet, no games—he could only relieve stress and pass the time with things like this. Fortunately, Hermes was a male zerg, so not having a little umbrella[mfn]condom[/mfn] didn’t matter. Otherwise…
Ahem, what should he do if he ended up pregnant?
Another night of fairy brawls.
Lin Kong usually slept in late, and after staying up all night, he woke up even later, groggily opening his eyes by noon the next day. He crawled out of bed, walked to the cave entrance, and stretched lazily, ready to look for Hermes. But as soon as he took a step, he tripped over something—
“Thud!”
Lin Kong stumbled and fell hard onto the ground, grimacing as he climbed back up. That’s when he realized it wasn’t a rock that tripped him, but a neatly stacked pile of animal pelts. He froze in place. “Animal pelts?!”
Where did these come from?!
He glanced around and noticed a flicker of movement behind the bushes. His suspicion grew. Walking over, he pushed aside some grass, only to find a tribal zerg wrapped in pelts. He instinctively took two cautious steps back. “Who are you? What are you hiding here for?”
Hermes wasn’t home right now—did this zerg actually want to eat him?
The Zerg tribe member quickly waved his hands, sensing Lin Kong’s misunderstanding. [You’re mistaken. I have no other intentions. Lord Hermes ordered me to bring you the animal pelts.]
“Hermes?”
Upon hearing this, Lin Kong subconsciously glanced at the small pile of animal pelts by the cave entrance and asked in surprise, “These were all sent by him?”
The Zerg tribe member hesitated a moment before nodding. [Some are, some aren’t. There are also a few Night Pearls inside, sent by the elders as thanks for helping us hunt the Stone-Piercing Beast yesterday.]
Lin Kong walked over and pulled aside the pelts, only to discover a few dull gray pearls hidden beneath them. When the light was blocked, they emitted a faint green glow. The Zerg tribe usually used these pearls for illumination, making them difficult to find.
Lin Kong couldn’t help but smile when he saw the pearls. His flashlight had long since broken, and he had been worrying about how to light his way. He didn’t expect the solution to just appear like this. Scratching his head awkwardly, he said, “Well… I feel a little bad about this…”
Under normal circumstances, Lin Kong would’ve invited them for a meal or tea as thanks, but now his food supply was running low, and his pockets were practically empty.
The Zerg tribe member chuckled and gave a sincere, almost goofy smile. [As long as you’re not dissatisfied. Our tribe is at the foot of the mountain. If you need anything in the future, don’t hesitate to ask.]
Lin Kong felt a bit like when he was a child and the elders tried to shove red envelopes into his hands. He really wanted it, but still had to pretend to refuse. However, the Zerg tribe member was just too honest. Seeing Lin Kong hesitate to accept, he panicked, fearing he wouldn’t complete his task, and quickly turned to run.
Lin Kong: “…”
Well, fine.
If it’s free, why not take it?
Lin Kong turned his attention back to the animal pelts, happily carrying them into the cave. However, his mood was a bit complicated. He had only mentioned the pelts casually yesterday, but he never expected Hermes would actually go out of his way to find them.
But Lin Kong didn’t expect something even more surprising to happen in the afternoon.
Hermes usually went hunting early in the morning and returned to the cave in the afternoon. He only needed to absorb life force, so he never brought anything back. But today, to Lin Kong’s astonishment, he returned with a bunch of small animals—things he usually wouldn’t bother with—and tossed them in front of Lin Kong with a heavy thud.
“Bang!”
Lin Kong, who had been crouched down sharpening a stone for cutting meat, froze when a pile of half-dead wild chickens and ducks was suddenly thrown in front of him. He stared blankly for a moment. “…What is this?”
Hermes swept past him, waving his sleeve, and impatiently muttered, [Your food.]
Hearing this, Lin Kong finally realized that the animals Hermes brought back hadn’t been drained of life yet. They were mostly just necks snapped by his psychic power, some still warm to the touch and occasionally twitching.
When Hermes entered the cave, he saw the animal pelts laid out on the stone bed but didn’t seem surprised. He clearly already knew about it. He sat on the stone bed, his gaze dark and unreadable, staring at Lin Kong. [Now that you have food and warm pelts, if you still don’t survive this winter, I’ll kill you.]
I’m not going to make it anyway, do you really need to kill me? Just kick the corpse around.
Lin Kong silently mocked Hermes’ flawed logic in his mind as he slowly walked over to him and asked, “You… really want me to survive, don’t you?”
Wasn’t this big weirdo always trying to kill him? Did he somehow sleep his way into feelings?
Hermes said nothing in response, his expression as still as a pool of dead water, giving nothing away: [Listen and live. Disobey and die.]
Lin Kong responded with a simple “Oh,” unaffected by the threat. He looked at Hermes with more focus, and noticed the hem of his robe was darker in color. Walking closer, he crouched at Hermes’ feet, reaching out to touch it, only to find it damp. “Why is your clothes wet?”
Hermes frowned but remained silent.
Lin Kong asked cautiously, “Did you get wet catching fish?”
Hermes still didn’t reply.
Lin Kong had no choice but to wring out the fabric for him, squeezing out a puddle of water. He felt an odd mix of emotions, something bloated inside him. His voice unconsciously softened a little as he said, “I have dry clothes in my box. Do you want to change?”
Hermes didn’t like wearing Lin Kong’s weird clothes, and with a swift motion, he pulled out the hem of his robe, [Not wearing it.]
Lin Kong looked up at him, “You’ll get sick if you don’t wear something.”
Hermes scoffed in response, [Only fragile prey like you get sick.]
He finished speaking, stood up from the stone bed, and was about to go wash the dirt off his robe by the stream. However, as he passed by the stone wall, a sudden “crack” echoed sharply in the quiet cave, making the sound unusually clear.
Hermes froze for a moment, instinctively looking down.
The golden egg that he and Lin Kong had buried underground seemed to have shifted position without him noticing. A small part of it was now peeking out, and when Hermes stepped on it, a crack had appeared at the top.
[…]
Hermes’ expression turned somewhat grim.
Meanwhile, Lin Kong was standing beside him, shocked, exclaiming, “Ah! It’s bad! Hermes, you’ve stepped on the Zerg King’s egg and cracked it!”
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