ISMW Chapter 43

The system immediately responded: “It’s suitable, definitely very suitable.”

 

“Didn’t you say you have no eyes?” Yun Xunlan frowned, feeling the system was being perfunctory and deceiving him. “If you can’t see, how do you know if it’s suitable or not?”

 

The system snorted and said sarcastically: “Can you use it to drink wine or not?”

 

Yun Xunlan: “…Yes.”

 

System: “Don’t worry about what kind of glass it is. If you can use it to drink wine, it’s a good glass.”

 

“Alright,” Yun Xunlan reluctantly accepted this explanation. “What about the wine? This is red wine.”

 

The system snorted coldly again: “Is it wine or not?”

 

Yun Xunlan: “…”

 

Yun Xunlan stopped asking the system questions. He felt the system wasn’t very reliable.

 

He put down the wine bottle and wine glass, and was hesitating whether to call Ni Chun to come and replace the red wine and stem glasses when the light brain AI butler told him: Yu Chen had arrived.

 

Yun Xunlan instantly became nervous, with no time to worry about anything else. He hurriedly tidied his appearance and straightened his clothes, afraid of any impropriety.

 

At the same time, Yu Chen, waiting outside the door, was also checking his appearance and attire.

 

He had specially worn a silver-gray suit today, without a tie, but with a pink collar pin at the collar. He used elegant and noble attire to put on a gentleman’s mask, even fixing the inner shirt with sleeve garters, completely concealing the combative ferocity and desire for aggression written in alpha genes. Only then did he raise his hand to gently knock on Yun Xunlan’s hospital room door.

 

“Click…”

 

The sound of the door opening was very faint, unable to cover Yu Chen’s rapid and intense heartbeat. And its pulsing frequency became even more chaotic and disordered after hearing the silver-haired youth’s slightly hoarse voice from inside the door.

 

Because the youth said to him: “Yu Chen, I missed you so much.”

 

—Mind the degree.

 

Neither too eager nor too cold.

 

Yun Xunlan firmly remembered the system’s admonition, so his body was very indifferent, standing still without moving, not opening his arms to use body language to show his welcome to Yu Chen. He only relied on moving his lips to express his enthusiasm, smiling at the man at the door and saying: “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

 

Yu Chen’s ears started to turn red.

 

He hadn’t expected that as soon as he arrived, the prince would express his longing and affection for him without any concealment, making it difficult to handle.

 

The fish probably couldn’t handle it either.

 

The blue betta fish he brought quickly turned its head the moment the door opened, its head staring straight at the youth, its tail wagging like a begging puppy—what a shameless bootlicker… no, boot-fish.

 

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Your Highness.”

 

Yu Chen entered the hospital room, placed the blue betta fish on the round table, lowered his eyelashes to avoid the youth’s gaze, his eyes sweeping over the red wine, roses, and stem glasses on the round table. In the ambiguous light and shadow atmosphere like a candlelit dinner, he hoarsely replied to Yun Xunlan: “I also… missed you very much.”

 

Yun Xunlan didn’t pay much attention to his pet fish. He used his limited eyesight to focus on Yu Chen.

 

Then Yun Xunlan noticed that Yu Chen’s attire was different from usual.

 

The blue-eyed alpha was dressed in a suit today, his movements slow and deliberate. His wolf-tail black hair, which usually hung loose, was half pulled back into a small bun at the back of his head. His tall, muscular body was wrapped in stiff, crisp fabric, deeply concealing the man’s gloomy and rebellious thug identity, making him appear like a noble-blooded authority figure, with a calm and reserved temperament, his sharp edges hidden but not exposed.

 

Yun Xunlan was slightly surprised: “You tied up your hair.”

 

“Mm.” Even with just one syllable, Yu Chen’s tone was unprecedentedly gentle.

 

Yun Xunlan always remembered the “coaxing” strategy, so he continued to flatter him: “It looks very good.”

 

Yu Chen raised his eyes, his gaze like fingertips, caressing the youth’s face inch by inch, his voice deep: “…You look very good too.”

 

After flattering the alpha from the front, Yun Xunlan turned his head to look at the blue betta fish, praising Yu Chen from another angle: “It’s indeed been well taken care of by you. I’m really an unqualified owner, I haven’t even given it a name yet.”

 

Just as Yu Chen had told him yesterday, the blue betta fish had grown significantly fatter compared to when it was first bought. It seemed as if it had been putting all its effort into growing flesh and tail these past few days, as if trying to make itself more competitive than other males.

 

“It likes you so much,” Yu Chen glanced at the bootlicking blue betta fish and said generously, “It’s not too late to name it now.”

 

Yun Xunlan tapped on the fish tank wall, and as the little fish swam over to kiss his fingertip, he said: “It’s so beautiful, let’s call it ‘Beauty’.”

 

Yu Chen raised an eyebrow and asked him: “You’re not using my name to name it this time?”

 

“I actually thought about it, like calling it ‘Sinking Fish’ or ‘Yu Beauty’, but using ‘Sinking Fish’ as a name for a fish doesn’t seem very auspicious; as for ‘Yu Beauty’…” Yun Xunlan smiled and admitted, “I feel it’s not as beautiful as your eyes.”

 

“Your eyes—”

 

Yun Xunlan raised his face, gazing into Yu Chen’s deep blue eyes and said: “Are like a brilliant blue sapphire.”

 

Yu Chen also looked back into Yun Xunlan’s eyes.

 

He wanted to become a planet captured by its gravity.

 

So Yu Chen extended his arm towards Yun Xunlan, the muscle groups under his shirt swelling and tightening the suit as he moved, as if the demon had finally torn off its human skin disguise. He grasped the silver-haired alpha’s fingers, moving the youth’s fingertips from the outside of the fish tank to the corner of his own eye, seductively asking: “Then do you want to possess it?”

 

Hearing this, Yun Xunlan’s eyes flashed with a few seconds of bewilderment.

 

Yu Chen’s palm was as hot as his body.

 

Yun Xunlan was enveloped by this scorching heat, vaguely sensing that his conversation with the man was trending towards boiling out of control, yet he still instinctively said: “Can I possess it?”

 

“Of course you can,” Yu Chen said. “And only you can.”

 

Yun Xunlan saw a glimmer of light and a smile appear in the blue-eyed alpha’s eyes.

 

It was the ambition of a hunter locking onto its prey.

 

The system suddenly spoke up: “Stop touching, mind the degree. You’re not a demon race, what do you want someone’s eyeballs for? The atmosphere is just right for becoming sworn brothers now, quickly get to the point.”

 

So Yun Xunlan withdrew his hand, and Yu Chen didn’t stop him.

 

“Yu Chen, thank you for being willing to let me possess such a precious treasure,” Yun Xunlan didn’t care if it was right or wrong, but expressing gratitude was certainly not wrong. He tried hard to ignore the lingering warmth on the back of his hand, and after expressing thanks, he continued, “Actually, more than the little fish, I wanted to see you today because I have something very important I want to tell you.”

 

“I’ve thought about this for a long time, and made many foolish attempts during that time. I know you may not agree, but I still want to ask you…”

 

Yun Xunlan took a deep breath, just about to open his lips to ask Yu Chen if he was willing to become sworn brothers of different surnames with him, when the blue-eyed alpha suddenly spoke, gently interrupting his words: “How could I possibly not agree?”

 

Yu Chen said: “Your Highness, I know what you want to ask.”

 

Yun Xunlan was slightly stunned: “You know?”

 

“Yes,” Yu Chen nodded. “So for this matter, please let me speak.”

 

After all, Yun Xunlan had already taken the initiative too many times for this love.

 

From the very beginning, Yun Xunlan had been steadily approaching him. The deliberately mixed-up communicator, the hand-picked lychee rose, the ambiguous rubbing of toes while sharing a bed… all were Yun Xunlan’s subtle hints.

 

Therefore, Yu Chen decided to take this final step of breaking through the last barrier himself.

 

“But before that, I want to give you a gift first.”

 

He took out the blue gift box from his pocket and opened it. Inside lay two evening primrose flower-shaped badges, one silver and one gold. The pattern on the front was an 8mm sniper bullet. They were the school badges of Anlos Military Academy.

 

“These are my school badges, with my name, birthday, and unique student number engraved on the back,” Yu Chen also told Yun Xunlan. “At Anlos Military Academy, every student receives a silver badge upon enrollment, and we get a gold badge upon graduation.”

 

“Gold is precious, originating from supernova explosions and binary neutron star collisions.”

 

“The school gives it to us, symbolizing that each of us is a treasure of Anlos Military Academy. And all of us who graduate from Anlos Military Academy only give it to the most important person in our lives.”

 

“Now, I’m giving it to you.”

 

As he spoke, Yu Chen picked up the silver badge and pinned it to Yun Xunlan’s chest where his heart was beating.

 

“The service term for the Royal Guard is ten years. When the ten-year service period ends, I will leave. At that time, I will no longer be your guard,” he looked into the youth’s beautiful golden eyes, speaking slowly but firmly. “I will go to the border battlefield, dedicating my life to fight against the Insectoid race. If I cannot reclaim humanity’s lost first border line, shining the glory of the Galactic Empire to the darkest corners of the universe, I will never return to the Imperial Capital Star.”

 

“So I may not be able to stay by your side forever. I’m sorry.”

 

The blue-eyed alpha softly apologized to Yun Xunlan, but the next moment he curved his lips into a smile, saying with sincere passion: “But no matter where I am, my heart will forever beat only for you, until the last moment of my life.”

 

Yun Xunlan stared at him blankly, not knowing if Yu Chen’s words were rejecting him or making some kind of promise.

 

He only knew that at this moment, he saw the radiance of a warrior’s resolute and brave soul shining forth.

 

—More brilliant than the aurora, more dazzling than jewels.

 

He ignored the system’s shouting in his mind “He’s lying to you! He said he would never leave you!”, lowered his eyelashes, and raised his hand to touch the cold, hard badge on his chest. Yet Yun Xunlan felt it had the most scorching temperature, almost burning him to ashes.

 

And Yu Chen was still pouring out his heart.

 

He said: “You once told me that you wanted to go to the front-line battlefield, to reclaim humanity’s lost first border line, to conquer that vast sea of stars beyond the galaxy. That’s not just your dream, it’s mine too.”

 

“So from now on, I will continue to tutor you, and when you ‘graduate’, I’ll give you this gold one too.” Yu Chen showed Yun Xunlan the gold badge once more before closing the box. “This might sound a bit awkward and even arrogant, but I will strive to help you catch up to my pace, so that I can always stay by your side—no matter where we end up in the future.”

 

The alpha also took a deep breath nervously, his blue eyes fixed unblinkingly on Yun Xunlan, his gaze flickering with expectation as he asked: “Yun Xunlan… are you willing?”

 

Yun Xunlan felt as if he was standing on the edge of a celestial abyss. One wrong step, and he would fall into an unknown chasm, swallowed by the sea, torn apart by the tides.

 

But he could no longer stand still.

 

Once the gravitational hunt began, their destined convergence would never deviate.

 

Yun Xunlan gripped the silver badge on his chest tightly and raised his eyes again, looking back into the alpha’s blue eyes as he answered: “I am willing.”

 

Yu Chen, upon hearing this, seemed unable to believe it. His voice hoarse and trembling slightly, he asked again: “You… are truly willing?”

 

Such a display of lack of confidence was extremely rare for him.

 

Yun Xunlan also understood how difficult it was for Yu Chen to accept someone who could only score 30 points at most in “War Psychology” as a brother. After all, he had said online that only those who scored full marks could be his brother.

 

Therefore, Yun Xunlan nodded with utmost seriousness and firmly repeated: “I am willing.”

 

The curve of Yu Chen’s lips rose higher and higher: “Then from now on, we are—”

 

Yun Xunlan eagerly continued his sentence: “Brothers.”

 

At the same time, Yu Chen completed his own sentence: “A couple.”

 

Yun Xunlan: “?”

 

Yu Chen: “?”

 

System: “?”

 

The previously humid air in the hospital room instantly froze as their words fell.

 

Yu Chen paused: “…You want to be brothers with me?”

 

Unexpectedly, Yun Xunlan also spoke at the same time: “…You want to be a couple with me?”

 

After asking in unison, both fell into a deathly silence.

 

Yun Xunlan looked at Yu Chen.

 

Yu Chen looked back at Yun Xunlan, the frozen smile at the corners of his lips gradually melting away. That familiar cold and fierce aura gradually enveloped his brow, making him look both vicious and fierce—the kind of fierce that could swallow ten Yun Xunlans and a hundred systems in one gulp.

 

“He’s, going, to, explode!”

 

The system’s voice cracked with urgency: “Quick, coax him—!”

 

So Yun Xunlan hurriedly answered Yu Chen: “Yes.”

 

He summoned the extraordinary composure that had allowed him to sit on the immortal throne for two thousand years, striving to maintain a normal expression as he made up a lie on the spot: “I want to be both a couple and brothers with you.”

 

Yu Chen also maintained an expressionless face, his choice of words already becoming somewhat uncouth: “Brothers are brothers, couples are couples. How can these two things be done simultaneously?”

 

Yun Xunlan feigned composure: “We can be brothers during the day and a couple at night.”

 

Yu Chen stared at him hard for a long while, then coldly sneered: “Oh? You don’t want to make our relationship public.”

 

…Telling one lie requires countless lies to cover it up. The wise never deceive themselves.

 

Yun Xunlan, nearly exposed under the blue-eyed alpha’s freezing gaze, closed his eyes briefly and turned his face away, unable to look directly at Yu Chen anymore. He desperately searched for reasons and excuses: “It’s not the right time yet. After all, I’ve just come of age, and we’re both alphas, and not gay…”

 

Yu Chen cut off Yun Xunlan’s words: “Who says I’m not gay?”

 

Yun Xunlan’s expression was stunned as he turned his face back: “You are?”

 

Yu Chen didn’t immediately answer Yun Xunlan’s question. He first put away the blue gift box containing the badges, then crossed his fingers and rested his arms on his legs. He leaned forward, approaching Yun Xunlan, his handsome face full of gentleness as he curved his lips and asked softly: “You’re not?”

 

Yun Xunlan became gay now, immediately, right away, stubbornly repeating: “I am, I am.”

 

Only then was Yu Chen satisfied. He glanced at the silver-haired youth and slowly sat up straight: “I am too.”

 

The system sighed: “Tsk tsk tsk, you men are so fickle. It’s good that I’m not human, I’m not fickle at all.”

 

Yun Xunlan: “…”

 

Meanwhile, Yu Chen seemed not fully appeased, just temporarily pacified. He rudely and willfully swept his aggressive gaze over Yun Xunlan’s body, like a tyrant inspecting his territory and collecting taxes: “But words are not enough proof. Your Highness, can you prove to me… that you like me too?”

 

Weren’t they just talking about being gay?

 

How did it suddenly jump to liking?

 

Yun Xunlan asked himself: Did he like Yu Chen?

 

Without a doubt, he definitely liked Yu Chen’s mouth.

 

But Yun Xunlan didn’t know how to prove it.

 

The system then pointed out again: “Just coax him and it’ll be fine!”

 

Whether right or wrong, it believed that coaxing Yu Chen first was definitely not wrong.

 

Yun Xunlan humbly asked for advice again: “Do I still need to mind the degree?”

 

The system had learned bad habits from Yu Chen: “Mind what degree!”

 

Yun Xunlan thought, so be it. After all, when the system initially misunderstood the meaning of Yu Chen’s middle finger, it had planned to directly have sex and get married with Yu Chen. If he had known earlier that Yu Chen truly had two faces online and in reality—absolutely not gay online, but unwaveringly gay in reality—why would he have gone to such lengths to become brothers? He could be a couple too.

 

So Yun Xunlan let go of restraint, stood up from the chair, straddled Yu Chen’s legs, his knee pressing forward between Yu Chen’s thighs, and directly sat on the man’s right leg. Then he raised his hand to grip Yu Chen’s neck.

 

Yu Chen didn’t move a muscle, only lightly raised his eyelids, his blue eyes looking back into Yun Xunlan’s eyes.

 

“I can pretend it’s night now…”

 

After saying this, Yun Xunlan leaned down, tilting his head slightly to kiss Yu Chen’s lips.

 

His kiss was light, but not fleeting. He traced the alpha’s lips with the most tender force, as if wanting to engrave them in his heart with deep affection.

 

So Yu Chen was no longer unmoved, and responded to Yun Xunlan.

 

He gripped the youth’s supple, slender waist with one hand, while the other brushed aside the youth’s silver satin-like hair, caressing the slightly raised skin at the back of his neck, rubbing the forbidden area that alphas were most wary of others touching—the pheromone gland.

 

No alpha could tolerate another alpha casually toying with their gland like this.

 

If anyone other than Yun Xunlan did this to him, Yu Chen would break their hand before they could touch him.

 

But Yun Xunlan was indulging and allowing him.

 

The youth showed no signs of resistance or rejection, even when Yu Chen parted his lips to suck on the tip of his tongue, dominating that tender flesh and invading his mouth to conquer. Yun Xunlan remained docile and compliant.

 

Yu Chen gripped the back of his neck, gently pulling the silver-haired alpha away.

 

He swallowed the lychee rose fragrance in his mouth, his gaze fervent, looking up at the youth’s golden eyes as if gazing at a deity, yet his words were irreverent and profane: “Help me tear off my suppression patch. I want to smear my pheromones on you.”

 

 

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