Are You Addicted?

After leaving the dormitory courtyard, Gu Hai took Bai Luo Yin on a tour around the nearby weapons and ammunition warehouse that stored the large caliber guns, tanks and heavy artilleries.

In that area, there were all kinds of anti-aircraft warfare[1], firepower as well as fighter aircrafts. Once they entered the weaponry deployment area, Gu Hai stood to the side and personally gave Bai Luo Yin a very detailed and thorough explanation of each weapon"s function and how superior it was to others. With all of these new information, Bai Luo Yin"s eyes has been opened to a new and different world that he had never been exposed to before.

As the scorching sun reached it peaks, midday approached. Together, the two boys made their way towards the military grand dining hall and had their afternoon lunch there.

Bai Luo Yin"s eyes feasted on the table full of various mouth watering delicacies. There were fish, meat, vegetables and even soup. With all these different kinds of food sitting in front of him, Bai Luo Yin couldn"t help but let a few words escape his lips.

"I"d always thought that meals in the army were rather poor and a bit simpler. I would have never expected it to be so grand."

"Well, that also depends on the situation. Some barracks are a bit better off than others, while some aren"t. These are just alright," With that said, he picked up a piece of duck meat and placed it in Bai Luo Yin"s bowl, "Try it. What do you think? How is it compared to the food I make?"

Bai Luo Yin took a bite. The smell was a bit strong but it wasn"t too greasy.

He truthfully answered back, "It simply can"t be compared, definitely not on the same level as your cooking skill."

With a self-effacing and modest demeanor, a bright smile appeared on Gu Hai"s face. His lips inched closer and closer toward Bai Luo Yin until it was in close proximity to his ear.

"Don"t say it so straightforward like that. The squad that cook these, their cooking skills aren"t that bad. If they heard what you"ve said, they"re going to attack you with their ladles."

Bai Luo Yin almost spat out the food in his mouth. Just when Gu Hai had asked him that question, Bai Luo Yin, in all truth, had admired his courage, since only Gu Hai would be able to open his mouth and asked something like that. But, who would have thought, that this guy would unexpectedly put on such a smug and c.o.c.ky expression right after. He had even actually thought, that Gu Hai was being considerate and proper for once.

"Young master Gu, do you mind if I sit here and eat with you guys?"

Bai Luo Yin"s eyelid lifted upward, catching sight of a young officer with a very handsome appearance.

Gu Hai didn"t even bother to raise his head before he coldly replied, "I do mind."

The officer helplessly let out a smile, picked up his rice bowl, plates of food and made his way to another table. Several times, while he ate, he would turn and glance at them.

Bai Luo Yin couldn"t help but to finally ask Gu Hai, "Do you come to the army base often? Looks like a lot of people here recognize you."

"Not as often now. When I was a kid, I used to live within the military compound. So everyday I would interact with these soldiers."

"Then, do you plan on returning here afterwards?"

No thoughts circulated in Gu Hai"s mind, he didn"t even want to think about it as he immediately said, "I will absolutely not enlist."

Just like everyone else that had asked him this, Bai Luo Yin was also astonished at this remark. Base on Gu Hai"s physical condition and family background, if he were to enlist, he would undoubtedly have an extremely promising future.

"Why do you all think I will enlist? Is it because my dad is a general?"

Bai Luo Yin thought about it for a second, pausing in between his thoughts, "It"s not entirely because of that. I thought since you grew up here, you would have a deep and profound emotional connection to this place."

"You"re wrong," said Gu Hai as he momentarily placed his chopsticks down.

Bai Luo Yin"s eyes were fixated on Gu Hai.

"It"s because I lived here all my life and became overly acquainted with this place, that I am tired of this kind of environment. It makes me weary and numb. From the beginning, since my brain recognized what memories were, I"ve always been training with a group of army soldiers. The ground has always been hard, and the military weapons are forever cold. In my eyes, besides my mother"s hands, everything in this place is cold."

"I can understand," Bai Luo Yin faintly replied.

Gu Hai"s expression was calm, unperturbed, and his eyes like the browns of a beetle, smiled. "I"m different from other people. When other people learn something new and they become really good at it, they would go and do it over and over. I won"t constantly do the things I"m good at. I like challenges, risks, adventures, excitement and setbacks……. but, what I like even more, is you."

His expression was, for once, actually pretty normal when he started to say those words, but as soon as Gu Hai continued and the last few words were drawn out of his lips, a treacherous gleam of light suddenly reflected in his eyes.

Bai Luo Yin let out a light but long sigh and with a melancholy expression painted hauntingly across his face, he continued to eat.

—-

After they"ve consumed their lunch, the two arrived at the training site that was established solely for intensive drills. Here, they saw soldiers undergoing a rigorous training session.

In the distance, on the site that was nearest to where Bai Luo Yin was, dozens of soldiers were crossing over the thirty-meter netted wires. They all ran back and forth several rounds until their actions couldn"t be counted any longer.

It was here, that Bai Luo Yin sat down and watched the training session unfold before his very eyes. Just from this observation, he, himself could feel the tiredness, the exhaustion and the pain that probably ache into the core of their bones.

"Do they all train like that everyday?" Bai Luo Yin asked out of curiosity.

Gu Hai placed his hand loosely on Bai Luo Yin"s shoulder before he leisurely said, "Those are just the most basic physical training. As far as they are concerned, that"s only warmup. The genuine training, is tens of time more brutal and attentive than that. "

"I can feel your tragic and miserable childhood," expressed Bai Luo Yin with great sympathy, delving deep into his words.

Gu Hai laughed, "Actually, there"s really no deep feeling of being tired, what’s more important is how one suppress, endure and discipline themselves in this kind of environment."

"Did you also endure and discipline yourself in this way before?"

Pride danced around Gu Hai"s countenance as he proudly said, "Yup, everyday I worked and rest with them. We never, not even once, missed a single task."

"I don"t see any results of it."

Gu Hai"s expression became blank for a second as he faced Bai Luo Yin, not quite understanding what he had just said. Bai Luo Yin"s presence continued to ensnare him, trapping his eyes in place as they beckoned and dared him to tear his sight away.

"You"re here disciplining and enduring it everyday, why is it that your heart is still so weak?"

The dark color of Gu Hai"s eyes deepened. He suddenly pushed Bai Luo Yin down on to the ground. But, even then, he made sure that his arm cushioned beneath Bai Luo Yin"s head, while the other hand forcefully grasped Bai Luo Yin"s throat.

With love and hate swimming pa.s.sionately within his gaze, he stared closely, intensely, with face merely inches away from Bai Luo Yin.

"I"m weak because of who? Huh? Have you seen me anxious or miserable because of anyone else"s problems before? You little f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you still dare to make fun of me!"

"That"s because you were never capable to begin with."

"I"m not capable?" A demonic and iniquitous air swept across and settled harshly in Gu Hai"s eyes. His hands hovered above Bai Luo Yin"s body as if teasing it. And without a second of warning, they twitched, and attacked said boy"s body, tickling him here, there, and all over. Several times, Gu Hai"s hand, along with all of its ten digits would intentionally prod the lower half of Bai Luo Yin"s body. Making sure he "accidentally" nudge said boy"s precious treasure.

He persistently interrogated: "You said I"m not capable, how am I not capable?"

Bai Luo Yin used all his strength to push Gu Hai away. He wanted so bad to shake off his scoundrel, to get rid of him, but, in the end, Gu Hai still relentlessly chased after him, unwilling to let him go nor loosen his grip.

The two rolled around on the ground in circles several times until finally Bai Luo Yin"s couldn"t help but gasped for breath, allowing a low roar to sneak out from between his lips.

"Stop messing around already. There are people everywhere."

"Where are there people huh? How come I don"t see anyone?"

Bai Luo Yin wanted to sit up, but Gu Hai refused to let him do so. Instead, he continued to pressed his entire weight on him.

Their eyes met each other, face each other, there were no more than a mere centimeter separating them.

Their breaths began to change, so much so, that even the taste of it was somewhat different. Gu Hai"s fingers that were at the back of Bai Luo Yin"s head, laced into his hair. And, not before long, those elongated fingers tussled about, caressing it, for a little while.

Their gaze fell upon each other, taking in each other"s visage as a mutual understanding swelled up and burst within their mind, within their hearts.

"I miss you."

In that moment, Bai Luo Yin"s expression became stagnate. Without him even realizing it, a rush of energy surged fiercely into the palm of his hand, causing him to suddenly push Gu Hai off of him. If he didn"t push him away now, something else might have occurred.

He stood up and patted the dirt off his own body. Then, his arm stretched out toward Gu Hai who was still on the ground, and pulled him up.

"Didn"t you say, there"s a real combat practice today? Take me to go see it."

Gu Hai"s faced returned to its stern and unflinching demeanor, "Okay, should we take the car or walk there?"

"How far is it from here?"

"About five kilometers." {3.10 miles}

Bai Luo Yin considered the distance for a second.

Five kilometers, only five kilometers, it"s not ridiculously far.

When Gu Hai caught sight of Bai Luo Yin"s relaxed expression, it made him want to deliberately make it difficult for him so he made a proposal.

"It would be better if the two of us cross country[2] these five kilometers. Let me see what you are capable of."

Bai Luo Yin didn"t see the disdain expression that plastered itself in Gu Hai"s eyes. The will to fight and take on this battle ignited a flame within his heart.

Originally, he was a young lad that really enjoyed physical education. When he was in junior high school, he even received a ten thousand meters" award for the amateur team.

Even though, his start off wasn"t extremely remarkable, but his endurance was rather strong. Generally, even if he doesn"t exercise or train himself, he would still be able to run smoothly for several kilometres. So, to him, five kilometres wasn"t even considered hard.

With ease, they each carried on their backs a twenty-kilogram weighted backpack. The two, then, started their journey.

At first, everything was still pretty relaxed as Bai Luo Yin displayed the quality of his good physical health. While he ran, he would also chat with Gu Hai.

But suddenly, after they ran for about two kilometres, he discovered that something didn"t feel right. It was then, that he finally came to fully understand the hidden meaning behind the saying, "carrying a burden on one"s shoulder."

It had become a bit harder for his back to straighten out already, and moreover, cross country running in an uneven terrain made his slow pace quite appearance.

At the very start, the path was smoother, more leveled. But afterwards, b.u.mps that rose up and down became wider and larger. He kept on making his way up the slanted downhill. But, what"s worse was that, his path was greeted with more and more gravels, that persistently dug into the sole of his foot, causing pain to gather intensely in the same spot, every time he advanced.

Sensing that Bai Luo Yin"s speed had begun to slow down, Gu Hai turned his head around. A rather cheerful expression smothered his face as he teased and ridicule the boy behind him.

"What? Tired huh?"

Once he heard Gu Hai"s tone of voice, Bai Luo Yin looked as if there was completely nothing wrong with him.

Bai Luo Yin bit his tongue down, clenched his teeth and continued to persevere.

In the blink of an eyes, four kilometres had already pa.s.sed by. Bai Luo Yin felt as though both of his legs were filled to the brim with lead that were eager to pull him down. And his body teetered on the verge of collapsing. Every step he took was extremely difficult to bare. It became a challenge after all.

Up ahead was a tremendously huge slope. Bai Luo Yin"s back was nearly pulled downward by the silent, yet powerful force of gravity, which would have caused him to descend, if he were not careful.

With much difficulty, Bai Luo Yin climbed and finally made it up the slope. He wiped the bead of sweats that formed restlessly on his forehead. He peered down, and his sight was met with Gu Hai"s, who stood at the bottom of the slope, staring intently yet softly at him. A relaxed and gentle smile adorned the outer lining of his lips.

Frustration and anger streamed into Bai Luo Yin"s mind and even his heart was affected by it. He angrily flung the weighted backpack on the ground. He looked down and at first, with small steps, he trotted down. But in mere seconds, he quickened his pace and vigorously charged downhill.

At last, in less than a second, he scurried toward Gu Hai and clamped himself onto his back.

With eighty-nine kilograms[3]of weight hung heavily on his body, Gu Hai was still able to stand rather straight.

Bai Luo Yin saw the weighted backpack on Gu Hai"s back as a hindrance that was pretty much in his way. So, with much resentment toward that backpack, he immediately tore it off and flung it on ground.

He, himself, then leaned onto Gu Hai"s back, gasping heavily for air.

Actually, he even thought that if clenched his teeth together hard enough, he could endure another half a kilometre. By then, he reckoned they would be near the end, but when he saw how Gu Hai ran with such ease, a hateful admiration and jealousy materialized in Bai Luo Yin"s heart! He might as well hang onto this body and not get off at all.

Isn"t your physical strength extremely strong? Then, you can just carry me and continue to charge forward. I want to see if you"ll get tired or not!  

In fact, Bai Luo Yin was entirely mistaken. Since the moment, he rushed forth, and his chest made contact with Gu Hai"s back, Gu Hai already doesn"t know what being tired meant.

Happiness was infused into his heart, his being and everything else that surrounded him.

Bai Luo Yin never had this kind of feeling before. That is, having someone carried him, while running all over the mountains and plains, with the cold wind whistling beside his ears, and beads of sweat, the size of soybean, lingering beneath his eyes.

The sounds of Gu Hai"s breathe flowed through his thick and wide back and dispersed throughout Bai Luo Yin"s chest before it travelled deeper into the pit of his stomach.

With each sound that each breath created, electricity sparked and shook about.

It was only when they arrived at their destination, did Gu Hai finally put Bai Luo Yin down. The two laid down on the bare ground and stared upward, eyes obsessed with the scene above them.

The s.p.a.ce above their heads, closest to the heavens, was the most beautiful brilliance of blue.

A few fighter aircrafts rumbled in the empty sky and flew pa.s.sed their sight.

"Tired?" asked Gu Hai, as his hand stretched out and pinched Bai Luo Yin"s cheeks for a while.

Bai Luo Yin seized Gu Hai"s hand, gently placed it beside his leg and held it tightly within his own hand. Afterwards, he honestly nodded his head.

When he ran, he was tired.

When Gu Hai carried him on his back and ran, he was also tired.

From when they started until now, there weren"t any breaks at all.

"Later, if you"re disobedient and don"t listen, I"ll punish you in this way. I"ll make you run cross country for five kilometres until you admit your own mistakes."

Bai Luo Yin shot Gu Hai a death glare, eyes fully of tiredness and resentment.

Gu Hai laughed; doting eyes, drowned in love and adoration, followed Bai Luo Yin"s handsome face.

"I"m just teasing you. When have I willingly punish you huh?"

Bai Luo Yin slowly and leisurely took in a long breath. The countryside air was, undoubtedly, fresh and clean.

Translator"s Note:

[1]Anti-aircraft warfare - or otherwise known as counter-air defense, is de defined by NATO (The North American Treaty Organization) as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, a.s.sociated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and pa.s.sive measures It may be used to protect naval, ground, and air forces in any location.

[2]cross country – is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. Sometimes the runners are referred to as harriers. The course, typically 4-12 kilometres (2.5-7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of gra.s.s, and earth, pa.s.s through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road.

[3] eighty-nine kilograms - let"s do some math ^.^ Bai Luo Yin is only a mere 69kg. Why? Because, Gu Hai already had 20kgs of weight on him, so altogether Gu Hai is now weighted down by 89kg of weight which is about 196lbs. D: Goodness, I would be crushed but not GU HAI XD

Are you Addicted?