Translator: Kleep
TLC: Sen
The Jade Overgrowth Wasteland was the site where the decisive battle of the last era was carried out. It was chaotic and dark. The air carried an odour that was extremely pervasive and uncomfortable. If a person stayed there for a long time, they would eventually be corroded by the darkness. It caused them to gradually become depressed and lose their desire to live. However, that happened slowly over many years. It was no problem to stay for a short duration of three to five months.
Xi Wei’s team"s atmosphere was particularly oppressive. Xi Wei and Belle both possessed cold temperaments, so it was unlikely they would brighten up the atmosphere. Zeno had his own worries and didn"t have the heart to ease tensions. Sasa was afraid and did not dare to speak up. The group was left to hurry on silently.
It was just that Zeno had been grabbed by the wrist by Xi Wei, and stumbled along attempting to keep up with Xi Wei. The two girls followed behind.
After walking for a long time, Sasa could no longer bear it. She stopped and then looked at the two figures" backs before her and felt a little pain in her eyes. She asked cautiously, “Where are we going?”
Unfortunately, her voice was small and did not attract any attention.
Sasa was helpless, and the two men just kept walking straight ahead without any mention of a destination. It seemed they had a card up their sleeve, as if they knew where the president"s token was.
That was actually true. Zeno did know where the president"s token was. Ever since he set foot in the wilderness, the tarot card box around his neck from Uncle Hill that had formed a mental connection with him issued alerts from time to time to guide him. Zeno had long since suspected that Uncle Hill was the legendary Princess Asil. Although he did not know why the entire world was mistaken about his gender, following all the leads and clues had led to the conclusion that the man who was inseparable from Uncle Hill was unmistakably the G.o.d of War, Xia Zuo.
There was no doubt that they were a couple. It was likely that Zeno may not have considered the possibility before he began to understand things for himself. Once his thoughts turned that way, many of his doubts were easily solved.
So, that being the case, it was a matter of course that the things sent by Uncle Hill and the Mercenary Guild token given to them by Xia Zuo resonated.
Zeno had been covertly writing about this matter in the palm of Xi Wei’s hand ever since they first entered the Jade Overgrowth Wasteland, so while it seemed that they were always holding hands, in reality they were really just exchanging information.
After explaining everything, Xi Wei unconditionally believed him. That made Zeno feel both gratified and incomparably saddened by what he was about to do.
He made countless apologies to Xi Wei within his heart, but he was still unable to relieve his sense of guilt.
The mood was heavy, and the atmosphere bore a similar dull grey feeling. Adding on the scent of death that pervaded the Jade Overgrowth Wasteland, Zeno constantly felt as if his chest was being crushed beneath a heavy stone. He felt like he was practically unable to breathe.
Fortunately, the alerts from the box were always clear, so they seldom had to take any roundabout routes.
The president"s token was an important item and one of the keys to obtaining the Stone of Destiny. In the original novel, Xi Wei hadn"t become the president of the Mercenary Guild until many years later. The current procedure was much simpler. After he became the president and obtained the president"s token, he relied on it to avoid the dangers sealed in the abyss, and ultimately obtained the Stone of Destiny.
Although the manner of obtaining the token had changed, in fact, it was actually a good thing no matter how one looked at it. If he acquired the Stone of Destiny early, he could ascend to the peak sooner, and… the sooner Zeno"s goal would be accomplished.
There was no need to wait for ten years. If all went well, four years would be enough, then he would truly know whether his transmigration had really reversed Xi Wei"s fate and, by extension, reversed everyone else"s fate, including his own.
Zeno lowered his eyes and surveyed the sandy soil beneath his feet. His heart was tense. Over the next, at most, ten days things would happen. Perhaps now was the time he and Xi Wei could finally have some peaceful time together.
It was night, so they a.s.sembled two simple tents. One for Zeno and Xi Wei, the other for Belle and Sasa.
Zeno climbed into the sleeping bag and looked at Xi Wei like he wanted to say something, but then hesitated.
Xi Wei leaned against the center pole of the tent and looked at him with his head tilted to the side. Zeno didn’t talk, and he didn’t talk. Zeno felt a little helpless. Xi Wei, you sealed gourd!
Well, if Xi Wei didn’t take the initiative, he would take the initiative. He wanted to make a final effort. If it wasn’t as a last resort, Zeno really didn’t want to implement his plan.
Striving his hardest to restrain the tension in his heart, Zeno swallowed loudly, and then let his mental power flow out, gradually permeating the entire s.p.a.ce of the tent. He filled it up so that the s.p.a.ce was isolated from the outside world. Their tent was an enchanted tent specifically selected by Zeno. It seemed unremarkable, but it was actually a very rare alchemy item. Once mental power filled it up from inside, it could be isolated. Unless it was destroyed using a violent force, no one could detect what was going on inside.
Xi Wei waited quietly for him to finish, his eyes serene and deep.
He felt a bad premonition growing inside of himself. At that moment, it felt like Zeno was far away, as if he would disappear at any moment.
Once Zeno finished, he silently shifted to one side of the sleeping bag. After that, with a look of expectation, he asked Xi Wei, “Come in?”
The pleading expression in his eyes was one that Xi Wei could never refuse. In this life, all of Xi Wei’s tenderness was given to Zeno, so only Zeno absolutely must not betray him.
Thus, Xi Wei crossed his arms and firmly grasped his clothes at his waist. After applying some strength, he easily took off the warrior garb he was wearing, revealing a smooth body line and a well-proportioned figure.
Zeno thought about the next part of his plan, and felt that there was a ball of fire in his throat. It was a little like he"d cut off any means of retreat.
Xi Wei also got into the sleeping bag. Although it wasn’t too narrow, it couldn"t be considered s.p.a.cious when two grown men squeezed in. Zeno naturally settled into Xi Wei’s embrace and relaxed.
Xi Wei didn’t think much about it. That situation had happened countless times before, so he closed his eyes and intended to go to sleep.
However, Zeno’s hands on his chest were restless. He moved them from time to time and neither were the movements confident. Somewhat hesitant, and somewhat trembling, he falteringly caressed and stroked Xi Wei"s bare skin.
Xi Wei’s body jolted slightly. He didn’t open his eyes, but he knew what Zeno was doing.
Zeno was doing something he"d never thought of.
But, he didn"t dislike it.
Perhaps because the child’s existence was already as natural to him as the air, Xi Wei’s body would not reject him.
There was a saying that it was dark behind the light. Since it was so natural, when Xi Wei induced Zeno to turn all of his feelings towards Xi Wei, he subconsciously neglected to foresee this inevitable outcome.
Zeno touched him somewhat shakily for a while, then looked up and sought out Xi Wei’s lips. He had no experience, and there was no skill in his action. He nibbled on Xi Wei’s mouth for a while, but Xi Wei still didn’t show any reaction. Perhaps he was pretending to be unresponsive.
There was no possible way Xi Wei had fallen asleep. Zeno was quite certain that Xi Wei didn’t have the ability to fall asleep the instant he lay down, but Xi Wei didn’t move. He neither pushed him way nor approached, and merely let Zeno fumble about and gnaw on his mouth.
Zeno continued to nibble for a little while, shifted his position in vexation, and tentatively kissed from the corner of his lips down to his chest. When the tip of his tongue swept over those two points, Xi Wei tightened his arms and firmly hugged Zeno within his arms. His breaths had gone from long to hurried and brief.
An unfamiliar pa.s.sion swept through Xi Wei’s body, and the waves caused his heart jump as the tremendous torrent washed over it. Zeno’s familiar smell lingered within his nose, and it was as if it was drawn into his lungs and then transported in his blood to his whole body. It felt as if Zeno had invaded every inch of himself.
The lower body that had been abstinent for nearly 20 years was unwilling to remain lonely and began to stir.
Zeno could feel something hard pressing against his thigh. He, who had just moments ago been possessed by a wolf and became exceptionally audacious, felt like all his blood was rushing up to the top of his head. His face was practically smoking, and the nervousness that he had forcibly stifled in order to take action could no longer be contained. The originally hesitant tongue simply withdrew altogether.
Xi Wei subconsciously lowered his head to find those two soft lips and the rigid tongue in between. With one push, he flipped their positions and pressed Zeno down below his body. Although Zeno"s face was reddened to the point that it seemed he would drip blood, his eyes still shone out brightly. They were lit with a brilliant splendor as he gazed at Xi Wei unwaveringly and unblinkingly
Locking lips and tongues, intertwined limbs; the sensation of two people immersed in the wonderful feelings permeating their physical senses, to the point their souls were singing, was entirely different from a pure kiss brought forth by admiration.
Xi Wei’s breathing was growing more and more urgent. He had seen many people entangled in bed throughout his life. At those times, he"d felt nothing, only aloofness and the sobriety of an outsider detached from the world.
However, Zeno"s scent almost made him crazy. Once the door to a new world was opened, once the ferocious beast of desire was unlocked, he was no longer satisfied with keeping it imprisoned. The beast roared for him to gobble it up, gobble up this lively body beneath him, break it into pieces and absorb it into his own body.
Xi Wei’s body swayed slightly, and with his knee he separated Zeno’s leg so that there was no interference as he slipped into the gap he had created. The hard thing rubbed against Zeno"s groin, separated only by the pants he wore. A feeling of impatience nearly caused Zeno to ignite.
The two kissed wantonly, and Xi Wei began stroking down with his hand. He ran his hand down Zeno"s waist, and found himself caressing Zeno"s b.u.t.tocks before he knew it. Then, with a loud rip, he tore away the obstructing pants.
Zeno sucked in a sharp breath. Yes, he was the one who"d started this, but could someone tell him why the aloof and self-controlled iceberg Xi Wei would be so easily ignited? The receiver had become the dealer, it was making him lose his mind!
Where was the promised self-restraint? What was that about virtuous abstinence? It can"t be that the original Xi Wei"s frigidity wasn"t because he was a Liu XiaHui[^1], but because he was a gay man with no interest in pretty ladies?? If that was the case, Zeno"d go and die for the great author to see! Zeno cried out twice, but his lips were tightly sealed and he couldn"t say anything, so he could only shiver.
Perhaps the feeling of direct skin contact was too much, added to the fact that Zeno was completely inexperienced, but he soon came. He panted heavily after he was brought to the peak and his mind was somewhat disorganized. It took a while for him to recover from the pleasant lingering effects.
Xi Wei was still moving, shallowly brushing against him, and Zeno"s eyes revealed a somewhat fl.u.s.tered expression. Although he didn’t quite understand it, it was absolutely clear that it could not just go in, and pushing it may leave him with only half a life.
When that imminent peril was approaching, a thought flashed through Zeno"s mind, "Is it too late, or is there still time to remind him to expand it first?"
Obviously it was too late. Zeno was clenched his teeth in antic.i.p.ation and thought about his plan. If it succeeded, then there was no need to pursue the latter portion, but would Xi Wei do what Zeno wanted him to do?
That would be uncharacteristic of Xi Wei.
Ultimately, things fell short by a single step. Xi Wei"s frenzy was suddenly shattered by a single scene.
It was a memory he thought he had long forgotten. Although it was discarded into the depths of his memory, it had risen to the forefront without the slightest warning.
His mother, a woman named Jasmine, was lying naked in bed, her wide open eyes staring blankly in his direction. In an instant, it was as if water was poured all over his impetuous desires, completely extinguishing them. It was like being splashed in the face with a bucket of ice water, leaving him frozen in place.
Zeno waited for a while, but it seemed that Xi Wei had become a man made of wood.
Zeno’s excitement also cooled off, the flushing on his face receded, and he was left a little pale. There was a trace of bitterness in his heart, but he had clearly understood what was to be expected, and sure enough it happened.
He sighed indifferently, grabbed Xi Wei’s hand, dropped a kiss on his lips and said, “Sleep.”
“I…” Xi Wei seemed to want to say something, but he didn’t know where to start.
In the darkness, Zeno seemed to smile encouragingly, “It doesn’t matter, I"ll help you.”
Xi Wei frowned, about to ask Zeno what he would help him with. However, Zeno had already closed his eyes and had no desire to converse with him any longer. He merely grasped Xi Wei’s hand and held it tightly.
The s.p.a.ce within their tent sunk into silence, and Xi Wei suddenly understood that the wound he"d concealed within his heart may never be healed. It could only putrefy and ferment, tearing open at the most critical moment to deliver a fatal blow.
However, it was from a long time ago, and there was no medicine that could cure him.
Xi Wei never did anything he was unsure of. He liked to keep everything firmly in the palm of his hand. Living a life that was not up to himself felt entirely too atrocious, and this was how he"d felt ever since he was born.
Despite that, the current situation had once again broken away from his control. Zeno was an unpredictable factor of his life, and was constantly causing additional mishaps.
He could no longer deceive himself. He wasn"t only possessive over Zeno. That, his body was the most honest about.
Indeed, the more he cared, the more fear he felt. Xi Wei found that he was far less powerful than he believed, and not everything was under his control.
[^1]: Ancient Chinese politician rumoured to be so morally righteous he can have a woman in his lap without any dirty thoughts ( folks, 80 chapters in the payoff is here! I’m curious on people’s thoughts. When I first read through this part I was a little surprised, but I’m pleased the author wrote things this way (to a certain extent). Not everyone can just ‘get over’ their traumatizing past. Hopefully you still found it enjoyable to read.
Of course I’d love more s.m.u.t (in everything I read), so if you would too, feel free to read my other project Screen Partner. So good so s.m.u.t. Shameless plug, complete.
I’m trying my best to get through these last chapters (7 until the end, not including the extras) as fast as I am able. I’m hoping at the slowest to get something out every two weeks, but I can’t make promises. I also have been spending a lot of time putting together furniture I purchased for Black Friday from Wayfair and Ikea. Nothing like being up, alone, at midnight eating chocolate covered almonds, listening to Christmas music, and a.s.sembling bedside tables etc.
Bonus material: From my back deck. Not much beats when there is a heavy snow/h.o.a.rfrost and the world becomes a white wonderland. Also, there’s a typical day at my front door, goats and cats and dog just hanging out. Please ignore the mess, I can’t be fussed.