Chapter 88#

Fu Yucheng walked back with his head down, kicking stones, looking absent-minded.

In the past few days, he had finally found an opportunity to fill in for A-Liang, a sick kitchen assistant, and deliver meals to the “Fortress Top” guard team several times. Although he couldn’t go onto the “Fortress Top” itself, he could chat a bit with the guards at the gate below, which allowed him to understand quite a bit about the situation.

The high “Fortress Top” of the Rock Fortress was usually guarded by three A-class captains in seamless twenty-four-hour shifts. Each A-class captain led ten B-class high-level guards, thirty C-class mid-level guards, and one hundred D-class low-level guards.

Actually, this force didn’t amount to much for Fu Yucheng, but the path to the Fortress Top was a spiral staircase within the fortress—the only way up and down—and it was extremely heavily guarded.

If he launched a forceful attack, it would inevitably cause chaos throughout the entire Rock Fortress. By the time he got the item, the Lord and the other two captains would have arrived, making it a mess. If it attracted Medusa’s attention, the consequences would be even more unimaginable.

Yet sneaking in was also difficult, as he simply couldn’t find any loopholes.

He had to think of a foolproof method.

As Fu Yucheng pondered, walking toward his small rock bun, someone suddenly collided with him forcefully.

“What are you doing?” Fu Yucheng complained as he looked up, only to see a thin youth running forward hurriedly.

Sensing something, he quickly looked down. Sure enough, his waist was empty; the coin purse hanging from his belt was gone. His newly received salary—fifteen transaction coins—was all inside.

Ordinary transaction coins didn’t matter to Fu Yucheng, but these fifteen were different—they were what he had earned through hard work as a poop-scooper for a full month.

“Stop right there!” Fu Yucheng blanked for only a moment before taking off in pursuit.

But he was unfamiliar with the terrain after all. The thief ducked left and right among the dense array of rock buns, as flexible as a slippery fish. For a time, Fu Yucheng actually couldn’t catch him.

Suddenly, the thief let out an “Ow!” and tripped hard!

It turned out someone was sitting beside a small rock bun on the roadside.

The thief was running too fast and didn’t notice his feet, tripping right over the person’s leg and falling flat on his face. He scrambled up to flee again, but the person grabbed his arm with a grip like an iron hoop!

The thief turned his head in panic, seeing Fu Yucheng about to catch up, while the hand holding him was impossible to break free from. Though young, the thief was vicious. After only a moment’s hesitation, he pulled out a bright knife with a “shing” and stabbed it hard toward the person’s leg!

Fu Yucheng said urgently: “Get out of the way!”

The person hesitated slightly and actually didn’t dodge. The sharp knife plunged deep into his thigh, and blood immediately gushed out!

Seeing he had injured someone, the thief seemed to become afraid as well. Leaving the fallen coin purse on the ground, he fled in a flash.

Fu Yucheng didn’t have time to chase him and walked over to the person: “Are you okay?”

The person kept their head down, their face obscured, their voice raspy and muffled: “En.”

This person wore a coarse hemp cloak common in the settlement, with a large hood pulled low. One could only vaguely see an ugly wooden mask on his face; nothing else was clear.

Fu Yucheng saw the large red bloodstain rapidly spreading on his leg, and the injury seemed serious. He said, “This can’t go on; you need to stop the bleeding. That small rock bun ahead is where I live. Come with me and get it bandaged.”

The person hesitated for a moment before answering in a muffled, raspy voice: “En.”

Fu Yucheng supported him carefully and discovered the person was quite tall. Fu Yucheng himself was very tall, and this person was slightly taller than him. The coarse hemp cloak was very loose, making his specific build hard to see, but he appeared to be a young man.

Supported by the other, the youth seemed slightly unnatural as he limped into the small rock bun.

Fu Yucheng had him sit on the rock bun’s only tattered sofa and went to find the first aid kit.

Before long, Fu Yucheng returned with the kit. The youth sat on the worn-out single sofa, head down and motionless, looking very constrained and a bit nervous.

Fu Yucheng sat on a small stool before him, taking out bandages and styptic powder from the kit: “Will you do it yourself, or should I help?”

The youth said in a low voice: “Do it myself.”

Before, he had only given a muffled “En,” but this time he finally spoke three words. Though the voice was still muffled, Fu Yucheng blanked for a moment and then squinted his eyes.

The youth turned slightly away, cut a small opening in his trouser leg, sprinkled on the styptic powder, and then wrapped it with a few rounds of bandages, finishing the dressing quickly.

Fu Yucheng crossed his arms, watching his movements with a frown, and didn’t speak.

Under his gaze, the youth seemed very nervous, carefully putting the remaining powder and bandages back into the kit and then sitting stiffly on the sofa, as if afraid to move.

Fu Yucheng narrowed his eyes slightly: “What is your name?”

The youth didn’t say a word, giving an extremely slight shake of his head.

Fu Yucheng stared down at him, having completely understood the situation. Amidst extreme surprise, he was both annoyed and amused.

…This kid really has some nerve, actually chasing me all the way here!

However, looking at his pitiful appearance and this crude disguise, he didn’t seem to intend to forcibly take him back… In that case, it was fine.

The two were silent, the atmosphere very awkward.

After a long while, the wooden door opened with a light “creak.”

“Brother Yucheng, I’m back!” Ning Yue walked in with his guitar on his back and then blinked, “A guest?”

Hearing the words “Brother Yucheng,” the youth’s back instantly tensed, and his breathing even stalled for a moment.

Fu Yucheng knew the other’s temperament well. Seeing him like that, he naturally knew what was going on. He felt both amused and a bit pained in his heart.

Seeing Fu Yucheng not speaking, Ning Yue’s tone became puzzled: “Brother Yucheng?”

Fu Yucheng came to his senses and said to Ning Yue: “Xiao Yue, this gentleman suffered a minor injury while helping me catch a thief. I brought him back to bandage it.”

Ning Yue also saw the bandage on the person’s leg and nodded: “Oh, I see. Hello.”

Fu Yucheng then said to the youth: “This is Ning Yue, my friend.”

The youth kept his head down sullenly, not saying a word.

Fu Yucheng, having no way with him, could only say to Ning Yue: “It looks like his leg won’t be able to move for two or three days… Xiao Yue, let him stay here for a few days. By the way, I just got paid at the Rock Fortress today, so even with one more person, the food budget is enough.”

Ning Yue furrowed his brows slightly, seemingly sensing something was off, but not wanting to go against Fu Yucheng’s wishes, he said: “En.”

Dinner was very simple—still coarse-grain gruel.

Fu Yucheng took several gulps of gruel and, seeing the youth still motionless, couldn’t help but urge: “Eat a little at least.”

The youth pursed his lips and then very obediently picked up the worn stainless steel bowl, drinking it sip by sip.

Ning Yue looked suspiciously at Fu Yucheng beside him and then at the youth across the table. For some reason, the atmosphere between the two made him feel uncomfortable, a bit of a sour feeling in his heart.

After the three finished dinner, the sky had gradually darkened.

While tidying the dishes, Ning Yue glanced at Fu Yucheng and suddenly said: “Brother Yucheng, as they say, a guest is a guest… Tonight, let him sleep in my room.”

Fu Yucheng felt this scene was oddly familiar, like déjà vu, so he asked: “And you?”

Ning Yue was a bit bashful: “I-I’ll just make do with you.”

Fu Yucheng blinked and couldn’t help but glance sideways. The youth’s shoulders were tensed tight, looking as if he were about to explode. He quickly let out a light cough: “Xiao Yue, it’s fine. I picked him up; I’ll just squeeze in with him.”

“Oh.” Ning Yue was clearly disappointed.

He hesitated for a moment longer, then leaned in to Fu Yucheng’s ear and whispered: “This person’s background is unknown; we don’t know if he’s a good person. Brother Yucheng, you should still sleep with me…”

The youth almost couldn’t bear it and stood up abruptly, staring fiercely at Ning Yue, his chest heaving heavily.

Fu Yucheng knew things were bad and stood up hurriedly, pushing the person into his own small room without a word. The youth’s body was very stiff, but he didn’t resist, allowing the other to push him inside.

Fu Yucheng’s room was very small, containing only a rust-stained single bed and a worn-out low cabinet.

The two grown men stood in the cramped room, looking at each other for a moment.

Fu Yucheng looked at him and suddenly sighed: “The bed is too small for two people. There are bedding and blankets in the cabinet; make a bed for yourself on the floor.”

The youth pursed his lips, gave a low “En,” then took out the bedding from the cabinet and obediently began making a floor bed.

Fu Yucheng turned and walked into the living room. Ning Yue was still standing there dazed, his expression somewhat confused.

Fu Yucheng reached out, wanting to rub his hair, but reconsidered and withdrew his hand. Then he stuffed the coin purse into the other’s hand: “Xiao Yue, go to bed early too. You take these transaction coins first; they’ll be for the living expenses of the next few days.”

“Oh.” Ning Yue held the heavy bag of transaction coins, feeling a sense of stuffiness in his heart for some reason. He watched Fu Yucheng return to his room before sullenly going to wash the dishes.

Fu Yucheng returned to his room, plopped down on the single bed, and leaned lazily against the headboard.

Watching the youth half-kneeling on the floor smoothing the sheets, he couldn’t help but squint his eyes slightly, thinking to himself: I want to see how long you can keep up this act.

Before long, the youth finished making the floor bed and looked up at him.

Fu Yucheng said indifferently: “Go to sleep.”

…

Late at night.

Fu Yucheng had his eyes closed and heard a rustling sound behind him.

He turned over, and the faint sound suddenly stopped.

Fu Yucheng lay quietly on his side on the bed, not moving again, his breathing long and steady.

After a long while, the other person finally walked over stealthily and stood by the bed. He could even feel the person’s gaze hungrily scanning his face.

Fu Yucheng waited a long time before the person finally couldn’t help but lean down. A thin, cool breath blew lightly across his face. The youth seemed to be using the faint starlight to look at him meticulously.

Fu Yucheng let out a silent sigh in his heart and slowly opened his eyes: “Seen enough?”

The youth was startled and stood up in a panic, taking two steps back and stammering: “Y-You, how…”

“What, you dare to look but don’t dare to admit it?” Fu Yucheng sneered and, without a word, pulled him back forcefully.

The youth didn’t dare to resist, allowing the other to pull him back to the bedside.

Fu Yucheng reached out and easily removed the ridiculous, crude wooden mask, revealing a familiar snow-sculpted face.

At this moment, cold starlight like thin gauze spilled through the window opening, and the two stared at each other in silence.

Bai Mo stared blankly at him, at the face that made him tremble whether in his most terrifying nightmares or his most intoxicating dreams.

Under the hazy starlight, that face appeared so fragile and unreal, as if it would break at a light touch.

After an unknown amount of time, Bai Mo finally managed to speak with great difficulty. His voice was extremely hoarse, carrying a faint tremor: “Yu-ge, everything in the past was my fault. I misunderstood you. I even treated you like that… These days, you don’t know how I’ve been living… It was my fault. Whether you scold me or punish me, I’m willing. But don’t be like this… I can’t…”

He almost couldn’t go on.

Fu Yucheng lowered his eyelids and gave a low sigh: “Xiao Mo, I never blamed you. Many things were the path I chose myself; it wasn’t your fault.”

Bai Mo said softly: “Then come back with me, okay? Over these days, I’ve governed the Central Empire well. The magnolia trees you like have all bloomed… You come back and be the Emperor, and I’ll still be your knight, okay?”

Fu Yucheng was silent for a moment and then shook his head: “I can’t go back with you.”

Bai Mo immediately became anxious, his voice involuntarily rising: “Is it because I did something wrong that you don’t want me anymore? Or… do you, do you like someone else? It’s only been a few months… that Ning Yue, what exactly is between you two…”

Fu Yucheng found it both funny and annoying and was about to scold him when the other’s hood suddenly slipped down, revealing a head of striking silver-gray hair.

He couldn’t help but be stunned: “Xiao Mo, your hair… what happened?”

Bai Mo blanked for a moment and, as if afraid the other would find it unsightly, hurriedly pulled the hood back up: “It’s nothing… If you don’t like it, I can dye it.”