Chapter Ch18.2 - I’ve got this Tyrant’s back (18)
At this moment, his body couldn’t muster any strength. He couldn’t care about edges of the rubble pressing against his elbows and knees. Gu Yuan leaned over and slid down, grabbing that body into his arms, hugging it fiercely.
Those eyes were closed quietly. His long, fine, feather-like eyelashes, cast small shadows on his cheeks.
Gu Yuan’s hands shook violently as he tried to hurriedly feel for the boy’s pulse on his wrist. After repeatedly trying several times, he finally felt a faint pulse.
A warm flow rushed to his eyes and quickly blurred his vision.
His legs had gone soft so that he couldn’t stand up. He simply sat on the ground like so, helping the young man to lean firmly in his arms. He put the searchlight aside and quickly searched for the emergency medicines and injections in his schoolbag.
The injection needle shone with a dazzling gleam under the light. He carefully pierced into the pale vein of his wrist. Gu Yuan held his breath as he injected the emergency nutritional medicine. He was about to treat the wound on his shoulder, but he suddenly stopped.
He didn’t know when, but the boy in his arms had already opened his eyes and was looking at him quietly. There was a rare dazed look in his warm and clear eyes. His eyes hesitantly paused on his face. Incredulous surprise was clear in his extremely tired eyes.
That surprise was so bright; so bright that Gu Yuan felt a tingling in his eyes. He smiled at him with tears in his eyes. He slowly rubbed the boy’s short hair, and dropped a soft kiss on his forehead.
“I’m late, sorry…”
He thought that Lu Zhiguang would, as he did before, show him a quiet smile. But the boy in his arms suddenly blinked and water quickly gathered in his eyes. Big, fat tears started to roll down his cheeks.
Gu Yuan’s chest seized fiercely. He tightened his arms around the other, holding the person firmly in his arms, making the young man lean on his shoulders.
The warm liquid quickly soaked his clothes, instantly turning cold from the chill underground.
He was so distressed that he couldn’t speak. Gu Yuan could only kiss him carefully again and again, carefully wiping away the tears on his face. Suddenly, he realized how cold the other’s face was and he kept rubbing it and rubbing it. He then realized that he too had unknowingly began to shed tears.
With his gentle pats, the faint tremors of the body in his arms finally faded away until he was quietly lying on his shoulders.
Gu Yuan dropped one last kiss on his lips. He turned his arm gently and had him lean on his arm. He carefully checked the wound on his shoulder that had long reopened, soaking through the bandages once again.
His clothes were peeled off. The teenager instinctively shrank in on himself from the cold, but his strength was still weak. It was obvious that even the slightest movements were difficult for him.
“It will be all okay soon, it will be okay soon…”
Gu Yuan coaxed him in a gentle voice. He pulled the searchlight closer and nimbly cleaned his wounds. He applied medicine to stop the bleeding and wrapped it carefully in new bandages.
He thought that Lu Zhiguang had once again fallen asleep from exhaustion. He straightened up after doing all this but found that the young man’s eyes were still on him, his eyes still revealed vague uneasiness.
His chest throbbed painfully. He took off his own clothes and put them on the other. He then took the person in his arms, protecting him, before asking him where he was still feeling pained. But then his heart suddenly jumped.
He finally realized what was wrong.
Although Lu Zhiguang was reticent, he still responded to him promptly. But this time the boy was so quiet that not only did he not utter a single word, he hadn’t made a single sound even as he cried.
The poisonous gas that had made him extremely uneasy suddenly rushed into his mind. Gu Yuan’s chest seized until he almost couldn’t breathe. He dropped his gaze and stared at him. He said softly, “Zhiguang, can you talk?”
Lu Deng’s eyes flickered, and he gently lowered his eyes.
His whole body suddenly went cold. An intense feeling of fear rushed into his chest. His heart was beating so loudly it almost broke his eardrums. Gu Yuan held him tightly in his arms, repeating in a hoarse voice. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
He finally knew why Lu Zhiguang’s emotions suddenly got out of control.
Not because he was alone in the dark, nor because he had been waiting for so long, but because he watched helplessly as he ran back and forth, listening to him constantly calling out and calling out, but he himself couldn’t respond, couldn’t move. He could only lean quietly between the stone slabs, holding on as chances slipped past once after the other.
If not for that bell.
Had the cotton wool that he’d used for sound insulation not fallen out from all the shaking.
He might have doubted his judgment after searching fruitlessly or he might have continued to run through the other passages of the mine, trying in vain to find any trace of the young man.
If he hadn’t heard the bell, Lu Zhiguang would have watched helplessly as he came here only to regretfully go farther away after searching fruitlessly. The despair he would have had to endure would be enough to bite into his bones.
Such despair was enough to completely crush any person no matter how strong his will.
Just thinking about this possibility, Gu Yuan was so scared that his hands and feet went cold. He didn’t dare imagine what Lu Zhiguang must have been thinking when he was lying alone in the dark.
The nutrient injection slowly allowed him to accumulate some strength in his body. Lu Deng moved his arm. He gripped Gu Yuan’s cuff, slowly pulled it and held his hand. He then inclined his head and kissed his neck that was stretched so taut his veins were almost popping out.
The gentle touch softly stroked his neck; like it was consoling, like it was showing affection.
Gu Yuan slowly adjusted his breathing. He let his mood gradually calm down. He embraced the young man’s back, looking into his dark eyes that had once again become warm and gentle. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry.”
He needed to apologize — He couldn’t not.
He should have been more careful. He should have checked whether Lu Zhiguang’s body had been damaged by the poison gas. He should have been with him no matter what happened. He shouldn’t have acted on his own and pushed the youth to a safe spot.
If the bell hadn’t sounded, everything that might have happened would have been far crueler than their falling together; living together or dying together.
Lu Deng looked at him. His brows bending slightly. He shook his head and said soundlessly, “It didn’t take long.”
After thinking about it, he added, “I only counted to four. I hadn’t had time to count to five.”
Gu Yuan was stunned for a moment. He read his lips and finally silently embraced the boy in his arms. He kissed him carefully, closing his eyes and smiling.
When Lu Deng’s condition was a little better, Gu Yuan injected him with a second dose of the nutrients. He wrapped him in his clothes and stood up with him in his arms. “Let’s go home.”
Lu Deng leaned against his arm, a peaceful smile on his face. He raised his head, moved in closer and planted a kiss on his lips.
His movements caused the bell to let out a crisp ring.
*
The two of them, one who had just been drenched in the cold underground river, and the other who had been lying among the craggy rocks for a long time. It was impossible to say which one of them was colder than the other. With their hugging tightly like this, a little warmth emerged in the place where their skin touched.
After Lu Zhiguang showed him that smile, he fell into an exhausted slumber. He leaned quietly on his neck, his breathing was so subtle it could hardly be made out.
The sound of the bell rang clear, dispelling the chill of the long dark night from their bodies.
Throughout their way back, Gu Yuan held his wrist, feeling his weak pulse against his fingers. It echoed with his own heartbeat. Although weak, it was still steady and stable.
He remembered the way out and now, he also had the searchlight. The way out this time was not difficult. Walking along the calming underground river all the way to the exit of the mine, he thought he would have to find a way to sneak into the safe zone, but then unexpectedly, he met the young and determined face of the envoy.
“Mr. Gu, we knew that you would be back soon.”
Meeting his gaze, the envoy smiled and walked towards him. “Come on, your lover seems like he needs medical attention. The spaceship is equipped with professional medical equipment that will be very helpful for him.”
With that said, he had already raised his hand, wanting to help Gu Yuan carry the person he was holding in his arms. Gu Yuan, thought, politely thanked him and nodded. “Thank you, I’ll just do it myself.”
The envoy’s eyes flashed with curiosity. He raised his hand and rubbed the tip of his nose, saying nothing more, only leading the way.
The spaceship was parked on a mountain col not far away. The young ones who had come to his rescue before were all standing guard nearby. They escorted them all the way and safely sent them on board the inconspicuous ship.
“We still have to stay for the peace talks. By the way, we will pin them down here for a while. The course has already been set for this spaceship. You just need to sleep well and return home.”
The special envoy sent him to the ship and handed over the spare smart computer. He also handed over the supplies they had carried along. The envoy’s eyes shined with heroic spirit.
Gu Yuan thanked him warmly. After a bit of hesitation, he still decided to ask, “You staying here; aren’t you worried that Planet Guar will make trouble for you in the galactic court?”
“Our citizen was illegally detained. We came here to take our compatriot home. If they want to make trouble, then let them come looking for it.”
The envoy smiled. He watched Gu Yuan place the person in his arms lightly on the bed before reaching out his hand. “Mr. Gu, you are the hero of the entire Planet Galileo. I know that this kind of thanks is nothing compared to what you have sacrificed but—thank you.”
Gu Yuan’s eyes were slightly hot, but a faint smile appeared at the corner of his eyes. He grasped the envoy’s hand and shook it gently.
The figure of the envoy quickly disappeared out of the ship and he started the ship on its set course. The spaceship rose into the air. The propulsion from the accelerators quickly moved it away from the ground. It accelerated to escape velocity and in the blink of an eye it dove into the dark night sky.
In the vast universe, there appeared a momentary streak of light and then everything was as before.
————
It was a winter afternoon. The sunlight was bright and warm as it passed through the window rails, casting a chaotic play of light and shadow in the bedroom.
Lu Deng was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, sleeping peacefully.
A layer of snow had already accumulated outside the window. New snow was slowly falling, gently covering the ground that had been burned beyond recognition by the flames of war, covering everything in pure white.
The bedroom door was gently pushed open and Gu Yuan walked in, the chill of the snow clinging to him. He stood at the door for a while, and when the chill had dispersed, he walked quietly to the bed.
The young man slept soundly. Fine, thick lashes lined his closed eyelids and his breathing was soft and even. A warm look covered Gu Yuan’s eyes. He covered him with the quilt and he leaned over to put a kiss on his forehead when the youth’s eyes suddenly opened.
Gu Yuan was slightly startled. Lu Deng had already seized the opportunity to raise his head and quickly plant a kiss on his lips. His eyes lit up with a clear smile and he threw himself into the man’s strong and broad embrace.
Unable hold back a little chuckle, Gu Yuan hugged the other firmly and rubbed his forehead against his. “Did you sleep well?”
Lu Deng leaned against his chest. His face smoothed out with a gentle expression. He nodded and then raised his arms to put it round the other’s neck.
“Okay, okay. I know you’ve already smelled it. Drink some water first and eat slowly.”
Gu Yuan couldn’t help laughing. He gently placed down the young man in his arms back on the bed. He took the glass of warm water from the side table and brought it to the other’s lips. After making sure that he had taken a few sips, he then took out the cake he brought back with him.
It has been half a year since they were picked up the envoy and got away from Planet Guar.
The war on Galileo had passed. The Guar’s army had been firmly confined in Planet Galileo. Under the watch of other nearby planets, they were left with no choice but to grit their teeth and pay a large sum of indemnities to the Galileans before they were finally allowed to take their army back.
During the Galactic Court trials, Planet Guar did indeed raise questions about the Galilean envoy’s illegally incursion into their planet. However, this then exposed their illegal detention of foreign nationals and their inhumane prisons which gravely violated human rights laws. They received severe punishment by the Galactic Court. Not only were several key positions in the Guar military removed, they were also ordered to pay Gu Yuan one billion stars and the monitoring equipment they had implanted was to be immediately removed.
Both sides had their vitality sapped. And for at least fifty years, Planet Guar would not have any plans of invading other planets.
Galileo’s rebuilding, though difficult, was in full swing. New hope was sprouting from under the scorched earth. When the snow clears, the planet will come alive and reveal new vitality.
After receiving the new treat, Lu Deng was content. He leaned against the headboard, eating his cake conscientiously. A small bulge appeared on his cheeks, making people want to reach out and touch.
Gu Yuan retracted his thoughts but he couldn’t help raising his hand and gently rub the top of his head. “Does it taste good?”
The head under his palm moved and the youth looked up at him. A smile as clear as fresh snow appeared in his eyes. He nodded gently and cut a piece of cake, bringing it to his lips.
A teary feeling materialized in Gu Yuan’s chest but he nodded with a smile and accepted the piece of cake, continuing to slowly comb through the young man’s soft hair.
Lu Deng had done very well in the exam. His scores were amongst the very best in the galaxy. However, due to health reasons, he had to apply for leave as soon as school started. He stayed in the villa for recuperation. During the past six months, Gu Yuan tried his best. Although his body had been nourished back to full health, there was still no way to make him speak again.
Lu Zhiguang didn’t seem to have been affected too much by this incident. He still had that soft and clear smile. It was now even brighter, in order to let him see it clearer.
But Gu Yuan always felt distressed.
Being silent was one thing, being mute was another. The communication between the two of them had not been hindered by this incident. Gu Yuan could understand his meaning if they were simple. For the more complicated ones, he would read his lips or they would use their smart computers to communicate. There wasn’t any hindrance in their communication.
But after all, his boy couldn’t live in this villa forever.
Thinking of what that young envoy had said, Gu Yuan dropped his gaze and muttered to himself. But suddenly a hand was placed on his brows. It combed through his hair and his face was slightly lifted up.
The young man looked at him with gentle concern in his eyes.
Gu Yuan smiled at him. He took that hand that had now recovered its warmth and moved it to his lips to kiss it. “Zhiguang, you’re an agent from a high-level civilization, aren’t you?”
He was a special staff member of the system. Putting it this way was also true. Having exposed his identity in the mine long ago, Lu Deng pursed the corners of his lips, met his gaze, and nodded.
Most of Planet Galileo had been devastated by the war. The slums along with his room there with all this exercise books had long been blown up from the artillery fire. If he added to that his identity as an agent, he probably wouldn’t need to do homework or go to school in the future.
Although Gu Yuan had asked, he hadn’t expected the boy to admit it so happily. Gu Yuan chuckled, too surprised to say anything. He simply sat down on his bedside and had him lean against his chest. “Over there—is there a way to cure you?”
Lu Deng blinked and pulled his hand over. He slowly wrote on his broad palm.
The warmth of the fingertips, the soft sensation as he wrote across his palm; it teased his heart until his heart went completely soft.
Gu Yuan took a deep breath and tried his best to control ever dissipating thoughts. He carefully identified the words he wrote.
——There is a way. But once I go, I can never come back.
Once he was able to make out the entire sentence, a small vortex smashed into his heart. However, he didn’t feel the slightest bit surprised.
Gu Yuan nodded lightly. He flipped his palm, and fell silent while he held the young man’s hand.
As if vaguely sensing his thoughts, the body in his arms moved. He put down the cake, turned back and looked into his eyes. His lips were pursed in a rarely seen tense line.
Gu Yuan met his gaze and smiled suddenly. He held that delicate and pretty face that was faintly stretch taut and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
“You-are you still hiring over there? The kind that is willing to accept genetic modification, brings their own savings, and is very intent on seeing someone; that kind…”
Lu Deng was stunned. His eyes then suddenly lit up with an uncontrollable shine.
Hiring.
System staff members were in short supply. As long as data had the intention of becoming a staff member, it can receive special encryption enhancements and rotate among different worlds. Although the memories from each world would be sealed, the core data would not change anymore and once he becomes a regular staff member, he would be able to recall everything.
Seeing the boy’s head nod so fast, like a chicken pecking rice, Gu Yuan finally couldn’t help laughing loudly. He raised his arms and embraced him tightly, giving him a deep kiss with a smile on his lips.
It seems that it was time to embark on an interplanetary travelling adventure.
Finally having figured out a way to stay together for a long time, Lu Deng raised his head to meet his kiss. His heart beat faster. He closed his eyes and pulled Gu Yuan’s hand, writing on his palm. “Make a wish.”
Up there, there were people secretly looking after him. If the other makes a good wish at this time, maybe it might even come true in the next world.
Gu Yuan had a thought. He took his hand and spread it open. With a smile on his face, he wrote, “Okay.”
When his young man asked him to make a wish. He took it very seriously, closing his eyes and repeating his wish in his heart.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Lu Zhiguang leaning in his arms and looking up at him. His face filled with a real warm smile.
“What can I do? It seems a part of my wish has already came true…”
Gu Yuan chuckled quietly. He raised his hand and combed through Lu Deng’s short hair. He said softly, “First, we’ll go and have your throat healed. And then, let me spoil you all your life, okay?”
It wasn’t ‘life’, but rather ‘lives’. Not just one lifetime, but many lifetimes.
Lu Deng looked at him, his brow curved in a joyful radian. He cut another piece of cake and fed it to him. Beneath his lashes, his eyes lit up with a warm and bright light.
Translator’s note: Phew, we are done with the first arc. Next arc is in a university setting and it’s not quite as heart-in-your-throat as this one. =)