Inside the room, Lian Qiguang withdrew his wood-elemental ability, picked up a towel from the lakeside, and draped it over Xiahou Shaoxuan. “Are you feeling better?”
Xiahou Shaoxuan opened his eyes, took Lian Qiguang’s hand resting on his shoulder, and gently stroked Lian Qiguang’s damp hair.
Seeing that Xiahou Shaoxuan showed no signs of discomfort, Lian Qiguang silently exhaled in relief and leaned, slightly weary, into Xiahou Shaoxuan’s embrace. “At this rate, I’m sure you’ll be able to fully integrate the power within you very soon.”
“There’s no need to rush.” The faint trace of exhaustion between Lian Qiguang’s brows tugged at Xiahou Shaoxuan’s heart; he gently massaged Lian Qiguang’s temples with both hands, his own brow slightly furrowed.
“No.” Lian Qiguang shook his head, his expression grave. “There’s no time left.”
“Are you still worried about Wu Ma Yan?”
“He’s gone mad. No one knows what he might do next.” Lian Qiguang looked up, his gaze fixed intently on Xiahou Shaoxuan’s resolute profile. “Right now, aside from you, no one possesses the power to stand up to him. I need to help you fuse the power within your body as quickly as possible, so your supernatural abilities can reach the next level.”
Xiahou Shao Xuan naturally understood Lian Qiguang’s concern; Wuma Yan’s existence was indeed a hidden threat. Unable to refute Lian Qiguang’s words, Xiahou Shao Xuan could only silently hold the person in his arms even tighter.
No matter what the future might bring, he would never let go of the person in his arms.
After Xiahou Shaoxuan and Lian Qiguang emerged from the spatial realm, they were only halfway through their meal when Xiahou Zhong sent someone to summon them. Lian Qiguang had no desire to go to the base and engage in verbal sparring with a bunch of old foxes, so Xiahou Shaoxuan could only gently remind him to stay home and wait patiently before leaving with a squad of soldiers.
After Xiahou Shao Xuan left, Lian Qiguang also lost his appetite, so he had the robot clear the table. He then curled up cross-legged on the living room sofa and opened the laptop in his hands.
Ever since returning from Zone 7 that day, everything had been business as usual—so peaceful that Lian Qiguang found himself wondering if everything that had happened in Zone 7 had been nothing more than a dream.
Life for the residents within the Safe Zone continued as usual; soldiers still went out daily to wipe out the zombies. Yet Lian Qiguang did not let his guard down because of this temporary calm; on the contrary, the unease in his heart grew day by day.
Based on his understanding of Wu Ma Yan, he knew that after suffering such a major setback, Wu Ma Yan would absolutely not be willing to swallow his pride and remain silent. Behind this temporary calm, a far more terrifying storm must surely be brewing.
Staring at his reflection on the computer screen, Lian Qiguang became lost in thought. The loose collar of his shirt had slipped slightly, faintly revealing the silver serpent-shaped mark on his chest. His pair of golden eyes seemed capable of probing the deepest secrets of the human heart, sending a chill down one’s spine.
Golden…
Lian Qiguang’s finger gently traced the mark, a look of deep thought flashing in his eyes. It seemed to have been redder before. Did this recent change signify that he had matured?
Recalling that inexplicable, newly surfaced memory in his mind, Lian Qiguang clenched his fists and abruptly pulled his collar up to cover the mark, his downcast black eyes shrouded in darkness.
When Qiu Limo opened his eyes again, for a moment he didn’t know whether he was in this world or in hell. The sea of blood before him filled him with panic, and his eyes were filled with bewilderment and helplessness.
The door swung open from the outside. Wu Ma Yan walked in against the light, looking down at the dazed youth on the bed. His icy fingers traced the boy’s features, finally resting on a pair of blood-red eyes, as if appraising an object that pleased him.
“I…” Staring at Wuma Yan, Qiu Limò opened his mouth to say something, but the voice that emerged was hoarse and eerie, causing his body to tense up instantly.
Qiu Limò stood frozen for a long time before slowly lowering his head and holding out both hands. A pair of slender, pale palms, devoid of even a trace of color, were stiff and cold, and those sharp, bluish nails were all too familiar to him.
He…
Had mutated!
Seemingly oblivious to Qiu Limo’s astonishment, Wu Ma Yan brought out a bowl of fresh, warm blood and held it before Qiu Limo’s eyes, staring at him with a cold expression. “Drink it.”
The faint, metallic-sweet taste stimulated every cell in Qiu Limo’s body. As he stared at the glaring crimson in the bowl, nausea welled up inside him, yet his body’s instincts screamed for him to consume it. His blood-red eyes gradually grew deeper and more mysterious. Qiu Limo suddenly closed his eyes, forcing down the craving in his heart and suppressing the trembling of his body caused by excitement.
“If you don’t want to be the first zombie to starve to death, drink it.” Wu Ma Yan’s red lips curled into a smile as he pushed the blood in his hand forward, as if in temptation.
Qiu Limò trembled, constantly shrinking back. The hunger in his stomach and the craving screaming throughout his body fueled his excitement for the blood. But his reason compelled him to refuse—once he drank that bowl of blood, there would truly be no turning back.
Wu Ma Yan knelt on one knee on the bed, pinning Qiu Limo in the corner. With one hand, he clamped down on his gaunt chin, forcing him to look up at him. “Haven’t you always wanted to be just like me? Now that I’ve granted your wish, what? Regretting it?”
Qiu Limò gazed silently at the beautiful, otherworldly man before him, his expression calm. “I have no regrets. I want to stay by your side forever.”
Wu Ma Yan paused slightly, loosening his grip on Qiu Limò’s chin.
It was unclear how much time had passed when Wu Ma Yan’s hand, which had been loosened, suddenly tightened again—the force of the movement nearly crushing Qiu Limò’s jaw.
Wu Ma Yan glared ferociously at Qiu Limò’s pale face, forcefully pushing him down onto the bed. He pried open Qiu Limò’s jaw and mercilessly poured the blood from his other hand into his mouth.
“Mmm…” Qiu Limò frowned, struggling violently beneath Wu Ma Yan in agony, his blood-red eyes clouded with a faint despair.
The blood was roughly poured into Qiu Limò’s mouth, staining his exposed skin crimson. The metallic-sweet taste of blood stimulated every sense in Qiu Limò’s body and set his remaining sanity ablaze.
As the blood-red hue in his eyes deepened, Qiu Limò suddenly broke free from Wuma Yan’s grip, seized his arm, and—in a dizzying whirl—pinned Wuma Yan beneath him.
With bloodshot eyes, Qiu Limò glared at the man beneath him, his grip on Wuma Yan’s arm tightening relentlessly as his sharp nails dug into the flesh. Though he was clearly no longer human, Wuma Yan inexplicably felt a heart-stopping heat radiating from the arm he held so tightly.
Wu Ma Yan narrowed his eyes, gazing impassively into Qiu Limo’s burning gaze. His red lips curved slightly, exuding a sinister, otherworldly allure. “Qiu Limo, I’ve raised you for decades. I never imagined that you, my own son, would dare to harbor such thoughts toward your father.”
He could clearly see the emotion in Qiu Limo’s eyes—he understood it better than anyone—but it was precisely because of this that he felt an uncontrollable, strange sensation welling up in his chest.
Qiu Limo stared intently at Wu Ma Yan’s red lips as they parted and closed, feeling a raging fire surge through his body, racing wildly without direction, yet with nowhere to vent.
All reason in his mind had been consumed by the flames. Qiu Limò loathed—or rather, detested—Wuma Yan’s sarcastic, icy expression.
Amid Wuma Yan’s stunned expression, Qiu Limò slowly leaned forward and kissed those red lips he had longed for day and night, the ones that had haunted his thoughts constantly.
The sudden softness caught Wuma Yan off guard; the mocking smile on his face froze momentarily as he let Qiu Limò draw deeper and deeper into the kiss.
This kiss was softer than he had imagined.
Qiu Limò closed his eyes and lingered on Wu Ma Yan’s lips, his hands clumsily tearing at Wu Ma Yan’s clothes. The two cold bodies entwined, yet Qiu Limò felt an extraordinary sense of peace and warmth.
Although Qiu Limò wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with sex, he’d never actually experienced it firsthand, so he seemed a bit at a loss.
Qiu Limò planted a series of haphazard kisses all over Wu Ma Yan’s body, roughly tearing off his own clothes. One hand slowly traced down Wu Ma Yan’s torso, finally gripping the thick, erect member.
Qiu Limò stared blankly at Wu Ma Yan, frozen for a long moment. Then, tentatively, he raised himself, aligned the thick member in his hand with his lower body, and sat down in one swift motion.
Even Gao Zhihui’s zombie had gradually begun to feel pain—how much more so a super-intelligent being directly infected by Wu Ma Yan?
His untrained, dry body was suddenly torn apart. Qiu Limò let out a muffled groan, his entire body going limp as he collapsed onto Wu Ma Yan, trembling all over from the pain.
Wu Ma Yan suddenly snapped out of it. He gazed at Qiu Limo on top of him with a deep, intense look, then forcefully shoved him away and got up from the bed.
“……” Qiu Limo lay on the bed, letting out a faint moan of pain. His blood-red eyes watched Wu Ma Yan’s retreating back, filled with profound sorrow.
Wuma Yan paused briefly as he walked away. With his back to Qiu Limo, he stood in silence for a long time before slowly turning his head to cast a cold gaze at the boy on the bed.
The youth was curled up on the cramped, cluttered bed, like a dying little animal, letting out pitiful sobs. His blood-red eyes looked at Wuma Yan with sorrow and pain, yet held a faint, imperceptible glimmer of hope.
Wu Ma Yan clenched his fists, a flash of ferocity crossing his eyes.
Damn it! He actually… felt a twinge of pity!!
It was unclear how much time had passed when Wu Ma Yan slowly turned around; the coldness on his face faded, replaced by a playful, otherworldly smile.
Wu Ma Yan looked down at Qiu Limo on the bed, his haughty, cold blood-red eyes gazing at him as if he were nothing more than an insignificant toy. “Hah! You really look pathetic when you’re in heat!”
Qiu Limo curled up, burying his face in the pillows, and trembling, closed his eyes.
He didn’t want to see it! He didn’t want to see the coldness and contempt in his eyes…
Wu Ma Yan leaned down, gripping Qiu Limo’s icy chin firmly. His red lips parted, issuing a ruthless command. “Open your eyes! Look at me!!”
Qiu Limo’s body shuddered slightly. His eyelashes trembled faintly as he slowly opened his eyes, gazing at Wu Ma Yan’s cold expression with a look of confusion and sorrow.
A smile lingered at the corners of Wu Ma Yan’s lips as his slender fingers traced a spiral down his beautiful collarbone, finally coming to rest on his lower body.
“Do you want it?” Wu Ma Yan whispered coldly into Qiu Limò’s ear.
Qiu Limò watched Wu Ma Yan’s movements in confusion, his chest rising and falling erratically, yet he obediently nodded, yielding to his instinctive urge.
The smile on Wu Ma Yan’s face grew deeper. He wrapped one hand around Qiu Limò’s slender neck, rose, and pressed himself against him. “Very well, I’ll satisfy you.”
“!!!!” Qiu Limò
“That hurt, didn’t it? Let me teach you what real ‘ai’ is.”
Fingers as cold as a venomous snake traced Qiu Limò’s body. His body tensed, like a suffocating goldfish gasping for its last breath.
“I accept your love.”
“But that doesn’t mean I’ll love you…”