ICAWZ Chapter 80

When Han Yan was embraced by Gaien, his body stiffened for a moment. His expression turned unpleasant as he tried to break free, but he found himself held even tighter by the female zerg. Gaien forcefully grasped Han Yan’s right hand, pressing it against his own disabled right leg. Due to the excessive force, the fingertips displayed a tinge of paleness: “Your injury is different from mine.”

Although Gaien used to detest others touching his injured leg, he now allowed Han Yan to touch it and even compelled him to do so. With red eyes and a hoarse voice, he uttered, “See, you won’t limp.”

Gaien didn’t understand why Han Yan reacted so strongly to the injured leg. Ultimately, he could only assume that his usual limping appearance had frightened the male zerg. Perhaps, the concern was that Han Yan might end up becoming a cripple like him.

Suddenly, Gaien found it hard to breathe, as if an invisible hand had tightened around his throat. It wasn’t just because of Han Yan’s injury but also because he realized Han Yan had an intense aversion to the term “cripple” and he, ironically, was one. The sense of powerlessness from that time overwhelmed him once again, and he found himself unable to change the current situation.

In a daze, Han Yan only felt something scalding drop onto him.

In a trance, Han Yan could only feel something scalding dripping onto the back of his neck. Subconsciously, he raised his hand to touch it, but his fingertips encountered Gaien’s disabled leg, so alike yet so different.

Han Yan’s right leg had a deformity at the knee due to muscle atrophy. It was thinner and more fragile than Gaien’s, a bit more feeble…

In his childhood, he had harbored an intense aversion to that leg, using stones to strike it, using a knife to cut it. It was covered in numerous scars, and even until his dying moment, they had never completely faded away.

He thought he had long forgotten, but it turned out some things were simply unforgettable, even with a new body.

Han Yan suddenly fell silent.

He became aware of the dampness at the back of his neck and looked up at Gaien, only to realize that the other had been crying at some point.

Why?

Was it because of his own leg or Gaien’s leg that was still his own?

Han Yan silently gripped Gaien’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze. The male’s gray-blue eyes resembled the coldest ice beneath a glacier or deep sea, devoid of any warmth. In a tone devoid of emotion, he asked, “Why are you crying?”

Gaien, in pain, closed his eyes, unwilling to respond.

So, Han Yan asked again. In his life, he lacked many things, but patience was not one of them. “Why?”

Gaien’s fingertips trembled as he silently tightened his grip on his own right leg. With a voice devoid of any audible emotion, he uttered, “You really despise cripples, don’t you?”

Han Yan’s fingertips instantly tightened.

However, Gaien continued, “Maybe you shouldn’t have become my partner in the first place, partnering with a zerg you despise so much.”

He concluded with red eyes, “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you well, and you got hurt…”

Upon hearing this, Han Yan’s fingertips trembled for a moment. For some reason, the strength slowly dissipated. He stared emotionlessly at Gaien, but noticed tears seemingly falling from the corner of the other’s eyes. His fingers, beyond his control, moved gently to wipe away the tears for the female zerg.

Han Yan thought to himself that Gaien was crying.

He had never spoken harshly to this female zerg before, nor had he ever forcefully held the other’s chin so roughly. Today, however, he had broken all those precedents.

Han Yan understood Gaien. He could glimpse the possessiveness in the female zerg’s daily life and occasionally catch a glimpse of a slightly unhealthy obsession in the eyes. The words spoken just now didn’t seem like something Gaien would normally say.

What does it matter if others despise it or not? As long as he likes it, he should hold it tightly in his hands – that’s Gaien’s perspective.

A female zerg would never think of divorce.

In Salaranfa, there were no such rules, and even the royal family had no such rules.

Han Yan didn’t allow Gaien to escape from his side.

Their positions quietly shifted, and Han Yan, at some point, had embraced Gaien in his arms, tightening his hold. Like a miser protecting his last remaining wealth, he displayed possessiveness that was no less than the female zerg’s.

Gaien’s body stiffened for a moment.

Han Yan, however, said nothing. He simply reached out to wipe away the tears from the corner of Gaien’s eyes, then pressed his forehead against his, following it with a series of warm and moist kisses, ending with trembling lips.

Gaien tried to evade for a moment, but Han Yan didn’t let the female zerg have his way. With practiced ease, he pried open Gaien’s tightly closed jaws, just like countless nights of intimate entanglement in the past, reaching a level of closeness where even the souls were trembling.

Gaien was compelled to respond, but in a daze, he felt Han Yan’s hand lifting his pants, fingertips following that gruesome scar all the way up, delicately caressing, attempting to smooth something over.

Gaien’s face turned pale, and he struggled to say, “No…”

Suddenly, he didn’t want Han Yan to touch that leg anymore, as he sensed the aversion, aversion towards a cripple.

“Hush, don’t cry.”

Han Yan’s voice was low and deep as he continued to passionately kiss Gaien, akin to a wild beast in the jungle licking a wound. He gently caressed the female zerg’s injured leg, as if wanting to firmly remember this imperfection, to remember it more than his own. After a long while, he finally stopped his movements.

Han Yan leaned against the bed, sitting on the floor with Gaien in his arms. They faced the window, where the evening sun was about to set, casting a golden glow. When that warm light entered the room, everything turned orange.

For that brief moment, both of them touched the sunlight. Although it wasn’t the rising sun, for those who had been huddled in the shadows, it was still precious.

Their hearts were not bright, as if, even if they developed feelings for someone one day, those feelings would be as dark and hidden as the shadows. Yet, aside from that maimed leg that couldn’t be shown to others, surely, the heavens should grant them something that could see the light.

Han Yan recalled Gaien’s words earlier.

You really despise cripples, don’t you?

Yes, he truly despised them…

Han Yan lowered his gaze to the female zerg in his arms. Whether Gaien was tired or not, he seemed quiet at this moment. Han Yan reached up and gently touched the faintly red corner of Gaien’s eye. After a brief silence, he finally uttered a sentence:

“I don’t despise you.”

Gaien was momentarily stunned by the words. Instinctively, he looked at Han Yan and saw that the gray-blue eyes of the male zerg had turned into a golden-orange hue due to the sunset. In that warm light, something sharp and cold seemed to quietly melt away, but because it was too subtle, it couldn’t be discerned.

Han Yan gently caressed Gaien’s fingertips and removed the silver ring from them, along with his own. He held the two damaged rings in front of Gaien, slowly closing them together until they formed a flawless ring.

This gesture seemed to hold no particular meaning, as if he simply wanted to show the female zerg. After a moment, he separated them again, and he put the still-warm rings back on.

Gaien’s eyelashes quivered for a moment.

Han Yan’s leg had been stitched, and whether it was due to the passage of time or the fading effects of anesthesia, he finally felt a bit of soreness and numbness. Unconsciously, he adjusted his posture.

Gaien, sensing his movement, instinctively tried to get up. However, with a casual glance, his gaze froze—

He had been sitting on Han Yan’s right leg all this time.

With this realization, the air seemed to solidify momentarily, becoming so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Gaien’s heart skipped a beat, and instinctively, he looked at Han Yan, only to find the male zerg looking back at him.

In the shifting play of light and shadow, the male’s eyes returned to their gray-blue color. He remained silent, gazing at Gaien, his slender fingertips slowly turning the silver wedding ring. His gaze was calm and silent.

Throughout, he never pushed Gaien away.

“…”

The room darkened as the sun finally set.

Across a corridor, Johnny resided in another hospital room. However, the door remained tightly shut and hadn’t been opened.

Clean clothing was scattered across the spotless floor, most of which belonged to the female zerg. On the hospital bed, there was a bulging mass, and faint whispers could be heard.

Although Johnny’s hand was injured, it didn’t hinder him from doing other things. He had Prince Pei pinned beneath him, ignoring the other’s awkwardly blushing face. Satisfied, he nestled against the prince’s neck, lightly rubbing against it. He grumbled discontentedly, “You haven’t visited me in ages.”

Prince Pei seemed like he wanted to push him away, but seeing the bandage wrapped around Johnny’s arm, he gave up that idea. He scolded in a low voice, “Nonsense. You’re injured now, why are you still so unruly?”

He had originally intended to come and check on Johnny’s condition, but unexpectedly, this male zerg was still as unpredictable as before. He sneakily released pheromones, and in a haphazard manner, they ended up in bed.

Thinking about their recent passionate encounter, Johnny blinked. “But you missed me.”

Prince Pei frowned and retorted, “That’s because you released pheromones.”

Johnny gestured with his hand. “I only released a little; it didn’t exceed the safety line.”

The implication was that you didn’t control yourself.

Prince Pei choked on his words, but seeing Johnny looking so aggrieved, he found it difficult to blame him. He sighed and reached out to touch the scars on Johnny’s face from their recent fervor. His brows unconsciously furrowed. “How did such an accident happen out of the blue? Do you know who did it?”

Johnny, who was initially a bit languid, instantly became spirited at the mention of this. He immediately embellished his previous speculation, pointing fingers at the Durant family and asserting with determination, “It must be those pesky zergs from the Durant family. Who else would be so boring!”

Prince Pei thought that it might not be so certain. Han Yan had been quite influential lately, making plenty of enemies in the business world. However, the Durant family remained the prime suspect, and that was beyond doubt.

Prince Pei ruffled Johnny’s hair and spoke with a thoughtful expression, “Take this time to recover in the hospital. Don’t worry about anything else, okay?”

Johnny glanced at him, then averted his gaze for some reason. Without saying anything, after a while, he asked in a somewhat gloomy tone, “Will you become my partner?”

Johnny clearly wasn’t asking this question for the first time. Prince Pei was momentarily stunned at the words but quickly regained composure, smiling as he said, “Are you being silly? I’m old enough to be your uncle. What would people think if word got out?”

Idle gossip was never pleasant to hear.

Johnny acknowledged with an “oh”. Whether intentionally or not, he curiously asked, “My big brother mentioned a few days ago that he wants to arrange a marriage for me with a female monarch. So, should I agree or not?”

Prince Pei’s figure stiffened at the words, abruptly falling into silence.

Initially, he only treated Johnny as a beloved junior. However, since that night, their relationship had become entangled and unclear. It was a headache to break away, yet equally challenging to separate.

Johnny was young, and his thoughts were fickle. Now, talking about marrying him – if he agreed and later heard the gossip from outside, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t regret it. How would they navigate their relationship then?

Prince Pei was older, and his considerations were naturally more complex. Sitting up on the bed, he picked up his clothes and got dressed. He was unsure how to answer this question, feeling an uncomfortable strangeness in his heart.

Johnny, persistently, asked again, “So, should I marry or not?”

Prince Pei counter-questioned, “Do you want to marry?”

Johnny blinked innocently. “I don’t want to, but if my big brother insists, I can’t refuse.”

He added, “My big brother is quite fierce.”

Prince Pei didn’t say anything, just tucked in Johnny and spoke in an unclear tone, “Rest for now. We’ll discuss this matter once you’ve recovered.”

He needed a few days to figure out how to handle the relationship with Johnny.

Should he let go? He probably couldn’t. But truly wanting to hold on brought up too many considerations.

In the following days, both Han Yan and Johnny continued to recuperate in the hospital. During this time, the military official in charge of investigating the case visited once, questioning every detail of the incident that day. In the course of the conversation, he subtly revealed some information.

“After the examination by the technical department, it was determined that a jamming device was installed on the aircraft you were riding on the day of the incident. That’s why it deviated from the original route and headed towards the outskirts. The identities of the two female zergs are completely blank in the database, suggesting they are likely interstellar pirates roaming the outer regions. They had no apparent reason to target you, so it’s highly probable that they were acting under someone else’s orders.”

Han Yan had been sitting quietly on the hospital bed, listening attentively. It was only after hearing the last sentence that he finally looked up at the military chief in front of him. “So, have you found out who’s behind this?”

Major Kane explained, “The injured female zerg has been stabilized after rescue efforts, and he was transported to the military headquarters for interrogation this morning. We should be able to question him soon and identify the mastermind behind this. Once we have any updates, we’ll inform you immediately.”

He didn’t mention that the one in charge of the interrogation was Gaien, considering the brutality of the scene at that time, it wasn’t convenient to disclose.

Han Yan instinctively attempted to adjust his glasses, but he suddenly realized they were already broken. He withdrew his hand and politely expressed his gratitude, “Thank you for your efforts.”

“You’re welcome. I wish you a speedy recovery. If there’s anything you need assistance with, feel free to contact us anytime.”

Being alone with a handsome male zerg was undoubtedly a pleasant prospect, but Major Kane thought of the companion of the person in front of him and quelled his budding inappropriate thoughts. He then turned and left the hospital room.

As Major Kane walked down the corridor, he coincidentally spotted a familiar figure. Seeing this, he approached and saluted, “General Gaien.”

Gaien had just come out of the military headquarters and immediately rushed back to the hospital. Upon seeing Major Kane here, he subtly furrowed his brows, “Hasn’t the record been done already? Why are you here?”

Major Kane hesitated, “Reporting to General. I came today to handle the discharge procedures for the suspect. Ashya wanted to know the progress of the case, so I thought…”

Gaien seemed to understand something and spoke in a calm tone, “He needs time to recover. If there’s anything, contact me directly. Don’t disturb him any further.”

Major Kane could only awkwardly acknowledge his orders.

Gaien entered the ward with a limp. When he stepped in, Han Yan was focused on manipulating the terminal, seemingly busy with official matters. Upon hearing footsteps, he instinctively raised his head.

Gaien approached, gently lifting the blanket to inspect Han Yan’s injured leg. After the stitches were removed, only a faint pink scar remained, and it should heal quickly. Gaien whispered, “The doctor said you can be discharged today.”

Han Yan nodded and then patted the space beside him. After Gaien sat down, he asked, “Where did you go just now?”

Gaien didn’t hide it from him, “The interrogation room.”

There was a white shirt inside his military uniform, with speckled bloodstains around the collar. It wasn’t noticeable at first glance.

Han Yan raised his hand to touch his collar, the bloodstains were still fresh. He calmly asked, showing no emotion, “Are you injured?”

Gaien then realized that there was blood on his clothes. After a moment of hesitation, he shook his head and explained, “It’s not my blood.”

It must be from another zerg.

Han Yan didn’t continue questioning. He lifted the blanket, got out of bed, and prepared to change clothes for the discharge process. After a period of recovery, walking with his right leg was a bit inconvenient, but it was hardly noticeable.

Only Gaien still looked the same as before.

That leg seemed forever shackled with a heavy chain, an unbreakable restraint for a lifetime.

He limped to pack his belongings, then found clean clothes to change into. Limping, he walked up to Han Yan, intending to help the male change. However, in the next moment, he was unexpectedly pulled into Han Yan’s embrace.

Gaien looked at Han Yan in surprise, “My lord?”

Han Yan just felt that this posture was a bit dazzling, and it looked somewhat uncomfortable.

He hugged Gaien’s waist, lifted his hand to touch the red mole under the other’s eye, then slowly moved down the delicate cheek, finally lowered his gaze and kissed him.

Gaien’s eyelashes trembled for a moment, realizing what the zerg wanted to do. In the end, he closed his eyes gently, responding to Han Yan’s kiss.

They kissed deeply and slowly, holding each other tightly and firmly, as if they wanted to embed the other into their very bones. Just like those two incomplete rings, they had to come together to be considered perfect.

Han Yan closed his eyes and gently massaged Gaien’s injured leg. As his fingertips traversed the skin, a complete network of meridians emerged slowly in his mind. The Folang Village, generation after generation, practiced ancient martial arts, and their medical skills were naturally not lacking. There were many ancient acupuncture books preserved in the tower for years, but they were incomplete and not coherent.

In order to heal his own leg, Han Yan had once read these medical books inside out, but it proved to be in vain, so he threw them away again.

However, Gaien’s leg had suffered from injuries to the meridians on the battlefield, which was fundamentally different from Han Yan’s congenital disability. The fact that those books were useless for Han Yan didn’t mean they were useless for Gaien.

However, after so many years, he might not be able to remember everything completely.

As the kiss paused, the temperature in the air quietly increased, like honey, ambiguous enough to be drawn out into silk.

Han Yan, lost in his thoughts, raised his hand to touch Gaien’s nape. The golden zerg patterns felt warm, silently conveying that he hadn’t nourished this mate for a long time.

Gaien’s eyes were a bit red, and with a slight tease, his body softened. He lay breathless in the embrace of the male zerg, trying to calm the surging heat within him. A cool and deep voice sounded in his ear, “I’ll feed you properly when we get back.”

Han Yan always had a way of saying the most heart-fluttering words with a serious and calm tone.

Upon hearing those words, Gaien paused, feeling an inexplicable warmth flooding his face. Even his crimson eyes seemed a bit misty, filled with a subtle blend of moisture and radiance.

Han Yan kissed his eyes gently, maintaining that indifferent demeanor. Whether he had put thought into it this time, only he knew.

Johnny had already packed up and was ready to leave the hospital. However, after waiting for a while, neither Han Yan nor Gaien appeared. Carrying his luggage over his shoulder, he decided to go straight to their room. To his surprise, upon opening the door, he found Han Yan and Gaien embracing each other. The unexpected sight left him in shock, and he blurted out, “You two…??”

 

 

 

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