Why is he being so good to him?
Why is he giving up going to the West for him?
Why does he kiss and hug him as soon as he sees him?
Faeus thought a lot about it and could only come to this conclusion in the end. However, Xu Cengfeng had never said he liked him, not even once. Although they had already deeply marked each other, in the Zerg society, sex and liking someone are separate things; there is no necessary connection between the two.
Faeus held a black gun in his hand. He used the cold barrel to press against Xu Cengfeng’s chin, forcing him to lift his head and look at him with a slight pressure. His voice was low, carrying a hint of command: “Say it, you like me.”
Faeus wanted to hear it.
But this damn male zerg just wouldn’t say it.
He had been standing outside the door just now, thinking the other would finally say it. But after waiting for so long, nothing came out, and he was furious.
If Xu Cengfeng had said it, they might have already become partners. But neither of them was willing to back down, as if the first to do so would be the loser.
Xu Cengfeng’s eyes lowered slightly at the words, glancing at the gun pressed against his chin. His voice showed no sign of panic, and he even smiled a little. “Are you threatening me?”
Faeus unconsciously rubbed the barrel with his fingertips, the movement rapid. In a few more years, this gun might become an artifact from his handling. “If you want to see it that way, fine.”
Xu Cengfeng asked, “What happens if I don’t say it?”
Faeus thought his actions were clear enough and frowned in frustration. “Are you going to say it or not?”
“Alright,” Xu Cengfeng sighed, a bit helpless, “I like you.”
He sounded as if he were under a threat, the last four words spoken in a rigid, mechanical manner, like a grade school student reading a composition. Faeus was momentarily stunned upon hearing them and inexplicably fell silent for a long time.
He couldn’t quite understand why, but he suddenly felt a sour, swelling sensation in his heart, as if…
…as if he had been waiting for these words for many years.
Faeus twitched his ears. “Say it again?”
Xu Cengfeng paused for a moment, then had to repeat it softly. This time he spoke very slowly, as if he were saying it for himself or for Faeus: “I like you…”
When Faeus heard this, his previously terrible mood strangely calmed down a bit. He slightly curled his lips, looking as if he had expected it all along, like he had grasped Xu Cengfeng’s weakness. “I knew you liked me.”
Xu Cengfeng reminded him, “You threatened me with a gun to say it.”
Faeus raised an eyebrow. “Xu Cengfeng, the trigger is on your side. When did I threaten you?”
The gun was unloaded; Faeus had used the barrel against Xu Cengfeng and pointed the muzzle at himself. With a bit of quick thinking, Xu Cengfeng could disarm him in three seconds.
Xu Cengfeng remained silent, possibly regretting his earlier actions.
Faeus, however, became more interested and asked, “Xu Cengfeng, what exactly do you like about me?”
Faeus didn’t think there was anything particularly likable about himself. Both his subordinates and male zergs alike tended to keep their distance from him, filled with both fear and dread. He was quite aware of this aspect of himself.
Upon hearing this, Xu Cengfeng seriously pondered for a moment, trying to identify any traits in Faeus that he genuinely liked. In the end, he came up with nothing. Faeus was domineering and cruel, cold and heartless—traits that starkly contrasted with Xu Cengfeng’s vision for a future partner.
In theory, Xu Cengfeng should have liked someone gentle, kind, and understanding. But that was just in theory; in reality, many things in the world defy reason.
Xu Cengfeng had spent a lifetime reasoning, but found no reasoning could be applied to Faeus.
Seeing Xu Cengfeng unable to come up with an answer after a while, Faeus decided to stop pressing further. After all, this point wasn’t important to him anyway.
Faeus put the gun back into his waist and glanced at the falling snow outside, feeling it was truly a good day. Suddenly, without warning, he spoke up, “Xu Cengfeng, next spring, we’ll have the partner ceremony.”
It was the warmest season of the year in the northern region.
He had laid out so much groundwork earlier, seemingly just to lead up to this statement. He needed Xu Cengfeng to say he liked him before he could naturally propose becoming partners.
Xu Cengfeng hesitated for a rare moment, surprised that Faeus would make such a request. “Become partners?”
Faeus raised an eyebrow. “Yes, become partners.”
This way, those damn, short-sighted female zergs wouldn’t keep flocking around Xu Cengfeng, and Faeus would have a legitimate reason to protect him—
And to possess him exclusively.
Xu Cengfeng seemed unable to argue against this statement.
Faeus wasn’t going to give him a chance to argue either.
In the evening, Xu Cengfeng felt that Faeus seemed unusually excited, even suggesting a position they hadn’t used since their last attempt because Faeus found it tiring.
The pheromones of the male zerg quietly filled the room, becoming somewhat thick once they reached a certain concentration.
Faeus struggled to stay alert in this atmosphere. He kissed Xu Cengfeng’s lips softly while murmuring scattered nonsense. His muscular arms bore fierce, beast-like tattoos, which appeared unusually vivid in the night, as if ready to pounce and devour at any moment.
Sweat beads dotted Faeus’ bronze chest. He lowered his gaze to Xu Cengfeng, a strand of red hair slipping quietly down. He warned in a husky voice near Xu Cengfeng’s ear, “Xu Cengfeng, once you become my partner, you can never touch another female zerg again.”
This is the rule in Hossburgh. The leader can exclusively claim a male zerg as a partner.
Xu Cengfeng knew Faeus was trying to take advantage, so he simply flipped over and pressed Faeus underneath him. He reached out to smooth down Faeus’ sweaty red hair and felt that the statement posed no threat to him: “Even if I don’t become your partner, I haven’t touched any other female zerg.”
Faeus considered it and looked up at the male zerg on top of him, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. His voice, hoarse from prolonged restraint, spoke softly, “Xu Cengfeng, I won’t touch any other male zerg either.”
Xu Cengfeng knew this statement had been proven in their past lives, but he still lowered his gaze and kissed Faeus’ swollen lips gently. He murmured softly, “Try touching one and see.”
Even the threats were delivered so gently and softly.
But Faeus felt Xu Cengfeng had struck deep into his heart. He grunted softly, holding Xu Cengfeng tightly, his mind going blank. “Alright, you won’t seek others, and neither will I.”
They indulged each other deeply, their possessiveness swelling to the bone, even harboring some frightening thoughts. Faeus buried his head in Xu Cengfeng’s neck, quite excited, and said, “Xu Cengfeng, let’s die together from now on.”
He was serious. “If you die, I’ll die with you. If I die, you’ll die with me too.”
Xu Cengfeng thought, ‘Didn’t I already accompany him once in our past life? Why do I have to do it again in this life?’ But he held Faeus tightly and whispered softly in his ear, “Alright, let’s die together.”
Together in death, buried side by side, their bodies eroded by wind and rain, their blood mingling, their bones entwined—indistinguishable from each other.
They seemed to have never held each other so tightly before, squeezing until they couldn’t catch their breath. Xu Cengfeng understood why Faeus wanted to schedule the ceremony for next spring—he wanted to wait until the upcoming mutiny settled down and then live a peaceful life together.
By then, everything would be alright.
Yenia’s speed of action was faster than expected. Within a few days, the remnants of the unit responsible for clearing the beast tide in the Multar Forest with General Zog had returned to the city. The deputy officer, disregarding injuries, rushed to the military headquarters to report to Faeus urgently.
“Leader! I’m sorry, we failed to protect General Zog. On our way back to the city, we were attacked by Blackwing Birds. General Zog fell off a cliff after being injured, and we couldn’t even find… we couldn’t even find his body!”
The injured deputy rushed into the office so urgently that he didn’t even have time to close the door. Soldiers patrolling the corridor could almost hear the commotion of the Supreme Leader throwing things. Some zergs boldly peered through the windows trying to catch a glimpse.
The deputy, knocked off balance by the kick, quickly scrambled to his knees and pleaded for forgiveness, his voice trembling in panic, “I’m sorry, please punish me, Leader!”
Faeus’ expression was grim as he grabbed the deputy by the collar. “Get back out there immediately and find General Zog’s body. Even if it costs your lives, bring his body back to me. If you fail, all of you will be sent to Blackstone Prison to work as laborers. Do you understand?!”
The deputy officer was on the verge of tears. “I… I understand…”
Soldiers who had been peeking at the scene hurriedly dispersed from the doorway. General Zog was the leader’s close cousin, and now he had died in the beast tide. Just by the tone of Faeus’ anger, it was clear that he was furious. It wasn’t a good time to approach him now.
Even the deputy who delivered the news scrambled out of the office, closing the door behind him to isolate everything inside.
The office floor was in disarray, littered with broken vase fragments. Faeus, however, showed no signs of his earlier rage. Instead, he appeared eerily calm. He even took a moment to lean against his desk, lighting a cigarette and puffing away, contemplating the situation as he exhaled smoke rings into the air.
Until the door of the adjacent records room was opened, revealing a zerg in black military uniform stepping out, Faeus finally looked up. His eyes narrowed slightly in the smoke as he calmly assessed the other’s slender and handsome figure, with an unmistakable possessiveness.
Xu Cengfeng furrowed his brow, looking somewhat surprised. “Has Zog died?”
He remembered Faeus had secretly sent a team to protect Zog. How did something still happen to him? If this news reaches General Wesley’s ears, it could spell trouble.
“You care so much about him for what,” Faeus replied with underlying displeasure, but still uttered three words, “He won’t die.”
Xu Cengfeng quickly grasped the implication after a moment’s thought. “You were just acting, weren’t you?”
Faeus let out a wisp of smoke from his lips and lazily asked, “What, not convincing?”
Xu Cengfeng waved away the smoke with his hand. “If this news reaches General Wesley’s ears, who cares about Zog, how do you plan to handle it? He cares deeply for Zog, and he’ll surely come looking in a few days.”
Faeus replied, “I want him to come looking.”
If he doesn’t come, how can they deceive Yenia?
Xu Cengfeng, though unsure of Faeus’ plans, recognized his adeptness in military affairs and strategy. In their previous lives, victory was always close at hand, and this life had been thoroughly prepared for—there was no reason to lose now. “Don’t argue with him.”
Faeus was inclined to heed his advice. “I know.”
Xu Cengfeng couldn’t help but smile, placing his hands on Faeus’ side. “Why aren’t you arguing with me this time?”
Faeus thought to himself that he wasn’t crazy; Xu Cengfeng had a point. He asked in a slightly irritated tone, “Can’t I listen to my partner?”
Partner.
That word escaped from Faeus’ lips with an indescribable and ambiguous meaning. Xu Cengfeng leaned down and kissed his eyes gently, his voice soft. “Okay.”
Faeus tilted his head slightly. “Why not kiss me?”
Xu Cengfeng replied, “You smell like smoke.”
Faeus couldn’t help but wonder what Xu Cengfeng was pretending to be, like a little white rabbit. It’s not like he hadn’t smoked before. His clearly defined fingers directly grasped the back of the other’s head and kissed him forcefully, his voice deep and domineering: “Even if there’s a smell of smoke, I’m going to kiss you.”
The northern region was too chaotic for Faeus to feel comfortable leaving Xu Cengfeng alone at home. Instead, he dressed him up as a personal secretary and brought him to work at the military headquarters. This handsome man appeared slender and delicate, but in reality, his physique was quite good. Clad in military attire, he exuded a restrained and cool aura, creating a unique sense of contrast.
Faeus particularly wanted to strip Xu Cengfeng bare right there. He circled his neck, hesitated for a moment, and in a hoarse voice asked, “Xu Cengfeng, have we ever tried marking each other in the office?”
Xu Cengfeng immediately understood what he was thinking and refused, saying, “Don’t even think about it.”
There’s a distinction between home and the workplace—what one can freely do at home might not be suitable in an office setting where there’s a risk of being caught.
Faeus knew Xu Cengfeng wouldn’t agree, so he silently lamented in his heart. He embraced Xu Cengfeng tightly, kissed him deeply, and then gradually moved downward. He lowered his head and used his teeth to unbutton the military uniform, revealing a fair portion of Xu Cengfeng’s neck.
Xu Cengfeng inexplicably felt that Faeus was like a puppy, but he still allowed him to kiss and touch him. His gaze casually glanced around and suddenly noticed a stack of planning documents on the corner of the office desk. He picked them up and flipped through a couple of pages, asking, “What are these?”
Faeus glanced back casually and withdrew his gaze, saying, “Oh, that’s a tourism development plan for the West. They want to invest to acquire half of the development rights in the Solitiam Forest.”
The Solitiam Forest is located in the middle between the western and northern regions, each tribe occupying half of its area. For some reason, the western side has been busy with tourism development lately, even offering a huge sum to Faeus to purchase the rights to develop the other half of the Solitiam Forest.
Xu Cengfeng glanced at the price on the contract and thought to himself that for a price set by a cunning merchant, it was surprisingly generous this time. “The offer is quite high. Are you considering selling?”
Faeus remained silent. In theory, even if he sold it, he wouldn’t lose much. After all, the Solitiam Forest had always been known as a forbidden land, extremely dangerous, and the development rights were practically ornamental, serving no practical purpose. However, the sudden offer of such a large piece of cake from the western side seemed suspicious no matter how he looked at it.
Faeus stubbed out his cigarette. “What do you think?”
Xu Cengfeng knew that Faeus had sold the development rights to the western region in his past life, and now Faeus was likely tempted. He shook his head slightly and clearly uttered two words: “Not selling.”
Faeus wasn’t particularly keen on business matters. “But no one has ever dared to set foot in the Solitiam Forest. Keeping the development rights is just a waste.”
However, Xu Cengfeng countered, “Who says it’s useless? Hasn’t the North already teamed up with the West to eliminate the mutants inside? Once the mutants are completely eradicated, the forest will return to normal. Developing it for tourism would be a good choice.”
Faeus raised an eyebrow. “What’s so interesting about a mere forest?”
Xu Cengfeng thought to himself that northern females truly lacked romantic sensibilities. “You don’t find it appealing because you’ve been inside too many times. But there are still plenty of zergs who haven’t gone in. Both the media and ordinary citizens have a great deal of curiosity about the Solitiam Forest.”
Faeus nodded as he found Xu Cengfeng’s suggestion reasonable. “So, we’re not selling outright?”
Xu Cengfeng shook his head. “We will sell, but not like this. You negotiate with the West. Tell them these funds are for joint venture cooperation, to develop tourism projects together. In exchange, they can develop the remaining half of the Solitiam Forest.”
Faeus, with a big appetite, lightly tapped his fingertips on the desk. “Then why don’t we develop it ourselves? No need to hand it over to them.”
Xu Cengfeng looked at him, smiling faintly with a hint of helplessness. “Aren’t you being too greedy?”
Faeus didn’t think greed was wrong. He tilted his head back and kissed Xu Cengfeng’s Adam’s apple, biting down hard. He waited until he heard Xu Cengfeng’s muffled groan before releasing his grip. “Your leader has always been this greedy.”
Xu Cengfeng gently stroked his head, thinking it wouldn’t work like that. “Tourism attracts outside visitors. If you fall out with the West, you won’t be able to do business there. Hossburgh’s star folk aren’t as numerous as in the West, so there’s a limit to how much money you can make.”
And there’s another crucial point: “Early-stage tourism development requires significant investment and promotional efforts. Would it not be better to hand it over to the West and simply wait for the money to come in?”
Faeus didn’t respond to the words but instead looked Xu Cengfeng up and down, as if seeing him for the first time.
Xu Cengfeng noticed his gaze and smiled, asking, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Faeus suddenly realized that Xu Cengfeng was quite sharp, sharper than many of his subordinates. “Xu Cengfeng.”
“Yeah?” Xu Cengfeng replied.
Faeus raised an eyebrow. “How about you come over and be my secretary?”
Even if he doesn’t do anything, just sitting in the office and looking at him is quite pleasing.
Upon hearing this, Xu Cengfeng didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he raised a hand to adjust his military uniform collar, then bowed his head in contemplation. A red kiss mark adorned his fair neck, partially concealed by the black collar of his attire. His expression remained neutral, exuding an untouchable sense of restraint. After a moment, he declined, saying, “But I’m not interested in being a secretary.”
Faeus: “???”
The author has something to say:
Xu Cengfeng (stylishly runs his hand through his hair): (〃’▽’〃) In the future, I’m going to be a zerg who works as a tour guide.
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