Saving Unpermitted

Chapter 66: Night

With Zhu Yanchen taking charge at the front, and Dong Lao—Xia Liang—going to the back of the team, the formation was tightened. The thirty thousand people wandered through the wilderness and marshes, finally reaching their target settlement… the ruins nearby.

The massive base was hidden beneath the ruins of a small town.

With the help of machinery, the underground base was solidly constructed. The lighting was fully operational, making it look quite legitimate. Once the base was completed, the people from the Old Fourth took the machinery and sent it to other settlements.

The thirty thousand people entered the underground one by one. The base had already been divided into large areas according to the teams, with sufficient rooms in each area. The players were accustomed to carrying compressed sleeping bags and rations with them, so supplies weren’t initially scarce.

To prevent the residents of the settlement from getting nervous, Shu Jun led the team to enter the ruins from the uninhabited side. The settlement was a distance away from the ruins, and apart from the workers who had inspected the underground area that day, no one noticed this team.

It would take time for Shu Jun to settle the team, so Zhu Yanchen decided to return to the inn first. Uncle Pan had no idea that this person had brought thirty thousand people back, and he happily greeted Zhu Yanchen as usual.

“We have too many people, and the food isn’t quite enough.” Facing Zhu Yanchen, Ai Xiaoxiao displayed the authority of a captain from the Old Fourth. “It’s better to resolve the issue as soon as possible. The command center has been keeping an eye on the Old Fourth recently, and too frequent transportation of supplies might raise suspicions.”

“Mm.” Zhu Yanchen sat upright at the table, jotting something down on a piece of paper.

“As for those people, I’ve roughly checked them. The purification medicine was administered in a timely manner, so they won’t have any aftereffects.” Ai Xiaoxiao stood up. “For now, that’s all I can do. The Old Fourth has people here, so you can have them take care of things. I’ll return to the city first.”

“Take Dong Lao with you.” Zhu Yanchen paused his pen. “Be careful on the way.”

Ai Xiaoxiao’s eyebrows nearly reached her hairline. “Is the sun rising from the west? Marshal Zhu is concerned about others? How come you’re in such a good mood?”

“These are the new blood samples from Shu Jun, as well as the data about ‘Suppression’. I collected quite a lot this time.” Zhu Yanchen ignored her and pushed out a small box. “Take a look at it when you go back, and also tell the people in the Old Fourth who handle firearms to get ready. I might experiment with something soon.”

“Alright.” Ai Xiaoxiao yawned and tucked the box into her pocket. “It’s late at night, and I’m going to rest. That old man should still be at the underground stronghold, right?”

“Yes.”

“Got it. I’ll drag him back.”

Underground stronghold.

After traveling for a while, Shu Jun didn’t immediately reveal the truth to everyone. He simply stated that it was arranged by the game and instructed each team leader to take care of their members, while also distributing the next batch of food. The people were already tired, and with food in hand, they quickly settled down and fell asleep peacefully.

Shu Jun was well aware of the situation in the Blackbirds. He singled out the team leaders who had experienced minimal hardships and had a “happy family” background and instructed them to share a room with Hu Yan so that he could gradually reveal the truth to them.

Even if they couldn’t accept it for the time being, preventive measures still needed to be taken.

With everything arranged, Shu Jun didn’t feel any fatigue. He looked down at his claws. Previously, he had been someone who carried the Erosion Swamp, but now he was an Erosion Swamp that had taken on a human form. The slight sensation of foreign matter in his body had disappeared, and he felt light and agile.

However, his actual condition still had to wait for the results from Zhu Yanchen’s side.

Thinking of Zhu Yanchen, a sour feeling welled up in Shu Jun’s heart. Seeing that the situation was relatively stable, he left his communication device behind and gave a few instructions to Hu Yan before turning and heading towards the inn.

As it turned out, Captain Shu appeared confident and proud when he first left for the inn, but as he got closer to it, he became somewhat hesitant. The sensation of the other person’s lips was faintly lingering, so Shu Jun deliberately took a few detours, bought some snacks, and then returned to the inn relatively calmly.

The room was the same as before, and Monday was still snoring in its usual position. Zhu Yanchen sat at the table with a straight back and was focused as he wrote something. He had changed into clean clothes. His uniform showed no wrinkles, and the white gloves were brushed with a warm orange glow from the lamp.

Shu Jun had seen this scene many times before. However, after that kiss, it felt like this was the first time he had seen it, so every detail seemed unfamiliar to him.

Marshal Zhu’s clothes fit him snugly, the fabric hugged his body perfectly, and his movements revealed beautiful muscle lines. Just looking at his arms, they were thicker than “Smoke’s” thighs from sixteen years ago.

His facial features still carried a trace of that Smoke. The weak boy from before had grown into a mature adult, with the roundness in his facial features mostly disappearing and replaced by a deep and heroic contour. The fear and timidity were nowhere to be found; only composure and concentration, as well as the oppressive aura unique to a strong individual.

When Shu Jun entered the room, Zhu Yanchen turned his face slightly, and the coldness between his brows and eyes melted away, instantly softening his expression.

All the calculations in Shu Jun’s mind instantly turned blank. He maintained a calm exterior, but inside, chaos was brewing. It wasn’t like he hadn’t suffered before. What the hell was he trying to achieve with a damn draft? If he wanted to do something, he should do it without any written notes.

During a life-or-death crisis, he could express his emotions with a kiss. But now, the surroundings were calm, and he couldn’t keep using that move to express his feelings. However, in sixteen years, there were too many things to say, and every word and sentence got stuck in his throat, making it impossible to utter even half a word.

“The underground base is resting, so we can take a break as well.” After a moment, Shu Jun raised the bag in his hand. “I bought some snacks. Let’s have a good chat.”

Zhu Yanchen nodded. He set down his pen and tidied up the table. Shu Jun pulled a chair and sat across from him, arranging the snacks, creating an atmosphere as solemn as a political negotiation.

As high-ranking figures on both sides, their identities were certainly fitting.

“No need to force it.” Seeing Shu Jun trying hard to symmetrically arrange the drinks on both sides, delaying the opening remarks, Zhu Yanchen took the initiative to speak. “Back then, we were still young. Regardless of how deep our friendship was, it was ultimately just friendship. You just regained your memories, so it’s possible to have mixed feelings.”

Shu Jun instantly released his grip, abandoning the drinks, and stared intently at Zhu Yanchen.

“As you said, I wasn’t clear-headed back then. If that incident affected our cooperation…”

“A’Yan, do you like me?” Shu Jun sensed the conversation veering off track and decisively interrupted. “Not in a friendship way.”

Zhu Yanchen was taken aback, then lowered his eyes without answering.

Shu Jun leaned his elbow on the table, leaning forward. “What? Even if I misunderstood, you didn’t just regain your memories. You should be able to distinguish your feelings.”

“This is unrelated to the issue we’re discussing.” Zhu Yanchen raised his eyes again. His gaze was sharp as a needle. “I just don’t want you to misunderstand your own emotions.”

Shu Jun rested one knee on the chair and his pupils contracted. He leaned in closer, as if he would pounce in the next second.

“Is that so? Now I’m more curious about your thoughts.” Today, he was determined to crack open this steel walnut.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t avoid Shu Jun’s approach but instead met his gaze directly, sighing. “If you act impulsively and misunderstand your feelings, and we end up together, only for you to regret it later—I don’t know if I can calmly let go.”

Shu Jun’s heart tightened, and a mix of sweetness and bitterness flooded his heart.

By unspoken agreement, he understood the underlying meaning behind Zhu Yanchen’s words. If he misunderstood this affection and later realized his mistake, it would be difficult for them to even remain friends.

However, Zhu Yanchen didn’t know that the romantic seed in his heart had grown strong and resilient, impossible to be trampled on.

Indeed, at the age of eleven or twelve, their feelings couldn’t be associated with love. Shu Jun had seriously contemplated whether he had mixed up his emotions and mistakenly labeled his heartache and pity as love.

If he were younger, he might still agonize over it for a while. But now, Shu Jun was well aware—among the handsome men in the Blackbirds, he had no interest in those with good looks or figures. Yet now, his gaze was glued to Zhu Yanchen’s collar, which spoke volumes.

He yearned for this person, he cared for this person, and subconsciously, he envisioned a future that included this person. Shu Jun didn’t know when Zhu Yanchen’s heart had been moved or how it had happened. He only knew that in his life, there probably wouldn’t be another person as special as him.

“You don’t know if you can let go calmly?” Shu Jun pondered Zhu Yanchen’s response for a moment, then smiled and replied, “Then don’t let go.”

Zhu Yanchen pursed his lips.

“I’ve considered you as a brother a long time ago, so why bother tormenting myself?” Shu Jun sat back on the chair, shaking his head with a smile. “Let’s forget about it.”

“Forget about it?” Zhu Yanchen’s expression went blank, and he stiffened for a moment.

“I’ve planned it carefully before.” Shu Jun supported his cheek with one hand, sounding serious. “I really thought it through, A’Yan. The speed from strangers to friends, and from friends to lovers, was too fast. I thought about going on proper dates, guiding slowly, starting with holding hands, taking it slow—”

He elongated his tone.

“After all, Grand Marshal Zhu, you’ve been holding it in for sixteen years and even found a girlfriend who likes women as a cover. You probably don’t understand much about love and relationships. In case your feelings for me are only a strange form of friendship, I shouldn’t take advantage of you. You can leave anytime.”

Zhu Yanchen remained motionless, and a glimmer of light appeared in his pitch-black eyes.

“But now you’re saying that you’re worried you won’t be able to let go calmly. A’Yan, let me ask you again. Make it clear—do you like me?”

Zhu Yanchen’s throat bobbed and his expression became complicated. After a few seconds of silence, he uttered, “…Mm.”

“How much do you like me?”

Zhu Yanchen didn’t answer that question. He interlocked his fingers tightly, exerting force until the gloves wrinkled deeply. Shu Jun met that intense gaze, seeing suppressed desire and even a hint of obsessive madness in Zhu Yanchen’s eyes.

“Then, should I prove that my feelings for you are more than just friendship?” Shu Jun wasn’t intimidated by that gaze, and the smile on his face deepened. “That’s easy—just stay still, and I’ll kiss you again.”

He got up from his seat, grabbed Zhu Yanchen’s collar, and decisively kissed him.

This time, Zhu Yanchen’s lips were warm, and he carried a clean and comforting scent. Shu Jun didn’t hold back, using his tongue to part Zhu Yanchen’s teeth and deepen the kiss. At first, Zhu Yanchen seemed to be caught off guard, but after a moment, he responded.

After the sound of the table and chairs scraping, Zhu Yanchen leaned against the wall with his back while his hand reached around to embrace Shu Jun’s waist.

Shu Jun’s waist was slim but sturdy, making it effortless for Zhu Yanchen to hold him. Leaning against the wall for support, their lips and tongues intertwined, completely engrossed in the kiss.

As the kiss prolonged, Shu Jun found himself at a disadvantage—he had to be mindful of his sharp fangs to avoid cutting Zhu Yanchen’s lips. With distractions reduced, his breathing was completely dictated by Zhu Yanchen. Whether it was due to excitement or a lack of oxygen, a tingling sensation surged up his spine, as if his brain was about to melt. The surroundings became blurry, enveloped in a fog, and a sense of fulfillment made his whole body tremble.

“Do you think,” after a mind-boggling kiss, Shu Jun wiped his mouth contentedly, and his gray-white eyes were full of playfulness, “that this tastes like friendship, my Grand Marshal?”

Before Shu Jun finished wiping his mouth, Marshal Zhu tightly embraced him. Zhu Yanchen buried his face in the crook of Shu Jun’s neck. Their bodies pressed closely together, sharing each other’s warmth and scent with every breath. Shu Jun relaxed his body, allowing Zhu Yanchen to hold him tightly.

Given the unspoken consent, Zhu Yanchen exerted more force with his arms, as if he wanted to merge their bodies.

The world seemed to stand still, and Shu Jun could feel his body temperature rising. If they continued like this, things might escalate. However, the atmosphere was too warm and pure, and he couldn’t just forcefully separate from Zhu Yanchen.

“Alright.” After contemplating for a moment, Shu Jun playfully bit Zhu Yanchen’s earlobe. “You’ve had a long day outside, so you should rest early.”

Remembering that Zhu Yanchen was ticklish, he mischievously blew air into his ear. “You like me, and I like you. We can consider ourselves in a romantic relationship, and your boyfriend won’t disappear just because we sleep.”

The kissing and hugging had been quite intense. Shu Jun thought that they had made enough progress for today. Considering A’Yan’s situation, he wanted to be considerate.

However, the next second, the world spun around. When Shu Jun reacted, he found himself being pressed onto the bed. Zhu Yanchen looked down at him from above. His dark eyes stared intensely at him as if he wanted to devour him alive.

“Um…” Shu Jun swallowed nervously; his mind was still stuck on the “innocent date” stage and hadn’t made the transition. “A’Yan, aren’t you tired?”

“No.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice was slightly hoarse.

“Really not tired?”

“.…..” Zhu Yanchen ignored him. He lowered his head, and retaliated by biting Shu Jun’s throat. Then he took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm down the burning atmosphere. “I’m going to take a shower. It’s better to rest early.”

“But didn’t you just shower? You changed clothes, but your hair isn’t completely dry.” Shu Jun chuckled. “Now you want to shower again, or are you planning to take a cold shower?”

Glancing at Zhu Yanchen, who was attempting to cover his lower body with a thin blanket, Shu Jun decisively got up. “Wait for me.”

At this point, it was pointless to refuse—they were both nearly thirty. One had wiped the gun, and the other had fired. There was no need for awkward excuses.

Instead, they might as well indulge in their altered friendship and “prove” their feelings to the end.

Before Zhu Yanchen could react, Shu Jun, in a graceful battle stance, rolled off the bed and picked up Monday. He wrapped it in three layers of cloth, put it in a box, and placed it in the wardrobe. Monday was sleeping comfortably and ignored him, just protesting with a few hums.

Then Shu Jun went straight to the bedside table, rummaging through it, and found the small gift of golden ointment he had received from before—a large tube of lube.

He couldn’t bring himself to use it to lubricate armor scratches in the past. The entire tube had never been opened, but who would have thought that he would use it for its intended purpose for the first time.

His speed was extremely fast, and just as Zhu Yanchen was about to flip over and get off the bed, Shu Jun pushed him back down.

Shu Jun straddled Zhu Yanchen’s body, decisively and neatly removing his shirt. Zhu Yanchen’s hand caressed his bare chest; the fair wrist against the slightly darker skin created a striking contrast.

Zhu Yanchen’s gaze gradually became fiery.

“You said you’re not tired. Don’t regret it later,” Shu Jun teased him. “Hey, hey, don’t undress yourself—I’ll do it. I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time.”

He pushed away Zhu Yanchen’s hand from his collar and skillfully unbuttoned each button, revealing his strong and beautiful chest muscles, followed by his well-defined abs. The light danced on his pale skin, casting deep shadows beneath his collarbone. The dim, warm light thickened the atmosphere, and the air gradually became hot and dry.

The corners of Shu Jun’s mouth curled up, and his claws lightly touched Zhu Yanchen’s chest before retracting. He leaned down, ready to deal with those bothersome white gloves—

He pressed his index finger against Zhu Yanchen’s palm and slowly hooked it off with his sharp claw. The fabric was gradually cut open, revealing the fair palm. Zhu Yanchen’s palm was moist and hot, and his breathing gradually became more rapid, indicating some nervousness.

Yes, until now, he was still winning in terms of momentum. Shu Jun picked up the lubricant with satisfaction, but then he froze on the spot.

…What should he do next?

When it came to teasing his Grand Marshal, Shu Jun had imagined a few scenarios while they were kissing, smoothly playing them out in his mind. However, he never thought they would reach this point on the spot—putting aside any reservations, Zhu Yanchen’s body was still human, and he probably didn’t have much strength left.

Shu Jun gulped.

They said that a soldier should not engage in an unprepared battle. Some things required more than just courage.

Regretfully, he had appeared so confident before. Now that the arrow was on the bowstring, Mr. Shu couldn’t figure out how to proceed smoothly. He didn’t even know where to put his hands.

Zhu Yanchen used his forearm to cover his eyes and let out a soft laugh.

“There’s a term called ‘walking into a trap of one’s own accord’,” he said in a low voice as he grabbed Shu Jun’s wrist that held the lubricant.

As he spoke, he maintained his usual composed demeanor. However, with his uniform wide open and his palm as hot as a branding iron, Shu Jun’s head filled with a rush of blood, and he obediently let himself be flipped back under the other man.

“A’Yan, you’ve been planning this for a while.” Shu Jun loosened his grip, surrendering. He retaliated by biting Zhu Yanchen’s neck, leaving a faint red mark with his sharp teeth. “You definitely secretly looked it up.”

After enough biting, he licked and kissed Zhu Yanchen’s earlobe. “…Then please teach me well, Commander.”

Zhu Yanchen fixedly looked at him. “Can we leave the lights on?”

“Of course we can.” Languidly stretching his body, Shu Jun hooked his hand around Zhu Yanchen’s neck. “Don’t be nervous. I’ll cooperate well. Besides, you can’t hurt me—”

As if finding the air insufficiently scorching, he lowered his voice. “—And I won’t need to clean up afterward.”

As it turned out, Mr. Shu once again overestimated himself.

Zhu Yanchen was always quick to learn, and their bodies were perfectly compatible. After a brief period of adjustment, Shu Jun gradually lost control of his own body. The sensory overload exceeded his limits, and he dared not move on instinct, afraid his sharp claws might scratch Zhu Yanchen.

Moaning, he used his claws to grasp the headboard, attempting to pull his body away a bit to catch his breath amidst the tsunami-like pleasure. However, Zhu Yanchen’s hand lightly covered his hand, slowly prying open his claws, pulling him back by the waist.

The dim golden light filled the room; everything was gentle yet wild, and the entire world was burning. Gradually, the rhythm of their breaths finally synchronized.

Relying on his strong physique, Shu Jun finally reclaimed some control. The pliable erosion substance supported his back while also gripping Zhu Yanchen’s nape. In the scorching onslaught of nerves, Shu Jun propped himself up, kissing away the sweat on the tip of Zhu Yanchen’s nose.

He couldn’t remember when they stopped; all he remembered was waking up with their fingers tightly intertwined.

“I think, now that we’re in this kind of relationship, in addition to goodnight kisses, we should also have good morning kisses.” Zhu Yanchen opened his eyes, and Shu Jun pecked his lips. “Sounds good, let’s settle on that.”

Shu Jun watched Zhu Yanchen’s gaze shift from confusion to daze, then gradually becoming warm. “Your body—”

“Alright, alright, I’m a huge living erosion swamp. What could happen to me?” Shu Jun swiftly dressed, pressing down on something at random. He picked it up with a momentarily amused expression. “Honestly speaking, I’m more concerned about whether you’re okay.”

The lubricant that Yu Jin had given them was now empty and devoid of content, with only the packaging remaining.

Shu Jun looked at Zhu Yanchen, then at the packaging in his hand, and back at Zhu Yanchen before letting out a whistle.

Zhu Yanchen: “…”

“The brand is good. Looks like we’ll need to buy more.” Shu Jun couldn’t resist teasing him, as Zhu Yanchen seemed a bit stiff. “Get up. Let’s hurry and have breakfast. We still have things to do afterwards.”

“Shu Jun.”

“Hmm?”

“Come closer.”

“What…” Shu Jun hadn’t even finished asking when Zhu Yanchen hugged him.

The embrace was gentle and quiet. Shu Jun slowed his breathing and allowed himself to be held for a while. When Zhu Yanchen finally let go, Shu Jun felt as if he had been polished like a tarnished silverware, and the atmosphere around him became much brighter, devoid of the initial repression and suffocation.

Shu Jun took a deep breath. In such chaotic times, this feeling was unrealistically good.

They drew close again and couldn’t help but share another kiss. Shu Jun stood up, opened the closet, and took out Monday, who was murmuring softly. He could feel Zhu Yanchen’s gaze sticking to him the whole time.

“Alright, stop looking and get up.”

Shu Jun’s voice carried a playful tone.

“I told you, it’s just sleep. Your boyfriend isn’t going anywhere.”

The author has something to say:

Congratulations to the two male guests for leaving their single status behind!

Kinky Thoughts:

Well, he was certainly pent up for 16 years.