ABRIWMTHM Chapter 109

It was as if some switch had been flipped, and Chi Yao laughed heartily for a while.

At the beginning, Shi Xing was in a state of heartache and speechlessness, but after a while, seeing Chi Yao so happy, he inexplicably felt a sense of indulgence that he didn’t want to interrupt.

Recently… the air pressure of the entire fleet had been too low.

His Highness hadn’t slept well for a long time, and it had been a while since he felt this happy.

Even if it meant making a joke out of himself, Shi Xing accepted it.

With his chin resting on Chi Yao’s knee, Shi Xing looked at him helplessly until Chi Yao also felt it was a bit too much, and he restrained his smile, though the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but rise as he asked Shi Xing, “What kind of expression is that?”

It was a question he already knew the answer to.

Shi Xing, in a good mood, replied, “Your Highness, you’re tricking me. What kind of expression do you think I should have?”

After he finished speaking, Chi Yao couldn’t help but curl his lips again.

Reaching out, Shi Xing understood and leaned his face closer, while Chi Yao affectionately stroked his cheek.

After a moment of silence, his expression finally returned to normal.

Shi Xing self-righteously pointed out, “Since you’re not angry, then the punishment was just a joke, right?”

For some reason, thinking of something, Chi Yao stopped smiling and quietly stared at Shi Xing. After a long gaze, Shi Xing felt inexplicably anxious again, his breath slightly disrupted.

But this time, Chi Yao didn’t leave him hanging; he waved to him, and Shi Xing stood up in response, only to be pulled onto the bed by Chi Yao.

“I’m still wearing slippers…”

Halfway through his sentence, Chi Yao reached out and swept the slippers off Shi Xing’s ankles, sending them flying beneath the bed.

Once they were settled again, Shi Xing realized the distance between them had significantly decreased.

Chi Yao straightened his expression.

With no obvious emotions, Shi Xing thought of four words: “not angry but formidable.”

Tightly wrapping himself in a small blanket, Shi Xing shrank back pitifully.

Chi Yao finally replied seriously, “I’m not as furious as you think, but at the same time, I can’t be happy.”

A candid and straightforward answer.

Shi Xing mumbled, “Then why have you been ignoring me…”

Bringing this up made Chi Yao laugh, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes, “Ignoring you? Wasn’t it you who hid first?”

“After resolving the beast issue, you didn’t even dare look at me.”

“If you were impulsive, that’s fine, but not explaining afterward and imagining you could brush it off…”

After a pause, he added, “Am I wrong to fulfill your wishes?”

Shi Xing was at a loss for words.

At that moment, he did have a bit of an ostrich mentality.

Brushing it off… Deep down, he knew it was impossible, but there was a desire to face the storm later.

Chi Yao saw right through Shi Xing, “Am I wrong?”

Not wrong, but too right; Shi Xing had no retorts.

His gaze turned pitiful once again.

Chi Yao regarded him, and this time, Shi Xing could clearly discern the flames of emotion underneath Chi Yao’s composed facade.

They looked at each other in silence, and Shi Xing apologized, “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

This time, no ambiguous interrogations ensued; he looked deeply at Shi Xing’s face, and after a moment, Chi Yao let out a deep breath.

His head hurt.

Adopting a softer tone, he complained, “You’re quick to admit mistakes, but stubborn about changing.”

Shi Xing’s eyes flickered, his voice obedient to the extreme, “I didn’t mean to.”

Chi Yao countered, “Don’t trick me.”

It was clear he was aware of his own misdeeds.

Shi Xing: “…”

Shi Xing: “Your Highness…”

Chi Yao: “Don’t act spoiled.”

Shi Xing: “…………”

With no way to counter, Shi Xing tightened his blanket again.

Chi Yao rubbed his forehead; his emotions were rising, but it wasn’t all directed at Shi Xing.

The room fell quiet again.

After having spent so much time together, even if he couldn’t fully understand what Chi Yao was thinking, they had developed a rapport in their daily lives. Shi Xing instinctively felt that Chi Yao needed some time to collect himself, so he remained silent.

His instinct was correct.

After exhaling another deep breath, suppressing his tone, Chi Yao finally began to speak seriously with Shi Xing.

“I’m not angry because I feel I shouldn’t be.”

“As for not being happy, I believe you understand that by now; if you think I’m happy, then you shouldn’t hide.”

Shi Xing’s sea-blue eyes were transparent as he looked at Chi Yao, reflecting the light like two springs.

Moved by a thought, Chi Yao reached out and touched the area under Shi Xing’s eyes.

Feeling the touch, Shi Xing rubbed his face against Chi Yao’s hand, and Chi Yao didn’t refuse.

Their relationship hadn’t entirely reconciled, but the silence was starting to thaw.

Shi Xing didn’t dare to say anything clever and sincerely said, “It’s okay if you’re angry; it’s my fault.”

If it weren’t for him recklessly using his mental power in that situation, they wouldn’t be in this scenario now.

Shi Xing had touched on the crux of the matter, but he himself was unaware.

Chi Yao looked at his confused partner, feeling an unspoken tension coiling in his chest.

“Although I really don’t want to admit it…”

Taking a deep breath, Chi Yao begrudgingly said, “But in fact, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Shi Xing was surprised.

Chi Yao: “Don’t look at me like that; I said I don’t want to admit it.”

Shi Xing rested his chin on Chi Yao’s knee, and his obedient demeanor rendered Chi Yao speechless.

Originally planning not to explain, Shi Xing’s silent actions pushed him to continue reluctantly.

“Because you’re not just my partner, but also a direct descendant of the royal family.”

“In that situation, your actions were the best choice.”

Pausing for a moment, he sincerely added, “If I were you, I would have made the same choice.”

Shi Xing was Chi Yao’s partner, but he was more than just that.

As one of the two most powerful figures in the Empire, if he lacked the resolve to protect his people in times of danger, Chi Yao would feel that their efforts in educating Shi Xing over the past year and a half had been a failure.

From this perspective, Chi Yao not only felt that Shi Xing had matured but should also feel relieved.

When he cast aside his personal feelings and thought as the Emperor of the Empire, he ought to have this kind of mentality.

Perhaps if it had been Bi Zhou, he could have suppressed his emotions better.

But just…

Chi Yao: “At the same time, you are my partner, someone I…”

His voice turned light.

Chi Yao wasn’t accustomed to expressing his emotions.

“Someone I made a great effort to bring out from the Nest.”

“You putting yourself in danger, I couldn’t remain indifferent.”

Chi Yao closed his eyes for a moment, complex emotions swirling, “As the Emperor of the Empire, I should feel relieved, even praise you; but as a person… I don’t want to.”

“So I say, I’m not angry, but I can’t be happy either.”

What was more prominent was the complexity of emotions.

The clash between reason and emotion.

“Your Highness.”

The love inferred from these words made Shi Xing’s heart soften, and he reached out to embrace Chi Yao.

But he was pushed away, annoyed, “Don’t do that; I’m not praising you!”

Shi Xing: “I know, but I just want to hug you for a bit.”

“Don’t hug me.”

“Your Highness~”

Chi Yao pushed Shi Xing away once more, but Shi Xing smiled and leaned closer, calling out to him.

After calling for who knows how many times, even though Chi Yao still wore a not-so-kind demeanor, he finally extended his hand, landing it in the long-lost yet familiar embrace. Shi Xing felt a sense of peace.

Shi Xing murmured, “Your Highness, you seem to care about me a lot.”

Chi Yao: “Remove that ‘seem’.”

Shi Xing laughed again.

Feeling unable to hold back.

After laughing, he subtly remarked, “Then the punishment…”

Chi Yao pinched his face, making Shi Xing yelp in surprise before saying, “Skip the previous ones; just leave the last one for later.”

Shi Xing’s face fell, “Huh—?!”

Chi Yao’s expression remained stoic. “Every time you mention punishment, think for yourself, what have I really punished you with?”

Shi Xing was at a loss for words.

Indeed, he hadn’t faced any actual punishment; it had all just been talk.

Chi Yao reached out to check Shi Xing’s forehead; he still had a low fever.

With that in mind, there wouldn’t be any need for physical punishment.

Chi Yao: “I think this method is quite good; we’ll keep a tab of it now, and let you repay it gradually after your maturity period.”

Shi Xing was stunned.

Trying to struggle, Chi Yao didn’t give him the chance and overbearingly commented, “That works, the previous punishments were also kept on tab; now we’ve found a method, shall we discuss specifics?”

Shi Xing shut his mouth. He acquiesced.

After a moment, he mumbled, “Then this time, you left me hanging for so long…”

Chi Yao replied earnestly, “How long was that? It wasn’t even a full day?”

“You know what the situation on the ship was like afterward.”

“If you don’t come to me, do you expect others to think of this and spare their time for you?”

Shi Xing fell silent again.

Chi Yao: “Next time, don’t hide from this sort of thing, and don’t think about brushing it off. If there’s something, just say it.”

His words were tinged with a faint helplessness.

Shi Xing deliberately retorted, “What if I still hide?”

Chi Yao said firmly, “Then as you wish, I’ll leave you hanging.”

Going too far, “Until you stop asking these kinds of questions.”

Shi Xing: “……”

Shi Xing: “I’m going to get angry.”

Chi Yao: “Great, it can’t always be me who gets angry.”

Shi Xing: “?”

Shi Xing was stunned, raising his head, and Chi Yao did not back down but continued to look at him.

Grinding his back teeth, Shi Xing straightened up, both loving and hating as he grabbed the collar of Chi Yao and kissed him.

They hadn’t been this close in a long while.

Afterward, like in the old saying from Er Ya, they quarreled at the head of the bed but reconciled at the foot.

…

Chi Yao hadn’t gotten enough sleep, and after a bit of mischievousness, he held Shi Xing and fell asleep until dinner.

At dinner, Shi Xing felt completely drained. Er Ya looked at him for a moment and suddenly said in a voice only the two could hear, “This works too.”

Shi Xing: “?”

Er Ya: “Recently, you need a replenishment of mental power. Chi Yao’s level is high; absorbing from him works too.”

Shi Xing: “……”

With his ears turning red, Shi Xing served food to Er Ya, cutting off any further comments from his teacher.

The situation stabilized after a while, Chi Yao’s routine returned to normal, and the two stayed together again.

Shi Xing still had a low fever, and the improvement came slowly from day to day.

In regard to this, Er Ya mentioned, “It was like this before too; the mental sea is growing, so there’s nothing to be done but pay attention.”

He checked Shi Xing’s temperature again. Seeing Shi Xing’s lack of energy, he knew they could only wait, but Chi Yao couldn’t help but feel heartache.

However, just two days later, the fate of that group of star beasts on the planet was finally concluded.

Fei Chu brought back the satellite map, and Shi Xing participated in the meeting. All the officers felt a headache coming.

“So, with this planet as the boundary, this side is the Fourth Legion, and that side is the Third Legion.”

“They headed towards the Third Legion’s encampment?”

Chi Yao summarized.

Fei Chu nodded, “They contacted Lu Li immediately to prepare for action.”

Veteran General Zhuang Yuan analyzed, “It might be that because we chose the direction of the Fourth Legion, the star beasts lost track of us instead.”

Since the pursuing star beasts were eliminated in the first instance.

Star beasts like this are always bullies; they prey on the weak.

With so many star beast carcasses floating in this sector of space, the beasts coming after them wouldn’t know Shi Xing’s whereabouts, and naturally, they would change direction.

The beasts pursuing the Third Legion’s encampment did not intercept midway.

It was likely that more and more were following, causing the current situation.

Chi Yao glanced at the satellite map again; they already had results and didn’t pay much attention to the cause.

What mattered was the countermeasures.

Chi Yao surveyed the room, “What do you all think we should do now?”

Bi Zhou, who was listening, responded, “Observe for two days; if support is needed, we’ll go over?”

Chi Yao remained silent, clearly dissatisfied with this answer.

Shi Xing’s eyes flickered for a moment, then he lowered his gaze and spoke up, “Let’s go directly to provide support.”

“There are too many star beasts; if a gap opens in the boundary line, and more star beasts follow, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

“Recently, the defensive arrangements along the boundary line have been adjusted.”

“The original destination was for the Fourth Legion’s main planet but has now been replaced with the Third Legion’s, which is the same.”

Even though he wished to avoid Lu Li, he knew Lu Lu was now at the boundary line; Shi Xing couldn’t let personal feelings cause the entire First Legion to abandon the most appropriate decision.

The Third Legion comprised more than just the Lu family.

The past was past.

And he was still running a fever; he didn’t want to see those he didn’t wish to.

As expected, Chi Yao said: “I think so too.”

All the officers had no objections.

The fleet turned around completely and made the switch within half an hour.

At full speed, two days later, the mother ship of the First Legion landed on the main planet of the Third Legion’s boundary line.

The main planet had a relatively low temperature and strong winds.

Everyone from the Lu family at the boundary line, along with the senior officers of the Third Legion stationed there, came to greet them.

Shi Xing was still feverish; he couldn’t bear the wind and wore a cloak under the mother ship, the hood pulled up.

Lu Lu stood at the back of the line; his rank wasn’t high enough to stand in the front row.

At first, he hadn’t noticed, but after sensing the familiar figure, the more he looked, the harder it was to resist distinguishing the face beneath the cloak.

His gaze was unabashed, and after watching for a while, suddenly, a terrifying mental presence overwhelmed him.

Lu Lu’s heart raced, breaking into a sweat, struggling not to collapse to the ground.

As that mental presence retracted, among the crowd, the Emperor’s gaze skimmed over him in an instant.

Their eye contact lasted only a brief moment.

Breathing heavily, Lu Lu realized afterward that the Emperor thought his actions were out of line, and he felt a reprimand.