Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 110

Alois endured the indescribable pain throughout the entire night, but the pain subsided by the next day. As morning light filled the room, he opened his eyes and tried moving his arm. The prosthetic responded to his will and moved. The sensation was so subtle that he wondered if he was experiencing phantom limb syndrome.

“It’s not a phantom limb. You have a real arm now,” the doctor said. “However, you’ll need a week of rehabilitation training to adjust the prosthetic to your body’s needs and achieve optimal functionality.”

Rehabilitation training began with simple grasping motions, progressing to more complex tasks like writing and typing, and finally to strength and agility tests. The resourceful doctor even called in Dominic to accompany Alois for a “pleasant” morning in the training room. After being thrown against the wall for the sixth time, the blond man staggered to his feet, cursing the doctor in Olympus dialect as he fled.

The doctor, dissatisfied, tapped the screen, recording the dynamic data. “What an attitude! Mr. Fairmont is a shareholder of this hospital, yet his subordinates are so rude!”

He turned to Alois. “How do you feel?”

“Pretty good, as good as before,” the young man said, looking at his metal left arm, which glowed dark gold under the white light. “Even more sensitive.”

The prosthetic wasn’t as he had imagined—a mere piece of stiff metal. It had touch sensitivity and could detect temperature changes. Apart from its somewhat unsettling appearance, it was almost identical to a normal arm. The only downside was its lack of softness, feeling hard and cold to the touch. Alois worried that Joshua might not like it. Every time he looked at the assassin with questioning eyes, Joshua would simply grip his hand tightly without saying a word, leaving Alois no opportunity to ask.

After completing the rehabilitation training, Alois signed his discharge papers and was half-heartedly escorted out of the hospital. Jolene and Kepler picked him up in a car, and the four of them returned to Joshua’s residence in Avalon. Jolene and Kepler left after having a cup of tea, as they had come to Olympus for business related to the casino and had already delayed their schedule due to Alois’s situation. Alois felt deeply apologetic about this.

“Don’t worry about it, child,” Jolene said, hugging him before leaving. “I’ll come visit you often.”

“We probably won’t stay in Olympus for long, madam,” Alois said. “I plan to head to Milantu in a few days.”

“Ah, right, I forgot. You have your own business too,” Jolene said, wiping her eyes. “I’ll see you off when you leave.”

“Thank you, madam.”

“Make sure to call me often,” Jolene urged like a nagging mother. “And make sure to visit Neo Venice when you have time, or I won’t let you off!”

“Yes, madam.”

Joshua still had many matters to attend to. The next day, he needed to transfer the final payments to Gabriel, Maverick, and hacker Rod, as well as find time to visit “Godfather” Fairmont and invite Miss Harlan to dinner. (She specifically requested Alois join, but Joshua refused. Alois happily agreed. “I won’t let you spend time alone with a beautiful lady,” he said. “Men’s jealousy is stronger than women’s. I’ve seen it now,” Harlan commented.)

Additionally, Joshua needed to organize his peculiar collection.

He first coaxed Alois to bed, then dragged a storage box to the room filled with eyes. The glass orbs could be discarded as garbage, while the real eyes would be sent to the hospital’s affiliated university for students to dissect. Joshua carefully removed each jar from the “hive” and placed it into the storage box. He was surprised to find he could no longer identify which pair of eyes belonged to which unfortunate soul. He used to be able to name them effortlessly, but now he couldn’t recall. Being a cold-blooded assassin felt like a thing of the past. Just a year ago, he was traveling across border planets, claiming his targets’ lives and adding their eyes to his collection. Now, as he stood there reminiscing, it felt like events from a decade ago.

He had truly changed a lot.

“What are you thinking about?” someone said from the doorway.

Joshua was startled, dropping the jar, which rolled a few times on the floor. Alois stood leaning against the doorframe, watching him.

“Why are you awake?”

“I never slept.” He walked over to Joshua, picked up the jar, and handed it back to him. “Why are you putting them away?”

Joshua looked at him, then at the jar in his hand. “I don’t need them anymore.”

“You don’t like collecting eyes anymore?” Alois said with a playful smirk.

The assassin put the jar in the storage box and stood up to kiss Alois’s eyes. “Now I just need your eyes.”

Alois’s eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly landing on his lips.

“Just don’t take them out.”

“Your eyes are the most beautiful on you.”

Alois smiled, his blue eyes shining like gems. Joshua’s heart stirred, and he captured his lips, his hot tongue invading deeply, exploring every soft corner. Alois, unsteady on his feet, was pulled tightly into Joshua’s embrace.

“Mm…” Alois struggled to breathe, feeling like he was floating. He gripped Joshua’s back, accidentally pulling some hair. The assassin let go of him in pain.

“Sorry.” Alois quickly released him. “I… I still can’t control my strength well…” He looked down, feeling like a guilty child, hiding his metal prosthetic behind him. Joshua grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

“It’s okay,” the assassin said. “I like it when you hurt me.”

He tried to joke to lighten the mood, but Alois didn’t laugh, instead looking even more dejected.

“Joshua, will you not like it?”

“What?”

“The prosthetic.”

“Why would you think that?”

Alois avoided his gaze. “Because… it’s not very nice to look at, and it feels uncomfortable…”

“You think I care about that?” Joshua held his left hand. “If I cared, I wouldn’t have chosen this model in the first place.”

Alois nodded. “The doctor… the doctor told me.”

“I love you. I love every part of you. If I care about anything, it’s hating the person who broke your hand and blaming myself for not taking better care of you.”

“It… It’s not your fault…” Alois nearly cried.

Joshua hugged him, his fingers brushing over the cold metal. He stared at the nearly empty shelf, which used to be filled with his dark, twisted memories. Now, he was emptying it, just like he was clearing his heart to make room for someone else.

He thought, ‘It’s time.’

“I have something to give you. Wait here.”

He released Alois and left the room, returning with a small black box.

“I’ve carried this for a long time, wanting to give it to you, but I never had the courage,” Joshua admitted. “I wasn’t ready, and I was afraid you’d refuse, so until now…”

Alois looked puzzled. “What is it?”

Joshua opened the box.

Inside, lined with soft white velvet, were two rings. The rings were crafted from a type of gemstone, glowing a beautiful pale purple in the faint light, with intricate engravings of flowers that surrounded the letters J and A.

Alois felt like he was suffocating, as if all the air had been sucked out of the room the moment the box opened. His throat trembled, and after a long while, he managed to speak in a hoarse voice. “This is… for me?”

“Yes.” Joshua nodded. “Will you accept it?”

In Milantu, he had asked Alois for rainbow obsidian and had “Spider” craft these rings. He had always wanted to give them to Alois but had never taken the step. Joshua had to admit he had a cowardly side. He feared Alois would reject him and lacked the courage to give everything to another person.

But now things were different. He was ready to embrace his future partner, to spend his short yet long life together, dedicating his life, soul, and love to that one person.

“Will you accept it?”

Alois blinked, tears streaming down his face. He could barely speak as he answered, “I will.”

Joshua took one ring and slid it onto Alois’s left ring finger. The prosthetic glowed softly under the ring’s light.

“Will you help me put mine on?”

Alois, still sniffling, placed the other ring on Joshua’s finger. The ring changed colors with the angle, shifting from pale purple to light blue, pale green, pink, and crimson.

“It’s beautiful,” Joshua said. “Do you like it?”

Alois couldn’t speak, only nodding vigorously.

They embraced tightly, as if they were always meant to hold each other and would never be apart again.

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