Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 166
The door panel made a loud bang as Zhou Qian’s back slammed hard against the door.
His lips were bitten, and he winced from the pain. When he opened his eyes, they met Bai Zhou’s deep and unreadable gaze.
A faint metallic scent of blood spread between their lips. A dangerous, excited gleam flashed in Zhou Qian’s eyes. Then, unwilling to back down, he hooked his arms around Bai Zhou’s shoulders and kissed him back.
Neither of them had much experience with kissing, but that didn’t stop them from following their instincts and chasing after each other.
Every fervent movement, every stifled gasp, spoke of how desperately they wanted to melt into each other’s very bones.
As the kiss deepened, Zhou Qian’s back slowly slid down the door involuntarily, and Bai Zhou wrapped an arm around his waist to pull him back up.
At some point, Zhou Qian’s legs had already hooked around Bai Zhou’s waist, and his entire weight was now supported by Bai Zhou’s hands.
The lack of oxygen turned Zhou Qian’s face slightly red, and his eyes shone with a moisture born of the kiss. There was both exhilaration and daze in his expression.
His breathing grew heavier and more erratic. Bai Zhou, hearing it, finally pulled back slightly.
But Zhou Qian didn’t want him to stop. He leaned forward again.
Bai Zhou freed one hand and gently patted the back of his neck several times, as if to soothe him.
“Wait a second,” Bai Zhou said hoarsely.
Zhou Qian’s voice held a hint of dissatisfaction. “Wait for what?”
Bai Zhou whispered in his ear, “We’ll kiss again in a bit.”
“Why?”
“Catch your breath.”
With his arms around Bai Zhou’s neck, Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes meaningfully. “Are you looking down on me?”
Then Bai Zhou pressed him back against the door and, in the end, pushed Zhou Qian’s head in and kissed him again.
……
A long while later…
Zhou Qian lay on the floor with Bai Zhou’s jacket spread beneath him. Above his head was a stained-glass window with one section shattered.
Through the glass, he could see the sky. Part of it was gray, while the rest was dyed with vivid, almost blinding colors.
In this ruined world, this was the only burst of vivid color he had seen.
After staring at that color for a few seconds, just as Bai Zhou leaned down again to kiss him, Zhou Qian suddenly grabbed his collar and sat up.
He twisted his body, flipped Bai Zhou onto the ground, and leaned down, staring deeply into his eyes.
Maybe it was the colored light reflected in them, but for once, Bai Zhou’s normally cold and distant eyes looked different.
And Zhou Qian felt a surge of joy.
He had always wanted to see Bai Zhou look at him with passion, desire, and longing, but he’d never managed to.
Even that night not long ago, when Bai Zhou lost control, Zhou Qian hadn’t been fully conscious and couldn’t remember the details, much less Bai Zhou’s eyes.
Now, he could finally see the uncontrollable emotion and desire in them.
At this moment, the lingering uncertainty in his heart finally neared zero.
“Zhou Qian…”
Bai Zhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke. His hand moved to the back of Zhou Qian’s head again.
Zhou Qian caught his wrist just in time, stopped him, then leaned down until their noses touched. “Don’t move. Let me do it.”
And Bai Zhou didn’t move, except for his eyes.
He watched Zhou Qian come closer and closer. When Zhou Qian’s lips were just about to touch his own, they stopped.
So close. Every breath from Zhou Qian could be felt clearly, the heat of each one unmistakable. But he didn’t actually kiss him.
The almost-touching sensation was both a tease and a provocation.
Zhou Qian had probably gotten what he wanted from the earlier intense kiss.
Now that he was satisfied, he wanted to take control.
Maintaining this close-but-not-quite distance, Zhou Qian subtly teased Bai Zhou for a long time.
Whenever Bai Zhou looked like he couldn’t take it anymore and was about to move, Zhou Qian would finally lean down, but only kissed the corner of his mouth.
“Today’s Zhou Ge is a bit off,” Zhou Qian murmured by his ear. “Who did you go see? What did you say?”
Bai Zhou responded by grabbing Zhou Qian’s waist with both hands and, with a push, laid him back down.
Then he lowered his head and kissed Zhou Qian’s ear.
Zhou Qian asked, “When players do this kind of thing, does the system censor it?”
“Mm,” Bai Zhou replied beside his ear. “Can’t let anyone see you like this.”
Zhou Qian laughed and asked, “Then, did you want to use this moment to whisper something to me?”
Bai Zhou’s voice was still a little hoarse, but his expression had turned serious.
Looking down at Zhou Qian, the intensity of earlier had faded. His tone was solemn. “Zhou Qian, you have to trust me.”
“Of course.” Zhou Qian raised his hands to cup Bai Zhou’s face. “I’ll always trust you.”
Bai Zhou leaned down again and whispered into his ear, “No matter what happens, no matter what you see, I will not leave you again. You must believe that.”
Zhou Qian stayed silent for a long time.
Something he had long suspected was finally confirmed at this moment.
Their next shared gaze carried a mutual understanding, wordless yet clear.
“Okay,” Zhou Qian said.
Seeing this, Bai Zhou’s previously stern eyes softened.
He reached out and gently traced Zhou Qian’s forehead, eyebrows, nose, lips, then jaw, as if memorizing his face deeply.
Then he said, “You once said… you weren’t afraid of me.”
Zhou Qian shook his head. “I’m not afraid.”
Bai Zhou smiled. His hand slid downward, fingertip pressing lightly on Zhou Qian’s neck. “Even if you were, it’s too late now.”
“I’m curious what I’ll see then. Go ahead, Zhou Ge.”
With that, Zhou Qian opened his arms and lay in a more comfortable position.
The buttons at his collar had been torn open at some point.
His smooth neck and part of his collarbone lay exposed, just inches from Bai Zhou’s fingers.
As Zhou Qian spread his arms, his already loose neckline slipped further.
He could clearly hear Bai Zhou’s breathing above him grow heavier.
Chin slightly raised, Zhou Qian looked up at Bai Zhou with curved eyes and a smirk. “Now, I permit you to keep kissing me.”
At last, their lips met again, closer than ever.
After a long time, Zhou Qian felt Bai Zhou slip something into his mouth.
It was round. He barely had time to taste it before Bai Zhou tilted his chin and pushed it deeper with his tongue. Zhou Qian swallowed it.
He felt warmth bloom near his heart. His pulse quickened.
At the same time, Bai Zhou’s kiss turned exceedingly gentle, as if trying to soothe something inside him.
Between breaths, Zhou Qian asked in a hoarse whisper, “What did you just make me eat?”
“A candy,” Bai Zhou said in a coaxing tone. “A sweet one.”
……
When Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou returned to Purple Mist Mountain, only 3.5 hours remained until the system revealed the “maximum value” at the 10-hour mark.
Thanks to the intel Bai Zhou had gotten from Shan Sheng, Zhou Qian now had a clearer understanding of the three factions’ numbers.
There were 15 members of the Peach Blossom Legion here. Most originally wore green wristbands. Two squad leaders had taken blue and indigo groups.
Those three wristband colors, green, indigo, and blue, were used to recruit solo players.
Now, the Peach Blossom Legion had evolved into: 25 players in the green faction, 7 in indigo, 6 in blue; for a total of 38 people.
Zhou Qian wore a white wristband. Bai Zhou still had on violet.
The remaining 19 players were all wearing yellow wristbands.
From earlier broadcasts, it was clear that 9 players had died.
With a total of 91 players, that left 32 in the Feidu Legion, mostly with orange and purple wristbands.
Looking at it differently:
The Peach Blossom Legion controlled green, blue, and indigo.
That meant they only targeted players with other colors.
They couldn’t act against purple and yellow for now, so orange was their main target.
Any other color reductions were likely caused by the Feidu Legion.
Xu Yang and the Peach Blossom leadership would definitely keep some spare wristbands from other colors for later massacres, so Feidu’s real numbers had to be lower than 32.
Zhou Qian did a quick calculation and said, “To survive, everyone will have looked for weapons and clues. During that, they would’ve had to put on any wristbands they found.
“The game’s gone on for nearly 7 hours. Everyone should be wearing at least one by now.
“There may still be some who haven’t been found by either legion. Take away Xu Yang and his sister, their three close confidants, plus the Peach Blossom Legion’s spare wristbands…”
He looked at Bai Zhou and smiled. “Thanks to Zhou Ge’s intel, Xu Yang’s side doesn’t have more people than we do. And I haven’t even counted Xiao Wei’s team yet. I can really milk Xu Yang for this.”
“You already know how to proceed?” Bai Zhou asked.
“Yeah, I do.” Zhou Qian nodded. “Even before you returned, I told him to meet me here in 30 minutes. He should be arriving soon.
“Earlier, when he left here with Xiao Qi, he was arrogant as hell, saying we were doomed.
“Well, now the tables have turned. He’s coming to pay respects to me, the king of the mountain. Oh…”
Zhou Qian looked at Bai Zhou. “Xiao Qi left with Ke Yuxiao?”
“Mm. Don’t worry. I told Shan Sheng.” Bai Zhou replied through a private messaging item. “As for Yun Xiangrong, he’ll keep an eye on her too.”
“This Shao Chuan is quite something,” Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes. “When we get out, I want to meet him. But for now…”
Bai Zhou asked, “What do you think about what Shan Sheng said?”
“No problem. Let’s go with his plan. I can handle it.”
With a faintly lowered tone and a smile in his eyes, Zhou Qian said,
“Let’s act on Shan Sheng’s suggestion. I’ll sit here and wait for Xu Yang to take the bait.”
The author has something to say:
If anyone didn’t catch the hints between Zhou Qian and Zhou Ge, don’t worry. It’ll be explained later~
<<< || Table of Contents || >>>
Kinky Translations 