CH 48

Ji Ning opened his eyes, waking up from his deep sleep to see a silvery ceiling, made out of some sort of metal. The decoration of the bedroom was different to when he fell asleep. It appeared he had moved rooms.

From his memories of the previous night, he’d spent a long time in Ozer’s arms. He was a little nervous at first, but gradually grew more comfortable until he felt safe enough to fall asleep. Now that he thought about it, he must have been lulled by Ozer’s gentle spiritual energy. Once he’d calmed down, it was soothing enough to send him to sleep. 

Where was he now? Had there been a space distortion in his sleep that helped him escape from Ozer?

Ji Ning moved his body slightly. Just as the thought flashed through his head, he felt someone stroke his hair as a pleasant, masculine voice asked, “Awake now?”

He supposed it was too good to be true…

Hearing Ozer’s voice, Ji Ning sighed silently in his heart and turned around. Sure enough, the monarch was sitting on the other side of the bed, an official looking pile of documents in his lap. He turned over the pages with one hand, and caressed Ji Ning’s hair with the other. Looking at Ji Ning with lake green eyes, he smiled. 

“…Brother.”

Facing Ozer, Ji Ning had always lacked courage. Now that the other party had become a powerful, imperial monarch, he was even more uneasy. Inexplicably, he felt that Ozer might do something terrible at any moment, so he just lowered his head and whispered for Ozer, not knowing what else to say.

What was he supposed to tell Ozer when he asked him how he’d been resurrected from the dead, and where he had been all these years…

“Good morning, Xiao Ning.”

Ozer’s eyes brightened as he gently greeted Ji Ning.

After a night of reflecting, he was no longer so quick to lose his composure in front of Ji Ning and was once again able to show his elegant and charming side in front of him.

But Ji Ning was familiar enough with him to know Ozer was definitely restraining his true emotions. Like a volcano that hadn’t erupted for many years, his emotions were deeply hidden like magma. It was impossible to guess when they would explode.

“Are you hungry?” Ozer asked, “I’ll ask them to bring you breakfast. You can eat it here.” 

“Thank you brother, but there’s no need. I’m not hungry and don’t want to eat yet.” Ji Ning shook his head.

Ozer smiled and didn’t force Ji Ning, just leant over to kiss his forehead. He asked dotingly, “Would you like to sleep for a bit longer? No one will disturb you.”

Ji Ning shook his head again. He carefully observed Ozer for a while, only to find the man didn’t seem to have anything else to say. He couldn’t help but hesitantly ask, “Brother…”

“What’s the matter?” Ozer asked gently. 

“You…do you want to ask me anything?”

Ji Ning spoke softly. In his opinion, it was impossible for Ozer to not have questions. In fact, he had even considered the possibilities of Ozer trapping him in a little black room for questioning.

Yet to his disbelief, Ozer just curled his lips up and said, “If you don’t want to speak, then I won’t force you to. As long as you stay by my side, that’s enough. I know that you have your own secrets.”

Ji Ning blinked in surprise. He really hadn’t expected Ozer to say such a thing. When did he become such a gentle person? 

But in any case, Ozer’s statement did make him feel a little reassured. He asked the Emperor, “Where are we now?”

As soon as he opened his eyes he had already moved, so he still wasn’t sure where he was.

“On a spaceship.” Answered the monarch, “I am patrolling the various territories of the Empire. Our next destination is the planet of the Saikete family, where we will arrive in about two hours.”

Ji Ning had never heard of the Saikete family, so they should only be ordinary nobles. After all, if they had to live on the outer planets of the Empire, that meant they weren’t powerful enough to live on the capital planet. 

This was good news for Ji Ning, because the defence of a planet like this wouldn’t be as strong as on the capital planet. This should make it easier for him to escape.

He wanted to speak with Huo Wuling about the situation so he could better prepare himself.

Thinking about these things, Ji Ning got out of the bed and stepped onto the soft carpet with bare feet. He excused himself to wash up and walked into the bathroom that adjoined the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Watching his back, the smile on Ozer’s lips gradually faded, his eyes darkening as the fingers that held the official document tightened around the paper. 

Of course he had questions he wanted to ask Ji Ning, but he understood that if he pressed for answers, Ji Ning wouldn’t respond to him. He knew that Ji Ning wanted to avoid him, otherwise the last time they met, Ji Ning wouldn’t have run away.

Did he hate him? Ozer didn’t know.

But he could tell that Ji Ning’s love for him wasn’t as strong as it used to be, and the boy was even slightly afraid of him. When their relationship was discovered, he failed to protect Ji Ning. Was this the reason why Ji Ning’s feelings had changed?

Pa kjr mifjgis vloofgfca cbk atjc la kjr yfobgf. Lf kjr atf wbcjgmt bo atf Swqlgf, atf reqgfwf yflcu. Lf tjv atf qbkfg ab qgbafma Al Rlcu jcv bqfcis vfmijgf atflg ibnf ab fnfgsbcf. 

Dea kts vlv tf offi ilxf tf’v ibra Al Rlcu jii bnfg jujlc?

Yhfg’r fsfr kfgf vjgx, atf boolmlji vbmewfca lc tlr tjcv tjv abgc lc tjio.

After the extreme ecstasy of reuniting came the anxiety and fear of losing him again. He didn’t know where Ji Ning had been all these years, nor did he know how he came back from the dead after receiving the death penalty. If he couldn’t find these things out, he would forever worry if he might lose him again.

Besides, Ji Ning might have the ability to jump through space… 

Ozer still remembered how the first time they met, Ji Ning had completely vanished from the palace. The next time, when the hidden guard had found Ji Ning on the spaceship, he had disappeared by the time the ship landed.

And this time. He narrowed his green eyes.

In order to confirm where Ji Ning had come from, he had personally asked Madam Rosina where she found him. Madam Rosina said that she didn’t know, it was her daughter who found him, so the daughter was called in.

But when he met the daughter, the girl knelt down and hesitantly explained that something had happened the previous night. The boy she’d found wasn’t sent to Ozer’s room as her mother had ended up taking a different boy. 

Hearing this news, Madam Rosina turned pale. She and the maid hadn’t met the boy before and had sent the wrong person in by mistake. If that person was an assassin, they would all be executed!

Ozer didn’t care that they had sent the wrong person. In fact, they should be thankful for their mistake, if they’d sent someone else in he would have been furious.

But the sudden appearance of Ji Ning this time, as well as their previous encounters, was evidence to show that Ji Ning could teleport and that it was probably an unstable ability.

Ozer also knew that Ji Ning did not want to stay with him, otherwise he would have given him some way to contact him to bring him back to Mo Ling. The fact that he didn’t do that, revealed his true feelings. 

This power that was not under Ji Ning’s control had sent him back to Ozer’s side.

Ozer didn’t believe in fate, but at this moment, he wanted to believe that this was the work of destiny.

Since it was out of his control, he would have to find a way to tether Ji Ning and prevent him from using this ability. The field of scientific research in the Mo Ling Empire was undoubtedly one of the leading pioneers in the universe and had conducted a lot of research on space jumps. They must have ideas on how to restrain these mysterious spatial shifts.

Furthermore, even if Ji Ning escaped in the end, it didn’t matter. 

A shallow smile stretched across the handsome monarch’s face, but his dark eyes revealed his true paranoia.

He’d asked the secret guard that previously found Ji Ning on the spaceship to come to the Saikete family’s planet. She had once planted a special spiritual mark on Ji Ning. This time she would combine it with Ozer’s spiritual energy, so that no matter where Ji Ning went, he would always be able to find him.

And soon they would get married and Ji Ning would become the Empress of the Mo Ling Empire. Their wedding would be broadcast live across the entire galaxy so that everyone could remember Ji Ning’s appearance.

In this way, no matter which planet Ji Ning fled to, Mo Ling would have a reason to send in their troops to welcome their noble Empress back to their homeland. 

In heaven and Earth, there was nowhere for him to escape.

He would never let himself lose Ji Ning again.

At the same time, in the bathroom, Ji Ning first changed out of his delicate and provocative clothing and put on a bathrobe. He then squatted on the ground and lightly touched his shadow, calling out in a low voice, “Huo Wuling.”

He waited for a while, but received no response. He didn’t know if the way he called Huo Wuling was wrong and was about to call again, when he felt a cool embrace across his back. 

“Don’t talk yet, there’s someone outside…”

Ozer’s spiritual power was very high and he had sensitive hearing. Ji Ning was extremely nervous as he didn’t know whether his spiritual power would sense the ghost. He warned Huo Wuling in a low voice, but before he could say anything else, he was spun around and kissed.

Huo Wuling didn’t bother to speak, preferring to kiss Ji Ning first.

Ji Ning had just asked him a favour, so he didn’t push him away and instead closed his eyes and allowed Huo Wuling to kiss him. 

But Huo Wuling was wicked, he seemed to vaguely understand the situation but still wanted to tease Ji Ning. He kissed him deeply on purpose, trying to stimulate Ji Ning into letting out his voice.

If they were alone, Ji Ning would have naturally made a lot of noises, but with Ozer outside, he didn’t dare. He desperately endured but all he got in return was Huo Wuling bullying him further.

When he was finally released, Ji Ning’s face was flushed and he had to squat down to suppress the urge to gasp. Covering his mouth and nose he took slow breaths, raising his watery eyes to glare at Huo Wuling.

The handsome man raised an eyebrow and smirked at him. Finally, he was willing to bend down and help Ji Ning up. Using his abilities, he moved his fingertip through the air, leaving behind a line of bloody letters. 

What’s the matter Ningning, what happened to you?

After he finished writing the sentence, he touched Ji Ning’s fingertips, sharing his power with him. Inside the infinite flow world, Ji Ning had used this method of communication with Huo Wuling before, so he was comfortable sketching words in the air to briefly explain his current situation to Huo Wuling.

In other words, the Emperor who was chasing you is right outside the door, am I right?

Huo Wuling tilted his head, staring thoughtfully at the door for a while before writing: Do you want me to kill him for you? 

Would you stop trying to kill people all the time…

Ji Ning was a little speechless. To be honest, how could Ozer be so easy to kill. Although Ozer seemed unable to sense Huo Wuling’s ghost body, it didn’t mean he would let his guard down and obediently let himself be killed. Ji Ning knew the Emperor habitually took precautions to protect his life.

Ozer always had an invisible, impenetrable spiritual barrier protecting his body, so strong that even a bullet couldn’t break through it. With Huo Wuling still injured and his spiritual energy depleted, it would be impossible for him to kill Ozer.

Then what are you going to do? The dark haired man stretched out his palms and looked at him innocently: Have you thought of a way to escape? 

Not yet, I might have to wait for my spatial distortion to end. Ji Ning wrote: If it’s necessary, I might have to ask for your help.

Huo Wuling asked: How would I get paid?

…What do you want? Ji Ning quickly wrote another line: Don’t go too far.

Huo Wuling thought about it for a few seconds: Can I have your first night? 

I’ll beat you to death! Ji Ning’s expression was murderous and he glared at Huo Wuling.

Unexpectedly Huo Wuling laughed quietly and slyly wrote: So you really have no experience?

… Ji Ning didn’t know how to respond to that.

I’m just kidding. Huo Wuling curled his lip slightly: After successfully escaping, can you tell me about your past? I want to know you better. He paused, then wrote: You can choose what you want to say, like something that happened in the world you were born in, how about that? 

…Okay. Ji Ning thought about it and didn’t think the request was too much so he agreed to Huo Wuling.

Then I’ll wait for you to call out for me.

Huo Wuling gently kissed Ji Ning’s cheek, then whispered teasingly into his ear.

“In the future, I will be your first and only man.” 

After saying this, he quickly disappeared into Ji Ning’s shadow. Ji Ning was aggravated but had nowhere to vent his anger. He could only stare in disbelief at his shadow, before cleaning himself up and walking out the bathroom.

Two hours later, the spacecraft landed at their journey’s destination, the planet that the Saikete family controlled.

Ozer wore formal clothes so Ji Ning changed his clothes to match him. He followed next to Ozer as the left the spaceship. As they left, many reporters took pictures of them as Ozer smiled gracefully and held Ji Ning’s hand.

His movement immediately attracted everyone’s attention. During this kind of public occasion, their Emperor had actually held the hand of a young man, demonstrating the close relationship between the two of them. 

Ozer didn’t say a word and only escorted Ji Ning into the car, but the hidden meaning of his actions set off a storm in everyone’s hearts. The nobles were completely taken aback but because of their strict etiquette training and the fact they were still in front of Ozer they managed to remain calm.

The reporters also looked down at their cameras in a daze, wondering whether they should send their photos back to their agency or write a report.

Wouldn’t these photos get destroyed? Although Ozer had abolished the laws prohibiting same-sex marriage, the customs and attitudes held by the Empire for thousands of years were difficult to change. If those photos were released, it would…

Just imagining the possible consequences, the reporters shuddered. At this moment, the officer in charge of protecting Ozer’s public image came over. The reporters were already prepared to hand over their cameras when they heard him speak. 

“These photos can be published but bear in mind your reports must be appropriate, serious, and reviewed by the Minister of Information.”

The people present were experienced reporters who had often followed the royal family for news, so they were a little surprised by the official’s words. Such writing requirements usually only appeared during the most important state affairs, so what was this…

“The reports will have to go through multiple reviews, so won’t be released immediately. Before that, you should report on other affairs. For example,” the ceremonial officer said vaguely, “Recalling the wedding ceremonies of previous Mo Ling dynasties.”

Under the escort of numerous guards, Ozer arrived at the Saikete family’s territory and conducted inspections in accordance with the prearranged procedures. 

Ji Ning had also been a prince of the Mo Ling Empire. Although he had rarely appeared in public, he was familiar with the required etiquette. Even though he had forgotten most of it by now, he quickly remembered under Future’s prompting. He stayed by Ozer’s side the entire day, behaving calmly and elegantly throughout the whole process.

He didn’t know why he was accompanying Ozer for the patrol but he still followed. By the time Ozer concluded the patrol and returned to the Saikete family manor, he was very tired by the long day of physical activity, but he still wasn’t allowed to rest as Ozer wanted to hold a meeting with the Saikete nobles.

“I’m sorry for making you work so hard.”

Taking a brief rest in the lounge, the two finally had a chance to be alone. Ozer allowed himself to relax a little and hugged Ji Ning, who sat next to him. He pressed a tender kiss to his lips and said in a low voice. 

“You don’t have to participate in the next meeting, just stay here and rest. If you need anything, you can call the maids outside at any time and they will cater to your needs.”

“Okay brother.”

Ji Ning nodded obediently. Ozer smiled and turned his wheelchair to exit the lounge. However, even though he’d left, his spiritual energy still enveloped the lounge, making it impossible for Ji Ning to take advantage of being left alone. Even though he had this opportunity to escape, there was really nothing he could do.

Staying inside the lounge by himself, there was nothing he could do to pass the time, leaving Ji Ning a little bored. After a while, he heard a light click and something fell at his feet. 

This was…a terminal from the Federation?

Ji Ning picked up the object from the ground. Looking at it closer, he was even more surprised to see it was his own terminal. He had definitely left his terminal inside the villa before the time distortion, so how could it have ended up here?

Was this Lai’s doing?

Ji Ning thought about it for a while and felt this was the only possibility. Looking at the terminal in his hand, he couldn’t help but sink into deep thoughts. Would he have to continue playing that game with Lai even over here? 

But this time, the game didn’t immediately start. Instead, the terminal received a notification, surprising Ji Ning. He didn’t think it would be able to receive a signal from the central optical brain in the territory of the Mo Ling Empire, which was dozens of light years away from the Federation.

Maybe there was a nearby satellite station that could connect with the central optical brain?

Ji Ning didn’t know much about how the optical brain worked. He stared at the terminal in his hand, not knowing what to do. If anyone were to see him with this terminal, he would be outed as a citizen of the Federation.

But after some consideration he decided that if he was planning to hide abroad with Ark and the others anyway, it would be useful to trick Ozer into searching inside the Federation. With this thought, he calmed himself down, opened the terminal’s notification and saw that director Liu had messaged him. He wanted Ji Ning to log into the holographic network to continue filming. 

…It turned out that not only did he have to play games with Lai, he also had to continue filming movies with Gu Chen…

Ji Ning’s expression twisted, but for the moment he was trapped inside the lounge with nothing to do, he might as well enter the holographic network. Using the excuse that he needed to recover his physical strength, he asked the maid outside to send him a sleep capsule. He put the terminal on his wrist, entered the sleep capsule and logged on to the holographic network.

When he logged in, the holographic network simulated an apartment. Both Gu Chen and the director were already online and greeted Ji Ning. Ji Ning nodded politely at them as the director stepped forward and patted Ji Ning on the shoulder, saying.

“Then let’s continue from where we finished last time. Today I would like to film the scene of Mr Gu taking nude photos of Xiao Ning.” 

After finishing his meeting with the nobles, Ozer returned to the lounge to find Ji Ning lying inside of a sleep capsule. He was a little surprised, but when he called a maid to ask, she told him Ji Ning had requested it himself because he was tired and wanted to quickly recover his strength.

Ozer didn’t respond to the maid’s words, but asked her to leave the lounge, leaving him and Ji Ning alone together. He moved his wheelchair to the side of the sleep capsule and adjusted its casing to transparent mode, so that he could see Ji Ning lying inside of it.

He watched Ji Ning’s face with gentle eyes, when he noticed there was something attached to his wrist.

Since he’d recently visited the Federation, Ozer recognised the bracelet as a terminal. During the visit, the Federal head of state proudly introduced their optical brain system and terminals. He’d even allowed Ozer to put on a terminal to experience it for himself. 

During the brief time he wore the terminal, Ozer felt his spiritual energy begin to travel along the connection of the light brain, capable of invading the nearest connected terminals. However, he wasn’t interested in controlling the terminals in this way, so he made sure to withdraw his spiritual energy and soon forgot about it.

But now he was very interested in Ji Ning’s terminal. During their previous investigation, they had narrowed Ji Ning’s location to a space quadrant that included the Federation. Now, at a glance, it appeared Ji Ning was an official citizen of the Federation with his own terminal. If he invaded this terminal, there should be a lot of information involving Ji Ning that could help him stop Ji Ning from escaping again.

After pondering for a moment, Ozer put his hand on the lid of the sleep capsule and invaded Ji Ning’s terminal with his spiritual energy.

But instead of finding information inside of the terminal, he fell into an unfamiliar environment. Luckily, as soon as he arrived, he heard Ji Ning’s voice. 

*Me, with a bowl of melon seeds*: Oh no, poor Ningning…

If Ozer kills Gu Chen, there will only be ten male leads left~

Sorry for the late chapter – I know I promised, but I read the school arc of thriller trainee and was so depressed I couldn’t post (╥﹏╥) My author might like to tease us with cliffhangers, but that author is completely sadistic!!