CH 13

Gu Ang was anxious to continue forward, his grip getting tighter and tighter, not letting go of Ye Fei’s hand yet. When he saw that the others were already far ahead, he couldn’t help but pull the person to speed up. Because of his military experience, years of practicing with swords and guns, and crawling, there were many calluses on his hands.

Gu Ang used to have thin calluses on his hands, but compared to Ye Fei, who grew up under elite training since he was little, his hands were considered delicate. And now, Ye Fei lowered his eyes and stared at the two entwined hands which were softer than before, more fragile.

So soft that they seemed to melt in his hands.

He couldn’t let go.

The two men’s backs were clearly visible, and, in the distance, Bai SiNing stroked his chin, “I didn’t think that the rivals who didn’t like each other would have a day when they would fight side by side. I now see them both with a bit of a doting father’s mentality, they’ve grown up, matured and understood one another.”

Someone next to him muttered, “That’s true, but why hold hands?”

Don’t you think it’s a little lovey-dovey?

“You don’t understand, this is a ritual for soldiers to pass on their war feelings.” Bai SiNing, with his own idol filter, exclaimed, “How touching it is to hold hands and cheer for each other for the honor of the class?”

The crowd was persuaded as they looked at the two as if they were heroes. Putting aside their personal grudges for a temporary truce was really commendable.

Gu Ang let go of Ye Fei, and the two quickly put on protective gear, heading towards the lake.

“What dogs. Taking advantage of our siege, and so many people running to the water in advance.” Gu Ang glanced at Ye Fei, who was tied to his leg, and his heartstrings were picked again. He said he would keep his distance from this person, but somehow he got close to him again. He really had a hard time ending his marriage with divorce.

“Six teams, thirty people. Probably most of them are serving as the last wave of forces to intercept us.” Ye Fei checked the straps and made an assessment in advance, “Let’s go, the fastest group is already a third of the way there.”

Gu Ang nodded, “Okay.”

“Put your arm around me?” Ye Fei’s face had no fluctuations as he lightly spoke.

“Hmm??” 

What are you talking about? Why so straightforward? Gu Ang rubbed his ears in confusion, almost thinking his hearing wasn’t working properly.

Ye Fei spoke as usual, “I’ll put one around your shoulder, and you’ll put one around my waist. Don’t you know the trick of two people and three feet?”

His face was calm, like in normal combat, and then he smoothly wrapped his arm around Gu Ang. Gu Ang could almost feel the heat coming from his palm through the thin sportswear. What was worse, his back was almost completely resting on Ye Fei’s chest. There were too many times in his memory when this kind of back hug had happened.

Like when he had been held in the morning light, waking up drowsily. When he was triumphant in a battle and surprised Ye Fei by sneaking up on his back. When he tickled Ye Fei’s waist while he was cooking. And, those times when they were naked and couldn’t suppress their desire… 

Hugging wasn’t the same as kissing, since it had a gentle sense of security. It was as if holding someone in that pose would frame them for eternity. And now, although Gu Ang knew that everything was for the sake of victory, the two of them in this type of relationship was… 

It was just too damn ambiguous.

Gu Ang blushed so much that he wanted to throw himself into the river and die. Did he really want to run to the finish line with Ye Fei like this?

Feeling him being torn, Ye Fei patted him and he said, “Don’t fret, let’s go.”

Gu Ang took a deep breath, “Let’s go!”

“Shit!”

The two men, who were in high spirits, were just about to make a push when they fell straight down. The bamboo mat covered with water was pressed down by the tremendous force, and the lake water came up and soaked the legs of the sports pants.

Gu Ang thought to himself, Those tacit habits. One always needed to take the first step, kill the enemy with a cut to the throat, and never compromise on the fight… It was only a moment, but it became an obstacle.

Ye Fei quickly adjusted, “You move right, I’ll move left.”

Gu Ang gave a hmmm, and the two people moved in tandem and exerted a fierce power.

Both of them blasted out like a cannonball.

Huge waves pounded the road made of bamboo mats from all directions, without any irregularity. The heartless school got a dozen anti-tsunami wave makers to place at the lake in order to create an obstacle. The bamboo mats laid on the lake were the only way for the participants to lend a hand on the lake, and all the contestants were running with great effort.

However, when the waves hit, their clothes got wet.

The originally calm bamboo mat began to undulate and roll, and the people who were running forward felt the crazy shaking under their feet, but there was no way to stabilize. The students at the back heard the commotion and turned around, and their scalps instantly tingled.

They saw a black shadow at the beginning of the road paved with bamboo mats, with a huge wave in the sky rushing toward them. The black shadow cut across the lake, like a sharp blade, directly dividing the already choppy lake into two halves.

“It’s Ye Fei and Gu Ang!”

“Stop them!!!”

“The target appeared! Let’s move together!!!”

The crowd stopped in their tracks and changed direction shouting angrily, trying to stop the two from advancing.

They didn’t need to defeat them, just needed everyone to go up and hold the two together and sink, so that the lake would slow them down and they would be eliminated. This was the rule of the second half of the competition, and the ordinary class being able to fight in advance.

Once Class S’s only hope fell into the water, they could secure the victory.

Take this match and sweep the win across the faces of Class S.

As soon as the two sides made contact, a huge force came down from the top. The ordinary team, which was the first group to come to snipe, broke through the bamboo mat and plunged into the bottom of the lake. Gu Ang and Ye Fei looked at each other and synchronized their battle strategies in a second without words. The two took advantage of the force and once again took to the air.

Before the dozen groups of ordinary class students who came to block the attack could react, they were treated like stepping stakes and stepped into the water by the two of them.

One team, two teams, three teams… No one was spared.

The two men were so strong that once they stepped into the water, there was no more room for struggle. When they finished the last group, there were no more enemies ahead. There was still a short distance to the finish line, and the end was already sealed.

The two men picked up speed and ran at a fast pace toward the finish line.

Gu Ang’s heart was beating wildly, thrilled to make up for the missed school battle days of the past, and relieved to have such an understanding partner alongside him. Since being reborn, he had been looking for a new mindset. He needed to adapt to this new trajectory of life, but also needed to face up to the new relationship between the two. But, he had a new epiphany, that, perhaps, the best thing about being reborn was that he could change anything he once regretted.

Could it be changed?

Between him and Ye Fei, their abrupt end was his main regret.

The two took one last step, stepping from the lake together and onto the shore.

The crowd from Class S had moved to the finish line to greet them, and when they saw the two in sight, all of them began to cheer without a care in the world.

The clouds dispersed under the brilliant sunlight, and shone on their gods.

— 

After finishing the battle, Gu Ang first went to the shower to change into clean clothes. When he came out again, it was already late afternoon with a slight breeze blowing; it was pleasant.

On the way back to the dormitory, remembering Ye Fei’s reminder before the competition, Gu Ang walked outside the school and turned the corner to find a small store. There was a bright pink sign in front of the store with all kinds of ABO gadgets on it. It was obviously a normal store, but with the ambiguous light there was a hint of impropriety.

Gu Ang hesitated for two seconds and pushed the door in.

The shopkeeper was a bearded uncle, holding a cigarette in his mouth and asked vaguely, “What do you need?” 

Gu Ang raised his eyes and looked at the shelves, but didn’t find the one he often used, “Something that blocks pheromones…”

“Yours doesn’t smell good? I’ve seen a lot of customers like you.” The uncle grunted and took down a bunch of flowery bottles from the shelf, “We have the new pheromone blocker here, pick whatever scent you want.”

Gu Ang dropped his eyes, orange, rose, ebony, mint…  

There were a lot to choose from, but it looked to be for Omegas only.

Gu Ang fiddled with one hand and gritted his teeth, “Do you think it’s appropriate for me, a strong Alpha, to use these?”

“For those without a second gender, these are my best sellers.” The uncle touched his chin, “What scent do you have?”

Gu Ang blushed. He wanted to tell him, but he minded it too much. For the sake of politeness, he squeezed out a sentence between his teeth with difficulty, “White peach oolong.”

“Oh, this is not a common scent,” the uncle exhaled a puff of smoke, “Blindly covering it is a waste of money.”

Gu Ang’s patience ran out, “I have a lot of money. Just give me a blocker.”

The uncle had an epiphany, “You think that scent is too delicate? You want it to be fierce.”

From under the table, the uncle pulled out a dark brown glass bottle, “What about whiskey? It’s so fierce that an Omega will be left kneeling and crying.”

Gu Ang: “…”

That wasn’t necessary.

“I don’t want it.” Gu Ang frowned, “Uncle, honestly, do you have no blockers here?”

He was blindly talking.

The uncle sucked in a mouthful of smoke and coughed violently, “Ah yes, indeed… Sold out. I told you that I’m the only one near the school, you can’t find it anywhere else.”

You’re the only one? What a bully!

Gu Ang was afraid his pheromone would become more and more intense, and was really too shameful. Going through an inner struggle, he decided to barely make do, “Okay. That whiskey, give it to me.”

“Right, 4000 star coins a bottle, it’s good for a few uses.”

So expensive? How has your store not collapsed yet?

Gu Ang cursed in his heart and paid, reassuring himself that it was better than nothing. He took the small brown bottle back to his dormitory and sprayed it down towards his neck according to the instructions.

The stuff was better than he expected, with only a faint whiff of alcohol, but it smelled a little too good. Gu Ang went around the room a few times and couldn’t resist wrinkling his nose and sniffing.

It smells good, and it really suited an interstellar Alpha like him.

The door was opened by Ye Fei. As soon as he entered the room, his nerves were reflexively tense, and the Alpha side of him was naturally hostile to the strange pheromone. Ye Fei came closer and saw the person lying lazily on the small sofa swinging his long legs, with a leisurely posture and humming a song.

Someone else had entered their dorm and he was still in such a good mood?

Ye Fei didn’t speak, pursed his lips and looked around the room. It was empty. He turned back to the sofa and bent slightly before realizing that the smell of whiskey was emanating from Gu Ang.

Silky, with the scent of alcohol. He couldn’t seem to smell the white peach oolong. Just how intimate a gesture did it take to be tainted with such a strong pheromone?

Ye Fei fingertips clenched the sofa, feeling so jealous that he was about to lose control.

Gu Ang was in a good mood and was about to invite him to enjoy the new smell when he heard Ye Fei’s icy to the core, slightly mocking voice, “Who did you just hang out with?”