CH 72.2

Chapter 72.2 – The Third Plan

Shi Yuan looked at him.

After looking at each other like this for two seconds, he suddenly smiled, leaned in, and kissed Lu Tinghan’s side face.

He said briskly: “I thought it was something so serious! I made my decision the first time I went out of the city to show you that blue butterfly! I didn’t do it for you, I like it here too.”

Lu Tinghan: “…” He was a little puzzled.

Shi Yuan’s tail waved like a colorful flag: “I met the troupe, met Cheng Youwen and Qin Luoluo, and performed such a good story as “The Martyr” with them, I also saw the sea of flowers and wheat fields; later, I met Mr. Wu who wanted to go to the universe, Edward who liked to dance waltz, saw those windmills and energy towers, and heard so many people’s stories on the phone… These are all things I like. I went to Iron City to retrieve all the information about ‘Overlook’. If you didn’t mention it, I would also take the initiative to help the city and do more things.”

Lu Tinghan: “You mean…?”

Shi Yuan: “Of course, I am willing!” He hugged Lu Tinghan, softly nestling in Lu Tinghan’s arms. “Maybe in the future, we will be able to live in an underground city. Then I can also continue to act in stage plays.”

This time, Lu Tinghan was almost at a loss. His hand hung in the air for a few seconds before gently falling on Shi Yuan’s waist, hugging him, and whispering: “…thank you.”

He hugged Shi Yuan tightly, and the soft black hair scratched his jaw.

Thousands of words boiled in his chest, he opened his mouth, but he was at a loss for words for the first time in his life.

Shi Yuan said in his ear: “I love you too.”

*

The week after that, Lu Tinghan got a report from Professor Guan, one proving that Shi Yuan would not attract monsters, and the other proving that he was not contagious in human form.

He was going to find Chai Yongning, the president of the Alliance.

Shi Yuan was very nervous about this, he asked Lu Tinghan: “If he knows about me, will he stop letting you command?”

“Chai Yongning has the right to know.” Lu Tinghan put on his jacket. “I will convince him.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“I’m still very nervous… then when will you be back?”

“I don’t know, it won’t be long.”

They kissed goodbye. Shi Yuan watched Lu Tinghan’s aircraft disappear into the sky.

Ten hours later, Chai Yongning and Lu Tinghan had a private meeting.

Lu Tinghan told the story in detail.

Chai Yongning was so shocked that his cloudy old eyes were almost protruding, and he even took more than a dozen quick-acting heart-saving pills.

Fortunately, he had seen strong winds and waves, and after hearing this incredible story, it took dozens of minutes to calm down.

He said slowly: “General Lu, have you ever thought that he can destroy all cities as soon as he goes crazy? Are you so sure he is trustworthy?”

Lu Tinghan folded his fingers in front of him, his white gloves dazzling. He said: “I absolutely believe him. Again, it doesn’t matter whether the Alliance believes it or not. And you overestimate our power. Once he runs towards the wasteland, no one will be able to see him again, and it will only take a few seconds to infect the army and destroy the city. We are not even in a position to negotiate.”

He added: “With the situation like this, ‘Deep Dive’ may be our only hope.”

Chai Yongning paced back and forth, tangled until his eyebrows wrinkled together.

He said again: “Then how did you convince him? What are your chips?”

Lu Tinghan: “The bargaining chip is myself.” He added, “You know the princess who married the ruler of a minor kingdom in ancient times, I’m married to that princess now. Ever since I met him, I’ve been making him happy every day, and I even help him untie his tail.”

Chai Yongning’s expression was quite hard to describe right now. After a long time, he choked out a sentence: “General Lu, it’s hard work for you…”

The general was really working hard.

In front, he strategized and fought monsters, and in the back, he offered ‘meat’ to stabilize the abyss. With both internal and external, with both ability and political integrity, it could be said that he was really the pillar of the Alliance.

Chai Yongning finally sighed: “You can stay for a few days, this is a big matter, we need to discuss it carefully.”

Lu Tinghan nodded: “That’s exactly what I want to do.”

Chai Yongning hesitated for a moment and asked, “But why did you tell me?”

In the end times, military power was everything. Chai Yongning had no real power in his hands, he could say that he was half-empty, so Lu Tinghan didn’t need to tell him.

Lu Tinghan said, “This is not my war alone, you are also my comrade-in-arms.”

“…” Chai Yongning’s eyes flashed with emotion, and he sighed again, “General Lu, let’s discuss it – just the two of us, and if necessary, add Professor Guan Xun. This matter does not need to be expanded further. One last question, please answer me honestly, what kind of existence is he to you?”

The sun was shining brightly, and it fell on the shoulders of the two of them through the window, and the light and dust were dancing in the air.

Lu Tinghan’s eyes were still firm, but they were softer than before, like a gray-blue ocean filled with skylight.

He said: “He is my lover.”

The discussion ended two days later, and Chai Yongning agreed to Lu Tinghan’s proposal.

Lu Tinghan returned to Fengyang City.

Walking all the way through the old streets, he came to the secluded residence. It rained today and the sky was gray. He propped up a black umbrella and went home.

As soon as he opened the door, he found that Shi Yuan’s sneakers were gone.

Shi Yuan went out.

Lu Tinghan called him but he did not answer. Most of the surrounding buildings were uninhabited, and there were not many places to go. Lu Tinghan followed and saw an abandoned station 80 meters away from home.

The station had just been shut down, and no passengers came again. The station signs and advertising slogans had not been removed in time, and the words were densely packed. A lamp was still on, and the white light pierced the swaying rain curtain, fell into the puddle, and was scattered by the jumping raindrops. The surrounding abandoned buildings were swallowed up by darkness. From this point of view, it seemed that there was only this small station left in the world.

Lu Tinghan saw that under the brilliance, the young man’s slightly slender body was leaning against the stop sign – Shi Yuan was sitting at the station and fell asleep.

Lu Tinghan knew why Shi Yuan was here.

He took the aircraft before leaving, and it was from this direction that he left. Shi Yuan didn’t expect that this time, the aircraft landed at another base, and Lu Tinghan came back from the exact opposite path. This time, when the princess waited for her husband, she looked in the wrong direction.

In the past two days, discussing with Chai Yongning, coupled with the daily command work, Lu Tinghan was very busy and only had time to send a few messages to Shi Yuan.

Shi Yuan was always worried that he would affect Lu Tinghan, probably because he was too anxious and couldn’t stay at home, so he came to this station to wait.

He wondered if he always came here.

The world was dim and the cold rain was pouring. Lonely light, abandoned station, and a sleeping abyss.

Lu Tinghan stood in the rain and watched for a few seconds, then walked over—

He sat quietly beside Shi Yuan, his black umbrella propped up to block the rain and wind. After sitting like this for two minutes, Shi Yuan’s eyelids moved, and he said vaguely: “Hmm…?”

“It’s me,” Lu Tinghan said, “Shi Yuan, let’s go home.”