Chapter 5: Small-Town Drama and a Night of Shared Slumber

Shao Ye mulled it over, side-eyeing Lu Zhanxing. The guy had grown up in the capital star, practically aristocracy by small-town standards. No way someone like him would be used to the grease-soaked delights of street food. With a knowing smirk, Shao Ye grabbed another skewer, shoving it toward Lu Zhanxing’s face.

“Not a fan of duck intestines? Fine, just say so. Here, try some roasted lamb balls instead.”

He didn’t expect Lu Zhanxing to turn him down with the same stubborn pride, stomach growling or not.

“I sold the nutrition packs for cash. You’re really planning to skip meals now? What, you need me to hire you a Michelin chef or something?” Shao Ye grumbled, barely masking his exasperation.

But Lu Zhanxing stayed maddeningly unruffled. “I’ve done hunger training. I’ll survive.”

That threw Shao Ye off for a second, his mind spinning. 'Hunger training? Isn’t that standard for the Alliance military?' He squinted, sizing Lu Zhanxing up. 'Who the hell is this guy?'

Lu Zhanxing seemed to catch the flicker of suspicion and quickly cooked up an excuse. “I joined the Alliance military for a while. Needed the money to save up for… a wedding. Just retired recently.”

Shao Ye’s eyebrows shot up, his curiosity ignited. “A wedding? Yours?” He leaned in, practically radiating nosy energy.

But Lu Zhanxing shut him down, offering no further details. His poker face said, 'End of conversation.'

Realizing he’d hit a wall, Shao Ye backed off. Digging too deep into someone else’s business was a line he wasn’t keen to cross. Instead, he pivoted back to more pressing matters.

Grinning with a hint of mischief, he snatched a skewer of lamb, thrusting it directly toward Lu Zhanxing’s mouth. “Alright, give this a shot—lamb skewers. Premium cut, straight from a young lamb’s thigh. Doesn’t get better than that.”

Lu Zhanxing hesitated, taking the skewer like it was a ticking time bomb. He refused to take a bite until Shao Ye swore it was actually thigh meat. The guy clearly had trust issues, petrified he’d end up chomping on something sketchy.

But one bite in, the flavor hit him like a freight train—rich, smoky, and damn near addictive. Before Shao Ye could blink, the skewers were obliterated, nothing left but sticks and crumbs.

Shao Ye stared, utterly dumbfounded. The man ate like a beast—no, scratch that, like some mythical ancestor of Pigsy himself.

Was this gluttony genetic? Because holy hell, it was impressive.

Lu Zhanxing, the so-called refined eater, had apparently lived his entire life on dietician-approved, hyper-sterilized meals. Sure, those were clean and nutritious, but this messy, char-grilled street food? It had a forbidden allure that hooked him instantly.

Later that night, Shao Ye finally understood just how badly tin walls failed at insulating sound.

And by sound, he meant a symphony of chaos. The kind you’d hear at an X-rated circus. Every grunt, groan, and bedframe slam from the rooms around them seeped into their ears, turning the thin-walled hellhole into a live-action horror show. Compared to this, even sleeping in a damp cave sounded like a luxury retreat.

Shao Ye tossed and turned, his nerves fried. Meanwhile, Lu Zhanxing lay on his back, as immovable as a slab of stone. The only proof he was still alive was his steady breathing.

Hours of auditory assault later, Shao Ye finally snapped.

“Lu-ge, how the hell are you managing to sleep through this?”

The answer came cold and clipped, “I’m not.”

That was it. Shao Ye flipped on the light, grabbed a wooden stool, climbed onto the table, and hammered the ceiling like it owed him rent.

Above, the ruckus stopped dead. Silence. Sweet, sweet silence. But not for long. A furious voice boomed down, laced with venom.

“Oi! You wanna die, huh?! Interrupting my good time like that?!”

Shao Ye’s eyes narrowed, and without missing a beat, he fired back, “Listen up, you dog-brained bastard! Make another sound, and I’ll personally chop your little plaything off and feed it to stray dogs!”

For a moment, the entire floor seemed to hold its breath. But the man above wasn’t about to back down. A chuckle, slimy and smug, dripped through the ceiling.

“Big talk, huh? Who the hell comes to a hotel to sleep, you limp-dicked loner? Need a hand down there? I’ll come stretch you out myself!”

The blood in Shao Ye’s veins boiled, but before he could spit out a comeback, Lu Zhanxing made his move. Without a word, he launched a spinning kick straight into the ceiling.

BANG!

The impact was thunderous. The entire ceiling buckled inward, shaking the room like an earthquake.

Above them? The floor shook so violently, the idiot upstairs probably got launched into orbit.

Sure enough, a pitiful scream followed—a mix of shock, pain, and sheer humiliation.

“You’re dead meat! I’m coming down there to kill you!”

Shao Ye tensed. He wanted revenge, sure, but not enough to derail their mission. “Lu-ge, we’re on their turf. Let’s not cause a bigger scene.”

But Lu Zhanxing, calm as ever, pulled Shao Ye back onto the couch with a light shove. His voice was low, steady. “Stay here. I’ll take care of it.”

Shao Ye jumped to his feet. “What do you mean, ‘take care of it’? This kind of scum always gangs up. We’re better off handling them together.”

Lu Zhanxing shoved him back onto the couch, his tone calm but brooking no argument. “Ah Ye, I’ve served in the military. Handling a few thugs? Child’s play. Sit your ass down and relax.”

“But—” Shao Ye opened his mouth to protest, but a barrage of furious pounding on the door cut him off.

Lu Zhanxing didn’t bother to reply. He walked to the door, shutting it firmly behind him as he stepped out.

The moment the door swung open, the group of thugs took one look inside, sneering at the sight of two people in the room. One of them spat out, “What’s the matter? Two grown men in here and still can’t get it up for a fight?”

He didn’t even get to finish. A sharp, brutal cacophony of fists meeting flesh erupted in the hallway. Inside, Shao Ye stood frozen, his nerves alight as he heard crashes, thuds, and the guttural cries of pain from the thugs outside. Anxiety gnawed at him, his foot tapping erratically as he worried about Lu Zhanxing’s safety.

It wasn’t long before the door reopened, and Lu Zhanxing stepped back inside.

Shao Ye rushed to him, his hands fumbling as he checked for injuries. After a frantic inspection, he realized all the blood staining Lu Zhanxing’s clothes wasn’t his. Not a scratch on him. Relief flooded Shao Ye, mingled with a growing awe for this man.

“All handled. Go get some rest. I’m taking a shower,” Lu Zhanxing said, his voice steady, almost soothing, as though the chaos moments ago had been a mere nuisance.

As Lu Zhanxing headed for the bathroom, Shao Ye noticed the bloodied clothes left by the door. Remembering how meticulous Lu Zhanxing was about his appearance, he picked them up and decided to wash them.

When Lu Zhanxing emerged, freshly showered, Shao Ye informed him, “I washed your clothes. They’ll be dry by morning, so you’ll have to go shirtless tonight.”

No big deal, Shao Ye thought. The room didn’t have air conditioning; sleeping half-naked wouldn’t hurt anyone. But in no time, the relentless mosquitoes in the area swarmed in, leaving Lu Zhanxing with multiple bites barely a minute after stepping out.

Realizing he’d messed up, Shao Ye grimaced. “Lu-ge, if you don’t mind… maybe we can squeeze in together?”

Without waiting for an answer, he shifted to the very edge of the narrow bed, his back pressed against the wall to make as much space as possible.

Lu Zhanxing hesitated but, knowing Shao Ye’s tendency to overthink and guilt-trip himself, finally relented with a quiet sigh. The bed was barely a meter wide, forcing them into uncomfortably close quarters.

Exhausted from days of rough travel, the two collapsed into a deep sleep, their bodies unwittingly soothed by the high compatibility of their pheromones.

The next morning, as they prepared to leave the dingy motel, Shao Ye’s attention caught on the remnants of the hallway fight. Blood splatters on the walls, jagged dents in the metal panels—every inch screamed of violence. The thugs were gone, but the aftermath was like an open wound, a stark reminder of Lu Zhanxing’s unyielding force.

Shao Ye’s gut tightened. Would the motel owner demand compensation for this mess?

But when they checked out, the receptionist—a pale, trembling woman—didn’t utter a word. Her hands moved so fast to process their departure, it was as if she couldn’t wait to see them gone.

As they hit the road again, the hours of travel stretched endlessly. By dusk, they arrived at the docks leading to the Dust Town District. A heavy silence hung between them as they looked toward the horizon.

Shao Ye finally broke it, his voice tinged with hesitation. “Lu-ge, thanks for everything. You’ve done more than enough, even getting me here safely. Three kilometers from here is a Federation checkpoint. You’re a citizen of the Imperial Capital; they’ll escort you back home. The rest of the way, I’ll manage on my own.”

His meaning was clear: it was time for Lu Zhanxing to go back to his polished, orderly life. Shao Ye couldn’t let his mess drag the man down any longer—not after stealing his car and forcing him to endure days of hardship.

To his surprise, Lu Zhanxing didn’t budge. Instead, his voice was steady as he replied, “I’m leaving Imperial Star, too.”

“Why?” Shao Ye blurted, his confusion plain.

To most, the Imperial Capital was a dream—a utopia of wealth and status. What reason could a man like Lu Zhanxing, practically aristocracy, have to abandon it?

Lu Zhanxing met his gaze, his expression calm as he fed him a well-crafted lie. “I deserted the military.”

Shao Ye’s eyes widened in disbelief. A deserter?

The Federation’s ironclad laws punished such crimes with death. What could possibly drive a man like Lu Zhanxing to risk it all and walk this perilous path?

"I told you, didn’t I? I joined the army to save up for a wedding. But guess what? My fiancée dumped me. She broke it off without a second thought. I decided to chase after her, so I risked everything and fled the barracks. Only when I got to O Academy did I find out she’d hooked up with some Alpha who, apparently, was a better match for her. They’re married now. Just like that."

Shao Ye didn’t doubt him for a second. Instead, he felt a wave of sympathy and couldn’t hold back his sharp tongue. "Your fiancée’s an absolute idiot. Seriously. She had a devoted, capable man like you ready to tie the knot and ditched you for some random Alpha? Pathetic. She’ll regret it—mark my words. When she does, she’ll be crying her eyes out. If it were me? Damn, if I had a husband like you, Lu-ge, I wouldn’t just stick to you; I’d be glued to you. Run off with some other Alpha? I wouldn’t even glance at another one."

Lu Zhanxing seemed to like hearing that. His face softened, a trace of satisfaction showing. "So yeah, now I’m basically homeless. My only choice is to keep running and head for the Dust Town District."

Perfect. That was just what Shao Ye wanted to hear. He jumped at the chance. "Great! Looks like we’re fated. I’ll take you with me."

They made their way to the docks, and only then did Lu Zhanxing notice this wasn’t a proper military port under Alliance control. It was a grimy, no-nonsense cargo dock meant for hauling goods.

That “connection” Shao Ye had mentioned earlier?

Turned out, it meant sneaking in, finding the captain, and convincing him to smuggle them to the Dust Town District.

These black-market ships had been running smuggling operations for years, part of a well-oiled underground network. Easy enough, right? Except there was a catch: they had to pay up front.

Shao Ye, being flat broke, tried pleading, begging, bargaining—anything to avoid paying. But the captain wouldn’t budge an inch.

Out of options, Shao Ye finally played his ace. He dropped a name. Claimed he was under the protection of someone important. Promised the captain double the fare upon arrival. Begrudgingly, the captain agreed to take them.

Curious, Lu Zhanxing raised an eyebrow and asked, "What did you say to him?"

"I told him I’m with Boss Bai," Shao Ye said nonchalantly, tugging Lu Zhanxing along as a dockhand led them toward the ship’s cargo hold.

That name made Lu Zhanxing instantly wary. He pressed, "Who the hell is Boss Bai?"

"My old boss. A big shot in the Dust Town District. Rich, powerful, the kind of guy people listen to. Back when I was desperate for work and couldn’t catch a break, he took me and my sister in. Gave us a place to stay, paid for her medical treatments, even got me training materials to learn programming and mechanics. That’s how I became self-reliant."

Shao Ye’s eyes gleamed with gratitude as he spoke, but there was an edge of unease in his voice. "Of course, I borrowed a ton of money from him to pay for her treatments. Then I disappeared for three years without paying him back. God, I hope he doesn’t think I skipped town with his money."

Just as he finished speaking, the dockhands shoved them into a cramped cargo compartment. The space was so tight it felt like they were being stuffed into a coffin—there was barely enough room to breathe.

One of the crew sneered and said, "There’s an oxygen pipe in there. You won’t suffocate. If we get inspected, we’ll knock on the walls. When that happens, don’t make a sound. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, got it!" Shao Ye waved him off, nodding furiously as he squeezed himself into the claustrophobic space.

———TN: Shao Ye, that's your fiance.