TW: sexual harassment
For a moment, Mo Ziran was stunned, until he understood what Fu Yucheng meant.
His round eyes grew wide. “Yucheng-ge, what are you talking about? How could that be possible?”
Fu Yucheng said indifferently, “It’s been three years since your brother left. He came back wearing a sinister ghost mask, and his close family members have died one after the other… Don’t you think that’s suspicious?”
Mo Ziran was quiet for a while, and then he said anxiously, “But- but the Spectral Hook wouldn’t deceive people!”
Fu Yucheng frowned and said, “Spectral Hook? Is that the name of Mo Ziwei’s hook?”
“Yeah!” Mo Ziran nodded and explained, “That hook is a Mo family heirloom, and it was the weapon that Admiral Mo Hanchuan used when he was young!
“I heard from my father that the hook contains 6% of blue gold, and that it’s an extremely powerful sentience weapon. It can recognize its master! Back then, Admiral Mo Hanchuan passed the Spectral Hook onto my great-grandfather. It took him a full three months to get the weapon to acknowledge a master once again.”
Fu Yucheng frowned.
Mo Hanchuan had been an extremely powerful S-rank manipulator, capable of controlling many types of sentience weapons. However, for a long time, he didn’t have his own fated1 sentience weapon that he could use.
It was not until later when his friend, Du Yueheng, gave him a top-quality sentience weapon—the ‘Wings of Death’, made of pure blue gold—that Mo Hanchuan acquired his own fated sentience weapon.
The so-called ‘Spectral Hook’ should be one of the sentience weapons Mo Hanchuan used when he was young, one that he gave to his adoptive son, Mo Ziran’s great-grandfather.
Sentience weapons were made with some amount of blue gold, the psionic-sensitive metal, mixed in. They had an innate resonance with the first owner’s psionic field, which was commonly known as ‘recognizing its master’. Excluding very close blood relatives, a change of ownership was a very troublesome process that required intense cooperation from the previous owner.
Since the so-called ‘Spectral Hook’ was a Mo Family heirloom, of course, it wouldn’t be easy for an outsider to wield it.
But, two years earlier, Fu Yucheng had personally witnessed how Mo Ziwei used that same hook to kill He Lei, and the whole process had gone smoothly without even a trace of reluctance.
What the hell is going on?
Fu Yucheng thought about it for a while, but to no avail.
He pondered for a moment, then slowly said, “Ziran, I want to ask you a question. If you don’t want to answer it, you don’t have to.”
Mo Ziran nodded. “Yucheng-ge, you can ask.”
“Which category does the Mo Family’s psionic power belong to?” Fu Yucheng asked slowly.
Manipulator’s psionic powers were divided into six big systems: strength, heat, light, electrical, special, and hybrid. There was a certain genetic chance of it getting passed on from parents to children. For example, the children of parents who were good at controlling electrical currents had a great chance of being able to be able to manipulate electricity as well.
Most controllers did not conceal their type. However, some controllers regarded their abilities as a great secret, and, using the element of surprise, they were often able to gain the upper hand in life and death situations.
For example, the Mo family.
For hundreds of years, no one had ever discovered which line of manipulators did the Mo family belong to.
Mo Ziran hesitated for a while before saying, “I don’t know much. I haven’t awakened my psionic power yet… When I was a child, my father was afraid that I would reveal the secret accidentally, so he said that he would tell me once I grew up. However, he died soon after. Two years ago, I also asked my brother, but he told me not to worry about it…”
He thought for a while, and then, tentatively, he said, “Perhaps his speed is particularly high? Every time my brother strikes a blow, no one can ever see it clearly.”
“That’s possible.” Fu Yucheng nodded.
Speed manipulators belonged to the special system category, and they weren’t too unusual. Two years earlier, when Mo Ziwei used the Spectral Hook to claim He Lei’s life, even Fu Yucheng wasn’t able to see it come and go.
A speed manipulator?
Fu Yucheng asked Mo Ziran a few more questions, making sure that the naive boy didn’t know anything else.
Seeing the hand of the clock slowly point at twelve o’clock, Fu Yucheng rubbed his temples wearily. “Ziran, what are your plans?”
“I don’t know…” Mo Ziran hesitated. “However, I could sneak back and pretend not to know about any of this? My brother might not be able to guess that the thief was me.”
Fu Yucheng stared at him. “Did you wipe all the fingerprints you left in the bedroom?”
“Uh, I didn’t…” Mo Ziran said nervously. “Ah, perhaps I should go back and apologize to my brother? At most, he’ll beat me up.”
Fu Yucheng slowly shook his head. “I’m afraid it won’t be that easy.”
If, as he thought, the current Mo Ziwei was fake and he mistakenly thought that Mo Ziran had broken into his study, stolen his things, and even discovered some of his secrets… Then, if Mo Ziran rushed back now, who knew what sort of misfortune would happen?
Maybe it would be the same as the ‘beloved wife’ that accidentally fell to her death.
Mo Ziran swallowed. “Then… Yucheng-ge, what do you think I should do?”
Fu Yucheng thought for a while. “Don’t go back today, just hide in my place. Let’s see what’s the situation like tomorrow, and then we’ll discuss what to do.”
Mo Ziran blinked his big black eyes, and nodded obediently. “Sure, alright. I’ll listen to you, Yucheng-ge.”
Seeing his cute expression, Fu Yucheng’s hand felt somewhat itchy, and he couldn’t resist stroking the boy’s hair for a bit. “Alright, let’s just do that for now.”
He thought to himself, this kid’s hair is a bit thin. Little Mo’s hair is nicer to the touch, fluffy and very soft. The only thing that compares to his would be the fat orange cat of the proprietress… It’s a pity that the fat cat is so vicious, not letting me touch it and just scratching me every time.
As he was distracted thinking of random things, suddenly, Bai Mo said coldly, “There’s only two two beds. There’s no place for him to sleep.”
Fu Yucheng shrugged, indifferent. “You two are boys, squeeze in together.”
Mo Ziran gave Bai Mo a timid look, and Bai Mo looked back at him blankly. The look in his eyes was almost as cold as ice. Mo Ziran got goosebumps.
The two teenagers reached a consensus: they definitely didn’t want to sleep in the same bed together.
“Yucheng-ge, maybe… I could sleep with you,” Mo Ziran decided on the spot, speaking in a pitiful voice.
Dumbfounded, Bai Mo gave Mo Ziran a look of disbelief.
What is this guy thinking? Is there something wrong with his brain?
Fu Yucheng replied right away, “Sure, but I’m not a good sleeper. I’m afraid I’ll end up crushing you.”
“That’s okay. I’m small, so I don’t take up much space,” Mo Ziran said quickly.
Fu Yucheng yawned. “Okay, it’s settled then. Noob, turn on sleep mode.”
The quantum computer, ‘Noob’, was floating in a corner near the ceiling. Its green light flickered. “Beep beep beep, sleep mode activated. Lights off, sound insulation on.”
The blackout curtain in the room went down automatically and the light slowly dimmed, leaving only a small night light emitting a soft, yellow glow.
“Little Mo, don’t go to sleep too late.” Fu Yucheng stood up, stretched his arms, and walked into the bedroom.
Mo Ziran followed behind him, chatting. “Yucheng-ge, your computer is so cute! A floating round ball… Ah, why did you push me?”
Bai Mo rudely pushed the other away from Fu Yucheng. “You go sleep in that room.”
Before Mo Ziran could react, the boy had pushed him into his own small bedroom with a dark expression on his face, and closed the door with a bang.
Fu Yucheng was a bit confused. “Little Mo, what’s wrong?”
Bai Mo said blankly, “He’s a guest. It’s better to let him sleep alone.”
Fu Yucheng smiled and petted his head. “Tsk, you’re so sensible. Then… tonight, it’s us two brothers sleeping in the same bed, huh?”
Bai Mo blinked and replied blankly, “Huh?”
“Little Mo, you go to sleep first. I’ll be reading some stuff for a while,” Fu Yucheng said as he grabbed the diary from under the mattress.
Remembering something, he then added, “By the way, I only have one quilt here, but it’s pretty big. If I fall asleep and hog it all later, just pull it towards yourself.”
“Okay.” The boy shrank under the covers, only showing a pair of dark eyes.
The quilt covering him was thin and soft, and its light, fresh smell was very pleasant… it smelled just like Fu Yucheng.
The light of the lamp was faint and fuzzy. Narrowing his eyes to a slit, Bai Mo secretly looked at the other man.
Fu Yucheng was leaning against the headboard, carefully flipping through the old diary. He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache forming.
Mo Hanchuan’s handwriting was very sloppy, and a long time had gone by. Much of the handwriting on the yellowed pages had become blurry, and very difficult to read.
Fu Yucheng barely managed to read two pages, and they were all filled with insignificant things.
Maybe he was too tired that night, maybe it was the bit of alcohol he had that evening, or maybe it was simply too late, but he felt that his eyelids were getting heavier and heavier, as if he had a giant invisible hand dragging them down… Without realizing, he had slipped into a half awake, half asleep state.
“Yu-ge?” Bai Mo asked quietly.
“Hmm…” Fu Yucheng mumbled softly, unable to even open his eyes.
The young man looked at his drowsy features. His chest felt soft, and his heart seemed to be melting into a pool of spring water. At the same time, he secretly felt a bit amused.
He propped himself up, took out the pillow from behind the other and laid him down gently, carefully tucking the quilt over him.
After a while, Fu Yucheng’s breathing gradually evened out.
Bai Mo lowered his eyes to look at the other’s handsome sleeping face. Eventually, his eyes fell onto the man’s pale lips, and he was keenly aware of his own heartbeat.
It had been a long time since that impulsive and secret, thoughtless kiss… he really wanted to…
The boy stared at the man, unconsciously pressing his lips together, a fierce struggle visible in his eyes.
He thought, I can’t go on like this anymore.
It’s too vile.
That man… he certainly likes girls. And he treats me so well, just like a real brother.
How can I… how can I keep doing this? Every night, in my dreams, I’d abuse him, humiliate him, torture him and make him cry. And I’d look at him with my head full of such thoughts.
What would he think if he knew?
Would he hate me?
Would he feel disgusted?
Would he drive me away?
I should be able to control myself, but, but… I really can’t help it.
Can I even… like him?
Even if it isn’t possible now, if I can become much, much more stronger, if I could protect him, help him, would he, would he… a bit…?
…would he?
He wouldn’t.
As if an angel and a devil were pulling at him back and forth in his mind, the boy felt as if he was going to get torn apart, and his chest kept switching from feeling warm to cold.
Unaware, Fu Yucheng was still sleeping, with his beautifully shaped lips expelling a warm breath, still carrying some alcohol scent.
His lips were completely relaxed and defenseless.
As if he were inviting someone to claim them.
Bai Mo clenched his teeth, his heart feeling as if it was hung above a toxic flame, getting burned alive.
Suffering, anguish, and desire.
He struggled against those feelings for a long time, and in the end, after enduring and enduring, he wasn’t able to hold back anymore.
He thought, I’ll just… I’ll touch them gently. I’ll just touch them, I won’t even think about doing anything else, I won’t do anything else.
Having made his decision, the boy lowered his head carefully, and, like a hummingbird touching a fragile dewdrop, he lightly touched the other’s lips with his own. This time, perhaps because of the wine, the other’s lips were soft and moist, like a freshly picked flower petal.
Feeling dizzy, he thoroughly tasted them for a long time before he lifted his head.
The beautiful lips had become wet and turned a vibrant color due to Bai Mo’s actions, and they had unconsciously parted slightly because of the lack of oxygen. The light, warm scent of the alcohol hung in the space between their faces.
Bai Mo looked at the man, feeling his mind go hazy. The boy’s body was very warm, his blood boiling and rushing through his veins, a like a natural disaster clamoring,2 still wanting something more.
But what more…?
He swallowed, impatient, and his greedy gaze switched to the other man’s earlobe, where he had a small, rosy colored beauty mark.
The boy’s head moved down as if he were possessed.
He was like a not yet grown, but already ferocious feline. With both eagerness and caution, he kissed that small rosy mark.
As if feeling something in his sleep, Fu Yucheng groaned dazedly, and turned his head away.
He frowned slightly, the corners of his eyes still flushed red from the alcohol. His faint, low voice sounded as if he was being bullied terribly, but he was only capable of letting out a helpless, quiet whimper.
Well that’s a cliffhanger. Is Mo Ziran our second male lead? Bai Mo seems to think so.
Footnote because I can’t add it on the chapter title: “Drinking vinegar” in Chinese refers to being jealous.
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