God favors those with talent greatly. Even if one wastes half of their life, as long as they decide to work hard, success comes easily to them.
Shuai Chang and Yaxi Beren walked along a small path, where the stars twinkled in the sky, and the Milky Way sparkled. The sound of crickets chirped in the grass.
On this quiet night, the gentle night wind tousled Yaxi Beren’s golden hair, and the wide sleeves of his garment fluttered in the breeze, just like a deity. Shuai Chang grasped his hand, and Yaxi Beren looked at him in confusion, “Austen?”
Shuai Chang covered Yaxi’s exquisite eyes, more beautiful than the Milky Way, with his palm and softly asked, “Yaxi, may I kiss you?”
Yaxi Beren’s body shivered as Shuai’s hand brushed against his eyelashes. He bit his lip and nodded, his ears blushing a cute red in the moonlight.
“Close your eyes.” The hot breath caressed Yaxi’s neck.
Shuai Chang removed his hand, and Yaxi Beren slowly closed his eyes, his trembling eyelashes casting a small shadow.
Shuai Chang separated from Austen’s spiritual form, and the tall, dark-haired man leaned down to kiss Yaxi Beren’s tender lips.
“Hmm—” Yaxi Beren’s soft whimper was swallowed by Shuai Chang.
After the kiss, taking advantage of Yaxi Beren’s dazed state, Shuai Chang reentered Austen’s spiritual form.
Shuai Chang went to support Yaxi Beren, expressing worry, “Yaxi, are you okay?”
Yaxi Beren opened his eyes and nodded gently, “I’m fine.” His gaze lingered over Austen’s lips, which still looked pale, and he wondered why the kiss felt so fiery that it could melt someone.
“Let’s go back and rest.” Yaxi Beren smiled with his lips tinged red from Shuai Chang’s kiss.
“Okay.” Shuai Chang, feeling his personal desires fulfilled, smiled like a spring breeze.
The next day, the two asked Aljie to inquire whether the residents who had fallen ill had ever hunted animals in the back mountain.
Aljie looked puzzled, “Why ask this? Is there something wrong with the animals in the back mountain?”
Shuai Chang replied, “The mayor will know after I ask.”
Since it was a matter entrusted by the Saint Son, Aljie went door to door to ask, but with each house he visited, a storm brewed in his heart.
Besides the patients infected by relatives, it turned out that everyone else had hunted wild goats in the back mountain.
Immediately, Aljie ordered people to seal off the back mountain, restricting everyone from going there.
After dealing with the matter, Aljie sought out Yaxi Beren.
“Your Highness the Saint Son, I find it puzzling. Why would the corpses of wild goats transmit the witch’s disease when the dark mage had cast spells on all the wild goats?”
Yaxi Beren turned to Shuai Chang, who explained, “The dark mage’s power can only be stored in individual entities and cannot be transmitted. I wonder if the mayor has heard of the profession of an apothecary?”
Aljie mentioned, “An apothecary came to town a month ago, and we bought many healing potions from him.”
“The apothecary can not only create healing medicine but also concoct lethal poisons. I think that apothecary fed the wild goats in the back mountain with a contagious poison. When people hunted the wild goats, they got their blood on them, and the poisonous blood entered their bodies through their skin. Those who had touched each other would get what is referred to as the witch’s disease.”
Yaxi Beren added, “This is also the reason I can’t heal the patients directly.”
Because there was no dark power within the patients’ bodies.
After Shuai Chang and Yaxi Beren resolved the issues in Kain Town, they began their journey toward Krumlov.
Aljie gifted them a carriage filled with plenty of food.
Yaxi Beren didn’t want Aljie to make a fuss over it, so that afternoon, Shuai Chang drove the carriage away from Kain Town.
Krumlov was located near the borders of the Saint Rod Empire, and Yaxi Beren wanted to prevent more deaths, so they didn’t delay their journey, traveling even at night.
Before entering Krumlov, they rested in a forest, and when Shuai Chang went to fetch water from the river, he discovered signs of rotting on Austen’s body. The toenails and fingernails had fallen off; it had been days since Shuai Chang had touched Yaxi Beren with his hands.
Now, there wasn’t a good opportunity to be honest.
The fighting spirit within Austen had dwindled; at most, he could hold on for another day before his whole body would completely rot.
As Shuai Chang returned with water, a sudden rustling startled the birds in the woods, and he heard Yaxi Beren’s scream ahead.
Shuai Chang’s expression tightened, and he hurried back.
He saw Yaxi Beren sitting on the ground outside the carriage, his eyes filled with fear.
“Austen…”
Shuai Chang stepped closer but didn’t dare to reach out and help him, only asking, “Yaxi, what happened? Can you stand up?”
Yaxi Beren wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, “You just left, and I suddenly saw a shadow. I was so frightened that I fell. Austen, why didn’t you help me up?”
Shuai Chang held two water jugs, “I have things in my hands.”
“Put them down.”
Shuai Chang gave an awkward smile, “Yaxi, you can stand up by yourself.”
Yaxi Beren angrily turned his head away, “I knew it, Austen. If you have changed your heart, just tell me. You don’t need to force yourself to care for me.”
“Yaxi, I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. How is it possible for me to change my heart? Please don’t think wildly. Come on, get up and drink some water. The stream water here is very sweet.”
Yaxi Beren seemed to be in a daze, “The first time you saw me? I remember too. It was by the holy pool of the church. I was taking a bath, and you suddenly barged in. When you saw me in there, you quickly blushed and backed out. How cute you were back then.”
Shuai Chang frowned. Did Yaxi Beren like the old Austen? A feeling of frustration lingered between his brows.
“Do you like the old me or the current me?”
Yaxi Beren huffed, “Of course, I liked the old you. If you hadn’t been so charming back then, how could I have agreed to let you be my personal knight?”
Shuai Chang couldn’t contain the rage within him any longer and shouted, “Enough!”
“Are you yelling at me?” Yaxi Beren looked at him with hurt in his eyes.
“Yaxi, you can only like me.” Shuai Chang knelt on one knee in front of Yaxi Beren and spoke softly.