Chapter 224: Back To That Key Moment ⑤

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Chapter 224: Back To That Key Moment ⑤

A heavily armed motorcade rumbled into the cemetery, followed by a large crowd that had come to witness the ceremony. In his previous life, Shang Ke had not paid much attention to the details of the memorial service because he had not had long to live. Experiencing it again now, however, gave him a very different feeling.

The cemetery had fallen into disrepair under House Kruse’s rule. Countless remains lay buried beneath the ground, many marked only by nameless headstones. One of Ravel’s first acts after establishing the Nova Empire was to rebuild the cemetery as a resting place for the fallen heroes and name it “Faith and Bravery.”

The people paid their respects according to protocol under Ravel’s direction. There was no noisy chatter or mournful music; the entire cemetery was solemn.

Shang Ke stood upright behind Ravel, observing the ceremony while remaining alert to everything happening around him.

The ceremony lasted for more than three hours. Finally, as the son of General Utrecht, a revolutionary martyr, Shang Ke personally laid a wreath for his “father.”

“Is that General Utrecht’s son?” someone whispered. “He doesn’t look as if he’s been tortured at all. Doesn’t he look healthy?”

“Healthy? Are you joking? When His Majesty carried him out of the interrogation room that day, his limbs were broken, his bones were shattered, and there wasn’t an intact patch of skin on his body. He had been injected with more than a dozen different drugs and tortured nearly beyond recognition. Almost no one thought he would survive—but he pulled through.” The speaker’s voice was filled with admiration.

“I heard he had a brother who tried to poison him while he was critically ill. Fortunately, His Majesty Ravel found out in time and stopped him. Even so, it left him in a coma for more than two months.”

“I know about this. I was also at the trial. The assailant was General Utrecht’s adopted son. He poisoned his brother for the sake of fame and fortune. He was simply insane.”

“Fortunately, Cage survived. After all that suffering, he’s finally pulled through.”

“Exactly…”

Whispers echoed through the crowd, and most people sincerely wished Shang Ke well.

The ceremony concluded smoothly without incident. Only after Ravel had entered the car to return to the palace did his adjutant report, “We caught a suspicious man carrying a Cryo-Devil. He is in custody, awaiting further orders.”

“A Cryo-Devil?” A trace of surprise flashed through Ravel’s eyes.

“Yes. Fortunately, Your Majesty reminded us in advance to add the additional security checks. Otherwise, the consequences would have been disastrous if he had gotten inside.” The adjutant still felt a lingering fear.

Ravel was silent. The figure of that person came to mind, and his eyes softened.

Shang Ke, who was in the other car, did not know that he had already helped Ravel avert a crisis. He only found it strange that everything had gone so smoothly this time—so smoothly that he began to doubt his own luck. But since nothing had happened, he did not want to trouble himself over it.

The most important thing for him to do now was recover as quickly as possible, enjoy life, and try to unlock the great “Happily Ever After” achievement.

Shang Ke clenched his fist, then took out his communicator and sent a message to Ravel:

【Don’t eat too much at the palace banquet. Save some room in your stomach. I’ll cook for you myself tonight.】

A faint smile touched Ravel’s lips as he read the message. He replied with only two words:

【Eight o’clock.】

Shang Ke: He’d be home by eight? Great!

【(≧ω≦)】

Due to his health, Shang Ke did not attend the banquet and returned directly to the royal palace. He took over Ravel’s private kitchen with tyrannical authority.

Ravel made his rounds at the banquet while thinking about the dinner Shang Ke was preparing for him “personally.”

When it was almost eight o’clock, Ravel left the banquet hall and walked briskly toward the inner hall. An attendant greeted him and helped him change out of his formal clothes. Then the attendant respectfully reported, “Young Master Cage is waiting for you in the dining room.”

Ravel entered the dining room, and the first thing he saw was a table of sumptuous dishes that gleamed alluringly beneath the soft light. Shang Ke stood beside the table with a bottle of red wine, his posture elegant and a smile on his face.

“You’re back. You’re right on time, too. Shall we have dinner?” Shang Ke uncorked the bottle and poured half a glass of red wine for Ravel.

Ravel had the urge to hug him, but the self-control he had cultivated over the years allowed him to hold himself back.

Once seated, Ravel realized that Shang Ke had prepared a table of vegetarian dishes suitable for a day of mourning. He immediately understood Shang Ke’s intentions and couldn’t help feeling touched.

Ravel had lived frugally for years and was not particularly demanding about food. Unless he was entertaining guests, he usually ate standard meals prepared by the automated kitchen. Under House Kruse’s rule, intelligent automated systems had been deployed throughout the country, and even the armed forces relied heavily on combat robots. Those robots were indeed powerful, but once the central system was breached, they instantly became useless—or could even be turned against their owners. That was one reason House Kruse had collapsed so quickly.

Advanced technology was important, but it still had to serve people. Relying on it too heavily was not a good thing.

After tasting Shang Ke’s cooking, Ravel immediately decided to employ several chefs on a long-term basis and never eat a machine-made meal again.

Ravel was so satisfied with the dinner that he unknowingly drank an entire bottle of red wine and became a little tipsy.

“Are you finished eating?” Shang Ke said. “It’s getting late. Let’s get some rest.”

With that, he stood up and asked the attendant to take care of Ravel while he returned to his room to wash up and go to sleep.

Ravel ignored the attendant and followed closely behind Shang Ke, walking straight into the room.

“Are we sleeping together again tonight?” Shang Ke leaned against the door and asked.

“Mm.” Ravel walked over to the bed and casually pulled open his shirt, exposing his well-developed chest.

The attendant thoughtfully brought in a change of clothes, then respectfully left the room.

Shang Ke gave the man a sidelong look. He had teased Ravel so much the night before, yet Ravel had not reacted at all. Tonight, Shang Ke no longer felt like teasing him. He was tired at heart.

Shang Ke walked around Ravel and into the bathroom, planning to enjoy a long, relaxing bath.

Ravel’s eyes darkened as he watched Shang Ke’s figure disappear behind the bathroom’s glass door. Why hadn’t Shang Ke asked whether he wanted to bathe together?

Half an hour later, Shang Ke emerged from the steamy bathroom and found Ravel still standing in the same place, seemingly unchanged in posture. He greeted him, “I’m done washing. Your turn.”

Ravel went in silently without taking his change of clothes. He was going to sleep naked anyway. Shang Ke was too lazy to remind him. He set Ravel’s clothes aside and quickly slipped beneath the blanket. Resting his head on the soft pillow, he soon felt sleepiness wash over him.

In his drowsy state, Shang Ke felt someone lie down beside him. He was then wrapped in a hot embrace, a faint fragrance lingering beneath his nose. A strange sensation brushed his lips, growing from light to heavy and shallow to deep. The movements were cautious, as though afraid of waking him.

Ravel’s movements paused as he looked at the boy’s handsome face.

Had he just kissed him?

His eyes unconsciously fell on those half-parted red lips. Ravel held his breath and, as if possessed, pressed against them again, rubbing them carefully.

Shang Ke felt the warmth on his lips and responded passively, licking and biting in return. Two large hands moved back and forth over his body, their smooth caress intoxicating. Shang Ke was as docile and pliant as a lamb, occasionally matching the man’s movements. He only came back to his senses when a finger slipped between his thighs. Still, he did not open his eyes. He lazily felt the man’s fiery desire and cautious exploration as it gradually deepened, slow and torturous. When he had reached halfway, the man withdrew again, worried that the tightness might hurt the person beneath him.

Shang Ke howled inwardly: Where did that arrogant, scoundrel-like confidence go? Where was that boldness you had when you always charged straight in without foreplay? Pulling out halfway through? Have you no sense of decency?!

Shang Ke wrapped his long legs around him and leaned forward, forcibly pushing the retreating hardness back inside. A hurried, low gasp sounded beside his ear. The man stiffened and went motionless.

If the enemy doesn’t move, I won’t move either! Shang Ke wanted to see how long he could hold back.

After a dozen seconds, Ravel finally lost patience and moved cautiously a few times. When Shang Ke did not resist, he gradually increased the force and began moving more deeply. The sensation made Ravel want more, and his movements grew broader and more urgent until he lost control and began thrusting into him with brutal force, ignoring Shang Ke’s broken moans.

Shang Ke had overestimated his current stamina and lost consciousness halfway through. Ravel initially intended to stop when he realized Shang Ke had passed out, but his arousal had already overwhelmed his self-control. He stopped several times, only to lose control again, and did not finally settle down until dawn.

Ravel lay on his side, gazing intently at the boy in his arms. Everything that had happened the previous night had been completely outside his plans. He did love this boy, but he had not expected that love to be so strong that he would take him despite his wishes.

Ravel reached out and massaged Shang Ke’s muscles to ease the soreness. He knew perfectly well that Shang Ke was weak, yet he had still done it so many times. He felt frustrated, and for the first time, he began to doubt his own character and self-control.

When Shang Ke woke up, Ravel had already left, but he did not care. He slowly got up and went to the bathroom to wash. After washing and dressing, he immediately transformed from a bewitching beauty into an elegant and refined nobleman.

Shang Ke felt that he was becoming more and more uninhibited. He was getting better at making love with a certain someone, and their encounters had become smooth and effortless.

But this body was too weak to keep up with Ravel’s pace. How could they have a satisfying sex life when their bodies were so out of sync?

Shang Ke was immediately ready to contact his doctor and have his rehabilitation plan revised.

Just then, the System’s voice suddenly sounded in his mind:

【Soul Fusion: 92%.】

【Physical Health: 67%.】

【Given the poor condition of Dear Host’s soul and body, the System will formulate a scientific rehabilitation plan to ensure that Dear Host reaches 100% perfection in both body and soul.】

Shang Ke: “…”

【During this period, Host is advised to minimize sexual activity so as not to affect the results of rehabilitation.】

Shang Ke: “To what extent does it need to be reduced?”

【One day a week, three times a day. No fewer, no more.】

Shang Ke: “…”

Omake:

Shang Ke: Tell me the truth. All the talk about reduced sex life, did you do that on purpose?

Reincarnation Lamp: Please do not question the System’s professional ethics.

Shang Ke: Isn’t your specialty supposed to be suppressing your Host for ten thousand years?

Reincarnation Lamp: Host is wise o(￣ε￣*).

Shang Ke: “…”

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