Chapter 15: Marking

Chapter 15: The Mark

Xie Chi: !!!

The Xie Chi who had been sobbing his eyes out just a minute ago was now blushing furiously and sprung to attention.

All along, he had been the one chasing after Ji Chou and calling him "wife." Ji Chou had never denied it, but he had never responded either.

Xie Chi was a little disappointed, but he knew his wife was just too shy to say it, so he never expected to get a response from Ji Chou.

But just now, Ji Chou had called him "husband."

Even though he'd added a qualifier, Ji Chou had called him husband.

Xie Chi's cheeks burned.

What Yan Wanqiu was touching was burning hot too.

Yan Wanqiu hadn't expected Xie Chi to react so strongly to a single form of address. He looked at Xie Chi in surprise, and for the first time, the panic from that first night when he couldn't take it all came flooding back.

He pressed his lips together, deciding not to rush things, and commanded instead: "Don't move."

Xie Chi was so blissed out he was floating on air. He didn't even hear what Yan Wanqiu said, nodding eagerly: "Okay, okay."

Even if his wife asked him to die right now, he'd do it without a second thought.

Only then did Yan Wanqiu relax, tentatively lowering himself.

It slid in surprisingly easily.

His body seemed to have already gotten used to Xie Chi. Although Yan Wanqiu still had some difficulty, it was no longer the impossible slog it had been that first night.

Yan Wanqiu felt a tingle run up his scalp.

As he sank deeper, Xie Chi whimpered softly.

Being in complete control gave Yan Wanqiu a deep sense of satisfaction. He pinched Xie Chi's cheek, chuckling as he bit at the other's gland, making the alpha tremble.

With that tremor, Xie Chi brushed against the reproductive cavity that Yan Wanqiu had deliberately been avoiding.

"Mmh!"

Yan Wanqiu cried out before he could stop himself. His pupils dilated for a moment, then he collapsed fully onto Xie Chi, frozen for a long moment.

He'd been touched there again.

His gland was getting hot too.

Yan Wanqiu glared at Xie Chi, embarrassed and furious: "Who said you could move?"

Xie Chi, blindfolded and unable to see anything, was innocently taking the blame: "I didn't..."

The Tyrant, lost in his Pheromone Dysregulation Syndrome, clearly wasn't going to listen to explanations. Yan Wanqiu bit Xie Chi's gland in frustration and began riding him again.

Xie Chi was ecstatic that his wife was taking the lead, but tortured by how slow and shallow Yan Wanqiu was going, he started whimpering softly again.

The soft, woody pheromones grew thicker and thicker.

This time, Yan Wanqiu was fully in control of the pace. He half-lidded his eyes as he let out his pheromones, then slowly stilled like a satisfied beast.

Xie Chi's voice trembled: "Wife..."

Yan Wanqiu lazily looked up. "Speak."

Xie Chi whispered: "Can I move yet?"

Yan Wanqiu thought he meant they were done and he could leave, so he started to get up: "You can go—mmh?!"

His eyes flew open and he let out an involuntary cry as Xie Chi grabbed his waist.

This damn shadow guard!

Yan Wanqiu gritted his teeth, about to grab Xie Chi by the throat and yank him off.

But there was Xie Chi, blindfolded and flushed, nuzzling obediently against his neck: "Thanks, wife."

Yan Wanqiu: "..."

Yan Wanqiu's hand froze halfway.

Xie Chi had no idea Yan Wanqiu's hand was just inches from his neck. He smelled of sweet and sour oranges, tilting his head up to ask: "Wife, can we go back to bed? The floor's cold."

Yan Wanqiu gritted his teeth. "...Fine."

Xie Chi beamed. He obediently kept the blindfold on and, without changing his position, scooped Yan Wanqiu up and carried him to the bed.

Yan Wanqiu cried out again, his thighs spasming and shaking.

The shadow guard, with that pretty, innocent face of his, nuzzled back into his neck.

"Wife, you smell so good. Can I have a bite?"

"..."

"I'll be gentle. Just one little bite."

With a barely audible reply, the only bed in Xie Chi's room that was still in one piece began to creak and groan.

...

He was definitely going to neuter Xie Chi.

Yan Wanqiu, his neck covered in bite marks and reeking of oranges, trembling, turned off the shower, dried off, applied healing solution to his wounds, and changed into Xie Chi's pajamas.

He'd never met such a shameless bastard!

From "just a little movement" to "let's go back to bed" to "one bite" to "the bed broke, let's move somewhere else"...

He'd only meant to use Xie Chi to relieve his pheromone dysregulation, but Xie Chi had dragged him into doing it all night long.

Yan Wanqiu stormed off to give Xie Chi a piece of his mind, but stopped mid-step just as he was about to leave the bathroom.

He didn't have his mask on right now.

Blindfolding Xie Chi earlier could be written off as foreplay, and Xie Chi hadn't noticed in the heat of the moment. But if he kept the blindfold on even after they were done, it would be way too suspicious.

After these two times, Yan Wanqiu had a new respect for Xie Chi's fighting ability. He didn't think he could definitely take Xie Chi in a fight after that intense workout just now. If the other guy insisted on taking off the blindfold, he wouldn't be able to stop him.

At that thought, Yan Wanqiu felt guilty for no reason.

He couldn't let Xie Chi find out his true identity.

Xie Chi was still tangled up with Yan Baiyue, and his identity and loyalties were a complete mystery. He'd kept the "Ji Chou" identity to use and pressure Xie Chi, not to hand Xie Chi's backers a weapon against himself.

A prince sneaking off every night to hook up with a shadow guard under a fake name... even trashy porn novels wouldn't dare write that.

Yan Wanqiu snapped back to his senses and finally realized how reckless he'd been under the influence of pheromones. He froze on the spot.

"Babe?"

Xie Chi's puzzled voice came from outside the bathroom.

"You done in there? I set up the bed for now—you can crash on it tonight, and I'll grab a new one tomorrow."

Yan Wanqiu was quiet for a second, then made the most embarrassing, desperate call.

—He bolted out the window.

It was five in the morning, fine snow drifting down and a biting wind blowing. Yan Wanqiu was terrified Xie Chi would come after him, so he didn't even dare look back, sprinting toward the palace in his bathrobe.

Inside.

"...Babe?"

Hearing the racket in the bathroom, Xie Chi knew something was off. He ripped off the tie covering his eyes and shoved the door open.

The bathroom was empty, the window thrown wide open, with just a wisp of steam left.

Ji Chou had run.

Xie Chi stared at the bathroom for a beat, blinking.

Right. Ji Chou had been dumped here by Yan Wanqiu, all banged up, with the obvious goal of learning how to heal his injuries fast.

Ji Chou could've left as soon as the mission was done. The time he'd stuck around after was more like a risky consolation because Xie Chi had been crying so pathetically.

That level of seduction could be written off as a tactic, but staying any longer would really raise suspicion.

The logic checked out, but Xie Chi still felt a hollow ache in his chest.

"Saying you trust me and you'll protect me, but you were really just playing along..."

Xie Chi muttered under his breath, shut the bathroom window, and smartly didn't chase after Ji Chou.

With his skills, tracking someone on a snowy night was no big deal.

But what then, after he caught up?

He couldn't get Ji Chou out of Blizzard City, and would only cause him more trouble.

Xie Chi cleaned up the bathroom, went back into the room, and stared at the cash scattered everywhere and the general mess. He lowered his head.

After these brief encounters, Xie Chi had started to realize Ji Chou's skills were no joke—which made sense. Without some ability, Yan Wanqiu wouldn't have sent him to test Xie Chi.

But Ji Chou had never meant him any harm. Not only had he agreed to be his wife, he'd also tried to help him however he could.

Instead, Xie Chi was the one who'd dragged Ji Chou into trouble, and in the end, Ji Chou had to comfort him.

At the end of the day, his status was too low, and he didn't have enough money or power, which was why Yan Wanqiu dared to mess with Ji Chou so casually.

Xie Chi clenched his fists, his gaze hardening.

He had to make something of himself fast—only then could he take his wife away from that tyrant Yan Wanqiu.

.

Three hours later.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Xie Chi had just dozed off when a knock at the door woke him.

He slipped on his slippers, cracked the door open, and looked at the visitor in confusion: "Uncle Nie, what are you doing here?"

Nie Huaiyi said nervously, "Captain Xie, the Third Prince still hasn't woken up. Yesterday, our prince got so provoked by him it looked like his Pheromone Dysregulation Syndrome flared up again. He skipped dinner, and when he got back to the palace this morning, he wouldn't see anyone. A few of us brothers in the Shadow Guard talked it over and wanted to bring some stuff to visit him together."

"We'd never heard about the prince's past here in Blizzard City. Last night was the first time we found out. Yan Baiyue really crossed the line..."

Nie Huaiyi was a simple, honest guy, not good at badmouthing people behind their backs, and his voice trailed off.

He wasn't lying. Blizzard City was remote and backward, with little contact with the outside world. Most of the locals Yan Wanqiu had recruited knew little about the military coup on the main star, only vaguely aware that a prince had been exiled here because of pheromone problems.

Last night, when they suddenly found out Yan Wanqiu had been set up by his own family, they were shocked. They pulled aside the personal guards Yan Wanqiu had brought from the main star to get the full story, and couldn't sleep afterward.

Xie Chi knew about Yan Wanqiu's background, but he didn't care much about anything outside his own family, so he was even more confused: "Then just go—why drag me into it?"

Nie Huaiyi said honestly, "You're the captain, and the one the prince personally brought from the main star. We figured you'd know him better, so we wanted you to take the lead and go in first. Otherwise, we might not even get past the door before the prince kicks us out."

There was one more thing Nie Huaiyi didn't say.

Out of all the shadow guards, Xie Chi was the only one Yan Wanqiu had suspected, locked up, released, and then reinstated—and even personally ordered meals to be delivered to him.

That was a one-of-a-kind privilege, which meant Yan Wanqiu must trust Xie Chi a lot.

Xie Chi: "..."

Xie Chi sighed and said with resignation, "Fine, I need to see him anyway. But fair warning—Yan Wanqiu probably doesn't want to see me right now either. If he gets pissed when he sees me, you guys better run fast."

Nie Huaiyi: "?"

.

Xie Chi's room was still a wreck from last night. He didn't bother cleaning up, changed his clothes, patched up the broken kitchen window for now, and followed Nie Huaiyi out.

A dozen burly shadow guards were already waiting at the training ground. When they saw Xie Chi, they all greeted him with smiles.

"Captain Xie, long time no see."

"Congrats on getting your job back! Heard from Captain Nie you brought back a whole aircraft full of guns from your mission a few days ago? Badass!"

"That mechanic you brought back is set up in the dorm next to ours. He's a bit quiet, but no worries—we've been looking out for him, so don't sweat it!"

"Oh—Captain Xie, take a look. Is this inhibitor from the main star? I just grabbed it off the black market, and I'm scared I got ripped off."

These were all Blizzard City locals like Nie Huaiyi. The natives who stayed out of the Night Owl Syndicate and the black market had always struggled to get by, until Yan Wanqiu showed up and changed things.

Having lived in extreme cold for so long, their skin was rough and pale, their hair thick, and some even had the sickly red of chronic frostbite on their faces.

The camp's conditions weren't great either, just enough to keep everyone fed and warm. They wore fur coats of all different lengths and colors, but every face wore a genuine smile.

Xie Chi, wearing his terminal glasses, smiled and greeted everyone, then quietly scanned the inhibitor the man handed him before saying, "Yeah, it's legit, from the main star."

The man sighed in relief: "Good. This little box cost me three thousand—a whole month's pay. I couldn't afford to get scammed."

The others also rushed to ask questions.

"Captain Xie, what about this dessert gift box? I heard from the kitchen that His Highness personally ordered desserts several times—does His Highness have a sweet tooth?"

"And this gun, I heard it's the latest model. Captain, take a look..."

Xie Chi checked each item one by one with the help of his terminal.

Blizzard City was running low on supplies, and most of what the men had was bought from the black market—some genuine, some fake, mostly genuine items and defective rejects.

"This gun is real, but it's not the latest model. It's the old M-182 pistol, and the ammunition for it has already been discontinued."

"I'm not sure what His Highness likes to eat, but this box of desserts is genuine."

"The style of the clothing is from the main star, but the fabric should be locally sourced."

"..."

As Xie Chi answered, the crowd's faces showed a mix of joy and disappointment.

"This black market is a total rip-off." Nie Huaiyi couldn't help but complain. "We specifically picked stuff advertised as main-star imports, and half of it turned out to be local Blizzard City junk."

What he'd bought was a little potted plant shaped like a tiny pine tree. The merchant claimed it was a rare main-star breed called Fortune Pine, but Xie Chi had just told him it was just a local pine seedling that'd been trimmed to look like that.

Xie Chi's gaze swept over the varied expressions of the group, and something tugged at his heart.

Yan Wanqiu's brutality was real, but these people genuinely cared about him.

After last night's misunderstanding, Yan Wanqiu was probably suspicious of him again.

The last time Yan Wanqiu suspected him, he'd thrown him in solitary for three days. Now that Xie Chi was itching to confront Yan Wanqiu face-to-face, he couldn't afford to wait another three days.

He'd actually come out intending to use Nie Huaiyi and the others, but now, watching them awkwardly but sincerely trying to visit Yan Wanqiu, Xie Chi felt a pang of guilt.

After all, if Yan Wanqiu saw him, he would definitely fly into a rage—he might even have him dragged out and executed on the spot. All their effort would probably be for nothing.

Xie Chi thought for a moment, then tried to cheer up the downcast group: "It doesn't matter if it's not from the main star. His Highness might not even care if it's from the main star. Don't give him the fakes—hand them to me, and send me the merchant's address too. I'm heading to the black market this afternoon anyway, so I'll see if I can get you refunds. Anything you can't give away, you can also pass to me—I'll buy them off you."

The things these men had bought had cost at least a month or two's wages, and Xie Chi still wanted to help however he could.

Nie Huaiyi was really grateful. "Thanks."

Xie Chi didn't show anything on his face. He nodded and led the group toward Yan Wanqiu's residence.

Nie Huaiyi walked beside him, staring at the residence, looking worried. "Captain Xie, when you were back on the main star, what did the doctors say? His Highness's Pheromone Dysregulation Syndrome is acting up more and more often. I'm really worried..."

The locals of Blizzard City were the ones who least wanted Yan Wanqiu to die, no question.

They didn't understand politics, but they knew exactly what the local gangs were like.

The Night Owl Syndicate was brutal and oppressive, and the black market was a total mess.

If Yan Wanqiu died, they would all return to their former lives—half-naked and starving, with tons of them dying every year during the frozen season. Worse, with the emergence of thermal ore, they'd be even more exploited, used as free labor.

The upper crust of Blizzard City, who had foresight and knew the political situation on the main star, naturally didn't think much of Yan Wanqiu. But the ignorant, short-sighted commoners were still the people, and at least around the camp, Yan Wanqiu had always had their support.

Xie Chi didn't know what treatment Yan Wanqiu had received on the main star either, so he could only say what he knew: "His Highness has at least another year left."

Nie Huaiyi: "..."

Nie Huaiyi got even more worried.

He lowered his voice and whispered to Xie Chi, "I've heard that there's a miracle doctor in Icecold City who treats people for free and specializes in tough pheromone disorders. His name is Fu Zhu. I brought him up to His Highness before, but His Highness thought Fu Zhu was another trap from the main star and wouldn't go see him. Captain, if you have the time, could you find a chance to look into him?"

Xie Chi searched on his terminal but couldn't find anything on this guy, and frowned a little.

His cover was that he was a Personal Guard trusted by Yan Wanqiu, so he naturally wouldn't refuse: "Mm, I'll go check it out when I get the chance."

.

They arrived at the entrance of Yan Wanqiu's residence.

Xie Chi stood at the front, and after having the guard announce their arrival, he quietly waited for Yan Wanqiu's wrath.

The guard who delivered the message came running back out, his face full of terror.

"Captain Xie—"

Xie Chi looked up without surprise. "What did His Highness say? If he doesn't want to see me, that's fine, but at least let Uncle Nie and the others go in first."

The guard stopped in front of him, caught his breath, and said, "No, His Highness said—everyone else, stand down. He wants you to get in here alone."

Xie Chi: "?"

What? Did he have to be beheaded in private too?