Xie Gewen tilted his head.
A tiny pebble flew past Xie Gewen and smacked squarely onto the white tiger’s head, then bounced off to the side.
“Stop fighting!” Ming Ruan, having activated his Protective Shield, ran between the tiger and the wolf, separating them like he was breaking up two kids fighting.
Xie Gewen froze for a moment, then quickly circled to the front again warily, shielding Ming Ruan behind him.
And at this time, the white tiger seemed stunned by the playful little pebble. Unlike its earlier agitation, it lowered its large head, panting quietly.
A moment later, it lifted its head. Its golden eyes seemed to have cleared somewhat.
It glanced at Ming Ruan, blocked behind the gray wolf, and finally turned, walking off into the distance.
Just as abruptly as it had come.
In the end, apart from wounds and bloodstains, it took nothing with it.
Soon, the winter forest fell quiet again, only the blood and tufts of fur scattered on the ground, and the gray wolf’s suppressed, heavy pants, testifying to what had just happened.
Xie Gewen felt the searing pain from the large patches of torn flesh on his back and limbs, reaching the point of numbness. But he couldn’t dwell on that now.
Dragging his pain-ridden, unresponsive body, he limped to Ming Ruan’s side. His nose, smeared with blood, urgently nuzzled against Ming Ruan, sniffing and searching. No matter how Ming Ruan tremblingly tried to stop him, he persisted, thoroughly checking over every inch of him.
Alright, alright, no injuries.
Xie Gewen’s suspended heart thudded back into his stomach. He collapsed onto the ground, somewhat drained. At the same time, that fury, aimed at who knows whom, blazed up again. Countless negative emotions crushed him—powerlessness, self-blame, agony… it was like returning to when he first became Council Speaker.
He had clearly done his utmost, climbing a peak that no one could ascend beyond, one capable of overturning the world in the eyes of others.
Only to discover he couldn’t save anyone.
Xie Gewen’s mind was a chaotic mess, reality and past, countless memories intermingling in disorder.
Why didn’t you call out to me, why didn’t you ask me for help!
Xie Gewen forced himself to prop up his forelegs and sit steady.
Beastmen did not use their Light Brains lightly.
He thought, but this time, he should communicate properly with Ming Ruan.
Not as the gray wolf, but as Xie Gewen.
The Light Brain on Xie Gewen’s neck flickered, about to speak.
Ming Ruan, who had been frozen stiff, afraid to move lest he bump or hurt the gray wolf, suddenly scrambled to his feet.
“I’ve called the Flying Sedan over! I’m going to get the Healing Device! Don’t move!” Ming Ruan still remembered the gray wolf disliked being touched. Carefully, a bit helplessly, he cupped the air around the gray wolf’s face in a comforting gesture, then dashed towards the Flying Sedan that had just parked steadily nearby.
His figure shrank in the gray wolf’s pupils, then grew larger again as he returned carrying the Healing Device.
It was just like the first time they met.
This second time, Ming Ruan was clearly much more practiced. Hugging the Healing Device, he scanned it up and down over the gray wolf. The torn flesh visibly healed under the soft light of the device.
Although Ming Ruan hadn’t suffered any major injuries, he had plenty of bumps, bruises, and scrapes, looking utterly disheveled.
To treat him, he couldn’t even take care of himself?
The fury in Xie Gewen’s heart was extinguished as if smothered by a thick, soft cotton quilt, leaving only a scalding warmth, flowing through his limbs and bones.
After the wounds on the gray wolf’s body were completely healed, Ming Ruan straightened up with a breath, unconsciously glancing a look into the depths of the forest.
The white tiger was also quite seriously injured. Could it take care of itself?
Was it also a guest of the Sanatorium Zone?
This was no small matter.
Sitting beside the gray wolf, who was lying down recovering strength, Ming Ruan tapped out a message to the Boss.
However, the Boss, who usually replied extremely quickly, didn’t respond for a long time this time.
The two of them, having gone through that ordeal, rested in a shared silence. The gray wolf was mulling over how to use this opportunity to clarify some things with Ming Ruan via the Light Brain. Ming Ruan had wrapped himself in temperature-regulating clothes, sitting very quietly with his hands propping up his chin.
Until a certain moment, the hanging artificial sun slanted westward to the horizon. In an instant, golden-orange sunlight flooded the land. Just ahead of Ming Ruan and the gray wolf, the trees thinned, revealing a lake sprinkled with shattered gold, like a lake of gilded molten metal—magnificent and sacred.
Ming Ruan’s gaze gradually focused, returning to the present. His eyes widened, letting out a long “Whoa,” and he called to the gray wolf: “Look, so beautiful!”
Xie Gewen’s heavy thoughts were interrupted. He looked in the direction Ming Ruan indicated. Uninterested. He was more worried about Ming Ruan’s condition.
Clearly carried such a distance by a rampaging Beastman, how could the young man act as if nothing had happened?
Meeting the gray wolf’s serious gaze, Ming Ruan suddenly stretched in a huge, lazy way, then flopped backwards, gazing at the sunset clouds overhead, and said: “I’m so useless.”
“I’m sorry for making you worry, Wolf. Mr. Gray Wolf probably hopes I can protect myself too, so you wouldn’t get hurt either.”
“But I can’t do it. I can’t detect it, and I can’t drive it away. I can only be carried off, then wait for Mr. Gray Wolf to come rescue me.”
“I’m so noob.”
The gray wolf perked up its ears, sat straighter, a look of disagreement reappearing in its eyes.
It was also the first time the live stream room had seen Ming Ruan like this.
[Although Ming Ruan is indeed useless, I still feel a bit sorry for him..]
[He’s not really at fault here. Encountering a crazed Beastman, there’s just nothing a human can do.]
[The Council Speaker is so strict. I’m so scared Ming Ruan will be scolded to tears by him.]
[Hard to imagine the once arrogant and domineering fake young master having emotions like this.]
[There, there, don’t be afraid~]
The tiny bit of anger remaining in Xie Gewen’s heart vanished entirely. He was even a little panicked, not knowing what to say to comfort the young man.
…Humans can’t resist Beastmen.
Would it be okay to say that?
Xie Gewen was organizing his words when Ming Ruan suddenly cupped his face!
Xie Gewen: !
Ever since first noticing the gray wolf’s behavior was somewhat odd, Ming Ruan had been constantly observing.
He saw that every morning when he got up, the gray wolf would meticulously groom itself and wait; during meals, it tried hard not to make a sound, chewing carefully without dropping food; no matter where the Flying Sedan stopped, it had to personally patrol, ensuring everything was flawless…
It placed many, many demands on itself.
Once, while resting in the forest, Ming Ruan tripped badly over a tree root poking out of the ground. The gray wolf raced over from its patrol area and inspected him thoroughly for a long time. Even though Ming Ruan kept saying he was fine, really fine, that day the gray wolf had no appetite even for dinner.
Ming Ruan finally found the right moment to say what he’d wanted to say for a long time:
Looking into the gray wolf’s eyes: “I can’t do those things. I’m just a human.”
“Just like I wanted Wolf to help me cook, drive the Flying Sedan, write reports… but Mr. Gray Wolf can’t do those things either. Mr. Gray Wolf is also just a wolf.”
A wolf isn’t required to be omnipotent. The world won’t stop without a wolf.
“But, even if I’m especially, especially noob! Have so many things I can’t do! Especially imperfect!” Ming Ruan suddenly raised his voice.
Then asked softly: “Mr. Gray Wolf also likes me a lot, right?”
“Just like I like Mr. Gray Wolf.”
Not because Wolf is such a pretty Colorpoint, or has such beautiful eyes, not because Wolf is so formidable, doing such an excellent job at vigilance.
Although we haven’t spent that long together, Mr. Gray Wolf himself is a wolf very much worthy of liking!
So relax a little, sometimes sneak a break. It’s normal to have things you can’t do. It’s normal to have oversights. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
You’re already an awesome wolf!
…
Xie Gewen felt the hands cupping his face were cold yet soft.
He felt his body grow very stiff, as if every part had turned to stone, only a pair of ears left able to hear the young man’s voice.
Xie Gewen felt his heart being fiercely crumpled into a ball, a swelling ache overflowing, flowing all the way to his limbs and bones, even causing an involuntary tremor.
No one had ever said these things to him.
People only said: Not enough, still lacking…, you should…, continue…
Until he stood at the peak.
Then they would lift him high with countless praises, as if he was born that way, as if standing at the peak was his entire purpose.
He couldn’t move.
Surrounded by cliffs on all sides.
And now, the past was entirely crowded to the back of his mind. In his eyes remained only the young man’s plain expression when he readily admitted his flaws, the carefree way he said he was just a human.
The young man saying he liked Mr. Gray Wolf, a face full of gentleness and love.
But he knew, this love was absolutely not what he had dirtily speculated before.
Now, Xie Gewen faintly felt, it seemed Ming Ruan really didn’t know he was the former Council Speaker, but simply treated him as an ordinary, lost Beastman.
Council Speaker.
The moment he recalled this title, the faint mist in Xie Gewen’s eyes slowly dispersed again.
If he were an ordinary Beastman, perhaps he truly could just be a wolf right now.
Xie Gewen closed his eyes. Struggling to plug back up a certain corner within his heart that had crumbled.
No.
At least for now, it wasn’t yet time.
Sensing his own wavering, Xie Gewen immediately made a decision in his heart.
Ming Ruan didn’t know the shell of the gray wolf contained a human with endlessly winding thoughts. He just watched the gray wolf somewhat nervously, until the gray wolf let out a soft whimper, turned its head, and proactively nuzzled him once. Only then did he contentedly let go.
Great!
Furry psychological counseling complete!
And this was the first time the gray wolf initiated a nuzzle!
Ming Ruan instantly felt refreshed and invigorated. He stood up, walked quickly a few steps to the lake he’d been eyeing for so long, and waved at the gray wolf.
“Come play, Mr. Gray Wolf!”
One human and one wolf frolicked at the lake for an entire twilight, until watching the moon rise from the lake’s surface, the water turning from shattered gold to shattered silver.
Today, the gray wolf was exceptionally indulgent towards Ming Ruan. Still reserved, but it even used its tail to flick lake water, splashing and playing with Ming Ruan.
Before returning to the Residence, Ming Ruan even asked to touch the gray wolf’s ears.
The gray wolf just looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then lowered its head and extended them.
Ming Ruan also restrainedly ruffled them twice.
Just as nice to touch as he’d imagined!
The gray wolf seemed to like this lake a lot too.
Starting tomorrow, maybe he could patrol in this direction with Gray Wolf, and come to play and relax every few days!
Ming Ruan plotted inwardly.
One human and one wolf returned to the Residence. Everything was ordinary.
After Ming Ruan bid the gray wolf goodnight, the bedroom door gently clicked shut.
Xie Gewen didn’t know Ming Ruan had already made plans.
He seriously wished Ming Ruan goodnight in his heart.
And then, late that night.
Xie Gewen opened the front door and walked into the night.
He walked very slowly, but never once looked back.
