Chapter 77

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

While washing up, looking at himself in the mirror, Bright feels unfamiliar.

He is willing to give up his life for his love of Hopkin, yet he still deceives him all the time.

Is it that he no longer cherishes him after he has acquired him?

How will he ever make it up to Hopkin should he discover it?

He sure is a selfish, hypocritical and greedy guy…

He critiques the man in the mirror, who looks calmly back at him, as if completely unashamed, his resolve firm, even more stubborn than a mule.

He loves him more than his life, and he cannot be without him.

He will take him away no matter who tries to obstruct it, including him.

Yes. He is such a despicable guy. To secure him, he will be able to do anything.

After gaining Hopkin for himself, he wants to possess him forever, until death does them apart.

Bright treats the people and surroundings of the City all as obstructions that will threaten his relationship with Hopkin, so he is now firm in his resolve to leave. He conceals his guilt for Hopkin so that he can execute his operation while doing his part as his lover.

Currently, Hopkin is not particularly calm. Not because of the adverse effects of the werewolves running away, however, not mainly anyway.

Despite the event being an utter shame on the City.

They knew about the werewolves’ plan beforehand, having set a trap up, and yet the werewolves have as if managed to hear about it or noticed the surveillance on the side of the humans long before, so they adapted their plan into theirs, pretending not to know anything and managed to confuse the humans. When the armed forces of Inner and Outer City have been focused on the gate of the Outer City, they have slipped away quietly. If it were not for the cameras having caught traces of them, they would never have imagined that there is a dried-up underground water network under the City that goes all the way outside the City. With the help of mechanical probing and human measurements, they have confirmed that the werewolves have successfully escaped through the waterways. Currently, they have already closed off its main junctions and critical passageways, so that nobody can escape through it anymore.

Last night the containment operation of the military has been quite a grand spectacle. Overnight, discussion of the event has been brewing on the Internet and there are all sorts of criticisms. Some scold the military for their ineptitude, some complain about the disorganised management of the show; the fans of the werewolves are bawling while expressing concern for the future of the reality show.

Hopkin is mostly disconcerted because of Bright.

It is a known fact that Bright has had a deal with the werewolves. Suspicions of his involvement in the show’s arson incident is not cleared up yet. Hopkin has concealed these facts from the Inner City, purposefully distributing a video of the two to enforce the image in everyone’s mind that Bright is completely under control. So that a rest note is put under all the events of the past, and all investigations are to stop.

He is feeling anxious that he seems to have forgotten something.

With tacit permission from Inner City, media in the Outer City officially reports on this domestic news. Bright reads some popular comments, furrows his brows and says, “they’re only worried that with the werewolves gone, the last two episodes of the show will no longer be as exciting to watch.”

The City’s heart is cold.

Hopkin is tidying his suit up in front of a mirror. He needs to go out to deal with some affairs outside. There’s the usual indifference on his expression as he says, “lambs only need to know to eat. Neither those who would eat the sheep and those who rear the sheep need the sheep to be capable of thought.”

Bright admires the aristocrat who is standing in a straight posture. He puts his smart chip away to tie his tie for him. He doesn’t manage to do that for a long time, however. He is not satisfied with the tie at first and tries again. The next time he does it he is still unsatisfied.

“…” Hopkin looks at him, brows raised, “it appears you do not plan to let me go.”

They are looking face-to-face as if about to kiss. Bright doesn’t move on purpose, pretending to be engaged in his battle with the tie.

Able to be examined while so close, those brown pair of eyes look bright and clear. There are both deep and light shades of brown inside due to the changes in the brightness of the lighting. It is easy to become immersed in admiring them and no longer know the time.

Hopkin complains quietly, “how clumsy.” He lifts his chin lightly as he says it, looking so arrogant that one cannot help but want to fuck him hard.

Bright’s breathing becomes audible. His sight, originally focused on the tie, looks upwards. It has found a new target – those pink, soft pair of lips.

“No mucking about!” Hopkin sounds a bit more serious. He has just finished putting clothes on, and he does have something to do. If he lets Bright have his way, god knows how long it will take.

“Then come back earlier,” Bright says, audibly disappointed. He finishes a Windsor knot for him in the blink of an eye. It is orderly and fashionable.

“Tch…”

Hopkin leaves. Bright stays at home, not without things to do, however. In fact, he has to do about as much stuff as Hopkin.

He has received many messages on his smart chip. While Hopkin was there, he did not look at them. He skims over them quickly, and there’s nothing particularly urgent or important.

“Boss, did you see the news? Shit! The werewolves have run away!” Harry’s message shows his excitement. He is not surprised that a contestant has escaped, but that they have escaped successfully.

“Where did you get my contact?” Bright asks.

“Ginger. He sent it to us all,” Harry replies in an instant, “Boss, the news…”

“I saw it.”

“Why are you so calm?”

“Then how am I supposed to react?”

“…” Harry puts his hand on his chest for a deep breath, “but they all think you’re part of this!” You lived with Wolfie, and also used the Battle Refusal card on Alpha, and even asked me for firearms. You look like the ultimate antagonist – no, scratch that – the leader of the rebellion no matter how you look at it.

“…” Bright suspects if the word ‘rebel’ has been printed on his forehead, warning, “mind your own business, don’t throw a tantrum.”

Harry feels cold. He feels he’s not trusted by his boss, so he replies with a cold “oh.”

Having sent his underling away, Bright replies to Ococo’s message expressing concern, reporting that everything is normal on his side, that his patron is satisfied, so that his agent can be soothed. Then he replies in a similar vein to Ginger and co.

There is a hidden current pushing amongst the contestants. The championship for the season was basically Bright’s already. He is powerful and with a patron. Even number 56 has fallen for him, so there were no more contestants that can stand against him. They could probably book their funerals right then and there. And yet! Suddenly some contestants have escaped! A path to freedom has appeared in their inescapable predicament, and how could they remain calm? So they vigorously contact each other in private, trying to connect themselves to Bright’s small group.

A while later, Bright receives an invitation to join a group by Harry. He accepts.

“Bright has joined the group chat.”

When he enters, all the remaining contestants this season are here.

Piers: I have set this to be immediately vaporised after reading. The content of this will be cleaned up on time. Nobody will be able to trace this outside.”

The moment Bright enters, many people try to @ him asking about the werewolves. He does not let his guard down, and replies ‘I don’t know’ to all their questions. He does not trust the contestants, and there is probably some kind of surveillance on the contents of the screen right now. He is even looking at himself in introspection on whether he’s been too active. Why is it that everyone thinks he knows what’s going on behind the scenes.

In fact, one reason for this is that the Wolves were extremely xenophobic. They did not accept any outsiders at all. When they considered it, among the contestants Bright is the one who had the most contact with them.

Bright: Replying to all, I don’t know.

After that he logs off, missing out on Piers’ DM bomb.

“quit fooling me! the thing u stole inside inner is related to them right? u must no how they broke the bracelet! tell me and ill give u anything u want.”

“when do u plan to do it! u arent indulging in ur happy relationship and u cant escape from it right?” Where is the promised rebellion?!

“dont act dead! reply! or imma get u!”

After waiting for a long time (a few minutes) without a reply, Piers is so agitated he’s grinding his teeth.

Suddenly, a message pops out on his smart chip. Wolfie’s in-game character is online. Piers’ eyes widen a bit, then a flash of understanding strikes him. The young master laughs coldly, “you asked for this, Bright…”

While in the meeting, Hopkin looks cold and serious. He would look at his smart chip every now and then. Every time a new message appeared he wouldn’t be able to help but to feel tinges of fluffiness emerging in his chest.

Bright: It’s about lunchtime. Will you be home?

Hopkin: I told you when going out that I’m not having lunch at home.

Bright: You said ‘maybe.’

Hopkin: … Was I not clear?

Bright’s survival instincts kick in, replying,

Bright: No, of course not. I just want to eat with you. How long will it take?

Hopkin looks at the representatives of the military going back and forth with the Inner City, then bites his lips in impatience, replying,

Hopkin: At least two more hours. Eat first if you’re hungry.

Bright: I’m not hungry, but I want to eat you.

Hopkin looks at that line of words over and over a few times. He feels as if he is slightly drunk. His body recalls the feeling of being embraced by the man before his brain. He feels his body going a bit soft and warming up.

At the meeting, the factions speak after one another repeatedly. The show cries about how it is the worst hit in terms of losses. Outer City is wailing about how they have suffered the most. The two sides point fingers at each other, saying why haven’t you locked up your contestants/Dog Soldiers well.

Inner City residents have lost their patience. They say now that the affair has ended up like this, there’s no longer meaning in laying blame. How to recuperate their losses and draw the curtain on this farce is the most important.

“Gentleman, what are your thoughts?”

Hopkin’s attention shifts back immediately. He speaks with clarity and logic, nobody could tell he has been chatting with his boyfriend the whole way through.

“Regarding this incident, there are several suspicious points. One, why are the information we have inaccurate? The original plan has been perfected. Whether the werewolves had other sources of information is something that must be investigated and any holes in the network patched. Two, how did they know there is an underground water network going directly outside the City? Not even we had information on that. Are there further paths of egress like that one?”

“As for dealing with the aftershocks of this event. I propose we leave it to a joint collaboration by the show and military, who are, after all, the greatest victims in this case. Butler will be the mediator between them, and Inner City will act as the supervisor and advisory body.”

There is an overall agreement with his proposal. Butler knows best about Outer City. He is both trusted by Inner City residents, and is an Outer City citizen himself. His position is uncontroversial, well suited for mediation. He first stands up expressing his gratitude for the trust from the aristocrats of Inner City, before listing one by one the affairs that must be resolved, “there are mobs rioting taking advantage of the confusion. Many incidents of burglary have been reported, some even occurring in mid- to high-end communities…”

Hopkin has to use all his patience just to listen to the parties present speaking. He lowers his head, and sees that he has received a new message.

Bright: I will pick you up. Your bodyguard has agreed to drive me there.

Hopkin has never felt that time would flow so slowly. The moment the meeting ends, he stands up and quickly exits the place. He can see the outstanding man as soon as he’s outside.

Hopkin sarcastically jokes, “I didn’t think I’d have such a clingy boyfriend.”

“Not boyfriend. It’s laogong .” Bright does not deny the clingy part. He takes Hopkin’s hand and kisses him on his jade-like fingertips.

Hopkin can feel a warmth spreading throughout his body from his fingers. His cheeks are boiling up, perhaps because of the kiss, or the word ‘laogong.’ He is a bit more restrained outside, however, trying to keep his serious image up. He couldn’t shake his hand off, so he tentatively agreed to hold hands with him.

Bright looks at the procession of people coming out gradually. He feels as if he can’t control his bulging arms anymore.

If he acted now, would he have been able to take out all the upper echelons and ruling class of the City?

Suddenly, Bright can feel a murderous intent. He turns to see an old man with a walking stick who is looking at him with an unreadable gaze. He takes his sight back when he looks at him, and Bright furrows his brows slightly.

“Who is that?” He asks Hopkin.

“Butler. He is the father of number 56.”

Bright is a bit surprised. That person’s eyebrows have been coloured white. He is a bit hunched back, looking more like Piers’ grandfather. Since Hopkin is urging him to go, Bright stops paying attention to him. He holds his lover’s hands tightly as they go home.

They’re doing it right as they’ve boarded the flying vehicle.

“Say laogong.”

“Mm…” He is biting his lips in his stubbornness.

“I’ll let you release if you do.”

“Ah!” Then with a voice so quiet it’s almost inaudible, “lao… gong…”

Author’s notes: So sweet! Am I right?

Happy Lantern Festival!

Read only at Travis Translations