The Wandering Samurai and his Beloved General (BL)

In the silence, the slurping of tea was particularly loud and irritating.

As the culprit, Haruki's gaze moved subtly from Baili to Xuzhan with mild interest.

"Drink properly! Who taught you to drink like that? Where are your manners?" Xuzhan snapped, unable to stop himself from berating Haruki. Whether it was intentional or not didn't matter to him at that moment—he just wished for this unwelcome guest to leave as soon as possible.

Baili's smile widened, and a chuckle escaped his lips. "Apologies. Xuzhan means well." He seemed to take pride in Xuzhan's outburst; a loving gaze brightened his face.

"No problem. I'm not offended," Haruki replied with an amiable smile. This time, he sipped his tea in silence, though a knowing look briefly flickered across his face.

Xuzhan's face visibly reddened. The teacup clattered loudly as he set it down on the table. "Just get to the point! Stop beating around the bush!"

His angry outburst shifted the atmosphere. The smiles on the two men's faces faded as they exchanged probing gazes.

"Who poisoned Xuzhan?"

"Who poisoned you?"

The two questions were voiced simultaneously, stunning everyone in the tent. The tense atmosphere that had been suffocating moments earlier vanished as both men let out relieved sighs.

It was clear—they were not foes but fellow victims.

"Poison? What poison?" Xuzhan looked back and forth between the two, his confusion growing by the second.

Baili, after taking a measured sip of tea, calmly answered, "Entropy Mirage. The potion you drank a week ago."

The mention of those words made Xuzhan tremble, and his hand shook, spilling his tea. Baili silently produced a handkerchief from his sleeve and gently wiped Xuzhan's scalded hand.

"Entropy Mirage? What does it do?" Haruki asked, his gaze lingering on the display of intimacy across from him. A pang of envy stirred within him, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

"It throws your emotional state into utter chaos, making it ridiculously easy for someone to hypnotize you," Baili explained, his tone calm yet pointed. "Now that I've had a closer look at you, I'm certain I was right." He gestured at Haruki with a playful smile. "See? He's fine. He didn't drink it."

Xuzhan's face flushed as red as his hair as his friend exposed him without mercy. Clicking his tongue loudly, he shut his eyes and focused on sipping his tea, determined not to let Baili's teasing rattle him any further.

Haruki, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but smile in amusement. "It's true—I didn't drink it. But my tent is contaminated with it. I'm fine though, I left before it could affect me. So, who managed to get Xuzhan to drink it?"

Baili sighed, his disappointment evident as he shook his head. "Even if I tell you, we don't have the evidence to back it up."

"As long as you have a name, I can handle the rest," Haruki offered, his smile calm and reassuring, easing the tension that hung thick in the room.

Baili regarded Haruki for a long moment, not knowing where this man's confidence came from. His expression tinged with reluctance before he finally nodded. "It's Kang Xi... the general's right-hand man."

Shocked, Haruki nearly lost his grip on his teacup, his fingers tightening instinctively as the thought of such a person being beside Lanling every day sent a pang through his chest. "...That's a tall order."

"We know!" Xuzhan growled, his teeth clenched in frustration. "Instructor Chao was just a scapegoat... It was Kang Xi's voice that commanded me to attack you. And that elemental sword? He gave it to me a year ago as a 'gift.'"

Haruki inhaled a sharp, cold breath. "A year ago? You can't say he was bribed or threatened anymore. He was clearly conspiring."

"We thought you were one of them," Xuzhan said with a pout.

"Why?! I'm quite innocent, though??"

"You appeared out of nowhere, clinging to the general every day. You were honestly the most suspicious of them all," Baili said, tilting his head with an amused smile.

Haruki waved his right hand frantically as he defended himself. "Okay, I might not have innocent thoughts, but I would never hurt the general! I'd cry if he got mad at me!"

Xuzhan looked confused. "What do you mean by 'innocent thoughts'..."

"Understood." Baili suddenly leaned over and patted Haruki's shoulder in deep understanding. "Good luck."

"Thank you, I will need it." Haruki accepted the gesture, though he looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"What are you guys on about? What are we going to do with Kang Xi?" Unable to comprehend their subtle remarks, Xuzhan shifted their attention back to something he could understand.

Haruki's brows furrowed for a rare moment. "I don't like the idea that he's probably next to the general right now."

"Does the general know you've been acting out?" Baili asked, raising his tea cup in interest.

Haruki nodded, knowing he didn't have to hide it in this magical dome. "It was the general's idea, actually. He wanted to see which snakes hiding in the dark would move if they succeeded in poisoning me."

Baili looked startled. "... Shit, don't we look bad right now, then?"

Xuzhan had already moved before Haruki could say anything, throwing the flaps of the tent aggressively and barely making out two shadows disappearing into the night.

Baili quickly caught Xuzhan's arm and pulled him back to the tent before he could recklessly chase after them.

Inside the dome, Xuzhan rained down curses freely, relying on the dome to muffle his words.

Sitting down with a grim face, Baili turned to Haruki. "I'm afraid tomorrow we'll be walking towards guillotines."

Haruki sank into deep thought for a few minutes before responding. "I think the general will believe me if I say you guys are innocent."

"Are you delusional, or do you really believe that?" Xuzhan subconsciously retorted.

"Either way, we should be prepared. Kang Xi really might be with the general right now. Since you can continue playing the victim, you're safe. But we—" As Baili got to this part of his sentence, his eyes filled with worry as he gazed at Xuzhan tenderly.

Having decided his course of action, he turned to Haruki. "If I need it, can I count on you? I think the worse you act out, the better."

While Xuzhan was plunged into confusion once again, Haruki had already shaken his head. "If you're planning on taking the blame so Xuzhan can live, forget it. Neither of you will be implicated."

"You're too optimistic and delusional!" Baili slammed the table in agitation, a stark contrast to his earlier calmness.

Haruki met his gaze steadily. "Lanling won't fall for it. I swear on my memories with him."