The Wandering Samurai and his Beloved General (BL)

The army was soon preoccupied with the cleanup once the situation cooled down. The imprisonment spell was still in place, and some surviving undead could be found hiding here and there.

And the training grounds suddenly became the safest place for the soldiers to rest.

Lanling was down to one advisor, and hundreds of his high-ranking officers had been apprehended. He appeared calm on the surface, but Haruki could sense that he wasn't unaffected.

Kang Xi was bound by spectral ropes, surrounded by soldiers with their swords drawn and mages ready with fireballs. If he tried anything, it would be a miracle if he managed to leave unscathed.

"How did you know? Our skins were flawless, and you showed no sign of suspicion for years." Kang Xi's voice was disjointed—deep and hoarse, as though his throat had been run over with a grate. He looked as though he had accepted his fate but couldn't understand where it had all gone wrong.

"Yesterday, we had tea. I sprinkled some holy water to keep my mind clear." There was tiredness in Lanling's voice, but it didn't diminish his commanding presence. "I suppose you thought I didn't notice your skin peeling because of the darkness."

Kang Xi frowned and clicked his tongue. "You're truly deserving of being a general, ah. So decisive—you didn't even give anyone time to retaliate."

Lanling's eyes narrowed, their sharpness cutting through the air. "I simply hate dealing with your kind." As if his last shred of patience had worn thin, he raised his right hand, signalling for the end.

Kang Xi's head was severed cleanly, but before they could ignite it, he began to laugh. Shocked, the soldier holding it let go, and the head rolled on the ground, still laughing—a sound so haunting it made everyone wish they hadn't heard it.

"This isn't over, Lanling. As long as he lives, we will be back!"

His laughter grew louder, sending chills through the hearts of everyone present.

A clap of thunder and a flash of dazzling lightning silenced him instantly. The heat was so intense that the head melted where it lay.

For the first time, Haruki saw Lanling's chest heave, his hand gripping his silver jian trembling ever so slightly. Without thinking, Haruki reached out, his hand warmly wrapping around Lanling's.

Lanling abruptly turned to him, startled by the unexpected gesture.

Haruki said nothing, but the worry in his eyes was unmistakable. A trace of nostalgia creeping into his heart. This didn't feel like the first time he had worried about this person. It was as if years of precious memories had been stolen from him, and though he longed for them, they felt impossible to reclaim.

"...I'm fine." Lanling seemed to summon all his willpower to sound calm, but the redness in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Haruki, however, simply refused to let go.

In the end, he was dragged all over the camp as Lanling, being the general, continued to command the army. Their interlocked fingers drawing countless stares—some soldiers' eyes nearly popped out, while others did a double take.

When there was no evidence, many soldiers stubbornly clung to the belief that the two were merely friends. But with this undeniable display paraded before them, they had no choice but to accept the truth, jumping into the pit of speculation along with everyone else.

It was already dark when Lanling returned to his tent with Haruki in tow.

His servants had long prepared a bath for him, and while Haruki absentmindedly and stubbornly kept their hands locked together, Lanling led him to the bathtub. With a subtle smirk, he raised their interlocked hands over the steaming water.

"Are you coming with?"

Haruki's gaze followed their hands, landing on the inviting scene of the steaming bath. His face flushed crimson in an instant as he stammered, his mouth opening and closing.

"Ah—? Eh... This is... isn't it... too small...?"

Words stumbled out, but Haruki struggled to string them together. His thoughts felt clouded, mirroring the swirling steam that rose from the water.

Lanling raised a brow, clearly amused. "Is it?"

Without another word, he dragged Haruki back outside and called for the servants, instructing them to prepare a larger tub.

They silently obeyed, their faces just as red as Haruki's.

After completing their task, the servants briskly walked out, aided by the wind, their heads tucked low against their chests.

Haruki, meanwhile, was already dizzy from his own rising heat.

Naively, he thought Lanling was still teasing him—until the sudden coldness against his chest jolted him awake.

Lanling had effortlessly stripped the upper part of his body bare. His narrowed gaze obviously trailing over Haruki's muscles and his scars.

His eyes seem to darken.

And once again, Haruki forgot how to breathe.

Their gazes locked—one calm and composed, the other in turmoil.

After a while, a teasing smile bloomed on Lanling's face.

"Shall I keep going?"

Frantically, Haruki shook his head and began undressing on his own. He vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but before he could pinpoint it, he had already stepped willingly into the large tub.

Wait—no! That's not right!

Realization struck, and he shot to his feet, only to remember he was still naked. With a yelp, he quickly sank back into the water, using its surface as a futile shield against his embarrassment.

Looking up through the swirling steam, he saw Lanling leisurely removing his layers of clothing.

Haruki's breath hitched as Lanling's shoulder blades came into view, contracting and relaxing with his movements. His back muscles rippled with each fluid motion, and when the last article of clothing slipped away, Haruki's gaze trailed down before he could stop himself.

Then, he choked.

Coughing violently to dislodge the water he'd accidentally inhaled—and perhaps to mask the rising heat on his face—he caused the water to ripple and splash around him.

His entire body went rigid as the disturbance brought a startling realization: the tub, though large, was not spacious enough for two.

Lanling entered.

And their legs inevitably brushed and crossed in the confined space, sending a jolt up Haruki's spine.

"I-It's still... too small..."

"Mn, but it's enough."

Haruki abruptly closed his legs, but in doing so, he accidentally caught one of Lanling's casually outstretched legs.

Panic surged through him. Desperate to keep it at bay—and to ensure it didn't disturb what he was frantically trying to hide—Haruki grabbed onto Lanling's leg with both hands.

"What are you doing?" Lanling asked through a soft chuckle.

"D-Do you want a massage?? I can massage!" Desperate, Haruki scrambled for an excuse, but his mouth had already betrayed him, spitting out nonsense instead of something sophisticated.

"Oh?"

Lanling's gaze softened as he watched Haruki's face flush, his eyes were darting nervously around, avoiding his own. The amusement on Lanling's face was undeniable, and it was clear he found Haruki's actions incredibly endearing.

Yet, Haruki couldn't seem to focus on anything but the space around them so he failed to notice.

Amused and satisfied by Haruki's flustered state, Lanling decided to offer him an easy way out.

"You're right it's too small. Maybe next time." Then, he carefully pulled his leg off of Haruki's hands.

"O-Oh."