The Wandering Samurai and his Beloved General (BL)

It was midnight.

The birds had long since flown away, driven off when the army began their training two days ago. Now, their only companions were the persistent drone of cicadas and the occasional flicker of fireflies. The clear patches of sky visible through the canopy had become their sole entertainment—spurring idle guesses about the wonders orbiting those distant stars.

In the stillness, each group stationed above the trees quietly shifted to take their turn on watch.

Haruki found himself perched on the same branch as Lanling.

He was observing the trees and came up with a theory: the trees must have absorbed the same energy that caused the crocodiles to grow so unnaturally fast. It was the only explanation for their immense thickness, sturdiness, and their heights, which were nearly double the norm.

It was safer to stay close to the trunk. After checking three times to ensure he had a clear view of the swamp below, Haruki settled in comfortably. He spread his arms wide and gestured at Lanling with a grin.

"Lanling, over here~" He playfully patted the spot between his legs. "I'll take the first watch, so you can rest."

Lanling arched his brows in interest. "Why do I need to go there to rest?"

"Because this is the best spot!" Haruki declared with righteous confidence.

"Oh?" Lanling sounded unconvinced. "And what makes it the best spot?"

Haruki's ears burned instantly, but a mischievous grin spread across his face. He raised his arms a bit higher, adopting an exaggeratedly inviting posture. "This is the warmest and safest spot! You won't find anything like it! It is exclusively for you!"

A series of poorly muffled coughs erupted from nearby branches, but Haruki paid them no mind.

Lanling couldn't suppress a soft laugh, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "Very well. But you've raised my expectations."

With movements as effortless as a stroll through a garden, Lanling approached and sat down, his back resting against Haruki. The moment he settled, Haruki's arms closed around him, and his legs shifted to gently keep him in place. The arrangement was unexpectedly comfortable, prompting another quiet chuckle from Lanling.

Over Lanling's left shoulder, right beside his ear, Haruki's warm breath brushed against his skin. "See? Aren't I warm?"

Lanling smiled, his expression softening. "Mn." It was certainly warm.

Haruki buried his face in Lanling's neck, secretly hiding his lovestruck expression as he took a long breath before reluctantly raising his head. He hadn't forgotten that he had suggested taking the night watch.

Though he greedily wished to take advantage of the situation, he couldn't afford to be neglectful.

At first, mockingly, some soldiers who had seen Haruki's antics mirrored their interactions in jest, only to find themselves sticking with it.

It's practicality evident.

Since the swamp was cold and sleeping on the branches of these trees was dangerous, the act of one person hugging—keeping the other warm and secure—suddenly became popular.

The pair was, of course, too preoccupied in their own little world to comment on the soldiers' momentary silliness.

As midnight slipped away, a dense fog gathered, curling low over the water. It obscured the beady eyes that had patiently waited, motionless, with infinite patience.

In the uncanny stillness, the faint sound of water being disturbed sent the soldiers on night watch into silent action. They moved with precision, quietly waking their companions while covering their mouths to stifle any noise.

Someone had entered the swamp.

For a heartbeat, their chests tightened with unease, but they quickly steadied themselves, suppressing their restlessness. Eyes widened in the darkness, they watched, waiting for the figures of the intruders to emerge.

The ambushers tightened their grip on their daggers, poised to descend at a moment's notice. Another soldier held the ropes with unwavering focus, every muscle tensed in anticipation.

The fog shifted.

It swirled and parted, displaced by the movements of dark-clothed figures treading through the water. They moved slowly, cautiously—an eerie precision to their steps. Each movement was deliberate, timed to blend seamlessly with ambient sounds that masked their presence.

They appeared to be a group of three scouts.

An ambusher nearby patiently waited, their breath so shallow that their companion almost thought they had stopped breathing altogether.

In a split second, the ambusher quietly took a step.

The companion holding the rope knew very well that their tacit understanding had to be impeccable, so their attention never left the ambusher. As soon as he saw him move, he quietly but swiftly began lowering them.

Having trained for the past two days, he didn't need to check when to lift the ambusher up. After only a few seconds, he sharply tugged at the rope and hastily brought the ambusher up.

In the ambusher's arms was a scout, a dagger embedded deep in their throat to stop them from making any sounds.

The two quickly finished him off before hastily checking the situation below.

The other two scouts hadn't noticed their missing ally and quickly fell victim to other ambushers.

The surrounding people perched on top of the trees collectively sighed in relief.

The general's plans were working!

Over the next few hours, until dawn, several groups of Black Python scouts would die before any of their companions noticed their absence. Their bodies would be quietly lowered soon after and fed to the waiting crocodiles.

The crocodiles weren't idle either.

When one of the crocodiles noticed the scouts first, it would attack like the seasoned predator it was, and a group of crocodiles would follow. It wasn't that the scouts were weak, but after the area consumed the mages' mana, there had been an influx in the population.

The scouts hopelessly struggled before falling under the onslaught.

Sometimes, an archer or two would help—if they could keep their presence unknown.

By the time the moon disappeared over the horizon, the murky swamp water had turned dark red.

"Good. Increase the thickness of the fog."

Lanling's soft but commanding voice broke the silence as the sun slowly peeked out. He motioned to the mages and Haruki, who was helping keep the fog from dispersing with the aid of his wind.

"The longer it takes for them to notice, the more soldiers they'll send." He shrugged. "It's going to be extra busy today."