The Wandering Samurai and his Beloved General (BL)

The two prisoners were soon tied up and securely placed near the trunk of the tree to prevent them from falling.

Akiko had stopped flailing, though she would occasionally flinch. The guard, covered in armor from head to toe, was surprisingly compliant throughout the process. The mages assumed he was simply pragmatic, seeing no viable way out of his predicament.

Lanling strolled over and casually removed the guard's helmet, revealing short black and red hair and piercing grey eyes. His dry, tanned skin suggested long days spent laboring under the sun.

"So, it's His Highness, Prince Orion." Lanling cast a glance at Akiko before turning his gaze back to Orion. "Care to explain why you've come to the frontlines? And with a suicide squad, no less?"

Orion met Lanling's eyes without flinching, his expression calm despite the tension in the air. After a moment of silence, he sighed. "I ran away."

Everyone except Lanling was startled.

"It's not uncommon for someone to join the army while running away, so I can understand," Lanling said. "But since we've caught you fair and square, I trust the prince won't make things difficult for us."

Coincidentally, the cleanup had ended quickly, and the army was already returning to their positions, forming a perimeter around Lanling's and Haruki's tree. Inevitably, Orion's gaze swept over them, his eyes flickering with what seemed like recognition.

"No wonder everyone we sent never came back. This must be your ambush crew." Orion chuckled freely, as though the bindings on his wrists didn't exist and the enemies surrounding him were merely old friends. "Don't worry—I won't run away."

"Can I have your word?" Lanling asked, arching a brow.

Orion nodded. "I swear upon my spear."

Lanling's gaze lingered on him for another minute. He almost couldn't mask his surprise at Orion's words. Swearing upon his spear was tantamount to swearing on his life.

"Very well. Then could you tell us what the rest of your army is planning?" Lanling's eyes glinted with mischief.

"You jest. I vowed not to run away—I didn't say anything about being a traitor."

"I'm sure the sooner we end this, the sooner the prince can go home."

"By handing over seven thousand lives to you on a silver platter? And who said I wanted to go home?" Orion also raised a brow, his tone laced with provocation.

Haruki listened quietly, inwardly marveling at how differently those with authority behaved compared to common folk. He almost imagined daggers being thrown between Lanling and Orion, their piercing gazes locked in what felt like an invisible battle.

"The prince still hasn't answered my first question," Lanling said pointedly. "Why did you come to the frontlines?"

Orion's composure finally cracked. A furrow appeared on his brow, and a flicker of annoyance crossed his face. "I'm sure it's irrelevant to the battle. Perhaps the general should fix his priorities."

Lanling narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the brief moment Orion's composure faltered. "You came to unlock your potential."

He said it with such certainty that it left Orion momentarily stunned.

Lanling didn't wait for confirmation. It seemed he had already decided that was the reason. Without another word, he turned to glance at a nearby branch, his gaze fixing on Mainu. "Come get the prisoners and keep an eye on them. They're coming back to the capital with us once this is over." The implication was clear—he intended to use them as hostages.

Mainu wasted no time in carrying out the orders. Soon, only Haruki and Lanling remained on the branch.

The army had taken their positions among the treetops, seamlessly returning to their routine of rotating night watches, ambushing scouts, and feeding the crocodiles—an action they started to find entertaining and slightly... rewarding?

Their coordinated movements spoke of experience; they didn't require additional commands.

It was a peaceful night.

Presumably, the Black Pythons were still waiting for some sort of signal from the battalion they had sent, so no wandering scouts came to disturb the Silver Dragons' rest.

The group collectively sighed, joking about their experiences during the day to ease the tension. Gradually, they woodenly paired up once again, instinctively drawing close to stave off the cold and avoid the threat of falling. There were no words exchanged—nothing that could risk an awkward conversation.

Haruki eagerly opened his arms, patting the spot between his legs once again, his meaning clear. With a soft, amused chuckle, Lanling sat comfortably in his embrace, letting the side of his head rest against Haruki's chest.

The warmth and steady beat of Haruki's heart filled his ears, washing away all the exhaustion that had accumulated throughout the day.

He melted.

"Are you cold?"

Haruki's voice came from above, his lips brushing against Lanling's silky hair.

"I was." Lanling smiled. "But you're warm."

Haruki let out a soft laugh, filled with joy. "If you wanted it, my services are available every night."

"Oh? Is it that convenient? There must be a lot of customers then."

"Not at all." Haruki subconsciously nudged Lanling's hair with his nose. "It's only open to you."

A sudden silence fell, with only the whispering wind through the leaves bringing life to the surroundings.

Haruki didn't hear anything in response for a long time, but somehow, he could tell that the person in his arms was savoring the moment. That thought softened his already love-struck expression, and an urge to continue what they had left off earlier stirred within him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Lanling shifted and raised his head to meet his gaze. His eyes seemed to be saying he wanted him.

Haruki's heart skipped a beat.

They grew closer, noses touching, breaths merging. Their eyes focused on each other's lips, both hoping they would meet sooner.

Like hungry beasts, they parted their mouths and captured each other's tongues, battling over who would suck harder—it brought a slight pain that seemed to fuel their growing desires.

Haruki's right hand found its way to the back of Lanling's neck, deepening the kiss as if he sought the deepest parts of him.

Lanling's arms had long enveloped Haruki's waist, his feet pressing as he subconsciously tried to deepen the kiss as well.

It truly tested Haruki's resolve.

Before he could speak to Lanling about the eyes, the trees, and the possibility of an enemy attack, Lanling pulled away for a moment, then climbed over him to straddle him, leaving him no room to retreat.

"Ha—wai—"

His words were swallowed, and his breath caught.

Lanling continued his onslaught.

Haruki could only hold onto him tighter, one hand gripping Lanling's neck, the other resting on his legs—sometimes warning him not to move too much with a pinch.

"Mn~ Don't—" Lanling spoke through their kisses, but it was clear that a coherent sentence was impossible. Hastily, he covered Haruki's lips. "Don't—Don't provoke me."

Haruki was startled.

Color rushed to his ears and cheeks as he pulled Lanling's hand away from his mouth. "Lanling~ You like pain?"

Lanling glared at him with glazed eyes and flushed cheeks, the facade he wore all day now gone. "...Don't say it like that."

Haruki grinned and caught Lanling's lower lip, nibbling at it and gradually increasing the pressure.

Lanling visibly trembled.

"Well, do you?" Haruki insisted, his voice deepening.

Lanling's eyes narrowed dangerously. "More kissing. Less talking."

With that, he kissed him harder, cutting off any further nonsense coming out of Haruki's lips.