Chapter 96: Date

Chapter 96: Date

The Spirit Rune Masters who had witnessed the relationship between Cang Cheng and Hilmeth left in a daze, with many bumping into walls because they were so absent-minded.

Although Fu Huai had already known about the relationship between Hilmeth and Cang Cheng, this was the first time he had seen them interact in person.

They were all over each other, completely lost in their own world, eyes locked.

Fu Huai patted his arms to shake off imaginary goosebumps, deciding to steer clear of this couple who seemed to care about no one but themselves.

However...

Fu Huai recalled the gentleness he had seen in the General’s expression.

He was genuinely happy for the General, knowing that Hilmeth had finally found someone who could truly connect with him.

*

Leaving the military department, Hilmeth took Cang Cheng to a popular couples' restaurant on the main planet.

The exterior of the restaurant was designed like a floating flower sea island. The vibrant holographic flower garden was incredibly lifelike, with butterflies and birds occasionally flying by. This unique ambiance made the restaurant a hit among locals on the main planet.

Hilmeth didn’t reserve the entire place but instead asked for a private room. As soon as they walked in, they drew the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

“Oh my! Is that the General? It must be the General, right!”

“Judging by the medals on his military uniform, yes, he is the General.”

“Unbelievable.”

“My goodness, I actually saw the General dining at a couples' restaurant. Who is his companion? He’s really good-looking.”

“That… isn’t that Fifth Prince Cang Cheng? Is their relationship really something special?”

“They are so compatible.”

“Is the CP I’ve been shipping real? At the Exchange Competition, the General was definitely special to the Fifth Prince. I didn’t imagine it.”

...

Their appearance caused quite a stir, but due to the General’s formidable reputation, people only whispered from their seats and didn’t dare to act inappropriately.

Their faces lit up with curiosity, and they couldn’t stop staring at Cang Cheng, clearly eager for gossip. It was hard to picture the usually stern and intimidating General having a soft spot for anyone.

Originally, the couples who came to the restaurant to nurture their relationships suddenly lost interest in their own partners. The ladies started chatting with each other.

“Is this real? Am I dreaming? The General and the Fifth Prince are actually a couple? How come there’s been no news about this? It’s so unexpected.”

“There were rumors during the summit that the General and the Fifth Prince were close. I thought it was fake! But here we are, just a month after the summit, and we’ve bumped into their date.”

“There were such rumors during the summit? How come I didn’t hear about it?”

“Look! Here are some privately circulated images of the General and the prince. Just look at the sunlight, the atmosphere, and their intimate postures. It’s likely that something was already going on between them back then.”

...

While the women were busy gossiping, the men were quickly sharing updates in their group chats with friends, constantly sending out ‘WTF’ expressions.

However, out of respect for their image rights, no one dared to take pictures of Hilmeth and Cang Cheng’s date. But that didn’t stop some fans from already shipping the ‘Color CP.’

As for why it’s called the Color CP... Well, both Hilmeth and Cang Cheng’s names have colors in them, after all.

On the other side, Cang Cheng and Hilmeth walked into the private room, their faces impassive despite the intense gazes from the crowd.

Hilmeth had ordered the 699,999 stellars couple's special, and the appetizers were already laid out on the table.

Each dish was served on heart-shaped plates of different sizes, which together formed a large heart.

Surrounding the heart were holographic white roses, creating a soft, romantic atmosphere in the dim lighting.

Hilmeth pulled out a chair for Cang Cheng and only sat down after Cang Cheng was seated.

Cang Cheng swirled the red wine glass, watching as the deep red liquid clung to the sides, giving the clear glass a faint pink hue.

Cang Cheng took a sip, and the wine colored his lighter lips red.

"Hilmeth, you picked this place on purpose, didn't you?"

By choosing this famous couples' restaurant on the main planet without booking the entire venue, you're practically announcing our relationship to everyone, right?

This kind of possessiveness and showing off feels a bit overbearing to me, not like something you'd usually do.

However, Cang Cheng didn't mind.

They were dating openly, so what was there to hide?

He wanted to mark Hilmeth, to let everyone know that Hilmeth was his.

Cang Cheng had just noticed how many people in the hall were practically drooling with admiration when they saw Hilmeth.

And when they saw Hilmeth holding his hand, many of them looked like they'd been hit by lightning—desolate and hurt.

His boyfriend was too popular. Even with his fierce reputation, there were still so many people who coveted him, which was really upsetting.

"Are you mad?"

Hilmeth's gaze was fixed on Cang Cheng's eyes.

In the dim light, those pitch-black eyes, which always captivated him, seemed even more mesmerizing.

"Yeah, a little."

Cang Cheng tried to keep a straight face. "If I'm angry, Hilmeth, what will you do?"

"You can punish me however you like."

"Really?"

"You're my boyfriend; you can do whatever you want."

"Then... come here."

Hilmeth stood up and came to Cang Cheng's side.

"Too tall, squat down."

Hilmeth knelt on one knee on the ground.

This position made Hilmeth slightly shorter than Cang Cheng, softening the usual intensity of the general's presence.

Hilmeth placed his hand on top of Cang Cheng's knee.

His large hand could easily hold Cang Cheng, just like before, and with a little force, Cang Cheng would be unable to struggle.

But now, Hilmeth’s hand wasn’t using any force, just resting there. He looked almost docile.

Cang Cheng’s knee twitched slightly, but Hilmeth didn’t release his hand, so Cang Cheng let it be.

Cang Cheng lowered his gaze to the general’s face.

Although at this moment Hilmeth was in human form, without fur or exotic horns, Cang Cheng was still drawn to him.

He reached out and touched Hilmeth’s silver-white eyelashes.

The latter reflexively blinked.

Cang Cheng’s hand traveled from the deep-set corners of Hilmeth’s eyes to the side of his neck, as gentle as a feather but burning like fire.

He could feel Hilmeth’s body temperature rising and his heartbeat quickening under his touch, and his gaze… darkened.

Cang Cheng smirked, a low chuckle escaping him, as he lifted the silver hair that had fallen over Hilmeth’s shoulder and tucked it behind his ear, fully exposing the side of his neck.

“Then I’ll start the punishment, Hilmeth.”

Cang Cheng leaned down and, with his mouth, bit hard onto Hilmeth’s side neck.

The person beneath him tensed up but forced himself to relax, preventing his muscles from becoming too stiff.

Along with the slight pain came Cang Cheng’s scent and touch.

Even though his carotid artery was at the mercy of Cang Cheng’s mouth, Hilmeth had no desire to pull away. Instead, he wished Cang Cheng would bite harder.

The hand on Cang Cheng’s knee applied a little pressure, and as it brushed against the soft flesh of Cang Cheng’s thigh, it lingered even more.

For a moment, it was hard to say whether Cang Cheng’s action was a punishment… or a reward.

Or maybe, both.

Cang Cheng released Hilmeth’s neck and, as he pulled away, gently traced the mark he had left behind.

A perfectly shaped bite mark, fresh and vivid like a strawberry, tinged with a hint of blood, stood out against Hilmeth’s pale skin, creating an inexplicable beauty.

Cang Cheng’s thumb traced the mark, and he was satisfied.

“Don’t try to heal it without me knowing. If it fades, I’ll mark you again.”

“Hmm…”

Hilmeth’s thoughts were already far away, consumed by the memory of Cang Cheng’s lips and the lingering warmth on his neck.

Suddenly, he rose and took the initiative, one hand gripping Cang Cheng’s chin, and kissed him.

Cang Cheng’s back was pressed against the edge of the table, causing the plates to clatter.

But he didn’t resist Hilmeth’s actions.

After burying his face in the other’s neck and catching his scent, Cang Cheng had been wanting it too.

“Do you want to keep going, Cang Cheng?”

Hilmeth's voice had a mesmerizing quality that drew Cang Cheng in.

"Hmm..."

Cang Cheng was lost in a daze.

"But you've already done this many times recently, are you sure you can do it again today?"

In a fit of frustration, Cang Cheng bit Hilmeth's neck once more.

Hilmeth lifted his head, exposing his broad Adam's apple, allowing Cang Cheng to do as he pleased.

His breathing was erratic; if not for the release his magic had given him over the past two days, he might have taken Cang Cheng right there.

Fortunately, Hilmeth managed to keep his cool.

Hilmeth: "If you keep going like this, I'll be charging you interest tonight."

"Charge me interest if you must, but I'm unhappy and uncomfortable right now. You're not allowed to move until I'm done bullying you."

Hilmeth kissed the tip of Cang Cheng's ear, murmuring, "Alright."

It was only after Cang Cheng had adorned Hilmeth with a half-circle 'strawberry necklace' that he felt it was enough.

The two quickly finished their dinner, not even paying attention to what they were eating.

The flying car stayed just under the speed limit on the way home, and as they neared home, Cang Cheng even used spatial teleportation.

In the blink of an eye, Cang Cheng and Hilmeth appeared in the bedroom.

Since it was Cang Cheng's first time using spatial teleportation with someone else, he failed to control the balance well and ended up falling onto Hilmeth as soon as they arrived.

Hilmeth raised an eyebrow. "When did you learn that?"

Cang Cheng fumbled with Hilmeth's clothes. "At a time like this, do you really want to discuss this?"

Hilmeth smiled and, with a wave of energy, shattered both Cang Cheng's and his own clothes.

"I just think these Spirit Runes are perfect for choosing a spot."

Cang Cheng blinked in surprise. "You can take clothes off like that?"

But in the next moment, he had no time to think about anything else.

As Hilmeth kissed Cang Cheng, he reached into a spatial pocket and pulled out a semi-transparent bottle labeled 'Orange Blossom.'

His long fingers dipped into the fragrant lubricant.

"What are you going to do?"

Cang Cheng's voice was distorted.

He wanted to grab a blanket to wrap himself up, but since the teleportation had landed them on the carpet, he was far from the blanket and couldn't reach it.

"Looking for a blanket? How about this instead?"

As he spoke, Hilmeth had already transformed into his exotic appearance, his red-golden pupils exuding a sinister aura.

His fluffy tail curled around Cang Cheng, wriggling in affection, but such behavior only made Cang Cheng more uncomfortable.

"Ink, take your tail off me...!"

Grumbling words were cut off as Hilmeth used his expert technique to draw Cang Cheng in, making him lose himself in the moment.

"Don't be afraid, Cang Cheng."

Hilmeth started to take what he wanted.

……

When it was all over, it was nearly 3 a.m.

Hilmeth, considering that Cang Cheng was still not used to it, initially planned to go slowly, letting Cang Cheng adjust to the experience. But his self-restraint completely collapsed at that moment, and he couldn't hold back when Cang Cheng was sobbing and shouting curses.

Being an exotic, Hilmeth had remarkable endurance, and even with several consecutive sessions over these days, he wasn’t very tired. But Cang Cheng was exhausted, rarely indulging in such activities, yet experiencing one thing after another in just a few short days.

Cang Cheng had lost all sense of awareness, repeatedly muttering, "No more, no more."

Hilmeth wrapped his fluffy tail around him, the tip of his tail trembling slightly before it settled against Cang Cheng's tailbone.

Both Hilmeth and his tail felt very satisfied.

Several days later, Cang Cheng went to the military base every day to teach the newly enlisted Spirit Rune Masters. Several of them had already begun to master Level A Spirit Runes.

Meanwhile, Hilmeth led the soldiers to fly to a nearby planet, clearing out the remaining star beasts and taking the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the new energy weapons.

*

After eliminating a batch of toxins at the Weapon Institute, Ming Bai began to formally explain the key points of the new weapon production.

The new energy weapons were being rapidly mass-produced.

Everything in the Canglan Star Region was being rebuilt in an orderly and renewed manner.

However, on that day, a glowing screen suddenly appeared above all the planets in the Canglan Star Region.

The rules from a higher civilization bypassed the star region's defenses.

The glowing screen was inscribed with the star region's common language:

"C-grade civilizations Xila Star Region, Ster Star Region, and Element Star Region have initiated a mandatory Spirit Runes combat scenario against C-grade civilization Canglan Star Region.

If the Canglan Star Region wins, it will be promoted to a B-grade civilization and gain sovereignty over the above three star regions. If it loses, it will forfeit its star region sovereignty and be incorporated into the aforementioned three star regions.

Mandatory Spirit Runes combat scenario countdown: 6 days 23 hours 59 minutes.

Please submit the participation list within 3 days."

Those who had been eyeing the Canglan Star Region had finally made their move.