Chapter 47: Dungeon

Chapter 47: The Dungeon

Lin You hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not push Lanen away.

The sick females were always particularly dependent on pheromones. Lin You looked at the furrowed brows of the major general and sighed softly, thinking, "Never mind, I'll stay a bit longer and leave before he wakes up."

Lanen had been awake the whole time.

He had originally just wanted to take the opportunity to see Lin You, test his attitude towards the Crown Prince, and then consider his next move. But the soft bedding, the warmth of the person beside him, and the surrounding citrus pheromones made him indulge more and more.

Lanen cautiously tested how far Lin You would let him go. He first pretended to unintentionally wrap his arm around the other's waist, then pressed his whole body against him, and finally, still unsatisfied, almost completely embraced Lin You.

Lin You seemed slightly uncomfortable but didn't resist, letting him hold on obediently, neither waking him up nor pushing him away.

Lanen lowered his eyes.

—The Third Prince really was quite indulgent with him.

66 said, "The general's fever has subsided. Should we go?"

Lin You: "...Let's wait a bit longer."

Lanen was holding him too tightly, showing a look of reluctance and clinginess.

He felt somewhat awkward. Although they had done more intimate things before, that was driven purely by desire. Lanen had no feelings for him at all. But now, lying like this, they seemed like an intimate couple.

Lin You silently repeated to himself, "He's just a patient, just a patient." He stayed in the room for over an hour before finally getting up to leave.

*

Early the next morning, Lin You received a letter of visit from the First Prince.

Lin Yu affectionately used his nickname, saying he wanted to come to his residence for a visit. Lin You had no choice but to agree, then told the servants to get everything ready.

The visit was scheduled for the afternoon. Lin You spent the morning in the study reading the original manuscript. As he was studying, 66 suddenly chimed in, "Host, could you pause for a moment?"

Lin You: "Let me finish this part first."

66 was lying on a small cushion by the bay window, only a corner of the screen visible. Hearing this, it retracted and muttered, "Alright, don't say I didn't warn you."

The key plot points in the novel were described in great detail. For example, the chapter about Judgment Day listed the judge's verdict, Lanen's metal handcuffs, the reactions of various guests, and even the disdainful expressions of the Crown Prince, Third Prince, and White. It was quite challenging to handle, and despite Lin You's deep contemplation, he couldn't find any loopholes in the plot.

He started to feel a headache. At that moment, there were three knocks on the door, likely the butler bringing breakfast.

Lin You: "Come in."

Someone entered.

The footsteps were crisp, not the soft sound of the butler's leather shoes, but the clatter of long military boots with metal heels. But Lin You, preoccupied, didn't notice at all.

A glass of milk was placed in front of him, followed by a small cake. The person wore pure white gloves, the fabric wrapping around long, elegant fingers.

Lin You didn't look up: "Thank you, I'll eat it later."

"..."

66 timidly peeked out: "Host."

"Host, could you pause for a moment..."

"I'm busy right now," Lin You felt a slight headache. He reached up to press his temples, and then a pair of hands replaced his, gently massaging his temples.

The technique was smooth, clearly well-practiced.

The butler also knew a thing or two about massage. As he was about to thank him, he heard a soft sigh, and someone gently asked, "You feeling better?"

Lin You’s head snapped up.

The general was decked out in full dress uniform, wearing white gloves, his silver hair tied into a low ponytail, the roots fastened with a ribbon of the same color—nearly identical to the butler's uniform—and was looking at him with concern.

"What’s going on here?"

Lanen arranged the tea and small cakes one by one, then bowed gracefully: "I informed the butler that since I’ve taken up residence here, I should also take care of your daily life, so I took over some of his duties."

Lin You shifted uncomfortably.

He stashed the draft in a drawer, locked it with a guilty look, then coughed and hurriedly picked up a small cake: "No, don’t bother, you’re still recovering, you should rest."

But Lanen didn’t budge. He stood by holding the tray, smiling: "I overheard the servants talking about the Grand Prince’s visit."

Lin You paused in eating the small cake, mumbling, "Yes."

Lanen: "Then you should tie me up."

Lin You fumbled, and the plate clattered to the floor. Lanen swooped down and caught it with ease, placing the cake back in front of Lin You: "Please be careful."

He spoke calmly, almost casually, as if he had just said something like 'the weather is nice' rather than 'tie me up'.

Lin You nearly choked. He picked up the tea, speechless: "Tie you up? Where would I even do that?"

Lanen smiled: "The basement."

Lin You spat out his tea.

Lanen put down the tray, patting Lin You’s back with concern: "Please be careful, are you alright?"

Lin You pushed his hand away, coughing on his own, and only after finally stopping did he say, "Just... stay away from me."

If the general kept talking, Lin You was sure he’d choke.

The prince's residence did indeed have a basement, even a private interrogation room, but with the empire's legislation against the abuse of private punishment, the nobility had toned it down. Although the basement still existed, it was not dared to be used excessively.

Since Lin You had arrived, the basement of his residence had not been used.

Lanen said: "You can place me in the middle of the interrogation room, put on chains and a collar, smear red paint on my clothes..."

He didn’t finish, but Lin You already understood.

This was indeed a good idea.

To place Lanen in the basement, show the Grand Prince from a distance, say some random lines, then leave. The Grand Prince wouldn't dare to rush into the cell to personally inspect the wounds.

He pondered thoughtfully, then directly called up the computer to summon the butler, asking, "Do I have a basement? Where is our basement?"

The butler paused, seemingly somewhat speechless. After detailing the address, he couldn’t help but ask, "You really didn’t know at all?"

It’s a huge basement.

Lin You justified himself: "I don’t go near that creepy place, why would I know?"

Lanen heard everything, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

—The Third Prince was indeed as gentle and kind as he had imagined.

The entrance to the basement was in the garden pavilion. The butler took out a long-unused key, and as Lin Yu stepped inside and was hit by a cold, rusty smell.

This place had not seen sunlight for years and was dark and damp. Iron bars divided the pitch-black space into small cells, extending endlessly like an exploration scene in a horror game, as if inhuman creatures could jump out at any moment, forcing one to flee.

Lin Yu's well-known fans all knew that he was a bit afraid of ghosts.

Lin Yu had been walking at the front, with none of the servants daring to overtake him. But as he paused slightly, Lanen grasped his hesitation and took the lantern from the butler, holding his hand and leading him forward: "Please follow me."

Lanen, still in his uniform, had a dry and warm hand, and his military boots tapped a rhythmic beat on the ground, elegant as a knight guarding a treasure. They finally stopped in front of a cell, and Lanen looked around: "Here will do."

The butler carried a box filled with items typical of noble basements, including collars and whips. Lin Yu's set was pristine, untouched, the whip not even stained with a drop of blood or a scratch.

The butler took out a key to open the cell and nodded respectfully to Lanen: "General, please."

Typically, such tasks would fall to the butler, but Lanen turned to Lin Yu and abruptly asked, "Your Highness, may I make a request?"

Lanen was to be locked in this dark, eerie place for the afternoon, and Lin Yu felt a pang of guilt, immediately responding, "Go ahead."

The general offered a slight smile, then took the box from the butler and presented it to Lin Yu.

He said, "I'd prefer if you did it yourself."

Before Lin Yu could fully grasp the situation, he was led dazedly into the cell and handed chains and a collar. Then Lanen knelt before him, pushing aside his silver hair to reveal his slender neck, with a smile, "Come on."

"..."

Lin Yu lowered his gaze, picked up the collar, adjusted it to be quite loose, and then gently fastened it around Lanen's neck. There was a small silver bell on it, gently resting against his Adam's apple.

He adjusted the chain's length, giving Lanen freedom of movement, then reached for other items in the box.

But Lanen gently stopped him.

The general shook his head, saying, "This won't do. The First Prince is an expert; he'll see through it."

Among the three princes, Lin Yu was undoubtedly the most extravagant. He knew far more about the use of these items than Lin Yu did.

Lin Yu thought to himself, Lin Yu, that deviant, is an expert? Yet, he had to comply with Lanen's instructions and tightened the chain. When his fingers touched the collar's buckle, he slightly hesitated.

If it was too tight, it would be uncomfortable.

Lanen held his hand.

He adjusted the tightness with Lin Yu's fingers, pulling the buckle inward. At a certain point, Lin Yu's fingers began to tremble uncontrollably. As the collar tightened, his trembling grew worse, almost unable to hold the buckle, silently resisting.

Lanen sighed, "It's nothing, Your Highness. I once tracked pirates in Sector 23, a desolate place where some planets had extremely thin oxygen. I've also been on the highest plateau of the Insect Planet on a mission and returned unscathed. I won't suffocate from this."

Lin Yu's voice also trembled, "...That's not the same."

He was shaking so badly that Lanen had to let go and fastened the collar himself.

He stood up and turned around, trying to reassure his prince, "It's really fine."

Lin Yu refused to speak.

He silently took out the chain—the lightest kind, lined with soft fur to protect the skin, indistinguishable from outside the cell.

Once everything was ready, he took the dark red paint from the butler and began to apply it to the pure white uniform.

For a more convincing effect, Lanen tore the hem of his clothes, ruffled his hair, and smeared blood-like paint on his temples. Lin You dabbed water on his forehead to simulate cold sweat. After a series of adjustments, the major general looked completely disheveled.

Lin You's breath caught.

A neatly uniformed, polite major general was already quite captivating, but what about one with a disheveled uniform, rapid breathing, a black collar around his neck, and eyes glistening with moisture?

Strange images flashed through Lin You's mind. He quickly regained his composure, stepped back to the cell door, and carefully inspected the scene, finding no flaws.

The butler promptly reminded, "The First Prince's communication has arrived. He has already departed."

Lin You nodded and pointed upward, "Then I'll leave first."

The collar caused some discomfort for Lanen, but he didn't show it too much. He merely said, "See you later, my prince."

Lin Yu arrived at the Third Prince's residence twenty minutes later.

He exchanged pleasantries with Lin You, feigning concern for his younger brother. Lin You, in turn, chatted about various topics, acting obediently. After sharing a cup of tea, Lin Yu nonchalantly mentioned, "By the way, how was the effect of the wine I gave you the other day?"

"The effect was great," Lin You clicked his tongue, "But Lanen is really a hard case, hard to handle."

Lin Yu chuckled, "How hard to handle? May I see? ... Oh, I'm not trying to take your man, I'm just curious since I haven't tried that wine yet."

Lin You replied, "Of course."

He led the First Prince to the basement. The butler dimmed the cell lights, making it dark and shadowy. From afar, the flickering of an old oil lamp and the sound of wind created an eerie, ghostly atmosphere.

They turned a few corners and saw Lanen's cell from afar. The major general had dried blood on his body, his hands tied behind his back. His head hung weakly, occasionally suppressing a cough, with blood foam rolling down the corner of his mouth, appearing utterly wretched.

The environment was harsh, with a stale, decaying odor in the air. Lin Yu glanced around in disgust and turned to say, "Let's go."

As he ascended the steps, he commented, "Such a rebellious female insect should be locked up in a place like this."

"..."

Lin Yu turned his head, "Xiao You, don't you think so?"

Lin You replied, "Of course, for the guilty, daily confinement in the basement is the best outcome."

The First Prince nodded in satisfaction.

In a place where Lin Yu couldn't see, he clenched his sleeve without expression.

If he hadn't come, would Lanen have ended up like this?

A beautiful, elegant, and dignified major general, kneeling in the dust, utterly disgraced?

Lin Yu's visit was merely to ensure that Lanen couldn't cause any trouble. He had no real affection for Lin You, his blood-related younger brother, so after a few more words, he hurriedly left.

Lin You couldn't wait for him to leave. As soon as the aircraft disappeared into the sky, he immediately brought Lanen out. The major general showed no signs of discomfort. He calmly removed the collar and chains, and the first thing he said upon exiting the basement and seeing Lin You was, "The weather is nice. Would you like some afternoon tea?"

The butler's face twitched slightly.

Preparing afternoon tea for the Third Prince had always been the butler's job.

Lin You had no appetite for afternoon tea. He took Lanen back to his room, unbuttoned his collar to check, and found that the major general had indeed left a red mark on his neck, the flesh swollen and congested.

Lin You retrieved the ointment he had prepared earlier and handed it to Lanen. As Lanen raised his arm, he let out a faint hiss.

Lin You turned his head, "What's wrong?"

Lanen: "It's nothing... ouch, my arm hurts a bit."

After being suspended all afternoon, of course it hurts.

Lin You paused slightly, then took the ointment from his hand: "Let me do it."

Lanen obediently lifted his hair.

He lowered his eyes. The Third Prince was right in front of him, attentively applying medicine to his neck. His appearance was noble and handsome.

For the major general of the Third Army, such a wound was barely worth mentioning. His body had endured sword wounds, and his skin had suffered burns. Lanen couldn't even be bothered to apply medicine to his neck; compared to the pain, he found the ointment smearing on his clothes more annoying.

But Lin You's expression was dead serious, as if he was doing the most important thing in the world.

He applied it carefully, as if afraid of hurting Lanen. His fingertips lightly touched the swollen skin, feeling both hot and itchy.

"Your Highness," Lanen suddenly spoke. The atmosphere was just right, and he couldn't help but ask the Third Prince for something more. "Will you marry me?"

His voice was very soft, as if afraid of breaking the moment.

Lanen had asked this question twice before; this was the third time. The first two times, he had offered his body, his family, and laid out all his chips to avoid punishment on Judgment Day.

But this time was different. Lanen wasn't thinking of anything else; he simply wanted to ask, "Will you marry me?"

"..."

Lin You's fingers paused slightly, and his breath hitched for a moment. He scooped a large dollop of ointment to cover up, then lowered his eyes to apply it to the wound. Without answering directly, he said, "We won't have a wedding."

According to the plot, they had to marry, but they couldn't have a wedding.

In the eyes of the Zerg, this was probably the ultimate betrayal.

But Lanen didn't care. He held Lin You's fingers, his azure eyes full of seriousness. "I know, I don't want a wedding, but will you marry me?"

"..."

Lin You turned his face away and murmured, "Yes."

He had traveled through two worlds. In the original script, he was destined to hold Lanen's hand and become his inseparable partner.