Chapter 5: Chapter Five The Prince Needs a Male Favorite, So You’ll Have to Suffer…

Chapter 5: The Prince Needs a Male Concubine, and You're the Unfortunate Choice...

Seizing the moment of Wei San's distraction and anger, Wei Zheng moved like a phantom, closing in. He first seized the assassin's most dangerous hands, then attempted to seal his internal energy.

Wei San, of course, was no lamb to the slaughter. Even without the use of his hands, his legs remained lethal weapons.

The two locked wrists, their legs clashing in dozens of exchanges. Ultimately, Wei San, less skilled in close-quarters combat, found himself at a disadvantage.

Wei Zheng pressed his elbow against Wei San's shoulder blades, slamming him against the wall with a powerful shove. The nearby gauze curtain, an innocent casualty, ripped with a sharp *rrrip*! He twisted the torn fabric into a rope and bound Wei San's hands behind his back.

"You only behave like this."

He tied a firm knot, but feeling it still wasn't secure enough, he reached out and sealed Wei San's pressure points, temporarily locking away his internal energy. Only after confirming the little assassin was utterly powerless to resist did he rise with satisfaction, casually scooping Wei San up by the waist and hoisting him onto his shoulder.

"What exactly do you want?"

Wei San had never encountered such a shameless person. Was one time not enough? Had he developed a taste for it?

He was truly panicked, unable to fathom what about him had caught this scoundrel's eye, making him return again and again.

Once, Wei San could console himself by thinking he'd been bitten by a dog. But twice, three times—he couldn't accept it, especially since the other was a forceful libertine. He was utterly unwilling.

"Put me down! Do you really think I won't expose this and have Commander Duan chop off that wicked root of yours?"

He threatened in a fluster, his eyes rimmed faintly red. His inner robe, fastened only by a belt, had come completely loose, hanging limply as if he'd been severely bullied, a truly pitiful sight.

"Commander Duan?"

His captor's steps halted as he pondered for a moment. Just as Wei San thought someone had finally managed to frighten this scoundrel, the other let out a light scoff and sneered, "Go ahead, tell everyone. Better yet, let the whole world know you were drugged with an aphrodisiac and I saved you, and instead of being grateful, you tried to kill me to silence me. Let everyone know what an ungrateful person you are."

"Take it all the way to the Prince. Let our master judge who's in the right. Then we'll see who ends up worse—me, or you, ruined and disgraced?"

Wei San was stunned by this utterly shameless retort. "You're the one forcing me! How can you—"

He'd taken all the advantages, and now he had the gall to play the victim.

If Wei San were an ordinary person, he might have been intimidated by those words. Unfortunately, he was an assassin.

Assassins lived life on the edge, never knowing if they'd see the next sunrise. Who cared about something as trivial as reputation?

But while he could disregard reputation and even his life, he feared nothing more than these sordid matters reaching his master’s ears, making him seem debauched and earning his master’s disgust.

The mere thought was unbearable.

Wei San wanted to struggle, but at the slightest movement, the scoundrel raised a hand and gave him a pat that was half punishment, half warning.

"Stop squirming, or I'll carry you straight into the main camp and let everyone get a good look at you like this."

Aside from the inner robe draped over him, he was completely naked. Wei San flushed crimson. He wasn't that brazen to run naked in front of so many colleagues.

As if that threat weren't enough, he added, "Of course, if you don't mind, we could also give them a live spring palace show."

Wei San had no choice but to swallow his anger, not daring to doubt whether the other would actually go through with it.

He watched helplessly as the other carried him farther and farther from the assassin camp, eventually taking him back to that same room from last time.

He had no idea where this shadow guard had found this courtyard. It looked deserted from the outside, but the interior was spotlessly clean.

When he was thrown onto the bed, Wei San, surprisingly, calmed down.

He couldn't win in a fight, his internal energy was sealed, and forced resistance would likely only make things worse for himself. Better to play along and wait for an opportunity.

As he settled down, Wei Zheng found it suspicious.

"Why so obedient all of a sudden?" He's probably plotting something.

Crossing his arms, he looked down at the man on the bed, looming over him.

Wei San glared at him angrily. "If you have the guts, untie me."

"Hmm, no guts."

Not only did Wei Zheng not release him, he tightened the bonds even more.

Wei San watched helplessly as the other undressed and climbed onto the bed, feeling both nervous and extremely unwilling. He squirmed toward the inner side of the bed; even immobilized and unable to move, he refused to surrender meekly.

Wei Zheng looked at the assassin, who turned away unwilling to face him, his expression stubborn and resentful, and suddenly found it all rather dull.

"Forget it. I'm not the kind of petty man who forces others. Since you're unwilling, I'll let you off this time. Next time, though, it's hard to say."

He sat up and reached for his robes.

Wei San, who had prepared himself for another "dog bite," was taken aback. A flicker of surprise surfaced on his face, but he quickly suppressed it.

Refusing to show any kindness, he sneered back, "So I should be grateful to you, you rapist?"

Wei Zheng: "..." Such a beautiful person, yet with a mouth that could infuriate anyone.

He licked his canine teeth and suddenly changed his mind, deciding not to leave.

He lay back down, his long arm sweeping out to pull the assassin entirely into his embrace.

"What are you doing?!" Wei San exclaimed in alarm, bending his knee to press against the other’s waist, his tone fierce yet tinged with nervousness and panic.

Wei Zheng gripped his calf and pushed it aside. "Nothing. Sleeping. If you keep moving, I can’t guarantee I won’t do something else."

Wei San: "..."

True to his word, Wei Zheng merely held him, doing nothing but sleeping.

Wei San listened as the breathing beside him grew slow and even. The moment he tried to slip away, his waist was pinned and his legs pressed down. Even his fingers were firmly enveloped by a large hand, thoroughly dashing any hope of secretly untying the curtain fabric around his wrists while the other slept.

"Stop moving. Be good and let me hold you."

Perhaps from extreme drowsiness, the shadow guard’s voice was low and husky, unexpectedly pleasant.

Warm breath brushed past his ear, making Wei San’s ear tingle and heat up. He attributed it to the close proximity.

With his hands and feet firmly pinned and his internal energy sealed, Wei San could only resign himself to fate. But fearing the other might be tricking him, waiting for him to fall asleep before going back on his word, he didn’t dare sleep deeply.

He fought off sleep all night, ending up with a splitting headache, while the culprit woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Wei Zheng, having slept unusually well, was in a good mood. Propping his head up, he lay on his side and teased the assassin about the dark circles under his eyes: "Did you not sleep at all last night?"

Wei San turned his face away, too exhausted to argue.

He tugged at the curtain fabric binding his wrists. "When are you going to untie me?"

After being tied up all night, Wei San felt his hands were nearly useless. Red marks circled his wrists, stark against his pale, almost translucent skin, creating a striking, almost cruel beauty.

Wei Zheng looked him over, his gaze inscrutable.

It had to be said that the little assassin was indeed exactly his type; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been unable to stop thinking about him for days. Suddenly, he regretted having played the gentleman the previous night; letting the little assassin off had only made it worse for himself.

Wei Zheng regretfully rubbed his fingertips. The more he couldn't taste this prime cut, the more he wanted to claim it.

He swept his eyes over Wei San, much like a territorial hound marking its territory.

He had to find a way to make the little assassin willingly let him sleep with him...

Wei San watched the man warily, his intuition telling him that he was up to no good.

He tensed up, observing every move the other made. Unaware of his own expression, he appeared in Wei Zheng’s eyes like a puffed-up cat—not at all annoying, but rather inviting a desire to tease him further.

A playful malice rose in Wei Zheng. He pinched and stroked Wei San’s cheek. "If I untie you, you’ll probably just start fighting again with me. I don’t do things that offer no benefit."

Wei San glared gloomily. "Then what do you want?"

Wei Zheng tapped his lips. "Kiss me, and I’ll let you go."

Wei San: "…………"

Wei San simply closed his eyes, opting to ignore him, his body screaming refusal even unto death.

Wei Zheng wasn’t annoyed. If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain.

"Really, you leave me no choice. I’ll have to do it myself."

He leaned down and kissed the beautiful man’s crimson lips again and again, making him stiffen with anger. His furious gaze was like a bone-scraping blade, slicing relentlessly against him.

Wei Zheng was shameless. Only after kissing him did he rise and leave the bed.

He didn't immediately unseal Wei San's meridians but instead took his time dressing. He even thoughtfully fetched a set of clothes for Wei San from the inner chamber.

Shaking out a black robe with dark cloud patterns, he teased, "Darling, your hands aren't free. Should I help you put it on?"

The assassin shook with anger and replied through gritted teeth, "Get lost."

Wei Zheng obliged cheerfully.

Once his internal energy was restored, Wei San didn't need to untie himself—he directly shattered the silk restraints.

He shook his numb wrists, fury burning in his chest. When his gaze fell on the black robe left by the bedside, he couldn't help gnashing his teeth.

Of course, he wouldn't throw away the clothes in a fit of anger—he had no habit of parading in nothing but underrobes in public.

When Wei San returned to the assassin camp, it was already empty. Those with missions had left, and those meant for training had gone to the drill grounds—leaving him the only idle one who had just returned from outside.

He swung by the bathhouse to retrieve the belongings he’d left behind the previous night. After carefully checking that nothing was missing, he slipped back to his quarters like a thief.

This time, with no Wei Jiu blocking the door, Wei San went straight to his room. But just as he sat down before he could even take a sip of tea, he noticed Shadow Guard Commander Duan Lin standing at the doorway at some point.

Duan Lin didn't enter directly, unusually hesitant, with an unreadable expression on his face.

Wei San didn't overthink it and quickly stood to greet him.

"Commander, you're looking for me? Is there a new mission?"

He assumed it was just another assignment.

Duan Lin gave him an odd look, hesitating as if wanting to speak but holding back.

Wei San grew uneasy under that gaze and began reflecting on whether he had made some mistake.

Just as he was about to kneel and accept punishment, Duan Lin spoke grimly, "There is indeed a mission for you."

As long as it wasn't a punishment, Wei San felt relieved. But just as he was about to accept the order, Duan Lin added, "The master said he needs a male concubine, and it must be someone selected from the assassin camp."

Male concubine?

Wei San was full of questions.

Duan Lin saw his confusion and patted his shoulder with a sigh. "The prince has a taste for beautiful men, and you're the most handsome in the camp. You're the only choice."

Wei San: "…………"