Chapter 1 Rut

Chapter 1: Rut

It was now a week into autumn in the imperial capital, and the weather had gradually turned cold.

In the bathroom, Zhu Shinian’s face was flushed with an unusual redness. He turned on the showerhead, taking a cold shower in the October chill.

His rut had arrived, and he had asked for a day off from the military, planning to shower, take a suppressant, and then rest.

The cold water did little to lower the heat on his slightly burning face and body. As Zhu Shinian stepped out of the shower and reached for his suppressant, his hand grabbed nothing.

His brain was short-circuiting. Zhu Shinian froze, unable to figure out why the suppressant he had left here was gone.

The military was busy, and Zhu Shinian, having stayed celibate, had already gotten through nearly half a year of ruts on nothing but suppressants. This time, his rut hit him hard and fast, and for a moment, his vision darkened.

The bathroom door opened silently. A second before his knees gave out and he nearly fell, forcing him to grip the sink to stay upright, he stumbled into the arms of the man who smelled of cedarwood.

Zhu Shinian tilted his head slightly and saw Gu Zhen’s face, and those familiar, stern deep-gray eyes.

Gu Zhen was still wearing his dark blue military uniform, buttons fastened meticulously to the top, probably because he'd come straight back overnight.

Zhu Shinian paused, momentarily stunned. “Aren’t you on a mission in the Seventh War Zone? Why are you back all of a sudden…”

Gu Zhen didn’t answer immediately. Zhu Shinian felt his body lighten as Gu Zhen lifted him by the crook of his knees.

“Where… is my suppressant?” Zhu Shinian gave him a light push, a hint of reproach in his voice. “Did you… hide my suppressant?”

“Give it back to me, will you? I feel awful right now…”

Because his rut had been left unsoothed and unsuppressed for so long, Zhu Shinian’s head was dizzy, and he spoke slowly, showing a dazed, clumsy side that was nothing like his usual self.

Gu Zhen carried Zhu Shinian—a grown alpha—as if he were a puppy or a child.

He pressed his thumb firmly but gently against the small mole on Zhu Shinian’s waist. On Zhu Shinian’s fair skin, the mole’s color faded under the pressure, then returned, looking almost lewd.

Gu Zhen had entered the military at fourteen, and his hands had always borne a thick layer of calluses from gun handling. When the callused pad of his thumb grazed Zhu Shinian’s already sensitive waist, the sensation seemed particularly intense.

“I'm here now—why would you need a suppressant?” Gu Zhen said calmly. “Relying on suppressants all the time isn't good for you.”

Zhu Shinian seemed to think of something—something like anticipation or fear climbing up his spine—and gave a barely noticeable shiver, but he didn’t pull away.

Gu Zhen carried him toward the bedroom, his head resting lightly against Gu Zhen’s neck.

Since Gu Zhen had left for the Seventh War Zone, they hadn’t seen each other for half a month. Perhaps because of his rut, Zhu Shinian desperately wanted another whiff of that pleasant scent he'd smelled when Gu Zhen first walked in and held him.

Gu Zhen had on a high-quality suppressant patch, so only a hint of the cedarwood pheromone leaked out, and soon it faded entirely.

Zhu Shinian let out a miserable whimper, burying his head deeper into Gu Zhen’s neck, hoping to catch another whiff.

He had known Gu Zhen for so long, almost since his youth, that Gu Zhen’s scent and those sweet, intimate moments were forever linked in his mind.

Thus, even though he was an alpha himself, he didn’t dislike the scent of another alpha at all.

“Don’t sniff. It’ll make you uncomfortable,” Gu Zhen said with a slight frown, pressing down on his suppressant patch again.

“I like it… I like it…” Zhu Shinian murmured.

His body sank into the soft bed. Zhu Shinian struggled to lift his head and kiss Gu Zhen, his eyes wet as if he were completely unaware of the danger he was in.

If he didn’t kiss him now, he would cry painfully, like an omega in heat, until he couldn’t stop.

Gu Zhen gripped the nape of Zhu Shinian’s pale, slender neck from behind, his fingers tightening slightly. When his lips met Zhu Shinian’s, his body temperature was even higher than that of the rutting alpha.

To Gu Zhen, Zhu Shinian really did resemble a white swan. The first time he saw Zhu Shinian at the Capital First Military Academy, Gu Zhen’s eyes were drawn to his long, swan-like neck.

Back then, Zhu Shinian wore a faded white shirt, standing alone amidst the elegantly dressed crowd, looking a bit uneasy but with his back straight as an arrow.

Gu Zhen didn’t kiss him long. The one who had been begging for a kiss soon couldn’t catch his breath. His cheeks flushed pink, and he struggled weakly.

As an S-class alpha like Gu Zhen, Zhu Shinian’s physical condition would normally prevent him from being so helplessly overwhelmed by another S-class alpha.

But at any time, Zhu Shinian never defied Gu Zhen. He didn’t even dare to struggle forcefully, only shrinking back slightly to signal that he couldn’t breathe.

After a gulp of air flooded his lungs, before Gu Zhen had done anything substantial, Zhu Shinian’s eyes reddened at the corners, and he let out heavy, tearful gasps.

He had begged for the kiss, then cried after a little while. Zhu Shinian was too sensitive, too easily reduced to tears, and Gu Zhen could never quite handle it.

“Relax,” Gu Zhen soothed him, kissing his slightly damp eye corner. “Be good. If you cry like this, people will think I’m bullying you. If you don’t like me coming, I’ll just return your suppressant.”

“No, I don’t want the suppressant.” Hearing this, Zhu Shinian immediately shook his head hard. “I don’t want the suppressant…”

Then, with Gu Zhen’s movements, he couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.

His body slowly turned into a snowman melting as spring arrived, soft beyond measure, almost turning into a pool of spring water.

Zhu Shinian couldn’t think about anything. His mind went blank, and aside from the electric thrill, nothing seemed to leave a trace in his thoughts.

But there was something important he had forgotten.

Something like a question he absolutely needed an answer to from Gu Zhen.

It must be something very important…

“What are you thinking about?” Gu Zhen lowered his head and bit his Adam’s apple gently. “You’re distracted.”

Zhu Shinian lifted his half-closed eyelids dazedly, looking at him with wet, almost unfocused eyes.

“I don’t… know…” Zhu Shinian could barely think, giving a very honest answer.

“Is it about me?” Gu Zhen asked.

“It should… be…” Zhu Shinian replied softly.

The communicator on the bedside table rang at an inopportune moment. Gu Zhen picked it up, and upon seeing the name, took the liberty of answering it for Zhu Shinian.

“It’s Fu Cheng,” Gu Zhen whispered in his ear.

Gu Zhen stopped his movements. A few seconds later, when Fu Cheng’s voice came through the communicator, Zhu Shinian barely managed to recover from that unbearable, almost mind-blanking sensation.

“Colonel, I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”

“It’s fine. What’s the matter?”

Gu Zhen had to admire Zhu Shinian. The moment he answered the communicator, he seemed to instantly revert to the cold, taciturn, composed, and responsible officer.

Labor protection rules that exempt after-hours work didn’t apply to the military. Fu Cheng was Zhu Shinian’s direct subordinate, two ranks lower, and indeed needed Zhu Shinian’s final say on some work matters.

But today, Fu Cheng seemed to have ulterior motives. He asked one work question after another, with no intention of hanging up.

Gu Zhen watched him, his gaze dark, before giving a slight, deliberate thrust.

Zhu Shinian was startled and almost let out a soft gasp. It took three or four seconds before his breathing finally steadied.

With red-rimmed eyes, he glanced at Gu Zhen, as if he didn't understand why Gu Zhen would suddenly torment him like this.

"Is there anything else? You should get some rest too. If it's not particularly urgent, it can be handled tomorrow..."

"Colonel!" Seeing that Zhu Shinian was about to hang up, Fu Cheng hurriedly interrupted him with some urgency.

"Is there... anything else?"

"I..."

Fu Cheng seemed to start to speak, then hesitated. He seemed to have sensed something and finally realized that this was not a suitable time to mention the matter without causing trouble for Zhu Shinian or himself.

Could the Colonel be right next to Major General Gu right now?

But if he didn't say it, Fu Cheng felt an inexplicable unwillingness to let it go.

Even if it was just a rumor spread by hearsay, he still felt that Zhu Shinian needed to know.

The communication was still open. Fu Cheng on the other end seemed to be searching for words, or perhaps he had forgotten to hang up, remaining silent.

Zhu Shinian was on the verge of breaking down, on the brink of tears.

He was almost there.

A pleasure like an electric current was constantly washing over his entire body, yet he couldn't let out even a single moan.

Gu Zhen considerately reached out and gently covered his mouth, as if kindly helping him maintain his dignity in front of his subordinate.

"Mm..." The lower half of Zhu Shinian's face covered by his hand was burning hot and drenched. Hot, involuntary tears streamed down continuously, wetting Gu Zhen's palm.

"Are you currently with..."

The moment he said those words, Fu Cheng realized what was wrong with his question. He was annoyed at his own stupidity for thinking for so long, he still asked a stupid question.

If the Colonel really was with Major General Gu, how could the Colonel possibly answer such a question?

"He's with me now."

"As a subordinate, you not only forget when his heat period is, but you also can't even do your own job properly."

"You just had to call him and ask all sorts of questions when he's running a fever after taking suppressants."

"I really don't know how someone like you became a Major of the Empire." Author's note: