AMBTMS Chapter 184

The moment Gu Lin didn’t see Li Shu in the room, all kinds of bad scenarios flooded his mind and his thoughts were filled with rage and regret. In Li Shu’s current condition, it was impossible for him to leave unnoticed, and there was no need for him to sneak out. That left only one unfavorable possibility.

Gu Lin had wondered if it was really a good idea to l keep Li Shu by his side in such a high profile manner. He wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t the type to make someone suffer under the guise of protecting them. He believed he was capable enough to ensure Li Shu could live well amidst the many dangers.

Today, he came so close to regretting it. He had too many enemies, and with the capital in such a volatile state, Li Shu was like a living target, attracting his enemies like moths to a flame.

Fortunately, what he feared didn’t happen. Li Shu was safe in his arms, having only gone out for a short while. He wasn’t missing, nor had he been kidnapped.

“Why didn’t you tell them you were hungry? Why did you go out yourself?” Gu Lin rested his head on Li Shu’s shoulder, his cheek pressed against the young man’s neck, feeling the steady pulse.

Only this could calm the unease in his heart. The fear surged through him like a tide, and he couldn’t imagine what he would do if the young man really disappeared.

His emotions were so obvious that Li Shu could sense them. He let the man hold him and relaxed in his embrace. “It’s late, I didn’t want to trouble anyone.”

“You made the noodles yourself?” Gu Lin glanced at the steaming bowl of noodles, trying to shift his focus.

After being together for so long, Li Shu had never cooked before. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but Gu Lin wouldn’t allow it. The young man was raised with care and indulgence, so he shouldn’t suffer any hardship. Gu Lin believed these tasks were for him to handle.

“No, it was made by Qiao Yuan in the kitchen. I just carried it back from there.”

When Li Shu returned, he didn’t go straight to the bedroom. After making such a commotion in the lab, with the entanglement between Professor Fang and the various forces of the capital, he knew that such a stir would bring the meeting here to an early end. If he went back to the bedroom at that moment, there was a chance he’d be caught by Gu Lin, who had just returned.

So, he changed into his pajamas and wandered to the kitchen. The kitchen lights were on, and when he entered, he saw Qiao Yuan making food.

Qiao Yuan was surprised to see him, so Li Shu explained that he was hungry and had come to find something to eat. Qiao Yuan then made him a bowl of noodles. While waiting, he heard the sound of a car, and as he had expected—Gu Lin had returned early.

He carried the bowl upstairs and, seeing the room in complete darkness, thought Gu Lin hadn’t come up yet. But when he turned on the light, he saw the man sitting by the bed with his head down, exuding a dark aura.

“Why are you back at this hour?” Li Shu asked. Before Gu Lin left, he said he would return after daybreak, and it was still a little while before then.

“There was an issue in the Eastern District, so the meeting ended early.” Gu Lin hugged him tightly and didn’t let go. He always felt a sense of losing and regaining, as if the moment he loosened his grip, the person in his arms would disappear.

Pulling Li Shu onto his lap, Gu Lin picked up the bowl of noodles and fed him bite by bite.

Li Shu frowned slightly, opening his mouth to eat the food placed near his lips. “Do you want to eat together? I can’t finish such a big bowl.”

“You eat first. I’ll finish the rest.” Gu Lin was stunned for a moment—this was the first time Li Shu had invited him to share the same bowl of food.

Li Shu placed his hand over Gu Lin’s as he held the chopsticks. “Together.”

“Alright.”

The two of them took turns eating until they finished the whole bowl. The steaming food drove away the chill of the night. Gu Lin tucked Li Shu into the bed, and not long after, Li Shu fell asleep.

1314 had redeemed medicine, and as Li Shu slept, it slowly repaired his body.

After Gu Lin showered and came out, Li Shu was already asleep. He sat by the bedside, staring at the young man’s peaceful sleeping face, and finally, the tension in his heart eased.

By the time they woke, it was already noon. To Li Shu’s surprise, Gu Lin was still in bed. He was nestled in the man’s arms, their bodies tightly pressed together.

Gu Lin hadn’t woken yet. Li Shu looked up at the man’s sleeping face and couldn’t resist reaching out to touch it.

Before his hand could reach Gu Lin’s cheek, the man, who had been asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through them, but seeing it was Li Shu, he relaxed.

“Awake?”

Li Shu nodded, slowly getting up and intending to get out of bed. But before his feet could touch the ground, a strong force pulled him back.

“Stay with me a little longer.”

“Aren’t you busy today?” Li Shu asked. Recently, Gu Lin had hardly been home during the day and only returned at night. Sometimes, by the time he came back, Li Shu was already asleep. And by the time Li Shu woke up the next day, the man had already left, leaving only the lingering warmth in the bed as proof he had been there.

“I’ll stay home with you today.”

For several days, Gu Lin didn’t go out. Li Shu learned about the major events that had happened outside recently from Xu Yanqiu who came to report on the mission.

An experimental base in the Eastern District had been infiltrated, resulting in numerous casualties, including Professor Fang. The entire base was destroyed beyond recognition, and the military had dispatched a special unit to take over, determined to capture the culprits.

Those people acted quickly, and the true nature of the laboratory wasn’t exposed. Professor Fang was seriously injured and sent to a specialized hospital for treatment, heavily guarded by military forces.

Professor Fang held significant influence in the capital, and several factions were working together to protect him. Li Shu never expected to get rid of him in one go. Destroying his base and injuring him severely was just a small piece of payback.

In the heavily guarded hospital, several powerful figures, capable of shaking the capital with a mere gesture, gathered in the same room. On the hospital bed lay a handsome man.

After his glasses were removed, the man’s aura underwent a dramatic change. Without the lenses to mask his gaze, his eyes were even sharper, and no one dared to meet them directly.

“Who has the audacity to do this?!”

Compared to the indignant powerhouses around him, the man lying on the bed was rather calm, as if he wasn’t the one injured.

“Professor Fang, do you really have no clue about who’s behind this?” They couldn’t understand who would have the nerve to do such a thing.

“I need to confirm something. You should all stop your search for now. You won’t be able to find this person.”

Recalling the overwhelming power that had erupted from that person, that pure force had struck his body, dismantling all his defenses. If he hadn’t acted decisively, he might have really died there.

How interesting. It had been a long, long time since he had encountered something this fascinating. He had to catch this person. He was desperate to uncover the secret behind such immense power—it captivated him.

Li Shu noticed that the capital had calmed down again, as if the previous tense atmosphere had been nothing but an illusion. He couldn’t understand it. Had they stopped searching? Didn’t they want to catch the person who destroyed the laboratory?

Li Shu still rarely left the house. Sometimes, he would play chess with Old General Gu. With Li Shu around, Gu Lin’s status in the family seemed to plummet. In this regard, Gu Lin merely smiled helplessly.

It was great that Grandpa liked Shu Shu. But it would be even better if he didn’t monopolize Shu Shu’s time so much.

Since returning to the capital, Li Shu had kept a low profile. Many people were curious about his identity. After all, it was obvious to everyone how much Gu Lin cared about him.

They all wanted to know just who this person was that could charm Gu Lin to such an extent. It was said that Gu Lin had turned down many military assignments, giving the reason that he needed to be home with his family.

Many who had once had their eyes on Gu Lin were grinding their teeth in frustration. They wanted to know what kind of magic Li Shu possessed to make Gu Lin so obsessed.

Li Shu didn’t care about the rumors outside and continued doing what he had to do.

“This is the largest trading market in the capital. Here, you can trade anything—food, crystal cores…” Qiao Yuan explained as he walked alongside Li Shu.

Li Shu nodded. Originally, he and Gu Lin had planned to come out for a stroll together today. However, midway through, something urgent came up for Gu Lin. He wanted to send Li Shu back first, but Li Shu figured that since he was already out, he might as well explore a bit.

Gu Lin then left a few people behind to protect him, and Qiao Yuan was one of them. Qiao Yuan had been in the capital for a long time and was very familiar with it. Wherever Li Shu went, Qiao Yuan was able to explain the area.

He had been a resident of the capital before the apocalypse. After the catastrophe hit, he awakened as an evolver and joined Gu Lin’s team. When many people abandoned Gu Lin during his crisis, Qiao Yuan was among the few who waited for his return. Naturally, when Gu Lin came back, Qiao Yuan resumed his duties under Gu Lin’s command.

Qiao Yuan was a straightforward young man. Since Li Shu was someone Gu Lin wanted to protect well, he would do his best to ensure Li Shu’s safety. That night in the kitchen, he saw Li Shu struggle for a long time without managing to cook anything so he stepped forward and made him a bowl of noodles. After that, Gu Lin assigned him to Li Shu’s side for protection.

Of course, Qiao Yuan wasn’t the only one protecting Li Shu. Li Shu knew it was for his own safety, so he didn’t say anything and accepted Gu Lin’s arrangements.

As the largest trading market in the imperial capital, this place was bustling with people—evolvers and ordinary people alike. As Li Shu walked along, he bought a few small items that caught his interest.

His actions quickly drew attention. After the apocalypse, no ordinary person could be like Li Shu. He didn’t seem like someone who had lived through the apocalypse, so there was only one explanation for this: he was being protected too well.

Several glances, both discreet and overt, landed on Li Shu, but he remained unfazed, pretending not to notice as he continued walking forward.

He stopped in front of a store selling crystal cores. After the apocalypse, crystal cores became the most sought-after currency, exchangeable for anything. They were especially favored among evolvers. Of course, there were also people who specifically sold crystal cores, usually teams that hunted infected and traded the excess cores for other goods.

Li Shu stood in front of the shop, not because of the merchandise but because of the vendor. If he wasn’t mistaken, this person was one of the people he had rescued from the laboratory not long ago.

He had been planning to find an opportunity to check on this person, but Gu Lin was probably frightened that time and had been sticking to him closely. He hadn’t found a chance to go out alone. Unexpectedly, they met today.

“What do you want to trade?”

Zhao Feng was tidying up the counter that had just been disturbed when he suddenly heard a clear and youthful voice and he subconsciously looked up.

“What can I trade for these?” Li Shu asked again.

Zhao Feng was about to respond when a man walked over. “Do you like this?”

Li Shu turned his head, and Qiao Yuan whispered in his ear, “This person is Ye Chengran.”

A light flashed in Li Shu’s eyes, and instead of answering directly, he said, “It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?”