“Mhm. We’ll always be together.”
After a moment of stunned silence, Yuan Ping’s gaze softened, revealing a dreamy smile.
Yao Ye looked at this big lug, his eyes curving into crescents.
The feeling of falling in love for the first time wasn’t too bad!
Inside the vacant factory, only two wildly throbbing hearts echoed in each other’s ears.
“…Ahem, where are my clothes?”
After locking eyes for a while, Yao Ye, with a hint of a blush, shifted his gaze and asked softly.
He was currently clad only in boxers, his upper body bare, and Yuan Ping’s embrace made their skin press tightly against one another.
Having just confessed, Yao Ye’s skin was flushed red like a shrimp, sweating lightly where they touched. Yuan Ping was usually cooler in temperature, but now he seemed aflame under Yao Ye’s touch.
Had they moved too fast? Would this big lug think he was easy?
They were so close together. Yao Ye’s face grew even redder.
Hearing Yao Ye’s question, Yuan Ping hugged him tighter and guiltily looked away.
His clothes… Yuan Ping had accidentally torn them to shreds.
After Yao Ye had lost consciousness, Yuan Ping had almost gone mad, using hellfire to incinerate most of the monsters on the island. He also captured spirits to help heal Yao Ye, and for better absorption, the clothes had to be removed.
During the process, drowning in regret and pain, Yuan Ping hadn’t controlled his strength, tearing the clothes apart.
Raising an eyebrow, Yao Ye observed the silent, hulking figure, discerning a trace of unease and guilt on that chiseled face.
“They’re gone?”
Yuan Ping nodded, his crimson eyes intently watching Yao Ye, fearing he’d retract their earlier agreement.
Yao Ye chuckled, patting Yuan Ping’s medium-length black hair that reached his neck, “It’s alright, we can find something else. Why are you staring at me with such a pitiful look?”
Saying this, Yao Ye tenderly kissed the corner of Yuan Ping’s eye, smiling radiantly.
“It breaks my heart.”
Seeing Yao Ye’s breathtaking smile, Yuan Ping’s face turned red once again.
The blood beneath his skin surged like mighty waves, and he tightened his embrace, unwilling to let go of this treasured possession he had regained.
“Ugh… don’t… don’t come too close… it’s too hot…”
Yao Ye’s gaze lowered, spotting something that couldn’t be detailed, his face turning pale with fright.
He was too close. It was terrifying.
That… was a lethal weapon…
“You— Ugh, hurry up and find me something to wear!”
Yao Ye felt overwhelmed. He’d die if he took that!
Yuan Ping, who was being pushed away, didn’t dare resist, afraid of hurting Yao Ye. He stepped back, revealing hurt eyes.
Did Yao Ye not want to be close?
Yao Ye: “…”
Seeing this menacing hulk suddenly showcasing such a pitiable look…
This was unfair!
But even with such an expression, they couldn’t indulge in those unmentionable acts!
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Qf gfjiis mjc’a… jigluta, rabq ibbxlcu ja wf ilxf atja…” Tjb Tf jnfgafv tlr fsfr.
“C xlrr klii tjnf ab reoolmf.”
“Leoo! Ujca!”
“Zww…!!”
Yearlvf, atf rec rtbcf ygliiljcais, yijvfr bo ugjrr delnfgfv lc atf ufcaif ygffhf, jcv vjgx mibevr qegrefv atf tbglhbc, wfgulcu klat atf kjnfr lc j ibnlcu fwygjmf.
The remnants of the land scorched by flames were still visible, and black hellfire continued to linger on the island. The terrified spirits gradually grew submissive, their lamentations fading.
Birds flew onto the island, and upon closer inspection, they were revealed as messengers from hell. They struck fear into the hearts of people, making them tremble in anticipation of becoming the prey of these hellish envoys. But eventually, they became accustomed to dancing with death and gradually befriended them.
After what felt like an eternity, the factory regained its calm. It was all over.
Yao Ye was too exhausted to speak. Held tightly in Yuan Ping’s arms, he was barely conscious.
His hair clung to his face, a lingering blush on his pale cheeks. His clear pupils still held the aftermath of their recent passion.
Yuan Ping, entranced, kissed every inch of Yao Ye’s neck, leaving red marks on his alabaster skin.
Only now did Yuan Ping truly feel he had Yao Ye. The brilliance he had longed for in his youth was finally by his side.
Yao Ye frowned, the sticky sensation all over making him irritable. Despite his earlier refusal, this cunning hulk had beguiled him. Unsurprisingly, it had hurt.
Had it not become somewhat good later, Yao Ye would have surely been furious.
“Stop licking… I need a shower!”
Yao Ye feebly scratched at Yuan Ping’s shoulder, leaving a brief mark of red on his supple muscles, which soon faded.
“Okay.”
Yuan Ping obediently lifted his head from Yao Ye’s chest, his crimson eyes brimming with satiety and profound love.
Finally, they were together.
They would never part again.
But… would they truly?
Yuan Ping’s grip on Yao Ye’s hand tightened slightly as his gaze lingered over the uneven marks he had left on Yao Ye’s body, a mix of adoration and fear.
Could he, a grotesque being, really have this?
The Judge, who had jolted back to his senses after their bout of passion, was still shrouded in deep insecurity and self-doubt. He had never been a confident man, and these insecurities were magnified around his beloved Yao Ye.
The deeper the love, the more pronounced the anxiety and fear.
Yet he dared not voice these fears, fearing that Yao Ye would shatter this illusion of perfection. He was terrified their tale might end tragically, just as in his worst nightmares.
To Yuan Ping, Yao Ye was the epitome of beauty, a gem that he, as pathetic as a worm, should never have the audacity to tarnish.
Everything that had transpired felt like a beautiful dream.
But Yuan Ping was deeply afraid it might just be a dream.
Should he wake from it, he would revert to the ruthless, lone Judge, while Yao Ye became an unreachable beacon of light.
All his actions were driven by a shameful desire to possess. In fact, he had even hidden the fact that they could leave the island from Yao Ye.
Would Yao Ye leave him if he knew of his thoughts?
Carrying Yao Ye, Yuan Ping left the slaughterhouse and headed to a misty town not far away. They stopped in front of a villa familiar to Yao Ye.
It resembled the one Yao Ye had lived in during his youth.
Yuan Ping gently set Yao Ye down outside the villa’s entrance.
Without Yao Ye’s permission, he never dared to enter, even after their arrival on this haunted island.
He feared Yao Ye would resent him for intruding into his home.
Yao Ye gazed at the villa in shock, then back at Yuan Ping, his expression softening.
“Why won’t you go in?”
Yuan Ping remained silent, his imposing figure rigidly still.
“I’m sorry, Yao Ye, for before…”
Yao Ye looked quizzically at Yuan Ping. He had no idea what this big lug was thinking about again. The atmosphere slowly filled up with melancholy and gloom.
Holding Yuan Ping’s hand, he began walking toward the villa.
“Why are you apologizing? Weren’t you quite fervent earlier?”
Yao Ye teased with a mix of mock anger.
Yuan Ping paused, his gaze dropping dejectedly.
“I’m sor—”
Yao Ye sighed, feeling that if Yuan Ping were a girl, he’d certainly be a sensitive, melancholic maiden.
“Come on, let’s go. I need a bath, and you’re going to help.”
Yuan Ping nodded obediently, following Yao Ye inside and clumsily assisting him.
Everything inside was as Yao Ye remembered—water, electricity, and not a trace of dust, which pleased Yao Ye, who had just emerged from a pool of blood.
However, seeing Yao Ye’s nostalgia, Yuan Ping grew even more silent.
Did Yao Ye miss home?
Splash!
Yao Ye playfully splashed water on Yuan Ping.
“What’s on your mind now? Are you about to cry?”
Yao Ye, puffing up his cheeks, gazed at Yuan Ping, whose vibrant red eyes now seemed dim.
This dumb oaf. He was the one bottoming, and he had no complaints, so why was this guy on the verge of tears?
Was he aggrieved at having slept with Yao Ye?
Yao Ye rambled on, increasingly exasperated.
If it weren’t for true love, he would never have let that huge thing enter him!
Yuan Ping listened intently, assuring Yao Ye he wasn’t upset or hurt.
“Why then?” Yao Ye inquired, dissatisfied.
After a brief silence, Yuan Ping uttered hoarsely, “I love you, Yao Ye.”
So, please don’t leave, okay?
Yao Ye was struck dumb.
This big lug was truly unpredictable.
Blushing slightly, Yao Ye mumbled, “I love you too.”
“If… if you could leave this place, would you?”
Yuan Ping, eyes brimming with love and unease, finally voiced his concern.
He had never told Yao Ye the truth—about Yao Ye’s death, or the means of leaving the island.
He was unwilling to let Yao Ye go.
Seeing Yuan Ping’s trepidation, Yao Ye sighed. He finally understood Yuan Ping’s earlier silence.
Was he afraid of being left behind?
Why not just say so? Why make him guess?
“I’m already dead. Where would I go?”
Yao Ye clambered out of the bathtub, draping himself over Yuan Ping, tone nonchalant.
Yuan Ping looked taken aback.
“I’m not an idiot. Those thugs hinted enough. And considering events prior to waking on the island, I figured it out.”
Rubbing his face against Yuan Ping’s cheek, he gently said, “I told you, we’ll be together forever.”
Ever since he awoke from the pool of blood, he remembered everything on the cruise ship.
He had drowned with the rescue team’s calls and his father’s cries echoing in his ears.
But he had forgotten it all while on the island.
Thankfully, his mother had given birth to a baby brother a few years earlier. She had stayed home this time to look after him, thus missing the cruise and sparing her a similar fate. If not for that, Yao Ye truly wouldn’t have been able to rest his worries.
“I’ve decided to cling to you. From now on, serve me. It’s tiresome doing everything on my own here.”
The elegant young man, once again spirited due to the magic of love, proclaimed haughtily.
“Yes, always,” Yuan Ping whispered, his anxious gaze finally clearing, leaving only a joyful gleam.
His love would never leave. They’d be together, forever and always.
“Hmph, that’s a given. Carry me; I don’t want to walk!”
“Alright.”
The taciturn giant lifted his pampered love, exiting the bathroom.
Outside the villa, the mist enveloping the town began to dissipate, the setting sun casting a warm hue over the villa’s elegant peak.
The once desolate island was warming up.
[WARNING! High-level instance has been fully sealed!]
Several men in dark uniforms entered a studio apartment, noting the alert flashing on the full-immersion gaming pod. Seeing a man struggling inside, they quickly opened the hatch.
“Ugh— it hurts— No! Please! I was wrong, forgive me!”
The man, drenched in a sticky fluid, tumbled out, face stricken with terror. The online alias “Dollar” had completely lost his sanity.
The officers exchanged sympathetic glances.
Another one.
“Report! The last entrant has been found. Ninety-five percent of his psyche has been destroyed. We noticed traces of the ghost realm. It appears similar to a curse.”
In the Capital City of Heshou, a middle-aged man in military attire, viewing the remote footage, nodded gravely, acknowledging the report.
There were still too many casualties in their mission to seal the ghost realm this time.
Translator’s Note: And that’s a wrap for this arc! 
Gosh this one of my favorite arcs!!! I was kicking me feet and giggling reading this chapter! 😖