Chapter 14: High-Risk Experimental Subject  

Jue felt as though his entire body was burning—something beyond his control. The only thing he could manage was his facial expression.  

But he couldn’t control his gaze, which remained fixed on Jing Rong, his earlier thoughts completely forgotten.  

Jing Rong’s stare was intense—the look of a hunter.  

Once, he had patiently trekked across a glacier for three days, calculating the migration patterns and hunting habits of underwater creatures based on the vibrations in the ice, until he finally forced a massive creature to break through the surface and attack him.  

Both he and his prey had known it was inevitable.  

The surprise in Jue’s eyes outweighed any shyness or unease. His fingers still clung tightly to the cape beneath him, as if he had lost all ability to react.  

So Jing Rong asked, “Can I kiss you again?”  

His voice was calm and gentle, sinking straight into Jue’s heart and igniting a flame that left no room for any other response.  

Contrary to the desire in his tone, he maintained a polite distance—two fists’ width between them—filled by cold, empty air.  

Jue stared at him with a composed expression, yet his body unconsciously leaned forward.  

He gave no verbal reply, but his movement betrayed the same fondness as before.  

Just fondness—unconsciously lured, he drew closer.  

Jue’s fingers released the cape and grasped Jing Rong’s arm instead.  

Jing Rong caught his fingertips and leaned in to kiss him.  

The taste of Jue’s lips was intoxicating—a faint sweetness, the cool scent of snow. It wasn’t something one could find anywhere. Beneath that composed, unyielding exterior lay a softness woven from war, frost, and sunlight.  

And this softness trusted and yielded only to Jing Rong.  

Jue didn’t even realize how much this hidden tenderness, never shown to anyone else, stirred a predator’s hunger.  

Inside the tightly sealed carriage, Jing Rong gripped Jue’s waist, pressing him against the small window as they shared a long, fervent kiss.  

This was Jing Rong’s first time kissing someone. Lips and tongues entwined, breaths mingled.  

He had discovered what he wanted most. Though the end of this exploration was plain to see, the journey itself offered a sweetness and thrill he had never known before.  

Jue even trembled slightly under the kiss, but his hands only clutched Jing Rong’s shoulders with little force. The threat level of this SSS-ranked High-Risk Experimental Subject was practically nonexistent at this moment.  

He had no idea how long they had been kissing. Jing Rong was like a wolf tasting meat for the first time—though his expression and movements remained restrained, he kept Jue pinned, giving him no chance to pull away.  

Only after a long while did Jing Rong finally ease back—but just barely.  

The oil lamp they had lit earlier had long since gone out. In the darkness, their lips hovered close, barely a sliver apart.  

Jing Rong’s voice was rough. “It’s snowing.”  

Amid the frantic pounding of his heart, Jue finally registered the distant sound of an approaching blizzard. He hadn’t noticed it before.  

Nestled in Jing Rong’s embrace, Jue murmured, “Mm.”  

Jing Rong said, “I’ll go check outside.”  

The words themselves were neutral, but there was an unmistakable hint of dissatisfaction, as if the snowstorm was forcing him to leave against his will.  

Jue felt himself burning even hotter. “Alright. If—if there’s trouble, call me.”  

“Alright.”

Jing Rong handed the coat and rabbit fur to Jue, watching as he wrapped himself up before pausing for a moment and then pulling the door open to step outside.

The moment he stepped out, Jing Rong was buried in snow.

They had stayed in one place for too long, and the snow had piled up to half a person’s height. The snow on the carriage roof also slid down, crashing onto him in a flurry.

It took Jing Rong a while to crawl out of the snow. He reached out to untie the reins, watching as the horses broke free from the snow, shaking it off their bodies before galloping into the distance.

626: “Bro, what are you doing? Our fine horses, bought for three gold coins each, are about to taste freedom.”

Jing Rong pinched the bridge of his nose and blew a long horse whistle, calling back the horses that were racing away.

Jing Rong said, “I kind of forgot what I was doing.”

He stood in the snow, hands in his pockets, as if reminiscing about his first kiss. Snow settled on his eyelashes, his calm demeanor so infuriatingly composed that the system was left speechless.

The blizzard had arrived. It was too late to dig a windbreak trench now—they had to push through the storm quickly.

System: “Tsk tsk tsk.”

It didn’t dare say anything. It was also a single, loveless little system. Watching people kiss was inappropriate for minors, so it had gone into hibernation early.

The snow was deep now. Jing Rong recalled the horses, swapped their horseshoes for anti-slip ones, and replaced their tack with windproof gear. Then he removed the wheels and installed skid chains.

The temperature difference between day and night in the Ork region was extreme, and the wet ground had high moisture content. Wheels and skids had to be constantly swapped between day and night.

The task took about forty minutes, and the coldest part of the night had already passed.

Jing Rong looked up at the sky. In the blizzard, the stars were barely visible, but he could faintly discern that their direction was roughly correct. They could let the horses continue along the path now.

Jing Rong took off his snow-covered cloak and climbed back into the carriage.

Jue had already relit the kerosene lamp. While Jing Rong was outside changing the wheels, Jue had held the lamp up inside the carriage to light his way.

Seeing him return, Jue moved the lantern aside and handed him hot water he had just boiled in the back compartment.

Jue learned incredibly fast. After just one demonstration of the outdoor windproof furnace, he had already mastered it.

Jing Rong took it. “Thanks.”

Ice had formed between his brows.

Jue watched him intently, his hand hesitating for a moment before he seemed to make up his mind. He reached out, brushing the frost from Jing Rong’s forehead with the back of his hand.

Then, Jue unwrapped the thick cloak from around himself and offered it to Jing Rong.

Jing Rong shook his head—he didn’t need it.

He rewrapped the cloak around Jue instead.

Jue looked at him, his eyes softening with a gentle amusement. He had never been some fragile little victim. Though he had never imagined that one day, something like this would happen between him and an Adjudicator.

But he accepted it with quiet obedience.

An SSS High-Risk Experimental Subject never hid his true nature.

Jue lowered his voice. “Brother, come in with me.”

Hearing that address for the first time in his life, Jing Rong’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

Jing Rong said, “I’m freezing.”

Jue said, “I’m very warm.”

Jing Rong tilted his head slightly, studying him.

Jue’s eyes held the playful nonchalance of a leader. Seeing Jing Rong unmoved, he reached out, grabbed Jing Rong’s collar, and pressed himself against him, stubbornly sharing his warmth.

Jing Rong didn’t resist as he was pulled into the thick blanket, feeling Jue shiver slightly from the sudden contact in the cold.  

Jing Rong’s voice was faint: “This isn’t good for your condition.”  

Jue said, “I know. I won’t do it again.”  

Jing Rong saw Jue lift his eyes again, fingers gripping his arm.  

Jue’s breath brushed against Jing Rong’s chin, that same focused gaze he had when staring at the Sleeve Knife in the display case resurfacing.  

Jing Rong heard Jue ask him.  

“Brother, can I kiss you?”  

Author’s Note:  

626: Damn lovebirds.