He didn’t go rest with Chen Ci but instead sat on a small stone slab at the entrance of the tent, pulling out his bulging backpack and checking the parts he had collected throughout the day one by one. 

It was already dark, but it wasn’t even seven o’clock yet. In the distance, the main body of Cinnabar was brightly lit, but the glow it cast couldn’t provide enough illumination for the abandoned suburbs, even less than the slightly waning full moon overhead. 

Above, there were countless external platforms extending from the main body, casting shadows over the distant abandoned suburbs as the sun moved across the sky. 

Today, they had explored three large buildings and dismantled quite a few parts from the remains of the primordial creatures. 

Most of what washed up on the beach were small fish and shrimp; the truly large creatures were blocked by the extended Ring Sea Base and numerous platforms, ensuring that the main body of Cinnabar wouldn’t be attacked. 

Fu Tianhe sorted the parts into categories, planning to modify them a bit when they returned and sell them for a good price. 

Inside the tent, Chen Ci sat barefoot, chatting with Chen Nian. 

His brother, far away at the top of Cinnabar, was having a great time. Chen Nian had raised a large goose in the Royal Palace, named Prince. The goose had a fierce personality, biting the little duck of the second princess, Aphro, and even pecking Shavri on the backside. 

Chen Nian was trying to train him, working with Gui Zhiqi to cultivate the goose’s “goose virtue.” 

He sent a photo, and indeed, it was a proud and upright goose. 

After finishing feeding the goose, Chen Nian chatted with Chen Ci about many things, sharing everything that had happened today based on the principle that happiness should be shared. 

Seeing Chen Nian describe how Antonio tried to flirt with him but accidentally stepped on Shavri’s foot, even the calm Chen Ci couldn’t help but send a “dumbfounded” emoji. 

His only impression of Antonio was from that one meeting in front of the White Tower; the Alpha was a typical rich kid and had been friends with Shavri for over a decade. 

Chen Ci imagined the scene at that time and thought it must have been quite exciting. 

Seeing Chen Nian having fun at the top, Chen Ci felt completely at ease and had nothing to worry about. 

He put down his terminal and looked up at the figure at the entrance of the tent. 

The Alpha had his back to the tent, sitting on the stone slab with one leg crossed, the spotlight casting a bright yellow outline around him. His back was strong and broad, giving off a reliable vibe. 

Fu Tianhe was still busy organizing the parts. They had trekked all day, and with such a high level of activity, Fu Tianhe was also busy setting up camp and cooking, and now he still wouldn’t take a break. 

The Alpha’s stamina was terrifyingly good; no matter when, he always looked full of energy, seemingly unaware of what fatigue was. 

Being around someone like that made Chen Ci feel invigorated as well. 

But they had to continue their journey at dawn tomorrow, so Chen Ci planned to speed up their exploration to return home sooner. 

“Fu Tianhe,” he called softly, and when the other turned around, he said, “Come rest.” 

Fu Tianhe habitually turned his head to the left; his right eye was blind, but the golden pupil was clear and beautiful, just a cold fake eye. 

The black eye reflected the light source above and the figure of the boy sitting relaxed inside the tent. 

“Okay, I’ll be right there,” Fu Tianhe replied, turning back and taking a deep breath. 

Chen Ci’s invitation was too obvious. In fact, the boy was inviting him to rest together. 

He knew he shouldn’t think too much, but if people could easily control their thoughts, there wouldn’t be so many tragedies. 

Fu Tianhe packed the sorted parts back into his bag, took off his shoes at the entrance of the tent, and crawled inside using both hands and feet. 

The tent wasn’t particularly large; it was just right for two people. Chen Ci shifted to the side to make room for him. 

They had gotten used to the routine of working at sunrise and resting at sunset over the past three days, and now they had finished washing up and could finally rest. 

Chen Ci sent a goodnight message to Chen Nian and crawled into his sleeping bag. 

Seeing that he was going to sleep, Fu Tianhe brought the spotlight in from outside the tent. Leaving a light in the completely dark wilderness while resting was definitely not a good idea; it might attract some inexplicable things. 

There were no so-called wild animals left on the current beacon, and they were far from the seaside, but what they really needed to worry about was people. 

The mechanical remains of the primordial creatures not only attracted Fu Tianhe but also brought in other abandoners, most of whom were homeless people struggling on the poverty line, living by scavenging mechanical parts to sell to steel mills. 

Fu Tianhe and Chen Ci intentionally avoided the nearby beach, so they hadn’t encountered these people yet. 

Fu Tianhe secured the tent and adjusted the spotlight to its lowest setting. He took out a small fluorescent ball from his bag and placed it above his head to provide a bit of dim light, preventing the surroundings from being completely dark. 

“I turned off the light.” 

“Okay.” 

Fu Tianhe switched off the spotlight, and the tent was instantly plunged into darkness, with only the faint glow from the small ball casting a soft light on the tent fabric, resembling fireflies in a summer night’s grass. 

He heard the rustling sound beside him; it was Chen Ci turning over in search of a comfortable position. 

After a while, the boy quieted down, turning his back to him and beginning to drift off to sleep. 

The space in the tent was limited, and their sleeping bags were tightly pressed against each other. In the silent night, even their breathing could be heard clearly. 

Fu Tianhe couldn’t help but try to breathe more lightly, afraid of disturbing Chen Ci’s rest. 

He recalled the first night they camped, when he had hesitated and didn’t dare to crawl into the tent to sleep, even considering just pulling a sleeping bag outside. 

They were unbonded AOs; how could they sleep together? 

Fu Tianhe had even pulled his sleeping bag outside when Chen Ci noticed his intention and propped himself up to call him back. 

“Why don’t you sleep in the tent?” he asked. 

Fu Tianhe replied, “It’s not appropriate.” 

He couldn’t see any signs of shyness, confusion, or other considerations in those amber eyes. Chen Ci’s expression was calm; he shook his head and simply said, “It’s fine, come on in.” 

Chen Ci’s pure and open demeanor became an irresistible temptation in Fu Tianhe’s eyes. 

It was his sin. 

In the end, Fu Tianhe still entered the tent. 

They each had their own sleeping bags, not sharing the same one, but even so, being in the same room as an unbonded Omega as an Alpha was still quite ambiguous. 

Chen Ci seemed to sleep soundly, not feeling it was a problem at all, leaving Fu Tianhe with a complicated mood. He couldn’t fall asleep for a while and didn’t dare to toss and turn, fearing it would make noise and disturb the other. 

He listened to the boy’s steady breathing gradually lengthening, and just like that, he fell asleep unguarded in front of him. 

Chen Ci still wore the anti-bite neck ring tightly, but after falling asleep, his pheromones subtly wafted out, a faint floral scent filling the entire tent. 

The fragrance wasn’t strong, but Fu Tianhe felt like he was drowning in it. 

His mind gradually became hazy; fortunately, he didn’t end up doing anything he shouldn’t have. The sleeping bag restrained his body, while reason restrained his heart. 

Tonight was the same. 

In the silent and dark conditions, Chen Ci fell asleep quickly. 

The floral scent wafted out, lingering around Fu Tianhe’s nose. He had thought about it for three days but still couldn’t figure out what this smell was; he had seen too few plants. 

Chen Ci’s back was to him, his legs curled up slightly, resembling a baby in its mother’s womb. He had his head slightly lowered, and his smooth neck peeked out from the collar, with fine black hair brushing against the neck ring. 

Fu Tianhe quietly gazed at him. 

The Alpha wasn’t sleepy yet; ever since that serious illness years ago, he had needed very little sleep and could be full of energy without much rest. 

At first, Fu Tianhe worried that his body might be worn out, but he gradually discovered that it didn’t seem to have any effect. 

Fu Tianhe was glad that Jiu Yue could trust him like this, but he also worried that the boy might do the same in front of other Alphas; not everyone could be as restrained as he was. 

What if—he meant what if—Jiu Yue really encountered someone with ulterior motives? The consequences would be unimaginable. 

Shouldn’t he teach Jiu Yue a bit more? The boy was clearly working hard to earn money for his family in the Underground City, yet most of the time he seemed to know nothing. That day, he had even been pressed against the wall by a debt-collecting Alpha in a remote alley. 

He needed to teach Jiu Yue how to protect himself; otherwise, when he was no longer around, who knew what would happen? 

Fu Tianhe was lost in thought; this was the first time he felt such a clear sense of responsibility, although for Jiu Yue, it might just be his one-sided wish. 

He didn’t know how long it had been when his consciousness gradually blurred. He had gotten used to immersing himself in the delicate floral scent, and the scent of amber wood spread out, no longer under the Alpha’s control. 

Did he take the suppressants today? Fu Tianhe forgot a bit; he was in a state of about to fall asleep, wanting to clarify this question, but he could only watch himself slide into chaos. 

Chen Ci, who had long fallen asleep, turned over, his arm unconsciously stretching out of the sleeping bag and resting on Fu Tianhe. 

An arm didn’t weigh much; the boy let out a vague murmur in his sleep, seeking warmth as he leaned closer to Fu Tianhe, bringing that scent even nearer. 

During their days resting in the Underground City, Chen Ci had gotten used to having a plush bear toy lying beside him. 

It felt like a dream. 

Just like a dream. 

Boom— 

When the dull roar came from afar, Fu Tianhe opened his eyes wide and sat up in shock. 

Chen Ci woke up even earlier than him, half-kneeling at the tent entrance in a rather defensive posture, staring intently in the direction of the sound, the glow of the fluorescent ball illuminating his tense back. 

Fu Tianhe was about to ask what was wrong when suddenly there was another loud bang. 

Without saying a word, Chen Ci grabbed a coat from the side, slipped on his shoes, and dashed out. 

Fu Tianhe hurriedly scrambled to his feet, grabbing the spotlight and following Chen Ci out of the tent. 

The spotlight turned on, illuminating the way ahead. In just a few seconds, Chen Ci had already run out several meters, moving like a nimble cat, leaping over the ruins with every movement so light and agile. 

Fu Tianhe did his best to keep up, the light shaking violently as he ran, trying to illuminate the path ahead for Chen Ci, but it seemed the boy didn’t mind the darkness ahead at all, perfectly avoiding all obstacles. 

The sound became clearer; it was the noise of metal objects scraping against concrete, as if a massive weight had fallen on top, directly collapsing the remaining buildings. 

Faintly, Fu Tianhe also heard a few human screams.