Chapter 94
If there was any way to avoid the bite, Bai Nuosi would have preferred that. But seeing Huo Ranchuan’s current condition, he was deeply worried. It looked disturbingly similar to high-level alphas losing control during their susceptibility periods.
Without a special inhibitor, what if Huo Ranchuan’s spiritual sea collapsed?
The mere thought of that possibility filled Bai Nuosi with anxiety. Holding Huo Ranchuan, he softly reassured him, “You can bite, but just once.”
Bai Nuosi had never been in a romantic relationship, and during his own heats, he always relied on inhibitors. He had never experienced being temporarily marked. He’d heard that the first time could be painful, and the thought made him nervous.
He hesitated, asking, “Will biting help you?”
He looked up at Huo Ranchuan, uncertainty in his eyes. “If it won’t help, then maybe… we shouldn’t do it?”
What if beastmen were different from alphas, and it turned out the bite was pointless? Wouldn’t he have endured it for nothing?
Suddenly feeling unsure, Bai Nuosi wavered. He was genuinely scared.
But now that he had softened his stance, there was no way Huo Ranchuan was going to let him change his mind.
Huo Ranchuan pulled him close, holding him tightly in his arms with one hand while pressing Bai Nuosi’s head against his shoulder. His gaze was locked on Bai Nuosi’s exposed gland, his eyes glowing red, and his breathing heavy. His voice dropped to a soft murmur in Bai Nuosi’s ear, as if afraid of frightening the omega in his arms.
“It will help, Teacher Bai. I’ll only bite once, and I’ll be gentle.”
Bai Nuosi, held firmly in his embrace, suddenly caught sight of the giant black snake slowly slithering out of the cave. His heart skipped a beat, recalling how every time Huo Ranchuan kissed him, the snake also insisted on kissing him. He grew tense and quickly blurted out, “Wait, is the snake going to…?”
Before he could finish, Huo Ranchuan, thinking he was about to back out, pressed Bai Nuosi’s head down firmly, revealing his sharp beast fangs.
Bai Nuosi flinched, nearly bursting into tears from the overwhelming sensation.
It hurt so much!
Huo Ranchuan paused, looking at the barely grazed skin. He hadn’t even really bitten yet.
Teacher Bai was just too nervous, scared because he had no experience.
And with the snake now joining the scene, Bai Nuosi seemed to be regretting his decision for real.
Even though Huo Ranchuan’s mind was fogged by his loss of control, he still had a shred of rationality. He recalled what he had researched earlier.
According to the information, alphas could bite an omega’s gland for temporary marking because their saliva contained a special compound that helped the wound heal quickly.
Huo Ranchuan hesitated. If he bit down, would Teacher Bai bleed and get hurt?
But the restlessness inside him, combined with the enticing scent of Bai Nuosi’s pheromones, urged him to hurry—to bite down, to claim him.
Huo Ranchuan’s entire body ached with the primal desire to possess Teacher Bai.
Yet, he still held back.
Bai Nuosi, on the other hand, was growing more and more uncomfortable, his nerves fraying. He felt trapped in Huo Ranchuan’s strong embrace, his smaller frame completely overshadowed by the man’s much larger one. Huo Ranchuan could hold him securely with just one hand, making escape impossible.
Feeling his legs weakening, Bai Nuosi asked quietly, “Director, have you finished biting or not?”
Why was it taking so long? He was already resigned to the bite, but Huo Ranchuan was being frustratingly slow.
Bai Nuosi was starting to regret it.
Huo Ranchuan: “…”
He hadn’t even started yet. Gently brushing aside Bai Nuosi’s hair to expose his pale neck and delicate gland, Huo Ranchuan’s voice was hoarse as he reassured him, “I’ll finish right now.”
Then, without further hesitation, he sank his sharp beast fangs into Bai Nuosi’s soft, pale skin, right where the gland pulsed beneath.
The sound of his fangs piercing the skin seemed unusually clear in the stillness of the night.
Bai Nuosi’s entire body shuddered. His eyes flew open, and though he tried to cry out, the pain was so intense that tears flowed silently down his face.
It hurt—it hurt so much!
Alongside the pain was a strange numbing and tingling sensation.
Huo Ranchuan’s eyes glowed even brighter with red as the thick scent of Bai Nuosi’s pheromones filled the air. He had never realized how strong Teacher Bai’s scent truly was.
No wonder the movie showed beastmen marking omegas. Before they bonded, they weren’t particularly sensitive to each other’s pheromones, but once marked, their scents merged.
Inside Huo Ranchuan’s body, a substance similar to pheromones was being released. His uncontrollable spiritual force seemed to take on a color and scent of its own, forcefully flooding into his mate’s body.
Though Huo Ranchuan had promised to only bite once, and lightly at that, he found himself utterly unable to stop once he started.
Bai Nuosi’s skin was flushed red all over, his eyes swollen from crying. He lay limply in Huo Ranchuan’s arms, too exhausted to even ask if the biting was done yet.
Huo Ranchuan, now fully overwhelmed by the bond, was struggling to restrain himself. He cradled Bai Nuosi in his arms, unable to let him go.
From this moment on, Bai Nuosi was his mate, whether he liked it or not.
Over an hour passed, and the sky began to lighten. Teng Snake, restless, slithered anxiously around the pair, picking up on the sensation of marking through its connection to Huo Ranchuan. Although it hadn’t experienced it directly, it was intoxicated by the emotions it felt from its host.
Being a spirit beast, Teng Snake lacked the same self-control as humans. It wanted to experience it again—and this time, it wanted to bite Bai Nuosi’s gland itself, to wrap him in its coils and mark him over and over again!
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Huo Ranchuan pulled his sharp fangs from Bai Nuosi’s neck.
Because of the snake genes in his system, Huo Ranchuan’s fangs were particularly long and sharp. Bai Nuosi’s gland was left red and swollen, looking painfully inflamed.
The red in Huo Ranchuan’s eyes had faded somewhat, though the heat inside him remained. The temporary mark alone hadn’t been enough to fully alleviate his urges.
Looking down at Bai Nuosi, who had passed out from the pain, Huo Ranchuan sighed softly, “It was just one bite, and you’ve already fainted.”
It seemed Teacher Bai would need to build up his tolerance.
As soon as Huo Ranchuan moved away, Teng Snake immediately slithered over, extending its tongue to lick the swollen gland.
But Huo Ranchuan, cradling Bai Nuosi protectively, warned, “You can’t bite him—he’s already at his limit.”
Teng Snake, feeling rejected, circled the two several times in frustration, baring its sharp fangs and glaring at Huo Ranchuan.
Huo Ranchuan pushed its head down, his tone firm. “He’s my mate. I will protect him. If you hurt him, I won’t forgive you.”
Teng Snake, understanding, pouted but reluctantly complied. Still, it was deeply dissatisfied. Why could the host bite, but not it? Sulking, it coiled up on a rock, stewing in its own frustration.
Seeing that it had settled down, Huo Ranchuan gently picked up Bai Nuosi and carried him back into the cave.
His rationality had partially returned, though he wasn’t completely himself yet.
After laying Bai Nuosi on the jacket spread over the dry grass, Huo Ranchuan retreated to a corner of the cave. Keeping an eye on his mate, he slipped his hand into his pants…
It was an awkward situation, but he had no choice. He couldn’t bring himself to hurt Teacher Bai any further.
Huo Ranchuan spent another hour resolving the issue on his own. He hadn’t had a partner in a long time, and his duties often left him with little time for such matters. He’d never been particularly enthusiastic about them either, but tonight, something about Teacher Bai had pushed him over the edge.
One round hadn’t been enough to douse the fire.
Outside the cave, Teng Snake sulked and squirmed. It was struggling, too—after all, it had two of everything, and the discomfort was twice as bad!
When the sky began to brighten, Teng Snake finally slithered back into the cave, glaring at Huo Ranchuan with eyes full of blame: It’s your fault! If you had let me mate with Teacher Bai, we could have laid so many eggs!
Huo Ranchuan: “…”
He glanced at the snake, thinking to himself that Teng Snake should stay away from Teacher Bai in the future. Its thoughts were getting more absurd by the day.
Giving it a warning look, he said, “He couldn’t handle it. Don’t even think about it.”
Teng Snake: “…”
It refused to back down, pouting: You’re not my mate—how would you know what my mate can handle?
Huo Ranchuan: “…”
As dawn broke, the early morning sunlight filtered into the cave. Huo Ranchuan, finding the interior too dim, cleared away the vines blocking the entrance.
When Bai Nuosi finally woke up, he saw sunlight streaming into the cave. Blinking drowsily, he realized that Teng Snake had returned to its smaller form and was curled up beside him, its head resting on his shoulder as it stared intently at him.
It took Bai Nuosi a few seconds to recall the events of the previous night.
He had allowed Huo Ranchuan to bite him, and Huo Ranchuan had successfully marked him temporarily!
He remembered the pain—so intense, accompanied by a strange numbness. Huo Ranchuan’s spiritual force had rampaged inside him, and he must have passed out from the shock.
Thinking back on it, Bai Nuosi felt a bit embarrassed.
He instinctively pulled the small snake into his arms, feeling his neck. Last night, his gland had been hot, painful, and swollen, but now the pain had lessened. It didn’t feel as swollen anymore.
Bai Nuosi was unaware of how he looked at that moment. Having been marked for the first time, his complexion was noticeably better, and the temporary mark had left him covered in Huo Ranchuan’s scent.
His pheromones were now intermingled with a cold, woody aroma, reminiscent of rain-soaked forests—a scent that contrasted sharply with Huo Ranchuan’s otherwise cold and fierce demeanor.
Teng Snake affectionately nuzzled against Bai Nuosi, basking in the opportunity to be close without hiding.
But Bai Nuosi soon snapped back to reality, putting the snake down and sternly saying, “Big Black, you can’t pretend to be a baby anymore. I know you’re an adult now, and it’s not right to deceive me.”
The snake: “…”
The snake stared at Bai Nuosi with wide, pitiful eyes before slithering back over and rubbing against his leg, its gaze full of longing.
Bai Nuosi: “…”
Bai Nuosi felt a chill run down his spine from the snake’s gaze.
Quickly standing up, his face flushed, he said, “Big Black! I’m not your mate, don’t misunderstand!”
Big Black: “…”
Big Black’s mouth hung open in shock: What? But you were marked by the host last night—doesn’t that make you my mate too? What else could you be?
Bai Nuosi felt awkward. This sounded so complicated. “I only agreed to help Director Huo last night because I was worried about him. There was no other intention behind it…”
Temporary marking wasn’t that big of a deal; if it helped Huo Ranchuan, then it was worth it.
Truthfully, Huo Ranchuan was Bai Nuosi’s type: mature, steady, independent, decisive, and a gentleman in both work and personal life. Plus, he had the looks and physique that Bai Nuosi found appealing.
Bai Nuosi knew he had a soft and easily swayed personality, and he needed a partner with a stronger character.
But!
Dating Huo Ranchuan alone would have been one thing. Dating Huo Ranchuan and a giant snake? That was entirely different!
According to Huo Ranchuan, he and Teng Snake were one entity, so his mate would also be Teng Snake’s mate. Even if Teng Snake wasn’t physically present, it could still feel everything when he and his mate were intimate.
This might be common for people with spirit beasts, but for Bai Nuosi, it was a hurdle he couldn’t get over.
The snake looked hurt, its eyes full of sorrow as it gazed at Bai Nuosi.
Bai Nuosi had cared for the snake for so long that he felt sympathy for it, but on this matter, he was resolute!
He turned and ran out of the cave, leaving the snake alone, pitifully crying.
Why doesn’t he like me? I’m so cute. I even have two! And I can change size whenever I want. Plus, I have a tail that can adjust its length!
If you think about it, I actually have three—how could Huo Ranchuan possibly compare?
Teacher Bai just doesn’t know how great I am yet. If he experienced it once, maybe he’d fall for me!
Teng Snake curled up inside the cave, sulking.
Huo Ranchuan, wearing a black vest, had a bandage on his thigh where the wound had scabbed over. He sat on a rock at the cave entrance, re-wrapping the bandage.
When he heard Bai Nuosi approach, he paused and looked up, his golden, slit-pupiled eyes tinged faintly with red.
Bai Nuosi, seeing those eyes, sighed inwardly. Still slit-pupiled. He hasn’t fully recovered yet?
Huo Ranchuan stopped what he was doing, his gaze fixed on Bai Nuosi. His voice was rough. “You’re awake.”
The moment Bai Nuosi heard him speak, memories of last night flooded back—Huo Ranchuan biting his neck, asking if it hurt, and telling him not to cry. His face turned crimson as he sat on another rock, averting his eyes. “Director, can we go back today? Xing Xing and Hanya are waiting for me. They need me.”
Huo Ranchuan’s eyes locked onto him—this soft, sweet-smelling omega, now marked with his scent, sitting right in front of him.
While finishing wrapping his bandage, Huo Ranchuan’s voice was low. “This is my nest. Where do you want me to return to?”
Bai Nuosi: “…”
Of course. He had known this would be the case!
Sighing, Bai Nuosi decided to drop the topic. Huo Ranchuan seemed much better today, and Bai Nuosi felt a sense of relief, realizing the temporary mark had some effect.
Taking out three bottles of milk from his portable terminal, he placed two in front of Huo Ranchuan and kept one for himself.
Huo Ranchuan took a bottle, watching Bai Nuosi drink his milk quietly. His golden eyes flickered with an unspoken emotion, and he averted his gaze, feeling a twinge of guilt.
In truth, his rationality had returned early that morning.
But because he was now fully aware, he felt even more embarrassed about everything he had done the previous night.
He had not only confessed to Teacher Bai but also asked him to lay six snake eggs. And to top it off, he had marked him.
Thinking about it all, Huo Ranchuan’s emotions became a mix of nervousness, excitement, and shame.
How was he supposed to face Teacher Bai now?
And the issue of Teng Snake pretending to be a baby—Teacher Bai hadn’t even brought it up yet.
Huo Ranchuan sighed, walking over to Teng Snake and handing it a bottle of milk.
The two of them sat in silence on the rocks, drinking their milk. Neither spoke, but Huo Ranchuan’s eyes kept darting to Bai Nuosi’s still slightly swollen gland.
Finally breaking the silence, he walked over to Bai Nuosi, his expression solemn. “Teacher Bai, I’ll take responsibility.”
Bai Nuosi looked up at those slit-pupiled eyes and quickly shook his head. “No, no, no. You don’t have to.”
Huo Ranchuan: “…”
Bai Nuosi, feeling the awkwardness, kept his gaze down. “You and the snake should find another mate. I’m not the right one.”
Huo Ranchuan remained silent.
There was a huge snake between them—a seemingly unsolvable problem.
Just as he was about to discuss this with Bai Nuosi, a distant explosion echoed through the forest.
Huo Ranchuan’s sharp hearing picked up the sound before Bai Nuosi did. He immediately stood up, pulling Bai Nuosi back into the cave and speaking in a low tone, “Stay close to Big Black and don’t leave its side.”
Bai Nuosi nodded, bewildered. “Director, what’s going on?”
Huo Ranchuan’s expression was grave. “They’ve found us.”
Bai Nuosi didn’t know who he meant, but he sensed that if it were just Mons and the others, Huo Ranchuan wouldn’t be this tense.
Teng Snake’s body tensed up too, and it immediately grew larger, coiling protectively around Bai Nuosi.
Huo Ranchuan stepped outside, pulling on his trousers and jacket, adjusting his goggles, and grabbing a small laser gun. With a swift leap, he disappeared down the steep cliff, vanishing into the dense forest below.
Mons and Chen Min had been searching the vast primeval forest with their rescue team throughout the night. At dawn, they finally spotted the Golden Eagle perched on a massive treetop.
The Golden Eagle wouldn’t attack Chen Min, but it clearly wasn’t going to offer any help either.
They set up camp nearby, planning to approach Huo Ranchuan’s cave once daylight was fully upon them. However, before noon arrived, the Golden Eagle suddenly went berserk, under heavy fire from missiles loaded with a familiar drug designed to disrupt spiritual seas.
Chen Min, worried about Golden Eagle’s condition, rushed in alone.
Mons could only rally the guards to provide support. Both sides clashed fiercely.
The attackers were numerous—five stealth warships, carrying over a thousand troops, while Mons only had a hundred guards.
Outnumbered, the enemy’s objective wasn’t just Jin Diao; they aimed for Huo Ranchuan’s cave. It was clear they had provoked Teng Snake’s loss of control and, unable to locate Huo Ranchuan at first, lay in ambush until Mons’ search party led them there.
They intended to either kill Huo Ranchuan or administer an even larger dose of the drug, pushing his spiritual sea to collapse completely—just as they had once tried with the Golden Eagle.
Jin Diao was surrounded by missiles, all carrying that potent drug. The origin of this substance had yet to be traced; this was the second time it had appeared before Chen Min.
Chen Min piloted a small aircraft, launching himself onto the Golden Eagle’s back. Under the influence of the drug, the Golden Eagle’s spiritual energy surged chaotically, teetering on the edge of complete loss of control.
Chen Min clung tightly to its neck, shouting urgently, “Ares! Listen to me! Don’t panic, don’t be afraid! Let’s get out of here first.”
But the Golden Eagle didn’t respond. It struggled violently in the air, nearly throwing Chen Min off several times.
Chen Min held on with all his strength. He knew that in this primeval forest, which had cast a shadow over the Golden Eagle’s childhood, the drug might be triggering traumatic memories from its past.
Chen Min’s eyes reddened, and he clung desperately to the Golden Eagle. “Ares, I promise I’ll save you this time. Trust me, just this once, okay?”
Mons and the guards rushed in for support, watching Chen Min ride the frenzied Jin Diao, narrowly avoiding laser blasts. Mons was filled with dread, shouting, “Captain Chen, it’s too dangerous! Come back!”
But Chen Min shook his head resolutely. “No, I won’t leave Ares.”
Ares had been gone for three years. Chen Min had been searching for a way to reconnect with him, to break the ice. If he couldn’t stand by Ares now, then how could he ever expect Ares to return?
Without his spiritual beast, he was nothing but a useless shell. If Ares wasn’t with him, he might as well die together with him.
