Chapter 21: The Royal Banquet (Part 1)
Jin Chi’an was locked in someone’s arms by a pair of powerful hands. The heat in his body gradually spread downward because of the warmth between them.
“So fragrant.”
Felix’s warm breath brushed against his neck, making his face flush.
As a damp, hot touch came from his neck, Jin Chi’an’s face turned completely red. Inwardly, he wondered when his little tiger had become so skilled.
But just as his emotions were completely stirred up, a steady breathing sound reached his ear. Immediately afterward, the hand on his waist also loosened its strength.
Jin Chi’an lifted his head from the other man’s shoulder in confusion, only to see a sleeping face before him.
Feeling the heat beneath him, Jin Chi’an looked at the culprit before him, both amused and annoyed. Thinking of how the white tiger had guarded outside his hospital room these past few days, in the end, he only rubbed the other man’s lightly trembling fluffy ears and got up alone to walk toward the bathroom.
Early the next morning, the Allied Forces’ starship arrived in the outer star region of District One. At this moment, it was observing the surrounding situation while in stealth mode.
On the armament level, Jin Chi’an and Qin Hua had changed into formal suits for the noble banquet. The tie clips on their chests were actually miniature firearms specially prepared by the military.
Qin Hua uncomfortably tugged at his slightly tight collar and complained to the people not far away, “This suit collar is a little tight. And this color isn’t my favorite either. These dress pants make my legs look short too. My injury hasn’t even healed yet. Do I really have to attend this royal banquet?”
“Of course. You’re a high-bloodline member of District One’s Qin family.”
Lin Chuan checked everyone’s communication links while teasing him.
In contrast, Xi Lian, who no longer looked as disgusted as before when Qin Hua had ridden on his back, was now patiently following Qin Hua’s instructions and adjusting the uncomfortable suit collar for him.
Jin Chi’an truly could not bear to look at the sickening behavior between the two of them. He turned to Felix, who was organizing his defensive equipment in front of him, and immediately found him much more pleasing to the eye.
“The communication connection has been tested. In a moment, you’ll be able to take the aircraft to District One’s port.”
Lin Chuan tested the line, and an overlapping voice appeared simultaneously from the old-fashioned transmission device.
“Does this thing really work?” Qin Hua looked somewhat disdainfully at the miniature communicator he had received from Lin Chuan.
“Of course. Even if your brain is broken and can’t connect to the optical computer, this thing can still communicate.”
Lin Chuan glanced at the time. There were still twenty minutes before the palace’s reception time.
“The banquet is in two days, yet they require the guests to move into the palace in advance. The Zerg race really dares to set a trap in broad daylight.”
Lin Chuan muttered to himself. His gaze unintentionally glanced toward Felix, who was helping Jin Chi’an put on the communicator. Dissatisfied, he said, “Supreme Commander, this place is only ten minutes away from District One. You don’t need to accompany them there.”
Hearing Lin Chuan’s teasing, Felix was displeased. But because he cared about Jin Chi’an’s attitude, he did not dare argue with him. He could only tentatively ask Jin Chi’an, “Can I go with you? Just to see you to the palace.”
“Felix, we still have to be apart for a few days. These ten minutes won’t make a difference.”
Jin Chi’an gently pushed away the hand by his ear and looked at him helplessly.
“The small aircraft can carry six people. You don’t have to worry.”
“I’m not worried about the aircraft’s capacity…”
Seeing his expectant expression, Jin Chi’an finally agreed to his request.
When the aircraft arrived at District One, the palace gates were already open. Guests from various noble families were passing through security one after another and entering District One’s most splendid royal palace.
As the number of guests around them gradually increased, Jin Chi’an felt a little embarrassed and pushed Felix back into the aircraft cabin.
“Hurry back. As soon as I have any news, I’ll notify command.”
“We have to communicate every night.”
“All right.”
Jin Chi’an looked at him saying this request so seriously and found it rather amusing. Then he stepped back a few paces and watched the aircraft close its hatch and slowly rise into the air.
Only after he could no longer see the aircraft did he turn and enter the palace.
“Oh, isn’t this Chi’an? You’re appearing here today too. Did you also receive an invitation?”
A mocking voice came from not far behind him. When he turned, he saw a woman dressed in an expensive, luxurious gown.
As the wife of the current head of the Jin family, an imperial noble family of District One, Qi Wan could be said to be the person with the most authority in the entire Jin family.
“Aunt,” Jin Chi’an greeted her with a smile and a nod.
“He only gets to come because of the family. Otherwise, as someone sent off to Iskan for a marriage alliance, what right does he have to attend the banquet?” the young girl beside Qi Wan mocked.
“You can’t put it that way. No matter what, Chi’an was once Lovitt’s top guide, and he was also formerly employed by the royal family.” Qi Wan then put on a regretful expression. “At first, I thought this child would marry into the royal family and bring some glory to the family. Who would have thought he would be sent to that godforsaken place Iskan to marry those crude beastmen?”
Seeing Qi Wan follow along with her words, the young girl instantly grew bolder. She moved a little closer to Jin Chi’an and warned him, “Jin Chi’an, you’d better not fool around with those beastmen from Iskan and produce children. Our Jin family’s bloodline cannot be tainted by disgusting beastmen.”
As Jin Mian approached, a nauseating perfume smell rushed toward him, making Jin Chi’an frown uncomfortably.
He was originally thinking of finding an excuse to withdraw from this family dispute, but Qin Hua’s sudden voice broke the stalemate.
“Chi’an’s marriage alliance is a symbol of friendship between the two nations. May I ask, Miss Jin Mian, are you trying to represent the Jin family and sabotage the marriage alliance between two countries?”
Watching Qin Hua walk over from not far away, the originally aggressive Jin Mian instantly fell silent. Then she put on a flattering expression.
“Brother Hua, you’re here too. That’s not what I meant just now.”
Before Jin Mian could explain, Qi Wan pulled her behind herself.
“Young Master Qin, Xiao Mian is just rather blunt with her words, but her heart isn’t bad. She only said that to Chi’an out of concern.”
“Is that so?”
Qin Hua looked at the two of them with disdain. Without giving them a chance to get close, he pulled Jin Chi’an away. Before leaving, he threw down one final sentence.
“You’d better not mean anything else.”
The rooms arranged by the palace for the two of them were very close together. Along the way, Qin Hua looked unhappy.
Thinking of how interested Qi Wan had seemed in him, Jin Chi’an reminded him, “My aunt seems quite interested in you. You should make things clear with your family. Otherwise, if she brings someone straight to your door to propose marriage, it’ll be hard to explain.”
“Who wants to marry a woman from your family? Didn’t you see Jin Mian’s attitude? She’s a textbook vicious supporting female character from a drama.”
“Even without Jin Mian, there are plenty of women of marriageable age in the Jin family. You should be careful. After all, my aunt has been eyeing your family’s bloodline genes for a long time.”
“Our family? Our family’s mental bodies are all inherited canine types. Your Jin family’s felines don’t really match us, do they?”
“So what? Your Qin family is famous in District One. A family where nearly one hundred percent of its members awaken sentinel or guide abilities—who wouldn’t be interested?”
“Even so, I still wouldn’t enter a marriage alliance with those noble female guides.” Qin Hua turned his head away, his tone carrying a little emotion. “Let alone the tigresses from your family. Their abilities are average, but their tempers are huge.”
“If you don’t bond with a guide, what will you do about your mental illness?”
Jin Chi’an looked at him with some concern, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.
“Don’t tell me you really want to find a canine beastman, or a sentinel.”
“Not necessarily. Right now, I don’t think it has to be a canine. Actually, bird clans are pretty good too. They can fly, so going anywhere is convenient.”
As he spoke, Qin Hua unconsciously sank into his imagination. In his mind, an image gradually appeared of Little Gray sitting on a bird’s back, with the boundless sky stretching out before them.
A sweet, sticky atmosphere gradually spread around him. A strange red light seeped out from the ends of Qin Hua’s hair.
As the red light gradually brightened, Jin Chi’an suspiciously looked toward the source of the light: Qin Hua’s neck, hidden behind his wolf tail.
“What is this?”
Jin Chi’an held Qin Hua down, who was still immersed in his fantasy, and brushed aside the hair covering the back of his neck.
A bird beastman totem, very similar to the one in Grenna’s illusion, appeared on Qin Hua’s neck.
“Qin Hua, you…”
The shape of a harpy eagle gradually appeared on the totem. Jin Chi’an looked at Qin Hua, who seemed completely carefree, with an indescribable expression.
“A beastman’s mental brand? Is it one-way or two-way? When did you two brand it?”
Jin Chi’an’s string of questions left Qin Hua a little dazed.
Still caught in his fantasy, Qin Hua was completely detached from the situation and had no idea what Jin Chi’an meant.
“What mental brand?”
“You don’t know? Then it’s one-way.”
“What do you mean one-way? What does that mean?”
“It means you’re tied to Xi Lian for the rest of your life. Even if you take three wives and four concubines, he won’t be able to leave you.”
“Damn. A mental brand?”
As his awareness gradually returned, Qin Hua immediately reacted. He twisted his head, trying to look at the totem on the back of his neck.
A red light gradually shone into his eyes, illuminating his entire face until it turned red, making him look exactly like a shrimp being slowly cooked.
After quite a while, Qin Hua finally digested this fact. Then he turned, dazed, toward the serious-faced Jin Chi’an.
“Don’t beastmen’s mental brands only get left after bonding?”
“Is this totem Xi Lian’s?”
“So… Xi Lian forced himself on me?”
Qin Hua touched his lower back with a face that said life was no longer worth living. Even the light in his eyes dimmed.
Seeing him like this, Jin Chi’an was rendered speechless. He pressed his fingers against his throbbing temples.
“Since it happened without your knowledge, it’s a one-way brand.”
Using the understanding he had gained about beastmen over the past few days, Jin Chi’an struggled to organize his words.
“In short, a one-way brand doesn’t require bonding. Think carefully. When exactly did the two of you form a one-way brand?”
As soon as Jin Chi’an finished speaking, Qin Hua frowned and began recalling what had happened these past few days. He kept muttering under his breath.
“His mental brand interfered with the direction of my consciousness. He really does want to force-love me.”
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