Jan 2, 2024
—
by
Juno
in Fight for Peace and Love
Two bodies intertwined.
With that ambiguous voice and looming skin, anyone could tell what the two of them were doing. Yuan Shuze’s face was red, his mouth was dry, and his body involuntarily wanted to get closer quietly to see the scene in front of him clearly. Thinking like this, Yuan Shuze’s body really moved. He walked forward slowly, walked behind a tree and hid. Yuan Shuze’s eyesight was not very good, so he had to get closer to see more clearly.
Hiding behind the tree, using the lush branches and leaves as cover, Yuan Shuze finally saw clearly this heart-racing scene.
There are indeed two men overlapping each other, but the one with wheat-colored skin is the one who is suppressed. His handsome brows are furrowed, as if he is very distressed, and his hands are still pushing back. And the person on his body – Yuan Shuze took a closer look and saw that the face actually belonged to Xuehui.
“Ah!” After seeing the face clearly, Yuan Shuze sat up suddenly. He reached out and wiped his face, only to realize that he seemed to have had a strange dream. In the dream, he saw some scene that shouldn’t have appeared… It seemed that it was what Xuehui said to him before going to bed that made him have this dream.
Yuan Shuze was a little confused. He got up from the ground and saw that Ling Yuming and Xuehui next to him were still sleeping.
On usual days, these two enjoy wrapping their bodies around each other while sleeping, and today is no exception. Ling Yuming lies there while Xue Hui, using both hands and feet, tightly embraces Ling Yuming. Initially, Yuan Shuze thought that this sleeping posture was Ling Yuming taking advantage of Xue Hui. However, he soon realized that it was actually Xue Hui who was taking advantage.
Ling Yuming is usually the earliest to wake up, but today Yuan Shuze has already risen, and Ling Yuming is still sleeping. His body seems uncomfortable, and his brows are furrowed.
Yuan Shuze initially considered whether to wake them up, but seeing them sleeping so peacefully, he hesitated for a moment and decided to go wash up and have breakfast.
Bai Luoluo had a restless sleep. He kept having dreams where Xue Hui turned into a giant spider, chasing him relentlessly. He tried to run, but Xue Hui was always trailing not too far behind. In the end, Bai Luoluo couldn’t run anymore, knelt on the ground panting heavily, and the spider Xue Hui sprayed a bunch of white silk, binding him tightly. With a smile, Xue Hui said, “Ling, where do you think you’re going, Ling…”
Bai Luoluo woke up drenched in sweat, only to find that it was already mid-morning. He slowly sat up, took a long while to recover, and then looked around. He saw Yuan Shuze sitting not far away, gnawing on fruit and watching him, the fragrance of the fruits spreading throughout the camp.
His stomach growled a few times, and the hunger finally cleared Bai Luoluo’s muddled mind. He yawned, got up.
Bai Luoluo’s movements woke up the soundly sleeping Xue Hui. Usually, Xue Hui tends to wake up a bit earlier than Bai Luoluo. However, when he wakes up, he doesn’t rush to get up; instead, he looks at Bai Luoluo affectionately. This gaze continues until Bai Luoluo opens his eyes and meets it.
Bai Luoluo, who was tossed around by Xue Hui yesterday, felt sore all over. This morning, his body had little strength. He took a shower, ate a few fruits, and his body reluctantly recovered—yet there was still a feeling of being severely weakened. It seems the saying “excessive indulgence leads to disaster” is not just an empty phrase, Bai Luoluo thought with great pain.
While Bai Luoluo was eating, Xue Hui went to take a shower. Yuan Shuze looked at Bai Luoluo, seeming to have something to say but hesitating.
Bai Luoluo glanced at him and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Yuan Shuze swallowed a piece of fruit and cautiously asked, “Brother Yuming, do you like men or women?”
Bai Luoluo replied, “Of course, women.” He seemed to remember something and looked at Yuan Shuze cautiously. “When that vine attacked us yesterday, did you see anything?”
“No, nothing,” Yuan Shuze hurriedly explained. “I didn’t see anything. I was wrapped in vines and thrown to the bottom of the pit. Later, when the vines retreated, I found Xue Hui and came to find you together.”
“Oh,” Bai Luoluo took a bite of the fruit. It looked somewhat like a cucumber from Earth, but sweeter, with a unique fruity fragrance in the flesh. When Bai Luoluo didn’t want to eat meat, he ate this for several days in a row. Today, while munching on the fruit, he exuded an unusual sense of negativity.
Yuan Shuze is gay on Earth, so accepting relationships between men is not an issue for him. Due to his experience in this circle, he has witnessed many heartless scumbags. A friend he once knew faced a situation similar to what was happening now. The scumbag was all smiles during the act, but immediately after, he turned hostile and even found his friend disgusting. With these experiences, Yuan Shuze felt he had a clear understanding of the essence of such situations.
Ling Yuming is indeed a good brother, a good friend, but not a good partner—at least not in the matter of men being in love.
After further interaction, Bai Luoluo’s attitude towards Xue Hui cooled a bit. However, he didn’t show it too explicitly. Xue Hui noticed that Bai Luoluo seemed absent-minded during many conversations, and in Yuan Shuze’s eyes, it was a sign of evading the truth. Yuan Shuze’s heart was filled with a sudden sense of disappointment and sorrow.
Bai Luoluo had no idea what was going on in Yuan Shuze’s mind. Most of the time, when he seemed absent-minded, he was munching on seeds with the system.
Bai Luoluo & System: “Kacha Kacha Kacha.”
The system said, “Seeds are really delicious.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Seeds are really delicious.”
If they could show expressions in their minds at this moment, they would probably look like fools, both drooling and staring blankly—evidence that eating seeds can indeed lower one’s IQ.
Xue Hui continued to stick to Bai Luoluo as if he had completely failed to notice Bai Luoluo’s changing attitude.
As an observer, Yuan Shuze saw the atmosphere between the two of them clearly. If he had pure jealousy towards Xue Hui before, now, mixed with jealousy, there was a hint of sympathy. It seemed that being in love with Ling Yuming couldn’t be emotionally invested; whoever fell in love first would lose. Even someone as beautiful as Xue Hui was no exception.
Bai Luoluo was completely detached from the plot between Yuan Shuze and Xue Hui.
Now, his daily concerns were not about the dangers from the Evera, but about the overlord’s interest in his backside. The overlord still maintained an innocent appearance, eating and sleeping as usual, his face even rounding up a bit more. Compared to his bedraggled appearance when Bai Luoluo first met him, there was quite a difference. Fortunately, after messing with Bai Luoluo once, he didn’t rush to continue but planned to take some time to recuperate—after all, he didn’t want Bai Luoluo to stay angry.
They’ve been on this planet for almost a few months. It seems to be the dry season on this planet, with significantly less rainfall, leading to a scarcity of food.
The weather on this planet is somewhat extreme; during the rainy season, it can rain incessantly day and night. In contrast, during the dry season, Bai Luoluo watched as the water level of a small river dropped by more than half in just three days. The jungle plants started shedding leaves to reduce transpiration, and the path became scattered with the carcasses of animals that died of thirst.
Due to the nearly constant temperature of around 37-38 degrees Celsius, Bai Luoluo decided not to wear clothes on his upper body. Yuan Shuze, though often sweating profusely from the heat, still insisted on wearing his shirt. Xue Hui’s skin maintained a consistent temperature. When the weather was cool, it wasn’t noticeable, but now that it was hot, he seemed like a mobile freezer. Bai Luoluo gave up worrying about his own backside and actively expressed his willingness to carry Xue Hui.
Yuan Shuze’s gaze towards Bai Luoluo became increasingly complex. Perhaps when Bai Luoluo made this statement, the word “scum” appeared in Yuan Shuze’s mind in bold letters.
After the extreme dry weather, water sources became a major problem.
Bai Luoluo filled all the containers he had with water, but it was only enough for three days of consumption. Fortunately, Xue Hui was very familiar with the terrain. He could clearly locate every river and stream, so although it was tough, they were not in danger of losing their lives.
However, Bai Luoluo had Xue Hui’s protection, but others weren’t as fortunate.
During his time with Xue Hui, Bai Luoluo noticed that every few days, a spaceship would land on this planet and drop off a group of people. Most of these people died within the first few days, but a considerable number managed to survive. When food and water were abundant, everyone stayed put. However, with the arrival of the dry season, they had to leave their original living environment to find new water sources. Dangerous creatures on this planet also posed a threat.
The drought broadened Bai Luoluo’s horizons. He witnessed a huge rock by the road slowly growing limbs and starting to move. The stone was more than four meters tall. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a stone at all but a creature. Whether it ate meat or grass, Bai Luoluo didn’t know. This scene made both Bai Luoluo and Yuan Shuze’s expressions quite unpleasant. Who knows if the place they sleep at night might also be a creature that looks like a stone.
Bai Luoluo asked Yuan Shuze how long he had been here.
Yuan Shuze replied, “Almost half a year. I think I arrived at the end of winter.” Speaking with a look of fear in his eyes, he continued, “When we landed, someone had the misfortune of falling into the water…”
Bai Luoluo asked, “What happened?”
Yuan Shuze said, “I thought he would freeze to death, but as soon as he fell into the water… the water boiled.”
Bai Luoluo was silent.
Yuan Shuze forced a smile and said, “He was boiled alive.”
Bai Luoluo could roughly imagine the scene and responded, “Hmm.”
Due to Xue Hui’s protection, Bai Luoluo developed the illusion that this planet was very gentle. In reality, the planet was far from gentle; it had merely temporarily hidden its fierce side, waiting for an opportune moment to unleash its cruelty.
After enduring a challenging journey of more than thirty days, they decided to rest for two days by a river.
Traveling in this hot weather was torture, even for someone with Bai Luoluo’s decent physical fitness, not to mention Yuan Shuze, who was not in great shape. Xue Hui’s condition was also not good; usually chatty and lively, he had been quiet for the past few days, and the most severe sign was that he even lost interest in eating meat.
Bai Luoluo had no choice but to find a way to get him to eat.
After setting up the camp, Bai Luoluo went to fetch drinking water and cleaned himself. Due to direct sunlight, his skin had darkened, and even Yuan Shuze had become noticeably tanned. In contrast, Xue Hui’s skin remained snowy white. Putting their hands together, the contrast was stark.
The river’s water during the dry season wasn’t as clear as during the rainy season, but the nearby trees trapped much of the sand and stones, preventing the river from becoming too muddy. After Bai Luoluo fetched water, he filtered out the sand and stones using his clothes. Then, he let the water settle in a container, removed the sediment, and boiled it. Although this water treatment method still had a risk of contamination, it was much better than drinking it as is.
Bai Luoluo boiled the water and gave some to Xue Hui.
Xue Hui seemed to be feeling unwell, with a flushed face and a reluctance to speak. If it weren’t for his body temperature being lower than Bai Luoluo’s, Bai Luoluo might have thought he had a fever.
After drinking a little water, Xue Hui said he didn’t want any more. Bai Luoluo then shared the remaining water with Yuan Shuze.
During the dry season, places with water sources usually gathered many animals. This planet was no exception. When Bai Luoluo went to the river to fetch water, he saw various bizarre creatures. Strange-looking animals were one thing, but the problem was that he even saw some plants with rootstalks wriggling towards the river.
Most of these plants were very tall, with lush branches and leaves. The thick rootstalks shattered the surface of the soil. Most animals kept a safe distance from these plants. Bai Luoluo didn’t understand why at first, until he saw a tall tree suddenly use its rootstalks to coil around a large beast, then forcefully drag the creature underground.
Bai Luoluo and Yuan Shuze were holding water containers at that moment. Seeing this scene, Yuan Shuze screamed and ran away. Bai Luoluo was a bit calmer but still scared. However, the most terrifying part was that when he returned to the woods, he felt that the trees around him were watching him…
Yuan Shuze was greatly frightened and didn’t recover for a day.
Xue Hui still looked listless, most of the time leaning in a corner. When Bai Luoluo came back, he would slowly shrink into Bai Luoluo’s arms. Bai Luoluo asked if he felt unwell, but he shook his head slowly, indicating that he was fine.
The water source that could have lasted a few more days dried up quickly after those giant trees arrived. Fortunately, Bai Luoluo had already fetched water and didn’t need to risk going there again.
Without water, the three had to embark on their journey again.
Xue Hui once again pointed out the direction, saying there was a big river where they could stay during the dry season without worrying about it drying up. When they reached that place, they could wait for the dry season to pass before continuing their journey home.
Bai Luoluo agreed.
In the evening, Bai Luoluo was lucky enough to find a nest of bird eggs.
The eggs here were fist-sized. Bai Luoluo cracked them open, added some water and salt, and steamed them slowly over the fire. The weather was hot, and everyone had little appetite. Even if there were large pieces of meat in front of them, it felt greasy. Xue Hui didn’t even touch his favorite chicken, indicating that the heat wasn’t comfortable for him either.
After the egg mixture was steamed with water, it became very tender and smooth, with a texture somewhat like tofu brains, but with an additional savory taste unique to meat.
Bai Luoluo steamed four eggs, gave two to Xue Hui, and one each to himself and Yuan Shuze. The three of them drank and ate the steamed eggs before taking a break.
Xue Hui lay in Bai Luoluo’s arms and softly said, “I dislike this season the most.”
Bai Luoluo stroked his hair and asked, “How much longer until this season passes?”
Closing his eyes, Xue Hui, with his snowy eyelashes casting a faint shadow, said, “There’s still a long time…” After saying this, he fell asleep, appearing extremely exhausted.
Bai Luoluo didn’t know how the changes on this planet affected Xue Hui. Sometimes he wondered if Xue Hui was a tree spirit, but after careful consideration, he felt that the tree spirit concept was a bit too fantastical. Xue Hui’s listless state made Bai Luoluo even somewhat nostalgic for the times when Xue Hui was lively and energetic—assuming Xue Hui wasn’t interested in his buttocks.
As the dry season prolonged, more and more animals gathered together, and humans also gathered.
After several months, Bai Luoluo finally saw his own kind again. However, compared to animals that were focused on finding water, these humans seemed somewhat unfriendly.
The first group of people they encountered consisted of three men. One of them was tall and thin, obviously the leader. When they saw Bai Luoluo, they showed signs of alertness, and Bai Luoluo also stopped, showing no intention of approaching.
Everyone understood that those who could survive until now were not easy to deal with. Moreover, Bai Luoluo’s team configuration seemed a bit strange, with seemingly only him having combat capability. On his back was a barely conscious beauty, and there was a weak and short guy standing beside him.
The people on the other side observed Bai Luoluo, and Bai Luoluo was also observing them. Although he was on guard, Bai Luoluo had a calm expression on his face, neither intending to approach nor deliberately avoiding.
Seeing this, the three men seemed to start discussing something. After a few minutes, they came to a conclusion and did not approach Bai Luoluo’s direction but went in another direction.
Bai Luoluo felt relieved when he saw the three men leaving. He knew he couldn’t show any weakness at this moment. Now, the most significant threat, whether from animals or plants, was the weather, not their own kind. Bai Luoluo understood this principle, and even as they walked away, he remained vigilant. It wasn’t until the three men disappeared from sight that he turned and continued on his way.
Yuan Shuze had been displaying fear all along, shivering next to Bai Luoluo. After the three men left, he hesitantly asked, “Brother Yuming, what if they attack us? What should we do?”
Bai Luoluo wiped the sweat from his forehead and casually said, “We’ll deal with it when it happens.”
Perhaps Bai Luoluo’s calm demeanor infected Yuan Shuze, and his trembling gradually subsided. He looked at Bai Luoluo’s broad back, continuously thanking his lucky stars for meeting this person.
In reality, Bai Luoluo wasn’t as calm as he appeared. When he saw the three men, he told the system, “I’m really scared. What if a fight breaks out?”
The system reassured him, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t forget, you’re carrying a big shot behind you.”
Bai Luoluo said, “But the big shot seems to be sick.”
The system said, “Even if the big shot is sick, he’s still a big shot!”
Bai Luoluo instantly gathered courage and calmed down while munching on melon seeds.
Encountering those three men was just the beginning, and Bai Luoluo had a premonition that they would encounter more people in the coming days. These people should be survivors who had lived on this planet for more than a year. They knew how to endure this unbearable dry season and were moving towards water sources that could sustain them.
If possible, Bai Luoluo really didn’t want to go in that direction, but according to Xue Hui, the water sources that could survive in the late dry season were only a few, and the place they were heading to was the closest to this one.
Bai Luoluo had no choice but to continue forward.
Walking alongside Bai Luoluo were thousands of various animals. There were reptiles, insects, birds, large carnivores, and even plants. It was a fascinating sight, truly broadening one’s horizons.
As a human, traversing through them was extremely dangerous because a single misstep could result in being trampled to death by a large animal. After walking for a few days, Bai Luoluo suddenly had an idea. He brought Yuan Shuze and Xue Hui to find a sleeping stone monster in the evening and climbed onto its back.
Bai Luoluo had seen this stone monster before. Its skin texture was similar to real stones, and although it was enormous, its movement speed wasn’t slow. However, Bai Luoluo couldn’t figure out what it fed on. These creatures were impossible on Earth, and Bai Luoluo, coming to this planet, was truly opening his eyes.
So, the three of them began moving together with the stone monster. At night, when the monster slept, they would go to other places to find some food.
Xue Hui, with his listless appearance all day, finally showed some spirit. He crawled to Bai Luoluo’s side, rested his face on Bai Luoluo’s leg, and asked, “What are you doing?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Meatballs.”
“Are they delicious?” Xue Hui licked his lips.
Bai Luoluo pinched his face and said, “Delicious.”
Xue Hui asked, “When will they be ready…” He yawned, looking like he was getting sleepy again.
Bai Luoluo said, “Are you sure there’s nothing wrong with you?”
Xue Hui muttered that he felt like this every dry season and that he would be fine after it passed. He didn’t like it when it was too hot, and he lacked energy in such weather.
Hearing this, Bai Luoluo felt relieved.
Once the meatballs were cooked, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, Bai Luoluo handed some to Xue Hui. He also picked some edible fruits, giving them to Xue Hui. The flavor of these fruits was somewhat like tomatoes on Earth, but they were more fragrant, sweeter, and more intense in fruity taste. In fact, Bai Luoluo, since arriving on this planet, was most satisfied with its incredibly diverse food ingredients.
Both Xue Hui and Yuan Shuze enjoyed the meal. Xue Hui, having eaten a bit more this time, complained of a stomachache. Bai Luoluo reached out to massage him.
Xue Hui’s white belly felt very good—smooth, cool, and soft. Bai Luoluo massaged him for a while, couldn’t resist using the other hand, and only stopped when he noticed Xue Hui looking at him with a grievous expression, pretending nothing happened.
“You’ve warmed me up with your massage,” Xue Hui complained, “Now it’s my turn to massage you.”
Bai Luoluo said, “My stomach doesn’t feel well.”
Xue Hui insisted, “I don’t care, I want to massage you.”
Bai Luoluo sighed, “Okay, go ahead, massage.” As long as it’s not the buttocks, you can massage anywhere.
After Bai Luoluo granted permission, Xue Hui finally felt satisfied. He reached out and massaged Bai Luoluo’s stomach a few times. Unfortunately, Bai Luoluo’s belly, with its six-pack abs, was nothing like Xue Hui’s smooth belly. Xue Hui mumbled a bit, stopped his hands, and said something unclear that Bai Luoluo didn’t catch. When Bai Luoluo asked him again, he refused to say anything more.
While Bai Luoluo and Xue Hui were showing affection, Yuan Shuze could only quietly eat his dog food on the side. If being lovey-dovey could blind people’s eyes, Yuan Shuze thought he might have gone blind a long time ago. The meatballs were indeed delicious, and Yuan Shuze had once dreamed of having a boyfriend with excellent culinary skills. Unfortunately, his dream hadn’t come true. Instead, he ended up in prison for theft, sentenced to death, and shortly afterward, thrown onto this planet where death could come at any moment.
That night, all three of them had trouble sleeping.
Yuan Shuze was thinking about his future, Xue Hui was thinking about Bai Luoluo beside him, and Bai Luoluo was thinking about… why the melon seeds hadn’t arrived yet.
The system lamented, “What can I do? I’m also desperate.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “What’s wrong with your logistics? Why haven’t the melon seeds arrived?”
The system explained, “Our headquarters got hacked again. Sigh, this happens once or twice every year.”
Bai Luoluo commented, “Hacking government agencies is a serious crime. They should be sentenced.”
The system replied, “Yeah, as if we could catch the criminals.”
They both sighed and expressed their despair. Bai Luoluo lamented that life without melon seeds was like a pile of loose sand, easily blown away by the wind.
The next day, the three of them lazed on the stone monster.
To block the sun, Bai Luoluo specifically found some wood and built a makeshift shelter on the stone monster. Then, the three of them lay in the shade, chatting.
Finding it boring, Yuan Shuze began telling his story—how he was framed for stealing Blue Crystals, how he ended up in prison, and how someone took the stolen Blue Crystals from him.
As he spoke, Yuan Shuze started crying, saying, “If he hadn’t deceived me, I wouldn’t be facing the death penalty now.” If the stolen goods had been recovered, he would have been sentenced to at most ten years and wouldn’t be in this precarious situation.
Bai Luoluo listened silently, thinking, “I only stole less than a tenth of what you did, and I still got the death penalty…”
Yuan Shuze continued, “Brother Yuming, how did you end up here?”
Bai Luoluo vaguely said, “I killed someone.”
Yuan Shuze asked, “You killed someone? They must have done something excessively wrong, right?”
Bai Luoluo mumbled a few words and then changed the topic. He didn’t want to tell Yuan Shuze that he got himself into this mess by exploiting socialist benefits.
The criminals were conducting self-reflection under the scorching sun, elaborating on their criminal acts and making statements about them. For a moment, it seemed like everyone’s minds and spirits were elevated.
Listening to the two talking, Xue Hui found it quite interesting. He sucked on the sweet stick that Bai Luoluo had found for him, sipping the sugary liquid while enjoying the stories.
By noon, the sun had reached its zenith.
Bai Luoluo went to collect a bunch of tree leaves and covered the top of the makeshift shelter with them. He also gathered some tree sap to cool down the temperature. However, he was extremely careful when doing all this, afraid that if he wasn’t cautious, a tree might whip its roots and send him flying. So far, nothing like that had happened. It seemed that all the mobile trees had already moved, leaving behind the stationary ones.
After these arrangements, the temperature where the three of them were became much more bearable.
Looking at his own skin, Yuan Shuze said with melancholy, “If I stay in the sun any longer, you won’t be able to see me without me opening my mouth at night.” He then asked Xue Hui why he didn’t get tanned.
Xue Hui said, “What does it mean to get tanned?”
Yuan Shuze explained, “It means getting darker after being exposed to the sun.”
Xue Hui showed a suddenly enlightened expression, saying, “Oh, so that’s it. I thought you couldn’t stand the hot weather and got roasted.”
Yuan Shuze: “…”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Yuan Shuze twitched the corner of his mouth at Xue Hui’s words, saying, “Well, a little tan is good. Men look better with dark skin.”
Xue Hui, looking confused, asked, “Dark is good-looking?”
Bai Luoluo quickly took over the conversation, saying, “No, we consider fair skin beautiful. Look at Yuan Shuze; he also wants to get back to being fair.”
Watching Xue Hui’s innocent expression, Bai Luoluo was genuinely afraid that Yuan Shuze would open the door to a new world for him. He couldn’t imagine the beautiful person in front of him with dark skin, showing off a row of little white teeth while smiling. Just thinking about it made him feel like crying.
Yuan Shuze complained for a bit but didn’t say much more. He also vaguely felt that Xue Hui’s identity was unusual—his way of speaking and actions were quite different from Bai Luoluo and himself.
Feeling extremely hot, Bai Luoluo decided to just wear his shorts. With his well-toned body and the months of intense physical activity, his figure was graceful and muscular, displaying strength in every line.
Yuan Shuze sneakily observed Bai Luoluo, who was unaware and busily weaving grass ropes.
Xue Hui, sensing Yuan Shuze’s gaze, sat up with a hum, blocking Yuan Shuze’s line of sight.
Yuan Shuze gritted his teeth silently, cursing Xue Hui for being annoying. He also scolded himself for being so foolish. Lin Yuming was a scumbag in relationships, so why was he still coveting something Lin Yuming wanted? But on second thought, there were only three men here. He couldn’t possibly have feelings for Xue Hui, even though Xue Hui’s beauty wasn’t quite human-like.
Bai Luoluo had woven a grass rope and made a ladder for easy access up and down the stone monster. The stone monster was so large that they weren’t sure if it could feel their presence on its back.
As they approached the water source, Bai Luoluo realized their water supply was running low. Despite his frugality in daily water usage, there was no nearby place to replenish their supply.
Concerned, Bai Luoluo discussed with Xue Hui and suggested going to pick some fruits the next day, at least to get through the coming days.
Yuan Shuze expressed worry, saying, “But Brother YuMing, it’s dangerous around here lately.” As they got closer to the water source, various creatures appeared almost every few steps. Leaving the safety of the stone monster seemed extremely perilous.
Bai Luoluo replied, “The weather is too hot; we can’t go without replenishing our water.”
Xue Hui looked at Bai Luoluo and softly said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”
Bai Luoluo nodded.
Unexpectedly, the next morning brought a sudden rain shower. Although the rain was not heavy, it filled their containers, and they drank their fill.
Bai Luoluo thought that the dry season might be coming to an end. However, the rain came and went quickly, and the sun reappeared in the sky, scorching the earth once again.
Yuan Shuze was still happy, saying, “We’re really lucky.”
Bai Luoluo looked at Xue Hui, who was sitting in the corner without much spirit, thinking that they should really thank the big shot…
This unexpected rain not only brought relief but also attracted trouble. Shortly after the rain stopped, a group of people appeared in Bai Luoluo’s field of view. They were dressed in fur and leather, wielding stone weapons, clearly long-term residents of this planet. Seeing Bai Luoluo, they started shouting from a distance.
Understanding their language, Bai Luoluo confirmed that they were originally sentenced death-row criminals from this planet. However, judging by their appearance, they had been living here for more than a year.
One of them shouted, “Do you want to join us?”
Bai Luoluo shook his head and waved at them from a distance.
Another person said, “You won’t survive the dry season alone. Join us!”
Bai Luoluo said, “No, thanks!”
Surprisingly, this group of people didn’t say much more and simply left.
Bai Luoluo watched them, feeling a growing sense of unease. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there might be more groups on this planet. If these people were relatively mild, could there be more barbaric ones?
Bai Luoluo’s concerns soon turned into reality. Within a few days, they witnessed a large-scale brawl between two groups, a violent and bloody scene. Yuan Shuze couldn’t handle it and vomited on the spot. Bai Luoluo was shocked, even dropping his melon seeds. Only Xue Hui, with shining eyes, continued to enjoy his sweet stick while watching the spectacle.
Jan 2, 2024
—
by
Juno
in Fight for Peace and Love
Two bodies intertwined.
With that ambiguous voice and looming skin, anyone could tell what the two of them were doing. Yuan Shuze’s face was red, his mouth was dry, and his body involuntarily wanted to get closer quietly to see the scene in front of him clearly. Thinking like this, Yuan Shuze’s body really moved. He walked forward slowly, walked behind a tree and hid. Yuan Shuze’s eyesight was not very good, so he had to get closer to see more clearly.
Hiding behind the tree, using the lush branches and leaves as cover, Yuan Shuze finally saw clearly this heart-racing scene.
There are indeed two men overlapping each other, but the one with wheat-colored skin is the one who is suppressed. His handsome brows are furrowed, as if he is very distressed, and his hands are still pushing back. And the person on his body – Yuan Shuze took a closer look and saw that the face actually belonged to Xuehui.
“Ah!” After seeing the face clearly, Yuan Shuze sat up suddenly. He reached out and wiped his face, only to realize that he seemed to have had a strange dream. In the dream, he saw some scene that shouldn’t have appeared… It seemed that it was what Xuehui said to him before going to bed that made him have this dream.
Yuan Shuze was a little confused. He got up from the ground and saw that Ling Yuming and Xuehui next to him were still sleeping.
On usual days, these two enjoy wrapping their bodies around each other while sleeping, and today is no exception. Ling Yuming lies there while Xue Hui, using both hands and feet, tightly embraces Ling Yuming. Initially, Yuan Shuze thought that this sleeping posture was Ling Yuming taking advantage of Xue Hui. However, he soon realized that it was actually Xue Hui who was taking advantage.
Ling Yuming is usually the earliest to wake up, but today Yuan Shuze has already risen, and Ling Yuming is still sleeping. His body seems uncomfortable, and his brows are furrowed.
Yuan Shuze initially considered whether to wake them up, but seeing them sleeping so peacefully, he hesitated for a moment and decided to go wash up and have breakfast.
Bai Luoluo had a restless sleep. He kept having dreams where Xue Hui turned into a giant spider, chasing him relentlessly. He tried to run, but Xue Hui was always trailing not too far behind. In the end, Bai Luoluo couldn’t run anymore, knelt on the ground panting heavily, and the spider Xue Hui sprayed a bunch of white silk, binding him tightly. With a smile, Xue Hui said, “Ling, where do you think you’re going, Ling…”
Bai Luoluo woke up drenched in sweat, only to find that it was already mid-morning. He slowly sat up, took a long while to recover, and then looked around. He saw Yuan Shuze sitting not far away, gnawing on fruit and watching him, the fragrance of the fruits spreading throughout the camp.
His stomach growled a few times, and the hunger finally cleared Bai Luoluo’s muddled mind. He yawned, got up.
Bai Luoluo’s movements woke up the soundly sleeping Xue Hui. Usually, Xue Hui tends to wake up a bit earlier than Bai Luoluo. However, when he wakes up, he doesn’t rush to get up; instead, he looks at Bai Luoluo affectionately. This gaze continues until Bai Luoluo opens his eyes and meets it.
Bai Luoluo, who was tossed around by Xue Hui yesterday, felt sore all over. This morning, his body had little strength. He took a shower, ate a few fruits, and his body reluctantly recovered—yet there was still a feeling of being severely weakened. It seems the saying “excessive indulgence leads to disaster” is not just an empty phrase, Bai Luoluo thought with great pain.
While Bai Luoluo was eating, Xue Hui went to take a shower. Yuan Shuze looked at Bai Luoluo, seeming to have something to say but hesitating.
Bai Luoluo glanced at him and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Yuan Shuze swallowed a piece of fruit and cautiously asked, “Brother Yuming, do you like men or women?”
Bai Luoluo replied, “Of course, women.” He seemed to remember something and looked at Yuan Shuze cautiously. “When that vine attacked us yesterday, did you see anything?”
“No, nothing,” Yuan Shuze hurriedly explained. “I didn’t see anything. I was wrapped in vines and thrown to the bottom of the pit. Later, when the vines retreated, I found Xue Hui and came to find you together.”
“Oh,” Bai Luoluo took a bite of the fruit. It looked somewhat like a cucumber from Earth, but sweeter, with a unique fruity fragrance in the flesh. When Bai Luoluo didn’t want to eat meat, he ate this for several days in a row. Today, while munching on the fruit, he exuded an unusual sense of negativity.
Yuan Shuze is gay on Earth, so accepting relationships between men is not an issue for him. Due to his experience in this circle, he has witnessed many heartless scumbags. A friend he once knew faced a situation similar to what was happening now. The scumbag was all smiles during the act, but immediately after, he turned hostile and even found his friend disgusting. With these experiences, Yuan Shuze felt he had a clear understanding of the essence of such situations.
Ling Yuming is indeed a good brother, a good friend, but not a good partner—at least not in the matter of men being in love.
After further interaction, Bai Luoluo’s attitude towards Xue Hui cooled a bit. However, he didn’t show it too explicitly. Xue Hui noticed that Bai Luoluo seemed absent-minded during many conversations, and in Yuan Shuze’s eyes, it was a sign of evading the truth. Yuan Shuze’s heart was filled with a sudden sense of disappointment and sorrow.
Bai Luoluo had no idea what was going on in Yuan Shuze’s mind. Most of the time, when he seemed absent-minded, he was munching on seeds with the system.
Bai Luoluo & System: “Kacha Kacha Kacha.”
The system said, “Seeds are really delicious.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Seeds are really delicious.”
If they could show expressions in their minds at this moment, they would probably look like fools, both drooling and staring blankly—evidence that eating seeds can indeed lower one’s IQ.
Xue Hui continued to stick to Bai Luoluo as if he had completely failed to notice Bai Luoluo’s changing attitude.
As an observer, Yuan Shuze saw the atmosphere between the two of them clearly. If he had pure jealousy towards Xue Hui before, now, mixed with jealousy, there was a hint of sympathy. It seemed that being in love with Ling Yuming couldn’t be emotionally invested; whoever fell in love first would lose. Even someone as beautiful as Xue Hui was no exception.
Bai Luoluo was completely detached from the plot between Yuan Shuze and Xue Hui.
Now, his daily concerns were not about the dangers from the Evera, but about the overlord’s interest in his backside. The overlord still maintained an innocent appearance, eating and sleeping as usual, his face even rounding up a bit more. Compared to his bedraggled appearance when Bai Luoluo first met him, there was quite a difference. Fortunately, after messing with Bai Luoluo once, he didn’t rush to continue but planned to take some time to recuperate—after all, he didn’t want Bai Luoluo to stay angry.
They’ve been on this planet for almost a few months. It seems to be the dry season on this planet, with significantly less rainfall, leading to a scarcity of food.
The weather on this planet is somewhat extreme; during the rainy season, it can rain incessantly day and night. In contrast, during the dry season, Bai Luoluo watched as the water level of a small river dropped by more than half in just three days. The jungle plants started shedding leaves to reduce transpiration, and the path became scattered with the carcasses of animals that died of thirst.
Due to the nearly constant temperature of around 37-38 degrees Celsius, Bai Luoluo decided not to wear clothes on his upper body. Yuan Shuze, though often sweating profusely from the heat, still insisted on wearing his shirt. Xue Hui’s skin maintained a consistent temperature. When the weather was cool, it wasn’t noticeable, but now that it was hot, he seemed like a mobile freezer. Bai Luoluo gave up worrying about his own backside and actively expressed his willingness to carry Xue Hui.
Yuan Shuze’s gaze towards Bai Luoluo became increasingly complex. Perhaps when Bai Luoluo made this statement, the word “scum” appeared in Yuan Shuze’s mind in bold letters.
After the extreme dry weather, water sources became a major problem.
Bai Luoluo filled all the containers he had with water, but it was only enough for three days of consumption. Fortunately, Xue Hui was very familiar with the terrain. He could clearly locate every river and stream, so although it was tough, they were not in danger of losing their lives.
However, Bai Luoluo had Xue Hui’s protection, but others weren’t as fortunate.
During his time with Xue Hui, Bai Luoluo noticed that every few days, a spaceship would land on this planet and drop off a group of people. Most of these people died within the first few days, but a considerable number managed to survive. When food and water were abundant, everyone stayed put. However, with the arrival of the dry season, they had to leave their original living environment to find new water sources. Dangerous creatures on this planet also posed a threat.
The drought broadened Bai Luoluo’s horizons. He witnessed a huge rock by the road slowly growing limbs and starting to move. The stone was more than four meters tall. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a stone at all but a creature. Whether it ate meat or grass, Bai Luoluo didn’t know. This scene made both Bai Luoluo and Yuan Shuze’s expressions quite unpleasant. Who knows if the place they sleep at night might also be a creature that looks like a stone.
Bai Luoluo asked Yuan Shuze how long he had been here.
Yuan Shuze replied, “Almost half a year. I think I arrived at the end of winter.” Speaking with a look of fear in his eyes, he continued, “When we landed, someone had the misfortune of falling into the water…”
Bai Luoluo asked, “What happened?”
Yuan Shuze said, “I thought he would freeze to death, but as soon as he fell into the water… the water boiled.”
Bai Luoluo was silent.
Yuan Shuze forced a smile and said, “He was boiled alive.”
Bai Luoluo could roughly imagine the scene and responded, “Hmm.”
Due to Xue Hui’s protection, Bai Luoluo developed the illusion that this planet was very gentle. In reality, the planet was far from gentle; it had merely temporarily hidden its fierce side, waiting for an opportune moment to unleash its cruelty.
After enduring a challenging journey of more than thirty days, they decided to rest for two days by a river.
Traveling in this hot weather was torture, even for someone with Bai Luoluo’s decent physical fitness, not to mention Yuan Shuze, who was not in great shape. Xue Hui’s condition was also not good; usually chatty and lively, he had been quiet for the past few days, and the most severe sign was that he even lost interest in eating meat.
Bai Luoluo had no choice but to find a way to get him to eat.
After setting up the camp, Bai Luoluo went to fetch drinking water and cleaned himself. Due to direct sunlight, his skin had darkened, and even Yuan Shuze had become noticeably tanned. In contrast, Xue Hui’s skin remained snowy white. Putting their hands together, the contrast was stark.
The river’s water during the dry season wasn’t as clear as during the rainy season, but the nearby trees trapped much of the sand and stones, preventing the river from becoming too muddy. After Bai Luoluo fetched water, he filtered out the sand and stones using his clothes. Then, he let the water settle in a container, removed the sediment, and boiled it. Although this water treatment method still had a risk of contamination, it was much better than drinking it as is.
Bai Luoluo boiled the water and gave some to Xue Hui.
Xue Hui seemed to be feeling unwell, with a flushed face and a reluctance to speak. If it weren’t for his body temperature being lower than Bai Luoluo’s, Bai Luoluo might have thought he had a fever.
After drinking a little water, Xue Hui said he didn’t want any more. Bai Luoluo then shared the remaining water with Yuan Shuze.
During the dry season, places with water sources usually gathered many animals. This planet was no exception. When Bai Luoluo went to the river to fetch water, he saw various bizarre creatures. Strange-looking animals were one thing, but the problem was that he even saw some plants with rootstalks wriggling towards the river.
Most of these plants were very tall, with lush branches and leaves. The thick rootstalks shattered the surface of the soil. Most animals kept a safe distance from these plants. Bai Luoluo didn’t understand why at first, until he saw a tall tree suddenly use its rootstalks to coil around a large beast, then forcefully drag the creature underground.
Bai Luoluo and Yuan Shuze were holding water containers at that moment. Seeing this scene, Yuan Shuze screamed and ran away. Bai Luoluo was a bit calmer but still scared. However, the most terrifying part was that when he returned to the woods, he felt that the trees around him were watching him…
Yuan Shuze was greatly frightened and didn’t recover for a day.
Xue Hui still looked listless, most of the time leaning in a corner. When Bai Luoluo came back, he would slowly shrink into Bai Luoluo’s arms. Bai Luoluo asked if he felt unwell, but he shook his head slowly, indicating that he was fine.
The water source that could have lasted a few more days dried up quickly after those giant trees arrived. Fortunately, Bai Luoluo had already fetched water and didn’t need to risk going there again.
Without water, the three had to embark on their journey again.
Xue Hui once again pointed out the direction, saying there was a big river where they could stay during the dry season without worrying about it drying up. When they reached that place, they could wait for the dry season to pass before continuing their journey home.
Bai Luoluo agreed.
In the evening, Bai Luoluo was lucky enough to find a nest of bird eggs.
The eggs here were fist-sized. Bai Luoluo cracked them open, added some water and salt, and steamed them slowly over the fire. The weather was hot, and everyone had little appetite. Even if there were large pieces of meat in front of them, it felt greasy. Xue Hui didn’t even touch his favorite chicken, indicating that the heat wasn’t comfortable for him either.
After the egg mixture was steamed with water, it became very tender and smooth, with a texture somewhat like tofu brains, but with an additional savory taste unique to meat.
Bai Luoluo steamed four eggs, gave two to Xue Hui, and one each to himself and Yuan Shuze. The three of them drank and ate the steamed eggs before taking a break.
Xue Hui lay in Bai Luoluo’s arms and softly said, “I dislike this season the most.”
Bai Luoluo stroked his hair and asked, “How much longer until this season passes?”
Closing his eyes, Xue Hui, with his snowy eyelashes casting a faint shadow, said, “There’s still a long time…” After saying this, he fell asleep, appearing extremely exhausted.
Bai Luoluo didn’t know how the changes on this planet affected Xue Hui. Sometimes he wondered if Xue Hui was a tree spirit, but after careful consideration, he felt that the tree spirit concept was a bit too fantastical. Xue Hui’s listless state made Bai Luoluo even somewhat nostalgic for the times when Xue Hui was lively and energetic—assuming Xue Hui wasn’t interested in his buttocks.
As the dry season prolonged, more and more animals gathered together, and humans also gathered.
After several months, Bai Luoluo finally saw his own kind again. However, compared to animals that were focused on finding water, these humans seemed somewhat unfriendly.
The first group of people they encountered consisted of three men. One of them was tall and thin, obviously the leader. When they saw Bai Luoluo, they showed signs of alertness, and Bai Luoluo also stopped, showing no intention of approaching.
Everyone understood that those who could survive until now were not easy to deal with. Moreover, Bai Luoluo’s team configuration seemed a bit strange, with seemingly only him having combat capability. On his back was a barely conscious beauty, and there was a weak and short guy standing beside him.
The people on the other side observed Bai Luoluo, and Bai Luoluo was also observing them. Although he was on guard, Bai Luoluo had a calm expression on his face, neither intending to approach nor deliberately avoiding.
Seeing this, the three men seemed to start discussing something. After a few minutes, they came to a conclusion and did not approach Bai Luoluo’s direction but went in another direction.
Bai Luoluo felt relieved when he saw the three men leaving. He knew he couldn’t show any weakness at this moment. Now, the most significant threat, whether from animals or plants, was the weather, not their own kind. Bai Luoluo understood this principle, and even as they walked away, he remained vigilant. It wasn’t until the three men disappeared from sight that he turned and continued on his way.
Yuan Shuze had been displaying fear all along, shivering next to Bai Luoluo. After the three men left, he hesitantly asked, “Brother Yuming, what if they attack us? What should we do?”
Bai Luoluo wiped the sweat from his forehead and casually said, “We’ll deal with it when it happens.”
Perhaps Bai Luoluo’s calm demeanor infected Yuan Shuze, and his trembling gradually subsided. He looked at Bai Luoluo’s broad back, continuously thanking his lucky stars for meeting this person.
In reality, Bai Luoluo wasn’t as calm as he appeared. When he saw the three men, he told the system, “I’m really scared. What if a fight breaks out?”
The system reassured him, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t forget, you’re carrying a big shot behind you.”
Bai Luoluo said, “But the big shot seems to be sick.”
The system said, “Even if the big shot is sick, he’s still a big shot!”
Bai Luoluo instantly gathered courage and calmed down while munching on melon seeds.
Encountering those three men was just the beginning, and Bai Luoluo had a premonition that they would encounter more people in the coming days. These people should be survivors who had lived on this planet for more than a year. They knew how to endure this unbearable dry season and were moving towards water sources that could sustain them.
If possible, Bai Luoluo really didn’t want to go in that direction, but according to Xue Hui, the water sources that could survive in the late dry season were only a few, and the place they were heading to was the closest to this one.
Bai Luoluo had no choice but to continue forward.
Walking alongside Bai Luoluo were thousands of various animals. There were reptiles, insects, birds, large carnivores, and even plants. It was a fascinating sight, truly broadening one’s horizons.
As a human, traversing through them was extremely dangerous because a single misstep could result in being trampled to death by a large animal. After walking for a few days, Bai Luoluo suddenly had an idea. He brought Yuan Shuze and Xue Hui to find a sleeping stone monster in the evening and climbed onto its back.
Bai Luoluo had seen this stone monster before. Its skin texture was similar to real stones, and although it was enormous, its movement speed wasn’t slow. However, Bai Luoluo couldn’t figure out what it fed on. These creatures were impossible on Earth, and Bai Luoluo, coming to this planet, was truly opening his eyes.
So, the three of them began moving together with the stone monster. At night, when the monster slept, they would go to other places to find some food.
Xue Hui, with his listless appearance all day, finally showed some spirit. He crawled to Bai Luoluo’s side, rested his face on Bai Luoluo’s leg, and asked, “What are you doing?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Meatballs.”
“Are they delicious?” Xue Hui licked his lips.
Bai Luoluo pinched his face and said, “Delicious.”
Xue Hui asked, “When will they be ready…” He yawned, looking like he was getting sleepy again.
Bai Luoluo said, “Are you sure there’s nothing wrong with you?”
Xue Hui muttered that he felt like this every dry season and that he would be fine after it passed. He didn’t like it when it was too hot, and he lacked energy in such weather.
Hearing this, Bai Luoluo felt relieved.
Once the meatballs were cooked, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, Bai Luoluo handed some to Xue Hui. He also picked some edible fruits, giving them to Xue Hui. The flavor of these fruits was somewhat like tomatoes on Earth, but they were more fragrant, sweeter, and more intense in fruity taste. In fact, Bai Luoluo, since arriving on this planet, was most satisfied with its incredibly diverse food ingredients.
Both Xue Hui and Yuan Shuze enjoyed the meal. Xue Hui, having eaten a bit more this time, complained of a stomachache. Bai Luoluo reached out to massage him.
Xue Hui’s white belly felt very good—smooth, cool, and soft. Bai Luoluo massaged him for a while, couldn’t resist using the other hand, and only stopped when he noticed Xue Hui looking at him with a grievous expression, pretending nothing happened.
“You’ve warmed me up with your massage,” Xue Hui complained, “Now it’s my turn to massage you.”
Bai Luoluo said, “My stomach doesn’t feel well.”
Xue Hui insisted, “I don’t care, I want to massage you.”
Bai Luoluo sighed, “Okay, go ahead, massage.” As long as it’s not the buttocks, you can massage anywhere.
After Bai Luoluo granted permission, Xue Hui finally felt satisfied. He reached out and massaged Bai Luoluo’s stomach a few times. Unfortunately, Bai Luoluo’s belly, with its six-pack abs, was nothing like Xue Hui’s smooth belly. Xue Hui mumbled a bit, stopped his hands, and said something unclear that Bai Luoluo didn’t catch. When Bai Luoluo asked him again, he refused to say anything more.
While Bai Luoluo and Xue Hui were showing affection, Yuan Shuze could only quietly eat his dog food on the side. If being lovey-dovey could blind people’s eyes, Yuan Shuze thought he might have gone blind a long time ago. The meatballs were indeed delicious, and Yuan Shuze had once dreamed of having a boyfriend with excellent culinary skills. Unfortunately, his dream hadn’t come true. Instead, he ended up in prison for theft, sentenced to death, and shortly afterward, thrown onto this planet where death could come at any moment.
That night, all three of them had trouble sleeping.
Yuan Shuze was thinking about his future, Xue Hui was thinking about Bai Luoluo beside him, and Bai Luoluo was thinking about… why the melon seeds hadn’t arrived yet.
The system lamented, “What can I do? I’m also desperate.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “What’s wrong with your logistics? Why haven’t the melon seeds arrived?”
The system explained, “Our headquarters got hacked again. Sigh, this happens once or twice every year.”
Bai Luoluo commented, “Hacking government agencies is a serious crime. They should be sentenced.”
The system replied, “Yeah, as if we could catch the criminals.”
They both sighed and expressed their despair. Bai Luoluo lamented that life without melon seeds was like a pile of loose sand, easily blown away by the wind.
The next day, the three of them lazed on the stone monster.
To block the sun, Bai Luoluo specifically found some wood and built a makeshift shelter on the stone monster. Then, the three of them lay in the shade, chatting.
Finding it boring, Yuan Shuze began telling his story—how he was framed for stealing Blue Crystals, how he ended up in prison, and how someone took the stolen Blue Crystals from him.
As he spoke, Yuan Shuze started crying, saying, “If he hadn’t deceived me, I wouldn’t be facing the death penalty now.” If the stolen goods had been recovered, he would have been sentenced to at most ten years and wouldn’t be in this precarious situation.
Bai Luoluo listened silently, thinking, “I only stole less than a tenth of what you did, and I still got the death penalty…”
Yuan Shuze continued, “Brother Yuming, how did you end up here?”
Bai Luoluo vaguely said, “I killed someone.”
Yuan Shuze asked, “You killed someone? They must have done something excessively wrong, right?”
Bai Luoluo mumbled a few words and then changed the topic. He didn’t want to tell Yuan Shuze that he got himself into this mess by exploiting socialist benefits.
The criminals were conducting self-reflection under the scorching sun, elaborating on their criminal acts and making statements about them. For a moment, it seemed like everyone’s minds and spirits were elevated.
Listening to the two talking, Xue Hui found it quite interesting. He sucked on the sweet stick that Bai Luoluo had found for him, sipping the sugary liquid while enjoying the stories.
By noon, the sun had reached its zenith.
Bai Luoluo went to collect a bunch of tree leaves and covered the top of the makeshift shelter with them. He also gathered some tree sap to cool down the temperature. However, he was extremely careful when doing all this, afraid that if he wasn’t cautious, a tree might whip its roots and send him flying. So far, nothing like that had happened. It seemed that all the mobile trees had already moved, leaving behind the stationary ones.
After these arrangements, the temperature where the three of them were became much more bearable.
Looking at his own skin, Yuan Shuze said with melancholy, “If I stay in the sun any longer, you won’t be able to see me without me opening my mouth at night.” He then asked Xue Hui why he didn’t get tanned.
Xue Hui said, “What does it mean to get tanned?”
Yuan Shuze explained, “It means getting darker after being exposed to the sun.”
Xue Hui showed a suddenly enlightened expression, saying, “Oh, so that’s it. I thought you couldn’t stand the hot weather and got roasted.”
Yuan Shuze: “…”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Yuan Shuze twitched the corner of his mouth at Xue Hui’s words, saying, “Well, a little tan is good. Men look better with dark skin.”
Xue Hui, looking confused, asked, “Dark is good-looking?”
Bai Luoluo quickly took over the conversation, saying, “No, we consider fair skin beautiful. Look at Yuan Shuze; he also wants to get back to being fair.”
Watching Xue Hui’s innocent expression, Bai Luoluo was genuinely afraid that Yuan Shuze would open the door to a new world for him. He couldn’t imagine the beautiful person in front of him with dark skin, showing off a row of little white teeth while smiling. Just thinking about it made him feel like crying.
Yuan Shuze complained for a bit but didn’t say much more. He also vaguely felt that Xue Hui’s identity was unusual—his way of speaking and actions were quite different from Bai Luoluo and himself.
Feeling extremely hot, Bai Luoluo decided to just wear his shorts. With his well-toned body and the months of intense physical activity, his figure was graceful and muscular, displaying strength in every line.
Yuan Shuze sneakily observed Bai Luoluo, who was unaware and busily weaving grass ropes.
Xue Hui, sensing Yuan Shuze’s gaze, sat up with a hum, blocking Yuan Shuze’s line of sight.
Yuan Shuze gritted his teeth silently, cursing Xue Hui for being annoying. He also scolded himself for being so foolish. Lin Yuming was a scumbag in relationships, so why was he still coveting something Lin Yuming wanted? But on second thought, there were only three men here. He couldn’t possibly have feelings for Xue Hui, even though Xue Hui’s beauty wasn’t quite human-like.
Bai Luoluo had woven a grass rope and made a ladder for easy access up and down the stone monster. The stone monster was so large that they weren’t sure if it could feel their presence on its back.
As they approached the water source, Bai Luoluo realized their water supply was running low. Despite his frugality in daily water usage, there was no nearby place to replenish their supply.
Concerned, Bai Luoluo discussed with Xue Hui and suggested going to pick some fruits the next day, at least to get through the coming days.
Yuan Shuze expressed worry, saying, “But Brother YuMing, it’s dangerous around here lately.” As they got closer to the water source, various creatures appeared almost every few steps. Leaving the safety of the stone monster seemed extremely perilous.
Bai Luoluo replied, “The weather is too hot; we can’t go without replenishing our water.”
Xue Hui looked at Bai Luoluo and softly said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”
Bai Luoluo nodded.
Unexpectedly, the next morning brought a sudden rain shower. Although the rain was not heavy, it filled their containers, and they drank their fill.
Bai Luoluo thought that the dry season might be coming to an end. However, the rain came and went quickly, and the sun reappeared in the sky, scorching the earth once again.
Yuan Shuze was still happy, saying, “We’re really lucky.”
Bai Luoluo looked at Xue Hui, who was sitting in the corner without much spirit, thinking that they should really thank the big shot…
This unexpected rain not only brought relief but also attracted trouble. Shortly after the rain stopped, a group of people appeared in Bai Luoluo’s field of view. They were dressed in fur and leather, wielding stone weapons, clearly long-term residents of this planet. Seeing Bai Luoluo, they started shouting from a distance.
Understanding their language, Bai Luoluo confirmed that they were originally sentenced death-row criminals from this planet. However, judging by their appearance, they had been living here for more than a year.
One of them shouted, “Do you want to join us?”
Bai Luoluo shook his head and waved at them from a distance.
Another person said, “You won’t survive the dry season alone. Join us!”
Bai Luoluo said, “No, thanks!”
Surprisingly, this group of people didn’t say much more and simply left.
Bai Luoluo watched them, feeling a growing sense of unease. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there might be more groups on this planet. If these people were relatively mild, could there be more barbaric ones?
Bai Luoluo’s concerns soon turned into reality. Within a few days, they witnessed a large-scale brawl between two groups, a violent and bloody scene. Yuan Shuze couldn’t handle it and vomited on the spot. Bai Luoluo was shocked, even dropping his melon seeds. Only Xue Hui, with shining eyes, continued to enjoy his sweet stick while watching the spectacle.
