He bit his lower lip lightly, his heart racing with the playful tension between them. Leaning in closer, he whispered, "You are provoking me."
Xiang Yu let out a light laugh, a joyful sound that sent a thrill through Han Xin. "How about later you show me what we did, so I can jog my memory?" Han Xin suggested, his eyes bright with mischief.
Xiang Yu raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his gaze. "I can do that, but you will have to make me happy first."
Han Xin tightened his grip and pulled him even closer, his lips almost grazing Xiang Yu’s ear as he leaned in further. "I am at your full service."
The warmth of Han Xin’s breath brushed against Xiang Yu’s ear, sending a shiver down his spine and making him feel pleasantly itchy.
Just as Xiang Yu was about to respond, a loud voice broke the moment. "Oh my gosh, will you two spare us?" Han Zhan called, exasperation lacing his tone.
"Who is us?" Lian chimed in playfully, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, we want to see it! Please continue!" Mei giggled shyly from her spot, clearly amused.
Han Zhan opened his mouth to retort but was suddenly interrupted when Little Bai appeared, shoving a piece of juicy meat into his mouth. Han Zhan, caught off guard, accidentally bit down on Little Bai’s finger. The two of them froze for a moment before he withdrew his hand.
Embarrassed, Han Zhan grabbed a paper towel to give to him, but his hand froze mid-air as he watched wide-eyed as Little Bai licked the same finger clean and continued to eat.
Han Zhan, ’AAAAAHHHHH!!’ What the fuck had he just witnessed? The sight of Little Bai casually licking his finger was baffling, and for a moment, he questioned if he was seeing things or overthinking the moment.
"Zhan-ge, do you want more," Little Bai said innocently, offering him another piece of meat with a bright smile. Han Zhan shook his head vigorously like a rattle and Little Bai shrugged his shoulders and continued eating. Thinking he must be overthinking, Han Zhan brushed the thought aside for now.
As promised, Xiang Yu didn’t allow them to linger in the city any longer. He also found out that Overseer Kira was dead. She was torn apart by the zombie horde raised by Peng Xiu. At some point, Peng Xiu had thrown her into the pit as a way to vent her anger. Since he had no reason to stay, Xiang Yu called his team to gather their belongings.
While standing by the car, he watched Han Xin’s muscles ripple as he moved, his triceps and biceps contracting with each motion as he packed away the bags. Xiang Yu felt a wave of infatuation wash over him. He wanted to touch those veiny arms, to press his lips against Han Xin’s skin.
Caught in his thoughts, Xiang Yu didn’t notice at first when Han Xin turned his head, sensing the weight of Xiang Yu’s gaze. The smile that graced his lips was like a flame, sharp and enticing. "Do you like what you see?" he asked, his tone teasing.
Just as Xiang Yu opened his mouth to reply, one of the few remaining leaders of the territory approached. The older man called out, "Xiang Yu."
Xiang Yu felt his smile fade completely in an instant. The warmth of the moment dissolved, replaced by an unsettling tension.
Han Xin, who had been relaxed and playful just moments before, now wore a cold expression. It was as if the man’s presence had disturbed his good thing.
Xiang Yu faced the older man, his tone calm but laced with coldness. "How can I help you?" The question hung in the air, respectful yet distant. He recognised the man as one of the eager supporters who had wanted the original Xiang Yu to take Peng Xiu’s place to marry Han Xin and then be assassinated.
The realisation sent a wave of anger through him. They had wanted to send him to his death, and now here he stood, clenched jaw and dark aura, radiating a terrifying presence.
The man before him faltered, not expecting such intensity. He took an involuntary step back, a chill creeping up his spine as he sensed the depth of Xiang Yu’s fury.
"We, um..." The man stammered, struggling to regain composure. "We were wondering if you could stay and take over after the Overseer."
Before Xiang Yu could respond, Han Xin stepped in front of him, positioning himself protectively. The shift was immediate. Han Xin’s presence was commanding, and his aura far more oppressive than Xiang Yu’s. It surrounded them like a storm, making the older man’s pulse quicken with fear.
Han Xin, with a fierce glare, concealed any view of Xiang Yu, creating a barrier between them. The man stumbled back, tripping over his own feet in his attempt to retreat. Panic flickered in his eyes as he realized he had not only threatened Xiang Yu but had also angered the infamous Han Xin standing in front of him.
Xiang Yu merely observed the scene unfold, feeling no urge to intervene. These people had used the original Xiang Yu to no end. He sacrificed everything, his life, blood, sweat and tears yet they still wanted more.
He recalled the training arenas. They were a grim sight, filled with the echoes of despair and desperation. Young adults, ripped from the remnants of their lives, were forced into the elite training team by the Overseer. There was no choice; it was a brutal decree. They fought against hordes of zombies every single day, unarmed and vulnerable.
The original Xiang Yu had watched many of his friends, people he had grown close to, face their deaths one by one. Each day, the arena became a graveyard of hopes, where laughter and friendship turned into silent screams within the chaos. The requirement was simple yet harrowing. They were to harvest as many zombie nuclei as possible, or face the ultimate punishment of becoming one of the undead themselves.
The odds were relentless. The number of zombies they faced swelled from hundreds to thousands, an ever-increasing tide of death. Others could not understand how the Overseer still sent them into the fray, knowing full well that most zombies had been eliminated in the world outside.
The cruel irony was not lost on Xiang Yu. This was all part of a secret project to generate power for the city, a truth hidden from the very citizens who lived under its shadow.
In their ignorance, the people believed that those who vanished had simply succumbed to rogue bandits or unfortunate accidents. They had no idea that many had likely met their end in the mush pit of zombies or were abducted to the torturous research centres where they would meet their worst nightmares.