ITF Chapter109

Following the major victory at the Battle of Lake Urdan, the Revolutionary Army took advantage of the momentum to push south, capturing a castle located on the Urdan border. Space inside the fortress was limited, so the interior rooms were entirely given over to the severely wounded, while everyone else set up camp around the castle.

While the soldiers were finally able to rest, the army physicians ran ragged. Jiang Han hadn’t eaten a single proper meal over the past few days and could only snatch a brief two to three hours of rest each night.

But even during those two or three hours, he couldn’t sleep soundly.

A deep night enveloped the stone fortress. By the time Jiang Han returned to his quarters carrying a basin of water, the others had long since fallen asleep, yet there was a “visitor” waiting in his room.

Sitting on a wooden chair, Bai Heting gestured with his eyes toward the thin straw mat on the floor and asked him, “You sleep here?”

Jiang Han replied, “Sleeping here is much more comfortable than sleeping in a tent.”

Though the room was small, it was fully furnished and had likely originally been the castle steward’s quarters. Compared to Bai Heting, who was living in a tent amidst the freezing ice and snow, Jiang Han’s living conditions were indeed much more comfortable. Bai Heting said nothing more on it, only offering, “Put down another blanket.”

Jiang Han murmured an “en” in response.

He set the water basin down, removed his blood-stained padded jacket, and stood before the fireplace to warm himself while making casual conversation with Bai Heting, “I heard that Shao Yixiao’s father was ordered to come negotiating, and is already on his way.”

Negotiation—this was the palace’s public phrasing. But anyone who could read the situation clearly would understand that even if the Urdan people chose to hold peace talks, they would absolutely never negotiate with Shao Cheng.

Bai Heting said expressionlessly, “It takes a villain to grind down a villain.”

Jiang Han pondered for a moment, puzzled. “I don’t understand. With his current status, he should have the capability to directly control the palace.”

“That is the most interesting part,” Bai Heting said. “I was also quite surprised that he would genuinely care about the safety of his wife and daughter.”

Luo Congye had proposed ransom conditions to both Bai Jiashu and Shao Cheng at the same time with the original intention of driving a wedge between them and causing a temporary bout of chaos within the palace. But Bai Heting hadn’t expected this covert struggle to come to a temporary close with this specific outcome.

“So that’s how it is…” Jiang Han pieced together the true reason behind Shao Cheng risking his life to accept the royal order from those words, but he still didn’t fully comprehend. “Is Shao Cheng a very heartless person?”

Bai Heting let out a meaningful, cold chuckle.

“Four years ago, I ordered a meticulous investigation into the Church. At that time, we discovered a very interesting piece of information. The Pope had always instructed his personal attendant to purchase a high-quality frankincense resin.”

Jiang Han didn’t know why he was veering the conversation so far off course, and his expression grew increasingly bewildered. However, Bai Heting quickly provided him with the answer, “That substance, when burned, smells exactly like Shao Cheng’s pheromones.”

Jiang Han suddenly gasped.

Betas were unaffected by pheromones and could not smell the scent of Alpha or Omega pheromones. Being a Beta himself, Jiang Han naturally understood exactly why the Pope would do such a thing.

Bai Heting appeared to have seen through his thoughts and gave a slight nod. “Those two have been secretly meeting all this time.”

To maintain an illicit relationship with the high-and-mighty Pope, yet be willing to trade his own life for the safety of his wife and daughter; Jiang Han fell silent for a moment before asking, “Once he arrives, will you release Shao Yixiao according to the agreement?”

“It takes a villain to grind down a villain.” Bai Heting leaned back against the chair, repeating his earlier words as he said lazily, “Do you honestly think I am some kind of good person?”

Jiang Han said seriously, “You are.”

He answered with absolute certainty, causing Bai Heting to fall quiet for a moment. He did not pursue the topic of Shao Cheng further, his tone softening slightly, “You haven’t eaten with everyone else over the past few days. Why?”

Jiang Han took a clean cloth from the cabinet, picked up the basin of fresh water again, and spoke as he walked, “There’s just too much on my hands; I truly can’t find the time.”

Bai Heting’s gaze followed his movements, watching him place the water basin on the small table beside the bed, submerge the cloth inside to soak it, and then sit down by the edge of the bed.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Bai Heting said. “Its life hadn’t even begun, so naturally, there’s no talk of an ending. Don’t shackle yourself with meaningless burdens.”

Jiang Han smiled silently while shaking his head.

He could tell that ever since Lin Qian became pregnant, Bai Heting had been deliberately avoiding her. This man hid his bone-deep wounds where others couldn’t see, and now, just to comfort him, he was putting on a facade of complete indifference.

If such a person wasn’t a good person, then who was?

Bai Heting’s tone grew very solemn, “It has been a very long time since I last dreamed of the past. So, it’s time for you to wake up as well.”

Jiang Han didn’t seem to have the inclination to continue this topic, merely bowing his head and letting out a low, muffled “en.”

Bai Heting stopped talking, quietly watching him change the dressings for the person lying on the bed and wipe down his body once more with fresh water.

“When will he wake up?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” Jiang Han answered honestly.

Bei Yang had been severely wounded during the Battle of Lake Urdan. His abdomen had been pierced through by a heavy sword, and though the frontline military physicians had given him emergency treatment, he had still fallen into a coma due to excessive blood loss.

Bai Heting paused before asking again, “Will he die?”

The answer to this question was still “I don’t know,” but Jiang Han didn’t say it aloud.

This was already the seventh day of Bei Yang’s coma.

“The night before you all left, he gave me this.” He pulled half a lemon out of his coat pocket, bringing it close to his nose to take a sniff. Lemons could be preserved for a long time under low temperatures, but this particular one had been kept for far too long; its rind had already become shriveled and wrinkled, its moisture was entirely gone inside, and it was virtually impossible to smell anything from it.

Yet, Bai Heting was utterly stunned by this action of his.

After a long while, he finally spoke again. “Do you truly not know…?”

“Know what?” Jiang Han turned his head to look at him.

From his blank expression, Bai Heting confirmed that he indeed had no idea. “It’s nothing.” He waved his hand at Jiang Han but still couldn’t help letting a hint of disdain slip out. “This kid always gives the strangest gifts. Who on earth would like a fruit that’s this agonizingly sour?”

Jiang Han didn’t reply. He had been surrounded by the smell of blood and rot lately, and this faint, better-than-nothing fresh scent had indeed helped him a lot. But now that it had been brought up, Bai Heting didn’t want to linger any longer in this lemon-scented room. He stood up, preparing to say goodbye to Jiang Han, when the person on the bed suddenly blurted out a sentence out of nowhere.

“Luo Congye likes it.”

Bai Heting and Jiang Han froze simultaneously, turning their eyes toward Bei Yang.

“You’re awake?” Jiang Han placed the lemon on the table and reached out to feel his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

Bei Yang’s forehead was breaking out in sweat from the sheer pain again.

“To… keep him alive, I… hold back.” It was still difficult for him to make a sound; his voice was quiet and intermittent. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

To think that the first thing he did upon waking up was clarify this, Bai Heting couldn’t help but chuckle.

Bei Yang turned his head slightly, looking at him as he said, “What I said… is the truth.”

Though his body was weak, his mind seemed perfectly lucid. Bai Heting stopped teasing him and simply nodded at him. “Everything went smoothly. Get some good rest.”

Only then did Bei Yang turn his head back. As if letting out a sigh of relief, he closed his eyes again.

Yet, Bai Heting’s expression instantly darkened again.

“Luo Congye wouldn’t possibly like lemons,” he said, staring at Bei Yang as he reminded him in a cold voice. “In the future, don’t say such bizarre things.”

*

The bedroom door slammed shut with a thud.

Jiang Han didn’t understand where Bai Heting’s sudden flare of temper had come from, but he had no time to delve into it. He simply said to Bei Yang, “I’ll go brew your medicine. You can sleep after you drink it.” But the moment the words left his mouth, Bei Yang struggled to sit up. He quickly walked back and pressed him down. “Don’t move around recklessly, your wound will rip open.”

Bei Yang complied with his wishes and lay back in the bed, squeezing a few weak, exhausted chuckles from his throat.

“Telling others not to say bizarre things, yet he himself eats… this inexplicable jealousy.” Shifting his gaze to the small table by the bed, he explained, “That is… the scent of my… pheromones.”

Jiang Han looked over along with him and then froze.

At the end of his gaze lay that half-fruit, which was now nearly dried up.

“Physician Jiang.” Bei Yang moved his eyes back. “I was… after all… trying to please you with the very best I have in my heart.”

Jiang Han averted his eyes as well.

He didn’t look at the half-lemon again, but he didn’t turn back to look at Bei Yang either, staring at an empty space where there was nothing at all instead.

“There’s no need for you to please me.” He said stiffly.

Bei Yang smiled again.

“When I took that sword strike, I wasn’t afraid.” He breathed slowly, and the sharp pain in his abdomen eased slightly along with it. “But… I felt a bit of regret.”

Jiang Han didn’t know what he regretted, nor did he want to know, saying hurriedly, “You need to rest.”

He left those words behind and was about to walk away, only to be caught firmly by the wrist.

“Aren’t you going to ask me… why did I feel regret?” Bei Yang stared straight at him, squeezing his fingers tight. “But… I have something to ask.”

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