Chapter 71
For days, the Demon-Hunting Bureau never slept.
The lanterns remained lit throughout the night.
Medical texts piled higher and higher.
Empty tea cups covered entire tables.
Everyone was exhausted.
Especially Bai Jiu.
Dark circles had appeared beneath his eyes.
His hair was a mess.
And he had forgotten to eat more times than anyone could count.
Yet he refused to stop.
Because every hour mattered.
Every minute mattered.
People were still falling ill.
Then-
one morning-
a shout echoed through the Bureau.
“I FOUND IT!”
The sound startled everyone.
Several scrolls immediately fell to the floor.
Bai Jiu stumbled into the room carrying several books.
His eyes were shining.
Actually shining.
“I found it!”
Everyone surrounded him immediately.
“What?”
“Tell us!”
The young physician took a deep breath.
Then pointed toward his notes.
“The plague spreads through scent.”
“The infected carry an odor humans can’t consciously detect.”
“But the disease follows it.”
Zhao Yuanzhou immediately understood.
“Like spores.”
Bai Jiu nodded enthusiastically.
“Exactly!”
He pointed to another page.
“If we temporarily seal the sense of smell…”
“And use Juniper Wood smoke to suppress the transmission…”
“The spread should stop.”
Silence.
Then-
Wen Xiao’s eyes widened.
“It could work.”
Ying Lei slapped the table.
“It will work!”
Even Zhuo Yichen looked impressed.
The young physician looked almost embarrassed by the praise.
His ears turned slightly red.
“We still need medicine.”
“But now we know where to start.”
For the first time in weeks-
hope returned.
And soon after-
the treatment was distributed throughout Tiandu.
Juniper wood burned day and night.
Medicine reached every district.
The plague finally began slowing.
Then stopping.
Then healing.
And for the first time in a very long while-
the city could breathe again.
❄️✨✨✨⚔️⚔️
That same afternoon.
The royal physician arrived for another examination.
Zhuo Yichen sat stiffly.
As always.
Looking more nervous than someone facing an execution.
The physician finished checking his pulse.
Then smiled.
“The child is healthy.”
Yichen immediately exhaled.
A breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.
“The baby is developing very well.”
The physician nodded.
“Four months already.”
Four months.
The words felt unreal.
Four months.
A tiny life growing steadily.
Surviving despite everything.
The battles.
The poison.
The grief.
The uncertainty.
The child remained stubbornly alive.
Just like its parents.
The physician chuckled.
“This little one seems quite strong.”
Yichen instinctively placed a hand over his stomach.
A small smile appeared.
Rare.
Gentle.
Almost impossible to see.
But it was there.
After the physician left-
Yichen wandered into the courtyard.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees.
Warm.
Peaceful.
For once.
He found Bai Jiu sitting beneath a pavilion.
Fast asleep.
Face buried in an open book.
Yichen stopped.
Then sighed.
The child hadn’t changed at all.
Carefully-
he removed the book from Bai Jiu’s face.
Immediately.
Bai Jiu woke up.
“AH!”
He nearly fell from the bench.
Then blinked.
Seeing Yichen.
“Oh.”
His shoulders relaxed.
“It’s you.”
“Who else?”
“I thought it was Ying Lei.”
“Why?”
“He keeps trying to make me eat.”
Yichen stared.
Bai Jiu immediately looked away.
Guilty.
Very guilty.
The commander sat beside him.
For a while neither spoke.
Just enjoying the sunlight.
Eventually-
Bai Jiu glanced sideways.
“How’s the baby?”
The question was soft.
Careful.
Yichen looked down at his stomach.
Then smiled.
“Healthy.”
The answer made Bai Jiu visibly relax.
“Good.”
A long silence followed.
Then-
“I was scared.”
Yichen turned.
Bai Jiu wasn’t looking at him.
Instead staring toward the sky.
“When I was trapped…”
His voice became quieter.
“When Li Lun used my body…”
“I thought I’d never come back.”
Yichen listened.
Without interrupting.
Bai Jiu swallowed.
“I kept thinking…”
“What if everyone forgets me?”
The confession hurt.
Because beneath all his intelligence-
beneath all his courage-
Bai Jiu was still that frightened boy.
The one who hated darkness.
The one who always followed everyone around.
The one who needed reassurance.
Yichen reached out.
And lightly flicked his forehead.
“Ouch!”
“Idiot.”
Bai Jiu blinked.
Yichen’s voice softened.
“No one forgot you.”
“Not for a moment.”
The young physician froze.
“You were annoying.”
“What?”
“You talked too much.”
“Gege!”
“You caused trouble.”
“Gege”
“You cried often.”
“I did not!”
Yichen raised an eyebrow.
Bai Jiu immediately lost confidence.
“…maybe a little.”
The commander laughed.
A genuine laugh.
Rare.
Beautiful.
And Bai Jiu smiled too.
Because hearing Yichen laugh again felt like proof everything would eventually be okay.
Then suddenly-
Yichen froze.
His hand moved to his stomach.
Bai Jiu immediately panicked.
“What happened?!”
Yichen stared downward.
A strange expression crossing his face.
Then slowly-
he took Bai Jiu’s hand.
And placed it over his abdomen.
Bai Jiu blinked.
Confused.
Then-
thump.
A tiny kick.
Bai Jiu’s eyes widened so much they nearly popped out.
The baby kicked again.
A little stronger.
For several seconds-
he forgot how to breathe.
Then-
“IT MOVED!”
His shout echoed across the entire courtyard.
Birds immediately flew away.
Ying Lei nearly fell into a pond.
And somewhere inside the Bureau-
Zhao Yuanzhou instantly knew exactly what had happened.
Bai Jiu looked utterly amazed.
❄️❄️❄️✨✨✨⚔️⚔️
Late that night, the courtyard house was unusually quiet.
The moonlight spilled through the window.
Zhuo Yichen had just finished changing his clothes and stepped out from behind the screen.
Immediately-
he froze.
Zhao Yuanzhou was watching him.
Again.
With that shameless smile.
Yichen narrowed his eyes.
“Stop staring.”
The demon looked innocent.
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
“I was appreciating my husband.”
A pillow struck him directly in the chest.
The demon laughed.
Before Yichen could escape, Zhao Yuanzhou caught his wrist and gently pulled him closer.
The next thing Yichen knew-
he was sitting on the demon’s lap.
“Zhao Yuanzhou.”
“Mhm.”
“Behave.”
“No.”
Yichen smacked his shoulder.
The demon only grinned wider.
Leaning forward to rest his forehead against Yichen’s neck.
For a brief moment, neither spoke.
Just enjoying the warmth.
The peace.
The feeling of being together.
After everything they had survived.
Then-
Knock.
Both froze.
A second knock echoed through the room.
Yichen blinked.
Zhao Yuanzhou frowned.
At this hour?
Who would come?
The demon reluctantly loosened his hold.
Yichen immediately stood and straightened his robes.
Trying very hard to look dignified.
Trying.
The third knock came.
This time louder.
Zhao Yuanzhou opened the door.
And instantly-
the warmth in the room disappeared.
Standing outside was a familiar figure.
Moonlight illuminated his face.
Cold.
Expressionless.
His robes fluttered in the night wind.
Wen Zongyu.