Ji Qingyan leaned against Gu Jinfeng’s chest and took a deep breath before moving slightly away from him. His voice was still a little hoarse. “I understand.”
Gu Jinfeng looked down at him, gently stroking the hair at the back of his head with his fingertips without saying a word.
“Don’t worry.” Ji Qingyan raised his eyes, his gaze clearer and firmer than before. “No one else will find out about the Dao.”
He paused for a moment before adding, “Anyone.”
Gu Jinfeng’s smile widened. “Just remember that,” he replied, his thumb gliding along Ji Qingyan’s ear as he subtly pulled him closer.
“I also promise you that this space belongs only to the two of us.”
After saying that, he tightened his arms around him, holding him even closer before adding gently, “I’ll get you safely back to Dawn Base. Only then will I be able to relax.”
Ji Qingyan was slightly startled. His long eyelashes fluttered nervously several times. “You...”
A faint blush quickly spread across his fair cheeks, reaching his ears and neck, while his handsome features revealed an embarrassment and unease he couldn’t hide.
He should have felt awkward and kept his distance, but the man’s broad, warm chest contained all his panic, making him reluctant to pull away.
Gu Jinfeng felt the person in his arms and unconsciously smiled.
Although he had only met Ji Qingyan twice, this handsome, neat young man with such inner resolve had completely captivated him from the first moment they met.
After surviving countless battles and bloodshed, his heart had long since become as hard as stone. He had never cared about anyone this way before.
Yet whenever he faced Ji Qingyan, a strange feeling would arise in his heart. He always wanted to shelter this person beneath his wings and protect him from all the bloodshed and killing in the world.
This sudden special treatment and protection had come without reason, but the feeling had surged up and burned fiercely, something even he himself couldn’t understand.
However, the Divine Soul bond was beyond human control. Gu Jinfeng’s thoughts could not be concealed and flowed completely into Ji Qingyan’s consciousness, allowing him to easily learn everything on Gu Jinfeng’s mind.
Ji Qingyan was filled with frustration. He had known very little about Gu Jinfeng from the beginning, and this Soul Contract had appeared out of nowhere.
His first thought had simply been to go home and hide for a while. He had never imagined that he would become involved with the other party to this extent.
While he was still stunned, Gu Jinfeng lowered his head slightly, his warm lips almost brushing Ji Qingyan’s earlobe.
His deep voice sounded gentle and smooth, mingling with warm breath against the tip of Ji Qingyan’s ear and making his body tremble slightly.
“A-Yan, don’t rush, but you can trust me.”
Ji Qingyan’s ears felt hot. After looking at him for a moment, he finally whispered, “All right.”
Gu Jinfeng was in an exceptionally good mood. He casually tousled Ji Qingyan’s still-damp hair with his large hand, the gesture full of undisguised affection.
Ji Qingyan raised a hand to swat him away, but was somewhat overwhelmed. He said helplessly, “Stop fooling around!”
“We don’t know what’s happening outside. Why don’t we sort out the supplies we need first? Once we decide on a direction, we can gather them in an organized way after we leave, saving time and avoiding unnecessary risks.”
He grabbed Gu Jinfeng’s rebellious hand and started smacking it hard.
Gu Jinfeng raised an eyebrow at that, obediently pulled his hand back, crossed his arms, and leaned against the window frame behind him. His gaze toward the young man was filled with undisguised admiration and approval.
“Your thinking is very clear.” He nodded slightly, his tone understanding. “List them first, and I’ll add the details later.”
Seeing that Ji Qingyan was getting serious, he didn’t waste any time. With a thought, a small notebook and pen vanished from the medical space and landed securely in his hand.
He walked back to the living room, sat down on the sofa, spread the notebook across the coffee table, and began writing as he thought.
“First and foremost, food.”
He listed the items slowly. “Rice, flour, grains, cooking oil, salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, as well as emergency supplies like dry biscuits, canned food, self-heating meals, and energy bars.”
“Drinking water is also very important. Bottled water should be collected first. We have enough space to store water, but it’s always good to have a reserve, since the space is large enough to hold everything.”
Gu Jinfeng sat beside him, casually crossing his long legs as he listened quietly.
“Next comes medicine.”
Ji Qingyan continued writing, his pen never stopping. “Antibiotics, tourniquets, medical alcohol, povidone-iodine, antipyretics and analgesics, bandages, adhesive tape, and so on.”
“Before leaving the hospital, I already obtained a set of advanced medical equipment, enough for everyday use. But there’s no harm in getting more if I find any while we’re traveling.”
“Besides that, clothing. Waterproof jackets, quick-drying underwear, non-slip hiking boots, and thick, warm socks are all necessary.”
As he spoke, he glanced quickly at Gu Jinfeng before lowering his eyes again, a faint blush spreading to his ears.
“I don’t know your size. You’ll have to pick them out yourself when the time comes.”
Gu Jinfeng’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his lips, but he didn’t interrupt.
Ji Qingyan then added a few more sentences. “Bedding and personal-care products should also be prepared to meet our daily needs.”
“Oh, and one more thing.” He suddenly raised his hand and pointed toward the vast expanse of black earth outside the window, a flash of light appearing in his eyes as his voice turned excited.
“Seeds. We need all kinds of plant seeds. With seeds, we can become self-sufficient and never have to worry about food or clothing again.”
After listening, Gu Jinfeng looked at him with even greater approval.
He reached out and took the notebook, glanced over it, then said in a deep, warm voice, “The list is very thorough. Everything on it is essential.”
“Besides that, we need to add some tools and self-defense equipment.”
“Practical tools such as farming implements, shovels, and axes, along with daggers and short clubs for self-defense, will be extremely important. If we can find walkie-talkies and maps of the area, exploring will be much safer.”
“That’s it. We’ll fill in the remaining supplies after we go out into the field and assess the actual situation.”
“And most importantly, to avoid being detected, we have to use backpacks as camouflage. From now on, all the supplies we need to take out of the space will be moved through backpacks. We must never create something out of thin air.”
Gu Jinfeng handed the notebook back, emphasizing the point for clarity.
Seeing Ji Qingyan nod in agreement, he suddenly raised his hand and gently touched Ji Qingyan’s earlobe with his fingertip, the gesture so natural it was as though he had done it a thousand times.
“Your ear’s still red.”
Ji Qingyan tried to dodge but failed. His ear began to feel hot again, and he turned his face away as he muttered, “You... mind your own business.”
Gu Jinfeng chuckled softly, his smile gentle and affectionate.
Seeing how truly embarrassed he was, he stopped teasing him.
After resting for a while, the two of them clearly realized that something was wrong.
Despite the series of calamities that had befallen them and the lack of rest they had gotten, being in this place seemed to have completely erased their fatigue, leaving them feeling even more energetic.
They exchanged a glance, understanding each other perfectly. The abundant spiritual qi and vitality in the space were subtly nourishing their bodies.
Gu Jinfeng felt an indescribable relief and warmth welling up inside him.
How lucky he was to meet someone as pure, brave, and sincere as Ji Qingyan amid the apocalypse, on the brink of life and death.
The other party had been willing to stake their greatest trump card, bring him into his personal space, stabilize his nearly collapsed Foundation, save his life, and allow him to face such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
With that thought, his gaze toward the young man beside him grew deeper and gentler.