Chapter 2914: Small Town Infrastructure Construction Proceeds Happily 38

The convoy loaded with crystal stones and hopes returned to Peace Town after several days apart.

The convoy drove over Silence Bridge, appeared at the town gate, and the townsfolk who had been eagerly waiting burst into cheers.

News always spread faster than the convoy—about the dangers of the abandoned experimental zone, about that legendary terrifying beast, about how Huo Zhaoye tamed the giant beast and seized the core mining area for Peace Town; the story had already circulated in town days earlier, and amid the delight, worry for their safety inevitably arose.

At this moment, seeing the convoy return safely, all worries settled in their hearts.

Over the next few days, the whole town immersed itself in joy and busyness.

The crystal stones were properly placed in the reinforced warehouse, guarded by dedicated personnel; Huo Zhaoye, Lu Jun, and several newly promoted cadres threw themselves into intense discussion and planning.

How to use these resources, how to arrange subsequent mining and construction, how to liaise with new allies like Scorching Fire Base—yet without exception, after any plan was approved, it still had to be shown to Huo Zhaoye's family member, given to Jin Chen to review; it wasn't necessary for him to propose anything, just knowing that Old Instructor Jin had looked it over would bring much relief, allowing implementation to proceed.

Amid the busyness, a more important matter was swiftly put on the agenda and gained unanimous consent from the residents of both South and North Towns.

Peace Town was officially renamed Peace Base; Silence Bridge and the Old World River no longer served as the dividing line between the South and North Towns.

South Town and North Town, after years of estrangement, competition, and friction, having jointly experienced the wilderness adventure, the crisis at Scorching Fire Base, and the struggle over crystal stones, finally achieved unity once again.

This is not only the effort of Huo Zhaoye's generation, but also the unfulfilled wish left by the previous lord, Huo Zhaoye's beautiful and formidable mother, now realized in her son's hands.

No one objected to Huo Zhaoye becoming the lord of Peace Base.

Lu Jun was formally appointed as deputy lord, naturally; although he verbally expressed dissatisfaction, it didn't affect anything.

——

The day after the return, all affairs began to enter a new track.

In the afternoon, the sun blazed fiercely, and rare sunlight poured down.

In the square, Huo Zhaoye concluded the meeting with the newly appointed officials, discussing the base's initial defense layout, resource allocation, and construction priorities; the draft was still the one Jin Chen had written for him the previous night—since during the cold war, Huo Zhaoye couldn't stay overnight at Jin Chen's place, which made him feel sad.

The meeting was held under the awning beside the square, which provided shade but the heat remained oppressive.

After the discussion ended, Huo Zhaoye rubbed his swollen temples; under his sleeveless shirt, his arms and shoulders were slightly reddened from the sun.

He casually tied his jacket around his waist and, after the meeting, headed toward Jin Chen's small building.

Inside the small building, Jin Chen spent some time and finally finished checking the homework and handiwork left by the children.

After the new school building was completed, the teachers he had trained could already independently handle most basic instruction; therefore, Jin Chen still needed to review their performance reports, while Ling Gun Gun slept loudly beside him, suddenly hearing a sound, he lifted his head, looked, grabbed the tomato on the table, jumped out the window, and continued sunbathing.

【Watching this makes me dizzy, Host and Main God, keep going!】

The door was pushed open, bringing in the outdoor heat.

Jin Chen lifted his eyes from the paper and looked at the person walking in.

Huo Zhaoye turned and shut the door, blocking the dry heat outside; the indoor light was soft, with a refreshing sandalwood scent, dispelling his inner agitation and refreshing his spirit considerably.

Jin Chen's gaze lingered for a moment on Huo Zhaoye's sun‑reddened shoulder, and he tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Lord Huo, you don't look happy at all."

Having just completed the unification, officially becoming the base's leader and holding vast resources, this should have been a time of high spirits.

Yet Huo Zhaoye's face showed only fatigue, as if hiding many worries.

Huo Zhaoye walked to the table, sat in the chair opposite Jin Chen, heard the words, shook his head, and said, "I'm not unhappy."

"It's just… there are too many things, a bit chaotic."

He said that with his mouth, but his eyes kept falling on Jin Chen's face; looking closely, there was actually some tension deep in his gaze.

Jin Chen set down the papers in his hand, leaned forward slightly, and his fingertips brushed Huo Zhaoye's slightly heated sideburns, pulling apart the few strands of damp hair stuck there.

"What's wrong?" Jin Chen asked again, lowering his voice.

Huo Zhaoye's heart fluttered at the cool touch of his fingertips, as the emotions suppressed by business surged back up.

He grasped Jin Chen's hand resting at his temple and clenched it tightly in his palm.

"Jin Chen, shall we end the cold war?"

Jin Chen's brow twitched slightly.

Huo Zhaoye saw him silent, felt a bit wronged, and said, "…Although our cold war may differ from others', I just feel unhappy."

He held Jin Chen's hand, brought it to his lips, and touched his dry, slightly chapped lips to Jin Chen's fingertip.

"I know I used to be disobedient, always liking to bear things myself and make you worry."

Huo Zhaoye's voice lowered, having finally learned to soften and be obedient: "But I've changed a lot now, haven't I?"

"I've learned to come to you when I'm uncomfortable, to discuss things with you instead of keeping everything bottled up… Look, am I still not doing enough?"

In Huo Zhaoye's usually sharp, wild eyes, a softness appeared, reflecting only Jin Chen's image.

Jin Chen quietly watched him, allowing him to hold his hand, while his other free hand brushed Huo Zhaoye's somewhat dry lip corner.

Huo Zhaoye instinctively wanted to open his mouth and suck on the restless fingertip.

But Jin Chen withdrew his hand before he could act, picked up the tea on the table, and brought it to Huo Zhaoye's lips.

"You've been out in the sun so long—are you thirsty?" Jin Chen asked calmly.

It was tomato juice with a bit of honey, diluted with cool plain water, exactly to Huo Zhaoye's taste.

Huo Zhaoye drank a sip from Jin Chen's hand, the juice wetting his lips and leaving a layer of moist red.

Jin Chen fed Huo Zhaoye the water until finished, then gripped his jaw.

The pad of his thumb gently played with Huo Zhaoye's lower lip, which had turned a vivid red; the sensation beneath his fingertip was soft, shimmering with moisture.

"What is the precondition for ending the cold war, Zhaoye?"

Jin Chen leaned in slightly, his fingertip still resting on Huo Zhaoye's lip, slowly rubbing it, and asked, "Are you ready?"

Ending the cold war means the official start of a romance; Huo Zhaoye, are you truly prepared, with no lingering worries?

Huo Zhaoye rolled his Adam's apple, brushed his cheek against Jin Chen's hand still resting on his jaw, a motion akin to clinging.

Then he lifted his eyes to meet Jin Chen's gaze.

Huo Zhaoye's voice grew hoarser: "Then… Mr. Jin, could you teach me?"

Teach me how to prepare properly, how to love someone, how to, while possessing you, not lose myself nor disappoint you.

Jin Chen loosened the hand that was pinching Huo Zhaoye's jaw, and instead used his fingertips to pinch the soft flesh of Huo Zhaoye's slightly tensed cheeks.

Didn't I teach you before?

Huo Zhaoye's face was being pinched, yet he didn't dodge; instead, he leaned into it, burying his face deeper into Jin Chen's palm, his warm breath brushing over the inside of Jin Chen's wrist, carrying a moist heat.

"I still have to say it." Huo Zhaoye's voice muffled in Jin Chen's palm.

"Peace Town... no, Peace Base, has become much stronger. In the future it will become even stronger, strong enough that I can protect those I want to protect, and can let you do anything you want to do."

"I hope you can stay, stay by my side."

He repeated the words he had said long ago, during the crisis at the Flowing Fire Base, but this time his tone was more resolute.

Huo Zhaoye half-kneeled on the floor, looking at Jin Chen seated in the chair, and rested his cheek against his knee.

"I've been very obedient, haven't I?" Huo Zhaoye asked softly.