Chapter 3103: After the divorce, I was forced to compete with my ex‑husband 33/34

The barrage was still discussing the effect of Jin Chen's new game set, while on screen the four people sat quietly in the insulated room, patches on their foreheads, eyes closed, looking like they were seriously experiencing some test version, but those viewers who were already dissatisfied with the grouping obviously wouldn't miss this chance to keep complaining.

What the hell? You tossed our Mu Mu to Yan Xu and Mai Lun, took your people to rest, and completely ignored the star core!

Yeah, so what if you're a General? Does being a General let you abuse authority to arrange your own honeymoon route?

I took the honeymoon route, but you're sick, huh? This is an adventure show, not Chi Mu's personal showcase—why does everything revolve around him every time?

Program Team, aren't you going to manage this? This has completely strayed from the mission mainline.

Maybe Jin Chen is showing them some confidential game design; after all, they're game developers by profession.

Just as the barrage was getting heated, suddenly another voice appeared.

Quick, check out the latest exposé! Chenshu's disappearance for several months in the frontline star system—he was allegedly sold to the Grey Realm!

That barrage initially didn't cause much of a splash, but soon several similar comments popped up, all urging people to view the post; more and more viewers switched from the live feed to browse the Star Net, and the barrage's tone started to turn sour.

The whistleblower claimed that Chenshu was captured after being wounded in a battle, then transferred and sold to the Grey Realm—a lawless dark zone outside the Empire's jurisdiction.

The whistleblower said they personally saw Chenshu auctioned off as Slave No. 07 in the Grey Realm; later, when the Grey Realm's power structure collapsed, Chenshu escaped by pledging allegiance to the Grey Realm Lord he trusted most, leaking military secrets of the Imperial Primary Star, even signing an oath of allegiance, becoming a Grey Realm spy planted in the Empire.

The exposé post came with considerable circumstantial evidence, and it went viral after Kroft, the politician father of Mai Lun, accidentally liked it—then it was immediately deleted. Insiders said this was the Empire's measure to cover up Chenshu's crimes.

A former slave shouldn't become an Imperial General! This is a stain on the Empire!

How disgusting—if the military's secrets were leaked, what would we do? Are our frontline soldiers' lives worth nothing?

Chenshu was a hero, no doubt, but why didn't he kill himself after being kidnapped? That way he'd stay a hero forever!

I also think that if captured, one should die to show resolve; coming back alive to become a General isn't that just encouraging captives to survive in disgrace?

A General should die in his post, not linger alive as someone else's slave.

Are you even speaking human? You haven't endured others' suffering—what right do you have to demand they die?

I don't believe it—Chenshu isn't that kind of person; haven't you seen how many victories he's won leading the Star Fleet over the years?

Maybe those victories were bought with leaked intel; otherwise, why could he always predict the enemy's moves?

Take your conspiracy theories and get lost, Kroft—I won't believe a word without solid proof.

What's so great about Kroft anyway? His son keeps targeting Jin Chen on the show, and I'm no saint either.

Anyway, I think the military should re‑investigate him—someone who might have leaked secrets doesn't deserve to stay in power.

The barrage's remarks grew sharper, the discussion about why he didn't commit suicide multiplied, and though some tried to speak for Chenshu, they were quickly drowned out by more angry, morally superior comments.

As evening approached, the foursome returned to the inn along the way they came.

Chi Mu and the other two had already returned, sitting by the window drinking; a few nearby tables held strangers in rough local garb, but their posture and gaze were off, as if they were sizing something up. Seeing Chenshu enter, Chi Mu's eyes lingered on him a moment before shifting to Jin Chen, opening and closing his mouth several times.

Jin Chen couldn't be bothered with him, striding straight past the little tables to the front desk.

Jeffrey was slumped on the counter, twirling a pen; seeing Jin Chen approach, he perked up, leaned halfway over, lowered his voice, and asked, 'Anything you need, guest?'

He said this while slipping a note from under the counter into Jin Chen's hand; Jin Chen glanced down, expression unchanged, pocketed the note, and spoke a few words low enough for only the two of them to hear; Jeffrey's expression grew serious as he listened, then he nodded solemnly.

Chenshu sat at an inner table, Yun Wu and Steve each taking a seat; Yun Wu set his pack at his feet, scanned the lobby, then lowered his eyes and slowly peeled fruit for Steve, who lounged back in his chair, glanced over at Chi Mu's table then looked away, waiting attentively for the little researcher's feed.

As soon as Chenshu sat down, he felt a gaze land on him; following it, he met a pair of cloudy eyes belonging to a middle‑aged man with an old scar running from his brow down to his jaw, which looked especially ferocious in the dim light.

Ba Luo…

In that instant, the eternal clamor of the Grey Realm rang in Chenshu's ears—whips, screams, the hoarse calls of the auctioneer on the block—those memories were jolted awake by that gaze, surging forth and echoing in his skull.

But this wasn't the Grey Realm, and Chenshu wasn't wearing the cold shock collar that could suppress his power.

So Ba Luo didn't dare act rashly; he even avoided locking eyes with Chenshu for too long, since, per Chi Mu his employer, just showing up here was enough. He first looked away, lifted his cup, took a sip, as if hiding something.

He didn't notice that Chenshu appeared calm by the window, with Yun Wu and Steve opposite him oblivious to anything wrong, yet a stress reaction erupted despite himself—like a steel nail driven straight into his crown, stirring up the memories he'd forcibly repressed, boiling over; beneath his blank stare flickered a flash of mad, ruthless light, which he held back with all his will, suppressing the urge to lunge and tear the other apart.

Chenshu instinctively sought Jin Chen.

He turned his head, gaze sweeping past the mismatched tables and crowd, looking for that familiar figure. Jin Chen stood at the front desk talking with Jeffrey, his back to him, but though several tables, the drinking patrons, and this short stretch of road lay between them, it felt as distant as mountains and rivers—he could never reach him.

Chenshu's body went rigid and tense, his fingers spasming into claws; instinctively he wanted to rip open the skin on his arm, using pain to regain clarity.

But recalling what Jin Chen had said, he forced the impulse down, instead gripping his forearm tight, as if shackling himself.

His tongue locked up, as if he'd lost the ability to speak; he shouted Jin Chen's name over and over in his heart, but the sound was stuck in his throat. For a few seconds he even doubted he could speak at all—only his heart hammered against his chest, aching, his head ringing like an explosion, pain as if it would split him in two.

His strength, his calm—both depended on Jin Chen; otherwise, Chenshu couldn't have even held out escaping the Grey Realm.

Xiao Chen… Xiao Chen.

Chenshu turned his eyes as best he could, fixed on Jin Chen's profile; if anyone stared at his eyes then, they'd surely see the fragility shining through.

Jin Chen seemed to sense it; he suddenly turned his head, threading through shoulders and clinking glasses, looked back toward Chenshu—then Chi Mu stepped in, blocking his view.

"Brother Chen!" Chi Mu stepped to Jin Chen's side, looking anxious and worried, brows slightly furrowed, "I heard some things today concerning General Chenshu—"

He hadn't finished when his voice cut off.

Jin Chen's hand pressed on Chi Mu's neck, shoving him aside; Chi Mu's feet nearly left the ground, his whole body staggered a few steps, the suffocation making his vision darken, the rest of his words lodged in his throat.

Jin Chen, however, smiled faintly, tilting his head slightly; the amber light fell on his face, outlining that handsome, striking visage—his smile looked especially good in the glow, yet also especially dangerous.

"I warned you before—stay away from me and Chenshu, right?"

Chi Mu, oxygen‑deprived and somewhat suffocated, flushed red, grabbed Jin Chen's wrist trying to pry it open, but Jin Chen's grip didn't budge.

Mai Lun rushed from the side, slamming into Jin Chen's shoulder, voice blazing with anger: "Jin Chen! What gives you the right to hurt Mu Mu? Why don't you ask your General what disgusting things he's done!"

Jin Chen glanced sideways at Mai Lun, then followed his gaze to Chenshu; with just one look, that dangerous smile faded. He tossed Chi Mu aside, shoved Mai Lun away, and strode straight across the lobby to Chenshu's side.

He bent, slipped an arm around Chenshu's shoulders, and said, "Chenshu…"

Chenshu felt as if his breathing had been pardoned; his stiff tongue finally found voice.

"Xiao Chen, I…"

In Chenshu's peripheral vision, Ba Luo suddenly rose from a corner seat, hurried toward the inn's back door, and vanished behind the curtain.

Reason told him he should give chase—that man was from the Grey Realm, knew his past, perhaps even a pawn Chi Mu sent to provoke him; he ought to pursue, kill Ba Luo, spare nothing.

This is also what Chi Mu wanted to see; he and Mai Lun fixed their eyes on Chenshu's reaction, waiting for him to lose control, waiting for him to expose his worst self on camera, waiting for him to prove to the whole star system that the exposé was true.

"General, do you need help?" Yun Wu asked urgently, "I have a calming agent."

Chenshu's body trembled with spasms, he tightly gripped his own forearm, his knuckles whitening, as if using all his willpower to stop himself from rushing out.

"Chenshu, look at me." Jin Chen turned Chenshu's face to face him, his voice threaded with tenderness that seeped into Chenshu's taut nerves, "I'm here, did you see something?"

Chenshu clung tightly to Jin Chen, burying his face in the crook of his shoulder, using his remaining reason to think: if he went to chase and kill Baluo, leaving Jin Chen here would be dangerous. Chimu is still here; he can't leave Jin Chen alone.

He forcibly suppressed his killing instinct, his voice hoarse and trembling, "Medicine… Xiao Chen, my medicine."

Jin Chen slipped one arm around Chenshu's shoulders, the other hand under his knee, lifted him from the chair, and strode toward the stairs.

"Jin Chen!" Mai Lun shouted from behind, trying to stop him.

Jin Chen paused at the edge of the stairs, turned his head, and gave him a cold glance: "Yun Wu, make him shut up."

Mai Lun froze for a moment, turned his head, and saw Yun Wu standing behind him at some point, holding a transparent syringe of medicine, expressionless.

Mai Lun: "... Are you all crazy?"

: Holy shit holy shit holy shit! What the hell is going on!

: Mai Lun is right, what right does Jin Chen have to hurt Mu Mu? Mu Mu just wanted to tell him the truth!

: But Chimu's hesitant attitude is really pretentiously innocent, he could just say it outright instead of beating around the bush, I'm dying of anxiety!

: This team has completely fallen apart…… Jin Chen and Chenshu are on one side, Yun Wu and Steve are on their side, and the Chimu trio has been isolated.

: So is that exposé post actually true or not? Was Chenshu really sold to the Grey Realm before?

: If it's true, then his current reaction makes sense…… In a place like the Grey Realm, just making it out alive is already a miracle.

: In a corner unnoticed by anyone, the bartender Jeffrey seemed to have slipped away secretly.

——

The door shut, and the room fell into a heavy silence.

Jin Chen sat sideways on the edge of the bed, laid Chenshu on it, one arm around his back, the other hand lightly touching his nape, stroking slowly down along the line of his back, "All right, no one else is here."

Chenshu's body was wound tight, his breathing rapid and shallow, taking in insufficient oxygen to stay calm, his throat felt like a swollen object was lodged there, each swallow bringing a suffocating sting, making him unconsciously emit repressed sounds.

He clutched Jin Chen's collar like grasping at a last straw, yet felt unworthy even to hold it, wanting to let go but unable to, humble and twisted.

"Xiao Chen……" his voice hoarse and broken, filled with an almost humble plea, "Xiao Chen, don't leave me……"

Those thoughts surged up from his heart like poisonous snakes, coiling around Chenshu's mind; he had been treated as merchandise and auctioned off, whipped with glances and words by those people, how could he still stand beside Jin Chen, how could he still touch Jin Chen with these hands stained with dust?

He should let go, should disappear, should let Jin Chen find someone better, untainted, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I won't leave you." Jin Chen soothed him according to his words, holding him in his embrace, one hand taking the medicine bottle from the bedside table, unscrewing the cap, pouring a few pills into his palm, and offering them to Chenshu, "Honey, be good, take your medicine first."

"Chenshu, look at me, take your medicine."

Chenshu's shoulder twitched, he slowly lifted his head, his gaze unfocused as he glanced at the pills in Jin Chen's palm, braced his hands on either side of Jin Chen's knees, lowered his head, and buried his face in Jin Chen's palm.

He stuck out his tongue, rolling each pill into his mouth one by one, the tip of his tongue brushing Jin Chen's palm, the bitter taste of the pills not yet dissolved before he swallowed them.

Before Chenshu's eyes still lingered that thick darkness, his rapid breathing and irregular heartbeat gradually synchronized in the quiet room, dizziness flooding to the crown of his head, as if someone had filled his skull with water, a shake would produce an echo, but the medicine wouldn't take effect so quickly; he could only rely on Jin Chen.

Those repressed fears and hidden desires tore at the depths of his soul, splitting his consciousness in half—one half wanting to flee this world, to escape to a place where he wouldn't be hurt again, the other half clinging desperately to Jin Chen, begging for a kiss with almost humble desperation, refusing to let go no matter what.