Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Cheng Yu tiptoed back to his room, gently pushed open the door, and prepared to slip into bed and pretend to be asleep, waiting for the new day to begin. However, the moment he stepped into the room, his heart leaped into his throat—there was someone lying on the bed!

That was Kaimen Richie's son, Qian Tu. His tall, robust body almost filled the entire bed, and he was looking at him with a half-smile. Cheng Yu suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were a child caught red-handed doing something wrong.

"Oh, you're back?" Qian Tu sat up lazily, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery. "Where did you go last night?" He pulled Cheng Yu into his arms, his rough hands kneading Cheng Yu's cheeks with such force that Cheng Yu felt his face was about to deform.

Cheng Yu struggled to break free from Qian Tu's embrace, glaring at him irritably. "Can't I go out for a walk to clear my head? So much has happened, what's wrong with me going out for some fresh air?"

Qian Tu raised an eyebrow but didn't pursue the matter further. "Next time you go out, remember to tell me." His tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable domineering air. "So that I won't be like today, unable to find you when I come to sleep with you."

"I'm nobody to you, why should I tell you?" Cheng Yu retorted, a vague unease creeping into his heart. Qian Tu's gaze was too intense, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"Because I'm stronger than you." Qian Tu's lips curled into a wicked smile as he suddenly pinned Cheng Yu down. "The weak should listen to the strong."

A passionate kiss swept over Cheng Yu like a storm, and before he could react, Qian Tu forcefully stole his breath. He tried to resist, but was powerless to break free from Qian Tu's hold.

Cheng Yu's heart was pounding. He felt like a trapped little beast, completely at Qian Tu's mercy. He closed his eyes, feeling the heat emanating from Qian Tu, his heart filled with contradictions and struggle.

An ambiguous atmosphere filled the room as dawn broke outside the window, signaling the approach of a new day. However, for Cheng Yu, this was destined to be an eventful beginning. He didn't know where his relationship with Qian Tu would lead, nor what the future held for him. But he understood that he had to be strong to face the challenges ahead.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating their intertwined bodies, as if foreshadowing the complex and tangled relationship between them. Cheng Yu stared at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He didn't know if he had made the right choice, but he knew there was no turning back.

Cheng Yu felt a little tired. He sighed softly and buried his head in Qian Tu's chest. He didn't know what the future held, but he knew that being held in his arms felt really good right now, so he should enjoy it instead of running away.

Qian Tu patted Cheng Yu on the shoulder, straightened his clothes, and turned to leave the room. As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Cheng Yu still lying on the bed, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips. "Don't worry, only I came last night; no one knows you went out."

Cheng Yu nodded and smiled gratefully. "Thanks. By the way, could you prepare breakfast for me later? If possible, I wouldn't mind trying your special blend."

Qian Tu chuckled lightly, a hint of teasing in his voice. "You always pretend not to care, but deep down you still crave it, don't you?" He paused, then continued, "Don't worry, I'll prepare a special breakfast for you." With that, he left the room, leaving Cheng Yu alone on the bed.

Silence returned to the room, but Cheng Yu's thoughts drifted far away. He recalled the first time he met Qian Tu, a time when he never imagined he would have such an intimate relationship with this man. It was Qian Tu who brought him to the werewolf tribe, and the secrets of this tribe were far more numerous than he had imagined. He always felt that Qian Tu was hiding something, something that deeply attracted him, not just because of their past relationship, but because of a deep-seated desire for power.

Cheng Yu turned over, his gaze falling on the wooden box beside the bed. Inside the box was the mysterious white scale, seemingly calling to him silently. He knew he had to unravel this mystery to find the true answer.

He reached for the wooden box, gently stroking the smooth surface of the scales, his heart filled with anticipation and trepidation. Where would this scale lead him?

After Qian Tu left the room, Cheng Yu lay on the bed, his mind racing. He recalled his conversation with Hei Ze and the mysterious scale. He felt he was getting closer to the truth, but at the same time, he sensed an even greater danger approaching. He got out of bed, walked to the window, and gazed at the distant mountains, his heart filled with confusion and unease.

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," Cheng Yu said.

The door opened, and a tall figure walked in—it was Kaimen Richie. "Cheng Yu, you're awake," Kaimen Richie said with a smile. "I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Cheng Yu nodded, gesturing for him to sit down. "What is it?"

Kaimen Richie sat down in the chair, his gaze becoming meaningful. "How much do you know about the history of the werewolf tribe?"

Cheng Yu felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that Kaimen Richie was finally going to lay his cards on the table. At first, he thought he could hide the fact that he had been sneaking out at night, but after learning that the other party seemed to have lived for thousands of years, he had given up on that idea. He would be discovered sooner or later.

As for Kurosawa, I'm afraid all I can do is help him resolve the issue of Cheng Yu having been to Kurosawa's place.

“I know some, but not all,” he replied cautiously.

“Is that so?” Kaimen Richie smiled knowingly. “Then, would you be interested in knowing more?”

Cheng Yu was silent for a moment. He knew it was a dangerous invitation, but he couldn't refuse. "I want to know," he finally said.

Kaimen Richie nodded in satisfaction and said slowly, "Then let me tell you a history that doesn't belong to any race, but only to me."

Instead of directly telling his story, Kaiman Richie posed a question: "If one day you were hunted down by a group of people with divine powers, but you had never received any power from a god, would you hate your god?"

Cheng Yu sat on the bed, pondering for a while. If he were in that situation, he would surely be filled with resentment. Why could others obtain divine power while he couldn't? And why did God bestow power upon those wicked people? Under the threat of death, anyone would harbor resentment. Thinking of this, Cheng Yu nodded.

Kaimen Richie smiled and asked again, "So what were you going to do? At that time, it seemed like you only had one way out: death. How did you survive?"

Cheng Yu fell into deep thought. The problem seemed unsolvable; a group of people with divine power wanted to kill him, and he had no chance of resistance. But then he thought, why would these people want to kill him? There must be some reason. So he asked, "Why do they want to kill me?"

“Because you are an outsider, an outsider who cannot accept divine power,” Kaimen Richie replied. “Besides, I am not a native of the wolf tribe, but a wanderer from elsewhere. Why should they accept me? Moreover, I have not yet received the blessing of the gods.”

Cheng Yu looked at Kaimen Richie and seemed to feel his despair at that moment. He continued, "So how did you survive?"

Kaimen Richie chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice: "Of course, it's about abandoning dignity. Survival is more important than dignity. Several of those guys were receiving power related to lust. I knew very well that if I was willing to give my body to them, at least I would have a chance to live. So I chose to become their slave."

“Several of those guys couldn’t resist the temptation and started fighting with the other werewolves,” Kaimen Richie continued. “That’s the biggest drawback of divine power: many people with weak wills are easily controlled by their desires.”

“After that, I became the lowest slave in their family, and my food and drink depended entirely on my master’s mood. If my master took another werewolf he liked, I might go hungry for a day, or even longer.” Kaimen Richie’s tone was full of bitterness.

Cheng Yu listened quietly, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He couldn't imagine the humiliation and pain that Kaimen Richie had gone through, but he could sense the resilience and indomitable spirit hidden in Kaimen Richie's tone.

"And then what happened?" Cheng Yu couldn't help but ask, "How did you get out of that situation?"

Kaimen Richie took a deep breath, a complex glint in his eyes. "It took me a long time to learn how to manipulate their desires, how to make them fight each other. I slowly built up my strength, waiting for the right moment. In the end, I successfully sowed discord among them, making them kill each other."

“I took advantage of their chaos to escape that place and start a new life,” Kaimen Ritchie said with a hint of relief. “Although I lost a lot, I also gained a lot. I learned how to survive in adversity and how to exploit human weaknesses.”

Cheng Yu looked at Kaimen Ritchie with deep admiration. He hadn't expected Kaimen Ritchie to have such a difficult past.

Although he knew the other person might not be a good person, the fact that the other person survived under those circumstances was admirable.

Kaimen Richie extended his rough wolf paw and placed it in front of Cheng Yu, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusement: "Do you think death is terrifying for a weak life?"

Cheng Yu pondered for a moment, then nodded. Whether higher or lower life forms, all beings instinctively fear death.

Kaimen Richie laughed, but there was an indescribable chill in his smile. He flipped his hand over, and a still-beating heart appeared in his palm.

The sudden sight startled Cheng Yu. He instinctively took a few steps back, distancing himself from Kaimen Ritchie, his eyes filled with wariness. Although he didn't know Kaimen Ritchie's intentions, he had a feeling it wasn't anything good.

"Do you know whose heart this is?" Kaimen Richie looked at Cheng Yu, who was wary, a wicked smile playing on his lips. Cheng Yu shook his head, one hand already instinctively reaching into his pocket, ready to strike at any moment.

Kaimen Richie ignored Cheng Yu's actions and swallowed the still-beating heart whole, his tone eerily calm: "This is the heart of that white dragon slave we met on the street."

Seeing this, Cheng Yu felt a churning in his stomach. He suppressed his nausea and stared at Kaimen Richie with even greater vigilance. However, in the instant he was stunned, Kaimen Richie's figure appeared in front of him like a ghost, and a huge wolf claw slammed heavily on his shoulder.

Strangely, Cheng Yu didn't feel the expected pain, but found himself unable to move. Kaimen Rich leaned close to Cheng Yu's ear, his deep voice like a devil's whisper: "It's not your time to shine yet, don't be too hasty..." After saying that, he burst into laughter and left the room.

The moment Kaimen Richie released him, Cheng Yu felt as if all the strength had been drained from his body. He collapsed onto the bed, panting heavily.

Just then, the door opened again, and Kaimen Richie, who was about to leave, bumped into Qian Tu as he walked in. The two didn't greet each other, but simply brushed past each other indifferently.

Then, Qian Tu walked over to Cheng Yu, helped him up, and asked with concern, "Are you alright?" Cheng Yu shook his head, feeling utterly weak and his mind a jumbled mess. He didn't know what Kaimen Richie wanted to do, nor did he know what to do next.

Qian Tu helped Cheng Yu to sit down by the bed and handed him a glass of warm water. "Drink some water first." His tone was much gentler, and his eyes were full of worry.

Cheng Yu took the water glass and drank it all in one gulp, feeling a little better. "Thank you, Qian Tu."

“Don’t worry,” Qian Tu gently patted Cheng Yu’s shoulder, “I will protect you.” His tone was firm and strong, as if giving Cheng Yu a sense of reassurance.

Cheng Yu glanced at Qian Tu gratefully, a warm feeling welling up inside him. In this tribe full of danger and the unknown, Qian Tu's presence brought him a sense of comfort and security.

But when did he begin to have this feeling? It seems that everything became abnormal after he arrived at this tribe.

He leaned against Qian Tu's chest, feeling the other's warmth, and his heart gradually calmed down. Perhaps, in this chaotic world, only by relying on each other could they find a glimmer of light and hope.

He looked up at Qian Tu's sharply defined face, his heart filled with gratitude and dependence. In this unfamiliar world, Qian Tu was his only support and his only source of warmth.

With Qian Tu's help, Cheng Yu returned to bed, leaning against the headboard, breathing softly. Qian Tu carefully tucked him in and brought him a glass of warm water, placing it on the low table beside the bed. "Rest for a while," he said gently, his voice full of concern.

Cheng Yu nodded, took the water glass, and sipped it slowly. The warm liquid flowed down his throat into his stomach, easing his tense nerves slightly. The room was quiet, with only the occasional birdsong from outside the window and Qian Tu's soft breathing.

After a while, Qian Tu came in with a simple breakfast and placed it in front of Cheng Yu. "Eat something," he said softly, "You haven't eaten in a long time."

Cheng Yu looked at the breakfast in front of him: a bowl of steaming meat porridge and a small dish of pickled vegetables. He turned to look at Qian Tu, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. In this strange and dangerous place, Qian Tu's appearance was like a ray of sunshine in winter, illuminating his originally gloomy world.

"Thank you, Qian Tu," Cheng Yu said gratefully. He picked up his spoon and slowly sipped the porridge. The aroma of the meat porridge filled the air, making him feel much more comfortable.

After breakfast, Cheng Yu felt his strength returning. He looked at Qian Tu, a question suddenly welling up in his mind. "Qian Tu," he hesitated for a moment before asking, "what exactly is your relationship with your father... Kaimen Richie?"

Upon hearing this question, Qian Tu fell silent. He lowered his head, seemingly pondering how to answer. After a while, he slowly spoke, "I don't know... what exactly is my relationship with him." His tone carried a hint of confusion and bewilderment.

“My father has so many faces…” Qian Tu continued, “Sometimes, he’s a tall werewolf, fierce and brutal; sometimes, he becomes an innocent child, making you feel sorry for him; and sometimes, he becomes an elegant noblewoman, charming and alluring…”

“His personality is completely different in every form.” Qian Tu’s voice trailed off, as if he were talking to himself. “I don’t even know which one is the real him…”

Cheng Yu listened quietly, his heart filled with surprise and doubt. He couldn't imagine that a person's appearance and personality could be so changeable. This made him even more curious and worried about Kaimen Richie's identity and purpose.

"Then... have you ever seen your mother?" Cheng Yu asked cautiously, afraid of touching on Qian Tu's painful past.

Qian Tu shook his head, a hint of melancholy in his voice. "I have never met my mother..." he said softly, "I have always been my father... or rather, he raised me in all his different forms."

Cheng Yu looked at Qian Tu's dejected expression and felt a pang of sympathy. He reached out and gently took Qian Tu's hand, wanting to offer him some comfort and strength.

“Don’t worry,” Cheng Yu said softly, “No matter what happens, I will be by your side.”

Qian Tu looked up, meeting Cheng Yu's sincere gaze, and a warm feeling welled up inside him. In this world full of danger and the unknown, he had finally found someone he could rely on and trust. He grasped Cheng Yu's hand tightly, as if trying to hold onto this only warmth and hope.

The anticipation of this moment seems somewhat unreal, yet it has indeed come true.

P.S.: I'm so sorry, I hope you can reread the chapters 62 and 63. I got the order wrong. Sorry, sorry, sorry.