Chapter 42: Growing Closer, Finding His Brothers

Inside the stone hut, Chen Fan felt the effects of the alcohol surging, causing him to collapse limply onto the bed. Under the influence of the liquor, he couldn't help but turn his head. Seeing Yang Keli so close, he couldn't help but swallow hard.

Yang Keli seemed to sense his gaze and slowly opened her sleepy eyes. Finding Chen Fan watching her, she asked softly, "Why are you looking at me? Are you cold?"

"Not cold..."

Chen Fan had just begun to speak when he saw Yang Keli nestle into his embrace. Instantly, a unique, delicate fragrance belonging to her enveloped his senses. His heart rate accelerated sharply; this was quite the test of his resolve.

"It’s the middle of winter, let’s get some sleep," Yang Keli whispered, her tone carrying a hint of undisguised shyness.

Alcohol emboldens the heart. Chen Fan leaned in slightly toward Yang Keli, and she felt a subtle current spread from her earlobe, causing her body to tremble slightly. Her cheeks flushed instantly, resembling a ripe apple, endearing and lovely.

"I want to take a bite of you."

Chen Fan's voice was low and gentle, like the seductive whisper of a phantom, drifting into her ears like the intimate words of a lover. This sudden, ambiguous remark plucked at Yang Keli’s heartstrings, making her heart flutter, yet she felt entirely filled with sweetness.

Seeing that she did not resist, Chen Fan’s lips brushed against her earlobe. A tingling sensation instantly swept through Yang Keli’s entire body. "Chen... Chen Fan, I’m not ready yet, I’m... I’m a little scared..."

In truth, Yang Keli was willing, but she naturally feared the unknown.

"Afraid of the pain?"

Their gazes locked. Yang Keli’s eyes flickered, her hands subconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes. She turned her head slightly and gave a response as faint as the buzzing of a fly.

"Then we’ll go slowly, take it easy, and give it a try!"

Yang Keli bit her lip gently. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded without a word. Seeing her consent, Chen Fan leaped up, rolled over onto her, and kissed her directly. Yang Keli closed her eyes slightly, her lashes fluttering, her hands instinctively tightening around Chen Fan’s neck.

As the intimacy and warmth flowed slowly within the stone hut, a different scene was unfolding in a distant cave. Lin Haojie and Jiang Dalu were trapped in dire straits; their food, water, and firewood were nowhere near enough to last through the winter.

"Chen Fan, that’s not how you pull the zipper on this jacket. Don’t break it; this is the only piece of clothing I have!"

"Alright, alright, I know. It was just stuck, hold on."

Yang Keli shyly turned her head away, not daring to look Chen Fan in the eye. At this moment, Chen Fan’s movements were gentle and slow, as if he were carefully unwrapping a precious and mysterious parcel. Soon, Yang Keli’s skin appeared remarkably charming and delicate in the faint firelight. Chen Fan’s gaze roamed greedily over her body, as if tracing a magnificent painting, outlining her silhouette inch by inch.

With the final garment removed, Yang Keli’s graceful figure was laid bare. She closed her eyes in shyness, and in the quiet room, the sound of their hearts beating was exceptionally loud. Chen Fan’s lips gently touched hers, then moved slowly to her cheek, and finally kissed her earlobe.

The two looked at each other and smiled faintly; in each other’s eyes, they were the most important existence in life. Yang Keli’s hands gripped the sheets tightly. In this instant, they forgot everything, save for their rhythmic breathing and synchronized heartbeats. The room was filled with a lingering sweetness, and the two were intoxicated by this beautiful moment of intimacy.

Yang Keli subconsciously raised a hand to cover her mouth, not daring to make a sound, as a few tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. This was not Chen Fan’s impulsive recklessness, but rather like searching for a rare flower in a secret garden of emotions, caught between the hazy taboo and the intoxicating sweetness.

Watching her, Chen Fan felt a pang of heartache; he was caught between stopping and continuing. At this moment, Yang Keli wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes revealing a mix of pain and joy, accompanied by a warning: "Chen Fan, you must not fail me, or I will be very sad."

Chen Fan whispered softly and tenderly, "Don't worry, I swear to the heavens, I will never change my heart."

"Really?" Yang Keli felt a subtle warmth in her heart.

"Really!"

"Hmph, a man's mouth is a deceiver's trap... mm..."

Yang Keli hurried to cover her mouth again, struggling to contain the sounds escaping her.

Outside, the night was pitch black, the temperature was plummeting, and thick, feathery snow fell incessantly. The ground was already covered in a deep blanket of white, and cold and silence spread through the dark. In the darkness not far away, several massive creatures appeared. Even at negative seventy degrees, they moved with ease, unaffected by the weather—a testament to their evolutionary instincts.

They possessed a health pool of 60 points and were common creatures in this frozen wasteland.

After a night of passion, their bond deepened, and Yang Keli snuggled into Chen Fan’s arms. Chen Fan gently stroked her head. "You sleep a little longer; I’m going to check on the animals and plants."

Yang Keli rubbed her sleepy eyes and climbed out of the bedding, standing before him completely exposed, no longer shy. As she dressed, she said, "It’s fine, it’s morning already. Let’s get up and check together. After all, that is our hope for survival."

Chen Fan smiled at her words—with such a beauty by his side, why worry about survival?

Yang Keli leaned against the wall, moving with a slight limp, and couldn't help but shoot a glare at Chen Fan. An embarrassed Chen Fan rubbed his nose, got up to finish dressing, and helped Yang Keli to the first floor.

By then, Ram and the other were already preparing breakfast. Chen Fan helped Yang Keli to a stool, then sat down beside her. He opened his operation panel, and when he saw the friend request list, his heart tightened. A flash of surprise, guilt, and self-reproach flickered in his eyes.

The list was densely packed with requests from Lin Haojie and the others, numbering over a hundred. Chen Fan’s fingers trembled slightly as he hurriedly clicked "Accept."

A message from Lin Haojie appeared instantly: "Brother Fan, is that you?"

"It’s me. Where are you? Are you doing okay? Do you have enough supplies?"

Seeing this message, Lin Haojie was one hundred percent certain it was Chen Fan. When others added them as friends, they only asked if they had food, unlike Chen Fan, who asked with such genuine concern.

Lin Haojie hurriedly detailed their situation, including their refuge in the cave, the scarcity of resources, and the trials they had faced while searching for him. To prevent identity theft, Chen Fan asked about a secret between the brothers: "What are our lunar birthdays?"

"Brother Fan, yours is the twenty-sixth of the seventh lunar month. Xinjie’s is the twenty-eighth of the tenth lunar month..."

Seeing the reply, Chen Fan was essentially certain. "Are you in District 13693?"

"No, we are in District 13689."