| GB | Careful | 89
The river was warm, and Yu Bai's long, fair limbs stretched out, floating gently on the water like a fish.
The sunlight had turned his cheeks a rosy hue, and his damp hair clung to his temples. As he shook his head, water droplets rolled down his delicate and refined features, lingering at the corner of his lips.
Huo Duo'er stood in the water, his gaze fixed on his carefree orc mate.
Yu Bai swam back and forth twice, and as he stretched his arms to glide over again, his waist was suddenly grasped by Huo Duo'er.
With the support of the water, the male orc effortlessly lifted the young man, parting his slightly pink knees.
Yu Bai felt a warmth on his lips as Huo Duo'er carefully licked away the water droplet hanging at the corner of his mouth.
The male orc carried the slender young man in his arms, walking back and forth in the warm river for a few rounds, his large hand rubbing along Yu Bai's back.
After more than two months of migrating south, the journey had been exhausting. Worried that Yu Bai might be overworked, Huo Duo'er had refrained from making any advances. But now, he couldn't hold back any longer.
"Mmm..."
Yu Bai let out a soft moan, tilting his head back, his fingertips gripping the muscular shoulders as he scratched back and forth.
Huo Duo'er leaned in, his hot, heavy breath brushing against Yu Bai's neck, moving downward until it disappeared beneath the water.
Yu Bai bit his lip, his round eyes half-closed, a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead.
He grabbed Huo Duo'er's brown hair, which was scattered over his shoulders, and tugged hard, but the orc remained unmoved.
After a while, Huo Duo'er emerged from the water, his sharp features slightly dazed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed a few times.
Yu Bai's delicate earlobes flushed a deep red, his eyes moist, a shimmering light flickering within them.
Unable to resist, Huo Duo'er gently swept his tongue over Yu Bai's brow and the corner of his eye, then tightened his arms, his chest heaving intensely.
Yu Bai was carried back to the tent to rest. Just that one encounter had left him feeling somewhat drained.
The long journey had indeed taken a toll on his carefully nurtured health.
Huo Duo'er held Yu Bai in his arms, he was silent on the surface, but a sense of restlessness stirred within him.
It was the third month of summer. If they couldn't find a suitable territory to settle in before autumn arrived, the nearly six hundred orcs would face increasing challenges.
After Yu Bai fell asleep, Huo Duo'er continued leading the orcs in cutting down trees, speeding up the construction of the wooden boats.
—
By mid-month, the orcs had mostly mastered the skills of swimming and operating the wooden boats. Huo Duo'er wasted no more time and ordered the journey to begin.
On a clear morning, with the sun high above the trees, all the orcs gathered wild fruits and roasted yam roots, carrying the wooden boats to the swampy wetlands.
About two or three orcs boarded each boat, while larger orcs, such as the giants, traveled alone.
Man carried Jinjin in his arms, bringing the little one along.
Ze signaled for the young wolf to follow him.
They led the way, with some of the male orcs carrying stone knives at their waists, exchanging glances before following closely behind.
The orcs at the front were responsible for cutting through the dense reeds, clearing a waterway wide enough for at least one boat to pass through.
Yu Bai and Huo Duo'er boarded a boat one after the other, with Huo Duo'er sitting at the back, controlling the oar to propel the boat forward.
As they moved out of the shallow waters, the wind from behind blew through the vast aquatic plants, gradually opening up their view and speeding up the flow of the water.
One after another, the wooden boats sailed along the waterway. As they passed through large areas of aquatic grass, Yu Bai clapped his hands, shooing away the mosquitoes.
Swarms of insects flew out from the reed piles. Yu Bai took some medicine from his cloth bag, crushed it, and applied the juice to his exposed skin.
Turning back, I saw that Huo Duo'er's arm had also been stung, leaving a red welt. I carefully turned around and applied a cooling herbal juice to his wound.
This particular herb grew along the edges of the swamp, and by summer, it was at its most abundant. Before entering the water, each orc had gathered a large bundle of it.
By midday, the sun was scorching, and the wind blowing in their faces was hot.
The wooden boat had left the swamp behind, and now there was only an endless expanse of water.
Through the animal robe, he felt a burning sting on his arm and neck. The southern sun was far more intense than the northern one, making it almost impossible to keep my eyes open. The skin beneath his clothes was likely sunburned.
Huo Duo'er's chest was half-exposed, and sweat continuously dripped from his sharp, composed face, soaking the front of his robe.
Before entering the water, Huo Duo'er had warned all the orcs not to touch the river water to avoid provoking the beasts beneath. So, no matter how hot it was, no one dared to take the risk.
Yu Bai let out a long sigh, repeatedly licking his lips, and took the water pouch from his waist. After taking a few sips, he offered it to Huo Duo'er's mouth.
Huo Duo'er took a gulp and gestured for him to put it away, then added, "If you're tired, lie down and rest for a while."
The wooden boat wasn't large, and an average adult orc couldn't lie down comfortably. However, someone with a slender build like his could manage.
Yu Bai didn't want to sleep, so he propped hid chin on his hand and gazed ahead. Suddenly, he heard a scream from behind.
Splash!
The sound of something heavy hitting the water.
"A’Yi!"
A’Yi, the orc cub who was sharing a boat with A’Xin, swayed and then plunged headfirst into the water.
A’Xin was about to jump in after him, but the orcs ahead quickly stopped him. "Don't be foolish!"
A’Xin cried out, "But A’Yi fell in!"
He struck his lame leg in frustration, tears streaming from his reddened eyes.
"If A’Yi dies, how could I ever face myself again..."
Huo Duo'er stared at the rippling water, his orc eyes narrowing slightly, and handed the oar to Yu Bai.
Time was running out. Even if A’Yi could swim, he was too young to last long.
"Bai, I'm going in."
Yu Bai pursed his lips tightly, and Huo Duo'er said, "As the leader, I can't abandon any orc."
Before he could respond, Huo Duo'er leaped into the water and swiftly swam toward where A’Yi had fallen.
He brought the unconscious A’Yi back to A’Xin's arms and was about to swim back to the waiting boat when A’Xin shouted, "Watch out!"
Huo Duo'er instinctively raised his arms, his right hand clamping down on the triangular head of a snake that was lunging for his neck.
The orange-red snake tightened its tail, coiling around the orc's tattooed arm, constricting it.
Yu Bai stifled a scream, his face turning pale.
"Huo Duo'er—!"
The other orcs wanted to help, raising their oars to strike the water snake, but Huo Duo'er sternly shouted.
"Stop!"
He added, "I'll handle this. Don't move."
Huo Duo'er turned his back, his orc pupils narrowing into slits as he locked eyes with the snake.
A few minutes later, the orc's left arm, constricted by the snake, began to turn a dark purple due to lack of blood flow. Yu Bai wanted to ask Huo Duo'er to turn around so he could see, but his mouth opened and closed several times, the words stuck in his throat were painful and dry, and he was unable to make a sound.
Huo Duo'er's stiff left arm moved with difficulty, the tattoos turning a deep black, attracting a vine.
He slowly guided the snake onto the vine, freeing his left arm, and with a forceful throw, he flung the snake, still coiled around the vine, far away.
Back on the wooden boat, Huo Duo'er carefully wiped the moisture from the corner of Yu Bai's eye and said, "Bai, it's alright now."
The young man was in a daze until a deep call echoed in his ears several times.
He didn't spare a glance at the orc as he turned his back and sat up straight.
—
Facing the setting sun, the orcs who had been drifting along the river for an entire day finally reached a piece of connected land.
Yu Bai stepped off the wooden boat and was almost in a state of exhaustion.
Huo Duo'er picked him up and went straight ashore.
The orcs scattered along the shore, following Man and Ze's instructions to find a place to settle and rest. Some set up tents, while others searched for firewood and food.
Yu Bai's usually gentle and beautiful eyes were lowered, his expression calm.
Since coming ashore, he hadn't spoken to Huo Duo'er.
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