The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 474: Little Red Fox

Chapter 474: Little Red Fox

The fading light of day cast a golden hue over the landscape as the carriage rumbled along the winding path. The bumping and jostling were more pronounced than Bai Mo remembered, each bump sending a jolt through his tired body.

He blinked open his eyes, unsure of when he had succumbed to sleep. He was supposed to be caring for Xu Zeng, but exhaustion caught up with him eventually.

As he glanced out the window, Bai Mo noticed that the scenery outside was growing darker, and they hadn’t reached the town yet. Panic stirred within him as he realized the urgency of their situation. Xu Zeng was clearly unwell, and they needed to find a safe resting place before nightfall so he could receive medical attention.

While their carriage ride hadn’t been steady at the start of their adventure, Xu Hu Zhe had been taking extra care over the last day. He’d been riding fast, but making sure they took stable paths to keep the silver-haired ger comfortable. It was possible Hu Zhe had forgotten himself as they neared the next town.

Turning his attention to Xu Zeng, Bai Mo’s heart sank at the sight of the silver-haired ger’s pale face. He reached out and pressed his palm against Xu Zeng’s forehead, feeling the heat radiating from his skin. This wasn’t good. Xu Zeng was burning up, a worrying contrast to his condition earlier in the day.

"Hu Zhe?" Bai Mo called out, his voice trembling with concern. There was no response from the front of the carriage, only the sound of hooves pounding against the ground as the carriage seemed to pick up speed.

"Hu Zhe, are we close to town yet?" Bai Mo called out again, this time raising his voice considerably. Xu Zeng stirred beside him, but there was still no response from upfront.

Something wasn’t right. Not at all.

Glancing out the window once more, Bai Mo’s heart sank even further. There was no sign of any town or village, only dense forest stretching as far as the eye could see. And they were moving upward, ascending at a rapid pace.

The only mountain they’d scaled by carriage on their initial trip was on the first day and that was because of the detour they took to keep any followers off their trail.

They wouldn’t be taking that same route when returning home. Even if they had, with their current pacing, it was still 3 or 4 days away. Something bubbled up in Bai Mo.

He realized the strangeness of their situation. The face of the pampered young master of the Yilin Bai family faded away, replaced by a sense of responsibility and urgency.

Where was Xu Hu Zhe? What had happened to him? Was he alone with a sick Xu Zeng? No matter what the exact situation was, he needed to take action. For all he knew both of his partners were in danger.

That was easier said than done. Whoever could overpower Xu Hu Zhe would be no match for him. They were both immortal bloodline carriers, but Hu Zhe was still a man, and the difference in strength between a man and a ger was not small.

Bai Mo knew that the giant of a man— Xu Hu Zhe— was always extra careful with his body and strength. He was indeed a gentle giant, one even animals recognized. In order to overpower him, what must have been done?

Was Xu Hu Zhe still alive?

Bai Mo shook his head vigorously as if trying to dispel any lingering bad thoughts that threatened to cloud his mind. There was no time for second-guessing or dwelling on worst-case scenarios. He was determined to keep Xu Zeng safe and to help Xu Hu Zhe, no matter what challenges he might face.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Bai Mo gently reached out to wake Xu Zeng. The silver-haired ger was in bad shape, but Bai Mo knew that Xu Zeng was physically stronger than he was, even in his current condition he might be more useful.

For a fleeting moment, Bai Mo wished that Xu Zeng was still in his other body, with its extra strength that could prove useful now. He would accept the other male or ger, but right now he was scared he would cost them their lives, or worse.

As he roused Xu Zeng, the other let out a pained moan. Bai Mo needed to do better, there was no other option. The silver-haired ger could barely even flutter his eyelids.

Bai Mo’s heart sped up. Calming himself down again, he took a deep breath in, then let it out. He had to get rid of his rationality.

He may have always had potential, but it would have never been realized if not for Xu Feng, and now was not the time to let Xu Feng down. He awakened his immortal bloodline potential because of his good friend, now he needed to protect that good friend’s brother and children.

Bai Mo felt a surge of determination wash over him. He couldn’t afford to let fear dull him. Watching Xu Zeng clutch tightly onto the bag containing Xiao Long and Da Long even in his delirious state, forced him to straighten his back.

Xu Zeng would protect them even in this state... he would protect Xu Zeng.

With each breath, Bai Mo felt himself letting go of his humanity, embracing a wildness and power that surged through him. It was as if a dormant part of himself had awakened, fueled by the urgency of their situation.

It felt somehow similar to the anger and other strong emotions he felt in Sun Village when the villagers touched Xu Zeng without permission. It was a wildness that listened to no one...

The feral fox felt like he could do and be anything, but he was immediately frozen as he felt a shiver run down his spine. With the awakening of his senses, the ger next to him’s scent was growing stronger—so flicking strong, it made everything in him want to run away in fear or bow down in worship.

This immortal beast was frightening.

His partner really was an immortal beast from the legends.

Pulling himself together took a few breaths, even the two eggs light scent caused him to shiver uncontrollably. They wouldn’t ever hurt him, these were his family.

This family was not like those in Sun Village who would throw anyone under a carriage for some silver, or the Xuan family in the capital with unlimited greed, or his distant Bai and Deng families who only sought out benefits.

This family— Xu Hu Zhe, Xu Zeng, Da Long, Xiao Long, and even the family back in Nanshan Estate— would never willingly hurt him. The words he used to calm his nerves seemed cheesy and sappy, but they did their job, it was a truth he couldn’t deny.

As his nerves settled, Bai Mo’s senses sharpened, and he detected a strange scent in the air. It was not Xu Hu Zhe’s familiar scent. Panic gripped him as he realized that Xu Hu Zhe was nowhere to be found.

There was now a new scent, no two new scents. One of the two scents was familiar though. Where had he scented this smell before?

Bai Mo tilted his head slightly, trying to place the unfamiliar scent lingering in his nose. It wasn’t a light smell, nor was it one he recognized from Sun Village or Yilin Town. Where had he encountered this scent before? Then, in a sudden flash of realization, it hit him like a bolt of lightning.

This was the same scent they had detected at the beginning of their journey— the scent of trouble, of danger. It was the unmistakable scent of their suspected bandit. Bai Mo’s spine stiffened, his senses on high alert as he processed the gravity of the situation. This was a new level of urgency.

The presence of the bandits suggested a well-planned and coordinated attack, and Bai Mo knew they couldn’t afford to underestimate them. While the scent of the two men was strong, his brain was telling him that there was no trace of the telltale beast smell associated with immortal bloodline carriers or one similar to the secret immortal beast beside him. In that sense, they were lucky.

Furrowing his brows, Bai Mo made a quick decision. They couldn’t afford to delay any longer. This could very well be their end, and he wasn’t about to risk their lives in a futile fight against a group of bandits.

With a sense of urgency, Bai Mo shook Xu Zeng more forcefully, rousing the silver-haired ger from his sickly sleep. As Xu Zeng opened his eyes, Bai Mo could see a startling vibrant green color peeking out from behind the dullness. It caught him off guard for a moment, but he recollected himself.

Gesturing to the front of the carriage, Bai Mo silenced Xu Zeng with a finger to his lips, conveying the seriousness of the situation without a word. Despite his weakness, Xu Zeng’s body stilled as he surveyed their surroundings.