Lin You hesitated for a moment, but still didn't push Lenon away.

Sick Female Zergs were always particularly reliant on pheromones. Lin You looked at the Major General's furrowed brows and sighed slightly. He thought to himself, 'Forget it, I'll sit for a little longer and just leave before he wakes up.'

Lenon had been awake the whole time.

He originally only wanted to take the opportunity to see Lin You, test his attitude towards the First Prince, and then ponder his next course of action. But the soft bedding, the warmth of the person beside his pillow, and the surrounding citrus pheromones all made him unable to resist indulging a little, and then a little more.

Lenon carefully tested the limits of Lin You's indulgence. He first pretended it was unintentional, wrapping his arms around the other's waist, then pressing his whole body against him. In the end, still feeling unsatisfied, he almost completely embraced Lin You.

Lin You seemed a little uncomfortable, but he didn't struggle, obediently letting him hold him. He neither woke him up nor pushed him away.

Lenon lowered his eyes.

—The Third Prince was indeed quite indulgent toward him.

System 55 said, "The Major General's fever has gone down. Are we leaving?"

Lin You: "...Wait a bit longer."

Lenon was holding him too tightly, looking as if he was deeply attached and reluctant to let go.

He felt a bit awkward. Although they had done much more intimate things before, that was driven by pheromones, pure lust, and Lenon didn't have the slightest affection for him. Yet lying like this now, they seemed like an intimately close couple.

Lin You silently repeated in his heart, 'This is a patient, this is a patient.' He stayed in the room for more than an hour before getting up to leave.

Early the next morning, Lin You received a visitation letter from the First Prince.

Lin Yu affectionately called him by his nickname, saying he wanted to come to his residence for a visit. Lin You had no reason to refuse, so he could only agree, and then gave orders for the servants to prepare.

The visit was scheduled for the afternoon. Lin You spent the whole morning in the study reading the original text. Just as he was studying it, System 55 suddenly spoke up, "Host, could you pause for a moment?"

Lin You: "Wait until I sort out this part of the plot."

System 55 was currently lying on a small cushion on the bay window, only revealing a corner of its screen. Hearing this, it shrank back and muttered, "Alright, just don't blame me for not reminding you later."

The novel's key plot points were described very solidly. For example, the Judgment Day chapter detailed the presiding judge's verdict, Lenon's metal handcuffs, the reactions of various guests, and even the disdainful expressions of the First Prince, the Third Prince, and White. It would be very difficult to maneuver around it. Despite Lin You racking his brains, he couldn't find any loopholes in the plot.

He felt a massive headache coming on. Just then, there were three knocks on the door; it should be the butler delivering breakfast.

Lin You: "Come in."

Someone stepped inside.

The footsteps were crisp; it wasn't the sound of the butler's soft leather shoes, but rather long military boots with metal heels. However, Lin You had things on his mind and didn't notice it in the slightest.

A glass of milk was placed in front of him, followed by a small cake. The newcomer wore pure white gloves, and the joints wrapped in the fabric were slender and beautiful.

Lin You didn't even look up: "Thank you, I'll eat it later."

"..."

System 55 poked its head out weakly: "Host."

"Host, please stop for a moment..."

"I'm busy right now." Lin You felt a slight headache. He reached up to press his forehead. Immediately after, a pair of hands took his place, resting on his temples and rubbing them with just the right amount of pressure.

The technique was experienced; clearly, they had practiced.

The butler had also learned massage. He was just about to express his thanks when he heard a soft sigh, and someone asked gently, "Feeling better?"

Lin You snapped his head up.

The Major General was wearing formal attire and white gloves. His silver hair was combed into a low ponytail, tied at the base with a matching hairband—a look that was eighty percent similar to the butler's uniform. He was currently looking at him with concern.

"What are you...?"

Lenon arranged the tea and small cake one by one and bowed elegantly: "I told the butler that since I've entered your residence, I should also take care of your daily life, so I took over a portion of his duties."

Lin You felt a bit uncomfortable.

He hid the rough draft with his notes into a drawer and locked it with a guilty conscience. Then he coughed once and hurriedly picked up the small cake: "No, there's no need for this. You're still sick, you don't have to do these things. You can step down for now."

Lenon didn't move, however. He stood to the side holding the tray and smiled: "Today I heard the servants discussing that the First Prince is coming over?"

Lin You's movements as he ate the cake paused, and he mumbled vaguely: "Yes."

Lenon: "Then please tie me up."

Lin You's hand slipped, and the plate holding the cake clattered downwards. Lenon bowed slightly and caught it nimbly. He placed the cake back in front of Lin You: "Please be careful."

His tone was calm and gentle, as if what he had just said wasn't 'tie me up', but rather polite small talk like 'the weather is really nice'.

Lin You was choking slightly. He picked up his tea and said speechlessly, "Tie up what? Where am I supposed to tie you up?"

Lenon smiled: "The basement."

Lin You: "Pfft—"

Lenon put down the tray and thoughtfully patted Lin You's back: "Please be a bit more careful, are you alright?"

Lin You brushed his hand away, coughing on his own. When he finally managed to stop, he said: "You... stay away from me."

If the Major General said a few more sentences, he would surely choke to death.

A prince's residence did indeed have a basement, and even a private interrogation room. However, with The Empire enacting laws to prohibit the abuse of lynching and private punishments, the methods used among nobles had decreased significantly. Although basements still existed, they didn't dare go overboard.

Ever since Lin You transmigrated here, the basement of his residence had never been put to use.

Lenon said, "You can place me in the middle of the interrogation room, put me in iron chains and a collar, and smear my clothes with red paint..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Lin You already understood.

This was indeed a good idea.

Placing Lenon in the basement, taking the First Prince to take a look from afar, saying some random lines, and then leaving. The First Prince wouldn't just charge into the cell to personally inspect the wounds.

He looked thoughtful, then directly brought up his Light Brain to summon the butler, inquiring, "Do I have a basement? Where is the basement in our house?"

The butler paused, seemingly a bit speechless. After detailing the location, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you really not know at all?"

Such a massive basement, too.

Lin You spoke with conviction: "I don't even use that godforsaken place, why should I know?"

Lenon took in everything he heard, a trace of a smile flashing through his eyes.

—His Third Prince was indeed as gentle and pure as he had imagined.

The entrance to the basement was right in the garden's pavilion. The butler pulled out a key that hadn't been used in a long time. The moment Lin You stepped inside, a chilling scent of rust hit his face.

This place hadn't seen the sun for years; it was incredibly dark and damp. Iron bars divided the pitch-black space into small cells that stretched endlessly out of sight, looking exactly like an exploration scene from a horror game. It seemed as though non-human creatures could jump out from anywhere at any time, forcing the player to run for their lives.

Lin You's fans all knew that he was a bit afraid of ghosts.

Lin You was originally walking at the very front, and none of the servants dared to overtake him. But when he looked ahead, his footsteps paused slightly. Lenon immediately knew what he was thinking. He took the initiative to take the lantern from the butler, grabbed his hand, and led him forward: "Please follow me."

Lenon was still in his uniform. His palm was dry and warm, and his military boots stepped on the ground with a rhythmic cadence, elegant as a knight guarding a treasure. They stopped in front of a cell, and Lenon looked around: "Right here."

The butler carried a box containing many matching tools commonly found in nobles' basements, such as collars and whips. Lin You's set was still brand new, exactly the same as when they were manufactured. Let alone blood, the whip hadn't even tasted a bit of skin.

The butler took out the keys to open the cell and nodded slightly to Lenon: "Major General, please."

According to common sense, this kind of thing should be handled by the butler, but Lenon turned his head to look at Lin You and suddenly said: "Your Highness, may I make a request?"

Lenon had to be locked up in this pitch-black godforsaken place for an entire afternoon. Lin You felt a bit guilty and immediately said: "Speak."

The Major General smiled faintly, then took the box from the butler's hands and held it up in front of Lin You.

He said: "I would like to ask you to do it yourself."

Before Lin You could even process what was happening, he was dizzyingly led into the cell, chains and a collar stuffed into his hands. Then, Lenon half-knelt in front of him, swept aside his long silver hair to reveal his slender neck, and said with a smile: "Come."

"..."

Lin You lowered his eyes and picked up the collar. He adjusted the size to be very loose, then gently fastened it around Lenon's neck. There was a small silver bell on it, which happened to rest right against his Adam's apple.

He adjusted the length of the chain so that Lenon could move freely without his movements being restricted. Then he reached out, wanting to take other things from the box.

But Lenon caught his hand.

The Major General shook his head: "This won't work. The First Prince is an expert; he'll be able to tell."

If one were to say who among the three princes played the wildest, it was undoubtedly Lin Yu. He knew how to use these toys much better than Lin You did.

Lin You thought to himself, 'Lin Yu, that perverted bastard, is actually a fucking expert?' But he had no choice but to follow Lenon's instructions to tighten the chain. When his fingers stopped on the collar's adjustment buckle, he felt slightly conflicted.

If this was pulled tight, it would be very uncomfortable.

Lenon held his hand.

He adjusted the tightness using Lin You's fingers, pulling the buckle inwards. When it reached a certain length, Lin You's fingers started to tremble unawares. As the collar grew tighter and tighter, he trembled more and more severely, almost unable to grip the buckle properly, silently resisting.

Lenon sighed: "This is nothing, Your Highness. I once tracked space pirates in Zone 35, which is barren and desolate. The oxygen on some of those planets is extremely thin. I've also carried out missions on the highest plateaus of the Zerg Planet and retreated in one piece. I won't lack oxygen because of this."

Lin You's voice was also trembling: "...How can that be the same?"

He was shaking so badly that Lenon had to let go of him and fasten the collar himself.

He stood up and spun around, trying to soothe his Highness: "It's really fine."

Lin You refused to speak.

He silently brought out the shackles—the lightest kind, lined with soft fur on the inside so it wouldn't hurt the skin. Looking from outside the cell door, no one would notice the clues.

Once everything was prepared, he took the dark red paint from the butler and applied it bit by bit onto the pure white uniform.

To make the effect look realistic, Lenon tore the hem of his clothes, messed up his hair, and smeared blood-red paint on his temples. Lin You dabbed water on his forehead to fake the appearance of cold sweat. After a series of operations, the Major General was reduced to a completely dishevelled mess.

Lin You's breath caught.

A Major General with a neat uniform and impeccable manners was already very heart-stopping, so what about a Major General with a messy uniform, rapid breathing, a black collar, and eyes swimming with moisture?

Some strange mental images flashed in Lin You's mind. He gathered his thoughts, stepped back to the cell door, and scrutinized him carefully, failing to spot any flaws.

The butler reminded him at the perfect time: "A communication from the First Prince. He has already set out."

Lin You nodded and pointed upstairs: "Then I'll get going first."

The collar restricted Lenon's breathing, making it slightly uncomfortable, but he didn't show it too much. He only said: "See you later, my Highness."

Lin Yu landed at the Third Prince's residence twenty minutes later.

He exchanged brief pleasantries with Lin You, talking about this and that, acting like an extremely caring older brother. Lin You played along, babbling about everything under the sun and acting unbelievably obedient. The two of them put on a show for the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Lin Yu was the first to break the ice, feigning nonchalance: "By the way, how was the effect of the wine I gave you that day?"

"The effect was very good." Lin You clicked his tongue. "But Lenon is a really tough nut to crack. Not easy to deal with."

Lin Yu smiled: "How tough is he? Can I take a look? ...Oh, I don't mean that I covet your person, it's just that I haven't used that wine yet and am a bit curious."

Lin You: "Of course."

He led the First Prince down to the basement. The butler had dimmed the cell's lighting to be murky and dark. Looking from afar, shadows flickered unsteadily. Old oil lamps crackled and popped, mixed with the sound of wind blowing in from nowhere, making it feel like a hellish ghost realm.

They rounded a few corners and spotted Lenon's cell from a distance. The Major General was covered in fresh bloodstains, his hands bound behind his back. He hung his head weakly, occasionally letting out a suppressed cough, bloody foam rolling down the corner of his mouth, looking utterly wretched.

The environment here was harsh, and the air carried a stale, rotting smell. Lin Yu glanced at him in disgust a few times before turning around and saying: "Let's go."

He climbed back up the stairs, commenting: "Such a rebellious Female Zerg should be locked up in a place like this."

"..."

Lin Yu turned his head: "Little You, don't you think so?"

Lin You replied: "Of course. For a sinner, being bound in the basement day after day is the best possible ending."

The First Prince nodded in satisfaction.

In a spot where he couldn't see, Lin You gripped his sleeves tightly, his face completely expressionless.

If he hadn't come, would this be what happened to Lenon?

Would the beautiful, elegant, and noble Major General kneel in the dirt, utterly wretched, just like this?

Lin Yu's visit this time was merely to confirm that Lenon couldn't make any waves. He had absolutely no affection for Lin You, his blood brother. After uttering a few more sentences, he left in a hurry.

Lin You couldn't wait for him to leave earlier. The moment the aircraft disappeared from the sky, he rushed without stopping to bring Lenon out. The Major General showed no signs of discomfort. He calmly took off the collar and chains. The very first sentence he said to Lin You upon walking out of the basement was: "The weather is really nice. Would you like to have some afternoon tea?"

The butler's face twitched slightly.

Preparing afternoon tea for the Third Prince had always been the butler's job.

Lin You was in no mood for afternoon tea. He brought Lenon back to the room and peeled back his collar to check. The Major General had been extremely ruthless with himself. As expected, a red mark had been pressed into his skin, and the flesh was congested and swollen.

Lin You dug out the medicinal ointment he had prepared in advance and handed it to Lenon. Lenon raised his arm and suddenly let out a very light hiss.

Lin You turned his head: "What's wrong?"

Lenon: "It's nothing... Hiss, my arm hurts a bit."

Having been suspended for an entire afternoon, of course it hurt.

Lin You paused slightly, but still took the ointment from his hand: "Let me do it."

Lenon cooperatively lifted his hair.

He lowered his eyes. The Third Prince was right in front of him, focused on applying the medicine to his neck, his appearance refined, noble, and handsome.

In reality, for the Major General of the Third Legion, such a small injury was genuinely insignificant. His body had withstood swords, and his skin had endured burns. Lenon would normally even disdain applying medicine to his neck. Compared to the pain, he found the ointment rubbing onto his clothes to be more troublesome.

But Lin You's expression was incredibly serious, as if he was doing the most important thing in the world.

He applied it very carefully, as if afraid of hurting Lenon. The pads of his fingers tapped lightly on the swollen skin, feeling somewhat hot and slightly ticklish.

"Your Highness." Lenon suddenly spoke. The atmosphere at this moment was too perfect, and he couldn't resist wanting to beg for a bit more from the Third Prince. "Will you marry me?"

His voice was very light, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Lenon had asked this question twice before; this was the third time. The first two times were in order to avoid the punishment of Judgment Day. He had offered up his body and his family, laying out all his bargaining chips in exchange for the promise of exemption from punishment.

But this time was different. Lenon wasn't thinking of anything else; he simply wanted to ask, "Will you marry me?"

"..."

Lin You's fingers paused slightly, and his breathing skipped a beat. He scooped out a large blob of ointment to cover it up, then lowered his eyes to apply it to the wound, not answering directly: "We won't have a wedding."

According to the plot, they had to get married, and they absolutely could not have a wedding.

In the eyes of the Zerg, this was probably the scummiest of scum.

But Lenon didn't mind. He grasped Lin You's fingers, his deep blue eyes full of earnestness: "I know, I don't need a wedding, but will you marry me?"

"..."

Lin You turned his face away and said in a small voice, "I will."

He had transmigrated across two worlds. In the original script, he was meant to hold Lenon's hand and become his intimately close partner.