He, The Scumbag, Has Turned Over A New Leaf. - Chapter 20

In the end, Ivan let Tuoweisi put the ore away, deciding to act as if nothing had happened.

The nights on Pingzi Star were exceptionally cold. Ivan, having finished his nutritional supplement, curled up inside the tent early. Tuoweisi piled a heap of rocks on the windward side to shield them from the howling gale before wiping his hands and crawling inside.

Conditions were harsh and the tent was barren. Ivan lay flat on the ground, wearing only his outer jacket over his clothes for warmth.

The tent was not particularly large; it was meant for a single Zerg of average size, so it was quite cramped for a Zerg and a male. Tuoweisi took off his dust-covered jacket, tucked his long legs in, and lay down as far from Ivan as the small space allowed.

Tuoweisi remained silent, and Ivan, who was resting with his eyes closed, did not try to initiate conversation. The tent was quiet. Ivan had initially felt awkward sharing a tent with Tuoweisi, but after a strenuous day of trekking and searching, exhaustion took over, and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

However, the biting cold of the Pingzi Star night seemed to penetrate the tent and seep into Ivan’s sleeping body. An intolerable, itchy sensation emerged from deep within his bones, much like the agony of thawing out frozen chilblains in the winter.

Dazed by sleep, Ivan subconsciously sought a heat source to alleviate the pain and itching. He mustered all his strength to move his cold, numb limbs toward the only source of warmth in the freezing night.

Time passed. The heat source, as if it had a mind of its own and had sensed Ivan’s freezing state, kindly shared its warmth. The chill gradually gave way, and as Ivan’s discomfort subsided, he drifted back into a deep slumber.

Tuoweisi opened his eyes in the darkness. When he realized that Ivan, who had been tossing and turning while half-clinging to him, had finally fallen into a sound sleep, he let out a long breath.

Yet, with every breath, he was filled with the pungent scent of the male’s pheromones, which made sleep impossible. Thus, Tuoweisi kept his eyes open until dawn.

Upon hearing movement outside from Hubaiguo and his group, Tuoweisi gently moved Ivan away. He glanced at the male, who was sleeping sweetly, stretched his stiff and numb limbs with an expressionless face, and stepped out of the tent.

Ivan did not wake up until the sun was high in the sky.

Although he had vaguely felt the cold in the middle of the night, he had quickly become warm and comfortable, as if he were tucked into a cozy bed on a winter day.

Well-rested, Ivan looked rosy and was in high spirits. He unzipped the tent and flashed a wide smile at Tuoweisi, who was continuing to excavate the mountain nearby.

“Morning!”

Tuoweisi paused. Looking at the bright-faced male, the irritation he had felt from a sleepless night gradually faded away.

Kele heard the commotion and pushed his wheelchair toward the tent. He watched quietly as Ivan brushed his teeth and washed his face, appearing deeply fascinated by this male who was so different from himself.

After washing up, Ivan nibbled on a pouch of nutritional supplement and pushed Kele to a wind-sheltered spot. “If we cannot find ore here, we are planning to leave tomorrow.”

“Are there rules to choosing a mining site?” Kele was full of curiosity about everything.

Ivan was only an amateur himself, but he seemed to know a bit more than Kele. He explained, “We have blasted this mountain twice now with no results, which means there is no ore here. Changing locations gives us a better chance. Ore is usually found in drier and more treacherous mountain ranges.”

Kele looked thoughtful and began asking about other things. Ivan chatted with him idly, and the day slowly passed.

That night, the group gathered around a campfire to keep warm.

“Since there is no ore here, Tuoweisi and I are planning to move to another area. We will leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

At these words, Hubaiguo’s expression shifted. Kele, unaware of the schemes at play, looked reluctant to see them go. He opened and closed his lips, seemingly wanting to ask them to stay but not knowing how to start.

Tuoweisi said nothing, silently adding firewood to the blaze.

When the night grew dark and Ivan finished his business, preparing to return to the tent, Hubaiguo, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

“Before we part ways, perhaps we should resolve the matter we discussed earlier.”

Ivan’s steps halted, and Tuoweisi’s expression hardened. The tension between them was palpable.

Hubaiguo sent Kele, who looked worried and confused, back to his tent and returned to the fire. He looked at Ivan, who had not yet left, and a grin spread across his rugged face.

“We had an agreement that you would help me deal with Yinsa once we entered the mining area. What is this? Why are you actually looking for some broken rocks now?”

Ivan’s expression did not change. He crouched before the crackling fire, his eyes reflecting the flames, and spoke calmly. “That is true. But you chose to bring me into the mining area, which slowed Tuoweisi down. If you had let Lotte and Tuoweisi enter together, dealing with Yinsa would have been easy. You insisted on bringing me, and now Tuoweisi has to protect me. Where would he find the time to settle your scores?”

Hubaiguo’s smile froze, as he could not provide a reasonable explanation for his actions.

Ivan stood up and brushed the dust from his hands. “Let us just call the cooperation off then.”

“Haha.” Watching Ivan’s graceful departure, Hubaiguo laughed aloud. “Do you really think that after hearing such vital information from me, you can just call off our cooperation whenever you feel like it?”

Ivan turned back, staring at Hubaiguo’s malicious smile, and slowly frowned.

Tuoweisi, who had been standing to the side, stepped in front of Ivan upon hearing this, his body tensed.

“What do you mean?” Ivan asked.

Hubaiguo stood up, kicked the dying embers of the fire, and stepped closer. “Have you not felt anything unusual with your body lately?”

Ivan’s complexion turned ghastly. He immediately thought of the unusual chill he had felt the previous night. He asked coldly, “You poisoned me?”

Hearing this, Tuoweisi’s brow furrowed.

“I did not want to, but having a backup plan never hurts. Look, are we not in this situation now?” Hubaiguo’s laugh was coarse, his face feigning innocence. “As long as you help me deal with Yinsa, I will keep my promise to you. We can just pretend none of this ever happened.”

The fire extinguished completely, and Hubaiguo disappeared into his tent, leaving only Ivan and Tuoweisi in the dark, their expressions grim.

“Where do you feel unwell?” Back in the tent, Tuoweisi hesitated before asking Ivan, who had remained silent since the confrontation.

Ivan lowered his gaze and took off his jacket. “I felt cold last night, and there was an itching sensation deep within my bones. I thought it was just the freezing temperature, but now it seems…”

Tuoweisi understood the implication. He clenched his fists, feeling a deep sense of guilt. He had promised to protect the male, yet this happened on only the second day. He had never heard of such a poison, let alone resorted to such tactics. Hubaiguo was truly contemptible.

“What should we do now?” Tuoweisi asked tentatively. He was curious to see what decision the male would make in this situation.

“One step at a time, I suppose.” Ivan sighed helplessly, pulling his jacket over his head. “Let us sleep first.”

Watching the male act like an ostrich hiding its head in the sand, Tuoweisi felt his own tension ease slightly, and he lay down to rest.

However, despite Ivan’s casual demeanor, he lay awake the entire night, unable to sleep even as Tuoweisi finally managed to get a good night’s rest.