Soulbound: Chronicles Of A Shadow Assassin-Chapter 38: The Only One

Mingyu’s eyes slowly fluttered open, his gaze blurry and unfocused. He blinked groggily, trying to clear the haze from his mind, and the first thing he saw was someone’s face, inches from his own—the person’s warm breath fanning against his face.

"Mingyu’s eyes snapped wide, his instincts screaming at him to create distance. In a reflexive burst, he jerked upright, his face crashing into the person’s."

"Argh!" Mingyu and Jiang Yichen both groaned in unison from the pain inflicted on their skulls.

Mingyu’s body erupted in a fresh wave of pain as his injuries protested the sudden, jerky movement. He gritted his teeth, trying to catch his breath as the agony washed over him.

Jiang Yichen’s scolding voice cut through the haze, his tone a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "That’s the thanks I get for taking care of you? A headbutt?"

Mingyu winced, defending himself as he gingerly touched his sore head. "Why were you looming over me like that? You were practically on top of me." He shot Jiang Yichen a suspicious glance, his eyes narrowing. "What were you doing, anyway?"

Jiang Yichen’s expression remained deadpan, but a hint of mischief danced in his eyes. "I was just checking if you were still breathing. For a moment there, I thought you might as well be dead." His voice was dry, but Mingyu detected a hint of teasing beneath the surface.

Mingyu groaned, clutching at his aching body as he shifted into a more comfortable position. "It feels like I’ve got a couple of broken bones," he complained, his voice laced with discomfort.

Jiang Yichen raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Oh, don’t be dramatic. The physician said you were fine. Your injuries weren’t that deep."

Mingyu’s whining trailed off, replaced by a subtle embarrassment as he met Jiang Yichen’s gaze. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice tinged with sheepishness. He looked down at himself, muttering under his breath. "It’s this stupid body’s fault. So damn weak."

Speaking of Mingyu’s body, Jiang Yichen was reminded of the unusual occurrence with Mingyu’s eyes, and he decided to approach the subject with caution, not wanting to alarm Mingyu in his already sorry state. "Did you, uh, notice anything off about your body earlier?" he asked, choosing his words carefully. "Like, did you feel something unnatural when you were falling in and coming out of unconsciousness?"

Mingyu’s expression transformed into genuine confusion. He stared at Jiang Yichen, then shook his head. "I was unconscious," he pointed out, his tone incredulous. "How can you ask an unconscious person if they noticed something while they were out?"

Jiang Yichen suppressed an eye-roll, a hint of amusement dancing on his lips. "Never mind," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "You’re fine now, and that’s all that matters."

Mingyu’s dissatisfaction lingered, a nagging feeling that Jiang Yichen was hiding something. He opened his mouth to press for answers, but Jiang Yichen swiftly changed the subject, his tone light and conversational.

"Why did you say you poisoned me?" Jiang Yichen asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "If you had pretended you didn’t know anything, they wouldn’t have tortured you."

Mingyu’s intention to ask Jiang Yichen about his earlier concern was forgotten in an instant. He was successfully distracted from the subject of what had gone wrong with him, and his gaze drifted, his expression turning bold and nonchalant. "I had to make them believe you were dying," he explained, his voice tinged with a hint of pride. "Otherwise, they wouldn’t have unsealed your spiritual core. They would have just made an antidote."

Jiang Yichen’s expression softened, his playful demeanor replaced by genuine concern. "So you really did risk your life," he said, his voice low and serious.

Mingyu waved him off, downplaying the risk he had taken with a dismissive gesture. "I thought I might lose an arm or a leg, but I’m surprisingly fine," he said, his tone casual. "If this is how they torture people..." He clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock disappointment, "..the Mages of Jinxing are too nice for their own good."

Silence reigned between them after Mingyu’s words. The silence that followed was brief, but it was long enough for Mingyu to notice Jiang Yichen’s pale complexion when he glanced at him. "By the way, you still seem pretty sick yourself," Mingyu said, his brow furrowed in concern. "Why are you here instead of resting?"

Jiang Yichen’s response was immediate, his expression incredulous. He looked at Mingyu as if he had asked the most absurd question in the world. "What am I doing here?" he scoffed, his tone laced with amusement. "Obviously, to take care of you." He spoke begrudgingly.

Jiang Yichen’s gaze locked onto Mingyu’s, his eyes burning with a serious intensity. "Most of the physicians here are mages," he explained, his tone measured. "I had to make sure they didn’t find out about you." A hint of teasing crept into his voice, but he masked it with a serious expression. "So, I was the one who changed your clothes for you, applied ointment to your wounds, and gave you massages whenever you unconsciously groaned and turned in discomfort."

Mingyu’s face flushed, and he clutched his robes, pulling them tighter over his already covered body. He felt a surge of embarrassment, his mind racing with the implications of Jiang Yichen’s actions. "You did?" he asked in a low voice, attempting to sound nonchalant despite his discomfort.

Jiang Yichen didn’t hesitate, enjoying Mingyu’s reaction. "Yes," he said, his voice low and husky. He smirked, sitting down beside Mingyu on the bed. "I’m the only one safe enough to come this close to you." His gaze held Mingyu’s, the intensity making Mingyu shift uncomfortably. "You said so yourself... Remember?"

Jiang Yichen slowly began to lean in closer, making Mingyu feel a sense of déjà vu. Jiang Yichen’s actions were a mimic of Mingyu’s own, from the same night he had uttered those fateful words. Mingyu’s mind whirled, unsure of what to make of Jiang Yichen’s actions.

He moved back a bit, his eyes narrowing, What’s with him? Did the poison mess up with his brain?’ Mingyu thought.