Chapter 254 – Bao (2)

After a brief meal with Sansuyu, I used my healing ability on her, as was customary. Feeling the fatigue dissipate from my body, I sought out Tae-yang for a private conversation.

We met in a room café within the building, where I helped myself to complimentary high-quality cake and coffee as we discussed my concerns.

“So, what do you think?”

Bao had been challenging me to duels in my room for the past few days – showing up at any opportunity.

Although I’d humored him once or twice with a smile, I couldn’t ignore his persistent visits – sometimes two or three times a day. I knew I had to deal with him somehow, but his stubbornness was no joke.

Sharing my worries with Tae-yang, he nonchalantly ate his luxurious cake with a spoon, as if it was no big deal.

“Beat him.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it because he sees you as prey?”

Tae-yang raised a finger, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He licked the chocolate cream from his lips and laughed.

“A horse needs spurs, whether gentle or fierce, and a female tree, whether kind or cruel, requires a club.”

“That sounds a bit off.”

“It’s only natural for my older brother, King Mokryeong, to dominate females.”

King Mokryeong, Tae-yang, and Aori never miss an opportunity to emphasize that I am King Mokryeong. I understand that they want to remind me of the heavy responsibility I bear, but honestly, it still doesn’t feel real.

“By the way, brother,” Tae-yang said, setting down the fork he’d been using to eat the cake.

“Is there a reason why Sister Sansuyu enters your room without a word, unlike the other women?”

“Are Suyu and her the same? They’re fundamentally different.”

I replied, somewhat annoyed.

Just having Suyu by my side is healing. Her plump cheeks, or the faint, pleasant scent that wafts around us when we’re close. She possesses a charming talent.

There’s a reason Sansuyu therapy exists. Nowadays, there’s no hesitation in physical contact, so she often rests her chin on my belly, or caresses my hands. I can feel that ticklish warmth from Sansuyu, just like when watching innocent children.

“On the other hand, what about Baobab?”

As soon as I see him, I’m taken aback. Merely being beside me evokes the atmosphere of an intense, high-level fighting game. Whether it’s a fierce close-quarters battle with sweat pouring down, or the inevitable need to use joint techniques, he has a talent for unnerving people.

After I explained the whole story in great detail, Tae-yang yawned with his chin held, as though he didn’t quite understand what I was saying.

“In other words, you prefer Sansuyu over Baobab, right?”
“Yes, that’s true.”

I can’t live without Sansuyu.

Her soft, adorable charm is nearly unparalleled in this world.

Of course, our bond was profound, and since he had treated me without hesitation even during my lowly days, I genuinely wanted to reciprocate that level of care.

“But why does Baobab start swinging his fists as soon as he sees me?”
“He knows you bedded him.”

True. But to be honest, that was a regrettable accident.

No matter how skilled one is in the erotic arts, it has little effect against someone who doesn’t feel the desire. I could have used more potent techniques, but I refrained. Even if I had stimulated Baobab’s erogenous zones with all my might, it would only dispel the thrill of combat, not increase sexual arousal. In fact, when I employed my erotic techniques, women always reached climax, but Baobab didn’t.

‘His sensitivity must be low.’

Uh, am I having lewd thoughts? With a man before me, I feel like a lioness on the prowl. As I’ve gained experience, I can now gauge a woman’s level of arousal. As King Mokryeong grew stronger and learned the erotic arts, he honed his skills in this area.

So I thought it was alright.

I intended to flee without any reservations, but suddenly, he sprang up and pounced on me.

“You could have escaped easily, yet you welcomed being tackled, didn’t you?”

That’s true as well.
There’s no excuse for it.

Tae-yang bit the straw and gulped down the coffee. The well-known brand of iced coffee was emptied in no time. He took his lips off the straw and shrugged his shoulders.

“Having done it once, is there any reason you can’t do it twice? Last time, you were haphazardly tackled before you ran away, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll show you one more time.”
“What?”

Tae-yang, with a serious expression, raised one corner of his mouth.

“Who’s on top, demonstrated with a bat.”

* * * * * * * *

“Hey.”

-thud!

Fists relentlessly raining down this evening as well.

But this time, there was a difference—he didn’t bend his knees.

Owing to this, Bao found himself looking up at me. Perhaps this was unexpected, as he hesitated for a moment, appearing slightly flustered, but then he quickly regained his composure and pushed me.

“Let’s begin.”

As I subtly shifted my gaze to the side, I noticed Tae-yang and Aori in the next room. They had only slightly opened the door and were peeking out, watching me. On the A4 paper Aori held, there was a message scrawled in her handwriting:

[Obey the king’s command ♡]

What did this “obey the king’s command” mean? What an intriguing response.

“What are you thinking? Do you want to die?”

I gently grasped Bao’s wrist. It was stiff from the force I applied. I pulled Bao through the partially-opened door.

“Ha, finally submitting, are you?”

With arms folded beneath his chest and legs slightly spread apart, he struck a confident pose. I stared intently at Bao and exhaled a deep sigh from the depths of my soul.

“How long will you keep this up? I lose every time we face off, isn’t it time to admit defeat?”
“I’ve never lost.”

Baobab would never show signs of surrender until he passed out. She glared fiercely and grabbed me by the collar.

“The one who wins last is the true victor. Don’t you know that?”
“I’m not a child.”
“Well, you’ve had an easy life, so I guess you wouldn’t know.”

Baobab released my collar and gave me a light push before curling her fists and assuming her stance. I looked at her with disdain. Baobab turned on the light, revealing her slightly torn clothes within the illuminated room. Her attire was always quite revealing, no matter when I saw her.

Baobab squinted her eyes and smirked, as if to provoke me. She always had an abundance of confidence.

“Stop making that foolish face and get into position, will you?”
“Is fighting only once or twice enough? Do you really think you’re going to win?”
“Are you done talking?”

From now on, being overwhelmed by her momentum was a thing of the past.

Instead of persuading with words, it had been far more efficient and quicker to stun him physically. So far, that had been the strategy, but now, they decided to follow Tae-yang’s advice.

“It’s a waste of time.”

Not even assuming a fighting stance, they insolently sat on the sofa, legs trembling.

“Why not go out, train a bit more, then come back? It’s the same every time, and it’s not entertaining at all.”

Now, there was no intention to fight. Baobab’s face revealed his surprise as they went forth with bravado. For someone who had been accommodating until now, this sudden change of attitude was bewildering.

They crossed their legs.

Tomorrow, another trial would bring its fair share of suffering. Baobab becoming entangled wasn’t what they wanted.

“Not entertaining, you say?”

Baobab seemed particularly affected by that statement. He must have had a considerable amount of pride in his skills.

How petty.

Upon hearing that, a vein bulged on Bao’s forehead. He seemed ready to pounce on me at any moment and finish this.

When force is applied, veins rise in the forearms, and the whole body tenses and stiffens. Her golden eyes shone even brighter beneath the electric lamp.

“Try walking on something.”
“…Why me?”
“Then give up on finding your brother. I have no intention of fighting any further anyway.”

She strode away confidently.

What do I have to fear from her? With that mindset, she put her elbows on her knees, lowered her arms, and bowed her head. Our unblinking gazes connected for a while, and in the ensuing silence, I spoke up.

“Three rounds.”

Three chances.

“On equal terms as now, if you win even once, I’ll try my best to help you contact your brother.”
“Your words are vague.”
“Fine. I’ll make it happen somehow.”
“Hmph. If it was possible from the start, then why-“
“What?”
“…Nothing.”

I possess what Bao desires. We’ve been battling all this time, so how can I ask for it and manipulate it as I wish?

I am unsure if Bob will agree to meet Bao. Nonetheless, he accepted promptly.
Under the agreed conditions, I will never lose.

Next time, it’s my turn to make a request.

“So, what do you want?”

With a snicker, Bao smiles as if he’s curious to hear my request. In response, I murmured as sternly as possible, as if to issue a warning.

“Every time I win, I use your body as I please. I need to wager this much, don’t you think?”

Bao’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Ha!”

She leaned back, laughing incredulously.

“Hehehehe, this is insane. I thought you were betting something substantial, but it’s just that? I suppose your cock is drooping because you didn’t have a woman in your life?”

Look at what she’s saying.
All I could do was let out a hearty laugh.

“Ha.”

“It seems you think that because I’m a woman, I’ll be scared and run away if you make such a condition, but you’re gravely mistaken.”

Bao’s words, translated by the machine, were incredibly arrogant and haughty. He puffed out his chest as if to say he was different from the rest. Her combative gaze swept over my body. I resumed my stance.

“You’ll regret this.”
“Heh.”

She scoffed at my warning.

The bet was on. As soon as I stood up, Bao charged at me with her fists clenched. We fought, trying to avoid making too much of a commotion. Bao’s strength came not only from her physical abilities but also from her inexhaustible magical power.

– Whoosh!

I swiftly dodged her incoming fist and grappled Bao’s body.

“See?”

– Crash!

“You just can’t learn, can you?”

With that, I pinned her down and restrained her body.

“Ugh!”

This time, as if things were different, Bao countered by tightening her hold on me. But there was no way she could win.

I’ve never learned this type of combat style. Regardless of how much of a genius you may be, there’s always a limit to learning things just by observation.

This time, I intended to exert every ounce of strength in my body.

Until utterly drained, not even allowing myself to pass out.

I wrapped my arm around Baobab’s neck, pressing down on his windpipe. Will I lose like this yet again? Baobab, realizing the situation, desperately flailed, but once the choke was applied, there was no escaping it.

It’s a technique for killing people, not merely for competition. I even intervened personally to ensure a more definitive restraint and to make escape impossible.

The unarmed combat techniques in this place have evolved into a much more aggressive form compared to the world I once inhabited. Jiu-jitsu or capoeira, for instance. The names may be the same, but the essence is different.

The increase in average expected abilities has led to a growth in the variety of flexible movements that can be employed.

“Let go! Dammit. This wretched position again… Just kill me!”

Without responding, I maintained my hold for several minutes.

In a position of overpowering the opponent with hands and legs, as Bao’s consciousness began to fade, I loosened my grip on his arm slightly, bringing his awareness back.

“Damn, this guy.”

Curses slipped from my lips as the pain and torment persisted. I had no intention of stopping. Once more, I constricted Bao’s airway with my hand, pushing him to the brink of unconsciousness before disrupting his focus.

30 minutes.

Sweat flowed down our bodies, soaking into our clothes.

“Ha… ha, ha.”

Each time Bao managed to gasp for air, the breath he’d been holding back burst forth. A dry cough escaped him, and his body tensed. He grasped my arm as if seeking a way to escape, but his strength had all but vanished.

“Aren’t you going to surrender?”
“…Never, never.”

Defiantly, Bao endured the torment.

I tightened my grip around his airway once more, repeating the process.

1 hour.

As the once brightly shining eyes of Bao began to glaze over and lose focus.

Sweat drenched my entire body and underwear.
Due to the position, my knee had to press into Bao’s groin, and I felt moisture there.
Bao’s body, now entwined with my legs, had lost any hardness, leaving only the soft skin akin to a woman’s.

Gently stroking the nape of the neck with my hand, I felt the pulse beneath the skin.

“Not yet. I haven’t lost—never.”

He didn’t even bother to respond anymore.

Those excruciating hours spent struggling in a painful position, talking to the wall—it gradually chipped away at my sanity.

“Never…”

He wouldn’t say he surrendered anyway.
As I released the body, it stretched out like a frog.
Leaving the pooled sweat on the floor, I grasped Bao’s panting body and lifted it up.

“…Ha, ha.”

Breath surged from the body.

I hoisted Bao up and carried him straight to my room.
Tossing him onto the bed, he collapsed without resistance.

A faint floral scent lingered.

As I caressed her ebony-tinged thighs, a curse burst forth from her lips.

“Damn it.”

She looked at me as if her consciousness had returned. She lifted her legs and brought her thighs together.

The cadet uniform, crudely and savagely torn asunder, hung loosely, revealing what lay beneath with just a slight lift. Her underwear clung to her needlessly tight, leaving only stark white lines visible along the crevices. The faintly lighter hue of her intimate flesh was exposed, and that area was damp with sweat.

“…Perverted bastard.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Her awareness had returned too much. I didn’t mind hearing such words.

Now, it’s time for round two.