Werebeast Gongs CH 069 Berg's Comeuppance
When Lei Jin woke up, Moya was still asleep, though he had somehow shifted back to his human form during the night. Even so, he clung tightly to Lei Jin, their bodies pressed together without a hint of space between them.
The faint light of dawn filtered through the milky mist outside the cave, casting a soft glow. The sky wasn’t particularly bright, and the gentle patter of rain on leaves created a soothing sound. Beside him, the young man slept soundly, his brow relaxed and his lips slightly parted, exuding a rare innocence and tranquility.
Moya, Moya, Lei Jin silently called his name. Perhaps if Moya hadn’t left yesterday, he would have finally mustered the courage to end things clearly. After all, Lei Jin wasn’t one to drag things out. Being entangled with two brothers was something he couldn’t handle. Since he had chosen to accept Xiya, he had to let go of Moya.
When Moya had left, Lei Jin had rehearsed countless ways to start the conversation. But no matter how much he prepared, he hadn’t anticipated the landslide. When he heard the mountain collapse and thought Moya was in danger, he had been ready to risk his life to save him. If something had happened to Moya, he would have chosen to die with him. Thinking back on it now, even though it had been a fleeting thought, Lei Jin couldn’t help but shiver.
If he were to make the choice again now, sober and clear-headed, he probably wouldn’t do the same. At most, he’d do as he had told Moya on their way back: If you die early, I’ll bring someone new to your grave every year and have a few rounds of sex.
But the words to end things were impossible to say now. For once, Lei Jin wanted to play the ostrich, burying his head in the sand and pretending everything was fine. He decided to wait until Xiya was fully awake before addressing the issue. A day or two wouldn’t make much difference.
For the past couple of days, Lei Jin had allowed himself to indulge in the fleeting moments of happiness with Moya, savoring what he knew would soon come to an end.
“What are you thinking about now?” Moya’s voice broke the silence. He had woken up at some point, his expression still soft with sleepiness. He leaned over and playfully nipped Lei Jin’s nose, leaving behind two faint tooth marks.
“Since you’re awake, get up already,” Lei Jin said, pushing him away. What was the point of two grown men being so clingy first thing in the morning?
“En,” Moya agreed, helping Lei Jin sit up. He fetched the medicine bowl by the fire and began the morning routine of changing the dressing on Lei Jin’s shoulder wound.
“How does it feel these days?” Moya asked as he applied the ointment.
“Same as before,” Lei Jin replied. Mu Ye had already said the medicine would only prevent the wound from worsening, which implied it wouldn’t get better either.
“Once Elder Brother is better, we’ll head back. Chunji is a skilled healer. He’ll definitely cure you. Back then, when papa…” Moya trailed off, then continued, “Anyway, don’t worry. But the sooner we treat it, the better.”
Lei Jin knew that, but it seemed like accidents kept happening one after another.
“By the way, how’s the injury on your left leg?” Lei Jin asked, noticing Moya’s slight limp when he turned. This trip had been nothing but bad luck—injuries and illnesses left and right. When they got back, he’d have to take a saltwater bath and eat some pig trotter noodles to ward off the bad luck.
“It’s almost healed,” Moya said. They were just superficial wounds, not serious, but the lack of proper rest had delayed the healing process.
“Was it that goldfish who hurt you?” If Moya said yes, Lei Jin would definitely find a way to catch that fish and make soup out of it.
“No, it was from an eagle’s talons while I was gathering herbs on the cliff,” Moya explained. But mentioning Berg reminded him of the conch he had brought back. He had examined it several times but found nothing unusual—it was just a large conch.
“Take a look at this conch. See if there’s anything strange about it. I’ll make breakfast,” Moya said, handing the conch to Lei Jin before turning to prepare the meal.
He cooked porridge and roasted meat, then fed a still sleeping Xiya two cups of warm porridge. Moya and Lei Jin examined the conch for a while but still did not figure any use out of it. Due to a lack of information about the merfolk, there weren't even any clues to go off from.
Xiya was sleeping soundly, and only grumbled at them to go away if they had nothing better to do than be lovey-dovey. Over the past couple of days, Xiya had been waking up more often, but he was still groggy and would fall back asleep after a few words. Moya said that ample sleep was the best way for werebeasts to regain their strength. Seeing Xiya’s complexion improve day by day, Lei Jin decided to let him sleep as much as he needed.
“Let’s go for a walk by the sea. The rain’s lighter now,” Moya suggested, helping Lei Jin up. He made sure the cave entrance was securely blocked before they left.
“Bring the big wooden bucket,” Lei Jin reminded him.
The rain had indeed lightened to a drizzle. The path to the beach was muddy from the continuous downpour, so Moya carried Lei Jin on his back.
The sea was calm now. The two of them walked barefoot on the sand, letting the small waves wash over their feet before receding. The beach was littered with beautiful seashells, though Lei Jin wasn’t interested in them. He wasn’t a young girl, after all.
What he was looking for were edible shellfish—clams, oysters, crabs, and shrimp. Since the area was uninhabited, these creatures were plentiful and untouched except by seabirds. They were plump and large. Moya didn’t recognize them, so he followed Lei Jin’s instructions, catching this and that. At first, he got pinched by a crab a few times, but he soon got the hang of it.
Lei Jin had been eyeing these delicacies for a while, but with Moya missing and then Xiya injured, he hadn’t had the chance to gather them. Now that both were safe, he finally had the opportunity.
“Moya, we’ve hit the jackpot. Come here!” Lei Jin called from beside a large rock.
Thinking something had happened, Moya hurried over. Lei Jin excitedly pointed to a few black, spiny, soft creatures in the crevices of the rock.
“What are these? They look disgusting,” Moya said honestly.
“You have no taste,” Lei Jin scolded, glaring at him. It was a shame Moya didn’t recognize such a treasure. Lei Jin felt it was his duty to educate him. “These are sea cucumbers. They’re incredibly nourishing. Next time you see them, don’t hesitate—just grab them. These must have been washed ashore by the tide.”
Seeing Lei Jin’s enthusiasm, Moya reluctantly picked them up and tossed them into the bucket. Lei Jin carefully searched the rocks and found five sea cucumbers, each weighing over a pound. He was thrilled.
Moya indulged him, letting Lei Jin have his way.
“The rain’s picking up again. Let’s take shelter in that cave,” Moya suggested, leading Lei Jin to a small cave. The two of them squeezed inside, with Lei Jin practically sitting on Moya’s lap.
The distant forest and the nearby sea were shrouded in the fine mist of rain.
Moya turned his head and kissed Lei Jin, gently sucking on his tongue. Their kiss was quiet and tender, devoid of any lust, as they embraced in the drizzle.
When they finally pulled apart, they sat shoulder to shoulder. Lei Jin absentmindedly played with the conch he had brought along.
“Where did this conch come from? You’ve been staring at it for days,” Lei Jin asked, still unable to see anything special about it.
“Berg left it,” Moya admitted.
Lei Jin gave him a knowing look and handed it back. “Your old flame’s keepsake? Better take good care of it.” He had seen through Berg’s feelings at a glance. These things couldn’t escape his sharp eyes.
“Don’t be mad. Let me explain,” Moya said quickly, taking the conch.
“I’m not mad,” Lei Jin said with a smile, though his tone suggested otherwise. Even if Moya had slept with that goldfish, it wasn’t his business. But if that were true, he’d make sure Moya never got close to him again.
Knowing Lei Jin was upset, Moya hurriedly explained the whole story, including his suspicions about the conch. When it came to revenge, Lei Jin was all ears. He hadn’t forgotten how Berg had ambushed him and pulled out his hair.
“Hand it over. Let me take another look,” Lei Jin said, determined to examine the conch closely.
“Try blowing into it,” Lei Jin suggested. Since they couldn’t find anything unusual by looking, maybe the sound would reveal something.
Moya did as he was told, blowing into the conch. It produced a low, mournful sound, but nothing particularly special. Just as they were about to give up and toss it aside, the sea, which had been calm, suddenly churned violently.
Moya, with his keen werebeast eyes, was the first to see a massive fish approaching, with a strikingly tall and muscular man riding on its back. The man was heading straight for them.
Moya stood up, pulling Lei Jin into his arms. As the man drew closer, Lei Jin got a good look at him and muttered, “What, does he think he’s Poseidon? Making such a dramatic entrance.”
The enormous whale beached itself without hesitation, and the man jumped off, striding toward them. He had sharp, handsome features, deep blue hair and eyes, and wore a long blue robe.
He smiled politely but his eyes were fixed on the conch in Moya’s hand. Without preamble, he asked, “Where did you get that conch?”
“That doesn't seem to be any of your business,” Lei Jin retorted, his tone sharp. He didn’t take kindly to strangers being rude.
The man seemed to notice Lei Jin for the first time, giving him a once-over before saying to Moya, “He’s a pretty one, but his temper isn’t great.”
“I can handle it,” Moya replied matter-of-factly, earning a glare from Lei Jin. So you were “handling” me all this time?
The man raised an eyebrow, amused by their dynamic. He clearly hadn't expected Moya to admit it so honestly. Moya stepped in front of Lei Jin, shielding him from the man’s gaze.
“What do you want?” Moya asked, realizing the man must have been drawn by the conch’s sound. This had to be related to Berg.
“That conch was a gift to my mate. How did it end up in your hands?”
“Your mate? Berg?” Lei Jin and Moya exchanged glances, both finding it hard to believe. With his actions, Berg didn’t seem like he had a mate all this time.
“So you do know him. Do you know where he is now?” The man’s face showed genuine concern and urgency.
Moya hesitated. He had witnessed the fear in Berg’s eyes when he looked at the conch—it wasn’t the reaction of someone who had a loving mate. But Berg had hurt Lei Jin, and that was a fact.
Finally, Moya nodded but added cautiously, “We don’t know about your mate, but we found this conch on the beach.”
“So that little one’s home is here, huh? Let’s see where he can run to now,” the man said, his tone mild but his lips curling into a cold smile.
He pulled out a handful of large pearls from his pocket, their surfaces shimmering with a rosy hue, clearly very valuable, and handed them to Lei Jin. “These are for you, as a token of my gratitude.”
They thought the matter was settled. With Berg out of the picture and no threat from the merfolk, they could finally relax. Xiya, though still sleeping a lot, was now able to get up for meals three times a day. In a few more days, they could start their journey home.
But their peace lasted only three days. One morning, while Lei Jin and Moya were out gathering seafood, they found Berg behind a large rock. He was barely clothed, his spirit broken, his body covered in marks that spoke of intense intimacy. Even his once glorious golden hair looked dull, a far cry from his former arrogance.