CHAPTER 5 - Blood Oath of Brotherhood
[PART 3]
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At that moment, the leopard lost its patience and lunged at RongCheng and Yan Si, its claws swiping wildly as it forced them apart in opposite directions.
As it charged, RongCheng rolled aside to dodge but still managed to strike with his dagger, slashing across the beast's front leg and drawing a furious roar of pain.
Meanwhile, Yan Si was thrown off to the side. When he looked back and saw blood trickling from RongCheng's arm—clawed by the beast—his heart seized with fear. "Big brother!" he cried out.
RongCheng glanced back, signaling with his eyes that he was fine, urging Yan Si to fall back farther.
The leopard, now enraged by the wound, fixed its attention on RongCheng—the one who had harmed it. Scraping its claws against the earth, it gathered strength for another strike before pouncing again without warning.
"Be careful, big brother…" Yan Si couldn't bring himself to retreat. Watching RongCheng struggle so hard against the beast—how could he possibly stay still?
RongCheng wasn't just suffering surface wounds—he had internal injuries as well. His strength had significantly diminished, and with his injured leg, his movements were slow and strained. Fighting the leopard now placed him at a clear disadvantage.
It didn't take long before RongCheng was completely overwhelmed. He dodged and rolled to the best of his ability, but the leopard's attacks still landed. One fierce claw tore open the half-healed wounds on his chest, sending blood gushing once more. Seizing the chance, the beast pinned him beneath its paws.
Seeing that RongCheng was at a complete disadvantage, Yan Si threw himself forward without regard for his own safety, hoping to divert the leopard's attention. But the moment he rushed in, the beast swung its claw and sent him flying with a single blow.
And yet—it was in that instant, that single swipe which knocked Yan Si away, that the leopard exposed a fatal opening.
RongCheng seized the opportunity. With a surge of sheer will, he twisted free, flipped the dagger in his hand, and drove it straight into the leopard's heart in one swift, decisive motion.
The beast let out a final, piercing roar, staggered backward, and collapsed heavily to the ground—dead.
After surviving the deadly encounter, both were left shaken to the core. Yan Si struggled to his feet after being struck by the leopard and staggered toward RongCheng, calling out in desperation, "Big brother… are you alright? Please, you mustn't be hurt… You can't die…"
As he spoke, Yan Si checked RongCheng's pulse, then quickly took out some ground medicinal powder and carefully applied it to the worst of the bleeding wounds, whispering, "Hang in there… you mustn't die. I'll take you back to the cave."
RongCheng gave a faint nod, leaning on Yan Si to slowly rise to his feet, and the two made their way back step by step.
Once inside the cave, Yan Si gently laid RongCheng onto the stone bed before rushing to grind herbs and fetch water to treat his injuries.
Fortunately, RongCheng had done his best to avoid the leopard's fatal strikes—while his wounds looked serious on the surface, none were immediately life-threatening. Still, in his current state, he would clearly need to remain in the cave for several more days. With that thought, RongCheng let out a soft sigh. "I wonder how things are in the palace… I can't help feeling uneasy…"
He had thought he would be able to return in just a few days—who would've expected things to take such a turn?
While applying medicine by his side, Yan Si heard the sigh and—without warning—tears began rolling down his cheeks.
"Hey…" RongCheng noticed, startled. "Why are you crying? Stop that… come on now, don't cry…"
Yan Si quickly wiped his tears with the back of his hand, whispering as though blaming himself, "It's my fault… it's all because of me. If you hadn't gone with me, none of this would've happened…"
"Foolish child," RongCheng murmured as he reached out to pat Yan Si's head, his tone soft and comforting. "How can you blame yourself for that? If anything, it's thanks to your bravery that I made it out alive. You did great."
That last deadly encounter—had he not risked everything to rush in, RongCheng might have truly been torn apart by the leopard. Even when told to retreat, he refused to abandon him. On the contrary, he faced the danger head-on with unwavering resolve.
Truly, that's what it means to be a man.
To RongCheng, this little brother was someone he truly approved of. Though his appearance was unremarkable, his heart was remarkably pure. To be sworn brothers with someone like him—it was a bond well worth cherishing.
Hearing such praise, the worry and nervousness in Yan Si's chest suddenly bloomed into something bright and warm, like spring sunlight. He stammered, "I… I didn't really do anything…"
If anything, it was thanks to him! If RongCheng hadn't been there, he might have ended up a bag of bones, and truly, who knew how he would have survived then? This man was without a doubt the best big brother in the world!
Hearing the familiar phrase, RongCheng laughed again—this was exactly the little brother he had come to know.
While tending to RongCheng's wounds, Yan Si kept stealing glances at his expression, watching closely to see if his actions were causing any pain. After a while, he softly asked, "Big brother… are you worried about something?"
RongCheng didn't hide it. He nodded. "I'm worried about my spouse back home."
"Your… spouse?" The words struck Yan Si like a bolt of lightning. "Y-you're… already married?"
Yan Si hesitantly asked, "What… what is she like?"
RongCheng shook his head and answered bluntly, "Not a 'she.' He's a man."
"A man!?" How could two men marry?
"You must be joking, big brother…"
A man and another man? That was absolutely impossible—Yichang Hua had once told him so.
RongCheng didn't feel the need to explain anything to Yan Si. He simply shook his head and said, "You're still young. You wouldn't understand… so don't ask."
"Still young?"
Who was he calling young? Why did RongCheng always treat him like a child?
After pondering for a while, Yan Si lowered his voice and asked "Do you… love him deeply?"
"Love?" RongCheng nodded.
"Yes. I love him more than anything in this life. He means everything to me."
Love… what was it? How could someone love another so deeply, enough to overcome even life and death?
"And what about me?" Yan Si asked softly, his voice laced with a quiet longing. "Do you… care about me too?"
RongCheng looked at him in silence for a moment, then smiled gently.
"Of course. I care for you like my own blood… You are my dear little brother."
To Yan Si, affection was something distant and unfamiliar. Right now, his emotions were a haze—he didn't truly understand what he felt.
But hearing those words stirred something within him, just a little ripple in his chest… At least, there was someone out there who cared.
"To be sworn brothers with you… is already more than enough."