bookbashuk Chapter 165 Sleepless Night
Chapter 165 Sleepless Night
By the time we returned to the temporary camp, it was completely dark.
Lynn carefully placed the still unconscious Vivian on a bed covered with dried leaves and banana leaves, and had Lydia help her put on her coat.
The girl's eyes were tightly closed, her long eyelashes casting shadows in the firelight, and the blush on her face still lingered from before she fainted, though her breathing gradually became steady.
Lydia frantically tried to start a fire—with Lynn's guidance, she clumsily attempted several times before finally managing to ignite the dry leaves.
The orange flames leaped up, dispelling the chill of the forest night and bringing a sense of security.
In the firelight, her thin shirt, exposed long legs, and the lingering blush on her face made her look exceptionally charming.
Lynn added the dried branches he had gathered to the fire, then dealt with the stream python's carcass, taking some valuable materials and some food for making roast meat. He then dragged the rest away and buried it to prevent the smell of blood from attracting other predators.
After doing all this, he returned to the fire and sat down, his wet trousers steaming in the heat of the fire.
The atmosphere was somewhat silent, with only the crackling of burning firewood and the faint chirping of insects in the distance.
"Uncle..." Lydia hugged her knees, sat on the other side of the fire, and said softly, "Thank you so much for saving us again today."
Lynn poked at the fire with a twig. "I'm glad you're all alright."
"Will Vivian be alright?" Lydia asked worriedly, looking at her sleeping best friend.
"It's probably just shock and emotional distress; she'll be fine after a good night's sleep." Lynn glanced at Vivian. "Let her get some rest."
Another silence followed.
The forest was not quiet at night; the howls of unknown wild beasts could be heard in the distance, and the rustling of nocturnal animals moving through the grass nearby.
Each unusual sound made Lydia flinch nervously, unconsciously moving closer to the fire and Lynn.
Lynn glanced at the sky, then at the two girls by the fire, and stood up: "There's enough firewood in the fire to last until late into the night."
"You all stay here and don't wander off. I'm going out to keep watch; I'll be nearby."
"Keeping watch?"
Lydia abruptly looked up, her eyes filled with unease: "Uncle, are you going out? Just... just the two of us here?"
"Don't worry, I'll stay around the camp and won't go far. I'll handle anything that happens immediately."
Lynn reassured them, "You should all get some rest."
"But...but..." Lydia bit her lip, her eyes darting around.
Having experienced a series of frights during the day, she simply couldn't imagine how she could face the boundless darkness of the forest while staying in this fragile shelter.
The strange sounds seemed to be amplified, and every shadow looked like a lurking monster.
Vivian, lying on the bed, didn't seem to be sleeping soundly either, letting out soft sobs in her sleep as she curled up.
Lydia glanced at her best friend, then at Lynn who was about to turn and leave. Mustering her last bit of courage, she spoke in a weak but clear voice, "Uncle... could... could you... not go out to keep watch?"
Lynn stopped and looked back at her.
Lydia's face was burning red in the firelight. She lowered her head, avoiding Lynn's eyes, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her shirt. "We...we're a little scared..."
"Can't sleep..."
"Could you... please... stay here with us... and keep watch?"
After she finished speaking, she was so embarrassed that she almost buried her head in her knees.
Why would you leave a middle-aged man, whom you've only known for less than a day and who is of the opposite sex, to sleep in such a cramped space?
This was a hundred times more humiliating than asking him to let her out for fresh air while she was showering! But fear overwhelmed everything.
Lynn paused, looking at the girl trembling slightly with shyness and fear, and then at Vivian, who was sleeping soundly on the other side and seemed to lack a sense of security as well. Her plan to keep her distance wavered.
He knew they were genuinely scared.
Today's experience was far too stimulating for the two pampered princesses.
He sighed, walked back to the fire, and sat down. "Alright. Then I won't go out."
He turned and shouted into the dark night outside the shelter, "Greyfeather!"
Pulling-Ling—a shrunken version of Skyfall (Grey Feather) flew down from a nearby branch and landed on Lynn's shoulder, tilting its head to look at him.
"You'll have to work hard tonight, taking charge of perimeter security," Lynn instructed.
Chongtian (Grey Feather) looked at Lynn with its sharp eagle eyes, then at Lydia, whose face was flushed, and Vivian, who was sleeping, by the fire. A kind of extremely human understanding seemed to flash in its eyes.
It delivered a sarcastic remark in a sound only Lynn could hear: "Boss, you had a really fulfilling holiday, didn't you? Got into another love affair? Two, no less?"
Lynn's face darkened, and he glared at it: "Enough talk! Get to work!"
Chongtian (Grey Feather) let out a disgruntled cry, flapped its wings, and flew away into the night, taking on the role of a sentry.
Lydia visibly relaxed when Lynn agreed to stay, a relieved smile appearing on her face: "Thank you, Uncle!"
"Go to sleep." Lynn said succinctly, closed her eyes, and lay down.
Lydia looked at the cramped bed—which was actually just a thick layer of dried plants on the floor, barely big enough for two or three people to lie down.
She hesitated for a moment, but then lay down next to Lynn.
The shelter fell silent, save for the even breathing and the crackling of the fire.
Lynn was indeed quite tired. He had been fighting and running around all day, and his mind had been constantly on edge.
He relaxed his body, adjusted his breathing, and prepared to enter a state of light sleep.
However, it wasn't long before he discovered that this was almost impossible.
The small shelter had limited space, and the faint fragrance of the two girls, a blend of the freshness of the stream and their unique body scent, drifted into his nostrils.
Lydia, in particular, seemed to be slightly warm due to nervousness and shyness, making her warm fragrance even more pronounced.
What's even more deadly is the feel.
At first, things were fine; everyone kept their distance.
But as time went on, perhaps because of the coolness of the forest night, or perhaps because they were searching for a source of warmth in their sleep, the two girls began to unconsciously move toward the campfire and Lynn.
First was Lydia. She turned over in her sleep, and her arm unconsciously reached out and wrapped around Lynn's waist.
The soft, warm touch of his arm was felt through the thin shirt.
Then, she seemed to find the pillow very comfortable and snuggled closer to it. As a result, the full and proud softness inevitably pressed against Lynn's arms and sides, and the amazing elasticity and warmth could be clearly felt through the thin fabric.
Lynn's body stiffened instantly, and his breath caught in his throat.
This is not over yet.
Vivian, on the other side, also seemed to feel the attraction of the heat source.
She murmured something in her sleep, then turned over, her little hand groping around until it finally rested on Lynn's flat, firm stomach.
Seemingly finding the abs quite appealing, she unconsciously gave them a light squeeze with her small hand.
At the same time, a smooth, fair, and slender leg was unceremoniously lifted up and straddled Lynn's legs, seeking warmth.
The two girls, one on each side, almost sandwiched Lynn in the middle.
Their warm, soft skin, delicate touch, subtle fragrance, and unconscious, dependent closeness... were like the softest shackles, binding Lynn tightly.
Lynn felt as if the blood in his body was flowing faster, and a certain indescribable part of his body began to react uncontrollably, while the tight pants brought an embarrassing sense of pressure.
He took a deep breath and silently recited a calming mantra, trying to dispel the inappropriate thoughts in his mind.
But the girls seemed to think it wasn't enough.
Lydia wrinkled her small nose in her sleep, tightened her arms around him, buried her face in Lynn's side, and murmured indistinctly, "Hmm... the bear... seems to have gotten hard..."
She seemed to be treating Lynn like a teddy bear.
Lynn: "..."
Vivian snuggled closer, sliding her thigh across his lap slightly to find a more comfortable position, letting out a soft, satisfied moan: "Mmm...so warm..."
The girls' unconscious murmurs and movements scratched at Lynn's rational defenses like feathers.
The delicate touch, the warm body temperature, the dependent posture, and the increasingly rich, sweet fragrance of a young girl lingering around the nose... all made the temperature in this small space seem to be constantly rising.
Lynn stood stiffly, not daring to move, and even had a fine layer of sweat on his forehead.
He felt as if he were undergoing a sweet yet cruel punishment.
A soaring natural sound, laced with undisguised mockery, drifted from outside: "Boss, do you need me to fly a little further away to make room for you? It looks pretty 'hot' in here."
"Get lost!" Lynn retorted irritably.
He closed his eyes, trying to focus his attention elsewhere.
He tried to ignore the temptations coming from both sides of his body, temptations strong enough to shake even a saint.
This night was destined to be a long and agonizing one for Lynn.
He not only had to be wary of external dangers, but also had to fight against the turmoil in his heart and the instinctive reactions of his body.
Meanwhile, the two instigators slept soundly beside him, completely unaware of the trouble they had caused this reliable Baki-san.
Lynn stared at the shelter's roof and sighed for the hundredth time.
If I had known this would happen, I would have been better off dealing with the rivalry between Veritas and Lia in Hanhe New City!
At least... it doesn't test your willpower!