Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 295: Chapter 296 - Ash covered sky

The sun was at the horizon casting a pale gold light over a world.

The once-bustling streets were now an eerie graveyard, filled with the thick stench of burning flesh and the oppressive weight of silence.

Ash floated through the air like snow, blanketing everything in a dull, grey coat of sorrow.

The flames had died down, but the heat still lingered, hanging heavy in the air like a ghost that refused to leave.

Yunfeng stood in the middle of it all.

His face was streaked with soot, white hair now speckled black with ash. His blue-green eyes stared out over the smoldering ruins, the glow in them still sharp but his expression unreadable. Slowly, almost numbly, he looked down at his hands.

Hands that had once held books and drawn doodles in the margins of his notes.

Hands that had now taken lives.

He exhaled shakily. Just a month ago, he had been a student — ordinary, full of complaints about assignments, too tired to get up for morning classes, always caught doodling in the margins of test papers. Just a month ago, he was arguing with his sister over snacks and playing with Jai and sneaking out to see Muchen. Just a month ago, he had never imagined this... that his life would change into this.

A killer. That’s what he was now. A weapon born of fire.

”Yunfeng!”

The voice cut through the haze, sharp and warm all at once.

He turned.

Muchen stood outside their house, a bright grin lighting up his slightly pale face. His hair was tousled, probably from having run outside too quickly. His hand rested gently on his belly.

Yunfeng stared for a heartbeat too long.

Then he bolted.

He ran across the scorched ground like a boy possessed. He crashed into Muchen, wrapping both arms around him tightly, burying his face into his neck. Everything — the fire, the blood, the smell, the memories — all of it melted away the second Muchen hugged him back.

”Whoa,” Muchen chuckled softly, patting his back. ”Easy there. Don’t forget I’m carrying precious cargo.”

Yunfeng grinned against his shoulder, but didn’t let go.

”I didn’t forget.” He loosened his grip just enough to lean back, placing a soft kiss on Muchen’s cheek. His voice cracked with emotion. ”It’s... it’s a gift, to be able to see your face again.”

Muchen rolled his eyes, though his smile betrayed him. ”Are you just calling me a pretty face?”

”No.” Yunfeng rested his head on Muchen’s shoulder again, eyes fluttering shut for a second. ”You look like home to me.”

Muchen’s grin widened and he leaned in, kissing the tip of Yunfeng’s soot-smudged nose.

”Yes, yes,” he murmured fondly, ”I’m your home. And you’re mine.”

”Okay, sappy lovey-dovey couple, can you please move out of the way?” Zei’s voice cut through the tender moment like a blunt knife.

Yunfeng and Muchen turned to see him stumbling tiredly toward the house, his face pale and sweaty. His steps were unsteady, like someone running on fumes. Right behind him came Lu Zhi, panting and flushed, barely able to hold the three heavy bags of weapons slung across his shoulders. The boy looked like he was seconds from collapsing, his arms trembling from the weight.

”Whoa, Brother Yunfeng,” Lu Zhi gasped, slowing down as he caught sight of him. His eyes went wide, and then he quickly looked away, cheeks turning red. ”You, uh... you really need to get some fireproof clothes...”

Only then did Yunfeng realize. The heat from the explosions, his flame form—it had burned off most of his outfit again, leaving him with just scraps clinging to his waist. His backside was completely exposed. He didn’t even react at first, too exhausted from everything to care.

Muchen, however, reacted instantly.

With a sigh and a mutter, he pulled off his own shirt and quickly wrapped it around Yunfeng’s waist, covering the exposed skin.

”Yep,” Zei muttered as he brushed past, not even bothering to look. ”We really don’t want to see that flat pale ass.”

Yunfeng’s eyes narrowed. ”My ass is not flat,” he grumbled.

”It’s like a pancake,” Zei said over his shoulder, chuckling as he yanked open the door and pulled Lu Zhi in behind him. The kid didn’t argue—he just shuffled along, red-faced and wheezing under the load of stolen weaponry.

Left outside, Yunfeng quickly adjusted the shirt tighter around his waist, tying it properly so it wouldn’t fall. Muchen chuckled, brushing some soot off Yunfeng’s cheek.

”I guess I should start wearing two shirts on me... one for you, every time you burn your clothes off,” he said teasingly.

Yunfeng laughed, the tension in his chest finally easing just a little. ”Nah... maybe I should just get used to being naked around people.”

Muchen’s smile dropped immediately. He gave Yunfeng a pointed look, brows raised high. ”No. Absolutely not. You are not exposing your genitals around. There are kids here. And Hana.”

Yunfeng made a face, his expression scrunching up with clear revulsion. ”Eww, no,” he muttered, genuinely horrified at the thought. ”Okay, point taken.”

Muchen sighed and flicked his forehead lightly. ”Good. The last thing your sister needs to see is your ding-dongs flapping around.”

”Stop calling it ding-dongs.”

”Then stop making public nudity a habit,” Muchen shot back, smirking as he walked ahead toward the house.

”its not by choice...” Yunfeng grumbled under his breath, but the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile.

Hana came running out of her room with Yuki in her arms, the girl holding tightly to her monkey. Her hair was mussed, and her face was flushed with relief and emotion. ”Yunfeng... you... you can see!” she cried out, her voice cracking with joy.

She didn’t wait for him to respond—she just ran into his arms and hugged him as tightly as she could without crushing Yuki between them. Yunfeng stood there for a moment, slightly stunned, before gently wrapping his arms around her, careful of Muchen’s shirt still tied around his waist.

”Eww,” Hana suddenly pulled back, her nose scrunching. ”You stink. And you’re half-naked.”

Still, she kept her arms loosely around him. ”But I still love you, brother.”

Yunfeng patted the top of her head with a faint laugh. ”I’m not dying, so don’t start professing your undying love for me.”

Then he looked at her properly—squinting, recoiling slightly with exaggerated offense. ”Ugh. I think my newly regained eyesight can’t handle seeing such an ugly face first thing.”

”YOU!” Hana shrieked, glaring up at him. She smacked his shoulder with a little fist, and Yunfeng just laughed harder. ”You ass! I’m pretty and I know it!”

”Yeah, yeah,” Yunfeng said with a snort, ruffling her hair as he walked past.

He stepped into the hallway, where Grandpa Kailun and Qiu Yue were waiting just outside their rooms. The older man had his arms folded and a stiff expression on his face, but as Yunfeng approached, his eyes softened—just barely. He stepped forward and patted Yunfeng firmly on the back.

”Good work there, kid,” Kailun said, voice quiet but heavy with pride. ”I’m glad you’ve regained your powers.”

”I’m glad too,” Yunfeng replied, smiling wide. Without warning, he leaned in and hugged the stiff old man tightly. ”Thanks, Grandpa.”

Kailun went rigid in his arms, clearly not used to the gesture, but he didn’t push Yunfeng away. He even gave the boy one more pat on the back before stepping back, trying to hide the way the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

Yunfeng’s gaze lingered on the closed door at the end of the hallway. ”How’s Jai?”

Muchen stepped up beside him, worry settling into his tired features. He rubbed at his arm, eyes dropping to the floor. ”He’s... not doing good. He keeps fussing and moaning that it’s uncomfortable. He is restless.”

Yunfeng nodded, jaw tightening slightly. Of course. It made sense—Shao’s presence alone was overwhelming. In this state, it must have felt unbearable to Jai.

As they stepped into their room, Muchen gently closed the door behind them. The moment they were alone, his shoulders slumped slightly.

”Yunfeng,” he murmured, quietly settling onto the edge of the bed, ”why didn’t I have a heat?”

Yunfeng blinked, a little taken aback by the question. He sat beside him, his hand instinctively reaching out to find Muchen’s.

”You did,” Yunfeng said gently, brows furrowed. ”Or else... how could you get pregnant?”

He shook his head, brushing his fingers over Yunfeng’s knuckles. ”Not like them... not like what Shao and Jai are going through. I’ve never felt something that intense. I didn’t feel like I was losing myself or couldn’t breathe. I didn’t feel...” He trailed off, sighing deeply. ”I guess it just worries me. I don’t understand what makes mine different.”

Yunfeng leaned in slowly, his head gently pressing against Muchen’s stomach, arms curling around his waist like he needed to anchor himself there. He could feel the warmth of lovers body beneath the thin shirt, the steady beat of a life growing inside.

”It’s because Shao is an extreme alpha,” Yunfeng whispered. ”His pheromones are strong—too strong. Intense and focused. It’s like fire being poured onto dry leaves. Jai never stood a chance.” His thumb rubbed slow, soothing circles against the curve of Muchen’s stomach. ”Maybe Jai’s an extreme omega. It would explain why it’s affecting him so much. Why even the distance didn’t help.”

Muchen didn’t reply immediately. He took a damp cloth and began gently wiping the soot and grime from Yunfeng’s face. Yunfeng closed his eyes and leaned into the touch.

”I’m glad though,” Muchen said softly, voice dipping low, almost hesitant. ”That you don’t lose control like Shao does.”