I’m Also Waiting for the Male Protagonist to Usurp the Throne Today

Huo Caiyu strolled towards the entrance of Wuyi Lane.

Chi Zhong Ming’s words proved to be true. Wuyi Lane was indeed lacking peace.

Before even stepping foot into Wuyi Lane, Huo Caiyu detected a subtle scent of burning and tung oil wafting from inside.

Drawing his sword from his waist, Huo Caiyu entered without hesitation.

Only moments ago, he had bid farewell to Chi Zhong Ming, and when he turned around, His Majesty had vanished completely.

His Majesty possessed no martial arts skills. He must have been abducted by an unknown thief.

Huo Caiyu promptly commanded a guard to gather the Imperial Guards while the remaining guards conducted separate searches. He himself ventured in a specific direction to investigate.

After considering and ruling out several potential options, Huo Caiyu eventually recalled Wuyi Lane, which Chi Zhong Ming had mentioned.

The distance between Dengbang Hall and Wuyi Lane was short, with just a few streets separating them.

Huo Caiyu combed the roadside, finally halting at the entrance of Wuyi Lane.

There was a clear sense of abnormality inside.

If he desired caution, the best course of action would be to wait for the arrival of the Imperial Guards, encircle Wuyi Lane, and gradually clear it out from within.

However, time was in short supply.

His Majesty remained in the clutches of those thieves.

The mere thought of his beloved being subjected to torture by an unfamiliar criminal ignited an intense anger within Huo Caiyu. It coursed through his veins, gripping his sword tightly, almost straining the blade of his green steel weapon.

Without hesitation, he proceeded straight ahead.

In the past, Wuyi Lane had served as the residence of affluent families during the former dynasty. However, with the establishment of the Di Dynasty, these once magnificent and prosperous noble estates were swiftly demolished, and the blood spilled during the looting stained the ground of Wuyi Lane a somber shade of red.

Rumors circulated about the enduring bitterness of a family wiped out and their ravaged home. This lingering resentment made Wuyi Lane an inhabitable place, shunned by all except the destitute beggars with nowhere else to turn.

The moment Huo Caiyu stepped into Wuyi Lane, a chill enveloped him, transporting him to a world distinctly colder than the temperature outside.

Without pausing, he maintained a firm grip on his sword hilt, drawing upon his inner strength to cautiously survey the surroundings, searching for any signs of the thief.

Suddenly, a glint of cold light flickered from behind him.

Instinctively, as if guided by unseen eyes, Huo Caiyu swiftly swung his sword backward, resulting in a spray of crimson blossoms.

The assailant crumpled to the ground.

Huo Caiyu pivoted around, lowering himself to unmask the fallen assassin.

Beneath the mask lay an unremarkable face, one that would easily blend into a crowd.

Huo Caiyu realized he had never encountered this person before. He inspected the body, discovering nothing more than ordinary night attire devoid of any identifying marks.

However, when he turned the assassin over, Huo Caiyu’s pupils involuntarily contracted.

The assassin wore a slim belt, adorned with black and gold stripes, tightly fastened around his waist.

In the entirety of Di Dynasty, only one individual possessed garments made from this particular fabric.

The Emperor.

Huo Caiyu drew a deep breath, briefly shutting his eyes.

Initially, his plan had been to enter and conduct a cursory investigation. If His Majesty was not present, he would promptly leave. However, it appeared that a thorough investigation was now necessary.

Rising to his feet once more, sword in hand, Huo Caiyu’s movements became fluid and graceful. His inner strength surged like crashing waves, obliterating the decaying houses in its wake. The aged wooden beams crumbled and were carried away by the force of his inner strength, reducing everything surrounding him to ruins.

Only when the destruction ceased did Huo Caiyu stopped, his gaze steely and resolute. Firmly gripping his sword, he advanced towards the depths of Wuyi Lane.

………

Upon entering Wuyi Lane, a faint smile curved the lips of Prime Minister Ye. “Hooked and trapped.”

Li Jinyu felt an overwhelming sense of unease, envisioning the peril Huo Caiyu might currently face.

Abandoning his attempts to persuade the black cat, Li Jinyu focused on freeing himself from its grasp. With his swiftness, he remained confident in his ability to swiftly locate Huo Caiyu and bring him back to the palace, provided the black cat refrained from intervening.

“I am still curious. Why do you protect Huo Caiyu so fiercely?” Prime Minister Ye’s demonic presence persisted, weighing down on Li Jinyu. His eyes gradually transformed into emerald green cat-like pupils, and his voice subtly carried a hint of jealousy. “Clearly, we both came from the same origin. Even if we bore some past grievances, we should set them aside now. What sets Huo Caiyu apart? He is merely an ordinary human.”

Not wanting to listen further, Li Jinyu attempted to evade from the side.

Prime Minister Ye effortlessly impeded his escape, his expression contorting into a large black cat’s face, exuding a more sinister tone. “If you can persuade me, I shall release you.”

Li Jinyu’s path to escape was obstructed, and the sight of the black cat’s head filled him with fear, reminiscent of the psychological shadow of being pursued by the black cat when he was still a spirit.

What made Huo Caiyu so extraordinary?

Momentarily taken aback by this question, Li Jinyu found himself at a loss for words.

Initially, his motivation for protecting Huo Caiyu was solely to ensure the survival of this future male protagonist. However, as time went on, he grew eager for Huo Caiyu to ascend the throne as soon as possible.

Having journeyed Qingshui Prefecture alongside Huo Caiyu, Li Jinyu gained a deeper understanding of his character and realized his remarkable qualities.

As they collaborated to overthrow the Prime Minister and confront the envoy from the Kingdom of Jiao, Li Jinyu discovered that being in Huo Caiyu’s company brought him an increasing sense of comfort and freedom.

In hindsight, Li Jinyu suddenly comprehended the immense significance Huo Caiyu held within his heart.

Huo Caiyu revealed to him the true essence of the world, instilling a sense of responsibility and duty.

From the time he became a spiritual hamster until his journey through time, his existence had been devoid of purpose. Each day, he simply indulged in eating, sleeping, and aimlessly wandering about without considering anything beyond his immediate needs.

However, after encountering Huo Caiyu, his life appeared to acquire vibrancy and meaning.

Even if it were not solely for the purpose of Huo Caiyu ascending the throne, he would never allow any harm to befall him!

Filled with newfound resolve, Li Jinyu clenched his teeth, lifted his gaze, and attempted to maintain direct eye contact with the black cat’s head that had once cast a profound psychological shadow over him.

The black cat displayed a momentary surprise.

Li Jinyu parted his lips and spit a peanut forward with a swift “swoosh”. This lowly peanut contained his concentrated demonic power, erupting in front of the black cat.

The black cat furrowed its brow, taking a step back, and swiped its paw to brush away the lingering fragments of peanut still clinging to its mouth. Disdainfully, it speak, “You mice are…”

Before the cat could finish its sentence, a black silhouette lunged toward its mouth.

Swiftly comprehending the situation, the cat evaded the approaching shadow, suspecting it to be something expelled from the hamster’s mouth.

However, the cat soon realized that it was not an attack from the hamster but rather the hamster itself charging towards its mouth!

How audacious of this hamster to dash straight at the cat’s mouth!

Momentarily taken aback, the cat, accustomed to Li Jinyu’s cautious nature and his preference for keeping a safe distance, regained its composure. With a snarl, it concealed its body and pursued the hamster.

………

Li Jinyu sprinted without concern for drawing attention, swiftly arriving at the door of the Dengbang Hall where he had previously left.

Huo Caiyu was no longer present, but Li Jinyu sensed the lingering essence of the Ziwei aura in the air and chased after its trail.

Upon reaching the entrance of Wuyi Lane, Li Jinyu keenly sensed the potent and familiar demonic energy coming from inside.

Furthermore, Huo Caiyu’s Ziwei aurai abruptly ceased at this point.

Undoubtedly, Wuyi Lane had been set as a trap by the black cat.

Pausing only momentarily at the entrance of Wuyi Lane, Li Jinyu swiftly made his decision and ventured inside.

………

Within Wuyi Lane, the pervasive demonic energy weighed heavily, reminiscent of the bone-chilling aura that had unnerved Li Jinyu numerous times within the palace walls. The ground appeared sullied, with an unidentified, pungent black liquid oozing along the roadside.

By this point, Li Jinyu had grown somewhat accustomed to the cold, no longer experiencing the same level of fear as he had initially.

Enduring the discomfort brought about by the frigidity, he meticulously searched every nook and cranny in hopes of discovering any trace of Huo Caiyu.

Although he had never visited Wuyi Lane before, vague recollections reminded him that it had once served as the residents for former nobility, likely leaving behind remnants of decay.

However, as he ventured further, he observed a vast expanse that had been intentionally emptied.

Could it be that Huo Caiyu…?

Li Jinyu took two steps forward and suddenly spotted a motionless figure sprawled on the ground before him, without any warmth, resembling a lifeless corpse.

His heart seemed to skip a beat, coming to an abrupt halt.

Hastening to the prone figure in a state of panic, he carefully examined it and determined it to be a man clad in night clothes, bearing an unremarkable face and devoid of any signs of life.

This marked Li Jinyu’s initial encounter with an actual lifeless body.

However, in contrast to the trepidation he had experienced when confronted with mortality for the first time, Li Jinyu’s immediate emotion was one of relief.

Thank goodness, it wasn’t Huo Caiyu.

Rising to his feet, his gaze swept the vicinity and identified another area nearby that appeared deliberately emptied, sparking a glimmer of hope within him as he hastened towards it.

Advancing several steps, Li Jinyu stumbled upon yet another prone form lying motionless on the ground. Upon closer inspection, he recognized it to be an assassin.

Further ahead lay another expanse cleared by a display of inner energy. Li Jinyu hurriedly pursued it.

As he traversed multiple areas in haste, an escalating anxiety gripped Li Jinyu’s being. The count of lifeless bodies strewn across the ground continued to rise, while the chilling coldness in the air grew more intense. Distinguishing Huo Caiyu’s Ziwei Emperor’s aura became an increasingly arduous task.

Was Huo Caiyu safe?

Just as he arrived at another vacant area and paused to examine a lifeless form, one of the bodies abruptly sprung up and swung a sword downward in his direction!

Li Jinyu was stricken with such terror that his mind went blank. He instinctively attempted to flee employing his demonic energy, but the sword held resolutely above him.

The hand clutching the sword halted and lowered the mask concealing their face, revealing the unexpectedly handsome and mildly startled face of Huo Caiyu.

“Your Majesty!”

“Huo Caiyu!”

Before Li Jinyu could articulate his astonishment, Huo Caiyu enfolded him in a tight embrace.

Clasping the precious treasure he had just recovered tightly within his left hand, with his longsword resting across his right shoulder, Huo Caiyu’s voice quivered slightly as he spoke, “I am relieved to see Your Majesty unharmed.”

With Huo Caiyu’s hand securing him in his embrace and his chin resting upon his shoulder, Li Jinyu detected a faint scent of rust and earth upon him. He sensed the tremor in his voice and momentarily found himself taken aback.

In such close proximity, he could distinctly perceive the rhythm of Huo Caiyu’s heartbeat. Its rapid and fervent cadence unveiled his mixture of fear, apprehension, elation, and relief upon reclaiming what had been lost.

Before Li Jinyu could gather his thoughts on how to respond, he suddenly felt Huo Caiyu loosen his hold on him. Then, a warm and tender sensation caressed his hair.

It was a kiss.

Amidst the cold and desolate alleys of Wuyi Lane, the future wise ruler bestowed a kiss upon him.

Li Jinyu raised his head in a dazed state, instinctively touching the spot where Huo Caiyu’s lips had met. It coincided with the location of his hidden right mouse ear, shielded by magic yet still sensitive to touch.

Although Li Jinyu was unfamiliar with human customs, he understood the significance of a “kiss”.

Such an act was typically shared between close relatives or lovers.

Did Huo Caiyu regard him as family or…?