Blood Moon Rising Over The Plains - Chapter 3: Language (6) (M)

The days on the steppe were short.

Even though the sun was still high in the sky, brighter than it had been in the forest, the riders halted their journey earlier than before and began setting up camp.

“[The clouds suggest it will snow by evening.]”

“[How many gers do we have?]” (Gers – traditional Mongolian portable tents.)

“[Including the spares, fifty-six.]”

“[Set up the extra ones for the horses. The rest, we’ll share—even if it’s a bit cramped.]”

Crouching off to the side, I lifted the edge of my fur cloak and checked the small holographic display on my watch.

<Current temperature: 8°C. Estimated evening temperature: -31°C.>

Only after seeing that number did I understand why they were moving so urgently.

Below freezing was one thing, but -31°C? The wind chill would likely make it feel even worse.

In the future, seasons had long lost their meaning. Even before then, climate change had blurred the four seasons with extreme weather fluctuations.

Then, with advancements in satellite technology, humans gained the ability to control the weather. The temperature remained constant year-round.

On rare occasions, if someone wanted to experience different weather, they could submit a request to the AI, and if enough people voted for it, it might snow or rain for a short period. But that was a rare occurrence.

So, this kind of extreme cold didn’t fully register in my mind.

-31°C.

It was an unimaginable temperature.

I exhaled deeply, sending a thick cloud of white breath into the air. The vapor swirled and dissipated, denser than before.

“[Where does the third prince want to meet?]”

“[He said he’d come to us.]”

“[…So, he knows our location.]”

“[It doesn’t matter how many troops he brings.]”

“[You’re being mischievous, Khan. You know he won’t be able to muster much of an army. Not when you’ve already sent Huchite and Bayan to peck away at Zhongdu. The Jin Dynasty is too preoccupied trying to stop them. Even if the third prince moves, it won’t matter.]”

(Zhongdu – the capital of the Jin Dynasty.)

“[And Datong is too busy preparing for us to spare any forces to aid Zhongdu.]”

(Datong – a key stronghold after Zhongdu.)

“[We deliberately raided villages along our route, letting them guess where we’re heading. They might be trying to anticipate our next move, but for now, all they can do is wait anxiously.]”

“[Regardless, issue orders to prepare. Increase the night watch shifts for the time being.]”

“[Understood.]”

Buka shouted something as he walked off toward the soldiers, leaving me alone with the man.

“[Jurchen.]”

Hearing that name felt strange.

I hadn’t been called that often during my time here, so it still felt unfamiliar.

As I looked up, the man slid his arm under my armpits, lifting me to my feet.

Tap, tap.

He dusted off the hem of my skirt, now stained green from the grass, before hooking his arm beneath my thighs and hoisting me up.

The sudden shift in height made my stomach lurch, and I instinctively placed my hands on his shoulders for support.

Whoosh.

A cold wind cut through the air, whipping past my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut reflexively, only to reopen them moments later, taking in the scene from above.

The vast steppe stretched endlessly before me, nothing like the virtual reality landscapes of my time.

Men unfurled massive sheets of leather, assembling their tents with practiced ease. Within moments, dozens of gers stood tall, their movements coordinated and efficient.

They barked orders, called out to one another, their voices rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Watching them work in such perfect harmony was mesmerizing.

Still carrying me, the man strode forward with long, deliberate steps.

The largest and most prominent tent stood ahead—it was his, without a doubt.

Unlike the others, its entrance flap was smaller, likely designed to keep out the cold.

Inside, he carefully lowered me onto a thick bed layered with stacked cloth, dried grass, and finally, a plush fur pelt.

Then, he secured the entrance, tightening the leather bindings to seal out the wind.

Whoosh—

The howling wind outside faded to a dull murmur.

Only when the gusts shifted did the sound occasionally slip through the seams, producing sharp, high-pitched whistles.

The interior was pitch-black.

I could barely see anything until—

Fwoosh.

A soft glow flickered to life.

The warm light of a lamp illuminated the dim space, revealing the man standing in front of me.

Unlike before, there were no gaps in this tent’s seams, meaning there was no fire pit inside.

The only flames here were the ones from the oil lamps.

But as I looked closer, I noticed small iron pots placed atop several of them, steam already rising from within.

Water?

But why? We had already eaten—what was it for?

The man approached, reaching out to remove the cloth wrapped around my head.

He set it aside and, without hesitation, pulled me into his arms.

Slowly, leisurely, he ran his fingers through my hair.

Ever since I was given a comb, he had taken an odd fascination with my hair, constantly playing with it whenever we were alone.

Then again, even during our first meeting, he had seemed intrigued by it.

Jingle.

The necklace around my throat chimed softly with the movement.

“[Taking something from the head of power suits you. It looks like it’s found its rightful owner.]”

His voice was laced with amusement as he lifted my chin.

“[Not as beautiful as your hair, but still rather lovely, isn’t it?]”

His lips curled into a smirk before descending upon mine.

His kiss was always the same—deep, slow, unrelenting.

And wet.

His touch was as light as if he were handling something delicate, yet the way he stirred inside me was nothing short of an invasion.

As I clung to his forearm, gripping the hand that held my chin, I was completely lost in the sensation. Before I realized it, he had already loosened my collar, his fingers wandering across my exposed skin.

The multiple layers of clothing I had worn had somehow dwindled to a single thin layer, now disheveled in his hands. My breasts, cupped from below, were pressed upward, my hardened peaks rubbing against his fingers.

“Nngh…”

At the moan that escaped through my clenched teeth, his hands grew bolder. The hand that had been kneading my chest trailed downward, stroking the sensitive skin of my inner thigh.

As a tingling pleasure spread through me, I squirmed, but he only took it as an invitation to part my legs further.

While I panted for breath, he positioned himself between my now widely spread thighs, settling in with his legs crossed beneath me.

Even with the single layer of fabric still covering me, the position was undeniably shameful. Embarrassed, I tried to close my legs, but my feet, caught against his knees, wouldn’t budge.

“Ah!”

No matter how much the fabric covered me, it couldn’t stop his hand from slipping beneath it. I could feel my exposed flesh twitch in time with my unsteady breaths, completely unguarded.

His fingers, now unhindered, easily found the hidden skin within, tracing slow circles around my swollen bud.

“Haa… ah!”

My inner thighs tensed instinctively as I clung to his forearm with both hands, letting out a shaky moan.

His tongue, which had entwined with mine, pulled away, only to tease me further—sucking and tugging until the very root of my tongue ached.

Below, his fingers hovered in that tormenting space between touch and absence, making my arousal spill over in a sudden rush.

As waves of pleasure surged through me, my body trembled, and with each movement, the necklace around my neck jingled like a delicate instrument.

Even after his lips finally parted from mine, my tongue remained numb, unable to move. Suspended in the air, trembling sweetly, it was soon caught between his fingers as they traced up from my chin, entwining around it.

“[Your lashes are wet again… how adorable.]”

“Ahhn…!”

As his fingers brushed over my swollen bud, my body instinctively flinched. The intense pleasure made the tears pooling in my eyes spill over, rolling down my cheeks.

“[You always act so indifferent, your face completely unreadable… but under me, you cry so sweetly and cling to me. Hmm?]”

With a soft smack, he placed a light kiss on my cheek, as if sucking away my tears.

“[What should I do with you, my little fairy?]”

“Nngh…!”

As his fingers teased the entrance of my slick folds, I arched my hips toward him, silently begging for more.

Tonight, he was making me wait longer than usual, drawing out my frustration.

“[There’s no sign of you conceiving… How else should I keep my little fairy tied to me?]”

“Haahng…!”

As his fingers suddenly invaded deeper, my back arched in response.

“Other women are desperate to be in my arms, but you… You’re different from those women, aren’t you? Yet, even as you tremble under my touch, why do you act as if you’ll disappear at any moment? Hmm? Yeojin—]”

At the unexpected mention of my name, my hazy eyes flickered up to meet his.

Since when had his gaze sharpened like that—like a hunter locking onto prey? He was staring down at me with piercing intensity.

“……”

Just as I was about to say something, his fingers, buried deep inside me, pressed against my most sensitive spot.

“Hik—!”