Chapter 76 Don't leave, stay with me
The celebration banquet ended in a silent, oppressive atmosphere.
On the way home, Secretary Zhang turned herself into an emotionless driving machine, even slowing down her breathing.
Lu Zhanting and Su Wanqing remained silent in the back seat the entire way.
Inside the carriage, only the engine was humming steadily.
Su Wanqing leaned on Lu Zhanting's shoulder, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow, seemingly already asleep.
But through that invisible mental link, Lu Zhanting could clearly sense that her mind was still like a fully drawn bow, and the aftershocks of her killing intent and vigilance had not yet completely subsided.
He was the same.
The man who called himself a scholar, and the organization behind him called "Ouroboros," cast a huge shadow over the capital.
They had barely returned when the fangs were already thrust in their faces.
The car drove into the familiar courtyard.
The two got out of the car, said goodbye to Secretary Zhang, and walked into their home.
The moment the door closed, all the noise and undercurrents of the outside world were completely shut out.
The house was spotless, clearly indicating that Lu Yao had come and tidied it up quite a bit during their absence.
Lu Zhanting raised his hand to turn on the light, and the soft, warm light poured down, dispelling the night dew and chill that clung to the two of them.
He turned around and smoothly helped Su Wanqing untie the complicated ties of her banquet dress, then took out her usual cotton pajamas from the wardrobe.
"Go take a hot shower to get rid of the chill." His voice was low, carrying an air of command that left no room for refusal.
Su Wan nodded, not refusing.
She really needed hot water to wash away her fatigue and the sticky feeling from that prying gaze.
The sound of water soon filled the bathroom.
Lu Zhanting wasn't idle either. He went into the kitchen, boiled water, and skillfully took out a pinch of calming herbs, putting them into the pot. This was a recipe Su Wanqing had taught him.
He also checked all the doors and windows again to make sure they were all locked from the inside.
Only after he finished all this did he sit down on the sofa.
The man's back seemed relaxed against the sofa, but his dark eyes remained fixed on the blurry light and shadow filtering through the frosted glass door of the bathroom.
Tonight's events had a far greater impact on him than they appeared on the surface.
The speed of Ouroboros's reaction and its rampant actions exceeded his worst expectations.
Testing the waters at a military victory celebration is no longer a provocation, but a declaration of war.
This suggests that the organization's infiltration of the capital city is likely already extremely deep.
What made his heart clench even more was that the other party's target was clear and unambiguous from the very beginning—directly aimed at Su Wanqing.
If Wan Qing's spiritual power hadn't already undergone a complete transformation, and if the other party hadn't only been testing her tonight...
He dared not think any further.
The bathroom door opened, and steaming vapor billowed out.
Su Wanqing was wearing loose pajamas, her long hair was wrapped in a towel, and her cheeks were faintly pink after her bath. She had shed all her sharpness and looked exceptionally soft.
Lu Zhanting immediately got up, pulled her to sit on the sofa, picked up another dry towel, and began to dry her wet hair.
His movements were somewhat clumsy, but he controlled his strength perfectly, as if he were handling a rare treasure.
"Were you scared?" he asked, his voice trembling with barely perceptible tension.
"A little." Su Wanqing didn't pretend to be strong. She leaned into his arms and felt the warmth of his dry, warm palms on her scalp. "It's not that I'm afraid of them, it's that I didn't expect them to be right here."
The feeling was like living in a seemingly impregnable fortress, only to suddenly discover that the cracks in the walls and the underside of the floor were already filled with lurking eyes and deadly snakes.
"It's my fault." Lu Zhanting paused in his wiping motion, his voice hoarse with extreme self-reproach. "I dragged you into this."
Without him, she should have been Dr. Su, the doctor who dedicated herself to healing the sick and saving lives, living a peaceful and tranquil life.
Instead of being dragged into an invisible battlefield like we are now, constantly facing unknown and deadly threats.
Su Wanqing tilted her head back from his embrace, extended her cool fingertips, and smoothed his furrowed brows.
“It’s not your fault.” Her eyes were clear and pure. “From the day I decided to marry you and stepped into the military compound, I knew that I was choosing not just a husband, but a way of life.”
"I have enjoyed the glory of being a military wife, so naturally I must also bear the hardships behind it."
She paused for a moment, then spoke even softer.
"And you forgot?"
She pointed to her own heart, then to Lu Zhanting's heart.
"We've been inseparable for a long time."
There lies a link unknown to anyone, their deepest secret and their strongest bond.
We all prosper together, and we all suffer together.
Lu Zhanting didn't say anything more. He put down the towel, tightened his arms, and hugged her tightly in his embrace, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
Yes, they are no longer two independent individuals.
Their lives, their power, and even their souls were completely intertwined during that life-or-death ordeal underground in the Southern Territory.
"Wanqing."
He buried his face in her hair, greedily inhaling the scent that blended the fragrance of herbs with the aroma of herbal bath gel.
"When I was underground, I thought I was going to die."
For the first time, he took the initiative to reopen that bloody wound.
Su Wanqing's body stiffened instantly.
“I could feel my life slipping away, my body growing colder and colder. At that moment, I wasn’t afraid of death, nor was I afraid of mission failure.” His voice was soft, yet it carried a tremor from the depths of his soul. “I was only afraid of one thing.”
"I'm afraid that if I die, what will you do alone?"
"I'm afraid those monsters will hurt you, afraid you won't be able to get out of that darkness alone, afraid you'll encounter a lot of trouble in the future, but I... can no longer protect you."
"That feeling of helplessness is ten thousand times more terrifying than death itself."
Su Wanqing's eyes instantly reddened.
She sensed it.
Through that spiritual link, the deepest fear, despair, and heart-wrenching regret in his words washed over her soul like a flood breaking through a dam.
She suddenly hugged him back, using all her strength.
“I felt the same way.” Her voice choked with uncontrollable sobs. “Watching your heartbeat slowly disappear, I felt like my whole world collapsed. My mind was blank, with only one thought: I can’t let you die.”
"Even if it costs me my life, I will bring you back to life."
Honesty is the only salvation at this moment.
They finally opened up to each other the fear that was buried deep in their hearts and that they dared not even touch.
Those who haven't experienced it can never understand the despair of watching a loved one pass away in their arms.
The two embraced quietly, using each other's body heat to comfort their souls that had survived the ordeal.
for a long time.
Lu Zhanting slowly released her, cupped her face, and gently wiped away the wetness from the corner of her eyes with his rough fingertips.
“So, stop saying I dragged you into this.” His eyes held an unprecedented firmness. “We are one. Your danger is my danger. My mission, from now on, is also your mission.”
“I will go to that ‘Kunlun’.” He said each word with conviction, “not only for the country, but also for you. Only by standing at the highest point and wielding the strongest power can I uproot this cancerous tumor, the ‘Ouroboros,’ and only then can you, and us, find true peace.”
Su Wanqing looked at the determination in his eyes and nodded heavily.
“I understand.” She sniffed, then suddenly gave a faint smile. “Colonel Lu, please guide me in the future.”
Lu Zhanting was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
"Likewise, Advisor Su."
A joke instantly diluted the heavy smell of blood in the air.
Lu Zhanting picked up the towel again and continued to dry her hair, his movements even gentler than before.
“Oh, right,” Su Wanqing suddenly thought of something, “when I was fighting back at the banquet today, I think I… gained a new understanding of our power.”
"What insight?" Lu Zhanting's expression turned serious.
“Our power is not a simple fusion.” Su Wanqing struggled to organize her thoughts to describe the wondrous feeling she had experienced. “Your masculine energy is no longer just simple energy. It can construct a ‘domain’ centered on me, an absolutely protective barrier. Within this barrier, my soul is absolutely safe.”
She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.
"And my spiritual spring power can follow your aura, penetrate this barrier, and precisely lock onto and attack any target that harbors malice towards us. It is no longer just a force, but more like an invisible spear... thrusting out from your barrier."
She concluded: "Your blood and energy form the city, my spirit and soul form the soldiers. This may be the true form of our new force."
After listening, Lu Zhanting fell into deep thought.
He recalled that underground, when Su Wanqing purified the monster transformed from the lynx, it was his remaining masculine energy that formed a protective aura, buying her the most crucial time.
“I understand.” A look of realization flashed in Lu Zhanting’s eyes. “If you encounter a similar situation again, don’t try to handle it alone.”
He held her hand and gave her his earnest instructions.
"Leave the defense to me. You just need to find the enemy's weakness under my protection, and then deliver the fatal blow."
"Remember, your safety is the first priority in all actions."
"Mmm." Su Wanqing nodded obediently.
Being trusted and protected without reservation filled her heart with a sweet feeling.
My hair was half-dry.
Lu Zhanting suddenly picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.
"It's late, go to sleep."
He gently placed her on the soft bed and tucked her in.
Su Wanqing lay on the bed, watching him turn to go to the study, and suddenly spoke.
"Lu Zhanting".
"Hmm?" He turned around.
"Don't leave tonight." She looked at him, her eyes filled with a dependence and pleading that she herself didn't realize. "Stay with me."
In that instant, Lu Zhanting's heart softened completely.
He knew that she was ultimately frightened.
He didn't say anything, but silently walked to the other side of the bed, lifted the blanket, and lay down.
He pulled her petite body into his arms from behind.
His broad chest pressed tightly against her slender back, giving her a direct sense of security with his body heat and heartbeat.
“I’m staying right here, I’m not going anywhere.” His deep voice rang in her ears.
Su Wanqing found a comfortable position in his arms, and her nerves, which had been tense all night, finally relaxed completely at this moment.
The steady, powerful heartbeat in my ears, one beat after another, was the most beautiful lullaby in the world.
His warm breath brushed against my neck, sending waves of tingling warmth through me.
She suddenly spoke in the darkness.
"Lu Zhanting, are we... truly husband and wife now?"
It was no longer because of a marriage contract, no longer to appease their families, but because they had completely accepted each other from the depths of their souls, willing to share all their secrets and weather all the storms together.
Lu Zhanting did not answer immediately.
He simply tightened his arms, pulling her deeper into his embrace, then lowered his head and placed a deeply cherished kiss on the top of her head.
"fool."
His voice was filled with unyielding affection.
"We have been that way for a long time."
From the moment he "dragged" her back to the army base at the alley entrance.
From the moment he clumsily cooked her her first bowl of noodles in their new house.
From the first time he shielded her behind him in the military compound...
His heart had long since been completely filled by this girl who appeared aloof but was actually resilient and intelligent.
He himself only admitted it after experiencing life and death.
Su Wanqing smiled.
It was a genuine, heartfelt smile, one of utter satisfaction and peace of mind.
She closed her eyes and, in his strong, warm embrace, quickly drifted into a sweet dream.
Lu Zhanting, however, did not sleep.
He held the precious girl in his arms quietly, feeling her even breathing, and felt an unprecedented peace in his heart.
Outside the window, the night was deep.
He knew that starting tomorrow, a massive storm was about to hit the land.
But at this moment, he felt no fear whatsoever.
Because his whole world is in his arms.
To protect this world, he will become the storm itself.
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