He stood up, his tall figure stretching long in the firelight, exuding an imposing aura: "If I hear another swear word from him, or another swear word about me!" He sneered, his gaze sharp as lightning. "Military law enforcement, no mercy! Do you hear me?!"
"We heard you!" The soldiers, stunned by his sudden burst of power, responded in unison, falling silent in fear.
The centurion was so frightened that his face turned ashen, and he nodded repeatedly.
Lu Zheng stopped looking at them, strode into the shadows, and pulled up Luo Qingrou, who was still stunned: "Come back to the tent with me, I have something to ask you." The action seemed rough, but in fact, the force with which he pulled her wrist was very light.
Luo Qingrou stumbled slightly as he pulled her along, but under the watchful eyes of countless complex gazes, she quickly followed him away. Behind them, the campfire was deathly silent, save for the howling wind whipping the flames.
Back in the main tent, Lu Zheng released his grip, his face still grim, his chest heaving slightly.
Luo Qingrou lowered her head, her voice muffled: "You...you don't have to do this. They...they didn't say anything too outrageous." She knew he was protecting her, but this public outburst would only fuel the rumors and confirm the suspicions.
"Didn't say anything?" Lu Zheng turned around abruptly, his anger still burning. "Do we have to wait until they say something even worse before it's considered excessive? Qingrou, this is a military camp! Rumors can kill!" He looked at her figure, which appeared particularly thin in the dim light, and at her deliberately concealed girlishness. The anger in his heart was replaced by a deeper sense of helplessness and heartache.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "I'm sorry to have wronged you."
Luo Qingrou shook her head, looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight, clear yet tinged with a hint of stubbornness: "I'm not wronged. As long as it helps you, as long as it saves more people, these... don't matter." She paused, her voice even softer, "It's just... what you did just now, made them even more..."
"Let them talk!" Lu Zheng interrupted her, his tone resolute, carrying an almost domineering protectiveness. "I, Lu Zheng, am upright and honest! I respect you and value your medical skills, that's enough! Anyone who dares to lay a finger on you, just try!" He looked at her, his eyes burning, "It's just that you've been wronged..."
He didn't say the rest, but the unspoken meaning, the intense affection and promise in his eyes, were more powerful than any words. Luo Qingrou's heart trembled; all her grievances and embarrassment seemed to dissipate in his almost domineering protection and ardent gaze.
The tent fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight. Outside, the howling sandstorm seemed to have subsided somewhat.
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