Although Yun Zhe had never experienced anything like this before, he was, after all, a modern person who had transmigrated. The girl's intentions behind such initiative were obvious. However, Yun Zhe genuinely didn't want to do these things. First, his main focus was on this complex battle, and he didn't want his failure to cause the ambush to fail completely. Second, Yun Zhe was unsure whether Akdina had truly fallen for him or if he had unconsciously controlled her.
Especially the second point. Yun Zhe repeatedly reflected on his interactions with this girl over this period of time. It seemed that something he had said had helped her overcome her suicidal nature as an elven vampire and start living a good life. Furthermore, this statement seemed to have a specific scope; only when she was by his side would she stop worrying about dying and start living properly. Regarding the latter point, Yun Zhe didn't doubt that the girl was lying to him, but it was clear that he might already be deeply bound to this girl.
Yun Zhe brought a wooden tub and hot water, declined the soldier's offer to help pour the hot water, and personally prepared bath supplies for Akdina. Akdina simply sat in a corner by the bed, quietly watching Yun Zhe busy himself, a glint occasionally flashing in her eyes, lost in thought.
"The hot water is ready, come and take a shower. I still need to write a letter. Don't leave after you're done showering; wait until it's dark before you go." After saying this, Yun Zhe walked to the table somewhat awkwardly and began to write the letter.
At first it was fine, but soon the sound of rushing water reached his ears, making Yun Zhe somewhat disoriented. However, he still had to grit his teeth and continue writing the letter, which was extremely painful.
After what seemed like an eternity, the sound of water finally stopped. Yun Zhe let out a long sigh of relief, then turned his head to see that Akdina was already lying on the bed!
Yun Zhe didn't look again. He swallowed hard, silently recited the Avery school rules a dozen times, and finally calmed down. Yun Zhe thought to himself that he definitely couldn't concentrate on writing in this room, so he simply stopped writing and went out of the tent to clear his head. As for Akdina's almost tangible gaze, Yun Zhe gritted his teeth and ignored it.
Outside the tents, a scene of jubilation unfolded. Yun Zhe's method of contaminating the water with rotting animal carcasses had proven remarkably effective, leading to widespread optimism about the future of the war. For the past few days, Yun Zhe's camp had been hosting gatherings of varying sizes. The atmosphere was electric, far surpassing the fervor felt when they first left Dorgnitzburg.
Seeing everyone's happy expressions, Yun Zhe sighed deeply. Although the idea had been implemented and proved extremely effective, Yun Zhe wasn't complacent about his impressive achievements. Instead, he frequently used the crimes committed by the Belvedere army in the capital to justify his actions. These past few days, Yun Zhe had been thinking most about that one phrase: "In war, being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to yourself."
Yun Zhe hadn't completely shaken off the guilt he felt about his actions, which resembled the use of biological weapons in later times. Perhaps only by constantly emphasizing that the other side was an aggressor could he feel at ease.
"The war has indeed changed me a lot..." Yun Zhe murmured to himself. But then he heard Akdina's voice in his ear.
"Oh? So... what did you look like before?"
When Yun Zhe saw Akdina walk out of the tent, he immediately became nervous, but when he thought that Jerok was still protecting Gao in Dorgnitzburg, he couldn't help but feel relieved.
Akdina interpreted Yun Zhe's nervousness in a different way.
"You don't want anyone to see me? You're worried I'll cause you trouble, right..."
“No,” Yun Zhe said quickly, looking at Akdina’s face, which was almost in tears. “I was just worried about Jerok running into you. As for these soldiers, they’re fine. It’s just…” Yun Zhe thought that these soldiers, who loved to gossip, would naturally spread the news throughout the camp and then throughout the entire Donic camp after seeing Akdina standing next to him and coming out of his tent.
"Just what?"
"However, sooner or later Jerok and the others will find out about your existence. I'm worried that he and Ellie won't let this go."
“If they want to kill me, I will definitely fight back. But if they kill me, I won’t be sad,” Akdina said softly after a moment of silence.
Yun Zhe shook his head. "Don't keep thinking about ending it all with death. I'll find a way to prevent that from happening." At that moment, Yun Zhe noticed that several soldiers had already spotted Akdina. Their first reaction to this uninvited guest was that she was an assassin, a spy, or some other bad person. But soon, they began to scrutinize the two of them with rather ambiguous eyes.
"Sir, where did you find this woman? She has a great figure..."
"Shh, you're asking about the adults' women? Are you out of your mind?"
"Strange, didn't the lord strictly forbid recruiting in the military camp..."
With a snap, the soldier who spoke was struck on the head by a stone. He turned around angrily, only to see Yun Zhe and the woman standing a few meters behind him. Instantly, he deflated.
“Don’t talk nonsense. This woman,” Yun Zhe pointed at Akdina, “is my…my…shadow bodyguard, and also a key figure in the recent water pollution operation. It’s her close cooperation with Valentine that has created this very favorable situation. So, don’t assume dirty thoughts just because you see a woman!”
The term "shadow guard" came to Yun Zhe on a whim. He had studied at Avery University for several years and had heard many strange tales about the university. The story of the shadow guard was a major part of these tales. In a moment of urgency, he came up with the term.
After hearing this, the soldiers put away their earlier gossip. The woman before them, so heavily wrapped up, was actually the one who had collaborated with Lord Valentine on the secret mission, and the key figure who had prevented his army from marching properly. Indeed, she shouldn't be described as a prostitute. Moreover, she was the Lord's shadow guard. Although they were hearing the term "shadow guard" for the first time tonight, the literal meaning suggested a guard like a shadow; she must be someone Lord Yun Zhe trusted greatly.
Seeing that the soldiers had begun to show respect for Akdina, Yun Zhe was very satisfied. He turned to look at Akdina; she must have noticed the change in the soldiers' attitude. However, at this moment, only Akdina's eyes were visible, making it difficult to discern her expression.
But Yun Zhe didn't actually need to see Akdina's expression. For the first time, Akdina felt people's respect for her, a respect not born of fear of her vampire identity, nor of the status or wealth of the men around her. It was respect for her as a person, for her recent actions, and for the hope of victory she had brought to these soldiers.
This was a novel feeling she had never experienced before, and she was filled with excitement. For the first time, it felt...wonderful.
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