Chapter 2
Xie Jianwei, in a rare moment, hesitated.
Bai Yun, who was standing next to him, gawked in astonishment. He had known Xie Jianwei for nearly a decade. Even if the man was met with the most difficult problem, he’d never have the smallest pause.
He could always give the most accurate judgment, devise the most perfect plan, see through all the ways to hit right in the bullseye. He never erred.
And now, this man whose brain operated faster than the speed of light hesitated.
Because of Lu Li.
As a matter of fact, there were many who doubted how Xie Jianwei truly felt towards Lu Li.
Before the Empire was founded, the people who knew of the name Xie Family third young master thought that Xie Jianwei was just using Lu Li.
After the Empire was founded, the people who did not know of the name Xie Family third young master thought Xie Jianwei was the marshal’s male pet.
But those of them who had been following them for ten years were very clear.
Very clear of the enormous s.p.a.ce Lu Li took up in Xie Jianwei’s heart.
The young man on the screen was waiting for his reply. Xie Jianwei then finally spoke: “9PM. Come to Marshal Estate.”
The young man nodded earnestly: “Sir, please be at ease. There absolutely won’t be any danger.”
Xie Jianwei nodded and affirmed, “Mmn.”
This time Lu Li left for planet Fior, he had originally planned to stay for two days. After all, it was a strategic location for border defense; he couldn’t just watch the military exercise and then leave. He also had to give the troops stationed there some rea.s.surance. It’d be even better for him to become familiar with the common folks. After all was said and done, when Lu Li created the Empire, he had chosen the path that aligned the most with the people’s needs. He did not confer himself king, and only wielded power of a marshal. It was also to give the common people who were used to being ruled under the Federation some time to adapt.
But Xie Jianwei knew, Lu Li would definitely be rus.h.i.+ng back through the night.
The matter of his visit to the Lab must have reached Lu Li’s ears. Lu Li couldn’t possibly remained on planet Fior.
Almost as soon as Xie Jianwei arrived at Marshal Estate, a jet black military aircraft landed vertically on top of the helipad.
Its strong drag force set off a whirlwind. The door to the aircraft cabin opened wide, and the man clad in military uniform walked down in long strides. His black leather boots, lean long legs, the cloak on his back that was billowing in the relentlessly pursuing wind, and, underneath the visor of his hat, his superb facial features demonstrated what it meant to be peerlessly beautiful.
From a long time ago, Xie Jianwei had already known. Lu Li was made for military attires. The more neatly ironed, the more elegant, the more symbolic for glory an outfit was, the more it suited him.
This man deserved to be like that from birth, even if he was born on that wild, inhospitable planet.
At the sight of Xie Jianwei, Lu Li’s deeply furrowed brows slightly relaxed. He stepped closer. After taking off his gloves, he gripped the other’s hand: “If you have anything to ask me then just ask.”
His voice was somewhat hoa.r.s.e. Probably to rush for speed, from planet Fior, he had plunged directly into the anti-s.p.a.ce. He didn’t even go in the life-preserving chamber and took over from the AI autopilot system. Only by doing that much could he possibly hurry back within that short amount of time.
Xie Jianwei allowed his hand to be held: “If I asked, would you have talked?”
Lu Li winced, but soon enough raised a corner of his mouth: “Is there anything I can’t talk about? At first I wanted to give you a pleasant surprise.”
Xie Jianwei’s gaze flickered. He looked up at the other man: “Pleasant surprise?”
Lu Li leaned in close. His lips were a little cool, but the puffs of air he breathed out were scorchingly hot. He knew Xie Jianwei was ticklish, so he deliberately landed kisses on the man’s neck for a while before ambiguously saying, “I was afraid that this one me couldn’t fulfill your needs well enough. Add a few more bodies into the mix, things get a little more interesting……”
Xie Jianwei gave him a sidelong glance, eyes carrying a smile: “You won’t be jealous?”
Lu Li clearly was stumped.
Xie Jianwei went face to face with him, and looked directly into his eyes: “Me making love with the other Lu Li, you can tolerate that?”
Lu Li’s pupils suddenly contracted, all humour gone. What bloomed inside there was vividly the malicious, ink-black shade of greedy monopoly.
Xie Jianwei gave him a peck on the lips: “You didn’t eat dinner right? Go…… Nngh……”
His words had yet to finish leaving his lips, when Lu Li tugged him over with one hand, and kissed him fiercely: “Not eating dinner.”
Xie Jianwei, “……”
Lu Li carried Xie Jianwei in his arms through a shortcut back to their bedroom, set him on the bed and then pushed him down. The bottom of Lu Li’s dark eyes seemed to be set ablaze: “…… Eating you first.”
Lu Li’s physique was excellent; once he started, he would not stop. If Xie Jianwei indulged him, he could be tossed around til he couldn’t get off the bed for several days.
That was why Xie Jianwei would not give Lu Li an inch since he would take a mile. Almost immediately after Lu Li started, Xie Jianwei would not allow him to mess around.
But today Xie Jianwei never once called out ‘stop’. He even seemed to be at times seducing Lu Li further, and at times not.
The Marshal-daren of old felt that his spirit was rejuvenating. Xie Jianwei having this kind of appearance like now, how could he stand it? He merely resented that he couldn’t pleasure him to death right there on the bed.
The hour on the clock was approaching number 21, when the drug under Xie Jianwei’s fingernail took effect. In the end Marshal-darenwas. .h.i.t by intersecting bullets1 and caught off guard, then taken down by his lover.
Xie Jianwei’s tiredness was by no means little. He stared fixedly at the Lu Li who was dead to the world and couldn’t help but flicked the guy’s forehead: “Inhuman.”
Saying that, he recalled that for a time Lu Li wasn’t really human.
There was a smile in the depth of Xie Jianwei’s eyes as he bent down to kiss Lu Li’s forehead. He gently whispered, “Sleep for a while.”
He left to clean himself up in the bath and changed his clothes. Already, Yan Ke had arrived at Marshal Estate.
Xie Jianwei asked him, “Is there anything I need to take special notice of?”
Yan Ke was precisely the young man who had previously been video-calling with Xie Jianwei on the aircraft. He was a much respected figure in the Empire’s medical field, specializing in psychology. Don’t be deceived by his youthful appearance, Xie Jianwei was actually a whopping ten years younger than him.
Yan Ke cautiously said, “This is also my first time experimenting with this……”
Xie Jianwei, “……”
Yan Ke knew he had somewhat terrified Xie Jianwei, so he hastily rea.s.sured: “There won’t be any danger for sure. But to understand the particulars, you need to slowly grope about in there for details a bit.”
Xie Jianwei hadn’t dabbled much in this field. But after all he was someone who had SSS-cla.s.s mental strength, so the things he understood also weren’t little.
Yan Ke spoke again: “Relax, you are the most important person to Marshal-daren. Although he might not necessarily recognize you in his mental world, he definitely won’t expel you……”
Xie Jianwei suddenly narrowed his eyes: “He won’t recognize me?”
“Not necessarily……” Yan Ke explained, “Perhaps he could probably recognize you, maybe……”
Xie Jianwei stared at him.
Yan Ke’s brain spun trying to think of a way to explain: “Think of it like this. After the magnetic field is up and running, you will be entering Marshal-daren’s dream. But a dream constantly changes. There’s the possibility that it would be consistent with reality, but it could also diverge from reality. Therefore, there exists quite a strong element of the unknown.”
Yan Ke felt beside himself with his super-wit, and so continued to paint a better picture: “And your main requirement is precisely to locate Marshal-daren’s split up personalities. Through both the diverged reality and the consistent reality reflected in the dream world, probe for Marshal-daren’s unresolved anxiety. As long as you solve this problem, daren’s mind would become stable soon enough!”
With his multiple personality disorder completely treated, he naturally would not want to kill “himself”.
Xie Jianwei processed things for a bit, then nodded: “Understood.”
Yan Ke said, “Good then. I’ll start making the preparations right away.”
When Xie Jianwei opened his eyes again, he found that his present surroundings had already changed.
The air was filled with the sweet, fragrant smell of flowers. As far as the eyes could see, rows of pristine white along with romantic pink flowers were spread. Many people had gathered. Their faces were full of congratulatory smiles. and quite a few people were still clapping in cheer. The middle aged folks in the frontmost had eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with fresh tears.
A wedding?
Xie Jianwei very quickly reacted by trying to get a better handle on the situation.
This is a wedding, and he seemed to be one of the involved party?
Lu Li was his partner then?
Xie Jianwei thought this was so, when the pastor’s dignified and solemn voice rang in his ears: “In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, bride and groom, I now p.r.o.nounce you husband and wife.”
Bride?
Xie Jianwei turned around, and saw an unfamiliar, dainty woman by his side.
A person as calm and composed as strategist Xie, at this moment couldn’t help but be a little struck dumb.
What’s going on?
In Lu Li’s dream, he was marrying somebody else?
Xie Jianwei looked around everywhere. All he saw were some unfamiliar faces who offered sincere congratulations for “their” marriage. But Xie Jianwei only wished to find Lu Li.
And soon enough, Lu Li appeared.
He wore an intricate Western suit, dressed appropriately handsome for the occasion. This immaculate suit completely restrained the bloodthirsty aura of the commander who led a thousand armies, and stored away the wicked air that had soaked deep into his bones.
Xie Jianwei spotted his almost unnoticeable frown.
Lu Li toasted the pair of newlyweds, “I wish the both of you happiness.”
Xie Jianwei was speechless. The woman at his side however laughingly replied, “Big brother, you don’t have any sincerity. How could just a blessing do? I also want gifts!”
Lu Li looked at her, and his face turned exceptionally gentle. He softly said, “I only have you as my one little sister. Anytime you wanted something, when did I not satisfy your demand?” When he spoke these words he inadvertently shot a look at Xie Jianwei out of the corner of his eye.
Little sister? Leaving aside where Lu Li who was an orphan on a wild planet dug up a little sister, even if it was true, why did he have to marry his little sister?!
The highly self-possessed strategist Xie thought that he wanted to burst out some colourful language.
Yet the brother and sister pair chatted away happily. The girl holding onto Xie Jianwei’s arm had on a sweet happy face: “Fine. I don’t want anything. To be able to marry big brother Xie, I’m already perfectly satisfied!”
Lu Li’s expression turned visibly stiff for a moment, but he soon lifted the corner of her mouth: “How can you be like this. Girls getting married shouldn’t cry, right?”
Lu Qingqing blinked her eyes: “ ‘m not crying. To be able to stay together with brother Jianwei, I’m super happy!”
Lu Li smiled, and finally turned his head to look at Xie Jianwei: “Look after Qingqing well.”
Xie Jianwei stared blankly at him.
Lu Li only spared him one look and quickly changed his line of sight: “I’m gonna go greet the guests. You guys must be tired. Go in the back and get some rest.”
Dropping the conversation, he turned around and left.
Xie Jianwei knew him all too well. This infernal b.a.s.t.a.r.d became poker-faced only at times when his mouth said yes but his heart said no2. But because of the woman by his side, Xie Jianwei couldn’t directly pull Lu Li close, and had let him go instead.
The wedding was a c.u.mbersome and tiring affair. He entered the bridal chamber, but it goes without saying that Xie Jianwei would not do the things done between a husband and wife with some strange woman.
He was proficient in the ancient martial arts. Making a person who didn’t even have their guard up go fast asleep was a breeze.
When the bride fainted, the bridegroom loosened up his tie. He went to look for his dear “big brother-in-law”.
They needed to have a talk.
A nice long talk about why his real husband would not want to be his husband and strayed over to the other side. What the h.e.l.l, did being brothers-in-law hold some sort of “appeal”!
The author has something to say: Ding dong, your order of Lu · different patterns of courting death · Marshal · Li has been delivered.