680 External Force (1/2)
The long-accumulating flood of emotions had burst through the dam, wiping away everything in its path with devastating force.
Gu Shenwei felt that he was both the flood and a victim of the flood. The body in his arms was struggling but it was nothing compared to his desire and soon they merged and fell headfirst into the flood together.
The solid logical line of defense built by his reason over the years had been destroyed. He didn't want to think or even dare to think because he knew what the results of reasoning would be. At this moment, his instincts had prevailed, and he deliberately filled his mind with blankness, leaving no room for reason.
Gu Shenwei wasn't a desireless ascetic monk, and he had experienced most of the pleasures a woman could offer a man. In all of his short-term relationships, he had always resided on the dominant side. He had never been as completely lost in desire as he was now. There was no so-called feeling of domination, or even a feeling of joy. Everything came naturally and fell into place without instruction.
It was a wonderful journey into the bottomless abyss, where death went hand in hand with revelry, and the end gazed at the beginning.
The two had lost the will to control themselves, and only external forces could separate them at this point.
And a very small external force indeed came. It was merely the faint sound of the curtain lifting, but this was the trigger for his reason to finally turn the tide.
Gu Shenwei took two steps back. Everything his emotions had destroyed was rebuilt in an instant, and not even a speck of dust was reduced.
Shangguan Ru remained where she was, her lips fiery-hot and the burning sensation spreading throughout her whole body. Her reasoning, which had never been strong, had not fully taken back command yet.
Azheba awkwardly stood in the doorway with mixed feelings. He knew it would be like this, but he still did not want to know about it, or at least not see it personally. ”I, uh… I'll come back later.”
”No, it's just… What can I do for you?” In his world of reason, Gu Shenwei was lucky to have such an intruder.
”Nothing… Actually…” Azheba was at a loss as to what he should say. His eyes felt like a burning piece of charcoal that he had tried to throw away but just remained stuck to his hand. In the end, he looked at the Dragon King again and finally calmed down. ”Well, the chiliarchs are entitled to come up with a candidate and we are fighting over it. I'm wondering if the Dragon King has any suggestions.”
Before Gu Shenwei had walked into the tent, Shangguan Ru and the officers were actually having a heated discussion about it. He had been asked to give advice but he had quickly forgotten all about it later.
”Four candidates will be put forward by the generals who are above the captains. Will Commandant Gulun be one of the candidates?”
”That's the news we are waiting for. I think so. He's a deputy commandant, and one of the most qualified successors.”
”Then just select a candidate with the fewest supporters. That way, it'll be easier to reach a compromise between the officers, and he also won't pose a threat to Gulun.”
”That's probably the best solution. Thank you, Dragon King, and uh, Instructor Shangguan.
Shangguan Ru blankly looked at Azheba and, quite unlike herself, remained silent.
Flustered, Azheba walked outside. As he was holding the entry flap of the door, he hesitated a moment, and was just about put it down when Gu Shenwei said, ”Please leave it up for me.”
Azheba blushed and hurried to hang the flap up. Then he awkwardly nodded towards the inside before turning around and hurriedly striding away. This perplexed Red Bat, who couldn't help turn and look inside.
This time, it was Gu Shenwei's turn to feel embarrassed. He gripped his saber hilt and loosened his left hand three times but still couldn't find the right words to say.
Shangguan Ru revealed a sly smile. ”It's no use. The rumor will spread faster than the election of the commandant, and you can't deny it either.”
Gu Shenwei was a bit regretful that he had Azheba hang the flap up because he didn't expect Shangguan Ru to start discussing the matter now. ”Azheba seems tight-lipped…” As soon as he blurted it out, Gu Shenwei knew this was not her point at all and that he was just avoiding the topic. ”Let's just forget about it.”
”Why?” Shangguan Ru's cheeks showed a layer of pink, which had nothing to do with shyness but was rather an embodiment of her stubborn personality.
”Why?” Gu Shenwei really didn't want to answer this question but he had to, so he kept his voice down and said, ”Because I have a queen. Because… you caused the death of the two rocs and killed my family for the second time.”
For a moment, that long tamed anger and hatred violently surged, almost as powerfully as the lust that had just calmed.
Shangguan Ru stepped back in fear. She knew that every word the Dragon King had said was true, but he had controlled his hatred so well that she gradually began to ignore the true color of his feelings. And when it finally appeared, it was a hundred times more terrible than she could have ever imagined.
”Drink! Drink! Eat meat! Eat meat!” Old Man Mu's voice came from afar, and once again, the external force broke apart the dilemma that could not end on its own.
Old Man Mu was carrying a big wine-jar in each hand that were so large they made it look like three Old Man Mus were walking side by side. Right behind him, Shangguan Fei was holding several large pieces of skewered barbecued meat and happily walked into the tent. Old Man Mu called to the guards outside. ”Let's eat together. We've been hungry all day. We'd have to keep starving if it weren't for my quick hands.”
Red Bat looked at the instructor worriedly but didn't enter the tent with five guards until Shangguan Ru waved at her.
Shangguan Fei warily watched the dripping fat off of the roast. ”It's too bad. Even the servants in the camp are not working anymore. If you ask me, I'd say that even if the Commandant is dead, the rest of the men are still alive. If they all starved, who's going to fight?”