TMWTGD CH83

Lu Li spent half the night indulging in sweetness and passion with his military advisor.

Pouring their hearts out to one another, an old married couple was somehow even sweeter than first loves; looking into each other’s eyes, there was only laughter, affection, and a bone-deep devotion so thick it refused to dissolve.

Xie Jianwei felt completely grounded, and Lu Li felt the same.

If only this could last for all eternity, how wonderful that would be.

All along, Lu Li had been plagued by insecurity, constantly fearing that he would lose everything at any moment, and this unease had actually infected Xie Jianwei as well.

Only, Xie Jianwei had never shown it on the outside, or rather, even he hadn’t noticed it himself.

Yet upon careful reflection, traces remained.

Because of insecurity, he retreated to the Marshal’s Manor; because of insecurity, he avoided “bothering” Lu Li; and because of insecurity, he repeatedly reminded himself that Lu Li loved him.

Thinking of this, Lu Li couldn’t help reproaching himself for only realizing it now.

Leaning against his chest, Xie Jianwei asked softly, “Do you mind if I interfere in affairs of state?”

This was a question they had never communicated about before.

Back then, Xie Jianwei had stepped down from the core of power without a single word, catching Lu Li completely off guard; he didn’t even have a chance to ask him to stay before Xie Jianwei had already extricated himself, casting everything aside as if he didn’t care in the slightest.

Lu Li had no opportunity to ask why, and Xie Jianwei never asked for Lu Li’s thoughts.

Both of them had been bound by their own assumptions.

Lu Li assumed that Xie Jianwei didn’t care about such things, discarding them so casually, so what on earth did he care about?

Xie Jianwei assumed that stepping aside was for the sake of their future relationship, so there was no need to bring such matters to the table.

Yet in reality, both were dead wrong.

What each assumed was worlds apart from what the other believed.

Lu Li countered, “Why would I mind?”

Xie Jianwei paused.

Now that Lu Li understood his feelings, he could finally voice his thoughts: “Do you know what I thought back then? You threw everything away without a trace of reluctance. I thought your wishes were fulfilled, and that there was nothing left in this world you cared about.”

Xie Jianwei’s eyes widened. “How could that be?”

Lu Li smiled. “I know now. You care about me.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Of course I care about you.”

Lu Li said, “I didn’t know back then…” Exhaling softly, he spoke slowly in a magnetic voice tinged with a unique gentleness, “I never dared believe you loved me. I thought I was just a gun in your hands, an instrument to help you take revenge, a…”

“How could that be!” Xie Jianwei turned to look at him, his face full of astonishment.

Lu Li said, “Right, how could that be?”

Xie Jianwei still found it unbelievable: “How could you think like that?”

Lu Li offered a bitter smile: “It was my fault.”

Xie Jianwei threw a rare tantrum: “You were indeed completely in the wrong! How could you… how could you…”

“Alright, alright,” Lu Li found his puffing, indignant military advisor utterly adorable, coaxing him, “Listen to me first.”

Xie Jianwei was still irritated, glaring at him as he waited for him to speak.

Lu Li continued, “I didn’t know what you could possibly like about me. Think about it: I had nothing, just a wild brat from a desolate planet who didn’t even know what the outside world looked like. But look at you: the Federation’s promising Young Master Xie, Third Young Master of the Xie family, outstanding character, prestigious background, flawless in every way.”

With that, Lu Li let out a quiet sigh, voicing the thoughts that had occupied his heart for years: “Under such a contrast, it was only natural for me to love you, and it was just as natural for you not to love me.”

“That’s not true!” Xie Jianwei couldn’t help interrupting.

Lu Li kissed him, continuing, “Yes, it isn’t true. I was too much of a bastard before.”

Hearing his words made Xie Jianwei’s heart flutter with panic. He had never expected Lu Li had harbored such thoughts all this time. Such a mindset was unacceptable, and he had to explain everything clearly: “I… I’m not as great as you imagine, and you’re not as lacking as you think either… Back on the desolate planet…”

This was the second time (actually the third, though the memories between personalities had not yet fully integrated) Lu Li heard Xie Jianwei bring up their first meeting on the barren planet. Although he still hadn’t revealed the Xie family’s secrets, he laid bare his heart: because of him, he had found a reason to live; he loved him, regarding him as the sole person in his life.

No matter how many times Lu Li heard such words, his heart surged with overwhelming waves.

Xie Jianwei looked at him and said, “I love you, not a single bit less than you love me.”

Lu Li’s heart almost melted into sweetness, murmuring softly, “I know now.”

Xie Jianwei complained, “You should have known long ago!”

Lu Li’s heart itched with fondness at this rare look: “It’s my fault.”

He apologized, and Xie Jianwei reflected on himself as well: “I was in the wrong too; I never noticed what you were thinking before.”

Lu Li said, “My mistake was even more ridiculous; I failed to see your feelings.”

Xie Jianwei wanted to argue further, but soon found it comical. Curving his lips, he said, “From now on, I will tell you ‘I love you’ once every day.” Let’s see how you can claim ignorance then.

Lu Li raised an eyebrow. “How could once be enough?”

Xie Jianwei was stunned by his shamelessness.

Lu Li didn’t have much formal schooling, but because of his petty accounting tendencies, he was very good at math: “Four months on the desolate planet, six years at war, four years in the Marshal’s Manor… roughly eleven years. Excluding leap months, let’s call it over four thousand days. One ‘I love you’ a day, mm…” The Lord Marshal concluded decisively, “Rounding it off, you only owe me one hundred million.”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Take back his previous thought: good at math, my foot!

Lu Li added magnanimously, “It’s fine, making love once can offset ten ‘I love you’s. Counting it like this…”

This guy truly pushed his luck; give him an inch and he’d take the entire galaxy!

Xie Jianwei barked at him, “Get out of here!”

Lu Li rolled over and hugged him from the other side.

Xie Jianwei couldn’t bear to push him away either, nuzzling closer into his chest.

Seeing him like this, sweetness spread across Lu Li’s lips: “So can you tell me why you chose to stay in the Marshal’s Manor?” In truth, he already knew, but he still wanted to hear it. Not too many times: one, two, three, four, five… one hundred million times would suffice.

Pity the military advisor was being played by his tricks. No matter how high his intellect, he couldn’t imagine this was a dream, let alone that Lu Li had activated an omniscient cheat and already knew everything.

Thinking Lu Li was still in the dark, Xie Jianwei naturally didn’t want him to misunderstand further, saying hurriedly, “I was afraid I would influence you. And… you know those people. The surviving officials from the Federation have always been restless. If I gave them an opening, they would probably…”

“You were afraid they would drive a wedge between us?”

“Over time, nothing is certain.”

Lu Li smiled, murmuring softly, “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

Xie Jianwei lowered his eyes slightly: “Feelings require mutual maintenance. Certain things should be avoided if possible…”

“Yet for all those years, I believed you didn’t love me at all.”

Xie Jianwei paused.

Holding him, Lu Li sighed softly, “Even believing you didn’t love me, I remained unconditionally in love with you for ten years. Did you truly think their schemes would work?”

Xie Jianwei found himself at a loss for words. Lu Li continued gently, “Whatever you desire, I will give you. Never mind external things like power; even this life of mine is entirely yours to take as you please.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Looking at him, Lu Li said earnestly, “A-Wei, on this point, I have absolute confidence. No one can ever shake my feelings for you, and no one can drive me away from your side. If anyone ever could, that person would only be you.”

Xie Jianwei gazed at him unblinkingly.

Lu Li said, “Unless you drive me away, I will never leave you. And even if you do drive me away, I will still love you.”

Xie Jianwei’s eyes gradually reddened, his gorgeous eyes looking as though washed by clear water, bright and lucid.

Lu Li told him, “One thing will never change: I love you.”

Xie Jianwei could not describe his emotions: simultaneously happy and sorrowful, at peace yet terrified.

Happy that Lu Li loved him so deeply.

Sorrowful that Lu Li loved him with such humble self-deprecation.

At peace knowing Lu Li would never leave him.

Terrified: was all of this real?

If it were all a midnight dream, how could he face reality upon waking?

Everyone was the same: when encountering something too wonderful and blissful, their first instinct was to question its reality.

Lu Li murmured softly, “Words alone lack proof, but I can use lifetime after lifetime to prove it.”

Xie Jianwei suddenly laughed. The terror was like a paper tiger set ablaze: once the wind blew and the fire flared, it all vanished.

“Words alone lack proof,” Xie Jianwei echoed Lu Li’s words, “I can use lifetime after lifetime to prove that my love for you is not a single fraction less than yours.”

The smile on Lu Li’s lips was radiant. Embracing Xie Jianwei, he felt utter contentment.

Already thicker than honey, the sweetness between them was enough to make anyone’s teeth ache.

Yan Ke quietly withdrew.

Time flowed differently outside than inside the dream. Fortunately, the Lord Marshal was exceptionally valiant every time, never stopping until he had spent the whole night making love, which allowed Yan Ke to linger longer in reality.

Being in love was truly wonderful.

Spacing out, Yan Ke felt quite envious.

In the past, he would never have believed two people could love each other so purely that they saw only one another, but now he witnessed it.

Between them existed only each other.

As if standing outside the world, or above the world; or rather, the two of them were already an entire universe: each other’s universe.

Yan Ke felt an ache in his chest; he had loved someone once too.

Seven years ago, on an expedition with the military as a medical officer, he had saved a soldier who had barely a breath left.

He was critically injured, his face entirely destroyed, and more than half his body scorched black; suspended in nutrient fluid, only a pair of eyes remained visible.

Many had pronounced a death sentence on him, but Yan Ke felt back then that he wouldn’t die. Treating him day and night, he actually pulled him back from the gates of hell.

The soldier was deeply grateful, wrapped up like a dumpling yet always buzzing around him.

Yan Ke had never seen anyone with such terrifying regenerative capability; on the brink of death, he had bounced right back to life.

Yan Ke found him fascinating, frequently coming to chat with him. Though the man couldn’t speak, Yan Ke was very fond of those eyes.

Later… Yan Ke left the base, following the fleet to the Arke system. By the time he returned, the “dumpling” had fully recovered and left the base.

Yan Ke looked up his name, etching the word “Xiao” into his memory. After waiting a long time, he finally couldn’t resist going to find him, only to be met with news of his death.

Although he had saved his life, the man had died anyway; this time blasted to ash along with his mecha, leaving not a trace behind.

The name on the casualty list was like a thorn in Yan Ke’s heart.

It pierced his feelings, and snapped them clean through.

Snapping back to his senses, Yan Ke wiped his tears in disarray and quickly reentered the dream.

Why dwell on old memories? The past could not return, and the lost could never be reclaimed.

He had regrets, could only hold regrets, eternal regrets.

Yan Ke had zoned out for rather long. When he entered the dream, he discovered that not just a single night had passed, but more than half a month!

The Lord Marshal was truly formidable, having coaxed and bluffed his way through another twenty days.

Feeling utterly guilty over the divorce dispute, the three fake figures were led around by the nose by the puppets Lu Li had set up, wholeheartedly focusing on pampering Xie Jianwei.

In a sense, Lu Li understood himself remarkably well, which was why he could dig such an immaculate hole for his other selves.

Xie Jianwei had been busy recently, researching methods to merge Lu Li’s personalities.

He was keeping this from Number Three for now, worried that he might resist integration…

Fortunately, the cheat-wielding Lu Li was sharp. Seeing Yan Ke pop in and out frequently, he deduced what was going on.

Whenever Yan Ke saw Lu Li, he turned timid as a mouse, saluting with the rigid propriety of an elementary schooler, clearly terrified of him.

Lu Li asked the real Yan Ke in his mind: “Are you afraid of me?”

Yan Ke: “…”

Lu Li was puzzled. He wasn’t familiar with Yan Ke and had barely exchanged words with him. What was there to fear?

Yan Ke hastily explained: “My Lord, it is reverence!”

Lu Li: “…”

Wiping cold sweat, Yan Ke added, “You are the Lord Marshal, and I… I am an ordinary citizen… naturally…”

Lu Li suddenly asked, “Are you afraid of Loren?”

“Huh?” Yan Ke was baffled. What did this have to do with Admiral Loren? But Loren was an Admiral second only to one and above tens of thousands; as a commoner, he certainly owed him reverence, so he stammered, “I… I also hold great reverence for Admiral Loren.”

Hearing this, Lu Li took it upon himself to interpret it as Yan Ke disliking military men in general. Seeing this, the Marshal silently lit a candle for his xiongdi: poor Loren (please ignore the gloating tone; forgive our Lord Marshal, who was currently basking in smug triumph).

Aside from sneezing, what else could Loren do? He was truly innocent in all this.

Lu Li had no intention of letting Xie Jianwei successfully merge them.

If they were truly one person, he wouldn’t mind; after all, he wanted a complete version of himself to love Xie Jianwei with a whole heart, which would eliminate future hazards and give Xie Jianwei greater peace of mind.

However, those three were fakes.

Lu Li knew perfectly well that he was the real deal. He had no desire to merge into one entity with three imposters, not even in a dream.

Yet how could he refuse the merger?

That was rather tricky.

Inside the dream, they were nominally One, Two, Three, and Four; merging them might be what untied Xie Jianwei’s knot.

If he refused, Xie Jianwei might become suspicious, worrying that they would resume slaughtering each other.

Lu Li had considered eliminating One, Two, and Four in a quick, brutal strike, but there was no way he could conceal it from Xie Jianwei. Before he could kill even one, Xie Jianwei would surely intervene.

When that happened, everything accomplished so far would likely go down the drain.

No matter what was said, once someone died, all was lost.

From a medical standpoint, the four Lu Lis were symbiotic: if one died, all perished. That was reality, and the logic of the dream as well.

Was merging the only choice?

Yan Ke comforted him: “Actually, merging won’t hurt. You will still be you.”

Lu Li felt it wouldn’t be that simple.

Up until now, “it” had been quiet as a dormouse; was that normal?

Given how much it loved stirring up trouble, why was it behaving so meekly now?

Yan Ke was puzzled too, but had even less of a clue. In the Marshal’s dreams, he was a bystander; in the Military Advisor’s dream, he was still a bystander. Aside from standing by, he was constantly swallowing romantic dog food, eating so much sweetness he needed a dentist.

If the enemy didn’t move, he wouldn’t move. The Lord Marshal might be terrible at math, but his military strategy was genuine.

The enemy didn’t move, and Lu Li didn’t move either, but Xie Jianwei made a move.

This military advisor, who was supposed to know nothing, kept completely in the dark, waiting like a sweet darling for salvation, turned everything around.

It started like this: after breakfast, Xie Jianwei asked, “A-Li, why did you suddenly see the light?”

Lu Li didn’t catch on right away.

Unrushed, Xie Jianwei repeated, “You said that previously you were convinced I didn’t love you. So why did you suddenly realize that I love you?”

That single question rendered Lu Li speechless: “…”

This was indeed an odd detail.

Think about it: how could Lu Li, who had held onto that misunderstanding for ten years, suddenly see through everything on that specific day? How could he abruptly believe Xie Jianwei loved him? His mental circuits had been warped for ten years, galloping halfway across the cosmos; how could they be reeled back in a split second? Even the fastest starship in the galaxy couldn’t pull off such a feat.

If Xie Jianwei had done something back then, it could be explained, but Xie Jianwei had done nothing at all.

Although he had realized he might have been wrong to step down from power, his thought at the time was: retreating to the Marshal’s Manor was a facade since he could still mobilize every resource, which didn’t serve its purpose and might even breed suspicion in Lu Li.

Yet before he even had the chance to explain, Lu Li already knew everything.

How did he know? That was the question.

For a loyal husband whose entire heart was devoted to his wife to be rendered this tongue-tied was truly something else.

Xie Jianwei added, “Speaking of which… I have always found something strange.”

Lu Li: “…”

Xie Jianwei smiled and said, “I always felt you were different from them.”

“Them?” Lu Li played dumb; today he was roleplaying as Number Two.

Xie Jianwei said, “Yes. I know you are Number Three.”

Lu Li: “…”

Yan Ke gasped.

Xie Jianwei dropped another bombshell: “I know it has been you all along.”

Lu Li: “…”

Xie Jianwei smiled: “From the very beginning until now, it has always been you.”

Lu Li still wanted to struggle and feign ignorance, but Xie Jianwei raised a hand and brought up a projection, showing the real Number Two and the puppet being sweet together in another “Marshal’s Manor.”

Lu Li fell silent.

Xie Jianwei said, “Your puppet is quite impressive.”

Lu Li thought: Impressive? It doesn’t possess a fraction of a percent of the real me.

Xie Jianwei looked at him again: “None of that matters. I know you want to be with me.”

Lu Li mumbled, “Mm.”

Xie Jianwei finally posed the crucial question: “What is truly strange is that I actually feel none of them are you.”

Lu Li’s pupils contracted sharply.

Frowning, Xie Jianwei said, “One, Two, and Four are not you. They feel like fake puppets instead.”

Lu Li pondered cautiously for a long time, unsure of what to say.

This was a moment of crisis. If Xie Jianwei realized this was a dream, then…

Xie Jianwei looked at Lu Li: “Nothing you want to tell me? I feel you know quite a lot.”

Yan Ke was beside himself with anxiety, his voice trembling: “What do we do, what do we do, what do we do?”

Steeling his resolve, Lu Li went into full actor mode: “You might not believe me if I tell you.”

Xie Jianwei nearly scared both of them to death: “Are you going to tell me that this is all a dream?”

Yan Ke could barely hold back a scream. Finished, the dream is going to collapse! Two military advisors will emerge! One advisor is already terrifyingly brilliant, but two… heavens, can the universe even contain them?!

Fortunately, Lu Li remained steady, proving thoroughly reliable when it mattered most. He told Yan Ke, “Stay calm. If he genuinely believed this was a dream, it would have collapsed already.”

Since the dream hadn’t collapsed, it proved Xie Jianwei hadn’t truly accepted it; after all, it was far too unrealistic. The more rational a person was, the less likely they were to believe they were inside a dream.

Veteran actor Lu Li stepped up to save the world: “I came back from one year in the future.”

Xie Jianwei paused in a daze: “What?”

Lu Li spoke slowly, “Many things happened over that year. I fought myself, you exhausted yourself, and we lived in bitter torment…” He didn’t dare be too specific, but touched upon key points: the divorce dispute, which became so fierce they almost actually divorced. Later, when the truth was exposed, because all four Lu Lis had impersonated each other, none felt guilty; each despised the others with burning hatred, eager to eradicate the rest.

Xie Jianwei wouldn’t let him die, but one military advisor couldn’t restrain four fully armed Marshals. After holding out for a year, tragedy struck.

Number One died. At that time, Xie Jianwei felt utterly hopeless, believing Lu Li was about to perish.

Yet unexpectedly, he didn’t die.

Xie Jianwei asked urgently, “What happened?”

Lu Li said, “Because I never split in the first place.”

“Never split?” Xie Jianwei frowned.

Lu Li affirmed with certainty, “Yes… this was a conspiracy.”

When it came to concocting scripts, Lu Li was masterly beyond belief.

The Hundred-Limbed King had been parasitized, hacked to death, and now had to serve as the scapegoat once again.

“You remember that dead bug? It didn’t die completely, actually resurrecting within me. Neither of us noticed at the time. It invaded my consciousness, stole vast amounts of data, and simulated three convincing replicas of Lu Li. Never mind you; even I believed I had split…”

Xie Jianwei was stunned: “They truly aren’t you?”

Lu Li said, “If you don’t believe me, you can test it: even if you kill them, I won’t die.”

Xie Jianwei stayed silent for a long while.

Lu Li said, “I don’t know why I returned to the present, but now that I’m back, I won’t let us repeat the same mistakes. A-Wei…”

Just as his voice softened, he saw Xie Jianwei radiate unprecedented murderous intent and icy chill. He asked, “Is it still inside your consciousness?”

Lu Li thought: That works too. Seizing this opportunity, I can let A-Wei destroy it…

The moment that thought flickered, a sudden wave of dizziness hit Lu Li.

When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to reality.

Yan Ke spoke in a rush: “The dream is stable! The Military Advisor’s mental state is excellent!”

Lu Li was stunned for a moment, understanding immediately like a clear mirror: “it” had expelled him.

Knowing this was a dream, it had been monitoring in secret, and sensing danger to itself, had forced the dream to an end.

In fact, Lu Li considered further: Xie Jianwei’s psychological knot had likely already been untied, and its hasty termination of the dream had actually done Lu Li a favor. Because the knot was resolved, the dream ended rather than collapsed, preventing Xie Jianwei from splitting.

Yan Ke exhaled in relief, “It seems to have succeeded.”

Lu Li harbored slight doubts in his heart, but since he wasn’t certain, he kept them to himself.

Yan Ke asked, “My Lord, shall we proceed?”

Lu Li said, “Dawn is approaching. Let us wait a bit.” He had affairs to attend to.

Yan Ke replied, “Understood!”

Previously, whenever Xie Jianwei finished a treatment cycle, Lu Li would awaken, but now Xie Jianwei remained comatose. This was a form of self-preservation, something Xie Jianwei had specifically instructed Yan Ke before falling unconscious.

While awake, it had more opportunities to exploit. A person’s mental bandwidth was finite; focusing on reality meant relaxing internal vigilance, giving it an opening to stir up trouble.

Xie Jianwei had no wish to split, so he chose unconsciousness. By blocking out external reality, he could confront it mentally with his full power.

Coupled with Lu Li’s comforting presence in the dreams, it would eventually be crushed entirely.

Having neglected work in the dream for so long, tackling the backlog was tedious, but he had long adapted. Furthermore, having won his heart’s desire, thinking of Xie Jianwei filled him with drive, and knowing Xie Jianwei loved him revived him to full strength. His efficiency doubled, compressing eight hours of work into two.

The AI assistant chimed in admiration: “My Lord, you are incredible!”

Lu Li found this deeply satisfying, as the AI had been set to display as a chibi version of Xie Jianwei, adorably charming.

The AI added, “My Lord, you still have 302 documents awaiting your review.”

Lu Li: “…” Charming my foot. Compared to my real A-Wei, it’s night and day!

After working all day, the moment dusk arrived, Lu Li went on strike.

Was there no end to this? He had already cleared a week’s worth of business, yet more kept piling up!

Why bother being a supreme state leader? Pure torment.

Lu Li tossed everything aside and left. Before his departure, the AI praised him a hundred times in an adorable tone; because the chibi A-Wei was so cute, his mood lifted again, even contemplating reviewing another stack of files.

No, it was all a trap; he couldn’t take the bait.

The Lord Marshal cleverly severed the connection, preparing to see his real A-Wei.

Yan Ke had remained at the Marshal’s Manor, as traveling back and forth from the clinic was troublesome, so he simply stayed put.

With the Military Advisor comatose, having him keep watch gave Lu Li peace of mind.

Returning from work, Yan Ke had finished catching up on sleep, saluting with vigor: “My Lord, good evening!”

Lu Li happened to be on a call, so he merely nodded to Yan Ke.

On the other end of the communicator, Loren, who had been reporting seriously, paused, asking sourly, “Is that Doctor Yan?”

Lu Li said, “Mm.”

Loren sounded intensely annoyed: “Why is he at your place so late?”

Lu Li explained, “A-Wei is feeling unwell.”

Hearing this, Loren sobered up instantly, asking, “Did something happen?”

Lu Li said, “A minor issue, nothing serious.”

Loren paused, speaking solemnly: “Boss, take it easy on him too. The Military Advisor’s body isn’t built for endless roughhousing.”

Lu Li: “…”

Loren added faintly, “Doctor Yan is a doctoral laureate with three consecutive Imperial Medical Awards; don’t squander his talent on trivialities…”

Lu Li decided that Loren deserved to remain a bachelor for life.

Unaware that he had dug his own grave, Loren was still touched by his own courage: Look how brave I am, risking death to speak up for Doctor Yan! Even though Doctor Yan knows nothing of it… so depressing.

Once Yan Ke prepped the equipment, Lu Li closed his eyes and entered the dream.

This time differed greatly from the last. Lu Li didn’t open his eyes immediately, or rather, he opened his eyes, but saw nothing.

Pitch black, unable to see his own fingers. He could see nothing and touch nothing, as if trapped in primordial chaos, his body having vanished.

“What is going on?”

Yan Ke: “…”

“Yan Ke?”

Yan Ke wanted to cry; he didn’t dare say it! He feared the Lord Marshal would execute him in embarrassed fury!

Lu Li knew Yan Ke could see it while he could not, but he didn’t panic; there was certainly no danger, otherwise Yan Ke would have raised the alarm.

An unexpected hitch, perhaps?

In all his calculations, Lu Li never could have anticipated an accident like this!

When he finally opened his eyes, before taking in his surroundings, ravenous hunger struck, and without thinking, he began wolfing down food.

Midway through, Lu Li sensed something odd about this “meal,” and his posture while eating was strange too.

Was this fresh milk? Why wasn’t he drinking from a cup, but lapping it with his tongue?

Lu Li looked down at the small black-and-white porcelain dish, the milk already half-finished. Looking further down, he saw a pair of fluffy paws…

Lu Li moved, knocking over the milk, and finally saw his situation clearly.

He had a pair of fluffy paws; in fact, not just paws, he was furry all over!

Lu Li tried to stand upright, but failed. Galloping on all fours, he found a pool of water to inspect his reflection, freezing in sheer, dumbfounded bear shock.

What on earth was this creature?

A roly-poly round body, a comically derpy head, and black-and-white patched fur…

A giant panda?

How had he turned into a national treasure!

The issue was: if he remembered correctly, giant pandas had gone extinct in the interstellar era. Xie Jianwei had never seen such an animal, so why would he…

Lu Li stared blankly for a long while.

Yan Ke felt profound sympathy, hesitating before whispering, “My Lord… you, you actually look quite adorable like this.”

Lu Li: “…”

Yan Ke feared he had flattered the wrong spot and would be kicked to death.

Fortunately, Lu Li couldn’t reach him, simply ignoring him.

Just then, giggles drifted from nearby: “Look, that black-and-white ball is acting foolish again.”

“Growing into that shape, does it truly think His Majesty will visit it again?”

“Exactly! Big and round, too heavy to even hold; how could His Majesty ever like it?”

“It’s strange when you think about it. When it was first brought back, it was tiny, palm-sized, tottering unsteadily on its paws, ridiculously cute. His Majesty doted on it for a while, but who knew it couldn’t control its appetite, eating nonstop all day? Its body inflated like a balloon. Never mind palm-sized, look at it now: a complete sphere!”

“If I were it, I would go on a strict diet. Even if I couldn’t shrink back to original size, I’d at least slim down to the size of a bouncy ball. It’s supposed to be a cute pet, so who ever heard of a pet growing this massive?”

“Cute? It’s practically turned into a bear!”

“Heavens, don’t scare me! Bear beasts are terrifying; they eat people!”

“Maybe it truly carries bear beast blood. Look how thick its paws are!”

The chattering made Lu Li’s head ache. He felt annoyed, but upon seeing the speakers, he was rendered utterly speechless.

Bickering with a bunch of rabbits, cats, raccoons, and hamsters? Where would his dignity go?

Yan Ke finally ventured to speak: “Um… Lord Marshal, I think something might be… slightly off.”

Lu Li: “Off where?”

Yan Ke said cautiously, “No matter what, the Military Advisor wouldn’t view you as… as…”

Lu Li said, “And then?”

Yan Ke had no idea what came after “and then.”

In truth, Lu Li wasn’t angry. He sprawled on the ground, propping his chin on his paws in deep panda contemplation: “I had a theory earlier…”

Yan Ke tried desperately to stop himself from squealing So cute, so fluffy, so adorable!, though his voice still held excited tremors: “Please speak, what theory?”

Lost in thought, the Marshal failed to realize his current visual impact, explaining seriously: “I believe the knot belongs to A-Wei, but the dream might not be entirely his.”

Yan Ke’s eyes were completely filled with the roly-poly creature, taking a long moment to process what the ball—pah, the Lord Marshal—was saying: “W-What do you mean?”

Lu Li said, “A-Wei fears my split personalities, so it created a dream where I had already split. It knew I could comfort A-Wei, so it deliberately made a bear out of me, assuming that turning me into a bear would leave me unable to soothe A-Wei.”

After all, humans and beasts were separated by species; how could they love?

Without love, how could there be comfort?

Our Lord Marshal analyzed logically and hit the nail right on the head, showing brilliance that didn’t fit his rough-around-the-edges roots. Unfortunately, his sole audience member, Yan Ke, was not paying attention to the strategy.

He was already breathless from the sheer cuteness of this black-and-white, fluffy, squishy, and delightfully clumsy creature.

Heavens, how could such an adorable being exist in this universe!