The blood-red sun slowly brushed against the horizon, slipping past it.
On the other side of the lush greenhouse, he approached from the distance, yet in an instant, everything else seemed to fade into insignificance. The verdant grass, the meticulously cared-for flowers, the sky tinged with the soft glow of dusk—all became nothing more than a distant backdrop. Only he remained, drawing closer with unhurried steps.
A soft halo of light framed his features, but he was still too far away to be seen clearly. Yet, those eyes of his—those eyes seemed capable of controlling everything in sight.
Leng Yiyao blinked. That man’s expression was unreadable, as indifferent as the mist settling over the hills at dawn—untouchable, devoid of warmth, utterly inscrutable.
Then, all around them, the soldiers suddenly straightened in unison and saluted in perfect synchronisation.
Their rigid postures and unwavering gazes imbued the silent air with a sense of iron discipline.
Leng Yiyao lowered her gaze slightly, the corners of her lips curving into a thoughtful smile.
This man… carried a presence she had known for lifetimes.
Gradually, he reached them.
Somewhere along the way, the gut-wrenching sobs had fallen silent. The noblewoman stared in shock at the god-like figure before her, feeling as if she had been trapped in a dream.
How could such a man exist in this world…?
He was too striking to look at directly.
Yet it was not just his appearance—it was his presence, his overwhelming aura, that left people utterly breathless.
It wasn’t just that she dared not meet his gaze—no, even standing there, trembling uncontrollably, she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.
Her hands shook violently as she pressed her forehead against the ground, not daring to utter another word.
In this world, there was only one man capable of commanding such absolute loyalty from so many soldiers. Only one man who could, with the slightest shift in demeanour, bend the entire military world to his will.
This man… This man…
The noblewoman squeezed her eyes shut in despair. She turned her head slightly—only to see her husband, the man who had tacitly allowed her to act recklessly, now hanging from the greenhouse’s beam, bound and helpless. His lips quivered, his eyes filled with hopelessness.
“You think you’ve been wronged?”
A voice, cold and detached, drifted down from above.
“N-No…” The noblewoman clutched at the dirt beneath her, her throat feeling as though it had been ground to dust. Her voice came out hoarse, grating to the ears.
From the moment she laid eyes on the Marshal, she had understood—there was no longer even the slightest chance for her family to turn the tide. Throwing tantrums, making a scene—it wouldn’t even cause a ripple in front of the Marshal. All it would do was accelerate their demise.
Her husband’s silence was proof enough.
Bribing military officials, obtaining the Marshal’s private schedule—on the surface, it seemed like nothing more than eager gift-giving, paving the way for their arms business. But in reality, it was intelligence gathering, a blatant attempt to infiltrate the military’s secrets.
For someone in power, the moment he had ordered his men to surround their home, his decision had already been made.
And yet… they had still harboured a sliver of hope. Still believed—perhaps, just perhaps—they might escape this fate…
Leng Yirou looked at the devastated expressions of their neighbors and then turned her wide, stunned eyes toward the Marshal. But the next moment, when she finally got a clear look at his face, her body turned cold, her limbs going weak.
This man—he hadn’t displayed a single emotion.
Yet with just one indifferent glance, he sent a bone-chilling cold down her spine.
At first, Leng Chao hadn’t realised the severity of the situation. But when he noticed that the Marshal’s gaze had shifted away from the noblewoman and was now slowly drifting toward them, his face changed instantly. He turned to find his usually composed, graceful sister completely entranced, staring in a daze.
His heart roared with frustration. Without hesitation, he kicked her ankle and pulled her down beside him, forcing them both to kneel.
At that moment, it was as if everyone had forgotten—
Besides the Marshal, there was still one other person…
One person who, from start to finish, had remained standing.
And they were standing right in front of the Marshal—face to face.
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