Chapter 282 Huo Yuhao, I'm doing this for the soldiers!
In the dark world, in the squares of major cities, Soul Masters looked at the sky, and discussions arose once again.
"This Huo Yuhao is really getting more and more outrageous," a Soul Master said, shaking his head.
"How long has Wang Dong'er been dead? How long has it been since Wang Qiu'er was sacrificed? And he's already embracing another woman. And he even says 'I miss you,' how disgusting!"
"Exactly," someone next to him chimed in. "If he truly loved Wang Dong'er, he wouldn't have shown mercy to Ju Zi on the battlefield. If he truly felt guilty towards Wang Qiu'er, he wouldn't have found a new love so quickly. To put it bluntly, he doesn't love anyone but himself."
"If Wang Dong'er from the underworld were still alive, I wonder what she would think if she saw this scene," a female Soul Master said coldly. "She committed suicide for Huo Yuhao, even risking her life. And what was the result? Her body was barely cold when Huo Yuhao was already embracing another woman."
"Wang Qiu'er is the same," another person said. "She sacrificed herself for Huo Yuhao, giving him everything. And what did she get in return? He turned around and went back to his first love. What did Wang Qiu'er's sacrifice mean to him?"
"It's so unfair to his mother, so unfair to Wang Dong'er, so unfair to Wang Qiu'er." An elderly Soul Master sighed. "These three women are all more tragic than the last. It's all because of Huo Yuhao. He, on the other hand, is living a good life and even has someone to hold him."
"Alright, that's enough. Let's look at the sky."
All eyes were once again focused on the sky.
[In the scene depicting the sky.]
Inside Orange's tent, the light was dim.
The two were still embracing, neither letting go. Huo Yuhao could feel Ju Zi's heartbeat—fast, strong, as if it were about to burst from her chest.
After a long while, Ju Zi slowly raised her head. Tears still clung to her face, her eyes were red, but a smile played on her lips. She looked at Huo Yuhao, reached out, and gently touched his face.
"You've lost weight," Orange said.
"You too," Huo Yuhao said.
Orange smiled, then cried. She stood on tiptoe and kissed Huo Yuhao's lips.
Huo Yuhao paused for a moment, but didn't push her away.
The lamplight flickered inside the tent, casting two overlapping shadows.
After a long while, Ju Zi finally let go of him, buried her face in his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "Yu Hao, do you know? All these years, I've thought about you every night. I regret leaving without saying goodbye, I regret not telling you why. I've wanted to go back to you so many times, but I didn't dare. I was afraid you already had someone else, I was afraid you hated me."
"I don't hate you," Huo Yuhao said.
"Really?" Orange looked up, her eyes sparkling.
"Really." Huo Yuhao nodded.
Orange's tears fell again, but this time they were tears of joy. She hugged him tightly, as if afraid he would run away.
[Huo Yuhao held her, but a strange, indescribable feeling suddenly welled up inside him.]
He just kissed the orange. He hugged the orange and told her he didn't hate her.
But what about Wang Dong'er? Wang Dong'er committed suicide for him, dying in the Valley of Love and Destiny. And what about Wang Qiu'er? Wang Qiu'er offered herself as a sacrifice for him, even giving up her life.
What is he doing right now?
Huo Yuhao's hand slowly loosened.
[Ju Zi sensed his change, looked up at him with a puzzled expression, and asked, "Yuhao, what's wrong?"]
Huo Yuhao remained silent for a long time before saying, "Ju Zi, I have something to tell you."
Orange looked at him and nodded: "Go on."
"I...I can't do this." Huo Yuhao's voice was a little hoarse. "I came here to see you. But I can't let you down..."
He didn't finish his sentence. Whom did he apologize to? Wang Dong'er? Or Wang Qiu'er?
Orange didn't press the matter. She released his hand, took a step back, and looked at him.
"I understand," Orange said softly. "You have your difficulties. I won't pressure you."
Looking at her, Huo Yuhao felt even more heartbroken. Ju Zi was still so sensible, still so understanding. She was just like that back then—saying nothing, arguing nothing, and then leaving alone in the end.
"Ju Zi, let's retreat," Huo Yuhao said. "Take your troops and go back. Don't fight anymore. If we keep fighting like this, many people will die on both sides."
Orange paused for a moment, then lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.
"Alright," Orange finally said, her voice very soft. "I promise you. I'll withdraw my troops."
Huo Yuhao was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected Ju Zi to agree so readily.
"You...you really agree?" Huo Yuhao asked.
"Mmm." Orange looked up at him, her eyes reddening again. "I promise you. I'll agree to anything you say."
Huo Yuhao opened his mouth, wanting to say thank you, but swallowed the words back.
"But..." Orange bit her lip, "Could you stay here for one night? Just one night. Tomorrow at dawn, I'll withdraw my troops. You go back, and I'll withdraw. After that... after that, we might never see each other again."
Huo Yuhao remained silent.
He knew he should leave. He should leave immediately, return to the White Tiger Legion's camp, and pretend nothing had happened.
But he didn't move.
"I promise you," Huo Yuhao said. "I'll stay here for one night. Not for any other reason than to prevent the soldiers from sacrificing themselves needlessly again. I'll stay and talk to you about withdrawing the troops."
Orange looked at him, nodded, and didn't expose him.
She knew he was making excuses for himself. So was she.
"Sit down," Orange said, pulling him by the hand and helping him sit on the cot. "I'll have someone get you a glass of water."
"No need," Huo Yuhao said. "I'm not thirsty."
The two sat silently on the edge of the cot. Outside the tent, the night wind howled. Inside, only the faint hum of the soul-guiding lamp could be heard.
Orange leaned on his shoulder, smiling as she looked at him. "Let's not talk about anything else tonight. Just think of me as your senior, not an officer from the Sun Moon Empire. Okay?"
Huo Yuhao looked at her and nodded: "Okay."
The orange smiled again, a very happy smile.
She leaned on Huo Yuhao's shoulder, closed her eyes, and whispered, "Yuhao, thank you for coming to see me. I'm really happy."
Huo Yuhao didn't speak, he just sat there, letting her lean against him.
The lights inside the tent were still on. The shadows of two people were cast on the tent flap, leaning against each other, like a painting.
But Huo Yuhao's heart was far from calm.
He knew he shouldn't have come. Having come, he shouldn't have hugged. Having hugged, he shouldn't have kissed. Having kissed, he shouldn't have regretted it. Having regretted it, he shouldn't have stayed.
But he did it all.
He told himself that he stayed to discuss the withdrawal, to prevent his soldiers from dying in vain.
But he knew in his heart that it was just an excuse.
He just doesn't want to leave.
In the plaza of the Dark World, the Soul Masters witnessed this scene, and their discussions erupted once again.
"Kiss and then regret it? How disgusting." A Soul Master sneered. "If you didn't want to kiss, then don't. What are you pretending to be a saint for after you've kissed? Saying 'I can't do this,' where were you before?"
"Exactly," someone nearby chimed in. "They say they're sorry to Wang Dong'er, but their actions betray them. They hugged and kissed her, then said 'I can't do this,' and think they're so affectionate? Who are they kidding?"
"And listen to what he said," another Soul Master said. "He stayed behind, saying it was to discuss the retreat, to prevent the soldiers from dying in vain. Isn't that just deceiving himself? If he really cared about the soldiers, couldn't he have talked to them openly during the day? Why did he have to come to their tent in the middle of the night and hug them while talking?"
"He just wants to stay," a female Soul Master said coldly. "They've kissed, they've hugged, and now he wants to stay one more night, then leave tomorrow morning to go back to being his devoted lover. People like that are truly disgusting."
"If Wang Dong'er finds out, she'll be turning in her grave," another person said. "If Wang Qiu'er finds out, she'll probably regret making the sacrifice."
"Alright, alright, stop talking." Someone sighed. "The plot of the dark world is getting more and more disgusting. The white world is better; at least Bai Yuhao still has a bottom line."
(End of chapter)