In a daze, he exerted all his strength to look at Tong Sui in front of him and managed to whisper a fragmented sentence:
“You… make him… stop…”
Tong Sui, seated comfortably, showed no intention of intervening. Instead, imitating him, he smiled and replied, “Sorry, he’s not my pet. He has independent thoughts and won’t listen to me. If you’re uncomfortable, figure it out yourself.”
Lu Ting was nearly breathless with indignation. When had he ever suffered such humiliation? Even in front of that guy, Lu Yuan Zhao, he would leave him some face. He could feel that the attendant gripping his neck genuinely intended to kill him. Just as he felt himself about to lose consciousness, footsteps echoed outside like a call for salvation. That damned attendant withdrew quickly, returning to his seat as if nothing had happened.
Lu Ting fell to the ground, coughing violently. The member of parliament entering held a brand-new military uniform and was taken aback when he saw him. He quickly helped Lu Ting up and exclaimed, “Are you alright? How did this happen?”
Lu Ting could only focus on coughing, unable to reply. The shocking finger marks around his neck made the parliament member’s heart tremble a bit. He glanced towards Tong Sui, realizing that regardless of their quarrel, neither of them was someone he could afford to offend.
Tong Sui stated, “Lu Ting just accidentally fell. It seems he fell quite hard.”
The member of parliament immediately caught on, replying repeatedly, “Lord Lu Ting, you really should be more careful. Here, let me assist you.”
Lu Ting shoved the parliament member away and got up by himself. However, this time he did not return to his original position but chose a seat farthest from Tong Sui and the others. After sitting down, he quickly pulled the curtain closed.
The parliament member shifted his attention back to the seemingly harmless prince, speaking with more respect in his tone. “This is the military uniform and combat boots I requested on your behalf. You can change into them; it will be more convenient for your actions at the camp.”
“Alright, thank you. I appreciate your help.”
Tong Sui bent down, receiving the several sets of clothes with both hands, exclaiming, “So thoughtful! Even the… cough cough… outfits for my attendant are prepared.”
“You are too polite, Your Highness. This is part of my duty.”
The parliament member felt his impression of Tong Sui refresh again. He had always heard about the prince’s good temperament, but after some closer interaction, he discovered it was indeed different from what he expected. Tong Sui carried none of that haughty disdain that comes with noble status. This was a level of humility that could not be achieved merely through pretenses.
Although the parliament member’s task was technically complete, he took the initiative to establish contact between Tong Sui and the camp. Given the camp’s limited conditions, he had vacated his room to arrange the best accommodations and support for them.
The clothes Tong Sui received were of various types. There were formal uniforms as well as basic combat outfits, all primarily in deep blue. The empire’s emblem was embroidered in gold on the chest area.
Tong Sui looked at Bai Xingluo, whose fingertips lightly brushed over the familiar imperial emblem, with an unmistakable sense of nostalgia in his eyes. He thought he would never get the chance to wear this outfit again, yet it had returned to him.
Tong Sui encouraged, “Go change into it.”
Bai Xingluo suppressed his emotions, replied with a slight “mm,” and entered the changing room with the clothes.
After Bai Xingluo left, the long-absent system began beeping again.
“What’s with the need to go to the front line, host? I really can’t understand what you’re thinking. You could have easily let the protagonist, Lu Ting, and the main character, Yu Guangji, enter a romantic relationship. Why risk mission failure with this?”
“What do you think is the true salvation of the villain?”
“To avoid the villain having a tragic fate like the original plot. In the original storyline, Bai Xingluo was psychotic and controlled by a star pirate group. You’ve already basically pulled him away from that trajectory.”
“But I haven’t changed what he cares about most. I want him to return to his rightful battlefield, showcasing his strength and forcing everyone who underestimated him to apologize.”
“That’s too challenging. Host, you really don’t need to go to such lengths.”
“Villains have their destinies. No matter how strong they are, they must always yield to the protagonist. You’re trying to forcibly change the operational rules of this world.”
“How will I know if I don’t try?” Tong Sui replied. “Besides, to me, he is not a villain and there is no protagonist. I just know he will always be the most beautiful silver star.”
“Alright then, I respect your decision but don’t understand it.”
The system regarded Tong Sui as just another host who had embarked on a self-destructive path, feeling sorry that it might have to find a new host.
While they conversed, the changing room door gently clicked open from the inside. Bai Xingluo stepped out, now sporting the dark combat uniform, displaying a sharp physique. The deep blue short-sleeve shirt accentuated the lines of his arms, smooth and strong. The hem of the shirt was tucked into the pants, cinched at his slim waist with a pure black belt. The pants featured numerous pockets on the sides and were covered by black combat boots up to his calves.
Just his presence brought an air of natural seriousness and coolness. Tong Sui found himself momentarily entranced.
Bai Xingluo reminded, “Your Highness, it’s your turn to change.”
“Oh right.”
Tong Sui hugged the clothes and dashed into the changing room, shutting the door behind him and taking a deep breath. If Bai Xingluo’s original appearance were to be donned, this outfit would surely be even more striking.
Tong Sui clumsily put on the combat uniform.