Dai Mubai narrowed his eyes, holding a riding crop in his hand.
The soldier lowered his head, his voice trembling.
"Your Highness... the water's too hot..."
"Too hot?"
Dai Mubai smiled.
He suddenly raised the riding crop and lashed it hard across the soldier's face.
"Smack!"
A bloody welt appeared instantly.
"Do you think I'm so pampered that I can't even stand a little heat?"
"Or are you laughing at me in your heart, because I'm a prince who got driven out?"
"Huh? Speak!"
Dai Mubai cursed as he whipped him.
Every lash came down with all his strength.
He vented all the anger he'd felt at Dai Weisi, and all his hatred over Zhu Zhuqing's escape, on these innocent soldiers.
The other soldiers knelt on the ground, furious but afraid to speak.
All they could do was listen to their comrade's screams echo through the tent.
Black World, reality.
Star Luo Square fell silent.
Then came a chorus of scornful jeers.
"What the hell is this?"
"He gets beaten like a dog by his older brother in the imperial city, then takes it out on his own men once he's in the army?"
"So this is the so-called Evil Eye White Tiger? Well, I've seen everything now."
"Someone like that deserves to lead troops? If I were one of his soldiers, I'd slit his throat in the middle of the night!"
The crowd erupted in curses.
Dai Mubai stood among the Shrek Seven Devils, his face pale as paper.
He wanted to argue.
He wanted to say the pressure had been too much, that he'd only done it to establish his authority.
But the contempt in everyone's eyes made his throat feel stuffed with cotton. He couldn't get a word out.
"Xiao San..."
Dai Mubai looked to Tang San for help.
Tang San frowned.
He watched the scene on the Sky Screen. Although he felt Dai Mubai had gone too far, he was still one of his own.
Besides, Shrek couldn't afford to lose face.
"Everyone, please calm down."
Tang San stepped forward. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried Soul Power and rang out across the area.
"What Mu Bai did back then was indeed somewhat extreme."
"But he was only twelve."
"To reach Soul Power Level 26 at the age of twelve—even if he had some help from outside forces—that talent was still the real deal."
"How many people could reach that level at his age?"
"We can't dismiss his talent and potential entirely because of a few flaws in his character."
Tang San made his case with confidence.
In his view, the Soul Master World was all about strength.
Level 26 was certainly an impressive achievement.
However.
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the crowd snorted.
"Give me a break!"
"Talent?"
"Didn't you just see? He got there by taking drugs!"
"Only the wealthy imperial family could afford those drugs that burn through a person's potential. An ordinary person would've been ruined!"
"And Dai Weisi was only a few years older than him. If he could beat him that badly, then his level must've been far higher!"
"They're both princes, with the same resources, and he still got beaten like that. How can you even brag about his talent?"
Those words landed like a resounding slap across Tang San's face.
His expression froze.
He opened his mouth, wanting to argue that Dai Weisi had the advantage of age.
But then he remembered the effortless kick Dai Weisi had delivered. That had clearly been more than a simple difference in level.
It had been a complete, overwhelming defeat.
Tang San was at a loss for words and could only retreat, looking dejected.
Dai Mubai lowered his head even further.
Humiliation.
Utter humiliation.
Even the only scrap of cover he had left had been ripped away and ground underfoot.
The scene on the Sky Screen changed.
White World.
It was also the Star Luo Empire.
But the atmosphere here was completely different.
In the main hall, the civil and military officials watched Black World's Dai Mubai and shook their heads with sighs.
"What a disgrace."
"Thank goodness our emperor isn't like that."
"If someone like him became emperor, the Star Luo Empire would probably have fallen long ago."
In the Imperial Garden.
White World's Dai Mubai was stretched out on a lounge chair, lazily basking in the sun.
Beside him, Zhu Zhuqing was peeling grapes for him.
Xiao Wu sat on the other side, fanning him with a large fan.
Qian Renxue sat at a stone table, reviewing memorials. Every so often, she glanced over at them, her eyes full of helpless affection.
"You in that world really are..."
Zhu Zhuqing popped a glistening grape into Dai Mubai's mouth. Her brows furrowed, and a trace of disgust flashed in her eyes.
"Impossible to describe."
"You have the same face, but how can the things you do be so revolting?"
Xiao Wu stopped fanning him too, puffing up indignantly.
"Exactly!"
"What's the point of bullying soldiers?"
"If you've got the guts, go fight Dai Weisi!"
"Brother, you'd better not turn out like that, or I won't talk to you anymore."
White World's Dai Mubai chewed his grape, looking thoroughly content.
He reached out and pinched Zhu Zhuqing's smooth cheek, then ruffled Xiao Wu's hair.
"Don't worry."
"I'm me."
"Trash like that isn't even fit to be my shadow."
"If he dares show up in front of me, I can kill him with a single slap."
Dai Mubai's voice was calm.
But the confidence and commanding presence in it were things Black Dai Mubai, hiding away in an army camp and drinking himself into a stupor, could never possess.
Zhu Zhuqing gazed at the man before her, admiration practically shining in her eyes.
This was her man.
The White Emperor of Heaven.
The comparison continued.
The scene returned once more to the Black World.
This time, the atmosphere grew tense and grim.
War drums thundered.
A great battle broke out along the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
The commander on Heaven Dou's side was named Xue Qinghe.
In truth, she was Qian Renxue in disguise.
Her strategic command was impeccable, and she drove the Star Luo army into retreat after retreat.
Night fell.
Rain poured down in torrents.
Dai Mubai's unit was given a mission.
Burn the Heaven Dou Empire's supplies.
It was a surprise attack.
And a suicide mission.
In the rainy night, Dai Mubai trembled all over.
He lay in the mud, watching the brightly lit Heaven Dou camp in the distance, his teeth chattering.
"Why do I have to go?"
"I'm a prince... I can't die here..."
He didn't want to go.
But military orders were absolute. Refusal meant death.
"Your Highness, don't be afraid."
An old soldier lying beside him gently patted his shoulder.
He was the same man Dai Mubai had whipped before.
But now, there was no resentment in his eyes, only a soldier's sense of duty.
"We old soldiers will protect you."
"Once we burn the supplies, it'll be a great achievement. You'll be able to return to the imperial capital."
At the words "return to the imperial capital," a glimmer of hope flashed in Dai Mubai's eyes.
"Good... good..."
Taking advantage of the rain, the group slipped quietly into the camp.
Everything went smoothly.
Until they lit the first fire.
"Enemy attack!!!"
A sharp whistle pierced the night sky.
The next second.
Countless torches flared to life, and arrows rained down like drops of water.
They were surrounded.
"We've fallen into a trap!"
The old soldier roared, knocking aside several sharp arrows with his blade.
"Your Highness, run!"
"We'll hold them off!"
Not one of the several dozen Star Luo soldiers retreated.
Roaring, they charged the enemy, who outnumbered them many times over, using their own bodies to carve Dai Mubai a path to escape.
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