Chapter 76
The Rose and the Guard
I am "intoxicated" watching her, her rosy cheeks burning under the yellow sunlight. We, a pair of "lovers," are immersed in our own "dream world."
Forgetting time and space, "our trance" is awakened by the resounding horse neighing. The shouting and chasing of soldiers rush into the sky. The rumbling and shaking of the ground merge into the sandstorm covering the sky.
We look into the distance: a nomadic army neatly armored, glittering swords and spears, a whole team of galloping horses coming to surround us.
I often come here to practice actual combat, so I am used to this kind of tiger-and-leopard momentum. Rose is startled again, her shoulders trembling slightly. Although it is just a virtual reality game, everything is vivid down to every silk thread and hair's breadth.
The thick smell of smoke stings her eyes and nose. Rose squints and closes her eyes several times, then opens them, gradually becoming familiar with the dazzling sword lights and knife shadows, feeling the burning heat from the desert as she steps on the sand. The nomadic army waves their knives and brandish their swords and roar:
- Surrender or die!
- If you run to the sky, I chase you to the sky. If you go down to the ground, I chase you to the ground. If you dive into the water, I go into the water to chase you!
- You dare to refuse the Khan and seduce the princess, you are dead!
I laughed at the last threat: what rejecting the Khan, seducing the princess. Damn, it's as if the old guy nomadic Khan is the gay guy, and can't play with homosexuals, so the old guy gets salty again because of my role... stealing the heart of the princess, who is also his beloved daughter, and immediately orders a hunt. The game's plot is almost a copy of history:
"General Thuy Phung and General Thiet Nam were two generals from the Prehistoric Kingdom who led a diplomatic mission to the Steppe Empire. They displayed remarkable dignity and talent.
The Khan tried to bribe the young generals, using the excuse that both his daughters had secretly fallen in love with them.
The eldest princess loved Thiet Nam, and the youngest princess loved Thuy Phung, so the Khan actively wanted to marry off his two princesses to the generals in order to lure rare talents into surrender.
Thuy Phung and Thiet Nam firmly refused. Day and night of persuasion still failed, so the Khan and the elder princess plotted to drug them, falsely accused them, and imprisoned them. Some time later, the one who impersonated Thuy Phung received a high official position, and the one who disguised himself as Thiet Nam pretended to marry the elder princess in front of the envoys.
Thiet Nam and Thuy Phung were convicted of treason and could not return home, but they refused to give in. The youngest princess secretly released them from prison.
Twenty years later, Thiet Nam and Thuy Phung, after wandering around the world, both became Pirate Kings and led their soldiers back to the Prehistoric Kingdom to help fight against the invading Grassland Empire.
The war ended, Prehistoric won, and the Prairie Empire withdrew its troops. Upon hearing the news, the youngest princess fled the palace and went to the Prehistoric Kingdom to find Thuy Phung. Thuy Phung was by then married to the princess of the Prehistoric Kingdom, the one he truly loved.
He did not want the Prairie princess to suffer her whole life because of unrequited love, so he spread the news that he had died of a serious illness throughout the world.
The princess believed it, set up a ceremony of heaven and earth, and then jumped into the sea to commit suicide. This game modified the details according to the player's wishes..."
I look up and see Rose smiling. She really tortures me in real life, but that is not enough—she also harasses me in my dreams.
Now she is "haunting" me while I am playing games, making the situation look like a princess giving up noble status and glory, fighting against her father, running to follow the call of love.
As I'm lost in thought, Rose suddenly shoves me aside, just in time to avoid a blade meant for my shoulder.
- Damn you, guy playing dirty...
I yell and punch the man who sneak-attacks me, causing his stomach to dent inward. He is knocked into the crowd behind him and falls to the ground.
The whole group rushes forward to attack me in turns. I hit them facedown, their noses breaking. I kick and send them and their horses flying into the air with a series of spinning kicks.
The game is virtual reality, but the heroic spirit of the tiger swallowing the bull and the boiling blood surge more strongly than the storms that exist only in medieval wars.
Every punch drives deep into the body, and the sound of bones breaking from every kick is real and vivid, just like I am alone fighting against a fierce and warlike army on the battlefield.
They surround me, then suddenly turn their target to Rose. She screams in fear, and that scream wakes me up from my bloodlust.
I don't need to know why the plot of the game is controlled again. My body, born to be the guard, reacts instinctively, rushing forward and hugging Rose, turning left and right repeatedly, blocking the knives and swords slashing at her.
My body is in pain, burning flesh, blood dripping from my shoulders down to my waist. It is just an illusion, but the "pain" still makes Rose cry with red eyes, smiling slightly with satisfaction at the corner of her lips.
Maybe it is the sensors in the game that give her emotions more intense than reality.
Or maybe... that feeling comes up... because... the moment I smash the whole bodyguard team to rescue her... comes back to our two minds... sentimental... and... passionate.
I don't know the real reason. I am not a prince charming, but a guard.
A guard only knows how to protect... in any situation.
In virtual games or in real life, I - do - not - allow - anyone - to hurt... people... I... care about.
While I am beating the enemy, I drag her to the ravine and tell her to stay there for a while:
- Damn, it hurts more than the real thing. If you get stabbed, you might faint! - I roar and block all the attacks - You are so heavy, I don't want to hunch over!
She cries and then laughs out loud at the "heart" that cares about her, but behaves like a tiger and a leopard to avoid goose bumps because of multiple feelings. In fact, the "lover" who wants to avoid the gap is always denied by reason.
I dash around in the battle, knocking them all to death, breaking the necks of anyone who dares to approach the ravine. The number of enemies reduces quickly, and the game turns on touch mode again, which gives me a slightly tired feeling.
- Where is your commander, guys? That coward is hiding in which corner. Tell him to come out and play with me!
There is an endless sound of horse neighs in the distance. Hooves resound in the space, rumbling and stomping on the ground. The vast rolling dust turns into a storm that sweeps the soldiers into the air.
The owner of the black horse, drenched in sweat, is a tall and muscular man, wearing sleeveless armor, flaunting twisted veins coiled tightly around his rolling muscles.
From the domineering aura that shocks gods and ghosts, the expressionless demeanor, to the eye-catching copper-brown skin, I know he is not a virtual character.
He is a flesh-and-blood man...
The moment the cold hard face appears, my resentment suddenly burns with anger. I roar and beat away all the soldiers and generals who block my way.
I snatch two curved scimitars from the bodies of the soldiers, lean back, and slide forward. The guy urges the horse, the animal jumps up to step on me.
I jump up like a skyrocket, spinning the two curved scimitars into a tornado to cut and tear the horse's body. The killing move fails to hit the enemy; he jumps to dodge in time. While the guy is still floating in the air, I slash at his head with all my strength:
- Who allows you to play my brother's favorite character? You dead dog guy!
He swings his great saber to block the blow. Metal clashes and rumbles, sparks fly. I press my curved scimitars against the enemy's weapon and push with my knee.
He is about to hit me in the stomach, but is forced to switch from attack to defense and pushes me away with a punch. I roar, pinning my angry eyes on the bastard who drives me crazy:
- I haven't settled the score with you for destroying the souvenir, and now you anger your father again! - I rush and attack with my curved scimitars - I must break your head off your neck to end the new hatred and the old hatred!
The guy pushes the great saber sideways, swinging the weapon to chop at my head. I duck, but his left hand hits me directly in the face. The fist is so fast that I can't dodge it, and I am struck by a blow more powerful than a hammer.
Rose bursts into tears and screams in fear. If she lets her heart overwhelm her reason and acts foolishly, she will cause me to be entangled hands and feet, I get distracted... which inevitably has immeasurable consequences.
But the opponent is the third strongest monster in the world. He keeps forcing me back, relentlessly pressing me and striking all over my body. The creepy sound of knocking against me is real.
Every wound, big or small, cuts sharply into Rose's heart... that heart no longer obeys reason. Rose loses control of her behavior again and falls into madness. Her shining eyes turn ghostly white... she rushes into the battle with a saber in hand.
From the cliff to the still distant battle site, Rose sees her lover drawn into the fight by hatred. The enemy also seems maddened by resentment. The look of sworn-enemy indignation... is not what astonishes everyone the most; it's the scowling face, with skin clamped tightly against the skeletal muscles bulging on the cheek.
I freeze... because the enemy's expression is exactly the same as that of an old acquaintance from the past.
I will never see my old acquaintance again... I can only remember that silhouette through a souvenir...
But this dog destroys... the only thing that connects me to my old acquaintance...
Nostalgia fuels my hatred to the extreme. I shout wildly and hack at him chaotically:
- Fuck you... you stop me from getting justice for Rose... you break my promise with my brother... I lose the souvenir also because of you... Today you bring the body here to ruin my mood... you "offend" my brother twice... I must burn you, dead dog!
Each curse carries the power of heaven... the curved scimitars flash with lightning... turn into a sky net that falls on the enemy's head.
From the past to the present... in any case... the taciturn people use force to solve the problem. Now he is crazier than any madman I have ever locked mouths on.
His copper‑brown skin turns into purple‑black and gray... and the bones protrude as if they want to break the whole face.
The madman swings the great saber vertically and slashes diagonally... the sky net is torn apart... the metal rubs into space with a vibrating roar:
- Damn, dwarf... you dare disturb me... that spinning punch to the brain breaks countless blurred images into pieces and surrounds my mind... Before I realize anything in time, you smash everything... I thought the "ghost" no longer haunted me... but every time your face hits my eyes, that image is like a devil resurrected from the grave... clinging to me like a ghost... I must kill you...
My blood is boiling... I don't need to know what he says about lame pants... I just want to smash to death the barking biting dog:
- You're a lunatic talking nonsense... Dead you mother!
Both sides use their strongest hit... and a storm of flashing curved scimitars and great saber shadows fills the battlefield. Everything around is chopped and shattered... the ground sinks with trampling and rumbling footprints.
The two lunatics rush in and attack again and again... breaking weapons and immediately fighting with muscles. I hit him face down... he responds by squeezing my body down with a thousand‑pound blow.
There are three people in the game... the battle is beyond the control of the server. The management team hurriedly turns off the circuit breaker... but somewhere, there is still a crackling explosion... and the game system is in chaos. The destruction of everything is no illusion. The physical pain is also real.
The horrible pressure even suffocates Rose. Until this moment, she still realizes that rushing in will bring disaster upon herself... but every blow that her lover suffers... shatters Rose's psychology. She rushes forward regardless of the danger of serious injury:
- I'll cut you to death...
She slashes midway... but the force pushes her into the turbulent river. Fear twists my pale face... panic tears my eye sockets. I roar louder than a wounded beast... slam my head directly into the enemy's forehead. He lets go of my hand in a daze. I immediately kick him away.
He is stunned just like that day... his pupils dilate... his face reveals an extremely panicked expression... various "ghosts" appear... force him to hold his head tightly... shake his neck... and scream like a madman:
- It haunts me again... hurts... It hurts so much... It's like having my brain drilled in... Damn... Bastard... You push me back into the dead space of hazy smoke and fire again... They're coming... Those demons are coming to tear... torture me... Damn... You dog dwarf... I'll kill you...
I ignore his cries and rush to the riverside, swimming frantically toward Rose, who is struggling underwater…
- Sam… save me!
Every time a wave rolls her onto her back, Rose thrusts her face back into the water frantically. I don't know why she does that, as if she is afraid of getting her back wet.
- Calm down, don't struggle! If you go face down, water will overflow into your mouth, I can't save you!
I scream and swim at full speed. Rose keeps repeating strange movements until she is exhausted. The churning current sweeps her toward the end of the river. I panic and rush over at a speed beyond my limit. She slowly sinks into the river.
My spirit sinks to the bottom of fear. The inexplicable fear suffocates my chest. I panic and fight with all my strength against the fierce current.
The pressure tightens around my chest; the pain shoots through my heart and lungs, making me feel suffocated. Even if my heart is broken and my lungs are torn, I have to save the person who cares about me.
With incredible effort to cross the whirlpool, my muscles ache and my body freezes with cold. I whizz towards Rose. She is unconscious and motionless under the water. The cursed river refuses to let go. Every time I try to get close to Rose, it pulls her away. I have never been humiliated before, yet now I am mocked—not just once, but again and again.
The moment she is about to leave me, those figures—husband‑watching stone, unfortunate, looking at the person in their dream unable to live or die—instantly obsess my mind.
I lose track of Rose because of my distraction. I look for her underwater but can't find her. I hurry to the surface and look around. I find a group of people gathered in the distance. A girl among them waves and calls me.
I swim at full speed, rush to the shore, squeeze through the crowd, stagger, and immediately stare at the lifeguard who is performing CPR on Rose.
I know he is trying to save her, not taking advantage. But seeing him blowing air into the victim's mouth, pressing his hands on Rose's chest to push the water out, "anger" suddenly burns. The river water that floods my red eyes evaporates in an instant, leaving not half a drop behind. The bitter feeling of choking and anger keeps blocking my throat.
I have never been so unreasonable that I can't tell right from wrong. Now I scream and push the "asshole" down. The crowd stares at me in amazement; no one can believe it.
Focusing completely, I try my best to save Rose. Every time I give her a rescue breath, the fear of losing someone important squeezes out my interrupted breath. Every time I press on her body, my chest seems to be strangled to the extent that I can no longer breathe.
- Please! My brother and Luu Ly are leaving me, and I am about to lose everything!
Bitter feelings tear from my crimson eye sockets… squeezed, choked… words containing emotions do not even appear in dreams. Unexpectedly, fear makes me lose my spirit at this moment; "it" makes me a weak "idiot" more than ever before.
Even though I am about to endure the pain of losing my dearest person and feel the bitter tears again, I still think that the emotion is the fear of having no one around me—which it is not. "It" has been sleeping in my mind for a long time. Only now does this "intoxication" awaken in the limbo between life and death. The idiot can no longer contain his panic and screams as if unhinged:
- I can't lose you!
A light cough responds to the painful cry. I look down and raise my eyes quickly, hoping that I have heard correctly.
Tears blur my vision of her pale, cold face. Yet, Rose's lips part in a faint, satisfied smile, because the emotion she planted in 'someone's' heart long ago has finally borne fruit.
At that moment… only the rose and the guard are present in each other's eyes.
At that moment…
Tears are no longer bitter… but… filled with sweet feelings.
We gaze passionately at each other, our eyes lingering, unwilling to part even for half a second. Rose coughs lightly, but it cannot extinguish the burning temperature on her peach cheeks, and the pink color even turns into crimson. But to me, that cough is thunder in my ears. Startled, I scoop her up into my arms.
Rose is pushed into an unexpected situation; her arms reflexively hug my shoulders tightly, her body twice as big as her boyfriend's.
Yet, in this "romantic" moment every girl dreams of, she sees her guard towering like a god—she, a little rose sheltered in the heart of a figure who blocks out the sun.
Blushing, she offers a slight smile, lowers her head to bite her lip, and listens as the one who cares for her reverts to his crude nature:
- Damn it, where's the infirmary?