Simulation 2. (3)

Early in the morning, the Queen stepped out with an unhappy expression. I felt as if she looked at me with resentment??? I thought perhaps the situation on the battlefield was frustrating her.

Next, I volunteered to lead a great army to face the enemy on the battlefield.

She approved, and after a week of preparation, I would lead the army to war.

Returning, I recounted everything to Xiao Hui. She supported me, no matter what I did. She also hated war, so this campaign was not only for The Queen and myself but also for her.

Over the next month, Xiao Hui and I were inseparable. She understood me, and I felt truly warm and happy.

She was like a flower, like a cool breeze that dispelled the coldness and roughness in my heart. This life of war, death, where the strong take all, where love and human kindness are cold, all driven by self-interest… Long ago, I had become numb to the rules of this world.

But even so, she remained my precious warm sunlight. I swore I would protect her.

On the day I set out for battle, I entrusted her to the care of The Queen, the Queen. Her final words to me were to survive and return.

I silently promised myself that I would triumph and return, because my light was waiting there.

Leading a grand army of 100,000 men, I marched straight to Crimson ValLey to intercept the Grand Sui army.

On the third day, as the battle grew extremely fierce, a sudden anomaly occurred. Spatial vortexes appeared everywhere, and from them emerged grotesque monsters, incredibly powerful.

Both sides immediately suffered heavy losses. Seeing the dire situation, I ordered a retreat. But those monsters relentlessly pursued us. Two days later, my army, having lost sixty percent of its men, finally made it back to the capital.

But when I arrived at the capital, its former prosperity and splendor were gone. Everything was in ruins, devastated. The streets ran red with blood, body parts scattered everywhere.

After searching and dealing with a few monsters still lingering in the imperial city,

it seemed the city had been suddenly attacked and had fallen. The royal family and some civilians had escaped through a secret tunnel beneath the palace. But it appeared the monsters had pursued them, and they had sealed the passage. The area was filled with blood and body fragments, like a scene from hell. Despite searching the entire manor, I found no trace of Xiao Hui. The only clue was that some of her belongings were missing, so I guessed she had gone to the palace and left with the Queen.

Next, I gathered the utterly panicked soldiers, rallied them, and followed the trail of those who had fled.

Following the clues they left behind, I learned they had reached a fortress on the snowy mountains three days ago.

After three days of cautious travel, we finally arrived. But the scene was one of devastation, wails of sorrow, buildings burning. The roars of monsters echoed mournfully around us.

Above the fortress, the royal crest still hung…

I knew what that crest meant—it signified that the royal family was residing here. The fortress had been breached, but some were still holding out inside.

I led my men to rescue them, but the monsters were too strong. A single one flung me and a third of the soldiers following me away.

I survived, but the soldiers who followed me were reduced to mangled flesh and bone. Their blood and flesh splattered onto me, the men who trusted me, followed me, and were loyal to me, now dead.

But those still alive risked everything to hold off the monsters to protect me.

Then a long scream rang out, and my head spun. When I regained my senses, the Snow Fortress had fallen. A figure in golden yellow robes flew up and self-detonated…

I wanted to rush forward but realized I had no strength left.

Another long scream echoed, and I completely lost consciousness.

I don't know how long it was before I woke up. Looking around, I was in a cave, next to a fire. Deputy Commander Damien Voss sat there, coughing up blood incessantly.

Seeing me awake, he rushed over and punched me hard, then, unable to hold back, hugged me and sobbed.

"General, our entire legion is down to just the two of us. Everyone else is dead, all dead! We shouldn't have charged in… No… no…"

I was stunned. Indeed, I had made a mistake.

"You should have let me die…"

He stopped crying and looked at me.

"No, you must live to bear this pain, to fulfill the wishes of those who sacrificed themselves to protect you."

Damien Voss coughed violently, blood everywhere, then pulled a severed arm from his bag, still wearing a bracelet.

"Perhaps this is what you're looking for."

Holding that arm, something inside me shattered. My heart ached so much it felt like it would stop beating.

That bracelet was the one I gave Xiao Hui.

Seeing me like this, Damien Voss's lips curled into a fleeting smile, then he sighed deeply, very deeply.

"General, my injuries are too severe. I probably won't make it. I know if we hadn't charged in to protect His Highness, what kind of soldiers of Grand Valorian would we be? If there's blame, it's only that we were too weak… I know I can't, but you can. Please, show those monsters that the soldiers of Grand Valorian are not to be trifled with."

After saying those words, he coughed violently, then took his last breath in my arms.

What is this feeling of powerlessness? It had been so long since I last felt this way.

The feeling of being weak, of having everything taken away. The first time was when I lost my family, weak and helpless, watching everything slip away. Now, with all my strength, I've still lost everything, unable to do anything, watching the things and people most important to me being taken away.

No, I was wrong. I was too arrogant. I thought I was strong enough to protect those dear to me.

But now it's too late… Why does it hurt so much? Why am I so tormented and regretful?

No, those emotions are for the weak. And the weak have everything taken from them. Only by becoming stronger can I escape this clinging emotion. I must take control of my own fate.

Having thought it through, I vowed to become truly strong, to never have everything taken from me again.

In the years that followed, I wandered everywhere. That disaster didn't just strike Grand Valorian but also Grand Sui, Grand Male… The monsters were so powerful that even Eternal Sect fell in a single night.

Now, those still alive in the world hide and dare not come out.

I found a secluded valley to hide in, training relentlessly, using my ability to see the future to collect treasures.

After a year, I finally broke through to the Great Martial Master realm. When my will, body, and soul merged, a soul appeared before me. His body faintly radiated a profound aura, ethereal, his movements calm and unhurried.

His face bore some resemblance to mine. I knew at once it was myself, but from another era. An invisible thread seemed to connect us.

He told me the whole truth: no matter how hard we try, we can never be truly free. It's as if an invisible hand manipulates us. That soul had reached a realm beyond all laws and constraints, yet still couldn't escape. He was still controlled by some invisible force, forever unable to achieve perfection, always forced to move forward, like a donkey whipped from behind. We are all like this—he, I, and even my past life. My ability to see glimpses of the future was a legacy from my past life. He asked if I, in this life, was willing to be controlled like this.

I fell silent, recalling everything. So that's how it is… I thought to myself, if I had broken through to Great Martial Master earlier, met my future self sooner, could I have changed everything?

As if understanding my thoughts, my future self shook his head and said, no matter what I did, things would still happen this way. Unless we break free from that invisible hand.