"Xiao Chen, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"Feng grabbed his hand away, and began to question Xiao Chen's abilities."How did you...what are you? You got here even with those reverities I missed?"
He did not flinch, but he gripped his sword tightly."What're you trying to say, that I can't pry with my own general's business? Either way, shouldn't I be the one asking you?"
His words had run out; he thought he deliberately knew his decisions. His hands felt cold, and he felt everything would turn to dust sooner or later.
"Xiao Chen, that...I don't know what's going on in my head anymore; I've lost track of everything that's happening. I feel lost."
Xiao Chen himself felt confused, but he still felt the urge to leave him out of the imperial family's problems.
"I thought we planned to leave. This place isn't safe for both of us; if we really wanna continue living in this situation, we have to go."
Feng gripped his sword and shoved Xiao Chen away. A strange aura began to form about, surrounding him and turning his eyes yet again into the same translucent blue from barely a few minutes ago.
"Feng Luo Xi, what do you think you're doing?! We're barely a few meters away from the entrance of the post, what—"
"BLASPHEMY!DO YOU EXPECT ME TO LEAVE WHEN WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN OURSELVES INVOLVED?! YOU SHOULD'VE KILLED ME BACK THERE, THEN NONE OF THIS WOULD ESCALATE!"
Xiao Chen tries to reach for his hand but to no avail.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN LEAVE NOW?! I'D RATHER DIE THAN LET THOSE PEOPLE BACK AT WU CITY DIE IN THE HANDS OF THESE HELLSPAWNS!"
"Why do you care about them, Feng?"Feng paused, and everything reverted to as it was before.
"You're losing yourself. How can you be so sure these people are even real? There's no use defending them, we're the only ones actually real here in all honesty!"
In but a flash, Ye Zai Shan interrupts their conversation, appearing from the nearby bushes
."Oh, they're real alright. Game or not, these people have their own flesh and blood. You've seen it for yourself, right Feng? Sui Zhang died before your very eyes, and that includes reverities. None of these people are actually automated."
"That doesn't change a thing. We don't even know any of these people, why do you care so much about complete strangers? To be a hero, is that what you really want? What about your sister, you want to die for these people and forget about her? Is that it?"
"...I don't care. I care about these people and my sister. You just grew too heartless. If I had known about these reverities earlier, I would've never tried to leave."
"What? Feng, we've never met a single one of those people. Judging from the way those soldiers acted, they're bound to be like that. Immoral and prejudiced against Frozen Forlorn."
"I don't even know what I'm doing. Like what the hell is Frozen Forlorn? How did I use it just now? WHO AM I?!" Xiao Chen shook his head, facing him with all seriousness."You're...Feng.Feng Luo Xi, my friend. Isn't that you?"
"THAT'S NOT ME RIGHT NOW! I'M GENERAL FENG LUO XI RIGHT NOW, AND YOU'RE THE CROWN PRINCE! I'm NOT SUPPOSED TO—be...here..."
Ye Zai shan turned to look behind her, as General She Yan Hai had nearly caught up with her, along with a couple of other soldiers."ZAI SHAN, WHAT HAPPENED?! IS GENERAL FENG OKAY?!"She bowed lightly as Xiao Chen had gripped Feng's arm."General Feng is unscathed, General She. You need not worry."Yan Hai's eyes widened, he trembled before he could even speak up."Y-YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ALL THE WAY OUT HERE?!"
"General Feng kept me safe all this time, so don't worry, as I had said before.No escorts are needed on my journey back to the palace, I'll be fine with only General Feng."
She Yan Hai refused, but he could not stop the crown prince from leaving with only Luo Xi. The escorts he had tried to send were all chased away by Xiao Chen, and Feng didn't really mind any of this. They had already sped off on their horses.
Their horses had leaped through the designated path for a while until they had reached the city gates."Your royal highness, what have you been doing out near the posts! His majesty has been worried for the past hour!"
Feng refused to face any of them directly as Xiao Chen responded: "Is his majesty the emperor awaiting my return by the palace gates? That's relieving to hear. May General Feng come with me?"
The guards by the gate didn't even have to answer that, they just opened up the gates for them.
Their horses marched in the middle of the busy markets. You could see fair ladies gossiping about, as their eyes switched to focus on the crown prince and general Feng."I-is that...General Feng and his royal highness?!..."
Their faces looked as if they had been deformed by shock. General Feng waved a bit at the children, their expressions happier than ever. Xiao Chen had turned quiet, not reacting to anything shortly after entering the city.
"Feng, you feeling better yet?"He did not answer, but he nodded. Xiao Chen smiled a bit, as a dozen palace guards immediately began to rush towards both of them. The guard stationed at the front knelt before speaking.
"Your royal highness, General Feng! Please come with us, we must return to the palace immediately. His Majesty wishes to see both of you."
They looked at each other, but not for too long."Feng Luo Xi. What happened."The emperor questioned him."(He really was calm, but for him to suddenly lash out at me regarding...those two?)"
"Feng Luo Xi, are you listening?"The emperor asked him again."Ah, yes, your majesty. About your question, is it about the scene his royal highness caused?...or...the report regarding the reverities?"
"...I wish to know none of that. I have already been fully informed of all that, just excluding how you slew the swarm. Tell me, how did you do it?"His mouth would not open, this had already happened enough times."...Marti—"
"Father, permission to speak?"Xiao Chen had suddenly barged in without warning, and yet he didn't seem to regret anything."Xiao Chen. Must you interrupt us now? However, if you have something important to say, you'd better explain quickly."The emperor was a lot less patient that day, but he still felt the need to let his son speak."Father, I was the one who had helped him get rid of that swarm."
"If not for me clearing out the ones that had escaped Feng's grasp, would the city not be in great danger? You've always supported my knack for martial arts. Father, I am saying this respectfully.
Would you allow me to escort General Feng in his travels if I were to able to look after myself?"
The emperor was overthinking this request, as he did not speak even after a few minutes."Very well, but Ye Zai Shan and a few other escorts must come with you. Do not let yourself starve; have those guards do your work for you. I'm assigning General Feng into another risky investigation, so you'd better come back safe and sound."
"If you come back with even a cut on your wrist, General Feng will be severely punished!"Feng gulped quietly, clearly afraid of these circumstances. Xiao Chen did not seem to mind this, but they were now stepping outside the city walls.
This meant that they were very much exposed to reverities and all sorts of other dangers. The crown prince was highly amused by this, with Feng on the opposite side of the thought.
"This...I swear by my life that I shall protect the crown prince until my last breath. Thank you, your majesty."The emperor nodded in agreement, and they were sent off into their own chambers to prepare.
"Xiao Chen...I thought we'd be protecting these people."Xiao Chen only sighed, before responding in an exhausted tone."Don't worry about it, we'll be able to protect them even from outside the walls. I can't go against your wishes anyways. Plus, you still have a sister to come back to, am I right?"
"Right.Although, I wasn't expecting to get sent out into an investigation first thing after returning. It's rather strange that the emperor had allowed you to come too."(I thought I was going to get another break...)"
"What, are you underestimating me? Plus, we both got what we wanted. We managed to get out of this situation without letting those innocent people die. Either way, maybe this investigation will lead us somewhere. Did that old bag of bones say anything about this on your first meeting?"
'No. He didn't say anything. But...there was one thing that he asked me about. I couldn't answer it, really... it's a good thing you interrupted."
"And what's that?"Xiao Chen looks back at him."He asked about...those two?"
[To be continued in the next chapter, please be patient for the next one. Thank you for reading.]