Chapter 3: Behind the Cold Walls

He sat there, his weary eyes watching her in the dim light. On the table was a tray of steaming hot porridge, the steam rising in wisps, but she still turned her face away, that silent resistance like a knife cutting into his heart. He stifled a sigh, trying to suppress the anger welling up inside him because of her stubbornness.

Knock, knock.

A dry knock echoed. He stood up, straightened his uniform, and left the tray of food and a small note on the table: "Eat. Don't let the children see you wasting away like this."

As the lock clicked and his footsteps faded away, Rei—the teenager consumed by hatred—finally succumbed to his gnawing hunger. He picked up his spoon, eating with tears in his eyes; the porridge tasted sweet, but his heart was filled with bitterness.

The Encounter in the Corridor of Power

Outside, he strode with his close aide toward the supreme conference room. In the gleaming marble hallway, he came face-to-face with Calla Lily—the powerful General with her ever-present sharp smile.

He stopped, bowing in military fashion: "General Lily."

Lily looked at him, her gaze sweeping over the weariness hidden in the young Major General's eyes. She smiled faintly, her voice soft but weighty: "The Major General seems overly concerned with the 'toy' in the villa, doesn't he? Don't let those extraneous matters shake the overall situation. The government doesn't like pawns with weaknesses."

He looked up, responding in a cold tone: "Thank you for the reminder, General. But I know how to control my own 'weaknesses.' You should be more concerned about the unstable eastern region."

Lily chuckled, her eyes suddenly becoming as sharp as razor blades: "Well done. Keep that momentum going. After today's meeting, we'll be colleagues in the same district. Congratulations, future General."

The meeting was tense. Military maps were laid out, new tax policies and plans to purge the remnants of the old regime were ruthlessly passed. He sat there, his face expressionless, signing documents that would change the fate of the nation, all just to maintain the throne high enough to protect Rei alone.

The Silence After the Storm

When the meeting ended, he returned to the mansion well past midnight. Entering the room, he saw the empty food tray, a rare warmth creeping into his heart, though his face remained as cold as ice.

Rei was asleep. After five months of captivity, his body seemed to have begun to adapt to reality. He lay curled up, his shackled legs now bearing faint scars, his breathing steady in his deep sleep.

He approached, gazing at the face of his former best friend—the only one left in his ruined world. He gently adjusted the blanket, his hand lightly stroking Rei's hair, muttering to himself:

"As long as you're still alive here, even if you hate me to the core... all this betrayal is worth it."

"The years have worn away the sharpness of the chains, but they have only thickened the wall separating two hearts that once beat as one."

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