Chapter 4: Chess Pieces in the Shadows

Under the dim bedside lamp, Rei was fast asleep, her delicate face showing a rare sense of peace. That image was like a spark thrown into the burning fuel of his anger. He was no longer the calm and composed friend, nor the cold and aloof General. He lunged forward, forcibly pinning Rei's hands to the bed.

Rei woke up, terrified by his unfamiliar face and the smell of drugs on his breath: "You... what are you doing? Let me go!"

"Shut up!" – He growled softly, his voice hoarse with lust and the effects of the drugs – "I protected you... I lost everything for you... Now, you must be mine!"

Despite Rei's struggles and heart-wrenching curses, the strength of a soldier combined with the stimulants of the drug caused him to completely lose control. That night, in the luxurious room, the clang of old iron chains seemed to still echo somewhere, but this time it was a different kind of shackles—far more painful and humiliating.

"When reason is clouded by poison, love turns into possessiveness, and protection becomes a persistent nightmare."

Early in the morning, the atmosphere at the General Headquarters was icy tense. A high-level council meeting was taking place in a completely soundproofed, secret room. The most powerful generals sat around a round table, each with their own agenda.

Calla Lily lightly tapped her fingers on the table, breaking the silence: "The government is beginning to suspect that the Major General (now General) is keeping the 'remnants' of the rebel faction. You know, they don't like those who work alone."

Kael, his close friend, subtly frowned and added: "Gray and I used our authority to block the reports, but this link isn't secure. The old fox in the government is sniffing around."

Gray (Lieutenant General) coldly flipped through the files: "Be careful with your subordinates. Don't make us have to clean up after you."

He remained silent, his sharp gaze fixed on his colleagues—those who, despite knowing his secret about Rei, were willing to keep it to themselves for personal reasons or their own self-interest. Bkay (the General), Gray's brother, chuckled softly: "Let him enjoy the fruits of his victory. After this meeting, we have more important matters to attend to than worrying about a prisoner."

The meeting dragged on until the sun reached its zenith. Everyone dispersed, but a shadowy figure had already crept into the post-meeting banquet hall, silently dropping a colorless liquid into his wine glass.

The Freedom Named Eko

At the villa, after eight months of captivity, the cold iron shackles were finally removed from Rei's ankles. He allowed him out into the garden, under the supervision of Eko—the Major and also the lover of Lieutenant General Gray.

Eko was a gentle man. He brought tea and cakes to the garden and sat beside Rei under the shade of a large tree. "You look much better today, Rei," Eko smiled, gently brushing a lock of hair from Rei's eyes.

Rei smiled back, a rare smile: "Thank you, Eko. It's much easier here with you."

They chatted happily about the fields and the sky outside. But deep in Rei's eyes, the fire of escape never died out. He concealed his intention to leave this place, pretending to have surrendered, waiting for a single opportunity. At 1 PM, Rei wearily returned to his bedroom. Eko also left, leaving the space silent until late at night.

Instinct and Love Potion

9 PM.

The roar of a car engine outside the villa gate then fell silent. He entered the house, breathing heavily, his face flushed, and his eyes clouded with the intense effects of the aphrodisiac. The burning heat of the drug threatened to incinerate the last vestiges of reason in this general.

"General, are you alright?" – Shoji (Assistant) asked anxiously when he saw him unsteady on his feet.

"Go back to your room... Don't let anyone disturb you," – He snarled through clenched teeth, pushing open the door and entering Rei's room.

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