To My Dear Mr. Huo - Chapter 9 - She’s Already Married to Me

I watch him, his green eyes brimming with concern as he gently massages my scarred leg. The sensation is both soothing and a stark reminder of my own inadequacy. The once-feared Crimson General, a symbol of power and invincibility, is now nothing but a frail shadow of his former self. I’ve been abandoned, left to decay in this forsaken place, my family and comrades long forgotten. Darkness had become my only solace, and I had resigned myself to it.Then he arrived, a beacon of light in my endless night. His presence, his care—it’s more than I ever deserved. Yet, I find myself clinging to him with an intensity that borders on madness. I hate that I need him so desperately, that his every action and word have become my lifeline. It consumes me, a torment I can't escape.“You don't have to do this. Please, don’t do this. I’m nothing. You deserve better. Leave. Please,” I beg, my voice trembling with raw anguish, the very words tearing me apart.He continues his work, seemingly unaffected by my pleas.“Why are you here? Look at me! I’m nothing.”Desperation and anger swell within me, mixing into a maelstrom of anxiety. I can’t comprehend the emotions coursing through me.“You're my alpha, where else would I be?” he responds softly, his gaze unwavering, as if my pleas were mere background noise.My heart races, torn between overwhelming relief and paralyzing dread. In that moment, I realize the truth: you would have to tear him from my cold, lifeless arms. I’m never letting go.General Thorne, betrayed and broken, finds new life and love with Omega Noelle, who nurses him back to health. Their deepening bond reveals Thorne’s softer side, offering a chance at happiness. Unfortunately, Thorne’s past soon catches up with them, threatening their newfound peace.

Warning This fiction contains:

Graphic Violence Profanity Sensitive Content

Summary – Level 1:

Delve is an isekai litrpg that follows an average guy who just happened to wake up in a forest one day. He wasn’t summoned to defeat the demon lord or to save the world or anything like that, at least as far as he can tell. The only creature there to greet him was a regular old squirrel.

Soon enough, he meets other people, only to discover that he can’t speak the language, and that not everybody immediately trusts random pajama-wearing strangers they met in the middle of the wilderness. Things generally go downhill from there, at least until the blue boxes start appearing.

Delve is a story about finding your way in a new, strange, and dangerous world. It’s about avoiding death, figuring out what the heck is going on, and trying to make some friends along the way. It’s not about getting home, so much as finding a new one.

Did I mention that there will be math?

Summary – Level 2:

Okay, but what are you in for, really?

Well, this story is supposed to be realistic, or at least, as realistic as a fantasy litrpg can be. The main character doesn’t instantly become an all-powerful god and murder-hobo his way across the universe. Delve is, at its heart, a progression fantasy, but that progression is meant to feel earned. The numbers in this story actually mean something. Everything is calculated, and if you find a rounding error, I expect you to tell me about it. That said, if math isn’t your cup of tea, there is plenty more that the story has to offer. Characters are meant to feel real, and progression isn’t only about personal power; it’s also about allies, connections, and above all, knowledge. Figuring out how the system works is a significant theme.

...

What, you want more details? Okay, fine, but this is going to get a bit spoiler-y. Are you sure?

Yes!

Really sure? I mean, this summary is practically half as long as the first chap–

Now!

Okay, okay!

The main character becomes a magic user, but he takes a route that is not very popular in adventurer culture, namely that of a support. There is a full magic system with various spells, skills, and abilities, but our MC decides that aura magic is the way to go, and that the only stat worth investing in is mana regeneration. Most people at the Adventurer’s Guild think that this makes him a bit of a dumbass, but he’s playing the long game. We’ll see how that works out for him, won’t we?

Because of his build, the MC levels up fast, at least compared to normal people. There are no cheats, though, and he is limited in other ways. There are some clear and pretty obvious downsides to his build. That’s what makes it fun, no?

Morals? Our MC has them. Again, we’ll see how that works out for him. Realism, remember? Would you be okay with killing someone and looting their body? I sure hope not.

POV? The focus is on the main character, but there will be occasional varying perspectives from people around him, or involved in the events related to the main plot. It isn’t going to jump all over the place.

Tech is standard medieval stasis. No smartphones, but the MC does have a technical background. Computers and their programming might be involved. There might even be a bit of uplifting down the road, who knows? Anyway, it isn’t the focus. He isn’t going to invent the gun in chapter 1 and change the face of warfare.

Romance is not a major focus. Friendships are more the name of the game, though there will be some characters in romantic relationships.

There is exploration, though not as much of the geographical nature as you might expect. It is more about exploration of the system and the culture.

The pace is slow and detailed, sometimes verging on slice-of-life. The action is meant to be realistic and grounded in the numbers, and it is intended to have meaning beyond simply punching things until they stop moving.

The general tone of the story is grey, and some parts can get quite dark. People die. Sometimes, people with names, but not anywhere near GoT level. There is plenty of light, too, though, to balance the darkness. The world is dangerous, but overcoming that danger is why we’re all here, isn’t it?

Anyway, if you’ve made it this far through the summary, you clearly like words. I hope you enjoy the story!

Suddenly exposed on all the top news websites and social media platforms globally, 'Return Order's Notes' leads to a revolutionary virtual reality game.Game Name: 'Dark Sand'Game Type: Oriental fantasy historical theme, featuring a certain degree of soulslike difficulty and roguelike gameplay in a role-playing game.Requirements for recruiting beta players: Good mindset, quick reactions, strong stress resilience, a certain amount of historical knowledge, excellent physical condition.The most crucial requirement: superb acting skills, preferably at an Oscar-winner level!Special Reward: Among the beta players, the one with the most excellent simulated completion performance can undergo the ultimate trial and, after a perfect recording, have it presented to the public in film form, fulfilling your dream of becoming an Oscar winner!Players are complaining, they have never seen a game with such high entry barriers!What they don't know is that their every action in the game will truly affect both history and reality.

# CRYBABY

A stranger! Lu An’an married a stranger! She heard that the man was extremely ugly and was a sex masochist despite his old age, but she could not reject him for the sake of her family.

On their wedding night, she thought about how she would leave her parents and brother completely in the future and spend the rest of her life living with the rumored sexual abuse…

The more Lu An’an thought about it, the more worried she became and the more terrified she became.

Her tears started gushing out even more violently. At this moment, a coarse and warm hand gently lifted her face.

“So beautiful, how did you know I like to see others cry?”

Oh, my god! He— he was truly a pervert! Lu An’an shivered.

Although he looked very young and good-looking, with deep-set eyes and thick eyelashes, and he had a smile like a sun, she would never tolerate such a terrifying hobby, much less cooperate with it!

“It’s just a business marriage between us. I hope we can… respect each other after we get married,” said Lu An’an after mustering up all her courage. Her tears turned the handsome man’s features blurry. However, Yan Yunge merely chuckled and kissed her tears away.

“Don’t worry, you’ll like it.”

Looking at the huge object that was as thick as a forearm staring straight at her with its head held high and chest puffed out, Lu An’an could not help but shake her head. Yan Yunge whipped out his pocket-sized pistol and looked at her with a cheeky smile.

“One of these guns is going to enter your body. Choose it yourself.” She—she did not want to choose any of them. She wanted a divorce! Yan Yunge’s breathing became heavier.

“Then, can I choose for you? Why don’t we put both of them in?”