"I... I don't think... it can... see...us..."
Mei Mei's trembling voice pulled Chen Guang out of the chaos swirling through his mind.
He looked up.
The monster's massive body was covered in warts and festering sores, its swollen belly sagging beneath layers of slime, fresh sludge clinging over old crusted filth.
The stench hit like a wall.
All three of them grimaced and clamped their hands over their noses.
Plop. Plop.
A few drops of slime splattered onto the ground, each one leaving behind a deep crater.
The acrid reek of the slime, mixed with the creature's natural stench, made Chen Guang's throat convulse.
[TARGET: GIANT SWAMP TROLL]
[STRENGTH: 1250]
[ENERGY: 0]
Swamp... No wonder...
Chen Guang frowned as sensation slowly returned to his legs.
He tried to make his way toward Sun Feng.
Suddenly, a chunk of earth fell from above.
Straight toward his head.
Thud.
His arm shot up.
The clump shattered into pieces.
Pain shot through his right arm.
He grimaced and grabbed it.
"GRRRRHHHHHHH!!!!"
The troll let out a deafening roar.
The ground beneath its feet shook violently.
Dirt and rocks cascaded from its fangs and body like dust.
"Damn it! Move! Hurry!!!"
Sun Feng shouted as countless fist-sized rocks hovered overhead.
Chen Guang immediately grabbed Mei Mei by the wrist and bolted beneath the troll's enormous legs.
"Ow... easy—"
"Now's not the time to worry about that!!!"
He roared at the grimacing girl.
Head lowered, he ran with everything he had.
Yet the shadow overhead never shrank.
A flash of light erupted behind him.
"The snake's about to attack! Move!!"
Sun Feng rushed over, both hands thrust toward Chen Guang's back.
"Hold on to her!"
"What are you—"
Before he could finish.
An invisible force slammed into his back.
His entire body compressed like a spring.
Then launched forward.
"WHAT THE HELL——"
His scream echoed through the air.
Even so, he managed to pull Mei Mei into his arms.
"What are...?!"
Mei Mei's eyes flew wide open.
But the screaming wind tearing past her ears drowned out every other thought.
The skin on Chen Guang's face was pulled backward by the force.
His eyelids quivered uncontrollably, while his lips stretched sideways, exposing teeth clenched as tightly as he could manage.
Can't... breathe...
The deafening roar in his ears gradually faded.
Scrrrk.
Gritting his teeth, he dug both feet into the earth.
Towering before him was a grotesque mass covered in festering sores.
Slime dripped from its body.
The stench washed over him again.
I've only reached... its foot?
He twisted sideways just in time to avoid crashing into the troll's gigantic foot.
The foul odor instantly hit him head-on.
His eyes watered.
"How the hell are we supposed to get past this thing?!"
Chen Guang yelled, stumbling the moment his feet touched the ground.
Sun Feng caught up.
"Shut your mouth! One more time!!!"
She raised a hand.
"Wait—"
Sun Feng's palm struck before the word left his mouth.
Chen Guang's back caved inward.
He clenched his teeth and tensed every muscle in his body.
A faint golden sheen spread across his skin.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The screaming wind battered his eardrums until his head throbbed.
He tightened his grip around Mei Mei and curled himself into a ball.
His face distorted as his jacket snapped violently in the rushing air.
His heels found the ground once more.
Air.
He threw his mouth open, dragging in the first breath he'd had in seconds.
His lungs burned.
Sun Feng was already at his back.
"Wait—"
Before they could do anything.
BOOOOOOM!!!!!
A world-shaking explosion erupted behind them.
The shockwave blasted outward, throwing all three of them forward.
The troll's feet shifted slightly, carving massive trenches into the earth.
"Damn it..."
Chen Guang struggled back onto his feet.
Even with the exoskeleton... I'm still aching...
He spat repeatedly, coughing up mouthfuls of dirt and sand.
"Quit whining and run."
Sun Feng pushed herself upright, spitting dirt and grit from her mouth as well.
Another flash of light burst across the sky.
"Again?!"
Chen Guang grimaced, forced himself upright, and took off running once more.
No matter how far they ran, the shadow still covered them.
"Just how huge is this monster?!"
Sun Feng roared as she ran, sweat soaking through the back of her shirt.
Boom. Boom.
The ground trembled.
"What's it doing now?!"
Chen Guang yelled as his body lurched with every quake, never daring to slow down.
The troll bent forward.
Its belly lowered toward the ground.
"RUN!!!"
Sun Feng shoved Chen Guang and Mei Mei hard in the back.
BOOM.
The troll's bloated belly slammed into the earth.
A violent tremor rippled in every direction.
The shockwave hurled all three of them forward.
Chen Guang rolled across the ground several times.
His mouth filled with dirt and sand, but he didn't even bother spitting it out.
He scrambled to his feet and kept running.
The troll drove its massive fangs deep into the ground.
Two streams of white vapor blasted from its nostrils like steam from a locomotive.
"GRRRRRHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
It let out another earth-shaking roar before violently jerking its head upward.
A huge slab of earth and rock was ripped from the ground.
Spinning through the air, it shot toward the hovering serpent at terrifying speed.
BOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!
A thunderous explosion shook the heavens.
Chen Guang glanced back.
The serpent's massive body staggered in midair.
One of its wings had been blown open.
Its body caved inward as blood poured out in torrents.
Its furious screeches echoed across the sky.
"The snake... it's falling..."
The words died in his throat.
He turned back and kept running, never taking his eyes off Sun Feng's back.
BOOM!!!!!
The ground shook violently, as though something unimaginably massive had crashed down.
A biting chill spread through the air.
Ice began forming beneath their feet.
White frost bloomed across the troll's body.
A pale mist rolled outward, growing thicker by the second.
Wherever it drifted, the troll's legs froze solid beneath the ice.
"This is bad! Run!!!"
Chen Guang screamed.
"You don't have to tell me!!!!"
All three of them poured every ounce of strength into their legs, sprinting toward the distant light.
"Faster! Head that way!!!"
Sun Feng yelled without slowing down.
CRACK.
The troll lifted one leg.
Layer after layer of ice shattered beneath its immense weight.
Its colossal body continued lumbering forward.
The freezing air spread without end.
The serpent's shrieks still echoed through the sky.
Then, little by little, the giant silhouette disappeared into the dense white mist.
Chen Guang glanced back over his shoulder.
Through the haze, he could just make out the colossal figure still advancing toward where the serpent had fallen.
Forget it...
Turning away, he sprinted after Sun Feng with everything he had.
*****
"I... can't... run... anymore..."
Chen Guang staggered, his eyes nearly rolling back.
"Keep moving. Around here—"
Before Sun Feng could finish, she suddenly stopped.
Chen Guang crashed straight into her back and fell hard onto the ground.
"Haaah!!! Haaah!!!"
He sprawled flat on the dirt, every limb limp.
His body was reacting more violently than ever.
"I... can't... either... blegh!!!"
Mei Mei braced herself against a nearby tree and vomited violently.
Hands on her hips, Sun Feng tipped her head back, gasping for air.
"I think we've put enough distance between us."
She dropped onto the ground, her hair hanging in disarray, clothes caked with mud and dirt.
Still breathing heavily, her gaze swept across their surroundings.
"We've probably made it deep into the forest."
"I... can't... hear... its screeches... anymore..."
Still lying flat on his back, Chen Guang stared at the gray sky overhead.
"We need to keep moving."
Sun Feng pushed herself to her feet.
"Wait... let me... catch... my breath... if I have to run now..."
"No one's asking you to run."
She walked over, grabbed Chen Guang by the wrist, and pulled him into a sitting position.
"You okay?"
Then she turned and gently patted Mei Mei's back.
Mei Mei's face was deathly pale, but she still managed to raise a finger to show she was fine.
The sky gradually darkened.
"We need to find somewhere to rest."
Sun Feng looked up before turning toward Chen Guang.
"Huh? Ah... right..."
He was still sitting there, breathing hard.
How... did she recover that quickly?
Sweat ran down his face.
"Catch your breath first, then I'll need you to—"
Sun Feng stopped mid-sentence, staring at Chen Guang.
"Is... there something on my face?"
He forced an awkward smile.
"I'm not sure I should let you lead us anymore... after twice..."
Sun Feng let out a long sigh.
I didn't want that either, miss.
His face twisted, every word trapped in his throat.
"But I can't really blame you. This is a Portal."
She grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his feet.
"If we want to survive, we have to work together."
Sun Feng glanced back toward the untouched part of the forest.
"So, lead the way."
"I'll... do my best."
There goes what little credibility I had left.
He gave a bitter smile.
"Are you there?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Good. Listen carefully this time."
He stood upright, raising his head toward the sky as darkness slowly swallowed it whole.
A long sigh escaped his lips.
"Find me a safe place to hide. A cave, or an open clearing. Somewhere secluded."
"And before you report back, search the surrounding area carefully. I want to know if there's anything dangerous nearby."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
The voices faded.
Those were... army ants?
Then how do I contact the fire ants? Or is it all completely random?
Chen Guang paced back and forth, glancing at Sun Feng, who was still rubbing Mei Mei's back as she continued throwing up.
"Fire ants, report."
"We're here, Your Majesty."
Huh... they sound much more organized. So the name is the key?
"Do you know this place well?"
"Your Majesty, countless generations of us have lived here. We know this land well."
I see.
He nodded to himself.
"Good. Stand by and wait for my orders."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
The voices disappeared.
"Do either of you have paper and a pen?"
He turned toward Sun Feng.
"Paper and a pen? Who brings those into a Portal?"
"Fair point..."
Chen Guang clicked his tongue, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I... do..."
Mei Mei spoke weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Perfect. Let me borrow them once we find somewhere safe."
"What are you planning?"
Sun Feng narrowed her eyes.
"I can communicate with insects, can't I? So naturally..."
A confident grin spread across his face.
"'Know your enemy and know yourself, and—'"
"Spit it out."
"I was thinking of drawing a map of this Portal. It'll make traveling much safer and a lot more convenient for us..."
He trailed off when he noticed both Sun Feng and Mei Mei staring straight at him.
"Huh? Is... there something on my face?"
"I never expected..."
Still breathing hard, Mei Mei slowly straightened herself.
Then she walked toward Chen Guang.
"Mei Mei, what are you—"
"I'm sorry for looking down on you."
She lowered her head before him.
"Y-You don't have to..."
Chen Guang flailed both hands in panic.
"I finally understand what Teacher Liu Zhang meant."
She looked up at him.
"'There are no useless abilities. Only people who don't know how to use them.'"
"Ah... haha..."
Chen Guang rubbed the back of his head, forcing an embarrassed laugh.
Behind them, Sun Feng leaned casually against a tree, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.
"Your Majesty, we've found a place."
"There's a mountain near the edge of the forest."
"It's really tall."
"There's a hole in it."
"A really big hole."
The overlapping chatter flooded his mind, making his head throb.
Army ants... why don't any of you sound like soldiers?
He rubbed his temples with two fingers.
"Long story short. Is there anything dangerous nearby?"
"There are some four-legged beasts."
"They're really big."
"Sometimes they howl."
"There are also some with huge bellies."
"They keep hopping around and making sounds like 'ribbit, ribbit.'"
"All right, I got it. Anything else?"
Chen Guang let out another long sigh, still massaging his temples.
"Your Majesty, there's one place we don't dare enter."
"Yeah, yeah! It's terrifying. We start shaking before we even get close."
"What about everywhere else?"
"Nothing else, Your Majesty."
"Those red-bodied ones keep following us from time to time."
"Yeah! They smell awful."
Chen Guang stroked his chin.
Red bodies... those must be the fire ants.
He glanced around.
The forest was growing darker by the minute.
"All right. If anything unusual or dangerous appears, report to me immediately."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
The noisy voices instantly vanished.
Is there some way... to teach them a little discipline?
He rubbed his forehead harder until it turned red.
[ACTIVATED: MONARCH PHEROMONE]
Faint golden trails slowly emerged across the ground, flickering into view.
"I found us a safe place. This way."
He immediately followed the glowing trail.
"Oh, right..."
He looked back at Mei Mei.
"Thanks."
He flashed her a wide grin.
"I-It was nothing."
Mei Mei stammered, lowering her head.
Walking at the rear, Sun Feng let out a quiet chuckle.
*****
The three of them stood before the foot of a mountain.
Right in front of them was a cave, or, more accurately—
Exactly the hole they had described.
Chen Guang's eye twitched.
The "cave" in front of them was barely large enough for a single person to squeeze through.
"Are you kidding me? How is a hole this tiny supposed to be safe?"
He shouted inwardly.
"Your Majesty, it's huge."
"More than ten of us can fit inside at once."
Chen Guang slapped a hand over his face.
Right... they're ants. Of course it'd be huge to them.
His teeth ground together.
"This place isn't bad. The surroundings look pretty safe too. I don't see any signs of danger."
Sun Feng said as she brushed a hand against the nearby tree trunks.
"The cave only fits one person, but it's better than nothing."
She turned to Mei Mei.
"You sleep inside. We'll stay out here."
"But..."
"I agree."
Chen Guang nodded at Mei Mei.
"Then..."
She hesitated for a moment before crawling into the cave.
Less than a minute later, the sound of her slow, steady breathing drifted out.
"The poor girl's exhausted."
"We spent the whole day running."
"Thank goodness we're still alive."
Sun Feng tossed a small square block toward Chen Guang.
"What's this?"
"Ration bar. It's small, but it'll keep you going."
Chen Guang peeled off the wrapper.
A familiar aroma reached his nose.
Smells like meat...
He murmured before popping the ration into his mouth.
A mildly salty, slightly sweet flavor spread across his tongue as the ration slowly dissolved.
"You really surprised me today."
Sun Feng unwrapped one herself and took a bite.
"Huh? What did I do?"
"You dragged us into danger."
"Twice."
She let out a quiet laugh, leaving Chen Guang looking awkward.
"But you also saved us."
"If it weren't for you..."
"I'm just trying to stay alive too."
"I know."
"But I still owe you a thank-you."
Chen Guang turned toward Sun Feng.
She was leaning against the rock wall, her head resting on one knee.
Her long black hair hung loosely, swaying gently with the breeze.
"Thank you."
Sun Feng met his eyes as the words quietly left her lips.
"I-It's nothing... I just did what I should've..."
He quickly turned his head away.
His heartbeat sped up.
Heat rushed to his face, and even the tips of his ears turned red.
"You're not really F-rank, are you?"
The question sent a jolt down Chen Guang's spine.
His whole body stiffened.
"My rank was assigned by the Bureau. How could I possibly—"
"No F-rank survives being swarmed by nearly a hundred thousand fire ants without a scratch."
"..."
"And no F-rank punches apart a boulder flying like a cannonball with bare hands."
"..."
"And definitely no F-rank walks away intact after I launch them like that."
"..."
The more Sun Feng spoke, the more sweat poured down Chen Guang's back.
His lips parted as if to answer, yet no words came out.
Silence settled around them.
Only the rustling leaves stirred in the wind.
"But..."
Chen Guang raised his head.
Sun Feng stretched both arms overhead, arching her back comfortably.
"Everyone has secrets."
"..."
"I don't need to know what your ability really is."
She turned to look at him.
"As long as I know..."
"That you and I are both Vanguard."
A faint smile curved her lips.
"...that's enough."
Chen Guang looked up at the sky.
It was pitch black, without a single star or moon in sight.
He slowly closed his eyes.
A gentle breeze brushed across his face, carrying with it a quiet sense of relief.
"Thank you."
He whispered.
"Get some sleep."
"We need to recover if we're going to make it out of here."
With that, Sun Feng rested her head against the rock wall and closed her eyes.
She can actually fall asleep like that?
Chen Guang watched her for a while.
Then he finally let his body relax and slowly closed his own eyes.
Tomorrow... I have to finish the map.
Those scattered thoughts gradually faded away... into darkness.