26 Principle Of A Man

The night wind blew gently, and the warm summer breeze brushed Chinua's face. She looked strangely at Hye who is standing just a few feet away from her, then she glanced down at Khunbish's right hand, which was gripped tightly on the hilt of his sword. For Chinua, Hye is a person of interest. Chinua wants to recruit Hye, but time and time again he seems to reject Chinua's offers to join the army. Chinua suddenly thought of a good idea to forced Hye's hand to help teach the southern soldiers how to grow peanut. Since Hye rejected Chinua's request back at the village, now is a good time to take Hye south. Maybe seeing the difficulties of the people and the soldiers down south, his heart might soften and help them.

Chinua said, "Capture him alive and take him down south with us."

Khunbish and Kenbish said at once, "Yes, Chinua."

Khunbish rushed forward, pointing his sword at Hye, who backed away quickly and hit another tree with his back. Hye turned around to see where he could run, but just as Hye turned around, Khunbish's sword was already pointed at Hye's throat.

Khawn grabbed Hye's hand while Khenbish tied Hye's hand tightly.

Hye wanted to struggle, but he couldn't break free from the rope around his wrists.

"You, let me go now," Hye demanded. "Why did you tie me up like this? I'm not a criminal. Let me go."

"You're listening to our private military conversation. Who knows, you could be an enemy spy," Chinua said.

"I'm not a spy," Hye replied with an angry look on his face. "How dare you?"

Chinua looked at Hye and said, "Hye..." She turned to Khunbish and Khebish. "Have you two heard of an Magoli's name Hye?"

Khunbish and Kenbish shook their head and said, "No Chinua."

Chinua smirked and said, "Look, I still think you are a spy. If I let you go, what if you go back and tell the bandits where we are?"

Hye said madly, "I'm not a spy."

"I don't believe it," Chinua said, looking at Khawn. "Drag him back."

Khawn dragged Hye back to the camp with Chinua, Khunbish and Khenbish. Hye looked at Khawn and said, "If I remember correctly, you are the slave that the female soldier saved in the market?"

Khawn didn't respond.

Hye asked, "Why are you with her now? Are you her slave?" He looked at Khawn's wrists and found that the two shackles were still on his wrists. He chuckled. "Also, I remember that female soldier said that if you sell your life to her, there will be no shackles to bind your hands, but I still see those shackles tightly gripping your wrists."

Khawn turned to look at Hye without speaking. While Khawn isn't as smart as the others walking ahead of him or walking beside him, he knows that Hye just wants to befriend him and get him to let go of Hye. "I won't fall into your trap," he said, without looking at Hye.

Hye asked, "How do you know I'm setting a trap for you?"

Khawn didn't answer, but continued to drag Hye towards the camp.

As soon as the five returned to camp, Timicin came to Chinua.

Timicin said, "Captain Haitao said to go to bed early because we had to get up early. There weren't enough tents for everyone, so the twelve of us had to squeeze into two tents." He looked at Hye, then at Chinua. "Who is he?"

Chinua smiled and said, "Spy."

"I'm not a spy, "Hye said. "Don't listen to her. I'm not a spy."

Timicin looked at Hye and said, "If Chinua says you're a spy, then be a spy for her."

Chinua said, "You and the others can sleep in the tent, we will sleep outside."

Timicin said, "Then I'll sleep outside with the rest of you."

Chinua said, "You have a good rest, I'm going to need your help tomorrow."

Timicin asked, "What kind of help?"

Chinua said, "I'll be tired tomorrow, and I need your help to keep a pair of eyes on this spy."

Timicin said, "Fine…fine… what's the point of reasoning with you?" He pointed to the two tents not far away. "We sleep there."

Chinua sits around the campfire and looks at Khawn who is sitting across from her with Hye. She walked over and stood in front of Khawn. She grabbed Khawn's right hand and pulled a sharp little blade from the side of her boot. She began to pick the lock. After several failed attempts, she freed Khawn's right hand. Then she began to pick the lock on Khawn's left wrist.

Hye looked at Chinua and said, "You were kidding when you told him you were going to free him."

Chinua glanced at Hye and proceeded to pick the lock on Khawn's wrist. "Of course, I lived up to my promise," Chinua said. She unshackled Kahn's wrist. "Why do you hate the Hmagol Army so much, may I ask?"

Hye smiled and said, "I don't hate all Hmagol army...I just hate the soldiers from Northern Army camp."

Chinua said, "The people in those two tents, including me, are all recruits from the Northern Army camp."

Hye said indifferently, "That's why I won't share my knowledge with you."

Chinua said, "Well, if you tell me why, I might be able to help you."

Hye said, "The only way you can help me is by bringing back those innocent people who were killed."

"In war, death is inevitable and there will be civilian casualties," Chinua said.

"For every inch of land you acquire, you exchange it with the lives of someone's son, brother and husband. For every inch of land, you step on, you exchange it with the innocent lives of someone's daughter, mother and sister," Hye said. "How do you sleep at night knowing that the house you built on and the land you planted your crops are the graves of innocent people?"

Chinua said, "I can't answer your question, because I have never killed innocent civilians. Those killed by me deserve what they deserve." She stood up and looked down at Hye. "Although I do agree with you, we can't protect all innocent civilians if war rages on us. In any war, there will be the loss of innocent civilian lives. Throughout history, there is no exception."

Hye stood up and looked at Chinua. "Would you kill innocent civilians?" he asked.

Chinua asked, "Why do you suddenly ask this question?"

Hye said firmly, "Answer me? Will you kill innocent civilians?"

"I will not kill unarmed and innocent civilians," Chinua said.

Hye said, "Chinua… I hope you will always keep your word."

"Distance will test a horse strength, and time will reveals a person character," Chinua said, walked back to the other side of the bonfire, and sat between Khunbish and Khenbish.

Hye looked at Chinua from where he was sitting with a confused feeling. He watched Chinua chatting with Khunbish and Khenbish. Then he witnesses Chinua lay down to sleep with her head on Khunbish's lap. He was still wondering why a woman like Chinua was able to train with Hmagol elite troop in the norther camp.

Hye looked at Khawn and asked, "Are you really selling your life to her?"

Khawn said, "I made a promise to myself, if someone lifts these shackles from my hands, I will use my life to serve and protect that person, but Chinua..."

Hye quickly asked, "But what?"

"Chinua told me she didn't need slaves to serve her, she needed a true friend who would walk by her side as her equal. She gave me the freedom to leave, but I chose to stay," Khawn said.

Hye asked, "So, you are a free man?"

Khawn, "Mmm…"

Hye asked, "Why didn't you leave?"

Khawn said, "I was sold by my parents when I was a child. After so many years, I don't even remember the way home." He looked at Hye. "Why didn't you agree to Chinua's request? You have nothing to lose, only gain."

"I will not bend my knee for a slaughterous leader," Hye said with a smile, laying his hands behind his head and looking up at the stars in the sky. He closed his eyes and listened to the crickets in the dark. "You chose to serve under her. Are you sure you are on the right side of history?"

Khawn looked at Hye who had closed his eyes. "I don't know if I'm on the right side or the wrong side, but all I know is that I'll be by Chinua's side with no regrets in life or death."

Hye sighed and muttered, "It's a pity that Wailldom doesn't have a brave man like you. If they did, their kingdom wouldn't perish."

Khawn said, "I'm not from Wailldom kingdom. Are you descendant of Wailldom Kingdom?"

Hye smiled and avoided Khawn's question, and quickly changed the subject. He said, "I also regret that I didn't rescue you in the market that day."

Khawn asked, "Why regret?"

Hye smiled and said, "If I have saved you, right now I would have you as a friend."

"It's not too late to make friends with me, all you have to do is kneel to Chinua," Khawn said.

Hye laughed, "I am a man of principle. I would rather die than serve a Hmagol leader."