36 Determination Win The Race

In the distance, the soldiers had already approached the Southern Camp. Chinua saw tall mountains all around. The mountain chains are somehow like a perfect fortress, protecting Hmagol from Tanggolia invasions.

Taban pointed at the mountains that stood as tall as the sky. "That's Lao-Da fortress. On the other side of those mountains is Tanggolia," he said, turning to look at the northern soldiers.

Mönkhbat turned and called, "Chinua... come here."

Chinua rode to where Mönkhbat was. Riding beside Mönkhbat Chinua asked, "Is there a source of water here?"

Mönkhbat said, "Yes, the De-Lia River. A tributary of the Dongnan River. The Dongnan River flows into Tanggolia from the other side of that mountain, and the Little Red River flows from our side to Umusa Country."

Chinua looked around at the green grassland and said, "This land is beautiful. What are those villagers growing?"

"They are not villagers. They are soldiers," Mönkhbat said.

Chinua looked at many soldiers without armor, working in the rice fields like ordinary villagers. She turned to look at Mönkhbat. "That's unacceptable," she frowned. "These soldiers should be holding spears and swords, not farm implements."

Mönkhbat smiled at Chinua and said, "There is no war, so they are ordinary citizens." He looked ahead. "We're approaching the Lao-Da Pass. This is where I will stay for the next nine months to a year."

Chinua said, "I hope to be here with you for a whole year."

Mönkhbat said with a smile, "You are a soldier in the northern camp, and you will return to the north in three months when it's time to get the next supply shipment."

Chinua frowned, "Well, at least for the next three months, I can practice with you."

Mönkhbat smiled and said, "Or you can learn how to farm with other soldiers."

Chinua said, "It is better to hold a sword than a hoe." Chinua paused. "After thinking about it, I think I'd rather farm. I will convince Hye to teach your soldiers how to grow peanuts."

Mönkhbat laughed, "You won't let that scholar go, will you?"

Chinua smiled and said, "That's right."

Mönkhbat chuckled, "Very determined."

Chinua said, "Someone once told me that only through determination can you achieve your goals."

"That person really needs to stop teaching you," laughs Mönkhbat, who knows he's the one.

Once they arrived at the Lao-Da Pass, Taban took the Northern soldiers where they were to stay for the next three months. Under a tree away from another group of cabins stands a detached old cabin.

Taban said, "Everyone can stay in this cabin."

Och asked, "Captain, you mean that fourteen of us share this small cabin?"

Taban said, "I'm sorry, soldier, currently only this cabin is available."

Terbish asked, "What is this cabin used for?"

Taban said, "Store the dead soldiers' bodies."

The soldiers looked at each other frighteningly, especially Muunokhoi. Muunokhoi asked with trembling lips, "You...you...meaning that this cabin is used to store the dead?"

Taban nodded, "You are a soldier, so you don't have to be afraid of the dead. If you are a soldier, you will encounter many dead people. This is something you need to overcome. If you can't overcome it, how are you going to bring your dead soldier's home, back to their families?" He looked at Haitao. "Would you mind sharing a cabin with me?"

Haitao shook his head and said, "I don't mind, Captain Taban. Thank you for your hospitality."

"I'll take you to where you sleep," Taban said, looking at the young soldier. "The rest of you go to the distribution station to get the blankets and buckets." Taban took Haitao and left.

Erden looked at his comrade, frowning. "He could have said sick or injured people, not dead people," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not sleeping by the door."

Muunokhoi said, "I want to sleep in the middle."

It didn't take long for the soldiers to clean the cabin. Just as they were sitting outside of the cabin, a soldier greeted them.

"Captain Taban asked me to take everyone to the distribution station to pick up your daily necessities," the soldier said.

After the northern soldiers picked up their blanket and bucket. They eat, bathe, and go to bed.

It was late at night, and everyone in the cabin was already asleep, Chinua sat up and found that both Khunbish and Khenbish were asleep. She got up slowly, opened the door as gently as possible, and walked out of the cabin. Sitting outside the cabin with a small burning oil lamp on the table, Chinua took out her journal and began to write down what she saw and heard in the southern camp.

Just when she was very focused on her work, an approaching shadow made her raise her head. She glanced at the man standing in front of her, then went back to finish writing her journal.

Hye asked, "What are you writing?"

Chinua said, "Journal."

Hye went to the table and sat across from Chinua. He grabbed one of them and started flipping through the journals. "These are nice and detailed," he said, putting the journals back on to Chinua's right.

Chinua looked at Hye and asked, "Why do you refuse to help these soldiers? What is your reason?

Hye said, I've told you, I don't want to serve any Hmagol's leader."

Chinua said, "But those people you serve are not Hmagol leaders, they are ordinary people like you. The only difference between you and those people is."

Hye said, "They are different from me. They serve Hmagol leaders."

Chinua said, "You are wrong. The only people they serve are the people they love. They don't join the military for fame and wealth, but because they feel a responsibility to protect their country, their families, other people's families, and the ordinary citizens of this land, including you." She closed her journal and placed it on top of the others. "Why judge a basket of oranges by just tasting one orange?"

Hye looked at Chinua and asked, "What exactly do you want from me?"

Chinua said, "I hope you will share your knowledge with these people."

Hye asked, "What can I get in return?"

Chinua said, "Other than their smiles and words of appreciation, you don't get anything worthwhile in return."

Hye sighed and said, "I will teach them how to grow peanuts."

Chinua looked at Hye and smiled.

Hye said, "Don't complain when ploughing the field."

Early in the morning the next day, when the soldiers woke up, they found Chinua, Hye, Khunbish and Khenbish had disappeared.

Chagatai looked at the people in the cabin and asked, "Where are they?"

Od said, "They may be on the training ground."

Timicin said, "It's still early, the morning exercise hasn't started yet?"

Erden came out of the cabin to find Jeet and Naksh sitting at the table. Erden rushed to Jeet and Naksh and asked, "You two, what about Chinua and the others? Do you two know?"

Naksh said, "Chinua left early with three people to see the landmarks."

Terbish was taken aback, "Landmark? Why?"

Jeet said, "About the farming thing."

Och said confusedly, "Chinua is going to farm now?" He looked at the rest of the crew. "Why?"

Muunokhoi frowned, "Chinua has endless ideas, and I pray to my ancestors that whatever she is about to do will not involve us." He closed his eyes, clasped his hands, and bowed three times. He opened his eyes and looked around. "Uh, where's Khawn?"

Naksh said, "He is learning how to ride a horse at the training ground."

Timicin smiled and said, "This I got to see. Which way is to the training ground?"

Naksh points to the left. "I saw Captain Taban take him that way," he said.

Hye stood in front of the wide-open space, looked at Chinua and said, "This is suitable for growing peanuts. The soil is loose and moist."

Khunbish asked, "How long until harvest?"

Hye said, "It usually takes one hundred forty to fifty days to harvest. Once it's roasted well, it can be kept for six to seven months or a year." He looked at Chinua. "Now, we need seeds."

Khenbish asked, "How will the seeds be obtained."

Hye said, "I don't know. We're hundreds of miles north. I didn't bring any seeds."

Chinua looked at the three of them and asked, "Do you think they sell peanuts in Tanggolia?"

The three men looked at Chinua. Hye asked, "You mean you're going to Tanggolia."

Chinua said, "Well, if they do sell it, we might as well go."

Khunbish said, "If they found out that we were soldiers, we could be beheaded."

Chinua said, "We didn't cross the border in armor, how will they know?"

Khenbish said, "General Mönkhbat probably won't let Chinua cross the border."

Khunbish said, "Chinua should know that it is very dangerous to cross the border into Tanggolia."

Hye said, "Although Chinua is a woman, traveling to Tanggolia won't make her any more dangerous than staying here with these male soldiers. Why are you two worrying so much?"

Khunbish said, "Because Chinua is."

Chinua interrupted Khnubish and said, "Khunbish I will speak to General Mönkhbat about our crossing into Tanggolia."

Hye looked at Chinua, "Because you are what?"

Chinua said, "It's nothing..."

Hye said, "It must be something to make Khunbish and Khenbish worried about your safety." He looked at Chinua. "Who are you really?"

Chinua said, "The only thing you have to worry about now is how we get the seeds and how to teach the soldiers to grow peanuts. You don't have to worry about other things that have nothing to do with you." She looked at the three men. "You three go back to the cabin."

Khenbish asked, "Where are you going?"

Chinua said, "I'm going to see General Mönkhbat and hope he agrees to let us enter Tanggolia."