The tall man, acting as the leader, said, "It’s not that the brothers are unwilling to serve the nation, it’s just that…" He sighed and said, "There’s no need for the pension in the form of silver taels. We brothers will be forever grateful for Marshal Tie’s order today. We bid you farewell."
As he finished his words, he brought his brothers out of the military base.
The four hundred and seventy-one men who had chosen to start over from the bottom stood quietly, using their stares to send their comrades, who had opted to leave, away.
Just like Tie Zheng had said, those who stayed had no regrets, while those who left harbored no shame – everything was a personal choice stemming from individual intentions!