Jin turned to Soo-Hyun and told her with a very serious expression: "We need to go. Right now" but Soo-Hyun misinterpreted him. She thought he meant to go after the thieves... Yet, she followed him to the city exit with a serious and exctied impression, ready to start fighting anytime.

She only realized something was wrong when Jin went the wrong way. Shouldn't they go towars the forest...? And she stopped him: "Wait Jin! The thieves must have gone this way!" and that's when Jin realized that this girl misunderstood him. Since she was already thinking of going after the thieves, it was a bad idea to lie to her anymore...Or was it? He told her: "No! They probably went this way instead!"

The girl didn't believe him and looked at him with incredulity. Guess she has grown up' thought Jin. Still, this made it a pain. This girl was a battle addict too, just like him, but the problem was that she had the innocence of a kid mixed with it. She was still inexperienced and unable to comprehend the dangers...

He turned to her and said: "We're not chasing after the thieves, we're going home" Of course, Soo-Hyun was unable to understand what he meant right away. To her, fleeing was not a word. What's more, she yet to battle even once throughout this border war! She didn't want for it to end right now.

But Jin took the time to explain everything to her, managing to make her realize that the border war was a loss. After she understood, she was still reluctant: "But can't we reverse the situation? We are strong..." yet Jin crushed her thoughts: "We can't fight hundreds of warriors alone, Soo-Hyun. It is the time for us to escape"

In the end, he managed to convince her and they ran towards the exit, like many others in fact. There were just about as much people going in both directions. That didn't matter much though. The end results was set in stone already.

After they crossed the gate, they saw many elders taking charge of the crowd, separating the spiritual warriors from the average warriors. As he saw this, Jin knew that only death awaited the warriors...He thought that maybe considering the situation, the Empire would be lax... What a letdown.

Soo-Hyun was already moving forward, pouting. Even after leaving, she was still unhappy to have left without a good fight. She was grabbed by behind by a smiling Jin. He told her to wait and put his hand inside his space pouch. He took out a few things and gave it to her as he said: "This is my sect robe and my pins, keep them for me, alright?"

He put them in her hands before she could react then leaped backwards, re-entering the area 27. That's right. He went back in. Only those under the spiritual warrior realm could move freely through this barrier. Now that he was sure that Soo-Hyun would be safe, he could bid her goodbye with a smile.

However, Soo-Hyun didn't think this way. She dropped the things he gave her in a second as she tried to go through the gate. But this time, she couldn't. The membrane was blocking her. She felt as if she was banging an impossibly sturdy door. Yet it was behind that door that Jin remained. He was there with a smile on his face as he waved at her. Only a small distance separated them yet this distance seemed infinite.

Soo-Hyun couldn't understand. Why did he have to get her out if he decided to return in? What the fuck was wrong with him?! She glared at him as tears began to form and she screamed: "What are you doing?! Come out!" but Jin remained calm as he shook his head sideways. He replied to her with a serene expression: "I have yet to reach the spiritual warrior realm, I would be labeled a traitor if I went out. And you know what that means"

The teenage girl didn't want to understand as she tried to find a way out: "You're wrong! Look! They will likely forget about it since so many are fleeing! What's more, there is no way they would do anything to an inner sect disciple!" but Jin shook his head once more as he told her, still with a relaxed smile on his face: "I left a letter in the robe's inner pocket, please go give it to Han-Bi and Sang-Min"

By now, the tears were streaming down her cute face as she kept banging on the membrane with her fists. She kept calling him an idiot and such, making him chuckle. He couldn't help but feel warm about the little girl's reaction. To think such a despicable old man like him would one day find someone ready to cry for him... What an unexpected turn of events.

As he gazed at the little girl, he couldn't help smiling even more brightly. It was great that he managed to send her out safely. He had accomplished his goal in joining this war. Considering everything, she would have likely been dead already if not for him. She was the rash type after all.

He looked at her and left a few parting words as he turned his back and walked away: "You're safe now so just wait for me at the sect, I will be back, don't worry"

He left under the desesperate wailing of the girl. After all his speech about how staying meant death, why did he have to stay?! Was he dumb?! Why did he do all this?! But in the end, there was no one to answer her and soon the figure of Jin disappeared amongst those of the crowd of people trying to escape the area...

She picked the robe that had now a lot of foot prints on it, losing its white color altogether and gripped it tightly in her arms as she hurried towards the Twenty-Two Suns Sect area. Maybe the elder would have a way to help!