Soo-Hyun rushed out of the crowd, not concerning herself about much and reached the sect area quickly. She found a few elders ushering the remaining disciples alive in their camp. She approached one and hurriedly told him about what happened. The Elder pondered for a moment before he tried to recapitulate: "So, your friend, inner disciple Jin, has yet to reach the spiritual warriors level so he stayed back after making sure you left?"

Soo-Hyun nodded fervently as she replied: "Yes! Now, Elder, help him out!" but contrary to her expectations, the elder only sighed and pat her head. He bent slightly over so he was eye-to-eye with her and, sporting a small smile, explained to her: "That friend of yours was a truly good friend. Thanks to him, you are safe now. Make sure to cherish his memories and remember him for his good deed"

Then, the Elder turned around, ready to usher in the rest of the disciples that would come. Soo-Hyun stood there, petrified. She was unable to process what he told her. So, she screamed: "What do you mean?! We need to go help! Now!" The Elder turned back around after his colleagues looked at him. He sighed thinking it wasn't his lucky day. Out of the elders, he was the one would have to break it to the poor kid.

He looked at the little girl already crying tears. As he saw her, he recalled his past. The many comrades and friends he lost too... He could empathy with her. And so, he took a different approach than he first planned to. He kept on a smile as he explained to her: "Your friend was smart. It's true that all those under spiritual warrior realm will be killed for being traitors if they were to exit now. That being said, it is also true that this border war is lost...*sigh*... Your friend will die. There is nothing we can do about it"

Soo-Hyun groped Jin's robe even harder as she bawled. Her sadness affected everyone in the surroundings. She was truly experiencing the loss of someone dear...Even the otherwise cold Elder couldn't help but pick her up in a hug, trying to calm her down. Yet, she kept sneezing and crying all the way as she repeated: "Jin said he will come back!"

There was no way she could accept the death of Jin like that...

Meanwhile Jin was unhurried as he walked towards the castle city. He was really unhappy with how the Empire had done things. He truly blamed their idiocy. Because of those idiots, he went straight into the worst scenario...Well, Soo-Hyun was safe though. But he was not!

Fuck. To think they would cut the bridge after he had crossed. No way back and no way forward either, what was he supposed to do? It was fortunate that he had studied beforehand and prepared accordingly. His first stop was still the castle city. There should still be quite some time before the door was completely closed.

He didn't believe he could become a spiritual warrior before it did. He wasn't dumb enough to understand such a far-fetched hope. But there were many things he could still do until the doors closed. It would without a doubt help along the way.

The first place he went to was the kitchen. The army kitchen mind you. He began to plunder the food. He picked only what could stay fresh for some time. Then, he left. His pouch wasn't that big, for a spatial device. He only took enough to last for a month if he remained frugal. This would hopefully be enough.

Next stop was the castle armory. He planned to loot it. But things don't always go as planned. It was already emptied out once he reached the place. He could only sigh dejectedly and leave. With no weapons but his fist, it might be tough... But he had experienced similar things in his past life. There was that one time when he had been pursued by a whole millitia from a terrorist organization after he fought one of their leaders...He had only intended to spar back then but those zealots could never be reasoned with...

Anyways, he had experience with wars. And fighting one against many. Things were different here though. It was a given he would never turn the tides of this war himself. He wasn't foolish to belive it either. But there was one thing he knew he could do. That was to overcome any battles with no more than a dozen opponents. With a bit of cunning, he could survive.

There was one very big problem though: he would be unable to leave this area and go back to the Empire. There were only two options left to him:

1) Hope that the other side wouldn't activate the second crystal until he broke through (which could take a few months) and leave once he succeeded.

2) Switch camps.

Right. Switching sides. Why should he devote his life to the Empire who didn't regard him as anything? Not even a pebble on the sight of the road. There were no reasons to. He had absolutely no attachments to the Empire itself. Betraying it didn't mean jackshit to him.

Sure, the Twenty-Two Suns Sect belonged to the Empire but so what? If he wanted to survive, he needed to be pragmatic. The Empire side was doomed. So, isn't it obvious to go to the other side? He could think of going back after he successfully escaped...For now, it was a matter of survival.

He didn't think the enemies would wait months before fusing the crystals and sealing the fate of those from his faction. Switching sides would be tough but it was the best bet he could take. If he wanted to live, and he did, he could only make this choice.

Fortunately, he had no one but himself to take care of now...He could go at it without burdens and morals.