“The boy has....wounds are...too early, far too early...a normal person could not ha…”

Xing Kai could faintly hear voices around him.

I failed in my revenge…I failed again…mommy, daddy…

Xing Kai felt like his body had been trampled on by a legion of horses; as if it had been thrown off a cliff and tossed around by the seas. There was a sharp pain from his shoulder and legs, and even as he tried to move, excruciating pain lanced into his stomach and back.

“Give him a few...lucky to still be...”

I’ll never see them again…

Xing Kai drifted back into his tormenting dreams, while his soul fragment ring simmered away silently. Xing Kai came back to consciousness quite a few times only to slip back down into the deep recesses of his mind. Each time he would be bombarded by pain and grief, forcing him back into his deep slumber.

After an unknown amount of time passed, Xing Kai felt his body was strong enough to stay awake for more than a few minutes and he moved slightly. He opened his weary eyes slowly. Through the slits of his eyes he could see a blinding white light overhead and some beds in a row opposite to his own. Xing Kai winced painfully as he shut his eyes tightly, and relaxed into his bed again.

I must have been rescued by a nearby village...wait…did they kill those vile men? They must have done...what do I do now?

Xing Kai felt his heart tighten and a shock to run through his body. He sucked in a breath of cold air through his damaged throat. Xing Kai pulled himself up slowly, feeling incredibly anxious and nervous for some reason.

“Crkkrk...crkk”

Xing Kai opened his mouth and tried to call for help ,but his throat was too damaged, and would not allow him to make anything more than guttural sounds.

My throat?

Xing Kai tried to inspect the internal damage to his throat; he found it was scarred deeply and the flesh was rough, with chunks missing from it. The lining was particularly rough and stung terribly when he tried to speak. He sat naked in his bed, with bloody and dirty bandages applied around his chest and limbs. He stunk of some foul herbs that were almost completely dried out, and hardened the bandages around his body, like a shell.

I can’t speak? Damn it...I don’t have anyone to speak to anymore so I suppose it doesn’t matter

Xing Kai lay back down slowly on the bed cursing himself for his weakened condition. He noticed that there were two long rows of beds in this hall, with many people on them with different severe injuries and distracted himself by inspecting them from afar. They all wore the same deep green clothing with leather padding.

Don’t the Nalan family’s town militia wear these type of green clothes…if it was them, then surely they could have defeated those vile demons. It’s finished then…my village has been avenged…

Xing Kai felt deflated and looked up at the ceiling as if looking at the skies above. He unconsciously clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, as he thought about those villainous men being killed by others. He could tolerate that others had stolen his revenge, but Xing Kai was most angry with himself for being too weak to get it, when it was right before him. He knew he would be far too weak to get revenge himself, by all rights he should be dead right now. He understood that painfully well.

I didn’t have the strength to get revenge…I just don’t have the qualifications to carry the burden of avenging the village…I was just too arrogant and weak; but now everything is finished…and I have nothing left to live for…

Xing Kai felt bitterly angry and disgusted in his weakness more so than ever now. He could not bring himself to enjoy having his revenge taken from him, but he still appreciated that the people who had done such evils to his home and loved ones, were now gone.

Xing Kai closed his eyes and tried to feel happy, but his jaw stayed clenched and his fists tightly balled.

“It’s a good thing they ran or else the casualties would have been too much for us to handle”

A voice could be heard from the far end of the infirmary, and doors opened to reveal an old woman and two young girls following behind. Xing Kai had almost gotten up to call them, but suddenly felt it was better to pretend to stay asleep. For some reason, he wasn’t sure why, he didn’t want to talk to them.

“They barely managed to survive the last mission and then had to run into a rogue group of mercenaries”

“If the mercenaries hadn’t ran, they would have slaughtered the lot of them...that Captain Nalan Jin is a fool”

“Hush hush, if others hear you speak of him like that, you’ll get trouble from his men”

“Humph, he can try what he likes I’m not scared of him”

“As you should be; you work for me in the town infirmary, there is no one who would dare cause trouble for you”

“I’m not wrong. Everybody knows Captain Nalan Jin almost got his men killed when he ran into that rogue merc group, and survived thanks to luck. Why the hell would mercenaries like them run from Captain Nalan Jin’s company? He got lucky they ran, otherwise he’d be dead.”

Xing Kai heard this and a cold sweat broke out on his back. He gritted his teeth as he heard the more rebellious girl’s voice and clenched his fists tightly. Xing Kai felt his heart race and a strange joy bloomed in his heart.

They’re still alive…my revenge is still possible…it must be your fate to die at my hands

Xing Kai would never forget the faces of those barbaric villains. Although he felt that he was still not worthy of burdening the revenge of the village, he was now more certain of what to do with his life. A cold smile appeared on his face, but suddenly he had the sensation that he was being watched.

“You’re awake already?” exclaimed the more cautious sounding girl. She had a caring appearance, with soft brown hair and watery eyes. Her face was gentle and warm, matching perfectly with the feeling she gave people of warmth and comfort.

Xing Kai opened his eyes, feeling stupid for having given himself away. The smile had faded away quickly and he contained his strange delight inside himself.

“Awake? That boy is awake? Let me check...” said the old woman. She had a stern appearance and certainly did not appear to be the type who accepted disagreement or complaint from others. She placed her knobbly fingers over Xing Kai’s wrist and frowned for a moment. She then checked the other wrist, causing the two girls to be very surprised.

Xing Kai felt a strange weak sensation flow up his arm and into his throat. It wondered around a few times, and then dissipated.

The old woman removed her course finger tips from Xing Kai’s wrists and clucked her tongue, with a frown appearing on her aged face. She paused for several heart beats.

“He’ll be fine in a week”

She turned around and left the hall of beds in no time at all, as if she wasn't an old lady. The two girls glanced at each other, but then looked down at Xing Kai’s pale weary face.

“Where are you from?” asked the brown haired girl softly.

“Silly, have you forgotten what old lady Zhou said? He can’t speak” said the more rebellious girl. She had flaming red hair, pear like teeth and white skin. She had an alluring, tight figure and her harsh and fiery attitude, would leave any man feeling stimulated.

Xing Kai watched the two girls exchange a few angry comments and glare at each other. The brown haired girl turned away from her, and leaned over Xing Kai to feel his throat with her soft palm and delicate fingers.

“It really is still damaged...quite severe” muttered the brown haired girl, with her soft voice. She pressed lightly on various places on his throat, and rubbed lightly in others.

“What would you know?”

The red haired girl also leaned over by Xing Kai’s side and placed her cool, slender fingers on Xing Kai’s throat. She was surprisingly gentle, as she felt his throat.

“It’s already improved by this much...can this really be possible?” cried the rebellious red haired girl.

Xing Kai had his head tilted up, with the girl’s hands stroking and rubbing his throat continuously. He could smell their soft, shiny hair, and could even feel the warmth of their bodies leaning over his chest. He also noticed some softness brushing against his chest which were warm and moved slightly, as the girls felt his throat. He felt quite peculiar with these two girls hanging over him, and touching him however they liked.

What a strange pair of elder sisters

Xing Kai frowned and pushed the two heads hovering around his chin with the little strength he left had in his arms. The girls started and moved away, while glaring at each other as if it was the others fault that he complained.

“Here use this to talk” said the brown haired girl. She pulled out some parchment and ink from a draw and passed it to Xing Kai. He hesitantly took them from her gentle, warm hands and stared at them for a moment with his dark, tired eyes.

What am I meant to do? Perhaps I should just stay here until I’m strong enough to leave, and then join a martial school or something like that…

He wrote his name down on it and passed it back to her, as they were staring at him a bit too much.

“Ohh, nice to meet you Xiao Kai, my name is Rong Lan” said the brown haired girl smiling sweetly.

“My name is Yun Lifen, Xiao Kai” said the fiery red haired girl.

Xing Kai stared back at them. They passed him the parchment and ink, and he accepted it, but didn’t write anything else.

I don’t want to have to answer too many questions; perhaps I can get away with pretending to not know how to write...

The two girls stared back at him in bewilderment, not knowing what to say, as he shrugged weakly at them.

“Do you not know how to write?”

Xing Kai shook his head once. He stared at the two girls with a slight apologetic expression.

“Do you want to learn how?”

Xing Kai was surprised and his eyes widened slightly.

I can’t afford to stay here very long, otherwise I might never find them again…regardless ,who knows how long it will take before I’m strong enough to get revenge...but I can’t refuse their offer without a good reason either...

Xing Kai nodded his head to the girl's delight.

Xing Kai firmed his decision in his heart and watched the girls argue over who would teach him his letters. Xing Kai would ignore both anyways since he planned to leave as soon as possible, and find a way to enter a city and its martial school...

The girls eventually came to an agreement and agreed to both teach him equal number of hours per week, as if he was going to be here months. They argued fiercely over any little thing it seemed.

“Ok Xing Kai, we will both teach you” said Yun Lifen. Her sharp beautiful eyes glared at Rong Lan, who stuck her tongue out in response.

“Anyway, do you have a place to stay? Any family?”

Xing Kai looked at the two for a moment wondering if they were trying to catch him out.

They should know that I was rescued by the militia, how do they expect me to have a place to go?

Xing Kai shook his head, feeling his throat tighten as he thought about his lost home. He forced his nails into his skin, to keep himself from crying in front of the two girls. He hated that he had to do this, to stop himself from crying all over again.

Enough of this weakness…it won’t help you, so forget about it

“I thought so. Why don’t you come stay—” began Rong Lan, when all of a sudden the doors to the hall wear opened and in walked old lady Zhou followed by a militiaman.

“You two, stop pestering the poor boy” said old lady Zhou. She and the militiaman walked up to Xing Kai’s bed. Xing Kai tensed up, preparing for anything that they might do to him.

“Old lady Zhou what’s wrong? Why bring a militiamen here”

Yun Lifen spoke remarkably timidly now. She stepped behind Rong Lan as soon as the militiaman had appeared, and her eyes were noticeably dimmer and less self-assured.

“You’ll see” replied old lady Zhou.

She placed her hand on Xing Kai’s wrist for a moment as if confirming something to herself. “He’s health after just a month of rest. He is quite strong, and he also needs a place to stay.” Old lady Zhou looked at the militiaman, who had been glancing at Yun Lifen’s chest and figure every few seconds. Rong Lan stepped a little further in front of Yun Lifen, covering her figure almost entirely and crossed her arms. She glared angrily at the militiaman, who smirked slightly. Yun Lifen seemed to shrink behind Rong Lan more, with every glance he made.

“Hold on, your enlisting him into the militia?” cried girls. Rong Lan and Yun Lifen both didn’t like the sound of such a young boy being sent to fight for the town.

Xing Kai growled in his throat, catching everyone’s attention. His cold stare and fierce eyes surprised them.

“If you join the Militia you will have a place to stay, you’ll be fed regularly, and given a pay” said old lady Zhou.

“But you have to be strong and brave. Militiamen can die at any time.” added the militiaman. He was a young man, at least twice Xing Kai’s age, with a greedy lecherous face. Xing Kai felt angered the longer he looked at him.

Xing Kai’s eyes imperceptibly flickered and he nodded his head.

“Of course, since you can’t speak, you will find it quite hard to take part in the training and in missions but otherwise…you can do alright cleaning the men’s boots” said the man arrogantly. He didn't believe the boy was injured as severely as what he had heard and so he could not see what all the fuss was about. Barely anybody in the town would be able to survive the kind of injuries people said the boy had, including himself, then how could the little brat have survive and heal that fast as well? It was all bluster, and the kid would go running for his parents on the first day of training, in the man's opinion.

“Then it’s settled”

Old lady Zhou stared at Xing Kai’s face as if trying to read his mind. Her wrinkled, stern face frowned as she looked at him, but she sighed and walked back out of the hall with the militiaman after a few heart beat's time.

“Xiao Kai, the militia is a dangerous group, they fight and die all the time, it’s not worth it” exclaimed Yun Lifen. As soon as the militiaman left the hall she returned to her usual spirited self. Rong Lan acted like nothing unusual had happened.

These elder sisters are indeed strange

“Yes, you can just stay with us at our home Xiao Kai. The militia has bad man in them” agreed Rong Lan. Yun Lifen nodded her head.

Xing Kai looked over at the two concerned sisters and felt the same warmth inside that the older sisters in the village gave him. His slightly cold expression eased. Xing Kai picked up the parchment and ink and wrote the words “No”.

The girls read it and sighed.

“They won’t treat you well. And speaking isn’t that much of a problem, we can help you find a job till your ready to find your own place if you don’t like ours”

It’s not you that is the problem. I need strength and the militia can help me until I can go to a city. I also can’t afford to carry more debts than I already owe...I want to walk my own path, without relying on others.

Xing Kai shook his head and slowly eased himself deeper into the bed. He rolled over onto his better healed shoulder and closed his eyes to sleep.

“We’ll come back later to feed you properly ok?” said Rong Lan.

Xing Kai felt his throat tightening and heart clench, the more kindness he received from the girls. He soon drifted off to sleep feeling slightly better than before.

Xing Kai was awoken gently by the two older girls later on and gratefully ate what they gave him. He listened to the two girl’s arguing and felt like they truly suited each other well. He went back to sleep and woke just before the sun rose, as he did before with his father.

Each morning of the week he woke early and in the same way.

He found himself covered in sweat, and with dark nightmares drifting around the edges of his mind. Thoughts of home invaded his head as soon as he was awake and he began sobbing quietly into his pillow miserably each time. Sometimes during the day he would also cry.

I CAN NOT BE WEAK. Every time I think like this, I must think of my revenge

Xing Kai firmed his resolve again and again. He replaced the haunting nightmares and heartrending thoughts of home, with the desire to grow strong and to avenge his village. Each night he remembered less of his happy memories and more of the scenes he saw in the village. He had burned into his mind the the sight of the men laughing and celebrating in the camp, after what they had done to his home. The two pig faced men were his greatest focus of revenge and he obsessed over them in his dreams.

Xing Kai spent an increasing number of hours every morning, chanting quietly to himself, feeling anger and disgust at himself. He cried less, gritted his teeth and tightened his fists more often, every successive morning. Whenever he would be overcome by emotions, he would force himself to become angry and to hate his weakness.

Can never be weak, must never be weak, can never be weak, must never be weak...

Xing Kai’s chant made his determination ironclad and unyielding, and he became accustomed to the pain of losing his family and friends. He became accustomed so fast, since he buried himself in anger and his desire for strength. His personality and bearing changed over the course of this week; his old beliefs and thoughts were slowly outweighed by the new thoughts and opinions he had of the world.

On the last day of the week the girls checked him again to be astounded to find almost all his injuries were truly restored, except for his throat. Strangely Xing Kai’s throat did not recover any further that week, then the rough and torn state it was in since the start...

“The militia are having a big recruitment day today, so you can join with the new batch. You’re very young and most of them are criminals and the homeless, so leave if you don’t like it even a little bit...” said Rong Lan. She and Yun Lifen both offered to take him in countless times over the week.

“Such a young, innocent, cute boy should not be made to join the militia” muttered Yun Lifen, as she bandaged an injured person beside Xing Kai.

Nobody is forcing me elder sister Lifen

Xing Kai slipped out of his bed and looked around for clothes.

“Wait, we bought some clothes for you” Yun Lifen and Rong Lan both called out and brought him some clothes. Xing Kai could see that the clothes they offered were slightly worn, probably by their own brothers, but he accepted a piece of clothing from both girls, so they wouldn't argue.

It must be nice to have older sisters like these two

Xing Kai had listened to them talk about their parents and their brothers. They were both naturally quite soft hearted for young children, as they had taken care of the neighbour's children when they were younger. Quite a few girls their age were married and already had their own children.

Xing Kai put on the borrowed clothes, and smiled fractionally to express his gratitude. The action felt very unnatural and strained already.

“That militiaman will come and take you to the recruitment stall, so just stand outside the infirmary and wait for him. If he doesn’t come then just forget about it and come back to us ok?” said Yun Lifan. Her pretty face was scrunched up slightly with concern, and she patted him on the head before going back to one of the injured men.

“Here, take some money before you leave” shouted Rong Lan. She was busy tying a splint to a broken leg but pulled at her waist pouch and tossed it to Xing Kai.

50 BLOOD COINS...This is far too much money

Xing Kai jerked his head up, to see the girls smiling at him.

“Take it”

“That much money is nothing much to us two sisters”

Xing Kai nodded his head seriously. It would have taken Xing Kai several months hard work on the neighbour’s farm before he earned this much money back home. He firmly tied it to his waist and navigated his way out of the wooden building. He had learned quite a bit from the two girls, so he knew he needed some money to live at the militia camp, but he could earn a lot if he worked hard in the militia, so he would pay them back quickly.

He stood outside of the infirmary, on the busy street. The sun was now quite high in the sky and the crowds already felt the heat, as they ran about shopping and working.

Xing Kai waited for 2 hours but no one turned up to take him to the militia recruitment stall.