“W-What do you mean by that?” Hua Chin asked, feeling very uncomfortable, “Where are you taking me right now?”

“The Northern Gate.” Hua Yan answered a matter-of-factly, “We’re heading over to the barracks.”

“You should be running away from here!” Hua Chin exclaimed, “Why are you heading to the barracks! And what plans do you have with me? Where do I fit into this picture?! Please, I beg of you, just let me go, ok? I promise I will never get in your way again!”

“You should have thought of that before ordering your men to come for my head,” Hua Yan responded, “Now, because of you, I have the added crime of killing five guards, and grievously wounding two others. This is a much worse offense than killing off some ordinary clansmen…”

“But, that doesn’t have anything to do with me!” Hua Chin argued, “I was just doing my duty and bringing you before the law! If you have a problem, you should address it to the clan! I don’t make the rules!”

“You can’t make the rules,” Hua Yan nodded, agreeing with Hua Chin, “But you’re the only pawn I have. I’m not strong enough to face the entire clan at the moment, so you’re going to help me get out of here.”

“W-Why should I help you!” Hua Chin barked, “You killed my comrades, disregarded the law, and even robbed me of all I had! Helping you means I turn a traitor. Why in blazes would I choose something like that?”

“Because,” Hua Yan enunciated his words, “Your life is in my hands.”

“You! You can’t kill me! I am your only way out, so you definitely cannot kill me. Besides, even if you do kill me, you would suffer a fate much worse than death at the hands of the clan.”

“You think I won’t drag the both of us into the fiery pits if I have to?”

“You…” Hua Chin did not know how else to argue against this suicidal action plan.

“Accept it already. You will help me get out of here.”

“I can’t,” Hua Chin once again rejected. There was a deep conviction in his voice. It sounded like he would even sell his soul to the devil, but he absolutely would not help out Hua Yan.

“What?” Hua Yan demanded puzzledly, “What do you mean? Aren’t you afraid of death?”

Hua Yan really did not understand this guard’s hesitation. The man was definitely someone that was afraid of death. He was not the heroic type nor did he have the traits one would come to expect from a filial man.

He looked like your everyday scum of a man who liked to prey on the weak and bow down to the strong.

“I am afraid of dying,” Hua Chin explained, “But I would rather die than become a traitor.”

“Why?” Hua Yan asked, desperately wanting to know the reason.

“I have a family to feed and dying on duty would at least move the clan to give my family proper compensation. Turning traitor, however, will not only be of no benefit to my family, it may even have them all executed! The clan doesn’t look kindly towards any that betray it to side with criminals. So, even at the cost of my life, I am not willing to work with you.”

“You think I won’t slaughter them all myself if you don’t agree to help me now?”

Hua Chin’s hands clenched into fists.

“You will never have the chance.”

“Oh,” Hua Yan remarked, rather interested in the complete change of Hua Chin’s character, “Why do you say that?”

“You’ll never find them,” Hua Chin said in a low voice, “And even if you did... I wouldn’t let you touch a hair on their heads.”

“And, how exactly do you expect to do that?” Hua Yan mocked, “You’re unarmed and you’ve seen what I am capable of. Yet, you still have the nerve to say that you can stop me?!”

“Tch,” Hua Chin replied, giving Hua Yan a kick and creating some distance between them, “Don’t look down on me. I’m not a guard captain for nothing.”

Hua Yan had dodged the kick, but he didn’t pay it much attention. He had other things that were weighing on his mind.

He was completely flabbergasted by the way this guard was behaving. The man obviously had no way to win this battle, but why was he still so reluctant to not help him? Did he perhaps have some tricks hidden up his sleeve?

But that wasn’t right. Even if he did have such tricks, if he were truly confident in them, he would’ve used them earlier when his men were still around. By doing that, he would’ve drastically increased the chances of victory.

So, what was actually going on now?

Hua Yan was sure that the man had no trump cards left to play… but when he thought of the man’s earlier words about his family, a faint degree of understanding had hit him.

When it came to random people, Hua Yan didn’t care about whether they lived or died. In fact, he would even be willing to make use of their weaknesses and benefit off of their circumstances.

He was also not that different from this guard.

When it came to his sister, however, he would be unable to remain calm. She was his reverse scale. If any injustice were to ever happen to her, he would not be able to control himself. Even at the cost of his life, he would ensure that anyone that had ill intentions towards her would be taken out.

If the guard was the same as Hua Yan, then it was understandable that he too would feel the same guilt if he put his own family in danger.

As such, it would make sense if he said that he would rather die than become a traitor. This was not because he was against the idea of being a traitor, but because he was against the idea of having his family suffer because of this decision he made.

Consequently, Hua Chin was hell-bent on dying now if it meant that he couldn’t escape death.

“Leave then,” Hua Yan muttered, choosing another direction to walk in.

Hua Chin was completely taken off guard by this turn of events. He had his hand pressed against the knife hidden in his sleeves. He was ready to snap off Hua Yan’s arm before being reduced to nothing more than a lifeless piece of flesh himself.

He was ready to make a sacrifice and have his family reap the benefits.

But he never expected that Hua Yan would just spare him like that and leave without saying another word.

Before he could even think, there were words in his mouth.

“My men have already gone to inform the guards at the Eastern Gate. There are a number of bystanders here that know you by your face, so you can’t stay in the area any longer. You’ll need to leave, but going directly through the other gates is foolish. But… there’s a party near the Western Gate. If you can get there, and disguise yourself as one of the guests, it should be easier for you to get out.”

Saying his part, Hua Chin quickly left the scene to report to his superiors.

Hua Yan considered all of this information before turning around to the figure that was almost gone from his line of sight.

“Wait,” Hua Yan called out, “What is your name?”

“Hua Chin,” came the reply, disappearing with the wind a few seconds later.