Level 2.6
“You broke me and now you expect me to follow you out onto the battlefield? No. The answer is no.”
Hao Mei threw down his sword drenched in blood, armour coated in the horror of war. Yu Banshan and Qiu Yonghou sat exhausted from the battle. They had just managed to escape from an ambush with their lives with their general Xiao Nai. The general himself sat by the river, washing his hands trying to get them clean. Images of what happened followed his mind, screams of their comrades who will never scream again.
Their own spoil of battle sat bound to a tree. The Man they only knew as K.O., one they once called friend and ally, is the enemies brother. His armour laid a pile, sword thrown into the ground. Hao Mei knelt in front of him, hands tightening ones bounding his.
“I don’t want to fight against you. I want to fight with you.” He gripped his one free hand, pleading. Hao Mei tore it out, shaking his head.
“You broke me…” Hao Mei placed a hand over his heart. There in the moment of silence between them, something unspoken that they weren’t allowed to voice echoed loud between the two. “And now you expect me to follow you into the battlefield.”
“Not follow-”
“No. The answer is no.”
“I just want to fight with you. I don’t want to be on his side, I don’t have to be.” This time it grabbed the attention of the other three men. Their focus on their captive.
“You gave them our location, men died!” Hao Mei yelled.
“They were going to kill you! They already had your location, I gave nothing away. Hao Mei… I am not your enemy.” He pleaded once more with the one who knew him the best. Xiao Nai returned from the river, red water dripping from his hands.
“He stays tied until we are back at camp.” The General gave the final verdict. He would not die right now.
“If there’s a camp to return to…” Yu Banshan threw a knife into the ground, picking it back up.
“I’m not dying here. I’m dying in my bed next to my wife.” Xiao Nai, turned to his three friends and captive. “Where do you want to die?” He looked K.O. directly, a test. His eyes briefly flashing to Hao mei, but chose to remain silence. Hao Mei, he wanted to die with Hao Mei next to him.
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