Gripping hard the handle of the large butcher's knife, mother Kahn hid behind the huge body of the tree, as she slowly hid her breathing. Her eyes were closed, but her ears were wide open, twitching from time to time.

From far away, mother Kahn could hear screams of the warriors who fought to defend their lands, as well as the battle cry of the invaders who sought blood to gain lands and riches they didn't own. 

Mother Kahn felt angry and anxious. When she stepped foot outside of their house, she knew the outside had become the battle field. She was reckless, she got anxious and scared for her husband's life, and immediately ran outside after hiding her son. 

As hours passed, she regretted her hasty decision. Her head wasn't good, and her body moved faster than her brain. She greatly regretted leaving her son alone. She was anxious and scared. 

Mother Kahn didn't run far and was still inside the Rouran Tribe vicinity. However, because of the ongoing battle, she encountered soldiers many times on the way. 

She was just a woman. Although she was stronger than your average Joe, she was still a woman who didn't receive any formal training. These soldiers were weak but they attacked in groups. They have a great tacit understanding and a good grasp on how to lay traps and use weaknesses to their advantage.

Many times, mother Kahn thought she would not survive. She ran towards East earlier, when she separated herself from the Ro's group. Thinking about how her husband didn't even look at her when she arrived at his location in the distance, mother Kahn almost burst into tears.

...

"Ro! Take the women and children out of here! Take them to safety!" 

Mother Kahn was just about to open her mouth to shout her husband's name when she heard this. She only managed to catch a glimpse of her husband fighting majestically, when Ro pulled her away from the center of the blood bath. 

She doesn't have a choice but absentmindedly follows the man. Together with the others, they fled to the woods. 

She only managed to snap out of it when they were already halfway there. 

It was her wrong decision that led her to this situation. She was already within safe hands when she went together with Ro. Ro is a very responsible and loyal man under her husband. She was sure that he would protect her even with the cause of his life. But she has to run back in order to get her son.

It was her fault.

Now she only has to pay for it.

"...my son...please be safe. Mother is coming. Just hang on for a little while."

...

...

...

"It seemed that you two were idle."

Hua Zhou gave a salute to Commander Bai and replied. "Replying to the Commander, both this subordinate and Captain Tung are on break!" So, it's normal to be idle, ah. Of course Hua Zhou didn't say that lest, his Commander will make him run around this huge military camp site.

Tung Xiang, on the other hand, also salutes Commander Bai at the same time Hua Zhou did. 

"Do you have any work for us, Commander Bai?" 

Commander Bai gestured the two to be at ease and sat on one of the free seats nearby. "I came for my second in command, but it doesn't matter if you're here, Captain Tung. Anyway, we are both comrades fighting under the same flag and ruler. There should be no secrets!"

Hearing Commander Bai's words, both Captains looked at the Commander with admiration. 

...

Outside the camp.

LiMo led his brothers to infiltrate the enemy camp from the shadows.

Using hand signs, Li Mo assigned tasks and possition them around the invaders' camp. If they manage to act with the plan and wound the enemy's line from within, Li Mo was sure that the invaders at the front lines will have no choice but to retreat and go back to this camp to depend on it and recuperate. 

He already estimated that they will lose a lot of men, but it doesn't matter. He will make sure that their brothers' death will not be in vain. 

And so... "Let's begin the hunt."

...

...

...

"...how about implementing a new set of training regimen for the soldiers after we get back." Commander Bai said as he contemplated something. His huge fingers caressed his long beard looking really thoughtful. 

"Commander, are you thinking of training them in martial arts?" Hua Zhou curiously asked. 

"Thinking about it. The imperial army at the capital are all weak chickens and they rarely see blood, unlike those who stood at the borders bathing in blood year round. They almost look like barbarians who fight like a thug, if you see them. The Emperor mainly bought soldiers from the capital. Although we outnumbered them and our technology was more advanced, still, we still can't be sure about what is outside our borders. Remember the tribe we conquered last time?"

"Are you talking about that weird tribe full of women, who proclaimed themselves as shamans?" Tung Xiang recalled that time. After defeating a small village from the North, they proceed towards the North East. There, they encountered a tribe full of women. 

Tung Xiang called that tribe weird because, in that tribe it was the women who ruled and the men were the slaves. 

"What shamans. They were using some sort of sorcery, they are nothing but witches that used dark magic. Chi wasn't supposed to be used for that kind of thing." Hua Zhou added. Then he frowned remembering something. "They controlled those animals to fight for them. And they had mastered the art of the human body. More so, they were proficient in drugs and medicine. If only they stick to being a medical practitioner, then I won't refuse to call them a shaman."

Nodding, Commander Bai agreed. "They're abilities and wisdom in medicine are top notch. If they accepted his Majesty's proposal then they wouldn't have been wiped out. Those witches were both useful and dangerous. Fortunately, we are blessed with an Emperor with incomparable wisdom."

"By the way, Captain Tung. How are your own troops? Unlike our Hua Zhou here who only knew how to wave his sword without thinking much, you have more skills in commanding."

Captain Tung, who was just praised, smiled brightly and thanked Commander Bai humbly. He answered Commander Bai's inquiries one by one, and he also opened his ears widely to listen to every advice the Commander had and engraved it in his heart. 

Commander Bai was also fond of this junior. He was thinking of giving Hua Zhou his own soldiers before, however he changed his mind after seeing Tung Xiang. His own second-in command is yet to be ready to be a Commander. But with a little push, Commander Bai was certain that his second-in-command would achieve greatness as well in the near future. 

'But not now. This kid is still too immature.'

Shaking his head, Commander Bai was just about to open his mouth to remind Hua Zhou, who was moping to the side after being set aside from their conversation, to learn more and act mature in the future, when a soldier hurriedly intruded inside their own tent. 

The soldier bowed and saluted, and reported. "Commander Bai, enemies! We are under attack!"  Though his face was pale, and his voice urgent, he still did a good job reporting with a calm mind. 

Commander Bai praised this little soldier in his heart. He stood up and quickly went out with a huge stride. He didn't forget to pat the little soldier's shoulder to praise his effort. Both Hua Zhou and Tung Xiang followed as well.

...

...

...

Little Bori Kahn silently counted time, when curled up inside the narrow underground cellar. 

He was waiting for his mom. Although, he was feeling impatient and irritated, and wanted to come out. Little Bori Kahn somehow knew something bad was going on outside. 

He was lazy and naughty. He loves to play, and especially loves to pissed off his mother. His fat brain knew many tricks, and his sixth sense was also greatly enhanced, trained after playing mouse catch and hide and seek with his mother. His father also started to train him in martial arts and would let him come usually when they went hunting in the forest.

That's why little Bori Kahn has a basic survival instinct of the wild. Every child of the Rouran Tribe has them. And right now, Little Bori Kahn's instinct keeps alarming him to stay and be quiet, while waiting for his mother. Once he goes out, little Bori Kahn will surely die. 

Even then, little Bori Kahn was nothing but a child. He was stuck inside deep underground for hours now. With such a narrow hole, little Bori Kahn can't move much, and he could feel his arms and legs strain. He wanted to move, but he didn't dare to. 

He was afraid to make a sound. 

That's why little Bori Kahn endured. His mother will be here soon.

He counted time again and didn't care whether it was accurate or not. Because he believes his mother will come soon.

However, little Bori Kahn counted thousands but his mother still didn't come back. 

He was anxious. 

What if something happens to her on her way back?

Once this thought flashed in his mind, little Bori Kahn panicked, and finally decided to go out to take a look outside.

He never once really obeyed her mother's words anyway.

Little Bori Kahn just made up his mind when he heard sounds coming from the outside. 

Although there are many varieties of loud sounds outside, this one is very distinct. Because little Bori Kahn knew that they were coming from the inside of their house. 

Little Bori Kahn stopped moving. He inhaled deeply and turned to shallow breathing. His father taught it to him before, when they were hunting. As he was performing his shallow breathing, little Bori Kahn was now concentrating to lower his presence. But he can't do this one very much. He really doesn't understand how to make his presence disappear, so little Bori Kahn just hopes that the people outside, whoever they are, don't notice him.

But who knew...he just finished chanting those words in his mind, when suddenly light came through the gaps of the wooden hatch, accompanied by a sound of something being forcibly opened up and some murmurs from men.

With a bang! The hatch finally opened revealing little Bori Kahn inside. When little Bori Khan looked up, he saw men wearing metal plates. Little Bori Kahn knew that they were armor, his father also had one at the shed he almost burned. No, not him, it's the chicken. The one chicken almost burned the whole shed.

One of the soldier smile maliciously. "Heh. Look at that. There's a rat hiding under here."

"Oh. It's a child. What are you doing there, child?" Asked the one who looked gentle. But instead of answering, little Bori Kahn went alert and glared at them cautiously. 

"Stop it. Why are we talking to him? Just kill him ready."

From the distance, a sound of someone rampaging around the house echoes.the sound stops when another man shouted towards his comrades. 

"Oh hey! Lucky! I found wine here." A sound of drinking was heard. "Wow. This is more delicious than the one in the capital."

The soldier with a gentle demeanor took interest in it and finally left little Bori Kahn. "Really? Let me have some as well."

Little Bori Kahn saw one of the three left, leaving two soldiers with menacing look. His heart thump from fear, but he remain unmoving as he glared at them, trying to be brave.

Seeing the puppy trying it's best to bite, the two soldiers couldn't help but laugh, and amusingly glanced at him. 

Finally, one of them moved. He stretched out his arm and strongly picked up little Bori Kahn from the back of his collar and threw him down beside the wall. 

Little Bori Kahn coughs loudly and groans when his back hits the wall. He almost thought that his internal organs were destroyed from that. He felt so hurt that he couldn't stop tears from falling down on the corner of his eyes. 

Meanwhile, the soldiers just laugh seeing his appearance. 

Enduring the pain in his body, little Bori Kahn gritted his teeth and shouted, "who are you guys?!"

"This puppy seems to have teeth."

"Oh. I'm so scared. How about you whine instead of growling, huh?" As the soldier said that, he came towards little Bori Kahn and kicked him on his stomach. 

Little Bori Kahn's body almost went into shock. With his mouth opened, he tried to breathe but he seemed to be unable to breathe air. His eyes bulged with tears hanging from his eyes. He couldn't help but cough hard. Little Bori Kahn held his stomach and coughed non stop. He tried to exhale air amidst his painful efforts, however, before little Bori Kahn could even breathe, another kick landed on him.

Five soldiers laugh as they watch and take turns abusing a child. They held wine gord in their hands, and vigorously gulped down the wine inside. 

Little Bori Kahn was kicked here and there, and was passed around to be beaten up. He felt so painful, he thought he was going to die. He couldn't even cry or scream. These bastards didn't even have him a chance to breathe.

Just as when little Bori Kahn felt his consciousness fading, with his blurred vision, he saw the closed door being opened up and a familiar figure came, attacking the people inside.

Before he finally lost consciousness, little Bori Kahn blurted out, "...mom."