Er Yin slaughter her last victim and look up. In her blur vision, she see most of her soldiers are standing however they are all tired and bloody. In the field of flowers, Er Yin stand with her men like dead men that have raise from the dead. Each looking scary and holding weapons in their hands. Each one more bloody than the next. Their horses are running wild and even enjoying eating the grass. Er Yin on can hear the sound of her catching her own breath. Her hunger brings her legs down to kneel beside her last victim. Her hand shakes as she still holding on the sword that she have pierce onto the ground. Her mucus leak out of her nose and mix with the sweat beats and blood on her face.
Luo Ming hold her up. Everyone who is alive in the field did not talk. The sweet scent of flowers in the field have cover the blood scent. a few of the men pluck the flowers and eat it. They all start to dragged their tired and hungry bodies towards their horses. The sun is still shining bright and Er Yin look up to the sky. To her it is a sign that everything is over now. They should able to return home.
The Duke who suffer from a deep slash on his shoulder is bleeding as he kneel on the ground. He is wincing in pain but he did not scream nor make any noise. Er Yin and Luo Ming drag their bodies towards their master.
"Your highness..."
Er Yin kneel beside the Duke and touch him. The Duke slowly move his head and see the familiar face. He smile while his head is still low. She see her hand is fill with blood and his armour is pierce open Luo Ming kneel down and hurry to remove the armour. Er Yin whistle for her horse and it come to her. She struggle to stand up and look for her bag. She finds her supply of medicine. She pass it to Luo Ming while she continue to look for her water bottle. Luo Ming managed to clean the wound and apply antibacterial medicine on it. They wrap him up with the cloth she used for binding her chest and have him stand up. Luo Ming lift him up and put him on Er Yin's horse. Together they walk over to where most of the soldiers are waiting at.
There is no one dead this time around. Only deep injuries and the only choice is to find shelter for the night to recover.
They find a nearby cave and stay inside. Building a fire is easy but with so many men, it is not comfortable. They all try to get some rest. Only 4 men at every 2 hours will stay up to stay watch. Er Yin's medicine box is a life safer to her men. Each is able to receive some medicine from her. They stay in the cave for five days. Hunger is resolved by digging for sweet potatoes. Er Yin have them roasted and hand it around. Water is now lacking as they don't know where to find fresh water. Luo Ming and another two men decided to head out to look for water and maybe help. While Er Yin is staying behind to keep watch the injured men especially the Duke.
His fever rage throughout the days and she feed him with all the supply of water she have. She is dehydrated but he needs the water urgently to cool his body down. Er Yin keep the ration of water tightly. Not a drop is to be wasted. She keep herself busy with looking for twigs to keep the fire going. She look around in the nearby forest and find fruits to give the men. At least fruits will supply the water their body needs for now. The men eat whatever she finds no one complaints but most of them are still laying down in pain. Er Yin talk to everyone asking no one to give up on living. She continue to look for anything that can be eaten in the nearby forest. Those who are recovering follow her to hunt in the forest for small animals. They did not have many arrows left and they set up traps to catch small animals.
She touch the forehead of the Duke. He is asleep and she drape a blanket over him. She used her bag of clothes to make it as a pillow for him while she lay grass over the floor for him to lay down. Other soldiers did not complain as they know that Xie Yi Jin is doing his best and the Duke who is an imperial family member have to be taken with care. Since she never sleep in the night, she sit by the entrance of the cave and watch the night sky. She is tired yet she cannot sleep. She recall the faces that she have taken their lives. She makes a mental note to go to the temple for prayers on the sins that she had commit. She did not want to take their lives but she did it for the nation and her family. She hope that the buddha will be merciful on what she did. She pray for herself and promise to return to the temple and stay to repent for all the lives she have taken.
The morning comes and she doze off. The men who are staying up change shift with the ones who have awaken. They leave Er Yin alone as they know the lieutenant hardly have any rest. The Duke wakes up to see where he is at. Some of this men greet him. His body is stiff but he is feeling better. He look around and see his assistant is siting at the entrance of the cave and sleeping under the sunlight. He struggle to sit up and a solider come up to help him. They talk for a while and the solider goes off to get a fruit that have liquid for him to wet his mouth. He sit there and continue to watch his assistant sleeping under the sunlight. At noon time she wakes up and wipe her mouth but it hurts. Her lips are peeling. She need water and she takes an orange after peeling it sherub it against her lips and eat it. It is then she notice the Duke is siting up and leaning on the wall. She hurry to get there and ask if he is feeling fine. He nod his head slowly and look at her.
"Yi Jin... Luo Ming?"
"He is out looking for water and help. Don't worry. He is a lucky person. He will get what we need."
She look for her water bottle and find only left a bit more and the entire bottle is used up. Still she offer to the Duke. He drink it and realise that he have finish the bottle. He look around to see his men are all laying on the floor. They are all tired and hungry. There is nothing they can do.
"How many days ... Luo Ming?"
"i think he left for three days now. He will return soon."
Er Yin sit back and lean on the wall too. It's like a slow walk towards death. She tells herself that she have to stay alive. No matter how tough the conditions are.