Even with Xiao Ke slung over her shoulder, Qin Bing moved across the treacherous cliff face as if it were flat ground. She was back on the summit in what felt like seconds.
The soldiers watching—dozens of them—erupted in cheers. In the army, strength is the only thing that matters. They'd all heard stories about the legendary "Valkyrie," but seeing her in action was something else entirely. Awe and respect were written on every face.
Inside a crumbling mountain temple, Qin Bing gently laid Xiao Ke on the floor. She produced a small vial labeled "Angel's Kiss" and helped him drink the recovery serum.
The eyes of the old-timers nearby widened with envy. Angel's Kiss was a high-grade healing agent reserved for elite units. Regular grunts like them would never get a taste. The stuff was miraculous—it could knit flesh back together in moments and mend broken bones in a matter of days, as if the wound itself had been kissed by an angel.
But it was expensive. Insanely expensive. The army figured a hundred regular soldiers weren't worth a single dose; if they died, they died. Only the best of the best, heading into the most dangerous missions, were ever issued a vial.
For a Chiliarch like Qin Bing to have one wasn't a shock. But for her to use it on a lowly Decurion like Xiao Ke? That sent a ripple of surprise through the ranks. Maybe their commander, as cold and harsh as she seemed, was a good person deep down. Maybe following her wasn't so bad after all.
With the immediate crisis over, Qin Bing turned her attention to the night's other problem. She could no longer ignore the showdown between Xiao Ke and Duan Canglong.
Her voice was ice. "Private Duan Canglong. You not only defied the order of a superior officer, but you also assaulted him. Do you admit your crime?"
Duan Canglong's head hung low. "I do. I'm ready for my punishment."
"Good," she snapped. "Military code is clear. For a first offense of insubordination: fifty strikes with the military cane."
She was about to signal two soldiers to carry out the sentence. The men exchanged worried glances. Duan Canglong was already a mess of bruises and cuts; fifty lashes would probably kill him.
"Wait," Xiao Ke said, his voice strained.
Every head in the temple turned toward him. Qin Bing's brow furrowed. "What is it, Xiao Ke?"
"Ma'am, with all due respect," Xiao Ke began, "while he did commit insubordination, he's my man. I'm his direct superior. I believe his punishment should be mine to decide. It's a matter of managing my own squad."
Qin Bing stared at him for a long moment. "Fine. He's yours to deal with."
A tense silence fell over the room. Everyone figured this was it. Duan Canglong had been a thorn in Xiao Ke's side from day one, openly disrespecting and provoking him. Now, Xiao Ke had the perfect chance to get even. After all, payback feels best when you deliver it yourself.
Someone helped Xiao Ke into a chair. He leaned back, squinting at the man standing before him. "Duan Canglong, do you know what you did wrong?"
"Yes, sir," Duan Canglong mumbled, his eyes fixed on the floor.
"Good," Xiao Ke said. "Officer Qin mentioned fifty strikes for a first offense. But I seem to recall this isn't your first time defying my orders. It's happened several times, which makes you a repeat offender. According to regulations, what's the punishment for that?"
Duan Canglong's jaw tightened. "One hundred strikes."
"That's right," Xiao Ke said calmly. "So I'm sentencing you to one hundred strikes. Do you accept?"
Duan Canglong's head shot up, his eyes wide with disbelief. He'd already sworn his loyalty. Why was Xiao Ke doubling down? Did he really want him dead?
His heart sank. He dropped his gaze again. "I accept," he choked out.
The others looked on with pity. Duan Canglong had picked a fight with the wrong Decurion, and now he was going to pay the ultimate price.
Just as the two soldiers moved to drag Duan Canglong outside, Xiao Ke held up a hand. "Hold on."
Even Qin Bing looked confused. "Now what?"
A faint smile touched Xiao Ke's lips. "Officer, I said the regulations call for one hundred strikes. I never said they had to be delivered tonight. Considering he's admitted his mistake, and he's already injured… and frankly, we need every man we can get right now… let's just put those hundred strikes on his tab. We'll give him a chance to make up for it. Of course," he added, his eyes locking with Duan Canglong's, "if it happens again, we'll just add the new punishment on top of the old one."
The room buzzed. The soldiers started whispering among themselves, the realization dawning on them. Xiao Ke wasn't punishing him; he was saving his life. But why? After everything Duan Canglong had put him through, why would he pass up a perfect opportunity for revenge?
Qin Bing watched Xiao Ke with a knowing, almost amused look on her face. Clever boy, she thought. I stick my neck out to back you up, and you use it as a chance to win over your man. You're undermining me, but you're doing it for the right reasons.
She understood his play perfectly. He was protecting his own. It was a classic move for a good leader—you shield your men, you build loyalty, and in return, they'll follow you through hell. She wouldn't get in his way.
Feigning annoyance, she sniffed. "He's your man, you handle him. But the next time he steps out of line and you can't control your squad, don't come crying to me."
With a dramatic flick of her sleeve, she turned and left.
The moment she was gone, Duan Canglong scrambled over to Xiao Ke, his face a mixture of gratitude and awe. "Captain, I swear, from this day on, you're my big brother. You tell me to go east, I'm not even looking west. You tell me to catch a chicken, I won't even glance at a dog." He shot a menacing glare at the other eight members of the squad. "And if any of these guys give you trouble, they'll have to answer to me!"
The other men just looked at each other and shook their heads. The squad's biggest headache had just become the captain's number one suck-up.
Later that night, nature's call woke Xiao Ke. Using a crude crutch Duan Canglong had made for him, he carefully hobbled outside the temple, found a spot in the woods, and relieved himself. On his way back, a voice cut through the darkness.
"You won his loyalty, but you didn't wake him up to help you take a piss?"
Startled, Xiao Ke spun around and saw Qin Bing standing under a nearby tree. He was about to ask what she was doing there—was she following him?—when he noticed a hammock strung between two trees just behind her. This was her camp for the night. He'd stumbled right into it.
A cold sweat prickled his forehead. "Duan Canglong's hurt pretty badly, and he was sleeping soundly. I didn't want to wake him," he explained quickly. "Well, if that's all, Officer, I'll get back to—"
"Wait," she commanded.
He stopped, bracing himself. "Yes, ma'am?"
"Watching you fight Duan Canglong tonight," she said, her voice analytical. "It was clear you've never had a day of real military training. You don't even know basic army combatives. It makes me think about what you said before… that you just found this uniform. Are you telling me you're really not a deserter?"
A jolt of panic shot through Xiao Ke. He'd finally earned his position, finally earned his men's respect. Was it all about to fall apart?
He opened his mouth to lie, but when he met her gaze—as sharp and cold as starlight—the words died in his throat. He sighed, the truth coming out in a rush. "Yes. I told you from the beginning. I'm not a soldier. I'm just a refugee. If you want to kick me out, now's your chance."
He expected anger, dismissal, banishment.
Instead, she just looked thoughtful. "That explains a lot," she said, a hint of surprise in her tone. "I suppose I was wrong to just assume you were a deserter. But it's too late to leave now. You're part of my unit. Besides, while your deserter status was a lie, the Decurion commission I gave you is very real. As far as the Empire is concerned, you're an officer."
Xiao Ke's jaw dropped. "So… you mean I can stay? I can keep my rank?"
"Of course," she said. Then she added, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, "But this business about you not being a deserter… let's just keep that between us, alright?" It was, after all, her mistake, and she wasn't keen on advertising her own lapse in judgment.
Xiao Ke snapped to attention, giving a crisp salute. "Yes, ma'am."
Qin Bing looked him over, a flicker of something—guilt? Responsibility?—in her eyes. She remembered accusing him, punishing him, even forcing him to raid a beehive with his bare hands just to be cruel. The memory of him covered in stings brought a faint, almost imperceptible smile to her lips.
"You may be an officer on paper," she said finally, her tone shifting. "But right now, you're weak. You're not even as strong as the men you're supposed to be leading. We're going to fix that."
She stepped out from the shadows. "From now on, you meet me here, same time every night. I'm going to forge you into a real Imperial soldier."
Xiao Ke stared at her, a wave of shock and exhilaration washing over him. "Yes, Officer!"