*Three days prior*

Clang! Clang!

The sky had darkened, yet the battles were not over yet. Wei Liuying could feel the freezing temperature began to penetrate her clothes. It was unbearable.

All of them were forcing their selves to the limit. There was no end to the soldiers who wanted to kill Wei Liuying. Prince Lian had already worked himself to the bone in order to secure his position.

This time, Wei Liuying would eliminate all of them.

'I can't believe Yang Xian survived in this kind of place.'

"There are more soldiers on the back, but we don't have enough people, Princess," one of the soldiers said with hint of heartache.

The camp where Xiong Tribe was staying was separated into three parts. The outer part was where the soldiers were staying. The second part was where the rest of the soldiers along with their families lived. The last part has the least soldiers because it was the location where the ordinary people lived.

"It's over," Wei Liuying replied. She turned to look at the soldiers and noticed that only two soldiers were still alive. "I'll rest now."

"Yes, Princess."

Dragging her weary body, Wei Liuying walked to the nearby camp and looked at the side. There was a pile of corpses there, in which most of them were the soldiers who tried to kill Wei Liuying. The one who killed them all were Shi Mo.

Her heart dropped when she didn't see the sight of Shi Mo anywhere. In the end, she chose to call out, "Shi Mo, are you still alive?"

"…Yes…"

Hearing his faint voice, Wei Liuying rushed forward. She looked at the front and noticed Shi Mo's body amongst the dead bodies. He was wounded terribly as he had to force himself to fight despite his fatigue and wounds.

"I'll treat you."

"No, Princess, I…"

"Don't be like Princess Ji Xiaoli," Wei Liuying said coldly. But as she tried to pull Shi Mo's body, she noticed the sword that pierced through the man's stomach. If she pulled him carelessly, his wound would open and blood would flow out, killing him because of blood loss instantly.

Shi Mo laughed drily. "I… can't fulfil my promise…"

"You won't die. I'll treat you, so…."

"Give this… to Yan…"

Shi Mo took out a piece of cloth from his clothes as he looked at Wei Liuying. He laughed drily. "It's… a suicidal mission…"

Wei Liuying opened her mouth and closed it again. When she decided to come here, she had known that the chance for her to survive was extremely low. Because of that, she didn't want to bring Shi Mo with her, but he insisted that she would need him.

Now, it was proven true that she needed him.

But he had to pay the ultimate price.

"I'm sorry," Wei Liuying muttered out. Her dark eyes were staring at Shi Mo with pain and guilt mixed in.

"It's... not your fault… it's my decision to come here…"

"But I'm the one who…"

"It's our duties…. and we're… willing…. to step…. forward. That's why, even… if we…. know that…. our general is…. asking us to give…. our lives… for victory, we're… ready."

Wei Liuying looked at Shi Mo, who was staring back at her. He was gasping for breath, yet he continued to speak.

"Aren't you… the same?"

The same?

When she was in the middle of battle, Wei Liuying could no longer count the time when she simply did what she had to do. Even if the task that Prince Ji Sheng or Yang Xian's gave would meant that she had to give up a high price, she still did it. It was all simply because she knew her duties and responsibility as a soldier.

Yes…

Even if she knew that she had to die, she would still do what she was supposed to do.

"I understand. Thank you…. very much, Shi Mo."

Shi Mo gave a smile on his face. As he looked to the sky, a faint figure of Princess Ji Xiaoli resurfaced. When he was doing his work to protect her and all, he began to see many sides of the princess. Unfortunately, they were born in a completely different side and thus, they were unable to stay together.

He could only protect her from afar and seeing her smiling happily, it was enough for him.

If there was another life for them, he hoped that fate would be kind enough to give them a better chance to be together.

With that, Shi Mo breathed his last.

Wei Liuying stayed still in her place and looked at Shi Mo. The sun had completely set, making the temperature dropped terribly. However, Wei Liuying stayed still in her position for some time before she started to walk to the empty tent. She lit up the fire and sat down on the bed.

She didn't know who this place used to belong to.

And she was not in the right mind to think about it.

Looking at the front, tears streamed out from the corner of her eyes. Wei Liuying had been living as the strategist for months. She had seen countless deaths and people dying because of her order and strategy. Because of that, she thought that she had gotten used with the responsibilities of a leader.

Yet, why? Why would she feel the burden too much now?

She had only met with Princess Ji Xiaoli and Shi Mo a few times, but she was closer to them rather than the soldiers that Prince Ji Sheng commanded. As she had to move platoons several times, she didn't have the time to get close to all of them. She could only remember some of them whom she interacted directly with.

'A true leader is someone who understand the consequences of his/her action and come into terms with it.'

It was impossible for her to make sure that no one died in the battlefield. All she could do was to make sure that the number of casualties was low. It was her role. However, she knew that it was also her order that sent them to their end.

Generals and strategist could only reach their position by stepping on the pile of dead bodies laid before them. It was a path that was created through countless sacrifice from people who were willing to serve the kingdom.