A Wuxia Tale: Blade in Training

Invaded

(GENERAL WANG)

It didn't bother me when the sun set and our parade continued the journey to southwest. If my calculations are accurate, we will get to the border of the Middle Kingdom and South Indes in 20 days at the pace we are maintaining. It didn't bother me.

It also didn't bother me when we easily found the spot to rest and erect our camp for the night. It didn't bother me as I watched my well coordinated soldiers and the servants, both from our army and Princess XiLen's group, worked together to prepare dinner for everyone. It didn't raise my alarm.

But as the night deepened, it started grating in me. It started bothering me to the point that I called the three captains I brought with me in this journey plus my two close aides, Rei and Fu.

When they came to my call, I ordered them to do something for me.

"Tell me what is wrong in this situation," I said to my personnels.

They all grew silent as they contemplated my order. Since I trained most of them, they know how I want my questions to be answered. I don't applaude speed, I want answers that make sense. And that's why I gave them ample time to think about my puzzle.

"We are keeping to our schedule, Master General." One of my captains said. I nodded to agree with him.

"Our servants and helpers did a great job setting this camp for us. The horses are all settled too. The Princesses' belongings are safe in the wagons." Fu reported. "Correct," I agreed again.

One of my captain sucked a finger and raise it to the air, "It looks like it won't rain tonight. Even the weather is on our side," he said.

"Good observation. So now, tell me...what is wrong in this situation?" I asked while letting my eyes roam to all of them.

Rei hummed, "Nothing is wrong. Everything is absolutely working according to our plans." He said. The others agreed with him. As well as I, "Exactly, nothing has deterred our journey so far and we have been travelling for hours now. Everything is looking to be in order. Now, between all of us, we have accumulated hundreds of missions...tell me, how many of our missions had been as perfect as this?"

Chuckles with humor greeted my question. One of my captain even openly laughed. "I never had a mission as perfect as this one. Usually, my company and I encounter a problem the first hour of our mission." He said with great amusement.

"And you are proud of that?" Fu asked before tutting. My captains bristled in defense. "Who is so lucky that the heavens will hand them a perfect mission? There's always an obstacle along the way and we should be ready for anything while on a mission. That's how General Wang trained us."

"That's right. That's how I trained most of you. And so now, I am asking you, why is this journey too perfect?" I started feeling anxious. My personnels are reminding me that no one could be as lucky as to have an obstacle free mission. By now, a wagon should have broken an axle or someone is complaining. But even the blue bloods in our journey...

I stopped. The Princesses in this journey. I haven't heard any complaints from them since this travel has started. We checked on their palaquin from time to time yet everything seems to be fine on their corner.

"Something is wrong, General." Rei told me. "The fact that nothing seems to be wrong must mean something is not right here,"

Yes. I agreed with that sentiment as my instinct finally started kicking hard inside my head. "If nothing is wrong here...and if we are all agreeing that something is not right...then..."

"The trouble is happening elsewhere," Rei supplied the words to describe my worry.

A memory clicked in my head and suddenly, I am back in HanZong, when Jiang and I were given an order to gather our troops to collect our stranded supplies...that's when Dayu killed his second general in our camp by secretly taking that general from the base and beating it with a log inside the forest where no one can hear that general's screams.