Bait

There was a commotion in front of General Han's tent.

"Who's there?" He asks, and slowly inching his hand to the dagger behind him.

Suddenly, a man covered in blood bursts into his tent, followed by some soldiers. The soldiers panted and held their swords at the man whose entire body was covered in blood.

"General, we're sorry for entering your tent without permission, but this intruder had somehow infiltrated the camp without us noticing. We're sorry for our incompetence, General." The young soldier said.

General Han sighed and didn't respond. He took a big gulp of the spiced wine on his desk. He looked steadily at the bloodied man in front of him. The man stared back at him. General Han sighed again.

"Men, release Ning Man."

The soldiers looked flabbergasted. The bloodied man sighed.

"Seriously, I've trained with you all for at least ten years, and you can't even recognize me covered in blood."

"That can't be possible. Where's the rest of the group?"

"Killed," The General said, "because of the Emperor's order. By my guess, they attacked your camp, and you killed the Emperor's men?"

"...."

The soldiers were eerily silent for a minute.

"We expected it, General," A young soldier said. "Your power is starting to suppress that Dog Emperor."

The other soldiers agreed.

The General looked at the men he had trained with since his birth.

"Men, we have been brothers since birth, and we have won every battle we ever fought. You men are the most loyal soldiers. Now, as my last order to you before the Emperor's men come ambush us, You must all go and settle down. Find a good wife, have kids. Live in freedom."

The young soldiers stared at their cold-blooded commander who was telling them that he wanted all his soldiers to settle down.

"Are you an idiot?"

"No."

"Impossible."

"Sorry, General, but we'd rather die together as brothers in war, then settle down and leave you alone." One man voiced.

"Yeah, no one wants to become a father anyway!!!"

"Yeah, we aren't going to leave you."

The General looked at all his men, then did something that he hadn't done in his 25 years of life: He smiled.

The men were awestruck.

"D-did he just smile?"

"Woah, General's smile is so beautiful."

"I think I'm gay now."

"Alright, alright," the General said, "Let's get our weapons, they should be coming soon."

"YES, SIR!!!" his soldiers said in unison.

"General Han, see you in the next life." Ning Man said after the soldiers left.

"I don't think we'll win, either. There are only twenty soldiers, including you and me. And there are a hundred thousand soldiers coming for us."

Ning Man looked at the man who's been commanding him since he was 15.

"Han Lu Shi, since we're definitely going to die in battle, let's have one last drink."

"Alright, old buddy," he says, "Let's toast for better lives in our next lives."

"Alright," he agrees, and they clink their wine cups and drink, not dreading the peril soon coming.