Encounter and Reunion

"I thought you two had left the war behind. What have you been up to all this time?" Shin asked as he approached, followed by other familiar faces eager to greet their old Go companion, Kyou Kai.

Many were even surprised to realize that Kyou Kai wasn't a man, as they had initially thought.

Jun, on the other hand, glanced at the large scar on Shin's face and remarked, "Looks like we've had it easier than you."

"You mean this?" Shin touched his face and said, "It's a battle charm, nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about? You nearly died facing that monster. Bi Hei couldn't keep quiet.

Shin smiled nervously and admitted, "Yeah, it was a fight to the death."

"Alright, guys, let's head to the nearest city. If you don't have a camp set up, you can follow us," Jun said, not particularly interested in a lengthy conversation. He had never been close to these people and could barely say they knew each other.

Kyou Kai, on the other hand, had developed a bit of fondness for these companions, who had treated him as one of their own from the start.

Jun, however, was busy thinking about how to handle the information he had gathered. Without a doubt, he needed to prioritize his own benefits before selling what he knew to the King.

When they arrived at the city, it was more desolate than many had expected, but they knew what had happened. They quickly divided up responsibilities to keep the city functioning.

"Why aren't there any children here?" Shin couldn't help but voice his concern. Something was clearly going on in this city, and he wanted to know what it was.

"They've all been evacuated."

"Why?"

Kyou Kai looked at Jun in silence and refrained from saying more. It wasn't her place to share such crucial information.

"We can discuss it later," Jun said, understanding that some things couldn't be revealed to everyone.

…

Later that evening, in the city lord's palace, Jun and Shin's closest generals were enjoying a lively dinner.

Some were discussing their experiences on the battlefield, but Jun's soldiers, unlike Shin's, weren't fighting for glory. Without exception, they fought for survival.

"Unlike you all, we've been dealing with criminal groups terrorizing small villages," Shen shared with a kind smile.

Rugal nodded in agreement, adding, "We're the ones protecting Qin's forgotten villages."

"An army of your caliber focuses on such minor matters?" Den Ei from Shin's unit didn't quite know how to respond to that.

It was understandable, so Kyou Kai explained, "During this time, we've realized there's more happening in the world than just war. Unpunished crimes are rampant, especially due to the ongoing conflict."

This was the cost of focusing solely on war—the people suffered the consequences. The current King of Qin, obsessed with unification, hadn't grasped this yet.

Jun, sitting at the head of the table, spoke in a heavy tone, "Women abused, slaves who will never have a chance at life, elderly people murdered... There are many things you don't understand."

"What exactly should we understand?"

"That we fight for different reasons. Blindly following the whims of a weak king brings unexpected consequences." Jun stood up as he finished speaking, noticing a woman standing by the door.

Shin, who had been eager for a fight, also rose and shouted, "Hey, big idiot, show some respect to your king."

"My king?" Jun stopped at the door and turned to look at Shin, who had frozen in place. "I have no king. That form of rule doesn't exist for me. Unlike you, that king has yet to convince me to fight his wars."

"What did you just say?"

Kyou Kai smiled kindly, diffusing the tension that was building in the air. "Jun has fought great battles, ones that are more significant to the people of Qin than to the royal family's interests. We've liberated villages, purchased thousands of slaves, and given them a second chance at life. It's understandable that a general would be cautious about risking the lives of his followers."

"I don't get it," Shin muttered, clearly confused.

But unlike Shin, everyone else did understand.

How could they make their struggle meaningful? Their deaths, which held so much value, had not yet been put to use by Jun for the greater purpose for which they all eagerly awaited.

The perfect moment to join the war.

…

Outside the palace, Jun approached a man who was, in short, the king's most loyal follower at the moment.

"Minister Shou Bun Kun, you've arrived faster than I expected." Jun walked slowly toward the man, his expression hardened.

Shou Bun Kun, an elderly man with a long dark mustache and hair, was dressed in combat armor this time. Having walked all the way to the city, the situation could indeed be complicated. "You said you have valuable information for the king."

"That information is quite useless, but we can't discuss it here," Jun said, extending his hand, indicating for Shou Bun Kun to follow him.

Shou Bun Kun knew Jun wasn't one to waste time, so after a few moments of consideration, he followed him in silence.