Battles in games and movies: a joyous departure, fierce combat, abundant spoils of war, no lingering concerns or consequences, a hundred battles fought, each one a move from glory to greater glory.
In reality, every battle is a rotation of life and death, no one can be sure the winner will be themselves, every combat decision is made with the utmost caution, and the effects of each war are measured in years, or even decades.
Reckless and passionate young warriors, no matter the reason they enter the battlefield, all change when they reach a certain age, having witnessed blood and glory, death and desperation.
Some waste away in hotels, others squander their days in casinos, some calmly read books, reminiscing the flash of massacres, while others numbly and frantically dissipate desires amidst countless money.
But for Lu Ping'an, who had nothing to begin with, he seemed to be realizing that he's still alive, very much alive....
"Your little life is quite valuable."
