"Dom arrived outside the Military Camp, followed by Subutai, Gregorios and Trojan. In front of him was a large selection of carts, full of all of the items that they had pulled from the two camps on top of the Reflection Peaks. To the side of them were just over one hundred Warriors, A mixture of the Red and the White, as well as some who were sat on some nearby carts and receiving some basic medical support from the Legionaries who were on night watch. Dom also recognised the armour of Tomoe amongst them, seeming to be chatting with some of the wounded.
In front of all of this were three Warriors who were talking to Tomyris, they were Hua Rong, Guo Sheng and Lu Fang. Dom headed over towards them and could hear laughter as they discussed some things with Tomyris.
"Hey Lord Lazarus!" Tomyris greeted as she noticed his arrival, "Seems you had a successful trip, I was expecting a couple of new Commanders to join us, but not only have you brought three, you captured two and brought a small force and lots of goodies."
"It was a lot more challenging than expected." Dom replied with a smile, "There were times where I didn't think we would make it back."
"We were always going to make it back." Subutai said from his side as he patted Hua Rong on the back. "Have they introduced themselves?"
"They have, I'm thinking Guo Sheng and Lu Fang here can come with me tomorrow to take the Military Camp." Tomyris replied, "They seem eager and it will be a good way to integrate them."
"That was my thought as well." Subutai agreed, "Where as Hua Rong here will stay by my side and will support at the Town attack."
"I'm looking forward to it!" Lu Fang said, "These Legionaries are well armoured, and the Guards on the Tiger's are amazing, Can I have one?"
"Or one of those red horses?" Guo Sheng laughed.
"How many Warriors survived?" Dom asked as they discussed, not wanting to bring the conversation down, but wanting to have an idea of numbers ahead of the morning.
"One hundred and nine that can fight." Tomyris commented, "fifty two injured, some could potentially fight, but I would rather send them back to Riverside and have Hua Tou and Phoebe look over them."
"So we lost thirty nine people across both skirmishes?" Dom asked, looking at the Halberd Twins.
"I'm surprised the number is that low." Hua Rong interrupted, "I expected it to be higher losses, even if it is a high number of injured."
"Almost fifty percent are unavailable to support in the next battle." Subutai explained, "If we had not come to Riverside, we would most likely have lost everyone if we could not get them to retreat. Everyone thought well."
Hua Rong nodded in agreement as Dom continued.
"Let's get them ready to be dispatched, we will need to send a small team to escort them and get the carts sent as well." Dom ordered. "Those that are staying can find some tents to sleep in and we will incorporate them in to tomorrows plans."
"I'll dispatch a small group of Hoplite and Legionaries from each unit to take them back." Subutai said, already working out which Warriors he would be sending. "We will also need to get a message sent to Lucius so he understands the situation."
"We need to speak with our prisoners first though." Dom stated, which received a nod of a head from Tomyris and Subutai. "Subutai, take the Halberd Twins and the Warriors fit to fight in to the Camp. Tomyris come with me to speak with the prisoners, I'm hoping your fresh face will help the situation. Hua Rong, you come as well as they know you."
....
Dom soon arrived at the Wounded Carts, where two prisoners were being treated by a couple of Legionaries. Dom was happy to see that it was Centurion Octavian and Legionary Macro who were dealing with them. Tomoe was also stood, the base of her Naginata on the floor as she looked intimidating whilst overlooking them both.
"It's good to see you Lord." Octavian said as he pulled a bandage tight on Huang Xin's shoulder, whilst Macro was putting away some bloodied cloths.
"And you Octavian! Are you prepared for tomorrow?" Dom asked, as he looked at the grey Huang Xin, a black haired and muscular man. He also looked towards Qin Ming, who had a look of anger on his face, but he was tied tightly and had Tomoe staring at him.
"I was hoping for some more sleep, but we are ready." Octavian said, "The men have trained and trained, and we have more Warriors than expected. If things go as planned, we should be successful."
"Things will go to plan Octavian." Tomyris stated seriously, as she looked at the Centurion with a serious stare.
"They will General." Octavian agreed as he looked back to the bandage he was tying.
"How are our guests?" Tomyris asked.
"I am worried about this one." Macro commented, "He is in and out of consciousness, but he is being cooperative. He has lost a lot of blood and will need some rest, but the Doctors will be better to deal with this than me, I only have basic first aid skills."
"You have done better than most." Huang Xin coughed, his first words said to Dom so far. Dom thought back to the battle and remembered stabbing him with his spear, realising that he had caused this damage.
"I'm happy you are alive." Dom said, "I apologise for causing you this pain."
"It is what happens when you fight." Huang Xin said, between the occasional cough, "My life was already void when I joined the Bandits, the fact that you didn't finish me off is appreciated. But I won't thank you for it."
"Get some rest and we will talk when I am back." Dom said, as Huang Xin nodded and then grimaced as he lay back to have Macro and Octavian bandage his other wounds.
"I won't thank you." Qin Ming commented, "I would rather you just executed me and got it over with."
"Why would I execute you?" Dom asked seriously, not having any hatred for either of the prisoners.
"What else can we do." Qin Ming said, "At least Hua Rong here has a chance at a new life, he deserves it."
Dom turned to Hua Rong and asked him to explain the relationship between the Bandit Leaders.
"Qin Ming here is a valiant warrior and came to support his student Huang Xin against the bandits. My friend Song Jiang was on the run from the law after murdering his wife who was cheating on him. He was staying with me, but had a disagreement with my colleagues wife who had been captured by the Mount Qingfeng Bandits. Those are Yan Shun, Wang Ying and Zheng Tianshou from the previous battle." Hua Rong started, "They captured my colleagues wife who was putting flowers on her families grave, and Wang Ying wanted to claim her as his wife. Song Jiang persuaded them to release her and then headed back to the City himself to come visit me. She did not appreciate his kindness and turned my colleague against me. I had no choice but to flee and was captured. The Mount Qingfeng Bandits rescued me and Song Jiang and I had no choice but to join them."
"So that is how you became a bandit." Dom commented, "How does this impact Qin Ming here?"
"My student Huang Xin, known as the Guardian of the Three Mountains, was sent to put the Mount Qingfeng Bandits down, but was defeated and requested my support." Qin Ming interrupted, before Hua Rong could continue. "I fought young Hua Rong here and he ran away, luring me in to a trap where I was captured. My men were defeated or captured and I was imprisoned, but the Bandits treated me well."
"So you joined the Bandits as well then?" Tomyris said from the side, but heard a scoff from Huang Xin who was lay down. Before Tomyris could respond, Tomoe gave the heavily injured prisoner a kick, which caused him to groan.
"I refused to join them, but they persuaded me to join them for the night and would release me in the morning." Qin Ming continued, "When I returned to my City in the morning, the Lord accused me of being a Bandit, and had executed my entire family! I had no where else to go."
"What?" Dom exclaimed, "He executed your family, after you had been captured?"
"Disgusting." Tomyris spat, "I would cut of his head and bathe in his blood!"
"Revenge is what keeps me breathing." Qin Ming spat in agreement.
"The reason they did that, is Wang Ying and Yan Shun had dressed in Qin Feng's garments and dressed their troops in Qin Feng's men's armour and attacked some nearby villages, so that Qin Feng couldn't return." Hua Rong said, "I don't think they expected the response that was given."
"Are they idiots?" Tomoe said seriously, "What sort of recruitment technique is that?"
"It worked, I had no where else to go." Qin Ming said, a shrug of his shoulder. "They promised me Hua Rong's sister here as my wife and promised me future revenge."
"You deserved better." Dom said, frustrated to hear his story. "I hope that Arrow killed Wang Ying, as he is as much to blame. As is Yan Shun."
"They didn't kill my wife, or my children." Qin Ming, "The Lord, Murong Yanda did."
"Whose idea was it?" Dom asked, looking at Hua Rong with an angry look. Dom had lost all his family, and even though this was a game, Qin Ming was a character from history and he could relate to his pain.
"Song Jiang's." Hua Rong said seriously, "I disagreed, but to lead a Bandit group, you need to be like this."
"And how did Huang Xin here join?" Dom asked, frustrated they hadn't killed Song Jiang as well.
"I persuaded him to open the gates and join me." Qin Ming commented, "He wasn't having a great time having lost the earlier battles and he is my student, I taught him how to fight."
"I'm sure he regrets that now." Tomyris said as Huang Xin coughed in response and put his hand up in agreement.
"We'll get you fixed up and rested." Dom said to Qin Ming and Huang Xin. "You are in a different place now, you can stay here and recover, join our forces, or leave and explore. You are not prisoners, we have just met due to circumstances out of either of our control."
"Hua Rong, can I still marry your sister?" Qin Ming asked, half jokingly.
"If you still want to be my brother after all of this, then of course." Hua Rong said, before feeling some regret. "Not that I know what will happen to my sister now I am not there."
"I have a feeling she will be ok." Qin Ming said seriously, before turning to Dom. "I apologise for my temper earlier, I probably caused this battle."
"You definitely did." Tomoe stated, staring him down.
"I am known as the Fiery Thunderbolt, due to my thunderous voice and short temper. I am known to charge in head first without thinking, but this normally does not see me wrong." Qin Ming continued.
"That's why you fell for my trap last week." Hua Rong replied.
"And why I knocked you unconscious." Tomoe laughed.
"But!" Qin Ming said seriously, "If you can fix my student here up, I will join you, and hopefully get my revenge eventually, either against Murong Yanda, or the Qingfeng Bandits and Song Jiang. I've realised now how rash I have been."
"Do you not think you are being rash again?" Tomyris questioned.
"Definitely not, I doubt I could defeat you with an army, the few Warriors I have seen since arriving here have shown me I have an opportunity I shouldn't waste." Qin Feng replied seriously.
[Congratulations Warrior Hero Qin Ming Recruited]
[Qin Ming
Hero Grade - C
Hero Strength - Weapons Expert and Vanguard General
Qin Ming was a Liangshan General and known as the Fierce Star and was ranked 7th out of the 108 Liangshan Bandit Leaders. He was known for his thunderous voice, rash personality and short temper, giving him the nickname the Fiery Thunderbolt. His weapon of choice was a Wolf Toothed Mace, but he could fight with a variety of weapons and was one of the most talented Warriors of his time. He died in battle, by dodging a flying dagger and being stabbed by a spear.]