A messenger galloped into the village square, and the sound of hooves reverberated through the streets. With a flourish, he unfolded a scroll he had, sealed with the royal emblem. "Kwan Jin-Ho," he said, "you have been selected to train at the Royal Academy by order of the Crown Prince."
Jin-Ho felt her heart leap. He had battled for this opportunity to restore his family's honor. His mother stood at the fringe of the crowd with her hands folded firmly as the locals gathered to applaud. Jin-Ho looked into her eyes, briefly feeling guilty. However, this was his fate.
Jin-Ho had his things strapped to his back as he stood at the village gate that night. He was troubled by Yun Zhen's disappearance, but he ignored it. He vowed to himself that he would return a hero. And everything will be different after I do.
Unaware that the journey ahead would be far more perilous than he had anticipated, he gave the villagers one last wave before setting out on the trail that would lead to the capital.
Yun Zhen held the letter firmly in his fist as he stood on the edge of the settlement. In his heart, the betrayal it described simmered like poison. Loyalty was without honor. Not here on Earth.
He was following a tiny route into the forest in the chilly night air. By daybreak, he found himself standing in front of an old stone gate that was covered in moss and ivy. It signaled the start of the covert assassin guild facility.
The previously mentioned masked assassin appeared out of the darkness. The man said, "You've come," with a smile that stopped short of his eyes. "All right. Someone like you is needed by the guild."
Zhen went inside without saying anything.
The sun was just setting as Jin-Ho reached the academy. In front of him, the imposing structure stood in the twilight. Mei Lin waited quietly by the gate to greet him.
Without introducing herself, she said, "You're here."
Jin-Ho tried to hide his weariness with a smile. "Were you sent by the Crown Prince?"
Mei Lin took a moment to respond. Her dark eyes scrutinized him as though assessing his value. At last, she stated, "Loyalty will not be enough to survive here." Secrets are the foundation of this universe. If you want to be successful, you will need more than honor.
Jin-Ho scowled, not fond of the sarcasm in her voice. "I think it's important to do the right thing."
Her face remained stern. You will either become powerful or be destroyed by that mindset. Which is the question.
Jin-Ho was left alone beneath the majestic gate of the academy as she turned and vanished into the darkness.
Yun Zhen was standing inside the assassin guild in front of Master Chu, the guild commander, a man with ruthless eyes. Chu remarked, "Your first assignment is easy. A minor noble who is corrupt and unhelpful to the crown exists. While others suffer, he enjoys a comfortable life. Murder him.
Yun Zhen's heartbeat accelerated. It was the first time he had taken a life. But he couldn't afford to be hesitant. Not in this place.
The guild chief gave a flimsy smile. "You won't ever need to ask for anything again if you demonstrate your loyalty to us."
Zhen took the dagger that was presented to him and nodded. In the end, loyalty and treachery were the same thing.
Except for the steady sound of Jin-Ho honing his sword, the training yard of the academy was still that evening. A classmate came up to him. "Do you know Yun Zhen, your friend? He is no longer there. walked out of the village silently.
The sword slipped a little in Jin-Ho's hands as he froze. Lost?
The insight hit him more forcefully than any strike. The only person who could relate to his dreams was Zhen, who had been his brother-in-arms. Why wouldn't he say goodbye before leaving?
He felt guilty; had he overlooked Zhen's difficulties because he was too preoccupied with his own goals? But Jin-Ho gripped his sword tightly and pushed the thoughts away.
He whispered to himself, "Zhen has the freedom to leave if he so chooses." "I need to follow my path."
However, the wound from that broken friendship started to fester deep inside.