Far from the capital, in one of the villages in Yue, a pagoda stood on a distant mountain shrouded by the morning mist.

In the courtyard, a middle-aged man with white brows, matching his long hair, studied the palm of a figure seated across from him.

He silently stared, his brows furrowing in concentration, then let go of the hand, shaking his head.

"Strange, I can't read your future, no matter how hard I try."

"Oh, maybe your skills have gone dull," the figure replied.

"You... forget it," he sighed heavily. "So, do you really want to leave the mountains?"

The person he spoke to had a small face and a slender body, dressed in long white hanfu robes and loose trousers. Her hair was tied in a top bun.

At a quick glance, one could mistake her for a young man, but a closer look revealed she was actually a young woman, disguising herself with the attire and hairstyle of a man.

She shifted her brown eyes to the towering tree in the center of the courtyard. "I've spent four years in these mountains," she said quietly. "I don't know where I come from, who I was before… All I have are those wanted posters calling me a rebel."

The man's expression softened. "That's a good reason to stay. When I found you, you were barely alive. Anyone could see how much you had suffered. Haven't you found peace here? Some things are better left forgotten."

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she turned to meet his gaze. "It's frustrating."

He blinked. "Frustrating?"

"Thinking about whether they're right or wrong. Not knowing if I'm guilty or innocent... Tomorrow, I'll go to the capital."

Seeing her determination, he gave up and sighed, casting her a worried look. The truth was, he could read her future and had seen her early death. However, with her resolve, he left her fate to decide.

---

The next day, early in the morning, she dressed in loose trousers and a long-sleeved shirt tied at the waist with a fabric belt.

Her face was well-known, so with her skill in disguise, she put on a mask, altering her facial features to appear masculine, then tied her hair in a single bun with a wooden hairpin.

Outside, five Taoists waited for her. They had helped her when they found her, bringing her to the mountains. They treated her physical injuries with medicine and her emotional scars with kind words. Through them, she had learned many things, even though they knew little of her identity beyond the mountains.

She knelt before them, bowing low. "Thank you for everything."

They were reluctant to let her leave, but there was nothing they could do.

"Elder Baiyun," she called to the Taoist she had grown closest to.

"If things get difficult, you can return anytime," he said.

He approached her, handing her a basket of food. "Don't let yourself starve."

Now, she considered them family and swore to return once she was finished with everything.

Taking a deep breath, she mounted her horse and galloped down the mountain.

---

The journey wore down both her and the horse. Over the next two days, she took breaks from time to time before continuing.

Finally, she spotted a mansion with lights flickering in the windows. An inn. She secured her horse, then made her way inside.

Seated at a table, she ordered food and scanned the room. There wasn't another woman in sight.

At that moment, a figure plopped down across from her, setting a jar of liquor on the table with a loud thud. She looked up to see a young man with striking features, his long hair tied in a top ponytail. From his lazy eyes and the smell, it was obvious he was drunk.

She hadn't expected him but figured it was just how the inn operated. With more customers than tables, people could sit wherever there was space.

"Running from the villages too, huh?" he asked lazily,

She raised an eyebrow.

He leaned closer. "Afraid of being forced into the military, like the rest of us?"

She frowned, unsure what he was talking about. What was happening in the kingdom? She realized there was so much she didn't know.

The food was placed on the table. The man showed no sign of leaving, so she paid attention to her food.

He poured liquor into a cup and squeezed it toward her. "This inn… everyone here, including me… we escaped being forced to fight in the war with Huang. They kept forcing us, so we ran." He started laughing, as if he had won.

She raised an eyebrow. Then she asked, "Who is the current king?"

His eyes tried to widen, but he failed. "Of course, King Siyu!"

She frowned. She was accused of killing Siyu. He didn't even know his king. What could she expect from a drunkard?

That night, she ended up sharing a room with the drunkard, as the inn was full. She learned his name was Kai.

---

In the early morning, she jerked awake, startled by thuds and clanging. She drifted to the window and looked outside, seeing people from the inn fighting soldiers in armor.

She expected them to find the inn, even though it was far from the city. But so soon?

Did she have to fight her way out? She dismissed the idea because it would only draw more attention. If she proved herself too capable, they'd have even more reason to recruit her.

What if she revealed her gender? No, that would expose her as the wanted rebel and give them more reason to arrest her.

Her door burst open, and Kai stumbled in, his hair a mess. "They're here! We have to leave!"

She turned and crossed her arms. "And why are you running? Don't you have a family honor to protect?" she asked, recalling how he lamented tarnishing his family's honor in his drunken state last night.

But why would a noble family be forced into the military? She had never heard of such a thing, at least from what she could remember.

"What honor? This is about survival. We have to leave!"

However, the door burst open, drawing their attention. Soldiers entered, swords pointed at them.

Kai wanted to fight his way out, but within a few moves, he was subdued.

Soon, most of those in the inn were arrested. The soldiers hadn't killed anyone, only arrested them and ordered them to line up.

Each person was supposed to show their identity. If they were from Yue, they were inspected by a physician who checked their health. Those deemed fit were given a book to register, while the rest were ordered to follow another group of soldiers. Most were healthy, which explained why they had managed to flee.

When her turn came, she showed her new identity she got from the Taoists. The soldier read the name, which showed Wei Yihan as a male, just as she wanted her identity to be. When she passed, she moved to the doctor.

She extended her wrist to the physician. She didn't want to be exposed as a rebel so soon, so she let a little bit of her qi into her body.

Those nearby could feel the strong energy from her, which no one else in the inn had.

The physician barely checked her gender; instead, he sensed the strong energy within her. "He passed!" he announced.

She took a breath and went to register. Name: Wei Yihan; age: 26; skills: medicine. She chose this skill, finding it easy enough, since she had a little knowledge from staying with Taoists.

After filling in the details, she returned the brush.

Those who qualified, including her, began following the soldiers.

The soldiers rode horses while the rest walked. Her horse, along with others, had been taken by the soldiers.

They marched a long distance, stopping at a river. She was thirsty, so she crouched by the water, drinking with her hands. As she did, someone crouched beside her.

"You don't even seem afraid."

She opened her eyes and turned, narrowing them as she recognized the familiar face.

He winked. It was Kai; he was also with them.

"Afraid of what?" she asked.

"The battlefield."

She returned her gaze forward, thinking about the word "battlefield." Kill or get killed. Was she afraid? She turned to him and answered indifferently, "I am scared," before continuing to drink.