Deep within the forest tall figures rode comfortably on their gallant horses with stern faces.
Sitting impassively among the burly buff men was the visible figure of a little girl.
A slight flash of passionate eagerness went noticed brewing in her bright emerald eyes. Sensing the girl's supposed hidden excitement, General Guo instantly felt his upper lip twitch.
After a few meaningful minutes, the men secured their usual hunting spot and spread around with only General Guo, Rin, and two other soldiers in place.
"We'll hunt here," General Guo dismounted from his horse before helping Rin down.
Rin furrowed her sharp brows at the distance they were from the camp.
It was extremely close!
Looking up at the General with a confused face, Rin's sharp brows furrow.
Naturally seeing the girl's confused yet annoyed expression, the middle-aged General merely sighs.
"It's safer to hunt closer towards the camp," He explained. "The deeper you go into the woods, the more likely we'll meet something dangerous."
From his words, Rin understood that the forest was dangerous the deeper one went in. She could also tell he was worried for her safety if they were to encounter a large animal.
However, that could possibly be him also worried she'll get hurt and his Commander will punish him for not protecting her properly.
Either way, Rin wasn't satisfied. But she knew it was much better to allow him to experience his way for now.
For now...
After all, no one would believe a young frail child could defend themselves against a wild animal.
Merely nodding her head, Rin turns to look towards the surrounding trees.
A faint afternoon light could be seen shimmering through the leaves landing onto the dirt grounds.
"Deliver me my crossbow," Rin heard General Guo command one of the men.
Doing as ordered, the young soldier hands his Commander a horizontally mounted bow that immediately caught the attention of the little girl.
The crossbow was made up of a strong wood. It was a horizontal bow with a short wooden stock that Rin could assume was used to shoot arrows from as she noticed the metal trigger.
Wrapped around the General's shoulder was a bag filled with shining bronze-headed arrows. Each arrow had three sharp blades and a ruffled feather at the end.
So...so cool!
General Guo quickly caught onto the girl's clear fascination towards the crossbow in his hand. A faint smile formed on the corner of his lips but soon vanished.
"Don't worry, I'll allow you to use it. Let's first discover something to actually shoot at first." He said walking right past the petite girl.
Snapping out of her awed trance, Rin quickly follows the General into the woods.
…
"Hold it steadily," General Guo properly instructed. "Directly place the weapon vertically."
Listening to the General's specific instructions, Rin quietly narrowed her eyes towards the chosen target ahead of her.
In front of her was a small fluffy wild rabbit.
It's deep glistening eyes stared down as it gnawed gently on a small patch of grass. Completely oblivious it as about to be killed.
Rin calmly stared at the rabbit, however, just as she was about to shoot retreated the bow.
"I can't kill such a cute thing!" Rin whined.
Sighing with evident frustration, General Guo gently pinches the spaces between his fierce brows.
They had been doing the exact thing for an hour and a half.
Whenever the General reasonably assumed Rin would shoot he saw how her light eyes would narrow dangerously low and dim slightly.
However, a possible minute later the young girl would piteously cry, stating how the beloved animal was too innocent and cute and didn't deserve to die.
Just as he had realistically expected Rin to act, the General could only sigh with evident disappointment. She may have been skilled in martial arts, but she was nevertheless just an ignorant little girl.
"At least try shooting it," He argued stressfully.
"Nu-uh!" Rin vigorously shook her head.
"What do you think you've been eating this whole time?"
Confusion showed on her face before slowly it instantly formed into unspeakable horror. Which then gently turned towards possible guilt, then a fierce scowl as she stared fiercely at the General with justly accusing eyes.
The little girl was staring at him as if he were a discovered murderer...
Thinking to give up, a sudden idea popped into the General's head.
"Didn't you say you didn't wish to go hunting for your own food rather than eating something you didn't earn?"
Going silent Rin looks down at the ground with a pout. After a while, she slowly bobs her head.
"Then shoot it," He said with slight smugness.
Noticing the hint of gloating in the General's face, Rin's emerald eyes flashed darkly before vanishing back towards their innocent light.
"Fine! But Rin wishes to make a bet with the General!" Rin huffed.
Arching a large brow the General stares at Rin curiously.
What could a little girl possibly wish to bet on?
"If I am able to kill that rabbit on the first try," Rin says with a hidden smile. "Then I wish to receive one hundred gold coins from General Guo!"
Instantly hearing the young girl's bet naturally caused both the General and two other soldiers eyes to widen.
One hundred gold coins?!
That was enough to feed at least fifty struggling families for a lifetime!
Yet here stood proudly in front of them a little girl no older than seven-years-old, wishing to have the amount for herself!
General Guo was completely shocked.
It wasn't he didn't acquire that amount if anything one hundred coins wouldn't damage his wealth at all.
Considering he represents a member of the Bai army. The General.
However, recalling how Rin hadn't the courage to shoot the rabbit earlier, he'd doubt she'd shoot now.
"Little girl, don't place such silly bets with adult men, " General Guo sighed. "I am willing to instruct you without betting."
Rin started at General Guo with a blank look.
"Surely General Guo isn't unwilling to bet with a little girl?" Rin tilted her head to the side with an unreadable expression, however, the slightest hint of teasing could be heard in her voice.
"Hah?"
General Guo's upper lip twitched with visible annoyance.
The two soldiers who were watching attentively from the side nearly spat out blood at Rin's words.
The girl sure had courage!
Although they were quite fond of the little girl, they naturally thought that she required too much confidence in herself.
Possibly because she obtained such an influential figure supporting her. Their Commander.
Thinking too highly of oneself could lead to trouble.
If Rin could hear the soldiers thoughts, she'd sigh and shake her head.
After all, what they genuinely thought of her didn't truly matter to Rin.
"What if you lose?" General Guo said gently with a faint smirk.
"In that case, I lose."
Once more the General's lip twitched with annoyance.
From her words, he understood that if she lost nothing would happen, however, if she won he'd give her one hundred coins…
The shamelessness in her words made all three men go silent.
Chuckling lightly, General Guo smilingly shakes his head in disbelief.
"How about ten laps around the camp's base?"
Silently thinking, the young girl hums gently while staring down at the landscaped ground.
Looking back up at the General with shining eyes, Rin lightly smiles.
"Deal."
"Alright then," Satisfied, General Guo grunts. "Now shoot."
Without any further words, little Rin turns her small body away from the men towards the still present rabbit.
The two soldiers behind their General couldn't help but chuckle at Rin's innocent naivety.
They clearly knew the weak spot children had for cute animals - just as Rin had previously displayed.
Therefore, they were confident that she'd back out once more.
However, both men became silent once they noticed the young girl's dull expression as she vertically leveled the crossbow.
Her emerald-colored gems glowed darkly behind her dark hair.
Rin, completely zoning out the General and his men, focused sharply at the target ahead.
Not a hint of hesitation could be scarcely seen on her face as she lifted the crossbow with one arm - despite her holding it with two previously.
Merely seeing the girl's remarkably accurate stance and gaze, one would have thought she had held a crossbow multiple times previously.
However, they all knew precisely this her first time using one.
So how come she held such pleasant familiarity towards it?
As time passed slowly, a dark aura instantly surrounded the girl - she gradually seeped into her darkest place.
A dreadful place where all her deepest memories emerged forward.
A place where all life didn't matter...
The two soldiers felt their bones shudder upon examining the young girl's fierce eyes.
It was as if looking into the eyes of a cold-blooded demon!
Sensing Rin's surrounding air change caused the General to furrowed his brows.
This girl…
The young girl in front of them had completely lost her previous innocent glow and was now merely replaced with the look of an elegant hunter.
"Forgive me," Rin said before she gently pulled the crossbows metal trigger.
Thank you all for your patience!
I would like to inform all my readers that starting on Wednesday, I will be moving across the state. That means hotels. Which also means...poor wifi (メ`ロ´)/!!
So if I don't update a chapter don't fear!
I will try my best to update a chapter while I move, however, those chances may be slim.
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