General Wang led his wounded army to the city of Xidong. There, the soldiers sounded the horn and announced, “Open the gates! The general has returned!” The men quickly moved the gears and the passage opened for General Wang’s army.

General Wang had been in charge of Xidong for some time now. As a result of his strong leadership, his domain was one of the only prosperous ones during this time of hardship. “General Wang! He’s come back to the city!” people cheered.

But when people came to the convoy, they were surprised to also see a wagon carrying the unconscious body of Xiaojun. The fearsome beast of a man was an unexpected sight. “Haven’t you heard? That’s the proclaimed Envoy of Man. He’s supposed to kill all of the monsters in the countryside, and destroy the evil Four Beasts.”

Hua and Rina sat in that same wagon with exhaustion in their eyes. Rina was cleaning her musket while Hua was coddled into a ball. “Is Xiaojun going to be alright? I know he’s been in rougher situations, but I always get nervous when he gets knocked down.”

“Of course he’s going to be fine,” a tired Rina replied. “It’s expected for someone to be tired from all of that fighting. Even if it’s on the level of godhood.” Part of her still couldn’t believe it. She still distinctly remembered the horrific sight of the golden warrior charging through the army of evil like a flame burning through a dark forest. “He deserves the rest.”

The army entered the military compound of Xidong and closed the gate behind them. That was when General Wang gathered everyone around. “Men, take this time to get some necessary rest. You have all fought well, and we have surely won the day, so take this time to regain your strength. Thank you for following me in this trying time.”

The men saluted and made off. Wounded soldiers were carried off to the military hospitals, and the rest took quick baths before sleeping in their quarters. They were nothing short of exhausted.

Rina was one of these exhausted soldiers. This was just another battle in her life, so this was routine for her. But she was unfortunately interrupted before she could even touch her bed. “Madam, General Wang seeks your presence. Please report to the keep.”

Hua was next to her when the soldier made the request. “Come on, why don’t you ask for her later? We just got back from a long journey in the wilderness, which was absolutely horrible, and then that battle was also atrocious—”

“Tell him I’ll be there right away,” Rina interrupted. She put her rifle back on her shoulder and cracked her neck. Being the soldier that she was, Rina never expected a day of full rest. “Rina!” Hua protested, “But we just got back from—”

“Get your rest, princess. If anyone gives you any trouble, let me know so I can shoot them outside.” Without a further word, Rina followed the soldier to the keep of Xidong. It was all a familiar sight, since she had grown up in this town.

General Wang was waiting in a room that overlooked the rest of the settlement. He was also visibly tired, but mere exhaustion couldn’t stop him from continuing his duty. “Thank you for bringing her. You are now excused,” the general said to the soldier. Once the man saluted and left, General Wang finally addressed Rina. “Thank you for coming on short notice. I want you to sit down.”

Rina refused his suggestion, “I would fall asleep if I sat down for even a moment. So what do you need me here for?” Her voice was cold, yet professional as she attacked the issue at hand. When General Wang sighed, she knew that this was a truly serious matter.

“We barely managed to survive the battle. It’s good fortune that our men held their positions—since casualties mount when soldiers flee. Had the Envoy of Man been a moment late, then our entire force would’ve been overrun.”

Rina agreed. She, herself, was scared out of her wits when she was firing round after round and prepared to fight hand to hand if the situation demanded it. But remembering the field of spider-like monsters, she also knew that she would’ve died before her bayonet could’ve gone close. “So what do you need me to do?”

That was when General Wang smiled. “You were always an inventive person. That’s how you improved your gun, added a speartip to it, and continued to survive in the wider world. You’re creative. And that was why you ran away from home.”

That was when he brought over a large table with wooden mountains, carved rivers, and geographic representations. He then placed wooden soldiers on it, so as to simulate his own forces. “As of right now, we cannot rely on the Envoy of Man. So help me stop the Beast of Lust’s army.”

Rina didn’t know what to think. Instead of serving as a mere foot soldier, she was now serving as a tactician. Part of her felt excited, even as another part felt nervous. So, to start, she placed model horses onto the field. “The enemy army moves slower than cavalry, but we can treat them with a similar strategy.”

Rina looked around the room, while her father watched with curiosity. When Rina came back, she returned with a small chain and a series of small wooden boxes. Working quickly, she created a necklace of carts and placed them on the field.

“The army of spiders is weak against a fortress. So why not bring a fortress to them instead?” Rina quickly added more to these carts. Miniature cannons, musketeers, halberdiers, and even a small force of cavalry. “This movable town tactic will allow us to have the necessary fortifications.”

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The general was impressed by her quick thinking. Though unconventional, it was the right kind of unconventional that could win them their war. “Thank you. For this reason, I’ll put you in charge of our army.”

“What?”

“You heard me,” he replied. “You have a clear plan in mind, but we need someone to put it into practice.” The wizened general stood to his feet and groaned. “I’m getting old, my dear Rina. I think it’s about high time that someone replaces me.”

Rina scoffed, “So that’s what this is about? You were looking for an heir to your position, and you think that I’m the one for it? Please. You have plenty of loyal soldiers in your ranks. There’s no reason you should devolve yourself to the likes of a mercenary like me.”

To her surprise, a smile grew on the old man’s face. “In an era of darkness and barbarity, the likes of foolish chivalry are over. Princes and nobles are raised on the ideas of li and order, but it’s clear that the world around us doesn’t follow such ideas. I need someone who isn’t educated in foolishness, but educated in reality. Where else can I find that than in you?”

Rina didn’t know what to think. So instead, she stood up and bowed. “I’ll postpone my decision. As for now, I’m dreadfully tired and must rest.” She took a bow and left the keep.

Part of her mind still thought about her potential, but another party withdrew from it. “No. I don’t need it. I have enough things to worry about.” She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. There was nothing else that she needed.

The following morning arrived with the sounds of overhead crows. Their beaks were covered in blood, as they had flown from the direction of the Beast of Lust. “Heavens protect us! The birds carry death!” people in the town screamed.

Rina looked from the barracks as the birds continued flying overhead. Perhaps the Beast of Lust had ordered this to terrify the population, for the sight of future death was nothing short of horrifying. “Rina,” Hua asked, “do you think we’re gonna make it?”

Rina drank from a flask of wine and nodded. “Yeah. We’ll make it.” Then a series of soldiers moved to her and saluted her right away. “Ma’am! We’ve been sent by General Wang! We’re here to follow your orders! Ma’am!”

Rina laughed as she muttered, “That old man really did want a son.” So rather than give serious orders, she stretched her arms and only asked, “Xiaojun. Is he awake?”

The men looked amongst and shook their head. “No, ma’am. Ever since the battle, he hasn’t been conscious. Even our greatest experts have tried tending to him, and none of them have given a proper diagnosis. I deeply apologize for this, ma’am.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Rina said. “We’re dealing with things outside of the realm of man. Tell any rational man that half of these horrid events are happening, and he’d deem you insane. All we can hope is that the Envoy of Man wakes up at the right time.”

Then Rina rinsed her mouth with a swig of wine and spat it out onto the ground. “Alright, since the general wants me to be productive, I want you men to get me a piece of paper and something to write with. How does that sound?”

“Yes ma’am!”

The soldiers gathered the equipment, as instructed, and brought it to Rina. She sat down, brought over a stool to use as a table, and began drawing out a schematic. “I already had this in my head, so putting it onto paper isn’t so hard.”

It didn’t take long for her to finish. “Here. I want you men to provide me a wagon, wood, metal sheets, and a light cannon. Go.” As earlier, the soldiers gave a salute, “Yes ma’am!” This time, their journey took a little longer as they ventured all over the town for the requested materials.

A few hours later, the men returned. “Here! Ma’am!” But it was clear that Rina wasn’t done yet. “Alright, gentlemen, I’m going to need your help in making this schematic into a reality.” The work would begin, despite the quiet groans in the men.

By the time that Hua had woken up, the men were still hard at work. “Rina? What’s going on?” But the senior officer didn’t answer her question. Instead, she was relaying further orders. “Move the cannon a little to the left. It should be mounted up, so as to provide fire against the spiders.”

“Yes ma’am!”

“And move the lock there so it can interlock with another cart.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Rina had only been an officer for a few hours, and yet she was barking like a complete general. Hua was slightly surprised, but she also understood Rina’s demeanor. “Controlling, serious, and imposing. She’d make a perfect general.”

The design was finally completed just as General Wang entered the compound. “Interesting. So this is the proposed movable town tactic that you mentioned earlier.” The war cart was essentially a fortified box that could be made stationary at a moment’s notice. It could also be interlocked with another cart to create a chain of tiny fortresses, thus making it a movable town.

“Can you mass produce these? We may need a thousand units of these for our large army.” The nearby soldiers immediately groaned, since they knew that their work was far from over. Contrasting their weariness was the grinning General Wang. “I’ll see what I can do. Thank you for your help.”

But another slew of crows cried overhead as they flew above the city. This time, red gibbets began to rain down upon the town as their fresh appetite for corpses couldn’t even fill their stomachs. “General! Something is approaching the gates!”

“Refugees?”

“No! Just one! Please come look!”

Everyone made it to the walls where the soldiers stood petrified. It was an old woman but with legs made from intestine, and arms devoid of bone. It was as if only a curse was keeping that person alive. “Eat. The herd. Hungers.” she bellowed.

Rina didn’t take time to think about the event. Instead, she brought out her musket, loaded the weapon, aimed it at the old woman, and fired. But the old woman merely flinched at the shot. “May heaven preserve us!” Hua screamed. “What do we do?”

Rina said nothing as she grabbed a rope and threw it down the wall. “I’ll speak to this woman. If there’s secretly an army, then I want you to cover me with all the musket and cannon fire you have.”

“Wait! Rina!”

But the mercenary said nothing as she descended the rope and approached the old woman with a light bow. “I assume you are a delegate from the Beast of Lust. What would you like to discuss?”

“Eat. The herd must eat.”

“I understand that, but is there a specific—”

“Hungry. The herd is becoming hungry. Eaten many towns. Feasted on many villages. Grown our herd. But now we are hungry. Your town. Fresh. We wish to have your fresh flesh. Send people. If you do not. We will eat you all.”

The old woman’s voice continued to bellow as her skin slowly melted away. Rina watched as the monster’s flesh disintegrated from her body and left only a husk of skeletal remains that continued to croak the same words. “Hungry. We are hungry.”

No more gunshots needed to be fired. The body was left outside, but was burned so as to give the old woman a semblance of a proper demise. Nonetheless, the reality of their situation had become more real. “We’ll need to strike them before they strike us,” Rina resolved. “They won’t stop at Xidong. They’ll cover Jiaguo. Then they’ll cover the world.”