At a nearby camp, two soldiers on guard duty were nodding off, tired from guarding the camp all day. Suddenly, they saw a cloud of dust in the distance, and one of the guards exclaimed:
* Look there, man, our great General is returning.
* Where, where, ah, there. How does he run that he stirs up such a cloud of smoke?
* He is known as a saint reincarnated, you know. You're new to the army, so you need to become more familiar with the legend about him. Anyway, I'll tell you about it later; for now, stand up straight and quickly.
After their brief chat, the old and young guards began straightening their uniforms. Then, they both shouted into the camp:
* The great General is returning!"
So, a group of soldiers ran out about a dozen or so from inside and outside the tents and formed two neat rows.
Soon enough, their great General arrived, and it was none other than the muscular young man named Gióng, who had single-handedly defeated the cunning tiger. As soon as he arrived, he hurriedly put the girl and his trophy down and headed toward a grand tent at the end of the camp.
The soldiers and servants respectfully knelt on one knee as soon as they saw the girl:
* Princess!!
The Princess also stepped forward to greet them and then smiled gently. Following that, she walked towards the tent with the young man. Some soldiers exclaimed:
* Ah!! So the Princess sneaked out with him this morning.
* Everyone knows that; it's just that the old nurse there likes to make a big fuss. But look at that huge bag there.
The soldiers whispered among themselves while gathering around the foul-smelling bag reeking of blood.
As Gióng stepped into the tent, he called for the chief physician. Suddenly, a loud voice was heard behind the Princess:
* PRINCESS! Where did you go off to on your own this morning? Do you have any idea how worried we all were?
A middle-aged woman emerged from another tent, speaking loudly.
* I just went to catch some breeze with Gióng. Vũ Nương, you know what he's like. I was safe.
* Yes, we know. But next time, please inform us. If anything were to happen to you, it would be a disaster.
* I understand.
The Princess replied stubbornly and followed Gióng into the tent. Inside the magnificent tent, she saw that he had laid the person they had just found on the bed with a chief physician. After examining the situation, the physician looked up and spoke.
* Your Highness and General, this young man has lost considerable blood and temporarily passed out. He also has a few minor wounds and bruises all over his body, as if he had fallen from a height. Usually, these factors could be enough to kill someone or at least cause paralysis. However, it seems that his wounds are healing quite rapidly. With some rest, he should soon recover fully.
* Please take good care of him, Master Vũ.
* Yes, of course. But there is something that puzzles me. The attire of this person is very unusual. Could he be a spy from the Hoa nation, currently in hiding?
* You focus on treating him for now. When we return to the capital, we will clarify this matter.
* I understood, General!
Following Gióng's orders, the medic stood up to prepare the medicine. Meanwhile, Gióng looked worriedly at the young man. The girl noticed the word "worried" written all over Gióng's face; she placed a hand on his shoulder and asked:
* What's the matter? What is troubling you?
Gióng raised his rough hand, gently grasped the girl's hand, and responded.
* At that time, I couldn't save him in time.
* What do you mean?
* Even though it was just briefly, I could see the claws of that tiger about to tear his body apart. But its attack missed, no, more accurately, some invisible force diverted its pounce.
The Princess exclaimed in surprise:
* Could it be that he is like us?
* I'm thinking the same. I hope this person is not a spy from a neighbouring country. I don't want another war.
They remained thoughtful for a moment before standing up to leave. Gióng commanded the soldiers who were crowded around the tiger's head:
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* Everyone, let's get ready and return to the capital!
Hearing this, the soldiers quickly went to their positions to pack up the equipment and tents, and then they set off towards the capital.
****
A few minutes ago.
Cain and Selene stared intently at the bloody carcass of the gigantic tiger, its massive body deeply embedded into the ground by a wooden stake, only its head and tail visible above. The expression of fury still seemed to cling to its face, not at all resembling that of a dying tiger. Whoever had slain this creature must be exceedingly powerful. Cain signalled to Selene, who nodded and created a floating glass panel right before them. Cain muttered a few incantations and breathed on the glass. Moments later, as they looked through the glass, an image of Nea, with a body full of wounds buried under a layer of soil, appeared before them. Then, right after that, a muscular man appeared and took Nea away towards a column of smoke at the horizon's end. All the details reflected in the mirror were exactly what had happened a few minutes earlier. After watching, the two looked at each other as if they had many questions. But the biggest question in both of their heads right now was:
"Why did Nea appear here?"
Cain was thinking of returning to the location of the gate to see what had happened, but Selene seemed to understand what Cain was thinking and shook her head. Cain also understood that their current priority was to find Nea. At the same time, Liana contacted them via the radio. As Cain recounted the situation over the radio, Liana followed the signal of the two. Soon, she caught up with them, her face showing a bit of worry. She quickly asked:
* Cain, are you sure that was Nea?
Cain nodded affirmatively, and Selene did the same. However, what had happened only added more questions to their minds. Liana pondered:
* How could that kid have gotten here? The gate was closed.
Cain replied:
* I noticed traces of energy being used near the gate.
* Do you mean someone opened the gate again and brought Nea here?
Cain nodded slightly, and Liana continued her questioning:
* Who could it be? Could it be...!!
* It could only be Satz! He is the only one who has that ability.
* So, he has returned after ten long years. And he's here now??
* It's just a speculation, Liana. It could be someone else. We can't confirm it yet.
Cain reassured Liana, and she understood that this could be a time when anything could happen. They all needed to be prepared for the upcoming situations. Then, the three looked down at the campsite, where a group was busy packing tents and loading them onto horse-drawn wagons. They hid carefully on a hilltop, observing. The footprints had led them here, but they still had not seen Nea. Suddenly, they felt two powerful auras when a man and a woman stepped out from a tent embroidered with luxurious patterns. The three exchanged glances, sharing a silent understanding:
"There it is, the one bearing the seal!!".
Next, the person they were searching for also appeared. Nea was carried out from the tent by two other people. Seeing the bandages on Nea's body made the trio anxious, but they still decided to remain hidden and observe the situation. Because rushing out now would be too conspicuous, Nea was also seen to be treated.
The three watched as the group moved towards the giant valley they had previously seen in the drone footage. According to Cain's prediction, it was a fortified stronghold, possibly the home of this group.
****
On their way, Gióng and his entourage stopped by a village at the foot of the mountain. The villagers, some rejoicing and others saddened, surrounded Gióng as they saw the head of the tiger demon. They thanked him for slaying the beast and avenging those devoured by it. Gióng looked at the devastated village and its impoverished inhabitants with a sad gaze. But then he tried to smile, accepting their thanks while still blaming himself, wishing he could have arrived earlier so that the beast wouldn't have been able to run rampant, wreaking such havoc on the village. Gióng left all the food he was carrying and assigned a few of his soldiers to stay behind to help the villagers rebuild their homes. After that, he and the rest of his group continued their journey back to the capital.
To enter the fortress in the valley, they first had to pass through a long but narrow gap between the towering mountains. This was the only flat path leading into the valley, so it was heavily guarded. Archers and elite soldiers were always hidden along the cliff faces of the mountain pass, and two teams positioned at the tops of the cliffs on either side were ready to rain down a barrage of rocks on any unauthorized intruders. This made invasions by hostile nations almost impossible, as climbing the mountains was perilous, and the only seemingly safe passage, the mountain gap, was the most strictly protected.
Gióng, riding his red horse, led the procession into the mountain gap. A colossal gate stood at the end of the valley, but it had already been opened as if to welcome the group.
* WELCOME BACK, PRINCESS AND GENERAL!
The loud call echoed from behind the gate. Soldiers in formal attire lined up in two neat rows to welcome their commander. After everyone had passed through, the heavy gate closed behind them. Gióng instructed his soldiers to take the injured person back to his residence. He and the Princess would take their spoils of war to the magnificent capital city in the distance.