As he opened his palm and checked what he found, he couldn't help but take a second look. There was a red crystal in his hand, radiating with light. Jin had not seen the crystal at the castle city back then since he wasn't of a high enough status but he did hear rumors about it. He knew the crystal was no bigger than a hand and of a fluorescent red.

Now, what did he just find in his hand?

He couldn't help but freak out as the thought emerged. If this was truly THE crystal... He calmed down and thought for a moment. The crystal was a spatial artifact used to seal the entire area 27 so there was one easy way to determine if this thing was a fake or the real thing. He just had to try to put it in his pouch.

And he tried.

And he failed.

Then he broke out in cold sweat. He was holding onto the biggest hot potato ever. Jin had read a lot before joining this defense war and was very much aware that the opposite side could track this little red thing. Having it in his possession was nothing short of suicide.

With it still in his hand, he looked at the corpse of the Prince. Then he kicked the corpse a few times. Finally he calmed down and sat. He was so damn fucked right now. As he looked outside the cave, he whispered: "Fuck my life" before he tried to find a way out.

He could just drop the crystal here and leave. But if he did so, the enemy would get the stone. That in itself didn't matter as he had moved on the assumption they already had it. But it felt like a waste.

If he hadn't gotten the crystal, then he would have kept rushing in hope of joining some group before the Empire door was sealed. But now that it was in his hands... If he could find a way to delay the retrieving of it by the other side, wouldn't he have more time to switch side? That would make a more clean and smooth escape.

He decided at this moment to do just that. There was a way to do it too. He was on the East side where the Princess previously explored. The nest she found and forced her to go back...Its location was no secret. Jin knew of it. Just like about everyone who had been in the castle city when the Princess came back with her army. People talk. And news travel fast after all. In any case, it was a little less than a day away. If he threw that crystal in there...

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

This seemed like a better option than just leaving it here, ripe for the picking. He would have a hard time for a bit more than a day though... But it would probably earn him back far more time and that would be worth it. In order to infiltrate and switch sides, he would rather take it slow and avoid suspicions.

And so, it was time to prepare since he decided on his course of action. It was very likely that the Prince was being chased so he couldn't waste more time pondering this. He picked the near-naked corpse and dragged it further in the cave. He was surprised and delighted to find a beast corpse in it. Now he would be able to hide the Prince's corpse!

He took out a random sword and gutted the bear before pushing the Prince's corpse inside the bear's corpse. Once done, he lit the corpse mix in fire. This would make it harder to identify things.

After that, he picked the robe of the deceased and put it in his pouch. He hadn't planed to take it but now... Things had changed.Then, he left in a hurry, straight East, in direction of the beast's nest.

In the central area, in the command camp of the Empire, things had changed. It was obvious considering that it didn't belong to the Empire anymore but their opponent, the Country of Sarhjin. Most things had been burnt and there were corpses about everywhere. A lot of still alive cultivators of Sarhjin were moving those corpses out and cleaning the place. Looting it too.

Inside a luxurious and newly erected tent, a few youths and older men were seated around a table. There was a youth in gorgeous battle robe depicting the ocean at the very end of the table. He was one of the Royals of that side and he asked: "How are the casualties?" to which an elder man answered him: "According to expectations, mostly mercs and wanderers but quite a few of the lower leveled sect disciples"

The youth nodded with appreciation. The full-on attack he led was a pure success. Not only did he destroy most of the entire army with only a few thousands running away, he managed to force the Royal to flee. It was a shame that the crystal that had baited them into making this move wasn't retrieved. It was after all the whole reason they had so violently stormed onto the enemies.

The youth asked: "How about the chasers? Have they retrieved the crystal yet?" and it was another youth who answered him: "We sent fifty elite disciples of the Torrential River Sect as chasers. It shouldn't take much longer, brother" and the youth once more nodded before he thoughtfully added: " Go ask for the other four major sects to send fifty elites to follow too. In case"

The second youth chuckled at his big brother. He was always so careful it felt like paranoia. Still, he turned and ordered one of the elder next to him to go pass on the orders. Then, he turned back to his brother and told him: " You don't really entertain the thought that this idiot is baiting us, right?" to which he was answered first by a glare before words: "I don't. That guy was the famous fool Seung-Woo...But it is better to be cautious. The situation is still not perfectly in our grasp"