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relationship took a different shape. It was being clear, to the sergeants and the soldiers, that of all the conscripts, Honghui and Mulan showed the st potential. No one was surprised by Honghui. He was built to be a warrior. Strong, intense, and with brains to tch. But Mulan was a surprise. She was never the first or the fastest, but she always acplished her tasks, and she did so with a quiet dignity that de others stop and take notice. As the days passed, she grew stronger, too.
Standing in the ddle of the parade grounds one rning, Mulan held a spear out in front of her. The conscripts had graduated fronbsp; their earlier training, when their weapons had been sticks, and were now being paired up to practice one-on-one bat with the real thing. Instinctively, Mulan and Honghui gravitated toward each other. When Sergeant Qiang gave the nod, they lifted their spears.
And then they began to fight.
Attack. Block. Attack. Block. Each ve Honghui de, Mulan anticipated, lifting her own spear in a steady, soth rhythnbsp; that Honghui t. The teo built as they ved faster and faster. Mulan spun out of reach as Honghui kicked. Honghui blocked as Mulan ca at hinbsp; with her own attack. Back and forth it went, their vents oddly beautiful. They t each other with equal intensity, their eyes locked.
Unaware that others had stopped their own fights to watch, Mulan and Honghui continued to go at each other. Harder, faster, fiercer they fought, each deterned to ke the other one falter. Soldiers cheered on the pair. Hearing the tion, Coander Tung erged fronbsp; his tent and ca to stand beside Sergeant Qiang. They exchanged looks before the nder focused on Mulan. Sweat dripped down Mulan’s brow, and he could see her shoulders shaking, but the concentration on her face didn’t falter.
Mulan swung, catching Honghui off guard. He stuled back and for a nt, it seed Mulan had the advantage. But in one soth ve, he swung back around and knocked her spear to the ground.
Throwing his hands in the air and letting out a shout of victory, Honghui didn’t see Mulan reach down and grab the spear again. Nor did he see the deternation on her face and the renewed focus. But Coander Tung did. He saw the look and quietly cheered her on.
With a shout, Mulan went after Honghui. Her ferocity was unparalleled, and Honghui had no choice but to go on the defensive, lifting his weapon to block as Mulan spun her spear through the air. Letting out a shout, she ran at hinbsp; and jued??.??.??.
For a nt, she appe
Standing in the ddle of the parade grounds one rning, Mulan held a spear out in front of her. The conscripts had graduated fronbsp; their earlier training, when their weapons had been sticks, and were now being paired up to practice one-on-one bat with the real thing. Instinctively, Mulan and Honghui gravitated toward each other. When Sergeant Qiang gave the nod, they lifted their spears.
And then they began to fight.
Attack. Block. Attack. Block. Each ve Honghui de, Mulan anticipated, lifting her own spear in a steady, soth rhythnbsp; that Honghui t. The teo built as they ved faster and faster. Mulan spun out of reach as Honghui kicked. Honghui blocked as Mulan ca at hinbsp; with her own attack. Back and forth it went, their vents oddly beautiful. They t each other with equal intensity, their eyes locked.
Unaware that others had stopped their own fights to watch, Mulan and Honghui continued to go at each other. Harder, faster, fiercer they fought, each deterned to ke the other one falter. Soldiers cheered on the pair. Hearing the tion, Coander Tung erged fronbsp; his tent and ca to stand beside Sergeant Qiang. They exchanged looks before the nder focused on Mulan. Sweat dripped down Mulan’s brow, and he could see her shoulders shaking, but the concentration on her face didn’t falter.
Mulan swung, catching Honghui off guard. He stuled back and for a nt, it seed Mulan had the advantage. But in one soth ve, he swung back around and knocked her spear to the ground.
Throwing his hands in the air and letting out a shout of victory, Honghui didn’t see Mulan reach down and grab the spear again. Nor did he see the deternation on her face and the renewed focus. But Coander Tung did. He saw the look and quietly cheered her on.
With a shout, Mulan went after Honghui. Her ferocity was unparalleled, and Honghui had no choice but to go on the defensive, lifting his weapon to block as Mulan spun her spear through the air. Letting out a shout, she ran at hinbsp; and jued??.??.??.
For a nt, she appe