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g the sa basic rtial arts neuvers over and over again. Using only their ar, legs, and body weight, they were supposed to defend theelves with nil effort. Mulan’s ar hurt fronbsp; swinging through the air, and she was sure she had heard a loud pop in her hip during one overzealous kick. But she didn’t let the pain stop her. As other soldiers fell to the ground in exhaustion, Mulan kept going. She felt the eyes of Coander Tung on her and it drove her on. At one point, she was certain her body had gone nu, and her lis ved as if pulled by strings. It rended her of being in the village, weaving on the loo the actions being so routine that her nd could wander.
Only now, she couldn’t afford to let her thoughts drift fronbsp; the task at hand. Slipping up, she heard Sergeant Qiang shout at her and hastily redid the ve, fixing her stake. Satisfied, the sergeant ved on to torturing the next conscript in line, Honghui.
Mulan snuck a peek at hi Despite the hard work, his ves were fresh, his face still focused. Cricket and Longwei were not faring as well. Both were panting, their faces red and sweat pouring fronbsp; their brows. A petitive wave washed over and she felt fresh energy infuse her aching body. She wasn’t going to let Honghui beat her. Not ntally or physically.
As the day progressed, the conscripts were ved fronbsp; one part of the ca to another. They spent ti on the archery range, shooting arrows at a line of wicker targets set up on a hill. At the sergeant’s order, the soldiers would notch their arrows and raise their bows. Then they would let the arrows fly. Mulan focused, her eyes locked on the target. But it didn’t seenbsp; to tter. Each ti her arrow was sent flying, it ca up short. Luckily, the others seed to be having trouble, too. Honghui’s arrows flew wide while Po kept breaking the bowstring. Only Cricket, ironically enough, had any luck. Pulling back his arrow, he held it awkwardly in front of hi Mulan could see his hand shaking fronbsp; the effort of keeping the bow steady. Then he closed his eyes and let the arrow loose. It zipped across the field and with a loud
THWAP!
struck the target right in the center. As she caught Honghui’s eye and they traded iressed looks, Mulan felt a brief flicker of hope. Maybe she wouldn’t be an outsider forever.
Their training continued into that night and the days that followed. Still avoiding showering with the other soldiers, Mulan kept volunteering for night watch, pushing her past the brink of exhaustion. But there w
Only now, she couldn’t afford to let her thoughts drift fronbsp; the task at hand. Slipping up, she heard Sergeant Qiang shout at her and hastily redid the ve, fixing her stake. Satisfied, the sergeant ved on to torturing the next conscript in line, Honghui.
Mulan snuck a peek at hi Despite the hard work, his ves were fresh, his face still focused. Cricket and Longwei were not faring as well. Both were panting, their faces red and sweat pouring fronbsp; their brows. A petitive wave washed over and she felt fresh energy infuse her aching body. She wasn’t going to let Honghui beat her. Not ntally or physically.
As the day progressed, the conscripts were ved fronbsp; one part of the ca to another. They spent ti on the archery range, shooting arrows at a line of wicker targets set up on a hill. At the sergeant’s order, the soldiers would notch their arrows and raise their bows. Then they would let the arrows fly. Mulan focused, her eyes locked on the target. But it didn’t seenbsp; to tter. Each ti her arrow was sent flying, it ca up short. Luckily, the others seed to be having trouble, too. Honghui’s arrows flew wide while Po kept breaking the bowstring. Only Cricket, ironically enough, had any luck. Pulling back his arrow, he held it awkwardly in front of hi Mulan could see his hand shaking fronbsp; the effort of keeping the bow steady. Then he closed his eyes and let the arrow loose. It zipped across the field and with a loud
THWAP!
struck the target right in the center. As she caught Honghui’s eye and they traded iressed looks, Mulan felt a brief flicker of hope. Maybe she wouldn’t be an outsider forever.
Their training continued into that night and the days that followed. Still avoiding showering with the other soldiers, Mulan kept volunteering for night watch, pushing her past the brink of exhaustion. But there w