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“Stealing!Penay:death!”

SergeantQiang’svoicerangovertheparadegroundinthecenteroftheencampment.MorninghadspefartooquicklyforMulan’sliking.Shehadbeenawakenedbythesergeant’sloudvoicebillowingthroughthetent,orderingeveryoneoutsideforthemorningannouncements.Luckily,intherushthathadfollowed,Mulanhadbeenabletoslinkintotheshadowsofthetentanddress.Nowshestoodshouldertoshoulderwithhundredsofotherconscriptsandseasonedsoldiersasthesergeantbarkedalistofrulesandthepunishmentsforbreakingthem.Besidehim,CommanderTungstood,hiseyesmovingoverthemengatheredinfrontofhim.

“Desertion!”SergeantQiangwenton.“Penay:death!”

Themenlistened,theirfacessomber.EvenYaoknewnottojoke.

“Bringingwomenintocamporconsortingwithwomeninanyway,”thesergeantcontinued.“Penay:death!”

Mulanstruggledtokeepthepanicandfearfromherface.Shefeasthougheveryonewaslookingather,thoughsheknewthatwasnotthecase.Still,hearingSergeantQiang’swordsmadeherfearsfeehatmuchmorereal.Shehadknowntherewasapenayforwomeninthearmy,butdeath?Thatseemedabit??.??.??.aggressive.

Asifreadingherthoughts,SergeantQiangfinishedhisspeech.“Dishonesty?Penay??.??.??.”Hepaused,lettingthewordhangintheairforamomentbeforefinishing.“Expulsion!Disgrace.”

Theconscriptsgasped.

SergeantQiangnodded.“Disgraceforyou,disgraceforyourfamily,disgraceforyourvillage??.??.??.disgraceforyourcountry.”