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Fromthelooksonthefacesofthemenaroundher,andfromthewaytheyallshiftedufortablyontheirfeet,Mulanknewtheywerethinkingthesamethingshewasthinking.Disgracewasafarworsepunishmentthandeath.

MulancouldhaveswornSergeantQianglookedhappiertohavemadealhesoldiersnervous.Marchinginfrontofthem,hestopped,slamminghisfingerintothechestofthenearestconscript.“We’regoingtomakemenoutofeverysingleoneofyou!”

Astheparadegrounderuptedwithcheers,Mulanhalf-heartedlyliftedherownhandandvoice.Butontheinside,sheshrank.Howcouldtheymakeamanoutofherwhenshewasn’tamantobeginwith?Andworsestill,whatwouldherfuturelooklikeifanyoneeverfoundoutthetruth?

Mulanwasexhausted.Aftertheirmorning“talkingto,”theyhadbeensentoutintothemiddleoftheparadegroundstobegintheirbasictraining.Forhours,sheandtheother“men”hadbeenpracticingthesamebasicmartialartsmaneuversoverandoveragain.Usingonlytheirarms,legs,andbodyweight,theyweresupposedtodefendthemselveswithminimaleffort.Mulan’sarmshurtfromswingingthroughtheair,andshewassureshehadheardaloudpopinherhipduringoneoverzealouskick.Butshedidn’tletthepainstopher.Asothersoldiersfelothegroundinexhaustion,Mulankeptgoing.ShefetheeyesofCommanderTungonheranditdroveheron.Atonepoint,shewascertainherbodyhadgonenumb,andherlimbsmovedasifpulledbystrings.Itremindedherofbeinginthevillage,weavingontheloom,theactionsbingsoroutinethathermindcouldwander.

Onlynow,shecouldn’taffordtoletherthoughtsdriftfromthetaskathand.Slippingup,sheheardSergeantQiangshoutatherandhastilyredidthemove,fixinghermistake.Satisfied,thesergeantmovedontotorturingthenextconscriptinline,Honghui.

Mulansnuckapeekathim.Despitethehardwork,hismoveswerefresh,hisfacestillfocused.CricketandLongweiwerenotfaringaswell.Bothwerepanting,theirfacesredandsweatpouringfromtheirbrows.Asppetitivewavewashedoverandshefefreshenergyinfuseherachingbody.Shewasn’tgoingtoletHonghuibeather.Notmentallyorphysically.

Asthedayprogressed,theconscriptsweremovedfromonepartofthecamptoanother.Theyspenttimeonthearcheryrange,shootingarrowsatalineofwickertargetssetuponahill.Atthesergeant’sorder,thesoldierswouldnotchtheirarrowsandraisetheirbows.Thentheywouldletthearrowsfly.Mulanfocused,hereyeslockedonthetarget.Butitdidn’tseemtomatter.Eachtimeherarrowwassentflying,itcameupshort.Luckily,theothersseemedtobehavingtrouble,too.Honghui’sarrowsflewwidewhilePokeptbreakingthebowstring.OnlyCricket,ironicallyenough,hadanyluck.Pullingbackhisarrow,hehelditawkwardlyinfrontofhim.Mulancouldseehishandshakingfromtheeffortofkeepingthebowsteady.Thenheclosedhiseyesandletthearrowloose.Itzippedacrossthefieldandwithaloud

THWAP!