The Union soldiers were moving at double time. They had left the desert behind and transferred all of the captured soldiers into covered carriages before the sun rose.

  At this point, Huben and everyone else had realized that something was horribly wrong with their situation. It was clear to them that they had been betrayed and sold out to the Union. But they didn't know why or who.

  "Sir, has the long-distance communicator replied? You've relayed what transpired to the Empire, correct?"

  Hu-Juren hesitated for a few moments. "During the ambush, they said that they relayed the information... But now I'm not certain that they can be trusted.

  I can still feel my connection to him, but he hasn't replied to anything since I confirmed putting on the restraints. They shouldn't be able to block the communication skill with a collar. At the very least, I should still be able to hear from them."

  The rest of the soldiers stilled. This news was devastating, tightening the collars already squeezing around their necks. This was not something their commanding officer should have declared if he wanted to maintain their morale.

  The only reason Damian could think of would be that Hu-Juren had concluded that they would not be gaining any assistance from the Empire and needed to prepare for the worst—a cold but realistic stance.

  Huben was now trying to put his ear outside the cage to pick up anything from the nearby soldiers. Not a sound could be heard; a soundproofing enchantment. The Union was prepared for everything.

  "... Did anyone see anything before the sleds were detonated?" Huben broached the question.

  It was met with silence, but the man sitting in front of Huben ever so slightly flinched.

  "Bi-Yol, did you see something?"

  "... ..."

  "Bi-Yol?"

  "Sorry..."

  "What?"

  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry..." Bi-Yol repeated in a softer and softer voice to the point that his lips moved, but no sound came out.

  Tears started to roll down his face, and he started to convulse into crying fits. His voice picked up now, repeating the same words.

  "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

  Lunging forward, Huben grabbed Bi-Yol's armor. "What did you do!"

  "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." It was as if he were broken, unable to say anything else. Tears continued to roll down his face, but this only enraged Huben further.

  Huben slugged Bi-Yol across the face. "Explain yourself!"

  He raised his fist again, but was held back by a commanding hand. Hu-Juren was leaning forward, preventing the infighting.

  "Calm yourself. He's here with us, isn't he? Let me speak."

  With a slight shove, Huben released the Bi-Yol and leaned back in his own seat. The other soldiers wore a mix of angry and confused expressions, unsure exactly what Bi-Yol was 'sorry' about.

  "Colonel Bi-Yol, 4th son of Clan leader Bi-Xu. I've met you numerous times at clan meetings. Explain yourself. You've always presented yourself as a calm and competent man."

  "M-my kids. They have them. I'm sorry." Bi-Yol managed to squeak out different words this time. But it started to go back to his broken 'sorry' fits.

  "Who has your kids? What about your wife, Na-Gu-Ko?"

  "Koeheuk, geueoo. I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry!" He was now a complete sobbing mess, howling as if he was actively being tortured. His tears streamed down into waterfalls, and mucus ran down his face.

  The occasional wiping of his sleeve on his face only abated the torrential rain for mere moments.

  "My wife... They sent me her head... in a box. They have my kids and threatened to send them too."

  "!!!"

  "Your wife's the second daughter of the Na Clan head! How could anyone manage to get to them!? All families for this operation were designated to be housed within the main clans!"

  "I–I don't know. I j–just know that it wasn't a trick. They k–killed her... The note said that my k-kids could live... They're just so little... M-my eldest is only three..."

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  With a grave expression, Hu-Juren replied. "What did they order you to do? Did you set the explosives?"

  *Sniff* "No... They just gave me the detonator. I only had to activate it the day before the operation. I... I made sure no one was near when it went off."

  "Dammit!" Hu-Juren slammed his own back into the metal bars behind him.

  The betrayal was far more detailed than they had first expected. The sleds were thoroughly checked by numerous people before they departed, including those caught in this predicament.

  That meant that the explosives were embedded in the sleds themselves and hidden with runes or other means.

  Whoever crafted the sleds had a hand in this as well. If Bi-Yol had a spatial skill and placed the explosives, it would have been all too simple to pass off as a smaller force taking action.

  But this new information led to a different conclusion. A force within the Empire was making a major play. Not only did they have the backing of their own faction, but they had their claws in numerous others.

  Since Bi-Yol was with them and held this crucial information, they had likely planned that they'd be wiped out. Possibly at the site of the ambush. Or did they plan for the Union to capture them?

  Still too many questions, but this entire series of events was getting more and more tangled in a web of conspiracies.

  "What! Are you just going to let him go? After he betrayed us?! What about the rest of our families!?" One of the soldiers let out their outrage and tried to lash out from down the line of chains. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was prevented from reaching Bi-Yol by the short chain.

  With a stern voice, Hu-Juren asked, "Bi-Yol, let me ask you. If you had to do this again to save your children, would you?"

  It took Bi-Yol several moments to respond; his face was still wet from tears. "Yes, if I can save them. I would."

  This answer angered many more soldiers, and the one sitting next to Bi-Yol started to choke him with the chains binding his hands.

  "Koeheok, Keoheuk." Bi-Yol's eyes were rolling into the back of his skull as he was strangled. The soldier didn't look as if he'd stop.

  After waiting a few moments, Hu-Juren declared, "Enough!"

  "Gasp, huff, huff."

  "Bi-Yol, don't you dare claim you're sorry when you don't even regret your decision. You feel sorrow about the circumstances, not your actions."

  "Gah!"

  Hu-Juren struck the nail on the head. Many people regret the situations they find themselves in, but hold no true regret or repentance for their actions.

  They become victims of their circumstances, failing to put in the effort to break free and become masters of their own destiny.

  Although Damian didn't know how Bi-Yol could have broken free without sacrificing his children's lives, he had found himself in a lose-lose situation.

  The loss of his wife had likely snuffed any smoldering sense of rebellion before it could even begin to catch fire. It would have been a story for the ages. A man whose family was kidnapped, only for him to rescue them through a series of conflicts.

  'sigh'

  Only by holding real strength could someone control their future, and even then, there was always someone with greater power.

  The future heir of the Hu Clan found themselves in this predicament. A tier 7 general of all things. If even he couldn't escape the whims of someone else, then who could?

  It felt suffocating to think about, so Damian did the only thing he could. He took a page from Alex's book and didn't think about it. Just take the next small step forward and make plans where you can.

  One day at a time. One problem at a time. That was the only way to move forward. It didn't do well to be weighed down by the problems of the world, especially when you had no power to overcome them.

  Just tuck them away and be wary. The total opposite, having complete ignorance, was just as bad as being overwhelmed. Finding balance was for the best.

  One day... Damian held this sentiment in his heart.

  "Everyone! This is an order! You are not to harm Bi-Yol. He must bear witness to his actions. He must see what happens to us and endure the same. That is his punishment. 'When' we make it out of here, then we can decide what else must be done!"

  Not everyone was happy with Hu-Juren's declaration, but they all respected him too much to say otherwise. But from some of the looks soldiers were giving Bi-Yol, they'd likely try to make his life harder.

  Time passed on, and the vision sped up. The soldiers were held captive in the carriages for some time, only being brought out in remote areas of the Union to receive food and defecate. It wasn't a pleasant trip.

  There was almost zero communication with their captors. The only ones they could speak with were the grunts at the bottom of the command chain. And even then, they either knew very little or refused to speak.

  The only thing they knew was that they were headed west, deeper into Union territory. Not only were they headed west, but they were traveling along remote roads that were in desperate need of upkeep.

  Throughout the journey, the only signs of civilization they witnessed were the chimney smoke rising from nearby towns.

  At one point, an imperial soldier lost it and attacked one of their captors. He didn't even harm the soldier; his body, reinforced by mana, was impervious to the attack.

  As you level, the body will naturally improve, but there is a limit to this. Instead, your body will gain the ability to retain mana in every part, improving strength and defense.

  These are practically passive improvements that don't leave unless you experience mana exhaustion or are wearing a slave collar.

  Since the collars siphon the mana in the body, it limits the amount your muscles can utilize. Depending on the collar, they can siphon more or less, allowing the slaves to use varying levels of strength.

  This passive mana also transfers to the weapons, armor, and tools people utilize as an instinctual process. As long as it is on your person, you'll be wrapping the blade with a veil of your mana, giving it the extra punch to harm strengthened defenses.

  It's also the same principle that allows Damian's Wind Form to pull clothing and weapons into the wind with him. If this didn't exist, he'd be naked and weaponless every time he used the skill.

  Hmm?

  The imperial soldier was made an example of and beaten to a pulp. But they took extra care not to break any of his limbs.

  This was a small clue. Whatever these Union soldiers needed them for, they had to keep their limbs intact. However, this made Damian and his party dumbfounded. What use would a slave who was going to be turned into a wraith need for his limbs?

  If anything, cutting them off now would have made the process of turning them into wraiths all the more certain. If the fire traps tied to their feet didn't go off, there would be a decent chance that they'd still be turned into wraiths.

  If that had happened, the defense at the wall would have had to flee to the tower immediately and teleport to higher levels. You didn't have an open window to put down a wraith, unlike a tied-up undead. They would shrink in size after the initial attack and continue mauling you.