The crunch of gravel marked their steady pace along the track. “Your stance was off in the second round," Jing Yuan said, voice even, not accusing.

"What happened?” The young lieutenant-in-training, Yanqing, kept his eyes ahead, considering his answer before speaking. "I rushed it.” A quiet hum of acknowledgment was all the response he got.

Before Jing Yuan could get out another sentence, something caught his eye as he turned a corner. A woman. A beautiful one at that... what was she doing here? And why did she look so familiar...?