The forests around Shuimeng had been quiet for the most part, until recently. A group of 10 bandits had settled in the forests of the village, robbing passing caravans, harassing villagers and hunters alike. Although they were no trained masters, they were hardened killers. The village chief explained what bandits were like “Simply put they are parasites, once they attach themselves to a village they keep growing in number and sucking the life out of the village. When the village is finally dead, they move to the next target. If they aren’t handled in the early stage they become a scourge, that is nearly impossible to clear out”. The chief explained to Bao Kun and Jin why they were needed.

Jin normally wouldn’t have complied with such a request, although he had fought in the orphanage he’d never fought someone who killed for a living nor had he fought with a weapon before. However, for the first time he’d truly felt like he had a home and for him that was reason enough to try a scare of the bandits. Bao Kun noticed Jin’s conflict, he attempted to calm him down “Brat what scares you more, me or those puny bandits. If you don’t handle the matter then I’ll handle you”. Bao Kun had never comforted anyone before.

Fuelled with conviction from Bao Kun’s word of comfort approached the bandit hideout. Jin had a plan, he’d knock out the bandits from the shadows and deliver them to the authorities. It truly was surprising that with his intellect Jin could come up with even this pitiful plan. However, Jin missed one key point, he was no master of stealth. Jin approached a tree behind the hideout and decided to knock out a bandit near the tree. With Jin’s mastery in stealth and light footwork he immediately tripped on a root of the tree and alerted all the members of the bandit group.

Bao Kun watching the whole event with beef jerky and a gourd of rice wine, starts to roll around the floor laughing.

The bandit members noticing Jin, pull out there weapons immediately and charge at him.  With Jin’s mastery in stealth and observational skills he didn’t realise two things, firstly he entered the centre of the bandit’s hideout, secondly the man he was trying to knock out was the leader of the bandits. Surrounded by a flurry of blades Jin starts attempting to parry the blades in a flustered manner and running away while doing so. In his hurry he didn’t even use momentum to raise the speed of his movement.

The bandit leader barked orders “Surround this slippery bastard immediately, pin him in place while I cut him down”. Hearing the orders Jin tries to calm down, he finally starts to use momentum to move. However, he was too late, the bandits had caught up to him and before was the leader of the bandits who’s blade was about to reach his neck in a few moments. Jin reacts unconsciously, he uses the halberd art’s slash to stop the blade and infuses his body with momentum. The sound was eerie, first he could hear a blade shatter, shortly after he could feel the blade end of his halberd cut through flesh and bones, and finally he could feel the halberd exit the canopy of flesh and bones.

It took a moment but he realised what had just happened. The man’s body fell in two, collapsing with a hollow thud.

The forest was silent again.

Jin stared, trembling. His stomach turned. The halberd felt twice as heavy now, the iron reeking of blood and heat. “I… I didn’t mean…” he whispered. His voice cracked.

Then the smell hit him—iron, sweat, and fear. He stumbled back, eyes wide, bile rising in his throat. “Oh fuck me… that wasn’t supposed to—he just—split!”

Another bandit screamed and charged. Jin swung out of reflex, too high this time, the halberd biting through a tree trunk instead. The sheer force of the blow shattered bark and sent splinters flying. The remaining men froze, faces draining of color.

“Monster… he’s a monster!” one of them yelled before bolting.

Jin stood panting, halberd in hand, his arms shaking uncontrollably. He wanted to drop it—throw it away—but couldn’t. His body wouldn’t let go.

Moments later, Bao Kun’s laughter echoed through the trees. “Heh! Good job, brat! First real fight and you only destroyed half the forest. Not bad!”

Jin turned, face pale. “Old man… I—he—he just—”

Bao Kun waved his hand dismissively, taking a swig from his gourd. “Bah, if you didn’t split him, he’d have split you. Congratulations, you’re officially alive.”. Jin looked down at his hands he saw blood and fragments of the bandit’s entrails, he started puking uncontrollably. Bao Kun although not to disturbed by the scene thought ‘Perhaps I should have let him get a feel for his strength before I sent him out here. These bandits were probably rapists and killers, no tears should be shed for their deaths. However, if this was just a friendly spar things might have not been the same’

After comforting Jin for a few minutes, Jin and Bao Kun head back to the village. Despite Jin’s horror towards what had just transpired, the village chief and Bao Kun’s detailed explanation of what would have happened if the bandits were left alone helped Jin lose some of his guilt and calm down.

That night, Jin sat by the river, scrubbing at the dried blood on his hands. No matter how long he washed, the smell wouldn’t leave. The water rippled with every motion, the same rhythm as his swing earlier.

He stared at his reflection — tired eyes, cracked lips, trembling fingers.
“I wanted to scare them,” he muttered. “Not... split them.”

From behind him, Bao Kun’s voice came, quieter than usual.
“You didn’t swing to kill, brat. You swung to live. There’s a difference.”

Jin didn’t respond. He just kept washing, until the moonlight scattered over the river like shards of his reflection.

 After resting for the night, Jin decided to learn how to control his strength properly and learn how to judge his opponents strength with Bao Kun’s help. As dawn broke, Jin stood again by the river, halberd in hand.
His grip was steady this time.
“No more accidents,” he said under his breath. “If I’m swinging, it’s because I choose to.”

Bao Kun smirked from behind him. “Good. Then we’ll start real training. You’ve taken your first life—now learn how not to waste it.”