Mitsuko's forces successfully evacuated the city in time, though they can only take a portion of the castles supplies due to the short time limit they had. Mitsuko's forces brought up the rear guard however all the time for the journey she wears a scowl on her face, clearly displeased with her circumstances though she doesn't vocalise it. When the army eventually reached Xia Pi the locals were less than thrilled. As the army marches into the castle the locals bows respectfully, though it was more out of fear and are quickly scattered when the gates close behind the last platoon of soldiers. Chen Gong quickly orders everyone to start preparing the defences as he anticipated an invasion soon. Mitsuko's forces were stationed on the walls by the front gate as the first line of defence. No doubt a way to get her forces eliminated first and then allow the rest of Lu Bu's forces to clean up. Pang Tong could only do his signature chuckle as he hears that from Mitsuko.

'You'd think he'd learn by now don't you think?' Pang Tong asked Mitsuko as they were walking along the top of the walls.

'Yeah he really does hate us doesn't he?'

'Does that bother you my lady?'

'Pfft, please. I can care less about what that man thinks of me. Let him do what he wants. We'll only do the same thing again to him.' Mitsuko stated.

'Haha, of course my lady, although thanks to him our unit has actually grown stronger with minimal losses. So we should really thank him.'

'Is that right? Right well he seems a bit busy at the moment, preparing for the siege so I think I'll tell him after.' Pang Tong heartily laughed at Mitsuko's remark.

'I'm sure he'll appreciate the comment.' That night Mitsuko and her officers enter the barracks for a while to under the suggestion of Pang Tong. Mitsuko was surprised to see that when she walked in that the atmosphere was on a whole different level to what she experienced before. Everyone was being jolly, being rowdy, talking about their experiences in previous battles under Mitsuko's banner

Due to Chen Gongs schemes Mitsuko's soldiers kept to themselves nowadays, even if they were together with the rest of Lu Bu's forces. They disassociated themselves with the rest. Of course, the barracks themselves was the one looked the most unappealing. But the soldiers were still enjoying themselves nevertheless. To Mitsuko it seemed that they thought of each other like brothers more than just soldiers in arms. They all stop as they notice Mitsuko and Pang Tong walk in.

'My lady!' They all stand up and bow respectfully. Mitsuko was taken aback by this, unsure of what to say as all eyes are set on her.

'Erm…at ease.' She announces, suddenly everyone hesitantly sits back down and returns to their conversation as if nothing happened. Amongst all this, Mitsuko could hear Pang Tong signature chuckle amongst the rowdiness.

'We should give lord Chen Gong a scroll of gratitude seeing as he's the one that made this possible.'

A couple of nights later Pang Tong after meeting with some of his personal scouts to survey the situation and get insight on the enemy's movement. The streets were deserted under a moonless night though countless stars were present up above. Among the deathly silent stroll Pang Tong had he heard another pair of footsteps almost trying to mimic his footsteps to conceal them. He could only perform his signature chuckle as he stopped in his tracks.

'So what can I do for you lord Hao Meng?'

'How did-'

'Did you really think you were being stealthy when you were spying on us my lord? While I do appreciate your ventured interest in our forces you have nothing to be shy about. I'm sure lady Mitsuko would've made you feel welcome.' Pang Tong interrupted with his back to Hao Meng.

'Hmph don't insult me hermit! This time your so called ally is nowhere to be seen and you're all alone.' He stated as he readies his spear.

'Appearances can be deceiving. Though judging by this sudden well lets call it an "ambush." I do wonder if you were ordered by lord Chen Gong to attack now or you decided now would be the time to strike.'

'Does it matter? Your treachery will end tonight!' Hao Meng declared.

'I know I heard something like that before but I can't remember where.' Pang Tong chuckled as Hao Meng gripped his polearm tightly.

'Mock me and lord Chen Gong if you wish but you will not survive this night!'

'Is that so, well I suppose I better give up since there's no point in offering a resistance. It was a nice life while it lasted. If only I was a better strategist than Chen Gong.' Pang Tong sighed as he sat down and crossed his legs. Hao Meng grins at this as he holds his spear high.

'So long, hermit!' Just as he was about to strike down a polearm crashed into the wall in front of him. The polearm inches from his face with his polearm still high.

'What the-' Hao Meng stops himself as he glances in the direction of where the polearm was thrown from. His eyes widen in shock as he sees the person walk towards them.

'Lady LingQi, what a surprise, wh-what brings you here?' He stammered, unsure why the daughter of his lord is here now of all times. She wears a serious scowl on her face as she walks towards them with one of her other double bladed glaives.

'I was on my way to my usual place to train when all of a sudden I hear you two talking so I came by to investigate.' She collects the glaive that is imbedded in the wall and pulls it out with a quick tug.

'Now then, master Hao Meng can you tell me why you are trying to assassinate a member of our forces. Given that our true enemies are approaching us as we speak.' Hao Meng hesitated to give an answer. Sweat began to form on top of his forehead. He remembered the words of Chen Gong saying that LingQi must not know of this as she was too close to Mitsuko. Now that she found out the attempt to take Pang Tongs life he doesn't know what to say.

'Oho what's this has lord Hao Meng learned the meaning of silence? I never thought I'd see the day.' Pang Tong jested, Hao Meng growled at him before returning to LingQi, still unsure of how to convince her.

'My lady, there is a reason why I am doing this, this…hermit, is not one of us. He never was, he has his own ambitions just like that serpent woman.' He states however LingQi gave him a severe death glare and pointed her weapon centimetres from his neck.

'Watch what you say.' Hao Meng was taken aback by her action as fear began to show in his eyes. Though he knew he had to press on and convince her that Mitsuko was an enemy of hers not an ally.

'I know this is hard to believe however what I speak is the truth.'

'Oh I can't wait to hear this, hold on I need to see how you look for this.' Pang Tong interrupted as he turned himself around to face Hao Meng who attempts to give him a death glare of his own, though Pang Tong was unaffected by this as he can sense his confident smirk under his veil. He knew now was too late to retreat from this battle, he must fight it through to the end.

'Listen to me my lady, Mitsuko and the hermit only have their own interests at heart, they are not loyal to your father, only to themselves.'

'If that were the case why would they continue to help fight for our cause? It doesn't make sense.' LingQi defended, not taking the accusations lightly.

'They could very well be spies planted by Cao Cao himself.'

'But didn't lady Mitsuko join you before Cao Cao became a threat to lord Lu Bu?' Pang Tong rebutted, pointing a hole in his logic.

'I erm…I suppose but that's not to say nothing may have happened before. You also coerce other officers to join Mitsuko's retinue, warlords like Wu Zi and Zang Ba. Why else would they pledge allegiance to her and become a part of her retinue?'

'Because Mitsuko helped them! I was there when they stayed behind and helped lord Wu Zi escape. As for Zang Ba, I noticed that they were friends before. So again, why are you trying to take his life without any reason?'

'Perhaps I can answer that my lady.' Pang Tong responded as he stood up and stretches his back. LingQi lowers her weapon and turns towards Pang Tong, expecting a coherent answer.

'Because lord Chen Gong is afraid. Afraid of what Mitsuko will become if left unchecked and so he tries to undermine our forces any chance he gets. That's why he always gave our force such assignments such as garrison duty or flanking attacks in the more convoluted way possible. So if our forces were to become eradicated he would be able to claim it was mere short sightedness or it was a "necessary sacrifice" and you would've believed him.' Pang Tong chuckled as he remembers the first instance this happened.

'However he forgot to take into account one very important detail. Lady Mitsuko herself. He's too afraid of what she may become, keyword there is "may." Because of his fear of the unknown, they acted too soon on her. Oh well, we all make mistakes.'

'My lady do not listen to him!' Hao Meng interjected.

'This is what he does, he is a cunning wordsmith but that's all he is. This is how he got Wu Zi and Zang Ba to join their retinue. Please join with me and together we can eliminate the threat to your fathers rule and then focus all our efforts on the encroaching attackers!' LingQi was stuck in the middle. She didn't have any idea of who to believe. She was always suspicious of Pang Tong but recently she had started to trust him, she questioned the validity of that trust now. Though even though she was suspicious she wouldn't condone something like this, not when enemies are approaching the castle. Not when they also accuse Mitsuko…her friend of treachery! That got her blood boiling, though what could she do? Hao Meng was a loyal officer of her father, she knew he and Chen Gong wouldn't do anything like this without good reason…right? Even so to have the nerve to accuse her of something like that without getting to know her.

'Do you also want to mention about how you tried to convince her to go along with you so if you do fail you could've left lady Mitsuko and her forces to suffer and probably get executed?'

'What?' Did LingQi hear that right? Were they really going to leave her friend alone to die? After everything she did for them? She glances at Hao Meng and notices his silence and stunned expression on his face.

'Lady LingQi, did you think there was any particular reason why Chen Gong wanted to convince you to join them on the battlefield the last time? It wasn't for your skills on the battlefield, which by the way are very impressive.' Pang Tong chuckled and looked up at Hao Meng's stunned yet hateful expression.

'Now I could be wrong, though I theorise that if the army were to miraculously lose at Wan castle, they would've abandoned us to our fate if you weren't around. And if they won, well lady Mitsuko would've been forgotten about by the majority of the army anyway so she and her forces would wither and weaken as a result.' Pang Tong concluded, LingQi looks toward Hao Meng with a scowl on her face.

'Is that true?'

'Well I-' LingQi quickly grabs him by the front of his collar and pins him to the wall staring at him with cold piercing eyes.

'Is. That. True?' She asked again, this time her voice is plagued with malicious intent as she begins to stomach the idea of someone hurting her like that just because they were afraid.

'Lord Ch-Chen Gong only did what he thought was necessary my lady that's all. Which was why we didn't inform you or lord Lu Bu of this. We did what we did and do still with the best of intentions.' Hao Meng frightenedly responded as LingQi stared a hole into him.

'So you do all this without even informing my father!? You dare speak about treachery and your intentions. Yet you actively attempt to harm and undermine one of our most valuable officers because of your own perceptions!? I may not completely see eye to eye with this man but I refuse to listen to such nonsense about him and Mitsuko any longer.' LingQi yells in front of him. Hao Meng nods in response, fearing for his life. However he had one final gambit to make before he went silent.

'My lady, I understand how you must be feeling but what I say is the truth, if we don't take them out as soon as possible you would be doing your father a disservice, is that something you want on your shoulders?' He questioned. LingQi loosened her grip as soon as he uttered those words, like she never even thought of that possibility before. As she was questioning herself Pang Tong intervened.

'And there's that argument I've been waiting for. I was beginning to think you wouldn't use the old emotional bribery method. I'm so glad you didn't disappoint.' Both turn towards Pang Tong as he walks up towards them laughing heartily.

'Lady LingQi notice how they try to use your father against you? Do you not think that is rather insulting of him to insinuate that they would know their father better than you of all people? After all if people would attempt to coerce me using my loved ones to turn against my friends and people I care about…well…I wouldn't be the most pleased. Though I will not tell you what to think as I would not dare to insult, though I do request you take one thing into consideration. Would lady Mitsuko do that to you?'

'Ha he's just spitting-ough!' Hao Meng groaned in pain as LingQi kneed him in the stomach and throws him to her left side with Pang Tong standing on her right. He lands on his back as LingQi hovers one of the blades on her glaive above his neck,

'Master Hao Meng, your loyalty to my father is unquestionable. However even so, I will not tolerate your actions against this man or Mitsuko any longer. If I find out you both or anyone else do anything like this to Mitsuko or any part of her retinue again and I will drag you both to my father and then we can see what he has to say about this treachery, is that clear?' LingQi questioned as she looked upon Hao Meng with anger in her eyes. Angry at the fact that he would do something like this on the verge of an attack where they'll need all the help they can. Angry at the fact that he dared to presume what her father will say about this without even consulting them. But most importantly, she was angry that they would dare to this to Mitsuko of all people.

Hao Meng fearing for his life nodded quickly in hopes she would withdraw her blade. She eventually did and turned towards Pang Tong.

'We cannot afford to be fighting amongst ourselves, not now. I suggest you walk away as I escort Pang Tong to his quarters.' LingQi began to walk towards him as Pang Tong chuckled.

'As you wish my lady.' Hao Meng went on his knees and watched as the traitorous cur and the lords daughter walk away. He growled quietly as he stands up readies his spear. Even if it costs him his life, even if he is hated by everyone in the army he knows he has to do this. He has to eliminate this damn hermit and the serpent woman for lord Lu Bu.

'Forgive me my lady but I will not allow Lord Lu Bu's path of conquest be stopped by these traitorous curs!' He furiously charges towards them while yelling. Just as he was about to thrust his spear in the back of Pang Tong, LingQi turns around slices his neck while holding both of her glaives in a cross pike shape. The momentum causes his body to flip over horizontally in the air and lands on his front, though the momentum still carries over and lays on his back with his eyes still open. He grasps his wound tightly to stop the bleeding. LingQi and Pang Tong look over him, LingQi looked horrified and regretful with her actions.

'I…I didn't wish to do that, why didn't you just walk away!?' She demanded to know, she was going to continue however Pang Tong put a hand on her shoulder.

'Do not worry about him. As you said before he was a fool. And I don't believe your father would appreciate fools in his army would he?' LingQi looks at him with regret still present in her eyes.

'Even so, I shouldn't have been so quick to strike him.'

'Hmm maybe so, though there's nothing we can do about that now. For now we must continue to move forward without him, I'm sure this is something he would like even with his…condition.' Hao Meng coughed up blood as this was said and stretches his free hand towards Pang Tong who could only chuckle.

'See he even agrees with me. My lady, I'm not going to even try to understand how you feel now however what I will say is that what you did may have been the correct move in the long run and not because of me still breathing. If you allowed this to continue, the infighting would only benefit our enemy. That and I know you would've been suffering if you let Mitsuko be harmed by these people. It's a shame that lord Hao Meng life had to be sacrificed for this but hopefully now Chen Gong will cease this foolishness and focus his attention on the oncoming attackers.' LingQi grips her weapons tightly but then loosened as she sighs.

'I may not want to admit it but you have a point, I'd rather not have us fight amongst ourselves.'

'As do we my lady. Again do not worry too much about this. I am positive you did the right thing…even if it doesn't feel like it.'

'Perhaps, even so I have to deal with the consequences.'

'I don't believe you should.'

'What do you mean?'

'You shouldn't have to worry about consequences, you just reacted accordingly but his objective was me. In hindsight, maybe I should've tried something earlier to help them understand lady Mitsuko instead of letting it get to this point. I'll take responsibility for this.'

'No, I can't let you do that. You only helped Mitsuko you shouldn't have been a target for that, you didn't slay him but I did.' LingQi refused to let him shoulder her responsibilities.

'Please my lady reconsider, while it is noble of you to accept such responsibility, it is ultimately unneeded. Trust me I have a plan in place for this.'

'A plan?'

'Indeed, leave it to me I'll take care of everything.'

'But why? I treated you with contempt and suspicion when we first met even if Mitsuko trusted you I didn't. I don't deserve your help.'

'Why's that? You were…not wrong in not trusting me. After all I was a wandering hermit who said they wanted to work for your friend willingly. Others would be rightly suspicious of that. However I believe now we have reached a point where we can say we…trust each other to a certain extent. One more sided than the other granted but we are working on it no?' Pang Tong questioned LingQi who couldn't really give him an answer. It was true, Pang Tong may have trusted her more than she did him. But ultimately she did trust him to some extent especially as she defended him from an assassination attempt.

'So do not worry, I will deal with this. As I said I have a plan in place. You should consider resting, only for tonight though. I don't believe you can train at full capacity with what has transpired here so soon.' LingQi was about to refute this but she knew he was right.

'I hate to admit it but you are right. Fine, I will rest up for tonight though I fear it may not be easy.'

'Perhaps not but it will be beneficial in the long run. Besides didn't Mitsuko tell you to rest more during the nights?' LingQi couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as she imagined Mitsuko's voice saying something similar to her. She started to walk away but glances back at the them still feeling compelled to stay and help fix the issue. Though Pang Tong waves her away.

'Don't worry my lady I'll take care of everything.' Pang Tong waves his large fan at her as she started to regretfully walk away. He chuckled once she is out of earshot and crouches down next Hao Meng.

'Oh Hao Meng, I know you are not long for this world but I know you have a few questions about what just transpired, so allow me to educate you. Did it not occur to you as you watched me walk down this road all alone while being aware that Chen Gong would send you or someone else to take my life? Did you think that lady LingQi's involvement just now was coincidence? Hehe far from it.' Hao Meng couldn't say anything in response as he feels his strength waning from him. He attempts to stretch out to him however he can't quite reach him. Anytime he attempted to speak more blood squeezed between his fingers.

'You know I must thank you and Chen Gong. First you helped Mitsuko realise lord Lu Bu's shortcoming and help to break her chains of servitude and now you started lady LingQi journey to break her shackled of blood as well. I must say I could not have done any of this without your help so thank you for your assistance. Unfortunately, your services are no longer required so I will now ask you to rest. You have nothing worry about though, I'll take care of everything.' Pang Tong chuckle was the last thing he heard as the last drops of life faded away and darkness consumed his vision. His hand loosened on the wound allowing more blood to flow out. Pang Tong stood up and clicked his fingers. Suddenly two soldiers appeared, one with a large sack and the other with a large hand sized pot.

'Has one of our lady's men commandeered the caravan meant for Yuan Shu?' He asked.

'Yes my lord everything is prepared.' One replies as they both carry the body into the sack.

'Excellent. Once they get far enough they can dump the body anywhere but make sure that it is beyond recognisable.' Pang Tong advised as the one with the pot picks it u and pours the blood red paint, the same colour as the blood stains on the ground all over and then drops it. Shattering it into several large pieces on top if it.

'Ahh you even managed to get the ink the same colour, very good. Spread the rumour of the painter falling over and spilling his red ink everywhere. He was rather clumsy.' Pang Tong chuckled as they both nodded and carried the sack to the caravan.

'Now lord Chen Gong I'll allow you to make the next move. Lets see what else you got up your sleeve.'