..."What girl?!"...

..."I already told you about this..."...

..."You retired and I took over you spot as the First Commander and I am stationed in Qiang Xu. You never told me though that one of my soldiers is a girl!"...

..."She's talented..."...

..."And only 18 years old!"...

..."You're only a year older, so don't be a Mysognist* and do your job!"...

*Misogynist \= someone who is against woman

..."I have to go now. Bye."...

First Commander Leng exited his room and went to the soldiers department where the soldiers had their rooms. This girl had her own room, since it would be unfair to her to sleep with the other men. It was 4 o'clock in the morning, the old First Commander had called from America, it was just getting dark there. Leng wanted to wake the soldiers at 6, to see if they could handle a lack of sleep, but if he thought about it, he would do it at 5.

Soldier Shadow was long awake and already outside. She was the only woman in the whole Military Encampment in Xiang Xu, but she was stronger than most men and trained double as much. She didn't talk a lot and was known as coldhearted because she already broke many of the other soldiers hearts while telling them she didn't want to go on a date with them. Most of them didn't even know her name, most of them just called her "9". No one was allowed to enter her room, no one knew that she was also skilled in making poisons and using them. She didn't sleep that much either, her weekly plan was easy to remember: no sleep on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On the other days she got up at 3 o'clock and went to bed at midnight. Meanwhile she got used to it and wasn't sleepy at all. In the moment she was training her Kung Fu, she already had the highest belt in almost all Zmartial arts, but she wanted to get better.

5 o'clock -1 hour later

..."Soldiers, get up!"...

..."First Co...commander Le...Leng?"...

..."But it's only 5 o'clock?!""...

..."Exactly! Way too late!"...

......"Can someone go get that girl?"......

..."Well... we aren't allowed to enter her room... no one is."...

..."What? Well I'll go get her then."...

First Commander Leng went down the hall to the girls room. Ironically it was room number 9. He knocked at her door, but after no one answer, he opened it and turnd on the light. In the first room, there were many daggers and all kinds of weapons everywhere. In a cupboard, he saw lots of bottles with colorfull fluids in them. Everything was neatly placed and all the weapons were organized. He quietly walked through the room. Preparing himself to see a sleeping girl in the next one but when he entered, there was only a kingsized bed , that looked like no one had ever used it before.

..."Who entered my room?"...

An angry voice yelled from the hallway.

..."9, don't..."...

All of a sudden someone kicked him from behind and he fell on his knees, before he could react, someone held one of the daggers he had seen in the first room at his throat. It slightly dug into his skin and blood started dripping diwn his neck.

..."Haven't you ever heard the rule: stay out of the girl's room?"...

A voice hissed into his ear.

..."I didn't know it, I'm First Commander Leng, I've just arrived half a week ago."...

He answered trying to stay calm. He hoped the person attacking him would immediatly pull away the dagger, apologize and plead for forgiveness, but nothing happened.

..."Then remember it, I'm not willing to kill you."...

Then the dagger was pulled away and he stood up quickly. As he turned around, his attacker was no longer there, he only saw her long black hair disappearing in the entrance. First Commander Leng halfway staggered, halfway walked out the door and closed it behing himself. The other soldiers noticed the blood on his neck and reached him a handkerchief. Many of them remained silent and looked to the ground, obviously scared of what 2ould come next. Finally Soldier Tang spoke up.

..."Will 9 be punished?"...

Soldier Tamg was a rich guy in his midtwentys, who was also rejected by Shadow, so he wanted to see her be hurt.

..."Will you please stop calling her 9?"...

..."Well... we don't know her real name, we never asked."...

First Commander Leng could have slapped them, didn't they already train together since 4 years? They should know her name by now.

"Its hard to tell who you mean, just use her real name, would you?"

..."And I don't know yet, I'll see what I'll do about her.... SO STOP TALKING AND GO RUN SOME LAPS SOLDIERS!"...

..."Yes, First Commander Leng!"...

While the Soldiers were running 100 laps around the encampment, which tthey would never achieve because that would be 200 kilometers, Leng went to search for Shadow. He wanted to teach her a lesson for threatening him. When he finally found her she was training Jiu Jitsu, her specialty. She didn't see him at first and he yelled.

..."9, the others are running 100 laps would you please do the same?!"...

She stopped with her foot midair and didn't move for a while then she walked torwards him and saluted.

..."Sir, should I run 200 laps then?"...

..."Why?"...

..."That's what the old First Commander did, I always had to run double."...

..."I'm not expecting them to even make it how should you do double?! You would die trying it!"...

She stared at him emotionlessly and then jogged past him. He clenched his fists and walked away, this girl was already annoying the sh*t out of him and they had only talked twice!

Shadow caught up with the ofher soldiers after a while, they were at round 23 and looked horrible. One of them told Shadow that they had been running since half past 5 and it was already 2 o'clock. They haven't had breakfast or lunch yet and its getting really hot outside. They could get really badly injured if they continue. Shadow didn't really care if they got hurt or not but she didn't aant to be the only one that annoying new Commander had to command around so she went to his office.

..."First Commander Leng! The other soldiers out there have to stop running laps, they could get hurt!"...

..."Then they will learn to stat fit and not to become lazy."...

..."You're expecting 100 laps from them! They can't achieve that!"...

..."Why don't you run gheir laps for them? If you care so much about them it shouldn't be a problem."...

..."Wait a second, what did you say?! That would be a few 10.000 laps, how am I supposed to run that?!"...

..."I'm not concerned about your health at all and I never said you havd to do it in a day. Go tell them they may go rest."...

Leng didn't notice it at first, but when he saw her walk out of his office, he saw she was limping. Before he could say anything though, she saw him looking at her leg and walked normally again. Then she quickly went down the stairs to tell the soldiers.

...Was I too hard on her?...

Leng didn't know, but he kind of felt bad for her. She took the pain of the others on herself and tortured herself for them. He grinned.

...Interesting....

Shadow didn't torture herself for them, she had learned that pain is the only true teacher in life and it helps you get better in enduring hard training sessions.

5 PM- 3 hours later

Leng went down into the cafeterias for dinner, but when he entered no one greeted or saluted.

..."Soldiers!"...

All men immediatly saluted and then one asked:

..."First Commander Leng, did you punish 9 by making her run so many laps? She hasn't stopped since we went inside and I think she isn't doing all too good. "...

......She followed my command? But why does she continue if she feels bad?......

Leng told them to continue eating and walked outside. While he waited, be thought about what he should say.

...*Should I just tell her she should stop......

......Or maybe I should ask her to come inside for dinner.........

...Or should I command her to stop*......

Then he slapped himself und straightend his position, what was he thinking, he was the First Commander, she should follow his commands after all. Suddenly, she appeared in the dark near him. It was obvious that she was very tired. Her breath went fast and she seemed a little nauseous.

*nauseous \= feeling sick/ like you have to throw up

..."9, stop running."...

..."What do you want? I'm not finished yet."...

..."Stop running, I said. You are to follow my commands."...

She stopped and immediatly fell to the ground. He ignored that.

..."Go inside. Finish the rounds another day."...

Then he went back in. He was angry at himself and at her because he could never yell at her like the other soldiers. Leng held himself back from looking back. A soldier walked past him. His name was Lufei.

..."9? Are you alright?"...

The soldier tryed pulling her up but she kicked him away and pushed herself up from the ground.

......"Don't touch me."......

She staggered past the soldier. If she wouldn't of had training in the past years. She would have burst out in tears, but instead she kept an emotionless face and gathered all her strength to reach her room. After she locked the door behind herself, she collapsed on the ground. She hadn't eaten since a while and the inhuman run had brought her to her limit. Usually she could bear the pain, but for some reason she felt very tired and weak since a few days ago.

......Shit. There has to be a traitor inside the encampment. I was poisoned!......

Then she lost consciousness.

5 AM - The next morning

......"Soldiers! Get up!"......

Once again, Leng woke up all the soldiers. And once again the only girl soldier wasn't there. Leng hated it when people didn't follow commands.

..."Where is she?!"...

Lufei stepped forward.

..."No one has seen her since yesterday, even though she's usually already awake. Her room door is also locked. Maybe she's sick?"...

..."That doesn't matter. Don't I have a key for all rooms? Lufei und yo both come with me. You go outside with the others and start warming up."...

He pointed a a few soldiers. Then he walked down the hall. Ths three guys followed him quickly. In front of her room, he stopped and gave Lufei the key. For some reason, he felt wierd going into her room again without permission.

..."9? You ok?"...

No one answered Lufeis call. He opened the door and looked around.

..."Oh god!"...

He kneeled down next to her body and felt her temperature.

..."We have to bring her to the military doctors, fast!"...

He wanted to pick her up, but Leng kind of pushed him aside and did it himself.

..."Traitor... I...was pois.."...

Shadow mumbled a few words before gasping for air and trying to stand up. Then she sank back into Lengs arms.

..."She's such a trouble. One of you contact my secretary. Tell him he should God ths rat in our system. I'll bring her to our nurses."...

Lufei grabbed Shadows one hand.

......"Is her poisoning very bad?"......

Leng rolled his eyes and continued walking over to the medical building.

......"She won't die. If she's so strong like you all say, she'll be healthy tonight. The traitor didn't do a very good job. If they wanted to get rid of her, it definetly didn't work."......

A few doctors rushed torwards them and pulled Shadow with Leng and Lufei into a room. They attached the female soldier to a few things and then told their Commander to please lay her down in a bed. He did as asked and then they were both asked to leave the room. At first Lufei seemed anxious but he agreed.