[Xiao Zhao]

"What is going on here?"

Everyone turned their heads in union to the back of the room. Standing in the doorway was Jiang Shi Fu. He strode into the room while repeating, "What is going on?"

Li Jue, seeing his chance, leaped at it. Approaching the teacher, he bowed and then said, "Jiang Shi Fu, Han Jun said that I purposely spilled food on Ping Xi's clothing. Although I apologized and offered to wipe his clothing, Han Jun threatened me and wanted to fight me."

"È rén xiān gào zhuàng!" Evil people complain first.

"Jiang Shi Fu! Be the judge between us!"

Jiang Shi Fu looked between Han Jun and Li Ju。 "You two! What do you think this place is? Do you think this is a fighting rink? No! This is the Guo Jian! If you two want to fight, go to the fighting rink. Don't fight here!"

There was a pause and then he said, "Go!"

Confusion was on the faces of each student.

"Huh?" Han Jun asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Didn't you two want to fight? Fine! I'll let you fight! Let's go to the fighting rink!" Jiang Shi Fu moved to the door.

"I'm sorry, what? Did I hear incorrectly?" asked Li Jue.

"You didn't hear wrong, come!" Jiang Shi Fu barked.

"But–"

"Am I the teacher or are you?" Jiang Shi Fu whipped around to face Li Jue, who looked at the ground, red faced. "Y-you," he mumbled.

"Louder!"

"You," he repeated louder.

"Since that's the case, let's go!"

"Oh," Li Jue said as he followed Jiang Shi Fu. The rest of the class followed suit.

Xiao Zhao shoved Han Jun in the side. "Let's go."

"What a great idea!" Han Jun said as he headed to the door. Xiao Zhao walked beside Han Jun. Soon, they were on the bustling streets. They walked past carts of goods and Han Jun stopped once in a while to buy things. Han Jun saw a stand that sold bread and stopped, saying, "Can I get two?"

The owner smiled and said, "Sure!" Handing Han Jun two steamed buns, Han Jun gave a piece of paper and on it was written 一百两. The owner's eyes flew open. "This..." he started to say.

"Keep the change," Han Jun said as he smiled.

The owner gaped and then said, "Are you sure?"

"I am sure!"

Thank you! Thank you!" The man bowed a couple times to show gratitude. Han Jun turned away and Xiao Zhao followed him. Catching Han Jun's sleeve, he pulled him to a stop.

"Why did you give that owner so much money?"

Instead of answering right away, Han Jun handed Xiao Zhao the second bun. "Eat."

Xiao Zhao took it without thinking and Han Jun resumed his walk. "Life is hard for the commoners. The money I have is because of their hard work.I just want to make their lives better."

Xiao Zhao listened and he felt enormous respect for Han Jun.

"Hey, why aren't you eating your bun?"

"Huh what?"

Han Jun rolled his eyes and grabbed Xiao Zhao's hand that held the bun. "Oh," Xiao Zhao said and then he took a big bite. The sweetness in the bun brought him a feeling of homesickness. It was so good. He took another bite and then another until he was finished.

"You sure ate that quickly! I'll buy you another one when I win," Han Jun declared.

Xiao Zhao looked at Han Jun and said, "You? Win? In your condition?"

"Yeah! Of course I'm going to win!" Han Jun used his thumb to thump his chest. "I have faith."

"As long as you have faith," Xiao Zhao muttered.

"What did you say?"

Xiao Zhao cleared his throat and said, "I said, you are about to fight, and you still have time to enjoy yourself?"

Han Jun grinned. "It's just against Li Jue. Nothing to worry about."

Xiao Zhao looked around and Han Jun must have noticed because he asked, "What are you looking for?"

"Where's Li Qing?"

Han Jun looked around and then answered, "I don't know. I don't see him. Maybe he will catch up to us later."

Xiao Zhao said nothing and continued walking.

Soon, they turned into a small alley where Jiang Shi Fu knocked on the door of a tall building.

The door opened a crack and a small man peered out. "Who are you?" He squinted.

"We are from Guo Zi Jian," Jiang Shi Fu said.

The man was about to close the door but Jiang Shi Fu put his arm on the door, stopping him. "We are here to have fun and not on behalf of the government."

The man moved to push the door closed but Jiang Shi Fu resisted, saying hurriedly, "10 liang."

The man stopped and smirked. "10 liang? I'm afraid that's not enough for the risk I'm about to take."

"Per person."

The man's eyes bulged and then he slowly opened the door and smirked. "How do I know if I can trust you?"

Jiang Shi Fu took out some paper money and handed it to him. He took it and after flipping through them, he said, "Please follow me."

Jiang Shi Fu entered and the students followed him.

The room was crowded. Around each table was a group of 10-20 men who were just shouting about how much they wanted to bet. On the table was tons of money with one person in charge of making sure the bets were fair. It felt hot and hazy in the room.

They squeezed between people to the end of the room where they stood in front of a door. The man pushed open the door and waved them in. As Xiao Zhao walked into the room, a pungent smell hit his nostrils, making him gag. It was a mix of blood and sweat. The scene before made his jaw drop.

They were on a platform that stretched all across the arena and all around the arena, he saw people sitting as they watched the fight going on below. In the arena, two heavy-set men were fighting in the sand below. Jiang Shi Fu was approached by a man who asked, "What can I do for you? Do you want to bet or do you want to enter people into the fight?"

"Two people to fight."

"Which two?"

"Han Jun and Li Jue, come here!"

"Wish me luck," Han Jun said. Xiao Zhao felt a hand pat him on the shoulder and watched as Han Jun approached them.

The man looked Han Jun up and down. "I'm afraid to have him fight would be inappropriate..."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Do you look down on the Guo Zi Jian?"

At this, the man's eyes flew open and he bowed hastily. "I dare not."

"Since that's the case, administer the names!"

"Yes sir," he said as he scurried away.

In a minute, he was back with another man. He gave Han Jun and Li Jue a piece of metal. Looking at Han Jun he said, "Please follow me."

"How about him?" Han Jun pointed at Li Jue with his thumb.

"He is going with the other man."

"Oh." Han Jun looked at Xiao Zhao and said, "Wait for my good news!" Xiao Zhao watched as Han Jun was led away.

[Han Jun]

The man led them down a flight of stairs. On his way down, he noticed on both sides of the staircase were people locked in small cells. Some had one eye, others had a hump back, and still others were missing arms.One thing they all had in common: they were rough and muscular. Han Jun felt their gazes as he walked by.  They looked through the bars of the prison.The hairs on his neck started to stand up. He looked to his right and saw a man with an eye patch sink into the darkness.

    "Sir?"

    "Yes?"

    "Who are these people? Why are they locked here? Did they do anything wrong?"

    The man stopped to glance at Han Jun before continuing. "These people have sold themselves to fight so that they could have some food."

    "Why are they missing limbs?"

    The man shrugged. "It's part of the business."

    The business? Why do they have to do this? This is so inhumane! Han Jun felt anger boil inside him. How could they do this to their own people?

    The man opened the door of a cell for Han Jun and said, "Go in."

    "Wh-what?"

    "Go in," he repeated more forcefully.

            "But—"

"I said go!" He shoved Han Jun into the cell. He fell to his knees and clothes were thrown on his head. He heard a clang and quickly whipped the clothes off his head. The man slid a key into the lock and Han Jun heard it click.

"Jiù guāi guāi děng zài zhèlǐ ba!" Be good and stay here!

Han Jun quickly got up and rushed to the side of the cell. He grabbed the bars and yelled, "What are you doing?"

The man merely ignored him and kept walking. "Hey! I'm talking to you! Don't  leave!"

Han Jun watched helplessly as the man walked away. He shook the prison bars and called, "Let me out!"

Realizing there was nothing to do, he let his arms drop to his side.

"First time eh?" a rough voice said.

Han Jun jumped and spun around.

He squinted but it was so dim. Then, in the corner, he saw a lump move. "W-who are you?"

"Humph! Me? You don't know me?"

"N-no..."

"How can you not know me?" the bundle rose up from its position and lumbered toward him.

As he got closer, Han Jun was able to see him better. He sucked in his breath.

Towering over him, was a man with matted black hair. He was muscular and had stern eyes. His skin was a dark shade of brown and was very rough. One of his arms had a hook instead of a hand. There were scars all over his body and many wounds that were in different stages of healing.

"Were you a pirate?" Han Jun asked curiously.

" Humph! Who do you think you are?" The man's eyes flashed.

"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself!" Sticking out his hand, Han Jun grinned, " I'm Fang Han Jun! And you?"

"Humph! They send in another loser!"

"What?"

The man spat at Han Jun's feet. He turned away.

"Wait!" Han Jun ran to him and caught his arm. The man turned to face Han Jun who immediately let go. " I'm not done yet!"

"I don't care. Now leave!" He once again turned away but Han Jun grabbed his arm a second time. "Oh come on! Don't leave yet! I was just getting started!"

The man again turned to face him, but this time he asked, " Aren't you afraid of me?"

Han Jun let go and blinked. "Afraid of you? Why would I be?"

"Because of my looks," the man said.

"Your looks?" Han Jun looked him up and down. "You look like any other human being to me."

"Then why did you gasp when you saw me?"

"I thought you were beautiful in your own way."

"Humph! Never have I heard that before. Tell me more."

" Well, behind every scar must be an untold story. While others may see scars as ugly, I think they are a testament to your courage and perseverance."

"Humoh! You, are a  different kind. Interesting!" Then raising his right hand up he declared, "I, Dong Xiao, have decided to go easy on Fang Han Jun!" he put his arm down.

" Big brother," Han Jun asked hesitantly. "What do you mean you'll go easy on me?"

"We are going to fight."

"What?!"

"They put the enemies together."

"Why?"

"Weed out them weak people."

"Huh?"

"Doesn't matter.I am a Jing and you are a Yan."

"What's your point?."

"Yan people are not nice to Jing. So why are you?"

"Because the Jing and Yan are both people."

"But we are different races."

"And so what? Just because we are different races doesn't mean we can't coexist."

" You know... You're the first Yan who ever said this to me."

"What Yan and Jing? We're all people. Let's just talk to each other as equals. Besides, everyone's lives are hard."

The man nodded thoughtfully and then said, "You better change your clothes."

Han Jun glanced at the bundle and nodded. He had just finished tying  the white robe when a  man came down and unlocked the door.

"It's time," the man announced.

Han Jun nodded. " Good luck! Meet you  on the field!"

The man nodded.