The next few days consisted of a brutally harsh training regeme.

This meant earlier mornings and later bedtimes.

Usually, Yifan would be complaining so much his face would turn blue.

But with his new found strength, he had become determind to do his best for Zitao, China and himself. 

Jongin still found it hard to believe that the man he'd brought to the camp was the same warrior that stood before him.

His whole deminier had changed.

He was no longer the nervous, pathetic boy. 

He'd become stronger, wiser, more confident. 

He would walk around with his head held high and a smug grin on his face. 

"Someone's pleased with themselves!" Jongin said one day, slightly amused by Chanyeol and the others reactions to this new Yifan.

"Surprisingly, yeah!" Yifan laughed and continued to talk to the others. 

People had begun to warm to him again, almost as if he was a celebrity. 

"And you really climbed up that pole!? wow!" Xiumin (who usually stayed quiet whilst silently judging Yifan) said with awe. 

Yifan nodded, the smirk still on his face.

"Something that makes battles alright is a girl worth fighting for!" Chen said to the group."You must get all the girls back at home, eh?" 

He winked at Yifan whilst nudging his side slightly.

Yifans smile faltered slightly.

"Er... i'm not actually that good at talking to girls to be honest with you..." He said nervously.

There was a snort from behind them.

Sehun, who'd been listening to the conversation curiously, raised his eye brow at Yifan.

"Really? Back at my home i've got the options of over 12 girls... All of them waiting for me to get back and marry them!" He smirked arogantly.

"Pfft... I bet the only one waiting for him is his mother!" Chanyeol said to Baekhyun not so descretly.

Sehun scowled at Chanyeol and left in a huff whilst everyone laughed.

"You shouldn't be nervous of talking to girls though, Kris! They're very much like us just with... more hair and... less well..." Baekhyun trailed off awkwardly. 

"Easy for you to say, do you even have a girl?" Yifan asked bitterly.

"Er... no... sort of not my area... but i do know a lot of girls and a lot of them are my friends!" Baekhyun said hurredly. 

"Wait... what do you mean it's not your ar-" Jongin began to ask but was cut off by Zitao shouting for them to come to the front.

"You have trained well, soldiers! But tonight we move on, towards the West camp where we are to meet my fa- i mean, General Huang! It'll be an early start so no staying up late! Got it? Ok, dismissed!" 

His speach began a multitued of excited whispers from the soldiers.

Did this mean they'd finally get to go into battle?

Yifan was both excited and aprehensive about going to fight.

He knew that he had what it takes to be a good soldier; but when it would come to actually fighting, he was unsure.

He'd never thought of killing anything in his whole life.

Even something as evil as Shan Yu and his Huns. 

He decided to stop worrying and think of the situation when the situation comes. 

In the mean time he would just need to prepare himself to be able to fight like a soldier and warrior. 

That was his mission, and was all he could think about as he drifted off to sleep.

Yixing and Suho had made their way back to the tent once the mid morning dawned.

They were both tired from being up so early, but also buzzing with the excitement of Yifans display.

Yixing described the event and how Yifan had gotten to the top with his sheer power and determination.

Suho was in awe, to say the least.

"I never knew he had it in him!"

"It was incredable... like watching a catepillar turn into a butterfly, or seeing an ugly duckling become a beautiful swan..." Yixing sighed.

Suho smiled with him, and they soon reached the tent.

About to enter it, they suddenly notice voices coming from within.

They recognised Kyungsoos, and also recognised the other voice.

But couldn't quite place them...

Yixing braved it and stepped inside.

"Yixing! you're back!" Kyungsoo lept up from the floor and ran to hug Yixing.

He then spotted Suho behind him and the latter was too cornered and covered in Kyungsoos embrace. 

Yixing noticed that it was the boy (or girl?) that had visited them before.

He found it difficult to remember if the stranger had told them his name...

"This is Luhan... remember him? He asked about the camp not long ago!" Kyungsoo said happily having finally let go of Suho.

"Yeah, i remember him!" Yixing and Suho bowed to Luhan and received a shy hello and bow back.

"Luhan got lost and so decided not to risk going onto enemy territory and instead wait until the camp moves out..." Kyungsoo explained. "Which is why he came back here!"
"I figured i could do with some friendly faces... " Luhan smiled.

"That's fine! We'll try to be the friendliest faces yo'll ever see!" Suho joked, sitting himself down next to Luhan.

Yixing, however, couldn't help but have a feeling that he would soon have to go to Lee and tell him that the plan is off... 

But any thoughts of that could definitely wait.

He needed to put on his friendly face tonight!

A/N~ so so so so sorry for the delay!!

i've just been really not motivated and stufff...

plus this whole thing with the ferry in S Korea...

really brings a persons mood down tbh

but here's chap 18... (slightly shorter than the others sorry :/)

enjoy 

xoxox :3