It wasn’t like Ping was the only one on guard - there were three other men stationed around the camp, facing each of the cardinal directions.  But Wu Zhong spanned a great distance, or at least big enough that the slender soldier felt very alone as he marched back and forth along the wall, sword drawn.

If it weren’t for drawing lots, Ping probably would never have been put on guard duty at all.  How could he possibly survive an attacker when he was beaten into the ground in training every day?  When Chi Fu had seen Ping heading out with the other, bigger and stronger men, the emperor’s consul shook his head in disbelief and marched off.  Probably to talk to Captain Li.  Ping cringed at the thought - being on guard duty was bad enough, but if the captain actually came out to relieve Ping of his post, Ping would never live it down.  He’d be lower to the other men than he was already.  Squaring his shoulders, Ping turned around and kept marching back and forth.  That was all he had to do, how hard could it be?  It wasn’t like the Huns were really going to walk right up to camp and…

A rustling noise distracted the young recruit from his thoughts.  He thought he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye, and looked quickly towards a tree a little ways away.  Like most trees, it wasn’t moving, but he could have sworn he saw something near the trunk.  Somebody had to be there.  

Hopefully it was just Ling or one of the other guys, playing a trick.  ”I really don’t want to do this,” Ping muttered in a high-pitched voice, because just thinking it wasn’t enough.  Then he gripped his sword more tightly and walked towards the tree.