Struggling between desire and survival Ling Ao was once a soldier, a man of unparalleled skill... He was the pride of his regiment, known as the "Soldier King," excelling in every field—shooting, hand-to-hand combat, reconnaissance, counterintelligence, bodyguarding, explosives, and more. He was considered a rare multi-talented warrior, and had circumstances not taken a turn, his future in the military would have been limitless. By the age of twenty-seven, he had risen from a conscript to the rank of captain, an extraordinary feat for someone with no connections, a testament to his ability. He caught the eye of a military leader, who took him under his wing as a surrogate son. At the time, Ling Ao was arrogant, even to the point of arrogance that bordered on reckless. When the leader,

