Unable to bear any more grief, she had simply run out of tears to shed.
Without saying a word, Aladdin steered Carpet toward a nearby mountain so they could rest.
As soon as they arrived and attempted to land on a flat rock, Mulan jumped off Carpet and ran into the mountains.
"You two stay here. I'll go after her," Aladdin said before soaring into the air.
He did not rush to catch up to her. Instead, he followed patiently from behind.
Soon, Mulan emerged onto a wide, rocky plateau overlooking a steep cliff.
Fearing that she might attempt something reckless, Aladdin accelerated and arrived beside her.
Mulan sat down on a rock and wrapped her arms around her knees.
"Why are you still following me?" she asked, staring at the vast cliff ahead.
"Because I can't let you wander off alone after everything we've just witnessed," Aladdin replied. "Besides, I'm worried you might run off a cliff. I don't want to be responsible for that happening."
Mulan let out a soft chuckle.
"I'm not planning to run off a cliff, so you don't need to worry. Besides, I still have a family waiting for me at home. It would bring dishonour upon my family if they learned that I took my own life while my comrades fought the Huns to their deaths."
Aladdin quietly sighed in relief.
He had suspected that Mulan was nearing her breaking point after enduring one disaster after another, and he wanted to make sure she did not collapse under the weight of it all.
However, it seemed he had underestimated her. She was far stronger than she appeared. He wasn't certain he could have maintained the same resolve in her position.
A brief silence stretched between them.
Then it was broken by an almost quiet, emotional voice.
"I don't know what to do," Mulan muttered. "The Huns have destroyed all of the military camps and have likely taken hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of soldiers prisoner. And I'm the only person who knows what happened."
She lowered her head.
"The right thing to do is to travel to the Imperial Capital and warn the Emperor of the Huns' advance."
"But…" Mulan stopped, her voice faltering.
She could not bring herself to say that the reason she could not go to the Imperial Capital was that she was a woman.
To keep silent and fail to warn the Empire would dishonour not only herself and her family, but every soldier who had fallen. Yet revealing the truth about herself carried consequences she could hardly bear.
She could neither advance nor retreat. The walls around her kept closing in, and this time they felt far tighter and far more suffocating than before.
"But what?" Aladdin asked gently.
"I can't," Mulan shook her head with a self-deprecating smile. "I don't have the courage to say it."
"You?" Aladdin raised an eyebrow. "That's a surprising thing to hear from you."
"I don't think I understand," Mulan turned toward him in confusion.
"I mean that you're one of the most courageous people I've seen," Aladdin said. "So if there's something you can't bring yourself to say, then it must be something truly serious."
"I think you're mistaken," Mulan replied. "We've only known each other for a short time. I'm neither courageous nor brave."
She looked down at her hands.
"I'm simply doing the best I can to bring honour to my family. But I don't think that this time… my best will be enough."
"Nope. I don't think I've made a mistake," Aladdin said as he rose to his feet. "Do you know anyone capable of surviving a near-death experience and then running from camp to camp trying to warn others about what had happened?"
He looked at her silently for a moment before continuing.
"I've seen and heard things during my travels that most people would never have the opportunity to witness. So I can say with certainty that you are courageous," Aladdin added. "If you don't mind, I'm willing to listen to why you're unable to make a decision."
Mulan glanced at Aladdin thoughtfully. She still didn't know where he had come from or why he had gone to such lengths to help her. Nevertheless, she was grateful.
Mulan sighed tiredly. Even so, she couldn't bring herself to reveal her secret. It was something she intended to carry to the grave.
"It's nothing. I just can't think clearly right now," she replied.
"Are you sure?"
"...Yeah."
"Do you mind if I offer a suggestion?"
Mulan nodded.
"How about we gather information on the Huns before deciding our next move?" Aladdin suggested. "We can head to a nearby village and see what we can learn."
"That's a good idea," Mulan admitted. "I don't think I can ever repay you for everything you've done for me."
"You don't owe me anything," Aladdin shook his head. "I'm a traveller. Experiencing new places and meeting new people is what I live for."
Even if he wouldn't willingly leave the comfort of his Empire under normal circumstances, the fact that he had chosen to come here had to count for something.
"You still haven't told me where you're from," Mulan said as she brushed her hair aside and looked at him.
"I'm from Ababwa," Aladdin replied. "A grand and prosperous Empire within the Seven Deserts, far, far away from here."
"Ababwa," Mulan repeated. "That's a strange name. I've never heard of it before. And you travelled all the way to China just for the experience?"
"Yes."
"I wish I could become a traveller too," Mulan responded softly, gazing toward the horizon. "Maybe then I could create experiences of my own... and perhaps find myself along the way."
The two sat quietly for several minutes before returning to meet Abu and Carpet.
Together, they set off in search of the nearest villages.
Unfortunately, even the villages and towns had not been spared from the devastation.
Mulan deliberately avoided looking at them.
As the sun began to set, they finally discovered a village that appeared untouched by the chaos. Because they didn't want to alarm the villagers, they got down from Carpet nearby before approaching the settlement on foot.
Outside the village gate stood two young guards holding spears.
"I don't know why the village chief is so worried," one of them said. "There are several military camps stationed throughout the mountains. If the barbarians attack, they'll be cut to pieces before they get anywhere near us."
"I couldn't agree more," the other guard replied. "Honestly, there's no need for the military at all. That would be overkill. If those barbarians have the guts to come here, let them try."
He proudly slapped his chest.
"If I don't send them running, then my name isn't Chen Hui! I'll personally deal with any barbarian who dares attack our village."
Suddenly, both guards noticed movement emerging from the darkness. Their expressions turned serious immediately as they raised their spears.
"Who's there?"
"Show yourselves! And keep your hands where we can see them!"
Aladdin and Mulan, both dressed in long black cloaks to conceal their attire, stepped out of the darkness with their hands raised.
"Excuse me. We're travellers just passing through," Aladdin said with a small smile. "However, we're currently looking for a place to rest for the night and perhaps get our bearings."
As he spoke, he took out a large bronze coin and held it between his fingers.
The two guards exchanged thoughtful glances before refocusing on Aladdin.
"Make it two, and we can talk," the other guard said.
Aladdin nodded and took out another second bronze coin from beneath his cloak. He stepped forward and placed both coins into the guard's hand.
The guard bit one of the coins before nodding in satisfaction.
"It's genuine," he said, tossing one of the coins to his companion.
"We're not open to visitors because of the war, but we'll make an exception. These are your identity tags. Don't lose them."
He pulled out two small metal plates engraved with official markings and handed them over. "The village is under constant patrol right now. If you're caught doing anything illegal..."
He drew a finger across his throat.
"You might not make it to the next morning."
"Thanks for the warning," Aladdin replied politely.
He handed one of the metal tags to Mulan, and they both attached it to their waists.
"You said you were travellers, right?" Chen Hui suddenly asked. "Where are your horses?"
Aladdin's mind raced as he quickly came up with a response.
"We lost them during the journey. We were hoping to purchase new horses and replenish our supplies here before continuing our travels."
The guards nodded. They opened the gate and allowed them to enter.
"Keep going straight and take the second alley on the left," the other guard instructed. "You'll find an inn there. Most foreigners stay there. Get what you need and leave before daybreak."
"Thank you," Aladdin nodded.
As they walked through the gate, Aladdin sighed in relief, glad that the guards hadn't asked too many questions and were willing to overlook details in exchange for a few coins.
One of the primary reasons he had come here was that Mulan needed some distraction after everything that had happened. Any useful information they gathered would simply be an added bonus.
The two of them walked deeper into the village.
"Have you done this before?" Mulan whispered.
"It's complicated," Aladdin sighed.
"So you've done this before," Mulan chuckled softly. "You know… You don't seem nearly as noble as I first thought you were."