The films follows Le Van Cuong, a French cultured undercover elite, during the period of French colonial rule of Vietnam. Cuong's inner conscience is troubled by the sea of Vietnamese blood he had spilled to uphold a French ideal.

While on a mission to retrieve fugitives in Vietnam, Dao, a commander in the Emperor's army, finds himself in the middle of a deadly conflict raging between a tyrannical crime boss, and the peaceful town that he has under his thumb. But when Dao realizes that Ahn, the beautiful monk warrior who fled the Emperor's army is living a secretive new life there, Dao must choose between upholding his oath to the Emperor, and fighting to preserve Ahn's cherished...