Unfortunate or fortunate

Feng was a thief who mostly committed petty crimes and moved on to the next villages, his world turned upside down after a normal day where he stole a jewel from a local until he ran into someone who looked like a general, He tried to talk his way out of this situation "if I return the jewel can you spare me" even tough he pleaded he was arrested but since his crimes were not that important General had an idea, he needed manpower as he was going to the frontlines to help the war so he decided to take this petty thief with him with the mentality of manpower is manpower.