Silence, a death-like silence.
Throughout the entire new camp, apart from the gurgling, steam-rising sound of meat soup in the large iron cauldron, there was only the heavy breathing of several hundred "thorny" veteran soldiers.
Everyone's gazes stared fixedly at that companion who had fallen a dozen zhang away, vomiting blood and hovering on the verge of life and death, then shifted abruptly like they had seen a ghost toward the young Chieftain who was slowly retracting his fist.
One punch!
Just like that, with a light and breezy punch!
Zhang Kui, the famous "Iron Dog-Bear" in the military, a strong man who could wrestle with a savage bull with his bare hands, had flown away just like that? He had passed out cold without even letting out a groan?
Was this the kind of force a human being could strike out with, motherfucker?
The savage smile on Sun He's face completely froze, as if doused with icy water. He felt a wave of chilliness along his back, a freezing qi rushing straight from the soles of his feet to his crown. He hadn't even managed to see how Wei Zhe threw his punch just a moment ago; he had only felt a blur before his eyes, and that Zhang Kui who had taken the initiative to provoke was already flying through mid-air.
What kind of monster was this?
His mind was completely blank. All one hundred ways to make things difficult for and humiliate the new superior that he had prepared beforehand had all turned into a joke under this single punch. In the face of absolute strength, any schemes and intrigues appeared so pale and powerless.
Inside, however, Wei Zhe's mind was completely calm, and even somewhat satisfied.
Was this the power of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill? Merely at the first level, merely mobilizing less than thirty percent of his force, it had produced such a terrifying effect. When he threw that punch just now, he felt as though he wasn't mobilizing internal energy, but a purer, more tyrannical force, as if every single muscle and every inch of bone in his body had twisted into a single strand in an instant, erupting with energy akin to a landslide and tsunami.
This feeling of settling the universe with a single punch felt truly fantastic!
He knew that reasoning with Sun He and this group of untamed and unruly veteran soldiers was useless, and conferring official posts or making promises could only buy loyalty for a moment. Only once—just this once—by using the method they believed in and feared the most to thoroughly scare them and beat them into submission could he save countless troubles for his subsequent army management.
Right now, it seemed the effect was outstanding.
"Centurion Sun," Wei Zhe's voice broke the dead silence. He didn't even look at Sun He, his gaze still sweeping across that group of frightened "thorny" figures. "This subordinate of yours has good bones and is fine raw material for practicing martial arts. It's just that his brain isn't very functional, and he doesn't know his own strength when striking."
Sun He's face flushed red and turned pale by turns. This remark sounded like a compliment, but every single word felt like a slap fiercely landing on his face. What did he mean by not knowing his own strength when striking? Clearly, you were the one who beat him half to death with a single punch, alright!
Yet he dared not retort.
Those veteran soldiers behind him all lowered their heads one by one, not daring to meet Wei Zhe's gaze. The mindset they held just moments before—watching the fun and even wanting to join in the jeering—was now completely gone. They were all people who lived by licking blood off the blade's edge; they were most capable of telling who was a sheep and who was a fierce tiger capable of taking their lives.
The youth before their eyes wasn't a fierce tiger—he was an ancient ferocious beast draped in human skin, motherfucker!
Sun He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He knew he couldn't just admit defeat like this, or he would never be able to lift his head up in this army again. As a centurion, with his subordinate beaten into severe injury by the new superior right in front of everyone, if he didn't say something, who would submit to him in the future?
Steeling his nerve, he took a step forward and rebuked with a fierce expression hiding a weak interior: "Wei Zhe! You... you actually dare to severely injure a fellow comrade in public! He merely wanted to spar a few moves with you, why did you deal such a toxic blow? According to Great Qin military law, you..."
"Military law?" Wei Zhe finally turned his head, looking at him with a half-smile. "He was the one who said he wanted to ask me for pointers on a few moves. In military spars, fists and feet have no eyes; I shouldn't need to teach you this principle, right? Or perhaps Centurion Sun feels my strike was too heavy and wants to step into the arena himself to win back this face for him?"
Wei Zhe's voice wasn't loud, yet it felt like a heavy hammer, fiercely smashing against Sun He's heart.
Step into the arena himself?
Sun He's pupils shrank abruptly. He glanced at Zhang Kui, who was still twitching a dozen zhang away, his throat feeling as though a ball of cotton had been stuffed into it, unable to utter a single word. He was well aware of his own capabilities. He was somewhat stronger than Zhang Kui, but that strength was limited. Since Zhang Kui had been beaten into such a state by a single punch, if he went up himself, the outcome would probably only be even uglier.
If he dared to say a single word of "yes," the one lying here today would probably have one more person added: himself.
Seeing Sun He's deeply aggrieved and cowardly appearance, Wei Zhe sneered inwardly. This was the exact effect he wanted.
He no longer paid attention to this centurion who had already lost his nerve, instead casting his gaze toward those several hundred new soldiers as his voice suddenly rose a notch: "I don't care which camp you were in before, which general you followed, nor do I care what merits you previously established or how formidable you were. Starting from today, you will only have three characters carved onto your bodies—Tiger and Wolf Army!"
"In my Tiger and Wolf Army, there are also only two rules!"
His voice was clanging and forceful, carrying an unquestionable majesty.
"First, obedience to orders! Unconditional obedience! My words are military law! Whoever dares to pay lip service in compliance while acting contrarily, or openly talk back, will meet the exact same fate as him!" He pointed toward Zhang Kui in the distance. "No, even more miserable than him! Handled by military law, without the slightest leniency!"
"Second, rewards for merits and punishments for offenses! Follow me, Wei Zhe, and as long as you are willing to risk your lives and put in the effort, I guarantee you will eat meat at every single meal and drink wine every single day! Aside from the portion that must be turned in, I will not keep a single fraction of the military achievements plundered from battle; I will distribute all of it to you according to your merits! If you want to rise in rank, get rich, and bring glory to your ancestors, I will give you this opportunity!"
"However!" His tone abruptly shifted, his gaze suddenly turning sharp. "Whoever dares to engage in petty tricks behind the scenes, loafs around during training, or clings to life and fears death during battle, dragging down the brothers by their side, don't blame Wei Zhe for being ruthless and taking his head to use as a sacrifice for the banner!"
These words mixed kindness with severity, wielding both the big stick and the carrot simultaneously.
The expressions of those veteran soldiers all changed one by one.
What were they enlisting for? Wasn't it just to scrape together a living and earn some military achievements so that life for their families could improve a little?
Although this new superior before them possessed methods so ruthless they were terrifying, the promises he offered were simply too tempting! Eating meat at every meal? Distributing all military achievements? These were good things they hadn't even dared to imagine before!
Besides, the man's strength was right there for all to see. Following such a powerful individual, their chances of surviving on the battlefield would be even greater, and the military achievements they could reap would likewise be more plentiful!
For a time, everyone's thoughts became active. The gazes they directed at Wei Zhe gradually contained a trace of indescribable burning heat, replacing their initial fear.
Wei Zhe took in every single person's expression. He walked over to the large cauldron, picked up a large ladle, and personally scooped a ladle of fragrant meat soup. He smelled it and nodded in satisfaction.
"Today is the first day of the Tiger and Wolf Army's expansion, and also the first day we become a family. This pot of meat and these jars of wine are my treat as a welcoming gift to you brothers." He pointed toward the cauldron and the wine jars, speaking in a resonant voice. "Eat and drink your fill, get a good rest today, and starting tomorrow, we begin official drills!"
"One last thing!" His gaze swept across the entire assembly once more, carrying a tyrannical aura that looked down upon the world. "Whoever still feels right now that I, Wei Zhe, am not worthy of being your Chieftain, or still harbors any dissatisfaction in their hearts, step out right now! Don't mutter behind people's backs like a bunch of women! I, Wei Zhe, will take you all on one by one today!"
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