If It's a Dragon, You Coil; If It's a Tiger, You Lie Down

"If no one steps forward, then starting today, you'll all clamp your tails between your legs and obediently recognize me as your boss! Did you hear me!"

"We hear you!"

Someone, not sure who, shouted first, followed by a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the entire camp. This time, there wasn't the slightest hint of reluctance in their voices; instead, they were filled with robust excitement and anticipation.

Sun He stumbled from the immense wave of sound, his face turning deathly pale. He knew it was over, he was completely finished. The few hundred men he had brought with him had, in the span of a single incense stick's time, had their hearts completely won over by this young man.

Just then, Wei Zhe made a move that surprised everyone.

He walked over to the unconscious strongman Zhang Kui, squatted down, and checked his breathing and pulse. Then he stood up, took out a small porcelain bottle from his embrace, and casually tossed it to a soldier beside him who was trembling with fear.

"He won't die. His internal organs suffered some shock, and three ribs are broken, but they're minor injuries." His tone was as calm as if he were discussing a trivial matter. "Apply this bottle of Bone-Rejoining Paste to him, and then find a few people to carry him back to the tent and let him recuperate properly."

He paused, then added, his voice not loud, but clear enough to reach everyone's ears.

"Also, pass on my words: when he's recovered, have him come serve as my personal guard Squad Leader."

As soon as he said this, the entire place fell silent once more.

Everyone was stunned.

Promoting someone who had just publicly challenged you and whom you had just beaten into a severe state to be your personal guard Squad Leader?

What kind of move was that?

Even Sun He was bewildered; he couldn't understand what Wei Zhe was trying to do.

But the veteran soldiers understood. Their eyes widened, and their breathing became rapid.

What did this signify?

It signified that this new officer not only didn't hold a grudge against Zhang Kui for his offense but actually appreciated his courage and strength! Not only was he not pursuing the matter, but he was also promoting him!

What magnanimity! What spirit!

In an instant, a surge of fervor rose in the hearts of all the veteran soldiers. Following such a commander, as long as you had the ability, why would you fear not having a chance to rise?

"Th-thank you, Chieftain!" The few soldiers who had been on good terms with Zhang Kui, after coming to their senses, had faces flushed red with excitement as they kowtowed to Wei Zhe.

Wei Zhe waved his hand, as if he had merely done something insignificant. He finally cast his gaze upon Sun He, whose expression was shifting uncertainly, completely isolated, and a playful curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Centurion Sun, do you have anything else to say now?"

Sun He stood in place, feeling the gazes of everyone around him like needles piercing his skin. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

What could he say?

What else could he say?

That Wei Zhe shouldn't have hit someone? But he had already promoted the man to personal guard Squad Leader and given him excellent medicine. This was called clear rewards and punishments, and broad-mindedness.

That Wei Zhe didn't follow the rules? He was now a Chieftain, the highest commander of this independent combat camp, and his word was the rule!

To say anything more would not be a matter of not knowing the times, but purely seeking death.

Sun He was not a fool; he was a seasoned veteran who had been in the army for over a decade and understood how to assess the situation. He knew that with Wei Zhe's combination of punching Zhang Kui flying and then casually promoting him, he had already lost utterly, with no possibility of a comeback.

He took a deep breath, his face, flushed red with humiliation and anger, slowly regaining its composure. He cupped his fists stiffly towards Wei Zhe and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth: "Your subordinate... has nothing to say. Everything will be as the Chieftain arranges."

After saying this, he felt all the strength drain from his body.

"Very good." Wei Zhe nodded with satisfaction. "In that case, let's take our seats. Centurion Sun, as a senior officer, you will sit beside me today."

He actually invited Sun He to sit with him, which surprised everyone again. Sun He himself was stunned; he hadn't expected Wei Zhe to offer him a way out. He hesitated for a moment, then finally walked over silently and sat down in the seat below Wei Zhe.

A potential mutiny was thus dissolved into nothingness.

The subsequent banquet was more lively than anyone could have imagined. The "troublemakers" who had just surrendered seemed to be venting all their previous frustration and shock. One by one, they held large bowls, wolfing down meat and gulping down wine. They constantly toasted Wei Zhe, their words filled with genuine awe and attempts to curry favor.

Wei Zhe accepted all their toasts, finishing his bowl each time, his hearty demeanor earning him cheers. With his physique, transformed by the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, this amount of alcohol was no different from drinking water to him.

By the end of the meal, the morale of the entire Tiger and Wolf Army had been thoroughly stabilized.

The next day, before dawn, the sharp sound of the assembly whistle echoed throughout the camp.

Many veteran soldiers, still suffering from hangovers, grumbled as they got out of bed and slowly put on their armor.

"Damn it, why blow the whistle so early? Can't a man get any sleep? What a pain in the ass."

"Yeah, the new officer's three fires are burning a bit too fiercely, aren't they?"

"Stop complaining and hurry up. Have you forgotten Zhang Kui's fate yesterday?"

The mention of Zhang Kui made everyone shiver, and their movements immediately quickened.

When the three thousand men had assembled haphazardly on the training ground, Wei Zhe, dressed in a crisp uniform, stood energetically on the command platform. Beside him were Qian Hu and Hu Lei, also fully armed.

And Sun He stood at the front of the formation. He hadn't drunk much last night, and his face was grim now, lost in thought.

Wei Zhe looked at the disorganized formation below and frowned slightly.

"Is this the soldier of my Tiger and Wolf Army? Standing like slobs, sitting like slobs, each one like a sleepy, sick chicken! Is this what you so-called veteran elites are?"

His voice was not loud, but it carried a chilling coldness that sobered everyone up a bit.

"I don't care how lax you were before, but starting today, forget all your bad habits! Now, everyone, fully armed, carrying thirty pounds, target: the mountain to the east. Ten-mile cross-country run! The last hundred men will not have breakfast! The first hundred men to finish will get an extra chicken leg in the morning!"

"Now, move out!"

The order was given, and an uproar immediately broke out below.

"What? A ten-mile cross-country run? And carrying thirty pounds?"

"Are you kidding me! That'll run a person to death!"

These veteran soldiers, who usually dodged training whenever they could and were lazy whenever possible, had never endured such hardship.

However, before they could finish complaining, they saw Wei Zhe on the podium casually pick up two heavy iron discs from the side, one in each hand, and hang them on himself. Each disc weighed at least fifty pounds, so two would be a hundred pounds!

After doing this, he was the first to leap from the podium, breaking into a run towards the mountain. His speed wasn't fast, but every step was steady and powerful, as if he were tireless.

Qian Hu, Hu Lei, and the twenty older brothers who had followed Wei Zhe from the very beginning immediately followed without a word. They were the ones who had personally witnessed Wei Zhe create miracles, and they had reached the point of blindly obeying his orders.

The remaining new recruits exchanged glances.

"The... Chieftain is running himself? And... carrying a hundred pounds?"

"Holy crap, is he made of iron?"