Beacon Tower Town was still more than twenty li away from the real military camp.
The entire journey passed in silence, accompanied only by the howling northern wind and heavy footsteps. The scarred squad leader and the veterans showed not the slightest interest in conversing with the new recruits, simply pressing forward with their heads down.
Having just left their hometowns, the recruits harbored mixed emotions, and intimidated by the officers' imposing demeanor, no one dared to speak.
The atmosphere was oppressive and heavy.
Wei Zhe followed within the ranks, silently observing everything around him.
The scenery of the northern lands was desolate and vast, with grayish-yellow earth stretching to the horizon. Aside from sparse camel thorns, not a shred of green remained. In the distance, the Great Wall grew clearer within his field of vision, its majestic outline imparting a wordless sense of shock and oppression.
After walking for nearly two hours, a massive military fortress finally appeared before everyone's eyes.
Built against the Great Wall, the fortress was constructed from massive rammed earth and logs, its ramparts covered with watchtowers and guards. Banners fluttered and security was tight. Before the fortress gates, elite soldiers holding long halberds gazed out with eyes like lightning, an aura of iron-blooded severity washing over them that caused all the new recruits to involuntarily hold their breath.
"Good grief, is this the Northern Frontier Camp? Just looking at it makes my legs go soft."
"Are we going to be staying here from now on?"
A wave of suppressed amazement and discussion broke out among the ranks.
The scarred squad leader walked up to the fortress gates and verified the paperwork with the gate guards. A moment later, the heavy gates slowly opened, revealing the sights within the military camp.
Inside the camp, drill grounds stood in rows and tents stretched on endlessly. Soldiers clad in armor bustled to and fro everywhere. The clanging sound of weapons colliding and the shouts of drills rose unceasingly, forming a majestic and fierce symphony.
"Stay close, all of you! If anyone gets lost and is hacked down as a spy, don't blame me for not warning you!"
The scarred squad leader turned back to bark a reprimand, leading everyone across several drill grounds and arriving at a relatively secluded encampment area.
This was the New Recruit Camp.
Dozens of gray leather tents were arranged neatly. A burly man with a scar across his face, built as sturdy as an iron tower, stood at the entrance of the encampment with his hands on his hips. He wore only a short vest, his knotted muscles radiating surging heat amidst the cold wind.
"Chief, I've brought the men." The scarred squad leader appeared somewhat deferential before this man.
"Mm, understood. You may head back." The iron-tower-like man nodded, his gaze sweeping over all the new recruits like a falcon's, making everyone feel a chill run through their bodies.
"I am Shi Meng, the instructor for this batch of recruits and your nightmare for the next three months!"
Shi Meng's voice boomed like a giant bell, causing the recruits' eardrums to ring.
"From now on, you will forget your former names! You have only a single designation, and that is 'recruits'! Here, my words are military law. Whoever dares disobey will be dealt with according to military law!"
He pointed toward the tents. "Ten men to a tent, find your own places! In half an incense stick's time, assemble outside the tents! Dismissed!"
At the order, the new recruits acted as if granted a pardon, rushing chaotically toward the tents.
Wei Zhe did not rush to scramble for a spot. He noticed that the stalwart youth named Hu Lei relied on his great strength to directly shove two people aside, rushing to squeeze first into a tent that looked the thickest.
Without changing his expression, Wei Zhe walked over to a slightly worn-out tent nearby, lifted the flap, and went inside.
The space inside the tent was small. Hay was spread across the ground, and ten sleeping mats pressed closely together. A few quick-moving youths were already spreading out their belongings inside.
Wei Zhe found an inner spot and put away his set of military uniform and long halberd.
Soon, all ten men had arrived.
Aside from Wei Zhe and Hu Lei, the remaining eight youths all hailed from nearby villages, each bearing a timid expression and not daring to speak to one another.
Hu Lei tossed his belongings into the center, occupying the largest space before sitting cross-legged. He looked at Wei Zhe with a provocative gaze, clearly still harboring resentment over the matter at the recruitment office.
Caring little for him, Wei Zhe simply closed his eyes to rest his mind and silently familiarized himself with the system.
"Beep—!"
Outside the tent, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out.
"Assemble! Everyone, immediately assemble outside the tents!" Shi Meng's roar followed closely behind.
Flustered and in disarray, the recruits rushed out of the tents, forming several crooked rows on the open ground.
With his hands behind his back, Shi Meng strolled over to the crowd with a trace of a cold laugh on his face.
"Look at this ghost of a stance you've all taken! Leaning this way and that, just like boneless, weak-kneed shrimp! These are the soldiers of Great Qin?"
"Starting today, your first lesson: military posture!"
"Everyone, chest out! Stomach in! Chin up! Both hands pressed tight against your trouser seams! Two hours, and whoever dares twitch will skip dinner!"
Shi Meng's voice allowed no room for doubt.
Not daring to disobey, the recruits could only stand properly according to the demands.
In the northern frontier evening, the cold wind bit to the bone. After standing for less than an incense stick's time, many thin-bodied youths began to tremble, their complexions turning pale.
Wei Zhe straightened his spine, standing like a javelin.
His physique, enlightened by the system, far surpassed ordinary people; this level of punishment was nothing to him. He could even spare some focus to circulate the technique of the Thousand Refinement Force, allowing the faint current of qi in his Dantian to flow slowly through his body to resist the chill.
Time ticked by second by second.
Two hours felt as long as a century.
When Shi Meng finally shouted "Dismissed," more than half of the recruits collapsed directly onto the ground.
"Hmph, a bunch of good-for-nothings!" Shi Meng snorted coldly with disdain. "Time to eat!"
Dinner was simple: each person received a blackish wheat cake and a bowl of vegetable soup so clear the bottom of the bowl was visible.
Having starved all day, the recruits lacked the luxury to be picky and wolfed down their food.
Wei Zhe noticed that the veterans ate wheat cakes made of white flour, and their vegetable soup even contained chunks of meat. This was the rule within the military camp: naked class disparity.
Relying on his robust physique, Hu Lei pushed his way to the front and seized the two largest wheat cakes, drawing a flurry of angry glares, though he cared not at all.
After the meal, the sky had grown completely dark.
Drag-footed and exhausted, the recruits returned to their tents, virtually dropping the moment their heads hit their pillows as snoring soon rose in waves.
Lying on his sleeping mat, Wei Zhe did not immediately fall asleep.
He was deep in thought.
Today's military posture was merely a beginning. What followed would inevitably be even harsher training and various overt and covert trials from the veterans designed to knock them down a peg.
He did not wish to stir up trouble, but neither did he fear it.
If he wanted to gain a firm foothold here, forbearance alone would not suffice. At the appropriate moment, he had to display sufficient strength to earn awe.
A soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier...
He recalled this phrase.
Since he had come, he never intended to remain a mere, obscure foot soldier.
He sank his consciousness into the system and opened his personal status panel.
Character: Wei Zhe Realm: Mortal (Unranked) Strength: 20 Agility: 12 Physique: 15 Tempering Points: 0 Mastered Skills: [Forging]: Hundred Battle Saber (Novice 1/100) [Martial Skill]: Thousand Refinement Force (Novice 1/100) Storage Space: 1 cubic meter
"Everything must start from acquiring Tempering Points."
Wei Zhe's gaze grew profound.
Right at that moment, his ears twitched slightly.
Outside the tent, an extremely faint sound of deliberately suppressed footsteps approached their tent.
They had come.
A chilling arc curled the corners of Wei Zhe's mouth.
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