Military Compensation

"Finally full again..." Jialan carefully picked up the Little Green Bottle. The liquid inside shimmered with an unusual light beneath the sun. He knew these liquids would be one of his most important lifelines in the coming war.

Jialan quickly left the wooden cabin and went to an inconspicuous corner behind it. The area within roughly a mile around the casters' cabins was a restricted zone of the Barracks; ordinary people were not allowed near without special circumstances. A special plant grew in that corner, and its bark was one of the best materials for making blank scrolls. Normally, this plant required decades or even centuries to mature, but under the effects of the Little Green Bottle's liquid, it needed only one day.

"I hope I can harvest more this time..." Jialan muttered as he carefully dripped the liquid onto the plant's roots. He could clearly see it growing at a rapid pace, its bark gradually becoming smooth and resilient.

Over the next few days, Jialan completely immersed himself in making scrolls. He slept only a few hours each day, spending all his remaining time busy at the workbench. Whenever his mana and mental strength ran out, he simply meditated on his bed.

Although the failure rate for making scrolls was high, he had a constant supply of materials. More and more completed scrolls piled up on the workbench. Jialan sorted and stored them for quick access in an emergency. These were the foundation of his survival on the battlefield.

"If only I had a little more time..." Jialan sometimes thought. But the clouds of war were drawing ever closer, and the atmosphere in the garrison grew tenser by the day.

One evening, Jialan was busy at the workbench when his mental senses suddenly detected someone rapidly approaching. He rose to his feet warily, already gripping a defensive scroll in his hand.

"Mage Jialan! Open the door, quickly!" It was Squad Leader John's anxious voice.

Jialan hurriedly opened the door and saw John drenched in sweat, his face pale.

"What happened?" Jialan's heart tightened.

"Magical beasts... the magical beasts have gone berserk!" John said between gasps. "The front line is already fighting. We might have to go to the battlefield too!"

Jialan's heart sank. He knew the real trial had arrived. He told John to return first, then hurried to the Barracks without delay after gathering his things.

After knocking and entering the captain's office, Jialan saw Captain Kendy talking with a white-haired old man. The old man wore a dark gray mage robe, with a gleaming badge pinned to his chest. Jialan could clearly sense that the old mage in gray possessed the strength of a Peak Junior Mage.

"Mage Jialan, you're here." Captain Kendy greeted him. "This is the mage sent by the military to support us, Albert Green."

Jialan bowed slightly and performed a mage's salute. "Greetings, Mage Green."

Albert carefully examined Jialan. A trace of approval flashed through his eyes, along with deeply hidden envy. "Not bad. You're already an Intermediate Junior Mage at such a young age. I heard from Captain Kendy that you're the only caster in our garrison?"

"Yes," Jialan replied. "But I'm only a Junior Mage. I lack experience."

Albert smiled. "Experience can be accumulated slowly. When I was your age, I was still burying my head in books at the magic academy."

Captain Kendy interjected, "Mage Albert has participated in many wars and has abundant experience. The military sent him here this time specifically to support us."

Warmth rose in Jialan's heart. He knew that with such a senior around in the coming war, his chances of survival would be much greater.

Albert nodded, then asked, "I heard you've been making scrolls like crazy lately?"

Jialan was a little surprised, but he still answered honestly. "Yes. I wanted to make more preparations for the coming war."

Albert's approving expression deepened. "Very good. It's always best to be prepared. Adequate preparation is a required lesson for every caster. I didn't expect you to have a talent for making scrolls as well. That's truly enviable." This time, he did not hide his true feelings. "These are the military's compensation for casters, along with some war supplies they specifically asked me to bring."

As he spoke, he took several exquisite boxes from his Spatial Bag.

"These are pills that increase mental strength and mana." Albert opened the first box, revealing dozens of neat rows of dark pills. "Taking them during regular cultivation can improve the efficiency of meditation."

Jialan's eyes lit up. He had taken these pills before. After joining the military, as a Junior Mage, he could receive one hundred Jintana each month, along with two of these pills. After taking one, his meditation speed increased three to four times for twelve hours. Unfortunately, they were expensive, and he normally could not afford them at all.

"These are potions that temporarily increase mana." Albert opened the second box, which contained six potions. "Taking one in battle can greatly increase your mana for a short time. However, they have side effects. There will be a period of weakness afterward, so use them cautiously."

Jialan examined them carefully. This was also the first time he had seen this kind of potion. He did not know how effective they were compared to Moonlight Potion, though Moonlight Potion had no period of weakness.

From the last box, Albert took out three scrolls.

"Resist Fire Ring and Frost Shield are both decent defensive spells," Albert explained. "As for this Lightning Blast..." He picked up the noticeably more exquisite scroll. "This is an intermediate attack spell, and it is very powerful. Given your tier, do not use it unless absolutely necessary. Pay special attention to the distance when using it."

Jialan accepted the scrolls and could feel the powerful mana contained within them. He knew intermediate scrolls like these sold for a high price on the market. This one alone was worth at least two or three hundred Jintana. The military had truly spent lavishly this time.

"Thank you for the military's support," Jialan said sincerely. "I will make good use of these resources." Albert nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Over the next few days, stay with me. I will teach you some battlefield experience. Casters play a crucial role in war, but they also easily become the enemy's targets."

Captain Kendy patted Jialan's shoulder. "With Mage Albert guiding you, I can rest easy. You two talk first. I'll go check on the soldiers' training."

After Kendy left, Albert gestured for Jialan to sit down. "Come, tell me about yourself. What spells are you good at? How are your mana reserves?"

Jialan described his abilities in detail, though naturally, he mentioned only what an ordinary Intermediate Junior Mage should possess. He concealed whatever he could. Albert listened carefully and nodded from time to time.

"Not bad," Albert said approvingly. "Your foundation is very solid. But the battlefield is completely different from ordinary practice. We need to do some targeted training."

Over the next few hours, Albert taught Jialan much battlefield experience: how to quickly assess the situation, how to protect himself amid chaos, how to coordinate with the soldiers...