"Several corpses that had only just died were found in the veteran camp."
Guan Shan wore a grave expression as he spoke in a low voice.
"According to the military doctor, they were all veterans who went out yesterday."
Deng Li and the others immediately paled.
"How is that possible?"
They instinctively wanted to refute Guan Shan.
But even Guan Shan had been alarmed. The military doctor's assessment was probably right.
"Did the military doctor find out what happened?"
At Deng Li's question, Guan Shan first nodded, then shook his head.
"The doctor only said they died at human hands, but couldn't determine who did it."
Deng Li and the other instructors exchanged glances, unease showing in every pair of eyes.
Though the military camp was within the bounds of Mushan City, it lay extremely close to the border.
Outsiders hardly ever came this way.
That meant the dead veterans had most likely been killed by their own people.
"What grudge couldn't be settled inside the camp? Did it really have to come to this?"
"Could Gu Chen's people have had something to do with it?"
An instructor seemed to have thought of something. He looked at Deng Li and said,
"Old Deng punished them because they were making trouble in a group and bullying the new recruits, didn't he?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Deng Li and the others stared at him as if he were an idiot.
"Did you forget to bring your brain when you left home today? Those green recruits couldn't have killed so many veterans, even if they'd ambushed them!"
"Then what, did the veterans kill each other?"
"Maybe someone had been nursing a grudge for a long time and finally got the chance to take revenge in the wilderness. That's how things ended up like this."
Everyone offered their own guesses, talking over one another.
Deng Li sighed and looked at Guan Shan, his gaze full of self-reproach.
"Whatever the case, sending them out to hunt was my decision. I'll take full responsibility."
Guan Shan waved a hand.
"Old Deng, you don't need to do that. They chose to stay and become soldiers in the first place. They must have known they might never leave this place alive."
"Your punishment didn't break any rules. They were simply unlucky."
"The military doctor is still examining the remaining bodies. Anyone confirmed dead will be treated as having fallen in battle, and compensation will be sent to their families."
Deng Li nodded, his gaze dim.
"Understood. I'll pay the compensation myself."
Guan Shan sighed, stepped forward, and patted Deng Li on the shoulder.
"Things have been unsettled lately. The Imperial Court could go to war with the Sword-toothed Country at any moment. You must train the new recruits properly, so they don't reach the battlefield unable to hold on to their weapons."
Then Guan Shan turned to the instructors.
"In another month, the ten-camp martial competition will begin. Every new recruit in Mushan City will take part."
"Our camp has been near the bottom among the camps for years. This time, we must put on a good showing."
At the mention of the ten-camp competition, the instructors grinned.
"With Yu Qitian and Gu Chen here, our camp is sure to get a good result this time."
After offering the instructors a few words of encouragement, Guan Shan took the rare opportunity to observe the War Soldiers' training.
He even picked out several promising recruits and personally gave them some pointers.
Gu Chen and Yu Qitian were among them.
The other War Soldiers were green with envy at the chance to receive personal instruction from the Head Instructor.
After his inspection, Guan Shan headed for the kitchen camp as well.
The kitchen camp.
It was shortly after the soldiers in each camp had finished eating.
The War Soldiers were training, while the Logistics Soldiers tidied up the scattered camp.
Gu Han came to the registration office, casually picked up two buns, and greeted Li Qiang, the old kitchen soldier, with a smile.
"What brings you here empty-handed today?"
For the past few days, Gu Han had come in every day carrying bags and bundles to register.
Even the old Logistics Soldiers weren't as diligent about registering their catches as Gu Han.
As a longtime hand at the registration office, Li Qiang had naturally gotten to know Gu Han.
"I didn't catch much yesterday. Those old War Soldiers snatched it all," Gu Han said casually.
Li Qiang had already heard about what happened in the Warrior Camp.
Those old War Soldiers might not care for low-level Demonic Beasts, but the wild beasts fled as soon as they approached. It was only natural that Gu Han's hunting had been affected.
"So what brings you here today?"
Li Qiang watched Gu Han, who was acting as if he owned the place, with curiosity.
Gu Han swallowed a whole wolf-meat bun and spoke with his mouth full.
"Old Li, can you exchange Logistics Points for Demonic Beast cores?"
Logistics Points were the most important incentive for Logistics Soldiers.
Gu Han had only heard that they could be exchanged for basic martial training materials, such as Blood Tempering Pills.
But Little Wolf needed a Demonic Beast core to improve his bloodline, so Gu Han had come to ask.
"Demonic Beast cores?"
Li Qiang was taken aback by the question.
"Wait a moment. I'll check."
Though he managed the registration office for the Logistics Camp, most Logistics Soldiers came here to exchange points for Blood Tempering Pills or basic armor and weapons.
Nobody ever asked about Demonic Beast cores.
Li Qiang flipped through the exchange list from the Logistics Department and soon found the page on Demonic Beast cores.
"You can exchange for one, but it costs five thousand Logistics Points."
Five thousand Logistics Points?
Gu Han's mouth twitched.
One hare was worth one Logistics Point.
He'd need five thousand hares to exchange for a Demonic Beast core...
He could slaughter every rabbit in the surrounding hills and forests and still might not earn enough Logistics Points for ten cores!
"How many Logistics Points do I have right now?"
Gu Han always submitted his prey and left, never bothering to check how many points he'd accumulated.
Li Qiang looked through the records and was taken aback.
"Eight thousand three hundred and fifty-four."
He couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath as he said the number.
In just a few days, Gu Han had surpassed the old Logistics Soldiers' combined savings from more than two years!
What a staggering amount!
But unlike Li Qiang, Gu Han only sighed in exasperation.
"That's still only enough for one Demonic Beast core..."
Li Qiang's mouth twitched. Was Gu Han out of his mind?
He had more than eight thousand Logistics Points and still wasn't satisfied?
"Old Li, get me one Demonic Beast core. Pick a good one if you can."
Since Little Wolf couldn't improve his bloodline for now, Gu Han would at least let him fill his belly.
"What do you need a Demonic Beast core for?"
Li Qiang had gotten along fairly well with Gu Han these past few days. He asked as he went into the adjoining room to search.
Demonic Beast cores could generally only be used to refine pills or train Battle Pets.
For a Battle Pet, they could be even more effective than some rare treasures.
But Gu Han was neither an alchemist nor the owner of a Battle Pet.
Was he planning to put the core on a shelf?
Before you continue