Death Row Camp!

"Ding Hao, I command you to get up at once. I want another round!"

"Your Majesty, that makes thirteen times today. There's nothing left already!"

"Useless trash! That old bastard, the Former Emperor, has been dead for three months, yet I'm still not pregnant. What use are you!"

"Guards! Ding Hao entered the palace at night with ill intent. Strip him of his top scholar title immediately and exile him to the border's Death Row Camp!!"

Great Zhou's northern frontier.

The Divine Phoenix Army, where the Death Row Camp was stationed.

Amid a burst of frantic cries, Ding Hao jerked upright from the freezing ground, his forehead drenched in cold sweat!

"A dream?"

"No, it wasn't a dream!"

His eyes had initially been somewhat unfocused, but when he saw the dark, damp surroundings and the white prisoner's uniform on his body—

He finally came back to his senses.

"Sigh, it's been months, yet it still feels like a nightmare!"

Ding Hao had originally been a man from Earth. One day, he had been eating hotpot and singing songs when, with a bang, the hotpot restaurant exploded.

When he opened his eyes again, he had become Ding Hao, the newly appointed top scholar of the Great Zhou Dynasty. He had thought a smooth official career and power over the court awaited him!

But before he could even celebrate—

He was noticed by Xia Weiyang, Great Zhou's new Empress, who had risen to power as a Talented Woman after enduring until the old Former Emperor died. She dragged him into the inner palace.

She wanted to fake a dragon seed to secure her own imperial throne, yet after months of hard cultivation, she still failed!

Seeing that things could not be done, Xia Weiyang flew into a rage from humiliation. To cover up the scandal, she casually pinned a crime on Ding Hao and stripped him of his top scholar title!

Then she exiled him to Great Zhou's border, where he became a death-row prisoner in the Divine Phoenix Army's Death Row Camp!

As everyone knew, the Death Row Camp was a military camp made up of death-row prisoners from all across the Great Zhou Dynasty. Its soldiers held the lowest status of all.

Since they were death-row prisoners to begin with, whenever battle began—whether charging head-on or assaulting a city pass—the Death Row Camp's soldiers were always sent first, to drain the enemy's energy and defensive supplies!

As a result, the Death Row Camp's chances of survival on the front lines were practically zero!

"Fuck this!"

"First a stud in the inner palace, then cannon fodder on the front lines. Looking across all transmigrators under heaven, is there anyone more miserable than me, Ding Hao?!"

Whenever he thought of this, Ding Hao could not help but curse inwardly.

Because right now, the Divine Phoenix Army had been ordered to attack the northern barbarian tribes!

The Death Row Camp's men could be dragged out as cannon fodder at any time. This was also why Xia Weiyang had exiled him here!

She wanted him dead. After all, only the dead truly kept their mouths shut!

Sure enough, the next moment, a fat man clad in bronze armor stormed into the barracks with several men and shouted, "All death-row prisoners, assemble at the parade ground immediately! General Ding has urgent military news!"

"Damn it!"

"What you fear is exactly what comes!"

Ding Hao's expression darkened, and unrest also rose among the other death-row prisoners!

But afterward, everyone still obediently gathered at the parade ground outside the camp!

"Damn it, walk faster! Delay the military news, and I'll chop you down!"

Because Ding Hao's body had been drained too badly by the Empress, he was a little slower. The Death Row Camp commander, Zhang Dahu, kicked him squarely in the ass, nearly sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt!

At the sight, Ding Hao flared up in anger—then got angry for a moment!

After all, circumstances were stronger than men. As a death-row prisoner, he naturally could not go head-to-head with the Death Row Camp commander. He would swallow this breath... for now!

Before long, more than three thousand death-row prisoners had gathered on the parade ground outside the camp. Looking around, most were disheveled and ragged, fear written all over every face!

Because Ding Hao stood in the front row, he could see a general standing atop the troop-reviewing platform, clad in silver armor with a saber at his waist!

Merely standing there, the man radiated murderous intent. One look was enough to tell he was a ruthless man whose hands had been stained with plenty of blood!

"Everyone!"

"My name is Ding Yishan. I am a lieutenant general under the Divine Phoenix Army's commander!"

The silver-armored general briefly introduced himself, then shouted, "The northern barbarian tribes are running rampant, showing no respect for Great Zhou's Empress. By the Empress's decree, the Divine Phoenix Army has come to wipe out the Northern Barbarians!"

"This general is responsible for Duan Yun Pass. I have issued a military pledge before the army commander: today, Duan Yun Pass will fall!"

"This is also an excellent opportunity for you death-row prisoners to atone for your crimes through merit and serve the nation. You will lead the assault on the pass later!"

"This general can promise you this: whoever earns the merit of being first to climb the walls, I can help him shed his death-row prisoner status and regain his freedom!"

The moment those words were spoken, the eyes of many death-row prisoners lit up!

After all, as death-row prisoners, who did not want to regain an untainted identity?

Even Ding Hao was tempted.

But in the next instant, his gaze, along with many others', dimmed again!

When death-row prisoners assaulted a city, the survival rate was horrifyingly low. They were nothing more than cannon fodder meant to exhaust the defenders' various defensive supplies!

As for being first to climb the walls, it was one of the Four Great Military Merits. Countless battle-hardened veterans had never achieved it—how could death-row prisoners like them possibly do so!

It looked like hope, but in truth, it was merely sending everyone to their deaths!

Ding Yishan seemed to have expected this. His gaze abruptly turned sharp. "Hmph. Remember this well: though you are death-row prisoners, you are also soldiers of the Divine Phoenix Army. The Divine Phoenix Army's discipline is simple—obedience!"

"If I tell you to charge, then even if a mountain of blades and a sea of fire lie ahead, you must charge. If I tell you to retreat, then even if mountains of gold and silver lie before you, you must retreat. Anyone who disobeys military orders will be executed without mercy!"

Executed without mercy!!

Those four words struck like exploding thunder, turning many faces deathly pale!

"We're screwed!"

Ding Hao wailed inwardly as well. He could not think of any chance to find life in a desperate situation!

Unless... he got a cheat!

But over the past few months, he had already searched himself from top to bottom. He had no cheat at all!

"Guards!"

"Bring up the captured Northern Barbarian prisoners. Today, we'll use their heads to consecrate the banner!"

Following Ding Yishan's order, a group of Northern Barbarian prisoners was immediately escorted over.

These Northern Barbarians were not only rough-featured and covered in tattoos, but also tall, brawny, and powerful, carrying an immense oppressive presence!

Even bound in ropes, they could not conceal that astonishing baleful intent!

As they were brought over, a mere baring of their teeth filled some timid death-row prisoners with fear, making their bodies tremble uncontrollably!

"Haha!"

"A pack of lowly, skinny Great Zhou monkeys actually dreams of destroying our northern barbarian tribes!"

"Do you have what it takes? Don't piss your pants the moment you reach the battlefield!"

At that moment.

The Northern Barbarian leader at the front laughed loudly, the contempt and disdain on his face completely undisguised.

Ding Yishan frowned at the sight. The next moment, he personally drew the War Saber at his waist and walked behind the Northern Barbarian leader!

With a bang.

Ding Yishan kicked the Northern Barbarian leader to his knees with a single blow!

Then he raised his War Saber high and roared, "Watch closely! Northern Barbarians may be tall and brawny, but they are still flesh and blood. One slash, and they die all the same!"

The moment the word "die" fell, Ding Yishan suddenly swung his blade down!

With a wet slash, the Northern Barbarian leader's head instantly flew into the air!

Right after him, the remaining Northern Barbarian prisoners were all beheaded as well.

Blood poured everywhere, the gory scene enough to make one's heart pound in horror!

"Guards, hang their heads from the battle banners. Issue weapons to the Death Row Camp soldiers. In a quarter of an hour, attack—Duan Yun Pass!!"

Ding Yishan sheathed his saber and gave the order. Weapons immediately began to be distributed across the parade ground!

"Bleurgh—"

"They're all dead!"

"Too terrifying!"

That bloody scene had already made many in the Death Row Camp feel sick.

Even Ding Hao's face had gone somewhat pale.

After all, as a modern man, where had he ever seen someone beheaded? Naturally, he could not withstand such a bloody visual shock!

However.

At that very moment, a cold voice suddenly rang out in Ding Hao's mind.

Ding! Host detected. Heavenly Dao Corpse Scavenging System binding successful!

The host may collect attributes, talents, bloodline divine abilities, physiques, treasures, and more dropped by corpses. Dropped items are random!

"Hm?"

"A system!"

"My cheat had finally arrived!!"

Ding Hao's discomfort at witnessing the beheadings was instantly replaced by excitement.

As a man from Earth, how could he not know what a system was? It was a divine tool that could let him show off and soar!

Sure enough, in the next instant, spheres of light that only he could see emerged from the corpses of the dead Northern Barbarian prisoners.

"Collect!"

With a thought from Ding Hao, all the spheres of light were immediately sucked into his body in one go.

Prompt tones immediately rang out one after another beside his ears.

Ding! Congratulations, Host, you collected 10 points of vitality!

Ding! Congratulations, Host, you collected 10 points of vitality!

Ding! Congratulations, Host, you collected 3 points of comprehension!

Ding! Congratulations, Host, you collected the talent—Innate Strength!

...