August 9th, 889 of the Black Iron Calendar...
His biological clock still woke Zhang Tie from his deep sleep a little after six. Opening his eyes, Zhang Tie felt his body and mind surge with energy almost instantly, like the rising sun. It felt wonderful.
This was Zhang Tie's third day reporting to the Iron-Blood Battalion.
While putting on his pants, Zhang Tie was somewhat surprised to find that his penis, which hadn't been erect for almost six days, had become erect again that morning. At first, Zhang Tie Zhang Tie didn't think much of it, but as soon as he put his pants on, it suddenly dawned on him—why didn't it hurt anymore? Had his wound healed?
Zhang Tie pulled off the guy's underwear and unwrapped the two bandages on his body. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was indeed healed; a thin scar had fallen off, and the tender flesh looked brand new!
"Hahahaha..." Zhang Tie laughed loudly, stripped off all his clothes, rushed into the bathroom, turned on the hot water, and took a refreshing shower. After the shower, looking at his newly transformed manhood, Zhang Tie didn't find it as glaring as it had been a few days ago.
In just the last two days, Zhang Tie has earned a new nickname in the Iron-Blood Battalion: the Mummy!
Many guys in the Iron-Blood Battalion have nicknames, but Zhang Tie's nickname is definitely the most famous. Anyone who knows how he got it will burst out laughing...
Zhang Tie didn't care. He didn't think there was anything shameful about it. They were all grown men, so what was there to be afraid of? Let them shout all they wanted; it wouldn't cost him a single hair.
And the advantage of having a catchy nickname was that within just a few days, everyone in the Iron-Blood Battalion Iron-Blood Battalion that a new guy had joined—Lieutenant Mummy! Of course, many people also called him "pretty boy" behind his back. Zhang Tie didn't care. Just like Jerome said, he could only interpret those guys' nicknames as jealousy of his handsome appearance and outstanding temperament—absolutely jealousy, Guoguo jealousy. Those guys were just jealous that he looked better in his uniform than them.
Ha ha ha ha...
There's another matter to attend to today: the day of his duel with Sode. Zhang Tie knows the time has finally come to establish his authority; he's been too low-key these past few days. It's time to let his bastard underlings know his true strength.
Zhang Tie's biggest gain in the past two days at the Iron-Blood Battalion was learning to drive a car. Being able to drive around the camp at high speeds made his last two days of recuperation less boring.
Zhang Tie thinks driving is a really fun thing! Just like running, he likes anything that gives him that feeling of freedom, like the wind.
Zhang Tie originally intended to wear a simple vest and trousers, but considering the duel to come, Zhang Tie decided to simply put on the training combat uniform of a Norman Empire lieutenant.
Compared to regular and dress uniforms, the Norman Empire's combat training uniforms were more form-fitting, tighter, and more elastic. The outer layer was primarily made of leather and a type of fabric called High-Strength Ring-Spun Stone-Washed Fabric cloth, giving them a very luxurious feel. They also offered some protection; it was said that a layer of fine metallic fabric was hidden within the lining near the heart and abdomen, effectively protecting against arrow wounds. The Norman Empire's high standards of service were once again evident in this combat training uniform.
Wearing the combat training suit before the armor would feel more fitting, but even without the armor, just wearing the combat training suit would be just as good.
There's no need to wear armor to deal with a mere Sode.
After putting on his combat training uniform, a pair of high-top leather combat boots, and combat gloves, Zhang Tie looked at himself in the mirror. The red and black colors of the entire combat training uniform were very harmonious, making him look even more heroic.
" Zhang Tie, you're so handsome!" Zhang Tie praised himself to himself in front of the mirror, then smiled, picked up the terrifying, massive 358-kilogram battle sword from the weapon rack in the room, casually slung it over his shoulder, and left the dormitory.
Just as Zhang Tie left, the Iron-Blood Battalion's morning bugle call sounded!
Whether it was due to resting and recuperating these past few days or because his strength had increased again after eating those two Guoguo, only a week later, Zhang Tie felt that the heavy sword he was carrying on his shoulder was a little lighter than before, making it easier to lift.
As Zhang Tie went downstairs, he encountered another lieutenant officer from the Iron-Blood Battalion who had just gotten up. When the lieutenant officer saw the heavy sword, which was more than two meters long, that Zhang Tie was carrying on his shoulder, his mouth gaped open so wide that an egg could fit inside.
"Good morning, Lieutenant Goethe!" This was a lieutenant officer from the Second Company of the Iron-Blood Battalion, who lived on the third floor. Zhang Tie greeted him warmly.
"That thing on your shoulder... it's not painted wood, is it?" Lieutenant Goethe looked at Zhang Tie in disbelief. When Zhang Tie greeted him, Zhang Tie even supported the thing on his shoulder with just one hand, as if it were very easy. Zhang Tie's ease and his not-so-tall stature contrasted sharply with the huge thing on his shoulder, to the point that Lieutenant Goethe began to have doubts.
Zhang Tie simply smiled. Lieutenant Goethe walked over and flicked the blade of the greatsword with a finger. The heavy sword remained silent, and Lieutenant Goethe's expression immediately changed. He swallowed hard and looked at Zhang Tie in surprise, "How heavy is this?"
358 kilograms!
"Is this your main weapon?"
"Yes, when Staff Officer Hans took me to the armory in the logistics department to choose a weapon, I thought this greatsword was just right, so I chose it!" Zhang Tie said innocently. What kind of monster is this guy? Lieutenant Goethe looked at the huge serrations on the other side of Zhang Tie's massive sword and felt a chill run down his spine. Good heavens, why didn't you just strike me with lightning? I want this Acquired Electrocution Syndrome too!
Zhang Tie and Goethe went downstairs together. Lieutenant Goethe seemed somewhat absent-minded. After going downstairs, the two separated, Zhang Tie went straight to the assembly point for the third platoon's morning exercises. Zhang Tie forcefully thrust the blade of his greatsword diagonally into the ground, the entire blade sinking two feet into the earth. Zhang Tie released his grip, leaving the greatsword stuck in the ground, and then crossed his arms, waiting for the guys from the third platoon to come out.
Five minutes after the morning bugle sounded, the 55 burly men of the 3rd Platoon, 5th Company of the Iron-Blood Battalion quickly appeared at the assembly point. Everyone naturally saw Zhang Tie, who was wearing his combat training uniform, and the terrifying sword in front of Zhang Tie. Not only them, but half the people on the training ground saw it.
As the platoon leader, his job was to lead these guys through two hours of basic training every morning. The platoon leader could also specify the training content.
"This morning we had strength training. See this sword? If you want to prove you're men, then pull this sword out of the ground one by one. Then stick it back in, just like you do with women. If you can't even do something as simple as pulling it out and sticking it back in, then from today onwards, don't call yourselves men in front of me..." Zhang Tie smiled, but his mouth hissed like a venomous snake, stimulating the pitiful male pride of those guys.
Like Lieutenant Goethe, these guys looked at the sword, and some even suspected it was a prank by Lieutenant Mummy—a wooden contraption painted with metallic paint to fool people.
Many people were exchanging glances.
"Who wants to try first and prove whether they're a man or not?"
"I'll go!" Beckham, who was nearly two meters tall, stepped out of the line and came to Zhang Tie. He stretched out both hands and grasped the hilt of the sword. The moment he touched the hilt, Beckham's expression changed. Because the feel of the sword told him that it was not made of wood at all.
"Ah..." Beckham roared like a wild beast, assuming a horse stance, his muscles and veins bulging, his face flushed red. Trying to pull the giant sword from the ground—a 358-kilogram sword embedded in the earth—would require far more than 358 kilograms of force. It's not difficult for someone to deliver a 358-kilogram punch, but to lift something weighing 358 kilograms is incredibly difficult.
Finally, even as sweat began to bead on Beckham's forehead, he had only managed to pull the giant sword less than ten centimeters out of the ground.
After roaring like a wild beast for three whole minutes, Beckham's legs finally gave way, and as if all his strength had been drained, he collapsed to the ground. After swaying to his feet, he was filled with shame.
"Next!"
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Don't you even have the courage to prove yourselves?" Zhang Tie said sarcastically.
"Then how can you prove that you took the sword and stabbed it in there yourself? And how can you prove to us that you are a man?" a troublemaker in the platoon retorted in a strange voice.
"It's simple!" Zhang Tie smiled, secretly gathering his inner energy. Then, using only one hand, he pulled the greatsword from the ground. After pulling it completely out, he planted it back into the ground in front of everyone, again two feet deep. Then Zhang Tie pulled it out again and planted it in the ground once more. After doing this twice, everyone fell silent, even the troublemakers shut their mouths...
Zhang Tie placed his hands behind his back, displaying the demeanor of a master. Behind his back, unseen by others, the muscles and veins in the hand that had just drawn his Zhang Tie were trembling, but held firmly by his other hand, the surface remained calm, and no one could detect anything amiss. For Zhang Tie now, drawing a sword with one hand, while barely manageable, was the limit of his strength. After just a couple of casual swings, the muscles in his right hand trembled like plucked strings, protesting against his Zhang Tie.
"If I could kill a bunch of Giant Wolf and eat a few Giant Wolf Seven-Power Fruit, things would be much easier, "Zhang Tie thought to himself.
After Zhang Tie demonstrated twice, everyone started lining up to try and see if they could pull the sword out of the ground and stick it back in, all wanting to experience just how strong Zhang Tie was.
After more than 50 people tried it together, everyone looked at Zhang Tie with more respect. His strength was undeniable, and there was really nothing more to say.
Later, not only the soldiers of the third platoon, but also other soldiers and officers from the Iron-Blood Battalion came to line up and join in the fun, wanting to see if they were "real men"...
In the end, the soldiers of the Iron-Blood Battalion devised their own ranking system: those who couldn't pull their swords out even an inch were women; those who could pull them out a bit were half women; those who could pull them out completely but couldn't insert them back in were half men; those who could barely pull them out and insert them back in but couldn't make the sword stand firmly on the ground were impotent men; only those who could pull out their swords, insert them firmly, and make the sword stand upright were true men.
What makes a real man is the ability to pull out and penetrate!
All morning, the soldiers and officers of the Iron-Blood Battalion were spurred on by Zhang Tie's Sword Thrust, howling and shouting in the training field. One after another, strong men and burly men competed, sweating profusely, all for the sake of earning the title of a real man. Those who had previously called Zhang Tie a pretty boy suddenly realized that they were not even as good as a pretty boy, and were even more ashamed.
Finally, just before lunchtime, even Commander Reinhardt was alerted and came over to join the fun.
Amidst the adoring gazes of a crowd, Battalion Commander Reinhardt easily pulled the greatsword from the ground with one hand. After casually swinging it a few times, Reinhardt slashed it into the ground. An invisible force poured out of the sword like lightning, directly carving a trench one foot deep and ten meters long into the training ground.
Everyone was stunned by this thunderous attack, including Zhang Tie.
"Hahaha, this sword is so fun to use! I'll get one for myself sometime..." Reinhardt laughed heartily. "Let all the bastards try it! Anyone who's voted a woman today is forbidden from eating; they'll go hungry for a whole day. From now on, this kind of competition will be held once a week. Anyone voted a woman that day is forbidden from eating, those who are half-women are only allowed one meal, and those who improve get an extra meal. The one who becomes a real man, I'll give him a box of cigars..."
As Battalion Commander Reinhardt spoke, he pulled a box of cigars from his pocket and tossed it to Zhang Tie, making a bunch of guys drool with envy.
Having achieved his goal of establishing authority, Zhang Tie scratched his head. "Battalion Commander, I need to use this sword this afternoon. I might not be able to let everyone try it out. There are so many people in the camp; if everyone tries it out, it might have to wait until tonight when everyone has had a turn!"
What are you going to do with the sword this afternoon?
"Someone challenged me to a duel, and I had no choice but to go!" Zhang Tie honestly confessed.
When Zhang Tie said this, he realized that the surroundings had suddenly fallen silent, and then everyone, including Reinhardt, became angry.
"What?! Some bastard actually dares to challenge our Iron-Blood Battalion officers to a duel?" Reinhardt's furious voice, like a lion whose majesty has been provoked by an insect, shook the entire Iron-Blood Battalion.
"Kill him! Let's go kill him together..."
"Let the brothers of the Armored Battalion get the tanks warmed up..."
"Grab your weapons!"
The people around him started to cheer, especially Zhang Tie's subordinates in the third platoon who had just begun to look at him with new respect. They jumped higher and were even more excited than Zhang Tie.
Why are these guys so excited? It's just a duel, there's no need to make such a fuss. Zhang Tie was a little confused...