Martial Trial

This massive wild boar possessed no innate talent, leaving Lin Xuan to wonder how such talents actually manifest.

After much deliberation, he concluded that the most likely explanation was that these were unique, standout traits of an individual, entirely independent of species status or physical strength.

This was the only logical explanation, as wolves possess a far superior sense of smell than humans, yet he had never encountered a scent-related talent in the dead wolves he had dissected or at the dog meat markets.

Lin Xuan carved a few strips of loin and backstrap from the boar, then sold the remaining hide, meat, and bones for a total profit of six taels of silver.

Upon returning home, Lin Xuan took the opportunity to deliver a strip of meat to Zhang Xuan.

He smiled and said to Zhang Xuan, "Zhang Xuan, I brought you some meat. I hunted this pig today; you should cook or stir-fry it while it's still fresh."

"Look at you, starving and skinny as a bamboo pole."

Zhang Xuan had not tasted meat in a long time. Seeing Lin Xuan bring him a strip of pork filled him not only with joy but with a deep, pervasive warmth.

However, he felt quite embarrassed; after all, the man had just given him two taels of silver to bury his mother, and now he was frequently bringing him food. How much more could he let him spend?

"This... Brother Xuan, this isn't right. I haven't even worked for you for a few days, and this meat is too valuable. I cannot accept it."

Lin Xuan shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of a lecture: "What are you talking about? I hunted this myself; it isn't worth much. Besides, if you don't eat well and get your fill, where will you find the strength to work? Take it and eat it, or don't bother farming my land."

"Alright then, thank you, Brother Xuan." Zhang Xuan bowed to Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan immediately added, "You might be wondering why I'm treating you so well?"

He continued, "I am going to serve as an officer at the Garrison in a few days. How can an officer function without his own trusted men?"

"I can't trust the others; these days, even relatives are unreliable. My second grand-uncle is full of malice, and I don't even want to deal with him."

"When I saw you begging everywhere just to buy a coffin for your mother, I knew you were a lad with a conscience and filial piety—someone I could trust."

"So, work hard."

Hearing this, Zhang Xuan felt a surge of joy. So, this was the reason Lin Xuan was being good to him.

It was because he had value as a trusted subordinate, rather than mere charity or pity for his plight.

This greatly eased the sense of inferiority he had been harboring.

"Brother Xuan, from now on, I am at your command."

In truth, the strip of pork was worth at most forty or fifty copper coins—an amount an ordinary laborer could afford in two days—yet it made Zhang Xuan all the more determined to follow Lin Xuan.

Over twenty days later, Lin Xuan's arm strength had increased from four hundred to four hundred and seventy catties. While it didn't seem like a massive jump, it was more than enough to contend for the position of Flag Commander during the Winter Hunt Martial Trial.

The Winter Hunt Martial Trial was held today.

Although the trial did not require soldiers to bring their own bows, arrows, or blades, Lin Xuan brought his Twelve-Strength Bow and his Goose-Quill Saber for safety on the road.

In the past, the Winter Hunt Martial Trial was a hunting competition to see who could bag the most game; the martial sparring was merely secondary, making the whole event feel more like a military exercise.

But things were different now. The hunting competition had been scrapped, leaving only pure martial combat as a means for the Garrison to select talent.

The times had changed. In the past, the Winter Hunt was a military exercise because the nation was at peace. There was no need for many experts, and as long as the military maintained a certain level of combat effectiveness to suppress rebellions and maintain basic stability, it was sufficient.

Now, it had become a tool for talent selection because the nation faced threats. Confronting the Northern Barbarians and the Roaming Bandits required lives to fill the front lines.

The combat prowess of the Northern Barbarians and the Roaming Bandits was fierce; if the military continued to follow the old standards, it would surely fail.

The Winter Hunt Martial Trial began early. Lin Xuan set out before dawn. Upon arriving at the Garrison, he found the place bustling with activity. The Drill Ground, which was usually deserted even on the three days of scheduled training, was now packed with people.

After all, there was little entertainment in these parts, and watching others spar was naturally a fascinating spectacle—not to mention that this was an officer selection, making the combat far more exciting than any private brawl.

As soon as Lin Xuan arrived, he was welcomed by Qin Lie and his son, Qin Sheng.

Beside them stood a young girl dressed in black, movement-friendly attire. She stood quietly, her figure slender and her features handsome. It was not a delicate beauty, but rather an heroic air like that of a beautiful young man, bearing a striking resemblance to Qin Sheng.

Without needing an introduction, Lin Xuan guessed this was likely Qin Sheng's sister.

"Nephew Lin, you've come at the perfect time. The martial trial begins in a quarter of an hour."

Lin Xuan bowed to him.

The girl cast a curious glance at Lin Xuan, her gaze lingering longest on his face.

Lin Xuan was already handsome, and after practicing martial arts, his height and physique had surged, giving him an extraordinary temperament. It was only natural that he would attract the attention of the opposite sex.

Qin Lie introduced him to the girl: "This is Squad Leader Lin Xuan of the Garrison."

"And this is my daughter, Qin Ying..."

"So it is Miss Qin." Lin Xuan bowed to her as well.

Qin Sheng smiled and patted Lin Xuan on the shoulder: "Brother Lin, long time no see. I'm sure with you here, today's martial trial will be quite spectacular."

Lin Xuan replied, "It shouldn't be that interesting. Uncle Qin said my strength has already surpassed many veteran Flag Commanders; since today is for selecting a Flag Commander, that would be quite dull."

"No, no, that's not what I meant. Watching you steamroll your opponents would indeed be boring."

"I meant that your relatives from the Lin Family and the son of Commander Zhang are also participating in the trial. You might just run into them."

Lin Xuan laughed: "Haha, Brother Qin can rest easy."

"Hey, don't be too arrogant. I heard that the Squad Leader from the Zhang family also possesses an innate talent, but they've been hiding his light under a bushel. They only intend to bring him out for today's trial to win glory for the Zhang family and curry favor with the local power brokers."

The emergence of a genius was a blessing for any family, as local power brokers loved to befriend such talents, offering financial support to build a favorable connection.

Lin Xuan nodded: "I understand."

He thought to himself, Just how much of a genius could he be?

"Brother Lin, I heard that the winner of this trial receives two doses of Body-Strengthening Decoction. They are quite useful for martial progress and are worth ten taels of silver—you can't even buy them on the open market. You should try to compete for them," Qin Sheng reminded him.

Lin Xuan nodded: "I'll give it a try. Aside from weightlifting, archery, and live combat, are there any other events in this trial?"