Lu Yuan was wreaking havoc across the Wasteland. Once the dozens of cavalrymen had formed their ranks, they looked from above like a massive crane charging across the plain. Its beak was peerlessly sharp, and wherever it passed, the enemy ranks were swept away like dead branches before a gale.
Its wings were like heavenly blades, reaping the Northern Barbarian warriors scattered on either side.
The battle did not last long. In just half an hour, they had completely wiped out every enemy. Scattered corpses and severed limbs littered the ground, and blood soaked the dead grass.
Riderless warhorses pawed at the earth, blankly nibbling at the tender leaves turned up from the soil.
"Clean up the battlefield."
At Lu Yuan's command,
everyone dismounted and began gathering the supplies.
Although their side had suffered losses—three dead and more than ten wounded—excitement still shone in everyone's eyes.
After all, how could there be no deaths in battle? They were all men of the frontier, long accustomed to such things. And these losses already amounted to a great victory.
Besides, triple military merit and reward silver would be enough to live comfortably for quite some time after they returned.
And that was without counting the Northern Barbarians' equipment, which could all be sold.
Lu Yuan's haul was still the biggest. That went without saying; just Manyan Hun's head was worth thirty merit points. He was a Tendon-Refining expert and a Centurion, which earned ten merit points on its own, and then there was the triple merit.
It was worth a great deal.
As for the other spoils, his subordinates brought them over one by one.
Old Huang crouched on the ground, tallying them.
After a moment, he grinned and said, "My lord, you took twenty-three heads, ten suits of fine bronze armor, thirteen leather armors, twenty-three warhorses, and thirty-five assorted weapons.
"We also found four hundred and thirty taels of silver on them."
That was quite a haul.
Ten of the twenty-three men had been in the Entry Realm, worth nine merit points apiece. That alone came to over two hundred.
Needless to say, there was also the silver.
Lu Yuan nodded, picked out a head, and tossed it to Old Huang. Then he took more than thirty taels from the silver.
"Take these. When you get back, turn them in yourself."
Old Huang did not refuse. He had been the guide, and Lu Yuan had promised him his payment beforehand, though this was considerably more.
"Thank you, my lord."
"You earned it. We're on the same side, so don't stand on ceremony."
Lu Yuan waved a hand.
Just then, Zhou He walked over. He had clearly made a good haul as well. Looking at Lu Yuan, he said, "Fighting alongside you really is satisfying. What do we do next?"
"What else? We've got all this stuff, so we'll head back first. The mission's done anyway," Lu Yuan replied.
Lu Yuan had obtained plenty of supplies this time. More importantly, once he returned, he could have Zhou Hongling make good on her promise.
He would go to the Armory and choose a heavenly treasure to help him break through first.
By then, he would truly be a Centurion.
He would be no worse than Zhang Zhe.
Zhou He nodded. "Right. With these spoils, we can exchange them for cultivation resources and improve our strength when we get back. Then we can head out again."
Then he turned and ordered his men to start a fire and cook.
A short while later, smoke rose into the air. After everyone gathered around and shared a fairly hearty meal,
they began sorting the supplies and making their way back.
They were not very far from Ice Plain City.
Besides, their group was sizable, and ordinary Northern Barbarian scouts would steer clear of them.
So, early on the third day, they entered the city without a hitch.
As they passed along the road, the heads packed in their sacks had long since stopped dripping blood, but the crimson bags and the herd of warhorses following behind said it all.
When they arrived outside the Merit Pavilion, they naturally caused another commotion.
Quite a few people gathered around,
watching the quartermaster count Lu Yuan and his men's spoils.
"Lord Lu, we've confirmed that you wiped out an elite cavalry unit of the Manyan Tribe. Your triple merit comes to one hundred and fifty-three points. Including the reward silver and these spoils, the total comes to one thousand five hundred and sixty taels of silver."
After speaking, he counted out a stack of banknotes and handed them to Lu Yuan.
The sight made many people's eyes burn with envy.
Many families who had been stationed in the Northern Frontier for generations couldn't save this much in a lifetime, yet Lu Yuan had earned it in just a few days.
"A tough man never goes hungry, wherever he is. People say the Northern Frontier is bitter and cold, but look at Lu Yuan. How long has it been? He's already saved enough to last other people several lifetimes."
"Ha! Of course. Our Ice Plain Fortress has produced a Lu Yuan. Who knows how many people outside are green with envy?"
The crowd's chatter rose without end.
The Northern Frontier was different from other places. Though Lu Yuan had reaped a great deal, no one begrudged him. He had fought for it with every swing of his blade, and having a formidable man in their own fortress meant the rest of them could hold their heads high when they went out. Most importantly, he might save their lives someday.
After all, protecting the fortress was everyone's responsibility. If the Northern Barbarians ever came pouring in, the more experts they had, the better.
Just then, Zhou Hongling, who had returned to the Captain's Mansion the day before, also received word that Lu Yuan was back.
Sitting at her desk, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
Just moments ago, she had received news that an elite force sent out by Yellow Sand City had encountered the Iron Sparrowhawks. They had been routed almost as soon as they made contact, and only the Centurion at their head and a handful of men had escaped.
She had been about to press for news of Lu Yuan again when, to her surprise, he had returned.
After pondering for a moment, she looked up and told the guard outside, "Go to the Merit Pavilion and have Lu Yuan come see me."
Since he was back and had completed the previous mission,
she naturally had to make good on her promise.
"Yes, my lord."
The guard answered and withdrew.
Before long, Lu Yuan entered the hall in full armor, a rich smell of blood still clinging to him.
But Zhou Hongling was not put off. Instead, a smile spread across her face as she said with satisfaction, "I didn't expect you to complete this mission so smoothly. I had actually sent people out to find you and hurry you back."
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "My lord, did something happen?"
Only then did Zhou Hongling turn serious. "Something has happened. A full unit of Iron Sparrowhawks has appeared nearby. The elite force sent out by Yellow Sand Fortress has already been routed. Yun Mo of Huqiu Fortress has also been urgently recalled to rebuild a force and send it out.
"Since you're back, take two days to rest. Then go to the Armory and choose a cultivation resource. I promised you that."
"My lord, I request permission to head out again and kill the Iron Sparrowhawks," Lu Yuan said firmly.
He already had quite a bit of military merit—over five hundred points. If he killed this Iron Sparrowhawk unit, he would likely be well on his way to earning the merit required to become a Chiliarch.
"You're still in the Bone Forging Realm. There's no need to prove yourself in such a hurry. A full unit of Iron Sparrowhawks is not like the last one, so we can't take reckless risks," Zhou Hongling said.
Lu Yuan was a talent she intended to cultivate. Unless absolutely necessary, she naturally did not want to send him on overly dangerous missions.
If he failed to return, it would break her heart.
So she planned to send someone else to test the waters first.
Even if this mission failed, she thought, Lu Yuan mattered more.
Hearing Zhou Hongling say this, Lu Yuan still wanted to insist, but he did not speak up right away. She was right; there was no need to rush. He could ask to go once he had broken through to Tendon-Refining. It would not be too late then.
So he said at once, "Thank you for your kindness, my lord."
"You're one of my people, so of course I'll look out for you. You'll have plenty of chances to earn merit. The situation outside the city is still unclear, so wait and see for now. Go choose your cultivation resource. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me."
Zhou Hongling spoke kindly.
"Yes, my lord." Lu Yuan answered and withdrew.
He was looking forward to choosing supplies from the Armory.
After all, it would determine whether he could break through to Tendon-Refining.