[Name: Lu Yuan] [Age: 16] [Martial Arts: Blade-Breaking Eight Styles (2013/10000, Great Mastery)] [Tiger-Subduing Stance (70/100, Entry)]
One battle had added a whole thousand points to my blade skills. Looks like fighting really is the best way to improve.
Lu Yuan thought to himself. Then he glanced outside, made sure nobody was coming back to cause trouble, and lay down to sleep.
The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, he got up and fixed himself something to eat.
A steamed egg custard and two coarse-rice buns.
It was nothing special, but in times like these, it was already pretty decent.
After eating, he washed the bowls and chopsticks.
Then he heard a commotion outside.
"A-Yuan! A-Yuan!"
As the call rang out, a slightly stooped figure appeared in the room.
"Ah, it's warm in your place. You're really burning through the charcoal, huh?" Old Huang grinned.
In the Northern Frontier, charcoal was a valuable commodity, and it wasn't cheap.
Ordinary families couldn't bring themselves to use it. Burning firewood was already considered a luxury.
"Hey, I've got to look after myself. What happened to your face?"
Lu Yuan put the bowls and chopsticks in the cupboard and turned around. That was when he saw the bloodstains all over Old Huang's face, along with several handprints.
"It's nothing, nothing. I accidentally annoyed a couple of cats in heat yesterday. They scratched me up." Old Huang waved it off, unembarrassed.
Seeing him put it that way, Lu Yuan didn't press him. He simply asked, "Did you come by for something?"
"I did. Someone died last night, right there on Ice Valley Lane. I'm sure you know that already. The people above don't want word getting out, so I won't go into details. They don't want anyone asking about it, either. I'm here today because the North City Defense Bureau wants you to come in.
"I reckon they're appointing a new Squad Leader." Old Huang sounded a little envious.
A Squad Leader wasn't a high-ranking official, but guarding the city gates came with a few perks, and two taels of silver a month was no small amount.
Most importantly, it meant becoming a full-time soldier. He could collect martial arts manuals from the City Defense Bureau.
From then on, his life would be nothing like that of an ordinary garrison soldier.
"Then let's go." Lu Yuan nodded, got up, and walked out of the courtyard. He locked the door behind him, then headed for the City Defense Bureau with Old Huang.
As soon as they stepped outside, they could hear weeping in the street.
White mourning cloth hung outside the courtyards on both sides.
Old Huang tucked his hands into his sleeves and trudged along with a sigh. "I heard dozens of people died last night. A whole squad of City Guards was killed here. Those Northern Barbarians never let up."
The North City Defense Bureau wasn't far from Ice Valley Lane. It was a large compound with four courtyards, gray brick walls, green roof tiles, and a vermilion gate.
Two soldiers stood outside, holding sabers.
Inside, dozens of people were gathered, talking among themselves.
Lu Yuan and Old Huang didn't join them. They stood off to one side.
One was a newcomer, the other an old man nearing the end of his service. Normally, nobody wanted much to do with either of them.
"Old Huang, I left in a hurry and forgot my tobacco leaves. Go back to my place and get them for me." The two had barely stopped when a middle-aged garrison soldier walked over.
"Wei Yong, the Centurion will be coming out any moment to address us. If I'm not here, won't that get me in trouble? I'll get them for you after this is over." Old Huang smiled ingratiatingly.
He was old, with neither son nor daughter, and it was hard to avoid catching some flak in a place like this.
"Hey, Old Huang, the older you get, the less sense you have. Wei's asking you to go, so just go. You probably haven't heard, but Wei entered the Entry Realm a couple of days ago. He's all but guaranteed to become Squad Leader this time. If you know what's good for you, hurry up.
"Don't go looking for trouble."
A young man nearby folded his arms and gave him a sidelong look.
His name was Zhang Gun. He was in the same squad as Lu Yuan and the others, young and strong, and had been around Ice Plain City for quite a while. He was the best at sucking up to people.
Wei Yong stood where he was without saying a word, but his face had already darkened.
Old Huang hesitated. If he went, the Centurion would be out soon to give a speech.
But if he didn't, Zhang Gun was right. Wei Yong might make things difficult for him later.
He'd been through this before. When he was young, he'd done the same thing to others. Now that he was old and getting picked on, he couldn't really complain.
He just didn't know what to do.
Just as he was about to answer, Lu Yuan frowned and said, "Old Huang was talking to me. Get someone else to go."
"You little—"
Zhang Gun didn't get to finish.
Someone came out of the central courtyard, dressed in gleaming leather armor with a plate set into the chest. He was a Squad Leader of the City Guards.
He was a little older than Lu Yuan.
The difference between the City Guards and the garrison soldiers was that the former served full-time while the latter served part-time. The City Guards also held higher status. They didn't answer to the local Centurions, but directly to the City Defense Bureau.
Wei Yong was a full-time City Guard, and he was reasonably skilled himself, so plenty of garrison soldiers were willing to hang around him.
"Which one of you is Lu Yuan? Come with me."
The Squad Leader had barely stepped out before calling out in a loud voice.
Lu Yuan glanced at Zhang Gun without saying anything, answered the call, and headed into the central courtyard. He was led into a room.
Inside was Zhou Xiong, whom he had met the night before.
Zhou Xiong looked up at Lu Yuan and pointed to the chair in front of him. "Sit down."
Lu Yuan didn't stand on ceremony. He sat down.
"Your skills were pretty good yesterday. Have you reached Great Mastery in your blade technique?"
"Yeah."
Lu Yuan nodded.
"Good. We haven't seen many young people like you in a long time. I looked through the records yesterday. The barbarians killed the Squad Leader of your unit.
"You'll take over as the new Squad Leader. Go collect your armor and weapons in a bit, and pick a martial arts manual."
"Thank you, sir." Lu Yuan hadn't expected to become a Squad Leader. He hadn't been here very long, after all.
Zhou Xiong smiled. "Don't thank me. You earned this yourself. Four skilled fighters who had entered the Entry Realm died by your hand. How could I not promote you?
"Remember, as long as you're strong enough, there's never any shortage of opportunities in the Northern Frontier."
As he spoke, he tossed a waist token into Lu Yuan's hands.
Then he pointed at the Squad Leader who had brought Lu Yuan in. "This is my nephew, Zhou He. You two should get to know each other."
Clearly, Zhou Xiong was trying to bring Lu Yuan into his circle.
After all, a Centurion had only ten Squad Leaders under him, and this was the Northern Frontier, where war could break out at any moment.
The relationship between superiors and subordinates was relatively harmonious here.
More importantly, Lu Yuan was strong and worth cultivating.
"Yes, sir."
"Come on, brother. No need to be so formal. I'll take you to get your gear and martial arts manual. Then we'll announce your promotion."
After hearing his uncle's words, Zhou He stopped putting on such a stern face and smiled.
He led Lu Yuan outside.
The equipment storage room was next door. When they opened the door, rows of brand-new armor came into view.
"This armor's good. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. Buy me a drink at noon." Zhou He took out a suit of armor and handed it to Lu Yuan.
Then Lu Yuan felt its weight settle heavily into his hands.
"It's made of rhino hide, with a layer of fine steel over the chest. It's not as good as Black Iron Heavy Armor, but it's still a fine suit. Someone at the same level would have a hard time breaking through it."
Lu Yuan examined the armor in his hands. A coat of black metallic paint covered its surface, and there was a Heart-Protecting Mirror on each side of the chest.
It looked quite imposing.
He had to admit, Great Yong's equipment was excellent.
"Try it on and see if it fits. If it doesn't, we'll find another one." Zhou He didn't hesitate. He immediately started pulling Lu Yuan's clothes off and helping him into the armor.
A moment later, a stalwart young man in armor stood in the equipment storeroom.
Every scale on the rhino-hide armor was studded with copper rivets. A copper-plated belt was wrapped around his waist, and a Heart-Protecting Mirror covered each side of his chest.
Lu Yuan already had a broad frame, and now he looked even more imposing.
"Just wear it from now on. Wearing armor in the city is a mark of status. It'll save you a lot of trouble." Zhou He grinned.
He patted Lu Yuan on the shoulder, looking quite pleased.
Then he led him to a bookshelf. "You've been promoted to Squad Leader and officially joined the City Guards. You'll be able to command ten City Guards, plus ten garrison soldiers on rotation. Pick a martial arts manual.
"This is a rare opportunity. From now on, if you want another manual, you'll have to trade in military merit for it."
Lu Yuan didn't stand on ceremony. He stepped forward and began searching for a martial arts manual that suited him.