Simple Rules

Eel heard there was such a good place and hurriedly said, "Captain, since there's such a good spot, why don't we go now? It's still a long time before the tournament anyway." To him, if they didn't go now, he wasn't sure if there would be a share for him later. They all had missions to complete, and failing them would result in a deduction of Source Points; by then, there was no guarantee they would take him along.

"Indeed, there's nothing to do right now, so if possible, let's go now," Tiger added. He didn't overthink it like Eel; since they were free, it was best to secure whatever Source Points they could get their hands on first.

Although he could guess their general thoughts, Lin Maoxian shook his head and said, "If things were that easy, the benefits wouldn't fall to you. To be honest, there's at least an army led by a Centurion stationed there. With our current strength, we have no way of getting anything out of that place."

Hearing this, Shasha asked in confusion, "Captain, if that's the case, how are we supposed to get the benefits later?"

"There will definitely be more than just us failing the mission. We'll call more people over. With Source Points being deducted upon failure, many will be willing to take the risk. As for why we aren't going now? Why would I give away such a profitable opportunity for nothing? If this mission succeeds, I won't be revealing that location without a payout." Lin Maoxian explained to them, though his inner thoughts were different from his words—if he truly had no other choice, he was prepared to gather some adventurers to use as cannon fodder. However, he couldn't say that to them directly.

Tiger nodded in deep agreement, "The Captain is right. No one would reveal a place with potential benefits for no reason. It's already generous enough that the Captain is willing to take us there after the mission fails."

Though somewhat reluctant, Eel nodded in agreement with Tiger.

Seeing that they didn't press the topic further, Lin Maoxian decided to change the subject, "Let's leave it at that. Shasha, go to the Centurion and accept the mission now. It's better to get these things settled early to avoid any unexpected mishaps."

Shasha acknowledged him, turned around, and left the tent, heading toward the Centurion's quarters.

Not long after, Shasha returned with a smile on her face.

Seeing her expression, Lin Maoxian asked with a laugh, "Shasha, you've accepted the mission, I take it? You look quite pleased."

Shasha sat down lightly and said happily, "Captain, I've definitely accepted it, but that's not why I'm happy. The Centurion said that most of the people have arrived and they're only missing a few. He told those of us participating to prepare well, as the tournament could start at any moment."

"Is that so? That's truly good news. At least we don't have to sit here waiting until sunset." Lin Maoxian was pleased to hear this; after all, no one liked sitting around for half a day. If the tournament started sooner, it was certainly a good thing.

After a moment of thought, Lin Maoxian called out toward the tent entrance, "Kid, you can come in now."

Zhang Si, who had been waiting nearby, ran over immediately upon hearing the call. Seeing the others inside, he said timidly, "M-My Lord, do you have any orders?"

Looking at the boy, Lin Maoxian didn't even have the heart to lecture him. He simply commanded, "Kid, I've already told them that they'll try their best to look after you on the battlefield. However, when we're talking, treat certain things as if you never heard them. Don't go asking questions about everything. Do you understand?"

"Yes, My Lord." Zhang Si was overjoyed to hear that the others would look after him. As for what they were discussing, although he was curious, he understood that some things were better left unknown—the more you knew, the faster you might die.

Seeing that the boy understood, Lin Maoxian said, "Since you understand, sit next to me and get some rest. I don't know when the war will start, and I don't want you getting shot by stray arrows just because you're exhausted."

After speaking to Zhang Si, Lin Maoxian turned to Tiger and the others, "Since the tournament is starting soon, the Yellow Turban siege won't be far behind. Everyone, take this chance to rest well; you won't get another opportunity like this later."

Lin Maoxian finished and, ignoring their reactions, closed his eyes to rest.

Seeing this, the others followed suit and closed their eyes as well.

After the person before him left, Lin Wu called out toward the tent entrance, "Someone, come in!"

A guard entered, bowed, and asked, "My Lord, what are your orders?"

"Go to the tents and summon everyone to the drill ground. Tell them that the personnel have arrived and everyone who wants to participate in the Squad Leader tournament should assemble." Lin Wu ordered. Seeing the guard leave to carry out the command, he donned his armor, took up his broadsword, and headed toward the drill ground.

Arriving at the pre-prepared high platform, Lin Wu looked at the new recruits who had recently joined the army. After waiting a while and seeing that most had arrived, he announced loudly, "My name is Lin Wu, and from now on, I am your Centurion. Due to special circumstances, this century has yet to select its Squad Leaders, so we will be choosing ten of you to serve as temporary Squad Leaders. Although this position is temporary, you will be able to draw equipment from the army. If you earn enough military merit, you can become permanent Squad Leaders and receive generous rewards."

Lin Wu paused, seeing that everyone below was listening intently, and continued, "This selection is being held in a hurry, so there won't be many rules. Everyone who wishes to participate, step into the center of the drill ground. In combat, fists and feet have no eyes, and injuries are inevitable. Therefore, no one will be held accountable for any injuries or deaths during the tournament. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" came a scattered response from below the platform.

Though not entirely satisfied with the response, Lin Wu said, "Since you understand, I won't say more. All participants, gather in the center of the drill ground to see how many there are. The tournament process is simple: just find an opponent. The loser leaves the field, and the winner continues to fight until only ten remain." With that, Lin Wu found a seat, prepared to watch the upcoming matches, hoping to discover a few strong individuals to ease the pressure of the coming battle.

Watching Lin Wu sit down after speaking, Eel said to the man beside him, "Captain, these rules are too simple. You just keep fighting? I thought it would be a one-on-one elimination tournament. I didn't expect the rules to be this straightforward."

Lin Maoxian, standing beside him, shook his head speechlessly, "Did you think this was some kind of tournament to select geniuses? This is just choosing a few temporary Squad Leaders. Why would it be so complicated? Besides, we don't know when the war will start, so simpler is better. How could it be as complex as you described?"

He then turned to Tiger, "Tiger, I'm going to fight. Are you going to participate in the selection?"

Tiger thought for a moment, then shook his head, "No, Captain. I'll stick with you. Your strength is so high that even if I became a Squad Leader, it might not be worth it. I'd rather just follow you."

Though he didn't know if Tiger had other thoughts, Lin Maoxian smiled and said, "Rest assured, you won't lose out by following me. Alright, it's about time, I'm heading out." Without waiting for a reply, he walked toward the center of the drill ground.

Watching Lin Maoxian's retreating figure, Shasha asked the two beside her, "Do you think the Captain will become a Squad Leader?"

Hearing Shasha's question, Eel replied immediately, "The Captain will definitely become a Squad Leader. You've seen his strength. I don't believe every adventurer participating has the Captain's level of skill."

"Indeed, Eel is right. Look at Wumu earlier; he lost at least half his health. That was just a normal strike. If it had hit a vital point, Wumu would have died on the spot. In my opinion, the Captain's strength is among the very top in the entire space." Tiger watched the figure ahead and agreed with Eel.

Hearing this, Shasha sighed, "Yes, the Captain's strength is truly overwhelming. But tell me, we all went through the same world mission, so why did the Captain, Celestial, Phantom, and Beast King get so many more Source Points? My rewards from the last world, aside from that skill, didn't even enhance my attributes much."

Eel felt the same, "Exactly. Aside from that skill, I have nothing to show for it. The Captain can easily kill targets at the Squad Leader level, while if I ran into one, I'd only be able to run."

Tiger heard their complaints, and though he felt the same, he retorted sharply, "What are you two complaining about? Especially you, Eel—you didn't even dare to accept the mission, so what is there to say? The Captain gets so many Source Points because he completed many missions and paid a heavy price. Instead of sighing here, you'd be better off thinking about how to complete your missions."

Tiger stopped talking to them and looked toward the field, wanting to see just how large the gap was between himself and an adventurer of the Captain's caliber.