Militia Recruitment

Butcher Zhang kicked the corpse on the ground to make sure it was thoroughly dead, then finally let out a long breath.

He glanced back at Chen Jing, his gaze carrying a little more approval.

"Good lad. You've got a ruthless hand."

Chen Jing pulled out the Butcher Knife and wiped the blood from its blade on the corpse. His eyes were somewhat unfocused, and his hands were still trembling.

After all, it was his first time killing someone. The feeling was similar to slaughtering pigs, but the hurdle in his heart was one Chen Jing had to cross himself.

He glanced at the panel—

[Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique (Minor Accomplishment: 113/500)]

Killing one person had raised his proficiency by ten points.

Damn it, killing people was worth more than killing pigs!

Butcher Zhang crouched and searched the two corpses, finding several bits of broken silver and two short knives. He casually tossed one of the knives to Chen Jing.

"Take it. Keep it for protection."

He rose to his feet.

"Hurry and sound the gong. There might still be bandits in town."

Chen Jing nodded and immediately went to the shop in the front courtyard, grabbed the bronze gong, and began banging it loudly.

The gong's clang exploded through the silent night, sharp and piercing.

In an instant, it tore apart the stillness of the entire street.

Oil lamps lit up one window after another among the neighboring houses. Some people shouted, "What happened?" while others yelled, "Have the bandits come?!"

House after house grabbed whatever weapons they had and bolted their doors and windows. Dogs barked, children cried, and chaotic footsteps churned together into a tangled mess.

After finishing with the gong, Chen Jing quickly retreated to the main house.

Butcher Zhang had already dragged the two corpses to brace against the door. Gripping the Bone-Carving Knife, he crouched in the shadows behind it.

His eyes gleamed eerily in the darkness.

Chen Jing also tightened his grip on the Butcher Knife, crouching against the door on the other side as he held his breath and focused.

Neither of them spoke.

They only pricked up their ears, listening for movement outside.

The courtyard was deathly quiet, save for the mournful howl of the north wind sweeping across the ground. Beyond the walls, however, the clamor rose and fell without end.

Someone shouted, "The gong came from Green Bamboo Alley!" Someone else cursed, "Damn those bandits!" Chaotic footsteps raced back and forth through the alley.

About half an hour passed.

Only then did those sounds gradually subside, replaced by a set of orderly, powerful footsteps approaching from afar.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The courtyard gate shook beneath the pounding.

Then Instructor Wang's rough, booming voice erupted. "Old Zhang! It's me! Open the door!"

Butcher Zhang and Chen Jing exchanged a look, neither moving in haste.

Butcher Zhang lowered his voice and called outside.

"Old Wang, are you alone?"

"I brought a squad! Don't worry, we've taken down all the bandits!" Instructor Wang's voice carried a frantic urgency.

Only then did Butcher Zhang nod at Chen Jing.

The two rose and crept along the wall toward the courtyard gate.

Chen Jing pulled back the bolt and pushed the gate open a narrow crack.

Cold wind immediately rushed in, along with the flickering orange-red glow of torches.

The man standing outside was indeed Wang Chong.

The Militia Instructor was fully armed tonight, clad in an old leather cuirass and holding an iron spear.

Behind him followed seven or eight young, strong militiamen. Each held a wooden staff or short knife and raised a torch, illuminating the alley as bright as day.

"Everyone all right?" Wang Chong demanded the moment he entered.

"We're fine." Butcher Zhang pulled the gate open. "Come in and talk."

With a sweep of his large hand, Wang Chong led his men inside in single file.

Two young men holding torches entered first. When their firelight fell into the courtyard, the two corpses inside had nowhere to hide.

Wang Chong had the corpses carried outside.

He crouched to inspect their clothing and weapons, then pried open the dead men's hands to examine the calluses on their palms. His face darkened.

"They're bandits."

He turned to Butcher Zhang, his gaze grave but also tinged with relief.

"Good thing you sounded the gong in time to warn everyone."

"The moment we heard it, we spread our men out and stopped one in an alley on the eastern side of town."

"That brat had just crept beneath a household's wall when we caught him red-handed."

"Did you interrogate him?" Butcher Zhang asked.

"We did." Wang Chong's expression grew even uglier.

"He was spineless. It took barely any effort before he spilled everything."

"They were scouts sent by the bandits to scope the place out. Four in total, sneaking in by two routes."

"This time, they were checking how many young, able-bodied men were in town, whether soldiers were stationed here, and which households had meat, money, and grain."

"So there's still one you didn't catch?"

Butcher Zhang's brows knotted into a lump.

"The last one scaled a wall and escaped in the confusion. I had people chase him out of town, but it was too dark and the wind was too strong. We didn't dare enter the woods."

He paused and lowered his voice.

"That brat also said their group came from the northern pass. The Western Rong had raised troops, and bandits were causing havoc."

"More than a hundred desperate outlaws had gathered on Ox Head Mountain, and their numbers were still growing."

"They sent these men first to learn the lay of the land and pick out their targets. Once they had finished scouting, the main force would come."

More than a hundred people.

The number struck Chen Jing's heart like a stone.

He could not help tightening his grip on the Butcher Knife.

Butcher Zhang's expression changed as well.

"Old Wang, we can't keep this from the neighbors. We need to let everyone prepare early."

Instructor Wang nodded. "I know, but not now. It would be too easy to cause panic."

"Tonight has already been chaotic enough. If the townsfolk learn a large bandit force is coming, the whole town will boil over on the spot."

"The timid ones will flee overnight. In the dead of winter, leaving town means walking straight into death. The bold troublemakers might start causing chaos themselves. Before the bandits even arrive, we'd collapse from within."

His tone softened. "I've already sent someone galloping to the county seat to report the situation to the county office."

"As long as the county is willing to send men, even fifty or sixty soldiers, together with the able-bodied men of our town, holding Shuang'an Town won't be a problem."

Butcher Zhang fell silent for a while, then nodded. For now, this was the only way.

Instructor Wang turned his gaze toward Chen Jing.

Torchlight fell across the youth's lean frame.

He noticed that the thick Butcher Knife in Chen Jing's hand was still stained with blood that had not been fully wiped away.

Though the youth's face was somewhat pale, his eyes were steady, and he had shown not the slightest panic from beginning to end.

A trace of appreciation appeared in Wang Chong's eyes.

He had seen plenty of young men after their first sight of blood. Some went weak in the knees, some vomited, and some burst into loud sobs.

But this lad before him, aside from looking a little pale, stood firm and steady, with a tight grip on his blade.

He suddenly asked, "Your name is Chen Jing, right? How old are you?"

"Eighteen," Chen Jing answered.

"Have you ever killed anyone? Before tonight."

"No."

"First time killing a man, and you didn't piss your pants. You're good material."

Wang Chong gave the praise bluntly, then turned to Butcher Zhang.

"Old Zhang, I want to discuss something with you."

Butcher Zhang narrowed his eyes warily. "What do you want to discuss?"

"Let Little Chen come train with me at the drill ground."

Wang Chong was straightforward. "Your apprentice may be on the lean side, but his frame is solid. He's made for martial training."

"He dared to stab a bandit tonight. Not everyone has that kind of nerve. Let him join the militia and train under me. In a few days, he'll be worth a soldier."