Chapter 8: The Reward

Before Dongchuan City!

As far as the eye could see, the ground was littered with corpses.

This time, although the Black Mountain Bandits came well-prepared, gathering over two thousand warriors, they still failed to shake the city’s defenses.

At this moment, the bandits had already begun to retreat in disarray.

Hidden in the shadows, the Divine March Cavalry was poised to strike, and a fierce chase ensued...

But these events no longer concerned those atop the city walls.

With the enemy withdrawing, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground.

Especially the new recruits, pale-faced and still trembling from the ordeal.

Among the crowd, Qin Jue’s thoughts were focused on his personal status panel.

[Name] Qin Jue
[Age] 16
[Level] Flesh Stage “Skin Cleansing Gate”
[Attributes] Strength 4 [+], Constitution 2 [+], Agility 2 [+]
[Technique] Iron Bone Skill (Perfected)
[Martial Arts] None
[Skill] Archery (Mastered) [+]
[Victory Points] 5

At the last moment, he had accumulated an additional four victory points.

Qin Jue had no intention to spend them yet; he planned to wait a little longer.

After all, Liu Da had said that once the first stage was perfected, he could claim the second part of the Iron Bone Skill.

He could wait until then to invest in his technique.

...

Back in the camp, many were still discussing the battle.

Since the enemy had barely reached the city walls, the new recruits had suffered no casualties, making this an invaluable experience for them.

Qin Jue sat quietly aside, contemplating how to earn more victory points.

Just then, the tent flap was pulled aside—Wu Mi had arrived.

The company commander’s presence caused everyone to stand at attention immediately.

But Wu Mi waved them off. “It’s been a fierce fight. Digest it well. More battles lie ahead.”

Then he asked, “Who is Qin Jue?”

Hearing his name, Qin Jue was puzzled but stood and approached.

“That’s me!”

Wu Mi scrutinized him briefly, then nodded slightly. “Not bad! Want to join the Vanguard Company?”

An uproar erupted in the tent at these words, surprise written on every face.

The Vanguard Company was the most prestigious unit in the camp!

Qin Jue’s eyes flickered with interest. “Commander Wu, aren’t you in charge of the new recruits?”

“Only temporarily. I’m actually the commander of the Vanguard Company. How about becoming one of my soldiers?” Wu Mi shrugged, his gaze full of expectation.

He had heard from a friend about this promising young man and could hardly let him slip away.

...

Qin Jue considered it and ultimately did not refuse.

He had always wanted to join the Vanguard Company to fight and earn victory points; now that the opportunity had come, he would not miss it.

“Good. Report to my company tomorrow!” Wu Mi said joyfully, patting him on the shoulder before departing.

Shortly after Wu Mi left, the resting new recruits gathered around.

“Brother Qin, you’re about to soar!”
“With your skills, you’ll surely make great achievements in the Vanguard!”
“Exactly! When you secure your position there, we’ll have someone to rely on.”

...

For a moment, flattering words filled the air.

They were not fools—Qin Jue’s favored treatment was obvious.

These new recruits would eventually join one of the four main companies, and among them, the Vanguard and Divine March Companies were the best for warriors.

The Vanguard Company, in particular, offered superior treatment and privileges!

Having a familiar face there would certainly make joining easier.

Even Zhang Qi approached Qin Jue, expressing his desire to follow him.

After all, he owed Qin Jue his life.

But Qin Jue paid little attention to their goodwill; his mind was fixed on victory points.

Now that Zhang Qi had come forward, he immediately proposed a sparring match.

Zhang Qi was taken aback but did not refuse.

However, despite his best effort, he was easily defeated by Qin Jue.

“No victory points?” Qin Jue glanced at his unchanged panel and understood.

It seemed he needed to spar with someone of equal or higher level. That meant he had to go to the Vanguard Company.

...

The next day, the battle was fully over.

Qingfeng Fort had won a resounding victory, capturing over a thousand enemy warriors.

When Qin Jue arrived at the Vanguard Company, he found Wu Mi giving a post-battle briefing to more than a hundred veteran soldiers.

Seeing Qin Jue, Wu Mi beckoned, “Just in time. Come over here!”

The veterans exchanged uncertain glances and whispered among themselves.

As Qin Jue approached, Wu Mi’s expression turned serious. “Enough with the chatter! This new recruit killed at least five warriors. Don’t tell me none of you can match that!”

The veterans’ eyes immediately turned to Qin Jue, filled with curiosity and doubt.

“That kid killed five? That can’t be true.”
“Are you sure there’s no mistake?”

...

Killing five or more warriors on the battlefield was already considered extraordinary bravery.

But Qin Jue looked like a mere youth, so many veterans found it hard to believe.

Seeing their disbelief, Wu Mi snorted coldly. “Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean others can’t. From today on, Qin Jue is one of us.”

With that, he signaled an underling to bring over some prepared items.

Qin Jue recognized the familiar medicinal soup worth a thousand gold coins, a bow, a manual, and some silver!

In front of all the veterans, Wu Mi handed these to Qin Jue. “You performed well in this campaign. This is your reward!”

He already knew that Qin Jue was not only a prodigy in archery but also a rare martial talent.

To break through to the perfected Skin Cleansing Gate directly on the battlefield was astonishing.

Such a promising young man deserved special cultivation.

“Thank you, Commander,” Qin Jue nodded gratefully.

Wu Mi smiled faintly and glanced at the other veterans. “At Qingfeng Fort, if you have the strength, you’ll never worry about rewards!”

Qingfeng Fort treated talents exceptionally well.

Its leader, Gao Yue, was a man who valued fairness and justice, believing that true geniuses should receive more resources, more training, and greater favor.

Under his rule, suppressing talent was forbidden.

Qin Jue felt a stir in his heart, gaining a new understanding of these people.

It was clear they were willing to invest.

Wu Mi added, raising his voice deliberately, “Train hard. Once you reach the Small Success stage of the Muscle Forging Gate, I can offer you a tremendous opportunity!”

He spoke loudly to motivate the others.

The veterans burst into murmurs.

Among them, a young man in his twenties, Chen Zhe, changed expression and gave Qin Jue a new, wary look.

Chen Zhe was one of Wu Mi’s favored officers, already at the Muscle Forging Gate stage and held in high regard.

“Why should he get a public reward?” Chen Zhe felt bitter.

He had killed more in the battle but was only named briefly.

His reward was given privately and was less than Qin Jue’s!

Clearly, Qin Jue was being treated as a genius.

But before this, Chen Zhe had been considered the prodigy!

This rankled him deeply.

What angered him even more was...

He knew what the “tremendous opportunity” Wu Mi mentioned was.

It was the company’s grand competition.

This contest determined who would become the company leader, the captain of the Vanguard Company.

That commander was a natural powerhouse, the strongest force in the army.

His secret techniques were irresistibly attractive to the warriors under him.

Originally, Chen Zhe was the prime candidate.

Only one person from their team could participate, and that person was naturally Chen Zhe.

But now, Qin Jue might replace him.

How could Chen Zhe accept this?

He stared fiercely at Qin Jue, determined to teach him a lesson when the time came.

He wanted Qin Jue to know who truly ruled here!