Chapter 29: Inspection at the Training Grounds

Li Gui blushed and said, "Chief, what are you talking about? It's just that the scouts have brought back news about Mount Qier and Mount Bate."

Lin Shize quickly pulled Li Gui over to the map and said, "Put the matter of Widow Li aside for now. Tell me about the situation with the Mengla forces immediately."

"You have no idea. The thousands of people in Hero Village are a massive money pit. Our previous spoils are only enough to cover everyone’s basic needs."

"Everything that Feng Mu and Lin Feng traded from the Mengla people is stockpiled on those two mountains."

"We’ve already cleared out all the bandits within a radius of several hundred miles. This is the only path left to take. If we pull off this big job, we won’t have to worry about anything for years."

Lin Shize spoke with stirring passion, while Zhao Dahu and Liu Wu began rolling up their sleeves, ready for a major confrontation.

Wang Li, however, listened with cold sweat streaming down his back, his calf muscles cramping in fear.

Lin Shize looked at Wang Li and smiled. "What’s wrong? Scared?"

Wang Li pinched his own thigh, managed a forced smile, and said, "Chief, we’ve been fighting bandits for days, but the Mengla people are a completely different matter."

"Besides, a place as important as Mount Qier must be heavily guarded. I fear the brothers will suffer if we rush in blindly."

"I heard about Mount Qier back when I was at the old camp."

"The Mengla general, Chaoketu, is stationed there. He is a ruthless man; even the assistant generals have suffered crushing defeats at his hands."

"Back then, the border army assembled thirty thousand troops and set a massive trap for him at Tiger Leap Gorge."

"Even with every advantage in time, terrain, and manpower, he led ten thousand Mengla soldiers and fought his way out, killing over eight thousand of our men in the process. Since then, Chaoketu has been known as the First Warrior of the Mengla."

"Everyone knows the Mengla store their grain on Mount Qier, but no one dares to approach. The last person who went there to challenge Chaoketu now has grass growing a man's height over his grave."

"It’s not just Chaoketu; his Mengla subordinates are northern barbarians—strong as oxen and powerful. He also has a hundred heavy infantrymen. Though they aren't cavalry, each one possesses the strength of a thousand."

"Chief, it’s not that the brothers are afraid of death, but the gap in strength cannot be bridged by mere courage alone."

Lin Shize nodded. "I didn't realize you knew so much. Li Gui has already spent this time mapping out the terrain of Mount Qier."

"It seems we need to plan this carefully."

If he had a choice, Lin Shize wouldn't want to bite off such a hard bone. But the group had finally settled down, and no one was willing to leave now. In the chaotic borderlands, finding a place to call home was no easy task.

The Mengla forces on Mount Qier were undoubtedly powerful, but the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

Lin Shize believed his thousand-plus soldiers, fierce as wolves and tigers, could breach any stronghold—including Mount Qier.

***

Wang Li was mistaken to judge the situation solely by combat strength. The fighting spirit unleashed by a thousand men willing to risk their lives for their families was something even they themselves could not have imagined.

Lin Shize went to the blacksmith’s shop and gave the smiths a blueprint for armor-piercing bolts, demanding they focus all their efforts on production.

These artifacts, capable of penetrating heavy armor from within twenty paces—Lin Shize did not believe the Mengla heavy infantry could withstand them.

There were already over two thousand triple-edged arrows. Hero Village now had dozens of blacksmiths and a population of several thousand.

Lin Shize’s current defensive zone included ten beacon towers and over twenty villages, with everything within a hundred-mile radius under his command.

As Lin Shize walked through the village, everyone greeted him warmly, and he responded to each with a smile.

He stopped in front of a wooden house—his home.

When Liu Wu and the others had wanted to build him a grand, three-courtyard residence, he had sternly refused, insisting on the same treatment as everyone else.

The only special treatment Lin Shize received was that firewood and supplies were delivered to his home daily.

His father’s health had improved significantly, his spirit visibly restored. His younger brother, Lin Junhao, ran over happily when he saw him.

Entering the house, he was startled to see Wanqing busy in the kitchen.

Wanqing’s heart trembled when she saw Lin Shize. Her hand shook, and the knife sliced her finger, drawing blood.

Lin Shize hurried over, pulled out the gauze he carried, applied medicinal powder to the wound, and carefully bandaged it.

"Go take a rest. I'll handle it."

Watching Lin Shize busy in the kitchen, Wanqing felt a sense of peace.

In her heart, this figure was so towering. The sound of the kitchen knife on the cutting board was like the beating of intense war drums.

The way he stir-fried the vegetables was as valiant as a great general charging into battle.

Before long, four delicious dishes, a perfect mix of meat and vegetables, were ready.

His father sat in his chair and asked, "Heading out to battle again?"

Every time Lin Shize went to war, he would come home first.

Lin Shize said nothing, merely nodding silently.

Wanqing’s heart tightened, her eyes filled with worry as she watched him.

Lin Shize smiled at her. "It’s nothing. Haven't I always returned safely all this time?"

***

Although Lin Shize said this, Wanqing found the meal tasteless. Lin Shize had originally hoped to stay with them a while longer, but Zhao Dahu’s voice came from outside: "Chief, the assistant general has arrived."

It was Zhang Jiawen’s first time visiting Hero Village. Lin Shize had sent a military report yesterday, inviting him to inspect the troops.

This was a novelty. Zhang Jiawen had brought Sun Zheng, Wu Tian, and other officers along to conduct the review.

Upon arriving at Hero Village, he saw the Hero Monument standing to the side. Even as an assistant general, he dismounted and paid his respects with a solemn military salute.

The others followed suit, dismounting to pay their respects.

When they reached the camp, Zhang Jiawen nodded in satisfaction. The Sky Wolf Battalion’s camp was filled with watchtowers, its walls were sturdy, and it was built against the mountain—easy to defend, hard to attack, and well-concealed. It was an excellent position.

Soldiers patrolled the camp constantly. Lin Shize and his thousand-plus soldiers, fully armed, stood in formation on the training grounds.

Just as Zhang Jiawen was about to urge his horse into the camp, he was blocked by two soldiers at the gate.

Wu Tian shouted angrily, "How dare you! You even block the assistant general?!"

The soldier at the gate replied, "Please state your identification!"

Wu Tian pointed his horsewhip at the soldier, about to speak, when Zhang Jiawen raised a hand to stop him.

He held up his medallion and said, "Assistant General of the Main Camp, Zhang Jiawen."

The soldier responded, "Per military orders, please dismount and enter the camp."

Zhang Jiawen dismounted and walked to the training ground, stopping before Lin Shize. "What is the meaning of this, boy?"

Lin Shize raised his head and saluted. "Lin Shize is a soldier, not a stage performer. I invited you here today to inspect my troops."

Zhang Jiawen was stunned. He saw the seriousness on Lin Shize’s face and the unwavering resolve in the eyes of the soldiers behind him.

Returning the salute, he said, "Good! Begin the inspection!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

On the training ground, the soldiers marched in perfect unison to their chants. Zhang Jiawen nodded again and again in approval.