Chapter 165: Zhao Er (2)
Chapter 165: Zhao Er (2)
September 25, 2017
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If Lu Hai Kong's arrival had surprised every warrior in the Second Battalion, then his subsequent announcement of officially taking over as the Battalion Commander left almost the entire battalion in a brief state of bewilderment.
For them, this surprise was a bit too sudden and overwhelming.
In an instant, they went from being neglected by their relatives to becoming a direct part of the Clan Leader's personal forces, a leap so dramatic it felt like riding a rocket. Even the usually resolute Zhao Er felt a bit dazed.
Of course, the bewilderment soon gave way to overwhelming joy.
However, not all the warriors of the Second Battalion shared this joy. At least, those who had previously given up hope were far more filled with regret than surprise upon hearing this news.
It was then that they realized that Zhao Er and the others had been right all along. The hardships they had endured were intentionally designed by the Clan Leader to temper them, and the Second Battalion had been valued by him from the very beginning.
They began to hate themselves for their previous apathy and lack of discipline, spending their days eating and sleeping without purpose. Some of the more pessimistic ones had even started preparing to accept their expulsion from the army by Lu Hai Kong, ready to slink back to the mountain fort in shame.
The mere thought of this situation caused many of the previously indifferent soldiers to panic and even despair. They were all too aware of the current atmosphere within the mountain fort.
The common folk held the bandits, and Lu Hai Kong, in such high regard that if they were to learn that these soldiers had been expelled for misconduct, their future would be bleak, and they would never be able to hold their heads high again.
But who could they blame? Even if they were expelled by Lu Hai Kong, who could they complain to? They could only blame themselves for their lack of effort!
Lu Hai Kong ascended the high platform in the mountain fort's training ground, gazing down at the eight hundred Indigenous NPCs of the Second Battalion slowly gathering before him. His eyes moved slowly, scanning each person one by one, as if engaging in a silent exchange with every individual.
In his gaze, many stood tall with fiery determination, while others averted their eyes, filled with shame.
Those who had given up hope waited anxiously, their hearts heavy with tension, for Lu Hai Kong's verdict.
However, this verdict never came. After gazing at each person, Lu Hai Kong directly announced the training plan for the Second Battalion.
Lu Hai Kong had no intention of punishing those who had given up. On the one hand, he acknowledged his own responsibility for their situation, and on the other, he saw regret and shame in their eyes during their silent exchange. At the very least, these soldiers were remorseful.
So, Lu Hai Kong was willing to give them another chance. Although he didn't explicitly eliminate anyone, the training plan he subsequently laid out for the Second Battalion was incredibly rigorous.
The Second Battalion was primarily a close-combat force specializing in wall defense. Their objective was to guard the walls, and they were not considered Lu Hai Kong's ace troops by any means. They were merely a defensive force.
Furthermore, as a combat unit, Lu Hai Kong didn't need to focus on diversity or talent development for each individual, as he did with the Flame Battalion.
For the training of the Second Battalion, Lu HaiKong only needed to focus on strengthening their combat power and fostering a strong sense of cohesion, turning them into a formidable team.
Thus, their training primarily emphasized teamwork over individual prowess. In Lu HaiKong's training regimen, the duration was quite extensive, with six hours dedicated to training each day.
Under this high-intensity regimen, the group, initially feeling hopeless after a month of idleness, had to work even harder to catch up with the Second Battalion's progress. Their training would be more challenging and grueling than that of others.
Only those who could endure would earn Lu HaiKong's forgiveness this time.
Given the low expectations for the Second Battalion and their initial assignment as garrison troops by Lu HaiKong, their training was relatively simple. Therefore, Lu HaiKong wouldn't spend too much time on them.
After all, Lu HaiKong had other matters to attend to, and it was already commendable that he could spare some time for them daily.
In this situation, Lu HaiKong had to choose someone capable of leading their training in his absence, and there was an obvious candidate.
Lu HaiKong arranged the Second Battalion's regular training plan and established some rules and regulations. Then, he summoned Zhao Er.
Standing before Lu HaiKong, Zhao Er felt a bit nervous, even though it wasn't his first encounter with Lu HaiKong. This was the first time they were in such close proximity.
Lu HaiKong scrutinized Zhao Er from head to toe, noticing that the young man was not much older than himself, probably around sixteen or seventeen. Zhao Er had a slender build, not the robust type, and his features were quite handsome. In Lu HaiKong's previous life, Zhao Er would have been considered a handsome youth, embodying a tough and resilient character.
"Your name is Zhao Er?" Lu HaiKong frowned slightly, acknowledging that his naming skills were lacking, but he found Zhao Er's name even worse.
Heaven have mercy, Zhao Er's name was hastily derived from his nickname, Zhao Ergou, with the last character hastily omitted. How good could such a name be?
"Yes!" Zhao Er's face turned red upon hearing Lu HaiKong call his name, feeling embarrassed about his choice of name.
Fortunately, Lu HaiKong didn't dwell on his name but instead proceeded to announce his appointment. From the moment Lu HaiKong first encountered Zhao Er, he had already assessed his attributes.
Name: Zhao Er
Identity: Flame Mountain Fort
Level: Bandit 5
Abilities:
Strength: 30, Politics: 10, Strategy: 10, Command: 25
Skills:
Basic Gunmanship: Level 10
Basic Inner Strength: Level 5
Simplified Wolf Body Cultivation Fist: Level 1
Although Zhao Er's current abilities might not stand out among Lu HaiKong's forces, it's essential to note that he achieved these results during a month of neglect, training on his own.
This is quite remarkable, indicating that Zhao Er possesses exceptional talent. More importantly, without any formal training, he already has a Command attribute of 25, which makes him the most gifted in terms of Command among Lu HaiKong's subordinates.
Having discovered such talent, Lu HaiKong wouldn't let it go unnoticed.
(End of Chapter)
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