Chapter 28 of 100

Chapter 28

15 min read3,767 words

As the sky just began to brighten, Yue Heng heard the mournful sound of the military bugle in his ears. He regained consciousness in a military camp, opened his eyes, and looked around. Above him was a leather tent cover, and inside the tent stood several wooden pillars as thick as arms, supporting this field military tent over a meter high. The space was large, capable of accommodating dozens of people for lodging.

At this moment, a piece of information flashed through his mind: This was Haojing, where the Grand Ancestral Temple was preparing military affairs, gathering provisions and supplies, and training for battle. He should follow military orders and report for duty immediately after the bugle call, always ready for military training and preparation for war.

Yue Heng walked out of the military tent and saw Wen Xin Yue, who gestured for him to look at his waist badge.

"Vanguard Infantry Camp, Fifth Squad, Ninth Decade... Miss Wen, you really are a jinx, saying I would enter the vanguard camp and I did?"

Yue Heng was speechless; this position was really too poor!

The vanguard infantry camp, as the name suggests, was the infantry that charged at the front line. Each squad had ten decades, which meant a hundred people, commanded by a centurion. This vanguard infantry camp had five squads, totaling five hundred infantrymen, who were essentially cannon fodder.

Wen Xin Yue snorted and quickly walked towards the training ground, saying disdainfully, "What are you afraid of with your turtle shell?"

"That's armor, not a turtle shell!"

"Isn't the effect the same?"

"..."

Yue Heng rolled his eyes and quickly followed her: "Hey, I noticed that in this illusion, my strength has increased a lot. I should be about as strong as an ordinary soldier of King Xuan of Zhou. I don't know how this illusion evaluates, but with just the two of us in a team, our strength should be very weak. We should be placed in some logistics camp..."

"The illusion treats everyone equally. In my view, being selected for the vanguard camp is a good thing. Battling on the front lines can increase your merit. High risk means high reward! If you don't have the heart to endure such trials, why practice martial arts? Why think about serving the country? You, a seven-foot-tall man, are timid and fearful, even less brave than Hua Mulan!"

Wen Xin Yue pushed open the gate of the training ground, where the noise of people was deafening, dust filled the air, and the sounds of swords and spears clashing were continuous.

"We have an hour of practical training. The new skills and scholar talismans we just obtained will determine how far you can go on the battlefield. Don't lose the big picture over small details! Take good care of yourself!"

Wen Xin Yue left this message and, with a light body like a swallow, ran out.

She still held the red snake whip in her hand. A strong and robust Zhou army soldier stood where she was running, with a ten-foot-long spear planted on the ground. Wen Xin Yue attacked without hesitation, displaying the bravery of a warrior.

"Well, I just wanted to know more about the rules of this illusion, but you made me seem timid. Alright, let me see how a scholar fights on the battlefield. I don't think it's reliable for scholars to engage in combat, very unreliable!"

Yue Heng stopped at the entrance of the training ground, where there were several large weapon racks. He carefully observed the single-edged ring-headed knife, the spear, the halberd, the long-handled battle axe, and a few other long-handled weapons he couldn't recognize.

"Army combat emphasizes efficient killing, not a playground for weapon drills. So these are probably the standard Zhou army equipment. If I had chosen the 'knife' and 'spear' talismans earlier, I might have had an advantage with these weapons, but I chose 'armor.' Well, what's the point of earning wealth and beauty if you can't enjoy it? If you die before you can enjoy it, it's all for other men. One should think more broadly, right?"

He picked up a single-edged ring-headed knife and weighed it in his hand.

After being forcibly elevated to a higher realm by the illusion, his body was somewhat stronger than before. Of all the weapons on the rack, he could only lift this one. There was no help for it; his body was too weak, and his foundation was poor.

The round shield naturally paired with the single-edged ring-headed knife. Yue Heng put on the full set of armor, protecting his joints and vital points, then picked up the knife and shield and ran around a bit, finding it a bit tiring.

"Why do I feel so awkward! A scholar's way of fighting shouldn't be like this. The 'armor' talisman is defensive, and it's as light as air. If I take off this heavy armor, my mobility will increase by twenty percent, and my endurance and stamina will increase by at least thirty percent. Yes, this should be the correct way for a scholar to fight!"

Yue Heng wanted to try the combat effect without the armor. He looked around, trying to find a Zhou army soldier to practice with and get a feel for it.

"Brother Yue, are you looking for a practice opponent?"

A voice from behind made Yue Heng frown immediately. Who else could it be but Bai Ming?

"Hmph, Bai Ming, you really are a persistent ghost!" Yue Heng said coldly.

Bai Ming was also wearing armor but held a spear, which Yue Heng estimated to be over ten feet long, nearly four meters.

"Brother Yue, don't be so hostile. Now we are in the same army. With your equipment, you must be a shield and knife soldier, right? Come to think of it, you were hiding behind me. If an enemy wants to fight you, they must step over my corpse. I don't complain, so why do you hold onto my past?"

"I remember a neighbor's dog that loved to eat feces. It ate feces for years and was beaten and scolded by its owner for years, but it never changed."

"Yue Heng, you actually call me a dog? I will kill you!"

"Ha, showing your true colors? I just said 'dog.' Why are you so agitated? Sorry, I don't have time to play with you. Time is tight, and I need to try out this knife!"

Yue Heng left Bai Ming with a cold shoulder and walked towards the Zhou army soldiers with his knife and shield.

"Yue Heng, do you dare to spar with me? You don't dare? Hmph, you won't be leaving today! The scholar's heart is as firm as a rock, and the divine palace shines like the stars. I will force a literary duel with you!" Bai Ming's voice was full of resentment.

Yue Heng was about to ignore him, but he couldn't resist the urge to turn around, surprised and at a loss for words.

...

"Huh? Someone is forcing a literary duel in the illusion?" A martial examiner outside the illusion was puzzled.

"With the help of the Illusionary Spirit Array, all scholar students have the strength of a first-level scholar. As long as they have a divine palace, they can initiate a literary duel, but the stakes are the scholar's heart and the divine palace," a scholar examiner explained.

The head examiner frowned: "If the initiator wins the literary duel, they receive no reward, and the challenged party receives no punishment. But if the initiator loses, they will lose their scholar's heart or their divine palace. Although this is just an illusion and not a real literary duel, after exiting, the failure will have many negative effects on the challenger, from a tarnished scholar's heart to a disconnection from the divine palace and Fuxi's stars, leaving no future achievements!"

The county magistrate of Qi County said coldly: "So forcing a literary duel brings no benefits and is rarely done. Record this student's exam number and write an honest evaluation. Regardless of whether they win or lose, they should not be given important positions in the future!"

"Yes!" A proctor recorded the information.

Everyone shook their heads, feeling regret and dissatisfaction with the student who initiated the literary duel.

The illusion had just begun, and the students were still familiarizing themselves with the rules. Time should be used to understand the talismans and combat techniques, not to settle personal grudges!

King Xuan of Zhou's army had not yet set out, and internal strife had already begun. If this person really became a scholar, even the real-world military would not want such a person. On the battlefield against demons, thinking about internal strife instead of killing demons, who would dare to take them?

...

"Hmm? The illusion notified again? Someone is already dueling so early!"

Many students heard the illusion notification and laughed.

Forcing a literary duel was a serious matter. The illusion cleared the area, leaving Bai Ming and Yue Heng a wide space, isolated by the illusion array. People outside could see inside, but those inside could not see outside.

"White Ming, the squad leader of the Seventh Squad, Fourth Decade of the South Zhong Vanguard Long Spear Camp, versus Yue Heng, the soldier of the Fifth Squad, Ninth Decade of the Royal Father Vanguard Infantry Camp!"

After the illusion announcement, many students rushed over to watch. Those who knew the two recognized it as a personal grudge, while others thought it was a confrontation between different factions of King Xuan of Zhou's army, the South Zhong Army and the Royal Father Army.

Wen Xin Yue retracted her whip and saluted the Zhou army soldier she had beaten, stopping her adaptation training. She frowned and looked towards the center of the training ground.

"Really, what a fool! Even if Bai Ming has a grudge against you, you can't settle it now! Idiot, seeking such attention brings no benefits! Men really die for their pride and suffer in life!"

Wen Xin Yue pushed through the crowd to the edge of the central circle, watching the fully armed Bai Ming and Yue Heng face off, listening to the crowd's chatter, and feeling resentful.

"Brother Bai is truly formidable! He was the eighth in this year's spring exam, with equal talent and martial prowess. He will definitely beat this Yue kid black and blue! Moreover, Brother Bai is a squad leader, while Yue is just a regular soldier. Even the illusion has evaluated their strength, so Brother Bai will definitely win!"

"What formidable scholar! Can the top of the spring exam compare to our martial army's top? I actually favor Yue Heng. A shield and knife soldier has an advantage in a one-on-one fight with a long spear soldier. If both have talismans related to their weapons, Bai Ming has a higher chance of losing!"

"You are mistaken, martial friend. You don't know, but Bai Ming and Yue Heng's relationship is well-known in the scholar circle of Hong County. In terms of personal qualities, Bai Ming, who often takes the elixirs from the Demon Mountain, has far superior physical strength to Yue Heng. Even if both have weapon talismans, the winner will definitely be Bai Ming! Moreover, hehe..."

"Moreover, what? Does Bai Ming have any hidden tricks? How could you know?"

"Haha, I'm on the same team as him. Do you think I don't know?"

Many people were pointing and discussing, and some even placed bets on the duel.

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