Chapter 1 (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Heh! Hah! Kill! …’

On the training ground, thousands of armored soldiers armed with sabers and spears, bows and arrows, as well as s.h.i.+elds, formed rows under the scorching sun to slash and shoot with all their might.

A mixture of sweat and manly smells filled the air, causing their blood to pump involuntarily.

Not far away from the training ground, at the outermost area of a row of barracks, a half-grown fellow watched the thousands of soldiers training, envious of them.

All of a sudden, a big hand reached for his neck from behind him.

“Ouch! Old man, be gentler. It hurts, it hurts…”

“Hmph, now you know that it hurts? I told you to do ironwork but instead, I find you here watching them do their drills, do you want me to drill you too?”

The young man s.h.i.+vered, then quickly said, “Old man, I was wrong, please don’t!”

While gripping the young man’s neck, the gray-haired elder lifted him and made a few turns to enter one of the barracks.

“Ou Yangming, I know you want to join them, but you can’t do it now!” He put the young man down, and said, “Think about it again only when you grow older!”

Ou Yangming grimaced and rubbed his painful neck. “Old man, I’ve grown older!”

“You?” The elder cast a disdainful look at him, then reached for a broken saber in the corner. It was a military saber, but there was a fracture on the handle, rendering it useless.

After taking a look at the broken saber for some time, the elder placed the broken part on a platform. Subsequently, he rubbed his hand to create a flame around the fracture.

Ou Yangming widened his eyes, then straightened his body carefully while watching quietly, so as to not make any noise.

Although the old man often scolded and beat him, he knew that the unimpressive-looking old man was the only person who treated him sincerely in the military camp.

Roughly 30 minutes later, the elder exhaled deeply as he stopped. Some beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead, but when the flame disappeared, the fractured military saber had been fixed.

Ou Yangming took a step forward to pick it up, then checked it for a while before he commented, “Old man, you’re G.o.dly! The connection is seamless! Hehe, in this military camp, you’re definitely this!” He gave a thumbs-up and shook his hand a few times.

The elder smiled proudly, then asked, “Why? Do you want to learn?”

The young man sighed. “Of course, but I don’t have the opportunity…”

The trick used by the elder was the military’s secret art that originated from a Military Fire Smithing Technique gifted by the dynasty, which could not be pursued by normal people.

Ou Yangming was an orphan who grew up being fed by a hundred families in his village. He entered the military camp as a helper by coincidence and caught the eye of the lonely old man, whom he began learning forging from. Unfortunately, while the craftsman could be learned, the Military Fire was beyond reach.

The elder chuckled as he was pleased. “Oh right, take this saber to Zhang Yinfan, he’s looking for you.”

Ou Yangming frowned. “I’m not going! He’s a stingy person, it’s not good if he’s looking for me!”

The elder glared at him, then kicked him. “Aren’t you going?!”

He dodged the kick, and responded, “Yes, yes, yes, I’m going now.” Then, scurried away with the fixed military saber.

The elder shook his head and sighed. “I wonder if his laziness can be changed. Hopefully, he’ll be given a chance this time.”

Ou Yangming hurried to the rear. Zhang Yinfan was part of the force as he was a provisions officer in charge of logistics. While it was not the main position, it was one of the deputy positions where one had real authority.

At the rear, just as Ou Yangming was about to say something after he pa.s.sed the military saber to be recorded, the officer responsible for accounts said with a smile, “Fella, you’re finally here, Sir Zhang told us to expect your arrival. Quick, go in.”

He entered the rear but was slightly perturbed.

This was because he could not figure out why an important person like Zhang Yinfan was looking for a n.o.body like him.

In one of the barracks, a middle-aged man looked up upon Ou Yangming’s arrival. He was a gentle white-faced scholar, which made him out of sync with the manly environment in the camp.

“Sir Zhang, were you looking for me?” Ou Yangming bowed and asked respectfully.

Zhang Yinfan nodded. “You’re Ou Yangming, take a seat.” He poured a cup of tea for him.

Ou Yangming was both surprised and happy. Zhang Yinfan had always been regarded as an untouchable figure, yet he was treating him kindly at the moment, which made him feel anxious.