Chapter 163: Speculations (1/2)

Sam thought for a moment and asked Duke.

”What test?”

”I will give you a battalion of soldiers and during the war after the first eight months, you will be tasked to defend a border town with that battalion. If you can do so. It is considered your win.

If you lose. I will still award you with some points based on the performance and you have to bury the hatchet with General.”

Duke explained as he looked at Sam, like he wanted to see through him completely. But he was unable to do so.

Sam thought for a while and said.

”I am okay with the deal. But I have some conditions.

My team members in the camp will be given to my battalion.

My training methods and practices cannot be copied, hindered or questioned.

I need access to the outside world without restrictions. I will be given authority to bring my people along with me.”

”Deal.”

Duke didn't even think twice before agreeing.

Sam looked at the General with animosity and was about to leave. But the General stopped him.

”The matter about Jim.”

”What makes you think I would agree?”

”Sam, this is between me and you. Don't take it on him.”

”Then you shouldn't have involved him in the first place.”

”What do you want in return? Just name it.”

”Do you think you could buy me? Do you have enough worth?”

Sam said these words and left the place. He was quite satisfied today. Not only did he get back at the General and Thunder wolf squad, he has fulfilled his hidden agenda too.

That's right, Sam has a hidden agenda and that was fulfilled now.

Since, the first day of the military camp, he has laid down an elaborate plan to get two things out of Duke.

One of them is obviously the points in the military test and the second one is the information.

The information about the competition and the people behind the scenes of these competitions.

From the day that Marquis said that Sam is now under someone's protection and anybody who is not part of the candidates will be dealt with, if someone killed him, Sam became intrigued.

He was interested in the people who can make the empire do their bidding. But it is impossible to get the required info from the authorities.

But would Sam just leave it at that? Absolutely not. So, he wanted to pry into the info and gather whatever he can.

And this time, he wanted to gauge the importance of the candidates and the tolerance of the empire's authorities towards the candidates and not only that he also wanted to know the factors that could influence the importance placed on a certain candidate.

He felt that his conflict with General is the perfect opportunity and actually proved to be one perfect opportunity.

Right now, Sam's actions can be considered outrageous. Demanding a General to step down from his position, asking a lord to remove his subordinate's nobility status, destroying the Novice's army, crippling a General's disciple and threatening a General and a Duke along with the lives of the innocent.

Any of the actions can be used to sentence him to death.

Even if his identities as an expert in various professions will not help him much. Because, the Duke and General can downplay the situation since they have enough power and the matter will be ended by demanding an extraordinary amount from Sam as compensation in the best-case scenario.

If Sam himself was in Duke's place, he would have slapped the offender to death and then would think of ways to coverup.

But Duke didn't do so. There might be two reasons. The Duke is too good of a person which is most unlikely and farfetched reason and the second one which is the most possible reason is, the people behind the scenes.

From what Sam could guess. The People behind the scenes seemed to place an enormous importance of the candidates. Which can be observed from how Duke didn't want to kill Sam,

And the importance is also relative. This can be concluded by how Duke tried to create a test to stop Sam from taking immediate action and from the conditions after winning, he can only come at General after he was competent enough.

If it was any typical candidate, even if Duke couldn't kill him, he would at least use force to put him in his place.

But he didn't do so and Sam believed that it has something do with his professional status.

That is the reason for him to think that importance is varied. A Duke is obviously more informed than a Marquis.

And from Duke's reaction, Sam speculated somethings.

First one, is the importance of a candidate can be influenced by their area of expertise. The candidates are tested in many ways.