Chapter 65: Art of War, Summons, Coercion

The next day, Xia He and Wang Erpang arrived early at the parade ground.

With the upcoming spring campaign to suppress the barbarians, the atmosphere in the military camp had grown much more solemn than before.

Going to war was by no means as reckless as simply charging forward blindly; the considerations and preparations involved were numerous and complex.

First and foremost was ensuring a sufficient supply of provisions, followed by fine armor and weaponry, which directly related to the soldiers' survival and combat effectiveness on the battlefield. Then there was the unavoidable matter of attrition, including personnel casualties and material consumption, all of which required careful calculation.

Back in the day when Old Cao crossed the river, because his soldiers were southerners who had never ridden in boats, they suffered from violent vomiting, diarrhea, and homesickness. That forced him to chain the ships together with iron cables, only for them to be utterly destroyed by Wuhou's fire.

This showed that warfare contained endless knowledge and strategy. For this reason, thoroughly studying military treatises and summarizing the valuable experiences of predecessors was particularly important.

During a brief rest interval, Xia He was seen fully engrossed in reading a thick military manual.

Erpang wiped the sweat from his brow and leaned in:
"Brother He, can you even understand such profound military books?"
"So-so."

Aside from individual martial prowess, the true advantage of an army was often manifested in the exquisite application of military formations.

It was never as crude and simple as rushing onto the battlefield in a disorganized swarm. Only through reasonable deployment and giving full play to the cooperative synergy among various branches of the military could one remain undefeated in fierce combat.

This incorporated the arts of the Eight Trigrams; sometimes it could drastically reduce casualties and suppress martial artists.

For instance, wouldn't a warrior at the Bone-Refining realm be able to slaughter everything in sight on a battlefield? Yet if ten Blood-Refining soldiers formed a battle array to encircle and kill him, even a Bone-Refining warrior could only meet his doom, perhaps without even causing heavy casualties.

Although war was a meat grinder, every individual had parents and a family; who would willingly march to their deaths in vain?

[Skill: Art of War (Uninitiated)]
[Progress: 13/100]
[Effect: None yet]

"Huh, reading military books can also awaken skills?"
Doesn't that mean he was also cut out for leading troops in battle?

Time passed quietly, and before he knew it, noon had arrived.

Just as he was reading with great relish, Erpang called him to the mess hall for food, and only then did he close the military manual in his hands with a lingering sense of regret.

Just as he stood up, a piercing sound of gongs echoed throughout the entire camp.

"All military households, assemble immediately at the parade ground! No delays permitted!"

Hearing this command, the numerous military households, including Xia He, grumbled and cursed under their breath, yet none dared to delay, hurriedly rushing toward the parade ground.

Before long, everyone had gathered at the parade ground. They saw Thousand-Man Commander Fan accompanying another person as they slowly walked out of the command tent.

Hundred-Man Commander Wang, standing nearby, lowered his voice and explained to Xia He: "This is the military commissioner, a trusted confidant of the regional commander. He has come here this time to inspect our military camp."

A military prefecture was vast, with no fewer than seven or eight thousand-man garrisons under its jurisdiction. As the commander-in-chief of the region, the military commissioner was naturally his most trusted subordinate.

That military commissioner's face was as dark as water, and his expression was cold and stern, inspiring awe and dread.

What felt even more unsettling was that his sharp eyes constantly swept over everyone present, intentionally or not. When his gaze landed on Xia He, it lingered for a long time, causing Xia He to furrow his brow slightly.

Seeing this, Hundred-Man Commander Wang chuckled softly and teased: "Hey, Brother Xia, it seems you've become quite famous lately. Even the military commissioner has taken notice of you."

At these words, several nearby military households chuckled in low voices.

True to expectation, the military commissioner did not say much more. After giving the crowd a cursory glance, he directly called out by name: "Where is Xia He?"

"Calling me directly?"

Hearing his own name called, a trace of doubt surged in Xia He's heart, but his footsteps did not hesitate in the slightest as he walked straight toward the tent where Thousand-Man Commander Fan was located.

The gazes of the crowd closely followed Xia He's receding figure until he completely vanished from sight, whereupon they reluctantly withdrew their eyes.

Yet their hearts remained unsettled, and they could not help but begin whispering and discussing among themselves.

"This Xia He has really struck gold! If he can truly gain the favor and appreciation of the military commissioner, won't his status in the future shoot up like a rocket?" someone said, full of envy.

"Who's to say otherwise? In no time at all, he might even become a hundred-man commander! The rest of us have labored bitterly for all these years, barely crawling up to our current positions, while Brother Xia only arrived here not long ago... Ah, comparing people really makes you want to die of frustration!" another chimed in with a sigh.

For a time, various remarks of envy and jealousy rose one after another, endless to the ear.

Apparent envy showed on the faces of many. Even so, they knew they were utterly helpless and could only watch bitterly as Xia He climbed step by step on a wave of good fortune.

Lifting the tent flap, the atmosphere inside was completely different from what those outside had imagined.

Inside the spacious tent, there were only Thousand-Man Commander Fan and the military commissioner, and Fan was actually standing in a subordinate position.

"You are Xia He?"

The military commissioner sat in the rosewood chair that should have belonged to Thousand-Man Commander Fan, looking over with a smile.

"That is indeed this humble subordinate."
"I wonder what instructions the military commissioner has for me?"

The military commissioner gave a soft "Oh," straightened his body slightly, and locked his hawk-like, piercing eyes onto Xia He.

Without beating around the bush, he got straight to the point: "Xia He, your martial arts aptitude is astonishing. To trap you in this tiny town would be an absolute waste of heavenly treasures."

With that, a faint, imperceptible smile appeared on the military commissioner's face, though to Xia He, this smile was utterly repulsive.

"The regional commissioner has always cherished talent, especially geniuses with excellent bones like you. Therefore, the commissioner intends to recruit you into his personal guard camp and take you as a personal disciple to nurture you himself."

"You have a promising path toward Bone-Refining, and you will gain the protection of the regional commissioner. What do you say?"

Thousand-Man Commander Fan nearby also hurriedly persuaded: "Xia He, such a rare opportunity is not something just anyone gets! You must know how to cherish it."

Before his voice had even faded, the military commissioner actually strode toward Xia He. He reached out a thick, powerful hand and grabbed Xia He's shoulder.

As he exerted a bit of force, exclamations continually spilled from his mouth: "Tsk tsk tsk, I truly didn't expect this! These bones are even better than I imagined!"

However, at this moment, Xia He only felt a massive pressure crashing down upon him like a tidal wave! The person before him had undoubtedly reached the Bone-Refining realm!

This sounded like an enticement, but it brooked no dissent whatsoever!

He had originally intended to participate in the trials of the Four Great Camps, which was the true place that countless people in the military yearned for.

Yet if he were forcibly incorporated into the regional commissioner's personal guard camp, would he not be at their mercy in the future, reduced to nothing more than a barking dog summoned at whim? No, absolutely not!

Strength, strength!

Should he resist now?
He was only a hair's breadth away from the Bone-Refining realm. If he risked his life, could he instantly slay this vile-faced man before him?

Yet Thousand-Man Commander Fan was still lurking nearby, watching like a tiger eyeing its prey.

Both of these men deserved to die!