North of Snow Domain Tianchi, the Tianchi Army's encampments stretched out, the dragon flags of the Great Chen Dynasty fluttering in the wind. Outside the camps, cavalry constantly galloped east and west. As Lin Zhao spoke his name, a middle-aged soldier at the gate smiled slightly and said, "Oh, you're the one the deputy marshal asked for. Come, we'll take you to the deputy marshal's tent."
"Oh?"
Lin Zhao knew it was Huang Tingyu, but he didn't know what old Huang wanted.
In a cyan camp beside the main central tent, Lin Zhao entered the tent and saw Huang Tingyu in full armor. Besides Huang Tingyu, there were several generals with gold stars on their collars, seemingly all centurions. In the Tianchi Army, centurions held the position of "Battalion Commander." The Tianchi Army was divided into eight battalions, each maintaining a strength of one thousand men, with one commander per battalion. It had always been this way.
"Marshal Huang, Lin Zhao has arrived!"
"Understood, go on."
Huang Tingyu looked up, glanced at the young man with a sword on his back, and smiled, "Lin Zhao, come over and greet the commanders."
"Greetings to all commanders!"
Lin Zhao clasped his fists and nodded to each of them. The commanders returned the salute. One of them looked surprised and asked, "Deputy Marshal, why is this? Introducing a new recruit to us?"
Huang Tingyu smiled slightly, "His name is Lin Zhao."
"Oh?"
One commander stammered, "Still don't recognize him..."
"Son of Lin Zhengxi."
"So that's it..."
The commanders' expressions toward Lin Zhao became tinged with more respect. Lin Zhao, looking bewildered, asked, "Old Master Huang asked me to come... for what reason?"
"We are going to war..."
Huang Tingyu leaned back in his chair lazily and smiled, "And it's a major war. The demons and evil spirits tasted success last time. Now their army is pressing in, and they truly intend to gnaw off a piece of flesh from us Tianchi Army. Lin Zhao, you were supposed to officially enlist at sixteen, but unfortunately, our Tianchi Army has suffered too many casualties in recent years, leaving a gap in our ranks. Therefore, according to Marshal Chu's newly issued military order, all males aged 14 and above must participate in this great battle."
"Understood."
Lin Zhao nodded, "I am prepared."
"That's good."
Huang Tingyu gestured, and eight golden tokens instantly stood upright on the command desk. He smiled slightly, "You are a reservist, just joined the legion. Coupled with the fact that you received direct tutelage from Marshal Chu, I'll give you some leeway to choose your path."
He paused and continued, "As you can see before you, our Tianchi Army has eight battalions, known to the world as the Eight Tianchi Battalions. The first battalion is called the 'Death-Defying Battalion,' the most elite of them all, with a strength of one thousand men, all cavalry, directly commanded by Marshal Chu. The second battalion is named the 'Vanguard Battalion,' all iron cavalry, best at charging into battle, personally commanded by me, Huang Tingyu. The third battalion is named the 'Riding the Wind Battalion,' all light cavalry, equipped with long swords and bows, capable of disruptive mounted archery missions, personally commanded by His Highness Prince Chen Yu. The fourth battalion is named the 'Formation Breaking Battalion,' composed of cavalry, archers, shield bearers, and spearmen, best at close-quarters combat, commanded by the eighth-realm martial artist Lord Liu Ping."
He took a sip of water, looked up at Lin Zhao, and continued with a smile, "The fifth battalion is named the 'Iron Step Battalion,' fully equipped with heavy shields, long swords, and the like, skilled in defense. It was previously commanded by Lord Su Liang, but Lord Su Liang has died in battle. Currently, the Iron Step Battalion is commanded by the sixth-realm martial artist Deputy General Zhang Yanping. The sixth battalion is named the 'Valiant Might Battalion,' mostly infantry and archers, skilled in positional combat, commanded by the seventh-realm martial artist Wang Jiang. The seventh battalion is named the 'Blitz Battalion,' all equipped with great axes, possessing strong impact, the first to charge in sieges, commanded by the seventh-realm martial artist Ma Feiyu. The eighth battalion is named the 'Broken Halberd Battalion,' all spearmen, skilled at repelling cavalry charges, commanded by the seventh-realm martial artist Zhang Han."
"I've learned a little about the Broken Halberd Battalion before."
Huang Tingyu narrowed his eyes and smiled, "You certainly wouldn't want to go to the Broken Halberd Battalion. If you were assigned under a general from the Huang lineage, it might not be pleasant. So, you can choose one from the remaining seven battalions."
"I choose the Iron Step Battalion."
Lin Zhao said without hesitation, "I want to join Lord Su Liang's battalion!"
"Oh?"
Huang Tingyu smiled slightly, "If it's just for Su Qingjiu, there's no need. After all, little Jiu'er doesn't understand things yet. Moreover, the Iron Step Battalion's structure is not yet complete and is undergoing reorganization. Its combat strength is likely not as strong as you imagine. Once the Iron Step Battalion truly encounters the main forces of the demon or ghost tribes, the casualty rate will not be low."
"It's not for Xiao Jiu'er."
Lin Zhao looked up, his clear eyes meeting Huang Tingyu's, and said, "It's because Su Liang and his wife died fighting for the country, and they deserve respect. Therefore, I am more willing to join the Iron Step Battalion."
"Alright!"
Huang Tingyu nodded, "However, once you are in the Iron Step Battalion, you cannot be arrogant due to your status as a third-realm martial artist. You must obey military orders, otherwise, no one can protect you. Do you understand? If you want to rise from an ordinary soldier to a squad leader, centurion, or battalion commander, it will depend on your own battlefield merits."
"Understood."
Lin Zhao clasped his fists lightly and smiled, "I will never disappoint Marshal Chu and Old Master Huang!"
"Go!"
Huang Tingyu stood up and said, "Someone, escort Lin Zhao to report to the Iron Step Battalion!"
"Yes!"
...
Led by a young soldier, Lin Zhao arrived at a camp on the flank and was finally handed over to an old man with white hair. The old man wore soft armor and had a long sword at his waist. He smiled and said, "It's Lin Zhao from the back street, do you remember me?"
Lin Zhao was startled. He had seen this person before. He was an old man who had been fishing on the stone bridge over Baix Stream for years, loved braised fish, and enjoyed a drink. He was nicknamed "Old Fish Head." He joined the army a few years ago. Since then, Lin Zhao had occupied his fishing spot. The young man asked in surprise, "Old Fish Head?"
"Pah!"
Old Fish Head laughed heartily with a group of soldiers and said, "Call me Uncle Yu! I'm your squad leader now..."
"Oh!"
Lin Zhao nodded in agreement.
The soldiers burst into laughter. One of them said, "Old Fish Head, you're really putting on airs for such a small position. Look, you've scared young Lin Zhao."
Old Fish Head also laughed, stepped forward, and patted Lin Zhao's shoulder, "Once you're in the camp, we're all brothers. There's no need for so many formalities. You can call me Old Fish Head or Uncle Yu, it's all the same. But once we're on the battlefield, if I tell you to charge, you charge. If I tell you to hold, you hold. You must remember this, otherwise... you'll lose your life!"
"Understood."
Lin Zhao nodded. Afterwards, he was issued armor and a shield, and exchanged his sword for the Iron Step Battalion's standard long sword, which was at least one and a half meters long, narrow and suitable for stabbing and slashing enemies on the battlefield. Thus, Lin Zhao became a member of the Tianchi Army's Iron Step Battalion. After donning the new armor and weapons, he exuded a faint aura of a soldier.
...
At noon, following Old Fish Head, he ate his first regular army meal. It couldn't be said to be delicious or not, but fortunately, it was filling. The Tianchi Army alone guarded Snow Domain Tianchi, resisting the four northern tribes. As a "reward" for them, the Great Shang Dynasty in the south sent a continuous stream of supplies to Tianchi Ridge. The intention was obvious: we pay, you fight. It was thanks to this that the Tianchi Army could maintain its current scale and combat strength.
In the afternoon, Lin Zhao trained with his fellow soldiers for the first time. The formations and tactics of the Iron Step Battalion were rigorous, but for Lin Zhao, it was something he understood at a glance. After all, before his father left for North Mountain, he had left a whole chest of military strategies and books under the bed. Lin Zhao had attended a private school from ages four to six, and his mother had also taught him a lot. He could barely read these military books, and over the years, he had almost memorized them by heart.
Therefore, when Lin Zhao carefully recalled, he found that the young Lin Zhao's memory was like a treasure trove, invisibly allowing him to gain a thorough understanding of the intricate details of military strategy.
That night, an order came from above that everyone must sleep in armor, giving a sense of readiness for battle. After another day of rest and training the next day, on the third day, the entire army marched down North Mountain.
...
The Iron Step Battalion could only march on foot, carrying their heavy armor and weapons. Along the way, countless soldiers with insufficient strength were sweating profusely, but none complained of hardship or exhaustion. Lin Zhao walked among them, but his cultivation as a third-realm martial artist meant that this burden was nothing to him.
Moreover, as Lin Zhao walked, he discovered that the cultivation levels of the Tianchi Army soldiers were not very high. Taking the nine men under Old Fish Head's command as an example, the highest cultivation was Lin Zhao's, a third-realm martial artist, standing out alone. Next was Old Fish Head, a second-realm martial artist. In addition, there were three first-realm martial artists, and the remaining five were ordinary warriors who had not yet entered the realm of martial arts, only possessing strength and combat skills exceeding that of ordinary people.
However, an army like this had repelled the terrifying four northern tribes for decades, which could be considered a miracle.
After walking for a day and a night, they reached a huge encampment ahead.
From a distance, a mountain covered in fiery red maple trees rose from the ground. At the summit was a beacon tower belonging to the Tianchi Army. This battle was entirely to defend this beacon tower.
Upon arrival, under the guidance of a line of cavalry, the Iron Step Battalion proceeded to the right front of the position, set up camp, cooked meals, and then began to rest.
...
Late at night, in the command tent of the Death-Defying Battalion, the lights were bright.
Chu Huaixi, in full armor, looked exceptionally handsome. Standing beside him were Chen Yu and Huang Tingyu, as well as ten battalion commanders. The entire high command of the Tianchi Army was in the command tent.
"The demon and ghost tribes have arrived together, their momentum is fierce!"
Chu Huaixi looked at a sand table in the center. The golden flags representing the Tianchi Army were few and far between, while the north was filled with blood-red flags, each representing a legion of the demon or ghost tribes. Chu Huaixi's brows were furrowed. "The beacon tower at Luoyan Peak cannot be easily given up to them. Otherwise, these beasts will take advantage and march on Jiuzhangyuan. By then, all our arrangements in the north will be in vain."
"Will they launch a surprise attack tonight?"
Chen Yu asked, "I have already deployed the Iron Step Battalion, the Formation Breaking Battalion, and the Broken Halberd Battalion to the northern front."
"Not necessarily."
One commander said, "But this deployment is definitely correct. The demon and ghost tribes have many strategists in their camps. We must be vigilant against any of their schemes, otherwise, the consequences will be unpredictable."
"Hmph!"
Huang Tingyu snorted coldly, "The ones sent by the demon tribe are all reckless youngsters. There's no need to worry so much. However, the ghost tribe has sent quite a few elites, so we need to be careful."
Chu Huaixi nodded, "Tonight or tomorrow, it might be the decisive battle. Send out more scouts. The Death-Defying Battalion will guard the main camp. The Iron Step Battalion, Formation Breaking Battalion, and Broken Halberd Battalion will hold the front line. The Riding the Wind Battalion, Valiant Might Battalion, and Blitz Battalion will flank them from the sides when opportunities arise, completely repelling them north of Luoyan Peak. Now, everyone return to your respective battalions and prepare to face the demon and ghost tribes!"
"Yes, Marshal Chu!"