Chapter 12: The Opportunity to Grow Stronger

Thinking of this, the two of them stiffened their necks and called out “Third Brother,” thus temporarily acknowledging Hu San’s position as leader.

“From now on, we’re all brothers. In times of trouble, we must help one another. Whether we feast on meat and wine or gnaw on coarse grains depends entirely on our own efforts,” said Hu San with a nod. Though he had no real interest in being anyone’s leader, he knew better than to set himself apart. In other words, if cultivated well, these people might one day become a source of support for him. Of course, the chances were slim, for it seemed he had made enemies far too powerful—immortals, even! The thought made cold sweat trickle down his back, only fueling his urgent desire to grow stronger.

“All right, everyone should get some rest early. Tomorrow’s training won’t be easy—keep your spirits up, so our Ninth Squad doesn’t lose face!” With this, the little excitement that had stirred in Hu San quickly faded. He waved his hand, lay down by the fire, and closed his eyes, fully dressed.

With the leader’s word, the others naturally obeyed. Any lingering doubts began to fade after seeing such composure from their new chief. After all, a leader with such bearing couldn’t possibly be too lacking, no matter what.

The night passed quietly. At dawn, thunderous roars echoed through the valley like the wrath of the heavens, followed by the return of each squad’s leader and a barrage of shouts and curses.

Half-awake recruits, rubbing sleep from their eyes, assembled under their leaders’ orders. In the wide valley, under the massive arena of the Second Division, all sixteen squads gathered. Upon the platform stood the scar-faced leader of the Second Division and each squad’s chief.

Compared to the other squads, whose members were groggy and listless, the Ninth Squad stood out conspicuously. Though some were still drowsy, the majority quickly regained their alertness after the initial haze.

“Who’s in charge of this group?” The scar-faced commander, whose brow had been furrowed in gloom, brightened at the sight. Without waiting for a reply, he remarked, “Look at these youths—energetic and full of spirit. Whatever the reason, it’s clear this squad must have rested early last night.”

“And whoever gave the orders must have real authority. To adjust so quickly to these conditions after all that’s happened—this is no ordinary group!” As he spoke, the lieutenants exchanged glances, then all turned to look at a man on the far left—the bandit surnamed Zhao.

The scar-faced commander raised a brow, sensing there was more to this than he knew. Judging by their reactions, the bandit Zhao must be this squad’s leader. The commander knew a bit about Zhao: he’d always seemed mediocre, nothing remarkable. But if Zhao had truly managed to shape this squad, perhaps he’d misjudged him.

Smiling faintly, the commander asked, “Zhao Feng, is this your squad?”

Zhao Feng flushed red and, not daring to hesitate, replied, “Reporting, Commander, this is indeed my squad, the ninth in order.”

“Ah, so you’re something special after all! Look at the other squads—everyone’s half asleep, clearly up too late. But your squad is different. Tell me, how did you choose your leader and establish his authority so quickly?” The commander’s face was full of curiosity; perhaps he’d underestimated Zhao Feng all along.

Zhao Feng, embarrassed under the amused gazes of his fellow bandits, could only tell the truth: “To be honest, Commander, I never chose a leader, so there was no need to establish his authority either!” Seeing the commander’s confusion, he quickly added, “The youth Hu San, who fought against Tianya Stronghold, is in my squad. You’ve seen his abilities. So I did nothing last night—I don’t even know how things developed. I await your punishment!”

At these words, the commander suddenly understood and nodded slightly. “So it’s that boy—no wonder, no wonder.” With that, he let the matter drop and turned to give the order to begin formal training.

Each squad leader then led their group to circle the vast valley in a run. For the newcomers, this was their sole training for the morning. This was not some modern military camp, nor was it regular army: after a few laps, the bandit leaders would give cursory instructions, then let the squads do as they pleased while they went off on their own business.

Being the first day, with everyone new to the place and unsure of the bandits’ attitude toward training, not a soul dared to slack off. They ran until the sun was high in the sky before stopping. By then, every member—whether from the First or Second Division—was soaked in sweat. Even those who could run no further simply walked to keep up. By the end of the morning, everyone was thoroughly exhausted, the training having served its purpose of toughening their bodies.

In the Ninth Squad, thanks to the mysterious warm current strengthening his body, Hu San wasn’t too disheveled—but it was far from easy. For a village boy with no prior training, to run for so long without collapsing was already impressive. Even with his “Fish Step,” he couldn’t cheat endurance; the technique was for nimble dodges, not for long-distance running.

After training, breakfast was delivered by the bandits. To everyone’s surprise, the Ninth Squad’s rations were double those of the other squads. Though astonished, no one dared comment, unaware that this was the scar-faced commander’s reward for their performance.

At last, Hu San no longer restrained his hunger. The food was coarse—steamed cornbread and pickles—but edible. As the squad leader, Hu San had first pick, and under the others’ stunned gazes, he devoured almost all the food meant for a hundred. Thankfully, their portions had been doubled, so no one went hungry—but Hu San’s appetite left everyone in shock and some concern. If this continued, would he monopolize their food? He really could eat!

But Hu San, oblivious to their worries, was simply delighted to be full. The familiar heat rose within him again. Although the heat produced by cornbread was less than that from beast meat, quantity made up for it. After this feast, the warm current grew more distinct, no longer vague as before.

He could clearly sense the heat flowing within him, circling through his body, growing weaker with each circuit, while his fatigue ebbed and strength increased. The rapidly building power excited Hu San, and he resolved to eat his fill at every meal, no matter what. As for where to find food, he dismissed the thought—this was no world of fair play.

Feeling the warm current still present in his body, Hu San, eager to grow stronger, gave a few casual instructions before heading out to run around the valley again. He’d discovered that physical exertion not only enhanced bodily training but also quickened the absorption of the warm current.

With the weight of so many dangers looming over him, how could Hu San rest now that he had a chance to grow stronger? He trained every moment he could.

With such a leader setting the example, the Ninth Squad became more motivated. As the saying goes, a strong general has no weak soldiers. After morning training, the newcomers were assigned various tasks to help build the stronghold—logging, quarrying, and the like. It seemed Langxin Stronghold intended to turn Wolf Fang Stronghold into a fortress. With two full divisions of newcomers, even such a massive project was only a matter of time.

During this process, the new recruits received further tempering. It was, undeniably, a clever move—serving two purposes at once.

After a busy half-day, the recruits were given several hours of free time, as long as they didn’t leave Wolf Fang Stronghold. Usually, they moved in groups—otherwise, any who got beaten up would have no recourse.

Taking advantage of this, the newcomers began gathering materials and building their own huts. Sleeping in the open was one thing in summer, but come autumn or winter, it could be deadly. Building shelter became an urgent task for all.

Such was an ordinary day for the new recruits at Wolf Fang Stronghold. Sometimes, if a bandit was in a good mood, he might give a random lecture, offering a rare chance to learn real techniques—but these opportunities were few and far between. Most of the time, the recruits spent their days training and working; as for weapons training, there was none to speak of. It seemed the third chieftain had no intention of turning them into true fighters any time soon—perhaps he merely wanted them to lay a solid foundation.

Five days passed in this way. On this day, after morning exercises, as each squad returned to await their rations, they saw a team of bandits pushing carts swiftly through the area, not stopping at any squad’s camp.

While everyone exchanged puzzled glances, the bandits wheeled the carts into a vast, open square formed by the squads’ camps, then dusted off their hands and left.