Zhan Long
chapter-760

The next day, I went to visit Meng Yao and Auntie in the morning. I then ate lunch with Wan er and Dong Cheng before logging on again. Today was an important day, I needed to prepare for selecting our new recruits from the Battle Academy. I now understood three very important factors to this game, Besides training myself and becoming stronger, I needed to focus on developing the Dragon’s Den, strengthening [Zhan Long] and the Royal Army. If I want to create a place for myself in this chaotic world, the reality was that I needed a strong enough military in order to do so. Otherwise, I’ll actually be spending my time here living carefreely as I tour the mountains and rivers. It was just as Fang Ge Que had said, living in the martial world inherently pushes us forward, no matter what it was that we initially set forth to do. Under the pressure of the continuous internal conflicts and enemy countries, [Zhan Long] could no longer retreat safely. All we could do was push forward.

The Dragon’s Den was already starting to look like a major Level 10 city. It was also the first player fort to reach Level 10 in the entire Tian Ling City. On top of that, I had already recruited all 5000 Flame Eagle Archers. The Dragon’s Den Eagle Nest was filled to the brim with these archers. Their stats were 110% of mine. Once this group of Flame Eagle Archers descends, I’m afraid that they will shock the entire continent!

[Zhan Long] has had Wan Er, Li Mu, Qing Qian, and Matcha, these four pillars from its start. Right now, my priority was to reorganize this Royal Army. Once it becomes a strong army, then [Zhan Long] will have true mountain for support and my words will carry much more weight.

“Shua!”

I logged on and appeared in Tian Ling City. As usual, I could hear a crowd of players shouting and haggling at the stands. As the game progressed to now, a large amount of the high level materials were being sold. Furthermore, the players in silent agreement had already split the plaza into different districts. The Northern Plaza was the Materials District, while the Southern Plaza was the Finished Goods District. East was for equipments while West was for pets. The Western plaza had several players who sold countless pet materials and mount sealing crystals. There were experts throughout Tian Ling City who had countless breathtaking pets and equipment. If you only paid attention to your own equipment and felt satisfied, then it was equivalent to sitting in a well and imagining that to be the world. Of course, my Zhen Yue Blade and Dragon Reservoir Sword were truly the highest tier in stats.

I summoned my Flying Scythe War Horse and leapt onto its saddle, and galloped straight towards the Royal Army Camp. Right as I entered, I saw Han Yuan and Xiao Lie the two generals. They had just lead the cavalry out of the camp. They all stopped before me to greet me, “General, we’re are all ready to set off to the Battle Academy at a moment’s notice. We’ve prepared everything just as you had wanted. There’s a total of two hundred with me, and they are all elites in battle and drills!”

I nodded, “Good, let’s go then. Han Yuan, lead the team. We’re heading to Battle Academy!”

“Yes, general!”

Han Yuan’s face was red with excitement. He was a commoner general and had fought his way up to this position. Yet, every day, he felt his heart squeeze as he watched the corruption in the army slowly kill it. And now that I had come, this army was entering a new age. Thus, Han Yuan’s excitement was understandable.

I myself couldn’t find the Battle Academy and it wasn’t until everyone left the city did I realize that the Battle Academy wasn’t within the city.

Xiao Lie smiled, “General, Battle Academy is the top military academy in the empire. It's also where most of our young generals come from. Furthermore, there are hidden dragons and crouching tigers in that academy. Several of our most famous generals had all gotten their start there. Every year, the most elite graduates were all taken by the Flame Dragon Army and the Xia Yu Army. The other armies could only fight over the remaining ones. This opportunity to be the first to select recruits is a rare chance!”

I nodded, “Yup, that’s good!”

Our group entered Gale Forest, and headed due east. Once we passed through it, we happened upon a ranch. I was surprised to see a group of young students who were engaged in combat with wooden spears. There was around a hundred of them, each wearing a deep navy blue uniform. They were all very focused. These people were very different from the NPC army that I had seen before, both in terms of personality and strength. No wonder Crown Prince Theodore was able to push Ignaus and Lanais back. Tian Ling City’s most elite army’s battle power was not an empty name.

Han Yuan looked into the distance and smiled, “The army candidates are in the middle of training. General, what do you think?”

I cheerfully said, “Very good. Just where is the Battle Academy?”

“Beside the Forest of Monuments.”

“The Forest of Monuments?”

“Yup!” Han Yuan explained when he saw my puzzled look, “The Forest of Imperial Steles is where all of the brave souls of Tian Ling City are buried. There’s an enormous Zhen Guo Monument where the names of all warriors who lost their lives in combat is carved into. The original stone was already covered with names, and so the later monarchs all founded new monuments, creating this forest. The Battle Academy was founded right beside it, for that reason. It allows the students to feel the brave spirits so that they may summon their own courage and fight for the country!”

I nodded, without saying anything.

Not long after, I saw large monuments in the forest in front of me. Some were ten meters tall, towering over us like a black stone wall. There were around a hundred of them. As they had said, it could truly be called a forest of monuments. There were several guards posted around the forest. They were the men in charge of guarding these monuments, and yet none appeared very happy to be doing this hard work. None of them had a smile, nor did they say anything when they saw us.

“We’re here!”

Han Yuan pointed to the east at a majestic fort. It was the Battle Academy. The surrounding wall was made up of tall sharp wooden pikes. It had a terrifying aura. Outside of the academy was a number of drill grounds, at least fifty of them. They looked like separate basketball courts. Teams of students were lined up in rows, in the middle of studying formations.

We walked straight into the academy, only to see a sea of people in the distance. Were those all of the graduates?

Xiao Lie seemed to see my hesitation and smiled, “General, there’s a set number of students in the Battle Academy. Every year, they only take ten thousand students. They must graduate in four years, and there’s a total of 40,000 throughout the academy. And so, we’ll pick out 500 from the graduates, that way, it wouldn’t even ticke the Flame Dragon and Xia Yu Army.”

I smiled, “Let’s go!”

“Yes sir!”

　　……

We walked into the drill grounds. At that moment, all of the students look over at us, their eyes filled with admiration and envy. They entered the Battle Academy for the sake of fighting for the country. Of course they admired the soldiers here who were already in the army.

I pulled out my general’s tablet and said to the military instructors, “I’m the commander of the Royal Army, General Li Xiao Yao. This is my tablet. I am here under orders from Princess Pearl to select recruits.”

One of the military instructors was carrying a battle axe and nodded, “General Li, do as you please. The roll is right here. Pick your candidates!”

I handed the roll to Han Yuan and Xiao Lie. These two were better at this. Since I, the commander, am someone who lives in the real life, I wasn’t too familiar with the details of this type of combat. And so, handing it to them was a bit better. If I want to be a good commander, I need to know how to use people.

Xiao Lie raised the register and stood on the stage, “Top twenty students in cavalry, line up behind me to receive a badge. From today on, you are soldiers of the Royal Army!”

At that moment, the crowd began to murmur. One determined graduate walked up and said, “We joined the army so that we can lead an impressive career, not so that we can join some princeling army like the Royal Army. I’d rather fight the Hybrid Demons than join the Royal Army!”

Xiao Lie coldly smiled, “You must be the top cavalry student Leng Xiao? Haha, well if you want to fight the Hybrid Demons, your hopes and dreams might actually come true. Let me tell you, the current Royal Army is no longer the past Royal Army. Our mission isn’t to just protect the safety of the capital, we have another mission as well. That is to go to Dragon City and patrol the Hybrid Demon Territory border. How about it, do you have the guts to join the Royal Army?”

That graduate stiffened and smiled with a gripped fist, “If that’s the case, I am willing to join!”

In the end, the students reactions were all very unenthusiastic. Do all of these kids want to go and fight the Hybrid Demons? I smiled, maybe, when they actually meet the Hybrid Demons and see the countless Grave Digger Demons and Magic Sword Masters, they won’t want to go to Dragon City any longer. The Hybrid Demons will have become a nightmare in their hearts. However, if they could fight past that, they will definitely become diamonds in the rough.

Xiao Lie raised the roll and continued, “Top twenty swordsmen, come and receive your badge from the Royal Army. From now on, you are a member of the Royal Army!”

　　……

Very soon, we finished our selection. We had embraced all five hundred of the new recruits. When faced with these five hundred youngsters filled with hopes and naivete, I, at twenty five years old, could already be considered a veteran of a hundred battles. I couldn’t help but feel some nostalgia and pride, “I am the commander of the royal Army Li Xiao Yao. I cannot promise you that once you join the army, you will become a famous general, or an idol that everyone chases after. But, I can promise to you, that you will get the chance to battle the Hybrid Demons, and that you will have the chance to protect the country! The Royal Army is no longer a princeling army, starting with you! No matter what your previous achievements or backgrounds are, you five hundred will be starting on the same level. All of your promotions and advancements will depend on your achievements from this point forward. The Royal Army is no longer a place where people rely on their connections to advance!”

All five hundred of the new recruits looked at me quietly for a good half minute. Finally, they all pumped their fists, “Long live the Royal Army!”