Twenty-odd li outside Chu City lies the Great Mu Family Army Camp.
With nearby forests and a river, it is an excellent location for an encampment.
After the morning court, Dugu Wu and Mu Nianzhi rode in a horse carriage and arrived at the camp shortly.
As they approached the camp, they heard the war drums beating loud and clear, their sound piercing the heavens.
At this time, Feng Luochen, dressed in the grey uniform of a new recruit and holding a long spear, stood tall and straight in the middle of a long line of recruits.
After returning to Chu City, Dongfang Lianhua breathed a sigh of relief, allowing Feng Luochen to abandon the pen for the sword.
With a strong desire to stand out and protect his mother and sister, Feng Luochen found the Mu Family Army’s recruitment drive to be a golden opportunity.
The reason Dugu Wu could become the great renowned God of War of Great Chu before the age of thirty, known as the Ninth Prince, was because of his illustrious military achievements.
Looking all over Great Chu, perhaps only the founding emperor had such military accomplishments.
If Feng Luochen wished to wrest Feng Bailing back from coercion, he had no choice but to join the army.
He figured that since Dugu Wu started from the ranks of common soldiers, he too would start from the bottom, and thus, he concealed his true identity, renaming himself as Luochen, keeping secret the fact that he had cultivated the Wuji Seal.
Joining the new recruits was just the first step. He had heard that Mr. Mu intended to form a Vanguard Camp, and all recruits longed to join this Vanguard Camp, which would be at the forefront of battle. Thus, he came early today to take part in their selection.
Feng Luochen was no exception.
"Name, age, place of origin, family background."
The clerk was recording the soldiers’ information; the first round of new recruit screening merely checked their height, weight, and whether their limbs were intact without any obvious defects.
"Luochen, eighteen years old, from Fengtian, studied a few years."
When it was Feng Luochen’s turn, he declared loudly.
Just after Feng Luochen registered, someone stepped forward behind him and spoke with a deep voice.
"Fang Yong, twenty-three years old, from Ka City, was previously a mercenary."
The man’s voice was loud and clear, the mark of a skilled fighter.
When Feng Luochen was studying in Fengtian, he heard that mercenaries were fierce characters, who wouldn’t even blink when killing.
Goodness, even mercenaries were coming.
The Vanguard Camp of the Mu Family Army really was a hot commodity.
Feng Luochen turned to look and standing behind him was Dongfang Yong.
Just like Feng Luochen, Dongfang Yong also wore the uniform of a new recruit. He was about the same height as Feng Luochen, but much more muscular and his skin was rougher. On the root of his left ear was a scar, lending him an extra bit of fierceness.
"A mercenary? Have you committed any crimes? You’re not a fugitive, are you?"
The clerk frowned upon hearing the other person was a mercenary.
The Princely Heir had said that the Vanguard Camp was his personal troop, every recruit had to be carefully selected, with a clean personal and family background—ideally, the sons of nobility or officials.
All these new recruit ’greenhorns’ coming to sign up, from bodyguards to mercenaries... one could tell they came from impoverished backgrounds. If they were sons from good families, who would want to do such risky work that licks the blade’s edge?
"Sir, the people mercenaries kill are those who deserve to be killed, just like soldiers, how can we be equated with fugitives?"
Dongfang Yong furrowed his brow.
He had been driven out of Beilang, and his reputation in the mercenary world had also soured.
He could not really join that dubious band of mercenaries, and it wasn’t right to remain idle at Prince Shun’s Mansion, so he joined the army.
The Mu Family Army was under the command of Prince Mu’s Mansion, and not wanting to rely on nepotism, he took on a false name.
"Kid, when the officer asks you a question, answer it—without your added commentary. Get out of the way."
The clerk glared at Dongfang Yong.
Dongfang Yong was about to explode when someone grabbed his arm.
"Brother Fang, calm down, no need to argue with a clerk over this."
Feng Luochen stepped forward and pulled Dongfang Yong to the side. Dongfang Yong was quite strong, but despite looking weaker, Feng Luochen managed to drag him aside. Dongfang Yong couldn’t help but give him an additional glance.
"My name is Luochen, just ahead of you in line, eager to join the Vanguard Camp too."
Since arriving at the camp, Feng Luochen did not know anyone, so seeing that Fang Yong was more to his liking, he wanted to befriend him.
"Mr. Clerk, please forgive us."
As they spoke, the two saw a new recruit with a delicate appearance stealthily hand a bag of silver to the clerk.
The clerk saw it and smilingly accepted it.
"This is outrageous."
Fang Yong saw this and was about to react.
At this moment, they heard a woman being dragged out of the military camp.