In this chaotic world of vying for power, I can become stronger by marrying a wife.

"I...I..." Liu Tao's teeth chattered, trying to say something, but no sound came out. The centurion's badge at his waist, a symbol of power, became incredibly hot, as if mocking his overestimation of his abilities.

Just then.

"What a brilliant archer!"

A loud, booming voice, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly drowned out everyone's shouts.

Outside the camp, a jet-black warhorse slowly strode in.

On horseback sat a general dressed in black iron armor.

The general was about forty years old, with a resolute face and an imposing presence. His eagle eyes shone brightly with every blink. He simply sat there quietly, and an aura of battle-hardened iron-bloodedness swept over you, making the temperature in the entire camp seem to drop several degrees.

Behind him followed a squad of personal guards, all clad in black armor, each with a calm demeanor and sharp eyes, clearly true veterans of countless battles.

"My lord!"

The faces of the vanguard battalion members changed drastically, and they scrambled to their knees.

The newcomer was none other than Xiao Qingtian, one of the three captains of the Jing'an Army and a ruthless general in charge of the main battle battalion!

Xiao Qingtian ignored the kneeling squad leaders; his gaze was fixed on Su Ming from the moment he stepped into the camp.

His gaze was like that of a master blacksmith who had spotted a piece of unpolished, exquisite black iron.

It was filled with undisguised admiration and...greed.

He dismounted, tossed the riding whip to his guard, and strode toward Su Ming.

The kneeling soldiers around them automatically parted to make way.

Xiao Qingtian walked up to Su Ming, without first questioning him or displaying his official authority, but instead pointed to the bow in Su Ming's hand.

"Did you make this bow yourself?"

Su Ming raised his eyelids slightly, looked at the powerful general, and nodded calmly.

"Um."

"Excellent bow!" Xiao Qingtian praised, then pointed to the iron rhinoceros shield that had been pierced by the arrow. "Piercing a shield at a hundred paces, the second arrow breaking the first, and then shooting at the eagle. Kid, who taught you this archery skill?"

"I figured it out myself," Su Ming said casually.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qingtian not only did not doubt it, but his eyes shone even brighter.

Self-taught?

This is genius! An absolute genius!

He burst into loud laughter, his voice so powerful it made people's eardrums tingle.

"Hahahaha! Good! What a clever scheme you devised yourself! My Jing'an Army actually had a true dragon hidden away!"

As soon as the laughter stopped, Xiao Qingtian's face darkened instantly.

He turned around, his cold gaze sweeping across the entire room before finally settling on Liu Tao, who was slumped on the ground.

"Can anyone tell me what just happened here?"

No one dared to speak.

Xiao Qingtian's reputation was so great that it could stop children from crying at night in the Jing'an Army.

"What, are you all mute?" Xiao Qingtian's voice turned cold.

"My lord! I'll talk!"

The one-eyed thug suddenly raised his head and shouted, his neck stiff.

"It was Liu Tao! He was jealous of talent and used his position for personal revenge! He demoted Master Su from the captain's personal guard to our cannon fodder battalion, and even devised a vicious scheme, betting Master Su's life against him with an iron rhinoceros shield! He wanted Master Su to commit suicide in public if he lost!"

The one-eyed man's words were like a pebble thrown into a lake, instantly creating ripples.

"Yes! We all saw it!"

"That bastard Liu Tao just wants to kill Master Su!"

"Please, Captain, do justice for Master Su!"

The wall fell and everyone pushed.

The soldiers who had been so subservient to Liu Tao just moments before were now becoming witnesses to his case.

Liu Tao's face was ashen; he knew he was finished.

After listening, Xiao Qingtian remained silent.

He walked up to the iron rhinoceros shield, stretched out his finger, touched the smooth arrow hole, and looked at the broken arrow fragments on the ground.

He turned around and looked at Liu Tao, his eyes showing no anger, only a coldness as if he were looking at a dead object.

"As an officer, instead of training to kill the enemy, he devoted his mind to infighting and plotting to harm his comrades."

Xiao Qingtian's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck Liu Tao's heart like a heavy hammer.

"According to the military law of our Great Zhou, this is the crime of 'jealousy of merit.' How should it be dealt with?"

The captain of his personal guard stepped forward, his voice as cold as iron: "Your Excellency! Those who are jealous of merit will be dismissed and exiled at best, and executed on the spot at worst!"

"Drag him away." Xiao Qingtian waved his hand, as if shooing away a fly.

"No! No!" Liu Tao finally broke down, crawling towards Xiao Qingtian with tears streaming down his face. "Uncle! Uncle, save me! I'm Liu Hong's nephew, the commander of the logistics battalion!"

Xiao Qingtian paused in his steps.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Liu Tao's eyes.

However, Xiao Qingtian merely sneered: "Liu Hong? If he dares to plead for mercy, I will deal with him as well!"

"Guards, gag him!"

Two guards immediately stepped forward, stuffed Liu Tao's mouth with a rag, and dragged him out like a dead dog.

In the camp, only his desperate, mournful cries remained.

After dealing with Liu Tao, Xiao Qingtian turned around and looked at Su Ming again, his cold expression instantly turning into a warm spring breeze.

"Kid, this vanguard battalion is a place that buries heroes."

He extended his hand to Su Ming.

"My personal guard is short of a squad leader in charge of the crossbowmen. Would you be willing to come?"

From a centurion in a cannon fodder battalion who could be sent to fill trenches at any time, he rose to become a squad leader in an elite personal guard battalion under a captain.

One step to the sky!

The soldiers in the entire camp looked at Su Ming with eyes full of envy.

Su Ming looked at Xiao Qingtian's outstretched hand and remained silent for a moment.

Then, he slowly raised his hand and grasped it.

"It's entirely up to you, Captain."

"Good!" Xiao Qingtian patted his shoulder forcefully, his face beaming with the joy of finding a treasure. "From today onwards, you belong to me, Xiao Qingtian! In this Jing'an Army camp, anyone who dares to lay a finger on you is going against me, Xiao Qingtian!"

From then on, Su Ming's reputation as a "divine archer" spread throughout the entire army.

[Ding! Host's status has been elevated, entering a higher platform and gaining military prestige!]

[Upon learning the news, Li Yueru, a character bound to the host, reaches the peak of her admiration and love, increasing her affection by 10! Current affection: 200 (Inseparable by death)!]

[Congratulations, host, you have received 1 more chance to win a prize!]

【Want to enter the prize draw now?】

"Yes," Su Ming silently replied.

A giant roulette wheel appeared in his mind, spinning rapidly.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have drawn a divine weapon—the [Great Archer Bow]!]

【大羿弓：上古神人后羿所用之弓，蕴含射日神力。特性：1、破甲+300%；2、射程+500%；3、自动锁定（可锁定方圆十里内任意目标）；4、蓄力一击（可消耗龙脉之力，射出堪比天阶武技『射日』的一箭）！】

Su Ming held Xiao Qingtian's hand, his face calm, but inside he was in turmoil.

Sun-shooting bow?

He raised his head and looked north.

The Northern Barbarian Royal Court...

Three months later, I will use this bow to give you a great gift.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the camp, inside Li Yueru's tent.

She had just heard the whole story of Su Ming's "miracle" at the vanguard camp from a soldier who came to deliver good news.

She covered her mouth tightly with her little hands, but tears still streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Those were tears of joy, tears of pride, tears of happiness.

Her husband was a peerless hero.

[Ding! Detected a significant emotional fluctuation in Li Yueru; the hidden storyline "The Wife's Waiting" is progressing faster!]

A surprise is brewing...