Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

The stench of blood permeated the chilly air, stronger and fresher than before. The last screams and clashes of weapons on the battlefield had subsided, leaving only the occasional mournful neighing of warhorses and the clanging of armor plates as the Wei Wu soldiers moved silently.

Chen Xing stood rooted to the spot, his back to the bottomless cliff, his gaze sweeping across the small slaughterhouse before him. More than a dozen Hu cavalrymen lay sprawled in pools of blood, their bodies contorted in various ways. Compared to the vast, endless mountain of corpses in the distance, the scale of death here was insignificant, yet the impact on Chen Xing was equally powerful. For these deaths were ordered by him personally, and carried out by his own troops.

He slowly raised his right hand, the very fist that had just killed the Hu chieftain with a single punch. His knuckles were slightly scraped and stained with blood—the result of the blow to the man's waist, the friction against his rough leather armor and hard bones. A slight, stinging pain reminded him of the reality of it all.

He committed murder.

This wasn't data analysis on a screen, nor was it animal dissection in a lab; it was the tangible end of a fellow human being's life. Despite the other party's brutality, treating him like livestock, despite it being a life-or-death act of self-defense, the tactile sensation of a fist touching flesh, feeling life slip through his fingers, still cast an indescribable shadow over his heart. His stomach churned, but he forcefully suppressed it with willpower. He knew that in this world, he had to adapt to, or even abandon, this discomfort as quickly as possible.

"My lord." A steady voice sounded beside him. The commander of the personal guards, Chen Wei, had already risen. He removed the helmet that covered most of his face, revealing a angular, weathered face. He appeared to be around thirty years old, with a bronze complexion, a strong jawline, and sharp, piercing eyes that held undisguised respect for Chen Xing. A faint scar on his forehead added to his fierce and valiant air. "The battlefield has been cleared. Seventeen enemy soldiers were killed, and nine unclaimed warhorses, leather armor, scimitars, and a number of bows and arrows were captured. Our army… suffered no casualties, and three were lightly wounded, which does not affect our combat strength."

No casualties.

Chen Xing's heart skipped a beat. Was this the strength of the Wei Wuzu? Facing a dozen or so Hu riders, and despite the enemy's advantage in cavalry mobility, they had annihilated the entire enemy force with zero casualties. While the enemy's sudden appearance and subsequent disarray were certainly factors, it was enough to demonstrate that this elite guard unit, produced by the system, possessed combat skills and equipment that completely overwhelmed ordinary armies of this era.

"Well done." Chen Xing nodded, trying to make his voice sound calm and commanding. "Chen Wei, where exactly are we right now? How much do you know about the surrounding terrain and situation?"

This is the most pressing information he needs right now. He needs a coordinate system, a direction.

Chen Wei hesitated for a moment, then organized his thoughts and replied, "My lord, based on the information that comes to mind, we are currently located in the northern part of the Divine Continent, near the 'Fallen Soul Ravine,' which was the border between Youzhou and Bingzhou of the former Great Yan Dynasty. A major battle took place here a month ago, and the two sides seemed to be the remnants of the Youzhou Zhenbei Army and a group of Rouran who had come south to raid. Judging from the scale of the battlefield, both sides probably deployed no less than tens of thousands of troops, and the outcome... should have been a mutual defeat, or even mutual destruction."

He pointed to the depths of the distant mountains of corpses and seas of blood: "The core area of ​​this battlefield is the plain at the exit of the Fallen Soul Ravine. We are now on the edge of the battlefield."

Youzhou? Bingzhou? Rouran? The Great Yan Dynasty?

These place names and tribal names, imbued with a strong ancient flavor, gave Chen Xing a vague sense of the time and space he was in. It seemed to be a chaotic era similar to the Northern and Southern Dynasties or the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in his memory, with the collapse of central authority, warlordism, and rampant foreign invasion.

"As for the surrounding situation," Chen Wei continued, his brow furrowing slightly, "my knowledge is also incomplete. I only know that the central government of the Great Yan Dynasty was breached last year, the emperor's fate is unknown, and the world is in complete chaos. Local powerful families, former officials, and foreign tribes have all declared independence and are fighting each other. The You and Bing regions are particularly hard hit, with Han and non-Han peoples living together, and constant fighting. It's common to see thousands of miles without the sound of roosters crowing, and bones exposed in the fields. The area we are in is a no-man's-land. Apart from a few small groups of bandits, defeated soldiers, and nomadic cavalry like the ones we just encountered, we haven't found any organized forces yet."

His description perfectly embodies the phrase "chaotic world." A dynasty is on its last legs, heroes rise up, and human life is cheap. This is both a tremendous crisis and a hidden opportunity. For Chen Xing, who possesses a system, chaos means that the path to advancement is not completely blocked.

"What is the status of our current supplies?" Chen Xing asked another crucial question. The supplies for a hundred-man team were no small matter.

Chen Wei replied, "My lord, our troops have arrived with three days' worth of emergency rations, mainly millet cakes and dried meat that can be stored for a long time, as well as personal weapons and equipment. Each person is equipped with thirty arrows. Apart from that, there is no extra food or supplies. If we are to continue for an extended period of time, we must replenish our supplies as soon as possible."

Three days. Time is very tight.

Chen Xing's consciousness sank back into his mind. Besides the phantom representing the Royal Guard and 100 system points, he also "saw" a slot space similar to a game inventory. Several items were quietly placed inside, one of which was the status icon for [Ancient Martial Arts Body (Beginner)], indicating it was activated. There was also a faintly glowing book icon next to it, labeled "Basic Reconnaissance and Counter-Reconnaissance."

This must be a knowledge-based skill that comes with the system? He tried to access it with his consciousness.

Should we study "Basic Reconnaissance and Counter-Reconnaissance"?

"Yes."

A refreshing breeze swept into his mind, not a massive flood of information, but rather some practical skills and experiences: how to use terrain and features to conceal himself, how to observe footprints to determine the number and movement of enemies, how to set up simple warning traps, and how to counter enemy reconnaissance methods, etc. This knowledge was imprinted in his memory as if he were born with it. Although it was only "basic," it was like a timely help in the current perilous environment.

He opened his eyes, a hint of understanding in them. As he scanned his surroundings again, he noticed some details he had previously overlooked: unnatural marks near the pile of corpses in the distance, suggesting that something alive might have moved there; the effect of wind direction changes on the spread of odors; and which locations were more suitable for setting up hidden sentries.

"Chen Wei".

"Your subordinate is here."

"Send two clever brothers to set out scouts five miles to the west and north, focusing on finding water sources, temporary encampments, and... any other living people, whether refugees or bandits. Be discreet, prioritize reconnaissance, and avoid combat. After one hour, regardless of whether they have found anything, they must return to report."

"Yes, sir!" Chen Wei accepted the order without hesitation, immediately turned around, pointed to two of the most capable-looking Wei soldiers, and whispered a few words of instruction. After receiving the order, the two soldiers quickly removed some of their heavy armor, carrying only short weapons and bows and arrows, and like cheetahs, silently disappeared into the mountain of corpses and overgrown grass, their movements agile and professional.

Watching their disappearing figures, Chen Xing felt a little relieved. With professional scouts, he could make his next decision.

His gaze returned to the captured warhorses. Though frightened, the horses had gradually calmed down under the soothing cares of the Wei infantry. They were undoubtedly an important strategic resource.

"Chen Wei, how are our men's horsemanship skills?"

"My lord, the Wei Wu soldiers are heavily armored infantry, skilled in fighting in formation. They are good at riding horses, but charging into battle in formation on horseback is not our forte," Chen Wei replied frankly.

Chen Xing nodded; this was expected. Infantry-cavalry coordination is the future direction, but for now, it's best to focus on the fundamentals.

"Keep an eye on these horses; they're our vital source of power and pack animals," Chen Xing instructed, then strode towards the corpses of the Hu people. "Let's go see what these 'hunters' who've been chasing us for half a day are carrying."

This is yet another lesson he must learn—scavenging on the battlefield. In a chaotic world where resources are scarce, every usable resource is precious.

Chen Wei followed closely behind, like the most loyal shadow.

Approaching the corpses, the pungent stench of blood and death became even more overwhelming. Chen Xing, suppressing his discomfort, crouched down and, under Chen Wei's guidance, began his examination. He started with the scarred leader.

Unbuttoning the other person's rough leather coat, inside were some scattered, low-quality silver and copper coins, a leather water bag containing half a bag of mare's milk wine, which sloshed around and had a pungent smell. Also inside were a package of dark, dried meat wrapped in oiled paper, and several flints.

The other Hu cavalry carried similar items: personal belongings, a small amount of food, and water. Most of their weapons and leather armor had been damaged in battle, with few remaining intact. However, when all the supplies were gathered together, the total was quite considerable: nearly a hundred copper coins and a few small pieces of silver, enough to serve as temporary currency; the dried meat and dairy products, though crude, could replenish their strength; a dozen or so leather water bags solved part of their drinking problem; and several intact horsebows and a few quiver of bone arrows.

"My lord, it seems they are a cavalry squad far from the main force, and they don't carry enough supplies," Chen Wei concluded.

Looking at the "spoils of war" piled on the ground, Chen Xing felt little joy, only a heavy sense of reality. This was the true nature of survival in a chaotic world; every piece of food, every drop of water, might have to be obtained with blood.

He stood up, looked in the direction where the two scouts had disappeared, and then looked at the ninety-seven Wei soldiers standing behind him, as firm as rocks, waiting for orders.

The system gave him a hellish start, but it also gave him his first cornerstone—this absolutely loyal and powerful personal guard.

The next step is to use this cornerstone to pry open the first sliver of space for survival in this mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood.

The time spent waiting for the scouts to report back felt exceptionally long.