Starting from his vigorous old age, he began to conquer Liaozhai.

Cao Xiong finally selected five military officers, including Mao Dafu and Zhang He, who had received top marks.

There are also three doctors whose evaluation is grade B.

For this recruitment of military doctors by the centurion, the two chief examiners he found were basically the two best doctors in Guobei County.

Based on their assessment standards, it can be roughly understood that a doctor rated as Grade A has a medical skill level comparable to theirs and can be considered a renowned doctor in a county.

The second-class physician was slightly inferior to these two.

Therefore, Zhang He and Mao Dafu's medical skills might even surpass those of the two examiners he had found.

The soldiers next to him handed him a pen and inkstone, which Cao Xiong took and finally drew a red circle after the names of the five people he had selected.

Cao Xiong gathered all the doctors who had come to participate in the selection together. After keeping Zhang He and the other five, he encouraged the others and gave each of them five hundred coins as travel expenses.

At this moment, only Zhang He and his four companions remained in front of Cao Xiong.

"From now on, the five of you will be the military officers of the centurion's garrison."

"Based on the results, Zhang He and Mao Dafu are both rated A. I need to select a chief medical officer from the two of you."

"Which of you two would be willing to take on this position?"

As soon as Cao Xiong finished speaking, Mao Dafu stepped forward and said, "My lord, I would like to recommend Mr. Zhang He as the chief medical officer."

"Dr. Zhanghe was highly skilled in medicine and was known as a medical immortal in Yizhou and Zezhou counties."

"Oh? Zhang He, are you willing?" Cao Xiong raised an eyebrow. Judging from the undisguised admiration in Mao Dafu's tone, Zhang He was no ordinary person.

Zhang He stepped forward, "This humble... subordinate is willing to serve the centurion."

"Haha, good. From now on, Zhang He will be the chief physician among the army doctors." Cao Xiong laughed heartily, then beckoned a soldier to take Zhang He and the other four back to the barracks to rest.

The examinations for junior officers, craftsmen, and clerks are still ongoing on the drill ground.

Only six martial artists were recruited, and they needed to undergo assessments in strength, practice, and combat in turn.

The selection of junior flag officers was not completed until around 1:00 PM.

All six warriors were recruited into the army to serve as junior officers.

The purpose of setting up the assessment was to let these martial artists know that becoming a junior officer was not easy, and secondly, to understand each person's martial arts skills.

Even without the assessment, Cao Xiong would still accept these martial artists who had entered the country. He simply couldn't afford to lose any more flag officers.

For the past two months, although he has been urging the soldiers to train and providing them with a constant supply of meat, including occasional monster meat, the effects have not yet been apparent in the short term.

In another year or two, Cao Xiong was confident that his officers and soldiers would achieve an explosive breakthrough in the Skin Tempering Realm.

Then you can be promoted to junior officer based on your military merits.

After encouraging the six warriors at the Skin Tempering Realm, he had them taken back to their barracks to rest.

The remaining nearly one hundred people were all craftsmen and clerks who had applied for the positions.

Regarding the recruitment of carpenters, he actually set rather broad requirements when writing the recruitment notice.

It also included stonemasons who could build houses and city walls.

He recruited these people for two main purposes: one was to expand and renovate the barracks, and the other was to forge weapons such as bows, arrow shafts, and spear shafts.

The assessment didn't completely end until evening.

Forty craftsmen were ultimately selected, including three blacksmiths and thirty-seven carpenters and stonemasons.

Three clerks were selected to be responsible for recording battle achievements, managing the expenditures of officers and soldiers, and compiling statistics on supplies.

After returning to the barracks, Cao Xiong began to think about how to expand the Hundred Households Office.

Currently, the entire Baihu Office has nearly two hundred people.

The barracks for accommodation need to be expanded, and a workshop for blacksmiths to forge muskets and weapons also needs to be built.

Cao Xiong sat at his desk, conceiving ideas until evening.

Then, he summoned the six martial artists, five military doctors, three civil officials, snake breeder Meng Jia, and flag officers Liu Mingzi, Qin Dan, Wang Er, Li Guai, and others to the centurion's barracks.

"Tomorrow we will go to Boli Township to thoroughly clean up the plague corpses. Wang Er will stay in the city and arrange for the three blacksmiths to learn how to forge firearms from Lu Qing."

"Also, you will be in charge of guarding the city gates for the next period of time. I'll leave you with a small flag and some military households."

"The rest of you will follow me into battle."

"Yes, sir!" Wang Er led the way by clasping his hands in response, and then everyone else followed suit.

Cao Xiong looked at the six new warriors recruited today and continued, "After we wipe out the plague zombies this time, I will assign you positions. The six of you will be in charge of managing the military households for now."

The group exchanged glances, then stood up to accept the order.

"Zhang He, in addition to treating the wounded, you also need to research the corpse plague and try to create an antidote. Tomorrow, the doctors recruited by the county government will also be under your management."

Cao Xiong then looked at Zhang He and the other military officers.

"Rest assured, sir, I will do my best." Zhang He firmly remembered what Cao Xiong had said about the corpse plague.

"As for the civil servants, let Zhou Yuan take charge of them tomorrow." Cao Xiong finally looked at Zhou Yuan, who had just joined the Hundred Household Office. According to Liu Mingzi, this teacher named Zhou Yuan was no ordinary person.

"Thank you for your kindness, sir." Zhou Yuan's tone was unhurried, and a peaceful smile remained on his lips.

"Alright, if there are no other questions, you may all leave. We will depart at 9:00 AM tomorrow."

At 9:00 AM the next day, Cao Xiong led more than 400 people out of Guobei County and headed towards Boli Township.

In the two days since he returned, scouts have been reporting to him daily on the development of the corpse plague.

According to the messages sent back, his strategy was quite effective, at least temporarily curbing the spread of the zombie plague.

"Greetings, Commander." Sha Huizi hurriedly came out to greet Cao Xiong after learning that Cao Xiong had arrived in Boli Township.

"No need for formalities, just call Cao Man and Yu Tong over." Cao Xiong looked at the fog around him, which was even thicker than it had been two days ago, and a bad feeling crept into his heart.

Before long, the three flag officers of the Guobei County Hundred Household Office, along with Cao Man, all gathered around Cao Xiong.

"You four should divide up all the soldiers and constables you brought, each responsible for one direction. After two incense sticks have burned, I will give the signal to attack. At that time, we will work together to tighten the encirclement and wipe out the plague corpses."

"Remember, no plague-infested corpse is allowed to leave the encirclement alive." Cao Xiong's tone was chilling, his voice filled with killing intent.

Then, Liu Mingzi, Sha Huizi, Yu Tong, and Cao Man each led their men to take charge of one side, firmly trapping the seven villages where the plague corpses existed.

Zhou Yuan, along with his civil officials, and Zhang He, along with his military officers, accompanied Cao Xiong to the area guarded by Cao Man.

The time it takes for two incense sticks to burn passed in the blink of an eye, and Cao Xiong immediately ordered his men to shoot arrows with gunpowder attached into the air.

"Bang!" Three explosions rang out in succession, and the bright light from the gunpowder explosion in the air was somewhat blurred in the fog.

"Move forward!" Cao Xiong shouted suddenly, channeling his inner strength.

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