The fiercest soldier of the border army

Laughter filled the government office, creating a joyous atmosphere.

Wang Xianghong's eyebrows relaxed, and a confident smile appeared on his face.

"Remember, always leave room for maneuver; there's always a chance to turn things around."

"Now that this matter is settled, I will not hold a grudge against Shi Hanshan; on the contrary, I will thank him for his help!"

After saying that, he reached out and patted Zhu Hang on the shoulder, his tone full of meaning, "After the military review at the drill ground tomorrow, go find Tang Shun."

"You don't need to do anything else, just make things difficult for him and prevent him from having an easy time."

……

Tang Shun heard everything clearly about the scheming and smugness inside the government office.

He knew perfectly well that the other party was clearly targeting him, and any further argument would be a waste of breath.

He simply took the roster and turned to leave.

Stepping out of the government office, the blinding sunlight hit me, and the jeers and laughter from the hall behind me continued to assault my ears, harsh and mocking.

Wei Zong strode forward, his eyes tense. "How is the situation?"

Tang Shun simply tossed the roster to him.

Wei Zong glanced at the document, his face instantly turning ashen. He gritted his teeth and said, "This is... a whole bunch of old, weak, sick, and disabled people?"

"That's right." Tang Shun nodded calmly, "There's not even half a fighter among them."

Cheng Feng exploded on the spot, his voice trembling with barely suppressed anger, "What kind of reorganization is this? We are real combat soldiers, and we've been relegated to menial auxiliary duties!"

Liang Enyi's face also turned grim, and he said in a deep voice, "These people are really ruthless. They've dumped all the most useless burdens in the entire battalion onto our Third Team."

"It's blatantly a case of using someone else to do our dirty work," Wei Zong sneered. "No need for beatings or punishments, just let us wear ourselves down."

Cheng Feng clenched his fists, his face full of resentment. "How about we go talk to them tonight?"

Tang Shun looked up at the bare flagpole in the drill ground, his tone calm and resolute, "What are you talking about? Begging them for some elite troops? What use are soldiers obtained by begging?"

He paused, then spoke with conviction: "These soldiers are trained by ourselves, not given to us by others."

The group fell silent instantly.

The empty training ground was chilly and desolate, with the flagpole standing bare and without a single banner. It was eerily quiet.

Wei Zong and the other two felt a heavy weight sinking into their hearts.

How can this motley crew of weak and feeble soldiers establish themselves and survive in this dangerous border region?

The next morning, the troops were mustered at the drill ground.

Two hundred soldiers stood in formation, arranged in four neat rows, with only one empty space in the middle reserved for the newly formed third squad.

On the high platform, Wang Xianghong cleared his throat, his voice carrying throughout the entire area: "Today, the entire army is being reorganized! The four teams are being reassigned personnel and weapons. Those whose names are called, immediately return to the front of your respective teams!"

He picked up the compiled document and read it aloud.

"One squad, composed of fifty soldiers! Equipped with fifty broadswords, fifty helmets, fifty leather armor, thirty round shields, twenty longbows, ten powerful crossbows, and 1,500 arrows!"

The soldiers, platoon leaders, and officers were all clearly identified, and the troops were well-equipped and had ample weaponry.

"Second squad, fifty soldiers! Equipped with fifty broadswords, fifty helmets, fifty leather armor, twenty shields, and thirty spears!"

They were also fully equipped and well-organized, making them a true elite force for main battle.

When it was finally his turn, Wang Xianghong's tone became casual, with a hint of deliberate disdain:

"Three teams, comprising thirty-seven people from each household, are designated as auxiliary service teams within the camp! They are issued thirty-seven broadswords, but have no armor, shields, bows, or crossbows!"

"The four squad leaders are: Wei Zong, Liang Enyi, Cheng Feng, and Zhu Hang!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of suppressed snickers erupted across the training ground.

Wang Quanhu shouted loudly, his tone full of mockery: "Congratulations, Captain Tang, on acquiring a group of 'elites'!"

Tang Shun stood at the front of the team, his face as still as water, showing no emotion whatsoever.

After all the names were read out, the contrast in the entire room was glaringly obvious.

Teams one, two, and four were all composed of healthy, strong young men, standing tall and exuding the fierce aura of years of fighting. Their weapons were plentiful, with some even left over.

Looking at the three teams behind him, they were simply appalling.

The few veterans who had been on the battlefield were all wounded, some missing an arm, others lame.

The remaining new recruits were all conscripted laborers, with empty eyes and weak bodies, lacking any fighting spirit;

There were also three veterans, nearly seventy years old, standing shakily, struggling to even stand.

The broadswords they were given were either chipped and broken at the hilt or covered in rust, hardly qualifying as weapons at all.

After the roll call, the remaining three teams marched off in neat formation, displaying impressive momentum.

In contrast, the third team had a large group of remnants trailing behind.

Cheng Feng, Wei Zong, and Liang Enyi followed closely beside Tang Shun, their expressions solemn.

Zhu Hang followed at the back with a nonchalant attitude, looking completely indifferent, secretly waiting to see Tang Shun make a fool of himself.

Thirty-seven soldiers followed behind, some leaning on canes for support, some coughing as they walked, and some swaying with every step.

The group stretched out sparsely along the short distance of a few hundred steps, with people constantly falling behind and collapsing into a slump.

They hadn't gone far when an elderly veteran plopped down on the ground, panting heavily and waving his hands: "I'm not going any further! I really can't walk anymore, I need to rest!"

Wei Zong lowered his voice and said helplessly, "With this physique, even standing at attention is difficult, let alone training."

Cheng Feng, carrying his knife, was filled with resentment and muttered under his breath, "This isn't providing us with a team; it's adding to our burdens and digging our graves!"

Liang Enyi sighed bitterly, "They call it an auxiliary team, but with this group of people, I'm afraid they can't even handle menial tasks."

Tang Shun didn't reply, but kept walking straight towards the Third Team's camp.

The third team's barracks were located in the most remote southeast corner of the camp, and consisted of a low, dilapidated earthen building.

The entire building has only four rooms: one large communal barracks that can barely fit fifty people; one separate small room that is the captain's residence; and the remaining two rooms are the council chamber and the armory.

"From now on, this place will be our third team's territory."

Tang Shun stood at the entrance of the courtyard and looked around.

The elite soldiers of the original three teams were carrying their luggage and leaving with smiles on their faces. When they passed by Tang Shun and his group, they all looked at them with mockery and no one stopped to say a word. Their eyes were full of contempt and a desire to kick someone when they were down.

As darkness fell, after a whole afternoon of fussing, the thirty-seven soldiers finally managed to get themselves settled and move into the dilapidated barracks.

Tang Shun sat in the small hut of the team leader, writing down the current situation of the three teams in a clear and organized manner:

[Details of the reorganization of the three teams]

Total number of people: 37

Core members: Tang Shun (team leader), Wei Zong, Liang Enyi, Cheng Feng, Zhu Hang (fourth squad leader)

Healthy soldiers: seventeen men, all newly conscripted, weary of war, and only wanting to get by.

The number of wounded veterans is 15: three are lame, four have lost an arm or finger, five have internal injuries, and three are veterans in their seventies.

Military supplies: Thirty-seven rusted broadswords, no armor, no helmet, and no ranged weapons.

However, they were required to take on all the menial and arduous tasks in the entire camp.

After finishing his preparations, Tang Shun walked out of the small hut and called out to the barracks entrance, "Four squad leaders, come over here for a meeting."

Cheng Feng, Wei Zong, and Liang Enyi rushed over immediately.

Tang Shun glanced around: "Where's Zhu Hang?"

A soldier stammered, "Squad leader, Squad Leader Zhu went to the second squad. He said he was going to catch up with some old comrades."

"Ignore him."

Tang Shun remained calm, ignoring the man and looking directly at the three people before him:

"You all know the current situation within the team."

"Thirty-seven people, nearly half of whom are old, weak, or disabled. Let alone fighting, many of them can't even handle daily chores and need special care."

Cheng Feng, his face full of frustration, couldn't help but grumble:

"Squad leader! The four of us are all living, breathing men who have actually killed barbarians. Why should we spend our days squatting in the camp feeding horses, chopping wood, washing clothes, and doing odd jobs?"

"Has Wang Xianghong lost his mind?!"

Wei Zong sighed, looking helpless: "I just talked to a few new recruits, and they were actually quite happy. They felt that the auxiliary service team didn't have to risk their lives on the battlefield, and all they wanted to do was complete their term and go home. They had no fighting spirit whatsoever."

"It's alright."

Tang Shun shook his head slightly, his eyes calm and collected: "First, calm down and take over all the auxiliary tasks steadily."

"The rest... we'll take it slow."

The words had barely left his mouth!

dong dong dong——!

The urgent and heavy drumbeats of the assembly suddenly exploded, layer upon layer, penetrating the entire military camp!

Immediately afterwards, the messenger, shaking a copper bell, ran and roared, his voice urgent and shrill:

"Police are outside the city! Police are outside the city!"

"All teams, don your armor and weapons immediately, and assemble on the drill ground!"

"Urgent!"

Tang Shun, Wei Zong, Cheng Feng, and Liang Enyi's expressions all changed drastically!