Demon King, you just need to conquer, and your husband will come up with the solution.

Chapter 168

I want to join the army too.

"Tsk, what a pity..."

Batum walked home feeling a little lost, sighing and muttering to himself as he walked.

The reason why he was so disappointed was that after Batum heard his friend tell him that the Demon King was going to lead his troops to attack Troll Ridge, he ran excitedly to the military camp to see if he could join the army.

As for Batum's unreasonable request, the expression of the officer in charge of military affairs in the barracks was all squeezed together. In the end, he could only show a polite but awkward smile and sternly refused.

"Well, brother Troll, although I don't know what you heard about... the Demon King's army is going to attack Troll Ridge, please don't believe these rumors easily.

Moreover, even if these rumors are true, my old brother, your age has exceeded the requirements for recruiting new soldiers in our Demon King Army, and we will not let you join the army."

"Ah? When did this age requirement come into being? I remember when we were recruiting soldiers in the past, weren't they forced to conscript regardless of age?"

Batum scratched his head in confusion, and the military officer patiently responded to Batum's doubts: "The past is the past, and the present is the present. Now the Demon King's Army has been rectified.

From now on, there will no longer be compulsory conscription as before. If you want to join the army, there will be physical and age restrictions... I see that you look like you are over a hundred years old, right?

You are too old and no longer meet the age requirement of our Demon King's Army... However, we are planning to create a new type of conscript called militia.

You can forget about joining the regular army at your age, but you can sign up to be a militiaman."

"Militia?" Batum raised his eyebrows and asked quickly, "Can the militia follow the Demon King's army to Troll Ridge to fight the Troll Lord?"

"No... Hey! No, I told you, this is a rumor! Don't just believe it because of gossip!"

"Can't go to the battlefield to fight? Then what is the militia for?"

"You can do construction, planting, transportation, or be responsible for some public security... You can be considered a worker with soldier-like qualities."

"Ah...is that so?"

Batum lost interest immediately after receiving this reply. If he couldn't go to Troll Ridge to gank the Troll Lord, then why would he join the army? It was meaningless...

Therefore, the rejected Batum could only leave the barracks with a trace of regret and prepare to go home. On the way, he did not forget to go to the food store to buy some vermicelli for dinner, and also bought some mochi as a gift to celebrate his son becoming an apprentice.

When Batum returned home before dinner time, his wife Dolly looked surprised and said, "Hey, you came back home not drunk?

I thought I would have to wait until the next day to ask your friends to find out which pub you collapsed in and bring you back."

Hearing Dolly's teasing words, Batum frowned and yelled, "Tsk, you bitch, when have I ever broken my promise? I said, let's have a couple of drinks to celebrate and then come back."

Batum put a bag of mochi in front of his son Barrick and said, "You are a good kid. You are very motivated. I will give you something good."

"Uh..." Looking at the mochi buns in the bag, Barrick was a little flattered. All the skills he had received since he was a child came from his father's iron fist of love. This mochi bun of love... was the first time for him.

"Thank...thank you, Dad..."

Barrick said thank you to his father in a somewhat uninterested manner, then took out a mochi bag from the bag and threw it into his mouth.

Hmm...it's sweet and really delicious. I heard that after I became an apprentice, I learned how to make this...

As if they smelled the fragrance of something good, Barrick's younger brothers and sisters cheered and screamed, came to Barrick's side, took out mochi buns from the bag and started to eat them happily.

The children's laughter and his son's somewhat clumsy thank you made Batum, who was feeling a little unhappy, couldn't help but smile knowingly.

However, as Batum's wife, Dolly can see the subtle changes in her husband's expressions more clearly.

She asked with concern: "What's wrong? You don't seem very happy... What happened?"

Batum scratched his ear, shrugged and said, "Oh, it's nothing, I was just fooled."

"Fooled? Were you cheated out of money?"

"No! How could I be cheated out of money? I just heard some gossip from my friends while we were drinking..."

As he spoke, Batum told his wife the gossip he heard in the tavern and the conversation he had with the military officer in the barracks.

However, Dolly started to shout excitedly when she was halfway through her words: "You, an old farmer, are actually thinking about joining the army? Are you crazy? Do you know that you have a family to feed? If you join the army to fight Troll Ridge, who will we rely on if something unexpected happens?!"

Dolly's questioning made Batum look a little embarrassed. He said stubbornly, "Oh! I know! So in the end, you didn't join the army?"

Duo Li was not tolerant at all and directly said, "You didn't go? You did go but they didn't want you!"

Then, with a hint of anger, she sat opposite Batum and sulked. Noticing their mother's anger, even the two little ones who were playing and eating mochi buns became quiet, leaning on their big brother Barrick and not daring to make a sound.

Batum knew he was in the wrong, so he could only comfort her: "Hey, why are you so angry... Anyway, didn't you go to the war in the end... Mainly because when I heard that we were going to fight the Troll Demon Lord, I didn't think much about it. I was so excited that I ran over directly..."

"Hmph..." Dolly snorted coldly, and it seemed that her anger had indeed subsided a little.

Then, she suddenly asked Batum, "By the way...did the military officer say whether they would accept female soldiers?"

"Ah?" Batum was a little surprised that Dolly actually asked this question, and then immediately asked back: "Hey! You want to join the army!?"

"Why? You are only allowed to join the army if you want to, but not if I want to?"

At this moment, the atmosphere of the whole family took a big turn. Batum became the most angry person. He pointed at Dolly and shouted, "You want to join the army? Are you crazy?

Besides, what's the point of you joining the army!? You only know how to make some clothes. What can you do on the battlefield? "

Dolly retorted unconvincedly, "Nonsense! Who said I only know how to make clothes? Don't I cook all the meals at home? Without me cooking, you guys can only eat those big-leafed sweet potatoes and wait for your tongues to become numb!

Besides, I can't go to the battlefield to fight, but I can carry loads and run, and I can be a cook in the army, mend clothes, and cook. Is there anything I can't do?"

"..."

Batum, who was speechless after being rebuked by his wife, waved his hands awkwardly and said, "Alright, alright... forget it, the military officer said it was just a rumor anyway..."

Barrick, who was sitting nearby, listened quietly to the argument between his parents, feeling quite surprised.

After all, in his impression, his parents were ordinary people who were honest and kind, and they seemed unwilling to get involved in fighting and killing all their lives.

But the positive and enthusiastic attitude of the two men towards joining the army to attack Troll Ridge just now completely broke Barrick's stereotype.

He had heard his parents mention their hometown, Troll Hill, more than once, but generally speaking, Troll Hill was an example for them to recall the past.

For example, you are living a much more comfortable life now than we did in Troll Ridge...

Barrick was getting tired of hearing this every day, but despite being annoyed, he was also a little curious...

This giant demon Jiuling, whom I have always heard about and whom I have never met before, is he really as scary as my parents said...

Chapter 169

How do you know my son has made it?

"Mom and Dad, is Troll Ridge really that scary?"

Barrick chose to follow his curiosity and asked his parents.

In response to his son's question, Batum patted his shoulder earnestly and said, "Son, there is nothing to ask... To be honest, Troll Ridge is not a scary place.

But the key is that there is a bastard called the Troll Lord in charge of that place. As long as he is still there, Troll Ridge will always be a hellhole where demons cannot survive. "

The mother Dolly beside him also said seriously: "Son, your father and I often talk about Troll Ridge, because we were both born in Troll Ridge and then escaped as refugees. That is our hometown.

Of course, you are different. There is no need for you to understand these things, because you are not a troll from Troll Ridge. You were born and raised in Demon City. This is your hometown."

"Oh……"

Barrick was actually a little confused as he listened to his parents' advice.

On the one hand, there was the enthusiasm and excitement of his parents about joining the army to attack Troll Ridge, and on the other hand, there was the rejection of the two of them who persuaded him not to care about Troll Ridge.

The fact that his parents put these two completely different attitudes on the same thing at the same time made Barrick, who was a little confused, feel even more confused.

Seeing Barrick's puzzled expression, Batum said, "Okay, son, don't think about those things. You still have to be an apprentice demon.

You have a bright future ahead of you. Study hard and work hard, and strive to be like little Jesse next door, so that we can move into a big house in the inner city!"

Move into the inner city and live in a big house? Hearing this, Barrick immediately became excited. Isn't this the ultimate goal of his life?

"Ok!"

He nodded seriously, putting aside the distracting thoughts about Troll Ridge.

This little episode about Troll Ridge did not appear in the Batum family's discussion again. After all, it was just a rumor and there was nothing to discuss. At least... that's what they thought.

However, within a few days, news about Troll Ridge once again reached Batum's ears.

On the third day after his son was successfully hired as an apprentice, Batum came to his sweet potato field carrying a hoe.

While he was thinking about how to reclaim some more wasteland, he was also happy that his son could become an apprentice.

Not far away, a young green-skinned troll was also walking towards Batum. This green-skinned troll was the helper Batum had just hired some time ago.

This green-skinned troll helper was a poor man who had fled from Troll Ridge and had just arrived in the Demon King's City some time ago. His name was Hal.

There were unexpectedly many Troll Hill refugees who came over during that period, almost a whole batch, and each of them was full of vitality, which was really rare among the refugees.

Hal told them that a kind-hearted vampire helped them along the way and gave them some food, which was why they were able to survive and complete the journey.

Batum saw that the young man was strong, cheerful, and kind-hearted, so he was willing to support an old troll from his hometown who had no blood relationship with him.

So, after comprehensive investigation, Batum finally brought Hal in to be his assistant.

Facts have proved that Batum was right about the person. This green-skinned troll named Hal is indeed a down-to-earth and capable young man, and he is also quite optimistic.

Especially since Hal was not much older than his son Barrick, Batum liked him more and more, so he took good care of him most of the time.

The green troll Hal walked towards Batum and greeted him with a smile: "Hey, Uncle Batum, good morning..."

Batum grinned, turned around and asked, "Hey~ So you also know that my son was recruited as an apprentice~"

When Hal heard this forced boast, he smiled awkwardly and said, "Uncle...you've been talking about this to me for two days...I know you're happy, but there's no need to talk about it every day."

"Hahahaha! I feel uncomfortable if I don't talk about it, and I feel refreshed after I talk about it~"

"Then there's no need for you to keep nagging at me..."

"Because if I tell other people about this, I'll get scolded, but not if I tell you. You're a very honest boy. Hahaha!"

Hal was completely speechless. If he was honest, he would be treated like this every day, right?

Of course, Hal didn't complain about anything. He just smiled and waved his hands as if it didn't matter. Then he picked up the hoe handed to him by Batum and started to reclaim the wasteland with Batum.

While Batum was cultivating the land, he couldn't help but observe Hal. He felt that Hal's condition seemed not right today. He was too silent.

In the past, this kid was a chatterbox who could talk nonstop while hoeing the land to reclaim wasteland.

But today, Hal unexpectedly said nothing, as if he had something on his mind.

This situation continued until the end of the land reclamation. After finishing a day's work, Hal patted the dust off his body, walked up to Batum and solemnly apologized to him.

"Uncle Batum, um...I'm sorry. I may not be able to help you reclaim the wasteland anymore."

"Um... why?"

Although Batum already had some guesses and preparations, when Hal really said this to him he still wanted to know the reason.

"I'm going to respond to the call of the Demon King's army."

"Called to the Demon King's Army? Did you find a way in the army?"

"It's just that I joined the army and was selected."

"Huh?" Batum's expression became a little awkward when he heard Hal describe the process of his selection so casually.

Tsk, tsk, I went to join the army, but they said I was not allowed to join because of my age...

Batum, who was a little unbalanced in his heart, asked curiously: "It's a good thing to be able to join the army. Now after the military reform, it seems that the treatment of being a demon king's army is not bad.

But why do you suddenly want to join the Demon King's Army? Do you think farming is boring?"

"No, no, no, I think farming here in Demon King's Castle is great! Much better than Troll Ridge... But, I think I should still go back to fight."

"Go back and fight?"

"Yes!" Hal nodded seriously: "I want to join the army, follow the Demon King's army to the Troll Ridge, and defeat that bastard Troll Lord!"

Batum was stunned when he heard this, and quickly asked back: "Going to fight the Troll Demon King? Isn't that a rumor!?"

"It has been dispelled. It is not a rumor. The notice has been posted in the square. The Demon King's army is going to march out to defeat the Troll Lord. And the Demon King himself is leading the team!"

Hal was a little excited. He took a deep breath and asked Batum, "Uncle Batum, can I ask you a favor?"

Batum was still immersed in the shock that the Demon King's army was actually going to conquer Troll Ridge, and was only able to come back to his senses after being scolded several times by Hal.

"What's the matter?"