Chapter 14: The Truth, Enlistment, and the Warriors' Battalion

His previous suspicion was correct: the sudden outbreak of the blood disease in the town was indeed connected to the local clinic, as if everything suddenly made perfect sense.

“Someone deliberately spread the blood disease! And then profited by selling the cure!”

Xia He instinctively rushed outside, intending to report this to the town authorities.

But upon reaching the courtyard gate, he suddenly stopped.

Most of the town’s vagrants were of low status, under the jurisdiction of the military garrison controlling the region.

The blood disease had been spreading for months, and the price of the cure kept rising—how could the garrison troops not be aware?

Moreover, the ruffians he had encountered earlier at Li Huiying’s home were somehow linked to the town’s gambling den.

“It might even be orchestrated by Song Bao’s brother-in-law, the owner of the gambling den!”

“There must be someone in the garrison protecting this scheme!”

After all, the victims were poor, insignificant commoners—hardly anyone would care.

A chill ran through Xia He’s heart at this thought.

“These beasts…”

If he reported this to the authorities, not only would the blood disease remain unchecked, but he would also bring danger upon himself.

His earlier plan to join the military would be dashed as well. Although Zhou Bo thought highly of him, their relationship was distant, and Zhou Bo was just an ordinary soldier—he could hardly offer protection.

Xia He dared not gamble on human nature.

“If they had powerful backing, why would they be so secretive and timid?”

Clenching his fists, Xia He returned to the courtyard.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to save the townsfolk—he simply lacked the ability.

“I must train in martial arts, become a warrior!”

Only by becoming a warrior, shedding his lowly status, and becoming a soldier would his words carry weight.

He had to climb higher, for that was the only hope to survive this chaotic era.

Then, if anyone dared to mess with him, they would have to think twice about ending up with a few broken teeth.

“Tomorrow—I must join the army tomorrow!”

Although he had developed the cure, it was only enough for his own family for now.

***

At dawn, Xia He rose from his bed at the first crow of the rooster.

Before leaving, he instructed his wife,

“Lan’er, you don’t need to work in others’ households anymore. Just stay home, and it would be best if you could give me a strong, healthy son someday.”

Li Huilan blushed and teased him softly.

Seeing her like that, Xia He felt a surge of warmth and tenderness.

But there was business to attend to, so he couldn’t linger.

“Give this medicine to your sister’s family later, and tell them not to buy medicine from the clinic anymore, but be sure to keep it a secret.”

Not only had Xia He developed the cure, but he had also removed the toxic aconite from it.

The few pills he gave to his wife to bring to his sister would be enough; with no more medication needed, recovery would be swift.

“Brother He, come back early. I’ll be waiting for you at home.”

Xia He smiled gently, kissed his wife, who blushed shyly, then took some cooked snake meat and left, planning to eat it as he walked.

The city looked the same as ever, as if nothing had changed.

Morning sunlight bathed the streets.

“Hmm, seems like quite a few people are joining the military?”

Xia He saw many people carrying large bundles heading toward the garrison—young and old alike.

Though joining the army meant facing deadly battles, it guaranteed food and offered a chance to train in martial arts, so many, like him, sought a future there.

But the army never kept idlers, Xia He had thought about that carefully.

This time, the general had lifted recruitment limits and offered martial arts training—surely because the barbarian tribes at the frontier had grown increasingly aggressive.

In recent years, even without the barbarians, various regional powers fought among themselves, causing countless deaths.

“Quiet! Everyone line up properly!”

Xia He arrived at the recruitment site just as a young man clad in armor barked orders. The crowd immediately fell silent.

He had intended to line up quietly himself but then spotted Zhou Bo.

“You don’t need to queue with the others. Come with me.”

Zhou Bo waved, summoned a mule cart, and led him out of the city.

“I’ll take you directly to the garrison. Many have heard about you killing that giant python, ha!”

Several around them turned with curious and envious looks.

Xia He scratched his nose awkwardly—he had hoped to keep a low profile.

But Zhou Bo’s voice was too loud; that chance was gone.

Xia He’s town belonged to Youzhou, with nine garrisons outside the city. The so-called tens of thousands of troops included many military slaves; the actual soldier population numbered only a few thousand.

These soldiers were under the command of the regional military governor but were not the true elite forces.

The garrison was just the foundation; the real strength resisting the southern barbarians was the elite Warrior Battalions under the military governor’s direct command—these were what kept the barbarians at bay.

Joining the Warrior Battalions was the true path to rapid advancement, with excellent benefits and the chance to become an officer.

Only after learning all this did Xia He fully understand.

Though the country was called Great Qin, it was quite different from the ancient Qin he had imagined.

Many systems seemed to be a blend of various ancient states, and most importantly, people here could cultivate, becoming warriors.

Perhaps it was precisely because of these warriors that Great Qin had endured for centuries.

As he absorbed all this from Zhou Bo, Xia He nodded thoughtfully.

Before he knew it, they had arrived at the garrison camp dozens of miles outside the city.

North of the town lay the Great Liang Mountains. His previous hunting and herb gathering had been on the periphery; the nine garrisons extended deeper, monitoring the barbarians who occasionally tried to invade.

Upon arrival, Xia He found the garrison was not as he had imagined.

It was not a fortified camp nor a tent city, but rather a village made up of ordinary houses.

The notable difference was the many patrols, and a large training ground at the village center, filled with loud shouts.

Inside the houses, there were many people who did not look like soldiers, yet were not ordinary civilians either.

These were the military slaves recruited by the soldier households, responsible for fieldwork and chores.

“The barbarians are on the other side of the Great Liang Mountains. Because of the treacherous terrain, it’s nearly impossible for their main forces to march through.”

“So we don’t face their main army directly, only small bands of scouts.”

By midday, they reached their destination. Zhou Bo stopped the mule cart outside the garrison.

“Zhou Bo, your military slave quota is full. He’s a vagrant of low status; if he wants to join, he can only enlist as a camp follower.”

A soldier in charge of registration smiled wryly, causing Zhou Bo’s expression to darken.

“Full? A military slave under my command recently died of old age, freeing up a slot. Are you sure?”

“Zhou Bo, I know what you’re saying, but this morning your son brought someone who took that spot already, so…”

“What?”