Chapter 8, The Long Knife Leaves No Trace

Having said this, he laughed heartily twice more and leaped off the stage

"I am not the only one representing our unit; it is nothing significant," Qin Cheng said, placing a hand on Dong Chu's shoulder. "Squad Leader Wu, you are going to participate in the long knife competition, aren't you?"

Qin Cheng sheathed his sword, bent down, picked up the long knife that Liu Shanhe had dropped, and handed it to him, saying lightly: "You have lost"

Haha! Captain Liu chuckled, "This is it! This is what a soldier should look like!" After saying this, he went on to greet others.

After just a few rounds, Liu Shanhe was already drenched in sweat, barely managing to cope. In contrast, Qin Cheng launched a rapid offensive, yet remained calm and composed, handling the situation with ease, each move faster and more powerful than the last

The pride in Qin Cheng's heart was suddenly ignited by Liu Shanhe's careless words! As his arm moved swiftly, the long knife was instantly at Liu Shanhe's chest!

Over there, Liu Shanhe, before stepping onto the stage, couldn't help but laugh a couple of times. He leaped onto the competition platform, landing steadily opposite Qin Cheng, clearly excited.

Upon hearing these words, Qin Cheng's figure flickered and he swiftly dashed out, his long knife still angled to the right side of his body, pointing towards the platform. In an instant, the soldiers below seemed to see only a fleeting shadow, and Qin Cheng had already arrived in front of Liu Shanhe

Liu Shanhe had never seen such swift swordsmanship before

"Captain Dong!" At this moment, a robust young man approached, and upon seeing Dong Chu, he greeted him.

Qin Cheng, indifferent to Dong Chu's gaze, took up his sword and walked onto the arena.

Could it be that he was really struck by lightning

From the moment Liu Shanhe set off from Qin City, he completely let go of the contempt in his heart, and at this point, he was already on high alert! Even so, when the long knife from Qin City swiftly approached his chest, Liu Shanhe could only retreat quickly and wield his knife to block!

For Liu Shanhe, who has been battling on this competition stage for the past few years, Qin Cheng, who had never shown his face before, is naturally regarded as a "newcomer"

Dong Chu kept asking himself, feeling that this world was truly beyond salvation

A drop of sweat slid down Liu Shanhe's chin and onto the * book *, and in a short time, he was already drenched in sweat!

Qin Cheng sheathed his long sword and descended from the arena. Accompanying him down were the fervent gazes of the guards.

Bump

Dong Chu was being clung to by Qin Cheng, and he couldn't help but ponder: What has happened to Qin Cheng? Ever since he returned home for a family visit, it seems he has completely transformed into a different person. He used to be just an ordinary martial arts soldier, but in recent days, he not only defeated himself in hand-to-hand combat, but also triumphed over his reinforcements, Jiang He. Now, he has also achieved the top rank in swordsmanship within the garrison. How is this possible?

"Eh? You look unfamiliar!" Liu Shanhe questioned, then raised his voice, "Hey, young man over there, I, Old Liu, often lack control in my actions. If you can't hold on later, make sure to shout out, so I don't accidentally hurt you!"

With the great battle imminent, this autumn has seen the cancellation of the previous military exercises that closely resembled actual combat. The entire grand review primarily focuses on assessing the military skills of the troops and selecting outstanding soldiers.

Due to the large number of soldiers participating in the knife skills competition for the entire camp, three temporary wooden competition platforms were constructed to facilitate a swift determination of the results

Seeing Captain Liu leave, Dong Chusong let out a sigh of relief. Turning around, he noticed Qin Cheng was looking at Captain Liu and somewhat awkwardly explained: "His name is Liu Shanhe, from the Second Vehicle Company. He was the champion in last year's knife skills competition, and his knife techniques are extraordinary"

Recently, Qin Cheng has triumphed!

The art of swordsmanship is the hallmark skill of heavy infantry. Historically, the foremost practitioners of swordsmanship in the military have always been from the heavy infantry or charioteer units. This time, the appearance of Qin Cheng and Dong Chu in the position of representatives for the heavy infantry in the martial arts competition immediately drew the attention of many guards.

Moreover, he has also developed a remarkable set of skills

Qin Cheng's expression was calm, his right hand holding a long knife pointed diagonally at the table, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth as he said proudly: "Come on!"

Stunning

On Liu Shanhe's right wrist, a vivid red knife scar is prominently visible, a direct result of the long knife falling from his hand.

However, when the long knife in Liu Shanhe's hand clashed with the long knife in Qin Cheng's hand, a tremendous shock surged through his grip, causing his right hand to tremble and nearly lose hold of the knife. At that moment, Liu Shanhe helplessly realized that Qin Cheng's knife was far more than just fast; it also possessed astonishing power

On the other side of the competition platform, a handsome young man holding a specially crafted wooden long sword gazed at Qin Cheng, his eyes sparkling with brilliance.

Liu Shanhe had never witnessed such an enigmatic sword technique; it completely exceeded his realm of understanding. He had never known that a blade could be wielded in such a manner

Too fast!

Qin Cheng observed this with his own eyes and let out a sneer in his heart, yet he secretly noted down this characteristic of Dong Chu

With a soft sound, the long knife in Liu Shanhe's hand fell onto the competition stage. Meanwhile, the knife in Qin Cheng's hand was already positioned across his neck. It was across his neck, not resting on his shoulder; Qin Cheng's knife did not touch any part of his body!

Platform 1, Heavy Infantry Unit 1, Qin City, against Cavalry Unit 2, Liu Shanhe! With the loud announcement of a sentry, the competition officially commenced

For the first time, Liu Shanhe believed in the unity of man and blade

The swordsmanship of Qin Cheng is lethal, devoid of any superfluous embellishments. In his hands, the long sword seems to come alive, capable of launching unexpected attacks from every angle, particularly from those astonishing positions. The long sword in Qin Cheng's grasp executes various techniques such as chopping, slashing, hooking, thrusting, spinning, and drawing, all complemented by his agile movements, leaving Liu Shanhe utterly defenseless

In just three or four breaths, last year's champion of the cavalry's swordsmanship was put in a difficult position and, after a few exchanges, had a long knife held against his neck

The garrison in the entire Shanggu County is divided into three main divisions. Apart from the cavalry division, the charioteer division and the infantry division are further subdivided into several smaller branches. For instance, the charioteer division is divided into charioteers, mounted warriors, and chariot infantry, while the infantry is categorized into light infantry and heavy infantry. Each branch has its own distinct characteristics, necessitating different assessments of military skills and techniques.

Originally, Liu Shanhe had good intentions, but once these words were spoken, they became a complete provocation

Dong Chu felt that his worldview had become somewhat chaotic

Qincheng, at this moment, exudes an imposing aura, brimming with pride, embodying the demeanor of a conqueror!

Not long after

Indeed," Dong Chu glanced at the wooden long knife he had just received, nodding in agreement

Of course, Dong Chu still had one thing left to say, which was that he encountered him for the first time upon taking the stage and was subsequently defeated by the other party. This explanation also served as a way for him to save face, especially since he had just let Qin Cheng know that he had been defeated by the other party

In light of this, Dong Chu secretly resolved that he must outshine Qin Cheng in the knife technique competition! He still had great confidence in the knife skills he had practiced for many years!

Originally, Liu Shanhe was as strong as an ox, with only a few in the army able to match him. However, now facing Qin Cheng, Liu Shanhe discovered for the first time that he was actually at a disadvantage in terms of strength

"What kind of talk is this? Last year was not as good, but does that mean this year will definitely be worse? How can you think like that? You really deserve a beating!" Captain Liu was displeased and pretended to be angry.

The soldiers in the audience finally reacted, erupting into thunderous applause and cheers

Qin Cheng nodded slightly, saying little, yet he had already noted down this Liu Shanhe in his heart

Liu Shanhe took the long knife, glanced at it in his hand, then looked at Qin Cheng, and suddenly burst into several hearty laughs, saying: "Refreshing! Truly refreshing! I admit my defeat wholeheartedly. Damn it, this battle was worth losing! My brother's knife skills are truly admirable!"

However, regardless of the circumstances, if I, as a squad leader, am inferior in hand-to-hand combat, that is one thing; but if I am also outmatched in knife skills, then there is no need for me to continue in this position as a squad leader, and I might as well step aside immediately

Because Qin Cheng has vividly presented this realm before him

Not... not going anywhere, haha, Qin Cheng, I heard that you have already defeated all the guards in our unit in hand-to-hand combat, and you are going to represent our unit in the martial arts competition at the department, truly impressive skills! Haha! Dong Chu, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched his head. His appearance was somewhat foolish, which really made it tough for a big, burly man like him to display such a childlike demeanor when he made a mistake

Silence enveloped the entire venue

Feeling the gazes of the crowd, some filled with admiration and others with curiosity, Dong Chu let out a huff, unconsciously raising her neck, thoroughly enjoying this sensation

At this moment, the entire training ground has commenced a fervent evaluation and competition of military skills

For the heavily armored infantry of Qincheng, the primary focus of their assessment is on the techniques of sword and spear combat, as well as hand-to-hand fighting skills. Of course, archery is also to be evaluated as it is a fundamental subject of military skills for the Han army, much like how any military unit in later generations must assess military posture.

Is this Qin City? Is this really Qin City? Is this still Qin City?

"You are the new recruit, so you should make the first move. I, Old Liu, do not deceive others," Liu Shanhe said loudly, with great presence.

Captain Liu! Upon seeing the newcomer, Dong Chu immediately rendered a military salute

It is precisely because of the imminent great war and the fleeting opportunities in combat against the Xiongnu cavalry that General Li Guang's earlier remarks can be considered a preemptive mobilization for war. When the time comes to engage in battle, he can directly lead the soldiers to the battlefield

The soldiers below the stage watched as the two individuals on stage instantly engaged in battle, neither able to gain the upper hand. The blades moved so swiftly that their shadows were indistinguishable, leaving the onlookers in a state of shock.

It was just a bit too unrestrained in speech. In the end, Dong Chu couldn't help but murmur a few words.

Dong Chu revealed an unnatural smile and, in a rare display of humility, said: "Captain Liu, my knife skills are not as good as yours, so please do not tease me."

Dong Chu finally came to his senses, swallowing hard. He looked at his hand gripping the knife and found that his palm was already drenched in sweat

"Squad Leader Wu, Squad Leader Dong, where are you going?" When Dong Chu encountered Qin Cheng at the assessment office in this camp, he looked as if he had seen a ghost and kept his distance. However, he was still spotted by the sharp-eyed Qin Cheng.

For over a decade, I, Qin, have fought countless times in the Qinhe Book City with my Tang knife, and no one has ever dared to tell me to strike first. Liu Shanhe, you are courting death!

As he pondered, a faint smile involuntarily appeared on Dong Chu's face. He even secretly hoped that the military would arrange for him to spar with Qin Cheng; that way, he would have the opportunity to regain his dignity

It has been a long time since we last met, how is your knife skill now? Today, we must have a good match! Captain Liu said with a hearty laugh, giving Dong Chu a pat on the shoulder, appearing very familiar with him

The Qin soldiers belonged to the heavy infantry, clad in iron armor. This type of infantry did not use bows and arrows in battle, primarily engaging the enemy in close combat with halberds, spears, battle axes, and polearms, while also equipped with long swords (or short swords). As for the light infantry, there are differing accounts regarding their armor, with some saying they wore leather armor and others stating they were unarmored, primarily using bows and arrows to kill from a distance. Due to poor archery skills, the Qin soldier ultimately had to serve as a heavy infantryman.

"What a coincidence, I am going as well. How about we go together?" Qin Cheng then revealed his other hand, displaying a specially crafted wooden long sword used for martial arts in front of Dong Chu.

Grandma, what happened?

"Yes, Captain Liu is right. I will definitely give my all," Dong Chu replied respectfully.

It can be said that infantry is the least promising branch of the military, and during wartime, it also suffers the highest casualties

He should already be aware of the news regarding Jiang He’s mishap

Good

Upon hearing this announcement, Dong Chu cast a rather strange glance at Qin Cheng, the implication unmistakable: Sorry, you are finished!

Go

"Are you also going to represent our group in the knife skills finals?" Dong Chu was astonished to see the specially crafted long knife in Qin Cheng's hand, and he understood that Qin Cheng had evidently secured the top position in knife skills within their group. Since Dong Chu had been the first in knife skills last year, he did not participate in this year's competition and was directly qualified for the finals. Understanding the situation, Dong Chu had no reason to refuse and promptly agreed, saying, "Alright, we will go together"