Chapter 2: Thunder

Stere chuckled, gesturing as he said: "Who told you to threaten me by saying you would inform the old lady that I stole wine? So I’ll teach you a little lesson, heh heh. Alright, now one by one, come up and let’s break it down together. Don’t underestimate this 'Heavy Strike' which is the most ordinary move in the Vante Empire's army; it is a life-saving technique on the battlefield. Back in the day, I used this fist to kill a mage from the Smart Empire, you know? A mage! I even collected a hundred gold coins for his head."

The Bronze Knight nodded slightly and replied: "War, I am Klaus, the second team leader of the Third Division under Duke Green. I have been ordered to recruit new soldiers, so please take us to see the village chief of Keli Village... According to the Duke's orders, all able-bodied males aged between sixteen and thirty-five are to be conscripted. I apologize for that."

The young man named Lei shook his head, gesturing to the large bow in his hand that measured a full 1.5 meters, and said: "You all go ahead; I will take a stroll in the mountains. If luck is on my side, I might be able to bring back a few deer."

The province of Xili, located near the southern border of the Vante Empire and adjacent to the Qingfeng Plain, is the territory of the Duke of Green, who has a somewhat greenish hue on his head. The province has a population of over 5 million and is the largest producer of grain, timber, and furs in the Vante Empire

One by one, names were called out. Lei was already seventeen years old, naturally meeting the requirements. Upon hearing his name, Lei was momentarily stunned and shouted loudly: "Sir, I have no objection to joining the army, but what about my mother? She is ill and cannot work by herself"

Stereotypically, he earnestly taught him: "Hmph, of course it takes effort; otherwise, how could one possibly defeat an opponent? Do not be lazy; when your strength is exhausted, you cannot lie down. You must move faster, or else your strength will regress. If you go to the military camp, you won't find me so merciful; the officer's whip will have you running all over the square. My instructor back in the day was a two-toothed black knight, haha, truly, you couldn't even outrun him." If you go to the military camp, you won't find me so merciful; the officer's whip will have you running all over the square. My instructor back in the day was a two-toothed black knight, haha, truly, you couldn't even outrun him.

A group of young boys rushed to a thatched cottage at the village entrance, shouting loudly: "Lei, Lei, come out, the weather has improved, Uncle Steer is going to teach us marksmanship, hurry up."

Lei felt a mix of joy and hesitation: "Perhaps encountering a low-level magician is the best option, as it carries no risk and offers substantial rewards. Isn't that the best? Alas... However, I have only learned a little martial arts from Uncle Steer; can I really survive on the battlefield? Maybe emulating Uncle Steer and fleeing for my life is the best course of action." Unintentionally, Steer had already become an expert in escape in his mind.

The surrounding villagers quickly echoed Lei's words, chattering about the misfortunes of the Lei family and the hardships of their lives. Those words were filled with the warmest sympathy of humanity, nearly bringing tears to Lei's eyes

The knights were momentarily taken aback, quickly dismounting their horses and performing an identical military salute, saying, "Return the salute." However, they were somewhat surprised, not expecting that there were retired soldiers in this village. This meant that the group of young ones could run so fast without getting out of breath, which should be attributed to his influence, right? It seems that these young people, once recruited into the army, could be utilized effectively much sooner than ordinary civilians.

Stere clutched the gold coin and excitedly ran towards Lei's home. On the way, he hesitated for a moment and casually handed a gold coin to Keli, who was among the group of Biters and was facing more hardships at home, before continuing on to Lei's hut.

A group of people pounced heavily, pinning Ster to the ground, and countless mud splattered onto his clothes. Ster shouted in anger, yet he could not break free. Eventually, he was too exhausted to yell and could only laugh helplessly: "Damn it, you bunch of bastards, your aunt is going to teach me a lesson again... Well, Ster, at your age, you are still playing in the mud"

As Lei ran back to the village from the mountain, carrying several wild chickens and a small deer, he happened to hear Knight Klaus, frowning and standing in the center of the village square, speaking loudly: "Dear villagers, please do not panic. This time we are calling for soldiers, but merely as a reserve force. His Excellency the Duke has his own elite private army on the front lines; these individuals are only here as a precaution. After all, our Westiri Province is the closest to the border, and recruiting soldiers is necessary. However, rest assured that these untrained soldiers will not be sent to the battlefield."

Amidst a chorus of reminders to pay attention to safety, Klaus and his newly assembled troop from Kary Village set off. Klaus, deeply moved, said to his subordinate beside him: "Look, look, our citizens truly love their country. They willingly join the army without any hassle. It is said that in the Smart Empire, the common people go to great lengths to evade military service. No wonder, despite having the strongest mage corps on the continent, their combat forces are the weakest."

Bit nodded repeatedly and respectfully bowed, saying: "Sir, yes, this is Keli Village. Are you looking for our village chief? Uncle Carter should be inside the village and has not gone out."

Klaus was momentarily taken aback, and after pondering for a while, he could not come up with the correct answer, which made him somewhat annoyed as he exclaimed: "Enough, all we need in the Vante Empire is a powerful army; we do not need to worship any deities... Hmm, those countries are simply lacking in self-confidence and strength, weak and powerless, which is why they rely on the illusory power of deities. Naturally, we do not require any gods."

The villagers have begun to stir, expressing concerns that, aside from safety of life, the primary issue is production.

They ran wildly for more than 300 meters, stopping at the roadside, looking at the seventeen knights with a gaze that was slightly fearful but more filled with admiration. The seventeen knights on horseback were also looking at them, and the leading bronze knight smiled and nodded at them, asking in a harmonious voice: "Is this Karli Village?"

They were completely unaware of the events happening outside, wholeheartedly following Klaus towards the military camp. Peter and the others excitedly discussed how, if they could go to the battlefield, they would definitely strive to achieve merit. As for Lei, he was secretly murmuring to himself: "The gold coin that Uncle Steer gave should be enough for my mother to live well for a year. In any case, this war can surely be paused for a year... Oh no, I just sowed the seeds and forgot to ask the village chief to help me clear the weeds. He was secretly murmuring to himself: 'The gold coin that Uncle Steer gave should be enough for my mother to live well for a year. In any case, this war can surely be paused for a year... Oh no, I just sowed the seeds and forgot to ask the village chief to help me clear the weeds. Also, that deer, I wonder if my mother can tan its hide; three hides could be exchanged for a silver coin... Four wild chickens, my mother could manage for a few days; if made into soup, it would be good for her health. It's a pity I didn't have time to instruct her before being taken away.' Four wild chickens, my mother could manage for a few days; if made into soup, it would be good for her health. It's a pity I didn't have time to instruct her before being taken away.

Ray ran home after taking the gold coins, while Klaus thoughtfully observed the small deer, which weighed over a hundred pounds, that Ray was carrying. He quietly asked his companion, Ster: "How is this young man named Ray in terms of skill? He seems quite strong, and his steps are very agile... Hmm, he also has quite a good aim with the bow and arrow."

Lei was startled and took a step back, weakly smiling as he said, "You are absolutely right, it must be so."

The young man with light yellow hair let out a cheer, tossed aside the wooden stick in his hand, rubbed his palms together, and charged forward. He aimed a punch directly at Stert's chest, but midway through, it suddenly transformed into an elbow strike aimed squarely at Stert's chin. Stert laughed heartily, used his left hand to block, deflecting Peter's elbow outward, while his right hand seized Peter's belt, and with a powerful thrust, he threw him onto the muddy ground in front of the house.

Klaus smiled as he raised his head and looked ahead, but he also harbored doubts in his heart: "Strange, I have never heard of the existence of a war god, right? So although we have established our nation through war, we do not have any deities to worship. Are we supposed to have our valiant knights worship the gods of those shameless sorcerers? That would be a complete insult to warriors"

A small team of people advanced towards Klaus's team encampment, and similar groups appeared throughout the province of Silih. The Duke of Green, who had been humiliated by His Majesty Shagru, feared that his territory would be occupied before the imperial army arrived. Therefore, in addition to dispatching his private legion, the 'Green Wild Legion' with a strength of 25,000 men to the provincial border, he also expended considerable resources to conscript all able-bodied men of military age within his territory.

A group of young people mercilessly mocked him: "Bite, you are just bragging; you haven't even seen a Black Iron Knight." Bite was furious and kicked at them, causing the group to scurry away in a playful manner. Ster, on the other hand, limped down the hillside with agility, making his way along the path to meet them.

Sut shook his head and sighed, saying: "Alas, I mentioned giving him a little assistance, but that little fellow absolutely refused. Alas... what a stubborn little guy. Does he really think that I, Uncle Sut, would sell him off?"

Klaus was already very pleased. He had been leading troops for quite some time and understood that among a group of new recruits, having a few outstanding individuals could greatly enhance the overall performance of the others, making training much easier. A good soldier can inspire ten good companions. This time, he was ordered to gather over 1,000 people in the mountainous area to join his team. If these dozen or so young individuals could train hundreds of competent soldiers, the combat effectiveness of his team would increase significantly. Moreover, the new recruits gathered from other villages, who had already been taken away by his subordinates, were of good quality as well, all having experience in hunting in the mountains and being capable of wielding bows and knives.

A burly man with a somewhat abnormal red complexion and a slight smell of alcohol hurriedly stumbled out of the house, cursing at a group of young people: "A bunch of bastards, can’t I even taste a little fine wine? How much benefit did your aunt give you? Truly a bunch of scoundrels... Alright, Peter, you come up and give it a try, haha, let’s see how well you’ve practiced the boxing techniques I taught you."

Among that group of people, the young man with light yellow hair, who was leading, shouted in dissatisfaction: "Lei, you never go to practice martial arts with Uncle Si Te. What will you do if something happens in the village?"

Klaus, feeling quite pleased, touched the money bag and found two gold coins remaining. He generously rewarded Ster, chuckling as he said, "That's wonderful, um, truly wonderful. Ster, we need to leave now; go gather them. Hehe, they still need to go through training at my base before they can be of any use, right?"

Everyone burst into laughter, carefully letting go of Ster, who then clumsily got up, covered in mud.

Steer let out a soft sigh, gently nodded, and smiled inwardly: "No wonder he can speak so easily with us common folks, and is so polite when returning greetings. It turns out he is a gentleman who has been marginalized in the army and sent out to do menial labor... Hehe, I really want to see these high-and-mighty knights fall into misfortune. Bah, tonight I will serve you the worst food, after all, it was you who cut our rations back then."

His adjutant, a bronze knight with a leopard's mouth and two tusks, nodded and said proudly: "Otherwise, how could our Vante Empire's legions be the strongest? Our people are far more capable than theirs. Speaking of which, they worship the god of conspiracy, so they only engage in schemes and tricks; they are not suited for war."

Lei was taken aback for a moment, then excitedly nodded. One gold coin? Goodness, he could only earn about forty silver coins after hunting for three to four months. One gold coin represented nearly a year's income for him, especially since his mother was the only one at home; that would certainly be enough for her to get by. He absolutely dared not defy the duke's conscription order, so upon hearing that the duke had offered compensation, he was naturally extra pleased.

A badge behind him depicted a black iron knight with a wolf baring its three sharp teeth. He added, "Everyone need not worry about the safety of their loved ones; they are merely being assigned to local defense forces to maintain order during wartime. Moreover, this is ultimately the duke's order, which cannot be disobeyed"

Lei shrugged his shoulders and smiled, saying, "Forget it, what could possibly happen in the village? Beyond the mountains is Duke Green's military camp; who would dare to cause trouble here? I might as well go hunt a few wild beasts to make some money, my mother is coughing again"

Thus, amidst a tangle of chaotic thoughts, Lei walked out of the small mountain range, heading towards the first war of his life

A group of over a dozen boys, around sixteen or seventeen years old, rushed down the only road in the village, brandishing wooden sticks nearly the length of infantry spears. Their bare feet kicked up mud, sending it flying everywhere, staining their brown trousers. They were not worried at all; after all, once the mud dried, a casual wipe would leave no trace. As for their upper bodies, they were completely bare, and a quick tumble in the small river at the edge of the village would leave them clean.

Not to mention that Lei went up the mountain with a bow and arrow, let us speak of that group of young people who rushed to Uncle Steer's cabin, brandishing wooden sticks, and shouted loudly: "Uncle Steer, Uncle Steer, stop stealing the wine, or we will tell Auntie... Haha, come out quickly."

Stead proudly raised his head: "My lord, they have been practicing martial arts with me since they were around twelve or thirteen years old. They have all learned the 'Heavy Strike Fist,' and I dare say their techniques are not lacking compared to real soldiers, though they are a bit short on strength, as they are still young. As for the methods of the 'Assassination Gun,' there are a total of thirty-six stances, and they have learned twenty-four of them, but as for their proficiency..." Stead felt a bit embarrassed; in battle, who really swings their fists?

A strange thought suddenly emerged in Lei's mind: "Perhaps Uncle Steer survived because he is particularly good at escaping." Just as he thought of this, he felt a bit guilty and glanced back, fearing that the bearded Steer would suddenly appear in front of him and deliver a heavy punch to his forehead.

Under his gaze, everyone quickly lowered their heads, not daring to say anything further. After all, they were ordinary commoners, and in terms of presence, they were no match for the formally trained knights who had undergone knightly training.

Biter also gained spirit, rising from the mud, and began to swing his fists at Ster. As Ster deflected Biter's punches, he boasted, "The one I defeated was a crystal unicorn-level official magician, with three oak leaves in its mouth. Normally, such a magician can take out ten soldiers like me from a distance, but once I close in on him, a few punches can kill him... So, do not underestimate the boxing techniques I teach you; they are the simplest and most effective methods for killing."

The big guy shouted loudly: "Uncle Ster is a good person, he won't abduct us, but his fists are too heavy, he could kill us."

The eyes of the young people all lit up, one hundred gold coins, this is true indeed. Everyone knows that Ster is the richest person in the village, and one can assume that his military achievements are not fabricated, right

Duke Green pondered for a long time in his study, finally erupting in anger: "Damn it, where are those few legions of theirs? Those bastards, don't they realize that if my territory is occupied, they won't fare any better?"

The province of Xili has a population of over 5 million, and this time he has recruited more than 500,000 men. In terms of sheer numbers, this legion's scale has already surpassed that of the entire empire's direct military forces. However, in terms of combat capability, 30,000 imperial knights could potentially annihilate these 500,000 men.

Kali Village has a population of over 300, with only about fifty individuals meeting the age requirements. Essentially, the strongest members of the village have been conscripted, leaving behind mostly women and children, while the remainder consists of middle-aged and elderly individuals who exceed the age limit. However, it is still barely sufficient to maintain the most basic agricultural activities

Lei chuckled a few times, gazing longingly at Stert's house. He casually grabbed a homemade bamboo arrow and, barefoot, walked out of the fenced yard with a soft 'pat pat' sound, heading towards the hillside behind the village. Naturally, he hoped to practice martial arts, and he could also listen to Old Stert boast about how valiant he was on the battlefield in his younger days. Lei chuckled softly, saying, "Uncle Stert must have been a good soldier; otherwise, how could he have survived the wars that erupted on the continent every few years? Although he has a limp, at least he preserved his life."

As he was speaking, Steer had already walked over, carefully examining the badge on the left chest of the bronze knight, which depicted a wild leopard with five fangs in its mouth. He could not help but stand at attention, his right fist clenched across his chest, and shouted loudly: "My lord"

At the southernmost part of Xili Province, right on the edge of Qingfeng Plain, there lies a small village situated in the middle of a modest mountain range that stretches no more than a hundred miles. The village has a population of just over three hundred, and due to its distance from the continental trade routes near the plain, it is quite remote. The connections with literature and the outside world are limited, and as a result, even after half a month of war, there has been no news reaching this place.

Seeing Bit still lying on the ground with a look of indifference, Steer finally sighed: "Alas, you bunch of little rascals, you don't know the meaning of hard work. As a man, even if you don't join the army, having your own strength is still a good thing; at least it adds a skill for making a living. Don't you want to go out and broaden your horizons? ... Alas, that kid Lei, if he were willing to train seriously with me, he would be much stronger than you all."

A young man, noticeably more robust and slightly taller than his peers, with dark skin, a shaved head, and a dignified appearance, yet far from handsome, emerged from the thatched cottage. However, this young man, who was much stronger than his contemporaries, exuded an indescribable aura of fragility. It could even be said that he carried a softness characteristic of an elderly person who has lived in seclusion for too long, or of someone who has been severely oppressed by life, embodying a resigned weakness. Yet, this young man, who was much stronger than his peers, still bore an indescribable aura of fragility, suggesting a softness that only those who have lived in isolation for too long or those who have been harshly pressed by life possess.

The other young people began to chatter: "Lei has to take care of his mother, Aunt Lisa's health is poor, and Lei alone cannot manage the family's fields. If we don't help, he won't even have time to plant the crops... Moreover, he still needs to hunt, Aunt Lisa needs nutrition, and he has to exchange money to buy medicine."

The only challenge now is where to find so many armored weapons and equipment to gather for one's own legion

A light rain had just fallen, turning the soil on the ground into a black sludge without any footprints. The sun peeked out from the sky, causing wisps of steam to rise from the mud, making the lower half of one's body feel itchy and uncomfortable. However, the air was remarkably fresh, as if the only trace of soil in the atmosphere had been washed down to the ground. At this moment, there was nothing but pure gas in the air.

Ster was momentarily taken aback, unable to speak. The team leader had personally come down to recruit, had the situation deteriorated to such an extent? With this thought, his expression darkened. Noticing Ster's demeanor, Klaus guessed what he was thinking and quickly said, "Oh, the situation is not that dire. It's just that our military strength in the territory is insufficient to confront the forces of the Smart Empire. In order to await reinforcements from the imperial army, we need to concentrate all our efforts... My team has been selected to recruit new soldiers in this area, so I naturally couldn't just sit idly by and came personally to the farthest village."

With a loud "bang," mud splattered everywhere, and Bite began to curse loudly: "Old man, we agreed to practice martial arts, why are you using so much strength? Oh dear, do you expect us to compete in strength with you?"

Ste looked at the bronze knight with a hint of curiosity and hesitantly asked, "My lord, you are a Bronze Tier 5 Knight, at least holding the position of a team leader, correct? May I inquire about the purpose of your esteemed visit?"

Klaus looked at the beaming Lei, shook his head, and sighed inwardly. He was well aware that the compensation standard set by the Duke was two gold coins, half of which had been embezzled by his brother-in-law, and the other half had been withheld by the steward in charge of the territory's finances. However, Klaus did not dare to say anything, as those individuals were all trusted confidants of the Duke

Sturt, infuriated, kicked out, and immediately, Beat grabbed his foot on the ground, twisting it fiercely. Sturt's other foot was somewhat disabled, causing him to lose his balance and, in a fit of rage, he fell into the muddy ground, splattering large clumps of mud. The young man beside him cheered: "Haha, let Uncle Sturt see the results of our training, Uncle, this is the ninth form of 'Heavy Strike'"

Sighing, Si Te shook his head and said, "He has to take care of his mother, so he has very little time to learn martial arts from me. He only built up his strength by hunting on the mountain. If it really comes to a fight, any one of Bi Te and the others could easily defeat him."

Moreover, from a political standpoint, the Duke of Green's hasty military expansion is indeed a significant transgression. However, the Duke seems somewhat indifferent to this issue, as he has a vague awareness of his wife's considerable influence. Furthermore, since the chief of the spies dispatched by the Minister of Security has not expressed any opinion on the matter, the Duke understands that his actions have been accepted by the higher echelons of the Empire

With strange thoughts swirling in his mind, Steer politely led a group of knights into the village, while Peter and the others chattered excitedly behind, enviously admiring the shining armor and the broad, heavy swords of these knights

Klaus shook his head and sighed: "Alright, I understand the difficulties this young man is facing. However, His Grace the Duke has decreed that every person who enlists in the military will receive a compensation of one gold coin, which can be collected on the spot. This should resolve the issue, right? Young brother, one gold coin can support your mother for quite a while, can't it?"

Ster shook his head, wiped his face with both hands, and suddenly exclaimed: "Strange, why would there be an army coming into the village? One, two, three... um, seventeen people! There are actually more... Oh my God, it's the Bronze Knight leading the way, and the others are all regular Black Iron Knights. Could something major have happened? Oh no, could war have broken out again? It has barely been two years of peace."

Lei was carrying a wooden stick while following Klaus's mount and, upon hearing the words of Klaus's adjutant, could not help but ask: "My lord, the Smart Empire worships the God of Conspiracy, the Light Empire worships the God of Light, the Dark Empire worships a deity known as the God of Night, and several other countries or major tribes also have their own deities and temples. But why does our Vante Empire not have a deity to worship?"

After delivering over a hundred punches and kicking more than thirty times, the fighter finally collapsed weakly to the ground, lamenting: "Uncle, I have no strength left; this boxing technique is too exhausting."

Klaus was momentarily taken aback, and his interest in Lei quickly faded. A soldier who possesses mere brute strength but lacks the ability to cooperate is the one who dies the fastest on the battlefield. In contrast, the young individuals like Bitt, who have undergone preliminary training and can collaborate with their comrades, possess significantly greater combat effectiveness. After pondering for a while, Klaus asked, "Steer, how far have you taught them?"

Steer looked anxiously at the distant mountain pass leading into the village, shaking his head, while Peter and the others curiously greeted and rushed down the slope to meet a small group of knights. Peter shouted loudly: "It's the Bronze Knights, the Bronze Knights! I have never seen a Bronze Knight before."

Lei secretly glanced at the imposing Klaus and the others, then lowered his head and began to think to himself: "I heard that the Empire offers very generous rewards for military achievements. Cutting off the head of an enemy earns three gold coins, while a squad leader of the enemy is worth five gold coins. A low-level magician is worth one hundred gold coins, and if it’s the enemy's division commander, the reward is two thousand gold coins. Sigh, if I could take down an enemy, even if it’s just a foot soldier, I could send the money to my mother... No, Uncle Steer said my strength is quite good; perhaps I could take down an enemy squad leader?"

Klaus immediately distributed the gold coins on the spot, and he did not withhold a single cent. These new recruits would eventually be under his command, so he provided them with benefits to ensure their loyalty. However, the most important thing was that if they could take more enemy heads, the bounty would far exceed these gold coins.

Klaus wore a face full of helplessness and embarrassment. He understood that it was now spring, and the crops had just been sown. If most of the able-bodied men in the territory were conscripted into the army, even if they won this war, the harvest for the common people this year would be ruined. Although this was the granary of the empire, the households of the common people could not possibly have too much stored grain. After this battle, it was likely that the livelihoods of the people in the entire duchy would be in jeopardy.

Klaus furrowed his brow and shouted, "Alright, we are pressed for time, so let’s not delay. Please, those of appropriate age, stand up when I call your name. This list is based on the household registration data from your local tax officials, so pay close attention. As for production, rest assured, the war will not last long, and the Duke has assured us that compensation will be provided to everyone." He gathered his inner strength, his eyes flashing with a cold light as he scanned the more than two hundred villagers present. As for production, rest assured, the war will not last long, and the Duke has assured us that compensation will be provided to everyone." He gathered his inner strength, his eyes flashing with a cold light as he scanned the more than two hundred villagers present.

The young people fell silent, as they all knew that Lei's father had passed away long ago, and he had only a frail mother to support him. Naturally, he could not afford the luxury of practicing martial arts and playing around like they did. The young man with yellow hair shook his head helplessly and shouted, "Then move quickly, be careful on the mountain, and when we return, we will teach you what we learned today." After saying this, he led a group of people rushing towards the hillside outside the village, to the house of the retired veteran, Steer.