Chapter 002: The Enigmatic Black Pearl

This young man, after all, is still quite young; in a moment of impulse, he did not consider the hardships of military service. At his age, one's character is most prone to impulsiveness. Moreover, being constantly called a good-for-nothing and having a father who is so strict, he has long wanted to leave home.

Thank you, Officer. Zhou Weiqing took the form, feeling quite pleased as he thought to himself that this time it was truly wonderful; not only was he serving in the military again, but he would also be a relatively low-risk archer. This was simply perfect

Zhou Weiqing has been afraid of pain since childhood. When he threw that punch, the sturdy star tree remained unmoved, yet he was already hopping in place, clutching his right hand. The intense pain left his right fist somewhat numb, and the surface of his skin was torn and bleeding. As the saying goes, "the fingers are connected to the heart," the excruciating pain caused him to jump around for more than ten minutes before he finally began to recover somewhat.

The squad leader of the soldiers nodded and said, "Alright, what type of soldier do you want to be?"

"Are you messing with me?" The squad leader, a burly man standing over 1.9 meters tall, suddenly rose to his feet. His imposing presence filled the room as he grabbed Zhou Weiqing by the front of his shirt, his fierce face now mere inches from Zhou's eyes

Soon, the registration was completed. The form was handed to Zhou Weiqing, who pointed to a corner of the nearby area and said: "Go there, the archery test is over there. As long as you pass the test, you will be a soldier of the Empire."

Uh, officer, how about I think it over a bit more? Fear is inherently part of human nature, and besides, although Zhou Weiqing appears to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, he is actually only thirteen.

He has his own thoughts; every boy has a hero dream during his youth. If he were to be assigned to a logistical role like a cook, he would truly be unwilling. Since he has joined the military, he should at least do something respectable; otherwise, when his father finds out that he merely became a cook, wouldn't he be beaten to death? He cannot afford to lose face either. However, the main combat units are certainly going to the battlefield. Zhou Weiqing naturally hopes to find a relatively safe branch of the military; safety comes first. This guy has always believed that fearing death is human nature, and it is perfectly normal. He does not have the concept of being fearless in the face of death.

"Going home?" Zhou Weiqing paused, a contemplative expression in his eyes, and said: "No, I absolutely cannot go home like this. That fierce girl, Di Fuya, will definitely complain to her father about me peeping at her while she bathes. If that reaches the old man's ears, it won't be something that a simple dish of stir-fried bamboo shoots and meat can resolve; I might not die, but I would certainly suffer. " Just thinking about his father's stern gaze made Zhou Weiqing shiver again. Throughout his childhood, he had endured too many beatings; even a little mischief would earn him a thrashing from his father. If his father were to find out that he had peeped at the princess bathing, there would be no way to clear his name. For the sake of his own safety, he absolutely could not go back like this.

At that time, Marshal Zhou selected a gently sloping area, set up his formation, and controlled the essential route of the Crecy army

In front of the crowd stands a long table, surrounded by an open space where many people have gathered. Behind the long table is a royal edict, at the top of which are the four large characters "Recruitment Notice." Below it reads: "To safeguard the borders of the Empire, Tian Gong City is currently recruiting 3,000 soldiers. The recruitment criteria are as follows: males, physically healthy and without disabilities, aged between 16 and 26 years. Those with great strength and those with celestial power rankings will be given priority. One must prioritize the nation before family; this is for the country. Joining the army to defend the homeland is the true essence of manhood. Tian Gong City is currently recruiting 3,000 soldiers. The recruitment criteria are as follows: males, physically healthy and without disabilities, aged between 16 and 26 years. Those with great strength and those with celestial power rankings will be given priority. One must prioritize the nation before family; this is for the country. Joining the army to defend the homeland is the true essence of manhood.

Ah? Although Zhou Weiqing's father is the highest-ranking official in the Tian Gong Empire's army, he is completely ignorant of military affairs and weakly asked, "Is there any difference?"

The archers in the Tian Gong Empire's army numbered approximately 2,000, divided into three teams. The left team was sheltered by woods and trenches; the right team had a river as a barrier. The rear team, led personally by General Zhou, was positioned behind the two teams. In front of each sub-unit, there was a formation of about 150 heavy infantrymen on foot, equipped with large tower shields, arranged in six ranks. They faced enemy cavalry that outnumbered them three to one. Utilizing the advantages of longbowmen and employing a near-slaughter tactic, they achieved victory in that battle. From that moment on, General Zhou became famous overnight, officially stepping onto the stage of the military realm of the Tian Gong Empire.

Several brothers, I am here for a test. Zhou Weiqing handed over the form, and a soldier took it, glanced at him, and said: "Little brother, you have quite an idea, congratulations on choosing such a promising branch of the military, here, give it a pull or two to try." As he spoke, the soldier who took the form removed the longbow from his back and handed it to Zhou Weiqing.

Zhou Weiqing's originally healthy bronze skin appeared to have lightened a few shades, and even his facial features seemed to have become somewhat more handsome. His back, which had been struck by explosive fireballs, had now completely returned to normal, with smooth skin and not a single mark left behind. It was as if he had never been injured.

Zhou Weiqing's body lay on the ground in a nearly "big character" shape, completely immersed in a deep coma. However, at this moment, strange changes began to manifest on his body.

"Kid, do you want to join the army?" Suddenly, someone signed up, which made the squad leader, a seasoned soldier, feel quite excited. After all, there were about twenty people sitting here, and this recruit chose to come over to his side, which made him feel quite honored

The gray-black light gradually intensified, exuding a cold, domineering, evil, and otherworldly aura that continuously swirled around Zhou Weiqing's body. His body began to tremble slightly in response. Following this, three strands of light quietly emerged from the gray-black mass, gently swaying above his body. These three strands of light were the green, blue, and silver hues that had been contained within the strange black orb he had previously swallowed.

The soldier handed the longbow to Zhou Weiqing, his eyes lighting up as he praised, "Well done, young brother. You must have used a longbow before; your movements are quite standard. I just wonder about your accuracy. As long as our archers have enough accuracy, they are the most formidable presence in the army."

The shortcomings of the longbow lie in the necessity for the user to possess a robust physique, exceptional skills, and the ability to coordinate various aspects effectively. Consequently, soldiers must undergo years of training and practice.

How could Zhou Weiqing's posture and movements possibly be substandard? It is important to note that his family member, Marshal Zhou, aside from leading troops in battle, finds his greatest pleasure at home in tormenting him. Although Zhou Weiqing has been unable to cultivate celestial power due to blocked meridians, his training is undoubtedly of the highest standard. Even when Marshal Zhou is not at home, he assigns training tasks to him and checks upon his return. What if the inspection does not meet the standards? ... Hehe ... Although Zhou Weiqing has been unable to cultivate celestial power due to blocked meridians, his training is undoubtedly of the highest standard. Even when Marshal Zhou is not at home, he assigns training tasks to him and checks upon his return. What if the inspection does not meet the standards? ... Hehe ...

In a moment, Zhou Weiqing could not help but wear a worried expression. Although he was extremely reluctant in his heart, he had no choice but to continue moving forward, inching step by step towards the direction of the city gate of Tiangong City

The squad leader, upon hearing Zhou Weiqing's response, finally sat back down with satisfaction, tilting his head to look at him and said: "Hurry up and choose, then fill out the form and take the test. Let me tell you, kid, you are lucky; today is only the first day of recruitment, and the testing is relatively lenient. Otherwise, do you think it's that easy to join the army and receive a salary?"

"Is my character really that good? What kind of extraordinary encounter have I had?" As Zhou Weiqing thought of this, his heart suddenly became fervent. Although he was naturally open-minded, having been born into such a family, he actually yearned for powerful strength more than anyone else deep down.

Having made up his mind, Zhou Weiqing had already squeezed to the front and asked an old soldier responsible for recruitment behind the table: "Brother, I want to enlist, I want to enlist"

Fortunately, he was young, and the force of this punch was ultimately not great, so it did not injure his bones. After the pain eased somewhat, he quickly tore off the tattered clothes from his body, picked up his outer garment from beside the icy spring, and then left in a dejected manner

Princess Difuya is already quite beautiful, but when compared to the blue-haired girl before her, she falls short by a level. The girl's skin is as delicate and smooth as cream cheese, and her most striking feature is her exceptionally beautiful large eyes. The irises are a light shade of blue, with deep-set sockets, and her gaze is soft and perfect, exquisite to the point of being flawless, always giving a gentle, water-like impression.

Regardless of whether they are great powers or small nations, the structure of the military is quite similar: ten individuals form a squad, ten squads make up a hundred-person platoon, ten platoons constitute a thousand-person battalion, ten battalions create a ten-thousand-person regiment, also known as a division, and ten regiments form a hundred-thousand-person corps. Of course, in the Empire of Tiangong, there is no corps structure; the entire Empire consists of only five regiments, totaling fifty thousand personnel.

As they approached Tian Gong City, Zhou Weiqing's emotions gradually calmed down. He was now wearing only an outer robe, and the inside was empty. Fortunately, there were still dozens of gold coins in the money pouch inside the robe's pocket. His father was extremely strict with him, and his pocket money was pitifully small.

The first thing that appeared around him was a layer of black radiance. Although the sunlight had re-emerged in the sky, the dark aura emanating from him remained profoundly deep. This black light enveloped Zhou Weiqing's body like a cocoon, and the severe injuries he had sustained from the explosive fireball, which had left his skin torn and flesh exposed, with some areas even revealing his ribs, were healing at an imperceptible speed. Most astonishingly, as the muscles and veins on his back healed, one could faintly see that his bones, muscles, and veins were all tinged with a thick layer of gray.

It was a color that was difficult to describe; this gray felt even colder than the layer of black on Zhou Weiqing's body, yet it was also full of vibrant life. However, as this layer of gray gradually spread from within Zhou Weiqing, replacing the black radiance on the surface of his body, the surrounding plants began to undergo strange changes. It was clearly visible that starting from the plants beside Zhou Weiqing, all the vegetation was tinted by the gray emanating from him. Subsequently, these plants quickly withered in the gray and spread outward. In just a short while, within a radius of five meters centered around Zhou Weiqing's body, all the plants had completely withered. An inexplicable malevolence coursed through the air, while the wounds on Zhou Weiqing's back healed even faster.

Excitedly holding the form, he arrived at the testing ground, where there were only four or five soldiers dressed in simple black and gray military uniforms. They wore lightweight leather armor on their upper bodies, special finger guards on their hands, and wide-brimmed sun hats on their heads. Each soldier carried a longbow on their back and had a quiver of arrows under each arm. This was the standard equipment for ordinary archers, exuding a certain gallant demeanor. Although there were no tests taking place at that moment, the archers stood straight and tall. Zhou Weiqing was well aware of his father's strict nature; if he was so tough on his son, one could only imagine how he was in military affairs. Therefore, despite the small size of the Tiangong Empire, with a total military force of only a few tens of thousands, it was exceptionally elite. In confrontations with armies of equal numbers, General Zhou Dayuan, Zhou Weiqing's father, had never tasted defeat, earning a formidable reputation among his peers.

She was a young girl with bright eyes and white teeth, appearing to be around sixteen or seventeen years old. Her figure was slender, standing approximately 1.7 meters tall, with long blue hair styled into a ponytail at the back of her head. She wore a black fitted uniform, without armor, but this type of black military uniform was still recognizable to Zhou Weiqing; it was the standard uniform for a company commander. Of course, a complete set of plate armor would be required to complete the outfit.

Zhou Weiqing felt a surge of excitement in his heart and hurried towards the barracks, raising his hand to lift the curtain and enter.

"Zhou Xiaopang? You are not fat at all!" The officer mumbled while taking notes, showing no doubt about Zhou Weiqing's reported age of sixteen.

I can't believe it! This guy kept cursing while blowing on his own hands, saying: "Damn it, it seems that the chance of a pie falling from the sky will never happen to me"

As luck would have it, just as he reached out to grab the door curtain, someone happened to walk out from inside. It was summer, and the door curtains of the tent were made of a thin layer, primarily to keep out mosquitoes and flies. Zhou Weiqing, feeling excited, made a large motion and indeed grabbed the curtain, but at the same time, he also caught hold of a round, soft object that had some elasticity. He grasped both the curtain and the object in his hand, and as he instinctively squeezed it, a low moan came from behind the curtain. Immediately after, Zhou Weiqing was kicked out.

The "Tianli level" referred to here actually corresponds to Level 1 and Level 2. If one can cultivate their Tianli to the third level of Tianjingli, thereby awakening their life pearl, there would be no need to enlist in the military; one could directly enter a military academy or a Yu Zhu Master Academy for further studies, which would lead to boundless prospects

After a full half an hour had passed, all the colors gradually faded and re-integrated into Zhou Weiqing's body, while the strange dual patterns on him also disappeared.

What exactly is that black bead? Although the other judgments are incorrect, Zhou Weiqing is very clear about one thing: the serious injuries he sustained from being struck by the explosive fireball must have been healed by that black bead

The direction indicated to Zhou Weiqing by the archer was towards the barracks not far away. This barracks was evidently established not long ago, as carts were continuously transporting supplies into it. It appears that these supplies are intended for the recruitment of soldiers.

Starry Forest, by the shores of the Ice Spring Lake

Upon hearing his words, Zhou Weiqing was immediately overjoyed and said, "Great, this is wonderful. Yes, how did I not think of it? Our Tiangong Empire's finest troops, Officer Brother, I will become an archer." He knew that archers generally stood in the back row and were protected by soldiers.

Generally speaking, if a Gem Master’s innate gem has not awakened by the age of sixteen, then it is likely that they will never cultivate to the third level in their lifetime, and their innate gem will remain forever dormant. It is evident that what is being recruited here is merely ordinary soldiers.

The warm rays of the sun could never penetrate the area surrounding Zhou Weiqing. On his forehead, a black character for 'king' slowly emerged, and his skin developed a layer of curled black magical patterns. Beneath the black patterns and the book, there was another layer of identical gray magical patterns. The two layers of patterns combined created a striking three-dimensional effect. These magical patterns were not only densely spread across Zhou Weiqing's body but also extended to his face.

My name is Zhou... Zhou Weiqing almost blurted out his real name, but fortunately, he caught himself quickly and immediately corrected, "I am Zhou Xiaopang, aged sixteen." Having grown up in an aristocratic family and being the only child, although he was only thirteen years old, he understood the ways of the world much earlier than ordinary boys. Since he had decided to enlist, it was clear that he could not let his father find out. Therefore, he temporarily adopted a name for himself. As for the name Zhou Xiaopang, it was his childhood nickname, which he had not used for ten years, so he naturally had no fear of his father coming to the army to investigate.

"Difuya, just wait, there will come a day when you will regret this," Zhou Weiqing said fiercely. He had never hated anyone as much as he hated her; even those who mocked him had never targeted him so directly. This time, Difuya had actually gone to such lengths over a misunderstanding. Zhou Weiqing was someone who held grudges.

The importance of longbowmen is beyond doubt, and they are one of the main combat units of the Tian Gong Empire. Zhou Weiqing's father, while still a regimental commander, led the Tian Gong Empire's army to achieve a typical victory characteristic of archers. At that time, their opponent was the Klesi Empire, which was primarily cavalry and located to the south of the Tian Gong Empire.

He turned his head to look around and immediately fixed his gaze on a tall star tree nearby as his target

For this reason, Zhou Weiqing not only excels at archery but also demonstrates considerable accuracy. This is also the reason for his excitement after choosing to become an archer. The Tian Gong Empire is renowned worldwide for its bows, and during General Zhou's training, the longbow was the most frequently used.

Zhou Weiqing took the longbow and could not help but lower his head to examine it closely. He noticed that the bow body was made of high-quality star wood, measuring up to 1.8 meters in length, with arrows measuring 0.9 meters. The front part of the bow frame was arc-shaped, while the back was flat. The middle grip of the bow body was approximately 4 centimeters wide, gradually tapering towards both ends, with the tips wrapped in horn material.

I am not dead? Zhou Weiqing suddenly sat up, feeling as if his body had become much lighter. He hurriedly raised his hand to touch his back, and the smooth sensation of his skin made him widen his eyes in surprise

Upon hearing the words "survival on the battlefield," Zhou Weiqing's earlier enthusiasm immediately diminished significantly. Indeed, being a soldier means going to the battlefield, and he has no particular skills. If he were to become cannon fodder on the battlefield, that would not be worth it

However, what else can be done if I don't go back? Zhou Weiqing found himself in a dilemma; he had only a little over ten gold coins on him. Although he was tall and strong, he was merely a thirteen-year-old child without any particular skills. Even if he were to run away from home, he probably wouldn't last more than a few days. Surely, he couldn't starve to death out there

Upon seeing the young girl, Zhou Weiqing was instantly stunned, for he recognized her. Although he had only caught a distant glimpse of her before, the memory was exceptionally vivid. The reason was simple: the girl before him was not only the foremost genius of the younger generation of the Tiangong Empire, but also the hope of the Tiangong Empire, and she was renowned as the most beautiful woman in the Tiangong Empire. Her name was Shangguan Bing'er

Sitting behind the table responsible for recruitment are all seasoned veterans, each holding at least the rank of squad leader, totaling twenty individuals. Among them is the one facing Zhou Weiqing, who appears to be in his thirties. Although seated, his tall and robust physique is evident, yet his face bears a lazy expression. Those who have spent a long time in the military can easily tell that he is a typical soldier.

After holding the bowstring for a while, Zhou Weiqing slowly lowered the bow. His face was not flushed, nor was he out of breath, and his back remained straight. After all, he was only thirteen years old. Although his strength was already comparable to that of an adult, he still lacked the endurance to draw the bow for an extended period.

The archer laughed and said, "What? Do you still think it's that difficult? This is recruiting soldiers, not selecting a son-in-law. As long as you have no physical defects and can draw a longbow, you are naturally qualified. You little fellow, looking so naive, you must just have turned sixteen, right? You will continue to grow, so there’s definitely no problem. Moreover, after joining the army, you will go to the new recruits' camp for three months of concentrated training. Do you think you can go straight to the battlefield after entering the army? Go on, over there to collect your equipment. Little brother, let me tell you, being able to join our Third Battalion is definitely your good fortune. When you see the battalion commander later, you will understand; our battalion commander personally distributes the equipment." While speaking, he marked a check on Zhou Weiqing's form and handed it back to him.

However, he was unaware that approximately fifteen minutes after his departure, on the large tree that he had previously struck with his fist, a trace of blood from his injured knuckles had been left behind. The resilient trunk of the star tree had already begun to quietly decay, and a faint blackish-gray aura began to spread. About three days later, this star tree, which had grown for at least fifty years, would forever vanish within the star forest. This is a matter for later, and it is something that Zhou Weiqing would never come to know.

What is happening here? Driven by curiosity, he walked quickly forward. Fortunately, the crowd was not too dense, and after a few pushes, he made his way to the front of the crowd

The first sound, a bang, was the sound of his fist colliding with the tree trunk, while the second sound resembled a cat being stepped on its tail, a shriek so piercing it was no longer human-like.

Certainly, there are differences. Although the treatment of ordinary soldiers is the same, the types of troops differ, and so do the testing items. For instance, take light infantry; the first test is endurance. On the battlefield, they are always the busiest, having to run back and forth, so endurance is crucial. If you can run, your chances of survival on the battlefield increase, right? Moreover, most types of troops have developed from light infantry. When they first join the army, the vast majority start as infantry. Of course, there are also some other junior types, such as supply troops, logistics troops, and artillery crews, but these are the least promising and will never amount to anything significant.

"Yes, I want to join the army," Zhou Weiqing said affirmatively. Looking at the squad leaders, each clad in armor and sitting confidently in their seats, his determination to enlist grew even stronger

After a while, Zhou Weiqing's fingers moved slightly, and his deeply comatose consciousness gradually began to awaken

When Zhou Weiqing instinctively opened his eyes, he couldn't help but shiver. Although he had previously fallen into a deep coma and was unaware of what had happened, upon waking, he felt a chill throughout his body, his heart felt cold, and the waves of coldness made him very uncomfortable, accompanied by an indescribable change in emotion

Zhou Weiqing, with a pained expression, said: "Brother officer, um, I would like to ask, if we go to the battlefield, which branch of the military stands at the back and is least likely to come into direct contact with the enemy?"

Alright, young brother, from now on, you are one of us in the archery camp. Our archery camp is part of the Fifth Brigade, and among the ten battalions in the Fifth Brigade, there are four archery battalions. We belong to the third battalion, so make sure to remember this.

The squad leader, seeing his scheme succeed, chuckled softly, straightened his posture, and picked up the pen, saying: "Name, age"

The high shooting speed of the longbow can achieve a "barrage" effect. When our soldiers charge forward, the longbowmen in the rear can still release high-arching arrows to attack the enemy from above. The weakness of warhorses lies in attacks from above; most warhorses lack armor, so once injured, they become difficult to control. Even at the extreme distance of 300 meters, bodkin arrows can still penetrate ordinary chainmail.

Entering the barracks area, the form in his hand served as his pass to get through the sentry. With the sentry's guidance, he easily found the camp of the Third Archery Battalion. In front of a barrack as large as a warehouse, there was a sign that read: New Recruits Reporting Station

"Oh, why are there so many people ahead?" As the city gate came into view, Zhou Weiqing suddenly noticed that a large crowd had gathered on one side of the gate, at least several hundred people, with soldiers guarding the area.

This kick was not very forceful, yet it caused him to stumble back seven or eight steps, nearly landing on the ground. The door curtain was suddenly lifted, and a person emerged from the tent.

This longbow has been developed through countless years of warfare. In ancient times on the vast continent, the length of composite bows and crossbows was generally less than 1.2 meters, with an attack range of only 200 yards (one yard is equivalent to 0.9 meters) and an effective range of merely 100 yards, with insufficient penetration power. As time passed, bows and crossbows gradually evolved towards larger sizes, especially after the discovery of starwood, a high-quality wood that is both tough and lightweight. Longbows began to be widely used. The longbow used by the archers of the Heavenly Bow Empire possesses tremendous power, with an ordinary longbow having a maximum range of 400 yards and an effective range of 250 yards, which is double that of a crossbow. Its shooting speed reaches 10 to 12 arrows per minute, far surpassing that of a crossbow. In the hands of skilled soldiers, the accuracy of the longbow is significantly higher than that of the crossbow. Due to its lightweight nature, ease of handling, and great power, it is suitable for both skirmishers and massed volleys. These advantages ultimately led to the obsolescence of the crossbow. It can be said that the longbow is the most effective and versatile individual weapon on the battlefield.

Am I really becoming a soldier now? From childhood to adulthood, I have been scolded countless times by my father at hetushu.com, being called useless. I have never felt such a sense of achievement as I do now. Although the test just now was incredibly simple, I have indeed passed it and, through my own efforts, have become a soldier. Zhou Weiqing unconsciously straightened his chest a bit, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and strode towards the barracks.

The Star Tree derives its name from the pentagonal shape of its leaves, resembling the stars in the sky. A Star Tree that is over one hundred years old has a trunk that has already matured, exhibiting extremely high hardness while not lacking in toughness, making it the best material for crafting strong bows

A glimmer of cunning shone in the squad leader's eyes as he said, "That is simple; it is naturally the archers. Archers generally stand in the back row, and even if they need to move to the front to shoot arrows, they will retreat to the back before the main forces of both sides clash. Unless our army is in complete rout, archers typically do not engage directly with the enemy."

It is precisely for this reason that, at the moment when Zhou Weiqing grasped the longbow, he could not help but feel a surge of excitement. As the son of a marshal, he had certainly used longbows and shot arrows before, but the sensation of holding this battle-tested war bow was entirely different from that of the training longbows.

Due to congenital meridian obstruction, although Zhou Weiqing was a noble, he only attended an ordinary school and had only a limited understanding of the abilities of a Pearl Master. Otherwise, he would not have made such a significant judgment error. If the skill of the first life pearl of Emperor Feya could produce such terrifying power, she could not simply be called a genius. Moreover, if that were truly the case, his body would have been shattered at that moment.

Zhou Weiqing took a few steps and arrived in front of the Star Tree. He gestured with his fist and then struck the rough and uneven trunk of the Star Tree with a powerful punch

He patted his forehead, and Zhou Weiqing's mind gradually became clear, recalling the various events that had occurred earlier

At this time, although there were hundreds of onlookers, the actual number of people signing up for military service was not high. After all, Tiangong City is the capital of the Tiangong Empire, and the civilians living here are much more affluent than those in other places. The Tiangong Empire is originally a small nation, constantly embroiled in conflicts with several neighboring countries, leading to frequent skirmishes. Therefore, joining the military is not a secure option; unless one truly has no other path, the people of Tiangong City generally do not choose to send their children to serve in the military, let alone the children of the nobility.

Uh... what I mean is, I need to consider which type of troops to choose. Zhou Weiqing immediately put on a smiling face and said, as the saying goes, a good man does not suffer immediate losses; he certainly did not want to be beaten up. In fact, if he were to reveal his identity, it is likely that everyone here would kneel down. However, although Zhou Weiqing was somewhat insidious and cunning, he had one good quality: he absolutely obeyed his father's words. His Marshal father once told him that relying on one's own sweat, eating one's own food, and depending on heaven, earth, and parents is not the mark of a true hero. Therefore, as the saying goes, a good man does not suffer immediate losses; he certainly did not want to be beaten up. In fact, if he were to reveal his identity, it is likely that everyone here would kneel down. However, although Zhou Weiqing was somewhat insidious and cunning, he had one good quality: he absolutely obeyed his father's words. His Marshal father once told him that relying on one's own sweat, eating one's own food, and depending on heaven, earth, and parents is not the mark of a true hero. Thus, despite Zhou Weiqing being young and of noble birth, he would never bully others by taking advantage of his status like Princess Difuya.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Weiqing held the bow with his left hand while his right hand skillfully positioned his index, middle, and ring fingers on the bowstring. With both arms exerting force, as his left hand steadily lifted, his right hand had already drawn the bowstring into a full moon shape, firmly aimed ahead

That strange black orb seemed to have drilled into my stomach? Soon, Zhou Weiqing recalled the moment before he lost consciousness; at that time, he only felt a cold, sinister energy surge into his abdomen, causing his entire body to go cold and lose awareness. He was unaware of what happened afterward. As for the wilting of the plants on the ground, he instinctively believed it was caused by the scorching heat accompanying the explosive fireball from Di Fuya's attack on him.

In reality, if Zhou Weiqing truly regrets not joining the military, the squad leader would have no way to handle him, as he is still young. Being frightened like this, he immediately found himself unable to express his desire not to enlist.

Could it be that I just fell asleep and had a dream? Zhou Weiqing looked around and immediately noticed some remnants of his torn clothes, especially the obvious signs of withered plants in the area around the ground, which clearly indicated that this was not a dream

Stepping back onto the Starry Canopy Path, Zhou Weiqing felt increasingly angry. Although he had narrowly escaped death, his impression of his fiancée had plummeted to an all-time low. If it had not been for encountering that mysterious black orb, he feared his life would have been lost in the Starry Forest.

Recruitment? Upon seeing this notice, Zhou Weiqing couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart. Indeed, if he became a soldier, he wouldn't have to go back, right? He would have food to eat and a salary to receive. Perhaps he could even make a name for himself in the army, thus saving himself from his father's constant accusations of being useless. Haha, truly, this is a blessing from heaven.

Ah? Is this already considered the end of the test?" Zhou Weiqing said in surprise