NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Militia
Walking up to his desk, he sat down, comfortably laid back and rested both his legs onto the furniture… Even with the hall empty, it instilled a feeling of awe and dignity. This was a kind of power that would consume someone from the inside and out.
On the desk was the copper seal of a turtle, its lifelike features engrossed any onlooker. This was his symbol of power.
He first looked at this seal with a shining glint in eyes before he stopped slouching lazily on his chair and leaned forward to pick it up. As he held it in his hands, he looked at this piece of metal strangely. It was a small object, yet so dense that he had to hold on to it tight, to stop it from slipping out of his hands.
“Ding! Foundation complete. Host has finished the main quest’s 1st stage. Reward: newbie gift. Host, please collect it.”
Zhong Yu’s face lit up as soon as he heard the mechanical voice. ‘The newbie pack came at last! I knew it, the system wouldn’t let a weak and downtrodden neet establish a domain all by his lonesome.’
“Open the newbie gift.”
Zhong Yu gripped the armrests with an expression full of expectation, at the edge of his seat at what was to come.
“Ding! Congratulations, host, for obtaining a resource pack: 1000 shi, 100 taels of gold, 1000 taels of silver, and 10000 copper coin strings. The items are placed in the storeroom. Host can also take them out at any time.”(T/N: shi is a unit of measure for volume that was 59.44 liters in ancient times while 103 in the modern era. A copper coin string, or 1000 coins, is one silver tael.)
Zhong Yu, who had hope before, was now demoralized.
‘What am I to do with tons of foodstuff? Without the strength to defend it, they’d be up for the taking.
‘Also,I still need to prioritize my life before anything else.’
He was aware that having wealth at this time wasn’t beneficial for him. With a colossal building obvious from miles away, beasts and humans would be drawn to this place to loot and pillage.
“Ding! With the host establishing his domain and having next to no influence in the initial phase, the host will receive a stipend of fortune points every month. There is also a ticket for the preliminary lottery. Would the host like to use it?”
‘Right, a ticket! I just need to get some soldiers and my domain is as good as secured. The system is so thoughtful! Not that it matters because acquiring the soldiers will depend on my luck alone.’
“System, begin the preliminary lottery!” Zhong Yu yelled as his eyes were filled with hope as he stared at the wheel on the screen spinning in circles.
“Ding! Congratulations, host, you won fifty Yellow Turban soldiers”
‘Awesome! That deadly wolf encounter was worth it. My luck finally took a turn for the better after all the suffering and pain I went through. I asked for soldiers and that’s just what I got!’
One by one, fifty men with yellow scarfs appeared in the hall, wearing shabby clothes of the Yellow Turban rebellion. Although they looked scrawny, each of them held their weapons with firmness and. The predatory gaze in their eyes looked at anything they saw as food. The air around them felt different from their appearances, making people who saw their eyes feel strange.
Zhong Yu had no doubt giving them food would have them follow his orders to their dying breath, to never give up and always advance. Though weak, their undying mentality and hunger would have them give their all.
‘They’re at least effective against beasts and savages.’
“Who is your leader? Step forth!” Zhong Yu yelled with oppression while glancing at them with a stern look as he curiously estimated their level.
A man, who looked sturdier than the rest of them, walked in front. His features were simple, like any other farmer who made a living off cultivating crops and growing food from the ground.
Zhong Yu didn’t judge, though the man’s sharp eyes gave of a dangerous vibe. He had definitely killed a person, and that was a fact. Not just a couple kills, but a dozen, if not tens.
“Greetings, Your Grace!” He yelled as he bowed down to Zhong Yu, who felt pleased at this action.
‘Just like the voice said, those coming from the system have undying loyalty to me and understand my goals. This will be useful.’ He thought but spoke:
“State your name!” Zhong Yu exclaimed in a deep tone.
The simple farmer replied, “Your Grace, there was only a single cow in my previous home and my elder wished for it to have a long-lasting life so he called me Wang Daniu.” (T/N: Daniu is lit. big cow, but can also mean badass/superstar. Niu, or cow, is slang for awesome.)
‘Wang Daniu, typical name of typical rustic folk, but that's beside the point’
He once again asked, “You’re the leader? What is your rank?”
Wang Daniu turned solemn, “I am a squad captain, leader of fifty men.”
‘Hmm, fifty. That should suffice. By the looks of them, they’ve been through battle a few times and know what to expect. They won’t disappoint.’
“You must be exhausted waiting so long. You may go to the storeroom and eat your fill. Work hard everyone, and you shall eat and drink until bursting, have clothes and a roof over your heads. I always reward my most loyal subjects.” Zhong Yu benevolently said as he put on a friendly smile.
The peasants trembled with excitement and looked at each other in surprise.
‘It’s been three years since we last filled our bellies!’ They all simultaneously thought.
This all started with their homes destroyed, followed by wandering the lands until they heard of the General of Heaven Zhang Jue in Hebei, said to have great abilities like an incarnated immortal, and capable of bringing peace to the lands to create the Kingdom of Heaven. So they went to him.
The days under General of Heaven had been better, but not by much. They had to scrape for food, but at least it was better than starvation. Although skeptical of His Grace’s promise of a full stomach, it ought to be far better than living day by day in the Yellow Turban Army with the constant worry if the next meal would ever come.
“Go on, fill your bellies.” Zhong Yu encouraged, but inside he disapproved of their skepticism.
Thinking about it though, he needed them to work their best so he overlooked it. Every man took promises with a grain of salt until proven contrary.
“By your leave.” The soldiers respectfully exclaimed.
After this statement was said, they all bowed and left for the storeroom. Fifteen minutes of silence passed until cries of joy and adulation exploded from the storeroom’s direction.
Then a chant followed.
“Long live His Grace! Long live His Grace!”
Hearing this, Zhong Yu’s mood improved, and a smile reappeared. ‘That’s me, ever selfless.’