Chapter 661: I'm Already Impatient, Waiting to Fight Beside Chen Zhuguo!

The heat has already seeped through the last trace of coolness before dawn.

The sky has just shifted from ink‑blue to a pale fish‑belly white, and a faint orange hue spreads across the eastern horizon.

On the Qingshi board ground of the Left Martial Guard Xiaochang, the lingering damp coolness from last night's evaporated dew still clings, yet it has been trampled by twenty‑three thousand figures in military garb, filling the air with a solemn aura.

The Xiaochang stretches vast as a plain, and the neatly arranged Formation of militia soldiers resembles a frozen torrent of steel.

Dark‑colored under‑robes are overlaid with red or blue Armor plates, whose edges glint with a cold, hard metallic sheen in the dim light.

The ring‑mounted sword sheath slung at the waist collides with the diagonal long Bow and Arrow quiver on the back, occasionally producing faint clinks that are instantly swallowed by the surrounding silence.

In front of the Formation, commanders of various ranks stand on both sides beneath the Gaotai, wearing silver helmets and shining Armor, jade sashes at their waists, their gazes blazing as they scan the troops, their expressions both solemn for battle and hopeful for the forthcoming campaign.

Above the Gaotai, the Commander's Banner has not yet been raised; the empty central seat stands out sharply in the morning light, drawing countless eyes from below toward it.

"Damn it, why hasn't Chen Zhuguo arrived yet!"

A coarse, guttural mutter broke the silence in the corner of the Formation; the speaker was an unusually tall militia soldier.

He stood at least half a head taller than his comrades, broad‑shouldered and thick‑backed, the dark military uniform stretched tight on his frame, his exposed forearms bulging with muscle and visible blue veins.

He tiptoed slightly, his neck elongated, his murky eyes fixed on the Gaotai's central seat, his brows twisted into a knot.

He kept smacking his lips, his tone brimming with uncontainable restlessness.

When the military order arrived last night, learning that he would follow Chen Zhuguo into campaign, he barely slept the whole night, his mind filled with scenes of brandishing spears and slaying enemies on the battlefield.

Now standing in the ranks, each moment feels especially drawn out.

"Why the hurry?"

"It's not the appointed time yet!"

A slightly slender, gaunt militia soldier beside him did not look up, his voice steady as he retorted.

He also stared at the Gaotai ahead, his gaze far steadier than the tall soldier's, his fingers tracing the pattern on his waist‑sheathed sword, his movements unhurried.

He knows Chen Zhuguo has always governed the army strictly and has never been late.

If it hasn't arrived now, it must be because the appointed time hasn't come, or some other military matter delayed it; restlessness is useless.

"How the hell could anyone not be impatient?" The tall soldier spun his head sharply, his voice involuntarily rising a few notches, drawing glances from several nearby militia.

He hurriedly lowered his voice, yet could not hide the excitement in his tone, fists clenched, knuckles cracking, "I'm already itching to go into battle with Chen Zhuguo!"

"Didn't you see? When the order came last night, I almost ripped the roof off the house!"

"Who is Chen Zhuguo? He's an invincible divine general!"

"Fighting alongside him is the real thrill!"

He said so, his chest heaving violently, his eyes flashing with fierce light.

Since he enlisted as a militia, he has heard countless legends about Chen Zhuguo, from quelling rebellions in Qinzhou to suppressing bandits in Jingzhou, from defending Hezhou to recently leading troops deep into Qi State's interior; each battle was fought with gusto, each triumph bore glorious war merits.

The Pao Ze who returned from campaigns with Chen Zhuguo each bore a halo of glory; when they recounted battlefield tales, their proud brows made him enviously itch at the roots of his teeth.

Now that such an opportunity finally fell upon him, how could he not be excited, how could he not be impatient?

"Exactly!" another round‑faced militia soldier beside him leaned in, his face alight with uncontainable excitement, the wrinkles at his eyes crammed together, "The brothers who went with Chen Zhuguo to Qinzhou, Jingzhou, Hezhou all returned having earned merit and received rewards!"

"Talking about Chen Zhuguo's command skill makes my mouth water, it makes my heart itch!"

"And those who recently went to Qi State, I hear they piled captured Provisions and weapons into a mountain, killed countless Qi dogs; now that's what I call raising one's head in triumph!"

He gestured with both hands, as if already seeing himself fighting bravely on the battlefield, "I always wondered when my turn would come; I never expected it to finally become a reality this time!"

"Following Chen Zhuguo, I can also earn great merit and let my family share the glory!"

"Well said!" a square‑faced, broad‑browed militia soldier beside him nodded heavily, his voice booming, "We are fortunate to follow Chen Zhuguo this time; we must kill more enemies to live up to the chance Heaven has given us!"

"We serve in the army, don't we, to protect home and country and earn fame?"

"With a commander like Chen Zhuguo, as long as we dare to fight, how could we worry about never getting ahead?"

"When the time comes, I can return home in splendid attire, let the villagers see I'm no coward!"

His words ignited a fuse; several nearby militia echoed his sentiment.

"Exactly! Killing more foes won't make the years of military pay go to waste!"

"Following Chen Zhuguo, we'll surely raise the banner to victory and achieve swift success!"

"Then I can, like those seniors, become the hero spoken of by others!"

In the crowd, a stout, dark‑skinned militia soldier scratched his head, a shy smile appearing, his voice deep and resonant as he took the line, "When we set out this morning, my mother specifically reminded me to fight bravely with Chen Zhuguo and never abandon the people of our Old Ox family!"

He said so, puffed out his chest; his previously slouched back instantly straightened, his gaze steadied.

These past years in the army, though he possessed no extraordinary skill, he has been diligent, never shirking training.

For this campaign, his mother specially slaughtered the only old hen at home to make broth, repeatedly urging him to follow Chen Zhuguo earnestly and not bring shame to the family.

"My father said the same!" a medium‑built militia soldier with bright eyes immediately replied, his tone tinged with pride, "My father was also a soldier back then, but unfortunately missed the good times, never served under a great commander, and never earned any merit in his life."

"I heard I'm to follow Chen Zhuguo on this expedition; the old man was so excited he didn't sleep a night, grabbed my hand and said we must fight well, kill many enemies, and bring glory to our Old Li family!"

"He also said that when I return in triumph, he'll personally meet me at the City Gate!"

"My family too!" another militia soldier leaned in, his face flushed with excitement, "My mother stitched a new Guardian Heart Mirror for me overnight, even embroidered a 'Victory' character inside, saying that following Chen Zhuguo guarantees a win!"

"My wife also said, when I return, she'll give birth to a big chubby boy, and I'll name the child 'Break Enemy'!"

"Ha ha, what a good name!" the surrounding militia laughed, the atmosphere growing ever more lively.

At that moment, a steadfast‑faced militia in the crowd, though his brows hinted worry, suddenly furrowed them and spoke in a deep voice.

His build was proportioned, eyes profound, a few short whiskers under his chin, dark military garb dusted with specks of earth.

"But the forces we face this time are the Qi State army to the east and the Rouran cavalry from the Grassland..." His voice was low yet carried a weight that pierced hearts, instantly silencing the nearby militia's chatter.

He paused, his gaze sweeping the enthusiastic faces beside him, then sighed lightly and continued, "Those wolf‑like, tiger‑like fellows are not ordinary savages!"

His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the militia's hearts.

Many smiles faded, a hint of solemnity flashing in their eyes.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the corner of the Formation grew heavy, and even some militia farther away sensed the change, casting curious glances this way.

"Hey, the way you say that, if it were someone else leading troops, I might still feel a little scared!" a nearby imperial guard with a full side‑burned beard immediately spoke, his tone a bit contemptuous, instantly breaking the stifling atmosphere.

He was burly, with a scar running from his forehead to his cheek, making him look especially fierce.

As soon as his words fell, he shifted tone, slapped his chest with a flamboyant grin, and raised his voice a few notches: "But the commander leading the troops is our ever‑victorious Chen Yan and Chen Zhuguo!"

"I'm scared of his damn balls!"

"Exactly!"

"What about the Qi army?"

"What about the Rouran cavalry?"

A young imperial guard nearby immediately echoed, only in his early twenties, his eyes filled with the boldness of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.

While saying that, he clenched his fist hard, his knuckles turning white, and confidently declared, "Follow behind Chen Zhuguo and beat them to death!"

"Back in those days, when Chen Zhuguo was in Qinzhou facing rebels several times his own number, didn't he settle it with a single battle as well?"

"In Jingzhou, when the Turkic cavalry charged fiercely, wasn't it Chen Zhuguo who drove them to discard helmets and armor, fleeing in disgrace?"

"Well said!" A square‑faced, composed imperial guard lifted his head and chest, speaking with lofty bearing, "Even if I were to die on the battlefield, Chen Zhuguo would retrieve my corpse, and the Court would look after my family!"

"There's nothing to fear!"

"Chen Zhuguo has always cared for his subordinates; the death benefits for fallen soldiers have never been delayed, and the families receive proper placement from the Court. Following such a commander, even if we end up wrapped in horsehide, we would have no regrets!"

"Exactly!" The previously tall imperial guard blurted out, his worries already vanished, replaced by a blazing fighting spirit.

He thrust his chest forward, the muscles beneath his dark battle armor rippling, his voice ringing like a bell: "Even if we end up wrapped in horsehide, we can still enter the Lieshi Lingyuan, be revered by future generations, and bring glory to our ancestors!"

"We soldiers, born in chaotic times, are meant to sacrifice our lives for the country; to die alongside a hero like Chen Zhuguo is truly our blessing!"

"If we return alive, that's a promotion and a title! Our whole clan will be honored because of me!" another imperial guard took up the thread, his eyes full of anticipation and longing, his face glowing with excited red light.

He rubbed his hands together, as if already envisioning himself in official robes, returning home in splendor: "Then I can give my parents a good life, and make those who once looked down on us hold us in higher regard!"

"Exactly! Those brothers who followed Chen Zhuguo and returned victorious kept getting promoted faster and faster!" a short, stout imperial guard nearby nodded repeatedly, his tone thick with envy, "Take the group that went with Chen Zhuguo to Qinzhou two years ago; after they came back, even the lowest were promoted to squad leaders, some even became Colonels—heights that many never reach in a lifetime!"

"And they're raking it in, damn it, to the brim!" A guard whose heart was struck lit up, loudly proclaiming with yearning, "Gold, silver, women, livestock, and a huge pile of cloth and grain; I've heard some brothers' loot alone is enough to feed their families for a lifetime!"

"And that doesn't even include the Court's rewards—makes me so envious!"

"Ha ha, exactly! Fighting alongside Chen Zhuguo brings military merit, rewards, and loot; even if we die unluckily, we'll still bring glory to our ancestors and ensure our families are provided for!" a tall, slender guard said with a smile, his face full of certainty, "No matter what, we won't lose!"

"Right! Just go for it!"

"Afraid of nothing! Follow Chen Zhuguo and cut them down to pieces!"

"Let the Qi army and the Rouran taste the might of our Great Zhou heavenly troops!"

The guards grew increasingly excited, each clenching their fists, their faces flushed with fervent red light.

That lingering apprehension sparked by mentioning strong foes had long been replaced by a thirst for victory, a pursuit of fame, and absolute trust in Chen Zhuguo.

Within the formation, the heated discussion rose and fell, yet order was always maintained.

The fighting spirit of twenty‑three thousand guards, like a volcano about to erupt, gathered in the dawn into a massive force that surged straight toward the heavens.

Just as the guards' fighting spirit rose and the crowd's emotions flared, a crisp, resonant proclamation suddenly rang out from beneath the high platform ahead, cutting through all the chatter and clearly echoing across the entire Xiaochang:

"Chen Zhuguo has arrived—!"