Chapter 218: Establishing Authority on the Drill Ground

The next day, on the drill ground of the Left Wing Grand Camp of the Dragon Victory Army, the atmosphere was solemn as if cast in iron.

The land soaked with yesterday's blood had been covered with fresh soil, but that invisible bloody stench still seemed to linger in the air, irritating every soldier's nasal passages.

All troops had finished forming up according to establishment, their armor bright, weapons in hand; no one dared whisper or glance around, only the banners snapped in the wind and the occasional uneasy snort of warhorses.

Tens of thousands of gazes—filled with awe, fear, doubt, or curiosity—were all focused on the bright yellow figure standing on the platform for appointing generals.

Chen Wen still wore no elaborate court robes, only a light military uniform with a dragon-patterned cloak draped over it.

He stood at the center of the high platform, while senior commanders Shi Dun, Han Tong, and Zhang Yongde stood with swords at their sides behind him, their expressions solemn.

Qian Gui, meanwhile, lurked like a ghost in a corner, his sharp eyes scanning the whole field, searching for any ripple of discord.

"Let's begin."

Chen Wen wasted no words, directly issuing an order to Shi Dun.

"As you command!"

Shi Dun clasped his fists in acknowledgment, turned to face the drill ground, and his voice rang like a great bell.

"The drill begins!"

"First item, archery target shooting!"

"First Commander of the Left Wing, step forward!"

The designated commander felt his heart tighten, quickly ordering his unit to fall out and run to the assigned firing positions.

These soldiers clearly had not yet fully recovered from yesterday's shock; their movements were stiff, and even the faint sound of teeth chattering could be heard.

They drew their bows, nocked arrows, and aimed at the target a hundred paces away.

"Release!"

The command flag was waved down.

Arrows left the bowstrings, the sound of tearing air incessant in the ears.

However, the results were less than satisfactory.

Soft thuds sounded sporadically; more than half of the arrows struck the edge of the target askew, some even missed and buried themselves in the ground, while those hitting the bullseye were few and far between.

That commander's face turned ashen, cold sweat beading on his forehead, and he hurriedly stepped forward and knelt.

"I… I have failed to command my troops properly; I beg Your Majesty and the Marquis to punish me!"

Among the other commanders and troops lined up below, a subdued commotion began to stir.

Some showed contempt, some felt grief like a rabbit mourning a fox, while many more remained silent.

Such is the current state of the Dragon Victory Army: morale scattered, skills rusty.

Chen Wen's face remained calm, giving no hint of joy or anger.

He ignored the commander begging for forgiveness, instead sweeping his gaze across the field and speaking slowly.

"It seems that yesterday's incident was not without cause."

"An army that cannot even draw its bow steadily is hardly convincing; it is no wonder that resentment arises and they are susceptible to deceit."

His voice rang clear across the drill ground, making every soldier lower their head, faces burning hot.

"However."

Chen Wen shifted his tone.

"I do not believe that the hot-blooded spirit of my Zhongyuan youths can be so easily worn away!"

"I also do not believe that the elite force once able to contend with Khitan cavalry would willingly become meat for the slaughter!"

He stepped forward, his voice suddenly rising, carrying a strange penetrative power.

"Today, I will let you see what truly makes a Great Chen elite soldier, and what deserves to be called… a tiger-and-wolf army!"

His gaze turned to a nearby attendant, a Peaceful Army origin, not particularly stalwart in build, holding the rank of captain.

"Zhang Song."

"I am here!"

The captain named Zhang Song immediately stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

"I grant you sixteenfold strength."

Chen Wen's voice was not loud, yet it seemed to carry some mysterious rhythm, clearly reaching Zhang Song's ears and those of everyone nearby.

"Take your squad of fifty and demonstrate archery, chopping and thrusting, bearing weight, and charging."

"Let the brothers of the Dragon Victory Army broaden their horizons."

"I will obey the order!"

Zhang Song's eyes instantly blazed with fervent light, and he replied without hesitation.

Everyone present, aside from a few core figures like Shi Dun, including Han Tong, Zhang Yongde, and the tens of thousands of Dragon Victory Army troops below, was utterly bewildered.

"Sixteenfold strength"? What does that mean? What is His Majesty the Emperor going to do?

However, in the next moment, an unforgettable scene unfolded.

Only see Chen Wen raise his hand, pressing it lightly upon Zhang Song's head.

No blinding light, no change in the winds and clouds.

But Zhang Song and the fifty Peaceful Army soldiers behind him, already prepared, all involuntarily shuddered slightly.

An indescribable sense of power instantly filled their bodies, muscles slightly bulging, eyes becoming sharp as eagles, as if an invisible wave of qi gently undulated around them.

"First unit! Zhang Song's detachment! Target the archery target! Rapid fire! Release!"

Shi Dun followed the prescribed procedure and gave a loud order.

"Roar!"

Zhang Song and his fifty men roared in unison, their sound wave actually overwhelming the breathing of the tens of thousands on the field.

They moved as fast as lightning, drawing bows, nocking arrows, aiming, and releasing in one fluid motion!

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh——!

The sound of arrows leaving the bowstring was piercingly sharp, almost merging into one, as if there were only a single long, shrill whistle!

Fifty-one black streaks, like a sudden storm, lunged toward the archery target a hundred paces away!

Shiver-shiver-shiver-shiver-shiver——!

In the next instant, the dense, drum-like impact sounds exploded!

Only then did one see that the bullseyes of the fifty-one targets were almost simultaneously pierced and torn apart by clusters of arrows!

Amid flying wood chips, the bullseye areas of all the targets suddenly turned into a huge hollow!

Silence!

A deathly stillness!

Tens of thousands on the drill field seemed to have their throats clenched, eyes wide, staring in disbelief at the devastated archery target area.

Hitting a willow leaf at a hundred paces with a single arrow already marks a rare divine archer.

Yet these fifty-one not only all hit their marks, but with terrifying speed and power, they directly blew the bullseyes apart!

This… this is simply beyond human capability!

"How… how is this possible?" Han Tong muttered unconsciously, his sword‑gripping hand trembling slightly.

Zhang Yongde sucked in a breath of cold air, finally understanding why, in the Battle of Gaoping, Chen Wen's small units always managed to create miracles.

However, this was only the beginning.

"Second item! Chop and thrust!"

Shi Dun's voice rang out again, tinged with pride and fervor.

The demonstration squad quickly switched to training‑wrapped cotton wooden swords (though they were wooden swords, with immense power behind them their lethality remained fearsome).

Facing the thick‑leather‑wrapped wooden dummy erected on one side of the drill field.

"Kill!"

Fifty‑one roars merged into a single thunderclap!

Blade light swept past like a silken ribbon!

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

A grating, teeth‑setting sound of breaking rang out densely!

The wooden dummy that would require a strong man to chop dozens of times to leave a deep mark, under the demonstration squad's hands, was as easily severed and split as fragile straw!

Wood chips and the stuffed grass filling flew everywhere!

"Third item! Weighted charge!"

Squad members without hesitation hoisted stone locks and grain bags far exceeding normal loads, then began to sprint along the marked route at the edge of the drill field.

Their speed was astonishing, their steps heavy yet powerful, each footfall sending a dull thud into the ground, as if a herd of elephants wearing human skins were charging, kicking up clouds of dust!

For a five‑li weighted charge, regular units need the time of two incense sticks, but they finished in just a little over one incense stick, all returning, though drenched in sweat and breathing hard, their eyes remained sharp, clearly still with reserve!

The entire drill field fell silent, not even a sparrow's chirp.

Everyone stood frozen like clay or wood statues, their minds blank.

What unfolded before their eyes completely overturned their notions of 'army' and 'military force.'

This was no longer mere elite; it was practically… heavenly soldiers and divine generals!

Chen Wen took in the shock, fear, and even fervor of everyone below the platform.

He spoke again, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of a thousand jin.

"Do you see clearly?

This is the power I bestow upon loyal warriors."

His gaze blazed like a torch, sweeping over the pale‑faced, slightly trembling officers and soldiers of the former Longjie Army.

"Yesterday, I killed seven people because they harbored different intentions, incited rebellion, and their crime deserved death."

"Today, I display this power to tell you!"

His voice suddenly rose, like a war drum beating.

"Follow me, be loyal to Great Chen, and you will have the chance to become as strong as they are!

Your blades will be unstoppable; your arrows will hit every mark; your steps will be as swift as thunder!"

"Wealth, honor, power—I can give you all of them!"

"But the precondition is that your loyalty must be given unreservedly to me, to this new dynasty you are about to defend with your lives!"

"Now!"

Chen Wen's voice shook the four directions.

"Tell me!

Are you willing to remain a weak force that is deluded and at others' mercy, or do you wish to become the Great Chen tigers and wolves that strike terror into enemies and win glory and riches for yourselves?"

After a brief silence, a sound wave like a volcanic eruption exploded!

"I am willing to die for Your Majesty!"

"Great Chen, ten thousand victories!"

"Tiger wolf! Tiger wolf! Tiger wolf!"

At first the shouts were a bit chaotic, but they quickly coalesced into a neat, uniform, earth‑shaking roar!

Countless soldiers, faces flushed red with excitement, waved their weapons, their eyes brimming with unprecedented fervor and longing!

The fear suppressed by yesterday's bloodshed was now completely overwritten by an infinite yearning for this mysterious, mighty power!

What Zhao Dianjian, what former lord—before such tangible, within‑reach power's temptation, they all turned pale and impotent!

His Majesty the Emperor possesses god‑like means that can make them this strong—what reason is there not to be loyal?

Shi Dun looked at the scene below like a mountain‑shouting, sea‑roaring tsunami, split his big mouth open, and vigorously waved his fists.

Han Tong and Zhang Yongde exchanged a glance, each seeing in the other's eyes immense shock and a hint of relief.

They knew that from this moment on, the Dragon Swift Army — no, the entire Forbidden Army of Bian Liang — had its morale set!

Chen Wen stood amid the roar of 'long live' shouts and the howls of tigers and wolves, his expression calm.

He knew this was only the initial shock and submission brought about by relying on the system's ability.

To truly forge these soldiers into an invincible iron army, strict training, iron‑blooded discipline, and time to meld were still needed.

But at least, the most dangerous internal undercurrents have been overturned by this display of power beyond common sense.

The dormant Growth Progress Bar within him also seemed to have loosened imperceptibly a fraction due to the initial allegiance of tens of thousands of troops' hearts.

Future challenges remained severe, but the hilt in his hand was becoming ever more steadfast.