Chapter 185: Extreme Brigade

Xica Liusi's efficiency was much faster than Lei En had expected.

Just after noon the next day, a group of tall Makurag appeared outside the castle gates and entered the castle under the centaurs' watchful eyes.

Xica Liusi's perception was keen; walking on the hillside path, he immediately sensed that the centaurs' gazes toward him and his people were off, and when he looked back, the centaurs quickly turned their heads away, refusing eye contact.

"They seem to be afraid of me?"

Xica Liusi muttered to himself, noting that Sane Plateau also has a few centaur tribes; after several clashes he knows centaurs are volatile beasts, but the batch summoned by the boss was different.

"Could it be that these monsters have changed their nature after coming to the Empire?"

While pondering, Xica Liusi entered the castle courtyard and saw Lei En standing on the steps with two of his people, waiting.

He hurriedly quickened his steps and shouted, "Boss, we're back!"

Then turning to the people behind him, he said, "Brothers, this is Ryan Augustus, Earl of Glamorgan—what are you still staring at? Call the boss quickly."

"Greetings, boss!"

"Honored lord..."

"Your Excellency, Earl!"

Various titles rang out, making Xica Liusi glare in anger; these barbarians, despite his repeated instructions on the road, fell into chaos the moment they met.

Seeing him about to scold, Lei En raised a hand to stop him and smiled, "What you call them doesn't matter; as long as they're here."

Gelong and Kiwat shouted joyfully, "You finally arrived!"

Saying that, they stepped forward to embrace their people.

When a few Makurag made contact, they instantly sensed that the two had changed; their strength had multiplied several times and their physiques had altered.

"You two..."

"Ji Liman is above, Gelong, your strength is huge—let go quickly!"

The barbarians shouted loudly.

Lei En's gaze swept over the ten Makurag, each bearing packs and weapons; some wore mercenary garb, others were bare‑armed gladiators, and one wore heavy armor, clearly summoned in haste.

Each Makurag stood about 2.2 meters tall, varying no more than five centimeters, with sharply defined features and a rugged aura.

The ten stood together like a human wall, exuding great deterrence.

Judging by soul strength, none of them were weak.

At least they matched fourth‑grade Transcendents, with one or two standing out at sixth‑grade level.

Xica Liusi must have mentioned the original‑body symbiosis to them; each was excited and a bit nervous, and with Gelong and Kiwat as examples before them, all eyes turned to him as if he were a priceless treasure, filled with anticipation.

Lei En noticed a few Makurag bore wounds, fortunately none were serious.

"Xica Liusi, did you run into any trouble?"

"The mercenary troupe the three brothers belong to refused to release them, demanding five thousand Gold Shields outright; luckily my brothers and I were there and already dealt with them," Xica Liusi replied nonchalantly.

Lei En nodded; without thinking, he knew the problem had been solved with fists.

He didn't ask further, "All come in."

In a side hall of the castle, once the dining place of the Earl of Glamorgan and his family, a fifteen‑meter long log table stood in the center of the main hall.

Two rows of towering pillars supported the hall's dome, with crystal lanterns hanging down.

Wood‑burning fireplaces flared on both sides, their vigorous flames radiating heat; the hall felt warm as spring, and the walls displayed famous paintings and swords, revealing the castle's long history.

Lei En sat at the far end of the long table, with thirteen Makurag taking seats on either side.

He clapped his hands.

A group of servants swiftly brought out plate after plate—steaming roast lamb, fresh white bread, assorted fruit pastries, and over a dozen bottles of chilled fine wine—quickly filling the table.

The aroma of food and wine made the hungry Makurag constantly swallow saliva.

However, no one rushed to eat; they all looked toward Lei En at the head, awaiting his command.

"Eat quickly; I'm hungry too."

Lei En said without fuss, smiling, "Finish eating before we discuss business."

"Hoo—"

"Long live the boss!"

The Makurag cheered and began devouring the food ravenously; each barbarian's appetite was astonishing, the dishes disappearing at a visible speed, leaving the serving servants staring in amazement.

Lei En's own appetite was large, but compared with the Makurag, it was like a minor wizard before a great one.

In less than five minutes, more than half the food vanished from the table.

"Whoa, they eat so much!"

Lei En was also astonished; with such appetites, a modest household couldn't afford to sustain the Makurag—they would be starved out by them.

He quickly ordered, "Have the kitchen send another batch of food up immediately."

"Yes, sir," the servant replied, rushing to the kitchen.

That lunch lasted over half an hour yet consumed a fifth of the kitchen's stores, equivalent to a full day's rations for a hundred adults.

Fortunately, the castle had stocked a large supply of food for the mercenary troupe, preventing depletion.

Wine and food were plentiful.

Amid the Makurag's anticipation, Lei En led them into the castle's training grounds.

Blue Water High Castle was five or six times larger than a typical castle; it boasted three training grounds—indoor and outdoor—with the smallest indoor arena exceeding a thousand square meters.

In this arena, Ao Xiliya activated a Soundproof Force Field and withdrew voluntarily.

Lei En looked at the ten newly arrived barbarians and asked, "Who will go first?"

"Me!"

A scarred Makurag reacted fastest, stepping forward without hesitation, kneeling before Lei En and cutting his palm to swear an oath.

Lei En stood there, calmly observing the fierce barbarian.

His strength is second only to Xi Ka Liusi, reaching the level of a sixth‑grade Transcendent, with more than ten Elements in his soul, extremely rich combat experience, having been a mercenary for many years, and is somewhat famous in Mo Du.

I asked while we were eating earlier; his name is Ao Tuo.

There is another fellow called Di Ke Ta, whose strength is equivalent to a fifth‑grade Transcendent, while the others are all fourth‑grade.

"Loyalty is my life… I, Ao Tuo… absolute loyalty, never betray!"

The blood‑colored sigil quickly formed, floating in mid‑air.

Lei En touched the rune, accepted the symbiosis, and Ao Tuo's body immediately began to transform.

Ten minutes later, the transformation was complete; Ao Tuo felt the newly gained great power, stood there speechless, his face full of shock and delight.

Lei En carefully sensed, and Ao Tuo became his symbiont without causing any serious mental interference, then said, "Next."

One by one, Ma Kula Ge people chose Lei En as the host and established symbiotic links with him.

Two hours later.

Lei En's symbionts reached thirteen!

Looking at the thirteen Ma Kula Ge people standing before him, hearing their voices in his mind pledging absolute loyalty, Lei En's face showed a faint smile.

His expression steadied, his gaze swept over each symbiont's face, meeting theirs, then he stood firm and loudly declared, "From today onward, you are my most loyal companions, comrades, brothers!"

"Choosing me as your host will be the most correct decision of your lives, and this is only the first step."

"I have many plans and expectations for your future."

"One day, you will shock the Empire, shock the world! From the Heavenly Plane above to the bottomless Abyss below, your fame will spread; whether giants or giant dragons, angels or demons, hearing your name will make them shiver!"

Lei En's tone was neither hurried nor slow, sounding a bit exaggerated, yet not a single Ma Kula Ge person doubted his words, believing they could indeed achieve it.

Their blood boiled as they shouted in unison, "Boss's Willpower is my Willpower!"

A booming roar echoed through the training arena.

Lei En accepted the symbionts' cheers, thinking to himself that host symbiosis also has a brain‑washing effect, making them unconditionally believe in him, though he didn't know whether that was good or bad.

After the excitement, Xi Ka Liusi suddenly asked, "Boss, you still haven't told us what our name is?"

Ao Tuo also caught on; having been a mercenary for many years, his outlook and experience were considerable, and he rubbed his hands saying, "Those Holy Soul Wizards, legends and great aristocrats' armies all have their own names; ours must be even more resonant."

Other Ma Kula Ge people all agreed.

Lei En had, of course, considered this issue; an armed force without a name has no soul, just like the designation of modernized units in a past life, a very serious matter.

A hint of mystery glimmered in his eyes as he nodded, "I have already decided."

"My surname is Augustus, so you are the 'Augustus Imperial Guard', though that is the name used within the family."

"Outside the family, you are the Extreme Corps!"

"Members of the corps are Extreme Warriors."

After Lei En finished speaking, a mysterious smile appeared on his face; if another transmigrator were to come to Ai Lun E Si in the future and hear of the Extreme Corps' existence, what expression would they make?

"Extreme Corps, Extreme Warriors…" Xi Ka Liusi's eyes lit up, "I like this name!"

"Just hearing it feels full of power!"

The Ma Kula Ge people immediately accepted the name, and Lei En took the opportunity to "talk them up", spouting a slew of Extreme Corps mottos and doctrines—such as "Loyalty and Glory", "Advance for Augustus", as well as "Break the limit, surpass the limit, create the limit", "The enemy's ashes pave the road of conquest", and so on.

Lei En also did not forget his earlier promise; he offered each Extreme Warrior a generous salary, far higher than their previous earnings.

The salaries of the thirteen Extreme Warriors, plus living expenses, require Lei En to pay over three thousand Gold Shields each month!

Moreover, to win hearts, he also prepaid three months' wages.

Seeing his treasury depleting rapidly, Lei En could no longer sit idle; he must levy a sum from his domain to replenish the treasury.

There will be another chapter later.

(End of Chapter)