Chapter 29: If You’re Not Dead, Train Until You Are!

In the training ground.

Sumu looked at the hundred men carefully selected by Fatty Li and nodded.

In terms of individual physical fitness, they could all be considered skilled fighters.

With just a bit of training, even if they faced the barbarians head-on, it wouldn’t be a big problem.

“I believe you all know that this is the first hundred-man unit of the Tiger Might Battalion!”

“So I must tell every one of you—there’s no room for incompetence in my unit!”

Standing on the platform, Sumu’s face was cold and stern.

Hearing this, the crowd narrowed their eyes, their gazes laced with unhidden ridicule.

Incompetence?

Before judging others, who among them wasn’t a waste?

“I know many of you are dissatisfied.”

“Now, I’m giving you a chance: randomly pick five people to form a team. If you can defeat these five, then all future training will follow your lead, and the position of centurion can be yours!”

“Additionally, if you win, you’ll be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver!”

Sumu pointed towards Jiang Hongluan and her four companions.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Hongluan and her group stood tall and proud, their arrogance unmistakable.

“This is your challenge! Don’t back out if you lose!”

“Exactly! It’s just those five! We can easily take them down!”

“Come on, let us teach them a lesson first!”

Among the crowd, several burly men clenched fists, their spirits high as they stared at Jiang Hongluan and the others.

Sumu nodded and took a seat on a chair atop a nearby high platform.

He watched as the five newcomers faced Jiang Hongluan’s group.

Feeling quite relaxed, Sumu closed his eyes, not bothering to watch the battle closely.

If it were a one-on-one duel, perhaps someone might get lucky and beat one of the five.

But in group combat, it was no longer about individual strength.

It was about coordination.

In terms of teamwork, these five had undergone a transformation beyond recognition.

Not just in offense, but their defense had also greatly improved compared to when they fought alone.

The others were just hastily formed teams; winning against them was nothing but a pipe dream.

As expected!

As Sumu had predicted, during these rounds, Jiang Hongluan and her group fought as a single unit, advancing and retreating seamlessly.

Not a single challenger managed to last three rounds against them.

Among these challengers were some seasoned veterans of the Tiger Might Battalion.

Yet, they couldn’t gain any advantage against Jiang Hongluan’s team.

“Damn it! How long have these five been training together? How can their coordination be so flawless?”

“The white-clad woman among them must be a weak point, but no matter how hard we try to exploit it, we never get the chance—they’re always dismantled by the others.”

“These five are true experts, especially in their teamwork, enhancing their strength to two hundred percent!”

The time passed swiftly in the span of three incense sticks burning.

Almost everyone in the hundred-man group had challenged Jiang Hongluan’s team.

Yet the outcome was beyond belief.

No matter the tactics, the result was a crushing defeat.

It was hard for them to digest.

This was the first time they encountered such a formidable challenge.

“I’m Lin Shan! I admit defeat!”

“Me too…”

“Same here!”

For a moment, the crowd set aside their pride and looked at Sumu with newfound respect.

Jiang Hongluan and her four companions also saw this and felt a sense of admiration toward Sumu.

At this moment, they all understood clearly: if even Jiang Hongluan’s team bowed to Sumu, it proved he must possess real skill.

He was certainly not as weak as he seemed on the surface.

“Oh? If any of you want to quit, step forward now!”

“Once training begins, anyone refusing to train will be charged with desertion!”

Sumu opened his eyes, stood up, and looked coldly at the crowd before him.

At these words, everyone’s pupils constricted sharply.

Desertion?

On the battlefield, desertion was punishable by death!

Sumu’s words made their hearts tremble with hesitation.

Thump, thump, thump!

Yet, during this time, no one chose to leave.

Seeing this, Sumu clapped his hands, shook his head, and said coldly, “I know many of you have been hailed as battlefield experts, having slain many barbarians and earned many honors.”

“But here, none of that matters anymore. You have only one identity now: rookies.”

“And as rookies, you must behave like rookies! You must embrace the mentality of rookies! Leave your so-called pride in your pockets!”

“Understood?”

Sumu’s words caused everyone’s faces to flush with emotion as they answered earnestly, “Understood!”

Jiang Hongluan and the others watched this scene with mixed feelings.

They had been through this phase themselves.

During the days heading into the barbarian heartland, they trained relentlessly under Sumu’s command, day and night.

Even in their sleep, upon hearing Sumu’s orders, they had to leap into action.

One could only say—

None of these men had anticipated that their darkest hour was fast approaching.

“From now on, based on your previous performances, proceed to your respective squads.”

“There is only one requirement here,” Sumu said, pausing slightly and speaking solemnly:

“As long as you don’t die, train with every ounce of your strength!”