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Chapter 4 Front Camp
After tending to the horses, the two men delivered fodder to the pack animals.
After finishing their work, they each took a half-bowl of thin porridge and leaned against the cart to catch their breath.
Lin Jun squatted on the ground, casually drew a few lines in the mud with a twig, and spoke first.
"Those people on the channel last night gave me a headache from all the noise."
Mo Qin took a sip of his porridge: "You watched it again?"
I glanced at it.
Lin Jun snorted, "One group says the capital is the central hub, offering the most opportunities. The other group says the Li Family Camp line is the most valuable. I initially thought that since everyone's been thrown into this place, they couldn't all be fools. But after seeing it all, I realized I was wrong."
Mo Qin stirred the porridge while looking at her: "So, what are your thoughts?"
"You're asking me? Normally, isn't it the man who makes the decisions?"
"No, I advocate for ladies first."
Lin Jun's eyes were like a mothball, and his expression clearly said, "Fine, you win."
I think,
She said slowly, "Nine times out of ten, those who are calling for a trip to the capital haven't even figured out the main plot."
Mo Qin took the bowl away from his mouth and continued, "Almost. Zu Chengxun's advance party has already suffered a loss at the hands of that unscrupulous merchant Xiao Xi. Now Guangning is recruiting soldiers, the border camps are preparing for war, and scouts are frequently returning at night. In a month at most, we will cross the Yalu River. If we really want to bet, this place is a better way to survive than the capital."
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of light appeared in Lin Jun's eyes.
"Correct, just as I thought."
She nodded. "Li Rusong is the young master of Liaodong Group, the one who really holds up the reins."
Mo Qin hummed in agreement.
Lin Jun tapped the muddy ground with a twig again: "Zu Chengxun has already suffered a loss in Pyongyang, so Li Rusong definitely won't be so reckless later. This recruitment drive is quite a big deal. For players, a big deal means more opportunities, which is better than fighting tooth and nail in the capital."
Mo Qin glanced at her: "Women rarely know this much? Are you a history student?"
International relations.
"Your international relations department even cares about this?"
"I know Korea, Japan, the Ming Dynasty, the tributary states, the sea routes, and the border armies very well. It's like a dream come true."
Lin Jun raised her chin. "And you?"
Military history of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
No wonder.
Lin Jun nodded. "I knew it. Yesterday, when you were looking at those quick-draw guns, three-barreled guns, and muskets, your eyes were spot on."
"What's wrong?"
"Like someone who has been starving for three days seeing a pot of meat."
Mo Qin remained unfazed: "No, I'm more sincere when I look at meat."
Lin Jun couldn't help but chuckle.
After laughing, she paused for a moment, then looked up at Mo Qin.
"Your world... has universities too?"
Mo Qin scoffed, "Not only does it have a university, but it also has zombies! Do you have any there?"
The two exchanged a glance.
"no."
Lin Jun shook his head. "My world is normal. The subway is delayed, takeout is pre-made, and the football team didn't qualify for the World Cup. Other than that, everything is normal."
Mo Qin took a deep breath before saying, "I envy you. That was the third year of the apocalypse. Apart from the ruins, there was nothing left."
Lin Jun didn't respond, and she couldn't respond either.
Seemingly remembering something, Mo Qin lowered his head, finished the porridge in one gulp, and then carefully licked it again.
"So," Lin Jun said slowly, "we are not from the same world."
"It seems so."
"But the same applies to ancient history."
"At least up to now, Wanli's aid to Korea, Li Rusong, Pyongyang, Byeokjegwan, it's all the same."
Lin Jun broke off the branch, stood up, and dusted it off.
"That's enough."
She said, "Seeking common ground while reserving differences, at least the general direction is correct."
Mochin was about to get up, but his gaze lingered on her face.
Lin Jun touched her face: "What's wrong?"
"An old soldier just walked past you without even glancing at you."
Mochin stood up and turned the empty bowl upside down on the cart floor. "This is not normal."
Lin Jun was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening.
"You mean?"
"The park has given you a disguise."
Mo Qin said, "In my eyes, you are still you. In the eyes of the locals, you are probably a handsome young man."
Lin Jun looked at the few old soldiers not far away.
Those people were busy checking the stoves, ropes, and fodder, their eyes sweeping over her without showing any sign of anything unusual.
"Don't make a fuss, I already knew that."
"Women are not naturally suited to stay in the military."
Mo Qin rolled his eyes when he heard this.
"Hmm, not bad. Women should live a life of luxury, with daily beauty treatments and shopping."
Lin Jun raised an eyebrow and suddenly smiled.
Just as he was about to retort, a loud shout came from outside the ravine.
"You guys by the river! Washing a pot takes until noon? Get back here for roll call!"
The roll call was conducted on the muddy ground outside the ravine.
The new recruits were herded into several rows, crooked and twisted, looking like wisps of grass blown about.
Two clerks stood in front, one holding a book and the other holding a pen, while several old soldiers and an armored officer stood beside them.
The officer was a long-faced sergeant with a cold, iron-like expression.
"Listen carefully, everyone!"
The leading veteran slammed his stick on the ground. "Today, we'll organize you into units first, then register you. Anyone who gives a false name will have their legs broken. Anyone who dares to run away will be beaten first, then tied up!"
A slight commotion arose instinctively in the crowd, but it was quickly suppressed by two blows.
The organization was done very quickly, and the actions were quite rough.
Throughout the process, the veteran would pull over anyone who stood nearby and whose build was similar, and join them in a squad.
Someone tried to move closer to an acquaintance, but the end of the stick immediately struck their calf, causing them to jump in pain.
Mo Qin, Lin Jun, Liu Gao, Yan Qi, and a young man with a face full of freckles were grouped into a squad.
Liu Gao slept like a log last night, but woke up this morning in exceptionally good spirits, a talent that Mo Qin greatly envied.
Yan Qi carried a short bow on his back. He looked thin, but he was actually quite strong.
The freckled boy's face was extremely pale, and his hands kept shaking.
"Stand up straight!"
The old soldier struck him in the chest with his club. "Haven't you eaten?"
The freckled boy was so frightened that he almost fainted.
When it was their turn to be registered, the clerk looked up at Mo Qin and his pen visibly paused.
"Name."
"Mo Qin".
Place of origin.
Liaodong.
Age.
Mochin gave a suitable number.
"Can you ride a horse?"
"I know some."
"Can you use a bow?"
"Won't."
"Can it fire?"
"Won't."
The clerk quickly wrote it down, then glanced at the man's shoulders and arms without saying anything.
When it was Lin Jun's turn, the clerk only regarded her as a pretty young woman.
"Name."
"Lin Jun".
Which two words?
"The forest of trees, the gentleman of a virtuous person."
Place of origin.
"Guangning, Liaodong".
The clerk paused, pen in hand: "Which garrison in Guangning?"
A hint of hesitation flashed across Lin Jun's eyes, indicating that she was not familiar with the garrison in Guangning.
Seeing this, Mo Qin calmly added, "They came from the Left Guard and moved away with their relatives years ago."
The clerk didn't ask any further questions and simply wrote it down.
"What?"
"He can read, do arithmetic, and remember things. He can ride a horse a little, but he can't draw a bow or fire a gun."
The clerk glanced at her again, but still only nodded.
Liu Gao announced his name in a booming voice, as if afraid that others wouldn't hear him clearly.
Yan Qi's explanation was much simpler; he only said that he could use a bow, knew the way, and could read footprints.
This was someone with skills; the long-faced captain clearly lingered on him a little longer.
Once the booklet is finished, it's time to establish rules.
On the earthen platform, the old soldier shouted at the top of his lungs, enunciating each word clearly:
"Those who do not advance at the sound of the drum, cease at the sound of the gong, fail to follow the banners, or whose ranks are not orderly shall be punished according to military law!"
"Those who retreat in the face of battle will be executed!"
"Those who steal military rations shall be executed!"
"Night Oath: Execute!"
"Thief who fled with a stolen horse shall be executed!"
"Those who disrupt the morale of the army will be executed!"
After hearing the word "execution" several times, the new recruits' faces turned ashen, each one paler than the last.
If you heard someone on the channel last night yelling about stealing a horse and running away, your legs would probably go weak if you heard it here.
Lin Jun tilted his head slightly and asked Mo Qin in a low voice, "Is this training the soldiers, or just scaring them?"
"Yes, all of them."
Mo Qin said in a low voice, "The border army has many rules, but those rules aren't just for show. When it comes to actual combat, whoever breaks them will die."
After the military law training was completed, the flag bearer was pulled up onto the earthen platform.
A small red flag with yellow border was waved high above, and the old soldier roared from below:
"Red flag pointing to the left, left wing advance!"
"Yellow flag pointing to the right, right wing advance!"
"Blue flag pointing forward, advance, team!"
"Once we're on the field, nobody's going to grab your ear and yell at you to run wherever you want! You all need to learn to recognize the flags!"
The new recruits below looked completely bewildered, like ducks listening to thunder.
Mo Qin silently took notes, while Lin Jun had already drawn a few strokes on the muddy ground with a twig, marking the directions of several flags.
Among them, Liu Gao frowned after just a couple of glances, Yan Qi remembered quickly, but the freckled boy stared blankly, unable to distinguish who was who among the red, yellow, and blue.
Next came the assignment of miscellaneous tasks.
Some people went to move armor, some went to carry medicine barrels, some went to wash pots, feed mules, clean manure, and lead horses.
As soon as Mo Qin revealed his physique, the three old soldiers all waved to him in unison.
Lin Jun was assigned to run errands for the clerk twice, and was also called to count ropes and old cloth.
Liu Gao was thrown to carry armor, and he carried two more pieces than others without even panting.
Yan Qi was then dragged away by an old soldier to see if he could string the bow.
After all that work, the chaotic atmosphere was finally calmed down a bit.
The people were still the same group, but they gradually transformed from refugees, scattered individuals, and outlaws into a force that could be commanded.
At that moment, the test subject arrived.
"This batch of new goods, the bones are actually quite decent."
The speaker walked slowly from the other end of the front camp, carrying a spear shaft with the tip sharpened, followed by three old soldiers.
The man was in his forties, with a slight limp in his left leg and a scar running diagonally from his brow bone to his chin. He looked old and weak, but he was a ruthless character.
As soon as he appeared, the old soldiers who were cursing all fell silent.
Someone whispered, "Zhao Tou."
Some people also privately call him Old Zhao.
Mo Qin glanced at the long-faced captain, who turned his face away, seemingly tacitly approving of everything.
Seeing this, he understood, "Hmm, they're not just strolling around, they're here to pick people."
Zhao Tou, carrying his training pole, strolled past the rows of new recruits, muttering unhurriedly:
"Commander Han said that among the newly recruited soldiers, we need to find a few who are still alive. We don't want them to die faster than livestock once they hit the road."
These words were spoken slowly, yet every one pierced the heart.
"Big size doesn't necessarily mean big guts."
"Just because someone looks fierce doesn't mean they're tough."
"Those who boast are most likely to run away first."
As they spoke, Zhao Tou slowed his pace when he reached Mo Qin's group.