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Chapter 5 Promoting People
He first looked at Mo Qin, then at Lin Jun, then swept his gaze over Liu Gao and Yan Qi, until his eyes landed on the freckled boy.
Years of battlefield experience and killing intent almost brought that kid to tears.
"This Wu is quite interesting."
Zhao Tou grinned. "Tall enough to block the wind, plus a pretty boy, this one's black as a pot, oh, and there's a mountain rat with a bow on its back."
As the saying goes, "Don't hit someone in the face, and don't insult someone by revealing their shortcomings."
Liu Gao's face darkened, and he was about to retort.
Lin Jun spoke first.
"You have good eyesight."
She spoke calmly, maintaining the first tone of her voice, "It's just that your mouth is a bit off. A perfectly good team, coming out of your mouth, sounds like a medley of acrobatic performances at a temple fair."
There was a moment of silence, then an old soldier burst out laughing.
Zhao Tou, however, was not annoyed. He simply tapped the training pole on the ground and stared at her.
"Kid, you've got a sharp tongue."
"good."
Lin Jun said, "It's better than just hitting people with a stick."
Zhao Tou finally laughed: "The border troops don't rely on their mouths to eat."
"That depends on what you rely on."
Lin Jun was sharp-tongued and replied quickly.
Mochin looked up at the sky.
This woman wasn't arguing; she was deliberately drawing attention to herself.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Tou raised his pole and instead tapped Mo Qin's chest.
"you."
He said, "With such a big frame, all you do is stand there and block the wind?"
Mo Qin glanced at the pole and replied in a muffled voice, "It can still breathe."
"Then let me see how long you can hold your breath."
The words had barely left his mouth when the pole's shadow began to move.
It wasn't a blow with a stick, nor a deadly strike, but an extremely fast chest strike.
Mo Qin instinctively stepped aside, but the club head suddenly dipped halfway down, pressing down on his shoulder. Then, he slid forward, the club tail sweeping diagonally towards his knee.
This series of movements may seem small, but the approach is very old-fashioned.
When he encountered a trained fighter, Mo Qin suffered a loss from the very first move.
He took half a step back, then his foot swayed, and he almost fell to one knee.
Before I could even steady myself, the second strike came, the end of the pole sweeping across from the side and grazing my nose, instantly making my nasal cavity feel hot.
My nose stung, and blood started flowing right then and there.
Zhao Tou pulled the pole back and gave his comments.
"He's got the size, but his feet are dead. If we actually went into battle, he'd be the first one to get knocked down."
Mo Qin wiped the blood from his nose and took a step forward.
"Again."
Zhao frowned. "Can you still stand?"
"You were a little short just now."
That was pretentious, perfectly showcasing Mochin's characteristic of being stubborn and inflexible.
Seemingly satisfied with Mo Qin's reaction, Zhao Tou laughed and said, "Alright."
This time he didn't hold back. He flicked his cue, first wobbling up the path, then sinking down to sweep his leg.
At the same time, the person veered to the left, clearly having calculated how Mo Qin would dodge, waiting to knock him down with the next move.
Lin Jun had been watching the whole time, and she hadn't said a word from the very beginning.
Only at this moment did she speak:
"Don't follow his lead!"
"Get in there, grab the right flank!"
Almost at the same instant he heard it, Mo Qin forced himself to push in despite the impact.
The pole tip grazed his calf, causing a sharp, numbing pain, but he didn't back down. Instead, his left shoulder sank, and he slammed into Zhao Tou's arms like a wall.
Zhao Tou clearly hadn't expected him to be so reckless. He raised his elbow and shoved his shoulder, trying to push the man away first.
But Mochin was faster than him.
He grabbed the opponent's wrist with his left hand, and with his right arm he wrapped around Zhao's upper body, shifting his weight forward.
There are no fancy moves, and there are no special techniques to speak of.
He was a big guy who squeezed in with a fierce determination.
Zhao Tou took two steps back, the mud under his feet tumbling up. He tried to turn around but couldn't, and when he tried to trip, Mo Qin's thigh blocked him.
Seizing the opportunity, Mo Qin thrust his knee forward, simultaneously using his shoulders and back to lift the person off the ground.
boom!
A muffled thud.
The two fell to the ground together.
But it was Mochin who landed on it.
He pressed down on Zhao Tou's wrist with one hand, grabbed the other's shoulder with the other, pressed his knee against his waist, and panted like an old ox.
Zhao tried to break free, but couldn't.
The sudden turn of events was so dramatic that you could hear a pin drop.
Several veterans unconsciously straightened their bodies.
It's not that Zhao Tou's loss was shameful, but rather that Mo Qin's comeback was too swift.
One moment you're suffering a loss, the next you've learned to use your strengths to exploit others' weaknesses.
What's most commendable is that he didn't lose control after winning.
He didn't use his anger to throw a punch, nor did he follow up with another. He simply held the person firmly in place.
A few breaths later, Zhao nodded.
"Alright."
He said, "That's enough."
Mo Qin then let go and stood up.
Blood was trickling down his lips, and when he casually wiped it away, half his face turned red, making him look even fiercer.
Lin Jun walked over and handed over a piece of rag.
"Wasn't I quick enough to warn you?"
Mo Qin took the cloth and pressed it against the bridge of his nose: "It's alright."
"Just okay?"
"It could be earlier."
Lin Jun almost laughed out of anger: "You're really hard to please."
After getting up, Zhao Tou patted the mud off his armor and clasped his hands in a fist salute towards the distance.
"That's about it."
He said, "This tall guy has the physique, courage, and reflexes. The one with the sharp tongue is quick-witted and steady. The remaining two..."
He raised his finger and pointed at Liu Gao and Yan Qi.
"The burly guy didn't retreat; he's still keeping an eye on the area. That guy with the hunched back has a steady footing and sharp eyes. It's a shame to leave him in the slums."
Before the long-faced captain could speak, the sound of horses' hooves came from the other side.
Commander Han arrived, his face dark, riding a horse, just like yesterday.
He glanced at Mochin and the muddy marks on the ground, and he understood everything.
"Finished the test?" he asked.
Zhao nodded: "We fished out four."
After passing four people, he slowly began to speak:
"The strength of tall people shouldn't be wasted on carrying pots and hauling hay."
"This pretty boy is sharp-tongued; I hope he actually has brains."
"The dark-skinned man is bold and can keep his temper in check."
"A person with a hunched back has bright eyes and a steady footing."
As he said this, he raised his chin.
"Remove him from the vanguard and return him to the household guards' camp for further service."
Upon hearing this, Mo Qin's expression changed slightly.
Although it can't be considered an instant success.
But once they were associated with the terms "front guard" and "household servant," they were already set apart from ordinary new recruits.
As if knowing what they were thinking, Commander Han gave a cold laugh.
Don't get the wrong idea.
He said, "It's just to be employed, not to be promoted. The vanguard died quickly, and the guards' work isn't for nothing either. Whether they can hold their ground remains to be seen."
Mo Qin clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Yes."
Lin Jun, Liu Gao, and Yan Qi also agreed.
After speaking, Han Shouyi pulled on the reins, turned around and walked away: "Follow me. Let's go to the outer perimeter of the front camp first and gather up your scattered energy."
The four of them followed.
After walking a few steps, Lin Jun said to Mo Qin, "Your blood wasn't shed in vain."
"Don't talk nonsense, I was just testing you!"
"Is bloodshed also part of the plan?"
"...There's nothing I can do, you figured it out."
Lin Jun's lips twitched slightly: "You're the bigger one, so you get to call the shots."
Liu Gao walked behind, his excited voice trembling: "Front camp... the guards are at your disposal... Damn it, yesterday we were fighting for warmth with dogs in a sheltered mountain gully, and today we're already heading to the front camp?"
Yan Qi didn't say anything, but only glanced in the direction of the forward camp.
The sounds of gunpowder striking each other were more frequent, the shouts were more unified, and even the air smelled of gunpowder.
Ahead, Han Shouyi was already urging his horse on: "What are you dawdling for? Let's go!"
The four of them quickened their pace simultaneously.
At that moment, Mo Qin noticed a gaze.
Looking to the side, not far away, a young man was carrying water, his head down, scooping water into a wooden bucket. His clothes were tattered, and his appearance was ordinary. He would have disappeared in the blink of an eye if thrown into a group of newcomers.
But when Mo Qin looked over, the other person paused for a moment.
The next moment, the person went about their business as if nothing had happened.
At the same time, small print on the channel flashed:
[Channel Message: Four new recruits have been added to the Li family's front camp, including a tall, handsome young man, a dark-skinned man, and a hunter. Many of them are quick-handed.]