Instructor Zhong's theory about spiritual energy boiled down to a single concept: supply and demand.
The stronger the warrior, the more spiritual energy they required. Without an adequate supply, ordinary resources were simply insufficient to sustain a powerful warrior.
Zhou Yuan saw a form of centralism in this system. Vast resources were funneled to the warriors, creating a Transcendent class at the top that combined wealth and power, while below them, powerful clans and aristocratic families held sway over the regions.
It was a unique model where Extraordinary Beings ruled over ordinary people.
On the surface, it resembled the ancient periods of Blue Star, but in essence, the common people had no means to resist. The rise and fall of dynasties were decided entirely by these Transcendent warriors.
Zhou Yuan didn't think these issues were distant concerns. He had already joined a Great Wei military camp and would sooner or later have to confront the limitations of his background.
He was right. When Instructor Zhong brought him to the Divine Arm Squad's inner hall, the squad members welcomed the newcomer but were also quick to ask about his background.
"Brother, what's your draw weight?"
"Three-stone."
"Are you accurate?"
"From a standstill, I can hit every shot. On the move, eight or nine out of ten."
"Excellent! A fine young man. What's your family background?"
"A common farming family."
"A bit low, that. With skills like yours, you shouldn't be a commoner. Work hard and kill enemies. If you can take down over a hundred, you'll naturally earn an official rank and improve your station."
The members of the Divine Arm Squad held, at a minimum, the rank of Squad Leader; most held the Du Bo Military Rank.
You could say that most of the men here were officers, not common soldiers. Fortunately, they had all earned their positions through combat. While they cared about lineage, they also respected skill.
Otherwise, Zhou Yuan would have had a hard time fitting into a squad with more officers than enlisted men.
As he chatted with the veteran next to him, he observed the other Divine Arm Squad members in the hall.
All of their health bars were damaged. The highest was at 93%, and the lowest was at 86%.
Most of them carried two bows. Judging by their construction, one was a 2-Stone bow for foot soldiers, and the other was a three-stone heavy bow.
For sidearms, they carried both a long and a short blade. Their armor was mostly half-plate, which was surprisingly a lighter loadout than that of the Shesheng Camp.
"Don't copy us. We're all veterans who've fought in the Secret Realms countless times; we've developed our own fighting styles. You're new, so you should prioritize safety. But I can give you a piece of advice: you'd better carry a second bow for rapid firing. The Demons in these Secret Realms are like people—some are strong, some are weak. A 3-Stone Bow is exhausting to use for long periods, but a 2-Stone Bow is perfect for sustained use."
"Thanks for the advice, Brother Wu. Do I need to practice any formations?"
"No need. You'll understand once we're in the Secret Realm. Only those turtles in the Mystic Armor Squad need formations. All we need to do is shoot straight and learn how to dodge."
Heeding the advice, Zhou Yuan picked out a 2-Stone Bow and, mimicking the veterans, filled his quiver with both Armor-Piercing and Conical Arrows.
"String your bow! What are you standing around for? You're the new guy, you're up first. Go spill some blood and show us what you're made of."
A bow that's always strung tends to lose its power, so camp regulations required war bows to be unstrung for maintenance when not in use. As such, Zhou Yuan's three-stone heavy bow wasn't strung.
He had assumed that, being new, he would at least get to observe a mission, even if he didn't receive any formal training. He never expected the veterans' welcome to be so... unique. No practice, no observation—they were throwing him straight into a Secret Realm to fight for his life.
"Is it always this direct here? I thought I'd get some training first, then be evaluated to see if I could stay."
"Training? Why would you come here if you weren't already trained? Only the scions of noble families get the luxury of training. A commoner has to seize every opportunity. Otherwise, by the time you finished your training, all the good stuff would be gone."
In the spacious inner hall, the archers were bustling about, stringing their bows, inspecting their arrows, and adjusting their armor. It no longer felt like a lounge but a staging ground, ready for battle at a moment's notice.
*Dong... Dong... Dong...*
As the drums sounded, the archers began to file out. As they passed Zhou Yuan, they didn't forget to call out, "We're moving out! Keep up!"
The thirty-six archers formed up in ranks of five in front of the armory. Beside them stood over a hundred Xuanjia Soldiers.
A stern-faced man clad in Bright Armor quickly inspected the formation, pausing to give a slight nod only when his eyes fell on Zhou Yuan.
"New recruits, step forward. I am Cai Cheng, the Military Sima of this camp, and your direct commanding officer from this day forward."
A veteran gave Zhou Yuan a push from behind. Over on the Mystic Armor Squad's side, two burly, iron-armored men carrying large shields also stepped out.
"Very good. It is the tradition of our Commandant's Office for veterans to mentor new recruits. For this expedition into the Secret Realm, the Divine Arm and Mystic Armor squads will each bring one new man."
"Though you are new to our squads, you are all seasoned soldiers from other camps, so I won't lecture you on military law. Just remember this: once you enter the Secret Realm, you do not advance or retreat without a direct order. Violators will be executed on the spot, no exceptions."
"Yes, sir."
"Divine Arm Third Squad, step forward! Xuanjia Third Squad, to the front!"
From the Mystic Armor side, eight shield-bearing soldiers stepped forward. They randomly chose one of the two new recruits, bringing their number to nine.
Nine from Xuanjia, five from Divine Arm, plus Military Sima Cai Cheng—the total number of people fell perfectly within the Instance's "Recommended Party Size: 10-15" prompt.
It seemed you couldn't just enter these game-like Instances whenever you wanted; the recommended party size was actually the Instance's maximum capacity.
"Since we have new soldiers joining us today, I'll add a few words. Slay every Demon you see. Any materials recovered will be converted to coin and paid out immediately. Precious medicines will be given to the wounded, but all spiritual medicines must be turned over. Furthermore, for the men of the Divine Arm and Xuanjia squads, every kill in a Secret Realm counts toward your merit. Ten kills will earn you a promotion, and a hundred will grant you an official rank."
The promotion system for the Divine Arm and Xuanjia squads was even more demanding than Zhou Yuan had imagined. Ten kills for a promotion was already harsh, but a hundred kills just to be granted an official rank? They barely treated their soldiers like human beings.
In the histories of Blue Star, a warrior who could slay a hundred enemies on the battlefield would be a hero; anything less than the rank of general would be an insult to their valor. Yet here, it was barely enough to become an officer.
"Now that the rules are clear, brothers, follow me into battle!"
Led by Military Sima Cai Cheng, Zhou Yuan followed the squad into the Instance's portal.
In the next instant, the world transformed. The military fortress vanished, replaced by a desolate wilderness.
Looking ahead, he saw two small hills on a low slope. Combined with the barren mountain behind them—flat at its base and steep at its peak—the formation resembled the horns of an ox.
"Mystic Armor Squad, form a defensive line and advance! Divine Arm Squad, follow behind!"
After giving the order, Cai Cheng took the lead, round shield and long spear in hand. He was clearly familiar with the area, occasionally using his spear to expose hidden pits and guide the armored soldiers away from danger.
The squad hadn't been walking long before they came across a stockade built against the mountainside at a turn in the path. It had a foundation of earth and stone with log walls about three meters high. Two wooden arrow towers flanked the main gate.
About twenty or thirty men stood atop the low stockade walls. Some carried swords and shields, others held long spears, and there were six archers among them. The information above their health bars identified them as [Lvl 3 Bandit Swordsman], [Lvl 3 Bandit Spearman], and [Lvl 3 Bandit Archer].
"Shields up!"
Without waiting for Cai Cheng's command, the soldiers, familiar with the routine, raised their large, hide-covered shields.
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
The [Lvl 3 Bandit Archers] were quite accurate, and several arrows struck the hide-covered shields.
"Open the gaps! Divine Arm Squad, take out their archers!"
Zhou Yuan switched to his three-stone heavy bow and loosed an arrow at the torso of a [Lvl 3 Bandit Archer], instantly depleting 70% of its health bar. A second arrow finished off the leather-armored bandit for good.
[Ding! You have slain a Lvl 3 Bandit Archer. Experience +30.]