“Sir, Sir?”
The setting sun cast a bloody glow over Guangning Gate, the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The city walls were littered with the bodies of the fallen, both friend and foe.
The invaders’ corpses formed a thick layer beneath the walls.
The sound of the retreat drums faded in the distance, and the Mongol army, having only partially completed their assault, ebbed back like a tide.
The defenders on the city walls let out a collective sigh of relief.
A middle-aged man, covered in blood, nudged the tall, unconscious young man leaning against the wall.
The young man was clad in heavy black iron armor, and his sword was thicker, heavier, and sharper than any other.
The thick armor was riddled with dents and scratches, evidence of a fierce battle.
Jia Yu slowly opened his eyes and saw the familiar face of his squad leader, Zhang Gou Dan.
“Damn it, I still can’t go back,” he muttered.
Jia Yu waved a hand, signaling to Zhang Gou Dan that he needed some rest.
Over the past few days, Zhang Gou Dan had come to understand the young lord’s ways.
He found a quiet spot to sit down.
Only the centurion and the squad leader remained from their unit.
The rest had either perished on the steppes or fallen on the city walls.
Jia Yu closed his eyes and a giant spinning wheel appeared in his mind.
【Congratulations, host. You have slain 20 enemies and earned sufficient military merit.
The Military Merit System is officially activated.】
【Would you like to open the Beginner's Gift Pack?】
“Open,” Jia Yu replied without enthusiasm.
He had been happily watching dramas at home when he picked up his phone, saw a video about Dream of the Red Chamber, and couldn't help but make a snarky remark about the “Big-Face Treasure.”
Then, he was transported to this world.
The original owner of this body was also named Jia Yu, but he didn't appear in the original novel.
He was the third son of Jia She, and Jia Lian’s younger brother.
His mother was a maidservant who had been used once by Jia She and died in childbirth.
Jia She had no affection for this son and sent him to the countryside to be raised by his former soldiers.
This, however, had given him a strong martial foundation, allowing him to wield all manner of cold weapons with fierce skill.
And so, the 50-year-old emperor, driven by the ambition of youth, had led his army to the steppes.
Three hundred thousand soldiers were ambushed by the Mongols and the Jin Dynasty's “Wild Boar Skin” at Xuanfu Town.
They suffered heavy losses.
Under the protection of the Imperial Guard, the old emperor fled back to the capital.
The Mongols pursued them, and after breaching the Zijin Pass, they stood before the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The old emperor, seeing the dire situation, fell ill and abdicated, leaving the throne to his fourth son.
The new emperor, upon ascending, immediately rallied his troops to defend against the Mongols and the Jurchens.
The capital, with its tall walls and deep moats, was well-stocked with food and supplies.
Furthermore, the news of the emperor's defeat at Xuanfu Town had prompted armies from other parts of the Great Zhou to march towards the capital in support.
They only needed to hold out for a month, or even less.
The armies from across the Great Zhou would arrive.
The new emperor had issued an order for the various noble families to send their men.
The original owner of the body was sent by the Jia family as a step-level officer.
During a fierce battle, he was knocked unconscious by a Mongol wielding a spiked club, allowing Jia Yu to take his place.
Upon arriving, he heard the system’s voice and thought he was about to reach the pinnacle of his life.
But reality dealt him a blow.
The system was unusable!
He needed to kill twenty enemies before he could activate it.
Over the past few days, he had fought for his life, relying on his body’s muscle memory and physical strength, and the superior weapons provided to him.
Finally, he had slain 20 enemies.
【The Martial General Pool is now randomly drawing.
Congratulations, you have obtained the template of Xue Ren Gui, the White-Clad General!
Congratulations, you have obtained a special unit: 100 Xuanjia Soldiers (They will be assigned to your command shortly.)
Congratulations, you have obtained 3 Talent Advancement Cards.
Congratulations, you have obtained 1 Talent Conversion Card.
Congratulations, you have obtained the “Military Posture” ability from the Four Strategies of Military Tactics (Tactical Intuition: Unique).
Congratulations, you have unlocked the System Shop.】
Jia Yu felt a surge of powerful energy flow through his body, warming him from within.
The items within the system’s gift pack made his eyes light up.
“If you had given me these things earlier, I wouldn’t have had to be so miserable!
Open the attribute panel.”
【Jia Yu: Great Zhou. Centurion (Maximum capacity: 100 Xuanjia Soldiers. To recruit more Xuanjia Soldiers, you will need a higher rank.)
Strength: Super (Third-rate, Second-rate, First-rate, Top-tier, Super, Unique)
Agility: Super
Constitution: Super
Martial Arts: Super
Intelligence: Third-rate
Assessment: Average intelligence, but otherwise a superlative, top-tier warrior.
Army:
Xuanjia Soldiers: 100 (50 Kill Points can be exchanged for one Xuanjia Soldier, equipped with full weaponry and armor.)
(Xuanjia Soldiers are equipped with mounts and can be converted into Xuanjia Cavalry)
Special Items:
Talent Advancement Card: Can advance a talent to the next level (When a talent reaches “Unique,” there will be beneficial, latent changes.)
Talent Conversion Card: You can choose to decrease any talent by one level and use it to increase another talent.]
“System, Daddy loves you!”
After viewing his attributes, Jia Yu, a change from his usual self, saw the Talent Cards.
“Damn it, this is a sure bet!”
“System, upgrade my Strength, Agility, Constitution, and Martial Arts by one level each.”
【You are missing a Talent Advancement Card. Would you like to use the Talent Conversion Card to decrease your intelligence by one level and increase your Martial Arts?】
“Yes, hurry up and upgrade me!”
Jia Yu didn’t hesitate, mainly because he hadn’t paid much attention to the Talent Conversion Card.
【Your Intelligence has decreased by one level. Your current Intelligence is now “Unskilled.” Your Strength, Constitution, Agility, and Martial Arts have reached “Unique!”】
Jia Yu felt warmth flowing throughout his body. He fell into a deep sleep on the battlefield.
Soon, soft snoring sounds emanated from him. Zhang Gou Dan, seeing that his lord had fallen asleep, was filled with admiration.
He clutched his long sword and fell into a deep sleep as well.
This was the battlefield.
....