"Hahaha! Here comes our Great Qin Sword God!"
"Huh?"
General Teng's words left Lin Tian somewhat bewildered. He hadn't expected that Nei Shi Teng, the general who had annihilated the Han army, would make such a joke.
Lin Tian wasn't particularly bothered by the title.
However, General Teng seemed to care about it immensely.
"Killing four thousand enemy soldiers single-handedly, and eliminating the enemy commander amidst a sea of ten thousand troops—such combat prowess indeed earns you the title of Great Qin's Fierce Tiger, Qin's Sword God!"
"I will personally report this matter to the King. I'm sure His Majesty will bestow a formal title upon you!"
"Uh! Then thank you, General Teng!"
Having a title meant recognition, and recognition naturally led to rapid advancement. Lin Tian understood that General Teng was genuinely looking out for his interests. He could only express his gratitude.
General Teng clapped Lin Tian firmly on the shoulder. Looking at the young man, he had a premonition that Lin Tian's future would be extraordinary. After all, Lin Tian was already astounding at his current stage.
Thus, General Teng spoke again, "I have already reported your military merits, and the King's approval for your rewards has been received!"
"Lin Tian, receive your reward!"
"The Grand Officer Lin Tian, at the critical moment in Xiangcheng, arrived promptly, led his troops to slay the enemy, saved the soldiers of Xiangcheng, and preserved Xiangcheng, achieving great merit."
"Subsequently, when the Han army besieged Xiangcheng, he fought resolutely without retreat, slaying over four thousand enemy soldiers. Amidst ten thousand troops, he took the enemy commander's head, beheading the enemy's main general and once again saving Xiangcheng! His achievements are lofty, and his combat power is extraordinary!"
"Henceforth, Grand Officer Lin Tian is promoted to the ninth rank of nobility, becoming a Wu Daifu, with an annual stipend of four hundred and fifty dan, twenty-five qing of land, twenty-five residences, and the authority to command one hundred personal guards."
"In recognition of Wu Daifu Lin Tian's outstanding performance on the battlefield, he is further rewarded with one thousand gold pieces and one hundred bolts of silk!"
"Additionally, the position of vanguard officer for the Right Vanguard Camp within General Teng's army is vacant. Wu Daifu Lin Tian is hereby appointed as the vanguard officer of the Right Vanguard Camp, commanding the entire camp!"
"All others shall be rewarded according to their merits."
"I obey the decree. I thank His Majesty for his boundless grace!"
After the bestowal of rewards, Wang Wu and the others were ecstatic. Even those with the lowest rewards received a promotion to Shang Zao, the second rank of nobility. Those like Wang Wu and Li Tie Zhu, who displayed exceptional combat power and fierce killing, were bestowed the title of Wu Daifu, the fifth rank. This nobility was higher than that of Wang Wu's father. And they had only experienced two battles. To receive such generous rewards after just two campaigns made Wang Wu and the others exclaim that they had followed the right person. Any one of them could now return to the Guanzhong region and be considered an honored ancestor. Moreover, Lin Tian, by being appointed Wu Daifu, had transcended the ranks of commoners and reached the level of Qing Daifu. Lin Tian's future was boundless, and following him guaranteed a bright future for them. His appointment as the vanguard officer of the Right Vanguard Camp was the best testament to this. Although the left was superior to the right, the Right Vanguard Camp still consisted of five thousand men. Lin Tian commanding these five thousand men would undoubtedly achieve great things on the battlefield. It was not impossible for him to become a general of Great Qin. Would the prospects for those Guanzhong youths who followed Lin Tian be any worse?
"Brother Tian, the Vanguard Camp! We're going to the Vanguard Camp. From now on, battlefield merits will be within our grasp!" The Vanguard Camp was the force that charged at the forefront, so earning merits was only natural.
Lin Tian merely nodded, saying little. The higher one's position, the more one understood the responsibilities that came with leadership. A general's success often came at the cost of countless lives, and while Lin Tian was decisive against enemies, he always maintained a sense of compassion and responsibility towards his soldiers. He intended to lead Wang Wu and the others out and bring them back safely. This was why, later in his life, Lin Tian became a monarch far more compassionate than others. But that was a story for another time.
When Lin Tian and his group arrived at the Vanguard Camp, the soldiers of the camp were already waiting for them. The men of the Right Vanguard Camp knew they were about to welcome their new vanguard officer. Moreover, this vanguard officer was the renowned Great Qin Sword God, famous throughout Great Qin. This caused many to look at Lin Tian with awe, and they truly admired his combat prowess, with no one dissenting.
"Greetings, Vanguard Officer!"
"Greetings, Vanguard Officer!!"
"Good! Good! All soldiers, rise!"
Just from their demeanor, Lin Tian could sense that the Vanguard Camp's spirit was incomparable to that of a recruit camp. Their aura, forged through countless battles and their readiness to charge first, was something no one could surpass. This Vanguard Camp was filled with many strong individuals, a galaxy of experts, and a significant number of them were unyielding. This was one of the reasons why the Right Vanguard Camp had been without a vanguard officer for so long. Other vanguard officers simply couldn't command them or earn their wholehearted respect. It was only Lin Tian, who hadn't displayed any special techniques upon arriving at the camp, who had already won their full submission. Many among them even humbly sought his guidance.
"General, could you teach us your swordsmanship? We feel there's still room for improvement in our techniques!"
"Yes! General, we have long admired your swordsmanship. Teach us a few moves! Even if we can't cut down a thousand enemies like you, ten would be fine!"
"General, we want to become stronger! We want to achieve merits on the battlefield, and we want to survive!" Strength was the sole desire of the soldiers in the Vanguard Camp. Only by becoming stronger could they survive and achieve merits on the battlefield. They possessed the resolve to become stronger without Lin Tian needing to say a word.
Lin Tian naturally intended to fulfill their ardent wish. Without hesitation, he taught them everything he had previously instructed Wang Wu and the others. Although the intensity of the training couldn't match what Wang Wu and his companions experienced initially, the methods for combat and self-preservation were all included. As long as they were willing to put in the effort and work hard, becoming strong was an undeniable certainty.
Furthermore, Lin Tian specifically devised combat strategies tailored for the Right Vanguard Camp. These strategies were naturally designed to enhance the Right Vanguard Camp's ability to capture cities, seize territory, and pursue and annihilate enemies. The soldiers of the Right Vanguard Camp showed no resistance to this; instead, they fully embraced it and were engrossed in their training. Having finally found an opportunity to improve themselves, they naturally seized it. Consequently, the entire Right Vanguard Camp seemed to have been injected with new vitality since Lin Tian's arrival. They trained with even greater diligence and effort than before.
General Teng and the others took notice of their dedication, and a month later, an order was issued to the Right Vanguard Camp.
...