Chapter 56: Setting Up Battle Squads

“Hm! Ho! Ha!”

Under the sunlight, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ sailors dripped sweat.

They were doing stamina training, and distance running through the town while carrying a heavy load. They practiced with weapons, using them to beat wooden humanoid targets into unsightly things. They practiced sailor jobs, like climbing masts, quickly hanging the sails, throwing hooks, cleaning the deck, and other tasks.

Zong Ge used army drills to train them.

This was rarely seen.

It was already beyond their scope, yet Zong Ge was not satisfied with them. His goal was very ambitious, and neither the ships nor the mercenary corps he had now could meet it.

He had an entire set to mature training regimens.

Every stage, he had a clear training goal.

“This is only the first stage, the main goal of this is that they comply with orders and foster a mutual understanding with their fellows.” 

“They are still of inadequate quality.”

Soldiers not only needed physical strength, talent, battle abilities, but also the right temperament.

Many senior sailors were wily old foxes, been on the battlefield, been army deserters, and been cheating cowards, it was easy for them to comply with orders given by their superior.

Zong Ge hoped his troops would be able to reach the stage where they would execute every order without fail.

Unfortunately, he knew it would be difficult for these people to attain such a training target.

Only the dogmen could possibly meet that expectation.

Although the oxmen were genuine, they lacked the desire.  

Therefore, he requested that the dogmen be transferred to him so that they may serve as his private guard.

Zong Ge was injured, and could only cultivate battle qi for a short time. But that had its own advantages, now he could spend more time and energy drilling his troops.

As the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ mercenaries endured the arduous training, they gradually showed a fierce aura.

Their group training also grew more momentous, and attracted the gaze of innumerable eyes.

“If I had a barracks, my training would be even more efficient!” Zong Ge could only lament to himself and pick out the qualified ones.

Unless he relied on Tan Qiu for help.

Since he had decided to assert his independence, Tan Qiu constantly dispatched people with secret dinner invitations.

But why would Zong Ge shackle himself to Snake Rat Island?

If it were Zi Di, perhaps she would be a false serpent and deliberately be ambiguous to obtain benefits, but Zong Ge had a firm character and never thought of doing that.

Despite repeated refusals, Tan Qiu did not give up and still tried to talk to Zong Ge and persuade him.

As the sun set in the west, the ocean horizon lit the clouds a burning color. 

“Today’s training ends here.” Zong Ge declared what the mercenaries most wanted to hear.

“Ah!” Finally finished.”

“I endured today too.”

“Too difficult, truly too difficult. I only wanted to go out to sea, but I ended up suffering through training here.”

Many of the mercenaries collapsed onto the ground, some grimaced in pain and rubbed their bloody and swollen palms, others rubbed their hungry bellies with great appetite.

The meals the survivors gave the mercenaries were always sumptuous.

Heavy training without rich and nourishing food would instead injure these mercenaries.

Thanks to the three party deal, the survivors were able to provide these training supplies.

On Mystifying Monster Island, when the dragonman youngster was training archers, he had barely any resources and staked everything in one throw, but now, the situation was far better.

The mercenaries boarded the six ships and lined up to eat their meals.

This was also part of the training.

It ingrained the habit of dining on the ships into them. The meal venue was also specifically arranged.

Zong Ge had his own captain room.

The dinner in his room was naturally finer than the mercenaries’, especially the expensive magic beast meat in it.

Zong Ge quickly ate his meal, then began to study his drilling manual.

The manual listed the training events that would occur every day for the following week. It comprised of weapon dules, conducting shooting drills in the deep underground, setting sail to undertake shelling training, and more.

Zong Ge was a notetaker and every day he recorded the results of training.

Afterwards, he immersed himself in the contents of the training manual.

He did his best to conceal the key parts of the training so outsiders watching wouldn’t grow suspicious.

If he began to train the dogmen in knives and shooting, or give the oxmen weights that simulated heavy combat armor, it would have made things rather obvious.

Tan Qiu could organize battle squads. It was likely that when he came by, he would see that the Dragon Lion Mercenaries Corps was establishing their own battle squads.

Not just one, but three or four.

It would have been too astonishing!

Even if the backer of arms smugglers had such power, this backer would not have given this transportation team these things.

“If I had a barracks that I could manage and isolate from the world, I wouldn’t have such misgivings, and could proceed to conducting the pertinent drills for battle squads.”

“Furthermore, a relatively sealed environment would foster even more of a tacit understanding as well as compliance towards an officer.”

“At the present stage, a barracks is unnecessary. Let them use weapons familiar to them, it will help them increase their battle power. But at this stage, the true training projects need to be mixed with other events, decreasing their efficiency greatly.”

Zong Ge’s mind tossed and turned as his hand gradually flipped to the final page of the manual.

This page had a detailed list of the mercenary corps’ members, what battle qi they cultivated, how they usually fight, as well as how much fighting experience they had and other related information.

Zong Ge had an overall understating of every member of the mercenary corps.

Of course, there were bound to be some that had undisclosed strength or abilities.

It was unnecessary to have such a deep examination oft them all, this level was sufficient.

With this information, Zong Ge understood his mercenaries.

“It’s nearly time. Tonight, I will give them battle qi techniques.” After calculating and thinking about it, Zong Ge issued his decision.

The meal cabin onboard was packed with people.

In a corner, Bai Ya was squatting on the ground and wolfing down the meal in his hand.

The heavy training made him very hungry.

The others were just like him, gulping and devouring.

One of them chocked, causing them to cough a bunch.

Some of the mercenaries who finished eating began to grumble.

“Training, nothing but training all day! How long are we going to stay here?” 

“I want to go out to sea, I want to go out to sea!”

“If this continues, staying in this mercenary group is meaningless, I might as well…”

As a matter of fact, it wasn’t that none of them left, only a few of them did. Some of them couldn’t stand the tedious day long training and left. 

But the great majority of them chose to remain.

The people who had been recruited all had passed Tripleblade’s strict filter.

The majority of them weren’t stupid, and knew the harsh training of this mercenary corps had benefits. The stronger the mercenary corps, the better their future lives would be.

Those that left did not have the determination, resolve, were blindly stubborn, irritated, and more.

Their departure also benefited the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, as it sharpened its essence.

“I’ve been hearing more and more grumbling.” Bai Ya sighed to himself.

After the previous sailors were traded out, these newcomers had begun to call Zong Ge things like “strict”. “terrifying”, “abnormal”, “devilish instructor”, and other such things.

They scarcely realized how far they were from meeting Zong Ge’s standards.

“Ah, there you are, boy.” At that moment, Xu Ma walked over.

These days, he and Bai Ya walked together.

When Bai Ya saw him, he immediate got up to say hello, then shortly after, was fascinated by Xu Ma’s meal.

Xu Ma’s food was different from most others. It was small spiders stewed in mushrooms, one big spider as big as a hen that was roasted black and had a wafting aroma. The spider head had six bright red eyes that looked like cute strawberries.

It was magic beast meat.

A bronze level one.

The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ benefits included suppling their cultivators with magic beast meat at 50% of market price.

This policy was mainly to win over the people’s hearts.

Compared to ordinary people, cultivators were more important.

Currently, if the survivors included themselves, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had 12 bronze levels, this was their foundation.

Above them were the iron levels as their core, and the silver levels as their higher ups.

Despite Zong Ge’s bitter training these days, the 12 bronze levels did not leave. Benefits such as this were a big factor.

The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps was in its infancy, any bronze level that left was a loss.

Think about Tan Qiu, he held Snake Rat Island and had a great foundation, yet when he saw the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps successfully recruit his people, he too felt faintly sore.

The world belonged to the strong.

Sensing Bai Ya’s gaze, Xu Ma smiled.

If it weren’t for the purpose of showing off, he wouldn’t be swaggering everywhere.

Bai Ya’s admiring and curious gaze satisfied his spirit immensely.

He said, “I cultivate the Spider Walk battle qi technique, this magic beast meat is good for me. Other types will barely do anything for me.”

Bai Ya did not understand, “Can you explain why you are eating that magic beast meat?”

“Of course. Previously, the magic beast meat I was eating had two types of magic power, and I was only able to absorb one of them, thus wasting part of it. Now, this type of magic beast meat only has the dark element, and I am able to absorb it all.”

“Yesterday, I heard that the Clam Cloth Merchant Alliance took in some goods. Our mercenary corps should have purchased this magic beast meat from them.”

The small spiders were not produced on Snake Rat Island.

Currently, the Clam Cloth Merchant Alliance was the only large merchant alliance on Snake Rat Island. Snake Rat Island’s people had a large dependence on the Clam Cloth Merchant Alliance.

Bai Ya grew more inquisitive, “Magic beast meat can really increase a fighter’s cultivation speed? How much effect can one meal do?”

“Of course it helps.” Said Xu Ma, “Whether or not we fighters can eat magic beast meat makes a big difference. Undoubtedly, the most important thing is long term consumption, eating it once or twice doesn’t do much.”

“As for you, it is too early. You just started, and an ordinary person like you eating magic beast meat would be disastrous.”

Xu Ma then changed the subject sharply, “Of course, if your aptitude is outstanding, you can still eat it. A little bit will be enough.”

Compared to Bai Ya, Xu Ma was much more experienced at cultivating.

Bai Yai’s curiosity was piqued even more, “I can also eat some? What kind can I eat?”

Xu Ma replied, “No poison can be without its dosage. Magic beast meat is also like that. If you absorb and convert the bit you eat, why not?”

“Many nobles will hire high level magic chefs, these magic chefs are experts at rigorously controlling the dosage of magic power in meals. Many noble children start off as ordinary people, yet they can enjoy those culinary delicacies.”

When Xu Ma said that he curiously mused, “Our mercenary corps does not have a magic chef. Then look at your talent. If you have great aptitude, you can digest a small bite.”

Bai Ya thought about it, “I feel that I can.”

The young hunter couldn’t conceal his mood, and a prick of pride peeped through his forehead.

This made Xu Ma even more curious, and he couldn’t help but think, “Don’t tell me you are a small genius?”

“Wrong.” Xu Ma shook his head, “If your aptitude was extraordinary, why aren’t you a cultivator yet?”

Bai Ya answered as expected, “Because I just started cultivating battle qi.”

Cu ha sighed, and was just about to ask something when Lan Zao came in and announced something.

It caused a commotion amongst everyone.

“We can cultivate any of these battle qi techniques as we please?” Many mercenaries found it hard to believe.

To evaluate the newcomers’ aptitude and bloodline, the survivors began to provide many battle qi techniques. Of course, some of the battle qi techniques the battle squads used were hidden among them.

Lan Zao nodded, “The first stage of testing is finished, those that remain will naturally enjoy our mercenary corps’ benefits in kind.”

Many mercenaries’ ears twitched when they heard the words “first stage” and “testing”. They immediately recalled the small number of people who had left, and each of them felt infinite joy welling from their hearts.

Lan Zao raised his voice, “Everyone, what do you think the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps is? It is no ordinary mercenary group, and henceforth you will feel that too.” 

There was no need for the future, they could feel it now. 

To be given so many battle qi techniques was rarely seen.

In general, mercenary groups recruited talents based on the foundation of their strength, and attracted those that matched their mold.

Providing these battle qi techniques was the fostering policy of a large power.

Only a great power or large organization could have collected this many battle qi techniques.

Many ordinary people were excited.

They rarely touched this many battle qi techniques, and even if they could choose some, their selections were very slim. 

But now, with so many battle qi techniques, they could try one after the other to test which suited them the most.

However, Xu Ma and the other cultivators were not excited by this.

To become cultivators, they had to cultivate battle qi for quite some time.

They had ample cultivation experience, and knew how inconvenient changing their battle qi was.

How much of them truly suited them?

Changing battle qi was too costly.

The profit of changing it was also usually unclear.

But rather quickly, the bronze level fighters also began to clamor.

Because Lan Zao announced the benefits in more detail.

“What, cultivators that switch their battle qi technique can get the corresponding magic beast meat free of charge?”

“For free?”

“Can I enjoy this benefit until I leave the mercenary corps?”

Xu Ma’s and the other bronze level fighters’ eyes popped/

Before, the magic beast meat they ate was purchased at 50% of market value. In other words, they paid half, and the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps provided the other half.

But now, as long as they switch their battle qi, they can eat free of charge?

Even if it was one or two meals, the crucial point was that they could eat like this until they left the mercenary group!

“That is a lot of money!

“We earn what we eat.”

“The longer I stay in this mercenary corps, the more money I save!”

The bronze fighters’ were interested.

Lan Zao fished out a contract and continued, “The specific details are on this contract, you all can examine it thoroughly.”

“Give it to me.”

“I want to take a good look at it.”

“So do I!”

Xu Ma and the other bronze fighters became very eager.