Chapter 79: Army in Black and General in White

“Attention!”

The three hundred soldiers gather their feet in unison, blasting out a neat and deafening sound.

Holding blades in their hands, they stand tall and straight like an array of erected javelins.

Gu Nan stands in front of the formation: “Has it been a whole year since we put together this battalion?”

In silence, the three hundred men look straight ahead, their eyes firm and resolute answering Gu Nan’s question without saying a word.

It has been almost a year. In the past year, not a day has passed without exhaustion. Even in sleep, each of them had to stay half-awake keeping one eye open, just in case Gu Nan might come to the barracks at any moment and assemble them.

They kept doing the drills and dare not think about anything excessive. They were afraid that if they ever had other thoughts, they might just give in the to the harsh training as hellish as death.

In the end, no one was eliminated in the process.

This whole year’s training is like a furnace and hammer that forges and pounds every single man into a deadly weapon.

“Today will be the final assessment. If you can pass it, we will be officially given a name as a battalion.”
 

Gu Nan pats her collar.

“Ready your armaments, and go on standby outside the city.”

“After today, we will show the world of our sharpness. That was the promise you made.”
 

After saying it, she looks at the crowd earnestly: “Don’t let me down, and don’t let yourself down.”

What is the combat power of this three hundred men army?

It is hard to tell, but we can make a comparison.

They were death row inmates who had blood on their hands. Therefore, on deadly battlefields, they do much better than civilians and farmers temporarily assembled together.

They all have learned the same set of martial arts. On top of that, they have internal energies that grants them strength of nearly three hundred jin. Moreover, the simplified Ghost Valley swordsmanship and Bai Qi spearmanship are each rare and powerful techniques in this world, and if used simultaneously by the three hundred men in army formation, they would be almost unstoppable even to Gu Nan.

Lastly, their equipments are granted by the king of Qin as Gu Nan required. If the king did not look after her, such extravagant expenditure for gears will never be approved.

Each man has the best bronze sword, spear, flying hook chain, large shield in height of a man, fine armors, a crossbow, a packet of barb arrows, and a special dagger with blood groove.

The full set of heavy gears can only be carried by them who have extraordinary physiques beyond average people.

However, the spending still does not exceed the king’s budget, as he intended for Gu Nan to train three hundred cavalries, yet Gu Nan delivered three hundred infantries, hence saving the money of purchasing horses.

“Clop. Clop. Clop.”

The guards at the palace gate hear waves of earth-shattering sound.

When they turn around to look at the source of the noise, they are greatly shocked and even forget to blink.

An army cladded in black armor is slowly approaching the gate.

There are hundreds of them, yet the sound of their each step is in unison as if made by one single giant, shaking the earth with each step it takes.

Each one carries an enormous shield at their back, a cross bow, a long spear, and something that looks like a rope or chain wrapped around the waist.

Their faces are covered by bronze masks engraved with the expressions of ferocious beasts, sending a sensation of danger and violence to anyone in audience.

Riding a black horse at their front is a young general in mourning white robes, who they have never seen before.

Reaching the palace gate, Gu Nan shows to the guards the king’s military order and then leads the three hundred soldiers out of the palace.

A few soldiers from other barracks peek at the black army.

The imposing manner by itself is able to shake their will and depress their heart.

“What is that army?”

Swallowing hard, a soldier asks his company.

“You haven’t heard about it?” The company looks at the black army with a complex look.

“That is the army just recently put together next to our barracks. I heard that it has three hundred men… three hundred death row inmates.

“Three hundred death row inmates?”

The soldier seeing the black army leaves heaves a long sigh of relief, still feeling the sense of intimidation lingering: “They are like three hundred most ferocious beasts.”

“I have seen many armies set out before.”

“But I have never seen any as fearsome as this one.”

A rider enters the inner palace, and reports the matter happening at the East Palace forbidden army barracks to the king.

Reading the message and listening the report, the king is dumbfounded.

Three hundred soldiers move in unison as one?

Just by passing by, they dispirit other nearby soldiers?

How can this be explained? Furrowing his brows, the king looks at the one who brought up the report: “Tell me more about it.”

“Report to your highness.” The rider lowers his head: “This little one was there and witnessed the scene. When that army moves, it shakes the earth, intimidating those at present, like the finest iron cavalries of Qin would.”

“Nonsense.” The king of Qin frowns.

Are you kidding me by saying that three infantries are as good as iron cavalries?

“I dare not lie to you, your highness.” The rider keeps his head low, a drop of sweat slipping across his forehead and fallen to the ground.

The king of Qin falls silent momentarily.

“You may leave now.”

“Yes.” Relieved, the rider steps out of the palace.

The king picks up another document from the desk, but is no longer in the mood to read it.

He let Gu Nan train a battalion of forbidden army at her will and told her that he would only look at the result.

Now, she has delivered a result he can barely believe.

The spy raised by him can not possibly trick him, and he figures that Gu Nan is not capable of bribery.

Therefore, for the first time, he cannot help but feel curious toward this new army.

How did the girl train these three hundred death row inmates…

He has to see it for himself.

“Ha.” The king of Qin grins.

Lord Wu’an, you raised quite a good disciple.

Maybe she is just like the younger you.

I will see how much she has inherited from you.

The three hundred soldiers leave the palace, passes through streets, and heads toward the east city gate.

Wherever it goes, it silences the street as everyone averts their sights. The army proceeds swiftly and leaves the streets, but the pedestrians remain silent even though the army is already out of sight.

The soldiers in black armors and the general in while robes, by just a glimpse, leave a mark they can never remove in their minds.