Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 946: Chapter 671: War Machine (Part 2)

Cui Chengwu looked at the several thousand commanders at the front of the military formation and shouted, ”Train soldiers for a thousand days, use them for an hour!”

”The time has come when you must fight for your lives. Are you afraid?”

”Not afraid, not afraid!” the soldiers shouted with tremendous momentum.

”Are you really not afraid? You might die, you might get injured, you might have your limbs chopped off or your head severed on the battlefield. Are you afraid?” Cui Chengwu shouted loudly.

”Fearless charge, fight till death!”

”Fearless charge, fight till death!”

”Fearless charge, fight till death!”

The synchronized roar was filled with boiling blood and fearless courage.

Though they had never truly been on the battlefield, they were never afraid to go because they had always been preparing for it.

Chongshan Town has been peaceful for twenty years, but the training of soldiers has always been the top priority.

No one knew how much sweat had soaked the drill ground, nor how much sweat these soldiers had shed.

They might not be elites yet, but they possessed an elite military spirit.

Fearless charge, fight till death.

This is absolutely not a mere slogan but a belief engraved in their bones and blood.

This belief originated from Yang Zhenshan and was passed down in the hearts of generation after generation of Chongshan Town soldiers, from father to son, brother to brother, passed down through generations.

Cui Chengwu looked at the soldiers full of essence qi and vigor, with flashing brilliance in his eyes.

”Very well, issue the order, the entire army to prepare for battle, ready to march at any time!”

...

With orders flowing from Yang Chengye, Chongshan Town, this war machine, sounded the piercing horn.

The murderous atmosphere blew like a spring breeze over each of the camps.

Countless soldiers began organizing their weapons and armor, countless servicemen and young men began gathering, and all levels of government offices started operating like clockwork.

From Chongshan Pass to the mansion of each Assistant General, then to each state, each county, each garrison office, and then to countless garrisons and villages, the entire Chongshan Town, nearly four million people, started preparing for the impending war.

An Yuan State City, Shuiquan Castle.

Lin Daniu was an ordinary soldier of Shuiquan Castle.

He was twenty-eight this year and had been enlisted as a soldier for ten years, considered a veteran.

However, this veteran was somewhat soft, never having been to the battlefield and merely attending a month’s training at the garrison camp each year, along with some drills at the garrison.

Most of the time, he was just a farmer, tending to his family’s fields.

Today, a sudden sound of gongs echoed through Shuiquan Castle. Working in the fields irrigating crops, Lin Daniu reflexively raised his head, looking towards the garrison.

”Erniu, you keep watering, I’ll go check what’s happening!”

Lin Daniu couldn’t afford to think of anything else; he just shouted to his younger brother and hastily ran towards the garrison.

Lin Erniu also lifted his head to take a look, seeing his elder brother running far away. Without much thought, he continued working hard.

The sound of the gongs at the garrison didn’t ring often but would do so several times a year, usually for summoning soldiers for training.

Lin Daniu quickly ran into the garrison, where he saw his Hundred Households and General Flag already standing in front of the government office door.

Hundreds of soldiers hurriedly ran over, quickly formed up, and awaited the briefing from the Hundred Households.

When almost everyone was there, the Hundred Households stepped forward and shouted loudly, ”Brothers, the garrison office has ordered us to reach the state city garrison camp by noon tomorrow!”

”This is a military order, late arrivals to be dealt with according to military law, executed!”

Upon hearing these words, all the soldiers present instantly grew tense.

The Hundred Households paused for a moment and continued saying, ”This time going to the state city is not for training but to march with the army! We are responsible for transporting provisions and military supplies, possibly for a long time!”

”Everyone should go back and prepare well, say goodbye to your parents, wives, and children!”

This time everyone’s feelings were more of anxiety and unease, but of course, there was anticipation and excitement, like Lin Daniu felt.

March with the army?

Actually going to march with the army!

Lin Daniu’s eyes widened with surprise and excitement.

The Hundred Households continued with a bunch of talks, mostly advising to say farewell to family, comforting everyone’s emotions, saying that they were only responsible for transporting provisions and supplies this time, so there shouldn’t be any danger, and so on.

Once the Hundred Households announced the assembly’s dismissal, Lin Daniu didn’t even bother discussing with his comrades; he bolted back home and dashed into his bedroom.

”Why are you running? What did the Hundred Households say?” Mr. Lin asked his eldest son, who ran back hastily.

While retrieving a long knife from beneath the cabinet, Lin Daniu said, ”Dad, I am going to march with the army!”

”March with the army!” Mr. Lin’s body paused, ”Why suddenly march? Where is the fight? Where are you going?”

Clang!

Lin Daniu unsheathed the long knife, revealing its white blade.

”I don’t know yet, just said to go to the state city tomorrow for transporting provisions and supplies!”

He delicately stroked the blade and said.

Mr. Lin’s eyes turned red, and his voice began trembling, ”No need to go to the battlefield!”

”Dad~~”

Lin Daniu noticed Mr. Lin’s anomaly and quickly comforted, ”Dad, don’t worry. We only need to transport provisions and supplies; no need to go to the battlefield!”

”But it seems that camp soldiers need to go to the battlefield; my uncle is in the Rescue Camp and might need to go to the battlefield.”

He thought of his uncle, who served as a squad officer in the Songzhou Guard Rescue Camp.

Mr. Lin’s anxiety couldn’t be contained, and he hurriedly ran outside, ”I’ll go see your uncle’s family!”

Lin Daniu glanced at his father and didn’t chase after him, still stroking the bright blade.

This knife was passed down by his grandfather, reportedly a battle knife allotted by Marquis Yang.

Indeed, Lin Daniu’s grandfather had served under Yang Zhenshan, even fighting against the East Sea Hu Clan.

Unfortunately, his grandfather didn’t return, dying on the battlefield in the North.

Back then, Mr. Lin was just over ten years old, and Mr. Lin’s little uncle was only eight.

Within the Lin family, Lin Daniu’s grandfather was a heroic figure; even though his grandfather fell on the battlefield, the Lin family received considerable compensation and benefits.

Lin Daniu grew up hearing stories about his grandfather, or more precisely, hearing stories about Yang Zhenshan.

Since childhood, he fantasized about following Marquis Yang into the battlefield, just like his grandfather.

He even fantasized that if he could die in battle, Marquis Yang would don mourning clothes and carry his coffin.

Indeed, Yang Zhenshan really did carry his grandfather’s coffin!

Back then, a thousand soldiers from the An Yuan City garrison camp set out, with only half returning.

Yang Zhenshan wore mourning clothing and personally carried coffins for the deceased soldiers.

He carried the coffin that was Lin Daniu’s grandfather’s.

Lin Daniu’s grandfather was just a very ordinary soldier in the garrison camp then, but he killed over a hundred Northern barbarians on the battlefield and died in the last battle at Fuzhou City.

Mr. Lin held the battlefield in fear and awe because his father died there.

Lin Daniu felt different; he only heard about the exploits his grandfather achieved on the battlefield and didn’t experience the pain of losing a husband or father.

That night, the atmosphere in the Lin family was heavy.

Lin Daniu’s parents, wife, and children were somewhat sad, which finally let Lin Daniu feel his family’s fear of the battlefield and their concern for him.

But early the next morning, Lin Daniu still embarked on his journey.

Looking at his worried parents, wife, and children, he resolutely followed the Hundred Households to the state city.

All over Chongshan Town, there were countless soldiers like Lin Daniu.

No troops have moved, but provisions go first.

Before camp soldiers march, soldiers from garrison offices everywhere gather, ready to set out first.