The third day of training began with thick fog blanketing the village. Chen Wei stood before the newly completed Barracks. A sturdy wooden structure with a black tiled roof and a wide training ground behind it. His system worked perfectly. The building appeared overnight as if built by expert craftsmen though actually no one had touched it.
The village residents had started getting used to the "miracles" happening around Chen Wei. They didn't understand but they also didn't protest because the results were real.
[BARRACKS: LEVEL 1]
[Function: Increases training efficiency +50%]
[Bonus: Units trained in Barracks gain +10% base stats]
[Upgrade Available: Level 2 (800 Metal)]
Chen Wei smiled with satisfaction. With the Barracks active training that originally took seven days could be shortened to four or five days. That meant his troops would be ready faster than expected.
He turned toward the thirty five recruits already standing neatly in the field. Three days of intensive training had changed them. Their postures were straighter, gazes more focused, and movements more coordinated. Still far from perfect but far better than the amateur farmers he first trained.
"Today," Chen Wei said loudly, "we start sparring. Militia against Militia. Spearman against Spearman. Archer trains on moving targets. You've learned the basics. Now it's time to practice against live opponents."
Liu Feng who had now become an informal leader among the Militia raised his hand. "Master Chen, you mean we have to hit each other?"
"With wooden sticks and training armor yes," Chen Wei answered while pointing at the pile of equipment in the Barracks corner. "You won't die. At most just one or two broken bones."
Several recruits swallowed nervously.
"Kidding," Chen Wei added flatly. "But you will bruise. Accept it. Better bruised during training than dead during real war."
He watched them start pairing up and practicing attacking each other. Their movements were still stiff but there was already significant improvement. Some people even started showing natural talent. Like Zhao Hu who turned out to have quick reflexes, or a skinny youth named Ming who was good at reading opponent attack patterns.
[MILITIA TRAINING: DAY 3]
[Progress: 55%]
[Estimated Completion: 2 more days]
[Note: Several recruits showing potential to become elite units.]
Chen Wei noted the names that stood out. Later when they finished basic training he could upgrade them to stronger units. Veteran Militia or even Heavy Infantry if he had enough metal.
In the afternoon while Archer training was ongoing a resident suddenly ran frantically from the village gate direction. His face was pale, his breath gasping.
"Master Chen! Master Chen!" he shouted in panic.
Chen Wei immediately stopped training. "What's wrong?"
"Ba-bandits! Bandits coming again! More than yesterday!"
Chen Wei's heart pounded. Not from fear but from anticipation. Finally. He'd been waiting for this.
"How many?" he asked calmly while walking quickly toward the gate.
"I-I don't know exactly... but it looks like dozens! Maybe fifty or more!"
Chen Wei reached the top of the low wall surrounding the village. From there he could see dust rising in the distance. A mob of people on horseback and on foot heading toward the village with weapons drawn. In front of them a large bodied man with a long scar on his face rode a black horse. Their leader it seemed.
[WARNING: Enemy detected!]
[Number: 52 units]
[Composition: 30 Light Bandits, 15 Spear Bandits, 7 Bandit Archers]
[Threat Level: MEDIUM]
[Recommendation: Evacuation or layered defense.]
Chen Wei opened the tactical panel. A mini map appeared before his eyes showing enemy positions and entry routes to the village. They were coming from the west. The main path. No siege forces from other sides meaning they weren't expecting serious resistance.
Their first mistake.
"Old Zhang!" Chen Wei called to the Village Chief who ran closer with gasping breath.
"Yes young master?"
"Evacuate all residents who can't fight to the underground warehouse. Now. Don't bring valuables. Your lives are more important."
Old Zhang nodded quickly and ran while shouting orders. Village residents immediately moved with panic but orderly. They'd been attacked before so they knew what to do.
Chen Wei turned toward his recruits who had gathered with tense faces. "Militia, Spearman, Archer. Defensive formation now! This isn't training anymore. This is real war!"
For a moment they were silent with fearful expressions. But Liu Feng stepped forward with his jaw clenched tight. "We're ready Master Chen."
The others followed. One by one they took positions. Militia at the front line with wooden shields and training swords (not enough metal for real swords yet), Spearman behind them with long spears, Archer on top of the wall with simple bows.
Chen Wei quickly observed their formation. Not perfect but enough. What mattered was morale. And so far they hadn't run.
"Listen up!" he shouted while standing before the Militia line. "Those enemies are coming because they think we're weak! They think we'll run or surrender! But they're wrong! We've trained for three days nonstop! We've bled, sweated, and endured! Now it's time to prove we're no longer prey!"
"BUT HUNTERS!" Liu Feng suddenly shouted.
The others joined in shouting. "HUNTERS! HUNTERS!"
Chen Wei smiled faintly. Good morale. Now just execution.
The bandit mob drew closer. They were shouting with weapons raised. Standard intimidation tactics. Their leader, the large man with the scar, stopped his horse about fifty meters from the village gate and shouted in a thundering voice.
"QINGHE VILLAGE RESIDENTS! You've killed our men! Now pay with lives or treasure! Hand over everything you have and maybe we'll let you live!"
Chen Wei stepped forward standing alone before the gate. "Or you turn around now and maybe I'll let you live with your legs still intact!"
The bandit leader laughed loudly. "How dare you brat! Who do you think you are? A general? A king?"
"I am the ruler of this village," Chen Wei replied coldly. "And you're standing on my territory without permission. That's reason enough for me to kill you all."
The laughter stopped. The bandit leader stared at him with a changed expression. A mixture of anger and... slight doubt. There was something in the way Chen Wei stood, the way he spoke that made people feel he wasn't ordinary.
"ATTACK!" the bandit leader finally shouted.
Fifty two bandits moved forward with war cries. Their feet stamped the ground creating a rumble that made the earth tremble.
Chen Wei retreated behind the Militia line and shouted, "ARCHERS! FIRE!"
Ten bows were released simultaneously. Arrows flew through the air. Most missed because the Archers were still beginners but three arrows hit targets. One bandit fell with an arrow in his shoulder, two others stumbled from shock.
"FIRE AGAIN!"
Second wave. This time five arrows hit targets. One bandit fell with an arrow in his neck. Lucky chance.
"MILITIA, SPEARMAN... HOLD THE LINE! DON'T RETREAT AN INCH!"
Bandits crashed into the already half damaged gate. Wood cracked and broke. They entered with shouts, weapons drawn.
And immediately faced a wall of spears.
Ten Spearmen thrust together in trained formation. Not random thrusts but coordinated thrusts closing gaps. Three bandits were hit directly, falling with blood spurting.
Militia advanced striking with shields and slashing with wooden swords that had been given sharp metal tips (result of Chen Wei's improvisation last night). They shouted. Not panicked shouts but war cries already trained to suppress fear.
The battle became chaotic. Bandits were more numerous and more experienced but they weren't organized. They attacked individually seeking the easiest targets. In contrast Chen Wei's forces fought in formation. Protecting each other, closing gaps, attacking together.
Chen Wei stood behind the line watching with sharp eyes. "ARCHERS, FOCUS ON THOSE WITH ARMOR! SPEARMAN SHIFT LEFT... THERE'S A GAP! MILITIA DON'T CHASE RUNNERS, HOLD FORMATION!"
Each of his commands was precise, given at the right moment. He read the battle flow like reading a chess board. Predicting enemy movements, exploiting weaknesses, closing threats before they became dangerous.
The system panel continuously provided real time data.
[BATTLE: ANALYSIS]
[Forces: 35 units (0 killed, 5 minor wounds)]
[Enemy: 52 units (8 killed, 12 moderate wounds)]
[Status: TACTICAL ADVANTAGE: Maintain formation]
Five minutes passed like hours. Bandits started retreating. Not because they were outnumbered but because they didn't expect resistance this organized. They came to raid a helpless farming village, not fight trained troops.
The bandit leader realized this. He shouted angrily, "RETREAT! RETREAT AND REGROUP!"
But Chen Wei wouldn't let them escape like that.
"ARCHERS! SHOOT THE RUNNERS! MILITIA, CHASE! DON'T LET THEM REGROUP!"
This violated layered defense rules. Don't chase retreating enemies because it could be a trap. But Chen Wei knew this wasn't a trap. His system panel already showed no reserve forces, no encirclement. These bandits came with overconfidence and now they were panicking.
Militia ran out the gate chasing retreating bandits. Some bandits turned and tried to fight back but were immediately charged by Spearmen following from behind. Within minutes the field outside the village became a chaotic battlefield. Bandits running everywhere, Chen Wei's forces chasing in neat formation, arrows continuing to rain down from the wall.
The bandit leader tried to escape on his horse but Chen Wei had already predicted that.
"ZHAO HU! MING! BLOCK LEFT!"
The two fastest Militia ran sideways and threw improvised spears (sharpened wooden poles) toward the horse. One spear hit the horse's leg. The animal neighed and fell throwing the bandit leader to the ground.
Chen Wei walked closer with a sword in hand. A real sword he took from one of the bandits killed yesterday. The bandit leader tried to get up but Chen Wei had already stepped on his chest.
"What did you say earlier?" Chen Wei asked in a cold voice. "Pay with lives or treasure?"
The bandit leader stared at him with eyes full of fear. "D-don't kill me! I can pay ransom! I have..."
"I don't need your ransom." Chen Wei raised his sword. "I need an example."
One swing. The bandit leader's head separated from his body.
A moment of silence. Then the surviving bandits immediately dropped their weapons and knelt. Some begged for mercy, some tried to run but were immediately captured.
Chen Wei raised the bandit leader's head with his hand and shouted toward the remaining mob. "WHOEVER WANTS TO LIVE, KNEEL AND SURRENDER YOUR WEAPONS! WHOEVER WANTS TO RUN, TRY IT... BUT YOU WON'T MAKE IT A HUNDRED METERS!"
Within five minutes all remaining bandits, twenty three people, were kneeling with hands tied behind their backs.
[BATTLE COMPLETE: PERFECT VICTORY]
[Results:]
- Enemy Killed: 19
- Enemy Captured: 23
- Enemy Escaped: 10
[Own Casualties:]
- Killed: 0
- Severely Wounded: 2
- Lightly Wounded: 11
[Rewards: +500 Metal, +300 Food, +200 EXP]
[BONUS: Victory without deaths - Units gain +5% permanent stats]
Chen Wei stared at the panel with satisfaction. Their first victory and nearly perfect. Two people severely wounded. Liu Feng with cracked ribs and a Spearman with a stab wound in his thigh. But they would recover.
He turned toward his troops standing with gasping breaths, covered in blood (mostly not their own) but with gazes full of pride.
"YOU WON!" Chen Wei shouted. "Today you proved that farmers can become soldiers! That a small village can defeat a bandit mob! That we are NOT weak!"
Victory shouts erupted. They raised their weapons to the sky, hugging each other, laughing and crying together. Adrenaline still flowing but now mixed with euphoria.
Chen Wei let them celebrate for a moment. Then he shouted again, "Now, collect all enemy weapons and armor! Tie the prisoners and bring them to the warehouse! And someone call Old Zhang, we need to treat the wounded!"
That night Qinghe Village was filled with a small celebration. Residents who were previously terrified now emerged from hiding and celebrated the victory. Simple food was shared, battle stories were retold in increasingly dramatic versions, and Chen Wei's name was spoken with tones of deep respect.
Chen Wei himself sat in the Barracks with the system panel open.
[QINGHE VILLAGE: DAY 3]
[Population: 127]
[Forces: 35 (Militia: 15, Spearman: 10, Archer: 10)]
[Troop Status: Training 75% complete - Combat ready in 1 day]
[Resources: 1010 Metal, 520 Food]
[Prisoners: 23 (Options: Recruit, Execute, or Release)]
Chen Wei stared at the prisoner options. Twenty three bandits. Most of them were just small time criminals who joined because they had no other choice. Some might be psychopaths but most were just desperate.
"Recruit," he muttered while selecting the option.
[CONFIRM: Recruit 23 prisoners?]
[Note: Prisoners have low loyalty. Requires time and extra supervision.]
[Cost: 100 Metal (for chains and supervision)]
[Yes / No]
"Yes."