Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

There are no small matters when it comes to military affairs, especially when it involves one's own future.

Once outside the city, one's ability to suppress bandits depends on the troops at hand, and one's safety also depends on the troops at hand.

Therefore, you must choose reliable elites; choosing randomly will only harm you in the end.

The lady gave her two sources of troops that she could draw upon at will: one was the city defense army, and the other was the manor protection team.

Through my visits to the council chamber these past few days, I have gained a very good understanding of the current state of Sword Tower.

The city's defense force has a maximum strength of 660 men. They are well-paid, wear armor, and are equipped with warhorses. Their combat strength is undoubtedly formidable. To enter, one must be a cultivator at the Calamity Realm.

Most importantly, they are only responsible for guarding the city. As long as there are no large-scale attacks by demons and monsters, they live a very comfortable life. This has led many nobles in the Sword Tower to send their families there.

It can be said that the composition of the city's defense forces is very complex, extremely complex. If you were to hit anyone with a brick, you might just hit a son of a certain family, or a nephew or niece of a powerful figure.

The village protection team is different. Although they are poorly equipped and have a low cultivation level, their personnel are simple, they have no background, and their combat power is generally fierce. If they really fight to the death with the city defense army of the same level, they can probably fight to a draw.

After all, they were the 'Night Battle Army' who fought demons and monsters every night.

Those who survived in such harsh conditions were all battle-hardened veterans with extensive combat experience.

You could say these people are weak, but you can't say they're bad at it.

Of course, one can also travel light and act conveniently, with the advantage of being swift and flexible, and able to temporarily mobilize troops from the nearest location if needed.

Each of the three has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is quite difficult to choose one in a short time.

If you are unsure about something, you can consult a divination master to find out if it will bring good or bad fortune!

Zhou Qingfeng pondered for a moment, then slowly summoned the scarlet divination stick from the depths of his consciousness and silently uttered, "Shake the divination sticks!"

The divination sticks in the scarlet divination stick swayed slowly, and then three divination sticks flew out.

[The worst possible outcome: Troops will be transferred from the city's garrison; this is an ominous sign.]

[Bad luck, travel light, ominous]

[A draw, with troops being transferred from the defending team, indicating a draw.]

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng followed the principle of choosing the auspicious option if available and the neutral option if available, and immediately wrote a mobilization order.

"Jin Wei".

"My subordinate is here."

"Immediately dispatch troops from the three nearest manor protection teams and order them to assemble at the city's drill ground within seven days!" Zhou Qingfeng wrote out the troop mobilization order, stamped it with the seal of the bandit suppression commander, and then took out the military tally and the order, handing them to Jin Wei.

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei respectfully accepted the order and military tally with both hands, then turned and ran away with his sword drawn.

Shui'er asked curiously, "Brother, why aren't the troops being transferred from the city?"

Zhou Qingfeng smiled slightly and patted Shui'er's little head: "Are you a walking encyclopedia of questions? You want to know the answer to everything. Have you been bored at home lately?"

Shui'er nodded sadly and said coquettishly, "Yes, brother, Father is busy having ten concubines give birth to my younger brother. I don't have any playmates, and I'm very bored."

Zhou Qingfeng thought for a moment and said, "Alright, alright, after I finish my business this time, I'll find you an academy. I remember you're twelve years old this year, it's time for you to study and cultivate. I'll arrange everything for you when I get back, okay?"

Shui'er smiled broadly: "Thank you, brother."

Zhou Qingfeng affectionately patted Shui'er's head.

I was alone and adrift in a foreign land, like a rootless duckweed.

But with Shui'er and Uncle, I can say that I have a family now.

The next day, Shui'er excitedly came to find Zhou Qingfeng.

Zhou Qingfeng was trying on his centurion uniform in his room, looking flustered. Shui'er covered her mouth and chuckled, saying that her brother was so clumsy, but she went over to help Zhou Qingfeng put on his clothes.

“Brother, I can tell you used to be a young master with lots of servants at home. You don’t even know how to dress yourself. Actually, I didn’t know how to dress myself either, but I’ve learned now, hehe. Raise your hands.”

"Shui'er, what are you doing here?" The peerless genius, renowned outside, was scolded by his twelve-year-old sister at home until he had nothing to say. He could only raise his arms and let his sister help him get dressed.

"I went to the temple early this morning to pray for a safe return, hoping that Buddha will bless you with a safe journey."

"Sister, we cultivators rely on all things in heaven and earth for our cultivation. Do you think immortals and Buddhas will protect me?"

"Well... there's no harm in believing it, so just believe it, it's fine."

"Haha, alright, whatever my sister says goes."

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. At the training ground in the city, the members of the village protection team dispatched from various places gathered here. Each of them had a face full of fatigue and numbness, and their eyes were dull and devoid of any human color.

However, each of them carried an intense killing intent and boundless despair.

They were like vengeful ghosts who had just crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Perhaps they knew that every day they lived in this turbid and evil world was being tormented by evil, and no matter how much they struggled, they could not escape death in the end.

Because despair and death are the main themes of their lives.

"Be thankful, because of me, your lives have seen a glimmer of hope." Zhou Qingfeng was wearing a centurion's uniform, brightly colored, with falcons and vicious dogs embroidered on the scarlet fabric.

He stood on the high platform with his hands behind his back, a demon-slaying blade hanging at his waist.

As he paced back and forth, Zhou Qingfeng surveyed the group of people who were on the verge of death.

"However, I am not here to save you, but to make you die for me."

"I need men to suppress the bandits, and you bunch of good-for-nothings who live for today and have no tomorrow are the most suitable."

"Now I'm giving you two choices."

"First, go back to where you came from, and then die an ordinary death one night."

"Second, serve me wholeheartedly and risk your lives for a better future. As long as you make contributions, I will ask the city lord to transfer you back to the city to receive rewards. You will no longer need to return to the manor guard team."

Upon hearing this, the lifeless eyes of the group of guards gradually came to life, and then they erupted like boiling pots, whispering among themselves, discussing the truthfulness of Zhou Qingfeng's words.

They didn't care that Zhou Qingfeng spoke harshly, because they were already worthless. They couldn't even read a hundred characters, let alone read one. Even if someone spoke to them in a refined manner, they wouldn't understand at all.

On the contrary, they could understand Zhou Qingfeng's straightforward words.

Jin Wei stepped forward at the opportune moment and said sternly, "Quiet! Do you know who is standing in front of you?"

"This is Zhou Qingfeng, the former commander of the Night Patrol Division, a council member personally appointed by the city lord, and also the chief of the Sword Tower bandit suppression. He is also the beloved disciple of Steward Qiu."

"The promises made by the Commander-in-Chief today are golden words, and he will always keep his word. How could he possibly deceive you?"

The crowd gasped in surprise, realizing that the young man standing before them was an important figure.

Zhou Qingfeng held up three fingers: "I will only count to three. Anyone who dares to say they are leaving again will die."

"3"

"2"

"1"

“Not a single person left, very good.” Zhou Qingfeng crossed his arms and looked down at them, his face stern: “You’ve made the smartest choice of your lives with your brains that are as stupid as pigs and dogs!”

Everyone grinned from ear to ear when they were scolded. Who would want to stay in the village protection team? The chance to make a contribution and return to the city to be rewarded was an opportunity that many people would wait their whole lives for. Let alone being scolded, they would laugh even if they were slashed twice.

"We are deeply grateful to the Commander-in-Chief! We are willing to die for him!" The crowd clasped their fists together and shouted with high spirits.

Zhou Qingfeng drew his Demon-Slaying Blade from his waist, pointing it at the city gate: "Follow me out of the city and wipe out the bandits!"