Dream of the Red Chamber: From a Border Ruffian to a Capital Tyrant

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away at Yanmen Pass, a chilling atmosphere hung over the military camp like an iron curtain, even the wind carrying the stench of blood and a heavy atmosphere.

"Only children in the family—step forward!"

The messenger's voice boomed like thunder from the heavens, instantly shattering the deathly silence of the military camp. The echo reverberated like the beating of war drums, making hearts pound wildly.

On the high platform, Jia Lang's gaze swept over the vivid yet tense faces before him.

However, he felt no sense of pride; instead, he felt as if a massive boulder was pressing on his chest, so heavy that he could hardly breathe.

The moment the order was given, the whispers, which had been as soft as mosquitoes, ceased abruptly, as if severed by an invisible hand. Tens of thousands of soldiers stood like javelins, their feet firmly planted on the ground, their palms gripping the shafts of their spears, the cold iron piercing their flesh, yet unable to suppress the burning heaviness in their hearts.

All eyes were fixed on Jia Lang, holding their breath as they awaited fate's judgment.

As far as Jia Lang could see, not a single person retreated!

Upon seeing this, Jia Lang felt a surge of relief, but it was quickly crushed by an even crueler reality.

This is not the time for sentimentality. The road to the underworld is near. We must rely not on passion, but on a resolute determination to die!

"What's wrong?"

Jia Lang's voice was like a sharp, icy blade, slicing through the air.

"Are my orders just going in one ear and out the other?"

"I hereby order: Those who are only sons in their families, step forward!"

"This is a military order! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

After a dozen breaths of deathly silence, Jia Lang roared like thunder, his voice booming so loudly that it made everyone's eardrums buzz painfully.

Upon hearing this, the crowd surged like waves, and some soldiers painfully closed their eyes, struggling to slowly move out of the ranks.

A barely perceptible cold smile appeared on Jia Lang's lips, but this was only the first round; the real selection was just beginning.

"Those with a wife and children at home!"

"Step forward!"

Jia Lang roared again, his voice booming like a bell.

This time, many stepped forward.

Many of them felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and even retreated in a somewhat disheveled manner as if they were fleeing, as if death would seize them if they were a step too slow.

Jia Lang watched all this coldly without saying a word. Human nature is multifaceted; the fear of death and the desire to live are commonplace.

"A family with a wife but no children!"

"Step forward!"

"Both father and son are in the army!"

"Father, step forward!"

"Brothers serving together in the army!"

"Brother, step forward!"

Jia Lang issued several orders in one breath, each order like a steel scalpel, peeling away the layers of the army.

The messenger shouted loudly, repeating Jia Lang's words over and over again.

The sound echoed over and over again, covering every corner of the military camp.

Some people looked hesitant, their legs trembling. They would extend their legs halfway, then retract them, extend them again, and retract them once more. After much hesitation, they finally stepped out of the line and left the queue.

In just a quarter of an hour, the vast sea of ​​people was forcibly split in two.

Only three thousand men remained standing before Jia Lang.

Watching these men who were ready to die for their cause, Jia Lang's knuckles creaked and groaned from the exertion.

Then Jia Lang slowly closed his eyes, concealing the pain in them.

Three thousand people!

Even with such harsh conditions, there were still three thousand loyal followers willing to die with him!

"Those who are not yet of legal age, step back ten paces!"

Jia Lang suddenly opened his eyes and roared like thunder.

"General!"

"General!"

"I won't back out!"

The order was as firm as a mountain, and hundreds of young faces instantly turned red with anger, roaring in defiance.

"This is a military order!!"

Jia Lang's eyes widened, his gaze almost splitting open, and his voice was as cold as iron:

"Those who disobey orders will be executed!"

"General, we..."

"Yes, sir!"

Faced with Jia Lang's cold and unyielding face, hundreds of teenagers finally had tears in their eyes, clenched their fists, and silently bowed their heads and retreated.

At this moment, there were still more than two thousand people in front of Jia Lang.

"There's still too much..."

Jia Lang glanced at the two thousand resolute faces and sighed inwardly.

Going outside the city, there is no chance of survival.

He, Jia Lang, might be able to fight for a sliver of hope, but these brothers who followed him were all mortals made of flesh and blood!

"Those of you who have elderly parents, young children, or siblings to support, step forward!"

Jia Lang fixed his gaze on a burly man at the front and spoke again.

He recognized the man. Although he was not an only child, his parents were old, and his elder brother had lost an arm to the Xiongnu in a past battle, leaving him crippled.

If this person dies in battle, his entire family will truly be devastated.

"General, I..."

When the burly man met Jia Lang's gaze, he was about to explain when he was rudely interrupted.

"This general commands: Those who have families to support, including the elderly and young brothers, step forward!!"

Jia Lang's voice was stern and unyielding, leaving no room for argument.

The burly man trembled, finally gritting his teeth and retreating dejectedly with his head down.

With a leader in place, hundreds more people stepped forward from the crowd.

At this point, only a little over a thousand remained in the arena.

"call...."

Jia Lang took a deep breath, as if inhaling all the solemnity and heaviness of the world into his chest and abdomen, and then slowly exhaled.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was no trace of compassion in them, only the chilling coldness of a demon.

"Those who step forward...remain in the camp!"

"Those who have not stepped forward, tomorrow night follow me...out of the city...to the death!!"

Jia Lang roared, his voice hoarse yet exuding a chilling killing intent that could change the very heavens and earth, soaring straight into the sky!

Before the words were even finished, the soldiers who had been sifted out behind them clenched their fists instantly, their eyes filled with bloodshot veins and longing, staring intently at the figure that resembled a demon god.

"General! You mustn't!"

"General, we are willing to fight our way out with you!"

"General, do you perhaps deem us incompetent?!"

When the guess came true, the crowd erupted in a frenzy of shouts, their cries filled with tears and anxiety.

"Military orders are absolute! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

Jia Lang's face was as hard as iron, and his cold, harsh words struck the crowd like shards of ice, showing no mercy whatsoever.

"General!!"

Thousands of men who were left behind knelt down on one knee in unison, their cries of grief shaking the heavens.

"Soldiers who have not yet stepped forward, you are given one day to prepare your troops. Tomorrow night at 11:00 AM, assemble at the north gate!"

Jia Lang didn't even look at the kneeling crowd. He suddenly flicked his cloak, which was fluttering behind him, turned around and left, as resolute as iron!

"General! Take me with you! I'm not afraid to die!"

"General, I'm not afraid to die either!!"

Seeing Jia Lang about to leave, everyone panicked completely. They rushed forward and kowtowed heavily to his back, their voices like the mournful cry of a cuckoo, filled with a desperate madness.

Jia Lang paused, then abruptly turned around, his tiger-like eyes blazing with power, glaring at the entire audience like an angry lion:

"I will say it again, this is a military order!"

Anyone who persists in causing trouble will be executed without mercy!

This roar, mixed with the terrifying killing intent emanating from Jia Lang, forcefully silenced everyone's pleas.

The next moment, Jia Lang had no more regrets. He turned around and strode away, leaving everyone with a lonely but heavy figure.

Standing there, thousands of tough men looked at each other, watching the departing figure, and finally couldn't help but burst into tears.

"General!!!"

"General!!!"

"General!!!"

The heart-wrenching cries echoed for a long time above Yanmen Pass, both tragic and heroic, as if sounding the horn in advance for the upcoming bloody battle!