Nine days after the Territory Council meeting, in the Valley Wood Fort armory.
"Benson, are you really joining the Patrol Team? If you stayed in the legion, you might even be promoted to Combat Squad Leader, but there's no Combat Squad Leader in the Patrol Team, and there's nothing around the Giant Stone Pile where the Patrol Team is stationed. You need to think carefully." Obert, the new Captain of the Patrol Team, said to Benson, who intended to join the Patrol Team.
Benson hoisted the four short spears and one military tent allocated to the new Patrol Team by Quartermaster Spencer, then turned to Obert and said, "I'd like to stay in the legion, but tomorrow the legion will begin culling Soldiers. I—I definitely can't outperform those guys. Since I'm going to be culled anyway, I might as well volunteer to join the Patrol Team. That way, I can save some face."
Obert grabbed Benson, who was turning to leave, and stared into his eyes, saying, "Benson, are you still trying to be a deserter? I'm telling you, if you don't want to be a Soldier, you can volunteer to be a fort civilian. Don't go with me to the Giant Stone Pile and then run off. I can't afford to lose face over that."
Benson turned to Obert and said, "Obert, don't talk nonsense. I've never thought about being a deserter."
Obert looked at Benson with an expression of disdain.
Benson looked back at Obert somewhat awkwardly and said, "Alright, I did think about running away before, but that was so long ago. Ever since I was injured in Sap, I really haven't thought about being a deserter. Besides, now there's war everywhere, north and south. Where could I run to? I swear to the Holy Lord, I truly want to go with you to the Patrol Team."
Obert continued to stare directly at Benson.
Benson's hair stood on end under the gaze. "Alright, I admit it. I just can't stand the legion's endless daily training and torment. I thought it would be easier and more comfortable to follow you. Besides, I suffered an arrow wound to my shoulder when I was attacked by mountain bandits in Sap last year, and I still can't exert too much force with my right arm. When I was at Talburg, the arrow wound flared up, and I was almost cut down on the wall by the Swabia enemy. If you hadn't saved me, I would already be a pile of white bones outside Talburg. I just feel that perhaps following you will allow me to live longer..."
Obert released his gaze from Benson's face and said, "Let me tell you beforehand, don't think that going with me to the Patrol Team is like going to heaven. There, you'll face refugees, merchants, bandits, and marauders every day. Don't think it will be easy and comfortable. If you just want to live longer, it's still not too late to regret and leave the army to become a farmer who tills the land. But once you commit to joining the Patrol Team with me, you absolutely cannot avoid fighting. If you still think about escaping then, don't blame me for being merciless."
"I don't want to be a farmer. How much money can you earn farming in a month? Don't worry, I will obey you and never embarrass you!" Benson promised, patting his chest.
"Alright, let's go. We still need to go to the granary to get rations later." Obert said, picking up the broadsword and cotton armor belt from the ground, and led his first Soldier out of the armory...
...
In a small wooden shed next to the Wood Fort general store, at a broken table in Emma's small tavern, Andrew, the former Captain of the peasant-Soldier squad, who had been appointed Combat Squad Leader of the First Company, Second Squad of the Arthur Legion, was drinking Emma's homemade wild fruit wine with a few brothers from the former peasant (new) Soldier squad.
A thick-browed, bearded fellow gulped down a large mouthful of sour fruit wine, grinned, and said, "Brother Andrew, you're set now, directly appointed as Combat Squad Leader. But we fellows aren't so lucky. We're all new Soldiers who just joined the army not long ago. We don't have the battle records of those old Soldiers, nor their fighting skills. We'll probably be culled tomorrow."
Andrew picked up a piece of rye bread from the wooden plate with his hand, dipped it in the soup in a nearby earthenware pot, put it in his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed. He then looked up at the few people at the table and said, "If you ask me, you guys are underestimating yourselves too much. Although you haven't killed as many people as those old Soldiers, you are all men who have experienced combat, and you all have great strength. What are you afraid of? Are you really worse than those old Soldiers? Besides, even if you're not selected as a Soldier, there's still the Patrol Team and the outposts you can go to! Even if, by some chance, you're not chosen for the Patrol Team or an outpost, you can still enter the new Soldier squad. Train hard for three months, and you'll still have a chance to be selected into the legion later. Even in the worst-case scenario, if you're handed over to the Valley Wood Fort for resettlement, you'll still be allocated land and become farmers. What's bad about that?"
Andrew then looked at the thick-browed, bearded man beside him and said, "Especially you, you used to be just a shepherd tending cattle for the squire in the village. Now the Lord has brought your family over. What's bad about settling down and becoming a farmer? The rent here is so low. If you can get five or six acres of land, it's enough to support your wife and children."
The thick-browed, bearded man picked up his wooden bowl, took a sip of gruel, and with a mouth full of gruel, said, "If there's really no other way, I'm willing to be a farmer. But if I can become a Soldier, I can get seventy fenny in military pay each month, and the legion will also provide me with food and lodging. All my military pay can be saved for my wife and children. Such a good thing is truly rare..."
"But you have to be able to keep your life to collect that salary. Guys like you with wives and children are best not to join the legion. Following the legion, you could go out to battle at any time, and your head won't be your own..."
Andrew saw that a few of them were a bit dejected. He took a sip of fruit wine and sighed, "Alas, since you've chosen to earn a living with your head on the line, don't worry about these things. Anyway, everyone just needs to work hard tomorrow. If I can fight alongside you brothers, that would be excellent."
"Enough of this. Aunt Emma, could you bring some more fruit wine and smoked meat? Put it on my tab; I'll pay for it all later~"
...
The next day, on the army training ground outside the Wood Fort, except for a few Soldiers who had volunteered to join the outposts and the Patrol Team and had been selected and taken away by them in advance, the remaining fifty or sixty Soldiers of the army were all gathered on the training ground.
At this time, Lieutenant Odo was addressing the dozens of Soldiers in the field. He said loudly in a slightly hoarse voice, "The order to cull Soldiers was announced to you all nine days ago. According to the Lord's command, starting today, the army will begin selecting the most elite Soldiers to join the legion. The more excellent ones can enter the outposts and the Patrol Team. Those not selected will temporarily be assigned to the new Soldier squad for three months of training, and then the elites from the new Soldier squad will be selected again to form the Third Company."
"Today's selection is divided into three parts. First, we will select light cavalry who can fight on horseback. If any of you feel you can reluctantly fight on horseback, stand behind Officer Ron later, and they will select Soldiers suitable for cavalry. Once selected, you will receive Combat Squad Leader treatment."
"Next is the selection of archers and crossbowmen who can draw a bow and shoot arrows. If anyone feels their archery skills are decent, you can stand aside. Jason will test your archery skills, and those who pass the test can directly remain as Soldiers."
"Finally, we will select Soldiers. The Soldier selection test is divided into two parts: one is individual combat skills, including arm strength, endurance, swordsmanship, short spears, and shield use; the second is battle formations, including three-man formations and shield wall formations. Individual combat skills primarily involve dueling between Soldiers, while battle formations are formed by yourselves, six people per team, fighting each other."
"I and the three Company Captains will select the most excellent Soldiers to join the legion as Soldiers. Those not selected will go to the new Soldier squad."
"Alright, you can start discussing now. The selection will begin after lunch. The small squads will be reorganized, and you are free to participate in the selection~"
Dozens of Soldiers dispersed, each preparing to stretch their limbs or find familiar brothers to form teams...
On the other side of the training ground, the training wooden sticks, long and short, were clattering, as Art was sparring with Lusignan, a newly joined cavalryman, using long sticks and wooden shields.
Through observation over the past period, Art had confirmed that this fellow named Lusignan possessed extraordinary combat skills. After all, he was a knight's son and had experienced battle formations. Unlike Odo and his group of commoner Soldiers who relied purely on brute force and fearless fighting spirit, Lusignan's combat techniques were stronger. Every move was well-balanced in offense and defense. After several rounds of sparring, although Art could overpower his opponent, he himself felt quite strained.
Art rubbed his aching shoulder, lowered the wooden stick in his hand, and reached out to pull up Lusignan, who was on the ground clutching his stomach and rolling around, saying, "Buddy, I know you're unhappy about being sent to the new Soldier squad for training and hold a grudge, but there's no need to be so ruthless. Remember, you need to distinguish between the battlefield and the training ground. If I hadn't stabbed you in the stomach just now, I might have had to wear my arm in a sling for the next few days."
Lusignan lay on the ground, clutching his stomach for a while before recovering, saying, "Lord, why didn't you dodge just now? If what I had in my hand wasn't a wooden stick, your arm might have been gone by now."
Art pulled Lusignan up with a grab, patted the dust off him, and said, "If it were a real battlefield, my shoulder would definitely have a layer of armor. Your sword wouldn't easily cut off my arm. On the contrary, you, whether your abdomen was armored or not, if that wooden stick were replaced with a longsword, it could have pierced your stomach. Your move just now might not have killed the enemy, but the enemy's sword would definitely not have let you live!"
Lusignan looked at the deep mark on his abdomen and understood the subtlety of Art's offensive-defensive swordsmanship. He handed the short stick in his hands to Art with both hands, lowering his head and saying, "Lord, I am ashamed."
Art pushed away the wooden stick Lusignan offered, saying, "Alright, this is the army, not a martial Arts competition, and I'm not here to duel you. I can tell you, the reason I sent you to the new Soldier squad for ten days of training isn't because I think your combat skills are insufficient, but because I want you to know that from the moment you joined my army, everything starts anew. No matter how many enemies you've slain or opponents you've defeated in the past, you are now officers and Soldiers under my command, Art. What I need are not rogue knights who fight alone and cause trouble everywhere, but elite Soldiers who are obedient to the legion. If you hadn't performed reasonably well in the new Soldier squad these past few days, I would have definitely expelled you from the Valley."
"Lusignan, effective immediately, I appoint you Deputy Captain of the Legion Sentry Cavalry, with the treatment of a Squad Leader, and a monthly salary of one hundred fenny. Go find Ron later; he's younger than you, but he's your superior. If you're not convinced, you can come find me."
After speaking, Art walked towards Klaus, who was entangled in a fight with Angus on the other side...
...
Two days later, the forty-two elite Soldiers (including officers) from the Arthur Legion's three companies (one understaffed) had all been selected. The core of the legion consisted of veteran Soldiers who had participated in combat, with a small number of outstanding new Soldiers also selected into the legion. Soldiers not selected for the legion would again be chosen for outposts, the Patrol Team, and merchant escorts, or remain in the new Soldier squad for three months of training before further selection and placement.
In the coming period, the legion would begin a new round of training. The original squads and combat teams were largely reordered in this reorganization, and each company and squad had to retrain and re-coordinate their battle formations among the Soldiers. Odo Angus and the Company Captains and Squad Leaders began discussing the legion's Soldier training matters.
Art, who had just finished the initial organization of the Valley Knight Territory and the army, was about to embark on a new round of busyness, as he had received a private letter from Sap Fort...