I become stronger by sacrificing my lifespan, becoming invincible in the world.

From above the city wall came a flurry of footsteps and shouts, as a large number of alerted patrol soldiers surged toward this section of the wall. The light of torches dispelled the darkness.

Lin Chen leaned against the cold brick wall, slightly out of breath. That burst of devouring had taken a toll on both his mind and body. He looked down at his left hand; his fingertips were still stained with the cold, sticky blood of the Shadow Claw Demon.

Sun Cheng lowered a rope from the city wall, slid down quickly, and landed next to Lin Chen. He first cautiously scanned the surrounding darkness to make sure there were no other ambushes, then looked at the three demon corpses on the ground, and then at Lin Chen, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"You..." Sun Cheng opened his mouth, seemingly unsure of what to say. He had witnessed Lin Chen's ghostly movements and the bizarre method that instantly weakened the Shadow Claw Demon. This was definitely not the skill of an ordinary convict.

"Let's go up first," Lin Chen interrupted him, pointing to the ceiling. Some things only get more complicated the more you explain them.

The two climbed back up the city wall using ropes.

Dozens of patrol soldiers had already gathered above, led by an unfamiliar squad leader who was directing them to inspect the damaged sections of the city wall and the demon corpse. Seeing Sun Cheng and Lin Chen approach, the squad leader quickly walked over.

"Squad Leader Sun, what's going on?"

Sun Cheng clasped his hands in a fist salute and quickly recounted the process of discovering the Shadow Claw Demon, sending a signal, Lin Chen jumping down to intercept it, and the two of them working together to kill it. He omitted the details of Lin Chen's devouring and only said that Lin Chen was brave and his swordsmanship was sharp.

The sergeant's expression turned grave as he listened, and he carefully examined Lin Chen—a new face who had only recently been transferred to the patrol battalion. He walked to the edge of the crenellation, peered down at the demon corpse and signs of battle at the base of the wall below, and when he turned back, his eyes held a mixture of approval and seriousness.

"Well done." The sergeant patted Lin Chen on the shoulder. "If you hadn't discovered and dealt with them in time, these beasts would have gotten close to the wall and started causing damage, which would have been a huge problem. You both deserve credit!"

He paused, then said to one of his personal guards, "Report this matter in detail to Captain Wu and Lieutenant Zhang immediately! Also, strengthen the defenses along this section of the city wall, send men down to deal with the demon corpse, and carefully check the surrounding area for any remaining fugitives!"

"yes!"

The guards obeyed and left.

The sentry then said to Sun Cheng and Lin Chen, "You two go and rest now. You don't need to take turns on duty today. If there are any inquiries later, just report them truthfully."

"Thank you, Commander."

Sun Cheng and Lin Chen bowed and withdrew.

As he descended the city wall, the gazes from the surrounding patrol soldiers were vastly different. Previously, they were mostly scrutinizing, indifferent, or even disdainful; now, they held curiosity, surprise, and even a hint of admiration. The army revered bravery, and Lin Chen's valiant act of leaping over the wall and fighting had undoubtedly won him considerable approval.

Back at the barracks, Zhao Tiegu and Li the Cripple had already been awakened and were anxiously waiting. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the two return safely. After Sun Cheng briefly recounted what had happened, Zhao Tiegu grinned broadly, while Li the Cripple was filled with lingering fear.

"That was too close! That was a Shadow Claw Demon!" Li the Cripple said, still shaken.

"Fortune favors the bold." Zhao Tiegu was quite open-minded, and chuckled, "That's good, we've done a good deed, let's see how that bastard Chen Hong can cause trouble now."

Lin Chen didn't speak, but silently removed his armor and inspected his waist knife. Some demon blood stained the blade, slowly congealing. He wiped it clean with a cloth, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began to regulate his breathing.

Within his body, the newly absorbed 15 years of demonic lifespan were transforming, nourishing the minor damage caused by the recent violent movements. His lifespan reserves had recovered to 48 years, but he was still far from being able to evolve the "Blood Shadow Chain" or attempt to repair his dantian.

However, this opportunity may bring some other gains.

As dawn broke, footsteps could be heard outside the barracks.

Zhang Heng arrived in person, followed only by Captain Wu.

Everyone in the barracks quickly stood up and saluted.

Zhang Heng waved his hand, his gaze falling directly on Lin Chen. His sharp eyes scanned Lin Chen from head to toe, and he nodded: "Not bad, calm in the face of danger, courageous and resourceful. Sun Cheng also deserves credit."

He paused, then took out a document from his pocket and handed it to Lin Chen: "Your military merit has already been reported by Captain Wu. Killing three Shadow Claw Demons skilled in stealth and infiltration, and preventing damage to the city wall in time, is a 'minor merit.' According to the law, you are entitled to a reward of five taels of silver, which will be recorded in your file."

Lin Chen took the document: "Thank you, Commandant Zhang."

"Don't thank me yet." Zhang Heng's face revealed a meaningful smile. "There's one more thing. You were originally a convict, and according to the rules, even if you performed meritorious service, you could only be rewarded with silver, not promoted. But... General Liu Zhenshan recently issued an order that in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures should be taken. The border is in dire need of manpower, and those who have performed meritorious service, regardless of their background, can be promoted as appropriate."

He glanced at Captain Wu.

Team Leader Wu stepped forward, cleared his throat, and announced loudly, "Lin Chen, listen to my orders! Effective immediately, you are promoted to Squad Leader of the Third Platoon of the C-Class Patrol Battalion, commanding five men in your platoon! The former Squad Leader, Sun Cheng, is transferred to the position of Deputy Platoon Leader of the C-Class Patrol Battalion! Furthermore, you are awarded five taels of silver as encouragement!"

Corporal!

Although it was only the lowest-ranking military position, with a command of no more than five people, it meant that Lin Chen had completely shed his "exile" status and become a formal low-ranking officer in the border army! He now had a rank, a meager salary, and... a little bit of capital to stand on his own two feet.

Zhao Tiegu and Li the Cripple were overjoyed. Sun Cheng remained expressionless, but there was no dissatisfaction in his eyes. Instead, he nodded slightly to Lin Chen. He was getting on in years, and his promotion to deputy sentry commander was a clear step, allowing him to be somewhat relieved of frontline combat.

"Thank you, General! Thank you, Captain! Thank you, Squad Leader!" Lin Chen clasped his hands in a salute, his voice steady, showing little excitement.

Zhang Heng seemed satisfied with his reaction, and waved for Captain Wu and Sun Cheng to leave first, leaving only him and Lin Chen in the barracks.

"Lin Chen," Zhang Heng lowered his voice, "this promotion was something I fought hard for with General Liu. Chen Hong is bound to be unhappy, but since General Liu has given his approval, he has nothing to say for the time being."

He stared at Lin Chen: "I promoted you because I value your ability and courage. The patrol battalion needs people who dare to fight and take risks, especially at this time. But you must also remember that sitting in this position, even more people will be watching you. Although Wang Scarface is dead, his faction is still around. Chen Hong will not let this go easily."

"This subordinate understands," Lin Chen said in a deep voice, "and will certainly live up to the captain's expectations."

"Talk is cheap." Zhang Heng waved his hand. "You have three days to unite your entire squad into a cohesive unit. After three days, there will be a new mission. If you do well, your future will be bright. If you don't... military law is merciless."

After saying that, he turned and left, but stopped at the door and looked back at Lin Chen: "By the way, your movement technique and your sense of danger are very good. Make good use of them."

The barracks fell silent again.

Zhao Tiegu leaned closer, rubbing his hands together with a beaming smile: "Sergeant! Hehe, now we finally have a little place to stay!"

Li the Cripple smiled, but there was still worry in his eyes: "Commander Zhang's last words... were a reminder, and a warning. It won't be easy to win over the people in the corps in three days. Sun Cheng is an honest man, and he's been transferred. The one left..." He glanced at the empty bunk next to him, which originally belonged to another soldier from the third corps. He seemed to have been on duty at another section of the city wall last night.