At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

The Daqian Army Camp, the location of the cook camp.

The autumn sun shone directly overhead, making the sand on the ground scorching hot.

Two hundred cooks stood in neat rows, holding broadswords, their eyes fixed intently on Su Mu ahead.

After more than a month of hard training, their physiques are many times stronger than when they first entered the camp.

The muscles in his arms bulged, his back was straight, and the timidity and confusion in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a calm sharpness.

Su Mu stood at the very front of the group, his body hunched over, his eyes fixed intently on the people in front of him.

"Five Tigers Severing the Gate Saber, how's your training going?"

"Reporting to Elder Su, I have learned it all!"

Su Mu's lips curled up slightly.

"very good."

For the past month, Su Mu has been extremely strict with them.

Every day, I would get up before dawn to practice swordsmanship, chopping, hacking, slashing, and sweeping. Each movement had to be repeated hundreds of times until my arms ached so much I couldn't lift them, until blisters formed on my thumbs and forefingers, until my clothes were soaked with sweat and then dried, and then soaked again.

Some people thought about giving up, and some complained in private, but no one actually left.

Because they knew that what Master Su taught them was not just swordsmanship, but the skills to survive, the ability to kill enemies, and the guarantee to survive on the battlefield in the future.

Su Mu nodded, then changed the subject, saying:

"From today onwards, you no longer need to do the work of the cooks."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the group.

"What? You're quitting? Then who's going to cook?"

"Old Su, if we quit, what will the brothers in the army eat?"

"Yes, Elder Su, although we've learned swordsmanship, we're still just cooks."

Su Mu raised his hand, silencing the commotion.

"The prefect of Yuzhou has already found cooks from the city to take charge of the army's meals."

"From now on, new cooks will take over your duties."

"You have more important things to do now."

He paused, his eyes scanning each face.

"You will be assigned to various battalions as centurions."

"What you need to do next is to pass on the Five Tigers Severing the Gate Saber technique you have learned to your soldiers."

"One centurion leads one hundred soldiers, and two hundred centurions make twenty thousand soldiers."

"If one person teaches a hundred, the Five Tigers Severing the Gate Saber technique can be passed down from generation to generation in our army."

The group fell silent at first.

Then, things exploded like a pot boiling over.

"A centurion? Did I hear that right? I... I'm going to be a centurion?"

"Oh my god! I thought I'd be cooking for the rest of my life, but I never imagined this day would come!"

"Wife! I've become an official!"

"As expected, following Elder Su has a promising future! I knew from the beginning that Elder Su was no ordinary person!"

Everyone was so moved that tears welled up in their eyes.

Looking at this group of men who were as excited as children, Su Mu felt very gratified.

The cooks were brought to prominence.

"but!"

"Let me make this clear from the start: if anyone doesn't teach diligently and tries to cheat or shirk their duties, don't blame me for being impolite."

"Yes, sir!" the two hundred people answered in unison, their voices louder, more unified, and more resolute than before.

Su Mu waved his hand.

"Disperse. Go to your respective tents to pack your things and report to Commandant Zhou."

Two hundred cooks bowed deeply to Su Mu in unison before turning and dispersing.

His steps were light and quick, and his face was full of smiles.

……

After leaving the fire station, Su Mu did not return to his own tent, but instead headed towards the drill ground to the west.

That was the garrison of You Zhongyi's troops.

After You Zhongyi led 1,200 brothers from Qingfeng Village to join the army, Qin Hao appointed him as a captain and allowed him to lead his original troops to form an independent battalion, known as the "Qingfeng Battalion".

On the drill ground, the brothers of Qingfeng Battalion were training.

There were 1,200 people, divided into more than a dozen formations, some practicing swordsmanship, some practicing spearmanship, some practicing horsemanship, and some practicing archery.

Although their movements weren't quite synchronized, their teamwork was fairly good.

You Zhongyi stood in the center of the training ground, holding a long spear in his hand, his eyes blazing, shouting loudly to direct the training.

His voice was loud and clear, and his movements were swift and agile, making him a completely different person from when he was in Qingfeng Village.

"Thrust! Retract! Thrust again! Retract again! Keep your spear steady, your mind calm, and don't panic!"

"The blade must be swift, the force fierce; one strike, and it's either you or me!"

"Everyone, perk up!"

"yes!"

The shouts of 1,200 people shook the dust up the training ground.

Su Mu stood at the edge of the training ground, looking at these former bandits, a slight smile playing on his lips.

These young men, though untamed, are all good at heart.

With proper guidance, he will surely achieve great things in the future.

"Old Su!"

Upon seeing Su Mu, You Zhongyi immediately put down his spear, strode over, and clasped his hands in a salute.

"Mr. Su, what brings you here? Are you here to inspect our training?"

Su Mu waved his hand and laughed, "This old man is just taking a stroll and checking on how your training is going."

You Zhongyi grinned, pointing to the group of sweating brothers behind him, his voice full of pride.

"Don't worry, Master Su! These kids may be a bit wild, but when they practice kung fu, they're all incredibly dedicated."

"It won't be long before they're all ready to fight!"

Su Mu nodded and was about to speak when a young voice suddenly came from the crowd.

"Old Su!"

A young man in his early twenties squeezed out of the crowd, all smiles, and bowed to Su Mu.

"Old Su, we've all heard that you have unparalleled swordsmanship, capable of killing Yeluqi with a single strike."

"But none of us brothers have ever seen it in person, and we're really itching to try it. Could you... show us what you can do?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding brothers began to clamor.

"That's right! Old Su, show us your skills!"

"Let's broaden our horizons!"

"Mr. Su, please satisfy our curiosity!"

"Even if you don't show off your swordsmanship, showing off your archery skills would be nice."

You Zhongyi's expression changed drastically.

He turned his head sharply, glared at the young man who had spoken, and said sternly, "Li Erwa! Stop fooling around!"

The young man named Li Erwa shrank back, but still refused to retreat, muttering, "Boss, I was just curious..."

Su Mu raised his hand to stop You Zhongyi.

"It's alright."

He stepped forward and looked at Li Erwa.

This young man was in his early twenties, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, broad shoulders, and a shrewd and clever air about him.

He carried a bow on his back, its limbs worn smooth and shiny, clearly an old object that had been used for many years.

"Young man, what's your name?"

"Reporting to Elder Su, my name is Li Erwa!"

"You can shoot arrows?"

Upon hearing this, Li Erwa's eyes lit up, he patted the bow on his back, and straightened his back ramrod straight.

"Old Su, I started hunting in the mountains with my father when I was five years old, and my archery skills are already superb!"

"I'm not bragging, but while I wouldn't dare say I'm a perfect shot, there's really no one in the surrounding area who can match my archery skills!"

Immediately, some people in the crowd started to make a fuss.

"Old Su, Erwa wasn't lying! He's the best archer in our Qingfeng Battalion!"

"Yes! Erwa's archery skills are truly amazing!"

You Zhongyi stood to the side, glaring fiercely at Li Erwa, then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Su Mu and said, "Old Su, these lads have just joined the army and haven't shaken off their bandit-like ways yet. They speak without any respect for elders. Please don't take it to heart; this humble general will certainly discipline them properly!"

Su Mu waved his hand, not blaming him, but rather showing some interest.

"You can shoot arrows? Great!"

"It's been a few years since I last touched a bow, and my hands are itching to play. Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I'll play with you."

These words immediately caused an uproar on the training ground.

"Alright! Old Su is going to have an archery contest with Erwa!"

"Make way! Make way! Clear some space!"

"Go, Erwa!"

More than a thousand people retreated to both sides of the drill ground in unison, making way for a large open space.

You Zhongyi ordered two targets to be set up a hundred paces away, and then brought out a strong bow from the army.

Li Erwa took the longbow off his back, took a deep breath, walked to the firing line, spread his legs, straightened his back, and drew his bow.

"Whoosh!"

The arrow pierced the air like a shooting star, hitting the bullseye perfectly!

"good!"

"Well done, Erwa!"

"Heart! The bullseye!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd.

Li Erwa put down his bow, turned around, and grinned at Su Mu. His smile was tinged with smugness and a hint of provocation.

Su Mu smiled slightly and remained silent.

He walked to the firing line and took the bow that You Zhongyi handed him.

It was a hard bow used in the army, with a draw weight of 1.2 stones, which was difficult for ordinary soldiers to draw fully.

Su Mu gripped the bow arm with his withered fingers and tested his strength.

Then he drew three arrows from his quiver.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the three arrows in Su Mu's hand.

Three arrows.

"Is Elder Su... going to launch a three-pronged attack?"

"No way? Three arrows fired at once? That would require incredible strength and accuracy!"

"Shh, don't talk, just watch!"

Li Erwa's smile froze on his face.

His mouth was slightly open, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

Su Mu remained expressionless, casually pulling the bowstring taut with his hand, and three arrows were nocked.

Then, the bow was drawn to its full extent.

"Whoosh!"

Three whooshing sounds rang out almost simultaneously, as three arrows, like three black lightning bolts, hurtled straight for the bullseye.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

All three arrows hit the bullseye.

The arrows were clustered together, hitting the bullseye and sending wood chips flying; the fletchings of the three arrows were still buzzing and vibrating.

The drill ground was deathly silent.

Twelve hundred pairs of eyes were fixed on the bullseye.

The three arrows were tightly packed in the very center of the bullseye, each one a bullseye, and each one shot deeper than Li Erwa's arrow.

Li Erwa's mouth was open, unable to close.

His eyes widened like copper bells, and the smugness on his face had long been replaced by shock.

He looked at the target, then at Su Mu, but didn't say a word.

He started shooting arrows at the age of five and practiced for more than ten years, thinking he was already a master archer.

But Su Mu's simultaneous firing of three arrows, each hitting the bullseye, instantly made him understand what it meant to be outmatched and capable.

His earlier smugness and provocation now seemed so ridiculous and ignorant.

"Old Su is a master archer!"

"Old Su!"

"That's amazing! That's amazing!"

Su Mu handed the bow to the soldier beside him, dusted off his hands, turned around, looked at Li Erwa, and smiled slightly.

"Young man, your archery is quite good. You have a solid foundation, a steady shot, and good accuracy. Keep practicing, and you will surely achieve great things in the future."

"Remember, there is no end to learning, and no end to martial arts."

Li Erwa's eyes instantly reddened, and he knelt on the ground with a thud, clasping his hands in a fist and saying, "Old Su, I was wrong! I will remember Old Su's teachings!"

Su Mu waved his hand, and with his withered hand helped Li Erwa up.

Get up.

"Martial arts sparring is not limited by seniority."

Li Erwa stood up, nodded vigorously, wiped his eyes, and turned to run back to the group.

Su Mu didn't say anything more and turned to leave the training ground.

Behind him, You Zhongyi watched Su Mu's hunched back gradually disappear into the distance. After a moment of silence, he turned around and faced the 1,200 brothers of the Qingfeng Camp.

"You saw everything?"

"Did you hear everything?"

"This is Elder Su, a hundred years old, with divine swordsmanship and unparalleled archery skills."

"Even such a person is humble and low-key."

"And you? You've learned a little bit of skill, and you think you're invincible?"

"From today onwards, all of you, put away that bandit-like behavior! This is a military camp, not a mountain stronghold."

"You are able to stand here because of the opportunity given to you by Elder Su."

"If anyone disgraces Elder Su or the Qingfeng Camp, I, You Zhongyi, will be the first to object!"

"Now, all of you, get back to training!"

"yes!"

At this moment, no one was joking around anymore, and no one was slacking off.

They picked up swords and spears, raised bows and arrows, and practiced each move with utmost seriousness.

Su Mu did not go far outside the training ground.

He smiled with satisfaction and relief when he saw these guys starting to change their attitude.

These young men are teachable!

Just then, the system's mechanical voice came through.

[Ding! Side quest has been issued. Please check it promptly!]