Recruitment

"Not bad," Xu Yuan responded softly, a hint of approval in his eyes. "In this life, there are things a man must do, and things he must not. Someone in this world always has to step up." Hearing this, Colonel Wang broke into a grin, but a moment later, the young man's calm voice drifted over once more: "Yet it is utterly meaningless." "..." The air froze. Colonel Wang had no idea how to respond. Xu Yuan flipped the book in his hand to the final page, looking at the sharp, forceful name written in still-wet ink. "Good handwriting. Wang Jiadian—that should be a courtesy name. Were you from a prominent family?" "..." Colonel Wang hesitated briefly before following his lead. "It is a long story. My father was once an official in Daze Province. Twenty-eight years ago, he was exiled to military service here." "I see. Political strife, a frame-up, or backing the wrong faction?" Xu Yuan asked. "..." Colonel Wang's eyes wavered, but mindful of his benefactor's kindness, he answered truthfully, "My father embezzled funds." Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised that he had actually spoken the truth. Still, his background was relatively clean. Shaking his head slightly, he said, "You wrote your name here because you intend to scale the gates of the Wanxiang Sect alone?" "Yes." "You practice military techniques. In a one-on-one fight against any fourth-rank Body Integration expert, you wouldn't stand a chance. Have you thought about how you'll end up?" "I have." "And you still intend to go?" "Yes." "Is there any point to that?" "..." Silence fell. Looking at the burly man standing in silence, Xu Yuan gave a slight shake of his head. "Colonel Wang, you are not the first, nor will you be the last. There are countless people who think like you—from the Origin Realm all the way down to the common folk—throwing themselves into utterly meaningless deeds just out of sheer defiance." Saying this, Xu Yuan glanced outside the main hall. "Though perhaps it isn't entirely meaningless. Your comrades will likely record your deeds. If someone manages to eradicate the sects within the next hundred years, and if you are lucky enough, you might become a small footnote in the annals of history, remembered for your unyielding integrity. But if not, you will simply sink into oblivion without a ripple, just like those who came before you." "At least my conscience will be clear," Colonel Wang said resoundingly. "A clear conscience is also the greatest mark of helplessness." Xu Yuan looked at him and said in a low voice, "To die yourself and leave the rest behind for others..." "Young Master Zhou," Colonel Wang interrupted in a deep voice, asking bluntly, "If you have something to say, you may speak directly." Xu Yuan offered a faint smile. "Do you want revenge?" "Revenge?" A glint flashed in Colonel Wang's brown eyes, and his fists clenched instinctively before easing. "Naturally, I do..." "Then stay alive." Xu Yuan cut in, "Only by living will you have the chance to take revenge." Hearing those words, Colonel Wang's gaze softened. He laughed heartily, cupping his hands in a deep, respectful bow toward Xu Yuan. "Young Master Zhou, I appreciate your good intentions. But I have already weighed these matters. I will never be able to repay your immense kindness in this lifetime, but in the next life, I will serve you as an ox or a horse, entirely at your disposal." Xu Yuan sighed, holding up two fingers. "Twenty days. Once matters here are resolved, I also have business at the Wanxiang Sect. You may travel with me, Colonel Wang." Colonel Wang looked up slightly, a flicker of doubt showing in his eyes, but he still replied, "If I can have Young Master Zhou's company for the final leg of the journey, I will have no regrets in this life." "Don't say that." Xu Yuan waved his hand with a chuckle. "I'm not going there to die." Colonel Wang escorted Xu Yuan and the two women waiting by the door all the way to a guest courtyard within the county yamen. After offering a solemn bow, he did not return to the main hall to rest, heading straight toward the inner city. The town was in utter chaos, and a Body Integration expert like him was needed in person to oversee and coordinate affairs. Watching his silhouette vanish beyond the courtyard gate, Xu Xinyao suddenly asked in a low voice: "Third Brother, are you trying to recruit him?" Xu Yuan glanced at her and smiled faintly. "Naturally." Pausing, Xu Yuan looked at Xu Xinyao and smiled. "If you truly want to see your path through, don't associate too much with those second-generation scions. Spend more time around people from humble backgrounds—like... like Qin Mo." "..." Having been to Jingjiang Prefecture, Xu Xinyao naturally knew of the friction between that former "friend" and her third brother. She said softly, "Third Brother... I'm sorry." "I didn't blame you, so what are you apologizing for?" Xu Yuan reached out and pinched her cheek; it felt soft and tender beneath his fingers. "Of course, don't befriend people who are too much like Qin Mo, either. Men like him have convictions that are far too rigid; they'll easily lead you astray." "..." Ran Qingmo, following behind them, lifted her eyes to glance at Xu Yuan's gesture before casting them down again. Xu Yuan did not notice, simply asking in a soft voice, "Do you know why I want to recruit Colonel Wang?" Xu Xinyao shook her head and slipped out of his grasp, a faint red mark left on her cheek. Without any anger, she thought it over and said softly, "Because of his competence?" "If he lacked competence, why would I recruit him?" Xu Yuan chuckled and murmured, "His character is decent, and he possesses all the most vital qualities of a commander: decisiveness, coordination, and the ability to harden his heart when necessary. Don't be fooled by how he preferred to burn the city to protect the people just now rather than claim tens of thousands of demon cores. When the critical moment came, he was still ruthless enough. Earlier, when the refugees rioted and stormed the town, he directly ordered his men to keep cutting them down until the mob was subdued." At this point, Xu Yuan turned to Xu Xinyao and asked, "Still, that isn't the most important part. Can you guess what is?" Hearing this, Xu Xinyao lowered her pretty eyes and pondered for a moment, then murmured, "His clean background?" Xu Yuan flicked her forehead and smiled. "Spot on. Colonel Wang has stayed in this godforsaken Shengshan County for decades, yet he still managed to cultivate to fourth-rank Body Integration with such meager resources. That alone proves his talent and ability. Anyone with even a shred of backing would have been transferred away long ago. That is what makes him so rare and irreplaceable." Xu Xinyao rubbed her head and looked at Xu Yuan. "Third Brother, do you mean I should befriend commoner geniuses within the sects?" "It's practically the same thing, because the path you want to walk is fundamentally a dead end." Xu Yuan shrugged with mild resignation. "It's just that compared to your current friends among the sect playboys, commoners are bound by fewer conflicts of interest and have less attachment to their sects. It's easier for them to preserve their initial purity." Xu Xinyao pursed her lips. "Third Brother... is there truly no chance at all?" Xu Yuan nodded without hesitation. "Your path is simply too difficult. Even if you managed to succeed by sheer luck, it would only secure peace for a generation or two at most. If you want lasting peace, it can only be maintained by a powerful central authority." "..." Xu Xinyao fell silent. Xu Yuan patted the brocade cloak draped over her shoulders. "Truthfully, Fourth Sister, if you really want to know where the way forward lies, just head back to the Imperial Capital and enter the Gewu Academy. That is the place best suited for you. Compared to what Father is doing right now, formation arrays are what can truly change the world from the ground up."