The next day, Oliver Sheng arranged for the veteran and Ian Zhang to stay in the barracks within the city.
Oliver didn’t let Ian lead the soldiers in the army but instead had him accompany the veteran, giving the veteran someone to command.
The reason for placing the veteran in the city barracks was to have him guard the distillery and the craftsman’s workshop.
The distillery was his gold mine; only with money could he purchase enough supplies to train his soldiers. The craftsman’s workshop could forge the heavy armor and weapons he needed.
These were the cornerstones of his plan to build a strong army, and there could be no mistakes.
As the distillery became more profitable, it was inevitable that others would become envious, so Oliver had to be prepared.
The garrison outside the distillery had already increased to a thousand soldiers, each clad in iron armor, wielding long spears, and carrying bows and crossbows, fully armed and guarding the distillery.
“Uncle, from now on, you will watch over the distillery and the craftsman’s workshop for me,” Oliver said to the veteran.
“Alright, I’ll help you keep an eye on the distillery and the craftsman’s workshop and guard your family business,” the veteran nodded, holding a jar of Western Wind Blaze, still dressed in his old battle armor, looking every bit the veteran he was, unchanged.
In the days that followed, the veteran patrolled the distillery and the craftsman’s workshop with Ian Zhang.
Oliver also made arrangements for Harrison Zhou and the other two, each leading five thousand light cavalry for training. Adding Felix Wu and Wesley Hu’s ten thousand light cavalry, that made a total of twenty-five thousand light cavalry.
For this, Oliver recruited an additional ten thousand reserve troops.
The craftsman’s workshop produced two thousand sets of heavy armor, and Oliver had a thousand sets sent to the Peace Army, along with some Western Wind Blaze for General Calvin Yang and others.
The remaining thousand sets of heavy armor were given to the heavy cavalry, forming a unit of three thousand heavy cavalry.
Three thousand heavy cavalry required nine thousand horses and at least three thousand auxiliary soldiers.
Therefore, Oliver directly recruited ten thousand auxiliary soldiers to support the heavy cavalry.
With money and high military pay, there was no shortage of recruits.
In no time, his forces swelled to fifty thousand soldiers.
Over-recruiting soldiers was nothing new to him; he had done it before, so why worry?
Now, he held significant military power, his strength at the late stage of the Great Grandmaster realm, practically invincible. He could follow orders without question, and even the Empress couldn’t command him.
With power, he could be this bold!
A month later!
On this day, Oliver summoned Wesley Hu, Cameron Guo, Harrison Zhou, Colonel Lin Jiang, and Sawyer Shangguan.
“General, what are your orders?”
“General, are we going to fight the barbarians?” Wesley Hu rubbed his hands eagerly.
He regretted not being able to fight the barbarians last time.
“I called you here because you are all at the Great Perfection stage of the Martial Master realm and should consider breaking through to the Prenatal Realm,” Oliver said, waving his hand and taking out five jade bottles from his spatial magic tool.
Each jade bottle contained a fifth-tier Breakthrough Pill.
Harrison Zhou, Lin Jiang, and Sawyer Shangguan were stunned. A spatial magic tool?!
Their general actually possessed a spatial magic tool!
Spatial magic tools were extremely rare, owned only by Great Grandmasters and above, and even then, they came at a great cost.
Not all Great Grandmasters could afford one.
Of course, those who cultivated the Dao were an exception.
After all, spatial magic tools were crafted by Daoist masters and the Tool Sect.
After their shock, their eyes lit up as they looked at the jade bottles Oliver had taken out. Fifth-tier Breakthrough Pills were priceless on the black market.
They couldn’t believe Oliver had taken out five at once, so extravagant!
“I hope you five can quickly break through to the Prenatal Realm, and then I will appoint you as Sixth Rank Assistant Generals, allowing you to rightfully lead an army,” Oliver said to them.
“Yes, General, we will not disappoint your expectations and nurturing,” Harrison Zhou and the others said, their hearts filled with excitement.
“Alright, take the pills and go. Leave the troops to your deputies and focus on breaking through,” Oliver waved his hand.
These pills were exchanged from Nolan Dan using higher-grade Western Wind Blaze.
Although the System’s Golden Finger also included fifth and sixth-tier Breakthrough Pills, Oliver was reluctant to use Kill Points to exchange for them.
Oliver was conducting large-scale training and giving fifth-tier Breakthrough Pills to Wesley Hu, Cameron Guo, Harrison Zhou, and Sawyer Shangguan, preparing for a major campaign to conquer the River West grasslands.
The Great Grandmaster of the Xianyou Tribe had been killed by Oliver, and their army and vital forces had been severely weakened. If not for the sudden call for help from Peace Pass, Oliver might have already conquered the River West grasslands.
The Xianyou Tribe was now in a state of despair. Their Great Grandmaster’s fate was unknown, and Kaden Yu’s second uncle, Yu Lin, had taken over as the tribe leader, with Kaden’s position as the prince falling to his cousin from his second uncle’s family.
Recently, Kaden Yu had been living a miserable life. His grandfather never returned, his father was dead, and the tribe was controlled by his second uncle, leaving him powerless.
After Yu Lin took over the tribe, he began gathering warriors and training them continuously, as Great Wei could attack at any moment, and other barbarian tribes were also eyeing the River West grasslands.
The barbarian tribes were not united; the ten major tribes had ambitions to annex each other and unify the barbarians.
The Xianyou Tribe was now facing internal and external troubles, with low morale and a loss of elite forces.
Two days after receiving the fifth-tier Breakthrough Pills, Wesley Hu, Cameron Guo, Harrison Zhou, and the others successfully broke through to the Prenatal Realm.
Oliver sensed their breakthroughs and nodded in satisfaction.
After their breakthroughs, they immediately came to report the good news to Oliver.
“General, I’ve broken through, hahaha, the Prenatal Realm,” Wesley Hu laughed, overjoyed.
He had once thought the Prenatal Realm was out of reach.
But since following Oliver, in just over half a year, he had advanced from the Great Perfection stage of the Martial Master realm to the early Prenatal stage.
“General, I, Cameron, have not disappointed you and have successfully broken through to the Prenatal Realm. I will follow you through fire and water without hesitation,” Cameron Guo said solemnly, clasping his fists.
“General, we will follow you through fire and water without hesitation,” Harrison Zhou, Sawyer Shangguan, and the others also said solemnly, clasping their fists.
Oliver had given them the fifth-tier Breakthrough Pills without asking for anything in return, which was a great favor.
“Alright, no need to be so serious. It’s good that you’ve broken through,” Oliver said with a smile.
Including Felix Wu, he now had six Prenatal generals under his command, ensuring he wouldn’t be short of capable leaders in the future.
“Now that you’ve all broken through to the Prenatal Realm, I appoint you as Sixth Rank Assistant Generals.”
This was a power granted to him by the Empress, and he intended to use it.
“Thank you, General!”
The five of them were full of joy, not only having broken through to the Prenatal Realm but also becoming generals.
Sixth Rank Assistant Generals were officially part of Great Wei’s military hierarchy.
After appointing the five of them, Oliver sent them off to train their troops.
Ten days later!
Oliver gathered his subordinate generals.
Seeing that the others had all broken through to the Prenatal Realm, Xiao Chuyi no longer suppressed her cultivation and broke through as well.
With seven Assistant Generals and Wang Zhan, Oliver now had eight Prenatal subordinates.
Adding Chi Tiansheng, whose strength was comparable to the Great Perfection stage of the Prenatal Realm, Oliver’s subordinates had significantly increased in strength.
“Today, I called you here to prepare for a campaign to the River West grasslands, to annihilate the barbarians and reclaim our territory,” Oliver said firmly.
Everyone’s hearts instantly burned with excitement, their blood boiling.
A campaign to the River West grasslands, to annihilate the barbarians and reclaim territory, would be an unparalleled honor.
Reclaiming territory, expanding the land, and achieving glory was every general’s dream.
It was a temptation that could bring honor to their ancestors and leave their names in history.
“General, let’s march now and take down the barbarians, reclaim our land and mountains,” Wesley Hu and the others said, their eyes burning with determination.
“Alright, Cameron Guo will lead the Wei Wu Troops to guard River West County against a potential Hun attack. The rest of you, prepare for tomorrow’s assembly and march to flatten the River West barbarians and reclaim our land,” Oliver said loudly.
“Yes, General!!”
The soldiers were all fired up, except for Cameron Guo, who felt a bit regretful about being left to guard River West County again.
His Wei Wu Troops were only suitable for defending the city, not for charging into battle.
River West County was now Oliver’s base, and he naturally wanted Cameron Guo to guard it well, without any mistakes.
The subordinate generals eagerly went to gather their soldiers. The next day, outside the city barracks.
On the training field, the soldiers stood in neat rows, their military aura condensed, exuding a solemn and intimidating presence.
Oliver stood on the command platform, looking at his soldiers, tens of thousands of them, their eyes filled with anticipation as they looked at him.
“Soldiers, today we assemble, and you all know why.
Indeed, this general intends to march to the River West grasslands, to annihilate the barbarians and reclaim our Great Wei’s territory. Are you willing to follow this general to reclaim our land?” Oliver shouted.
“Annihilate the barbarians, reclaim our land!”
“Annihilate the barbarians, reclaim our land!”
The soldiers shouted, their voices like a tidal wave, shaking the heavens and earth. The residents in the city heard it clearly.
Magistrate Chen stood behind Oliver, his blood boiling, wishing he could draw his sword and ride out with Oliver to reclaim the land.
“Wesley Hu, Felix Wu, Harrison Zhou, Xiao Batian, Lin Jiang, Sawyer Shangguan, heed my order.”
“At your command!”
The six of them stepped forward, their armor imposing, their spirits high.
“Lead the troops, march, and set out,” Oliver commanded.
“Yes!”
The six of them immediately led their respective troops out. Xiao Chuyi’s unit was ordered to protect the supplies and ensure the safety of the auxiliary soldiers.
“Cameron Guo, I entrust River West County to you. This is our base, the root of our River West Army. This heavy responsibility falls on you, and you must not fail,” Oliver said to Cameron Guo.
“General, as long as the city stands, I will stand. If the city falls, I will fall,” Cameron Guo swore.
“Alright, I leave home in your hands. Your contributions will not go unrewarded,” Oliver patted Cameron Guo’s shoulder.
Then Oliver personally led three thousand heavy cavalry.
“Move out!!”
Banners fluttered, iron cavalry clanged, heading towards the grasslands.
This campaign to reclaim the River West grasslands and battle the barbarians would make his name known throughout the world.
It was time to make his mark on this world.
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