524: Chapter 524 The Mercenary Recruitment Point Surrounded by Crowds

Everything was just as Zhao Xuan had anticipated; these people, who had struggled at the bottom of society for too long, had a burning desire in their hearts to change their fates and seek progress, like a blazing fire.

They were too eager for a chance to stand out and to rely on their own efforts to change their miserable lives.

Thus, driven by both profit and hope, they acted as if they had gone mad, wishing they could pull in all their relatives and friends, even anyone they could talk to, to sign up for the mercenaries.

Abdulrehim hurried to his friend Maimaitijiang's dilapidated mud house and rushed in as soon as he lifted the door curtain.

He grabbed Maimaitijiang's hand, his eyes shining with excitement, and said urgently, "Brother Maimaitijiang, come be a mercenary with me. There's good food and drink every day; we won't have to live by begging anymore!"

"This..."

Maimaitijiang hesitated.

Abdulrehim said, "Good brother, don't hesitate anymore."

"Come with me. When I become a Corporal, we brothers will work together and surely achieve great things, making all those who once mocked our poverty look at us with new respect!"

"Alright."

Maimaitijiang agreed; at the very least, becoming a mercenary meant he wouldn't starve to death.

The tall Halike found a group of similarly tall men; they were all retired veterans who worked as caravan guards.

As long as a caravan paid to hire them, they would protect it and risk their lives for it.

They were essentially living a life on the edge of a blade.

After hearing Halike describe the benefits and treatment of the mercenaries, they were all moved.

Being a mercenary paid much more than being a caravan guard.

So, they all agreed to Halike's proposal to become mercenaries.

A smile appeared on Halike's face; he had recruited ten people in one go, so he was guaranteed to become a Shi Zhang!

Besides Abdulrehim and Halike, others also worked hard to persuade their relatives and friends so that they could become officers.

By the time they returned to the recruitment site with their people, it was a scene of extraordinary hustle and bustle.

They surged toward the recruitment point like a tide.

"This one, this one, and that one—five people in total! I can be a Corporal now, right?"

Abdulrehim shouted at Zhao Xuan.

"Of course you can."

Zhao Xuan glanced at the translator and said.

Abdulrehim's expectant gaze also turned toward the translator, who then translated Zhao Xuan's words.

"Great!"

Abdulrehim looked extremely excited.

"Me, me, me, look over here! I brought ten people, so I can be a Shi Zhang now, right?"

Halike rubbed his hands together and asked, looking at Zhao Xuan.

"Of course!"

Zhao Xuan nodded again.

"I brought a hundred people; I should at least be given a Centurion position!"

Another man with sharp features and deep-set blue eyes walked over quickly, followed by a dense crowd of people.

His eyes gleamed as he stared intently at Zhao Xuan.

"Of course you can!"

Zhao Xuan said, "A Corporal's salary is higher than a regular soldier's, a Shi Zhang's salary is higher than a regular soldier's, and the treatment a Centurion receives is higher than both a Corporal and a Shi Zhang."

He explained the benefits of being a Corporal, a Shi Zhang, and a Centurion.

This made many of the newcomers heartened, and they all hurried back to persuade the people they knew.

Watching the endless stream of people coming to sign up, the corners of Zhao Xuan's mouth were pulled up high as if by an invisible thread, and he could not suppress his smile.

His heart was full of joy and relief, and his eyes shimmered with tears of excitement.

He knew that he could finally proudly present the results of his mission to the Consul General; he had not failed the Consul General's trust in him.

As the number of applicants continued to grow, the mercenary recruitment point became packed to the point of being impassable.

Zhao Xuan and his subordinates were incredibly busy, recording the applicants' information while maintaining order at the scene.

After finally finishing the work, Zhao Xuan immediately went to report to Zhao Fusu.