8: Talent

“Hahaha, with Lin Yue, how can I worry about failing to achieve great things!”

Liaodong Commandery, outside Heyecheng.

Inside a Mountain Bandit camp, corpses lay everywhere, and countless Mountain Bandits were forced to kneel in a row by Soldiers. The flickering flames illuminated the ferocious faces of the few leaders.

They were unwilling, not understanding how the Qin Army had found this place.

“It has to be Lin Yue! In five days, he led us to eight bandit hideouts. When we return, I will personally request a commendation for you!” The square-faced man laughed, continuously patting the shoulder of the handsome young man beside him.

“It’s clearly Military Marquis’s credit. This Subordinate merely did his duty,” Lin Yue said with an unnatural smile.

Don't trick me! Who knows if there are players among the Mountain Bandits kneeling before him? He doesn't want to be hated by players!

“Don’t be modest. Thanks to you, the other two companies combined only managed to eliminate three camps. Our company has really made a name for itself this time!” The Military Marquis laughed heartily.

He was even more satisfied with Lin Yue’s humility. The Heyecheng Commandant was about to be transferred, and with these merits, he had a great chance of taking over that position.

The Qin People valued military achievements, but unfortunately, the world had been peaceful for a long time, making military merits hard to come by. However, recently the Main God had sent down 'outsiders', and Mountain Bandits also took the opportunity to emerge, which gave them a path upward!

But the Mountain Bandits’ movements were unpredictable. By the time the Qin Army arrived, the Mountain Bandits had long disappeared, making it very difficult to find them!

However, ever since Lin Yue arrived, this problem was solved! He could often find the Mountain Bandit lairs in one go, which allowed the Army to turn passive into active, often delivering a fatal blow!

This was simply his lucky star!

“This time, the bandit leader was more troublesome. Zhang Dabao was seriously injured and won’t be able to continue serving in the Military Camp after he recovers.”

“When we return, you will take his place,” the Military Marquis said to Lin Yue.

“Thank you, Military Marquis! This Subordinate will certainly live up to Military Marquis’s high expectations!” Lin Yue said excitedly.

Zhang Dabao was a standard bearer; if he took his place, wouldn't that mean another promotion?

He just didn't know what rewards the game would give this time!

“Eight camps in five days! You truly are a damn talent!” The Military Marquis grew more excited the more he thought about it, and he clapped Lin Yue hard on the back, making Lin Yue stumble and almost fall to the ground!

Lin Yue barely managed to steady himself, then heard the game's prompt.

【Congratulations, Player, for slaying three Mountain Bandits, gaining 30 merit points!】

【Congratulations, Player, for reaching a cumulative kill count of ten, unlocking the Achievement Panel! You have obtained the title: Great Qin Defender (Brave Level)!】

Achievement Panel! Lin Yue was a little surprised and quickly checked the effect of this achievement.

【Great Qin Defender: To live and die for the Great Qin Empire, abide by Qin laws, maintain Great Qin’s public order, protect Great Qin’s safety, and swear to defend the glory of the Great Qin Empire to the death. When the player’s affiliated force is Qin, merit growth rate +10%, prestige +100】

Currently, there was only this single achievement on the Achievement Panel, but based on this achievement, he could infer that 'Hundred Kills' and 'Thousand Kills' should also be achievements!

“Reporting to Military Marquis, this Subordinate is incompetent; a small group of mounted bandits escaped!” A burly Soldier’s report interrupted Lin Yue’s thoughts.

Lin Yue secretly clicked his tongue in wonder. This time, they had set up a dragnet, yet a small group still managed to escape under heavy encirclement. It seemed there were capable people among the Mountain Bandits too!

The Military Marquis led Lin Yue to an open space, where a Soldier was continuously beating the Mountain Bandits!

“Did you get anything out of them?” the Military Marquis asked in a deep voice.

“This Subordinate is incompetent; they refuse to speak,” the Soldier pleaded guilty.

“Oh? There are still people with such backbone?” the Military Marquis asked in surprise.

Lin Yue also became interested. In these days, he rarely saw Mountain Bandits with such backbone. After all, the game’s setting was roughly based on history, and these Great Qin Soldiers were fiercer than the last; few could keep their mouths shut in front of them.

“Military Lord, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything!” Suddenly, a Mountain Bandit knelt and shouted!

“Why didn’t you say anything when I asked just now?” The Soldier said with resentment, feeling insulted.

“You just kept asking me ‘Are you going to talk, are you going to talk,’ but you never asked me a question, so I didn’t know what to say!” The Mountain Bandit recalled the scene just now, a look of pain on his face.

“You won’t speak if I don’t ask?”

“If you didn’t ask, how was I supposed to speak?”

“Alright, alright, who were all the people who just escaped?” Lin Yue quickly interrupted their conversation.

He hadn't expected to encounter a scene usually only found in novels today. If he let the two of them keep talking, there would be no end to it.

“It should be the Great Chieftain and the Military Advisor! The two of them disappeared before you arrived, so it must be them.” The Mountain Bandit immediately blurted out everything he knew, truly afraid of encountering another madman.

“Military Advisor?” At these words, everyone’s eyes widened.

“Is it someone named Zhao Bo?” Lin Yue asked.

“Yes, it’s him!” The Mountain Bandit nodded frantically, like a pounding garlic.

Everyone gasped, it was truly too incredible. This Military Advisor was not the first time they had dealt with him. In previous bandit suppressions, at least half of the fortresses' Military Advisors were this person!

Even more incredible was that he managed to escape every single time! Could there be an inside man?

Probably not, after all, if there was an inside man in the Military Camp, there would be no need to do such a thing; they could completely act like Lin Yue and be a 'sneaky' one.

After all, Lin Yue had earned 150 taels of silver from this in recent days, and after deducting the 29 taels distributed, he still had 121 taels of silver left. Wasn't that much more than what an inside man would earn?

Lin Yue simply stopped thinking about it. No matter how good he was at escaping, it wouldn't affect his money-making plan.

“Intensify efforts, we must find this Zhao Bo!” The Military Marquis ordered in a deep voice, then walked out.

The Second Chieftain had already surrendered, and the escape of the Great Chieftain and the Military Advisor, although disrupting the plan, was inconsequential to the overall situation. After all, there were so many Mountain Bandits; there was no need to dwell on these two fish that slipped through the net.

Time was money. Instead of spending time looking for them, it was better to take down a few more Mountain Bandit camps and earn more silver!

Then Lin Yue once again opened the regional chat panel, revealing a sly smile.

Unbeknownst to him, someone was secretly observing this scene.

Finally, Lin Yue chose the nearest Mountain Bandit camp, slightly adjusted his breathing, and then said:

“Military Marquis, during yesterday’s search, this Subordinate discovered more than just this one camp.”

“There’s more?” The Military Marquis’s eyes gleamed, and he quickly pressed for details.

“It’s not far from here,” Lin Yue said with a smile.

“Generals, listen to my order! Leave one company of men to escort the captives; the rest of the Generals and Soldiers will come with me!” The Military Marquis commanded, and the Soldiers also showed joy on their faces—this was work!

Seeing this, Lin Yue pointed out the general direction to the Military Marquis, then smiled.

“Military Marquis, I know a shortcut. Follow me.”