Sending souls back to their hometown is a nice job. You can get military honors for completing the mission and you can also go back to your hometown. It can be said that everyone likes it.
And the security commander only needs to run around to have the opportunity to enter the palace to meet the saint, which is even more exciting.
However, the hierarchy in the military is very strict, so these benefits naturally go to senior generals first.
The Starfall Legion that Ren Ning belongs to is one of the most outstanding legions in the empire, and its generals and bodyguards are among the best in a million.
Although its military rank is not high, it is essentially equivalent to the Qian Commander (battalion commander) of other legions. When necessary, the general can directly ask his personal guards to lead the troops in battle instead of the commander or battalion commander.
Therefore, the only people who can challenge Ren Ning on stage are the general's personal guards or the commanders and battalion commanders of other legions.
Low-level soldiers like Gu Datou, even if they are brave and resourceful, have no chance of challenging.
However, this kind of challenge is just a formality, and basically no one will participate.
The candidates on the stage were selected from the generals who signed up, representing the meaning of the fortress. Not to mention whether the others can fight or not, it is troublesome to annoy the fortress behind.
The reason why this challenge scene has always existed is not only for the fortress to show the meaning of fairness and justice to the outside world, but also for telling the fellow soldiers.
Look, this is your safety command order for sending souls back home this time. Don't get the wrong person.
Because the soldiers escorting the heroic spirits did not know each other. Like Ren Ning, most of them happened to be on vacation, and a few from the east and a few from the west gathered together.
Challenge time is a stick of incense.
After the incense is burned, if no one comes on stage, the hot safety commander will fall into the hands of the five people on the stage.
However, this time the incense had just been lit when a middle-aged man with a full beard came onto the stage carrying a dark and heavy machete.
"Ma Dali, what are you doing?" After a period of silence, someone in the audience shouted.
Someone didn't think it was a big deal and asked, "Ma Qianchang, who are you going to challenge?".
Ma Dali walked straight to the youngest Ren Ning without looking back.
He arched his hands and said in a loud voice: "Yingchuan, Ma Dali. My little brother is offended."
Ren Ning was slightly startled. He was not angry and returned the favor, "Xingluo, Ren Ning."
"Is Ma Qianchang bullying me for being young, or what does he mean?" Ren Ning asked.
Ma Dali chuckled, his smile a little cold.
It is said that people are more irritating than others. He has been fighting hard for half his life, and he has been through hundreds of battles for nearly forty years before he became a thousand-year-old man.
How could the boy in front of him, who had a hairless mouth but was unable to do anything well, be on an equal footing with him? He could even gain the favor of the fortress and prioritize him as a security commander.
Ma Dali, who also signed up, was full of dissatisfaction.
In addition, a few days ago, Gu Qishui of Yingchuan County led ten Yingchuan soldiers out to collect the remains of the martyrs, but they were summarily beaten by Ren Ning and his Xingluo soldiers without any resistance.
This incident caused a great uproar and spread throughout the fortress that day.
In particular, Ren Ning's own martial arts, together with the healing elixir he produced called Life-Chasing Powder, were astonished by the many witnesses present and were highly praised.
I don't know what others are thinking about Ma Dali, but he has been feeling unhappy these days.
Walking around the camp, the fortress has been very lively recently.
In addition to the topic of sending souls back home, everyone was talking about how Ren Ning beat Gu Qishui to the point of being unable to fight back, and how the other Xingluo people managed to keep the Yingchuan people in submission with just three strikes. .
Ma Dali became angrier as he listened.
But later it was found out that Gu Qishui was indeed a spy, so he didn't dare to argue out loud and had to keep his depression in his stomach.
After a few days, especially when he knew that he had failed to be selected as the security commander again, his depression suddenly exploded.
hey-hey.
Ma Dali's face was expressionless.
"Since the fortress has set up an arena, it means that others are allowed to come on stage to challenge."
"You and I happen to be at the same level, and Lao Ma feels that both in terms of qualifications and strength, he is more suitable to be the security commander than you, the personal guard."
"That's why I came here to challenge you." He squinted at Ren Ning, "Do you still have any questions?"
"No." Ren Ning shook his head.
He pulled out his saber with his backhand and walked out, "Then start now?"
Ma Dali hesitated for a moment, then looked at the school referee and nodded, "Let's start like this."
He is a warrior on horseback, and all his skills are on horseback. However, one look at his face showed that Ren Ning was much younger than him.
Ma Dali shamelessly asked to bring his war horse with him.
"You two wait a moment, don't be impatient."
Seeing the excitement, many soldiers in the audience cheered up and started shouting for gambling.
"Let's gamble. Let's gamble. We guarantee the credibility of our company for ten years."
"Buy and leave. Xingluo Renning will pay five to one, Yingchuan Ma Dali will pay one to one..."
The fortress cannot prohibit gambling, but it cannot prohibit gambling.
It is said that small bets are good for pleasure and big bets are harmful to the body. The fortress does not allow such big bets to bet one's life on one's own.
"I'll bet five taels, and I'll win if the star falls." Gu Datou's duck voice sounded soul-stirring.
Ren Ning wiped his sweat.
Five taels of silver was almost half a year's worth of Gu Datou's military service, which was definitely a lot.
Last fall, Ren Ning helped his brothers from the Eighth Cavalry Battalion write letters home. At that time, Gu Datou sent his military letters back to his hometown along with his letters home.
The five taels of silver he has taken out now is probably his entire net worth.
Ren Ning looked around and had no choice but to take back his saber first, smiled and handed over his hands to the audience, signaling for everyone to place their bets first.
He's not in a hurry.
After signing up to compete for security commander, he can stand on the stage first. He himself has been recognized by the fortress and the legion.
Ma Dali was now challenging not only him, but also the entire fortress behind him. He is under more pressure than Ren Ning.
Sure enough, several coughs sounded majestically below.
Ma Dali suddenly felt sweat on his forehead.
But after reaching this point, he could no longer look back and had no choice but to hold on.
The news spread quickly, and there was a lot of commotion. More and more soldiers gathered in the audience.
The soldiers outside couldn't squeeze in, and the soldiers inside came out again, so we had to open a few more handicaps.
The fortress is too big, and not many people have seen Ren Ning and Ma Dali. However, in recent days, Ren Ning has become famous, and his name is ringing in the ears of the soldiers frequently. It is said that his fame is greater than that of Ma Dali, an unknown thousand-year-old man.
"Is he Ren Ning?" Later, Ren Gui pointed at the bearded Ma Dali, "Sure enough, he looks majestic and domineering. I will keep him."
Ahem!
Someone next to me reminded, "The younger one is the one."
Everyone was in an uproar.
I go!
He looks so young, he must have only joined the army for less than two years.
The fortress has been vigorously promoting it. Could it be that this guy is a second-generation official with a great background?
What I hate most in my life are these second-generation officials.
But no matter what your background is, if your subordinates see the truth in the ring and Uncle Beard calls him Dali, they will take care of him.
People who know Ren Ning only know the Eighth Cavalry Battalion where Datou is located, but a battalion of cavalry only has 800 to 1,000 cavalry. It was inconspicuous in the fortress of 150,000 people.
The others thought about it, thought about it, and almost unanimously chose to bet on Ma Dali.
After another round of tossing, I finally decided to leave. Dense eyes were cast on the two people present.
cough!
Ma Dali coughed.
He said loudly: "Thank you all brothers for your love and willingness to bet on me."
"But the old horse is a cavalry, and it is only on horseback that it has the greatest combat power." He chuckled and handed over to the countless soldiers in the audience. "Brothers, do you mind if I summon the mount?"
"Of course I don't mind."
"Ma Qianchang has superb riding skills and is invincible on horseback. Naturally, he must be paired with a mount to get down to business."
…
Amid the commotion, many people remained silent.
Cavalry was expensive, and the proportion of infantry throughout the fortress was much greater. Among the soldiers in the audience, many looked down upon the cavalry. However, most people have already placed their bets on Ma Dali, so naturally they can only support him.
