Chapter 3: Night Raid on Dragon's Lair

  Before dawn on the second day, I was dragged out of the temporary camp by Zheng Xiong, who threw a pair of sand-filled leg wraps in front of me and said: "Put these on and run around the camp."

  My nimble sandbag asked: "How long will we run?"

  Zheng Xiong narrowed his eyes and said: "Run at the sound of the breakfast bell." I didn't say another word, lowered my head and ran off.

  The sun had just come out when I heard the sound of a cow horn and I was already running so fast that I was about to spit blood. That old thing Zheng Xiong had actually put lead blocks in the sandbags on my legs, two leg bags that weighed at least 40 pounds.

  I stepped into the big camp with heavy footsteps, just about to go eat, when Zheng Xiong suddenly appeared out of nowhere and stood in front of me: "Feet shoulder-width apart, fists clasped together at the abdomen." After saying that, he walked away carrying a large bowl.

  I stood outside the kitchen door, watching as one by one they walked past me with their bowls, and in my heart I started cursing Zheng Xiong's ancestors for 18 generations. By around the 15th generation, Zheng Xiong came again, holding that empty bowl in his hand, saying to me: "Alright, go eat now."

  I rushed to the kitchen, soldiers eating fast, at first I didn't eat much here, went late and there was no food, ate slowly and went to get a second bowl of rice also none, went early and they wouldn't even bother with you. Today it seems I won't be able to eat.

  I nervously picked up a bowl and went to take a look at the pot, and indeed it was empty. I sniffed the aroma and turned around to leave. Standing in the tent, Zhu Dama said: "You're here, come eat." She brought over a bowl of porridge and two steamed buns from behind her back. The porridge had not only the usual two pieces of salted vegetables but also an egg. I looked at Zhu Dama with gratitude and started eating silently.

  After finishing eating, I helped load the car and Zhu Danni called me to a halt, saying: "You just follow behind my car, I'll teach you to read books."

  I asked in surprise: "Reading books? Do you still need to read books when serving as a soldier?"

  Zhu Da looked at me seriously and said: "Other troops may not be necessary, but here you must learn, and you must learn well, if you don't learn well, you will be transferred out of here."

  Helplessly, I could only honestly follow behind the grain cart and start reading. Along with Zhu Dama's swaying coarse legs, I walked and read: "At birth human nature is good, similar in kind, different in practice..."

  Looking at the old camp getting closer and closer, I almost shed tears. This more than a month of marching is simply like hell for me. The lead bag on my leg now weighs 60 catties, in my hand is an additional crescent-shaped great sword that's even taller than me, on my body are two sets of iron leaf armor that only a company commander can wear, and what's even more infuriating is that ten days ago Zheng Xiong also had me carry a huge pot the size of a bathtub on my back.

  I angrily asked him why this thing wasn't put on the horse carriage?

  Zheng Xiong was sitting on his big black horse, looking at me sideways, and finally spat out a few words from between his teeth. I almost chopped the big knife in my hand on his horse's buttocks: "I have to let the mule rest, you can carry it on your back."

  As I recited the book taught by Zhu Damao, I viciously wished for Zheng Xiong to fall off his horse and die. That's how I endured it. When we were about to enter the camp, 300 soldiers who had been walking with us came over to bid farewell. I looked at them in confusion and asked Zhu Damao, "Aren't they entering the camp?"

  Zhu Daign said: "It's not easy to enter our big camp, they are just the soldiers of Tongguan Guardian Mansion, and they were sent to listen to our relocation. When things are done, they will naturally go back. Wanting to enter this big camp, they are far from it."

  I was dizzy and asked stupidly: "Then where will I stay tonight, can I get in here?"

  Madam Zhu said: "I can lead you into this camp, but whether or not you can stay here depends on your abilities."

  With a belly full of questions, fear and excitement, I walked into this legendary camp.

  I entered the big camp and was stopped by Zheng Xiong, who made me stand under the large flag in the middle of the camp. I had no choice but to stand there motionless with my luggage. It wasn't until later that I found out that when I stood under the flag looking foolish, Officer Shang was observing me from inside his tent. According to Zheng Xiong, that time I was spared because Officer Shang was drunk and couldn't see clearly. I knew he was talking nonsense, but it's true that I didn't sleep outside that night.

  After being formally accepted by the adults, I was informed of everything in this large camp, which was created by Lord Shang himself, and every person had been left after being verified by the adults. Because all the troops were wearing black, it was called the Xuanjia Taixi Army. Also, because no one in the army couldn't recite a few lines of poetry or write a few articles, it was also known as the Xuanjia Xiucan Army.

  This team has 1200 people, divided into four camps: Qinglong, Baihu, Zhuque and Xuanwu. Among them, the Baihu camp is the largest, with 800 people. The Zhuque camp has 280 people, all of whom are female soldiers. The Xuanwu camp is a large camp for craftsmen. The Qinglong camp only has 12 people.

  These 12 people are said to be the elite of Shangguan's men. As for how elite they are, I really don't know. I asked Zheng Xiong how formidable these 12 people were, and Zheng Xiong told me with a look of reverence: "The flying dragon is capable of being weak or strong, unmoving like a mountain, initially as calm as the sky, vast as the sea, small as a grain of rice, when it rises, it shakes the nine heavens, hidden without shape or shadow." After finishing speaking, he let out a long sigh and added another sentence: "Their silver is more than mine by a lot."

  I know he is the commander of the 2nd battalion of the White Tiger Corps, with the title of Ya Jiang. He is a big shot who is more than ten levels higher than me, a small soldier.

  I looked at his bitter melon face and said: "Don't be too sad, I think you're quite capable, if they say they're stronger than you, I don't believe it."

  Zheng Xiong smiled wryly and said: "I know what I'm worth, it's not as good as others, you kid practice well, one day you'll get in there and make me proud." After finishing speaking, he turned around and left.

  I gazed in the direction of Qinglong Camp and made a secret decision in my heart: damn it, I'll sneak in tonight to take a look.

  After dark, I put on a large black robe and walked out of the big tent with a piece of rope in my hand. The surroundings were very quiet, with only the sentries patrolling back and forth around the camp, carrying lanterns.

  I bypassed the rows of barracks and dodged the patrol soldiers, arriving at the entrance of Qinglong Camp. I crouched down to observe my surroundings, making sure no one had discovered me. I tied a knot in the long rope in my hand and swung it towards the sharp stakes on top of the camp gate. Without much effort, I flipped over the gate. I carefully observed the situation here. The vast empty space was devoid of anything. Across from me were several very ordinary tents, with not even a glimmer of light coming from inside.

  I crept along the wall towards those few tents. Getting closer and closer, I listened carefully to the voices inside the tent, my left hand reaching for the flap.

  At the moment I touched the curtain, my heart tightened a bit, this is forbidden land, no unauthorized entry, 40 lashes for those who dare to enter without permission. If caught, it would be terrible. But then again, since I've come this far, there's no turning back, 40 lashes or not, it won't kill me anyway.

  I lifted the curtain and slipped into the tent, only to find that there was no one inside. Not only was there no one, but there wasn't even a bed, which made me wonder if this was really a place where people lived.

  After moving the front several tents, nothing was seen, all were empty. I walked towards the last one, which was the largest and also black without any sound. After flashing in, I borrowed the moonlight that came in and surprisingly found a long table inside this tent, on which 7 large black paws were neatly placed.

  I picked one up and took a look, it was as big as a bear's paw, very heavy, apparently made of pure steel. When I turned it over, I found that there was a hole under the claw, which could fit my hand in. There were also two thin ropes coming out of the hole, one red and one green. I pulled on the ropes to test them, and they were about 10 zhang long (about 33 meters). When I pulled on the red rope, the big claw immediately clenched into a fist shape, and when I pulled on the green rope, it opened up again. This was really a great thing. Putting my hand in that hole felt just like wearing a glove.

  Inside the cave was a circle of soft leather, and my fingers could grasp the horizontal beam inside. With a forceful grab of the beam, the claws closed together, and when I released them, they opened again. I thought to myself that since I had found these things, I shouldn't waste them. I took one pair for myself and decided to give another pair to Zheng Xiong. Although he hadn't been good to me, he had saved my life, which was something I couldn't forget. After thinking this through, I picked up the two pairs of claws and tied them around my waist before heading back in the direction I came from. When I arrived at the entrance, I froze. The rope that had been hanging on the door was gone.