Chapter 9: The Oath of Brotherhood

  Zhuge Zhan was overjoyed, tightly grasping my hand and saying: "Big brother is truly a man of noble character. I have a proposal - since we've entered the Three Kingdoms era and this scene is so fitting, why don't we two become sworn brothers right here? What do you think?"

  Although this guy in front of me is making this suggestion now, it seems a bit too early to me. However, based on my understanding of the Three Kingdoms, Da Er Duo Hong Lian Han and my eldest three people were also sworn brothers as soon as they met. Moreover, after entering the game, he didn't go busy leveling up and making money, but came here to deceive people and play with me, which is too much in line with my temperament. Where can I find such a brother?

  At that moment I burst out laughing: "I was just thinking of this. It's rare for brothers to share the same heart and mind, so let's settle on this oath here. The only problem is, where can we find a censer?"

  All that could be heard was the sweet female voice saying at the beginning of the game: "Congratulations to players Zhang Haogu and Zhuge Zhan, because you two are the first two players in the game 'Three Kingdoms Era' who have a demand for brotherhood, the system will give away a set of fragrant case, fragrant candle, fragrant incense burner and fire starter to both players for free."

  As soon as the words fell, a censer appeared in front of us, with several incense sticks placed on it, and a fire starter was placed next to it, under which was an incense burner.

  Zhuge Zhan also heard the system's prompt, and both of us showed joy on our faces at the same time. Hand in hand, we knelt down in front of the incense case, burned incense, and swore an oath to become sworn brothers.

  The male voice sounded again as soon as the oath was finished:

  "System Announcement: Players Zhang Haogu and Zhuge Zhan have triggered the Sworn Brothers System. All players can find related NPCs to form sworn brotherhoods."

  "System Message: Player Zhang Haogu has triggered the Apprenticeship System. The system rewards this player with the ability to recruit private soldiers and allows them to recruit players and NPCs into their own private army. At the same time, the system rewards this player with a Private Soldier Instructor."

  "System Message: Player Zhang Haogu has obtained double rewards. The system rewards this player with the ability to lead their own private army into the system's military forces. At the same time, the system rewards this player with a Military Advisor."

  "System Announcement: Player Zhang Haogu and player Zhuge Zhan have become sworn brothers."

  "System Message: As players Zhang Haogu and Zhuge Zhan are the system's first pair of sworn brothers, the system rewards each with a set of top-level equipment."

  "System Message: Player Zhang Haogu has obtained double rewards. The system rewards this player with a set of top-level equipment."

  I'm thrilled with the unexpected harvest here, Zhuge Zhan has already jumped up: "Get rich, get rich, finally can have my own army. And top-notch equipment too."

  I'm also very excited: "Brother, let's first take a look at what equipment we can get, then we'll go recruit troops."

  Zhuge nodded and calmed down, probably looking at his stuff.

  I opened the item box and found that I had acquired two more sets of top-level equipment:

  Zhang Fei's suit: leopard head helmet, butcher's necklace, Huan Hou armor, Yan Ren wrist guard, enemy Wan ring, Dang Yang belt, Wu Guang boots, Zhangba snake spear.

  Zhou Yu's set: Lin scarf, handsome necklace, youth shoulder pad, white jade wrist guard, wind and cloud ring, blue field belt, Zhou Lang boots, feather fan.

  Haha, one set of military uniform and one set of formal attire, made a fortune.

  But I'm not that eager for equipment now, because the system previously rewarded me with several sets of equipment. Let's put it away for now.

  I'm already a top-notch expert, all I lack is troops. Anyway, let me take a look at how to recruit soldiers first. But how do I recruit soldiers? Ah yes, didn't the system reward me with a private military instructor? Let me ask him first.

  "But where is the private instructor?" I muttered to myself.

  "Hello, I'm Sun Shangxiang, the system has assigned me as your personal mentor. Do you need my help?"

  A fully armed and valiantly dressed beauty suddenly appeared before me. I widened my eyes in surprise: "Where did you come from?"

  Sun Shangxiang smiled: "The system's reward player mentor is usually invisible. But as long as the player calls out, it will appear. For example, me, from now on, whether you call Private Tutor or my name Sun Shangxiang, I will appear in front of you and help you solve difficult problems."

  I nodded: "This design seems pretty good. Now please instruct me on how to recruit private soldiers."

  Sun Shangxiang smiled again: "Actually, it's very simple. As long as you set up a table with 'Recruit Private Soldiers' written on it, that's all. At the same time, if two players in a team recruit private soldiers together, they only need to share one table. Currently, your and your brother's private soldier experience is still very low, so you can only recruit 200 infantrymen, 100 cavalrymen, and 100 archers. Among the 200 infantrymen, only 100 can be used for daily battles, while the other 100 are for logistical replenishment and can only be called to the battlefield at critical moments."

  I nodded again: "Can the teacher tell me if there are any fees or other conditions for recruiting soldiers?"

  "Money is a must, there are other conditions too, but those can be achieved with money as well. Just give me the money and that's it."

  When I heard Sun Shangxiang say that I should give him the money, I immediately became vigilant. In life, I am a thorough proletarian, 100 yuan can be used for more than ten days, sometimes even a month, as long as I don't go to the internet cafe. The system is so quick to ask me for money, and in the future, who knows how much more money will be spent on this long road.

  Sun Shangxiang seemed to understand my intention: "You can now bring private soldiers. The game has only been going on for two hours, if you don't spend some money, how can you face the audience? Besides, politics comes from the barrel of a gun, even if you don't spend any money, you still need to pay for recruiting soldiers."

  I was finally persuaded by Sun Shangxiang: "Then after I recruit soldiers, will I still have to spend money?"

  Sun Shangxiang suddenly looked at me with a strange gaze, as if looking at an alien monster: "My ancestor Sunzi once said, 'War is the greatest affair of state.' Raising an army certainly requires money. As for how much it costs, you can take a look at the private soldier's nameplate later. If you still don't understand after seeing it, come ask me again."

  I'm no longer happy to see the beauty, although I clearly know it's a system using the beauty trick, but I couldn't help saying: "Teacher, I've learned my lesson. Anyway, the system rewarded me with some money, so just tell me how much to spend?"

  Sun Shangxiang's face broke into a radiant smile like spring: "You're really a good student. Not understanding is fine, being eager to learn is key. Normally recruiting 100 people requires 10,000 gold coins, if you recruit up to 400 people, it'll need 40,000 gold coins."

  It's just this amount of money, I thought it would cost me a lot. No, I'm a nouveau riche, if not for so many coincidences, I wouldn't have gotten so much money from the system rewards. Other players are probably worried about running out of money now. Anyway, Zhang Haogu has plenty of money.

  I suddenly thought of a question: "Can I help my brother pay together?"

  "Of course you can," said Sun Shangxiang with an even more charming smile. "Just say your brother's name."

  Seeing her so refreshing, I had a feeling of being cheated again. Currency needs to circulate in order to multiply, and game merchants naturally hope that players will spend money in the game as soon as possible.

  But that's often the case, the more you lead, the more you want to maintain your advantage, so that you can continue to have an edge in future competitions. Although I saw through these NPCs, I still willingly got deceived by them. Moreover, being deceived by such a beautiful celebrity mm isn't too unjust.

  "Alright. I'll pay the money, along with the recruitment fees for my brother Zhuge Zhan, and put it all on my account."

  At this moment, the annoying male voice came again, but because it didn't exceed my tolerance limit, it made people feel that this male voice was incredibly pleasant to listen to.

  "System Message: Player Zhang Haogu has become the first player to stab his own brother in the game. The system rewards the player with a mount, Chi Tu Ma."

  "System message: Player Zhang Haogu's reward has been doubled. The system rewards the player with a mount called 'Lu'."

  "System Announcement: Player Zhang Haogu has triggered the game's hidden system, the 'Brotherhood System'. From now on, all players' hidden attributes will include an additional item, 'Brotherhood'."

  "System Message: Player Zhang Haogu has triggered the game's hidden system, the Brotherhood System. The system rewards this player with a boost to their hidden attribute, Brotherhood Value."

  "System Message: Player Zhang Haogu's reward doubling attempt failed."

  Just as I was delighted to hear the unpleasant male voice, Sun Shangxiang also burst into a charming smile: "Congratulations to you, because you bravely spent money to recruit soldiers, you and your brother have become the earliest recruiters in the system. The system will waive your recruitment fees, and at the same time provide free logistics services for you and your brother's troops in the future. To put it simply, you and your brother both got a completely free army."

  I was so moved that I shed tears: "Thank you, teacher, thank you, teacher."

  Sun Shangxiang smiled and said: "Quickly form a team with your brother, after forming a team I will recruit soldiers for you."

  I was so moved that I almost burst into tears: "Until today, I finally know what humanized service is. Beautiful teacher, thank you."

  I hastily sent a team request to Zhuge Zhan. Of course, the annoying male voice took the opportunity to show off again, and since I was the first to trigger the team function, it also gave me a small reward. At the same time, all players from now on can invite other players to join their team after level 30, and any player can join an already formed team.

  To make a long story short, Zhuge joined my team and the beautiful female teacher Sun Shangxiang helped us set up a recruitment table for the two of us.

  Three seconds later, Sun Shangxiang told us that the soldiers had been recruited. At this time, there were four hundred people behind each of us, and Sun Shangxiang put away the table.

  Because we were the first batch of players to have private soldiers, the system gave us a few small rewards. (The luck is too good, and ordinary rewards are already disdainful.)