"Thank you, sir. I understand." Chen Mo bowed, his heart filled with joy.

After so much effort, he had finally been chosen to serve as General Sun's personal soldier. While it wasn't a swift rise, it was still an incredibly rare opportunity.

"You don't need to call me sir. From now on, we're comrades. My name is Mo Hu. You and the others can just call me Fifth Brother." Mo Hu smiled warmly, his tone friendly.

Now that Chen Mo was going to be a personal soldier too, their status would be nearly the same. With his strength, Chen Mo would certainly make a name for himself. Mo Hu figured that by showing kindness now, he'd gain nothing but goodwill in the future. Why keep a cold distance when it cost him nothing?

"Thank you, Fifth Brother." Chen Mo bowed again.

"Before I arrived here, the General gave instructions that any soldier who became a personal guard would receive a resettlement allowance of five taels of silver. This is for you."

Mo Hu pulled a large silver ingot weighing five taels from his robes and handed it to Chen Mo.

"Don't waste it. Use it wisely. Buy a couple of sets of decent clothes and shoes. While the Royal Guards Camp provides uniforms, you can't wear them all the time." Mo Hu glanced at Chen Mo's worn-out attire. "You've been working hard, so it's time for you to treat yourself."

Chen Mo's clothes and shoes were tattered, and with all his spare money spent on food, he had neglected to buy new ones.

"I understand, Fifth Brother." Chen Mo's smile was a little awkward. If he had a choice, he'd definitely buy better clothes, but his financial situation had always been tight.

Now, with this five-tael allowance, he could finally buy two sets of clothes and shoes, which was just in time with the cold weather coming. He'd have to pick up some thicker clothing as well.

"Alright, you can go and rest now." Mo Hu waved his hand.

Chen Mo stepped aside to relax, and the men who had attempted the 200-jin stone wheel made way for him.

Ma Cai gave him a thumbs-up from a distance. He was genuinely surprised that Chen Mo had lifted the 300-jin stone. He had never realized Chen Mo was capable of such strength.

But Ma Cai was also happy for him. After all, their relationship was solid, and now that Chen Mo was a personal soldier too, they would still be able to stick together in the personal guard camp—a good thing all around.

A few more soldiers tried to lift the 200-jin stone wheel, but most failed. One by one, they left, and it was soon Ma Cai's turn.

Although he was confident in his own strength, Ma Cai couldn't hide his nervousness. Ultimately, he successfully lifted the 200-jin stone wheel.

He had never studied martial arts seriously, but he had a strong physique and had built up his strength over time. Lifting 200 jin wasn't a major challenge for him.

After that, Ma Cai walked toward the 300-jin stone wheel. He knew it was unlikely he could lift it, but he still wanted to try.

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As he approached, he felt everyone's eyes on him.

No matter how hard he tried, the stone wouldn't budge. He didn't want to risk injuring himself by straining too much.

When he gave up, no one paid him much attention anymore. It was clear that he had failed, and the crowd lost interest.

Mo Hu sighed quietly. He had hoped to meet two soldiers with natural strength, but it seemed he had been overly optimistic. He had been lucky enough to find one. It wasn't realistic to expect another.

"Brother Mo," Ma Cai said, not feeling too disappointed. He had known lifting the 300-jin stone was a long shot. He had only tried because he thought it was worth the attempt.

The soldiers watching were curious about how Ma Cai referred to Chen Mo so familiarly. After all, Chen Mo was now General Sun's personal soldier, while they were still undergoing selection.

It was clear that knowing someone who had already succeeded would help them in their future assessments.

However, since they weren't close to Chen Mo yet, getting close now wouldn't be easy. Some who had seen Chen Mo before regretted not befriending him sooner, before realizing he had such potential.

The assessment continued, and in the end, aside from Chen Mo, seventeen other soldiers passed the evaluation.

Still, it was uncertain how many would make it through the next rounds of selection and actually become personal soldiers. Even Ma Cai didn't dare to guarantee his own success. His chances were better than most, but nothing was certain.

"Everyone will camp here at the military camp. On the day after tomorrow, you'll assemble at the parade ground at noon under the leadership of Chen Mo. Anyone who's late will be left behind." Mo Hu gave a stern order to the soldiers who had passed the selection.

Everyone nodded in agreement, not daring to question him.

"Fifth Brother, I have some things to take care of. You all can rest here for the day. I'll take you to the personal guard camp the day after tomorrow."

Mo Hu's tone was friendlier when he spoke to Chen Mo. After all, Chen Mo was now his fellow personal soldier, and he would be responsible for training the other soldiers soon, so it made sense to treat him well.

"Go ahead, Brother. I understand." Chen Mo bowed respectfully as he saw Mo Hu and the two other personal soldiers off on horseback.

"If you have any matters to handle, take care of them. Pack your belongings and meet here at 5:00 a.m. the day after tomorrow," Mo Hu added as he left.

Chen Mo turned to the other soldiers. He didn't feel the need to keep them under control or manage them.

Since they had decided to participate in the selection, it was clear they wanted to become General Sun's personal soldiers. Now that they had passed the assessment, they'd surely show up when needed. If someone couldn't make it, it was their misfortune. He couldn't be responsible for that.

Still, he asked them to arrive early—not out of obligation, but because if they came early, they could wait for Mo Hu. He would never wait for them.

"We understand," the soldiers answered in various groups, none of them objecting.

The group soon scattered, and Chen Mo, alongside Ma Cai, made his way to the stable.

Inside, Ding Bao and He Maguan were busy with their work. When they saw Chen Mo and Ma Cai, there was a strange look on their faces—a mix of unfamiliarity and a hint of awkwardness.

Things had changed. They no longer seemed as familiar as before.

"Let's get to work," Chen Mo said, grabbing a shovel.

"Leave it to us. You're now General Sun's subordinate. How can we ask you to work?" He Maguan quickly stopped him.

Technically, since Chen Mo had become a personal soldier, he shouldn't be doing manual labor like the others.

"You're right, but we still have a duty to do our job well. We haven't left yet, so I can't just stand by and watch you work," Chen Mo replied.

Ever since he arrived at the camp, He Maguan had always treated him kindly. Chen Mo wasn't the type to forget those who had helped him, so he wouldn't stop working just because his status had changed.

Seeing this, Ma Cai felt like resting, but he didn't dare speak up. He could only help out, though he wasn't as enthusiastic as usual.

He Maguan couldn't help but sigh, growing more and more fond of Chen Mo. Despite his new position as a personal soldier, Chen Mo remained respectful and humble, qualities that would surely bring him rewards in the future.

Unfortunately, He Maguan knew that Chen Mo wouldn't be able to inherit his skills. So, he would need to find another disciple to pass them on to.

End