"I know. Ma Cai told me." Chen Mo did not deny it.

"What are your plans?" He Maguan asked, watching Chen Mo carefully.

Though a month was not enough to fully understand someone, it was enough to notice certain clues. Chen Mo was different from the others. While most soldiers followed orders without much thought, Chen Mo was thoughtful, active, and purposeful. He followed the rules, was diligent, and quick. He seemed to be a reliable person. He Maguan had been observing him for a while, and had grown quite satisfied with his behavior.

Apart from his slight greed, which He Maguan could overlook for now, Chen Mo had no other obvious flaws.

"I don't really have a plan. Let's just go try. After all, we have nothing to lose if we try," Chen Mo answered casually.

It wasn't just Chen Mo. Most of the soldiers in the camp had the same idea. Whether or not they succeeded, trying was worth it.

"If you're not selected, how about coming back to feed the horses with me?" He Maguan asked, though his voice remained casual.

Chen Mo smiled and responded without thinking much, "Of course I'll come back to feed the horses. What else can I do?"

"Alright then, let's eat," He Maguan nodded, watching Chen Mo leave.

He Maguan was old, and having spent his life in the army, he had no family or children. He was looking for an apprentice, someone to pass on his skills and who could help him in his old age.

Originally, He Maguan had planned for Ding Bao to take over, but after the horse manure incident, he had lost trust in Ding Bao and Ma Cai. So, he had begun considering other options.

After observing Chen Mo for a while, he thought that perhaps this young man wasn't a bad choice. Still, he needed more time to see if Chen Mo's character truly suited him. It was too soon to tell. A month was enough to observe someone's actions, but not their heart.

Back at the dining table in the shack, Chen Mo counted the twenty-four coins he had and divided them evenly, handing eight coins to each of his companions.

Though the daily portions of money were small, when accumulated over time, it amounted to a decent sum.

It had been nearly a month since they started the job, and the radishes in the captain's field were all consumed. Today, they were eating a simple meal of potatoes and cabbage stew.

While there was no oil in the stew, it was salted just enough to make it edible. Despite the poor taste, Chen Mo ate quickly. It was still far better than the miserable food he had eaten during his years as a disaster victim.

After finishing dinner, he took the remaining steamed bread for a midnight snack. While adding feed to the horses, he took the chance to "steal" a pear to eat.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

He never let an opportunity to eat pass him by. Every meal was an opportunity to accumulate more energy for the Transformation Pearl. So, even if the food wasn't great, it was still essential to eat as much as he could.

The days passed, and Chen Mo followed the same routine. He delivered manure, searched for chances to take extra horse feed, and went to the market to buy some meat to eat. During his breaks, he steamed buns for the horses, fed them fine grains, and continued to look for any opportunity to steal more feed.

Five days before the day of personal soldier recruitment, the Transformation Pearl finally accumulated enough energy.

Chen Mo felt the Transformation Pearl in his abdomen, which had turned a deep blood red, fully charged with Qi and blood.

After setting aside the six steamed buns he had not finished, Chen Mo did not rush into the transformation. He wasn't sure what the process would entail, and if something went wrong, it might draw unwanted attention to him. He preferred to wait until the cover of night when everything was quiet and the camp was asleep. That way, he could undergo the transformation without anyone noticing.

That evening, after completing his usual tasks, Chen Mo quietly walked to the stable. The stables were located in a remote part of the camp, far from the sentries' patrol routes. It was the perfect place for him to complete his transformation unnoticed. He found a secluded spot near a haystack filled with feed for the horses, ensuring he wouldn't be seen.

Once he was in a hidden position, Chen Mo laid down, closed his eyes slightly, and focused inwardly on the Transformation Pearl in his abdomen.

The pearl, which had once been translucent and colorless, was now a deep, blood-red color. He could feel the Qi and blood within it pulsing with power.

"Rebirth," Chen Mo murmured inwardly.

With a slight mental command, all the accumulated energy and blood in the Transformation Pearl surged out. They flowed through his abdomen and quickly spread through his limbs, bones, muscles, and tendons, filling every part of his body with heat and power.

The feeling was overwhelming. The Qi and blood flowed through him like a flood, strengthening his muscles, bones, and tissues. His body was transforming, and Chen Mo could clearly perceive the changes.

His muscles, which had once been stiff from overwork and lack of rest, now became soft, flexible, and powerful. The inflammation that had caused the stiffness in his muscles was gone, replaced by a vitality he had never felt before.

It seemed that not only did his physical strength increase with the transformation, but his old injuries were also healed in the process.

The transformation didn't take long. The Qi and blood in the Transformation Pearl gradually diminished, and Chen Mo could feel the energy leaving his body, signaling that the process was coming to an end.

Each time he transformed, the process would take more energy. After the transformation, he would need to accumulate more Qi and blood to undergo the next change. It would only get more difficult with each subsequent transformation, but the gains would also be greater.

When the transformation was complete, Chen Mo was immediately hit with a wave of hunger. His stomach growled uncontrollably. Without hesitation, he took out the steamed buns he had brought and devoured them in just a few bites, relieving some of the hunger.

The transformation had made him feel lighter, stronger, and more energized. His body was clearly different, but how much stronger he had become, he wouldn't know until he had the chance to test it.

As he finished eating, Chen Mo stood up and stretched his limbs. His muscles felt more flexible, his bones more powerful, and his body felt like it had been reborn. But there was no way to test his new strength in this quiet, secluded area.

He had to wait for the recruitment process to see how his transformation had affected his abilities.

Chen Mo stood up, feeling the effects of the transformation, and glanced around warily. He needed to be cautious, especially with the upcoming recruitment. The competition would be fierce, and he could not afford to be discovered now.

As he was about to leave, something strange happened.

End