"If I had the right to freely choose a batch of recruits to form a special force, I would only choose half of the members in the training camp," Meng Chao said.
"Besides, I wouldn't choose the strongest, the strongest, and the ones with the best results in the Path of Glory.
"I would choose the ones who were at a disadvantage in the beginning of the Path of Glory, but gritted their teeth and persevered, eventually catching up to the others.
"I would also choose the ones who made major mistakes and were heavily injured, but endured the pain and completed the trial.
"In a battlefield that is filled with danger and changes in an instant, it's difficult to avoid being heavily injured and being at a disadvantage.
"When a storm comes, even pigs can fly in the sky. They can sweep through everything with ease even when the wind is blowing. This doesn't mean anything.
"Only those who remain unshaken and never give up when they're in a bad or hopeless situation, and with an incredibly calm mind and astonishing courage, they counterattack in a desperate situation. These are the best soldiers."
In truth, this was the standard Meng Chao used to choose soldiers in Black Skeleton's training camp.
In his previous life, he had been a harvester for many years and did not receive much professional fighting training.
When he joined Black Skeleton's training camp, his results could not be considered as being among the best.
But because he was worried about his sister's safety and longed for great power to protect his family, he sprained his joints during the first stage. His ankle swelled up to the size of a ball, but he still managed to finish the trial while limping.
Even though his results did not reach the average standard …
His willpower gained the instructor's admiration.
There were plenty of recruits who joined the training camp at the same time as him.
None of them had the backs of a tiger, the waists of a bear, and the waists of a warrior.
But the ones who could grit their teeth and pass through the brutal torture in Black Skeleton's training camp were usually the unassuming recruits.
After they left the training camp, they also became excellent Ghost Assassins.
Ice Storm was used to the strong being respected and believed that muscles were power, so she was clearly shocked by Meng Chao's standards for choosing soldiers.
She was stunned for a while before she asked, "What about the other half?"
"I will choose the other half of the soldiers in the dungeon," Meng Chao said.
"I'll choose those who have stayed in the dungeon for more than five days. Even though they didn't manage to crawl out of the dungeon, their complexions look good, and their injuries aren't too bad. The most important thing is that they can't be too strong."
"The body can't be too strong?"
The Ice Storm was surprised. "Why is that?"
"According to my calculations, three to five rounds of food will be distributed in the dungeon every day, but most of the food will be taken away by the strongest rats. If they do not get a single fried fruit in the first few rounds, they will be caught in a vicious cycle. The hungrier they are, the weaker they will be, and the hungrier they will be. Together with the harsh environment in the dungeon, they will often be dying or even starving to death in a couple of days.
"All the rat citizens who managed to survive for five days in the underground prison managed to snatch at least one deep-fried Mandala Fruit. All of them have the potential to become warriors and have a strong desire to survive.
"And the reason why those rat people who aren't too strong can become the victors of several rounds of fights for food is obviously because they possess special powers and techniques other than muscles.
"You should know that with sufficient food and secret potions, with my unique training method and the incomparably strong physique of the people of Turan, it's not difficult for me to grow my muscles and brute strength.
"But when it comes to special powers and techniques other than muscles, I can't learn them quickly.
"That's why compared to people who are all brawn and no brains, I prefer people who aren't too strong or have flaws, but they still rack their brains to survive."
"That's …"
The Ice Storm had to admit that Meng Chao's words made sense.
But no one had ever used this sort of standard to choose new soldiers.
Would the servant soldiers chosen this way really have fighting strength and be able to fight against powerful opponents?
The Ice Storm was a little hesitant.
"There's one more thing."
Meng Chao could see her hesitation, so he continued, "If you choose the strongest soldiers, they won't be grateful to you from the bottom of their hearts, because you're just choosing them based on convention. All gladiators and clan warriors choose their soldiers the same way. Even if they aren't chosen by you, they will become the servant soldiers of another powerful fighter.
"In this sort of situation, their gratitude and loyalty won't belong to you. Instead, it will belong to Blood Skull Coliseum and the powerful people behind it. In fact, it might even belong to themselves.
"But what if you break convention and choose the people who will never have the chance to be chosen by the old rules and will only rot to death in the dungeon?
"These people will never think that they will have the chance to live. As long as you give them a sliver of hope, they will return you one or even multiple miracles.
"Besides, these people know very well that aside from you, there will not be another gladiator or clan warrior who will choose them.
"You're their only hope. Aside from being grateful and loyal to you from the bottom of their hearts, what other choice do they have?
"Now that you've considered this, do you still think that my method of choosing soldiers isn't a good idea?"
The Ice Storm's mind raced. The sharp light gathered together in the depths of her eyes to form an icicle that grew longer and sharper.
She stared at Meng Chao and observed the black-haired and black-eyed rat man carefully again and again.
"What you said makes sense. Perhaps it makes too much sense," the Ice Storm said in a profound manner.
"Danger lurks everywhere, changes happen in the blink of an eye, and you have to rack your brains. These are all the words you said just now. Many of them sound very new to me, and aside from you, I've never heard anyone else say them like this before. But when I think about it carefully, I think that it's very appropriate, refined, and elegant. It's as if it came from a noble who has been around for thousands of years.
"Harvester, are you really a rat man?"
"I don't know."
Meng Chao did not panic at all. He asked faintly, "Is that important?"
Indeed.
To Casafa, who came from the Blood Hoof Tribe and was the son of the tribe leader, the fact that a person of unknown origins had snuck into his coliseum and had mysterious power might be very important.
But the Ice Storm was just a gladiator.
Even though she was known as the ace, it did not change the fact that she had no foundation in Black Horn City, no loyalty, and no sense of belonging. She was just a foreigner who had no choice in the matter.
No matter who Meng Chao was.
Even if he took off his mask and hood and revealed his blond hair and blue eyes that had been blessed by the holy light, it would not be important to the Ice Storm.
When she thought of this, the Ice Storm smiled.
"Can you still walk?"
She asked Meng Chao. "If you can, we'll go and choose new soldiers now."
…
When Spider was dragged out of the dungeon, he was still confused. He did not know what was going on.
He had stayed in the dark dungeon for a long time, and for a period of time, he could not get used to the strong sunlight. He cried non-stop, and his tears blurred the world around him.
He could only vaguely understand from the other rat men's ecstatic screams that they were saved.
At the very least, they were saved for the time being.
However, this middle-aged man, whose face was covered in wrinkles and who had been silent since the moment he was captured by the masters of the clan, did not cry or dance for joy like the other rat men.
He rubbed his eyes slowly, and he still had that gloomy expression on his face.
He kept thinking in his heart, 'If only I hadn't run out to look for food that day.
I knew that the masters had entered the village.
I should have hid in the cave with my wife and the kids for ten days and ten nights.
Why did I take the risk to run into the burning village and take the Datura Fruits that everyone had hidden under the masters' noses?
Now it was all right.
He was captured by the masters and brought to Black Corner City.
His wife and the kids were still in the cave.
His wife was still pregnant, and she was about to give him another damn kid.
So many days had passed, and he did not know if they were still alive.
Were they discovered by the masters, or were they taken away by the totem beasts?
Even if they were lucky, they were not discovered, and they were not taken away.
The Datura Trees had bloomed.
If they could not find the Datura Fruits and did not know how to hunt, they could only starve to death, right?
'I should have taught the two kids how to hunt a long time ago. That way, even if we ran deep into the forest, we would still have a chance to survive.' Spider thought in frustration.
But the harsh life had long since told this middle-aged man with wrinkles that it was useless to be frustrated.
He wiped away his tears.
He narrowed his eyes and observed his surroundings.
He observed how he could escape from Blood Skull Coliseum, Black Corner City, and return to the cave behind the village to save his wife and the two kids.
No, it might not be two kids.
Instead, there were three or even four damned brats.
Then, Spider saw Meng Chao.
'It's him?'
The middle-aged rat man could not help but be slightly stunned.
After being locked in the same cell with Meng Chao for ten days, Spider sensed an extremely dangerous presence coming from Meng Chao's wounds with his keen hunter's instincts.
He knew that this black-haired rat man who was soaked in dirty water and could not die, but was as lazy as a python was not as simple as he looked.
But the middle-aged hunter was cautious, and he forced himself not to be overly curious about Meng Chao.
Aside from thinking about how to escape and save his wife and kids, he did not have the mood to think about anything else.
So, he did not get close to Meng Chao, in case he became a thorn in the other rat men's eyes.
He was not like those strong men who thought they were brave and stupid enough to provoke this mysterious black-haired and black-eyed person.
At most, he would bet on Meng Chao's survival.
Of course, he would bet that Meng Chao was still alive.
But every time, he would not bet a lot. At most, he would bet a fried Datura Fruit that was the size of a fingernail.
He knew that he was definitely going to win.
But if he bet more, he could not guarantee that the loser would not go back on his word.
Just like that, Spider and Meng Chao stayed in the same cell without interfering with each other's business for ten days.
He originally thought that Meng Chao would definitely not notice him, since he had an ordinary appearance and would disappear into the crowd.
But Meng Chao's profound gaze and smile made him realize that his escape was definitely related to this mysterious black-haired and black-eyed person.
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