Watching Yang Hua leave, Liu Tiezhu turned and went back into the tavern. At that moment, everyone in the tavern still dared not come out. Liu Tiezhu returned to his room, checked his belongings, then closed his eyes to rest.
The next day, Liu Tiezhu had a simple meal and then headed to the Ming family’s recruitment grounds. The recruitment site was in an open area about a hundred meters north of the city. It spanned roughly fifty thousand square meters, surrounded by wooden stakes over two meters high that enclosed the land. Beyond these outer stakes, dozens of watchtowers four to five meters tall and several hundred wooden houses had been built inside.
On the way, Liu Tiezhu found a spot to hide his pistol and money. When he arrived at the recruitment grounds, a long line had already formed at the entrance. Despite the Ming family’s brutal assessments, many people still came with a try-your-luck attitude. After all, the monthly salary of two hundred yuan was too tempting. An ordinary person toiling all year might not save even a few dozen yuan. But with the Ming family, one could earn in a month what would take years of savings. And that was just the pay for ordinary Ming family members. If someone managed to become a deputy captain or captain, they could receive five hundred yuan a month. Beyond this fixed salary, killing an enemy soldier brought extra rewards. For instance, the bronze tokens Yang Hua had collected from the Li family army last night—items symbolizing Li family identity—could be exchanged for twenty yuan each. For a captain-level token, one could get a hundred yuan. These benefits were all detailed at the recruitment grounds, attracting countless desperados.
“Did you hear? This time, the Ming family’s Blood Combat Team is specially recruiting a few members.” “If we could get into the Blood Combat Team, we’d be set.” Among the crowd, a man muttered quietly. Another man retorted, “Dream on. With your skills, you think you can join the Ming family’s Blood Combat Team? The Blood Combat Team is the core team of the Ming family, also the personal guard of the high-ranking members. To become a member, you need real skill and must pass harsh trials. I’ve heard that out of a hundred people who try, not a single one makes it through.” The first man, annoyed, shot back, “Maybe we’ll get lucky?” Hearing this, the retorting man chuckled dryly and stopped engaging.
“Hey buddy, can you tell me about the Blood Combat Team?” Liu Tiezhu stepped in and asked. Seeing Liu Tiezhu’s sincere attitude, the man didn’t hold back and shared what he knew. The Ming family’s Blood Combat Team, to put it bluntly, was a suicide squad. Besides protecting the Ming family’s high-ranking members, they also carried out extremely dangerous missions. The entire Ming family had five Blood Combat Teams, each with ten members. Recently, one team had lost several people on a mission, so this time they were specially recruiting a few replacements. The Blood Combat Team’s benefits were generous—a monthly salary of a thousand yuan, plus various other subsidies. Additionally, every mission came with extra rewards. But becoming a Blood Combat Team member was extremely difficult. First, you had to rank in the top ten in the first three assessment rounds to even have a chance. Then, you had to endure the Ming family’s torture test. This test was to prevent captured members from leaking important Ming family secrets. Since Blood Combat Team members directly participated in the highest-level decisions, they knew many secrets. More importantly, it was to stop members from other families from infiltrating the team.
After hearing the man’s explanation, Liu Tiezhu had a clear picture of the Blood Combat Team. In short, it was the Ming family’s death squad and their ultimate trump card.
An hour quickly passed, and it was Liu Tiezhu’s turn to register. Under the guidance of the assessment staff, he was first taken to a wooden house for a body search. Confirming he carried no weapons, he was then led to a document room to fill out forms. After everything was done, the staff took him to a shooting range and told him to wait. Liu Tiezhu waited idly for over an hour as dozens more people trickled in. Then, the assessment staff returned, followed by thirty-six burly men carrying dozens of rifles, which they handed out one by one to Liu Tiezhu and the others.
“Everyone, quiet down. You see the round target fifteen meters away, right?” “For the first assessment, each of you gets ten bullets. Hitting the bullseye five times passes.” “Now, get ready. When you hear the gunshot, start shooting immediately.” As he spoke, the staff member raised his pistol. With a bang, everyone loaded their rifles and fired at the round target. Bang, bang, bang... Liu Tiezhu didn’t want to waste time and emptied his ten bullets in just a few breaths. He deliberately controlled his results—six hits on the bullseye, the other four off it. This score let him pass without drawing attention. The Blood Combat Team, the high pay—none of it was what he wanted. Infiltrating the Ming family was part of a longer-term plan. Until he understood the Ming family’s foundation, staying low-key was the best way to survive.
After over ten minutes, everyone finished shooting. The assessment staff checked the results and immediately dismissed ninety percent of the applicants. Those who passed were taken to a wooden house, where lunch was prepared. The staff left a message—everyone should eat and not wander off—then rode away on horseback. After eating, everyone started introducing themselves. Since those who passed the first round had some skill, they might become teammates later. Getting familiar could help them look out for each other. Liu Tiezhu had no such interest. After eating, he found a bed in a corner to rest. No sooner had he sat down than he felt several hostile gazes. Three burly men were staring at him, their eyes like snakes eyeing prey, their killing intent undisguised. Liu Tiezhu frowned, racking his brain but finding no connection to them or any reason he’d offended them. Facing their provocative looks, he didn’t back down and stared back coldly. The leading man smirked, made a throat-slitting gesture at Liu Tiezhu, then led his two companions to a bed across the way. Liu Tiezhu shot back a disdainful glance and closed his eyes to rest.
Time flew by, and darkness fell. To prepare for the next day’s second assessment—a weight-bearing test—everyone went to sleep early. Liu Tiezhu pretended to be asleep, staying alert for the three men from earlier. Their blatant provocation wasn’t just for fun. The murderous intent in their eyes convinced Liu Tiezhu they weren’t ordinary. Late into the night, Liu Tiezhu grew drowsy and considered dozing off. But the moment he relaxed his guard, he heard faint footsteps. Instantly, he snapped to attention, clenching his fists in readiness. Glancing back from the corner of his eye, he saw three shadows standing by his bed.