"You..."
Jiang Tianliang pointed at Liu Tiezhu, his features twisted into a grimace, but in the end, he just muttered a "thanks" and quickly left the barracks.
"Everyone else, rest up and prepare for tomorrow's assessment."
Jiang He shouted loudly, then cast a glance at Liu Tiezhu.
"You, come with me."
A few minutes later, the two arrived at an open area in the camp.
Jiang He sized up Liu Tiezhu for several minutes, trying to see through him.
But Liu Tiezhu maintained a relaxed and natural demeanor, showing no fear of Jiang He.
Seeing that intimidation wasn't working, Jiang He withdrew his gaze and asked, "Kid, do you realize that offending Jiang Tianliang means he'll come after you later?"
Liu Tiezhu nodded: "I know. He already wanted me dead. Even if I groveled, he wouldn't let me off."
This answer caught Jiang He off guard, and he looked Liu Tiezhu over again.
"Kid, you've got a sharp mind."
"But sometimes, just seeing things clearly isn't enough to keep you alive," Jiang He said.
"Brother Jiang, do you have any way to keep me alive?" Liu Tiezhu asked, shamelessly.
Jiang He's words clearly hinted at a willingness to help, which was why he was giving advice.
Since that was the case, Liu Tiezhu decided to play along and fish for Jiang He's solution.
Jiang He replied, "I don't have any surefire way to keep you alive. To survive safely, it depends on your own skills."
"Jiang Tianliang may be an assessor with little power, but he's backed by Second Master."
"After this incident, he won't make a move on you openly, but the underhanded tricks won't stop."
Liu Tiezhu was taken aback, then asked, "Brother Jiang, is there any way for me to avoid those traps?"
"Kid, are you scared now?"
"I'm not scared, but if I can avoid trouble, why bother racking my brains, right?"
"Besides, a ruthless guy like Jiang Tianliang has plenty of dirty tricks. Dealing with them would be a hassle, and if I can..."
Jiang He raised a hand to cut him off: "Kid, I know what you're after. I'll tell you the way now."
"First, pass the assessment with outstanding results. That way, you can choose a faction that's hostile to Jiang Tianliang."
"The Ming family looks like a big clan on the surface, but internally, they're fragmented, each guarding against the others."
"If you can join a faction opposing Jiang Tianliang, you'll be safe for a short time."
"Are there any other ways?" Liu Tiezhu pressed on.
Jiang He said, "The second way is to join the Blood Combat Team."
"But the Blood Combat Team is full of people without 'souls.' I wouldn't recommend it."
Liu Tiezhu thought for a moment and asked, "Is there a third way?"
Jiang He replied, "Yes, the third way is to be recommended by an assessor. After passing the assessment, you join the assessor's team directly."
"But the assessor's team has a very high deployment rate, and the pay is only slightly better than that of an ordinary Ming family soldier."
Liu Tiezhu froze, instantly realizing that Jiang He was extending an olive branch.
A high deployment rate—that was exactly what he wanted.
First, it would let him earn extra on the side.
Second, it would make it easier to stay in touch with Er Gouzi and the others.
After a moment of thought, Liu Tiezhu seized the opportunity: "Assessor Jiang, are you still short on people? Can my skills join your team?"
Hearing this, Jiang He burst out laughing.
"With your abilities, joining my team might be a waste of talent."
"I suggest you think it over carefully and give me a clear answer."
Liu Tiezhu had easily dealt with Zhang Guofeng and his men, and even taken down Jiang Tianliang.
His strength was likely above Jiang He's own.
If it weren't for the goal of recruiting Liu Tiezhu, Jiang He wouldn't waste time in the freezing cold arguing with him.
"No need to think it over. I can give you my answer now."
"If Brother Jiang doesn't mind, I'm your man from now on."
Liu Tiezhu's tone was resolute and firm.
Jiang He smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this.
"If you want to join my team, you'll need to perform well in the next two rounds."
"Only with good results can I recommend you without others raising objections."
Liu Tiezhu nodded: "I understand. I won't let Brother Jiang down."
Jiang He waved his hand: "Good, go rest and aim for a good score tomorrow."
After sending Liu Tiezhu off, he glanced toward the barracks on the right.
"You've been crouching there so long—aren't you cold?"
"Brother Jiang, you talked to that kid for so long. Are you planning to groom him?"
"Aren't you afraid he'll turn around and sell you out?"
Zhang Zhiliang stepped out of the barracks and said.
"He's not that stupid."
"Right now, he needs a safe haven, and I can give him that."
"Turning on me would be suicidal unless he wants to die."
Zhang Zhiliang was taken aback: "What do you mean?"
"Let's see how he performs first, then decide whether to groom him."
"If he's worth it, we'll test his loyalty later," Jiang He said.
Hearing this, Zhang Zhiliang sneered coldly.
"That's easy. I'll quietly arrange a few 'accidents.'"
"If the kid's a traitor, we'll take him out on the spot."
"Otherwise, letting him grow strong would be a threat to us."
Jiang He nodded: "That's the only way for now. We can't let anyone threaten us."
"The people around us must be loyal—only then will we have a way out later."
Their conversation sent a chill down Liu Tiezhu's spine as he hid nearby.
He had noticed someone in the barracks earlier and had considered warning Jiang He when he left.
But on second thought, if he could detect someone in the barracks, Jiang He, with his abilities, surely could too.
Puzzled, he deliberately walked far away, then quietly circled back.
If Jiang He really hadn't noticed the person behind the barracks, and that person attacked, Liu Tiezhu would step in to repay the favor.
But as soon as he hid and saw Zhang Zhiliang emerge from the barracks, he realized something was off.
Their entire conversation fell on his ears.
From their exchange, Liu Tiezhu quickly saw that Jiang He was a smiling tiger.
Jiang He's help had been calculated from the start.
Taking him under his wing came with ulterior motives.
If Liu Tiezhu couldn't prove his value, he'd be discarded like a pawn.
Especially the "accidents" Zhang Zhiliang mentioned—they posed a huge threat.
If he failed those tests, his death would be certain.
Liu Tiezhu's face turned pale, and a chill ran down his spine.
If he hadn't been cautious and doubled back,
he would've fallen into these foxes' schemes without even knowing how he died.
Sure enough, everyone in the three great families was a bastard—not a single good person.
With one slip, anyone around him could take his life.