The effect of the buff on Shadow Soldiers far exceeded Zhang Yun's expectations.
Zhang Yun initially thought that the buff only raised the Shadow Soldiers' bodies to the level of an ordinary Level 1 Professional. He did not expect that the Level 1 Shadow Soldiers were all geniuses.
Why was Fjolm so confident she could defeat the Royal Army of the same level if she were at her peak?
It was precisely because Fjolm was a genius!
How could a Level 1 Shadow Soldier kill a Level 5 Priest with just three strikes?
The shadows were also geniuses!
What did that mean then?
What was a genius?
Based on his current knowledge, Zhang Yun made the following analysis:
To be considered a genius, the growth rate of each attribute (Strength, Agility, Spirit, and Physique) must reach C+. In addition, the Attribute Correction Rate must also reach C+ while the Experience Conversion Rate should be higher than D+. The Overall Evaluation should be higher than C+ by then.
The requirement for the Experience Conversion Rate was low. This aspect affected the leveling speed and would not influence the upper limit of an individual's growth.
Even if the person improved slowly, he would be able to rise sooner or later.
However, the upper limit was fixed. Regardless of efforts and time, the threshold would not be broken through.
This was the main point that brought despair.
If all of the categories were above C+ and above B-, the person evaluated would be considered a genius among geniuses. In the small city where Zhang Yun lived, only one or two people would be born with such talent every few years.
Ordinary professionals were basically at the level of D to D+. The more powerful ones were at most at C or C-.
For Zhang Yun, almost all of his grades were D-, and the overall evaluation representing his growth potential was also D-, but this was just an exception.
It was even rarer than an 'S' grade.
Zhang Yun had never been to the underground city, nor had he fought with other professionals, so he could not accurately judge the current states of the Shadow Soldiers and the Royal Army.
But Zhang Yun could roughly guess.
The Royal Army should have an average 'D' grade.
On the other hand, the Shadow Soldiers had reached the average 'C' grade.
When it came to the difference between a 'D' grade and a 'C' grade, the physical attributes of the two could be several times—or even dozens of times—different.
In a head-on battle, even if the former's level was higher, the latter could easily crush him.
Taking a step back, even if the difference between a 'D+' and a 'D' was the sign, this was enough to be fatal.
In the case of the same level and the same profession, the two would have at least two to three times the difference in attributes. The higher the level, the greater the difference.
The reason why Zhang Yun had the idea of lying flat on the ground was because...
Well, it was because Zhang Yun had reawakened four times in a row, and all of the results had a D- Overall Evaluation, with no potential for growth at all.
Even if his Attribute Growth Rate was at D-, Zhang Yun's Experience Conversion Rate and Attribute Conversion Rate were also at D-.
As long as the Overall Evaluation reached D+ or even C-, it could allow the other ratings to "naturally" leap to the level of D+ and above—barely catching up with natural D+ professionals—and not lose too many attributes.
Zhang Yun had the confidence to live a life of his own.
However...
All of this was no longer important.
This was because he now had an invincible shadow!
******
[After saving her, Fjolm's attitude toward you had improved, and she accepted your 'cooperation' request. However, due to your unknown identity and your extremely terrifying power, her trust in you was not fully established.]
[You didn't care about that. You only did your best to help the Silver Wolf Bandits, take care of your companions' corpses, and discuss the next plan with Fjolm.]
[The appearance of the Royal Army denoted the compromise of the Silver Wolf Bandits' stronghold. All of the members must immediately move to avoid being besieged by the Royal Army.]
[At this point, you also figured out the whereabouts of the first Silver Wolf, Milano, and the past of Fjolm.]
[The first leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits, Milano, had been leading the Silver Wolf Bandits to run around and provide relief to the people at the border. However, last year, he contracted a strange incurable disease and did not have long to live.]
[Simultaneously, the Ice Emperor was seriously ill. The Hand of the King, Bu Lai, was in charge of the government. He secretly planned to abolish the right as an heir of the 14-year-old princess to the throne, which was personally announced by the Ice Emperor.]
[Several head knights, including Fjolm, opposed the decision of the Hand of the King. They wanted to inform the Ice Emperor. However, Bu Lai took the initiative and convicted them of false charges. The head knights were to be beheaded.]
[Out of desperation, Fjolm and several head knights fled the capital in different directions. On the way, Commander Fjolm was swarmed by a large number of knights. Although she managed to escape, Fjolm was seriously injured.]
[Fortunately, Fjolm met the Silver Wolf Bandits and was saved by the leader, Milano... After the incident, Fjolm planned to look for the other head knights of the kingdom, but she got the news that they had all failed to escape and were killed by the trusted subordinates of Bu Lai, the Hand of the King.]
[In the end, Fjolm, who had nowhere to go, chose to stay with the Silver Wolf Bandits and help Milano train these brothers. She was entrusted by the dying Milano and inherited the name of the new generation of Silver Wolves.]
[As the Knight Commander from the capital, Fjolm was quite contemptuous of the actions of the Royal Army at the border, so she led the Silver Wolf Bandits to attack the Royal Army's strongholds continuously. In the end, Fjolm was targeted by the other party...]
Zhang Yun understood it now.
He wondered why Fjolm dared to face the expert professionals of the Royal Army alone!
As it turned out, Fjolm was the Knight Commander of the Ice Kingdom!
That was fine!
Wait…since Fjolm was a big shot as the Ice Kingdom's Knight Commander, then her actual combat power must be incredibly great, right?
If Zhang Yun contracted Fjolm as a Shadow Hero, will he be able to receive an extremely powerful, beautiful, and magnificent fighter?]
F*ck!
Big Brother Silver Wolf!
Zhang Yun felt apologetic toward Milano!
While he was thinking, new words appeared in front of Zhang Yun.
[After the discussion, you chose to evacuate the stronghold overnight and go to another hidden one. In order to ensure that the incident of 'being followed' would not happen again, you intentionally left a portion of Shadow Soldiers behind to deliberately create traces of retreat in the wrong direction and secretly observe the enemy's movements.]
[Five days later, the main force of the border Royal Army arrived at the abandoned stronghold of the Silver Wolves Bandit. They followed the fake traces left by your Shadow Soldiers and did not notice the real direction of your retreat.]
[A month later, your new stronghold was about to be completed. It would be easy to defend but difficult to attack. However, in consideration of the threat of the Royal Army at the border, Fjolm would not lead you out to 'work' and save the other troubled border residents. Instead, Fjolm decided to train everyone while recuperating from her injuries and waiting for an opportunity.]
[Two months later, there was still no chance. The Royal Army at the border did not give up on the idea of annihilating the Silver Wolf Bandits. Fjolm continued to remain calm and bide her time.]
[Fortunately, the injuries in Fjolm's body were gradually recovering. It wouldn't be long before she can recover more than half of her peak strength.]
Tsk!
As expected of the Knight Commander of the Ice Kingdom.
Fjolm was much more rational.
If it was the impulsive Big Brother Silver Wolf Milano who was in command, he would definitely not be able to tolerate his benefactors not having enough to eat. Milano would endure it for three days at most, and then, he would lead the troops to attack the main force of the Royal Army at the border while cursing.
In the end, not only would the Silver Wolf Bandits not be able to save those miserable people at the border, but all the members of the group, including Milano, would also be sacrificed.
In the future, no one would be able to save those people living on the border.
Zhang Yun was not a pedantic person.
If faced with a crucial choice, Zhang Yun could make a firm decision and choose the best course of action.
Zhang Yun would not remain indecisive. If he did, he would be left with nothing.
It would be a huge loss!
Therefore...
Zhang Yun didn't dislike Fjolm's strategy.
Fjolm deserved to be the leader.
Zhang Yun would also arrive at the same decision after careful consideration. He would protect his brothers and subordinates who had been with him all this time. He could only give up on the people at the border so as to save more people in the future.