"Captain, are you injured too? Are you okay?" Jake had just sat down when Brenton came over with concern.
"I'm fine, just a minor injury," Jake said, "By the way, use these medicines on our two injured comrades."
Jake took out a small vial from his pocket and handed it to Brenton. This small vial was something Clark had prepared for Jake before they left Hermit Village. It could quickly stop bleeding and aid in wound healing. Jake had just used some himself. Because the quantity wasn't abundant, he couldn't provide it to too many people, but using it for the two injured members of his own team was feasible.
"Captain, what's this?" Brenton asked as he accepted the vial.
"It's a medicine for treating wounds," Jake said casually, "It works quite well." It was something Clark had provided, so it certainly wouldn't be lacking in effectiveness.
Brenton nodded, taking the vial to treat the two wounded comrades. Jake then seized the opportunity to take out the metal badge he had picked up from the red-eyed wolf king earlier.
Mount Token: Can transform into any kind of mount. While in token form, it can also repair the condition of the mount.
It's a mount?! Jake was delighted. He had envied Eli and the others when he saw them riding horses earlier. Unfortunately, warhorses were a scarce resource, and as a small team leader like himself, he wasn't qualified to ride one. He could only watch in envy. Yet, now, he had managed to obtain one from the red-eyed wolf king just in time.
However, how should he explain the source of the horse? Jake suddenly found himself in a predicament. He couldn't simply conjure a horse out of thin air, right? Who would believe that?
"It's frustrating to have a mount and still not be able to ride it," Jake thought. But having one was better than having none. In this era, warhorses were strategic resources that even money might not be able to buy. Having one now meant he would have an opportunity to use it in the future.
"How does it feel?" Eli came to Jake's side and sat down, asking.
"I wasn't seriously hurt to begin with," Jake laughed, "Now I'm even better."
"That's good to hear," Eli said, "To be honest, your performance just now really surprised me. I had underestimated you."
Eli's words were filled with a sense of wonder. He had realized Jake was exceptional; he learned quickly, but only in the midst of battle did he truly comprehend that Jake's strength exceeded his expectations.
"Captain, your praise makes me a little embarrassed," Jake laughed.
"You don't need to be modest. In the military, strength speaks for itself. If you're strong, others will respect you. If you're not, even if you're modest, no one will take you seriously," Eli said.
Jake had also sensed this. After he had killed the wolf king amidst the wolf pack, the way his fellow team members looked at him had changed. Their gaze carried a hint of awe and admiration.
At this moment, Alexander walked over with several other unit leaders, his face wearing a friendly smile. He looked at Jake and said, "What's your name?"
Jake glanced at Eli, then at Alexander. "This is General Alexander, our leader of Skylark Camp," Eli introduced Jake. Despite the introduction, there was little reverence in Eli's tone.
Skylark Camp was a makeshift force, and its top general was just a fifth-tier Divine General. In the presence of true high-ranking officers, this Divine General was essentially insignificant. However, in front of the farmers and civilians of Skylark Camp, Alexander often presented himself as a general.
"Greetings, General Alexander. My name is Jake." Jake stood up and saluted.
"Jake? A good name," Alexander chuckled, "Your performance just now was excellent. How about it, would you like to serve as my personal soldier?"
As a fifth-tier adjunct general, Alexander was entitled to have personal soldiers. Personal soldiers didn't occupy official military slots, they couldn't draw military stipends, and their monthly pay came directly from their respective generals. Moreover, these generals would provide their personal soldiers with the best equipment and training. After all, personal soldiers were the last line of defense for their commanders and the people they trusted the most. Personal soldiers could be considered the private guards of these generals, outside the military hierarchy.
The treatment of personal soldiers was considerably better than that of regular soldiers. Moreover, they generally wouldn't be placed in frontline combat; they would stay by their general's side. Compared to ordinary soldiers, personal soldiers were undoubtedly much safer.
Personal soldier? Jake was slightly surprised by Alexander's offer. Wasn't that essentially like a private bodyguard?
Just as Jake was about to decline, Eli beat him to it. "General Alexander, Jake is the squad leader of my Third Squad. I was just about to recommend him to the regular forces. I'm afraid he won't be available to be your personal soldier."
Eli was directly refusing Alexander's invitation, and his refusal was quite straightforward.
Eli didn't want Jake to become Alexander's personal soldier. While the treatment of personal soldiers might be better than that of regular soldiers, the path to promotion would be narrow, with fewer opportunities to distinguish oneself. Even if they achieved something, credit would be attributed to their commanding officer rather than themselves. After all, personal soldiers were essentially private guards. Unless their commanding officer was willing to provide opportunities for advancement, they might remain personal soldiers for their entire lives.
From Eli's perspective, it was clear that Alexander wasn't the type of leader who would offer such opportunities. If Jake followed him, he wouldn't have a promising future. The previously cheerful Alexander's expression turned cold upon hearing Eli's words.
"Captain Eli, I was asking Jake, not you. Don't butt in," Alexander reprimanded, "And, by the way, I haven't settled accounts with you over what happened earlier."
"What do you mean by that, General Alexander?" Eli asked, slightly puzzled.
"What do I mean?" Alexander sneered, "Because of your unauthorized action, attacking without my orders, the Third Squad suffered heavy casualties with many injured. This even affected other squads, causing casualties among them. All of this was caused by you! You need to take responsibility for it!"
"Responsibility? How do you want me to take responsibility?" Eli didn't defend himself, instead countering with a question.
"Starting now, you are no longer the captain of the Third Squad. You're demoted to platoon leader, and I'll personally take over as the captain of the Third Squad," Alexander said coldly. Alexander had long taken a dislike to Eli and now he had an opportunity to make his move.
"General, there's a misunderstanding here," Jake spoke up, "The situation was dire at that time. Captain Eli acted in consideration of everyone's safety, so he made the decision to attack. I believe Captain Eli not only did nothing wrong but also deserves credit. If Captain Eli hadn't acted promptly, the number of red-eyed wolves would have been greater. It would have been even more difficult for us to repel them, and the cost would have been higher."