After Wang Jian left with the other generals, the drill ground bustled with activity.
Zhang Han and other familiar military officers, along with a group of sharp soldiers, gathered around Zhao Feng.
"Congratulations, Commander!"
"Congratulations, Army Captain!"
The crowd showered Zhao Feng with their congratulations.
Zhao Feng responded with a warm smile, cupping his hands in return to show his gratitude.
"What a pity," Zhang Han said with a tone of disappointment. "If only the Commander could lead our unit. With your skills, our battalion would be unstoppable!"
"Why? Are you not satisfied with your current Captain?" Zhao Feng teased with a grin.
"It's not that," Zhang Han said with a sigh. "It's just that... there's something about our Captain. He doesn't have that commanding aura when leading troops. Since he's taken command, we've mostly been stationed at the rear. Rarely do we get the chance to charge into battle and earn merits."
Hearing this, Zhao Feng immediately understood.
The reason they were held back was undoubtedly due to Wang Yan.
As the daughter of the supreme general, Wang Yan was someone Li Teng couldn't afford to put at risk. Placing her on the front lines was never an option. Even the current assignment to defend Yangcheng was chosen for its supposed safety.
Li Teng likely worried more about Wang Yan's safety than the actual attack on the supply lines.
"Troops are always needed at the rear as a contingency," Zhao Feng said with a smile. "The recent events in Yangcheng should serve as a lesson."
"You're right, Commander," Zhang Han admitted. "But the brothers in the unit still yearn to charge into battle and prove themselves."
"Everything will follow the general's orders," Zhao Feng replied casually, knowing such matters were beyond his control.
Back at the Quarters
After parting ways with Zhang Han and the others, Zhao Feng returned to his quarters.
Locking the door, he placed the commander's uniform, armor, and sword carefully to the side.
"Time to claim my treasure chest rewards," Zhao Feng said eagerly.
Advancing in rank and nobility meant nine levels of promotion nine treasure chests! Zhao Feng could hardly contain his excitement.
"Host has been promoted to Hundred-Man Commander. One Tier-One Treasure Chest rewarded."
"Host has been promoted…"
"Host has received a total of nine Tier-One Treasure Chests."
"Let's hope there's some good stuff in there!" Zhao Feng grinned as he gave the command:
"Open all treasure chests!"
"Opening all Tier-One Treasure Chests."
Obtained Tier-Two Low-Grade Weapon: [Dragon Spring Sword].
Obtained Tier-One Mid-Grade Recipe: [Hemostatic Powder Formula].
Obtained: [Movable Type Printing Technique] Record.
Obtained: [Papermaking Technique] Record.
Obtained Tier-High-Grade Martial Skill: [Subduing Dragon Palm].
Obtained Tier-Two High-Grade Pill: [Great Rejuvenation Pill] (One Bottle).
Obtained: 1,000 Taels of Gold.
Obtained Yellow Tier Mid-Grade Technique: [Intermediate Inner Strength].
Obtained Black Tier Low-Grade Technique: [Dragon Elephant Technique].
When the treasure chests were fully opened, Zhao Feng's eyes lit up, overwhelmed by the sheer bounty.
But two items immediately caught his attention.
"My goodness!"
"Finally, some real luck two martial arts techniques in one haul!"
"[Dragon Elephant Technique]... Is it the legendary Dragon Elephant Prajna Art? No... it seems different."
Overjoyed, Zhao Feng wasted no time extracting both techniques.
"Extracting [Intermediate Inner Strength] and [Dragon Elephant Technique]."
In the next moment, it felt as though knowledge was directly imprinted into his mind.
"Though I've never practiced martial arts, it's clear the higher-tier technique is more powerful. [Dragon Elephant Technique] It is!"
Zhao Feng immersed himself in the newfound knowledge, feeling elated by his good fortune.
A Treasure Trove
The sheer joy of obtaining genuine martial arts techniques was unparalleled for Zhao Feng.
"[Dragon Elephant Technique] has nine levels. Each level grants the strength of a thousand pounds. When fully mastered, it offers the combined power of a dragon and an elephant. It's a foundational technique, but incredibly useful!"
"Forget how advanced it is. Just getting my hands on a real martial arts technique is a blessing. Stronger techniques will come in time!"
Next, Zhao Feng turned his attention to the Dragon Spring Sword, extracting it with a thought.
A gleaming, razor-sharp blade, unmatched by anything forged in this era, appeared in his hand.
"What a sword! The famed Dragon Spring Blade!" Zhao Feng marveled.
Equipped with this divine weapon, Zhao Feng felt more confident about surviving the battlefield.
"And then there's [Subduing Dragon Palm], even stronger than my techniques!" Zhao Feng extracted and began practicing it, though the realization that it required true qi dampened his excitement.
"True qi? What true qi?" Zhao Feng muttered, a bit disappointed that he couldn't yet unleash its full power.
Still, with one martial skill and two cultivation techniques, Zhao Feng felt overjoyed.
"The [Hemostatic Powder Formula] could be worth a fortune!"
"And the [Movable Type Printing Technique] and [Papermaking Technique]? Those are tools to reshape the world! These could break the monopoly of the nobility and serve as weapons for governing the nation."
"This haul was incredible!"
"The nine treasure chests each reward priceless. It's like a personal gift from Emperor Qin Shi Huang himself!"
Reflecting on his path forward, Zhao Feng felt renewed determination.
"Rising in rank, earning rewards, and killing enemies this is the way to grow stronger."
Satisfied, Zhao Feng prepared to begin cultivating his new techniques, eager to face whatever awaited him in his new role as a commanding officer.
At that moment, footsteps echoed outside.
"Is Commander Zhao here?"
A man's unfamiliar voice called out.
"What is it?" Zhao Feng replied, quickly stashing the Dragon Spring Sword.
The doors opened to reveal two logistics soldiers, each carrying a box.