"Relay the order: all units will rest for a quarter of an hour."

"After a quarter of an hour, we advance into the mountains!"

Li Jinghong’s expression was grim. As if completely oblivious to the Inspectors’ low morale, he issued the command.

He Ping hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and advised:

"Sir, for the rebels to dare set such an ambush, they must have complete control of Qili Village. Why don’t we send someone back to the county to report the situation and wait for reinforcements to arrive?"

Li Jinghong looked at He Ping and challenged, "Qili Village, in its entirety, has no more than thirty-odd households and fewer than thirty able-bodied men. We have two hundred armored men. What is there to fear?"

After speaking, Li Jinghong continued, as if talking to himself:

"The rioters of Qili Village have violently resisted conscription, defied the Court’s authority, murdered an Inspector, and gathered to set an ambush, killing over a dozen of the Court’s Inspectors..."

"Such actions are tantamount to treason!"

"If we do not eliminate these traitors now, then when?"

Hearing this, He Ping was momentarily stunned but quickly understood. ’The higher-ups are about to arrive for an inspection. If we don’t clean up this mess quickly and they find out, we’ll all lose our heads!’

Then, He Ping asked tentatively, "Sir, should we send another scouting party?"

"If the rebels hadn’t set such an ambush just now, I might have been somewhat wary!"

"But they had a perfect opportunity to press their attack just now and didn’t. That proves the rebels don’t dare to face us head-on. They’re just bluffing, trying to make us hesitate!"

"So, what is there to fear!"

As he spoke, Li Jinghong glanced at the demoralized Inspectors. "Go tell them: in this battle, anyone who dares to disobey orders or undermine morale will be executed, and their entire family will be sentenced to the Forced Labor punishment camps!"

"Also, this is a campaign to suppress rebels. Rewards will be given according to the Court’s system for military merit. Announce that as well."

"As you command."

He Ping cupped his fist in salute and withdrew.

When the orders were relayed, the temporary encampment erupted in an uproar, but under the threat of military law, the clamor soon subsided into hushed whispers.

The threat of execution was personal, but the threat of the Forced Labor punishment camps undoubtedly cut off all avenues of retreat for the conscripts present.

The Forced Labor in the mines was harsh, but normally, the chances of safely completing a six-month term were not small.

But the Forced Labor punishment camps were clearly a different matter entirely.

The so-called Forced Labor punishment camps were where convicts were sent to toil after being assigned to the mines.

However many years they were sentenced to, that’s how many years they had to work in the punishment camps.

In a sense, the life of a regular Forced Laborer was still worth something. If they died in the mines, Qinghe County would even provide compensation to their family.

But the laborers in the Forced Labor punishment camps were another story.

Whatever work was most dangerous in the mines, that’s what the laborers in the punishment camps were forced to do.

If they died, they died. Their lives were as worthless as weeds, not even worth mentioning.

With such a punishment, who with parents or children wouldn’t be terrified?

Chu Mu was all alone in the world, so while the punishment startled him, he wasn’t overly concerned by it.

What he was focused on was what He Ping had mentioned: rewards according to the Court’s system for military merit!

The position of Inspector was already a semi-military role, so he naturally knew a thing or two about these so-called rewards for military merit from the Court.

For ranks below Squad Leader, military merit was based on the number of heads taken.

For Squad Leaders and above, merit was determined by command ability—for example, in a battle, a Squad Leader or a higher-ranking officer would be judged on their unit’s casualties, their achievements, and how well their orders were followed...

It was mainly a calculation of gains versus losses, something Chu Mu hadn’t looked into too deeply.

But Chu Mu knew a great deal about the system of military merit by beheading for those below the rank of Squad Leader.

After all, he was just a common grunt...

According to the reward system, if an ordinary soldier took one head in a battle, they would be rewarded with thirty silver, and their parents and children would be exempt from Forced Labor for three years.

Take five heads, and you’d be promoted one rank, your parents and children would be exempt from Forced Labor for ten years, and you’d be rewarded with two hundred silver.

Take ten heads, and you’d be promoted two ranks, your parents and children would be exempt from Forced Labor for life, and you’d be rewarded with ten gold!

As for beheading accomplices, there was no promotion, only a reward of gold or silver per head.

Without a doubt, this system of military merit gave low-ranking soldiers a chance to practically soar to the heavens in a single leap.

Ten heads meant a two-rank promotion!

A common soldier could become a Squad Leader, commanding dozens of men!

In an ordinary small town, there were only a few dozen Inspectors in total, the size of a single squad. The Squad Leader was practically king of the town!

Even in a key location like Nanshan Town, which had a special structure of two Hundred Households, there were nearly five hundred Inspectors but only about ten Squad Leaders in total.

This undoubtedly exceeded Chu Mu’s expectations.

After all, the Court’s system for military merit was meant for major threats officially recognized by the Court. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

For example, rebels who swept through a region and alarmed the Court, or wars against the Barbarians.

A small skirmish in a tiny village like this seemed to have no connection to the Court’s official system of military merit.

At most, the county would come up with some of its own rewards.

The more likely outcome was a normal accumulation of merits and promotion within the Inspection Department system.

Chu Mu’s original plan had been to make a bit of a show, to try and get noticed by the higher-ups.

’If some people die this time and a few positions open up, maybe I’ll have a chance to fill one.’

Of course, the premise for all of this was to ensure his own safety first.

Just like during the surprise arrow volley earlier, he had to guarantee his own safety above all else.

But instead, such a huge, sweet prize had been dangled in front of him.

’The prize is too big, too sweet!’

Chu Mu was very tempted.

This tangible reward was undoubtedly far more realistic than Li Gang’s vague, private promise.

Although he didn’t have a great desire for power or status,

having been in this world for over a month, it wasn’t hard to see that in this era, without power, without status, a person wasn’t really a person at all!

Even without a certain level of power and status, there were many things you would never even get to see!

Now that an opportunity to fight for power and status was right in front of him, how could he not be moved?

Chu Mu took a bite of the dry rations that had been handed out, chewing slowly. The light in his eyes flickered, gradually turning resolute.

’Fortune favors the bold.’

He was all alone in this world.

With no one to rely on, it meant that nothing in this world would come to him without effort.

If he wanted something, he had to pay the price.

This risk was one worth taking!

Swallowing the last bite of his rations, Chu Mu grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed it vigorously on his face.

The bone-chilling cold spread with the motion, stimulating his nerves.

Chu Mu was wide awake and certain that he wasn’t just caught up in the heat of the moment.

"Brother Mu, are you planning to go for it?"

Xu Yuan looked at Chu Mu, a little worried.

"Yes."

Chu Mu nodded with firm resolve.

Then he clapped Xu Yuan on the shoulder and instructed him earnestly, "You don’t need to be afraid. I’ve read the local gazetteer before. Qili Village only has about thirty households, and they’ve been conscripted for Forced Labor several times, so their numbers are definitely low right now."

"The ones who dare to rebel are definitely a minority among them!"

"There are so many of us. As long as you stay in the back, don’t charge too far ahead, and just pretend to fight, you probably won’t be in much danger."

"Brother Mu..."

Xu Yuan started to protest, but Chu Mu cut him off.

"Don’t you worry. I value my life a lot more than you do. I won’t be reckless."

Chu Mu’s expression was just as serious. He wasn’t caught up in the heat of the moment; he was very self-aware.

This was simply a preliminary choice made after weighing the pros and cons.

If the situation truly became untenable, he wouldn’t charge in blindly. He would continue to weigh his options.

...