Chapter 50: Military System

The night was dark and the wind was high. In the deep forest, wolves howled and ghosts shrieked, while the buzzing of venomous insects echoed through the towering ancient trees and thick, old vines, adding a sense of terror and mystery to this primeval woodland.

Lin Mu instructed his soldiers to be cautious, watching their footing and their surroundings. After all, in the deep mountains and wild forests, insects, birds, and beasts were frequent visitors, and there were predators and venomous creatures that grew even more ferocious at night. He didn't want his men to survive the battlefield only to be killed by a tiny venomous insect.

Qingfeng Village was located in a valley, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a plain opening up at the front.

During the day, Lin Mu and Feng Zhong had already made deployments based on reconnaissance intelligence, assigning all personnel to their positions.

Lin Mu’s forces were divided into three routes: left, center, and right. The left and right routes would move first, while the center would follow behind. Once the soldiers were in ambush positions, the center would launch a frontal assault to draw the attention of the defending soldiers, allowing the troops on the left and right to launch a sneak attack and seize the stronghold in one fell swoop.

To take prisoners, they would inevitably alert the enemy, so a frontal assault was the only way—striking the front outpost with lightning speed and then engaging in fierce combat within the village.

Lin Mu had secret weapons in his backpack, but with a mere 5,000 men, there was truly no need to use them.

...

Fan Shun was a mid-level military officer of the Azure Dragon Village, serving as a Military Marquis of the second squad under the Scout Battalion of the [Azure Dragon Legion]. He was quite a significant "civil servant" with excellent benefits!

In the *Mythical World*, the military system was structured as follows

The [Legion] was the largest organizational unit. The Divine Strategy power of many strategists and generals generally applied to the Legion they belonged to.

A standard [Legion] typically consisted of 200,000 soldiers, though the number could vary based on certain constraints. The highest leader was the [Legion Commander].

To establish a Legion, one needed to use a [Legion Command Token] to gain recognition from the laws of heaven and earth—in other words, recognition from the system! However, if the Imperial Court possessed legitimate [Imperial Decrees] or [Military Orders], a Legion recognized by the laws of heaven and earth could also be established.

Players could still establish Legions, but without a Legion Command Token or an Imperial Order, the established Legion would simply lack additional attribute bonuses!

The hierarchy of Legions, from highest to lowest, was: [Legion], [Battalion], [Squadron], [Company], [Platoon], [Section], and [File].

Below the [Legion] was the [Battalion]. A standard 200,000-man [Legion] was divided into four [Battalions], each consisting of 50,000 men, led by a [Battalion Commander].

Below the [Battalion] was the [Squadron]. A standard [Battalion] contained ten [Squadrons], each with 5,000 men, commanded by a [Military Marquis].

Below the [Military Marquis] was the [Company Commander], who led a [Company] of 1,000 men. A Company Commander was also known as a Thousand-man Commander.

Below the Company Commander were the [Platoon Leader], [Section Leader], and [File Leader].

The [File Leader] was the lowest-ranking officer, leading the smallest unit of five men!

From largest to smallest: Legion Commander (200,000), Battalion Commander (50,000), Military Marquis (5,000), Company Commander (1,000), Platoon Leader (100), Section Leader (10), and File Leader (5).

It was a system of layered management and strict discipline.

Such a system had both advantages and disadvantages.

Viewed through the lens of modern knowledge, the advantages of this military system included strict discipline and clear division of labor. In certain situations, the upper leadership could effectively conceal emergencies from the lower ranks, which helped maintain unity and prevented morale from collapsing.

In the *Mythical World*, there were several distinct types of Legions. First were the family-type Legions, known as the "Family Army System." Second were the independent-type Legions, known as the "Mercenary System." Third were the Imperial Court Legions, known as the "Government Army System."

As the saying goes, "In war, brothers fight side by side, and fathers and sons go to battle together!" This was the most prominent feature of the Family Army System. During the late years of the Great Han Dynasty in the *Mythical World*, family-type Legions were the most numerous. Great clans and powerful families stood tall across the land, and bloodlines and kinship were the most reliable interpersonal bonds. It was a matter of nepotism, but through kinship, the unity of a Legion could be maintained, and their combat effectiveness was often impressive!

However, these Legions had one fatal flaw: they could pose a threat to the monarch!

If the monarch was strong, such Legions had little room for growth; conversely, they were one of the root causes of chaos in times of instability!

The most powerful examples of this type were found under the command of the warlord Cao Cao. The Legions formed by his kinsmen, the Xiahou clan, and others possessed combat strength that shook the world!

...

While family-type Legions were the most common among the natives, the Mercenary System was the most widely used among players.

Independent-type Legions shared similarities with family-type Legions in that they were civilian-based; when the Imperial Court weakened, they had bright prospects! During the late Great Han Dynasty, at the dawn of chaos during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, both independent and family-type Legions contributed greatly to suppressing the uprisings. This was also the stage upon which many heroes and legends first emerged.

Although they could not settle the world in one stroke like the Imperial Legions led by Huangfu Song or Zhu Jun, across the country, local rebels were often resisted and encircled by heroic figures who organized local militias into Legions.

Their scope was wide, their influence was immense, and their contributions were indelible!

For players, as long as they held an officer position within a system-recognized Legion, they received certain leadership bonuses, allowing them to command more troops.

...

The Imperial Court-type Legions were established by the government, with the state providing rations, skill books, and specialized talents.

Legions under the Government Army System were loyal to the Imperial Court and the monarch!

Imperial Legions possessed the strongest combat power, high pay, and excellent benefits. The Legion leaders did not need to worry about skill books, talents, or the number of general slots; they only needed to focus on improving the Legion's combat effectiveness!

Each of the three types had its own characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.

In Lin Mu's words, the Family Army System was like a family business, the Mercenary System was like a private enterprise, and the Government Army System was like a state-owned enterprise! The hierarchy of the Legion—such as the Legion Commander—was equivalent to a General Manager, while the Battalion Commander was equivalent to a Department Manager... they all reached the same end through different paths!

...

As the commander of 5,000 men, Fan Shun, a mid-level military officer, was already quite proficient.

However, Fan Shun had been very troubled lately. His superiors had assigned him a mission to lead his squadron to subdue the weak Qingfeng Village. Although it wasn't an exceptionally difficult task, Fan Shun was very diligent to ensure nothing went wrong, ordering his soldiers to maintain high alert and preparations day and night. However, this weak village with little military strength was already under his control. Although there was some resistance, it was merely skin-deep and not worth mentioning.

This village was merely an appendage to his camp.

After many days of high alert, the soldiers had begun to show signs of fatigue, and their combat effectiveness had dropped significantly. Consequently, Fan Shun began to allow the soldiers to gradually lower their guard and get some proper rest.

Fan Shun no longer worried about any accidents and settled in to enjoy the company of beautiful women in the most luxurious room in the village.

Haha, the best part of being on a mission here was being able to indulge in beauty. It wasn't like being in the camp, where he was strictly constrained by military discipline and surrounded only by sturdy men, which held no interest for him at all.

It looked like he was going to have a very pleasant few days here!

However, recent interrogations of some villagers suggested that an "Outsider" territory had appeared to the east. The Great Chief placed great importance on Outsiders. It seemed he would need to return and report this, but he also intended to send some troops to scout the specific situation. If the forces were weak, he would take it himself and claim a merit; if he couldn't take it, he could report back then.

Fan Shun cast these thoughts aside and gave a sly grin...

The night was dark and the wind was high—a perfect time for murder and arson. Due to the high alert of the past several days, the soldiers of the Azure Dragon Village were also extremely exhausted.

"The boss has gone to enjoy his beauties; we soldiers can take a little rest too." Many soldiers had begun to doze off at their posts.