On the training grounds.
Dressed in black leather armor and holding a spear, Akomann looked majestic and valiant.
Before her, eight hundred Black Rock Army soldiers stood in neat ranks, wearing uniform black military attire, their military bearing at its peak.
After a long period of training, they had undergone a complete transformation.
Their discipline and obedience had reached an astonishing level.
But this was not yet enough.
A modern army required a scientific structure, clear division of branches, and, more importantly, excellent Commanders with the ability to match.
Today was the big day for the formal establishment of the Black Rock Army.
Wu Liang solemnly stepped onto the high platform of the training grounds and announced loudly.
"From this day forward, the Black Rock Army officially establishes four major battalions!"
Wu Liang's voice echoed across the entire training grounds.
"The first battalion, the Spear and Shield Battalion!"
"Composed of three hundred of the strongest warriors, you are the bulwark of the legion, an unshakable shield of steel!"
"Your mission is to use your shields and spears to crush any enemy who dares to charge head-on!"
"The second battalion, the Bow and Crossbow Battalion!"
"Composed of three hundred sharpshooters, of which one hundred are composite bowmen and two hundred are heavy crossbowmen!"
"You are the talons of the legion, the messengers of death! Your mission is to use your rain of arrows to blanket the entire battlefield!"
"The third battalion, the Scout Battalion!"
"Composed of one hundred of the most agile warriors, those most familiar with the mountains and forests!"
"You are the eyes and ears of the legion. Your mission is to scout enemy movements, relay intelligence, and deliver fatal blows to the enemy from the shadows!"
"The fourth battalion, the Cavalry Battalion!"
"Provisionally set at one hundred members! You are the iron fist of the legion, the key to deciding victory or defeat!"
"I expect you to mount your warhorses to sprint, encircle, harass, and pursue on the battlefield, sweeping across the land like the wind!"
With every battalion Wu Liang announced, a thunderous roar of shouting erupted from below.
The light of excitement and glory flickered in the eyes of the warriors.
"Eliza."
Wu Liang suddenly turned his head and looked down from the platform.
Eliza, who had been waiting at the side below the platform, stepped up quickly.
She held a tray in her hands, upon which lay stacks of armbands made from fine animal hide, as well as a rolled-up, massive black flag.
Wu Liang personally picked up the flag and gave it a sharp snap.
Flap!
A massive black flag unfurled in the wind, fluttering proudly!
In the center of the flag, a towering black peak was depicted with bright red dye.
Above the peak was a crossed battle-axe and spear.
The design was simple yet domineering, brimming with a sense of power.
"From today on, this is the battle flag of our Black Rock Army!"
Wu Liang's voice was deep and powerful, carrying across the entire training field.
"The Black Mountain as our foundation, weapons as our peak!"
"Our Tribe shall be as indestructible as this Black Mountain! Our army shall be as invincible as these weapons!"
"Wind! Wind! Great Wind!"
"War! War! Must War!"
Eight hundred Female Warriors raised their weapons high, following Wu Liang's voice and letting out a roar like a mountain tsunami.
A fanatical light shone in their eyes.
Wu Liang watched this scene with satisfaction; what he wanted was exactly this kind of cohesion and sense of honor.
"Akomann!"
"Present!"
"I confer upon you the post of Commander of the Black Rock Army, to lead the three forces! This battle flag is yours to keep!"
Wu Liang solemnly handed the flagpole to Akomann.
Akomann took the battle flag with both hands and knelt on one knee, her voice trembling slightly with emotion:
"Akomann! I swear deathly loyalty to the Tribe! I swear to defend the glory of the Black Rock Army until death!"
"Good!"
Wu Liang nodded and took an armband from Eliza's tray.
On that armband, three stars were embroidered with gold thread.
"This is the Commander's armband."
Wu Liang personally put it on Akomann.
"From now on, to see this armband is to see a military order as immovable as a mountain!"
Next, Wu Liang began to read the appointments of the first batch of officers.
"Kayla!"
"Present!"
Kayla stepped out of the formation, her face full of excitement.
"I appoint you as the Battalion Commander of the Spear and Shield Battalion! You are awarded the field officer's armband!"
Wu Liang handed her an armband with two stars.
"Yes!"
"I appoint Una as the Battalion Commander of the Bow and Crossbow Battalion! You are awarded the field officer's armband!"
"I appoint..."
Name after name was called, and one outstanding warrior after another stepped out of the formation to receive the armband representing their status and honor from Wu Liang's hands.
From the basic Squad Leader of ten, to the Middle Captain of a hundred, to the Commanders of each battalion, a clear chain of command was thus established.
The appointed officers' faces were flushed with excitement, while the other warriors cast envious glances.
This was exactly the effect Wu Liang wanted.
"An army has military law! It has military regulations! And more importantly, it has a military soul!"
Wu Liang's voice rang out again.
"What is our military soul?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and roared word by word:
"That is: Use me for the first battle, and we shall surely prevail! Draw your sword upon meeting the enemy, and be invincible!"
"Use me for the first battle, and we shall surely prevail!"
"Draw your sword upon meeting the enemy, and be invincible!"
Akomann was the first to follow, raising her arms and shouting.
"Use me for the first battle, and we shall surely prevail!"
"Draw your sword upon meeting the enemy, and be invincible!"
The voices of the eight hundred warriors merged into a torrent, soaring straight into the clouds.
These words were like a brand, deeply etched into the soul of every warrior.
"Very good!"
A smile appeared on Wu Liang's face.
"A powerful army must not only know how to fight, but also how to sing military songs!"
"Next, I will teach you to sing our Black Rock Army's first military song!"
Singing?
The warriors were all stunned. What did fighting have to do with singing?
Wu Liang didn't explain; he cleared his throat and began to sing.
"Forward!"
"Forward!"
"Forward!"
"Children of Black Rock, hear the mountains echo!"
"The ancestral totem burns hot in our chests!"
"From hide tents to the clanging of iron armor!"
"We tread the earth, with the blazing sun above!"
...The military song was resonant, its tune stirring and high-pitched.
After one rendition, the entire training field was silent.
Everyone was stunned by this song, the likes of which they had never heard before.
"Good!"
Akomann was the first to react; she felt her blood boiling all over.
"Again! Lord Wu Liang, sing it again!"
Wu Liang smiled and sang it once more.
This time, some warriors began to hum along.
The third time, the fourth time... By the time the sun had risen directly overhead, the orderly and powerful singing had merged into a torrent, echoing over the entire Tribe.
"Use me for the first battle, and we shall surely prevail!"
"Draw your sword upon meeting the enemy, and be invincible!"
Wu Liang raised his arms and shouted, and the eight hundred warriors responded in unison, their voices shaking the fields!
The other tribespeople in the Tribe, whether busy at the construction sites or working in the workshops...
Hearing this orderly and resonant singing, they couldn't help but stop their work in curiosity and look toward the training grounds from afar.
"Lord Wu Liang, the saddles and stirrups have all been forged. Would you like to go and take a look?"
Just as the ceremony ended, Chief Steward Wula suddenly arrived at the training field.
"Oh? You guys moved quite fast. Pick out a set and bring it over to the horse ranch."