King-Chapter 1093 - 160, The Cruel Selection_3

Of course, these individuals also reaped what they had sought. Although the location of their fiefdoms wasn’t ideal, they had ultimately transcended their social class.

The deeper Hudson thought about it, the more he realized how formidable the twenty-rank military honor system of the Qin Dynasty was. The system clearly institutionalized the standards for rewards, extending them to everyone in the military.

Step by step, every soldier could see hope for further advancement. By comparison, the military honor system of the Alpha Kingdom was too crude.

Great achievements could indeed make one a noble, but for the majority of ordinary soldiers, slaying hundreds of orc soldiers was simply an impossible task.

The enticing promises were, in reality, prepared for the children of nobles. Leading a private army into battle, where all the military exploits were credited to one individual, naturally increased the chances of standing out.

This set of rules that protected the interests of the Noble Consortium was tied to the entire group, and naturally, Hudson could not shatter it. However, he wanted to try refining and adjusting within the framework of the rules.

Though he wanted to act, Hudson did not proceed blindly. The military honor system of the Qin Dynasty had been implemented alongside the agricultural-military system.

This was clearly at odds with the prevalent serfdom in the society. Any reform that touched the foundation of the social production system was not easily accomplished.

If forcible advancement wasn’t possible, then the only option was to adapt. Exactly how to go about it was something Hudson didn’t have a clue about at the moment; such matters were quite troublesome.

"Duke, these are the names of the students who have been eliminated. Would you like to—"

Before Cain could finish speaking, Hudson waved his hand and said, "These matters are all part of the daily teaching routine; you guys can manage them on your own.

There’s no need to go on; since this is the first assessment, let’s relax the standards slightly. Subtract the recipients of the Life Essence from the total quota, and eliminate ten percent of the remaining ones!"

Someone had to play the villain. If it couldn’t be Hudson, the Lord, then it would have to be other senior members of the academy.

Vice-Chancellor, Dean of Academic Affairs... they were appointed to their positions not to gain a following of students, but to solve problems effectively.

However, Hudson’s hand, in the end, was a bit more forgiving. By eliminating those who had received the Life Essence and then discarding the bottom ten percent, at least five hundred students were spared for the time being.

This stroke of luck would only come once. If they failed to rise to the occasion in the following three months, they would find themselves on the next batch of eliminations.

Despite being eliminated, for numerous students from serf backgrounds, each additional term they sustained was an opportunity.

In departing from the academy, they also took with them the fruits of their learning. Whether it was cultural knowledge or enhanced physical abilities gained through training, both were valuable assets.

After enduring several terms, even if they were eventually expelled, the secondary legions would compete to have them.

Those who had undergone basic knight training were much stronger than the average person, both in personal strength and combat experience.

The Soldier Training Academy was naturally intended to train soldiers. Those eliminated were soldiers trained by Hudson, and those remaining in the end would become officers.

After a three-year period of study, spending time in the Knight Corps to accumulate some military achievements, Hudson would look for opportunities to dispatch promising talents to conventional legions to serve as officers.

Unlike past officers who only had to follow commands, they would also shoulder the responsibility of occupying oversea strongholds and resisting orc invasions.

...

As Hudson departed, the campus was split into scenes of sorrow and joy, with countless eyes fixed on the notices on the wall.

Students who ranked in the top twenty percent and qualified for the Life Essence strode about confidently, as if the prospects of achievements and distinction were just within reach.

On the other side, those with rankings at the bottom stood in shock, their faces ashen, unable to believe they had been eliminated.

"Impossible!"

"This can’t be happening!"

"Ah..."

Someone took the lead, and in the blink of an eye, the campus was filled with crying.

Especially those students whose scores were just enough to be eliminated, they wept the most heartbreakingly. They were so close; if only they had worked a little harder usually, the situation now would be quite different.

But no matter how tragically they cried, it couldn’t change the fact that they were eliminated.

The students who barely made the cut-off, while relieved to remain at the school, also complained bitterly in private.

There wasn’t much time left for them to make an effort. If they didn’t want to leave in low spirits, they had to give it their all in the next three months.

The problem was, while they needed to make an effort, the others weren’t just sitting idle. Witnessing their former classmates being eliminated was a jarring reminder for everyone.

Even the students who had been brimming with confidence just moments ago, under the influence of the somber atmosphere, now subdued their smiles.

Receiving the Life Essence was just the first step—if they couldn’t awaken the Seed of Life, their future prospects wouldn’t be much better.

In theory, anyone could become a Knight provided they piled on enough resources, even without any talent, but the cost would be astonishingly high.

Resourced players had nothing to do with them. They only had one chance to succeed; failure meant the end of their knightly dreams.

Watching a group of students sobbing and wailing, the instructors’ expressions turned terribly grim. They had risen from the lower ranks themselves and were acutely aware of how crucial this opportunity was for the students before them.

But there was nothing they could do. The world was cruel, and eventually, the students had to leave.

"Stop your wailing!"

"Everyone, buck up. Even if you have to leave, you must leave with your spine straight.

Life is a long journey. We’ve taught you the methods of basic training. You can still practice them after you go back.

The Duke is going to develop the Snow Moon Territory, and there will undoubtedly be wars to fight in. As long as you distinguish yourselves on the battlefield, why worry about the lack of opportunities!"

Instructor Felix lectured solemnly.

He didn’t want these students to plummet from here. Even if their path became increasingly difficult after leaving, as long as they kept going, there would always be hope.

The instructors at the academy were the best example. Except for a few lucky ones from noble families, the rest had fought through life and death alongside Hudson, and had earned their way.

Most of them hadn’t even been exposed to proper knight training before becoming Knights.

They had trained entirely within the military, reached the standards for awakening the Seed of Life through their physical excellence, and happened to have earned enough merits to be rewarded with the Life Essence.

Compared to mere knight training, those who had crawled out of piles of corpses had a much higher chance of awakening the Seed of Life after ingesting the Life Essence.

"Instructor Felix, can we really do it?"

A boy of thirteen or fourteen asked uncertainly.

"I don’t know!"

"With your current state, I think you might as well go back to farming. The military truly isn’t for you.

If you can firm up your beliefs, report to the military as soon as you leave here and continue to persist with the training, there will always be a glimmer of hope.

Proportionally speaking, about two percent of the people in the Elite Legion of the territory successfully awaken the Seed of Life!"

Felix said in a somber tone.

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