036 The Selection of the Royal Guards / The Legendary Presence

Three days after Viktor was appointed as the head of the tribe’s Department of Justice and Security, the artificial lake construction project was officially launched. To the north of the Norsen Plain, the Lizardfolk of the Summerjade clan finally settled down upon that wide expanse.

There were still two days before the agreed start date for the project, but Summerjade made no excuses or delays. After handpicking two hundred of her best, she led them on an early journey toward Horseshoe Mountain.

This time, Summerjade’s purpose in returning to Horseshoe Mountain was not only to help the ratfolk build their artificial lake, but more importantly, to seize the opportunity for thorough observation and study. She was convinced that the true reason for the ratfolk’s rapid rise on the plain was not merely its natural advantages. There had to be some secret she had yet to uncover—that was her true aim. Of course, it would be even better if she could secretly learn a few of the ratfolk’s technological marvels.

Driven by a lofty ideal of self-strengthening, Summerjade led her most outstanding young clansfolk onto the road of learning.

...

Meanwhile, in the ratfolk tribe, a rigorous selection was underway in full swing.

Compared to two months ago, the tribe had grown by nearly a third. Every time Yang Jie strolled outside, he did so alone, which felt awkward and lacking in dignity. Thus, the idea of forming his own guard arose. Today, the selection for his personal guard was held at the tribe’s largest training ground.

Since it was the very first stage, Yang Jie had deliberated for a long time before deciding on a provisional roster of only ten. In other words, only the ten best would be chosen.

The news had spread two days prior, so although there were only ten spots, the number of applicants had already exceeded five hundred, with even some rat farmers joining the rush.

Such enthusiasm was entirely within Yang Jie’s expectations. On the one hand, the benefits for the guards were generous; on the other, the path to promotion was clear. After all, what better place to shine than by the chieftain’s side?

The selection process consisted of four events: a 5,000-meter run, mixed martial arts, marksmanship, and brick-carrying.

The first three were self-explanatory. As for brick-carrying, it was simple physical labor: ferrying mud bricks, the main building material since the tribe was still far from the Bronze Age. The test was to shuttle fifty meters back and forth, seeing who could move the most bricks in five minutes.

Beyond these four events, there was also a political screening. Yang Jie would investigate each contestant’s loyalty via the system interface, though of course he could not announce this openly.

In a dim rat burrow, Scarred Johnny crouched down and gently stroked his son Koger’s head. His once fierce features, at that moment, were suffused with a father’s unique tenderness—the scar on his face even seemed endearing.

“Take care of your younger siblings at home. Don’t go wandering off. When I get back, I’ll buy you all some meat to eat.”

“We’ll wait for you to come home, Father!” Koger nodded hard, while behind him a chorus of chattering little brothers and sisters—each with a piece of twine around their waist and a baby sister tied to their back—waited eagerly.

Scarred Johnny gazed at his eldest son with deep affection, brimming with pride. In his absence, Koger always took up the mantle of responsibility, caring for the younger ones as a father would.

Looking up at his father’s powerful frame, Koger’s eyes shone with adoration.

“Wait for my return!”

All the words in Johnny’s heart condensed into that simple promise. He turned and left; the smile faded from his lips, replaced by grim resolve.

Johnny’s family had joined the tribe as refugees. Over half a year ago, he and his pregnant wife were saved by Chieftain Yang Jie as they fled for their lives. His wife, already on the verge of giving birth and exhausted by privation, was barely conscious when the ratfolk rescued them on the slopes of Horseshoe Mountain. In the final moments of her life, she summoned her last strength to bring six pups into the world before passing peacefully from her beloved’s side, never glimpsing her children.

All the burdens of family and life fell squarely on Johnny’s young shoulders. To support his brood, he took on every dirty and exhausting job no other rat would touch, on top of his regular duties. Through his fearless love and care, he sheltered his children and gave them the chance to grow strong beneath his arms.

After his distinguished performance in the campaign against the Shirin family, Johnny was promoted to patrol squad leader—but his ambitions extended far beyond that. Having witnessed too much injustice and darkness during his years as a refugee, he swore to himself that he would blaze a new trail for the ratfolk with his own blood and passion.

Clever as he was, Johnny had long suspected that the day would soon come to form an elite guard. But opportunity belongs to those who are prepared.

For this day, he not only excelled at his assigned duties but also took on odd jobs to support his family. Most importantly, he maintained strict self-discipline, demanding no less than three hours of combat training every day, never faltering as he waited for his chance. And today, that chance had arrived!

No matter the cost, he would seize this hard-won opportunity with all his might.

Outside a courtyard of earthen walls, young Karl was saying his last goodbye to his father.

“Go back inside, Father—it’s cold out here!”

“My boy, take care. Don’t overexert yourself. If things don’t go well, I’ll try to talk to the chieftain…”

Before Jill could finish, Karl clapped a hand over his mouth.

“Trust me, Father.”

He said no more, but hugged his father fiercely before turning and walking away without hesitation.

Weathered and worn, Old Jill gazed after his youngest son, as if seeing his own younger self reflected there. After Jill’s eldest and second sons fell in battle, Karl became his sole hope for carrying on.

Half an hour later.

Under the blazing sun, the training ground filled with over five hundred contestants, surrounded by a surging sea of ratfolk.

Wendy, who was organizing the event, strode onto the stage, her long spear trailing behind her.

“Warriors of the tribe! Today we gather here to select ten outstanding fighters—loyal to the tribe and unafraid of battle!”

“This selection will be judged by our Minister of Justice, Viktor!”

With that, Viktor rose from the dais and offered the crowd a simple bow. His solemn expression all but declared: ‘No nonsense will be tolerated.’

Thunderous applause erupted below, a testament to the young minister’s esteem among the people.

Yang Jie, too, was present—though disguised and mingling with the crowd, quietly observing. He silently opened each applicant’s stat panel, searching for gold among these five hundred hopefuls.

Yet the results were disappointingly mediocre. Most were unremarkable; the only standout was Old Shah’s son Karl, a shoo-in for captain of the guard in Yang Jie’s mind. If no other talent emerged, he would simply appoint Karl and call it a day, for the selection would last the entire day.

But just as Yang Jie was idly tapping through the system, on the verge of giving up, his gaze landed, quite by chance, on a ratfolk with a fierce scar across his face.

He looked again, unable to believe his eyes, then again and again, studying the stat panel as if beholding a priceless work of art.

“Heavens!”

“A Legendary Potential!”

Yang Jie looked up, sneaking glances at the scarred Johnny, who seemed restless and uneasy amid the crowd, shifting from foot to foot, anxiety plain on his face.

As a veteran player, Yang Jie knew that each race’s legendary heroes were not confined to those summoned from the altar; some could also arise from ordinary tribesfolk through countless battles.

And those among them who rose above the rest became living legends of their people. Compared to the likes of Twitch who stepped forth from the altar, these self-made heroes forged their path amid bones and thorns.

In the beta test, Yang Jie had seen that those with “Legendary Potential,” who overcame endless trials, could be counted on one hand throughout the whole of “Tower Defense and Civilization.”

But there was no doubt—they were the pillars who could uphold an entire civilization, and their journey would inevitably become the stuff of legend.