Two 4-Star General
With these words, both Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin showed shock on their faces.
Zeng stood up from his seat, looking at Long Chen in amazement.
[Ding! Zhou Tai's goodwill towards you has increased to 71]
[Ding! Jiang Qin's goodwill towards you has increased to 74]
[Ding! Wang Xiaochui's goodwill towards you...]
Listening to the metallic sounds in his ears, Long Chen was also stunned in place.
He looked at the two strong men at the top with surprise.
This, this was none other than the renowned Three Kingdoms generals Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin, the future subordinates of Sun Quan in Jiangdong!
To encounter them here, and what was even more exciting was that both of them had extremely high goodwill towards him and were willing to join him.
As expected, Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin both cupped their fists and said, "We never expected that Sir had such a lofty ambition. We admire you!"
The surrounding river bandits also shouted in agreement, "We admire you!!!"
"My brothers, please rise quickly!"
Although he had gained the approval of these river bandits, Long Chen still treated everyone with a warm attitude.
"But we don't know your name yet."
Jiang Qin asked.
"I am Long Chen, with the courtesy name Jueming, and I am the village official of Dragon Village!"
Long Chen replied.
"What!? Are you the kind and righteous Long Jueming?" Zhou Tai exclaimed, his voice raised by four degrees.
"Well, 'kind and righteous' may be an overstatement, I just couldn't bear to see the people suffer needlessly."
"I never expected Sir to be so humble. We hope Sir won't blame us for what we did just now." Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin felt embarrassed.
After all, it was they who had brought Long Chen back while he was tied up with ropes. Especially Zhou Tai, he had been rather heavy-handed and had given Long Chen a few punches on the way.
But how could Long Chen blame them!?
He was more than grateful to them.
If it weren't for them kidnapping him, he wouldn't have met such renowned generals!
These two were top-notch characters in the Three Kingdoms, especially Zhou Tai, who probably had the strength of a first-rate general, while Jiang Qin's strength was slightly lower, probably that of a second-rate general!
And now, it was still the early stages of the game. Countless players didn't even have a third-rate general, but Long Chen already had a first-rate and a second-rate general.
Long Chen looked at Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin with an eager expression and said, "Both of you are highly skilled warriors, and continuing to be river bandits here would be a waste of your talents."
"Yes! But we're already river bandits, and even if we want to serve the country and fight on the battlefield, no one would accept us!" Zhou Tai lamented.
"Why don't both of you come to my Dragon Village? I'm currently training soldiers and preparing to march north to eradicate the Yellow Turbans for the country!"
Long Chen said with enthusiasm.
"We are more than willing!"
The two men knelt on one knee, cupping their fists respectfully to Long Chen and said, "Greetings, Lord!"
"Please rise quickly, my brothers. Let's call each other brothers privately to maintain our camaraderie!"
Long Chen said gently and helped the two brave men to their feet.
This move further touched Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin, increasing their goodwill towards Long Chen even more. It was approaching the 80 mark.
In any case, Long Chen was considered a member of the court, with the official position of village chief, even though it was the lowest rank, but it was still a government position!
Nevertheless, Long Chen attached great importance to Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin, who came from a background of river bandits, which naturally evoked their inner respect and gratitude!
[Ding! Congratulations on successfully recruiting a four-star general - Zhou Tai]
[Ding! Congratulations on successfully recruiting a four-star general - Jiang Qin]
"System, check Zhou Tai's attribute panel!" Long Chen suppressed his inner excitement and silently prayed.
As a lord who had recruited a general, he could view their attribute panel without level restrictions.
[Name]: Zhou Tai
[Rank]: Four-star general
[Level]: 60 (Max level 100) (Since it's during the Yellow Turban Rebellion period, Zhou Tai has not fully matured yet.)
[Strength]: 72 (Max 86)
[Strategy]: 40 (Max 60)
[Endurance]: 76 (Max 90)
[Charm]: 21
[Equipment]: Mysterious Armor Shield (Orange Epic) (Physical Defense +67, HP Recovery Rate +5.5%...) Cold Moon Blade (Blue Outstanding)
[Skills]: S-class Xuanwu Transformation (When his own HP is below 50%, he enters a berserk state with all attributes increased by 30%)
A-class Cold Moon (Can unleash a silver moon blade wave, increasing damage by 70%)
[Martial Arts]: Xuanwu Art (S-class) (Nine layers in total, with each layer obtaining the protection of a Xuanwu, reaching the pinnacle at the ninth layer, equivalent to an SS-class martial art, having a Xuanwu to protect, with astonishing defense, and cannot be broken without a five-star god-general!)
[Talent]: Fearless in Battle (Purple Superb) (After receiving a normal attack, rebound a portion of the damage with a 70% increased damage rate, and a 30% chance to reduce the damage taken by 50% when under attack)
After reading Zhou Tai's attribute panel, Long Chen suppressed his inner joy and quickly opened the attribute panel of the other four-star general, Jiang Qin.
[Name]: Jiang Qin
[Rank]: Four-star general
[Level]: 57 (Max level 100)
[Strength]: 67 (Max 82)
[Strategy]: 38 (Max 60)
[Endurance]: 58 (Max 70)
[Charm]: 16
[Equipment]: Flowing Light Blade (Blue Outstanding) (Physical Attack +30, Precision +3%...)
[Skills]: S-class Discerning Reality (In battle, reduce the strategy of all enemy units by 6% for half an hour)
A-class Dragon Slaying Cut (The blade turns into a water dragon that rapidly cuts through all obstacles in front, increasing damage by 70%)
[Martial Arts]: Sea Dragon Art (S-class) (The sea dragon enhances physical strength and physical attack...)
[Talent]: Water Ambush (Purple Superb) (Increase the speed of training naval troops by 30%, and when launching an unexpected ambush on the target, there is a 30% chance to increase damage by 120%)
Wow! Long Chen was ecstatic. He had just picked up two treasures!
All in all, Zhou Tai was an invulnerable man with incredibly strong defense, worthy of being one of the top bodyguards in the Three Kingdoms.
Jiang Qin was a bit inferior compared to him, but he could still be considered one of the weaker four-star generals! Not bad at all!
If Long Chen had any hesitation about the upcoming trip to the north to fight the Yellow Turbans, he had none now.
With two four-star generals in hand, who could stop him on his path!
Long Chen's heart swelled with pride.
"You Ping, Gong Yi, get ready, and return to Dragón Village tomorrow!"
"Take those brothers who want to leave with you, and don't force those who don't want to go. Distribute some silver coins to them."
"Yes, sir!"
They cupped their fists and said, then turned to organize the remaining river bandits...
The next morning.
Long Chen woke up early, having spent the night conversing with Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin. They discussed their respective ideals and aspirations for most of the night. As a result, the good feelings Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin had towards Long Chen had increased to nearly 85.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Long Chen looked at the massive fleet behind him, feeling a sense of unreality. Who would have thought that he would gain such good fortune? He not only received two excellent generals but also had nearly 1,000 river bandits pledging their loyalty.
Nine out of ten river bandits were willing to continue following Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin. Furthermore, when they arrived in Dragon Village, their identities would be cleansed, and they would become legitimate common citizens. While many enjoyed the profession of river bandit, they longed for a normal life they hadn't seen in a long time.
The situation had presented them with an opportunity they couldn't pass up. The remaining one-tenth of the river bandits were disbanded, each receiving a severance package. They had followed Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin for many years, and this was the least they deserved.
Long Chen returned with great joy in his heart. However, the mood in Dragon Village was terrible. Old Zhang, who leaned on his crutch, shouted, "Qiangzi, hurry and find out where our lord has gone!"
He trembled, as if he could fall at any moment. In just a few days, he seemed to have aged several years. "Ah, my lord, please be safe!"
"Old Zhang! Old Zhang! The lord has returned!" a villager gasped and shouted. He had probably run several miles.
"What!? Quick, help me up!"
At the entrance of Long Village, a crowd gathered behind Long Chen. They wore short shirts, revealing their strong builds. These were the river bandits who had roamed the rivers for years. They were strong and robust, making excellent recruits for soldiers. With more training, they would become a formidable force!
These would serve as the foundation for Long Chen's future unification of the world and conquests. "It seems that Dragon Village has already upgraded to a level 2 medium-sized village," Long Chen said with delight.
Before him stretched a vast village with hundreds of houses. The villagers wore happy smiles on their faces. Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, and the river bandits behind them were also infected by the village's atmosphere. Their impression of Long Chen as their lord improved even more.
Their lord must be a virtuous and capable person to govern the village so harmoniously and peacefully. It was entirely different from the other villages they had seen. Most other villages had lifeless atmospheres without any vitality. Dragon Village was in stark contrast.
Gradually, the villagers were attracted to Long Chen and came over. "Greetings, Village Chief!" "Hello, Village Chief!"
Only Zhang Lao and a few high-ranking villagers were aware of Long Chen's previous disappearance; the ordinary villagers didn't know about it. They warmly greeted Long Chen. "Hello, everyone!" "You've all worked hard!" Long Chen blended in with the villagers, becoming one with the crowd.
He even joined in playing with the village's mischievous children, bringing laughter to the village. "Ah, what kind of person is our lord?" Zhou Tai couldn't help but feel emotional.
[Ding! Zhou Tai's good feelings towards you have increased to 87]
...
Old Zhang hurriedly arrived, his cloudy eyes still holding a few drops of tears. "Lord! As long as you're safe, that's good!" He grabbed Long Chen's hand and expressed his feelings.
"I was worried you were in trouble! I even had Qiangzi lead a group to find you."
"Don't worry, I'm fine!"
"Oh, by the way, who are these people?" Zhang Lao stared in astonishment at the massive crowd of river bandits behind Long Chen. These river bandits had just left their criminal life behind, and their hostile appearances had not yet disappeared. They looked fierce, as if they could devour someone.
Zhou Tai, leading the group, attempted a smile when they met the friendly villagers. However, this only made them seem more awkward.
"Zhang Lao, I'll need you to arrange accommodations for these brothers. From today, they are all members of our Dragon Village," Long Chen told him.
As he looked at the river bandits behind him, he knew that from this day forward, they were his people and his future army. "Lord! I'd like to go visit the barracks!" Zhou Tai eagerly rubbed his fists, his eyes filled with a thirst for it. Jiang Qin felt the same way.
"Very well!"
.....
Inside the barracks