Chapter 46: I Will Surely Defeat You
All eyes were fixed on He Yan's movements.
The young man walked over to the crossbow, which looked utterly mismatched against his slender frame. He picked up the crossbow, drew a fletched arrow from the quiver, and placed his fingers on it.
Wang Ba watched her disdainfully and said, "Put some effort into it. Don’t be like yesterday—posing for ages only to admit you couldn’t even draw it."
He Yan seemed to ignore his words, but Hong Shan grew nervous, silently sweating for her. Among the new recruits in the army, strength was revered. Since He Yan wasn’t a woman, no one would feel any pity for her. They would only see her as weak, and the weak naturally didn’t deserve sympathy. If she was also a braggart, she’d be even more despised. If He Yan failed to deliver on yesterday’s bold claim today, not only would Instructor Liang secretly scorn her, but the other soldiers would also mock her and refuse to associate with her in the future.
Yesterday, she had given up without even trying to draw the bow. Could she really manage it today?
The young man’s gaze fixed on the target. From this angle, his hands were steady, his eyes sharp like a predator lying in wait, quietly biding its time before the strike.
The bowstring was drawn.
Bit by bit—not effortlessly, but slowly, without the slightest tremor—it was pulled back. Unlike yesterday, the bow visibly began to bend.
"It’s moving…" Xiao Mai tugged excitedly at Shitou’s sleeve. "Big brother, Brother He drew the bow!"
He had known it—He Yan always kept her word. This wasn’t the first time!
Whispers spread through the crowd. Wang Ba hadn’t expected this outcome either. At first, he was stunned, then immediately felt the sting of humiliation. Clenching his teeth, he stood rooted in place, waiting to see just how impressive He Yan’s archery skills could be. Even Instructor Liang, who had held little hope, found his attention drawn by He Yan’s actions.
This kid’s not bad. Yesterday, he said he’d draw the bow today, and now he’s actually doing it. How did he manage it in just one day? Unless… he was playing dumb yesterday, pretending he couldn’t do it just to show off now?
Amid the murmurs, the bow was nearly halfway drawn when He Yan stopped, making no further effort to pull it further.
This was her limit.
She released her grip, and the arrow shot steadily and swiftly toward the target!
Everyone’s eyes followed the fletching of the arrow as it flew.
The arrow headed straight for the target—but before reaching it, it lost momentum and dropped halfway. The onlookers let out a collective sigh of disappointment, as if the arrow should have unquestionably struck the bullseye.
He Yan lowered her hands.
Xiao Mai was the first to rush forward, his eyes shining as he reached her side. "Brother He, you really drew the bow!"
"Impressive!" Hong Shan also approached, clapping He Yan on the shoulder. "That’s our He Yan for you!"
Though Shitou said nothing, he smiled, clearly pleased. Even Instructor Liang gave He Yan an approving nod.
The surrounding recruits, seeing this, began to murmur among themselves.
"He really drew it. Guess he wasn’t just boasting."
"Must’ve been luck. He just happened to manage it this time."
"Luck is part of skill, and he kept his word. That’s already something."
Wang Ba stood there, bewildered.He had come to see He Yan make a fool of herself, but somehow it ended up looking like he had helped her steal the spotlight. Just look at that arrow stuck in the middle of the target—He Yan hadn't even hit the target itself, not even grazing its edge. For anyone else, this would be considered a terrible performance, so why was everyone practically ready to applaud and cheer for her as if it were some grand achievement?
Had he misunderstood something?
Wang Ba said indignantly, "So what if you pulled the crossbow? Ask around this camp—how many can do that? Probably everyone except you. What's so impressive about that?"
"Me?" He Yan pointed at herself and laughed. "But I'm the exception who couldn't pull it before. Yesterday I couldn't, and today I can. That's what makes it impressive."
Her eyes curved with laughter, her cheerful smile making Wang Ba's stomach churn with anger. "I don't accept this!" he snapped.
"What don't you accept?" He Yan asked.
Wang Ba was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong, idolizing the capable while despising the feeble. Someone like He Yan, who appeared "frail," naturally rubbed him the wrong way. Add to that their past grievances, and he wouldn't be satisfied unless he found some way to make trouble for her.
"Someone like you shouldn't be a recruit, training alongside us!" Wang Ba turned to Instructor Liang. "Instructor Liang, I refuse to accept this!"
Instructor Liang watched them expressionlessly, showing no intention of intervening. He was an instructor, not their superior. Once these recruits finished training, they might be stationed at Liang Province's garrison or follow Xiao Jue elsewhere—either way, they weren't his men. His duty was simply to teach them basic skills and pick out promising talents. When it came to formations and battle arrays, that was the generals' business.
Was it worth losing Wang Ba, who had a natural talent for crossbows, just for He Yan, who didn't seem particularly outstanding?
"Don't put Instructor Liang in a difficult position." He Yan glanced at Liang Ping and immediately understood his thoughts. The instructors here were cunning—they always weighed their options in situations like this. She turned back to Wang Ba. "Tell me what you want."
Wang Ba sneered. "You should go be a cook."
"No." He Yan refused without hesitation. "Why should I?"
"Why?" Wang Ba scoffed. "Because yesterday you couldn't even draw the bow, and today you managed it but shot so poorly—yet your friends still cheered for you. If all the soldiers of Great Wei were like you on the battlefield, firing crossbows haphazardly without killing a single enemy, would someone still cheer for them? What kind of soldier is that?"
Wow. He Yan couldn't help but applaud Wang Ba in her mind. They said he was just a crude mountain bandit with no education, but now it seemed he was sharp as a tack. His words sounded so righteous—when she first joined the army, she hadn't been half as eloquent. No wonder he had been a mountain leader—if he couldn't intimidate people, how else would he have become the boss?
Fortunately, after all these years in the military, she was no stranger to such confrontations.
"You're right," the youth said, brushing aside a stray lock of hair from her forehead before continuing, "But you saw it yourself—yesterday I couldn't draw the bow, and today I could. Yesterday, you hit this target, and today, you still hit the same one."
Everyone stared at her, not understanding what she meant."Every day I grow stronger, while you remain the same. In ten days, I'll be able to hit that straw target too. But you? You'll still only be hitting this same straw target."
"In ten days, I will defeat you," she said slowly, emphasizing each word.
(End of Chapter)
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