Loyalty Belongs to Ye Wei'an!

That night, the convoy set up camp by the roadside.

After dinner, Ye Wei'an gathered the soldiers to prepare to distribute money.

"Raine, bring the box over." Ye Weian sat on an overturned wooden barrel, placed the money box next to him, and surrounded it with torches. "Everyone, line up and come one by one to collect your share."

Instead of having the quartermaster do it, he personally rolled up his sleeves and handed out the money.

The wisdom from his hometown told him that letting soldiers know who was paying them was important for gaining the loyalty of an army.

The first person to step forward was the veteran with the broken arm.

"Luo Qi, I remember you." Ye Wei'an saw the other person's name on the system interface above his head.

He grabbed a handful of gold coins from the box and placed them in the other person's only remaining hand.

"During that breakout battle, you single-handedly protected the flank of the supply wagon, killing two bandits. You were wounded then, but you didn't retreat an inch. Firefall Valley will remember your sacrifice."

Veteran Roach froze, his rough fingers tightening suddenly.

He originally thought he was just cannon fodder who could be abandoned at any time, but he never expected that this noble young mage would be able to call him by name and even remember his performance clearly.

"M-Sir, that's my duty." Roach's voice was choked with emotion.

He suddenly felt that even without those 50 gold coins, he would be willing to lose this arm just for those words.

"Next, Timothy," Ye Wei'an called out the second name without looking up.

The bearded infantryman was stunned. He thought it was just a coincidence that the young master called out the name "Rocky," but he didn't expect that the young master also remembered him.

"I remember you held off Grumman's mad dog-like rider with your spear. Even though you were injured, you didn't back down an inch. You did a great job." Ye Wei'an placed a handful of gold coins in his calloused palm.

Timothy's eyes instantly reddened, and he stammered, "Th-thank you... young master! This injury is nothing compared to your help!"

Then came the second, the third...

"Scott, you were the one who blocked that arrow aimed at me, weren't you? Your shield skills are quite good."

"Simon, don't be so downcast. Although you were scared at the time, the last shot you took to save your comrade was very accurate."

Using the system panel, Ye Wei'an would call out the recipient's name and even chat about their battle achievements every time he issued a bonus.

These soldiers, who came from humble backgrounds, were nothing more than expendable commodities and numbers in the eyes of the nobles. They had never experienced such treatment before.

Their hands trembled as they received the gold lion coins. The sense of honor of being "watched by the commander" made these men wish they could charge into battle for Ye Weian again right now.

Not far away, Kane leaned on his sword, silently watching this scene, his heart churning with turmoil.

He had served in the Purple Dragon Knights for several years and had met many nobles and commanders.

But those people were either too arrogant to even glance at the soldiers, or they simply used the reward money as a cheap bargaining chip to win people's hearts.

There are not many truly respected commanders.

He had never seen a leader like Ye Wei'an, who could call out the name of every soldier and remember every merit.

"Is this really the young master's first time leading troops?" Kane wondered to himself. "Even the great rulers in the history of the Kingdom of Cormier could have done this."

When the last gold coin in the box was distributed, the soldiers' morale had reached its peak.

Ye Wei'an stood up wearily and patted Kane on the shoulder: "The rest is up to you. I'm tired, I'm going back to my tent."

"Yes, sir."

As the heavy velvet tent curtains fell, the soldiers, as if liberated, swarmed around Kane.

"Lord Kane! Tell us about it!"

"Did you really go to Firefall Town?"

"How exactly did the young master manage to expose the mastermind behind this?"

Kane cleared his throat, stepped onto a large rock, and began to speak to the faces filled with adoration.

"You can't even imagine what happened that night," Kane recalled. "The young master led us through the dense forest. He was like a prophet, avoiding all the wild beasts, swamps, and hidden pits. We covered in one day what would normally take two, arriving in Firefall before the news even reached us!"

"Young Master's disguise skills are simply divine!" Ryan added, gesturing wildly. "He transformed into Gray Raven right in front of us. Even that bodyguard who hangs out with Gray Raven all the time was completely outmaneuvered by him. We went into the house, arrested people, searched for evidence—the whole process was so seamless that the militia across the street didn't even hear a sound..."

The group recounted their experiences over the past few days, showcasing the extraordinary nature of Young Master Ye Wei'an.

The soldiers listened with rapt attention, occasionally letting out gasps of amazement.

In the eyes of these soldiers, this method of capturing the leader without firing a single shot was even more alluring than being invincible on the battlefield.

At this point, Kane suddenly changed the subject.

"But brothers, have you ever thought about this? Why did Gray Raven want to kill the young master?"

The crowd quieted down.

Kane glanced around, his voice turning cold: "We found the correspondence between Grey Raven and Firefall Keep in the study. The one who truly wanted the young master dead, the mastermind who bribed the bandits and orchestrated that bloody attack, is none other than our Baroness, Serena Emeryske."

The name is like a boulder thrown into calm water, creating a ripple.

"What?! Madam actually did such a thing!"

"That's the Baron's son!"

"Isn't it all about inheritance rights? I've heard this kind of story countless times."

"Since that's the case... then we..."

As they talked, the soldiers gradually realized the problem and looked at each other in bewilderment.

In Firefall Territory, challenging the lord's wife's authority is tantamount to suicide.

Lady Serena is not only the mistress of this territory, but also has the powerful Emeryske family backing her up.

"She never intended for the young master to return alive, nor did she intend for us to live," Kane said angrily, slamming his fist into a nearby tree trunk. "If she planned to assassinate the young master, why did she send us to pick him up? What are we, the guards protecting the young master, in Madam's eyes?"

At this point, he looked at the soldiers around him.

He could already see the anger in some of their eyes.

"We are not her soldiers at all, but victims used to cover up her crimes! If we all die, she can pin the blame on the bandits, and your families won't even get a single copper coin in compensation!"

Suddenly, someone realized something and asked in a trembling voice, "Lord Kane, since it was the Madam who wanted to kill the young master... if we capture Gray Raven and take the money now, won't we be doomed if we go back? The Madam will definitely take revenge on us!"

"Even if we don't do that, do you think Madam will let us off the hook?" Kane sneered.

One of the soldiers suggested, "Lord Kane, since it's the lady who wants to harm the young master... why don't we go directly to the Baron for help when we get back to Firefall Keep? He's the young master's father; surely he'll be fair?"

"Seeking a baronship?"

Kane, as if he'd heard an absurd joke, suddenly stepped forward and pointed towards the castle: "Wake up! The Baron is too ill to even get out of bed, and Firefall Castle is swarming with the Lady's spies! Even if the Baron can protect us for now, what about later? The future lord is the Lady's own son. Once that brat ascends the throne, do you think that vicious woman will let those of us who know the truth off the hook?"

He relayed the same words Ye Wei'an had spoken to him to the soldiers.

These words were like a bucket of ice water, completely extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in the soldiers' hearts.

Yes, the lord is no longer capable; the future of Firefall Territory will belong to the new lord and Lady Serena.

These guards, no matter what, would be labeled as traitors.

"No one needs to feel sorry for anyone. Serena has never treated us like human beings." Kane ripped the badge bearing his family crest from his chest and slammed it to the ground. "I, Kane, served in the Purple Dragon Knights. I know what loyalty is. But loyalty isn't about dying!"

Then, he announced to everyone, "I have sworn allegiance to Lord Ye Weian—listen carefully, I am pledging allegiance to Lord Ye Weian, not to that new lord's Firefall Territory!"

He surveyed the hesitant soldiers and said, enunciating each word clearly, "The young master himself promised me that he would protect everyone who pledges his loyalty. Moreover, when he gains control of the land, you will have a place there. You will no longer be cannon fodder to be discarded at any time, but the foundation of the land, the future lords and knights!"

"Think about the fifty gold lion coins you hold!" Harold stepped forward as well. "What has the Madam given you? Sneaky arrows and murder to silence you! But the Young Master has given us wealth, life, and dignity!"

The soldiers looked at each other, then at the luxurious tent—they had all been startled when the young master had pulled it out so casually.

Recalling the young master's powerful magic, recalling how he saved them from near death, recalling the warm 50 gold coins in his hand, recalling the respect he showed when he called their names...

"Damn it! I've had enough of those nobles' arrogance!" Roach, with his broken arm, was the first to stand up. He used his remaining hand to pull off the family crest from his chest and threw it to the ground. "My life was saved by the young master, and my loyalty belongs to Lord Ye Weian! Anyone who dares to touch Lord Ye Weian will have to step over my dead body first!"

"Loyalty belongs to Ye Wei'an!"

"I also pledge my loyalty to Lord Ye Wei'an!"

Count me in!

"To hell with Emerysk!"

With someone taking the lead, the remaining soldiers stood up one after another, dropping their badges to show their stance.

Even those who hesitated made the same decision due to herd mentality.

The entire team's will was completely transformed that night.