Facing the eager Guards, Ronin smiled and gestured for everyone to be quiet.
"With the approval of the Marquis and the Count, I can only take thirty of you with me."
Ronin thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, everyone under the age of eighteen, please move to the right."
The crowd quickly shifted as a group of people stepped forward.
Ronin counted them carefully. There were fifteen in total, exactly half the number he needed to choose.
"Good. You've been chosen," Ronin said with a smile.
People under eighteen still had a chance of awakening their Fighting Qi and becoming Professional Knights.
That was why Ronin used age as the first screening criterion.
As for whether any of them could become Mages, Ronin didn't dare to hope for such a thing.
The requirements to become a Mage were extremely strict. He remembered that one's Spiritual Power had to be many times that of an ordinary person, and the age limit wasn't eighteen, but ten.
This group of Guards was well over the age of ten, so it was impossible for any of them to become a Mage.
According to his predecessor's memories, the number of Mages in all of Wushan City didn't even reach double digits, and they were all low-level.
Professional Knights were more common and much more well-known.
"The rest of you, start from where you are and run one lap around the training grounds. The first ones to return to the starting point will get to follow me."
Running was part of the Guards' daily training. At Ronin's command, the forty-five remaining Guards began to run along the edge of the training grounds.
The training grounds weren't very large; one lap was about eight hundred meters.
Spurred on by the excellent terms Ronin offered, the Guards put all their energy into sprinting forward. Some who failed to pace themselves were quickly left behind.
Those who were slower or lacked stamina also gradually began to show signs of fatigue.
Soon, the first person returned to the starting point. Ronin nodded at him, and the man cried out in joy.
Then came the second, the third, the fourth...
When the fifteenth person arrived, Ronin signaled for the others who hadn't finished to stop.
He smiled at the thirty Guards gathered to his right and said, "Congratulations on being chosen. From now on, you are the Guards of the Baron of Mountain Forest Town!"
"We are willing to serve you, Lord Baron!" the Guards shouted in unison.
"I will definitely keep the promise I made to you."
Ronin looked at Chahar. "Chahar, one Silver Coin for each of them. Distribute them now."
"Yes, my lord!"
Chahar went down with a prepared money pouch and began to distribute the coins to each man.
The Guards who received the money were all grinning from ear to ear. There was nothing in this world that made people happier than getting paid.
Meanwhile, those who hadn't been chosen watched with envious expressions.
While the money was being distributed, two Cavalrymen slowly escorted five traitors onto the training grounds.
At the same time, a tall man dismounted, approached Ronin, and gave him a Knight's salute.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency Ronin. Gaman Stout, Captain of the Seventh Squad of the Wushan Territory's First Knight Order, greets you."
Ronin was confused for a moment, but then a memory surfaced, and he understood.
The First Knight Order of Wushan Territory was permanently stationed in Wushan City, and today, the Order's Seventh Knight Squad was responsible for the castle's defense.
Ronin remembered that this captain was an Advanced Level Knight and also one of Wiggin's Knights.
To be a Knight meant one had entered the ranks of the nobility.
"Hello, Sir Gaman."
Ronin greeted him warmly. "You've come because...?"
Gaman waved his hand, and five Attendant Knights immediately kicked the five traitors, forcing them to kneel on the ground.
Gaman cleared his throat. "Everyone, listen and watch!"
There was no loudspeaker, but Gaman Knight's voice was so powerful that all the Guards fell silent.
"These five kneeling men were once Guards of the Ronning Baron. Not only did they fail to protect the Baron's safety, but they even pointed their Longswords at the Baron!"
Gaman's voice was stern and heavy. "The Wushan Clan does not permit traitors!"
His voice echoed, and all the Guards were shocked. 'To think something like that happened!'
'Betrayal... How could they dare to betray the Baron?'
"Traitors like these have no right to live!"
Gaman snorted coldly and drew the Longsword from his waist. A chilling aura swept out in all directions—this was the Fighting Qi of an Advanced Level Knight.
'This Knight Captain might even be a little stronger than my father, Wiggin.'
"Kill them!"
Gaman Knight struck the ground with his Longsword.
THWACK, THWACK, THWACK...
The five Knights raised their Longswords high and then brought them down. Five heads rolled across the ground as blood sprayed into the air.
The smell of blood filled the air, and everyone's nerves tensed.
"It is an honor for you to become the Lord Baron's Guards. As your former captain, I hope you will cherish this honor and serve Lord Ronin with all your heart!"
"If one day you develop traitorous thoughts, even if the Lord Baron mercifully spares your lives, I will not spare you, and the Wushan Clan certainly won't let you go!"
After saying this, Gaman Knight sheathed his sword. The sharp, clear sound startled everyone.
"Gaman takes his leave. I wish Your Excellency Ronin all the best." Gaman Knight bowed to Ronin and departed with a brisk, carefree air.
His Followers then began to direct the unselected Guards to clean up the bodies.
Ronin glanced at the five executed men. 'To be honest, I'm a bit unsettled. After all, I haven't been transmigrated for long and still haven't fully adapted to many things.'
'But I understand this is just how this world is.'
Having Gaman execute these five traitors in public was a warning to the thirty Guards he had chosen today, letting them know the consequences of betrayal.
It was meant to strike fear into their hearts.
Ronin saw Mosite's figure in the distance. 'Marquis Lurans probably ordered this.'
'Based on our few interactions, the Old Marquis actually treats me quite well.'
'If my predecessor had been a bit more competent, the Old Marquis probably would have suppressed the whole affair with Selena.'
'As for Count Wiggin, he wasn't particularly good or bad to my predecessor. He was just hot-tempered and a bit of a fool.'
Collecting his thoughts, Ronin took a deep breath and shifted his gaze.
"Alright, Guards! You have one night to tell your families about this. We will gather at the gates of Wushan Castle tomorrow morning and set out!"
He waved his hand, signaling for the Guards to go and prepare.
"Macken, I'm leaving the training of these Guards to you from now on," Ronin said to the Knight beside him.
"Yes, my lord!"
Macken bowed in acceptance but then looked troubled. "But my lord, I have no experience training a squad."
That was indeed a problem, but Ronin had an idea.
'Of course, I don't have any experience training a squad either. But back on Earth, I went through military training, and that's a rare and valuable experience here.'
'Although that training was mainly focused on cultivating discipline, looking at these departing Guards, isn't discipline exactly what they lack?'
'Besides, during that training, I even learned the 16-form military combat routine. Whether it can improve their actual combat strength remains to be seen, but at the very least, it will strengthen their bodies.'
"Don't worry, I'll teach you a system when the time comes," Ronin said to Macken with a smile.