: Corpse Bearer Soldier, Growing Stronger by Collecting Attributes!

The year is 230 BC, on the border between the states of Qin and Han.

The entire frontier had become a field strewn with corpses. Broken swords, arrows embedded in the earth, and shattered chariots were scattered everywhere among the thousands of bodies that lay lifeless on the ground. Blood had dyed the earth red. The scene of ruin and devastation was exceptionally gory.

"Zhao Feng."

"Lad, why are you putting so much effort into carrying a corpse?" a soldier in a Qin Army uniform asked another soldier who was diligently hauling a body. "You're acting as if you've found a treasure. If you enjoy it that much, you can have this whole area to yourself."

As his words fell, the surrounding soldiers burst into laughter.

"Centurion, you shouldn't tease him," one of them said with a grin. "The kid is a natural at carrying corpses. He can haul them as fast as ten men combined."

On a battlefield, while the Qin Sharp Soldiers were responsible for conquest and slaughter, another group was tasked with cleaning up. The soldiers who cleared the corpses, known as Scavenger Soldiers, were part of the logistics unit. Each wore a black cloth over their face, seemingly to block out the stench. Their only duty on the battlefield was to clear the bodies and bury them to prevent the outbreak of disease.

Following their gazes, one could see a young man, his face covered by a black cloth, energetically carrying a corpse. He would hoist one up, quickly place it onto a cart, and then immediately run off to grab another. He paid no mind to the others' teasing.

You all know nothing. I'm picking up a fortune and getting stronger at the same time! Zhao Feng thought, secretly overjoyed.

Every time he touched a corpse, he would randomly obtain various attributes.

Just as Zhao Feng touched the body of another Han soldier, a prompt appeared before his eyes.

"Touched the corpse of a common Han soldier. Successfully picked up 1 point of Strength."

He then quickly hoisted the body, placing it on the ox-drawn cart with ease. Once a cart was full, it would be hauled away for burial.

Keep it up! I've already picked up more than forty points of Strength today. If each point represented a pound of force, that means I've gained over forty pounds of strength in just half a day! This feels great.

With every point of Strength he acquired, Zhao Feng could clearly feel himself getting stronger. The sensation was incredibly satisfying.

"Successfully picked up 1 point of Speed."

"Successfully picked up 1 point of Lifespan."

"Successfully picked up 1 point of Constitution."

Zhao Feng continued his work, and soon, an ox cart was piled high with bodies, all of them fallen Han soldiers. As for the corpses of the Qin Sharp Soldiers, they could not be treated so dismissively. They had to be arranged neatly and buried individually. Such was the difference between how the enemy and one's own were treated.

Having carried corpses on this border for two days, Zhao Feng was already familiar with the routine. After filling the cart, he called out to his superior, "Centurion, I'm off to transport the corpses."

"Go on, go on," Wei Quan said, waving a hand with a hint of concern. "You really are quick, lad. Don't push yourself so hard. We're quite safe here, so rest if you're tired. There's no rush."

"Understood," Zhao Feng replied with a smile.

He then led the ox cart toward the burial site. Along the way, he opened his attribute panel.

Host: Zhao Feng

Age: 15

Strength: 256 (The higher the value, the greater the explosive power.)

Speed: 188 (The higher the value, the faster the movement.)

Constitution: 167 (The stronger the constitution, the faster injury recovery and the greater the stamina.)

Spirit: 166 (The stronger the spirit, the clearer the mind and thoughts. At a certain level, it allows one to sense nature's spiritual energy.)

Lifespan: 86 years and 32 days

Portable Space: 1 cubic meter

Obviously, the extra thirty-two days were what he had picked up over the last few days. Initially, all his attributes were around one hundred, the average for a normal person. But in just three short days, they had skyrocketed thanks to his work with the corpses.

I've only been a Scavenger Soldier for three days, and my lifespan has already increased by thirty-two days. That alone is exciting! This is a great post. No need to charge into battle; just clean up the aftermath. I've really come to the right place. If I keep carrying corpses and picking up attributes, could I achieve immortality? And what would happen if my attributes all surpassed 1,000?

Zhao Feng was filled with anticipation for the future.

The Scavenger Soldiers were the most despised unit among the warriors who yearned for glory and meritorious service. As a citizen of the Qin Territory who had turned fourteen, Zhao Feng could not defy the government's conscription order. Defiance was equivalent to imprisonment. Even worse, he could be demoted to hard labor and sent to the Northern Frontier to build The Great Wall, a fate that would also implicate his family.

To avoid prison and spare his mother and sister, he had no choice. Four months ago, Zhao Feng had arrived at Lantian Camp. After a month of recruit training, he was assigned to the Logistics Junhou Camp, where his duty was to clear the battlefields as a Scavenger Soldier.

Carrying corpses? His first thought was that it was an unlucky, grim job. Initially, Zhao Feng despised the assignment. But when he realized it meant he wouldn't have to face the front lines and could keep his head down, he came to love the idea. As someone reborn from a future era, Zhao Feng deeply understood the brutality of this age. This was the beginning of Qin's campaign to annihilate the Six States. In the war to conquer Shenzhou, countless people would die on the battlefield, and even more would perish from the ensuing chaos.

Zhao Feng had no great desire for promotion or nobility; he only planned to serve his two years in the army and then return home to care for his mother and sister. He could never forget the worried looks in their eyes when he was conscripted. If he died on the battlefield, how could they bear it?

So, to survive and stay off the front lines, Zhao Feng deliberately avoided showing off or displaying too much combat prowess, which led to his assignment to the logistics camp. However, the moment he touched his first corpse and unlocked the attribute panel, he suddenly realized what a golden opportunity it was. Being a Scavenger Soldier not only allowed him to stay alive, but it also let him pick up attributes and grow stronger. It was the perfect role for him!

Feeling his strength grow and experiencing the transformation of his body from the increasing attributes, Zhao Feng knew that this power was his and his alone.

Returning to the present, Zhao Feng pulled the ox cart for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn before arriving at a massive burial site. At least a thousand logistics soldiers were there, all digging pits. This time, the Qin army of 100,000 had advanced on the State of Han. The border battle had been exceptionally fierce, and the casualties inflicted on Han's frontier army were immense. Zhao Feng had already been clearing the area for three days, but judging by the state of the battlefield, it would take until nightfall to bury all the bodies.

"Hey, Zhao Feng, it's you again!"

"This is your fourth cart today!"

"Impressive!"

The soldiers digging the pits laughed as they saw Zhao Feng arrive with another cart piled high with Han corpses.

"Keep up the great work, brothers! This cart's all yours," Zhao Feng said with a smile. "I can't afford to waste any time."

With that, he grabbed an empty cart from the side and headed back toward the battlefield.

: All Attributes Surpass 200! Another Treasure Box!

"I've never seen a soldier so diligent about carrying corpses." Many of the soldiers digging pits remarked with emotion as they watched Zhao Feng's retreating figure.

Zhao Feng was, indeed, highly motivated for the grand task of carrying corpses.

He returned to the battlefield.

Those comrades from the Army Marquis Camp naturally couldn't help but tease Zhao Feng, saying he was cut out to be a corpse-carrying soldier.

Zhao Feng just smiled without saying a word.

You all don't know that I grow stronger by carrying corpses! You can laugh, but I'll remain silent!

Although he hadn't joined the Qin Army in attacking cities, being in the logistics camp was still dangerous. There could be enemy soldiers playing dead or even a surprise attack—any of which could be fatal. Now that he had this excellent opportunity to become stronger, Zhao Feng was determined to seize it.

It was just like the saying in the military camps of later generations: "The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle."

With this mindset, Zhao Feng worked to enhance all his attributes. This was the capital he needed for his survival. He hadn't thought about promotions or titles; his only goal was to survive his two years of service and return home.

Even as a reincarnator who knew history, what good would it do? He wasn't a prince or a noble, nor was he from some great clan. What grand aspirations could he possibly have? And even though the Qin's system of military merit was said to be fair, you still had to risk your life to earn anything!

'Touched Han Junhou, gained 5 Strength, 5 Speed, 5 Constitution, 5 Spirit, and 5 Lifespan.'

'First time collecting from the rank of Junhou, which carries National Destiny. Received one First Order Treasure Chest.' A prompt appeared on the panel.

Seeing this, Zhao Feng's face lit up with joy. I didn't expect that I could get stronger attributes from an officer's rank and even a Treasure Box reward. Is this considered a jackpot?

"Open the Treasure Box," Zhao Feng ordered impatiently.

'Opened First Order Treasure Chest, obtained one [Inner Armor of Protection].' The panel displayed.

A life-saving Divine Artifact! I'll put it on as soon as I get back. Zhao Feng thought excitedly.

This haul of attributes from the Han Junhou, along with the Treasure Box, motivated Zhao Feng even more.

His eyes scanned the area, searching for the bodies of Han officers. He hoped to find a few more surrendered Han soldiers who had become officers; their attributes were worth several ordinary soldiers combined. While carrying a corpse to the ox cart, Zhao Feng kept scanning his surroundings.

Just then, the Commander of Zhao Feng's company was also moving bodies with a few men. As they approached a pile of corpses and prepared to move them, a pair of eyes suddenly snapped open within the heap. Seeing the Qin soldiers drawing closer, the man's hand quietly tightened around the hilt of his sword.

As the few Qin soldiers drew near, the Han soldier in the pile leaped up and thrust his sword forward.

With a single thrust, the sword pierced an unarmored logistics soldier, who let out an agonized scream. The Han soldier kicked him away, pulling his bloody sword free. He then turned toward several other unprepared logistics soldiers and charged at them fiercely.

This sudden turn of events shocked the surrounding soldiers who were clearing the battlefield.

But the leading Commander immediately snapped back to his senses, drew his sword, and shouted, "Enemy! Draw your swords and kill!"

The logistics soldiers around him quickly rallied and drew their swords, fire in their eyes. Though they were logistics soldiers, they too were eligible for promotion by killing the enemy. Collecting the dead wasn't as perilous as frontline combat, but they could still encounter enemies feigning death. Although dangerous, such a situation was also an excellent opportunity to earn military merit.

"Kill him!" the Commander roared.

About a dozen Qin soldiers immediately rushed toward the Han soldier.

Not far away, Zhao Feng also witnessed this scene.

Playing dead in one spot for three days and dodging three sweeps... this Han soldier is incredibly patient.

After a great battle, armored Sharp Warriors would first clear the battlefield. To put it plainly, they delivered a finishing blow to every enemy soldier to ensure they were truly dead. After that, the logistics soldiers would perform two more sweeps. For this Han soldier to have survived until now was truly a rare occurrence.

Watching a dozen of his Pao Ze surround the man, eager to land the killing blow and claim the military merit, Zhao Feng slowly approached. He didn't intend to join the scramble for credit, as the Han soldier's death seemed a certainty.

However, Zhao Feng and all the other Qin soldiers had underestimated the man's ferocity.

He glanced around, his gaze immediately locking onto the commander, Wei Quan, who was directing from the rear.

He burst forward violently. With one slash, he killed the Qin soldier before him, kicked out, and charged straight for the Commander.

Clearly, this was no ordinary Han soldier. He knew to kill the officer first.

Wei Quan, remaining calm, raised his sword to meet the charge. But just as their blades clashed, the Han soldier reacted with astonishing speed. He parried with a jolt and lashed out with a kick. Wei Quan cried out in pain as the blow sent him falling backward onto the ground.

The Han soldier's eyes gleamed with bloodlust. Gripping his sword with both hands, he raised it high and plunged it down toward Wei Quan. The surrounding soldiers rushed forward, but they were too late.

This is bad. Those moves are definitely not from an ordinary Han soldier.

Zhao Feng realized something was terribly wrong. If he didn't act now, the Commander who had looked out for him would surely die.

He glanced at the sword in his hand, took a thrower's stance, and hurled it with all his might at the Han soldier.

WHOOSH!

The sharp blade cut through the air, flying straight for its target.

Just as the Han soldier was about to strike Wei Quan down...

SQUELCH!

The Han soldier's body shuddered. Pain and struggle filled his eyes. He looked down at his chest in disbelief, where a blood-stained sword now protruded from his body. The sword in his hands slowly fell, and finally, he tottered and collapsed.

In front of him, Wei Quan had been saved from the brink of death.

'Killed Han Wanjiang, gained 20 Strength, 20 Speed, 20 Constitution, 20 Spirit, and 20 Lifespan.'

'All attributes have surpassed 200. Received one First Order Treasure Chest.' A notification appeared on the panel.

Seeing this, Zhao Feng was astonished. No wonder this guy was so fierce, he was a Han Wanjiang! And I don't just get attributes by touching corpses, I can also get them by killing enemies. Awesome! All my attributes are over 200 now.

At that moment, Wei Quan recovered from his near-death experience. He got to his feet and knelt to examine the enemy who had nearly taken his life. Fumbling at the man's waist, he pulled out a military tag.

"Commander, are you alright?"

"This Han soldier was too fierce."

"He killed two of our brothers," a logistics soldier said indignantly, unable to resist kicking the Han officer on the ground.

"He's no ordinary Han soldier," Wei Quan said, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at the tag in his hand.

Then, looking at the gathered soldiers, he asked loudly, "Who threw that sword?"

: A Logistics Soldier Killed a Han General!

Hearing Wei Quan's shout, the soldiers around all turned, looking toward Zhao Feng, who was about a hundred feet away.

Witnessing this scene, Wei Quan immediately understood and burst into laughter. "Zhao Feng, you little rascal, that was a nice throw! I was almost sent to see King Yan by that dog."

"It's good that you're alive, Senior Captain."

"I'll get back to carrying the bodies," Zhao Feng replied with a chuckle.

He was still immersed in the excitement of all his attributes breaking the two hundred mark. He had also received a Treasure Box reward and planned to open it in secret.

"Mr. Zhao," Wei Quan shouted, annoyed. "Stand right there. Do you know who you just killed?"

"Senior Captain, wasn't it just a particularly fierce Han soldier? Who else could it be?"

The surrounding soldiers looked at Wei Quan with surprise. The Han soldier lying on the ground was only wearing ordinary battle armor and had no distinguishing features.

Zhao Feng stopped and looked at Wei Quan.

From the panel's recent notification, I already know this was a Wanjiang of the Han army. But seeing Wei Quan's reaction, could this Wanjiang have some incredible identity?

Wei Quan raised the military token in his hand, laughing loudly. "This man is Bao Qiu, the son of Han's Senior General, Bao Yuan! He originally commanded tens of thousands to guard the Han border. Our Qin army broke through but never captured him. I never thought he'd be playing dead in a pile of corpses."

"Zhao Feng, you've made a great contribution," he continued. "You've killed a general! And not just any general, but the son of Han's Senior General, Bao Yuan!"

Then, Wei Quan tossed the military token to Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng caught it and looked. It bore the name Bao Qiu, written in Han characters. On the battlefield, the military token was the sole means of identification.

After hearing Wei Quan's words, Zhao Feng remained calm, while the soldiers around him were stunned.

"My heavens!"

"The Han border commander was killed by Zhao Feng just like that?"

"This is a tremendous feat!"

"This military achievement will let Zhao Feng rise three ranks, won't it?"

"Killing a general... he won't just be promoted, he'll be ennobled, right?"

The surrounding soldiers all cast envious looks toward Zhao Feng. Who wouldn't want such a great merit?

In the Qin Army, soldiers who went into battle were known as Sharp Warriors. Simply by joining a battle, they would receive a first-rank title of nobility. However, logistics soldiers were not entitled to nobility and received only half the annual salary of a Sharp Warrior. This was a clear case of you reap what you sow. Sharp Warriors risked their lives on the battlefield, while logistics soldiers faced far less danger.

"Aren't you the least bit happy about this, you rascal?" Wei Quan asked, approaching the composed Zhao Feng with a look of bewilderment.

"Senior Captain," Zhao Feng said with a smile, handing the military token back to Wei Quan. "It was purely an instinct to save you. I wasn't thinking about anything else. You should rest well after your close brush with death. I'll go back to carrying bodies."

He then turned around and went back to his work.

I might as well use this time to carry a few more bodies and collect more attributes.

As for the rewards for killing a general, Zhao Feng truly wasn't as enthusiastic about them as he was about collecting attributes.

"You rascal," Wei Quan said with a helpless smile as he watched Zhao Feng leave.

However, his eyes filled with gratitude. If it weren't for Zhao Feng's sword throw just now, he really would be meeting King Yan. How could Wei Quan not be grateful for having his life saved?

"A few men, over here!" Wei Quan commanded loudly. "Lift up Bao Qiu's body. We're reporting this to the Junhou."

"Yes, sir!"

Several soldiers immediately complied, lifting Bao Qiu's body. Wei Quan then led them to report to their superior Junhou.

"There might be more survivors!"

"Search carefully! Maybe we can make a major contribution too!"

Watching Wei Quan leave, the soldiers of the company grew eager and began searching among the corpses, hoping to stumble upon another great merit like Bao Qiu.

However, Zhao Feng, the one who had actually killed the general, was simply carrying corpses while checking his attributes.

Host: Zhao Feng

Age: 15 years old

Strength: 316 (The stronger you are, the greater the force you can unleash.)

Speed: 206 (The higher the number, the faster you are.)

Constitution: 208 (The stronger your constitution, the faster your injury recovery and the more inexhaustible your stamina.)

Spirit: 201 (The stronger your spirit, the clearer your mind and thoughts. When it reaches a certain level, you can sense nature's spiritual energy.)

Lifespan: 86 years and 68 days

Portable Space: 2 cubic meters

A single punch from me now has over three hundred pounds of force. I could kill a man with one hit. My speed is at two hundred and six, twice that of a normal person. This Constitution must manifest in kidney function, right? If it reaches 1000, would I have the legendary Golden Kidneys?! And Spirit... it says I can sense nature's spiritual energy faster. In my past life, I read tons of novels where cultivation required spiritual energy. Does this mean I'll be able to cultivate in the future? The Corpse-Carrying Soldier... what a great job!

Looking at his current attributes, Zhao Feng was utterly delighted. This was all the motivation he needed to keep carrying corpses!

「At the Senior General's Main Camp」

For the current campaign to annihilate Han, King Ying Zheng of Qin had issued an imperial edict ordering the Lantian Camp to march. The main general, Li Teng, led an army of a hundred thousand to attack, while Senior General Wang Jian was personally overseeing the war from the Qin-Han border.

"Father," Wang Ben, one of Lantian Camp's leading generals, reported excitedly in front of a map of Han. "The war is progressing rapidly. General Li Teng has already reached Yang City. Within three months, Han will be no more."

"Han has a small territory and an army of merely one hundred thousand. Do you know why the Great King had the entire Lantian Camp mobilize?" Wang Jian asked with a smile.

"The Great King's brilliance and strategy have long been aimed at unifying the world," Wang Ben replied immediately. "To annihilate Han requires only the strength of one of our Lantian's main divisions, but to defend against Zhao and Wei requires the full strength of the Lantian Camp."

"It is good that you see this point," Wang Jian said gravely. "Qin could have easily wiped out Han years ago. We waited until today for the right moment to strike unexpectedly."

Just then, a voice called out from outside.

"Report!" A trusted aide rushed into the tent. "Reporting to the Senior General, the Logistics Army has just sent good news."

"Speak," Wang Jian gestured.

"The Logistics Army found Bao Qiu," the aide reported respectfully. "The body is just outside."

"Four days... we've finally found him," Wang Jian said, standing up immediately. "Let's go take a look."

Wang Ben followed closely behind him.

Outside the tent, Bao Qiu's body was laid out, a blood-stained sword still embedded in his chest.

"He only just died?"

Upon seeing the body, Wang Jian immediately noticed that the bloodstains were not yet dry, clearly not from someone who had been dead for days.

"Senior General, this is a Junhou from the Logistics Army," an aide said, gesturing to the man who had delivered the body. "It was his Army Marquis Camp that discovered Bao Qiu."

"Who killed Bao Qiu?" Wang Jian asked the Junhou.

"Reporting to the Senior General," the Junhou replied at once. "It was a logistics soldier from my Army Marquis Camp."