As Tu Rong spoke, he walked up to a burly soldier with a full beard.
He introduced Lu Yan:
"This is Batu, one of the best among us, with excellent swimming skills."
"He is especially skilled in underwater combat, and is known as 'White Streak in the Waves'!"
Batu bowed to Lu Yan in a deep, resonant voice, revealing a set of white teeth:
"This humble servant, Batu, greets Your Excellency!"
Lu Yan nodded approvingly, then looked at another soldier who held a spear and had a lithe build:
"And this is...?"
"His name is Flying Eagle. He's our sharpshooter, a crack shot from a hundred paces!"
Tu Rong eagerly introduced them.
“My lord, look, the spear in his hand was made by himself.”
"The spearhead is forged from deep-sea black iron, capable of cutting through iron like mud!"
Flying Eagle twirled his spear in a flourish, the tip slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound.
Lu Yan became more and more satisfied as he looked at it, and with a wave of his hand, he exuded a heroic air:
"Tonight, I will host a welcome dinner for you all!"
Inside the restaurant, the lights were on and the aroma of wine filled the air.
Lu Yan sat in the main seat, raised his wine glass, and addressed the crowd:
"Gentlemen, we have gathered here today for a common goal..."
"That is to build an invincible navy and let the flag of Shannan Prefecture fly over the seven seas!"
Everyone raised their glasses in response, shouting:
"I am willing to die for you, sir!"
Batu and Flying Eagle, along with other Javanese sailors, though they did not speak the same language.
But I also felt Lu Yan's enthusiasm and boldness.
One by one, they excitedly raised their glasses.
Using the somewhat broken language of the Datong Dynasty, he joined the crowd in shouting.
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
Lu Yan put down his wine glass, looked at Tu Rong sitting beside him, and asked:
"Tu Rong, did you discover anything during your trip back to Java?"
Tu Rong put down his wine cup and said with a solemn expression:
"My lord, the King of Java hates you to the core and has been secretly recruiting soldiers to prepare for revenge."
Lu Yan sneered:
"Him? He's overestimating himself! Once my warships are built, he'll be the first one I deal with!"
Lu Yan squinted as he sized up the Javanese sailors.
He was plotting how to train this group of "barbarians" into an elite force.
He didn't want them to become a mob that only knew how to wield scimitars.
His goal is to build an invincible navy that will strike fear into the hearts of his enemies!
The next day, as dawn broke, the sea breeze, carrying a salty smell, swept across the coast.
Lu Yan stood on the high platform, looking down at the sailors who had assembled on the beach, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
He incorporated all the hundreds of men he had recruited from Black Wind Stronghold into his naval forces.
These guys have been idle all day since they arrived in Shannan Prefecture, and they've gotten used to living a life of luxury.
They were all beer-bellied, and they'd never seen anything like this before.
Lu Yan's training methods were simply unheard of and unseen before.
Frogman diving training requires soldiers to dive into the cold seawater and hold their breath for a long time;
The boarding maneuver drill requires soldiers to move quickly on bumpy wooden planks and conduct simulated attacks;
The night raid simulation further required soldiers to grope their way forward in complete darkness, conducting raid drills...
The various strange and unusual training programs made these sailors complain endlessly.
"My lord, this...this is too difficult!"
A bloated sailor, his face flushed, was sweating profusely.
She complained to Lu Yan with a long face.
He held his round belly, feeling as if his internal organs were about to be shaken out.
"When I was at Black Wind Stronghold, I... I never... I've ever been this... this tired..."
He spoke haltingly, as if he were struggling to catch his breath.
Lu Yan glanced at him sideways, her tone laced with sarcasm:
"What? Scared? If you're scared, go back and hold your child!"
"You're used to a life of luxury, and you can't even endure this little hardship. What kind of soldier are you!"
The sailor immediately fell silent.
Knowing Lu Yan's temper, he could only grit his teeth and continue training.
Another sailor couldn't help but complain:
"Sir, this diving has been...for too long! I...I feel like my lungs are going to explode..."
His face turned pale and his lips turned purple; he had clearly reached his limit.
Lu Yan walked up to him, patted him on the shoulder, and softened his tone:
"I know it's tough, but to become an elite force, you have to put in more effort than the average person."
"Think of your families, think of the people of Shannan Prefecture, they need your protection!"
"Do you want them to suffer from enemy invasion?"
These words ignited a fighting spirit in the sailors who had been complaining bitterly.
Yes, they can no longer live like they used to, aimlessly drifting through life.
They wanted to protect their families and the people of Shannan Prefecture!
With this in mind, they gritted their teeth and continued their training.
In contrast, the Javanese sailors performed much better.
They live at sea year-round and have dark skin.
They exuded the salty smell of the sea breeze, and each one was lean and strong, as agile as a dragon.
They are extremely familiar with the water and move freely in it, as if fish had returned to the sea.
Moreover, they are all fearless and train exceptionally hard.
Even during boarding drills, the wooden planks bounced violently.
They were able to maintain their balance steadily, wielding their wooden swords with great skill and flair.
Batu and Feiying took the lead, setting an example by going into battle shirtless.
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