When he arrived at the western main camp with his troops, he happened to encounter Henry Sutton and the others holding their ground and waiting for reinforcements. Eager to make a name for himself, he was the first to request to fight from Clark. Considering the speed and combat power of the Red Cavalry—more importantly, the special status of Brian Cooper—Clark really couldn’t refuse him, and finally nodded in agreement. Unexpectedly, with the combined efforts of Fang and Xu, they dealt a crushing blow to the enemy, making a name for themselves in this battle and causing a sensation throughout the army. This battle was extremely crucial—not only did it greatly boost the morale of the Han army, but more importantly, it inflicted heavy losses on the enemy’s elite main force. In front of that small military camp, the Caesarites lost a total of eighty thousand regular troops; this was the main reason why the Han army was able to achieve victory so easily in such a short time.

Thus, Clark took the opportunity to do a favor and reported Brian Cooper’s achievements with some embellishment. As a result, the emperor was overjoyed and personally appointed Brian Cooper as deputy general, making him the deputy commander of the Red Lancers’ left camp. The official appointment document had not yet arrived, but Clark had already received the news in advance, which was why he was so certain.

Although Brian Cooper was also happy, he did not lose his composure, because this position was bound to be his sooner or later—he had just gotten it a bit earlier than expected.

“No need for formalities. This is something you earned through your own efforts; there’s no need to belittle yourself.”

“Congratulations, big brother.” Although Henry Sutton didn’t know the details, seeing Brian Cooper promoted made him happy as well, so he took the opportunity to offer his congratulations.

Hearing Henry Sutton say this, Brian Cooper immediately recalled the battle in front of the camp—if it hadn’t been for Henry Sutton’s troops disrupting the enemy’s formation, he wouldn’t have been able to achieve such a brilliant victory. Now that he had been promoted, he couldn’t forget his brother.

“Commander, it was all thanks to Brother Xu, who first wore down the Caesarites’ will and stamina and disrupted their formation. Only then was I able to achieve today’s success. I ask that you see this clearly, Commander.”

“Hmm, Xu... Hai Feng, is it?” Clark thought to himself that this young man didn’t seem greedy for credit. It was a pity that, given his family background, he didn’t need to rely on him; otherwise, he would have fully supported him. As for the other person he had wholeheartedly recommended, he would have to observe more closely.

“That’s me.” Henry Sutton, lacking sufficient rank, didn’t dare refer to himself as “your subordinate” in front of Clark, so he could only call himself “this kid” for amusement.

“You’re a decurion in the Fifth Column?”

“Reporting, Commander, actually my position as decurion isn’t official.”

“Oh? Tell me about it.” Clark asked curiously.

“During the first wave of the Caesarites’ attack, both our squad leader and deputy were killed by arrows. The centurion on duty casually appointed me as decurion, but it was only a temporary assignment and never officially recognized by headquarters.”

The western main camp under Clark’s command had great authority; officers below the rank of general only needed to report to military headquarters and could be appointed at his discretion.

“No wonder your military record only lists you as a regular soldier. So that’s what happened.”

Although Clark’s tone was calm, Henry Sutton still broke out in a cold sweat. Impersonating an imperial officer was a capital offense, especially during wartime. If Clark didn’t acknowledge him, he could be executed on the spot for this alone.

“What exactly happened during those days of battle? Tell me in detail.”

“Yes, sir. After the Caesarites attacked the city on the first day, we lost nearly half our men and horses. The commander and five centurions led from the front—though they saved the camp, they all died in battle. That night...” At this point, Henry Sutton hesitated. How should he continue? Should he tell the truth? He couldn’t help but regret it deeply. Others only knew he had led the troops to repel the Caesarites and saved the camp, but no one had ever investigated the details, and he had never thought he would have to explain them one day.

Normally, after each battle, a clerk would record all the events before and after the fighting, but Henry Sutton and the others had special status, and since everyone was wounded, Clark had ordered that no one disturb them, so even this step was skipped. But the ugly daughter-in-law must eventually meet her in-laws—now that the moment had come, there was no escape, and Henry Sutton, completely unprepared, was momentarily at a loss.

“What happened that night?” Seeing Henry Sutton silent for so long, Clark couldn’t help but press him.

“That night, thanks to everyone’s trust, I was chosen as the temporary leader. From the next day on, the brothers fought bravely and finally managed to hold the camp until General Fang arrived to rescue us.” Henry Sutton gritted his teeth and wrapped up the awkward topic in just a few words.

“That’s it... that’s all?” Hearing this, even with all his cunning, Clark couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated.

This unremarkable young man before him, with the humble rank of decurion, had led thousands of soldiers to resist tens of thousands of Caesarites, maintaining high morale during the siege, and decisively ordered a counterattack when reinforcements arrived, ultimately achieving a great victory. Such achievements—even with Clark’s confidence—made him feel inferior. Yet, in his telling, all the thrilling battles of those days sounded utterly ordinary, as if it had all been perfectly natural. This truly made Clark unable to see through the depths of this man.