Honey Water Balloon (3)
After a fulfilling day of learning letters and casually chatting with his wife, evening arrived before he knew it.
"Dear, you're going on patrol again tonight?" Yong Hwa asked.
"Yeah, gotta." He was the picture of a night watchman, lantern in one hand and sword in the other.
"You really work hard. Couldn't you leave this to the others?" Guan Yu voiced her doubt.
"Stuff I hate doing, my kids would hate too. Better I knock it out quick." That was his casual reasoning.
In truth, this world had no such thing as a chain of command or whatever—this was just slacking off time. But tonight featured an event with Mok Lan. It was one of those occasional aide events. Completing it boosted loyalty big time, plus stat gains. Why not?
Stepping outside, Mok Lan greeted him.
"Ah, Kim." Mok Lan bowed her head toward him.
"Hey. Good to see you. So... what's up?" He asked her directly.
Aide quests were usually copy-paste affairs for non-named characters—hunting rare items together, searching for people, that sort of thing.
But Dong Zhuo... no clue what to expect. She seemed the type for something out of the ordinary.
"Sorry for calling you out suddenly. Could you keep me company tonight?" Mok Lan—formerly Dong Zhuo—asked hesitantly.
"Hm. If it's something I can hear out, sure." He shrugged.
"There's something I need to do on the outskirts of Xuzhou." Mok Lan slung a shovel onto her back as she spoke. A shovel? Treasure hunting maybe?
"Alright, let's get it done quick." Mok Lan was a pretty useful aide overall. With trust events boosting her growth, she'd be handy down the line. He decided to go along.
But the moment they headed to the stables, he realized this might get annoying.
"Hey, we gotta ride too?" What, was it far?
"It's near the Xuzhou border... Sorry. You don't have to come if it's too much."
"Come on, I'm already on the horse. What's done is done." No helping it. He'd be back late tonight.
"...Thank you." Mok Lan murmured softly, then spurred her horse out of Xuzhou Castle. Man, if she'd just acted like her old arrogant Dong Zhuo self, riding off haughtily, it wouldn't feel so awkward. This timid side was embarrassing. Couldn't even tease her properly.
Riding double with Mok Lan just as they exited, the gate guards spotted them and started whispering.
"Whoa, a midnight rendezvous with Lady Mok Lan..."
"Rumors of an affair... looks real."
"But doesn't he already have two wives...?"
Misunderstandings were snowballing. This'd reach Yong Hwa and Guan Yu's ears for sure. He'd be sweating explanations later.
Anyway, he and Dong Zhuo—er, Mok Lan—galloped through Xuzhou's night streets.
It's recovered pretty well. When Cao Cao first invaded, it looked nuked to hell. Now it felt alive again.
The night skyline was killer too.
What a killer moon... He muttered a classic otaku line at the sight.
Anyway.
Mok Lan rode toward the border with Yanzhou before halting at one spot.
It was a small hut untouched by human hands for ages.
"Back when I was fleeing like mad, an old woman hid me here," Mok Lan said, clearing debris.
"I thought I'd escaped to Yanzhou, but my old Xiliang troops were relentless wolves, hunting me down. Endless skirmishes—I cut down hordes, but got wrecked myself." She removed her mask, revealing a scarred face.
"Body and soul worn out, at my limit... that's when this house's owner sheltered me." Mok Lan sighed, stepping inside.
"She knew I was the vile traitor Dong Zhuo. Still, she said I resembled her granddaughter. Dressed me in commoner's rags herself and hid me." Mok Lan approached... a skeleton inside.
"About a month. I lived as an ordinary peasant. Happier than my lavish Chang'an days." Mok Lan stared blankly at the skull, then carefully gathered it to carry outside. Any rough move might crumble it.
It had to be the old woman's bones. Wide female pelvis. Flesh long rotted away. Skull caved in like it'd taken a blade to the head.
"But the Xiliang troops sniffed blood and found us. She made me flee through the back door. Refused to give me up to the end... then they butchered her horribly. Something snapped in me then." Mok Lan's hands trembled.
"Slaughtered them all, then bolted into the woods like a beast again. Thinking of my sins, suicide would've been right... but I wanted to do one good deed before dying." She picked up the shovel.
"I see." So this old woman was Dong Zhuo's turning point.
"Let's give her a proper burial then." He grabbed a shovel too. Back home, he'd done his military service—shoveling was no sweat.
They dug a shallow grave nearby and buried the remains. Mok Lan pulled out a gourd of liquor and sprinkled some.
He didn't know the exact rites, so two bows sufficed.
Maybe because she'd finally buried her benefactor properly—Mok Lan looked relieved.
"Satisfied now, Mok Lan?" He asked her.
"Yes. Thank you, Kim. You've helped me rediscover my resolve." Mok Lan met his eyes firmly.
"I, Mok Lan... can't erase my past sins, but from now on, I won't add more." She vowed solemnly.
It felt like a total character wash... but hey, everyone in this world had baggage. He'd judge her by the present.
"Then let's do a yin feast. Yin feast." He raised the gourd by the grave.
"Yin feast? What's that?" Mok Lan tilted her head.
Ah, this era didn't have it.
"Sharing food offered to the spirit—mortals receive blessings." Actually, the theory was it started to avoid wasting offerings, but whatever. It marked Mok Lan's fresh start.
"Heh, interesting. You know all sorts of things, Kim." Mok Lan smiled, sitting beside him.
Gulp.
He swigged from the gourd and passed it.
Gulp.
Mok Lan downed half of what remained.
As they drank, their eyes met.
Even scarred, she's pretty. He stared without thinking.
Seeming to feel the same, Mok Lan's cheeks flushed.
Night and booze wove a strange spell between them.
No need for signals—their faces drew closer.
Whoosh.
He instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist; a soft moan escaped Mok Lan.
"U-um... compared to your women, I have some flab..." Mok Lan blushed.
Squish.
Definitely soft... breasts saggier than Yong Hwa or Guan Yu's, but that milf vibe hit right for him.
Riding the mood, he slid a hand to tease her rear; Mok Lan squirmed to escape.
"Th-that... Kim." Seeing her flustered stoked him more. This helpless side from an older woman!! He loved it!
Slave to desire, reaching to grope more—
Swish swish.
Sinister presences all around jolted them both upright.
Hiiiing. Red Hare trembled, senses sharp, scanning warily.
This rhythmic footfall—soldiers on the move.
Step. Step. March.
Troops swarmed the woods.
Not Xuzhou men—friendlies would've hailed them. Plus, this wasn't their patrol route.
Enemies then. In this late Han apocalypse, it was ally or foe, nine times out of ten.
Sword raised, he and Mok Lan charged the approaching sounds. Horses tied nearby for quick escape, of course.
There—they spotted a squad crouching low, slipping through brush fast.
Burly soldiers in red armor, dark-skinned.
[Jiangdong Soldier]
[Elite Jiangdong Soldier]
His breath caught at the status pop-ups.
Sun Jian's men? What the hell are they doing here?
"Tch. Busted." An elite Jiangdong soldier sighed, drawing his blade.
Shing.
He sensed the throat slash meant to silence them.
Clang.
Parried the clean strike, then plunged his sword into the elite's neck.
Splurt!! Mok Lan beheaded another watching the scene.
"Th-that's... Kim!!"
"Damn! Enemy general spotted!"
"Surround 'em!! Swarm and kill!"
Furious Jiangdong troops drew weapons—over 500, special forces size.
"Mok Lan!! Mount up and bolt!! Hurry to Lord Liu Bei—tell him!!" He bellowed.
"Got it!" Mok Lan whistled for the horses, grasping the situation.
Wait, Sun Jian's side suddenly hitting Xuzhou? His head spun at the twist.
Clop clop!! As they mounted to flee—
One general charged madly at him.
"Long time no see!! Blockhead Kim!!!"
A bronze-skinned warrior swung a massive iron mace wildly atop his horse. Huang Gai.
Shit just got real.