Strange Ceiling in Xuchang
A strange ceiling. It was a bit early to get up, but my eyes opened on their own.
"Mm... Ga... ga."
"Kim..."
Next to me lay Yong Hwa and Guan Yu, sleeping half-naked.
Two beautiful wives. Just looking at them gave me a surge of energy.
"A strange ceiling indeed."
Since it wasn't the usual one I saw every day, the realization hit me hard that I'd ended up somewhere else.
Right. I'd come to Xuchang.
Phew. Now what?
Everyone had warned me over and over not to go anywhere near that dickhead. But because I'd stuck with Liu Bei's army longer than expected, I'd ended up running from Xuzhou all the way here.
For Liu Bei, who was thrilled to have just become Inspector of Xuzhou, this wasn't great news. But from a gamer's perspective, there was nothing bad about it.
Xuchang and Pei Guo have tons of rewards to grab.
Xuchang and the nearby Pei Guo were packed with quests offering fat rewards. There were plenty of useful items and weapons too.
And building friendly ties with useful elements of Cao Cao's faction was a nice bonus.
As long as nothing goes sideways, Cao Cao will hand over the prefect position in Pei Guo to Liu Bei.
He knew that if he didn't give Liu Bei any office at all and just let him idle and eat, Liu Bei would bail in no time. That's why he'd do something like this.
Pei Guo wasn't a bad spot either. It sat somewhere between a mid-sized city and a major metropolis in the Central Plains, but Pei County's land held real value.
Because this was where Han Gaozu Liu Bang had first raised his forces and begun his underdog journey.
That's why Cao Cao fans sometimes cited Cao Cao starting his great enterprise here as proof of his legitimacy for ruling Wei.
The game reflected that by hiding artifacts in Pei Guo.
First up: the Sword that Slays the Snake. Gotta get that.
Chamsa Sword. The blade that cleaved a snake. It was tied to Han Gaozu Liu Bang.
When Liu Bang was conscripted for construction work, leading laborers, and failed to meet the deadline, he basically went, "Fuck it, let's just become bandits," formed a bandit gang—and that's when a massive white serpent blocked the mountain path and attacked the men.
Liu Bang cleaved it in one stroke with his sword, then used the snake as a bed and went back to sleep. That sword was the Chamsa Sword.
Sima Qian included the legend in the Records of the Grand Historian, though its authenticity is dubious.
Anyway, that legendary sword was in Pei Guo.
It couldn't be used as a weapon, though. It was already shattered into fragments. But if you took those pieces to a blacksmith of Artisan rank or higher, you could definitively upgrade a weapon. A simple effect that massively boosted damage.
Apply it to a high-spec sword like my Nam Un Geom, and you'd go full invincible mode.
Beyond the Chamsa Sword, there were all sorts of treasures scattered around Pei and Xuchang to snag for profit.
Gotta push on.
Even isekai'd into a game world, I'd learned life's never straightforward. So I had to prepare for everything.
As I headed out to wash up, I heard a commotion from the next room.
"Kyaa, kyaaak?!"
"K-Kim Gong?!"
Cho Seon and Choi Yeom were in the adjacent room, flustered and freshening up in a hurry. The door was half-open, so our eyes met.
They'd gotten up early to wash and were now brushing each other's hair at the vanity.
"D-Don't... don't look...! I haven't done my makeup yet..."
Cho Seon let out a shrill voice.
"K-Kim Gong... It's rude to stare at a lady getting ready."
Choi Yeom fumbled too.
"...We rushed out as refugees without preparing... My face is a mess."
Choi Yeom bowed her head.
Even in this era, women were ashamed to show their bare faces without makeup. Same as modern times, huh.
"But do you two really need makeup?"
Looking at their faces, I genuinely wondered.
"You're both plenty beautiful already." Just how much more beauty were they chasing?
"Even in sackcloth, you'd still be gorgeous."
No exaggeration—they could captivate any average guy like that.
"K-Kim Gong...! D-Don't say such things so casually..."
Cho Seon flushed beet red, flustered.
"Kim Gong... You may not know poetry, but you sure know how to stir a heart."
Choi Yeom muttered something poetic.
Ah. That's when I realized I'd said something embarrassing.
"Anyway, take it easy. Haha..."
I brushed it off and went to wash up.
Outside, I spotted Mok Lan already washing. Mask off, she was scrubbing her long-scarred face. Hiding her identity meant getting up at dawn to groom.
"Ah... Kim."
Mok Lan greeted me.
"Seducing women at the crack of dawn?"
She eyed me teasingly.
"...Like you seduced me."
She was older, in her prime, and her blunt jealousy was cute. She never showed it outright, but she got jealous whenever I talked to other women.
"Nah, wasn't seducing."
I casually stroked her ass through her thin silk robe.
"Hng..."
Mok Lan shook it playfully, pressing into my hand like she'd been waiting for the grope.
Our thing with Mok Lan... need to talk about it properly. Somehow she'd become my office wife. Eh, later. Once things settle.
We washed and dressed at dawn.
"Yeo Po. Get up."
I dragged Yeo Po out and forcibly gave her a cat bath.
"Mm... Kim."
Yeo Po acted all cutesy but wouldn't rise.
I'd learned the unexpected weakness of the peerless general Lu Bu: she was a heavy sleeper. Since turning female, she felt like a hyper kid.
"Sorry, Kim Gong."
The orange-haired beauty general Jang Liao apologized.
"Our lord has terrible sleeping habits—lashes out at subordinates trying to wake her. But she listens to you, so we asked for your help."
Go Sun, drying her neat green hair, apologized too.
"No big deal."
We were allies with Yeo Po, after all.
If they felt that bad, maybe the three of us could play naked Twister... No. My thoughts turned dirty. Gotta rein it in.
Somehow, I got Yeo Po washed and dressed.
"Time to see His Majesty."
Cao Cao's side arrived first, high officials in the lead, entering our lodgings.
It was the court custom back then: summon ministers in the morning for council.
"..."
Liu Bei rose in his court robes, face a bit stiff. He looked unfamiliar dressed like that.
In modern terms... it was Liu Bei's congressional debut. No wonder he was tense.
"Haha, Brother Xuande. No need to worry. I've already smoothed things with His Majesty as Prime Minister."
Cao Cao laughed, taking Liu Bei's hand and leading him.
It was a formal audience, so only limited people could enter the palace. Just Liu Bei and Cao Cao with the ministers. The rest of us warriors waited outside.
Can't enter the palace armed.
Wearing a sword before the emperor was grave disrespect. Only the Prime Minister got a pass.
Right. Cao Cao proudly wore his sword like a badge.
That was the authority of Cao Cao as Prime Minister.
Ooh. The Sword of the Chosen... This game's cheat weapon. Heirloom of the Cao clan. Insanely hard to get. Killing Cao Cao was the easiest way. Otherwise, steal it or become a Cao adopted son and rise up—details later.
"Kim Gong. Slept well?"
Cao Cao greeted me as I stared at the sword.
"Ah, very well. The bed was so luxurious, it was almost burdensome."
We'd crossed paths during the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Anti-Dong Zhuo coalition.
"Hahaha! I prepared the finest rooms befitting your worth!"
Cao Cao laughed heartily and had a carriage brought.
"Come, Xuande. Hop on."
He seated Liu Bei beside him and had soldiers pull the cart.
They were called Imperial Guards, but really Cao Cao's troops. He held the sword hilt here—and made it obvious to all.
Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and the throng of high officials entered the palace.
Me, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and the others waited outside with Cao Cao's army.
Western Liang soldiers...
Heard Liu Bei tamed Lu Bu. Looks real.
That traitor...
That curly-haired foreigner barbarian. Tight with Lu Bu, they say.
Cao Cao's troops and low officials stared at us like zoo monkeys. Intense vibes.
"Not lookin' good."
Zhang Fei, also armed, sidled up to me.
"...Cao Cao's men everywhere. If he plots against Brother Liu..."
Guan Yu fretted.
"...Won't happen with the emperor watching. Sis."
Out of sight, I teased her horse-toned thighs and ass.
"Hng... Kim. Not here..."
She scolded but breathed excitedly, craving the touch.
"Hey... save that for home. Feels like watching big sis whisper sweet nothings to her boyfriend. Gross... yeah. Nasty."
Zhang Fei grumbled awkwardly.
"D-Dirty?!"
Guan Yu swung at him.
Amid their banter, Zhao Yun chimed in.
"Anyway. Impressive place. I tried counting the gates at the palace entrance but forgot already."
Zhao Yun excitedly scanned around, first time in the capital.
"..."
Yeah. Fresh from mountain village life, finally in civilization. Xuchang's palace must wow him.
"Chang'an's way bigger. I'll take you sometime."
"Bigger and flashier than this? Can't wait!"
Zhao Yun beamed, eyes sparkling.
"Please guide me then, Kim Gong."
Yeah. That smile healed me.
Squish.
Guan Yu, mid-fight with Zhang Fei, suddenly yanked my cheek. Ow, why?
Anyway, we killed time bantering, eyes on the palace—about 30 minutes in.
High officials started descending the steps. Meeting over.
But... the mood had shifted.
"Imperial Uncle!!"
"Uncle Liu! Glad you came!"
Officials surrounded Liu Bei, laughing amiably.
And beside Liu Bei... the emperor himself. A frail-looking youth gripping Liu Bei's hand tight.
Cao Cao was there too, but his smiling face hid terrifying eyes.
The emperor sensed it but stubbornly kept chatting with Liu Bei.
"Whoa... big bro schmoozing His Majesty..."
Zhang Fei was pumped.
"Mm. As expected of Brother. Imperial kin gets this treatment, naturally."
Guan Yu nodded vigorously.
Yeah. Everyone here felt a spark of hope. Ties to the emperor meant paths to promotion.
Your faction has been proven to possess noble bloodline.
The Firm Imperial Clan Kinship effect is granted.
As long as you are affiliated with Liu Bei's faction, Fame +30.
The status window brought good news, which was nice. Some quests needed fame, so it was a boon...
But for me, it was a headache.
Worried about relations with Cao Cao.
Why the emperor latched onto Liu Bei? Simple: to build a check against Cao Cao. If Liu Bei sided with the emperor here, it'd rack up karma for Cao Cao to eliminate him later.
Liu Bei knew it too—his smiling face hid trembling earlobes. Like walking on thin ice.