Hero's Judgment (1)
Having triumphed over the Supreme Overlord Xiang Yu in the mental world, the scenery around me began to blur. As my consciousness faded, my senses suddenly sharpened, and then I blacked out.
When I came to, my sense of smell kicked in before my sight. The musty stench of dust hit me first.
"Hmmm. To think you'd actually pull it off. A Heaven-defying One truly defies fate, it seems."
The sage smiled warmly at me.
"You've proven your worth, so I have no choice but to hand this over."
With that, he walked toward the statue behind the shrine.
He touched the eyes of the dragon clutching the Ruyi Pearl, and the coiled body of the dragon pillar creaked open, revealing a rusted sword.
"It's completely rotted away."
Made right after Qin's unification, it was no surprise, but stored without a scabbard, the blade had crumbled into fragments buried in layers of rust.
I'd been spoiled by the game, but seeing it in person was deflating.
'After clearing such a brutal quest, I figured I'd get some badass sword.'
But getting a totally decayed one? Kinda ruins the mood.
"Indeed. All things are finite, aren't they?"
The sage wrapped the rust-shrouded fragments of the sword in cloth and handed them to me.
"Yet mortals infuse life into the finite—that's how we persist. Take it to a skilled blacksmith. He'll know how to make use of it."
His expression turned solemn.
"If you wield the power of a Heaven-defier for evil ends, heaven's wrath will descend."
Just as he spouted that ominous warning, his form grew hazy and vanished.
Heaven's wrath, huh...
Old-timers sure loved that phrase.
Anyway, having farmed the most crucial artifact from Paeguk, I headed straight to the blacksmith there.
Clang. Clang. Hiss.
The bellows puffed rhythmically, and the constant hammer strikes made my ears ring. My eyes stung from the intense heat. A textbook forge.
"Dao Ran, uncle."
I called out to the craftsman who'd followed our Liu Bei army from Takhyeon.
"Kim. Still kicking, huh."
Dao Ran chuckled as he eyed me. Every day, same greeting.
"By the way, that Seven Star Sword you showed me last time—lemme see it again."
To him, I was the guy who always brought rare weapons.
"Whoa... Hmm... Heh heh."
He let out admiring gasps as he examined the Seven Star Sword. Yeah, any sword nerd would geek out. Forged in the Spring and Autumn Warring States era with performance like this? Unmissable.
"Uncle, check this out."
I handed over the fragments of the rusted sword.
A run-of-the-mill smith might shrug, but a rare artisan-grade one would spot its value instantly.
And surprisingly, Dao Ran—the village smith from Takhyeon—was artisan level.
"This is..."
His eyes lit up at the fragments.
"This ain't just any iron. Blue steel? Where'd you snag this?"
He took the pieces gingerly, eyes gleaming.
"Heh. Ways and means."
Perfect moment to play it cool.
"Condition's prime too. Thought Qin's reckless mining wiped out all the blue steel ore... Who knew any survived."
He held a fragment to the firelight.
"Blue steel? The real deal?"
"No way it actually existed..."
The other smiths crowded around, peering at the fragments.
"Kim!! With this, we can upgrade that sword of yours, the Namun Sword. Reinforce the blade with melted blue steel, and it'll slice like a dream. Trust me with it?"
His creative fire was blazing from the premium material.
"That was the plan. Heh heh."
I handed over the Namun Sword from my belt.
"You got it!! Gimme three days!! I'll forge a god-slaying blade!!"
He plopped down at the anvil, decisive.
"Uncle, don't toss around talk of slaying gods. You'll get smited."
This old guy's got some dark humor.
"Ha! Being born in this world was punishment enough."
He pointed to the corner.
"Use that old blade of yours, the Far East Sword, in the meantime. Fixed it up for ya."
Until the Namun upgrade, I'd wield my trusty old Far East Sword.
After that, days flowed peacefully. Maybe from all the past fighting and fleeing, but life in Ye Province's Paeguk felt surreal in its calm.
Nighttime grave-robbing with Chun Seol strayed a bit from "peaceful," but no wars or deaths made it peaceful enough.
And... there was good news.
"Haa... Finally."
Guan Yu stroked her belly with a moved expression.
She'd been nauseous lately, and now the physician confirmed conception. She was thrilled.
"Hee hee. Now you're father to two, my lord."
Yong Hwa rubbed her slightly swollen belly and smiled.
"True. Should we pick names?"
That was a worry, yeah.
As a foreigner here, I had no clan name. To folks around, "Kim" was both surname and given name.
"Just make the first Kim Il, second Kim I."
Zhang Fei piped up from the side, hand-sewing with his rough paws. Said he'd make baby clothes as "Uncle" for when the kid arrived—looked like rags even a stray dog would snub.
"Yidek. Shut it."
Guan Yu smiled but vetoed him.
"Sister! Cursing's bad for the baby."
Yong Hwa smacked her hand.
Debate on names ensued.
Then—
"Report!!!"
A procession with carriages entered Paeguk's gates. Eunuchs and soldiers. From Heodo, clearly.
"His Majesty invites Lord of the Imperial Uncle and his retinue to the hunt banquet!!"
The loud eunuch bellowed.
Liu Bei, handling affairs with Jian Yong and Sun Qian in the main hall, rushed out and knelt.
"This lowly one receives the decree."
He bowed toward the emperor, head low.
"The banquet is in one month. Be punctual. His Majesty insists on your attendance."
The eunuch delivered it crisply, then rode off in his carriage.
"Whoa, brother! Making it big! Summoned to the emperor's banquet!!"
Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun laughed, welcoming Liu Bei.
"Mm. Truly an honor."
Liu Bei looked moved, but unease flickered beneath.
He knew Heodo's tangled politics—worrisome.
No choice but to go, though.
"Kim."
Liu Bei gazed at me soulfully.
"Yes, Lord Xuande."
No. Don't look at me like that.
Even now, stubbornly calling him Xuande over Jugong? My subtle vow to quit the Liu Bei crew someday.
"I rely greatly on you, Kim Gong."
He clapped my shoulder, brimming with trust.
What? What'd I even do to earn this?
Travelers to Heodo: me, Liu Bei, Zhao Yun. Mok Lan as my attendant, too.
Guan Yu, pregnant, couldn't trek far. Liu Bei tasked Zhang Fei with guarding Paeguk.
To check Yeo Po's crew.
Leaving Guan Yu and Zhang Fei kept Yeo Po's forces—Jinyoung included—from funny ideas. Alone, Zhang Fei'd booze up; Guan Yu reins him in.
Jinyoung's another story.
Her Cao Cao hate could rile the Xiliang troops into chaos. If they stirred, arrows fly back at us. Total disaster.
Oh, why not Yeo Po? "Can't," not "won't."
'Many court officials fear Lady Fengxian.'
Liu Bei consoled her apologetically.
Fair. Past doesn't vanish. Her old Xiliang crew wrought havoc under Dong Zhuo. Bad rep.
"Wanted to hunt with Kim too..."
Yeo Po pouted. Gotta cheer her with a hunt later.
"Then let's go."
Liu Bei mounted in court robes.
Thus, invited to the emperor's hunt festival. A mandatory game event for Heodo elites.
Decent rewards, too.
Rare game only in imperial hunting woods. Might as well aim for it.
Midway on horseback, a cavalry troop blocked us. We tensed—then relaxed.
"Xuande, my brother!! Couldn't hold back seeing you—came to greet!!"
Cao Cao in black court robes laughed heartily.
"Chancellor graces us so—I'm at a loss."
Liu Bei dismounted, saluting politely.
"Haha! No need to dismount for formalities."
Cao Cao slung an arm around him—like pals, not lord and vassal.
"Come on. Since you're in Heodo, stay a few days and rest."
He glanced my way.
"Ah, Kim Gong. Congrats on fatherhood—two kids! Gifts for 'em when born."
He praised with a grin.
"Grateful for your kindness, Chancellor."
Thanks aside, chills hit.
News of me spreading this fast? Cao Cao's intel net was tighter than expected—daunting.