Storming Ge Castle (2)
For now, we decided to head to the vicinity of Ge Castle with the soldiers led by Cui Zhen to assess the situation. The official troops under Cui Zhen's command numbered just over a thousand.
'Pathetic...' No, forget the numbers. The real problem was their condition—it was downright abysmal. In times of chaos, military discipline always crumbled. The soldiers marched with swords and spears dangling loosely, as if they had zero morale. The Han dynasty's authority had clearly hit rock bottom.
"Are there no other troops?" Liu Bei asked.
Yeah, around 1,500 total felt shaky for a campaign.
"In the Youzhou region, Yellow Turbans are popping up like bamboo shoots after rain. We can barely hold the front lines by deploying local forces for management," Cui Zhen sighed. The dark circles under his eyes were intense—probably hadn't slept in days.
"And in the midst of all that, Ge Castle gets attacked. Truly the end times," Zhang Fei grumbled, grasping the dire state.
"We tried calling for reinforcements, but... our Governor Liu Yan doesn't take kindly to it. Realistically, most official troops are tied up in Ji Province's granaries, leaving Youzhou somewhat neglected." Cui Zhen rambled on, clearly burdened with frustrations.
'Yeah, figures.' Liu Yan himself was ambitious enough to eye the throne. To prove his leadership, he couldn't just beg for help. He had to show he could handle it solo to earn his subordinates' loyalty. That's why he was dead set on recapturing Nanpi without aid. Of course, it meant throwing countless soldiers into the meat grinder... but that was everyday life in the Three Kingdoms world. Even Liu Bei beside me would burn tens of thousands as kindling to avenge his brothers.
"Hm? Kim Gong, what's on your mind?" Liu Bei noticed my gaze and flashed a benevolent smile.
"Nothing, sir."
I quickly turned away.
"Kim Gong, feeling tense?" At that moment, Guan Yu edged her horse closer and asked.
"No, I'm fine."
If anything, I could tell she was a bit on edge. Her grip on the Green Dragon Crescent Blade's shaft was too tight, making her hand tremble faintly.
"Call me sis. You're still so stiff."
Guan Yu suddenly said that with a smirk. Maybe the impending battle was making her sentimental.
"Alright, sis."
Best to play along in moments like this.
"Sis..." Guan Yu savored the word.
"Yeah. I'm Kim's big sis."
She beamed. Wait, why just take the surname from my name? Am I some foreign Korean or something? Annyeonghaseyo, I'm Kim.
"Still, without a courtesy name, it feels awkward," Guan Yu frowned.
"Ah..."
Right. In China, people used courtesy names. Like Feihui or whatever. They called each other by style names like Liu Xuande, Guan Yunchang, Zhang Yide—that was proper etiquette. Calling someone by their birth name was straight-up rude.
'So that's why she never used my full name.'
"You're from a foreign tribe, right, Kim? No courtesy name?"
"Nope."
I'd love one if I were born into the Three Kingdoms world. Back in my kid days reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I'd flip through a dictionary inventing them, jotting them in my fantasy notebook. Good times.
"Want me to make one? I'm your sis, after all!" Guan Yu's eyes sparkled.
"Ooh!!! Making a courtesy name? Count me in!! Let's booze it up and come up with some killer ones!" Zhang Fei laughed, joining in.
"Heh, yeah. It's nice when family does that. It'll strengthen our sibling bond."
Suddenly Liu Bei jumped in too!
'If I let them name me, I'm done for.' That'd lock me into the sworn brothers route for real.
"Hell yeah!! After we crush 'em big this time, we'll feast and do it!" Zhang Fei bellowed with a guffaw.
Hey, naming's fun anyway. Names deserve care. I once slapped "ThickMarriedWomanLover" on a nickname as a kid and got roasted forever.
"..."
Amid the cheerful banter, Guan Yu's expression had stiffened a bit.
"The courtesy name... I was gonna make it..."
She seemed genuinely miffed. Ah, so that's what bugged her.
Anyway, chatting casually despite the wartime tension looked good. Yeah, loosening up before battle was key.
'Looks like everyone's easing their nerves.'
They'd regained their composure. Good. That's how you survive and protect me.
The mood wasn't half bad, actually. Cui Zhen was even surprised by our volunteer army's relaxed vibe. At least until we reached Ge Castle.
The moment we arrived at Ge, the atmosphere flipped.
Chwaaaaang-!! Chwaaang-! The clash of weapons and shouts echoed from all sides.
"Come!! Heaven's dawn is here!! We are the pioneers treading the land of Heaven's advent!!"
Yellow Turbans waving tattered banners and blowing horns tightened their siege on Ge Castle like madmen.
Shweee!! Shweee!!
Arrows flew from the walls beyond, but their sheer numbers rendered them ineffective.
Kuuuung!! Kuung!
Siege rams pounded the gates in real time, while climbers scaled the walls with ladders. Overwhelming numbers... straight-up Yellow Turban zombies!!
Kwaaaaang!!!
A cavalryman boldly charged through the enemy lines in front of the castle.
"Hahat!! Deng Mu will end you!!"
A brute wielding a massive cleaver spurred his horse in response.
Clop clop!!
As the horses crossed, the brave official's shoulder and arm were neatly severed.
"Uahaha!! No need for General Zheng to step in!!"
Deng Mu laughed wildly, cleaver dripping blood. Official morale shattered; the situation spiraled.
At least 50,000 troops—way more than us. Even with our volunteers and Cui Zhen's men, it was futile. But Liu Bei, sensing his shot at glory, didn't hesitate. He knew failure here meant the end.
"Whole army!!!! Clear a path to that enemy commander!!!" Liu Bei led from the front with a handful of cavalry.
Shing.
Drawing his personal sword sealed the deal—no one could back out now.
Unity of Benevolence and Righteousness: Troops led by Liu Bei gain morale bonus. Ally panic risk drastically reduced. Combat power increased.
The status window confirmed the buff. 'Right, Liu Bei's a buffer.'
All his forces got the Unity buff. In a game where morale could tank fights, it was clutch—steady nerves meant stable power. Didn't feel special in-game, but live? The intensity was unreal.
"Wooooaaaarrrgh!!!!"
Our 500 volunteers surged like demons, cavalry ahead, infantry charging behind.
'Fuck. Terrifying.'
Felt like Liu Bei was mind-controlling them. Most had known him since childhood, as his street gang crew, but this bravery defied logic.
"Everyone!!! Follow Lord Liu Xuande!!"
Cui Zhen sent his thousand as backup. Was I caught in the buff too? Felt like we could actually do this.
Clop clop!!
"Pffft!!!"
Couldn't sync with the horse's pace; it whinnied irritably and bucked. Balance was hell.
"Shit..."
Thought it'd be like biking. Nope.
Low proficiency in mounted combat due to zero prior experience.
Never ridden before, so horse skills sucked. It bucked wildly to throw me. To be fair... this horse was a mean bastard. Nearly kicked me multiple times.
'Fuck this ancient era...!'
Oh, and no stirrups. Had to thigh-clamp like daisuki hold. Wielding weapons proficiently? Nightmare difficulty.
"Yaaah!!!"
But Liu Bei unleashed masterful mounted swordplay, carving a path.
"Hahat!! Bro!! You're on fire!!"
Zhang Fei impaled Yellow Turbans like mad with his Zhangba Snake Spear.
"Hmph!!!"
Guan Yu chopped foes like firewood with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade.
'Yeah, they're prodigies.'
Made sense. Compared to these named heroes, I was a flounder. Flounders fight flounder-style! I was a man who knew when to quit.
Swinging my sword horseback? Zero DPS. Pray I didn't behead the horse.
'Ditch the horse!'
Ignored the pace, kicked the belly hard.
"Hiiihiiing!!!!"
It bolted airborne. Splat!! The charge's impact was brutal. A Turban's skull exploded under the hoof, brains bursting. Eyeballs popped out from the pressure. Fuck. Gore city. War's true face.
Splat!! Thud!! Smack!!
It trampled everything in path—pure battering ram.
Couldn't hold longer, so I prepped to dismount. One. Two. Leaped high, sword raised.
"Kim!!"
Guan Yu panicked, thinking I'd fallen.
No soft landing? Bones shatter. But cushions everywhere.
Squish!!
Skewered a Turban mid-air on landing.
Thud.
Safe in the cleared field. Drew sword. Yeah, this was my jam. Mid-guard stance, glaring at the yellow-turbaned thieves.
"Kkkiiiyaaaak?!!!!!"
Deep breath, then full-throated roar as I charged sword-first. Our human woodchippers had my back! Time to flex!!!