Hellish Startup in Zhuo Xian
This was a full-on real apocalypse. First things first: find a way to make some money. With that gamer mindset locked in, he hit the streets right away.
First, let's figure out where the hell I am.
The game's real nasty trick was the random start location. Sure, it wouldn't dump you in some remote mountain nowhere, but difficulty swung wildly depending on where you spawned.
Shit game in that way too.
Three Kingdoms fans would be like "oh, sweet," but your average player who didn't know the lore? They'd slam into totally unfair bullshit.
Every region had warlords playing kingpin, and their presence could flip difficulty from heaven to hell. Youzhou or Bingzhou? Yellow Turbans everywhere made 'em a nightmare.
With the Yellow Turban Rebellion blanketing China, the northeast was total chaos.
So, time to scout the area and gather intel. The game-like Status Window was there, but no handy world map or QoL features—nothing.
"Excuse me. Mind if I ask you something?"
He straight-up approached a local-looking guy.
"...Tch. What?"
They said the warehouse feeds the benevolence, but in these chaotic times, folks' attitudes were ice-cold on average.
"Where's this place?"
"Here?"
The guy eyed him sideways with pity. "Poor bastard. Fled the bandits in a panic and don't even know where you ended up, huh."
He shook his head sadly. "Zhuo Xian in Youzhou. Chaos like you've never seen. Looks like you came from somewhere like Bingzhou looking for a safe spot... wake up. Best prep to run again."
Grumbling aside, the guy spilled the location.
That sealed it. He was utterly, completely screwed.
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Zhuo Xian was one of the backwater villages at the southern tip of Zhuo Commandery in Youzhou, Hebei. The county was also called Beiping. A spot that'd become China's capital in the distant future, but right now? Total rural hellhole.
And Zhuo Xian was its deepest pit. Youzhou itself was basically a dungeon crawling with rampaging Yellow Turbans—this was hands-down the worst spawn.
A few steps outside Zhuo Xian's fields, and you'd run into Yellow Turbans or bandits, ending up as wild dog chow.
Not a big deal historically. But anyone who'd read Three Kingdoms' intro knew what it meant.
Liu Bei's birthplace—the starting point for the epic tale's protagonist.
Three village randos banding together to lead 500 militia into the jianghu—that was the grand work's legendary opener.
Romantic as hell, sure. But objectively? Youzhou was hell.
Why else would Liu Bei ditch mat-selling to form a militia?
Sure, grand ambitions and all that. But honestly, he figured survival came first. Bandits made life impossible, so militia for protection, then boom—warlord path.
Youzhou was pure apocalypse vibes.
If I get a bit stronger, could grind bandits for levels.
Yellow Turbans were the world's most common trash mobs—a plus for farming. But one fuck-up and you're dead. That was the game's brutality.
Caution. Always caution.
Surprisingly, Zhuo Xian starts were popular. Some players rerolled like mad just to spawn here.
Meet Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei—every fan's dream squad.
But... even if I go to Liu Bei now, he'd ghost me.
Liu Bei was picky as hell. If you looked useless, he'd be polite but ice you out. Plenty rage-quit after that.
Doesn't matter. Lore nerds knew tailing Liu Bei was self-imposed hell mode.
Already tough game, zero upsides.
And basics: food, clothes, shelter.
Priority one: secure those. Lucky for him, this shit game? He knew prime money-makers.
Best bet: manual labor.
Butcher shop.
Zhuo Xian had a killer option. Helping out at Zhang Shiping's butcher shop.
Knew it cold, so straight to the market.
"A dou of rice? Way too steep."
"Take it or leave it. Scram."
Market was frantic haggling, folks grabbing goods.
No currency—pure barter. Felt primitive for late Han, but historically accurate.
End times of end times. Han money lost all trust. Country on the brink of bankruptcy—what good's paper?
Commerce ran on goods. Game nailed it: players bartered inventories, haggling mid-trade screen.
Tedious flow-breakers dropped tons of players.
Broke as he was, ignored the dealers and bee-lined for the market's filthy corner butcher.
"Who're you?"
A red-haired guy in decent clothes called out. Proper named NPC: Zhang Shiping. Zhuo Xian's mob boss, top butcher, local bigwig.
Claimed descent from Yan royal blood in Spring and Autumn era—proud lineage. Ultimate uncle to the Fei Bros' all-rounder, Zhang Fei.
Taught the kid letters and martial arts while slinging meat. God-tier uncle.
"I'll take any job. Got anything?"
Straight beggar mode, ultimate sub energy.
No point in wage haggling. Refugees everywhere, tons of labor.
"Hm. Look sturdy enough."
Zhang Shiping sized him up, clapped his shoulder.
"Got those offal piles from slaughter. Haul 'em to the pit behind the village, bury deep. Real deep—wild dogs are swarming lately."
Glanced over. Bones, hides, scraps too gross to eat. Drag, dump, bury. Repeat.
"I'll toss you some rice. Stick around long-term, lodging too. Depends on your work."
Zhang Shiping was chill about it.
"Thank you! Great hero!"
Bao quan salute, deep bow.
"Hah. 'Great hero'? Tickles."
Zhang Shiping chuckled, waved it off.
"Could use you with my nephew... but that kid's off boozing with weirdos again."
Nephew = Zhang Fei, obviously.
------
Time to work.
"Hup!"
Dragged fresh pig remains. Got messy on clothes—no helping it. Manual labor gonna manual.
Out to village pit, bury slaughter waste deep. Repeat till near dusk.
Cleared over half the piles behind the yard.
Worked that shitty iron shovel—bent if you kicked it—till buried solid.
"Hoo..."
Post-grind smoke sounded good, but no tobacco in this era.
"Hah. All that solo? Got grit. Most bail from the rot stink."
Zhang Shiping laughed loud, handed over a leather pouch of rice.
"Not much, but eat with the help. Crash here if tomorrow too."
Clapped his shoulder with a grin.
Perfect. Food and bed solved. As planned.
Zhuo Xian's famous route: mooch off Zhang Shiping.
"Thank you!"
Full loyal servant mode, bowing deep.
"Rough work deserves booze. Hey—fetch some takju."
Zhang Shiping called a servant.
"Sir... we're out."
Servant looked sorry.
"Agh... Yide that bastard chugged it again."
Tsked, ordered: "Market then. No cash—tab from last meat he ran up."
Waved it off.
"Sir, evening market's scary! Refugees pouring in, bandits and thugs everywhere..."
Servant whined. Not exaggeration—fact. Broad daylight murder? Normal now.
Late Han = apocalypse world. Memo that.
Here he seized the growth chance, earning favor.
"Sir, leave the errand to me. Feeble as I am, I can protect myself."
Flashed the sword at his waist boldly.
"Oh, right. Sorry, but thanks."
Zhang Shiping clapped his shoulder, eyes warm to the eager worker.
-------
Errand accepted: evening market run through Zhuo Xian.
Way shadier than daytime—murderous vibes swirling.
Sure enough, exactly five steps in.
"Yo, what's with the black hair?"
"Hah! Can you even use that sword?"
"Heard dudes strutting swords are all punk bait."
Fat shorty, skinny tall beanpole, balanced build. Solid thug trio comp.
Classic.
Five steps and aggro—pure game world.
XP farm chance.