Finally Meeting the Heroes (4)
"Lord Cao, shouldn't we get moving soon?"
Near Guangzong in Julu Commandery, a woman draped loosely in battle robes gazed out at the distant horizon. Any Three Kingdoms purist would spit blood at the sight—her hair was a vivid green in twin tails, framing a stunning beauty.
"Yuan's right!! Look at that racket already brewing over there. Looks like that Dong Zhuo bitch or whoever is starting to rampage."
Beside her, another beauty with similar blue-tinted twin tails shouted loudly, nodding vigorously. Her build was slender and feminine, yet she hefted a spear taller than herself. A polearm with a small axe blade at the tip—that was her weapon.
The green-haired archer was Xiahou Yuan, and the spear-wielder was Xiahou Dun.
"Yuan, Dun. No need to rush."
Farther off, a sharp-featured man chuckled softly as he sat on a rock.
"Dong Zhuo isn't the refined type for this sort of thing. She'll probably botch it big time. We just follow General Huangfu Song's orders and move when she retreats."
As the man spoke, everyone around him listened intently. His tone was a bit thin and raspy—not exactly pleasant even as flattery—but it had a strangely compelling ring that stuck in the ears. Above all, his words carried an inexplicable authority. Trust shone in everyone's eyes.
"If we move now, we'll have to share credit with Dong Zhuo. We need her begging and fleeing, owing us a debt—that's how we claim the glory for ourselves."
Cao Cao said this while flicking his hand in a signal to hold position. The soldiers lowered their weapons just enough to stand by without slacking discipline.
"But what about that Sun Jian guy? And Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu... If they steal our thunder, we're back to wandering swordsman life, right?"
Still, Xiahou Dun seemed uneasy about the wait. This Yellow Turban Rebellion was her chance to prove herself. She feared Cao Cao might squander it again on idleness.
"Don't worry. Sun Jian may fight well, but he's a naive country bumpkin. That Jiangdong local's head is spinning from city sights. Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu won't move aggressively either—they fear losses too much. They'll hesitate to minimize casualties. Those two even look alike playing go, agonizing to the end before a blunder."
Cao Cao spoke as if he knew everything. His voice grated a bit, unlucky to hear, but it carried a weird persuasiveness.
"And we're the ones who first cleared the road to Julu. If something happens, we get there first. So relax those muscles and rest."
To lead by example, Cao Cao sprawled on the rock and began reciting a melancholic poem.
"......."
Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan plugged their ears, clearly not wanting to hear their cousin's singing, and slunk to a corner.
At that moment, other armies had just breached the Yellow Turbans' flesh-and-blood barricade to enter Julu.
"UHAHAHAHA!! This is the battlefield!! Rookies!!"
A man in tiger-pelt armor charged madly, thrusting his sword into the last remaining Yellow Turban leader.
"Kuhk!!"
The leader staggered, spurting blood from his throat, but the man gripped his waist tight.
"Hngh!!!!"
The tiger-skinned warrior suplexed him clean like dumping luggage.
Crack-BOOM!!!! The brutal impact shattered the leader's skull against the ground in a gruesome kiss.
"Hah!!!"
Bathed in blood, the man struck a victory pose, arms spread wide.
This was Sun Jian, the tiger of Jiangdong, a rising warlord. Connected through General Zhu Jun from past campaigns, he'd joined the Yellow Turban suppression. For a backwater Jiangdong hunk like him, linking to the central court was a golden opportunity. His tension was sky-high.
"Whoa!! Father!!"
A teenage boy watched with sparkling eyes. Sun Jian's son, Sun Ce.
"Hah!! Admiring me, Sun Ce?!"
Sun Jian flexed his muscles proudly at his son.
"Yes!! I admire you!! I wanna be just like you, Dad!"
Sun Ce clung to his father's arm, eyes shining.
"Heh! Train hard and build those muscles!!! That's the secret to strength!!"
Sun Jian roared with laughter, ruffling his spitting-image son's head.
"......"
A girl watched quietly. Petite with red hair just like her father's, she was a beauty with sharp spirit in her young eyes. Her uncommon blue eyes held a mystical glint. A famed physiognomist said she had the best fate here. Sun Jian's only daughter, Sun Quan. Less thrilled by martial arts than Sun Ce, but her brilliance earned her all his favor.
"Quaner!! Ain't Dad cool?!"
Sun Jian grinned at his princess.
"Ah. Yeah. Super cool."
Sun Quan smiled and nodded.
A perfect smile, but her mind wandered elsewhere.
'...I wanna get outta this dump.'
Such were her inner thoughts watching the macho duo. Sun Quan just couldn't vibe with that brutish atmosphere.
Back to Liu Bei's army. Reputation toward Dong Zhuo's forces was plummeting at breakneck speed.
'No. Fuck.'
Dong Zhuo's infamy wasn't new. Her rep locked at rock-bottom -100 upon becoming Chancellor and Grand Tutor. Pointless, really—she trashed everywhere anytime. Even in this rebellion, her antics shone through.
Her bullshit was as routine as birds flying or dogs barking, so no one cared much. Problem was, Liu Bei's army was allied with Dong Zhuo's now. Alliances share rep. Her crimes tainted them too.
Low Liu Bei rep hurt mine too.
'Fuck. No way...!!'
I shook my head unconsciously. I... wanted out of Liu Bei's army someday, go ronin. Mercenary fixer life hinged on reputation. Couldn't let Dong Zhuo suck ours dry!!
"Kuhk!!"
"Khek...!!"
Soon, desperate commoners rushed us madly.
"Lord Xuande!! Save us!!"
They'd memorized Liu Bei's name, clinging to him for salvation.
"What happened!! Yellow Turban remnants?!"
Liu Bei lifted the prostrating folk.
"No.... It's the imperial troops... Plundering and killing indiscriminately...."
The commoners shouted in panic.
"What?!"
Liu Bei's face hardened.
"What....!!"
Guan Yu looked furious too.
"Let's stop 'em now!! Or smash 'em flat!!"
Zhang Fei swung his spear wildly in rage.
"Stay back for now. We'll handle it."
Liu Bei moved the folk to safety, then eyed us sharply.
Inside Gelo city. Hell unfolded.
BOOM!!! Crunch!!
Western Liang soldiers smashed buildings unilaterally, forcing paths.
"Hand it over!!! This is lawful requisition!! Dare defy the Northern Chanyu?!"
"Please!!"
Plunder and arson were bonuses.
"Hahaha!! Run, run!!"
Sun Young whipped horses with Liang soldiers crammed in the cart.
Thuk!! Thwuk!!
Arrows hit fleeing Yellow Turban stragglers' backs.
"Yes!! 5 points!!!"
"No!! That's armor!! 10 points!!"
"Fuck your mom."
The Liang scum chuckled at human hunting. But... among the Yellow Turban prisoners fleeing were unharmed commoners.
Thwuk!!
One civilian dropped, pierced by an arrow.
"Hey!! That's just a guy!! Not a Turban!! Minus 5!!"
"Fuck, missed."
5 points for Turbans, minus 5 for civilians mixed in—like some classic shooter game. But with real people? Pure sick hobby.
"Please!! Mercy!!! Spare me!!"
A woman huddled, pleading.
A brutish Liang soldier approached to grab her roughly. Unknown rage surged in me.
I enjoyed slicing foes too. Denying pleasure in carving bandits so far would be hypocrisy. But... joy came from cutting bad guys charging me, not innocents slaughtered randomly. That just bred contempt.
"You fucking bastards!!!!"
I drew my sword and charged the Liang soldier.
"Wha..."
He froze, never expecting a rush.
Slash!!
Clean decapitation—his neck fountained blood.
"That's 5 points for me!! You fucks!!!"
I kicked the corpse, yelling. My intervention froze Dong Zhuo's troops mid-fun.
Liu Bei didn't stop me. Stern-faced, he stepped forward. Seemed blank, but after time with him, I read it. This was Liu Bei pissed.