Xuzhou Under Siege: Guerrilla Shadows
"So how are we going to hold out in Xuzhou now? That was the key question."
"Just sitting here defending won't cut it." As someone who'd cleared the game before, I came up with a plan right away.
'Xuzhou Castle's way more integrated into the endgame meta than I thought.' Wedged between multiple factions as a strategic hub, it had the geographic advantage that no one would bother invading on foot—which was why Tao Qian had defended it through diplomacy rather than military action, leading to this mess.
The castle didn't have enough siege equipment to hold out in a prolonged war; it was clear the walls would fall eventually. In the game, dragging it out like that just led straight to the game over screen. Or getting captured by Cao Cao's forces.
"Hmm. But the enemy's momentum is pretty fierce." Liu Bei flicked his earlobes, urging me for an answer.
"Leave enough troops to defend the castle, then have each general lead small detachments to rescue civilians and hit the enemy flanks with hit-and-run tactics. That'll make them think twice about advancing carelessly." It was the strategy the Soviets used in their partisan warfare back in the day.
Use small, firepower-heavy detachments for guerrilla ops to slow the enemy's advance and grab them by the ankles.
"Their numbers aren't that much greater than ours anyway. They'll burn through supplies faster than we will, so if we drag it into a long war, their rations will run dry on their own." The human mouth is a fearsome thing. Even if tens of thousands of soldiers ate just two meals a day, the consumption was massive. Cao Cao probably wouldn't be in a position to keep fighting after two months.
"Zhao Yun, Zhang Fei, and Unjang noona will form detachments with me and strike Cao Cao's forces from multiple angles. In the meantime, Lord Hyun-deok, reinforce the gates and entrances with Lord Tao Qian—chop some trees if you have to." Sharpened logs stacked into barricades would be a nightmare for the enemy. Without them, we'd have no choice but to prepare for siege like this.
'Liu Bei's surprisingly efficient at manual labor.' He had Construction 2 as a trait. He handled work orders surprisingly quickly.
"Use the Danyang soldiers stationed in Xuzhou as you see fit! Hyun-deok!" Tao Qian stepped forward supportively.
He'd later grow stingy about lending troops, but right now, things were different.
"Thank you. Listening to Kim Gong puts my mind at ease." Liu Bei gave a warm smile and took my hand.
"Yeah, Kim's pretty sharp." Zhang Fei chuckled with a "kee-hee-hee."
And so, me, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and Zhao Yun would lead four detachments. The plan was set.
"Everyone." I called over the newly reinforced Kim Squad.
"Kim Gong, what do we do?" Gu Lige was already geared up, weapons and horse polished, standing at attention. Kid was an ace.
"What do we do, sir?" Guan He spoke in a wilted tone, his thug vibe completely gone. Yeah. Probably still shaken from that brush with death last time. He was being very obedient.
"Facing a real battlefield after so long... my gums are tingling." The old Northerner shuddered as he spoke.
"...S-scary." Chun Seol whimpered, trembling.
"No need to fear when fighting for justice!!" Bald Gwang Yeom declared, while shaking himself.
'Honestly, one of them might die at this point.' Cao Cao's Qingzhou soldiers were just that strong. If it happened... well, we'd mourn properly.
"You're not mere grunts anymore. You're squad leaders now." They had the experience, so they were easy enough to handle. Like how veteran slackers outperform fresh A-grade recruits.
"You'll command the soldiers Lord Tao Qian assigns us. Take responsibility." He'd given each detachment over twenty men—not a lot, but we were grateful.
"Our job is hit-and-run scouting—grab anything useful. No need to force fights. If it goes south, yell loud or pull back." With that, I mounted Jiralma.
That was when it happened.
"Gaga..." Bu Yonghwa came rushing toward me.
"Yonghwa, you absolutely can't come on this one." It was too dangerous, so I'd explicitly told her to stay behind.
"Y-yeah, I know it's hubby's wish, but..." Bu Yonghwa fidgeted, then pulled something out.
"Still, I was so worried... I made a talisman on the way." She handed it over.
A transparent silk pouch with... a clump of fur tied in a pattern.
"Ah..." My wife's love warmed my heart instantly.
"What fur is this? Hair or something?" Using hair for talismans was pretty common.
"G-gaga... Don't ask for details, it's embarrassing." But Bu Yonghwa's reaction was off. She pressed a hand to her flushed cheek.
"..." Uh. Better not pry. It wasn't ordinary hair, that much was clear... that fur, probably.
"Ahem. Got it." I cleared my throat and mounted up.
"Uh... Yonghwa. Thanks." With that, I spurred my horse and galloped out Xuzhou Castle's rear gate.
"Hohoho. So young." The old Northerner watched with a fond smile.
Damn it. Play dumb about that stuff, you old fart.
In the Xuzhou outskirts, now a nationwide shitshow, my job was treasure hunting and Qingzhou soldier farming.
'Gotta open the quest first.' Zhang Jiao's treasure hunt didn't show on the map markers. I had to stumble on triggers near his traces. Obviously, I'd memorized the spots.
First stop: south of Xuzhou Castle.
But things never go smoothly. Guests were already there.
"Kyaaak..."
"P-please... spare us..."
Civilians fleeing had the bad luck to run into blood-mad Qingzhou soldiers and got tied up.
"Strip the women. Uh-heh-heh." One Qingzhou soldier menaced a woman and forced her clothes off.
"Urgh... Kill me instead!! Let my wife and kids go!!" The captured man shouted, trembling.
"Sure!! I'll fuck your wife right in front of you, then let you all go safe!!"
"Uhahat! And keep any good ones as slaves!" The Qingzhou scum cackled, slitting the throats of anyone not worth keeping—like it was paperwork.
War's ugly face in full view. Orphans of heaven, every one.
Anyway, with these bastards squatting on my quest spot, time to smash them.
"Kkiyaaaak!!!" On my signal, I roared and charged on horseback.
"Yaaah!!" Kim Squad and Tao Qian's troops burst from prone positions, charging like maniacs.
"Die!!" Leading the charge with the most fire was none other than Guan He.
'Kid's way too scared of me.' Probably paranoid he'd get axed if he didn't prove useful—he was sprinting like hell, curved sword raised.
"Hiiing!! Hing!!!" Mid-gallop, Jiralma shook his mane unpleasantly, snorting complaints at me.
Ah. That.
I knew his temperament by now. He wanted to run solo without me on top.
"Tch. Fine." Horses obey if you speak their language. I wanted to say that, but I knew giving in to his quirks was best.
"Kkiyot!!!" I leaped off and soared high.
"Wha—?!" A cavalryman ditching his horse? One Qingzhou soldier fumbled for sword and shield in panic.
Puh-wook!!
My overhead slash from midair pierced his shoulder deep.
"Hihihihing!!!" Jiralma trampled another Qingzhou soldier flat mid-stride.
"Yaaah!!" The early kills boosted morale; the troops attacked with confident footwork.
Chaeng! Clang!
Gu Lige and Guan He cut down the first foes; the rest paired off in stalemates. True to Qingzhou elites—even ambushed, they held their own.
But they were unlucky to face me in top form.
Chaaeng!!
Using Taiji Sword's Deflection, I broke one's stance, then slashed fast.
'Gotta parry four times, huh.' Normally two broke them, but these had stamina—four parries for the kill window.
Puh-wook!!
But my new weapon's overwhelming power meant one slice was enough.
Strategy? Nah. Just beat 'em with the Nam Un Geom.
I kicked a stunned Qingzhou soldier flying toward Guan He.
"Guan He!!!" Stance broken—finish him.
"Y-yes sir...!" Guan He swung his curved sword like a baseball bat at the incoming foe.
Pbeok!!
The blade cleanly gashed the philtrum area. Nice. Kid's quick. Confirmed: Guan He's solid.
The skirmish wrapped up amid the scuffle.
Qingzhou squad: wiped. Civilian couple on death's door: saved.
"Thank you... thank you!" They bowed a hundred times, tears streaming.
"Stick to back roads. You'll get nabbed again otherwise." I wanted to escort them safe, but we had duties—no time for babysitting. Damn it.
"You five!" I beckoned five of Tao Qian's troops.
"Yes sir!!"
"Escort these folks back to Xuzhou Castle and stand by." Modern morals die hard—brainwashed by human rights and ethics. Couldn't just abandon them; they'd probably get in trouble again.
"Hee-hee. As expected... Kim Gong's so kind." Chun Seol murmured, touched. Fix that mumbling habit and she'd be perfect.
"If you keep begging for babies despite the risks... you'd probably give me some... right?" Her creepy gaze made me skip asking for details—sounded horrifying.
"Yes sir!!" Tasked with an easy job, the troops grinned and led the civilians off.
"Hurt 'em or try anything... you know what happens?" Sword drawn, just in case they pulled a Zhang Jiao.
"O-of course!!" They nodded frantically, escorting like perfect gentlemen.
Anyway, sector cleared. I scanned the bumpy road ahead for tracks.
Deep wagon ruts like reckless driving. And discarded Tao Qian armor—self-removed, not stripped. Nearby, an overturned cart.
Something suspicious lingers here. Search the surroundings and uncover clues.
Rifling the cart revealed the driver, neck snapped at 90 degrees against the ground. Searching his body yielded a small letter.
"Got it. Secured the treasure. They said after this, head to some Yuan Shao place in Jizhou. Gotta get far from where that Cao Cao bastard might rampage. Even he kowtows to Yuan Shao. Lay low in Jizhou and bide time—should work out."
"Something's off. Heard 'em while driving and dozing: they're gonna kill me first. Once we reach the destination by cart, the driver's useless. Thought we were all buddy-buddy, but they'll thin the herd for bigger shares. Bandit scum."
"Stick to the road toward Xuzhou, drag 'em to Xuzhou officials instead. Might get my cut that way."
The crumpled letter ended there.
"Kim Gong, anything fun?" Gu Lige asked.
"Nah, nothing special." I pocketed it.
"...Lucky." He knew Middle Chinese but couldn't write—eyed me enviously.
Follow Zhang Jiao's trail like this, hit the final spot, snag the treasure. Classic scavenger hunt quest.
Today, I'd complete it and claim the prize.
'Gotta pay these kids as porters and hush money... but it's still profitable.' Buy their silence, still come out ahead. Plan set, I led them to the next spot.
Meanwhile.
In Xuzhou Castle, Liu Bei heard rumors filtering from the central court and looked stunned.
"What...? Dong Zhuo?" Liu Bei stared at Gan Yong, the source.
"Word's spreading everywhere. That Lu Bu bitch and her men ousted Dong Zhuo and seized power." Gan Yong spoke urgently.
Dong Zhuo's fate unknown, but his reign was over.
And more news.
"Lu Bu's suddenly mustering troops—suspicious moves." Gan Yong whispered to Liu Bei.
"...If she attacks, which way?" Liu Bei asked.
"Probably... over Luoyang, eastbound." At Gan Yong's words, Liu Bei's expression grew strange.
"Keep this quiet for now. Settle Xuzhou first." Liu Bei patted Gan Yong's shoulder.
"The realm's caught in a storm." Liu Bei gazed at the distant sky and sighed.