Sang San (3): The Rhythm of the Blade
Whoosh. Whooosh. Whoooosh.
Where the hell am I? Who the hell am I?
The labor was back-breaking, but so mind-numbingly boring that time crawled to a standstill.
Yep. It was just like that time in college when, full of naive enthusiasm, I'd heard, "Work one hard day and pocket 130,000 won? No interview needed? Sweet, I'm in!" and impulsively signed up to be a Coupang delivery guy.
Whoooosh. Crack!
Swinging a massive log like a madman with every ounce of strength left my head spinning.
'Still no solid hit.' I realized this Sang San Ben Guo Jian was surprisingly tough. No wonder—it wasn't like the game. There, a button click and boom, "Skill mastered." But reality? You had to feel it out yourself.
Right now, I was just brute-forcing the club through the air, mimicking the strikes without any finesse. That wouldn't cut it.
You had to throw it like a sword—smooth trajectory from the proper stance for a real impact.
Power from the waist, up through the shoulders, arms following in sync. Keeping that in mind, I kept swinging the log.
Lost in thought and repetition, half the day slipped by.
"…"
Sang San's elder watched us kids swing our clubs, yawning lazily like it was no big deal. As if this was standard.
Where there's a will, there's a way—or maybe I'd peeked at the answer key beforehand.
Whooooooosh.
A clear, resonant whoosh unlike before.
CRAAAAACK!!!
And moments later, the club shattered the log clean through.
"Whoa…"
Yeah, that was the feeling. Enlightenment.
"Oho…"
The elder looked genuinely surprised.
"Kim Gong! Incredible!!! To think you'd grasp it this fast!!"
Zhao Yun beamed like it was his own victory, eyes sparkling.
"Heh. Looks like you found insight amid the heavy weights."
The elder chuckled knowingly.
"Good enough." He clapped his hands, ending the session.
Dong Tak, Guan He, and Gu Likge stared at me with burning envy. Heh heh. Keep grinding, kids. I'm out.
"Master that, and you've got more than half of Sang San Ben Guo Jian down."
The elder grinned and nodded to a villager.
After a quick exchange of glances, the villager headed to a rundown shed behind the village.
He returned lugging stacks of bamboo slips.
'Paper's still king.' The sheer volume made my stomach sink.
"This is the Sang San Ben Guo Jian manual—a legacy passed down through our ancestors. Now that you've got the basics, follow these and you'll pick it up quick."
The elder urged me to read.
Ugh… more cryptic ancient scripture? But unfolding them, I was surprised—barely any text.
Just illustrated manuals of stances for every weapon: fists, spears, axes, swords, you name it.
"Oh… easy peasy."
In-game, it was just a reading animation; I never knew it was this picture-heavy.
"Hrm. You're practically one of us Sang San Zhao now, so I suppose I can air a little dirty laundry."
The elder suddenly got serious.
Wait, me? One of the Zhao clan? Don't lay that heavy title on me!
"Our ancestors were fighters, but alas, illiterate. That's why Sang San Ben Guo Jian's been handed down mostly through drawings."
"Erk."
Who knew the backstory?
'Hardly a scandal, though.' Illiteracy was the norm back then.
Anyway, with the manual secured, time to embody it through practice. Wooden spears, axes, swords—all handy for training.
Sang San Ben Guo Jian's game hook? Mastery of any weapon on the fly. Skills for everything—that was unique.
Not as refined as specialized schools, though. Its sword skills? No match for Taiji Sword efficiency.
'Still damn useful.' A gift set of killer techniques per weapon. Perfect for chaotic melees.
'Even with Namun Sword's durability regen, it has limits.' Sheathe it to recover, sure—but not infinite. This game's hyper-realistic; weapons wear fast.
While it recharges, grab battlefield scraps. That's where Sang San shone.
Key techs to learn: three big ones. Gentlemanly Flourish and Bi Seok Tu.
Weapon skills hit multiple common foes with AoE.
Sweep trash mobs with wide swings, sending them flying.
Throwing your weapon guarantees critical damage.
Hurl your temp weapon for amplified crits. Skeptical? Consider it's disposable pickup—OP as hell. Wear it out, chuck for a kill, repeat. Melee mayhem solved.
'Bet Zhao Yun used this breaking through enemy lines for one rescued kid in Hyeong Ju.' Game devs inspired by his beastly rampage.
Zhao Yun seemed the textbook warrior type, but nah—pure pragmatism. Weapons as murder tools, consumed without mercy.
Anyway.
'Game? Click, skill unlocked. Here? Grind for real.'
Few days to master it.
While the kids trained, I pored over the manual, mimicking poses.
Whoosh. Hng.
Spear, axe, sword, club—hours blurred by.
"Hoo…"
Sweat dried like rain; finally, the Status Window showed gains.
Sang San skills for spear, sword, axe, blunt, fists—unlocked to a degree. Sword only so far, but I had the feel for others.
Gentlemanly Flourish
Bi Seok Tu
Core Sang San Ben Guo Jian down pat. Higher branches later.
"…Hey. You."
"You."
Snap—focus broken. Voices finally registered.
"Ah."
Mok Lan sat beside me, proper posture.
"Seriously… now you hear me."
She sighed, tossing her mask. Scarred but stunning.
Mask off casually? Oddly, no one around.
'Dawn already?' Chill morning air.
"Your focus is insane. Day's gone. Everyone yelled to snap you out of it—no dice."
Mok Lan explained.
"Aah."
Others finished training, crashed. Bu Yonghwa tried dragging me but bailed on my trance.
'Yonghwa… sorry.' She'd chew me out later.
"Here. Bu Yonghwa made food—'eat if hungry.' I just checked on you."
She pointed to a small lacquered box at my feet.
[Ga ga. Take a break and eat.]
Cute rounded script on the box. Inside: adorable onigiri balls.
"Urk…"
Hunger hit hard; I wolfed them down. Wife's love healed every ache. This is love's taste…!!
"Tea too—wet your throat. Choke hazard."
Mok Lan rolled her eyes, then blunt: "Why so desperate? You're hell-bent on getting stronger."
Dawn vibes, small talk?
"…Dunno. Dangerous times. Gotta protect the people I care about."
Crush manga cliché, but true.
"Pure motive, huh."
Mok Lan gazed skyward, bittersweet.
"If I'd kept that purity… would I be better?" Regret tinged her voice.
Don't interrupt her reflection. I stayed silent, stargazing together.
Man, Yonghwa's onigiri slaps.
After, two days in the village. Hellish training, but Kim Squad leveled up big-time combat-wise.
Elites—Mok Lan, Guan He, Chun Seol, Gu Likge—proven stronger in spars.
'Better than grunts already.' Pumped to make 'em Middle Kingdom's top spec ops. Kid-me dreamed of bossing elite squads.
"One more!! Lift that log one more time!!"
"Urgh… please…"
"Yes!! Swing just like that!!"
"Hah, huff… granny… won't lose to you young'uns…"
Wails everywhere like hell, but workout spots thrive on groans. Felt like everyone was grinding hard.
Me? With spare time from early mastery, helped Zhao Yun and Bu Yonghwa with funeral cleanup. Surprisingly fiddly. Pitched in fully—keep Zhao Yun friendly.
Funerals and training done—three days passed.
"Kim Gong. Thank you. Without you… it'd have been so lonely and bleak."
Zhao Yun gripped my hand, sincere.
"Heh. We're friends and comrades now. Anytime."
Grin and affinity boost.
"Still… grateful."
His eyes welled up. C'mon, over this?
"Kim. Crave more training? Come anytime."
Sang San elder smiled.
"Get along with our little dragon, eh?" Loaded wink.
"Elder!!"
Zhao Yun punched him playfully, blushing.
Villagers saw us off down the mountain path. Zhao Yun looked brighter—family time helped.
"Kim Gong, off to Bu Su Castle with Bu Yonghwa then?"
Zhao Yun asked my next stop.
"Sorry, but mind escorting the kids? Send combat-ready back to Xuzhou ASAP."
Chang'an was a powder keg. Kids caught by officials? Disaster. Didn't raise 'em to rot in cells.
Wanted Yonghwa safe too, but she'd insist. Gave up.
"H-Honeymoon, eh."
Zhao Yun flushed, mumbling.
"Hee hee. Can't wait~"
Yonghwa snuggled in, seizing the moment.
"Th-Then safe travels!! We'll head to Xuzhou first!"
Zhao Yun fumbled a bao quan. C'mon, we're tight—no need for formalities.
Thus, split: me and Bu Yonghwa to Chang'an; rest to Xuzhou.
"Exciting…~"
Bu Yonghwa hummed cutely astride ahead.
'Chang'an first: Cai Yan.' She thought honeymoon; truth—game key event.
Her quest, save execution-bound Cai Yong, build ties. Unlocks stable intelligence stat gains.
'Tough quest…' Better than brainless brute life. Lit scholar-warrior dream.
Wen wu gim jang… every Three Kingdoms fan's fantasy, right?