Courtesy Name Bestowed
‘A silver-haired, red-eyed beauty sits right before me.’ Just this one sentence alone could unleash a whirlwind of fantasies in people's minds. Some might picture an elf or vampire from a fantasy world, while others could imagine a sweet, steamy night from a rom-com. As an ordinary 21st-century guy and subculture gamer, I wasn't above secretly hoping for that sugary development myself.
But unfortunately—or should I say, regretfully—the reality unfolding before my eyes far surpassed anyone's wildest imagination.
"How long do you plan to stand there gaping like an idiot, Lee An?"
Mysterious silver hair shimmering faintly under the moonlight. Captivating red eyes that could ensnare any soul. And atop her black silk robes, a precarious swell of overwhelming volume threatening to burst its seams at any moment. There, perched on the narrow bunk in my newly assigned private tent, chin propped casually as she gazed up at me with feigned indifference—this beauty was none other than my lord, Cao Cao.
"Um... my lord? If I may ask, what brings you to my tent?"
I asked as politely as possible, stuffing down the resentment of having my solo happy time interrupted.
I'd rushed here humming a tune, thrilled at the prospect of ripping open gacha tickets in my promotion-gift private tent. At first, I even mistook it for having pulled Cao Cao from a gacha ticket myself. That's how utterly unreal the scene was.
"Am I disturbing you by sitting here?"
Cao Cao pouted slightly, her voice laced with petulance. I frantically waved my hands and bowed so deeply my waist nearly folded in half.
"Disturbing me? Heaven forbid! I was just shocked that you'd grace the shabby tent of a mere squad leader like me!"
Of course, it was a blatant lie. Disturbing? It was a massive disturbance! My inventory held an SSR guaranteed gacha ticket practically begging to be used, gleaming with radiant gold light!
"Squad leader, huh... hmpf!"
Cao Cao's crimson eyes pierced right through me.
"Every last one of you—none of you sit right with me..."
She pursed her lips tight, puffing out her cheeks like a chipmunk. From my experience as a core player of Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8, that was her signature tic—suppressing real anger with forced nonchalance.
What went down at the merit awards ceremony...?
Her expression jogged my memory of the recent merit awards at Dongmuyang.
Dongmuyang conference tent.
"Squad Leader Lee An! Enter!"
Cao Cao's voice rang out from inside. I quickly straightened my attire, lifted the tent flap, and strode in confidently.
As I entered, the gazes of the crowded tent snapped to me all at once. Familiar faces like Xi Zhicai and Xiahou Dun were there. Xiahou Dun grinned and waved, while Xi Zhicai— for some reason—bowed her head slightly with an apologetic look.
"Lee An, step forward!"
At Cao Cao's command, I took three more steps.
"Closer!"
Two more. She stopped me right where she had to crane her neck to look up, raising a hand.
"Squad Leader Lee An! Since being scouted by Captain Xiahou at Guancheng and joining the ranks, your feats en route to Dongmuyang—taking the heads of 263 Heishan bandit remnants—have become a model for the army!"
Cao Cao unrolled a bamboo slip and declared.
"Moreover, leading just five men—including three peasant soldiers—you annihilated the 500-strong Heishan bandit stronghold at Xiwu Mountain and brought back the head of their leader, Yu Du. That merit is truly immense!"
The eyes of the assembled generals and advisors locked onto me—shock, admiration, jealousy. A sticky mix of emotions amid which Cao Cao smiled in satisfaction and continued.
"Furthermore, rescuing the abducted civilians of Dong Commandery unscathed, and in the process, recruiting the realm's brave warrior Dian Wei to our side—that merit is no small thing either!"
The tent erupted in murmurs once more. Cao Cao slammed the bamboo slip shut and boomed.
"Thus, I bestow upon you 5 geun of rice-gold and ten bolts of silk, and appoint you Military Adjutant to command a company of 200!"
Acquired 50 Yuanbao.
50 Yuanbao! Plus, a Military Adjutant post commanding 200 men as a bonus! Skyrocketing from squad leader with one subordinate to company commander, cheers and congratulations poured in from around me.
Kuh...! Cao Cao really knows how to reward merit properly!
I was so moved I nearly kowtowed to snatch up the rewards.
That's when it hit.
Skipped promotion ranks abnormally!
Squandering the ranks of Squad Leader (Shichang), Platoon Leader (Dobae), Company Leader (Dunjang), and Battalion Leader (Gokjang) will permanently forfeit the rewards from those promotion quests. Proceed?
A filthy curse nearly slipped out right in front of everyone. Rewards gone? My Yuanbao? My gacha tickets?
Insane... what kind of bullshit is this?!
Super-fast promotion be damned—this was no time to celebrate. From experience, those special quests that popped up in unique situations always had juicy rewards. Losing them had cold sweat beading on my brow.
What's the point of promotion if I can't gacha?!
I brushed past Xiahou Dun approaching with congratulations, threw myself prostrate before Cao Cao, and desperately shouted.
"M-my lord! Please, withdraw the order!"
My wail—like weeping for the beheading of Ma Su—silenced the rowdy tent as if doused with ice water.
"...What did you say?"
I felt her scorching glare pouring down on my head.
"You want me to withdraw the order?"
"Yes! I'm just a lowly squad leader, lacking in knowledge and experience! I can't possibly shoulder the heavy duty of Military Adjutant, so please let me start from Squad Leader and build experience step by step!"
My impassioned cry ignited uncontrollable murmurs. People whispered that my behavior was bizarre. Cao Cao let out an incredulous chuckle.
"Ha! Turning down a post others would kill for—you're one of a kind. Your humility is admirable, but how can I leave a hero of such great merit stuck at squad leader? That violates military law."
She persuaded me gently.
"Fine. I'll compromise and appoint you Company Leader over 100 men. Accept it now."
No!!! There go my Squad Leader and Platoon Leader quest rewards!
"No, my lord! It must be Squad Leader! Let me prove myself from the very bottom!"
Danger Sense
Something ground like teeth clenching above me. Don't look up. My inner danger detector screamed it.
"If that's what you really want... fine."
Her voice dripped with deep frustration—or was it hurt?
"But I won't leave you as a mere squad leader. From today, you and your unit are an independent detachment answering only to my direct orders—no one else's, not even other generals or advisors, without my permission!"
"A personal guard unit?!"
"To think she'd grant a mere squad leader such treatment...!"
Whispers rippled. Even demoted from Military Adjutant to squad leader, jealous glares lingered. Better than jumping straight to Adjutant and drawing everyone's ire, though. Not that I cared.
"I accept your command!"
"And I'll add 5 more don of rice-gold."
Acquired 50 Yuanbao.
"Your grace overwhelms me, my lord!"
"Grace...?!"
The generals stirred.
"M-my lord! Independent Squad Leader Lee An is from the Eastern Barbarians! It seems he's mimicking the rites paid to their kings!"
Xiahou Dun panicked, explaining for me. Did I screw up?
"Hmm..."
"Lee An is from the East and unfamiliar with Central Plains etiquette, so please overlook it, my lord."
Even Xi Zhicai stepped forward urgently to defend me. Is 'grace' taboo in Three Kingdoms lore?
"Xi Zhicai is right. Rather, I should commend him for crossing from beyond Liaodong to pledge loyalty to me."
Cao Cao smirked slyly. I nearly blushed myself.
She's seriously gorgeous...
"By the way, Lee An! How old are you?"
I thought for a sec. What do they call 20 in old speak? ...Beats me.
"Twenty."
"Just past your weak crown!"
Cao Cao sighed.
"Then you should have a courtesy name by now. Where are your parents?"
"..."
"Ah, from the East... I shouldn't have pried. My mistake."
I shook my head.
"Both are alive, but far away—probably impossible to meet now."
"Hmm."
She paused, then spoke.
"Lee An. I'll bestow your courtesy name myself."
Oh! She's naming me?
In Three Kingdoms lore, a courtesy name (zi) is like Cao Cao's 'Mengde' or Xiahou Dun's 'Yuanrang'—an alias used instead of one's birth name out of Confucian respect. Friends, peers, or superiors granting one is the tradition. And she was doing it personally!
"You know your place, shun promotion for integrity—a fine man. With 'zi' and 'on' from your name for stability: Zi'on."
"Zi'on... Li Zi'on..."
Not bad, sound-wise.
"I'll engrave the name you bestowed upon my bones and never forget it lifelong!"
So that's the title from the quest reward. Squad Leader Li Zi'on of Cao Cao's army. That was my name now.
Oh, and my lord! How about making the brave general Dian Wei I brought your personal bodyguard? She's sturdy, imposing, loyal, and diligent—perfect for serving you!
Dian Wei and Cao Cao synergize great: +5 Martial for her, +2 Leadership for Cao Cao.
"No need!"
...Huh? Why reject Dian Wei?
"Isn't she the one calling you 'Oniichan'? Keep her by your side! Guard or whatever, stick her right next to you!"
"Ah, got it. Understood!"
"..."
Cao Cao went quiet as a clam.
"Sigh..."
Xi Zhicai sighed.
"Zi'on, you..."
Xiahou Dun clutched her head, shaking it side to side.
What? Why's everyone acting weird?