Squad Leader Lee An (1)

The next morning, Dian Wei showed up at my tent bright and early.

"Thanks to you, I get to serve as the Lord's personal guard. Thanks, Oniichan."

I had no idea what kind of emotional shift she'd gone through overnight, but Cao Cao had taken her on as her bodyguard. She didn't have an official military rank right now, but who cared about that? Being part of Cao Cao's personal guard trumped any rank.

"Good for you. The Lord seems to want you paired with me, but you're a bit too good for a mere squad leader like myself."

"I get why you're still just a squad leader after all that, but... come on up."

"Come on up...?"

"...?"

"You forgot the 'Oniichan' at the end."

"You're younger than me..."

As the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠price for losing our one-on-one duel, Dian Wei had to call me Oniichan every time. Wrinkles formed between her brows. But the world of contests was a harsh one, and hey, I wasn't the one who suggested it first.

She bit her lower lip, huffed in frustration, and finally mumbled in the tiniest voice,

"...Come on up, Oniichan..."

"I'll think about it."

"....... Yeah, no dice. Rematch, Jaon."

"Why would I?"

"......"

At least I'd tease her for a solid month.

"By the way, you're calling me 'Ja' now too."

"Well, yeah, since 'Lee An' is your courtesy name. It's common sense to use the courtesy name, Oniichan."

"So, what's your courtesy name?"

"Don't have one."

"......"

"Don't... have one, Oniichan..."

I stared at her intently, and she added grudgingly, like it was humiliating. No courtesy name, huh? From what I remembered, Dian Wei's was 'Akrae'.

"If you don't have one, mind if I make one up?"

"Whatever."

"How about Akrae?"

"Hmm..."

"By the way, those dual halberds? They're called the Akrae Dual Halberds."

"Oh yeah? Fine then. Call me Akrae from now on."

"Got it, Akrae."

Dian Wei seemed pretty pleased with the name Akrae, nodding with the corners of her mouth turned up.

A languid, dreamy woman's voice came from behind me.

"Wha...? W-woman...?"

Dian Wei glanced back and forth between me and Xun You. She seemed to reach some conclusion, because her face turned beet red.

"....... Should we keep this from the Lord, Oniichan?"

Was she talking about recruiting Xun You?

"Hmm..."

"Do as you wish, Jaon-nim."

"No real need to keep it secret, right?"

"...Yeah. I'll put in a good word for you, Oniichan."

Dian Wei nodded eagerly, fired up.

"Oh right, I should introduce her to you too. Say hi. This is Xun You, courtesy name Gongdal, our army's new chief strategist."

"Xun You Gongdal, at your service, Jaon-nim."

"...... Dian Wei Akrae. I guard the Lord in Cao Cao's army."

"You two seem awfully close."

"Our Jaon-nim...?"

Dian Wei scowled and continued.

"You're one to talk... sharing a bed with Jaon? That shocked me."

"Huh?"

Something felt off.

"Akrae, just to be clear—you're not misunderstanding my relationship with Xun You, are you?"

"A man and woman coming out of the same bed? What misunderstanding? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'll tell the Lord all about it—Jaon... Jaon Oniichan is a total playboy!"

So that's what you meant by keeping it secret...

"It's a misunderstanding, so don't jump to conclusions."

"Hmph! Anyway, morning assembly's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about to start, so I came to get you. Let's go."

I glanced at Xun You. How should I handle this...? Maybe talk to her later?

"Hehe, go ahead. I'll check the camp gates."

She must've read my mind, smiling with her eyes.

"Alright, see you."

A short while later, in the command tent at Dongmuyang camp.

As I stepped into the meeting hall, Cao Cao's key officers stood in formation, waiting for her.

"Hmph... Can't even show up first, and a mere squad leader shows up this late!"

The woman next to Xiahou Dun spotted me and blew up. Shoulder-length white bobbed hair, fiery temper, and features eerily similar to Cao Cao's. No introduction needed—I knew exactly who she was.

"I'll be early next time, Zilian-nim."

"Hm? You know me?"

"Of course. How could I not know the Lord's cousin and fierce general Zilian-nim?"

"K-kh! Well, yes! Of course!"

"When the Lord was in crisis at Xingyang, you comforted her saying, 'The world can do without me, Zilian, but it can't without you, my Lord!' And then you showed your valor, saving her from peril. Truly moving!"

It was moving. The Xingyang battle story had netted me a whopping 200 Yuanbao.

"You... y-you...!"

Cao Chun's pale face flushed bright red. She snorted, strode over in one breath, and grabbed my shoulders with both hands.

"You know your stuff! My life is the Lord's to take anytime! Hahaha!"

The woman who'd been glaring like she wanted to devour me moments ago now grinned ear to ear, laughing nonstop.

"What's your name, squad leader?"

"Lee An, courtesy name Jaon."

"Jaon! What a silver tongue! Sharp eye, bold enough to parry a superior's reprimand with grace! You're talent incarnate. Too good for squad leader. Wanna join my unit? I promise you company captain!"

Her eyes gleamed as she looked at me.

"So you'd appoint me company captain?"

"Company captain? Naturally! Hahaha!"

...Not a bad deal. I pulled up the quest window in front of me.

I figure I can rack up enough achievements, but what's this trust thing? Wasn't even in the game...

To jump from squad leader to company captain required 15,000 achievements—plus this mysterious trust condition. If I joined Cao Chun's unit and got promoted to captain, wouldn't that skip all these requirements?

"Zilian, that's enough. Jaon's mine."

"L-Lord!!"

Cao Cao's voice from behind me. Cao Chun panicked, released my shoulders, and bowed hastily.

"Th-the Lord arrives...!"

The guard at the tent entrance came running, shouting breathlessly. Cao Cao was already inside, so it was pointless, but the sweaty, flustered guard made it clear—she'd barged in without warning.

Cao Chun, who'd been strutting arrogantly seconds ago, slunk back to her spot like a whipped dog. I quietly took my position where Dian Wei signaled, standing until Cao Cao took the head seat.

"Zilian. Can't you guess why I let a mere squad leader into the war council?"

"L-Lord...!"

"If you had any brains... any shred of perception, you'd know instantly!!"

Cao Cao exploded in fury. Cao Chun mumbled something pathetic, but I couldn't make it out.

"Hmph. If you hadn't carried out your Guancheng duties perfectly, I'd have kicked you out on the spot. Watch yourself, got it?"

"Y-yes, understood!"

As Cao Cao ascended to the head seat and cleared her throat, all the generals snapped to attention and sat. I took a spot at the far end, observing how the council unfolded.

"I called this council because we've acquired critical intelligence. Xi Zhicai! Bring the Yanzhou map!"

"Yes, my Lord!"

Xi Zhicai flicked her fan, and soldiers brought the map.

"Interrogating the prisoners revealed Yu Du's true base."

Cao Cao stepped down from the dais and jabbed a spot on the map for all to see.

"We thought Yu Du was at Donggu until now. Wrong!"

She shifted her finger rightward.

"Yu Du's real stronghold is at Neihuang!"

Cao Cao turned to Cao Chun.

"Cao Chun! How many infantry did you recruit at Guancheng?"

"Six hundred foot soldiers!"

Three thousand against a hundred thousand... Against regular foes, it'd be suicide, but Cao Cao's army versus Heishan bandits? Different story.

"As you all know, the enemy numbers ten myriad; we have three thousand."

Cao Cao swept a piercing gaze over the generals.

"But no need to fear. The enemy's 'hundred thousand' was a bluff—their real force is barely twenty thousand, not even a third of that!"

She turned to me and spoke.

"This intel came thanks to Squad Leader Jaon, who single-handedly wiped out the Semu Mountain bandit stronghold with just five men!"

Cao Cao grinned.

"I'll say it again. You did brilliantly, Jaon!"

"I merely fulfilled my duty."

I clasped my fists and bowed like in the dramas.

"Now we know their base and numbers. All that's left is to attack! With five hundred cavalry and two thousand infantry, we'll raid Neihuang and claim the Heishan bandit's head!"

Cao Chun stepped forward worriedly at Cao Cao's bold declaration.

"But my Lord... even rabble outnumber us ten to one!"

Another general backed her up.

"Zilian's right. If Yu Du catches wind and strikes Dongmuyang, we'll lose our base and likely the battle!"

With Xun Yu voicing concerns, other generals chimed in with objections.

"Why not defend? Lock down Dongmuyang. Like the old Yellow Turbans, most are peasant levies. They can't breach solid walls!"

According to the System, these objectors were all Dong Commandery natives. That loud bald guy was straight from Dongmuyang.

Is this the Dong faction...?

Was this the factional infighting Cao Cao mentioned last night? Despite the barrage from the Dong faction generals, Cao Cao kept her cool, smiling calmly. She glanced at me, lips curling in a mischievous grin.

What? A sudden chill...?

"Jaon!"

Sure enough, she pointed at me with a smile, drawing every general's eyes.

"The generals here are deeply concerned. Since you risked your life for this intel, you get a say."

What was she setting up?

"So speak, Jaon. Attack or defend—which is wiser?"

Her red eyes sparkled. Was she seeking an answer, or backup?

"If I have to pick one..."

But either way, the answer was already set.