Can I Resign Already?

The next day.

The Yellow Turbans who had barely found a village were in the midst of looting it.

"Phew, that was close. Almost missed my daily quest."

"Thank you so much for helping us... benefactor!"

A balding middle-aged man approached, bowing repeatedly. The village chief, I figured?

"This old man is the chief of Wangjia Village in Fuyang County. The villagers have prepared a small token of our gratitude—please accept it."

The man held out a crudely woven straw basket. Inside were lumpy coins, jerky, and grain scraps.

"...How am I supposed to eat this stuff?"

"P-Pardon...?"

The chief's face darkened. I mean, come on—even I couldn't shove moldy jerky in my mouth. I pulled an item from my inventory that I'd gotten from gacha.

—Thud thud thud thud!

"Meat raining from the sky...! What in the world is happening?!"

Today's free pull had been a total flop—no gear, just favorability gift meat.

I shook the basket this way and that, catching the falling meat.

"Anything that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hits the ground is fine if you pick it up within three seconds—just brush off the dirt and eat."

"Th-This is..."

The chief was speechless. Explaining the System would've just given me a sore throat, so I handed him the basket.

"Oh, I'll take the money though."

"Not only did you save our village from the bandits, but you gave us precious rations too... sob sob sob!!"

The old chief wiped tears as he wailed.

"Benefactor! Please stay the night in our village! Our fairest maidens will serve you with all they have! And that's not all—we'll send a report to Fuyang Castle proclaiming your heroic deeds and merits!"

The chief bowed deeply, cupping his fists.

"Skip the thanks. Do you know the nearest village?"

"...Eh?"

I checked the message floating before me.

"I've got circumstances—I need to head to another village."

"Y-You mean... you're off to exterminate the remaining bandit hordes around here?!"

The chief gawked at me.

"Yeah. Still need 30 more kills. Better wrap up the weekly quick. Oh, any recruitment offices nearby? Gotta rack up merit."

"Guh... guhk!"

The chief's eyes bulged.

"B-Benefactor, you are a true hero! To throw yourself into saving the realm...!"

"I'm just knocking out my weekly quest."

"Oho! Heavens above! To grant Yanzhou such a magnificent warrior—now I can die without regrets!!"

Right. I'm Korean, he's Chinese—makes sense we wouldn't click. I nodded twice and spoke.

"So, where's the nearest village?"

The chief pointed east.

"Follow this road east to Guancheng. The Administrator is mustering troops there to fight the invaders—head that way!"

"Administrator? Who's that?"

"The esteemed Administrator of the Eastern Army—Lord Cao Mengde!"

Wait... Mengde? That has to be Cao Cao, right?

"Benefactor! Before you go, please tell me your name! We'll proclaim your feats in Fuyang!"

"Name's Lee An. Courtesy name... nah, don't have one."

That was when it happened.

Oh? So that's how you get Fame.

"East, got it. See ya."

As the village chief said, heading east revealed villages here and there. Even in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms world, these were chaotic times—every path to Guancheng teemed with all sorts of characters.

"Pay the toll by stripping naked, and I'll let you live! Keh keh keh!"

"Thank you for blocking the gate, sir!"

"Yeah yeah, take care."

"This village is totally wiped out."

Crows ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cawed over scorched ruins and ash piles. Corpses littered everywhere, screaming the horrors of war, with not a blade of grass left nearby.

Facing the ruins the Yellow Turbans had already stripped bare, a translucent screen popped up.

"Hmm..."

Bury the bodies? Do I have to? Long road ahead...

But in gacha games, random choices like this always ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mean special titles or rewards. National rule.

Nothing to lose—I hit Yes.

—Scrape! Slash! Whoosh!

I gripped my Ring-Pommel Sword like a shovel and dug. Gathering corpses and making a pit didn't take long.

As I covered the central grave and shook off my blade, a cheerful chime rang out.

"Whoa, 800? That's five pull tickets!"

A shower of gold effects poured down. Events like this? Always welcome. Humming happily at the solid reward, I headed east again.

In front of a tent fluttering with a "Cao" banner.

"Next! Tch, what kinda beanpole is this? You're out! Next!"

"What's that guy doing?"

"Huh? You talkin' to me?"

"Yeah."

I'd joined the long line of people and quietly asked the guy next to me.

"Can't ya see? General Xiahou's recruiting soldiers."

Got it.

General Xiahou of Cao Cao's army—gotta be Xiahou Dun or Xiahou Yuan.

Figured I'd come to the right place. I waited patiently—patience is a subculture gamer's virtue.

"Next!"

How much time passed? I stepped forward at the dignified female general's call.

"Hmm? You're different from the others."

The black-haired warrior woman with a black eyepatch over her right eye scanned me slowly. I knew exactly who she was right away.

The clean Romance of the Three Kingdoms interface displayed before my eyes. Xiahou Dun—Cao Cao's vanguard and most trusted confidante. (Note: the eyepatch is just for style; she wears it 'cause it's cool.)

"Build and bones are average, but you've got spirit. And a fine weapon too. You're in! Show me your travel permit."

"Travel permit?"

"Yeah. Issued by the government. No permit? State your origins."

"Hmm..."

Who holds the Han River basin now? Goguryeo? Or Baekje? One of 'em's right...

"From Goguryeo."

"...?"

"Y'know... Eastern barbarians? Yeah, that's me."

"No permit and shady origins..."

Xiahou Dun suddenly drew her sword. The line scattered in screams.

"Can't just let a potential spy into the army."

"Hiiik! G-Guhk..."

"S-Save me!"

Suddenly, people around me started foaming at the mouth and collapsing one by one. Huh?

I tilted my head at the bodies on the ground.

...Why're they dropping?

Heatstroke from standing too long in the sun? I just blinked at Xiahou Dun.

Why'd she draw her sword outta nowhere?

"But—"

She sheathed it.

"Unyielding gaze in the face of my aura. You're no spy. Good! You're in!"

Xiahou Dun muttered something cryptic.

What's Jehwangong? 'Chuping 3rd year, spring, gapyear, upright scholar'? What the hell?

"Got it? Without our lord's unprecedented grace, you'd never join us."

I nodded. When in doubt, just agree.

"So now I can rack up merit?"

"Huh? Yeah, depends on you. Shut up and take this."

I looked at the wooden token she handed me.

"What's this?"

"Proof you're one of us. Head to the left barracks with it."

That was when it happened.

"Huh? Achievement unlocked?"

I tapped the floating interface.

"Just joining Cao Cao's army gets Yuanbao? Hold up—this means I can do a 10-pull!"

"Hey, you listening...?"

One sec.

I eyed the achievements.

Liu Da's Army First Join 0/1: 500 Yuanbao (Pending)

This is...

Tao Qian's Army First Join 0/1: 500 Yuanbao (Pending)

...an achievement run?

Join and resign from every faction to farm Yuanbao, then gacha spam. Perfect plan.

"So, where do I tell them I wanna resign from Cao Cao's army?"

"...What?"

Something's off.

"Just follow me and trust me! Hahaha!!!"

Xiahou Dun had laughed heartily and told me to come along, but...

"What's this, Yuanyuan?"

"Brought a fun one. Mengde."

Why was Cao Cao right in front of me?