Mountain Stronghold Assault (1): Xi Zhicai

Xi Zhicai. As her monstrous Intellect stat of 97 suggested, she was an indispensable strategist in Cao Cao's army—you'd feel something was missing without her.

Perfect timing—I have a favorability item right here. Time to farm some Yuanbao.

Gifting a favorability item to a female general and maxing out her meter gave you 250 Yuanbao. It might not seem like much per person, but with so many female generals in Three Kingdoms 8, filling them all up could net you an uncountable fortune.

I immediately opened my inventory. The favorability item I'd gotten from my first encounter with Cao Cao in Guancheng was still sitting there untouched.

"General Xi. I have a small token of appreciation prepared. Would you accept it?"

Pretending to rummage in my robes, I pulled out the honey water from my inventory.

"What... is this?"

With a perfectly natural and polite motion, I drew out the bamboo canteen from my robes.

"Honey water."

Xi Zhicai blinked at the bamboo tube I thrust toward her.

"Well... thank you. I'll enjoy it."

She took the canteen with her gloved hand.

Nice! Three more and she'll hit 100.

Since we'd bumped into each other, I figured I'd use up the stacked honey water in my inventory to max her out and grab the rewards in one go.

"I brought plenty, so take another one."

Huh? She refused?

In gacha games, weren't favorability items something NPCs gobbled up no questions asked? That was the unwritten rule, right?

My bewildered gaze darted between the floating system window and Xi Zhicai's face.

"Company Commander."

Xi Zhicai lightly pushed away the bamboo tube with the edge of her folded fan.

"One act of kindness is enough."

"Ah, does it not suit your taste?"

"I don't dislike sweets, but..."

She tapped her fan against her palm and trailed off. Her gaze drifted to my waist.

"I was wondering why Lord Cao Cao would simply give me honey water. There must be a reason."

Her sharp eyes fixed on the Qinggang Sword.

Did she mistake it for Cao Cao's beloved sword on me, so she thought the honey water was from Cao Cao too?

"Freely giving your beloved sword to a mere company commander, and even sending precious honey water through him..."

Her piercing gaze bored into me like a blade.

"I see. It's Lord Cao Cao's warm concern for my health—and a sign to keep you by my side!"

"The honey water was just from me, though?"

"The Qinggang Sword is Lord Cao Cao's treasure, like an extension of herself. In other words, she sent you ahead as her proxy."

"No, listen to me..."

My explanations fell on deaf ears.

"Lord Cao Cao will soon arrive at Dongmuyang with the reinforcements. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠She sent the most trustworthy scout ahead to tighten up our lax discipline!"

"Um... General Xi?"

"Call me Xi Zhicai! Hehe..."

"...... You want me to use your name? Is that okay?"

"How could I act superior to Lord Cao Cao's proxy? Please, call me comfortably."

I nodded awkwardly to hide my discomfort. "Got it, Xi Zhicai."

She covered her mouth with her fan, a subtle smile playing in her eyes.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Even if the truth comes out later, it's not my fault. Got it?"

"Not your fault...? What a cryptic phrase."

Xi Zhicai nodded thoughtfully.

Is this really okay...?

I opened my mouth to set things straight, but she beat me to it.

"Do you know the current state of affairs, Lee An?"

I only knew this was China, the Three Kingdoms world—beyond that, I was clueless. I shook my head.

"Not at all. But I figure General Yuan and Lord Cao sent me ahead for a reason."

"I see..."

She nodded and stepped to the cliff's edge, pointing at the vast lands stretching below the hills.

"The realm is in an age of warlords dividing the land. The Han imperial authority has crumbled to dust, and feudal lords form factions, clashing to devour the world."

Her eyes gleamed sharply.

"This Yanzhou is where Lord Cao Cao settled to escape Yuan Shao's shadow. When the previous Eastern Inspector Wang Hong fell to the bandits, she defeated them in his place and took his position as a reward."

I nodded quietly, listening intently.

"Yet the bandits' momentum hasn't waned—it's grown stronger. They returned with 100,000 men to invade the east once more."

"Hun... 100,000?!"

Xi Zhicai nodded. "Their leader is Yu Du. He's set up a base near Donggu to the west of Dongmuyang and raids Yanzhou from all sides."

So that's why Xiahou Dun was sending troops to Donggu.

"If the bandits number 100,000, how many do we have?"

"Infantry: 2,000. Cavalry: 200."

"... Isn't that way too few? Just 2,200 against 100,000?"

"That's why Lord Cao Cao went to Guancheng to recruit more men."

No matter how many she got, the odds were hopeless. Simple math: each of us would need to kill 50 enemies.

No wonder bandits kept popping up nonstop—100,000 made sense.

"With so few soldiers, we have no choice but to take out their leader. Better to decapitate the organization than fight endless waves."

"Ho..."

Xi Zhicai covered her mouth with her fan, impressed.

"Capture the bandit king to rout the bandits—truly insightful, worthy of Lord Cao Cao's proxy."

"So, I have to kill Yu Du?"

She shook her head. "Not quite. Eliminating Yu Du, their linchpin, would be ideal, but he's a coward who rarely leaves his stronghold. Infiltrating 100,000 troops to take his head would be reckless folly."

Skipping stages to fight the boss straight-up is impossible, yeah.

"Weren't there plenty of bandits between Guancheng and here?"

"Yes. Over 200 ears as proof."

"Five of you took that many...?"

Admiration lit her eyes.

"Indeed... Lord Cao Cao's decision to send an elite squad ahead to Dongmuyang had purpose."

She pointed her fan at a western peak with her fan.

"See that ridge?"

"Looks insanely treacherous."

"The most perilous terrain west of Dongmuyang—called ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Xiwu Mountain. Midway up that peak sits a mountain stronghold built by the Heishan bandits."

"Stronghold?"

"Yes. It's a midway supply post for the main Heishan bandit force west in Donggu, and a forward base spying on our Dongmuyang camp."

She couldn't mean...

"We've sent punitive forces several times to seize it, but all failed."

She smiled bitterly. The steep, narrow paths did look daunting for an assault.

"Still, we can't leave it be. We're mustering troops for another attack."

"First, we'll send a small unit to scout the stronghold stealthily and secure a foothold."

"A small elite force that slaughtered over 200 Heishan bandits could infiltrate stealthily, grasp their numbers and movements perfectly."

Xi Zhicai paused, gazing up at me intently.

"Lee An. Will you lift the veil on that perilous stronghold so the main force can seize it?"

"Hmm..."

It looked dangerous, but the rewards were pitiful. In Three Kingdoms 8, higher difficulty meant bigger payouts—should've included Yuanbao, but nada.

There ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠must be something hidden!

Knew it!

The infamous "hard route" from other games had unlocked.

I picked 2 without hesitation.

"You'll accomplish what the main force couldn't...?"

Choosing hard made her eyes widen.

"Reckless! How can five people possibly seize it?!"

Her face soured instantly, deeming my words bravado. But my mind was set.

800 Yuanbao was five pulls. Pass that up? No way.

Plus 1,200 Achievements—the 2,600 I'd earned from Guancheng to here meant this would nearly fulfill the recommendation conditions for colonel.

"If it gets too risky, I'll just grab intel and bail. Don't worry."

"How can you choose such an unreasonable path...?"

"Simple."

I answered her question with a hearty grin.

"There's a mountain there."

There's Yuanbao there.