Mountain Stronghold Assault (2): Xu Wu
As its name implied—not peaceful at all—the Heishan bandit stronghold on Xu Wu Mountain was filled with the laughter and clamor of the bandits.
"Captain, those guys have been chugging booze all day long?"
Le Jin fidgeted like he was about to charge out any second.
"Calm down, Le Jin. Stay put."
There looked to be over forty men who'd just been eating and drinking. But since the food and booze weren't dwindling—in fact, more kept getting added—it seemed forty wasn't the full count. Unless we were planning to take them on one against a hundred, we had to play it smart.
"What now, sir?"
"Can't just rush in blindly. Let's wait till they pass out drunk."
"Understood."
A short while later, once the mood had ripened enough for everyone to be plastered...
The low-level grunts guarding the stronghold entrance kept sighing as the stench of strong liquor wafted out on the night breeze.
"Fuckin' hell, they're in there ripping into meat and partying, and when the hell do we get relieved? The feast has to be winding down by now, right?"
A guy leaning against the rickety wooden fence, legs crossed, grumbled. The pockmarked-faced bandit next to him clicked his tongue and snorted.
"Hah, relieved? Forget it. With the deputy chief's temper, he's probably drunk off his ass by now, rolling around with those girls he dragged up from below."
"Nah, no way. Aren't those for offering to the chief? Speaking of, did you see that girl's face?"
"Didn't catch her face, but damn, her scent was killer."
"If I were deputy chief, by now... heh heh heh..."
"Dream on, dream on. I saw her back—built like a beast. They say she walked right into our hands on her own two feet, or she never would've ended up here. Looked at least ten chi tall."
"Tch, you weren't hallucinating from hunger, were ya?"
"Maybe. Anyway, how much longer we got?"
"Sun ain't down yet. Who the hell climbs this rugged mountain just to make us stand watch anyway..."
"Just wanna drink already. Sick of dry jerky."
"Hm? Wait, didn't that bush over there just move?"
One of the Heishan bandit soldiers pointed at the suspiciously rustling bushes.
"Wild animal maybe?"
"Perfect timing, I was bored. Offer it to the chief, he'll hook us up with booze at least."
"What if it's a bear or tiger?"
"Pfft, bears or tigers around here? I'll go check."
He grabbed a wooden staff and crept toward the bushes, prodding them with it.
"Huh? Nothing there? Did I imagine it?"
No reaction even after poking, so he stepped in and rummaged through with his hands—only to discover us: me, Le Jin, and the three farmer soldiers.
"Gah! Who the hell are you?!"
Spotting us in the bushes, he yelped and fell flat on his ass.
"You've had your fun robbing folks—time to pay the piper, don't you think?"
"Wh-what?!"
The grunt backed away as I approached, flailing his staff wildly.
In that instant, the world felt like it slowed to 0.25x speed again. I snatched the swinging staff barehanded.
Time Dilation
"Wha—whaa?!"
The grunt yanked with all his might, but the staff clamped in my hand didn't budge an inch.
"Grr... ngh! Let go!"
I smirked, then wrenched the staff free. He lost balance, flailing as he tumbled toward me.
—Thwack!
[Quest Progress]
Kill enemies: 1/5
I slammed my fist straight into his jaw. A dull thud echoed alongside the chime in my ear.
"You crazy bastard... enemy! INTRUDERS!"
The pockmarked one started yelling, so I lunged and smashed his philtrum.
—Crack!!
"Guhhh..."
Bloodied and crumpling backward. Before he hit the ground and made noise, I grabbed his nape and laid him out silently.
The two sentries were neutralized in under ten seconds flat.
"Gasp..."
"C-Captain...!"
The three farmer soldiers, frozen behind the bushes, gaped slack-jawed. Even Le Jin, who'd been itching to lead the charge, stared at me wide-eyed in shock.
"I knew you were skilled, Captain, but I had no idea you were this fast and ferocious!"
Le Jin whispered, face flushed with excitement.
I brushed the grime off my hands and flashed a relaxed grin.
"No need for the fuss. The real fun starts now."
I grabbed a torch from the entrance.
"Wait, just got a good idea."
"Sir?"
The bandits' chatter popped into my head.
'Some huge, strong woman got caught? Something smelled off...'
"First, strip these guys."
"...Pardon?"
Le Jin and I donned the Heishan grunts' clothes and strode boldly into the stronghold.
"You sure this is okay, sir...?"
"What about it?"
"Just the two of us like this..."
Only two sets of bandit rags, so the farmers were on corpse-hiding duty.
"If they catch on, escaping from here won't be easy."
We'd swapped clothes, but no time for disguises, leaving Le Jin fidgety.
"Captain, we made it in, but they could notice the sentries are gone any minute. Wasn't it better to wait for nightfall and raid then?"
"You hear those Heishan thugs talking earlier?"
"About that big, strong woman?"
I nodded.
Among Cao Cao's generals in Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8, there was definitely a tall, cool-beauty type. And if my gacha radar was right, the captive woman here was probably her.
"Captain, someone's coming from that side."
Le Jin whispered. Sure enough, a Heishan bandit in a yellow headscarf approached.
"Hey, what're you doing there?"
He wobbled over, hands full of meat and a waterskin.
Le Jin cupped his fists and spoke.
"We were on sentry duty outside till just now and are reporting back."
"Sentry? Ugh... Deputy chief's such a hardass. Everyone's boozing it up together, and you guys..."
He glanced at our ragged looks and chuckled.
"You two look like you haven't eaten. Come on, plenty of prime cuts left! Hurry before it goes bad!"
"Grateful, but the deputy chief ordered us to guard the prison..."
"Tch, poor bastards... Go on then."
"Yes, sir. Eat our share too."
"Wait up!"
The bandit, heading the opposite way, turned back abruptly.
"Yes?"
"Hey, you—the pretty boy."
"Me, sir?" Le Jin replied.
"Nah, you're ugly. The one next to ya!"
"......"
"Blood on your clothes."
Shit... forgot about the blood!
I masked my panic and plastered on a sleazy bandit grin.
"Oh, this? Caught a fat mountain hare on the way back from sentry. Twisted its neck and got a little splash."
"Mountain hare? That won't even register, punk!"
He slapped my shoulder. Booze stench hit me.
"Save me a hind leg later, got it?"
I nodded, and he staggered off chuckling.
"Phew... felt like I aged ten years, Captain."
Le Jin wiped cold sweat, sighing in relief.
"Let's scout the prison first."
"Yes, sir!"
We hurried deeper into the shadowy stronghold and luckily found a massive structure of layered, interwoven logs. Only a few torches burned; no sentries in sight—they'd all gone drinking.
"Feels like this is it..."
Examining it, golden text suddenly appeared before my eyes.
"Bingo!"
"Sir...?"
"Le Jin, this is the prison. Let's go in."
I flung open the door and strode into the darkness. Le Jin followed, torches in both hands, flustered.
My footsteps echoed, and the women inside started screaming. They must've mistaken us for bandits.
"Heavens... how can a woman's build be that massive?!"
Le Jin shone the torch on the farthest corner: a huge silhouette bound in thick ropes atop a straw pile. He couldn't hide his shock.
I smiled at the golden nameplate above her head.
Even sitting, her physique dwarfed most men. The ropes looked like they could snap any second if she wanted out.
But contrasting that intimidating frame, the face lit by torchlight was stunningly beautiful, beyond compare. Short white hair like a silver wolf's mane. A sharp nose and piercing eyes stared indifferently, as if ready to sever my throat.
I pressed close to the cell bars, and she slowly spoke.
"You're... not one of the bandits."
Her husky mid-low tone hit my ears like a thunderbolt.
"I'm Company Commander Lee An, under Lord Cao Cao of the East. Who are you?"
"...Dian Wei of Chenliu."
Bingo, it's Dian Wei!
Cao Cao's stalwart bodyguard chief, always top-tier in martial prowess among her forces—a monster of strength.
"We're here on our lord's orders to clean out this stronghold. Wanna join up?"
"Clean out?"
"Lord said to empty Xu Wu Mountain spotless."
Dian Wei eyed me and snorted.
"Just you two? Where's the rest?"
"Three more outside, makes five. Uh... they won't be much help. But you look stupid strong—why sit tied up in these flimsy ropes? Could've broken free anytime."
Her face twisted at my question. She scowled.
"If I break these pathetic ropes and run, those bandit scum will slaughter everyone here."
—Grind grind.
Dian Wei gnashed her teeth, growling like a beast.
"Then, if I wipe out every last bandit in this place, will you help me?"
"...Didn't you say just five?"
"Six now. Different if everyone locked up here joins in."
"...I'm unarmed and unarmored right now."
"Ah, don't sweat that."
No gear? No problem. I tapped resources for a 10-pull equipment summon without hesitation.
—Thud thud thud thud.
A pile of armor and weapons dropped before me. Dian Wei's eyes widened like full moons as she watched.