Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Star Falling on Wuzhang Plains (3)
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The newly ascended Cao Rui, son of Cao Cao, who had been given barely any role in the story until his death.
Regime changes were always chaotic times, so Zhuge Liang's Northern Campaign struck precisely at Wei's vulnerability.
A refreshingly bold development after so long.
Watching Zhuge Liang's sincere punch—backed by forces rebuilt over five years since the fiery defeat at Yiling—land squarely on Wei's jaw.
Readers cheered.
If it had just been a straightforward victory in battle, it wouldn't have gotten this much acclaim.
The great general of Shu, inheriting Liu Bei's will.
The protagonist of the last surviving SSR card alongside Zhuge Liang.
Zhao Yun of Changshan.
Now entering the ranks of the veteran generals, he personally took to the front lines.
That alone was a moving scene for readers who'd stuck with Two Heroes from the start.
- Zhao Yun aiming for Chang'an...! Block him with the main force immediately!
Due to the instinctive love for Zhao Yun ingrained in the Cao clan's genes, the main army swung entirely toward him.
- Just as expected. Begin the advance.
Zhuge Liang's main force exploited the gap and pushed west, swiftly securing the surrender of nearby regions.
It could have been called out for lacking plausibility if mishandled.
"The author clearly understands warfare."
"With such a massive gap in national power, avoiding direct confrontation and gradually expanding influence is a tactically sound choice."
Even though there had been some 'magical' developments like the Battle of Changban, the strength of Two Heroes lay in convincingly unfolding large-scale wars.
So readers nodded along, munched on popcorn, eyes sparkling.
They eagerly followed the blade of Zhuge Liang's Northern Campaign slicing toward Wei's throat.
Of course, there were a few awkward spots.
- I wished to pass on all I had learned in my life to a wise man, but found no suitable talent... until I met you. Now my wish is fulfilled.
The sudden new character, Jiang Wei.
New characters like this often shattered the power balance, and in harem stories, new heroines would steal the spotlight overnight, drawing ire from fans of the originals.
Jiang Wei was exactly that.
A young nobody who appeared out of nowhere with no prior mentions or foreshadowing, landing a counterpunch on the great prime minister Zhuge Liang.
And then Zhuge Liang spotting his talent, obsessing over him, and ultimately recruiting him.
"They haven't run out of ideas already, have they?"
"We already have Ma Su as successor..."
"Hmm, maybe they needed a rival for Ma Su?"
Jiang Wei's positioning was incredibly ambiguous.
Up to now, the key supporting characters with real weight besides Zhuge Liang numbered five.
The discarded dud at the bottom of R rarity.
R-rank second emperor Liu Shan.
The protagonist of the trash card that made users sigh every time they opened a pack, now fading even from Zhao Yun and Zhuge Liang decks.
Excluding 'Please-save-me loyalist' Liu Shan, who was inevitably tied to Zhuge Liang due to the second emperor arc.
That left Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, Ma Su, and Wang Ping.
Especially Ma Su, who since Zhuge Liang seized real power—starting from the Southern Campaign arc—had steadily played the role of prized disciple, building a mentor-mentee bond.
Sure, there were a few descriptions of his arrogant personality, but Zhuge Liang would always scold him properly.
He also did a great job lightening the serious atmosphere, so he was quite popular.
This never could have happened in the original Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Ma Su's high regard was also influenced by Kim Yul's adaptations.
In his effort to depict Liu Bei's final moments as tragic yet touching, Kim Yul had omitted the deathbed warning: 'Do not heavily employ Ma Su.'
Of course, he was also wary of criticism for having Zhuge Liang continue trusting and promoting Ma Su despite defying Liu Bei.
But that was none of the readers' concern.
"Well, they probably just want to sell new cards."
"Hope it doesn't go overboard."
"Though yeah, they've been short on martial prowess lately. Zhao Yun and Wei Yan are it, but they're getting old."
Among core readers, there was mild begrudging acceptance and doubt.
Most just chugged their drinks like Esthea devouring novels, figuring good was good.
.
.
.
The story flowed on.
Wei finally launched a massive counterattack.
After commander Cao Zhen suffered defeat after defeat.
The card Emperor Cao Rui pulled out was Sima Yi, protagonist of the ill-fated discontinued series.
And at the tip of Sima Yi's Black Ox Whisk, leading the vanguard was...
Zhang He, a name already familiar to readers—and possessing tier-0 human rights performance in Heroes Assemble as an SR.
Zhuge Liang's counter to that was.
- Now, I will stand at the top.
Ma Su.
"Tin can."
"Don't call me that."
"Hitomi-chan?"
"......Haa. Fine, just call me tin can. What is it?"
"Can Ma Su run the washing machine?"
At Kim Yul's question, Historie's core began overheating in an instant.
This wasn't mere laundry.
It was a profound challenge to the narrative rhythm built by Luo Guanzhong—a piercing question into the core of the story's future direction.
Seeing Historie's momentarily dumbfounded expression, Kim Yul let out a deep sigh.
"Kim Yul, your concern is valid. But to maintain current popularity, such narrative shifts might be necessary. If you'd like, I can rewrite Ma Su's arc with an Asterisk Asterisk Fiction development—"
"Stop. My greed went too far. I can't change the essence of the story..."
Surrendering to the sight of the ultra-high-performance history AI sputtering asterisks (*).
Kim Yul stared down his monitor for a moment.
No matter how he thought about it...
Throwing in the 'Mountain-Climbing King Ma Su' arc could unleash a serious backlash.
If he'd stuck strictly to historical facts, he'd have gritted his teeth and added the details for accuracy's sake due to his skills.
But the Zhuge Liang arc had already abandoned historicity to become a commercial novel.
That's why Sima Yi—who hadn't even joined the First Northern Campaign in real history—strutted in boldly wielding a knockoff Black Ox Whisk.
"How about we go out for dinner tonight?"
"That hits deep... so deep..."
Watching the tin can perk up with energy in an instant, Kim Yul prepared to head out.
When his brain wouldn't turn, carbs were always the best solution.
.
.
.
Out on the streets, Kim Yul and Historie strolled leisurely through the peaceful evening dusk settling over the imperial capital—a far cry from Seoul's bustle.
"Wanna go see the sea in like two weeks?"
"Sea out of nowhere? Hmm. My database has clear images, but I've never rendered it myself, so I'm a bit curious. Wonder if the 'smell of the sea' is real or just literary flair."
Teasing the tin can's curiosity to lock in a grad student escort gig for a lecture.
"Hah, damn. What about Ma Su, though."
"Why didn't you worry about burning Joan of Arc?"
"That's different. Everyone knows that's the finale. It's the ending scene from the start."
"Ma Su dies, and Zhuge Liang follows soon after anyway."
"True, but we've got a few chapters till the end. Tsk."
Continuing their talk about their worries from earlier.
As the peaceful pair strolled by a bookstore.
They stopped in unison, as if on cue.
"......?"
"What's that?"
At the end of their gaze hung a single book.
[The Great High Elf: The Saga of Liu Bei]
"That Liu Bei... you don't think it's that Liu Bei?"
"Uh... well..."
Historie buffering on Season 2 vibes, Kim Yul grabbed her wrist like he was entranced and stepped into the shop.
Then flipped open the book as if compelled, skimming the contents.
Crude paper quality.
Clunky prose.
Yet the story inside was unmistakably a Three Kingdoms parody.
Liu Bei wielding the Peerless Twin Dragon Sword to cleave the world, mastering magic, and with his irresistibly charming looks, conquering people through virtue alone without even fighting.
The only minor issue.
"Wouldn't this get sued for copyright infringement?"
As Historie peeked over Kim Yul's shoulder.
There was definitely potential for copyright violation.
Even in this primitive fantasy land, copyright law existed. And this work was profiting illegally off Kim Yul's IP.
But Kim Yul.
Her valid point barely registered.
"Haha... hahaha..."
The awe of seeing the Three Kingdoms worldview he'd borrowed.
Remolded in yet another form by the hands of this otherworlder who shared no history or memories with Earth, just like back home.
It struck his frontal lobe hard.
And simultaneously.
If he played this right.
He could vastly expand Three Kingdoms' reach—and launder Ma Su's arc into an IF route to boot.
That thought crossed Kim Yul's mind.
"What am I supposed to do with you reading the whole book right here? How do I run my shop?"
"Ah, sorry. I'll pay for it."
Handing over a few silver coins amid the shopkeeper's grumbling.
Kim Yul checked the author's name on the back cover.
"Erokle...?"
It rang a faint bell, somehow.