Boredom? Let's Go Hunt Some Bandits!
The rascal is on the loose! The Four Generations of Three Dukes—the undisputed greatest noble house of this era and of the Later Han Dynasty itself. That was the Yuan family. Though the clan had built its power through civil service, a rather unusual man now stood at its center as the legitimate heir, carrying the family's blood in his veins.
His name was Yuan Shu, courtesy name Gonglu. His father, Yuan Feng, had once declared that this vigorous, hot-blooded young man would one day rise to the positions of Grand General or Grand Marshal. The world gave him decent marks overall, though he was equally famous for his many eccentric escapades.
Well, for a young nobleman, such antics weren't exactly a serious problem. He bought a slave, beat the man half to death, then granted him status and took him as a subordinate. He heard some local thug was strong, so he went in person, traded blows for an entire day, and brought the fellow into the fold. An immigrant presented as a tribute from a powerful clan? He handed over his own treasured sword and made her his personal guard. The list went on. He was, without question, a truly unique individual.
Naturally, he himself didn't care, and public opinion wasn't particularly bad. There is no perfect superhuman in this world, after all, so that level of eccentricity was simply human charm. The backing of the Yuan family certainly helped too. When I thought about how Cao Cao, as a boy, had stolen or seduced a bride right at her wedding and ruined the ceremony yet still lived prosperously, my own behavior didn't seem all that outrageous.
Whether big or small, I never crossed the line. It stayed within the bounds of eccentricity, so there was no real issue. Such antics naturally concerned the family more than outsiders. Yuan Shao, whose voice still carried limited weight, had long since accepted it and chosen to trust my judgment. My father and mother, however, couldn't help but feel differently.
"The descendant of the prestigious Yuan family, taking in those rootless strays...?"
"Hmm… I worry it might have a bad influence on our Shu..."
But a single event completely changed their minds. It happened the day they witnessed the abilities of those three with their own eyes. To be precise, it was back when only Xiang Yu and Richard had joined me, but after watching the pair spar, my parents were left utterly stunned.
"H-huh...!"
"It's like... I could believe they were divine generals descended from heaven!"
"It seems our Gonglu truly is destined to become Grand General! Yes—if he's to command such warriors, they need martial prowess at least this impressive!"
They had come to scold me but left in awe of the trio's overwhelming might and my unclouded eye for talent. After that, they raised no objections even when I took Choe Jun-gyeong as my personal guard. In short, they had decided to trust my judgment.
And so the prestigious Yuan family continued its peaceful, harmonious days.
"Sluuurp… This is getting boring."
Unfortunately, one man found the tranquil atmosphere rather dull. That man was none other than me—Yuan Shu.
Ever since I'd gone toe-to-toe with those monsters called the strongest in the world, everything afterward felt strangely flat. Sure, I kept up regular sparring, but even that wasn't enough anymore.
Their skills improved by leaps and bounds every single day. No matter how heavenly their talent, the records of history didn't necessarily mark the absolute limit of strength. True power explodes only after clashing with worthy rivals and enduring trials that demand everything you have. These three weren't the type to lose in a contest of pure might. The only reason they'd been ruined in their original lives was external factors. So right now, with geniuses colliding against geniuses, their talents were detonating all at once.
Of course, one of those geniuses was me.
Even so, something felt lacking lately. A peaceful environment with no responsibilities was wonderful. I wasn't some bloodthirsty battle maniac. Still… something was missing. My daily life felt like it was running at about three percent below optimal.
After pondering for a moment, one idea popped into my head. I grinned.
"That's right. I've obtained the greatest famous swords in the world, yet I haven't sliced a single thing with them!"
I shot to my feet, drew my blade, and strode toward the training ground where the trio was lounging.
"Hey, you lot! Grab your weapons and get ready to head out!"
"Huh? Big brother, what are you suddenly talking about?" Xiang Yu rolled over and stared at me with puzzled eyes.
"Is… there a war or something?"
"Understood. I will prepare at once," Richard muttered while gazing at the sky. Choe Jun-gyeong, on the other hand, stood up immediately and began readying herself without a word.
I ignored their questions and declared boldly, "We've been far too peaceful while gathered together like this! The power we possess shouldn't be wasted only within these walls!"
With a heroic flourish, I announced:
"We're going to catch some bandits!"
"Oh… It's completely out of nowhere, but I like the sound of that."
"Kyah, so we're finally getting a taste of real combat, huh?"
"I will prepare the horses."
Their eyes lit up with interest the moment I spoke. They immediately sprang into action, moving with crisp efficiency. While they prepared, I issued additional orders.
"Ji Ling! Where's Ji Ling?!"
"Y-yes, young master! I'm here!"
"Right now, gather about a hundred of the family's private soldiers! We're going to wipe out the bandits who've settled near here!"
"Eh?! Ah, y-yes, understood!"
As the legitimate heir, I did have the authority to make such calls. Soon after, my sister appeared.
"My dear Gonglu, what interesting scheme have you thought up this time?"
"Oh, sister! I'm thinking of heading out to crush some bandits nearby. Want to come along?"
"Hehe, you and your friends setting out… That should be quite the spectacle. I'll join you."
"Then please help Ji Ling lead the soldiers! Just surround the area and take care of any who try to flee!"
"Gladly. It should be a rather good experience, no? Provided some are left for me, of course."
Father had seen my potential to stand at the pinnacle as a military commander and granted me appropriate authority, so there were no obstacles to my movements. Besides, the private soldiers were practically decorative anyway.
Yuan Shao also sent a letter to the local magistrate to ensure no interference with official duties. With that, nothing could stand in my way. After all, anything done under the name of Gonglu could also be seen as an act of the Yuan family. In dangerous regions, it was common for noble houses to organize self-defense units or fight off bandits. There was no reason for the family to be held back over something like this.
And so, in the blink of an eye, my sudden whim led to the decision to subjugate a band of mountain bandits!
"Hahaha! We march!"
Some might call it the reckless behavior of a spoiled young master, but that depended entirely on who was doing the acting. Xiang Yu, Choe Jun-gyeong, and Richard were simply too magnificent to be sent against mere bandits. Not that many people recognized them yet aside from me.
We raced forward and soon reached the mountain where the bandits had set up their stronghold, causing trouble in the area.
"I hear they formed recently and have been causing quite a few problems."
"Indeed. It's a common enough story in this era."
People who found it hard to survive often chose to abandon law and morality, turning to banditry to steal what they needed. It was an all-too-frequent occurrence. Even low-ranking military officers sometimes switched careers to become outlaws.
"They say a minor officer from another region gathered followers and built a force. Around five hundred men, I believe."
"Wow, the guy must have some real ability. Five hundred bandits?"
"Well, the government forces would eventually move in if they stayed too long… but the fact that they've avoided capture while pillaging shows they're not entirely without skill."
It was true. For a low-ranking officer to gather five hundred bandits and remain free this long proved he wasn't incompetent. Especially since he'd come from another region to settle here.
Even as she said this, Yuan Shao smiled gently, showing no sign of tension. And why would she? After all—
There's no way our Gonglu, or any of his subordinates, could possibly lose to mere mountain bandits.
Four people possessing the greatest martial prowess of all time stood right here. What was there to worry about? No matter how capable the bandits were, they'd been foolish enough to set up camp right in our backyard. Utterly brainless.
Thinking this, Yuan Shao ordered Ji Ling, "Lead the soldiers and surround the mountain stronghold. There won't be much for you to do. Simply capture those who try to flee."
"Understood."
I didn't react to her words. I'd only brought them for cleanup duty. The actual subjugation would be handled by the four of us. Against mere bandits, even a few hundred of them, just one of us would be more than enough. Honestly, Ji Ling alone could probably handle it if given enough troops.
"Now then, how should we break through that pathetic wooden palisade?"
The bandit camp had cut down trees to build a decent-looking fence. Being a former officer, the leader must have learned a thing or two by observation. Still, such defenses were meaningless before our power.
"Heh heh, we can just smash right through it with brute force. It's not even a properly built fortress! Leave it to me, big brother!"
"You confident? Then go ahead, Xiang Yu."
"All right! I'll open a path, so watch closely and follow me!!"
Xiang Yu flashed a refreshing smile, grabbed a massive spear in one hand and a sword in the other, kicked her horse's flanks, and charged straight at the palisade.
"Eh? Big brother, someone's coming."
"What the hell is that crazy bitch doing? The fence is solid—why is she just charging? Suicidal?"
"Should we shoot arrows?"
"Hey, if she wants to die, let her… Waste of arrows. Just leave her."
"Uh… she's pretty fast though…"
"Fast or not, she'll just crash into the fence and die, right? Let's get ready to clean up the corpse later."
"Ugh, touching a corpse that died alone brings bad luck!"
The bandits on the palisade had spotted Xiang Yu charging, but they didn't pay her much mind. From an ordinary perspective, that was understandable. A single soldier rushing alone toward a mountain stronghold occupied by five hundred bandits would normally be seen as nothing more than a suicidal fool.
That judgment became their death sentence.
"Wow… these bastards are daring to ignore me while I'm charging at them—!!!"
It was a perfectly logical assessment. Unfortunately for them, there have always been people in this world who transcend common sense. And Xiang Yu was not merely beyond common sense—she was a monster who had completely surpassed the boundaries of what common sense could even comprehend.
"You worthless bandit scum! How dare you look down on me!!!"
Thud thud thud thud thud!
The one charging was the Chu Hegemon-King Xiang Yu. Her horsemanship was flawless, allowing her to gallop at terrifying speed. In an instant, the mountain stronghold's palisade was right before her eyes.
"Stick your necks out nicely and wait for me, you worms! This descendant of the Hegemon-King, Lady Xiang Yu herself, will personally teach you proper manners with the price of your lives—!!!!"
The moment the palisade entered her range, Xiang Yu unleashed her spear and sword with savage fury.
SHRRRAAAAAANG!
Rumble… BOOM! CRAAAAASH!
With a single overwhelming strike, the entire palisade was sliced apart. The shattered remnants flew forward like a storm, devastating the bandits' mountain camp.