An Unexpected Meeting
After scouring the campsite, I managed to find a few spoils of war. Just enough to scrape together a handful of coins.
"Find anything good?"
Gong Geo eyed me with a hint of disappointment. Looked like he'd come up empty.
"Just a hairpin."
It wasn't some fancy ivory piece—carved from wood. Wouldn't fetch much.
"Hmph. Doesn't look sellable. Who're you planning to give it to?"
Gong Geo flashed a sly grin.
"Still thinking."
Ha Hui from the house I'm staying at crossed my mind.
"Heh heh heh. Didn't peg you for the romantic type."
Gong Geo's face was outright teasing now, so I just stayed quiet.
His Willow Tree Brotherhood crew, sensing something juicy, piled on with questions about women. Guess dragging everything back to romance is human nature.
There were more packs of Yellow Turban stragglers around, but Gong Geo and the others decided to head back for now.
The sun was still up—why not bag a few more? That's what I thought, but Gong Geo was dead set.
"Yeongcheon right now is a land of opportunity. General Huangfu Song's main force is coming, of course, but Cao Cao's on his way too, along with Sun Jian's rising star Ha Hu Don under Zhu Jun. Plenty of big names to hitch our wagons to."
Gong Geo seemed to be biding his time for warlords like Cao Cao and Ha Hu Don.
Enlisting in the imperial army now would just make us lowly foot soldiers. No path to general. Better to catch the eye of Cao Cao or Ha Hu Don and prepare for that, he figured.
No internet or phones in this era. Waiting for a specific army meant ears to the ground for days. His crew planned to gather intel in their downtime.
"Split tomorrow's pay evenly then. I'll stick around a bit longer."
I wanted to squeeze out a few more coins.
"What? It's dangerous out there."
Gong Geo looked worried.
"I'll stay alive."
Snag a few more, pull back if it got dicey.
"Heh. Alright then."
His crew took the heads from the bandits they'd cut down.
Mercenaries gonna mercenary—they lopped heads off some fresh nearby corpses too. Common trick to pad the count. But details mattered. Limit the extras, or they'd nitpick somehow.
After seeing Gong Geo off, I poked around the area.
Nice find.
From an imperial soldier's body: a few arrows and a composite bow. Spot Yellow Turbans, pick 'em off from range—easy work.
Tracking down the next Yellow Turban pack was simple.
The noise gave them away.
A small imperial scouting party was clashing with a similar-sized group of stragglers. Classic melee skirmish. About a dozen on the scout side, matching Yellow Turbans.
These fights are more common than you'd think.
Biggest gap between history books' Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the real deal: massive frontal battles were rare. Most scraps were like this—small-scale clashes. Every fight I'd joined was the same.
Scouts must've bumped into the stragglers mid-patrol.
These guys don't fight like typical imperials.
Imperials didn't hold formation this well. The scouts maintained disciplined lines, grinding against the bandits.
"Shields up!!"
From the rear, a sword-wielding officer bellowed.
Thwack. Thud.
Arrows flew over the shield wall. They blocked, but it slowed the advance.
Beyond the captured camp, five Yellow Turbans loosed arrows. Archers shone in these brawls.
"Shields high—push!!"
Up close, the officer wore fine armor. Rich kid playing soldier? Definitely official.
Help out?
Owe me a favor, maybe score big. Imperials didn't care about heads anyway. Deal for those, and I'd pocket nice side cash.
First, neutralize those archers.
Crept close, nocked an arrow. Three total from the corpse. Drop a couple bowmen first, ease the fight.
Aimed steady, breathed even, drew.
Twang.
Cheap bow—dull twang. Arrow flew true.
Thwuck!!
Pierced a bandit's temple mid-shot.
Thump.
Sighted the next, arrow ready.
Thwuck.
Two down.
Clang.
Shit. Miss.
Still, sniping two from afar was huge.
"Arrows from over there!!"
The bandits fighting scouts turned my way.
No hesitation—drew my sword, charged.
That split-second distraction let the scouts surge forward.
"Who the hell are you!!"
Overexcited spearmen rushed me.
Overeager spear guys were easiest. Swing wide, big opening. None easier than one telegraphing right on cue.
Shing.
Deflected the thrust with my sword's flat, slipped inside, slashed one down.
"Kgh."
The other flailed. Spears sucked up close—tip did the damage. Close in, force the melee, sword wins.
Shoved my blade under his spear shaft, jammed into his jaw, yanked free. Two spearmen done.
Meanwhile, scouts weren't idle. They poured over the barricade, hacking bandits like wheat.
"Now! Push!!"
The officer swung his sword too, felling foes.
Nice blade. Top-grade steel, obvious at a glance. Definitely loaded. Rich guys tip big. Promising.
The camp's defenders fell fast.
"Hoo... Bumped into them on recon. They're everywhere, these yellow scum."
The officer removed his helmet, wiped his brow.
Striking face: narrow, upturned eyes with sharp glint; thin lips under curly beard asserting themselves. Not your classic handsome man, but the aura—commanding gaze, poised expression—made him untouchable.
"Ha ha ha! Fine scrap! Feels good."
He stared, then laughed heartily, approaching. Odd face: stern and ruthless closed-mouthed, boyish when grinning. Boy and jaded youth coexisting.
I bowed first. He returned it politely.
"Impressive skill. Mind sharing your name? They say even brushing sleeves makes fate. Gotta name this one."
Stared straight, eyes friendly but edged with calculation. Appraising worth.
"Yu Hyun. Style name Hyungeom. Just a ronin. Tasked with culling Yellow Turban stragglers around here."
Couldn't show weakness to this guy. Kept it crisp.
"Ah, Yu Hyungeom... Hm."
Stroked his beard, then introduced himself.
"I'm Cao Cao, Mengde. Under General Huangfu Song, leading troops to crush the Yellow Turbans. Main force hasn't reached Yeongcheon yet, but I took a fast detachment to scout."
My breath caught.
Cao Cao.
Figured I'd glimpse him from afar before Changshe. Not like this.
Main force not here yet—he's personally scouting with a small team. Bold as young legend: decisions like he had two lives.
"Remarkable martial prowess. True hero. I, Cao Cao, love consorting with heroes. And gifting them. Here."
Cao Cao rummaged his armor, pulled coins.
Currency devaluing daily—preferred hard goods, but even so, generous sum. Trade for something decent.
"Take it—my token."
Cao Cao clapped my shoulder, booming laugh.
"Foes slain, pockets full. Perfect for drinks. Hour's march to main camp—join for a cup, swap tales?"
Loaded offer.
"..."
Tempting for ambitious sorts. Not me.
Stick to edges, survive long and thin. No big waves.
"Honored, truly. But prior commitment. Must guard my current benefactor's home by dusk."
Classic era ploy: invoke righteousness. Stressed benefactor, gauged his face.
"..."
Cao Cao stared, then roared laughing.
"Benefactor, eh? Righteous!! Ha ha ha!! Rare gentleman in these times, Hyungeom."
Laughing, but eyes still probed. Still valuing me.
"I see. Holed up at some Yeongcheon's benefactor's place?"
Casual probe.
"Yes. Catch you if big fight hits Yeongcheon."
"Mm. Do that—greet me. No snubbing old acquaintance."
Cao Cao chuckled, led scouts away.
"..."
Never dreamed I'd cross paths with Cao Cao like this.
Maybe overthinking, but I'd piqued his interest. Ronin off the street doesn't get drink invites.
Gong Geo'd die laughing.
Nah, he'd never believe it. Too out-of-nowhere. Even I'd doubt hearing it.
Head back.
Plenty of heads from Cao Cao's scouts and mine. Turn 'em in, good payout.
Avoid Cao Cao in Yeongcheon.
No grand ambitions. Folks like me chasing warlords' glory? End up nameless corpse in the dirt. Steer clear.
Tallied pay from heads and Cao Cao's fat gift—plenty to buy with—as I headed to Yeongcheon County Seat.