Prologue: I Have Fallen Into Hell
Many people enjoy content set in the Three Kingdoms era.
Among them, I was particularly obsessed. I devoured not only the games but every new novel, drama, and film that appeared.
So that day, too, I was simply hunting for another Three Kingdoms story.
As long as the reinterpretation didn't spiral into complete nonsense, I usually gave it a chance. The Romance had its own flavor, and the official history had its own as well.
With that thought, I clicked option three—Both—on the website survey.
Which of Wei, Shu, or Wu do you like the most?
In truth, the choice didn't matter to me. Option four was labeled "Other Forces," clearly meant for people who would pick the Sima clan's Jin dynasty that followed, or the occasional hipster choices like Lu Bu's army or Yuan Shao's forces. Option five was simply "Anywhere is fine," so of course I chose five.
Honestly, no matter which faction you picked, every lord and his retainers possessed their own distinct charm.
The remaining questions asked whether I preferred civil officials or military officers. I wondered if such distinctions even held meaning in that era.
That was simply how the time worked. In novels and comics, generals always seemed to strut about in full armor with swords at their waists, while civil officials in their robes did nothing but spout schemes at their lords.
But the real era could not be understood so simplistically. In those days, whether literary or martial talent, you had to master it all if you hoped to earn your lord's recognition and survive.
The next question appeared.
What is your favorite period in the Three Kingdoms?
"Hmm… the warlords' alliance, the Battle of Guandu, the Battle of Red Cliffs, the campaign against Shu… they're all excellent."
What is your most preferred region?
"As long as it's not Xu Province during Cao Cao's time, anything is fine. Actually, Xu Province before Cao Cao arrives would be acceptable too."
I answered every question in the same "I like them all" manner.
Completing the survey entered you into a lottery for tickets to a Three Kingdoms expert talk show panel, so my expectations were high. Visiting related chat rooms on cafes or KakaoTalk was merely a hobby, but this was the real thing—I might actually appear as a panelist on a famous broadcast.
I filled out every answer, reviewed it one last time, and submitted.
Those were the last words of my modern life.
When I opened my eyes, I had awakened in the Three Kingdoms era.
I assumed it was the usual transmigration tale, but I found myself the only son of a poor elderly farming couple inside a crumbling house. I had suspected as much, yet the truth still struck like a blow: I had been born an ordinary commoner in the chaotic final years of the Han dynasty.
The realization was so disorienting that I failed to grasp my new reality for a long time. Only after many days had passed did the truth finally sink in.
I had fallen into hell.