Thieves Everywhere Under Heaven (1): Xuzhou
In Xuzhou, the land Cao Cao coveted so fiercely, a minor incident had erupted.
"Little brother..."
"Sorry, big brother."
Zhang Fei hung his head, his wrists bound in shackles. The stench of alcohol still clung to him like a fog.
"I told you not to."
"Sorry, big brother. But you gotta understand. That bastard with three dads pissed me off..."
"Bastard! Haven't you come to your senses yet? Big brother told you to hold back!"
Guan Yu pounded his chest in frustration at Zhang Fei's recklessness.
"Why the hell did we even bring that thing here?!"
"Ah, that Lü Bu prick started it! He said Red Hare follows no one but him! So I grabbed the reins just once, and how was I supposed to know it'd suddenly start following me?!"
Neigh!
The red horse whinnied alone in the plaza, its fierce demeanor and flowing crimson mane drawing every eye—including those of Liu Bei and Guan Yu.
Neigh!
Yet no one dared grasp Red Hare's reins. It threatened to kick anyone who approached, as if none measured up. And so it stood isolated in the plaza's center.
"Hah. Why'd that thing come here?"
"Brother, it's for the best. Red Hare came looking for its true master—take it in."
"Not a man, but a horse seeking my service?"
"Why else would it hand its reins to a drunk like Zhang Fei?"
"I think it just followed out of fear he'd flip out."
A drunk Zhang Fei would even throw punches at Red Hare.
—Hey, you mangy mutt, come at me! I hated your ass since Hulao Pass! If not for you, I could've killed that three-dad bastard back there! Huh? Yeah? Let's see if man or beast wins today!!
"Doesn't lose his mind when drunk, my ass."
"...No way he picked a fight with a horse."
"Or maybe with its master."
At Liu Bei's words, Guan Yu squeezed his eyes shut, stifling a laugh.
"We should return it before Lü Bu arrives. Luckily, Red Hare's said to tolerate no one but its master. Admit Zhang Fei's mistake, but insist it refused to leave—that should work."
"Right. It won't let anyone ride, but... why's it heading this way now?"
Red Hare began a slow approach toward Liu Bei and Guan Yu. It stared long at Guan Yu, then knelt on all fours before him.
"...Huh?"
"Hahaha! See, brother? Red Hare knows its true master!"
"What the..."
Guan Yu glanced awkwardly at Liu Bei, deeply troubled.
"Brother, Red Hare wants you—"
"Nonsense. Just try riding it."
"No, brother."
"Before Lü Bu shows. Hop on."
Liu Bei pushed Guan Yu's back. With utter reluctance, Guan Yu shuffled toward Red Hare—
Flutter!
—his green cloak billowing as he mounted gracefully.
Red Hare nodded vigorously the moment Guan Yu settled, rising on its hind legs.
"Brother, I—"
"I'll keep the north gate open. Tell Lü Bu it bucked wildly, forcing you to ride."
"Thank you... Hya!"
Guan Yu yanked the reins and spurred Red Hare's flanks. It neighed skyward like a roar, then bolted north as if understanding perfectly.
"Unbelievable."
"Ain't this unfair? I do the work, and Brother Yun Chang rides off with Red Hare."
"Quit whining. It picks its rider. If it wanted you, it'd have followed your grip without a fuss."
"Hmph, must've thought I was kin."
"What? Hahaha!!"
Liu Bei slapped Zhang Fei's back, roaring with laughter.
"Sure! Both red as blood—makes sense."
"My lord, this isn't the time for jokes."
The young man in civilian robes stood before Liu Bei, his face etched with genuine distress.
"Red Hare could spark strife with Lü Bu. He treats it like a wife—this is bound to cause trouble."
"Zhen Jun, what's done is done."
"Then we resolve it. Ding Yuan got Red Hare from Dong Zhuo, beheaded his 'father' Ding Yuan to join Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo got his woman from Advisor Wang Yun, beheaded his 'father' Dong Zhuo to become Wang Po. Now he's ditched even Wang Yun and fled on his own—Lü Bu. To him, Red Hare's like a woman."
"True. Women's hearts shift like reeds. Heh. Red Hare as a wife—amusing."
"My lord!"
"Haha, just jesting. Anyway... he's no one we can recruit. But soothed right, he fights Cao Cao with us, no?"
"Well, yes, but."
When Lü Bu first sought refuge, he treated Liu Bei like a mere brother, rude as could be. Yet Liu Bei smiled warmly, offering Xuzhou's governorship. Lü Bu nearly snatched it, relenting only after advisors' pleas.
Lü Bu wanted Xuzhou. Still, Liu Bei accepted him for one reason.
"Even without Lü Bu, Cao Cao will return to seize it. Without him, we can't beat Cao Cao alone. Especially since..."
"Yuan Shu eyes Xuzhou, demanding alliance."
"Exactly. No choices left to us."
Liu Bei tilted his head skyward.
"And if Lü Bu truly saw Red Hare as wife, he'd straighten his own conduct first. How could a woman abandon her man for another?"
"My lord!"
"Haha, kidding. ...But think. Even a beast like Red Hare—how much blood has it seen under Lü Bu? It's scouting ahead."
Liu Bei pointed at himself, chuckling heartily.
"It knows this is the path to survival. Better scout havens than die with a doomed man in years to come."
"It's a beast."
"Because it's a beast. In chaos, even beasts seek life. Like Han Xin fleeing Xiang Yu— all creatures chase survival."
"That path to survival..."
Zhen Jun bit back words, lips tight.
The one who let Lü Bu into Xuzhou. Who brought plague under 'righteousness.' She'd argued against it, but Liu Bei's benevolence prevailed.
"For now, let's plan for Lü Bu's arrival. Haha, he won't have expected this. Who'd think it'd follow a drunk Zhang Fei all the way here?"
"...What if it followed because drunk General Zhang might beat it?"
"No, Red Hare—the 'word among horses'?"
"Red Hare's a horse. General Zhang's a man."
"......"
Liu Bei rubbed his nose.
"Eh, it'll work out. Hahaha!"
Could such a man survive this chaos?
"My lord! Lü Bu's here!!"
"Come for his wife. Fast, too. Hm, how to soothe this spare thief..."
Zhen Jun truly began to wonder.
Black or white—which do you prefer? I'm no fool who can't grasp such words.
"Teacher Sima Hui often says it: 'Good, very good.'"
Sima Hui dodges tough spots or hard answers with "Good, very good." Some even call her "Ho Ho Teacher" for it.
"I like both."
"...Greedy, aren't you?"
"What's wrong with a man having ambition?"
"Hahaha!"
Cai Xuan slapped her thigh, laughing lightly.
"Right! Proper attitude. A man needs that greed. Then rephrase: black or white—which first?"
"In Go terms alone, I'd take white first."
"White, eh?"
"Naturally. You play worse than me, Mother."
"......"
Cai Xuan scowled. I smiled, offering white stones.
"Of course, as your junior, I'll take black. Laozi said it: shang shan ruo shui—noble water flows humbly downward."
"That means..."
"Go talk. Just Go."
I took black.
"All things have order. Kong Meng taught ethics for scholars. I follow the golden path over scholarly, but haven't abandoned humanity."
"Golden path?"
"Geumja—the one all mortals crave."
"Ah. Right, your adoptive father embodies it well."
Cai Xuan placed white.
"Surprising, though. I figured you'd take white."
"Why?"
"You hate losing out."
This wasn't a handicap game. No black-white divide assumed—just war on an empty board.
To match her, I'd need her handicap. But...
"Didn't expect loss-averse you to take black."
"I hate losses. But no grudge if others have more. It's not hate—it's seizing what I want..."
Clack.
I placed at star point.
"...before chaos erupts."
One black stone on the board. Me—my stone.
"Heh, fun. But know this?"
Clack.
Cai Xuan placed.
"Mother?"
"Yes?"
"Is this Go?"
"It is. To win, anything goes."
...Cai Xuan wedged white snug beside my stone. Not star, not knight's move—boldly in the 'three-three' of my virtual territory.
White rolling into black's home, playing house.
"Fighting from the start?"
"Oh, fight? Living together's lovely."
"......"
Home invaded. Shift elsewhere, and it's hers.
"Fine."
Clack.
"Let's see who's true master."
Before claiming eight stars, black and white tore into each other at one tiny point.