Chapter 27

"No fun. We've already let the warlords' schemes succeed by coming here. Why bother putting in more effort?"

Discouraged Brother lay on the ground, unable to get comfortable no matter how he shifted, so he simply began answering Fujimaru Kyoya's question.

The warlords hadn't invited the scholars of Water Mirror Manor to solve riddles at all—they were using them to pressure their own strategists.

"You have keen insight, brother. The warlords seized on the scholars' desire to show off, deliberately building a stage. Not only can they scout talent early, but they also put pressure on their own advisors."

At that moment, a Splendid Youth walked over. He was about the same age as Fujimaru Kyoya, but his bearing set him apart from the crowd, like a crane among chickens.

"Still, this is indeed an opportunity. If anyone can see through Dong Zhuo's scheme hidden in that secret letter, they'll enter the warlords' field of vision. Brother, are you truly not tempted at all?"

The Splendid Youth's eyes locked onto Discouraged Brother and Fujimaru Kyoya.

Among the scholars present, everyone except these two was intensely interested in that secret letter. Cracking its contents would surely bring instant fame.

How could these two be so indifferent?

"I've already found the answer."

Just then, a voice rang out from the crowd. It was a man with a birthmark on his face, his expression grave. He took the letter and, after folding it several times, extracted a string of information.

"Feint to lure the foe, set fire in the northern woods, wind fans the flames, annihilate the vanguard."

Those few words laid out Dong Zhuo's counterattack plan.

"The text on this letter, through a special folding method, can yield many such pieces of information. I've already thought of over ten possibilities. I'll write them all down shortly."

At these words, the tent erupted in commotion. In such a short time, the secret letter that had remained unsolved for days had been cracked.

"Fledgling Phoenix" Pang Tong?

Fujimaru Kyoya looked at the man with the birthmark. He wasn't as ugly as the legends claimed—in fact, that mark gave him a certain air of authority.

"Let's go."

Discouraged Brother listened to Pang Tong's answer and the praise from those around him, then turned to leave.

"Brother, did you see through it?"

The Splendid Youth stared at Discouraged Brother in surprise, as if he had uncovered some hidden truth. That caught him off guard.

"I didn't see through anything."

Discouraged Brother led Fujimaru Kyoya away to find a place to rest, then took out herbs he had prepared earlier and began brewing a decoction—medicine meant for Fujimaru Kyoya.

"You saw through it, didn't you?"

Fujimaru Kyoya knew his sleepy friend well. That "I didn't see through anything" line couldn't fool even that Splendid-Robed Young Master, let alone him.

"A naked scheme. No way around it."

Discouraged Brother sighed. Only after confirming no one else was in the tent did he reveal his answer.

"Dong Zhuo marched on Luoyang with insufficient troops. Even with a fierce general like Lu Bu, he can't stand against the coalition of warlords. Retreat is his only correct choice."

"Retreat? Then that secret letter just now?"

"Bait."

Discouraged Brother gave his answer.

The world was about to fall into chaos—anyone with eyes could see that. The scholars of Water Mirror Manor entering the world en masse was all but certain. Dong Zhuo used this secret letter as bait to make the warlords invite Water Mirror Manor's people to interpret it.

His goal was not only to take the noble sons hostage but also to wipe out Water Mirror Manor's strategists in one fell swoop. Even if they wouldn't serve him, he'd destroy them all to keep them from others.

"Dong Zhuo's that clever?"

Fujimaru Kyoya was a bit surprised. In his impression, Dong Zhuo was just a fat, lecherous old man.

"Everyone who leaves a name in their era has their strengths. Even the losers have sides unknown to others. The name Dong Zhuo will surely be remembered by future generations. But the one who came up with this scheme isn't Dong Zhuo."

Discouraged Brother was certain the plan wasn't Dong Zhuo's. Could it be Li Ru?

"Since the letter is fake, then you..."

"Useless. Dong Zhuo has the upper hand right now. No one would believe he'd abandon the city and flee. The information just deciphered only creates the illusion of an attack, buying time for his retreat."

As Discouraged Brother said, it was a naked scheme. Without knowing how Dong Zhuo planned to withdraw, saying such a thing would never be accepted by anyone.

They would only overcommit to defense based on the information they had, giving Dong Zhuo time to escape.

As for the person who had spoken to him earlier...

"Yanzhou Sima Clan?"

Fujimaru Kyoya didn't catch Discouraged Brother's muttered words. Instead, his attention stayed outside the tent, because he sensed something.

"Come out."

Fujimaru Kyoya tore through the tent and grabbed the person lurking outside, intending to slam them to the ground.

[Your attack was swift, but with your injuries not fully healed, you gave your opponent a chance to dodge.]

[You didn't give up. You grabbed the opponent's unusually long arm and flung them into the tent.]

[You got a clear look at their face. Their most striking features were long arms and large ears, giving them a long-lived appearance.]

"Bam~"

Fujimaru Kyoya didn't care what the other person looked like; he simply grabbed a military rod and smashed it against the back of their head.

That person's skull immediately split open, their eyes rolled back, and they passed out.

Chapter Forty-Eight: Changshan Egg-Busting Kick

Liu Bei had always thought his own combat prowess wasn't low—it just looked low next to his second and third brothers.

But this time, he genuinely started to doubt himself. He'd merely passed by a military tent, overheard a rather unique opinion, and then got knocked out with a single blow from a club.

Could it be... that I really am a total weakling?

"He looks suspicious. Why not hand him over to Yuan Shao's men? Catching a spy should fetch a decent reward."

"Well said."

Fujimaru Kyoya and Discouraged Brother stared at Liu Bei, eyes gleaming. Fifty thousand coins falling from the sky—why not take them?

"Wait, I'm a horse archer under Gongsun Zan's command. You can't treat me like this."

Liu Bei panicked. If he really got branded a spy, his two brothers would probably tear this camp apart.

Besides, he had come along with his old classmate and friend Gongsun Zan, so claiming to be under his command wasn't wrong.

"I was just a little absorbed listening to you two young brothers speak just now, so... I wasn't deliberately sneaking around."

Hearing this big-eared scoundrel's reply, Fujimaru Kyoya and Discouraged Brother exchanged a glance, then untied his bonds.

After all, if he could confidently name-drop Gongsun Zan, it meant Gongsun Zan would definitely vouch for him. If this man were a spy, then Gongsun Zan probably wasn't clean either.

Fujimaru Kyoya had only come along with the Water Mirror Manor people for a "field inspection"—no need to get dragged into the warlords' wars.

"You two young brothers, since you have such unique insights, why not—"

"No need."

Discouraged Brother cut off Liu Bei's words. If battle situations could be changed with a few sentences, many things would be much simpler.

"Using a secret letter as bait to lure out Water Mirror Manor people requires sufficient intelligence. With Dong Zhuo trapped in Luoyang, under normal circumstances, where would he get that intelligence?"

"I see. There's a mole."

Fujimaru Kyoya understood Discouraged Brother's concern, but before he could think further, he saw a burly man with a thick beard approaching. The first thing the man noticed was Liu Bei, whose bleeding hadn't fully stopped, and the bloodstained wooden club in Fujimaru Kyoya's hand.

Big Brother got hit? Outrageous.

Zhang Fei was naturally furious. The only reason they could join the warlords in the campaign against Dong Zhuo was thanks to Gongsun Zan's favor. These days, they'd endured countless sneers for this "backdoor entry."

Zhang Fei could tolerate all that, but now these bastards dared to club his big brother? How the hell could he swallow that?

[You sense a powerful killing intent. A burly man with a thick beard swings a fist at you.]

[You clash fists with him head-on. Due to your injuries not fully healing, you immediately fall into a disadvantage.]

[You throw a handful of lime powder into his eyes. Effect is outstanding.]

Unbelievable. What kind of monster-infested world is this?

Fujimaru Kyoya's hand went numb. Why was some random nobody in this world so ferocious? Was he destined to only become a strategist from now on?

"Despicable coward, you dare—"

Zhang Fei couldn't finish his words, because he hadn't expected Fujimaru Kyoya to have an even more despicable move—the Changshan Egg-Busting Kick.

But that sensation... had this bastard gotten hard just now?

This sent Fujimaru Kyoya stumbling back several steps. He had no taste for men, let alone a rough, bearded brute like this. He immediately grabbed Discouraged Brother and bolted.

"You... bastard."

Zhang Fei was completely numb. While fighting that brat, for some reason he'd gotten more and more excited to the point of arousal, and just as his little brother entered battle mode, first came the lime powder, then the nut-cracking kick. He couldn't get up for a while.

Damn it. Next time, I'll bring Second Brother and we'll ambush that brat together.

"Third Brother, are you alright?"

Liu Bei saw his third brother's black face turn white, so he quickly fetched some vegetable oil to wash the lime off. As for Fujimaru Kyoya, who had just fled... they were all in the camp anyway; they'd find him sooner or later.

"I'm fine, Big Brother. How did you end up mixed up with such a dirty-fighting brat?"

Zhang Fei had recovered by now, but he still couldn't understand how his benevolent big brother had gotten involved with someone like that.

"I just discovered a scholar. If he could serve under me..."

Liu Bei thought of that slightly lonely scholar, who had effortlessly deciphered the scheme in the secret letter. Would someone like that really join his ranks?

And the other one...

"Third Brother, what do you think of the strength of the man you fought?"

"A shameless little punk. But if we met on the battlefield, I'd definitely beat him."

Though their exchange was brief, Zhang Fei had seen Fujimaru Kyoya's strength. Even if the brat recovered from his injuries, he wasn't afraid—at least that kid definitely couldn't beat Second Brother.

[You've been very careful going out these past few days, avoiding that burly bearded man. Before long, your injuries have improved significantly.]

[You follow Water Mirror Manor's group to a distant mountain peak. Many scholars are gathered here, enthusiastically discussing strategies to breach the city. You notice that the Splendid-Robed Young Master, who isn't part of Water Mirror Manor, is also among them.]

[You notice that Discouraged Brother is rarely awake. He too is uncharacteristically observing the direction of Luoyang, but he isn't looking at the army...]

"Once war breaks out, how many more refugees will there be."

Discouraged Brother's expression grew even more grim. According to his calculations, Dong Zhuo had no chance of suppressing the warlords. Once Dong Zhuo died, the realm would surely splinter, and countless people would lose their homes.

How could such a future not leave one disheartened.

"The rise and fall of an empire only ever burdens the common folk. In that case, why not help the strongest side seize the realm swiftly? That too could be a way to save the people."

The Splendid-Robed Young Master approached, his gaze also fixed on the commoners. In his smug confidence and Discouraged Brother's dejection, they seemed to share a common topic and ideal—but...

"Is strength the same as goodness?"

Fujimaru Kyoya looked at the Splendid-Robed Young Master. He admitted that only by becoming strong could one have more choices, but "strength" was not equal to "goodness."

"You mean, to let a benevolent ruler unify the realm, you'd allow years more of war?"

"The same question to you: how can you guarantee that a tyrannical ruler, after unifying the realm, will give the people a better life?"

Fujimaru Kyoya countered.

Back then, Shadow had helped the tyrant Gilgamesh because Gilgamesh had a side of "goodness"—it only needed to be brought to light.

But among the current warlords, the strongest was none other than Dong Zhuo. That fat pig had never shown a single thing that could be called "good."

Chapter 49: The Great Fire of Luoyang

"Sima Yi of Yanzhou. I haven't asked your names yet."

Sima Yi looked at the two men of his generation. If that dejected one was exceptionally wise and not to be underestimated, then this other one was a complete clash of ideals—born to be his mortal enemy.

"No rush. The battle has already begun. Let's talk after it's over."

Discouraged Brother cut in to ease the tension. At the same moment, the battle for Luoyang finally began.