"Don't worry. I've rehearsed this countless times in my head. A cliff like this won't kill us."
Falling off a cliff was not dangerous at all. As long as they destroyed and flattened any sharp objects before hitting them, they would simply become safe footing.
Bang~
Bang~
Bang~
The sounds of shattering rock rang out. Under Fujimaru Kyoya's Ghost Brain's precise calculations, his bare hands directly cleaved apart the sharp protrusions on the mountainside. With the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, Fujimaru Kyoya and Zhuge Liang landed safely.
"Well? We directly bypassed Sima Yi's encirclement."
Fujimaru Kyoya looked immensely pleased with himself. In terms of strategy, he was clearly no inferior to Sima Yi now.
"If you had paid even a little attention in class, you'd know you could simply fly down a place like this with magic."
Zhuge Liang had a headache. It was only a cliff, as if no one else could fly.
"But the problem now is manpower."
There were simply too many refugees in Luoyang. With just the two of them, it really was...
"Hm? What a coincidence. We meet again."
Suddenly, a man in armor whose arms hung past his knees spotted Fujimaru Kyoya. Fujimaru Kyoya exchanged a glance with Zhuge Liang as he looked at that familiar man with huge ears.
Hadn't a sucker just come knocking?
"Wait, what kind of look is that? I... My second brother is nearby, and he's no weaker than Lu Bu."
Liu Bei saw Fujimaru Kyoya smile, and the back of his head immediately began to ache. He involuntarily stepped back twice.
"Brother, do you have any men under you?"
Although Fujimaru Kyoya knew the man before him could not yet be considered a daimyo, he should still have some troops. Whether Liu Bei wanted to be a good man or not, Fujimaru Kyoya had a way to make him become one.
"Just a few hundred."
"I'd like to ask you to help us take in the Luoyang refugees."
The moment those words came out, Liu Bei's expression changed. He had witnessed the Great Fire of Luoyang himself, but he had been unable to move due to military orders.
Now...
"How do you need me to cooperate?"
Liu Bei's answer was decisive, leaving Fujimaru Kyoya somewhat surprised. In an era ravaged by war, were there still people of benevolence and righteousness?
Truly... rare.
Seeing Non-form
"The wind has changed."
As the Great Fire ravaged Luoyang, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce led a small force into the chaotic Imperial Palace. Their purpose was to seize the Imperial Seal.
Yet amid this scorching heat, Zhou Yu inexplicably said those words.
"Gong Jin, where is there any wind here?"
"They've finally made their move."
The reason the Great Fire of Luoyang had spread so quickly was because Zhou Yu had previously transformed the Imperial Palace's location into a land of Leaving Fire. Once the raging wind swept through, the flames were destined to reach the Imperial Palace. But now, someone outside the city was altering Zhou Yu's arrangement.
Within Water Mirror Manor, only Zhuge Liang could accomplish that.
"Bo Fu, the Crouching Dragon has opened his eyes."
"The Crouching Dragon? Could he be better than Gong Jin?"
Sun Ce did not believe there was anyone in this world smarter than Zhou Yu.
"Hard to say. But he entered too late and has no room to make preparations. This time, we've won."
Zhou Yu was brimming with confidence. Even if Zhuge Liang entered the game now, he was already more than a step too late. No strategy could possibly interfere with him.
"Putting on such a show. Can this guy really summon rain?"
Zhang Fei glared unhappily at Zhuge Liang, who was playing the mystic. Clearly, he had not forgotten the grudge from having his balls exploded that day.
"Third Brother, be patient."
Liu Bei was not in a hurry. He merely wanted to see how capable this man before him truly was, and how many surprises he could bring.
"Zhao, this is my strategy. I'm sorry, but this is all I can do at this moment."
Zhuge Liang looked apologetically at Fujimaru Kyoya. Just as Zhou Yu had said, one step behind meant falling behind at every step. Having entered too late, even saving the refugees had already pushed him to his limits.
"I thought you'd come up with some complicated strategy. I didn't expect it to be this simple."
Fujimaru Kyoya listened to the plan that was practically asking him to go die. But with things having come to this, he had no intention of backing down.
"I had no time to make preparations. Besides, elaborate arrangements may seem exquisite, but in reality, they are works of art that collapse at the first touch. They cannot withstand even the slightest mistake."
Zhuge Liang handed Fujimaru Kyoya a Token. It held his magic and could be used for communication between them. Even from a thousand miles away, he could use Clairvoyance to provide Fujimaru Kyoya with some assistance.
The daimyo within Luoyang were a mixed bunch. Liu Bei's men could not possibly relocate the refugees under all those watchful eyes.
But there was another possibility. If the city's elite generals left Luoyang, then with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's strength, supported by several hundred soldiers, moving all the refugees would not be difficult.
The key was how to lure the city's elite generals away.
"Lend me a weapon and a fine horse."
Fujimaru Kyoya borrowed a Bright Silver Spear and a white horse from Liu Bei. However, he did not ask for armor. This time, he was not going to fight anyone—he was going to grab something and run, and armor would only get in the way.
Of course, he was even more afraid that Lord Guan, standing nearby in that green hat, would lop his head off while he was not paying attention.
Seriously, after giving Liu Bei a blow to the head and still being able to jump around in front of Lord Guan, that was like a son digging up his father's grave—an absolute prodigy.
Fujimaru Kyoya did not dare linger. He mounted his horse with spear in hand and immediately bolted, while behind him, Liu Bei stared blankly at his departing figure.
"Entering Luoyang to abduct one of the Two Emperors, using that to force the daimyo to pursue him, and thereby drawing away most of their forces... To risk so much for the refugees, what incredible courage."
When it came to bravery, Liu Bei did not believe his two brothers were inferior. But this sort of utterly reckless courage surpassed even them.
"What is this young brother's name? If he survives today, I would like to befriend him."
Liu Bei looked at Zhuge Liang, putting Zhuge Liang in a difficult position.
Fujimaru Kyoya had specifically told him not to reveal his real name to Liu Bei and the others. But if he could not tell them the name "Zhao Tian," what should he do?
"His name is... Zhao Yun."
Zhuge Liang looked at that unhesitating figure. The man atop the white horse was as white as a cloud, charging into the Great Fire of Luoyang.
Even if the final result was vanishing into smoke, he would not be afraid.
[You had only one person, one spear, and one horse, yet you charged into the Great Fire of Luoyang without regard for danger. Relying on Zhuge Liang's transmitted instructions, you moved through the flames without obstruction.] [You encountered many panicked soldiers within the sea of fire. Clearly, these people were no match for you. At the same time, you sensed a change in the weather. A heavy rain was about to arrive.]
"Really not like me."
Fujimaru Kyoya understood that he was merely a selfish person, yet this time he had done something so "selfless."
Even when he had existed as Shadow, it had only been because of the Benevolent Dark Emperor's influence. This time, without the influence of a talent, Fujimaru Kyoya had still taken a path contrary to his own principles.
"After setting foot upon this land, have some things carved into my soul begun to awaken?"
It was an emotion from the depths of his soul, a feeling that could not bear to see the people of this land suffer. It was a favor people from other lands would never receive.
This was his unique partiality toward this land.
"Ha~ I'm still me. The hypocritical me."
[You once again affirmed the concept of "self." You no longer confined yourself to name, appearance, or race. You understood the truth that "I am myself."] [Talent "Non-form" awakened: Your spirit is indestructible. You will not lose yourself in any illusion, and you will always remember who you are.] [Talent "Non-form" will continue through each of your simulations, preserving your "self" from harm.]
The Buddhist Sutras said: when one sees all forms as formless, one sees Tathagata.
Now that Fujimaru Kyoya had seen all forms as formless, all he saw was himself.
So that was it. Tathagata was "me."
"Zhao, the Imperial Palace is right ahead. Follow my instructions. Liu Xie is in Dong Zhuo's hands and will be difficult to take away, while the people around Liu Bian are much weaker."
Zhuge Liang's voice came from the Token.
"Weaker? Who?"
"Yan Liang and Wen Chou."
Well, weren't those two Yuan Shao's great generals?
"They truly are inferior to Lu Bu."
Fujimaru Kyoya recalled a theory he had seen before. The so-called "slaying Yan Liang and executing Wen Chou" was merely something Luo Guanzhong had written on Guan Yu's behalf in Romance of the Three Kingdoms; it had never happened in reality.
Bang~
The decayed wooden gate, burned brittle by the flames, was smashed open. Yan Liang and Wen Chou looked at the young man who leaped in on horseback. He wielded a weapon but wore no armor, making it impossible for them to identify which faction he belonged to.
"Who goes there?"
"Your father."
Fujimaru Kyoya had no martial virtue whatsoever. While provoking them verbally, he thrust his spear into Yan Liang's chest and sent him flying, then swung his spear backward and smashed Wen Chou, who was still dumbfounded, away.
"Deposed Emperor Liu Bian?"
Fujimaru Kyoya looked at the frail and helpless child. Amid this Great Fire, there was not the slightest trace of an emperor about him.
The Han Dynasty was now like this burning Imperial Palace: a mere skeleton being devoured by flames from every direction.
The emperor could only stand there, lost and helpless like a child.
My Zhao Yun Couldn't Possibly Be directionally challenged
"Brat, you're courting death."
Yan Liang emerged from the wall. That boy looked thin and weak, but for some reason possessed such terrifying strength. Combined with the force of the horse's charge, he had actually sent Yan Liang flying.
[You noticed Yan Liang throwing a long spear at you. You dodged in time, but unfortunately, the Token used to contact Zhuge Liang was shattered.]
"Tsk~ No time to stay. Time to bolt."
Fujimaru Kyoya scooped up Deposed Emperor Liu Bian. With him, he had bait that could mobilize the daimyo. What he needed to do now was leave Luoyang as quickly as possible, draw these people away, and give Liu Bei a chance to rescue the refugees.
"Villain, don't run."
"Barking so fiercely? Let's see how long you people without horses can chase me."
Fujimaru Kyoya did not hold back with his words as he immediately urged his horse into flight. Even his toes knew four legs were faster than two.
But Fujimaru Kyoya had forgotten something.
In this life, he was a young master from an aristocratic family. When he went out, servants generally led the way. When he traveled with Mr. Water Mirror, Zhuge Liang accompanied him. Even when he rode alone with spear in hand, Zhuge Liang's Token guided him. In other words, he had never needed to find his own way since childhood and had absolutely no sense of direction.
Fujimaru Kyoya was not directionally challenged, but unfortunately, "Zhao Tian" was.
He should have entered through the south gate and exited through the north gate, but now, amid the boundless sea of fire, he was heading west.
"Hm? The sound of hoofbeats."
After sensing Zhuge Liang's entry into the game, Zhou Yu still believed he could not lose. However, he intended to end things quickly just in case. They had just found the Imperial Seal when they heard a rapid series of hoofbeats.
At that moment, Fujimaru Kyoya crashed through a wooden door and found a group of people before him, led by a familiar face.
"Zhou Yu?"
"Bo Fu, kill him."
How could Zhou Yu not remember this fellow student who had stayed behind to cover Water Mirror Manor's caravan? But in the great struggle for the world, he could not show mercy even to a fellow student.
Before you continue