Chapter 427

Turbulent times produce heroes; those who cower are cowards.

As Dong Zhuo entered the capital, his love-hate relationship with his adopted son Lu Bu, who was like a pair of star-crossed lovers, was torn away. The last fig leaf of the Han Dynasty was also torn off, and even Luoyang was burned down.

People realized that even the emperor was just an ordinary mortal. In this world, only the strongest army could rule. If the Liu family could be emperor, why couldn't we?

The slogan "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?" has been brought up once again, and the Sishui Pavilion Chief who once slew the white snake with his sword will never see the dynasty he built collapse.

The collapse of order did not stem from demons and monsters causing chaos; the dynastic cycle was still at work. Ultimately, in this era of extremely low productivity, the problem remained land annexation.

For people in the agricultural era, land equaled food, and food was their lifeblood.

The emperor's house was burned down, and he immediately moved the capital to Chang'an. The dancing and eating continued as usual, and the high-ranking officials and nobles lived carefree lives. But while they lived carefree lives, what about the common people?

If you've made it impossible for me to survive, and the food I grow isn't even enough to feed myself, then you're taking my life. If I don't even have a life, then nobody else should live either.

As everyone knows, getting a government post in Chang'an is harder than climbing to heaven, but storming Chang'an is much easier.

After Gongsun Little Lu Bu killed Dong Zhuo with a single halberd, everyone thought they were Dong Zhuo and wanted to control the emperor to command the other lords and enjoy the throne. Gongsun Zan was no exception.

Since ancient times, the land of Yan and Zhao has produced many generous and tragic heroes. There was Jing Ke, who attempted to Jing Ke the King of Qin, and the saying "The Yan Kingdom is the king!"—don't be so smug! And now, there was Gongsun Zan, who launched a night raid on Zhuo Commandery and took the governor's head. Have you eaten yet?

I'm not afraid of my brothers suffering, I'm afraid of my brothers driving Land Rovers. As the Dark Moon Cult grows stronger, Liu Bei's group, as its representative, has become a rising star.

When the Allied Forces against Dong Zhuo was underway, Gongsun Zan sat next to Liu Bei and witnessed his second brother steal the show. The wine was still warm when Hua Xiong, covered in mane and resembling that of a ferocious tiger, was beheaded.

Moreover, due to the Moon Compensation Cult, Liu Bei had a large number of physicians accompanying him on the army. While others were fighting to the death on the front lines, he was treating and saving lives in the rear. He didn't encounter much danger, but he made a great reputation. No one even considered him a threat.

After all, Liu Bei was a kind and generous man. He took the initiative to take on the hard and tiring task of treating the wounded. Although the soldiers who were rescued did not say anything, they at least remembered his kindness.

Even those from families that had held high office for generations would address him as "Brother Xuande, you are truly virtuous," since no one could guarantee they wouldn't get sick sometimes, and you couldn't afford to offend a doctor.

To be honest, Gongsun Zan was a little jealous. He had no shortage of divinely bestowed beings, like gods descending to earth, and he had distributed the plundered flesh pills to his subordinates. His strength was undeniable, but he was just short of food and supplies.

Those gifted by the gods can drink the blood of their enemies to sustain themselves in battle, but they are still human and need to eat, sleep, and rest. If they become too obsessed with killing, they will go mad. Therefore, logistical support is very important.

In response, Gongsun Zan decided to go all out and take advantage of his good brother's absence to trick and ambush him! He would steal the divine dog first.

When the time comes, we'll make it a fait accompli, take over the Dark Moon Cult first, and then when Liu Bei returns, we'll hold a trap. Aren't you a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan? The Liu family loves this kind of thing!

Gongsun Zan had no intention of killing Liu Bei. He believed that his fellow townsman would definitely know when to yield, and that he could use a "banquet to release military power" to become sworn brothers with the three of them. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

But even though we're brothers, I'll definitely be the boss.

Thinking of this, the young general on white horse, holding a long spear, narrowed his eyes. His hands, covered in black scales, reflected a metallic luster under the moonlight. Behind him, knights galloped, all clad in heavy armor and wielding massive blades. The thick scales beneath their armor were faintly visible, and none of them were human.

The Han Dynasty has lasted for over four hundred years. Everyone knows the story of Emperor Gaozu slaying the white snake and fighting the Overlord. Among them is a mythical story of a divine dog that followed Emperor Gaozu from the foot of Mount Mangdang and saved his life on the battlefield many times.

The common people may not know, but how could Gongsun Zan, a descendant of a prestigious family, not know? This is not a myth but a fact. Back then, a divine dog truly appeared in the world and helped Emperor Gaozu achieve great things.

Now another divine dog has appeared in the world, and I myself possess the qualities of a dragon and an elephant. This is the destiny bestowed upon me, to establish great achievements like my ancestor.

After all, the dragon is a symbol of emperors!

"Open the city gates! Disarm and you will be spared! I am Gongsun Bogui of Ji County."

As dusk settled, Gongsun Zan's troops arrived at the walls of Zhuo Commandery City. Their roar was like thunder, immediately scaring away the villagers who were returning home from gathering firewood in front of the city. The sight made the soldiers burst into laughter.

Unlike the usual procedure of first uttering a few harsh words and then launching a desperate counterattack, Wu Gang, who was left by Mordred to guard the house, simply closed the gate and ignored them completely.

This dismissive attitude infuriated Gongsun Zan, who immediately ordered his men to besiege the city and set up camp nearby to increase the psychological pressure on the enemy, waiting for dawn to attack.

Although his subordinates possessed many divinely gifted individuals who could manifest at night and were incredibly strong, it was absolutely impossible for them to breach the massive, thick city walls and gates in a short time.

Rather than going through all that trouble, it would be better to besiege the city and starve it to death, then build siege equipment after dawn.

Limited by the times, even with the divine gift of those who mutated by consuming flesh pills, Gongsun Zan, like other generals, did not break free from the current logic of warfare.

In his opinion, his brother was a bit too old-fashioned. He knew that the world was in chaos and that Zhuo Commandery was his base, but he did not Scorched Earth and even planted trees outside the city.

This was the first time he'd ever seen someone so eager to supply timber to the enemy. Weren't they afraid someone would steal their base?

Especially since they hadn't seen a single outpost along their journey, their impressive formation had gone unnoticed, and the city's defenders were utterly incompetent, acting like cowards and putting all their eggs in one basket.

Thinking of this, Gongsun Zan, who had already entered the military tent, burst into laughter, prompting his soldiers to ask, "Why is our lord laughing?"

"I laughed at my brother for having a kind heart but being rather unwise, not even understanding military law. If it were me, I would definitely set up a stronghold near the city walls, so that if one place is besieged, the other place can come to the rescue."

But my brother Xuande not only didn't send any troops to guard the area, he didn't even set up any outposts. He was so at ease after leading his men into battle. I don't know what he was thinking.

If it were me, I would definitely strike first and launch a surprise attack on their rear while we were still in the air. But now they are surrounded and don't even have a chance to get out.

So now it's Zhuo County that's besieged, not my Ji County."

"The protagonist truly possesses extraordinary wisdom and is destined to achieve great things!"

"Haha, don't flatter me too much. We must maintain a tight defense tonight and not let a single soldier escape to report."

"Promise!"

Meanwhile, in Ji County, Gongsun Zan's stronghold, a fierce battle was taking place—or rather, a massacre.

Under the bright moon and starry sky, one heavily armored figure after another brandished sharp blades, cleaving the enemies in front of them, along with their armor, in two. Every now and then, they would draw their firearms and kill the fleeing soldiers from a distance.

With the casting technology completely outdated, the arrows of the defending soldiers could not penetrate the armor of the soldiers from Ji County, and even their Captain could not pierce it; on the contrary, their armor would shatter at the slightest touch.

In just five years, Mordred had already developed a series of advanced technologies such as blast furnace ironmaking and hydraulic forging, and trained a group of basic workers.

By relying on healing the sick and saving lives to build good relationships, and with the support of supplies obtained from hunting with the Four Heavenly Kings Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Mordred, Mordred, who believed in the strategy of elite troops, created a full 1,000 beast-mutant warriors.

To make these soldiers even more powerful, Mordred not only enhanced their physical bodies but also equipped them with full plate armor, massive steel swords, heavy armor-piercing warhammers, and even muskets.

However, due to technical limitations, the gunpowder weapon only reached the firing point, but the ammunition was paper-loaded fixed cartridges. With a four- or five-fold increase in power, coupled with the physical attributes of the beastmen, it was completely overwhelming in this era.

With a single stab to the enemy's heart, and seeing the unseeing glare in his eyes, Chang'e did not hesitate and continued to Slaughter the enemy soldiers before her with extremely high efficiency.

As the earliest prototype modified by Mordred, Chang'e is the prototype of all the warriors of Ji County. Her Combat Power is not as weak as she appears. She can smash the enemy's skull with one punch. In times of crisis, she can also transform into a white-haired werewolf and become the second-stage boss.

Although she may not look like much, it depends on who you compare her to. In this era, she's already a powerful woman capable of uprooting a willow tree, and she can be compared to a blank Atlas.

As for why Atlas is a blank slate? That's because Atlas uses every trick in the book when fighting; he'll never engage in close combat if he can use ranged attacks, and he'll never face a direct confrontation if he can resort to underhanded tactics.

Those who work in logistics have few opportunities to go to the battlefield, and Atlas particularly likes heavy firepower coverage, going up to bomb the ground first, and then bombing it again.

When going out on missions, I'm always worried about not having enough ammunition, so I'm covered in magazines and only feel at ease when I'm carrying two ammunition boxes.

Even in a head-on confrontation, Atlas, clad in Daemon armor, can challenge opponents far above their level, swiftly and brutally killing them. Moreover, the longer Atlas lives, the more abstract they become; no one knows what secret weapons they possess. A sudden, Melta Bomb could even revive them, making them immortal.

The numbers are already quite high, but it's still a pay-to-win player, meaning there are relatively few of them. Otherwise, Atlas would have been the First Legion.

The Dark Angels is both savage and cunning, Atlas both cunning and savage. Unless they encounter unavoidable circumstances, they are both all-rounders with no weaknesses. Their only flaws are that one is obsessed and the other is silly.

The counterpart to Chang'e is Wu Gang, who is also the prototype created by Mordred. However, Wu Gang, a giant who is two meters tall and weighs 300 kilograms, does not match his appearance. He is an intelligent hero who likes to study medicine and loves poetry.

Because Wu Gang is exceptionally intelligent, he has always been Mordred's logistics manager and steward, holding the role of strategist.

But don't underestimate this 16-year-old boy. There must be a reason why Mordred entrusted him with guarding the house.

Looking at the streets littered with corpses, Mordred ate a biscuit while absorbing the wandering souls around him, and used his meager Fel Energy reserves to create Chaos Energy Crystal.

I don't know if it's because of his hypocrisy, but if Mordred had killed everyone in the city, he could have amassed a huge amount of crystals to power his Fel Energy engine. After all, in chaotic times, nothing is better than being a dog.

But his pride wouldn't allow him to do that. Since he had come to this era, he had to do something, just to clear his mind.

Russ has probably been beaten to his knees and taken away to be trained like a dog, but the Void Dragon has been sealed on Mars, so Russ is not in danger for the time being.

Since there's no danger, there's no rush. In this chaotic world, saving up for a few years will be enough. He's not one of those useless Daemon he can just chew up like snacks. If that bastard Russ could help Liu Bang end the chaos, then so can he, Venerable Mo.

The rising sun shattered the darkness, and after a night of Great Purge, all resistance forces in Ji County were wiped out, including the wealthy and powerful families who indulged in wine and women.

Those who should be killed were killed, and those who should be incorporated were incorporated. Over the course of five years, everything in You Province had been thoroughly investigated and compiled into a Book of Grudges, which was used to cleanse the city from house to house.

He left some men to govern Ji County. After finishing his breakfast, Mordred ordered his men to continue expanding their advantage. He wanted to completely rule You Province and turn You Province into a stable rear base.

Mordred didn't need to do these things himself. He spent so much money and employed so many people just to make things easier for himself. If they couldn't do it well, then he would let the capable people take over.

In chaotic times, the strongest army and the most powerful horses are kings. This is the advantage of low human rights: whoever can feed the people is the boss.

After years of being influenced by him, Liu Bei's team became accustomed to the way this "Dog Lord" acted, and soon someone filled the vacant official position.

Just like the Imperium of Man 40,000 years later, communication and transportation remain major problems hindering governance. No matter how powerful Mordred is, he cannot popularize radio or equip soldiers with trucks.

Moreover, even if you have a vehicle, it's useless. Why is fire attack so effective in this era? It's because the vegetation is too dense. The roads outside the town aren't even dirt roads; they're just paved by trampling. The surrounding area is wild land, and there are even tigers lurking around.

This is why ancient armies would fight tooth and nail for a city; on the one hand, if they couldn't capture a city, other cities would send troops to attack from the rear.

On the other hand, apart from cities and towns, most other places are wild lands, barren mountains and forests, and the kind that are particularly wild. Without manpower and labor, it would be of no use to conquer them.

So Mordred could only follow the Rome tradition, play the classic version of the game, and equip himself with a small horse as a mount, slowly making his way back to the base.

It took them three days to get there and a full week to get back. By the time Mordred and his men arrived in Zhuo County, two mounds of Jingguan had already been erected at the city gate, and there were traces of artillery fire everywhere.

"Your Excellency, we have not failed in our mission. This brat Gongsun dared to ambush us! What an arrogant bunch!"

"These idiots are just a bunch of brute the Beast without any wisdom. They probably don't know the power of my cannon. With me, Wu Gang, here to guard this place, they still want to climb the city wall and launch a surprise attack! I'll go up and blast these bastards to pieces with one shot."

"With the power of artillery, I taught these country bumpkins an unforgettable lesson."

Wu Gang's imposing physique once reminded Mordred of his brother Vulkan, whose arms were thicker than his own body, yet he wore a scholar's robe and considered himself a cultured man.

I don't know what kind of theory he studied, maybe it's physics, but if he can slap someone to death, then what he says is considered the truth.

But for Mordred, who was well-versed in Child Psychology, praise was necessary when it was due. He immediately praised Wu Gang lavishly and ordered him to continue recruiting soldiers and cultivating the land.

Not long after, while Mordred was crafting Ji County warriors and Fel Energy engines to build wooden airplanes, Angron, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, who had been away hunting for five years, returned with a group of men.

After five years of war, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were no longer the unemployed vagrants who used to fight in the streets. Instead, they had become local warlords, qualified to sit at the table and eat.

This is more than a hundred times better than Liu Bei's wasted life in official history. In addition, Mordred has already taken actual control of You Province, which is practically Liu Bei's territory.

In other words, by 194 AD, Liu Bei had already occupied a province, a start that had never been so promising.

Upon meeting, both sides were overjoyed. With Angron as their strategist, the three brothers had enjoyed a smooth journey and immediately began to recount their experiences over the past few years.

Taking this opportunity, Mordred also gave the three brothers a complete upgrade package, incorporating the elegance of a cat, the strength of a bear, the tenacity of a bull, and the wildness of a wolf—the more powerful the better.

Combined with the Faith they possess, emanating from the masses, their abilities far surpass those of ordinary people. Their numerical strength is absolutely guaranteed, and they are definitely stronger than those monsters mutated from consuming unorthodox flesh pills.

Perhaps for some kind of wicked sense of humor, Mordred also equipped the three brothers with several exclusive weapons after the stats were increased.

Because Liu Bei had a past as a swordsman, his swordsmanship was quite formidable, so Mordred prepared a Dragon Slayer Sword for him. If it were a sword, it would be too heavy, but if it were a tombstone, it would be too flimsy.

However, it was just right for Liu Bei, whose strength had greatly increased. Coupled with the jet-black armor that Mordred had tailored for him, all that was missing was Casca. And just then, Liu Bei also brought home a wife.

What was forged for Guan Yu was a Guan Dao, powerful and heavy, quite formidable!

In fact, logically speaking, no one in this era would use a weapon like the Guan Dao. Cavalrymen fought with spears or halberds; the Guan Dao only appeared in later generations.

But none of that matters. What matters is that Guan Yu, after being enhanced, can fully wield this Guan Dao, and Mordred even equipped him with two muskets, one long and one short.

With long-range sniping and short-range close-quarters ambushes, he's a skilled archer, so it's a good match for his profession.

As for Zhang Fei in the end, he naturally used the Ultimate Spear. His armor and weaponry were the same as everyone else's, except that he was specially given a few extra grenades to throw around.

When the equipment was placed before them, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were all amazed, praising the Venerable One for his extraordinary talent and unparalleled appearance, much to Mordred's delight.

The only slight drawback is that Zhang Fei is not very cultured and can't use elegant language; he can only say something like, "Me too."

"Sir, I brought a good friend with me on this trip. We hit it off immediately and share the same ideals, so I took the liberty of rescuing him from his predicament!"

"With you as our witness today, the four of us will swear an oath of brotherhood and restore the Han Dynasty."

"Oh? Such a hero? Since he's one of us, bring him in quickly. I want to see which hero he is. Angron, be serious. What are you laughing about in such a solemn occasion?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man of average height walked in and immediately bowed to Mordred: "Greetings, Your Excellency. My name is Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde. I now swear brotherhood with the three heroes. We do not seek to be born on the same day, month, and year, but we seek to die on the same day, month, and year."

"Oh dear!" Looking at the short, rich, and handsome man in front of him, Mordred couldn't help but feel worried for Liu Bei's wife, but she still acted as a witness for them, and the place where they swore brotherhood was the Peach Garden again.

Unofficial history isn't necessarily unofficial, but it's certainly historically accurate. The Oath of the Peach Garden went from three brothers to Peach Garden, and Cao Cao and Liu Bei became sworn brothers— How Could I possibly have such a dream?

But none of that matters. Since history has been completely altered, Mordred simply chooses to let loose and go for it.

While Mordred and Angron were engaged in a three-way battle for supremacy, a lone figure on Mars gazed at the barren landscape around them, lost in thought.

"Lightning, please take me back!"