The next day.
The Yellow Turbans were plundering a village they had barely managed to find.
[1. Defeat enemies. 15/5 (Complete)]
“Phew, thank goodness. I almost missed my daily quest.”
[You have completed all of today’s quests!]
[60 yuanbao have been awarded.]
“Thank you so very much for helping us…, benefactor!”
A middle-aged man with a completely bald head approached and kept bowing.
Was he the village chief?
“This old man is the chief of Wangjia Village in Puyang County. The villagers have prepared a small token of gratitude, so please accept it.”
The man held out a crude straw basket to me.
Inside were lumpy coins, dried meat, scraps of grain, and the like.
“…How am I supposed to eat this?”
“Pardon…?”
The village chief’s expression darkened.
Still, there were limits. I couldn’t just toss moldy dried meat into my mouth.
I took out an item from my inventory that had come from the gacha.
—Thud-thud-thud-thud!
“Meat is raining from the heavens…! What in the world is going on all of a sudden?!”
Today’s free pull was a complete failure.
Instead of equipment, I got meat meant as an affection gift.
——
[Item Information]
Name: Cartoon Meat
Grade: N
Durability: 10/10
Effect: Affection +1, relieves hunger.
Description: A dish made by roasting a whole pork thigh without removing the bone. It is rather heavy to hold and tear into with your hands.
——
I shook the basket this way and that, catching the meat falling from the sky.
“If it falls on the ground, it’s fine as long as you pick it up within three seconds, so just brush off the dirt and eat it.”
“W-what is…?”
The village chief was at a loss for words.
Explaining the system would only make my mouth hurt, so I handed the basket to the village chief.
“Ah, I’ll be taking the money.”
[You have acquired 49 coins!]
“Not only did you save our village from bandits, but you even gave us precious food… sob, sob, sob!!”
The old village chief wiped his tears and cried out.
“Benefactor! Please, stay the night in our village! The prettiest women in the village will do their utmost to serve our savior! And that is not all. I will submit a report to Puyang Fortress and make your martial prowess and merits known!”
The village chief bowed and cupped his fist.
“No need for thanks. Do you happen to know where the nearest village is?”
“…Eh?”
I checked the message displayed before my eyes.
[Check this week’s quests!]
[1. Defeat enemies. 20/50]
[2. Increase your fame. 0/50]
[3. Increase your military merit. 0/5000]
[Reward: 600 yuanbao, free pull ticket]
“Because of certain circumstances, I think I need to go to another village.”
“A-another village… Do you mean to say you are going to subjugate the remaining bandits in this area?!”
The village chief stared at me with a dumbfounded expression.
“Yes. Apparently, I still need to catch thirty more. It’s best to finish weekly quests quickly, you see. Oh, do you happen to know if there’s something like a recruitment office nearby? I need to build up military merit.”
“C-cough!”
The village chief’s eyes widened as he spoke.
“B-benefactor, you are truly a chivalrous hero! To offer yourself willingly for the sake of saving the realm…!”
“I’m just going to clear a weekly quest.”
“O heavens and earth! To think you have sent such a splendid hero to the land of Yan Province! Now I could die without regrets!!”
Fine.
I was Korean, and the village chief was Chinese, so it made sense that we couldn’t communicate.
I nodded twice and spoke.
“So where is the nearest village?”
The village chief pointed in a direction with his hand.
“If you follow this road east, you will reach Juancheng. They say the Administrator is gathering troops there to fight against the invading army, so please go that way!”
“Administrator? Who’s the Administrator?”
“The current Administrator of Dong Commandery is Cao Mengde!”
Hm…? Mengde?
Was he talking about Cao Cao?
“Benefactor! Please tell me your name before you go! I will go to Puyang Fortress and make certain your merits are known!”
“My name is Ian. My courtesy name is… nonexistent.”
It was then.
[You have subjugated bandits and made your name resound throughout the realm! Fame +5]
Oh?
So this was how you gained fame.
“You said east, right? Then I’ll be going now.”
***
As the chief of Wangjia Village had said, when I walked east, there were villages here and there.
Even if this was the world of MiSam 8, troubled times were still troubled times, so along the road to Juancheng, I was able to encounter all sorts of human figures.
“If you strip off those clothes you’ve got as a toll, I’ll let you live, keh-keh-keh!”
[1. Defeat enemies. 27/50]
“Thank you for preventing the destruction of our clan, my lord!”
“Yes, yes. Keep up the good work.”
[Your name has resounded. Fame +5]
“This village is completely ruined.”
A flock of crows settled atop the blackened ruins and ashes, cawing.
The corpses strewn here and there showed off the cruelty of troubled times as if on display, and not a single blade of grass remained nearby.
When I faced the ruins where the Yellow Turbans had already finished their plundering, a translucent screen appeared before my eyes.
[Sudden Event Occurred!]
[Would you like to collect and bury the abandoned corpses?]
[Yes / No]
“Hmm…”
It wanted me to bury the corpses?
Why bother? I had a long way to go.
‘Still, in a gacha game, there’s no way a choice like this would pop up for no reason…’
Usually, at times like this, it was practically a rule that they gave you a special title or reward.
Thinking I had nothing to lose, I pressed Yes.
—Scrape! Shhk! Pat!
I gripped my ring-pommel saber like a shovel and dug into the dirt.
It didn’t take very long to gather the corpses in one place and dig a pit.
When I covered the pit made in the middle of the village with soil and shook off the ring-pommel saber, a cheerful sound rang out as if it had been waiting.
[You have completed the Sudden Event!]
[800 yuanbao have been awarded.]
“Wow, it gives this much?”
With 800 yuanbao, that was a full five gacha tickets.
An effect of horse-hoof gold pouring down appeared.
If it was an event like this, I’d welcome it anytime.
Humming at the tidy reward, I began walking east again.
***
In front of a tent where a military flag bearing the character Cao fluttered.
“Next! Tsk, what’s with this bag of bones! You fail! Next!”
“What are they doing over there?”
“Hm? Are you asking me?”
“Yes.”
Since people were standing in a long line, I first quietly got in line at the back and spoke to the person beside me.
“Can’t you tell by looking? General Xiahou is selecting soldiers.”
I see.
‘If it’s General Xiahou of Cao Cao’s army, then it must be Xiahou Dun or Xiahou Yuan.’
Thinking I had come to the right place, I quietly waited my turn.
Waiting patiently was a virtue of a subculture gamer.
“Next!”
How much time had passed?
At the voice of an imposing female general, I stepped forward.
“Hm? You’re different from the others.”
The black-haired female warrior wearing a black eyepatch over her right eye slowly looked me over.
I knew at once who she was.
——
[General Information]
Name: Xiahou Dun Courtesy Name: Yuanrang Grade: SSR
Leadership: 92 Martial Might: 86 Intelligence: 57 Politics: 74 Charm: 86
Affection: 0/100
——
MiSam 8’s concise interface was displayed before my eyes.
Xiahou Dun.
Cao Cao’s staff officer and one of the closest aides Cao Cao trusted.
For reference, the black eyepatch over her eye was just an accessory, and the reason she wore it was simply because it looked cool.
“Your build and bones are ordinary, but you’ve got spirit. You brought a good weapon too. You pass! Show me your travel permit.”
“My travel permit?”
“Yes. A travel permit issued by the authorities. If you don’t have that, then at least state your origin.”
“Hmm…”
Which country controlled the Han River basin right now? Goguryeo? Or Baekje? It was definitely one of the two….
“I came from Goguryeo.”
“…?”
“So, uh… the Dongyi tribe? Yes. I’m Dongyi.”
“No travel permit, and your origin is unclear…”
Xiahou Dun suddenly drew her sword.
The people standing in line nearby screamed in terror.
“I cannot recklessly allow someone who may be a spy into the army.”
“E-eek! C-cough…”
“S-save me!”
All of a sudden, the people around me began rolling their eyes back, foaming at the mouth, and collapsing one by one.
Huh?
Looking at the people sprawled on the ground, I tilted my head.
‘…Why are they collapsing?’
Had they been standing too long under the blazing sun and all gotten heatstroke together?
I merely blinked and stared at Xiahou Dun.
Why had she suddenly drawn her sword?
“However—”
Xiahou Dun put her sword back into its scabbard.
“Even before the aura I released, your eyes remained upright and unwavering. You are no spy. Good! You pass!”
Xiahou Dun muttered a sentence I couldn’t understand.
What was Duke Huan of Qi?
‘Spring of the third year of Chuping, the gapja year, an incorruptible scholar? What does any of that mean?’
“Did you understand? If not for this unprecedented grace from my lord, you would never have had the opportunity to enter our army.”
I nodded.
At times like this, even if you didn’t understand, you said you did.
“Then can I build up military merit now too?”
“Hm? Well, that depends on what you do. Just shut up and take this.”
I looked at the piece of wood Xiahou Dun handed me.
“What is this?”
“It is proof that you are part of our army. Take it and go to the barracks on the left.”
It was then.
[An achievement has been unlocked.]
[Achievement accomplished! Please check the relevant details.]
“Hm? I got an achievement?”
I pressed the interface that opened in midair.
——
[First enlistment in Cao Cao’s Army 1/1: 800 yuanbao achieved]
[First enlistment in Liu Bei’s Army 0/1: 800 yuanbao not achieved]
[First enlistment in Yuan Shao’s Army 0/1: 800 yuanbao not achieved]
……
[First enlistment in Gongsun Zan’s Army 0/1: 600 yuanbao not achieved]
——
“They give yuanbao just for entering Cao Cao’s army? Wait, then doesn’t this mean I can do a ten-pull?”
“Hey, are you even listening to me…?”
‘Hold on.’
I looked at the achievements window.
[First enlistment in Liu Dai’s Army 0/1: 500 yuanbao not achieved]
This…
[First enlistment in Tao Qian’s Army 0/1: 500 yuanbao not achieved]
‘Isn’t this the perfect angle for an achievement run?’
I would repeatedly enter and leave office in each faction, gather yuanbao, and do consecutive gachas.
It was a perfect plan.
“Then I’d like to resign from Cao Cao’s army about now. Where should I go to say that?”
“…What?”
***
How strange.
“Just trust me and follow! Kuhahahahaha!!!”
Xiahou Dun had definitely laughed heartily and told me to follow her.
“What is it, Yuanrang?”
“I brought an interesting fellow, Mengde.”
——
[General Information]
Name: Cao Cao Courtesy Name: Mengde Grade: SSR
Leadership: 100 Martial Might: 75 Intelligence: 91 Politics: 94 Charm: 96
Affection: 100/100 (Max)
——
So why was Cao Cao standing in front of me?