As he climbed, he started cursing under his breath.
The target of his cursing? None other than that old fox, Zhang Yingjun!
Once he reached the city wall's edge, Liu Yuan finally understood: Zhang Yingjun had entrusted him with the arduous task of delivering the letter.
Aside from him—holder of the Newbie Protection Token—no one else could leave Liang City at all!
A whole damn army of Li Yuanba stationed outside?
What utter nonsense!
Damn it! If he'd known it would be like this, he would've demanded more conditions upfront!
And now? All he got in return was that measly "Taiping Essentials Technique"?
Forget it. It'll have to do for now!
Once outside Liang City, Liu Yuan pulled out the map Zhang Yingjun had given him.
Ping City lay seventy li east of Liang City, separated by a stretch of mountains.
Normally, an official road connected the two cities, making travel convenient.
But now, even if the road was open, Liu Yuan wouldn't take it—not for a million gold coins!
Twenty li eastward lay the very mountain range where Zhang Yingjun had claimed Li Yuanba's army was stationed.
"That old guy hasn't even been outside and still swears there's an army in those mountains?"
"Doesn't matter who else believes it—this young master sure doesn't!" Liu Yuan straightened his back, face full of disdain.
Then, without hesitation, he took his first step forward.
He would take a detour around the mountains—head north and circle five more li—just to avoid them!
This wasn't cowardice!
This was all for Liang City!
All for that old fox, Zhang Yingjun!
If this young master dies, how would Liang City survive?
He had to be careful. Extremely careful!
Not because he was afraid of dying!
But because this young master bore the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens on his back!
So said Liu Yuan in his heart, his face unwavering as he headed northeast—feeling not the slightest bit ashamed.
Shame? Fear?
That was kid stuff.
Adults call it prudence!
What Liu Yuan didn't know, though, was that this very prudence would be what saved his life.
As Zhang Jiao's biological father, Zhang Yingjun naturally possessed secret arts from the Taiping Essentials Technique.
One of those secret arts was Qi-Sensing!
It was thanks to this technique that Zhang Yingjun, even while within the walls of Liang City, could accurately sense the position of enemy troops outside.
That was the reason behind his earlier warning.
——
Twenty li east of Liang City, in the heart of the mountain range.
Within the woods, trees had been felled to make camp. Shadows moved all around. Countless soldiers stood upright, all eyes fixed on the central command tent.
Inside the tent, Li Yuanba sat, a golden saber strapped to his side. Beside him lay his signature eight-spoked copper hammers. With his dark skin and burly build, he looked like a black iron tower.
"Any movement from Liang City?" Li Yuanba asked in a low voice.
A hunched figure slowly stepped forward into the light.
This was Zhang Song.
Though aged and graying, his sharp eyes gleamed like those of a predator.
If Liu Yuan had been there, he would've been shocked.
Zhang Song—an advisor from the Three Kingdoms era—was known for his intelligence and photographic memory. Historical records praised him for presenting strategic maps that helped Liu Bei seize Ba Shu.
A renowned figure in history, and now, in-game, a deeply cunning strategist.
"No movement so far, my lord," Zhang Song said with a respectful bow.
"However, while Liang City remains quiet, your lordship can still prepare."
"Prepare?" Li Yuanba's eyes glinted with suspicion as he looked toward Zhang Song.
Zhang Song pulled out a sheepskin scroll and unfolded it—a detailed map of the region.
He pointed to two spots on the map—one to the south, one to the north.
Both were narrow mountain paths!
"This is…" Li Yuanba frowned. He recognized them as minor roads leading from Liang City to Ping City and Bao City.
But why choose such treacherous trails?
The official roads were wide and fast—ideal for controlling traffic. Wouldn't it make more sense to block those?
Currently, the Yellow Turban Army stood strong, controlling numerous counties. But only three cities held true strategic value:
Liang City, Bao City, and Ping City!
These three were guarded respectively by the three Yellow Turban leaders:
Zhang Liang, the General of Men.
Zhang Bao, the General of Earth.
Zhang Jiao, the General of Heaven.
Each stationed at one of the three, forming a defensive triangle. Together, they formed the very heart of the Yellow Turban Army.
Sensing Li Yuanba's hesitation, Zhang Song explained:
"My lord, though Liang City is formidable, maintaining such a strong defensive barrier requires immense energy. It can't last forever. At most, it buys time."
"In my humble opinion, if you wish to take Liang City, there are two essential strategies."
"First: Hide your strength, bide your time. When the moment comes—strike like thunder and break the city in one blow."
"Second: Monitor all sides. Cut off their lines of communication. Block any incoming or outgoing messengers. Meanwhile, prepare your own forces to relocate. If Ping or Bao City sends reinforcements, you can retreat unharmed."
Li Yuanba nodded slowly.
"So these two locations are to sever communication between Liang City and the other two cities?"
"Exactly," Zhang Song confirmed with a nod. "The official road is fast, yes—but too obvious. Send a squad of a few dozen to stop messengers, and they'd likely fail."
"But the narrow paths are winding and full of forks. Blocking them completely would require hundreds of men."
"Very well! We'll go with your plan!" Li Yuanba declared, slamming his palm down and calling a guard to carry out the orders.
Soon after, two contingents of several hundred soldiers each were dispatched—one south, one north.
And one of those contingents was heading straight toward Liu Yuan's chosen northeastern route…
——
Several hours later, night fell. The sky was clear, with stars sparse and the moon bright.
Silver moonlight spilled over the landscape like a delicate veil.
A shadow dashed across the ground, limbs pumping furiously.
It was Liu Yuan.
Taking advantage of the night, he sprinted nonstop, unwilling to waste even a second.
Tired?
Since when did gamers get tired?
At worst, they just run out of stamina.
And how do you deal with that?
Pills, of course!
When Liu Yuan felt his energy beginning to drop, he flicked his wrist and popped a pill straight into his mouth. Within seconds, his stamina was back, and he was on the move again.
"Good thing I'm smart," he muttered to himself. "Before leaving, I got that old man to reimburse me for a pile of pills. Otherwise, with the rate I'm burning through them, I'd be bankrupt in minutes!"
If he remembered correctly, the game had only just launched. Most players were still struggling at level one or two.
Alchemists were rare enough. Actual Pill Masters? Practically nonexistent.
Basic potions for health and stamina were already going for dozens of Jiuzhou Coins per bottle on the forums and in auctions.
And the pills he was popping now? Higher tier stuff.
This wasn't just chugging potions.
This was burning cash!
Hardcore microtransactions!
Good thing it wasn't his money.
So of course he didn't feel the pain. Not one bit.
Liu Yuan even took the half-dissolved pill from his mouth and saved it in his hand.
All medicine had side effects. Best to use sparingly. This stuff was basically money!
Suddenly, his pace slowed.
Moving through the woods, he used the faint moonlight to scan ahead—and spotted several figures.
One of them carried a large flag on his shoulder.
On that flag, one bold character was embroidered.
Liang!