Surviving as Guan Yu in the Three Kingdoms

When we arrived near the gates of Linzi City, Liu Bei appeared from an unexpected place.
“Yunchang, I’m here.”

Did I hear that wrong?

Liu Bei should be preparing to cause a commotion with torches along with Taishi Ci and the people outside Linzi City at the right timing.

Why am I hearing her voice?

However, as if to confirm that I hadn’t misheard, Liu Bei spoke again.

“Yunchang, I said I’m here.”

A sigh involuntarily escaped my lips.

Why is someone who should be elsewhere according to the plan here?

“Lord Xuande, why are you here? You should be with Taishi Gongcao.”

Liu Bei answered confidently, without a hint of guilt.

“I didn’t want to stay outside alone while sending our volunteer soldiers into such dangerous work, right into the enemy’s mouth. And isn’t it good for boosting the morale of Liu Bei’s army soldiers to have me here?”
“Even so, tha…”

My head throbbed at this sudden unexpected action, but there was nothing wrong with Liu Bei’s words.

For me, it’s just carrying out a plan that I believe will certainly succeed, but for the other soldiers, it’s like crawling into a hell where thousands of enemies are encamped.

Everyone had silently protested, thinking this was madness, that it was practically going to our deaths, even if they didn’t openly complain.

Zhang Fei and I had struggled to coax and persuade them all the way here.

However, with Liu Bei joining us here, the soldiers’ thoughts would change like this:

‘Seeing our leader participating directly, this must be a plan worth trying.’

“Please show your face around to let the soldiers know that Lord Xuande has come to fight with us. And I’ll temporarily take command until we open the city gates.”
“Alright, Yunchang.”
“Your armor is quite conspicuous, so please cover it appropriately with something like a straw raincoat.”

Hearing my words, Liu Bei moved around various parts of the supply unit, showing her face while marching towards the gates of Linzi City.

Since we had given strict military orders not to make noise with the enemy nearby, they didn’t shout cheers.

However, we could tell that morale had improved by how each soldier’s steps and movements had become noticeably more lively and vigorous compared to before.

Honestly, I was quite relieved by the fact that Liu Bei had come.

It’s strange that I feel this way even though this isn’t a world from a novel or manga where being with the protagonist applies a buff that prevents defeat.

“Bring Huan Hu.”

At those words, the soldiers brought Huan Hu, who was sitting on a horse with his arms tied.

“Untie him.”

When his bonds were loosened, Huan Hu let out a sigh of relief.

“Just because your bonds are untied doesn’t mean you’ll survive if you don’t listen to us.”
“I understand, so please just spare my life.”
“We’ll spare you if you move exactly as we order.”

Huan Hu bowed his head several times as if overwhelmed with gratitude.

“Yes, thank you!”

I didn’t lie.

Our Liu Bei army has no intention of killing him, but he’ll end up in the hands of the Governor of Qing Province anyway, and his head will roll for treason then.

“Now, let’s hurry to the gates of Linzi City. We need to enter the city when the night is deep.”

**

Although the supply unit that had been led by Huan Hu, whose head had already flown by my hand, had loosened discipline, the gates of Linzi City were surprisingly strict.

They weren’t standing at perfect attention with spears at a 45-degree angle, but…

Judging by the fact that there were no sounds of dozing or chatting even while standing guard on the city walls at this late hour, these guys seemed extraordinary.

Zhang Fei beside me also shook his head and expressed concern.

“Brother Yunchang, isn’t this a bit dangerous? We might get caught if we’re not careful.”
“Just trust me. Your brother has it all figured out.”

I showed the military command token that Huan Hu had been carrying from inside my clothes.

With this, I’m confident I can break through no matter who’s on night duty guarding the gate.

‘This is the all-purpose master key.’

“It’s the military command token that Huan Hu was carrying. With this, even if I act as Huan Hu, most people won’t be able to tell the difference.”

Even in the 21st century Korean army, you can pass through a sentry’s checkpoint and enter the base if you know the password.

Showing a military command token, which is even more certain than a password, makes it even more definite.

“I got it, brother.”

Then I put the military command token inside my clothes and approached the gates of Linzi City.

“Stop, stop! Who are these suspicious fellows?”

We are indeed suspicious fellows, but we can’t just say we’re volunteering under the Governor of Qing Province.

“I am Huan Hu, serving as an Instructor under the Left Commander of Jinan! The one beside me is my deputy She Shang, and we’ve come to supply Linzi City with provisions, weapons, and horse feed on the Left Commander’s orders. Open the gate quickly!”

The soldiers on top of the city gate responded with disciplined voices.

“Ah! So it’s Instructor! Please wait a moment!”

Just listening to how they spoke, it seemed like they might open the gate right away, but I guess these guys had also received strict warnings?

The gate opened slightly, and officers and soldiers wearing armor, albeit shoddily, popped out from above.

Ah, this is unexpectedly strict discipline?

“I am Dun Zhang Lin Shou, in charge of guarding the north gate of Linzi City! You must have had a hard journey coming from afar!”

Hearing those words, I pondered for a very brief moment about what posture to take.

I recalled the regimental commander who spoke smoothly while checking once at the guard post, then went around breaking through other company guard posts to inspect the state of guard duty.

For me, it’s a fairly good memory because I managed to avoid a crisis and even received a vacation pass thanks to responding according to the field manual just in case…

Who would have thought I’d use this memory again.

“It’s my duty, so of course I must do it. But I see the military discipline is very strict, which I like very much.”
“Thank you! Then please show me the military command token.”

At those words, I immediately took out the military command token and showed it.

The Dun Zhang nodded after seeing the official seal on the military command token I showed.

“Open the gate!”

The gates of Linzi City opened.

“You can enter now.”
“Before that, there’s one thing I’d like to ask. Where are the armory and food storehouse in this city?”

The Dun Zhang tilted his head upon hearing my words.

“For that, you should enter the city first, report to the Jinan Lord or the Left Commander, and receive instructions on which warehouse to put things in. Why are you asking me about this?”

In principle, that would be correct.

I would have really appreciated having such a by-the-book principled person under my command, but when meeting them as enemies, these types of people are the most annoying.

If I answer incorrectly here, he might realize that I’m not Huan Hu, but someone who killed Huan Hu and took his military command token.

Then all of Liu Bei’s army here would be massacred.

I need to use the tantrum-throwing tactics of those useless senior officers I learned about in the army.

“We can’t wake up the Left Commander at this hour, so if we’re not careful, we’ll have to hold onto all these supply materials until dawn breaks. Then we won’t be able to rest properly. Don’t you agree?”
“That’s true, but the principle…”

I grabbed his shoulder and acted as if I were his superior.

“Shouldn’t people be a bit more flexible? My supply unit and I feel like we’re about to die after traveling mountain roads for two weeks already. So we want to unload our cargo at the armory and food storehouse as soon as possible and rest. Wouldn’t the Left Commander overlook this much? Besides, I’ve already proven that I’m an Instructor under the Left Commander by showing you the military command token just now, so why are you talking so much?”
“No, that’s true, but…”
“I was pleased to see you standing guard so well, and I went along with all your subordinates because it’s also the Jinan Lord’s order. But to think you can’t even do this much, just how narrow-minded is your superior, the Military Rear?”

If the guy in front of me now is at the company commander level, the Military Rear is at the battalion commander level, and my position is at the regimental commander level.

Moreover, this Three Kingdoms era is a world full of absurdities where not only is it normal for soldiers to criticize their superiors, but even beating them with a stick for minor mistakes can be considered legitimate discipline.

So that Dun Zhang would probably think I could beat him so badly that he’d rather die if I decided to do so.

“This won’t do. I can’t stand it anymore. I might have to sleep hugging the supplies in the city until dawn tomorrow, but when I wake up, I’ll be sure to mention your name to the Left Commander and tell him about the poor treatment I received today.”

If an Instructor is a colonel, then his superior, the Left Commander, is a ‘star’ (general).

The Dun Zhang answered while sweating profusely.

“I’m sorry for inconveniencing you, Instructor, who holds the military command token. The food storehouse is in the large building to the left of this north gate, and the armory is right near Military Rear Qi Zhao’s camp!”

Hearing that, I grumbled as I went inside.

“People should be more flexible. What a stubborn fellow.”