It Wasn’t a Martial Arts World, but the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 15: Pathetic

A deep silence fell over the room…

Both Haryeong beside me, and Zhang Yang, the Governor of Shangdang, kept their mouths tightly shut, as did I.

Zhang Yang’s face turned bright red, and though she tried to maintain her characteristic stoic expression, it wasn’t working.

“······Ugh.”

Her eyes trembled as she stared at Qing Niujiao’s head in the box, and she gagged once more.

To put it bluntly, we were living in chaotic times. It wasn’t unusual to see corpses rolling around here and there.

Especially for someone in her position, she must have seen far worse decaying bodies. Yet, she seemed completely unaccustomed to this sort of thing.

Still, I had to do what I came for.

“I have also prepared one thousand heads to offer as a contribution to Your Excellency. Please consider them as a token of my sincerity.”

“······One… One thou…!”

Whoa, she bit her tongue.

For a moment, her eyes welled up with tears, and then she spoke again.

“······First, please remove that filthy thing.”

I wondered if I should just shove it closer for fun, but I restrained the urge.

I closed the box and handed it back to Haryeong.

“Phew······.”

Zhang Yang let out a relieved sigh, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest.

It was strange how someone in her position, supposedly a warlord, could be so easily scared.

“Very well, I acknowledge your achievements. To have accomplished such feats in the treacherous land of Bingzhou within a short time is indeed commendable. However,” Zhang Yang said.

“Even so, I still find you… unsatisfactory.”

What the…? What more could she possibly want? What was so difficult about lending me her name? Did she just dislike me?

My patience was wearing thin.

Despite Haryeong frantically nudging my elbow to control my expression, my face was starting to twitch.

“······Wh-Why… do you look at me like that?” Zhang Yang stammered, trembling again.

“Th-The Mad Dog… Yes, the rumors must be true!!”

She suddenly jumped up and hid behind the back of her chair.

“Y-You there! This brute is trying to assault me······!”

What the hell is wrong with her?

I was too stunned to speak, and at that moment, Sugo, the guard I’d seen outside earlier, burst into the tent.

“Governor! What has happened?”

“S-Sugo! You’ve come at the right time… This vicious brute is trying to…!”

Sugo turned to look at me and sighed deeply.

If I got into a fight here, it was obvious I’d end up in a worse situation.

Given the current state of affairs, nothing would surprise me at this point.

However, Sugo unexpectedly showed no sign of anger and simply turned his back.

“Governor, please calm down. May I ask what exactly happened?”

“Th-They shoved a severed head in front of me to threaten me······!”

“It was likely just an act to display their accomplishments.”

“H-His expression…! That wicked expression he had!”

“He merely has a rough appearance.”

“Th-The Mad Dog…! He’s even called that! How do I know he won’t suddenly turn on us?”

“Please calm yourself, Governor. Did you not once say that people are like great trees, appearing withered on the outside, but their roots cannot be known until they are dug up? Was it not that reasoning that led you to take me in as well?”

“······Yes, that is true.”

Zhang Yang’s fervor subsided as she peeked out from behind her chair, casting a glance my way.

“······Did I misunderstand?”

Her tone had lost its earlier formality, and I quickly nodded.

No way was I going to allow myself to be labeled a rapist or murderer!

“······I must apologize for showing such a disgraceful side.”

Now she was trying to be formal again…

Her face flushed red with embarrassment as she returned to her usual tone.

“Regardless, I cannot lend you my name. To put it plainly, I still do not like you.”

“Well······, understood. I’ll be on my way.”

Fine, whatever.

I wasn’t interested in associating with someone like her anyway.

If I had known this would happen, I should’ve gone to the Governor of Henei instead.

I just wasted my time.

Who would’ve thought such a childish woman could hold the position of Governor?

Then again, in an era where bribery and corruption are rampant, how many people actually deserve the positions they hold?

With a sigh, I stood up.

Haryeong, clearly fed up, stuck close to me and turned to leave in haste.

“Please wait,” Sugo called, stopping us again.

“Now what?”

I asked.

“I understand that you have reason to be upset. I apologize. However, isn’t it best to resolve any lingering grievances?”

He whispered something to his master.

Zhang Yang listened quietly and then began mumbling…

What? Did they really distribute the prisoners among the people? Was that a mistake? What? They’ve already confirmed everything? Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?!

She kept nodding as she muttered to herself.

I didn’t care one way or another.

There were other options.

No guarantee of success, but in the worst-case scenario, I could just find another lord to serve under.

No need to cling to someone who didn’t want me, right?

With another sigh, I bowed my head.

“It was an honor to meet you, Governor of Shangdang—”

“Wait!”

Zhang Yang, panting heavily, looked up at me.

“I almost made a grave mistake. Unryong.”

“Excuse me?”

“I was rude to a hero like you. I sincerely apologize.”

She rummaged through her sleeve and pulled out a general’s badge, holding it out to me.

“So, I will ask you one last question. Why are you joining the coalition? For ambition? Loyalty to the Han Dynasty? Or do you have a secret goal of your own?”

The frightened expression from earlier was gone, and she now looked at me seriously.

Ambition?

Well, in a way, yes. I wanted to gain enough fame to ensure my brothers could make something of themselves. But I wasn’t really interested in raising my own name.

Loyalty?

After ten years of living in ignorance, how could I feel any loyalty?

I didn’t care what happened to the Han Dynasty.

A secret goal?

Sure, I wanted to become a supreme martial artist.

That was a dream every martial artist had, but it wasn’t the reason I was joining the coalition.

A reason, huh?

“Do I really need one?”

“······What?”

Zhang Yang looked at me with a blank expression.

“You can come up with any reason you want. Everyone has their own cause. But does there need to be a reason?”

I could’ve given her a noble-sounding answer.

Like defeating Dong Zhuo to protect the oppressed people or to restore peace and prosperity to the land.

But I wasn’t someone who cared about noble causes.

I was just a man who had been reincarnated by chance and was trying to survive.

Compared to the vast world around me, I was nothing more than a speck.

“Evil exists, so I fight. That’s not a reason; it’s the natural order of things.”

When you’re hungry, you eat. When you’re sick, you seek treatment.

“So no, I don’t have a grand cause. I’m not smart enough for that, unlike people of higher status.”

Zhang Yang remained silent for a while, simply staring at me.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable under her gaze, I glanced to the side and saw Haryeong, her face pale with worry.

“Brother······! Your speech······!”

“Oh.”

Damn it, that’s why uneducated people like me can’t be trusted.

Ten years of living as a beggar had left too deep an imprint on me.

Whenever I got too immersed in a situation, I slipped back into my old speech patterns.

What now?

This was enough to get me executed for being disrespectful, wasn’t it?

Should I just open the Gate of Opening and make a run for it?

That way, I might at least survive.

“Fufu······.”

As cold sweat dripped down my back, Zhang Yang suddenly burst into laughter.

“Yes, you’re right. You are absolutely right. There’s no need for a grand reason. Evil exists, so you draw your sword. I had forgotten that simple truth for a moment.”

She then stepped closer and personally placed the general’s badge into my hand.

“How could I possibly stand in the way of a hero’s path? If my humble name can be of help, I am more than willing to lend it.”

“Are you sure?”

She no longer seemed to care about my informal speech.

“In fact, I’d like to ask you for a favor. If I may be a bit greedy, I’d like to formally invite you to join my army…”

Her grip on my hand tightened.

“But we can discuss that another time. It’s not urgent.”

“Then······.”

“Yes, Unryong, please use my name. I look forward to the victories you will bring.”

I nodded.

Who would’ve thought things would turn out like this?

Honestly, I’d thought I was going to die today.

I glanced at Haryeong, expecting her to be just as pleased as I was.

However, she seemed unusually uneasy, her eyes shifting nervously.

“Um······.”

Her gaze was fixed on Zhang Yang’s hand, the one holding the general’s badge.

“Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but if you cling too tightly, I’m worried you might be troubling the Governor.”

“Huh?”

Zhang Yang, realizing what Haryeong meant, looked at her own hand and froze like a statue.

Her face turned pale, and white foam began to bubble from her mouth.

– Thud!

She collapsed unconscious on the spot…