Zhang Jue watched the man confidently lead the way, closely followed by a Lü Bu and a Seo Ye. ‘Such a foolish person,’ he thought. Did he know that his attempts to appear ordinary only made him more admirable? The question of whether someone would die for a person like him seemed redundant now, especially considering the loyalty of the two women, particularly the formidable warrior Lü Bu, following him.
Zhang Jue had always been intrigued by certain stars in the night sky, especially those orbiting this man. Among these were the star of blood debt, causing strife and bloodshed, and the calamity star, spreading ominous red light. The wandering star, never settling and drifting across the sky, now trailed him. Then there was the ordinary-looking small star, which had changed the destiny of all others – a compassionate soul unable to ignore the suffering of others.
‘Such a person…’ Zhang Jue mused, now dressed in plain clothes and without his mask, a slight smile on his lips. He had felt a sense of kinship the night he noticed another star following the ordinary one. Though he had spoken of leaving the city, Zhang Jue knew they couldn’t depart immediately without raising suspicions. Everyone else was engrossed in the battle against the Yellow Turbans, and an abrupt departure would look questionable. Additionally, leaving the battlefield without a commander’s order was desertion, and with the city gates tightly guarded, sneaking out was not feasible. They needed to wait and planned to join Zhang Liao at the government office first.
On their way, they observed Han soldiers battling the Yellow Turbans. Lü Bu, noting the scene, remarked, “There’s no need to intervene.” Her judgment was accurate; the Han forces were gaining the upper hand. Involvement could have brought unnecessary trouble.
Noticing the ‘Zhou’ character on the Han soldiers’ banner, I decided it was best to avoid potential encounters with certain individuals. Given my somewhat notorious reputation, it was wise to steer clear of these soldiers.
Lü Bu agreed with my decision to turn back. Despite the battle nearing its end, they remained vigilant and left the area. Shortly after our departure, the sounds of combat subsided.
Navigating through Geolrok toward the government office, I sensed something amiss. “Why are they following us?” Lü Bu asked, frowning. It wasn’t clear why we were being followed, and if they had recognized Zhang Jue with us, they would’ve acted more aggressively.
“What should we do?” I asked Seo Ye. She promptly met my gaze, ready to follow my command. When I sought her personal opinion, her suggestion was unexpectedly brutal: “Kill them all?”
Even Lü Bu, known for her formidable prowess, seemed taken aback by Seo Ye’s stark suggestion. I chuckled at her extreme solution and shook my head, “It doesn’t seem they’re attacking just for following us.”
Seo Ye accepted my decision with her usual calm demeanor. Then, a girl’s voice chimed in from behind, “I have a suggestion.” Hesitating to use her real name in public, she smiled and introduced herself as Jang Ye.
Understanding the need for discretion, I agreed to her alias. Behind Zhang Jue, two girls resembling him watched me closely. Jang Ye, familiar with Geolrok’s layout, offered her assistance, recognizing the potential trouble in meeting with this Zhou character. With Zhang Jue and his sisters’ insight, it seemed we might find a way to navigate through Geolrok discreetly, avoiding unwanted attention.
“Eventually, we’ll meet, but I’m not particularly eager for it right now.” Avoiding an encounter? I had a premonition that meeting would lead to troublesome complications. Why else would they be pursuing me so determinedly?
Hearing my response, Zhang Jue led the way with a light smile. The residential area of Geolrok, a large city, was a labyrinth of identical houses and countless interwinding alleys. “Living here, one would definitely get lost at least once,” I remarked. “Getting lost in this area is almost a rite of passage for newcomers,” Zhang Jue responded.
As we followed Zhang Jue through the maze-like neighborhood, the pursuing troops seemed to have lost track of us. “They gave up quickly,” I noted. “Well, with so many people around, it’s no surprise,” Zhang Jue replied. The vast number of troops in the area wouldn’t be deployed just to find one person in this convoluted maze… right? The thought alone was unsettling.
“We might as well face it,” I thought. If I have to meet, then so be it. “Why are they running away?” A beautiful woman, who would turn heads in any part of the Central Plains, looked puzzled. Another woman with indigo hair sighed, “Who wouldn’t run from thousands suddenly approaching them?” “Is that so?” the first woman wondered. The second woman shook her head, “Even Lü Bu, no matter how strong, can’t take on thousands alone.” “If it’s about escaping, it’s possible,” the first woman retorted, to which the second woman sighed again, “What strange thing have you read now?”
They discussed Lü Bu’s incredible feat of causing Yellow Turbans to fall from the walls with a single swing of her weapon. The second woman, despite leading troops herself, would hesitate to confront Lü Bu directly. “Indeed,” she finally admitted, “I was curious about the person Lü Bu follows.” The first woman, with silver hair matching her eyes, looked in the direction I had been. “Next time, I won’t miss.”
A sudden chill ran down my spine, and I rubbed my arms for warmth. Lü Bu asked concernedly, “Caught a cold?” “Doesn’t seem like it,” I muttered, glancing behind us. Though there was nobody there, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Could I have attracted unwanted attention? I reiterated to Lü Bu that I had no connection with Cao Cao. Really, none at all.
With a restless heart, I continued towards the government office.
