The Wind Carries Rumors
Zhaoling was quiet.
Not because the town had fallen silent from defeat—but from awe.
Days had passed since the battle, and yet the people still spoke of what they had seen. Word had spread from the farmlands to the taverns, from the watchmen to the blacksmith's son:
Lü Bu had stood against a warband.
The Iron Core had not broken.
The Red Wolf was no more.
Children mimicked soldiers with broomsticks, imitating the clash and cheer. Traders arrived earlier than usual, hoping to profit from a rising town. Some simply came to look at the walls, as if standing where Lü Bu had stood would lend them a piece of his courage.
But far beyond the borders of Zhaoling…
The capital had heard.
In the Heart of the Empire
The Imperial City of Xu rose like a coiled dragon in the east—its towers glinting like spears, its banners bearing the Emperor's seal fluttering high above marble courtyards. Behind its massive gates lay the heart of the Empire: ministers, generals, noble families, and unseen hands that shaped the realm with quiet cruelty.
In a shadowed hall, cloaked in incense smoke and silk, three men sat around a low table.
At the center was Chancellor Xuan Ren—a sharp-eyed man whose voice never rose above a whisper, yet could command a thousand blades. He read the letter again, sent by one of his agents embedded in the south.
"The boy," he murmured, "has become a symbol."
To his right, General Bao Jin, a battle-hardened veteran of sixty winters, scoffed.
"He's a child with a sword. Put a bounty on his head and be done with it."
But the Chancellor shook his head.
"No. This one is different. He doesn't just fight — he inspires. Men follow him not because of fear, but belief."
And to his left, a third figure stirred: a veiled woman whose presence silenced the room.
Lady Zhao Mei—spy mistress of the capital.
"We should send an envoy," she said softly. "Find his price, or find his weakness."
The decision was made.
Shadows Arrive in Zhaoling
That evening, as the sun set behind the hills, Lü Bu stood at the training grounds, watching his soldiers drill beneath the torchlight.
He said little. He rarely needed to anymore.
The Iron Core moved with precision now—shields in sync, footsteps thunderous, their lines sharp as blades. Even Hu Lan, usually the most reckless of them all, had grown into a leader on the field.
Behind Lü Bu, Wei Yun approached with a quiet step.
"A messenger arrived," he said, handing over a sealed scroll. "From the capital."
Lü Bu broke the seal with a frown. The letter was formal, overly polite… and laced with veiled threats.
To Lü Bu of Zhaoling,
The Imperial Council acknowledges your service to regional stability. His Majesty requests your presence in the capital to discuss matters of importance to the realm.
Declining this invitation would be… unfortunate.
— Chancellor Xuan Ren
Wei Yun scowled. "It's not a request. It's a summons."
"They didn't care about Zhaoling until we won," Lü Bu muttered.
"Now they come with sweet words and sharper knives."
🏰 Council of the Iron Core
That night, Lü Bu called his most trusted into the war hall—Wei Yun, Hu Lan, Old Teng, and two newly promoted captains from the ranks.
A map of the region lay spread across the table. Pins marked new enemy movements, supply lines, and nearby lords. The Iron Kingdom was still small, but it had begun to form bones—farms, militia units, watchposts.
"They want to swallow us before we grow," said Old Teng, tapping the capital's location on the map. "Better a chained wolf than a free lion."
"We can't ignore them," said Wei Yun. "If you refuse the summon, they'll send armies next."
"Then we fight," Hu Lan growled. "Again."
But Lü Bu remained silent. Then he slowly reached for a charcoal stick and drew a circle around Zhaoling.
"We're not strong enough yet," he said. "But we will be."
He looked at his commanders, each of them hardened by battle, loyal beyond reason.
"I'll go to the capital. Not to kneel, but to see our enemies with my own eyes. In the meantime, Zhaoling prepares. We train harder. Build faster. Dig deeper."
He rose, voice hardening.
"Let the capital see our strength. Let them remember—we are no one's pawn."
⚙️ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[New Quest – "Eyes of the Empire"]
Travel to the Imperial Capital. Navigate political threats. Protect your rising kingdom.
🔸 Quest Objective:
– Attend the Imperial Summit
– Identify potential allies and enemies
– Survive any assassination attempts
🏆 Rewards: Unlock new "Politics" skill tree, access to regional diplomacy, expanded Iron Core command options.
Before the Journey
In the morning, Zhaoling woke to find Lü Bu already at the gates—clad in polished armor, with Wei Yun at his side and a handful of elite riders behind him.
He didn't say goodbye. He didn't promise to return.
But the people watched him go with the quiet confidence of those who knew:
This was not a farewell. This was the march of a king in the making.
And in the shadows of the Empire, knives were being sharpened.