"You are no longer the sword.
You are the hand that commands it."
The War Draws Closer
Three days after the ambush at Heiyan Pass, smoke rose in the far hills.
Scouts returned to Zhaoling breathless.
"They're coming. Thousands."
Lady Mei's main army had arrived.
Her forces included over 2,000 infantry, 300 cavalry, and dozens of siege engineers. Banners of crimson and black lined the horizon—more than Zhaoling had ever seen.
But Lü Bu didn't flinch.
Instead, he stood tall on the walls, watching the dark storm gather.
"The world finally notices us," he whispered.
"Now we show them why."
Preparing the Town
Lü Bu called a war council. The newly formed command team of Zhaoling gathered around a large wooden table, where a detailed map of the valley was laid out.
Wei Yun, as always, stood at his right.
Da Ren the blacksmith, now head of defenses, stood across from him.
Liang Mu, the healer-turned-chief of logistics, was keeping the civilian population ready for battle.
"They'll test our walls first," Da Ren said. "Then try to draw us out."
"Let them," Lü Bu answered. "We won't play their game. We play our own."
The First True Fortress
Thanks to the system, Lü Bu's town had changed drastically in the past few weeks.
[SYSTEM UPDATE – STRONGHOLD PROGRESS: 12%]
✅ Completed Upgrades:
Tier I Wall Reinforcement
Scout Corps (Active)
Training Camp (Level 2)
Barracks (Capacity: 150)
📌 New Unlocks:
Ballista Towers (Under Construction)
Resource Management Center
🎯 Strategic Buff: Zhaoling now grants "Home Defense: +10% Combat Efficiency"
Civilians were no longer hiding. They were participating.
Blacksmiths forged weapons. Farmers hauled stone. Teenagers trained in archery. Every hand in the town had a role—and every heart was on fire.
The people were becoming a nation.
The March of Fear
On the third day, Lady Mei's vanguard reached the outer ridge.
She rode at the front, dressed in blood-red armor, her face hidden behind a silver mask.
Behind her, a massive siege tower rolled forward—its wheels taller than a man.
She raised her blade and pointed toward Zhaoling.
"Burn it."
Her army cheered.
From the walls, Wei Yun narrowed his eyes.
"She's not wasting time."
"She can't afford to," Lü Bu said. "She thought we were ants. Now she brings fire."
He turned to his men.
"And we will answer with steel."
The First Clash
At dawn, war drums echoed.
Lady Mei's soldiers advanced, siege equipment in tow.
Zhaoling's gates were shut, the walls lined with archers and infantry, every man and woman ready to fight.
As arrows flew and catapults loosed their payloads, the battle began.
It was no longer survival.
It was war.
[SYSTEM QUEST: DEFEND ZHAOLING – IN PROGRESS]
Objective: Survive the siege for 5 days
Bonus Objective: Eliminate an enemy commander
🛡 Defense Readiness: 83%
🔥 Enemy Morale: High
💡 Civilian Loyalty: 96%
This is your first real test as a general. Your decisions will shape the future of your kingdom.
🎬 Final Scene
As flames lit up the night sky and distant war cries echoed from the trees, a young boy hid behind a stack of crates.
He watched Lü Bu walk calmly through the firelit streets, armor scorched, halberd in hand.
A villager ran past the boy, yelling, "That's Lü Bu!"
The boy whispered in awe, not to anyone, but to himself:
"He doesn't look like a man anymore.
He looks like a war god."