New Three Kingdoms Tales: Starting as the expressionless Liu Bei

Going to Yuan Shu's side might put Gongsun Zan in danger. Going to Gongsun Zan's side might lead to trouble for Yuan Shu. Liu Bei rubbed his forehead and let out a sigh that only he could hear.

It's a dilemma, a real dilemma. Going is difficult, not going is difficult too.

The relationship between Yuan Shu and him goes without saying. The two had slept side by side in the same bed, and their bond was far beyond that of ordinary allies.

Although Gongsun Zan is a newly joined ally, Zhao Yun, one of his subordinates, will become one of his Five Tiger Generals in the future, and he himself will also become unpredictable and have extraordinary strength.

More importantly, these two individuals would one day become the most powerful warlords in the land. He couldn't afford to lose either of them.

As he pondered, Yuan Shu put down his wine bowl and spoke first. He looked at Liu Bei, his tone earnest and sincere:

"Xuande, you should go with General Gongsun. I have Mr. Yan Xiang by my side to advise me. As long as I don't act rashly and declare myself emperor, nothing will happen."

"Besides, have you forgotten? The will of Heaven cannot be defied. The two times you tried to change the plot, it was corrected by the will of Heaven. If you insist on changing it again, that great hand will surely press down once more."

Liu Bei looked at Yuan Shu with concern, and had to admit that everything he said made sense.

Fate is omnipresent; his two previous attempts had been abruptly thwarted. Yet, he still slowly shook his head and posed a fatal question: "What if Mr. Yan Xiang has also been corrupted by the strange entity?"

These words struck Yuan Shu and Gongsun Zan like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing them both to shudder. Indeed, what would happen if even Yan Xiang were corrupted by this strange influence?

The moment the thought crossed Liu Bei's mind, Gongsun Zan waved his hand and smiled reassuringly, "Xuande, you're far too suspicious. How could a wise man like Yan Xiang be corrupted by something strange?"

He picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, and slowly put it down, speaking calmly, "To put it another way, everyone's transformation into a monster is closely related to their storyline in the new 'Three Kingdoms'. Even if Mr. Yan Xiang was truly corrupted, his transformation into a monster would definitely help Brother Gong Lu, not harm him."

Yuan Shu nodded, then glanced at Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, who were fast asleep not far away, clutching their wine bowls. He turned back to Liu Bei and said:

"Xuande, aren't your second and third brothers also supernatural beings? You still managed to subdue them completely. Even if Master Yan Xiang truly transforms into a supernatural being, I will definitely find a way to control him and make him work for me. Don't worry."

Liu Bei nodded slightly, but his gaze shifted to Tang Xiaohu, who stood solemnly to the side with his hand on his sword. He pondered for a moment, then made up his mind: "Brother Gonglu, then I will temporarily lend you General Xiaohu to protect you."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu was startled and repeatedly waved his hands in refusal: "Xuande, you absolutely mustn't! If you give Xiaohu to me, what will you do yourself?"

"Me?" Liu Bei smiled slightly and spread his palms out.

"This is merely a feint of benevolence." A soft white light slowly emerged from his left palm, radiating a gentle and calm aura;

"This is merely a deception of righteousness." On his right palm, another ball of light appeared, exuding a dignified aura and concealing its sharpness.

"Brother Gonglu, I am no longer the unarmed Liu Bei I once was. Like General Gongsun, I am half human and half cunning."

Yuan Shu's pupils contracted slightly. His first thought was whether Liu Bei had been corrupted by something strange. But he dismissed the thought in an instant.

If Liu Bei had truly been corrupted, how could he have survived until now? Relieved, he clasped his hands in a fist salute and laughed loudly, "Congratulations, Xuande! You've subdued two strange creatures in one fell swoop!"

Gongsun Zan was taken aback at first, then clasped his hands and laughed, "Xuande, I didn't expect you to obtain your natal weapons so quickly: the Sword of Benevolence and the Sword of Righteousness. Congratulations!"

The two exchanged a glance, neither of them pressing for details about the strange couple's origins.

Both of them were shrewd men. If Liu Bei was willing to speak, they would listen; if he was unwilling, they would not ask. In chaotic times, this sense of propriety was the greatest respect.

Liu Bei nodded slightly, put away the two strange objects in his palm, and turned to look at Yuan Shu, saying solemnly:

"Brother Gonglu, you currently have no control over any strange creatures. I'll lend you Tang Xiaohu temporarily, so you'll have someone to rely on for self-defense. Otherwise, you might find it difficult to survive in this chaotic world."

Yuan Shu opened his mouth, but in the end he did not refuse again, and simply nodded heavily.

Zhang Fei, who was standing to the side holding a wine jar, listened to these words and suddenly slapped his thigh, laughing so hard he almost fell over. He shouted to Liu Bei:

"Brother, the more I listen to you guys discussing this, the more I want to laugh. Here's what I, Zhang Fei, have to say, I have a plan for you!" He shook his head, looking smug.

Liu Bei turned his head and looked him up and down curiously: "Third brother, you actually have a plan too?"

Zhang Fei's dark face immediately filled with defiance. He raised the wine jar, took a large gulp, wiped his mouth, and shouted:

"Brother, don't underestimate me, Zhang Fei! I'm a scholar!"

He hugged the wine jar to his chest, leaned forward, and chuckled as he revealed his "plan," "Gongsun Zan, why don't you just take your troops and go with my elder brother to Nanyang in Jingzhou?"

"Let's join forces to grow stronger. Then we'll form an alliance, with my elder brother as the leader, General Yuan Shu as the vice-leader, and me, Zhang Fei, as the vanguard general!"

As he spoke, he raised the wine jar high in the air with boundless pride, and thrust it into the air as if he were holding a ten-foot spear. Wine spilled from the jar's mouth, splashing all over him. He was completely oblivious, and continued to laugh loudly.

Guan Yu's expression darkened slightly. He reached out and patted Zhang Fei's shoulder, his tone stern yet tinged with helplessness: "Third brother, you're drunk again. Someone, help the Third General to rest."

Two soldiers rushed forward, one on each side, and grabbed Zhang Fei's shoulders, intending to carry him into the house.

Zhang Fei, however, nonchalantly struggled with his arm, his dark face flushed a deep purple, his eyes half-open and glazed, mumbling incoherently, "I'm not drunk, I'm not drunk... I can drink more..."

Seeing this, the group exchanged smiles, none of them taking the drunkard's drunken ramblings seriously. It was nothing but nonsense.

The smile on Gongsun Zan's face had not completely faded before it slowly disappeared.

He placed the wine bowl on the table, leaned slightly towards Liu Bei, and said in a low, serious voice:

"Xuande, your two brothers aren't exactly honest. If Zhang Fei loses Xuzhou and Guan Yu loses Jingzhou, those will be their 'great achievements.' You'd better keep an eye on them."

Liu Bei nodded, meeting Gongsun Zan's gaze. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve: "General Gongsun, I know all this. I will definitely rewrite this history."

He paused, then repeated, word by word, "Even if it means going against the will of heaven, I will."

Gongsun Zan nodded slightly, saying nothing, but sighed silently in his heart.

Going against the will of Heaven—these four words are simple to say, but putting them into practice is no child's play.

He, who had watched the new Three Kingdoms more than four thousand times, knew better than anyone the methods of the Heavenly Will.

He didn't want to discourage Liu Bei, so he simply picked up his wine bowl and said in an admiring tone, "Xuande is benevolent and righteous, I am no match for him," before tilting his head back and drinking the remaining wine in the bowl in one gulp.

Just then, a hoarse and chilling voice suddenly rang out from inside him.

"Hey, Xiao Zan. Do you want to possess Liu Bei's body? To become him?"

Gongsun Zan's pupils suddenly contracted, his throat churned, and he almost spat out the wine in his mouth.

He forced the mouthful of wine back down, and asked inwardly, with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty:

"What do you mean by that? Liu Bei is my savior. If it weren't for his help, I'd still be watching the new 'Three Kingdoms' in that dark, sunless void. How could I repay kindness with enmity?"

The starving creature let out a strange, eerie laugh, a laugh that was sticky and lingering, as if it were seeping from a crack in the ground.

It didn't answer directly, but instead spoke slowly in an almost seductive tone:

"Do you think I don't know whether you want to possess Liu Bei's body or not? You do. You dream about it! He is a man of great fortune, destined to establish the Shu Han dynasty. His future is limitless."

It paused, its voice growing deeper, each word striking precisely the softest spot in Gongsun Zan's heart.

"And you, Gongsun Zan, are merely a supporting character. At most, you will become a regional overlord, and then you will be crushed by the wheels of history, your body and soul extinguished."

"Even if you follow Liu Bei, how can you be sure he'll stay with you forever?"

"If one day in the future he throws you out as a pawn for the sake of the bigger picture, seizes your troops, and takes Zhao Yun from your ranks, will you still feel that today's kindness was worthwhile?"

The starving ghost's tone suddenly rose, taking on a sinister chill:

"In my opinion, Liu Bei is a great villain who appears loyal, a great hypocrite who appears genuine, and a hypocrite rarely seen in a century."

"To cooperate with him is like asking a tiger for its skin. When he achieves success, your fate will not be any better than that of Han Xin, Bai Qi, or Zhou Yafu."

"Now that he wants to go back to your territory with you, this is an opportunity that God has sent to you."

"If you miss this opportunity, you'll never have another chance."

"And as you just heard, this person is full of enthusiasm but still immature. After drinking two bowls of wine, he dared to boast that he would defy the heavens."

"Seeing someone like this possess such great fortune, you..." The Starving Ghost's voice suddenly became extremely soft, as soft as a feather landing on Gongsun Zan's heart, "Are you truly willing to accept this?"

Gongsun Zan remained silent. He simply raised the wine bowl slowly to his lips, the wine inside swirling slightly, reflecting a fleeting glint of shrewdness in his eyes.

He shoved the remaining wine in the bowl into his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he answered without saying a word, yet it seemed as if he had answered everything.