"Some battles are not won by plans.
Some must be won by presence."
The Walls Tremble
Smoke filled the morning air. The third day of the siege had begun, and Lady Mei's army was no longer testing the defenses—they were pushing hard.
A section of the outer wooden wall had been breached.
Enemy foot soldiers flooded through the gap, clashing with Iron Core troops in brutal, close-quarters combat. The defenders held—but barely.
Lü Bu stood atop the central tower, scanning the field with hawk-like focus.
"They found a weak point," Wei Yun said, blood on his blade.
"Then we show them it's not weak anymore."
Lü Bu turned to his soldiers.
"Prepare to counterattack. We're not holding anymore. We're pushing them back."
A Measured Risk
Zhaoling's strength was still limited.
Only 150 trained soldiers in the Iron Core.
Civilians armed with spears and crossbows behind them.
No reinforcements. No allies.
But Lü Bu didn't see limits. He saw opportunity.
He gathered his officers and laid out a daring plan:
Split the Iron Core into two wings.
Use Wei Yun's unit to strike the enemy's flanks.
Lü Bu himself would lead a charge straight into the breach to break their formation.
It was bold. Risky.
But it would buy Zhaoling time.
"We don't just fight," Lü Bu told them. "We lead. We inspire. Today, we show them what fear truly looks like."
🔥 Into the Fray
Lü Bu stepped onto the battlefield, his halberd gleaming, Iron Core soldiers behind him. The air reeked of blood and ash. Screams and steel filled the gap in the wall.
As he walked, the enemy saw him—and paused.
Just for a moment.
One moment was all he needed.
"CHARGE!"
With a roar, Lü Bu surged forward, halberd spinning. His strikes weren't just powerful—they were artful, trained, controlled violence.
An enemy captain rushed him—only to be flung back, chest crushed in a single blow.
Behind Lü Bu, the Iron Core followed, emboldened.
"It's him!" one of Lady Mei's men cried.
"It's the man from Heiyan Pass!"
Panic set in.
Discipline crumbled.
And the breach began to close—from within.
The War God's First Name
For the first time, Lady Mei herself appeared near the frontlines.
She watched through her spyglass as Lü Bu broke through the gap, his cape torn, armor cracked, blood smeared across his cheek—but standing.
"He's not just a rebel," she muttered.
"He's a storm."
She turned to her lieutenant.
"Who is he?"
"He has no noble name," the man answered. "They call him Lü Bu of Zhaoling."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Then remember it. I have a feeling the whole land will soon."
System Update
[SYSTEM QUEST – DEFEND ZHAOLING: DAY 3 COMPLETE]
✅ Objective Complete: Hold the Wall
✅ Bonus: Enemy Captain Defeated
🎖 Rewards:
Lü Bu's Tactical Rating increased
Iron Core Morale +20
Skill Tree Upgrade Unlocked: Tactical Mastery
⚠️ Warning: Lady Mei will now adjust her strategy.
Night fell.
Zhaoling still stood.
Fires burned in the distance, but the hearts of the people burned brighter. Farmers, children, and soldiers alike whispered one name under the stars:
"Lü Bu…"
In a quiet corner of the medical tent, Wei Yun stood over the wounded. His blade rested nearby, stained but unbroken.
Lü Bu entered, exhausted but focused.
"That's three days," Wei Yun said.
"And four more to go," Lü Bu replied.
He looked around at the injured, the weary, the defiant.
"If they think we'll break…
they don't understand what we're building."