Chapter 388: Triumphing Over Heaven

「Two days later.」

Guan Zhi and Lu Fei did indeed arrive to offer their services.

Cao Meng was overjoyed. He took them by the arm and toured the garden with them.

The Cyan Moss Spring he had mentioned was truly magical. Nourished by its waters, the garden bloomed with flowers of every color, and the peach trees were heavy with fruit.

“Come, come, my worthy brothers, have a taste!”

Mr. Cao dismissed the maids, personally picked a plate of peaches, washed them by the spring, and brought them over. He then personally wiped them with his sleeve before handing them to the two men.

For someone of his status as the son of the County Captain, to go to such lengths was a true display of respect for worthy men.

An ordinary person would have been deeply moved. Coupled with the influence of his Flood Dragon Qi Fortune, they would have been ready to die for a lord who recognized their worth, pledging their unwavering loyalty.

Unfortunately, with someone else’s superior example already set, Guan Zhi and Lu Fei didn’t have much of a reaction.

“Our thanks, Marshal Cao!”

Guan Zhi and Lu Fei both cupped their fists.

The military structure of the Great Yu Army was as follows: five men to a squad, with a Squad Leader; ten men to a section, with a Section Leader; one hundred men to a company, with a Centurion; five hundred men to a battalion, with a Marshal.

Cao Meng’s father was the County Captain, and Cao Meng had benefited from this nepotism, becoming one of the four Marshals of the Nanzhuo County Army.

However, addressing him as Marshal carried a hint of distance.

‘Strange. Their attitude is a bit too cold, isn’t it? Something… doesn’t seem right.’

‘Are they just too arrogant, or did I overdo it and they saw right through me?!’

A flash of light passed through Cao Meng’s eyes as he laughed heartily. “Why call me Marshal? This isn’t the barracks. When we’re together like this, my worthy brothers, just call me ‘brother’.”

“Speaking of which, the County Army is about to march out and suppress some bandits. Having you two worthy brothers join me is like giving a tiger wings. I couldn’t be more delighted!”

“Well…”

Remembering the favor from three days ago when he bought his blade, Guan Zhi hesitated for a moment but ultimately changed his address. He cupped his fist and said, “We are ready to follow Brother Cao to achieve great things.”

“That’s right! I have some savings at home. I am willing to provide three hundred soldiers and fifty sets of Armor for Brother Cao.”

Lu Fei declared grandly with a wave of his hand.

Originally, according to the original plot, he would have bankrupted his family to support Cao Meng. But now that he had already pledged himself to Fang Rui, that was no longer possible.

“My two worthy brothers,”

Cao Meng covered his face, his voice choked with emotion. He could cry at the drop of a hat. “This kindness is as deep as the sea and as heavy as a mountain… How can I ever repay you?!”

…

‘This Cao fellow has no shame. He’s using his ultimate move at the slightest disagreement. But isn’t that supposed to be Liu’s Skill?’

Not far away, Fang Rui sat hidden beneath a peach tree. A colorless, translucent brilliance flowed around him. Wisps of fresh peach aroma transformed into threads of light, sinking into the gourd in his hand and making the wine within even more fragrant and mellow.

He hadn’t come to cause trouble today, but to witness—or rather, to verify—certain things.

‘Looks like the original Oath of the Peach Garden might not happen after all!’

‘This vow, unchanged by life or death…’

This “background music” played in Fang Rui’s mind as he watched with amusement, waiting for Cao Meng’s performance.

…

As the wine flowed and spirits rose.

Just as expected, Cao Meng spoke up. “My worthy brothers, I won’t hide it from you. The day I first met you, I felt an instant kinship, as if we were connected in a past life. Why don’t the three of us become sworn brothers today? We don’t ask to be born on the same day, in the same month, of the same year, but we ask to die on the same day, in the same month, of the same year!”

As he spoke,

he clapped his hands, and servants immediately appeared, carrying a pre-prepared incense altar.

—Two days ago, Fang Rui had said, ‘Within three days, you will surely have loyal ministers and fierce generals come to serve you.’ Cao Meng had naturally made preparations.

“Brother Cao, I…”

Lu Fei had chugged down two jars of fine wine and was already slurring his words. The more he looked at Cao Meng, the more agreeable the man seemed, and he was on the verge of accepting.

Guan Zhi stroked his long beard, watching Cao Meng’s earnest and sincere performance. He too was somewhat moved.

…

‘This is Qi Fortune clouding their minds!’

Fang Rui activated his Divine Technique, Emperor’s Gaze, and looked over. He saw the Flood Dragon Qi Fortune above Cao Meng’s head roaring, breathing out clouds and mist toward Guan Zhi and Lu Fei, continuously exerting its influence.

Seeing this,

his expression remained calm. He did not intervene.

‘Guan Zhi and Lu Fei are my men. But if they can’t resist the influence of Cao Meng’s Qi Fortune and swear an oath with him, they’ll start slipping from my control. I’ll have to adjust my future plans.’

This was a test, or rather, a verification!

‘I’ve done all that I can. Cao Meng is the Flood Dragon of Yuanzhou, favored by destiny. This round is a contest between human effort and fate.’

‘Will it be that human effort cannot defy fate, or will it be…’

Fang Rui’s gaze was profound.

…

Lu Fei was just about to agree.

But Guan Zhi suddenly thought of Fang Rui. He realized he was already a man with a lord, and the realization instantly dispelled the temptation in his heart. Calming down, he tugged on Lu Fei’s arm.

“Brother Guan, you…”

Lu Fei might look boorish, but he was actually quite shrewd. His eyes darted, and he too calmed down, swallowing the words that were about to come out.

Moreover, the two observant men had already noticed some oddities. For example, the incense altar for the oath had appeared far too quickly, as if it had been prepared in advance.

“Brother Cao, I appreciate the sentiment, but I am of humble birth and truly unworthy… I have some other matters to attend to, so I must take my leave for today.”

Guan Zhi apologized and stood up.

“Right, well, Brother Cao, I’m off too.”

Lu Fei set down his wine jar and followed him out.

“My worthy brothers, I’ve had too much to drink. I spoke rashly and offended you. My apologies! My apologies! Let me see you out…”

With bleary, drunken eyes, Cao Meng staggered as he saw Guan Zhi and Lu Fei out of the garden. “Another day, we’ll drink together again!”

After seeing the two men off,

he returned to the garden. His eyes instantly cleared, and his expression shifted rapidly. Staring at the incense altar, he suddenly shoved it over with a CRASH.

“What a pair of ungrateful fools! This is… This is outrageous!”

Cao Meng simply could not understand how his carefully laid plans had failed.