This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it
through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions
at the end of every chapter.
Chapter 2
Looking down at your mother one last time, you reply, "I do not believe the devastation was caused by the Shu troops. They were merely trying to protect their land from the invading Wu soldiers. I have heard rumors of the Shu Emperor's kindness, and I am going there to find out for myself if the rumors are true."
With that, you turn your horse away and begin trotting down the road, away from the destruction and away from the mother who has cared for you always. When you reach the bend in the road, you stop to turn back, but see that she is no longer there. You bow your head and promise, "I will return mother, I promise."
Several days' travel was not a difficult challenge for a man of your caliber, but coming upon Yi Ling in your journey, you see that it too had been ravaged by the war between Shu and Wu. The entire town looked desolate.
You approach wearily, unsure what to expect. There was a good chance that the inhabitants had fled, leaving a perfect breeding group for thieves and bandits. As you enter the gates of the city, suddenly an arrow slams into your shoulder, knocking you from your steed and penetrating deep into your flesh.
You cry out in pain as a group of robbers come out of the shadows and surround you. "Well well, look what we have here," the leader of the group says, smiling ear to ear, revealing his rotten, yellow teeth as he approaches you. "And to what do we owe this great honor?" He asks, his hand coming down to grab you.
Suddenly, a rider on horseback is seen coming up behind him swiftly, and before you can make out who it is, they swing down a massive spear, knocking the bandit leader away from you. You get up and see the man who has saved your life. Long, flowing black hair wipes around his youthful face and angular features. Surely, this is no ordinary man.
You pull your sword with your good arm as the bandits come rushing at you and the rider spins his horse around to come back for a second pass. It is a vicious fight, one that you would certainly not be able to win was it not for the mysterious horseman. At last, the last of the bandits is killed and the rider dismounts and approaches you.
"Good traveler," he says, "we must hurry back to my camp, for that arrow wound will certainly become worse if we do not remove it properly." And so, you go with the man back to his camp. As you ride, you learn that his name is Zhao Yun and that he is a General for the Shu Emperor Liu Bei.
After the arrow is removed, you go with Zhao Yun and tell him all about yourself and how you fought in the Yellow Turban Rebellion to protect the Han and how your village had been destroyed weeks prior, prompting you to join the war and help Shu unify the land. Over a hot meal, Zhao Yun tells of his master's kindness and how his cause is just.
The next day, the two of you set off for Cheng Du and are immediately taken into the presence of the Shu Emperor. He stands from his throne, ecstatic to see his General and meet his new guest. "I vouch for this traveller's integrity and valor my lord," Zhao Yun says. "They will surely make an exellent addition to our force."
Liu Bei agrees and then says to you, "Now is not the time to be lax, as much as I wish it were so. Wei remains a constant threat, even more so than Wu, whose viciousness you yourself have already experienced. I am sending Zhao Yun to Han Zhong to protect the city, but I am also looking for someone to go to Chang An and find a man named Ma Chao who my Prime Minister says will make another excellent addition to our force. In which of these missions do you wish to participate to prove your worth?"
What will you do?
If you wish to join Zhao Yun in the protection of Han Zhong, go to Chapter 5. If you wish to go to Chang An and find the man named Ma Chao, go to Chapter 6.
Chapter 2
Looking down at your mother one last time, you reply, "I do not believe the devastation was caused by the Shu troops. They were merely trying to protect their land from the invading Wu soldiers. I have heard rumors of the Shu Emperor's kindness, and I am going there to find out for myself if the rumors are true."
With that, you turn your horse away and begin trotting down the road, away from the destruction and away from the mother who has cared for you always. When you reach the bend in the road, you stop to turn back, but see that she is no longer there. You bow your head and promise, "I will return mother, I promise."
Several days' travel was not a difficult challenge for a man of your caliber, but coming upon Yi Ling in your journey, you see that it too had been ravaged by the war between Shu and Wu. The entire town looked desolate.
You approach wearily, unsure what to expect. There was a good chance that the inhabitants had fled, leaving a perfect breeding group for thieves and bandits. As you enter the gates of the city, suddenly an arrow slams into your shoulder, knocking you from your steed and penetrating deep into your flesh.
You cry out in pain as a group of robbers come out of the shadows and surround you. "Well well, look what we have here," the leader of the group says, smiling ear to ear, revealing his rotten, yellow teeth as he approaches you. "And to what do we owe this great honor?" He asks, his hand coming down to grab you.
Suddenly, a rider on horseback is seen coming up behind him swiftly, and before you can make out who it is, they swing down a massive spear, knocking the bandit leader away from you. You get up and see the man who has saved your life. Long, flowing black hair wipes around his youthful face and angular features. Surely, this is no ordinary man.
You pull your sword with your good arm as the bandits come rushing at you and the rider spins his horse around to come back for a second pass. It is a vicious fight, one that you would certainly not be able to win was it not for the mysterious horseman. At last, the last of the bandits is killed and the rider dismounts and approaches you.
"Good traveler," he says, "we must hurry back to my camp, for that arrow wound will certainly become worse if we do not remove it properly." And so, you go with the man back to his camp. As you ride, you learn that his name is Zhao Yun and that he is a General for the Shu Emperor Liu Bei.
After the arrow is removed, you go with Zhao Yun and tell him all about yourself and how you fought in the Yellow Turban Rebellion to protect the Han and how your village had been destroyed weeks prior, prompting you to join the war and help Shu unify the land. Over a hot meal, Zhao Yun tells of his master's kindness and how his cause is just.
The next day, the two of you set off for Cheng Du and are immediately taken into the presence of the Shu Emperor. He stands from his throne, ecstatic to see his General and meet his new guest. "I vouch for this traveller's integrity and valor my lord," Zhao Yun says. "They will surely make an exellent addition to our force."
Liu Bei agrees and then says to you, "Now is not the time to be lax, as much as I wish it were so. Wei remains a constant threat, even more so than Wu, whose viciousness you yourself have already experienced. I am sending Zhao Yun to Han Zhong to protect the city, but I am also looking for someone to go to Chang An and find a man named Ma Chao who my Prime Minister says will make another excellent addition to our force. In which of these missions do you wish to participate to prove your worth?"
What will you do?
If you wish to join Zhao Yun in the protection of Han Zhong, go to Chapter 5. If you wish to go to Chang An and find the man named Ma Chao, go to Chapter 6.