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 6
"I know the importance of gaining powerful allies," you reply to Liu Bei. "I will leave at once for Chang An and bring this man Ma Chao to you. Hopefully, the quality of this stranger's skill will accord with your minister's expectations."
Liu Bei smiles at you, quite astounded with your forthrightness. "I assure you that my Prime Minister's expectations will be met. When you meet Zhuge Liang and understand his ability to foresee the future, you will agree with me. Hurry though in your mission. No time can be wasted."
You leave that very day for Chang An, and upon reaching the city limits, you begin asking around about the man named Ma Chao. After an hour of this invesigation, you are suddenly surrounded outside the city tavern by soldiers and placed under arrest.
"I demand to know the charges against me," you say, backing away and trying to determine if you can escape from the small detachment of soldiers.
"You've been snooping around in the wrong city stranger," the leader of the soldiers replies in a rough voice. "Do not try to escape," he says as if reading your very thoughts. "You are completely surrounded."
Sure enough, you turn around to look and see even more soldiers coming around the corner of the tavern. There is no escape. You allow yourself to tied up and put in the back of a jailer's carriage and taken to the city's palace.
After waiting in a prison cell for over and hour, you are finally taken to the palace's courtroom, which is set up more like a war room, than a place to conduct court. "This is the man who's been snooping around," the guard says to a certain young man who had previously been looming over a map of the region, plotting a military campaign.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" The man asks, coming forward from the group of men he was surrounded by. Immeditately, you can tell that the young man is no ordinary person. His eyes contain some unknown fierceness, like the eyes of a predator on the hunt. His armor is like that of some mythologic creature, gold from head to toe.
"Ma Chao," you say, realizing immediately that this is the man who you were sent to find. You tell him your name and then explain to him why you had come. "My lord, Liu Bei, has heard rumors of your prowess and skill in battle. Though he has only recently settled into Cheng Du and declared a kingdom of his own, he is a man of integrity and honor - a man truely worthy to be served. I have come to ask you to join him in his struggle to restore the Han."
Without hesitating, Ma Chao responds, "I know of this man Liu Bei, and at once time I would have jumped at the chance to serve one such as he. Events have transpired though that have altered the nature of my desires. Restoring China no longer concerns me... My only goal in this life is to extract revenge against that most detestable tyrant known as Cao Cao."
"Your desires match those of my lord's," you say quickly hoping to change his mind.
"Than let him follow me," Ma Chao shoots back, anger distorting the youthful features of his face. Obviously, there would be no changing this man's mind. Quiet for a moment, Ma Chao composes himself and than says, "You serve your master well stranger, and I can tell that indeed, Liu Bei is skilled at attracting able men. Perhaps, if circumstances were different, I could have aquired you for myself, but I will not insult you by asking you to join me."
He turns away, but it is quite apparent to you that it was his way of asking you if you would join him in his battle against Cao Cao. Ma Chao was obviously in the last stages of planning an all out offensive against Cao Cao. You think for a moment of what you should do. Liu Bei's kindness was what drew you to him and if you left now, you would still be able to join up with Zhao Yun in Han Zhong. But in this young man, you sense a determination and single-minded focus that you truely admire. You've made your decision...
Will you join Ma Chao?
If you wish to leave Ma Chao and go to Han Zhong to help Zhao Yun instead, go to Chapter 11
If you wish to abandon Shu for now and join Ma Chao against Cao Cao, go to Chapter 12
Chapter 6
"I know the importance of gaining powerful allies," you reply to Liu Bei. "I will leave at once for Chang An and bring this man Ma Chao to you. Hopefully, the quality of this stranger's skill will accord with your minister's expectations."
Liu Bei smiles at you, quite astounded with your forthrightness. "I assure you that my Prime Minister's expectations will be met. When you meet Zhuge Liang and understand his ability to foresee the future, you will agree with me. Hurry though in your mission. No time can be wasted."
You leave that very day for Chang An, and upon reaching the city limits, you begin asking around about the man named Ma Chao. After an hour of this invesigation, you are suddenly surrounded outside the city tavern by soldiers and placed under arrest.
"I demand to know the charges against me," you say, backing away and trying to determine if you can escape from the small detachment of soldiers.
"You've been snooping around in the wrong city stranger," the leader of the soldiers replies in a rough voice. "Do not try to escape," he says as if reading your very thoughts. "You are completely surrounded."
Sure enough, you turn around to look and see even more soldiers coming around the corner of the tavern. There is no escape. You allow yourself to tied up and put in the back of a jailer's carriage and taken to the city's palace.
After waiting in a prison cell for over and hour, you are finally taken to the palace's courtroom, which is set up more like a war room, than a place to conduct court. "This is the man who's been snooping around," the guard says to a certain young man who had previously been looming over a map of the region, plotting a military campaign.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" The man asks, coming forward from the group of men he was surrounded by. Immeditately, you can tell that the young man is no ordinary person. His eyes contain some unknown fierceness, like the eyes of a predator on the hunt. His armor is like that of some mythologic creature, gold from head to toe.
"Ma Chao," you say, realizing immediately that this is the man who you were sent to find. You tell him your name and then explain to him why you had come. "My lord, Liu Bei, has heard rumors of your prowess and skill in battle. Though he has only recently settled into Cheng Du and declared a kingdom of his own, he is a man of integrity and honor - a man truely worthy to be served. I have come to ask you to join him in his struggle to restore the Han."
Without hesitating, Ma Chao responds, "I know of this man Liu Bei, and at once time I would have jumped at the chance to serve one such as he. Events have transpired though that have altered the nature of my desires. Restoring China no longer concerns me... My only goal in this life is to extract revenge against that most detestable tyrant known as Cao Cao."
"Your desires match those of my lord's," you say quickly hoping to change his mind.
"Than let him follow me," Ma Chao shoots back, anger distorting the youthful features of his face. Obviously, there would be no changing this man's mind. Quiet for a moment, Ma Chao composes himself and than says, "You serve your master well stranger, and I can tell that indeed, Liu Bei is skilled at attracting able men. Perhaps, if circumstances were different, I could have aquired you for myself, but I will not insult you by asking you to join me."
He turns away, but it is quite apparent to you that it was his way of asking you if you would join him in his battle against Cao Cao. Ma Chao was obviously in the last stages of planning an all out offensive against Cao Cao. You think for a moment of what you should do. Liu Bei's kindness was what drew you to him and if you left now, you would still be able to join up with Zhao Yun in Han Zhong. But in this young man, you sense a determination and single-minded focus that you truely admire. You've made your decision...
Will you join Ma Chao?
If you wish to leave Ma Chao and go to Han Zhong to help Zhao Yun instead, go to Chapter 11
If you wish to abandon Shu for now and join Ma Chao against Cao Cao, go to Chapter 12