Chapter 486: Old Friends Journey South Through Endless Rain

At the start of the eighth month, the autumn rains across the Qingzhou-Xuzhou region grew ever more frequent and unrestrained.

The situation was dire, for it meant that a reduced autumn harvest in the Qingzhou-Xuzhou region was now a certainty, and very likely a large-scale reduction at that — and the grave implications of a harvest failure in an agrarian society need no elaboration. One could almost picture the chaos that would erupt in this region, already locked in military stalemate, after such a disastrous harvest season.

Yet from a rather unconventional angle, this seemed almost a good thing, for under such conditions the efficiency of military operations would likely be greatly diminished... The rains, the mountainous terrain, the two great rivers swelling as they ran parallel through Langya Commandery and Donghai Commandery, combined with the scarcity of supplies, all seemed to rob the Langya area of any possibility of large-scale battle.

It was amid this unending drizzle that Guo Jia, leading a "consolation delegation" of about a hundred, escorted by two companies of armored soldiers — over five hundred men in total — marched boldly into Langya Commandery through the rain, flying the banners of Guan Yu and Shen Pei.

The first two days were unremarkable, because the situation in Langya Commandery was a little too pragmatic... The territory here was in fact divided and controlled by a pack of native Qingzhou-Xuzhou warlords according to topographical features, rather than administered according to the previous administrative divisions. For instance, the key town of Zengguo County on the west bank of the Wushui River in southern Langya (the area east of later-day Zaozhuang) was currently garrisoned and controlled by a man named Hao Pu with two thousand troops; this man was a subordinate general of Liu Bei, now under Xiahou Dun's unified command. By the same logic, the northernmost part of Langya, namely Gumu County north of the Jiwu Mountains, had long since been carved away by General Guan Zhendong on his own authority.

The strategically vital Jiwu Mountains were, in truth, the dividing line between those so-called Qingzhou-Xuzhou Taishan overlords like Zang Ba and the core territory of Hebei.

What was interesting, however, was that Guo Jia, traveling through his own territory with a group of overt and covert scouts plus four hundred armored soldiers, could actually be followed... And so, after confirming this without a doubt, Guo Fengxiao crossed the Jiwu Mountain pass, simply sent the main force ahead, and hid himself with only a few dozen men inside the pass checkpoint, successfully capturing the man.

But when he saw who it was, he found it rather amusing, for he knew this person, and from a certain angle, the two of them had quite a bit of history and connection.

"Yuanzhi, I trust you've been well since we last parted."

After recognizing the man, Guo Jia paused briefly, then continued sitting cross-legged on the couch, drinking to warm himself, while signaling the pass commander here to untie the prisoner. Beyond that, he made no gesture, appearing rather discourteous.

On the other side, Xu Shu, soaked through, showed not the slightest surprise or alarm after being untied, nor any anger. Instead, he shook his head in self-mockery: "I should have realized. A choke point as critical as the Jiwu Mountain pass — though its commander nominally belongs to Wu Dun, he would long since have been won over by you, the Deputy Commissioner of the Jing'an Office."

Having removed his crown and wearing his hair simply tied back like a horse's tail, Guo Jia shook his head repeatedly, as if mocking the other for realizing it too late, yet gestured for him to come onto the couch and drink: "Yuanzhi, come warm yourself... And tell me, where have you been before this, why are you here now, and why were you following behind me?"

Xu Yuanzhi, having once been a bandit himself, how could he mind the other's casual insolence? He simply came forward directly, drank with Guo Jia to warm himself, and gave a rough account of the reasons for his journey.

As it turned out, after Xu Yuanzhi had arrived in Yecheng that day with Lu Su, Chen Deng, and Guo Jia, he had harbored the idea of traveling the realm to broaden his horizons. He had first wandered through the Hebei heartland of Jizhou and Yingzhou. In between, when Lu Su, Chen Deng, and Guo Jia traveled north together to Zhuo Commandery, he took the chance to hitch a ride further north... But when Lu Su and Chen Deng returned south, Xu Shu did not go back with them. Instead, because this journey had shown him so much and increasingly piqued his interest in the customs and conditions of various places, he went north on his own, exited the Lulong Pass in Liaoxi, and then turned toward Liaodong to travel.

In Liaodong, he visited the old capital of Goguryeo, went to Chaoxian County in the easternmost Lelang Commandery, and even encountered the former Qingzhou-Xuzhou notable Guan Ning at a remote settlement by the Daliang River, where he attended lectures before Guan Ning for several months... It was not until Taishi Ci suddenly arrived in Liaodong to recruit troops that he learned from official notice boards that a colossal war had broken out in the Central Plains. He immediately turned south, and by saving the life of Yang Xiu, the Prefect of Pingguo, from a tiger's jaws in the wilderness, he managed to board an official ship transporting military equipment and crossed the sea to reach Donglai.

"I was worried about my elderly mother at home," Xu Shu said with a solemn expression. "Although my mother is in good health and moves about easily, and when I left she told me not to worry about her, that it wouldn't be too late to return home even at thirty, with war on such a scale, how could I be at ease? That's why I hurried all the way..."

"Don't tell me you were following behind me simply because it was on your way?" Guo Jia, one knee propped on the couch, swirled the wine cup in his hand and gave a cold laugh.

"It's more than that," Xu Yuanzhi grew even more serious. "It was indeed on my way, but I also intended to follow behind you and observe your conduct... You must know, I heard of your reputation back in Yecheng — the so-called Three Scourges of Yecheng: Zhang Liao is the scourge of the cuju field, Ma Chao is the scourge of the training ground, and you are the scourge of the taverns and teahouses, eating and drinking without ever paying, yet because you handle confidential military affairs, no one dares demand payment from you... I feared that once you left the territory under Hebei's jurisdiction, without Lu Zijing by your side as before, you would revert to your old ways and bring calamity upon the people of Langya! You must see that with the autumn rains unceasing and the harvest failing, the people of Langya have always suffered extreme hardship."

Guo Jia stared blankly for a long time, then let out a scoff: "Is Yecheng the same as this place? Those who can open taverns and teahouses in Yecheng are either rich or noble. Drinking at their expense my whole life counts as robbing the rich to aid the poor! My lord himself suffers the most losses and doesn't mind; even Tian Yuanhao can't be bothered to impeach me. It's only people like Kong Wenju who enjoy scolding me to gain fame... Tell me, outside of Yecheng I am always careful, let alone here in Langya where warlords carve up the land and the common people struggle to survive. As for you, if I truly reverted to my old ways and brought calamity upon the people... you, alone, what were you prepared to do to me?"

"I would observe the circumstances," Xu Shu drained his cup in one gulp, then raised his head proudly. "If you merely welshed on small debts, I still carry the many Anlihao banknotes that Brother Yuanlong gave me that day, and for the sake of our acquaintance, I would cover them for you. But if you led five hundred men to wantonly trample upon the people, though I am but one man with one sword, I might yet take your life!"

Guo Jia's sneer deepened: "I wonder, where is the sword of the great hero Xu now?"

Xu Shu shook his head repeatedly: "The moment I was surrounded in the pass below, I knew you were here, Fengxiao. Otherwise, why would I have voluntarily abandoned my sword and submitted to capture, and even described my Liaodong travelogue as classified military documents so your subordinates would safeguard them for me? Had I truly intended to fight, with just those few men down there, they would all be dead by now! And you would not have survived either!"

Guo Jia fell silent for a moment, then suddenly clapped his hands as a signal.

Immediately, someone returned the several items Xu Shu had on him — upon closer inspection, nothing more than a set of straw rain capes, a long sword, a book chest, plus some Anlihao banknotes and scattered coins and sundries.

The others in the room all withdrew. Xu Shu continued drinking and eating on his own, while Guo Jia, still on the couch, took that treasured sword, and then directly drew it from its scabbard!

The blade gleamed like autumn water; the reflection of the wine cup seemed like frozen frost... The two men almost simultaneously ceased their movements. Inside the narrow mountain pass lodge, for a moment there was dead silence, only the ceaseless patter of rain outside the window.

In truth, even putting aside that Guo Fengxiao, as Xi Zhicai's deputy, had access to certain additional channels of information, the two were from the same hometown, and as Gongsun Xun's fame grew ever greater, how could they not have long known each other's names? It was just that after the incident in Xuzhou that day, the disparity between them was clear; Xu Yuanzhi felt shame, and Guo Jia, privately indolent by nature, simply couldn't be bothered to acknowledge it. But now, with the two swords meeting, there was no avoiding it.

However, after a brief pause, the two men almost simultaneously resumed their actions — one continuing to drink and eat, the other narrowing his eyes against the sword's gleam and speaking, evidently brushing aside the awkwardness of mutual self-introduction:

"Yuanzhi, you should also know by now that with the stalemate at Guandu, your mother in Yingchuan is actually safe for the short term. On the contrary, here in Langya, I have a matter along my way for which I wish to borrow the valor of your single sword and the heroic spirit that fills you!"

"I understand Fengxiao's meaning. Passing through Qingzhou, I also heard the rumors about this side of Langya. But with the current situation having reached this point, I, on the contrary, have temporarily lost any intention of taking office. I only wish to return to Yingchuan and protect my mother through this great war in the Central Plains," Xu Shu replied solemnly. "After all, in the present circumstances, it wouldn't be too late to take the imperial examinations and enter service once the realm is at peace... You don't know — I lost my father in childhood, and as the son of a humble family, my mother's word is heaven to me. And since she has lived in widowhood, she has always taught me to conduct myself with loyalty, filial piety, integrity, and righteousness. The Han dynasty still weighs heavily in her heart..."

"I understand, I understand!" Guo Jia sheathed the sword and spoke repeatedly in response. "This is not your fault, still less your mother's... If she didn't teach you loyalty, filial piety, integrity, and righteousness, was she supposed to teach you disloyalty to the Han? And when the General of the Guard bestowed these long swords upon you and me, who could have imagined that one day the Han would come to this? However, Yuanzhi, you may also have misunderstood. I ask for your help not so that, for the sake of this sword's debt of gratitude, you would take office under Hebei, but so that, for the sake of the expectations the General of the Guard held when he gave us these swords, you would deliver justice for the people of Langya and the two provinces of Qingzhou and Xuzhou!"

Xu Shu remained silent for a time.

"Hearing Yuanzhi just now speak of entering service once the realm is at peace, and all that about the Han or not the Han, I can tell that after a year of traveling in Hebei, your horizons have broadened considerably, and some realizations have taken root in your heart... At the very least, Yuanzhi must now have some judgment as to whether it is better for the realm to be unified or divided?" Guo Jia stroked the scabbard and continued slowly. "As for the situation today, I do not wish to debate who between Cao, Liu, the little Son of Heaven, and our General of the Guard is superior or inferior, or who is more qualified to rule the realm. But in any case, a pack of Taishan bandits who carve up Langya, treat the local people as private property, and utterly lack lawful governance — they are no good thing, are they? One dead is one less for the moment!"

"That, at least, is an honest statement," Xu Shu replied softly.

"Moreover, with the autumn rains unceasing, a famine in Qingzhou and Xuzhou is now a certainty," Guo Jia, his hair tied in a horse-tail style, gestured with his chin toward the window. "At a time like this, speaking as a man of the lakes and seas, you could let Liu Xuande strike into Qingzhou, or you could let us in Hebei annex Xuzhou — because both our sides can probably still maintain production and mobilize forces for disaster relief. But how can we allow a pack of bandits to carve up commanderies and counties here, shifting allegiances without constancy?"

Xu Shu still said nothing.

"Yuanzhi, do you know? You and I are actually extremely similar at our core," Guo Jia placed the other's treasured sword beside himself, then folded his arms and looked at him. "Both of us were neglected in discipline from childhood, yet fortunate enough to study letters and practice martial arts. Thus, having completed our studies, we both possess a heavy dose of the marketplace gallant... However, I am a great gallant, and you are a petty gallant. You are far beneath me."

"There's no need to goad me..."

"I once heard someone say: the petty gallant acts for personal grudges and favors; the great gallant acts for the state and the people!" Guo Jia ignored him entirely and simply continued speaking.

Hearing these words, Xu Shu felt as if struck by lightning and looked up in shock.

"Yuanzhi, today's matter is already very clear," Guo Jia, seeing this, continued with a light laugh. "In your heart, you understand this principle. You are merely constrained by prejudice... One is a certain awkwardness and jealousy toward me; another is a lingering attachment to the Han, instilled by your mother's teachings since childhood; and yet another is that you have old friends and close acquaintances in the south. That is why you have made excuses out of personal considerations up to now! But I wish to ask you, Yuanzhi — today I merely wish to borrow this sword of yours to deal with the bandit chieftains of Langya. Right is right, wrong is wrong — do you not understand this clearly? Killing a bandit leader who wants to stir up chaos, even if it only lets Zang Ba swallow that bandit leader's territory, is still better than letting him rise in rebellion, is it not? And if you understand clearly, yet do nothing, then what use is such heroic spirit of the lakes and seas to the state and the people?! If it is useless, what qualification do you have to continue bearing this sword?"

It must be said, Guo Fengxiao's words were fairly mild at first, but by the end, his face was filled with utter disdain!

"The sword!" Xu Shu stared at him in silence for a long time, then suddenly extended his hand.

Guo Jia let out a brief laugh and handed the sword at his side to the other.

After receiving the sword, Xu Shu directly drew it from its scabbard, then sighed as he faced the gleaming blade: "Today, I shall fall for your goading just this once... But let us be clear beforehand: I will only help you deal with the Taishan bandit chieftains here in Langya. Once I leave Langya, I will return directly to my hometown!"

"Excellent!" Guo Fengxiao smiled faintly once more, but then couldn't resist opening the other's book chest on the spot to flip through his travelogue. "In truth, it was also a spur-of-the-moment thought, recalling Yuanzhi's prowess when you slew Xu Dan that day, and making a slight precaution. Perhaps I won't even need Yuanzhi to draw his sword and kill... Yang Dezu really was nearly bitten to death by a tiger?"

Xu Shu sheathed his sword at his waist and said not a word.

Having picked up the unexpectedly encountered Xu Yuanzhi, Guo Jia resumed his journey.

And indeed, after crossing the Jiwu Mountains and entering what was called Zang Ba's territory, the destitution of the local people's livelihood became clearly perceptible... This was almost inevitable. Whether called Qingzhou-Xuzhou overlords or Taishan bandits, these warlord chieftains were generally of rather low origin — half local strongmen, half bandit leaders — and essentially far from their native homes, so they acted without any restraint. At the same time, the troops they controlled were also universally of bandit or second-wave Yellow Turban origin, with extremely poor discipline.

Yet, precisely because they were situated right between the two great powers of north and south, and possessed geographical advantages, and their military strength was indeed formidable, this strange situation had taken shape.

And so, harboring ulterior motives, Guo Jia and Xu Shu led their five hundred men swiftly along the Yishui River, passing in turn through the territories of Wu Dun, Yin Li, Chang Xi, and Xiao Jian. They even went so far as, specifically to observe the brothers Sun Guan and Sun Kang, to detour to the east bank of the Yishui after already reaching the west bank midway, almost touching Ju County on the Shushui River further east.

One must understand, Langya may be mountainous, but it has two rivers, the Yi and the Shu, running almost perfectly north to south in parallel, flanking Tancheng where Zhou Yu was stationed, passing through Donghai Commandery, and only merging into the Sishui River within the borders of Xiapi State. And Guo Jia's party repeatedly crisscrossing between these two rivers, refusing to simply follow the current downstream, made it obvious at a glance that they were up to no good.

Regardless, by the time of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the eighth month, the party finally hurried into the administrative center of Langya Commandery — that is, Kaiyang at the confluence of the Yishui and Wushui rivers — and encountered the envoy Zang Ba had sent to greet them from afar.

At this point, as they rode side by side into the city, Xu Shu, who had gradually formed his own conjectures, could not help but take the initiative to discuss the matter of this journey with Guo Jia:

"Having traveled all this way, has Fengxiao formed any clue in his mind regarding the rumors?"

"If there truly is someone harboring malice and plotting rebellion, who do you think it is?" Guo Jia asked seriously in return.

"I think it is Chang Xi," Xu Shu replied with a frown.

"Why?" Guo Jia's expression remained neutral.

"The territory under Chang Xi's rule is the most desolate and chaotic, which shows the man has always lacked virtue and proper conduct. And along the way, he was also the most arrogant and discourteous toward you."

"Well said," Guo Jia answered frankly from horseback. "In fact, I am also worried that once chaos erupts, even if Chang Xi has not secretly communicated with Zhou Yu, he will seize the opportunity to stir up trouble. Therefore, regardless of whether he has been in secret contact with Zhou Yu, during this campaign we should find an opportunity to kill Chang Xi as an apology to the people of Dongguan (a county under Langya, Chang Xi's garrison). But while the man deserves to die, that alone cannot determine that he is the one in secret communication with Zhou Yu!"

“Then who else do you think it could be?”

“Besides Chang Xi, I have two other suspects in mind.” Guo Jia chuckled lightly. “But I must see Zang Xuangao in person before I can judge!”

“Zang Ba’s governance far surpasses that of Chang Xi, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and the rest. Only the brothers Sun Guan and Sun Kang, between the Yi and Shu rivers, can compare in the slightest… For him to be the foremost leader among the Qing-Xu magnates, he must have some real ability!” Xu Shu remarked with a sigh.

“Yet you are a man of talent — why play the thief?!” Guo Jia’s expression suddenly turned stern.

As it happened, Guo Jia, full of anticipation, entered the city with Zang Ba’s envoy, but did not get to see Zang Ba himself that day… It turned out that days of continuous rain had caused the Yi River to swell violently, and the flooding was severe. As it happened to be right at the autumn harvest, Zang Xuangao was so anxious he personally spent days rushing to bring in the harvest south of the city, trying to minimize the losses, hence the delay.

Guo Fengxiao did not take offense at this, and simply continued to roam freely among the wineshops and teahouses of Kaiyang City… Of course, he definitely paid his bills… Then he waited for three full days, and it was only on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival that he finally met Zang Ba, who returned to the city after several exhausting days.

Zang Xuangao was around forty years old this year, with a square face and heavy jowls, and indeed bore a somewhat formidable and imposing air. Yet, although this man was one of the few heroes in the realm still able to maintain a semi-independent status, he treated the young envoy Guo Jia with exceptional respect, without the slightest air of arrogance, and even directly invited him to sit beside him on the same mat.

When it came to serious matters, Guo Fengxiao reverted once more to the solemn demeanor he usually adopted when handling official business; even his attire and hair ornaments were properly set right again.

Once seated in the place of honor at the banquet, he did not even wait to drink before coming straight to the point and asking with a stern expression: “Administrator Zang, you once swore an oath before General Guan Zhendong to our Lord Yan. Does that oath still hold today?”

“A true man born into this world — how could he betray an oath?” Zang Ba immediately replied with equal gravity.

“That is good.” Guo Jia grew even more direct and earnest. “In that case, I have come under orders to request that Administrator Zang, once the autumn harvest is done, immediately dispatch troops south to confront Zhou Yu of Donghai!”

Zang Ba was silent for a moment, then slowly explained: “My loyalty to Lord Yan and my respect for Guan Zhendong have not changed in the slightest, but I truly cannot send troops… If Hebei has doubts, I am willing to send my two sons, my family, and my clansmen all to Yecheng as a token of my loyalty. What does Vice Envoy Guo think?”

“I think it is not appropriate.” Guo Jia pressed on without retreating. “Because when you surrendered to us in Hebei, you promised that unless Tao of Xuzhou and his son were present in person, you would serve as the vanguard whenever battle came. And it was precisely because of this that we allowed Administrator Zang’s troops to remain unincorporated… In other words, we allowed Administrator Zang and those others to live at ease in Langya precisely so that in a great battle like today’s, none of you would waver between two sides!”

“We truly have no…”

“This is not for you to decide! Now the two armies face off across a thousand li, and in a single day at Guandu thirty to forty thousand men have died — never since ancient times has battle been so fierce. At a time like this, for Administrator Zang to say he will not send troops — what difference is there between that and rebellion?! And as for your family and two sons, before the greater situation of the realm, what exactly are they worth? Do they even merit a single coin?!” Guo Jia’s words were fierce, and Zang Ba’s eldest son Zang Ai below flushed red with shame and anger.

Seeing their young lord humiliated, several scholars below instinctively rose to retort, but were stopped by a wave of their lord’s hand. The foremost leader of the Qing-Xu magnates then earnestly explained once more: “Vice Envoy Guo, it is not that I am unwilling to send troops, but that I cannot…”

“Is it a lack of military provisions?” Unexpectedly, Guo Jia’s attitude softened. “Given how the autumn harvest has gone this year, that would be understandable.”

“There is that aspect to it,” Zang Ba answered stiffly.

“Then let Administrator Zang first summon all the commanders of Langya to assemble at Kaiyang… Qingzhou will naturally send military funds and provisions,” Guo Jia immediately responded.

Zang Ba, pushed into a corner, fell silent again for a moment, then suddenly rose: “Would Vice Envoy Guo be willing to accompany me for a walk along the rear corridor?”

Guo Jia thought nothing of it and rose directly to follow.

The two left the hall by a side door and came to the rear corridor, where a fine rain was pattering down. Zang Xuangao promptly sighed: “Has Vice Envoy Guo heard certain rumors on this journey?”

“There have suddenly been rumors in Qingzhou that you intend to rebel,” Guo Jia replied frankly.

“Then does Vice Envoy Guo think I will rebel?” Zang Ba shook his head as he asked.

“I think you will not rebel, and that your loyalty is beyond doubt — otherwise I would not have come here with only five hundred men!” Guo Jia grew more and more blunt. “But given the overall situation, I also need a word from you… Since you are the leader of Langya, can you guarantee that all of Langya will be like you? If not, then it would be one thing for Guan Zhendong and me to suffer the backlash, but I fear it would jeopardize Lord Yan’s grand strategy!”

Zang Ba hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping.

“So what I mean is, let Administrator Zang gather all the Langya commanders together, set up defenses right here on the front line, and keep them under unified supervision.” Guo Jia continued to explain. “We do not ask you to advance, only to do no harm… Otherwise, if trouble really breaks out, not only would we be unable to face Lord Yan, but how would you, Administrator Zang, face Lord Yan and Guan Zhendong yourself?”

Zang Ba was slightly startled, then nodded heavily.

Having spoken frankly in private and reached an understanding, both were naturally overjoyed, and they returned together to the hall to drink without restraint.

However, as the rain gradually subsided that day, Guo Fengxiao returned to his lodgings and hurriedly wrote several secret letters, handed them to trusted armored soldiers, and had them leave the city overnight to go in various directions. Then he summoned Xu Shu and told him face to face:

“I now know who in Langya is colluding with Zhou Yu and plotting rebellion!”

“Who?” Xu Shu was curious for a moment. “Is it Chang Xi?”

“I already said, whether Chang Xi colludes with the south or not, he is a scourge, and we must eliminate him regardless.” Guo Jia shook his head. “No need to count him.”

“Then is it Zang Ba himself?”

“Zang Xuangao has no grand ambitions to begin with, and he is a hero who keeps his word. Now that he is wealthy, noble, and secure, all he seeks is to leave a good name behind after death — why would he waver back and forth?”

“Then who is it?”

“I won’t tell you… In any case, I only ask you to kill Chang Xi for me, to rid the people of a scourge,” Guo Jia replied with a smile.

Xu Shu also replied with a smile: “I understand now. This rumor was simply fabricated out of thin air by Zhou Gongjin to unsettle the Langya army’s morale, wasn’t it?”

Guo Jia smiled but said nothing.

Xu Shu’s smile gradually faded: “Very well then. I too am a man who keeps his word — this body and this sword, I lend them to you for a time!”

Guo Jia grew even more smug and said nothing.

————I am the dividing line that smiles but says nothing————

“At the end of the Han, there were many tigers in Pingguo, to the point that one pounced upon the road and devoured a county magistrate. By the seventh year of Jian’an, the Han Emperor had abandoned the ancestral temples and fled to Nanyang. The Grand Ancestor, acting on behalf of Lord Yan to govern the people, appointed Yang Dezu as Magistrate of Pingguo. Upon taking office, he again encountered a tiger on the road. He rode out alone on a white horse and chased it, not returning for a full day and night. All thought he had met with disaster. The next day, though his arm was wounded, he returned to the county seat carrying the tiger’s corpse, then cut up the tiger meat and shared it with those around him. The world thus passed down the saying: ‘The tiger devoured the Han magistrate; the Yan magistrate devoured the tiger!’” — Miscellaneous Records of the Scholarly Grove. Yan. Recorded by an Anonymous Author

PS: Thanks to the 118th patron, Great Dawn Wind Rising, and the 119th patron, Evil Spirit Returns!

Also, continuing to offer up the new book I Won’t Be a Bandit — The Dao disperses, qi arises. Unexpectedly arriving in an unknown world, and even becoming a bandit — no future in that, must become an official! I Won’t Be a Bandit

(End of Chapter)