Chapter 1: The Wilderness

“Lord Su Lun, so you ran away because you stole someone’s wife and were afraid of being hunted down?”

“How can you wrongly accuse me? It’s not running away; it’s a strategic retreat. Elizabeth Jie and I were truly in love. What do you commoners know about the greatness of true love?” Su Lun declared loudly and righteously.

“How can noble affairs be called stealing? It’s love, do you understand?” Then came a string of incomprehensible words like guardian knight and masked ball, filling the caravan with a joyful atmosphere.

In the vast wilderness, a caravan was slowly moving forward. Su Lun sat on a wagon piled with goods, chewing on a straw and arguing loudly with the mercenaries around him. Beside him was a half-empty bottle of ale.

The autumn sun was still intense. An old cloak hung on a long sword propped against the wagon’s railing, blocking most of the midday sunlight.

Traveling through the wild was very boring. To pass the time, people in the caravan would chat about interesting things.

The road in the wilderness was rough and uneven. Even with thick straw piled on the wagon for cushioning, it wasn’t very comfortable. Still, it was much better than traveling on foot or horseback.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Defend positions!” Just as Su Lun was feeling bored, a loud shout came from the front. The caravan immediately stopped, and all the wagons turned inward to form a defensive circle. Their busy but orderly movements showed this wasn’t their first time.

Su Lun quickly picked up his long sword and stood on the wagon, looking into the distance. On the far plains, a scout was galloping toward them. Behind him, hundreds of dark figures were closing in fast. As they got closer, it became clear they were Gnolls.

Gnolls were very dangerous creatures in the wilderness. Adult Gnolls stood over two meters tall, with males reaching about two meters twenty. They had sharp claws and teeth, and their strength and speed surpassed ordinary humans. They were bloodthirsty and cruel, and more importantly, Gnolls were tribal creatures.

A small Gnoll tribe had at least several dozen warriors, a medium tribe had hundreds, and large tribes were even bigger. In the wilderness, Gnolls weren’t the most numerous; Goblins and Kobolds were the most common.

Compared to Gnolls, Goblins and Kobolds were much weaker. Even a farmer could easily handle three Goblins if careful. These monsters were practically useless except for their numbers.

Gnolls weren’t beasts; they were quite intelligent and could make weapons and armor. Though crude compared to human gear, it was sufficient in the wild.

The approaching Gnolls were now close enough for Su Lun to see clearly: their dark green skin, dirty yellowish manes, and hyena-like heads.

Along with the Gnolls were even more Kobolds and Goblins, likely cannon fodder enslaved by the Gnolls.

Gnolls had poor discipline, and Kobolds and Goblins were even worse. The mob of monsters charged chaotically but halted about a hundred and fifty meters away upon seeing the prepared wagon formation.

Whether Gnolls, Kobolds, or Goblins, they often relied on swarm tactics. With hundreds of monsters, they felt bold enough to attack a caravan of over twenty wagons.

…

Yegus was a Gnoll chieftain leading a small tribe, inherited after he personally slit his father’s throat. Under his leadership, the tribe grew steadily, approaching medium size. With over a hundred Gnoll warriors plus hundreds of Goblins and Kobolds, they were a force to be reckoned with in the wilderness.

He commanded thirty Gnoll Barbarians. As an elite unit, these Gnoll Barbarians were taller and far stronger than regular Gnolls. With them, Yegus could easily wipe out a small tribe. It was this strength that gave him the confidence to besiege a caravan of over twenty wagons.

As both sides faced off, Yegus’s cold eyes held a hint of mockery; he felt victory was assured. The long chase had been fine for the Gnolls, but the Kobolds and Goblins were panting heavily. If the humans attacked now, these weaker monsters wouldn’t hold.

But if the humans did that, the result would be disastrous. While the wagon circle offered some defense, Yegus was confident his thirty Gnoll Barbarians could crush them in an open assault. He had planned to do just that, but the humans were too cowardly to attack.

So now, he had to order the Kobolds and Goblins to assault directly.

After a brief standoff with no openings from the humans, Yegus commanded the Gnolls to drive the Goblins and Kobolds forward.

Su Lun watched the approaching bandits with excitement. To him, they were like experience packages. It had been over a decade since he arrived in this fantastical world. He still remembered that dark and windy night, hiding in his dorm playing Empire Rising 8, controlling Yun Ge with the Celestial Emperor Sword roaming the map to find immortals and boost stats.

Exhausted from staying up late, he fell asleep and woke up in this world, becoming the owner of Su Lun’s body.

The original owner was a merchant’s son, though his mother was just a concubine. The merchant died in a bandit attack, and his mother, unable to cope, passed away shortly after. Left alone, the boy fell into a coma from grief.

Then, a soul from another world took over, bringing along a Three Kingdoms Mowing System. Upon arriving and facing hostile gazes, Su Lun was fortunate to activate the System.

With the System’s help, his combat skills improved rapidly. Every fight earned him experience, allowing him to grow quickly and become the local powerhouse. He subdued nearby gangs and even taught some Knights a lesson.

For a time, he was a regular at the arena, earning considerable wealth. His skills attracted many nobles seeking to recruit him. He could have become a Knight by swearing loyalty, but Su Lun refused.

After crossing over, he also gained Zhao Yun’s initial traits.

Valor: Greatly increases the chance of using a killer move.

Swift Thunder: Greatly boosts attack speed.

Flying Steed: Greatly enhances movement speed.

Advanced Strength: Harsh training activated your bloodline power, granting a robust physique. Your strength permanently +6, your constitution permanently +6.

With these talents, Su Lun was unstoppable in battle. Combined with his handsome looks, he quickly gained fame in Caren City.

Many lonely noble ladies and wives took a liking to him.

Like the former Count of Caren’s wife—after a chance encounter, Su Lun became her guardian knight and discovered a whole new world. There was Miss Adele, Miss Mary, Lady Celia, and more.