allendalepharm Chapter 4: I Have a Plan That Can Revive the Empire from Darkness
Chapter 4: I Have a Plan That Can Revive the Empire from Darkness
I will not join the loyalists as a ghost of Istvan, nor will I join the rebels as a slave of the Chaos God.
Sun Qian's chosen path to survival in this incident was to cling to the legendary hero Garo and rely on his protagonist aura to return to Terra.
Logically speaking, my goal has now been successfully achieved.
But why...?
There's not a trace of joy in your heart at all?
Sun Qian followed behind Liu Bei, walking in the spacious passageway that Eisenstein had designed for the Astartes.
Gallo's orders to them were to conduct a thorough search of every corner of the Eisenstein to prevent any remaining Gruulg followers from lurking.
However, according to the intelligence Sun Qian had just gathered, the entire rebel Astartes tactical squad that was originally on the ship had already been wiped out.
Although they fell into enemy territory, they remained calm, analyzed the situation, investigated the anomalies, exposed the crimes, and finally gained the trust of the loyal mortal auxiliary crew members, working with them to eliminate the traitorous Space Marines one by one.
This was unimaginable to Sun Qian, but if it was that hero who went from weaving mats and selling shoes to becoming a regional hegemon...
"I never expected to meet Gongyou here. I am filled with mixed emotions and have so many stories from our past lives that I want to tell you."
Upon hearing Liu Bei's sudden remark, Sun Qian was speechless for a moment.
After all, he came from the rebel camp and had just fought a battle with Liu Bei, so his stance was highly suspicious no matter how you looked at it.
The reason Liu Bei concealed his identity was clearly because he mistook him for "Sun Qian"—
He wasn't a 2K-era otaku, but rather a strategist of the same name from the Three Kingdoms period.
Now that things have come to this, it seems difficult to point out that the other party has mistaken someone else for someone else.
"I don't know if my second and third brothers, or the strategist Zilong, have also come here. If you have the chance to meet them in the future, I hope you will convey my feelings of longing to them and apologize for my foolish brother taking the first step."
"This universe is so vast, searching for someone is probably... Ah? What do you mean by that, Lord Xuande?!"
Sun Qian felt a chill run down his spine; he immediately understood the implied meaning in Liu Bei's words.
Liu Bei smiled calmly, then looked resolutely at the porthole once more.
"Once everything is ready, I will land in the backup airdrop pod to warn the Emperor's loyal soldiers of the impending catastrophe."
"Royal Uncle, you mustn't!"
Sun Qian said urgently, as he was well aware of what it meant to parachute onto Istvan III.
A narrow escape from death?
No.
It's a certain death!
But Liu Bei simply waved his hand dismissively.
"I have already said, Gongyou, do not call me Imperial Uncle anymore. In this life, I am not a member of the royal family, but just a loyal servant of the Emperor, like you. Since that is the case, it is only right that I live and die with my comrades and sacrifice myself for the country on the battlefield."
"But with Emperor Xuande's talent and strength, if he could preserve his body, he would surely make greater contributions to the Emperor in the chaos to come. Why make a pointless sacrifice here?"
Sun Qian's anxiety was genuine. Although he didn't know if the other party was actually Liu Bei from history, this could very well be the key to upgrading his special ability.
How could we let him die here like this?
"Gongyou's words reminded Liu Bei of many past events. When we lost Xuzhou, when we lost Xiaopei, when we lost Xinye... you advised me in the same way. It was thanks to your loyal advice that I was able to fight on despite repeated defeats."
Liu Bei was deeply moved, but then his expression changed.
"But times have changed. Back then, I was burdened with the well-being of the people, and the Emperor issued a secret edict, so I naturally had no choice but to compromise and seek survival. Now, although the battlefield of Istvan III is a death trap, our struggle is by no means meaningless. Gongyou, you have extraordinary talent, and you must be able to see that, don't you?"
Sun Qian was speechless for a moment. Although he was not Liu Bei's former strategist, he did know the aftermath of the Battle of Istfan III based on the plot he knew.
In the original timeline, because someone had warned the loyalists to take refuge in advance, nearly two-thirds of the loyal Astartes survived after Horus dropped the virus bombs.
These valiant warriors, knowing the outcome, fought desperately, holding off Horus's army at Istvan III for three months and greatly impacting the warlord's rebellion strategy.
As if he could already discern Sun Qian's opinion from his expression, Liu Bei smiled and patted his shoulder armor.
"Gongyou, there's no need to worry. We are no longer ruler and subject; we are both wholeheartedly serving the Emperor. I will stay behind to buy time, while you escort Company Commander Garo to Terra. Both are acts of loyalty, and there is no difference between them."
"but......"
Sun Qian hesitated, though he knew that according to the original plot, the Emperor's son, Sol Taviz, would act as the whistleblower, responsible for going to the surface to warn the loyalists of Astartes. But if he spoke now, he couldn't explain why he could foresee the future.
Moreover, the situation with the Eisenstein has now changed, and it is uncertain whether Taviz's landing will proceed smoothly.
Seeing that Sun Qian was still unable to let go, Liu Bei sighed helplessly, then said solemnly.
"To be honest, Liu Bei initially wanted to leave with Company Commander Jia Luo. He was patient and waited for the right opportunity, for fate could not be defied; he humbled himself and kept to his proper place, waiting for the winds of change to rise—but it was his reunion with Gong You that changed his mind and made him determined."
"I?"
Seeing Sun Qian's bewildered expression, Liu Bei smiled and shook his head.
"Gongyou, please don't misunderstand. This is not your fault. It is because I, Liu Bei, was defeated at Yiling in my previous life and lost my brothers and beloved generals. Even if I am reborn, I have no ambition. For the past few hundred years, I have neglected my martial arts and only thought about protecting myself in a muddle."
As he said this, Liu Bei clenched his fist, and his gauntlets made a cracking sound.
"I had so many more opportunities to change this, I bore the heavy responsibility entrusted to me by the Emperor, yet I shirked my duty. If I had acted more proactively sooner, how could I have allowed treacherous villains to corrupt the Primarch, leaving loyal and righteous men like Captain Garro to fight alone?! This is my greatest sin! Even if I were to live on, how could I face the Emperor again on Terra?"
Liu Bei actually saw the emperor in person? Was he a Terran veteran?
Putting that aside, Sun Qian was subtly moved after hearing Liu Bei's words.
"After seeing Gongyou, I suddenly realized that there was a time when I was fearless even when facing Cao Cao's army and Lü Bu's bravery. Today, Horus has committed the treacherous act of Dong Zhuo, causing the world to fall and wicked people to run rampant. Although I am weak, my will is firm. I vow to uphold justice and finally reclaim my original aspiration!"
Original intention!
This simple word was like a revelation to Sun Qian.
Yes, our original aspiration.
What were your original intentions when you first traveled through time?
Looking back, if it was just about surviving, there were probably many more effective ways, such as deliberately getting injured to go back and become a legion instructor, or striving for a mission to the far frontier of the Empire in an earlier period, or even becoming a Chaos Astartes and living a carefree life for hundreds or thousands of years.
But Sun Qian didn't want that. He came to Istvan III and wanted to join the loyalists, partly because he felt a little resentful.
He had personally witnessed the glory of the Great Crusade, and the possibility of humanity emerging from the darkness under the Emperor's leadership was within reach.
How could Sun Qian bear to watch humanity fall into the abyss and turn this world into a notorious cesspool universe?
But unlike Liu Bei, he wasn't hiding his talent; he was simply powerless to do anything about it.
wrong.
Sun Qian remembered that there was still one last hope.
After a moment's thought, Sun Qian took a deep breath.
"Since you have made up your mind to leave, I will not say any more. But I have a request for you, and I ask that you not refuse, Lord Xuande."
"Gongyou, please don't stand on ceremony, please speak."
"I want to relive the story of Tao Qian recommending Sun Qian on his deathbed... to show loyalty to Liu Bei!"
Sun Qian clasped his hands together and bowed to Liu Bei.
He did this, naturally, for that mission system whose effectiveness was unknown.
Leaving aside the issue of Liu Bei's favorability, Sun Qian, as a relatively minor character in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, really doesn't have many famous deeds.
After much thought, the only thing that really resonated with people was Tao Qian's recommendation before his death.
However, Liu Bei was taken aback at first, and then helplessly helped Sun Qian up.
"Why do you say that, sir? You and I are both loyal servants of the emperor, and Liu Bei is a dying man. How can we talk about loyalty?"
So it still doesn't work?
Sun Qian hadn't held out much hope to begin with, and seeing this situation, he could only sigh inwardly.
"But... I understand Gongyou's feelings. Meeting an old friend in a foreign land, only to part ways so soon, is truly a bittersweet experience. If Gongyou doesn't abandon me, I, Liu Bei, am willing to become sworn brothers with you. Though we cannot live and die together, I only hope that one day our souls can return to Terra and reunite!"
As soon as Liu Bei finished speaking, Sun Qian stared wide-eyed and stood frozen in place.
Then, to Liu Bei's astonishment, Sun Qian's expression changed rapidly.
First came shock, then confusion, and then...
"Ha ha ha ha!!!"
"Why are you laughing, sir? Is it because Liu Bei's words are too presumptuous—"
"No, no, Lord Xuande, no, elder brother!"
Sun Qian's excitement was palpable. Besides Liu Bei, he was also looking at the two new cards on the system panel in front of him.
One of them was obtained because the relationship with Liu Bei was upgraded to "sworn brotherhood" [Standard Version Liu Bei].
But Sun Qian was more interested in another card.
Rewards obtained by completing Sun Qian's hidden quest—
[New Three Kingdoms - Sun Qian]
Skill:
Upon seeing the skill's effect, Sun Qian's Astartes brain, comparable to a supercomputer, began calculating at nanosecond speeds.
Maybe it will work!
"I have a plan that can bring about the downfall of the Han Dynasty... No, that's not right."
"It can restore the empire from darkness to light!"