The rain did not stop.
It fell day after day—cold, relentless—turning roads into mud and ambition into stagnation.
The war… stalled.
Zhang Xin could not advance. The Yellow River swelled, cutting off movement like a living wall.
Yuan Shao gathered influence instead of victories.
The Suanzao lords drowned themselves in wine.
Yuan Shu squeezed his lands dry for wealth.
Sun Jian rebuilt what remained of his broken army.
And far away—
Cao Cao tried to start again.
In Yang Province, Cao Cao begged for strength.
Two thousand from Chen Wen.
Two thousand five hundred from Zhou Xin.
Danyang elites—armored, hardened, real soldiers.
For a moment—
hope returned.
But hope shattered just as quickly.
At Longkang, before they even saw battle—
the army mutinied.
They had heard.
The massacres.
The boiling.
The annihilation.
And worse—
Cao Cao's name.
Thirty thousand against ten thousand…
and he was the one destroyed.
Why follow such a man to death?
They fled.
All of them.
Leaving him behind.
"What now…?" Cao Hong asked, hollow.
Cao Cao had no answer.
Only shame.
So he returned home.
To beg.
"You wastrel!"
Cao Song roared, furious.
And yet—
he still gave him money.
Because blood… was still blood.
Cao Cao tried again.
Recruitment.
Promises.
Desperation.
But his reputation had already rotted.
Few came.
Fewer stayed.
The rain continued.
And then—
a letter arrived.
Blindfolded, the envoy was brought into the tent.
Zhang Xin read.
His expression darkened.
Dong Zhuo's words were blunt.
Surrender.
Or your teacher dies.
The table creaked under Zhang Xin's grip.
"Untrustworthy bastard…"
His reply was swift—and colder.
Have you forgotten our agreement?
Do you want war without end?
If so… I will erase your entire bloodline.
Days later—
another letter.
Different tone.
Almost… conciliatory.
Then let us exchange trust.
I will send you someone of my blood.
Keep her.
This way, neither of us needs to doubt.
Zhang Xin frowned.
"A hostage… from Dong Zhuo?"
It made no sense.
Which meant—
it was dangerous.
He thought long and hard.
Then—
accepted.
There was no loss for him.
Only gain.
Far away, Dong Zhuo laughed.
"Wenhe's plan… advances."
A few days later—
Li Jue arrived.
With a carriage.
At the camp gates, suspicion ran high.
The carriage was searched.
Weapons checked.
The general disarmed and blindfolded.
Then—
the curtain was lifted.
The soldier froze.
Not fear.
Something else.
"…No threat."
His voice was strange.
"Send her in."
Inside the tent—
the blindfold was removed.
Dian Wei stood nearby, silent and deadly.
Zhang Xin smiled faintly.
"Zhiran… it has been a while."
Old ties.
Old wars.
A brief moment of familiarity.
Then—
business.
"Where is the person?"
"Miss… please."
The word made Zhang Xin pause.
Miss?
That wasn't what he was promised.
The curtain parted.
A girl stepped inside.
Young.
Too young.
And yet—
not easily ignored.
Zhang Xin's gaze lingered for a fraction too long before he forced himself to look away.
Something felt… off.
Wrong.
Dangerous.
Li Jue smiled faintly.
"Is Your Lord satisfied?"
Zhang Xin snapped back.
"Take her back."
Cold.
Immediate.
"Tell Dong Zhuo he sent the wrong thing."
But Li Jue shook his head.
"You misunderstand."
He spoke carefully.
"Lord Dong has no surviving sons with heirs."
"This… is his only granddaughter."
Silence.
Zhang Xin's eyes sharpened.
"Name."
"Dong Bai."
The name landed heavily.
Dong Bai.
Not a pawn.
Not expendable.
This was blood.
Close blood.
"All his affection rests on her," Li Jue continued.
"He entrusts her to you."
A pause.
Then—
"If you find her suitable… you may keep her."
Bang.
The table cracked again.
Zhang Xin's temper flared instantly.
"First he wants to be my father—"
"Now my grandfather?!"
The absurdity was almost insulting.
Almost.
Li Jue did not retreat.
"If not… find her a good family."
"But her children must carry the Dong line."
Even in this—
Dong Zhuo planned ahead.
Even in weakness—
he planted seeds.
Zhang Xin's anger cooled.
Slowly.
He looked at the girl again.
She pouted.
Unwilling.
Silent.
A child dragged into power's shadow.
"How old?"
"Twelve."
Zhang Xin's expression shifted.
Just slightly.
Twelve.
And already… used as a bargaining piece.
Li Jue pressed once more.
"Shall I take her back… and bring Huang Gongzi instead?"
Zhang Xin waved it off.
"No need."
A long breath.
Decision made.
"She stays."
He looked at Dong Bai.
Then at Li Jue.
"Tell Dong Zhuo this."
"I will keep her safe."
A pause.
His voice lowered.
"And he… had better keep his word."
"Take care of my teacher."
Outside—
the rain still fell.
Unending.
Like the war.
Like the schemes tightening—
around everyone.