Chapter 1

Dawn.

As the sun rose, the mist in the mountains gradually dissipated.

Li Heng sat dazedly by a campfire in the mountains.

Although it had been a night, the fire was still red and glowing, thanks to someone tending it all night.

The red glow also warmed Li Heng's body.

However, his heart felt icy cold.

"Did I really travel through time?"

"I'm just a small office worker!"

"I didn't do anything to deserve a lightning strike, did I?"

"I just took a nap on my desk during lunch break, how did I end up time-traveling?"

"Not only did I time-travel, but I ended up in the late Eastern Han Dynasty."

"Indeed, the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the one where 'the late Eastern Han split into three kingdoms'."

"Even worse, I ended up as a bandit!"

... ...

That's right!

Li Heng's current identity is that of a bandit!

Although he is a bandit leader!

Although he has four to five hundred bandits under his command!

Although his ancestors for three generations were bandits in Qianshan, Lujiang County.

Although this bandit leader is just 18 years old, handsome, tall, and beloved by all, even cars would swerve to avoid him...

Although this bandit leader has the same name as his previous self, also called Li Heng.

But he is still a bandit!

This made Li Heng's heart twist in discomfort!

A bandit!

And from a family of bandits!

This...

Can he be a good person?

Do good people become bandits?

... ...

Indeed, as Li Heng thought, this Li Heng is not a good person at all!

To be precise, he has nothing to do with the word 'good'.

Highly skilled in martial arts!

Extremely brave!

Fearless and daring!

A ruthless killer!

Fierce and domineering!

Cunning as a fox!

Heartless and ruthless!

... ...

Anyway, Li Heng couldn't find any words to describe a good person that would fit this guy.

But, it's understandable!

This guy, the only heir of a bandit family for three generations, lost his father to the government troops last year.

If he weren't this kind of person, he would have been devoured by the other bandits in the den long ago.

However, what made Li Heng feel particularly miserable was that this bandit kid was really too much of a troublemaker.

He...

Just after Da Qiao and Sun Ce got engaged, he kidnapped her.

Who is Sun Ce?

Would someone like him tolerate this?

... ...

In the second year of Xingping (195 AD), Sun Ce led his father Sun Jian's old troops to leave Yuan Shu and entered Jiangdong.

After four years of warfare, he drove away Liu Yao and captured Wang Lang alive.

By the third year of Jian'an (199 AD), Sun Ce had taken control of the three commanderies of Jiangdong: Danyang, Wu, and Kuaiji.

At this time, Sun Ce was at the height of his power in Jiangdong, and the name "Little Overlord of Jiangdong" was widely known.

After taking the three commanderies, he took advantage of the opportunity when the governor of Lujiang, Liu Xun, was attacking Liu Yao's remnants and led 20,000 troops to capture Liu Xun's base, Wan County.

Sun Ce stayed in Wan County for three days.

During these three days, Sun Ce did three things:

One, reorganize the army.

Two, pacify the region.

Three, go to the "Qiao Family Gate" outside Wan County with Zhou Yu to propose to Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao's father, Qiao Xuan.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were not only the leaders of the largest force in Jiangdong but also the most outstanding young talents in Jiangdong.

For such people to want to marry his daughters, Qiao Xuan was naturally overjoyed.

Thus, the marriage was immediately agreed upon.

However, due to his busy military affairs, Sun Ce did not have time to get married immediately.

They only set the wedding date.

Three days later, Sun Ce hurriedly led his troops south to intercept Liu Xun's reinforcements.

In the southern region of Daguan, he blocked Liu Xun's army.

Both sides immediately engaged in a series of fierce battles.

... ...

Before heading south, Sun Ce made a small mistake.

Leaving his general Li Shu to guard Wan County was not a problem.

Although Li Shu lacked the talent of a great general, he was a brave and experienced warrior.

With his abilities, guarding the rear base of Wan County was not an issue.

Sun Ce's mistake was leaving only a thousand troops for Li Shu.

These troops could defend the city of Wan County, but it was too much to ask them to protect the surrounding villages as well.

At this moment, Li Heng, the bandit leader in Qianshan, saw an opportunity.

He led his five hundred bandits, marched over a hundred miles, and launched a surprise attack on over a dozen villages outside Wan County at nightfall.

The defenders of Wan County, with their small number of troops, did not dare to engage in battle.

Li Heng, emboldened by this, immediately began a frenzied plundering spree.

... ...

The name "Qiao Family Gate" was already well-known to Li Heng.

There was no way around it!

Who could resist the allure of Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, two beautiful women?

Not only did they attract the attention of regional lords like Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, but even a small bandit like Li Heng couldn't forget them.

In the past, there was no opportunity!

Wan County, as the base of the governor of Lujiang, Liu Xun, was heavily garrisoned.

And the "Qiao Family Gate" was right next to Wan County.

So, even if Li Heng wanted to, he didn't dare to act rashly.

... ...

Now, things were different!

With no more reservations, Li Heng's first target was the "Qiao Family Gate."

Unfortunately, after capturing the "Qiao Family Gate" and searching inside and out, he found no one.

Unwilling to give up, Li Heng interrogated several of the "Qiao Family Gate" servants and finally understood what had happened.

It turned out that after Sun Ce left Wan County with his army, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao moved with their father into the Qiao family mansion inside the city of Wan County.

They were not at the "Qiao Family Gate."

Hearing this, the dejected Li Heng, in a fit of rage, immediately whipped the captured servants to vent his anger.

Unexpectedly, the whipping brought an unexpected reward.

A night watchman at the "Qiao Family Gate," to avoid further punishment, told Li Heng a piece of information.

Just half an hour before his attack, Da Qiao had come from the city to retrieve a book scroll.

Hearing this, Li Heng became excited again.

If the watchman was right, Da Qiao should be trapped inside the "Qiao Family Gate."

She just hid well, so Li Heng didn't find her.

Without hesitation, he immediately divided his five hundred bandits into two groups.

One group of four hundred went to plunder the surrounding villages.

The other group of one hundred followed him to search for Da Qiao at the "Qiao Family Gate."

... ...

That night, Li Shu, the defender of Wan County, stood on the city wall, watching the flames rise from the plundered villages outside the city.

He had already sent a fast horse to seek reinforcements as soon as the first flames appeared outside the city.

However, no matter how anxious Li Shu was, he had to remain calm and hold his position, considering the number of troops he had.

... ...

As the sky began to lighten, Li Heng finally found the beautiful Da Qiao, pale and terrified, in a cellar.

Although he was tempted by her beauty, he remained clear-headed.

He knew that with the sky now light, he and his men could not stay there long.

So, he didn't delay and immediately fled with his men.

Similarly, the news of the Qiao family beauty being kidnapped quickly reached the city.

Hearing this, Li Shu was so shocked that he almost fell off the city wall.

Without a word, he immediately sent another fast horse to report the news to Sun Ce.

... ...

The fast horses knew the gravity of the situation.

They did not dare to delay.

By the morning of the next day, the first group of fast horses had already rushed into Sun Ce's camp.

At that time, Sun Ce was in his main tent, busily arranging his troops.

Outside the main tent, the security was tight.

Every three steps there was a guard, every five steps a sentry, all of them strong and armored soldiers.

Therefore, the fast horses were stopped about a hundred steps away.

There were five riders in total.

The leader, panting heavily, urgently said, "Quick! Quick! Quick! Report to the lord: Wan County is under attack!

The villages outside the city are being plundered on a large scale!

General Li Shu has too few troops and dares not leave the city to fight the bandits."