**A Few Days Later, in Fancheng's Tavern**
The tavern buzzed with noise, filled with soldiers indulging in hearty food and strong wine. The clinking of cups and boisterous chatter rose and fell like waves, but today, the center of attention was an elderly man standing atop a central table, animatedly narrating a tale.
The elder spoke with gusto, his words sharp and resolute, drawing approving cheers and whistles from his audience.
"That day, when the enemy forces came charging, General Qin Yi, our great Qin commander, wielded a golden spear and rode a divine steed. Alone, he charged straight into tens of thousands of Xiongnu warriors!"
"Now, you wouldn't believe it. Everyone thought General Qin was heading to his death, but no! His golden spear danced like a living dragon, unstoppable and fierce!"
"Any who dared block his path were slain without mercy. Blood flowed like rivers, the Xiongnu were slaughtered to ruin!"
"Then, as if possessed by the might of the legendary conquerors, General Qin led a mere hundred riders and decimated the Xiongnu army, leaving not a single soldier standing!"
"Bravo!"
"Good!"
Applause erupted from the crowd, laughter and excitement intermingling as mugs banged against tables.
"Old Wang, you're telling me you saw this with your own eyes? What were you doing on the city walls at a time like that?"
A Qin soldier from the audience suddenly interrupted, his face betraying familiarity with the storyteller. Clearly, he was well aware of Old Wang's tendency to embellish.
Most of the soldiers present had just returned from campaigns under Liu Yong and hadn't been there to witness the events themselves. As such, they listened to Old Wang's vivid recounting with eager disbelief.
"Hey now, Zhang! That's not fair to say. I may be a tad afraid of death, but I'm still Qin-born! When the city's doom was at hand, how could I just stand by and do nothing?"
Old Wang puffed up his chest indignantly, drawing a round of hearty laughter from the crowd.
The laughter quickly dissolved into another round of cheers as Old Wang, now brimming with pride, launched into yet another exaggerated retelling of General Qin Yi's deeds. The crowd, captivated by his theatrical flair, soaked up every word.
Little did they know, the hero of their stories, Qin Yi himself, sat quietly in the corner of the tavern, nursing a cup of wine.
Qin Yi had come here to steal a moment of leisure in Fancheng's sole tavern, hoping to experience the lively charm of an ancient city. Listening to Old Wang's wildly embellished tale of his so-called "glorious feats," Qin Yi couldn't help but smile wryly.
In this ancient world, with no swift or reliable means of communication, even the simplest events quickly morphed into legend as they passed from mouth to mouth.
If this was how his deeds were spoken of in Fancheng, who knew how exaggerated the stories might become elsewhere?
Sighing softly, Qin Yi took a sip of the wine, smacking his lips thoughtfully. The liquor was potent, far stronger than most modern spirits he remembered.
"Who'd have thought?" he murmured to himself. "I assumed wine in this warlike era would be crude and weak, but this… this could rival even the strongest liquor back home."
Disappointment flashed across his face.
"So much for my get-rich-quick plan."
His gaze swept across the room, eventually resting on a man seated by the window.
The man was ruggedly handsome, though a deep scar marred the left side of his face. Rather than diminishing his appearance, the scar lent him a striking aura of masculinity and grit. At the moment, the scarred man sat with his eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.
Yet, with his sharpened senses, Qin Yi could tell the man wasn't merely daydreaming—he was cultivating his inner strength.
"*Ding!* New system task issued: Befriend the scarred man before you and recruit him to serve you. Completing this task will reward you with three divine gift packs!"
The cold voice of the system echoed in Qin Yi's mind. His eyes flickered curiously.
The system never handed out tasks for no reason. Clearly, this scarred man was far from ordinary.
After a brief moment of consideration, Qin Yi stood up, his wine forgotten. He made his way toward the scarred man's table and, without invitation, sat down cross-legged across from him, eyes fixed intently on his face.
Unbeknownst to Qin Yi, as he sat, several pairs of cold, piercing eyes turned to him from the shadows of the tavern. Those eyes lingered briefly, then vanished without a trace, escaping his notice.
The scarred man, sensing someone's presence, spoke faintly without opening his eyes.
"Sir, I suggest you choose another seat."
"Oh? And why shouldn't I sit here?" came Qin Yi's lazy, teasing response.
The man opened his eyes abruptly, the sharpness within them unmistakable. His gaze landed on the youth before him—a strikingly handsome young man whose demeanor was both carefree and insistent.
"We've never met before," the scarred man said with a hint of confusion.
"True!" Qin Yi replied with great enthusiasm.
Before the man could react, Qin Yi grinned and continued, "But now we have! Isn't that what matters?"
Stretching out his hand, he said, "Nice to meet you. My name's Qin—just one character, Yi. If you don't mind, you can call me Brother Qin."
The scarred man stared at Qin Yi's outstretched hand, unmoving.
Realizing his mistake, Qin Yi sheepishly withdrew it and chuckled. "Ah, it's a custom from my hometown. A gesture of goodwill, where two people shake hands to show friendship."
The scarred man ignored the explanation and, shaking his head slightly, replied, "I am Jia Ming."
With that, Jia Ming rose to his feet.
Seeing him leave so abruptly, Qin Yi quickly stood as well. "Jia, are you leaving already?"
Jia Ming gave a silent nod and walked toward the door.
From outside the tavern, his calm yet haunting voice drifted back to Qin Yi.
"Sir, I know you wish to make my acquaintance, but associating with me will bring you nothing but harm. I advise you to think carefully before you pursue this any further."
The voice, transmitted in such a way that only Qin Yi could hear it, left him momentarily speechless.
"Really?" Qin Yi muttered, his lips twitching in disbelief. "It's just making friends—why act like it's some life-and-death affair?"
But his musings were cut short.
The moment Jia Ming stepped out of the tavern, several burly men followed suit, moving swiftly and silently in his wake.
Qin Yi narrowed his eyes, a thoughtful look flickering across his face.
"Interesting…"