Battle Royale of the Sinners

<<Ding>>

<<Xu Chu has invited you to join Zhang Tong's Clan. Will you accept the invitation?>>

"Huh?"

.

"What's this?"

.

"Oh?"

.

Not only Liu Yang got Wei Yan's clan invitation, but Cai Wenji, Du Shi, Xiao Qiao, Da Qiao, Cao Xian, and Cao Qinghe also got the messages.

For not getting suspicion upon himself, Sima Yi asked the fat bodyguard of Cao Cao, Xu Chu, to invite more people, such as Cao Ang, and Cao Cao's officers who had not received the invitation yet.

This move was to blame Cao Cao for abusing the clan's feature, and all attention would be on him instead of himself and Wei Yan.

When everyone in the main clan noticed the influx of newcomers, they were shocked. Still, each member had a different reaction.

Jia Xu: "Who the hell invited all the consorts here!? Zhang Tong's going to be pissed when he comes back!"

Ju Shou: "Probably invited by mistakes. Look at these new people."

Xu Chu: "I invite all people here. The more, the merrier, right?"

Xun Yu: "Oh boy. @Cao Cao. Please don't abuse the clan invitation. You've invited too many people."

Cao Cao: "Dafuq!? I didn't do anything!"

Xun Yu: "Look at the people's name. All of them are your subordinates. Please refrain from inviting too many people!"

Xun Yu: "Look above. Xu Chu just confessed that he did it."

Cao Cao: "The heck?"

Cao Cao: "Whatever, IDGAF! @Cao Qinghe, @Cao Xian, welcome! How's life?"

Xun Yu: "…"

Guo Jia: "@Cao Cao. Please use the private message feature for a private matter. This channel is for an urgent announcement or public information."

Jia Xu: "@Guo Jia. He's just flexing as usual."

Cao Cao: "@Jia Xu. Be quiet, you traitor."

Cao Cao: "@Xu Chu. Read DM."

Cao Cao: "@Cao Qinghe, @Cao Xian. Let's talk in a private chat."

Jia Xu: "Someone is pissed. @Cao Qinghe, @Cao Xian, welcome to your father's workplace. Don't mind if we curse your father. HAHAHAHA!"

Sun Quan: "@Da Qiao. @Xiao Qiao. Welcome. Please read PM."

Jia Xu: "Here comes another one. Hahahaha!"

Sima Yi's move was a success as Jia Xu and others mistook Xu Chu as the culprit of this incident. Although he did not know why Cao Cao was playing ignorant, Sima Yi proceeded to the next phase of his plan.

While he was waiting for others to arrive in the throne room and resume the yesterday's meeting, he fidgeted the clan menu, adding Cai Wenji and Du Shi in his contact list.

<<Ding>>

He sent a private message to Cai Wenji and Du Shi, inviting them to another private group chat.

Sima Yi: "Hello. Could you help me invite Consort Wang to this clan chat? We were ordered to invite everyone including royal consorts to the clan, so we can discuss the future election."

After Sima Yi had sent the message, he waited for 10 minutes before both consorts managed to reply. It took time for them to figure out how they could use the clan system.

Cai Wenji: "What's election?"

Du Shi: "What is this thing?"

Sima Yi: "The blue box with texts before you is his majesty's immortal power. He blessed us with this power, so we can communicate without seeing each other face-to-face. You can reply to my message by typing on the letters below the screen."

Sima Yi: "As for the election, his majesty has left a word that we have to select a new emperor by voting instead of selecting a successor directly. He simply gave the authority to his ministers."

…

10 Minutes later

…

Cai Wenji: "I get it. So this is how you type messages?"

Cai Wenji: "My apologies for the delay. I can't find the right characters."

She referred to the traditional characters, which was used in writing. However, the simplified characters on their keyboards were different, so it took time to figure it out. Moreover, as Cai Wenji and Du Shi were new to the system chat, it took them a long time to type.

Yet, Sima Yi was patient. For the sake of achieving his goal, he waited for them to learn typing.

While he was waiting for the two consorts to figure out the toy, the meeting resumed as Te Langpu started it again.

Sima Yi no longer paid attention to this fat man's babbling. He stared at his chat screen, waiting for Cai Wenji or Du Shi's reply.

Du Shi: "Who is his majesty's successor?"

Sima Yi: "We have no idea yet. The election hasn't started, but we're discussing it."

Du Shi: "What will happen to us once the emperor is instated?"

At this point, Sima Yi clenched his fists in delight as Du Shi revealed her vulnerability by showing concern about her future. As long as he could manipulate this concubine, he would have an edge to persuade Wang Yi to his side.

Sima Yi: "Currently, we are discussing the rules of the election. As for the aftermath, we haven't talked about it yet, but I'm planning to maintain everybody's status quo in the inner palace. I took the liberty of sending you messages to warn you about the potential changes in advance."

Now, Sima Yi hinted that they might lose their position in the inner palace, indirect blackmail.

Cai Wenji: "Lady Du, it's fine. Even if we lose our title and power, we can move to my father's place. He's still the Minister of Arts and Culture. He can shelter us and our children."

'Dafuq!?' Sima Yi's face twitched, surprised by Cai Wenji's suggestion as it could foil his blackmail plan.

Sima Yi: "Please don't worry, my ladies. I'm planning to protect his majesty's family with my life, and I'll recommend everyone that we should keep your noble tier as it is. Even if the new emperor has his concubines, we'll make them live in another palace while your current palace will be your forever home."

From the intentionally-leaked information, Cai Wenji understood that the crisis of all concubines was at hand. Whenever a new emperor took the throne, all concubines of the deceased or the dethroned emperors were usually dismissed, killed, or exiled. Only the lucky ones would be taken in by the new emperor.

Cai Wenji: "Then, please get to the point and stop blackmailing us. What do you want us to do for you, and what you can do to return our favor?"

Still, as Cai Wenji was a grand scholar's daughter with two lives of experience, she could see through Sima Yi's baseless bluff and call him out.

Sima Yi: "Very impressive, my lady. Then, I'll be direct."

Although Sima Yi was surprised by Cai Wenji's sharp wits, he improvised and adapted to the change on the spot with ease.

Sima Yi: "Please invite Consort Wang to this clan chat personally. I would like to have a word with her in private. In return, my faction will guarantee you and Consort Du's safety after the election."

Cai Wenji: "I need proof. How many soldiers do you have? Who are your subordinates? How many cities are under your control?"

The consort attempted to squeeze Sima Yi for more information, which irritated the latter more. Patiently, Sima Yi revealed 50% of his personal and military power, but he revealed all cities that Sima Clan was currently governing.

Cai Wenji: "Very well. I'll contact Consort Wang for you. I hope you can keep your end of the bargain."

Sima Yi: "Thank you very much. I owe you one."

<<Ding>>

<<Cai Wenji has left the group chat.>>

<<Du Shi has left the group chat.>>

The two consorts were decisive. Once they completed their transaction and objectives, they left without saying goodbye.

'Well, shit. Come to think of it, Chunhua was similar to them. A pity that I have to wait 7-8 years before I can marry her. Eh, I wonder if Zhang Min has those traits.'

Not only Sima Yi invited many people, but he also tried to get Zhang Min into the clan. However, she did not decline or accept the invitation message. Zhang Min simply ignored him as if nothing had happened.

'What's wrong with Zhang Min? Fuck, should I cultivate like those buffoons? Do I need at least 6 wings before I can see her again? Fuck you, Zhang Tong! Give your daughter to me already!'

.

.

.

While the meeting was ongoing, Li Feihong was sneaking through the tight security of Ye City's underground prison using his private dimension and warp gates. He breezed through many squads of prison guards undetected. It wasn't hard for him to locate Ma Chao and Liu Bei's cell.

Ma Chao and Liu Bei were considered VIP prisoners that were capable of breaking out with their brute force and cultivation strength. Therefore, Lu Zhi placed Cao Cao's officers with 4-wing cultivation there.

Cao Chun, Zhu Ling, and Yu Jin were Cao Cao's elites, who had scored many achievements in the other timeline. This time, they were ordered to be Ma Chao and Liu Bei's prison wardens, so these prisoners could not escape.

Inside the private dimension of Li Feihong, a scholar youth in white robes, carrying a feather fan stood behind Li Feihong.

Another scholar, which had refused to join the main clan, was still residing in this dimension. Xu Shu stood by Zhuge Liang's side, watching Li Feihong's spy monitors.

And one more bipolar girl, Lu Lingqi who had lost contact with her father, was sitting nearby, watching the screens with interest.

Lu Lingqi was also not a member of the main clan even though she gained the cultivation method at the same time as many commoners. With her memory and experience from the other timeline, she decided to abandon her immature thoughts and hid in here, pretending that she was already dead in the real world. Her mother, Lu Bu's wife, had already relocated to Li Feihong's world though.

As for other Monster Legion officers, only Zhou Cang remained here, protecting Li Feihong on the sideline. Since Zhang Liao was once Cao Cao's general, Li Feihong and Zhuge Liang didn't trust him. The general was told to attend the meeting along with other former Cao Cao's generals and report them the result of today's farce later.

"What's next, Kongming?" Asked Li Feihong. He was following Zhuge Liang's advice word-by-word during this operation.

"Can you zoom in, so I can see their expression and their face color?"

"Ok."

In one of the monitors, Li Feihong controlled the camera to focus on Ma Chao and Liu Bei's faces. As the men had expected, they were paled because of malnourishment and stress. 

"Good. He's only exhausted, but his eyes are alive."

Zhuge Liang admired Ma Chao's fighting spirit. Even though the situation was hopeless, he had not given up living. On the other hand, Liu Bei looked like he had been crying. He was too dehydrated to shed a tear though.

"General Li, please kill Liu Bei."

Hearing the next move, Li Feihong, Zhou Cang, and Xu Shu were stunned. None of them could have believed that Zhuge Liang wanted to kill his former lord!

"Are you sure? You died fighting for him in the other world."

"In this world, he is a scum. I don't give my loyalty to a greedy, selfish, pretentious mutt that never valued a bigger picture over their desire. To be honest, I'd rather serve you or Zhang Tong."

"…"

Li Feihong gazed at the monitor, which displayed Liu Bei's despair expression. For some reason, he pitied this guy even though he messed up many things that he shouldn't have done with his character.

'I don't want to kill him. I have a feeling that killing him will lead to a calamity.'