"Take this gentleman away and have him temporarily stay within the ranks of our army,"Cao Cao decreed,his tone measured and calm.

As these words left his lips,expressions of astonishment swept across the faces of Cao Hong,Xiahou Yuan,and Xiahou Dun.They were utterly bewildered as to why Cao Cao would keep this audacious Lin Yu within the military encampment.

Lin Yu,however,felt a sense of ease within his heart,and the corners of his mouth curved upward ever so slightly.Instead of suggesting that Cao Cao seek assistance from the Wei family as was recorded in history,he proposed the formation of the Toujin Xiaowei.In truth,this was also a test for Cao Cao.Lin Yu simply wished to determine if Cao Cao was worthy of his loyalty.And Cao Cao's decision was sufficient to prove that he was indeed a formidable figure,one who would stop at nothing to achieve his ambitions,and this earned Lin Yu's deep admiration.

"Your subordinate takes his leave!"Lin Yu acknowledged with a respectful bow and then followed Cao Hong out of the central army camp.

After Lin Yu's departure,Xiahou Dun could no longer hold back his doubts and inquired,"Lord,why would you keep such a person within our army?"

"This man's speech is extraordinary,and he appears to be a man of great talent.Our army is in dire need of such individuals!"Cao Cao explained with a smile."Moreover,although his plan is bold,it is by no means infeasible."That statement of Lin Yu's-"Those with great aspirations should not be hindered by trifles"-truly resonated with Cao Cao.Had it not been for the presence of Xiahou Yuan and the others,Cao Cao would have been inclined to share a drink and engage in a hearty conversation with Lin Yu.

"Lord,do you truly intend to send men to rob tombs?"Xiahou Dun asked once again,this time with caution.

"Yes,"Cao Cao nodded,his countenance solemn as he said,"I entrust this matter to the two of you.Ensure that not a single word of this leaks out."

Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan exchanged glances and nodded in unison.

...

Cao Hong led Lin Yu to a military camp and said nonchalantly,"You may stay here.From this day forward,you shall be responsible for safeguarding the provisions and supplies."Despite his avarice for wealth,he held Lin Yu,who had proposed the tomb-robbing plan to Cao Cao,in contempt.He only kept Lin Yu and assigned him to guard the provisions and supplies because of Cao Cao's command.

"Gratitude,General!"Lin Yu acknowledged with a respectful bow.Guarding the provisions and supplies might not bring much power,but fortunately,he would be spared from the front lines and arduous training.It was truly a comfortable arrangement!

Cao Hong snorted disdainfully,refrained from uttering any more idle words,and then strode away with his head held high.

Lin Yu entered the tent,tossed his backpack aside,and reclined on the bed.He stretched his body languidly,feeling an indescribable comfort.From this moment on,he would remain here by Lord Cao's side.He mused to himself that he had but three tasks in the days to come:eating,sleeping,and engaging in combat against Liu Bei!

Lin Yu had not rested for long when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.Soon after,a burly man entered the tent and bowed to Lin Yu,saying,"Greetings,sir!"

Lin Yu regarded this man.Noticing his tall and robust stature,exuding an air of dominance and heroic valor,he couldn't help but ask,"Who might you be?"

"Sir,I am Dian Wei.General Zilian has transferred me here to be at your service,"the large-framed Dian Wei replied in a deep,muffled voice.

"Oh,I see,"Lin Yu nodded,and then his expression changed.He leaped from the bed and stared intently at Dian Wei,asking,"What did you say your name was?"

Dian Wei was startled,yet he still answered truthfully,"I am Dian Wei."

"Dian Wei?Are you the Dian Wei from Chenliu Jivu,who slew Liu Yong in the bustling market to avenge your friend?"

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Yes,it is I,"Dian Wei nodded in response.

Never had Lin Yu expected that the ordinary soldier randomly assigned to him by Cao Hong would turn out to be the renowned Dian Wei!Who was Dian Wei?There was a saying:"First Lu Bu,second Zhao Yun,third Dian Wei."His martial prowess was second to none,surpassed only by Lu Bu and Zhao Yun.His heroic and valiant nature was on a par with that of Zhang Liao and Xu Chu.Cao Cao himself had even praised him as being like E Lai of ancient times!More importantly,his loyalty was unwavering.He had fought to the death in Wancheng to protect Cao Cao,who had a certain weakness for other men's wives.Such a celebrated hero had not yet caught Lord Cao's attention.If Lin Yu could manage to recruit Dian Wei first,wouldn't he have an additional safeguard in this chaotic era of the Three Kingdoms?

With this thought in mind,Lin Yu's eyes glowed with fervor.Despite Dian Wei's imposing figure,he couldn't help but shudder under Lin Yu's intense,fiery gaze.

Lin Yu wiped the corner of his mouth and said with a warm,enthusiastic smile,"Brother Dian Wei,your noble deeds have reached my ears,and now I see that truth is indeed more impressive than tales.You are a paragon of valor and nobility!"

Although Dian Wei was a paragon of heroism,upon hearing Lin Yu's praise,he couldn't help but beam with pleasure.He feigned modesty and said,"Sir,you flatter me far too much."

"Not at all!I speak nothing but the truth!"Lin Yu waved his hand,laughing heartily as he said,"Brother Dian Wei and I seem to have an instant connection.Why don't we become sworn brothers today?"

Dian Wei was dumbfounded.They had barely known each other for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,and yet Lin Yu wanted to become sworn brothers with him?

"Sir,this...Isn't it rather hasty?"

"Hasty?Not in the least!"Lin Yu shook his head.Jesting aside,if he waited a few more days and Lord Cao met Dian Wei first,he would lose this golden opportunity.

Seeing Dian Wei's hesitant look,Lin Yu's eyes sparkled with an idea.He chuckled and said,"How about this,Brother Dian Wei?Let's have a competition.If I win,you will recognize me as your elder brother.What do you think?"

"How would we compete?"Dian Wei asked with some hesitation.

"It's simple.We'll compete to see who is stronger!"Lin Yu laughed.

Dian Wei took a look at Lin Yu's seemingly frail arms and legs and immediately burst into laughter,saying,"Alright,let's do as you suggest."

Lin Yu also chuckled,thinking to himself:Little do you know,my friend.I'll have you in the palm of my hand in no time!

...

Lin Yu led Dian Wei out of the military camp and wandered around the camp perimeter for quite a while,as if in search of something.

Dian Wei grew impatient and said,"Sir,we are supposed to be competing in strength.Why are we meandering around here?"

Lin Yu cast a glance at him and said with a casual,yet sly smile,"I possess such great strength that I fear I might inadvertently harm you.Hence,I plan to change the mode of our competition."

Hearing this,Dian Wei pursed his lips,clearly unconvinced.Joking aside,with your puny build,could you possibly harm me?Had it not been for the fact that Lin Yu was his superior,he would have long since left!

"Alright!"Lin Yu walked on and his eyes lit up when he spotted a colossal stone.He pointed at the stone and said to Dian Wei with a smile,"Let's use this stone for our competition.Whoever can move this stone shall be the victor!"

Dian Wei took a look and furrowed his brow slightly.The stone was enormous.Even if it didn't weigh a thousand catties,it surely weighed at least eight hundred.Even with his prodigious strength,he doubted he could budge it.

Seeing this,Lin Yu said with a smile,"Brother Dian Wei,could it be that this is beyond your capabilities?"

"Whether I can or not,we'll only know after giving it a try!"Dian Wei snorted softly and slowly made his way towards the stone.He spread his arms wide,embraced the massive stone,bent his knees slightly,and roared,"Up!"

With Dian Wei's thunderous roar,his face flushed red as he exerted every ounce of his strength.Alas,the stone was too heavy.Despite his herculean efforts,Dian Wei couldn't move it even an inch!

"Brother DianWei, it seems your strength could use some improvement. You should train more," Lin Yu laughed.Dian Wei released the stone and said angrily, "You've got some nerve. I'd like to see how you plan to move it!"Lin Yu approached the stone with a casual air, his hands resting lightly upon its surface. He looked at Dian Wei and said, "Observe closely, for what may seem impossible to the untrained eye can be achieved with the right technique and strategy."

With a swift and unexpected motion, Lin Yu tapped the stone with a specific sequence of pressure points, leveraging the stone's own balance and the fulcrum of the ground beneath it. To Dian Wei's astonishment, the stone began to rock, and with a final, well-placed push, it tipped over, demonstrating not sheer strength, but the art of using strength effectively.Dian Wei stood there, dumbfounded, as Lin Yu dusted off his hands and smiled. "Strength is not just about muscles, Brother Dian Wei. It's about knowing how to apply it."Realizing the wisdom and the subtle power in Lin Yu's actions, Dian Wei bowed in respect. "You are indeed correct, and I am humbled. I acknowledge your victory and accept you as my elder brother."Lin Yu clapped Dian Wei on the back, a gesture of camaraderie. "Rise, my brother. In this world, we do not just need strength, but also wit and loyalty. Together, we shall serve Lord Cao with honor and might."And with that, the two men stood united, their fates intertwined, as they prepared to face the trials and triumphs of the Three Kingdoms era, side by side.