China's original double ace! "Biao Ren," the shining star of Chinese comics, joins forces with the SLG king, creating a legendary collaboration!

Famous comic artist Xu Xianzhe once wrote in "Biao Ren": "Biao means trust."

In just four words, it expresses a bodyguard’s steadfast dedication to their promise during turbulent times. When this faith crosses eras and meets the brutal warfare of the Three Kingdoms, what kind of impact will emerge?

On January 28, 2026, the boundary-breaking collaboration between "Rise of Kingdoms" and "Biao Ren" officially launches. Under the theme "Silk Road Scroll, Flames Rise in Shazhou," it blends the Western Desert of the late Sui dynasty with the fiery battlefields of the Three Kingdoms. Amidst today's rampant "skin-deep" collaborations in the gaming market, this partnership stands out as precious—it’s not a mere character cameo, but a "double feast" born from the core spirit of two top-tier Chinese IPs.

1. Survival Crisis! Wasteland and Turmoil

The story of "Biao Ren" is set in the third year of Daye, under the tyranny of Emperor Yang of Sui, where people suffer and bandits roam freely. The protagonist, Dao Ma, survives by hunting fugitives in the Western Desert with the adopted child Xiao Qi. Amidst swirling sands and clashing blades, every step is a gamble between life and death. Similarly, "Rise of Kingdoms" portrays the brutal Three Kingdoms era, a merciless battlefield of competing warlords and fallen heroes.

Both share the theme of "survival in chaotic times." It’s not a romanticized hero saga but a raw, harsh, and choice-filled depiction of existence.

This "Stormy Desert" update transports the battlefield to the Western Region, introducing a new "Shazhou Greening" gameplay—years of warfare have disrupted farming and irrigation, with sand encroaching everywhere. Players must dig wells and green the land to build their dominion in this barren expanse.

This setting perfectly recreates the suffocating and immersive feeling of "sand cutting the face" from "Biao Ren." Watching the desert revive in the game inevitably reminds one of Dao Ma’s desolate yet resilient journey across the vast desert in the comic.

2. The Soul Resonance of Heroes and Generals

Character matching in this collaboration is a major highlight.

Dao Ma corresponds to Zhao Yun—both are lone heroes in troubled times. Dao Ma, a fugitive fleeing the court to the martial world, carves a bloody path through the desert wielding his ring-hilted saber; Zhao Yun, the White Horse General famed for his seven charges at Changban, symbolizes loyalty and valor. Neither are scheming strategists but tough warriors who speak with sword and passion.

Ayuya matches Ma Yunlu—both fierce women of the Western Regions. Ayuya, the jewel of the Mo family in the desert, becomes a vengeful goddess after her father’s death, shouting "I am the desert storm" amid sandstorms, evolving from a girl to the desert’s mistress. Ma Yunlu is likewise a formidable female general from Xiliang, known for her toughness in "Rise of Kingdoms." This precise soul match lets players instantly see that the creators truly understand both the game and the IP.

Zhishilang corresponds to Guo Jia, and Swallow Lady to Lady Zhurong—each pairing withstands scrutiny, embodying a genuine "collaboration."

3. The Powerful Alliance of Original Chinese Cultural IPs

Ultimately, what excites most about this collaboration is the weight of "Chinese originality" it represents.

As a Chinese comic masterpiece praised thrice by Japan’s NHK TV as "world-class Chinese manga," "Biao Ren" has sold over 5 million copies worldwide, translated into 12 languages, with nearly 3 billion reads on major domestic platforms and a stable Douban score above 9.0. Its stark black-and-white ink style proves to the world that Chinese artists can create top-tier martial arts comics.

"Rise of Kingdoms" is also a leading domestic SLG brand, a game that perfects "sandbox strategy" in a Three Kingdoms setting. Even after ten years, it remains the top in its category! It doesn’t rely on flashy effects but offers players the brutal thrill of real geopolitical struggles and complex alliance politics, embodying the harsh truth that "one general’s success costs thousands of lives."

When a "world-class Chinese anime" meets an "Eastern war sandbox," this is more than a commercial deal—it is a powerful union of two Chinese cultural icons. It shows that original Chinese IPs can stand confidently on the global stage and tell our own stories.

Conclusion

On January 28, 2026, as desert winds rise and war flames ignite again, you can become a sword-wielding bodyguard roaming the world or a hero who unifies the land on the "Rise of Kingdoms" battlefield. Dao Ma’s ring-hilted saber, Ayuya’s Western longbow, Zhishilang’s mysterious mask… these iconic figures that once fired our passion in the comic are finally stepping onto the Three Kingdoms warfront.

Silk Road Scroll, Flames Rise in Shazhou. This millennium-spanning "Desert Pact" — are you ready?