Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
On the battlefield, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei surrounded Lü Bu, like a fierce wind swirling around three sharp blades. The clash of swords and the glint of blades intertwined, their cold light shining so brightly that it was hard to look directly at. In the center, Lü Bu danced with his Fangtian Halberd, both offensive and defensive. Each time he spun and struck, a sharp wind followed, firmly suppressing the trio's fierce assault.
Zhang Fei's beard bristled with anger as he roared, " A Slave to Three Masters, today you shall spill your blood at Hulao!" He thrust his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear fiercely at Lü Bu's chest, but Lü Bu sidestepped and countered with a swift motion of his halberd, pinning down the serpent spear. The force was so great that Zhang Fei's wrist trembled, nearly causing him to lose grip.
"Good thief!" Guan Yu snorted coldly, swinging his Green Dragon Crescent Blade to slash at Lü Bu's side. The blade moved like a flowing ribbon, its chilling gleam intimidating. Lü Bu deflected it with one hand and swiftly jabbed at Liu Bei. Liu Bei ducked just in time, swinging his Twin Sabers to block the attack, breaking into a cold sweat.
Despite their combined efforts, they still could not gain the upper hand. As Lü Bu noticed Liu Bei's attack falter slightly, he suddenly feigned a thrust towards Liu Bei's face. Startled, Liu Bei leaned back quickly, causing his horse to lose balance and nearly topple over. Seizing this opportunity, Lü Bu swung away from the formation with a cold laugh: "You little rodents, I will take your lives another day!" He dragged his halberd behind him and spurred Red Hare forward, turning to flee.
"Lü Bu, don't run!" Zhang Fei bellowed as he urged his horse into a furious chase, his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear pointing skyward in wild flourishes. "Today I will ensure you have no place to be buried!"
Guan Yu raised his blade and shouted, "Elder brother, third brother, hurry after him! We must not let this scoundrel escape!"
The three riders galloped fiercely forward. On the battlefield, the soldiers of the Eight Route Lords saw Lü Bu's forces falter and erupted into shouts of battle as they surged towards Lü Bu's army like a tidal wave, cutting down Lü Bu's retreating soldiers as easily as slicing through vegetables.
Lü Bu glanced back and saw the relentless pursuers closing in on him. His expression darkened as he tightened his legs around Red Hare and muttered under his breath: "If only I had three thousand elite soldiers; these little pests wouldn't dare be so rampant!"
Xuan De, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei relentlessly pursued him as the Eight Route Army pressed forward like a flood towards the pass. Lü Bu's formation had already collapsed; soldiers were fleeing towards Hulao Pass one after another amidst cries of battle mixed with screams of pain and pleas for mercy.
"Kill! Do not let them enter the pass!" Guan Yu shouted sternly as his Green Dragon Crescent Blade flashed coldly; he cleaved down an escaping soldier with one stroke.
Zhang Fei roared like thunder: "Cut down the weeds to eliminate the roots; leave no survivors!" He hurled his serpent spear, instantly piercing through two enemy soldiers.
Lü Bu turned back and glared at the three pursuing him with eyes like daggers. Gritting his teeth, he thought: "Today I have lost my reinforcements; I will return to regroup at the pass and deal with these three ruffians later!" He spurred his horse fiercely towards Hulao Pass while behind him the shouts grew deafening—like a relentless death knell closing in.
Zhang Fei galloped forward, pointing his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear directly at Hulao Pass with a voice like thunder: "Dong Zhuo old thief! Don't think you can hide behind the walls and be safe! Today I Zhang Yi De will take your life!" His roar echoed beneath the pass, startling the defending soldiers who turned pale and began to retreat.
Liu Bei shouted from behind: "Third brother, do not act rashly! This place is heavily defended; Dong Zhuo has a large army stationed here. We must plan carefully before acting!"
Guan Yu also raised his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and spoke coldly: "Third brother, Lü Bu has not yet been captured; Dong Zhuo will only be more prepared. Do not act recklessly!"
Zhang Fei, unable to contain his anger, turned his horse around to look at the two brothers, his beard bristling with rage. "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, after we slay that scoundrel Lu Bu, another will surely rise. But Dong Zhuo is the true scourge of the world! He is right here at the pass; how can we let such a heavenly opportunity slip away?"
At that moment, Lu Bu had already fled back inside the pass, quickly ordering the gates to be shut. He shouted loudly, "Archers, take your positions and prepare for battle!" The soldiers guarding the pass swiftly assembled, and a dense formation of archers climbed the city walls, ready to unleash a rain of arrows to suppress the pursuing enemies below.
Zhang Fei watched the movements at the pass, his eyes burning with frustration and fury. "If it weren't for those chaotic soldiers protecting him, I could have pierced his gut today!"
Liu Bei calmly surveyed their surroundings and said in a low voice, "Third Brother, do not forget that our troops are still regrouping behind us. Acting alone is not wise. Although Dong Zhuo is inside the pass, Hu Lao Pass is not easily breached. Rushing in recklessly will only lead to losses."
Though Zhang Fei gritted his teeth in anger, he had no choice but to rein in his horse and suppress his boiling rage. Guan Yu gently patted his shoulder and whispered, "Third Brother, our anger will eventually be avenged on Dong Zhuo. But not today. Let us return to camp and plan for the long term."
Inside the pass, Dong Zhuo sat beneath a parasol, his face darkened as he fixed his gaze on the three men below. He spoke quietly to Lu Bu, "Who are these three that forced you to flee in such disarray?"
Lu Bu snorted coldly, clenching his fists tightly. "Liu Guan Zhang are indeed formidable opponents. But if it weren't for you being here today, I would make sure they never return!"
Dong Zhuo smirked cunningly, a glint of malice flashing in his eyes. "Good! They have underestimated the courage of our coalition by chasing us this far. But Hu Lao Pass is as solid as a rock; let’s see how long they can stir up trouble." He waved his hand to signal his subordinates to strengthen their defenses; the archers had already aimed their arrows at the three restless figures below.
Seeing the archers readying themselves atop the walls, Liu Bei finally raised his hand and said solemnly, "Retreat! Back to camp!"
The three men turned their horses around. Zhang Fei remained unsatisfied and shouted back angrily, "You old thief Dong Zhuo, clean your neck and wait! I will come back one day to take your head!"
Zhang Fei rode back furiously, still seething with rage as he tightly gripped his serpent spear and roared, "That scoundrel Dong relies on the high walls of the pass to hide away like a coward. One day I will flatten this pass!" Liu Bei soothed him saying, "Third Brother, we will discuss this further back at camp. This is not a time for reckless action." Guan Yu nodded slightly and added softly, "The battlefield is fraught with danger; we must act with caution."
Upon returning to camp, the Eight Route Lords gathered together to congratulate Liu Bei and his brothers on their achievements. Yuan Shao dispatched messengers to deliver news of their victory to various armies, raising morale significantly. Soon after, he ordered Sun Jian to advance.
Sun Jian received the order with uncontained fury; accompanied by Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, he headed straight for Yuan Shu's main camp. Upon entering the tent, Sun Jian's face was ashen with anger; his eyes wide open as he forcefully drew lines in the ground with his iron staff while reprimanding Yuan Shu word by word: "Dong Zhuo has no grievances with me or my family! I risked my life and faced arrows personally to confront him—not only for the sake of our country but also to clear my family's name! Yet you have listened to slanderous words and delayed sending supplies, causing our army's defeat and demoralization! What is your reasoning behind this?"
Yuan Shu furrowed his brow at these words; though embarrassed, he feigned calmness and replied slowly, "Wentai, do not be hasty. There may be some misunderstanding here. How could I stand by idly while you are put in danger? The delay in supplies was merely due to logistical issues; it was not my intention to make things difficult for you."
Cheng Pu stepped forward sharply and said sternly, "Delay? For days our army has been worn out from fighting while soldiers suffer from lack of food! Have you forgotten that General Sun's actions represent the righteousness of our coalition? If he fails in battle now, won't that chill the hearts of all lords?"
Huang Gai coldly remarked, "If the general seeks to weaken others for his own selfish interests, he is no different from Dong Zhuo! Do not forget that today's alliance is to eliminate thieves, not for internal strife!"
Upon hearing Sun Jian's fury, Yuan Shu's face turned pale as cold sweat poured down. He had no choice but to order the execution of those who spread slander as a public display and hurriedly sent envoys to apologize to Sun Jian. At the same time, he personally expedited the logistics of food and supplies to quell the unrest. He thought to himself, "How can I easily offend someone like Sun Jian? If he turns against me in anger, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Just then, someone rushed into the camp to report, "A general from Guan has arrived on horseback, claiming urgent business!" Jian set aside his documents, furrowing his brow as he asked, "Who is it?" The reply came, "It is Li Jue, a general under Dong Zhuo." Upon hearing this, Sun Jian's eyes narrowed like blades as he coldly laughed, "The visitor does not come with good intentions; bring him in."
Li Jue stepped into the tent clad in armor but wore a humble expression. He slightly cupped his hands and bowed his head as he said, "I am Li Jue, sent by the Chancellor to convey a message to General Sun."
Sun Jian coldly scrutinized Li Jue before finally asking, "Dong Zhuo sent you; what scheme do you bring?"
Li Jue remained calm and spoke gently, "The Chancellor has long admired your bravery and loyalty and holds you in high regard. Today he has sent me to propose an alliance through marriage—he has a beloved daughter whom he wishes to betroth to your son in order to strengthen our families' ties."
At these words, silence fell over the tent. Then Sun Jian slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacup to topple over. His eyes widened in fury as he shouted, "Dong Zhuo is a traitor who defies heaven and harms the world, destroying the royal family! I swear I will tear him apart to atone for the people! Such a wolf dares to think of marrying into my family? Truly shameless!"
Li Jue appeared somewhat embarrassed but maintained his composure as he advised, "General, consider this: the world is not yet unified. The Chancellor holds great power; this marriage would bring you countless benefits without any harm."
Sun Jian's anger surged even more at these words. He drew his sword and pointed it at Li Jue while shouting furiously, "You treacherous minion dare speak such nonsense here! Dong Zhuo's crimes are heinous; he has brought suffering upon the common people. Those who assist him share in his guilt! Today I spare your life for coming here without bloodshed. Go back and tell Dong Zhuo—surrender the passes quickly and await your doom; perhaps you may still keep your corpse intact! If you dare cause trouble again, I will ensure you are shattered into pieces!"
Li Jue hurriedly retreated with a look of panic on his face. He cupped his hands in salute and said, "I will certainly convey your words accurately; please calm your anger!" With that, he hastily exited the tent and mounted his horse without daring to look back.
Sun Jian snorted coldly and returned to his desk, angrily sweeping his sleeve as he declared, "This villain has the audacity to use marriage as bait! Little did they know that I, Sun Jian, will never be swayed by such trivial gains! Send orders down—intensify preparations for battle! I will break through this pass and slay this traitor to vent the anger of the world!"
Comment 0 Comment Count