The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Bu is good at being filial - Chapter 58



＜ The Martial God’s Tale, Prologue (1) ＞

Who is this person named Son Gyeon?

Before even reaching the age of majority, he was appointed and achieved military merits by defeating numerous enemies.

Although there is a bad relationship with Dong Zhuo, the reason Yuan Shao entrusted Son Gyeon with the vanguard among the various lords was because he was that strong.

If there was any dissatisfaction among the lords of the alliance, it was to the extent of ‘Isn’t Son Gyeon monopolizing too much credit?’

In other words, Son Gyeon was so strong that they were worried they would have no place to shine.

Although Son Gyeon lost two of his lieutenants, his strength is not limited to his subordinates.

Son Gyeon’s personal strength.

Swiftly wielding the treasured Gojongdo, many warriors had to swallow their saliva in front of its sharp blade.

All warriors know.

How strong this person is.

To put it simply, Son Gyeon is one of the strongest among the warriors in the allied forces.

Therefore, it was not strange that those who would be considered the representative generals of the lords were lined up as his subordinates.

So it was unbelievable.

No matter how much he hadn’t rested properly due to the midnight battle, no matter how excited he was, a tiger is a tiger.

“Ma, Maengju! Is it okay to leave that as it is?”

The fact that the tiger is now being overwhelmed.

“If Sun Jian dies like that…!”

“He won’t die. He won’t.”

The sword and the long saber clash repeatedly.

Although the long saber is much longer, Hua Xiong is wielding it like a sword against Sun Jian.

“It looks like Sun Jian is narrowly dodging, but he’s deliberately dodging to observe the situation.”

Yuan Shao reassured the lords, pricking up his ears towards Yan Liang standing beside him.

“Sun Jian is rougher than usual, but there’s no need to worry. The problem is….”

“Is that monster really Hua Xiong?”

“…….”

As the other lords feared, the monster Sun Jian is facing.

“Hua Xiong…. Dong Zhuo must have used sorcery! He must have used the magic of Xiliang to forcibly resurrect the dead Hua Xiong!”

“What nonsense is that.”

Some of the lords were out of their minds.

“Otherwise, how could someone who was so badly injured last night appear so unscathed!”

“Exactly! He must have cast a spell on a wooden puppet and put Hua Xiong’s soul into it!”

“How did his left arm suddenly…! Ugh, how can a human arm regenerate!!”

“Haa….”

Yuan Shao suppressed his irritation at the actions of some of the terrified lords.

“Resurrecting the dead, such things don’t exist in reality.”

“Then how do you explain the existence of that Hua Xiong?”

“…Thinking logically.”

Yuan Shao had no choice but to speak his thoughts.

“It would be right to say that another strong warrior disguised as Hua Xiong has appeared, wearing Hua Xiong’s weapon and armor.”

Someone has disguised themselves as Hua Xiong.

“Look. Hua Xiong lost his left arm, but that person has a perfectly fine left arm.”

“Perfectly fine? It looks to me like he’s fighting with only his right arm.”

“The left arm is… just assisting.”

Yuan Shao was slightly annoyed by the words of the lords.

Even though Sun Jian was not able to overwhelm him, the lords were getting scared one by one by that fake Hua Xiong.

Anxiety.

“An Liang.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“…What do you think will happen if you fight?”

“…I think we will only know if I fight directly.”

The creeping worry spread like a plague, eventually seeping into Yuan Shao as well.

“Did Dong Zhuo’s army… have such a person?”

“Could it be Xu Rong?”

“I’ve already defeated Xu Rong using archers. If he were such a warrior, I would have died at Yinan.”

According to the information, Dong Zhuo had no warrior of that caliber other than Hua Xiong.

“An Liang. Do you know what I’m thinking right now?”

“That is….”

“I wish that man was Hua Xiong, resurrected by Dong Zhuo’s wicked sorcery.”

Yuan Shao let out a hollow laugh as he uttered such an absurd and irrational statement.

“If Dong Zhuo had hidden such a monster other than Hua Xiong, how many more monsters are there in Hulao Pass?”

“…….”

“An Liang. If I’m not mistaken, that fake Hua Xiong seems to be ‘practicing’ against Sun Jian.”

“Yes.”

An Liang replied in a heavy voice.

“He is getting more accustomed to the Mi Tian Dao. Gradually.”

“…Should I order Sun Jian to retreat?”

“He is a man who would retreat only in death.”

“Ha.”

If there was a fear shared by Yuan Shao and the other warlords.

“We haven’t even faced Lü Bu yet….”

Lü Bu.

Although deceived by Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu’s strength could never be underestimated.

Lü Bu was still alive, but they were being blocked by Hua Xiong at Sishui Pass.

“Do not worry, my lord. If Wen Chou and I join forces, we can defeat Lü Bu.”

“If we join forces.”

“Although Lü Bu is an individual, we are an alliance. The other warlords’ generals are not completely useless.”

“…That’s right. They should be.”

There are many generals.

Although they are dying one after another, the same goes for the other side.

“Continuing to fight in single combat is-“

Ka-ang!!

“…The outcome has been decided.”

Sun Jian’s Gu Ding Dao flew towards the sky.

“It seems they fought for almost fifty bouts.”

The blade of the Mi Cheom Dao in his right hand was aimed at Sun Jian’s neck.

At the moment he was about to kill, the fake Hua Xiong pulled back the Mi Cheom Dao.

Yuan Shao felt a moment of puzzlement but soon realized the reason.

“Master─!!”

A middle-aged general with a red turban ran towards Sun Jian.

Before running towards Sun Jian, the general had already shot an arrow.

“He intended to kill, but is responding to the arrow.”

Took.

Hua Xiong swung the Mi Cheom Dao and deflected the arrow.

“Huang Gai! Let go, I am!”

“Think of the young masters, my lord!”

“Ugh, ugh!!”

In the meantime, Sun Jian turned his horse’s head and retreated.

“I will not forget this humiliation!!”

Sun Jian ran back, blood dripping from his mouth.

His red battle robe was torn in several places, and blood splattered through the gaps. He retreated under the escort of the deputy general, Huang Gai.

Dong, dong, dong.

Sun Jian, defeated.

“…Let’s set up a temporary camp here.”

Yuan Shao calmly surveyed the surroundings.

The sun had already set, and the time was approaching night.

“Let’s think about who will uncover the truth of the warrior who is trying to deceive us by disguising himself as Hua Xiong, no, as Hua Xiong.”

None of the lords were willing to step forward easily.

* * *

Late at night.

Sun Jian moved to the rear for treatment.

The lords gathered in Yuan Shao’s tent, but even after half a day had passed, no one was willing to step forward.

“……Ha.”

Yuan Shao sighed deeply into the empty seat.

“Still, the only one who stays with me here is my old friend, you. Cao Cao.”

“You’re talking nonsense while forcing the dining table here.”

Cao Cao took a big bite of the vegetables piled on top of the rice in his bowl.

“You, don’t you know who it is?”

“Me?”

“You must know who it is. Seeing that you’re holding out without saying anything, you must know.”

“Do you think I would say even if I knew?”

“Those who do not work, do not eat.”

“……Damn it.”

Cao Cao put down his rice bowl irritably and frowned.

“Do you need to ask me? Yuan Benchu, you have already found the answer yourself.”

“It’s verification. To see if the answer I thought of is correct. If I think alone, it’s a hypothesis, but if you think the same, it becomes confirmation.”

At Yuan Shao’s gesture, Xu You, who was standing behind Cao Cao, brought out ink and a brush.

“Write it on your palm. Let’s see if what you and I think is correct.”

“While eating….”

“Do you want to lose all your wine too?”

“Damn it.”

Cao Cao finally scribbled on his hand with the brush.

Yuan Shao also moved the brush on his hand and then frowned as he wrote a character.

“Let’s show each other. Three, two, one.”

On Yuan Shao’s hand was the character Lü (呂).

On Cao Cao’s hand was the character Xian (先).

“As expected.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Lu Bu is disguising himself as Hua Xiong?”

“General Lu? Haha. What I’m saying is….”

“Isn’t it the ‘Xian’ of Lü Fengxian? It’s no use trying to dodge.”

“Tsk.”

Cao Cao moved his hand back to the rice bowl.

“Why do you think Lu Bu is disguising himself as Hua Xiong?”

“If I knew that, I would be someone who understands the principles of all things in the world.”

“Cao Cao. You are-“

“Reporting, my lord.”

A soldier entered from outside and bowed.

“The Governor of Beiping, Gongsun Zan, requests an audience with you.”

“…No way? Let him in.”

Yuan Shao stood up with a wide smile.

Thud, thud.

“Welcome, Gongsun Bogui. But, who are those behind you…?”

“They are my lieutenants.”

Gongsun Zan did not come in alone.

Instead, he brought three lieutenants with him.

“From this side, Liu Xuande, Guan Yunchang, Zhang Yide.”

“Haha, I am Liu Bei. It is an honor to meet you, my lord.”

The man in the middle, who was similar in height to Gongsun Zan, Liu Bei, bowed to Yuan Shao.

“Liu Bei. What is your position?”

“I am the magistrate of Pingyuan.”

“Magistrate.”

Yuan Shao’s voice cracked momentarily.

“And the other two warriors? They don’t look ordinary.”

“They are my sworn brothers.”

“Guan Yu. I am in charge of the cavalry archers.”

“Zhang Fei. A foot archer.”

“…….”

Yuan Shao swallowed, momentarily thinking he had misheard.

Those who command as few as five or as many as ten soldiers are called squad leaders.

An archer is even less than a squad leader—a mere rank-and-file soldier.

Isn’t that just another way of saying he’s just an ordinary soldier?

“…….”

But Yuan Shao couldn’t say anything to Gongsun Zan, who had brought them.

“They hope to face Hua Xiong at Sishui Pass at dawn tomorrow.”

The person who brought them was Gongsun Zan, and Yuan Shao also sensed something unusual in their demeanor.

If it had been Yuan Shu or other warlords, they would have shouted, “How dare mere archers and foot soldiers!”

But Yuan Shao knew better.

“Lord.”

“Ah, yes.”

Yuan Shao noticed that Yan Liang behind him and Wen Chou behind Cao Cao had been on high alert since the moment they entered.

And above all—

“Zhao Mengde. Do you know them?”

“Yes.”

Yuan Shao briefly glanced at Cao Cao’s expression.

The familiar look he had seen since childhood whenever Cao Cao wanted something.

Though he quickly hid it, Yuan Shao didn’t miss that moment.

“I know them. They helped us when we fought the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan.”

“Haha. It was us who received help. If it weren’t for Lord Cao’s assistance, the bandits wouldn’t have fallen into chaos.”

Liu Bei bowed deeply to Cao Cao.

“It is an honor to see you again. As expected, you have come here for righteousness and virtue.”

“…Well, something like that.”

Cao Cao replied curtly, turning his gaze to Yuan Shao.

“Ahem, Lord Liu. No, General Liu.”

Yuan Shao stepped forward.

If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t matter, but if Cao Cao coveted these talents, it was a different story.

“Whether that Hua Xiong is real or not, he is the one who defeated Sun Jian. Can you face him?”

“I find it a bit difficult to face him, but my brothers can certainly handle him.”

Liu Bei pointed to the men standing beside him, each a head taller than himself.

“Although they are staying in humble positions because of me, their bravery is, without a doubt… comparable to that of the female general.”

“Hahaha!”

Yuan Shao burst into hearty laughter without realizing it.

“Comparable to the female general?! That’s impressive!”

Clapping his hands, he covered the characters engraved on his hand.

“Very well. If they possess such skills, they deserve respect regardless of their rank.”

Yuan Shao hung a plaque with the name ‘Gongsun’ in front of the command map in the military tent.

“Tomorrow, let’s see those skills in action. But who will step forward first?”

“I will step forward first.”

A red-faced warrior with a long beard extending to his abdomen stepped forward.

“I, Guan Yu, will face Hua Xiong, who defeated Sun Jian.”

“Are you confident?”

“If it’s Hua Xiong, I can defeat him in one strike.”

“…That’s quite a confidence.”

Even Yan Liang and Wen Chou wouldn’t easily say such a thing.

“But….”

Yuan Shao swallowed his words and clenched his trembling hand tightly.

“But what if it’s not Hua Xiong?”

“Not Hua Xiong?”

“Someone stronger than Hua Xiong, comparable to that Lu Bu-“

“Lord!!”

In the midst of the conversation, the lords outside suddenly rushed into the tent.

“Tomorrow morning, let me lead the charge! I, Wang Kuang’s lieutenant, Fang Yue, will step forward!”

“I, Kong Rong, cannot stand by any longer. If the female general has been brainwashed by Dong Zhuo, she must be rescued immediately! Let my general, Wu Anguo, have the opportunity to fight!”

“…What is this all of a sudden.”

Yuan Shao was bewildered by the sudden intrusion of the lords.

Moreover, those who just entered were not focused on opposing Dong Zhuo but rather on the banner of ‘rescuing Lu Bu’, showing a simple-minded direction of thought.

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“Lords, why are you suddenly…?”

These are people whose will for righteousness and loyalty is stronger than their desire for military achievements.

Why would such people suddenly commit such rudeness?

“Rumors have spread.”

“Rumors…?”

“Just before Sun Jian fell, he saw something between the helmet.”

“…….”

Yuan Shao did not hear it.

“Between the helmet, hair flowing like silk!”

“……!”

“Hair flowing like the antennae of a locust!”

Sun Jian, this man.

Yuan Shao suppressed the boiling anger inside him.

“That person is not Hua Xiong, but a female general disguised as Hua Xiong!”

Beihai Xiang, Kong Rong, beat his chest and shed tears.

“Ha, haha. It doesn’t make sense. Why would Lü Bu appear not in his own form, but in the form of someone like Hua Xiong?”

Yuan Shao looked at the others.

“How could a female general of the world do such a cowardly thing and hand over military achievements to Hua Xiong?”

Everyone nodded.

Except for Cao Cao, who was covering his mouth.

“That’s right! How could a warrior like a female general not reveal her own fame and go to the battlefield wearing Hua Xiong’s shell?”

Kong Rong beat his chest as if frustrated.

“It must be the wicked Dong Zhuo’s sorcery!”

“No, what sorcery….”

“Brainwashing, persuasion, hostage-taking! For whatever reason, we cannot leave the female general as she is! What warrior in the world would tarnish their honor and fight like that?”

At Kong Rong’s words, those in the tent unknowingly nodded.

“…I understand your intentions well. Then, let’s do it this way.”

Yuan Shao collected all the wooden plaques and put them into a large wooden barrel.

“General Cao Cao, come here and draw the plaques. According to that order, we will depart for Sishui Pass tomorrow.”

“Ha.”

Cao Cao rose willingly, even with a wry smile.

“Lord Meng.”

Even under everyone’s gaze, Cao Cao reached into the wooden barrel and whispered softly to Yuan Shao with his lips.

– I will keep what happened here in my heart for the rest of my life.

Yuan Shao just smiled and pointed inside the wooden barrel.

“The first one is….”

* * *

Dong, dong, dong.

Morning.

The allied forces stood in front of Sasu Pass.

The difference from usual was that it was not one lord leading his troops, but several lords and their generals riding at the forefront.

Of course, the main force was waiting behind them, but it was certainly a rare sight for the lords to step forward first.

Dong, dong, dong.

The allied forces beat the drum first.

“I, Fang Yue, am here!”

A warrior named Fang Yue stepped forward with a spear.

“Hua Xiong, come out and face my spear!”

Creak.

The gate of Sasu Pass opened, and Hua Xiong appeared once again.

“Ha…! Now you don’t even bother to deceive us!”

Hua Xiong, with his left arm intact, swung his massive sword with one hand.

His helmet was firmly pressed down, and his face was covered, so it could not be seen.

“Alright! I, Fang Yue, will reveal your true form!”

Fang Yue’s horse charged forward vigorously, and Fang Yue thrust his spear fiercely at Hua Xiong.

“Die, fake Hua Xiong!”

Hua Xiong stood still and parried Fang Yue’s spear with the strength of his arm.

“This life is for my lord!”

“…!”

But soon, as Fang Yue rushed in like a moth to a flame, Hua Xiong faltered.

“Hahaha!”

Precisely, Bang-yeol’s spear persistently targeted the horse that Hwa-ung was riding, causing the horse to retreat in fear.

“First, let’s knock him off the horse!”

Doom, doom, doom.

The sound of drums echoed from the allied forces.

“I, Muanguk, will join you!!”

In the midst of the duel, another warrior, Muanguk, rode in on his horse.

“I will join you, General Bang!”

Muanguk charged, swinging his mace.

Though it seemed somewhat cowardly for two warriors to attack simultaneously, Hwa-ung had already faced Sun Jian and several of his lieutenants in a nighttime battle.

“Reveal your true self!!”

Muanguk and Bang-yeol attacked from both sides, continuously targeting the horse.

Ka-ang, kang!

Hwa-ung, responding to both sides, soon grew irritated and leaped high above the horse, onto the saddle-

“What?!”

“He’s… standing?!”

He stood precisely on the saddle, on both feet.

Swoosh-!

Hwa-ung swiftly swung his sword, Mi-cheom-do, to the left and right.

One strike.

Puhwa─ak!!

Bang-yeol’s head flew off, spraying a fountain of blood.

“aaargh!!”

Another strike.

Muanguk’s arm was severed, and he fled.

Blood spurted from both sides, splattering Hwa-ung’s armor and helmet.

Standing on the horse with both feet, Hwa-ung slowly removed his blood-splattered helmet with his left hand.

Whiiing.

As the wind blew, blood-stained hair fluttered beneath the helmet.

Doom, doom, doom.

With the sound of drums, a black military flag began to flutter among the soldiers on the fortress wall of Sasu Pass.

Lü (吕).

The hair fluttering to the left and right was like silk.

“Now.”

Standing on the saddle of his horse, Lü Bu pointed his Mi-cheom-do forward.

“Next traitor, come in.”

＜ Martial God Chronicles, Prologue (1) ＞ End

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