Chapter 93

Chapter 727: There was Lü Bu! (2)

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Luo Xi continued, still boasting about his sturdy arms.

"If I, Luo Zijian, am not as vigorous as in my youth, the blood of Yan Shang still runs strong. I can still manage such calculations."

"They wouldn't dare to change their minds even if they wanted to, with eighty percent of our forces."

"I sensed it the moment they tried to manipulate me. There must be some among them who still harbor feelings for Huang Bosong."

Gao Shun finally understood Luo Xi's intentions.

"If my lord is chasing after Huang Bosong, keeping them here will ensure his safety."

"Exactly. That's precisely it."

While Luo Xi and Gao Shun were discussing matters related to Lü Bu, Lü Bu had already led all his troops to chase after Huang Bosong.

However, the slow pace through the mountains made Lü Bu increasingly anxious.

'If it were like the old days...'

Lü Bu recalled his former disposition.

In such a situation, he would have beheaded a few lagging soldiers to put the entire army on high alert.

Of course, doing so would have doubled their current speed. But the Lü Bu of now could not use such methods, as he had reached a level where he understood the characteristics of his soldiers.

'The soldiers from Hadao are hastily assembled and cannot be compared to well-trained regular troops. Those who can do something but choose not to and those who lack the ability to do it should not be treated the same way.'

If they continued to chase Huang Bosong at this slow pace, there was no telling when they would catch up.

'Ah! If Master Guo were here, I could ask him what to do...'

Guo Jia had returned to Hangu Pass. After spending a day or two with him, it seemed Guo Jia was still not ready to be separated from Shunchai for long.

Thinking of Guo Jia, Lü Bu's mouth went dry.

'I almost made a big mistake. If Master Guo had been overwhelmed by a man, what would I have done?'

Guo Jia had not yet completely expelled the poison, so he still met with Shunchai whenever he got the chance. Some might say Guo Jia was lucky, but to him, it was a significant constraint.

Unable to last four days without Shunchai, Lü Bu almost lost control and attacked a man this time.

Judging from the fact that his target was Wei Yue, it seemed he still harbored fear of Lü Bu subconsciously.

Wei Yue, leading the way at the front, said,

"Master Guo will be mocked by me for a long time."

"Cut it out! Don't mock a sick person."

"Brother, you won't understand. Wei Yue is so handsome that even men are attracted to him now."

Wei Yue patted his buttocks and continued to jest.

"Imagine how much this butt must have tempted him, making him drool..."

"Enough. I already sent him back to Hangu Pass after knocking him out. Ah! I thought there were many virtuous scholars, but now that the land has expanded, I regret not having one by my side."

"If you don't have teeth, you live with your gums. Since you are the general, you must figure it out yourself. I remember what you said before: no one can have everything... Probably when Hong O asked for a new spear."

It was an embarrassing old story, but he learned a lesson from it.

'I must figure it out myself. Only by surpassing Huang Bosong can I see the pass.'

Lü Bu had to think of a way to catch Huang Bosong on his own. If Gahou or Guo Jia were here, they would have easily provided an answer, but now he couldn't.

'I know where Huang Bosong is going, but at this pace, I can't catch up. The mountain paths are too treacherous for the Hadao soldiers to move easily... Yes. The Gaozhu soldiers are the best for mountain warfare. I should send them ahead...'

Lü Bu summoned Motei Ba, the king of Gaozhu.

"Summon the king of Gaozhu!"

* * *

While Lü Bu was leading the Gaozhu soldiers to Yiyang County ahead of the others, Huang Bosong was still urging his troops forward.

Despite the short distance, the mountain paths made their progress slow. Moreover, without provisions, it was a miracle they were still moving in a group.

The only thing sustaining them was the hope of finding food in Yiyang County.

"Look! I see a village!"

The Han Shu soldiers, like travelers who had found an oasis in the desert, started running towards the village.

Starving soldiers stormed into each house, smashing everything to find food. The aftermath looked as if locusts had swept through the fields.

There was no way a single village could feed tens of thousands of soldiers. But the Han Shu soldiers, moving in a group, focused on finding food.

Controlling the soldiers who were desperate for food was nearly impossible. Huang Bosong knew this well, so he let them plunder freely.

However, if he had entered the village with the soldiers, he might have noticed something strange.

The village was empty.

"Let go! Let go of it!"

"You let go! I found this chicken, so why should I let it go?"

"I caught it first, so it's mine!"

A dispute broke out over a chicken that was already half-dead.

There was no immediate danger.

The two soldiers quickly started punching each other over the chicken.

Such commotions broke out everywhere.

But no one paid attention except the parties involved, as everyone was focused on finding food.

Then, suddenly,

Bang! Wood splinters flew everywhere, and a large cloud of dust rose.

Before the dust settled, screams and groans of soldiers dying filled the air.

The eyes of the soldiers who had rushed into the village to plunder turned towards the source. Through the dust, a figure emerged, becoming clearer.

Lü Bu, wearing a golden helmet with two long pheasant feathers reaching his waist, and a bright armor that shone even through the dust, appeared with his halberd, Fangtian Huaji.

Thud!

The sound was made just by planting the base of the halberd on the ground.

"Thank you for the long journey! From now on, I, Lü Bu Fengxian, will treat you with the utmost respect!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lü Bu's figure shot forward like an arrow.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

With each step, the ground shook. In an instant, his figure slipped through the enemy ranks, and the halberd's shaft wrapped around his waist, spinning horizontally.

Whoosh!

A single powerful swing sent dust flying like a desert sandstorm.

And the screams followed.

The enemy soldiers fell, spraying blood, as if swept away by a cold wind.

"It's... It's Lü Bu! Lü Bu has appeared!"

The enemy soldiers, terrified by just one Lü Bu, froze in place.

"You scoundrels! There's only one enemy! Overthrow him and head to the next village to fill your bellies!"

The one who calmed the chaos among the Han Shu soldiers was their colonel, Cheng Gongying.

At Cheng Gongying's words, the Han Shu soldiers regained their composure and charged at Lü Bu.

But the fate of the moths flying towards a flame was already sealed.

* * *

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of the halberd slicing through the air was truly terrifying. Blood splattered with each swipe.

Everything split along the path of the halberd.

From soldiers whose heads were split diagonally to those whose limbs were severed, the number of fallen enemies grew.

No one dared to step forward against Lü Bu's overwhelming might. Finally, Cheng Gongying stepped in.

The fierce general of Han Shu, Cheng Gongying, who was on par with Yan Xing, wielded a unique saber with a handle about three feet long. He pushed the soldiers back and readied his weapon.

"Fall back! I will deal with Lü Bu!"

Seeing Cheng Gongying step forward, the soldiers cheered and retreated. The spot they vacated became the battlefield between Lü Bu and Cheng Gongying.

"You've come this far, but that's it! I, Colonel of Han Shu, Cheng Gongying, will take you on."

"Is that all you can do against me, Lü Fengxian? Han Shu must be a brainless lot."

Lü Bu did not highly regard his opponent. He knew little about Cheng Gongying and could see at a glance that he was not a match for him.

Perhaps it would take several men like Cheng Gongying to make the fight interesting.

Lü Bu's words infuriated Cheng Gongying.

"Never speak my lord's name so casually!"

Cheng Gongying roared and attacked. By twisting his wrist, the chain of the saber swayed. Using this as a signal, he lunged at Lü Bu, scattering the chain.

However, Cheng Gongying's saber could not reach Lü Bu, who used the length of his halberd to counter the attack.

Cheng Gongying then changed the trajectory of his saber, using it like a sword to attack Lü Bu.

The halberd and the saber clashed several times, sparks flying with each collision. After a few exchanges, one end of the crescent moon on the halberd had already pierced one of the chains of the saber.

A tense struggle of strength ensued. But it did not last long. The chain, unable to withstand the force of the two men, snapped, and the saber and halberd passed each other.

The moment the distance closed, Cheng Gongying had the advantage. Lü Bu hastily retracted his halberd to block the saber falling towards his head.

He successfully blocked the blade with a horizontal swing of the halberd. But Cheng Gongying's follow-up move was ingenious, aiming for Lü Bu's hand holding the halberd.

Lü Bu released his targeted hand. The halberd, which had been held with both hands, naturally tilted. Cheng Gongying, gathering his saber, spun around and prepared to strike again.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Instead of blocking the strike, Lü Bu swung the halberd like a club with one hand.

Unfortunately, the end with the crescent moon was stuck in the ground, so Lü Bu had to swing it upside down.

With a loud thud, Cheng Gongying, hit by the base of the halberd, clutched his chest and staggered back several steps.

Before he fell, someone caught him from behind. Cheng Gongying turned his head to see Yan Xing.

"Going alone is too risky. Facing the mighty Lü Bu, even we two together might not be enough, but what do you think?"

Without a word, Cheng Gongying nodded.