LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 23 - To Hu Lao Gate
Chapter 23. To Hu Lao Gate
The fight between Hua Xiong and Unryong ended far quicker than expected.
“He didn’t look that strong, right?”
“That’s what I thought.”
The soldiers who had come to collect Hua Xiong’s body clicked their tongues as they looked at his corpse.
But something seemed strange.
One soldier glanced at Hua Xiong’s body with a suspicious look.
“…Didn’t they say it ended in one strike?”
“Yes.”
Indeed, there had been only one sound of metal clashing.
“Something feels off.”
However, Hua Xiong’s body had five stab wounds: starting from the shoulder, then the chest, abdomen, knee, and ankle.
Could it be that they finished him off after the duel ended? But if that were the case, the shape of the wounds would be different, and some cuts were in places that didn’t need to be slashed at all.
Each stab wound was as uniform as could be.
The soldiers tilted their heads in confusion but quickly gathered the corpse.
***
“Your performance was exceptional.”
Yuan Shao, standing tall on the platform, addressed me, even going so far as to attach the title of “Sir.”
“Your bravery has opened the way for our loyalist army. Be proud.”
“Ah, yes.”
I didn’t know how to respond, so I just awkwardly nodded my head.
As I returned to my seat, this time, Cao Cao stood next to me.
“How many times are you going to surprise me? To think you’d return before the wine even had a chance to cool.”
“Well, I was just lucky. Why praise me so much?”
Even if I hadn’t stepped in, Guan Yu over there would have finished the fight in one blow.
Besides, even though I didn’t show it on the outside, my body was already in shambles.
This was the side effect of the Shura Heart Technique.
The more gates I opened to suppress my qi, the more unbearable the strain on my body.
If I hadn’t been born with such a frail constitution, I would never have learned this trashy martial art in the first place.
Look at me now.
Every joint and muscle aches.
Still, if I collapsed here, it would be humiliating, so I was enduring with all my might.
Anyway.
Even if I had cut down Hua Xiong in one strike like Guan Yu, I couldn’t confidently say that I could beat Guan Yu right now.
I could barely handle a partial release of the Gate of Opening, so if I maintained the released state for any longer, the result was obvious.
I’d probably be bedridden for weeks.
As I was lost in thought, Cao Cao snorted beside me.
“Modesty is a virtue, but too much of it can be poison. You did well. I, Cao Cao, promise you this: when this war is over, you will be rewarded with a position befitting your achievements.”
What’s this bandit general going to reward me with?
Well, she’s just a bandit general now, but later she’ll even defeat the mighty Yuan Shao and come the closest to uniting the world, so I suppose her confidence is warranted.
But I shook my head.
“No need. Why keep praising something so trivial? I prefer to hole up in the mountains and practice swordsmanship. I’ll cast off this ‘Governor’ title sooner or later.”
Honestly, I just wanted to live leisurely as a wandering swordsman.
I’d help my younger brothers succeed, have them buy me meals from time to time, and live out my ideals of chivalry.
That was the life I wanted.
Cao Cao remained silent for a moment before her red eyes gleamed.
“That may be a noble goal.”
She smiled faintly.
“But the times are turbulent. Even the future of the Han royal family is uncertain. Do you really think the world will leave you be?”
Who cares about that?
It’s my life. I’ll live it how I want.
“You may not realize it yet. Though I haven’t known you long, you are not someone destined for an ordinary life.”
“What, are you cursing me?”
“No, just sharing my personal thoughts.”
Cao Cao shrugged and turned her back.
She always had to get the last word in.
Why does this woman get on my nerves every time I see her?
I gave her a small middle finger as she walked away, then headed toward Zhang Yang.
“…Amazing!”
Zhang Yang clapped her hands together the moment she saw me, grinning broadly.
“As I expected, Unryong! From the moment I saw you, I knew you had the makings of a hero!”
“Say that again.”
“Eeek!”
When I grabbed her by the shoulder, she looked like she was about to cry, her eyes welling up.
“W-wait! I’m not ready yet!”
“Everyone, listen up.”
As I was pondering how to deal with her, Yuan Shao stood on the platform and spoke.
“The path to Luoyang is now open. All that remains is Hu Lao Gate. If we can capture Hu Lao Gate, we will march directly into Luoyang.”
I had no choice but to listen for now.
Zhang Yang sighed in relief, muttering something about how it wasn’t so bad after all.
She was getting weirder by the day.
In any case, the real battle starts now.
If Hua Xiong was at Si Shui Gate, Lü Bu would be guarding Hu Lao Gate.
Lü Bu was strong.
Even Guan Yu, who had cut down Hua Xiong in one strike, wouldn’t be able to stop her alone.
In fact, the famous battle of Three Heroes vs. Lü Bu—where Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei teamed up—ended with them barely managing to force her to retreat.
And even then, it wasn’t a victory, just a retreat.
In other words, if we’re talking about the strongest under the heavens, no one would dispute that Lü Bu was the one to mention.
I had no intention of arguing otherwise.
I had seen her strength firsthand the day we clashed at Qing Niujiao.
That was the power of a monster.
Even with my internal energy, I couldn’t be certain of victory.
Besides, I had no desire to fight her.
If someone had given you a favor, you should repay it, but how could I repay kindness with enmity?
To the coalition, Lü Bu was a traitor, just like Dong Zhuo. But to me, she was just Yeo, the one who helped me that time.
Still, I had no plans to protect Lü Bu.
I was simply going to let the story unfold as it originally should.
While I was making up my mind, Yuan Shao quickly began reorganizing the troops.
Governor Wang Kuang of Henei and Governor Zhang Yang of Shangdang would lead the vanguard, followed by Governor Kong Rong of Beihai and Governor Gongsun Zan of Beiping, along with a total of eight other warlords heading toward Hu Lao Gate.
The second wave would enter Luoyang immediately after the capture of Hu Lao Gate, engaging in a full-scale battle against Dong Zhuo’s forces.
Thus, I was assigned to the vanguard along with Wang Kuang and Zhang Yang.
We immediately began the march.
***
“I’m really sorry! Please stop glaring at me.”
“People will misunderstand if they hear you. Who said I was glaring? I don’t even have the rank to glare at a Governor. Are you sure you’re not imagining things?”
“I didn’t think you’d dislike it that much! Besides, you should be thanking me for helping you earn that merit—eek!”
When I shoved my face into hers, Haryeong raised her fist and lightly knocked my chin upward.
“Big Brother, calm down.”
“Haryeong, let go. I have a debt to settle with her.”
“Haa… Can we just be quiet while we march?”
While Haryeong sighed, Unsam suddenly popped up beside me.
Baekrang, too.
“Brother! I heard you did something incredible this time! Your name is spreading like wildfire among the other troops!”
“Stop exaggerating, Unsam. Our brother’s greatness will only grow with time, and those frogs in the well are just leaping about.”
Haryeong whispered to me, exasperated.
“He says that, but all he did was talk about you all day long… Please, do something about it. My ears feel like they’re going to burst.”
Well, I’m embarrassed too, so handle it yourselves, okay?
In the end, I clicked my tongue, unsure how to deal with Zhang Yang any further, and refocused on the march.
The night deepened, and the world around us darkened.
“You seem to get along well with your subordinates.”
“…Oh, damn it!”
I had been dozing off, recalling my army days during a march, when someone suddenly tapped me on the shoulder.
Why do people keep popping up out of nowhere these days?
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
I squinted and looked more closely.
A woman with a bright smile stood before me.
Her hair was pitch-black and flowed down to her waist. Her eyes curved like crescent moons, and she had twin swords strapped to her back.
“…Liu Bei?”
“Yes?”
When I absentmindedly called out her name, she widened her eyes in surprise.
It was incredibly rude to call out someone’s name when you had no prior acquaintance.
In other words, while Liu Bei smiled, her eyes seemed to say, ‘What’s this guy’s deal?’
“Uh, well, I remember you standing up to the Governor of Nanyang, and it left an impression.”
I made up an excuse, and Liu Bei smiled again, seemingly letting it go.
“Don’t worry about it. If anything, I’m the one at fault for suddenly striking up a conversation. And it’s embarrassing that you saw me like that. I just wanted to watch my younger sibling in action.”
Then, silence.
Liu Bei walked alongside me, smiling without saying a word.
“Do you need something from me?”
Eventually, I had no choice but to ask, and Liu Bei responded as if she’d been waiting.
“I was moved by your valor and wanted to greet you. Oh, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Liu Bei, Magistrate of Gaotang County. My courtesy name is Xuande. And those over there are my younger sisters.”
At Liu Bei’s call, the two women who had been standing a little distance away hurried over.
“This one’s name is Guan Yu, courtesy name Yunchang.”
“My name is Zhang Fei, courtesy name Yide. Nice to meet ya.”
“Yide, mind your tone.”
“Fine, fine. Nice to meet you, Mister.”
“Yide…”
What’s with these people? Why are they putting on a skit in front of me?
Led by Liu Bei, the three extended their hands in greeting.
“We’ll soon be comrades fighting side by side, so it’s good to get acquainted. I’m counting on you as well, Governor Unryong of Manbo County.”
April, 190.
On a crescent-moonlit night, this was our first meeting.