One can choose one’s life path.
It’s just about the value of that path.
[?]: As the adviser predicted, Ji sent out more than one group to seek aid.
{Ji city}
[?]: But why release them after capture?
[?]: That goes against older brother’s wish.
chapter 595 A Choice of Value
(or should it be closer to the fancy term “value selection”???)
[?]: Look, it’s Sir Yan Wen!
[?]: Sir Yan is back!
[Ma Dai]: Pang De, Yan Wen is an important hostage for us,
{Ma Chao’s paternal cousin, Ma Dai}
{Ma Chao’s General-in-Chief, Pang De}
[MD]: I’m not going to take the blame for your unauthorized action!
[Pang De]: Don’t worry, Young Master, remember that our ultimate goal is to conquer Ji.
[PD]: I chose a wise path when I took this action.
(reworded)
[PD]: Heaven wants us to eliminate a villain against Imperial Han,
[PD]: not to fight among ourselves.
[PD]: Heaven wants me to become a believer in order to help the man before me.
(“…to enter/join the church/cult…”)
[PD]: So I choose to believe!
{thump~}
[PD]: First Master is invincible on the battlefield, but he lacks mercy.
[PD]: Adviser said, only a path of value can lead to greatness.
[PD]: One life can trade for a city.
[PD]: If Yan Wen can be killed outside of the city,
[PD]: it’ll only take a few days
[PD]: before Wei Kang surrenders!
{Inspector of Liang Province, Wei Kang}
That’s mercy on the battlefield.
It’s a wise choice.
[?]: Drag them out!
[Zhao Ang]: Ahh!
(“ya”)
[ZA]: Teacher.
[ZA]: Teacher, you died because of my uselessness!
[Eighth]: But the useless man still married a virtuous wife.
[Eighth]: Pity that a resourceful person like you would sacrifice yourself for a mediocre man.
[Eighth]: I didn’t expect the woman they caught to be you.
[Wang Yi]: A weakling like me had no choice but to do what my family demanded back then, I regret everything, please, for sentimentality’s sake…
[Eighth]: Silver-tongued. No wonder Master Zhao broke his rule back then and accepted a female student…
[Eighth]: And because of your quick wit, my cover was blown and I was forced to flee.
[Eighth]: Had it not been for you, I would have led the clan to great renown.
[Eighth]: And you, sister Yi, would have also become the wife of this “Zhao Ang”…
(self-referential)
[ZA]: Zhao Yun! Wang Yi is loyal and righteous, you’re not worthy of her!
[ZA]: What happens today is proof that Liu Bei cannot be a righteous man!
{slam~}
[Ma Chao]: What ruckus. Your focus should remain on Ji, Advisor.
[Eighth]: I promise you that Ji will surrender within a few days.
[MC]: You certainly know a trick or two. No wonder Pang De held you in high regard.
[Eighth]: General Pang wanted what’s best for the world. Why don’t you join me…
[?]: Cough!
[Zhao Zhen]: Cough! Cough!
[?]: The geezer is still alive…
[ZZ]: N-no, not yet.
[ZA]: Teacher!
[ZZ]: I… I-I’m not, not done yet…
[ZZ]: N-not done yet, let’s go… again!
[ZZ]: Beat you… to a retreat!
[?]: You’re practically dead, old man, yet you’re still talking tough!
(simplified)
[?]: Fine! Why don’t you get up first!
(simplified)
[?]: If you win, you get to order Commander Ma around!
[?]: Hahaha, and don’t forget the other thing Commander Ma said!
[?]: Three days after we conquer Ji, each of our tribes gets our agreed share of the spoil, and we get to do whatever we want in the city!
[?]: The first to breach the city gets first dibs. Why don’t you go in first if you have what it takes?
[?]: Commander Ma, give me this woman and I’ll consider going in last!
[Eighth]: Good taste, but watch out for the thorn.
[?]: What’s the big deal, watch me…
{wham~}
{gasp~}
[?]: Look out, an ambush!
[?]: There! The entrance of the left wall!
[?]: Is the promise still in effect as long as someone defeats Commander Ma?
[MC]: Yet you threw your knife at the wrong person. How humiliating for me.
[?]: I didn’t attack you because your father was a loyalist.
(rephrased)
[?]: If you can’t decide, then let General Zhao call the shots.
[Liaoyuan Huo]: We can do another exchange of hostages.
[LYH]: Which is more important? Provisions from the King of Di, or my people?
[LYH]: When faced with things of real value,
[LYH]: why don’t you choose again?
(call back to chapter 471)
— author’s comment —
Ma Chao is too Headstrong for Eighth to control, but the latter has extended his claws toward the fierce warrior Pang De.
— black page preview —
When the fire is so close, no water will be close enough to put it out.
(wordplay on Huo’s name and an idiom, “distant water cannot put out a fire at
hand”, from Master Hanfei)
Ravaging Times 