In year 212, Ma Chao led a combined force of barbarian clans and Zhang Lu’s reinforcements to occupy all of Longxi territory.
Many commanderies of the Liang Province capitulated to Ma Chao, but there were also conspirators waiting for their chance to revolt.
(not sure)
[?]: A section of the city on the west side has collapsed!
[?]: The cavern below the Pass has also been affected!
[?]: The troops near that area should relocate to somewhere outside of the city!
[?]: Hurry! Everybody out!
chapter 601 What Remains of the Upright
(possibly referring to a line in Dongfang Shuo‘s “Seven Remonstrances“: “Petty men now occupy the seats of power –
regarding the loyal and righteous as if they were inferior.”)
{step}
[?]: All exits in the west have been opened with the checkpoints removed!
(rephrased)
[?]: Turn left up ahead, General Zhao Qu‘s men are already there!
[?]: The Collapsing Wall Strategy took out a hundred of our enemies!
[?]: Yao Qiong and Kong Xin’s group is already planning their next move!
[?]: It’s a pity we couldn’t take down their leader!
[?]: Those righteous heroes of Ji City haven’t fled. Anyone heading there to rescue them?
[?]: Li Jun and Wang Ling have gone!
[?]: We picked the Southern San Pass for the location,
(not sure; in baidu search it refers to a general region of “Sanguan”)
[?]: a “crumbling wall” that I was counting on.
(rephrased)
[?]: I had hoped to crush the enemy with it,
[Yin Feng]: but the plan has to be scrapped in order to save you all…
(not sure)
[YF]: I couldn’t just leave you to die.
{Assistant Officer of Liang Province, Yin Feng}
[Wang Yi]: Thank you for the rescue, Sir Yin.
[WY]: Who knew that as isolated as we are in Liang Province,
[WY]: there are still well-intentioned people everywhere.
(not sure)
{hold}
[Zhao Ang]: Too bad your strategy fell through because of us…
(“pity in order to rescue us, caused your scheme fall empty”)
[YF]: Killing Ma Chao is just wishful thinking on our part, yet we were always ready to perish along with the enemy!
[YF]: Having lost contact with the court, we had no choice but to pretend to surrender.
[YF]: But just like you all, we refuse to allow barbarians to invade the central plains!
[YF]: Except now Liu Bei has interfered, and that Zhao Yun also seems to be cautious enough to make things harder for us.
[WY]: No, that man is definitely not Liu Bei’s Zhao Yun.
[WY]: We all know that no one here has any idea what the Imperial Uncle looks like, nor have they seen Zhao Yun before.
[WY]: They were just using Liu Bei’s reputation to bolster their own and legitimize their actions!
[YF]: If we’re out of options, Zhao Qu’s faction and I are ready to burn and take the villains down with us!
[WY]: Wait, sir, the righteous of Liang are still alive, and this trip wasn’t in vain.
[WY]: The situation is different now if your group is still within Ma Chao’s alliance.
[WY]: Us two, we are willing to surrender to you,
[WY]: while your group should delay a mutiny and preserve your strength.
[WY]: I have a plan…
[WY]: Surrender first, then wait for another chance to revolt!
[WY]: The Cao army is too powerful to not be able to answer our call for aid. Something is suspicious.
[WY]: It looks like the enemy has a coconspirator in Chang’an!
{crash~}
[?]: They planted falling pillar trap here-
[?]: wait until I find them and cut them to pieces!
[?]: I see them, over here!
[?]: How dare you maniacs kidnap our king! Time to die!
[?]: Those down there, our quarry is above you!
[?]: Block their path!
[?]: Without a way out, they will be boxed in!
[?]: The boy has been found, go notify Sir Yang Ang!
[Fan Shuo]: I know what you are thinking.
[FS]: We’ll lose everything if we allow ourselves to be killed in this hopeless situation.
[FS]: I ask you, what should a General-in-Chief do in this moment?
[FS]: Think fast!
[Jiang Wei]: Surrender.
[JW]: Surrender first, then wait for another chance to revolt.
[JW]: If the masked man still needs me for something, we can use that against him!
[FS]: Hahaha, I’m glad you learned how to prioritize!
(“understand distinction [between] trivial [or] important, I didn’t waste [my time] teaching [you]”)
[FS]: As your teacher, I’m finally ready to let you fend for yourself.
(slightly distorted)
[FS]: Go.
{grab}
[JW]: Why did you do that! I wasn’t finished…
[FS]: Just go.
[FS]: Don’t leave your family behind. Remember to find your mother!
[FS]: Remember, only one’s family is the most important thing.
[JW]: Wait, wait a minute!
[JW]: Remember this, teacher, I’ll come back to find you!
[JW]: A disciple must treat his teacher like his father – you said we’re family!
[JW]: Remember, it’s really suspicious that Chang’an has yet to answer our call!
[JW]: If you ask me, I think this is a Misdirection Tactic – they should’ve already sent a team…
(thanks to reader Misogi-chan for the word suggestion, since 扰敌 is usually translated as harassment/guerrilla tactic)
to scout!
— magazine-only teaser —
next chapter: People Believe in Dreams
— author’s comment —
Jiang Wei is willing to compromise, while Deng Ai is brave enough to scout a path for the sake of victory. These two rivals of the later Three Kingdoms period have met for the first time in Longxi (region), and they will end their fight all the way to the Shu territory. And coincidentally, they would die in the same month of the same year…
Ravaging Times 
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