chapter 9

chapter 9 Crashing Through
(“break [through] pass”)

{token reads: command}

[?]: Leave when you’ve been checked in. Don’t block the traffic!
[?]: What? More checkpoint taxes?
[?]: There’s a war on, you know.

[?]: I didn’t realize you’re the new official, Mister Zhao. Sorry! Sorry!
[Zhao Huo]: As if you need to know my itinerary.

[?]: Uncle Huang, this boy seems useful!
[?]: Next group!

[Huang]: Yes! We must grab him!

[?]: Name? Address? Purpose of visit?
(“what name? live where? come to luo yang for what?”)
[Huang]: Huang Zuo. Ancestors lived at tenth street, fifteenth alley, third house of twelve. I’m here for the festival.
[?]: Their luggage is filled with ritual material.

[?]: Huang Zuo you said?

[H]: Yessir.

Idiot! How could a Luoyang resident have such a thick southern accent! Fifteen in their group. Seven in the front, eight in the back. Must be the operation team from Kuaiji in the south.
Old uncle, I’ve got my eyes on you.

[?]: What is that boy eyeing?

[?]: No Huang lives at the third of twelve.

[H]: Haha, been away for too long, can’t even remember where my house is. It should be second of twelve.

[?]: That’s a Li residence.

[H]: Getting senile at this age!
[H]: Hahaha! I really can’t recall anymore.

[H]: First of twelve. Must be the first!

[?]: First…?

[H]: I lied.

WAH~

[?]: Gu… guards!

You wanna ruin my plans, uncle?

{sfx: pa~}

WAH~

{sfx: shoo~}

{sfx: cha~}

{sfx: shoo~}

[?]: Move and you’re dead!
(“want to live, don’t move”)

[?]: Form a blockade!

[Zhao Huo]: Spare me, miss!
[H]: Thanks for your escort, brother!

[H]: You all head in first!
[?]: Yessir!

{sfx: da da da}

[ZH]: You won’t kill me, right?
[?]: I’ll let you go after we’re in the city.

{a store sign}

[?]: What’s going on down there? Why let in so many at once?

[H]: Pick your words wisely.
(“don’t random/wrong speak”)

[?]: No problem here! We’re from the same town!

{sign for a tea house}
[?]: Sir Zhao, I’ve already notified Ministry of War of your arrival!

[ZH]: Thanks a lot.
(“troubled [you], troubled [you]”)

[?]: Sir Zhao, who is this…

[ZH]: This…

[ZH]: is my eighteenth mistresses from Xiliang. Isn’t she hot?

[H]: And she’s gentle too!

OUCH

[?]: Xiliang women sure are extraordinary!

{horse trot sfx: guh guh guh}

[?]: Morning, General!

{Dong Zhuo’s general-in-chief, Hua Xiong}
[Hua Xiong]: Morning!

It’s noontime now. That was a code!

{sfx: ta!}

[ZH]: Wah!

[ZH]: I tripped!

{sfx: shoo~}

[H]: Take that!
(“look knife”)

{sfx: shoo~}

[HX]: Guards! Assassins are here!

[H]: Run, Shu-zi! I’ll take care of’em!
(“-zi” suffix is used like “xiao-” or “-er” here, as affectionate reference to someone)

[Shu]: I leave them to you guys!

[ZH]: Stop pulling! Stop pulling!

[?]: Arrest the assassins!

{sfx: huff~}

{sfx: ka}

{sfx: huff~}

[?]: Hidden daggers! No wonder the search turned up nothing!
(“mouth inside needle…”)

KILL~

{sfx: ping ping ping}

[HX]: You must be the leader.

[HX]: Southern accent…
[HX]: If my guess is correct… you’re from Sun Jian’s army.

{sfx: pa~}

[Huang Gai]: Huang Gai of Sun Jian’s army!

[HX]: Good! I’ve been dying for this match!
[HG]: My thoughts exactly!

[?]: Over here! Over here!

[Shu]: Any closer and your superior will die!

[?]: Halt! His life is important!

[Shu]: Aha! You sure are my protection charm!

This is no way to outrun the guards. What’s this gal waiting for?

{horse neigh}

[Shu]: Here it comes!

{sfx: hoo~}

{sfx: pa~}

{sfx: hoo~}

{sfx: pong~}

{sfx: shoo~}

{crash~}

Nice moves. As skilled as Xiao Meng…

{wind sfx: sa~}

[Shu]: Come with me, protection charm!

[ZH]: Wah!

{horse galloping sfx: guh guh guh}
[Shu]: Make way! Make way!
{sfx: guh guh}

[?]: There! She’s headed for seventh alley!

[ZH]: So aside from martial arts…

[ZH]: you’re just as vicious too!

[ZH]: Who says the southern girls are gentle…

[ZH]: Stop! Stop!

{sfx: pong~}

Dead end!

[Shu]: Turn around!

{sfx: hoo~}

{sfx: pong~}

{sfx: pong~}

[?]: A vanguard of the Guandong army?

{sfx: huff huff huff}
[?]: Co… correct!

[?]: You should look at a map before coming to Luoyang.

[?]: What kind of fool would take on the Ministry of War by their lone self!
{sign reads: Ministry of War}

Shit! I’m dead!

[?]: Oh but you’re too cute to die.
[?]: So let us old guys have some fun with you.

[ZH]: So dark!

[ZH]: Scram! Chubby!
(“…you fat pig”)
{sfx: huff}