chapter 78

{outside of Chang’an}

[Yu Jian]: I am Yu Jian, a general of Niu Fu!
[YJ]: Who dares to accept my challenge?

{gallop~ gallop~ gallop~}

[?]: Yu Jian requests a match!
[?]: Yu Jian!
[?]: Yu Jian!

chapter 78 One Who Commits Murder

[?]: General Yang Bao of Lü Bu’s army will engage!

[?]: Sir! Yang Bao accepted the challenge!
(“report…”)
[?]: Sir! The outcome is fifteen wins versus thirteen losses!

[Guo Si]: Damn, that’s a tie!
(“…cannot tell who’s winning”)
[Li Jue]: How are things at Advisor’s location?

[?]: Gao Shun has five thousand men eighteen li south of us. Hou Cheng has seven thousand southeast of us.
[?]: Their battle has not started yet.

[LJ]: Hasn’t started… What the hell is Jia Xu doing?

KILL~

[?]: Morale is pretty good. Looks like the rumor didn’t cause too much problem.

[?]: But Niu Fu’s troop formation is watertight. It might take a while to break through.
[?]: Has their entire troop been deployed?

[?]: Seventh and Eighth battalions joined them too. Quite a few defectors.

[?]: That’s okay, as long as we have their names.

[Lü Bu]: Zhang Liao.

[LB]: I want a little morale boost.
[Zhang Liao]: Understood.

[LB]: And… about that guy…

[ZL]: Just need your order.

[LB]: Proceed.
(“acceptable”)

[?]: Lü Bu’s General-in-Chief Zhang Liao will engage!

[?]: Retreating ten li after the defeat…

[Niu Fu]: That’s strange?

[NF]: This kid stops crying at the mention of Zhang Liao’s name.
[LJ]: Niu Fu, you…

[?]: Now’s not the time to talk about a child, don’t you think, Commander Niu?
[?]: Please issue a military order, Commander Niu!

[NF]: Oh right…

[NF]: how old is our child now?

[Lady Dong]: You are unbelievable. Our child is almost two now.
{Niu Fu’s wife, Lady Dong}
[NF]: Really? Time sure flies!

[?]: Madam! Please persuade Commander Niu to start the offensive!
[?]: Our morale suffers the longer we stay put, then we wouldn’t be a match for both Lü Bu and Ma Teng!

[NF]: Five days, Jia Xu boasted…

[NF]: Only one day remains. I’d like to see what he can do.

[?]: Phooey! He intends to hit them by surprise. But how’s that possible if Lü Bu won’t come out?
[?]: We surprised them last time, but this time our opponent isn’t Li Su.
[?]: Please issue an order, Commander Niu. We’ll avenge our Lord even if we have to splash Chang’an with our blood!

[NF]: Quiet down. You want my son to start crying again?

[LJ]: Son, son!
[LJ]: Take care then, Commander Niu!

[NF]: My dear.

[Lady Dong]: Brother Fu, why’re you acting so strange?

[NF]: Promise me something.

[NF]: No matter what happens…

[NF]: you must have faith in Jia Xu!

[Hu Chi’er]: Protect Commander Niu with more patrols! And no one is allowed to enter the main camp without my permission!

[Niu Fu’s son]: Hu… Hu…

[HCE]: Haha! You’ve grown bigger again, Young Master Niu.
[NF’s wife]: He sure sees you more than he’s seen his dad!

[HCE]: You’re so understanding, madam…
(“you certainly are his/the wife…”; interpretation may vary)

[?]: You mean…
[?]: Grand Master Dong…

[Lady Dong]: I don’t know either. Father may have died…

[Lady Dong]: But I still feel his presence in me, and he wants to fulfill his will through Niu Fu.

[HCE]: Yes. To us, Commander Niu Fu is just as great as Grand Master Dong.

[HCE]: Don’t worry! Lü Bu can’t lay a finger on him while I’m around!

[Lady Dong]: Thank you.

[HCE]: With a wife like that, master… you’re one lucky man!

[NF]: Yes. That’s why I still feel indebted to my father-in-law!

[NF]: How are things with Jia Xu?

[HCE]: He’s using deceptive deployments to keep Gao Shun and Hou Cheng guessing.
[HCE]: The main army has headed north to cut off the supply line.

[NF]: Brilliant! Lü Bu will escort the rations personally if they lose the route. And it’ll be all over once we ambush the escort!

[?]: Too bad Li Jue and his men had to be kept in the dark. They made such a fuss today.
[?]: Nothing’s too deceitful in war. Got to be wary of spies!

[HCE]: Don’t worry, I already ordered an investigation.
[NF]: I’ll leave it in your capable hands.

[NF]: Oh yeah, my son likes you, while I… am more like a stranger to him.

[HCE]: Haha! Being favored by Young Master must be beneficial for my future!

[NF]: So which position do you want after eliminating Lü Bu?

[HCE]: General of the Gentleman of the Household!
[NF]: You’re funny. That’s way too soon…

[HCE]: I meant to say… there are a lot of people joining us right now, but…

[NF]: You mean some of them are opportunists?

[NF]: They want a chance to become rich and famous since I’m Dong Zhuo’s son-in-law.

[NF]: It could also be my charisma!

[HCE]: So whether it’s because of self-interest or your charisma, this motley crowd will scatter if something happens to you – their spiritual leader!

[HCE]: Therefore your life is really important!

[NF]: Sure, with the connection between Lü Bu and that assassin organization, they could’ve taken me out long ago…
[NF]: He’s just using me to lure out the traitors!

[HCE]: I think he already has a list.

[HCE]: Lü Bu said, once you die…

[NF]: He’ll make you a General of the Gentleman of the Household, right?

[HCE]: Yes. Lü Bu planned this scheme half a year ago.
[HCE]: And now, please call me General Hu Chi’er of the Gentleman of the Household!

[NF]: Shit.
Niu Fu was killed at night, and his head was sent to Chang’an.

[LB]: Niu Fu’s army must be a mess by now, right?

[ZL]: Jia Xu is pulling his forces back in a hurry. Now is the perfect time…

to attack in full force!

The Old Master said, he who knows other men is discerning.