chapter 91

(I need to read this over, no time right now)

A beautiful scenery on a bright day.

Sadly never again.

[Zhang Fei]: The sky… will darken.

[?]: Hey! This is General Xiahou‘s territory!
[?]: Stay there! Don’t move!

chapter 91 Artist, Woodcutter, and Assassin

[Xiahou Yuan]: Huh! What do you think of this painting?
[?]: I may be a layman, but… I know a masterpiece when I see it!

[?]: The magnificence of the mountain ranges are not shown here, only as a memento for the world.

[XHY]: Yes. Such scenery shall be drowned in the sea of fire.

[?]: Ay. That is war…

[?]: Even in my remaining years I will not see the return of this famous mountain’s former beauty. Sad, so sad.
[XHY]: Haha, even you sound refined all of a sudden.

[XHY]: Except this is a battlefield. Should we be in the mood for mountain gazing?

[XHY]: It’s dangerous here, mister. Please go home!
[ZF]: In these wild parts it’s rare to find someone who can appreciate art. If you like this painting, General, please keep it!

[XHY]: With your talents, mister, I say this painting will be very valuable in the future. So I shall accept.

[Zhang Liao]: One less painting.

[ZL]: Why would you give away your hard work, mister? Don’t you regret the loss?

[ZF]: I paint landscape; you cut wood; no interference. Why does mister woodcutter keep following me?

{sfx: ta~}

[ZL]: We’re both working in the same beneficial area, that’s all.

[ZL]: Would you be willing to paint a picture for me, mister?

{sfx: hoo~}

[ZF]: Since we’re like-minded, can you afford the costly commission, mister woodcutter?

[ZL]: A man of the wild only knows dangerous terrains. Will you accept that as payment?

[ZF]: It’s a deal.

[ZL]: Thanks.

[?]: Boss, who is that guy?

[ZF]: I don’t know. But based on his moves… he’s no ordinary man!

[ZF]: Take these paintings back. I want to survey some nearby areas.
[?]: You mean the sites that he described?

[ZF]: Yes. I didn’t expect that Fourth Genius to deploy the troops so perfectly.
[ZF]: Go tell everyone to proceed according to plan. And also, tell them that…

[ZF]: There are more than one mountain gazer.

[ZL]: Tell our Lord, that there are wood to be cut on the third, fifth, and eighth hill.

[?]: Then… we can just proceed in the second, fourth, and seventh hill? Got it.

[?]: But do I need to bring this painting back too?

[ZL]: Tell our Lord, that there are more than one mountain gazer.

[ZL]: Mister Zhang, of the Peach Garden art-style, has come as well.

[?]: Look… look at that hillside, how can this happen?

[?]: Looks like someone started a fire on purpose!
[XHY]: Guo Jia told me to station here, is it because…

[XHY]: Record-Keeper, where is that painting?
[?]: General, now is not the time to appreciate art.
[XHY]: Give it to me! Hurry up!

[XHY]: How many points of flame?
[?]: Four, no, now there are five.

[XHY]: How many in the valley then? Three?
[?]: Correct! Three. Brother Miao Cai, how do you know?

[?]: Eight, then there are eight teams.

[XHY]: Too fast, impossible!

[XHY]: Quick! Give this painting to the Advisor!
[?]: But… would he be in the mood to appreciate art?

[XHY]: This is no painting;
[XHY]: it’s a map of deployment!

I don’t know if there are armies up in the hills. But my brain has already been muddled by this painting!

KILL~

[?]: Yuan Rang, look over there!

[Xiahou Dun]: Wh… what!?

[?]: So… so many lights, help has arrived!

[?]: General Xiahou, it looks chaotic down there!

[XHD]: Guo Jia is down there, and his troop is small, damn it!

[XHD]: Listen up! Everyone march down hill, and don’t let harm come to the Advisor!

[Guo Jia]: Never fight an uncertain battle.
[GJ]: Xiahou Dun is still too cautious.

[?]: Advisor! we’ll hold this ground,
[?]: so you can go fend off their reinforcements!

{sfx: pong~}

[GJ]: What reinforcements? No one is coming.

[Liaoyuan Huo]: No one… am I not human?
(word-play?)

[LYH]: I may be alone right now, but…

[GJ]: What’s that nonsense? I have troops stationed in the back. How will we be attacked?
[GJ]: You created the confusion just to force Xiahou Dun to come down here, right?

[LYH]: Right. As long as we can save the staging grounds on the hills, our reinforcements will pass through safely in the morning.
[LYH]: As for the fire… you people must be experienced enough to have your own guesses.

[?]: He’s right. Those flames point to the best staging grounds.
[?]: Did he set the fire to guide the reinforcements?
[?]: Advisor, let us split up. We can put out the fire, take their staging grounds, and prepare to fight back!

[GJ]: Split up to put out the fire? If so… wouldn’t we be weakened like he wanted?

[?]: Then… then what should we do? Please tell us, Advisor!
[?]: Calm down, he’s just one person.

[GJ]: He’s right. One should act calmly.

[GJ]: Good at psychological warfare, like Lü Bu… Unfortunately you’re not him.
[GJ]: He can escape, but, not you.

[LYH]: That’s right. Don’t fall into chaos. If you guys do, all others will follow.

[GJ]: That’s why we must remove the cause of the chaos.

[LYH]: You’re good at this too. And for our peace of mind we must remove you.

[?]: Such bold talk!

[GJ]: Better put your skills where your mouth is. The ten or so officers here are all famous Generals.
[GJ]: Almost no one can survive their onslaught.

[LYH]: Fighting ten or so is always easier than fighting hundreds of men!

[GJ]: You sound like an assassin.

[Xu Chu]: A phrase, that seems, familiar.

[?]: Him… even he has… has come!

[XC]: That year, at Yanzhou, someone, said it.

[XC]: He, alone, sneaked in, disguised as,

[XC]: One-eyed assassin.

[XC]: Destined to die, shall die.
[XC]: Destined to live, will live.

The climate changed too often that year, and because I was unaccustomed to the new environment, I did not come along.

Lü Bu sent me medicine. Although expensive as they were, they only worsened my condition. I recovered once I stopped taking them. Perhaps, I thought, I was too rough for precious goods.