chapter 124

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

[soldier 1]: Report! Xiahou Yuan’s troop is back again!
[soldier 2]: Report! Li Dian’s troop is supplying the military rations southward!

[soldier 3]: General, please retreat and join up with Advisor Chen Gong’s remaining forces!

[soldier ?]: Sir, hurry! This is General Zhang Liao’s order!

[Zang Ba]: So Chen Gong really lost…

chapter 124 Remnant Soldiers . Defeated Officers

[ZB]: Then, my Lord is in trouble.

[ZB]: Puyang is gone,
[ZB]: even Chenliu is gone.

[ZB]: Only two fools remain.

One is in hiding…

The other is still fighting to have his name in the record book.

[Gao Shun]: Chargers cannot lose!

[Xiahou Yuan]: He still wants to fight?

[XHY]: A respectable man.

[Yue Jin]: Worthy of respect.

[YJ]: And sympathy!

Most of Chen Gong’s troop was destroyed around dusk. By the next morning, Chenliu’s defense was broken, and the Grand Administrator Zhang Miao escaped to Yuan Shu’s side.

Cao Cao received over ten letters of surrender from Yanzhou officials by noon.

Lv Bu lost his military foothold,
while Cao Cao’s influence silently doubled.

[Han Hao]: The Yellow Turban army?
{Puyang}

[HH]: Then, Runan region is ours too.

[Xiahou Dun]: I know how you feel, but this is all…

[HH]: I understand, it’s a good experience.

That day,

Cao Cao returned to the top of the watch tower, and said:

[Cao Cao]: My men have proved the saying,
[CC]: able-bodied and able-minded.

Though there’s only one thing these loyal subordinates want to say to him.

[Liaoyuan Huo]: Son of a bitch.

[Lao Da]: Don’t mind it too much.

[LD]: I made a copy of the map of the secret passageways when I was still working for the old master.

[LD]: Right now we’re on the same side…

[LYH]: Used to, but not anymore!

[LYH]: So, what’s your goal?
[LD]: If “Handicapped Warriors” can rescue Cao Cao,

[LD]: why can’t the “Defeated Officers”?

[servant]: Report! We’ve retrieved Dian Wei; he’s still alive.

[LYH]: He… works for you?

[LD]: Used to, but not anymore.

[LYH]: Hand him over.

[LD]: I never told master Tian about the relationship between Handicapped Warriors and the Sima clan.

[LD]: It is the stupidity of you guys that exposed everything.

[LD]: I advice you to stop pushing the Sima clan into hot waters.

[Zhang Lei]: Huo, Lao Da’s right, let’s not make any more scenes.

[LYH]: Then congratulations on your day of glory, Lao Da.

[LD]: Smart birds would choose the tree they rest on,

[LD]: I was hoping you, as my successor, could be like me.

[LYH]: Lao Da, I thought master treated you well!

[LD]: The Sima clan is big, but they’re too conservative in their goals of life, so they’re still…

[LD]: a total mess.

[LYH]: I just want to say, you left at a bad time.

[Sun Shu]: But now is a good time to show up.
[SS]: If you want a fight, I can give you one.

[LD]: So is this him?

[SS]: It’s him alright.

[LYH]: You… you’re Sun Shu!?

[LD]: If the Sima clan would serve Lord Cao, they would surely accept…

[LD]: this new assignment.

[Tian]: Crippled and without a way out; soldiers face a rout like facing a landslide.

[T]: Defeated but alive, soon be as rich as mountains.
/*
my previous notes about each line: http://www.livejournal.com/users/mercurysblood/1380.html
*/

[CC]: Mister Tian, your second verse is incoherent bullshit, but still dead on.

[T]: The Sima clan has the strongest pike; but the Tian clan has the strongest shield! However… I didn’t come up with this second verse.

[T]: So, what do you think of their strength?
[CC]: Witnessing it firsthand, the Handicapped Warriors are truly a sharp bunch.

[Lao Er]: Then… what about my leader…

[CC]: Concealment is an offense, but it’s forgivable. I hope he will make up for it later.
[T]: Combining the two forces, is lord Cao thinking of assassinating Yuan Shao?

[CC]: Yuan Shao is from a big clan; his death won’t kill them all.
[T]: So you mean… use the diminution tactic?

[CC]: I want his force to be cut in half, and let this be the price for concealment.

[LE]: Lao Da.
[LD]: I accept this punishment.

[LD]: Please leave it all to the Defeated Officers.

[Shan Wu Ling]: So what would be the reward when it’s done?
[CC]: So it’s you.

[T]: Don’t… don’t act so greedy!

[CC]: Little Advisor’s conducts – like Wang Jian of Qin – make one feel at ease.

[CC]: “Soon be as rich as mountains.” Hahahaha! I really fell for that one.
[SWL]: Uncle Tian dares not to say it, but I’m not afraid.

[SWL]: I want to take over that SI.MA.CLAN.
/* “annex” */

Years later at the battle of Guandu, Cao Cao obtained one of the historically inconceivable wins (using the much smaller force against a sizable enemy force).

At the time, Xiahou Dun made great strides during surprise attacks; Xiahou Yuan was the competent overseer; Cao Hong remained calm during the chaos; Cao Ren held on to the rear force, keeping the morale stable; Yue Jin set ambush in Wuchao, attacked Liyang, and took Nanpi; Li Dian maintained a steady supply line; Xu Chu, Han Hao and the likes always put themselves ahead of the soldiers, thus served as examples for the rest. Each General gave their all, and they solidified the foundation for Cao Cao’s empire.