chapter 226

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

{South of Xiapi, Yu Jin’s encampment}

[?]: This just in. Xiahou Yuan ordered his camp to pull out.

[?]: We don’t even know how Xiahou Dun is doing, why the rush…
[?]: Speed is vital in war, Advisor; we can’t blame him.

Chapter 226 An Order To Kill

[Yu Jin]: Not to mention Gao Shun’s troop is small; he’ll surely withdraw.

{Hua Tuo}
[Hua Tuo]: Too fast.
[Guo Jia]: My pulse is speeding up again?

{Yu Jin}
[YJ]: You worry too much, Advisor.

[YJ]: You work too hard when Xun Yu is not around.

[messenger]: Report!

[GJ]: Let’s see why my pulse is racing.

[messenger]: We suddenly lost contact with generals Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and Chang Xi of Mount Tai prefecture.

[HT]: So they joined Lü Bu. No wonder your heart is beating faster.
[GJ]: Precisely.

[YJ]: They defect when Xun Yu isn’t around.

[YJ]: Their addition would empower Lü Bu.
/* simplified */
[YJ]: We’ve been lured in quite deeply. This will certainly disrupt our deployment.
/* not sure */

[YJ]: But they won’t attack recklessly with their limited strength.

[soldier]: Master Yu, Lü Bu has opened the gate, and Zhang Liao is calling for a fight!

[YJ]: Woah!

[GJ]: Zhang Liao is out but doesn’t join forces with Gao Shun. It seems they have no intention of defending their position.

[GJ]: So Gao Shun knows a trick in dealing with the Xiahou brothers.
/* not sure */

[GJ}: If I’m right, then the Mount Tai rebels are heading for Xiahou Dun’s camp.

[GJ]: If the Xiahous are in trouble the rear camp will be too.

[GJ]: And it’s where we distribute the supplies!
/*
“it’s where we second camp provide supplies” or “it’s where supplies are prepared for the two camps”
Guo Jia might be in this “second encampment”, the Chinese here is ambiguous
*/

Chen Gong, you sure are sneaky!

{shouting: kill~}

{shouting: kill~}

[captain]: Haha, we broke through.

[Xiahou Yuan]: We can’t hold on anymore, retreat!

[XHY]: Make for the hills!

{sfx: ta~}

[Gao Shun]: Let them go. We will attack their rear camp!

[Xun Yu]: The rear camp has more troops. You must have something else up your sleeves, General Gao.

[GS]: You are keen! No wonder my Lord says it is not difficult to conquer the world with your help.

[XY]: Trust is more important, General Gao.
/* probably saying LB needs people’s trust before conquering the world */

[GS]: My brothers, rendezvous with our Mount Tai allies up ahead!

[?]: Faster!

It is hard to anticipate a man without rules.
/* distorted */

{sfx: long~}

What a desperado.
/* slangy, sorry */

[Cao Xing]: Whose army is it?
[soldier]: They are in the light. I can’t tell.

[CX]: They can remain calm even after witnessing frontline’s defeat. Cao Cao’s army certainly is well-trained.

[CX]: Our arrows have depleted, giving their archers the advantage. Prepare to retreat.

[Han Hao]: No blinding light, and the wind is in our favor. March on, my brothers!

[HH]: Twenty steps, then shoot to kill!
/* “…kill without reservation” */

[soldier]: Th… they don’t care about Xiahou Dun; they’re advancing!

[CX]: Xiao Lin, tell Xiao Meng to retreat first!
[Lin]: Yessir.

[CX]: Is he down yet?
/* “have you taken him down” or “have you captured him” */

{sfx: pong~}

[Xiahou Dun]: That’s right, Han Hao.

[XHD]: No reservation…
/* “kill without exception” */

[XHD]: That’s my rule.

[soldier]: Ah! It hurts!

[CX]: You’re fed. Now go to hell!

{shouting: charge~}

{shouting: kill~}

{sfx: pong~}

{shouting: kill~}

{sfx: pong~}

[XHD]: No exception…
/* “kill without exception…” */

{sfx: pa}

[XHD]: is also my motto!
/* not sure */

{sfx: pong~}

{shouting: kill~}

{sfx: pong~}

{shouting: kill~}

{sfx: pong~}

[CX]: So close.

[CX]: Xiahou Dun,

[CX]: blame fate, not this arrow!
/*
“Heave wants you dead; it’s not this arrow’s fault”
a possible literary reference to what Xiang Yu said during his final battle
loosely: “I will die because Heaven willed it so, not because of this battle”
*/

{sfx: pong~}

{sfx: pong~}

I see you!

I see you!

[CX]: In shadow,
/* “back turned to the light” */

[CX]: down one.
/* some archery terminology; don’t ask me */

Not blinding at all.

It’s fate!

Leading archer…

[CX]: Fire.

Here!
/* by font style this “is here/this” follows “fate”, but the previous thought is also incomplete, so it could be “Leading archer is here” */

Fog of war settles – revealing none of the heroes.
/* couplet-like verse, previous line on last page of chapter 223 */