chapter 238

A night of rain, if not for the spurting grass in the spring.

Did the aged ones remain? Or have they been buried by the storm?

[Guo Jia]: This just in: Lü Bu‘s eighth battalion led the surrender of the three cities… cough!

[Jia Xu]: The weeds have been cleared. Now Lü Bu has no reinforcements from the outside.

[GJ]: Soon… cough… cough… we… cough!

chapter 238 Father And Daughter Breaking Through

[JX]: If you don’t rest, I’ll be clearing the weeds off your grave this spring.

[GJ]: Yes. I should get well to marvel at the ending.

[JX]: But I see an interesting beginning.

[JX]: The tiger is fatally trapped, while the wolf on the outside is running loose.

[JX]: Do you know who caused the eighth battalion to surrender?

[GJ]: You mean…

[JX]: Get well soon, or Sima Yi will take all the credit.

{sfx: sha~ sha~ sha~}

{city of Xiapi}

[?]: See that beyond the water? Cao Cao‘s army seems to be growing.
[?]: All of Xuzhou‘s cities have surrendered.

[Gao Shun]: Even the longest serving eighth battalion surrendered. How unexpected.
[Zhang Liao]: Looks like Yuan Shu is our only hope.

[GS]: Don’t mention that guy. He’s obviously stalling.
[ZL]: Well, understandably it’s too dangerous to send forces in a situation like this.

[ZL]: I’m just worried that Xun Yu might find out and intervene. If he does we’re toast.
[GS]: Oh, here he comes.

[GS]: How is it?

[soldier]: The ground in the middle is higher, suitable for a horse. But hurry, the water is rising fast.

[GS]: Okay, let’s get ready.

[?]: Don’t be afraid.

[?]: This crisis will soon pass.

{Lü Bu’s mistress, Cao Yuan}
[Cao Yuan]: Don’t forget, your father is the most powerful man alive. And as his daughter…

[kid]: Don’t be afraid (either), second mother. Father will return soon.

[kid]: Stop shivering. It’s not good to let others see that.

[CY]: I got it!

[CY]: I’m just, just…

{horse neigh}

{horse neigh}

{sfx: pa~}

[?]: Didn’t I say that it takes five men to hold her steady?
[?]: Hold the rein! Don’t let her run loose!

[ZL]: You’re finally forced to use that animal, my Lord.

[Lü Bu]: She runs fast to and fro. I don’t have a choice.

[ZL]: I can go instead, my Lord.

[LB]: No, I’m more skilled with the rein, so I have a better chance at breaking through. Besides, I must be there personally this time.

[LB]: Chen Gong must have convinced Yuan Shu of the severity of the situation. He will not treat me badly.

[LB]: This trip is to show him our sincerity, to remove his doubts.

[LB]: Once we get reinforcements, our two armies can attack Cao Cao’s force on two fronts, driving him out of Xuzhou completely.

{whistle sfx}

{sfx: ta}

[LB]: With this animal and my halberd-

[LB]: who can take me down?

[LB]: Not to mention it will be hard to detect a single rider.

[LB]: Go, get the little one.

[LB]: Tighten it.

[CY]: Say something, Lü Bu. Don’t scare your daughter.

[kid]: You should head back in, second mother. Don’t let Lü Bu junior in your belly catch a cold.

[?]: The gate is about to open!
[?]: Everyone back away!

[soldier]: Please be careful, little miss.
[kid]: Got it.

[?]: The water is coming in! Watch out, everybody!

[LB]: Little one,

[LB]: do you hate your father?

[kid]: Cough! Cough!

That was the only thing I said,

before we head out.

She did not answer, though she hugged me tightly.

It feels as if her little hands pierced my armor and hooked onto me like ten needles.

Yes. She is about to leave me.

Rationally I was hurrying for the journey.
Emotionally I was spending my last moments with my daughter.

It will be a long trip, but also a short one. I fight my way forward,

yet my heart keeps sinking.

{sfx: pong~}

And then it fires up again!

[LB]: Up.

{sfx: foo~}

They found us.

At this moment I return once again to my numb self.

I will draw a line of blood under the night sky.

But that line is also the only thing connecting the father and the daughter.

[kid]: I don’t hate you.

She too, had only one thing to say.

[kid]: Little one doesn’t hate you at all.

[kid]: I am a Lü.

[kid]: Your daughter wants nothing more-

[kid]: than to go into battle alongside her father.

I dare not turn my head after that.

Through teary eyes I think I see the young grass flutter.