chapter 250

[Cao Hong]: A hundred steps forward after a half chi lowered!

{Cao Hong}
[CG]: Remember, save your strength. We want to diminish their supply of arrows!

[?]: Forward! Pull back when their arrows fly!

chapter 250 Going Separate Ways

[?]: Cao Hong’s army three hundred steps away!
[Zang Ba]: Archers, up three!

[?]: Get ready!

{sfx: shoo~}

[?]: So our arrows will only last fifteen more rounds.
[?]: Don’t worry, we still have troops to use if we run out of arrows.

[?]: Redeploy the mercenaries to guard the upper tower.

[Lü Bu]: Hold out a little longer. Cao Cao will retreat when Yuan Shao arrives.

[LB]: Go now and stand guard. I will come after you to lead the battle.

[?]: Ok, we’ll wait for you on the tower.

{gulp}

{sfx: ta}

[?]: What is the meaning of this?

{sfx: pa}

[Zhang Liao]: You ordered your brother-in-law Wei Xu to pack up secretly. Tell me, are you running away?

[LB]: Keep it down!

[ZL]: The soldiers know nothing of this. How could you do that to them?

[ZL]: Listen, if you want to go then we all go!

[LB]: The enemy is focusing their attacks on the two gates now. In a few days we will retreat through the east gate during the confusion. You should get ready too.

[ZL]: Ready for what! I went through all that trouble to convince our brothers to stay and give their lives for you, how can you be so ungrateful?

[LB]: Zhang Liao, do you think Yuan Shao will come and attack Cao Cao?

[ZL]: That’s right! Stay and fight with us. There’s no need to run to Yuan Shu!

[LB]: Why would I serve Yuan Shu?
[LB]: Only now do I realize what has happened.

[LB]: We have all been tricked by Yuan Shao.

[LB]: After my failed attempt to break through the siege, Yuan Shao sent a messenger to say that he is willing to take me in.

[LB]: But the condition is that we do our best to wear down Cao Cao’s forces before he sends aid.

[LB]: Subdue the enemy without a fight – that has always been the methodology of Yuan Shao’s Advisor Yuan Fang.

[LB]: Do you remember what Yuan Fang did at Hulao Pass back then?
[LB]: He used diminution tactics on the Guandong Alliance, then slowly devoured each ally.

[LB]: We have been had. He’s good. There is nothing I can do about that.

[LB]: But think about it, any loss on Cao Cao’s part means a strengthening on Yuan Shao’s side.

[LB]: Just bear it a little until Yuan Shao stages a major counteroffensive, then we’ll have a chance to start over.

[LB]: Making it big again with our skills.

{sfx: pong}

[LB]: I know this is an ungrateful act to our brothers,

[LB]: but this is war, it’s casualties, so?
[LB]: You are the most important man to me. I still need your help in later days.

[LB]: Go pack your things!

[ZL]: You are (my) master, but they are (my) brothers!

[ZL]: A deputy like me can help you get away for good!

[ZL]: But I’m staying with my brothers for better or worse!

[LB]: Zhang Liao! Get back here!

[LB]: Get back here now!

[Chen Gong]: The lad is young. He won’t understand with a personality like that.

[LB]: You finished packing too?

[CG]: Old men have a lot to be stubborn about, my Lord.

[LB]: You are not leaving either?

[CG]: If I stay you will have a smoother escape, and Cao Cao’s army will suffer more.

[CG]: A loss today but a gain later. Your service under Yuan Shao will earn you some resources.
[CG]: Besides, I’ve always disliked Yuan Shao, and I have no desire to work with Genius Yuan Fang.

[CG]: I’m old. My knowledge is already outdated.

[CG]: I feel ashamed for not being able to relieve you of the problems these years.
[CG]: I am eternally grateful for your trust in me, and now I can only stay and give it my all.

[CG]: Lü Bu, go and do what you do best.

[LB]: What I do best?

[CG]: Powerful as he was, Dong Zhuo still fell to you. How challenging is Yuan Shao?

[LB]: Please reconsider, Chen Gong!

[CG]: Listen, I’m old;

[CG]: I can’t withstand the mighty current anymore.

Even this place

will not keep me any longer.

No chance for victory, nor a way out.

So Xuzhou really is no place to grow attached to.

Are you laughing, Liu Bei?

You must be laughing too, dear Heaven.

[?]: I told you to go, but you didn’t.
[?]: Now you get off the bed,

[Wei Xu]: but it’s too late.

[WX]: Blame it on your foolishness, Chen Gong.

[WX]: Up there.

[Hou Cheng]: Go!

Hou Cheng, Song Xian!

He is right.

I am an old fool!

An old fool!

And then Lü Bu saw someone else laughing.