chapter 263

The snow has stopped.

The Xuzhou incident is over as well.

It was very tiring.

Perhaps,
some sleep is in order.

chapter 263 To Dreamland Once Again

Perhaps only the absurdity in dreams could twist my face a little.
(give it emotion, crack a smile?)

[?]: Are you sure they were burying the bodies here yesterday?

[?]: That’s my job. I’m sure it was here.

[?]: It’s just hard to find when there are so many bodies, that’s all.

[Chen Deng]: Neither is it easy to pay back that twenty to one debt.

[CD]: If it’s laid, Old Ye, it’s played. Find that assassin’s corpse and consider your debt half-paid.

[Ye]: Sir Chen, what… what about the other half?

[CD]: I heard we lost a few renowned Generals during this campaign.

[CD]: And you’re a key man from the Xiahou clan; not to mention your masterful skill at making arrangements.

[CD]: The other half will be a reward for helping a friend of mine get a position at Xu capital.

[Y]: You want me to arrange a government job?

[CD]: Who doesn’t want to serve the country during this chaotic era?

[CD]: Besides, he is remarkably talented. Whoever recommends him will benefit too.

[CD]: Don’t worry. It’s just one man.

[CD]: Where are those two watchdogs from Guo Jia?

[CD]: They were sent to follow Zhang Liao instead.

[CD]: Haha, good riddance.

[CD]: Congratulations on winning Cao Cao‘s trust.

[Sima Yi]: Yuan Long, did my man get his job?
(“Yuan Long” is Chen Deng’s courtesy name)

[CD]: Jia Kui is all set to go to the courts.

[CD]: With that bug’s skills, we’ll sure be in for a good show.

[SMY]: Thanks.

[SMY]: It’s already dark, Yuan Long. Call off the search.

[SMY]: You go first. I won’t be long.
(“…I will go after you.”)

[?]: Nightfall.
(“The sky has darkened.”)

[?]: I’m always reminded of Xiao Meng‘s cooking at a time like this.

[?]: I might not be able to taste the flavor, but I can taste the (human) sentiment.

[?]: But,

[Liaoyuan Huo]: do you remember?

[SMY]: Huo,

[SMY]: the situation was beyond my control.

[LYH]: I know.

[LYH]: But,

[LYH]: my fury is also out of my control.

[LYH]: Don’t worry, Young Master. I still remember what I must do.

And then it was dead silent again.

For a while I could not find a subject to talk about.

It’s not like he’s interested in talking either.

[SMY]: Huo.

[LYH]: Yes, Young Master.

[SMY]: Do a good job. Don’t take a false step like I did.

[LYH]: I know. We don’t have enough left to suffer another failure.

[LYH]: I swear to you Young Master, from now on,

[LYH]: I,

[LYH]: will be undefeatable.
(argh why is this not a valid word; Zhao Yun is known as the “Undefeated General”)

[LYH]: I will keep on winning; making Liu Bei your stepping stone to absolute power.

[LYH]: And then…

{sfx: ta}

Then, what?

{sfx: pong}

[LYH]: may your (sweet) dream come true, Young Master.

{sfx: pa}

[LYH]: Goodbye.
(“(I) take (my) leave”)

I really did have a dream that night.
It has been a while since I had that exact one.

And that ruthlessness in the dream
is no longer amusing.
(or “interesting”)

All people believe in dreams. What about me?