Chapter 10: The Battle Against Lü Bu

“Something doesn’t feel right. They look utterly panicked, not even maintaining formation. Could they be... fleeing soldiers?”

“Fleeing soldiers?”

Soon, Zhang Yang and Lü Bu, along with the others, caught sight of this desperate band of fleeing cavalry.

“Hey—slow down, don’t run anymore. I think we’re safe now,” shouted one of the horsemen, glancing anxiously left and right.

“Is that bastard’s dog not chasing us anymore?” another horseman panted, still shaken, scanning the surroundings.

Under the blood-red dusk, shadows of trees swayed, but no pursuers appeared.

“It’s getting dark. What should we do now?”

The horsemen gradually gathered, discussing their next move.

“Keep retreating. We need to report to the Thousand Rider Commander that there’s a traitor in our ranks! We must not let the betrayer get away with this.”

“Exactly! How hateful! He must pay the price!”

“But… which tribe among us could have such a figure? Too powerful, right?”

“Do you think… it might be the Thousand Rider Commander himself, Lord Tatara?”

“Nonsense. Tatara is the king’s most trusted warrior, surely the next Ten Thousand Rider Commander. Why would he betray us?”

“I think it’s the archer Jin Fangyan. His archery skills are superb, and he’s got that trick of firing rapid arrows, but he’s never been given much chance. He could be the traitor!”

“No, no. Jin Fangyan’s archery is top-notch, but the traitor is also terrifying in mounted combat. Jin Fangyan can’t compare.”

“So the traitor is both a master archer and a cavalry expert? Then it must be Ten Thousand Rider Commander Qiu Lin.”

“...Qiu Lin fighting us alone in the forest with guerrilla tactics? Do you really believe that?”

“That’s not it either. Then who do you think it could be? It can’t just be some powerful figure dropped from the sky out of nowhere!”

“Uh… could it be that he’s not even from our tribe?”

“That’s it! All of us are loyal warriors of the king. Who would betray the tribe like that?”

“It must be those rebellious ones from the Right Division!”

“Hey, now that you mention it, I think you’re right. It must be those bastards from the Yufuluo tribe causing all this trouble.”

“But the Yufuluo tribe? Didn’t they go to Youzhou to help the Han people quell the rebellion?”

—“Sounds like you’re talking about something interesting. Mind if I listen in?”

A clear voice in the Hu language startled the horsemen, nearly making their souls flee.

“Holy—”

“Who?!”

Unbeknownst to them, Lü Bu had already approached, mounted and wielding his halberd, within charging distance.

“Han cavalry?!”

Recognizing his identity, the horsemen relaxed, drawing their weapons. Fortunately, he wasn’t that terrifying killer.

If they couldn’t defeat that monster, surely one Han cavalryman wasn’t something to fear.

Then… they suffered their second crushing defeat.

Lü Bu, holding a grudge, unleashed his pent-up fury, his horse galloping wildly while his halberd thrust and swung, shredding the fleeing horsemen into bloody fragments.

“(Huns curse) How is this guy so strong?!”

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