Bare Run (2): "Why Me..."
Sun Quan sighed, clad in armor too large for her young frame.
She was just a little girl herself. She preferred playing with flowers at home or enjoying tea ceremonies over war. But Sun Jian was quite stern.
"Quan, these are chaotic times. You're a child of the Sun family. You must have the ability to command troops when Ce and I are away."
With those words, Sun Jian assigned her a position that wasn't yet all that important.
It was guarding the rear on the path from Xiaopei to Xuzhou.
There were two forest paths from Xiaopei to Xuzhou. She was put in charge of the narrow side road that few people used.
Even guarding just one of the two paths, Zhu Tai was nearby, so for Sun Quan, it was practically a cushy assignment. Considering her youth and total lack of command experience, it was an appropriate placement.
Anyway, if Kim tried to flee from Xiaopei Castle, he'd take the wide main road. Sun Jian judged there was no way he'd use the narrow path in an emergency. Still, to eliminate any possibility, he'd stationed Sun Quan on the other route as well.
'Why do people fight?' Sun Quan gazed up at the night sky, lost in a sentimental worry unfit for these turbulent times.
"My lord."
At that moment, Zhu Tai approached with a serious expression.
"Ah, Zhu Tai."
Sun Quan felt a bit uncomfortable around this man. It was his rigid face and emotionless demeanor.
'If he were a woman, there'd be things to ask, and it'd be nice...'
Huang Gai was just a man’s soul in a woman’s body, so she didn’t click with Sun Quan. But Zhu Tai was different.
Sun Quan thought Zhu Tai's straight black hair, swaying gracefully, was incredibly beautiful.
'I want to be a calm beauty like that too...'
She inwardly envied Zhu Tai's mature poise and figure.
Was it the Sun family genes? Sun Quan felt a bit of a complex about her own alien red hair.
'Kim's wife... Sister Yong Hwa was a calm beauty too.' She wanted to discuss mature women's attitudes and such, but Zhu Tai hardly spoke.
Sun Jian had assigned Zhu Tai as Sun Quan's bodyguard, so they spent a lot of time together, but they hadn't grown close at all.
"Young Lady Zhongmo, we've at least set up wooden fences around the perimeter."
"Ah, good work, Zhu Tai. But..." Sun Quan pushed up the ill-fitting armor and asked something.
"You know, Father said he wants to capture that general Kim alive, right?"
"Mm. They say Liu Bei has many fine generals under him. Our lord employs men without prejudice, even if outnumbered. Surely those captivated by his virtue will surrender."
Zhu Tai spoke in a flat, monotone voice.
"I... I see..."
Sun Quan looked somewhat relieved at his words.
If Kim came here... maybe they could all play together again. With Sister Yong Hwa too. It hurt seeing Yong Hwa and Kim together, but if she could wedge herself in between, that would be enough.
"A night raid's success is absolute anyway. He'll definitely capture him alive."
Zhu Tai didn't doubt it.
Tai Shici and Sun Ce were hammering away at Xuzhou Castle, and Haibi had already fallen. It meant Liu Bei's defeat.
"Yeah. Right."
Slightly reassured, Sun Quan peered beyond the outpost into the forest.
Was it a moment of carelessness?
Clop! Clop!!
The sound of galloping horses echoed from afar.
"Hm."
Zhu Tai's hand went straight to his sword hilt as he stared ahead.
"Kkkiyaaaak!!!"
A beastly roar echoed from the distance.
"Kim...!"
Sun Quan's eyes widened as she stared forward. Her face lit up. Could she finally see Kim? It wasn't fitting for wartime, but the thought thrilled her.
─────
There were two paths to Xuzhou.
"Looks like they've blocked both routes..."
Chun Seol, who had scouted ahead, reported quietly.
The main paved road and the side path Kim planned to use were both sealed off.
"Which has more troops?"
Their own forces had taken heavy losses getting here. Even the Xiliang troops. They'd gotten blackout drunk the night before and half were killed in a night raid. Some burned alive in their sleep when Jiangdong troops scaled the walls and set fires.
"The main road has more."
Chun Seol said. As expected of their team's control ward—she'd investigated well.
"Then we loop around the side path. There'll be troops there too, but we can punch through with our numbers now." It was a side path, no canyons for ambushes. Just a trail beasts used.
"Understood."
No one objected to his decision. In crises, the loudest voice often held sway.
"Then let's go!! No way we're getting a Hua Rong Path here, right?"
"Charge!!"
He kicked Jiralma and shook off the hesitation, galloping forward.
"Yong Hwa. Sorry."
Carried on the wind with the horses and men's shouts, he offered a sheepish apology toward Yong Hwa.
He'd sworn to let her live peacefully with the child, yet here she was suffering.
"...It's okay."
A faint voice drifted from afar, sounding just like Yong Hwa's.
'Hallucination?'
No way she'd heard him. It must be guilt playing tricks.
─────
As they rode, crude wooden barricades dotted the area.
"Urgh... Block them!!"
Behind the barricades, soldiers brandished spears and shouted.
Crude, but the encirclement was solid.
"Nu-na!! And Yeo Po!!"
In this pinch, only Guan Yu and Yeo Po could break through.
"Hah!!!"
Guan Yu swept her Green Dragon Crescent Blade from below upward.
"Kim!! Watch this!! This is Yeo Po's might!!"
Yeo Po glanced at him, then raised her Fang Tian Hu Ji.
Grrrrrind!!!
Guan Yu cleaved the barricade itself from bottom to top.
Whoosh!!
The heavy barricade flew into the air.
"Yaaah!!!"
As it lifted, Yeo Po charged on Red Hare.
Splaaat!!
Her halberd flashed, shredding the soldiers beyond in unison.
'She just lifted that with raw strength?'
True superhuman power. Kim had felt cocky smashing siege engines once, but this was real wu shuang. He felt humbled.
"Push through!!"
Their numbers were decent, but winnable.
Then—
Shiiiing!!
Something whistled from afar.
Clang!! Clang!!
His battle-honed senses traced the weapon's path. He raised Nam Un Geom and blocked roughly.
But he couldn't block everything.
Thuk!
A small dart embedded in Jiralma's rump.
"Hiihing!!!"
Jiralma reared, screaming.
"Kyah!!!"
Kim tumbled off spectacularly.
"Hiihing!"
And Jiralma bolted down the path, abandoning its rider with gusto.
"Kim!!" "Kim!!"
His name rang out from all sides.
Shiiiing!!
As he fell, a sword-wielding figure charged straight at him.
Shing.
A beauty with a slightly curved straight sword.
'That'll cleave me.'
Instinct screaming, he flattened to the ground, handspringing up with sword ready.
Claaaaang!!
He barely parried, regaining stance.
"You blocked it."
She clicked her tongue, raising her sword.
"General Zhu Tai!!!" "Surround him!! We outnumber him! Don't chicken out!"
Fluid teamwork from the Jiangdong troops. Reinforcements from the main road swarmed.
'No. Fuck. Zhu Tai?' Had Sun Jian hired her already? She was strong. Shit. Escalating like this suddenly.
"Nu-na!! Yeo Po!!"
As everyone panicked, Kim barked orders.
Freeze here, and they'd all die.
"Everyone, break the encirclement!! More will come from the central plains! I'll catch up!! Run!!!"
No choice.
"But..."
Guan Yu and Yeo Po gripped reins, hesitating. Mok Lan especially looked ready to dismount.
"My lord."
The rational Jang Liao and Go Sun eyed Yeo Po.
"This is war!! Everyone's responsible for their own life!! I'll survive on my own!! Protect Yong Hwa!! Everyone, live!!!"
Fuck. Stopping meant annihilation.
"Tch..."
Guan Yu fell silent, then charged ahead with her blade raised.
"Hey!! Get outta the way!!!"
Leading wildly, she cleaved a path.
"Kim!!! Join us later!! We'll punch ahead!!"
Yeo Po followed.
"Urgh... What strength..." "The encirclement's breaking!!" "Block them!!"
Their pinpoint breakthrough shook the Jiangdong troops.
"Pfft."
Spitting dirt, Kim rose bandit-style.
"Hm. So you're Kim. Good instincts."
Zhu Tai gripped her sword reverse, staring.
"You've got big tits."
Kim eyed her. She'd transformed into a total beauty too. Breasts and hips very voluptuous.
"...Trying to rattle me for an opening won't work."
Zhu Tai's calm face didn't waver.
No dice.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you. But you'll hurt a bit."
Zhu Tai directed nearby soldiers to fetch capture gear: U-shaped spears and iron nets, all prepared.
'What now.' As he edged back—
Shing.
Zhu Tai lunged with sword raised.
"Hiihihihihhing!!!"
Jiralma barreled back like a feral beast, rampaging toward them. Not fully fled after all.
"Hiihihihihhing!"
Furious from the wound, it roadkilled everything in sight, GTA Chinatown Wars style.
"Kuh...!" "Gah!!"
His encirclement became minced meat under hooves.
All equal before a charging horse. Ancient warfare's iron rule. Kim knew it well.
"Tch...!"
Zhu Tai rolled aside from the charge.
"Hiihing!"
Halting before Kim, Jiralma proudly bobbed its head.
Thought it'd ditched me... but no!
"Yeah!! Let's go!!"
He mounted and spurred.
"Hiihihihihhing!!"
Jiralma tore across the field with him aboard.
Just catch the vanguard! Night made it hard to track their breach, but Xuzhou direction would meet eventually.
Staring ahead with that resolve—
Clack!! Clatter!!!
Shield soldiers with square shields blocked the path.
"K-Kim oppa... You can't pass here..."
Amid them stood a red-haired beauty in oversized armor.
"Sun Quan..."
His breath caught.
He perfectly understood Cao Cao's shock facing Guan Yu at Hua Rong Path.