Confronting Lu Bu at Hulao Pass (1)
After some healing time with Bu Yong-hwa, at the forward outpost by the entrance to Hulao Pass.
"Sis, you feeling okay?"
I asked Guan Yu. Her dark circles were insane. That Zhang Fei bastard must've pounded the booze all night.
"Doing that kind of thing all through dawn... how could I..."
Huh?
"Ahem. Anyway, I'm fine."
Guan Yu shook her head sharply.
At the entrance to Hulao Pass, the entire allied army was lined up in formation.
Truth be told, there were a ton of them, but the scary part was that most hadn't done jack shit.
In the end, it was Sun Jian's army that smashed the Xiliang troops up front. If I could toot my own horn a bit, I got credit for slicing Seo Yeong too. Gotta grab that self-esteem boost somehow.
The rest just mopped up the scraps and strolled in easy. Most were all foam, no substance.
But everyone gathered here was buzzing from the high of mobilizing this many troops.
Right away, they kicked off a massive show of force right in front of Hulao Pass.
"Dong Zhuo, come out!!!"
"Traitor who ruined the Han!!!"
Everyone shouted with righteous fervor, banging their weapons. In this moment, they were all apostles of justice.
Why not just charge Hulao Pass together? Well, everyone had their own schemes.
'Nobody wants to throw their whole army into the meat grinder just to play hero.' It's a fact—they all wanted to be the hero who slays the traitors and restores the Han imperial house. But without paying a heavy price.
Classic warlord psychology: let someone else take the lead and snag the glory while they intercept the merits.
Sun Jian himself had already lost a chunk of troops pushing this far, so he wasn't jumping ahead recklessly.
And so the shouting dragged on from all sides.
But the Xiliang troops were playing it safe too. With the allied numbers bigger than expected, they hunkered down and refused to budge.
'Just like in the game.' Aggression dropped off sharply around Hulao Pass for both sides.
The one who shattered that standoff was a single NPC.
Clunk.
The gates of Hulao Pass swung open, and out strode a general in a helmet with two long feathers, spear in hand, exuding sheer majesty.
His steps were casual, like a stroll in the park. Doing that smack in the middle of a battlefield oozed overwhelming pressure.
Level 50
A level way beyond anything in this bracket. An overwhelming foe—his nameplate glowed red, with a tiny skull icon beside it for good measure.
Against something like this, you just lose unless you're a god. Even perfect control won't land damage.
Hulao Pass's grasshopper, Lu Bu.
The strongest in the Three Kingdoms world. And the ultimate orphan of the setting.
But... her build was kinda delicate. Not manly at all—feminine. Silver hair peeking from her armor, and piercing blue eyes like a wolf's, radiating undeniable beauty.
'Yeah, a girl.' Maybe 'cause I'd seen Guan Yu-sis, but genderbent characters didn't faze me anymore. Just par for the course.
What mattered was Lu Bu being a level 50 elite mob.
"Everyone, charge!!!!"
Something felt off. Cao Cao couldn't stand watching and bellowed the assault order.
"Waaaaah!!!!"
We had the numbers and the cause. The allies hesitated a beat, then surged forward like mad.
A smirk.
And I definitely saw it—Lu Bu grinning.
Boom!!
Like a wuxia master kicking off with a stance, Lu Bu exploded forward, charging wildly.
"Kuh..."
The front-line soldiers and generals were the first victims.
Splaaaat!!!!!
Lu Bu swung her Fangtian Huaji in a massive arc, unleashing a scene too gruesome to behold.
Splaaaat!!!
Front ranks scattered like leaves in the wind, mowed down like weeds.
"...!!"
One spear thrust, and the path was clear.
Lu Bu dove through the gap, barreling straight for our main camp.
"Wu An-guo!! Go!!"
Then Kong Rong called out a hulking general from the rear.
"Leave it to me."
Kong Rong's man, Wu An-guo, grinned and charged with his iron mace from his back.
'Ah... Wu An-guo.' A solid guy for early-game, but I already had Gongsun Zan, so I skipped recruiting him.
Whoooosh!!
Wu An-guo rushed in swinging his mace like crazy.
"This is Wu!! An!! Guo!! I'll take you on!!"
He roared at Lu Bu and swung hard.
Lu Bu eyed him without a flicker of interest.
Wu An-guo's courage was admirable. But the levels didn't match. Level 15 vs. level 50. No way he wins, alive or dead.
Shiiiing!!
Lu Bu whipped the blade of her signature Fangtian Huaji.
Splaaaat!!!
In one second flat, Wu An-guo's arm flew off into the sky.
"Gaaahhh!!!"
He clutched the stump, screaming.
"Wu An-guo!! Your arm!!!!"
Kong Rong looked panicked.
"Hah... just an arm..."
Wu An-guo tried grabbing the mace with his good hand. Damn, guy's badass.
But losing an arm already sidelined him.
Splaaaat!!
The Fangtian blade neatly severed his neck.
Wu An-guo dropped dead.
The battle's momentum flipped in an instant.
Then Liu Bei, mounted, stared ahead.
"Brother!!! Let me go!!!"
Zhang Fei, fed up with his recent screen time drought, rattled his Zhangba Snake Spear impatiently.
"Hm."
Liu Bei glanced, then pointed at Lu Bu.
Grip.
He clenched his fist.
"Crush her."
Liu Bei dropped a surprisingly thuggish line on Zhang Fei. Total veteran vibe.
"Heh heh heh!! That's my brother!!!"
Zhang Fei laughed and hopped on his horse, spear ready.
"Hey!!!! You!!! Let's fight!!!"
He charged across the field.
"Yun Chang. Back him up."
Liu Bei turned to Guan Yu too.
"Got it, bro."
Guan Yu mounted and watched the scene.
"Kim."
Liu Bei looked my way. "If those two go berserk, things could go south. Cover them then."
Suddenly dumping heavy responsibility on me.
Time to crash Romance of the Three Kingdoms' iconic scene.
'Fate Point chance.' I figured I'd snag one to join this event. Liu Bei trusted me big time for some reason—using me as backup.
Shing.
Liu Bei was mounted with his sword too. Ready to jump in if needed.
"Hup!!!!"
Following Zhang Fei, I hopped on Jiralma.
"Neigh."
Thought she'd buck like crazy with me on, but she sensed the mood and stayed calm.
Clop clop.
I spurred forward.
One goal here.
'Suck up as much swordsmanship XP as possible against Lu Bu.' Risky as hell, but the best grinding spot if I didn't get greedy.
'Three times. Just three.' Got a family now—wife and all—so no overdoing it.
"Hrm, ahem."
Then someone from Sun Jian's camp rode up.
'Huang Gai.' The guy I sparred yesterday.
Sun Jian's front, Liu Bei's a bit back, so Huang Gai reverse-laned right to me.
Whoosh.
He positioned oddly next to me, glancing over nonstop. Acted like natural join-up, but his face screamed "totally casual" while orbiting me.
What's his deal?
Dong Zhuo lounged arrogantly in his chair, hearing reports from the Xiliang troops.
Hua Xiong and his army, sent to Hangu Pass: wiped out.
And Seo Yeong, dispatched to block the advance: dead too.
'They were getting too horny around me, kinda awkward... but good generals.' Pushed too hard to win my favor, and it backfired fatally.
'Still, the alliance ain't total pushovers.' Thought they'd fold easy with some hits, but resistance was fierce.
And she buzzed with excitement over unexpected intel.
A bushy-haired swordsman beheaded Seo Yeong. The same Kim who'd taken Zhang Jiao's head with Guan Yu at Guangzong.
'Still kicking on the battlefield, huh.' A man Dong Zhuo approved of. Lives and dies by the sword—knew the blood scent would draw him here.
'If he'd just stayed by my side, I'd drown him in it... ah well, men are best a bit rebellious.' Dong Zhuo smiled and rose.
"Lu Bu. You're up."
She eyed the silver-haired, icy beauty.
Her biggest gain from the civil war against Zhang Yuan. Top general with unmatched power.
Like the Xiliang men she'd known, driven by desire—easy to cook.
"Finally my shot."
Lu Bu smirked, grabbing her Fangtian Huaji from the wall.
"Yeah. The others ain't worth shit. Go crush the alliance's morale. Can't let those traitors toy with Luoyang."
Dong Zhuo crossed her legs, nodding. The pose highlighted her voluptuous thighs, drawing the men's eyes—which she savored.
"Hm. Understood."
Lu Bu glanced away briefly.
"Right, right. Reward's ready. Seven Star Sword? Yours."
Dong Zhuo chuckled. The famed Han heirloom Lu Bu had begged for. Bronze sword from Yao-Shun era, but durability and cutting power unreal—folks thought it heavenly.
Hand it over, secure Hulao Pass? Profit. Swords were expendable to her.
"Heh."
Lu Bu's eyes lit with greed as she headed for Luoyang's palace gates.
"Oh, and."
Dong Zhuo clapped, calling her back.
"There's this bushy-haired general Kim. Stands out. If you spot him, capture alive if possible."
"...High maintenance."
Lu Bu scowled. Capturing's more hassle than killing.
"Worth the Seven Star Sword."
Dong Zhuo shrugged.
"...Fine. Bushy-hair. Got it."
Lu Bu turned.
"..."
Dong Zhuo licked her lips watching her go.
"Kim, huh. How to tame him."
She was already savoring his capture.