Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: The Third Father
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Ding Yuan's ears no longer registered the soldiers' cheers.
"Martial God! Martial God! Martial God!"
Those sounds were nothing more than meaningless noise to him.
He stood alone in the deepest part of the main camp, inside his own tent. Dust was already gathering on the table his subordinates had hastily set with drinks just moments ago.
Only a single scene relentlessly filled Ding Yuan's mind.
A dust cloud raised by thousands of Wuhuan cavalry and the thunderous hoofbeats that seemed to tear the earth apart. And flowing against that horde of cavalry, a lone red dot.
Ding Yuan had believed, right up until the Wuhuan cavalry appeared, that everything would unfold according to his calculations.
The wolf cub and the old general at the vanguard would be ripped to shreds beneath the beasts' fangs, and he would leisurely claim victory atop their remains. That was the deal that would yield him the greatest profit.
But those thoughts shattered in no time at all.
The instant the red dot collided with the wave of beasts, every sound in the world vanished. All Ding Yuan could see was the trajectory carved by the red spear.
Each time that trajectory slashed through, the wave parted, and blood sprayed up like fountains.
What Lu Bu had demonstrated was no mere martial art.
It was simply a "natural disaster." The kind where lightning strikes at the end of a drought, or a flood engulfs a village. A pure calamity that defied human logic and calculation.
".........Gulp."
Ding Yuan swallowed dryly without realizing it. What crept up his spine wasn't awe, but terror.
Everything had been wrong from the very start.
—Disciple of the great scholar Master Chae
Ding Yuan had summoned the frontier wolf cub solely to borrow the weight of that name. To use him like a dog, he first had to make clear the gulf between master and hound. So he had deliberately shoved him into pigsty lodgings and dragged him to the study to humiliate him before the scholars.
But how arrogant and foolish had all those decisions been?
'I... even grasping a treasured sword... no, a divine relic capable of cleaving the world, treated it as nothing more than a rusty dagger!'
If... just if that calamity had veered toward him? Ding Yuan was certain he would have ended up a mangled lump of meat, just like the Wuhuan tribesmen.
'But...'
As his thoughts reached that point, a subtle shift flickered in Ding Yuan's eyes. The reason drowned in fear stirred the sly instincts of a merchant.
'I haven't crossed the line yet.'
The proof stood right outside: Lu Bu himself.
'Moreover, didn't I praise his feats and personally appoint him Unit Commander!'
In other words, that divine relic was still firmly in the grasp of "Bing Province Governor Ding Yuan."
Ding Yuan slowly stepped out of the tent. Far off, Lu Bu was surrounded by victory-intoxicated soldiers.
He looked just like a triumphant general... no, like an enormous treasure.
At the sight, all fear evaporated from Ding Yuan's heart. In its place burned a single, venomous desire: to wield that divine relic, wagering everything he had.
'A leash? Shackles?'
Ding Yuan knew better than anyone that such paltry things could neither bind nor control a divine relic.
A twisted smile curled his lips.
"Hmm... then what if I make Lu Bu... my son...?!"
The battle was over.
Leaning the blood-crusted spear against his horse's saddle, he tore a strip from a dead enemy's clothes to wipe the blood splattered across his face. The soldiers' excited shouts rang endlessly in his ears.
"Ooooh! Long live the Martial God! Did you all see? General Lu Bu clearing the path alone!!"
"Whoa, is that even human?! A true Martial God from the heavens."
"Long live General Lu Bu! Long live Bing Province!"
That's when Wei Sok came barreling up, oblivious to his gushing nosebleed.
"Brother! You're crazy! Smashing that many heads solo? Watching from behind, I thought my heart would explode!"
"Shut it. Can't you feel what's dripping from your nose? Wipe that filth off. Don't get all puffed up over cracking a few beast skulls."
"Sheesh, brother! Humility's not a virtue—it's a sickness. Sickness! Everyone saw it, so why play coy! That old coot Ding Yuan in the rear probably pissed himself!"
"Don't bring up that geezer."
He cut Wei Sok off. His nerves were fixed on the rear guard.
'What scheme's that old fox cooking up now?'
Steal the credit? Or pick a fight over charging without orders?
—Hiiiing!
While he stayed on high alert, dozens of cavalry suddenly emerged from the rear.
"Huh? Brother, those..."
"Hm. Ding Yuan."
Ding Yuan approached with confident strides, flanked only by his personal guard cavalry.
"...."
The soldiers' cheers, boiling toward him, hushed at the man's arrival.
Ignoring them entirely, Ding Yuan pressed forward to the battlefield's heart—ascending the mound of corpses—and bellowed in a booming voice.
"Hear me, all! In this battle, we crushed thousands of Wuhuan cavalry! And our brave Bing Province army? Casualties barely a hundred!"
"Eh, only that few dead?"
"No way... it was one-sided, but for real?"
The soldiers began murmuring.
They knew the number was unbelievable. At last, their eyes naturally turned to him.
Ding Yuan seized the moment, jabbing a finger his way and amplifying his voice.
"Whose merit brought this glorious victory? It is the merit of Unit Commander Lu Bu, whom I appointed! Lu Bu's divine might delivered our great triumph!"
".......!"
A scoff nearly escaped at Ding Yuan's words.
'Hah, spouting such hollow drivel. What's the angle?'
"Whoa, brother, looks like that old coot's finally admitting your strength."
And oblivious Wei Sok spewed gut-wrenching nonsense.
'Gotta be a trap.'
But the soldiers, blind to his suspicions, reacted differently.
With the supreme commander so boldly crediting the vanguard, rapture exploded from their mouths in cheers.
"The Governor's magnanimity is boundless!"
"Long live the lord! Long live General Lu Bu!"
Wei Sok nudged his arm from the side and flapped his gums again.
"See? Brother! Even that old fox is helpless before you!"
Ding Yuan pressed on with a pleased smile.
"As testament to victory, we'll lop off every beast head and stack a pyramid of skulls! So those barbarians never dare covet Bing Province soil again—we'll etch the terror into their bones!"
"Woooooo!"
The soldiers' morale soared to the heavens. Ding Yuan channeled the fervor into his clincher.
"How could such a joyous day lack celebration? Loosen your belts and drink today!"
The soldiers blinked in momentary confusion.
What to drink on this desolate battlefield? Reading their baffled looks, Ding Yuan roared with laughter.
"With me here, think you'd lack wine or meat? Tonight, I'll empty my private coffers to stuff your bellies and quench your throats! This is my reward for your valor!"
The camp's mood detonated completely.
"――!!!"
A commander dipping into his own purse to fete the troops. At that audacious gesture, they teetered on the edge of frenzy, reason abandoned.
"Waaaaah! Governor! We'll follow you to the death!"
"Woooooo!! Long live the lord! Long live! Long live!!"
Even Wei Sok beside him got swept away and hollered. He watched the entire spectacle in silence.
It made no sense.
He knew Ding Yuan was cunning as a merchant, prizing his dignity above life itself. But this degree of "about-face" shattered all expectations.
Spending his own coin to win the troops' hearts, freely conceding his merit without strings?
'What the hell's that old man's game?'
As he strained to read the intent, Ding Yuan shoved through the throng. Then, with exaggerated chumminess, slung an arm over his shoulder. The abrupt move locked his body rigid.
"Come on! The victory's star can't sit it out. Lu Bu! Tonight, I'll show you exactly what befits a true hero!"
"...."
Speechless, he let Ding Yuan drag him along. His mind swirled in chaos unlike any before.
'Damn, zero clue what this bastard's scheming.'
The feast was pandemonium.
Bonfires roared skyward, shredding the night, while the stench of half-cooked meat and rotgut booze mingled with blood to assault the nostrils disgustingly.
"Kahaha! Drink up, drink! Skipping booze today ain't manly!"
"Thanks to General Lu Bu, we get meat and booze! Cheers to the general!"
"Nah, idiot! Cheers to the Governor who laid it all out! Long live the Governor!"
The soldiers, reason forsaken, bellowed at the top of their lungs, arms slung over shoulders, staggering in circles.
And the architect of this bacchanal, Ding Yuan.
That old fox planted him right at his side... the seat of honor. He poured rounds for the generals in turn, dragging him into the chatter.
"You all saw it! Lu Bu's valor! Emulate him in every fight from here on!"
"Yes, Governor!"
The officers mouthed agreement but stole wary glances his way. He just silently gnawed meat.
Ding Yuan's focus soon shifted to Wei Sok.
"Uahaha! Lu Bu, had no idea you had kin this fierce. Look at that fire! The spitting image of you!"
Poured personally by Ding Yuan, Wei Sok beamed ear to ear.
"Governor! Honoring this lowly one so highly, I scarce know where to put myself! Uahaha!"
'Tch, moron. Guzzling gladly from that fox's cup.'
He tsked. Predictably, Wei Sok dove into a drinking bout with Ding Yuan's elite guards and soon became the first to slam face-first onto the table.
"A round for our hero!"
"To your bravery, this cup! Down it!"
"...."
He silently accepted and drained the cups from Zhang Yang and the rest. Strangely, no buzz hit. If anything, each swallow sharpened his mind cooler.
How much time passed?
"Uhehehe."
"Naww, graaandpa, moooore."
As most devolved to slurred gibberish, Ding Yuan shot him a subtle look.
"Hm, need the privy?"
He jerked his chin at the sprawled guards and rose.
"I'll guard you, lord. The rest are done."
"Oh, much obliged! Lead on!"
Slipping from the raucous feast behind the tents, frigid night air stabbed deep into his lungs.
"Hm, you planning to pass out too?"
"Else why trail you just for guard duty, Governor?"
"Uahaha. Amusing fellow."
Ding Yuan and he stood abreast, dropping their trousers.
—Splaaaash splaaaash
Only the crisp sound of piss slicing the dark filled the quiet. Then Ding Yuan glanced over and tossed out a fatuous remark.
"Heh heh, impressive not just in valor."
'Fuck, is this geezer unhinged? What's with the sudden bullshit?'
As suspicion crested, Ding Yuan turned grave.
"You... is your father... still alive?"
"........."
The unforeseen query stunned him speechless. Seeing the pause, Ding Yuan rushed to add,
"If it's tough to say, no need."
He shook his head. Par for the course in this wretched world.
"...Fell to the beasts."
Ding Yuan exhaled a deep, practiced sigh.
"Alas... explains the ferocity."
Finishing up, Ding Yuan rebuckled his belt with a wistful look.
"Lost my parents to beasts in my youth too. Vowed vengeance, hacked them down everywhere, carved my name across Bing Province. Just like you."
"........"
He just silently pissed on. Corny sales pitch. But Ding Yuan's performance didn't stop.
"Yet... vengeance won, fame secured, and the loneliness is crushing. No son to entrust my back. My blood heirs? Just callow pups coveting my throne... Grasping this vast realm, yet no successor? How tragic."
Then abruptly, Ding Yuan seized his shoulder, eyes laden with oppressive intensity.
"...So, Lu Bu. Be my son—not subordinate—to inherit it all?"
'....Hm...'
No sooner had the words landed than Master Chae's voice whispered through his mind.
'A choice for the greater cause... that is the hero's path.'
Silently, he finished. Then cinched his belt tight.
Straightened his garb. All set, he met Ding Yuan's gaze squarely and spoke.
"...With words like that, how could I not honor you as father?"
That night.
He gained his third father.