35. War of Men (3)
35. War of Men (3)
Against the Yuan Shu army that invaded Yangren, Lu Bu recorded a victory that could well be called an overwhelming one.
The Yuan Shu army had far more troops.
But just as hundreds of sheep cannot defeat a single wolf, the Yuan Shu army's vanguard was broken and their morale hit rock bottom due to the monstrous strength of Lu Bu, who roamed the battlefield.
"You lowly bastards, do you dare show your backs to me!"
The Administrator of Nanyang, Yuan Shu, shouted loudly.
Watching his allies continue to flee, he ranted and raved, threatening to behead any general who returned.
It was certain that his allies far outnumbered the enemy.
But why were his allies losing?
What was this about Lu Bu!
What was this "Unrivaled Under Heaven" nonsense!
As a descendant of the Four Generations and Three Excellencies, belonging to the most noble bloodline, how could he be suffering such humiliation!
"Sun Jian! Why the hell isn't Sun Wendai showing his face! Tell him to help me immediately! Tell them to defeat those bastards and come to Yangren now, since Lu Bu is here!"
Yuan Shu of the Yuan Clan of Runan.
He was a handsome young noble with features that seemed to have nobility plastered onto them.
But he was tragically untalented at commanding troops. It wasn't that he was good at managing generals, nor did he have a knack for military strategy.
The fact that he had been winning and building his power until now was thanks to Sun Jian under his command; it was never because Yuan Shu was a brilliant lord.
'How am I supposed to win without Sun Jian!'
'Lu Fengxian, so the title of Unrivaled Under Heaven was true. I've never seen such a monster.'
A female warrior riding the Red Hare, roaming the battlefield.
Every time she swung her Painted Halberd, the strong men blocking her path were all swept away.
How far would that woman's charge go?
Lu Bu kicked up dust as if she were going to charge all the way to the Yuan Shu army's main camp, wreaking havoc with violent ferocity.
"General Ji Ling!"
"Hurry and defeat Lu Fengxian!"
The generals called for Ji Ling, who was famous for being a fierce warrior.
To that, Ji Ling didn't dare to step forward, saying that even for him, it was impossible to face such a monster.
Lu Bu was, quite literally, a person who belonged to a realm beyond humanity.
With her immense, monstrous strength, spear skills that showed absolutely no openings, and the addition of the legendary steed Red Hare, she made a name for herself as the strongest warrior.
"Bong-seon-nim, our troops are falling behind."
Zhang Liao, who was by her side, shouted.
Their allies couldn't keep up with Lu Bu's charge.
Thanks to Lu Bu, they had succeeded in breaking the enemy's vanguard and creating an opening, but there was a high risk that their allies would be at a disadvantage if it turned into a war of attrition because the enemy was so numerous.
It was time to catch her breath for a moment.
At Zhang Liao's words, Lu Bu panted but nodded.
"Got it, let's stop here."
She had already smashed dozens of commander flags and razed all those units to the ground.
Corpses were piled up like mountains.
Bloody water flowed from the corpses that had turned into lumps of meat, soaking the battlefield, and the surviving Yuan Shu soldiers were so terrified that they threw down their weapons the moment they heard Lu Bu was coming.
Lu Bu among men, Red Hare among horses.
That saying was by no means an exaggeration.
The existence of Lu Bu had come to reign as an object of terror for the Coalition Army.
"The fact that Yuan Shu is here means Sun Jian is where that guy went."
"Yes, that's likely."
"We got fooled good, damn it."
They had fallen straight for the enemy's trick.
Lu Bu showed signs of anxiety knowing Lee Seong-hwi was facing Sun Jian.
She tried not to show it on the outside as much as possible, but,
Lu Bu's anxiety was so blatant it could be seen in her actions.
"He'll be fine, right?"
Lu Bu asked while wiping the blood off her face.
At her question, Zhang Liao tried to force a smile.
"Of course. Who do you think he is? He'll come back smiling."
"Uh, I hope so."
He was someone she didn't want to lose.
Lu Bu expressed her feelings honestly.
Could she really say this honestly even in front of him? Because she was separated from him, Lu Bu could express her feelings honestly.
It had been two days since Lee Seong-hwi arrived at Yangcheng.
The second day of engaging with the Sun Jian army.
During those two days, as they engaged in fierce chaotic battles, corpses piled up on the battlefield.
If Lu Bu had overwhelmingly dominated the Yuan Shu army, Lee Seong-hwi and Sun Jian were fighting on the edge, maintaining a neck-and-neck battle where it wouldn't be strange if either of them collapsed at any moment.
"Sun Wendai, you Yuan Shu lackey!"
"You follower of a slave woman with three dads!"
Lee Seong-hwi and Sun Jian clashed on the battlefield once again.
How many times had this been now?
They had continued to duel so much that even the parties involved didn't know. The moment the battle started, Lee Seong-hwi and Sun Jian rushed to the center of the battlefield and swung their swords at each other.
'They call him the Tiger of Jiangdong, did he forget how to get tired? It's already the second day of fighting and he doesn't look tired at all!'
Lee Seong-hwi was greatly admiring Sun Jian's endless valorous strength.
From the perspective of the one fighting, it was exhausting.
Even though they had fought for over hundreds of bouts, there was no sign of him collapsing. He was astonished to see him swinging his sword as if nothing had happened, even while gasping for air.
"Ugh!"
The fist Sun Jian swung was planted into his face.
For a moment, his vision blurred and his head spun.
But he quickly came to his senses, and likewise swung his fist, striking Sun Jian's head.
In the midst of the continuous offensive and defensive, he missed his sword.
And that was the same for Sun Jian. Even though they were both empty-handed, they beat each other up as if they didn't care.
He would knock him down even if it was with his fists.
With a burning fighting spirit in both eyes, they swung their fists.
"Is that even a human fight?"
"Just how long do they intend to fight... I think we should stop them."
The two commanders were dueling.
The generals who watched it with concern were watching with anxiety, fearing that something unfortunate might happen.
It would be dangerous if a commander died.
But Lee Seong-hwi and Sun Jian were fighting so fiercely that they couldn't possibly be stopped.
"General, what do we do now?"
A military officer asked.
To that, Gao Shun shook his head.
"It is a matter of honor. Forcibly stopping the fight would be admitting defeat. They certainly wouldn't want that."
Even if they lose the battle, there is a next opportunity.
But honor?
Once honor is lost, it never returns. Gao Shun expressed deep respect as a warrior at the sight of Lee Seong-hwi fighting Sun Jian at the risk of his life.
"Commander!"
The spear Song Xian threw was stuck next to Lee Seong-hwi.
But it was Sun Jian who grabbed it.
He held the spear with both hands and struck down with it.
Lee Seong-hwi barely managed to pull out the sword on the ground and parried the spear.
"Kuaaaa!!"
Lee Seong-hwi used his body to push Sun Jian back.
He pressed down while aiming the tip of his sword at Sun Jian.
Then Sun Jian raised the spear shaft, barely managing to block the sword tip that was trying to stab him.
"Huu... Huu!"
"Kuh... Kuuu...!!"
Lee Seong-hwi and Sun Jian gasped for air.
Looking at the opponent who wouldn't collapse no matter what with tired eyes, they revealed their will never to lose.
The fatigue accumulated in their entire bodies had exceeded their limits.
Every time the battle started, they dueled. From the beginning to the end of the battle, they fought for their lives so much that the contents of their stomachs felt like they were coming up to their throats.
'Even with high proficiency, what kind of guy is this? If I hadn't been rolled to death by Lu Bu, I would have died a long time ago.'
He was barely standing on two legs.
Just how long could he hold out?
When Sun Jian attacked, he countered reflexively, but fighting with all his might was nearing its limit.
"For someone who follows a slave woman with three dads, you're quite something."
"You country bumpkin!"
"It is a great pity that a guy like you is following a traitor. If you surrender to this side even now, I will treat you well."
Sun Jian offered a surrender.
Perhaps impressed by Lee Seong-hwi's persistent struggle, Sun Jian expressed his sincere respect.
Men should converse with their fists. He realized that this was an opponent worth talking to while hitting and getting hit by fists.
"Yuan Shu, thanks to that idiot, you only just became a General of Miscellaneous Titles, yet you're offering surrender to me, a General of the Feathered Forest."
"Yeah, for now, I'm just a General of Miscellaneous Titles. But I have no intention of settling for that. Someday, I will make the world marvel at my name."
Sun Jian revealed his ambitious goal.
He puffed himself up, saying he would go beyond a General of Miscellaneous Titles and rise to a greater position.
Someday, he would even overwhelm Yuan Shu.
His greed was so great that he didn't know where the bottom was. And that greed would be the driving force that would raise Sun Jian up.
"Save the dreaming for when you're asleep. You're talking absolute nonsense."
Lee Seong-hwi clicked his tongue and said.
Whatever Sun Jian's goal was, he had no intention of surrendering to him quietly, nor did he intend to back down like this.
He would definitely defend this place.
He couldn't step aside, even if it was to protect Luoyang.
"I've rested enough. Let's fight again."
Lee Seong-hwi raised his sword.
To that, Sun Jian chuckled and aimed his spear.
The battle between the Lu Bu army and the Sun Jian army that took place in Yangcheng.
The fight over the road leading to Luoyang lasted for a whopping four days.
"Attack! Let's end this once and for all!"
"Oh yeah, come if you dare! I'll slaughter you!!"
Both armies clashed again.
Without even giving time to collect the corpses that had fallen on the battlefield, a fight took place to pile more corpses on top of them.
They fought a whopping 6 times over four days.
They continued to engage in battle, staining the surroundings with blood and corpses, and the soldiers had to make faces of being dumbfounded at the sight of the two commanders who wouldn't collapse despite that.
"Die, you traitor!"
"You southern bumpkin!"
They stabbed spears and swords into each other's bodies.
They continued to stab and slash, knocking down their opponents.
The soldier who succeeded in knocking down an enemy collapsed after being struck by an enemy who rushed from behind, spilling blood.
The Yangcheng area turned into a living hell.
A space where they killed and killed again, committing merciless slaughter. Sun Jian ignored Yuan Shu's requests for rescue and focused only on killing Lee Seong-hwi.
However, Yuan Shu did not have enough patience to wait for Sun Jian to win.
"What are you doing! Lord Yuan Shu must have clearly requested rescue from you! If your lord is in danger, it is the duty of a general to put everything else aside and come!"
Yang Gang, a general of the Yuan Shu army, arrived.
Yang Gang ordered the Sun Jian army, which was attacking Yangcheng, to withdraw, telling them to rescue the main force that was being unilaterally beaten by Lu Bu.
'Damn it!'
Sun Jian could not refuse that order.
As long as Yuan Shu was supporting his forces, he had to leave to rescue Yuan Shu regardless of the circumstances.
"You saved your life, kid."
Sun Jian grinned, showing his teeth.
To that, Lee Seong-hwi, who was swaying as if he would collapse at any moment, wiggled his finger as if telling him to come at him again.
"Go lick Yuan Shu's ass."
As if to pay back the insults he had received so far, Lee Seong-hwi spat out the profanity that Sun Jian would hate the most. At that insult, Sun Jian was greatly offended but clicked his tongue. He ordered his allies to retreat, saying it was impossible to win easily.
"Retreat!"
"We're going to rescue the Yuan Shu army!"
The Sun Jian army finally turned their horses around.
The fierce battle that took place in Yangcheng.
As Sun Jian, who was called the strongest fierce general of the Coalition Army, failed to occupy it and retreated, the name of his opponent, Lee Seong-hwi, became widely known.
Until now, he was almost unknown to the warlords.
However, as a general who blocked the Tiger of Jiangdong while dueling to the end, he became famous enough to always have his name mentioned in gatherings of warlords.
"Please help me up."
Lee Seong-hwi was literally covered in blood.
He had faced that monster-like Sun Jian and blocked him.
Of course, he had inflicted corresponding damage, but if they compared each other's wounds, Lee Seong-hwi's side would be much more serious.
He had endured it with sheer will.
If he had let go of his mental grip even a little, he would have fallen backward and fainted right there.
"I am impressed by your valiant fight. I express my respect for that battle."
Gao Shun placed his hand on his chest.
He offered a meaningful salute to express his respect to the valiant general.
"What for. But could you move your face away? You look terrifying."
Even though he had been beaten and beaten again until he was covered in blood, he was still chattering away well, as if his mouth was still fine.
Actually, maybe he hadn't been beaten enough yet.
Lee Seong-hwi, who grabbed the hand Gao Shun offered, used him as a support to stand up on his two legs.
"What should I say to Lu Bu..."
Lee Seong-hwi muttered while massaging his ruined face.
His face was the only thing that was decent to look at.
He worried about the bruises on his face more than the wounds from being cut and stabbed all over his body, wondering if it wasn't his handsome face that had captivated women's hearts until now.