More Precious Than Gold
Lu Bu had been wrestling with a single worry as of late.
The horse she rode simply couldn't keep up with the way she fought.
"...Looks like I'll have to swap it out again."
Lu Bu studied the animal before her, ran her eyes over its condition, and shook her head. When she'd first received it, the beast had been powerfully built, all lean muscle and healthy flesh — and in a single month it had withered down to skin and bones.
And this was no pampered stable horse, either. It was the kind of mount the nomadic tribes who ate and slept in the saddle rode — a breed whose endurance was superb, even if its raw burst of power fell a little short.
If only one or two horses had faded like this, she could have written it off as a weak animal and moved on. But every mount Lu Bu had ever ridden had wasted away in exactly the same fashion.
Which meant, in truth, that the horses simply couldn't keep up with Lu Bu's stamina.
Glaring at the animal, she grumbled in irritation.
"Seriously? You're an animal, and you can't keep up with a human's stamina?"
"Neigh."
At her words, the horse that had been carrying her let out a whinny — one that sounded suspiciously like you're not human, lady.
If anything, the fact that it had borne Lu Bu for a whole month was proof of just how fine a horse it was.
"...Hmm. What do I do, though."
Jeong Reung had told her not to feel burdened — to come to him whenever she needed a new horse. But how was she supposed to do that so easily? Even Lu Bu, who never gave a second thought to anyone else's opinion, couldn't help walking on eggshells in front of the one person she loved.
Lu Bu tipped her head back toward the sky and heaved a sigh.
"Haa. You think a really amazing horse might just drop right out of the sky?"
"So this is where you were. I've been looking for you."
"Hm?"
Wondering idly whether someone was calling for her, Lu Bu lowered her gaze from the clouds and looked straight ahead. A man with a vaguely familiar face was addressing her.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, how you wound me. It's me — Li Su. Li Su! Didn't we grow up in the same hometown?"
Lu Bu's eyes narrowed at the sight of Li Su sidling closer, playing at old friendship.
"Come one step closer and you die."
Li Su's footsteps, which had been closing the distance inch by inch, stopped dead.
"The punks who used to look down their noses at me when we were kids — the second they hear I've made something of myself, they come crawling back pretending we're old friends."
Lu Bu leveled the Sky Piercer Halberd she was carrying at him and grinned.
"Hey. Want to see if I can hit you?"
"..."
"Do you know how many men have died by my hand after ignoring that warning and playing the old friend right up to the very end?"
From the razor-honed edge of the Sky Piercer Halberd, Li Su could have sworn blood was dripping, drop by drop. Judging this approach a dead end, he sprang back to put distance between them and bowed low.
"...The reason I've come today is nothing other than to present you, General, with a gift."
"Well, at least you learn fast. But a gift, you say?"
Watching Lu Bu prick up her ears at the word gift, Li Su allowed himself a sly grin. Playing the hometown card had failed, but her love of wealth hadn't changed one bit.
"You there! Set everything down here."
The moment the words left his mouth, the burly men standing nearby began hauling an endless stream of goods from the carts they'd brought with them.
Lu Bu's eyes went round as saucers as she watched the cargo emerge. Gold and silver, of course — but also rare silks, costly-looking crafts, even works of art.
Faced with every manner of riches heaped into a single pile, she couldn't hide her astonishment.
"Wh-what is all this?"
"Every last item is a gift for you, General."
"You're just giving this much away?"
Watching her — already halfway hooked — Li Su couldn't suppress his smile.
"And there is still one gift remaining that I believe you will like best of all, General."
"...Better than all this?"
Just then, a horse entered Lu Bu's field of vision.
A red-coated steed, far larger than any of the others, was walking slowly forward, parading its majesty. Every inch of its body was dyed crimson, yet nothing about it seemed unnatural — if anything, it radiated an air that forbade approach.
If the horse as a species ever produced a divine beast, surely this was what it would look like.
Li Su spoke slowly to Lu Bu, who had gone utterly speechless, her gaze locked on Red Hare.
"All of this was sent by my lord, who holds you in the deepest admiration — you, General Lu Bu, the Peerless Under Heaven."
"..."
"Should the Peerless Under Heaven come to his side, he promises riches far beyond even these..."
"What was that?"
The air around Lu Bu, who had been standing there dazed, changed in an instant.
Chilled to the bone by the sudden drop in temperature, Li Su had no choice but to cut himself off mid-sentence and shut his mouth.
"I knew it. Nobody hands over this much for free — there had to be a catch."
"..."
"I didn't quite catch what you just said. Say it again. Who's your lord?"
Lu Bu, who had been muttering to herself, flashed a thin smile and told him to keep talking.
Sweat beading on his brow at some nameless sense of dread, Li Su pressed on.
"My lord does indeed carry the memory of a single defeat at your hands, General — but he bears not the slightest grudge over it."
"So you mean that bastard Dong Zhuo. And?"
"This can only be because my lord's magnanimity is of a caliber fit to command the whole realm under heaven—"
"No, no. Not that kind of talk."
Lu Bu said, smiling.
"Tell me what he wants. What. He. Wants."
She was smiling — but the moment Li Su realized her patience had hit rock bottom, the words came tumbling out.
"My lord desires your martial prowess."
"..."
"If you were to come to his side, he would promise you far more than the gifts I have presented here today—"
"GYAHAHAHA!"
Before Li Su could even finish, Lu Bu doubled over, clutching her belly, and exploded into laughter.
"Ahh— it's been ages since I laughed that hard. You're a genuinely funny guy."
After a good long laugh, Lu Bu wiped the tears from her eyes and spoke.
"So what's the plan, then? I cut off Jeong Reung's head and carry it to that bastard as proof of my loyalty?"
"..."
"Cat got your tongue? Was that seriously the plan?"
With those words, Lu Bu's expression froze over, cold as ice.
"Leave everything you brought and get out."
"...You do understand what my lord intends by offering these gifts, do you not?"
"Hm? 'Course I do."
Lu Bu nodded.
"He sent you here so you could spout that garbage and still walk out of here alive. That's the gift."
"..."
Lu Bu walked over and stroked Red Hare's head.
"Neigh."
"A gentle temperament, too, aren't you?"
Watching Red Hare — who had snapped and kicked at every other human being — nuzzle up to Lu Bu in perfect contentment, Li Su bowed his head.
"Leave. Quickly. Before I change my mind."
"...You will come to regret this."
"Last chance."
Lu Bu said, still stroking Red Hare's mane.
"Get lost."
"..."
Not another word was spoken. Li Su and his men withdrew empty-handed, and Lu Bu lifted her hand from Red Hare and declared, delighted:
"Wow. Live an honest life and the gifts just come rolling in!"
The withered nag she'd been riding shot her a look that plainly said, Excuse me — you? Lu Bu ignored it completely.
Gazing at the mountain of treasure, Lu Bu grinned.
"I'm giving every last bit of this to Jeong Reung!"
She had long since learned that there were things in this world worth more than piles of gold and jewels.
"So... you received all of this?"
"Yep!"
I stared at Lu Bu, who had appeared out of nowhere, unable to hide my bewilderment. To be precise, it wasn't Lu Bu herself that stunned me — it was the mountain of treasure she'd hauled in with her.
"...Is there something you want?"
"Huh?"
"Good deeds deserve rewards. Just say the word! I'll grant you anything!"
The smile wouldn't leave my face. Here I was, already strapped for cash — and now this windfall drops right into my lap!
Feeling generous, I thumped my chest and told her to name her price.
"R-really? Then tomorrow, let's go out somewhere together!"
"Easy. Done."
I'd have to meet the Emperor and the court officials before long, but that could wait a day or two. She might grumble about it, but considering I'd pulled her out of Dong Zhuo's clutches, she was probably still grateful enough to let it slide. A little detour like this posed no problem whatsoever.
At my acceptance, Lu Bu added a condition.
"I just wish she wouldn't come along..."
"Oh?"
"Tomorrow I'll be by your side all day long. You won't need her!"
I turned and looked at Seo Yeo.
"You hear that?"
"If you can defeat me, I will consider it."
"..."
Those eyes were absolutely frigid.
Yeah. Seo Yeo's mad right now.
At Seo Yeo's words, Lu Bu shouted back, bristling.
"Ha! Well said! This time I'm beating you for sure!"
"..."
"You're ignoring me again!"
Lu Bu growled low and drew the Sky Piercer Halberd, and Seo Yeo answered in kind, sliding her sword from its sheath.
Was I supposed to call this a good relationship or a bad one?
Every so often, the two of them would lock horns in a sparring match, wills clashing before blades ever met. The bouts never reached a conclusion — they always ended the instant I told them to knock it off — but with Lu Bu wheezing and gasping while Seo Yeo wore her usual blank expression, guessing who'd had the upper hand wasn't exactly difficult.
The truly remarkable thing, though, was that Lu Bu kept getting stronger, little by little. Against Seo Yeo it hardly showed — Seo Yeo was simply on another plane entirely — but against anyone else, the difference was plain to see. Zhang Liao, who trained with Lu Bu all the time, wouldn't stop marveling at how much stronger she'd become.
As for the trio of Wei Xu, Hou Cheng, and Song Xian — they'd been getting launched with a single blow since the old days, so we'll leave them out of it.
Personally, I lost it laughing when I saw them hanging off a tree branch like a line of laundry.
"Seo Yeo! Come outside with me. Today I'm really going to win!"
Lu Bu's competitive fire had clearly reignited, and she declared this while staring straight at me.
"...Pfft."
"Did you just laugh? Did you LAUGH at me—!!"
When Seo Yeo let out a laugh without moving a single muscle in her face, Lu Bu, predictably, hopped around in a fury, grinding her teeth.
How did she always know exactly which buttons to push?
I rose from my seat and started walking.
After all, if I didn't move, neither would Seo Yeo.