12. Where the Star Fell, an Oath Blossomed
Horse hooves pounded faster than heartbeats against their eardrums. From Gwangneung to Jiangxia—a journey that normally took five days—we covered it in two relentless nights and days.
Horses frothed at the mouth, screaming as they collapsed. Without hesitation, the soldiers leaped from their saddles, lassoing wild horses that passed or mounting the steeds of fallen comrades, then charging onward.
"Don't stop! Stopping means death!" I roared until my throat bled.
My white steed was at its limit too, heaving ragged breaths, but I couldn't stop the whip.
A thousand-man suicide squad. Their faces were caked in dirt, dust, and blood, like ghosts smeared with soot, but their eyes burned with fierce life. They knew it too—this road we raced down wasn't just a march; it was the path of fate deciding a hero's life or death.
"General! There!" Ju Chang at the vanguard raised his axe and pointed.
Far off, black smoke coiled like serpents between the jagged gorges of Hyeonsan. And on the wind came the metallic tang of blood and agonized screams.
"We're not too late." I drew my sword. A thousand blades unsheathed in unison, ringing coldly.
"Full charge! Strike the Huangzuo army's rear! Save Sun Jian!"
"Waaaaah—!"
We slammed into the Huangzuo army's rear. Distracted by encircling Sun Jian, their rear guard was lax. The thunder of hooves at their backs sent them into panicked chaos.
BOOM! Ju Chang crashed into the enemy first, swinging his massive axe like a windmill to carve a path.
"Out of my way, you rat bastards!"
Where his axe passed, helmets shattered and armor tore. Jang Heum followed, dual-wielding swords to shred the ranks, as our thousand cavalry pierced like a spear into the enemy's heart.
"Rear attack! Enemy raid!"
"Block them! Where did these bastards come from?!"
The Huangzuo formation crumbled in moments. I seized the gap, ripping through the thinnest part of the encirclement.
"Move! Anyone who blocks dies!"
With every dance of my sword, enemy heads flew. I vaulted from my horse, stepping on a thrusting spearman's shoulder to leap and sever the commander's neck. Blood fountained, and terror filled the foes' eyes.
"S-Seowon! It's Seowon who slew Hua Xiong!"
Recognizing me, they screamed and cleared a path. Through it, we surged furiously into the gorge.
The scene inside was hellish. Sun Jian's main force was over half annihilated. Corpses piled like mountains on the narrow gorge floor, arrows from the cliffs above embedded like a forest. The stench of blood choked the air.
Atop one mound stood a general riddled with arrows yet unbowed. His red turban was torn, his ornate armor in tatters, but the Fixed Sword in his grip gleamed murderously.
Sun Jian, the Tiger of Jiangdong, hero of the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition.
"Father! Reinforcements! Yuan Shu's army!"
Sun Ce, the young general guarding him, spotted us and bellowed. Blood-soaked, he fought like a lion with his spear to protect his father.
"S-Seowon General?"
Sun Jian peered at me through hazy eyes. His left was swollen shut from wounds; the right fixed on me.
"You... truly came. Hearing the plea... to this hellhole..."
I dismounted and supported him urgently. His body burned like fire. Poisoned black blood oozed from his armor cracks.
"Didn't I promise? To save your son. We left immediately, but... I'm sorry, it seems too late."
Sun Jian coughed a bloody smile.
"No... your coming alone is a miracle. Meeting a man like you, Seowon General, was my life's greatest fortune."
Then, a rasping voice echoed from the cliffs above—Huangzuo's.
"Kuhaha! The rats walked into their own grave! Perfect! Shoot them all! Roll the boulders!"
Whoooosh—! Rumble!
Arrow storms rained anew; house-sized rocks tumbled with roars. The entrance we'd breached was resealed by Huangzuo's rallied host.
A thousand cavalry could force entry, but escaping that narrow mouth with exhausted Sun Jian's remnants and the wounded leader? Near impossible.
"General! Enemies from the rear too! Guiyue's banner—Liu Biao's main force!"
A scout screamed his report.
Huangzuo ahead, Guiyue behind. Perfect encirclement. Rats in a trap.
I assessed coldly. We can't all escape. The mouth's too narrow for a mass breakout. Someone must stay, hold it, buy time for the rest.
But who? Who'd embrace death in this inferno? Sacrifice which of the thousand?
Sun Jian gripped my wrist with bloody hand, as if reading my thoughts. His strength faded.
"Seowon General."
"Speak."
"My body's... done."
He glanced at the deep poison arrow in his side. The venom was at his heart.
"I'll stay."
"Father! What are you saying?!"
Sun Ce wailed, clinging to his leg. Sun Jian backhanded his cheek with his free hand.
Slap!
"Get a grip! A true man sheds no tears on the battlefield!"
Sun Ce froze at the tiger's roar. Sun Jian seized his shoulders, locking eyes.
"Ce. Listen well. If we fight here together, we're all annihilated. Jiangdong's seed dies. Someone must hold that mouth for you to live."
"Then I stay! You live, Father!"
"Who leads the clan then? Quan is clever but young. You must survive, return to Jiangdong. That's filial piety."
Sun Jian was resolute—the weight of a dying patriarch. He turned to me, eyes fervent, almost holy.
"Seowon General."
"Yes."
"My son... and remaining brothers... I entrust to you. My final plea."
From his belt, he pressed a heavy, bloodied packet into my hand. The Imperial Seal.
"This blinded me... You were right, General. No blessing—a curse. I entrust it to you. Give to Yuan Shu, keep it—your call. But..."
He yanked Sun Ce before me.
"Ce. From this moment, regard Seowon General as you do me."
"Father...?"
"He's my lifesaver, your sole savior. Serve him as me, hold his words as heaven's will. Understood?!"
His voice thundered through the gorge—a testament, a blood-oath.
Sun Ce bit his lip, shedding bloody tears, then knelt slowly before me.
"I... accept the command."
Sun Jian nodded, satisfied. He eyed his four veteran generals: Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, Zhu Zhi.
"You go too. Protect Ce."
"My lord! We'll stay! Die with you!"
Huang Gai pounded the earth, wailing. Sun Jian smiled, shaking his head.
"No. Live for vengeance. Dying with me is folly; living to repay enemies is wisdom. True loyalty."
Sun Jian regripped his Fixed Sword, staggering to his feet. He turned to the gorge mouth, Huangzuo's horde approaching. His back loomed gigantic.
"Go! Hurry!"
"We must! Don't waste his will!"
I hoisted a thrashing Sun Ce onto a horse. He roared like a beast, but Ju Chang and soldiers restrained him. Cheng Pu and Huang Gai turned, weeping blood-tears.
"Full retreat! Ride like hell! Don't look back!"
We fled the gorge, leaving Sun Jian alone. Amid the thousand hooves came his final roar from behind.
Sun Jian watched his receding son and generals. A general's battlefield death is glory, but my regret—unable to see how far Seowon General grows.
"I am Sun Wen Tai, the Fierce Tiger of Jiangdong! Who dares take my blade?!"
Then arrows rained. Clang! Thud! Swords and spears clashed. One hero stood against thousands, perishing gloriously.
Sun Ce twisted back from his mount, shrieking.
"Father! Father!!"
His cry echoed, tearing the air. My chest tightened too.
History hadn't changed. Sun Jian died. But his death's meaning had.
No longer a greed-blinded fool—he'd be remembered as the great father who sacrificed for son and men.
And his legacy passed to me intact.
We shook Huangzuo's pursuit, swallowing bloody tears, bound for Suchun. Rain began falling from the heavens, washing blood and tears. As if the sky mourned the hero.
Days later, in Suchun Castle. The battered Sun Jian remnants and cavalry reached the gates. The mood was somber. Guards bowed silently at the sight of Sun Ce and generals in mourning white.
I led Sun Ce to the hall. Yuan Shu sat on his throne, already informed, awaiting us.
Sun Ce collapsed before him, sobbing.
"Rear General... my father... Father..."
The hall's officials held their breath. Han Gyu, Yeom Sang exchanged glances. All expected it—Yuan Shu's prickly jealousy would mock the defeated Sun Ce.
But Yuan Shu descended silently. He approached the prostrate youth, laying a hand on his trembling shoulder.
"Rise."
His voice lacked its usual levity—heavy, grave.
Sun Ce lifted wet eyes. Yuan Shu brushed dirt from his clothes, retied the red turban.
"Sun Jian... was an excellent general."
"......!"
All doubted their ears. Praise from Yuan Shu's lips? For Sun Jian, who'd betrayed and fled him?
"When he betrayed and left, I wanted him dead. But..."
Yuan Shu paused, staring into void. His eyes wavered.
"His merits don't vanish with betrayal. And his vanguard valor against Dong Zhuo—all lords remember. To leap alone into death's maw for son and men in his final battle... Not just anyone could. He was a true fierce tiger, and above all... a superb father."
Tears beaded in Yuan Shu's eyes. Scion of a noble house, he'd grown lonely under family weight and rivalry with Yuan Shao, starved of paternal love. Sun Jian's final choice, that paternal fire, touched his depths.
"Seowon."
"Yes, my lord."
"Hold Sun Jian's funeral grandly in the Rear General's name. With rites befitting a lord. Treat as my brother's death."
"As you command."
Yuan Shu eyed Sun Ce again.
"No more tears. Your father didn't die cowardly, nor weep so. You're Jiangdong's master now."
Then he bellowed to the dispersing hall.
"I swear it! Vengeance for Sun Jian! Dare kill my man? I'll sever Liu Biao that old fool and Huangzuo's heads for his spirit! No drop of wine till they're crushed!"
Yuan Shu clenched his fist. For the first time, a hegemon's aura emanated.
"Next target: Jingzhou! Pour our full might—smash Liu Biao!"
"Waaaaah—!"
The hall's generals roared. Even Qi Ling gripped fists, eyes glistening.
Sun Ce wiped tears, gazing up at Yuan Shu. Contempt faded; true loyalty sprouted.
"Rear General... thank you. I'll repay this grace with my life. Sun Ce pledges from this day: your blade, Seowon General's vanguard!"
He kowtowed in oath. Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Jiangdong's elites knelt as one.
"Loyalty to the Rear General!"
I watched, biting my lip. Mourning Sun Jian, yet relieved—we'd gained the fierce Sun Ce and Jiangdong elites. Our Yuan Shu army solidified unity, gained righteous cause.
Sun Jian's final face flashed—his last smile toward me in that gorge.
Hot fury surged from my depths. Sorrow for a era-defining hero's vain end; primal rage at his killers coursed a warrior's veins.
Impulse to wheel back, storm Huangzuo's camp, behead those rats.
But chillingly, another self in my mind coldly calculated. If Sun Jian lived, would Sun Ce pledge so? Would Yuan Shu show true warlord mettle? No. His death tragedy, but strategically... perfect opportunity for us.
Disgust at myself—weighing profits from a hero's death, one who'd trusted me with final words.
Bitter taste filled my mouth. Was I becoming a heartless monster, dyed by this brutal age?
Guilt stabbed. But I clenched my fist, shaking off thoughts. This era brooked no sentiment. To survive, seize the realm—freeze the heart.
Bury hot blood deep; keep the mind icicle-cold. My chosen path, my karma.
Hate me if you must, Sun General.
I fingered the seal in my bosom. Cold jade chilled my fingers.
I'll hold this for now, my lord. Too weak yet for the throne.
Behind Yuan Shu, I gazed south to Jingzhou.
Wait, Liu Biao. And Huangzuo. The phoenix spreads wings—you sparrows burn.
Yuan Shu's colossal gears ground toward Jingzhou—and the realm.