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On the battlefield, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei surrounded Lü Bu, like a fierce wind swirling around three sharp blades. The clash of swords and the glint of blades intertwined, their cold light dazzling enough to make one avert their gaze. In the center, Lü Bu danced with the Fangtian Halberd, balancing offense and defense; each spin and slash he executed unleashed a fierce wind that suppressed the trio's combined assault.
Zhang Fei's beard bristled with anger as he roared, "A Slave to Three Masters! Today, I will make you bleed at Hulao!" He thrust his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear fiercely at Lü Bu's chest, but Lü Bu sidestepped and countered with a swift motion of his Decorated Halberd, pinning down the spear with such force that Zhang Fei's wrist trembled, nearly losing his grip.
"Good thief!" Guan Yu snorted coldly, swinging his Green Dragon Crescent Blade to slash at Lü Bu's side. The blade moved like a galloping horse, its cold gleam menacing. Lü Bu deflected it with one hand and swiftly thrust his halberd towards Liu Bei. Liu Bei ducked just in time, raising his Twin Sabers to block the attack, breaking into a cold sweat.
Despite their combined efforts, they still could not gain the upper hand. Noticing a slight delay in Liu Bei's attack, Lü Bu suddenly feigned a thrust at Liu Bei's face. Startled, Liu Bei leaned back, causing his horse to stumble momentarily. Seizing this opportunity, Lü Bu broke through their formation with a sneer, "You little rodents, I'll take your lives another day!" He dragged his Decorated Halberd behind him and spurred Red Hare into a gallop, fleeing from the scene.
"Lü Bu, don't run!" Zhang Fei bellowed as he chased after him on horseback, brandishing his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear wildly in the air. "Today I will ensure you have no place to bury your body!"
Guan Yu raised his blade and shouted, "Elder Brother, Brother Three, hurry after him! Do not let this thief escape!"
The three riders galloped fiercely away as the sound of hooves echoed like thunder. On the battlefield, the soldiers of the Eight Route Lords saw Lü Bu faltering and erupted into cries of battle as they surged toward Lü Bu's army like a tidal wave, cutting down Lü Bu's rear guard as easily as chopping vegetables.
Looking back at his pursuers closing in on him, Lü Bu's expression darkened. He tightened his grip on Red Hare and muttered under his breath, "If only I had three thousand Elite Troops now; these little pests wouldn't dare be so rampant!"
Xuan De, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei relentlessly pursued him as the Eight Route Army pressed forward like a flood toward the pass. Lü Bu's formation was in disarray; soldiers were fleeing one after another toward Hulao Pass amidst cries of slaughter mixed with screams of pain and pleas for mercy.
"Kill! Do not let them enter the pass!" Guan Yu shouted sharply as he swung his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, cutting down an escaping soldier.
Zhang Fei roared like thunder: "Cut down the roots; leave no survivors!" He hurled his serpent spear, instantly piercing through two Enemy Soldiers.
Lü Bu turned around and glared at the three who were chasing him with eyes like knives. Gritting his teeth, he thought to himself: "Today I have lost my reinforcements; I will return to regroup at the pass and deal with these three ruffians later!" He spurred his horse fiercely toward Hulao Pass while behind him the shouts grew deafening—like a relentless death knell drawing ever closer.
Zhang Fei rode up ahead, aiming his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear directly at Hulao Pass and thundered: "Dong Zhuo old thief! Don’t think you can hide behind the walls and be safe! Today I Zhang Yide will take your life!" His roar echoed beneath the pass, startling the defending soldiers who turned pale and began to retreat.
Liu Bei shouted from behind: "Brother Three! Do not act rashly! This place is heavily defended; Dong Zhuo has a large army stationed here. We must plan carefully before we act!"
Guan Yu also raised his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and spoke coldly: "Brother Three, Lü Bu has not yet been captured; Dong Zhuo will only be better prepared. Do not act recklessly!"
Zhang Fei, unable to contain his anger, turned his horse back to look at the two men, his beard bristling. "Elder Brother, second brother, if we slay that scoundrel Lü Bu, another Lü Bu will surely arise. But Dong Zhuo is the true villain wreaking havoc across the land! He is right here at the pass; we cannot let such a heavenly opportunity slip away!"
At that moment, Lü Bu had already fled back inside the pass, quickly ordering the gates to be shut. He shouted loudly, "Archers, form ranks and prepare for battle!" The soldiers guarding the pass swiftly assembled, and a dense formation of archers climbed the city walls, ready to unleash a barrage of arrows to suppress any pursuing enemies below.
Zhang Fei watched the activity at the gates, his eyes burning with resentment and fury. "If it weren't for those chaotic soldiers protecting him, I could have pierced his vile belly today!"
Liu Bei calmly surveyed their surroundings and said in a low voice, "Brother Three, do not forget our troops are still adjusting in the rear. Charging in alone is not wise. Though Dong Zhuo is within the pass, Hu Lao Pass is not easily breached. Rushing in recklessly will only lead to losses."
Though Zhang Fei gritted his teeth in anger, he had no choice but to rein in his horse and suppress his boiling rage. Guan Yu gently patted his shoulder and whispered, "Brother Three, our anger will eventually be avenged upon Dong Zhuo. But not today. Let us return to camp and plan for the long term."
Inside the pass, Dong Zhuo sat beneath a parasol, his expression dark as he fixed his gaze on the three men below. He spoke quietly to Lü Bu, "Who are these three that could force you to flee in such disgrace?"
Lü Bu snorted coldly, clenching his fists tightly. "Liu Guan Zhang are indeed formidable, but if it weren't for Dong Zhuo being here today, I would ensure they never returned!"
Dong Zhuo smirked slyly, a glint of malice in his eyes. "Good, good! They have underestimated the courage of our coalition by chasing us this far. But Hu Lao Pass is as solid as a rock; let’s see how long they can stir up trouble."
He waved his hand to signal his subordinates to strengthen their defenses; the archers' arrows were already aimed at the three men who were restlessly moving below.
Seeing the archers lining up at the gates, Liu Bei finally raised his hand and said solemnly, "Retreat! Back to camp!"
The three men turned their horses around. Zhang Fei remained unwilling to concede and shouted back angrily, "You old thief Dong Zhuo, wash your neck clean and wait for me; I will come back for your head one day!"
Zhang Fei rode back furiously, still seething with rage as he tightly gripped his serpent spear and roared, "That traitor Dong thinks he can hide behind high walls! One day I will flatten this pass!" Liu Bei reassured him, "Brother Three, we will discuss this further in camp. This is not a time for reckless haste." Guan Yu nodded slightly and added softly, "The battlefield is fraught with danger; we must act with caution."
Upon returning to camp, the Eight Route Lords gathered together to congratulate Liu Bei and his brothers on their achievements. Yuan Shao sent messengers with reports of victory to all armies, raising morale significantly. Soon after, he ordered Sun Jian to advance.
Sun Jian received the order with uncontained fury; accompanied by Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, he headed straight for Yuan Shu's main tent. Upon entering the tent, he found Yuan Shu's face darkened with anger as he glared fiercely at him while drawing lines in the ground with an iron staff. He rebuked sternly, "Dong Zhuo has no grievances with me or my Sun family! Today I risk my life and face arrows and stones personally to confront him—not only for the sake of our country but also to avenge my family's honor! Yet you listen to slanderous words and delay supplies so that our army suffers defeat and morale plummets! What reasoning is this?"
Yuan Shu furrowed his brow at these words; though embarrassed, he feigned calmness and replied slowly, "Wentai, do not be hasty; there may be some misunderstanding here. How could I stand by idly while you are placed in danger? The matter of supplies may have been delayed due to adjustments; it was not my intention to make things difficult for you."
Cheng Pu stepped forward sharply and said sternly, "Delayed? Our army has been exhausted from fighting for days while soldiers lack provisions and voice their grievances! Have you forgotten that General Sun fights for the righteousness of our coalition? If he fails in battle, how will it affect the hearts of all lords?"
Huang Gai coldly said, "If the general seeks to weaken others for his own selfish interests, he is no different from Dong Zhuo! Do not forget that today's alliance is to eliminate the bandits, not for internal strife!"
Upon hearing Sun Jian's fury, Yuan Shu turned pale, cold sweat pouring down his face. He had no choice but to order the execution of those who spread slander to demonstrate his sincerity and quickly dispatched envoys to apologize to Sun Jian. At the same time, he personally expedited the supply of provisions to quell the unrest. He thought to himself, "This Sun Jian is not someone who can be easily offended. If he turns against me in anger, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
At that moment, someone hurriedly entered the camp to report, "A general from Guan has arrived on horseback, claiming urgent business!" Jian put down his documents, furrowing his brow as he asked, "Who is it?" The messenger replied, "It is Li Jue, a general under Dong Zhuo." Upon hearing this, Sun Jian's eyes narrowed like blades as he sneered, "The visitor does not come with good intentions; bring him in."
Li Jue stepped into the tent clad in armor but wore a humble expression. He slightly cupped his hands and bowed his head as he said, "I am Li Jue, sent by the Chancellor to convey a message to General Sun."
Sun Jian coldly scrutinized Li Jue before finally asking, "Dong Zhuo sent you; what scheme do you have?"
Li Jue remained calm and spoke gently, "The Chancellor has long admired your bravery and loyalty and holds you in great esteem. Today, he has sent me to propose an alliance through marriage—he has a beloved daughter whom he wishes to betroth to your son in order to strengthen our families."
As soon as these words were spoken, the tent fell silent. Then Sun Jian slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacup to topple over. His eyes widened in fury as he shouted, "Dong Zhuo is a traitor who defies heaven and harms the world, toppling the royal family! I swear I will tear him into a thousand pieces to atone for the people! This wolf dares to think of marrying into my family? Truly shameless!"
Li Jue appeared somewhat embarrassed but maintained his composure as he advised, "General, consider this: the world is still not unified; the Chancellor holds great power. Forming this alliance would bring you countless benefits without any harm."
Hearing this only fueled Sun Jian's rage further. He drew his Pei Jian and pointed it at Li Jue while shouting angrily, "You treacherous minion dare speak such words here! Dong Zhuo's crimes are heinous; he has left the common people destitute and their cries echo everywhere. Those who assist him share in his guilt! Today I spare your life because you came unarmed; return quickly and tell Dong Zhuo—surrender the pass and await your doom if you wish to keep your corpse intact! If you dare cause trouble again, I will ensure you are ground to dust!"
Li Jue hurriedly retreated with a look of fear on his face and bowed his hands in respect as he said, "I will certainly convey your words accurately; please calm your anger!" With that, he rushed out of the tent and mounted his horse without daring to look back.
Sun Jian snorted coldly and returned to his desk, angrily waving his sleeve as he declared, "This villain has such audacity! He thinks he can use marriage as bait. Little does he know that I, Sun Jian, will never be swayed by such trivial gains! Send orders down—intensify preparations for war! I will break through this pass and slay this traitor to vent the anger of the world!"
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