People often hold various obsessions, and for Lü Bu, bringing the sons of Bingzhou back to their homeland was one of those obsessions. However, as more and more of the Bingzhou wolf riders perished, that shallow obsession turned into something he was most reluctant to talk about, becoming his most fragile side.
But this fragility was concealed by Lü Bu's overwhelming strength, so it remained unknown to others. Yet an obsession is still an obsession; whether one wishes to bring it up or not, it remains. Until one day, it is triggered.
On this day, Chen Xi's letter completely brought out the obsession hidden deep in Lü Bu's heart, making him see a glimmer of hope in the darkness. And because of this glimmer, a crack appeared in Lü Bu's hardened exterior, through which Zhang Liao glimpsed another side of him.
Perhaps at other times, even if Zhang Liao had known this other side and told Lü Bu to go find out for himself, it wouldn't have had any effect. On the contrary, it might have only angered Lü Bu. But today, everything was different.
Lü Bu had always harbored hope for returning to Bingzhou. But as that hope grew fainter, Lü Bu gradually sank into despair, becoming increasingly reckless. Chen Xi's letter reignited that hope, only for the subsequent answer to shatter his spirit completely.
At this moment, Lü Bu was like a drowning man grasping for anything to save him, and Zhang Liao's words offered him a new lifeline. Perhaps, at any other time, those words would have been meaningless, but at that moment, they were like the tolling of a bell, awakening Lü Bu.
No matter how slim the hope, it was still hope. And for Lü Bu, even if it was just a faint glimmer, at this point, he had no other choice.
"Zhang Liao, let's go!" Lü Bu gripped his halberd with one hand. Though his armor was in tatters, it couldn't hide the unmatched aura he radiated. As long as his spirit remained unbroken, as long as his will endured, no one in the world could defeat him!
Blocking Xu Chu's attack with his spear, Zhang Liao swiftly retreated. He could already see the army surging toward them. He was relieved that Lü Bu had finally come to his senses. If they had delayed any longer, they would have been surrounded and captured without any chance of resistance.
"Let's go!" Zhang Liao was overjoyed to see Lü Bu back to normal. He had often dreamed of returning to Bingzhou, and maybe this time, it would finally happen.
Zhao Yun and Guan Yu exchanged glances, vaguely grasping a sense of something deeper. Lü Bu was a pitiful figure, too.
"Can't return to Bingzhou? So close, so simple, yet unable to take that step. How laughable!" Guan Yu's expression remained cold and aloof, but he couldn't help but sympathize. Perhaps one day, if he found himself in a similar situation, he too wouldn't return. A man as proud as he was wouldn't turn back after betraying someone's trust.
"That Zhang Liao is tough, not an easy opponent. If he hadn't held back today, I'd have been in trouble," Xu Chu said with a bitter smile as he approached after Lü Bu and Zhang Liao left.
"His internal energy is abundant, but his real trouble is that if you can't defeat him quickly, he can wear you down," Zhao Yun sighed. "His energy may be plentiful, but even when unleashed, it doesn't have much destructive power."
"Zilong, Yun Chang, Zhongkang, Elder Han, are you all alright?" At that moment, Chen Xi arrived with the army.
"Thank you for your concern, Military Advisor," the group replied. Han Qiong, meanwhile, disappeared, signaling that he was unharmed.
"Lü Bu is truly troublesome. If he wants to leave, let him go. You all have been through a lot," Chen Xi sighed. He wasn't surprised that Lü Bu had gotten away—he had seen that monster in action before, and he knew there was no holding him back.
"No, we just didn't put in enough effort to stop him," Zhao Yun shook his head. "Lü Bu is indeed formidable, but in his current state, he wasn't our match. With enough effort, we could have held him back."
"No need to dwell on it. You did the right thing. We can settle this score on the battlefield later," Chen Xi smiled, not blaming Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun had always been like this, quick to take the blame.
"Indeed, Lü Bu may be unmatched, but that doesn't mean he can't be defeated. Throwing lives at him is a last resort. We have plenty of other strategies. Xiang Yu's bravery surpassed Lü Bu's by threefold, yet even he was outmaneuvered and killed," Guo Jia chimed in, his face twisted in a sinister grin. Lü Bu had thoroughly angered him.
Guan Yu and Zhao Yun exchanged another glance, and Zhao Yun stepped forward to relay everything Lü Bu and Zhang Liao had said, word for word, without adding any of his own interpretations.
After listening, Chen Xi's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, and Guo Jia's expression matched. The two of them exchanged a look, both understanding the situation.
"Sigh~ Fate, it seems!" Guo Jia sighed.
"Well, we'll see what Lü Bu decides. If I'm not mistaken, his choice will likely benefit us in the end. But we should prepare for it—the war with Yuan Shao might officially begin soon," Chen Xi sighed again. What a mess. It seemed his luck had run out.
"Perhaps it's for the best. At least we won't waste any more time," Guo Jia echoed the sentiment with a sigh.
Guo Jia had a good grasp of people's hearts, so he had a rough idea of what Lü Bu would choose. As for Chen Gong, he predicted that Chen Gong would follow Lü Bu. Even if Lü Bu claimed it was his decision alone, Chen Gong would still stick by him.
"But we can't let this Lü Bu matter slide. He really tried to kill me!" Chen Xi said, still displeased. If that blow had landed, he would have been reduced to a bloody mist.
"The bigger picture comes first," Guo Jia spread his hands.
"I know, so we'll deal with it later. For now, let's give Tian Feng a little trouble as payback and also to create an opportunity for Lü Bu," Chen Xi said with a smile. "I hope Tian Feng won't be too surprised!"
"That's exactly what I was thinking. Lü Bu tried to kill you and dragged me into it, so let's make things difficult for him. I'm sure Chen Gongtai, with his genius, can handle it!" Guo Jia agreed with a nod. There was no choice—attacking Lü Bu head-on wasn't the best strategy right now. The bigger picture was indeed more important.
"We'll deal with it later. I never expected Lü Bu to have this side to him. Maybe we'll have another chance to recruit him in the future. Let's see how he truly feels about Bingzhou. If the time is right, I believe we'll eventually win him over," Chen Xi said, waving off the topic. He didn't want to dwell on the near-death experience with Lü Bu—it was a terrifying thought.
"Yes, ambition isn't a problem. I was worried that Lord Xuande wouldn't be able to control him because Lü Bu had no bottom line or principles. But now, this is fine. The outcome of this friendly match isn't too bad. Still, I won't be attending any more gatherings like this," Guo Jia said, reflecting on the earlier disaster and feeling as if he'd swallowed a fly.
"I won't be organizing any more of these gatherings either—it's too dangerous," Chen Xi added, casting a glance at Guo Jia, also feeling a lingering fear.