Liu Bei POV

As I looked over, I saw that I was just 1,000 paces away from Wu Chao, the closest I’ve been to the place.

As I looked, I could spot a battle that was ongoing and that Wu Chao was still not in flames yet. In reality, the supply cache Wu Chao was not particularly large, and was just an area that was fenced up by thick wood stakes.

And in the distance, I spotted Meng De. But even if she was close by, there was no way I could reach her.

Standing in front of me was her subordinate general Xu Huang, and at her sides were Yue Jin and Li Dian. Behind the 3 were a large unit of elite armoured cavalry.

“Xuan De, you better don’t move at all later.” Zi Long hurriedly slapped my head when she saw that I was ready to act, “I’ve never seen those 3 people before but I can a.s.sure you that they are not going to be easy to deal with.”

“What is the meaning of this? Either attack or get lost.” Ben Chu yelled out impatiently at Xu Huang.

I’d thought that Xu Huang would have just charged at Ben Chu but she only looked at Ben Chu with her empty eyed and neither spoke nor acted.

“The Imperial Chancellor has ordered us to stop anyone from coming through.”

“Yuan Shao, forget about saving Wu Chao! We won’t give you the opportunity.”

Yue Jin and Li Dian explained.

And for some reason, Li Dian looked at me but before I could meet her eyes, she looked away.

“Alright, in that case–” Ben Chu said as she pointed her sabre at Xu Huang, “I’ll just have get through you lot by force.”

“That is if you have the power to do so–” Xu Huang said and readied her stance while Yue Jin and Li Dian drew their swords as well.

“Xuan De, we’re moving to the back.”

“Eh?”

Zi Long didn’t bother paying heed to me and slowly retreated.

“Zi Long, aren’t we going to help Ben Chu?”

“At the end of the day, this fight is between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao.” Zi Long turned and looked at me, puzzled at what I was saying, “Xuan De, we shouldn’t get too involved.”

Ah.

That’s right, who am I to get involved? And I even know how history will go but yet I’m still trying to change it.

Is it only because I stayed in Ben Chu’s camp for too long and grew attached? Or is it because the history here is different from what I know? Or am I just being delusional?

What can I do? What do I want to do?

“Yaa!” Ben Chu had already begun her charge at Xu Huang while I was still dealing with my internal conflicts.

“…”

*Ding*! *Ding* *Ding*!

As the 2 commanders crossed swords and clashed, so did both armies.

Zi Long only waited in a safe spot watching over the battlefield on a horse with me behind, and did not join the battle. Perhaps she felt that there was no need to join the fray, or perhaps it was because I was with her.

And the me now had no right to wager Zi Long’s life on a battle that had nothing to do with me.

*Ding*! *Cha*!

In the distance, I saw that Ben Chu was fighting all 3 generals at once and within a few bouts, she took a slash to her back.

Even though it was Ben Chu who got hurt, her pain was transmitted to my heart through my eyes.

“… Xuan De, can you please don’t look like that?”

“Un?”

I only realised that tears were streaming down my face when Zi Long suddenly spoke up to me.

“Hai, now I look like the bad guy here.” Zi Long sighed and raised her silver spear as she swung the reins.

Her destination was where Ben Chu was.

Meng De POV

“Siege unit! Get the battering rams ready!” Seeing that the defending troops were thinning out, I hurriedly issued a command to my troops who hurriedly began to prepare to break the gates of Wu Chao.

“Big sis…”

“Hong, don’t speak, save your strength.”

I did emergency first aid for Hong, and was able to stop the bleeding, and she was now lying down on my cape.

On the other side, Yan Liang was still alive but she lay motionless as she continued to bleed. Looking at her, I don’t think she can last longer than an hour.

“Big sis… Why didn’t you use fire arrows?”

“Un?”

“If you’d used fire arrows… We would have won… And it would have ended…”

…

Indeed, just as Hong said, if I’d used fire arrows from the start, I would have achieved victory then and there.

But, I can’t do that.

“No,” I said as I shook my head to Hog, “For this showdown, I can’t win too easily, nor can Ben Chu lose too easily either.”

I feel bad for Hong who was wounded but I made this decision a long time ago.

To enter Wu Chao, light up the torch and achieve victory. This must be done personally.

“Meng De!!” All of a sudden, a voice came from afar, “Meng De!!!”

I looked over, and wanted to smile but for some reason I couldn’t.

“Hong, rest easy now. When we get back, I’ll do something about your arm.”

I bade my farewell to Hong and tested my sword as I looked at that arrogant idiot.

Ben Chu, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time now.