Leu Leu 2

Seeing Xi Zhen collapse and even Zhao Lei allowing entry, Guan Yu finally admitted that he had been too greedy. It was excessive desire. Intoxicated by the fragrance of the beautiful flower that was Luoyang, he had come without realizing it might be in the midst of thorns.

He should have been satisfied with arriving at Luoyang, shocking them, and making the people remember the name of Han that had been fading from memory.

If he had known satisfaction earlier and withdrawn, he might have succeeded in escaping from Sili Prefecture with help from Guanzhong.

Regret comes late, that’s why it’s called regretting afterwards. Guan Yu felt complex emotions as he watched the Wei forces closing in from all directions.

Self-reproach for bringing his soldiers into this death trap, along with regret that if only Xi Zhen had held out a little longer, he could have really captured Luoyang, weighed heavily on Guan Yu’s ankles.

‘It’s something I must resolve myself, with my own hands.’

What filled Guan Yu’s heart now was not the greed to occupy Luoyang and welcome Liu Bei, nor regret for his belated judgment, but a desperate sense of responsibility.

Guan Yu spurred his horse and personally encouraged the soldiers while building defensive formations. Having successfully established a defensive posture quickly before the enemy completely surrounded them, Guan Yu entrusted the operation of the defensive formations to Guan Ping and Zhao Lei.

Instead, Guan Yu observed the Wei forces closing in from all directions with the few cavalry he had in the center of the defensive formation.

Xiahou Shang who came out through the north gate rather than the west gate Guan Yu had been intensively striking, Guan Qujian who rushed from the west, and Sima Yi who instantly broke through Zhao Lei’s defense and occupied the south.

Sima Yi’s army in a desperate situation not only had the most troops, but even if broken through, proper escape was impossible due to being blocked by the Luo River.

But going north wasn’t an option as Xiahou Shang’s formation was no ordinary one. Rather than actively trying to annihilate Guan Yu’s army, he was faithfully fulfilling his role as an encirclement, forming a stubborn blockade line.

‘What’s left is the west.’

In contrast, Guan Qujian was recklessly aggressive unlike Xiahou Shang. Perhaps to avenge his father. Or he might be burning with revenge after hearing his younger brother was killed by Guan Yu.

It didn’t matter much to Guan Yu either way, but Guan Qujian’s aggressive aspect was something to consider.

‘The north has the fewest numbers, but the west is the most vulnerable.’

The direction was decided.

Guan Yu tore his battle robe to make a strap. Then he tightly bound his left hand, which wasn’t moving well, to his spear.

His body had aged and his skills had rusted in the weathering of time. But his spirit, which made his body upright and his mind clear, had only deepened.

It’s not over until it’s over. Never give up. As long as he’s breathing, Guan Yu doesn’t stop.

“I will open the way! I’ll take the lead. Trust me and follow!”

No matter how much weaker he had become with age compared to his youth, that was only by Guan Yu’s standards.

Compared to others, Guan Yu’s strength was still close to superhuman.

A man’s ambition should be steadfast in poverty and grow stronger with age.

Like Fan Zeng, like Ma Yuan.

Guan Yu was also like that.

Crash! Thud!

The Wei army’s front line crumbles. The soldiers of Guan Qujian whom Guan Yu started attacking were literally swept away like fallen leaves before Guan Yu.

One of only two in the world called the God of War That All Fear.

Might befitting that reputation descended upon the present world, transcending time.

Like a fierce tiger descending from the mountains tearing through a pack of hunting dogs, Guan Yu advanced, cutting down all who blocked his way. The sight drew admiration even from Sima Yi watching from afar.

But that was as far as it went.

Though he could still exert explosive power momentarily, Guan Yu’s body no longer had the stamina to maintain that strength.

It wasn’t just lack of stamina due to age. Although he had reached sixty years old, Guan Yu’s strength and stamina from unceasing training still far surpassed the average of young men. It was because the fatigue and stamina consumption of his right arm was great from making up for the deficiency of his left arm.

If not for the stirrups Zhang Ran had made, he wouldn’t have even been able to show this much might.

Essentially wielding his spear with only one arm, while taking in the battlefield broadly with his eyes and observing the constantly changing war situation.

Confirming that Zhao Lei and Guan Ping were shrinking the defensive formation and changing its shape into a pointed wedge towards the west, Guan Yu squeezed out his strength.

Not yet. Guan Yu still had things he had to do. What Guan Yu shouldered was too much to stop here.

If physical strength was lacking then with willpower, if even willpower was exhausted then by burning his soul.

Guan Yu’s rapid advance continued. No physical limitations could stop Guan Yu. Not even Guan Yu himself.

His actions – swinging his spear, riding his horse, encouraging the soldiers – all that series of processes flowed like water without even going through Guan Yu’s thoughts.

Guan Yu’s mind had already reached a certain state.

Self-forgetfulness. A running ecstasy.

A phenomenon like the runner’s high experienced by marathon runners testing the limits of human endurance in long-distance running was happening to Guan Yu as well.

The brain that has crossed the critical point produces drug-like substances, making one continue running even with torn ligaments.

His left arm that didn’t move well starts moving, and his body that felt as heavy as a thousand jin gradually regains lightness.

Although it was drawing out current strength by using the future as fuel, Guan Yu was satisfied.

One day. One day is enough. If it moves just for today’s battle to break through the encirclement, it doesn’t matter if he can never hold a spear again afterwards.

Calling Guan Qujian who was guarding Hangu Pass is evidence that Wei was also pushed to its limits.

With the troops Guan Qujian brought gone, Hangu Pass would fail to fulfill its role and let Guan Yu pass, and though Cao Zhen is in Hongnong, by then Zhang Fei or Pang Tong would surely notice something was wrong. They would find some way somehow.

However, brakes were applied to Guan Yu’s footsteps that seemed like they would never stop. It was simultaneous with his spear that had been swinging as if to cut even the sky being blocked.

“Guan Yu!!”

Unlike the terrified soldiers, one who clearly faced Guan Yu and exploded with intense desire for revenge. Guan Qujian shouted like a wounded beast while clashing his spear against Guan Yu’s:

“I will surely take you with me even if I die!!”

Guan Qujian thrust out his spear without caring that Guan Yu’s spear was piercing his heart. But Guan Yu smiled mockingly.

‘You youngster. As if I would fall to such an attack given over to emotion.’

Guan Yu tried to twist his spear slightly while turning his body to escape Guan Qujian’s spear path.

However, being too focused on Guan Qujian, Guan Yu momentarily forgot to pay attention to his surroundings.

“Kup!”

An arrow flew and pierced Guan Yu’s side. A blind arrow? Instinctively, Guan Yu turned his head in the direction the arrow came from. And he realizes the arrow didn’t reach him by chance.

He saw a bow in the hands of a general looking this way from the northern Wei forces that had somehow narrowed the distance to close range.

“Xiahou Shang…!”

Guan Yu, who muttered the name of the villain through gritted teeth as if chewing it, grasped the shaft of Guan Qujian’s spear that pierced his shoulder.

Crack!

Whether it was the superhuman strength of one facing death. The spear shaft broke under his grip. If he pulled out the spear blade or arrowhead stuck in his body, he would lose consciousness from extreme blood loss.

Knowing this, Guan Yu left only the blades in while breaking off the annoying spear shaft and arrow shaft. Immediately after, he pulled the corpse of Guan Qujian, whose heart was pierced by his spear, to block the next incoming arrows.

Thud!

Along with the sound of arrows hitting Guan Qujian, cries of shock from the Han army seeing Guan Yu’s wounds were overlaid.

Guan Yu’s wounds were caught not only by the soldiers following him, but also in the eyes of Sima Yi watching the situation. It was at this moment that Sima Yi muttered it was over.

But Guan Yu still didn’t give up.

Though he had lost much of the momentum for breakthrough, Guan Yu was still breathing. It wasn’t over until he died.

“Don’t stop! Keep breaking through!!”

That was the last strength left in Guan Yu. He could no longer stand at the vanguard. The son took the lead in place of the father, and the lieutenant commanded the army for the general.

In a situation where just riding his horse required all his concentration, the only thing allowed to Guan Yu was one thought:

‘Cao Ren, Man Chong, Xu Huang, Zhou Ling… they failed too. Next came Wen Yuan. Yet it was this Guan Yu who survived… Sima Yi, Cao Biao, Guan Qujian, Xiahou Shang… I cannot give my head to such people…’

His thoughts were fragmented.

Even in Guan Yu’s mind, which never knew giving up, a vague thought that this was the end faintly arose.

“Truly…”

Just before that thought emerged from Guan Yu’s mouth amidst his scattered consciousness.

An unexpected turn occurred.

“General! Reinforcements have come! The General of the Guards has led reinforcements here!”

“General of the Guards? Ran has come…?”

Guan Yu, who seemed like he would fall off his horse at any moment, barely steadied his body and turned his head.

‘Am I seeing an illusion… Have I fallen into the dream visions they say one sees just before death?’

Guan Yu’s eyes saw.

Behind Sima Yi.

The sight of a luan bird that had spread its huge wings and descended to the ground.

The sight of Han cavalry rushing to rescue them.