Chapter 149 - Three Heroes VS Huang Zhong (1)
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
“JIANG QIN, RETREAT!!!!” Sun Ce shouted his order for who knows many times from the main army.
Jiang Qin was not deaf and heard his lord's shouting, as he also wanted to retreat, but was unable to leave. Before he insulted this veteran, but now his heart is painted with deep fear and wondered if his elder brother had also met him when he died?
“Who are you?!” Jiang Qin no longer able to attack but stay in passive defense. But even in defense, his flesh is getting cut off every couple of minutes. Su Fei's punishment was delivered to him by this veteran.
“I will not tell my name to someone who is about to die!!!” Huang Zhong exclaimed in low voice and begin slashing again.
“Jiang Qin do not worry! Here comes Taishi Ci!!!” A white-armored general using twin halberds was speeding towards Jiang Qin from main army.
Is that Taishi Ci?! Liu Mang looked at that white-armored general who is currently speeding away toward Huang Zhong. This man is a rare talent, a strong general whose leadership skill is comparable to Zhao Yun and his wushu skill and strength is more or less like Sun Ce.
When he was in Kong Rong's employ, region Beihai was under sieged by 100,000 Yellow Turban forces which was led by Guan Hai. He alone dared to charge those 100,000 troops alone by himself and managed strike fear into the enemy's heart before he returned back to the city.
This person treasured friendship very much and quickly accepted Liu Yao's request to serve him just because he was his childhood friend. Even if he was not trusted with heavy responsibilities and even when he was pushed aside, this Taishi Ci never ever held any resentment toward his buddies and also if Liu Yao paid heed to Taishi Ci's warning and used him effectively, perhaps the master of Jiangdong now would be Liu Yao.
Moreover, the mother of Taishi Ci is very wise. At the end of Han Dynasty, there were quite a lot of wise mothers like Taishi Ci's mom.
For example like Xu Shu's mother and Sun Ce's mother. Xu Shu's mother refused to persuade Xu Shu to defect to Cao Cao, because she believed that Liu Bei is the better person than Cao Cao and Xu Shu only defected to Cao Cao after Cheng Yu (Cao Cao's advisor) faked Xu Shu's mother handwriting and telling him that she has been taken hostage by Cao Cao. But sadly, after Xu Shu go to Xu Du, her mother reprimanded him heavily and the next day, she hung herself out of shame that her child was supporting a villain.
Same also with Madame Wu. After Sun Jian died, she put all of her being to teach Sun Ce courage and persistence and it resulted in today's Sun Ce who is able to pacify Jiangdong at a very young age.
And Taishi Ci's mother taught Taishi Ci the principle of righteousness, loyalty and gratitude to one person.
With those lessons embedded in Taishi Ci's body, it can be said that if Zhao Yun did not exist, maybe the symbol for righteousness, loyalty and gratitude in this Three Kingdoms era will be Taishi Ci
“Ziyi, here?!” Sun Ce was also stunned. “Wasn’t Taishi Ci assigned by me personally to be beside Zhou Yu in Jiangxia? How can he appear here?” Sun Ce thought.
“Milord, Gongjin ordered Ziyi to catch up with us!” Lu Su quickly explained Sun Ce's confusion. Zhou Yu knows that sooner or later, he will duel with Lu Bu. That guy is the god-of-war and his prowess in Hulao Gate was spread everywhere. Although he is now old, the same age as Sun Jian if Sun Jian managed to live to this day, but his prowess is still the same, if not how can he manage to breakthrough Xiapi and Kaiyang, those hopeless battles. And Zhou Yu's lord Sun Ce is a brash person. If Sun Ce's hot blood challenged Lu Bu by himself, the result will be Sun Ce’s death. So Zhou Yu quickly ordered Taishi Ci to assist Sun Ce with hopes that they will be able to match Lu Bu's strength.
With Jiang Qin in grave danger and Taishi Ci wanting to try that veteran's skill, Taishi Ci squeezed his horse and rushed toward them.
“Ziyi, you are here!!!” Jiang Qin's face although already destroyed emitted a happy expression. He knows that Taishi Ci's prowess is a bit higher than his elder brother, with Taishi Ci’s help to rescue him, he will have chance to retreat.
“Clang!!!” Twin halberds are crossing with Huang Zhong's golden shadow. His slash being halted made Huang Zhong really stunned. Only then did Huang Zhong know that another general has interrupted his slash and saw Jiang Qin is already moving away from Huang Zhong and the one who intercepted his slash is the white-armored general.
“What is your name, kid?!” Huang Zhong asked.
“I am Taishi Ci from Donglai!” Taishi Ci replied to Huang Zhong while trying to pressure Huang Zhong with his twin halberds. This Taishi Ci is using two ji-halberds with the same design as Lu Bu's original Sky Piercer with the crescent-shaped blade on the middle of the blade and with roughly the same weight around 40 catties and the wielder of this kind of weapon is a person whose strength at least super-class general who is able to break-through enemy lines easily.
TL: 1 catty = 0.6 kg
TL: Taishi Ci is using twin mace in Dynasty Warriors. I still unable to imagine him using twin halberd.
Using a ji-halberd will require a certain skill in wushu as ji-halberd's characteristic is to be used by people with overwhelming power.
And the most famous person with overwhelming power currently is only Lu Bu who wield the Sky Piercer and currently was changed into the Poseidon Halberd. And because at that time only Lu Bu is the one who wielded the halberd PROPERLY, so Cao Cao immediately recognized the Sky Piercer when it was thrown down by Song Xian.
In Lu Bu’s army, there is also another person who is adept in using ji-halberd and that is Lu Lingqi.
Now, those twin halberds and Huang Zhong’s gold curved dao met with each other and after clashing with each other they just silent as if stuck together by glue, each side pushing trying to pressure the other with arm strength alone. A pinnacle of super-class general and a youngster whose strength is in super-class is now fighting with each other.
During clashing and deflecting, they reached a stalemate. But Taishi Ci has two weapons, one on each hand, so his right hand is swinging toward Huang Zhong's face while his left hand is holding Huang Zhong's strike.
“Hrm?!” Huang Zhong's instinct felt danger so subconsciously he dodged that slash.
“Hng!!!” That right halberd managed to wound Huang Zhong's left cheek. The mighty Huang Zhong has been injured.
“HAAAHHHHH!!!!” Huang Zhong quickly made a down-slash movement in order to take down Taishi Ci. He truly has underestimated this young man and that expression can be seen from Huang Zhong's face now.
"Taishi grasps the crossed spears in a dignified way. Taishi Ci also made a frowned face because this veteran's slash is really hurt, he really ran into an enemy who is much more powerful than him. When he crossed slash once again, Taishi Ci asked “Are you Lu Bu?!”
Huang Zhong replied “That is Milord's name!”
“WHAT?!” Taishi Ci stunned. The reason that Taishi Ci was ordered back by Zhou Yu is because he was assigned to fight Lu Bu and ordered Taishi Ci to forbid Sun Ce from fighting Lu Bu.
Taishi Ci already saw that Jiang Qin is not this veteran's match. He hoped that this veteran is Lu Bu but who would have expected that this veteran is Lu Bu's subordinate. Taishi Ci ponders why a great general like this is willing to be under other people? Taishi Ci himself is one of the living proof as one of great general. Taishi Ci only submitted under Liu Yao's rule because Taishi Ci's mother owed Liu Yao a big favor. And when Taishi Ci dueled Sun Ce, he also still did not want to surrender under him. Only after Taishi Ci recognized that Sun Ce is more superior to him was he willing to surrender and work under him.
Taishi Ci then screamed “Gongyi, return to our HQ, QUICK!!!! LEAVE HIM TO ME!!!” Taishi Ci saw that Jiang Qin already in a very bad state similar to Su Fei, being cut to little pieces by Huang Zhong.
“Yes, Ziyi, be careful!!!” Jiang Qin knows that he is not a match for this veteran. If he remains here, there is only death waiting for him.
“Oh, want to escape, huh? THERE IS NO ESCAPE FOR YOU!!!” Huang Zhong exclaimed angrily. He will not allow Jiang Qin to leave alive. Even without Su Fei’s suffering, his little lord has ordered his death. In any case, Jiang Qin will not be able to leave here alive.
Huang Zhong squeezed his warhorse, but at the same moment, Taishi Ci thrusted his twin halberds toward him. “FUCK OFF!!!” Huang Zhong shouted angrily. This young man is not his match, but every second he is stalled by him, Jiang Qin will manage to escape.
“You will not pass even a single step from here!!!” Taishi Ci who has just thrusted his twin halberds was deflected by Huang Zhong and made both of his hands shiver, but he still able to block Huang Zhong.
“Dammit!!!” Huang Zhong also knows that Taishi Ci will halt Huang Zhong to stop himself from pursuing Jiang Qin, even at the cost of his life.
Suddenly in Huang Zhong’s angry mind, he remembered one thing. Earlier Jiang Qin insulted his little lord when he cut down Zhou Tai’s head and because of the big reaction that Jiang Qin had, that Zhou Tai must be his elder brother. Then Huang Zhong roared loudly “Jiang Qin!!! I am the one who kill your older brother Zhou Tai!!!” Huang Zhong now gambling, hoping that Jiang Qin will turn his steed toward him again.
“The hell?!” Zhou Tai dead? When?” Taishi Ci is pondering in his mind and that revelation made him lose his strength a little. Taishi Ci, Zhou Tai and Sun Ce are the only trio in Jiangdong Army who have super-class strength. Although Jiang Qin himself has now managed to breakthrough to super-class strength, it is only at the preliminary level and can be beheaded by Taishi Ci easily.
Zhou Tai is different than all of them. Although his strength is lower than Sun Ce and Taishi Ci, once hes gone berserk, Sun Ce and Taishi Ci will definitely avoid him. But this veteran said, he is dead.
Then again, when he looked at Jiang Qin’s wounds, Taishi Ci is forced to believe that Zhou Tai really died. Those small wounds by cutting, although not fatal but it is still Jiang Qin’s flesh that was cut down little by little, making his appearance right now looked like a demon from hell. And what makes Taishi Ci even more confused and surprised, is that Huang Zhong used that golden curved dao, to cleanly slice Jiang Qin. The thought was really terrifying.
He knows that this Jiang Qin is a package of merit. Besides he can take revenge for Su Fei, Jiang Qin’s death can be used to rouse their own morale and demoralized the opponent. But, who had ever expected that this Taishi Ci quickly rushed from the line and blocked his merit for revenge. Now, he can only kill this Taishi Ci first.
But there is a merit to Huang Zhong’s roar just now as Jiang Qin suddenly stop his horse and said “WHAT DID YOU SAY?!” Huang Zhong who has prepared to kill Taishi Ci, suddenly got a big surprise.
“Not good!!!” Taishi Ci’s heart become uneasy. Because of Huang Zhong’s provocation, Jiang Qin quickly redirected his horse toward Huang Zhong.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! IT IS I THAT KILLED YOUR BROTHER ZHOU TAI!!! IT IS I, WHO DESTROYED HIS ARMS AND LEGS!!!! IT IS I, WHO HUNG HIS HEAD ON WANCHENG CITY TOWER!!! IT… IS… I, WHO CHOPPED YOUR BROTHERS BODY INTO A MEATLOAF!!! WASN”T THAT GOOD OF ME, EH?!” Huang Zhong provoked Jiang Qin as much as possible. So, he will not have the thought to escape.
“I’LL KILL YOU!!!!” Jiang Qin’s eyes is bloodshot full of killing intent. He must take Huang Zhong’s head, it didn’t matter that his bleeding had not stopped, nor did it matter that he is not Huang Zhong’s match.
“GONGYI, RETURN!!!!” Sun Ce shouted again, but Jiang Qin did not hear it and even accelerate his warhorse. In front of him, Zhou Tais figure started to manifest. They had been together since their days as pirates even when they joined Yuan Shu’s army and finally with their current lord. If not for Zhou Tai who had always helped him, Jiang Qin may already have died many times. 10% of Zhou Tai’s scars were because he tried to save Jiang Qin. Right now, Jiang Qin is dashing toward Huang Zhong with tears in his eyes and exclaimed “Big bro, I found him!!! I found your murderer and now I am going to kill him!!!”
“DAMMIT, GONGYI!!!” Sun Ce hit his warhorse. He knows Jiang Qin has become jaded, numb to all logic and pain. So in order to save Jiang Qin, Sun Ce must quickly act.
“MILORD, DON’T!!!!” Lu Su yelled. Sun Ce is the boss of Jiangdong’s army, not a general. He should not let himself to go, instead he should ask the army to rescue Jiang Qin. But Lu Su is also afraid to let the army attack, because they may injure his lord.
“ALL ARMY STANDBY!!!” Sun Ce roared his order. He will not let Jiang Qin die in front of him, but he is also eager to meet this veteran called Huang Zhong.
Lu Su finally understood Chen Gong’s feeling. Sometimes, a mighty lord is not a good one to follow.