Chapter 54 - Mountain Fortress Infiltration
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by TearsOfLoki
When someone acts as bait, they must have the consciousness of a good bait. So Liu Mang, ordered his division to form an excellent formation, it was for Chen Lan and Lei Bo to see but it was also designed so that Chen Lan and Lei Bo would be unable to comprehend the formation.
Liu Mang's Urban Army had been taking this course of action before dawn until the sun was already high.
“Lu Bu’s Army has something like this?!” On peak fortress looking below, Chen Lan was in a big doubt “This is not Lu Bu's style!”. Chen Lan absolutely knew about Lu Bu's temperament, and due both of them have offended Lu Bu severely, they should be hit by Lu Bu by today basing Lu Bu's ultimatum. But now they were just being surrounded by them.
“What plot is Lu Bu Army concocting?!” Chen Lan was pondering.
Lei Bo was a big idiot and thus his discourse was much simpler “Big brother, why should you ponder more?! Mt. Bagong is located by the throat of Central Plains, in the south there's Yellow River as barrier, and there is only one way to climb this mountain, only this road is available. It is easy to defend, so whatever plot that Lu Bu has, it will be thwarted immediately!”
“Is he trying to burn the mountain?!” Chen Lan tried to think from Lu Bu's angle. “It is impossible!” Chen Lan shook his head. Even though Mt. Bagong had very dense forest, it also has very moist soil and weather. So fire attacks are completely impossible.
“Trying to close our route?!” Finally Chen Lan smiled. In his fortress, they have robbed 10,000-shi of grain and provisions from Yuan Gonglu, and now Lu Bu tried to close off their route? Lu Bu was really stupid after all, now he and Lei Bo both can just play patience; and discover whose provisions will run out first, theirs or Lu Bu
“As long as Lu Bu is only surrounding us, there is nothing to fear!” Chen Lan waved his hand, ordering his men to continue patrol and monitoring “Lu Bu” movements, while he go back and rest for a while.
It had been two ancient hours already, there was only very little or no movement from Lu Bu's army.
TL: 1 ancient hour when converted to modern time become two hour.
Chen Lan felt something was wrong, even Lei Bo also become alerted. So they gathered again in fortress main base.
“Okay, let us review what Lu Bu look like. He wears a full-metal golden armor, rides a big warhorse and using two-edged ji halberd!” Chen Lan is reviewing calmly. He also has 8 great generals and this Chen Lan saw Gao Shun and Zhang Wenyuan yesterday.
“That's right. Generals!” Chen Lan suddenly stood up. “Second brother, do you see several armored warriors beside Lu Bu yesterday?!”
“Yesterday?!” Lei Bo touched his head tried to remember. “Maybe, big brother! What is your point, bro?!”
"They disappeared!" Said Chen Lan.
“They disappeared or do not exist at all! What is the difference?!” Lei Bo did not care at all.
“What do you even understand?!” Chen Lan is a little angry. This stupid brother of his did not understand anything at all. All he is good at is martial arts, and even that was no good either.
“You! Did you see at Lu Bu's side, were there any armored warriors yesterday?!” Chen Lan asked a soldier who is guarding fortress.
“I ?!” That soldier is really confused by Chen Lan “Great king, I have not seen them clearly!”
“You are useless! How about you?!” Chen Lan quickly inquired another person.
"Great king, I have not seen clearly!"
He continued inquiring until several archers responded “Great king, yesterday indeed beside that golden armored person, there are some generals!”
An archer vision is naturally very good and able to see things faraway.
“Really? Beside that golden armored person?!” Chen Lan suddenly caught up with archer casual words.
“Yes, Great King. Yesterday's golden armored person!” This archer is very confused about today's Great King's attitude. “Ah, yes, Great King. Today's golden armored person is wearing two more horns on his body!” The archer said that casually.
“Two more horns?!” Chen Lan goes to the guard outpost to see on that golden armored person down there. There are really two more horns on his chest area.
“No, No, No. That guy is not Lu Bu, that guy is not Lu Bu!” Chen Lan understood immediately, that this person was definitely not Lu Bu.
While Chen Lan looks for Lu Bu, the rear area of fortress suddenly there are war cries.
“Where are those war cries coming from? Is Lu Bu’s Army storming here?!” Lu Bu’s Army was below the mountain is not doing anything at all, so there was simply no sound.
“Not good, it comes from beyond the main peak!” Chen Lan finally remembered the rumor about Mt. Bagong's second entrance, after occupying it. Chen Lan was also looking for that second mountain entrance, but it was a pity that he cannot find it.
“Great King, Great King! Lu Bu’s Army is annihilating our rear army at the mountain’s rear!” Chen Lan was unresponsive, a messenger come with a message while bleeding all over place.
“Lu Bu, Lu Bu!” Chen Lan should have thought more about that second entrance which he had not found but now Lu Bu’s army reminds him clearly at a very great cost.
Fire was everywhere; the peak was already like a slaughterhouse. Lu Bu’s army was the one who set the fire.
“Shaaaa, drive them out of peak! Second brother, you lead the brothers to hit Lu Bu’s army! Once mountain rear has been broken, it will be the end of us!” Chen Lan roared a decisive voice, let Lei Bo support mountain rear.
At the mountain rear, there was the provisions warehouse, and barracks, so it was impossible to have many people guard. Lu Bu’s army did not meet with any resistance at all. And under Zang Ba's leadership, they swiftly occupied an open space for Lu Bu's Army checkpoint.
“Brothers do not panic, here comes support! Your second king has come!” Although Lei Bo was an idiot, he still has his ability with martial art and art of war. So he swiftly brought soldiers and horses to counter-attack the enemy.
Although Lu Bu Army has occupied a checkpoint, their numbers were too few, so they could still be forced to retreat with the unexpected support from Lei Bo.
“This is not good!” Zang Ba roared, if they were repelled, it would then be impossible to attack Mt. Bagong again due to secret entrance already having been found out, and will soon be blocked by them, so Lu Bu’s Army can only be frustrated with Chen Lan and Lei Bo. Zang Ba then roared loudly towards Lei Bo relief troops and determined to block their path, even though their troops are outnumbered 10 to 1.
”Absolutely we cannot retreat!” Zang Ba wanted to open a new opportunities, but was getting suppressed by Lei Bo's elite bodyguard unit.
“Damn, at this rate, it will be over before the real battle even started!” Zang Ba was very helpless; he cannot claim merit this time.
At this moment, there was a valiant general rushed through the siege, with a Poseidon halberd in his hand. Wherever he goes, he strikes terror in every enemies' heart.
“Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian has arrived!” Shouted Lu Bu suddenly, giving Lu Bu Army morale boost that they needed. That war cry is a war cry that soars to the heavens.
Lu Bu is their soul, so long Lu Bu still exists, Lu Bu army will never be defeated.
“Oh no, It’s Lu Bu!” Lei Bo's face now has the color of fear. He, as a military commander, naturally knows about Lu Bu's terror. But he could not flinch now, he could only bite his teeth “All of you do not need to fear Lu Bu, now his Lu Bu Army only left with fewer soldiers, even though you are Lu Bu, you cannot fight numerous soldiers with only your sheer prowess. Brothers come with me, drive Lu Bu Army away!”
TL: A little joke from Dynasty Warriors series, especially Dynasty Warriors 3, “It... It's Lu Bu!”
Lei Bo led his bodyguards and tried again to repel Lu Bu Army.
“Lei Bo?!” Lu Bu suddenly looked at him, second king of bandits. Even though they were bandit brigades, but they are a big group. Just like ants who can overwhelm elephant with sheer numbers.
Lei Bo must die! Lu Bu thrust his Poseidon halberd aimed at Lei Bo.
"Lei Bo! Death has come unto you!"