Transmigrating to the Three Kingdoms as Lu Bu: I Have a Pseudo-Apocalypse System

Two hundred daredevils, shields in hand, stepped forward to protect the archers as they fired upwards at Lü Bu.

However, Lü Bu's exceptional perception, reaction time, and agility deflected all the arrows. Even when arrows struck his gleaming armor, they failed to penetrate its defenses, and Lü Bu's bridging speed remained undiminished.

Fifteen minutes later, the bridge was extended to the south bank.

Knowing that the situation was hopeless, Wen Chou drew his sword and roared, "Gentlemen, follow me and fight to the death!"

He was the first to rush down to the riverbank, ready to fight Lü Bu to the death.

The crossbows on the high platform were aimed at Wen Chou's personal guards and fired.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three giant arrows pierced the sky.

Wen Chou parried with his sword, knocking one arrow away. The second arrow struck the warhorse, causing it to fall to the ground. The third arrow pierced his left shoulder, pulling him off the horse.

"General!" a bodyguard cried out in an emergency.

The bridge was then completed.

Lü Bu took the lead and charged across the bridge. Red Hare, like a red lightning bolt, leaped across the bridge and rushed straight to the south bank.

Zhao Yun, Zhang Xiu, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Yue Jin and other generals led their cavalry to follow.

Wen Chou struggled to his feet, pulled the arrow from his shoulder, and blood gushed out. He picked up his long sword and faced Lü Bu charging towards him without fear.

"Lu Bu! Come and fight!"

Lü Bu charged forward on his horse and brought his halberd down.

Wen Chou raised his knife to parry.

"clang!"

The long sword snapped in two.

The halberd, its momentum undiminished, struck Wen Chou's breastplate.

Nail crack, bone shattered.

Wen Chou stared wide-eyed, looked down at his wound, then looked up at Lü Bu. His lips moved, but he remained silent.

The body slowly fell to the ground, its chest cavity split open, and its internal organs spilled out onto the floor.

"General Wen Chou is dead!"

Yuan's army was routed, with some surrendering and others fleeing.

Lü Bu reined in his horse and surveyed the battlefield: "Take in the surrendered prisoners."

In this battle, Wen Chou and more than 500 of Yuan's soldiers died, while the remaining 1,500 surrendered. Lü Bu's army suffered fewer than 10 casualties.

The Battle of Jieqiao ended in less than an hour.

Lu Bu dismounted, walked to Wen Chou's corpse, and remained silent for a moment.

"A proper burial," he said.

The guards were ordered to collect the body.

Xun Yu rode his horse across the bridge: "My lord, according to the prisoners' confessions, Yuan Shao has only recently left Qingshui River. Shall we set up camp to rest, or continue the pursuit?"

Lu Bu looked south and said coldly, "Leave Yue Jin with 500 men to clean up the battlefield and gather the surrendered soldiers. The rest of you follow me. If Yuan Shao doesn't die, Hebei will never be at peace."

He mounted his horse and addressed the crowd, "Continue the pursuit of Yuan Shao. We must capture and kill him before he crosses the Yellow River!"

Thousands of cavalrymen mounted their horses again, like a black torrent, and followed Lü Bu southward.

……

Thirty li southeast of Jieqiao lies Xinxiang County.

This township, located in the northwest of Ganling County, the seat of Qinghe State, was originally the old city of Xinxiang County in the Western Han Dynasty. Now, the county system has been abolished, and it has become a township.

At this moment, the place was unusually crowded because of a group of uninvited guests.

The only post station in the town had been completely occupied, with hundreds of dusty cavalrymen stationed inside and outside the courtyard. Their warhorses were tied to trees outside the courtyard, chewing on dry grass. There were also thousands of Yuan troops outside the town.

Inside the main room of the post station, Yuan Shao sat on a couch, his dust-covered boots being removed by a maid. His face was sallow, and his eyes were sunken; the days of fleeing had exhausted the strength of this eldest son of a family that had held high office for four generations.

"My lord, have some hot soup." A guard brought over a bowl of millet porridge.

Yuan Shao took it, but his hand trembled slightly.

Since fleeing Ye City, he has hardly had a peaceful meal or a good night's sleep. Lü Bu's relentless pursuit makes him feel like he has a thorn in his side every moment.

"Report—"

A piercing shout came from outside the courtyard.

A courier stumbled and crawled into the main room, knelt on one knee, and gasped for breath: "My lord, the border... the border bridge has fallen, General Wen Chou... General Wen Chou is dead!"

"Clang—"

The earthenware bowl slipped from Yuan Shao's hand and fell to the ground, splattering millet porridge all over the floor.

"What did you say?" Yuan Shao stood up abruptly, but his legs went weak and he slumped back onto the couch. "Wen Chou, he's dead in battle?"

The courier cried, "Yes, Lü Bu led his army to Jieqiao. General Wen dismantled the bridge and defended it, but Lü Bu built a platform over twenty zhang high on the north bank of the river and bombarded our army with catapults and ballistae. In less than an hour, our army's formation was thrown into chaos, and Lü Bu built another bridge to cross the river. General Wen led a suicide squad to block the enemy, but was killed by Lü Bu with a single halberd strike!"

The room was deathly silent.

The strategists Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and Xu You were all deathly pale, and the personal guards standing by were trembling all over.

Wen Chou, one of the Four Pillars of Hebei and the most valiant general under Yuan Shao, couldn't even withstand a single blow from Lü Bu.

"Where is Lü Bu now?" Ju Shou asked urgently.

"They've crossed the border bridge and are reorganizing their troops. It looks like they're going to continue pursuing us," the courier reported. "General Wen held the river to block the enemy, but that only delayed them for an hour."

One hour.

It's more than 30 li from Jieqiao to this place; if the cavalry travels at full speed, they can arrive in less than two hours.

"My lord!" Tian Feng exclaimed urgently, "We must set off immediately! Lü Bu is traveling swiftly alone on two horses, lightly equipped, while our army, carrying families and supplies, is far slower than him. If we delay any longer, we risk being overtaken!"

Yuan Shao trembled all over, not from fear, but from anger and despair.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms: "Ye City fell in a single day, Yan Liang is dead; I ordered Qu Yi to ambush the enemy at the entrance to Zishan Valley, but he surrendered without a fight; Wen Chou defended the border bridge, and died in battle within an hour. Is Heaven truly going to destroy me, Yuan Shao?"

"My lord, now is not the time for sentimentality!" Ju Shou stepped forward. "Please immediately issue the order to travel light and head straight for the Yellow River! As long as we cross the Yellow River and enter Qingzhou to reunite with the eldest son, there is still a chance for a turn of events!"

Xu You also advised, "My lord, as long as the green hills remain, there's always hope for a future battle!"

Yuan Shao looked out the window.

More than ten carriages were parked in the courtyard, carrying gold, silver, valuables, documents, books, and his wives, concubines, and children, all brought from Ye City. Lady Liu, Yuan Shang, and other family members were resting in the side rooms of the post station.

If you travel light...

"Give the order," Yuan Shao gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse, "all carriages and supplies are to be abandoned. Those who can ride horses, come with me on horseback. Those who cannot ride..."

He paused, a struggle flashing in his eyes: "Give them some valuables, let them each escape for their own lives."

"My lord!" Tian Feng exclaimed in surprise, "How can you abandon your family?"

"What else can we do?" Yuan Shao whirled around, his eyes bloodshot. "With carriages, we can't even travel a hundred li a day. Lü Bu's cavalry can travel two hundred li a day; they'll catch up in no time! Then, everyone will be dead!"

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down: "Liu and Shang'er can both ride horses. As for the other concubines and servants... their lives are in the hands of fate."

The order was given, and chaos erupted both inside and outside the post station.

"My lord, I cannot ride a horse!"

"My lord, please take us with you!"

"Father, Mother, she..."