It Wasn’t a Martial Arts World, but the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 53. Obsession

The courtyard was utterly peaceful, weeds swaying under the bright, shining sun.

– Swish!

As the woman swung her halberd, the once tranquil scene instantly transformed.

The gust of wind she caused whipped up a storm of dust across the area.

The red-haired woman, Lü Bu, dusted off her hands and continued her movements.

At that moment:

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Huh?”

From a distance, Zhang Liao, who had been watching, sighed as he asked.

“Before, you looked like a corpse, but now you seem full of energy again.”

“Hah! Of course I do!”

Lü Bu responded with a sneer, taking a step forward.

To Zhang Liao, her movements seemed almost miraculous, sharper than ever before.

To think she could become even stronger—was she even human?

“I dare say, sister, there’s no one left who can challenge you now.”

“That’s always been the case, you fool.”

Zhang Liao shrugged, savoring the brief moment of peace.

It had been a few months since their defeat by the coalition forces.

The first month had been nothing short of hell. Lü Bu, who now seemed full of vitality, had been bedridden, trembling in weakness—something utterly uncharacteristic of her.

Because of this, the army had fallen into chaos, and Zhang Liao had struggled to restore order.

Even Dong Zhuo’s tyranny worsened when he saw Lü Bu in such a state, planting seeds of unease among his troops.

That was Lü Bu.

Her name alone struck fear into the hearts of the entire world, even making her own allies tremble.

In other words, there had never been a moment when she faltered.

Therefore, to Dong Zhuo’s army, Unryong was a name just as terrifying as Lü Bu’s.

The general who had handed Lü Bu her first defeat.

It was as if another peerless warrior had been born.

The only saving grace was that the coalition forces had disbanded due to internal conflict.

Had they pursued them all the way to Chang’an, they would have had no chance.

“I didn’t expect that guy to be that strong.”

“What, you think he’s strong?”

Lü Bu slung her halberd over her shoulder, her expression one of clear dissatisfaction.

“If I’d fought him seriously from the start, he’d already be dead.”

“In battle, the one who survives is the strong one. You’re the one who told me that, sister.”

“…But I survived!”

“If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead by now.”

“Tsk.”

Lü Bu had no comeback, so she just kicked an innocent rock on the ground.

“What exactly did you see? I was watching from afar, and you were clearly overwhelming him. But when I looked away for just a moment, suddenly you were on the brink of death.”

At Zhang Liao’s question, Lü Bu rested her chin in thought before speaking.

“Hey, have you ever seen a sword shine with light?”

“Well, of course.”

Zhang Liao drew his sword.

The bright sunlight reflected off the blade, casting rays of light in all directions.

“You idiot! Do you want me to smack you? Is that what I’m talking about?”

“What do you mean, then? Does a sword glow on its own?”

“Yes, it was glowing blue.”

“Sister, you must have really been near death.”

“You idiot! I wasn’t hallucinating!”

With that, Lü Bu thrust her halberd’s blade forward.

There was a small crack in it.

“A crack in your Fangtian Huaji…?”

Zhang Liao widened his eyes, looking at the blade in disbelief.

“How…?”

“It happened the moment his sword started glowing. The guy was practically a corpse, but somehow his broken-down sword pierced through my halberd.”

“Incredible… It’s hard to believe.”

“…It’s something they call martial arts.”

“Martial arts? Is that the name of some sword technique?”

“No, it’s martial arts, as in literally using internal energy concentrated in the dantian to enhance physical abilities.”

“…What the hell are you even talking about?”

“I don’t know either.”

Lü Bu shrugged, resting her halberd on her shoulder again.

All she remembered was hearing Unryong ramble drunkenly about it when they had first met.

Beyond that, she didn’t know any more.

What was certain was that Unryong’s skills couldn’t be explained by some mysterious magic.

His sword, so distinct in form, and the six blades that surged out along with the aura he unleashed in the end.

Still, Lü Bu believed.

She could have killed him.

No matter what it took, the man had already been a walking corpse, unconscious in the final moments.

But she had hesitated.

She couldn’t bring herself to take that last step.

Yes, she should have known from the start.

That unbreakable, indomitable will.

That nameless madness in the man walking a path opposite to her own.

No living being is unafraid of death.

But in Unryong’s eyes, at that final moment, there had been no fear of death.

What he saw was only the sky.

He swung his sword, as if that was all that mattered.

A man like that would never live the same life as her.

No matter how much she tried to persuade him, he would stick to his beliefs until the end.

“…Damn it.”

Lü Bu ruffled her red hair roughly.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. The war is over. Are you still scared?”

“Shut up. One day, he’ll stand in front of me again.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’s that fool, Unryong.”

Lü Bu clenched her teeth.

“When the time comes, I’ll personally prove that he’s wrong. I’ll be the one to kill him.”

“At this point, that’s just obsession.”

Zhang Liao clicked his tongue as he saw the burning fire in Lü Bu’s eyes.

***

The next day, Dong Zhuo summoned Lü Bu.

As she made her way to his private chambers, Lü Bu sighed at the excessive number of soldiers stationed along the way.

“Bring me wine! More wine!”

Dong Zhuo’s skin was dark, and he looked filthy—his appearance utterly pitiful.

He might have been a fool, but Lü Bu hadn’t thought of him as such a pathetic human being.

Ever since they relocated the capital from Luoyang to Chang’an, he’d been in this state.

Li Ru, standing nearby, spoke up.

“Lord Dong, Lü Bu has just arrived.”

Dong Zhuo responded.

“Lü Bu… yes, Lü Bu.”

Then, bang!

Dong Zhuo slammed the armrest of his throne with all his might, grinding his teeth as if he would break them.

The warm, friendly demeanor he once showed was long gone.

Lü Bu watched, her face bored.

After all, she was just a tool to him.

Once she outlived her usefulness, she would be discarded like any other tool.

There was no reason to be surprised at the obvious.

“How dare you show your face in my presence again!”

“Well, you’re the one who summoned me.”

“You insolent…!”

Dong Zhuo flew into a rage, then suddenly smiled again.

“No, no, forgive me. I must be tired. Yes, the war is over. The coalition is done for.”

Dong Zhuo took another swig from his wine bottle.

“Yes, I’ve won. I, Dong Zhuo, am now the ruler of all under heaven!”

What did he want now?

The soldiers standing around him trembled, nervous and uncertain, but to Lü Bu, it was nothing more than a barking dog.

The cause of his downfall had been Lü Bu’s defeat.

If it had been a mere retreat, it would have been fine.

After all, it wasn’t a campaign intended for victory in the first place.

But a defeat was different.

The idea that his peerless sword had dulled was something Dong Zhuo couldn’t accept.

Even though the coalition had disbanded, there were still countless people aiming for his life, and now Lü Bu was no longer a reliable ally.

“If it weren’t for that man, my prized sword wouldn’t have dulled…”

The name of the man who had defeated Lü Bu was Unryong.

Rumor had it that he was the hero of the coalition.

Though Dong Zhuo personally killed anyone who dared to mention his name, Unryong’s fame continued to grow across the land.

“Unryong, that bastard must die… One day, by my own hands!”

At that, Lü Bu sighed and spoke.

“Old man, didn’t I tell you? I’ll be the one to kill him.”

“Yes, I know. My dear Fengxian, you are a monster who can’t be matched by any human. You were meant to be that monster. But in the end, you’re human too. I’ve heard it, my dear. You conspired with him.”

“Conspired?”

“Many soldiers on the battlefield saw it. You spoke with him. So, how can I trust you?”

Distrust.

That small flame of doubt was quickly growing.

“Think whatever you want. Either way, he’s my prey. Don’t touch him.”

Dong Zhuo’s grip tightened.

It wasn’t the first time Lü Bu had said something like this.

“Again, again. You keep protecting him. What, have you fallen for him?”

“What?”

Lü Bu’s previously bored expression sharpened.

“Watch your mouth.”

“If that’s not the case, then why are you so protective of him? Or do you not even realize it yourself?”

“…What?”

“Tsk, tsk. After all, you’re just a little girl.”

Dong Zhuo grinned before speaking again.

“Then capture him alive or bring me his head. If you do, I will once again consider you my kin.”

Dong Zhuo rose from his seat, casually brushing his hand against one of the soldier’s sword hilts.

“Whether alive or dead, I’ll personally deal with him.”

Then—swish!

In an instant, he drew the sword and slashed the soldier’s neck.

Blood poured out.

The soldier didn’t even react.

With his vocal cords severed, he couldn’t make a sound.

“Gurgh…”

“First, I’ll take his eyes.”

Splurt!

Blood sprayed everywhere.

The soldier rolled on the ground, clutching his face.

“Gurgh! Gugh!”

“Then his shoulder, chest, and stomach—slowly, down to his lower body.”

Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!

The skin peeled away, revealing bright red muscle.

Dong Zhuo flayed the skin and wedged the blade between the cartilage.

“Finally, I’ll sever his neck!”

Slicing clean through, the soldier, writhing in pain, found his final peace.

Dong Zhuo lifted the severed head with blood-soaked hands.

“I’ll boil his arms and legs! Flay his skin and serve it at a banquet! And we’ll enjoy the feast together! My dear Fengxian!”

Dong Zhuo grinned in satisfaction.

Lü Bu approached the soldier’s mutilated body and gently touched it.

“Is that so?”

She looked at it with dry eyes.

“That sounds interesting.”

Then, she rose and began to walk away.

“But why do you think you get to decide?”

“Hm?”

“A hunter should keep what they kill.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“I’m saying…”

– Swish!

It happened in an instant.

Lü Bu moved too fast for anyone to stop her.

Dong Zhuo, unable to believe what was happening, slowly lowered his head.

She had grabbed the throat of Dong Zhuo, a man who held power like the emperor.

The room fell silent.

Dong Zhuo stepped back slowly.

Lü Bu continued to push him until his massive frame collapsed onto the throne.

“Draw your swords, and you die.”

Lü Bu warned the soldiers reaching for their blades.

“What are you doing…?!”

Dong Zhuo grabbed Lü Bu’s arm roughly, but she didn’t budge.

“How dare you lay a hand on me, the ruler of all!”

His roar echoed through the room.

“I told you, he’s my prey.”

“…!”

Lü Bu’s eyes gleamed.

Dong Zhuo frantically tried to pry her arm off him.

“What are you doing? Are you all just going to stand there and watch?!”

At Dong Zhuo’s command, the soldiers, trembling, slowly approached Lü Bu.

Then—smack!

Lü Bu suddenly let go, and Dong Zhuo collapsed weakly onto the throne.

“Do whatever you want. Insult me, kill the other trash you want.”

Her black eyes burned with intensity.

“But he’s mine. My prey. Got it? Whether he lives or dies is for me, Lü Bu, to decide.”

Dong Zhuo had no words to respond.

It was madness.

An obsession bordering on insanity.

“In that case, you must at least bring me his head.”

Dong Zhuo muttered as he rubbed his throat.

Lü Bu scoffed.

She didn’t even know why she had done it.

Without a word, Lü Bu rubbed her left cheek absentmindedly and left the room.