Hijacking the Three Kingdoms with My System

Chapter 10: The Three Family Slave and the Dance of the Serpent Spear

The thunder of Red Hare's hooves sounded like the final gavel strike of a judge pronouncing a death sentence.

Amidst the dusty plains before Hulao Pass, Gongsun Zan the Governor of Youzhou, usually so dashing with his White Horse Corps was now fleeing frantically like a mole chased by an eagle. His silver helmet was gone, his hair was disheveled, and his white robe was stained with dust and blood.

Behind him, Lu Bu pursued him casually. Too casually.

The God of War wasn't even pushing his horse to full speed. He played with the Fangtian Huaji (Sky Halberd) in his hand, twirling it slowly while grinning at the panic of his prey.

"Run, Governor! Run!" Lu Bu mocked, his voice booming without needing to shout. "Show your troops how their leader saves his own hide!"

On the observation hill, Jo Fan swallowed hard. The cassava chips in his hand crumbled from an unconscious squeeze.

"System... Power analysis," Jo Fan whispered, his lips trembling.

[SCANNING TARGET: LU BU]

[Strength: 100 (MAX). Speed: 100 (MAX). Technique: 100 (MAX).]

[Passive Skill: "Aura of the God of War" (Reduces enemy morale within a 1km radius by 80%).]

[Strategic Advice: Run. Do not look back.]

"That's incredibly helpful advice, you damn system jerk," Jo Fan cursed.

"Gongsun Zan is finished," Jo Fan whispered. "At that distance, Lu Bu's weapon reach is just one swing away."

And sure enough, Lu Bu raised his halberd high. The crescent blade at the tip gleamed, reflecting the sun, ready to separate Gongsun Zan's head from his neck. Gongsun Zan looked back, his eyes wide with the sight of approaching death.

Just as the blade descended...

"HEY! STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU THREE-FAMILY SLAVE!"

The shout exploded.

It wasn't an ordinary shout. It was a sonic boom erupting from giant lungs—rough, hoarse, and so thick with contempt that its texture seemed palpable in the air.

Lu Bu's halberd stopped abruptly, mere inches from Gongsun Zan's neck. The wind from the weapon's swing cut a strand of Gongsun Zan's hair, but his head was safe.

Lu Bu didn't look at Gongsun Zan, who was scrambling away. He froze. His shoulders tensed. The head, crowned with pheasant feathers, slowly turned toward the source of the voice.

"What... did you say?" Lu Bu hissed. His voice was low, dangerous, like a tiger's growl before a pounce.

From Liu Bei's ranks, a warrior spurred his horse forward. He didn't look elegant. He looked savage. His large, round eyes bulged, his beard was stiff as steel wire, and in his hands, he gripped an eight-foot Serpent Spear.

Zhang Fei didn't stop. He charged his horse closer, then halted ten meters in front of Lu Bu, grinning widely to show his white teeth, a stark contrast to his dark face.

"Are you deaf?" Zhang Fei yelled again, his voice echoing through the valley. "I called you the Three-Family Slave! (San Xing Jia Nu)!"

The entire battlefield fell silent. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers held their breath.

Jo Fan on the hill slapped his forehead. "Holy crap. He actually said it. That's Lu Bu's nuclear button."

The insult was the most taboo. Lu Bu was born with the surname Lu. He adopted Ding Yuan as his foster father, then killed him for Dong Zhuo, his second foster father. Calling him "Three-Family" was akin to calling him an immoral whore who killed his own fathers for wealth.

Lu Bu's handsome face turned crimson. Veins bulged in his neck.

"You..." Lu Bu pointed the tip of his halberd at Zhang Fei's face. "Who are you, nameless rat, daring to speak so insolently before Fengxian?!"

Zhang Fei laughed. A mocking, ear-splitting laugh.

"Oh, you don't know me? Listen well, you Unfilial Son! I am your Grandpa Zhang Yide of Yan! I didn't come to chat, but to stab that mouth of yours that forgot how to respect its elders!"

"Zhang Yide..." Lu Bu recalled the name. The wine seller from the village. "Just a pig butcher turned soldier. Do you think your shouting can save your life?"

"At least I only have one father!" Zhang Fei retorted sarcastically, his eyes flashing with sharp humor. "Not like you. You switch fathers every time you see a good horse. Hey, if I gave you a zebra, would you call me Father too?"

BLAM!

Lu Bu's patience snapped completely.

Without another word, Lu Bu kicked Red Hare's flank. The red horse shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. Its speed was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, the ten-meter gap vanished.

"DIE!"

The Fangtian Huaji slashed horizontally, aiming for Zhang Fei's neck with full force, enough to decapitate a water buffalo.

Zhang Fei didn't dodge. Instead, he spurred his horse forward to meet death.

"COME ON!"

TRAAAANG!

The clash of metal created a shockwave that blew dust around them.

Zhang Fei blocked Lu Bu's slash with the shaft of his Serpent Spear. Zhang Fei's black horse whinnied, its front legs buckling under the weight of an impact equivalent to a rockslide. But Zhang Fei didn't budge. His arms, thick as a man's thigh, tensed, holding back the power of the God of War.

Lu Bu was surprised. His eyes widened slightly. "You can hold that?"

"Haven't you had lunch yet, Kid?!" Zhang Fei mocked.

With a loud roar, Zhang Fei shoved Lu Bu's weapon away, then spun his own spear. The undulating, snake-like tip lunged toward Lu Bu's chest.

It was fast, fierce, and wild.

Lu Bu pulled his weapon back, parrying the thrust with the butt end of his halberd. *Clank!*

They didn't stop.

In seconds, they exchanged five passes. Ten passes. Twenty passes.

This was not a fight of elegant martial arts technique like in a wuxia film. This was a battle between two horsepower monsters. Every time their weapons clashed, sparks flew into the air. The sound of the impact was so loud it made the ears of the front-line soldiers ring painfully.

DUM!

TRANG!

BAM!

Lu Bu attacked with perfect, lethal technique. He used the long reach of his Halberd to pressure Zhang Fei from above, the side, and below. Every swing had terrifying precision.

But Zhang Fei was an anomaly. He fought without pattern. He screamed with every attack, cursed, spat, and used his rage as fuel. His Serpent Spear moved strangely, sometimes stabbing, sometimes striking like a mace.

"Is that all the God of War has?!" Zhang Fei yelled between parries. "My grandmother hits cookie dough harder than this!"

"Shut your foul mouth!" Lu Bu roared. He spun his halberd over his head, creating a vortex of wind, then slammed it vertically toward Zhang Fei's helmet.

Zhang Fei raised his spear crosswise above his head.

BLAAAR!

The ground beneath Zhang Fei's horse cracked. Its hooves sank four inches into the dirt. Blood seeped from the corner of Zhang Fei's lips from the internal shock, but he was still grinning. His teeth were red with blood.

"Good! A good hit!" Zhang Fei spat blood toward Lu Bu's golden armor.

Lu Bu backed up a step, staring at the bloodstain on his pristine golden armor. His face shifted from enraged to fully focused. He realized this dark-skinned man was no ordinary opponent. This was the strongest foe he had ever encountered in his life.

"Very well, Zhang Yide," Lu Bu said coldly, his aura changing. The air around him seemed to freeze. "I will grant you the honor. I will kill you seriously."

On the hill, Jo Fan, watching through his homemade bamboo telescope (a System Item), felt cold sweat drenching his back.

[SYSTEM ANALYSIS]

[Lu Bu: Serious Mode Active (Strength 100%).]

[Zhang Fei: Adrenaline Mode (Strength 98%).]

[Prediction: Zhang Fei will lose stamina by the 50th pass.]

"Insane..." Jo Fan muttered. "Zhang Fei is actually holding off Lu Bu alone for over thirty passes. In history, this is an epic moment, but seeing it live... it’s like watching a semi-truck collide with a train."

Below, the duel escalated to a new level of madness.

Dust obscured the view. All that could be seen were flashes of weapons and the shadows of two horses circling, searching for an opening.

Zhang Fei began to pant. His attacks were still strong, but they were slowing down by a fraction of a second. Meanwhile, Lu Bu, with his superior Red Hare, still looked fresh. Lu Bu began to dominate, pushing Zhang Fei back until his horse was constantly retreating.

"Why so quiet, Three-Family Slave?!" Zhang Fei provoked, though his breath was ragged. "Afraid your armor will get scratched?!"

Lu Bu no longer answered with words. He answered with a lightning-fast thrust that grazed Zhang Fei's cheek.

Sret!

Fresh blood flowed down Zhang Fei's dark cheek.

"Almost..." Lu Bu hissed. "Next is your neck."

Zhang Fei laughed, but his laughter sounded tired. He knew he couldn't win alone. But his ego and pride forbade him from retreating a single step.

"Come on! Take my head if you can!"

Just as Lu Bu raised his halberd for the final, life-ending strike against the exhausted Zhang Fei, the sound of another horse's hooves was heard. Heavy. Authoritative.

Jo Fan on the hill lowered his bamboo telescope. He saw a flash of green darting from Liu Bei's ranks.

"It's time," Jo Fan muttered. "General Guan, help your third brother."

Without waiting for a second command, Guan Yu immediately spurred his horse toward the battlefield. In the distance, the Alliance forces watched the duel between Zhang Fei and Lu Bu, holding their breath. Yesterday, Guan Yu had defeated Hua Xiong, and just when the Alliance forces thought they would die and lose to Lu Bu, the three brothers, aided by their strange military advisor, silenced them and gave them hope.

On the battlefield, Lu Bu felt a sharp killing intent coming from his right side. He glanced over and saw a red-faced giant in a green robe and a long beard charging toward him, carrying a massive Guandao ready to cleave the sky.

"Yi De, hold on!"