CHAPTER 1773: CHAPTER 1774: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

But to you, that doesn’t mean much. You have few ties with the Yuan Family of Yan Province, and even the waist card in your hand symbolizing your status is something you would discard without a second thought.

The battlefield is the best place to hone your Fast Knife skills, where all your hard practice can manifest, and each encounter is with a different enemy. You’ve already faced off against five generals under Lü Bu, and apart from Zang Ba, the other four—Sun Guan included—are not your match.

When facing that burly Zang Ba, you managed only to fight him to a draw, and because it’s the battlefield, neither you nor he can fully exert yourselves. If it were a real fight, you admit you probably wouldn’t be a match for Zang Ba.

But, unlike Zang Ba, you are constantly improving. Your blade is getting faster, and with deliberate hard work, you’ve found that your energy is slowly but steadily increasing.

You believe that as long as you keep striving, you’ll surpass Lü Bu someday!

The war drums resound once more!

You skillfully wield your blade and step onto the battlefield with a group of infantry. Although they know your formidable capabilities, the infantry keep their distance, for a simple reason: on Lü Bu’s side, there are frequently strong individuals who specifically target you alone, and each newcomer is stronger than the last. Their troops can each hold off ten!

With sparse crowds around you, you relish the fresh air.

As usual, once the battle begins, you charge ahead, but soon you sense something amiss, as Lü Bu makes an unexpected appearance. What’s more, a cavalry unit exuding an overwhelming aura emerges within your sight. Judging by appearance, this cavalry numbers around five hundred, but their presence alone transforms the battlefield’s atmosphere.

"Not good!"

For the first time, amidst the drumbeats of the assault, you choose to flee!

The moment you detect the anomaly, you swiftly sweep your body sideways and run at full speed toward the edge of the battlefield.

The infantry’s keen insight means that upon seeing Lü Bu’s cavalry, they react just like you, doing everything they can to escape desperately!

Lü Bu gallops at the front of his entire army; behind him is a team of five hundred cavalry in heavy armor, all dressed uniformly, radiating a terrifying aura. Behind them are four generals leading different troops. Among these four generals, aside from Zang Ba, three are new to you. Unlike before, now they exude an aura of ominous rage.

"Charge! Seize Gao Lan’s head!"

With Lü Bu’s Fang Tian Hua Ji drawing a brilliant arc through the air, the whole army launches a charge!

Faced with Lü Bu’s army’s genuine assault, Gao Lan’s troops quickly become disarrayed. Although Gao Lan’s martial prowess is high, he is ineffective in managing his army, allowing insidious elements like Lü Kuang to infiltrate. At the moment of true threat, the army crumbles like sand before a violent wind, scattering instantly. Gao Lan, along with Lü Kuang and his forces, rides on horseback northwest in a hasty retreat.

"A thousand gold for anyone who kills Gao Lan! Two hundred for lesser despots like Lü Kuang!"

Lü Bu’s voice echoes across the battlefield, provocatively stirring Lü Bu’s entire army to action.

Meanwhile, Zang Ba bellows in intimidation, adding, "Fast Knife Li, capture alive, reward a thousand!"

Lü Bu turns to look at the fiercely fighting Zang Ba nearby, and Zang Ba laughs loudly, saying, "Big brother... oh, no, brother! That Fast Knife Li is a good match for our brothers, with some training he’d be a valiant general!"

"Hmph!" A heavy nasal sound escapes from Lü Bu’s ghost head mask as he whirls his Fang Tian Hua Ji, slicing through like vegetables, leading five hundred fearsome cavalry in pursuit of the fleeing Gao Lan and others.

Soon you pull away from others, diving into the forest. This time you’ve decided to distance yourself from the battlefield, having learned all there is to learn here, now is the time to seize this opportunity and truly enter this world.

Inside the forest, you lose direction until, devoid of the sounds of battle cries, you collapse onto the grass, gasping desperately for breath. Hearing the sound of running water, you drag your exhausted body to a small creek and dunk your head down. After gulping a few mouthfuls of water, as you rise, you hear the clopping of hooves not far away.

The hoofbeats are crisp, sounding like no more than two or three riders.

Looking up, you see along the forest path, two armored men on horseback rushing toward your position.

At the same time, you recognize a familiar face, Lü Kuang. Behind Lü Kuang is merely a common cavalryman. Although neither is injured, they look quite disheveled.

Lü Kuang leads his subordinate to the riverbank, not bothering to glance at you as he leaps into the creek, desperately drinking water.

Lü Kuang’s position is upstream from you; seeing him like this makes you curse under your breath. Just as you prepare to get up and leave, you hear Lü Kuang’s annoying voice behind you: "Hey you, come over here!"

Looking around, you find no one else nearby, and Lü Kuang is gesturing at you. You let out a cold laugh, turn away, intending to leave without acknowledging him.

"I’m talking to you, did you hear me!" Lü Kuang picks up a stone and throws it at you. Though it doesn’t hit you, it splashes into the water, sending a spray that drenches you.

You slowly turn around, narrowing your eyes at Lü Kuang.

"What kind of look is that!" Lü Kuang is an illegitimate child of the Lü family Clan of Yanzhou. Though his military rank is not high, his connections are renowned throughout Yan province, with many queuing to serve him—he wouldn’t typically engage with peasants like you.

You still say nothing, and Lü Kuang’s attendant becomes enraged, immediately spitting and cursing: "Damn it, you peasant, not kneeling before my master is one thing, but you refuse a good face offered?"

The attendant curses angrily while approaching you, mistakenly thinking you’re scared stiff. As he gets close, a flash of your blade shimmers by, and suddenly he finds himself airborne, sky-spinning. When his eyes close, he sees a headless body, resembling his own...

"You! You... what are you going to do!?" Lü Kuang can’t believe your swift action, killing without any hesitation.

You ignore Lü Kuang and stroll to the fallen attendant’s head, gently pressing it with your foot, revealing a cruel smile on your face: "This is truly a survival of the fittest era, heh, hehehe!"