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Before departing, with a single command, Dong Zhuo set Luoyang City ablaze. The soldiers, frenzied, ignited fires at all four gates, sending columns of smoke soaring into the sky as flames consumed everything in their path. The fires of the Southern and Northern Palaces roared like two furious dragons, intertwining amidst the palatial structures. The blaze painted the night sky crimson, blending the cries of the people, the sounds of collapsing buildings, and the crackling of flames into a cacophony that felt like the end of days.
"Burn these houses to the ground! Leave those traitors without a single place to hide!" Dong Zhuo commanded from his elevated position, a smug expression on his face as he issued orders to Lu Bu beside him.
Lu Bu bowed his head in acknowledgment and led a squad of Elite Troops straight to the Luoyang Ancestral Temple. The soldiers smashed down the temple doors and trampled over the scattered ritual offerings. With a toss of a torch, the temple was instantly engulfed in flames. The Ancestral Tablets within fell, consumed by the fire as black smoke spiraled up with ashes. Lu Bu personally directed his men to excavate the tombs of past emperors and consorts. With no reverence whatsoever, the soldiers wielded shovels and hammers to unearth graves; stone doors were smashed open, coffins pried apart, and treasures of gold and jade were hauled out one after another. Covered in mud yet exhilarated like hungry wolves, they fought over the spoils while bones from within the coffins were scattered across the ground.
"Hurry up! If we dawdle, Chancellor Dong's convoy won't wait for us!" a Centurion barked sharply, kicking a sluggish soldier. The soldier hastily picked up a jade pendant and stuffed it into his pocket. Seeing this, the Centurion sneered as he snatched the pendant away and shoved the soldier into an already dug pit.
Inside the city, soldiers grew even more reckless. They burst into homes, looting without leaving a trace of mercy. The wails of women mixed with children's screams echoed through the streets. An elderly man knelt on the ground, holding up the few tattered garments left in his home, pleading, "General, I beg you to spare my family; these are our last rags for shelter!" A soldier kicked him aside with disdain, laughing coldly, "Old fool! If you beg again, I'll burn you along with your wretched house!" With that, he set fire to the dwelling. Illuminated by flames, the old man and his family cried out in despair as no one came to their aid.
Dong Zhuo sat in his carriage, idly playing with a golden cup he had just unearthed from a tomb while ignoring the surrounding cries of anguish. His convoy moved slowly like a great beast through the burning Luoyang City, thousands of carts laden with gold and jewels following closely behind. Behind them, the emperor and consorts were forcibly placed in shabby carriages, their faces pale and tears streaming down their cheeks. Once revered consorts now only bore expressions of terror and despair as they clutched at tattered remnants of clothing.
The common people were driven forward; their steps faltered as their faces were smeared with ash and streaked with tears. Every hundred paces revealed fallen corpses—some dead from starvation while others had met cruel ends at the hands of soldiers. The burning houses lining both sides of the road served as their final farewell; black smoke and despair seemed to stretch endlessly.
Dong Zhuo turned back to gaze at Luoyang City engulfed in flames, a cold smile curling at his lips: "This Luoyang is nothing but a dead city; let it burn!" He raised his whip and cracked it against his horses as they trampled over blood-stained earth on their way to Chang'an.
At that moment, Dong Zhuo's general Zhao Cen paced anxiously at Si Shui Pass, watching clouds of dust billow in the distance. He had long anticipated Dong Zhuo's retreat from Luoyang and thought to himself: "Since Chancellor Dong has already fled, what can I achieve by holding this pass alone? Rather than seeking my own destruction, I might as well open the gates and surrender to save my life." He summoned his subordinates and said coldly: "Send word! Open Si Shui Pass's gates to welcome the lords inside."
The heavy gates of Si Shui Pass slowly creaked open as Sun Jian's banner first appeared amidst the remnants of smoke on the horizon. He rode atop his Flower Mane Horse clad in silver armor, his gaze sharp as a blade. Troops surged into the pass like a tide; among the ruins could be seen remnants of bloodstains and torn garments left behind by Luoyang's citizens. Soldiers wielding swords wore expressions of fatigue mixed with ferocity; yet their fervor for conquest remained undiminished.
Sun Jian halted his horse within the pass and looked down at Zhao Cen with a voice like thunder: "You have aided traitors for many years; do you now understand your crimes?" Zhao Cen knelt and bowed deeply, trembling as he replied: "We were compelled by circumstances beyond our control; we dared not disobey Chancellor Dong's orders. Today we willingly surrender this pass; please spare us from death!"
Sun Jian snorted coldly and turned to command Cheng Pu and Huang Gai to enter and search for any remaining threats. Soon after, Cheng Pu returned with a report: "My Lord, all supplies within the city have been emptied by Dong Zhuo; only some defeated soldiers remain—there is little we can use." Sun Jian frowned and ordered sternly: "Eliminate any remaining threats; leave no future troubles!"
Cheng Pu responded immediately, leading his troops to sweep through the interior. Sun Jian looked at Zhao Cen and coldly smiled, "You may live for now, but go back and tell Dong Zhuo that the blade of Sun Jian will surely sever his head!" With that, he raised his whip and urged his horse straight towards Luoyang.
Meanwhile, at Hu Lao Pass, smoke signals rose into the sky. The three brothers—Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei—led their troops into battle. Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Zhang Fei's Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear carved a bloody path through the enemy ranks. Amidst the clash of blades, enemy soldiers fell like grass before the scythe. Zhang Fei roared, "Dong Zhuo has fled; what use do you have left? Prepare to die!" His spear danced in the air, each strike spraying blood, causing the enemy to crumble.
Liu Bei rode at the front of the formation and, seeing the countless corpses littering Hu Lao Pass, couldn't help but sigh, "The people suffer so greatly; when will this war ever cease?" He raised his sword towards the city within the pass and declared, "Brothers, follow me into the city and deliver justice to the common folk!"
The remnants of soldiers inside attempted to resist, but under the combined assault of the three brothers, their defenses crumbled. Zhang Fei, bloodied yet exhilarated, raised his serpent spear and laughed maniacally, "This feels good! If we let Traitor Dong live a few more days, we will surely take his head!"
As various warlords entered the pass one after another, they were struck by the sight before them. The ground was strewn with corpses; blood flowed like streams; shattered weapons and banners lay everywhere.
While they advanced triumphantly through Si Shui Pass, Sun Jian led his army swiftly onward. In the distance, he saw Luoyang engulfed in flames; thick smoke billowed like a giant black shroud across the sky, and the air was filled with the stench of charred remains. He halted his horse to survey the scene: vast fields were littered with rubble and scorched earth; for miles around, not a soul could be seen—neither man nor beast remained. Gritting his teeth, he waved his hand to order his men to extinguish the flames and rescue what they could. His soldiers rushed into the ruins with water to douse the fires; however, the sight of charred bodies emerging from beneath the debris and their putrid smell made them retch. Standing before a burned palace ruin with a piercing gaze, he solemnly declared, "Traitor Dong's tyranny is intolerable; heaven and earth cannot allow it!"
Soon after, various warlords arrived one after another. Yuan Shao ordered his troops to camp on barren land and set up temporary quarters. Cao Cao arrived clad in armor with a grim expression and stepped into Yuan Shao's main tent. His sharp gaze swept over the assembled warlords as he coldly asked, "Dong Zhuo has burned down the imperial palace and taken the emperor hostage; he is a rebel and traitor. If we do not pursue him now, when will we?"
Yuan Shao smiled slightly and replied calmly, "Mengde, you are too hasty. Our troops are weary from battle; advancing now would be unwise and only deplete our strength."
Cao Cao stepped forward abruptly and fixed Yuan Shao with an intense stare. His voice thundered: "Dong Zhuo has kidnapped the emperor and burned cities to ashes; this has shaken all under heaven. The heavens are angry and people resentful—this is his moment of downfall! If we do not seize this opportunity to pursue him now, how can we bring peace to the realm? You all seem so hesitant; are you not betraying our cause for raising arms today?"
Yuan Shao frowned slightly but then shook his head dismissively: "Mengde, you are too aggressive. A war cannot be decided in an instant; if you rush for quick results, it may backfire."
"You are unworthy of counsel!" Cao Cao snorted coldly and turned away in anger. Yuan Shao's expression changed slightly but ultimately chose not to act.
Back in his camp, Cao Cao slammed his hand on the table and shouted: "Send my orders! All soldiers follow me to pursue Dong Zhuo! If we do not strike down this bandit now, when will we?" His generals—Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Li Dian, and Le Jin—knelt in unison and declared loudly: "We will follow you, my lord! One battle will determine our fate!"
As night fell, flames erupted within Cao Cao's military camp, where tens of thousands of soldiers quickly prepared for battle. Horses snorted, iron armor clanked, and soldiers cracked their knuckles, their swords glinting in the firelight like a pack of wolves hungry for blood. Their eyes burned with the spirit of war, and someone whispered, "That scoundrel Dong Zhuo has become a rat in the street; we must take him down this time!"
Cao Cao rode at the front of his troops, his voice booming like thunder: "Dong Zhuo is a great bandit who burned Luoyang and kidnapped the Emperor. Today, our Righteous Army will strike, slay the bandit, and earn our names in the world! Forward!"
The soldiers responded with a roar that shook the heavens: "Kill Dong Zhuo! Rescue the Emperor!"
In the darkness, Cao Cao led over ten thousand troops, charging like an arrow towards Dong Zhuo's direction. Banners fluttered in the wind, and the sound of horse hooves was deafening, like thunder rolling across the wilderness. A heart-pounding pursuit was about to unfold.
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