Chapter 115: A Familiar World (Part 11)

Translator: Etern, Kim_Guo

Wang Yun’s mistake was caused by his personalities. He was an idealistic fighter, who had a strong hatred of evil practices, had protected ancient books, offended nobles and aristocrats like Zhang Rang and got himself into prison. Luckily, he survived. After Dong Zhuo had been killed, Wang Yun was beseiged, but he didn’t run away like Lv Bu and was killed in front of the emperor. With suan a personality, he might be a gentle scholar or a selfless official, but he could never be a strong-willed prime minister.

Huang Xuan had learnt about this from materials, which might bring him the maximum interest.

He said slowly while pouring wine for Wang Yun, “I have little talent and learning, but I have a thought and hope that you can consider it. I think that nowadays men of insight are of the most value. If you can ask the emperor to call out local officials to rescue the emperor, the state of Chang’an will be much different.” 

Although Huang Xuan had thought about it all night, he still had said it with much uncertainty. Wang Yun hadn’t expected Huang Xuan to give such an answer. He nodded disappointedly and said, “In 189, Dong Zhuo rescued the emperor. Look at the current situation.”

Huang Xuan put down the wine cup and said, “Please listen to me. There is no need to summon all the local officials. Only the ones with no much power like Caocao, Sun Ce and Liu Bei.”

Wang Yun kept shaking his head. “Once the official denunciation is issued, it won’t be up to you and me.”

“Will you be able to stop local armies entering Chang’an after Dong Zhuo dies?”

Wang Yun left with lots of doubts. Huang Xuan sighed, for he hadn’t convinced Wang Yun. He could do nothing but wait.

At the end of March of the year three of Chuping, Huang Xuan reset MX109 on the slope of the mountain to the west of Chang’an, fewer than five km from the city gate. Once Dong Zhuo passed form here, he wouldn’t be able to escape from Huang Xuan’s rifle.

Wang Yun had guaranteed Dong Zhuo would come. Huang Xuan lay on the ground, with a disguise net on him, waiting, mind wandering. Wang Yun had been too busy to deal with his relationship with Lv Bu. Huang Xuan wondered whether he believed that Lv Bu had been really interested. After all, even Huang Xuan was with a casual attitude. However, Wang Yun’s attitude was very different. If Lv Bu could be attracted so easily, Wang Yun wouldn’t have to employ a series of stratagems, just make clear the advantages and disadvantages. Huang Xuan didn’t think himself could be so convincing. But it turned out that Lv Bu didn’t tell their secrets.

Rolin had been monitoring Lv Bu all day, who had been busy dreaming about becoming a general by summoning old subordinateds and having meetings with court ministers. Wang Yun had got more supports and force. Dong Zhuo hadn’t shown his domineering side. Although his domestic servants were bullying in Chang’an and he burnt down Luoyang City, he hadn’t hurt the emperor or court ministers.

Huang Xuan adjusted the sighting mechanism while thinking wildly. There was a probe under Lv Bu’s skin, but to ascertain Dong Zhuo’s position precisely, auxiliary devices would be needed. 

Soon, a procession came from the east. A beep was heard, which indicated that the target had been aimed.

The procession was drawing nearer. The front had passed Yong Gate. Dong Zhuo was in the carriage. Huang Xuan put his index finger on the trigger, his eyes brighter, but no pressure.

Flags were flying on the city gate. The troops straightened their back. With a press of the finger, three armor piercing bullets were fired, the wounds by which were small and which usually aimed at the heart.

The carriage stopped suddenly. Several knights began to ride in all directions, shouting. The flags with big character Dong embroided shook and stopped.

Huang Xuan had just removed the aiming lens from Dong Zhuo’s carriage when something extremely bright flashed across his eyes and then a thunderbolt-like sound of explosion was heard.

Huang Xuan felt a pain in his eyes and forgot energy reserve. He looked at the view in front of him, mouth wide open. The city wall had been destoryed. Mushroom clouds were seen in the sky. There was a several-zhang-deep dent in the ground, the slope of which extended two or three li.

“Did you set off the bomb?” Huang Xuan asked Rolin excitedly.

“No, not me.”

Huang Xuan was in a daze.

A person on a claret horse came from near. A man at the foot of slope laughed and asked, “Which plane do you come from? What a wonderful location you have picked!”