Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 392: Lü Bu Fengxian (3)

“Ah… Ahhh…”

Lü Bu reached out with his rough, massive hand toward Diao Chan—or rather, Chun Yoosung disguised as Diao Chan.

Exhaustion weighed heavy on Lü Bu, and Jinhyuk’s strategic use of Coin Exchange items had made the disguise nearly flawless.

*”I excluded Frey and Undine because they couldn’t capture that distinctly Eastern beauty. Looks like I made the right call.”*

Western aesthetics, no matter how much they were altered via the Coin Exchange, carried an innate dissonance—a lack of authenticity.

But Chun Yoosung’s base appearance was the perfect canvas for creating Diao Chan. With just a few masculine traits removed, it was convincing enough to fool even Lü Bu.

*”Tch. For the number of Coins I poured into this, it better work this well.”*

Jinhyuk watched the tearful “reunion” with a satisfied smile.

“Kill him. Kill him. Kill him.”

“Hey, we’re almost there. Just hold it in a little longer. Once it’s over, you can slice and dice all you want.”

Jinhyuk added a few words of reassurance for Chun Yoosung, who was trembling with rage.

*Crack!*

Chun Yoosung gritted his teeth so hard it seemed they might break. He covered his face with a feathered fan, keeping his mouth shut to avoid giving Lü Bu any reason to suspect.

“D-Diao Chan… Is it really you? Have you truly come to this place?”

Lü Bu took slow, hesitant steps forward.

[The unique ability ‘Domain of the Wind’ has been activated.]

A gentle breeze swept through, setting Chun Yoosung’s long, braided black hair aflutter.

Jinhyuk had even prepared flower petals to scatter in the wind, completing the dreamy, otherworldly atmosphere.

“Diao Chan… Diao Chan… Diao Chan!”

*Boom!*

A step forward.

*Boom!*

Another step.

With each step closer, Lü Bu’s back became increasingly exposed, unguarded and vulnerable.

A man who had thrown away everything for one purpose—a desperate and heart-wrenching struggle.

*”Sigh. What a pitiful sight.”*

But Jinhyuk’s thoughts were anything but sympathetic.

*”Perfect for stabbing.”*

Even for someone of Lü Bu’s heroic caliber, a strike to the back of the head would finish him. He couldn’t have asked for an easier target.

[Replication condition fulfilled.]
[Successfully replicated the unique ability *Red Hare Rider *!]

—

[*Red Hare Rider *]
*Acquisition Difficulty*: S
*Details*: A horsemanship-specialized ability. While mounted, all stats increase by 30%. With increased mastery, the boost can reach up to 100%.

—

With the ability successfully replicated, Jinhyuk had no further reason to hold back.

*Fwoosh!*

The energy emanating from Barnard intensified, glowing brilliantly.

If he delayed any longer, Lü Bu might overwhelm Chun Yoosung entirely. And if such a humiliation occurred, Jinhyuk would have to endure endless pursuit from the Sword Saint.

It was time to act decisively for a clean conclusion.

“General! Behind you—look behind you!”

The desperate cries of Lü Bu’s subordinates rang out, but it was too late.

Lü Bu, lost in his emotions, didn’t register their warnings.

Meanwhile, soldiers too preoccupied with Frey’s rampage couldn’t approach Lü Bu to assist him.

Using the enhanced speed of the *Heavenly Demon Phantom Step*, Jinhyuk closed the distance in an instant.

Fast and silent.

Barnard’s blade aimed straight for Lü Bu’s exposed neck.

But just then—

*Clang!*

A blue barrier blocked the attack.

“You didn’t think it would end that easily, did you?”

A figure interjected—it was Sherry.

“You are…?”

“An ally of General Lü Bu. While he’s briefly distracted, I’ll be taking you on.”

“An ally, huh? Strange. I don’t recall hearing about non-human entities in *The Romance of the Three Kingdoms* mythos.”

“Well, this isn’t mythology—it’s the Tower of Trials. Anything can happen here.”

Sherry’s voice was composed, but Jinhyuk’s next words struck like a dagger.

“Is that so? Odd, though. You look like a Tower administrator to me. About mid-tier, I’d guess.”

“…H-How did you—?”

Sherry’s pupils trembled violently.

As a mid-tier administrator who had never operated outside, there was no reason any player should recognize her true identity.

Yet this man had seen through her without hesitation.

The shock caused her grip to falter for a brief moment.

And Jinhyuk seized that opening.

“Thanks for the help.”

*Tap.*

Before Sherry could react, Jinhyuk slipped past her.

In the blink of an eye, the distance between him and Lü Bu closed.

Jinhyuk could see Lü Bu reaching out to remove the fan covering Chun Yoosung’s face.

Chun Yoosung was desperately resisting, his trembling hands gripping the fan tightly.

Lü Bu’s rough hands brushed against his neck and back, sending shivers down his spine. For Chun Yoosung, it must have been an utterly mortifying experience.

“Diao Chan… Diao Chan! Oooooh!”

“No… I’m telling you, I’m not…! Just, please, stop touching me!”

“What nonsense is this? I am Lü Bu, your lover, Lü Bu!”

“F** off, get away from me!”

Jinhyuk muttered under his breath. As entertaining as it was to prolong this farcical situation, it was time to wrap things up. After all, selling this footage on *Chuhonsa-Young* or any other community would have people throwing blank checks his way.

Still, the delicate balance couldn’t last much longer.

“Hurry… I can’t hold out any longer. Just do it already!”

Chun Yoosung had no chance of overpowering Lü Bu with brute strength.

“You’ve done well.”

Jinhyuk’s words were genuine.

*Slash!*

Barnard, strengthened by an intense aura, plunged into Lü Bu’s back.

Scarlet blood sprayed forward, but—

“…!?”

The blade failed to pierce the heart.

To be precise, it stopped just five centimeters away from it.

“Damn it…”

Jinhyuk turned his head sharply.

“Fufu…! If you knew I was an administrator, you should have expected I’d have a trick like this.”

Sherry.

Of course, even though her identity as an administrator had been exposed, she still interfered to this extent.

“If you keep abusing your authority like this, the backlash will be severe.”

“I wouldn’t do it if I weren’t prepared for the consequences. Besides, instead of worrying about me, maybe you should worry about yourselves.”

“Diao Chan… you’re not Diao Chan, are you?!”

Enraged, Lü Bu wrapped both hands around Chun Yoosung’s neck.

“How dare you toy with me like this? I’ll snap your neck like a chicken’s!”

*Crack!*

“Ugh!”

Chun Yoosung’s eyes filled with blood as Lü Bu’s terrifying strength crushed his throat.

“Stop! That guy’s my precious… er, I mean, my one and only comrade!”

[*Heavenly Demon Divine Art: Heavenly Demon Fist* activated!]

*Boom!*

Lü Bu’s massive frame slammed into the ground.

If Jinhyuk had been even a moment late, Chun Yoosung would’ve been dead.

“Cough… hack… ugh…”

“Your face okay? Never mind the rest of your body—your face is your greatest asset.”

“Does this look… cough… okay to you?! Why do you keep doing this kind of insane stuff that destroys people’s self-esteem, damn it!”

“I thought it was a perfect plan.”

The strategy had been to replicate Lü Bu’s ability, finish things neatly, and even collect discreet video footage. A triple win, or so he had believed.

“Enough. I’ll handle it my way from now on.”

*Rip!*

Chun Yoosung tore off the cumbersome skirt that was in his way, gripping his sword with both hands and steadying his breath.

“I’ll kill him myself, so just sit back and watch.”

Before Jinhyuk could respond, Chun Yoosung launched himself forward.

*Clang! Clang-clang-clang!*

The Sky Piercing Halberd and Chun Yoosung’s blade clashed wildly in midair.

Enraged, Lü Bu had completely lost his mind.

“Raaaargh!”

He didn’t care about the wounds accumulating on his body, focusing solely on delivering relentless attacks.

*”Chun Yoosung might be able to hold his own in a one-on-one fight, but the administrator won’t stand by idly.”*

If Sherry provided support, Chun Yoosung would once again be in mortal danger.

Which meant…

*”I’ll take out the administrator.”*

Jinhyuk shifted his target immediately.

*Boom!*

While Chun Yoosung kept Lü Bu occupied, Jinhyuk charged toward Sherry.

“You’re serious? A mere player dares to raise a weapon against an administrator?”

“If you stuck to your role, I’d leave you alone. But I can’t ignore someone abusing the system for personal gain.”

“Pathetic. Did you really think we’re weak just because we’ve been observing quietly?”

Sherry pulled out a pair of crimson daggers radiating a dangerous aura.

*Daggers forged from the fangs of a Red Dragon, huh…*

“Of course, I know you’re not weak.”

He also knew that administrators were bound by system restrictions, limiting their combat capabilities.

The fact that Sherry was stepping forward so confidently suggested she believed she was within her rights—or at least had some loophole to exploit.

*”This isn’t something a high-level administrator would orchestrate. It’s someone higher.”*

Jinhyuk clenched his fist tighter.

*Nyarlathotep.*

That entity, capable of moving freely between floors, must’ve orchestrated this. Not outright breaking the rules, but bending them skillfully.

It was just like one of the Tower’s most enigmatic entities to complicate matters beyond a simple raid.

*”The Sun’s Spring Water… That’s their goal, isn’t it? Even the beings on the 50th floor have been searching for it.”*

Jinhyuk dangled bait, piecing together information he already knew.

“What are you talking about? Are you saying there’s something else here besides the Moon’s Spring Water?”

Sherry tilted her head as if genuinely confused.

But Jinhyuk caught the faint tremor in her left eye.

—

[*Mid-tier Administrator Sherry*]
*Appearance*: Beautiful Wood Elf, 168cm. Known for her expertise in close combat and her precision in fulfilling assignments. Favorite food: Bebelaime Tartare. Special Note: Her left eye twitches 5–6 times when lying.

—

*”This is why it’s crucial to gather information beforehand.”*

Had Jinhyuk not encountered Sherry in his past trials of the Tower, he might’ve missed the telltale sign.

Outwardly, Sherry pretended to be helping Lü Bu find Diao Chan, while covertly working to locate and secure the Sun’s Spring Water hidden within the labyrinth.

*Typical.*

Whether it was the Norse faction, the 50th floor, or the administrators, everyone seemed busy serving their own interests.

“But thanks to you, I’ve figured out how to leverage the Sun’s Spring Water.”

If played right, Jinhyuk could position himself favorably among the competing factions.

“Are you implying you know the location of the spring?”

Sherry adjusted her grip on her daggers, ready to end this farce.

“Talk is cheap. But I have no intention of explaining myself.”

There was no need to prolong the conversation. Since they were already at odds, Jinhyuk intended to give the administrator a hard lesson.

“Looks like you’re good with those daggers. Let me show you how to handle them properly. Come on.”

“Arrogant fool! The first thing I’ll slice is that insolent tongue of yours!”

Sherry lunged, initiating the fight.