Chapter 88: ...So Did Zhuge Liang Have the Drugs On Him Already?
The newly-freed Meng Huo retreats deeper into the jungle, crossing a river to regroup. The Shu forces eventually try to cross after him, but everybody who goes in the water basically melts like Major Toht does at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
You know, the Nazi with the glasses.
...Spoilers for Raiders of the Lost Ark, by the way.
So it turns out that in the hot summer months, the water turns into a poisonous soup, making it seem as though getting across will be impossible. But the Shu forces consult with a local, who tells them if you cross at night when it's cool, then it's perfectly safe. So they do that.
Cut over to Meng Huo, who tells his men that if they just wait around long enough, Zhuge Liang's troops will get too hot and diseased and go home. So they just have to defend until then; it's a foolproof plan.
Somebody then asks what happens if they try to cross the shallow point in the river. Meng Huo responds, they should! They'll all die! That works for me!
But then when somebody else asks what happens if Shu finds out from a local how to cross safely, Meng Huo's like, nah, nobody would tell them that.
Long story short, Shu arrives and Meng Huo sends guys to fight, but the guys don't want to because Zhuge Liang treated them so well last time he captured them. So they tie up Meng Huo and bring him over instead.
Zhuge Liang exclaims, hey, you said if I caught you again, you'd submit. Well, here we are!
Meng Huo tells him, weellll technically you didn't catch me. My own men did. I don't think that should count.
Zhuge Liang admits that's a fair argument, and decides to let Meng Huo go free again. But before he does, they have a few drinks and share some laughs and Zhuge Liang shows off his campsite.
Thinking he now has some great intel on the camp, Meng Huo wants to try burning it out, so he sends his brother over to "offer tribute" to Shu as a trick. Zhuge Liang throws a party to celebrate; but this is a counter-ploy, and he has all the Man troops drugged.
When Meng Huo shows up, the camp is empty, save for the passed-out men. ...Meaning that all the Shu troops are in ambush position around him.
The ambush is sprung, and Meng Huo is caught a third time. Zhuge Liang asks him, hey, how about submitting now? But Meng Huo responds, uh, no, this one's my brother's fault for being a moron and drinking your stupid wine. I want a proper battle.
Zhuge Liang says, yeah, we can do that! You're getting really close, I'm sure you can get us next time. And he lets Meng Huo out again to plan his attack.