[LP CYOA] 傳

[Nevill]

Making friends is nice, but there is also such a thing as avoiding making enemies. Now that Chi Qilin knows our identity and knows that we are hiding it for some reason, why don't we try and understand what she wants from us, so that she doesn't blow our cover later, be it on purpose or not?

She is one of the few who definitely knows we are the apprentice of the Maniac. That information might hurt us, badly, since we decided to go about our business in secrecy. If she doesn't mean us harm, let's take her offer. If she does, let's keep her close and try to guess what her game is.

Knowing the streets means we know what places to avoid so we don't end up running into someone who knows our face.

Funny you should mention that.

B. [...] Besides, you might be able to pick up some tips from her about sneaking around a city.

So if we're trying to acquaint ourselves with a few Shaolin types, living with Tulu Huodu's niece isn't the best way of going about it.

So... how does living with the Emei nun sound, then? Because that is how Qilin disguises herself.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Going with AB.

1A because why not make some friends in the orthodox world? That is one of the reasons we are here for.

2B because I feel that living on the streets would jeopardize our cover story to an unacceptable degree. Our current cover story is solid, and the girl already knows who we are anyway. Sure, she might be planing something, but she can blow our cover just as easily whether we are staying on the streets or in the inn.

 

[Esquilax]

Esquilax, think going street might affect our "cover" and such? That's what concerns me about AA now.

Yes, changing our story on the fly has its problems. We've run through dozens of inns using our "merchant boy" cover story, so if we decide to walk into an inn with a few friends of ours for a quick drink, the innkeeper might notice that we look very familiar. Besides, there are plenty of ways that we can try to hide it: Jing is clever enough to think on his feet, plus excuses are a lot easier to come by in a situation like this than they would be if we accept Chi Qilin's offer. "Sorry guys, I walked in there once and the innkeeper accused me of stealing. They just don't let street kids in the inns around here."

One thing that we can take advantage of is the fact that the Shaolin monks have been living in a monastery most of their lives, so they're probably somewhat gullible. However, trying to make various excuses while living with Chi Qilin is going to be a lot harder to maintain.

Making friends is nice, but there is also such a thing as avoiding making enemies. Now that Chi Qilin knows our identity and knows that we are hiding it for some reason, why don't we try and understand what she wants from us, so that she doesn't blow our cover later, be it on purpose or not?

She is one of the few who definitely knows we are the apprentice of the Maniac. If she doesn't mean us harm, let's take her offer. If she does, let's keep her close and try to guess what her game is.

My problem is that I think the double life in which we are living under Tulu Huodu's roof while trying to make friends with Shaolin monks is more difficult to reconcile than the double life where we're a charming street rat who tries to avoid inns.

Surely Jing can rebuff Chi Qilin's offer diplomatically. She respected his courage in approaching the Southern Maniac and he did help her at Luoying Manor when she asked him to come with her on that little mission, so they're at least on somewhat good terms. Turning her down shouldn't be too much trouble.

Like I said, I just think that trying to infiltrate orthodox sects while living with Chi Qilin is a recipe for trouble.

 

[Nevill]

Surely Jing can rebuff Chi Qilin's offer diplomatically. She respected his courage in approaching the Southern Maniac and he did help her at Luoying Manor when she asked him to come with her on that little mission, so they're at least on somewhat good terms. Turning her down shouldn't be too much trouble.

Surely he can turn her down. Then we lose sight of one person who can blow our cover with a single word. We don't know what her goals are, and whether they can be reconsiled with ours. It would be a pity if we unwittingly would end up in her way, alienating her (which I would have wanted to avoid at all costs even if she couldn't harm us) and ending our legend prematurely.

My problem is that I think the double life in which we are living under Tulu Huodu's roof while trying to make friends with Shaolin monks is more difficult to reconcile than the double life where we're a charming street rat who tries to avoid inns.

Well, you are a merchant. You've found out that the room was empty and the owner isn't coming back any time soon, so you have bought off the innkeeper. The only one who can call you out on it is Qilin herself, and if she is willing to do so, you have bigger worries on your mind.

 

[Esquilax]

So... how does living with the Emei nun sound, then? Because that is how Qilin disguises herself.

I think you may have misread it. I checked to see, and we ran into Chi Qilin after avoiding the nuns:

A pretty girl dressed in a Miao outfit backs away with her hands put up, smiling sweetly. “Ah, I knew it was you. It has been a long time.”

She's dressed in Miao clothing, not as a nun.

1A because why not make some friends in the orthodox world? That is one of the reasons we are here for.

2B because I feel that living on the streets would jeopardize our cover story to an unacceptable degree. Our current cover story is solid, and the girl already knows who we are anyway. Sure, she might be planing something, but she can blow our cover just as easily whether we are staying on the streets or in the inn.

First off, we're here to win by next year. I think that making friends among the orthodox sects is our ticket to winning, which is why I'm voting for it, but I'm not placing friends and contacts above the big picture.

The girl knows who we are, but she doesn't really know why we're coming in under an assumed name. Yes, she saw us talking to the Maniac, but I'm quite certain she doesn't know that Xu Jing is Master Zhang's apprentice. It's important to remember that while she did see us conversing with him, she isn't a fellow of the Manor and so she doesn't know what we've been up to since we became a fellow. treave, Jing isn't aware that we're Zhang's apprentice, correct? I don't see why this would be something that she would know.

 

[Zero Credibility]

She could have learned it easily enough from Yao or (more probably) Cao'er. She does seems to have some contact with them, and I could see here coming to them to ask about our abrupt disappearance.

 

[Nevill]

She's dressed in Miao clothing, not as a nun.

Silly me. 'Mi' syllable will never look the same to me again.

The girl knows who we are, but she doesn't really know why we're coming in under an assumed name.

She doesn't really need to know it to ruin our operation here, does she?

 

[treave]

List of people who remember Xu Jing strongly and can recognize him by sight:

Crown Prince Li Shun

Ashina Princess Yunzi

Lady Ji of Luoying Manor

Southern Maniac Zhang Jue

Eastern Beggar Qi Liuwu

Killer Physician Yao Shunshi

Abbess Miecao of Emei

Sister Miaozhu and the Castration Nun Squad

Cao'er the Physician

Yifang the Nun

Chi Qilin the Poison Expert

Xiahou Yu the Scholar

Rong Muben and Madam Rong of Songfeng

treave, Jing isn't aware that we're Zhang's apprentice, correct?

Jing is very aware that he is Zhang's apprentice, unless he hit his head when the caravan turned over. As for Qilin, she was there when you first encountered Zhang and he wanted to take you away. If she visited Yao a few times after that and you were not there, I don't think they need to say anything for her to understand what happened to you.

 

[Esquilax]

Ah, fuck, I meant to say this: treave, Chi QIlin isn't aware that we're Zhang's apprentice, correct?

 

[treave]

To further elaborate, that you are here, alive, could mean that you are still his apprentice, or that you managed to escape his clutches. That might mean something to her, or it might not mean anything.

 

[TOME]

AB

 

[Zero Credibility]

This is important: the beggars aren't competing, but they are placing bets on the fighters in the tournament.

Speaking of betting, a thought occurs to me that we might score some nice cash that way since we are probably planing to lose anyway at some point. Beggars probably won't have that much money, but we could find more lucrative bets somewhere in the city. And it could serve as a nice cover story if somebody (Qilin) realises we have thrown a fight. What, us planing something? No, we did it just for the money.

But we would also have to find somebody we can trust to make our bets for that and unfortunately that list is coming up blank for me. Qilin could do it, sure, but she is not exactly trustworthy.

 

[treave]

But we would also have to find somebody we can trust to make our bets for that and unfortunately that list is coming up blank for me.

Cao'er.

But don't let her sister or grandmother find out.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

This is important: the beggars aren't competing, but they are placing bets on the fighters in the tournament.

Speaking of betting, a thought occurs to me that we might score some nice cash that way since we are probably planing to lose anyway at some point. Beggars probably won't have that much money, but we could find more lucrative bets somewhere in the city. And it could serve as a nice cover story if somebody (Qilin) realises we have thrown a fight. What, us planing something? No, we did it just for the money.

But we would also have to find somebody we can trust to make our bets for that and unfortunately that list is coming up blank for me. Qilin could do it, sure, but she is not exactly trustworthy.

Ok, so while somebody(Qilin) takes in that we've done it for the money, what would the orthodox guys think? A high PER master might want to probe deeper than match fixing story, wouldn't he?

 

[Kipeci]

AB

By the way, are we yet to get the skill boosts?

 

[Stygian Lurker]

AB

 

[Zero Credibility]

Cao'er.

But don't let her sister or grandmother find out.

Nah, it can't be her. Not because of her sister and grandmother finding out - that could actually work to our advantage as it would give them a motive why the Maniacs apprentice obviously threw a fight (even if they would be pissed off at us). But because I just don't see her doing something like that. We would need a face for this, a rogue. Plus I wouldn't want to drag her into something like that anyway.

Ok, so while somebody(Qilin) takes in that we've done it for the money, what would the orthodox guys think? A high PER master might want to probe deeper than match fixing story, wouldn't he?

Eh, I was only being half-serious. But if somebody does start to look into things, it would still appear better to have some kind of obvious motive rather than none.

 

[Nevill]

But if somebody does start to look into things, it would still appear better to have some kind of obvious motive rather than none.

If we partake in the competition anonimously, who will suspect us if we throw down a fight? Nobody expects anything of us.

The only people who know we are here are the Emei and Qilin. And they already know we are up to some mischievery, what with the fake identity and all. The Abbess won't expose us, as we both know some sensitive information about each other. As for Qilin, that's what B is for.

 

[Tigranes]

Oh well. My grand plans shall have to wait another day for fruition...

We voted to go in anonymous, well let's stay anonymous. If we now start helping Shaolin monks and getting involved with a girl who is probably best equipped in China to make us 'visible', well, I can see this whole 'anonymous' plan going downhill very, very fast.

Edit: In all seriousness: we decided several updates ago to attend this tournament as anonymously as possible. We stuck to that in our last choice. Neither of the choices here present us with any compelling reason to suddenly break this. What the hell are the Shaolin monks going to do to thank a dude showing them the way, pledge their undying loyalty and give Jing the sect's secrets? People, we need to have a plan in mind when we choose, not just read the choices and decide on the fly, or we're just going to end up proudly announcing our identity to the world soon enough.

BA

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

AB

 

[ScubaV]

AB

Also since I believe II and IV are still tied in the previous vote, I will unvote IV to put II ahead.

 

[Nevill]

We voted to go in anonymous, well let's stay anonymous.

It would be good to remember why we did so. To buddy up with orthodox types more easily and procure information.

What the hell are the Shaolin monks going to do to thank a dude showing them the way, pledge their undying loyalty and give Jing the sect's secrets?

How about telling us who is the best prepared, most skilled, and the toughest motherfucker on their team, for starters, to awe a merchant boy who had long been a fan of their school? This is something to be proud of, why would they keep it secret?

I don't think we have anything better to do, and I see no reason to avoid them. We might hear something they'd think is safe to mention in a presence of a merchant, but in fact would be tremendously useful to us as a participant later.

 

[TOME]

Edit: In all seriousness: we decided several updates ago to attend this tournament as anonymously as possible.

Tournament here is the key word. What harm is there if we socialize a bit and make some friends?

 

[Tigranes]

Except the previous choice was exactly about whether we maximise our reputation outside the tournament or not

Anyway, I can understand the benefits of some covert info gathering if there are good benefits, the two options here smell a bit fishy to me for now, though.

Not that it matters, I think AB already has won?

 

[Jester]

My problem is that I think the double life in which we are living under Tulu Huodu's roof while trying to make friends with Shaolin monks is more difficult to reconcile than the double life where we're a charming street rat who tries to avoid inns.

Well, you are a merchant. You found out that the room was empty and the owner isn't coming back any time soon, so you have bought off the innkeeper. The only one who can call you out on it is Qilin herself, and if she is willing to do so, you have bigger worries on your mind.

Hmm or mby we tried to get rooms in several inns, but unfortunately there was no room in tavern for son of tiger. We lucky had find out about person who was trying to get refund on room but couldn't and we being charming merchant made deal with owner. It explains why we know Chi if someone will ask.

As for getting to know the orthodox. If we will help them, what will they tell people asking about us? That we are polite merchant son who helped them when they got lost in city helping our cover story sink in. I dont expect they will do anything major for us but mby they will give us some intel on their side, dont expect they will hide who is considered most talented from their sect students.

The main advantages of taking inn with chi is that we will know what she is up to and we will get some pointers how to hide in city with unfortunately we cant do well enough if we have to. Jing did everything he know to stay hidden from people still Chi had traced him without him being aware and that is dangerous and counter-productive taking into consideration we wish to get as much info as me can and not being able to hide will charm it.