[LP CYOA] 傳

[Bloodshifter]

C2
Tiger Pig!

 

[Azira]

C2
MAN TIGER PIG


This name's just so full of win, it's amazing.

 

[Smashing Axe]

I'm with Esquilax, C1 Zhang Jue is perfect for creating confusion and discord amongst the pugilists. No one would know who the southern maniac's apprentice is, but if we win we can still claim credit for the victory, if we so choose. It keeps our options open whilst at the same time confusing and disorientating the competition. I was originally for being in the open, but you guys are dead-set on keeping our techniques and skills hidden. Well this is the best way to do so, with uncertainty as to what our techniques and capabilities actually are we will have almost as good as an edge as we would if we didn't participate at all. This option, whilst putting heat on the farmer's son, diverts some of it to us as well so that he should be safe enough. How could we not go with it as an option?

Why are you guys, who wanted so desperately to keep our identity and techniques secret, voting for the option that doesn't benefit us at all? I realise it's not a very nice thing to do to a bro-ish farmer, but in the long-term this will do nothing to harm him, and everything to aid us. We've chosen to walk the morally shady path, this option isn't really that bad. Come on, wusses.
C1 - Zhang Jue > C2 - Zhang Jue

 

[Nevill]

With our merchant identity we are even more 'nobody' than with the mask on. Will elaborate once I get close to keyboard.

 

[Smashing Axe]

With our merchant identity we are even more 'nobody' than with the mask on. Will elaborate once I get close to keyboard.

The problem is that once we start participating, we won't be able to conceal our techniques and abilities. C keeps the techniques and abilities separated from our face, which is what we want. 1 creates confusion as to what our techniques and abilities actually are, and keeps attention from being entirely focused upon our masked persona, which will allow us to slip away easier back into our merchant persona. Really, it seems like the perfect combination, and I can't come up with a flaw for it beyond the morally objectionable aspect, which, honestly, isn't that bad.

Give the codex a bro-like figure, and they won't ever betray them, even if the betrayal means the bro looses his favourite spoon, or something else inconsequential. We're in this for ourselves and the prince, nothing else. Let's not be Ean.

Let's be Shulgi.

 

[Nevill]

Well, I agree that the choice depends on whether you consider it possible to hide your techniques. If you don't, then the mask is safer. If you do, then the mask just attracts an unwanted attention to yourself and gets in the way of communication.

For the moment, I think we can do without it.

 

[Esquilax]

Guys, C2? Really? Why do we want that? I know that you guys like the Farmer and don't want to act in an unbro manner (it doesn't sit right with me either, admittedly), but C1 is the way to go. Use the Zhang Jue alias while not bothering to confirm or deny that we're Zhang's apprentice, while simultaneously spreading rumours about the Farmer. Soon enough, you'll have multiple contradictory rumours floating around, and possibly a few charlatans also trying to claim that they're Zhang Jue's apprentice too.

I'm with Esquilax, C1 Zhang Jue is perfect for creating confusion and dischord amongst the pugilists. No one would know who the southern maniac's apprentice is, but if we win we can still claim credit for the victory, if we so choose. It keeps our options open whilst at the same time confusing and disorientating the competition. Whilst putting heat on the farmer's son, it diverts some of it so that he should be safe enough. How could we not go with it as an option?

Yeah, exactly. I'm not saying it's a completely clean, honorable option, but I don't think that it's going to put a ton of heat on Guo Fu as much as say, B1 would. I want to try and keep things clean most of the time, but we're still an unorthodox character. Look at what trying to play things completely 100% honest back at the tournament before Luoying Manor did for us? Exactly, not a fucking thing.

I really don't like putting Guo Fu and his lady in the crosshairs, but what the fuck are we here for? We're here to figure these motherfuckers out without getting figured out. That's all there is to it.

With our merchant identity we are even more 'nobody' than with the mask on. Will elaborate once I get close to keyboard.

This is true, but our goal isn't to be a "nobody"; our goal is to learn about our enemies as much as possible while simultaneously ensuring that they know as little about us as possible. Using our current cover allows us to do the latter, but it isn't much help for the former; it doesn't get us ahead in the information game. Using the Zhang Jue alias makes the whole thing mysterious and puts attention on us, while spreading a rumour that the Farmer is Zhang's apprentice creates confusion and causes people to wonder whether or not all the drama about Zhang is just completely made up.

In terms of the two-way flow of information, this is perfect. We hide our face and learn as much about our enemies as possible, while at the same time we ensure that our cover is less likely to be blown with multiple people potentially being apprentices of the Southern Maniac. The more paranoid everyone is, the better.

The problem is that once we start participating, we won't be able to conceal our techniques and abilities. C keeps the techniques and abilities separated from our face, which is what we want. 1 creates confusion as to what our techniques and abilities actually are, and keeps attention from being entirely focused upon our masked persona, which will allow us to slip away easier back into our merchant persona. Really, it seems like the perfect combination, and I can't come up with a flaw for it beyond the morally objectionable aspect, which, honestly, isn't that bad.

Give the codex a bro-like figure, and they won't ever betray them. We're in this for ourselves and the prince, nothing else. Let's not be Ean.

Let's be Shulgi.

Attaboy, Smashing Axe. Really, we shouldn't try to make Jing into an Ean figure, and honestly, he isn't. I don't think he's a bad guy, but he's sure as fuck willing to get his hands dirty for the Prince. If the Prince asked him to kill a bunch of people who he didn't know, Jing would follow those orders without question, because that's who he is and what he does. I loved playing as Ean, I really did, but we simply cannot puss out on this one.

Nevill just seems to want to make friends, but we're not here to make friends. We're here to get shit done.

 

[TOME]

But how will the mask affect our dealings with others in the locker room? Without the mask we could get valuable information just by talking. And I don't like throwing the farmer under the bus.

 

[Nevill]

You just had to mention the aspect of Jing that I wanted to get rid of since the beginning, did you?

Moreover, if Jing is willing to get his hands dirty for the prince, it doesn't mean he likes dirtying his hands to help himself.

I would probably pay much less attention to what happens to the farmer if he didn't have a wife with him. I am also would not be fine with C1 if some hothead ends up murdering him in an alley (because the boy really lacks the menacing presence to kill such an idea in a bud), seeking glory for besting Zhang's apprentice himself.

Don't worry, I'll write a proper response.

 

[Esquilax]

But how will the mask affect our dealings with others in the locker room?

This is what our alter-ego as the merchant's son is for:

I'm willing to keep it flexible. The tournament takes place over a number of days. Now that you have a place to stay, do you keep the mask on as you return, or do you take it off somewhere in the city before going back to the inn, and repeat the same thing the next day?

This choice determines your persona during the tournament itself, not outside of it. That one defaults to the merchant's son for now. In other words, you're pretending to be a naive newbie pretending to be a masked pig.

So we'll be fighting as our Zhang Jue alias with the pig mask (btw, this sounds almost like an insult against the man, further adding to the farcical comedy of the situation), while outside the ring we'll be maintaining contact with the Shaolin and possibly other orthodox types to get a feel for what kind of relationships they have with one another, possible internal feuds, weaknesses to exploit, etc. At the same time, having multiple people that are suspected of being Zhang's apprentice will confuse the situation - nobody will really know what to make of things.

Without the mask we could get valuable information just by talking. And I don't like throwing the farmer under the bus.

With the mask, we get the best of both worlds. We get information on psychological weaknesses through our merchant alter-ego, but we get information on technical flaws without them actual seeing our faces through actual competition. To prevent our identity from being compromised, we spread rumours about the Farmer to confuse the situation. It'll work very well.

I know, you like the Guo Fu. Honestly, so do I. But what the fuck are we here for? We're here to figure out our enemies as much as possible while revealing as little as possible. This plan allows for that.

You just had to mention the aspect of Jing that I wanted to get rid of since the beginning, did you?

Moreover, if Jing is willing to get his hand dirty for the prince, it doesn't mean he likes to dirty his hands to help himself.

Look, if you don't like bending the rules, why did you vote unorthodox to begin with? I'm not saying that unorthodox = asshole, but you have to be willing to use an orthodox character's general naivete against them. They have the contacts and the big sect behind them, but we've got the "art of skulduggery" as Mike Tyson put it in his documentary. I don't understand, what is your goal here? Do you even want to complete Zhang's challenge? Or Shun's mission? Because if you don't, well, you have a completely different idea of the character than I do and a vastly different perception of things, so we'll have to agree to disagree.

Okay, when it came to murdering Song Lingshu, I could sort of understand why a lot of people were hesitant. But this is fucking peanuts compared to that. Seriously, this is up there with not wanting to cheat at all during the tournament at Quewu Square.

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

I don't really think that the C choices make much sense. We are already posing as the merchant's son, and we have told a number of people (I think) that we have an invite as our persona and that we are planning on entering.

If we enter as a person with a mask, someone might realize that our persona did not enter and that the pig-masked guy was not seen before, so they could connect who we were anyway. It seems silly to try to make another disguise when most everyone already believes our first one, anyway. If anything, the mask might make people even more suspicious about us.

I don't think we should throw the poor farmer under the bus. He is a bro and has done nothing to us. If we are intent on hiding our real identity anyway, we shouldn't stir the flames lest they come back and burn us.

 

[Zero Credibility]

It seems silly to try to make another disguise when most everyone already believes our first one, anyway. If anything, the mask might make people even more suspicious about us.

This. We already have a perfectly good cover identity that allows us to freely mingle with our competitors. Why jeopardize that by inventing yet another unnecessary identity that could then be traced to us, leading to question of who we really are and what are our motives? Why complicate by adding more ways that things can go wrong with our plan?

Oh, and it's not like this is a Superman movie, where we can just put on glasses and suddenly nobody will recognise us the guy they were talking to 5 minutes ago. Somebody will notice sooner or later that the new guy in a mask is built, dressed and talks remarkably similar to their new merchant friend that just never seems to be around with the new guy.

 

[Stygian Lurker]

B2

 

[Esquilax]

Ah fuck it, looks like B2 will win out anyways. I find it unusual that some of the people that voted to paint the walls with Song Lingshu's blood are now losing heart when it comes to C1. Azira, Kipeci, you guys are stone-cold bros that know the value of getting shit done. Do you disagree with me on this one?

I don't really think that the C choices make much sense. We are already posing as the merchant's son, and we have told a number of people (I think) that we have an invite as our persona and that we are planning on entering.

If we enter as a person with a mask, someone might realize that our persona did not enter and that the pig-masked guy was not seen before, so they could connect who we were anyway. It seems silly to try to make another disguise when most everyone already believes our first one, anyway. If anything, the mask might make people even more suspicious about us.

Our merchant character is a nobody, remember? Remember that according to treave, we're a "naive newbie pretending to be a masked pig" in C. The double-identity allows us to maximize our potential here: the merchant boy allows us to fly under the radar and use our charisma, likability and harmless demeanour to make friends while being generally invisible, while the Zhang Jue alias

This. We already have a perfectly good cover identity that allows us to freely mingle with our competitors. Why jeopardises that by inventing yet another unnecessary identity that could then be traced to us, leading to question of who we really are and what are our motives? Why complicate by adding more ways that things can go wrong with our plan?

But that's the point: it won't be traced to us. That's why we're spreading rumours. If there are multiple Zhang Jue apprentices coming out of the woodwork, nobody will know who to look for.

And our identity doesn't give us as much free reign as the mask would. With our masked identity, we can discover the flaws in our opponent's techniques without them actually seeing who they are. A few months down the road when we're challenging people face to face, they'll know us as the merchant boy who was Zhang's apprentice all along - but unbeknownst to them, we would have their style figured out beforehand from the incognito sparring matches in the tournament. Really, I can't see how the two-way flow of information doesn't favour C1.

I don't think we should throw the poor farmer under the bus. He is a bro and has done nothing to us. If we are intent on hiding our real identity anyway, we shouldn't stir the flames lest they come back and burn us.

This is what it's really about. I think this is ultimately why people aren't voting for (1), and this is what it all comes down to. You guys just don't feel comfortable with causing the good-hearted Farmer trouble - and that's perfectly okay. But you have to realize that this is the main reason you're doing it, and it has nothing to do with practicality. You could give people all the reasons for why C1 will work - and it will work - but just like Smashing Axe said, you give the Codex a bro character, and they'll abandon a perfectly good plan at the drop of a hat.

 

[XenomorphII]

B1

Yes it is a dick move, but it has benefits. Hopefully, we can protect/assist him discretely so that he doesn't get killed for it.

 

[Zero Credibility]

But that's the point: it won't be traced to us. That's why we're spreading rumours. If there are multiple Zhang Jue apprentices coming out of the woodwork, nobody will know who to look for.

And our identity doesn't give us as much free reign as the mask would. With our masked identity, we can discover the flaws in our opponent's techniques without them actually seeing who they are. A few months down the road when we're challenging people face to face, they'll know us as the merchant boy who was Zhang's apprentice all along - but unbeknownst to them, we would have their style figured out beforehand from the incognito sparring matches in the tournament. Really, I can't see how the two-way flow of information doesn't favour C1.

They'll know us the merchant boy who was Zhang's apprentice all along without the mask in B as well. What does it matter if we have their style figured out beforehand from the incognito sparring matches or fake identity sparing matches? Is there a practical difference that justifies the risk to our current identity if it becomes known the merchant boy is behind the mask (and I really don't see us fooling everyone with something that simple)?

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

I agree about us liking bros, but I don't even see that we have a solid benefit from 1 that would make me want to do it.

If it was more spelled out that people would strongly believe that the farmer was our master's disciple , then I might be tempted to vote for it because it would help us keep our identity, but I just don't buy our chances.

I'm not saying that it wouldn't work as it is, but I don't feel like jeopardizing this man when we don't even know how it will play out is reckless. People might not believe us or even track down who was spreading all the rumors and get suspicious. We also don't know what kind of fighter the farmer is. If he doesn't live up to their expectations, then people might look elsewhere.

I think the main thing that is going to give us away is us kicking a lot of ass as a random fighter. If we play our cards right and don't be too obvious about our abilities, we shouldn't have to make everyone think that the farmer is Zhang's apprentice because they wouldn't think that someone like us would be able to make it. Likewise, if we go around punching holes in people's chests, then no amount of rumors will probably convince people that we aren't Zhang's apprentice.

 

[Zero Credibility]

That or Cao'er or Yifang showing up to spectate and blowing our cover out of ignorance or by warning our opponent.

 

[Esquilax]

They'll know us the merchant boy who was Zhang's apprentice all along without the mask in B as well. What does it matter if we have their style figured out beforehand from the incognito sparring matches or fake identity sparing matches? Is there a practical difference that justifies the risk to our current identity if it becomes known the merchant boy is behind the mask (and I really don't see us fooling everyone with something that simple)?

Huge difference. They'll know that the merchant boy is Zhang's apprentice, but they won't connect the dots of the masked fighter also being the merchant boy. At least, not until it's too late. If we play our cards right here - and casting suspicion on Guo Fu will ensure that we will - they won't come to the conclusion that the fighter with the pig mask, Zhang's apprentice, and the merchant boy are one and the same. That's the whole point.

Yes it is a dick move, but it has benefits. Hopefully, we can protect/assist him discretely so that he doesn't get killed for it.

Isn't this why we have a friend like Chi Qilin? We have ways of assisting Guo Fu without having to compromise our whole fucking mission here:

“Oh, yes. But don’t worry about it, I’m only sharing the information so that you don’t start suspecting your landlady of dubious practices and try to interfere under some misguided assumptions. If you’re staying across from me, I am sure you will have the urge to peek,” grins Qilin impishly. “Anyway, if you don’t interfere with my purpose here, I won’t interfere with yours. You just want to compete, right? Let me know and I won’t do a little test on the person you’re up against… or perhaps I will, if you’re looking for that little edge.” She winks at you, though you just sigh.

We use our harmless merchant persona to get wind of any ill-intent towards Guo Fu, then perhaps we call in a favour with Qilin: if we get wind of someone planning to hurt Guo Fu, perhaps they'll find themselves drowsy and weak when it's time to strike. Then they have to contend with this massive beast of a man pummelling them to death with his fists. Yes, this presents problems of its own (we'll have to owe Chi Qilin), but I really think that this is the best bet here.

Also, I would like to say that B1 is unnecessary here. C1 is necessary because we need Guo Fu to divert people from the double-identity we'll be leading, but you don't need to throw Guo Fu under the bus if you have a harmless identity that flies under the radar pretty well to begin with.

If it was more spelled out that people would strongly believe that the farmer was our master's disciple , then I might be tempted to vote for it because it would help us keep our identity, but I just don't buy our chances.

I'm not saying that it wouldn't work as it is, but I don't feel like jeopardizing this man when we don't even know how it will play out is reckless. People might not believe us or even track down who was spreading all the rumors and get suspicious. We also don't know what kind of fighter the farmer is. If he doesn't live up to their expectations, then people might look elsewhere.

I think the main thing that is going to give us away is us kicking a lot of ass as a random fighter. If we play our cards right and don't be too obvious about our abilities, we shouldn't have to make everyone think that the farmer is Zhang's apprentice because they wouldn't think that someone like us would be able to make it. Likewise, if we go around punching holes in people's chests, then no amount of rumors will probably convince people that we aren't Zhang's apprentice.

First off, I have faith in Jing's Speech skills here. These Shaolin monks seem to be rather gullible and we're rather charismatic, so they'll buy it. Furthermore, by the time the Farmer doesn't end up living up to their expectations, the tournament will likely be over. Once a rumour like this spreads, it's very difficult to find out who initially spread it (unless of course we do something idiotic like A1). It's like when a rumour spreads in high school: nobody really knows where it first came from. And at that point, nobody really cares.

I'd also like to point out that our goal in this tournament has never been to kick a lot of ass. It has always been: Find out as much as possible about our opponent's psychological and technical weaknesses while revealing as few of our own weaknesses as possible. I believe that C1 is the best way to do so.

That or Cao'er or Yifang showing up to spectate and blowing our cover out of ignorance or by warning our opponent.

This is actually less likely with C1. If we're wearing a mask during the tournament, then they don't know who is behind the mask. Granted, they might have suspicions, but they won't know for sure, and as the update indicated, there are lots of gimmicky masked fighters in the tournament every year, so it could be anybody. If we're competing as the merchant boy, they'll recognize our face.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Keep fighting the good morally dubious fight Esquilax. I don't have much hope of C1 winning, what with the way the codex is, but it would be such an interesting outcome. We really do have the capability to successfully pull a Shulgi with multiple personas, which I've been wanting to do for a while now. I also think with the large numbers we currently have voting, that arguing for an option in accordance to a certain strategy has lost the edge it once had. There's often too much discussion and too many differing viewpoints to reach an accord, or a long-term strategy. Right now we're all over the place with our decision making. Also I know when I see seven or eight pages of discussion, I often skip a lot of it and vote the way I want to, not having the time or inclination to sift through a long discussion. It's just the way it is.

 

[Esquilax]

Here's a little thought experiment: if the Farmer character was an asshole - let's say he were someone like Master Rong's son - would you still be voting against C1? If you would be voting against C1 regardless of the Farmer's personality, regardless of whether he was a saint or the devil, why? I have not seen a convincing case that wasn't predicated on something other than "It isn't cool, bro".

 

[Zero Credibility]

Huge difference. They'll know that the merchant boy is Zhang's apprentice, but they won't connect the dots of the masked fighter also being the merchant boy. At least, not until it's too late. If we play our cards right here - and casting suspicion on Guo Fu will ensure that we will - they won't come to the conclusion that the fighter with the pig mask, Zhang's apprentice, and the merchant boy are one and the same. That's the whole point.

But what does that actually give us in practical terms? Why would us sparing incognito be better then us sparring under a false name when we come to them? We wouldn't gain any more information from it - in fact, we would learn less as they wouldn't talk to us while we are wearing a mask. And since we are not going to use our full capabilities anyway, them knowing that they have or haven't fought us before is irrelevant. It makes no difference if they are fighting our incognito identity or our false identity since all they are going to know about us is what we show them in the ring. And the risk of somebody noticing that we are the same person is high, unless everyone there is oblivious.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Here's a little thought experiment: if the Farmer character was an asshole - let's say he were someone like Master Rong's son - would you still be voting against C1? If you would be voting against C1 regardless of the Farmer's personality, regardless of whether he was a saint or the devil, why? I have not seen a convincing case that wasn't predicated on something other than "It isn't cool, bro".

What, morality doesn't count as an argument? All right, how about because starting this rumour could be traced back to us too easily? All it takes is for the farmer to find out why everyone is avoiding him like the plaque, deny it and then ask who said that he was the Maniac's apprentice. And then you have people looking at us funny wondering if we are lying and we have made an enemy of the farmer boy.

 

[Kashmir Slippers]

Here's a little thought experiment: if the Farmer character was an asshole - let's say he were someone like Master Rong's son - would you still be voting against C1? If you would be voting against C1 regardless of the Farmer's personality, regardless of whether he was a saint or the devil, why? I have not seen a convincing case that wasn't predicated on something other than "It isn't cool, bro".

If the farmer was a jerk, then I am sure that a lot of us would be voting to try to use him to our advantage. It is just like the Songfeng School. We chose to kill him because he was a jerk and we felt that he had earned the punishment (I think. It was a while ago.)

Begging that question is irrelevant, though, because he isn't a jerk at all. What we don't want to do is cause some great harm to the poor chap because he has done nothing deserving of it. Like I was trying to say in my post, and I probably horribly failed to get the point across, we don't know how much trouble we would be putting him in if we spread rumors about him. As I see it, at least, we are weighing the possible gain of misdirecting some suspicion from us onto him, but we are gambling with the unknown nature of the deceit. While it might be just that, rumors, for all we know it could lead to his getting cast out of the pugilistic world or even getting he or his wife killed or wounded.

I am more willing to accept personal responsibility for hiding our identity and the faults that could come of that than I am willing to gamble with an innocent man's future. We are Tigers, not Monkeys!

 

[Baltika9]

I'm not voting yet, but I'm leaning towards B2, for two reasons
Guys, why are we making this more complicated than it has to be. Why are we treating this like a play at the Versailles? I get the whole "we want to avoid detection as long as possible and learn as much as possible about the enemy." What I don't get is how taking the title of Zhang Jue will help us: for one, it will draw a shit ton of attention from everyone present, the Masters included (remember, even they don't know the Maniac's apprentice was invited). All eyes will be on the crazy motherfucker that claims to be The Southern Maniac and not the dude that s rumored to be his apprentice. Also, that will make the more skilled students come after us right off the bat and on the surface, that sounds fucking great: our plan is working, we get to fight them and no one gets to see our face! However, that also means that we will have to up our game and start throwing our more advanced shit out there, and this is where the problems will start: between the aggressive way we fight and the rather un-Maniac way the Farmer will fight, they'll start to put the pieces together. After all, the Maniac is called that for a reason and many people heard of his deeds, some in the crowd have actually seen him perform those deeds, so no way anyone believe that his apprentice is a mild-mannered fighter that pulls his punches, but rather the real apprentice is the guy that's using moves oddly similar to, OH SHI-, Shouwang Claws. On the other hand, if we go in udner our merchant alias, then I think we will be able to fly by the preliminary battle royale and 4x4 with just our raw talent:

“Perhaps. I am not sure if I will. My meagre skill at martial arts managed to win a crest, and convince my father to let me come, but looking at the level of competition here I am afraid I will not be able to get anywhere,” you say nervously. In truth, what you have seen so far does not impress you one bit. The monk smiles and nods. “Yes, it is a rather tough crowd this year. They are saying this will be the most tightly fought competition in ages. We have the disciple of the Sword Saint Shangguan Chuji, the Twin Flowers of Huashan and Taishan’s Seven Heroic Youths, amongst so many other notable contestants!”

Jing isn't impressed by his competition and honestly, most of these guys are amateurs. Even without using our best stuff, I think we can bullshit our way through the initial matches.

The other factor is, the Farmer is a bro. I won't even try to lie about this, fucking him over just sits wrong with me. He's an unorthodox type, just like us, who has been dealt a bad hand and is now trying to make the best of his life for him and his wife. Trying to get his life straight in the world. Bros, I can't fuck over a guy like that.

Give the codex a bro-like figure, and they won't ever betray them, even if the betrayal means the bro looses his favorite spoon, or something else inconsequential. We're in this for ourselves and the prince, nothing else. Let's not be Ean.

Let's be Shulgi.

Do you have any idea how rare it is to find a bro in a treave LP? A bro is worth his weight in gold (which is a whole fucking lot for the Ox Farmer ) and I want to keep working with this guy down the line. Making friends with the right individuals is extremely important for someone like Jing, whom "upstanding orthodox" types will scorn wherever he goes. FarmerBRO is going places if he gets the chance, so I'd rather start getting into his good graces now. And keep him as far away as fucking possible from Zhang.
Also, forget about EPIC protagonists, Jing is none of them. He's not a cerebral Shulgi-type, he's not a headfirst heroic Ean-type, he's his own dude. Let this be his story, ffs.

Alright, there's the third factor, trolling. I want to see the look on our marks' faces when the well-mannered merchant's son rolls up to their schools and challenges them to a duel. "Oh, I never did tell you that I am Zhang Jue's student, did I? "

Edit: I agree with Kashmir Slippers on his last point.