[LP CYOA] 傳

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Our luck truly is our Shulgi. We never know when or how it may strike...

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Again, the choice is if-y as to whether or not they will even accept our challenge. If they don't, we are screwed.

We have the technology hostage. And they place more value on honor than we do. I'd say, chances are high that they would.

The guy just publicly disowned her. If he is too prideful, he may not react in time to restrain his forces.

They could simply wear us down. Wouldn't take more than 15 good fighters or 30 decent ones before we could barely muster the energy to stand.

They could, but wouldn't their morale wear down even faster than our endurance? This isn't a slapping contest, people are going to get hurt here. Will there be many volonteers after the first few fail?

The Songfeng already saw us cut down the guy who should have been their strongest fighter in a fair fight years ago and they are still lining up. Maybe if we can manage to make it to 25 or 30 - that's if we are sparing their lives, if we kill or maim them brutally, maybe sooner. The problem with that is, again, we will TOAST our rep. As someone pointed out earlier, the Songfeng will send out assassins if our rep gets any lower with them and I doubt any of the other sects will react well to us turning traitor, taking a hostage, and maiming their fighters.

We will be branded a coward, a liar, a traitor to our country, and a kidnapper. How do you think that will affect our future? How do you think that will affect our ability to complete Zhang's challenge if no one is even willing to fight us in a match due to our dishonor?

If we act now, we might be able to convince them to spare the women and children later.

And where would they go, even if the pugilists spare them? They don't have supplies, they can't find work because they don't know the language, they can't settle. Losing here is a certain death for them. They'll fight for their lives here, and will get killed along with the men.

The island may be able to support them in such reduced numbers. They are facing a far more certain death NOW. If we fail, they will be wiped out completely. Should we risk our life AND theirs for a long-shot? If the women and children and the men unable or unwilling to fight are allowed to live, there is at least a chance for them.

And as you might have noticed, it is hard for us to convince anyone here of anything.

Killing the pirate leader will be convincing enough to them that we are on their side and won't betray them. After that, consider that old man Z isn't a monster. He will listen to reason if we can insure his casualties aren't too severe by striking brutally now and crippling the enemy morale.

You mean one-at-a-time, don't you? C is the option to pick if you want them to retreat.

No, C is the option that outlaws the pirates here forever. There will be other expeditions, and since C makes peace impossible, the pirates will be wiped out eventually.

The pirates already have a death sentence on their heads. IF B works, then yes, it may salvage things for them. However, it will screw our rep to hell IF we succeed, and kill or maim us for life if we fail - which seems far more likely.

 

[GreyViper]

This somewhat reminds me of the Bai Jiutian challange. I do wonder if taking a rep hit by leaving woud be the optimal choice, this being a side quest and all.
treave question how bad is the rep loss with chocies A and B?

 

[treave]

What rep?

You are already known as "that guy who does whatever the fuck he wants and gives no fucks".

As for challenges, it doesn't matter whether you have a good reputation or a bad reputation, only that you have a sufficiently big one. If you're infamous enough they'll be lining up to take you down anyway.

 

[Nevill]

The guy just publicly disowned her. If he is too prideful, he may not react in time to restrain his forces.

He also didn't mean it, and his son might disagree.

We will be branded a coward, a liar, a traitor to our country, and a kidnapper. How do you think that will affect our future?

A coward? People that would want to accuse us of cowardice after we challenge a hundred of fighters by ourselves might want to a) check the definition b) rethink their retirement plans. A liar? Why is that? Have we even lied, or promised anything to anybody? A race traitor is an accusation I can live with, we might want to check up on Zoros after this. And as for a kidnapper - we'll see about that. I'd say a Molesting Tiger that sneaks out pretty ladies at night (remember Cao'er in Qingcheng?) is a reputation I wouldn't turn down.

How do you think that will affect our ability to complete Zhang's challenge if no one is even willing to fight us in a match?

I don't think it will be affected at all. What matters for a challenge is our skill. If some coward/liar/traitor/OMGSPAWNOFSATAN is better than their best disciples, as we have already demonstrated at the tournament, it does not reflect well on the major sects. Besides, six months from now on we'll get another chance to prove our superiority over them.

Killing the pirate leader will be convincing enough to them that we are on their side and won't betray them. After that, consider that old man Z isn't a monster. He will listen to reason if we can insure his casualties aren't too severe by striking brutally now and crippling the enemy morale.

It is kinda too late for us to seek their favor after everything that had been said. Especially after Yu spoke his part. Zhou aren't monsters, but they have already refused when the guy himself offered them his head. What would change if we would be the ones offering it?

They will kill all the men, and all the women that would resist (and they would), and the rest of Wo will be left here to die. It can't end any other way.

However, it will screw our rep to hell IF we succeed, and kill or maim us for life if we fail - which seems far more likely.

No shit. But I never placed our rep so high that I would prefer it over several hundreds of lives. If I have to sacrifice it, so be it.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

What rep?

You are already known as "that guy who does whatever the fuck he wants and gives no fucks".

As for challenges, it doesn't matter whether you have a good reputation or a bad reputation, only that you have a sufficiently big one. If you're infamous enough they'll be lining up to take you down anyway.

*sigh* Really? I would think being a traitor to our country might make things a little worse at least, but hey...

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

A coward?

Cowards take women hostage. Real men just start kicking ass and taking names - or so the tale might be spun.

Anyway, now that treave said that, B is almost certainly going to be a lock. Better hope we win.

 

[Nevill]

Cowards take women hostage.

If they take hostages to avoid harm to themselves, then they are cowards. Obviously, this isn't the case with us.
We aren't afraid for our life here, we are trying to prevent the other guys killing off women and children. Taking hostages makes us an extremist, but not a coward by any means.

 

[treave]

*sigh* Really? I would think being a traitor to our country might make things a little worse at least, but hey...

Worse in the sense that it makes you a bigger, juicier target for honour-seekers? In that interaction with patriots and loyalists will be very difficult from now on, if they recognize you for the betraying scum that you are? Certainly. But if you are seen as a traitor after this it gives them more reason to fight you in order to purify the shame you have brought to your own people, not less. Why wouldn't they fight the enemy?

 

[asxetos]

B. Its time to go full man-mode. I would also like to take this moment to say "I told you so" about your A2 choice.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Cowards take women hostage.

If they take hostages to avoid harm to themselves, then they are cowards. Obviously, this isn't the case with us.

Um, why would we be taking her hostage? Because we can't take them all on at once and so TO PROTECT OURSELVES we USE HER to force them to fight us one at a time. Spin it however you like.

 

[Baltika9]

But hey, Jing gives zero fucks about public perception and does whatever the fuck he wants. And gets away with it, too, because what are they gonna do 'bout it.

Anyway, the concern about us not being able to take on the challengers is a moot one, these guys are second/third rate fighters that would have barely been a match for the tired Minamoto pirates. We're the disciple of the best killer in the world, they don't stand a chance in a duel to the death.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

*sigh* Really? I would think being a traitor to our country might make things a little worse at least, but hey...

Worse in the sense that it makes you a bigger, juicier target for honour-seekers? In that interaction with patriots and loyalists will be very difficult from now on, if they recognize you for the betraying scum that you are? Certainly. But if you are seen as a traitor after this it gives them more reason to fight you in order to purify the shame you have brought to your own people, not less. Why wouldn't they fight the enemy?

Oh, well. I kind of did want Jing to be an anti-hero anyway... Someone badass and with a terrifying rep like Zhang, but with a good heart.

 

[Nevill]

Um, why would we be taking her hostage? Because we can't take them all on at once and so TO PROTECT OURSELVES we USE HER to force them to fight us one at a time.

Uh, no.

My understanding is that we take her hostage to make them agree to the challenge where they focus their efforts on us and us alone.

It does not matter to Jing if they fight him one at a time or all at once:

The best way would be to challenge all of them – one at a time, all at once, they can come at you however they wish.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

edit: lol reading comp fail on my part...

I had read it as two opposing statements: "...one-at-a-time. All at once they could..."

 

[Baltika9]

Oh, well. I kind of did want Jing to be an anti-hero anyway... Someone badass and with a terrifying rep like Zhang, but with a good heart.

And B accomplishes exactly that, what is more "good hearted" than sacrificing your own reputation and taking on over a hundred challengers to rescue exiles forced into a shitty situation?

Gentlemen, I believe we now know exactly how and why Master Zhang became the Southern Maniac.
Truly, the man is the world's greatest but misunderstood hero.

 

[Nevill]

And B accomplishes exactly that, what is more "good hearted" than sacrificing your own reputation and taking on over a hundred challengers to rescue exiles forced into a shitty situation?

Now, now, don't make the victims out of them just yet. Even if the fault is shared, they still have to answer for what they had done (not that they aren't ready to do so).

I hope it can be settled with them paying fines out of their treasures once all of this is over.

 

[Anabanana]

Don't forget that this is just supposed to be a side trip for extra cash. Why would we put our lives on the line in such a desperate long-shot and possibly become severely injured when we still have the WIB to check out?

Good point! If the cash is all that matters, why not pick A, then, where you can just walk swim away with the money?

It seems to me that people got blinded by promises of MONEY and GLORY and NINJA PIRATES instead of making use of our time-sensitive information and pursuing our mission, but of course, as expected of treave, instead of cool swashbuckling action we have a morally complex, sticky situation here that's just going to hurt us because we WILL do the right thing godfuckingdamnit. The only upside to this is that we found out that something's going behind the prince's back in the court, but again, not many details on that, so this is something that we should try and follow up on later if we survive.

But eh, since we've already gotten ourselves into this situation, I think we should try and (1) resolve this without anybody dying or getting seriously hurt, especially not the civvies; and (2) figure out a long-term situation for this clusterfuck. That rules out A, even though it makes the most sense in terms of what we wanted out of this encounter in the first place (the MONIEZ!! that we claimed to not give a fuck about when bailing out Xiahou Yu). Also rules out C, because hahahaha suuure let's help the pirates kill the orthodox guys, that's surely not burning any bridges and ruining any chances at a long-term solution at all. D is unacceptable for various reasons - casualties aside, even if we try to minimize them, with the leader gone, who the fuck is going to make their long-term decisions for them?

That leaves B as the only viable answer, and quite frankly, it's the most badass, unorthodox, Xu Jing-like action that will definitely net us the glory and infamy that some of you were hoping for by going after pirates in the first place. Of course, it could kill or severely injure us, thus impeding progress on both Zhang's quest and Shun's mission, but eh, can't call ourselves the Southern Maniac's disciple if we hesitate to pull stunts like this.

The only thing that bothers me about this is that we're not going to be able to hold back at all with this choice if we want to live, which might result in us accidentally killing some people who really have done no wrong except be idiotic and racist and self-righteous, which is annoying but not grounds for a death sentence.

A coward?

Cowards take women hostage. Real men just start kicking ass and taking names - or so the tale might be spun.

Um, why would we be taking her hostage? Because we can't take them all on at once and so TO PROTECT OURSELVES we USE HER to force them to fight us one at a time. Spin it however you like.

Oh wow, so we value "not looking like a coward" over hundreds of lives. I see. If you're so concerned about rep and looking good over actual morality, should've joined the orthodox route in the first place. Hell, you passed up a perfectly good chance to play Bai Jiutian!

*sigh* Really? I would think being a traitor to our country might make things a little worse at least, but hey...

Worse in the sense that it makes you a bigger, juicier target for honour-seekers? In that interaction with patriots and loyalists will be very difficult from now on? Certainly. But if you are seen as a traitor after this it gives them more reason to fight you in order to purify the shame you have brought to your own people, not less. Why wouldn't they fight the enemy?

Perfect. What with everyone being obsessed with scampering off on the first sidequest you see, we won't have time to finish Zhang's quest at all. Let's piss people off so our opponents will seek us out instead of us having to travel everywhere to meet them.

On that note, throwing in an official vote for B. I'm with Baltika and Nevill on this one.

Also, thank you for yet another amazing CYOA, treave. I've been wanting more Jin Yong-like stuff ever since I went through the last of his canon and this really reminds me of a classic wuxia novel. Xu Jing himself is almost like a badass, more moral version of Wei Xiao Bao. Let's see if we can net him his own harem!

 

[Baltika9]

Orthodoxy:
-285 (Definitely Unorthodox)

Say, treave, at what point do we get the "Unorthodox As Fuck" epithet?

 

[ScubaV]

B appears to be landsliding.

I prefer: Fuck pugilists, get money (A)

 

[Jester]

Also rules out C, because hahahaha suuure let's help the pirates kill the orthodox guys, that's surely not burning any bridges and ruining any chances at a long-term solution at all.

We don't if we kill everyone of them, so no one can report back what happened here. Kinda like the idea, but its not Jing like. Or do we go Cao Cao?

D is unacceptable for various reasons - casualties aside, even if we try to minimize them, with the leader gone, who the fuck is going to make their long-term decisions for them?

Lets say its option "I cant betray my people, death to all pirate scum"

That leaves B as the only viable answer, and quite frankly, it's the most badass, unorthodox, Xu Jing-like action that will definitely net us the glory and infamy that some of you were hoping for by going after pirates in the first place. Of course, it could kill or severely injure us, thus impeding progress on both Zhang's quest and Shun's mission, but eh, can't call ourselves the Southern Maniac's disciple if we hesitate to pull stunts like this.

Mby if Scholar bro and untimely princess would ask to take part in this ass kicking it would be better? I mean girl who supposed to be abducted by Jing start to fight on his side, would be confusing like dmn and would make nice story.

The only thing that bothers me about this is that we're not going to be able to hold back at all with this choice if we want to live, which might result in us accidentally killing some people who really have done no wrong except be idiotic and racist and self-righteous, which is annoying but not grounds for a death sentence.

The hell? Only i like to kill paladins or what? Being Lawful stupid deserve capital punishment.

Orthodoxy:
-285 (Definitely Unorthodox)

Say, treave, at what point do we get the "Unorthodox As Fuck" epithet?

Exactly, when we get plaque "Zhang for life"?

 

[treave]

Xu Jing himself is almost like a badass, more moral version of Wei Xiao Bao. Let's see if we can net him his own harem!

Writing seven distinct wives is beyond my capability to handle. Having said that, I find it interesting how similar the Deer and the Cauldron is in that aspect to the typical anime harem stories that flood the market nowadays, considering that it was written in the 70s.

Orthodoxy:
-285 (Definitely Unorthodox)

Say, treave, at what point do we get the "Unorthodox As Fuck" epithet?

I have no idea, honestly.

 

[Ifeex]

B.

 

[Rex Feral]

A>B>C (with the mention that we leave no survivors whatsoever on the pugilists side) >D

Since no one is voting A, I guess I would go with B.

 

[XenomorphII]

We came here to kill pirates. Let's kill the pirates already.