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[LP CYOA] 傳
- Thread starter treave
- Start date
No matter what we do, we'll end up on the Rong side..
No wonder Yao snickered when we chose this mission. Guys. Should've chosen the Beggars. Should also have chosen the nausea-finger, but what can I do now?
Continue with mild butthurt?
Yep, it's a small game of mine, you really don't need to pay it any attention.
No matter what we do, we'll end up on the Rong side..
No wonder Yao snickered when we chose this mission. Guys. Should've chosen the Beggars. Should also have chosen the nausea-finger, but what can I do now?
Ugh, are you on this shit again? This doesn't have a fucking thing to do with our current circumstance - perhaps we could have given Rong Zhiyu mild nausea while he sliced our stomach open with his sword. The reason Yao chuckled when we told him we were heading to Songfeng is because he suspected we wanted to go there to prevent him from extracting his toll.
Come now. I was trolling, yes. But now you're a mind-reader and have on authority what Yao thought? My assumption is as valid as yours until treave says otherwise.
As to the finger, yes, that would be useless in the fight. Remember my vote? I don't want this fight. I still think the finger Technique would be ultimately more useful than the kick, but I agree it's a moot point now and will stop referring to it.
Nevill
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 11,211
As long as Cao'er is safe, I'm ok with the outcome.
We're not going to like this, are we?
And who are you fooling? We are a masochist. We are going to like it.
The tension is getting unbearable. Did we do so bad that treave has to spend hours thinking how he would get us out of this mess?
Last edited:
He's writing an epitaph mayhaps? 
Naw. If tigerbro here kicks it, I'll vote for the goat doctor again.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 11,370
The Physician’s Price
You decide to act. “Master Rong, you were poisoned. It was not any normal illness.” He stares at you gravely, his face solemn. “Poison, you say? That is a surprise. Who would want me dead? I do not have any enemies in the jianghu. I, Rong Muben, have always conducted myself with honour. Could you be mistaken in your diagnosis?”
You shake your head. Perhaps Cao’er could explain it more convincingly, but you do not want to drag her into this matter. If she speaks up now she would become involved. This is not her burden to bear. “It is not mistaken, Master Rong. I-”
“Wuxian Canshui Poison, (五仙殘水毒 Five Immortals Crippling Water Poison)” blurts out Cao’er quickly as she interrupts you. You look at her in surprise as she tries to cobble together a proper sentence. “... it’s used by the Wudu… the Five Poisons Cult. It’s one of their five main poisons. I mean, they use it a lot… the effect is, it’s theirs…” Cao’er tries bravely but runs out of steam and words as she shrinks under the attention of the Rong family. You place a hand on her shoulder, holding it firmly.
“Wuxian Canshui?” laughs Rong Muben fearfully. “I don’t think I have crossed the Wudu Cult in any way in my entire life as a pugilist. And sadly I admit my school is too insignificant to attract their attention. This is… well, this is a bit unbelievable.”
His nervous dismissal is understandable. The Wudu Cult, the cult of the Five Poisons, are acknowledged as the masters of poisons in the pugilistic world. Based in Guizhou, their Tufan leader, Tulu Huodu, is powerful enough in conventional martial arts that he has gained recognition as the feared Western Snake.
“My senior is never wrong in her diagnosis. More importantly, Master Rong, your son is responsible.” There is no point sugar-coating your words, or beating around the bush; it would only be a waste of time. You throw out the accusation quickly. “If not for the actual deed, then at least for the plan. I feel obligated to warn you of this.”
Madam Rong gasps, covering her mouth with her hands.
“Master Yao’s apprentice,” says Rong Muben heavily, “you may have saved my life, but that does not mean you can come into my house and spout nonsensical lies. My son told me that you might attempt to accuse him of some nefarious deed over the old sword you took. I did not think it would be so, but…”
“Master Rong-”
“Silence, boy. It is not gentlemanly for a person to accuse blindly without proof, even if he is a benefactor of mine. I would like you to depart from my school after receiving your reward.” His attitude is suddenly cold and stern - he will not listen to you anymore. It looks like your words have really insulted him. You give him a rigid bow. He does not believe you and does not plan to even give your words due consideration. What did you expect to accomplish by telling him that? You knew it would turn out this way.
“Ah, yes, the reward, Master Rong,” you say. Your voice is equally cold as you try to keep your feelings under control. There is no more place for unrestrained emotion here. You cannot do this out of anger or out of spite. You have been taught that once a path has been decided, straying from it for emotional reasons will only lead to disaster. Telling yourself that you are doing the right thing, you say the words.
“Keep your rewards. I will claim the Killer Physician’s price, as his apprentice,” you declare loudly.
“You… you said…” Madam Rong mumbles confusedly.
“Are you going back on your word, boy? Why do you do this?” Rong Muben asks, raising his voice. He is not pleased at all.
Rong Zhiyu strides towards you with an angry look on his face, though his smiling eyes tell you that he feels happy inside. Vindicated, perhaps. “Father, I told you they were not to be trusted! Allow me to arrest them-” You interrupt him, raising a finger. “The price must be paid, Young Master Rong. A life for a life. The world must be balanced. You will be the price for saving your father.” Rong Zhiyu falls back, his face suddenly pale.
The wail from Madam Rong pierces your eardrums. “No! Take me! Take me instead!”
“If you think I am going to help you kill my only son,” growls Master Rong with his teeth clenched, “you are sorely mistaken. There is no need to do this, Xu Jing. You promised to waive the price in return for rewards. Why go to these lengths?”
“Because I believe he is a danger to your life, Master Rong. The way of the physician is to heal, but we do not only limit ourselves to healing sickness of the flesh. Cao’er has cured you of the poison in your body. I will cure you of the poison in your family.” You keep your voice carefully frigid and your eyes intently on the silent Rong Zhiyu. It feels like you are putting on a stage act, speaking your words carefully and removing them from your real self. The truth that you are declaring on this morning seems even more remote to you than the lies that you spoke last night.
“There is no poison in my family, Xu Jing. I will not accede to this.”
“You refuse to pay the price, then?” Your voice drops, almost a whisper yet as sharp as a knife.
“Let me pay it!” shouts Madam Rong tearfully. “I was the one who called for you. If anyone has to pay with their life, it should be me! Isn’t that the rule of your master?”
“That is wrong, madam.” You shake your head - you do not actually know the rule that Master Yao operates by, but if he operates by no rules, whatever you say is true anyway. “If that is the case, any rich man could just buy a servant to die in his place. That does not serve the balance. Those who save have the right to choose the one that will die. I will ask again. Master Rong, do you refuse to pay this price?”
“I… no, but why do you make this so hard? Anything but my son! I would rather die than send him to the grave!” shouts Rong Muben desperately.
“I do not ask for you to send him into the grave, Master Rong,” you reply. “I ask that you permit me a duel to the death with him. That is a fair way to pay the price, I would think.”
“My son is a fair swordsman,” mutters the master of Songfeng, his distress fading. He seems confident that his son will defeat me. “Can you even handle a sword? You look too young to fight him.”
“That does not matter. This is the price I name.”
“And it’s a price I accept!” says Rong Zhiyu fiercely, confident now that you've requested for a duel. “This scoundrel has dishonoured my good name. I will not let him speak his lies anymore!”
“Very well,” sighs Master Rong. If his son has accepted, it seems that he will accede to this request. “I wish it would not come to this, but if it must be so… Xu Jing, you are a brave boy and I must admire that, but you should have learnt that falsehood is not something that should be spread wildly. I will send my apologies to Master Yao for your passing.”
“We will fight in the training yard, Xu Jing,” says Rong Zhiyu as he gives you a nasty smile. He steps out of the room to head to the place of the match. Before you do the same, you look at Cao’er. Without a word, she nods - she will take care of herself.
***
The training yard is covered with loose gravel, freshly raked over by the apprentices. Rong Zhiyu has already drawn his sword and is making a few practice swings with it as you arrive. Your audience will be his parents and the school’s disciples. This is undoubtedly a more hostile crowd than the one you had during your horse-back match with Yunzi. You push at the gravel with your toes. The footing seems fine.
Rong Zhiyu bows politely when he sees you, hands clasped together. “Let this be a fair duel with swords. The heavens will smile upon the righteous,” he calls out to the cheers of the disciples.
“You are an unfilial son and a poisoner, Rong Zhiyu,” I say just as loudly. “Heaven only sees fit to mock you with its smile.” Many of the disciples fall silent upon hearing your accusation - this will not do your reputation any good, but it is beyond salvage now anyway. You focus on the man ahead of you, blocking out everything else.
“I told you I would cut your glib tongue off!” snarls Rong Zhiyu as he starts the match impatiently without waiting for the signal. His weapon - a long, slender sword with a slightly flexible blade - points straight at your head. Your opponent’s footing shifts in the gravel, his right leg sweeping in front of his body as he falls into a stance. He holds his sword out, his blade parallel to the ground. You recognize this as the first step of the Songfeng Swordplay (松風劍法 Pine Breeze Swordplay) - the Bending Pine Branch. With an effortless lunge, he swings his sword in a graceful arc.
You block it with the old sword in your possession, still sheathed in its scabbard. The sword behaves strangely when swung and for now it would be a liability until you got used to wielding it. In an instant, Rong has pulled his sword away, skilfully parlaying his initial attack into a series of slashes and jabs that flow seamlessly. This is the essence of the Songfeng school’s technique - the wielder will strike gently but swiftly, akin to a breeze swaying the needle-like leaves of the pine tree.
Unfortunately, you can’t block a blade with your bare legs, nor are you good enough to take on a naked sword with the moves you know. Forced on the defense, you throw your sheathed sword up into a block at every move he makes. His blade doesn’t stop when it hits yours - it slides smoothly off the scabbard as Rong redirects it into another attack. It is only your quicker speed and the relatively slow movements of the technique that prevent you from being cut. Whenever you see an opening for an attack, Rong appears to instantly draw away, before launching another series of strikes by starting off with the lunge. These are probably breaks in the technique designed to lure an enemy into overextending and also to create space should the user require it; their purpose is rather obvious to you. Even so, you can find no real opportunity to attack.
You won’t hold out at this rate. Cursing, you kick up a spray of gravel, causing Rong to fall back elegantly. There is a smirk on his face - the bastard isn’t even winded, while your body is already beginning to tire from keeping up with his moves. The energy you expend in defense is much greater than the amount he uses on the attack. There are snickers from the disciples. It looks like you’ll have to change your tactics a little. Besides, there may be a flaw in his technique.
You shift your feet around, feeling the texture and give of the gravel. As he lunges yet again, you block the first strike. Again he moves his sword; again, in the same direction. You twist your sheathed sword, heavy in your hands, and yet growing familiar; metal clangs against metal as again you block him - and again, he moves, in an increasingly predictable way.
His breezy swordplay is nothing more than a string of moves chained together elegantly to respond to the way you block. The more predictable you are, the more predictable the Songfeng technique becomes. Of course, it took you the exchange of many moves to finally realize it, but it’s not too late yet.
You shift the grip on your sword, as if preparing to draw it. Rong hesitates for just a moment, and you take that chance. Moving in close, you jab your leg outwards, hitting him in the shin before he can react. As he grimaces in pain, you follow up with a sweep. Rong’s eyes flash dangerously.
Your sweep misses, as somehow your opponent sidesteps it. Qinggong. Probably something he picked up from Huashan. His footwork quickens as he adopts another stance unlike the gentle moves of the Songfeng Swordplay; he begins utilizing quick, wild swings. You evade the first two strikes but the third grazes your arm. You block his follow-up attack hurriedly. Softly, Rong’s sword slips away from your guard and thrusts at your heart.
You only manage to avoid that lethal move by throwing yourself backwards with full force, but you are off-balance now. The young master of the Songfeng school presses the attack, grinning eagerly. Mixing his slow Songfeng swordplay with the quick attacks of his other technique, he manages to get past your guard at last.
His blade strikes home, nicking your sides and limbs. With every hit he scores, his smile grows wider and his attacks grow more frenzied and careless. His excitement seems to grow.
“I’ll kill you,” he whispers with an ugly grin. “I’ll cut you up for not knowing your place. You thought you could challenge me?” You parry his attack with a strong swing, affecting a puzzled expression on your face despite the pain. “You seem to be rather excited. Have you killed before?”
He just snarls wordlessly at you and presses the attack, faster than ever. Your ungainly defense holds - you are amazed that you have come this far without a proper technique, but surely you cannot win like this.
Another narrow escape, as the blade slices a bloody line across your cheek. Every cut that he makes focuses your thoughts even more, sapping away the anger and desperation that you have. Every cut that he makes seems to incite him even more, as his moves turn nervous in anticipation of the point where he finally cuts you down. You imagine he is probably thinking ahead to the moment of his glorious victory in his mind.
As he grows wilder, you grow calmer.
After all, that is the state of mind they taught you to hold when you need to kill.
You remember being instructed to memorize the points of least resistance where you can stab a man. You remember being forced to practice on bound prisoners. Again, and again, and again, until the flow of blood over your hands becomes natural and you could do it without hesitation. Well, you do not dwell on that much nowadays - it is an unneeded memory. The fear of killing has already been removed from your spirit.
Rong steps back, suddenly wary. Though the arrogant look has not been wiped off his face, there is a hint of fear in his eyes. You just smile at him. From the way he acts, you can tell that he has not truly killed a man before, at least not with his own hands. If he succeeds here, you would be his first.
That… would be embarrassing.
***
A. You attempt a high level Duancao technique, one you have read about but have not even begun training. You will throw your sword at him as a distraction, and then run right at him. Using your Yinglang Step you will dart out of his vision at the last minute, and then swiftly kick him in three spots in the abdomen - the points of zhizheng, tianxi and taixi. By hitting these three pressure points with the force of a kick, you should be able to kill him instantly.
B. Having studied the first step of the Songfeng Swordplay all throughout last night, and seeing it in action multiple times today, you think you can derive a counter for it now. You draw your sword and taunt him into another lunge. You are certain he doesn’t have the skill or control to stop his lunge, and then you will strike with a move of your own - utilizing your strength and speed - designed to defeat that bending pine branch and take his life in one blow.
C. You feign defeat and drop your sword. The simplest ploy is the most effective. When he gets close to claim your life you will just draw your hidden dagger and stab him in the neck and whichever other parts necessary.
***
The chronicle has been updated.
You decide to act. “Master Rong, you were poisoned. It was not any normal illness.” He stares at you gravely, his face solemn. “Poison, you say? That is a surprise. Who would want me dead? I do not have any enemies in the jianghu. I, Rong Muben, have always conducted myself with honour. Could you be mistaken in your diagnosis?”
You shake your head. Perhaps Cao’er could explain it more convincingly, but you do not want to drag her into this matter. If she speaks up now she would become involved. This is not her burden to bear. “It is not mistaken, Master Rong. I-”
“Wuxian Canshui Poison, (五仙殘水毒 Five Immortals Crippling Water Poison)” blurts out Cao’er quickly as she interrupts you. You look at her in surprise as she tries to cobble together a proper sentence. “... it’s used by the Wudu… the Five Poisons Cult. It’s one of their five main poisons. I mean, they use it a lot… the effect is, it’s theirs…” Cao’er tries bravely but runs out of steam and words as she shrinks under the attention of the Rong family. You place a hand on her shoulder, holding it firmly.
“Wuxian Canshui?” laughs Rong Muben fearfully. “I don’t think I have crossed the Wudu Cult in any way in my entire life as a pugilist. And sadly I admit my school is too insignificant to attract their attention. This is… well, this is a bit unbelievable.”
His nervous dismissal is understandable. The Wudu Cult, the cult of the Five Poisons, are acknowledged as the masters of poisons in the pugilistic world. Based in Guizhou, their Tufan leader, Tulu Huodu, is powerful enough in conventional martial arts that he has gained recognition as the feared Western Snake.
“My senior is never wrong in her diagnosis. More importantly, Master Rong, your son is responsible.” There is no point sugar-coating your words, or beating around the bush; it would only be a waste of time. You throw out the accusation quickly. “If not for the actual deed, then at least for the plan. I feel obligated to warn you of this.”
Madam Rong gasps, covering her mouth with her hands.
“Master Yao’s apprentice,” says Rong Muben heavily, “you may have saved my life, but that does not mean you can come into my house and spout nonsensical lies. My son told me that you might attempt to accuse him of some nefarious deed over the old sword you took. I did not think it would be so, but…”
“Master Rong-”
“Silence, boy. It is not gentlemanly for a person to accuse blindly without proof, even if he is a benefactor of mine. I would like you to depart from my school after receiving your reward.” His attitude is suddenly cold and stern - he will not listen to you anymore. It looks like your words have really insulted him. You give him a rigid bow. He does not believe you and does not plan to even give your words due consideration. What did you expect to accomplish by telling him that? You knew it would turn out this way.
“Ah, yes, the reward, Master Rong,” you say. Your voice is equally cold as you try to keep your feelings under control. There is no more place for unrestrained emotion here. You cannot do this out of anger or out of spite. You have been taught that once a path has been decided, straying from it for emotional reasons will only lead to disaster. Telling yourself that you are doing the right thing, you say the words.
“Keep your rewards. I will claim the Killer Physician’s price, as his apprentice,” you declare loudly.
“You… you said…” Madam Rong mumbles confusedly.
“Are you going back on your word, boy? Why do you do this?” Rong Muben asks, raising his voice. He is not pleased at all.
Rong Zhiyu strides towards you with an angry look on his face, though his smiling eyes tell you that he feels happy inside. Vindicated, perhaps. “Father, I told you they were not to be trusted! Allow me to arrest them-” You interrupt him, raising a finger. “The price must be paid, Young Master Rong. A life for a life. The world must be balanced. You will be the price for saving your father.” Rong Zhiyu falls back, his face suddenly pale.
The wail from Madam Rong pierces your eardrums. “No! Take me! Take me instead!”
“If you think I am going to help you kill my only son,” growls Master Rong with his teeth clenched, “you are sorely mistaken. There is no need to do this, Xu Jing. You promised to waive the price in return for rewards. Why go to these lengths?”
“Because I believe he is a danger to your life, Master Rong. The way of the physician is to heal, but we do not only limit ourselves to healing sickness of the flesh. Cao’er has cured you of the poison in your body. I will cure you of the poison in your family.” You keep your voice carefully frigid and your eyes intently on the silent Rong Zhiyu. It feels like you are putting on a stage act, speaking your words carefully and removing them from your real self. The truth that you are declaring on this morning seems even more remote to you than the lies that you spoke last night.
“There is no poison in my family, Xu Jing. I will not accede to this.”
“You refuse to pay the price, then?” Your voice drops, almost a whisper yet as sharp as a knife.
“Let me pay it!” shouts Madam Rong tearfully. “I was the one who called for you. If anyone has to pay with their life, it should be me! Isn’t that the rule of your master?”
“That is wrong, madam.” You shake your head - you do not actually know the rule that Master Yao operates by, but if he operates by no rules, whatever you say is true anyway. “If that is the case, any rich man could just buy a servant to die in his place. That does not serve the balance. Those who save have the right to choose the one that will die. I will ask again. Master Rong, do you refuse to pay this price?”
“I… no, but why do you make this so hard? Anything but my son! I would rather die than send him to the grave!” shouts Rong Muben desperately.
“I do not ask for you to send him into the grave, Master Rong,” you reply. “I ask that you permit me a duel to the death with him. That is a fair way to pay the price, I would think.”
“My son is a fair swordsman,” mutters the master of Songfeng, his distress fading. He seems confident that his son will defeat me. “Can you even handle a sword? You look too young to fight him.”
“That does not matter. This is the price I name.”
“And it’s a price I accept!” says Rong Zhiyu fiercely, confident now that you've requested for a duel. “This scoundrel has dishonoured my good name. I will not let him speak his lies anymore!”
“Very well,” sighs Master Rong. If his son has accepted, it seems that he will accede to this request. “I wish it would not come to this, but if it must be so… Xu Jing, you are a brave boy and I must admire that, but you should have learnt that falsehood is not something that should be spread wildly. I will send my apologies to Master Yao for your passing.”
“We will fight in the training yard, Xu Jing,” says Rong Zhiyu as he gives you a nasty smile. He steps out of the room to head to the place of the match. Before you do the same, you look at Cao’er. Without a word, she nods - she will take care of herself.
***
The training yard is covered with loose gravel, freshly raked over by the apprentices. Rong Zhiyu has already drawn his sword and is making a few practice swings with it as you arrive. Your audience will be his parents and the school’s disciples. This is undoubtedly a more hostile crowd than the one you had during your horse-back match with Yunzi. You push at the gravel with your toes. The footing seems fine.
Rong Zhiyu bows politely when he sees you, hands clasped together. “Let this be a fair duel with swords. The heavens will smile upon the righteous,” he calls out to the cheers of the disciples.
“You are an unfilial son and a poisoner, Rong Zhiyu,” I say just as loudly. “Heaven only sees fit to mock you with its smile.” Many of the disciples fall silent upon hearing your accusation - this will not do your reputation any good, but it is beyond salvage now anyway. You focus on the man ahead of you, blocking out everything else.
“I told you I would cut your glib tongue off!” snarls Rong Zhiyu as he starts the match impatiently without waiting for the signal. His weapon - a long, slender sword with a slightly flexible blade - points straight at your head. Your opponent’s footing shifts in the gravel, his right leg sweeping in front of his body as he falls into a stance. He holds his sword out, his blade parallel to the ground. You recognize this as the first step of the Songfeng Swordplay (松風劍法 Pine Breeze Swordplay) - the Bending Pine Branch. With an effortless lunge, he swings his sword in a graceful arc.
You block it with the old sword in your possession, still sheathed in its scabbard. The sword behaves strangely when swung and for now it would be a liability until you got used to wielding it. In an instant, Rong has pulled his sword away, skilfully parlaying his initial attack into a series of slashes and jabs that flow seamlessly. This is the essence of the Songfeng school’s technique - the wielder will strike gently but swiftly, akin to a breeze swaying the needle-like leaves of the pine tree.
Unfortunately, you can’t block a blade with your bare legs, nor are you good enough to take on a naked sword with the moves you know. Forced on the defense, you throw your sheathed sword up into a block at every move he makes. His blade doesn’t stop when it hits yours - it slides smoothly off the scabbard as Rong redirects it into another attack. It is only your quicker speed and the relatively slow movements of the technique that prevent you from being cut. Whenever you see an opening for an attack, Rong appears to instantly draw away, before launching another series of strikes by starting off with the lunge. These are probably breaks in the technique designed to lure an enemy into overextending and also to create space should the user require it; their purpose is rather obvious to you. Even so, you can find no real opportunity to attack.
You won’t hold out at this rate. Cursing, you kick up a spray of gravel, causing Rong to fall back elegantly. There is a smirk on his face - the bastard isn’t even winded, while your body is already beginning to tire from keeping up with his moves. The energy you expend in defense is much greater than the amount he uses on the attack. There are snickers from the disciples. It looks like you’ll have to change your tactics a little. Besides, there may be a flaw in his technique.
You shift your feet around, feeling the texture and give of the gravel. As he lunges yet again, you block the first strike. Again he moves his sword; again, in the same direction. You twist your sheathed sword, heavy in your hands, and yet growing familiar; metal clangs against metal as again you block him - and again, he moves, in an increasingly predictable way.
His breezy swordplay is nothing more than a string of moves chained together elegantly to respond to the way you block. The more predictable you are, the more predictable the Songfeng technique becomes. Of course, it took you the exchange of many moves to finally realize it, but it’s not too late yet.
You shift the grip on your sword, as if preparing to draw it. Rong hesitates for just a moment, and you take that chance. Moving in close, you jab your leg outwards, hitting him in the shin before he can react. As he grimaces in pain, you follow up with a sweep. Rong’s eyes flash dangerously.
Your sweep misses, as somehow your opponent sidesteps it. Qinggong. Probably something he picked up from Huashan. His footwork quickens as he adopts another stance unlike the gentle moves of the Songfeng Swordplay; he begins utilizing quick, wild swings. You evade the first two strikes but the third grazes your arm. You block his follow-up attack hurriedly. Softly, Rong’s sword slips away from your guard and thrusts at your heart.
You only manage to avoid that lethal move by throwing yourself backwards with full force, but you are off-balance now. The young master of the Songfeng school presses the attack, grinning eagerly. Mixing his slow Songfeng swordplay with the quick attacks of his other technique, he manages to get past your guard at last.
His blade strikes home, nicking your sides and limbs. With every hit he scores, his smile grows wider and his attacks grow more frenzied and careless. His excitement seems to grow.
“I’ll kill you,” he whispers with an ugly grin. “I’ll cut you up for not knowing your place. You thought you could challenge me?” You parry his attack with a strong swing, affecting a puzzled expression on your face despite the pain. “You seem to be rather excited. Have you killed before?”
He just snarls wordlessly at you and presses the attack, faster than ever. Your ungainly defense holds - you are amazed that you have come this far without a proper technique, but surely you cannot win like this.
Another narrow escape, as the blade slices a bloody line across your cheek. Every cut that he makes focuses your thoughts even more, sapping away the anger and desperation that you have. Every cut that he makes seems to incite him even more, as his moves turn nervous in anticipation of the point where he finally cuts you down. You imagine he is probably thinking ahead to the moment of his glorious victory in his mind.
As he grows wilder, you grow calmer.
After all, that is the state of mind they taught you to hold when you need to kill.
You remember being instructed to memorize the points of least resistance where you can stab a man. You remember being forced to practice on bound prisoners. Again, and again, and again, until the flow of blood over your hands becomes natural and you could do it without hesitation. Well, you do not dwell on that much nowadays - it is an unneeded memory. The fear of killing has already been removed from your spirit.
Rong steps back, suddenly wary. Though the arrogant look has not been wiped off his face, there is a hint of fear in his eyes. You just smile at him. From the way he acts, you can tell that he has not truly killed a man before, at least not with his own hands. If he succeeds here, you would be his first.
That… would be embarrassing.
***
A. You attempt a high level Duancao technique, one you have read about but have not even begun training. You will throw your sword at him as a distraction, and then run right at him. Using your Yinglang Step you will dart out of his vision at the last minute, and then swiftly kick him in three spots in the abdomen - the points of zhizheng, tianxi and taixi. By hitting these three pressure points with the force of a kick, you should be able to kill him instantly.
B. Having studied the first step of the Songfeng Swordplay all throughout last night, and seeing it in action multiple times today, you think you can derive a counter for it now. You draw your sword and taunt him into another lunge. You are certain he doesn’t have the skill or control to stop his lunge, and then you will strike with a move of your own - utilizing your strength and speed - designed to defeat that bending pine branch and take his life in one blow.
C. You feign defeat and drop your sword. The simplest ploy is the most effective. When he gets close to claim your life you will just draw your hidden dagger and stab him in the neck and whichever other parts necessary.
***
The chronicle has been updated.
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So... It's a choice between
A) unorthodox
B) orthodox
C) highly unorthodox
Screw orthodoxy. We're past redeeming, unless we spend what, 15 years locked in a monestary?
C
A) unorthodox
B) orthodox
C) highly unorthodox
Screw orthodoxy. We're past redeeming, unless we spend what, 15 years locked in a monestary?
C
Jester
Arbiter
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2013
- Messages
- 1,493
Told you that A1 is choice of total Jerk, was total right regrettably.
We made whole school our enemy for nothing, betrayed trust of people who believed us by changing price and accusing that kid and we made Xu Jing ass hole by his own choice. Great work breaking it player you could said, we and Xu trully got what we deserved this time.
B>C
A I think is far to advanced for us to pull of by far and will kill us. B can work as we understood his sword art pattern if we combine Jinshetuipi basics evade of attack with simple sword thrust to weak point should be able to kill him in one move not giving him possibility of reacting we should have enough agility to pull this off. C should be critical hit option but with consequences like set -100 to this school opinion of us without possibility of change and huge bonus to unorthodox. Hell we will probably either be admited to assassin/bandit school for our great work of narcissism here.
edit. Level 2: You can move quietly at walking speed in normal surroundings and hold yourself still in shadows.
This is level of our step so i doubt we will able to pull this vanish trick off.
I am not even sure we can accurately tell position of pressure points with 2 lv skill.
We made whole school our enemy for nothing, betrayed trust of people who believed us by changing price and accusing that kid and we made Xu Jing ass hole by his own choice. Great work breaking it player you could said, we and Xu trully got what we deserved this time.
B>C
A I think is far to advanced for us to pull of by far and will kill us. B can work as we understood his sword art pattern if we combine Jinshetuipi basics evade of attack with simple sword thrust to weak point should be able to kill him in one move not giving him possibility of reacting we should have enough agility to pull this off. C should be critical hit option but with consequences like set -100 to this school opinion of us without possibility of change and huge bonus to unorthodox. Hell we will probably either be admited to assassin/bandit school for our great work of narcissism here.
edit. Level 2: You can move quietly at walking speed in normal surroundings and hold yourself still in shadows.
This is level of our step so i doubt we will able to pull this vanish trick off.
I am not even sure we can accurately tell position of pressure points with 2 lv skill.
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2011
- Messages
- 2,835
I really don't know what to choose here. I have no idea what would result in an optimal outcome. I suspect that one will fail, two will succeed but our choice of which affects the outcome. I'm tempted towards B, A sounds too flamboyant and reliant on an untrained skillset. C is just kind of... shitty. I'll think on it some more
As far as our progress in the game, I'm happy with the last choice and its outcome so far, but overall I'm rather disappointed that we didn't start Orthodox with the Wudang, and think that having had no formal instruction in martial arts we're much worse off in the puglistic world. That, and we have no decent instructor.
Oh well, let's just see where a life of ill-repute, poor training and terrible luck takes us.
As far as our progress in the game, I'm happy with the last choice and its outcome so far, but overall I'm rather disappointed that we didn't start Orthodox with the Wudang, and think that having had no formal instruction in martial arts we're much worse off in the puglistic world. That, and we have no decent instructor.
Oh well, let's just see where a life of ill-repute, poor training and terrible luck takes us.
Baltika9
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2012
- Messages
- 9,611
Apparently, he does:
The problem I see with B is that Junior is getting increasingly erratic, so if we taunt him into taking action, then he may make a move that Jing didn't predict and then we're fucked; also, he has quinggong skills, so that may let him stop his charge, or turn it into a leap or something. Then again, he's been starting off with the same punch through the whole fight.
I think it's plausible for us to pull off A, since our STR and AGI scores are pretty high, but there's always that element of uncertainty and overconfidence. That, and piss-poor luck.
Bloodshifter
Educated
>.>
<.<
Worth it. Sword shall rot in its scabbard.
A
<.<
Worth it. Sword shall rot in its scabbard.
A
Baltika9
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2012
- Messages
- 9,611
treave, it seems that B will be working with these two techniques, or at lest their principles:
Also, A seems to be a good idea for our bro, even if he doesn't know a thing about throwing weapons, since Junior definitely never faced a technique like the Shadow Wolf Step, so it may disorient him just enough for us to land a killing blow.
Junior is using something like the former and Jing will try to emulate the latter. But isn't the sword we've been given too soft for such a technique, built to be flexible like our opponent's? Or is it different form Junior's and better suited for that?
Also, A seems to be a good idea for our bro, even if he doesn't know a thing about throwing weapons, since Junior definitely never faced a technique like the Shadow Wolf Step, so it may disorient him just enough for us to land a killing blow.
Nevill
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 11,211
First, I would like to thank treave for this beautiful LP. I found myself incredibly engaged with the story, squirming at the edge of my seat and reloading the page every moment I heard an e-mail hitting my inbox to check if Tigerbro made it. I guess I am too easily attached to characters I spend time reading about. Still, to be able to write a character so flawed, yet so lovable is a hallmark of a good writer. Kudos to you, good sir.
With that said, I want nothing more than to keep Jing alive and well, and we are walking on a paper thin ice. I don't think I have seen so many WARNING signs in a single update. I can hear the alarms going off all over the place. The difference in power and skill and the feeling of mortal danger were conveyed perfectly. I will take it as a hint that two of the choices available lead to a quick and painful death, and we cannot allow ourselves the luxury of a mistake. We have to tread very carefully here.
Let's take a closer look at what is in stock for us, then.
A is impossible to pull off. It requires a perfect utilization of a series of techniques and skills you've only dabbled into. It has a certain advantage in that the moves involved are not known to your opponent. The first move, Yinglang Step, you could probably execute correctly, since you've already had success with using it in combat. I am not too worried about the kicks connecting, either. However, believing that Jing can overcome an adult in one move relying only on his modest skill in Pressure Points is pure conceit. We were not sure he would be able to heal a man lying still when we rejected B in an earlier update, yet now he can suddenly kill a man in the middle of a heated combat with a move he never practiced before? It will take years to bring Jing to such a level, years that he won't have if he tries it out now. Should he fail to eliminate his target outright, he'll find himself on a sword the very next moment.
B is attempting to outplay an experienced swordsman at his own game. You've only studied the first page of the manual for one night, and observed the technique in combat for a little while, yet now you think that you know it all? Rong Jr. have studied this style since his birth, what are your chances of stumbling upon the perfect counter? It was already shown that he can mix and match styles, what if he changes his Songfeng pattern to a swift and lethal Huashan one in mid-lunge? With this choice, you are certain that you can counter one, but not the other. He also knows Qinggong, which might allow him to dodge your decisive strike. Making an opening to lure the opponent based on a hunch that you have no real basis for is not just risky, it's suicidal.
By what I rememver from the previous LP, treave rarely offers that many hints. Each of them is worrying, but put them together and they just scream DON'T DO IT at me.
This leaves us with C. Believe me, I am not liking it any more than you do. But I do not really see the alternative.
Remember that one of the reasons why we've taken the path of unorthodoxy was to allow for some leeway in how to get our job done:
Consider, though, that the reason we took this path when we could simply walk away was that we wanted to set things right. For that, we need to take out the traitor, one way or the other, and there is no need to be gentlemanly about it. This is the first time where we have to weigh our honor not only against our own life, but that of others as well. If we fail here, our sacrifice would be meaningless.
Why would C actually work? Remember what we know about Rong Zhiyu. Vengeful, overambitious, arrogant, petty, stupid, yet gifted with animal cunning. He thinks of you as of just yet another straight-faced do-gooder - not unlike his father - that engaged in a hopeless fight to protect whatever principles he believed in. The backstabber rarely expects to be backstabbed himself. Once you feign defeat, he will not go for the kill, as a smarter man would. He would want to bully, torture and humiliate you for scaring him the day before, outplaying him with words, and trying to expose his foul deeds. He will want to demonstrate his superiority, now that he thinks you are helpless to prevent his plans. He will bide his time to gloat and mock you, rubbing your nose in your failure.
This will give you more opportunities than you'll ever need.
The school will be in an uproar, the disciples will be furious, and you will be looked upon as a vile and treacherous enemy from this day since. They will not kill you over it, though, for such was the price they accepted. Your reputation with the orthodox world will hit rock bottom. All because you wanted to save another man's life.
treave did not joke around when he said that going unorthodox will not be easy.
Flopped to A.
With that said, I want nothing more than to keep Jing alive and well, and we are walking on a paper thin ice. I don't think I have seen so many WARNING signs in a single update. I can hear the alarms going off all over the place. The difference in power and skill and the feeling of mortal danger were conveyed perfectly. I will take it as a hint that two of the choices available lead to a quick and painful death, and we cannot allow ourselves the luxury of a mistake. We have to tread very carefully here.
Let's take a closer look at what is in stock for us, then.
A is impossible to pull off. It requires a perfect utilization of a series of techniques and skills you've only dabbled into. It has a certain advantage in that the moves involved are not known to your opponent. The first move, Yinglang Step, you could probably execute correctly, since you've already had success with using it in combat. I am not too worried about the kicks connecting, either. However, believing that Jing can overcome an adult in one move relying only on his modest skill in Pressure Points is pure conceit. We were not sure he would be able to heal a man lying still when we rejected B in an earlier update, yet now he can suddenly kill a man in the middle of a heated combat with a move he never practiced before? It will take years to bring Jing to such a level, years that he won't have if he tries it out now. Should he fail to eliminate his target outright, he'll find himself on a sword the very next moment.
B is attempting to outplay an experienced swordsman at his own game. You've only studied the first page of the manual for one night, and observed the technique in combat for a little while, yet now you think that you know it all? Rong Jr. have studied this style since his birth, what are your chances of stumbling upon the perfect counter? It was already shown that he can mix and match styles, what if he changes his Songfeng pattern to a swift and lethal Huashan one in mid-lunge? With this choice, you are certain that you can counter one, but not the other. He also knows Qinggong, which might allow him to dodge your decisive strike. Making an opening to lure the opponent based on a hunch that you have no real basis for is not just risky, it's suicidal.
By what I rememver from the previous LP, treave rarely offers that many hints. Each of them is worrying, but put them together and they just scream DON'T DO IT at me.
This leaves us with C. Believe me, I am not liking it any more than you do. But I do not really see the alternative.
Remember that one of the reasons why we've taken the path of unorthodoxy was to allow for some leeway in how to get our job done:
Now that we've taken the road, it is too late to go back. An orthodox fighter that always relies on fair play has no place in an unorthodox world. I know I wanted to have a character who believes in higher ideals, yet is not afraid to dirty his hands when the situation calls for it. Now that I actually have to make such a decision, it looks a lot less awesome than I thought it would on paper.
Consider, though, that the reason we took this path when we could simply walk away was that we wanted to set things right. For that, we need to take out the traitor, one way or the other, and there is no need to be gentlemanly about it. This is the first time where we have to weigh our honor not only against our own life, but that of others as well. If we fail here, our sacrifice would be meaningless.
Why would C actually work? Remember what we know about Rong Zhiyu. Vengeful, overambitious, arrogant, petty, stupid, yet gifted with animal cunning. He thinks of you as of just yet another straight-faced do-gooder - not unlike his father - that engaged in a hopeless fight to protect whatever principles he believed in. The backstabber rarely expects to be backstabbed himself. Once you feign defeat, he will not go for the kill, as a smarter man would. He would want to bully, torture and humiliate you for scaring him the day before, outplaying him with words, and trying to expose his foul deeds. He will want to demonstrate his superiority, now that he thinks you are helpless to prevent his plans. He will bide his time to gloat and mock you, rubbing your nose in your failure.
This will give you more opportunities than you'll ever need.
The school will be in an uproar, the disciples will be furious, and you will be looked upon as a vile and treacherous enemy from this day since. They will not kill you over it, though, for such was the price they accepted. Your reputation with the orthodox world will hit rock bottom. All because you wanted to save another man's life.
treave did not joke around when he said that going unorthodox will not be easy.
Flopped to A.
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