WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 25 Jan 2023 18:08:30 No. 5544777 Report >>5544775 「Morning Brynn.」You take a seat at your usual desk.「Sorry if I'm late.」As you prepare the necessary tools for work, Brynn stares at you. After a moment he clears his throat. "You, uh, can take some time 'ff. Won't be too busy this week." You direct a questioning glance towards Brynn.「Really? Wasn't there a caravan coming through soon?」He waves his hand. " 's no big deal, no big deal. Just take the week off, an' if you can come back next week come back then. If not, then I'll deal with it."
You attempt to turn the offer down, mentioning that you need to save up money, but Brynn informs you that you'll still be paid and practically forces you out. You appreciate the kindness. You don't need time to mourn and recover, like he probably expects - you're a bit too old to become useless after some death - but you are in a bad mood, and some free time to plan, and think about what comes next could be good.
What comes next... you and Nui are currently in Fogtop. The family has savings, and the two of you make a decent income, but there's still 7 years left on the loan for that cultivation manual, and you'd have to pinch pennies to make payments. Kanekatsu probably won't hold any ill will towards you during that period, given that you owe him money, can pay, and aren't a threat. But who knows.
You can think of a few plans to address the issue. The simplest, and default one, is simply to stay here, pay off the loan month by month, and wait for your cultivation to rise. 'Plan A', to use Kinzou's terminology. The second, a Plan B, would be to pay off the loan immediately, so as to get Kanekatsu off your back. It would probably require selling the home and dipping into the savings... but you'd never have to see his debt collectors again, and from then on you wouldn't have to worry about making payments. Nui would probably go along with it if you brought it up - you can't imagine she'd be happy being reminded of him every month.
The third idea you can think of is a 'tactical retreat'. Sell the home, discreetly stock up on enough supplies for a short trip, and then leave Fogtop. You could make your way to the monastery nearby, or to a neighboring town. And then just... start a new life and never pay Kanekatsu back. Perhaps a harder idea to advocate for, and one that comes with its own major risks, namely being taxed for traveling without a citizenship and being found again later, but stiffing the man seven years of payments on that cultivation manual sure does sound good.
You weigh the pros and cons of each idea for some time before coming to a decision.
>Plan A. Stay here and live as normal. >Plan B. Stay here, and attempt to pay off the loan immediately. >Plan C. Try to convince Nui to sell off the property and ditch town. >Write-in Anonymous
>>5544777 first off, how are our memories now unveiled, will they come faster now? still convoluted?
i feel like thats the more deciding factor to any of these plans so i guess
>Write-in find out how good our cultivation would need to be to be accepted into a sect
Anonymous
>>5544777 > Plan A Work hard and train hard, and go pay that herbalist a visit. I'd rather not beggar our mother, and I don't want to worry about debt collectors hounding us.
Ideally we'll be able to increase our earning potential over time, possibly with some of the data we're extracting from the ring. Maybe we could sell a design or invention to clear our debt.
Anonymous
>>5544777 >>Plan A. Stay here and live as normal. I want to make Kanekatsu cut of his finger and then kill him.
Unfortunately I don't think we can break his mind anymore
Anonymous
>>5544777 >Plan A. Stay here and live as normal. Anonymous
>>5544777 >Plan A. Stay here and live as normal. Kanekatsu doesn't know we're technically a cultivator right? In that aspect we're better off. Honestly we should try to find some animals with spritutal energy to eat/cultivate off since we choose inner organs last thread. Maybe try to befriend the alchemist lady since even the simpliest posions/pills would give us a edge.
Anonymous
>>5544777 >Plan A If we advance quick enough, we can recoup that money quickly.
>>5544816 Going to the herbalist for strength enhancing knowledge would be good.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5545002 I feel so sorry for this family. We fucked em.
But hey, knowing cultivation stories, it has to be rough before it becomes better. And we'll get dad back.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 26 Jan 2023 01:08:24 No. 5545231 Report >>5544814 >>5544816 >>5544826 >>5544849 >>5544925 >>5545002 One more thing - what do you want to do during your time off?
>Exercise. Wander the woods. Get used to your body. Working a sweat will do you just as much good as cultivation, given your still-growing body. >Stop by the apothecary's. A bit of extra money never hurt, and she appeared to be on good terms with Takigi - perhaps she'll have some work with you. And it wouldn't hurt to make her acquaintance, what with how quickly she criticized Kanekatsu. >Head out to the farms. A few of them will be starting their first harvest of the year, and they usually need spare hands. >Write-In >>5544814 >first off, how are our memories now unveiled, will they come faster now? still convoluted? I assume you're referring to the data compressed within the ring?
Only part of them are your memories, they're still being decompressed, and it will continue at the same speed unless something in the ring happens to break or wear out. It should be done with its current batch of data in a year or two.
If anyone needs more info about what exactly is in the ring, just imagine a massive amount of data compressed through some novel sci-fi compression method that decreases the space taken by 99 point ...% so that a large amount can fit within the ring. Main drawback being that the process is computationally expensive and takes a large amount of time for compression and decompression. You will eventually need additional storage media for the uncompressed data but it is not an immediate concern. Anonymous
>>5545231 >Stop by the apothecary's. A bit of extra money never hurt, and she appeared to be on good terms with Takigi - perhaps she'll have some work with you. And it wouldn't hurt to make her acquaintance, what with how quickly she criticized Kanekatsu. Anonymous
>>5545231 >Stop by the apothecary's. A bit of extra money never hurt, and she appeared to be on good terms with Takigi - perhaps she'll have some work with you. And it wouldn't hurt to make her acquaintance, what with how quickly she criticized Kanekatsu. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 26 Jan 2023 04:21:29 No. 5545404 Report >>5545235 >>5545285 Ultimately, the safest plan is to simply continue living on as normal. Kanekatsu has no reason to get rid of you, and you owe him money either way, so you may as well take advantage of the time given to pay it off.
...Or perhaps you could simply get rid of him before then.
But more than wishful thinking, you need to think in the present. What you can do now.
「Begin dispensing spiritual energy.」A momentary pause. <span class="mu-i">Affirmative.</span> You stop moving as your hand is filled with flashes of pain, stabbing into you from your insides. A bitter smile covers your face.「So this is what Takigi and Kinzou felt... perhaps I should've been a bit kinder to the youngling.」
You're not able to focus on your surroundings much. Your breathing deepens. You get hot flashes from the pain. Eventually, it begins tapering off though. You use your aching right hand to wipe the sweat from your brow.「That was longer than they had to deal with it.」A statement not seeking for an answer, but that gets one regardless. <span class="mu-i">Affirmative. The difference in souls...</span> You interrupt.「I get it. Just talking to myself.」The soul computer's toneless approach to conversation is a bit more annoying than you remember it being.
You navigate the heavily grown dirt paths to the apothecary's. It has been a long time - a couple years, you think. Hopefully she still recalls Takigi. As you reach the end of the trail, you hear the thunk of metal in the distance. A very familiar thunk - someone's cutting wood.
As you come to the top of the hill upon which the apothecary lives, the source of the noise is revealed: the woman herself. A sizable axe sits on her shoulder, and a pile of split firewood behind her. By the time you look at her, she's already staring at you, confused. "Who are you, kid?"
「Kinzou. Takigi's son.」She stares blankly for a moment before a look of recognition appears. "Oh. He was helpful. Shame that Kanekatsu got him killed." The woman catches herself as you glare at her.「Killed?」"Ah, well, not necessarily killed. But maybe. Murder is a big charge. Don't be too worried though. He had a bit of strength, right? Could get heavy labor instead."
You get the sense that she's trying to cheer you up, so while annoyed, you change the subject.「Do you have any work? I'm off until the 16th and can read and write.」She puts the axe inside and beckons for you to follow her. "Can always use a hand or two. Literate... maybe you could help sort out the storehouse then, but that'd take too much time to get you prepped for...no, something simpler..." She mumbles to herself before motioning for you to stop and disappearing into her workshop. The clinking of glasses and clangs of metal can be heard before she comes out with a few items in hand.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 26 Jan 2023 04:25:19 No. 5545407 Report >>5545404 "Blue Heart. Ten to twelve blue petals, orangish spots in the center, organish tint to the stem. Don't bend the stem, but the roots don't matter. If there's no orange spots, leave it - it's not mature yet. Madman's Ivy. Harmless despite the name, has THIS shape of leaf-" she tears off part of a stalk and hands it to you "-and it takes a lot to actually get anything out of it. Bring back as much as you can."
She places the plants aside and tilts a bucket towards you. A greenish-yellow liquid slowly moves inside. "Sap of the Sharwood Tree. Grey bark, really tall, and doesn't really have any lower branches. Sometimes you can see sap leaking out from the bark. You should recognize them." She pauses and thinks. "A couple more things I need, but I'd rather trust myself with those. Find what you can of those three, and I'll pay you. Got it?"
A rather hurried explanation, but fortunately you have a good memory.「Understood. Anything else?」She examines you for a moment before speaking once more. "Yeah. One more thing. You know tattoos?" 「...I don't follow.」"Like, you've seen a tattoo before, yes?" You nod. Some of the travelers who've came through have had several. "Good, that saves some explaining. If you see a rabbit with a face tattoo, don't mess with it. Been trying to catch the bastard but it's real slippery."
「A... rabbit with a face tattoo?」"Yeah. Nothing too important." She doesn't elaborate. "That's all on my end. Anything that's unclear?"「Why avoid the rabbit?」She pauses. "None of your business. Now, you'll need a bag for everything, and a bucket too, and preferably a scraper for the sap..."
With that, you are let loose into the surrounding forest.「Alert me if any of said plants appear on sensors.」No reply until you start to repeat your command. <span class="mu-i">Processing resources busy. Task of non-critical importance. Directing sensory input to soul-</span>
You feel a sharp pain in your soul. Nothing deadly, but extremely unpleasant. At the same time, you begin processing several images. The one captured by your eyes, and several more clear than that, caught through extremely small cameras embedded in the ring. 「That hurts more than I'd expect. Soul is a bit weak after the possession.」
「Cut visual feeds to one rear-facing camera and eyes.」<span class="mu-i">Certainly.</span> A moment later, the pain in your head lightens. 「Thank you. Now, time to work.」
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 26 Jan 2023 04:29:11 No. 5545415 Report >>5545407 The first day, you work without incident until nightfall. You don't spot any Blue Hearts, but you do manage to get quite a bit of Madman's Ivy, and find a couple of Sharwood Trees leaking with sap. A harvest you're satisfied with, although you are informed that you misidentified half of the ivy with you come back with your load the next day. Despite that minor setback you return to your work again the next day, still finding more joy from exploring the woods than tedium from collecting ingredients.
As you approach one section of the forest, however, you see something rather odd. Animal burrows - a lot of them. But all half done, barely digging into the ground before they're abandoned. Odd. As you scan the area more closely, you catch sight of something even more interesting. A rabbit... with a facial tattoo. An odd, complex set of black lines covering the left side of its face with no rhyme or reason, to be more exact. You'd almost thought the old woman was messing with you, but apparently not. Its red eyes stare at you, unblinking. Perhaps it's as curious about you as you are about it.
>Leave the area and leave it be. Best that you stay uninvolved with the old woman's rabbit chase. >Approach it. The creature interests you. >Make a rush and try to grab it. Surely it can't be that hard to catch. >Stay where you are and stare back. Perhaps it will approach. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5545415 >Stay where you are and stare back. Perhaps it will approach. Anonymous
>>5545415 Ya know you still had like, twenty days in the old thread, yeah?
>Make a rush and try to grab it. Surely it can't be that hard to catch. Anonymous
>>5545415 >Stay and stare >Speak "Hi there buddy" Anonymous
>>5545415 >Stay where you are and stare back. Perhaps it will approach. Anonymous
>>5545415 >Stay where you are and stare back. Perhaps it will approach. Anonymous
>>5545415 >Stay where you are and stare back. Perhaps it will approach. >>5545531 but it was a nice ending to the thread tho
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 26 Jan 2023 20:25:37 No. 5546135 Report >>5545525 >>5545531 >>5545652 >>5545679 >>5545692 >>5545723 You stay where you are and stare at the creature. It stares back. This continues on for an uncomfortably long time, suddenly being broken when you just... can't see the rabbit anymore. One moment it was there, and the next, not.
「I didn't blink, did I?」
Confused, you step over to where the rabbit was and stomp around for a bit. There are plenty of burrows, but almost all barely started - it seems unlikely that the rabbit disappeared down one of them in that instant. As for what did happen... you're not sure. It's just gone, disappeared into thin air. You've read about mirages before. Perhaps it's something similar to that.
「I found your rabbit.」The apothecary raises an eyebrow. "Oh. You didn't catch it, did you?"「No. It disappeared.」She clicks her tongue, but doesn't seem surprised.「Why exactly are you after it?」"Besides rabbit tasting good? As I said before, not your concern. Anyways, don't mess with the thing - it's in both of our best interests."
The rest of the week goes without anymore such incidents. Near the end of the week you grow more accustomed to searching for your three ingredients, and for your trouble, have another added to your search.
「What do you use these ingredients for?」The apothecary continues to sort through what you gathered as she answers. "Which one?"「Madman's Ivy?」"Process and boil down with water, to yield a concentrate with painkilling properties. Best used for mixing into ointments. A bit of a mainstay around these parts." Intriguing.「What about the sap?」"A few things. Can be used as a binding agent when brewing medicine or as an everyday adhesive after processing. Doesn't taste too bad if you boil out the excess water."「I see! Blue Heart?」A moment of hesitation before you see her smirk. "Increases blood flow to the penis as part of certain mixtures. Paid for a good portion of this house."
"..."
She laughs at you and gives you your pay for the day.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 26 Jan 2023 20:30:10 No. 5546138 Report >>5546135 Things have calmed down a bit. Nui is functional, if still somewhat distraught, although she attempts to hide it. Something inside you nags you to try to cheer her up, but you feel that your attempts may hurt more than help, so you don't dig at the issue. By the rest day you've made a nice bit of spare change from your work during the week, and learned a bit that might be useful, even if it is but passing trivia for now.
"Here's your pay. You start work up again tomorrow, right?"「Correct.」"Shame. You've been pretty helpful. Your dad was too - maybe a green thumb runs in the family."
Perhaps the affinity for the task can be more greatly attributed to the ring on that finger fit with high-resolution cameras, rather than any green finger itself, but there's no reason to mention that. "How late do you work?"「Not a full day, but longer than an apprenticeship. Halfway between lunch and sundown, about.」"Ah, then maybe... no, the intake is a ways away." The woman hems and haws for some time before saying anything else.
"Well, if you want, I guess you could help me out from then into the nights. Ah, but visibility isn't too good then, so it'd be troublesome..."
>「The arrangement sounds good to me.」If you took on a second job you wouldn't have time left for much else, but it could make for good pay and good learning. And if shifts don't go too long, you should be able to stand merging your senses with a camera with night-vision. >「A shame. Sounds like we won't be able to figure something out.」Your time here has been interesting, but stumbling around forests and sorting through sheds is not the best use of your time in the long-term. >「...Perhaps I can put the job at the intake on hold?」The time at the intake has been good, and something within you yearns to see those traces of the world beyond here, but you've learned what you're going to learn from such a job. A switch is in order. >Write-In >>5545531 Probably could've gotten two more weeks out of it, but I probably wouldn't hit a comfortable stopping point before it fell off the board. Basically what >>5545723 said. Anonymous
>>5546138 >「The arrangement sounds good to me.」If you took on a second job you wouldn't have time left for much else, but it could make for good pay and good learning. And if shifts don't go too long, you should be able to stand merging your senses with a camera with night-vision. Money! Skills!
Anonymous
>>5546138 >The arrangement sounds good. >Would you tell me more about the plants as well? Learn skills on the job.
Anonymous
>>5546138 >「The arrangement sounds good to me.」If you took on a second job you wouldn't have time left for much else, but it could make for good pay and good learning. And if shifts don't go too long, you should be able to stand merging your senses with a camera with night-vision. Anonymous
>>5546138 >「The arrangement sounds good to me.」If you took on a second job you wouldn't have time left for much else, but it could make for good pay and good learning. And if shifts don't go too long, you should be able to stand merging your senses with a camera with night-vision. We can always quit the one of then if nescessary
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 27 Jan 2023 04:19:49 No. 5546665 Report >>5546176 >>5546194 >>5546198 >>5546237 「The arrangement sounds good to me.」The apothecary stops talking, surprised. "Working a second job at night? Hope you don't regret it kid. That wears you out real quick."「I'll watch out for exhaustion.」You can only hope that having passed through The Martial Gateway helps in that regard.
「I'll learn about the ingredients, right?」She stares at you. 「And perhaps a bit about being an apothecary?」 Instead of responding, she keeps staring. ...Was she seriously just intending on having you run meaningless errands until the end of time?
The apothecary replies hesitantly. "I suppose. But it will come out of your pay." As you make a confused scowl, she breaks out into laughter. "Just messing with you kid. Yeah, sure. Recipes are mostly private knowledge - can't well have a competitor or it would make the both of us 60% of the money - but I wouldn't mind giving you a foundation for the time being. After that, well, I'll think about it."
She calls you back as you say your goodbyes and start to head home. "One more thing kid! I'm Huo Mi. Remember it."
The next few days are as busy as you expect. Waking up, eating, exercising and absorbing spiritual energy, walking to the intake, doing paperwork, helping take inventory on caravans, lunch, and finishing out the day with more of the same. And that's only the first job. After that is gathering ingredients for Huo Mi until sundown, and then doing whatever she needs after, whether it's making a tiny dent in the disorganized mess that is her storehouse or going out and gathering more ingredients. Once that's done, you finally absorb more spiritual energy for the night, head home, eat dinner, and have a bit of free time before you sleep, only to repeat it all again the next day.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 27 Jan 2023 04:23:47 No. 5546672 Report >>5546665 Today, however, your routine is interrupted. "HALT RIGHT THERE." You turn around, only to be greeted with a child with an over-dramatic flourish and an angry expression. Although you suppose you're also a child now, physically at least. It takes you a moment to recognize the boy as one of the village head's grandsons - the one who's the same age as Kinzou. Er, the same age as you.
「Ah, it's...」You trail off, hoping that he'll give his name. No such luck.「...you.」His displeasure grows deeper. "Family name Mu. Given name Char."「Char then. What do you need. I'm on my way to work.」
It seems as if the boy is going to take issue with your form of address, but he manages to hold his complaints back. "You've been avoiding me, but you cannot dodge justice forever! I've caught you!"
「Excuse me?」
"Don't feign ignorance! You've been avoiding me for the past week! Not showing up to work, and then never going home until dark - all to avoid my retribution." You want to deny the accusation, but decide against it - you feel like reason is futile in this discussion.「Why are you talking to me exactly?」
The child grits his teeth. "Your father started this blood feud by killing my cousin! In his name, I challenge you to a duel, in order to avenge my family's honor!"
"...Say something! Don't just stand there!" He seems embarrassed. Right, you did spend a bit too long gaping at him.「What do you mean by a duel? To the death?」
A scoff greets you in response. "Of course not! Honorable combat, man to man!"
That doesn't explain much more, but it seems he doesn't intend to take a life for a life at least. Not that Takigi took a life in the first place - if he should hold a grudge against anyone it should be Kinzou, for suggesting you take his body. Although you're also Kinzou, so you guess this might just be karma.
>「Sure. A duel. I'll meet you when work gets out, and we can find a clearing or something.」Best to settle this now and save yourself a big headache later, whether through taking a fall or showing off your strength. >「If you want an honorable duel then shouldn't you talking to my father, or one of his cousins? I'm not involved in this, and I have work to get to - I'm leaving.」You have no obligation to entertain this child's delusions. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5546672 >「Sure. A duel. I'll meet you when work gets out, and we can find a clearing or something.」Best to settle this now and save yourself a big headache later, whether through taking a fall or showing off your strength. First we fight, then we become friendly rivals to push ourselves to greater heights!
Anonymous
>>5546672 >「Sure. A duel. I'll meet you when work gets out, and we can find a clearing or something.」Best to settle this now and save yourself a big headache later, whether through taking a fall or showing off your strength. Anonymous
>>5546672 >「If you want an honorable duel then shouldn't you talking to my father, or one of his cousins? I'm not involved in this, and I have work to get to - I'm leaving.」You have no obligation to entertain this child's delusions. Anonymous
>>5546672 >Aren't you a cultivator? I don't think I could fight one of them Lets get some info. If he is at 3rd tempering for some reason or above, lets not.
If he is 2nd or lower, lets go.
Anonymous
>>5546672 >「Sure. A duel. I'll meet you when work gets out, and we can find a clearing or something.」Best to settle this now and save yourself a big headache later, whether through taking a fall or showing off your strength. Anonymous
>>5546899 This is plan B kid isn't it? Recently through the martial gate like us.
Anonymous
>>5547064 So it is. So yeah, we're fine.
Though this dick, who doesn't know we are a cultivtor is ready to throw down? What a bastard.
Anonymous
>>5547070 Pretty sure he is related to the guy dad got framed for killing and he is after revenge
Anonymous
>>5547109 Yeah, and?
Still a bastard to pick on the weak who want nothing to do with you.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5547128 Eh, it's a hurt confused kid lashing out at the only thing he feels like he can. Ideally we can convince him that we're both victims of the same crime, and join forces.
Anonymous
>>5546672 >「If you want an honorable duel then shouldn't you talking to my father, or one of his cousins? I'm not involved in this, and I have work to get to - I'm leaving.」 dont forget we dont want to stand out, and beating/dueling a kid broken through the gateway IS standing out
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 27 Jan 2023 20:06:37 No. 5547260 Report 4-2 in favor of a duel then>Just take a fall and let him get his anger out. You'll be bruised, but hopefully that's enough of a 'duel' for him. >Do your best to try and win. It'll all be in private, man on man, so no need to be completely low key. You don't feel like taking a beating anyways.
Anonymous
>>5547260 >Defend yourself, but don't nescessarily try to win. Anonymous
>>5547260 >>Do your best to try and win. It'll all be in private, man on man, so no need to be completely low key. You don't feel like taking a beating anyways. Anonymous
>>5547260 >Defend ourselves but don't try to win We can practice blocks and parries.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 27 Jan 2023 22:02:56 No. 5547356 Report >>5547267 >>5547281 >>5547352 Alright, I'll take that as a majority then.
First dice of the quest, three 1d100s, DC is 60 to beat, the more successes the better.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 90 (1d100) >>5547356 I PRACTISE THE DAO OF DICE
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 70 (1d100) >>5547356 Treat it as a spar, training is always good
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 51 (1d100) >>5547356 WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 28 Jan 2023 00:25:06 No. 5547547 Report >>5546710 >>5546716 >>5546875 >>5546899 >>5546926 >>5547212 This is a bit of a bother, but you imagine that if you decline then it will just make the kid madder. Best to entertain his flight of fancy and give him a bit of an outlet.
「Sure. A duel. I'll meet you when work gets out, and we can find a clearing or something.」Char stretches his hand out. "It's a promise then!" You pause for a moment, but shake it, and then continue on your way.
"You haven't been asking for help as much lately." Brynn casually chimes in as you do your work.「Ah... well. I know most of the words now. Been working here for a year at this point, haven't I?」He chuckles. "Yup, about that long. Guess all the times we had to remind you how to read 'wheat' are finally sinking in."
The workday is over. Mu Char waits at the end of the wide dirt road leading to the intake, an impatient expression on his face. It disappears as you appear, and he tries his best to look solemn. "You've arrived!"「...That I have.」The two of you stand there for a moment, trying to figure out how to continue.「Uh. Let's find a clearing.」"Yeah. I'll follow you."
Eventually, you find a suitable place for your showdown: a section of the forest that's clear of trees, and relatively flat. A small brook flows along one edge of it. "A good place to decide things!" You're not quite as excited about the rather ordinary clearing, but you simply nod along.
"Here are the rules of the duel: We will both fight unarmed." You stop glancing at a large stick only a couple feet away that had drawn your attention. That's for the best.. "Neither of us will purposely attempt to seriously injure the other. One party loses if they give up, or if they're knocked to the ground."
"Any questions?"「Is there a time limit?」He shakes his head. "Not normally." Oh well.「Nothing else then. Let's get started.」
The two of you stand a few feet apart, counting down in sync. 「"3...2...1..."」A kick comes in from your left side. It's fast - or at least it feels fast. You hastily lift your arm up to block, and stumble back as you're hit. You keep your stance though. Some surprise appears on Char's face; he was probably hoping that brute force would quickly settle things.
What follows is a fight between two children with both the strength and gracefulness of drunken 20-somethings. Your 'duel' barely qualifies as even a brawl. You do your best to defend yourself without counterattacking which does, unfortunately, leave several wide, sloppy attacks completely unpunished. ...Even if your punishments may be similarly wide and sloppy. In the meantime you block, dodge, and run away from a great many attacks, which often just miss you completely.
Some minutes later, and the both of you are dripping with sweat and breathing deeply. The two of you stand only a few feet apart. One of your hands covers a bloody nose, and you have a few bruises from blocking attacks and from when you were punched in the stomach, but you're mostly ok.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 28 Jan 2023 00:26:07 No. 5547548 Report >>5547547 Mu Char takes his hands off his knees and looks up at you, red in the face. "...Good...showing..." A deep breath. "Let's... finish this." He assumes a fighting stance once more, and then just runs at you, as fast as he can. Given the short distance between the two of you you struggle to respond, and end up practically jumping out of the way. Your leg catches part of him in mid air, and tangled up in each other, you both crash to the ground.
Still staring at the dirt, you make out a muffled voice. "Why don't we call this a draw?"「Agreed.」The two of you make your way to a sitting position and start to catch your breath. Now is probably your best chance to talk, with the kid calmed down.
>「My dad didn't do anything to your cousin in the first place. That was Kanekatsu. This is meaningless.」 >「Why exactly did you challenge me to a duel to start with?」 >「I should be getting to my second job. No hard feelings, and see you around.」 >Write-In Anonymous
>>5547548 >「Did you really challenge me because of this blood feud thing?」 >「I'm sure my father was framed. Not just because he was my dad: The machete had disappeared weeks before, he had no reason to attack your cousin, and no murderer stands outside of the scene of the crime all night.」 >「...I enjoyed our spar though. 」 Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5547548 >「My dad didn't do anything to your cousin in the first place. That was Kanekatsu. This is meaningless.」 Anonymous
Anonymous
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 28 Jan 2023 19:17:23 No. 5548480 Report >>5547571 >>5547817 >>5547915 >>5548086 >>5548266 「You really started this because of a 'blood feud'?」Char nods, a serious expression on his face. "Of course. Issues like that can't be left to fester. They me be dealt with appropriately. Grudges settled, and honor protected. You should do the same - deal with grudges quickly and cleanly, and protect the honor of yourself and your line."
You sigh.「'fraid I can't really do that. I'm certain Kanekatsu did it, but I can't really deal with him.」"Didn't your father work for Kanekatsu?" Why does he know th- oh, well, it makes sense that he knows something about the going-ons.「Yes, but he isn't a murderer. He doesn't have the heart for anything like that. He was just used as a fall guy. The murder weapon went missing beforehand, and he was just told to keep watch from inside your cousin's house that night, and that it belonged to Kanekatsu. The body must've been moved in after he left, since dad said he didn't run into anyone while there.」
Char thinks on your words. "I'll take you word on it for the time being. If your father did it then it was on Kanekatsu's orders, and if he was framed, then it was Kanekatsu who was behind it all the same. The true object of my ire stays the same regardless." He sighs and trails off.
"It's unfortunate though, that it's Kanekatsu."「Why's that?」"He just broke through to the 4th Tempering a few days ago. Made a big deal of it, showed off a bit. That makes him rather hard to deal with - only a handful of people in the village can compete against that."
「That's rather convenient timing. Could be related.」"It certainly could be."
Char stands up. "But I'm patient. It's not quick and clean, but give it a decade, or perhaps 15 years and I'll catch up to Kanekatsu, and then some." He turns to you. "A good fight. I'll see you around."
You nod and push yourself up, wiping dirt off of you.「I enjoyed it. Same to you.」
"You're late. And dirty."「Sorry.」Huo Mi glances you over for a moment. "Head over to the storehouse and grab the ointment on the bottom shelf, near the far right. Should be a light blue, stored in a ceramic jar. Rub some on those bruises, and that ugly nose, and then we'll get to work." As you approach the storehouse, you hear her call out from the distance. "But don't use too much. That stuff costs money!"
Around three weeks have passed since Takigi's arrest. The murder has unsettled the town, and left you with a couple glances full of malice, and more full of pity, but ultimately not changed much across the town at large. A notice sits in the town square, someone reading it aloud next to it.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 28 Jan 2023 19:20:24 No. 5548485 Report >>5548480 "On the 7th month, 9th day, of Shang 485, a meeting will be convened in order to elect a new village head. Those eligible to attend and vote are as follows: Citizens of the empire who own, or have a parent or spouse who owns property, and permanent residents of the village who have passed through The Martial Gateway. The meeting will begin in the early morning, and end around noon. Finer details will be explained verbally on the day of."
News of the election spreads like wildfire in the coming days. Talk of what change it could bring to the village, the government official presiding over it, and of possible candidates, such as the queer fellow in charge of the intake, one of the farmers, the head of the sawmill, or, unfortunately, perhaps Kanekatsu.
This discussion makes you think a bit yourself. About if you can get involved, and at least get a chance to see what's going on among the upper levels of the village. You're currently hiding your cultivation, and for good reason, but the cost here is troublesome. You'd quite like to know what exactly is going on with this village.
>If you count you and your father's savings, there should be just enough to purchase a citizenship for yourself. Freedom to travel without additional taxation, to join organizations such as sects, and all the other rights associated with being a tax-paying citizen. You don't think it would be too hard to get Nui to agree to the matter, particularly given that you work with the intake, and it would allow you to vote. >Perhaps the easiest and cheapest thing to do is just formally acknowledge your cultivation. Find the government official, have them quickly record your name and cultivation down, and take part in the vote. A bit eye-catching, but it's not too odd for children to make an early breakthrough and progress no further. You only hope that this much strength doesn't draw any ire. >Unfortunate, but not worth paying too much attention to. You'll hear about whoever is elected to be the chief, at least, and a single vote is unlikely to do much of anything. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5548485 >>If you count you and your father's savings, there should be just enough to purchase a citizenship for yourself. Freedom to travel without additional taxation, to join organizations such as sects, and all the other rights associated with being a tax-paying citizen. You don't think it would be too hard to get Nui to agree to the matter, particularly given that you work with the intake, and it would allow you to vote. Hopefully having the extra money doesn't draw attention.
Anyway, we have to reach 5th tempering as quick as we can
Anonymous
>>5548485 >Unfortunate, but not worth paying too much attention to. You'll hear about whoever is elected to be the chief, at least, and a single vote is unlikely to do much of anything. I'd like to save up money for a rainy-day plus it's best we keep hiding our powel level. It's best if Kanekatsu thinks we're a cultivationless bug, if we reveal the fact that he we actually passed the martial gateway then he might start to see us as a potential long term threat and will nip us in the bud before we grow strong. Plus I don't think we get any benefit out of being there besides seeing how some of the town's various factions function and operate.
Anonymous
>>5548485 >Unfortunate, but ignore It's really not worth anything.
Anonymous
>>5548485 >Perhaps the easiest and cheapest thing to do is just formally acknowledge your cultivation. Find the government official, have them quickly record your name and cultivation down, and take part in the vote. A bit eye-catching, but it's not too odd for children to make an early breakthrough and progress no further. You only hope that this much strength doesn't draw any ire. Who knows, maybe being registered will draw in opportunities, not problems. I can't imagine the mob boss is going to see us as a threat, we're just a kid.
Besides you know if we don't vote Kanekatsu will probably become mayor.
Anonymous
>>5548864 >I can't imagine the mob boss is going to see us as a threat, we're just a kid. But in the long term? It's just too risky. the dude is smart, he won't let a potential enemy get strong even assuming he thinks our MC is just 'average' talent and stagnates at the first or second tempering for the rest of their life.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5548887 I could see him keeping an eye on us, but we're a long way away from a confrontation. It's not like he's going to hold still either. We're certainly not going to worry about some martial gateway kid when we're at 4th tempering.
We sure as hell should avoid any sign we're plotting revenge. Pretending fear should be our default strategy.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 29 Jan 2023 06:16:09 No. 5549276 Report I'll leave this vote up until the morning, and then hopefully get more out tomorrow, last couple of days have been slow updatewise.
Anonymous
>>5548485 >If you count you and your father's savings, there should be just enough to purchase a citizenship for yourself. Freedom to travel without additional taxation, to join organizations such as sects, and all the other rights associated with being a tax-paying citizen. You don't think it would be too hard to get Nui to agree to the matter, particularly given that you work with the intake, and it would allow you to vote. I just don't want Kanekatsu to end up winning while our vote could have forced a tie or something
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5549276 Weekend slowdown sucks
Anonymous
>Unfortunate, but ignore
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 29 Jan 2023 18:40:56 No. 5549790 Report Quoted By:
Buy citizenship: 2
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WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 29 Jan 2023 20:17:00 No. 5549915 Report >>5548489 >>5548554 >>5548660 >>5548864 >>5549288 >>5549582 You'd like to go, if not to see what's really going on in the village, to simply dismiss the nagging what-if of Kanekatsu winning by one vote when you're not in attendance. But that's not realistic. One vote isn't likely to do much of anything, and you'll know who gets elected in the end anyway. If a lot of the actual proceedings stay behind the curtain for you... whatever.
The next Onesday, the start of the work week, you're off of work. Most of the people in charge of running things are at the same temple you went to for your coming of age ceremony, voting for the village head. You'd head over and rubberneck, but from what you know you wouldn't be allowed inside. If you haven't paid for a citizenship, then who governs doesn't concern you - that sort of thinking.
The morning, you take as an extension of your rest day. Eating a relaxed breakfast, wandering around the woods for a bit, and heading down to the farms to play Ousatsu with Shou and Go. Since combining with Kinzou you always win against Go, which brings you a bit of satisfaction. ...Although the fact that you still can't win against Shou may bring you more distress than such easy victories can make up for.
When the afternoon rolls around you head over to the temple, figuring that they should be about done for the day. In front of the steps leading towards the temple stands a young man in official looking armor. As you first approach he's wiping his sweat off his face with his shirt, his polearm leaning against a tree, but he straightens himself up as you approach.
"Halt, resident of the empire. The temple ahead is in use." You stop.「Thank you sir, I'm aware. Do you know how much longer it will take?」He thinks. "Not too long, I would think. They're done with the third round of voting, and should be finishing the last now." He points a thumb to a nearby tree. "The votes for the last round are posted, if you'd care to look."
「I would actually. Thank you.」You take a look at a piece of paper tacked to a nearby tree.
<span class="mu-b">Mei Gi</span>: 90 votes
<span class="mu-b">Whitford Percival</span>: 63 votes
<span class="mu-r">Kanekatsu Hanawa</span>: 39 votes
<span class="mu-b">Mao Kitsugi</span>: 37 votes
<span class="mu-g">Huo Mi</span>: 30 votes
A distant third. That relieves a lot of your anxiety towards Kanekatsu. As for the rest of the list... you don't have too much of an opinion. As you recall Mei Gi was the candidate that the agricultural distract was pushing, and Mr. Whitford is the boss of the intake. Mao Kitsugi... perhaps the candidate from the saw mill? And Huo Mi... wait, Huo Mi? You're surprised that she's popular enough to make it into the last round of voting. You'll have to ask her about that later.
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WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 29 Jan 2023 20:23:14 No. 5549925 Report >>5549915 Over the next hour or so, some dozens of people gather outside the temple, as curious about the results as you are. The guard can no longer take it easy and does his best to look intimidating on the temple stairs. Eventually a crowd starts exiting from the temple, chatting among themselves. You can make out anger from some, and joy from others. You spot Huo Mi among everyone, and approach to get an idea of what happened.
"Oh, it's you. What'd you come for? So eager to get working you went to find me?" You ignore the banter.「Was wondering how the election turned out.」"Ahhhhh. Should've just voted then - I wouldn't have turn down one more. Not that I needed it. I won." Your mouth hangs open.
A large man standing next to her pats you on the back. "Ignore her. Fall for one of her jokes and she'll laugh to herself about it all day long." Huo Mi pretends to be angry. "Can't you just let an old woman have her fun?" "An old woman? All I see is a young lady in the prime of her youth."
"Oh, you flatterer. Although when you lay it on so thick it almost feels insulting. Alright, I'm not old, and I didn't win either. Ended up throwing my lot in with the lad from the farms since I don't like that weirdo from the intake. Mei Gi won - the weirdo only had Kanekatsu's backing, so they barely broke 100 votes."
So that's what happened. Well, you don't know anything about Mei Gi, but whoever he is, he's not Kanekatsu at least.「I see. That's good. Although, I didn't know that you were that popular - 30 votes is a fair bit.」Huo Mi puts on a smug smile.
"Of course I'm popular! Who else are people going to go to for proper medicine in this village? Sure, there's a couple of schmucks running around, but they don't hold a candle to me. That being said, 30 votes doesn't mean 30 people. That was just me and my friends - this meathead and I make 20!" You glance at the man, who smiles down at you from above.
"I should get going. Mi. Kid." The man begins stomping away in another direction, the crowd of people parting before him as if they're afraid of getting run over. You're about to ask more, but the apothecary speaks before you can. "Well, since you came, I better put you to work. Come on, no lollygagging." She speeds up her pace, which you struggle to keep up with.
The next day, an announcement is made that on the 7th month, 9th day, of Shang 485, Mei GI was elected as head of the village by a majority of 61% of all votes cast. Around that information there's plenty of formalities, about how he may serve the people well and live up to his position, and how he should be respected, and so on and so forth, but that is rather universally ignored in favor of what's important. A village head has been decided, and a sense of stability can return to the village.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 29 Jan 2023 20:27:10 No. 5549929 Report >>5549925 The 7th month, 11th day, of Shang 485. An envoy arrives from the county seat with important news. A village head has been decided upon! In his wisdom, on the 7th month, 4th day, of Shang 485, the county magistrate signed a decree to appoint Percival Whitford, citizen of the empire and resident of Fogtop Village, as the village head, to safeguard its people and promote its development.
It goes without saying that the atmosphere is more awkward and strained than ever before. Two appointed village heads, both bickering over who's truly in power. What you would give to be a ring on the hand of someone watching the two of them go back and forth over whose claim was more legitimate. But alas, you'll just have to settle for hearing the small talk of those arguing about why their preferred village head is the real one.
While neither side is lacking in arguments or complaints, just those can't bring things to a close. The 8th month passes, and the 9th month starts without a conclusion to the issue. It's unknown whether a government official somewhere is trying to solve the issue and researching who's really in charge, or if it's simply been left up to the local residents to figure out themselves.
One afternoon, you arrive at Huo Mi's to begin your job assisting her for the day. Unlike usual, she doesn't come out to greet you, so you enter her home yourself. Inside, you're surprised to find her treating a nasty looking wound on her right arm. She ignores you as she struggles to combine several mixtures with her left hand, so that she can apply them to a bandage.
「You need any help?」"No thanks," she grunts.「...How'd you get hurt?」She doesn't respond for a minute, but eventually gives a strained reply. "That damn rabbit." Before you can ask further - "You don't need to know more. Just don't bother it."
Eventually, the wound is covered. Huo Mi leans back in her seat, staring at the ceiling for a minute. Then she stares at you. "Hey kid? Want to make some medicine?" You're taken aback.「Really? Not afraid that I'll hurt your business?」She makes a throaty laugh. "You, kid? You're 20 years too early for that. Hell, I don't expect you to even make anything usable. Just thought you might be able to do something simple while I'm out of commission, with, uh-" she raises her arm "-this. Not like I need ingredients for things I can't make."
「Sure!」She nods. "Good, good. Let's see what I've got that's easy. Easy, easy.." Huo Mi begins glancing through a book.
After nearly 10 minutes, she glances back to you. "Adhesive. Disinfectant. Food. Choose one."
>Adhesive. >Disinfectant. >Food. >Write-In Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5549929 >>Disinfectant. It's important to treat wounds
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5549929 >Disinfectant. wondering what of these three would teach us the most
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 30 Jan 2023 01:31:49 No. 5550268 Report >>5549949 >>5549955 >>5550034 >>5550082 「Disinfectant.」You don't know the particulars of human biology, and good medical treatment is hard to come by. Best to prepare yourself ahead of time.
"Alright, disinfectant it is. Follow me to the cellar." Huo Mi leads you out of the house, and circles around back. A wooden door sits inlaid into the ground. She pulls it open with her good arm, revealing a dark room filled with boxes and sacks. Without saying anything she pops in, grabs something, and comes back out.
"This is disinfectant." She holds up an unlabeled bottle. "In formal texts, it is sometimes referred to as <span class="mu-i">Aqua Vitae</span>. It's strong enough to get the job done, and weak enough to make you feel better after the wound is dealt with.." She uncorks the bottle with her bare hands, takes a deep gulp from it, and then reseals it. "That hits the spot. Anyways, unless you want me to teach you brewing, this isn't the disinfectant you're going to make. Come on, we're done here." She climbs out of the cellar and continues on her way.
"Alright, what I'm going to teach you is really simple, don't even need to heat anything. You get the ingredients and I'll get the tools. Pearlroot is fairly common around here, you should recognize it, grab a bunch of that. After that, get some Shadblow Fruits. Big, spiky, green, have a kind of leathery skin, you should be able to recognize them. Last up, grab some... hmm, wax paper should work fine. Can't find it in the wild obviously, but it'll do."
Ten minutes later, and the two of you are in her workshop. It's the first time you've been in here, actually. Plants, powders, and other miscellany are scattered around like a tornado tore through the room. A few pieces of paper are also scattered about, information haphazardly scribbled on them. Huo Mi simply pushes everything on one half of a wooden workbench to the side in order to create a space to work in.
"This is a mortar and pestle." She places a piece of equipment on the table. "Use it to grind the Pearlroot down. You want a very fine texture, but if press down too hard then the ingredient loses its potency, so it will take a while." She glances at you, pity barely visible in her expression. "Good luck."
"Not fine enough."
"Too hard. Start again."
"I know your arms are tired. You'll get used to it."
Eventually, you get a result she's happy with. She nods. "We can move onto preparing the other ingredient then." She points to one of the Shadblow Fruits. "They're mean bastards. Spiky, hard to peel, and they taste terrible. But there is an upside. Pulverize the peel and it'll leak out a thick, syrupy liquid to create creams with. It's a little numbing, so it's good for stuff like this."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 30 Jan 2023 01:35:40 No. 5550270 Report >>5550268 As you nod along, she hands you a couple more pieces of equipment. A paring knife, a rod of some sort, and a bowl with a piece of metal with many thin holes poked into it. "Pulverize it so that the liquid comes out, and don't get any peel mixed in with."
"Yes, liquid does come out, do it harder."
"Idiot, don't grind down the peel while you're at it, nobody wants rind in their wound."
"Yes, your arms will probably ache tomorrow too, keep at it."
After far too long, you have two processed ingredients. Ground Pearlroot, with disinfectant properties, and the liquid in which it is suspended. Huo Mi looks at them closely and nods. "Good job. Now mix them both together. Thoroughly. And don't do it hard, or the Pearlroot will stop working." You're handed a wooden instrument similar to a whisk and a new bowl, and left staring at the task ahead of you.
You end up mixing with too much force, leaving you no choice but to start over again. Given the time, that is left until tomorrow. The next day, after some more struggles and arm pain, it's finally finished. A single small container of disinfectant. Huo Li stares at it, taking a bit and rubbing it between her fingers. "Passable. Now, let's get something on top of it. Grab a piece of wax paper from earlier and start wrapping it. You don't want anything getting in or out, or it's not gonna keep. Yes, like that. Then we want to put it all in a container, just so that there's another layer around it, and then close that up best we can..."
A small, round, wooden container sits in front of you. The top is shoved into place and held down with string. Inside sit several lumps of a medicinal paste, wrapped in wax paper. Huo Li seems satisfied with the work, as are you. "Don't necessarily need to go this far every time, at least with the packaging, but I prefer to if I'm selling the product and it needs to last. Containers can be re-used, as can the paper, at least once or twice, although you can use other ingredients to help preserve medicine as well. A bit much, but call it a crafstwoman's pride if you will."
"To apply the disinfectant, remove one cube, spread it on a piece of bandage, and apply it to the affected wound. Keep pressure on it for some time to make sure it takes effect. For minor scratches, just get a smidge, spread it, and press down for a while. That's about it." She hesitates before continuing. "One more thing, though. That's not being an apothecary. It's grunt work, to put it a bit rudely, although doing it well still takes skill. Being an apothecary is memorizing the properties of what you can use around you, and knowing how to use all methods possible to combine them to create whatever you need, to speak more broadly than is probably appropriate. It's more freeform than following a recipe. Not that it matters in your case. Just felt like doing a bit of rambling, I guess."
She clears her throat. "Now, I'm short on Pearlroot. You know what to do."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 30 Jan 2023 01:38:13 No. 5550272 Report >>5550270 It doesn't take too long for Huo Mi's arm to recover and for work to resume per normal. The 9th month goes into the 10th, and the last harvest of the year begins to get shipped out, despite prolonged arguments between the intake and the agricultural district.
On an afternoon of note, you're helping take inventory of a caravan. In one wagon are quite a few weapons. The owner of that piece of cargo approaches you.
"You, you make good money, yes?" He doesn't wait for an answer. "Why not outfit yourself? Life on the frontier is rough, and you need something to defend yourself. Something that you can use to provide! Something to..."
The man continues his pitch, showing you a great many items. You're not in too much of a hurry today, so you entertain him as you write what's present down. Eventually, he turns towards the sale. You haggle for a bit to get to the 'real' price he's willing to sell at. A bit expensive, but not overpriced - all within range for the cargo he's carrying. It'd take a few months of your after-necessity savings to purchase one, but it could be worthwhile. Who knows what could happen.
>There's a lovely short sword on one side. >This bow is nice. Elastic, without requiring too much draw strength. >A spear! A bit long given your height, but good for keeping foes at bay. >There's an axe over here. A bit hard to wield, but quite the threat if it lands a hit. >You see something weird in the back. Something a bit like a club, but with blades attached to both sides. That must leave quite the nasty wound. >You don't need any of this. No thank you. You'll just... find a stick or something. Get hit hard enough and it's all the same. >You have the money - you could get a couple actually. [Specify which] Anonymous
>>5550272 >This bow is nice. Elastic, without requiring too much draw strength. Pew pew
Anonymous
>>5550272 >>You see something weird in the back. Something a bit like a club, but with blades attached to both sides. That must leave quite the nasty wound. MORNINGSTAR
Anonymous
>>5550272 >>You see something weird in the back. Something a bit like a club, but with blades attached to both sides. That must leave quite the nasty wound. Macuahitl get???
Anonymous
>>5550272 >A spear! A bit long given your height, but good for keeping foes at bay. Poke poke poke.
Anonymous
>>5550272 >You have the money - you could get a couple actually. [Specify which] Spear
It has longer reach than a sword but by gripping it closer to the tip it is also useful if someone gets too close
Bow
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 30 Jan 2023 08:53:27 No. 5550607 Report Quoted By:
>>5550439 >Macuahitl get??? It's basically a Macuahitl with metal blades and maybe a little more heft to it, yes. Anonymous
>>5550272 >Bow is nice Ranged option is always needed.
Anonymous
>>5550272 >A spear! A bit long given your height, but good for keeping foes at bay Sorry but I'm a massive spearguy. Plus it can technically count as a ranged weapon if we throw it so I think it's a good compromise
Anonymous
>>5550272 >You don't need any of this. imagine some lil wee lad running around with a weapon of war, so much for not drawing attention
Anonymous
>>5550812 Hey, we're working two jobs supporting our widowed mother. Basically a grown man.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5550817 Also we pick up things in the forest for the alchemist, we have a reason to want protection.
I imagine bows or spears should be common enough for households to have.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Here's how the votes are for now
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WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 30 Jan 2023 19:47:20 No. 5551049 Report >>5550282 >>5550570 >>5550637 bow
>>5550495 >>5550570 >>5550679 spear
>>5550304 >>5550439 Macuahitl-like
>>5550812 Nothing
So, I guess the best way to break this is a quick vote on:
>Buy either a bow or a spear. [If you voted for something other than a bow or spear feel free to specify which of the two you'd prefer, if they're still tied and this wins I'll roll dice.] >Buy a bow and a spear. Anonymous
>>5551049 >Buy a bow and a spear. Anonymous
>>5551049 >Buy a bow and a spear. Might be a bit of a steep investment but it's worth it
Anonymous
>>5551049 > Just spear Only poke! No thwip!
...more practically a bow is probably a great choice for us, as a practical weapon that can both hunt and finish fights before they start. But I like spears. Fighting at range lacks dramatic umph.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5551089 We can use the bow at long range while closing the distance to use spears.
We just need a horse and we can turn into a mongol.
A horse that can cultivate Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5551049 >Buy a bow and a spear. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 03:25:25 No. 5551516 Report >>5551054 >>5551084 >>5551089 >>5551223 >>5551506 So much to choose from. A bow certainly seems practical given how rural the area is - fresh game never hurt anyone. As for a melee weapon... the axe is practical, but too big for you. The sword... eh. The weird thing in back looks intriguing, but in the end you think you'll have to go for the spear. It's the only thing with a semblance of range in melee combat. A bit costly and tall for you besides, but, well, better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.
「I'll take that bow sitting on top of the box on the left over there. And the spear just next to it.」The man's face lights up, happy to have found the sale as easy as expected - there's no easier way into a young boy's heart than weapons of war. "Certainly, certainly! As for the arrows..." You think.「I can source those here. How much?」
You get quoted a decent price, but one that will probably be undercut locally, and decide to leave the act of acquiring ammunition until tomorrow. Attempts at upselling you done with, the two of you agree to meet at the entrance to the intake that night for the purchase.
The chill sets in and Fall gives way to an early Winter. Your hours begin working their way down with the occasional snowfall, and you find some time to practice with your new weapons. You don't have an instructor but you can at least get the basic idea of how to wield them down, which is better than nothing. Nui doesn't particularly approve of a young boy playing around with lethal weapons and says it's a waste of money, but the seller is gone and there's nothing to be done about it, so such complaints die down fairly quickly.
The start of the 12th month of the year. This morning, you ate not just a single bowl of porridge, but an entire pot's worth. You have torn through the wastebread in the pantry, ravaged long-lasting fruits left behind from Fall, and yet you still don't feel full. Given your knowledge and personal experience in regards to humans' stomach capacity, and yours in particular, this is highly unusual.
You grab some coin, put on your winter wear, and begin to leave the house. "Where are you going? I thought you weren't needed today, given the weather?" You rub your stomach, a massive hunger eating away at you from the inside.「I'm going to buy food. It will be quicker than cooking more.」Before Nui can say anything else you leave the house. You're too hungry to talk, and there's not enough here that you can eat without preparation.
You begin walking down the path. You need food. Where should you go?
>The intake. One of the later caravans passed by not too long ago, and they had things that could be eaten without much preparation. You'll phrase it as a grocery run. >Huo Mi's house. She has a lot of plants - many edible. An entire storehouse, perhaps even a cellar of things to eat! >The tavern. Food hot and ready to whoever's willing to purchase it. And you're more than willing. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5551516 Oh no, we are having a breakthrough
Anonymous
>>5551528 Voting to
>Huo Mi's house. She has a lot of plants - many edible. An entire storehouse, perhaps even a cellar of things to eat! But tell her we think we are having a breakthrough and we need to eat, but we don't want to do it in a public place and draw attention.
Anonymous
>>5551516 >The tavern. Food hot and ready to whoever's willing to purchase it. And you're more than willing. Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
>The intake. One of the later caravans passed by not too long ago, and they had things that could be eaten without much preparation. You'll phrase it as a grocery run.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5552023 That makes sense, although I saw the intake being public as well because of how much food we are going to have to buy at once.
Anonymous
>>5552023 I'll support this anyway
Anonymous
>>5551516 >The intake staying low till we tower the clouds
>>5552035 guess you should tag your vote + dmpost then
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5551516 >The intake. One of the later caravans passed by not too long ago, and they had things that could be eaten without much preparation. You'll phrase it as a grocery run. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 19:18:41 No. 5552100 Report >>5551547 >>5551548 >>5551911 >>5552023 >>5552035 >>5552057 >>5552061 The intake. You can buy whatever you need wholesale and eat it on the spot. Just talk about it as if you're stocking up for the winter and they'll be none the wiser. A difference of a bag or three of food isn't too a big a difference in the long-term anyways. After taking a split second to make that decision, you practically sprint out of the door and towards the intake. The heavy snow coating the ground does little to slow you down. You just want to eat, before you stomach decides to digest itself.
Without thinking, you nearly slam the door open. You find Jing Mao sitting at his desk and staring at paperwork while rubbing his temples. He turns to face you. "Oh, it's you. Morning Kinzou." Then he ignores you. It's only after a few more seconds that he turns back to you. "Wait, you aren't supposed to be working today, are you? A bit rough out there. Although I guess if you're already here-"
You directly cut him off. "「I came to buy food.」You stare at each other.「Haven't stocked up enough for the winter.」Jing Mao gives you an odd glance, but doesn't leave you waiting any longer. "Alright then. Go find Du and have him help you grab what you need from the granary - he's probably slacking off right about now anyways. Whenever you're done give the money to someone who won't just pocket it."
With that said, Jing Mao turns his attention back to his paperwork, and you turn yours to finding Du. From what you know, he's a young man. One of the loaders. Don't really interact with him much, but you know what he looks like at least. It's a frustrating 10 or so minutes as you try to ask around and track him down, but eventually, just as you're beginning to regret this trip, he turns up, hidden behind some crates. A half-finished snowman sits next to him.
「Du.」You stare at him. Deeply. You think he's uncomfortable. "...What is it kid?"「I need to buy food. Jing Mao said to have you grab some stuff from the granary for me.」 You don't elaborate further and simply gesture for him to follow you as you approach the granary. He shoots a look of regret towards his snowman, lets out a sigh, and then leaves to follow you.
「A bag of wastebread. A bag of whatever jerky is cheapest. A bag of Lovefruits, don't care about the quality. Uh...」Hopefully that's more than enough on the immediate eating front. You should get normal food while you're at it.「And five weights of grain, three of rice.」
Du nods along as you speak. "Got it. You gonna be good carrying all that back?"「Probably. I'll take a break on main street on the way back to get warm again. Be nice if I could borrow a wheelbarrow though..」He nods. "Sure. It'll be a pain in the ass to push through all this snow though - should've waited a couple days."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 19:25:23 No. 5552108 Report >>5552100 With no further ado, the man goes to retrieve your purchase. When he doesn't return immediately, part of you regrets asking for the grains and rice - time spent getting that is more time until you can eat. In the meantime, you decide to track down the manager of the granary and pay them for all this. The quicker you're done, the better.
Fortunately, finding him is not anywhere near as much of a struggle as tracking down Du. Your purchase is made without issue, and before too long you're out of the intake and onto the dirt road leading back towards the village, struggling to push a wheelbarrow through the snow. Once you're out of sight from the intake itself, you take it off the road and a short ways into the forest. Then you take what food you need out, head a bit further into the forest, and finally satisfy your hunger.
Despite the lacking taste of your purchases - the jerky in particular just takes like salt - the spice of hunger makes it enjoyable. You down half the bag of jerky, several loafs of wastebread almost as long as your arm, and four Lovefruits before your stomach finally starts calming down. Just as you regain your reasoning, however, it acts up again. You feel sharp pains in your abdomen, and involuntarily crouch to the ground, snow covering your pants. A moment later you struggle to make your over to a nearby bush before lowering your pants and suffering through an experience that you never hope to have again.
You're not sure how long has passed. What you are sure of is that your intestines are now completely and utterly emptied. There is no longer any pain, hunger, or intestinal distress. Quite the relief. You retrieve the rest of your food and wheelbarrow, and begin returning home as you think over things.
Right now, you feel good. Like you just got filled with energy. If you're not mistaken that should have been your 1st Tempering, but it will likely take a bit before you notice all the effects - you'll look into it later today. For now, all you can draw conclusions from are the passages in your cultivation manual, which you've practically memorized by now.
The Inner Organ tempering is said to temper the five organs and six bowels. Namely, the heart, lung, kidney, liver, and spleen as the organs, and the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, gallbladder, bladder, and triple energizer, as burner, as the bowels. If you just went through your 1st Tempering, as you suspect you have, then those areas should have been tempered with spiritual energy, improving their function. What energy wasn't absorbed by said organs and 'bowels' would go to the rest of your body to be absorbed to improve your overall strength.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 19:26:46 No. 5552109 Report >>5552108 For the time you'll take this information at face value, and assume that these specific inner organs have been strengthened. As for the reality... well, you're not sure. Science is a process of many mistakes and misunderstandings, and you've yet to see detailed biological data on the human form. Once you have equipment available you'd like to perform some autopsies and verify this information, alongside investigations into the more vague comments the manual included about the yin and yang leanings of the inner organs, and their 'elemental traits'.
You stop into a shop for a second on main street to warm up, and then continue on your way, still forcing the cart through the snow. Your thoughts move away a bit from what is done, and over to what is yet to come. If that was your 1st Tempering, then it is time to decide what should be your second.
The following text is the same as in the 1st Tempering choice, just restated for convenience. >The Meridians. Tempering the meridians may force the meridians partially open, as well as strengthening them. This can make it easier for a Body Tempering cultivator to absorb and manipulate spiritual energy, among other things. Due to the difficulty of tempering the meridians in other ways, and the cultivation benefits, those able to tend to leave it for last. >The Sensory Organs. Tempering them improves every sense but touch, and depending on one's profession can be very useful. Their positioning within the temperings depends greatly on the type of cultivator. >The Bones. Improves the strength of the bones, and allows one to stand strong against physical attacks. Highly valued by those who espouse an absolute defense - the type of cultivator who is fine with getting beaten and bruised, but never completely broken. >The Marrow. Tempering the marrow can help improve recovery time, physical wellness, and lifespan, but doesn't provide many direct benefits. The manual mentions that it's often chosen as a first tempering so as to reserve later temperings for more important parts of the body. The main exceptions to this rule are the ill or physically infirm, who may prize the health benefits more greatly, or those who simply don't expect to cultivate very far, who would rather temper more useful parts of their body. > The Skin. Among the two temperings which focus on defense, the skin tends to be more highly valued than bones due to the increased sensitivity to touch this tempering offers. Cultivators focused on weapon techniques, or who need keen senses, like to leave it until later. >The Muscles. Tempering the muscles allows for a great increase in the amount of pure force that a cultivator can output. Brawlers and cultivators focused around purely force like to leave it for later. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 19:27:47 No. 5552111 Report >>5552109 >The Tendons. Tempering the tendons improves strength, but in a different way from the muscles. Instead of focusing on outputting the maximum amount of strength as much as possible, tempering the tendons is more about sudden bursts of strength, and control over one's body. Cultivators focused around speed, flexibility, or gracefulness, may leave this tempering until later. >The Brain. Tempering the brain generally improves mentally recall and acuity, although the effects can vary more among individual cultivators than with other temperings - not all cultivators are smart. Often left to be one of the last temperings due to the all-round benefits and the difficulty of tempering the brain through other methods. Especially important among cultivators hoping to become administrators, those lacking in perceptivity, or those, such as weapon-focused cultivators, who highly value perceptivity. Anonymous
>>5552109 >The Sensory Organs. Tempering them improves every sense but touch, and depending on one's profession can be very useful. Their positioning within the temperings depends greatly on the type of cultivator. Sorry if I'm retarded but it's best to leave the thing you want tempered most until later for the most optimal effect right? Anyway I think this is the best middling choice since it would help us with our lady alchemist's work + having better senses would help us with a bow or avoiding sneak attacks + recon/eavesdropping.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 19:37:49 No. 5552125 Report Quoted By:
>>5552122 >Sorry if I'm retarded but it's best to leave the thing you want tempered most until later for the most optimal effect right? Yes, each tempering is stronger than the last so if you expect to be able to make it through all of them then you'll put off which ones you want to temper the most as long as possible as a rule of thumb.
Anonymous
>>5552109 Are there other ways to increase lifespan other than marrows?
Anonymous
>>5552156 From what you know your lifespan will increase either way with your cultivation.
Every single tempering will probably make someone healthier and more likely to live longer, tempering the marrow probably just does it a bit more.
The old village chief was at the 5th Tempering and lived to 83. You do not know how this relates to others.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 20:11:51 No. 5552162 Report Quoted By:
>>5552161 >relates to others That's really weird wording and I feel the need to clarify it.
Compares to others. You don't know whether living to 83 is a lot, a little, or average in comparison to others with his cultivation.
Keep in mind that your body is currently 11, about to turn 12. You aren't going to die from natural causes any time soon.
Anonymous
>>5552161 In that case I'm going for
>The Marrow. Tempering the marrow can help improve recovery time, physical wellness, and lifespan, but doesn't provide many direct benefits. The manual mentions that it's often chosen as a first tempering so as to reserve later temperings for more important parts of the body. The main exceptions to this rule are the ill or physically infirm, who may prize the health benefits more greatly, or those who simply don't expect to cultivate very far, who would rather temper more useful parts of their body. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 20:13:31 No. 5552167 Report Quoted By:
>>5552156 [reformatted and reposted so it only takes up one post don't mind me]
From what you know your lifespan will increase either way with your cultivation.
Every single tempering will probably make someone healthier and more likely to live longer, tempering the marrow probably just does it a bit more.
The old village chief was at the 5th Tempering and lived to 83. You do not know how this compares to others. He could've died earlier than expected, or he could've lived surprisingly long. People tend to die in their 50s or 60s in the village.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5552165 >>5552109 >>5552111 Using the opportunity to link to the vote
>>5552165 I always end up responding to deleted posts, I must be cursed Anonymous
>The Marrow. Tempering the marrow can help improve recovery time, physical wellness, and lifespan, but doesn't provide many direct benefits. The manual mentions that it's often chosen as a first tempering so as to reserve later temperings for more important parts of the body. The main exceptions to this rule are the ill or physically infirm, who may prize the health benefits more greatly, or those who simply don't expect to cultivate very far, who would rather temper more useful parts of their body.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 31 Jan 2023 20:47:13 No. 5552216 Report Quoted By:
>>5552207 >Wuxia, do increased temperings also give general bonii? I can say this as a certainty since you'll notice within the next few days in-story. Yes, tempering some specific part of your body focuses on improving it, but it also makes you a bit faster, stronger, etc. in general, just not as much as it affects the part of your body you're tempering. This line states it best:
>If you just went through your 1st Tempering, as you suspect you have, then those areas should have been tempered with spiritual energy, improving their function. What energy wasn't absorbed by said organs and 'bowels' would go to the rest of your body to be absorbed to improve your overall strength. tdlr; yes, it's just not the main focus
Anonymous
>>5552109 >The Sensory Organs. Tempering them improves every sense but touch, and depending on one's profession can be very useful. Their positioning within the temperings depends greatly on the type of cultivator. Once again, going with marrow would most likely severely hinder our potential age. That emperor was supposedly alive for about a thousand years, so it seems that long lifespans are probable, and choosing marrow hastily would limit that potential.
Anonymous
>>5552109 >>5552111 >>5552122 Changing my vote to the Marrow, both are perfectly fine choices so I'm not bothered either way
Anonymous
>>5552109 >>The Sensory Organs. Tempering them improves every sense but touch, and depending on one's profession can be very useful. Their positioning within the temperings depends greatly on the type of cultivator. Personally I think we should leave Meridians to last, to vastly increase further Cultivation potential. That should also increase lifespan as well, since we can better maintain our internal alchemy, for those of you who wanted to use Marrows last to do that.
Anonymous
>>5552108 I'm personally of the opinion that most important, in order, is;
Meridians [leave to last]
Bones
Marrow
Skin [Willing to swap places with bones if we become more weapon oriented]
Brain
Tendons
Muscles
Sensory organs [First]
I simply don't see the value of our senses being enhanced over the other, more directly beneficial sorts.
Anonymous
>>5552109 >The Marrow. Tempering the marrow can help improve recovery time, physical wellness, and lifespan, but doesn't provide many direct benefits. The manual mentions that it's often chosen as a first tempering so as to reserve later temperings for more important parts of the body. The main exceptions to this rule are the ill or physically infirm, who may prize the health benefits more greatly, or those who simply don't expect to cultivate very far, who would rather temper more useful parts of their body. We need to have a discussion on what our long term plans for build is going to be. If we were to focus on ranged attacks with a bow then Senses is going to be immensely useful to be able to track targets from immense distances. If we're all in on bruiser then raw power and defence is going to be more important. No idea how much overt magic there is, but it'd probably pair great with brains in late positions.
What do we want late game?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5552315 I wouldn't underestimate Senses, it's probably the best tool for finding, tracking, aiming, and avoiding nasty surprises, and cultivator nasty surprises can be verrry nasty.
Anonymous
>>5552109 >The Sensory Organs. simply because we have the ring making up/ enhancing our senses anyways
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5552603 Oh yeah, that's true. The ring has cameras.
I was thinking having good vision could be useful for the bow.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 01 Feb 2023 05:26:49 No. 5552698 Report I'll leave the tempering vote open for a while since it won't take effect immediately, but I will tally up votes so far for that in a moment.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 01 Feb 2023 05:33:48 No. 5552707 Report >>5552698 The 13th month of the year starts, and the 'normal' winter season starts with it. The snows become heavier, and the weather colder. Not quite dangerous for anyone who's careful, but unpleasant and inconvenient? Definitely.
With the inclement weather work at the intake slows to a crawl, which is to expected for the winter. As for your work with Huo Mi, you thought you'd be trapped inside, perhaps helped with tidying up the workshop or storehouse, but despite your expectations she's found a way to make you collect ingredients in this weather. A freezing, tiring, and overall annoying task, but one that pays at least.
The snows stays heavy throughout the month, and combined with the early onset of winter, it makes everything feel sluggish. It feels like an eternity before New Years finally arrives and, despite the snow, the New Years festival with it. Not the 1st month, 1st day, of Sheng 486, but a day all its own, part of no month. Whether to round out a calendar or out of traditional significance, you don't know.
「This is too big.」You stare at the big, fluffy cloak that's hanging off of you. It's Takigi's. "Of course it is. But it should be fine. I tailored up the sleeves, so stay still and let me get the bottom so it doesn't drag... still, or else I'll poke you."
Eventually, the robe finds its way under control. It still looks a bit silly on you, but at least one can walk around in it. And it's soft and fluffy besides. If it weren't meant for special occasions, you'd be tempted to wear it all winter long.
The New Year's festival takes place not near the temple, like some of the other formal occasions, but across the village's main street. It's easier for everyone to get there given the snow, and allows for people to pop inside a building and warm up. It's the early afternoon, and the entire street is bustling. Stalls are set up along both sides of the road, and signage posted on many of the buildings already present, advertising food, festivities, and more.
"I'm going to burn incense and get my fortune told. I know you find that boring, so just meet back up with me later."
「Alright mom.」Now, what to do.
>Food. Food is good, and festival food sold at cost is even better. To the stalls you go! >Games! Tests of skill and wit, ripe for the picking. >Perhaps when it was just Kinzou he would be bored, but you're actually quite interested in getting your fortune told! >Write-In WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 01 Feb 2023 05:36:32 No. 5552709 Report Quoted By:
>>5552165 >>5552207 >>5552222 >>5552571 Marrow
>>5552220 >>5552298 >>5552315 >>5552603 Sensory Organs
On a not unrelated to the vote, I've been incorrectly putting Shang instead of Sheng on almost all of the years in this thread. After the additional month that got added for ease of writing last thread, the thing has been taking a lot of abuse. Anonymous
>>5552108 >The Sensory Organs. Tempering them improves every sense but touch, and depending on one's profession can be very useful. Their positioning within the temperings depends greatly on the type of cultivator. >>5552707 >Perhaps when it was just Kinzou he would be bored, but you're actually quite interested in getting your fortune told! Anonymous
>>5552707 >Games! Tests of skill and wit, ripe for the picking. Win a prize for mom!
Anonymous
Quoted By:
why do i feel like the next time we see mom she'll be in some sort of trouble, something that would drive drive the hero to actually leave the village and have some sort of journey
Anonymous
>>5552707 >Games! Tests of skill and wit, ripe for the picking. Anonymous
>>5552707 >Games! Tests of skill and wit, ripe for the picking. Time to become the WUXIA King of Games!!!
Anonymous
>>5552707 >Fortune told I wanna know.
Anonymous
>>5552707 >>Games! Tests of skill and wit, ripe for the picking. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 01 Feb 2023 22:04:42 No. 5553421 Report >>5552752 >>5552754 >>5552955 >>5553026 >>5553062 >>5553401 Alright, let's just say you play a few games and then swing buy to get your fortune told for the year.
Gonna be a bit until I can update since I have stuff to deal with, but in the meantime:
Please roll 4 1d100s. The first three are for games, the last one for your fortune.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 68 (1d100) >>5553421 The dao of dice is blessed
Anonymous
Rolled 49 (1d100) >>5553421 Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 21 (1d100) >>5553421 Cmon comically oversized bear!
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 65 (1d100) >>5553421 WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 02 Feb 2023 00:41:01 No. 5553613 Report Quoted By:
Rolled 74, 75, 65, 91 = 305 (4d100) Alright, done with life stuff, I'll eat and get writing in a bit.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 02 Feb 2023 02:43:42 No. 5553740 Report >>5552752 >>5552754 >>5552955 >>5553026 >>5553062 >>5553401 >>5553432 Games, food, and more! So much to see, but you can't let decision paralysis stop you. You'll go for... the games. Contests of skill and wit, all ripe for the picking as long as you put the effort in.
As you wander down the street wondering where to go first, you feel a tap on you're shoulder. You turn around, and are greeted by a familiar looking boy. "Hey."「Ah. I haven't seen you in a while Char.」He frowns. "For you, it's...oh, forget it, Char, fine. Yes, it has been some time." The two of you try to think of what to say next, but quickly find yourself forced to the side of the street by the passerby, where you spot a handmade paper lantern. Large characters are handwritten on it.
<span class="mu-i">The more I dry, the wetter I get.</span>
A riddle - a show of the creator's abilities at wordplay, and of the participant's lateral thinking ability. They're often written on lanterns and hung up on occasions like this one. Certainly a challenge. But nothing that could stump you. Within a minute, you get the answer.
「It's a-」
"-towel." You glance over at Char, who reached the answer a moment faster than you, and narrow your eyes.「That was pretty easy. Let's look for the next one.」He grins. "Let's."
<span class="mu-i">I can follow you for thousands of lengths and not miss home.</span>
<span class="mu-i">I do not fear cold or heat, nor do I desire food or drink; but I disappear when the sun sets behind the mountains of the far west.</span>
A far more suitable challenge. Immune to cold and heat, and unneeding of food or drink. Lacking emotions. You recall such a microorganism existing that was highly resistant to extreme temperature changes - several of such exist, probably - but that shouldn't be the answer. No, something immaterial perhaps. The reason for why it disappears must be the key...
After around five minutes, Char turns to you. "Figured it out yet?" You nod.「I believe I have. It's my shadow!」"As expected of a worthy rival. I thought much the same."
On your search for more riddles, the two of you stumble across quite the interesting challenge. Nuts suspended in a pool of water, a box full of small, flimsy nets woven from reeds sat next to them. An old man sits in a temporary stall by the setup, doing his best to warm his hands.
"Come on up, come right up kids. You get one try to pick as many nuts out of the water as you can without the net breaking. You can keep what you catch!"
「Thanks!」You grab one of the nets and appraise your targets. Some are larger and heavier than the others. Too dangerous. You'll aim for a small one first.
In one swift movement, you lift the nut out of the water. To your relief, the net holds firm. You empty it into your hand and then go for a slightly bigger one. As soon as you do the reeds start to give way, and your nut falls back into the water. A final score of one then.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 02 Feb 2023 02:48:58 No. 5553742 Report >>5553740 You turn to Char. He holds up a net where half of the reeds have split. "I got two!" You don't care much about your 'loss' here, but the same can't be said for him and his victory. Instead of bursting his bubble you just leave him with this small satisfaction and continue on your way, taking the chance to eat your nut.
「Mm. It's sweet!」Char nods. Both of you are pleasantly surprised, given that there's not too much with such a flavor out here. Only a few of the more easily purchasable fruits, when they're in season. And one more thing, which you're looking forward to later.
Your path is intercepted by another lantern riddle. The two of you stop your march down the street, hoping to solve it, joining a few people nearby who are poring over it.
<span class="mu-i">Little boy red-jacket, wither away?</span>
<span class="mu-i">To the house with the ivory portals I stray.</span>
<span class="mu-i">Say will you come back, little red-coat, again?</span>
<span class="mu-i">My bones will come back, but my flesh will remain.</span>
You... are not sure where to start with this. The speaker is asking if a boy with a red coat will return? His bones will come back later, but the flesh remain? ...Does that mean it's still there? Are coming back and remaining not the same? What is the flesh here?
After some time of standing there, blankly, you hear a well-dressed man muttering to himself.
"A cherry?" You turn to him.「...Is that the answer?」He shrugs. "I don't know. It could be." With that, you and Char leave, deciding that there are better uses of your time than figuring out whatever that lantern is trying to get at.
At the end of the street is a gate that has been temporarily erected. From what you know there's some purpose regarding keeping out bad luck from celebrations related to it, but regardless of any symbolic meaning, it marks the edge of the festival grounds. But pasted on it, is a test harder than anything other - an unsolved couplet.
You only faintly recall Kinzou - well, you - inquiring to the rules a couple years ago, from a passerby. Several passerby actually - most had no idea. But one pleasant-looking old fellow did, and was patient enough to explain. A couplet is a test of literary ability. An open-ended challenge to read a posted verse, and create one that matches it. The base requirements depend on the type, but the more that it 'feels' like it fits, the better.
...And although you can read it you have absolutely no idea what would fit, nor does Char. A formal literary education is not the kind of thing someone receives in this village, particularly not as a poet. You're puzzled as to who exactly put this up in the first pl-
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 02 Feb 2023 02:52:41 No. 5553746 Report >>5553742 A man in flashy, foreign dress can be seen out of the corner of your eye. A furry hat with a flap on each side covers part of his face, but you can still make it out - it's the boss of the intake. Percival, you believe. He approaches the gate with large strides, a brush in hand.
A second verse is written across from the first:
<span class="mu-i">Ring in the spring; landscape is splendid</span>
<span class="mu-i">Ring out the past; everything is glorious</span>
"In hopes of a early spring." He steps back, looking proud of himself. ...Is he the one who puts these couplet puzzles up every year in the first place? Before you can roll your eyes, he spots something in the distance, and says a couple more words before taking a hurried leave. Peculiar - from what little you know of him, he likes attention. You throw a glance at where he was looking.
A few men are walking down the road. It takes a bit before you can make out their faces. You recognize one of them as a farmer from the agricultural district.
>Another argument between the two 'village heads'? You better follow along, or you'll miss out on something entertaining. >Bickering would put a damper on such a joyous occasion. You'll go get your fortune for the year. >Write-In Riddles/couplet not written by me, I know my limits. Kinda wanted to write a couplet in Japanese but I was having trouble finding an example for something I'd have to translate anyways, especially for something where half the 'cool' stuff is symbols playing off of each other. Also, I chose that last riddle because I found taken from a book from 1867 that says the answer is so obvious it's almost insulting to tell the reader, and I still can't figure out how it's a cherry. Anonymous
>>5553742 The ivory portal is the mouth with teeth, the flesh is the fruit that goes into the stomach , the bone part I don't get though >>5553746 >Another argument between the two 'village heads'? You better follow along, or you'll miss out on something entertaining. Anonymous
>>5553970 Probably the pit
> Follow the men Anonymous
>>5553746 >Another argument between the two 'village heads'? You better follow along, or you'll miss out on something entertaining. Anonymous
>>5553746 >Another argument between the two 'village heads'? You better follow along, or you'll miss out on something entertaining. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 02 Feb 2023 22:11:18 No. 5554692 Report >>5553970 >>5554023 >>5554059 >>5554131 There's not too much to do in the village, particularly with the heavy weather. Truth to be told, watching this argument might be the most entertaining thing you do this month, the rest of the festival besides. You'd be remiss to let it just pass you by.「Follow me.」You make your way through the crowd towards Percival, who clearly stands out. A couple other sharp-eyed people do the same, clearly thinking similarly.
After making it some way down the street, Percival stops in front of a building and pulls out a walking stick out from between his belt and pants. He waves it in the air, singling at the men coming, and then steps inside. Those following stop here, but after a moment of consideration, you head inside. From the signage, it is a store - the worst that could happen is you get told to leave.
"Greetings customers! What are you looking for!" A thin man with a wild smile greets the both of you as you enter. You peer past him and glance around for a moment - you appear be in a store that sells stationary, and other office supplies.「I saw the couplet written on the gate and quite liked the calligraphy. I was thinking of practicing my writing myself, but I'm not sure yet. Is it find if I look around first?」
The shopkeeper gives you an odd glance, but decides not to stop the two of you. "Certainly. Tell me if you need assistance." The over-wide smile disappears from his face as he returns behind the counter and starts sorting inventory. Percival stands in one corner of the store, simply waiting. He stares at the two of you, but you pay him little attention, and his interest quickly wanes.
A couple of minutes later and the door opens again. A trio of large, muscular men walk in, dressed in warm, furred robes. Normal dress for new years. They lower their hoods, and then approach Percival.
"What do you need, Gi?" A deep, baritone voice can be heard in response. "Just because you're fine being called by your first name doesn't mean I have to be, Percival. It's Mei." You spot Percival shrugging with a slight smirk out of the corner of your eye. "Just a difference of customs. As you wish. Anyways, what'd you come for."
"I was hoping you'd be willing to agree with our proposition." "I believe I made my answer very clear last time. That besides..." You observe Percival pointing his cane towards the two of you and the shopkeeper from one of the ring's cameras. "Should we not take this somewhere more private? I'm afraid we'll make fools of ourselves like this, bickering about this again where we can be seen."
The deep voice responds. "No need. None of what I do is under the table. If everyone knows, so what. I just need an answer." Percival smiles. "And I gave you one. No."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 02 Feb 2023 22:16:09 No. 5554703 Report >>5554692 A man steps forward, into view. He has a scarred face, and is the largest of the three. You presume him to be Mei Gi, the elected village head. A bit of a "man's man", you suppose. "Percival, you're not the only decision-maker here. I'm in charge of the agricultural district, so I'm in charge of where our resources go too. You have until Spring to agree. We're expanding the fields either way."
Percival chuckles. "I don't think you have a say. Regardless of when the envoy arrived, the county magistrate appointed me to my position five days before your election. It was invalid. I'm in charge. You're not allowed to use my caravan to exchange for equipment with resources you don't have any say over the allocation of."
Mei Gi puts on a deep scowl and raises his voice. "If you're the one in charge, then why hasn't your dear county magistrate said something? There's been months, but no one to come and explain things. If you truly aim to form connections throughout the county, as you say, then wouldn't it be easy to get this settled? Or are you just bluffing?"
For once, Percival's expression turns to a frown. "The most recent legal code we're operating under is only half a century old. Of course there will be loopholes, and of course they will lead to awkward situations eventually. It is an official's responsibility to know when to throw their weight around, and when to leave those situations to fix themselves." He pauses. "They believe I'm capable of dealing with the situation. Dealing with you is just a test."
The two stare at each other for a moment. Mei Gi steps towards Percival, who puts a hand on his walking stick in the same instant. He tugs on it lightly, and a glint of metal can be seen from within. "Mei. There's no need to come to blows over this."
A heavy air can be felt within the store as the two glare at each other. Eventually, though, Mei Gi backs down. "Fine. I'll leave it for now. But you know the deadline. Spring." The trio step out of the store, and the atmosphere inside cools down. A few seconds later, Percival throws a glance towards the two of you. "You've already gotten quite the show. It should be time to leave." You nod, and begin making your way out. Percival wishes you farewell. "An auspicious new year to you! Char. Boy."
Soon enough you're away from the store, making your way towards where fortunes are told. Char turns to you, and excited gleam in his eye. "That was awesome! Shame they didn't fight though."
「...I think I'd rather they didn't.」You stop walking.「You know anything else about why they're arguing in the first place? You were at the vote, right?」Char shrugs. "Not too much more. Mei Gi said he wanted to increase the scope of the fields, expand local industries, and increase our power within the county through that. The weird dude said he wanted to form relationships with people from the county seat and the Verdant Mountain Sect to do that. Since then they've just been arguing about it."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 02 Feb 2023 22:17:59 No. 5554707 Report >>5554703 Huh. You didn't realize they had actual, well, full policies. A bit more than you expected from such local politics - the last village head just kept to himself.「Huh. Did anyone else have one of those? Like Kanekatsu?」Char laughs. "Nah, he just said some empty words. Stuff about helping the village and all that. Nothing too specific." He pauses after that. "That old lady, the apothecary, was funny though."
You raise your eyebrow.「Really?」"Yeah. She said that if she was elected she'd embargo the Verdant Mountain Sect, and that anyone who agreed to do the same would get her vote. Had a few others with her who said the same." You don't really how to respond to that so you just don't. ...You wonder what's behind that.
The two of you collect your fortunes; small slips of paper hidden inside hunks of sweet bread with fruit inside. They turn out well - mild fortune for you, great fortune for Char. After that the two of you say your goodbyes, split ways, and you meet up with your mother.
It's an interesting New Year.
The first month of Sheng 486 is not nearly as interesting. Snow, snow, and more snow. Even Huo Mi can't make you work in that weather, and so you're mostly just left sitting at home, doing whatever. Too much free time to count, almost. You need to find an outlet.
>You practice with your bow. You have some arrows, and there's a whole forest out back, even if it is blanketed in snow. Maybe you'll even get some game, if it isn't all hibernating. >You train your spear. Get used to the weight, range, and strength of the weapon. Not much to use it against, but a tree is as good a target as anything else. >You wander the forests, tempering your body with heavy exercise. Even for someone who has embarked upon the path of cultivation, muscle mass is still important. >You engage in woodworking. Despite the weather you still have plenty of workable material stored up. >Write-In
Anonymous
>>5554707 >>You practice with your bow. You have some arrows, and there's a whole forest out back, even if it is blanketed in snow. Maybe you'll even get some game, if it isn't all hibernating. >>You train your spear. Get used to the weight, range, and strength of the weapon. Not much to use it against, but a tree is as good a target as anything else. Practice switching between them
Anonymous
>>5554707 >You train your spear. Get used to the weight, range, and strength of the weapon. Not much to use it against, but a tree is as good a target as anything else. The spear is a really good rookie weapon just because of it's reach alone, let's try to have at least some kind of foundational experience with it
Anonymous
>>5554707 >You wander the forests, we need to get some bodyoils from somewhere
Anonymous
>>5554707 >>You engage in woodworking. Despite the weather you still have plenty of workable material stored up. this makes me happy.
Anonymous
>>5554707 >You train your spear. Get used to the weight, range, and strength of the weapon. Not much to use it against, but a tree is as good a target as anything else. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 03 Feb 2023 21:00:52 No. 5556020 Report >>5554717 >>5554768 >>5555113 >>5555340 >>5555477 You decide to focus your effort on practicing the spear. Procuring additional arrows for practice would be troublesome, and the weather outside is not quite sublime. Best to engage in something where you can easily head back inside and warm up as needed. Your physical condition is above average, but you're not immune to frostbite.
Your plan is to build a foundation to learn upon later within the next few weeks. Your knowledge of the spear is not only not excellent, it is essentially nonexistent. You're not quite sure what your life was like before being sent away from home, but you do at least recall some battle methods of the Apoth, and, well... many-armed, flying, telepathic insectoids with advanced technology do not use spears. In fact, it's doubtful that you ever used a cold weapon in combat. ...And doubtful that you ever engaged in combat. Wars between hives occurred, but they were rare in the later days. Unprofitable.
As for Kinzou, you've acquired a bit more knowledge from him. A spear is a essentially a piece of metal on a long stick, and you thrust it into things. Sufficient force will allow the metal to pierce flesh and inflect injury. Your spear in particular is around seven to eight feet in length, most of that being the shaft, which is made out of some sort of treated wood. Besides that, uh, you'll really just have to see for yourself what works and what doesn't. If you drill the basic knowledge into yourself, then hopefully you can build upon it in the future.
Thrust out. Pull back. Thrust out. Pull back. Thrust out. Pull back.
You're currently doing your best to avoid hitting a bush, but as close to it as possible. The best practice you could come up with for practicing aiming and thrusting. You considered using something more solid, so that you could get a feel for how hard it is to pull out, but you think this spear would break from wear and tear sooner rather than later. If that happened then <span class="mu-i">maybe</span> you could repair or replace the shaft, or someone else could assist, but... well, you don't think there are any dedicated weaponsmiths in the village and it would likely end up worse than before. Not to mention the cost of repairs. No, better safe than sorry for now.
Besides thrusting, there are several more components to your training. Drawing and sheathing the spear. Estimating the range. Getting used to the weight and heft. All in all, it can be summed up as simply knowing your weapon and the basics of how to use it. It's a bit weighty, and the length makes it awkward for you to use, but fortunately you have more than enough strength required to make it do what you need to.
As the first month of year ends the snow starts slowing down, and partway through the second your work resumes intermittently.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 03 Feb 2023 21:03:15 No. 5556023 Report >>5556020 The 3rd month, 2nd day, of Sheng 486. The veil of winter has fully lifted, and spring has arrived! You head to work, just like any other day... only to be greeted by an odd sight. Several dozen men, your co-workers, are crowded outside the entrance to the intake. Across from them sit a crowd of men, many of them tanned. You recognize a few - Shou and Go's fathers, and Mei Gi. Farmers from the agricultural district.
After scanning the area you spot Brynn sitting on a wheelbarrow nearby, eating his breakfast from a wooden container. He nods as you approach, talking through mouthfuls of food. "Morin'."「What's going on?」Brynn shrugs. "Dunno the specifics. I get kept 'round for some of the meetings caus' I've been here a long time, but I'm not a manager or nothing." He swallows. "That said, I can guess, roundabouts. Mei Gi wanted some farming equipment, and sum other things 'sides, from us, and said that spring was the deadline." Brynn looks up at you. "And now it's spring."
So it's about that. You don't know if there's most specifics, but... well, you get the gist of it.「What should we do?」Brynn smiles. "Dunno what yer plannin', but I'm gonna eat my breakfast an' wait for the boss. This is his problem."
Brynn returns his attention to the food in front of him.
>You guess you'll wait here with Brynn while this gets settled. Not your problem. >You'll head over to some of your coworkers you're acquainted with and see if you can't get more of a read on the situation. >There's a disagreement between Mei Gi and the boss, but that doesn't mean everyone is hostile to each other - Shou and Go's dads seemed friendly enough the times you've run into them. You could ask them about the situation to get another perspective. >...perhaps you'll go back home and pretend to be sick for the day. This should all work itself out by tomorrow. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5556023 > you'll go to huo mi and ask her about her reasoning against the verdant sect im a curious cat
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 03 Feb 2023 21:11:24 No. 5556027 Report >>5556026 If anons want we can put that on the to-do list regardless of the choice here, you see her pretty regularly.
Anonymous
>>5556023 >There's a disagreement between Mei Gi and the boss, but that doesn't mean everyone is hostile to each other - Shou and Go's dads seemed friendly enough the times you've run into them. You could ask them about the situation to get another perspective. Anonymous
>>5556023 >>There's a disagreement between Mei Gi and the boss, but that doesn't mean everyone is hostile to each other - Shou and Go's dads seemed friendly enough the times you've run into them. You could ask them about the situation to get another perspective. >>5556026 >>5556027 I'll support asking when we meet her
Anonymous
>>5556023 >There's a disagreement between Mei Gi and the boss, but that doesn't mean everyone is hostile to each other - Shou and Go's dads seemed friendly enough the times you've run into them. You could ask them about the situation to get another perspective. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 04 Feb 2023 10:24:29 No. 5556581 Report >>5556026 >>5556027 >>5556054 >>5556118 >>5556448 The basics of the situation are clear, but you don't know enough to really have an opinion on it. You suppose it's not something you <span class="mu-i">have</span> to care about, but since you have the chance, why don't you see how someone from the agricultural district feels about it? Shou and Go's fathers were friendly enough when you ran into them, so maybe they'd be willing to give their say on it all.
You cross the divide between the two groups. The crowd blocking the entrance glances at you warily but doesn't do anything immediately. You're just a kid, and even if you are carrying a spear the situation hasn't come anywhere near the point of violence. To make your intentions clear you wave to Shou's father as you approach.
He glances down at you as you come to a stop, and you meet your gaze. "You're, uh... I'm bad with names... Kinzou, right?"「Yup.」He quickly nods his head a few times. "Right, right, I remember. You played a pretty good game when you stopped by. Not good enough to beat this old man, but pretty good." He's referring to several games of Ousatsu that you're still trying to forget - crushing defeats, the lot of them.
"Why're you here?" He tilts his head in confusion.「I work here.」An awkward silence. "Oh. Well, I can't let you in. Boss's orders." You wave your hand in dismissal.「That's fine - it's not my job to deal with all this. I just wanted to know more about why you guys were blocking the place off.」
"I can tell you about that. What do you know already kid?"「Mei wanted some farming equipment by spring to expand the fields, and Percival wouldn't get it for him because he said that this was his caravan, and that he was the village head anyways, so it wasn't Mei's decision. Is that about it?」
Shou's father shrugs. "Those are the basic facts. Legally, the argument is over who's village head and who can make the decision to spend our cut of the taxes on making the expansion of the fields happen. I guess that determines the 'right' of it, as the county head is concerned. But I don't think any of us really care." He gestures to the crowd behind him.
"Y'see, whatever the county magistrate says affects us, but it's not the other way around. We can bitch and moan all day and he doesn't give a shit. Whatever we do, as long as we don't violate the law too blatantly or refuse to pay our taxes, the county won't help, nor directly harm us. We're just numbers on a balance sheet, a village that's out of sight and out of mind." He stops, thinking of how to phrase things.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 04 Feb 2023 10:29:43 No. 5556584 Report >>5556581 "The empire taxes all of us, but we don't get jack in exchange. No voice. Even the taxes earmarked for the village are managed by the village head. If we disagree? Too bad. And so... well, we decided that we weren't going to put with it. We made our decision, and chose our village head, and we don't care what the county has to say about it. He's our leader, and he's going to help our village have some importance within the county, unlike Mu Ren, who just sat on his hands for decades."
The conversation falters. Shou's father seems like he might continue, but then you see him turn his attention away from you. A moment later, he looks back at you and waves you away. "Looks like your boss is here. Best to get going." You oblige.
<span class="mu-s">"Percival! So you finally show yourself!"</span> Mei Gi yells and points towards your boss with a dramatic flair. His response is a loud sigh. "Mei. I told you the answer was a no, and you refused to listen. What exactly do you want from me?"
"You know what I want. Put our share of the taxes towards the purchase of hands, equipment, and seed to begin expansion of the Red Lantern fields." Percival responds over the cheers and jeers of Mei Gi's men. "I'm the village head. I'm in charge of how the tax money is spent and I do not support your plan. If you all save up the funds on your own, then fine - I'm not against extra business, particularly if it might benefit the village. But it's not your decision to make."
The jeers intensify. "Not our decision?!" "We're the ones paying for it all!" "Fuck you and your dumb hat!" After a moment, Mei Gi's voice rings out loudest among them, quieting the rest. "Regardless of whether it's your decision or mine, you're supposed to govern for the good of the village! To ensure our safety, to protect our interests, and to govern with us in mind!" Mei Gi takes a deep breath in.
<span class="mu-s">WHAT ABOUT FUNNELING MONEY AND TALENTS OUT OF FOGTOP AND INTO THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO DON'T NEED THEM PROTECTS OUR INTERESTS?!</span>
With Mei Gi's assertion the jeers resume, louder than ever. Percival just frowns, and a general air of annoyance can be felt among your side. A moment later, he breaths in, before yelling as loudly as Mei Gi. <span class="mu-s">"SILENCE, AND LET ME SPEAK."</span> The voices quiet down, and hesitantly, Mei Gi gestures for his men to stop.
Percival speaks with an edge to his voice - disappointment mixed with annoyance. "I am protecting Fogtop's interests. You're simply too naive. We could expand the fields. That is possible. We could dump more and more funds and hands into them over the decades, until we were at our limit maintaining the things, and we were known in the county seat for our Red Lanterns, the cash crop that keeps on giving." Percival pauses, glaring at those across from him.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 04 Feb 2023 10:32:06 No. 5556585 Report >>5556584 "But that's not in the village's best interest. Prosperity cannot be gained only through a hoe and some hard work, while we keep to ourselves. If we don't do our best to connect ourselves with the rest of the county, and find a way for those talented enough to go to the county seat, or to the Verdant Mountain Sect, then we have no hope. We need the human element. There is no chance of training a talented official, warrior, or merchant who lives in Fogtop their whole lives. Their talent will go to waste, and so will your work."
An uneasy silence forms between the two groups. Percival breaks it. "We could go on for hours. We have, before. I have more points, and so do you. But..." He trails off and makes a show of looking behind him. "Time is money, and the longer we talk the more we waste. It's time for you all to leave."
"So you're not going to agree?" "No. I will not agree to your demands no matter how long you keep throwing a tantrum about them." Mei Gi scowls. "Then we're not moving. We can stay here as long as need be." The men behind him join in, showing their determination.
Percival rubs his brow. "This is self-destructive. Don't you have fields to sow, or something?" Mei Gi doesn't respond. Percival takes a different approach. "I didn't want to mention this, but... what you're doing right now could be considered a crime. The empire doesn't take kindly to sowing discord, trespass, or planning revolt against a government official."
"Of course, I'm not saying that you're doing any of that - no, no, that would be far too harsh. But if the county magistrate heard of all this, well, I don't know what his reaction would be..."
The roars from the crowd are louder than ever as they curse Percival. He doesn't seem to care anymore, just making himself heard over them. "Kanekatsu and his men are about to arrive, and I know that the old woman wouldn't support you in this, even if she did vote for you. If you try to pick a fight, then you aren't going to win. The rest of the village is against you." He begins to unsheathe his blade from his walking stick. "But if you insist, then I could oblige you."
Neither of them say anything more. Nearly a minute later, Mei Gi finally gives in. "Fine. I'll leave. But you'll regret this." Silence. "Let's go."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 04 Feb 2023 10:34:50 No. 5556587 Report >>5556585 Most of the work day is spent checking the inventory, and the intake as a whole, to ensure that the protestors didn't steal or sabotage anything. To their credit, besides a comically small amount of missing food that might not be their doing, nothing seems out of the ordinary. The mood stays awkward though, and not too much gets done that day.
When your work is over at the intake for the day you take your leave and embark upon the path to Huo Mei's home. This takes you away from the intake, through the village's main road, and towards, but not to, the agricultural district before you branch off from the roads most people travel.
On a secluded section of road in a forested area, you spot a pair of young men in the woods, heading to join the road. Not particularly usual or noteworthy. That is, not particularly unusual or noteworthy until one of them exits the road directly in front of you, and then stops, in your way.
He stands not even 10 feet in front of you, and looks to be 15 or 16. He's a bit taller than you. The expression on his face shows that he's clearly in a bad mood, but about what, you couldn't know.
"You work at the intake, don't you?"
>"...Yes." >"No." >Ignore him and continue on your way. You need to get to work. >Backtrack. You don't like the look of him, and the village proper isn't too far off. >Unsheathe your spear. Something feels off. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5556587 >With Huo Mi, actually. But I don't see how that's your bussiness >Unsheathe your spear Anonymous
>>5556609 Supportan
These guys are clearly trying to make trouble, I just hope they get scared by the spear.
Anonymous
>>5556587 >This is about politics isn't it? I have nothing to do with it >Just let me pass, I'm going to be late for my work as Huo Mi's apprentice >Get ready to unsheathe the spear Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5556587 >Backtrack. You don't like the look of him, and the village proper isn't too far off. Y'all escelating this to murder. Could be trouble. This breaks out into a fight it could reveal us as a Cultivator.
"Hey, I have debts to pay. It's just me and my mom, making ends meet. I'm just trying to survive same as you. You aren't planning on beating the shit out of a kid are you? Over shit he can't control?"
Anonymous
>>5556788 >This breaks out into a fight it could reveal us as a Cultivator. Ehhh it depends. if these two goons passed the martial gateway? Sure. Otherwise it could be just seen as two idiots thinking they can take on a youngin with a proper spear and finding out the hardway that they shouldn't have fucked around.
Anonymous
>>5556788 I don't know, just admitting to working at the intake and trying to go back can also mean they try to attack us while our backs are turning as well, and then we will be unarmed.
It's why I said to get ready, but not unsheathe it right now.
Also we don't really need to kill them if we do fight, and we can try to hold back
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5556827 could try to attack
Accidentally deleted that world
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5556796 An eleven year old beats two sixteen year olds in a fight, eyebrows are gonna raise.
We draw a spear, we're inviting them to pull knives, then we'll feel like we have to take them seriously... I'm very cautious of escelation, and adding a spear to the equation is exactly that.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 04 Feb 2023 22:32:18 No. 5557231 Report >>5556609 >>5556622 >>5556624 >>5556746 >>5556788 「With Huo Mi actually. But I don't see how that's your business.」 He scrowls, clearly annoyed, but before he can respond you begin removing your spear from your back. He just stares at you with wide eyes as you unsheathe it and take it in both hands.
It's only once you're done that he manages to gather his thoughts. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" By this point his friend is nearly through the forest, and glances at the situation. You can make out a shocked expression on his face. "What happened?" The first boy struggles to respond, not willing to look away from you.
"I-I don't know, all I did was ask a question and the brat pulled a weapon on me." He takes a few steps further back and reaches for his belt. "Keep away from me if you know what's good for you." He barely turns his head towards his friend, who is now gripping a woodcutting machete. "Fuck this. Let's go."
「..Are you not trying to attack me?」The two look at you like you have a screw loose. The older boy, holding a machete, responds. "Ambushing a kid, two on one, in the middle of the woods? What do you think is wrong with us? By the emperor, your brain is rotted with violence. You're a brute, just like your father."
The two begin heading back into the forest, leaving you to your own devices.
>You're not sure what that was about. Off to work then. >You step after them.「Take that back.」You're not letting them insult Takigi. >You sheathe your spear and follow after them.「Wait, I'm sorry, I overreacted. What did you want?」 >Write-In Anonymous
>>5557231 >"Yes, I think that two people coming from in front and behind me, hidden in the trees at night in the agricultural district mean me harm when they ask about the intake. Get lost." >Then head off to work. They shouldn't be at all surprised at this, and while I don't want them trash talking Takigi, it's ultimately nothing.
Anonymous
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 04 Feb 2023 23:51:30 No. 5557316 Report >>5557308 >hidden in the trees at night This is solely clarification:
It's mid-afternoon, even when winter just ended it will be a little over an hour until it gets dark. You work into the night for Huo Mi, but when you're going to work it's not dark out.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5557316 Ah, my mistake.
Still yeah, this had every reading of an ambush and given we're a kid, if we don't act first then we won't act at all against a 'superior' foe.
They'll either realise this later, or they won't and just think we are psycho. Either way, who gives a fuck?
Anonymous
>>5557231 >"And what should I think about two people I never met, one clearly in a bad mood, in the middle of a secluded forest, asking about the intake, after the mess that happened this morning?" >"Anyway, I overreacted, and I apologize for that" Anonymous
dont bother apologizing. they're spreading shit regardless of if we grovel before them or not. no one else will know if we were polite or not, and these people will only respect us less. just keep walking
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 05 Feb 2023 14:07:18 No. 5557968 Report >>5557308 >>5557310 >>5557369 >>5557435 「"Yes, I think that two people hidden in the trees in the agricultural district mean me harm when they ask about the intake. Get lost."」
They both look varying shades of confused and angry, the older one more of the latter. The younger boy yells towards you, anger and pity mixing. "Excuse me, I must've missed the rash of politically motivated child-beatings. I don't know what's wrong with you and I don't want to know. We're leaving." He keeps his eyes on you as he backs up, seemingly afraid of being stabbed in the back.
The older teenager hesitates, clearly mad, but follows after a moment. "Last time I try to help your bloodthirsty line. Fuck you!" Unlike the other one he doesn't keep his eyes on you, clearly unafraid.
Help...? They were friendly then? Er, initially at least? Well, whatever. Not your fault. His question was so badly worded that you were bound to get suspicious, after what happened this morning. And he didn't have to overreact so much to your drawing your weapon. You continue on your way to Huo Mi's, your mind turning back to some things you want to ask her. Despite keeping an eye out, you spot no other passerby on the way.
Huo Mi glances at you as you come in. "Your morning shift entertaining?"「I guess. You knew?」She nods. "Yup. Mei Gi tried to get me in on it. Sympathize with what they're getting at, but I wouldn't touch all of that with a ten foot pole. Everything to lose and nothing to gain for me."
She stops talking and turns her attention to a book. You take a moment to figure out how to word things before speaking.「Why'd you want to embargo the Verdant Mountain Sect?」She responds with slight surprise. "You know about that? Why bring it up now?"「My friend told me at New Year's, so... just curious, I guess.」
The room falls silent for around a minute until she sighs. "Guess it's fine to mention. I don't hate the Verdant Mountain Sect or anything." She pauses, and mutters something to herself before continuing. "Well, maybe I do, I'm not sure yet. In short, I have a question that they owe me an answer to but they won't even give me the time of day. So I figure that I'll force them to pay attention to me and give me an answer. As for hating them or not, I can decide afterwards. I don't think they're all bad at least - if you plan to join somewhere, they're fine."
Huo Mi fixes her stare on you. "That enough for you kid, or are you going to keep being nosy?" She continues on without waiting for a response. "As for today's work... hell, there's probably an hour left until it gets dark, maybe a bit more. Why don't we gather Cliff Chrysanthemums? I know a place where there are plenty, but I'm a bit too big for all the footholds. Best to leave it up to you."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 05 Feb 2023 14:12:46 No. 5557971 Report >>5557968 "Don't worry, I'll catch you when you fall. Let's go." You are forced to spend nearly an hour climbing up the same short cliff and harvesting small flowers from within the cliff face. Three times you fall, and three times Huo Mi catches you barehanded. By the end your arms are devoid of energy and you're just happy to be on the ground again. ...Perhaps it was a bad idea to ask about her personal life.
The next morning. A loud yell can be heard from outside your workplace. "Gather round, gather round, we need to talk." You turn to Brynn, who just shrugs and gets up. You follow. Upon finding your way outside, you see that the boss is gathering everyone up. "Is that everyone? I'm not saying this twice."
A few minutes later, he finally speaks. "I talked to Mei Gi last night, and heard mention of a couple minor squabbles. Some of the blame can be assigned to their side, some to ours, but either way, don't engage in them. Bad blood brews bad business, and it's good for nobody." You notice Percival stare at a few people to see that they get the point. A couple of men with clear bruises; a grumpy, crotchety old man who "works" in loading; you. You frown, and he looks away. That wasn't your fault.
Things settle back to a relative calm over the next few weeks, the incident at the start of spring not having much of an effect on your daily life. What does seem to have had an effect on your daily life, though, is whatever it was about the question you asked that riled up Huo Mi. Your work for the past several weeks with her has been exhausting. Climbing cliffs and trees, turning over rocks, and taking uncomfortably long hikes into the woods just to find ingredients, as if she's doing her best to find only the most exhausting tasks for you. You'd felt like she'd been doing that for a while, actually, but recently it has been more intense than ever.
Just as you finally realize that this doesn't seem temporary and are considering doing something about the issue, a ray of light peeks through the crowds; a hope of salvation from your exhaustion. "No need to go out today, I have what I need." As you let out a sigh of relief, she asks you a question. "Which is most important to you. Your own survival, the survival of others, or the death of others?"
You give her an odd stare.「...What?」 She seems to realize something and elaborates. "This isn't a test or anything silly like that, I'm not going to hold your answer against you. Just answer seriously. Which is most important to you: the ability to keep yourself alive, the ability to keep others alive, or the ability to cause others to die?"
...You guess without other information, there's nothing to do but answer.
>The ability to keep yourself alive. >The ability to keep others alive. >The ability to cause others to die. Anonymous
>>5557971 >The ability to keep yourself alive. Anonymous
>>5557971 >The ability to keep myself alive We can heal others after, kill others after but nothing if we die.
Anonymous
>>5557971 >The ability to keep yourself alive. Anonymous
>>5557971 >The ability to keep yourself alive. We have a mission
Anonymous
I don't like how things went with those two, but it is what it is
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5558053 correct. I didn't expect them to be friendly and got spooked, so this is quite a bad outcome. None the less, it ultimately doesn't matter.
I half suspect they are full of shit anyway, but that's my cope probably.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 05 Feb 2023 22:46:23 No. 5558401 Report >>5557974 >>5557979 >>5557981 >>5558041 Well, you can't do anything else if you die first, so naturally it'd have to be the ability to keep yourself alive.
「The ability to keep myself alive.」
She acknowledges your comment and thinks for a bit before speaking up. "I don't usually bring it up, but for a while I survived on my own, out in the woods and mountains. Didn't stop by any villages or towns unless it was an emergency. That would've been for..." A pause. "...five years, or roundabouts."
"Now, you don't have to do that, but I guess what I'm saying is I know something about survival. You don't get through months away from civilization without knowing something about hunting, treating wounds, and repairing your equipment. The whole kit and kaboodle, really - you have to be self-sufficient. Otherwise you die, even if you have a few temperings under your belt. That just makes it a bit easier."
"I can show you all that, if you want, although whether you learn it or not is up to you." You quickly accept. She grins slightly. "Hope you like being exhausted. And, uh -" she clears her throat "-obviously, none of this will be paid. Money is for services rendered, not allowance."
Fair enough.
During the next month you're shown various pieces of knowledge Huo Mi built up during her years of traveling the wilds. What exactly is edible out in the forest, and how to check if something might be edible. A few basic medicinal solutions and basic first aid. Right now you're working on how to hunt and prepare an animal. ...Which has necessitated learning how to use your bow properly, which has in itself necessitated knowing how to make an arrow that flies properly, how to replace your bowstring, and other such related knowledge. According to Huo Mi, building on a sloppy foundation just results in everything crashing down at the slightest poke, so all of this is essential. Building that foundation will definitely take a while. You just hope she doesn't decide to teach you how to carve a bow. ...Although you guess you have a bit of a headstart on that.
Anonymous
>>5558401 Spring has entered full bloom and you finally get to enjoy the whether being good, instead of just tolerable. One day, you hear a message that you had nearly forgotten to expect.
<span class="mu-i">...Decompression of theorized ancient technology complete. Data stored within the shell in secondary memory, for easy access.</span> Pleasantly surprised, you stop eating your lunch. 「Display data.」<span class="mu-i">Displaying all data may result in the collapse of your soul. Not advisable.</span> Uh, right. You need to be more specific than that.「Display a subsection of extracted data.」 <span class="mu-i">Understood.</span>
A random selection of documents appears before you. Descriptions of basic locks. Applications of basic machines, like levers, the wheel and axle, and pulleys. Sketches of weapons and tools of many kinds - among them you spot a massive hammer, designed to be wielded by giants. There's also a carriage built to be pulled by one massive beast, with suspension."
It is clear that not all of it is useful, nor could it be. Beyond not being designed for humans specifically, many of the devices here are not even designed around a bipedal species. Even for what would be usable for humans a great deal of it likely already exists, if not in the exact form shown, in some rough equivalent.
But that's not to say the data here is useless. With enough resources and time spent workshopping theories and rough design documents into workable prototypes, then it could be very helpful, up to a point.
<span class="mu-i">Resuming decompression of data. Additional storage media not yet required.</span>
You guess you'll leave it to it. Although perhaps there's something else that would be useful to prioritize decryption of.
>You would like your memories back. The emptiness of your past life is nagging at you. >Rudimentary physical cultivation techniques of your own species. Extremely unlikely to be directly usable, but perhaps they could give you a few ideas on the function of human ones. >Techniques that require only a small amount of spiritual energy. You couldn't use them right away, and human beings are different enough you doubt you could use any of them directly, but they could offer assistance when you can mobilize spiritual energy. Anonymous
>>5558402 >Rudimentary physical cultivation techniques of your own species. Extremely unlikely to be directly usable, but perhaps they could give you a few ideas on the function of human ones. Anonymous
>>5558402 >Rudimentory physical cultivation Anonymous
>>5558402 >Rudimentary physical cultivation techniques of your own species. Extremely unlikely to be directly usable, but perhaps they could give you a few ideas on the function of human ones. any techniques that use spirtual energy at this stage would be useless since we're so low in terms of cultivation. Maybe after we hit our fourth or fifth tempering at least.
Anonymous
>>5558402 >>Rudimentary physical cultivation techniques of your own species. Extremely unlikely to be directly usable, but perhaps they could give you a few ideas on the function of human ones. Anonymous
>>5558402 >Rudimentary physical cultivation techniques of your own species. Extremely unlikely to be directly usable, but perhaps they could give you a few ideas on the function of human ones. Anonymous
>You would like your memories back. The emptiness of your past life is nagging at you.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 06 Feb 2023 17:23:16 No. 5559202 Report Quoted By:
Just a heads up, might not be an update today, although that probably depends on what timezone is used to define "today". Was up all night working on a research paper.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 07 Feb 2023 19:33:53 No. 5560405 Report >>5558403 >>5558419 >>5558476 >>5558613 >>5558811 >>5559010 「Proceed with decompression of rudimentary physical cultivation techniques.」
<span class="mu-i">Understood. Decompression commencing.</span> With that, the voice in your mind falls silent once again, making you sigh. It's a shame that the soul computer in charge of the ring is so unfeeling. The lack of not just a joint mind, but even a mental connection with someone it wearing on you. It makes you feel isolated. Well, it can't be helped. You'll just leave it to its work and hope that you get some use out of the results.
Your learning under Huo Mi continues without too many hiccups. Fortunately your worst fear of having to carve a bow from scratch doesn't come true, but it is more than a week until you actually get to firing it.
First, you have to get used to making arrows. Selecting the appropriate cut of wood, cutting it down along the grain with your woodcarving knife, straightening with heat if needed, and then sanding and planing it are only the first steps. It doesn't take too long to get used to those, given prior experience. Cutting the nock into the end of the shaft, and waterproofing the wood so it can be reused isn't too much trouble either, for the same reason.
No, what gives you the most trouble is the arrowhead. Apparently being able to carry around a sack of say, iron arrowheads, would not be enough. No, you must learn to find a suitable pieces of flint and stone and sharpen them into shape by hand. And you must do it right. By Huo Mi's words: "An arrow is made for piercing, not for bouncing off and bruising a deer's hide because you half-assed carving the head. Do it again."
Fortunately, it doesn't take too long to get used to the process. Huo Mi still seems a bit hesitant, muttering something about teaching you about different types of arrowheads, but in the end she decides to move on. After making arrows you learn about how to make an emergency bowstring replacement and how to replace the bowstring with either that, or a spare kept on hand. With that the 'basics' finally come to a halt and you're allowed to start practicing shooting.
"Shoot!" <span class="mu-i">Thwack</span> "Shoot!" <span class="mu-i">Thwack</span> "Shoot!" <span class="mu-i">Thwack</span>
Your arms are throbbing, and your aim is getting worse. Not that it was very good to begin with. Even when you take as long as you can to steady and line up shots, they can still veer far off track. You don't have time for that right now though - Huo Mi is making you fire as quick as you can manage.
"Let's keep going for a few more minutes. I want to see you landing 10 accurate shots in a minute before we stop this training. Hopefully more." ...10 accurate shots in a minute?!「...Exactly how long do you expect that to take?」She shrugs. "Could be six months. Could be six years. Depends on you really. Now stop stalling and keep shooting, your quiver isn't empty. Shoot!"
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 07 Feb 2023 19:35:16 No. 5560408 Report >>5560405 It is only by summer, after a month of shooting practice, that Huo Mi is even a bit satisfied with your shooting. You can't match the high bars she's setting but, by her own admission, it doesn't take 10 arrows a minute to fell a deer. If placed correctly, sometimes it only takes one.
Today is the 6th Month, 8th day, of Sheng 486. A rest day. You're lying in the grass, just enjoying the warmth of the sun beating down for a bit. Something blocks the sun, and you open your eyes. A childish face with green eyes stares down at you.
「Char.」"Hey. Remember that thing I mentioned yesterday?" You try to recall.「Uhhh... you just said there was something in the forest.」He nods. "Yeah. And it's really cool! You have to see it!" You stay seated. 「What is it?」"That's a surprise!"
>「Alright then. Let's go.」You'd like to know what exactly it is Char wants to show you, but eh. It's not like you have anything else you need to do - let's see what's so interesting. >「Ah, well...」It's the anniversary of Takigi's arrest in a couple days, so maybe you should stay home and keep Nui company. She could be feeling down. >「Sorry. Already have plans.」Huo Mi said you'd be ready to try hunting pretty soon. Perhaps you could head over there and see if you could convince her into taking you out? >Write-In Anonymous
>>5560408 >「Alright then. Let's go.」You'd like to know what exactly it is Char wants to show you, but eh. It's not like you have anything else you need to do - let's see what's so interesting. Anonymous
>>5560408 >「Alright then. Let's go.」You'd like to know what exactly it is Char wants to show you, but eh. It's not like you have anything else you need to do - let's see what's so interesting. Anonymous
>>5560408 >「Alright then. Let's go.」You'd like to know what exactly it is Char wants to show you, but eh. It's not like you have anything else you need to do - let's see what's so interesting. Anonymous
>>5560408 >>「Alright then. Let's go.」You'd like to know what exactly it is Char wants to show you, but eh. It's not like you have anything else you need to do - let's see what's so interesting. seeyour
Anonymous
>>5560408 >Alright, lets go. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 08 Feb 2023 03:58:09 No. 5560814 Report >>5560450 >>5560456 >>5560467 >>5560481 >>5560495 「Alright. Let's go.」You push yourself up, brushing dirt off of the back of your pants. Char starts taking off, but you stop him.「One sec, one sec. Since we're heading into the forest, let me pack.」You hear him acknowledge as you hurry off to grab your things.
A carving knife. Your bow, with a spare string. A roughly made quiver full of arrows. Half of your making, half iron-tipped arrows of someone else's making. Disinfectant. Spare rags, to be used as bandages if needed. Some dry food and a spare waterskin that Huo Mi gave you. A roughly drawn map of the area and a compass, both of which were also provided by her. That should be enough for an outing.
You return with a bag slung over your back. Char, who had been tapping his foot impatiently, looks at you. "Isn't that a bit much?" You shrug best you can with the bag over one of your shoulders.「Eh. It's a normal amount. Just in case we get lost or something.」You overlook the fact that his bag is at least as big as yours in your answer.
"Huh. Well, let's go!"
You walk over a stream and through the woods, and through the woods, and through the woods, for far longer than you initially expected. By the time Char says that you're "almost there" in response to your questions for the fourth time, the sun has moved quite the distance in the sky. All in all, you'd estimate that it's a two hour hike. Ultimately not the end of the world - you quite like hikes - but it's not what you were expecting. You're surprised that Char went this far away from the village in the first place.
Finally, Char stops. You look around, confused.「Is this it?」He doesn't reply, staring closely at his surroundings, and a dark thought overtakes you.「...Did you get lost?」
Char finally responds, shaking his head. "Nope. Up to here's a straight line, just figuring out the rest." He trails off, before pointing at a nearby tree. "That's it!" He rushes up to it and you follow. You spot a crude carving in the trunk. <span class="mu-s">MU CHAR WAS HERE</span>. Your worries are only partially dissipated.
With that Char seems to regain his sense of direction, and it's only a short walk until you spot something of interest. A smoldering campfire constructed in a small clearing, with a lean-to built into an overhang in a nearby hill. Supplies are haphazardly scattered around the encampment.
"Mister! You there?" Char half yells. An annoyed grunt can be heard and a few seconds later a man appears from the trees, scratching his head. An eye patch covers his right eye, which you can see faint scarring around. Below that, his right sleeve dangles in mid-air, lacking an arm. On his opposite side, a short sword is attached to his belt.
Anonymous
>>5560814 "Quiet down kid." He glances at you. "Brought a friend? My camp isn't a show." Before Char can apologize, the man gets over it. "Well, whatever. What's your name?"
「Kinzou.」He sits down and starts stoking the fire. "Got it. I'm Ken Yu." Char chimes in. "And he's part of the Verdant Mountain Sect!" You see the man roll his eyes, but he doesn't deny it. "You don't have to say it so proud like. But yeah, I am. Anyways, uh -"
He pauses, clearly hesitant. It takes him a few seconds to continue. "...you bring any food, kid?" You turn your attention to Char and watch as he removes an entire wheel of cheese from his pack, along with some bread and a sausage. Ken's grumpy mood instantly changes for the better as he receives it.
"Been out here for way too long and the whole one arm thing makes cooking a little difficult. Preciate it." He starts digging in to what's provided, paying no mind to you. In the meantime, you think of questions to ask him. It's not often you see a proper sect cultivator out here - maybe you could learn something.
>「What do you do for the Verdant Mountain Sect?」 >「Why are you all the way out here?」 >「You're a cultivator, right? Are you strong?」 >「...You need any help? Our village is just a couple hours away.」 >「How does the Verdant Mountain Sect recruit new members?」 >Write-In (Feel free to choose multiple questions for this choice, but do list them in order of importance) Anonymous
>>5560815 >「...You need any help? Our village is just a couple hours away.」 >「How does the Verdant Mountain Sect recruit new members?」 > 「What do you do for the Verdant Mountain Sect?」 > Teach us! Anonymous
>>5560815 >「You're a cultivator, right? Are you strong?」 >「How does the Verdant Mountain Sect recruit new members?」 >「What do you do for the Verdant Mountain Sect?」 Anonymous
>>5560815 >「What do you do for the Verdant Mountain Sect?」 >「Why are you all the way out here?」 >「...You need any help? Our village is just a couple hours away.」 Anonymous
>>5560815 >You need help? Good protagonist gooooo
>Why out here? >What do you do for the sect? Anonymous
>>5560815 >「...You need any help? Our village is just a couple hours away.」 >「How does the Verdant Mountain Sect recruit new members?」 > 「What do you do for the Verdant Mountain Sect?」 WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 09 Feb 2023 10:26:11 No. 5562076 Report >>5560819 >>5560919 >>5561042 >>5561140 >>5561144 It feels a bit rude to interrupt the man while he's eating, so you stay silent and think of what you'd like to ask him later. What he does, why he's out here, that sort of thing. ...If he needs any help, you guess - he did just ask a random child for food.
By the time you think of what to ask Ken has already decimated the food in front of him, swallowing it down at a shocking pace. He pats his stomach with his one hand and then digs around in a pack before pulling an unmarked bottle out. He takes a swig. "Ahhh... nothing goes with a good meal like good drink." As you listen to him burp, you feel the inherent mystique and respect held towards cultivators begin to crumble.
You clear your throat, drawing his attention. "What is it kid? Er, Kinzou."「Do you need any help? You seem a bit, uh... famished. Our village is only a couple hours away.」Ken shakes his head. "No thanks. Not hurting for food, just good food. Can't help but burn most everything I make, and all's that left is local game and dry rations." He pauses. "Well, I'll probably stop by soon. Would be nice to restock."
After he says that Ken pulls out and unfolds a massive map, which he glances at closely. You're impressed that he doesn't struggle given only one hand to do it with. "This is just north of Fogtop, right?" You nod, and then try to get a closer look at what he's looking at. Char does the same. He doesn't stop the two of you.
"This is a map of the prefecture. In the north it gives way to the tributary states, and in the west to the plains." Char leans in, causing Ken to move away. "What about the other directions?" Ken sounds distracted as he replies, likely trying to read the map. "The next prefecture over is to the south, border set at the Heavenly River. The next kingdom over, the Kingdom of Chu, is to the east." He turns his focus back to the map after speaking, tracing it with his finger.
"There we go. I'm on the right track then." He folds up the map again before putting it back into a cylindrical container.「On the right track for what?」"Ah, that..." Ken trails off. "Just some work for the sect, and why I'm out here. Don't worry about it."
「What kind of work do you do for the sect?」Ken thinks to himself for a minute before replying, gnawing on what's left of the sausage. "I'm an Outer Elder. I work in 'Enforcement'. In practicality, means that I take care of whoever the sect asks me to. Usually criminals." He stretches. "Don't have too much work, but when I do it's a pain."
Char perks up, clearly not having known this. "Awesome! If you're an elder, does that mean you can recruit people?" Ken raises an eyebrow. "Are you worth being recruited?" Char nods furiously. "Watch this!" He begins punching and kicking the air - some sort of martial arts routine. Sloppy, but more than what you can do, you suppose.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 09 Feb 2023 10:29:17 No. 5562079 Report >>5562076 "Just passed the martial gate? Or first tempering?" Char's chest puffs up with pride. "I just reached the first tempering!" Ken nods to himself. "And you said you're 12, right?" "12 and a half!" Ken thinks for a second. "Well, if you can break through to the third right now, on the spot, tell me and I'll put down what I'm doing to bring you back."
Char's previous bravado is replaced with disappointment. Seemingly feeling bad, Ken tries to cheer him up. "Well, you can still join. Or try, at least - can't guarantee anything. Assuming you want to enter the sect itself, trials are in the spring and fall. Start of the 4th month and middle of the 10th, I think."
「How do those work?」He turns to you and shrugs. "Like any sect recruits I guess. They check your cultivation and citizenship, do a few tests between the applicants, have an interview. If you want to apply to work in the surrounding town - cooks, laborers, stuff like that, then just the interview and showing off your ability."
「An interview?」He nods. "Yup. Boring, but it needs to be done." He lowers his voice. "...Dunno why I had to help with all of them last time though."
Ken makes smell talk with the two of you for a bit longer before saying that he has something to do and that you should leave. Char's a bit hesitant, but you oblige, and leave him to whatever he's up to. If it's related to his work, you'd rather not interfere.
The two of you part ways once you reach the village and you don't do much for the rest of the rest day, cultivation excluded.
During the week, the first harvest takes place in the agricultural district. The intake prepares for the incoming rush of caravans in and out, trading the local cash crop of Red Lanterns in exchange for more practical goods. That doesn't happen.
The agricultural district harvests the crop. And then they keep it. They sort them out, pack them, and store them all in the largest building they can find, a gathering hall. After a few days, you, and the rest of the lower-level employees, hear of the standoff. If the will of the agricultural district is ignored and their needs not cared for... then they will simply stop contributing. It is their crop to harvest, and their crop to decide what to do with.
This act, it seems, is finally enough to force Percival to negotiate. He can be seen wandering around the intake with an annoyed expression, but it quickly becomes known that he is talking terms with Mei Gi despite that. The situation is tense, but it seems like things are coming to a close, at least.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 09 Feb 2023 10:35:03 No. 5562083 Report >>5562079 One night, you wake up early. No light can be seen creaking in through the gaps in the home, or through the door - it must be the middle of the night. Annoying, but not too unusual. Being early to bed means you also tend to be early to rise. You quietly sit up, leaving the family bedding, and creep out the door. A bit of brisk night air should wake you up. Perhaps you could go for a short walk.
Upon stepping outside, you stop. You can make out a massive plume of smoke in the distance. Much more than would be given off by a campfire. No, something has to be up in flames. Based off the direction it's either one of the woodcutter's homes or something in the agricultural district.
>Go towards the smoke. If something's going on, then you should help. >Stay where you are. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5562083 >Wake up Mum She needs to be aware and able in case there is a retalitory attack.
>Go towards the smoke, fast We should help. We're not going to be very liked for showing our face, maybe even accused of setting the fire if they notice us there before them. But I don't see that as reasonable deterrent to us helping out our fellow villagers.
the good will is nice, and we're not a complete monster. Just an alien.
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5562086 Support.
What happened with the forest guys is still on my mind, but we got to help.
Anonymous
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 10 Feb 2023 12:35:49 No. 5563241 Report >>5562086 >>5562116 >>5562121 >>5562318 You should wake up Nui before you go. At the least, she should be aware of where you're going.
「Mom. Wake up!」You shake her slightly, and she stirs. "Uh - what's going on?! Why are you -" You cut her off.「There's a big fire towards the west. I'm going to hurry over and see if I'm needed. Keep an eye out in case something happens.」You leave immediately after saying that, Nui's voice fading into the distance. "A fire? Wait - that's dangerous!"
It's extremely dark. Scattered rays of moonlight piercing through the trees' crowns are the only thing stopping it from being pitch black. As you do your best to run through the forest, a root catches your foot, tripping you. You barely manage to catch yourself before you keep running. But you don't slow down - there's no time to lose here. Sentient lives may be at risk, and the death of such life without equal benefit is lamentable.
As you struggle through the forest, eventually, it becomes not quite as dark. A faint light in appears in the distance, from the direction of the smoke. You follow the guiding light, picking up speed. Eventually, the trees give way to a wide field, and you can make out what's going on. A massive conflagration in the distance, engulfing a similarly large building. The faint figures of men surround it, scurrying about wildly. You rush to join them.
The brightness of the flames becomes glaring and the figures in the distance clear to the eyes. Many dozens of people rushing about carrying buckets and making ditches, doing everything they can to stop the flames. Men, women, and children all.
You don't know where the water source is, so you grab a shovel and join a group of men building a firebreak. One man strains and grunts as he struggles to drag a plow along, while the others use their shovels to clear anything that could serve as fuel out of the way. A wide path of dirt is slowly built along a field of grass.
There's not much time to process your surroundings as you work. You're in a field. Everybody is rushing back and forth. Many of them seem exhausted, but they keep moving. You can see the veins bulging from the forehead of the man pulling the plow. The firebreak is getting there - it should be wide enough to stop the fire from easily jumping across it at least, if not long enough yet.
Smoke starts drifting over occasionally. It gets hotter. You're covered in sweat and want a drink. It will have to wait. Eventually, you spot something in front of you. It's a little hard to see through the smoke that's drifting over, but after a moment you make it out. It's Mei Gi, almost running forward while pulling a plow behind him, several strongmen alongside him. After a couple of minutes they meet up with your group and the firebreak is finished. Not too soon either - 10 more minutes, and all that work could have been for naught.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 10 Feb 2023 12:42:16 No. 5563245 Report >>5563241 Mei Gi shouts out orders while catching his breath. "The breaks on both sides are done, and the roads on the other two cleared. If your house is in the burn zone but not on fire, get help retrieving what you can and leave immediately. If not, help gather water." Only a moment later everyone runs off, getting to their new tasks despite their exhaustion. You follow after one of them at random to help.
You're not sure how long you help to ferry water. It's long enough to make your arms feel like they're going to fall off. The fire burns down very slowly and the breaks need to be watched on all four sides just in case, to make sure that it can't jump over. By the time the blaze starts dying down, the sun has risen. There are still flames - lots of them - but less than before. The smoke starts clearing, and you can at least get a glimpse of what's left.
Torched houses, almost a dozen of them, still crackling and falling apart. A massive rectangle of flames, burning wood, and coals in the center of it all - likely the origin of the fire. An exhausted horde of people in the three-digits, many covered in soot. A depressing sight, but you suppose that the worst is over with.
An old woman comes around, carrying food and drink. You thank her, receiving a bowl of porridge and a skin of some sort of greenish liquid. It has a sharp, acrid taste, and you can only say that you hate it. The sheer flavor of it forces away some of your tiredness and brain fog though, so you drink it all down regardless. Your stomach's protests go unheard.
With the rise of the sun, many more people gather. Those from the sawmill and the woodcutters first, and then a trickle of those from the center of the village, which is furthest away. Nui comes in the early morning, and lectures you. You can't quite process all of it, and in the end you're not sure if she's chiding you or praising you. You think it's both.
At some point you spot Mei Gi walking along, looking hale and hearty despite the exertion. He notices you, and offers a small nod before continuing on his way. You glance at where he's going and see your boss, Percival. He looks upset.
You stare at the two. They talk quietly for a moment before parting ways. An hour or so later, a carriage arrives with supplies. Sleeping bags, food, et cetera - whatever is needed, really. You help unpack it all. Those affected accept it without any pretenses. Everyone is far too tired for those.
Around noon, you leave. You're still not quite sure what happened, nor if you were able to help all that much, but you're satisified. Even the few nods and tired, muttered thanks you received from the men you were working with were more than you expected or needed.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 10 Feb 2023 12:47:00 No. 5563246 Report >>5563245 You take the rest of the day off. Nui seems concerned by your appearance but you simply tell her you're fine before dragging yourself into the bedding and falling asleep. You're woken up for dinner, and stay awake for a bit before going back to sleep again. Despite the half a day that has passed since everything, your body is truly exhausted.
The next day. Everything aches and you have a slight cough, but you're alright besides. You go to work, as per normal. There, you can finally listen to enough small talk from those not personally affected to put together what actually happened.
The gathering hall storing the first crop of the season caught on fire. Probably torched by someone, given how quickly it went up in flames. Afterwards, another nine houses followed it. All in all half the yearly harvest; the homes, possessions, and land of a couple dozen people; and several of the guards who were watching over the gathering hall are all lost. As for the guards in question... the agricultural district is still looking for them. Whether they got caught up in the fire and are buried in the ruins or if something else happened, they don't yet know.
Near the end of the workday, you happen to hear another piece of gossip. One more worrying than any of the others. While taking inventory of one of the storehouses, a great many things were found missing, with only one commonality between them - they were flammable.
Someone committed arson, and they used the intake's resources to do it.
You don't get much time to think about this information before it's time to head to Huo Mi's. All you really know is that this is all... concerning. When this news gets out, not if, it will cause an uproar. And you're not looking forward to it.
Huo Mi seems to think the same. "Hey, kid, I have an idea. Why don't we go on a bit of a hunting trip? You've got most of the basics of basics besides butchering down, and nothing better for learning than getting to put it all into practice." She clears her throat. "And besides... heading out into the woods for a week or so sounds like a good idea right about now. Troublesome things are brewing."
You consider the suggestion.
>Well, why not. A hunting trip will do well for your skills, and you don't like the current situation in the village. You'll some time off. >Not right now. You should stay in the village while everything is working itself out. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5563246 >>Well, why not. A hunting trip will do well for your skills, and you don't like the current situation in the village. You'll some time off. Anonymous
>>5563246 >Well, why not. A hunting trip will do well for your skills, and you don't like the current situation in the village. You'll some time off. Anonymous
>>5563246 >Well, why not. A hunting trip will do well for your skills, and you don't like the current situation in the village. You'll some time off. I'm kinda worried about Kinzou's mother but I doubt she out of all people would become a target for obvious reasons.
Anonymous
>>5563246 >Why not? We don't have the power to act yet. This is a good break, and hope that mum will be fine.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Fri 10 Feb 2023 22:59:25 No. 5563670 Report >>5563262 >>5563292 >>5563306 >>5563366 Alright, hunting trip it is. Can I get three 1d100s?
Difficulty of 50, the more passes the better. Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 44 (1d100) >>5563670 Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 20 (1d100) >>5563670 Anonymous
Rolled 86 (1d100) >>5563670 YEEEEEEART
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5563728 You saved this roll
Anonymous
>>5563728 SEVEN THOUSAND BLESSINGS ON YOU WISE SAGE
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 11 Feb 2023 15:46:37 No. 5564414 Report >>5563262 >>5563292 >>5563306 >>5563366 >>5563728 >>5564092 A week in the woods does sound like a nice getaway from whatever headaches are likely to crop up in the near future. You'll go for it.
「Works for me. How much should I bring?」She shrugs. "You should know best. Just bring what you'll need. Remember to keep weight down or else you'll regret it."
With that decided, you're sent off to start your preparations. Brynn and the rest of the older workers get off a bit later, so you head to the intake first to schedule your time off. Best to get it out of the way while everyone is still there so that you don't bother anyone.
"So you want the week of the 15th off? Kind of short notice, but not a big deal. Got it. Remember to come back afterwards - there's always paperwork waiting." Jing Mao scribbles a note down without looking up at you. A moment later, the sheet of paper it's written on disappears into the forest of papers covering his desk. ...You hope he doesn't lose it.
Nui is a bit more worried about the outing, and seems to intend to load you up with enough food to last nearly the entire week in the woods. You reassure her though, making sure she knows that Huo Mi will be there and that she knows what she's doing. It is only after a mighty effort that you manage to get the size of your pack down to a somewhat sane amount.
Birdsong fills the early morning air as you arrive at Huo Mi's, still getting the tiredness out of your system. After circling around the house you spot Huo Mi in the back, tending to her garden. She glances at you for a moment before turning her attention back to it. ...And then looks back at you, for longer this time.
"I know I said to that you should know best, but, uh..." She trails off. "You brought too much." You smile awkwardly.「It, uh, wasn't my choice. Mom kind of made me take it...」"Ah. Well, you can leave part of it in the house. In the meantime, I'll finish up here."
About an hour after dawn. You're both all ready to go. You carry a relatively small pack while Huo Mi, despite her warnings about weight, has something much larger. A piece of wood thrown across her back with two bags strapped down to it. One almost bulging full, and the other completely empty. You look at her load questioningly and she just laughs. "Weight is a problem for you. Not so much for me."
The pair of you leave the village and keep going due west through the morning. Familiar forests turn unfamiliar, even though the vegetation is pretty much the same. By the time you take a break in the afternoon, you might just be further away from Fogtop than you've ever been before. You try to stay composed, but the mere thought makes a bit of excitement well up within you.
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WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 11 Feb 2023 15:52:40 No. 5564419 Report >>5564414 "We're on a good pace. Should be good to reach camp before dark." Huo Mi speaks through a mouth full of food: bread, cheese, and few odds and ends you gathered from the forest besides.「Reach camp?」"Yup. Have a few places hidden away for outings. Wouldn't call them comfy, but they're better than nothing."
The two of you finish eating quickly and continue on your way. All the walking makes you a bit tired but thanks to your first tempering, it's only just that bit. You'd imagine that most of the villagers would have no choice but to take a longer break by now. The thought brings you a bit of pride, although remembering that you still need to get stronger wipes that pride all away again.
Regardless of any tiredness, you're finding the whole experience rather relaxing. The two of you just walk through the forest, occasionally talking, occasionally listening to the surroundings. Sometimes you stop to gather food or ingredients. It's pleasant.
As Huo Mi is in the midst of explaining the uses of a particular plant you spotted, she cuts herself off and stops. She gestures for you to do the same and leans in. "I hear game. Follow me." Saying that she crouches down and starts creeping along. You follow, doing the best you can to stay silent.
The two of you stare out from a bush. A deer stands some distance away, eating at the grass. The angle isn't the best, but... "You could get a shot." As Huo Mi whispers she points to your bow. You follow the prompting and pull it out.
It takes a while for you to feel confident with lining up the shot. It's all harder when you're trying to hide like this. Eventually you do have the arrow nocked and everything lined up though. You adjust your position, getting ready to let loose - and the deer turns to stare at you.
You're startled and loose the arrow immediately, hoping to get the deer before it can run off. A meaty thunk sounds out as arrow hits flesh, barely managing to bury itself at the top of the deer's back. Too far up. As the creature lets out a sound of distress you go to ready another arrow, but Huo Mi acts first.
The deer is already running off by the time you hear the swish of an arrow shooting through the air, but that prevents little obstacle. An arrow lands in its side, causing the deer to stumble and crash into a nearby tree. Huo Mi bolts up. "I'll finish it. Drag my pack over."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sat 11 Feb 2023 15:58:06 No. 5564422 Report >>5564419 By the time you get her massively overweight bag over you find that the deer is dead, its throat slit. Huo Mi crouches next to it. "Time to show you how to work on a real piece of meat. If you don't want it to rot, we'll have to act quick. First, let's get the arrows out."
What follows is a bloody, but interesting process. Huo Mi had gone over the basics beforehand, but the real thing is very different. You have to be painstakingly walked through the process of removing the arrows, cutting the deer open, taking out organs, and prepping meat.
It takes a while, and a few mistakes, but eventually you get the job done. At that point Huo Mi wraps the prepared meat up in part of the hide and then hurries you along, wanting to hit the camp so that you can start preserving it all before it spoils.
Everything smells like blood and salt right now - your nostrils are absolutely filled with the scent of both. You'd put something in your nose to block it all, but, uh the chance for that is long past. No, right now you're busy slicing and curing meat, and it's going to be some time until you get to wash off.
Huo Mi watches on from the side. "You're getting it. Not a fan of how the end result tastes, but it's the most practical when we're moving around." Huo Mi pats her giant bag, now a bit deflated. "Brought plenty of salt." She falls silent for a couple minutes, just watching. "Where do you want to go from here? I was thinking of either meandering up to the northwest, or heading due south of here."
「What's there?」 "Well, to the northwest, there's a temple or monastery we could stop by. I'd say we could offload any spare game on them, but I don't remember if they're vegetarian or not. As for the south, there's a small mountain. Should be a pretty doable climb if we take the time. I think there was something special about it, but for the life of me I can't remember what."
>The northwest it is. You'd like to see some corner of civilization that's not Fogtop, even if it's only a couple days over. >To the south. You've never seen a mountain before. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5564422 >>To the south. You've never seen a mountain before. MOUNTAIN POG
Anonymous
>>5564422 >To the south. You've never seen a mountain before. Anonymous
>>5564422 >To the south. You've never seen a mountain before. Special mountain?! I sense a potential inherentice/treasure
Anonymous
>>5564422 >The south SPECIAL MOUNTAIN!
Anonymous
>>5564422 >To the south. You've never seen a mountain before. Anonymous
>>5564422 >>To the south. You've never seen a mountain before. MT TAI HERE WE COME
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 12 Feb 2023 03:37:45 No. 5565052 Report >>5564438 >>5564442 >>5564444 >>5564462 >>5564467 >>5565032 Well, you've never seen a mountain before. Or at least if you have, then you don't have access to those memories. If you're able to see what one looks like, beyond vague descriptions in a book or understandings somewhere deep in your mind, then it would certainly be worth your time.
You think about the choice for a bit longer as salt and raw meat digs into your hands before eventually answering.「The south, then.」"Alright. I'll figure out the route later. For now, keep prepping the meat. I'll cook a couple cuts of venison."
Without further ado, Huo Mi casually removes a skillet from her pack, as well as a few pouches of herbs. You throw some casual glances as she starts cooking large cuts of meat, using some of the fat to flavor it.
By the time you're both done with your respective activities, it's starting to get dark. About time for dinner. Once the last piece of meat has salt rubbed in and covering it, you tie down the container's top and then stare at your hands, which are covered in salt and dried blood. ...You'll have to find a stream to wash off in before you eat.
Once you're done with that, not only is the meat ready, but so are a couple of potatoes, grilled and diced. Huo Mi empties your portion into a pot, leaving hers in the skillet. She doesn't wait for it to cool down, speaking through a mouthful of potatoes. "Not a survival skill per say, but being a good cook can help out. Eating dry rations is no fun." You think back to one-armed man from the Verdant Mountain Sect and nod. Hopefully you're never that desperate for a decent meal.
You cut into the meat and take a bite. It's good. You wonder what it's seasoned with. Then you take another bite, and another... and finally process how big the cut is.「This is a lot.」Huo Mi speaks as if chiding you. "Of course it is! Hunters, travelers, and cultivators should be eating a lot. We have to keep our energy up." She continues eating as you stare at her. She raises an eyebrow.
"Did you think I didn't know you were a cultivator?"「Uhhh...」You did, in fact, think that. Huo Mi just laughs at your lack of response. "You never really hid it. Although I guess you wouldn't know how to." She doesn't elaborate, so you pursue the topic.「How to hide it?」Huo Mi slows her pace as she thinks.
"Well, there are a few ways to make your 'movements' more normal, but honestly, that doesn't matter for you. Not many people can pick that kind of thing out, Not unless they're specially trained for it, or are the kind of people who consider the both of us just martial artists. I'm a little better than most at it, but I probably wouldn't pick it out unless you had a few more temperings under your belt. But..." She stares at you.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 12 Feb 2023 03:43:55 No. 5565055 Report >>5565052 "What kind of kid is in better shape than most adult men? If I didn't know better, I would've thought I had a 20-something muscle head helping me out." She stares at you as you begin to realize how easy it probably was to put together. "Not a big deal though. You work a desk job at the intake, right?"
「Pretty much, yeah.」"Good! Then no one should have noticed. Just don't take on any six hour long shifts moving boxes, or if you do, pretend to get exhausted earlier. It's not too hard to do."
"Now eat. If you have to heat your food up again, it might get overcooked."
After you finish eating, you help maintain the camp. Refilling firewood stocks, cleaning up the ground and fire pit, reinforcing the camouflaged, makeshift shelter. By the time you're done it goes from looking a bit worse for wear to being actively maintained.
As night deepens, Huo Mi retrieves two sleeping rolls from her bag. According to her she didn't used to bring them, but sleeping on the ground has become a bit more uncomfortable than it was in her younger days. You accept one and bury yourself inside it. It's not long before you fall asleep - heavy exercise has a way of making the body tired.
When you wake up, it's still dark. Not feeling like sleeping for longer, you leave the sleeping roll and find your way back to the fire. Huo Mi is already up, stoking it.
"I wanna leave by dawn. Get everything ready to leave and I'll make breakfast." Looks like it's almost time to get moving again.
You spend the entirety of the day walking through more forest. At some point you ford a small river, but it's shallow enough to make it across by foot, and of no real concern. You take a couple of shots at some small game during the day, but with a destination settled on the two of you don't go out of your way to track anything down. By the end of the day that puts your count at one deer that had a good chance of getting away, one rabbit that DID get away, and a fox.
The second night is a bit rougher than the first, but not uncomfortable. Just the difference of having to set up your own camp, instead of having one ready, and a lack of fresh meat. You'd thought the fox would work for the latter, but Huo Mi simply said that the two of you weren't that desperate yet and left everything but the pelt. Apparently that species, at least, are rather unpleasant in taste.
The third day of the journey. The forest breaks, at least temporarily, giving way to a range of hills that's relatively free of trees. You walk across it for a few hours, before one hill stands out from the rest, several times taller.
「Is that the mountain?」 Huo Mi appraises it for a bit. "Should be. Not a big one, and we're already partway up since we're in the hills - but a mountain is a mountain." You're not quite impressed at first, but as you get closer, the feeling of slight disappointment disappears. It's certainly not earth-shatteringly large, but as you near it the actual size begins to sink in.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Sun 12 Feb 2023 03:47:20 No. 5565059 Report >>5565055 It is more than a king among hills. Yes, it is a true mountain.
The mountain is rather steep, but thankfully for the both of you there is a roughly hewn path up the side of it. Ruts worn in by the wheels of carts can be seen on either side of it. There must be a village or something at the top.
「There sure are a lot of caves.」You take a glance at cave you see that digs its way into the mountain. It's the sixth one you've passed. Huo Mi just grunts in agreement before slowing down, mulling over something. It takes a minute before she snaps her fingers and speeds up again. "I remember what this mountain is!"「Oh?」"It's where one of the old rebel armies used to have a base. There was a big battle here a few decades ago. I don't think I was in Fogtop quite then."
「Rebel armies?」"Yup. Rebel armies. We haven't been part of the empire for too long in the grand scheme of things. This far out, some of the towns were only rolled in around 100 years ago. Hell, you go out into the countryside and you can still find villages that aren't real friendly to the government. Less than when I was a kid, but still..."
「What happened to them?」"The rebels?" You nod. Huo Mi shrugs in response. "Dead, probably. At least if they didn't flee. I remember a few uprisings, but none that got very far." With that you stare at the ground, wondering if the red you see is clay or blood.
At the top of the mountain the slope flattens, and a village two or three times smaller than Fogtop can be found. A quaint place, with farms built into the side of the mountain. As you walk into the village the few of you get a couple of glances, but nothing too odd.
By the time you get to the top of the mountain, it's not quite late, but the afternoon is wearing on. Huo Mi decides that you'll spend the night in the village. A bit extravagant for what was supposed to be a trip through the wilderness, but... eh. "You should take advantage of civilization when you can", by her words.
Booking rooms at the town's inn cum restaurant doesn't take too long, leaving you with some spare time.
>Apparently all the caves are old rebel hideouts, and were used to conduct prolonged warfare on the mountain. And one of the villagefolk offers tours of a few of them! That sounds like a good way to spend the afternoon. >The caves do sound interesting, but having someone lead you around would take some of the fun out of it. Why don't you just find some and look around yourself? >Now that you're away from home, you don't really need to hide your strength. Perhaps you can find someone to spar or compete in a test of skill against. Even in a place this small you could probably find a few people at the 3rd or 4th tempering, let alone the 1st. >You'll poke around the village. Maybe you'll see something interesting. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5565059 >Apparently all the caves are old rebel hideouts, and were used to conduct prolonged warfare on the mountain. And one of the villagefolk offers tours of a few of them! That sounds like a good way to spend the afternoon. Anonymous
>>5565059 >Now that you're away from home, you don't really need to hide your strength. Perhaps you can find someone to spar or compete in a test of skill against. Even in a place this small you could probably find a few people at the 3rd or 4th tempering, let alone the 1st. Anonymous
>Apparently all the caves are old rebel hideouts, and were used to conduct prolonged warfare on the mountain. And one of the villagefolk offers tours of a few of them! That sounds like a good way to spend the afternoon
Anonymous
>>5565059 >Apparently all the caves are old rebel hideouts, and were used to conduct prolonged warfare on the mountain. And one of the villagefolk offers tours of a few of them! That sounds like a good way to spend the afternoon Anonymous
>>5565059 >This far our we don't need to hide our strength. Anonymous
>>5565059 >The caves do sound interesting, but having someone lead you around would take some of the fun out of it. Why don't you just find some and look around yourself? She already knew huh? I guess going over to her was the right choice during the tempering, since someone at the intake got suspicious when we bought that much food, just like drawing the weapon at the two kids.
Anonymous
>>5565059 >>Now that you're away from home, you don't really need to hide your strength. Perhaps you can find someone to spar or compete in a test of skill against. Even in a place this small you could probably find a few people at the 3rd or 4th tempering, let alone the 1st. Learning how to actually fight would be a great boon.
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WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 13 Feb 2023 07:17:27 No. 5566428 Report Quoted By:
It's about tied so I'll just call it a win for both and get to writing in a bit.
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WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 13 Feb 2023 09:50:06 No. 5566529 Report >>5565198 >>5565272 >>5565502 >>5565504 >>5565564 >>5565692 >>5565806 You'll take the chance to look around the caves for a bit and then see what you have time for left for afterwards. It's unlikely whoever is showing visitors around is going to continue doing so once it gets dark, so it's best that you get going. You bid Huo Mi farewell and go on your separate ways.
With the help of a few locals, you find your way further up, to a home near the top of the mountain. A lonely log cabin sits away from much of the rest of the village, a small garden and a pond next to it. Where the tour guide lives, apparently.
You knock on the door. After a few seconds pass, you can make out noises from inside. The thudding of wood can be heard approaching the door before it swings inwards, revealing a wrinkled old man with white hair. He leans on a cane and stares at you for a few seconds.
"Are you visiting?" He speaks slowly.「Yes.」"I see. So you want to see the tunnels, then?" You respond the same. "Alright then. Three silver and five copper, and give me a moment to get ready." The old man steps away, retreating into his home. A minute later he returns, carrying a small bag over his shoulder and an unlit lantern in his hand.
The cave you approach is directly by the man's house. Several stone grave markers sit in front of it. The old man spots you throwing glances at them. "My son, and his friends. They died a bit further in. In a fight against some of the prefectural lord's men." He coughs a few times. Without saying anything else he lights his lantern, and you follow him into the cave.
You enter about 10 feet in. The cave is narrow throughout. The old man glances at the walls, rubbing one of them. "Some of the caves existed beforehand. Some tunnels and such were dug out, where it's softer. Most of those are collapsed by now. This one was made artificially by one of the leaders of that ill-thought rebellion." He pauses. "Whether through cultivation or some other ability, I'm not sure. But he could dig through stone, and he spent years setting up caves and tunnels beforehand. That made the fight drag on for months before it was finally over. God knows how many died in tunnels. Some are probably still left inside - nothing but bones by now though"
「So it was prolonged?」The old man nods a few times. "Oh yes, yes, very much so. The village stopped paying taxes, announced that the empire were false lords, and humiliated the official sent to whip us back into line. After that the first force arrived, a few men from a local sect and some soldiers stationed at the county seat. They were driven back without much trouble and everyone, drunk on the accomplishment, rejoiced." He pauses.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 13 Feb 2023 09:52:42 No. 5566531 Report >>5566529 "That was just stirring a hive of wasps, really. The empire came back with more men. Broke down the barricades up the mountain. Fought through ambushes and booby traps, up to the top. Then they went house by house, securing the village. Killing those who resisted and restricting the movement of those who didn't. I hate them, but I don't know how much I can blame them - it was open war, and some of us threw the first stone From there...."
He gestures towards the tunnel. "They went to clear out the tunnels and the caves - all of them. The empire's men were being actively ambushed and there were too many exits to simply starve or smoke our rebels out, so they had to go in. And... well, a lot of people died. On both sides." He shakes his head. "A waste, really. It was a doomed effort from the start. A couple generations too late to matter - even my father was born into the empire, if only a few years after the last of the wars ended."
The tour is rather somber, but you get to see some pretty interesting things. Caves both manmade and natural; spots where traps used to be installed; underground storage rooms and barracks; and an aquifer, where water rises out of the earth. The occasional bloodstain can be seen throughout all of them, giving you a sense of unease. Scattered around are a few splintered crates, broken and rusted weapons, and some other miscellany. Nothing of value to anyone. All the valuables and bodies have long since been carried up, at least in the easily navigable parts.
The old man leads you out after around an hour and a half. You exit through a completely different entrance than you came in through, this time at the peak of the mountain. The view is lovely, if a bit precarious. "And that's it. I hope you learned something, and that'll you'll remember what you saw. Not too many do anymore." With that he waves goodbye, and begins the trek down to his home. He seems rather energetic for his age, even if he does walk a bit slowly.
Somewhat heavy in heart, you head back to the inn. It's beginning to get dark. The late night crowd sits in the front room, eating, drinking, and making merry. You head to the front counter and get a meal - free, with the lodgings. Then you join the locals.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Mon 13 Feb 2023 09:55:50 No. 5566533 Report >>5566531 「Wanna arm wrestle?」You stare at the young man sitting across from you, who looks surprised. "What? With me?" You nod. He laughs, and a few of those sitting by join in, laughing. "You hear that Yoh, you look like easy pickings!" "You think you can beat him kid?"
After a moment, they settle down, and the person in front of you sets their arm down on the table. "Sure, let's go. I'll go easy on you, so do your best." You place your arm down, but add in a warning.「...You shouldn't go easy on me, mister. I'm, uh-」 Is the right term cultivator, or martial artist for first tempering? You guess either should work, although they carry some different nuances.「-a cultivator.」 A few ribbings towards the both of you can be heard from nearby, and the man across from you smiles.
"Through the martial gateway already? Should be a fair match then, given the age difference. Let's go!" You don't correct him, and just put your hand in position. "3...2...1..." A thud can be heard as his arm hits the table. His smile freezes on his face before he nervously chuckles. "You weren't kidding. One more time then." You oblige, and grab onto his arm again. He holds on a bit better this time, but it's only a moment longer before his arm goes down.
Someone pats you on the back, and the locals begin both making fun of and reassuring the man you just beat twice. He's shuffled out of the way, and someone else sits down. A rather large, burly man who's probably in his 20s. A bushy beard covers his face.
"Yoh has always been a pushover. Why don't you face me?" You place your arm down while trying to get a gauge of your opponent.「Are you a cultivator?」He shakes his head. "Nope. But don't look down on me - these muscles ain't for nothing!"
"3...2...1...go!"
Instead of giving in easily like before, an almost equal force pushes against your own. He holds steady for a couple of seconds, before your small arm slowly begins pushing his muscled one down. He grunts and pushes harder, temporarily stopping your advance, but before long his arm hits the table too. Another victory!
>Stay where you are and wait for another challenger. You shall come out victorious on this night! >Congratulate the man on a good match and ask if him he'd like a bit of a spar. If you're able to convince him, then he'd probably make a decent fight. >Seek out someone of greater strength, and challenge them to a spar. You shall find the limits of your ability! >Write-In Anonymous
>>5566533 >Congratulate the man on a good match and ask if him he'd like a bit of a spar. If you're able to convince him, then he'd probably make a decent fight. Anonymous
>>5566533 >Good match man! >Buuuuut, go and find someone stronger and challenge them. MC's advance by leaps and bounds through constantly testing above their weight class. We must do the same.
Anonymous
>>5566533 >Congratulate the man on a good match and ask if him he'd like a bit of a spar. If you're able to convince him, then he'd probably make a decent fight. Anonymous
>>5566533 >Congratulate the man on a good match and ask if him he'd like a bit of a spar. If you're able to convince him, then he'd probably make a decent fight. Anonymous
>>5566533 >>Congratulate the man on a good match and ask if him he'd like a bit of a spar. If you're able to convince him, then he'd probably make a decent fight. While anon here
>>5566555 makes a good point, we also don't know too much about proper fighting. Our last time in a hand to hand match was a mess of a brawl between kids, so fighting an older man on our level physically who's more used to fighting should help us with refining some skill.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 14 Feb 2023 10:46:44 No. 5567495 Report >>5566539 >>5566555 >>5566562 >>5566591 >>5567035 You overpowered him in the end, but he was a good match. Perhaps he would make for a decent sparring partner, if you can convince him to interrupt his merrymaking just for that.
「Good one.」The two of you exchange a handshake. Not sure how to word it, you extend you proposition hesitantly.「Would you like to spar?」The man raises an eyebrow and takes a bite out of his food before he responds. "You got any experience?"「Uh...」You trail off.「...I've done it with one of my friends before?」
The bearded man lets out a loud laugh. "Sure. I'll go easy on you then. Just let me finish eating."You nod, and stay silent as he finishes his meal. As you do so, a few of the men nearby jokingly wish you luck in your spar. For some reason that gives you a bad feeling.
"Alright. Let's go." The man stands up and waves for you to follow, exiting the inn. You trail after, leaving the warm merriment of the place behind and replacing it with the cold darkness of the night. Only the sound of insects can be heard as you walk along.
「Where are we going?」"The dojo. They have straw mats."「Oh.」You finish processing the statement.「...the dojo?」"Yup. It's not too civilized out here. Best to know a little bit of self-defense, whether it's for use against bandits or wild animals, or in war. Although there hasn't been much of the last one in the last couple of decades, thankfully."
Eventually the two of you arrive in front of a large wooden building built off of the side of another one. A paper lantern hangs from the larger building, lit. The man nods as he sees it. "Looks like they're open." You follow as he slides a door open and enters.
Thin, flattened bundles of straw are layered across part of the floor. A few heavily-beaten sacks attached to sticks can be seen living a wretched existence in the corner. An older man reads a book in another corner, although he's now glancing up at the two of you.
"You brought a guest?" "A traveler, I think. Asked for a spar."「Yeah.」The man looks back at his book. "I see. Well, you have fun with that."
The two of you stand across from each other on mats of straw, about six feet apart. You look up towards the man, who just stares at you blankly. "I'll let you start. Just attack how you'd like." ...You guess the onus is on you then. Kicking is a bit hard to aim. A punch to start then? You lean in and thrust your arm towards his stomach, not being able to easily reach his face.
The man steps aside, and you feel your arm being sandwiched between his torso and arm. Then a force jerks you off of the ground and towards the man. A moment later you both begin approaching the ground, and you land with him on top of you. The breath is knocked out of you, and you can't get out from under him.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 14 Feb 2023 10:50:51 No. 5567498 Report >>5567495 After a couple of seconds he lets you go and stands up. "Again, then. When you're ready." The punch didn't work, so what about a kick this time? You kick out with your left leg and aim for his shoulder. It catches air, and then a moment later something catches it. You aren't piled on this time, but when you fail to dodge the leg sweep coming afterwards, you end up hanging in the air.
What follows is a harmless but painful experience. You end up being rendered helpless again... and again... and again. Even when you use your strength to resist him it feels like you never get the chance to actually leverage it. The closest thing you get to a compliment is being told you have a "nice thrust" on your punch, perhaps from practicing with the spear.
Eventually, you are freed from the endless loop of failure. "This seems like a good point to end things." The bearded man lets out a deep breath, clearly a bit tired. He wipes the sweat off his brow before offering you a hand up. You speak while trying to catch your breath.「Are you in charge of... this dojo...?」He laughs for several seconds straight before the older man cuts him off.
"In charge? A great many people would have to die before that day, and all at once." He pauses and turns to the next page of his book. "No, he just has a decent foundation. Pure strength can overcome all that, but when the difference isn't too large... well, you've seen what happens. Your openings just get exploited."
You return to the inn one extra-large serving of humble pie richer. Perhaps the bruises and aches were worth realizing how little threat you pose towards anyone properly trained in fighting, at least unarmed. You imagine the situation would be a bit different towards someone with no experience, but you have no way of testing that.
Back at the inn, Huo Mi laughs at your appearance before giving you some ointment to put on your bruises. You go to sleep not long after, and quickly drift off in the comfort of a bed. Much nicer than what you have at home - if you didn't have that debt to pay off, you would like to have upgraded. The two of you leave in the morning after having a hearty breakfast of meaty porridge. Thus begins a somewhat roundabout four-day trek back to Fogtop.
On the first day, you exit the hills and return to the forest. On the second, you find a swimming hole next to a waterfall and rest for a bit. The sound of water pounding against rock is calming. On the third, you spot another piece of large game - a deer. This time you manage to get a shot in without startling it, and a second before it can run away. Huo Mi doesn't intervene, and while you have to track it down later it dies of blood loss without need of a third arrow. Huo Mi's massive pack of wonders has enough materials left to cure the venison you get from it, and you rest at another one of her camps that night.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Tue 14 Feb 2023 10:53:56 No. 5567502 Report >>5567498 Nearly a week after you left you return to Fogtop. You are somewhat itchy, and more grimy and dirty than usual. The two of you stop at Huo Mi's home first, unpacking everything. After that the both of you head towards the center of town. You, on the way home, and her, to pick up some things. ...More salt, probably.
An announcement is posted at the center of town, dated a couple of days previous. It is simple in wording.
<span class="mu-s">The agricultural district, including the sawmill, will be separating from Fogtop. The new village will henceforth be named Prosperity, and Mei Gi has been elected as village head by a majority of 97%.</span>
Things... certainly escalated while you were gone. Huo Mi stares at the posting with a frown.「...Should we be worried?」She shrugs. "Maybe. About what specifically?"「The whole secession thing. Didn't that other village...」You leave it there.
"Oh, that? No, not at all. That's because they rebelled against the empire. This..." She speaks uncertainly. "Should be a local issue? The county magistrate will probably intervene, but I can't image them going scorched earth with it. They'll probably send an official over and try to work things out. Hell, maybe the easier solution will just be to have two separate villages." She stops talking and after a moment, sighs.
"Can't see Mei Gi being happy with this though, what with how close he was to a compromise. People probably got too angry and didn't give him much of a choice."
「Because of the fire?」
"Yeah. With what you mentioned, there's probably quite a few people blaming someone from the intake, even if they don't think the boss ordered it. And I guess that could be the case, but I can think of a few people who could profit from the chaos."
Saying that Huo Mi falls silent. "Well, I should get going. Might have a lot of callers soon. Have a good one, kid." She walks off without further ado, leaving you to your thoughts.
You haven't seen the situation for yourself but everything seems a bit tense and you can't help but wondering if you'll get wrapped up in it. You're only a kid, so you doubt anyone would take the effort to bother you, but... well, perhaps you should decide your approach now.
>Act normally unless forced to change. Keep on with your job at the intake, visit Shou and Go when you feel like it, and do what you do. You helped out with the fire, so you doubt either party holds ill will towards you as of now. >Avoid the agricultural district - er, Prosperity. You have a stronger interest with your workplace, and acting normally with people on both sides might irritate someone on either of them. Picking a side is safest. >Look for a new job. Something that focuses on writing and mathematics and that still pays decently, just that isn't at the intake. If you find work as a clerk somewhere then you should still be able to pay the debt you owe and support yourself, and you can take the chance to become uninvolved with all this. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5567502 >Act normally unless forced to change. Keep on with your job at the intake, visit Shou and Go when you feel like it, and do what you do. You helped out with the fire, so you doubt either party holds ill will towards you as of now. Anonymous
>>5567502 >Look for a new job. Something that focuses on writing and mathematics and that still pays decently, just that isn't at the intake. If you find work as a clerk somewhere then you should still be able to pay the debt you owe and support yourself, and you can take the chance to become uninvolved with all this Anonymous
>>5567502 >Act normally unless forced to change. Keep on with your job at the intake, visit Shou and Go when you feel like it, and do what you do. You helped out with the fire, so you doubt either party holds ill will towards you as of now. Anonymous
>>5567502 >Act normal It's best to gauge danger by not stiring things up
Anonymous
>>5567502 >Act normally unless forced to change. Keep on with your job at the intake, visit Shou and Go when you feel like it, and do what you do. You helped out with the fire, so you doubt either party holds ill will towards you as of now. Hmm. With a split village a certain mob boss is going to have an advantage next election isn't he?
Anonymous
>>5567502 >Act normally >>5567695 well considering if percival is the new chief there will be no new elections afterward. also chances are he only got up onto the voting list to support percival anyways
Anonymous
>>5567827 Yeah, and there's no way Percival will have an 'accident' sometime in the next few years. Nothing to worry about.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5567852 i meant as in the county government is gonna appoint new chiefs now eg only if kanekatsu somehow is deeply connected to the county govt he stand a realistic chance of ever getting to become villagechief
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 15 Feb 2023 17:09:43 No. 5568922 Report >>5567512 >>5567518 >>5567601 >>5567650 >>5567695 >>5567827 The mood of all this is concerning, but there's no need to make a move immediately. Best to stay the course while you observe the situation. If things do truly get out of hand? Well, you take can action then.
You return home under the dimming light of the sunset. Nui is pleased to see you back in one piece, although you do get lectured over the various bruises and scratches you've accrued in the wilds. Dinner is spent talking about your travels. You leave out your gentle beating at the hands of a martial artist in the retelling. Even more than being lectured, you're afraid that Nui would go on a days long journey just to scold that man if she ever found out.
Once the meal is over you quickly head to sleep, a bit tired from the hunting trip. The next day is a rest day, which gives you a good chance to shake off any last vestiges of fatigue. After that, though, you're back to work and dealing with the new normal that has just begun to develop while you were gone.
「Morning Brynn.」"Morning. Enjoy your week off?"「A bit tiring, but yeah. From what I've heard it sounds like I chose a good time?」Brynn laughs in a self-depreciating fashion. "You've got that right. There's been quite a bit ov shitflinging, both metaphorical and literal. Some fights too. Ever'one is pissed, really."
Over the next couple of weeks you come to learn the truth of Brynn's statement. Brawls become common, and the owner of the inn becomes more and more frustrated at drunken fights between both of the two sides. You're not sure who can be blamed for starting things, but at this point everyone says it was the other side and it's essentially impossible to determine. It's not quite dangerous but it is deeply unpleasant and, rightfully so, an annoyance to the rest of Fogtop's residents.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 15 Feb 2023 17:14:34 No. 5568926 Report >>5568922 "Shoot!" "Shoot!" "Shoot!"
In the meantime, you're still going through your grueling education under Huo Mi. It may be impractical to go hunting every day, but the same can't be said for practicing archery. At this point you can't remember the last day where your arms weren't a bit sore from practice. Useful, you suppose, but something you'll mentally complain about nonetheless. Just to yourself though. What's inside the ring doesn't care, and humans can't form mental links. Acoustic waves are a rather cold and lonely form of communication, at least to you.
"Hey, kid, come here." You're summoned into Huo Mi's workshop, which is as much of a mess as ever. You don't get to come in here too often. Huo Mi reaches for a thin set of papers set upon a worktable, bound together by string. Then she tosses them towards you.
Taken off guard, you barely catch them. "Those are for you. You might need them." You glance down and see some recipes, as well as their accompanying notes. ...A lot of accompanying notes. Glancing through them, you see that it's nothing too complicated. Some general-use medicinal ointments and powders.
「I thought you said that recipes were private knowledge?」 Huo Mi nods. "They are. But those aren't too important, and I don't think you have the guts or skill to become my competitor. Just don't spread them around. Not just because it could hurt my bottom line, but for safety. In the hands of someone who's competent, knowing how to make medicine can help people. Cure a few ills, make people happier, save a few lives maybe. In the hands of someone who's incompetent though..."
She pauses. "It's unhelpful, at best. If someone's lucky, they'll mess up in making it and end up with some useless placebo. If someone's not, they'll mess up the dosage or make poison instead. Anyways..." She starts to leave the room. "Don't start thinking you're competent. You're not. You're just not so incompetent so as to make even those dangerous."
You'll take that as a compliment, you guess.
Two weeks have passed since your hunting trip ended. There's news of an official from the county seat arriving soon, to try and help sort things out. News of their arrival seems to have coerced a few people into being on their best behavior, but there's still some conflict going on. Case in point...
「They still haven't caught the manure guy?」You pinch your nose as you speak. Brynn replies, annoyed. "No. Boss set a watch out for 'em a few times but 'e never got caught." He grumbles under his breath. " 'as to be a farmer, with how much cow shit he has." You nod in agreement.
"Well, could be worse. Least we're not stuck on cleaning duty." You glance back and stare at a coworker, Du, who is grimacing in disgust as he wipes manure off of one of the intake's outer walls with a wet rag, already stained brown. You nod again, this time more vigorously. Both of you walk faster, wanting to get away from the smell as quickly as possible.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 15 Feb 2023 17:18:02 No. 5568933 Report >>5568926 You get off of work a bit early. Not too much work today, and Kain's caravan came in. You almost always get sent out when they come through. Even when you don't, you don't help with the accounting on it. That's done by just a few people. An odd affair, but one you've long since decided is best not looked into.
Waiting for you to get off of work is Char, who's trying to convince you to look into it.
The two of you speak in an isolated clearing in the forest, away from prying eyes.「...You say that the caravan is connected to Kanekatsu?」"Yup! Definitely!"「And how do you know that?」Char puffs up his chest slightly. "Even with gramps and my cousin gone, the Mu family still has influence around here! I've been trying to keep tabs on Kanekatsu, so obviously I'd hear about it sooner or later."
Makes sense. You don't become the village head for a few decades and not set down lasting roots.「Alright. So the caravan... what do you want to do about it?」"Well... uh..." He hesitates. "...you work at the caravan, so I thought you might be able to figure out what the deal was."
Ah. So the responsibility of 'doing' would fall on you then.
>You will, in no uncertain terms, not be getting involved in this. You have enough trouble taking care of yourself. For now Kanekatsu is best left up to his own devices. >You've been suspicious about the caravan from the start, and hearing that Kanekatsu is involved only makes it more concerning. Perhaps you could pretend to stumble your way into it during the day and see what exactly they're carrying. Difficult, but you could probably play it off if spotted. >You've been suspicious about the caravan from the start, and hearing that Kanekatsu is involved only makes it more concerning. Perhaps you could infiltrate the intake under the cover of night and try and see what they're up to. Maybe you could bring Char to help out. Hopefully easier at night, but you'd be unsure of how to explain things if you were caught. >Brynn has enough seniority to be involved with the caravan when they come in. Perhaps you could just... ask him what the deal is? Maybe he'd even tell you. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5568933 >Brynn has enough seniority to be involved with the caravan when they come in. Perhaps you could just... ask him what the deal is? Maybe he'd even tell you. Anonymous
>>5568933 >You will, in no uncertain terms, not be getting involved in this. You have enough trouble taking care of yourself. For now Kanekatsu is best left up to his own devices. Fuck that guy, but I'm not sure I want to do anything that makes him aware of us. Don't want to come home to Kanekatsu having tea with our mother.
Anonymous
>>5568933 >Brynn has enough we can still play the "a childs curiosity" card
and if he doesnt spill the beans we have other options
Anonymous
>>5568933 >Brynn has enough seniority to be involved with the caravan when they come in. Perhaps you could just... ask him what the deal is? Maybe he'd even tell you. best case scenario we learn something important, worst case we get told to mind our business. seems like the best option.
Anonymous
>>5568933 >Brynn has enough seniority to be involved with the caravan when they come in. Perhaps you could just... ask him what the deal is? Maybe he'd even tell you. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 15 Feb 2023 22:52:04 No. 5569314 Report >>5568952 >>5568967 >>5568975 >>5569019 >>5569036 「...Well, I'll ask someone who might know more.」"And that's it?"「For now. I'd rather not draw undue attention.」
Char seems disappointed, but says that'll he'll be looking forward to any news. With nothing left to discuss on the topic the two of you part ways. The next afternoon, you approach Brynn about it.
「Want to take lunch together?」You point towards the door. Brynn pauses, and after a moment closes his lunchbox. "Er, sure. Lead th' way." You ignore Jing Mao who is, as he is almost always is, sitting at his desk in the next room over, and make your way outside and into a patch of forest surrounding the intake.
A couple minutes of walking later and you stop. That should be far enough. Brynn stares at you, looking a bit confused. "Y' want to ask me something? Got a crush on some chick? Need advice?" ...You suppose that is a more reasonable conclusion to draw from this than the reality.「No. I, uh, have just been kind of curious. Why do you keep sending me out when Kain's caravan comes through?」
Brynn's face immediately turns dark. Several several seconds pass before he responds. "Kinzou. You shouldn't ask about that." A warning, but not completely firm. You can try to make one more push before backing off.「Huh? Why not?」You tilt your head, as if confused. Brynn just stands there, presumably thinking.
"You might've heard the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat' before." Brynn pauses. "We're both cats in this situation. Don't ask anyone about it. Not me, not Jing Mao, not that idiot Du who's stuck wiping down shit for half the day. Just pretend that Kain's caravan doesn't exist." With that being said, Brynn begins heading back to the intake. You follow. The rest of lunch is a bit awkward.
You relay the answer back to Char and decide that the best option is to stop looking into it for the time being. Char's reluctant to accept that, but doesn't have much choice. The next week passes without much out of the ordinary, and the official sent from the county seat arrives in Fogtop.
The official sent is a tall, sharp-looking man who carries around a thick notebook. He wears a white robe with some sort of insignia on the front, cut short as to not drag across the ground. On his first days there you can occasionally see him in the intake, interviewing a few people - mainly those involved in the minor hostilities between Fogtop and Prosperity.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Wed 15 Feb 2023 22:54:02 No. 5569315 Report >>5569314 The official has been in Fogtop for three days now. You've gotten off of work at the intake and are arriving at Huo Mi's home. She stands outside, waiting for you. She's dressed differently from the usual, wearing a faded green robe. A symbol you don't recognize is sewn onto the front.
"No training today. I'm heading to the inn to talk with the official the county sent. Have a problem to report. Don't know how long it will take."
>「Can I come with you?」You're interested. >「Can I come with you? I have some things to tell him.」You have, suffice to say, quite a few complaints about Kanekatsu. And finally, someone to tell them to. >The official? Now that you think about it, you have a few things that you should tell him. But the inn isn't as private as you'd like. You should keep an eye out and try to approach him in a more private setting. >「Alright.」Not much use in telling the official about your problems or suspicions, nor much use in trying to peek into others' problems. Best to leave him and Huo Mi to their work. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5569315 >「Can I come with you?」You're interested. I don't trust the imperial officials to be competent, they started this mess by putting two leaders and no responding, and the other one believed Kanekatsu's plot.
Anonymous
>>5569315 >Can I come, I'm interested Anonymous
>>5569315 >You're interested. lets check if its an by the book or one who knows reality official
Anonymous
>>5569315 >「Can I come with you?」You're interested. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 16 Feb 2023 21:56:10 No. 5570704 Report >>5569326 >>5569417 >>5570134 >>5570173 「Can I come with you?」Huo Mi seems hesitant, but after a second she addresses you. "Well, whatever. Even if I said no you could try to eavesdrop. Not that I think you're the type to be too bold about things, but a reminder: keep quiet and don't go gossiping around about anything you hear. " That said, she makes her way back towards the village center. You follow.
Huo Mi stands across from the inn keeper. "I need to talk to the official. Tell him I'm here." The man stares at Huo Mi for a moment, as if considering whether to say anything about the lack of courtesy, before reluctantly turning away and going to find the man. Around a minute later, the inn keeper returns.
"He's waiting for you. Third room in the back, the nice one." Huo Mi grunts something that sounds vaguely appreciative and heads on her way. Two light knocks on the door in question. "May I come in?" A slight delay before there's an answer. A smooth, slightly high-pitched voice responds. "You may."
Past the door a clean, well-ordered room reveals itself. A man sits quietly at a desk, black hair bound up with a simple wooden ornament. After a minute of sorting through documents he stands up and turns his attention towards the two of you.
"My name is Huo Mi. Nice to meet you." Huo Mi extends a hand, which the man shakes. "Shi Ritsu, Vice Minister of Internal Affairs." His attention turns to you. "He is..." "A student. He won't be a bother." Seemingly satisfied, his attention turns away from you and he gestures to a table in the center of the room, which he takes a seat at. The two of you follow.
As you sit down, you catch sight of the official staring at the symbol on Huo Mi's clothing for a moment, as if thinking about something. By the time you sit down, his attention has shifted away from it. "So, Lady Huo, are you retired?" Huo Mi responds in a voice that is almost eerily sweet given her normal manner of speech. "Oh, I suppose you could say that. I just make medicine out here nowadays." The official nods as he pours himself a cup of tea.
"I see. I hope to settle down much the same in a couple of decades. My current role has me moving around a bit too much for my liking." The man takes a sip of tea before continuing. "Anyways, enough of the small talk. What business do you for me on this fine afternoon?"
Huo Mi discards the niceties and speaks flatly and factually. "There's a marked spiritual beast in the surrounding forest." The official's eyebrows raise slightly. "...I'll grab a new sheet of paper for the details. Continue."
"A bottom-grade spiritual beast descended from a rabbit. An adult. Marking is visible, and covers the left side of its face. And..." She pauses and begins to pull up the right sleeve of her robe, revealing a jagged patch of scarring on her arm. "It left me with this wound last year."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 16 Feb 2023 22:00:29 No. 5570707 Report >>5570704 The man glances at the wound, showing no emotion on his face. "I see. Your cultivation?" "5th Tempering. I've declined a bit from my younger days, but I wouldn't say I've weakened significantly." The man pauses, thinking. "It shouldn't be too much trouble for you to deal with an ordinary sixth-grade spiritual beast then. Do you know what ability the mark grants it?"
Huo Mi hesitates. "A bit. Something related to movement. I've observed it using the mark on five occasions. On three, it disappeared and then appeared roughly 10 meters away from its original location, away from me. Movement was too fast for me to process. Once, I disappeared from my original location. I was moved around five meters upwards, into the crown of a tree, which I promptly fell out of."
"And the fifth is what resulted in the wound?" "Correct. Thinking the beast dangerous to leave around, I decided to hunt it. I found a secluded location near its nest and laid in wait. It appeared, and I was able to shoot an arrow towards it without drawing attention. It noticed the arrow mid-flight, and shortly before landing the arrow suddenly embedded itself in my arm instead."
The official is staring at his piece of paper, now frowning slightly. "Any odd behavior observed before using its ability? Ritualistic behavior? Clear limitations?" "No. The only unusual behavior is a habit of its. It enjoys digging out shallow holes in the ground - very large numbers of them. Like the start of burrows, but almost never complete. Whether to disguise its home or for some other purpose, I'm not sure."
"I see... one last question then. Is it aggressive?" Huo Mi shakes her head. "Only mildly so. When I was sent flying it had already grown suspicious of me, and the last case was self defense. It sticks to a territory, but tends to avoid lethal force in defending it." The man finishes recording the details down and sits there for a moment, sipping from his cup of tea.
He only speaks again after emptying the cup. "You don't have any friends that can take care of this?" "No sir. If lucky I could round up one other cultivator at the 5th Tempering, a pair of cultivators at the 4th Tempering, and perhaps half a dozen below that. That might be enough to deal with it, but, well... no one would want to risk life or limb to get rid of something that wasn't an immediate danger, and there's a good chance it could just escape from the encirclement, putting it on guard."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:4yKvv3JS Thu 16 Feb 2023 22:01:30 No. 5570708 Report >>5570707 The official nods. "Of course. That's my reservation as well. I may be able to deal with it, but the risk simply isn't worth the reward, given that it's not an immediate concern." He pauses for a moment. "Here's how the issue will be handled. Once I return to the county seat I'll wait for a Shaping Dantian cultivator proficient at ranged combat to be free, or perhaps call upon the Verdant Mountain Sect to send one. They should be able to eliminate the creature before it can react, given how weak it is outside of the mark. If they're fast they can take care of it before the winter, if not then during next spring."
Huo Mi smiles slightly. "That would be great. Thank you for the assistance." The official nods. "Certainly. Is there anything else?"
>You know you're not supposed to butt in, but now that the talking if over it should be fine, right? You have some questions. [Specify what you'd like to ask.] >The man doesn't seem completely useless. Perhaps you should report everything you know regarding Kanekatsu after all. It could just get buried, but it's worth a try. >You nothing to say - you just came to tag along for the ride. It's not really your place to speak. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5570708 >Say nothing, just raise our hand obediently. >"Excuse me sir, but where is the country seat?" Anonymous
>>5570708 >You know you're not supposed to butt in, but now that the talking if over it should be fine, right? You have some questions. [Specify what you'd like to ask.] >Sorry to interrupt, but can I ask a couple of simple questions? I apologise if they are too mundane >You said wanted to settle down eventually. is there some kind of system for retirement, or would one have to plan ahead on their own initiative? >How does one become an official to the empire? Is there some kind of test, or is it by appointment? >How do cultivation sects fit inside the imperial bureaucracy? Just want to know our potential chances between joining a sect, the imperial office or continuing to be an independent cultivator
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5570714 If these are questions we would already know, or that other people could answer, feel free to ignore them.
As long as they get asked eventually.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5570714 I think that only the bureaucracy question can't be answered by Mi.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 17 Feb 2023 22:57:47 No. 5571815 Report >>5570711 >>5570714 It seems like they're done so it should be fine if you ask a couple questions, right? Now, what would be the most polite way to do that? Uh... you think you heard about lifting your arm being a symbol of inquiry before? You'll go for that.
You raise your hand. Both the official's and Huo Mi's eyes lock onto it, staring down at you. After a moment the official nods his head. "Go ahead."「I had a couple of questions if that's alright. About your job, mainly.」He seems surprised, but thankfully not irritated. He just waves a hand in your direction. "As long as they aren't too many, be my guest." The official pours himself another cup of tea.
「How exactly does one going about getting a government position? I recall hearing about some sort of test. Is that how all officials are recruited?」The man stays silent for some time before responding. "The annual Imperial Examinations are how most government officials are recruited, but not all. Personally, I took the county-level examination and was slowly promoted from there. Some of the positions, though, hire differently. Mainly more...physically-focused, shall we say, pursuits. And the emperor and his sovereigns, of course."
You see. So there's a main examination where most of the officials are recruited. Only open to citizens, you would assume. You'll think more about it later.
「I see. And you mentioned wanting to settle down. Is there some sort of system set in place for the retirement of government officials, or are you just saving by yourself?」
Both Huo Mi and Shi Ritsu are giving you odd looks, as if they've just encountered an alien. Well, they <span class="mu-i">are</span> encountering an alien, but they don't know that. After a moment, the official's expression returns to normal and he responds.
"That is a... very practical question for someone your age. Generally, yes, there is a pension for government employees who have served long enough. The specifics of how much and who is eligible vary by position and location. Not that having enough money to live off of is a concern right for me right now. No, it's just much too early to retire from political life. When I hit 70 or 80, mayhaps."
Ah. Well, it's good that the job allows for a proper period of retirement. Hearing that there's something better than the village mentality of "work until I can't anymore" shows that the empire has some degree of wealth to offer to its citizens, even if how it's given out is lopsided. You suppose the sharp divide in quality of living is to be expected in a still developing civilization. Even back home colony worlds were comparatively worse off, at least during the era of colonization.
「Alright. Thank you for the help, I have one last thing to ask. How exactly do sects fit with the empire's system of government?」 You pause, and then elaborate. 「Are they partially managed by the bureaucracy, or...」
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 17 Feb 2023 23:01:54 No. 5571821 Report >>5571815 The official, once again, looks a bit confused. "I suppose I don't mind answering, but... well, your teacher would be able to answer more easily, wouldn't she?" He turns his attention to Huo Mi, who isn't sure how to respond. "Ah, yes, that would be the case. I suppose I should go over the specifics with him later."
With your questions over the two discuss the location of the rabbit in some more detail for a moment, tell the other where they can be reached if needed, and then part ways. On the way back, Huo Mi answers your question regarding sects, as well as one regarding where the county seat is (due to questionable road maintenance nearly a week on horseback, to the northeast).
Sects are generally not controlled by the government and retain a great deal of autonomy. Within sects sect law can even overrule law established by the empire, to an extent. The sects do maintain good relations with the empire and their local officials, however, as there is scarcely any sect that can remain fully independent from the nation they live within. Sometimes they also perform tasks for the government. They are, of course, duly compensated.
Once the two of you get back to Huo Mi's home, she immediately shoos you away so that she can switch out of her robe and into something else. You can hear her mutter something about how much she hates wearing it as you leave.
Shi Ritsu, the official, stays in Fogtop for just over a week longer. During that time you hear of him collecting a great deal of interviews, sitting in on talks between Percival and Mei Gi, and launching an investigation into what happened with the guards who disappeared before the big fire last month. The outcomes of all this can mostly be considered positive... except the last.
It soon becomes an open secret that the guards have been found. Just not living. Their dead, dismembered, and burnt corpses were found quite a ways into the forest outside the agricultural distract, not too well hidden. Their bodies were nearly impossible to identify, mainly inferred through items on their person. With Char's cousin, that makes for three violent murders in just over a year. A cautious mood sets over the village.
Upon the official's leave he makes it known that he has collected sufficient information and that he will be compiling a report for his superior and the county magistrate to review. Rumor is that his recommended course of action is that the two villages stay separate, with a temporary tax break to both to allow them to recover from the fire. But, well, rumors are just rumors and the official isn't the one making the final decision, although you imagine he is strongly recommending one. You'll just have to wait and see.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 17 Feb 2023 23:05:10 No. 5571824 Report >>5571821 Late in the 8th Month. With the departure of the official, the usual mischief between both sides has resumed. Mildly violent, but not resulting in any death or permanent injury. There has been a change, however. Those corpses have put everyone on edge and all but confirmed the massive suspicions that there was someone, either a large force or a skilled cultivator, who orchestrated the fire. People are lacking a sense of security.
From that, the Prosperity Guardsmen are formed. A troop of men tasked with the defense of Prosperity from threats, man or beast, internal or external. For the most part they are calm and collected, likely handpicked from those who haven't gotten involved in the antics between the two sides. But nonetheless, their formation seems to make Fogtop as a whole wary. Less than a week later the Fogtop Militia is announced. Or more accurately, recruitment for it is - the organization has technically existed, if laid long dormant and extremely underfunded.
And the announcement is... well, a bit of a tempting one. Men or women of sufficient strength or skill, and especially those with some level of cultivation, are being accepted. Auditions to be held at the end of the month, to recruit a "sizable group", whatever that means. More important than that, however, is the compensation. Pay a bit better than your own, and a fund for equipment. Armor and a weapon, if not already owned, or their wholesale value if you bring your own.
In exchange for such compensation the main duties seem to be, well, standing around, exercising, and training. And of course helping defend the village if threatened. But mainly the first part.
>A bit tempting if simply for the extra time you could spend exercising and training in more physical skills, but... well, you should pass. If you got the job it might risk deeper involvement in the petty squabbles between both villages, or danger beyond that. >A job that's too tempting to pass up. You could obviously pass the audition with your strength, although even if you hide all or part of it you may still have a chance of getting a position if you show off what ability you have in archery and medicine. You could decide the specifics of that later really. >Write-In WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 17 Feb 2023 23:07:38 No. 5571829 Report >>5571824 As you're mulling over the announcement, Char intercepts you on the way to Huo Mi's. A common enough sight. You raise a hand to greet him.「Hey.」He does the same. "My dad wanted me to ask you something."「Oh?」You wait for Char to elaborate.
"We're friends with another family in a more rural village, and they intend to purchase a cultivation scripture."「Mhm?」"...While my dad was thinking of how to best purchase another one, he recalled that your dad should have one, and that you aren't a cultivator. He asked me to check if your mom would be willing to sell it."
Hm. Well, you need it for now, but you should at least know the amount before you refuse.「How much?」Char references a piece of paper and reads off a number. As you recall it's a bit more than half of what Takigi paid for it, after the loan. Given the interest Kanekatsu tacked on for repayment over a 10 year period, that could be fair. You're not sure. Regardless, it is a significant sum of money. Enough to pay off your debts outright now that they've been paid on for over four years, and to have just a bit leftover. Or a lot to keep on-hand as you slowly paid down said debt.
>Decline the offer outright. You're able to repay the loan fine with your current work and don't necessarily need an influx of money. >Tell him you'll speak with your mother about it. You need the technique on hand, but not always. If you waited until after your breakthrough to 2nd Tempering and they were still willing to purchase afterwards, then you'd probably have anywhere from one to three years before your 3rd Tempering to search for a new one, with the interim just being mildly inconvenient. >Tell him you'll speak with your mother about it but that the specifics will need to be worked over. You're not quite happy with the current terms. Perhaps you could haggle for a better price or for access to the Mu family's cultivation manual, temporarily. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5571824 >A job that's too tempting to pass up. You could obviously pass the audition with your strength, although even if you hide all or part of it you may still have a chance of getting a position if you show off what ability you have in archery and medicine. You could decide the specifics of that later really. >>5571829 >Decline the offer outright. You're able to repay the loan fine with your current work and don't necessarily need an influx of money. That murder smells of Kanektsu
Anonymous
>>5571824 Hmm. Do we want to break cover. .
Wuxia, what's the next expected breakthrough? in a few months?
I dunno about this either.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 17 Feb 2023 23:29:53 No. 5571848 Report Quoted By:
>>5571844 >Wuxia, what's the next expected breakthrough? in a few months? Based off your reckoning? Yeah, that sounds like a good estimate. From nothing to the martial gateway took Kinzou about a year, from there to the 1st tempering took Kinzou half a year and then you and Kinzou nearly another half a year at your improved speed. A year from the 1st to the 2nd Tempering at your current speed seems accurate giving the 'feeling' you have of your progression. From there you can't predict quite as accurately.
Anonymous
>>5571829 I worry about displaying our strength.
But hey, nobody expects anything from a kid. We just need to hide it better.
I vote
>Too tempting to pass and
>Decline outright. Anonymous
>>5571824 >A bit tempting if simply for the extra time you could spend exercising and training in more physical skills, but... well, you should pass. If you got the job it might risk deeper involvement in the petty squabbles between both villages, or danger beyond that. >>5571829 Tell him you'll speak with your mother about it. You need the technique on hand, but not always. If you waited until after your breakthrough to 2nd Tempering and they were still willing to purchase afterwards, then you'd probably have anywhere from one to three years before your 3rd Tempering to search for a new one, with the interim just being mildly inconvenient.
Anonymous
>>5571824 >A job that's too tempting to pass up. You could obviously pass the audition with your strength, although even if you hide all or part of it you may still have a chance of getting a position if you show off what ability you have in archery and medicine. You could decide the specifics of that later really. on the condition that we don't reveal the fact we're a cultivator, so mainly relying on our potential as a field medic and archery skills.
>Decline the offer outright. You're able to repay the loan fine with your current work and don't necessarily need an influx of money. Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5572418 making this conditional is pretty good, but I worry about loose lips.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sat 18 Feb 2023 14:50:46 No. 5572567 Report >>5571841 >>5571853 >>5572376 >>5572418 >>5572473 The money would be nice but you're not in desperate need of it. You'd rather have the cultivation manual on hand for easy reference when needed - you can't simply copy it down and go off of that, unfortunately. That's part of why they're so expensive in the first place.
「I'd rather hold onto it for the time being. There's plenty of time to become a cultivator, so...」Char nods. "Of course. And you're pretty strong even without that - I'd want to hold onto it too. Just had to to ask." The two of you make small talk for a bit before parting ways.
The week wears on and with it the end of the month approaches. You tell Nui of your intent to apply for the militia. Her first instinct is to forbid you and go on about how it's too dangerous but after a few reminders that you are, after all, a cultivator, and that the main purpose of the militia is to make people feel safe, she gives in.
On the morning of the audition you're reminded several times to not strain yourself and to stay safe before finally being allowed to go. As the sun rises you make your way towards the testing location, which is at the edge of the village.
A wide, empty field sprawls out before you. It's technically fenced in, but the plants pay no mind to that - it hasn't been maintained for some time. In the past, it used to be a loading area for what came before the intake. Now, it's just a field. Sometimes kids will play it, and on other times small events will be held here. Today, though, something bigger is being held - the militia auditions.
A few young men give you strange stares before disregarding you. They make sense. You're not quite the normal sight among the rest of the applicants. ...Although you're not unusual either. More than a few kids have come to try their luck, as well as a great many teenagers. There are even a few geezers.
For the most part, though, those who are applying are men of grown age, between 16 or 40. Women and men outside of that age range like you aren't quite as common.
As the sun rises everyone begins to get organized. Names of applicants get recorded down and those in charge of the whole thing arrive. At one point you see Percival speaking with your direct superior, Jin Mao. You also spot Kanekatsu, who pays no attention to you, nor anyone else really. Instead he takes a seat near a tree, just blankly watching the going-ons. You assume he's not here to apply.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sat 18 Feb 2023 14:53:53 No. 5572570 Report >>5572567 Among the crowd, you spot Char. Finding his company better than that of nature, you great him.「Hey. You applying for the militia?」He speaks excitedly. "Yeah!" Then the excitement tapers down. "I'm not allowed to join though."
「Oh?」That's... confusing.「Why's that?」"My dad said that the job wasn't worth it and that I should be preparing to take a sect examination instead."「Oh. Well, that's exciting. Do you think you can pass?」Char shrugs. "Dunno, but I'll have to try. Dad said if I stayed in the village then I could follow in grandpa's footsteps, but that now isn't a good time for it. It sounded like a sect was my best option, if I can get in."
Before you can ask in more detail a wooden horn sounds out. You turn your attention towards it. Percival stands stock straight, giving off a feeling of confidence, while Jin Mao stands next to him looking a bit tired and overworked. He always looks like that, you suppose. Percival clears his throat before speaking loudly.
"Good morning everyone! It is my pleasure that the 94 of you, nearly a fifth of our number, have shown up today! To see so many people willing to contribute to the village's safety and well-being is touching, and brings me great joy as the village head."
"To honor everyone's consideration in showing up today, we will do our very best to pick the most suitable candidates, so as to form the best militia possible." He pauses, tone lowering slightly. "That being said, our current militia sits at a grand total of three members - an old guard, so to speak. They will be appointed as captains. Under their service we will be recruiting between 20 and 30 new members. Duties will include training in weapons and combat, patrolling the village, hunting or construction on public works as needed, and other tasks related to ensuring the function and safety of Fogtop. Work may be paused during winter, and duties may continue through rest days or the night if there is an emergency."
Percival pauses, surveying those in front of him. Some look disappointed hearing how many more people there are than needed, while others look excited, ready to compete. Char fits in the latter group nicely.
"That being said, we will begin examining candidates shortly. I wish everyone luck in being able to showcase their all."
94 candidates, and only 20 to 30 positions. That's more people than you expected. And even 30 openings seems a little high, given the village's size. Perhaps he plans to make some members part of a reserve later, or fire whoever performs worst? Although you guess 33 members could be fine if they're also contributing to public works or hunting part of the time. There's plenty to be done on both fronts in an area this rural.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sat 18 Feb 2023 14:57:23 No. 5572575 Report >>5572570 Er, well, that's not worth worrying about now. The main point of concern is that there is a pass rate between, uh... 21% and 32%. A bit of a hurdle.
>You'll need a bit of an edge to have a good chance to get hired. You'll hide that you're a cultivator, but, well, no need to act like you have no strength. If you hold back a bit and imitate the physique you had before your 1st Tempering, then you should be on an even playing field with the average adult male in terms of strength. >Your chance of being accepted might be lower than you would like but that's just how things have shaken out. You'll do your best to make your skills evident while trying to act like you have the strength of any other growing child. In you're lucky, you should still be able to get in. >If you get hired, you'll effectively be a cultivator under Percival, albeit indirectly. Alongside your relationship with Huo Mi that should serve with something, right? You may as well use your full strength in competing for a position. If anyone suspects that you're a cultivator, then so be it. >You don't want to reveal your strength, but you do want this job. Perhaps you could use your relationship with Jin Mao to pull Percival aside, or forward him a message? If you privately disclosed your cultivation then he should be willing to nudge things in your favor and get you a position, right? >Write-In Anonymous
>>5572575 >>You'll need a bit of an edge to have a good chance to get hired. You'll hide that you're a cultivator, but, well, no need to act like you have no strength. If you hold back a bit and imitate the physique you had before your 1st Tempering, then you should be on an even playing field with the average adult male in terms of strength. >Make sure to show off our hunting and medicine knowledge. I could be a differential. Anonymous
>>5572575 >You'll need a bit of an edge to have a good chance to get hired. You'll hide that you're a cultivator, but, well, no need to act like you have no strength. If you hold back a bit and imitate the physique you had before your 1st Tempering, then you should be on an even playing field with the average adult male in terms of strength. Anonymous
>>5572575 >Act at first tempering >Make sure to show off hunting and med knowledge, it could be the decider. Anonymous
>>5572575 >>You'll need a bit of an edge to have a good chance to get hired. You'll hide that you're a cultivator, but, well, no need to act like you have no strength. If you hold back a bit and imitate the physique you had before your 1st Tempering, then you should be on an even playing field with the average adult male in terms of strength. Anonymous
>>5572575 >Your chance of being accepted might be lower what happened to staying on the low? you guys already itching for action? the patient spider catches the fly
Anonymous
>>5572575 >You'll need a bit of an edge to have a good chance to get hired. You'll hide that you're a cultivator, but, well, no need to act like you have no strength. If you hold back a bit and imitate the physique you had before your 1st Tempering, then you should be on an even playing field with the average adult male in terms of strength. Worst case scenario Kanekatsu assumes we've passed the matrial gateway which isn't anything major. the fact we've gone past the 1st tempering might draw some bad attention however if he thinks we have decent latent talent
Anonymous
>>5572575 >Your chance of being accepted might be lower than you would like but that's just how things have shaken out. You'll do your best to make your skills evident while trying to act like you have the strength of any other growing child. In you're lucky, you should still be able to get in. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sat 18 Feb 2023 22:26:06 No. 5573044 Report Rolled 1 (1d100) >>5572577 >>5572666 >>5572685 >>5572686 >>5572813 >>5572826 >>5572843 Alrighty then, can I get three 1d100s for now?
The die on this post will only do anything at all if it's a 10 or lower Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 9 (1d100) >>5573044 I'm worried
Anonymous
Rolled 82 (1d100) >>5573044 Anonymous
Quoted By:
Rolled 2 (1d100) >>5573044 Fuck me aren't the dice gods evil
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sun 19 Feb 2023 18:59:48 No. 5574453 Report >>5572577 >>5572666 >>5572685 >>5572686 >>5572813 >>5572826 >>5572843 >>5573078 You don't have much of a chance if you keep all of your strength under wraps. Given the amount of positions versus the amount of applicants, you expect every kid except Char to quickly disappear. If you want the job then you're going to want a bit of an edge of the average kid - to use a bit of your strength.
Given that, you'll try playing along and doing as well as the average adult here. Not exceptional, not weak. Just enough to get you a good chance of being considered. That shouldn't be enough to out you as a cultivator, and even if it does, then they'd only assume that you passed through the Martial Gateway recently. A very favorable exchange of risk and reward.
After a few minutes Jin Mao begins leading the proceedings. He loudly clears his throat, getting the crowd of applicants to quiet down. "If anyone is at the 2nd Tempering, please raise your hand." A single hand goes up. Jin Mao addresses the owner, a middle-aged woman. "Name?" "Jun." After scribbling something down, Jin Mao speaks once more. "Got it. You can skip the physical examination if you wish. Next, raise your hand if you're at the 1st Tempering..."
One person at the 2nd Tempering, five at the first, and 13 past the martial gate. That's 19 of as little as 20 positions taken already, if they're going solely off of cultivation - or, er, 18 actually - you forgot to skip Char. Regardless of your worries all you can do is hope that factors other than physique will be taken into account, and that they're hiring for the full 30.
Despite those 19 being exempted, nearly all of them choose to participate in the physical examination. Whether out of boredom or a desire to compete with others, who knows.
"Alright, everyone, line up into groups of eight. Come on, straight now. Li, that's ten. Good, there you go. Now straighten up..."
Eventually, 12 lines of seven or eight people are organized, standing one behind the other and facing forward. Percival steps up to the front of the group, while a man who you assume works for him takes up the back. The rules of the test are explained in a short fashion: Stay behind the front runner and ahead of the back runner. The longer you can do so, the better. If the runner in the back passes you then you're out and should stay where you are while your position is recorded.
Straightforward enough. A few people can be seen stretching, preparing for what's to come. As Percival gets ready to begin- "Looks fun. Mind if I join in?"
A familiar voice, but not one you like. Kanekatsu. He's standing at the edge of the group, smiling at Percival. The two stand a deadlock for a few moments, just staring at each other, before Percival gives up and says something.
"One more won't hurt. Jump into the line at the back."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sun 19 Feb 2023 19:07:27 No. 5574463 Report >>5574453 You do your best to stop staring at Kanekatsu as joins the group. He's three lines behind you. That's 24 people. Even if he can see you, he doesn't care. You're just a kid. Harmless.
A loud voice snaps you out of your thoughts. "ON THE COUNT OF THREE! ONE. TWO... THREE!" Everyone begins running. You do the same.
The pace starts out as a light jog. A lot of people cluster together at the front, stuck behind Percival. It takes a bit for them to spread out again, once they realize that he won't be speeding up quite yet. You stay near the back of the pack, which is a bit more sparse. Kanekatsu is still running at the very back. You do your best not to look at him.
After a lap around the field the jog speeds up to what can most definitely be called a run. Your distance from the back, and from Kanekatsu, begins closing slightly. You speed up a bit, eventually making your way into the midst of the pack. This pace is kept for a few minutes, at which point you can hear some of those around you struggling for breath. You're not particularly tired, but, well... it makes sense. When's the last time you ran for several minutes straight? The fire?
People have started to drop out. The pace speeds up again. Those who aren't well built begin drifting towards the back. You slowly begin moving backwards with them, thinking about when will be the best time to drop out. The sound of wind comes from your left by you - Kanekatsu just ran past you at a breakneck speed.
You decide to stay where you are for the moment and try to observe what's going on up front. Kanekatsu runs up to Percival, and... doesn't stop. Ah, Percival is speeding up too... and now they're way ahead of the front runners. You take a moment to glance at the man in the back, who, looking confused, just maintains the same pace as before.
The two only stop when they've lapped around and nearly caught up with the man at the back. A trail of people is loosely scattered behind them until it meets up with the main pack. Mostly cultivators who tried, and failed, to keep up with the two of them. Percival stops and waits for the pack to catch up.
From there on you pretend to be exhausted near the back, just barely staying in. After a while, when the pace gets increased one more time, you take the initiative to drop out. Around 40 people are left running, although a good chunk of them begin dropping out.
"Kinzou. 43rd." A man records your performance down before rushing to the next person who dropped out. 43rd... considered that the last 25 or 30 people are filler, and nearly the entire top 20 are cultivators, that leaves 20th to, say, 70th for the average adult. 43rd should be about right, no? Although placing somewhere in the top 30 would be best, it would draw too much attention. You guess you'll just have to make up for seeming a bit weaker with your other skills.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sun 19 Feb 2023 19:15:55 No. 5574475 Report >>5574463 While you contemplate as to whether you over or under did it you watch the rest of the proceedings play out. All but the most athletic of the non-cultivators begin dropping out, and from there those who passed through the martial gate and their muscled, non-spiritual energy enhanced counterparts. Char places 12th. At the very end Percival can be seen greatly outpacing Kanekatsu, all the actual applicants having already dropped out. He seems to derive a great deal of satisfaction from this, almost gloating at Kanekatsu after the fact. That is until he catches himself, perhaps remembering that his is the village head, and puts on a stoic face once more.
After running everyone rests for a bit, and then the next exercise begins. And then the next, and then the next... throughout the morning you engage in five tests, everyone steadily accumulating fatigue as they go on. You adjust your abilities to the general level of exhaustion and place between 30th and 50th in all of the tests. Usually in the high 30s.
Several hours have passed by the time the sixth and final physical test occurs. Weightlifting. Everyone gets three attempts with whatever amount of weight they prefer, and the heaviest weight successfully lifted above their head is recorded.
For this test everyone is separated into two lines, waiting to be tested by the person at the front. A small number have voluntarily dropped out by this point, but the lines are still roughly 40 people each. Kanekatsu exits the line a short ways behind you and speaks with Percival. You can't tell what you're saying.
"Kanekatsu has offered to help with the testing. The last 13 people in each line, go over to his." Where are you? 6, 7... 8th to the back. So he'll be observing you up close - great. You guess you'll do a bit worse on this test, just in case. You don't feel comfortable with him that close. In most of the tests up until now he's been a good distance away at least.
Everyone lifts adjustable dumbbells with three different, roughly uniform, types of weights made of stone - light, medium, and heavy. Two weights of one level equal one of the next heaviest level. Most men are lifting four heavy weights or a bit more, so you suppose you'll go with... two heavy and two medium. That sounds about right.
Eventually, you make your way to the front of the line. Kanekatsu stares at you but doesn't show any particular interest. After a moment he looks away and turns towards the dumbbell and weights sat behind him. "How much?" 「Two heavy and two medium.」Kanekatsu says nothing and just crouches down, adding weights to the dumbbell.
Kanekatsu stands up partway, weight in hand... and then slips without warning. The dumbbell flies through the air directly towards your face, as if thrown. Before you can process what's going on you struggle to grab it, knowing that if those weights and your face come in contact it will NOT be pretty.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5574475 Fuck you Kanekatsu.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sun 19 Feb 2023 19:20:43 No. 5574485 Report Rolled 2 (1d6) >>5574475 Barely, you manage to stop and grab hold of the dumbbell. You let out a deep breath as you lower it to the ground. Kanekatsu looms over you, putting on an apologetic face. "Ah, I'm so sorry! I just slipped!" His abashed smile seems to mock you. You want to complain, but... no, no need to draw any more of his ire. For now, just keep calm.
「Fine. Should I do the lift now?」Kanekatsu, still looking apologetic, awkwardly scratches his head. "Ah, no, that's fine. I'll just count that." Well, that means this is over with at least...
"Kinzou. Six heavy weights."
Your mouth hangs open for a moment. Kanekatsu just grins. "Ah, that's more than I meant to put on - I thought those were all mediums! It's a good thing you were able to catch it. Thank the emperor! Ah, but I really should apologize properly. I'll discuss whether a month can be waived off your loan with my bookkeeper..."
He stops paying attention to you without pausing. "Next!" You step away.
There's no way there was an accident. You are not willing to believe that he put on the wrong amount of weight, slipped, and then just happened to throw it at you. No, he was probing you. He had to be. As to how much he gained from it... you're not sure. You don't know what he suspects. You'll have to hope that he only thinks you're past the Martial Gateway, if that.
A vague sense of unease surrounds you and you decide to separate yourself from the crowd and Char until things are over. You want to be alone. Eventually the test ends and it's time for an early lunch. Several makeshift food carts appear, offering food. You get a bowl of porridge and some jerky from one of them, courtesy of Percival. Paid for by taxes, you suppose.
Before long, the results for the physical examination are in. 28 eliminated, 66 remaining. The names of those gone are called one by one, and they, as expected, do not include you. A relief, but one that doesn't free you from your lingering concerns.
After the physical examination comes a short interview. Around 5 to 10 minutes each by your reckoning, and with one of six different interviewers. Those who finish aren't allowed to talk to those who haven't, under penalty of "interference with selection for a government position". A crime that may or may not be made up, particularly given that you're not sure if this IS a government job in the first place, but that serves to make people afraid enough to avoid talking.
dice is for interviewers: Jin Mao, Percival, Percival's right-hand, militia member 1, 2, 3 Anonymous
>>5574475 So that's what the one was, to reveal our cultivation.
Now I wonder if Kanekatsu or Percival were suspicious before. Percival knew we were in the shop to see the fight, so he is perceptive, and Kanekatsu probably has informants everywhere and might have been keeping an eye on someone that could want to take revenge.
Also there was the thing with Jing Mao and Du when we bought food at the exchange, with Percival being the owner and Kanekatsu being without with that caravan.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5574506 Forgot to mention that Huo Mi noticed, so one of them might have too.
Or I'm being too paranoid and it only happened because of the 1
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sun 19 Feb 2023 19:36:59 No. 5574516 Report >>5574485 You end up in the group that gets interviewed by the village head, Percival, himself. You've seem him from afar quite a few times given that you work for the man but have never properly spoken to him before. Unless you count that one time on New Years. Perhaps you can get a better sense of the man here.
Eventually you get summoned and are led to a canvas tent on the edge of the field. The closest thing to privacy there is here. The person leading you informs Percival of your presence and then sends you in.
Percival is sitting on a barrel placed on one side of an overturned wheelbarrow, glancing at a few pieces of paper. He covers them up as you come in, placing a blank piece on top. As you enter he gestures for you to take a seat. on the barrel across from him.
"Don't mind if I write. I need to take notes." After saying that he pauses slightly. "Kinzou, you work for me, don't you?" You nod.「Yes, as a bookkeeper. Jin Mao is by boss.」He makes a noise of understanding in response. "Yes, with Brynn and his fellows, alright..."
"Well, I suppose I can take that you're literate for granted, which is a plus. But besides that, what do you bring to the table? Why should I choose you over any of the others out there to join the militia? Anything that comes to mind really."
>How do you answer? A few seconds after you stop speaking, he stops writing. "Good, good. Now, perhaps more importantly: why do you want to join the militia?"
Why... well, for money of course, and the free time to train. But is that what he wants to hear?
>Go on about how you want to protect the village, and ensure Fogtop's prosperity, and all that. Surely that's what he wants. >Talk about how you want the chance to train and become more competent as part of the militia. To gain power. It's the truth, and self-improvement should come across well. >I mean... the main point is the money, right? You want cold, hard cash. To support yourself and your mother and to ensure that you can live how you wish. >You want a good position. Something that's respected by others. Joining the militia will grant you that. As a village head, you imagine that's how Percival thinks. Perhaps he would appreciate a kindred soul, or at least someone who comes across as one. >Write-In [Note: you may select several of the above] Anonymous
>>5574516 >Mention that we've been trained by the local apothecary and while we're still no alchemist we do however possess key survival skills alongside being a potential field medic when Huo Mi isn't around or if there's a immediate emergency >Mention that we're also a halfdecent Archer and that we can mostly make our own arrows, which is something we can teach the other members >Go on about how you want to protect the village, and ensure Fogtop's prosperity, and all that. Surely that's what he wants. >Add in the fact you want to protect your family (our mother) and friends (Char) Anonymous
>>5574516 >I practice medicine and archery with Huo Mi. Plus basic hunting competency and capable of work in the dark and if you want a character reference then you can check with Brynn and Jin Mao, never been late or slacked off. I've got the energy to put into the work. Now our reason for Joining. . .
>Kanekatsu is a menace, a blight on this town and he set my Dad up to take a fall. Nobody believes that he didn't do it, so I've gotta prove that I'm not some blood thirsty son of a murderer, then I can make sure that when this greasy loanshark next sticks his foot out of line, it'll be clapped in Irons. >I want to Prove I'm above reproach and put the people threatening mine and my Mother's safety in irons. The legal way. Give him the drive and the burn. He doesn't like Kanekatsu, so lets show him someone who hates him.
Anonymous
>>5574536 I gotta be honest I don't like revealing our beef with Kanekatsu, sure for now they might hate eachother but allegiances change. Hell they could even be secretly buddy buddy and bullshitting everyone with mind games (very unlikely, but still)
Anonymous
>>5574516 >I have an informal apprenticeship with Hou Mi after I work. She has taught me the basics of how to hunt, make medicines, identify reagents, survival skills, tracking and pathfinding and archery. I also have trained with spears on my own before this. >I see this as an opportunity to be payed to do what I already have been doing: To improve myself and try to help others. It's been difficult to juggle training, two jobs, providing for my mother, rush to help people, like what happened during the fire, and have any time left to rest or talk with friends. >I also see the militia as a chance to try and ease tensions. People are becoming paranoid, even I did once, and I want to try and make sure that people that were once friends don't turn into enemies. If that means finding out the rotten apples and cutting them out, then so be it. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5574542 That's true
>>5574544 Remove the part about cutting of the rotten apples
Should we mention our friendship with Char (Fogtop) and the two dudes from the agricultural district, which is now Prosperity? Or would that make Percival think we don't have what it takes?
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Mon 20 Feb 2023 23:24:58 No. 5576074 Report Quoted By:
Alright, I'll take this as a 2-1 against including the bit about Kanekatsu and start writing up the update.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 21 Feb 2023 01:52:41 No. 5576265 Report >>5574532 >>5574536 >>5574544 What do you bring to the table? Time to try and sell yourself, then.
「Well, I've been learning under Huo Mi for a while. I'm not an apothecary but she teaches me archery, basic medicine, how to hunt animals and preserve meat, things like that. I figure that I can make a passable archer and provide first aid when needed. I also know at least how to handle a spear, but have received no formal instruction. Oh, and I'm not a slacker either - Brynn and Jin Mao can confirm that.」
You pause after finishing, wondering if you missed anything. Then you recall the days spent carving arrows. Those terrible days.「...Uh, and I can make my own arrows.」Percival raises an eyebrow, but doesn't comment.
Percival nods as he scribbles a few things down. Then he just sits there for a second, presumably thinking. "Medicine. How much do you know about it?"
「As far as field medicine goes.. how to clean, disinfect, and bandage a normal wound. How to put together a splint, although I've never had to fit someone with one. How to drain a swollen eye. Basic stuff. If I have time, materials, and access to tools then I can make a few basic medicines. Disinfectant, painkillers, stuff that helps with swelling.」
A few more things get written down. Several seconds later, Percival responds. "Good. I don't expect danger to occur often, but that's a help. But, one note..." He looks directly at you as he says this. "If you are hired, you are under no circumstances to produce medicine for the militia's use. Do you understand?"
You blink several times, a bit confused.「...Understood, but why exactly?」He responds with a chuckle. "I don't want to get into a fight with Huo Mi over money. You want to get into one even less so. No need to anger her trying to save on costs." You get the feeling that Percival learned this the hard way. You'll remember his words.
"Good, good. Now, perhaps more importantly: why do you want to join the militia?"
Why do you want to join? Well, the money and free time obviously. But you need to sugarcoat that.
「Well, I enjoy trying to improve myself and help others and if I get paid for doing it then all the better - something has to put food on the table. Besides that I hope that I can serve as part of a mediating force and avoid conflict between us and Mei Gi's folk. There's been a lot of paranoia around everything and I'd be lying if I said I haven't become a bit paranoid myself.」 You take a breath.
「If serving as part of the militia can help ease tensions, then that'd be great.」You pause for a moment longer, thinking.「And if I can help protect those I care about, like my friends and family, then all the better.」
Percival adds the piece of paper he's holding to the bottom of his stack. "A valiant goal. Whether you actually care about easing tensions or not doesn't matter too much honestly, just that you're willing to say it. I've said it before and I'll say it again - bad blood brews bad business. A net loss for all."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 21 Feb 2023 02:00:19 No. 5576274 Report >>5576265 Percival clears his throat and straightens out the papers in front of him. "Normally there'd be a test of the skills you mentioned after this, but considering that you're working under Huo Mi I'll just have someone ask her and call it a day. I trust her not to lie about something like this.."
After the interview you're dismissed and sent home. The last round of testing could take up to a week to finish up and final sections a bit longer. There's nothing left to do but wait.
The selection has a pretty quick turnaround, with hires being selected by the 8th and posted in the village center. 28 names, yourself among their number. The hires are separated into three squads, each led by one of the pre-existing members of the militia. Two vice captains are hired for each squad - you're not one of them.
On the 9th you formally announce your resignation from your current position, although Jin Mao was already aware. He gives you a rather lackadaisical farewell, telling you to take care of yourself. Brynn and the other desk jockeys put a bit more effort into theirs, telling that you will be missed and all the rest. Brynn in particular tells you not to be stranger and that you're free to stop by for lunch if you wish. You'll have to take him up on that sometime.
You attend your first day of work a couple of days later as a member of the 3rd Squad. Unlike the 1st Squad which is stationed at the intake and the second which is a bit south of the village, past the village square, your 'base' is rather close to home. A tiny, worn-down place that's half-buried in the forest, left over from the empire's wars in the region. The foundation of the main building is nearly 150 years old if the squad captain is to be believed, although the lodge built on top of it and the surrounding walls have all been rebuilt.
It's a bit worn-down but you quite like it. The training field is well maintained, the captain keeps a few books around in the lodge, and there's a makeshift tower where you can be stationed if needed. All you could hope for really. Not that you have time to read those books though - the first week, and a bit longer, are spent making you all learn the very basic skill of following orders.
The chain of command is as follows: Percival, the three captains, and then their vice-captains. If the commanding officer you've been assigned to is incapacitated or not present, then you are to follow the orders of the person with the highest authority present, even if they're from a different squad.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 21 Feb 2023 02:07:33 No. 5576290 Report >>5576274 As for those orders your captain, a squat, old man named Ryou, spends quite a while distilling them down into as few words as possible and making sure you know what they mean. March, withdraw, left, right, et cetera. A rather boring set of lessons, although you can't argue that they aren't needed. No one here has even served as a bodyguard before, let alone fought in combat. If something happens then they need to ensure that everyone doesn't immediately run away and can follow a few basic commands. All they can hope for, probably.
Once your introduction to listening is over you get to spend your time a bit more productively. You have six days of work a week. One spent on minor tasks around the base, the rest for training. Most of your time you spend practicing archery, although Ryou does give a few tips on how to use the spear when available. But in his own words he'd rather you spend time practicing the bow because if you need to use a spear "then things have already gone horribly wrong".
Around this time the patrol schedule also gets ironed out. Everyone has to go on patrol for their squad once a week, sometimes with a partner, sometimes without. 'Patrol' is basically walking around the surrounding area in the dark with a lantern, presumably scaring whatever dark forces lurk nearby away with your mere existence. Probably useless, but perhaps it will reassure someone.
By your first patrol, you learn that patrol is rather tiring, even for you. It is a lot - a LOT - of walking, all when you'd normally get to be sleeping. You do get to catch up on sleep the next morning and turn into work late, but still, it's a lot. Before your second patrol you also learn that uh, almost no one is taking patrols seriously. It accomplishes very little and it's almost impossible for someone to actually confirm if you're been patrolling. What is the captain to do, wander around the woods every night and see if he spots you?
No, most people just spend the whole night in the lodge instead. As long as they're on duty it's fine if they're walking around all night, right?
>A school of thought you can agree with. You'll put in work where it's needed, but there's no need to exhaust yourself for nothing. You'd rather just read the books left in the lodge instead. >A bit of laziness that you can't follow after. Yes, perhaps nothing will come out of it and perhaps you'll just be wasting time, but you should do your job regardless. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 21 Feb 2023 02:09:56 No. 5576300 Report >>5576290 The 1st day of the 8th month. Your armor was issued the other day. You can best describe it as a leather poncho, with a hole to stick your head through and large openings and the sides. A bit low in terms of protection, but light and easy to move around in. Besides that you get a helmet, somewhat clumsily beaten into shape. You have a sneaking suspicion that it used to be someone's pot, although you don't quite have the nerve to ask.
Yo Hua, one of Kanekatsu's debt collectors, drops by as he does every month. A rather meek man as you learned during your time with Takigi. As usual you give him the money and he thanks you. A clean transaction. Unlike usual, he sticks around.
"Sir Kanekatsu said that he has a proposition for you." You struggle not to scowl. Any proposition of Kanekatsu's can be nothing but bad.「Oh?」Yo Hua nods. "Yes. Sir Kanekatsu said that it was heartbreaking to see one of his former employee's families struggle to pay back his debt and that he wished to help you. Since you no longer need the cultivation manual Sir Kanekatsu has offered to purchase it back for you by waiving what remains of the loan - including what would be this month's payment!"
Buying back the manual... was Kanekatsu approached by Char's family to search for one? Or is this his way of trying to make sure you don't become a bigger nuisance, by attempting to stop you from becoming stronger?
>「I appreciate Kanekatsu's kind intentions, but it's a memento of my father. I would prefer to keep it.」If Kanekatsu has suspicions then turning them down might confirm them, but you need the manual. No deal. >「I'd actually already agreed to sell the manual to the Mu family. I apologize, but I can't call off my deal with them.」Char's family offered a better price and can serve as a convenient excuse. Perhaps you can bargain with them for access to their manual >「A good-hearted offer, if slightly lacking. Would Kanekatsu be willing to talk terms?」If selling the manual will lower Kanekatsu's wariness towards you then you'll do it. But you want to get a better deal first. >「Really?! What a kind offer. Of course!」...Best just to take the offer and get this over with. Perhaps Kanekatsu will just simply assume you're a dumb, if athletic child who can be safely forgotten about. >Write-Up Anonymous
>>5576290 >A bit of laziness that you can't follow after. Yes, perhaps nothing will come out of it and perhaps you'll just be wasting time, but you should do your job regardless. It builds stamina!
>>5576300 >「I appreciate Kanekatsu's kind intentions, but it's a memento of my father. I would prefer to keep it.」If Kanekatsu has suspicions then turning them down might confirm them, but you need the manual. No deal. He already knows, no point beating around the bush
Anonymous
>>5576290 >>A bit of laziness that you can't follow after. Yes, perhaps nothing will come out of it and perhaps you'll just be wasting time, but you should do your job regardless. >Write-Up Anonymous
>You should do your damn job! >>5576300 I support
>>5576332 but I also want to say
>"I'm young, not stupid. I and my father already poured so much of our wages into this manual that giving the rest of the debt to Kanekatsu would be self sabotage." Anonymous
>>5576290 >A bit of laziness that you can't follow after. Yes, perhaps nothing will come out of it and perhaps you'll just be wasting time, but you should do your job regardless. >I'd actually already agreed to sell the manual to the Mu family. I apologize, but I can't call off my deal with them.」Char's family offered a better price and can serve as a convenient excuse. Perhaps you can bargain with them for access to their manual Anonymous
>>5576290 >A bit of laziness that you can't follow after. Yes, perhaps nothing will come out of it and perhaps you'll just be wasting time, but you should do your job regardless. >>5576332 Supporting, the memento option is obviously bullshit but this makes somewhat more sense (though it's weird for a teenager to be that forward thinking)
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5576595 That's true, in the case that we sold the manual back, Kanekatsu would have gained both the money
>>5576307 Changing to
>「I worked enough in the exchange to know a good investment, the manual is too much of a rare and valuable good to part with 」 Anonymous
What if we made the demand that he can have the manuel back, for the sum total of the debt already payed plus the interest we've sunk into it?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5576967 That's the only possible way that the deal would be even remotely fair.
Cancel the debt and give all the money back. And multiply the value of each payment by the same interest rate he charged.
Buying it back by cancelling the rest of the payment is such a bad deal it's insulting.
Anonymous
Oh, and we should keep the manual at our person at all times, I wouldn't put past him to try and have it stolen while we are away.I wonder if he will try to threaten Nui in the future. I don't know how much he can get away with, but it seems something that would be extreme.
Anonymous
>>5576992 Nah, at the very least I don't think he would be that open. Reminder that we have Huo Mi as a master and she's at the fifth tempering + she's a apothecary (you don't fuck with people who know how to make poison unless you're extremely confident)
Maybe if he knew our progress he would do it, but in his eyes we're just some lucky pup that barely passed the martial gateway, not someone to really take seriously. if he really does try to steal or destroy our manual then worst case scenario we can ask Huo Mi or Char to share theirs
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5577002 You are right, it's probably too paranoid. Keeping the manual hidden in our house should be enough
Anonymous
>>5576332 >>5576300 Supporting this course of action, although I'd like to offer an alternative...
Let's see if Huo Po can discretely hold onto the manual for us, and instead claim a caravaner scammed us out of it in exchange for our bow and spear, claiming they were magical items. Being the "dumb teenager" that we are this might be believable.
Anonymous
>>5577008 Leaving it with our alchemist mistress would be an idea. Because I DO NOT trust this motherfucker, whatsoever.
Anonymous
>>5577028 Teacher can be trusted, she knew about our cultivation and gave tips on how to hide it instead of being angry.
Anonymous
>>5577035 I meant THIS MOTHERFUCKER nor our Alchemy teacher. You all know who THIS MOTHERFUCKER is.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5577037 Oh I know who you are saying isn't trustworthy.
I'm saying I agree with you about about giving our teacher the manual to keep safe if we need to. Because she already knows about our cultivation, and has show that she can be trusted.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Although I did word it in a way that was a bit ambiguous, sorry about that
Anonymous
>>5576300 >>5576607 support
plus wondering why the fuck we actually still need the manual? dont we have a literally photography memory?
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 21 Feb 2023 19:17:58 No. 5577186 Report >>5577183 >dont we have a literally photography memory? No, but you had A LOT of free time when you were stuck inside a ring 24/7
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5577183 Only a cultivator can make a new manual, and there is qi put into it, so there might be some magic bullshit stopping us from just taking photos from it.
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5516281/#p5530722 >Still expensive, but far and away more affordable than something like a cultivation manual, which must be produced by hand by a cultivator of some ability. https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5516281/#p5525851 >Complex illustrations cover each page, as well as large sets of accompanying text. Neither you nor Takigi can read the whole thing as of present, unfortunately - it will take some time to get through. What can be felt are small flows of qi that explain some of the drawings, sealed within the manual through some unknown method. Anonymous
>>5577186 Plus we should have acces to cultivation techniques form our species, while it might be slow and inefficient to adapt them for humans it is not like we we'll die when this body gives out. At least I think that won't happen
Anonymous
>>5577186 Hey QM, is there another level of cultivation past the 9 temperings? Or is the Martial gate the only gate?
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 21 Feb 2023 19:30:58 No. 5577197 Report >>5577191 >it is not like we we'll die when this body gives out I mean, what are you considering as 'you'? What's left in the ring now are the computerized remnants of a soul that used to be you. It steered the ring through space, and now just decompresses files. What's in Kinzou's body is a mixture of your soul and Kinzou's.
If the body dies, then the soul within it almost always follows. Then all that's left is the ring. It will help whoever finds it retrieve the information within, but you don't consider it you anymore. You have emotions, whereas the ring's main goal is to spread the Apoth's legacy.
>>5577192 You recall that official Huo Mi talked to mentioning "Shaping Dantian". You would assume that's what comes after the 9th Tempering.
Anonymous
>>5577197 Nice, that means that the life extension tier isn't that important as long as we break through the Dantian.
Anonymous
>>5577202 That means I'm voting for Marrow next tempering again, and the arguments for it's importance were misplaced.
Hopefully going for senses didn't hurt our archery and accuracy at higher levels, since we have been going for an archer
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5577204 Realistically our choices shouldn't really matter as long we leave the the meridans for last (since the boost between different cultivation realms gets more and more bullshit the more you progress, plus I doubt normal archery will be that effective after body tempering unless we learn special archery techniques for cultivators.) You could argue it's best to do it now for immediate effect rather than save it for later and never end up using it.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Wed 22 Feb 2023 21:28:42 No. 5578413 Report >>5576307 >>5576332 >>5576595 >>5576607 >>5576683 >>5577008 >>5577183 「I appreciate Mr. Kanekatsu's offer, but I still have need of the manual. My father didn't pass through the Martial Gate until he was 32 - there's still plenty of time for me to try.」You keep up a pleasant tone as you refuse.「And even if I can't make it, perhaps my children can do better. I'll need to keep it for them.」
Yo Hua simply nods. "Certainly, that's true too. As long as you feel that that's the correct decision. If you change your mind later then I can try to speak with Sir Kanekatsu for you." He seems earnest in his words, presumably not knowing the specifics of... well, everything. Considering that you manage to thank him as he leaves, doing your best to bury your actual feelings.
Somewhat suspicious of further actions by Kanekatsu you think about how to better secure your manual, just in case. It's usually hidden away in a box buried just under the floor and removed as needed, but that's not full-proof. With a thorough search of your house it'd probably be found. No, you need to keep it somewhere that Kanekatsu wouldn't dare search.
After some thought you settle on Huo Mi's home. Once work is over you return home momentarily, dig up the manual, and bring it to her, explaining recent events in some detail.
"So the cat's out the bag, huh?" She mutters to herself for a moment. "Well, keep an eye out I guess. But I wouldn't worry too much for now. He won't act unless A, he thinks you're a real threat, or B, he thinks there's no chance of being caught. He's not the kind of person to go all out to nip every threat in the bud, ignoring the chance of being caught. Too focused on profits and losses for that, he wouldn't risk jail time or worse."
"Although if you do feel that your life is in danger you can hide out here for a bit. Neither Kanekatsu or I want to risk dying in a fight with each other." She catches herself there. "...Although he couldn't kill me." A few seconds pass in silence. "...80/20 odds at worst."
Huo Mi clears her throat, glossing over her previous remarks. "Point being, we don't step on each others toes. Anyways, mind if I see the manual?" She points towards the box you're holding.「Go ahead.」Without further ado she opens it and starts flipping through it. Eventually she flips to the back cover.
"Oh, so it's her."「Her?」"Yup, her. Who wrote it. See this on the back cover?" She tilts the book towards you and points at five characters - a name of some sort, you think.「Is that her name?」"Yes and no. It's two names stuck next to each other. One of them is a woman I've met."
「Oh.」You're not sure what to say.「Is she strong?」Huo Mi shrugs. "Depends on your definition. I'd say so - she's stronger than me at least. 8th or 9th Tempering, probably? Haven't seen her in a long time and we weren't really acquainted. More superior and junior than anything."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Wed 22 Feb 2023 21:32:42 No. 5578414 Report >>5578413 Before you can ask more she changes the topic. "Hope your arms don't ache already. Clear off a workbench in the workshop and help me make a couple of things. You'll be paid." Huo Mi walks off, leaving you to your duties.
A few weeks pass and summer begins giving way to fall. A bit of a relief - a pleasant breeze makes exercise much easier. Right now it's your lunch break. You already finished the food Nui prepared for you and are playing poker against one of the vice-captains and a few of your coworkers. Not for money though - no, that's not the usual currency around here. The usual currency is chores, and there's plenty of it to go around. A base to maintain and plenty besides for 11 people who don't particularly want to do any of it, yourself included.
Just as it seems like you're about to fumble your way into being the one who has to weed the training ground the captain, Ryou, interrupts things. "Everyone here?" A quick "Nope!" answers his query. Ryou pauses for a moment. "Eh, well, you all just tell them later then. Next week is mostly gonna be construction duty. Our place needs some patching up and a door fitted and apparently they're having all the squads send some people to up security on the intake. Decide which you prefer and tell me, first come first serve."
>You'll stay here. The commute is shorter and you'd prefer to be around your usual coworkers. >You'll head to the intake. You're curious what exactly they're doing to up security and it'd be nice to stop by again. You could take Brynn up on that lunch offer. Anonymous
>>5578414 >You'll head to the intake. You're curious what exactly they're doing to up security and it'd be nice to stop by again. You could take Brynn up on that lunch offer. Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5578414 >You'll stay here. but take brynn up on his offer sometimes
also the sleeping dragon was a carp most of his life
Anonymous
>>5578414 >You'll head to the intake. You're curious what exactly they're doing to up security and it'd be nice to stop by again. You could take Brynn up on that lunch offer. Anonymous
>>5578414 >You'll head to the intake. You're curious what exactly they're doing to up security and it'd be nice to stop by again. You could take Brynn up on that lunch offer. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Thu 23 Feb 2023 20:55:26 No. 5579417 Report >>5578417 >>5578431 >>5578436 >>5578457 >>5579013 Things are calm around here, but you'll take the post at the intake. It'd be nice to stop by, and you're interested in what exactly they mean by 'upping security'.
「The intake for me.」"I'll stay." "Intake." Those present hurry to call dibs on their preferred posts, leaving those who left for lunch to fend for themselves. Ryou marks the names down and then leaves you all to finish up your lunch break. Despite the interruption the flow of the game doesn't change and you end up being stuck weeding the training ground that afternoon.
Once next week rolls around you report to the intake once more. The path there is a bit more crowded than usual and the place even more bustling than before - it seems that things have gotten busy in the time you were gone. Instead of entering you stay by the surrounding wall and meet up with the rest of your team for this project. Four members of your own squad, five of the second squad, and a few laborers from the intake to help.
One of loaders' heads comes to split you up into groups and inform you of your tasks. For you, that will be digging. Lots and lots of digging. It seems that the break-in to the intake has left Percival understandably suspicious and that security is to be overhauled. Ditches will be dug, wooden spikes planted, and walls made harder to get over. A rather large project.
The morning you spend starting digging on said ditch, just outside of the walls. The dirt gets pilled up in front of it, forming a small wall, and wooden spikes hammered into the ditch where you're finished. It all feels a bit dangerous, but... eh. You can only hope no kids accidentally run into it and injure themselves.
Once lunch time comes around you head into the intake and find Brynn. As usual, he's at his desk. He waves to greet you.
"Figured ya might be by with the construction. How've the last couple months treated ya? Been a while."「Not too bad, not too bad. Got a lot of exercise at least! How about you?"」Brynn shrugs. "Work sped up again, so there's that. Kain's folk have been coming in more than usual so we're adding a loading area for them." He takes a bite of salted pork from his lunch box. "Not too much out of the usual besides that."
You both make some nice small talk over lunch. Chatting about work, life, and the temporary bumps and dips in food prices caused by caravans. Brynn grumbles about not having gotten enough eggs when the last merchants carrying them came through. He always did like pickled eggs, although you can't say the same - too strong of a flavor for you.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Thu 23 Feb 2023 21:00:15 No. 5579421 Report >>5579417 The week continues on without too much of interest happening. You make your way around the intake digging and helping with construction and at the same time catch sight of some of the other construction going on. The 1st Squad and some of the men from the intake are doing something on the inside of the walls. Probably working on that loading area Brynn mentioned. You see a couple of makeshift lookout towers pop up on the other side of the walls as well, making the whole place look a bit fort-like.
You get off a bit early at the end of the week, most of the work finished. There's still some finishing touches it looks like they're putting on but at the very least they don't need so many hands now. Quite the relief. Ignoring the physical tiredness, you'd gotten quite bored of the few repetitive tasks you were given. It was practically mindnumbing. Unavoidable, you guess - someone has to do it.
After eating your lunch you head over to Huo Mi's. You find her tending to her garden. She acknowledges you as you approach and then turns her attention back to it.
"Want to go hunting?"「Hunting? Sure. A day trip tomorrow?」She shakes her head. "No, I was thinking of a longer one. A week, roundabouts, probably stopping back here in the middle of it. Just hunting though."
「Oh. I have work.」"...I'm aware. It's up to you. But if you can get the time off, I'd take it. Given the deal with the first harvest and the bickering between Percival and Mei Gi, food prices could spike a bit this winter. Could be useful to have a bit of meat around."
That puts you a bit on edge.「Spike? How much?」She shrugs. "Dunno. I'm not stating a certainty, just saying they could. Not like we're on the path to starvation or anything, just figured it'd be best to stock up - could save me a bit of cash this winter."
Huo Mi turns around and grins at you. "And if you can't get the time off, you could always mention me - say that you're heading out to help. I'm sure they wouldn't turn down a little request from me."
>You think you'll pass. It's a bit early to take a week off of work. You could be needed. >Well, you'll ask and see if you can head out. All depends on what your boss says. >Saving money... that's certainly a tempting idea. You guess you'll say that you're needed to help Huo Mi and let her name grease the process. It doesn't feel great, but it's ultimately not a big deal. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5579421 >Well, I'll ask and see. Maybe keep her name for important shit
Anonymous
>>5579421 >Well, you'll ask and see if you can head out. All depends on what your boss says. Anonymous
>>5579421 >Well, you'll ask meat on the menue makes one happy boy
Anonymous
>>5579421 >Well, you'll ask WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 24 Feb 2023 02:13:49 No. 5579613 Report Quoted By:
Rolled 43 (1d100) Let's see how asking works out then.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5579421 >Well, you'll ask and see if you can head out. All depends on what your boss says. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 24 Feb 2023 22:37:36 No. 5580535 Report >>5579424 >>5579435 >>5579483 >>5579488 >>5579013 Well, you do want to go, but you're not quite shameless enough to pull someone else's name for a mere hunting trip. Even with their permission.
「I'll ask.」And ask you do.
"Hunting?" You nod. Ryou sighs. "Would give you the week if I could, but it's gonna be busy. Probably stay that way til' the off-season unfortunately - I'd like to go on an outing myself." The old man hems and haws for a moment before saying anything else.
"Tell you what, you can take a couple of days. Newsday through Threesday morning - two and a half days. I'll need you back in the afternoon though." You bow slightly in thanks.「Much appreciated sir.」He waves the thanks off. "Don't worry about it. Although if you down anything good, I certainly wouldn't be against a cut..."
You stand up straight and let out a laugh.「If I get something I'll leave a piece for you.」
The next week starts and you head out alongside Huo Mi. The two of you plan to make a wide oval around the nearby forest over the next few days, coming back in the morning a few days later. Then Huo Mi will head out again after restocking on a couple of things and you'll head back to work. A rough plan, but all that's really needed.
On the first day you start making distance from the village while keeping an eye out for traces of animals. You're not particularly good at that so it's left mainly up to Huo Mi. Thankfully she does manage to find a couple of things. A plump boar, digging between a tree's roots, and a wild chicken, stumbling about. You take the shot on the boar, landing it without too much trouble. Huo Mi shoots the chicken herself - killing it without ruining the meat is apparently more difficult and she doesn't quite trust you with it. You eat well that night, resting at one of her camps.
The next day you continue on a winding route that gradually heads away from the village. In between picking plants and produce Huo Mi manages to land a pheasant. On your end you manage to get a rabbit, although you miss the first shot and only graze with the second. That means you have to follow it for quite a while as it bleeds out, and then finish it off with a knife. A bit tiresome for the meager reward.
From there you start heading back, a day and a half left in your hunt. You land big prey again, spotting a deer when you get close to the village. With everything else that would make you a bit overloaded but, uh, as always Huo Mi can carry an impressively large amount. You manage to make it back without much time to spare - perhaps an hour before you need to be back at work. You bid Huo Mi farewell and head back towards your squad's base, agreeing to work out the split on the meat later.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 24 Feb 2023 22:45:54 No. 5580562 Report >>5580535 「I'm back.」You wave at Ryou with one hand, a box tucked under your arm. He turns towards you, waving back, before pausing. He looks you up and down for a moment.
"Welcome back. I, uh...how should I phrase this..." He pauses. "You're covered in blood."「Ah. I thought I might be late if I stopped to wash myself, so...」
In the middle of your sentence, Ryou falls into a laughing fit. Whenever it seems like he's about to recover he looks at you, laughs harder, and then looks away again. It's several minutes before your conversation resumes normally.
"Kid, go wash yourself. I don't need you walking around scaring everyone." You nod.「Alright. But first...」You take the box out from under your arm and hand it to Ryou. He looks inside and finds a couple cuts of venison put on ice, courtesy of Huo Mi's cellar.
The captain smacks you on the shoulder, not minding the dried blood. "Thanks. I'm assuming you haven't eaten lunch yet?"「No sir.」"Then I'll cook these up before the ice melts. One for me, one for you. Now get changed."
During the next week there's talk of negotiations between Percival and Mei Gi over the second harvest. There's still distrust and reservations between both sides, perhaps even more so than during the first crop, but... well, at this point it's a matter of necessity. Simply holding onto the second crop of the year isn't an acceptable option for either side, especially with the trauma of having the first burnt being so keenly remembered.
After a week of back and forth the transfer of the crop to the intake, so that it can all be exchanged for other goods, is secured. Under what terms exactly you're not sure. All that's really relevant to you is that you're needed at the intake to 'secure' the exchange.
Initially, you expect that to just mean standing around and looking vaguely competent - that is a great deal of your job description after all. But no, it seems that the word 'secure' is being used rather seriously here. You're placed in the top of a watch tower, keeping an eye on the going ons. You're to keep an arrow taut but the bow hidden below the wall of the watchtower, so as to not alarm anyone. You're told to "shoot only in the case of an emergency", an order more confusing than anything else. Exactly what kind of emergency would they expect that warrants you shooting it? It all puts you on edge.
Despite the build-up the trade-off goes well. Many carts, laden with fruit, arrive via the front entrance. Mei Gi and the Prosperity Guardsman accompany it, protecting it all as it's unloaded. From what exactly, you're not sure. You can't imagine anyone being bold enough to do anything in a situation like this, at least not unless they had a death wish. Everything makes it from the cart to the storehouse without trouble.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 24 Feb 2023 22:50:05 No. 5580567 Report >>5580562 When it's all done you see Percival pull a small glass bottle out from inside his clothes. He tosses it over to Mei Gi in plain sight of everyone, loudly referring to it as "collateral". Even straining your eyes you can't make out what's in it. You'll have to ask someone later.
Once that's over with you're sent home for the day. As you're deciding whether to head to Huo Mi's or stop by home first to change you catch sight of Char.「Hey Char. What's up?」He shrugs. "Not too much. Training, I guess. But, uh, I didn't come here to talk today..." Char catches himself. "Well, I did, but not just for that. My dad asked you to stop by our house."
Huh. That's a surprise.「Your dad? If it's about the manual, I already said no.」Char frowns slightly, looking confused. "He didn't tell me why, but I don't think it's about that. We got that already. Maybe he just wants to meet you?"
Well, could be. It's not too odd for a parent to want to meet who their kid hangs out with. Although you guess it's not your first meeting. You have seen the man in passing before, at least. Just not talked beyond a few words.
Regardless of the reason you won't know until you go.「Alright then. I can head over now, if that's fine.」Char gives a thumbs-up. "Yup, that'll work. Come on!"
You follow Char to the village center and into a large home on a side street. A garden sits next to it, although it's a bit subdued given the season. It's a place not wholly unfamiliar but one that you haven't visited for long, or often.
A young woman greets you at the door, telling you to leave your shoes in the entryway. A servant or a maid of some sort, you think? She leads both you and Char through the entryway, through a side room, and into a central room. An older man with slightly greying hair sits in the center of the room, on a cushion. You recognize him as Char's father.
Before addressing you he speaks to his son. "Char, could you head into the other room for a moment?" "Huh? Why?" "Because. Come on, go with Hana. Your older sister is tending to the garden and the two of you should help her." He shakes his hand a couple of times, gesturing for the two of them to go. It takes a moment but Char gives in, following the young woman out of the room. The door to the room slides shut behind them.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 24 Feb 2023 22:52:46 No. 5580571 Report >>5580567 With the others gone Char's father turns his attention to you. He gestures for you to take a seat across from him. You struggle to figure out how you're supposed to sit on the cushion.
"I'm Mu Jing, Char's father and head of the Mu Family. It's nice to formally make your acquaintance Kinzou." He proffers a hand, which you shake. After having your arm practically swung around by an overly strong grip the man gestures towards a pot of tea placed between the two of you. "You may have a cup, if you like." He pours himself one as he says that, taking a drink. After a moment of consideration you decide to do the same. It has been a long time since you had tea - since Huo Mi offered you some, you think. It's a bit of a luxury, at least in Fogtop.
Unsure of how to start the conversation you just sit there for a moment. You take a sip of the tea. A bit strong, but pleasant. After a moment, Mu Jing speaks. "It's a bit rude to get into business without a bit of small talk first but I'm sure you're confused, and I'm not sure how long my boy will stay distracted."
"What is your cultivation?" Mu Jing sits there, hands across his lap, as he waits for your answer.
>「My dad passed the Martial Gate, if that's what you mean. Can't say the same for myself.」Cultivation? What cultivation? You're not admitting to anything. >「I've passed through the Martial Gate.」Believable, and hopefully what anyone else thinks. Er, except Huo Mi - you somehow doubt you've hidden anything from her. >「I'm at the 1st Tempering.」It's unlikely that Char's father means any harm towards you - there's a good chance he knows that Kanekatsu was involved in his nephew's death. May as well be honest. >「I'm at the 1st Tempering, approaching the 2nd.」It's unlikely that Char's father means any harm towards you. In fact, he might be looking to cooperate on something. You may as well seem as useful for possible, so as to minimize the perceived power imbalance. >「...Why?」You're not answering until you have a reason. Although you suppose this is a bit of an admission in itself. >Write-In Anonymous
>>5580571 >Why. He already called on us, and he knows we're through the gate, since we fought his son to a standstill previous. Which is probably how the news got out.
Anonymous
>>5580571 >「...Why?」You're not answering until you have a reason. Although you suppose this is a bit of an admission in itself. Anonymous
>>5580606 Changing to
>「I'm at the 1st Tempering.」It's unlikely that Char's father means any harm towards you - there's a good chance he knows that Kanekatsu was involved in his nephew's death. May as well be honest. >「...Why?」You're not answering until you have a reason. Although you suppose this is a bit of an admission in itself. We decided to keep the manual twice, entered the guard and fought Char, even if we did it holding back. That's enough to think we cultivate
Anonymous
>>5580571 >「...Why?」You're not answering until you have a reason. Although you suppose this is a bit of an admission in itself. Anonymous
>>5580571 >「...Why?」You're not answering until you have a reason. Although you suppose this is a bit of an admission in itself. WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sat 25 Feb 2023 18:10:19 No. 5581543 Report >>5580579 >>5580651 >>5581143 >>5581175 「...Why?」You say nothing after that and the two of you just stare at each other for a moment. Eventually Mu Jing coughs, breaking the silence.
"Knowing your strength would be rather helpful in approaching the why, hence why I asked first. But if you have reservations, then I suppose doing things out of order won't hurt." He places down his cup. "I imagine you're aware of our plans for Char, come spring?"
「He's going to apply to join the Verdant Mountain Sect, correct?」Mu Jing nods. "That is correct. And you may or may not be aware that when someone joins the sect, they join it alone. Servants and relatives can attempt to become citizens of the surrounding town but cannot enter the sect itself, with very few exceptions. Thus bringing about the crux of the problem..."
A wry smile creeps across Mu Jing's face. "It's not really convenient for anyone in the family to move and it's hard to just leave Char by himself. He gets, uh... easily carried away, let's say. Only being able to communicate via letter would be rather worrying."
Mu Jing trails off. "...but then, recently, it came to my attention that you were also a cultivator, to some extent. Hence a thought I had - perhaps you could try to get into the Verdant Mountain Sect and help keep an eye on Char if you both succeeded. I suppose it's not much better than having the dog babysit the cat, to borrow a phrase, but it'd be a relief nonetheless to have someone keeping an eye on him."
"Of course, this isn't a command or anything. Just an old man asking for a bit of a favor, if you'd consider it. If you're interested you may travel with us on the way there, if you don't have other plans."
Ah. That all makes sense, but there's quite a big problem...
...you don't have a citizenship. You can't apply to join a sect and there's risk of being taxed if you use a road. And that asides... what do you really want to do? If you can joining the sect would be good for developing your cultivation, but can you get in for the first place? Do you want to? Or would saving up and trying to move to the county seat eventually, be a better option?
A final comment interrupts your thoughts. "And that loops us back around to the start - what's your cultivation. So I can know if this is feasible, or if I should think of another solution."
>「Martial Gate.」Mu Jing appears to have good intentions, but better safe than sorry. No one needs to know how strong you are. >「1st Tempering.」May as well be honest. >「1st Tempering, nearly at the 2nd Tempering.」Since it's in the spring you should mention that you're about to break through soon - it'll allow for more accurate judgement. >「...Shaping Dantian.」 You could use a laugh. [If chosen specify what you actually want to actually answer afterwards] >Write-In WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sat 25 Feb 2023 18:12:51 No. 5581545 Report >>5581543 And with that, it's time to decide how you feel about the whole proposition.
>「I'll think about it.」You don't have a citizenship right now and buying one would be a big chunk out of your funds. For now you'll be noncommittal while you think about things. >「I apologize, but you'll have to look for another solution. I don't intend to participate in the disciple selection in the spring.」The proposal clashes with your plans. Perhaps you're not ready to leave the village yet or perhaps you'd rather head to the county seat, looking for opportunities or a chance to become an official. >「I'd be glad to take you up on the offer.」Mu Jing's suggestion doesn't clash with what you want to do. Having the chance to save on travel costs and perhaps have someone you know join alongside you would be nice. >「I'd be glad to take you up on the offer... but I don't have a citizenship. I'm afraid I can't participate in the disciple selection.」The citizenship really is the biggest barrier here. You can afford it yourself if needed but, well... he's asking you a favor, so why don't you see if you can convince him to? >Write-In Anonymous
>>5581543 >「1st Tempering, nearly at the 2nd Tempering.」Since it's in the spring you should mention that you're about to break through soon - it'll allow for more accurate judgement. >「I'd be glad to take you up on the offer.」Mu Jing's suggestion doesn't clash with what you want to do. Having the chance to save on travel costs and perhaps have someone you know join alongside you would be nice. Joining even a low-tier sect would have significant benefits and I doubt Kanekatsu is stupid enough to openly kill someone who has been accepted into a sect.
Anonymous
>>5581543 >「1st Tempering, nearly at the 2nd Tempering.」Since it's in the spring you should mention that you're about to break through soon - it'll allow for more accurate judgement. >「I'd be glad to take you up on the offer... but I don't have a citizenship. I'm afraid I can't participate in the disciple selection.」The citizenship really is the biggest barrier here. You can afford it yourself if needed but, well... he's asking you a favor, so why don't you see if you can convince him to? Anonymous
>>5581549 Actually, let me change this
>「I'd be glad to take you up on the offer.」Mu Jing's suggestion doesn't clash with what you want to do. Having the chance to save on travel costs and perhaps have someone you know join alongside you would be nice. >「However, I would need to buy a citizenship first, and I currently owe money to Kanaktsu because of my family's manual. Could the Mu clan could lend me enough to settle it? I currently have enough saved to afford the citizenship, but the debt ties me to Fogtop. 」 Anonymous
>>5581543 >「...Shaping Dantian.」 You could use a laugh >「1st Tempering.」May as well be honest. >>5581545 >「I'd be glad to take you up on the offer... but I don't have a citizenship. I'm afraid I can't participate in the disciple selection.」The citizenship really is the biggest barrier here. You can afford it yourself if needed but, well... he's asking you a favor, so why don't you see if you can convince him to? Anonymous
>>5581563 Support.
Only thing i'm worried about with the sect is leaving mom and not going after/not being allowed to go after kanekatsu.
Anonymous
>>5581543 >Shaping danitan [Then say we're nearly at 2nd] then I'm supporting this here
>>5581563 If it works, then great. If not, well.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Sun 26 Feb 2023 04:04:40 No. 5582059 Report >>5581547 >>5581563 >>5581565 >>5581743 >>5581866 I was planning on doing a proper update but, long story short, it turns out that while my body loves cheese it is not a big fan of milk and I just found out after drinking nearly a pint-sized bottle of chocolate milk. There will be no big update tonight.
In the meantime, since it seems like we're going for a citizenship, let's go for a vote on a surname (you get one as a citizen of the empire, your choice which). Might leave it open for a while like the cultivation votes so everyone has time to discuss it. Feel free to suggest a name or simply vote on a style and leave it up to me, whatever you prefer.
>What kind of surname would you prefer? >A surname in the style of the empire's western portions and the nations that came before. Not as popular among the higher classes as power is centered in the east of the empire, but still plenty common out here. Still extremely popular further west as well, in the great plains. [A Japanese-styled surname.] [examples of names in this style: Takigi, Kinzou, Nui, Suji, Kanekatsu Hanawa, Ryou] >A surname in the style of the heart of the empire. Common even out here, especially among those trying to enter high society. [A Chinese-styled surname.] [examples of names in this style: Mei Gi, Huo Mi, Du, Jing Mao] >A surname in the style of the tributaries north of here. Somewhat uncommon, but posses a certain strength. [Vaguely 'Norse', German, or Scandinavian in style.] [examples: Brynn, Leif, Koch, Muller] >A surname in the style of the scattered countries to the south. You see them here or there, given the immigration. They can also be common further west. [Vaguely English, French, Spanish, or Italian, depending on region.] [examples: Percival Whitford, Richard Auclair, Bartolome Pinto-Romano] >A surname in the style of the far north. Their names possess a certain straightforwardness and bluntness than you can appreciate. [More often than not are just words. Short, usually a single syllable.] [examples: Brick. Hops. Heart. Gamble.] Anonymous
>>5582059 >A surname in the style of the heart of the empire. Common even out here, especially among those trying to enter high society. [A Chinese-styled surname.] [examples of names in this style: Mei Gi, Huo Mi, Du, Jing Mao] Anonymous
>>5582059 Well our given name is Kinzou. What sounds good. . .
Sha Kinzou sounds good to me. Which is more
>Heartland name than anything
Anonymous
>>5582059 >A surname in the style of the empire's western portions and the nations that came before. Not as popular among the higher classes as power is centered in the east of the empire, but still plenty common out here. Still extremely popular further west as well, in the great plains. [A Japanese-styled surname.] [examples of names in this style: Takigi, Kinzou, Nui, Suji, Kanekatsu Hanawa, Ryou] To fit with our new family
Anonymous
>>5582059 >A surname in the style of the empire's western portions and the nations that came before. Not as popular among the higher classes as power is centered in the east of the empire, but still plenty common out here. Still extremely popular further west as well, in the great plains. [A Japanese-styled surname.] [examples of names in this style: Takigi, Kinzou, Nui, Suji, Kanekatsu Hanawa, Ryou] WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Mon 27 Feb 2023 19:16:58 No. 5583729 Report Quoted By:
Our regularly scheduled Xuanhuan quest will resume tonight.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 28 Feb 2023 07:02:59 No. 5584302 Report >>5582211 >>5582446 >>5582574 >>5582623 You see no reason to think that Mu Jing's intent is anything but good in this situation, or that he'd go telling others about it. You may as well just tell him the whole truth, so that he can judge the situation for himself.
...Although you have something you'd like to say first.
「It's a bit of a secret, but...」You lower your voice and make a show of leaning in slightly. Mu Jing does the same.「...I'm at Shaping Dantian.」You stare at Mu Jing, a serious expression on your face. He stares back blankly for a few moments, not quite shocked, but unsure of how to respond. His confused expression makes you let out a chuckle, completely shattering your serious facade. You burst out laughing, while he lets out a couple of light chuckles.
For a moment the thought crosses your mind that perhaps Huo Mi is a bad influence on you. Too late to worry about that you guess. Ah, you feel you're forgetting something. ...Oh, the actual question. Right, you should answer. You stop laughing and sit up straight once again, clearing your throat. The room settles into silence once more.
「Just a jest. I'm currently at the 1st Tempering. I should reach the 2nd Tempering within a few months.」Mu Jing gives an appreciative smile at the first statement, and then a raised eyebrow at the second. He takes a moment to respond.
"I see. A crop of young talent appearing among the village is a certainly a pleasant sight. Perhaps if the two of you do your best you'll be able to break through before the selection of disciples in the spring."
The disciple selection in the spring. Yes, you still need to address that.
There is part of you that's tempted to go to the county seat, to perhaps see if you can discover what's become of Takigi. But, well... first and foremost you need to become stronger, enough to defend yourself and those around you. To have the freedom to do what you wish and to carve out a place for yourself. To be able to even start on your mission. And while gaining that strength is achievable in any city, it's easier in a proper sect. This is what you've been thinking of anyways.
「I'd be glad to take you up on your offer. But there is one catch...」An abashed expression creeps across your face, and you hesitate to speak. Although you're not the kind of person to have much 'face' in the first place, saying this feels like throwing it. But, well, better to ask and be turned down than to hold back and regret it later.
「...money. I have some saved up, enough to purchase a citizenship, but I currently owe more than that to Kanekatsu, a debt my father took out for our family's cultivation manual. If I stay in Fogtop then it's no issue for me and my mother to pay it off month by month, but if I leave...」
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 28 Feb 2023 07:05:36 No. 5584306 Report >>5584302 An odd expression comes over Mu Jing's face. You notice him tap his finger against his leg a few times before saying anything. "Exactly how much was the loan for? And the period left?" You quote the sum and the amount of time left for him. He lets out a slight sigh. "Just over half the loan left then. A bit much to take out at once." He thinks for a bit.
"Given that the loan is paid monthly, then it's not an immediate worry. I suppose the main concern is that purchasing a citizenship would drain your savings?" You nod lightly. His voice perks up a bit in response. "Then the issue isn't as big as it seems. I can lend you half the cost right now. No terms or contract - just return it when you feel able."
"That besides, Kanekatsu shouldn't be much of a worry. It's a bit troublesome but certainly not impossible to earn money within the sect and send it back, at least from what I've heard. But if needed we can certainly help, whether it's with money or a place to stay. There's plenty of rooms free if your mother would prefer not to be on her own."
You appreciate the generous words, although they do come with an unspoken if. If you get into the Verdant Mountain Sect. You believe you will, but... well, it's still something to think about.
「I appreciate your generosity. It takes a great many worries off my mind.」You bow slightly. Mu Jing waves it off after a moment and then finishes his cup of tea. "That should be about it. I'm surprised Char has stayed distracted for as long as he has, frankly." He quiets for a moment, pouring himself another cup of tea. Then a thought seems to spring to his mind.
"Oh! One more thing. If you're getting a citizenship then you should think of what type of surname you'd like. Ours is eastern, handed down from some distant relatives from before we migrated west for the repopulation efforts, but you can choose whatever you'd like, really."
You're a bit surprised.「Distant relatives? You keep a family tree that far back?」Mu Jing's tone wavers. "We do and we don't. There is a family tree, but it only dates back to when we first began coming west. Around 150 years ago, as I recall? The origin of the surname is simply a story I've heard from my father, and from him his father. There's nothing on record to confirm it."
Before the two of you can talk further you hear the door to the garden slide open. It seems that Char finally tired of helping with it. Mu Jing stops talking and stands up, letting out a slight grunt as he stretches. You follow after him, a knock coming from the door a moment after you stand up.
"You done yet?" Char's voice comes through, slightly impatient. His father answers it. "In a moment." He steps towards you, speaking in a low voice. "You can tell him what you wish but I think it'd be best if you leave out the talk about money. It can make things awkward among friends. Ah - and I'll have that for you in a bit, so feel free to stick around in the meantime."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 28 Feb 2023 07:08:51 No. 5584308 Report >>5584306 With that you join Char and Mu Jing wanders off. Char properly introduces you to his older sister, who you've only really seen in passing previously. She's several years older than Char and seems a bit delicate, like one of the flowers in the garden. You'd wager that she has a few admirers, even in a place as small as Fogtop.
Char seems pleased to be hearing that you intend to go along with him to the disciple selection, confidently stating that the two of you will blow away the competition, no matter who they are. In curiosity you inquire as to when he figured out you were a cultivator. He brings up the tryouts for the milita a couple months back, when Kanekatsu threw that weight at you. Apparently that was the rather massive straw that broke the camel's back - before that he just thought you were surprisingly athletic.
After a while Mu Jing discreetly hands you a small wooden box with the money, the jingle of coins inside is deafened with cloth. You put it away in your pack and stick around for a while longer before you head back home. It's getting a bit late, so you think you'll just fill in Huo Mi on what happened tomorrow. A bit rare, but it's not the first time you've had something come up. She'll understand.
Once you arrive home you fill in Nui on the news. Instead of repeatedly warning you about the dangers involved in traveling across the county and trying to join a sect, as you expect she might do, she seems very excited for you.
She crouches down slightly, her arms wrapping around you as she gives you a tight hug. "That's great! I'm so glad!" You hug her back but, slightly confused, air a question.
「I agree but... aren't you worried? Usually, uh...」You trail off, not sure how to phrase things. She stops talking for a moment and then laughs. "Worried? Of course I am! But I'm happy too! My son will have a chance to join a sect! Whether you succeed or not, it's something I never would of dreamed of five years ago!" She lets you go and stops talking for a moment.
"Life is a bit rough out here, and boring sometimes, and that can't be helped. I'm just happy that you get a chance to look for something better." She sighs emotionally. "It was so hard for your father to move up just a bit, and for us to get a house, and... well, you know."
That night the two of you eat well, making a stew with meat, veggies, and more. It's not much compared to what some people have, but Nui makes it taste good. The two of you chat cheerfully over dinner.
"Oh yeah. I should thank Hops!" Nui smiles as she says this, grabbing another spoonful of the stew. You do your best to suppress your emotions while she's looking away from you.「Thank Hops?」Nui nods earnestly. "Yes, I really should thank him. I certainly don't support how rough he's been the training, and recent events may have soured me on him for a bit, but he's doing his best and this is thanks to his help! I should thank him."
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 28 Feb 2023 07:11:03 No. 5584309 Report >>5584308 Then she pauses, a slight blush coming to her face. "Although now that I think about it, he can hear me now, can't he? Ah, maybe I should've said a bit less..." Thinking quickly, you respond with an awkward laugh.「Don't worry. He's asleep right now, so he can't hear you.」Nui seems surprised. "Oh, asleep?" You nod.「Yup. Like a bear - he's hibernating for a while. He said he was a bit tired so he'd go into 'rest mode' for a while, but that he didn't know how long. I've still been able to get energy from the ring, but as for himself...」You trail off.
Nui looks slightly disappointed. "Ah. I can't hear when the two of you talk, but I thought it might've been less lately. Well, do let me know when he wakes up, so that I can say hi." You tell her you will and the two of you return to dinner. She's just as cheerful, while you do your best to appear so.
The next day, just after work, you report to the intake - Percival's office. It's a small building of a couple of rooms, built in an isolated corner of the intake. A muscular man intercepts you at the door. One of members of the 1st Squad, you think?
"You're one of the 3rd Squad's men, right? Name and purpose?"「Kinzou. Personal business, I'm here to register a citizenship with the village head.」After a moment he steps aside. "Knock first."
That evening you formally register yourself as a tax-paying citizen of The Empire. This in itself gives you a certain formal standing in the frontier that many others aren't lucky enough to have. No longer are you merely a person on the empire's soil, under their dominion but not quite a part of them. No, you can adopt a surname, purchase large plots of land, join the government, freely travel along formal roads, and more. Assuming you have the skill or resources to do so, of course.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Tue 28 Feb 2023 07:15:24 No. 5584313 Report >>5584309 With your registration comes time to choose a surname.
(Kinzou is written as 金造 which may or may not be relevant to anyone, the intent originally meant was just 'shaping metal' simply because Takigi thought blacksmiths were well-paid and thought it would be nice if Kinzou could be apprenticed to one. This could also be interpreted as making money or shaping gold if someone felt like reading into it.) (I'm going to mention writings and character "meanings" [yes they can be ambiguous and reading too much into it is liking analyzing old English surnames' morphemes, sometimes characters are used solely for pronunciation or some other reason than for any intended meaning] but really just choose whatever you like best, I only know one of these languages at all) >Testuya (鉄也) [Written with 鉄 that may mean iron and 也 which may mean the archaic 'to be' or 'very'/'considerably'. A homophone for pulling an all-nighter. Not the common writing of the surname.] >Kitai (鍛) [Written with 鍛 which may mean to discipline, train, or forge (metal). A homophone with 期待 which can refer to expectation, anticipation, hope, or something that's promising. Also a homophone with a lot of other less common words.] >Zhi (铁) [鉄 written in the eastern format. May mean to stich/mind, or iron.] >Duan (锻)[鍛 written in the eastern format. May mean to discipline, train, or forge (metal).] >Sha (沙) [Eastern, 沙 may refer to sand.] >Write-In [No you do not have to provide how it's written, that level of detail is on me, I'm going to imagine that whatever language exists in the setting is probably some monstrous amalgamation of several Chinese dialects and Japanese that's messier than real-life could even hope to match.] Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5584313 >Duan Forge shaping metal. Very metal indeed
Anonymous
>>5584313 >Testuya (鉄也) [Written with 鉄 that may mean iron and 也 which may mean the archaic 'to be' or 'very'/'considerably'. A homophone for pulling an all-nighter. Not the common writing of the surname.] Shaping Iron
Also workaholic, which is something Kinzou has been doing with all these jobs
Anonymous
>>5584313 >Testuya (鉄也) [Written with 鉄 that may mean iron and 也 which may mean the archaic 'to be' or 'very'/'considerably'. A homophone for pulling an all-nighter. Not the common writing of the surname.] WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Wed 01 Mar 2023 04:38:22 No. 5585285 Report >>5584354 >>5584554 >>5584783 >>5584970 Perhaps a more easternly surname could grease the wheels just a little if you ever need to fit in with 'high society', but... eh. Better to choose something you like than something that might a few people have better impressions of you for a rather surface-level reason.
You fill in your name and details on the piece of paper. Tetsuya Kinzou (鉄也金造). Age 12, date of birth the 8th day of the 1st month of Sheng 474. Born in Fogtop, son of Takigi and Nui, born in Sheng 450 and Sheng 452 respectively. So and so the forms go, filled out with various boilerplate.
For a moment you wonder why you have to fill in so many details, especially when you know there's at least a birth certificate recorded for you, but, well... not everyone has that on file, even. And even if birth certificates existed for everyone, you've never seen a bureaucracy lean on the side of less paperwork rather than more. It seems some things are constant throughout the universe...
After some time you finish filling out the forms Percival handed you. You make your way back to his office while handling them gently, afraid of smudging the ink. Around a minute after knocking he shows his face again. You notice a hint of haggardness to his appearance that you hadn't before. A few bags under his eyes, and perhaps an extra wrinkle.
Before you can wonder as to the cause of his tiredness he receives the papers from you and glances them over. Then he steps away from the door, letting you in. He calls for his guard to enter as well, telling him to grab a worker who's still around.
A minute or two of awkward silence later, Percival's guard returns. Alongside him is Du, who you suppose got stuck with overtime. He greets you timidly, unsure of what's going on. Percival coughs to get his attention. "Kinzou has requested a citizenship. We needed another witness."
Saying that, Percival gestures for his guard to approach the desk. He does, silently adding a signature to the bottom of a piece of paper. After some hesitation, Du does the same. You know that he isn't literate, but you guess he can write his name at least.
You become a citizen of the empire with the anticlimactic scratch of a brush. Percival thanks Du for his assistance and then straightens out the papers, scanning over them one more time as he does. "With that, the three of us have acknowledged that the one in front of us is Kinzou, a resident of Fogtop, and that he is becoming a citizen of the empire of his own behalf."
"Congratulations. Henceforth you are a Testuya Kinzou, a citizen of the empire and the Kingdom of Han, a subject of their majesties the emperor and king." Percival offers a handshake. You accept.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Wed 01 Mar 2023 04:41:36 No. 5585288 Report >>5585285 "Now, I'll get all this sent over to the county seat quickly so that they can make a copy of it. On your end though, there's nothing else to do. Have a good evening." Perhaps finding that a bit sudden of a 'get out', Percival searches for something else to say. "And tell Captain Ryou that I said hi."
Nothing left to do here, you decide to leave the room before the guard simply tells you to. From there, you go to Huo Mi's, to tell her the good news.
"Your got your citizenship? Congrats." Huo Mi's response is somewhat underwhelming but oh well. It's just getting a piece of paper, really. "What's your surname?"「Tetsuya.」"Huh." She mutters to herself for a moment. "Well, I'm still going to call you Kinzou when I'm not calling you kid, kid."
「Oh, and there's another thing.」"Oh?" Huo Mi glances at you, seeming a bit more interested than before.「I'm planning on going with Char to the Verdant Mountain Sect's disciple selection in the spring.」Instead of saying anything Huo Mi just tilts her head back, choosing to stare at the ceiling.
「...You're not going to tell me to leave now, are you?」She snorts. "Course not. I'm not a fan, but that has nothing to do with you. Good luck. I mean it." She pauses for a moment. "Although if you do get in..." Huo Mi keeps staring at the ceiling, seeming to find a certain piece of wood particularly interesting.
"...eh, nevermind."「Huh?」Huo Mi stands up, sounding mildly irritated. "Nothing. It's not important. Now come with me. We should get something done before it's pitch dark."
Despite your legal standing changing, everything else seems to stay the same. At least for now, it's all just the same work and the same people. You do get the opportunity to go hunting for a bit to put some food away in the squad's base, a chance you relish, but beside that... well, it's just patrols, training, and construction. The usual.
The 10th month, 15th day of Sheng 486. You put on an extra layer before going to work. A cold snap has came in and the ground frozen over. An annoying reminder that winter will be coming once more in a couple of months. You're thinking of doing a bit of shopping a bit after work, assuming you feel up to it.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Wed 01 Mar 2023 04:44:30 No. 5585290 Report >>5585288 >Your family's current savings are 103gp after purchasing a citizenship. Your monthly payment to Kanekatsu is 7gp, which you do out-earn after basic living expenses. You could spend up to a maximum of around 30gp without having a conversation with Nui about what you want to purchase. >Purchase some additional armor. Padded pants and something to cover the sides of your leather poncho so that you're not completely vulnerable from them. [8gp] >A book. Selection is a bit limited, but you can think of a few places in the village where you might be able to purchase one. [Price would vary greatly based on the content. Specify what you want to try and search for.] >A set of proper apothecary's tools. You're uh, not REALLY one, but it would be nice to be able to more easily make ointments and such at least. [15gp] >Some 'necessities'. A new pack, some boots, a good skinning knife. Those sort of things. [10gp] >A very formal outfit, tailored to fit. Your current clothes suit you just fine in day to day life, but perhaps it would be a good investment for the spring - you'd like to give off a good impression. [9gp for a pair of nice dress clothes and shoes] >Write-In WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Wed 01 Mar 2023 04:48:22 No. 5585295 Report Quoted By:
Oh yeah, I'm either making a new thread for the next update or the update after next. Thanks for reading and voting and all that, feel free to complain/do the opposite of complaining/talk about inane things that may or may not relate to the quest here. Feedback and all that.
Anonymous
>>5585290 >Purchase some additional armor. Padded pants and something to cover the sides of your leather poncho so that you're not completely vulnerable from them. >A set of proper apothecary's tools. You're uh, not REALLY one, but it would be nice to be able to more easily make ointments and such at least. [15gp] >Some 'necessities'. A new pack, some boots, a good skinning knife. Those sort of things. [10gp] 33 GP total
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>5585290 >Formal outfit >Necessities total of 19
>>5585403 >>5585498 Which part of 30 maximum without causing undue worry slipped past you?
The apothecary's tools are a purchase without a forseeable pay off in the near future.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5585558 The part where it says "You could spend up to a maximum of around 30gp without having a conversation with Nui about what you want to purchase." meaning a bit more shouldn't be too bad
Anonymous
>>5585403 >>5585290 I'll support, I think Mom will approve of most of this, and we can drop the alchemy gear if she's concerned about spending too much.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Thu 02 Mar 2023 04:59:22 No. 5586247 Report >>5585403 >>5585498 >>5585558 >>5585766 As the day drags on you work what exactly should you get a hold of while the caravans are still passing through and everyone isn't lethargic from winter weather. Right, what would be useful... well, perhaps you could get some decent dress for the disciple selection next spring, but eh. That wouldn't be useful immediately and you're not sure what the tradition is for that - maybe you don't even need one. You'll leave it for now. As for what would be immediately useful...
After thinking about it for a while you decide to dip into the savings and update what you have on hand. Get better armor, new boots, a new pack, a nice skinning knife for hunting, stuff like that. Things that you might need to use in your daily life, or if you were to go hunting. While you're at it, you'll pick up some items that can used as apothecary's equipment as well. Up until now you've had to wait to have access to Huo Mi's workshop to do anything, but if you had a few tools of your own, then it'd be much more convenient.
You run everything past Nui to be polite and she doesn't have any major objections about the purchases, although she does remind you to be careful of prices and that money doesn't grow on trees and all that. Facts that the both of you are very cognizant of, but that bear repeating.
On your way to the village center it starts snowing, albeit very lightly. Pretty early for a first snow. Not wanting to stay out in it for too long you decide to get your shopping done with quickly. First you stop by the few 'general' stores, picking up your more common purchases. Then you head to the intake, getting various odds and ends that were harder to find there. Processed leather that Nui can add to your armor and a pair of thick pants (unfortunately nothing you found was premade - the leather will just have to be added to that by hand), bottles and containers that you can use for medicine, and so on and so forth. Lastly, you head to Huo Mi's, both for your daily training and to see if you can buy a couple items you can't get anywhere else from her.
The snow is coming down a bit heavier by the time you get to Huo Mi's, and starting to stick. When you arrive Huo Mi is grumbling about it and telling you that you can head home for the day, in case it gets any worse. Before that, though, you inquire as to whether you can buy a spare mortar and pestle and a couple of other things. She agrees, but unfortunately the price isn't cheap. Not that it's overpriced either - just extremely fair. No friends and students discount for you, you guess. Huo Mi is a bit of a stickler about being 'fair' with money, to her benefit or detriment.
...Although now that you think about it, it's usually to her benefit.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Thu 02 Mar 2023 05:00:52 No. 5586249 Report >>5586247 You return home early that night, before it starts to get dark. You and Nui eat hotpot for dinner and she begins sewing the leather you bought to your leather poncho in the evening. The both of you turn in a bit early, the weather outside not quite suitable for outdoors activities.
It's just before dawn. After taking a minute to wake up you get ready to head outside and grab some more firewood - all that's left in the hearth is warm coals now. You push open the front door and... well, it doesn't quite give. It takes you quite a bit of force to get it open. The cause immediately reveals itself. There's snow nearly up to your knees.
As the two of you do the morning chores and you get ready to head to work, it doesn't get better - snow is still falling. As things are, the situation is kind of awkward. You usually only get snows this heavy in the midst of winter, in which case all other plans are cancelled, but, uh... no one really planned for this. It's early for something like this - really early. If you decided not to head into work you don't imagine anyone would fault you, but, well... maybe you're needed?
>Stay where you are. No way you're going there in this weather. >Lace up your new boots and get out your complaints now. Time to forge a path through the snow. Anonymous
>>5586249 >Stay where you are. No way you're going there in this weather. Anonymous
>>5586249 >Lace up your new boots and get out your complaints now. Time to forge a path through the snow. We did not buy new boots to stay home, gosh durnit.
Anonymous
>>5586249 >Lace up your new boots and get out your complaints now. Time to forge a path through the snow. Anonymous
>>5586249 >Get out Lets do this shit
Anonymous
>>5586249 >Lace up your new boots and get out your complaints now. Time to forge a path through the snow. Time to test the boots
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 03 Mar 2023 01:06:00 No. 5587094 Report Quoted By:
Will put up the new thread after making dinner and taking a break. Wanted to do it earlier but I was writing horrible, horrible spaghetti code.
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi
WuxiaOfTheWorlds !!Hr03AGNfuLi ID:srvZ0uf7 Fri 03 Mar 2023 03:40:30 No. 5587185 Report Quoted By:
