|
Update 64: The Mad Beggar III  Swear that you'll never bother Miss Ba again, and I'll let you go! Of course! I swear I'll never come back here in my life, if I ever come back... may I be struck by lightning! Me too, me too! Very well. Get out of here! At least Miss Ba has seen that man's true nature. I should go back to Aunt Hui and report. Auntie Hui, I've already taken care of Miss Ba's affair. I see why you were worried, that dainty young man was actually scheming against her. Miss Ba has seen through his tricks, although she is still a bit distressed... please leave her alone for a while. Now that Siwang has done Auntie Hui a favour, he can now ask for Su Qingrui's vase back.   Master Su? Don't be ridiculous, he can barely think straight, how can he ask for anything? I wonder if Auntie Hui recognizes this key? Ah, I do recognize it. It is a token handed down by each successive head of the Su family. I've never seen it leave Master Su's side, how come you have it now? Master Su asked me to show it to you, as proof of his trust. Alright, take the vase, I don't know what you want with it and I'm not going to ask any more questions. Just, please don't let Master Su down again. I promise you that won't happen.  Hey, the Philanthropist's Hall is the other way, dumbass. Maybe big brother wants some new clothes? Well, he certainly shouldn't be buying them from here. Remember the fisherman's outfit? What fisherman's outfit? Oh right, you've never seen it. It didn't come with a shirt, see? He was clearly scammed. I liked the fisherman's outfit... Stop criticizing my fashion sense and come in. I've got a sixth sense about these things. Oh no, Miss Hua... how could she have disappeared? What's the matter, Mr Ba? Who's disappeared? Oh, you see, I had a contract with Miss Hua Qingyuan to provide me with new patterns of cloth. She's an extraordinary weaver, her work is good enough to be sent to the capital. But I've lost touch with her, and I don't know how long my business can survive with no new patterns. It's not like I'll run out of cloth, there's no shortage of weavers here. But what keeps the Flowing Cloud Chamber afloat in Dayan Town is our variety of patterns and styles, which is not inferior even to the shops in the capital. If this goes on, the day I have to resort to selling old goods, will be the day I go out of business! Alas! If somebody were to help me find Miss Hua, I would be happy to pay them a big reward. Big reward? Big reward! How can he keep getting away with this stuff? Could it be? That Qinggong sutra he looted from the White Horse Residence, Immortal Fairy Thirsts for Wealth? drat, since when did he have good stuff like that? Pass it to me! Do you have any idea where she could be? Well, it is sometimes said that a great deal of craftsmanship has been lost since ancient times due to war. Our cloth today is nowhere as good as it used to be. Miss Hua was very keen on recreating the ancient techniques of weaving, and her last messenger mentioned that she intended to spend a period of time studying them. Ugh, who knew that her study would take so long? I'm going to go out of business! Back in the Philanthropist's Hall, Siwang places all four vases in the correct position and triggers some strange flooring.  Arrgh! Big brother! You alright down there? Yeah, I'm fine. Better than fine, really, there's some good stuff down here. This seems like an impractical way of entering your personal treasury. Who knows? Maybe it was the Su ancestor's idea of a practical joke. What do you see in there? Some vases, some gold and silver, some books... oh, and one rear end in a top hat.  How did you even get in here? Oh you know, there's always the proper way to go about these things, and then there's my way. That wall over there rotates, by the way. You think Su Qingrui brought in those vases by dropping them from the ceiling? Fair enough.  Wow, you found your way in here too! Haha, Brother Gui is quite fast, I just discovered this mechanism too. Allow me to look for what I want, and I'll let you have this Golden Scale Garment. Congratulations! It is said to have been one of the treasures buried with the Bailing Emperor of the Kaiming Dynasty. Hhmmm... then what you're looking for must be even more valuable than this. Yes, it must be in this treasure trove somewhere... Do you need help, Brother Li? Found it! This letter! Brother Li, why this letter in particular? Why not just go for the treasure? Hmm... this seal here seems to be quite unique... Yes, it is the seal of the Anshun Escort Gang, which was established decades ago. Brother Gui, do you wish to hear the history of this treasure? Well, sure. It is said that these treasures are the burial relics of a general of the ancient Ming dynasty, hidden in his tomb just outside our borders today. A dozen years ago, some uncivilized savages dug the tomb up and discovered these treasures, leading to numerous battles and attempts to seize them by force. Sounds like a bloody affair. Gold and silver aside, the most important treasure of the lot is the Ancient Enlightened King's City Map, which shows the location of a secret treasure. The Anshun Escort Gang was commissioned by General Lan to guard and escort the treasure to the capital. The Anshun officer in charge... was my father. Alright, but what does this have to do with the letter? This? This is evidence! As the treasure escort was making it's way back to the capital, it encountered bandits and the entire force was wiped out. Huh? Then your father... Indeed, bandits who marched in lockstep, and who blocked the road with an extremely clever tripwire mechanism. Not bandits at all, I should say! Rather, the military! What? You mean, it was all a plot by General Yu's predecessor, General Lan? Then why are these things in the Su House treasury? Those disguised soldiers underestimated the Anshun Escort Gang. They wiped each other out, and failed in their mission to secure the treasure. That same year, General Lan was impeached by the Imperial Minister for unspecified crimes, and died under arrest. No one from his family survived the purge. Brother Li, are you suggesting that General Lan coveted the treasure for himself? That he disguised his troops as bandits, and took to highway robbery? Hmph. I couldn't be sure before, but here is the evidence. This letter is addressed to General Lan, and details the planned route of the treasure convoy after crossing the border. It seems that a traitor sent information to plan an ambush. In the end, no matter how twisting a route he took, my father was bound to be intercepted by General Lan... Is that why Brother Li targeted the Philanthropist's Hall? Did you suspect a connection?  Arrgh! Adulterous man, adulterous woman, how dare you plot to harm people! You bastards, receive my stick! Qingrui, hang in there! These small fry are no match for me! Is there something going on outside? Oh no, it sounds like Brother Su! Eh. Brother Su can take care of himself. I'm much more interested in Brother Gold and Brother Silver over here. Hahaha! Well then, Brother Gui, I'll go check it out. Please don't take too long, I would hate for Brother Su to get hurt! Oh my! A jade sword! Too bad jade is a terrible material for swords. Yushu, darling, be a dear and look through that bookshelf for interesting sutras, would you? I knew you would say that. Look. This is a protagonist's sutra if I ever saw one.  Mixed Basics Kung Fu: "The secret of the best internal power in the world. Mixed Basics Kung Fu is an unconventional way of training qi from the outside in, which focuses on using the palm and palm techniques to train internal power. Although slow to start, once it is completed, this profound inner energy will not only increase the power of the Mixed Element Palm, but also transform it into the power of your body. Destroy all and pull down the immortal." Very nice. Now, let's scram before we draw too much heat. What about Su Qingrui? What about him? It sounds like he has Li Tan and that old beggar Esibo to keep him alive. Unless we literally trip over him or something, I don't see how it's any of our problem. Whoops.  Gui Siwang! Brother Su! You promised to kill the bastard Jing Tairan for me! You didn't mention he had so many fighters on his side!  Hey, you over there. I don't know how or why you got mixed up into this, but I don't really care. What do you want? If it's money, you can have it from my husband. If it's something else... well, just open your mouth and ask. How else would I know what you desire? - Oh? Very good, I think we can work together! - Well, what I want is your husband's life! Normally I would pause for a vote here, but it would be rather out of character for Siwang to betray everyone here, and I do want to show off a bit of the evil route, so I'll just take a little trip into the Non-Canon Zone.  (Anyway, the treasure is already in my hands, why not just turn my back on them?) To be honest, I don't care if this Su fella lives or dies, but he could have some useful information for us. It seems he has some connection with the Pretty Dream Pavilion, why don't you leave him to me? Sold! A clever man for a fool, a strong man for an invalid, what a great deal! Gui Siwang! This is not the right way! drat it, I thought you were a good guy! Brother, help me! Come quickly!  Don't panic, little sister! These villains deserve to die, I'll teach them a lesson for you! Hey hey hey, am I an ornament or what? You want to make deals with this villain in front of me? Cut the crap, bring it on! Esibo is actually very tanky and weathers Yan Yushu's swordplay just fine. Too bad the same can't be said of our newest ex-party member, Qi Xiaoer. It hurts... Brother, am I... am I going to die? Don't! Just hang in there, I'll take you back to the Diancang Sect, alright? Eh? Silly girl, what's wrong? It's just a light wound, don't scare me like that! Li Tan...? Why are there... three of you? Brother... I'm sorry, I'm afraid I won't be able to join you on the way back... Sister? Little sister! You said it yourself, you're going to catch me, aren't you, silly girl? You haven't caught me yet, you can't... Li Tan... you've saved me many times... I've never said thank you. Actually, I... Ahhhh!! Sister!! No, it can't be... how could it be? Don't be silly, open your eyes and smile... aren't you always angry? Why are you ignoring me? Look like they've lost their mind with grief. Better take the chance and kill them now. It's a pity that Su Qingrui never gave up the location of the treasury in the end. Ah well, at worst we can always have the whole place torn down. We'll find it in the end. Well, but now is not the time to consider such matters. Excuse me, young warrior Gui. I may have used a little too much force against this Su Qingrui. By now, our envoy should have already reached the Pretty Dream Pavilion, and seized control. Please go there and tell them you are a friend of Jing Tairan. With all the money that I contribute to the organization, our envoy should be happy to accomodate you and give you all the information you need. And what organization might that be? You can eat well here if you don't ask too many questions. Take this money and just go straight there!  Hey! No outsiders allowed, keep out! I'm a friend of Master Jing... you know, the rich one! ... Alright, go on in.  Lan Fuyi! What? This woman is the envoy Jing Tairan was talking about? How is she still alive?For reference, we haven't seen Lan Fuyi since Update 1, when she no-sold Uncle Kongjin's Thunderbolt Bombs and he blew up the cave instead to trap them both inside. RIP, Uncle Kong.  Madam Lan! There's a message from Jing Tairan, he said he killed the madman by mistake! Without him, we've lost the trail, we'll never find out what happened back then! What? Killed by mistake? drat, do you people think I'm easy to take advantage of? Enough talk! Taste the power of my martial arts!   Help! Lan Fuyi! Don't you have any feelings? You, too, were once a sister of this pavilion! Feelings? Yes, I suppose I should slap you around a little too, for old time's sake. (Crap! I don't know what's going on, but if she kills Fan Xiangdie, I'll lose whatever information she has on the Book of Heaven!) I'll have to help her out! Stop! Well, look. If it isn't a disrespectful brat. Don't interrupt adults when they're talking, kid. Look, brothers, the other women ran. We'll have to chase them down later. Simply intolerable! Brothers, form the Flying Dart Formation! Lan Fuyi is just as overpowered as she was in the tutorial and takes off half of Siwang's health in a few blows. Luckily, she will retreat when all the other NoMercy House assassins are killed. Take me... back to my room... Miss Xiangdie...? Miss Xiangdie! Hmm... I wonder how Fan Xiangdie's injuries are. Should I do something about her? It's hard to tell. If she knew I was involved in Su Qingrui's death, she might turn the whole Pretty Dream Pavilion against me, and I would never be able to get any information out of her. Perhaps it would be for the best if she never woke up again.  Ooooh... without sister, what will the Pretty Dream Pavilion do...? What's the point of crying, all of you? Stop it, you're making Miss Xiangdie look ridiculous... she wouldn't want you to be like this... just let her rest in peace... Young warrior. Forgive us for not getting up, we are still injured from the attack. (Well, it seems that Miss Xiangdie is dead. The good news is that no one will ask about Su Qingrui's death now, but on the other hand, who am I to ask about the fragments of the Book of Heaven now? Tch!) Before she died, Miss Xiangdie told me that young master Gui is a great benefactor of the Pretty Dream Pavilion, and that I should share everything I know with you. And also, well, there is this thing, which Miss Xiangdie got from Granny Situ. I don't quite understand what it is, but perhaps young master Gui might know? (This... this is the Cunning Rabbit fragment as described by Nan Xian!)So in exchange for cutting off Li Tan's quest, Siwang can get the reward for this quest chain early, and all he has to do is to backstab some party members. He would never actually stoop to that level, of course. There will be at least one other, more thematic opportunity to backstab Li Tan later.  Anyway, back in reality, Siwang declines Dong Chunlian's offer. Well, what I want is your husband's life! Hahaha! I can't believe it, it's not just this old grandpa, but you actually have other helpers! It's no big deal, just a few more people to kill. Let's do it, boys. Chunlian! You...! By the way, boy, do you need money? Don't embarrass me with your stupid pills! Wow, that's a lot of money... huh? Ow, my hand... I can't open it! Hey, you think I'm just a money spinner? I've got my own moves, now your fists are like cotton wool, it's like you're scratching my itches for me when you hit me!Despite his boasts, Jing Tairan's Plague of Gold simply disallows Siwang and co. from using items in battle. Jing Tairan is also very high level, and I think the intent is for Esibo to help tank his attacks, but Siwang manages to dismantle everyone in two turns.  Husband? Noooo! Oooh... no way... husband, you can't die... if you leave me, what should I do...? Chunlian, I... You? Su Qingrui! Even if you kill him, you will never have me! Chunlian, I don't understand. I fulfilled your every request. I brought you mountains of silver and gold. Have you never had in mind how well I've treated you? How well you've treated me? Ha! Ha! Ha! Hilarious! You don't even remember my real name! Have you forgotten Dong Yuehua? Back then, you went on a hunting expedition with those pigs and dogs you called friends. My parents were obsessed with the Su family's wealth, and sold me to you, despite the fact that I was already married to my cousin. You were already married? Then, why...? Why did I climb into your bed? You idiot, how did you think your friends treated your pretty maids? What else could I do? I hate you, I hate my cruel parents, and I hate God for letting this happen to me! What rubbish! I can't listen to this anymore! Ignorant woman, it was your parents that sold you here, not Qingrui who forced you to sign the deed of sale with a knife. Chunlian, I swear to you, I had no idea. I even brought your cousin here and treated him well... I was being sincere when I... Alright, alright, that's enough drama for now. There will be people investigating the commotion soon, how should we deal with the situation? When it comes to women, it's better to make the decision quickly! Well, Brother Su? I... You know, I thought I'd be enjoying the situation more, but this is just... sad. Yes, it often is.  Brother Su, for this woman, I think...Please vote: A - She is also a pitiful person, so let her go. B - This woman has no remorse, so let's just kill her!
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2024 17:09
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 1, 2024 02:10 |
|
|
A. Let her leave in peace.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2024 20:07
|
|
|
B Leave her in pieces
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2024 02:52
|
|
|
A. Send her off.
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2024 04:04
|
|
|
Update 65: Lan Fuyi Returns  Brother Su... she is a pitiful person, so let her go. Su Qingrui! I hate all of this! I hate you! Go to hell!Dong Chunlian rushes at Su Qingrui, but Esibo knocks her out of the way.  Huh? It happened so suddenly, let me check her breathing! She's still breathing, quickly, get her help! Qingrui, surely you don't plan to forgive this woman? Chunlian? Chunlian, stay awake! Don't fall asleep! Here, drink this recovery potion, and this Qi restorative! I'll channel my inner strength to you... Su Qingrui... you... owwww! Don't try to speak, just focus on recovery. Why... are you... treating me so well... I've helped many others in the past, but it was all for the sake of maintaining my reputation. But you... Chunlian, let me help you one last time. Pleae, don't ever hate again. You're still young, it's for your own sake... Unbelievable! What an outrage! Elder Esibo, leave your comments for later. We have to clean up the place, and corral any servants that ran away, or we'll have a lot of explaining to do later. Hmmph. Su Qingrui! Get over here, you brat! Yes, Elder! Qingrui, now that you've let go of your grudge against that bitch, let's get our spririts up and put an end to this mess. Concentrate your attention to reviving the reputation of the House of Su, so as to be worthy of your departed ancestors! Su Qingrui respectfully follows the teachings of his elders! Oho, everyone's here! The "Little Mengchang" Su Qingrui and the "Snake Beggar" Esibo! Greeting, Senior E, nice to meet you, I'm Li Tan Li Tan? The "Spring Breeze in October", the bandit who steals from the rich and gives to the poor! You must have got your eyes on the Su House's treasure trove! Um, actually, about that... Hey! What are you doing? Shut up! I was just going to warn them some rear end in a top hat just stole a bunch of stuff from their treasury. Big brother, I know we've been nagging you to turn over a new leaf, but that doesn't count as being honest. That's just being mean. I think it's cute. Well, you don't have a hungry horse gang to feed, so I would appreciate it if you all just shut up. Try not to move too much, I can hear the gold in your pocket clinking.  That's right, I do have my eye on the contents of your treasury. But I'm not the type to take something for free. Coincidentally, I've just visited the homes of some nearby officials, and some "leverage" has fallen into my hands! So, how about it? Surely it will be easier for you to revive the Su House without interference from the authorities. Good! Let's trade! Money can be earned back later, right now, I need to reestablish my name and reputation! Well said! Haha, great! Well, in that case, let me visit those officials again. I'll make sure they fully understand our agreement. Brother Su, Elder E, I'm glad to have made friends with you. See you later, ha ha ha! (I see, Qi Xiaoer was right. Li Tan is no ordinary thief, look at how he got these two to practically offer their treasure to him. I wonder where he will go next? Will he be staying in town?) Everyone presumably spends a little bit of time disposing of all the dead bodies in the courtyard. Esibo can now be found inside the Philanthropist's Hall instead of lounging around outside, and Siwang challenges him to a duel on the off chance that he drops a sutra or something.  Owww... You deserved it for bullying that nice old man! Stop complaining and take a pill for your bruises. It's more a spiritual sort of pain, dear. I really thought he would find me worthy of his martial arts and gift me a sutra or something. Well, he isn't gifting anyone anything now, that's for sure. Couldn't you have pulled your punches or something? He'll be fine, an old man like that probably gets stinking drunk everynight, he must pass out all the time. Let's just get out of here fast and dump the loot somewhere safe. Preferably before Su Qingrui comes out here and starts asking awkward questions.  There are several servants clustered around the exit, who are generally happy to see Su Qingrui back in charge.  As long as the young master is back safe and sound, it doesn't matter if we lose a little money. Don't you think so? But just as Siwang reaches the main door, he gets interrupted by a street urchin.  Go away! Get out! But Miss Lan has come back... I don't know where you come from, but you're not getting into this house! Please, Uncle Xi, just let go in and tell Master Su that something has happened to Miss Xiangdie! Who cares? Master Su is going to revive the Su House, it's not the time for him to get involved with a woman like that! Please listen to me, something bad is going to happen at the Pretty Dream Pavilion for sure! There are so many people in black, Miss Xiangdie sent me over to ask for help. (Men in black? I should check out the Pretty Dream Pavilion.) Hey! Official business, keep out! I'm a free man, you can't stop me! Huh?  Wow! A fight, let's go watch! Hey! It's dangerous here, stop fooling around and go back home! What's with all the townspeople? Just try not to hit us with a stray blow please. Oy! What's all this going on, then? Are you causing trouble in public?  Sir, it's not me, I'm just a passer-by, nothing to do with me at all... Yes, it's my neighbour here who said he wanted to watch the fun, that's why I'm here! What? You were the one who suggested coming down to watch the fight! drat you, I'll beat you up! Officer, listen to me, these men in black are stopping me from going in... Everyone SHUT UP! You guys in black look like troublemakers, and you two scholars are far too idle for your own good. I'm arresting you all, we can sort this out before a magistrate. (Phew! He didn't mention me at all!) You there in the middle. Lead the way. You're the most suspicious one of them all! Huh? I'm the most normal person here, okay? I don't run around in black clothing or have the time to watch other people fight for nothing! This is crazy... Brother, let's just kill them all. A four-way fight ensures between Siwang, the lone town guard, the guys in black, and the wannabe spectators. Luckily for the town guard, he doesn't even get to move before Siwang murks the NoMercy assassins. There's a good chance that he might have gotten oneshot by Yan Yushu's preemptive counterattacks.  They just attacked us without warning! How tyrannical! By Heaven, who were those people? I, uh... I don't know either, but I'm sure glad to have a great, noble and powerful official here, to find out. Haha! Well said, kid, I like you! Well, I, the mighty, mighty, mighty hero, shall continue my watch. You townspeople are dismissed! Hey. Gui Siwang. Listen, my master and brother have repeatedly told me to stay away from places like the Pretty Dream Pavilion. Why is that I keep hearing that you make repeated visits over and over again? Well... I'm a normal man, after all! Plus, aren't you even a little curious? Don't you want to take a little peek? I knew it! All the men in the world, except Master, Senior Brother, and... uh, nevermind. None of them can be trusted! Aww, the little birdie flew away. She'll be back in five minutes. Trust me on this. We don't have the time for this, quickly, let's go in. The NoMercy house is already here.  Lan Fuyi, you too, used to be a member of our Pavilion. It seems you've moved up in the world, to bring so many members of the NoMercy House here. It seems you've not only improved your martial arts, but also your ability to forget past kindnesses! Hmph. Back then, you did take me in. After that dog emperor repaid my father's hard work, to help build his dynasty, with nothing but a writ of execution. I wanted only my revenge. But Pavilion Master Fan repeatedly blocked me, citing the peace of the Pretty Dream Pavilion. So you see, in truth, nothing has changed. The woman from the Temple! How is she still alive? You... have you really forgotten the kindness of the sisters who took you in? You were being chased by the Imperial Assassins. Who saved you? Do you remember? Fuyi... don't be like that... you're making my heart ache... Danling. Stop pretending, or I'll kill you first as an example. Don't think I've forgotten how much trouble you gave me when I was in the Pavilion. Yanxue, if the Pretty Dream Pavilion can join the NoMercy House, I will ask our Master to teach you another way to learn the Supreme Heart Technique. That way, not only will we still be sisters, but we will also be able to practice Master's martial arts together. Wouldn't that be nice? Ohhhh! These women are superb! I think I can smell their fragrance, even! Lady Lan, that Danling girl looks really nice, do you think I can... hehehe... If you can take her down, then she will be yours. But if she is taken down by someone else, then she be become someone else's. Really? Great! Lan Fuyi! You go too far! Finally. The one actually in charge has arrived. Lady Fan. I wish to thank you for saving my life from a group of stinking soldiers.  Now I have only two demands. The first is for the Pretty Dream Pavilion to join the NoMercy House, and the other is for you to hand over the old woman Situ Jing as soon as possible, as well as all of her possessions. Granny Situ? Out of the question. She is no longer with us, but even if she were, I would never give her up to you. We have kept no items belonging to her. The Pretty Dream Pavilion has never been greedy. And as for your other demand, I have never been a servant to anyone but myself. Give up on your fool's errand. It's simply impossible. No longer here? Madam Fan, do you think I believe your empty words? What are you going to do about it? Hmmm... I guess I'll have to search the place myself. Boys! Let's do it! Hey, is everyone done? Is it my turn to speak up yet? Who dares! Yanxue, now that Li Tan is here. Act accordingly. And Danling, you don't know how to fight, so go hide. ... Hey now, don't turn your head, I'm talking to you, Miss Fuueh. Or was it Fully?Li Tan is deliberately getting Lan Fuyi's name wrong here. I think it literally means "clothed in fortune" or something like that. You seem like a good girl, why do you make yourself so scary? I see. It was you we could sense, lurking around Madam Fan. Speaking of that... hey, you. Me? Why me? If you're going to try and tail me, then you need to sharpen your skills. With your ability, it's like the cicada trying to catch the mantis. You've got the wrong guy! That guy over there, he's the one who's supposed to keep an eye on you! ... Anyway, you guys in black keep following me for some reason, are you after the Ancient King's City Map as well? I'll admit, you're good at running. You think you can lose us when the NoMercy House is on your trail? Lady Lan, this kid is surprisingly capable, please be careful. Hear that? They're looking down on you. Half price. Hey, didn't I already help you out with Su Qingrui? I'll be taking losses at that much of a discount. Thirty percent. Alas, so many years of friendship, thrown away for a mere sum of money? It's true what they say, one should never bring financial matters into a friendship... (So Li Tan is on good terms with Madam Fan! Are they old acquaintances? Was she the one who asked him to keep an eye on the affairs of the Philanthropist's Hall?) Li Tan! Found you! Well then, maybe I should ask you in for a cup of tea. Gossip a little while we're at it. My dearest sister, I've been waiting for your invitation all along. (They're both getting ignored... Qi Xiaoer and Lan Fuyi...) Li Tan! What are you planning? These women... no, wait, what's with these men in black? Hey, little girl, are you sure you should be coming to a place like the Pretty Dream Pavilion? Why doesn't that wintermelon brother of yours stop you? I keep telling you, it's Dong Guo, not "donggua"! Are they... squabbling amongst themselves? Lady Lan, what should we do? Hmph. I'll find that old nun today even if I have to tear down the entire pavilion! If anyone dares to stop me... then just kill them! Crap! It looks like they're going to target everyone here! Well, if a fight is unavoidable, I might as well take advantage of all the allies here, and give her a punch or two for Uncle Kong's sake! You ungrateful bastards, taste the power of my martial arts! drat, retreat! Ugh... Sister Fan! Sister! (Miss Xiangdie is seriously injured, let's send her back to the room for treatment.) What? Miss Xiangdie was injured? Oh no, our boss was once very much in love with Miss Xiangdie... I have to go back and report this to my superiors! Oh my! From afar, I saw a heroic soldier come to the Pretty Dream Pavilion! (This sounds horribly familiar.) Yep! Shaking the ground like a dragon, heroic march, that's me! Miss Xiangdie is just feeling a little dizzy and hasn't been taking good care of her body recently. I'm sure it's not something to disturb the authorities over. But... those men in black gauze... Ohoho, so you have an interest in black gauze? Come on in, I can arrange for some pretty girls like that. Just to make you happy. I... errr... well, if you insist. Ohohohoho! (drat, she sure got the better of that guard with just a few words... good luck!) Brother... was I really too reckless this time? Being reckless is another matter completely. Come on, a girl like you shouldn't stay in a flashy place like this, got it? ... We can talk about all this back at the Yuelai Inn. Alright. Now that the commotion's over, we should check in on Madam Fan. Yeah, let's.  That I should see the day when Li Tan, breaker of hearts, has himself been caught in the threads of love. No wonder you are always happy these days. That poor little girl has fallen into your hands. Hahaha. Brother Li, thank you for your help this time round. He doesn't deserve any thanks. The information I gave him was worth a fortune and he's about to demand his pay for helping to defend the pavilion. Ah, but that's because you're a good-hearted big sister who wouldn't let me leave without a reward. I have to follow the courtesies. Pfft. You're such a sweet talker, so good at coaxing women. How come you aren't doing the same for that Qi Xiao'er? Before finding the map and discovering the truth about what happened to my father, this Li Tan would not dare to delay for courtship. Please don't tease me anymore. Sister Fan, this man is no mere outsider. I have been observing him for a while, and our goals do not conflict. There should be no harm in telling him about the map. Look at you, so good at making friends, poor Sister Fan can't have a few friends of her own? This young man has helped me a lot at the Pretty Dream Pavilion. If you think you can trust him, then I will speak frankly. Our sisters in the court have learned that the Ancient King's City Map is now in the hands of the Imperial Court. Specifically, the minister Zhang You Shen. Zhang You Shen? I've heard of him. He's a great martial artist and loyal to the Emperor. But why does he have the map? To be precise, he is escorting it back to the Imperial Court. The Wolf Barbarians have been raiding across the border with greater and greater intensity these past few years. Hence, he will seek shelter nearby, in the villa of a cousin of the current Prime Minister. You may know it as the "First Fortune" Winery. Listen. Strange circumstances surround this map, and I cannot tell why. Not only that, the owner of the winery, Chen Changwei, has not only studied the sword, but has friends in high places. I am not necessarily trying to tell you to give up your investigation into the truth of the past. But please consider carefully what you want to do with your life.  I will take Sister Fan's words into consideration. And I will be careful of this Zhang You Shen. But I will continue on to the winery. Well, you won't be alone. Our sisters in the pavilion have received news that someone resembling Granny Situ is in the area. So I will also be visiting the winery in the near future.  By the way, Lan Fuyi was right. I do have an item left behind by Granny Situ, but the sisters in the pavilion have found it difficult to comprehend. Perhaps the young master could take a look? (This... this is a fragment of the Book of Heaven!) (The leaves of the dead are in high motion, and all is swept away...) (I heard a voice in my ear as I stroked the shard!) Oh? You look like you know what this is. Ah, sorry. To be honest, I've been looking for a few things in my travels, and I can't believe I've actually found one here! Well, then, if you want it, then the Pretty Dream Pavilion will be glad to give it to you, to repay your past kindnesses. (Haha, what a godsend!) If you don't mind my asking, Miss Xiangdie, I wonder what could possibly be the connection between Lan Fuyi and the Pretty Dream Pavilion. Alas, she is a poor girl too, in her own way. According to her, her father was a high-ranking general and a founding vassal of the Chen Dynasty. But the Emperor framed him and executed her entire family. She was the only child who managed to escape in the chaos. When I met her, she was only thirteen years old, with eyes full of hatred. I brought her back here, but it took her a long time to be willing to eat the food here. Unfortunately, I was unable to erase her hatred, and I did not agree to let her take revenge, because I could not risk the wrath of the Imperial Court. She left in anger, and the next time I saw her... well, you were witness to it, just now.  So that's how it was. I also plan to explore the winery, and would like to invite you along. But your injury... Oh, it's only a small wound. It's just that Fuyi's anger... well, it doesn't matter. Let's leave immediately. So are you headed to the First Fortune Winery? Yeah, that's pretty much the plan. To attack a govenment offical and steal his valuable map? He's probably corrupt. They all are. Yeah, I get it, but the point is... look, our horse gang can't afford to piss off the government. Ah. I see. In fact, I think it might be for the best if Ning'er sat out this one as well. What? No! Do you want to see your face on a wanted poster so badly? Think of the residents of Suishin Island. But big brother is their Island Master too... Siwang. You've got all the fragments of the Book of Heaven, haven't you? Well, yes. So you'll be going back home soon? Well, yes. See? No need to worry about being a wanted man. ...fine.  Brother Li, from what you said, it seems that you will have to deal with a very powerful person if you go to the First Fortune Winery. My martial arts are not too shabby myself. I'm glad you included me into your inside chat. I certainly can't sit back and do nothing, I'd like to come along and help. Good! Brother Gui, I was just about to ask the same of you. In that case, let's get on with it.I have to rejigger the party a little to accomodate bringing along Li Tan, Fan Xiangdie, and Qi Xiao'er (who is sulking in the inn). The upcoming bit at the First Fortune Winery is more or less a set piece involving them, so it doesn't really make sense to leave them out.  White Horse: "Li Tan's sword is a rare and precious gift from his master, Ximen Yutang, given on the day he mastered his martial arts. The blade is thin and sharp, the back of the blade is smooth, and the sword is fast, steady and agile, as if a white horse galloping without any restriction, hence the name." This weapon is widely considered to be the most OP one in the game, and lots of Blade users recruit Li Tan just to take it off him. Sure, it may not have as much damage as the Blood Blade, or come with it's own martial arts, but a 25% chance to refund AP spent on hit (50% after the skill-focused upgrade) means you can hit people for a lot longer.  Young Master Gui. About the matter of the Pretty Dream Pavilion... It's all settled now, thanks to the help of you and your martial brother. Speaking of whom, where is Brother Dong Guo? We received another notice from the sect, and he has been sent to another place by the master. (How strange, the Diancang Sect sent this pair down the mountain to capture Li Tan, but they keep getting separated. This is the third time, look at Li Tan's smiling face, could it be...?) What happened? What's with the sulky look? Who's bullying you? Huh? I say, what are you guys doing together? Aren't you busy with that woman...? What's wrong with being together? Oh, I see, not only did I not do anything bad this time round, but also saved a beautiful girl. What a heinous crime! Hmph, you really are a scoundrel! Even without my senior brother, I, the Diancang Fairy, will catch you and bring you to justice! Hey hey hey, put down your weapon and let's talk, alright? You and your brother chased me all the way to the capital, then from the east to the west of the country. You must have seen several cases of my work along the way. Tell me, do you feel that justice was not served in any of those cases? Let's not even consider the past before you met me. The cases you saw with me were... the fat and greasy old prime minister who took someone's daughter as his concubine, and the black-hearted landlord in Dongchuan who plotted to take his tenant's ancestral heirloom. Oh, and the ungrateful Jing Tairan of Dayan Town. Tch, what's happened to chivalry these days? The problem is that your tactics are improper! Are you suggesting I should have used legitimate means? If the Prime Minister took someone's daughter by force, then it should be reported to the magistrates. The Prime Minister's position is so high and powerful, even trivial complaints about him are rewarded with death. Let alone a charge as serious as this. ... then you should have at least reported that unscrupulous landlord in Dongchuan for stealing. Governments run on money. Even if I had reported him, and forced the governor to execute that unscrupulous landlord, who do you think would have replaced him? In the end, the poor tenant farmer would have had to pay his rent again, how would he make a living like that? Even so, you emptied half of his treasury and left a note blackmailing him into silence, how can that be chivalrous? Where do you think the money I gave to the farmer to flee for his life came from? And if I hadn't threatened to expose him, how many other poor souls would he rob? With this information in my hands, I doubt he would go as far as to hire assassins to track him down. Little girl, wake up. Not everything in this world is the way you want it to be, there are more corrupt officials in this world than you think. Righteousness is all very well and good when both parties are of the same mind. But where there is black water and mud, it's a good way to get yourself killed. Especially old-fashioned people like you who can only talk about righteousness and chivalry. Sorry. I don't know how to put it better. You... Oh dear, Li Tan, look at how annoyed you've made little sister Qi! Listen to what you are saying, are you perhaps trying to recruit her? How dare you try to take advantage of this little sister here, you slick kid, someone needs to give you a good lesson and teach you how to behave! Hey! I'm just saying what I think. To be honest with you, Sister Fan has been my best friend for many years. She's never guided me wrong, especially when I had just come down from the mountains and had no idea what the world was like. The Pretty Dream Pavilion is also well known as a place to trade for information. I just visited her for that purpose. Oh. I see. Do you feel more at ease now? But... even so, I am still under orders from the master to capture you... How right and proper of you. Allow me to make a suggestion. I have an important matter to take care of at the First Fortune Winery. Why don't you come along with me to the Winery and see if there is anything wrong with the way I do things this time? You can catch me red-handed, and turn me in, and then you'll be famous and people will have to bow to you and say "Great Lady". Fame, huh... Well, I'm not saying I agree with you, but just so that you have nothing to complain about, I'll join you, and see what you get up to over there.Sorry for the late update! Work's been killer recently. It's a little similar to the last update, I didn't expect Fan Xiangdie to hand over her fragment of the Book of Heaven so quickly. I swear, the first time I played this game, I remember having to jump through some hoops for her before she would hand it over. I also did a bunch of sidequests, but they were all sort of boring, so instead of wasting time I've elected to skip recording them entirely. No vote this time, we're off to the First Fortune Winery!
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2024 10:44
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 1, 2024 02:10 |
|
|
There's something really funny about the setting's secret history spinning almost entirely around three places. Good return on investment on making those places though, I can respect that.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2024 12:40
|
|