Chapter 527
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Chapter 527
As the soldiers of Sinuji cheer for the Living Legend and his bulging brass balls, I cant help but focus on the negative aspects of our current situation.
Colonel General Nian Zu, a man who only a few weeks ago represented the peak strength of a Martial Warrior under one-hundred years of age, just threw his best punch at an unsuspecting Zhu Chanzui, and big poppa piggy didnt even flinch. Literally. The dude stood in place, took the famed Shooting Star head on, and emerged with barely a scratch. The Immortal? More like the Immovable. Go on a diet, you fucking fat fatty.
Summoning crashing tsunamis, rolling waves of earth, and exploding words of smoke is impressive and all, but this exchange between Nian Zu and big poppa piggy truly highlights the vast difference between human and Divine. The Colonel General has no Elemental Blessing and to my knowledge, neither does Zhu Chanzui, so whatever skills they just used in their stunning but singular exchange are available to every Martial Warrior in existence, yet I cannot begin to fathom how any of it was even possible. What skills did Nian Zu use to turn his ordinary and unassuming mace into a supersonic projectile which exploded with the force of a goddamned missile? How did Zhu Chanzui forge a body strong enough to withstand such a powerful attack? For that matter, how did the attacks of a few dozen Peak Experts fail to even leave a mark on the Bristleboar Divinitys robes? Even if they were Runic Robes, seeing how theyd already been pierced by Nian Zus Shooting Star, it wouldve removed any protections the Runes mightve offered and the thrown spears, cleaving polearms, spinning axes, and crashing hammers shouldve at least left a few wrinkles, but no. Nothing.
Is it because of his Domain? Gens stopped a slash meant to separate his head from his shoulders, so maybe thats whats going on here, only dialed up to a hundred. Dammit, this makes my whole Undying routine laughable. Dont need to Heal if you never get hurt.
First Tenjin and now Nian Zu, my fellow soldiers draw courage from the exemplary display of these two outstanding individuals, but I find nothing inspiring in failure. While we have more Divinities, the Defiled still have a massive army which dwarfs our own, and then theres the minor detail in which were all dead once the Divinities start throwing punches. Call me a pessimist, but this is not a glass-half-full sort of moment, and I dont see anyway out aside from everyone taking a step back and adhering to the Treaty.
Which was just broken.
For the second time since this war started.
That I know of.
...
So probably not a great idea.
As it turns out, Im not the only one who wants to deescalate the situation. Emerging from the Defiled ranks, a second monk takes the stage alongside Zhu Chanzui and Mole Rat Lady. Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo, the old, but robust monk intones, carrying a Spade similar to Mahakalas while sporting an impressively long, white beard with matching frosted eyebrows. Assuming hes the Old Healer Jorani mentioned, this errant monk looks every bit the part with his neat, grey robes and humble demeanour, and he arguably even looks more compassionate than the Abbot due to having fewer wrinkles and actual eyebrows. Even the familiar phrase sounds every bit as natural coming from this newcomers lips, spoken in the same calm cadence and soothing timbre the other monks favour. There is nothing to be gained in a clash of Divinities, he says, eyes closed and palms pressed together in prayer as one would expect of a holy man. As the valiant Colonel General so ably demonstrated, ours is not a conflict in which mortals might participate, yet at its core, this is still a mortal issue. We who stand upon the cusp of true Divinity have transcended beyond the red dust of the mortal world, and should not lower ourselves to taking part in their meaningless struggles, especially in light of how we arrived at this impasse due to a simple misunderstanding. This monk implores you all to adhere to the Treaty, lest the world be consumed by our struggles. Shaking his head with a mournful sigh, the monk opens his eyes and directs his pointed gaze at the Abbot, one full of dejection and disappointment. It pains this monk to see the Penitent Brotherhood fall so far, to hear the esteemed Abbot, our revered leader and figurehead, sully himself with a cause so petty as revenge. Yours was to be the voice of reason, yet here you stand calling for the blood of another in callous disregard of the lives which will be lost in your quest for misguided vengeance. Such anger, such sin.
I hate how reasonable this new monk sounds and how he paints the Abbot as the bad guy while standing on the side of cannibals and rapists. Still drumming away on his wooden fish-drum, the Abbots heated response sends a chill down my spine even as the soothing clap of his instrument rings out into the night. Misguided? Is it misguided to seek justice for crimes committed? You implore us to hold to the Treaty, yet you stand with Zhu Chanzui who has already broken it, so many months ago when he took the life of this monks Senior Brother. Pointing at the Mole-Rat Divinity, the Abbot continues, You stand with this creature who not five minutes past broke the Treaty herself, a violation you witnessed with your own eyes and did nothing to stop. What would you have done if there were no other Divinities present? Chided her for her misunderstanding over a mountain of corpses? Snorting in time with his drum-beat, the Abbots forceful Hmph is teeming with righteous fury. By the terms of the Treaty you so invoke, violators are to be killed without mercy, for their actions threaten the safety and sanctity of all life in existence. Do as you say and adhere to the Treaty, Brother. Two such violators stand with you. Remove them, and the Treaty will be upheld, else you force this monks hand.
I love this virtuous, bloodthirsty monk persona much more than the no sex, drugs, or meat version. Granted, he seems awfully ambivalent about the fallout of his actions, but only an idiot plays by the rules when your enemies only does so when it suits them.
Then again, only an idiot throws more fuel onto a barely controlled blaze, as GangShu does with his sarcastic jibe. Kill all those Defiled while yer at it too. If not fer her, theyd all be dead and Id be nice and comfy out of me armour.
While hes not wrong, its hard not to feel like the Imperial Divinities are less concerned about innocent casualties than the Enemy Divinities, which leaves me more than a little conflicted. Then again, I suppose they might feel like thirty-thousand Imperials for one-million Defiled is a deal too good to pass up, and Id agree with them if neither I nor anyone I cared about were a part of those ill-fated thirty-thousand, not to mention all my sweet, lovable floofs. Maybe Im being biased and cant see the bigger picture, but either way, Im in favour of calling all Divinities to stand the fuck down.
Or at least, thats how I feel now that both sides have equal numbers. If it was just Mole-Rat lady? Then kill her and be done with it, but as events today have proven more than once, might, regrettably, makes right.
Arguable, but let this Sovereign offer a compromise. Striding out from what remains of the Defiled horde, Not-Gens green and silver Runic Armour is as pristine and polished as it was before the explosion, though how he managed it is a mystery for sure. Ringed by a dozen, black-armoured Demons, he looks the part of a young, Imperial Hero escorted by a cadre of elites, with a middle-aged monk by his side as his advisor.
Or is it a monk? Hes got the robes, but hes not bald, with close cropped hair and a strange, hooked sword at his side. His face looks familiar, but I cant quite place him...
While Not-Gen gives a lengthy speech on the glory of battle and whatnot, I lean back and nudge Masahige with my elbow. The man standing at Gens side. You recognize him? After a few seconds without an answer, I turn and find the lieutenant staring in a mixture of confusion and suspicion. What?
Between the darkness and distance, he whispers, eyes darting between Gen and myself, I can barely make out their figures, much less recognize a face.
...Weird. Turning back towards the Defiled army, I focus my gaze on the stragglers still moving into formation and note most are Northerners, as evidenced by their crude outfits which mostly consists of fur-lined leather wraps held together with pointy bone buttons. There are plenty of Western Defiled in the mix too, including a sizable detachment of gajashia-mounted heavy cavalry, but aside from that, its pasty-white northerners or native Western Imperials who were turned, either before or after the Wall fell. Turning back to Masahige, I ask, You wouldnt happen to have terrible eyesight, would you?
What the fuck is he talking about? Zhen Shi. No need to be coy about it. I know who he is now. So what now? We sit around and gab until the survivors come back? Shrugging, I add, Torture anyone famous recently?
Why did I ask that? I dont want to know.
Good, good, he replies with a grin, not at all bothered by my flippant discourtesy. This Sovereign grows weary of all the lies and deception, but needs must and such. Eyeing the bewildered Kuang Biao with obvious disdain, he scoffs and continues, A shame you brought along this Imperial dog. His presence offends this Sovereign, standing so close to a beast content to dine on whatever excrement the Emperor throws him. Turning his attention to Ghurda, he looks her strapping frame up and down with marked interest, even though her arm is almost as thick as Gens waist. This one... how curious. This Sovereign senses a hint of the Truth upon her, but not firsthand. No, she is too rigid and simple-minded, her will bound by dual constraints of honour and duty, so who does she know that walks in the shadows? His pupils dilate and eyes unfocus for all of a second before returning to normal, happening so quickly its over as soon as I notice. Ah yes... the young wolf. Promising, that one. He will make for a fine companion, so much rage and potential. I will speak to him personally and guide him along the Path, then he shall ride at my side as we topple the Empire, together.
Between Zhen Shis omniscience and Ghurdas throaty growl, my neck hairs are ready to abandon ship. Weathering the formidable Bannerwomans ire easily enough, his hateful smirk a perfect imitation of Gens own which makes me want to shove his face into the dirt and stomp on the back of his head.
...
Is it an imitation if its Gens own reaction? Youre not in complete control, are you? The question slips out before I can think better of it, but Zhen Shis response tells me everything I need to know, eyes widening as he leans away from the accusation and throws up a Sound Barrier to isolate us from Ghurda and Kuang Biao. Surprised and defensive. Im right, or at least Im not wrong. How much of you is Zhen Shi and how much is Gen? Sixty-forty at least, or you wouldve abandoned this as a failed effort. No, with how meticulously anal you are about things, sixty-forty is too low. Eighty-twenty at least, but even that minuscule resistance is enough to irk you. I see it now, the grand, long-winded speeches, the comical arrogance... Giving Zabu the lightest of touches, I urge him forward a single step and am rewarded with an almost panicked retreat as Not-Gen flinches away. The fear. Hes still in there, his personality bubbling to the surface despite your best efforts to suppress it. Smiling as I settle back into my seat and prepare myself for the worst, I add, Eight hundred years of experience, yet the infamous Zhen Shi still cant even control a common farm boy. How disgraceful.
Barely able to control his reaction, Not-Gens rage is apparent even to the soldiers on the wall, but aside from clenching his bladed hands and trembling in mute fury, he makes no move to refute my claims. Not sure how useful this information might be, since Im not even certain theres only one Zhen Shi. Its entirely possible Im looking at Gens body being puppeted by a Natal Soul, a snapshot of the original which has since been... corrupted, for lack of a better word, by Gens personality. I mean... Mahakala did say my Natal Palace diving ability wasnt entirely unheard of, and I cant think of any other way to take over someone elses body.
If I dove in too, could I fight Zhen Shi for control? Maybe its not Gen whos afraid of me, but actually Zhen Shi himself...
Debating whether or not I should tackle the half-Demon Not-Gen, the decision is made for me as Zhen Shi straightens up with a smile, his anger melting away in an instant. Youve been studying this Sovereigns work. How delightful. This time its my turn to poorly conceal my reaction, and I inwardly grumble about sharing so much in common with a creepy psychopathic torturer. A clever child to read so much from my scrawls, a more worthy successor than any this Sovereign has come across in his centuries of existence. Is this how you came upon your new Path? Through inspiration from this Sovereigns words? How fascinating. Pray tell, which experiments in particular led you to the conclusions you made? Was it perhaps 1792? No, that would not be enough on its own, but combined with 7485 and 11548, as well as a minor misinterpretation of 616 and 1610, then this Sovereign could see how one might arrive at such a unique interpretation. Then theres...
While Zhen Shi rambles on like a crazed comic book fan, I wrack my memory for the experiments mentioned, though the only one that stands out is the first experiment he listed off, 1792. Thats the experiment where the test subject from the previous experiment turns into a Demon and starts fucking things up, but I have no idea what those other experiments were about. Ill take another look at 616 and 1610, but Im pretty sure the books end well before 11548, or even 7485, which means there are more volumes than the ones in Fu Zhu Lis collection.
Also, what does he mean, new Path? When the fuck did that happen? Did I take a wrong turn somewhere?
Enough. Cutting Zhen Shis rambling short, Ghurda steps through the Sound Barrier and puts herself between Not-Gen and me. The Divinities be long gone by now, and we ought to do the same. Sooner this fight starts, the sooner I get to bury me axe in yer skull.
Wait! Visibly flustered, Not-Gens gajashia moves a few steps forward before he reins it back, undecided if he wants to get closer or not. Join this Sovereign, and he will spare your people, all of Sinuji if you so desire it. Eyes burning with desire, he Sends, Do you not see it too? We are two kindred minds, you and I. Join me, and together, we will lead humanity into a new era of greatness, one free of the restraints imposed by the Imperial Clan. Know this, should the Emperor learn of your heresy, he will not offer you mercy as this Sovereign does. No, he will kill you and all you hold dear to ensure your secret dies with you. Mine is the hand of mercy, young Devourer. Do not reject it lightly.
Instead of answering, I study his hesitant posture for long seconds before asking, Why are you so afraid?
Flinching at the question, Not-Gens face wavers between determination and reluctance before cautiously answering, Accept this Sovereigns offer, and the answer will soon become apparent.
Finally, the light-bulb turns on and the pieces fall into place. Yea... youre not Zhen Shi, I say, dismissing him with a wave of my hand while turning Zabu away to leave. Not entirely, but even if you were, my answer would be the same.
Because now I know why Zhen Shi, the real Zhen Shi, sent not one, but two armies to Sinuji just to take my life.
Hes afraid of me, afraid of my power. Whether its my ability to Devour or this new Path he speaks of, hes worried about what I might do if given time to develop.
Which means not only is there hope for my recovery, theres a way I can recover quickly enough to prove an immediate threat to his plans.
...
Now if only I knew how...
Chapter Meme
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Chapter 527
As the soldiers of Sinuji cheer for the Living Legend and his bulging brass balls, I cant help but focus on the negative aspects of our current situation.
Colonel General Nian Zu, a man who only a few weeks ago represented the peak strength of a Martial Warrior under one-hundred years of age, just threw his best punch at an unsuspecting Zhu Chanzui, and big poppa piggy didnt even flinch. Literally. The dude stood in place, took the famed Shooting Star head on, and emerged with barely a scratch. The Immortal? More like the Immovable. Go on a diet, you fucking fat fatty.
Summoning crashing tsunamis, rolling waves of earth, and exploding words of smoke is impressive and all, but this exchange between Nian Zu and big poppa piggy truly highlights the vast difference between human and Divine. The Colonel General has no Elemental Blessing and to my knowledge, neither does Zhu Chanzui, so whatever skills they just used in their stunning but singular exchange are available to every Martial Warrior in existence, yet I cannot begin to fathom how any of it was even possible. What skills did Nian Zu use to turn his ordinary and unassuming mace into a supersonic projectile which exploded with the force of a goddamned missile? How did Zhu Chanzui forge a body strong enough to withstand such a powerful attack? For that matter, how did the attacks of a few dozen Peak Experts fail to even leave a mark on the Bristleboar Divinitys robes? Even if they were Runic Robes, seeing how theyd already been pierced by Nian Zus Shooting Star, it wouldve removed any protections the Runes mightve offered and the thrown spears, cleaving polearms, spinning axes, and crashing hammers shouldve at least left a few wrinkles, but no. Nothing.
Is it because of his Domain? Gens stopped a slash meant to separate his head from his shoulders, so maybe thats whats going on here, only dialed up to a hundred. Dammit, this makes my whole Undying routine laughable. Dont need to Heal if you never get hurt.
First Tenjin and now Nian Zu, my fellow soldiers draw courage from the exemplary display of these two outstanding individuals, but I find nothing inspiring in failure. While we have more Divinities, the Defiled still have a massive army which dwarfs our own, and then theres the minor detail in which were all dead once the Divinities start throwing punches. Call me a pessimist, but this is not a glass-half-full sort of moment, and I dont see anyway out aside from everyone taking a step back and adhering to the Treaty.
Which was just broken.
For the second time since this war started.
That I know of.
...
So probably not a great idea.
As it turns out, Im not the only one who wants to deescalate the situation. Emerging from the Defiled ranks, a second monk takes the stage alongside Zhu Chanzui and Mole Rat Lady. Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo, the old, but robust monk intones, carrying a Spade similar to Mahakalas while sporting an impressively long, white beard with matching frosted eyebrows. Assuming hes the Old Healer Jorani mentioned, this errant monk looks every bit the part with his neat, grey robes and humble demeanour, and he arguably even looks more compassionate than the Abbot due to having fewer wrinkles and actual eyebrows. Even the familiar phrase sounds every bit as natural coming from this newcomers lips, spoken in the same calm cadence and soothing timbre the other monks favour. There is nothing to be gained in a clash of Divinities, he says, eyes closed and palms pressed together in prayer as one would expect of a holy man. As the valiant Colonel General so ably demonstrated, ours is not a conflict in which mortals might participate, yet at its core, this is still a mortal issue. We who stand upon the cusp of true Divinity have transcended beyond the red dust of the mortal world, and should not lower ourselves to taking part in their meaningless struggles, especially in light of how we arrived at this impasse due to a simple misunderstanding. This monk implores you all to adhere to the Treaty, lest the world be consumed by our struggles. Shaking his head with a mournful sigh, the monk opens his eyes and directs his pointed gaze at the Abbot, one full of dejection and disappointment. It pains this monk to see the Penitent Brotherhood fall so far, to hear the esteemed Abbot, our revered leader and figurehead, sully himself with a cause so petty as revenge. Yours was to be the voice of reason, yet here you stand calling for the blood of another in callous disregard of the lives which will be lost in your quest for misguided vengeance. Such anger, such sin.
I hate how reasonable this new monk sounds and how he paints the Abbot as the bad guy while standing on the side of cannibals and rapists. Still drumming away on his wooden fish-drum, the Abbots heated response sends a chill down my spine even as the soothing clap of his instrument rings out into the night. Misguided? Is it misguided to seek justice for crimes committed? You implore us to hold to the Treaty, yet you stand with Zhu Chanzui who has already broken it, so many months ago when he took the life of this monks Senior Brother. Pointing at the Mole-Rat Divinity, the Abbot continues, You stand with this creature who not five minutes past broke the Treaty herself, a violation you witnessed with your own eyes and did nothing to stop. What would you have done if there were no other Divinities present? Chided her for her misunderstanding over a mountain of corpses? Snorting in time with his drum-beat, the Abbots forceful Hmph is teeming with righteous fury. By the terms of the Treaty you so invoke, violators are to be killed without mercy, for their actions threaten the safety and sanctity of all life in existence. Do as you say and adhere to the Treaty, Brother. Two such violators stand with you. Remove them, and the Treaty will be upheld, else you force this monks hand.
I love this virtuous, bloodthirsty monk persona much more than the no sex, drugs, or meat version. Granted, he seems awfully ambivalent about the fallout of his actions, but only an idiot plays by the rules when your enemies only does so when it suits them.
Then again, only an idiot throws more fuel onto a barely controlled blaze, as GangShu does with his sarcastic jibe. Kill all those Defiled while yer at it too. If not fer her, theyd all be dead and Id be nice and comfy out of me armour.
While hes not wrong, its hard not to feel like the Imperial Divinities are less concerned about innocent casualties than the Enemy Divinities, which leaves me more than a little conflicted. Then again, I suppose they might feel like thirty-thousand Imperials for one-million Defiled is a deal too good to pass up, and Id agree with them if neither I nor anyone I cared about were a part of those ill-fated thirty-thousand, not to mention all my sweet, lovable floofs. Maybe Im being biased and cant see the bigger picture, but either way, Im in favour of calling all Divinities to stand the fuck down.
Or at least, thats how I feel now that both sides have equal numbers. If it was just Mole-Rat lady? Then kill her and be done with it, but as events today have proven more than once, might, regrettably, makes right.
Arguable, but let this Sovereign offer a compromise. Striding out from what remains of the Defiled horde, Not-Gens green and silver Runic Armour is as pristine and polished as it was before the explosion, though how he managed it is a mystery for sure. Ringed by a dozen, black-armoured Demons, he looks the part of a young, Imperial Hero escorted by a cadre of elites, with a middle-aged monk by his side as his advisor.
Or is it a monk? Hes got the robes, but hes not bald, with close cropped hair and a strange, hooked sword at his side. His face looks familiar, but I cant quite place him...
While Not-Gen gives a lengthy speech on the glory of battle and whatnot, I lean back and nudge Masahige with my elbow. The man standing at Gens side. You recognize him? After a few seconds without an answer, I turn and find the lieutenant staring in a mixture of confusion and suspicion. What?
Between the darkness and distance, he whispers, eyes darting between Gen and myself, I can barely make out their figures, much less recognize a face.
...Weird. Turning back towards the Defiled army, I focus my gaze on the stragglers still moving into formation and note most are Northerners, as evidenced by their crude outfits which mostly consists of fur-lined leather wraps held together with pointy bone buttons. There are plenty of Western Defiled in the mix too, including a sizable detachment of gajashia-mounted heavy cavalry, but aside from that, its pasty-white northerners or native Western Imperials who were turned, either before or after the Wall fell. Turning back to Masahige, I ask, You wouldnt happen to have terrible eyesight, would you?
What the fuck is he talking about? Zhen Shi. No need to be coy about it. I know who he is now. So what now? We sit around and gab until the survivors come back? Shrugging, I add, Torture anyone famous recently?
Why did I ask that? I dont want to know.
Good, good, he replies with a grin, not at all bothered by my flippant discourtesy. This Sovereign grows weary of all the lies and deception, but needs must and such. Eyeing the bewildered Kuang Biao with obvious disdain, he scoffs and continues, A shame you brought along this Imperial dog. His presence offends this Sovereign, standing so close to a beast content to dine on whatever excrement the Emperor throws him. Turning his attention to Ghurda, he looks her strapping frame up and down with marked interest, even though her arm is almost as thick as Gens waist. This one... how curious. This Sovereign senses a hint of the Truth upon her, but not firsthand. No, she is too rigid and simple-minded, her will bound by dual constraints of honour and duty, so who does she know that walks in the shadows? His pupils dilate and eyes unfocus for all of a second before returning to normal, happening so quickly its over as soon as I notice. Ah yes... the young wolf. Promising, that one. He will make for a fine companion, so much rage and potential. I will speak to him personally and guide him along the Path, then he shall ride at my side as we topple the Empire, together.
Between Zhen Shis omniscience and Ghurdas throaty growl, my neck hairs are ready to abandon ship. Weathering the formidable Bannerwomans ire easily enough, his hateful smirk a perfect imitation of Gens own which makes me want to shove his face into the dirt and stomp on the back of his head.
...
Is it an imitation if its Gens own reaction? Youre not in complete control, are you? The question slips out before I can think better of it, but Zhen Shis response tells me everything I need to know, eyes widening as he leans away from the accusation and throws up a Sound Barrier to isolate us from Ghurda and Kuang Biao. Surprised and defensive. Im right, or at least Im not wrong. How much of you is Zhen Shi and how much is Gen? Sixty-forty at least, or you wouldve abandoned this as a failed effort. No, with how meticulously anal you are about things, sixty-forty is too low. Eighty-twenty at least, but even that minuscule resistance is enough to irk you. I see it now, the grand, long-winded speeches, the comical arrogance... Giving Zabu the lightest of touches, I urge him forward a single step and am rewarded with an almost panicked retreat as Not-Gen flinches away. The fear. Hes still in there, his personality bubbling to the surface despite your best efforts to suppress it. Smiling as I settle back into my seat and prepare myself for the worst, I add, Eight hundred years of experience, yet the infamous Zhen Shi still cant even control a common farm boy. How disgraceful.
Barely able to control his reaction, Not-Gens rage is apparent even to the soldiers on the wall, but aside from clenching his bladed hands and trembling in mute fury, he makes no move to refute my claims. Not sure how useful this information might be, since Im not even certain theres only one Zhen Shi. Its entirely possible Im looking at Gens body being puppeted by a Natal Soul, a snapshot of the original which has since been... corrupted, for lack of a better word, by Gens personality. I mean... Mahakala did say my Natal Palace diving ability wasnt entirely unheard of, and I cant think of any other way to take over someone elses body.
If I dove in too, could I fight Zhen Shi for control? Maybe its not Gen whos afraid of me, but actually Zhen Shi himself...
Debating whether or not I should tackle the half-Demon Not-Gen, the decision is made for me as Zhen Shi straightens up with a smile, his anger melting away in an instant. Youve been studying this Sovereigns work. How delightful. This time its my turn to poorly conceal my reaction, and I inwardly grumble about sharing so much in common with a creepy psychopathic torturer. A clever child to read so much from my scrawls, a more worthy successor than any this Sovereign has come across in his centuries of existence. Is this how you came upon your new Path? Through inspiration from this Sovereigns words? How fascinating. Pray tell, which experiments in particular led you to the conclusions you made? Was it perhaps 1792? No, that would not be enough on its own, but combined with 7485 and 11548, as well as a minor misinterpretation of 616 and 1610, then this Sovereign could see how one might arrive at such a unique interpretation. Then theres...
While Zhen Shi rambles on like a crazed comic book fan, I wrack my memory for the experiments mentioned, though the only one that stands out is the first experiment he listed off, 1792. Thats the experiment where the test subject from the previous experiment turns into a Demon and starts fucking things up, but I have no idea what those other experiments were about. Ill take another look at 616 and 1610, but Im pretty sure the books end well before 11548, or even 7485, which means there are more volumes than the ones in Fu Zhu Lis collection.
Also, what does he mean, new Path? When the fuck did that happen? Did I take a wrong turn somewhere?
Enough. Cutting Zhen Shis rambling short, Ghurda steps through the Sound Barrier and puts herself between Not-Gen and me. The Divinities be long gone by now, and we ought to do the same. Sooner this fight starts, the sooner I get to bury me axe in yer skull.
Wait! Visibly flustered, Not-Gens gajashia moves a few steps forward before he reins it back, undecided if he wants to get closer or not. Join this Sovereign, and he will spare your people, all of Sinuji if you so desire it. Eyes burning with desire, he Sends, Do you not see it too? We are two kindred minds, you and I. Join me, and together, we will lead humanity into a new era of greatness, one free of the restraints imposed by the Imperial Clan. Know this, should the Emperor learn of your heresy, he will not offer you mercy as this Sovereign does. No, he will kill you and all you hold dear to ensure your secret dies with you. Mine is the hand of mercy, young Devourer. Do not reject it lightly.
Instead of answering, I study his hesitant posture for long seconds before asking, Why are you so afraid?
Flinching at the question, Not-Gens face wavers between determination and reluctance before cautiously answering, Accept this Sovereigns offer, and the answer will soon become apparent.
Finally, the light-bulb turns on and the pieces fall into place. Yea... youre not Zhen Shi, I say, dismissing him with a wave of my hand while turning Zabu away to leave. Not entirely, but even if you were, my answer would be the same.
Because now I know why Zhen Shi, the real Zhen Shi, sent not one, but two armies to Sinuji just to take my life.
Hes afraid of me, afraid of my power. Whether its my ability to Devour or this new Path he speaks of, hes worried about what I might do if given time to develop.
Which means not only is there hope for my recovery, theres a way I can recover quickly enough to prove an immediate threat to his plans.
...
Now if only I knew how...
Chapter Meme
Chapter 527As the soldiers of Sinuji cheer for the Living Legend and his bulging brass balls, I cant help but focus on the negative aspects of our current situation.Colonel General Nian Zu, a man who only a few weeks ago represented the peak strength of a Martial Warrior under one-hundred years of age, just threw his best punch at an unsuspecting Zhu Chanzui, and big poppa piggy didnt even flinch. Literally. The dude stood in place, took the famed Shooting Star head on, and emerged with barely a scratch. The Immortal? More like the Immovable. Go on a diet, you fucking fat fatty.Summoning crashing tsunamis, rolling waves of earth, and exploding words of smoke is impressive and all, but this exchange between Nian Zu and big poppa piggy truly highlights the vast difference between human and Divine. The Colonel General has no Elemental Blessing and to my knowledge, neither does Zhu Chanzui, so whatever skills they just used in their stunning but singular exchange are available to every Martial Warrior in existence, yet I cannot begin to fathom how any of it was even possible. What skills did Nian Zu use to turn his ordinary and unassuming mace into a supersonic projectile which exploded with the force of a goddamned missile? How did Zhu Chanzui forge a body strong enough to withstand such a powerful attack? For that matter, how did the attacks of a few dozen Peak Experts fail to even leave a mark on the Bristleboar Divinitys robes? Even if they were Runic Robes, seeing how theyd already been pierced by Nian Zus Shooting Star, it wouldve removed any protections the Runes mightve offered and the thrown spears, cleaving polearms, spinning axes, and crashing hammers shouldve at least left a few wrinkles, but no. Nothing.Is it because of his Domain? Gens stopped a slash meant to separate his head from his shoulders, so maybe thats whats going on here, only dialed up to a hundred. Dammit, this makes my whole Undying routine laughable. Dont need to Heal if you never get hurt.First Tenjin and now Nian Zu, my fellow soldiers draw courage from the exemplary display of these two outstanding individuals, but I find nothing inspiring in failure. While we have more Divinities, the Defiled still have a massive army which dwarfs our own, and then theres the minor detail in which were all dead once the Divinities start throwing punches. Call me a pessimist, but this is not a glass-half-full sort of moment, and I dont see anyway out aside from everyone taking a step back and adhering to the Treaty.Which was just broken.For the second time since this war started.That I know of....So probably not a great idea.As it turns out, Im not the only one who wants to deescalate the situation. Emerging from the Defiled ranks, a second monk takes the stage alongside Zhu Chanzui and Mole Rat Lady. Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo, the old, but robust monk intones, carrying a Spade similar to Mahakalas while sporting an impressively long, white beard with matching frosted eyebrows. Assuming hes the Old Healer Jorani mentioned, this errant monk looks every bit the part with his neat, grey robes and humble demeanour, and he arguably even looks more compassionate than the Abbot due to having fewer wrinkles and actual eyebrows. Even the familiar phrase sounds every bit as natural coming from this newcomers lips, spoken in the same calm cadence and soothing timbre the other monks favour. There is nothing to be gained in a clash of Divinities, he says, eyes closed and palms pressed together in prayer as one would expect of a holy man. As the valiant Colonel General so ably demonstrated, ours is not a conflict in which mortals might participate, yet at its core, this is still a mortal issue. We who stand upon the cusp of true Divinity have transcended beyond the red dust of the mortal world, and should not lower ourselves to taking part in their meaningless struggles, especially in light of how we arrived at this impasse due to a simple misunderstanding. This monk implores you all to adhere to the Treaty, lest the world be consumed by our struggles. Shaking his head with a mournful sigh, the monk opens his eyes and directs his pointed gaze at the Abbot, one full of dejection and disappointment. It pains this monk to see the Penitent Brotherhood fall so far, to hear the esteemed Abbot, our revered leader and figurehead, sully himself with a cause so petty as revenge. Yours was to be the voice of reason, yet here you stand calling for the blood of another in callous disregard of the lives which will be lost in your quest for misguided vengeance. Such anger, such sin.I hate how reasonable this new monk sounds and how he paints the Abbot as the bad guy while standing on the side of cannibals and rapists. Still drumming away on his wooden fish-drum, the Abbots heated response sends a chill down my spine even as the soothing clap of his instrument rings out into the night. Misguided? Is it misguided to seek justice for crimes committed? You implore us to hold to the Treaty, yet you stand with Zhu Chanzui who has already broken it, so many months ago when he took the life of this monks Senior Brother. Pointing at the Mole-Rat Divinity, the Abbot continues, You stand with this creature who not five minutes past broke the Treaty herself, a violation you witnessed with your own eyes and did nothing to stop. What would you have done if there were no other Divinities present? Chided her for her misunderstanding over a mountain of corpses? Snorting in time with his drum-beat, the Abbots forceful Hmph is teeming with righteous fury. By the terms of the Treaty you so invoke, violators are to be killed without mercy, for their actions threaten the safety and sanctity of all life in existence. Do as you say and adhere to the Treaty, Brother. Two such violators stand with you. Remove them, and the Treaty will be upheld, else you force this monks hand.I love this virtuous, bloodthirsty monk persona much more than the no sex, drugs, or meat version. Granted, he seems awfully ambivalent about the fallout of his actions, but only an idiot plays by the rules when your enemies only does so when it suits them.Then again, only an idiot throws more fuel onto a barely controlled blaze, as GangShu does with his sarcastic jibe. Kill all those Defiled while yer at it too. If not fer her, theyd all be dead and Id be nice and comfy out of me armour.While hes not wrong, its hard not to feel like the Imperial Divinities are less concerned about innocent casualties than the Enemy Divinities, which leaves me more than a little conflicted. Then again, I suppose they might feel like thirty-thousand Imperials for one-million Defiled is a deal too good to pass up, and Id agree with them if neither I nor anyone I cared about were a part of those ill-fated thirty-thousand, not to mention all my sweet, lovable floofs. Maybe Im being biased and cant see the bigger picture, but either way, Im in favour of calling all Divinities to stand the fuck down.Or at least, thats how I feel now that both sides have equal numbers. If it was just Mole-Rat lady? Then kill her and be done with it, but as events today have proven more than once, might, regrettably, makes right.Arguable, but let this Sovereign offer a compromise. Striding out from what remains of the Defiled horde, Not-Gens green and silver Runic Armour is as pristine and polished as it was before the explosion, though how he managed it is a mystery for sure. Ringed by a dozen, black-armoured Demons, he looks the part of a young, Imperial Hero escorted by a cadre of elites, with a middle-aged monk by his side as his advisor.Or is it a monk? Hes got the robes, but hes not bald, with close cropped hair and a strange, hooked sword at his side. His face looks familiar, but I cant quite place him...While Not-Gen gives a lengthy speech on the glory of battle and whatnot, I lean back and nudge Masahige with my elbow. The man standing at Gens side. You recognize him? After a few seconds without an answer, I turn and find the lieutenant staring in a mixture of confusion and suspicion. What?Between the darkness and distance, he whispers, eyes darting between Gen and myself, I can barely make out their figures, much less recognize a face....Weird. Turning back towards the Defiled army, I focus my gaze on the stragglers still moving into formation and note most are Northerners, as evidenced by their crude outfits which mostly consists of fur-lined leather wraps held together with pointy bone buttons. There are plenty of Western Defiled in the mix too, including a sizable detachment of gajashia-mounted heavy cavalry, but aside from that, its pasty-white northerners or native Western Imperials who were turned, either before or after the Wall fell. Turning back to Masahige, I ask, You wouldnt happen to have terrible eyesight, would you?What the fuck is he talking about? Zhen Shi. No need to be coy about it. I know who he is now. So what now? We sit around and gab until the survivors come back? Shrugging, I add, Torture anyone famous recently?Why did I ask that? I dont want to know.Good, good, he replies with a grin, not at all bothered by my flippant discourtesy. This Sovereign grows weary of all the lies and deception, but needs must and such. Eyeing the bewildered Kuang Biao with obvious disdain, he scoffs and continues, A shame you brought along this Imperial dog. His presence offends this Sovereign, standing so close to a beast content to dine on whatever excrement the Emperor throws him. Turning his attention to Ghurda, he looks her strapping frame up and down with marked interest, even though her arm is almost as thick as Gens waist. This one... how curious. This Sovereign senses a hint of the Truth upon her, but not firsthand. No, she is too rigid and simple-minded, her will bound by dual constraints of honour and duty, so who does she know that walks in the shadows? His pupils dilate and eyes unfocus for all of a second before returning to normal, happening so quickly its over as soon as I notice. Ah yes... the young wolf. Promising, that one. He will make for a fine companion, so much rage and potential. I will speak to him personally and guide him along the Path, then he shall ride at my side as we topple the Empire, together.Between Zhen Shis omniscience and Ghurdas throaty growl, my neck hairs are ready to abandon ship. Weathering the formidable Bannerwomans ire easily enough, his hateful smirk a perfect imitation of Gens own which makes me want to shove his face into the dirt and stomp on the back of his head....Is it an imitation if its Gens own reaction? Youre not in complete control, are you? The question slips out before I can think better of it, but Zhen Shis response tells me everything I need to know, eyes widening as he leans away from the accusation and throws up a Sound Barrier to isolate us from Ghurda and Kuang Biao. Surprised and defensive. Im right, or at least Im not wrong. How much of you is Zhen Shi and how much is Gen? Sixty-forty at least, or you wouldve abandoned this as a failed effort. No, with how meticulously anal you are about things, sixty-forty is too low. Eighty-twenty at least, but even that minuscule resistance is enough to irk you. I see it now, the grand, long-winded speeches, the comical arrogance... Giving Zabu the lightest of touches, I urge him forward a single step and am rewarded with an almost panicked retreat as Not-Gen flinches away. The fear. Hes still in there, his personality bubbling to the surface despite your best efforts to suppress it. Smiling as I settle back into my seat and prepare myself for the worst, I add, Eight hundred years of experience, yet the infamous Zhen Shi still cant even control a common farm boy. How disgraceful.Barely able to control his reaction, Not-Gens rage is apparent even to the soldiers on the wall, but aside from clenching his bladed hands and trembling in mute fury, he makes no move to refute my claims. Not sure how useful this information might be, since Im not even certain theres only one Zhen Shi. Its entirely possible Im looking at Gens body being puppeted by a Natal Soul, a snapshot of the original which has since been... corrupted, for lack of a better word, by Gens personality. I mean... Mahakala did say my Natal Palace diving ability wasnt entirely unheard of, and I cant think of any other way to take over someone elses body.If I dove in too, could I fight Zhen Shi for control? Maybe its not Gen whos afraid of me, but actually Zhen Shi himself...Debating whether or not I should tackle the half-Demon Not-Gen, the decision is made for me as Zhen Shi straightens up with a smile, his anger melting away in an instant. Youve been studying this Sovereigns work. How delightful. This time its my turn to poorly conceal my reaction, and I inwardly grumble about sharing so much in common with a creepy psychopathic torturer. A clever child to read so much from my scrawls, a more worthy successor than any this Sovereign has come across in his centuries of existence. Is this how you came upon your new Path? Through inspiration from this Sovereigns words? How fascinating. Pray tell, which experiments in particular led you to the conclusions you made? Was it perhaps 1792? No, that would not be enough on its own, but combined with 7485 and 11548, as well as a minor misinterpretation of 616 and 1610, then this Sovereign could see how one might arrive at such a unique interpretation. Then theres...While Zhen Shi rambles on like a crazed comic book fan, I wrack my memory for the experiments mentioned, though the only one that stands out is the first experiment he listed off, 1792. Thats the experiment where the test subject from the previous experiment turns into a Demon and starts fucking things up, but I have no idea what those other experiments were about. Ill take another look at 616 and 1610, but Im pretty sure the books end well before 11548, or even 7485, which means there are more volumes than the ones in Fu Zhu Lis collection.Also, what does he mean, new Path? When the fuck did that happen? Did I take a wrong turn somewhere?Enough. Cutting Zhen Shis rambling short, Ghurda steps through the Sound Barrier and puts herself between Not-Gen and me. The Divinities be long gone by now, and we ought to do the same. Sooner this fight starts, the sooner I get to bury me axe in yer skull.Wait! Visibly flustered, Not-Gens gajashia moves a few steps forward before he reins it back, undecided if he wants to get closer or not. Join this Sovereign, and he will spare your people, all of Sinuji if you so desire it. Eyes burning with desire, he Sends, Do you not see it too? We are two kindred minds, you and I. Join me, and together, we will lead humanity into a new era of greatness, one free of the restraints imposed by the Imperial Clan. Know this, should the Emperor learn of your heresy, he will not offer you mercy as this Sovereign does. No, he will kill you and all you hold dear to ensure your secret dies with you. Mine is the hand of mercy, young Devourer. Do not reject it lightly.Instead of answering, I study his hesitant posture for long seconds before asking, Why are you so afraid?Flinching at the question, Not-Gens face wavers between determination and reluctance before cautiously answering, Accept this Sovereigns offer, and the answer will soon become apparent.Finally, the light-bulb turns on and the pieces fall into place. Yea... youre not Zhen Shi, I say, dismissing him with a wave of my hand while turning Zabu away to leave. Not entirely, but even if you were, my answer would be the same.Because now I know why Zhen Shi, the real Zhen Shi, sent not one, but two armies to Sinuji just to take my life.Hes afraid of me, afraid of my power. Whether its my ability to Devour or this new Path he speaks of, hes worried about what I might do if given time to develop.Which means not only is there hope for my recovery, theres a way I can recover quickly enough to prove an immediate threat to his plans....Now if only I knew how...Chapter Meme
