level_act49side_02_end

<p=1>Year 593</>

Better to sacrifice a few stones... than to lose the initiative...

One wrong move... and all is lost!

And all is lost...

Lost...

...So you found me.

You've been following me for quite a while. Show yourself.

Wang looks back. The mixture of weeping and lament moves away gradually, but it does not stop for even an instant.

Hmph.

Let me see what you've got.

Wang follows the eerie voice to a decrepit weiqi stall.

A man, presumably the owner of the stall, sits on the ground weeping. There is no one around.

One wrong move... and all is lost...

And all is lost!

Before Wang has a chance to take in the situation on the weiqi board, the man falls upon it and begins to wail, sending stones flying.

Ridiculous.

As Wang turns around to leave, the man's crying begins to abate.

Don't go, sir, please, I'll set up the board again...

This game cost me my life savings, my home, my farm, even my family scattered and some of them died because of it... I am very sick and don't have long to live.

A game. A game of weiqi, that cost me my home, my family, my life...

I couldn't let it go. Take a look for me. If you can find a solution...

...Perhaps fate can still be changed!

The man goes from sobbing to howling. As Wang stands motionless, the man picks up the stones from the ground, and quickly sets up the board.

Setup, probe, entrap, sacrifice, fight, exchange...

The man's hands move at a breathtaking pace. The game begins to grow as though it is alive, the war raging from the corners to the center, then to the other side which still lies empty, so fast the eyes can hardly keep up.

Before Wang can react, the man has put a black stone in his hand.

Your turn, sir.

...How?

Yes. How, indeed?

Black and white should have taken turns placing stones. But no black stone can be seen on the board, once you hold one. How should the game proceed?

This is ridiculous... I'll take my leave.

You ought to understand, sir.

This board is like an abyss. Every white stone is the size of a mountain, while the black ones that I have presumptuously placed upon it... are no more than game pieces.

We are so far from the board that even the mountains are no greater than the size of a thumb. How could we possibly see a tiny weiqi stone?

I held on as long as I could, but at this point I was dazed and exhausted. One wrong move...

The man begins to weep bitterly again—

...And all is lost!

Look! I gave each stone a name, but I couldn't save any of them! There is no way out for any of them!

This one is Shuo. This one is Wang. This one is Ling. This one is Jun—

Wang draws his blade and stabs at one of the white stones, only for it to make a sharp cracking sound as it bends, as though he were stabbing a boulder.

Pointless, like striking a rock with an egg...

Why did I play this game? I shouldn't have. Why...?

The sword turns and pierces the man's throat. He slumps to the ground, but no blood flows from the wound. The weeping grows even louder, though it is no longer intelligible.

The man's eyes glow with a strange expression. Is it fear or joy? He stares straight at Wang's face.

Wang instinctively reaches for the writing knife on his belt, but stops mid-way.

Finally, he ponders for a moment and puts the black stone in his hand on the board.

All is lost? Nonsense.

Set it here, and the game remains a toss-up.

No sooner have the words left Wang's mouth than the body on the ground turns into smoke, and the invisible black stones on the board reveal themselves.

Mr. Wang!

You...

I watched you stand in front of the door to the Sui Regulator before turning around again. I came to find you as I thought you might have met with a strange happening too.

Strange happening? You already know?

Yes.

...I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

There was a madman here crying about some omen of misfortune. He didn't make any sense.

Where is he?

Vanished. His weiqi game remains.

Understood. I'll have someone copy it down.

One more thing. The Supervisor says Jie should be about done with the book copying, and that you probably brought the copies. Have you...?

Here.

One moment please while I count them.

Three poetry anthologies for a total of thirty-two scrolls...

Five volumes on philology for a total of sixty scrolls...

One volume on divination for a total of five scrolls...

This is... the <i>Jijiuzhang</i>? Looks like it got mixed in with the divination books.

Jie is such a genius. She wrote this in a single night, all one thousand and four hundred words of it, without a single character repeated.

Her calligraphy is still so beautiful. There is truly no equal.

The Candleholder heaps praise upon the scroll. Wang follows his gaze—

And sees an empty piece of paper.

I remember this... five hundred years ago, in the capital.

The first time she proposed an actionable hypothesis for destroying Sui.

She gave me the writing knife, but I don't remember what the article was about, what she wanted to tell me...

Hah. By 'repeat', did you mean making me repeat the events of the past in dream?

Only to make you see for yourself how many fantasies have appeared in your dreams over the past thousand years, dreams about destroying me, dreams that were doomed to fail.

I should turn these memories into a cage, and drown you in the shame of countless failures.

See, now... all the memories that you have forgotten.

You forgot?

Sorry.

It's nothing. I'm just thinking too much, if the Sui Regulator didn't say anything...

I would like to have my writing knife back.

*sigh*... I don't know why you always seem so aloof. We don't see each other very often. Are you not happy at all?

I wonder if you'd regret it, if one of us suddenly disappeared forever.

I'd rather not be called 'the Fifth Sui' my entire life. As if Its mark were still on me.

The ones who create characters helped me think of one to use as a name. Could you read this for me, brother?

I shall write it and recite it for you.

The characters '■' and '■', '■' and '■', come together to form '■'.

Mr. Wang?

Is something the matter?

I remembered something.

My sister said she did the <i>Jijiuzhang</i> in a hurry and asked me to check it for errors. I forgot.

Give me some time.

Not a problem.

I'll leave this one for now, then. It's getting late. You can bring it back tomorrow.

A cage of memories?

Ridiculous... You won't get your wish.

The sky has completely darkened by the time the proxy arrives at the inn.

<i>'Ji Jiu Qi Gu Yu Zhong Yi, Luo Lie Zhu Wu Ming Xing Zi.'</i> The <i>Jijiuzhang</i> is distinctive, unlike other books: it lists the names of many things and persons.

...I should have remembered.

A breeze turns the pages. Wang seems to see a piece of paper in a different color on the back cover.

She was then trying to tell me something...

Wang picks up the thin booklet from the table and opens it.

<i>'Ji Jiu Qi Gu Yu Zhong Yi, Luo Lie Zhu Wu Ming Xing Zi.'</i> The <i>Jijiuzhang</i> is distinctive, unlike other books: it lists the names of many things and persons. <i>'Fen Bie Bu Ju Bu Za Ce, Yong Ri Yue Shao Cheng Kuai Yi, Mian Li Wu Zhi Bi You Xi.'</i> They are classified into different sections by kind, so that nothing is confused or mixed together. With but little time expended, it suffices for daily use—truly to one's satisfaction. If one studies it with diligence, one is sure to taste the delight of success.

These should have been the words written on the first page. These <i>were</i> the words, when Wang scanned the page for the first time.

But now, the paper is covered in strange ink markings.

<color=#d70000>Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui, Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui, Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui, Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui Sui</color>

Wang instinctively raises the writing knife and aims it at the first fierce-looking 'Sui' on the page.

One wrong move...

Who's there?

And all is lost...

The wind howls outside the window, but there is no one there.

Still trying to be our nightmare?

The same old tricks from centuries ago. Have you not grown tired of it yet?

When at a disadvantage, seek a draw...

There is no such thing as a draw between us.

When in danger, make sacrifices...

In your dreams.

<color=#d70000>Sui</color>

The writing knife strikes the first 'Sui'.

Wang has used his sister's writing knife before. A slight cut, and the incorrect word is completely erased, leaving the page intact.

But he feels a great resistance, as though he is trying to scrape a boulder, a mountain even.

He tightens his not-too-strong arms and pushes down—

Ji

A crack of thunder outside the window.

The first 'Sui' finally disappears. The paper is blank for a moment, then the word that Jie wrote is revealed, the lines intentionally plain yet vigorous to make for easier recognition by learners.

The lone 'Ji' stands eerie amongst a page full of 'Sui'.

...'Ji.'

Is that it?

Is smearing and dabbing the worst you can do?

Do not give in to haste...

Hmph.

<color=#d70000>Sui</color>

Wang takes aim at the second 'Sui' and scrapes it. The resistance seems even stronger than the first time.

Jiu

'Jiu.'

The night wind invades the room, trying to turn the pages, but Wang keeps the paper firmly under his palm.

<color=#d70000>Sui</color>

Qi

'Qi.'

<color=#d70000>Sui</color>

Gu

'Gu'—

The room starts to shake violently as the fourth word reveals itself.

<color=#d70000>Sui</color>

Yu

'Yu'...

The thunder outside rumbles endlessly, accompanied by constant lightning.

<color=#d70000>Sui</color>

Zhong

'Zhong'...

A bolt of lightning strikes the inn, setting it ablaze.

<color=#d70000>Sui</color>

Yi

'Yi'...!

The room burns fiercely, but Wang remains at the desk, utterly focused on cutting the page.

Each 'Sui' requires greater exertion than the last. Each time a 'Sui' is erased, a different hellish vision appears around him.

The sky sunders, the earth trembles, winds shriek and thunder roars, and fires burn red and bright.

The beams, the bed, the desk, the shelves... until there is nothing in the room left to burn, and even the ground has been burned through.

Wang can feel himself drop straight down like a stone, but his hands do not stop.

Scorching heat.

Freezing cold.

Suffocation.

Isolation...

One hundred, three hundred, five hundred, one thousand...

One thousand three hundred and ninety-three...

One thousand three hundred and ninety-four...

The last 'Sui' is erased, and he finds himself in the dark room again.

Nothing in the room has changed, except for Wang sitting in the middle of the room, his face gaunt and yellow, his clothes tattered, as though he physically journeyed through all these hellish visions.

(Heavy breathing)

What other weiqi wisdom do you have...? Spit it out, won't you?

Silence.

Wang turns the page. There is indeed a paper between the last page and the back cover. It is not words that are written on it, but a nineteen-by-nineteen weiqi board drawn with writing ink.

Not a classic match, but a handicap game of clearly mismatched sides.

Wait, this is...

It's one thing to make me play weiqi with you because you're bored, dear brother, it's another to use the stones to form the character for 'bored.'

As if that would help me against you.

Why don't you find something else to pass the time, if it's not really a weiqi game that you're after? Go hiking, learn an instrument... I could teach you calligraphy, if it comes down to that.

Oh? What thoughts did you read this time?

There are words on the other side...

Through the paper, Wang can see that the writing is different from the simple, straightforward lines that she used when copying for learners; it is the unique style of calligraphy that she uses when writing to her siblings.

He flips the paper over, trying to see what the message he never managed to see was—

But every word is covered by the 'Sui' character, even thicker and fiercer than the ones that he has just erased.

Same old tricks? Fine. Let's see what tricks you've got, other than illusions and parlor tricks—

Once again, Wang stabs the 'Sui' covering the page with the writing knife, wiping away a little smear on the top-right of the word...

No unusual phenomenon occurs, except the red blood that begins to flow from his right shoulder.

Urgh?!

To kill you is to kill me... is that so?

Suits me just fine...!

One stab, and the wound on his shoulder opens up.

Another stab, and the wound deepens to reach the bone.

Another stab.

And another...

Missing words? Let's see... what's the word... I can't remember...

In October, I'll be nine... nine...

Supervisor! Urgent report from the Sky Mirror Pavilion. All records pertaining to the Feranmut are—

Ugh... argh!

Perhaps the blood has gotten into his eyes, for it seems like the 'Sui' character covering the page has begun to move, as though it is alive.

The ink seems to fear the writing knife, shifting back and forth among the names of the twelve proxies...

<color=#d70000>Wang</color>

It stops on the 'Wang' character.

Wang pauses and presses his bloody right side with his left hand, then resolutely points the writing knife back at the word that covers everything.

The ink is so black it seems to shine, reflecting half of Wang's silhouette.

...The last cut.

The writing knife glows bright. The proxy pours his entire spirit into it, waiting for it to strike his own name...

Haah—!

The ink on the page dissipates completely, revealing the beautiful calligraphy beneath.

But the proxy can see it no more.

He falls to the ground, covered in blood, so thin and gaunt he hardly seems human.

He has stopped breathing.

I wanted to kill myself. I have gotten my wish.

After more than a century of plotting since your last failed attempt, this is how it ends, I the strategist, I the schemer?

You're delusional.

The proxy stands beside his bloody corpse on the floor, perfectly unharmed as he was when he entered the Tomb of Sui.

The body on the ground dissipates like the morning dew, until only three shining black stones are left—

Until they, too, disintegrate.

Turning yourself into weiqi stones. This was your idea.

Three black stones in exchange for killing you once. A fair trade.

Pathetic. You are fooling yourself.

Fooling myself?

I've visited many of your kind. I know how incomprehensible you are... how incomprehensible we are.

I know about the faint consciousnesses that were born from the primordial void, and I know how they have transformed themselves into colossal entities in the course of an infinity.

Time, space, quantity, structure... the things that mortals take for granted, the things that seem to be everlasting, unchangeable, are merely a temporary roost for you.

I have seen one of your kind continue to disrupt what should have been the calm flow of time, even though it had died long ago and been turned into a machine at the hands of others.

And you still dream of killing me?

Perhaps you have no need to die. But you will fall into eternal slumber, Sui, the dreamer of evolution.

Mankind has no use for your arrogant design, and I have no use for your endless dream.

Every death in your memory is real, a genuine death of a small part of your enormous consciousness.

Don't believe me? Think back to the day I encountered that 'madman', back when your methods were so primitive they were downright laughable. What did I do?

Did I give the book back to the Sui Regulator? Did I destroy it? What was written in it? Was it really a book?

See? You've forgotten.

You dare...!

Your memory has died, the price you paid in exchange for three black stones.

To be precise, you died by the writing knife imbued with a proxy's entire life force.

He scraped clean every instance of the 'Sui' character across all Great Yan, and with it any trace that a creature called 'Sui' ever existed.

The recklessness... the blasphemy!

I would do it again, had I the writing knife in my hand right now.

I would be happy to create for you a nightmare, from which you would never wake. Even at the cost of my own life.

...You cannot.

The more parts of me you kill, the more you think you have weakened me, and the sooner I will wake.

I know.

Death hurts. Each and every one of your memories is real. They are happening somewhere. The pain of your death cuts straight to the heart.

What about you? What can you do?

I will continue the game.

Until neither of us can ever rise again.