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Fates Parallel Interlude 4.1 - The Grand Game
🕑 Added 2022-05-30 21:44:26 +0000 UTCGrand Magus—oops, that was former Grand Magus now—Do Hye examined the go board in front of him carefully. He’d always been something of a ponderous player, but his opponent didn’t seem to mind it much. To a casual observer, it might seem like he was considering his next move, and that wasn’t entirely incorrect, but the truth was a bit more complicated. Do Hye knew where he should place his next piece, but couldn’t allow himself to do so unless he was entirely certain that it would lead to his victory. Normally, one of the things he enjoyed most about the game was that he couldn’t do so—the number of possible states was a bit too much for even him to calculate—but he was close enough to the end now that it was within his power, and so he felt compelled.
Finally, with a decisive nod, Do Hye placed a black stone on the board—cutting off any chance for his opponent to come back. Well, technically Do Hye could intentionally make an incorrect move, but his end-game was literally impeccable.
“I believe that’s game, old friend. Care for another?”
Elder Qin Zhao immediately placed a white stone down—in the optimal spot, no less, not that it mattered. His eternal scowl deepened ever so slightly.
“We are not friends, Do Hye. Finish what you started.”
The Snake—he did so enjoy that moniker—sighed, smiling ruefully.
“If you insist.”
“I do.”
He always did.
Qin Zhao wasn’t a bad opponent by any means. He even took the occasional game from Do Hye and was as graceful in victory as he was in defeat. The only problem was that he always insisted on playing the game through to the end, no matter how hopeless his chances of victory were. The endgame was always the most boring part to Do Hye, since it was so perfectly predictable to him, but he played along anyway, quickly falling into a rhythm as the two placed their pieces down rapidly.
“Have you heard the news from the mainland?”
Qin Zhao scoffed.
“I do not have any sources of information that you do not. Get to the point.”
Do Hye chuckled. Elder Qin was never one for small talk.
“It would seem that Sovereign Shen has the full support of the Emperor, yet the sects have been slow to accept him. He’s been on the move recently, chasing that Jianmo across the continent.”
Qin placed his last stone with a particularly loud clack. His loss. Wordlessly, he cleared the board and placed another, beginning a new game.
“Let our enemies tear each other apart. It does not come as a surprise to me that the sects have not followed the decree of my grandfather. The Empire is not a monolith, and as powerful as he is, my ancestor is only one man, while his Empire is vast. Nevertheless, he has useful puppets. I expect that the Bai and Yan clans have both thrown their weight behind Shen’s every whim.”
“Just so! It’s rather fortunate that the sects aren’t more coordinated, or the enclave would have fallen by now!”
Qin Zhao did little to hide the furious expression on his face, though his aura remained as placid as ever—the man had excellent control.
“I would not say that it is fortunate that an army of demons remains hidden behind your formation, gathering power. They should be rooted out and destroyed.”
“Hah! In good time, not to worry. Admittedly I would have preferred to keep control of the academy grounds myself, but alas...”
Do Hye sighed mournfully. Extradimensional forces taking control of his stronghold had been rather far down on the list of contingencies Do Hye was prepared for, and he really did regret the loss. Though, the way this conversation was going... He looked up at Qin Zhao and picked what he hoped would be his most infuriating grin.
“Say, would you care to make a wager on this one, friend?”
“I am not your friend, and I would rather swallow a thousand needles.”
Do Hye laughed—such a predictable response.
“Oh, come now! No stakes, just an extra game on top of the one we’re already playing. I think I’m going to get you to surrender this one.”
His opponent ignored him, simply placing another stone down on the board. Well, no matter. The seed was planted. They played in silence for a few minutes before Qin Zhao broke the silence.
“Is there news of our disciples? You mentioned that accursed demon, but made no mention of them.”
Hah! There it was.
“Oh, Dae is doing quite well, thank you for asking! Last I heard he’d taken down one of the gangs I’d used in my projects and was diligently uprooting my entire network. At this point it’s anyone’s guess whether he or Hwang finds us first!”
Well, actually, Do Hye was quite certain that the two of them would end up working together, but that wasn’t important. He was quite proud of the boy. Qin Zhao stared at him flatly.
“Don’t be coy, Magus. It’s unbecoming.”
“Hah! Your girls are doing just fine, Qin Zhao. They got a chance to meet Sovereign Shen himself, aided my disciple in the takedown I mentioned before, and even stopped a coup in Goryeo—what exciting lives they live!”
There was just a tiny twitch in Qin Zhao’s expression—an almost imperceptible quiver in his aura. Do Hye tried and failed to hide his smirk as he delivered the finishing blow.
“Last I heard, they were on their way to Qin to attend Yan Yue’s wedding.”
The Elder Cultivator was halfway out the door in the blink of an eye, leaving Do Hye clutching his sides in laughter. Do Hye knew he’d be back to get more information soon—Qin Zhao was many things, but not reckless. For now, The Snake was content to collect the pieces of the game and bask in his moment of victory. Some games were far more satisfying than others.
He was nearly finished when he heard a knock on the door and glanced up to see a young lady waiting for him there. Well, young in appearance at any rate. She was probably older than he was.
“Ah! Hello there Miss Long, how can I help you.”
Long Xiaofan bowed in greeting, and Do Hye’s attention was drawn to the branching draconic horns on her head, between which sat an iridescent glowing core. Despite her mostly human appearance, she was a fiend—more specifically, a Dragon.
“Magus Do Hye, I have a message from my brother for you. He wishes to inform you that he believes he has located the place you described to him. He requests your presence to confirm his findings.”
Oho! How fortuitous. Do Hye thought that it might take a few more years for them to find it.
“Oh course! I’ll be with you presently.”
Do Hye smiled to himself as he followed the dragon woman through the halls of the grand palace. At last, it was time to move on to the next phase. The pieces were all starting to move into place. Truly some games were more satisfying than others, and it was time to make another move on the grandest game of them all.
