Complicated Results [Task] [13+] [Closed]

[Adam]

Zhao Yun
Tiger General of Liu Bei

I never conquered, rarely came
16 just held such better days
Days when I still felt alive
We couldn't wait to get outside
The world was wide, too late to try
The tour was over we'd survived
I couldn't wait till I got home
To pass the time in my room alone

Unexpected Means

Zhao Yun's Private Quarters

[/b]

[/i][/ul]
The eyes of Zhao Yun roamed the letter over before a chuckle left his lips and his hands scrunched the message up. His idea was to return to his bed and resume his sleep that he had been so rudely awoken from, until ideas started roaming his mind. It was a blessing and a curse, Zilong's loyalty, for on one hand unlike so many of the other's in Lord Xuande's force Zhao Yun worked extremely hard and always did his best, but that meant he was relied on far more than he should be.

A yawn escaped his lips as the young Tiger General moved to his table, leaning on its wooden surface, still stood up but with head bowed as he tried to wake up from his deep slumber, a problem he was currently having a lot of trouble with. The cogs in his head were already starting to turn on how he could help and soon his head was raising and his drowsiness was floating away.


Xin Ye Town Centre

It wasn't long after his wake up call that Zhao Yun threw on some clothes, put on his light armour and headed into the centre of Xin Ye for inspiration. There was nothing better when in doubt than to get fresh air, clear the mind and look around. His eyes glanced from the buildings, to the marketplace until they fell on the distant city wall. Sure it was already built and fortified, but what if there was more that could be done? Enough to rival even Luo Yang's or another major city's defences?

The young dragon as he was also known in the land sought out a mason, not just any random mason either, the finest in Xin Ye and most of Jing. His questions and hunting paid off finally after half an hour of finding almost nothing. The door was right in front of him, the door that should, providing the information had substance, be the home of the great mason himself and the person he would have to employ first before anyone else if his plan was to have any chance of coming together.

A knock and 6 seconds later, an attractive woman opened the door and immediately greeted Zhao Yun with the most heart warming smile. Zilong couldn't help but struggle with his words as he fumbled for the correct meaning of his visit. "Hello miss, my name is Zhao Yun, I am in the employ of our lord Liu Bei. I was wondering if your husband might be home, as I have important business to talk to him with."

It wasn't very often they had visitors, let alone someone as instantly recognisable as Zhao Zilong, the image and name took the woman back and she too found it difficult to give a reply, in much the same manner Zhao Yun struggled previously. "Master Zhao Yun, it is an honour to have your presence here. Please come inside, make yourself... more comfortable. I'll go and find my husband."

There was a strange tone to the woman's voice, but nonetheless the warrior proceeded inside, not taking a seat. His glance surveyed the room, taking note of its fine interior, showing the man of the house was having significant income from the work that he did, perhaps strange for his type career path, but that wasn't of concern at that point of time for Zhao Yun as on that note the man himself entered the room.

"Master Zhao Yun, a pleasure it is indeed, yet if it is my masonry you come in search of, then I must respectfully inform you that it could be some time, business is booming lately and my workload is big to say the least." There was a tone to this person's voice too, like someone who was hiding something and it made Zilong ever more curious about the man and his income.

With a small frown Zhao Yun responded as one might expect. "The pleasure is all mine, however I must stress that the job I seek would be fully paid for and would benefit the city as a whole. I strongly suggest you reconsider..."

Unimpressed and with a frown of his own the man replied with a tint of aggression and defence. "and with all due respect, I have no obligation to do your will. I cannot let my contracts wait any longer, and so with that I wish you all the best Master Zhao Yun, please do contact me again in the future and perhaps my workload will be less and more accomodating. My wife will see you out." The man then left the way he came in, through the backdoor and probably back to work.

Before he could even respond with irritation the man's wife interjected with her own thoughts before the general of Shu could utter a curse. "Please forgive my husband, truth be told he doesn't like our lord much... I could convince him though, but you have to give me something in return." There was a sterness in her eyes that Zhao Yun couldn't look away from, his heart beating at her words as if he already knew what the outcome would be. "Such a strong warrior needs looking after after all and I need company. Perhaps we can help each other out?"

Zilong took several steps back as the woman advanced towards him, soon their faces were but inches away, Yun placed against the wall. It was the most bizarre of circumstances and before those lips touched it seemed the dominant one had already been picked in the sudden relationship, but then out of nowhere as the lips touched, Yun's right hand rose to her neck and she was slammed back against the wall and the most intense kiss was produced from it.

Their hands roamed and their lips barely left to utter a word from one another. Zhao Yun was lost in his own needs and hormones and there was no telling what would actually come from the sudden exchange and promises.[/blockquote]

Colours: Zhao Yun-095000, Zhen Yua-25a19a, Wen Jun-4c7147[/size][/blockquote]

[Adam]

Zhao Yun
Tiger General of Liu Bei

For a sec I even gave up believing and praying
I even done the legal stuff and was leaded astray
Now money is the root to the evilist ways
But have you ever been so hungry that it keeps you awake
Mate, now my hunger would leave them amazed

Wen Jun - Zhen Yua - Zhao Yun

A Dark Horse

Wen Jun's Home

It had been pure uninterupted instinctive passion, but even with such insatiable urges the two knew the master of the household would soon be back. With a sly smile and with his back turned, Zhao Yun carefully placed his armour back on his body. With a brief stretch of his arms he made sure it fitted back comfortably before he turned around to meet the content gaze of Zhen Yua, the wife of the man he was trying to convince to work for him... what a mess he was in.

"I trust you will hold your part of the deal? I won't have to come back here in a few days under less fortunate reasons I hope?" A tint of playfulness in his voice, however it was apparant what he might do if his trust was misguided. "I mean it, I am obviously not a man of high morals, but I believe in keeping a promise."

A grin was clearly on the woman's face and she spoke confidently, a far cry from her original attitude when Zilong first knocked the door. "I swear on my life and all I hold dear."

"Then pray the heavens are kind on you and your husband if you fail..."


Xin Ye Government Office, the following day.

Zilong was in a heated discussion about Cao Cao with some of Liu Bei's finest advisors. The warrior more than happy to challenge any idea of plan that seemed outlandish, foolish, or ultimately cowardly. Often he would raise his voice over the others and gain an uninterupted voice, before against the discussion would resume its firey ways with everyone having their own say and opinion.

A slam on the table turned their attentions once again to the young warrior. "He'll come, whether its tomorrow or in ten years time. It needs sorted out today to avoid a mistake down the line. We need Wan at least for a start, its walls far outclass our own and its population again is far superior to Xin Ye. Take Wan and use it as a our main defensive station, there is only two ways in and out and one is blocked by Liu Biao."

With a sigh Zhao Yun turned his body away from the audience and began an annoyed walk out of the room as the volume picked up again. Discussions now seemed focued on getting Liu Biao on side for battle, a topic that would take several more hours, hours Yun did not have.

Moving into the far quieter main audience hall, he asked the only attendant in currently. "The Mason...?" A reply back positive and Zilong grinned, it seemed the woman was useful after all... in more ways than one. "Have the plans been drawn up for him?" Yet another yes and the general of Liu Bei was very happy. It was all starting to come together.

Colours: Zhao Yun-095000, Zhen Yua-25a19a, Wen Jun-4c7147

[Adam]

Zhao Yun
Tiger General of Liu Bei

And I know you say I can't care for someone
But are you that clever that you smile forever?
Is it summer yet?
Cause I just don't feel it
Baby it's a treaty
Maybe you are not her
And I sit and wonder, falling under
Get my way or nothing will move on
Everyone has gone.

A Return to Action

The time had flown by since he last step foot in Xin Ye. Yong An had been a long and hard fought battle, but the forces of Liu Bei had prevailed over the rebel opposition, at least this time. With Yong An under a noble banner of the Han, surely peace would prevail once more over the troubled region. Of course events would never turn out quite as planned and eventually, even the now again peaceful Yong An would find itself embroiled in war, whether it be through a rebellion, or worse.

Whilst gone Zhao Yun had taken into consideration the defensive abilities of Xin Ye, a small city and one that stood as a direct opposition to the northern warlords of Zhang Xiu and even more dangerously Cao Cao and Li Jue. It was weak, unsupporting and generally speaking a massive target for the forces of Liu Bei, sooner of later it would become a big issue, should improvement not be found. Again it was one of those problems though, for how exactly do you fix such a weak link? How do you go about making Xin Ye into a defensive fortress, rather than just a small city in northern Jing; it was indeed one for much pondering.

With a clash of steel, Zhao Yun met the blade of his sparring partner within the Palace, giving his lord a brief spectacle of his abilities. It was routine for Zilong, being in the spotlight and pushing himself, he loved it, he thrived in it; ever since he was in the service of Gongsun Zan. Once again a further clash of blades emerged, before the sound of a gasping breath left the mouth of Yun’s partner, hunched over from a recent kick to his ribcage.

“Much improved Master Feng, your father, I can tell, is proud.” The warrior spoke kindly to the young adult as he put his hand on the back of the head of his opponent and met forehead to foreheard in respect. In such a position his words were silent to all else apart from the young Liu and unlike how it may look to others, his words were not about the fight at all. “Zhen Yua said to meet her at dusk near the southern gate. Don’t be late.

The fighters moved out of their embrace and bowed to their lord and father respectively and were dismissed. Down the corridor and asked more Zhao Yun quietly delved deeper into his planned course of action. “He has too much money to be a mere mason only. I have reason to believe he has connections with the wrong people, or right as it may become. She has the information we might need and you need to get it off her. I’d do it, but I have duties this evening.”

With some improvements already being made, it was clearly obvious the man was a damn fine mason, but there wasn’t enough progress for his work to be fully commited to the cause of Liu Bei’s. Zhao Yun wanted to find out more, a hell of a lot more and his one advantage came in the package of a Zhen Yua, wife of the mason. Now with the young Liu Feng involved, things could only turn more complicated.

Colours: Zhao Yun-095000

[Adam]

Zhao Yun
Tiger General of Liu Bei

And you could never break my stride
You never slow the momentum at any moment I'm 'bout to blow
You'll never take my pride
Killin' the flow, slow venom any opponent
Is getting no mercy, mark my words
Ain't letting up relentless
I smell blood I don't give a f**k: keep giving them hell
Where was you when I fell and needed help up?
You get no love

Nightmares to Reality

A month since Zhao Yun’s disappearance

There was no warning, no reason and no understanding within the courts of Liu Bei that anything would happen to their stalwart warrior Zhao Zilong, but it had been near a month since he was last seen. No one had seen him leave, no reports had come through from the nearby cities and regions and the only conclusion was he was AWOL.

The Little Dragon’s eyes were fixated on something elsewhere as he looked the woman up and down, grinning with that charming smile he always possessed. They’d grown closer and closer through their work and now alone, there was nothing to stop Zhao Yun and Zhen Yua from being together. His hands brushed the hair from her face before his own face moved forward for a kiss, touching the soft skin delicately before their meeting was finalised.

It was then that the first sting of pain spread through his body and a sharp gasp of breath left him. He was confused as his eyes opened and he stumbled back, touching the hurt area and then finally bringing it away. Crimson, crimson everywhere. Again he stumbled backwards, meeting the wall in a panic as more and more of his life seeped from his wound, already feeling his life leaving him. She was laughing through it all, like some kind of maniac, leaving him to die.

A jolt of his muscles and a sharp intake of air brought Zhao Yun from his slumber and straight away his vision tried to look around. His body was fine, as it could be and he hadn’t been killed after all. A sigh left his mouth as he let his head move back against the hard wall, the chains not allowing one degree of movement elsewhere. From one nightmare to another it seemed.

Fear, what was fear in such a place? His stomach rumbled immediately after his awakening, he was nervous about what next awaited him and he was weaker than he had ever been in his life, but did he have fear within him? Sure he did, he was human after all and even the mightiest have fear, but it is how you control it that makes you a man.

“Get off me! I said let... me... go!”

A cry came down through the dungeon’s passageway, but from his cell Zhao Yun was unable to see who it was making such noise. He waited and waited, hearing more screaming and shouting, until finally the robed figures of the cultist guards, slammed the girl’s face against the metal bars.

“Zhen Yua!” Came the response of Zilong as soon as he identified the girl as her. “Let her go! Your problems are with me, not her!”

“Master Zhao Yun?! Why are we here? What are they going to do?!”

She screamed at the warrior for answers, but only recieved a nasty back handed slap from one of the cult followers. Her voice faded, turning into a cry, one that truly defined exactly what fear sounded like. Indeed their problem was not with the girl in so many words and their attentions once again turned to the Shu officer, smiles plastered on their already evil faces.

“If you want her to live, then you will help us, one way or the other. If not, both your lives will be wasted... Now bring him with us...”

Blurry was the rest for Zhao Yun as his ears screamed with the sounds of both her and his own voices. A thud rang in his ears, but he couldn’t figure out who it belonged to, until his eyes began fading in their sight.

Tags: N/A
Colours: Zhao Yun-be7e00
Lyrics: No Love by Eminem
Notes: Sorry about my constant skips in time, but I like the way it goes from place to place and moment to moment. If I didn’t, I think this task would take me absolutely months/years to write up >.>

[Adam]

Zhao Yun
Tiger General of Liu Bei

And you could never break my stride
You never slow the momentum at any moment I'm 'bout to blow
You'll never take my pride
Killin' the flow, slow venom any opponent
Is getting no mercy, mark my words
Ain't letting up relentless
I smell blood I don't give a f**k: keep giving them hell
Where was you when I fell and needed help up?
You get no love

If You Can’t Beat Them...

A month since Zhao Yun’s disappearance

It wasn’t through his own motives or through his own actions as he was forcefully pushed into the large chamber. His consciousness had only recently been brought back and that meant the weak body fell painfully forward onto the ground. Strength was something Zilong did not possess at that time, especially when only just recovering from being knocked out and it showed.

He pushed himself up slowly from the hard ground, dizzily looking around the room he was in. It was like something out of western stories and myth, the cave like walls and ceiling made of pure rock and that large stone altar at the very back. What worried the warrior more were the chains attached to the site of the altar, quite obviously ready to keep someone securely locked in.

The sound of the girl once again rang in the warrior’s ears and his head tilted around to see her be brought inside of the room, if you could call it a room at all. “I said let her go!” The Little Dragon shouted up again and as expected what followed was a push back down by one of the cultists with his foot, forcing the man back to the ground.

“One of you will be ending your life here shortly, we will give you a minute to decide.”

Given freedom of his movements once again, Zhao Yun managed to stand up weakly on his legs and watched as the men left the room, locking the iron doors tightly behind them. Zilongs hands rose to his head, trying to keep his sanity together and to think of a plan through everything.

“It’s okay Master Yun... we’ll die together...”

His train of thought left him at her quiet and selfless words were translated in his head, realising what they really meant. “What? No, we can get out of this; just give me a moment to think... I..-“ Yun’s words were cut off however, as Zhen Yua rushed forward and brought her lips to his own, seeming to use her last moments to relive one of her happiest moments.

Zilong was a man after all and he happily obliged the invitation, kissing back as he was pushed back against the wall, too weak to show any degree of dominance in their relationship, but what did it matter? He swallowed half way through the kiss, not realising until it was too late that the woman had slipped something between her own lips into his own... and it wasn’t her tongue... he’d swallowed something.

“You...?” He stumbled back, looking at her face, already smirking with glee. His eyes were wide at the realisation; already the drug was causing his temples to throb and his vision to blur. “You complete... –“ He couldn’t finish his curse as he leant his head back against the wall, panting his breaths sharply, trying to fight the drug that was quickly taking over his body.

“You’ll see we’re the good guys really, you’ll come to realise the error of your ways. Come to us Zhao Yun, you know you want to already.”

The soft words held malice within them, but Zilong couldn’t help but feel compelled towards them. His vision turned more and more faded and his hearing was far from the best as his senses were left near-useless for some time. There was no telling what they would do him until it was too late.

Tags: N/A
Colours: Zhao Yun-be7e00
Lyrics: No Love by Eminem
Notes:

[Adam]

Zhao Yun
Tiger General of Liu Bei

Battle a band of phony MC's and stand the lonely one
Imitator, Intimidator, Stimulator, Simulator of data, Eliminator
There's never been a greater since the burial of Jesus
Fuck around and catch all the venereal diseases
My thesis will smash a stereo to pieces
My accapella releases classic masterpieces through telekinesis
And eases you mentally, gently, sentimentally, instrumentally
With entity, dementedly meant to be Infinite

...Join them, destroy them...

Three months since he was last seen

His head turned from direction to direction, looking at the passers by, all them, they seemed so obsessed with him, like they hadn’t seen him in so long. Of course they hadn’t that was the part Zilong had to get used to and fast if he was to make it to his home without being mobbed by a horde of citizens.

There was little to no hope of him getting to his house though, slowly small piece of information started to return to his head and he looked down, confused at the sight of blood staining his armour and cape. Overwelmed he stopped in the middle of the street, already a healthly group of people waiting patiently behind him for the chance to meet the famous Zhao Yun, well and alive.

His head swam with returning thoughts, memories, even to the point where he realised what he had done before that unholy meeting below the city’s floor. “Zhao Yun!” He couldn’t shake them off even if he tried, there was too much going on “Master-!” Words, thoughts, memories, events, people, all clouding his tender head. “Zilong!”

**--THUD--**

“Someone run Lord Liu Bei’s office!”

...Darkness...


An Hour Earlier

[/i]

“Ugh! Zilong-!”

The bringer of destruction, Zhao Yun found himself in the middle of a battle for the alpha male position. The robed figures of the Shu officer and the original cult leader, the latter in quite obvious distress could be seen in the candle lit room. No one dared intervene, only watching on as mere pack animals could. Zilong gave one finaly roll of his arm and the man’s neck gave way in one horrid noise and movement.

He turned around, the Shu warrior, looking at the grouping of people before him, there was no real telling how they would act until they did something. Slowly but surely members of the cult moved backwards, until one by one they moved to their knees, bowing to who they could only decide was their new rightful leader.

“We control the underground and the market, do you jobs and your jobs well and there is no reason we can’t succeed in our goals.” Looking down to his left Zilong sniggered. “He was weak... I would make sure none of you make the same mistakes he made”

The Little Dragon turned to one of the cultists. “You! Weapons and armour, here, now.” He clicked his fingers and ordered, already loving his knew found power within the city and oh how he would use it, for so many things. His Lord Liu Bei was so lucky to have him, and he’d repay his kindness tenfold, Xin Ye would become great again.[/size]

Tags: N/A
Colours: Zhao Yun-be7e00
Lyrics: Infinite by Eminem
Notes: [/blockquote][/blockquote]


Task Finished

• Began basic wall improvements <-- Pre-Entourage only task, moved away from it later in the task though because of this issue.
  
• Took over the underground of Xin Ye

[Li Wang]

Hmm... I must say this is more difficult than I thought it would be. Still, I'll take a crack at it, so:

Whispers in the city's shadows speak of a fearsome new leader at the head of their cult. Word slowly trickles out, and as a result some of Xin Ye's population begin to doubt their safety in Xin Ye and thus decide to attempt lives elsewhere.

Through their loyalty to Zhao Yun, the cultists are now loyal to Liu Bei. Zhao Yun now also receives a portion of black market income, which is discreetly added to Xin Ye's coffers.
Rewards

Zhao Yun: + 45 reputation points

Xin Ye: -1000 population (peasants relocated due to fear), +25 income for as long as Zhao Yun remains in Shu (tribute collected from the cultists)