Before March 7th could finish, Tingyun appeared, her expression playfully exasperated. "Ah, so this humble fox-lady has been forgotten by her noble benefactors. Clearly, you don't need anymore."
Pei Guang patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. As long as you're there to sing and dance during battles, we'll always need you. But since you're here, the gang's all together. Let's et our contact!"
Stelle: "Let's move out!"
Following the directions in the photo, the group quickly arrived at the gaming parlor. Outside, several players were engrossed in a ga of mahjong.
No—Pei Guang reminded himself. In Xianzhou, this ga is called Celestial Jade.
As they approached, they overheard a heated discussion at the mahjong table. A young woman's companions teased her relentlessly.
"Hurry it up, Qingque! At this rate, we'll reach enlightennt before you make your move."
Another player chid in. "Didn't the Divination Commission just suffer so disaster? How do you have ti to play tiles?"
The young woman, Qingque, nonchalantly waved them off as she examined her tiles. "Even if the sky falls, Master Diviner has it handled. Sure, she's short in stature, but her capabilities are sky-high. And I'm not just slacking—I'm here on her orders, waiting for so esteed guests. Ti is precious, after all. Why not multitask with a little work and leisure?"
Pei Guang, intrigued by the casual atmosphere, leaned over to watch Qingque play. He quipped, "You're right—work is never as fun as a ga of tiles."
Surprised but pleased by his agreent, Qingque nodded. "Exactly! What's a bit of work compared to the joy of playing Celestial Jade?"
Pei Guang examined her tiles and mused, "Not bad. Mind if I give you a tip?"
Qingque raised an eyebrow. "Normally, I'd say no, but I like the way you think. Go ahead."
Used to receiving judgnt from her peers, Qingque found Pei Guang's easygoing nature refreshing. He was a rare kindred spirit among the typically stern Divination Commission crowd.
anwhile, March 7th and Stelle stood off to the side, arms crossed. They exchanged knowing glances, curious about what chaos Pei Guang would stir up this ti.
Pei Guang studied Qingque's hand and smirked. "Nice tiles! You've got 88 points and a Nine Gates hand."
Qingque paused, puzzled. "Nine Gates? What's that?"
Pei Guang explained, "It's a rare and challenging winning hand. The odds of getting this are sky-high. Your luck is impressive."
Qingque bead. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm lucky, but I'll take it. You seem to know your stuff."
Pei Guang chuckled. "A little. I've played my share of tile gas—online and offline. The rules vary, but the strategies are universal."
March 7th, now thoroughly intrigued, asked incredulously, "You know how to play this too?"
Pei Guang shrugged. "A bit. Want to teach you? It's simple—and dangerously addictive."
Qingque added enthusiastically, "Exactly! Whether you're working, resting, or bored, a few rounds of Celestial Jade make life complete. Oh, look—I won!"
Her tiles displayed a perfectly crafted combination, earning her a victory. "Ah, life is truly complete."
Pei Guang observed her win and remarked, "Your rules here seem pretty loose."
Qingque shrugged again. "Yeah, we threw together so basic rules, but who'd have thought it'd get this popular? The more players, the rrier. Speaking of which, one look at you, and I can tell you're important guests of the Divination Commission."
Stelle: "What about us?"
Qingque nodded sagely. "Of course. You're all esteed guests. If you're interested, I could give you a tour and show you the essence of Xianzhou culture—starting with Celestial Jade."
March 7th crossed her arms skeptically. "What about your duties at the Divination Commission? Aren't you shirking them?"
Pei Guang raised a hand to stop her. "No! Let's play a round first!"
March 7th sighed in defeat. "Fine. Teach , Ah Guang."
Welt, who had been quietly observing, raised an eyebrow. "?"
Stelle: "If everyone's playing, count in too."
Welt: "?"
At this mont, Welt fell into deep thought. Just three sentences ago, they were discussing heading to the Divination Commission. Now, with one suggestion from Pei Guang to play a round of Celestial Jade, the entire group's focus had shifted completely?
Hearing everyone's enthusiasm, Qingque's eyes sparkled with excitent. "Great! Let's have a ga of Empyrean Jade Tiles!"
"Since we've got so newcors, I'll keep the rules simple!"
While Qingque set the tiles in place using an automatic shuffling machine, she began explaining the rules. They were nearly identical to the mahjong rules Pei Guang was familiar with, though so win conditions were described without proper nas. It was like a patchwork of rules that hadn't fully co together yet.
Pei Guang was delighted. He hadn't expected such an intricate yet comprehensive fusion. It reminded him of Gwent from The Witcher 3. But, as the saying goes, in the middle of a crisis, skipping a good card ga—no, a good round of Celestial Jade—just didn't feel right.
Listening to Qingque's explanation, March 7th hesitated. "Are we really okay doing this?"
Stelle shrugged. "No problem, trust Ah Guang."
Pei Guang turned to Stelle. "Stop depending on all the ti; use your brain for once."
Stelle dramatically shook her head. "Look, I'm using my brain!"
Pei Guang sighed. "I ant thinking, not shaking your head."
Stelle grinned. "Just admit it—I'm moving it!"
Watching their antics and listening to their banter, Qingque chuckled. "You're quite the entertaining bunch, aren't you?"
March 7th laughed, "Oh, we've got plenty more where that ca from. But seriously, if we're late, will the Diviner Lady be mad?"
Stelle frowned. "Wait, what if she finds out we're here playing Celestial Jade? She'll be furious, right?"
Pei Guang added with a smirk, "Or worse, what if she knows we're playing tiles together and cos here to scold us?"
Qingque reassured them, "No worries! The Master Diviner won't find out. Besides, I've got great luck—this ga will wrap up in just a few minutes."
Looking at her tiles and recalling the rules Qingque had explained earlier, Stelle suddenly smiled. "Hey, actually… I think the ga's already over. Look! Did I win?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)