>>5789853
"You…argh! What are you?!" A wounded Honglang thug asks, his head craned up to look at you.

"My name is Shu. And if you ever want to walk or see again, you'll answer my questions." You answer him, glancing at the other surviving bandit whom you blinded with your chakram.

"Bastard…!" The bandit curses, trying to get up but falling flat on his face. His face twists in horrified realization after his legs fail him. You severed his tendons, the man truly would never be able to walk again. As to whether you could heal him though…You're almost surprised yourself to realize that you know how. Not just him, but the one you blinded as well.

***Doctor's Arts Unlocked***
You are trained in the doctor's arts, allowing you to treat wounds, diseases, and spiritual ailments. You may attempt to heal others given time and proper tools. Additionally, you may learn additional Doctor's Techniques if trained, unlocking additional benefits.

"Khh…! F-fine, we'll tell you whatever you want to know!" The blind one answers, his hand still pinned under Shen's boot, away from his weapon.

"Good. Start with your hideout. Where is it, what defenses have you built, how many are there?"

The other crawling bandit hesitates, but you can see clear fear in his eyes after you defeated them. "...It's a few hours south of here, in the swamps! Boss said no one would ever find us out there. There's about thirty…No, twenty-seven of us now. Boss Li had us grab some carpenters to make huts and a few traps in the marsh, but other than that we just keep a few guys on lookout."

You get him to explain in detail where the traps were and how to find their camp. When he's finished, the three surviving bandits look to you expectantly, waiting for you to keep your end of the deal.

>Heal them and let them go. You gave your word.
>Kill them. They could go back and warn the other bandits, after all.
>Don't heal them, but let them go crawling back to their gang. Let them know you're coming, and what to expect when you find them.
>Write-in

Hello everyone, and sorry about last thread. For those who are new, it's thread 1.5 because the last thread was about a month ago, and I wasn't able to finish it. Sorry to everyone who was reading and waiting, I'll spare you the details but TL;DR - Shit happened and I wasn't in a position to keep running. Things are better now, and I wanted to continue, so here I am.

Posting times may be a bit sporadic, I'll likely make posts at irregular times when I have the opportunity. Most likely, I'll be posting most frequently on Thursdays-to-Sundays.

>>5789856

RAT GANG IS BACK

>>5789859
That it is! Apologies again for last thread, though I'm glad to see there's people that remember it.

>>5789855
>>Kill them. They could go back and warn the other bandits, after all

>>5789855
>Heal them and let them go. You gave your word.
>"Even if I got you while you weren't aware, I could still deal with you even if you ambush me. Know that this is an opportunity no other capable man would do, not everyone can spare a bandit... So leave, find another way of life, or if you still want to keep your life of banditry then hope that we don't cross paths again, maybe next time I won't have Mercy"

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Rant gang, we eating good

>>5789855
>Heal them and let them go. You gave your word.
The Rat is BACK! Also went ahead and archived the last thread before it gets 404'd
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5753672/

>>5789855
>>Heal them and let them go. You gave your word.
IT'S BACK!

>>5789855
>Heal them and let them go. You gave your word.

>>5789853
I was afraid you'd failed a bottleneck.
>Heal them and let them go. You gave your word.

>>5789855
You gave them your word, now you intend to keep it. "Shen, take their weapons." You tell your new comrade, reaching for one of the dead bandit's clothes and tearing it into strips of cloth. It was makeshift bandages, but it would do well enough for your purposes. Shen seems surprised, but he nods in agreement and takes away the bandits' weapons, leaving them to you while he checks on his sister Ming and his grandfather Jin.

The process seems strikingly familiar to you. You know the dirty clothes could risk infection, yet for some reason you're not concerned about it. Examining the wounded thugs, you wrap the bandages around the cuts on their legs, exhaling as you run a finger over the cuts through the cloths. As you do, a cool energy seems to run through your arms up to your hands, the bandits shivering slightly as a soft blue glow seems to linger from their wounds until the bleeding stops. For the blind bandit, you do much the same; Covering his eyes with a blindfold and swiping your palm across his eyes, which glow a faint blue even long after the others' wounds stopped.

"Stand up." You tell the other bandits, who hesitantly try. To their surprise, and to the audible gasps of the villagers watching, their legs hold their weight and let them stand this time. "I've treated your wounds, but this one will need time. Take him with you, and do not remove his blindfold for three days. When his sight returns, he may remove it. I suggest you consider carefully where your path went astray during those three days of blindness."

"...You heard him. Now go! And if you ever dare to return, know that Liu Shen will take more than just your eyes or your legs!" Shen follows up, the threat more than enough to make the bandits scurry off together, one guiding the blind one with them.

***Zodiac Art Unlocked - Sage's Improvised Wisdom***
The way of the Rat is improvisation. In your hands, even sticks will cut like blades and mud will soothe like salve. You may improvise any tools you need for a given task, using qi and a bit of ingenuity to make it work. You suffer no penalties for lacking proper tools for a task, such as tending wounds or picking locks, but may still benefit from bonuses gained by using exceptional tools.

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>>5790500
With the bandits gone, Shen turns his gaze towards you. "...I was certain you were going to kill them. You spoke so freely of poison and traps before, why spare them now?"

"That was different. They were defeated, they could not harm us anymore. There was no reason not to keep my word, and so I kept it."

"But what will you do if they come back? Or if they warn the others?"

"Then next time, I will kill them. But I doubt they're coming back; They ran off in the opposite direction of their hideout."

"...You are a strange man, Shu. I can't tell if you were a chivalrous man or a villainous one in your old life. But you saved my sister's life, so…Thank you." The young redhead bows in gratitude, his sister and grandfather joining in to give their thanks. "...Still, what you just did. That was qi you used, no doubt! No one could heal the blind and lame like that without medicine unless they had a profound understanding of qi! Did healing those men remind you of your past?"

You stop to think for a moment. Indeed, the term 'Qi' sounds very familiar to you, and many medical techniques and principles have come to mind since you tended the bandits' wounds. But you cannot recall any new specifics about your past; Only the fundamental knowledge of what must have been your old craft. "No, I'm afraid not." You shake your head. "But that can wait for another day. The Honglang will grow suspicious when their people don't return after a while, which means we must prepare and act now."

The villagers all seem worried at the thought, murmuring nervously to each other over what to do. Jin in particular seems nervous, but Ming clenches her fist and steps forward. "He's right. It's high time we do something already, instead of waiting around for Wong Li and his cronies to bleed us dry!"

"Ming, you-" Jin starts, reaching for Ming's shoulder only for her to shake it off angrily.

"No, grandfather, enough is enough! They're not just gonna let us be now, you know that! 'Sides, if anyone can take down Wong Li, it's Shorty!" Ming insists, glancing at you. A couple villagers seem to think over the prospect, some hesitant, some relishing the thought of bringing the fight to their oppressors. Jin seems most reluctant of all…but in the end, even he seems to sigh and accept the reality in his granddaughter's words.

Their eyes all look to you now, waiting for you to tell them what to do.

>Arm them and march on the enemy camp. You outnumber them, and maybe this will give them the confidence to defend themselves from now on.
>Have them gather herbs, enough to prepare poisons and medicines for the fight.
>Have them build traps around the village. Let the enemy come to you, to fight on your own terms.
>Refuse their help. You won't need it, you and Liu Shen should be enough on your own.
>Write-in

>>5790503
>Have them gather herbs, enough to prepare poisons and medicines for the fight.

>>5790503
>Have them gather herbs, enough to prepare poisons and medicines for the fight.

>>5790079
Oh shit, thanks! Suppose I need to go refresh my memory on how thread archiving works on suptg again. What tags did you use for the last thread?

>>5790503
>Have them build traps around the village. Let the enemy come to you, to fight on your own terms.
This should also embolden the villagers, and keep casualties lower than brute forcing an attack.

>>5790503
>Have them gather herbs, enough to prepare poisons and medicines for the fight.

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>>5790503
>Have them gather herbs, enough to prepare poisons and medicines for the fight.

Nice to see this quest make a comeback!
Now we just need to find the rat armor and a cool attack name.

>>5790720
I think last or final zodiac would be cool

>>5790731
I thing first would be better, since that is the place that the rat is in the zodiac

>>5790733
Yeah I got it mixed up

>>5790503
>Have them gather herbs, enough to prepare poisons and medicines for the fight.
>>5790533
Besides Collective game, I just did your name, cultivation, and martial arts.

>>5790503
"If you want to help, then all of you start gathering herbs." You declare, looking over the gathered villagers and gesturing to divide the crowd into two groups. "You, search the lake shallows. Bring me any white lotus flowers you find, root and stem. The rest of you, search the woods nearby for thorny vines bearing purple flowers. Take the flowers, but wear gloves before you touch them, and take care not to prick yourselves on the thorns. Bring me what you find, I'll use them to make medicine and poison for the fight."

Some of the villagers hesitate slightly at the mention of poison, but they all obey, rushing into their huts to grab baskets, knives, and any other tools they need for gathering. Looking to the Liu family members, you give them each tasks as well. "Liu Shen, go with the forest gatherers and keep watch in case there's danger. Liu Ming, fetch two pots and a lids and get some water boiling. Throw them out when I'm done with them; The poison may linger and make cooking with it dangerous. Liu Jin…" You stop and glance down at yourself, your clothes still tattered and your skin still smeared with dirt, and now blood. "...If you would still lend me those clothes and a bath, I should get cleaned up while the others gather herbs."

>>5791097
************

"Those are Shen's old clothes, from when he was younger. I reckon they might still be a little loose, but it's better than wearing rags."

You examine yourself in the mirror Jin brought you, now washed up and clean. The clothes were a little big, as he said, but not enough to get in your way. Being a humble farmboy's clothes, the design was plain and colored a faded brown, but it was better than the ragged strips of silk you had before. Looking at your face, you're once again struck by your long white hair and deep blue eyes, complemented by what you realize now was a fairly handsome face hidden beneath the dirt and grime before. The Liu family's red hair stood out to you before in the village, but the only people with white hair like yours so far were old like Jin, and theirs was more faded and gray.

"They will do nicely. Thank you, Grandfather Jin. And thank you as well for these weapons. I took them without asking in the moment, but I'm grateful that you've let me keep them."

The old man scoffs. "Better in your hands than some Honglang brat's. 'Sides, it's the least I could do when you saved Ming's life." His brow furrows, conflicting thoughts running through his mind again before he turns to the boiling pots nearby to distract himself. "...So, what's this stuff s'posed to be anyways?"

"Blood-clotting cream and violet widow oil. The former stops bleeding and numbs pain where applied. The latter poisons the blood to cause a burning sensation in the veins. Once it reaches the heart, it forces the victim into a heart attack. The vines it comes from cause a burning sensation if its thorns prick you, but are otherwise nonlethal. The oil I'm making is more concentrated, with several times the normal potency in comparison."

Jin eyes the second pot warily and sloooowly scoots further away from it. "I see…You must have lived a strange life 'fore we found you in that hole, Shu. I won't question it, but I'm glad you came to help us." The old man admits, his brow furrowing in thought once again.

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>>5791099
"Is something on your mind, Grandfather Jin?"

"...Yeah. I'm afraid so." The blacksmith finally admits. "She had a point back there, Ming. I know there's no going back now. I know eventually the Honglang would decide I'm not useful anymore too, just like you said. So maybe Shen had a point when he ran off to go learn from those Wulin types. But even so…A man can't forget seeing his son and daughter-in-law die like that. If that happened to Shen or Ming too…"

The old man goes quiet for a moment. You hear him shuffling after a while, and when you see him Jin was prostrating himself before you, his forehead pressed to the floor, his voice shaky.

"Young master, this old man here begs of you. Shen will go with you no matter what I say. Ming I fear plans to go with you too, and I don't think I can convince her otherwise anymore. Please. Convince them not to go. And if you can't…Protect those two. Don't let those Honglang dogs kill them too. This old man can't bear the thought of losing what family he still has."

The old man's sincere pleading takes you aback. As you look down at him, your mind conjures images of another. Hazy thoughts of a great man, dressed in resplendent yellow silk, his face blurry and unfocused, yet you feel a deep sense of loyalty and affection for him. Your hands are clasped in front of you in reverence, a proud smile on your face.

"Don't worry, father! I will protect you, no matter what!"

The words in your head make your heart sink, a deep aching of regret and shame filling your cold heart.


>I promise, I will protect them.
>I can't promise that. But I will make them stay, no matter what.
>You must have more faith in them. No one can protect them forever, except themselves.
>Write-in

>>5791100
>You must have more faith in them. No one can protect them forever, except themselves.
>"...but I'll protect them as much as I can, until they are strong enough for them to stand on their own."

>>5791100
Supporting >>5791131. They can be the first honorary members of the Rat gang.

>>5790503
>Have them gather herbs, enough to prepare poisons and medicines for the fight.
Aw shit, this quest lives!

>>5791131
Supporting.

>>5791100
>>5791131 +1

>>5791100
Seconding >>5791131

>>5791100
You furrow your brow, your mind returning to the present. You're not sure what kind of memory you stumbled upon, or why it fills you with such deep sadness. But those words resonate in your heart now, as you look down at Liu Jin and his request.

"You must have more faith in them. No one can protect them forever, except for themselves. One day, neither you nor I will be there to protect them, and they will only have themselves to depend on."

Jin looks up to you in surprise, a melancholic shade in his eyes as the truth in your words sets in. He seems afraid, knowing you were right but not yet ready to leave their fates in their own hands.

"...But I'll protect them as much as I can, until they are strong enough for them to stand on their own." You add, somehow feeling that you know all too well what the old man must have felt losing his family.

His eyes brighten at your promise, his gaze meeting yours. Tears well in his eyes, but the tough old man does his best to hold them back with a sniffle. "I…Thank you, young master. Truly, thank you."

"Raise your head, Grandfather Jin. What would I look like, making an old man kowtow to protect his grandkids?"

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>>5791396
The old man smiles, raising his head once again. The sound of metal clanging draws his attention out the window, where you notice Shen and Ming sparring; Shen with his sword, Ming with a large two-handed hammer. It looks like Shen is trying to give his sister pointers.

"Looks like Ming's made up her mind after all. I suppose nothing I say to her now will sway her." Jin murmurs, glancing to you. "She hates the Honglang as much as her brother. The only reason she didn't run off herself was because Shen beat her to it. 'Someone has to make sure you're eating well', she said. Heaven's bless that child…I'm afraid she hasn't been taught to fight the way her brother was, though. She may end up getting in your way." Her grandfather admits.

"...No. No, I don't think she will." You remark, watching the girl's footwork. "Look closely, do you see how she moves? Strength in heavy weapons like that doesn't come from the arms, it comes from the feet. The technique is all in your stance; Keeping stable footing while stepping in to lend power to the swing." You point out, noticing how Ming's footwork seems better than you would expect from a total beginner. "Either she's been practicing in secret, or she has a natural talent for it. If she trained with the same people as Shen had, she would be better than her brother." You assess, remembering how Shen's sloppy footwork was what let you take him down so easily before.

"...You think so?" Jin remarks, astonished by your shining evaluation.

"You seem surprised. Didn't you say their father was a fighter of some kind?"

"He was a soldier. Not a martial artist, but still…Come to think of it, he did say he used a hammer back in those days."

"Sounds like she learned a few things from him. Or by watching him." You shrug, watching her knock her brother over with a shove, Shen sheepishly picking himself back up and clearing his throat. There was his sloppy footwork again.

Your eyes switch to the skies, seeing that it is approaching noon now. The medicine and poison was ready, if you leave now you should arrive in time to catch the Honglang by surprise. However…If you took a few hours to teach these two, you suspect they would be more formidable when you face the bandits in their swamp. If you do, though, you would only arrive by sunset, and the Honglang would likely be on guard and antsy that the ones they sent into town haven't returned yet.

>Depart now, surprise is a great equalizer in battle
>Teach them a few things, that way you won't have to watch them too closely when the fighting breaks out.

>>5791397
>Depart now, surprise is a great equalizer in battle

>>5791397
>Teach them a few things, that way you won't have to watch them too closely when the fighting breaks out.

>>5791397
>Teach them a few things, that way you won't have to watch them too closely when the fighting breaks out.
A chain is only as strong as the weakest link, so bulk up those links.

>>5791397
>Teach them a few things, that way you won't have to watch them too closely when the fighting breaks out.

>>5791397
>>Teach them a few things, that way you won't have to watch them too closely when the fighting breaks out.
The delay is itself a kind of weapon. They may be on guard, but unless they're trained, drilled, and have discipline and protocos, that just means they are nervous and uncertain.

>>5791397
>Teach them a few things, that way you won't have to watch them too closely when the fighting breaks out.

>Teach them a few things, that way you won't have to watch them too closely when the fighting breaks out.

>>5791397
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. You can't make them into great warriors in just a few hours, but you can give them the basics. Enough to not need your constant attention against Wong Li's poorly-trained underlings. Besides, the wait might be advantageous in it's own way; The bandits will be on alert, but they'll be nervous and jumpy, and you can exploit that.

Before you go outside, you finish getting ready by tying your hair back so it will stay out of your way. Setting the mirror down, you take the bottles of medicine and poison you've made and stash them away in a pouch one of the villagers gave you, stepping outside the blacksmith's shack to approach the dueling siblings.

"Hm? Ah, are you ready to go, Shu?" Shen asks once he notices you, the pair stopping their sparring match. "I'm ready if you are…Although, Ming is-" Shen meekly leads into the subject, seeming hesitant himself about it.

"I'm going too." Ming interrupts, a determined look in her eyes. "I'm tired of groveling, I may not have my brother's fancy city-training, but I want to avenge mom and dad too."

"I guessed as much. I've already spoken to your grandfather. You can come with us, but you both need to follow my instructions. Starting now, with your techniques. Both of you." You tell them, looking between the two redheaded siblings.

"...Wait, me too? We only have a few hours until the Honglang come for us, what could you teach us in that time?" Shen asks, pointing to himself at first as if he's surprised you wanted to lecture him as well.

"Yes, both of you. And not much, but enough to give her a fighting chance. And enough to fix your shoddy footwork. Did you think I didn't see her knock you off your feet again? I don't know what it's like in the Wulin, or this Burning Hearts Brotherhood you mentioned before, but even without my memories I know that a martial artist shouldn't lose his balance so easily from someone with less training."

Shen's cheeks burn bright red, while Ming stifles a laugh. "Wow. Between that and the hole in the floor he nearly put you through, Shorty's really not taking it easy on you." She teases, her brother grumbling at her to shut up.

"Now, listen carefully. The strength of a sword is its versatility, while the strength of a hammer is its force. Both draw power from your stance, not your arms. A solid stance brings stability and strength, while a weak stance leaves you weak and clumsy. Observe my stance, see where I move my feet and why. Now try it yourselves, see the difference it makes…"

>>5793793
************
The sun was setting in the sky by the time you were done. While your time was limited, the results were satisfactory. Liu Shen's footwork was acceptable now, while Liu Ming quickly grasped the basics and more. You feel confident now that the younger sister did, in fact, have a natural talent for this, though her brother's tenacity was also commendable. He ate dirt many times today, but never complained and seemed to grasp the lesson better through practice rather than lecture. Between the two, you would say the brother was slightly ahead by dint of experience, and compared to what you've seen of the Honglang, you suspect they won't have any trouble with them on their own.

You also felt a certain familiarity as you taught them. A vague inkling in the back of your mind, accompanied by flashes of young faces you can't quite fully recall. You get the feeling you've done this before.

There was no time to dwell on these memories, however. With the sun beginning to set, you head out towards the Honglang Gang's swamp hideout, accompanied by Shen and Ming. The lake and the crater you awoke in soon fade from view, giving way to fields of grass, then lines of trees and rivers, then to marshlands. The moon rises overhead, its light illuminating the gloomy swamp as you wade through knee-high waters along the path outlined to you by the captive bandits. To their credit, you find no traps along the safe path you were given; The crippled men had spoken honestly.

>>5793795
Finally, the sight of firelight in the distance catches your attention. Motioning for your companions to stop, you silently climb a nearby mangrove to peek ahead. The Honglang camp was in sight; Situated on a small island in the swamp, you see the shoddy work of carpenters under duress around the camp.

The perimeter was surrounded by a wall fashioned from tree trunks, the entrance sealed by two heavy doors locked on the other side. Two guards stand watch beside the door, holding torches and peering warily into the marshes. Another guard stands atop a watchtower, bow in hand and scanning the horizon.

Beyond the gate, you see a bonfire with men gathered around, eating meat on sticks and talking, though you were too far to make out the words. All of them kept their weapons close at hand. Tents line the camp site, but two structures were made from proper wood. The first was protected by another armed guard, the door locked with a heavy iron padlock. The bandit's treasure room, you suspect. The other building had makeshift windows, smoke rising from the makeshift chimney while you see the orange glow of a smaller fire inside. A proper hut, and given that the other bandits seemed to be sleeping in tents, you would guess that's where the Honglang's leader, Wong Li, sleeps.

You have the camp's layout. The question now was how to proceed.

>Try to sneak around, then climb the walls
>Kill the guards quietly, then slip past the gates
>Set fire to the walls to cause panic.
>Approach the gate and announce yourself, then kill them all
>Pretend you're here to join them, see if they'll let you in. Ming and Shen can enter while you have them distracted
>Write-in

>>5793796
>Set fire to the walls to cause panic.
The favorite Chinese stratagem.

>>5793796
>Try to sneak around, then climb the walls

>>5793796
>Set fire to the walls to cause panic.

>>5793796
>Set fire to the walls to cause panic.

>>5793796
>>Set fire to the walls to cause panic.
Time for a RAT race!

>>5793796
>Set fire to the walls to cause panic

Is rat gang dead again?

QM... just let us know if something went wrong IRL.

>>5793796
>Approach the gate and announce yourself, then kill them all

>>5801323
Probably. I can't decide whether to bother archiving this or not.