12 Yue Fei's Plan

(YF) "Before we begin, I want you to know that I was holding back to see how well you could capitalize a situation if you had an advantage." Yue Fei said to hopefully reduce some of Baron's presumed gloating.

(BM) "Well I figured, you are an elder of this community. If you didn't at least have some ability you would never have been able to become an elder in the first place. After all, in the history of China, there has been no shortage of tacticians." Baron said matter of factly.

(YF) "You have to realize we may have a lot of powerhouses, but the other communities have no shortage of talents as well."

(BM) "Don't worry, i'm not one to overestimate myself."

(YF) "You are too modest, but you have the ability to back up such thoughts."

(BM) "What's that supposed to mean?"

(YF) "Almost everyone here is only concerned about themselves, and their future. That's why once they realize how cruel this world is, they change their personalities to be merciless. Not everyone of course but the majority here have been shaped like that."

(BM) "Then I'm assuming you haven't been transformed into a merciless killing machine?"

(YF) "No, even when I was alive I always showed compassion and loyalty."

(BM) "I'm well aware of what characteristics you displayed when you were alive, i'm glad to see you haven't succumbed like the other people."

(YF) "My achievements aren't as grand or numerous as Madam Zheng, yet you've researched me as well?"

(BM) "Yes, as soon as I could think critically i've researched a lot into all matters related to warfare. My father was also a military fanatic, so as soon as I displayed interest and talent in strategy, he enrolled me into a competitive school where many bright young minds gathered to increase their military prowess. I may not have been the youngest to get into the school, but I quickly surpassed everyone there and earned the nickname "the next level strategist". After staying there for a few years learning all I could, I toured the other strategy schools around the country to challenge them."

(YF) "Seems like you didn't have much of a childhood."

(BM) "....I could say the same for you, and probably about half of the people who now live here"

(YF) "Tell me how died. You seem to be a little young by the way you talk."

(BM) "I died when I was 20, all the preparing i've done for war, all the stories i've read, all the experiences that have been shared with me could not have prepared me for the hell that is war."

(YF) "You were only 20 when you died? I've served for as long as you've lived." Yue Fei said with a face full of shock. "I've had many regrets in my life what about you?"

(BM) "The most important thing I regret is that I died in my first actual deployment. I had so much ambition and goals, too bad i'm here now."

(YF) "Don't be like that. Change your goals and use that drive to do well in this world. There are many benefits to being well off here too."

(BM) "I understand."

(YF) "Did you leave behind any special people back on Earth?"

(BM) ".......I.....I choose to not answer."

(YF) "Alright whatever, let's begin our review."

The next few hours the two spent reviewing what they could have done better, how to react faster to situations. Although Baron was a genius in the younger generation back at Earth, he had nowhere near the amount of experience of someone like Yue Fei. Yue Fei also spent this time to teach Baron the basics of the simulation as well as showing Baron a few of his own tips and tricks that he had picked up over his time at planet four.

(BM) "Why are you helping me out so much? Surely its unprecedented for an elder to spend so much time, and even revealing a few trump cards to a complete newbie like me."

(YF) "Yes, there is a reason for my generosity which I hope you can pay back. As it stands now the Chinese community is splintered between multiple powerful factions vying for total control."

(BM) "I know there is the 100 elders. Is there any authority that is even higher than them?"

(YF) "Yes there are, there are 3 great elder positions and 1 Overlord position which has even higher authority than the 3 great elders combined. Unfortunately, we have never had an Overlord before because in order to get that position you have to call in a vote from every person in the Chinese community and achieve at least a 90% of overall votes. None so far have been able to accomplish this feat in the Chinese community."

(BM) "No one? Then is there anyone in the 3 great elders seats?"

(YF) "I'm not authorized to know who these fellows are, but I do know that there is one seat vacant. Rumour is its going to land in the hands of one of the four most revered generals in the warring states period. These are Lian Po, Li Mu, Bai Qi, and Wang Jian. However, there is a dark horse emerging in this competition and that is Madam Zheng. Her quick rise to prominence has garnered the support of many, although she isn't quite at the level of authority as those four, if given enough time she will be able to surpass them."

(BM) "I had no idea that the affairs of the Chinese community is like this. However, it's not like it was totally unpredictable. After all, even back on Earth China had only recently began acting as a unified country."

(YF) "I have no idea what happened after my death so i'll have to take your word for it."

(BM) "It's actually kind of sad."

(YF) "What is?"

(BM) "The fact is that for most of Chinese history, we've only been concerned about fighting each other. If we had a unified country in the beginning, I have no doubt that the legacy we would've left behind would be among the romans, and greeks, and quite possibly even similar Genghis Khan, but we were too occupied with fighting each other to realize that fighting ourselves only had the benefit of making new ways to kill each other."

(YF) "Are you sure? Genghis Khan is pretty well known on planet four, I don't know if we would've been as successful as that guy."

(BM) "I've researched a great deal into this, but the main thing you need to know is that we had discovered gunpowder, and the inventions we made from that were pretty advanced for its time. The other thing is we had a huge population of men that could fight, very few nations during that time could match us in size alone."

(YF) "How many books did you read to gather this much information?"

(BM) "Most of it was actually through the internet, but anyway what did you want me to do?"

(YF) "Well, as you know i've been here for more than a thousand years. I've fought through many simulation and gathered enough contributions to become an elder. Now though, I don't see myself advancing any further. I've reached as far as I can with my own abilities, so I need the help of someone else to rise even further. That person will be you."

(BM) "Me? Why don't you ally with one of the other elders?"

(YF) "Remember when I told you that most people become cruel themselves after experiencing how cruel this world is? Most elders are like that, and I don't trust any of them. I'd rather have an ally like you, one that I know won't betray me, and more importantly you already have a basic grasp of many of the elders according to you and all that research you've done."

(BM) "I know you are someone who greatly values loyalty, don't get me wrong. But how come you trust me? I mean we haven't even known each other for very long."

(YF) "Don't worry, I know a good person when I see one." Yue Fei slowly walked to Baron and held out his arm signalling for Baron to either accept it or refuse him outright.

(BM) "Let's make history, brother." Baron replied and shook Yue Fei's hands in acceptance.

(YF) "Come, this signals the start of a great brotherhood. Let's go get absolutely drunk." Yue Fei said to Baron and immediately hooked his arm around Baron's shoulder and proceeded to drag Baron into the bar all the while laughing it out with his newfound brother.