Baron, Yue Fei, Guan Yu, Meng Tian, and Meng Yi had decided to take a break from their training to take a break, reflect on their lives, and enjoy themselves for a bit. They had decided to hit up the sauna for a bit to relieve some of their pent up stress.
(BM) "Hey brothers, I heard that Zhuge Liang, the last overlord if our Chinese community suddenly disappeared. Do you happen to anything about that matter?" Baron said as he looked around in earnest.
(GY) "Well, this is a rather interesting topic that you are asking about. Frankly, I have my suspicions that it was the Sun Alliance that caused him to go missing." Guan Yu said sternly.
(MT) "I am also of the same mind. The faction that Zhuge Liang used to head was absorbed by the Sun Alliance after their leader's disappearance." Meng Tian followed up.
(BM) "What? How would they even manage to do something like that?"
(YF) "Well, there are a couple of different conspiracy theories that have circulated around. The leader of the Sun Alliance, Sun Tzu, came out himself to quell the nonsense that had caused his faction to lose a large amount of face."
(BM) "Sun Tzu himself? Could it be that he is also involved with this?"
(MY) "Though that would make the most sense, no one really dares to question his morals. That is due to the large amount of power that he and his faction has. However, he and his most trusted aides haven't been in the Chinese Community for well over half a millenium, it is now mostly his elders and such that run his faction." Meng Yi answered.
(BM) "Where has he gone to?"
(GY) "From what I know, he is at the United States community. That is how the Grand Auction was able to sell so many advanced technologies. Some sort of deal with the United States I hear."
(BM) "Well, enough of that then, I'm sure he will come back before the next Death Match system. This sauna sure is great."
(YF) "This sauna was actually commissioned by the Sun Alliance. As is most of what you see here in the Chinese Community. Before that faction managed to gain any following, we were nowhere near the ranking we are today. Sure we could still fight very well, but we didn't have the foundation that many of the other communities had."
(GY) "Don't forget to mention that that honor goes to both Sun Tzu and Zhuge Liang. They were quite close I heard."
(BM) "Their relationship just makes the mystery get more and more complicated."
(MT) "I think I'm done with the sauna for today, anyone up for some food?"
(BM) "Food is such a luxury here since sustenance is not required for us to continue on living. Are you having cravings or something?"
(MT) "We have to treat ourselves once in a while shouldn't we?"
(BM) "I suppose that's true."
(YF) "I was just about to get out too."
(GY) "Same for me."
The 5 of them got up, got dressed and went to a high end restaurant and began to talk again while waiting for the food to come.
(BM) "What are your thoughts on this planet when you first came here?"
(GY) "I remember that I was quite shocked to see that there existed an afterlife that would see even more barbarity than the middle kingdom."
(YF) "I am of the same mind, however, I leaned more towards the thought that this was another chance at life. No matter how much suffering there was back on earth, this one planet alone makes that pale in comparison. Not even mentioning the other planets that are even worse than our planet 4."
(MT) "Well, I thought nothing of it since It's just not in my nature to. A brief shock perhaps, but otherwise not much other reactions came to me."
(MY) "As for me, there was a moment of doubt in my mind that all that I had done back on Earth was for naught if this was the place that I would spend the rest of eternity. What about you Baron?"
(BM) "I just kept thinking that I needed to get back to Earth as soon as I could. That goal of mine is still unchanged"
(YF) "You still wish to win the tournament?"
(BM) "Yes I do. I just need to keep surrounding myself with strong allies and sooner or later I will have enough power."
(GY) "...I think now is a good time to tell you about how the tournament works. This is not something just anyone is able to enter. What do you know about the tournament so far?"
(BM) "That one must wait 1,000 years before they are allowed to enter the tournament."
(GY) "Well, that is not the case, but it isn't much different from the truth."
(BM) "What do you mean by that?"
(GY) "Only 10 factions of any given community are allowed to enter into the tournament. However, only the top brass of each community is allowed to enter at all. The reason that you must wait a thousand years before you can enter isn't actually a rule, more like a time for you to consolidate your power and fight your way to the top of the ranks."
(BM) "Then what about Madam Zheng? Will she be able to enter?"
(GY) "Though her faction is not in the top ten, I believe she will be chosen to represent us in the following tournament even if she hasn't been here for a thousand years. That is just how much of an important figure she is right now to us."
(YF) "She has made a name for herself after all, though I believe that she is fighting an unfavorable battle if she wishes to be chosen. The other possible candidate that specializes in sea warfare has been here for far longer than she has been, and naturally will have made more powerful allies along the way."
(BM) "Perhaps it would be wise if we helped them out to the fullest of our abilities so that they can become greater allies for us in the future.