n

n

nA heavy voice sighed loudly enough for us to hear even from outside the door.

"Come in,

" the same haughty tone from yesterday said, giving us clearance to enter.

nThe four of us - Yu An Xue, Qing Yue, Feng Mian, and I - complied, and pushed open the massive white double door with ease. Waiting for us was the same large elliptical table from yesterday, along with the same aged and wrinkle-filled faces of the elders.

n...And directly opposite of us, was the grey-haired head elder, Yu Niao.

n

"I thought you had given up on the idea...

" he began, rubbing his chin.

"...But it seems not. You are here today for the same reason as last time, yes?

"

nHowever, instead of Yu An Xue doing all the talking like yesterday, I spoke up.

"You're half-right.

"

nThe head elder narrowed his eyes and focused his vision on me.

"You are...the talentless wast- a-ahem, sorry...talentless child of the Xuan family, yes?

"

nAnger immediately surged in my heart hearing him about to call me a 'waste', then changing it on purpose and fraudulently apologizing, but I didn't let it show and kept a cool expression.

n

"You may call me Xuan Kai,

" I said in a condescending tone, as if mocking his own.

nHe showed no reaction, but I saw the corner of his eyebrow twitch up slightly. My words definitely had an impact. I made a mental note of this, and waited to see what he would say next.

n

"...Xuan Kai...very well,

" Yu Niao said indifferently.

"So? What's this about me being only 'half-right'? Does that entail you are here for something else?

"

nI smirked. This was the prompt I was waiting for. He had played right into my hands, as expected.

"No...we just have found some clues regarding the matter, and was hoping for you to verify them.

"

n

"Hmph...I had thought you could take a hint after seeing you leave yesterday, but unfortunately I was wrong,

" he scoffed.

"So I'll make this clear...I have no intention of assisting you in any way.

"

nThe devious smile on my face growing even wider as he continued walking around in the palm of my hand, I spoke my next line calmly.

"And...is there a reason behind that?

"

nIndeed - this was the turning point. My entire plan for this confrontation was based on his answer here. But he only had two options here.

n1. Refuse to answer this question, in which case I would continue pressing the matter with cold threats until he did, or-

n2. Continue with his act up until now, and say he is merely annoyed with us digging up matters of the past, for no apparent reason, in which case...

n

"I have nothing to gain from telling you anything,

" the head elder replied.

"What you are doing right now is merely bothersome and a complete waste of my time. In other words, you're annoying me. Quite a bit, actually. Does that satisfy you? If so, you can leave now, yes?

"

nIt took everything I had not to burst out laughing. This man had quite the talent for following someone ELSE's plans, if nothing else. He had perfectly recreated the ideal scenario I had in mind. Truly a great feat.

nWith a devilish grin on my face, I spoke the words that would lead to our success.

n

"Are you annoyed...

" I paused dramatically for effect.

"...Or are you scared, perhaps?

"

nI stared at him right in the eyes as I said that, and just as expected thanks to my little experiment earlier, the corner of his left eyebrow twitched up subconsciously. Though he was certainly proficient at masking his true feelings, details like this cannot be avoided. It all depends on how careful your opponent is in this psychological war - thus, leaving it up to luck.

nThat was his fatal mistake. In a cold war like this, you NEVER leave things up to luck. Control your fate with your own two hands, and determine your own destiny. Don't rely on the heavens to grant your wishes, achieve them with your own strength. These are all things I've learned over my years of suffering and humiliation. Unfortunately, those who haven't gone through the same agonizing experience I have won't be able to learn these lessons. Without risk, there is no reward, as they say.

nThe other elders shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the three girls next to me grinned in triumph. Even Yu An Xue, usually cold and expressionless, had a smug look on her face. We had won. All that was left was to see how he would respond to this. But regardless, victory was already all but ours.

n

"S-Scared? Of what?

" After a long silence, Yu Niao asked right back, but he was clearly nervous and losing his cool. As he bit his fingernails in anxiety, I continued with the secret allegations. By secret, I mean I'm hinting at them in a way only the perpetrator would understand.

nThis was the strategy I chose instead of full-on accusing him, for two reasons:

n1. We didn't actually know what exactly he had done. This plan was built upon the precondition that Yu Niao didn't know we didn't know, which was true.

n2. Talking in this way emits an aura of secrecy and unclarity. Yu Niao's primary concern right now is just HOW MUCH we know. By not disclosing all of our cards in one go, we can keep him suspended in mystery and guessing. That way, he cannot recklessly make any assumptions about us and make things take a violent turn (essentially eliminate us).

n

"...How long are you going to keep up that act, Yu Niao?

" I addressed him by his actual name instead of his title to strengthen the threatening atmosphere.

nHis eyebrow twitched again, and this time I could also make out faint beads of sweat forming on his wrinkled forehead.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about.

"

n

"I see you are as stubborn as ever, uncle,

" Yu An Xue spoke in my stead this time.

nI had only told the others 'I had a plan to deal with the head elder', but she seemed to have caught on to my intent throughout this entire exchange, and assisted me beautifully. She was just as clever and quick-witted as Feng Mian and Qing Yue, which in all honesty surprised me. She then continued, and impressed me even further.

n

"Why don't you go show that obstinacy of yours to my father?

" Yu An Xue crossed her arms across her generous chest and seemed to be almost looking down on the head elder across the large elliptical table, even though the latter was far taller.

nI smirked. Having understanding teammates like this was every gamer's dream. Not that I gamed a lot. The only times I played multi-player online video games was when Qing Yue came over to play, when my parents were still alive. To be honest, they were pretty fun, but having dog** teammates was also quite frustrating. There's two sides to everything, I guess.

nI decided to ask Yu An Xue how she figured out my intent sometime later, but for now...

n

"A-Ahem...What does the patriarch have to do with any of this?

" the head elder cleared his throat in a futile effort to look calm.

nThis time, it was Feng Mian that spoke.

"Oh, we just thought maybe you would be willing to talk in front of the family patriarch.

"

nQing Yue then laughed like a little devil, and joined in the fray.

"Since, you know, the patriarch surely has many, many different ways to MAKE you talk.

"

n

"H-He wouldn't dare!

" The head elder stood up, slamming the table. All signs of feigning calmness were gone.

"I...I am the head elder of this family! He cannot use torture tools agains-

"

nIt was my turn to have fun now. I cut Yu Niao off mid-sentence, and stared directly into his terrified eyes.

"-He's the patriarch,

" I said in a dark tone.

"The most powerful, highest authority position in this family. You would do well to remember that.

"

nHis eyes widened in fear and began his entire body began shaking uncontrollably.

n

"N-No...No!

" Yu Niao cried and punched the table again and again, until his fists began bleeding. None of the other elders even blinked at this pitiful sight. Instead, they were all staring at the head elder in mockery, and perhaps cursing at him inside their hearts, screaming 'you deserved it'. No one knew how much time had passed, but eventually, the head elder collapsed, perhaps from losing too much blood.

nI quickly leapt over the brown table between us to where Yu Niao lay, grey robes torn and hat a dirty mess. At this moment, he looked more like a street slave than a glorious head elder. I couldn't help but wonder just what exactly did he do to be afraid to this level someone found out. His eyes were still open in fear, and for a minute I thought he had died (which would be less than ideal), but when I checked his right wrist for a pulse, I sighed in relief at the faint but still existent beating. I guess people can pass out with their eyes still open.

nThe other elders must be confused at how four 14-year-old high school students managed to push the head elder of one of the Four Great Families of Shenzhen to this stage, but the answer was simple:

nNo matter how powerful you are, it won't help at all against MY mind games.

n