A Guide to Doomsday Preperation by Shen Jiu

Chapter 3: Fight for the Throne!

  Chen Huiyin crumples the paper in her grip. Her eyes are trained on the last two characters in the scroll. Right under the section titled ‘teammates’.

  ‘Shen Jiu’

  She slams the paper down on her desk, looming over it. The candle on the table trembles, its flame cast dancing specters across the room as it shivers.

   “That cocky brat! How dare he!”

   Chen Huiyin seethes. Her teeth grind together, and her finger taps on the wood.

  Taptaptaptaptap tap tap tap tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap-

  She stops. Then sighs. She hangs her head as she collapses into a chair, pressing her palm to her forehead as she leans on her arm.

   “I know what you're trying to do Shen Jiu.”  She thinks darkly...or perhaps more accurately what her Shizun was trying to do.

  This was a test. A test to see who was more worthy of the head disciple title.

  She had seen this coming already. She had seen it many, many months ago. Back when Shizun first started to show his favor, back when Shen Jiu first started becoming a thorn in her side.

  This mission is her Shizun’s ultimatum. Him telling her: “Show me you are still worthy of your title. Show me that you are better than this new upstart, or else be replaced by him.”

  After all, why else would Shizun put a beginner on such high difficulty mission? A mission where he would have virtually no use on. A mission that also just so happens to involve a fellow head disciple, one who’s already been named the successor of his peak.

  She squeezes her eyes shut. This had happened to the head disciple before her and now it was her turn.

  “I won’t let you, Shen Jiu.” She promises.

    “ I won’t let you take this away from me.”

_______________________________

  Shen Jiu put away the last fan that was lying on the floor. He had just spent the whole morning cleaning up the mess he made last night. He’s very lucky morning lessons are canceled today, or else he definitely wouldn’t have had the time.

  He lets out a burdened breath.

   As he cleaned up he’s been anxiously thinking over his decision to take the mission. Now that he’s calmed down, all the reasons why he wanted to avoid it came rushing back to nag him.

  But every time he thinks of just calling it off, the thought of having to deal with Yue Qingyuan sends a wave of fury over him.

   “Maybe I should just skip it. I mean I’d be going into closed cultivation anyways, which means I could keep Yue Qingyuan off my back for a few days… Though if I were to take the mission I would be Yue Qingyuan free for a full two weeks…”

  A knock pulls him out of his mental debate. He opens the door. It’s Chen Huiyin.

  “Chen-shijie. This shidi wasn’t expecting you, why are you here?” He asks, his surprise not really audible in his voice or shown on his face.

  Chen Huiyin clicks her tongue. “Can’t even greet me good morning first?” She sneers, then raises an eyebrow as she gives him a once over.

  Shen Jiu wasn’t in his uniform and was still in his casual clothes, his sleeves rolled up from when he was wiping some spilled ink. His hair is tied back loosely instead of its usual tight ponytail. Chen Huiyin tilts her head to the side, looking into the room behind him. Everything was spick and span, shining even.