The Company

Chapter 76: Stone Bo Qiong (Part 2)

[Thirteen]

Time was tight. The Master's side had finished their moves, and now it was Zhao Gao's turn. To prevent Zhao Gao from picking them off one by one, they needed to regroup quickly.

The Boss had no time to dwell on the fleeting reunion and separation with Ying across two millennia. He immediately led the Doctor toward the location of the last remaining white piece from his memory.

When he spotted the small figure squatting by the palace gates, boredly picking at the bricks in the distance, the Boss's feet felt as if filled with lead, slowing his pace.

The last white piece was Tang Yuan.

Aside from them, no one else remained alive in the entire game. What about the Eldest Young Master...

In the end, he never got to see him one last time.

Perhaps he had already sensed this when the Eldest Young Master bid him farewell... He just never expected the premonition to come true.

The Doctor was delighted to see Tang Yuan and immediately ran over, scooping him up and spinning around twice. Tang Yuan grumbled a few complaints but wrapped his arms tightly around the Doctor's neck before letting go.

By the time the Doctor and Tang Yuan turned to look at the Boss, he had already composed himself and calmly led them toward the main hall of Xianyang Palace.

[Fourteen]

On the way, the Boss took the opportunity to question Tang Yuan about the game's situation. Combining this information with his own, it seemed the winning move could either be fulfilling the antique guardian's wish or destroying it. This indicated that the key to breaking the game varied entirely based on the rules set by the guardian.

After finishing his questions, the Boss fell silent, lowering his head as he led the way. The Doctor, holding Tang Yuan's small hand, followed behind. Seeing the Boss's silent back, he seemed to guess something and sighed quietly without a word.

The journey passed in silence. When the two adults and one child arrived at the main hall of Xianyang Palace, they found Zhao Gao had not yet thrown the Stone Bo Qiong to continue the next move. Instead, he was toying with it in his hand, as if he had long anticipated their early arrival.

Moreover, despite being trapped in a desperate situation of being surrounded, Zhao Gao showed no concern. Instead, he appeared relaxed and self-satisfied, as if victory was assured. In contrast, the green-robed Taoist priest sitting across from him was pale as a sheet, with fine beads of sweat on his temples, clearly suffering from depleted spiritual energy.

This was a far cry from the composed and effortless man he had been at the start of the game.

"My, my! The survivors of the game are exactly as I predicted!" Zhao Gao curled his thin lips slightly. "It seems the two junior brothers you found for me, Master, are indeed remarkably capable!"

"However, although there are four white pieces left on the board and four people standing before me, it seems one of them shouldn't be here, should they?" Zhao Gao flipped over a white piece. The red character on its back had disappeared—it should have originally borne the character for "Ying." "Tsk, you've voluntarily sacrificed one piece. Can't blame me for that."

Zhao Gao picked the blank piece out from the game and placed it in the pile of removed pieces.

Tang Yuan glanced at the remaining pieces on the board, then at the people present, and asked in surprise, "Huh? So Uncle isn't a teammate?"

"Be glad he's not an opponent!" The Doctor felt that perhaps ignorance was bliss and didn't find the sarcastic Zhao Gao particularly frightening. He walked up to the board, picked up a blank piece from the table, and recalled how he had obtained a piece at the Cloud Elephant Graveyard, though the back of that piece had borne Ying's name.Zhao Gao glanced at the Doctor and said indifferently, "Oh, you're asking why I didn't include him in the chess game? Because participants must register their names. How would I know what his name is?"

"..."

His words left the entire hall in silence.

Yet Zhao Gao's statement was insincere. Even if he had known the Doctor's name, he wouldn't have wanted him involved. After all, the Doctor was someone who had survived great calamities and was destined for good fortune—he had broken a centuries-old curse. Having such a person with extraordinary luck participate in the chess game was naturally something Zhao Gao wished to avoid.

Just look—even without an invitation to the chess game, the Doctor had still managed to survive and reach the main hall of Xianyang Palace. How irritating.

"Enough! I've gone through immense trouble to arrange this chess game. Unrelated individuals have no place here." With a wave of his hand, Zhao Gao made the Doctor vanish before their eyes.

The Boss sensed danger, but he was as if frozen in place—unable to take a single step forward, not even move a finger.

Fortunately, for some reason, Zhao Gao seemed somewhat wary of the Doctor. The Doctor had likely just been expelled from the chess game without any life-threatening harm. This aligned with the Boss's own intentions—he never wanted the Doctor involved in the first place, so his departure was for the best.

Zhao Gao then turned to Tang Yuan, giving him a dangerous smile. "Cheating isn't very honorable, is it, little junior brother?" Tang Yuan's face flushed bright red, and he immediately lowered his head as if realizing something.

"Ah! My Little White!" Tang Yuan frantically tried to grab the Little White Snake coiled around his wrist. But his hand closed on empty air—the snake's petite form vanished from his wrist, materializing briefly into a girl about ten years old who clung tightly to him. Unfortunately, this illusion lasted only a moment before disappearing completely.

Tang Yuan's eyes widened. Who was that beautiful, adorable little girl just now? Could it have been Little White? Where would Little White go after disappearing? Could she have... died?

Meanwhile, the Boss noticed that the green-robed Taoist, who had remained silent all along, had grown even paler. "Tch, finally it's just us fellow disciples left." Zhao Gao brushed dust off his robes—to him, eliminating the Doctor and the Little White Snake was as effortless as flicking dust from his sleeves.

Seeing Tang Yuan's ashen face, Zhao Gao kindly explained, "Don't worry. In this chess game, regardless of winning or losing, whenever a piece dies, our master will expend his own cultivation to ensure their safety. Your Little White Snake is no exception."

Both Tang Yuan and the Boss sighed in relief upon hearing this, but soon grew concerned again.

"You set up this game specifically to weaken our master's power," the Boss stated. He had long suspected this, yet couldn't prevent it. Especially since their master had actively facilitated the chess game's commencement—surely he must have anticipated this?

Or... did the master do it intentionally?

Zhao Gao toyed with the stone dice in his hand and asked mysteriously, "Do you know how our master obtained his cultivation?"

"Haha, I only learned later that the inheritance of our sect requires disciples to devour their master's cultivation. Only this way can it be passed down through generations."

"And our dear master—back when he was teaching me, he left halfway through. I thought he refused to pass his cultivation to me. But soon after, he chose you instead."

Zhao Gao's gaze stabbed toward the Boss like a sharp blade.

Tang Yuan timidly raised his hand from the side and whispered, "The master chose me too..."This was the first time the Boss had heard such a claim. Though he firmly believed Zhao Gao was only saying this to unsettle them, he couldn’t help but glance at his master.

The green-robed Taoist remained calm and pale-faced, offering no defense.

Zhao Gao suddenly found it dull and waved his hand. "Enough, it’s time to resume our game." "But before that, we must first punish two chess pieces for acting without permission and violating the rules." Zhao Gao snapped his fingers.

The opulent main hall of Xianyang Palace instantly vanished around them. The Liubo Chess board between him and the green-robed Taoist suddenly expanded, floating in the void. The four of them stood on the board, each no larger than a chess piece.

The Boss and Tang Yuan were immobilized where they stood, as if trapped by an invisible wall of air, unable to take a single step. Zhao Gao and the green-robed Taoist remained seated cross-legged on the ground, each occupying two opposite corners of the central square on the board. "Senior brother, is that thing in Zhao Gao’s hand a dice?" Tang Yuan had blind faith in his master, so even though the situation seemed uncertain, he wasn’t overly worried. "That’s called a shibogiong, the predecessor of dice. It has fourteen sides—twelve with numbers and two with characters." "There are characters too?"

"Yes. One side reads ‘Jiao,’ referring to the Jiao chess piece, also known as the Owl Chess Piece. The other reads ‘Qi Wei,’ the antonym of Jiao, meaning an unfavorable move."

"Ah? If you roll a number, that’s the number of steps you take. But what happens if you roll one of the character sides?" "If you roll the Jiao side, you get another chance. If you roll the Qi Wei side, you can’t move at all, and the turn passes to your opponent." "Oh, so that’s how it works." "These two character sides are small and difficult to land on, so the probability of rolling a number is generally higher." Tang Yuan had never played Liubo Chess before. After questioning the Boss at length, he realized the game’s rules weren’t particularly relevant. After all, Zhao Gao had merely placed them in a match to force them to fight each other, thereby pressuring his master to intervene and deplete his spiritual power.

In this series of chess games, even the winners couldn’t advance. They were all sacrifices.

"Senior brother, do you think Master can defeat that villain?" Tang Yuan touched his wrist, where the Little White Snake usually coiled, but it was now empty.

The Boss wanted to give him an affirmative answer but found himself unable to speak.

Though Tang Yuan might not see it clearly, the Boss could discern that Zhao Gao and his master were actually seated on a square Formation. Intricate characters, like living venomous snakes, flowed from beneath his master toward Zhao Gao’s surroundings. It was evident that Zhao Gao was siphoning his master’s spiritual power, and it was unclear how long this had been going on.

Perhaps it had started from the very beginning of the game.

Was this the kind of chess game his master had truly desired?

Zhao Gao’s intentions weren’t hard to guess—he wanted to defeat the master, seize his spiritual power, and make him taste the bitterness of being sealed away for millennia.

The Boss couldn’t fathom his master’s thoughts, but he couldn’t allow this situation to continue. Watching his master’s face grow increasingly pale, the Boss struggled to pull out the Nirvana Compass. If anyone could wield this compass with greater precision, it was undoubtedly the green-robed Taoist.

But just as the Boss was about to make a move, Zhao Gao casually flung a dagger toward him. Amid Tang Yuan’s startled cry, the dagger flew straight for his chest.Vines instantly sprouted at the Boss's feet, coiling around his body like ropes and completely immobilizing him, preventing even the slightest evasive movement.

The moment the dagger pierced through the air barrier, the Boss desperately threw the Nirvana Compass toward the green-robed Taoist while simultaneously drawing the Yue King Sword from the void. With a precise slash toward the dagger's trajectory, he intercepted it just before it could pierce his chest.

"Being stabbed wouldn't matter anyway. That Figured Gauze you're wearing would protect you. Tch, that should have been mine." Zhao Gao glanced disdainfully at the altered pattern on the Boss's Crimson Dragon robe.

Shifting his gaze to the green-robed Taoist, Zhao Gao smiled faintly and said, "Well then, shall we continue our game of chess?"

Even as he spoke, his hands never stopped moving. With one hand he tossed out the stone dice, while the other reached to intercept the Nirvana Compass mid-air.

The stone dice tumbled through the air, tracing a graceful arc before landing on the chessboard, spinning rapidly. Just as Zhao Gao was about to seize the Nirvana Compass, a pale, slender hand firmly caught it first. When Zhao Gao saw clearly, his breath caught in his throat.

The green-robed Taoist's eyes, which had remained closed for over two thousand years, had suddenly opened.

It had been so long since Zhao Gao last found himself under that gaze. In his memories, those eyes had looked upon him with indulgence, regret, sorrow, and later disappointment, sighs, and remorse...

But now, those eyes regarded him with tranquil stillness, utterly devoid of emotion.

"Ah! Senior brother! Master isn't actually blind!" Tang Yuan exclaimed in utter shock.

"Master was never blind. The reason he never opened his eyes was because he made a blood oath back then - vowing never to see the world again - to activate the God-Sealing Array and imprison this man." The Boss spoke slowly, hardly able to believe what was happening before him. "And the scar on Master's forehead is the mark of that blood oath."

"Ah! What will happen if Master breaks the blood oath?" Tang Yuan asked anxiously, the very notion sounding terrifying. The Boss remained silent for a moment before replying, "I don't know."

The stone dice continued spinning rapidly, showing no signs of stopping.

But the Master glanced at the Nirvana Compass, reached out, and decisively adjusted its needle. The scar on the green-robed Taoist's forehead began to split open, crimson blood gushing forth and winding down his jade-like face before finally dripping onto the chessboard, where it was swiftly absorbed by the magical array.

Zhao Gao seemed trapped by an invisible force. Beneath his feet, a bottomless vortex suddenly appeared. "Very well, perishing together might not be such a bad outcome after all," Zhao Gao smiled, stamping his foot forcefully. The chessboard cracked from where he stood, rapidly spreading outward.

Offering no resistance, Zhao Gao allowed himself to fall into the vortex, with the green-robed Taoist closest to him following suit. The Boss and Tang Yuan could only watch helplessly as the two figures fell one after another. "Senior brother!" Tang Yuan cried out, hopping anxiously.

The Boss looked toward where the green-robed Taoist had fallen, sensing that their Master had willingly chosen this path. As the cracks in the chessboard approached them, the Boss decisively grabbed Tang Yuan and pulled him toward the edge of the board. "Senior brother, this is all an illusion, right? Even if we fall, ah! We'll just be ejected from the chess game, won't we?"Tang Yuan chattered incessantly as he ran, punctuated by occasional shrieks when he nearly stumbled. The Boss gripped Tang Yuan with one hand while rummaging through his pocket with the other, searching for an antique that could resolve their predicament—yet he found himself momentarily at a loss.

"Senior Brother, maybe you should let me go. According to my calculations, you can't reach the edge of the chessboard while carrying me..." Tang Yuan panted breathlessly.

"Quiet." Sensing Tang Yuan's intention to break free, the Boss simply hoisted him onto his back and continued sprinting forward.

Just as they neared the chessboard's edge, before they could catch their breath, the ground vanished beneath their feet. The Boss's heart sank, realizing they had failed to escape.

Had Zhao Gao anticipated even this?

The Boss sighed silently, yet felt no panic.

Even if they fell, it mattered little. He doubted his master's move could truly eliminate Zhao Gao—at worst, they would simply continue their struggle elsewhere.

Over two millennia ago, their battles had seen victories and defeats, with both suffering losses. This time, he would not lose again. Patting Tang Yuan on the back, the Boss murmured, "Don't be afraid."

In the next instant, someone seized his other wrist with brutal force, and the sensation of weightlessness vanished. Following the grip upward, the Boss saw the Doctor's face come into view.

"Whew... Good thing I held onto a chess piece before leaving. Lucky I could make it back..." The Doctor exhaled in profound relief. In that moment, the Boss suddenly understood why Zhao Gao had excluded the Doctor from the chess game's calculations. Perhaps because their master and Zhao Gao shared the same mystical origins, this person could enter any treasure vault at will—and likewise move freely within Zhao Gao's chess realm. Strangely, after the Doctor pulled the Boss and Tang Yuan from the vortex of the shattered chessboard, the illusion around them dissolved, returning them to the dilapidated backyard of the wilderness cottage. Clatter! A small object hit the ground.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw it was the stone boqiong dice.

The character facing upward on the fallen dice was "arrogance". "Senior Brother... doesn't this character mean..." "Ah... it signifies 'try again'..."

【Fifteen】

260 BCE, September, Handan.

"A son is born, laid to rest in a bed, clothed in robes, given a jade scepter to play with. His cries resound, red knee-covers splendid, a lord for household and kingdom..." A child's voice echoed crisply through the hall, the familiar melody carrying a scent of destiny.

Zhao Gao felt weak in all limbs, his vision blurry upon opening his eyes, as if tightly swaddled in infancy.

Hah. The Nirvana Compass—reversing time—had sent him back over two thousand years? What was the point? He remained the reincarnation of the Bloody Malevolent Star.

Yet, hearing his young elder brother earnestly chanting, Zhao Gao's hardened heart softened slightly. But he soon scoffed coldly.

Just another cycle of reincarnation.

Moments later, a servant rushed in, joyfully announcing: "The Grand Historian observed the stars last night and brings glad tidings—a lucky star descended today! The King of Zhao is overjoyed and has pardoned all criminals!"

Zhao Gao froze upon hearing this.

This cycle... it seemed someone had come with him.

【Sixteen】

The alarm clock chirped relentlessly on the bedside. Tang Yuan furrowed his small brows, pulled the blanket over his head, and rolled over to resume sleeping.Meanwhile, the Little White Snake in the snake basket grew impatient. It swayed as it crawled out, found a gap, and slipped under the blankets. "Hey, stop it... let me sleep a bit longer..." Tang Yuan, still half-asleep, felt the Little White Snake licking his cheek.

This was their usual morning interaction, but suddenly, a faint image of a little girl in white standing protectively before him flashed through Tang Yuan's mind. He threw off the covers, slammed the snooze button on his alarm, and with a flushed face, carefully lifted the Little White Snake from his head and placed it back in the snake basket.

Finally free from the annoying alarm, the Little White Snake coiled contentedly into a spiral in the basket and went back to sleep. As it was winter, the snake slept more and more, as if preparing for hibernation. Tang Yuan gazed down at it for a long while, lost in thought, before finally getting up with reddened ears to brush his teeth and wash his face.

Come to think of it, that day not long ago had felt incredibly long.

It started with bringing the Cyan Stone Tablet home, only to have his senior brother knock on his door in the early hours to reclaim it. Then the Doctor obtained the Dragon's Eye—hearing that the Doctor had staked out Dumb Shop before dawn to wait for his senior brother, later coincidentally meeting him at the lakeside pavilion, following him to Shadow Prosperity Pagoda, and nearly being trapped there forever by Sister Cai Wei. Afterwards, the Doctor followed his senior brother to Sky Light Market, was tricked into going to Cloud Elephant Graveyard, and finally ended up playing a game of chess beneath Xianyang Palace late at night.

The Doctor's entire day had been truly dramatic and eventful.

Tang Yuan recalled his missing master and Zhao Gao. His senior brother, the Boss, said they were probably engaged in an exceptionally long game of chess that might not see a winner for many, many years.

But Tang Yuan couldn't shake the feeling that his master must have done something. Legend had it that the Nirvana Compass could allow one to travel through time and space—perhaps his master and Zhao Gao had truly reentered the cycle of reincarnation...

Ah, life felt somewhat lonely without his gluttonous master around.

Tang Yuan sighed like a little adult, but then immediately made a funny face at his reflection in the mirror. He wouldn't be sad! He'd study hard with his senior brother, and once he mastered everything, he'd go rescue his master!

After quickly finishing his morning routine, Tang Yuan put on his down jacket. Taking one last look at the soundly sleeping Little White Snake, he decided he couldn't leave it home alone and tucked the snake basket inside his jacket before rushing out the door.

Feeling a cool sensation slide along his arm and coil around his wrist, Tang Yuan patted the Little White Snake through his clothing, a silly grin spreading across his face.

The winter streets were filled with hurrying pedestrians. Tang Yuan glanced at the gloomy sky, tightened his collar, and trudged toward the commercial district.

On the way, he bought a jianbing. Although the Doctor would definitely bring food after his night shift, it was undoubtedly going to be soup dumplings. To be honest, Tang Yuan was getting a bit tired of them—he couldn't understand why the Doctor was so obsessed with them.

Pushing open the carved door of Dumb Shop, Tang Yuan stamped his cold feet and saw everyone gathered around the octagonal table eating soup dumplings, just as expected.

This Ming Dynasty octagonal table was newly brought out, accompanied by four benches. If customers didn't look carefully upon entering, they might mistake Dumb Shop for a restaurant! Fortunately, there was only one table, which was just enough for their group.

Currently, the Boss and the Doctor sat on one side, with Lu Zigang beside them. On the other side of the Boss sat a beautiful woman in ancient attire—none other than Cai Wei.

Cai Wei was brought out from the chessboard by the Boss. The aquamarine jade pendant had been temporarily borrowed from Xiao Ji. After returning to the Dumb Shop, the Boss found Cai Wei a jade carving crafted by Lu Zigang to inhabit. Now Cai Wei could manifest every few days, moving and speaking like an ordinary person. Many assumed the Dumb Shop had gained a beautiful shop assistant.

Sitting with their backs to the shop entrance were two young men. Tang Yuan politely greeted these two Uncle Wangs, knowing one was the owner of a martial arts school soon to open next door, while the other was a famous history content creator online. Tang Yuan plopped down beside Sister Cai Wei, lavishing flattering praise on her new clothes. Indeed,

Cai Wei appeared each time in newly made ancient-style garments, recently attracting visits from hanfu enthusiasts. Delighted by Tang Yuan’s antics, Cai Wei promptly fetched him a bowl of untouched wontons.

Tang Yuan happily ate the steaming pancake alongside the wonton soup.

Soon, Uncle Wang Li, the martial arts school owner, set down his chopsticks, bid farewell to Boss and his senior brother, and left. His school was still under renovation, requiring his supervision. Recently, he and Uncle Wang Zian had been staying at the Dumb Shop.

After breakfast, Wang Zian, bleary-eyed, retreated to the inner guest room to sleep. His sleep schedule was completely opposite to most, likely having been dragged out just for breakfast.

Finishing his pancake and then each wonton, Tang Yuan burped contentedly. Cai Wei and Lu Zigang cleared the table while the Boss went to the counter to boil water for tea.

The Doctor, having just finished a grueling night shift, slumped over the table after breakfast, mumbling about incidents in the emergency room until he dozed off.

The Boss brought over freshly brewed tea, then turned to fetch a blanket to cover the Doctor.

After a sip of fragrant Da Hong Pao tea, Tang Yuan eagerly asked, "Senior brother, you promised to teach me today!" Though he’d lowered his voice, the Doctor, not yet fully asleep, struggled awake upon hearing this and grumbled, "Study? You need to study! Once your household registration is settled under my name, I’m sending you to school!"

"School?" Tang Yuan’s eyes widened. Hadn’t they agreed he wouldn’t attend school?

"Of course you’re going. I’ve been lectured by the neighborhood committee for being irresponsible. And if I let you roam free,

what if you cause more trouble?" The Doctor, propping his eyelids open, chuckled. "Surprised? Our shabby little place is in a school district, and the assigned school is supposedly decent."

Tang Yuan quickly looked to the Boss for help—he didn’t want to go to school!

But the Boss fell into thought, then nodded after a moment. "I think it’s feasible. I’m not suited to teach Tang Yuan either. But I know a school that should suit him."

"Great, it’s in your hands. I can’t handle more lectures from those aunties..." Relieved the Boss would handle it, the Doctor immediately lay back down to resume his dreams.

Watching these two decide his fate for the coming years in just a few sentences, Tang Yuan felt utter despair. Yet what could he do? He was just a weak and helpless child!

His eyes darting, Tang Yuan scooted closer to the Boss, pulled something from his pocket, and offered it ingratiatingly. "Senior brother, this is for you.""This is..." The Boss paused slightly, not reaching out to take it.

This was a mother-child knot, a token Madam Shi had given Tang Yuan for freely entering and exiting the Sky Light Market.

The words the Doctor had spoken back then had stirred Madam Shi's thoughts. She still wanted to have a child of their own with the Market Master.

Not long after, the Sky Light Market changed hands, and the current Market Master was the Eldest Young Master Fusu.

Coincidentally, Eldest Young Master Fusu's body was deteriorating and he couldn't remain in the present world. The Sky Light Market, where time didn't pass, was perfect for him.

However, with the loss of its original Market Master, the Sky Light Market had weakened considerably and was now in a semi-closed state where one could only leave but not enter. This was what had puzzled Tang Yuan earlier. It turned out it wasn't that the Sky Light Market would collapse, but rather because the Market Master had changed.

Young Master Huhai also followed Fusu to the Sky Light Market, along with that young attendant whose true form was the Bronze Weight. The original residents of the market could choose to continue living there or leave the Sky Light Market to return to their own timelines. However, once they left, no matter how hard they searched for ghost markets, they would never find the pass to the Sky Light Market again.

As for Tang Yuan giving this mother-child knot to the Boss, he knew his senior brother was concerned about Eldest Young Master Fusu. Since Madam Shi was no longer in the Sky Light Market anyway, the knot was useless to him. He might as well give it to his senior brother - maybe if his senior brother was happy, he wouldn't have to go to school.

The Boss took the mother-child knot in his hand, ruffled the unruly hair sticking up on Tang Yuan's head, and smiled slightly. "Thank you, junior brother. But that school is suitable for you. Trust your senior brother."

Tang Yuan hung his head dejectedly. He had a feeling his wonderful life of freedom was about to disappear...

"Don't worry, that school should allow you to apply for non-residency. It'll be just like now." The Boss said with a beaming smile.

Tang Yuan groaned in despair - so there might still be boarding requirements!

Just then, Cai Wei brought over some fruit, gently comforting Tang Yuan while peeling an apple. Lu Zigang was wiping antiques in the Curio Cabinet with a cloth, the Doctor was sound asleep wrapped in a blanket, and through the carved window came the faint sounds of Wang Li directing workers in construction next door...

The originally quiet Dumb Shop was becoming more and more lively.

The Boss clenched the mother-child knot in his hand, a smile playing on his lips. After more than two thousand years, he was finally no longer alone.

(End of Chapter)