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Stratagem 2: Wéi Wèi Jiù ZhàoSiege Wèi, Rescue Zhào
Daji was used to her counseling sessions with Guānyīn by now. The boddhisattva was a listener, who gently eased out Daji's past from her. She gave off a comfortable feeling, someone she could trust, brushing her fur mixed with honeyed words.
Nézhā gave her a punch to the face.
They shared no words, only fists. That was Guānyīn's condition for their sparring: no magic, no maiming, no transformations, and-
"No teeth." Daji muttered it under her breath, holding back the urge to bite the stinking god's face off once again. She blocked his next hit with her forearm, and caught a follow-up punch with her free hand. She kicked up, aiming for his crotch, but Nézhā forced himself to fall, causing them both to fall over on the sidewalk.
Unbothered, Daji flipped herself back up and pinned his arms behind his back, shoving him back down. The god rolled out of the lock, catching her arms between his legs. She tried to shake him off, but he kept whirling about, pulling her into his momentum and sending her facefirst into gravel.
Her ears twitched. Daji jerked her head to the side, narrowly dodging a stomp by Nézhā, only to catch an elbow to the temple for her trouble. Another foot came down, this one landing on her head. Daji's lips curled into a sneer as she fought the urge to just bite off his leg. Instead, she grabbed onto his left calf and squeezed.
A crack pierced through the air amidst the sounds of blows and grunts - but not a snap. Daji was unwilling to sit through another one of the bodhisattva's scoldings, and made sure to allow enough room for the god to retreat. Nézhā yanked back his leg, muttering curses to gods she barely recognized. Seizing the opening, Daji grabbed the god by the cuff of his shirt, pulling him into a left hook.
She followed it up with a knee to the gut into a palm to the face. Before he could recover, she hit him with a kick to the knee, resulting in another crack.
Another punch, met by Nézhā's palm. His left eye was closed, and she saw tears mixed with the gravel from her hand. He shifted his stance, and her foot narrowly avoided another stomp. Nézhā didn't let up, throwing another elbow at Daji and shifting to a knee when she blocked the strike. Slowly, the god pushed her back blow by blow, step by step.
After four steps, Daji struck out, catching Nézhā in the gut with a jab. She kicked up, nailing him in the crotch, and grabbed his face. Without another word, she slammed his head into the pavement.
Nézhā groaned, blinking stars out of his eyes, but before his vision fully returned, he felt a pressure on his crotch. He didn't need eyes to tell what Daji was threatening him with.
"Yield?" she asked.
He coughed, raising his arms in surrender. "Gods, woman, would it kill you to take it easier on the testicles?"
Daji removed her foot and pulled him back to his feet. A smattering of applause came from behind her, and she saw they had gotten a small crowd, drawn to their sparring. She looked at Nézha, who shrugged. They gave a quick bow and left.
Stratagem 7: Wú Zhōng Shēng YǒuFrom Nothing, Create Something
Though it stung her pride to admit it, Daji had to admit: Èrláng was not someone she could beat, not even after putting her entire life on the line.
Instead, she looked at other methods of catharsis.
"Hit me."
The god obliged, placing down a card. Seven of Hearts, next to her Four of Clubs. Daji glanced at her hidden card once more.
"Stay."
Èrláng slowly, methodically placed his cards on the wooden table. Two of Spades. Six of Clubs. Nine of Diamonds. He paused.
"Reveal."
The two flipped over their hidden cards. One Èrláng's side, it was a Four of Hearts, a perfect 21. On Daji's was an Eight of Spades. Bust.
"Still challenging me to games of chance," sighed Èrláng. "And allowing me to be the dealer as well? What are you without stacking the odds in your favor?"
"Shut up and deal, Three-Eye."
Èrláng obliged.
Stratagem 14: Jiè Shī Huán HúnBorrow Deceased for Resurrection
Stratagem 21: Jīn Chán Tuō KéGolden Cicada Sloughing Shell
Stratagem 29: Shù Shàng Kāi HuāDecorate with False Blossoms
Stratagem 36: Zǒu Wéi Shàng CèIf Nothing Else, Retreat