The Red Phoenix [Concluded]

**Jolt** · 11-12-2009, 18:51

The Red Phoenix - Day 2

Final Tally:
Yaseikhaan (3) - ATPG, Joooray, atheotes
Joooray (2) - FH, DiY
atheotes (2) - Beskar, Sprig
FactionHeir (1) - Yaseikhaan

This day had been significantly more active than the previous one, now as most advisors sprung from their seats making elaborate arguments accusing the others of being the ones behind the death of Xiahou Dun. Probably the fire started at night and the fact that someone had indeed been killed probably had made them all edgy and eager to find out who was behind the plot, rather than caring about a spy who wouldn't harm them directly, yet which could endanger them in battle.
Regardless, hours passed and the council had focussed on three members, until atheotes rose from his seat and acused his colleague. "It was Yaseikhaan! Remember that he previously served our enemy Liu Bei and his heart has never left that petty wandering bandit!" Other advisors who had also accused Yaseikhaan nodded and cried in choir "atheotes is right! It can only be Xu Shu!"
Therefore Xu Shu was seized by the guards, and Cao Cao called. "What they say is exactly what I think. You served Liu Bei and your plans killed many lives when you were under him. While you served me, you couldn't come up with any devious plans of your own, and now that I am before my moment of glory, you intend to alienate me from my trusted advisors and have murdered my cousin? I suppose the death of your mother was not reason enough to understand you should never deal with that coward Liu Bei?" Cao Cao's expression than changed, "And you would dare kill me???" Cried Cao Cao, visibly angry. He continued "Guards, take this dog away and behead him. Send a messenger with his head to Liu Bei and tell him if he doesn't surrender, that will be his fate in the coming battle. Xu Shu said very little throughout the entire speech until Cao Cao ordered his guards to kill him. Only then he began shouting a volley of abuse "You tyrant! Wicked and vile rebel! Corrupt and mean soul! Despicable rat! You will pay for your crimes against the Han and the people! You-" By then the guards had already carried him out of the tent. The advisors continued hearing various loud sounds until they heard a sword cut through flesh, and everyone knew Xu Shu was no more.

As most advisors went back to their daily duties, Cao Cao thought that the arguments had been quite convincing and that Xu Shu was indeed the conspirator behind the killing.

With the day over, Cao Cao's staff went to their tents and while most thought it over, a few were not so sure yet.

Xu Shu, Junior Advisor of the Han Army was executed.

Alive (11):
Death is yonder
Subotan
A Very Super Market
atheotes
Beskar
spL1tp3r50naL1ty
Joooray
Sprig
AskthePizzaguy
FactionHeir
Paulus Tertius

Executed (2):
Centurion1 - Mao Jie
Yaseikhaan - Xu Shu

Assassinated (1):
Diana Abnoba - Xiahou Dun

Night 3 orders are due in 8 PM GMT / 3 PM EST, 13th of November.

**Jolt** · 11-17-2009, 14:30

The Red Phoenix - Night 3

Apparently the death of a fellow officer the previous night had unsettled Cao Cao's advisors. As night engulfed the Heaven and each advisor retired to their tents, the patrols had doubled. But that did not thwart atheotes. He slipped out of his tent and went to investigate someone. He was caught mid-way by a patrol, but he quickly told the soldiers that he had been summoned by Cao Cao for a talk, thus he quickly disposed of the grunts. As he approached the tent of his target and began plotting on how to also remove the guards at the tent's doors, someone patted him on the back while he heard a dagger unsheathe. "Looking for someone..?" said the person. Turning to see who was with him, Jia Xu was extremely startled and taken aback for he had recognized who the person was. "You!?-" It was the last thing Jia Xu said, just before the man drove his dagger into Jia Xu's throat, and quickly vanished into the nearby tents.

Jia Xu, Palace Counsellor of Han has been assassinated.

Only one minute had elapsed before a patrol found the corpse and alerted the inner courtyards.
That assassination, almost foiled the plans of another person who, having misled some patrols which operated in the area he wanted to go to, was sighted by scores of soldiers from outside of the courtyard which had come with the alert of Jia Xu's death. As a consequence, the soldiers quickly concluded that the sighted man was Jia Xu's killer and soon enough, that group was thus alerting other guards to the man's presence. Fortunately for him, his quickly wit put him on flight, with only that score of soldiers after him. He entered into a tent where weapons were stored, grabbed a sword and made a big cut in the tent, allowing him to quickly escape through the gap. The other soldiers, weighed down by armor and weapons had significantly more difficulty passing through the gap. The man quickly slipped into another tent, and made a similar cut like the previous tent, only that he then hid behind some barrels, misleading the soldiers into believing the person had gone through the tent. Before long, the camp was swarming with soldiers for the second straight day and another advisor killed. Cao Cao was extremely bitterful and wailed again "Why Heaven do you take my arms thus!? Jia Xu had no equal to him!" Indeed Jia Xu was a man of gigantic intellect, and one of Cao Cao's greatest advisors. Cao Cao could not conform himself with losing such another valuable asset.
However, other advisors pointed out that contrary to Xiahou Dun, Jia Xu had not been murdered in his tent, but was up to no good himself, as he was close to other high officer's tents, where he was assassinated. Still Cao Cao payed no heed to that talk, as he knew Jia Xu was always loyal to his lords. Cao Cao then began thinking that Xu Shu's death had also been in vain as the killings also continued. "Phreaps most of the council had been infiltrated?" thought Cao Cao.
He sighed in regret and said to those around him. "Truly, the only one I trust in this world is none other than my Xu Chu."
After the body of Jia Xu properly put in a coffin and buried and the search for the killer ended in failure once again, Cao Cao retreated back to his tent in a sulky mood. The next day, Jia Xu would be sent to Xu Chang to be buried in a mausoleum. Cao Cao also memorialized the Imperial Throne to make him posthumous Marquis of Gozang, his birthplace, as recognition for his great ability and skill.

The next day the council of advisors reconvened once again, and Cao Cao did put it bluntly, "Our camp is filled with vile people and wicked men of little ability. Not only Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, Mao Jie and Xu Shu, but it appears someone else is still unsatisfied with my command. He is therefore a rebel to Imperial authority and must therefore be put to death. Last night as you all know, Jia Xu was murdered, and that means one of you is the culprit. Though difficult he may be to find and his arguments are surely disarming, do not forget that you are all the best minds of the age. You must find him. Now." Cao Cao was beginning to grow weary of saying this phrase "Present your arguments and let us find out who do you all think is the culprit behind Jia Xu's death."

The advisors began getting ready to exchange accusations once again, and phreaps find out who was the culprit of the murder.

Alive (10):
Death is yonder
Subotan
A Very Super Market
Beskar
Yaropolk
Joooray
Sprig
AskthePizzaguy
FactionHeir
Paulus Tertius

Executed (2):
Centurion1 - Mao Jie
Yaseikhaan - Xu Shu

Assassinated (2):
Diana Abnoba - Xiahou Dun
atheotes - Jia Xu

Day 3 votes are due in 8 PM GMT / 3 PM EST, 18th of November.

**Askthepizzaguy** · 11-17-2009, 14:34

Vote: Subotan

**atheotes** · 11-17-2009, 15:35

grr... thanks for taking me off the suspicious list. I was hoping to last one more night. bad for us it did not work out.

**Beskar** · 11-17-2009, 15:37

LOL I am amazed they killed you. I thought they would have killed me, and tried to scapegoat it on you.

**atheotes** · 11-17-2009, 15:43

not after everyone agreed i must be innocent for casting the decisive vote on one of the mafia...
i was hoping for the scenario you described... but unfortunately there was too much discussion during the night phase