#calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan]

[shallliveoninsong]

|| @maskednihilism [plotted!]

"Fine," the General sighed. "If you're certain that's the only way in and it's that heavily guarded then you and I will just have to take a field trip."

He clicked off the map layout they'd been looking at. Having to keep tabs on Sampo while out and about was never easy, he was slippery as a fish which made hunting down the remaining Disciples of Scantus Medicus and even more difficult.

Jing Yuan would have preferred to have just gone himself, or better yet sent Yanqing on the mission, but the secret passage Koski had been explaining was something only he knew how to get to and unlock. And the General wouldn't want to make his retainer have to deal with the trickster. Or anyone else for that matter.

"Also, you need to not wander off, understand?"

#maskednihilism #(here ya are 👀) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan]

[shallliveoninsong]

|| @maskednihilism kinda cont. .from [X]

In the depths of a secret underground lab tucked away on one of the small, unnamed islands in the sea on the Luofu the Disciples of Scantus Medicus were making strides on their latest project.

The Ravager Phantylia's plan may have fallen through but it wasn't for naught and the Disciples could reap some benefits from the failure. With the Disciples now on the run and their numbers scarce after the failure they needed something to interfere with the Luofu's operations so they could regain their footing. An attack on the Alchemy Commission in the middle of the night was launched with one goal: to capture the man who was the biggest obstacle in their plans; General Jing Yuan. A few healers were harmed in the attack, not that it was of any consequence to the Disciples.

And now they had made much progress with the Cloud Knight General. The power of the Destruction that Phantylia had forced into him fought for control of its host despite the connection being severed. There just needed to be a little something more.

Over the weeks following the General's disappearance they experimented with force-feeding him Mara-inducing medicinal pellets. It made the General temporarily Mara-struck but the Destruction didn't react with the procedure. It wasn't what the Disciples needed.

Gradual liquid injections worked much better. And unlike the pellets the effect interacted with the Destruction in the General in a very unique way. It made the General moldable and easy to condition but not completely Mara-struck and mindless. Yes, they could work with this. _____

Jing Yuan was too weak to speak, nor even take in much of his surroundings. A dimly lit room. Cold. His arms ached and burned.

The General could barely move. He was suspended in the air by chains and shackles on his wrists and ankles. But even his head felt too heavy to hold up. His normally light hair was a dark gray with grime and dust. Dried splotches of blood decorated it, though whether it was his or someone else's was a mystery.

How long had he been here? It was all a blur. But not from falling asleep--no seldom was he granted solace from this mess by sleep. Hazy fits of rage and combat he couldn't quite remember interrupted the times when he was fully conscious of what was going on.

Each breath he took shot pain through his lungs where Cloud Piercer had gone through him. The Fragmentum corrosion had spread across most of his torso from the wound. He couldn't see it under his battered and bloodstained tunic even without his darker-toned armor, but he could feel it. Spreading across him like a plague. But no matter how much he thrashed he couldn't get free. So instead he hung there, taking shallow breaths to lessen the daggers of pain that shot through his lungs with every inhale.

"One more dose and things will be complete," the leader of this crew said.

Another member acknowledged the statement before affixing another liquid dose to the IV hooked into the General's arm. The Disciples had nothing to fear out here in the middle of nowhere. No one would be able to find the underground base and get past all the locked doors and surviving members operating out of it. No one, except for one thief.

#maskednihilism #(this got away from me a bit sorry i was hyped lmao. consider everything before) #(the read more just setup lmao dont match it jfc) #(also sorry not sorry ; ) #(you bully your boi i bully mine uwu) #blood cw #kidnapping cw #human experimentation cw #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #spoilers cw #v; lightless dawn [sleeper agent au] #needles cw

[shallliveoninsong]

@maskednihilism cont from [X]

"Ah, so you do have a thought or two pinging around in that head of yours," he teased.

While the general's words are a jest, a pleased smile graces his lips at the thief's answer.

"You're absolutely right. Never let yourself be tempted otherwise. Even without taking the Mara issue into account living this long leaves one feeling displaced in time itself."

Time marches on, whether you're prepared for it or not. And everything else all slips away so quickly.

"Yet many offworlders still seek long life from the Xianzhou," he says with a shake of his head. "If I could become a short-life species I would."

#maskednihilism #(I am gonna get u back just you waito uwu) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan]

[shallliveoninsong]

|| @maskednihilism plotted you BIH

"Another deal gone sour, huh Koski?" The General tutted as he looked over the disheveled thief.

Or at least that was what he instinctively guessed but perhaps it was something else for once. But Jing Yuan wouldn't push for details unless Sampo offered them up.

"Let me patch you up and then you can stay at my place for the night if you'd like. I'm sure Mimi would be happy to see you again."

#maskednihilism #(also i imagine this is after his release date when he's back to his shenanigans lol) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #(electric ppl have a 3 hr estimate save me)

[shallliveoninsong]

◇ The way he says the first sentence is full of so much sadness. Like with all family things aren't as simple between Jing Yuan and Yanqing and I think this is just one of the many pieces of evidence that points to it.

No, I'm not saying they are totally at odds with each other or are really struggling to get along, but some parts aren't perfect. Jing Yuan has to try and strike the delicate balance of encouraging Yanqing's progression with his swordsmanship and the general growth and maturity of Yanqing as a person yet also try to not put too much pressure on the young Cloud Knight.

I don't think Jing Yuan is entirely to blame for the pressure per se. He does have high expectations of Yanqing but they aren't freakishly so. He knows Yanqing has a lot of natural talent and thus does expect good things from him. The general is trying to groom him to be a leader of the next generation of the Luofu after all. But he is aware of his role in these doubts Yanqing has and his fixation on winning which is why Jing Yuan feels he has failed his apprentice in several places. Perhaps he shouldn't have leaned into Yanqing's natural talents so much? Maybe prevented him from being part of the Cloud Knights/assisting with combat matters of the Luofu until Yanqing fully came of age? He can only be left to wonder if maybe he did things differently situations like the Heliobi situation wouldn't have ever happened.

And of course, some of the pressure is due to the Gifted Kid ™ syndrome. After all, so many people know Yanqing as an unmatched sword prodigy that the Arbiter General took on as an apprentice. If he goes on to lose then what kind of prodigy is he?

#(anyway i hope they go into this more because it's an interesting struggle and adds a deeper layer to the two) #(because right now aside from Yanqing biting off more than he can chew and still needing to learn a lot from JY) #(there hasn't been much of their relationship explored beyond them being father and son like and getting along) #(which is great don't get me wrong but there are struggles between them too) #(not all sunshine and rainbows clearly going by the heliobi event) #(also thanks Cyu for destroying me with the delivery of the first line) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #born for the sword [yanqing] #string of clues [headcanon]

[shallliveoninsong]

◇ I find this text conversation you can get from the General so fascinating. Many of his voice lines say how he finds the travels of the Astral Express much more interesting than his own life--which makes sense, a lot of his work is either administrative or managing things behind the scenes. In many aspects, he's settled. Regulated to taking a background role unlike the days of his youth. If he didn't have so many responsibilities and so much grounding him to the Luofu, he'd travel with the Astral Express, no doubt.

However, as far as I know/remember this is the first time he's referred to himself as "changeless". Obviously, that isn't entirely true, we all grow and change or are changed by our experiences. But I believe by this he means this more so from a logistical standpoint and from an outside perspective looking in. The other HCQ members or their successors have all changed so much, both on a personal level as well as their goals or factions.

And then there's him. He was in the Xianzhou military all his life before the Sedation happened and he still is, albeit in a different role. He's grown accustomed to the daily life of trying to keep peace for the Luofu. Has he even really changed? Of course, there are sides to his home he's become much more acquainted with (and doesn't agree with much of it) for he has many criticisms for how many things are handled (especially after the Sedation but also military decisions and how often the Xianzhou is drawn into conflict) yet he still plays the game, remains as one of the Arbiter-Generals, trying his best to do all he can for what he can control.

And let me just cry about how he wanted to be a Galaxy Ranger as a kid TwT. Since we aren't sure exactly how old he is, maybe they had already (seemingly) disbanded by the time he had that dream, but either way, it is very cute but also sad. "Pity that life never goes the way you want it to go" feels like a statement with many meanings, beyond the current one he's speaking about.

Let him retire and go travel the stars to be an animal conservationist Hoyo!!!!

#ooc: Mew mews #string of clues [headcanon] #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #(i say let him retire but at the same time also still feel like him becoming a boss would be a such an impactful end) #spoilers cw

[shallliveoninsong]

|| @thelittlepeacock cont from [X]!

Could he go one day without some Outworlder causing trouble being dragged before him by the Cloud Knights? Some were from honest mistakes or ignorance, but this fellow was certainly neither of those, simply going by the air about him.

The General crosses his arms. "I'm afraid it's not within our budget for us to pay you to explain your actions, my good fellow."

Jing Yuan does, however, give a nod to one of the knights escorting the Outworlder to loosen the cuffs a bit, and the knight does so.

"Shall that suffice?"

#thelittlepeacock #(hiya!!! go wild with whatever he did to get dragged in lmao) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan]

[shallliveoninsong]

@maskednihilism cont [x]!

Yeah... Jing Yuan was definitely going to get lectured about concealing this from the thief. Not today and maybe not tomorrow either, but a lecture was as inevitable as darkness turning to dawn.

"Hey, don't talk about yourself like that," he scolds. Koski was a thief, but he was so much more than that.

Subconsciously one of his hands clenched in a fist hovers in front of the site of the injury.

"No, it doesn't hurt. It took a few months but now I honestly forget it's there unless I see it. The Alchemy Commission knew enough about it to try and... subdue it in a way? Lady Bailu managed to get what remained of the Corrosion to retreat quite a bit from how far it had originally spread from the site. But most of it had to be, er..."

It was probably a bit grisly to share the details, but Sampo had probably heard and seen worse, right?

"... dug out of me before that process could start."

#maskednihilism #(the contrast of this convo vs ALL of the au is so stark lmao) #even immortals have favorites | jing yuan ★ sampo | maskednihilism #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #injury cw

[shallliveoninsong]

◇ I'll make a more official post about it later but unless canon proves otherwise/gives us an exact timetable or this goes against another muse's hc's I'm interacting with I'm going to say that while Jingliu introduced a tween/young teenish Jing Yuan to the other members that would become the HCQ he had limited interactions with them until he became a fully fledged Cloud Knight. That's when he really started hanging out with them regularly and they all became close. I'm going to say him and Yingxing were the youngest and closest in age just via deducing how Yingxing physically aged and is the only short-life individual of the squad. DF may have been close too but Vidyadhara aging is so ??? so he could have been their senior by several years who knows.

#ooc: Mew mews #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan]

[shallliveoninsong]

|| @grislyintentions ★ plotted

Where was he?

Jing Yuan was essentially never in a place he didn't know of. Seldom did he leave the Luofu anymore, due to the responsibilities of his job. And yet he had no idea where he was or how he got here. The General glances around, trying to find any familiar landmark.

Unbeknownst to him, he was dreaming. But for him, any normal dream with conjured-up aspects, he would just not question it, going along with the whims of his imagination like it was natural.

This was not a natural dream.

Something felt... off. Like Jing Yuan wasn't alone. Like someone was watching him.

He summons the Starfall Reverie just in case.

"Whoever you are, show yourself."

#grislyintentions #(let's gooooooooo) #(let me know if you need more to work with or any edits!) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan]

[shallliveoninsong]

◇ I was taking screenshots of smol JY and realized this

#ooc: Mew mews #(he didn't want to hurt her and i am so normal : ") #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan]

[shallliveoninsong]

◇ First off, what a mood. Though it's very interesting that stress can lead to mara corruption, unless I missed this elsewhere I think this is the first time learning of such a thing.

Is this why Jing Yuan remains so lax all the time? Gotta keep a low blood pressure or you risk early mara?

#calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #ooc: Mew mews

[shallliveoninsong]

|| @maskednihilism cont. from [X]!

Sampo doesn't respond. The general can't say that this outcome wasn't predictable. He keeps a fair distance away from the con man, yet is now standing parallel to him. They would have been shoulder to shoulder if it weren't for the distance. He doesn't want to spook him away not right now anyway. Jing Yuan loosely crosses his arms. There are no weapons in his hands and even if he summoned the Starfall Reverie they were in plain sight.

"Still shaken up?" The question is asked with nothing but concern in the general's voice. After all, what kind of friend wouldn't be concerned for someone they hadn't heard from in a while?

"Listen I... don't quite know what you remember. The doctors said this kind of matter is very tricky. I'm not an expert so I can do little other than heed their advice."

Jing Yuan leans his head forward slightly, trying to catch the thief's eye--or read his expression.

"So please... let me help you, Sampo."

#maskednihilism #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #(heehee.mp3) #v; lightless dawn [sleeper agent au]

[shallliveoninsong]

◇ Some hc's for the sleeper au

Early on Jing Yuan attacks the Divination Commission and damages all the matrices there to a huge degree to prevent divinations, of course, to stop the diviners from easily figuring out what else the Disciples have planned or figure out what's afflicting him.

There's still a small part of him managing to resist, to try and keep citizens as uninvolved as possible so should he attack someone the real him tries to make it be a Cloud Knight/someone who's armed or someone presenting direct interference.

The serum that was forced upon him was a concoction of Abundence power and those medicinal pellets the Disciples use to purposefully trigger a mara-induced state for their own purposes. However, the Destruction that was still in him from the Phantylia fight is at constant war with the Abundance power. It keeps him lucid unlike someone who's fully mara-struck but each power keeps growing in him, striving for full control of their new vessel.

(Unless later stated otherwise since we've literally never met either of them) Nanook and Yaoshi feel like they are playing tug of war with their newest toy. Both would benefit from having Jing Yuan under their control to further their own Path's desires.

Those attuned with the Abundance and know of what was done to the general (aka, the Disciples) are able to have their own magic react with the Abundance in Jing Yuan now, which is what activates him to follow their mission and whims. Distance between whoever is influencing him and the general does not matter, one just needs to know the information the researchers who tormented him gathered during the experiments.

As for his scar of Stelleron corrosion, it is no longer suppressed, it continues to spread all across his torso. Despite this being very painful he's kept alive from the spread of corrosion by the Abundance. His healing factor has increased tenfold, even something as fatal as getting impaled by a blade will be healed in a matter of minutes so long as the blade gets removed so his flesh can reform. The healing process itself doesn't hurt, just the initial injury.

#(hi im brainrotting about this again but in my defense uH) #(JY's english VA also thinks it would be neat if he gets corrupted or becomes a boss later in the game sO xD) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #v; lightless dawn [sleeper agent au] #string of clues [headcanon]

[shallliveoninsong]

◇ Related to this live action short though, while of course it would be difficult to outfit one's home with sneaky mechanisms like this, Jing Yuan's home does have quite a few hidden tricks to it.

Several cabinets have hidden side compartments, drawers have false bottoms, bookshelves hide hidden closets, etcetera. Though they aren't for hiding skeletons in his closet as many might think, but sensitive memories from his past.

Some notable things include: Letters Jingliu wrote him when he got his first few expedition assignments to lead wishing him well, to be careful, and to not be afraid to ask for advice if he needed it. (Her name has been redacted due to the Ten-lords order to stike her name from records)

All his awards from his younger Cloud Knight years, often accompanied by pictures of him when he recieved it either with his parents or Jingliu with him. (Jingliu's face is missing from the pictures, not by his own choice)

Old or much too small armor and weapons that Yingxing made him over the years--all with varying damage to them, Jing Yuan used to fight much more recklessly.

Pictures Baiheng took while flying and turned them into postcards saying where she was when it was taken and some quick note to him wishing him well.

[Obligatory this won't be forced on anyone who plays these muses]

#calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #(there are more of course but these come to mind first and i should be asleep lol) #string of clues [headcanon] #spoilers cw #(but mAn that short was so cute but also sad and I AM SO NORMAL ABOUT IT)

[shallliveoninsong]

@hyenapriest cont. from [X]!

Functioning as security for drunken squabbles on the Luofu certainly wasn't in the Arbiter-General's job description. Even so, Jing Yuan couldn't just watch things get out of hand without doing anything. Besides, it appeared only one individual was the main aggressor in this. If he could just remove the Outworlder from the situation things would settle down and he could call the Cloud Knights to clean up the rest.

"Now let's reel it in a bit--" he begins to say once he separates the Outworlder away from the fray of the scuffle.

There was a moment of hesitation, probably because the stranger might recognize him on some level, but as quick as it happened it was gone.

"Woah!" The General meets the thrown punch with his vambrace to absorb most of the blow.

"Calm down my good fellow! Surely whatever disagreement you're having with these folks can be worked out without violence?" he asks, his usual lax expression not being shaken by the altercation.

#hyenapriest #(ajljds poor Heath needs a pay raise lmao) #calculated not lazy; mostly [jing yuan] #alcohol mention cw