Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 119 - 114: Miscalculated the Script

Chapter 119: Chapter 114: Miscalculated the Script

Fog once again enveloped the area, except this time there was no transition to a new scene, instead, it returned to the initial one.

[Special Identity Unlocked: Lin Xiangmin!]

"Oh? Does this mean I’ve successfully reached a save point?"

Li Hongyun couldn’t help but feel a bit of joy.

This was still the first special identity he had unlocked in the "Trial Illusion" instance "Conferred Marquis Against My Will."

Although playing a special identity required the consumption of identity points, playing such a role often granted greater authority to change the instance’s progress and access to more crucial information.

If considered from a gaming perspective, it meant that the player had proven their wisdom and ability by playing as an assistant and was qualified to play more challenging roles.

From a narrative perspective, it indicated that the upcoming events were significant, and an assistant would struggle to be involved and make decisive contributions; Lin Xiangmin would have to make the decisions himself.

Regardless of how it was viewed, it signified a significant advancement in the game’s plot.

Li Hongyun didn’t hesitate and chose to continue as Lin Xiangmin.

Previously, while playing a soldier, he had killed quite a few bandits, accumulating a sizeable number of identity points, enough to sustain him for a while.

...

The scenes within the Trial Illusion shifted once more.

Li Hongyun found himself in the grand hall of the Governor’s Yamen, dressed in official attire and seated behind a desk, clearly assuming the role of Lin Xiangmin.

Kneeling before him was a certain man, the very Magistrate Ning.

With a "thud," Magistrate Ning’s head struck the floor heavily.

"Lord Governor! I have let you down, but please believe, I’ve never had a second thought of disloyalty!

"Lord Governor, you have been gracious to me, and I could never repay you even if I shattered myself to pieces.

"The plan to flood the bandits by destroying the dyke is already in motion by Elder Yan. I know, Lord Governor, that you are concerned for the people and reluctant to carry out Elder Yan’s orders. But if we delay any longer and miss the Dragon Boat Festival flood season, we will never be able to follow through, and Elder Yan will not spare you!

"I regret only that I wasn’t efficient enough and still couldn’t deceive you, leading to only a portion of the dyke being destroyed before General Deng and his soldiers blocked it rapidly. I’ve neither accomplished what Elder Yan commanded nor spared you, Lord Governor, from being maligned!

"I am willing to take full responsibility for all wrongdoing, but... but I regret involving you, Lord Governor, and making you unable to account to Elder Yan, and for that, I deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

Magistrate Ning finished speaking and then heavily kowtowed again.

From these few sentences, Li Hongyun roughly grasped the current situation.

According to the previous plot progression, Lin Xiangmin had detected something unusual about Magistrate Ning and sent General Deng to catch him in the act.

Indeed, the dyke was breached, but since General Deng was prepared, he led the troops to aid the disaster relief and managed to block it in time, preventing a major catastrophe with relatively few fields flooded.

This should have been a good thing, but not in Magistrate Ning’s view.

On one hand, the destruction of the dyke was incomplete, preventing the land from being sold cheaply, which meant Elder Yan’s plan was utterly unexecuted; on the other hand, the breach was now a fact that could not be concealed and would undoubtedly be investigated.

Magistrate Ning had initially planned to act first and report later, secretly breaching the dyke without notifying Lin Xiangmin, thus accomplishing Elder Yan’s task. Afterwards, during the Dragon Boat Festival flood season, he intended to report it as a natural disaster caused by continual torrential rains.

Of course, once the affair was exposed, Magistrate Ning would undoubtedly face death, but he knew that Governor Lin was in a dilemma at the time. If no actions were taken by the Dragon Boat Festival flood, Elder Yan would surely settle accounts, prompting him to make the decision on his own.

In this way, even if the matter was exposed and investigated, Governor Lin would at most be accused of negligence. If Elder Yan’s task was completed, he would naturally find ways to protect Governor Lin.

Li Hongyun looked at Magistrate Ning kneeling on the ground, "Such a critical matter, why did you dare to keep it from me?"

Magistrate Ning, with his head lowered, replied, "It is precisely because the matter is critical that I had to keep it from Lord Governor."

Li Hongyun was momentarily at a loss for words, then realized his own question was superfluous.

Indeed, Magistrate Ning could not possibly consult Governor Lin on something that clearly violated the law, regulations, and even ethics. How could he ask his leader to endorse that?

To have you do it? Does this imply you want your leader to take the blame?

To tell you not to do it? And then internally the leader feels you can’t even fathom his intentions and considers you incompetent?

So, whether he asked or not, from Magistrate Ning’s point of view, he either had to feign ignorance and do nothing or go all-in and see it through completely.

Unfortunately, he chose the latter, thinking himself clever.

But from another perspective, Magistrate Ning’s unilateral decision both plunged Governor Lin into crisis and gave him an opportunity.

The key was how Lin Xiangmin himself would grasp it.

Li Hongyun fell into deep thought.

Now that he had to deal with the matter, he thought of three methods.

The first method was to send Magistrate Ning to the capital to be handed over to the Emperor, who would arrange for an investigation.

The second method was to immediately behead Magistrate Ning but leave a confession, complete with signature and seal, and submit it, stating that Elder Yan had ordered the destruction of the dike.

The third method was still to behead Magistrate Ning and leave a confession, but this confession could not mention Elder Yan’s involvement, only blaming the flood on poor dike maintenance and the combination of natural disaster and human error.

The second method would be tantamount to a direct betrayal, turning against the Yan faction, while the third method would mean still standing with the Yan faction.

As for the first method, it was completely uncontrollable. Because although Magistrate Ning was loyal to Governor Lin, once in the capital, Yan Maoqing and Gu Qingzhang would try to sway him by all means, and the Emperor would take great interest in the matter, making it very likely that he could recant his testimony.

"Absolutely not, I cannot send him to the capital. The Emperor may hope I do so, but I definitely cannot do that. Because once I do, it would mean a complete loss of initiative, making my intentions unclear, and both Yan Maoqing and Gu Qingzhang would not be grateful but would instead see me as an enemy.

"If the breach is reported as a natural disaster and poor dike management, pushing the blame onto Magistrate Ning, the fire would not reach Chief Minister Yan at all, and I may only be guilty of failing to properly supervise my subordinates. Moreover, most importantly, it would be the same as doing nothing.

"Gu Qingzhang would still observe from the sidelines.

"It seems I have no choice but to switch sides?

"At this point, Gu Qingzhang is watching the fight from a safe distance, not intervening without enough certainty. But the testimony of a dead man is absolute certainty, and only with this can their covert struggle become an open conflict.

"Of course, the risk is enormous; if the Yan faction does not fall from this, I’ll definitely be the first to suffer. If the Yan faction falls completely, uprooted, and Gu Qingzhang doesn’t protect me, I’ll still be in trouble.

"The chance of successfully navigating this situation remains very slim. After all, the biggest variable is the Emperor. Although the Emperor is a player in this game, he is also the judge, completely unpredictable..."

Li Hongyun weighed his options for a long time before finally making up his mind.

If he was wrong, he could always start over, so he decided to take the risk!

"Write down everything Elder Yan instructed you to do in the confession, sign and seal it, and then you can depart in peace. I’ll find a way to ensure the safety and well-being of your family," Li Hongyun said gravely.

Magistrate Ning was stunned for a moment: "Lord Governor, you... You want to break with the Grand Secretary?

"This must not be done!

"While I am not too proud to die, Lord Governor, the situation in the court is unclear at this time. Even with this confession, the Emperor may not necessarily..."

Li Hongyun shook his head slightly: "Write."

Magistrate Ning hesitated, but seeing the resolve in Governor Lin’s eyes, he had no choice but to comply.

...

However, just as Li Hongyun was eagerly awaiting the next stage, the mist dissipated, and he found himself back at the beginning.

Seeing the familiar initial scene of the official residence, Li Hongyun was taken aback.

"Failed?

"Just like that, straight to failure?

"My thoughts were still incorrect?"

Although he was reluctant to admit it, he had indeed failed.

This game wouldn’t tell players why they failed, leaving them to figure it out on their own.

Li Hongyun did not start over but instead considered analyzing the playthrough.

"Is my analysis of these three methods flawed?

"It shouldn’t be, should it? To make Gu Qingzhang and Yan Maoqing shift from covert fighting to an open duel, isn’t this confession the only way?

"Why did I fail?

"If we go by the normal script, after seeing this confession, the Emperor would surely be enraged, strike against Yan Maoqing’s faction, and although I am part of the Yan faction, given that I hold the southeast, and considering the urgent need to quell bandits, he wouldn’t act against me in the short term, and I might even receive more military funds for the relief efforts...

"Who failed to follow the script?

"Could it be... that the Emperor never followed the normal script at all?"