Game’s Dogma

Young Drako Yau was scared—of course any nine-year-old would be scared to follow a stranger. The old geezer took large steps forwards, followed by Drako Yau who resisted the strong urge to turn around and rush home.

The old geezer glanced at Drako Yau and said, ‘Let’s go.’ He tugged onto Drako Yau’s neck with his claw-like hands.

Before Drako Yau could scream, darknss consumed his vision.

A bird flew down from a branch and landed on the child’s nose as it chirped merrily.

‘Mhm…’ Young Drako Yau moved slightly, scaring away the tiny bird.

He opened his eyes. What came into sight was a mixture of blue and green—casting his sights afar, mountains and rivers, bright skies and drifting clouds filled the scenery.

Young Drako Yau almost popped his eyes out. He had never seen the natural environment as the First City was a place full of metal with skies that were always greyish. Despite its relatively poor environment, it was technologically advanced. The entire transportation network consisted of high-tech maglev vehicles of the latest models while restaurants were completely automated.

The First Eastern City was the pioneer of technology among all Eastern cities as well as humankind. The city was void of plants because technology had long solved the problem of air cleansing. Photosynthesis through plants was no longer needed to cleanse the air, replaced by air purification systems dispersed all over the city like trash cans.

How beautiful.

Young Drako Yau didn’t understand why his teachers always said only losers lived in cities filled with plants.

‘You’re awake?’ A cold and slightly hoarse voice came from above him.

Drako Yau stiffened and slowly looked up. The old geezer was sitting on a branch above him while casually munching on a fruit.

‘What is… this place…?’ Drako Yau mustered the courage to ask, only to receive a cold glare.

‘What’s with all the questions?’ The old geezer leapt from the branch and landed on the soil with his bare feet. ‘From today onwards, I’m your teacher. Your “master”, in our language.

‘You’ll do everything I tell you to. If I tell you to run, don’t walk. If I tell you to walk, don’t just stand there. Understood?’

The old geezer sent a dangerous gaze at Drako Yau, who only stood there like a log as this was his first time encountering such a person.

‘Very well.’ The old geezer flicked his palm, and a long wooden staff appeared. He tossed it at Drako Yau and said, ‘Pick it up and thrust it a thousand times.’

Unable to comprehend what was going on, Drako Yau couldn’t respond and simply stood there with his brain seemingly frozen. 

What’s this all about? he thought.

Drako Yau was thrown backwards by a heavy strike, and he slammed against a tree with a bang.

‘Ugh!’ Tears streaked down his eyes as he spewed blood.

The old geezer said mercilessly, ‘Did you already forget what I’ve just said? You do what I say. Now pick up the wooden staff and do two thousand thrusts!’

Drako Yau shivered. Scary… The old geezer’s a devil…

‘One… Two…’

At his fifty-third thrust, Drako Yau’s childish arms were already sore. His thrust was wobbly, and he lost strength in his legs all of a sudden, dropping the wooden staff to the ground.

Bam!

Another attack struck Drako Yau, sending him flying and making him spew blood again.

‘Who told you to let go?’ The demonic voice reached him from above.

Drako Yau didn’t even know when the old geezer had returned to the branch. It turned out the attack just now was from tossing the fruit’s core. 

I wanna run…  I wanna run away so much…

Drako Yau grit his teeth. Recalling his father’s expectant eyes at their farewell, the nine-year-old cried as he picked up the staff and started thrusting again.

‘One hundred… One hundred and one…’

Drako Yau’s vision turned hazy. With a thud, he dropped to the ground out of exhaustion. The old geezer quickly got to him the moment he fell and threw a glowing palm strike at his back. Moments later, the old geezer let out a sigh as the aura shrouding his palm dissipated, leaving behind Drako Yau who was sound asleep.

‘Strong-willed, just like his father,’ the old geezer murmured while the corners of his mouth veered upwards.

How comfy… Drako Yau felt he was submerged in a warm bath.

Suddenly, a chilly sensation seeped all over him. He snapped open his eyes to find himself completely drenched and a bucket above his head.

‘You have five minutes to clean yourself. The river’s behind you.’

The devilish voice rang in his ears again. Drako Yau absolutely hated the old geezer, but he dared not utter his dissatisfaction in fear that he’d get hit again, so he quietly went over to the river.

He returned after tidying himself up in five minutes and glared at the old geezer, now lying lazily on a thick branch. The old geezer peeked at him then pointed below the tree.

‘Thrust, a thousand times.’

Beneath the tree was the same wooden staff. Drako Yau, without uttering a sound, picked it up, concealing his rage within his tiny body.

As he thrust the staff, Drako Yau was surprised to find himself still carrying on after the 200th thrust. My arms are only a bit sore? he thought. At his 500th thrust, he was finally burnt out and was about to drop to the ground when the old geezer abruptly appeared before him.

‘Sit down.’

The pair of old and young sat with their legs crossed while facing one another. The old geezer pointed his finger at Drako Yau’s chest and said, ‘Close your eyes, feel the flow of my chi within you.’

A warm circulation travelled throughout Drako Yau’s body. It moved slowly, almost like a granny taking a stroll in the park. He could roughly guess that the old geezer did so intentionally.

After a while, the old geezer released his finger and said emotionlessly, ‘Your turn now.’

Drako Yau returned a glare and shut his eyes. The warm flow didn’t disappear and continued to travel within him, starting at his chest. He was a bit clumsy at first, but the flow gradually turned smooth. A warm sensation reached all over his limbs and body; it felt comfortable.

The old geezer appeared unfazed, but deep down, he was utterly astounded.

He learnt the Vitality Mantra in one go?

After the warm chi circulated for the ninth cycle, Drako Yau felt reinvigorated. The numbness and fatigue in his body had vanished.

‘Whenever you’re tired, sit down and cycle it. Continue after you’ve recovered.’

The old geezer went back onto the tree before anyone knew and yawned as he lay on a branch, seemingly asleep.

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