All Heavens Strategy Game

The air inside the ancestral hall seemed to freeze. The flames of the oil lamps flickered in the cold wind, casting long and short shadows of the twenty-odd men that danced on the mottled walls.

Village chief Su Dashun stood in front of the offering table, his missing ear making his profile look particularly weathered in the dim light.

He slowly scanned the weathered faces below, his gaze finally settling on the worn bamboo tube.

Inside the bamboo tube, twelve smooth bamboo skewers were quietly inserted.

among them,

Eleven ordinary bamboo skewers,

One of them was dyed dark red.

"I think everyone understands the meaning of the 'life and death fortune slip'."

Su Dashun's voice was not loud, but it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer: "Our Sishui Village has been established for 137 years, and these rules have been passed down for five generations."

"When the whole village is in danger of being wiped out and conventional methods are ineffective, one life is sacrificed to ensure the safety of the entire village."

He paused, his hand gently stroking the edge of the bamboo tube: "Our Su family ancestors fled here during the famine, and it was through sharing life and death that they were able to take root in this poor and harsh place."

"A life-or-death decision is not about treating human life lightly; it is a last resort, a way to preserve the greatest spark of hope at the lowest cost when all hope is lost."

The ancestral hall was deathly silent, with only the faint sound of the howling wind outside the door.

Su Dashun raised his head, his eyes sharpening:

"I've called everyone here today not because of the wolf attack."

"Wolves are beasts. If we hide and guard against them, we can still manage to outmaneuver them."

"But man-made disasters are unavoidable and unpredictable!"

"Yang Zhengxiong, the village head," he said, his voice icy as he uttered the name, "He came to see Sanlang a few days ago, wanting to join forces to take advantage of the snow disaster to lend money and acquire land."

"Sanlang refused. Not only did he refuse, but he also saw through his scheme and told me about it, so that I could warn the whole village to be on guard. You should all know about this."

The eldest clan elder, Su Hongtu, stood up. His hair and beard were white, but his voice was loud and clear: "I heard about this from Sanlang. Yang Tingzhang made it sound good, offering low-interest grain loans, but in reality, he's after our land deeds!"

"He had Sanlang act as guarantor, luring villagers to borrow money. If they couldn't repay it the following year, or if he 'used some methods' to make them unable to repay, the land would belong to him!"

"What happened to Old Man Lin's three mu of prime paddy fields in Shanglin Village the year before last?" Another chubby clan elder, Su Fugui, chimed in, his voice trembling with excitement: "Before the summer harvest, his fields were suddenly plagued by insects, and overnight, all the crops were devoured!"

"At the time, everyone said it was bad luck, but now that I think about it, how could it be such a coincidence? Just when the harvest was about to begin, why did his family suffer the most? It was clearly someone who deliberately released the insects!"

Su Dashun nodded emphatically: "Yang Zhengxiong served as the village head in this area for eleven years. On the surface, he was a benevolent official, but in reality, he was a ruthless glutton! He swallowed up the land of countless families bit by bit!"

"I even asked him how his family became rich, thinking it was because good deeds are rewarded and they were lucky. I never imagined they were profiting from human suffering!"

He took a deep breath, his voice becoming somber: "Sanlang... he clearly offended Chief Yang for the sake of our village."

"When Yang Tingzhang left, he appeared friendly on the surface, but the more friendly he smiled, the sharper the knife in his heart became. He certainly wouldn't let Sanlang go."

A low murmur of discussion arose in the ancestral hall.

Su Hongtu stood up again, his voice firm: "Today during the day, Yang Tingzhang came to the ancestral hall to find me, saying that he wanted to lend money to the village at a lower interest rate. I politely declined as Sanlang instructed. The look in his eyes when he left... I could tell that he had already harbored resentment towards our village and Sanlang."

"Sanlang gave up the wealth and status he could have gained by cooperating with Yang Tingzhang for the sake of the whole village." Su Dashun's eyes reddened. "That child was only thirteen years old! He could have easily agreed to Yang Tingzhang's offer and moved to the city to become a wealthy man with a lot of money and a bright future! But for the sake of us peasants, he chose to go against Yang Tingzhang!"

"Why?" Su Hongtu looked around at everyone: "Because he treats us like family! He treats Sishui Village like his home! He's afraid we'll be swindled out of our families, and he's even gratefully counting money for them!"

Su Dashun slammed his hand on the offering table: "Sanlang hasn't grown up yet, he's the future of our village! He's only thirteen years old, and he can already draw a three-stone bow, hunt an old goat alone, and even fight the wolf king!"

"What about a few more years? What will our Sishui Village be like when he grows up?"

"But Chief Yang won't give him time!" Su Hongtu raised his voice: "This year's conscription quota will be released soon."

"He's the village head; if he just assigns a few more people to our village, or gives us the hardest and most dangerous jobs, how many of us will die!"

"Repairing river embankments, building city walls, transporting grain and fodder... which of these tasks isn't a matter of life and death?"

A collective gasp filled the ancestral hall.

Corvée labor was a mountain weighing down on the heads of every citizen of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Every year, countless people die in forced labor, and those who return are often riddled with injuries and illnesses, unable to endure more than a few years.

Su Dashun's voice was as cold as ice: "We don't have to deal with the wolves, we can just hide from them."

"But Chief Yang is a human being, an official!"

"He has a hundred ways to kill us!"

"If he were to submit Sanlang's name for forced labor, Sanlang, given his personality, would definitely go, but he's only thirteen!"

"In that area where they were repairing the river embankment, three or four out of ten strong men died, and he was just a child..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood.

silence.

A long silence.

Then, Su Hongtu was the first to speak:

"Governments protect each other, so if we try to sue the authorities, we'll most likely just be walking into a trap. We'll have to resolve this ourselves!"

"I agree to draw lots for life or death."

The other clan elder standing beside him, usually known for his meticulous calculations and nicknamed "Iron Abacus," now showed no trace of scheming in his eyes, only resolute determination:

"Faced with Yang Tingzhang, Sanlang, a thirteen-year-old boy, chose to bear all the pressure and hatred alone."

"He was the one who spearheaded the village's disaster relief organization, and we offended Chief Yang because he was doing it for our own good."

"He's only thirteen years old, yet he dared to shoulder the pressure from the village head for the sake of the whole village. What are we uncles and elders afraid of?"

Su Hongtu's voice trembled: "He's still young, it's not his place to shoulder this burden alone! It's not his place to shelter us from the storm!"

Another clan elder, Su Changgui, slowly stood up.

He was a taciturn old hunter with a scar on his face that ran from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth, a result of a fight with a wild boar when he was young. He spoke slowly, but each word was clear:

"If Sanlang hadn't told us about Yang Tingzhang's treacherous methods, how many people in our village would have been swindled during this snow disaster? Our family's fertile fields would probably have all been taken away by him!"

"For this, we should probably be grateful, thinking he's a great man who lent us food to save our lives!"

"Sanlang is kind-hearted and doesn't say a word. For the sake of our village, he silently faced Chief Yang alone." Su Changgui's voice choked up: "He is a kind-hearted and capable boy, but he hasn't matured yet. We old folks have to buy him some time."

"No matter what means we use," Su Changgui raised his head, his eyes gleaming with a wolf-like light, "we have to deal with Yang Tingzhang."

Silence fell over the ancestral hall once again.

Then, one by one, the clan elders stood up:

"I agree."

"agree."

"He deserves a smoke."

……

All eight clan elders stood up and unanimously agreed.

Su Dashun was filled with mixed emotions as he watched this scene.

He knew that these clan elders also had their own selfish desires and were concerned with gains and losses, but at this moment concerning the survival of the entire clan, they made the same choice.

"Sanlang would definitely not agree to us doing something like this."

Su Dashun said slowly, "So we have to keep this from him. If he finds out in the future, he can only blame me, Su Dashun."

At this point, the village chief, who was missing an ear, suddenly laughed: "Do you know what? Today, when this foolish boy heard that the wolf king was injured, he seemed to be thinking of going up the mountain to deal with the wolf king..."

"Don't you think he's stupid? That's the wolf king! How dare he even consider it!"

"He didn't have to take that risk at all. The reason he had this idea was for the sake of our village. I know he was concerned about the safety of the village, afraid that someone would be carried off by wolves, and also for the livelihood of everyone who relies on the mountains. Hey, he's really a good lad."

"If I hadn't advised him against it, I'm afraid this kid would have actually dared to hunt a ferocious beast like the Wolf King!"

Su Dashun warned again, "No one is allowed to reveal what happened today. Knowing his personality, he would never agree to us doing something like this. He'd probably rather fight Yang Tingzhang to the death himself, so no one is allowed to tell anyone!"

"A lottery is necessary!"

He turned to the twenty-odd men below.

These men were all between thirty-five and forty-five years old. Their faces bore the marks of life's hardships, and their eyes held a complex mix of emotions—fear, worry, anger, and... a hint of relief.

They are able to stand here because they all meet the conditions for the life-or-death draw:

He is already married with children and has family lineage.

The family was destitute, often going hungry.

There are other young and able-bodied people in the family who can look after the house, so there's nothing to worry about.

"Since the elders have agreed and everyone is willing to stand here," Su Dashun's voice echoed in the ancestral hall, "then we will begin drawing lots in a moment."

He pointed to the bamboo tube:

"Eleven ordinary slips and one red slip."

"The person who draws the red lot will risk their life to deal with Chief Yang, exchanging one for one, or even... more."

A low gasp echoed through the ancestral hall.

"After the person who was selected gets into trouble..." Su Dashun said slowly and deliberately, "the village will give his family a large sum of money, enough for his wife, children and elderly parents to eat and drink for three years."

"In the future..."

"His family is being cared for by the entire village."

"His name will be engraved on the merit stele in the ancestral hall, and will be offered incense by future generations."

He paused, then said in an even more solemn tone, "When Sanlang becomes successful in the future, I will personally tell him about this."

"Given Sanlang's kind nature, he will definitely treat this family as his own and take care of them for the rest of his life!"

Upon hearing this, the men below all changed their expressions.

The initial fear and worry were gradually replaced by a complex emotion.

Su Dashun understood clearly—it was a trade-off between sacrificing one's worthless life for the stability of the whole family;

That was a resolute act of using one's "useless" body to fight for a future for one's descendants.

A man suddenly grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth: "Village chief, you're absolutely right."

"We're all in our thirties and forties. In this world, nine out of ten ordinary people like us only live to be in our early forties. If we've lived to this age, we're already considered worthless and useless. We're not afraid of dying!"

"Yes!" another tall, thin man chimed in, "We're not afraid of death, what we're afraid of is that after we die, our families will suffer and be bullied. Now, with the village chief and the elders' guarantees, even if we are drawn, it will be worth dying for!"

"We're using our failing lives to solve a huge problem for the village, and we can even get subsidies, status, and help for our families," a pockmarked man's eyes gleamed. "This is a good deal!"

"It's better than starving to death in a year of famine and leaving nothing behind!" someone whispered in agreement.

More and more men showed expressions of relief and even excitement on their faces.

They looked at each other, and some of them started whispering and laughing, as if they hadn't come to draw lots for life or death, but to receive some kind of reward.

Seeing this scene, Su Dashun felt a surge of immense sorrow.

This is the fate of ordinary people.

No background, no power, nothing at all, just a worthless life.

In dire straits, the only option is to fight with your life on the line.

He recalled that when he was young, the village had also drawn lots for life and death once.

That was thirty years ago. A band of bandits was about to plunder the village, and the village drew lots to select someone to go to the county town to report the news and ask for help.

His cousin was the one who drew the lot, but he later died from an arrow wound inflicted by bandits. However, reinforcements arrived in time, and the village was saved.

My cousin's name is still engraved on the merit stele in the ancestral hall.

Su Dashun originally thought that he would never see the life-or-death divination open again in his life.

To my surprise, it opened again today.

All of this is thanks to Sanlang—if he hadn't brought the whole village together, if he hadn't given the villagers hope, there probably wouldn't be so many people standing in this ancestral hall right now.

"Let's begin."

Su Dashun's voice was a little hoarse.

He personally picked up the bamboo tube and shook it vigorously.

The bamboo sticks rattled and clattered in the tube, their sound particularly jarring in the quiet ancestral hall.

"Draw lots in order of age, from youngest to oldest."

Su Dashun placed the bamboo tube on the offering table.

The first person to step forward was a 35-year-old man named Su Youtian.

His hands trembled slightly. He took a deep breath and pulled out a cigarette—

Ordinary bamboo skewers.

He breathed a sigh of relief, stepped aside, and looked at him with a complicated expression.

The second, the third, the fourth...

One by one, ordinary bamboo skewers were pulled out.

Some of those who were drawn felt relieved, while others even showed expressions of disappointment.

The fifth one is Su Dalv's cousin, Su Erlv.

He shouldn't have come today—Su Dalu is injured, and someone from his family should take care of him.

But Su Erlv insisted on coming, saying that Dalv was well taken care of by his wife.

He pulled out a cigarette—

It's still a regular visa.

Su Erlv slammed his fist into his thigh and muttered something under his breath.

The sixth, the seventh...

When the tenth person finished drawing, only two sticks remained in the bamboo tube.

One is ordinary, the other is marked with a red tag.

Only two people remained who hadn't drawn their cigarettes yet.

A 42-year-old man named Su Wangba.

There was a 45-year-old man, the oldest bachelor in the village, named Su Laoguang. He had just gotten married two years ago and had a big, fat son, but he couldn't afford to raise him!

"Brother Guang, let us go first!"

Seemingly sensing something, Su Wangba stepped forward first.

He was a short, stocky man with a smile on his face, always able to find joy even in the hardest of times.

Su Wangba walked to the offering table, but instead of immediately drawing lots, he turned to look at everyone and grinned:

"Dear uncles and brothers, let's say a few words first."

"If I win, don't be sad, it's my good fortune."

He paused, his smile unchanged, but his eyes became serious: "I'm already forty-two, almost at the age of death. I'm not afraid of dying, but there are still some things I can't let go of at home."

"I have three sons and one daughter. My eldest and second sons are already married and don't need my help. If they really starve to death, I hope everyone can give them some food so they don't starve to death."

"What I'm worried about is my third son," Su Wangba's voice lowered. "He's sixteen and still not married."

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just that my family is poor, we can't afford the bride price, and we don't even have enough to eat."

"I hope that after I leave, everyone can find him a good daughter and prepare a dowry—not too much, just a token amount, our family isn't picky."

Someone inside the ancestral hall responded in a low voice: "Don't worry, we've got your back."

Su Wangba nodded and continued, "And then there's my daughter..."

He suddenly choked up, and this always smiling man's eyes instantly reddened.

"I...I'm not a good father," Su Wangba said. "I hate my daughter, I think she's a burden, and I've beaten and scolded her countless times. Now that I think about it, the person I owe the most and feel most sorry for is her."

"When there is meat at home, she might drink some soup at most. She hasn't eaten meat even once in all these years."

"She does all the household chores and hard work."

"Her mother died early, and she started cooking, washing clothes, and feeding chickens when she was six years old... As her father, I never let her have a single good day."

Su Wangba sighed softly, "If I'm gone, I hope everyone will take good care of my daughter, find her a good family, and help her on her wedding day. Make sure she's not bullied or looked down upon by her husband. If possible..."

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and said, "Give her a meal of meat every few days! Eat it all by herself! Let her three brothers watch! Those bastards can be envious!"

At the end, he laughed again, a relaxed laugh.

The ancestral hall was silent, and many men had tears in their eyes.

Su Wangba turned around, faced the bamboo tube, and reached out without hesitation—

Draw a stick.

Just as he had predicted, it was dark red.

Red tag!

He actually drew a red card!

"Could it be a revelation from his ancestors? Did he already know he would draw this lot?"

A low gasp of surprise rippled through the ancestral hall, followed by an even deeper silence.

Su Wangba stared at the red slip in his hand, paused for two seconds, and then—

He actually burst out laughing!

"Good! Good! Good!"

He exclaimed "Good!" three times, laughing so hard he almost fell over: "We're so lucky today! We even won this incredible prize!"

He suddenly held up the red slip of paper as if it were a medal, and looked around at everyone: "Everyone, let's go first! Let's go first!"

His appearance and tone made it seem as if he wasn't going to his death, but rather to do something great that would bring glory to his ancestors.

The other men looked at him with complex expressions. There was sadness, reluctance, and...envy.

"Don't worry, brother, go in peace!" a man shouted. "Leave your family to us, we'll take good care of them!"

"You've really struck it lucky, you've hit the jackpot!" another man said, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

"What a pity, why didn't I win..." someone sighed softly.

Old Man Su—the bachelor who didn't draw a lot at the end—stepped forward and patted Su Wangba on the shoulder: "Wangba, you've lived a worthwhile life. I think you stole my luck. I should have drawn the lot. Do you want me to have it?"

"Get lost!"

Su Wangba pushed Su Laoguang aside, grinning broadly: "I won't give my life, which I drew!"

Su Dashun choked up as he watched this scene.

He took a deep breath, walked up to Su Wangba, and gripped his hand tightly: "Brother Wangba, the whole village...thank you."

"Village Chief, what are you saying!" Su Wangba comforted him instead, "This is our good fortune! To be able to use our worthless lives to solve a huge problem for the village and bring a better life to our families, it's worth it! It's totally worth it!"

He imitated the mannerisms of the city gentlemen, bowing and making a fist at the crowd. His movements were comical, but no one laughed.

"Then let's go back and make some preparations," Su Wangba said with a smile. "Eat well these few days and get plenty of rest. When the time is right, we'll go and meet that Yang Da Tingzhang."

He turned around, humming an off-key folk song, and strode out of the ancestral hall.

His silhouette against the wind and snow possessed a certain dashing charm.

But some people could clearly see that his hands were trembling under his sleeves, and his legs were shaking...

Inside the ancestral hall, everyone remained silent for a long time.

Su Dashun looked in the direction where Su Wangba had disappeared, then at the ordinary fortune stick he had left behind, and finally at the ancestral tablets on the altar, murmuring softly:

"Ancestors above, your unworthy descendant Su Dashun has no choice but to renew the life-and-death divination today."

"May our ancestors bless the turtle brothers on their journey, bless Sishui Village to overcome this calamity, and bless Sanlang... to grow up safely."

The flame of the oil lamp flickered violently in the cold wind.

Outside the ancestral hall, the snow fell even harder.