[center][h1][color=ed1c24][b]Jiang and the Contestants[/b][/color][/h1][/center]
[center][h2]P  A  R  T    T  W  O[/h2][/center]
[center][h2][color=a187be]Location:
[b][u]The Inquisitional College[/u][/b][/color][/h2][/center]
[center][color=92278f]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/color][/center]


Throughout the many rooms and corridors of the College echoed a [url=https://youtu.be/C36DrJOO7YY?t=9s]quite militaristic orchestral arrangement[/url], complete with tactful snare drums and sharp, precise trumpets, yet violins were also present, giving the piece a somewhat intellectual taste at times. Someone with good ears who was close enough to the source would also hear a bass guitar somewhere in there, adding an interesting, funky substance to the music. Along with the music, the sound of heavy, precise steps stomping on the marble floor could be heard as the source got closer.

As for the interior design of said rooms and corridors, they were about as difficult to describe as was the exterior of the building - they were somehow built as durable as they were aesthetically pleasing. An odd, yet sensible mix of rococo and brutalism. The rope barriers placed in front of doors and corridors that were presumably off-limits had formed a path towards a pair of swinging doors that led to the first destination of all contestants.

Through the hallways pridefully marched a particular Angry Dragon - Jiang Zhao, stern and highbrowed as ever - in exact beat with the music, of which he was the source himself. Pieter LeGroning and Jaroslava Zaporozhneva followed after him, side by side, looking more like bodyguards or lackeys, rather than students of the College that were bringing a contestant to that Particular Room. Noseless' walk was more of a lumber - quite befitting a man of his intimidating height. Meanwhile, Jaro was sporting a wide, childlike grin on her face, as she mimicked the Dragon's march. During the trumpet parts of his music, she quietly imitated a trumpet player with her hands and by mouthing out the sounds which were heard.

[i][color=fff79a]do dororoh do to to do to to toooooh, dot doNAAAAAAAAAAAA Darara-tatataw
pum pum pum pum PUM Pu-pudum PUM [b]PUM[/b] PUM Pudum-pudummmm
to to to-to to to-to to to-to to torrRRRA
pum-pudummmmmm
to to to-to to to-to to to-to to torrRRRA[/color][/i]

She visibly had quite a hard time containing her chuckle. Noseless was exasperatedly observing her antics, and when their gazes met, she simply snorted into laughter. Thankfully, Jiang ignored the whole ordeal.

As they entered a room with white swinging doors, Pieter pointed at them and uttered:

[color=a2d39c]"There it is. That's where you'll meet the other fellows."[/color]

Jiang straightened up his back and ran fingers through his hair, in an attempt to appear more intelligent than the others. Exactly when the song ended, he entered the room, and once he did, many eyes were upon him. With a cold stare, he scanned the Atrium.

Thirty-two podiums, some occupied, some vacant. He picked a spot near the marine and another vacant podium - he deemed him the least bizarre out of the other people. Jiang's posture looked as if he was about to start a symphony - straightened up, strict, looking down upon a hypothetical orchestral group, both of his hands holding the Baton in front of his waist.

He began examining the people whose appearances piqued his interest.

Of the futuristic marine near him, he thought: [color=ed1c24][i]American soldiers always wear this top-of-the-line battle gear. Cowards. When I was doing necessary military service, all we wore was a [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_suit]Zhongshan suit[/url] and a sturdy helmet - no need for heavy, bulky armor. I will show him true military spirit with a good old march![/i][/color]

To the battle sister: [color=ed1c24][i]I'm not quite sure if I'm correct, but, by the Yellow Emperor, are those high heels she's wearing?! And those breast cups on her armor will break her spine if she ever trips face-first on a hard surface! I can't believe I'm actually worried about a filthy laowai.[/i][/color]

His thoughts about the girl in a glorified tin can: [color=ed1c24][i]Fah! The Western laowai have fallen so low, they appear to be drafting CHILDREN to operate their war machines! I will show this child that real battle is not for her![/i][/color]

The one-handed shrine maiden: [color=ed1c24][i]She looks Zhongguo - I think I'll get along with her very well.[/i][/color]

The so-called "desert cop" entered the room: [color=ed1c24][i]Another Zhongguo! Yes! Two potential allies![/i][/color]

The last two will probably have extremely awkward encounters with the Asian Composer. He smirked proudly at them.

The cereal mascot: [color=ed1c24][i]Since when did the American laowai start bringing mascots to life? Hmph. Late-stage capitalism at its very worst.[/i][/color]

The gamer with the sniper rifle and the "disgusting American fizzy drink": [color=ed1c24][i]I smell insolence. Are you saying I'll be fighting this arrogant young man? Look at him - he's obsessed with fizzy drinks and he probably doesn't even know how to use that rifle properly. Fah, I will laugh so hard if I see him try firing from his hip - with a [b]sniper rifle[/b], as a matter of fact![/i][/color] Their eyes met. [i][color=ed1c24]And I bet he's thinking something about sweatshops when he looks at me! Simple nong mind - fah![/color][/i]

The honey badger with a hat and a pair of revolvers: [color=ed1c24][i]What? Huh? I don't...What?[/i][/color]

The amorphous blob with teeth: [color=ed1c24][i]I don't want to stay anywhere near this...Shouldn't he have two of these students behind him? Why is there only one of-[/i][/color] That train of thought halted as a particular image of a man being chewed by this very creature came to mind. [color=ed1c24][i]I DEFINITELY do not want to stay anywhere near this.[/i][/color]

The slime girl: [color=ed1c24][i]She must be in cohorts with that...thing with teeth.[/i][/color]

The lizard lady: [color=ed1c24][i]This must be the work of the Japanese tyrants. I'm beginning to think the Chinese Government have set this up and want to test my skills with the wand once more - they better believe I will bring this lizard woman hell.[/i][/color]

The giant armored ogre: [color=ed1c24][i]Ho-ho! This laowai better stop eating so much Burger King![/i][/color], he noted with his bland sense of humor.

The bipedal shark: [color=ed1c24][i]Who in their right mind would attach robotic limbs to a hammerhead shark? Area 51 has gone too far![/i][/color]

The last person he could barely even identify was a mustached man with a fez and a heavy wool cloak before he was interrupted by a greeting coming from an apparent second floor of the Atrium. The place they were going to was the City of Echoes. Duels were being arranged for the competitors, so it wasn't going to be an all-out battle royale. Everything else the woman said, he already knew or could've figured by himself.

He was presented with a Phylactery. [color=ed1c24][i]That must be how we steal our opponents' souls.[/i][/color] He put his Baton under his armpit with one hand and picked up the strange necklace with the other one. He looked at the tiny cogs for a moment - his soul was inside this tiny little heart and he had to do anything he could to at least keep it in there. He was still quite wary of whether or not this Wishing Machine was real or just an elaborate fraud, but there was no turning back. He put the necklace around his neck just as the fog began to flood the room.

He kept the same posture with a stern, furious glare, just in case the first thing he met was an opponent.

[center][h2]Location:[/h2][/center]
[center][h1][b][color=8493ca]The City of Echoes[/color][/b][/h1][/center]