>>5575335
>Say that you're going to escort the group back to the nearest station. They're already past capacity but it'd be safer for them there.

>>5575335
>Tell the group to stay put, and that by barring the door they can keep themselves safe. The riots should be over within a day, and it will be a long day, but we've crushed two of the four gangs already.

>>5575335
>>Say that you're going to escort the group back to the nearest station. They're already past capacity but it'd be safer for them there.

"We're getting you out of here. It'll be safer if you stay at the guard station rather than to hide here in the dark." You say. "Gather what you can here and get everyone ready. I'll go scout around to make sure no stragglers are lurking around." You pat the boy's shoulder and urge him back into the crowd before turning to leave. "Keep an eye on them. They'll feel safer with you around." You tell Tigress quietly.

You make a quick run around the block and for the moment things all feel clear though you can't help but feel a tension in the air. Everything was too quiet, too calm. It was almost as if all sources of chaos had been snuffed out and the streets returned to the dead silence you can only find at the middle of the night. It felt wrong both logically and deep within you. Something was going to happen, you could feel it in your bones. Not wanting to linger on the unease, you quickly return to the cellar and find people cautiously coming up to the street. "The coast is clear but let's move quickly in case that decides to change. Everyone remain quiet and don't speak unless absolutely necessary. Everyone grab a partner and watch over one another. We'll be going through the alleys and taking the long way around. Taking the main streets will leave us too exposed. Tigress take the front, I'll bring up the rear."

The crowd huddles together and eventually forms two long lines as you and Tigress slowly herd them through the quiet city streets. Off in the distance, you think you can make out the sounds of someone shouting but you can't discern if it's a battle cry, a plea for help, or a mixture of the two. Part of you wished this put you somewhat at ease knowing that there was still action going on rather than this tense lull in activity but ultimately it only seemed to add to the feeling of helplessness. You continue onwards, rushing through an open street and across to another alleyway. You see a small group of people run by and back towards the north but you decide to focus on keeping everyone hidden rather than seeing who they were and it seems they are more focused on their destination that searching for more victims.

Another alley crossed and the sounds of wings flap overhead. You feel your body instinctively tense up and the you fight the urge to leap up and attack before you are. Instead, you throw a door open and usher everyone inside. It was crowded but at the very least you weren't visible in the air. You wait a moment for things to pass by. Silence falls once more but just as you think the coast is clear, it rings out. The loud roar of an explosion off in the distance. You and Tigress immediately rush out of the building and another explosion rings out followed by the sound of something collapsing. Even before the next two explosions, you had already remembered the same sound back at the docks. Cannon fire.

Immediately you hear shouting behind you as the group begins to panic. "What's going on!?" "We're under attack!" "I don't want to die!"

Your mind races as it tries to assess the situation. The pirates were back with more weapons. They had started an assault somewhere in the north. Soon all the other gangs were going to race through here to get to them and kill their competition if not steal the cannons. Finally, you had a full group of defenseless civilians traveling right through the middle of it all.

>What do you do?
>Continue onwards. This time forgoing all stealth. You need to get these people out and fast.
>Move while staying hidden. The cannons could provide ample distraction to get these people safely but you're not sure how much destruction will happen before you get there.
>Send Tigress out to fight and help Xin while you get these people to safety. You can handle anyone you run across.
>Go north and to the explosions. Have Tigress continue to lead the people to the guard station. Being uninjured, you can help more with fighting than Tigress who is has a wounded arm.
>Write in.

>>5577923
Between the two of us we can make sure nobody gets hurt. It's important we get these people to safety so we can deal with the cannons.

>>5577924
>Move Quickly

We can go fast. But we need two people to keep all of them

>>5577924
>Continue onwards. This time forgoing all stealth. You need to get these people out and fast.

>>5578000
>>5578024
>>5578080
It's unanimous! We need to get to the chopp- err guard station! Now I need the big guy's face shopped over arnie's face...

(Been a while since I posted some music. Why don't we rectify that. https://youtu.be/zHpx3JNDS5M )

"Everyone move! Now!" You shout as you motion forward. "Tigress take the direct route! We'll deal with whatever comes at us!"

"You heard him! Everyone follow me! Hands on the shoulder in front of you and move forward!" Tigress calls out as she kicks down a door and begins ushering everyone out. You follow suit and stand behind the group to make sure no one is lost during the mad rush to leave. You take a moment to pull yourself out of the situation and allow your subconscious to take control to contemplate the situation. The sounds of explosions had ceased but was that simply because they were taking the time to reload? At minimum there was four cannons, there was simply no way for them to fire and reload in such a quick succession to produce that many explosions in such a short amount of time. Setting that aside, what was more important was their target. They had hit buildings but which ones? Was it the guard station? Another gang hideout? Or was it simply any building in range as a show of force?

To add to your worries was the following question. Why hadn't Xin Lan stopped them? Or did they and the explosions were the result of some kind of sabotage? Perhaps they caused them to explode, and the resulting damage was some kind of calculated move? No, even in their state of mind Xin Lan would never risk such a thing. Despite their murderous intentions, all their plans were made with them as the long target. Their hideout was secluded and out of the way to minimize the risk of anyone accidentally wandering in or being caught in the ensuing fight. To simply cause such wanton destruction was the complete opposite of how they operated, before and after you first met them long ago.

As if in response to your actions, another explosion rings out spurring your group forward. "Target at 12 o'clock!" Tigress calls out as your group runs into another group of armed gang members. She leaps up and spin kicks a nearby wall sending rubble into the face of the nearest one. The bricks strike the man in the face, knocking him over, just as you are leaping over the crowd and kicking off the nearest wall. With a roar, you bring down both fists upon the farthest enemy before lifting his unconscious body and hurling them at the next one. The group is in absolute chaos as they are assaulted by what could be a pair of the strongest beings in all of China. "Into that alleyway!" Tigress commands while grabbing another foe with her good hand. She brings them down to drive her knee into their stomach and tosses them out of the groups way before moving forward with them. You go low to the ground and charge forward, driving your shoulder into the nearest remaining gang member lifting them up to toss them through a nearby window. You bend over and hoist a civilian that had fallen in the panic over you shoulder as you move behind the group once more.

The sounds of rushing footsteps soon begin to come from all sides. It seems that the resulting cannon fire had signified enough show of force to mark the final conflict. Whoever was behind it was sending a message, they were the last ones standing and the ones with the most power. If anyone dared to oppose them, then they would do so now or die along with the rest. Sudden movement from behind catches your attention and you shout, "Enemies from behind!" You grip the poor civilian on your shoulder tightly and add a quick, "Hold on tight" before leaping into action. Just as predicted, a group comes rushing up behind you but soon finds themselves on the defensive as you drive a flying knee into the nose of the lead. Blood stains your pants and teeth are sent flying everywhere sending the group, who at this moment had been looking for easy prey, into complete shock. You land and instinctively go into a leg sweep as your subconscious notices something and takes over. A barrel lid rockets past your head by mere centimeters and strikes another assailant in the head bouncing once and hitting another before shattering on impact. The screams of the man on your shoulder fill your ears as the two gang members fall to the ground, out cold, and you charge forward with a jumping front kick. One leg strikes your opponent and lifts them off the ground before the other rises and send them flying.

In one smooth motion you land, grab the remains of the barrel lid, and club the remaining gang member into submission. The feeling of something wet and foul hits your back as the unfortunate man on your shoulder upends the contents of their stomach. "Go! Go!" You scream and your group breaks into a sprint as all hell breaks loose around you.

>What do you do?
>Take the main roads. There's no point in sticking to the alleyways. It's faster and you'll run into more people but that's something you'll need to deal with.
>Stick to the alleys. They're natural choke points and will help funnel anyone chasing you even if it'll take longer to get to the station.
>Split the group into two. You can move faster this way and there's less people to keep an eye out but you'll lose the ability to keep an eye on the back of your group.
>Write in.

>>5578394
>>Stick to the alleys. They're natural choke points and will help funnel anyone chasing you even if it'll take longer to get to the station.
Their safety is top priority

>>5578394
>Stick to the alleys

>>5578339
Damn chief, if only I was good with photo shop.

File: Dutch Lung.png (521 KB, 768x432)

521 KB PNG

>>5578339
>>5578420
I got you covered.
It's not that good but it does the job

>>5578434
Amazing.

>>5578420
>>5578406
We're working choke points and taking the longer route. Writing.

You and Tigress continue to lead the group through the alleyways. "We're almost there. Just a bit more!" Tigress calls out as your group turns the corner. A door flies open but Tigress slams her full weight against it causing it to slam shut and crush the person behind it between it and the frame. She pushes against it and waves, "Hurry! Move!" She shouts as she holds it closed. An arm sticks out as someone tries to reach out of it and attack. Tigress spins to hold the door shut with her back, grabs the arm by the wrist, and begins to pull. She slams it's owner over and over against the held door until it goes limp. Letting go, she kicks the body keeping the door open and finally slams it shut. You run along the wall and leap in front of the group to lead it as they hurry past Tigress.

Landing, you almost immediately find yourself defending the the group as you're forced to cross the street to get to another alley. With no other options, you toss the poor man on your shoulder over to Tigress as she streaks forward to cover the front in order to free up both your arms. You parry a strike by slapping aside the blade and punch with your other arm. Spinning with the momentum, another gang member goes down as you drive your heel into their gut then another as you tackle them to the ground and smash your elbow into their head. Rolling to avoid a desperate swipe to the head, you grab them and slam them into the wall as you hurry behind the group. You and Tigress fight your way through the alleys as you push through the remaining gangs as they hurry towards the north of the city.

The number of enemies begins to thin as you approach the guard station. You try not to think too much about the corpses that littered the gates of the station and the bloody guards that had cut down the foolish men who mistook the sudden rush as an attempt to strike at the fortified strongholds. A heavily armed man who you assume to be the guard captain pushes past the panicking crowds both attempting to get into the station and away from the gates.

"What in the Gods' names is happening?!" He shouts over the crowds. "One minute we think things are dying down and then suddenly we find ourselves up to the neck in fighting!"

"The end is near." You say as you finally put the man on your shoulder down. They stumble forward, hunch over and empty their stomach once more. One of the group places their hand on his back and helps him stumble forward into the station. "It seems like the final group has finally shown their hand and everyone left is responding to it."

"If this goes on, there won't even be a city left for them to own!" The captain shouts. "We're out numbered, over crowded, and we don't even know if there's anything left of the guard! The city is lost. We're pulling out with what little people we have left. Maybe one of the other cities might be able to spare some of their men and we can salvage what's left of this place."

"If you do that then you'll put the lives of everyone in there at risk." Tigress counters. "Staying here is your best option for surviving." The captain shakes their head.

"I won't simply sit here and wait for everyone to turn their eyes on us. The moment they decide we're a target then this place has just become a mass grave. Better that we move while they all think there's a bigger target."

>What do you say?
>Write in.

>>5578572
>"The end is near." You say as you finally put the man on your shoulder down
Meant to put that you help the man off of Tigress's shoulder seeing as you tossed the poor dude to her.

>>5578572
>"We're going to silence those cannons, Captain. Well before they turn their eyes on you, but if you lead these people out of here, short term you are putting their lives at risk, because the situation isn't stable yet! The streets are still filled with the directionless and mad masses of the flying dragons and company.
>Long term, you're giving up your home over to them and forgoing any rebuilding of either physical assets, your numbers or public trust. It'll be months before things are back to functional, and that's the bare minimum!"

I want to have a final point about the stupidity of risking their shots on civilian centres, but nothing I come up with is good nor helpful. Since it relies on rationality we know isn't present in the triads.

>>5578572
>"The streets will be in full combat now Captain, the people will panic, and the gangs are likely to strike your troops while you leave your back unprotected. A man can block and run at the same time after all."
>"Find homes with basements nearby, bring some civilians there, it will block any stray shoots."
>"This is not the first gunships they brought, nor the first they shot at the city. I'm going to sink them just like I sunk the others."

"We'll stop them Captain. Well before they decide to turn their attention to you. However, if you try to evacuate then you're putting everyone's lives at risk. There are still others out there attempting to capitalize on the situation as well. People will panic and at that point all will be lost. You can't simply walk out of here without losing some people. Staying inside is the only way to guarantee the people's safety." You say as you peel off your shirt before the smell begins to cling to you. "At least here, you have a defensible position and a way to secure everyone inside while we go deal with the situation."

"He's right." Tigress agrees, albeit reluctantly. "Trying to escape right now is too great a risk. You'd only be needlessly putting lives in danger. Just let us handle this Captain. We'll end this soon." The captain seems unconvinced but Tigress doesn't really leave him any room for argument as she immediately leaps away towards the source of the explosions. You take a moment to ponder if this is uncharacteristic of her but ultimately decide that it's best that you simply follow for now. You that by dealing with this as soon as possible, you can at least lower the risk of people getting too skittish and attempting to make a break for an escape though you didn't like simply leaving a debate unfinished like that.

Without having anyone to escort around the city, you and Tigress quickly make your way towards the northern part of the city. Fighting has renewed all around you as you see the remnants of the remaining gangs fighting one another or attempting to sabotage the other's efforts in reaching the north. You do your best to ignore the crowds in favor of dealing with the source of all this though it is rather difficult to do so when the city had become a war zone. Another explosion rocks the city and this time you're close enough to feel the reverberations in the wind not to mention see a building collapse from the ensuing barrage. The two of you land in a nearby alley and quickly dispose of some gang members attempting to get around.

"How did these people manage to get some of Shen's weapons..." Tigress hisses.

"It didn't seem like an important thing to ask given that Xin and I were nearly blasted out of a building moment before." You reply as you lean to peek around a corner. "Getting rid the ones they had seemed much more important that knowing where they came from."

"Right, because knowing the source and keeping such things out of the hands of other bandits is unimportant."

"And what exactly would we do with such information?" You counter. "We have a war to stop and as much as I hate it, we can't help everyone now. We need to get what we need and go north."

"We could at least have told someone about it. There's still other people who can handle it. The Five aren't the only heroes in China!"

"What's done is done. You can interrogate whoever is left for that information." You snap. "Right now we need to keep whoever is behind the cannon fire from demolishing the city. Seeing as you're the one who ran off, I hope you have a plan."

"I...might." Tigress says slowly. You raise and eyebrow at her. "Don't patronize me! We'll form a two front assault. One of us will be the advancing party while the other strikes from behind and takes down the cannons. You do know how to work as a team at least don't you?"

>What do you say?
>Go along with Tigress's plan. It's better than anything you can think of right now.
>Suggest something else. Running head on against cannon fire is a sure way of asking for more collateral damage. Every shot you dodge will surely hit something else.
>Ask Tigress how they dealt with cannons the last time. Po never did mention how they defeated that warlord.
>Try and gather some intel. Xin is nowhere to be found and it's far too long since you sent them off. See if you can find them or see what the final gang is up to.
>Write in.

>>5581076
>How did you beat them last time?

That's gonna piss off tigress when we mention 'hey, we have that inner peace'.
It may also be our best shot at practicing our peaceful form, since cannon fire isn't a person so we can feel no emnity.

Then again, we can't feel any love for it either, it's a thing. But for the people we're protecting. . maybe?

>>5581076
>>Go along with Tigress's plan. It's better than anything you can think of right now.

>>5581076
>Ask Tigress how they dealt with cannons the last time. Po never did mention how they defeated that warlord.

You decide not to rise to Tigress's bait. Instead you simply ask, "How did you manage to defeat someone armed with these kinds of weapons before? Po told me a condensed version of the events but he never did mention how your group managed to disarm the cannons." Tigress looks away, flustered.

"I...don't actually know." She admits while trying to give you a sidelong glare. "All I remember is that the ships fired upon Po and somehow the explosives were sent back. Whatever technique he used is something he never shared with the rest of us. Though I doubt it would do us much good to know either way, he is the Dragon Warrior. No matter how much we want it to be, he will always be able to achieve feats we will never be able to replicate. Such is the honor of being the Dragon Warrior."

"Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, you're wrong on two points. First being that I don't adhere to the philosophy that hard work cannot overcome any limitation. Though I understand that there will be many who will never have the opportunity to dedicate their lives as I have to what their passion lies, I still firmly believe that one can achieve their goals with enough effort. Secondly," You continue with a slight smirk, "Po is not the only Dragon Warrior...of a sort. Fate or luck might have a different plan for him but I believe one of the Great Dragons would have something to say if asked on whether or not he has a warrior he has blessed." You straighten up. "What exactly do you remember seeing?"

Tigress looks at you with a mixture of disbelief and anger. "I don't...I suppose I think he somehow redirected the attack without setting off the explosion. Despite what your arrogance may drive you to believe, even you cannot do such a thing. The way he moved, it was as if the attacks rolls off of him like water. Any kind of force used and the whole thing would go off. Like I said, only the Dragon Warrior can accomplish such feats."

"And as I've said, I believe that such things can be done with enough hard work and training. Po may be the Dragon Warrior but if you recall, I defeated him. Magic scrolls or not." You insist.

"Regardless of what you believe, we don't have enough time to entertain your ideas on hard work. We need to take down the cannons now. So if we want to keep what remains of the city intact, we'll have to do this now." Tigress snaps.

"On that we can agree." You nod. "Let's go."

You and Tigress leap back up and run across the rooftops towards the cannon fire. By the time you arrive, the sounds of fighting had intensified. Screams of pain and metal clashing ring out as bigger and bigger crowds of people smash into one another in a desperate attempt to erase the other from existence. The groups were so dense that you couldn't even tell where one gang began and the other did much less see which group was targeting the other. Once you arrive at the epicenter of the destruction, you see that the people behind the cannon fire were not pirates. The group wore open shirts emblazoned with a large emerald green dragon across the shoulders and back. They ran back and forth between a pile of ammunition and to the cannons as they worked tirelessly to keep the shots fired, this time actively aiming at the nearby groups fighting.

Just as you move into position to strike, a door explodes and you see a small grey rabbit rocket from the building and smash through the brick wall of another building. "YOU LITTLE SHIT!" You hear as a large Ox steps through the broken remains of the door. His body covered in an astounding amount of deep cuts, each bleeding profusely, though despite the amount of wounds the large beast seemed unhindered by them. Pulling a kitchen knife out of his shoulder, he tosses it aside and shoves one of the men manning the cannons. With one arm, he wrenches the weapon aside to point at the building the small body punched through. "KILL HIM! I WANT THAT LITTLE BASTARD DEAD!" He roars. "Any man who doesn't aim his weapon at that building, I will personally use my horns to pull their entrails out!" The men around him scurry to comply with the large man's orders as he himself grabs a burning pile of rubble in one hand and stuffs a cannon ball into the weapon with the other.

>What do you do?
>Leap in and engage them. Prevent them from firing the cannons. If they're too busy engaged with you then they can't shoot especially if it runs the risk of them shooting one another.
>Dive into the building and rescue your bunny. You think you're fast enough to get in before the cannons are readied and aimed properly. It'll be a close call though.
>Have Tigress be a distraction while you move in to do something else.
>Attempt to replicate what Tigress told you Po did. It's incredibly risky and failing would be akin to simply standing there and taking a direct hit. Something that, even if you survive, would put you in a very dangerous position.
>Write in.

>>5584213
>Leap in and engage them
>We can engage them from a range by throwing random rubbish at them in the head.

>>5584213
>>Leap in and engage them. Prevent them from firing the cannons. If they're too busy engaged with you then they can't shoot especially if it runs the risk of them shooting one another.
>Have Tigress be a distraction while you move in to do something else.

Before you know it, you find yourself charging towards the cannons. Tigress shouts something at you, probably some kind of warning or an attempt to have you stay put, but you fail to register what she was saying. You land amidst the rubble of one of the ruined buildings and grab the largest object you can find. The men operating the cannons scatter as they find a large second of a wall flying towards them but their attempts to evade prove futile. One man is struck down by a chunk of brick and stone that was part of a fireplace as it strikes him in the head. Another is pinned to the ground when a section of support beams that belonged to a roof lands on top of him.

In a panic, the third gang member lights the cannon and fires blindly in your direction. Out of sheer instinct and anger, you leap over the explosive and corkscrew through the air towards the man. Heat and bits of rubble wash over your back as you fling yourself towards your next target like a bolt of silver lightning. As you bring your full weight upon him, you unleash a flurry of blows upon the poor man before you lift him high above your head and hurl him straight at the ox. The ox swats the body away with one arm and sends it hurtling through a window as he turns to face you. You tear a wheel the nearest cannon and smash it upon the leader's head.

He grunts but even through your rage you can see the fist coming. You raise your right arm to block and the two of you find one another locked in a grapple. "Don't. Touch. My. Family." You growl as the two of you struggle for control. Despite all the bleeding and his wounds, the ox was far stronger than anyone who had faced tonight. The ox rears back and you swing your head forward to meet the incoming headbutt. You can hear the sound of the collision echo throughout the area around you and inside your head. The impact knocks some of the anger out of you and ironically clears your head a bit.

"Tai Lung..." The ox says in amusement. "You know they used to tell us stories about you when we were children. How you'd come to eat us if we misbehaved. I had heard you were out of prison. Now you're playing hero. The triads, some kind of war up north, I knew eventually you'd come after me. Some day we'd end up crossing paths. But now that I look at you, I can see you're just an old fool trying to make himself feel better. You worried they'll lock you up again old man? Trying to make up for your past mistakes?" He asks as he attempts to stomp at your feet. When you try to move out of the way, he uses your shift in weight to lift your up and slam you into the nearest wall. "It doesn't matter what you want, when I'm done with you I'll be wearing your skin as cape."

"You're not the first to try and kill me." You reply. You bring your claws out and drive them deep into the back of the ox's hands. "And you certainly won't be the last. Just another nameless brute attempting to make a name for themselves off of mine. I'm not afraid of you." You squeeze your hands as best you can in an attempt to drag your claws through the ox's hands and cut through as much muscle as possible but the man's grip is too strong and you find yourself in a stale mate.

"I don't care how you feel when you die. You can go laughing for all it matters but unlike those before you, I've made sure to prepare. I've worked my body to the bone to make sure when the time came I got rid of you. I've got the weapons, the power, the men, everything I need to make sure. The only thing I'll end up regretting is that I won't be able to take my time with you. No, you have a nasty habit of getting back up from what the stories say." The ox says as his grip slowly begins to squeeze your hands and push the claws out.

"Then how about we stop talking and start fighting." You retort.

"I agree." He says and lets out a sharp whistle. Several more men appear from the shadows, ones wearing the emerald dragon motif, others in pirate outfits, and even some wearing masks all with their weapons drawn. "Surprised? You would be if you knew how far a bit of torture and a few executions can go for convincing people to do what you want." The ox grins. "Alright boys! Whoever manages to rip the heart out of this old cat will become my right hand man!" He calls out.

>What do you do?
>Call Tigress to try and help you. Hopefully the two of you can break free before you're surrounded. With her injuries, you're not sure you can fend off a small army while surrounded.
>Strike at the ox's open wounds. You still have your legs and Xin must have done some damage before hand. Trying to call Tigress in would only put her in a bad position.
>Attempt to use one of the cannons. You know they're loaded. They just need to be set off. It'll certainly keep people away but you can't guarantee it won't hit anyone.
>Write in.

>>5585308
Ox is strong enough for a cannon to rip off his leg and survive.

Plus nobody would expect it, not even Tai Lung.

>>5585308
Funny thing about the body, boy, is that no matter what you train, your basic biology still holds true.

>Strike at his open wounds with your legs, when he goes to sweep the remaining leg, we can fall backwards and drag him down with our weight then throw him or transition to a position where he's under us if he doesn't let go.

And him attempting to just fall on us means he won't be using his legs to get the most weight on our chests. Which means he has no counter move to us just doing a toss with our legs and back as the fulcrum.

I'm of the mind that we shouldn't use our Chi yet. Not yet, while we're still in the opening exchanges, let him get complacent.

>>5585308
>Strike at the ox's open wounds. You still have your legs and Xin must have done some damage before hand. Trying to call Tigress in would only put her in a bad position.

>>5585968
>>5586775
Gonna keep hitting where he's hurt. Writing.

"It the same mistake all rookies make. You get a bit stronger, maybe learn how to take a hit or two and suddenly you think you're invincible. Let me teach you a lesson that comes from age, boy. No matter how much you train, your body still has rules it needs to obey." You say as you smash your knee deep into one of the wounds running along the ox's side. Blood soaks your knee and splashes along your leg as the pressure forces some more out. Your opponent growls in pain and you feel his grip tighten. The ox rears his head back and smashes his head against yours. You have to shift your head to the side to avoid one of his horns from gouging your eye out and the impact forces you to take a step back.

The ox pulls you back in but the extra space created by the exchanged blows gives you enough room to pull your knee to your chest and drive your heel into the man's ribs. More blood is spilled and you feel a rib crack from under your foot. The ox let's out a mixture of a laugh and a howl in pain before attempting dislocate your knee with a kick to it's side. Brace yourself by using the ox's chest as a foothold and hooking your other leg behind his remaining knee. The two of you fall in a tangle of limbs as neither of you are willing to let go and give up control of the grapple. You continue to use your legs to strike at the man's open wounds as long as he continues to maintain his grip.

The ox reaches down to catch your leg but as he releases your hand, you drive it right into his head smashing it against the road and cracking the stones in the path. Twisting around, you slip your arm under the ox's and swing him into a suplex. You slam his head into the ground and he bounces as you let go. The impact finally manages to break his grip and the two of you fall away from each other. Sparing no time, you roll back on to your feet and find yourself facing directly into several cannons. "Sounds like you still got some life in you old man." The ox coughs as he gets to his feet though he is holding his side tenderly. "But we'll take care of that. Boys, let him have it."

You look around and several of the remaining gang members seem to tense up, ready to strike at you should you attempt to move out of the way. You see some of the masked members holding flasks, ready to throw them at you should you try to do anything.

>What do you do you?
>Charge at the cannons. You might just be fast enough to get to them before the cannons go off and you can finally put the weapons out of commission.
>Leap into the crowd. You can't avoid everything but hopefully you can avoid any lethal hits while you thin out the group. Even if they'll fire at their own people, it'll still take time to move the cannons to aim.
>Keep going after the Ox. The fear of him might prevent them from firing upon the two of you.
>Write in.

>>5587377
It's always jarring to remember that Tai is in his 40's by now. Late 40's if anything. An old master rather than the hot headed upstart.
It's pretty funny.

>Close the distance to the Ox
>Call out "Try your luck boys, but one wrong throw and the Ox is going to have your guts on his horns for hitting him."

We have a lot of vision. He doesn't.

>>5587377
>Charge at the cannons. You might just be fast enough to get to them before the cannons go off and you can finally put the weapons out of commission.

>>5587377
Write in:survey the group for the weakest link and try to intimidate them in to running. Maybe the others will follow or become a manageable amount

Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>5587532
>>5591368
>>5591821

We got a tie. Rolling for tomorrow's post.

>>5591821
>Write in:survey the group for the weakest link and try to intimidate them in to running. Maybe the others will follow or become a manageable amount

And use weaklings as throwing ammunition against the Ox.

I'll fix the tie. I lurk because I got no trust in my suggestions.

You half run, half hurl, yourself at the ox. "Try your luck boys. Do you think you can hit me without hitting your boss? Are you willing to take that risk?" You ask. The men all around you hesitate, all of them unwilling to take the shot or to intervene on the chance that they may enrage the ox. "Looks like they're too afraid of you to even try." You say as you duck under a fist and strike the man's face. "Then again I wouldn't expect someone like you to know what real leadership is like. You really think you can run anything let alone a gang like this?"

The ox howls in anger and brings down both fists upon your shoulders. Your knees tremble but hold out. Before you can retaliate the ox, surprisingly, manages to lift you above his head. Though such an event is rare you've trained far too long to be caught off guard. You kick the man's face repeatedly to loosen his grip and once you break free you wrap a leg around one of his arms and plant the other in the ox's neck for leverage. Pulling back, you attempt to dislocate his arm but he manages to have enough strength to hold you back. The ox swings at you with his free arm and you retaliate by kicking back. As the two of you struggle for control, you see a small grey figure bolt towards you out of the corner of your eye. A very bloody Xin Lan buries a kitchen knife into the gut of the ox, their eyes dull and emotionless, and uses it as a step to jump off of and drive their tiny fist into the man's chin. The knife snaps off at the handle, teeth are sent flying and you fall backwards and dislocate the ox's shoulder.

"Kill them! Shoot! I want those bastards dead!" The ox roars, blood spraying from their mouth as he holds his bleeding stomach. The men continue to hesitate though now out of shock of the brutality of the scene than any true fear of the ox. Their hesitation proves fatal as the nearest one operating a cannon is gored by the ox's horn. They fall in a bloody heap snapping the others out of their trance. They hurry to point the cannons at the two of you but roar rings out and two of them are knocked away by an orange streak. Tigress spins and kicks the third one away before smashing the wheels of the nearest cannons and causing them to collapse on the ground. "Don't just stand there! Kill them! Or I'll make sure you'll join them." The ox screams as he throws the corpse of the gang member he killed at the crowd. The mob of people murmur amongst themselves but begin to make their approach. Tigress leaps over the remains of the cannons to your side.

"About time you showed up." You say.

"One of us had to make sure there wasn't any civilians to get caught up in your insanity. Which we wouldn't have to do if you simply stuck to the plan." Tigress counters.

"I wasn't going to let them kill Xin." You reply quietly as you take a stance.

"We can debate the utility of prolonging my existence once we have eliminated everyone." Xin Lan interrupts as they slowly bend down to grab a handful of dirt. "We still have a mission to complete."

The group begins to gain confidence as they notice they are not the only people approaching and you see the ones with masks slowly slipping away to hide behind the crowd. Those with weapons are pushed forwards to front of the mob and the remaining spread out to try and cover any exits.

>What do you and your group do?
>Stand together. Three of you at your skill level should have no trouble fending off anyone who approaches. It's just a matter of time until there is no one left.
>Have one of you three break off and target the masked ones. No doubt they'll have some poisons that will cause trouble if it gets out into the open.
>Send one of you to deal with the ox while the others manage the crowd. There's no telling what he has planned while you're occupied.
>Write in.

>>5593866
Ah shit, 4chan didn't update with this vote. Sorry about that anon. Hope this doesn't discourage you from voting again.

>>5593892
>>Have one of you three break off and target the masked ones. No doubt they'll have some poisons that will cause trouble if it gets out into the open.
Xin, they are the quickest and stealthiest

>>5593892
>Send Xin to take out the masks
>"What's this Ox? An old man, a one armed warrior and a bleeding rabbit giving you trouble? I thought you were prepared?"

His anger should keep us alerted to his position.

>>5593975
>>5593901
Sending Xin. Writing.

"Xin, we need you in the back lines." You say. "Need to keep them from using whatever they have in their flasks." Xin Lan nods and you step forward to engage. You duck under the blade of an axe and punching your opponent in the face all to all Xin Lan to leap off your arm and into the backline. They land on the shoulders of another gang member and punch them straight in the eye. The gang member screams, throwing the mob into a frenzy and allowing the two to be swallowed up by the wave of people. You grab your target by the neck and hurl them behind you over Tigress's head before moving back to regroup. "What's this? An old man, a wounded rabbit, and a one armed warrior causing you to fall back? How much was this preparation?" You call out.

"He's already angry. Goading him on might cause more harm than good." Tigress says. She side steps an attack, grabs the person by the back of the head and brings them down to smash her knee into their nose. You step around her to strike the next person in the liver then sweep their legs. A vial of some kind arcs over the crowd as it's tossed in your direction. Vapors trail from it's opening but it's top is immediately shattered as something strikes it from the distance, too fast for it to be seen. The impact causes glass to shower upon the mob but more importantly it stops all momentum of the vial and it fall directly upon the group. Coughing erupts in the back line and soon enough they begin to press against the frontliners in a bid to get away from the fumes. With one section of the mod in chaos, you and Tigress step in to take advantage. You pull one of the bigger men forward and throw him over you shoulder which allows a flood of panicking gang members to rush forwards right into Tigress's claws.

Too busy rubbing their eyes and hacking their lungs out, they fail to notice the Kung Fu master as she viciously claws their front then backhands them into unconsciousness. Another swings wildly at her but she leaps up and kicks them away into the rest of the crowd. You move forward, grab a blade from off the ground, then charge at the crowd. A swing causes them to back off instinctively and giving the two of you breathing room. "Got any ideas?" You ask.

"Not dying would be a start." Tigress replies. "You're the one who's in charge apparently despite not being able to stick to your own plans."

"Flexibility is a good quality in a fighter." You say while parrying an attack. Tigress steps to your side before kicking you behind the knee. Your leg buckles and she plants her good hand on your leg as your knee bends to vault over it and drop kicks a gang member attempting to strike you from behind. You take advantage of the unstable stance to roll under an incoming attack that you presume Tigress saw coming. As you rise up, you uppercut your attacker then kick him away.

"Don't treat me like some novice."

"I never intended to." You assure her. "But for now let's survive before we can learn how to work as a cohesive group."

>What do you do?
>Continue to fend off the crowd. Xin Lan is already picking off people in the back. All you need to do is hold out a bit longer.
>Taunt the ox some more. You might be able to have him challenge you in single combat. At the very least you might be able to goad him into wanting to kill you himself.
>Reposition. Try and move the crowd into a more advantageous position rather than being surrounded.
>Write in.

>>5594375
>Reposition. Try and move the crowd into a more advantageous position rather than being surrounded.

>>5594375
>Reposition

Being surrounded is a way we lose. Constantly move, it will ruin any set up the mob tries.

>>5593893
All good! It happens
>>5594375

>Write in
Don't treat Tigress like a novice, let her take the lead so you can evaluate her a bit more. Best case she gains some confidence worst case you can rub her nose in it a bit to keep her humble

>>5594646
>>5594677
>>5595586
I can combine all these two votes. We're going to reposition. Writing.

You break a man's arm and then beat him into unconsciousness with the shield you tear free from it. Blades bounce and slide off as you hold it up to deflect incoming attacks. "We need to reposition. Take the lead, I'll cover you." You say while shoving aside several gang members and cutting through the shaft of a spear with the blade in your other hand. Tigress kicks someone behind their legs then thrusts her heel into their stomach as they are falling. The body is knocked back into a thinner section of the crowd and breaking their front line.

You follow as she punches another man, grabbing them by the neck and spinning them around to knock away anyone else approaching. You fall back, using the blade and shield to keep attacks at bay. The two of you slowly break free from the crowd as you fend off attacks from all sides and once in the clear Tigress rushes over to the ruins of a building. You break away form the fighting and hurry over only to be forced into a slide as the remnants of a table go flying over your head. The table arcs over you and crashes right into the oncoming mob. A leap and what looks like to be a support beam rockets right under you.

As another large group of people are knocked right off their feet, you can't help but suppress a chuckle. You recall a similar tactic Po used in your first fateful battle against him. Fortunately for the both of you, your opponents aren't nearly as skilled as you are. You join in by grabbing small objects that survived the cannon fire. Pots, pans, even a stove are thrown at the group. You and Tigress attack with whatever you can get your hands on and once a room is depleted, you shift back to the ruins of another and begin again.

It only takes a few moments before the waves of people slowly cease. Between the constant barrage of objects and the difficulty it is to traverse the rubble and unconscious bodies to get to you, the gang members are hesitant to try and lead the next charge. The few that attempt to circle around and enter through another ruined building are met with a worse fate. One denoted by screams and sudden silence in which no one has returned from so far. The whole fight comes to a standstill as no one makes a move and time slows to a familiar crawl as one side waits for the other to slip up.

>What do you do?
>Fall back further to another ruined building and continue to attack from afar. If they won't move then they'll be perfect targets. Anyone who tries to approach as you move can be dealt with easily.
>Signal Xin to start striking at the back lines. The ensuing panic will cause chaos among the ranks allowing you to take advantage of the situation and strike in a pincer maneuver.
>Have your companions deal with the crowd as you move on to finish off the Ox before he gets any ideas of fleeing.
>Write in.

>>5596754 Give Tigress something that could barely be considered a compliment and break some of the tension by telling her you appreciated the view from behind

Combine the two plans by signaling for assistance from Xin for a pincer attack while Tigress scouts forward to ensure you have ample room to not be overun/set up traps and don't get caught in a pincer attack either

>>5596786
Uhhhhhh, Let's. . Not say that to Tigress. Like at all. Do not tell the woman who hates you [as well as possibly considered adopted sister] that you like her ass during a fight to the death. Like. . no.

>>5596754
>Signal Xin to strike from the back, while we try to move around and strike from the flanks

They still have cannons. So staying still is suicide, we should try to flank them.

>>5596754
>Signal Xin to start striking at the back lines. The ensuing panic will cause chaos among the ranks allowing you to take advantage of the situation and strike in a pincer maneuver.

>>5596839
Also I agree to not talk about our little sis' ass.

>>5596839
Support

I just meant it as a vague personal compliment to follow up the more reserved technical evaluation

>>5596786
>>5596839
>>5596887
Signalling Xin. Writing.

"The herd is thinning." You note. "Even if they finally learned to keep their distance. Better if we give them a bit of an incentive to keep moving." You place your thumb and pointer finger in your mouth and let out a sharp whistle. At first nothing happens. Both you and the group stay stuck in your stalemate, neither making a move and unwilling to break fragile balance that was created. Then it rings out, the faint sound of flesh splitting open and the ensuing scream of pain. Majority of the mob you were facing turn to look for it source but it was too late. In another edge of the group another shout of pain and the ensuing thud of a body. Panic and chatter erupts as people begin to push against each other to try and either get away or find the source of what was cutting people down.

A body falls in the middle of the crowd and vanishes in the sea of bodies. Chaos finally takes over and the realization that no one was safe regardless of their position causes everyone to start shoving each other to try and get away only to run into someone else and be pushed themselves. Those few that managed to escape and forget of your position would soon find themselves taken out by debris. "Let's go." You say and you move forward to take on the panicked mob.

With all sense of cohesion gone, the gang members fall as easily as blades of grass. They were too busy trying to get away or attempting to not hit one another with their weapons to try and fight back. Even as you and Tigress fight, more people around you would fall as well. It barely takes any time to finally break the group apart and send the scant few that remained running for the shadows. The three of you regroup and finally turn your attention to the gang's leader.

"It's over." Tigress says. "Even you can see that it's foolish to try and take all three of us together. No matter how much you think you've prepared."

"She's right. You should know how this is going to end." You agree. "You've nothing left."

The ox grits his teeth and glares at you angrily. He lets out a enraged snort and bellows loudly as pulls a flask free from his pocket before downing it greedily. Even in the dark the flickering light of the flames reflects off the putrid green fluid that spills from the sides of his mouth. The ox clasps his ears and howls in pain before he claps his hands against them. You see the trickle of blood pour down the sides of his head from his ruptured eardrums and he rushes over to one of the ruined cannons. He hefts it underneath one arm and loads a cannon ball single-handedly as he looks at your group, madness in his nearly pitch black eyes.

>What do you do?
>Write in.

>>5601339
Throw a brick at his head.
Or try to do what Po did. We do have the chaotic meditation and inner peace

>>5601339
>Tell the others to spread out and surround him, while we try and toss a brick into the cannon.

Misfire, motherfucker.
>>5601344
while it might work, Po also had a demonstration to work off, practiced it on a rain drop and his style is all about being like rubber.

Not our way.

>>5601344
Support, throwing a brick at least might screw up his aim and get us initiative

Maybe try what Po did but with our own spin and try to shatter it or something.

Only other thing I can think of is look for a bag of flour or something similar to throw in an attempt to douse the fuse or aggro him and move so were the only one being shot at

>>5602495
You can definitely attempt to create something new. I'll need a real good write up for it though but you know I love them.

>>5601344
>>5601981
>>5602495
We going for a headshot or into the cannon?

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5602841
iT'S UNCLEAR, so lets allow the dice.

Hit the eyes? into the gun.

>>5602982
Eyes it is!

>>5602982
Maybe we can throw two bricks!
He will never expect it.

>>5602841
Eyes

"Everyone split up!" You shout as you stomp the ground and kick the largest piece of cobblestone right at the ox's eyes. You weren't sure if your attack was unseen or simply ignored as the stone flies directly into the ox's face and strikes him right in the eye. He grunts and rubs as if it were no more than dirt in the eye but the gesture was enough to cause him to loosen his grip on the cannon. It dips slightly before blasting it's ammunition straight into the ground.

Shards of rock and dirt are flung everywhere while the cannon rockets backwards and out of the man's hand. You charge forward and aim for ribs. They strike true and you can hear the sounds of bones breaking from the impact but the ox barely reacts. Rather than shouting in pain, the ox clamps his hands around your throat and begins to squeeze. You immediately brings your hands up to your neck and attempt to pry yourself free. The hands are like iron vices, unyielding, and it takes everything to keep them from closing further around your windpipe. The ox's eyes seem to bulge out of their sockets and you can see the faint outlines of the veins surrounding them pulse and threaten to burst. Tigress lets out a roar as she leaps onto the man's back to begin clawing at it.

This manages to pull the man's attention away from strangling you and he instantly reaches behind him to grab Tigress by the neck as well. She lets out a rattling gasp as the air is forced out of her before the ox brings her down and slams her body against you. You go limp to try and soften the impact for Tigress but it also allows the ox to squeeze your neck even further and you can already feel your lungs start to run out of air. The two of you struggle to break free and strike back as your both are slammed against one another. Xin Lan comes flying in, sharp piece of metal in hand, and aims it right into the ox's eyes.

The ox twists their neck in an attempt to deflect the blade with his horns but he only manages to push the weapon aside. It misses his eye but still strikes the forehead. Blood bursts free as a large gash is opened forcing the man to let go of Tigress to try and stop the flow from obscuring his vision. With his other hand, he drops you and begins to swat at the rabbit like an annoying pest as Xin Lan scurries around slashing and stabbing but no matter what wounds they manage to inflict it doesn't seem to wear the beast down. You pick yourself up and rush forward this time stomping down on the side of his knee. The join breaks apart causing the man to fall under his own weight and Tigress follows up with a backflip kick to the chin.

The ox is knocked back under the onslaught of blows and smashes right through a window as he is unable to catch himself. Xin Lan deftly flips forward to regroup with the two of you as you catch your breath. "What was that?" Tigress growls. "Some kind of poison?"

"He's probably hoarded whatever the masked gang takes." You guess. "It seems to give them enhanced senses and abilities but from what I've seen most who take it are unable to make the most of it and solely rely on the raw power it gives them. I wouldn't be surprised if he forced those who worked under him to divulge it's secrets to him and then make some for him if not give him their share outright."

"If that's the case then I doubt he's down for good. We'll need to prevent him from getting up or even moving. The best way would be to cut him apart. Cut his tendons, break his joins, dislocate bones." Xin Lan says.

"That's completely barbaric!" Tigress snaps.

"Then I suppose you have an alternate plan?" Xin Lan asks. Tigress glares at the two of you.

"No but I will not go through with this. Saving people is one thing but not if I have to debase myself by stooping to their level then I'd rather die and succeed by doing things my way. At least then I can face my ancestors with honor." She says.

"You can't stop us." Xin Lan counters simply.

>What do you say? What do you do?
>Write in.

>>5604096
>That's a bit excessive Xin. We talked about it before, but I guess that the shadow of library has changed things.
>But the guards are overwhelmed right now, keeping an eye on him during tis time will be hard. Just bend his arms and legs so that he can't escape, it's a simple enough injury that can heal in time.
>And please stop cutting tendons

>>5604096
>"Well, I have something that should be as debilitating as it is reversible."
>It's time to remind the others that while Po may be the dragon warrior and a panda, we are as much of a martial artist as anyone. Chi strike him to disable the limbs, and when he has been disabled, attempt a more. . directed form of manipulation, asking his bodily energies to simply flow from his shoulders/thights down to his extremities and back again, unhurried and unburdened by his own attempts to affect his Chi. Maybe by redirecting the flow through a different muscle group, so his instinctive actions and commands will trigger a different set of muscles making his attempts to move, let alone fight, near impossible to execute with any proficiency.

Effectively it has the same as crippling him, but we should be able to fix it if we wish.
Or. . we could leave him like that, learn how to use his limbs again as though a newborn. It would be cruel but so is the Ox.

>>5604096
That is barbaric and a lot of wasted effort for needless torture, just damage his spine high enough to paralyze him in one go

>>5605541
>>5604156
neither of you want to try a new Chi technique?

>>5605666
I don't want to offer it as a viable alternative when we I don't remember if we ever done it before.
I would only support if we mention that we think it's possible since we seem similar things, but it's untested.

But if we done it before, and reversed it, then I'll support it.
Still want to mention to the bun that we had this talk before though, and mentioning that paralyzing him in some way is necessary with the guards being so overwhelmed.
If we didn't, we could just chi strike him I guess. But it's a temporary solution.

>>5605680
Oh no, we ain't done that before, that's why it's a new technique.

But we've got the thesis for it. We can force people's muscles to calm down due to exerting our chi against theirs. It's the basis of the Chi strike.

So what I'm proposing is a much more involved form of the Chi strike, though it may be veering on sorcery. It's at least more paletable than not.

>>5605743
Well, I can accept it if we mention that we can either dislocate his limbs to stop him moving, or try out this advanced chi strike that we think could be possible.
One will be painful, but it's certain to work and is reversible, while the other is painless, but there is a risk.

>>5605666
Not particularly, it's untested and there's the x-factor of the drugs in the ox's system

Spine damage is quick and clean for Tigress and ruthlessly efficient for anyone else

>>5607124
>>5607374
well damn, alright.

I'll toss my vote on with dislocation then, rather than spine severing.

>>5607792
For whatever it's worth, I think it's a good idea, the only problem is that it's untested.
Maybe when we find Ming when can work together to develop it, her sorcery affinity and medical knowledge would be help a lot.

So we're going for simply dislocation of the arms then? Maybe legs? I think it has two or three votes for it.

>>5609568
yes we are!

And just dislocate everything, it'll stop him from getting up until somebody fixes him. Which I doubt will be for a while.

"That's a bit excessive, not to mention risky. With him seemingly ignoring most of the pain inflicted on him, he might simply just twist or move during an attack and make it worse on himself. Not to mention the guards are overwhelmed as it is. We don't need to leave someone on death's door in their care. Best if we just dislocate his limbs for now. Even if he can withstand the pain, he'll be unable to move. That sound reasonable?" You ask, directing your question to Tigress. Tigress simply gives you a look of contempt.

"If that's the only way to keep that rabbit in line that I suppose we have no other choice." She says tersely. You don't have much time for a rebuttal as you hear movement come from within the building. There is a shout and the sound of something breaking before you are all forced to split up to avoid a large countertop from smashing into you. The ox leaps through the hole in the building and charges. It seems like even in his maddened state he somehow managed to pop his knee back in place though he still ran wildly at the three of you.

You sidestep and aim for the knee once more but the manages to turn and tackle you. The two of you roll on the ground fighting for control though it's made more difficult as you try to avoid having your eyes gouged out by the man's horns. Tigress leaps on the both of you and struggles to grab one of the ox's two legs as they begin kicking at her. The distraction works in your favor, however, as you manage to twist the ox around by the horns and somehow get him into a headlock. The confusion of being choked out and attacked by someone else seems to overwhelm the man's maddened senses and Tigress finally manages to get ahold of one of his legs to disable.

There's an uncomfortable pop as the femur is pulled away from the socket of the pelvis. The sudden loss of movement in one leg seems to bring the madman back to his senses. He rears his head back into yours, headbutting it and knocking your head into the ground, while kicking Tigress to the side. You struggle to contain his frenzy without breaking his neck and managed to maneuver your lock around one of his arms. With great effort you manage to use the man's flailing against him and he tears his own arm out of place. Not wanting to injure him further you let you and he rolls away, half hopping and half crawling away.

Even in his crippled state, his fury persists and he attempts to crawl towards you and Tigress. A rope flies through the air and lassos itself around the ox's neck. Xin Lan pulls back with all their might in an attempt to pull the man back while you and Tigress take advantage and leap ontop of the ox to finish the job. With no limbs left, the ox finally collapses to the ground shouting and roaring but ultimately unable to do anything. Xin Lan moves forward and takes the grim duty of tying up the deadened limbs behind the ox's back.

"It's done." They say.

"Maybe." You say unconvinced though more out of concern for the rabbit's demeanor than anything else. "Perhaps we should take a quick look around. See if there is anyone else who might cause problems."

"It would be better if we check up on the nearest station. This might not have been the beginning of their attack." Tigress adds.

>What do you do?
>Take the ox back to the guard station. If there is anyone left, the news of his defeat will cause them to scatter. Without a leader they won't cause trouble.
>Search around the area. Better to make sure there isn't any lingering poison or weapons that someone else can pick up and simply take over from where the ox left off.
>Go check up on the other station. They should be alerted to what happened. At the very least they'll be more prepared if something does come up.
>Write in.

>>5610811
>Take the ox back to the guard station. If there is anyone left, the news of his defeat will cause them to scatter. Without a leader they won't cause trouble.

>>5610811
>Search the area for the cannons, destroy them
Then we can
>Check the other station.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5611309
>>5611024
Gonna have to roll for it.

>>5613696
I can support checking the area, but I want to bring back the ox afterwards

>>5613714
Fine by me!

"I want to take a quick look around." You say as you dust yourself off. "Xin, check the ox's pockets. I don't want any more surprises coming from him. Tigress, can you do the same for the bodies of the others? We'll gather them here and destroy whatever we find. That way no one can ever use them to cause trouble again." Xin Lan moves to begin searching while Tigress gives you a look but complies to your request. You make your way to the cannons and break them down. Moving the wheels and tearing out the wicks before centering yourself and crushing them with your bare hands. You squeeze the barrels shut then twist backwards. If by some miracle there was a man as strong as you or perhaps a blacksmith was made to unfold them, the resulting metal would useless in being used as a weapon.

Not wanting to leave stones unturned, you head into the nearest building to search for any other weapons.You half expected to see another mess full of boiling poisons or perhaps walls lined with crates and barrels of explosive powder but luckily all you find is the usual mess of overturned furniture and scavenged containers. It seems to you that these buildings were merely for hiding in and not to be converted to some mad lab for weapons of war. You do a bit of scavenging yourself and gather things to create a bonfire. You drag it all out just as Tigress is dragging the bodies of the gang members to all be tied up. Besides the group are various weapons and other paraphernalia ready to be burned.

It doesn't take long before a large blaze is burning and you're throwing in things to destroy. "We should get moving." Tigress says as she eyes the fire. "The sooner the guard knows that this is finally over, the sooner order can return to the streets." You nod.

"You're right. We've done what we could here. Should anything come up, it's best we're there to help the defenseless." You agree and lift up the ox. He struggles against your grip but without any of his limbs, he doesn't have the leverage or strength to escape. Your group makes it's way back to the guard station with very little resistance. All those who encounter you simply flee at the sight of you and your luggage. They would be dealt with later. For now, you needed to deliver the news.

You find the somewhat worse for wear and with several more bodies littered around it's entrance. "Stop right there! Take another step further and we'll fill you with arrows!" A voice shouts behind the gates.

"It's us." Tigress calls back gruffly. "I think you've had your fill with death. Let us in. We've captured the target." There's a long pause and you see a the top of someone's head quickly peek out from the top of the station's walls. A little bit later, the gates are slowly opened and you see a handful of guards cautiously peek out.

"You're alive." They say in amazement.

"And we've captured the last leader." You add. "He's injured and needs medical attention but I strongly recommend you wait. He's ingested some kind of drug. It's made him quite resilient to pain on top of his already ferocious strength. He's taken a lot of it and I'm not even sure what the side effects will be when they wear off but currently he's been disabled. Probably better that way until things have settled enough to be able to pay more attention to him." You and the others make your way into the station and the crowds part, all of them whispering around you and doing their best to get out of the way. Once you're well inside the station's main building, you drop the ox to the ground whereupon several guards come to drag him away rather roughly.

"What about the explosions?" A guard asks.

"Dealt with." You say. "Whatever weapons they were using have been destroyed and can never be used again. There may be stragglers but they'll be unorganized. It'll be much easier for everyone to retake the city. As soon as word spreads that the leaders are no more. I suspect most will simply flee the city. I think it's a good time to start sending scouts and reconnecting with the other stations."

"R-right." The guard says and moves to go and organize things.

You look around and expect some wave of exhaustion come over you but none does. You don't know why but the normal sense of relief from overcoming another foe doesn't come. Instead, you simply feel unfulfilled and rather listless. Perhaps it's because you don't have those closest to you to celebrate with you or perhaps it's because this is simply a small step in a far larger project at hand. You've only just reconnected with one of your friends and are still missing two others not to mention there was still war on the horizon. You roll your shoulders and try to find something to keep yourself busy.

>What do you do?
>Leave the city. You've done all you've could and gotten what you needed. There's nothing left to keep you here.
>Talk to the guard captain. Perhaps he might still have something left for you to do.
>Simply sit down and wait. See how events unfold. Hopefully nothing else comes up.
>Write in.

>>5614509
>Talk to the guard captain. Perhaps he might still have something left for you to do.

>>5614509
I know how you feel TL, it's simply the knowledge that we're not done. Relief is for when the task is finished.

>Talk to the captain about remaining holdouts or rescue areas, We're strong as a dozen men each so we can help them where a team would be required.

>Tell Tigress to help with the injured, comforting them or finding them, whatever she can do with one arm.

It's a near transparent excuse to be alone with our little sister, but we need it.

>>5614581
Anything specific you wanna talk to Xin about?

>>5615306
Let them "Mask off" as it were now that all the danger is mostly subsided.

reassure them that we know where Ming is and how to get there, and fill them in on what's happened since we came down from the mountain. As well as the fact we are no longer a citizen of china, so [jokingly] we don't have to bow to the Hien anymore.

They may not remember the complaints from before, but I hope they find it funny anyway.
Will also let them get anything else off their chest.