Author's note: For this new chapter, we are going to move away from Shen and Viper to go with another character. Master Tigress. Indeed, she is my second female choice for the story, but I couldn't find a good way to get her into the story without moving away from Gongmen City. So here we are, I hope you will enjoy this chapter.
Kujun City.
The place known as the most crime-filled city in China. And for good reasons. First of all, despite being built generations ago by hardworker with good intentions, not a single noble or politician held any sort of influence over the city, allowing criminals to come and go as they pleased. If an outlaw ran away from the Imperial Army, he or she could seek refuge in this city for, since the Empire recognized it as an official city, it would require permission from the higher powers to enter it. In fact, Kujun City remains one of the very few cities to not have changed after the start of Lord Shen's reign.
And tonight, a certain Kung Fu Master planned to get into that city.
Ever since the success of Shen's redemption and the fall of the Kung Fu Order, the former leader of the Furious Five turned to the one thing she never hoped to have to do, crime. She did not become a criminal like Tai Lung or the Wu Sisters, of course. She still held her honor close. But she found herself having to steal from people (not innocent villagers of course), lie to people, and get into fights she preferred to avoid. She traveled to places like bars or dark corners to play games like poker. To make it short, everything opposite to what she did during her time as a Kung Fu Master.
After months of traveling and making a reputation for herself, the Tiger Style Master took the decision to travel to Kujun City and recruit mercenaries and bounty hunters to help her in taking down one of the Peacock Army's main cities. This would send a message to this cursed peacock: there are fighters willing to stand up against him. And to the people of China too: there is still hope for freedom.
After arriving into the dark city located between two terrifying mountains, the feline made her way into the inner part of the city where only the toughest of the toughs could survive. Her black vest graced with a hoodie came in handy as it allowed her to travel without getting spotted by anyone. The last thing she wanted was to run into some flirting moron who would want to it on her. True to be told, it happened twice she entered the city... and both times ended with her knocking her flirter out with a well-placed punch.
After what felt like an eternity, but revealed itself to be five minutes, the former master arrived at her destination. Taking a deep breath, knowing she would enter a dangerous zone, she pushed open the wooden doors of the huge tavern and stepped inside.
This bar did not look different in the slightest from any other Tigress visited this far. Tons of tough-looking animals either drinking, playing gambling games, or trying to kill each other. The wooden floor already displayed traces of former brawls in the shape of cracks and blood stains - and so did the walls and destroyed tables. Yup, she would definitely find her contact in this place. She used her advanced flair ability to locate the smell of a wolf and found just him sitting at a table in the middle of the bar.
A medium-sized, dark brown wolf accompanied by three large rhinos, all three of them were holding spears in an upright position. This sight alone indicated the wolf is an important person, someone you don't want to mess with. But that did not work for the feline who went to sit down on the opposite side of his table. Tigress brought her paws up to the hood of her vest and pulled it back, revealing her face. She and the quartet of criminals just stared each other down, as if inspecting their faces for hints on what they would do next. The wolf narrowed his eyes and took a sip of his drink, while the three rhinos glared behind him, spears at the ready.
"Good evening, darling," the wolf said in a low, sinister tone. "What may I do for you?"
"You're Deadshot Kajentai, right?"
"Indeed. Looks like my reputation made my quite famous."
"I know that you are one of the most... skilled shooters in China, capable of pinning down a fly against a tree from miles of distance." Tigress marked a paused, not enjoying the idea of praising a criminal. "I also know that you have hundreds of followers under your command."
"Tell me something I don't know," the brown wolf known as Kajentai said, pulling his glass down on the table. "What do you expect from me, darling?"
"Listen, I'm planning on making a very important coup." Tigress looked right and left before leaning toward Deadshot Kajentai and talking lower. "I want to launch an all-out assault on the capital of Haijin. The reason is that I need to take down the Peacock Army."
"The army of the current Emperor, he?"
"Exactly. Ever since he sat on the throne, China has fallen into chaos and corruption. I know it must not mean that much for criminals like you... but Shen needs to pay for everything's he done. He needs to be punished for all the atrocities he committed and the people he killed. If the capital of Haijin - one of his most important bases - was to fall, it would already be a huge step forward. And if your gang helps me with this, I can guarantee that I will offer you a reward like you have never seen before."
"... Wow. That sounds... interesting." Deadhsot Kajentai took another sip of his glass, not seeming to be interested by what she said at all. He then leaned his head toward her. "You know... I teamed up with a lot of terrible folks during my career... but never with a Kung Fu Master..."
This statement along with the brown wolf's sinister grin almost immediately made the feline understand she wasn't in a safe zone anymore. The rhinos launched their spears at her and she managed to avoid them by performing a moonsault and gracefully landing a safe distance away from them. Her recruitment mission failed; she needed to retreat and think of another strategy!
However; she would have to leave this place first... and the tens of figures all around glaring at her meant it would be no easy task. One of the rhinos threw a punch at her which she countered with ease and replied with a devastating punch to the rhino's jaw, snapping it. The rhino cried out and reeled back, while the others attempted to charge at her. The feline grabbed hold of of his horns, span him like a hammer, and launched him into his comrade, knocking him on his back. At the same moment, an armored water buffalo arrived behind her and swung a Warhammer which she managed to duck at the last second before replying with her signature double palm strike, breaking his chest plate.
Wasting no time, the feline jumped on all four and kicked open to bar's door to rush outside and escape the city. But the fierce warrior was quickly jumped by three vultures flying in from behind, knocking her on her stomach. Tigress quickly leapt back into a battle stance and looked up at the birds. But before another move could be made, she heard more assailants coming from behind. She turned to see a legion of criminals who wasted no time in attacking her altogether. The powerful master punched, kicked, blocked, flipped, and evaded her way through the beasts.
After making some space between her assailants and herself, Tigress once again dashed on all four toward the edge of the floor the bar stood on. If she could just jump down and land with agility and grace just like she did the night she decided to go face Tai Lung, then she could escape from those criminals and get away from that city. She just needed to-
THOCK!
Before Tigress could go for her jump, a sharp pain pierced into her shoulder. She turned her head and widened her eyes in horror to see what looked like a dart lodged into her skin. When she removed it, her arm became numb and she could no longer move it. Crap! A paralyzing dart! If she did not jump off the edge in time, she would be at the mercy of these criminals.
The feline tried to reach for the edge by pushing her legs beyond their limit... but her knees became weak just as she arrived two centimeters away from her safe zone. Seconds after, her legs gave in and she fell flat on her stomach, unable to move her arms and legs. At least, she could still turn her head or swing her tail... but in her current position, that would not help that much.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Tigress turned her head to the left so that she could see Kajentai walking in her direction, holding a crossbow in his paw. He came to sit beside her immobile figure and grinned. "Darts of the most paralyzing toxin on this side of the country. I had to lower the portion because it could have killed you otherwise."
"Darn you..."
"Did you really think you could just escape me that easily. Darling, they don't call me Deadshot Kajentai for no reason. I never understood why Kung Fu Masters were so naive."
"But why are you doing this?! I told you that you would get a huge reward by helping me taking down the capital of Haijin! Don't you want money?!"
Kajentai chuckled and brought his face a bit closer to Tigress'. "Oh, I love nothing more than money, dear. Except maybe good alcohol. And I do believe you when you say that you will give us a huge reward... but here's the thing..." He leaned closer to whisper into Tigress' ear. "I know someone who would give a lot more in exchange of a Kung Fu Master... especially if this Master is the former leader of the Furious Five..."
Tigress' ember eyes widened. This couldn't mean that he would...?!
"You are going to the Emperor."
