Humans are by nature good.

For they are selfish and greedy creatures that must be controlled.

A Family member must care and love their kin.

For they could benefit the most if the others died.

Rulers should show kindness and compassion to the subjects.

Strike fear into them, and never allow one's true intention to be known.

Accept the advice and counsel from ministers of the state.

But remember, never trust anyone, especially your own family.

As the rain kept dripping down the conical helmet, drenching the long robe, the woman on stage trained her eyes on the man that arrived unannounced. She maintained a defensive posture, wielding the blade above shoulder in a ko gasumi stance and pointed the weapon at him. It's no secret that the shadow sitting next to that zither is an Earthbender, but this one is trained in the arts of stealth just like her. The matron specifically warned about the risk of encountering them in Ba Sing Se.

At last, it is still inevitable. For the past few weeks, she cannot walk these streets without caving in the urge to check her behinds. While her sister is clueless, for Mayumi, living here is reeked with a constant state of paranoia. Anyone could be watching her, monitoring every move at every second. Each night is plagued by the thoughts of eyes and ears imbedded inside the apartment walls. The worst part is always what she doesn't know about them.

Despite not fully aware of their existence in the past, she has read poems and stories about Ba Sing Se's secret police, serving as the monarchy's eyes and ears. They silence people who may threaten the throne and the city's cultural heritage, but eventually betrayed the city for self-interest. With such notorious reputation, she doubts interaction with them would be cordial. What was once an elite Earthbending order founded by Kyoshi to protect the city's cultural heritage have become an organization ridden with corruption. First, they betrayed the people by switching allegiance during the Hundred Year War. Then they failed to protect an assassination that drove the city into anarchy. Just thinking about made her somewhat ashamed of their existence, but still cautious at what they are capable of.

The pale white face paint starkly contrasts the rainy night. As the Kyoshi Warrior stood rigidly underneath the theatre house's roof, she refused to speak, and chose to observe the man in long robes, waiting for him to make a move first. His presence is not detectable even for the proficient warrior trained since childhood. It's not the weather that concealed him, but rather it is his equally intense training passed down from the same founder, Avatar Kyoshi. If he wanted to perform an ambush attack, it can easily be done when her back was turned, a feat that normally not be successful. But unlike the botched ambush initiated by the four bending bandits, Mayumi is not confident that this time her skills will be sufficient. For once, this Kyoshi Warrior have met a real opponent that directly threatens her specialty in the field of stealth, mitigating a huge advantage. For what is most concerning is that the man sitting next to the zither revealed himself intentionally, asserting his own skills while displaying what is lacking in hers. If it wasn't for that sound played by the zither earlier, she would have still been sword dancing.

Of all the battles she fought and won, almost every enemy utilizes force. They would wield weapons, and benders controlling their elements. Under normal circumstances, she can confidently fight them all individually, turning their force against them. But this time it's different. Her agility and stealth are completely negated by someone who is similar, but they have the additional advantage of being a bender.

Admittedly, no other organization in the world would be able to outcompete her in stealth tactics. Except for their so called 'brothers', the Dai Li secret police.

Handpicked from youth, they were trained rigorously to perfect a specific style of Earthbending that is useful in a place like Ba Sing Se. Their skills do not solely involve combat, but also the surveillance of population and gathering sensitive information. It's the latter part that is most concerning. Mayumi lived on the other side of the world where the flow of information is sparse, almost nonexistent. Which is why she can only rely on the rare historical documents owned by her father and whatever information passed down through her mother's role as an esteemed leader. The one part about the Dai Li is their extensive network of information gathering, but even knowing that does not reveal the full picture on how influential their organization is. The greater question is whether or not they are aware of herself, and Satchiko's status as wanted criminals. That would be the worst-case scenario. She cannot help but remember fortuneteller Meng's forecasting, something terrible will occur in this city.

Mayumi tightened her grip on the sword, staring down at the agent who has his helmet slightly tilted downward. Using the round metal brim to hide the face, he remained seated, one hand hovered above the strings of the zither, almost wanting to play it. Of course, there are many questions which Mayumi wants answer for. The main one is why is he here?

A single note from the zither suddenly ranged out again, the man used his thumb to test the string's strength. Mayumi stiffly held the blade, interpreting every small action with high suspicion. Uncertainty and unpredictability are a great concern in fights, she still cannot drop the fear of her identity being exposed.

And then a thought came to her, was he watching this whole time?

A sudden movement once again captivated the Kyoshi Warrior's attention. This time the man's both hands are positioned on the zither. It began gradual, slow and methodic. It then sharply cut into countless sounds are produced, a fast-paced music that is marked with a rigorous rhythm, fluctuating every now and then. It was not a pleasant tone, but one that showcase a sense of rigidity and stubbornness.

Mayumi watched closely while remaining silent. Remaining alert but also confused. Just what is he doing? Those pair of hands are almost like sharp claws scratching at the zither, producing a tone that is intense. However, she can also sense a tiny hint of flimsiness, no, it's more like incertitude, and maybe fear. As someone who also plays a zither instrument, it is believed that the music produced can provide an insight into the player's mindset. If the sounds are calm, it can reflect the person's tranquility. But if it's filled with speed and aggressive tones, it may insinuate there is turmoil plaguing their hearts. As for this person in front of her, there is uneasiness coming from the robed man. She waited, listening to his music until the suspense was too much. The man with long robe continued to play as if he is ignoring her.

Impatient of this development, she defiantly sheathed the sword, suspecting that her earlier display of 'asinine performance' on stage may have spurred this equally unnecessary action. Perhaps he thought it would be amusing to insult her by playing the zither, mimicking a musician dictating the performance which the dancer must abide by. If that is indeed the case, she will not entertain to the tone either.

She waited. The music suddenly grew faster. The strings fiddled violently as the robed figure became even more engrossed in the improvisation. Her ears twitched at the sharp noise, in a moment of instance, one of the strings on the zither snapped in half, abruptly halting the performance. Mayumi stood on stage as the area returned to quiet, noticing those pair of hands showing signs of trembling, one thumb twitching after feeling the zither's recoil. Despite unable to detect his presence and aura, this time, small snippets of insecurity reek out of those hands. Finally, he turned his attention to the person on the stage, slowly lifting the helmet up so that a small portion of the chin is visible. Mayumi instinctively placed a hand back on the sword's handle, pulling it out again as the cultural guardian suddenly made his move.

First, he stood up from the chair, withdrew and retracted his hands from the instrument before walking a few steps towards her. Almost quietly, he was launched from the ground below and quickly propelled into the sky. Using the night to hinder Mayumi's eyesight, the Dai Li quietly landed on the wooden stage's right side, forcing the Kyoshi Warrior to readjust further to the left. Mayumi quickly repositioned herself, retreating away from the Dai Li until there is a respectable distance and assumed the ko gasumi posture again. In anticipation of an attack, she wants to ensure the blade can move quickly.

This Dai Li agent dropped on the wooden platform with a light thud, as evident of the shoes made of earth. According to all the forbidden information her mother has imparted, these men are master Earthbenders excelled in precision over brute force. Yet, their lack of heavy potency in manipulating the earthen element does not stop them from being perhaps some of the deadliest masters. But since the theatre stage is made of wood, she eliminated an environment that can give him the advantage.

On stage, both remained silent with the rain being the accompanying symphony. The Dai Li have his hands placed together, concealed inside those two large sleeves and face mostly hidden by the helmet brim. The Kyoshi Warrior meanwhile, remained still, unsure how this will proceed. Considering the many factors that will make their interaction likely hostile, she must approach with caution, what is spoken next will be vital.

Without bowing, he initiated the conversation.

"It is with great honor that I welcome a member of the famed Kyoshi Warriors into our beloved city," said the Dai Li agent. From the moment he opened that mouth, she can feel something subtle in that voice, calculative, every word carefully placed, all the while retaining that formal tone expected from a man who works in secrecy. It was also smooth, somewhat youthful, trying his very best to not sound too stern. It's blatant that he possesses nothing amicable. "How long has it been since our people have last met? I suppose it is quite the jubilant reunion, although the surrounding may not the best place for a suitable reception worthy to our esteemed allies."

The last encounter between the two orders could have been a long time ago, forgotten by most people back on the isolationist Kyoshi Island. With one giant landmass and an ocean between them, there is no easy way for them to interact. They certainly don't have a good reason to, considering one of them have disgraced the name of their shared founder. To her people, it's better forget these men even existed, that way they can keep preserving Kyoshi's legacy as a flawless hero who is without mistake.

Mayumi did not respond cordially to this obvious attempt at pleasantry. She fixed the blade at the Dai Li, expecting a cowardly attack with his Earthbending after lowering her guard. But that will not happen. A seasoned warrior would be foolish to trust a complete stranger, even if they are both branching from the same tree trunk. Whatever ploy he wishes to enact will not be successful for someone that is guarded against this treacherous nature. One point her mother specifically stressed is to never trust these men. It does not matter if the Kyoshi Warriors and the Dai Li have a shared heritage. If the latter can betray and fail all those who trusted them, monarchs and ruling regents alike, why would they even flinch when it comes to dealing with their distant cousins?

"Do not waste your words," Mayumi stated coldly, leaving no room for a friendly conversation. "I did not come to this city so that we may convene. I am not here to establish friendly relations to those with a sullied reputation." She intentionally left out the mention of Satchiko, hoping it can make him believe there is only one of them in the city. The last thing Mayumi wanted is for these cultural guardians to be aware of her sister being here. If Xuan Zang is truly her parent's old friend, then he probably wouldn't inform these robed men out of safety. But nothing is certain. Their identity as 'wanted criminals' from the state of Yi is also another hinderance, something that the Dai Li will definitely not ignore. "Perhaps you should consider that those who do not want to be found have a good reason, and it's better you look the other way and depart respectively." She is certain he must be harboring ill intentions. Although they do not have unique headdresses that separates one individual from another, it's possible this man is the same one who prevented her from killing the persistent Huo. Even if they are approaching with cordial intentions, she must never lower the guard. After all, these men have failed all those they were meant to protect. The best-case scenario would be for him to leave her alone, and they all go separate ways and pretend nothing has happened.

A light wind blew against the Dai Li, whose identity is still hidden beneath his helmet. The rigid body remained still as the officer act uncaring to Mayumi's sour response. "I see, perhaps this is how you treat your hosts." He maintained the usual voice, neither dejected nor angered.

Could this enforcer be here to arrest her? Her mother warned that the laws of Ba Sing Se operate very differently from backwater Kyoshi Island. The city possesses a sophisticated penal code. Anyone can be heavily sentenced, even an outsider like her. It is possible her earlier attempts of killing Huo may land her behind bars. But then again, who would have thought it would result in an encounter with a Dai Li, even more unexpected that one managed to follow all the way to here.

"If you do not prefer a welcoming ceremony or appreciate my best attempt at decent hospitality, then may I inquire, what were you doing?" asked the Dai Li agent.

Refusing to submit to what is possibly an interrogation, Mayumi rebuffed harshly, stating that her endeavors are entitled to herself alone. Of course, this answer does not sit well with the cultural guardian, who stressed that Ba Sing Se is in their territory of control, which is why respectively he view Mayumi as the trespasser.

"You should know that there will be repercussions, legal ones." The Dai Li stated almost toneless. "Carrying weapons here is obviously forbidden without granted permission, which is why ignoring this clear violation of our city's rules warrants serious punishments, and potentially confiscation."

Mayumi clenched her teeth behind that neutral looking face. Obviously, it's not too difficult to be incarcerated in a city like Ba Sing Se, as everywhere else in the Earth Kingdom have laxer laws that even allow people to carry bows and swords in broad daylight. As someone who grew up in a village where she is part of law enforcement, her identity as a Kyoshi Warrior meant nothing here. The Dai Li knows almost everything that happens in Ba Sing Se, that itself puts her at risk of being discovered.

She slowly glanced at her blade; the katana is forged with stainless steel is one that displays fine quality. Every Kyoshi Warrior prefer their weapons to be beautifully crafted, and the katana specifically has spiritual importance. It is a weapon that is carefully made with a delicate and complex smithing process, resulting in a sharp curve that is a work of art. Oftentimes the hamon wave on the steel is very pleasing to look at. Although she is still unsure if a spirit truly dwells within the weapon and acknowledging the fact that it is just a piece of metal, this sword has nonetheless been at her side for a long time. Parting away with it is something that would be very hard to do.

"Aside from that, interfering a civil servant's duty will be even more consequential," the Dai Li stated dryly. "Treason and sedation, even aligning yourself with all that is unlawful shall be punished accordingly to the city's laws. As a daofei, you should know."

This time, Mayumi felt she was unfairly labeled. The term daofei is used to mark outlaws and bandits across the Earth Kingdom, which is unfitting and inappropriate for a devotee to a righteous Avatar. It is an insult she will not ignore.

Mayumi stared at him with a squinted expression. "In what way? Why do you believe I am responsible for violating Ba Sing Se's law when it was you who block my strike!"

She deeply wishes to understand his motivations. The Firebender named Huo, the same person who put her sister's life at risk, why does someone like that deserve to be saved by a lawman who is supposed to detest disorder.

"So, you admit that person was you," the Dai Li said calmly. This immediately caught her by surprise. She has walked right into a trap by spouting what the Dai Li wanted to hear, which is a confirmation of her identity. The Kyoshi Warrior was wearing a straw hat with veils for concealment, hiding the armor and green uniform underneath. She suddenly realized that he would not be able to fully prove this if it wasn't for this accidental confession.

"Don't change the subject," Mayumi demanded, pointing the sword straight at him. "I have my personal vendetta against those people and have questions that needs to be answered. But your action of shielding a potential real threat to the city itself is more than enough to be charged as-"

"Your childish input on this matter is not needed." The Dai Li interrupted. He remained still as that embroidered robe with a coin symbol appeared slightly draping the ground. "Those with simple but naive minds can only see the world through their guilelessness. The laws of Ba Sing Se do not forbid how its enforcers arrest dangerous seditionists so long as we completed the goal. Even if you are from uncivilized lands, I presume the crime of murder warrants an equally heavy reprisal from where you came from."

She pondered on the words said by this embroidered uniform guard. He wasn't wrong, she confirmed with her own eyes when the teashop owner was arrested with chains. That middle-aged acolyte shouted his identity on the top of his lungs, which she can hear easily. However, she still has yet to confirm whether or not Huo have been arrested, or if the Dai Li is lying. At first, it was rather shocking to hear how he addressed her home as 'uncivilized'. Surely this Dai Li is aware who was responsible for their founding, which is heavily responsible by Avatar Kyoshi, the same woman who made created that very island. He could have been intentionally saying this despite fully knowledgeable to history. But once again, her mother stressed that these people are like a piece of ugly pottery that no longer reflects the creator's original intentions. It would be unsurprising to discover that they no longer demonstrate reverence towards their architect, a feature unlike the Kyoshi Warriors. This also reinforces her mother's warning. The Dai Li have fallen far below from when they were initially formed. To a certain degree, she almost pities them for their opposing and infamous reputation. Despite sharing the same founder, from her point of view these 'cousins' are sliding further down the path of corruption and have no way out. The Dai Li secret police as a whole have voluntarily made themselves feared by the very people they were meant to protect, which is something she would never do. As for latter half of what this man just said, it is plausible he is insinuating her failed assassination is a crime worthy of repercussion. Universally, murder and attempted murder made by anyone who is not part of the authority should be considered illegal. This isn't Kyoshi Island, a village where she can freely hold her sword and apprehend anyone suspect to be a troublemaker. She is standing on Dai Li territory, which meant the law is entirely against her.

How should she proceed with this unexpected encounter? While she has placed all the hope in avoiding them and maintaining a low profile in Ba Sing Se, a backup plan was completely neglected as a Kyoshi Warrior's strength lies in their advantage of stealth.

"Do you even know who those people are?" Mayumi tried to sound firm, wanting to test this Dai Li's loyalty. Albeit difficult, it is imperative to confirm he is not secretly a member of that nefarious cult. If the Acolytes of San Bao can amass crazed followers in the Lower Ring, it would be prudent to consider they can gain members hailing from the Dai Li. It was futile to formulate this question like an interrogation, a skill which a warrior like her has very little use for. Usually, she and the other sisters would interrogate pirates with the threat of feeding them to the great Unagi eel, a technique not applicable here unless that serpent chose to swim all the way to the shores of the city. But since when does a civilian give interrogation to law enforcers? Besides, unlike the matron in her village, Mayumi's voice is not even deep enough to induce enough intimidation. The Dai Li are probably more trained in this aspect by their purpose of eliminating and silencing political dissent.

Mayumi waited for his words but was quickly astounded upon the Dai Li pulling out a sword from within his long sleeves. Although not the best moment to appreciate the clothing of others, she is nonetheless impressed by how well a sizable blade can hide in that embroidered robe. Usually, she can only store only throwable projectiles like small knives or shuriken when dressed in civilian attire. Of course, there is also her double fans, the most important part of a Kyoshi Warrior's kit, such weapons are easily concealable. But a sword is too large to hide completely out of sight without additional preparation, which is why she can't help but wonder what else is hiding underneath that Dai Li's uniform.

The weapon held by the cultural guardian at first glance appeared like any singled edged weapon. Judging by the shorter handle and characteristic of a moderate blade curve, it is likely a type of liuyedao saber. She thought that dangerous Earthbenders like the Dai Li would have no use for cold weapons. Even if they did, it wouldn't' be useful in combat. A better purpose would be to demonstrate their elite status by showing off the sword's craftmanship. But what she sees right now completely contradicts such initial perception. His weapon does not appear extravagant. The somewhat rusty appearance meant it haven't been maintained by a blacksmith for many years. But what further compels and heightened her sense of danger is how the saber is soaked with blood. Fresh blood.

"The Acolytes of San Bao are no ordinary seditionist, for they do not feast upon the lust for wealth. Instead, they chose to indulge into a world of superstition, religiously follow their destabilizing influence that threatens the very harmony our city is built on. There is perhaps no end to their motivation." The Dai Li brandished his single-handed sword and held it close so that he can smell the crimson on cold rusty steel. "Regardless, anyone that went against laws of this city shall be treated in accordance with jurisdiction. No exceptions."

Mayumi's skin went slightly cold. She is no stranger to the sight of blood, especially fighting many pirates and occasionally wounding them. Yet, it's rather appalling by looking at the Dai Li's liuyedao, which is mostly covered with the blood of cultists. While she did want to ensure he is not a member of that cult, this is the last thing she expected. Just how many people did he killed tonight? The blade is almost entirely crimson, even the handle was not safe. What did this man do while she wasn't looking? Executing cultists on the spot? She saw many Dai Li surrounding Hong Xiuquan's teahouse but found not one of them holding a weapon to fight the cultists.

"I suppose it would be cordial if you reveal your intentions against those seditionist peons," said the Dai Li who is now pointing his weapon at her. "A Kyoshi Warrior appearing at night, wondering around the Lower Ring and meeting a very important messenger from their leader. It would be rather hilarious for a someone like you to have dealings with them."

"A messenger from their leader?" Mayumi did not know. She thought Huo's sole goal is to capture her and Satchiko, and then bring them back to this elusive 'master'.

"I am not a daofei!" She retorted, almost losing control of temper. She felt he was intentionally trying to manipulate her emotions, twisting it so that it can hinder the swordsmanship. The danger of encountering a Dai Li is obviously being arrested over meagre accusations. But she is also on guard against their crafty and extremely calculative nature. The greatest of which is their rumored ability to be able to completely destroy one's identity without actually killing them. While they are deadly Earthbenders, what made them infamous is the scheming and betrayal that all happened behind the scenes.

She calmed herself, trying to figure out how to escape. Perhaps she can exploit their corrupt nature through bribery, and then sacrifice her weapon just to make it back home. The main cause of concern is this Dai Li agent accusing her of unlawfully carrying a weapon and acts of vigilantism, the latter of which of course can be punished under the umbrella of safeguarding public safety. Usually, certain underworld activities are tolerated if they do not disrupt the city too much. In certain cases, members of these groups may even try to attack high profile criminals or assassinate corrupt officials if they felt the authority have failed to persecute them. But not this time. Her independent interest clearly interrupts with their investigations into this matter. But as the custodians of this city for hundreds of years, the Dai Li would be more specialized in monitoring underground groups like the Acolytes of San Bao, yet the idea of working with them is not something she easily accept.

"We don't need the likes of you investigating parasites in the Lower Ring," the Dai Li warned the Kyoshi Warrior directly, insinuating that that the woman with war paint is challenging the institution's main purpose. "It would be most unwise if you keep pursuing this dangerous path." The blood on his blade began to dry. She wondered, why would an Earthbender like him use a weapon if he can just tilt and throw chunks of the ground. "Now, hand over your sword."

Mayumi grasped the katana tightly. She needs to make a compromise. It's better to leave here so that her sister would not be dragged into these mess.

"Fine, but you have to promise to let me go," Mayumi said. She is ready to relinquish her katana if it meant her sister's safety is guaranteed, but he must offer some incentives.

"That depends on what condition," the Dai Li said coldly. "But I have no intentions to allow free passage without your compliance."

Mayumi grew concerned. Trusting a Dai Li would the same as digging her own grave. In this city of walls and secrets, almost nothing can hide from the secret police.

"What happened tonight was rather unpleasant. It's not usual for our idyllic city to be embroiled in such commotion. But thankfully none the citizens here are disturbed by our routine operations." The Dai Li's words are clearly reeked with a level of dishonesty. The problem of those religious zealots imbedding themselves in Ba Sing Se is clearly no small problem. But the Dai Li must fulfill their orders to maintain the city's harmonious shell of appearance, eliminating unwanted elements without being publicly seen. "It would be better if the peace and quiet of the Lower Ring remains this way, doesn't it? A certain someone should perhaps forget what happened, in case she wants to tell everyone and jeopardize our endeavors."

Mayumi gulped her throat. If she was an ordinary citizen without any prior knowledge, the Dai Li's demand may be interpreted as signing a pledge of secrecy. But the true context of forget what happened is exactly what she fears might happen if they capture her. Which would be a complete rewrite of a person's identity.

According to her mother, the Dai Li would use underhanded tactics to force their opponents into submission, rewiring thoughts and emotions, inducing amnesia that would be convenient in maintaining public order. If they can erase parts of her memory, would it also include those key moments bonding with her family?

Mayumi sheathed her sword back into the scabbard, slowly turning around. "I will respectfully decline your terms."

"Resisting the orders of enforcing officials is punishable by the law," the Dai Li insinuated. "Retract your impulsions, or else I won't be so lenient."

"Oh yeah? Well, what if I say no?" Mayumi challenged.

"Then I suppose the only way is for me to correct your behavior," he stated without changing the tone.

Mayumi ignored him, refusing to fight. She treaded a few steps before he spoke again.

"I thought the famed warriors from the isle of Kyoshi would be less cowardly than common bandit. It seems I am wrong. You are all nothing more but girls dressing up as theatrical performers, believing they are somehow contributing to a world now in tatters."

Once again, her walking footsteps remains indifferent to such lowly taunts. His remarks of the Kyoshi Warriors are clearly a bait, using Mayumi's identity and the warrior's honor to force a reaction. If she attacks him, this Dai Li would have even more justification to arrest her. Such is the draconian ways in how they operate, so long as she maintains a calm and collected manner, his strategy will not work.

"I won't fight you." Her sword still sheathed. "But please, do not test my patience." It was a reasonable request, but despite this, she knew he is persistent.

"You retreat because you know you can't win," the Dai Li asserted. "I may be just a novice in ways of the sword, but I have no intentions in losing to someone who practiced for years yet still allow incertitude to taint their combat." He used a piece of dirty cloth to clean up his liuyedao sword. Despite being an inferior swordsman, he has nonetheless been effective as seen by how bloodied his weapon has become. This was a direct insult to her ability a warrior of Kyoshi, he aims to assert his own effectiveness above her traditions and morals. But honor meant nothing if she can't protect those she loved. She cares less about personal glory, choosing her sister's safety over it.

Mayumi drew a deep breath from the cold air around her. It's raining, but she still found it hard to fight against the urge to lash back to this clear provocation with a few sword slashes. Deep down, she wanted to prove him wrong by letting go of all restraints and demonstrate her full aggression, but that is the exact imprudence she must avoid at all costs.

If Satchiko is one dealing with the secret police, her impulses would be the first thing to fail the younger warrior. The Dai Li is clearly demanding Mayumi to keep quiet and not create any more trouble in the city. But she knew this is a terrible demand. How can she relax knowing full well that Huo might still be out there, plotting to kidnap them both. For now, all Mayumi want is to walk away from the scene and back to the shadows, where she cannot be traced at all. All the strength must be dedicated in protecting her sister, and nothing else.

"You know nothing about me Dai Li agent. You do not even understand who I am and where I came from," Mayumi said firmly. Her level of patience is depleting, hoping to avert this place in fear she lost control of her temper. "For the final time, I won't cooperate with you on the matter of how we should deal with those nefarious renegades. We may have a shared heritage, and the same founder, but I consider it disrespectful in accepting orders from the disgraced. Goodbye." As she resumed her walk to the opposite side of the wooden stage, the Dai Li confirmed one of her worst fears.

"Is that so, Mayumi? I heard many things about the daughters of Akahana. One is slightly brash, the other is the more responsible one. I presume you are the latter." He asked with a slightly causal voice. The way he pronounced her name felt flimsily, like a student learning to say a new vocabulary in class. It's clearly the first time he said a name from her particular linguistic. But the peculiar way he finished that sentence almost demonstrate he is amused by her naivety.

She froze, quickly turning back at him with a shocked expression, hand slowly reaching for the weapon handle. She never told him her real name, in fact, it is even expected that this one wouldn't even know much in the first place.

An array of possibilities and theories quickly played through her thoughts. Did Xuan Zang betray them? Or maybe the secret police just forced that old monk in giving such information. Perhaps one of the few people she revealed her real name with have sold this information to the secret police. Was it Grandma Jin, or maybe Lady Te Gaogui? It is apparent that all her paranoia was not enough to prevent this leak of information, and she have certainly underestimated the Dai Li in this regard.

But why? Her entry of Ba Sing Se shouldn't captivate their attention as she hasn't done anything active to destabilize the city before. If anything, she has blended in quite well with the populace, living a very peaceful life until now. Since this current meeting is not intentional, the embroidered uniform guard right in front of her most likely obtained such information very early. But because they spent time to gather this sensitive information of her real name, she is wondering, what is their real intention?

She suddenly became indecisive. In this short amount of time, there is no way to slowly analyze for the next step. So how does it matter if he does know her real name? She is still liable in exercising vigilantism. No matter how righteous the daofei may be, stubborn lawman will always try to apprehend them in the name of the law.

"I have done no wrong," Mayumi tried with a deeper voice. "All I did was trying to eliminate a hostile threat to myself. If the question about my permission to bear arms is your main concern, fine, I will try to do things in accordance with the authority."

"Are you certain?" The Dai Li inquired. "Lying to authority is a crime. If you have any criminal past, your statement means little to me."

Her face showed signs of hesitation that will not go unnoticed. But how can she reveal everything that might lead to an arrest? She chose the 'safer' option.

"No, I am not lying." Just as Mayumi finished saying that, the Dai Li using his free hand and draw out a piece of paper. Despite facing the soaking from rain and having no light at all, the image of a woman with a white face paint is precise. Her mouth involuntarily dropped a bit in despair.

"Heinous crimes against the state of Yi, is there anything else you would like to disclose?" The Dai Li's voice remained unchanging, showing the wanted poster in a very formal manner. He easily dismantled her bluff, and she did not think this man even has her wanted poster. "No enforcers in this world would ignore this request. Our purpose is strictly to maintain the city's functions. Although the state of Yi is not under Ba Sing Se's jurisdiction, I am not taking risks, it does not matter if you are a Kyoshi Warrior or not."

There is nothing Mayumi can say to rectify this. She can surely lie, denying that the person on that wanted poster is not her. But that will surely not convince this lawman. If the Dai Li's vast network of information gathering is powerful enough to discover her real name, then there is likely no lie that cannot be disproved.

She felt cornered, while never accepting their designation as 'criminals' by the Yi state as fair, this doesn't matter in the eyes of the embroidered uniform guard.

"It's not about the bounty," the Dai Li clarified, hoping to quell some initial preconceptions towards their order. Noticing that Mayumi have moved her hand away from the sword handle, he walked a few steps closer, rigidly retaining the signature posture of straighten spine and stiff shoulders. He folded hands back into the sleeves after placing the sword at the waist into another scabbard right underneath the robes. "Your very existence in the Lower Ring itself is a notable concern, albeit it's more of a hinderance to me. I cannot have you meddle in our duties."

"You care about the city's stability to a high degree," Mayumi remarked. This Dai Li approached the subject of maintaining public order in a very coercive way, threatening even the very people their founder have created. It is to be expected that their encounter would be an unpleasant one, as the Dai Li are known to be naturally cold and unrelenting. Their calculative nature is arguably more dangerous than their bending.

"There is one thing I wonder if you have considered," Mayumi asked suddenly. "Since you are intending to apprehend me in the name of maintaining order, what if I resist with force."

The Dai Li was not affected by this in the slightest. "You won't," he said simply. "To understand a person is to realize what can unbalance their mindset without fighting."

"Oh, and what does that mean?" Mayumi asked, pretending to be interested.

He later elaborated on his views, asserting that the fallibility of human emotions is what makes them susceptible to exploitations. Even those who are not afraid of death, there is surely something else they value more. It is therefore imperative to utilize all information available to identify a specific individual's vulnerability, mostly their selfish desires, goals and the very ideal they swore by. But this Dai Li also contends that humans mostly care for their own survival above the wellbeing of others, a trait that their organization have ironically reflected in the past.

"To comprehend the minds of any suspect is helpful to my duty," the Dai Li dryly said like a student reciting his mentor's teachings. "In your case, I have stopped you from using that weapon through words alone."

"I'm not fighting because of fear," Mayumi argued. "You think I'm afraid to strike you down?" She raised an eyebrow.

The Dai Li stopped in his path, contemplating on this statement. Mayumi can only imagine the thought process of these secret police. She knew fear and intimidation is part of their tactics. A regular citizen or bandits who infiltrated the city would do everything they can to steer away from these robed men. But to her, they are dogs barking directly at the people who is in good grace with Avatar Kyoshi.

"You won't initiate aggression, because the consequences would be too much, even for you." He warned.

"Then enlighten me. Since I am already considered a criminal in your eye, what will you do if I resist arrest?" Mayumi stared at him, having no intentions to appear weak. The reason why she wanted to ask such question is to study these distant cousins of the Kyoshi Warriors. Despite her hailing from the older and more favored order founded by their Avatar, she know the Dai Li hid many secrets, and a good warrior would know that fighting an opponent without precise knowledge of their doctrine is imprudent. The more she knows about their insidious tactics, the better chances she has to mitigate their threat.

"I will prevent you from acting out any seditionist ways. Since you are more imperviable than I anticipated, a more convincing incentive is necessary." The Dai Li drew out another wanted poster, showing the Kyoshi Warrior of something that may force her submission to authority and fully abandon the thought of independently investigating the cult. Anyone prone to bowing to their emotions can be controlled easily like objects on a person's palm. The outcome depends on the foresight by those who dare use such underhanded methods. But if mastered such art, it can be used to incite the correct reaction from the target, controlling them with what is most valued. "You care about your sister, don't you? A mere village girl sent all the way to the continent's most prestigious learning institution, what a privilege it must to be born into a role where almost no work has to be done. I'm sure you two lived much better than the poorest of the poor in the Lower Ring. I do wonder, since the whole purpose of Xuan Zang's student exchange program aims to cultivate those with Earthbending, drawing students hailing from esteemed families amongst their people, did you feel any envy towards your junior just because she was the one gifted bending? Perhaps you too covet power, feeling bitter that someone else was given an opportunity they cannot even harness correctly, all the while you slave your days away in backbreaking labor.

Mayumi narrowed her eyes even further, muscle becoming rigid. She knew this is part of his tactic, trying to drive a wedge. If that does not work, unhinging her devotion in protecting Satchiko can also be effective. By losing focus and giving in to rage, her swordplay may not be precise, as all thoughts would be polluted with malice instead of the skills that feeds on a clearer mind. Inciting a violent reaction can give him another excuse to arrest or even kill her. The Dai Li also somehow believe she is envious of Satchiko's unearned disposition, a notion that incorrect. Her goal of shielding the younger sister from all harm came mainly from her promise, a familial request that is held with the upmost importance. While some may see this as a form of blind loyalty, she retorts at those fools who belittles familial bonds.

As the second daughter to the greatest Kyoshi Warrior of the current era, Satchiko is also blessed by being born as a bender. In a world where birthright is a great factor in determining a person's development, non-benders are often be seen as inferior, even those born into royal families are not spared. The ability to control the elements made them always more advantaged, dominating the social hierarchy due to superficial belief that inheritance should always pass to those with more power. Thankfully, Mayumi is born into a place where such archaic ways are not enforced thanks to their paramount founder, Avatar Kyoshi. Yet, despite such unprecedented egalitarian on Kyoshi Island, it still didn't stop Satchiko from being chosen by the university. Instead of giving this great opportunity to more intellectually capable one of the two, they selected someone who have so far been struggling with their studies and could only bend small pebbles, all because that girl is the one given bending, a gift she still hasn't appreciate.

Mayumi sighed. The Dai Li knows plenty, every bit of information gathered can be used against her, trying to either weaken their sibling relationship or triggering her devotion in a psychologically destructive way. "Do not mock my convictions, for I have no need for something that is rightfully given to the one person under my wing. I protect my sister out of one accord, and that is honoring a pledge made towards someone I deeply respect even to this very day." Mayumi lectured indignantly, showing this peer on virtues that is expected of Kyoshi's finest warriors. "Loyalty is something you of all people will never understand. I may not serve a dynasty or patrol a grand city, but trust me, I will never betray my own kin. The day I fail my sister is the day I lose truly all my honor."

The Dai Li fell silent. He sighed, looking at the theatre floor while retaining the signature posture. He composed a response, almost like a poorly made poem.

"A mother can sell her son for food. A brother can also kill the elder to save his own skin. Both are motivated by selfish ideals, driven by the need to survive. If a warrior swore fealty, accepting the oath to protect others. It is perhaps they wish, in uphold a theatrical appearance."

Internally, Mayumi did not appreciate such mislabeling towards a conviction which she would fiercely defend. Every Kyoshi Warrior cares about three things; family, devotion and honor. She combined all three of them in one way or another. No trivial goals should be placed above safeguarding a person's own relatives. It is a concept that most people should universally agree, yet this Dai Li is ironically more selfish in her eyes. If he perceived her family bond as nothing more but a charlatan act, than how can he even interact with his own blood relatives? Surely these secret police would not say such unfilial statement to his own parents. Right?

"Your swords are useless if you can't even find the courage to slay those who threaten your ideals," the Dai Li commented. "Before you can even use it against me, the consequence will extend to your sibling."

Mayumi growled, partially losing control of her emotions.

"It would be most unfortunate that a student was to be expelled, after finally unable to reach the average standards in class. Since it is probably inevitable, perhaps I should hasten the process, and trust me, I have my ways to make it a reality." He threatened her with the extermination of Satchiko's learning opportunity. It is unlikely that the teachers and professors at the university can resist against such unfair orders. But since it is not life threatening, the next thing the Dai Lu said truly forced Mayumi to act beyond her capacity. His trump card is the wanted posters, legal justification that can arrest both sisters on the grounds of suppressing potentially seditionist forces. Even if it meant antagonizing their 'fellow' organization, they do not care about the virtuous espoused by the same founder, Avatar Kyoshi. Yet still, the original purpose of the Dai Li was created to protect the cultural heritage of the Earth Kingdom. Despite the best intentions of Avatar Kyoshi, arguably one of the greatest, her actions always have an effect. This time, circumstances have forced two of her creations against one another, becoming opposing forces.

The Dai Li once again warned her about the wanted posters issued by the state of Yi, arguing that compliance with their organization by experiencing a short erasure of memory will be more beneficial for them all.

"Do not behave as if we are strangers. You already know, we too were incepted by your begetter, Kyoshi. Wouldn't it be more pleasing if we can just work together and appease our late founder's spirit. Surely you would not be so stubborn." The Dai Li adapted a slightly softer tone, which is interpreted by Mayumi as another obvious attempt to exploit her emotions. "Or are you ashamed of our existence? Your own brothers all the way on the other side of the world?"

"I am no more or less embarrassed by you people than Kyoshi," Mayumi harshly judged. How dare he use familial language to describe the two organization's almost non-existent relation, right after he showed no respect to her dedication in protecting a family member. If these imbeciles believe they are the superior ones based on their higher numbers and bending, then she will show them that they should not look down on non-benders so lightly. "The only thing I ever regret is meeting the likes of you, filthy transgressive tarnishers."

The Dai Li is hardly affected. As someone who values his duty above reputation, Mayumi's words will not incite fear. The secret police surely do not see any use in spirituality or respect to the Avatar, which makes them mentally immune when someone invoke the name of such prominent figure.

"You may be ashamed of us, but we are still created by the same Avatar," the Dai Li stated candidly, reiterating an undeniable fact toward the devotee. Once again, he held the wanted poster toward her face, using the same tactic to stop even the strongest warrior from fighting in the first place. "For the final time, relinquish your weapon and comply, or else-"

"Or else what?" Mayumi defied, testing the waters to see how far the Dai Li is willing to go.

"Or else I will reveal to the whole city about your identity as criminals, wanted by the law." The Dai Li said darkly. This time, Mayumi was truly mortified albeit not showing it with her expression. What the Dai Li just insinuated would be their greatest nightmare, for the intoxicating effect of money is all it takes to turn kindhearted people against them. If the Dai Li are motivated by their dastardly devotion to maintain public harmony, then the everyday people would be more than happy to improve their livelihood by turning against two perceived bandits.

She has seen and experience the poverty, even just a tiny fraction when stepping on the Earth Kingdom. The Dai Li's coercive tactic cannot be taken lightly, as information is a powerful tool that can drive the masses to do almost anything. Ba Sing Se's system allows itself to post various documents all across the three districts. She saw the immediate effects of scholar Shan issuing a reward to any challengers that can improve his near perfect essay, which drew large crowds of people who wanted to reap that reward.

But if the content posted around the city is about two bandits wanted by the state of Yi, who in their right minds would miss this opportunity? Even the most humble and timid in the Lower Ring might turn against them just for that unimaginable wealth which can change their lives for the better.

Mayumi sighed in defeat, softening her shoulders. She refuses to endanger her sister's life over valuing the vague concept of warrior honor. But by refusing to use a sword to solve every problem, she prevented the deterioration of this blackmailing, thereby choosing Satchiko's wellbeing above selfish glory and personal pride. "Fine, I give up, well played." The Kyoshi Warrior sheathed her sword back into the scabbard. From the Dai Li's perspective, it is unlikely to be used for a while. "You don't want me to fight, so you resorted to such underhanded tactics."

"All surreptitious methods are permissible so long as my duty is fulfilled." The Dai Li felt no regret in blackmailing. The likes of him have likely done worse. His sword hidden underneath his robe is likely still drenched in blood from the cultists. "Do not be ashamed. Warriors who are hindered by blind honor do not always win the battle. They allow certain morality, especially those of kindness, to give room for the truly selfish to fester and feed upon the innocent. You are held back by nobly intended principles, whereas I care about being effective."

"You want to debate about philosophy? Now?" Mayumi raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with his antiques. "Not the best moment."

The Dai Li stood there, also agreeing. However, she cannot help but accept his view to a small extent. His cunning approach entrapped her from even trying to fight back. Instead of enforcing with only his bending, something which only a meathead brute could think of, the secret police used Mayumi's information against her. The desire, the fear and everything she ever loved, has all been deployed like tools that dictates her decision making. This is why despite these men being elite Earthbenders, one should be more afraid of their mastery over information gathering. If they can impose their will upon the mind of others, the Dai Li as a whole would be as powerful as monarchs, if not more.

Mayumi then asked further, just to clarify minor details she wishes to confirm. For the foreseeable future, it's hard to know what might happen next. The Dai Li may try to erase parts of her identity, forcing her to amnesia about tonight so that she may not 'meddle' in their duty.

"So, remind me this Dai Li, if I escape or resist arrest, you intend to turn the whole city against me and my sister by publishing the wanted posters, am I correct?" Mayumi asked as both hands are placed on the sides. The Dai Li nodded, not noticing that one of thumb is bending towards the handguard. The mere thought of facing hordes of normal citizens is enough to deter her from openly provoking him. It's also pointless to invoke the name of their shared founder, for the secret police have likely not been cultivating spirituality. Even if he does have religious needs, his deity of choice probably wouldn't even be Kyoshi, as there are countless spirits and legendary figures to choose from Earth Kingdom's folk religion.

"Every building, every home, and every alley will know." The Dai Li warned, exerting even more pressure on the already strained Mayumi. "I can withhold these posters from going around the city. Since we are the few people that are actually aware of their existence. Your cooperation with the state means I have no more incentives to inform others of your outlaw ways. It could be our secret."

Mayumi was not amused. Instead of cowering in fear, she began to tell him a story. Long ago there was a hardworking potter who made two vases out of a single clump of clay. One serves as a jardiniere for beautiful flowers, the other act as a jar for fine wine. But one day, the wine jar broke, and the crumbling hole in the middle allowed the brew to spill through, wasting the content on the ground. This wine jar is now hideous, no longer reflects the potter's best intentions. So, what should people do with a broken wine jar?

"The answer to your nonsensical question is obviously to discard it," the Dai Li lectured. "Once something has fulfilled their uses, losing them is inconsequential. The same applies to people."

"I agree." Mayumi's simple response seems to have risen his suspicion. "The current ugliness of the dysfunctional pottery shouldn't be reflective on its original owner. I completely concur with your notion. Before we proceed with what happens next, mind I ask, are you the only one that knows me and my sister's history with the state of Yi?"

"I think your questioning is excessive," the Dai Li said, walking closer. "Any daofei that refuses to cooperate with our authority will be addressed with the most appropriate measure. Naturally, if you do manage to escape, others aside from myself will know."

"Well then," Mayumi relaxed her tone. "Then it's reassuring to me that our secrets are safe with you. I think that while you are all despicable in manners, along with being inconsistent in your loyalty, I have to admit your kind excel at keeping secrets. But there is a type of people more superior at keeping their mouths shut than a eunuch like you."

"What does the nature of your statement mean to emulate?" The Dai Li paid no heed to her subtle insult.

A Kyoshi Warrior is an elite fighter devoted to Avatar Kyoshi and her teachings. Their tradition, culture and code form the very virtue they defend, which is why a warrior who wish to walk in the path of honor must never do anything that would hinder it. Whenever they made a promise, no one should belittle their conviction. They especially should never underestimate Mayumi's promise to her great grandmother's final wish.

"It's simple. It means you have your duty. I have my honor. And you should never underestimate a Kyoshi Warrior's promise. I will do anything to see it fulfilled." Mayumi's hands moved quickly, pulling out her katana and immediately transitioned into an attack. She burrowed a few tricks from the strict and perfectionist Shan. Since words have the power of life and death, even the tiny details in the Dai Li's speech can reveal he might be the only one that knows she is even here in the city.

Before he can be informed on who Mayumi was referring to, a cold blade cut across his right arm, surprising him. The sharp tip incised through silk, small amount of blood on Mayumi's blade meant the injury is superficial, but what discerns him from normal pirates is the lack of any response to pain. If it wasn't for his quick reflex that is equal to his opponent, the Dai Li would have lost a limb, becoming a dead eunuch that can keep all secrets.

He moved backwards with quick retreating steps, dodging her swings. All he has is a robe. Without any armor, the sword can easily wound him.

Mayumi then attacked with a furious zeal not seen before, hacking and slashing with madness. She never wanted someone to be dead as much as now. The last time someone specifically targets them both are the four bending bandits sent to kidnap them, one of them almost killed her sister. Yet right now her own mind has been possessed by utter malice, hoping that one of those swings can mortally wound him. The attacks ensued, as both of them are in close proximity, Mayumi believe this is the best opportunity to make sure he permanently does not target them. She refuses to endanger her sister ever again.

The Dai Li's body tried to distance himself. But since Mayumi's speed cannot be outpaced, he quickly threw out two wanted posters on the ground, correctly guessing she would focus on it first. She picked them all and then hastily returned to the fight. As she swung her katana for a killing strike across the neck, a rusty saber wielded by the Dai Li managed to block it. With only one hand, he successfully defended against her katana, locking both blades into a contest of strength.

Mayumi panted as she tries to outpower him, both hands tightly gripping the handle, trying to swipe forward but to no avail. She stared down at the Dai Li with an angered gaze, while his face is still blocked by the brim. A situation like this is not favorable for a Kyoshi Warrior's fighting style.

"You lack experience," Mayumi commented on his swordsmanship, interpreting his slightly trembling hand as a sign that he has only grasped the basics of sword handling. "Despite adapting a one-handed style, your skills can only take you so far as to fight ruffians armed with a knife."

The Dai Li, despite being injured on his right arm, held on well. "A fair observation. But you lack strength, inherited ones." He quickly applied more strength to the liuyedao, and forced Mayumi back. The Kyoshi Warrior smoothly recovered and assumed another stance where the blade is positioned for another strike. "Does it very have to end with your arrest?" The Dai Li asked, not even caring about that potentially infected wound.

Mayumi did not say anything. She charged forward and swiped the sword at his waist. Once he parried it, she quickly readjusts and swing at another spot. For a while, both continued the same action, with the Dai Li fending off her advances, adequately standing his ground. Blades crashed repeatedly, creating sparks. Mayumi patiently tested his resolve, slashing and stabbing, hoping to get a better comprehend his skills. It is a common belief that once you crossed swords with another individual, you can better understand them. What is clear now is that this Dai Li is calculative by nature. Following the Earthbending philosophy of Neutral Jing, where the user lies patiently waiting and then strike at the most opportune moment, he too is not retaliating. If he did, Mayumi can definitely capitalize more of her own doctrine, turning the enemy's strength against them.

To his credit, despite being a basic swordsman, the Dai Li is holding up surprising well. He adapted a simple tactic by blocking her strikes, both foot immovable. While she is aggressively trying to divulge an opening in his defense, the enforcer still manages to fully utilize a one-handed style while maintaining a dignified fencing stance. Since she cannot overpower him with brute force, Mayumi must rely more on her trainings. Upon crossing their blades again, she quickly turned her whole body sideward, curving her katana around his liuyedao to maim his face. So far, she still does not know what he looks like, as the brim of the helmet covered the view, which also forces her to thrust the blade underneath the headwear.

The Dai Li leaned his upper body backward, narrowly avoided her strike. Before he can recover, she quickly followed it up with forceful kick, sending him staggering back to a wall. The impact was enough to force a painful cough from him. If she was a fighting normal pirate in an individual fight, her opponent would have fallen already. But this one has taken her a considerable amount of time. It is also dangerous to be out in the open for too long, lest she wants to attract the other cultural guardians, making the situation even more volatile.

Mayumi gave chase. He appears tired, and is currently backed against a theatrical prop, one of those trees that is a vital part of the scenery during Oma's first meeting with Shu. It's strange how they are both fighting underneath a theatre house, using props and mannequins as the environment. While it definitely is not the conventional place for her to swing a sword, it's not hard to imagine they are both just actors, fulfilling their roles which are already predetermined.

She raised her sword at the front, cautiously approaching the seemingly exhausted Dai Li. As an experienced warrior, she knew crafty opponents may pretend to be out of stamina. Thus, lowering her guard. But she doubts he can effectively retaliate in his stage. The Dai Li is leaning against the prop, using it to prevent his body from falling to the ground. It is not certain how benders harness their energy. Assuming this man is the same one who killed most of the acolyte thralls in that alley, it's possible his body have become fatigued.

As the Dai Li appears exhausted, Mayumi quickly pried his sword away to the ground, leaving him defenseless. She pointed her own weapon at his head, preparing to stab in case he tries to retaliate.

"Why aren't you using your bending?" Mayumi interrogated the Dai Li. "Where did your arrogance take you?"

In all her years of training as a Kyoshi Warrior, one unspoken rule she remembers is to never hold back in a serious duel. By not fully utilizing full potential, it disrespects the opponent's capability, designating them as inferior enough that a serious attitude is not necessary. She knew the Dai Li is intentionally using a non-bender's weapon, but she has no time to worry on why he is holding back.

"Yield!" Mayumi shouted after not getting a response. She successfully obtained the two wanted posters in his possession, all she has to do now is to ensure he never comes after them again.

The Dai Li still have yet to reciprocate with speech. His body slowly sit down, resting his back against the prop tree, the same one that appeared next to the character Shu during the performance. With his uninjured arm, the Dai Li pressed it on his chest, holding tightly on the spot she violently kicked. Men like him were never meant to fight like this, yet he chose the unexplainable way.

"You lost," Mayumi repeated. "From now on, I forbid you to follow after us!" It was immediately met with the Dai Li's disappointing sigh, apparently unimpressed with her lack of understanding.

"I stand corrected," the Dai Li muttered under difficult breathing. "I suppose the likes of you are indeed more proficient in sword fighting than a mere novice like me. As expected of Avatar Kyoshi's most cherished children."

Mayumi trained her katana at him. She wanted to get a better look at the man's face.

"Why are you hesitating?" He asked.

She stopped moving. "What?"

"How are you going to enforce your will?"

The Dai Li asked about Mayumi's goal of protecting her sister. Now that the fight is supposedly won, how can she actually ensure the Dai Li does not cause any harm? This is not a fight with agreed terms that dictates the outcome of the duel. Unlike the Lei Tai or Agni Kai, he has no reason to agree with her demands other than the fact that he might be killed. But the real question is, can she very harm him fatally?

"I saw how you fought against those mindless peons, the expendable drones who do not have bending. Without any worth, they chose to dampen their sense of pain so that they can gleefully serve as nothing more but cannon fodder." The Dai Li paused, inhaling a large amount of air and then continued. He sounded like a tired man. "The way you fought in that alleyway emits incertitude in taking the lives of others."

For the entirety of her life, Mayumi never took the life of another human being. She has helped her mother kill live salmon for soup and stew, but the thought of killing a foe have never crossed her mind until much recently. A Kyoshi Warrior who fought small bands of pirates on their home turf are rarely needed to kill their enemies, usually they are captured and transferred to another prison on the mainland. So rare are such incidents that includes the death of pirates, those in her generation who do partake in excessive violent acts are viewed with suspicion that there is something mentally wrong with them. One such individual is of course that frightening monster from the other village, a towering beast with sharp fangs and wielding a giant club. But now is not the time to concern about that. Mayumi must figure out what to do with the man in front her. The earlier bloodlust has worn off significantly, when all the decision making has fallen into her alone, it actually makes it much harder to end the Dai Li's life. It was clearly easier when she was forced to take necessary action to protect her sister, but now, facing a man who is defenseless, for some reason her mind no longer felt absolute like before.

"Do not test me Dai Li!" Mayumi shouted back. Perhaps it's better to ensure that he is dead. The authority here might just perceive his absence as another causality in their operations. No one would know it was her. She raised her sword, trying to find that same initiative, the uncontrollable impulse that sent her into a rageful frenzy have now dissipated. When backed against a corner without escape routes, she actually found it easier to maim the opponent. But now that the Dai Li is at her mercy, her hands no longer felt the need to kill for survival.

"Why didn't you use your bending?" Mayumi demanded again, showing a braver face unreflective of her internal struggle.

This time, the Dai Li gave her a clearer answer. He asserts that it is only fair to fight an opponent in equal footing, which in Mayumi's view is a rather unnecessary move, but one that she will not complain since it is his stubbornness that have involuntarily helped her.

"However, I think you too have notice that despite successfully disarming me, you still cannot bring yourself to end my life." The Dai Li stated. Mayumi isn't certain how she should respond other than keep pointing her blade at him. He is at her mercy, yet she never thought this is the result. Her wavering thoughts are not enough to guide the hands to commit acts she clearly does not wish to do.

"You threatened the lives of me and my sister, I will not hesitate to send you to the other side, you eunuch!" Mayumi snarled coldly. It was met with the Dai Li's silence. Somehow, this unimpressive response made her feel even more insulted. It compelled her to raise her sword, preparing to swing it forcefully so that she can kill him as painlessly as possible.

But she never managed to do it.

Even by trying it with her eyes close, she somehow cannot find a justifiable reason to move her arms in a way that can harm the Dai Li. What is she doing? In that alleyway, she didn't care about the wellbeing of those thralls. Countless of them were severely wounded by her desperately fighting for survival.

As she kept trying, the Dai Li suddenly got up, surprising her as the man no longer demonstrate signs of fatigue.

"Get down!" She barked but was ignored. Mayumi even brandished her sword to further threaten him, but even that did not incite fear. "I said get down!" She yelled again to no avail.

The Dai Li walked over to where his blood stained liuyedao is. With ease, he picked it up, swinging it around like he has never felt a single day of tiredness. She watched with dismay, feeling deceived after he 'lost' the fight earlier. Perhaps it was all just a sham to trick and mock her existence as a Kyoshi Warrior. He was acting, playing the role of a sick man while hiding his strength.

"I am impressed by your skills. For a non-bender, you have performed exceptional well. However, you are still bound by limits." Without looking, he swung the saber, cleaving a nearby mannequin into half. This blatantly informs Mayumi that despite being an inferior swordsman, the Dai Li have killed more of his enemies tonight than she have done her whole life. Albeit carrying a rusting blade, he is much more dangerous to the Acolytes than this Kyoshi Warrior who is just trying to protect her sister.

''I have a proposition," Mayumi used her quick thinking, trying to derive a solution in case her body suffers the same fate as that poor mannequin. "Perhaps we can work upon an agreement."

"I am listening," said the Dai Li, his voice reeked with an air of superiority, looking down at her pathetic state.

Mayumi suggested her terms. On this theatre stage, she will challenge him to a Lei Tai duel. If she won, the Dai Li must promise to never persecute the two sisters over Mayumi's act of vigilantism and their status as wanted criminals.

"And what if you lost?" The Dai Li inquired.

Mayumi did not have a plan for that in such short notice, so she answered with a vague description that the warrior will 'follow his orders'. But the main goal is to never reach that ending. She has a plan to ensure that victory is guaranteed, all the Dai Li have to do is be prideful enough and walk into this trap.

"No bending, we will use our weapons. The winner for this specific Lei Tai must destroy the other person's sword." Mayumi is certain that the Dai Li will not be foolish enough to walk away from this opportunity. From the way he behaves, she can sense a level of arrogance. The Dai Li was very confident in his own swordsmanship, and perhaps still believe so. But in a regulated duel with predetermined rules, Mayumi can entirely focus on disarming him while securing a victory, which mimics her experience in fighting pirates who oftentimes surrender whenever their capacity to fight is neutralized.

The Dai Li stared at his rusty liuyedao. From Mayumi's perspective, a blade that is not maintained by a skilled blacksmith is prone to breaking. She does not believe he is using a sword for combat, which gave her some assurance in the upcoming fight. Additionally, someone who is a novice would not be able to compete with another swordsman who have been practicing her whole life. Hopefully, things can go her way.

"I agree," the Dai Li fell for her ploy. ''But since the rules forbid my Earthbending, how should you enforce that?"

"Don't move," Mayumi cautiously approached. She disabled his chi paths that is affiliated with bending, sparing the ones that are associated with limb movement. By playing fair and not disabling his entire body, she aims to demonstrate her integrity, hoping the Dai Li can also reciprocate by honoring his words later.

The Kyoshi Warrior returned to her starting position at the left side of the theatre house. She looked at him, the cold nightly air made his breathing very visible. He is sighing, perhaps by her childishness.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance," the Dai Li prepared his saber.

Mayumi ignored him. Maybe she is a coward by not killing someone who might be a danger. She is still conflicted, morals in turmoil. It's hard to stabilize a malleable moral compass when the Khan advised her to kill while her heart is still indecisive. But if the goal to end this fight is to destroy his weapon, which the Dai Li have agreed, then it is likely she can walk away from this unharmed.

Both finally readied their weapons. Mayumi grasped her katana with both hands, assuming her signature ko gasumi posture with a forward leaning spine. Her eyes stared at the opponent whose face is still obscured by the brim of his helmet. The Dai Li is still using a one-handed technique, placing his injured right arm behind his back while wielding the liuyedao with the other. In all her years of combat, experience informed the girl that appearing flashy during a fight is counterproductive. Although there is elegance in her fighting style, it is nothing more but a side benefit to her acrobatic and fast paced footwork. The Dai Li held his sword like how a gentleman would have with an inkbrush, but she will not underestimate him. Only by demonstrating her full potential can it be seen respectful to the opponent.

A gentle breeze enveloped them, it felt cold, fitting well into the tension and contempt they have for one another. A single willow leaf strayed from its tree can be seen floating towards the stage, riding the air current.

Even without speaking, they both agreed that the moment the leaf drops to the ground, it will start the duel.

"You will regret this," the Dai Li hinted. Mayumi cannot help but feel suddenly uneasy out of nowhere. She concentrated on his sword, thinking about breaking the opponent's weapon.

Time felt lengthened. It's as if she waited forever, awaiting that leaf to touch the ground.

The moment that piece of green touched the ground, Mayumi charged forward with unparalleled speed and force. She screamed ferociously in a growling expression, very out of character for her. The Dai Li meanwhile calmly walked forward, preparing his weapon to receive the strike. But facing a volatile Mayumi, he took additional measures by holding sword to shield his chest, standing his ground.

It's as if time and space fractured when their blade made contact, simultaneously finished their move.

Mayumi performed a perfect strike, dashing pass him with exceptional speed and ended up kneeling with one of her legs. She has successfully hit her intended target. The Dai Li also swung his blade sideward, landing his mark. He just stood there, wielding his now broken sword.

They both have their backs facing each other, lamenting on the silent aftermath as a form of communication itself.

"You exceeded my expectations," the Dai Li stated, slowly lifting his hand up to examine the broken liuyedao saber. The blade has been cleanly cut into halves, proving Mayumi's exceptional swordsmanship.

The Kyoshi Warrior got up from the ground, standing up again. She acknowledges that the way his sword was cut into half is a difficult move, even for her. It is an expert level technique taught by her aunt and is only applied now out of desperation. The true goal of this technique is supposed to concentrate one powerful swing with a Kyoshi Warrior's agility, thereby achieving a single strike across one foe's vital spots. If both fighters have swords of equal quality, then the one with more skill will triumph. But if both fighters are equally trained, then the one who possess a better weapon will come out alive. In this Lei Tai duel, the Dai Li is restricting his Earthbending, but he can never match his swordsmanship and weapon quality to Mayumi's expertise in both fields. However, the Kyoshi Warrior would soon realize that she did not came out completely unscathed.

On the ground is the broken half of the Dai Li's saber, but she also noticed a few clusters of brown hair, lying near it. It's likely that right after her katana broke his sword, the reminder of his weapon cut out a few strands of her hair. Looking back, it certainly was a risky move.

The Dai Li turned around to meet her, throwing away his sword like a discardable junk. Why keep it when it's just a piece of metal? For mainlanders, it's easier to replace a weapon than it is to repair one, a luxury that Mayumi have never enjoyed.

She pointed the katana right at his neck, a few inches further and the sharp tip would puncture the skin. "Honor your words Dai Li," Mayumi demanded.

Perhaps she was indeed too naive. In hopes to resolve this tension peacefully without taking another person's life, she have foolishly forgotten the valuable lesson her mother espoused. All the mistrust towards the Dai Li have u failed to overcome her own hubris. She thought that every human would at the very least have a tiny shred of integrity. But her matron has warned, and Mayumi ignored. Trusting a Dai Li is a quick journey to the grave.

Without speaking, he quickly snatched the blade with a stone encased hand. He tightly griped the blade, locking it in place so that the surprised Kyoshi Warrior cannot move.

"Let go!" Mayumi yelled, struggling to extricate the katana from his one-handed hold. Despite exerting all her strength with both arms, pulling on the handle, the Dai Li still appears to be effortlessly denying her weapon back. "Release it at once!"

Gradually, he held the sharp tip closer to his chest, with the intention of thrusting it through the ribs. Mayumi watched with suspense as he forced it through the uniform. Her hands trembled immediately, confused and mortified by all that just transpired. Unable to cope with the pressure of killing another person, she let go of her weapon out of impulse.

It was at the exact moment she realized the Dai Li do not have preservative mindset to his own life. The man would no problem risking his own body just to achieve his goal.

He now held the katana away from the chest, ignoring the slight stain of his blood at the tip of it. Mayumi did not understand why he endangered himself in such an unforeseeable way. In all her years of fighting as a Kyoshi Warrior, she never encountered an enemy who is as unconventional as this one. She expected the Dai Li would act calculative, but never to this dangerous level. No enemy in their sane mindset would voluntarily harm themselves using their foe's weapon. But regardless of his dishonorable methods, he nonetheless exploited her morals and successfully disarm and confiscated the katana.

"You want me to honor an agreement like this?" The Dai Li said, almost incredulous at her apparently conceited view of a virtuous warrior. "The words of daofei is not the official law of Ba Sing Se. Ask yourself, why would a dignified civil servant like me humble myself to the custom of lowly criminals?"

Mayumi was speechless, tightening her hands into fists and clenching her teeth. But she soon relaxed the body, knowing that retaining a calm mind now would be less damaging to her health. "I thought that you would at the very least demonstrate some sense of humanity," she said. "But as expected of the people who betrayed all their benefactors, it was I who got arrogant in trusting your ethics."

"I am flattered, it seems that you have thought too highly of us," the Dai Li coldly stated, but with no intention of being cordial with the equally hostile Kyoshi Warrior. Someone like him would have no qualm in destroying promises. All Mayumi can see in his goal is to be as effective to the state as possible. It's still rather strange how these people are created by the same person who formulated the Kyoshi Warriors, the Dai Li exhibit almost none of that Avatar's virtues, but she still cannot deny that they are indeed their founder's creation.

She snapped open her backup weapons, dual wielding her metal fans in a defensive posture. Seeing that Mayumi is using her order's signature weapon, the Dai Li forcefully stabbed the katana into the stone wall nearby and then encased the reminder hand with another rock glove. These gauntlets are the favorite weapon of choice of the secret police, she has been told despite the Dai Li agents' less potency in their style of bending, their strength is actually above normal Earthbenders.

"It truly saddens me that the situation has progressed to such a nauseating stage," the Dai Li remarked without displaying a single hint to his supposed emotions. Just by hearing his formal sounding voice, Mayumi can deduce a sense of annoyance. It is true her presence tonight has likely obstructed their duty in some way, but she still refuses to subject herself to their draconian treatment. If those without honor and virtues like the Dai Li controls her freewill, then it is the upmost insult, and may endanger Satchiko's safety. "So, shall we begin?" He grasped his hands, adjusting them to the stone glove's size with bending.

Mayumi knew what he wanted, to completely rewrite her memory so that this encounter is entirely forgotten. To him, her own independent investigation into the cult of San Bao is viewed as a threat too. Refusing to cooperate with them is dissent but leaving him here might create problems for them in the near future. Yet, despite all the dilemma, she still does have the courage to kill him unless it's a life-or-death situation, where her own conscience can justify taking another person's life with ease.

She breathed in, focusing her body's balance with the environment, holding the pair of glinting fans, the same weapon that have always been used as a symbol, and a traditional item that originates from Avatar Kyoshi. While Mayumi may not be the most spiritually imbued warrior, and have no experience in communicating with the spirits, she understood that the spirit of Kyoshi always favor her trusted devotees, the Kyoshi Warriors. If the mysterious spirituality in their founder can be trusted, then she will at least have some hope that perhaps there is an acceptable outcome after tonight's event.

There was no signal this time. Mayumi held her two fans, increasing the footwork and dashed forward, preparing to cleave both of his arms off at the same time. It all felt silent as she managed to control her emotions, grunting at the minimal whenever he simply dodged by hoping backwards. They are both fighting using their order's most utilized form. Mayumi maintained a rigid movement, increasing her agility and trying to catch up to the nimble and equally fast Dai Li. The length of his robe and sleeves created an almost flowy appearance, confusing her eyes as the fans have a hard time landing a hit. She can feel he is still toying with her, a master Earthbender belittling someone who is not fortunate enough to be born with the same power.

She timed the momentum of his movement. Mayumi first fainted an attack which successfully tricked him into jumping backwards, she then threw one of her metal fans in its already opened form. The projectile's wide blades have a large velocity than the usual knives, and it managed to maim one of the Dai Li's legs through his robe, yet it was not enough to fully incapacitate him. After her fan landed to the ground beyond him, large droplets of blood were created by his stone shoes. Visible crimson liquid oozing through that long robe.

What amazed, or frightened her to be more accurate, is how he did not react normally to this serious injury. The Dai Li neither whimper nor yelp in pain, not the slightest emotion was devoted to his wellbeing. Since the extent of the hemorrhage is entirely concealed by his fabric, Mayumi cannot accurately determine how much damage her throwing fan instilled. But judging by the increasing amount of blood flowing down his leg, she estimates it is not a light wound, without treatment, he will die.

"Enough of this Dai Li!" Mayumi shouted fiercely, hoping he can cease this pointless conflict and reach a somewhat acceptable agreement between the two. If only he wasn't so stubborn, a more amicable man would have thought pragmatically and not be so dense when it comes to upholding the city's harmony. "I am willing to discuss something that can benefit both of us, if only you would-"

She couldn't even finish when he shot back something that forces the Kyoshi Warrior to raise the other fan. Years of reflexes accumulated from battle; her body moves quickly to fend off projectiles such as arrows. But this one is small, yet likely lethal. She barely blocked it with her weapon and felt the immense force behind its unprecedented trajectory. By just feeling a fraction of its power, her arms and hands felt it was hit by a moving stone wall.

After it dropped from her fan, Mayumi looked to the ground, noticing that it is nothing more, but a small, tiled piece made of earth. She cannot believe that pebble sized object was what made her felt a life-or-death sensation. This seemly harmless piece of earth could have killed her by the speed and force it held. Her eyes immediately dashed back to the Dai Li, who is postured in a form of Earthbending she has never seen before, with a fist facing forward, it is clear he has punched something, and is the sender of that small tile of earth.

He gave her no time to think. In a split second, the Dai Li punched repeatedly with his two hands. While stationary, he shot forth a hail of small earthen tiles like darts. Their small size and speed, along with the darkness of the night, all worked against Mayumi's already fragile defense. Regardless of her experience and role as one of the leading Kyoshi Warriors in the younger generation, all of that meant nothing against the Dai Li's deadly techniques.

At first, she swatted three pellets to the ground, hurting her right arm in the process. It felt like she just parried five swords at once, a feat that is disadvantageous for a Kyoshi Warrior's doctrine. Due to the size of those small tiles and the night, her eyes cannot even see them, and relying on her intuition is a dead wish. She dodged sideward, allowing the hail of tiles to annihilate the stage mannequins into a decimated pile of fragmented pieces. Mayumi watched with horror after those seemingly harmless tiles shredded the human sized dummies. If solid hardened wood cannot withstand his ranged attack, then her flesh and bones would be reduced to nothing!

She ran across the stage as the Dai Li repeated his gruesome technique of sending forth hails of small tiles from the rock gloves. Those projectiles torn through theatre props like butter. Fake mountains, trees and humans alike all offer their futile resistance against his onslaught, yet not a single one of them can act as a shield for Mayumi. To the Kyoshi Warrior who have fought benders on the way to the city, Earthbenders who threw giant boulders and torn the ground in half is actually less dangerous to deal with than a man who practice precision with his bending. It's clear if even one of these small pellets hit a vital point, she will likely die as a result.

"Ah!" She cried painfully and fell to the ground. One of the earth bullets struck her body, luckily in the stomach area which is thankfully protected by the lacquered armor. A Kyoshi Warrior's protective equipment is made of the finest metal, able to withstand a direct arrow shot from a bow while remaining completely unharmed. Yet, this tiny pellet that pommeled her felt excruciatingly painful. It managed to make a dent on her chest plate, a feat that not even a hammer wielding bandit can do. The armor bent inward, she screamed in agony, almost crying at this unbearable sensation.

Mayumi quickly bite the side of her mouth, seeking to divert the pain but to no avail. Thinking about the wellbeing of her sister, she forced herself back up, staring back at the Dai Li with utter contempt and a clenching face. All he is doing now is just standing from a distance, admiring her pitiful state. Perhaps he believes the likes of her are too weak despite claiming to be a devotee of Avatar Kyoshi. Seeing how he isn't feeling any pain from the metal fan only made her boil in anger. In a fit of rage, she drew out three metal shuriken, using her left hand and threw them all at once. This reckless response did not incite a major reaction. The Dai Li caught them all with his rock encased hands, easily neutralizing the projectiles. Unlike the non-bender, a master like him is not limited by the number of weapons. His gloves are versatile and can easily be replenished with only a handful of earth.

Braving the pain, Mayumi chose to risk her life and charge directly at him again. She threw out a knife in advance, after he caught it again, she cut her metal fan at him. With one swift motion, the Dai Li snatched the fan with one of rocky hand, determined to lock her in place. She quickly let go of the weapon and delivered a series of jabs and punches, aiming fully paralyze him. Yet, she can sense something is immediately wrong. While her chi-blocking managed to disable his bending, the man's four limbs are still moving despite her best efforts.

Discontent with this predicament, she quickly snatched two of his fingers and forcefully yanked it backwards, a technique that is meant to induce immense pain to the victim.

She kept trying, and the Dai Li entertained her struggle. Her morale is crushed when he is seemingly letting her test it out. It is a dumbstruck to the highest degree, making her questioning years of training and experience as one of the more accomplished Kyoshi Warriors. Usually when she tried this on a pirate, it can break the bones of a person's hand, compelling them into submission. But all she was greeted now is apathy, not even the tiniest yelp of pain was heard.

Just who is this person? Either his body is built differently, or he is mentally indifferent to his flesh being torn and maimed.

She stared with a blank expression at the Dai Li, whose face is still hidden by the helmet's brim. Without warning, he broke free of her hold and threw her across the stage. Her body smashed through a wooden board that resemble a background house, but it did not hurt for the woman wearing armor. Comparing it to the pain inflicted by the tiny earthen tile, being battered like this will not compromise the lacquered armor.

Mayumi quickly crawled back up. She just so happens to be thrown near where her other fan is. After regaining it, she held both and blocked an impending attack. The Dai Li is running towards her, loud footsteps made from a pair of stone shoes stomped on the wooden platform as he raised one of his fists.

It was too late to dodge. In the midst of moment, Mayumi held up two metal fans, layering them together and blocked his punch. She braced the impact, luckily, the offensive force applied did not shatter her weapons. His punch using the rock glove was thankfully not as powerful as the small tiles. When it comes to non-bending combat, Mayumi is the superior one.

Both of them are locked into a contest of strength again. Mayumi uses both metal fans to prevent his punch from hitting her face, while the Dai Li is maintaining his initial attack by adding force. After noticing the angle of his helmet aligns to her eyes, she opened a tiny gap between her fans, trying to get a glimpse at his face. It was a risky move considering such an act can jeopardize her defense.

What she saw was not a normal person's face. An expression of pure grimness is painted on him, using black and white paint. She recognizes this design; it struck a striking similarity to how certain types of opera performers would decorate their face. But right now, she cannot explain this strange feeling of being intimidated by its appearance. It's almost ironic how a Kyoshi Warrior like her is being affected by the same psychological tactic they have always been using.

No matter how brave she is, her mouth involuntarily gasped at his face. The Dai Li did not waste this opportunity. As if nature is working with him, the sky suddenly shattered with a loud lighting, flashing the stage alone with temporarily blinding Mayumi's eye. Under the influence of fear and dumbstruck, the Kyoshi Warrior's muscles wavered, but this insignificant decrease of force is all it took for the Dai Li to yank both fans away, and then kicked her with his earthen shoes.

He did not hold back. Mayumi hissed painfully as the force traveled through her armor and into her abdomen. That attack landed on the same dented area of her armor, worsening the bruising underneath the skin. She can still salvage this fight, but she has to win it strategically. Her own melee is far superior to his basic understanding of non-bending styles. But the maintain concern is that his body may not be the same as a regular person, able to recover much quicker after having his chi blocked. Therefore, earlier results indicate he will likely soon regain Earthbending.

"I hope this does not breed everlasting animosity between us," the Dai Li approached slowly, flexing his hands to check if the bending has returned yet. He even leisurely twisted the finger bones Mayumi have broken, loud sounds of bone cracked, yet not a single sound of pain did he emit. "But please forgive my rather rude reception, consider it as a matter of the state."

Mayumi cursed underneath her breath. Judging by how her earlier attacks have not been enough to inflict pain, perhaps there are other ways she can emerge victorious. As the Dai Li stood there, she snapped open the two fans and dashed right towards him. She swatted, swiped and slashed at the man. She wields the pair of glinting metal with glance, yet her rigid movement insinuates malice. Countering this outburst of anger is the Dai Li's skillful defense by the earthen gloves. He blocked her strikes, applying Earthbending form into his hand-to-hand combat, standing his ground against the assault.

The Dai Li leaped on top of a mountain prop, and Mayumi threw a shuriken, which was evaded. As she arrived at the base of the wooden prop, he jumped off, backing her against the wall. He threw a punch with his earthen glove but was also dodged as Mayumi maneuvered around him. She used the fans to lock the wrist that supports his punch, redirecting the potentially lethal attack into the wooden prop. Thus, his force worked in her favor. As he tries to remove one of his hands, the Dai Li barely fought off an opportunist Kyoshi Warrior who tried to maim him with the retractable golden blades. It did not take long for him to free himself, and the two returned to fighting back and forth across the theatre stage. This isn't a performance, but it could have been mistaken as one.

The two elites fought in almost equal manners, consuming a considerable amount of time. After fighting countless thralls in that alleyway, the Kyoshi Warrior can sense the soreness in her arms. But it's possible that the Dai Li may also be in the same predicament, feeling the burden of exhausted energy and now forced into a lengthy combat where neither side wishes to concede to the other. However, while they are equally matched, the non-bender has not forgotten just how lethal the Dai Li is with their Earthbending. Although she is fighting surprisingly well against him, it would be imprudent to ignore his full strength. One thing is clear, he is obviously stalling, waiting for his bending to return. Which is why Mayumi must finish this fight in the quickest way possible, if that is a feasible plan in the first place.

She threw another shuriken, forcing him to evade sideward and create some space between his shoe and the floor. Mayumi charged forward, swinging the fans and different locations, one at his head while the other aiming for a leg. As expected, he fought the attack off with the rock gloves. But what he did not expect is when she began using her foot, attempting to kick him across the head. Mayumi first raised her right leg high, swinging it sideward towards the left side of his head. The Dai Li reacted swiftly, catching it with one both hands. Since the Kyoshi Warrior devoted a considerable amount of strength, it did force the Dai Li to take appropriate measures. He stopped the high kick to the face, rock gloves snatching and locking her boot in place, forcing her into an awkward position that keeps her from throwing other attacks.

Mayumi can almost feel pain in her right foot. The Dai Li refuse to let go, realizing that she cannot attack with the fans due to its shorter reach. He grasps the boot even tighter when she tries to strangle free. In the process, they both seem to stop, and she noticed that he is fixated on the shoe.

"Your trotters are a few inches too big for the average people," he commented.

Mayumi froze slightly, no words can describe how inappropriate and out of place this is. Could this be another lowly ploy to derange her emotions, or just the true color of his hideous nature? She narrowed her eyes, staring at him with a disapproving gaze. "You spoke the wrong thing, at the wrong time, and to the wrong person. Did your parents not teach you basic manners? You lowly eunuch."

Judging by his voice and mannerism, the Dai Li is likely very similar to her age. But what disgusts her is how a cultural guardian like him found the time to remark about such inappropriate subject in the middle of a fight. There are many secrets, and knowledge Mayumi does not possess about their distant cousins. Frankly, even the exclusive files provided by the matron is only enough to cover the surface knowledge about the Dai Li as a whole. In hindsight, since they are called cultural guardians, it might not be too out of place for a man like the one in front of her to recall Ba Sing Se's outdated beauty standards. She is aware that in the past, distinguished ladies from well off or noble houses would tightly bind their foot, oftentimes unwillingly. It is an atrocious custom that promotes the breaking of young women's feet so that it may yield the desirable shape and size of a lotus. It is exceedingly painful; the foot of the women would become small with deformed and crushed bones. For the remainder of their life, those with these 'lotus feet' would have limited mobility, nails might grow into the flesh, and their bones would further weaken. All this needless suffering was done in the name of tradition, and the supposed prospect of benefiting marriage prospects. Just reading about this archaic practice in her father's journal made her younger self grimace, thankful that the practice is slowly dying out.

The Dai Li did not respond to her inquiry. He held her foot tighter so that it may decrease the chance of her breaking free. But the experienced Kyoshi Warrior have no intentions of remaining idle. Although it is inconvenient that she lacks the physical strength to overpower him, a Kyoshi Warrior can always render this fact as inconsequential, perfecting the technique passed down from Kyoshi herself. What she has lacking in brute force, it is exchanged by her quicker reflexes.

Without even the slightest indication, she jumped using the other free leg, which the Dai Li believed to not possible as it is the only thing preventing her body from failing to the ground. Mayumi flipped her entire self-sideward, using the weight to twist the Dai Li's arm and pulling his head closer. As the Kyoshi Warrior rotates in the air, she used the heel of the other leg, smashing right into the unsuspecting Dai Li's face. It was an effective attack, the Dai Li immediately let go upon that devastating impact. Despite not crying in pain, he still staggered backward, covering the face with a sleeve.

Mayumi finally broke free, albeit the two rock gloves still snatched to her right foot. She is confident that as long as the gloves are not worn by a Dai Li's hand, they should remain harmless. She heard heavy breathing. The strike of her heel into his face should not be taken lightly. If he was just a normal bandit, this man would be rolling across the floor in immense agony. But the last time she tested it on an unsuspecting pirate, it nearly killed him as the kick was strong enough to cleave off the nose.

But not this time, the Dai Li simply have blood trickling down the neck, but nothing indicates it was enough to put him out of the fight. Mayumi gulped her throat, pondering if he can ever feel the sensation of pain. While her attack landed successfully, it did not achieve the desired result of knocking him unconscious.

"Eunuch, perhaps you should act more considerate to others before remaking about their features," Mayumi lectured. He is still holding his bloodied face tightly, red seeping through that darkish garb. She isn't sure what material their uniforms are made of, but it is quite absorptive. He then let go and chose to cover his face with the brim of the helmet again, but she managed to catch a glimpse of blood flowing out of his mouth too.

"Forgive me for my misconduct," he said as if nothing unusual have happened. Mayumi thought he is apologizing for what happened earlier. But almost right after he said that she felt a gripping sensation originating from her right foot. She looked downward, noticing how the two gloves stuck to the boot is slowly tightening.

Her eyes widened. Trying her best to appear composed, she tries to stomp the gloves into pieces before her right leg is compromised. But the earth tiles proved to be much more resilient. She then attempted to hack the earth away using the two fans, but to no avail.

"What are you doing?" She demanded with a heavy voice. The blood in the right foot have been squeezed away, and she can feel a numbing sensation.

The Dai Li raised one of his hands. Its palm wide open, then quickly snatched into a grip. Mayumi braced for the pain, hoping her mind can divert focus away from the stiffening feeling rising from the foot. But it was futile. Just like how a woman with foot binding felt when the bones and flesh are crushed into a smaller part, she screamed in agony as the same is repeated on her. The Kyoshi Warrior dropped to the floor, trying desperately to break free. Yet the grip only tightened further, and the severe pain prevented her from standing.

It was too painful to hold the fans effectively too. She can't fight like this.

Enduring the excruciation. Mayumi contemplated on the future, weighing in which option is the least detrimental. The two wanted posters are already taken, so he shouldn't be able to mass produce them in short notice anyway. However, since he knows both her and Satchiko's real identity, their cover is already compromised. It's only a matter of time before more Dai Li is made aware besides this one.

Perhaps it's more pragmatic to just escape from this Dai Li and then extract her sister from Ba Sing Se university. If performed swiftly, she is confident this can avert triggering the security.

But then what? How will they escape the city? Doing all that by itself will inevitably cause her sister to become aware of the Dai Li's existence. Not only would they have to abandon the goal of learning Earthbending, but Satchiko may also not be able to reconcile with this stain on Kyoshi's legacy. Regardless how the events unfold, she refuses to cooperate with these cultural guardians, deeming them untrustworthy.

Sounds of hand bones cracking made her alert. She is currently crawling away from the encroaching Dai Li, trying desperately to suppress that agony in the stomach and an even worst one in the right foot. As the surface of the armor dragged itself across the platform, gentle footsteps by a pair of earthen shoes slowly grew louder, making her tensed up to a degree she never thought possible. With the moonlight as a guide, her eyes noticed the slender shadow that appeared from behind.

She stopped crawling, both of them waiting for the other to speak first. After a while, the Dai Li broke the silence, stating the ultimatum.

"Submit, and you will not be harmed." He stated coldly. They both knew this is something Mayumi will not do willingly. Of all the people in this world, the Dai Li would be one of the last people she would respect.

Using her whole body as cover, one of her hands secretly reached within her armor to drew out a small shuriken. Spinning her upper body sideward, the Kyoshi Warrior threw it at his face and then quickly bolted away. She ran with all her strength, escaping the theatre without looking back once. All the senses are focused on survival, and it is unconfirmed if the Dai Li was killed or not.

...

Mayumi made countless turns across the abandoned area surrounding the theatre house. She breathed heavily, lungs paining with great dryness. No matter how hard she tried to control and calm herself, it was futile. The fear of being followed yet unsure if it's truly the case is always unbearable. An enemy which she cannot detect is a bane to the stealth trainings. His cunningness made it hard to exploit the raw strength, perhaps fleeing was the right option.

She found a random building, one of the many identical houses wearing an aging and decaying grey. It is a great place to hide behind its walls, and conveniently the doors are missing, allowing her to crawl in. It is only when she assumed that the situation is relatively safe, she began to carefully contemplate what has gone wrong.

As a Kyoshi Warrior who defends her home in times of need, she would always find strength in fending off marauding bands of rogue pirates and always successfully achieved. Yet, despite all the combat experiences and proficiency in martial arts, Mayumi have realized that for the first time she has faced an enemy whose strength lies not in their savagery, but instead outclassed her in the field on intelligence. As a lawman who specializes in information gathering, he clearly has prior knowledge on the Kyoshi Warriors and the fighting style she uses. Although that earlier Dai Li was arrogant enough to challenge her using a sword, he is no doubt a dangerous entity when utilizing his full strength, which would be his mastery of an Earthbending style passed down from their founder, one of the greatest Earth Avatar in history. It is therefore unfortunate for a devotee like her to witness such arts being used against the very people she created. Mayumi isn't sure how to reconcile with this situation. It's as if two siblings are pointing knives at each other while the parent is absolutely helpless, having no chance to rectify the tension.

At the same time, Mayumi felt her abilities as a warrior has been utterly humiliated. But even worse is that her code of honor and belief in the Dai Li's moral integrity in a fair duel is what allows him to catch her off guard, disarming the katana. Without her sword, she is comparably less capable. While the two metal fans are excellent weapons too, their shorter lengths do not allow Mayumi to fully demonstrate the specialized skills she have been accustomed to.

She peaked through the window, scouting the dead streets where not a single light can be found. To this day, she is still amazed and confused as to how giant cities can have large, abandoned areas like this one. Growing up in a tiny village, the largest settlement she saw back then were only the stone buildings in Chin Village. But despite that, this insignificant abandoned neighborhood in the Lower Ring by itself is probably larger than a regular Earth Kingdom town. Which is why the density allows her to confidently evade detection, she doubts that even stray animals would bother coming here.

The cautious Kyoshi Warrior lowered her head below the window. Quietly, she pulled out two wanted posters from within her kimono, examining the authenticity. Despite the darkness in the room, her eyes can clearly see the image of herself, and Satchiko printed on the two parchments. Judging by the lines and folds on the pages, they are not new, likely produced at least one month ago. She is of course rather surprised by how precise the images are, almost lifelike, the background clearly the resemble the setting of where her sister offended the governor from the state of Yi.

Mayumi pondered while keeping her ears sharp to detect for incoming footsteps. The fear of that Dai Li chasing her made it hard to concentrate.

The state of Yi has issued these wanted posters, offering a gigantic reward for anyone that can capture the two sisters. She has saw it in the town of Shang, where it incentivized the local militia to arrest them. It's still unknown how prevalent these wanted posters are distributed, but she has to assume that the range is widespread considering how even a reclusive city like Ba Sing Se also receiving it. She looked at the number written on the posters, an unprecedented reward that can turn any sane individual into greedy monsters.

But the presence of even a few wanted posters in this city will change everything. While both sisters are depicted wearing their warpaint, this doesn't change the fact that the Dai Li are somehow aware of their real identities. Mayumi still cannot grasp how much of their organization knew of this. It could just be that one Dai Li or maybe their whole hierarchy, she is unsure, and there is simply too much unknown variables at play here. No matter how unfair or nuance it may be, both Satchiko and Mayumi are officially labeled as wanted fugitives by the state of Yi. If there is any political agreement between Ba Sing Se and Yi, then the Dai Li can certainly apprehend them legally. Even if the sisters are not extradited, it can still threaten their safety, obviously destroying Satchiko's scholarship.

Mayumi calmed herself by performing a quick breathing exercise, closing her eyes and meditate with the two metal fans. This is a skill used by Kyoshi Warriors to enhance their cohesion and precision. While she may not be a monk, the art of meditating is not exclusive to the Air Nomads, anyone can use it to weather challenging times. She is an elite warrior trained in the arts of stealth. Being someone who mastered martial arts, she is always prepared to fight enemies who are much stronger, thereby using their force against them.

But her mother never taught her how to face an enemy who is discouraging to fight against. It was a huge gamble trying to kill that Dai Li earlier. Yet, just as he has analyzed, and she reluctantly agreed, Mayumi's morality is plagued with incertitude. To put it candidly, someone like her can never kill someone unless being forced into a life-or-death situation.

Her indecisiveness itself is a drawback to the already bleak outlook. Mayumi sighed. For all these years, she is the more responsible and careful minded one of the two sisters. Training and leading her own band of fighters against small groups of pirates brought her invaluable experiences as a leader. But when stacked against the unknown, trying to fight against a force that is equally matched yet possess unparallel access to information, she simply does not know how to handle a foe that is intricately designed like a Dai Li agent. His Earthbending presents another problem. Mayumi can easily dodge a giant sluggish boulder that's being thrown. But even a competent warrior like her is completely inexperienced when facing a hail of small pellet sized tiles. One of tiny pieces of earth is all it takes to dent her armor.

She pulled off her lacquered breastplate and examined the damage. The tiny projectile sent from the Dai Li created a fist sized crater in the sheet of steel. Usually, a Kyoshi Warrior's armor is very resilient, forged by the finest blacksmith through complex traditions. She has seen people wearing such protection and taking multiple arrow shots, all came back completely unharmed. But due to the sheer accuracy and number of this tiny tiles, it's inevitable that one of them will hit her. If it wasn't for Mayumi's own training in the art of evasion, she would have likely suffered even more hits. Just being pummeled by one of these little pellets is excruciating enough, she cannot even fathom the horrific suffering a person may experience if their unarmored bodies are repeatedly hit by these tiles. Whoever that found themselves in the Dai Li's path will not meet a pleasant end.

The main priority now is to escape with her sister. But should they encounter a Dai Li again, countering him would be more difficult than any opponent they have ever faced. These deadly cultural guardians wield a pair of gloves made of earth, which is the source for these tiny tiles.

She forcefully pulled the piece of embedded earth, extracting it from the armor and then examined it. This projectile by itself it is completely harmless, the real danger lies in the Dai Li's bending, which allows him to apply a significant amount of force into this small piece of earth. To put it frankly, a hail of them is much more dangerous than a single arrow shot from a bow. Which is why it is futile in relying on two metals fans, swatting incoming pellets would be inconsistent. It is regrettable not bringing a retractable shield, a piece of equipment that can at least offer some reassurance.

Her pupils suddenly constricted, ears picking up faint sounds from a distance. Mayumi quickly reequipped her armor, trying her best to ignore the deformity pressed into her stomach. She even pulled off her golden headdress, an object that might expose her position due to its reflective properties against moonlight. Carefully, she peered her head slightly near the window, using both eyes, hoping he is not nearby. In all her years fighting as a proud Kyoshi Warrior, the advantage of stealth is always used on unsuspecting pirates who were foolish enough to step foot on the island. When possible, it's always favorable for her to perform an ambush against an opponent. While it's not possible to always find herself in such optimal situations, this is certainly the first time a foe is applying the exact same tactic upon her. Luckily, she is the one escaping, which meant the two organization's tactic of lying-in ambush is not fully effective. But still, when it comes to the art of stealth, Mayumi estimate that she and the Dai Li is equally matched. The only concern is that he is much more powerful with bending, using a new style that she is not accustomed to. It's difficult to dodge something which are too fast even for your eyes.

The attention of her eyeballs bolt across all directions in the view, not sparing even a single detail, checking every tiny corner and holes in the background shrouded in the shadow. She is the one being hunted this time. Now she understands what it's like to be her victims, anticipating an incoming attack that may or may not strike in the next second. Ever since she entered Ba Sing Se, that sensation of being watched is always present. But that, that terrible feeling has be intensified, albeit the current moment she enjoys is still rather peaceful.

Sensing what resembles to be minuscule movements on a roof across the street, the Kyoshi Warrior quickly concentrated there. It's like a small dot, jumping across various buildings.

She held her breath, aiming to minimize her presence as much as possible. But it also heightened the suspense, increasing rising anxiety, hastening the heart. As complete silence loomed over the room, the loudest sound is the beating pulse of the most vital organ.

Her hands reached for the two fans, quietly drawing them open. A pair of eyes glowed in the dark. When it turned to her direction, a cold sensation rushed through the spine.

It noticed her.

Mayumi breathed in a large sum of air, calming herself. Since when does a warrior of Kyoshi ever demonstrate fear? No, their intimidating warpaint is supposed to demoralize their enemies, and then assert their Avatar's will over the unlawful. Fearing the despicable and traitorous Dai Li would bring insult to Kyoshi and the name of their family.

Meow

"Huh?" Mayumi widened her eyes. The creature in the shadow walked to the middle of the street, allowing moonlight to confirm that it is nothing more but a stray cat. It then licked its paws and looked at the Kyoshi Warrior with pity. It could be mocking the Kyoshi Warrior.

She wanted to smile but refused to do so. A mere stray cat put her on guard. Perhaps her sister's eternal feud with these crafty felines is not entirely childish. Cats are indeed great troublemakers, sometimes vividly so. It seems that it was a false alarm.

Mayumi quickly swung the two fans, swatting whatever that may be behind her. The two glinting retractable blades cut through air; heavy force made sounds of gush. If there was a person standing there, they would have been maimed and lost multiple limbs.

But there was no one.

Mayumi thought for certain there was someone behind her. Perhaps her senses are in disarray, overreactive like a prey afraid of a nearby group of rustling plants.

She slowly withdraws some breath, hoping it is enough to sooth her mind. If she can't calm herself, her trembling arms might be too overwhelmed and unable to hold her weapons.

In a split second, her whole body spun back to the window, holding her two fans in a motion that intends to swipe with ferocity.

Again, there was no one. She is breathing very fasting, fear gripping her senses. Two times her intuition tricked her into believing there was something behind the back. This has never been a problem, unless when facing an opponent that can perfectly conceal his presence on the same level as a Kyoshi Warrior. It would be a fight that is hard to win. Not a single day would go by in Ba Sing Se without her worrying if there is one just hiding outside her apartment. If there were footsteps above the ceiling, she cannot even differentiate if it was a person or a random stray cat.

Meow

The feline licked its other paw. She watched as it casually walked away, dangling the long tail almost in a leisurely manner. If only she was as carefree as a cat, who isn't afraid of what lies in the shadow.

Believing that she should step away from the window, the Kyoshi Warrior walked backward, eyes still peeled for any figures that may appear outside this abandoned building. But despite wearing armor, the feeling of her back touching someone is clear, and even slightly pressed into his chest.

"Were you just toying with me?" Mayumi in a defeated tone. Perhaps he was humiliating her capabilities in the art of detection. Whatever the Dai Li was doing, it's still unclear how he managed to slip behind her completely unnoticed. At this point, it wouldn't even be surprising if they harbor the secrets of going straight though solid walls.

"That is not important," the Dai Li answered calmly.

Mayumi instantly backed away, trying to turn around quick enough to deliver a slicing blow. This time, she swung her fans with fury. He is a fool to stand so close, for she is confident that melee combat is not his strength.

The enforcer caught her wrists with earthen hands. She struggled to extricate them, feeling the tightening force that grappled her arm. The unbearable hold forced her to drop the pair of fans, and the Dai Li then pulled the wrists together, molding the rock gloves into a single cuff of earth. The entire process was swift, smoothly executed and effectively immobilized her arms together.

After failing to remove the entrapping earth, she snarled at him, meeting that haughtily face paint that depicts a grim expression.

...

He pushed Mayumi onto the stage, and she trotted to the center, carefully balancing herself while considering the heavy weighted earth cuffed on both wrists. It's still unclear why he brought her back to this place. Perhaps he wants to shelter from the thundering rain, later resuming the audaciously slow walk back to whatever secret base these enforcers have. Her two metal fans have been confiscated, along with the underlying knives and throwable weapons. Despite his ill-treatment, the Dai Li thankfully allowed her the appropriate dignity to personally relinquish the weapons. In this aspect, he displayed qualities that their founder would at the very least would condone. Yet, this shifty cultural guardian still harbors deceitful intentions.

They are both in the center underneath the roof. She stood quietly nearby, observing the Dai Li as he silently stared out to the location where all the audience are supposed to be sitting. Of course, under the cover of the night, the sitting areas are not visible, not a single soul is heard in the surrounding. It also makes a great place for the Dai Li to not be seen, certainly a rare location in the Lower Ring.

"I have a proposition," the Dai Li spoke dryly. "A quick trip to Lake Laogai, and I will assure your sister's safety."

Mayumi narrowed her eyes at that 'offer'. It was a grave mistake to trust people like him, and she does not intend to entertain this nefarious dealing. This blatant act of blackmailing by using Satchiko's life is tremendously infuriating. He already recovered the two wanted posters. If the Dai Li wishes, he can easily mass produced them, and then publish their faces all over the city. By using Shan's essay publication, it showed her that Ba Sing Se are capable of replicating copies spread them to vital points, strategically drawing massive crowds. It is possible that the city's authority can repeat the same step with wanted posters. Since the Dai Li are the main enforcers, she would be foolish to not assume they have perfected the art of information control. Yet, despite all the obstacles this Dai Li is building, Mayumi still hope to escape and then extract her sister so that they may exit the city. No sane person would ever volunteer themselves to be in the Dai Li's captivity. Her own mother even warned about their horrific techniques in rewriting memories, sometimes erasing it entirely so that they are nothing more but hallow thralls, a shadow who they once were. While it may be selfish, Mayumi do not wish for her memories to be subjected by the will of others. If the knowledge of the Acolytes of San Bao is completely eradicated from her memories, this may risk them all to potential attacks from that mysterious cult.

"What kind of proposition involves coercion?" Mayumi defiantly countered. The Dai Li did not face her, but simply kept staring at the pitch dark, contemplating something. She cannot exactly read the mind of this cultural guardian, whose face paint still eludes her judgement. Her mother never said anything about these shifty men wearing opera face paints, which is a feature unique to the Kyoshi Warriors. But in hindsight, doing so also prevented her from memorizing his real face, the same tactic she and Satchiko used to evade recognition.

"I consider it as a very generous offer," the Dai Li said in a calmly manner. Like a debate using both a civil and cynical tactic. "Society needs order to thrive. Rules should be followed and enforced. As a guardian of your own people, I'm sure you too would be rather offended if someone outside your domain arrived unannounced and tries to perform your role for you. Such interference to our operation, to my duty, is no different to how a lowly daofei unrulily barges into a gentleman's home, threatening the carefully cultivated peace disrupting the stability, delaying his future. It is common etiquette for a guest, even those who arrived unannounced, to at the very least demonstrate respect to the locals."

Mayumi gently bite the side of her mouth. She knew that the Dai Li does not care for the ideal image between a guest and host. It's highly doubtful that someone like him even cares that two Kyoshi Warriors did not initiate contact upon arriving at the city, considering that both sides essentially never had any ties in recent history. While they both hail from organizations related to the same Avatar, their different values alone is all it takes to exacerbate that tiny tension. Even if a giant ocean sat between their bases, it's not difficult for conflict to arise despite the shared heritage. As for this not so gentleman here, his main motivation is for this 'meddling' woman is to cease her own investigations, all to assure that such compliance would not interfere with the duty of the other enforcers.

For Mayumi, it is still not fully clear how she interfered in their operations. She does not trust them enough to 'cooperate' with them, let alone subjecting her thoughts to mind controls.

"While I concur with your analogy on the relationship between a host and a guest, I fail to see how my involvement have hindered your ambitions," Mayumi seek to offer her own viewpoints, hoping to appeal to his sense of reasonability and offer some clarity. Since she has a personal vendetta with the cult, and the Dai Li being enforcers who exist to suppress fringe elements, they share a common enemy that can offer some form of amnesty. In her eyes, the real prosecutable crime on the two sisters are their wanted posters issued by the state of Yi, which provides legitimate ground for their arrests. But pragmatically speaking, even if Mayumi loathes the notion of cooperating with the secret police, her attempts to kill a common foe shouldn't be enough to draw the Dai Li's wrath. If the position is reversed, and someone with a price of their head kills a marauding pirate on Kyoshi Island, the local warriors would not be as harsh as the man here. This difference may also be credited to the varied implementation of law. A sprawling city like Ba Sing Se is expected to have countless rules that are enforced in the most detailed manner possible. This is why her attempt to kill Huo, carrying weapons without official approval, being branded as a criminal by the state of Yi, is more than enough justification for someone who dogmatically follows the law, as demonstrated by this not so gentleman right here. It's possible that her earlier involvement may have affected their operation in some way. If this Dai Li's words can be trusted, apparently Huo is also a type of envoy sent into the city. But for what reason? Until now, Mayumi believed that the Firebender renegade is still attempting to capture them both, which is the core reason why this Kyoshi Warrior wanted that woman dead. Yet, this Dai Li hindered this, but somehow have no qualm killing those thralls by burying them with earth torn from the alleyway walls.

Mayumi have no experience being an enforcer in a densely populated city like Ba Sing Se. Her skills are enough to qualify as a stealthy assassin, but her proficiency of the sword and martial arts are not enough to face the world of espionage. She can only theorize why the Dai Li stopped her from killing that fanatical Firebender, but a Kyoshi Warrior like herself would also be understandably furious when some outsider tattered with their plans. If a random pirate is somehow deemed valuable enough to be kept alive, she too would exasperate when someone meddles. These are just her trivial thoughts, ones that cannot be confirmed right now.

"Your knowledge," the Dai Li stated. "It is in everyone's best interest that you do not proliferate the existence of the cult within these walls. I intend to ensure your complete silence, securing your cooperation."

"People don't know the Acolytes of San Bao are in here?" Mayumi pondered. Now that she thought about it, not a single person in the city have ever mentioned about mysterious cultists embedded inside the Lower Ring. At first, she thought it was because those zealots are too far away, and their presence do not exist behind the great walls of Ba Sing Se. But at last, even the most prominent bastion cannot wall out dangerous ideas. She too thought the city is relatively safe compared to the rest of the war-torn Earth Kingdom, finding life rather peaceful by working in Grandma Jin's restaurant. Only tonight did she found out the fanatic named Huo is not alone here. If those reinforcements sent to help that Firebender can summon at least fifty followers who are more than willing to die for their cause, then she must assume the cult have been inside these walls for a long time.

"Why is it not permissible for me to discuss the existence of fringe elements within these walls?" Mayumi challenged the Dai Li, unable to find the merit of concealing a danger. "Would it not be more beneficial if more people are aware of those dogmatic extremists?"

The Dai Li placed his hand behind the back, preparing to lecture her the difference of warrior and secret police. He contends that by propagating the existence of a nefarious cult dwelling within the city promotes an unnecessary state of fear and anxiety. Thus, threatening the carefully curated harmony, mass panic would destroy the economy and culture that highly depends on stability. People cannot live their life by fearing a constant danger of some fringe extremist that can strike anytime. Which is why it would be realistic to strengthen the network of information gathering to slowly strangle the cult's presence in Ba Sing Se, devouring them in the shadows and not disturb the peace.

Mayumi assessed his viewpoint. As a warrior, she confronts danger directly, preferably by ambushing the foe. A pirate band that dares to threaten her village is easy to locate, and the local Kyoshi Warriors alone with many fearless fishermen are more than willing to fight those cutthroats and drive them back to the sea. There are many times when the Kyoshi Warriors didn't even had the chance to fight the intruders, as the pirates were already killed by fishermen.

But a huge part of this equation lies in the tiny population and manageable environment where outsiders cannot easily infiltrate. For Ba Sing Se, trying to locate the threat is like searching for needles in a pile of hay, almost impossible amongst millions of inhabitants. Careful planning and years of information gathering may be needed to capture just one person in hiding. If she wants to find Huo again in this massive city, without luck, it may be near impossible unless that Firebender finds her first. She also cannot help but feel concerned for her sister, who may be much more vulnerable as a student inside Ba Sing Se university.

"As a protector of my own people, I can understand your intent to maintain the mirage of peace in the face of repugnant ideals." Mayumi said. "However, I cannot overlook the danger of withholding certain information that is worth disclosing, creating an ignorant and blissful complacency amongst the masses. As a guardian tasked in protecting this city, you of all people should know the shameful history that should still haunt the Dai Li."

It is widely known that these men have suppressed knowledge of the outside world from entering Ba Sing Se during the Hundred Years War, keeping the population at that time mostly complacent of the danger that is encroaching. Perhaps she too is blinded by her own bias and experience, but Mayumi have difficulty in seeing the full merit of preventing the public from discussing about the war. She knew it's closely tied to the Dai Li's thirst for power.

"We learnt our lessons from our senile predecessors," the Dai Li replied, unaffected by her comment on their organization's previous failures during the Hundred Year War. "But there some things that never change. As the guardians who failed the state now rests in their graves, the current line of cultural officers must still retain certain practices to account for one factor that will never change."

"And what's that?"

"Human nature," the Dai Li said. "While we no longer suppress news of the war that ravage outside the walls, that does not mean we shouldn't exercise the necessary measures to ensure order and stability. A shepherd that loudmouths to its flock that there is dangerous predator hiding amongst them is neither useful nor intelligent. Why risk inciting chaos within this safe haven when the threat can be eliminated quietly, away from the gaze of people who is lacking in foresight."

Mayumi snapped. "You dare compare people to mere cattle?"

The Dai Li replied accordingly to her outburst, having no qualm in linking human qualities to the likes of the wild beasts. "I am simply implying it would be unwise to promote the existence of an enemy which strike from the dark. If you have a history with those gullible acolytes, encounters with them should be more than enough insight into how they behave. They become emboldened by their enemy's fear. Which is why the likes of them would be more than willing to use intimidation if there is no one there is correct their subversive behaviors."

"Using intimidation? You mean just like what you are doing to me?" Mayumi snapped. As expected, the Dai Li felt no remorse.

"I only applied what is necessary, just like how the city's populace should remain undisturbed, as the culture should be protected by those with invested interest." Once again, he issued an offer for the Kyoshi Warrior to be 'forgiven' of this trespass, ceasing interference with the state. She must subject herself to whatever 'treatment' that aims to erase certain parts of the memory related to this incident, forgoing all desires to investigate into the Acolytes of San Bao. "Your cooperation would be most appreciated, maintain complete silence of this matter would be most beneficial to our duty. As a fellow guardian, I am certain you will understand the merits of my endeavor."

"Cooperation?" Mayumi scoffed at that ridiculous idea. "You seriously think I would be gullible enough to trust your integrity?" When he said complete silence and cooperation, it obviously hinted that her mouth ought to be sealed. The forced quietude will be achieved by rewiring thoughts, potentially eliminating or inserting memories to the Dai Li's liking. No sane person would ever willingly view it as a beneficial treatment and would hope to evade it as much as possible.

The Dai Li's eyes turned to her. "Your trust is not necessary. Humans are simpleminded. Once you understand them, their desires can be used to secure their obedience." He drew out the poster that depicts Satchiko, walking right in front of the Kyoshi Warrior and showed it to the woman. "All mouths can be kept silent with the correct technique. In this case, it is your desire for honor, the validation that rests entirely on the of the safety of this person."

Mayumi stared with an intense expression, one that emits a dangerous creature locked in cage, but will slaughter every in its path once the chains are unshackled. The Dai Li have noticed this, the lines of his haughty face paint curved slightly.

He turned his back at Mayumi, hand holding the wanted poster, the ideal bargaining chip. Even without it, there are still other ways for the Dai Li to use Satchiko to keep the older sister in line. The question is whether or not Mayumi can escape and rescue her sister before the authority can apprehend them quick enough. If the Kyoshi Warrior is somehow able to defeat this enforcer and make haste to the Middle Ring, it's possible Mayumi can extract her sister and leave the city. But even then, the routes are not planned. After sacrificing Satchiko's scholarship, they still have to find a way back on the island, which will not be easy considering that the scheduled ship does not arrive until months later.

There is no way to be sure how much the Dai Li has invested in surveilling them. Frankly, the most dangerous part is always what she doesn't know, as information is not readily available, and these cultural guardians would likely not be fond about their secrets being publicly discussed. From the first day she came here, just how much are the Dai Li surveilling her? It could be just one of them, or maybe their higherups issued a special order, secretly delegating more officers to 'protect' their distant cousins. But what is obvious is that only after Mayumi directly fought the cult in that alleyway did the Dai Li confront her directly, leading to the present situation. It's possible there was no need for them to contact the two Kyoshi Warriors within these walls unless it is vital in maintaining the city's social harmony. She has interfered with perhaps a delicate operation executed by the Dai Li, since there were many officers standing outside Hong Xiuquan's teahouse.

"Were you watching me this whole time?" Mayumi mustered the courage to ask. Maybe the occasional 'stray cats' walking on top of apartment roofs are not so feline after all.

"No, but I do understand you enough."

"You know nothing about me," Mayumi fought back. "If you claim to be so knowledgeable in human nature, then you should have known that my convictions were borne not for my own sake, but it is done for the wellbeing of a fellow family member." To her, it's almost wanton for him to suggest that the motivation to protect Satchiko is solely driven by personal honor. While that is part of it, the vast majority is entirely fueled by the innate desire to protect one's family. A promise made to a very esteemed hero, Suki. Her motivations may tie to honor, but make no mistake, for it is the familial bond and unconditional love that truly laid the foundation for Mayumi's most valued quest, one that yields a reward far greater than all the fine gold and silver of this world. It is therefore not only misleading, but also insulting to her entirety. To even suggest that the main motivation for protecting her sister is personal honor makes her skin crawl with silent rage. The only one that has her respect and may give the order is the matron of the village, not some lowly dog who doesn't even view familial affection as genuine.

"Maybe, perhaps there is a tiny room for that. The Grand Earth Sage once said, to love a thing means wanting it to live." He quoted.

Mayumi squinted her eyes, looking at his exposed back. This is a simple mistake made by novice warriors, they believe the enemy is harmless, and so they woefully showed the defenseless side. From here, she can easily land an attack on his spine. The chi paths in a person's body dictates bending and movement. Over the years, she learnt that by jabbing the shoulder, the arm and hands on the same side also became paralyzed. The chi path on a person's body is like a river, if a giant boulder blocks the water from the source, then it simply would not flow.

"Are you seriously risking the life of your sister again?" The Dai Li turned back, marching behind her. "How are you so confident to the point of endangering this burdensome girl. Have you ever considered that even if you did manage to defeat me, wouldn't she immediately perish as well?"

At first, Mayumi isn't too concerned. If she did somehow incapacitate him long enough to reach Satchiko, then they can still escape before more Dai Li enforcers are sent to apprehend them. But that is only possible if there is only a tiny number of people who are aware of the two sisters' real identity. Currently she can only be certain there is only one person, and that is the Dai Li right here.

Mayumi halted her breath, suddenly realizing there is something peculiar about this Dai Li. Aside from the unusual usage of a theatrical face paint like the Kyoshi Warriors, this Dai Li deviated from her expectation by not being accompanied by another agent. Her mother warned that if she encounters Dai Li, they will often operate in groups of two. There are a variety of possibilities at play here, and she have to assume the worst just for precaution. One possibly may be that this Dai Li ordered another enforcer to observe in hiding. If she manages to emerge victorious, the other enforcer can head straight to the university and capture her sister. Of course, this is just a wild theory in her mind, she can't verify it yet.

"It's not like you have a choice," the Dai Li stated the obvious. "You want your sister to be safe right?"

The earthen cuff that shackles her is more than enough to deter an escape. As a non-bender, Mayumi cannot free herself, and outrunning him with entrapped wrists are out of the question. She can still feel that crunching pain radiating from one of the feet, which is another hinderance to mobility. He is right, even if she refuses to undergo the Dai Li's brainwashing procedures, there is still no way to enforce her will at all. While she personally considers it extremely dishonorable to be subjected to the Dai Li, Mayumi also knew the life of her sister is at stake here. She has no problem endangering herself, but the safety of Satchiko is far more important than personal pride as an elite warrior. The Dai Li knew using Satchiko's life as a bargaining chip is an effective method, even if he does not believe her conviction is a conditional form of love.

"So, what would be your answer Kyoshi Warrior?" The Dai Li asked, hiding signs of impatience. Perhaps he threw out small crumbs of dignity so that Mayumi can at least have the illusion of choosing to be rewired. As the brown-haired woman silently contemplated on the implications in memory loss, he held her sword and started to examine its craftmanship. Mayumi already broken his weapon earlier, and now he seems to have taken interest in the fine blade from a distant land.

From the side of her face, Mayumi secretly glanced at him. She wonders if the Dai Li is angry that his previous blade is cut into two pieces, and that his inferior opponent possesses a weapon that surpasses his own. Perhaps not, since his previous blade is already rusty, a dangerous Earthbender like him would have no for swords, and holding one around is impractical unless he wishes to 'lower the playing field' and fight a non-bender like herself.

Without warning, he suddenly raised Mayumi's own weapon at her throat, intending to intimidate the original owner. Yet, despite the sharp tip of the katana nearing inches from the neck, she did not display signs of fear. On the contrarily, her face appears even more indignant, unwilling to be appear a coward in front of those who brought shame to their shared Avatar.

Seeing that his short ploy only emboldened Mayumi's resolve, the Dai Li retracted the weapon, and then resumed the wait. Using coercion and blackmailing, he intends to make her 'willingly' accept the rewiring of her memories, so that all traces of the Acolytes of San Bao will vanish.

A single drop of sweat slowly flow from Mayumi's forehead. As much as she does not wish to have her mind subjected to whatever horrific procedures the Dai Li is preparing, how can she refuse if her sister's safety is threatened? Perhaps, she can accept this. The Dai Li are cynical, but surely, they are pragmatic enough to secretly protect them both after her memory is altered.

She will probably return to normal life following the brainwashing, completely forgotten everything that happened tonight and possibly no longer remember the existence of the Acolytes of San Bao. If the Dai Li intends for her to not proliferate rumors of a bloodthirsty cult inhabiting the Lower Ring, then he will surely erase all her recollections. She frets on the notion that they might do the same to Satchiko, who will be the only one who might notice her memory loss. They both endured many dangers caused by that cult, especially when they were almost kidnapped by Huo and her three companions. If Mayumi will lose her memories of those fanatical zealots in the name of maintaining the city's harmony, then it would be her sister that still remembers that they are considered valuable targets that can benefit their so called 'benevolent master'. And thinking about their highly exalted figure, she now remembered that one of the four bending bandits mentioned that the capture of Akahana's two daughters would be instrumental to the 'final plan'. Mayumi never got to hear what exactly their eventual goal is, but only that all four of them are very committed in taking both sisters as hostages. Huo, seemingly their leader, is still not giving up, and travelled all the way to Ba Sing Se. While it appears that the Firebending fanatic is allegedly a messenger from their exalted figure, she personally understands that the black-haired teen still harbors evil intensions upon them both.

Suddenly, an idea came to her mind. She doesn't know if it will succeed, as failure will only cost her reputation as a competent warrior. The Dai Li treasures stability above all, what if she can convince him there is benefit in refraining from erasing her memories?

"I have an alternative proposal, a compromise." Mayumi spoke, making his head turn to her direction. He was too focused on marveling the blacksmith's craftmanship but is nonetheless dedicated to duty.

The Dai Li looked at her with the unchanging grimness masked by that black and white faceprint. "Speak," he ordered bluntly.

"In exchange for not altering my memories, which I consider to be personally important, how about I officially cooperate under the Dai Li's supervision, offering service using my skills and ability."

"I find your request laughable," the Dai Li coldly remarked. He was not humored, not even the slightest. "Why would the cultural guardians of Ba Sing Se, who have perfected the art of taming the shadows, even consider employing the help of an inexperienced outsider? It is an insult to even fathom the idea of incorporating the unacquainted into our operations. I only need your compliance to the laws and authority, not hinderance. Your skills are worthless when information is what is needed to secure the city's future."

Mayumi swallowed her pride, ignoring his rather demeaning view. She knew this particular Dai Li values the city's stable environment, almost obsessively so. She cannot win against him in direct combat, but perhaps using luck and intellect is possible to secure her own interests.

"Information?" She asked. "If that is indeed the field where you excel beyond us Kyoshi Warriors, then you clearly have not researched enough." Internally, Mayumi did feel a hinge of fear, unsure if this gamble will convince the Dai Li or make a fool of herself. "The cultural guardians, despite their impressive network of intel, seems to have missed the part that the Acolytes of San Bao are actually invested in capturing me and my sister." She knew Huo is sent from the 'master' figure who is the leader of the zealots, when it comes to their headman, those low ranked thralls would never spoke lightly. Mayumi can confidently proclaim that she and Satchiko are specifically targeted by the individual sat at the very top of their hierarchy, a fact that this Dai Li cannot ignore in good conscience!

"You dare spoke foul, and then lie about your status," the Dai Li sternly criticized, narrowing both eyelids. He forcefully pulled her loose ponytail, threatening to cut it off with Mayumi's own sword.

''What I speak is the truth!" Mayumi defended fiercely, ignoring the pain. "From the words of those who proclaim to be sent by their leader, I can attest that capturing me and my sister is vital to their final goals. A man of your intellect would surely know our identities and how it may relate to your duty."

The Dai Li's eyes widened a tiny margin, Mayumi knew it is a sign that he at the very least slightly accepts her arguments. She continued.

"If the Acolytes of San Bao are aware that capturing me and my sister is part of their leader's ambition, then wouldn't it be in your best interest to offer greater protection to us? As to why they want to kidnap me in the first place, I do not know. But I doubt that erasing my memories would be helpful in your quest, should that happen, I cannot guarantee that vital information would be intact. Even worst, my ignorance would make me vulnerable should one of those fanatics recognizes me. Wouldn't erasing my memories facilitate my capture by the same seditionists you so hated? They are planning something."

The Dai Li maintained his rigid expression. He swiftly let go of her hair, and Mayumi breathed a sigh of relief. She watched as he walked further away, staring into the distance. The appearance of Huo is a point of concern for them both. The alleged implication of that Firebender being a messenger implies the cult could be plotting something against Ba Sing Se's interest. During the fight in that alleyway, Mayumi did remember Huo dropping some sort of scroll, but she failed to read it before the zealot scrambled to take it back. So far through all their encounters with those absolutists, she has heard them saying the fulfillment of a goal devised by their leader. While Mayumi is ignorant of the exact details, it did involve capturing the daughters of Akahana, a task that may be specifically ordered by the supreme headman.

"Those seditionists are no strangers to stealing children," the Dai Li commented. But it did made Mayumi grimaced at his calm nature, this is the first time she heard about this specific act committed by the cult aside from the suffering inflicted upon the Kheshig. "When a juvenile is taken into their circles, the motivation of those peons can vary. It may be as trivial as bolstering their numbers, training the young minds into subservient beings to either slave away or give their lives to their ambiguous leader. But should I interpret your claims as truth, I failed to see why you were trailed specifically. What benefit is there to seize the daughters of a temperamental woman?"

"That's what I am also trying to know," Mayumi admitted. The cultists sent after them never specified how giving herself and Satchiko to their leader can advance his acolyte's goal. No doubt they want the folks of Kyoshi Island to submit, perhaps just like how they view every single people on this world, regardless of their origins. "That Firebender refuses to tell me, even at the expense of potentially losing her life. Surely there is something I can offer beyond than just my ability as a fighter."

The Dai Li then explained that Huo is already captured. He refused to disclose other details that are deemed too sensitive. While Mayumi cannot confirm the validity without seeing it with her own eyes, there is the lingering question on the goal of the Acolytes of San Bao, most importantly how their plans can affect her homeland. Perhaps by 'working' with the Dai Li, there is an opportunity to access information she does not have.

"I have a few demands to make too," Mayumi said in a deeper voice, looking at him straight in the eye. "In exchange of my compliance under the Dai Li's authority, I want my sister to be well protected, but I don't want any of your people to be seen by her."

"And why is that?" the Dai Li challenged.

The Kyoshi Warrior knew his cunningness is more than enough for the enforcer to suspect the real motivation. Considering how Mayumi already displayed utter contempt to these cultural guardians, which she sees as a corruption of what their founder intended, it's only natural there is an urge for the younger generation to not comprehend these their inconvenient existence. Despite such an act is dishonest, Mayumi felt it's better to sometimes withheld the truth, even if it meant lying to the people you love. It does feel hypocritical, how she committed the same tactic the Dai Li has always been using.

"That is none of your concerns," Mayumi stated bluntly. "If I act accordingly to the Dai Li's jurisdiction and cease all meddling, you must also withhold our criminality status from the public."

The Dai Li lowered his head, deeply thinking. She believes he is weighting the benefits and risks. Mayumi counted each passing seconds quietly. Completely outmatched, she can only depend on his decision.

"Although I find your demands rather unreasonable, unrealistic, and perhaps rather insulting at the same time, so long as you promise to uphold the vow of silence and cease all independent investigations, I will entertain this deal." The Dai Li said. Despite hiding it masterfully, Mayumi can sense hints of annoyance in his tone. She felt he only saw her as a hinderance, a threat to the carefully maintained harmony within the city of walls and secrets. But she doesn't mind. If Mayumi managed to convince someone like Shan the White Scholar to employ her, then the same tactic of providing incentives to the other party should also be applicable here. Based on the progressing conversation, it is clear that the Dai Li don't seem to know the Acolytes of San Bao have specifically targeted the two daughters of Akahana. This piece of new information, despite not too important, is something no enforcer would skim over. Although she doesn't know the exact reason why they and Kyoshi Island by extension is targeted, the only thing that matters now is that their predicament can be perceived as valuable information for the Dai Li. Mayumi's involvement under their supervision can be vital in providing insight into Huo, a messenger from their leader.

He slowly approached. Mayumi swallowed her throat in anticipation to what will happen next.

"Remember this clearly daofei," he warned with an insinuating tone, similar to issuing a threat. "Violating the terms would come with disastrous consequences." He did not elaborate and proceeded to unmold the hardened earth off her two wrists. Mayumi looked at her arms, brushing the dust off the gloves, once again feeling free without that additional weight. She breathed a sigh of relief, managed to talk her way out being brainwashed for now, but the down the line, the journey will only become more difficult.

"Now that you have agree to both of our conditions, how should we uncover the true intentions of those cultists?" Mayumi asked, skill cleaning the earth off her arms. But after hearing no response, she turned around, realizing the stage is empty. She scanned the background mannequins but cannot detect another person in the area. She truly wonders how people in Ba Sing Se can disappear so easily, but it is implied he have agreed to the terms proposed, which she doesn't know if it's the right choice or not. She wanted to minimize the danger her sister could be embroiled into. Due to his sudden disappearance, it's better to interpret this extortionist's will as wanting her to continue daily lives here and pretend nothing has happened. For now.

She sighed. This city is beautiful, with great insurmountable walls and ornate palaces. But the one thing she dislikes are the cultural guardians, a group she wished to never encounter. Perhaps she should be grateful that her mind wasn't tattered. One can only imagine what it would feel like to experience memory loss.

Mayumi walked a few steps away and picked up the straw hat and veils that is attached to it. She may need it again in the future.

The rain then finally stopped, replacing it with a quiet night and sounds of crickets, leaving Mayumi pondering on the empty theatre stage.

...

Her back felt it could break anytime. Mayumi carried a bag of belongings from her Lower Ring apartment and traveled all the way back to the Upper Ring. The former location may no longer be a safe place due to its proximity from where the acolytes may operate. By transferring her belongings, it may also hide from the Dai Li should she ever wish to escape them.

Without the iconic face paint and lacquered armor, she felt cautiously safe as no one can recognize her as a Kyoshi Warrior. It's rather ironic how a plain face is a better disguise, since all her foes have only seen her in her combat appearance. As a normal looking woman, she will be passed off as completely harmless. Should any unknowing cultists walk in plain sight see her, they most likely would not even bother. If that Firebender named Huo was fooled, then Mayumi can walk confidently, albeit always on guard against potential danger.

The view of Shan's siheyuan came into her proximity. Its green roof tiles made it stood out from the other ones with golden color. She used the key given from him and entered as quietly as possible. As expected, the aging wooden doors creaked loudly. She hissed, and even covered her ears with a childish notion that it can somehow nullify the noise. The reason why she behaved like a thief is because on the other side of the courtyard is Shan's room. Standing in the doorway awkwardly, she can see his statue-like silhouette behind the paper window. The room is dimly lit, and based on where he is sitting, Shan is likely reading through some scrolls with a small candle nearby. It would problematic if she made too much noise entering the compound.

Using her training in the arts of stealth, she creeped into her own room positioned at western side. After placing the belongings in the corner, she emerged outside again, not sure what to do since Shan never requested any work to be done until tomorrow.

"Ah!" Mayumi involuntarily groaned in pain. Her hands quickly grasped her stomach, it is lucky the Dai Li didn't kill her. If it wasn't for the armor, that tiny earth tile could have pierced into her flesh. That injury was exacerbated by his kick, which further bruised the skin that may take time to heal.

"Hello! Is anyone there?" A loud voice yelled, almost made Mayumi jump out of her skin. The peace and quiet is further disturbed by knocking sounds banging on the door. If a scholar is in the middle of an intense reading session, they would be understandably irritated.

She suppressed her pain and placed her hands inside the sleeves. As she cautiously opened the doors in case it is an attack, she is greeted with a young boy. Both acted with surprise.

"Hey, you were not here before, where is that bookworm?" he said with a confused expression. But without questioning, he handed over a square basket that looks visually pleasing.

Mayumi held it with a slight hinge of fear, unsure what it is. So much have happened tonight that she has a hard time lowering her guard. The skin on her hands skin sensed the warmness upon contacting the basket's surface. She wanted to throw it away immediately, afraid it is a weapon. But what the young teen did next pacified some concerns, albeit in a way she does not fully understand.

"That will be fifty silver coins," he said, holding hands.

"W-what?" Mayumi baffled, cannot understand what this stranger is saying.

The boy grew impatient, wondering why he isn't handed money. "Lady, there is no such thing as a free meal under heaven! Pay up or I take back the delivery!"

"Delivery?" Mayumi is further baffled. "You mean what I am holding is...food?"

The delivery boy rolled his eyes. The doors of Shan's room suddenly opened, and appearance of the White Scholar gradually walking down the stairs lit up the boy's expression. After paying the fee, Shan closed the doors, and Mayumi placed the peculiar basket on the courtyard's stone table.

"There is absolutely nothing special of what you are looking at," Shan commented on her curiosity. At least the renowned scholar doesn't appear irritated by this minor commotion, she thought.

Mayumi opened the basket from the top, out poured a great fume of warm steam along with the smell of food that is freshly cooked. She is astounded, as an enthusiast herself, it is easy to notice that the content within this strange basket is not that different from a dish just freshly prepared. She questions how it is possible to maintain the heat so adequately after the food have traveled far away from the restaurant. It may have something to do with ceramic material of the basket, which could preserve the temperature of the boiling water that is positioned in the bottom. The functionality of it reminds her of bamboo steamers.

"What are these?" Mayumi said after laying out four food items on the table. There is one bowl of soup accompanied by three plates of land meat, fish and vegetables. Due to Ba Sing Se's geographical location and massive farmlands, the ingredients are certainly not as restricted as an island like Kyoshi Island. Despite working in Jin's eatery, she is utterly clueless at the food which Shan ordered. It's hard to recognize them, as they are likely cuisine developed for Ba Sing Se's high culture, light and delicate. They are completely different from the Lower Ring's less refined but more familiar taste she has experienced.

"They are just normal meals, brought from a restaurant conveniently located nearby," Shan said. She thought the reason is because that place is his favorite location to eat. But this particular scholar is perhaps too preoccupied to even focus on trivial matters such as food. Nonetheless, he still likely ate the appropriate level of food as expected in the Upper Ring. "Help yourself."

Mayumi held a bowl rice and sat down, using chopsticks to grab some portion, very cautiously. She tried to act with some levels of refinement without sacrificing the identity of a Lower Ring citizen. On the other side of the outdoor table, Shan could not care less about her antiques, and already started to eat. Perhaps it is unusual for him to eat with someone else at home. The way he took small bites could be a reaction similar to when he shares meals with some of Ba Sing Se's most elite members.

The scholar consumed the food quietly, leaving Mayumi dilemma over how she should act. Should she normally proceed or adapt a less cultured behavior? Almost whimsically, she picked up what appears to be dumplings, a type of shumai. Biting through the skin of gold, she tasted what appears to be seafood, likely prawns grinded into mesh and then wrapped it all within a yellow-colored flour sheet, leaving the top side open. After heating, the meat would harden again, but produced a soft meaty texture. This is very different from the cuisine she is accustomed by home, where the meat is eaten either raw or simply made into some sort of stew and soup. But perhaps this particular dish is made in consideration with Shan's dislike of fish, especially if the meat still retains its natural structure.

She then tasted the vegetable dish, which is a plate of spinach mixed with tofu. As someone who hails from an island where the main subsistence is fish, a plant-based diet is very difficult to come by, or in other words, no one there bothered about growing food when there is vast ocean with schools of salmon just for the taking. Ingredients like soybeans and other vegetables are near abundant here.

Finally, there is a plate of what appears to be minced fried meat of a type of farm animal. She truly has no idea what insanity occurred in the livestock that have resulted in similar looking animals yet still technically different. But ignoring that trivial matter, the fried texture of the meat is very palatable, bringing additional flavor to the otherwise tasteless rice.

The cuisine is prepared extensively using techniques that have been refined for likely thousands of years, forging its place amongst the aristocracy of the Upper Ring. It almost felt out of place for a simple village girl to eat something like this. Usually, she finds comfort in a good old ohaw fish soup, eating leisurely while lecturing her younger sister to not smother the mouth. While the food is tasteful, she does feel rather empty without Satchiko sitting nearby.

Shan personally used a spoon to pour some soup in his bowl. Mayumi observed, noticing that the broth is the most interesting item the scholar ordered, something one may never find in the Lower Ring. After helping herself to secure some for her own bowl, she analyzed the meat, and found that it is pig chicken. The skin is dark colored, an anomaly in the Lower Ring meat markets. But what further captivated her attention is the other ingredients at play. She spotted the likes of ginseng, wolfberries, rhizome, liquorice root, dried longan. There is also many angelica root floating in the soup, a type of herb.

Mayumi felt slightly uneasy by the weird color of the soup and the black skinned meat. The smell certainly is earthly aromatic, after having a small taste, she found the flavor to be very interesting.

As someone who is also skilled in culinary, she can tell the salt and oil was deliberately used restrictively. Rice wine is part of the broth. The chef who made it ensure the flavor is not strong, allowing the ingredients themselves to demonstrate their rarity after being simmered for at least an hour. The only thing she can comment about this soup would be that it certainly fits into Upper Ring's taste for sophisticated culinary. Shan's profession as a renowned scholar and now the Zhuangyuan of this year's civil service examination naturally allows him to afford rare ingredients. The only thing that actually feels strange would be how out of place this dinner is. Usually, Ba Sing Se Upper Ring citizens don't share meals with those working under them. Nobles and wealthy merchants would wish to distinguish themselves from the commoners, a rule defined by conservative values propagated by the Earth Sages.

"So how was your short journey to Hong Xiuquan's teahouse?" Shan asked out of the blue, but eyes still focused on picking the meat off a pig chicken bone. "While I do believe it is not safe to venture through the Lower Ring at night, perhaps my question is too intrusive."

"I-it's fine, I managed to...taken care of a few tasks that is necessary." Mayumi answered very vaguely, while trying to suppress the heavy breathing. She is not wearing face paint and armor at the moment. But the throbbing pain in the stomach area have not gone away. The bruises are rather deep, and she was lucky that the earth tiles did not shoot into her flesh, which would have been fatal.

"Good to hear," Shan replied in his usual formal and uninterested mood. Frankly, his question was likely done out of courtesy rather than genuine concern. "I will return back to my studies and resume some work. Finish the food, and then return the plates to that boy waiting outside."

"I understand," Mayumi said. The White Scholar stood up and walked towards his own living space. But after he reached the doorway, he turned around and announce tomorrow's plan.

"Your sister's first lesson starts tomorrow at noon, tell her not to be late." And the doors closed, a faint silhouette reappeared behind the windows.

Mayumi breathed a sigh of relief and concern. It's good that her sister is starting to receive the help from a prominent scholar. But on the other hand, they are now likely being monitored by the unscrumptious Dai Li even more.

Her head bolted rightward, looking at the rooftiles on the wall. There is nothing there, perhaps just another sign that paranoia is getting the best of her.

As an elite warrior trained and taught in the ways of Avatar Kyoshi, she will always respect their esteemed founder. But Akahana was right when educating her eldest child. The image of a flawless individual does not realistically exist. Their honorable founder helped the world to live in balance after Chin the tyrant's death. But how can balance prevail over tyranny if those who sworn to protect the cultural heritage betrayed their founder's intentions?

Mayumi sighed. Confused and tired. At least at the current moment, she can enjoy the peaceful nightly moon, which is exceptionally round tonight. The broth is also rather comforting after surviving tonight's ordeal.

Actions always have an effect. Sometimes positive, sometimes negative, and sometimes not for many lifetimes.