Author's Note: Okay... it took awhile again. Although, this time, it was me underestimating how long the chapter would be... and how difficult it will be to write. Speaking of which, this chapter is... quite a doozy. And I mean, it is something that is brutal (as if the last few chapters haven't been brutal) but to the point where I'm certain some of you will genuinely despise the villain even more. (Or by extension, me as the writer) I will say right now that there is a bit of gore here, I don't think it is worthy of an M-rating but I'll let you lot decide that. I will change it if I need to. Anyways, I've kept you guys waiting long enough. Let's get this going.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP! (They would not let me do this, 1000%)

Enjoy... if you can.

A Long-Awaited Confrontation

Whilst their brutal battle had persisted in the cannon warehouse, chaos ensues within Zhongcheng's underground base. A cacophony of arrows fly through the air whilst wolves, alligators, gorillas and brainwashed imperials alike charge at their lone tiger intruder with a ravenous intensity. Zhonglei tries to sprint away, but the wolf's forces, numbering in the hundreds, surround him. They suffocate him with an endless array of sword swings, fists and axes but he still manages to retain little damage from them. With a massive swing of his bo-staff he manages to knock down the soldiers swarming him, yet they are swiftly replaced by more, just as feverish to take him down. This maddening fight and attempt at flight had started the immediate second he had opened the rock wall, and judging by the sheer number of soldiers still latching onto him, it will only end with either his capture or his death. Ruby irises ignite with a deadly, resolute flame as the Zhanshi chief fights back another surrounding group of soldiers. He has to get out of here, he has to get this information to the masters, to the emperor. He can't let Zhongcheng win, not when he has the chance to dismantle his plan completely.

It is with this undying resolve that he is able to repel the constant wave of attacks being thrown at him and counter with his own ferocious strikes with his bo-staff. Soldier after soldier falls to him, their replacements being intercepted before they can even attempt to continue their offense. Apprehensive arrows shoot through the growing crowd of soldiers, the archers wary of hitting their comrades, only for the golden tiger to swat them away with a spin of his bo-staff. As more and more of these soldiers pile onto him, he takes a quick glance around the base in-between attacks, spotting the separate barracks and training buildings in front of him. A chance to divert their attention or lose them completely. With this plan in mind, Zhonglei creates space through another wide spin of his staff, before leaping over the group of wolves and alligators in front of him. He hops and skips over their heads, dodging blades and clingy paws as he gets closer to the barracks building. Just as he is about to leap onto the side of the building, an imperial jaguar pounces onto him from the ground, their momentum forcing the pair to crash through a window on the upmost floor.

Crash!

The two felines roll along the floor as Zhonglei hears soldiers scream out, "They're in the commander's office! Get up there now!" At this, the Zhanshi chief kicks the brainwashed jaguar off him before engaging him with his bo-staff. Though the soldier maintains his aggression, he manages to make quick work of him with a leg sweep and a slam of his staff aimed at the jaguar's temple. Even with this concussive blow, he isn't knocked out, only dazed.

Taking notice of this, Zhonglei darts his eyes around the room, focusing on three metallic balls on Zhongcheng's desk. One with a fuse, and two with a thin, barely noticeable gap in their centre. One of them must be explosive, and judging by Shen's cannons… He places the two smoke bombs in his pockets, keeping the explosive sphere clutched in his right paw as the jaguar lumbers his way up, an enraged readiness etched onto his face. His ears twitching at the sound of hurried footsteps racing upwards, a mournful expression takes hold of Zhonglei's face as he dodges one of the imperial soldier's attacks. "I'm sorry, my friend." Unsheathing his claws, he strikes the metallic surface of the bomb, its sparks lighting the fuse. With little time to spare, he grabs the jaguar by the back of his head and shoves the bomb into his armoured vest before kicking him over to the door of the office.

Just as he does so, several wolf and alligator soldiers kick the door open with their comrades attempting to rush in behind them. It doesn't take long for one of them to notice the hissing sound of the bomb's fuse, the astute wolf's eyes widening in panic. "Get back! Get back!" But the wolf's yells are in vain as his comrades rush into the room, their sights set on the tiger intruder, who leaps out through the opposite window just as the fuse burns out.

Kaboom!

The explosive shockwave practically shakes the entire cavern as fire spews out of the now shattered windows of Zhongcheng's office, missing Zhonglei by mere inches. As the Zhanshi chief lands onto the ground, this fire spreads along the building's wooden exterior, inviting a panicked crowd of wolves to try and extinguish it. Before he can take advantage of this distraction, five flanking alligators rush towards him with swords at the ready, eager to cleave the destructive intruder. However, Zhonglei proves too agile for them as he dodges and weaves through their enraged sword slashes, knocking them down one by one with precise strikes to their temple, head and neck.

With another immediate threat taken down, he rushes across the rope bridge linking the two sections together, his ruby irises set firmly on the giant wooden doors left wide open. As he begins to change course, an arrow zips past his ear, forcing him to take a peak back. To his dismay, a group of soldiers chase after him, angry, armed, and catching up fast. He needs a way to push them back. But how? As this question makes itself known, two wolves hopelessly haul a cannon through the front doors, making the golden tiger smirk.

Perfect.

"Okay, I've gotta put it down now." One of the wolves groan out, too caught in his exhaustion to notice the tiger intruder sprinting directly toward him.

His friend gives a mocking scoff, "Damn, man. Are you a wolf or a teeny, tiny gazelle?" They plop the giant weapon down, the two canines wiping the sweat from their brow until.

Thwack! Tonk!

With two swings of his staff, Zhonglei leaves the pair unconscious and gains a new weapon. Taking a quick look inside it, he notices the cannon is already loaded. Perhaps it's for the wolves' convenience? Leaving the intelligence of Zhongcheng's men a mystery, he unsheathes the claws on his left paw and goes to strike the metal near the fuse, only to be grabbed from behind by the Gorilla manning the base's main entrance. Though this leaves him at a disadvantage, it doesn't snuff out Zhonglei's hopes of a way out. As the soldiers on his tail get closer to him, he unsheathes the claws on his left foot and strikes it near the fuse. To his captor's shock, sparks crackle down the fuse. In an attempt to save his unaware comrades, the gorilla drops the tiger and rushes towards the armed cannon to disable it, only for the tiger to throw a smoke bomb at him. As the gorilla's sight becomes coated in grey and his lungs fill with carbon monoxide, the fuse trickles down to nothing.

Kaboom!

Bodies, both dead and just barely living, fly into the air as the cannon ball explodes into a vortex of vicious flames. As a huge chunk of the pursuing soldiers are reduced to ash and their lucky comrades are flung about by the shockwave, the gorilla soldier tries his best to gain his bearings through the smoke. Though blinded, the manages to wave away the thick cloud, allowing his eyes to finally recover. Purifying his lungs with a huge gasp of air, his eyes soon widen at the sight of the golden tiger sprinting to the half-open rock wall just beyond the base's wooden doors. "Someone stop him!"

As the gorilla's feverish orders ring through his ears, Zhonglei slides under the half-open rock wall only to block the sword swipe of a lone wolf soldier with his bo-staff. After two swings, he manages to knock the wolf's weapon out of his paw, inviting him to pick up the cannon component he dropped as a makeshift weapon. It is of little use as the Zhanshi chief dispatches him with a staff strike to his left kidney, a punch to his liver and a roundhouse kick to the back of the head. Before he can savour this miniscule victory, his ears twitch at the sound of the vengeful gorilla soldier smacking his fists on the ground as he chases after him. Ruby irises dart to the handle and gears holding the rock wall up. A scowl forms on his face as he reels his foot back and kicks the lever, making the wall drop down in front of his adversary. Though the primate does attempt to lift it back up, Zhonglei is one step ahead. Grabbing one of the gears with both paws, he wrenches it out of its place with great effort and throws it onto the floor, leaving the gorilla and his comrades trapped inside as he runs down the base's entrance tunnel.

"Get this thing open, now!" The enraged simian's roar trickles away from Zhonglei as he sprints down the tunnel, knocking out any returning soldier that he comes across with vicious efficiency. After taking down a fifth clueless soldier, he skids to a halt as an immense ladder towers over him, its length rivalling that of the emperor's own tower. Regardless of its height, he doesn't gawk for long, the tiger leaping two metres upwards and digging his claws into the rock wall the ladder is bolted onto. Repeating this a few times, he manages to clear the distance swiftly, the base's trapdoor exit getting closer with each leap. Arming his face with a resolute scowl, Zhonglei takes one final leap upwards, thrusting his fists forward as he shoots towards the trap door.

Smash!

The wooden door is obliterated by the sheer power in his double punch, shards of splintered and shattered wood showering the merchant's hut he now finds himself in. Wait… a merchant's hut? Of course. As he comes to this realisation, he lets the momentum of his leap take him to the ceiling, spinning his body around and digging his claws into the ceiling to steady himself. Ruby irises soon widen at the sight of a gigantic, tattooed alligator and a meagre arrow-wielding alligator glaring at him.

He hasn't escaped just yet.

Within an instant, the leaner alligator fires an arrow at Zhonglei, only for the tiger to catch it in his paw and crush it in half. He then detaches himself from the ceiling, aiming a roundhouse kick to the lean archer's head as he falls, that is until-

Wham!

A massive tail swats him in the back, flinging him at the wall face-first. As his body falls to the floor, another arrow is fired, aimed straight at his chest. Once again, Zhonglei manages to dodge it, recovering fast enough to roll out of the way. At seeing his comrades fail, the muscular alligator comes bounding forward, a menacing snarl exiting his maw as he connects a punch to his opponent's face. His strength, however, doesn't faze the tiger intruder who grabs his staff and connects a swing aimed at his jaw. Though far from dazed, he is distracted for long enough so that Zhonglei can jump off a wall and over him, catching the archer off-guard. He is powerless to stop the tiger's downward kick smacking his head, leaving his brain rattling around in his skull. From that single attack, he is too dazed to react to his opponent as he smirks and leaps upward, dodging the tattooed alligator's blind tail swipe.

Wham!

From the corner of his eye, the alligator brute can see his comrade's limp body get tossed at the wall, knocked out on impact with his tail. He attempts to turn to face his feline enemy, but Zhonglei gives him no chance, connecting a smoke bomb straight at his face. He shuts his eyes tight as a tirade of coughs spew out of his throat, his lungs writhing in agony. With his body completely distracted by the smoke, the Zhanshi chief leaps forward and lands a powerful double leg drop kick on his chin, knocking him out as the back of his head hits the wall. Soon after, the alligator's massive body slumps on top of the now shattered trap door, providing a temporary setback for his pursuers. "Ah! Damnit! Someone get him off!"

At the soldier's desperate shout and audible attempts to lift his unconscious comrade off, Zhonglei rams himself through the hut's front door and sprints away, panting heavily as he sets his sights on the east side of the city. His mind calms itself for a moment, thankful that he got out of there ali-

Woosh!

An arrow barely misses his right cheek, startling the golden tiger as he glances back, his eyes widening at the sight of around 50 alligators emerging from the water on the edge of the pier. More arrows follow, a few of them managing to scratch his sides but none immobilising him. If he keeps this up, he might just be able to make it to the masters in time, he might be able to warn them. His ears twitch at the sound of the hut's door snapping from its hinges, a barbaric symphony of war cries echoing just after as more of Zhongcheng's forces chase after him. He slips into one of the city's many narrow alleyways, hoping it will at least confuse his pursuers.

"I just don't see how he could do it." Gongjiang's befuddled statement demands an answer as Zhongcheng, his brainwashed masters, and the Wu-sisters sprint alongside him whilst Zhonglei runs away from their destination. "There is only one entrance into the base, and he wouldn't be able to get inside without our whole army pouncing on him seconds."

Dark blue eyes glare forward as the thought of that traitor outsmarting him brings out a hellish fire in his mind. He'll know exactly what we're planning, and he'll know exactly what I know. Managing to pry his own grit teeth open, Zhongcheng responds back, "There isn't only one entrance. Or at least, to those who can hold their breath long enough."

Gongjiang scoffs, "Don't be ridiculous. You can't possibly believe he would make it there alive following our alligators."

His eyes still blazing ahead, Zhongcheng gives a venomous mutter. "You'd be surprised how far sheer determination can get you." Though this is an admittedly poor speculation, he can't afford to take any chances.

"Okay, but how would he manoeuvre around? It's not like he has a map."

"He doesn't need one." He can practically feel the confusion shared by the leopard sisters and his brother, the group uttering a silent plea for elaboration. "The cavern we've taken as our own used to belong to a clan I had long thought to be mere conjecture. The one Fuhuo had claimed Nuba to belong to." Upon his explanation, he takes a peak back at his soldiers, both conscripted and brainwashed, following them through the city's winding yet empty streets.

"The Zhanshi clan." His bison brother's gruff voice rips through the air, anger evident through the bile lacing its tone. "I take it you believe Zhonglei is part of the clan too." Remembering the wolf commander's explanation of the tiger's 'drunk' ramblings, more bile injects itself into his voice, making it practically acidic.

Giving his brother a nod, Zhongcheng continues, "He would know the cavern like the back of his paw once realising what it is, flooded or not."

"So, what do we do if he's managed to escape unseen?" Wan asks, genuine concern soaking her timbre as they continue sprinting forward.

Bloodlust held within her eyes, Wing follows up her sister's inquiry with a demented grin showing through her facemask, "Do we hunt down the troublesome tiger?"

"Or do we play it patiently and change our strategy?" Su-Wu finishes, her voice remaining calm, calculated, and cold. Her question is less of a suggestion and more of a command, her firm tone leaving little room to argue.

Having gone through this in his own mind as they left the warehouse, Zhongcheng has a resolute, unyielding answer at the ready. "We simply begin our invasion early. Whether they know our intentions or not, they won't be able to-

Dark blue eyes widen as the white wolf stops mid-sentence, a strange speck of metal shining in a distant alley until it shoots forward, flying directly at his head.

Fwish! Crack!

Zhongcheng can't help but to stare at the arrowhead hovering right in front of him, his lungs refusing to let go of the air he had hurriedly sucked in. It takes him a few seconds to notice the paw that had caught the arrow in the nick of time, clutching it so tightly that its wood crumbles into nothing. It takes but a moment longer to realise that black and orange stripes paint its fur. He darts his eyes over to his brainwashed monster, who maintains a hideous scowl and utters a rancid snarl that has the Wu-sisters' fur become noticeably pale. Within this mere glance, he notices her left eye has finally stopped bleeding, now finally open to the world with a garish scar forming across it. Though they match her other eye in their faint but sickly blue sclera, an opaque cloud has formed where her iris and pupil would normally be. He had blinded her, and yet her technique, no, her instincts are as sharp as ever. He was right to target her. With a heartless, wicked grin adorning his face, the commander's eyes flash for a moment. In response, Tigress lets go of the arrow and turns to face the direction of where the arrow came from. She inhales deeply, sniffing the air until one scent forces her eyes to light up in focus. Getting onto all-fours, a deep growl exits her throat, ready to hunt.

Unaware of his former comrade's whereabouts, Zhonglei continues sprinting away, still operating on the vein optimism that he'll get to the masters in time when deep down he is almost certain of the opposite being true. Hopefully, he can still save some of them from Zhongcheng's clutches. As he detours down another labyrinthian alley, the battle cries and outraged shouts of the white wolf's soldiers fade into near nothingness. Perhaps he has finally lost them… Or perhaps… Ruby irises widen at the sound of vicious footsteps rushing towards him from a rooftop just to his left. Though his instincts go on high alert, something else alarms him more. A scent hovering through the air, a scent that he can recognise. A scent that is rapidly getting closer. The instant he turns to face the rooftop, Tigress pounces at him with unsheathed claws and saliva flailing from her feral maw, a mighty roar tearing through the cold air.

She crashes into him, the pair of them rolling around on the floor until she thrusts her arms and legs forward, throwing him at the alley wall. As his back smacks against its fine wooden surface, Zhonglei looks to see his attacker, confirming the worst. "Liliang." His broken heart speaks through a breathless whisper, immediately noticing her hollow eyes. Within a moment of her name exiting his lips, Tigress rushes forward and throws out claw strike after claw strike, her uncle just about able to block each one with his staff. But, with each attack he absorbs, he feels his strength waning whilst her claw strikes only seem to grow in power. He has to try and gain the advantage, even if it hurts her. Countering with a low sweep of his staff, the Zhanshi chief tries to go on the offensive, but to his shock she manages to jump over his staff with ease and lands a brutal kick to his face.

Crash!

Splintered wood explodes as Zhonglei is sent crashing through the wooden wall and into the tables of a fancy noodle restaurant. He quickly scans the place, seeing no-one aside from the stout pig owner frozen in terror behind the counter. Unfortunately for the golden tiger, Tigress doesn't let up as she leaps forward and commences her offense again. After blocking one of her claws strikes again, he decides to focus on evading her instead, her strength proving to be far too much for his already exhausted body. What alarms him even more is just how fast her attacks are, with each of his dodges being a near miss. So, this is her monster. No, he can't think like that. There has to be a way to free her from Zhongcheng's hold. Before he can even think of going about that however, he needs to find some way to subdue her. After ducking another claw strike aimed at his face, he shoots his paw towards the debris of tables and cutlery strewn across the ground, grabbing a plate and smashing it into the left side of Tigress' face. To his surprise, she doesn't even react to the hit, instead swiping her claw at his left side.

Shink!

A gasp of pain soon crescendos into a gut-wrenching howl of torment as the monster plunges her claws deep into his side, digging into a wound that he had sustained during his escape. He punches her back several times, but she doesn't let go, a tidal wave of blood dripping his left side. He can feel his strength being sapped; his punches now being reduced to a pathetic slap. The pain pulsing through his head makes his mind drowsier with each passing moment, leaving him defenceless as Tigress grabs his shoulder with her free paw and chucks him back out through the hole in the wall. Slamming against the rock wall of the alleyway, Zhonglei struggles to stand up, holding out his staff as his barbaric niece rushes to him again. This is all for nought as she kicks away his bo-staff with ease. He attempts a punch but it is far too sluggish to hit her as she ducks down and slashes at his right leg, forcing another painful scream from the suffering tiger whilst he falls onto his left knee. Clutching his wounded leg, the Zhanshi chief is unable to defend himself as the monster delivers a brutal punch straight to his right cheek.

Slam!

He falls to the floor, wounded, broken and groaning in agony. No matter how hard he tries, he simply can't manage to find the strength to push himself back up onto his feet. Though his ears ring, the sound of the monst- Tigress' claws unsheathing still pierces through, making him turn to face her. Ruby irises widen as she raises her claw in the air, ready to deliver another strike, sealing a demonic growl through her grit teeth. A tear dripping down his left eye, Zhonglei closes his eyes as he whispers, "Liliang. Tigress. I… I failed you." He braces himself, waiting for her to strike him down.

But nothing happens.

He opens his eyes slowly, confused at seeing her arm still raised, until he notices something. Though it remains ready to end him at a moment's notice, her arm quakes in place, as if it is being halted by something. No, someone. Hope lights up his eyes for a moment, certain that his niece is fighting back, until a blue light flashes in her eyes. Within in an instant, she backs down and waits. Before he can ponder what is going on, he hears three sets of feet land around him. A scowl immediately forms on his face as the unmistakeable faces of the Wu-sisters sneer at him, their bladed wheels held out towards him as a silent threat.

"Get him on his knees!" Through Zhonglei's ringing ears, a familiar gruff voice pierces into his mind, ushering forth memories despite the voice's aged distinction. Su-Wu keeps her blade aimed at him whilst her sisters grab him by each arm and hoist him up, her blade hovering just over his throat as his eyes catch two figures jump down into the alley.

Figures that ignite a wrathful blaze in his soul. Whilst Gongjiang's landing is tough enough to send cracks into the floor, Zhongcheng lands next to him in near silence. Immediately, both of his former comrades meet his eyes, matching the rage held within. As the two come forward, he catches a glimpse of Monkey and Crane landing behind them, their eyes also hollow and infected with the commander's blue light. This is it, he failed them. He failed all of them. Shame clutches at his heart, feeding into his rage. But Zhongcheng can see it within his eyes, he can see the tiger's guilt force his ears to fold onto his skull, making him smirk.

They stop right in front of their captive tiger, the former allies holding their hateful glare as the white wolf engages in an insidious, mocking tone. "Now this is a more fitting reunion, isn't it? I just can't imagine leaving our dear brother out of the festivities."

"And believe me," Gongjiang steps forward and slams his fist into his former comrade's abdomen, the impact of his fist making the winter air shiver at its power. A hiss of pain soon turns into a devastating cough, specks of blood flying onto the ground and staining the building chunk of snow as the Zhanshi chief crumples from his attack. "I wouldn't want to miss this."

His stomach adding to the agony pulsating around his body, Zhonglei lifts his head up with considerable effort, "And what would those 'festivities' be? Killing me? enslaving the masters? Leaving hundreds of innocent people on their death beds!?" Despite his body's exhaustion, he manages to roar out in disgust.

A dark chuckle exits Zhongcheng's mouth, "Cling to your morals and your code all you like, but you already understand the weakness of this empire." Ruby irises dart upwards, a battalion of arrows meet him, their archers itching to fire as they stare at him with an intense focus. "China must be reborn, whether it be through lord Shen's image… or through mine."

"And who will be there to experience it!? The corpses of China's people? Your servants?" The former general screams out, his blood boiling at every filthy word that the commander spews out. "Can't you see that this is complete madness!?"

Zhongcheng merely scoffs at his former friend's venomous tongue, "Don't act so naiive, Zhonglei. Do you really believe that China's very foundation isn't built upon the corpses of innocent lives? That emperors of the past had used nobility to keep their people safe?" A dark silence is held between the former friends, a putrid fire burning in Zhonglei's deadly glare.

For a moment, the golden tiger holds his tongue, unable to argue against the misdeeds of China's past. But he can argue for China's future. "We have to be better than what we once were." Zhongcheng's smirk withers away, a scowl embedding itself deeply into his face, "For our greatest enemy is ourselves." Dark blue eyes fester in a caustic pool of disgust, master flying Rhino's voice echoing in his mind. "That was never just a lesson, it isn't only kung fu. China must be better than its savage past."

"Through honour and nobility, is that right?" The air grows colder as the wolf commander spits his toxic mockery, "Isn't it interesting how those concepts have made our emperor so dependent on these kung fu masters? How criminals roam fearless in the streets because they know that the emperor's lot will never take the step they need to take. Has this honour, this mercy made China safe? Has it ever!?" Zhonglei holds Zhongcheng's glare, the commander's growl morphing into a monstrous, chilling snarl. "Had it stopped the return of Tai Lung? Shen? Kai!? Had it prevented my invasion!? Had this misguided honour saved me from those slavers!? Had it saved Gongjiang!?" Ruby eyes wilt in sympathy for a mere moment, feeling the pain and anguish radiating from his former brother's eyes. "Or could they have done something sooner? Could they have prevented our stay in hell rather than prolonging it!?" His boiling blood freezes the air in place, forcing everyone around to hold their breath in the face of the wolf's unbridled, suppressed fury. After a few calming breaths, the little abandoned cub fades from the wolf's eyes, commander Zhongcheng returning once more. "Many lives have been lost from their inaction, so I shall make them take action. Either they will do what must be done, or I will."

Zhonglei can only stare on in disbelief, horrified by the wolf's twisted mind. This is not just an invasion; this is some sick way of breaking their resolve. Of poisoning their souls. Of corrupting their minds. His eyes linger onto the hollow eyes of the brainwashed kung fu masters, unable to avert themselves from the sight of his niece, reduced to a monster.

In his former friend's stare, Zhongcheng can pick out his despair. His pain. His fear being realised. But a fear of what, he has yet to see. Yet, this is not the despair of a general losing a war or of a loyal soldier failing his highness. As Zhonglei's melancholic eyes remain fixated on Tigress, the commander's sadistic eyes smile while his scowl remains. "You could have saved your family a lot of grief if you had simply opened your eyes." A moment passes until the golden tiger snaps his gaze to him, shocked to the core. "Oh, you didn't mean to let that slip, did you?" Ruby glares into dark blue, certain that the sadistic wolf will toy with him before ending him. He steels himself, ready for whatever he-

Rustle.

All eyes dart to the hole in the wall, catching the coiled tail of a panicked pig fleeing into the restaurant. With an apathetic snort, Gongjiang steps forward until his brother holds his arm out, halting the bison in his tracks. His eyes latching onto the golden tiger's in an ominous glare, Zhongcheng refuses to look anywhere else as a blue light flashes in his irises. Within an instant, a demonic growl exits Tigress' throat, making Zhonglei's eyes burst open in horror. He wouldn't.

As if in response, the brainwashed monster speeds through the hole in the wall on all fours. Ruby irises follow her until she disappears into the restaurant, prompting him to gaze back at Zhongcheng. Though he begins to feel an indescribable rage building within his heart, the former general forces it down, his eyes pleading to his old friend for mercy. To spare her of this depravity. But the commander's glare discards this plea, piercing into his soul in their immutable malice.

As the former friends stare each other down, Gongjiang and the Wu-sisters keep their sights focused on the hole in the wall, with even the cruel sisters themselves having the air in their lungs frozen in tense anticipation.

A deafening silence takes hold of them all, with Zhonglei's wrath only building as his silent message warps into a glare of pure loathing.

"Agh! No! Stay away from me!"

They all hear the pig's terrified yell, remaining deathly still as the monster's petrifying snarl soon follows.

"Have mercy! Please! Master Tigress, please! Wai-

Shink!

His horrified screams are silenced without hesitation and are soon replaced by a hideous gargle, the pig's last attempt to gasp for air muted by his own blood. Though Zhongcheng's forces can't see the abhorrent act, the very sounds are enough to make them all understand. At the sound of another innocent life being cut short, at the involuntary paws of his own family, Zhonglei's scowl deepens, the bowels of hell igniting on his face. Yet, this gruesome nightmare doesn't end.

Crunch! Crack! Squelch!

Even Gongjiang can feel the corrosive sting of bile crawling up his throat as these sickening sounds pierce through the restaurant walls. Zhongcheng continues to glare into golden tiger's soul, watching with muted pleasure as his resolve begins to crumble under the gruelling events taking place. This was his payback for his betrayal, for forcing him to hide all these years. This was to break him completely.

Primal growls emanate from the restaurant, growing louder as all eyes shift to the hole in the wall. All except the wolf commander, who pays close attention to the captive tiger. Focusing on his face as a paw steps out of the hole, painted in crimson. The gnarly stench of metal and death pierces into the freezing air as the brainwashed monster steps out to everyone's horror. Blotches of crimson stain her qipao, purging it of its golden shine and poisoning the blooming flower sewn into its fabric. With each step she takes, rivers of blood trail on the floor behind her. But what truly stands out to her unwilling audience, what forces Zhonglei's heart to stop in place, is the sight of her teeth drenched in blood. He can see the flesh between her fangs, the stream of crimson flowing down her mouth like a gory waterfall. He can see the monster that she truly feared, fresh of its first kill. Looking like death itself taken mortal form. He did this… He turned her into this… Zhonglei's heart beats with the heaviness of a war drum, sounding the brutality of his wrath, the depths of his hatred. That putrid wolf had truly taken this too far. He feels Wing and Wan's grip loosen on his arms whilst Su-Wu's blade lowers slightly, all three of them mesmerised by the bloodied master turned beast. His pupils dilate as he glares back at his tormentor. I'll make you pay. I'll make you pay!

An unyielding rage rejuvenating his tired body, Zhonglei wrenches his arms out of Wing and Wan's grasp and punches away Su-Wu's blade. A brutal roar punches its way out of his maw as he lunges forward, his claws unsheathed. He doesn't think, he doesn't try to escape. All that matters is finally silencing the repulsive bastard who had done this to his niece. He swipes his claws at the wolf's throat.

But his paw never reaches him.

Gongjiang catches his wrist, snapping the tiger out of his rage-filled outburst. Though he tries to attack the bison, it is of little use as he delivers a powerful punch to his jaw. Left in a spinning world, Zhonglei is too dazed to attack again, leaving him open to a swift, merciless knee to the gut. Spit flies out of the tiger's mouth as he keels over, his paws clutching his stomach whilst his body heaves in anguish. Before long, the Wu-sisters hold his arms behind his back, restraining him once more as Zhongcheng approaches his enraged hostage. "Do you now finally understand how powerful fear is? How it can truly transform someone into the very thing they despise? Surely, you realise that there is no way of stopping me now. Or at least, not without harming your poor little kitten over there." He motions over to the barbaric tiger as his sadistic tongue stabs at him with feigned sympathy. Despite his entire body teetering on the brink of collapse, Zhonglei lifts his head up, his lethal scowl swelling the bruises that form on his face.

"Burn in hell."

Bam!

Specks of spit and blood rain down from his mouth, the tiger's lip punctured by Gongjiang's anvil of a fist. "Enough of your disrespect, traitor." His grizzly command serves as an attack in itself, powerful enough to make both him and the Wu-sisters grimace in genuine pain.

"It must hurt being so helpless." An eerie, insidious whisper exits Zhongcheng's mouth, his glare holding a silent wish of suffering for the already beaten tiger. "To know that there is nothing you can do. Soon, China will be ours and a new era of strength and prosperity will begin."

A tirade of coughs shakes the tiger's entire body as he growls through gritted, bloody teeth, "And where do I feature in all of this? As another one of your puppets?"

Yet another dark chuckle escapes the wolf commander, "As much as the irony would entertain me, no. I have no use for a known traitor in my ranks." A sickly glow inhabits his body, making his eyes shine as blue chi tendrils wrap around his right arm. Now beaten, broken and soon to be trapped in a hellish nightmare, Zhonglei's resolve crumbles to dust. This is truly the end. "Do you have anything to say before you get what you deserve?"

Distraught ruby irises fall upon the hollow eyes of Tigress. Of Xiwang's sole survivor. Of the last remaining remnant of his brother's memory. She deserved far better than this. She never deserved to face such torment. Such suffering. Yet this is how fate repaid her. This is how he had repaid her. Even if it was never meant to happen like this, he should have tried harder. He should've done something. He should've protected her. Zhonglei's eyes brim with tears, certain that these will be the last words he will ever say to her. After all of these years of waiting, after finally being able to meet her again, this is how it all ends. His heart crumbles as his lips quiver, the words just barely coming out as those tears flood into streams. "Liliang, Tigress… I love you. Please, forgive me. I failed you. I… I failed your parents. Please… forgive me." Zhonglei can't bear to look at his niece's bloodied face any longer, shutting his eyes tight as he lets his pain overwhelm him.

"How touching." No emotion is spared by the ruthless commander as he watches the Zhanshi chief wallow in his misery. No, he hasn't experienced true misery. Not yet. Grabbing him by the back of his head, Zhongcheng pulls his grieving head upwards. "You won't have to cry for long. You'll be seeing her soon." Leaving him with this ominous warning, the pale wolf taps his index finger on his forehead. Veins of blue chi spread into his brain, infecting his entire body on contact. Dark blue eyes glow brightly as the sadistic commander concentrates his chi, signalling the Wu-sisters to release him.

"Liliang?" Zhonglei asks out to the air as his body twitches and spasms involuntarily, "Yongqi? Rongyu!? Tianshi!? Where are you!? Where are… you…" Disturbed and downright disgusted stares linger on the former general as his mind plunges further in its delirium. Tears roll down his eyes, their ruby shine snuffed out with a pale, blue blankness. His body begins to shake as his tears drag him down to the floor, his nightmare stabbing deep into his heart. "My sweet boys. My angel. No. No, no, no… don't leave me. Please, not you too." Wan jumps back a bit as his body convulses, his former comrades drinking in his suffering. "I can't lose you. I can't. I can't lose everything! Not again. Not again!"

As his soul cries out in agony, an ocean of tears floods the floor, drowning the poor tiger in an unending torrent of torment. Torment that raises Zhongcheng's lips into a smile that sends a fearful tremor down the spine of even the cold-hearted leader of the Wu-sisters. Choked sobs and haunting wails envelope the alleyway, strangling the very air they breathe in Zhonglei's unending grief. A lone yellow iris darts between the bloodied maw of the once unbreakable master Tigress and the writhing golden tiger, unable to look away from the both of them yet grimacing all the same.

"Are we leaving him like this?" Su-Wu demands, her voice punching the air in its ruthless coldness. Or at least, that is how it sounds to everyone else. Her sisters gaze at her, feeling her voice tremble in a terror that they have never heard from her before. But to say that her fear surprises them would be a lie, not after what they had just witnessed.

Luckily for them, neither brother picks up on her hidden fear as Zhongcheng's chi fades from his eyes. Despite having already broken the poor tiger's mind, he doesn't avert his gaze from the convulsing pile of misery lying on the freezing ground. It had taken 20 years to finally reach this moment, he will indulge in it as much as he likes. Yet, as much as he wants to leave Zhonglei in this state, his mind isn't exactly 'weak'. No matter how much torture he wants to put him through, he can't take the risk of him breaking free of his control. Not when he is so close. "No." A foreboding, caustic murmur exits his maw, his eyes still feasting on the grief that eats away at his former friend's mind. "Gongjiang, take him. You'll be coming with me. The rest of you, head back to base. Ready yourselves for tomorrow." Though it is silent amidst his commands, Su-Wu can sense the morbid excitement in his timbre, disturbing the leopard leader further. His eyes flashing blue, the commander's brainwashed legion leave among the rooftops, his regular soldiers following after them. It takes a few moments for the Wu-sisters to follow on, with the three of them looking on as Gongjiang picks up the thrashing, petrified tiger. Not a trace of empathy, any remorse or sorrow can be seen in either of their eyes. Finding a fearful chill crawl up their spines again, the three snow leopards head back to the base before the commander or general can notice something is off.

As the two brothers continue enacting their 'reunion', the brainwashed Tigress runs towards the base on all fours alongside her hollow-eyed comrades, blood still lathering her entire body in spite of the snow desperately trying to cleanse her of it. Within the emptiness of her sclera however, a solitary tear breaks free of her good eye's hold and rolls down her cheek, mimicking the path of a recent stream that had dried out. Before long, that tear is forced off by the cold wind beating against her face, the monster's painful remnant cascading along the wind until it dissipates completely.

Oh... oh my... yeah, Zhongcheng is truly and utterly cruel. To the point of me hating the very monster that I have created. And as you can probably see, even the Wu-sisters are having their doubts. As for what will happen to Zhonglei, well you will simply have to find out next time. Oh, and if you guys are wondering about Tigress being under mind-control, she won't be free like immediately, but she will definitely be free before the story ends. You can mark my words on that. Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed (for lack of a better word) this chapter and until next time :)

(Ooh! How could I forget? The trailer for the ACTUAL KFP 4 has finally released and I've gotta say... I'm cautiously optimistic. Let me know what you think in the comments... if you want.)