30: Execution.

By the next week, Rai Kan and Hi Ho had reached the city of An Sol. The bustling streets were filled with merchants, travelers, and city guards. The city was alive with activity, the perfect place for someone to blend in or hide. Hi Ho entered the inn they had chosen as their temporary base, his expression grave.

**Rai Kan**: *Looking up from the map he was studying.* "Did you find anything about Lin Mei?"

**Hi Ho**: *Nodding slowly, taking a seat across from Rai Kan.* "I did, and it's not good."

**Rai Kan**: *Concerned.* "What did you find out?"

**Hi Ho**: *Leaning forward, lowering his voice.* "Lin Mei is the daughter of Yom Mei, a powerful merchant who controls the flow of fabric goods in this region. Neither of them are martial artists, but Yom Mei's wealth allows them to maintain a sizeable private force."

**Rai Kan**: *Frowning.* "Does Lin Mei have any connection to the Valiant Hunter Sect's Lan Mei?"

**Hi Ho**: *Nodding again, more somberly.* "Yes, although people only talk about it in hushed tones. Lan Mei is actually a bastard child of the family, born from a servant. She left the family due to political feuds."

**Rai Kan**: *Thinking.* "Could we make a peace treaty with Yom Mei, like we did with the Sho family?"

**Hi Ho**: *Shaking his head.* "That won't work. Yom Mei is said to be blind to her daughter's actions. Plus, both are rumored to take male slaves for pleasure."

**Rai Kan**: *Determined.* "Then our only option is direct confrontation. We need to strike the snake's head."

**Hi Ho**: *Concerned.* "Perhaps we should act separately. I can take the carriage around the region as a distraction, while you deal blows to their major settlements. Then, while they're busy recovering, we escape."

**Rai Kan**: *Firmly.* "No, this time I will send a message that poking unwanted stuff is really harmful."

**Hi Ho**: *Puzzled.* "What do you mean?"

**Rai Kan**: *Eyes cold, voice hard.* "Execution."

Meanwhile, Lin Mei had returned to her luxurious home, greeting her mother, Yom Mei. The grand manor was a testament to their wealth and power, with servants bustling about and guards stationed at every entrance.

**Yom Mei**: *Noticing her daughter's demeanor, smirking.* "You found a new toy, haven't you?"

**Lin Mei**: *Smiling slyly.* "I did. His name is Rai Kan."

**Yom Mei**: *Curious.* "Is he here with you?"

**Lin Mei**: *Shaking her head.* "Not yet, but my men brought information that he is moving toward this city. I think he's coming here to make a peace treaty, like he did with the Sho family in Claw of Crow."

**Yom Mei**: *Laughing derisively.* "If he thinks he can make a peace treaty with us, he is really naive."

**Yom Mei**: *Turning to her attendant.* "Alert our men. Prepare for his arrival."

On the other side, Hi Ho and Rai Kan were traveling toward the city of Gin Hu, the stronghold of Yom Mei and Lin Mei. Their carriage moved steadily through the night, the sound of hooves echoing through the quiet streets as they approached the fortified city.

**Rai Kan**: *Looking out at the darkened city.* "We need to act quickly and decisively."

**Hi Ho**: *Nodding.* "We'll leave the carriage in a secluded area and proceed on foot."

They disembarked in a shadowy alley, leaving the carriage hidden from view. Quietly, they made their way to the Mei family manor. The imposing structure loomed before them, heavily guarded and fortified. Rai Kan signaled Bi Ji, his loyal bull, to go upfront.

**Rai Kan**: *Whispering to Bi Ji.* "Charge, girl."

The bull, understanding her master's command, charged forward with tremendous force, breaking through the gates and mowing down several guards in her path. The sound of shattering wood and the cries of the fallen filled the night.

**Hi Ho**: *Guiding Bi Ji away after the initial assault.* "I'll handle the bull. You know what to do."

Rai Kan nodded and strode forward, facing the guards that had gathered in response to the commotion. His presence was like a force of nature, commanding attention and fear.

**Guard Captain**: *Shouting.* "Stop him! Don't let him through!"

But it was too late. Rai Kan moved with lethal precision, cutting down anyone who stood in his way. The battle was brutal and swift, the air filled with the sounds of clashing steel and dying men. The manor turned into a scene of carnage, bodies littering the ground as Rai Kan carved a path of destruction.

**Guard**: *Desperately.* "Retreat! We can't stop him!"

But those who tried to flee found themselves buried under falling debris, the very structure of the manor crumbling around them. Rai Kan left nothing but death and devastation in his wake. As he reached the heart of the manor, he found Yom Mei and Lin Mei huddled together, their faces pale with terror.

**Yom Mei**: *Voice trembling.* "You... you dare attack us?"

**Rai Kan**: *Coldly.* "This is the price of your arrogance."

With a swift, brutal motion, he ended their lives, their bodies ripped apart in a final act of vengeance. The manor was left in ruins, a testament to the wrath of Rai Kan.

As the first light of dawn broke, Rai Kan and Hi Ho slipped away from the city, their task complete. They returned to An Sol under the cover of night, the city unaware of the storm that had passed.

The news of the massacre spread quickly, and the incident became known as the "Ruined Night." No one knew who was responsible, but it was clear that the Mei family had crossed the wrong people. The remains of the manor, littered with the torn corpses of forty thousand guards, including Yom Mei and Lin Mei, served as a grim warning.

In the aftermath, fear and caution spread among the indulgent young masters of the region. They cursed Rai Kan and Hi Ho for forcing them to change their ways, to abandon their indulgent lifestyles and tread carefully in their dealings. The message was clear: those who dared to overreach would face dire consequences.

As Rai Kan and Hi Ho continued their journey, they remained unaware of the ripple effects of their actions. They had become unwitting agents of change, reshaping the dynamics of power and fear in the region. Their legend grew, whispered among the towns and villages they passed, a tale of brutal consequences in a world governed by power and greed.