"Who the hell are you?" Zheng Jing Feng startled and asked in a hurry, but his sight went dark all of a sudden as he passed out.

Ten pulled Zheng Jing Feng off the sedan and swung the man over his shoulders, then went proudly on his way.

"Somebody died!" Behind him came the terrified shouts of passers by.

Four porters and an entire team of runners from the magistrate were laying on the ground. All of them suffering from a cut at their neck. There wasn't much blood, but their airways were all broken.

The martial artists sent by Ming Jian wanted were hiding in the shadows, wanting to help, but they were stopped by Eleven and the rest of the secret guards. Besides, there were too many people on the streets, they had no way of reaching Ten.

The pedestrians were all running for their lives at this point. No one could tell who were the good guys and who were the bad guys anymore.

"Young master," By this point, Luo Wei had already settled into a private home supplied by the owner of the inn. As he heard the owner of the inn calling him, Luo Wei moved his sight from the bird cage in front of him, and turned his gaze to the man instead.

"Master Sun," Luo Wei nodded at the owner of the inn as he smiled.

Master Sun stood politely. This little noble was the master of Qin Lin Villa's honored guest, he dared not show him any disrespect.

"This bird is very pretty," Luo Wei turned back to look at the laughingthrush(1) in the cage.

Master Sun replied, "So long as young master likes it."

Luo Wei shook his head, "It's no more than a caged bird, I don't like it." Luo Wei opened the cage door, but the laughingthrush hesitated, too afraid to leave its cage, "Look," Luo Wei reached in and grabbed the bird, "It's too scared to even fly."

Master Sun watched as Luo Wei flung the laughingthrush to the ground. The little bird died instantly.

"Tomorrow, you'll help me kill an entire family," Luo Wei kicked the dead bird into grasses nearby, and quietly explained his plan to Master Sun, "Is killing difficult for you?"

Master Sun quickly replied, "I shall do everything the young master commands me to do."

"Find some people, then," Luo Wei instructed, "Have them wear the uniform of the runners of the Yu Zhou magistrate, but ask them to cover the uniform with some casual clothes."

"Understood," Master Sun replied.

"Have them slaughter everyone at this location and burn the whole place down," Luo Wei handed Master Sun a piece of paper with an address. Master Sun wanted to take it from Luo Wei's hand, but Luo Wei didn't let go, "Have you memorized this address?"

"I have," Master Sun replied.

Luo Wei pulled it back and rolled the piece of paper into a little ball, holding it at the center of his fist, "Then go and make preparations," He commanded.

Master Sun turned to leave immediately. A barking dog never bites, and those who don't bark often have the worst bites. It was true of dogs and people. This was something Master Sun learned from experience in his many years in the martial arts world. But, Master Sun thought of the little noble behind him. How was the chancellor of Greater Zhou raising his sons? How did he manage to raise such a "creature"? Or was it that the nobles of the court were even more devious, even more cold-hearted than the people from the martial arts world? Did Luo Wei not view human lives as human lives?

Luo Wei stood in front of the empty bird cage. He wasn't about to harbor any sympathies for Zheng Jing Feng. Wasn't it true that this man would do anything for his master, Long Xuan, and would harbor no sympathies for Luo Wei either? Sometimes, life is just a choice. Choosing between this master or another master, this friend or another friend, this enemy or another enemy. These were nothing more than just choices.

"Young master," Wei Lan walked up behind Luo Wei.

"Why are you up?" Luo Wei watched Wei Lan with care, "Is the pain better now?"

Wei Lan answered, "Yes, it's better now."

"Ten said yesterday that you should keep resting in bed," Luo Wei walked down the hall, reaching to hold Wei Lan up by the shoulder by way of convenience.

Wei Lan let Luo Wei hold him up as he walked, "It's fine as long as I don't use my internal energy. Young master, I'm fine."

"Are you so willing to give up on all the martial arts you've learned over the years?" Luo Wei replied quickly, "Relax, we've already found medicine for you."

Wei Lan was silent.

"I'm not looking for cures so that you can serve me through your martial arts," Luo Wei explained, "As long as there's hope, we shouldn't give up. Lan, what do you want to do in the future?"

Luo Wei calling him "Lan" startled him.

"Well? What do you want to do in the future?" Luo Wei seemed to not have noticed, and asked again.

"Wei Lan will follow the young master," Wei Lan chewed on his lip, "If the young master would have me."

"Good," Luo Wei helped Wei Lan down the hall and sat him down, "Like I said before, your life is mine now."

FOOTNOTES:

1. laughingthrush - A kind of songbird referred to as "hua mei" in Chinese, or the melodic laughingthrush. Its Chinese name, meaning "painted brow", comes from the white coloring of its feathers near the eyes. Its song is melodic and is a popular cagebird in China.