Polluted Jianghu: 新年少鹏

"Still," you lie, "Kirishima's hired you. And," for emphasis you jab your own thumb at your chest. It stings like hell. Should've expected it. "He's hired me to ensure that all your limbs are attached to your body. So really, you don't need to worry. Because the other guys don't have anything. Probably," you disclaim after a moment of thought. "I mean they could hire some raggedy ass motherfucker and suddenly find out they're the chosen one. Or they'll hire a man with no past that wandered in from out of town with a big iron on their hip. In which case I'm gonna lose."

"That's fair," Ming Ming nods. "I can't expect you to win against the chosen one or a man with no name."

"Yep," you with no name nods. Read the room. The joke punched some of the tension away, but the sanhe workers are still… wary. Unsure. They're walking on eggshells and your bandaged mein is no salve for their worries. We might get maimed, man, you pick up on the edge of your hearing, a man with a drinker's nose says to his counterpart. Him? You think he could? Bottom of the barrel, man. Perfect. The doubt creeping in. When you hit this place you don't want them in the crossfire.

Actually, you frown as you smash buttons to escape Ming Ming's death combo, why doesn't Kirishima have gun hands hanging around this place? How many properties does he have to protect? Man, you should have asked more questions about this kinda stuff to Flay. "So uh, mister," Ming Ming starts, "is something gonna go down tonight?"

"Probably," you shrug. "He gave me the job immediately so I assume it's urgent. So, could be today. Could be tomorrow. Who knows."

New game. New character. You hit random and wait for Ming Ming to pick her's. "Yeah I think I'll stay here tonight," Hairshock offers.

"Why, dude?" Ming Ming picked uh. Fuck you don't know. Some giant lizard thing.

"It's warm, dude," Hairshock throws back. The game starts and Ming Ming's giant freak lizard grabbed your Mario and dragged the icon across the floor and into a wall. Then you respawn. Then again. "Also, uh. I'd rather not… you know." Die, it goes unsaid. The cold cockles of your heart warms with the thought that someone is relying on you. Or is that sick power tripping? Who knows. Who cares. "Wow, you're getting wiped. I thought you people had better reflexes." Wow, rude. You hope Hairshock eats a stray bullet.

"That just means I'm better than him," the local esports god says. "Better watch out, dude. I'm gonna take your job soon. How much do you make, even?"

Before you can respond, Hairshock does. "Doesn't it depend? It's contract work so it depends on how much you can screw out of your employer and how much the employer can screw out of you."

You shrug. "Last job I got a couple grand. But I had to split it first, so."

"Man." Ming Ming stops. "I got more money when I was streaming weekly than that. And I didn't have to get my shit kicked in in anything other than tournaments."

"I don't think work for a day party for three kids can talk shit about my career choice. Anyway, good talk." You drop the controller on the ground. "I'm gonna walk around and make sure no cyborg ninja asshole is sneaking around.

---

At exactly midnight, the moon hanging over you like some morbid metaphor, three bully boys knocked on the door of the Huaran Warehouse. The first one was a big, slackjawed man. Is he the leader? No, not him. Slackjawed and dull. He's just muscle, there to hold the gang in line. Her, the one in the back, chewing bubblegum? No, a killer, someone that gets the blood flowing. So that guy, that oldhead lurking in the back. He's the commissar, you guess. And, of course, the superhero Yuexia, besides the oldhead, the moonlight shining off of her perfect white raincoat.

"Sup, bitches," you say, ambling out to meet them with a thermos of tea and a spear in your hands. The hot air from the warehouse blows out from the doorway. If you have to fight you'd really prefer it to be inside the warehouse. "Y'all here for the tea?" Which was pretty decent for tea. It was hot and wasn't too bitter. You raise the thermos in salute.

"You're the security?" Slackjaw. Stepping forward and eating up your space. He's trying so hard to be Metalhead which is just a mountain nobody can really reach. "The hell are you wearing bandages for?"

"Nothing. I think they are very comfortable, and everyone will be wearing them in the future. Especially you, if you keep asking me why." You still got it. Or you had it. Or you never lost it. Slackjaw tosses the flow of conversation to Bubblegum. You can't see Yuexia's face. It's hidden under the shadow of her hood. She's just waiting for now.

"Huaran Warehouse," she chews with filed teeth (doesn't that give you dentures), "is under new management now, Mr. Help."

"I didn't get no memo." Take a step back. Physically as well as mentally. You want to create some space for Oogami's men to feel like they can advance to. What's their style? Slackjaw looks like he does some sort of grappling, the way he stands and how his back muscles bulge under his cheap suit. Bubblegum… you don't know, her jacket is pretty baggy. But her knuckles are scarred, you saw that when she scratched her cheek. The oldhead in the back, watching you watching him, he does a kind of kendo. Don't need no analysis for that, there's a katana by his waist.

"Oh, do we have a stickler here?" She's so close. You can feel her hot breath through the bandages. "Here's your memo. You're one man. We're four. Fuck off or we'll break your legs."

"Will you?" You lean forward. "C'mon, here they are. Take'em if you can. They've been pissing me off ever since I woke up." She looks to her companions. "No? Shame. Well! Unfortunately my asking price for this warehouse is two legs. Come and take 'em."

Things went sideways from there.

[1.2] {Wrathful Manifestation} Win the Fight: Send Oogami's men back home without limbs. Maybe dead. Make Oogami rely on Yuexia more.
[1.1] {Pain is a Teacher} Toss the Fight: Wreck the warehouse, oopsie some temps. Indulge in your masochistic tendencies. Get Kirishima mad.