Blood in Lion Pavilion

As you, Wu Song, return to your shabby childhood home, the air is thick with a sense of nostalgia and unease. The wooden door creaks as you push it open, revealing a dimly lit interior. The once-familiar scent of steamed cakes has been replaced by the acrid smell of illness and decay.

Your eyes quickly adjust to the darkness, and you spot your elder brother, Wu Zhi, lying on a rickety bed in the corner. His once-plump face is now gaunt and pale, his eyes sunken into their sockets. Despite his weakened state, Wu Zhi's gaze still holds a spark of the stern love that raised you. You respectfully kneel to your brother, take a large swag of silver coins - almost half of the bounty you have earned for serving as a goon and killing that giant tiger, present it to him.

Wu Zhi's thin hand weakly pushes the offering away. "Keep it," he wheezes, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't need your blood money."

You frown, your broad shoulders tensing, but Wu Zhi's eyes flash with a mixture of disappointment and concern. "Killing beasts, pretending a hero...that's no way for a man to live. You need to find a respectable trade, a virtuous woman, and settle down..." His words sting, disrupt by a fit of coughing. You feel a sharp pain in your heart, but there's nothing you can do. The heaven has bestowed upon you the power to subdue beasts, but diseases are often more terrifying than sharp teeth and claws

Leaving Wu Zhi to rest, you make your way to the family shrine, intent on offering prayers for your brother's health. As you approach, you notice a figure already kneeling before the memorial tablets.

It's your sister-in-law, Pan Jinlian. She's dressed in a way that makes you uncomfortable – her silk robe is loosely tied, revealing more of her pale skin and voluptous curves than is proper. Her long black hair cascades down her back, and when she turns to look at you, her eyes are wide and inviting. "My dear brother..." she purrs, rising gracefully to her feet. "You've returned to us at last. I am praying to the ancestors of Wu family, hoping they can protect your brother. Alas, what a magical branch, to bloom two blossoms, but look completely different..." You can't help but notice the way her eyes roam over your tall, muscular frame. That's not the look a sorrowful woman should have, nor is it the appropriate look for a wife to stare at her brother-in-law. You can smell her perfume now, a heady mix of jasmine and something darker. Your instincts scream danger, but you find yourself rooted to the spot as Pan Jinlian reaches out to touch your arm. "You came back all this way just for your brother, how righteous..." she whispers, her fingers tracing the muscles of your forearm, "Let's move to the inner room, I've prepared some tea for you, and..."

You, Wu Song, stand outside his brother's room, see the coroner emerged with an ambiguous expression. The man's eyes dart nervously between you and your sister-in-law Pan Jinlian, while latter is sobbing uncontrollably in the yard.

You approach the scholar from the local authority, question him about the cause of your brother's death. The coroner hesitated, fidgeting with his sleeves before responding, "He died of illness. I'm sorry, but it's heaven's will, there is nothing I can do..."

Your gaze narrow, piercing eyes boring into the coroner's face. You know the truth isn't that simple. Years in the wilds have taught you about the subtle signs of poisoning, and the purple hue on your brother's face tells a different story altogether.

Pan Jinlian's wails grows louder, drawing your attention. You see her face streaks with tears, her makeup is smudged, revealing patches of pale skin beneath. However, something about her demeanor doesn't quite add up. There is a desperation in her cries, a frantic quality that seems almost rehearsed.

"Oi! Sir tiger killer, over here!" A faint voice comes from behind you. At the entrance of the yard, there stands a child named Niu Er. You know him, he sells fruits at a stall near the Lion Pavilion. "I...I have something to tell you."

When venturing out, you have already witnessed too many injustices. The wickedness of the mass, the corruption of the empire...your former sense of justice has almost become numb. But your brother, who raised you like your father, his death ignites a spark deep within your veins. The broadsword on your back has taken away some innocent lives, and now it is quietly reminding you of a chance for redemption. Your brother is a kind person, he deserves a vengeance.