Kang sat at a low table across from the two girls.
They were inside a room of the old temple, one that looked like it had once been meant for receiving guests. Despite the cracked walls and worn beams, the place still held a trace of its old majestic feeling.
On the table in front of him sat a plastic bag filled with something white, a straw beside it, and two cans of drinks from brands he had never heard of. Which made sense, three hundred years had passed since his time. It would be a miracle for any brand to last that long.
"This is…" Kang looked at the strange meal with curiosity.
"Nutrisoy," Lena answered brightly. "Nutrient food made from soybeans. Cheap, full of protein, keeps you alive. It's our staple food here in the Slum."
Xiao Yun sat quietly beside her, her eyes fixed on him, saying nothing.
"I think we all need a breather after that bloodbath, so let's talk while having dinner," Lena continued. "Well, maybe not all of us. You handled Dick John like a pro, I doubt you even broke a sweat."
Kang chuckled. "Nah, I was getting hungry after running around all day, so this is perfect. Thanks."
He picked up the Nutrisoy pack and examined it. A small circular mark caught his eye, clearly meant to be punctured with the straw.
"Just stab the straw into that hole and suck it out," Lena explained.
Kang frowned. Instead of doing that, he tore open one corner of the pack and drank straight from it. He noticed Xiao Yun's eyes widen slightly, a flicker of surprise or maybe recognition in her expression, though he couldn't tell why.
The taste was... peculiar. Like drinking liquid tofu, slightly sweet and salty, but otherwise bland. Not unpleasant, just something he wouldn't want to eat every day. Even the field rations from his time tasted better, and nobody liked those either.
While sipping her own pack, Lena glanced at Xiao Yun, who gave her a tiny nod, as if confirming something.
When Kang finished his Nutrisoy, Lena casually slid a can toward him.
"First time eating that stuff's always rough. Here, have a drink!"
Kang nodded in thanks and examined the can. The first one was alcoholic, he set it aside. The second one was orange juice, so he cracked it open and took a sip.
Compared to the Nutrisoy, the drink was almost heavenly. Sweet, tangy, and refreshing. He let out a quiet sigh of satisfaction. At least some things hadn't changed in three hundred years, people still knew how to make a good drink.
And thank goodness cans were still opened the old way. It would have been awkward to ask.
"You don't drink alcohol?" Xiao Yun suddenly asked.
Her serious gaze caught Kang off guard, and only then did he realize what had just happened.
"No, we don't drink alcohol," he replied with a smile. "Were you testing me?"
Disciples of the Hidden Tiger Style were forbidden from consuming any kind of stimulant, no alcohol, no coffee, and absolutely no drugs. They cloud your mind and weaken your body, his master used to say.
"Yes, I was." Xiao Yun nodded firmly. "And you passed perfectly. You didn't use the straw, avoided alcohol and chose fruit juice instead. Every bit in line with our teachings."
She had been watching him closely. His movements, his choices, they weren't acts of awareness or hesitation, but instinct. That kind of discipline couldn't be faked. It had to be carved into one's body and soul through years of training. Once again she was certain, this man is indeed a disciple of the Hidden Tiger Style.
Kang nearly spat out the orange juice he was drinking.
Okay, no alcohol was definitely part of the teachings. But no straws? What the hell? Since when did that become our doctrine?
Then it hit him. Of course. His master did tell them not to use straws. A real man drinks straight from the cup, the old geezer used to say, puffing his chest like some ancient philosopher. He never minded Xiao Lin using one, though—it had clearly just been his own macho quirk.
Don't tell him that self-absorbed old man actually turned that into an official rule of the Hidden Tiger Style... Kang rubbed his temple, trying his best to stiffle a laugh. Instead, something warm ran down his cheek. Damn it, he missed him so much...
The worst part of waking up from a three-hundred-year sleep was when they told you, "All your family and friends are dead."
His reaction must have shocked the two girls. Xiao Yun froze, not knowing what to do, silently asking herself what she might have done to make him this sad. Lena, on the other hand, spoke up with a puzzled look.
"Huh? What? Why are you crying? Was the food that bad?"
Kang quickly pulled himself together. He wiped his face and spoke with forced cheerfulness.
"That was just your imagination! We don't cry either. Right?" He winked at Xiao Yun, who still hadn't recovered from the moment.
No one said anything. The air turned a little awkward. Kang coughed and straightened his posture.
"Actually, I think we haven't introduced ourselves properly, have we?"
He sat upright and continued.
"Liu Kang, disciple of the Hidden Tiger Style. It's an honor to meet you."
His sudden seriousness startled both girls. Lena followed his lead, shifting into a seiza position.
"Uh… right. Lena Tran, also known as Razorgirl. I run things here in the Old Temple zone. Nice to meet you too."
Xiao Yun took a deep breath, clearing her thoughts. Then she opened her eyes and spoke with calm pride.
"Liu Xiao Yun, fifteenth-generation Master of the Hidden Tiger Dojo. It's an honor to meet you, senior brother."
Kang's eyes lit up when he heard her call him senior brother. Guess she finally accepted him as one of her own.
"Now, can you explain to me, senior brother, just who exactly are you and what is your relationship with our dojo?" Xiao Yun asked steadily, determination in her eyes.
Kang let out a bitter laugh. This was a question he couldn't dodge, huh...
"Do you want the truth, or a made-up lie?" he asked.
The two girls exchanged baffled looks. That was the weirdest question they'd ever heard.
"What do you mean?" Lena frowned.
Xiao Yun's expression echoed the same question.
"Because the lie is easier to believe," Kang said with a shrug, "and makes more sense."
"No matter what, I want the truth," Xiao Yun said firmly.
"Yeah, what she said. The truth, please!" Lena added, her eyes gleaming with excitement. This man was simply too interesting.
"You won't believe it…" Kang sighed.
"Tell us," they demanded.
He told them.
They didn't believe it.