The Man They Call Shan

[Kwokinator]

"Indeed," the monk replied. "That is the way of Buddhism.  If you are honest and sincere towards the Buddha, you can be enlightened.  That's why we have the phrase 'release the butcher knife and be one with the Buddha.'"

[Edward]

"I see.  Thank you for your time, honored monk."  Zhu-Lin returns to his steam buns, watching and listening to the other patrons.  He also tries to recall where the would-be thief was before his attack and if anyone else was with him.

[Kwokinator]

There were, indeed, people sitting at the would-be thief's table, and they are still there at this time.  However, since the restaurant part of the inn is so crowded, it is possible that none of the people at the table knew each other and were simply coincidentally assigned the same table by the waiter to reduce waiting time.

The rest of the restaurant spoke mostly of the same subject as before, although one or two tables in particular have dropped their discussion into a low whisper.

[Edward]

Zhu-Lin will listen to the table praising the Shaolin monks as they probably have a bit more to talk about now.

[Kwokinator]

The conversation is mostly drowned out by the ambient noise in the restaurant, but Zhu-Lin can make out the words "infamous", "72 Arts", "next" sprinkled into the conversation here and there, although he cannot make out if it is referencing the monk or the would-be robber.

[Edward]

Zhu-Lin will keep listening as he doesn't plan on starting fighst and there doesn't seem to be anything else to do.

[Kwokinator]

Suddenly, the room became completely silent as a figure stepped into the room.  

Everyone, even the normal civilians, could feel the raw power radiating from the man, as he entered the restaurant, his long black cape flowing windlessly behind him, propelled by the ki that surrounded his person.

"Hello, Jing Gen-daishi," the man bowed slightly to the monk. "Long time no see."

[Edward]

Zhu-Lin glances quickly at the monk to see how he is reacting.  If a serious fight goes down, he will concentrate on getting hapless bystanders out of the way of the fight, at least at first.

[Kwokinator]

To Zhu-Lin's surprise, the monk bows respectfully to the man.

"It has been long, indeed," the monk greets. "It has been what, five, ten years?  Jiang hu hasn't had a big enough trouble to warrant your coming out."

"Now there is," the man replies without a hint of humour. "Corrupt officials, the rise of the Ming Sect, it's time we stand up to them en masse."

The occupants of the restaurant begins to whisper amongst themselves, while the younger occupants have an awe-struck expression on their faces.

[Edward]

Zhu-Lin is surprised as well.  Not knowing what to do, he listens carefully to see how the conversation continues.

[Kwokinator]

"Indeed," the monk nodded. "Although I must again advise against unnecessary killing.  After all, everyone has a family and we do not want to deprive the family members from one of their own."

"Like the last time, Jing Gen-daishi," the man replied grimly. "This is a war, and I make no promises.  I'll do what I can.  And now I'm leaving, I only came to tell you about it."

"WHO WANTS TO COME WITH ME!" the man yelled. "I make no promises for your life or livelihood, but I promise we will give our enemies hell!"

[Edward]

Zhu-Lin looks back and forth between the two men, the monk and the rabble-rouser, and shakes his head slightly.  One seems willing to do nothing while the other appears ready to charge blindly into battle.

He watches to see if either has more to say, and to see how the other people in the inn react.

[Kwokinator]

A great percentage of the room cheered and held their hands up, most of the responding people are the ones who have been whispering before and after the man came.

"Let's go!" the man began to walk out of the room, taking with him most of the customers of the restaurant.

[Edward]

Zhu-Lin sighs.  It appears there is no place for him here and that he lacks the power to affect events in any way.

The monk wants to live a life of quiet contemplation, and appears unwilling to raise a hand in most circumstances.  If Zhu-Lin planned on living that isolated a life, he would never have come down from the mountains.

The rabble-rouser at least wants to do something, but Zhu-Lin is worried he's being too confrontational.  And Zhu-Lin has no desire to be part of the man's faceless mob of followers, even if he didn't feel that they probably lack the power to survive the coming confrontation.

Zhu-Lin sighs again.  There is no chance for him to be a hero, no chance for him to help or even make a diffirence.  He's obviously completely outclassed by the monk and the rabble-rouser as well.  Even the lowly thief was clearly out of Zhu-Lin's league.

He pays the waiter for his meal, walks outside the inn, and stands his staff on end.  He lets it go, seeing which way it points, praying he can find a place in this world that does need him.

[Kwokinator]

The staff points north, and that is the direction Zhu-Lin takes.

After about two shichen, two men carrying dao blocks the road in front of him.

OOC: Look to the translations thread for definition of shichen if you don't know it, I wanna keep them all at the same place in case I reuse the term ^_^