28:Hon Gaban.

The next day, early in the morning, Rai Kan walked through the quiet forest, the morning mist still lingering in the air. The silver wolf, its leg now healed, followed him obediently until they reached a secluded clearing. Rai Kan knelt beside the wolf, looking into its intelligent eyes.

"You're free now. Go back to where you belong."

The wolf nuzzled his hand briefly before turning and disappearing into the forest, its silver fur a ghostly blur among the trees. Rai Kan watched until it was out of sight, then stood and made his way back to the city entrance where Hi Ho and Bi Ji were waiting, ready to depart.

Later that night, as they sat by the fire, Rai Kan and Hi Ho discussed their next destination. The flames flickered, casting dancing shadows on their faces. Bi Ji lay nearby, contentedly chewing on some grass.

**Rai Kan, spoke while leaning back, gazing into the fire. "I've been thinking. We should head to the Central City next."

**Hi Ho,froze, his eyes widening in shock."Central City? Are you serious, Rai Kan?"

**Rai Kan,shrugged nonchalantly.* "Why not? It's just another city. What's there to be so afraid of?"

**Hi Ho, starts shouting in anger."Just another city? Are you joking, or are you really that ignorant?"

Rai Kan looked at his friend, surprised by the intensity of his reaction. Hi Ho's usual calm demeanor was replaced by a look of sheer terror.

**Rai Kan, spoke gently."I know it's where the richest and most powerful people live, but we're not going there to pick a fight."

**Hi Ho,still visibly shaken,speaks his voice trembling."You don't understand. Central City isn't just a place of wealth. It's a palace of power and greed, built on a mountain of dead bodies. With a vile history written in dried blood. It's the highest heaven and the deepest hell in all of Murim."

Rai Kan listened intently, his curiosity piqued despite the fear evident in Hi Ho's voice.

"It's the land of the strong not because all the people their are strong, but due to the fact that the weak—whether the youngest newborn or the eldest elder—are discarded to die. It's a city where even the smallest act of kindness is seen as a sin."

"The brightest fortune and the darkest

desire."

"The most beautiful and the most vile."

"The glorious king and the bloodiest Tyrant."

"The greatest happiness and the blackest despair, the city of Hon Gaban."

Rai Kan's eyes widened slightly at the severity of Hi Ho's words. He knew that the central city is the place of greatest power but this was something unexpected.

Intrigued,Rai Kan asks "Tell me more, Hi Ho. Share some stories about events or individuals there."

Hi Ho saw this as a chance to dissuade his friend from what he considered a suicidal journey. He decided to tell the scariest stories he knew.

Sighing, he began. "There is a noble family their, renowned for its wealth and influence. The head of the family has set impossible standards for his children. One day, a newborn didn't meet those standards. The head ordered the baby to be flayed alive in front of its mother. She was forced to watch as her child died a slow, agonizing death."

Rai Kan's face darkened,after hearing this. Hi Ho continued, knowing he had to drive the point home.

**Hi Ho**: *Grimly.* "There was a young nobleman who defied his father's wishes to marry his true love. His father, enraged by the disobedience, made him watch as his wife and two children were boiled alive in oil. The screams haunted him for the rest of his days."

Rai Kan clenched his fists, struggling to comprehend such cruelty. Hi Ho pressed on, recounting more tales of the city's brutality.

**Hi Ho**: "A maid took a leave of absence on an important occasion to care for her sick mother. Her employer, a powerful noblewoman, punished her by making her watch her mother burn to death. The maid's screams echoed through the palace, but no one intervened."

**Hi Ho**: "Another time, a man fell afoul of a powerful lord. As punishment, he was forced to watch his wife being used as an object of pleasure by the lord's men for three years. She eventually died, but the man's spirit was broken long before then."

**Hi Ho**: *Shaking his head, his voice low.* "And then there was an old man. He would infiltrate homes and r*pe the children and then kill them slowly and painfully, right in front of their parents. His reign of terror lasted for years until he was finally caught and executed, but the scars he left on those families never healed."

Rai Kan's face was calm, his usually steady hands trembling. The horror of Hi Ho's stories had shaken him to his core. He sat silently, absorbing the weight of what he had just heard. Hi Ho watched him carefully, hoping the stories had changed his friend's mind.

**Hi Ho**: *Gently.* "Rai Kan, do you understand now? The Central City is no place for us. It's a place where humanity is lost, where power and cruelty reign supreme. We don't belong there."

Rai Kan nodded slowly, his determination wavering. He realized the truth in Hi Ho's words. The stories of unimaginable cruelty and ruthless power had left an indelible mark on his mind. He didn't want to subject himself or Hi Ho to such a place.

**Rai Kan, "I understand, Hi Ho. We won't go to the Central City."

Hi Ho sighed with relief, feeling the tension drain from his body. He had been deeply worried about Rai Kan's reckless curiosity leading them into a deadly situation.

**Hi Ho**: *Smiling faintly.* "I'm glad you see it now. Let's find another place, a safer place."

That night, Hi Ho slept soundly, relieved that he had managed to dissuade Rai Kan from their perilous journey. Rai Kan, however, lay awake, slightly disturbed by the stories Hi Ho had shared. He couldn't shake the images from his mind—the flayed baby, the boiling oil, the burning mother, the tormented wife, and the suffering children. Each story was a vivid testament to the cruelty and darkness that lay within the Central City.

As the fire crackled and the night deepened, Rai Kan found himself lost in thought. He had always been driven by a sense of adventure and a desire to test his strength against the world's challenges. But the tales of the Central City had revealed a darkness he wasn't prepared to face. It wasn't just about physical strength; it was about surviving in a place where humanity itself was twisted beyond recognition.

**Rai Kan, thought"How can such cruelty exist? How can people live in a place so devoid of kindness and compassion?"

The questions gnawed at him, but he knew the answers wouldn't come easily. He had to reconcile his desire for adventure with the harsh realities of the world. As dawn approached, he made a silent vow to protect those he cared about and to seek challenges that would test his strength and character without compromising his humanity.

When morning came, Rai Kan and Hi Ho packed their belongings and prepared to leave the Whispering Forest. The decision not to go to the Central City weighed heavily on Rai Kan's mind, but he knew it was the right choice. He looked at Hi Ho, grateful for his friend's wisdom and guidance.

**Hi Ho**: *Smiling warmly.* "Ready to go, Rai Kan?"

**Rai Kan**: *Nodding.* "Yes, Hi Ho. Let's find a new adventure, somewhere we can make a positive difference."

They set off on their journey, the horrors of the Central City left behind. As they traveled, Rai Kan couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of purpose. He would seek out challenges that would test his strength and skill, but he would also strive to keep his humanity intact.

Days turned into weeks as they traveled through lush valleys and rugged mountains, seeking new experiences and forging new bonds. They encountered friendly villagers, skilled martial artists, and wise elders who shared their knowledge and stories. Each encounter enriched their journey, and Rai Kan's respect for the world's diversity deepened.

One evening, as they camped near a tranquil river, Rai Kan and Hi Ho sat by the fire, reflecting on their journey.

**Hi Ho**: "We've come a long way, Rai Kan."

**Rai Kan, "Yes, Hi Ho. And we still have so much more to see and learn. I'm grateful for this journey and for your companionship."

**Hi Ho**: *Smiling.* "I'm glad we're in this together, Rai Kan. Let's keep moving forward, finding new adventures."

As they continued their journey, Rai Kan and Hi Ho remained vigilant, always mindful of the lessons they had learned.