The Maelstrom of Vengeance

The air was thick with tension as the Xiao family stood amidst the carnage that had unfolded at the Golden Dragon Casino. Xiao Mingyuan, the older brother of the deceased casino boss, Xiao Mingzhe, surveyed the scene with a cold, calculating gaze.

Beside him, Xiao Mingzhe's wife, Luo Ting, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, knelt beside her husband's lifeless body. Her delicate frame shook with the weight of her grief, the once-vibrant woman now a mere shadow of her former self.

Xiao Mingliang, the youngest of the Xiao brothers, his face etched with a mixture of fury and determination, paced the room, his sharp eyes cataloging every detail of the crime scene.

"Who could have done this?" Luo Ting's voice was barely above a whisper, the words catching in her throat. "Mingzhe, my darling, who would dare to take you from me?"

Xiao Mingyuan placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder, his expression grim. "We will find out, my dear. I promise you, the one responsible for this will pay dearly."

Xiao Mingliang paused, his gaze sweeping over the bodies of the fallen guards. "The wounds are precise, almost surgical in their execution," he murmured, his brow furrowing in thought. "This was no ordinary attack."

Xiao Mingyuan nodded, his mind racing. "Rivals, perhaps? Mingzhe had no shortage of enemies in this business." He turned to his younger brother, his eyes narrowed. "Did he mention anything recently about potential threats?"

Xiao Mingliang shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Nothing specific. But you know how it is – in our world, everyone is a potential threat."

Luo Ting raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed. "Then we must find out who did this and make them pay," she said, her voice laced with a cold determination.

Xiao Mingyuan nodded, his expression hardening. "We will, my dear. I will not rest until Mingzhe's killer is brought to justice."

Suddenly, a commotion at the entrance drew their attention. Xiao Mingyuan's son, Xiao Zheng, a young man of 23, rushed into the room, his face pale and his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and something akin to recognition.

"Father, Uncle Mingliang, I..." Xiao Zheng's voice trailed off as he surveyed the scene, his gaze lingering on the bodies of the guards.

Xiao Mingyuan frowned, his brow creased with concern. "Zheng, what is it? What have you seen?"

Xiao Zheng swallowed hard, his eyes darting between his father and uncle. "The way the guards were killed... the precision, the locations of the wounds. It's..." He paused, his face twisting with a mix of disbelief and dread. "It's reminiscent of someone I know. Or, knew, rather."

Xiao Mingliang's eyes narrowed, his interest piqued. "And who might that be, Zheng?"

Xiao Zheng shook his head, his expression troubled. "I'm not sure. The details are... fuzzy. But I can't shake the feeling that I've seen this kind of handiwork before."

Xiao Mingyuan's gaze sharpened, his mind already piecing together the implications. "Someone from our past, perhaps?" he murmured, his tone laced with a hint of unease.

Xiao Zheng nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. "It's possible. The way the guards were taken out, the precision of the wounds – it's almost as if the perpetrator had extensive training in close-quarters combat."

Xiao Mingliang crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "If that's the case, then we're not dealing with just any common thug. This is the work of a skilled, experienced fighter."

Luo Ting's grip on her husband's hand tightened, her expression hardening. "Then we must find this person and make them pay for what they've done. Mingzhe deserves justice."

Xiao Mingyuan nodded, his gaze resolute. "We will, my dear. I will not rest until we uncover the truth and bring Mingzhe's killer to justice."

The Xiao family fell into a tense silence, each member lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated the gravity of the situation. The air was thick with a sense of mourning, tinged with the promise of retribution.

As the authorities arrived to secure the scene, the Xiao family reluctantly stepped aside, their expressions grim. Xiao Mingyuan knew that they would need to tread carefully, for in their world, no one could be trusted, not even the very people sworn to uphold the law.

Once the investigators had finished their work, the Xiao family gathered in a secluded corner of the casino, their voices lowered to barely above a whisper.

"We need to find out who did this," Xiao Mingyuan said, his eyes narrowed. "And we need to do it before the authorities do."

Xiao Mingliang nodded, his expression hardening. "Agreed. This is a matter of family honor. We can't afford to let anyone else get to them first."

Luo Ting's gaze was fiery, her grief fueling her thirst for vengeance. "I want the one responsible for this to suffer," she hissed, her knuckles whitening as she clenched her fists.

Xiao Zheng remained silent, his mind still grappling with the unsettling familiarity of the scene before him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen this kind of precision and skill before, but the memories remained elusive, shrouded in the mists of the past.

"Zheng," Xiao Mingyuan's voice cut through the silence, "if you have any inkling of who might have done this, you need to tell us. We need every lead we can get."

Xiao Zheng hesitated, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I'm not sure, Father. The details are so hazy..." He paused, his expression troubled. "But in my mind, its like I know someone with this skill from some long time ago. The way the guards were taken down, the precision of the wounds – it's all too familiar."

Xiao Mingliang leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Then we need to start there. Dig up any information you can remember about this person. We need to find them, and we need to find them fast."

Xiao Zheng nodded, his resolve hardening. "I'll do my best, Uncle. But it's been a long time, and the memories are faint. I can't make any promises."

Xiao Mingyuan placed a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "We understand, Zheng. Just do what you can. Every little bit of information could be the key to unlocking this mystery."

The Xiao family fell silent once more, each member lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated the challenges that lay ahead. The weight of Mingzhe's death hung heavily in the air, a constant reminder of the ruthlessness of their world and the steep price they were willing to pay for justice.

As they quietly left the casino, their faces set in grim determination, the Xiao family knew that they were embarking on a dangerous path. But for them, there was no other choice. Mingzhe's killer would be found, and they would pay the ultimate price for their transgressions.

Little did they know that the one responsible for their brother's demise was not some seasoned rival, but rather an 18-year-old girl who had only came there to defend and protect her friend. Feng Ruoxi, the seemingly meek and delicate debutante, had proven herself to be a formidable force, her lethal skills honed through a lifetime of training as the former spy, Bai Yunshu.

As the Xiao family plotted their revenge, unaware of the true identity of their target, Feng Ruoxi found herself caught in the crosshairs of a powerful and ruthless clan, her newfound power and influence suddenly threatened by the looming shadow of retribution.

The stage was set for a clash of titans, a battle that would test the limits of Feng Ruoxi's skills and determination, and ultimately, her very survival.