The orphanage manager handed Paul a large knife.

  Paul looked at the large blade with confusion in his eyes. What am I supposed to do with this? He wonders.

  “Go on. Do it. If you can’t even kill a chicken, are you even a man?” The orphanage manager asks, seeing if he can incite the young boy.

  The orphanage manager was named George Salvin. Most people called him Old George, and his friend called him Georgie. Though he was just an inconspicuous orphanage manager, in truth, his job was directly related to the heart of Crouching Tiger city, beating within it’s grimy underbelly.

  For as long as this orphanage has existed, like a seed planted in the abyss, it has sprouted and its numerous branches has extended into many parts of Crouching Tiger city’s underworld. Like the beating heart of a many-armed beast, its tentacles extending to many shady places in the city, and into various places in the country.

  The orphanage manager, George, himself, grew up here, so he had a solid understanding of this orphanage’s place within the city. To unassuming bystanders it was just an orphanage, but to those who knew, it was part of an established system to feed life into the city’s underworld.

  Crime, neglect, and unfortunate circumstance, has caused all sorts of children to end up here, and depending on the sorts of people they grew up to be, when they were forced to go out on their own, they would end up in all sorts of places, with the orphanage’s connections. Some of the young girls ended up as strippers or prostitutes, and the young men grew up into thieves and gangsters. There was only a small handful who were able to escape this system, and the orphanage’s function in the city.

  If things happened normally, young Derek Sommerhope would have also been fed into this system. He was able to escape this fate, but young Paul Silver could not.

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  As a child, Paul was not too different from Derek. They grew up together and could even be considered close friends. But now Derek had been plucked from this place, and had obtained the destiny to become a dragon among men. As for Paul, he would have to struggle within this system, and hope that he had what it takes to survive it.

  That was sort of George’s role in this orphanage, as he watched these children grow. He would gauge all their whims and fancies, the sort of people they grew up to be, and he would end up connecting them to places in the city where they could be useful.

  For a hot-blooded young men like Paul, there were all sorts of places he could be useful. But George had to see whether the young man had the will and the strength to push through. Many places in Crouching Tiger city’s underworld were not for the faint of heart.

  George picked up a fat chicken by the neck and handed it to Paul. “Go on, maintain a tight grip. Then just chop its head off.” He says.

  Paul’s eyes were worried. He grabbed the chicken as it bitterly fought to free itself. Paul’s determination seemed to falter as he thought of all sorts of things. Is this right to do? What if I was born a chicken? He thinks to himself. His mind being drawn to the priest who came to speak to them that day. The priest said that all life was sacred, and even as orphans who no one cared about, they were still god’s children, and that god had a plan for them. Then what of this chicken? Did god have a plan for it? He wonders.

  George frowns, seeing Paul’s hesitation. He quickly slaps young Paul in the head. “What’s with all your useless thoughts? Just do it!” He exclaims.

  Paul shakes his head, determination growing in his eyes. This is a chicken and I am an orphan. We were both born with an unfortunate fate. But between this chicken and me, I will always choose myself. He thinks, forcing the chicken to the ground and chopping down with the large knife. The chicken didn’t immediately die and its corpse struggled for life even though it was already doomed. Paul watched with startled eyes, but eventually the chicken grew still.

  George smiles, and pats Paul on the head. “Good kid.” He says before picking up the chicken. “And good kids deserve to be rewarded. You’ll eat your fill tonight.” He says, bringing the chicken so that he could cook it.