They're in the middle of a military base. I'm pretty sure that turning a guy into spaghetti sauce would be somewhat of a bad idea at the moment.
Only somewhat.
Like mentioned before in previous chapters, he now has a status like unto a noble. Even if it's just an honorary thing, those swords he's packing - swords that
only nobility usually carry - should have sent the message loud and clear: this is a guy you don't casually confront.
Thing is, the nobility in this setting can actually get away with quite a bit - which was part of why Chris's uncle seemed so unhinged. If he had been able to secure his place as the head of their house by simply killing his father and niece, then it would have been simply accepted as being so by way of
fait accompli, because the nobility basically make the laws, and thus his word would be the law of the land.
And in this case? That random dude was pwned the moment he let his ego get the better of him. Mei could have literally skewered him on the spot, and it would have been just chalked up as the dude being too stupid to live.
In fact, she's actually showing a helluva lot of restraint, here. Keep in mind, she has already demonstrated that she has no problems with killing people on a "as needed" basis. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we hear that, for an agonizing eternity of several milliseconds, she was tempted to do just that. (And then, because it's supposed to be funny, ask in her own roundabout way to be rewarded.)
All in all, the situation kinda reminds me of that one bit from the film, The Sandlot, where Benny and Smalls are explaining what went down to Old Man Myrtle, and he confirms exactly how screwed-over Smalls was...
"George signed this!?"
"George Herman Ruthe? Yes sir."
"I take that back, son. You're not in trouble. You're dead where you stand!"
