act19mini

What is this...?

That madman barged into the training grounds and just started brawling. I think he's the one who fought the Grandmaster in this same place six months ago.

We don't know what's wrong with him, but we tried to avoid hurting him. He knocked a few dozen guys out cold, and then just went away.

...Huai Tianpei?

What madness is this? What happened to the Grandmaster's sword...?

General!

Someone just broke into the armory!

What did we lose?

The Grandmaster's Book of Kung Fu.

Dear General Zuo,

War is on the horizon. The lives of your soldiers and the livelihoods of your people must be your priority.

The best strategy is to disrupt your enemy's strategy. Non-aggression is the essence of justice.

I have borrowed your book for a time. It will be returned to you in due course.

Mo Yi, Shanhaizhong

Best Regards

The contents of the armory are unmolested, except for an empty space on the bookshelf.

There is only a letter where a book should be.

Guards!

Yes, sir!

What are your orders?

Prepare a Messenger. I have a letter to be delivered to the Sui Regulator.

Yes, sir.

And... a second Messenger, to deliver a secret message to the Tianshi Bureau.

Understood.

Impressive, Master Huai. Stealing an army camp ten thousand strong and escaping without breaking a sweat... no one in Yan's history could have achieved such a feat, and it's unlikely anyone else ever will.

Huai Tianpei does not answer, striding around in circles, muttering under his breath.

No need to worry, Master Huai. You helped me obtain the book, and I'll help you in turn.

You will have a bout with the Grandmaster, in an arena with all eyes upon you.

I will prepare everything for you ten days hence, at the peak of Mt. Mang.

...Uh-huh.

But I want ask you, Master Huai... no mortal man is your equal, and you know that the Grandmaster is no mortal man. Why do you insist on defeating him?

Humans have not held their own against Beasts for thousands of years by pitting their own weakness against their foes' strength.

You're not making any sense.

If someone's stronger than me, I train until I beat them. If heaven and earth are stronger than me, I'll do whatever it takes to beat them.

This obsession of yours is not fit for a mortal man.

But you would not have been forced into your current circumstances by the 'merchant', if you'd completely forgotten your humanity.

Should I pity you, or laugh at you?

Interesting...

Dad came this way, Uncle Lee?

The footprints are widely-spaced, but the distance between them is consistent, and every print is equal in depth.

They could only have been left by a kung fu master.

This looks like a mangler's claws...

You're making fun of me again.

Hehe...

I caught one glimpse of him that time, and then he got away... this is the only way now, based on the clues that we have.

We deal with smart people in smart ways. But your dad is a kung fu-obsessed fool... so we handle him the foolish way.

Just keep looking...

Are you worried about him, or angry that he's making trouble again?

I just... don't understand.

No one would ever call him reliable, but he's always honest and upright when it comes to kung fu.

Never bully the weak just because you're strong, and never hurt the innocent. He raised me on these ideals.

I don't get it. What changed him?

I've heard that people lose their reason when they lose what they love, or if they let their obsessions get the better of them...

Is there anyone under heaven who could break his heart over kung fu?

Unless—

Unless he's gone so far down the martial path that he's no longer dealing in mortal affairs...

Well... I haven't forgiven him yet, but I won't forgive whoever turned him this way either!

You're right... they won't get away with it.

But you just reminded me...

There's a town near here. Perhaps it'll offer a clue.

You're looking for someone?

This has been a busy clinic lately. You see those people with plaster casts all over them? Maybe the one you're looking for is among them.

Looks like business has been booming for you.

Mind if I ask... why are there so many wounded here?

It's a long story... this has always been a peaceful town, with no real martial tradition.

Maybe a couple of people make a living with the sword, but nobody worth writing home about. Best they can do is to stand guard at a manor, or escort some goods a short ways.

In recent days, though, we've been getting jianghu adventurers from all across the country coming to these parts, for some reason.

More people means more trouble. These guys are showing up with hot tempers. A little argument, and fists start flying.

They're in pretty bad shape. What kind of argument gets them going at each other like that?

That's another matter altogether...

The folks who've come to this town are after some kind of secret kung fu tome. Legend has it, the thing will make you First Under Heaven. And there's nothing they wouldn't do to get their hands on it.

First Under Heaven... again.

There's one particular nutcase among their ranks.

He challenges anyone who looks like a jianghu adventurer, whether they want to fight or not.

Total nutcase, but incredibly strong. Half the people who've been in here these past few days got hurt fighting him.

...Is this guy still in town?

Who knows? He's made his share of enemies. People might be after him now.

Do you know that madman?

Well...

Don't worry, we came to put a stop to the conflict...

Either way, you'd better get him out of here, if you can.

What happens in the jianghu may stay in the jianghu, but the Tianshis and imperial court aren't going to keep quiet if this carries on.

Anyway, I've got patients to see. I hope I have enough medicine in stock...

That sounds like Dad alright.

More likely than not.

But I've never heard of this secret tome they're fighting over.

I've never heard of such a powerful tome either.

Whether it's true or not, there's one thing for sure: A treasure's whereabouts only become publicly known when it's being used for bait.

And we should try to hook whoever set this bait.

Hm?

I think I just saw a familiar face...

You are... Mr. Lee? We met in Shangshu, correct?

Are you looking for the martial master drawn here by a supposed secret kung fu tome?

We don't know if he was drawn here by the tome.

What brings you here, Master Lin?

I'm looking for the one who brought the tome here.

What do you know of all this?

Not much.

All I know is that it is an elaborate plot, and many have come to this town believing those claims.

As for the true purpose behind it all...