Part 19: Shanghai, part 2

Shanghai, part 2

Her performance finished, Qiuhua puts her huqin away and then comes back out on stage.


U-uncle Zhuzhen? Uncle Zhuzhen!!

Is there an echo in here?


At least someone appreciates the old man.



It's good to see YOU! You look well. In fact, you haven't changed a bit!

There's a "HURR, HE'S OLD" joke somewhere in here, but I'm not feeling particularly ambitious.

So, how's your dad? How's Mr. Zhen?

...

That good, eh?

...What's the matter?



M-Mr. Zhen...?





Hoodlum Kan: Gyahahah!



Zhuzhen?!

That's right, Father. Uncle Zhuzhen is back.

How've you been, Mr. Zhen?

Y-you're alive...?! But...how?!

What kind of greeting is that for an old friend? 15 long years, and you look like you've seen a ghost! They tell me this place has changed hands. Is it true?

Err...Erm...Yes, it's true.

Aw, come on! What're you being so formal with me for? That's no way for the owner of this place to...

I think the Alzheimer's is getting to Zhuzhen.

...

Male Voice: ...I am the owner of this business.


I said Ben should have killed him while he had a chance.

So you're still alive...

Heh heh... I believe that's my line, Master Zhuzhen. I'm finally back from Kowloon, and I find myself meeting old faces. Let me welcome you properly.



Is-is he threatening Uncle Zhuzhen or coming on to him?

I can't tell anymore.

Master Wugui, please leave Uncle Zhuzhen alone. He just came here to see my father. That's all. So, please... Please...!

M-MASTER Wugui?!

Why act so surprised? Didn't I just tell you? I am the proprietor of this place. Once, Zhongyun Zhen here opposed Master Dehuai. Now, he and his daughter are among my employees.

I-I can't believe it! Is this true, Zhen?!

...

...Yes.

H-how could this have...?

Hah ha ha ha ha!! What's the matter, Zhuzhen? Shanghai's changed! Now then, to begin the welcome banquet! You remember how to play the old game, don't you?! You two! Back in his day, this old man was the toughest guy around. Beat him and I'll reward you.


Qiuhua runs off before the violence starts.



Drunken Lee: I'll take you on first, old man.

The two men Wugui is ordering around are Kappa like in the flashback. Ogre Flamedance quickly dispatches the first one.


Jeez, Zhuzhen is more senile than usual today.

Well, in that case... In that case, if I win, I get this place as my prize.

...Hmph. In any case, your attempts will prove futile. You're far too old for this.

Hoodlum Kan: Not bad, gramps. But can you hold up? Maybe it's time for a prayer.

The second fight is identical to the first.



Your arts are as sharp as ever, even if you yourself haven't fared as well.

Hmph! Are you quite finished?

Enough talk. Now you face me. Heh heh heh... You DO remember, didn't you?! Your magic has no effect on me!




Man, he's ugly.


No thanks. I already know what will happen. I have Zhuzhen pound on Wugui a bit, and Wugui shows Zhuzhen his Stretch Armstrong impersonation. After a few rounds, Wugui finishes the fight with his Special Attack, "Game of Death".








Naturally, it's an Instant Death attack. I think it works by making the victim suffocate from laughing too much.



I-I'll be all right!! Y-you magic-sucking, half-pint, slicked-back bastard...



Heh. And I was thinking of allowing you a quick death. As usual, you had to go and say too much...

I'll cut off your limbs and serve them to Dehuai. And that wagging tongue of yours as well!

I think the old man hit a nerve.

Young Male Voice: Ah, there they are!




Looks like Qiuhua went and got help. Though I'm not sure how she managed to find out about the rest of the party...

Don't tell me you're half-dead? You hurt? This guy did this to you?

Heh... What's the matter, kid? You sound like you're actually starting to care about me or something.

Some of your friends, Zhuzhen? Poke around in other peoples' business and you're bound to get hurt. I'll forgive you this intrusion. Get lost!



I don't care if you get down on your hands and knees, I won't let you off the hook!



W-who ARE you!?

Why would I tell you?! It doesn't matter anyway, since you're going to die right here! You really are dumb!

Wh-wh-wh... What an amusing joke!! A...all right, fool! We'll see who's...who's about to die!!

Gee, something sure seems to have shaken him up.




Before Yuri even gets a turn, Wugui starts off with the Game of Death. Unfortunately for Wugui, it doesn't work this time. Hah!



Wugui of Kowloon: I see. You, too, are protected by the darkness!!


After that, there's nothing left to do but pound Wugui into submission. I could have used Inferno, which is the best physical attacker, but since everything else has been mirroring Ben's encounter with Wugui, I thought Death Emperor was more appropriate.


Ding!


Margarete and Alice finally show up. Not that I needed them.

Y-you...you're...a demon...!

I changed my mind! I'm not going to kill you anymore, so you run along to Dehuai...

...idiot.

Since I'm here, he better hide his girlie magazines, 'cause he could get killed any day now!

Nnngh... Things'll go a bit differently next time, kid!!

No, they won't.







...couldn't you have come just a little sooner...? Hey, I think I'm having deja vu... Urgh...owww...

Arrgg...No...What's happening...I can't believe it...



There's no mistaking it...His eyes...and his mouth...It's an absolute likeness!! Like a twin...It's as if he's alive...and...and grew to be this grand...ohh...urggh...

This is getting a bit creepy...



Master Zhuzhen, is he...?

Heh heh heh... You guess right, Qiuhua, Zhen. Let me introduce you. The kid's name is Yuri. It's a memento from Colonel Ben Hyuga!!



Who's a pimento?



Ever since then, I accompanied him in his travels. We opened a shop in Shanghai because he said we should make this our base of operations...

But in fact, he did it out of concern for young Qiuhua.

Each summer, father left the village for work. Then he returned just before winter began. But there was that one year...A cold winter arrived, and snow was falling. But no sign of father...

And instead, what came to our village was...Hmph...Forget it...

I heard that the colonel had a Russian wife. And that they had a young son. But...I had no idea...that he would be alive...

...My mother died. Heheh, but just my luck, I had to outlive them.

How can you say that? I haven't been this thrilled in my life. And how happy Zhuzhen must be as well!

Ooo-kay...

Old geezer...You knew everything from square one, didn't you?! But you kept quiet the whole time!! Whether it's about my father, or me, or whoever else...



Why is everyone so damn secretive!! Why?? Tell me, you stupid old man!!

Stop it, Yuri! Zhuzhen was agonizing over it all this time. He didn't know how to tell you. So please...!

I was the one...

I was the one who killed Hyuga.







What did you say?! Those could be your last words!

I first met Hyuga fifteen years ago, here in Shanghai. Hyuga was a special assassin sent to China when the Japanese Army realized Dehuai was up to no good. We spent much time tracking Dehuai. Finally we learned what the Demon's Gate Invocation was. We hit Dehuai's stronghold, the Kuihai Tower, and finally defeated him. It was a fierce battle.

So then, the man you told me about in Dalian was...

That's right. I was talking about your father. Hyuga put his life on the line and stopped the cursed Valorization.

Then...my father died, eh...



Yuri... Please forgive Zhuzhen...

Zhuzhen didn't want to get involved in the same fight your father got pulled into. I can fully understand Zhuzhen's feelings. If I were him, I would've done the same thing.


When in doubt, kick something.

Arrg...I know!! I know...

Yuri...

Zhuzhen. If Dehuai is trying to repeat the same mistake he attempted fifteen years ago...

Then the next target is surely Master Xifa!!

Gesundheit.



Y-you're right!! How could I have been so dense?!

D-don't shout like that all of a sudden! You wanna scare me half to death?!

...But that temple is the holiest place in Nine Heavens Taoism. It's protected by Master Xifa himself. Even that miserable fool Dehuai should know better than to mess with that place.

Master Xifa?

Yeah. He was my teacher...a mangy old goat. He's the protector of the underground temple at Wuhan.

Um, are you sure this guy is even still alive? He must be pretty ancient by now.

...And here's the rub. The White Tiger is ensconced there...one of the Gods of the Four Directions.

At first, the White Tiger Picture was kept elsewhere, but to keep it from falling in Dehuai's hands...

Colonel Hyuga placed it in the care of Master Xifa.

Which means...Dehuai's plotted out this scheme far more carefully than before...

It does?

And if that's what he called in Wugui for, then it's all beginning to make sense.



All right. I'm ready to put my life on the line for this. How about you, Yuri? Do you have the guts to walk your father's path?

My...My father's path?

It will be a difficult and painful road. And when you arrive, you may find nothing but despair and ruin. Are you up to the challenge?! Huh?! What do you say?!

Zhuzhen! H-how can you ask such a thing of him?!

Butt out, kid! We've got absolutely no time to waste! This has been a race against time from the moment these bastards set their sights on Alice!!

Zhuzhen has Yuri pretty well figured out. If he can't get him fired up by challenging him, then just mention Alice.

Alice said that she could find out why her father died if she fought Dehuai. Right?

Yes, that's right.

Pops, I...

No matter what the cost, if I have a chance to see what my father saw, I won't have a single regret. If that damn Dehuai really is going to release that Demon's Gate Convocation upon us...

Then I'll do everything I can to make sure his little convocation is canceled once and for all!

The dramatic speech is somewhat ruined by him getting the name of the spell wrong twice.

Heh heh... Good for you, kid. And you can count on this broken down old sage here to guide you through hell if need be.




I think someone's feeling left out.




Or maybe not.

You!! You were listening in again, weren't you?!

No! No, I wasn't! I just...happened to overhear.

...While I just happened to be leaning with my ear against your door...because I was inspecting for, um, termites.

How incredibly suspicious you are! Now I'm SURE I don't like you.

Now, now. Don't get so angry.





I hear Dehuai has sent his men to Wuhan. And that's not all! The Japanese military troops that were stationed in Shanghai have been secretly sent to Wuhan, too!



Hey! How is it that you know about Dehuai...let alone the movements of the Japanese Army?!

I don't think Kawashima will be able to keep up the ruse much longer. She's getting hasty.

Hee hee! We in the smuggling business can get our hands on lots of underground information.

Something smells here...

But if you're trying to help us, I suppose I ought to thank you.

I OUGHT to. That doesn't mean I will.

Well! And here I went to all the trouble of gathering information I thought you could use! Yuri, Zhuzhen, what shall we do? There isn't much time left.

Pops, I'm sure it's Wugui that is headed for Wuhan. Don't you think that even for a great Adept like yourself, he'll be an awfully tough opponent?

I'd say especially for a great Adept. They tend not to be very good at punching things.

Well...I suppose you're right...

Zhuzhen, we'll go with you to Wuhan!

No, Zhen. You and Qiuhua stay here and gather as much information as you can. We need this place to be the base for our activities again!

Zhuzhen...

Wait here, and rest assured...We won't let them touch the White Tiger!

Yuri... Okay, I understand. Qiuhua, let's go back to the shop. Ah yes, before you leave Shanghai, stop by our place.

Be careful, Uncle Zhuzhen! Come back safe!

Now, then, we'd better get ready.


We can finally snoop around Kawashima and Kato's room.


Too bad they're in it.


Kato does have some good advice, though.


The weapon shop is finally open, so I pick up new weapons and armor for everyone. Zhuzhen only gets armor, since he already got his new weapon for free.




I'll drink to that!


The main reason I came into the bar was to do a little tweaking on the new weapons.


In the pit fights, you have a character fight a series of battles. The more you win in a row, the more money you get. If you win 10 in a row without stopping with Yuri, you get a special item. I'm not quite ready for this yet, so we'll come back later.




And now we're off to try to beat Dehuai to the punch!


Next time on Shadow Hearts: jumping through hoops (like that's anything new).


Shanghai, part 2 on Viddler
Video 1
Video 2 (boss fight)
Video 3


NPC Scorecard