Part 46: XLVI - Crime Time

Hello, folks! Welcome to Crime Time!

Alright, now that we've got our marching orders, I suppose we're off to Wong Ho.



And as we leave the Golden Temple, we see some guys carrying a girl into a side alley. I'm sure this is entirely unrelated to our current operation, so we'll just head to the Red Dragon.



As there's no obvious way to see Wong Ho, we ask at the entrance, and are told to go to the second floor. But there is no way to get to the second floor...



...or the walls could just open to reveal an elevator. Yeah, I guess that could work.



Up on the second floor, we find some fancy looking office-type deal.



And inside this sliding door thing (really have no idea what the fuck this is) we find who I presume is Wong Ho.



What happened?
[Listen] Kiki, my daughter. They grabbed her. They called and said Wong Ho has meddled with Tong for the last time!

Well, that's awfully convenient.

This might not be the best time, but Ming-Xiao sent me to talk with you.
Ming-Xiao? Oh, of course. Please forgive me, but as you can see I am in a most terrible situation. I am Wong Ho, owner of the Red Dragon. Again, I apologize for my inconsiderate behavior.
No problem. What's going on here, Wong Ho?
The Tong... a local street gang here in Chinatown just broke into my restaurant and kidnapped my daughter at gunpoint. The Tong grow more bold every day, and now they have my Kiki!
Do you have any enemies?
I am a man of some prominence here in Chinatown. I have many allies, but there are also many who would like to see my demise. The Tong have chosen the coward's path, using my daughter as leverage against me.
Leverage for what?
I do not know. I will undoubtedly hear from the Tong very shortly. They will have demands, and then perhaps we will know more.
Do you know where they took your daughter?
No. The Tong have many... *A phone rings.* ...uh, wait. Please excuse a moment. *He picks it up and answers.* Hello. Zhao! Huh? Yes! How did you...? Of course. I see. Thank you, my friend. Your debt has been repaid a thousand times over. Yes. Of course. Goodbye. *He hangs up.*
That didn't sound like the Tong.
That was... someone who owed me an old debt. It has been repaid. I know where the Tong are keeping my daughter.
Just tell me where. And someone better call the coroner.
Kiki is being held at the Lotus Blossom, a massage parlor here in Chinatown. If you bring her back to me, I will help you in any way that I can.
Fine, but then we get down to business.
Thank you. I shall wait here until you return. Strike fast. The Tong will not be expecting anyone so soon. Good luck, my friend.

Alright. This should allow us to go about the other business we had there.



Also, in a side office, we find this throwing star. We'll need it later, so we might as well save the trip.



One quick trip across town, and we're at the massage parlor. Let's see if we can't take care of both these problems at the same time.



Immediately upon entering, these thugs shift from their chairs to recognize that somebody showed up, but still don't break their card game until a few frames later.



So yeah, lots of bang bang shootings and nothing else much interesting as a bunch of enemies storm in on our location and catch two bullets for their trouble.



And occasionally, one lone guy gets nailed with Command and drained dry to fill our health back up.



With most enemies taken out, it's time to get to looking around. First item on the agenda, an important looking key in the room where the two guys were playing cards.



Nothing really that interesting in the massage parlor rooms - there's the occasional vendor trash or money to be found, but that's about it.



Not sure what happened here - this guy looks dead, and there's a tape recorder under his bed. I neglected to shoot him to see if he was really dead. Really should have done that - you'll see later what I mean by that.



There's also a bunch of tapes in the room next to it...



...and... oh, now I see what's going on here. I suppose this is just a poorly disguised whorehouse, and the Tong are making their own little porn business on the side, while occasionally running into some juicy blackmail material. No real evidence to support that theory, but there's none against it, either, and it'd fit with the kind of shady business going on.



In another room, there's these toilet stalls that are apparently completely unopenable. Very strange - I'm pretty sure that's the only time in the game a door is "locked" like that.



Back on the ground level, there's some actual massage rooms, and... I can't get into this room because this woman here is blocking my way!



MOVE, BITCH, THERE MIGHT BE LOOT IN HERE!

...sadly, there wasn't. Oh well, this place is a combat zone, I can kill people as much as I want.



After that, we walk into this room, where there's this guy laying around. This fucking guy... just watch this video, and you'll see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgQKE87rv_Q

What the fuck.



Anyway, let's sidetrack a bit and head downstairs to be a bad luck farmer.



We quickly find the locker and put the talisman in there, but then...



[Intimidation] And I was looking through it... you got a problem, do something about it.
[Listen] Ha! Oh yeah?! I'm crazy, hooker! I'll kill you - I don't care!

Intimidation. The WORST stat. Even having low Humanity is better, because it makes something happen that actually solves this problem.

Damn it! Now you've pissed me off... Arrrgh!



And he straight up gets sucked dry. I guess that's that.



Now, the whole "kidnapped daughter" thing. We find this door that has been locked with a padlock, and it just so happens we found a key for a padlock earlier. Now ain't that a coincidence,



Inside, we find... hm. Interesting theory for keeping somebody captive. No ropes or handcuffs handy? Just nail some boards across the doorframe, that'll do it.



Meet Kiki. She's a bitch.

Then you should be glad I'm not keeping you in there.
What? Yeah. Who are you? You're not with the Tong.
No, I'm not with the Tong.
Didn't I just say that? You may not be with the Tong, but you seem to be as smart as they are.
Man, the mouth on you. Are you Wong Ho's kid?
Yeah, I'm Kiki. Who the hell are you... the Tong's welcoming committee?
Your old man sent me to bust your ass out of here.
[Listen] Oh, I'm sooo impressed. What? Like, you want me to like thank you or something? In your dreams, bitch.
Keep talking like that, and I'll shove your ass back in that closet.
Okay, okay. Man, you don't have to get all sensitive. I'm sorry, okay?
That's better. Let's go.



And shazam, the boards fly away! Since everybody is dead, the way back is entirely uneventful.



You know what? I don't want to fucking hear it.



Of course. Did you ever find out why the Tong took her?
No, I have not been able to find out why they took Kiki, but I fear that it goes much deeper than the Tong.
What do you mean?
For a long time, I have been trying to clean up Chinatown. It was a difficult job, but the community came together and we started to take back our streets from the criminals like the Tong. Businesses reopened, families moved back into their homes.
Looks like you didn't quite clean the whole house.
Yes. I thought that the Tong were almost gone, but then something happened. Their numbers began to grow and then suddenly they had a lot of money to buy weapons. With them followed the drugs and the violence. It is almost worse now than before.
Who's bankrolling them?
I do not know, but there is a change in the air. I meditate, but my spirit is restless. The words of the I Ching are dark and unclear. Everything seemed to change as soon as, uh...
What? As soon as what?
I am sorry, I have said too much.
[Persuasion] Come on... you can trust me, Wong Ho.
Well, things seemed to change as soon as Ming-Xiao arrived and reopened the Temple of Golden Virtue. That was three years ago. I do not mean to insuinate that she has anything to do with the resurgence of the Tong. The two events merely seemed to coincide.
Wake up. You're getting played like a bad game of Chinese Checkers.
No! I will hear no more of it! Ming-Xiao has been my trusted advisor ever since she arrived. I trust her completely.

Don't you know what they say? Never cut a deal with a dragon... wait, I don't think that really applies here. Might be getting my tabletop settings mixed.

Keep your head in the sand if you want to. Now, for my own problem...
Of course. What can I help you with?
I'm looking for someone who's gone missing in Chinatown.
Who is this person?
His name is Barabus. He's, uh... a business associate.
Hmmm. What else can you tell me about him?
He's a real nightowl, kinda pasty, withdrawn.
I see. I do not think I could find him for you, but I know someone who could.
Cool. Where do I find this person?
His name is Zhao. He is the man who called me and told me where Kiki was being held. Zhao has many connections. He owns an import-export warehouse in Chinatown. Go and see him there. I will call ahead and tell him to expect you.

Alright. But before we leave...

I have a few questions for you about Chinatown.
What would you like to know?
Tell me about the Temple of Golden Virtue.
The Temple of Golden Virtue has been here in Chinatown for a long, long time. Even before I was born. For many years it was old and forgotten, but Ming-Xiao bought it and restored it to its former glory.
Really? Why did she do that?
Ming-Xiao holds our culture and our traditions in very high regard. The temple is a symbol of our strength as a people. It brings hope to the community.
Really? Have you ever been inside?
N-no. Ming-Xiao receives her visitors in an antechamber, but no one is allowed to enter the temple itself. She tells me that it is a holy place, and that it needs to be left... undisturbed.
Convenient answer. Maybe she's hiding something in there.
I will not hear such a thing! Ming-Xiao has done much for my people, and I will not have you casting dispersion against her character!
Fine, fine. I have a few more questions about Chinatown.
What would you like to know?
Where does a girl get a gun around here?
Guns? No! Even if I did know such things, I would not tell you where to get them. We have enough problems without telling people where to buy guns. I'm sorry.
[Persuasion] Trust me. I just want to know so I can avoid the place.
I do not know for sure, but... I hear that Tseng sells weapons out of his herbal remedy shop.
Just the kind of remedy I'm looking for. See ya, Wong Ho.

Right. Now, let's swiftly ignore that and get back to sidequests - in particular, to one of my favorite sidequests, at least for this area.



You got that right, old-timer.
[Listen] Yeah - see - you see? You... you see? They crime, they not organized. Messy, ugh. No one can do it no more! Just shoot bang bang whatever. Cop no good. All a mess. Not organized.
And you have the answer?
Pshhh! Lu Fang know! I Lu Fang. Lu Fang, he know.
So you prefer your crime organized, huh?
Was, uh - wait, come closer - no say too loud. Was hitman. I kill. Kill good. Lu Fang kill a lot of men.
You're not a hitman anymore?
Retired. Happy retirment Lu Fang! No more work. No more money - shhh. No tell bah-tendah.
What do you do for money?
Got some money. But need more. Got some hidden, cannot get.
Hidden?
Lock away. Need two key to get. Lu Fang only have one key.
Why is the money locked away?
Lu Fang used to have, umm, pahtnah. Not pahtnah, friend. Lu Fang have friend. Ji Wen Ja. Ji Wen Ja, Lu Fang, friend. Both kill people for money for people. For Tong. Good Tong then, not bad Tong now.
I see.
One time, man need killed. Man very hard to kill. Take both Lu Fang and Ji Wen Ja to kill man. Pay lot of money to kill man. Money go in safe. Lock with two key. One key, Lu Fang. One key... Ji Wen Ja.
What happened then?
Things get, uhh, how you say, weird. Yeah. Lu Fang no thing he trust Ji Wen Ja. Ji Wen Ja act funny - strange! Lu Fang thing Ji Wen Ja want to kill him. Ji Wen Ja get shifty eye, you know? Lu Fang notice. Lu Fang read people very well. Ji Wen Ja, he up to no good.
So you want Ji Wen Ja's key?
Niyehai! Of course want key! Lu Fang want money.
Is Ji Wen Ja still... working?
Ji Wen Ja make phony baloney fortune-tellah boof in marketplace. He no longer hitman, peh! Con man low life, Ji Wen ja. He keep key on him. Always on looking for Lu Fang.
You got any plans to get the key from him?
Maybe... maybe YOU can get key from Ji Wen Ja? You kill people. Lu Fang know. Lu Fang can read people very well. Let Lu Fang see you... Yah, kill people. You kill Ji Wen Ja. No big deal, huh?
What's in it for me?
I give you money, huh? When Lu Fang get key, pay you twenty percent of hidden money. Lot of money, huh! Just kill Ji Wen Ja and get key.
Sure. I'll do it.
Alright. Go to Ji Wen Ja in marketplace. Get key with extreme prejudice. I give you twenty percent, lah. And make this secret - good hitman never talk nothing.
Okay. I'll go see Ji Wen Ja.
Okay. Bye bye. Shhh. See you around, quiet lady.
Bye.

Well, it turns out that Lu Fang is not as good a judge of character as he thought he was - Melissa is in no way a good hitman. What she is, however, is a good businesswoman. Let's see what Ji Wen Ja has to say about all this.



Apparently, the story of us busting up the Tong has already spread.

You Ji Wen Ja?
You work for IRS? Ho, n-no English, sorry!
Lu said he'd give me a share of the money for your key.
Wait! You work for Lu? He want key, right? How much he pay you?
Twenty percent.
What?!? Lu a liar. You bring him key, he go senile, say "What deal, I don't know deal!" You not trust Lu! Ji Wen Ja your friend!
Twenty percent's an awful lot of money.
Wait wait wait! I give you thirty percent! You take care of Lu, I give you more money! Gah, I hate Lu!
Thirty percent? Sounds good. I'll be back. Goodbye.

And back again.



Sorry, but Ji Wen Ja is offering me a thirty percent cut for your key.
Thirty percent. You think Ji Wen Ja can afford to pay thirty percent? He need money for child bait. Got to buy the comic book and the video game. Ask him about nephew in bathroom, huh! Do world favor. Kill Ji Wen Ja. I give you forty percent!



Now, we could get the two to reconcile - we're persuasive enough for that. That would give us more experience, but the two would split the money 50/50, leaving none for us. That's not an option. Let's see how high we can drive the price.

Sounds good to me. I'll be back with the key.



Lu offered me forty percent if I kill you.
Forty?!? Lu evil man. When he was hitman, he kill women, children, pets... I only kill other men. He have no conscience! Okay, okay. I hate Lu so much, I give you fifty percent.



Note the first option. Even if we weren't persuasive, we could get the two to reconcile simply by pissing Ji Wen Ja off enough that he just says "fuck you, I'd rather split with Lu Fang before I give you anything" and that's that. Same results as the other reconciling method AFAIK. But that's not what we're here for.

If Lu won't pay more, he's a dead man. Goodbye.



I spoke with Ji Wen Ja...
Huh? Okay. Don't listen to more of Ji Wen Ja lie. Word like poison to brain.
He offered me fifty percent.
Ji Wen Ja slimy like worm in spaghetti! He pay you in dagger, make direct deposit to you in the back! Lu Fang like you. You kill slimy Ji Wen Ja doggy kisser, seller of sister underwear. I give you sixty percent.
Deal. One key, comin' up.

We'll be the judge of that. As an aside, I fucking love the way these two are consistently one-upping their tales of the other guy just to try and get you to hate the other one more, even if it's obvious it's all bullshit.



Lu offered me sixty percent if I kill you.
Lu gonna give you sixty? He a crazy man! He spend all the money on plum wine and cheap beer! I want to use money for orphans - yeah, that right, I want to give back blood money to community. Aye yah. Fine. I give you seventy. Go get Lu.
Seventy? You got it. Goodbye.



The key seems to have appreciated in value. Ji offered me seventy percent.
Ji Wen Ja full of hate and slime! And lies. And love. You know? Bad love. Love for children, love for the kids. Eighty percent Lu Fang offer you. Right thing to do, rid society of Ji Wen Ja menace.
Justice has a price. Eighty percent sounds right. I'll be back.



Lu offered me eighty percent if I kill you.
Listen! Lu is evil man. He trick you - hell, he try to kill you after you give him key. Ji Wen Ja is your friend. I give you eighty, same as Lu, but Lu, he deserve to die. Please rid the earth of big drunken evil. I swear, I give you eighty - no trick!
I never liked Lu anyway. Goodbye.

Right, so this is where we have to make a decision. I could put this to a vote, but it's basically pointless, as the outcome is the same regardless of what we do now. So let's just be efficent.



Shazam!



Here you go, Lu Fang.
Haiyah! Two keys together, feel heavy, heavy with weight of many dollar! Lu Fang gonna get new liver - bulletproof liver, with Lu Fang initial in gold! Meet Lu Fang back here tomorrow, huh, for your cut.
You better be there.

Now, somebody might think that we're on the fast track to being screwed, but Lu Fang isn't stupid. He knows that when you pay somebody to kill somebody and they do it, you don't stiff them on the payment. That rarely ends well. We leave the restaurant, I spend some experience points, getting one dot in Manipulation and three in Finance, bumping Haggle up to 5, and we go back in.



And we get 960 bucks! That's going to pay for a sniper rifle and a bunch of ammo too! Now, next stop, the other sidequest.



The guy saw me... he attacked me! And... I killed him.
Hehehe, ah, hmm. That is assuredly bad luck for him. The cost to my customer was quite hight. They will be pleased to hear this. As before, accept this with my gratitude.
You knew this was going to happen?!?
Hahahaha. If you can't make a man walk into hell, make the demons come to him.
Point made. Goodbye.

Officially really scared of this guy. Good thing he seems to not give a fuck, because otherwise I'd be making damn sure I end up on the same side as this guy. As for the item...



...it's a Security boost. We had 4 Security before this, so this is perfect.



Now, for the last thing on our agenda, let's see what Zhao has to say about our situation.



That's a warehouse alright. Seems like a great place to have a firefight...



You Zhao?
[Listen] I don't know where your friend is, but I know the Tong are involved. The leader of the Tong, Johnny, he'll know where they are.

Fucking hell, these guys really are sending a gal from Pontius to Pilate. I wonder how many more run-ins with the Tong we'll have before this is over?

And where do I find Johnny?
Johnny's at Glaze, his club. You'll need a password to enter. The password is "725". There will be Tong everywhere. Johnny's office is upstairs.
Thanks. Why are you helping me?
I am a man of my word and I owed a debt to Wong Ho. By paying that debt, I have made an enemy of the Tong, who I once belonged to.

Suddenly, we hear somebody yelling down near the entrance. Something along the lines of "Zhao! We know it was you! Once a Tong, always a Tong!".

You should leave now.
Do you need some help with them?
Excuse me.



And suddenly we have a fight on our hands! What a surprise! Zhao bites the dust rather quickly - not hard when you've got like six guys shooting at you, and I make some liberal use of Fortitude to save my ass. It's incredibly satisfying to get shot and see some bullets just ping off.



And of course, the last guy gets eaten.



There's three whole waves of this, but nothing special. Just a bunch of thugs.



And that's that! Next time, we'll hopefully get a bit closer to finding Barabus - as far as I can tell, we just keep jumping from person to person based on "well, they might know where he is".