Fists and Lipsticks 2: The Silver Crescent

CHAPTER 54: Crescent Secrets

CHAPTER 54: CRESCENT SECRETS

 "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.

He who does not dare seek the power of the Crescent is not a true god.”

Now, choose your destiny.

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Kaoru Hiro and Yamazaki Kosuke's trip to China was successfully booked by the Black Widow the night before their flight. From the perfectly counterfeited passports with false identities and authentic first class boarding passes down to the unquestioned clearance granted by the immigration, their travel had been flawless and uninterrupted.

 Needless to say, their ride from the international airport in Beijing came as a surprise to Kosuke as well. Although he was accustomed to such extravagant escort for the simple reason that his 'known' father was no other than the prime minister of Japan himself, he most certainly did not expect an almost-similar treatment in a land that was, to him, foreign. It was Kosuke's first time in China – and he knew that Kaoru Hiro was about to make that first visit extra memorable. A black limousine fetched them from the airport and, like VIPs, were escorted by five motorcycles and nine other black Audis.

"Where are we going?"

Kaoru Hiro did not reply. During the entire duration of their plane ride from Narita to the International Airport in Beijing, he had not spoken a single word. It was Hiro's nature to stay unusually silent each time he would accompany Kosuke to 'revisit' the past.

From the airport, it took them more than an hour to arrive at a majestic oriental mansion that stood about ten kilometers west of Tian'anmen Square. If not for the white Westernized gates, the tall granite wall bordering the perimeter, and its land area that fell merely up to a fraction of that of the original 72 hectare Chinese historical imperial palace, the mansion could be mistaken for a replica of the Zǐjinchéng (Forbidden City) itself. The grandiose ivory gates parted to give way to the parade of black cars that encircled the gilded dragon statue in front of the receiving area.

What is this place?

As the limousine came to a halt, a man in black suit rushed towards the car and pulled the passenger door open.

"Change your clothes," Kaoru Hiro at last spoke to him, although briefly.

"Why?" Kosuke looked at the black business suit he was wearing. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

"It's inappropriate."

"Inappropriate for what?"

But Kaoru Hiro did not answer. Instead, Kosuke watched as he signaled to the Chinese man in black suit standing next to him.

Who are these people?

"Zaoan! Huan yíng guang lín (Good morning and welcome)," the man said to him politely. “Follow me. This way please…”

Following the lead of the Chinese man in black suit, Kosuke passed through the red-carpeted corridors of the magnificent oriental mansion adorned with curved roofs, silk with intricate calligraphy mounted on the walls, stone statues of dragons and lions, expensive vases and porcelain urns, and traditional sliding doors. As he walked by the other men in black suits, each of them bowed down in respect to Kosuke, to whom he responded with a polite nod followed by a curious look.

Why are they bowing… to me?

After walking a few more steps, they finally reached a clearing at the middle of the mansion – a vast garden, to be precise. There, Kosuke saw about thirty men practicing their fighting skills, sparring with each other in feigned combat. He gasped in awe as he witnessed how tremendously skilled the men were. They were too agile in using their fists. Their kicks could break robust logs into halves.