Detective Yuki

21. Qing

1. Qing

Meanwhile, outside the walls of the imposing Forbidden City, the congregation of Japanese soldiers had stopped with the golden bull statue in tow. One of these soldiers sported a kabuki mask under his helmet, and another was a young man with the sleeves of his kimono showing out of his uniform. It was non other than Senbi, Namida and his minions, up to no good as usual. During their recent time in Peking, they must have donned a disguise to avoid detection, even if it be of soldiers from a foreign nation. 

"now Namida, the plan is set. What I need you to do is guard my glorious device until I return" Senbi instructed his counterpart as they entered through the front gate of the Forbidden city sharpish.

The complex had been the seat of the Chinese empire for centuries until very recently up to that point, when the emperor was dethroned, and China became a republic. The palace itself was still well kept, even if there were no soldiers to guard it and no rulers to preside over it. This lack of security made it relatively easy for Senbi to infiltrate the city undetected by even the most suspicious civilian. The numerous ornate golden roofs protected by protruding wings of solid stone would make the perfect temporary base for Senbi to execute the next phase of his plan in the company of his loyal servants and closest allies.

Senbi soon took of his steel helmet and replaced it with a top hat and his typical gentlemen's suit, while Namida restored his kimono and the other two soldiers transformed into the grotesque demons Teke-Teke and Wanyudo, at the service of Senbi. One was a spirit of revenge in the form of the top half of a human girl who was killed in a train accident, walking on her hands and armed with a sharp scythe to kill whoever comes in her way. The other was the face of a man set upon the wheel of a cart that was burning. Guardian of hell, Wanyudo travelled between the human and underworlds, taking any souls he could find to take back to his fiery kingdom. 

"Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it." Namida addressed Senbi, who uttered back "I will find my purpose soon enough my friend, but first, I must pay a visit to their leaders".

Senbi then left the palace from over a rampart and became scarce in the streets of Peking, making his way to the headquarters of the Nationalist government, the Kuomintang, not far away from the Forbidden City. The headquarters was a tall long building with whitewash paint on the outside and rising four floors above the ground. Senbi quickly made his way inside the building, unaware he was being followed from the roof tops. Inside the large open meeting hall of the headquarters, one hundred officials were attending a meeting headed by President Duan, and his two subordinates Mr Chiang and Mr Wang. While discussing matters concerning the party and its politics in the politically fragile new China, their meeting was abruptly interrupted by Senbi, bursting through the double doors of the main hall. The officials stood from their chairs demanding an explanation from the intruder.

"who are you and why are you here?!!" President Duan sounded from across the long table of the main hall.

 "please gentlemen, I come as a visitor and cultural attaché. Please accept my kindest regards and a little gift I brought with me from my native land" Senbi addressed the attended by snapping his fingers, followed by a burst from the double doors of fast black blurs darting across the walls of the main hall. When still, the blurs became known to those in the room as the stealthy silent killers in black wears that had served the warlords of Japan for centuries. Senbi was to leave as soon as they arrived, making his way back through the lobby and out onto the open street, just as the building erupted with a huge firestorm from the meeting hall and the black silhouettes disappearing into the direction of the Forbidden city, shocking the locals and triggering the start of actions in the city. Back at the Forbidden city, Yuki and Aibo had finally arrived based on their sources on where to find the golden bull hidden somewhere in the city.

"Yuki, do you see that?" Aibo pointed over the plume of smoke erupting from the Kuomintang headquarters, rising above the sounds of distressed civilians and other smaller fires being started on smaller buildings all over Peking generating the same dosage of chaos for the occasion.

 "that does not look good, but we have to keep moving. It is possible Senbi has something to do with this" Yuki obliged her colleague making her way to the front gate of the palace, only to be stopped by the possessed stone statues of the lions guarding the gate. These proved intimidating opponents to tackle, snarling and running at the two to prevent entrance to the palace, and only with the quick thinking of Yuki and Aibo could they be defeated.

From the eastern side of the massive fort, Senbi arrived across the eastern gate into the city unseen once again and headed into the central court of the city, where Namida was in attendance with his demonic companions and the golden bull.

 "how is everything, Namida?" Senbi asked nicely.

 "Do not look for a sanctuary in anyone except yourself." Namida alerted his master pointing towards the front gate and the roar of unknown creatures with the grunts of effort from humans.

 "What is wrong?" he annoyingly asked as he turned his attention to the noises.

 "I can deal with them soon, now is the time for action" Senbi proclaimed holding out his hand and sprouting a small white orb that he placed on the ground. This glowing white orb soon grew exponentially into a raging portal to a dimension of demons and monsters that began to emerge and wreak havoc on the human city, Senbi laughing maniacally at how his plan was finally coming true as the sky grew red and creatures of evil once again roamed the earth.