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Shenmue

Disclaimer: This is not much of a plot analysis, but rather the story of Shenmue in my own words. This also contains some speculation about Shenmue III, but there were things I definitely left out from that part that may be in other versions, but I just didn't have the guts to follow up on it. This may not appeal to the masses, but if you do read it, you're pretty hardcore.

Shenmue Plot Guide (chapters 1 and 2 as well as 3-6)

Lucas V. 2009

Chapter 1: Yokosuka

The beginning of Shenmue starts in the sleepy little town, in the Kanagawa Prefecture, called Yokosuka. Ryo Hazuki is jogging home from an outing, and notices that the door leading into his courtyard is ajar. Once there, he spots his mother figure, lying almost unconscious by the household door. She seems to be all right, but the vandals are still there, in the dojo, at the end of the path. Ryo carefully approaches the entrance, not knowing what to expect. Before he moves any closer, he is startled to see his peer Fukuhara-san literally thrown out the dojo. After consoling him, Fukuhara actually passes out. He must now confront whatever lies beyond the doors.

Once inside the structure, Hazuki spots his father Iwao confronted by a man in Chinese attire. 2 henchmen hold Ryo back and his father tells him to back off. The man in question asks where the stone mirror is, but is refused by the elder Hazuki. The 2 begin to fight as Iwao-san executes some basic karate moves, which are all dodged by the young master named Lan Di. They continue their fight, but the Chinaman responds with a leg move, from the Tiger Swallow Style. After Iwao is incapacitated by the fierce kick, Ryo makes his way past the guards and confronts Lan Di, but is brought down by a hand move.

Both men are clearly incapacitated, but the elder still remains resolved to give this man the cold shoulder. The 30-something-year-old master moves towards the young man and begins to strangle him from his own weight. This seems to be the collateral that changes Iwao-san's mind. He tells the persistent man that the mirror is buried under the cherry blossom tree outside. The young Hazuki is relieved due to the older man's apparent reverence towards life. Next, the man questions Iwao about a former friend of his named Sunming Zhao. Iwao recognizes the name, and begins to prepare himself for one last stand, against that man's son.

Iwao-san is hurled to the floor breathing heavily. The mysterious man receives his prize, from one of the henchman, and leaves the 2 Japanese in a pit of despair and remorse. Ryo moves towards his dying father who implores him to keep his friends and loved ones close to him. Iwao dies, and leaves his 18-year-old son alone, in a cruel and unforgiving world. Hazuki cries over his father's body, which was just alive, albeit not very long. Ryo spends the next few days mourning his father's death. He tries to sleep, but is still haunted by the man's cold eyes, and even colder demeanor. He awakes, ready to face the day, and pursue his father's killer.

Notes--I wanted to stress the point that Ryo is not giving this vendetta a great deal of thought. If he had stayed, and listened to his father, he would not be on the path of destruction he has chosen. This is also highlighted by the fact that if he calculated his likelihood of defeating Lan Di, he would realize that he simply doesn't stand a chance.

Ryo leaves his room, which happens to have a western-style door. He meets his motherly figure named Ine-san. She advises him to continue resting if he needs to, and also gives him a 500-yen allowance. She tells him that Fukuhara-san's also lamenting, but in the dojo. He leaves the main household with determination in his young heart. He wonders if Fukuhara can tell him anything further on the black car/men in black suits. He isn't able to, but soon realizes Hazuki's plan. He beckons Ryo to not pursue this quest, and points out that even the sensei couldn't defeat him. Hazuki's mind is made up. He tells Fukuhara-san that he must complete this quest for his father’s spirit.

Upon leaving the residence, Ryo spots a young girl, at a nearby shrine called Inari. The little girl, named Megumi, shows Hazuki a stray kitten that the neighbourhood kids are taking care of. Ryo quickly learns that the kitten's mother was run over by the ever elusive, black car, and that an elderly man named Yamagachi-san has been injured by it as well. Hazuki enters the next district. Upon arriving near a convenience store, the young Japanese is guided to a house by an elderly woman. She says that she is looking for the Yamamoto's residence, but cannot find it due to her poor eyesight. He finds the residence for her, and heads out.

Ryo's next step is to converse with the old man called Yamagashi-san. He's a man who knew his father Iwao well, and studied the martial arts along with him. He tells Hazuki pretty obvious information--that the car sped past the residential district, and zoomed through Dobuita Street. Ryo's next task, in the town, is to practise his karate. He goes to a parking lot to brush up on his moves. He executes many moves without a great deal of effort. His favourite move he performs is the Hazuki-style Elbow Assault--a move that attacks the lower abdomen. He spends the rest of his "lunchtime" trying to win at playing Space Harrier, but fails.

His next lead is a young lady, who is interested in Ryo, and has probably seen the infamous black car. He guesses right, but only finds out that another friend of his named Tom has seen it. Tom claims that he hasn't seen anything, but Hazuki gets him to tell the truth, and he tells him about Lan Di's cold glare. His next lead has to do with questioning Chinese people, in the area, about finding other immigrants who are perhaps connected to the cartel. This leads him to a Chinese restaurant run by a man named Tao-san. His wife and he tell Ryo about the 3 Blades, which are the 3 professions in China that are revered, due to the fact that each blade connected to the trades of being a barber, cook, or tailor served the emperor in ancient times.

Notes—you may have noticed that saying he found one person only to find another person is somewhat redundant. I think that it is this repetitiveness that has turned many away from this game. This is also the case when he’s looking for Chinese folks.

After being told who some of the 3 Blades people are, Ryo decides to visit his old barber, named Maeda-san. He isn't greatly helpful, but he does inform Hazuki about another 3 Blades barber, named Liu-san. Liu, and his wife are very nice to Ryo, and express their condolences for the death of his father. They too are not greatly helpful, but they do tell Hazuki about Liu Senior, who can be found in Suzume Park. Ryo receives the kindly old man gently. He tells the man about his plight, and receives some invaluable information, about the 3 Blades. He points out that the Chinese cartels are connected with the harbour area, and that he should contact some sailors, who probably can help him out.

This leads Ryo to the red light district of the street, which has bars, and therefore sailors. He enters a jazz bar, where he spots 2 foreigners, shooting some billiards. They offer Hazuki a bet in order for him to find out what they do. Ryo calmly takes the pool queue, and sinks the ball, in one shot. They tell him that they're base workers, and that the sailors are poorer, and go to the Heartbeat's Bar. As Ryo approaches the bar, 2 rough men stop him. After blocking Hazuki's path, they try to subdue the young Japanese, but are halted by his Jujitsu/Karate moves. As Ryo enters the bar, he's given a glass, of milk.

Having found the sailors, he begins to ask, some questions. They disrespectfully begin to hassle Ryo, and a bar fight ensues. Ryo throws the one man over the bar, probably cutting his skin, from the glass. Another sailor stands up to Hazuki, but is knocked over, by his Side Kick. The last sailor picks up his stool, and attempts to hit Ryo, but is knocked into submission by his powerful legs. The barkeep somewhat praises his fighting skills. He tells Ryo that a man named Charlie is whom he should find. Back outside, Hazuki questions a man named Ono-san whether he has seen this man. It turns out that he has, but hasn't seen him around lately, which points him in the direction of a jacket shop near the arcade.

Since all the shops are closed, he decides to call it a night, and he doesn’t want to scare Ine-san. He goes to bed that evening unsure what the future will bring. He awakes with the morning sun in the land of the rising sun. After gaining his hard earned allowance, he spots Fukuhara-san again in the dojo. He's practising the move called Pit Blow (2 successive blows), and he asks if he'll teach him. Ryo demonstrates how to do it, which adds yet another move to his move list repertoire. They exchange kindnesses, and plan to spar with each other, eventually. After taking care of the kitten, Hazuki decides to ask over at the jacket shop. Charlie sometimes comes by at around 7 PM, which gives Ryo some time to kill.

He decides to practise somewhere else for a change. He goes back to where he met Liu Senior, at the park, but finds in his stead old Yamagashi-san. He seems to be drinking sake by himself, but he tells Ryo that he has had a drink, with his father. This puzzles Hazuki, but he finds out that he use to spar, and exchange moves with his father. He demonstrates a powerful hand move to Ryo called the Double Blow. After teaching the young man how to do it, he encourages Hazuki to continue his training, so that he can perhaps become greater than his father. Ryo’s next stop is the arcade area that Charlie's suppose to be at.

He instead finds a black man, who he recognizes from outside the bar, the other night. This man seems to be changed in his ways towards Ryo, and even claims that he has seen Charlie, and that he will take him to him. This, of course, is a trap. 4 other men--all of who were victims of the previous night’s tenure, suddenly surround Hazuki. They try to gang up on Ryo, but he skillfully evades many of their rage filled blows. He finally questions a white man, about the tattoo on his arm, which he associates with Charlie. There apparently is a tattoo parlor in Dobuita, but where could it be, if not on the Main Street?

Ryo decides to turn in for the night, hoping that he can find this elusive man, with an uncommon name. The following day, Hazuki finds out about the tattoo parlour location, from a couple of bikers. Once inside the parlour, Ryo finds out that Charlie is sleeping in the bed that is hidden away. Hazuki quickly removes the screen, and disarms Charlie effectively, only to find out that he has a different tattoo. After stretching the man's arm to a point of pain, Ryo's able to get him to arrange a meeting with other men from the harbour (later revealed to be the Mad Angels). Hazuki meets with his friend Nozomi who happens to be nearby.

She seems concerned about Ryo's welfare, due to the fact that he has quit school, and doesn't seem to have a plan beyond finding Longsun Zhao (a.k.a. Lan Di). Since he seems lost, Hazuki stops by a local fortuneteller's booth to receive advice about where to go next. She tells Ryo that his next lead is to find someone, by the cherry tree, which seems to point to Fukuhara-san. Hazuki meets with his friend Fukuhara, and they begin to spar with one another. After their workout, Ryo reveals that he's still intent on finding Lan Di, but that he currently doesn't have a great clue. He runs into Ine-san as he heads in for the day. She tells him that she has received a letter from an unknown man named Yuanda Zhu.

Notes—when I wrote that he doesn’t have a plan beyond finding Longsun Zhao, I couldn’t help but think of myself and the fact that all I really plan to do with my life is write for several years. This may be reflected in the fact that I have a pretty low work ethic at school.

Whoever this person is--he must've known Ryo's father. After sparring with Fukuhara-san again, Hazuki makes his way down the beaten path, and into the residential district. Once there, a small Chinese boy stops him. It seems that the lowlife has taken his soccer ball (Charlie and his friends). Ryo spots them at a nearby construction site, and sees that they've taken the soccer ball out of meanness, and probably to lure Hazuki. Ryo begins fighting, but he is immediately daunted by some of their skills, as martial artists. He arm holds one in camo clothing, and side kicks the other into submission. After seemingly defeating the 2, Charlie threatens to harm the boy who drops his soccer ball, which rolls over to Hazuki--who kicks it straight at Charlie's head.

He also uses the back of his fist to counter one more attempt, by the man who he had held, who wears camo pants. After scaring away the bandits, Ryo talks to the boy, who reveals his ethnicity by telling Hazuki his gratitude in one of the Chinese languages (shey shey). Ryo decides to talk to Tao-san again, for clarity in regards to the letter, because it's written in Chinese kanji characters. They point him towards one of their deliverymen named Wang-san. Wang is of little help, because he says that the characters are weird, and that he can't read them. However, he does recommend that Ryo sees his Japanese language teacher, who just happens to be able to read weird kanji.

She owns an antique store that Ryo finds near the Liu barbers. She is fairly old, and reveals that her grandson is the little Chinese boy from before, and that he aspires to grow into the kind of man that Hazuki has/is becoming. He shows her the letter, and she immediately affirms that the kanji are written in a special style. She begins to read the letter using a mirror reflection to see the characters correctly. The letter warns the reader to be careful of people who want the mirror. It also points Ryo in the direction of a Chinese master living abroad in Japan named Yaowen Chen. A phone number and password are also revealed. Hazuki's next plan is obviously to find the nearest payphone.

He calls the number, which responds with a man with a grumpy sort of voice. He says something to Ryo, and Hazuki returns in kind with the password (i.e. Mother's Earth--Comrades, Father's Heaven--9 Dragons). The man tells Ryo that he has called Warehouse Number 8--a warehouse in the Amihama district of the town. Since Ryo doesn't drive, he takes the city bus to the harbour, where there's suppose to be Master Chen. Hazuki arrives during the afternoon shift at the harbour. He spots 2 young men terrorizing another young man for money. Ryo stops them with his Jujitsu skills, and is told where the warehouse is supposed to be.

Hazuki makes his way past a lunch stand. He's surprised to find warehouse number 8 so easily, although it's sealed off by security. He goes to the side of the warehouse where there's a door, but it's locked. Behind the structure are large crates containing mysterious contents, perhaps drugs like acid or ice. He moves one of the crates (a smaller one) beside the larger crates, which helps him make his way up the crates, and into the warehouse through a window. He opens a door leading to an office, but only finds useless bits of information (memos and the like). Ryo goes further down the second floor until he begins to hear voices (they're not imaginary).

Hazuki hears 2 men speaking to each other in another office. The one complains that the invoice he has received is wrong and that it belongs at the old warehouse district. This seems to be his next lead, but he'll probably need to watch for the time of day that he must sneak in. As Ryo goes back the way he came, he sees that the lunch stand lady is having trouble with her younger sister, Mai. Mai demands money from her sister, but is let down. She storms off with her friends who seem to be either rejected sailor girlfriends or high school dropouts. As Hazuki decides to help the older lady out by talking to this misguided youth, he spots an old homeless man.

The man is thrown out of one of the warehouses for soliciting--only meaning to stay warm. Out of concern, Ryo begins to make polite conversation, and even buys the man a can of coffee for him to stay warm. Hazuki spots the girls behind warehouse number 17. Ryo tries to intervene on Mai's behalf saying that her sister is concerned about her, and that she shouldn't be drinking and doing whatever else. She refuses, and her so-called friends begin to fight Hazuki, but fall victim to his Knife Hand strike. He doesn't force Mai to come with him, but implores her to be good to her family. He also tells the older sister what happened, and discovers that she has lunches to send, where he's headed.

After delivering the dozen or so lunches, Ryo tries to read the patrol schedule for the guards on patrol that night. He can't make it out, but he hears one say that they'll be short handed that night. Hazuki, who needs the fog of night to protect him, bides his time at warehouse number 4. He decides to practise his marital arts there, and develops his moves, as well as stays warm. At 9, he departs with determination, in his stout heart. He makes his way past the gate, and into the old warehouse district, where he must not be seen. After a few close calls with security, he makes his way past the barricades, and in to the warehouse with the number 8 written on it.

Once inside, Hazuki makes his way around the main level where there are various antiques, apparently from China. The warehouse is only dimly lit, so he has difficulty finding his way around, at first. After looking at an antique plate, the lights suddenly go on, and he drops the plate--breaking it in to several pieces. A Chinese man in a pinstripe suit appears, and seems to want to face off with Ryo, but is interrupted by the man who is his father. A kindly old Chinese man appears wearing what appears to be red silk. He asks Hazuki a few basic questions, which reveals Ryo's letter, from Zhu. He seems familiar with this man, and comments that he did not send the letter quick enough.

Apparently, Yuanda Zhu knew Ryo's father. Iwao Hazuki tells his story, which reveals what Lan Di did, and this Master Chen seems to know of Longsun Zhao's (Lan Di's) reputation.

Notes--the third person that's significant along with them is this martial arts buff named Sunming Zhao (not Zhu). About 20 years ago, they had met, and something happened to Sunming. Did Iwao kill him? No one knows for sure, but many have speculated, that he did. All we know is that Iwao took the stone mirrors from Sunming, and has lived in Japan ever since then. Lan Di (Suming's son) took his revenge believing that Iwao had killed his father.

The master asks Ryo if Lan Di took both mirrors. Hazuki--who has only heard of the one (being the Dragon Mirror), replies in kind. The man reveals that there's also another mirror with a picture of a Phoenix engraved. He advises Ryo to get his affairs in order (i.e. stop tracking Lan Di), and find the other mirror, which may very well be back at his home. As Hazuki makes his way near the Yamanose Shrine, the man in western clothing from before appears to have tracked him. Ryo, being the blunt, superhero that he is challenges the man to a battle. They fight each other knowing that both have studied the martial arts for many years. Gui Zhang (Chen's son) finally relents by saying that he's Hazuki's protector.

Off to the side, is a deranged man, wearing adhesive tape. He seems to be affiliated with the men at the harbour (the Mad Angels), and maybe even Lan Di himself. Ryo, and Gui Zhang are unaware of his presence, due to the fact that he is not audible or in clear view (he jumps from rooftop to rooftop). Hazuki's next hint seems to be to find out what he can at home. Ine-san, points Ryo in the direction of an antique dealer who knew his dad. Hazuki searches out this man, and finds out that he is rather old.. From the man, Ryo receives a sword hand guard, which symbolizes the Hazuki family. Back at his home, Ryo looks high and low trying to find further clues.

Hazuki's hand guard seems to be his only clue now, but there is nothing that he can connect it with. While looking around the house, Ryo finds a box in the dojo, but it's sealed tight. Fortunately, he finds the key, found in his father's room. The key opens the box, which contains a hand guardless sword; this is not quite enough to reveal the mirror.

Hazuki realizes that he has to look through every nook & cranny in order to find the mirror. He fortunately quickly finds what appears to be a pair of switches behind 2 scrolls in the dojo. One appears to be crest shaped, the other is a slot, and it doesn't take him long to realize the function of the items he has found. After activating the mechanism, he discovers that there is a basement that his father had hidden, perhaps containing the mirror.

Ryo uses his flashlight to find his way through the underground passage. Since his battery's low, he decides to light the room with a spare 60W, and uses it to light the room. Besides discovering that his dad has a collection of old books, Hazuki finds an old photograph of his dad with an unknown. Another important discovery that Ryo makes is that there are tell tale signs that a shelf has been moved. He moves the shelf back to its original location, which reveals a different colour section, near the base of the wall. He spots an axe he can use to smash open the wall. He does so with the blunt end of the axe, and finds a box, which contains the Phoenix Mirror.

Notes—It is believed that Zhao is Lan Di’s father.

Hazuki tells Gui Zhang that he has found the mirror and wishes to have another meeting with the master. Master Chen comments that it's made of Phantom River stone, which comes from Guilin, China, which becomes significant later in the story. He also mentions that Lan Di knew there were 2 mirrors, but didn't know that Iwao-san had both. Suddenly, out of the shadows, appears the deranged man from before who snatches the stone mirror. However, they outsmart the creepy skinhead, and regain possession. Master Chen then reveals that Lan Di is headed towards Hong Kong, and Ryo of course asks if he can help him, but Chen will not allow it saying that he shouldn't waste his life on revenge.

Hazuki rises out of bed, (which is probably a good thing). He hopes that he can make it to Hong Kong through his savings. Unfortunately, this doesn't prove to be, enough. He asks his maid Ine-san if she'll help him out--making it sound like he's taking a vacation. Unfortunately, his peer Fukuhara-san, blows any chance that he had with Ine. Ryo's next step is to find a travel agency in town that perhaps has a 1-way ticket. He finds such a place, but it is not the answer to his prayers, so to speak. However, back at his household, he runs into Fukuhara again, and is given his savings, which adds a significant amount of yen (some 40,000).

This is still not enough for the Hong Kong fare (158,000 yen), but Fukuhara-san gets a good idea, which is to go see if they have any boat tickets from a cheaper agency. Ryo finds such a place, and is excited to see that he has enough money. The lady at the desk tells him to come back for it in a few hours. Hazuki believes that she's arranging the trip for him, but is actually planning to skip out of town and pay for her credit card debts. Ryo returns an hour later, believing that he's going on a trip, but quickly realizes that he has been had. He threatens the man named Jimmy and gets him to begin arranging a trip for him. He decides to cool off his anger at the arcade.

Ryo wakes up the following day eager to hear from the man from yesterday. He receives a phone call where he's instructed to pick up the ticket. Hazuki realizes that this may be a trap, so he buys a martial arts scroll, and practises the move called Crawl Cyclone (a low leg move that attacks the opponent near the feet). He arrives at the arcade, and is soon brought down by the assassin named Chai. He has Ryo's ticket and quickly eats it. He seems to be a low rank member of the cartel. He demands Hazuki to tell him what he knows about Zhu. Ryo knows very little about him and asks him what he knows about Lan Di. Since neither man is giving information, a serious brawl, begins to ensue.

The fight begins with Chai displaying a martial arts style comparable to the Lion Rafale character's Mantis Style Kung Fu. However, 2 distinctions about the character are that he’s a hunchback, and is considerably strong despite appearing to be somewhat uncared for. His leg moves are particularly good and he seems to be winning the fight after about 2 minutes. Since things are not looking very good for Ryo, he begins to mimic his opponent's style of parrying moves followed by attacking. He does this 3 times successfully but decides to finish the fight with what some consider being his signature move--the Elbow Assault. This stuns the man but he does manage to flee.

Ryo goes back to Asia Travel to settle his score with Jimmy. The man escapes Hazuki's presence, and decides to run through the street while knocking down things like signs and tomatoes. A white van appears sort of out of nowhere, and Ryo takes him back to the travel agency demanding his ticket. It seems Jimmy doesn't have any more Hong Kong tickets, but Hazuki is not satisfied until he knows more about the skinhead and subsequent gang members from the harbour called the Mad Angels. He finds out that if he gets a job at the new warehouse district, he'll encounter some of the gang members, because they customarily extort from new workers.

Ryo's attempt at getting a job is aided by Goro-san (the man he first met at the harbour who was harassing someone). He tells Hazuki that he'll talk to one of the foremen in charge of cargo, so that he can get a job operating a forklift. The following day, Ryo meets Goro again who is with his girlfriend Mai (from before), and they tell Hazuki that he has an appointment with Yada-san who'll introduce him to a man named Mark that’ll teach him the ropes. Despite not really having any driving experience, Ryo learns how to use the big machine rather quickly. He spends the rest of the afternoon shift moving crates in to warehouse number 3, and earns about 3,000 yen.

Notes—the big machine reference was deliberate (from the Rush song New World Man).

His American friend Mark tells Ryo that he should come a bit early before work to race. Hazuki begins to ask around town about the Mad Angels, but doesn't get many clues due to the fact that they have a tight grip in that area and almost everyone's afraid. This may be in part due to the fact that many of them are foreign to the Japanese culture. Ryo spends the next several days working not so much for money, but for clues as to how this gang is affiliated with Lan Di's organization. He finds out that there is big deal being made with low rank Chiyoumen members. Also, there are the sailors he has had trouble with before who point him in the direction of the leader of the Mad Angels named Terry.

Notes—those of you who are more familiar with the story realize that I picked up the pace at this point mainly because I don’t know the end of the first chapter like the back of hand. I’ll probably have similar spots in future plot guides for games like the Chrono Series. I may also do this sort of thing in my work called Techi.

Terry kidnaps Ryo's friend Nozomi to lure him to a meeting. They make some kind of bargain where in exchange for the girl Hazuki has to beat up his other friend named Gui Zhang, so that he and his father cannot disrupt their trading route with Hong Kong. Ryo also demands to be led to his father's killer. The man agrees, but seems somewhat shady. Hazuki takes Nozomi home on his friend Naoyuki's motorcycle, and the 2 are somewhat romantic together. Ryo goes to bed early that morning knowing that he'll not get much sleep, and will probably be laid off. His hunch turns out to be true, so he decides to just check out how people are doing, which leads him to his friend at the hot dog stand--Tom.

Knowing that Hazuki is off to fight people he decides to show him a move that can be quite powerful. The move is called Tornado Kick and it is indeed useful. You begin by taking steps forward for momentum then kick your leg roundhouse-style, and follow up with a second more powerful kick. In Tom's case he throws what seems to be a beer bottle high in to the air and kicks it successfully in to tiny shards of glass (all while listening to his favourite music). Sadly after this friendly exchange Ryo discovers that Tom's headed back to the States where he'll presumably be back home with his family. Since they are parting ways, Hazuki decides to buy a hot dog and he sees his friend fly from above.

Hazuki's next stop is warehouse number 4 where he can train for the upcoming battle with Gui Zhang and probably the Mad Angels as a whole. On his way to the location, Ryo stops by to see how Shozo-san (the homeless man) is doing. It turns out that he was waiting for Hazuki so that he could show him a move. It appears that the man is not only well versed in the martial arts but is familiar with the style of his father Iwao Hazuki. Ryo questions how he came to know that style. It turns out that his father (Iwao) was quite influential despite being young, when he made a name for himself. The younger Hazuki is enlightened by the man's more defensive (probably Chinese) style.

As the light grows dim outside Hazuki spots one of the Mad Angel leaders and he begins to talk with the man. It seems that the man that Ryo is suppose to fight will appear at some point to get home from work. When Gui Zhang approaches Hazuki he is shocked to see him prepare to fight given that their on the same side in regards to the possession of the mirror. While they are fighting Ryo beckons his friend to feign defeat so that he'll be taken to Lan Di. Gui Zhang questions this proposal and for good reason because no sooner do they fall from fighting, Terry (the leader) attempts to strike down each combatant with what appears to be a cement hammer.

Now that the stage is set for the final showdown against the Mad Angels, both men decide to support one another in fighting all 70 of the hoodlums. At first, they stay out of each other's hair but as the foes become seemingly more difficult they attempt to watch each other's back more often. Hazuki utilizes the leg combo that Tom taught him earlier while his friend uses an oblique leg move to his opponent. They both aid each other against a man with a metal pipe by striking him down by using a throw move. Their last enemy is the tall man name of Pedro. He proves formidable but not enough. Terry is finally cornered and brought down rather easily considering that he seems somewhat strong and feared.

Hazuki and Gui Zhang are greeted by the morning sun, which seems to shine on them radiantly. Ryo is as impatient as ever, and is noticeably ticked since Lan Di got away shortly before he caught up to him. He doesn't want to give up and end his journey here, especially since he has made a lot of progress. However, he's unsure how he can get to Hong Kong on his own at this rate. His friend says that he'll talk it over with his father (Chen). Hazuki thanks him, but it is clear that their respect is mutual. Knowing what Lan Di is doing in China may affect Chen's business decisions. It's also believed that Lan Di may eventually go back to Guilin where the mirrors were created.

After packing his belongings (capsule toys and the like), Hazuki begins to embark on his journey outside of Japan where there is known to be danger. He says goodbye to the people he lives with simply by bowing towards them and acknowledging their gifts. Just as he leaves the residence, he can be seen clenching his fist perhaps reminding himself of the pain and sorrow his adversary has inflicted. With determination in his stout heart, Ryo walks through the streets he has grown up in, and takes the bus to Amihama where he'll board the ship leading to his destination. He meets his 2 friends near a big crane, and they seem pleasant.

They teach Hazuki a move from the Song Dynasty, and they seem pretty well prepared to go (Gui Zhang too). Just as they plan to leave, Chai appears again, attempting to wreak havoc on their very lives. The showdown (in Little Yokosuka) is between he and Ryo. They begin their fight much like before where Hazuki attempts to use many of the moves he has learned (such as the Pit Blow, Tornado Kick, and Double Blow). The only move that lands somewhat of a clean blow is the kick. Chai's very acrobatic Kung Fu seems to be unstoppable due to its evasive nature. Ryo then remembers what the old homeless man taught him about dodging, himself. Chai attempts to end the fight, but is struck down, apparently drowned.

Notes—They’re obviously not in L.A. (where there’s Little Tokyo)--I just couldn’t help putting that in there.

Since Gui Zhang is injured from Chai's initial attack, Hazuki must travel solo, which is something he is not at all unfamiliar with. He's recommended to find a master in Hong Kong who's supposedly old and subsequently wise, and to go from there perhaps to Kowloon where he may find the mysterious man--Yuanda Zhu. Upon entering the boat, Ryo is reminded of his friend Nozomi Harasaki as they departed from each other. They both have decided to leave their mother country for a different kind of life. He's reminded of the amulet she gave him as he boards the boat. As the boat travels off into the distance, Master Chen (who has high hopes for the boy) can be seen watching it leave the harbour.

Chapter 2: Aboard the Ship

Notes—I really don’t have much to say about this chapter. All I know from studying concept art is that Hazuki travels through the South China Sea to get to his destination (Hong Kong). He encounters Chai (once again) and defeats him (again).


Chapter 3: Hong Kong

Shenmue II begins in the densely populated metropolis of Hong Kong. It appears to be a bustling city. Ryo Hazuki disembarks from the steamship he has traveled in for several days, which has sailed from his hometown of Yokosuka, Japan. Ryo's quest begins almost exactly where he left off. Yaowen Chen (his previous mentor) has recommended him to find a supposedly aged martial arts master named Lishao Tao. He has a letter of introduction, which also has an address. He must find the apartment in the inner city of Wan Chai. Where is Lan Di (the man who has mercilessly killed his father)? And what's the purpose of the Phoenix Mirror? These are only a few questions he has for the man who has sent him a mysterious letter--Yuanda Zhu.

Since Ryo is not familiar with his surroundings, he needs to find a place to live. He spots a Free Stay lodge, which has a bed, but it is very shoddy. It will have to do for the time being. Next, he must find the Yan Tin apartments, in the South Carmain quarter. After receiving directions from a man at a nearby arm-wrestling warehouse, Ryo encounters a young woman on a red motorcycle. Her name is Joy, and she seems to be familiar with the area. She cautions Ryo about thieves from a nearby gang called the Heavens.

After Ryo's encounter with Joy, he explores the Aberdeen sector of the city, which is filled with bars, and has fair amount of occidental-looking buildings. In a nearby alleyway, Ryo meets a frightened little kid named Wong. He seems to be frightened by three young men approaching him from behind. The 3 demand Ryo to hand over the kid who seems to be the victim in this situation. After letting his guard down, he realizes that all four guys want his money, which is quite a bit, even for Hong Kong Dollars.

Ryo chases the four out on to the main road, but loses them, because they branch out in different directions. Ryo continues his search near King's Road, which is near Wan Chai. He meets 2 men who are drinking beer called the Poison Brothers. Ryo asks them whether they have seen a group of four, but doesn't get any advice. They demand money from Ryo, which prompts him to step up to them. After displaying their obvious hatred towards him, they threaten to fight him, but the red-haired woman Joy interrupts them all. She asks Ryo what he is doing around there, and he tells her his story.

She directs him back to Pigeon Park in Aberdeen. He runs in to a man with dark skin & dreadlocks. He also has a Sega swirl symbol on his shirt. He is convinced that Ryo is Tanaka-san from Kobe or someplace, which is perhaps suggesting that non-Asian people think that Asian people look the same. After searching high and low for the little orphan, Ryo spots Wong who is dancing nearby. He begins to pursue the boy who begins to dash (himself) towards a side street. After weaving their way through a restaurant, Wong makes his way towards the alleyway. Just as Hazuki catches up to the boy, he is reunited with the 3 other punks. 2 of them (Sam and Larry) begin to pursue Ryo with what seems to be Jeet Kune Do.

Hazuki's more rigid style of jujitsu proves formidable. But will it be enough? He begins the fight with a half Tornado Kick or spinning kick. Sam blocks this and responds with a combo with his partner Larry. Hazuki retorts with a side kick to his lower abdomen. This stuns Sam, but he quickly pulls out a dagger and slashes Ryo's cheek. This, having stunned Hazuki, forces him to back off from the fight. After having cursed the guys, Hazuki begins to search for them. He finds the 2 he was fighting before at the same restaurant he chased Wong out of. He begins this time with an arm hold to one of them, and side kicks the other out of his chair, which causes the table they were sitting at to fall apart. After knocking one of them out cold from the fall, Hazuki finishes with a knee kick to the remainder.

As Hazuki begins to strangle Sam, Wong reappears in the restaurant. He begs Ryo to stop hurting him, which prompts Hazuki to question and eventually follow the boy. They walk through the same area that he first met Joy. She warned him about thieves, but he didn't suspect the lad, initially. After Wong retrieves the bag for Hazuki, he becomes defensive about the fact that the others gambled away all his earnings. In exchange, he offers him directions to the Come Over Guesthouse in the Green Market Quarter--of Wan Chai. Hazuki probably could have found it; this is a way to advance the plot a bit faster.

Once in the Green Market quarter, Ryo seemingly coincidentally runs in to Joy. She notices that he has his bag back, and asks where he is headed. Hazuki tries to ignore her, but she follows him over to the hotel anyway. She insures Ryo that he can open an account despite not having any money if he mentions her name. The receptionist reluctantly allows Hazuki to stay for the night, but he must begin to earn money. Hazuki goes to a nearby pawnshop that will accept his Virtua Fighter capsule toys for money. The old lady there is nice and she gives him a fair exchange.

Hazuki's next step is to find a place to practise his martial arts. He runs in to a sign maker on his way through Wan Chai. He asks Hazuki whether or not he will help him. He decides to, but isn't successful at first. He tries a second time, and finally gets it right. The sign maker thanks Hazuki, and tells him about the South Carmain quarter, which is where he is headed next. On his way to the quarter, he runs in to two butchers who are side by side. They both try to convince Hazuki that the other is crooked, and not deserving of anyone's trust.

Once Hazuki reaches the next quarter, he spots an elderly man practising Chen Style T’ai Qi in a park nearby. He questions Ryo about his martial arts. After taking a stab at guessing his style, he offers to spar with the young man. Hazuki tries a variety of moves: Half Tornado Kick, Pit Blow (2 punches), Side Reaper Kick (low kick), Elbow Assault (self-explanatory), and an attempted throw move (Vortex Throw). These all prove faulty to the master's evasive style. He finally attacks Hazuki with a hand move that seems weak, but actually packs quite a punch so to speak. Hazuki reveals the name of his style, which the man has never even heard of.

Hazuki has some time to kill since he has done enough "work" today; he decides to hit the arcade located in the Golden Quarter. Once inside, he goes up to the second floor where there are slot machines. He doesn't win anything, so he makes his way downstairs. He spots Out Run, which is somewhat difficult, given the standard transmission. He plays Quick Timer Event Title (a form of boxing) where he gets a high score. He plays the baseball version of darts with someone and loses $30. He tries Space Harrier, but is defeated early on. Neo Darts is somewhat difficult, given the sort of random aiming. Excite Q.T.E. is next and he does fairly well.

After realizing how late it has gotten, he heads back to the Come Over Guest House. He goes to sleep knowing that he will need to work somewhere in the morning. He awakes with a start as he hears Joy nearby. After paying the receptionist, he hops aboard Joy's bike, and they head for Fortune's Pier. After getting Hazuki acquainted with the boss, Joy leaves Hazuki to his work, where he will be carrying crates with a man named Delin. They begin rather well together, considering that he is somewhat new to this work. The crates don't get heavier, but Delin's strength occasionally wanes, and he forces him (Hazuki) to suddenly move to one side. They drop the crates twice, which still results in a $60 wage for them.

Hazuki heads back to Wan Chai where he spars with his Chinese friend. He (the Chinaman) points Hazuki to the path of the Yan Tin Apartments, which just happens to be in the same quarter. Hazuki decides to postpone this lead, and begins to work part-time at a nearby Lucky Hit stand. Hazuki wins some and loses some. He doesn't earn any money at this, but enjoys the competition. Finally, Hazuki begins to find Master Tao, who should be close given the address. He finds out that Master Tao has relocated to a place called Man Mo Temple. This is somewhat difficult to find, but Hazuki does enter the temple hoping to find the master.

After talking with a man who seems to know the master, Hazuki is directed to leave the temple in order to find out about the 4 arcane, Kung Fu (or Chinese martial art) guidelines called Wude. The only clue that he has is to find true martial artists. This obviously results in Ryo asking his elderly friend about these 4 principals. He doesn't tell him what they all are, but he does tell Hazuki the first Wude, which is Gon (to practise everyday without neglect). His next lead is the dojo in the Green Market quarter. He meets a master named Xuan who tells him that he cannot tell Hazuki the next Wude, because he has failed one of his disciples. This prompts Hazuki to inquire about this man, which eventually leads him to a mall entrance where there are Mongolian street performers.

Hazuki spots a man who seems to be resting. The man turns around towards the Japanese, and after he sees him, he starts to gather a crowd of people. He wants Hazuki to break a stone with his hand. Hazuki isn't particularly okay with the idea, but he decides to work with this man. After being able to forge enough qi in his hand, Hazuki crushes the rock, with a blow from his hand. The man is surprised by Hazuki's strength and he offers to work further with him. He declines, but he does learn that this is indeed the man master Xuan spoke of. Since he sees Hazuki as a messenger of sorts, he asks him to give his former master a letter.

Hazuki returns to the dojo where he finds the venerable. He takes the letter from Ryo, and begins to read. In the letter, the former disciple addresses the fact that he doesn't follow all of the Wude, particularly the second one, which is Jie. It has to do with not showing moves for personal gain. This explains why he has become a street performer. At the end of the letter, he says that he can't get rid of tune nor fist. What he means by this is that although he has broken the second Wude, he hasn't completely fallen off the path of martial arts (as those who love songs whistle tunes endlessly--a martial arts master is devoted to training).

Hazuki's next lead is to find a barber on the 3 Blades Street. He finds this man who seems somewhat reluctant to talk at first. After hearing Ryo's plight, he offers to trim the hair of Hazuki for free. As he sharpens a razor, he tells Ryo about the significance of these archaic principals. He says that people who didn't care about the Wude often left the path and were hated by other people. This sometimes resulted in killing off the derelicts while they were off guard--perhaps having tea. He then tells Hazuki to prepare himself and then raises the razor he's holding towards his throat. Although the threat of the razor is real, Ryo doesn't sense any malice from this man, and therefore stays put.

This impressive sort of stoicism is exactly related to the third Wude called Dan. Hazuki leaves the shop with his next lead--a tailor's store. He finds out that an elderly woman from the Yan Tin Apartments knows about the Wude, so he heads back to the South Carmain quarter. Ryo spots the woman who is surrounded by many men who seem hostile to her cranky demeanor. Hazuki involves himself, which of course starts the next fight. This is Ryo's first big brawl (6 men), which causes him to take extra caution. His Kung Fu or evasive technique is essential for him to win. After a few minutes, the only men left standing are the 2 leaders. The one is taken down with the woman's T’ai Qi.

Hazuki finishes his fight with a Bruce Lee style move to the man's face. Ryo asks the woman whether she knows what any of the Wude are. She does, and she tells Hazuki that the reason that he had saved her right then was because of the last Wude, which stresses heroic courage. He asks her what it's called, but she only says that it's back at the temple. Ryo makes it back to the temple, but he discovers that they are closed for the time being, due to cleaning. He manages to sneak in and encounters one of the monks cleaning. He allows Hazuki to stay if he's willing to help out. During his chore Ryo finds a kanji character that refers to the fourth Wude called Yi.

The man from before returns as Hazuki discovers this revelation. Ryo asks the man whether he's Master Tao. The man asks why Hazuki wants to see the master. He explains that he's trying to find the elusive man named Zhu. He suspects that Ryo wants to take revenge. As Hazuki proudly admits that he is, a mysterious young woman appears. She questions Ryo's vow to strike down Lan Di by asking whether his father would've wished this. Hazuki loses his patience and yells at the woman. It turns out that this opinionated woman is Master Tao and she leads Ryo out to the courtyard.

After being told to strike her down, Hazuki refuses, claiming that he doesn't fight women. No sooner does he say this-- she moves quickly towards him. She encourages him to not hesitate further. Ryo begins to attack, but is frustrated once again for not being able to make any significant contact. After a few minutes, Ryo charges the woman who counters with a Baji style hold, which incapacitates Hazuki. She points out the fact that he's still pretty green in the art of Kung Fu, and that if he were to have faced Longsun Zhao (Lan Di), he would've just died. She introduces herself as Xuiying Hong, and leads Ryo back to her place.

Hazuki is a little bit uncomfortable going in to this lady's apartment, but she is the person who he's suppose to find. Once inside the room, he is even more uncomfortable as he sees that there is only one bed. She tells him to sleep on the sofa. Ryo goes to sleep that night unsure what his future with this lady could possibly be. The following morning, he meets an orphan girl who has ties with Master Tao. She instructs him to meet Xuiying at the temple library. Hazuki arrives seemingly rested to face the new day. She leads him to the temple's library inside, which has many piles of books. She tells him to bring out the piles so that they can be aired out by one of the monks. Ryo hesitantly appeases the woman.

Hazuki begins to carry out the piles and realizes quickly that it is apparently more difficult than it seems. He tosses and turns and even drops some of the piles, but due to his speedy work ethic, he completes his work in seemingly no time. Master Tao compliments him for being a diligent worker, but is reluctant to help point him in the direction of Zhu. She instead tells the young hero that he should be more concerned about developing his Kung Fu. He himself is reluctant to do just whatever she tells him so he decides to ask around town a general investigation as to who Yuanda Zhu is (perhaps he was or is famous).

Notes—You probably have noticed that I used the term Kung Fu somewhat loosely this time. I did this because Ryo’s style is probably a mere derivative of Kung Fu (i.e. Karate). The Korean equivalent for the same subject is called T’ai Kwan Do.

It just so happens that Zhu is famous. It seems that he was/ or is the big boss of Hong Kong. So, he is well known in the environment. It also seems that he wrote a book about various schools of martial arts, which is kept in Man Mo Temple’s library. Unfortunately, it is locked away for safekeeping. When he asks Xuiying about the key, he is turned down and is told that he does not need it yet. This of course does not sit right with Hazuki, so he almost begs her for the key. She demonstrates what only a calm and disciplined mind can do well by catching a falling leaf with only her middle and index finger.

She then sees if Hazuki-kun can do the same, and he cannot do it (even with his entire hand). She then tells Hazuki that his mind is impatient and undisciplined for wanting revenge so badly. He finally catches one by relaxing his muscles so that he does not spoil his reflexes. This is still not enough apparently, because he still seems too eager to get revenge. She tells him to catch the leaves 3 times consecutively (only then will she allow Ryo to look through the book called the Wulinshu). Since Hazuki’s mind is relatively unclear, he takes about an hour to do this task. The master follows through with her promise.

Before she allows Ryo to do what is perhaps inevitable, she reminds him that his pursuits demonstrate an unclear mind. She beckons Hazuki to try to clear his mind like a polished mirror, and to do this by concentrating on himself. Once inside the library, Ryo discovers that many styles overlap each other. He spots a name in the book that he’s familiar with—Suming Zhao. He was the man that Lan Di had mentioned to Iwao Ryo’s father). He’s considered the master of Tiger Swallow Style, which relates somewhat to Lan Di’s style. He also sees that there is an old piece of paper (perhaps a bookmark) that has Chinese kanji characters (on it) that were on the letter that Zhu sent to the Hazuki Dojo.

Notes—This letter that Zhu sent was Hazuki’s first big lead as to what he should investigate in order to track down his enemy.

Heaven, Dragon, Earth and Comrade are the 4 signs indicating the positions of 4 cups (or chawans). Hazuki learns this from the elderly woman named Guixiang. Apparently they indicate that someone is a friend of Zhu. Ryo tries showing the sign at the Canton Café. Instead of finding a friend of Zhu, he runs in to the Poison Brothers from before. They mention that they let him off easy before due to Joy and that he shouldn’t be snooping. Hazuki loses his patience with them and quickly proves his manhood by retorting their blows with his more skillful. He asks them where he can find a different restaurant. They point him in the direction of the Dou Jiang Diner.

On his way to the diner, Ryo meets with Master Xuan again. He briefly mentions that he is grateful that he helped Guixiang the other day from those land sharks. Since Hazuki is bound to face numerous opponents at the same time again, he offers Ryo a quick lesson on how to manipulate opponents sometimes as shields to ward off an effort made by multiple opponents. The move is called Wild Throw and it is indeed useful. Hazuki also visits Guixiang again, but this time she is at a construction site practising Chen Style T’ai Qi. Ryo notices her hand sign of 2 fingers connected together (index finger and thumb) called Goushou.

Hazuki finally finds the Dou Jiang Diner, which is in the Lucky Charm quarter (of Wan Chai) near the 3 Blades street. He shows the sign, which prompts him to wait for a few hours. After about an hour and a half of waiting, Ryo receives a notice from a mysterious man named Zhang. It says to meet with this man at 8:00, which is only a few hours away. At 8:00 sharp the man appears. They begin to have a conversation, but members of a gang called the Yellow Heads rudely interrupt them. They begin to press Hazuki by throwing stools at him, but to no avail. Ryo also manages to avoid their throw moves, which frees him up to attack. The Wild Throw proves useful as they begin to crash on the tables.

After the brawl, he makes his way to the Stand quarter, which is where they (at least one member of the Chiyoumen) have taken Zhu’s associate. Hazuki begins to put his training to good use once again by parrying and attacking opponents who often crash in to the surrounding stands. At the end of the street, Ryo meets a woman named Yuan who tries to attack him with a metal bar from behind. He wards her off with a leg move to her feet. Before Hazuki continues to fight, Xuiying who puts out the lights of many a foe aids him. Back at the Dou Jiang Diner Ryo meets with the man named Zhang. He apparently works for Zhu and tells Hazuki that he should find Ren of Heavens next.

The following day, Hazuki meets with Xuiying who takes back the Wulingshu. She comments that he has had some difficult times. Ryo tells her that he needs to find a man named Ren in order to continue his quest. She warns him that he’s dangerous and that he should avoid meeting with him. Hazuki tells her upfront that he would like her to back off for the time being, which she obliges. On his way through the Lucky Charm quarter, Hazuki runs in to Joy again who tells him to go back to the Come Over Guest House if he wants to. She also mentions that he’s no fun because he tries to avoid her obvious moves towards him (much like he did with Nozomi from chapter 1).

After doing some research about the gang called the Heavens, he realizes that his best bet at finding them is at Fortune’s Pier, which has many gambling dens (and God knows what else). Ryo tries his hand at Big or Small and wins 50 bucks. He finds out those members of that gang hang out around the number 8 warehouse a lot. At 7:00 P.M. Hazuki enters the warehouse expecting to find members of the Heavens. They dislike that Ryo has mentioned Ren and a brawl (once again) ensues. In previous fights Hazuki has learned that defense for him needs to be a priority. He’s able to dodge many of their attacks simply by rolling. He also applies the Wild Throw technique effectively.

He finally gets them to lead him to where they are from—a place called Beverly Hills Wharf. Once there, he is surrounded by nearly every member of the gang, and is subdued into submission. Later that night he is rescued by the boy named Wong. After receiving some much-needed sleep, Ryo rises the following morning with ambition in his stout heart. He decides to ask around for Ren. This leads him in to seemingly countless battles with the men (many of them his age) from the previous night. Most of them basically tell him to look for Cool Z (the guy with a boom box and Mohawk). Once he finally finds this man, Hazuki is told to cough up 500 bucks so that he can speak with Ren.

Notes—I capitalized Mohawk because I didn’t want to offend any aboriginals.

After giving Ren the donation, Ryo is quickly attacked by Ren with a knife. He is not able to harm Hazuki, so he decides to lay low for a while. After Ryo asks him where he should go to find Zhu he says that he’s at a warehouse in Fortune’s Pier. Once there the two find some of Dou Niu’s (leader of the Yellow Heads) lackeys making some kind of transaction. This doesn’t pertain to Hazuki’s interests much, so he tries to escape, but is instead challenged by the 2 men. They prove to be quite formidable, but not enough to subdue Ryo. He uses is usual moves (half Tornado Kick, Pit Blow, Side Reaper Shadow--or Side Shadow Reaper, Elbow Assualt, and finally an Overthrow), which are used to both men in the same set.


Determination wells in his heart (which I must say is quite stout). Ryo finds the juvenile delinquents at a nearby park. They have the money stolen from the other gang members. Hazuki demands to be shown where Zhu is. Instead of basically turning himself in, Ren and company decide to run away (branching out in different directions). Ryo follows Cool Z to an alleyway and threatens to destroy his boom box if he doesn’t tell him where his boss is. Ren seems to have gone to a construction project. Once there the 2 begin to run up the building, which causes them to walk over planks and such. After Ren decides to go down the side, Ryo gets the idea to follow him and they fall.


After knocking the wind out of each other, Ren observes Ryo’s Phoenix Mirror. Hazuki reclaims it, and tells the man briefly what his quest is. He ridicules Ryo’s plight by suggesting that Hazuki is too inexperienced and probably in over his head. Since there seems to be a prize associated with the joining of the 2 mirrors, Ren decides to help Ryo out by revealing that Zhu is hiding in Kowloon, which doesn’t help him out greatly, because finding a person in Kowloon can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It does however point him in the right direction so he is grateful for the man’s help and plans to leave Hong Kong as soon as he can.

The following day begins nice and cheerful as usual on Wong’s junk boat. He tells the boy that he’s planning to leave for a while and also thanks him for being helpful. Ryo thanks countless other individuals and very often bows respectively (like towards Jianmin Tao). After seeing Hanhui (the man who told him to learn about Wude), Hazuki meets with Master Tao in the back as he prepares to leave Hong Kong. She beckons him to fight her once again to see if his skills have improved at all. She basically schools Ryo and finishes her fight with a Baji style move called Counter Elbow Assault. She also teaches it to Hazuki and they part ways with a tiny bit of melancholy.

Notes—Xuiying is probably very sad for her disciple. She knows that his attempt to defeat Lan Di is likely going to turn sour. But perhaps it is this move she taught him that will prove useful in taking down some of Lan Di’s henchmen. The move she teaches him is a very potentially powerful move. It was taught to the Japanese military during World War II, but it proved futile to the terrible atomic bombs.

As Ryo approaches the Wall City side of Kowloon, he begins to realize how desperate his search has become for there are some buildings with well over 40 floors. This doesn’t totally destroy his spirits and he enters Dragon Street to begin his search starting by finding Ren. It is actually Cool Z who leads Hazuki to his newfound friend. Apparently there is an apothecary named Yang nearby who may be able to point them in the direction of Zhu. He tells the 2 that he’s waiting for them in the Dancing Dragon Building on the seventh floor. This turns out to be a trap as Dou Niu of the Yellow Heads captures them and plans to interrogate them at some point.

It takes them about 3 days to come up with a convincing plan to make Ryo appear in peril. The jail keeper falls for their trick and ends up comatose. He doesn’t have a key for the handcuffs binding the 2 so they decide to run joined. They encounter a fair number of obstacles, but mostly quick turns that require teamwork. They finally find a seemingly good place to hide from the oncoming guards, but it turns out not to be. They once again plunge forth in to the vortex of destiny, which is just another way of saying that they fight their way through enemies. They find a quiet spot to rest on the roof and Hazuki finds out that Yuanda Zhu at least used to be a big shot.

Notes—Plunging in to the vortex of destiny is some sort of Soul Series expression. I’m not sure whom it pertains to.

The following morning, the 2 head back down to the elevators, which reveals Dou Niu’s partner named Yuan. She has a small knife that she tries to use it to (of course) harm the 2 men. She isn’t successful, but it doesn’t really matter since her big boss is nearby. The 2 men need to escape—and fast. They find what appears to be an emergency exit, but it turns out to be dead end leading to their doom. There is a shorter building nearby, but it is a risky move. They barely make it across, but do manage to escape from the other man’s grasp. Back at Ren’s hideout, the 2 are aided by Wong’s handyman skills and they decide to revisit Yang who may know where to find information.

There seems to be a wiretapper named Huang in the Tea Break building. He isn’t in his room, but has left cassette tapes in his trashcan, which may or may not have clues leading to Yuanda Zhu. It can’t hurt to try (can it), so the 2 spend most of their night listening intently for information. The last tape that they listen to happens to be the one they are looking for. It contains a recording of Yuan and Dou Niu bantering back and forth about the man they have found who works for Zhu. Since time is indeed a factor, the 2 listeners begin to search for a place that has a bell or a bird shop that sells talking birds because both things were heard on the tape.

Notes—At the end of the tape, there is a conversation between Joy and Guizhang (from chapter 1). Joy mentions something that has really resonated with me as a cult follower of this series. She says that Ryo is real serious and is like a samurai. Gui Zhang agrees with her.

After waiting at the bird shop that Yuan buys feed from, the 2 men (more like boys) decide to stalk Yuan so that they can follow her to wherever she has hidden Zhu’s associate (later revealed as Zhang from before). They discover that she has a lot of influence over the various owners she meets. They all seem to be afraid of her status in the underworld. Her residence is in the Moon Child building (the same place where they heard the sound of a bell on the tape). Ryo becomes the one who knocks on her door and knocks her out cold with a leg move to the door (which hits her hard). They find Zhang in a corner of the room, but Dou Niu appears; is tricked and trapped in a closet.

Back at the hideout, Zhang tells the people that Zhu is hiding in one of the rundown buildings on the tenth floor. He also gives Hazuki a stick of a Snake Tortoise that becomes important later. The way that Ryo goes up is very dangerous, but fairly manageable with wooden planks. They teeter and totter, but don’t ever give way to the 163-pound samurai. Just as Hazuki makes his way to the entrance of what seems to be the old 5 Star Corporation headquarters, Ren appears and simply had to use the elevator shaft close by. The next room requires them to find 3 other sticks of a dragon, phoenix, and tiger to unlock a mechanism leading to where the venerable sir is.

Notes—5 Star Corp. is the company once run by Zhu.

Zhu appears to be a kindly old man reading a book. He questions Hazuki and Ren who they are. Once he hears Ryo’s name, he mentions Iwao who he knew 20 years ago. No sooner do they introduce themselves; Yuan and the Yellow Heads interrupt the 3. Fortunately for the 2 teenagers there is a convenient escape out the window. Once on the ground Hazuki begins to approach some of the Yellow Heads with his familiar sequence of moves. They seem to be a bit harder than the members he has met with before, but they stand no chance to his iron fist. However he doesn’t p
by Hang_On_1987
Tue Aug 04, 2009 4:08 pm
 
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