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"Outer. But they are no different," Chiun said thoughtfully. He resumed his tale. "Temujin died a wealthy man, and did not fully trust his sons, especially Kublai, who is as hated among modern Mongols as Genghis is revered."
"Unlike Ogatai, who's not big with Koreans."
"Who told you about Ogatai?" Chiun hissed.
"Oh, I've heard some loose talk," Remo said laconically. "You know what incorrigible gossips these Mongols are."
Chiun stroked his beard thoughtfully. He went on. "Now, Genghis ordered that the greatest part of his treasure be buried in a secret place so that when a truly worthy descendant of his came into the world, he would seek it out and take up the good work. Many tried. None succeeded. For no one could find the fabled Silver Skull of Targutai, on whose brow was inscribed a riddle which would start a seeker on the path to Temujin's glory. Legend has it that it was secreted in the Great Wall of China, but no one knew where. Until, by sheer luck, Zhang Zingzong found it. And although unable to decipher the riddle, he carried it with him as he attempted to escape China. Many Chinese helped him. But some of these were servants of Wu Ming Shi, of whom Zhang knew nothing. One of these informed Wu Ming Shi, and he gave chase all the way to America. The rest you know."
"Like heck," Remo said. "It doesn't explain the disappearing footsteps. And do you know that he has no heartbeat?"
"It beats but once a minute. I have listened. This is how Wu Ming Shi survived into the modern world. He knows the secrets of slowing down breath and heartbeat, using less energy, consuming less food, and stretching the moments of his life. For he is, if I calculate correctly, over two hundred years old!"
"What!"
Chiun nodded. "He was old when I first encountered him, and I was not a young man then."
"What is this man to you?"
"You talk like a Mongol," Chiun commented.
"It rubs off. Answer the question."
"Who is the Master here?" Chiun sniffed. "Speak truly."
"You, Awesome Magnificence."
Chiun smiled. He went on.
"When last we spoke," Chiun said, "you asked me about the emperors I served before America. Let it be known that the heartless mandarin was my last client before the gold of America was placed in my hands."
"He's an emperor? He looks like Fu Manchu." Memo stopped. He blinked. "Fu Manchu! Is that guy Fu Manchu?"
Chiun shook his aged head. "Wu Ming Shi," he corrected. "He coveted the throne of China. He has always coveted the throne of China. His aims were thwarted by the Communists and the Nationalists before them. This is when he vanished. I worked for this man, as the Master before me and the Master before him. At first, he was a good client, his gold flowed like rain, and the work was worthy, even during the first Idiocy of the Barbarians, known to some as World War One.
"But one day, Wu Ming Shi summoned me to his place of exile and asked that I extinguish the life of a boy prince he saw as a rival in his aims. You know, Remo, because I have taught you this, that in Sinanju the lives of children are forever sacred. No gold, no honeyed promises, may dissuade us from this. We are assassins, and some criticize us for this, but we are no better than mere murderers if we do not adhere to certain precepts. Not killing children is the greatest of these."
"I know," Remo said quietly. That was his second thought. His first was an acid, "No checks." But he decided against it. Chiun's story was more important than getting in a zinger.
"I refused this instruction and Wu Ming Shi sent me away," Chiun continued. "When I returned to the village of Sinanju, I found the women weeping and the men enraged. For Wu Ming Shi had done the unthinkable. He had dispatched his Blue Bees to Sinanju to steal away certain children."
"I thought you said Fu Manchu-I mean Wu Ming Shi-never used bugs and reptiles, except in books."
"He does not. The Blue Bees are his servants. They can be found in all cities, for he has a worldwide network of adherents."
Remo thought back to the first time he had met Fang Yu. She had worn blue. And he suddenly remembered the blue-clad Chinese workers he had seen in every Mongolian town.
"I know what happens next," Remo said. "You cleaned his clock for him-right?"
"No. For I was in a place of no comfort. I could not kill children even to save other children, although I considered this. Carrying my pride before me, I ventured to the place where Wu Ming Shi held forth in exile and attempted to ransom them. I demanded satisfaction, and Wu Ming Shi refused, saying that the children of Sinanju were in another place, and would not be harmed so long as he was not harmed. I knew this to be true, for above all, Wu Ming Shi is a man of honor. I begged, and still he refused. Finally I went away, after first making clear to Wu Ming Shi that so long as the children of Sinanju lived, so would he. And he vowed to me that if I ever moved against him or his political aims, his Blue Bees would attack Sinanju on the first day I left it unguarded."
"So it was a standoff," Remo said.
"Not quite. For the honor of Sinanju was at stake. I could not kill this man, so in retaliation I inflicted upon him a certain insult. Then I returned to Sinanju, vowing never again to venture from it. For I had no heir, and I knew this man's cold-bloodedness knew no bounds. So long as I remained with my people, Remo, Sinanju was safe. But I could not work, and so the years slipped from me and the hard times came."
Chiun bowed his head recalling the sadness.
"You never told me this."
"It was ancient history," Chiun said, "or so I thought. In time, the Communists overran China. Wu Ming Shi was forced to retreat, for he was known to Mao. It was in these days that I first began training the one known to you as Nuihc, my nephew, for the line of Sinanju had to go on."
"Big mistake."
"I have told you the tale of Nuihc, Remo, but I never told you all. I trained this deceiver and he took new work. But the work came from Wu Ming Shi. I knew this after Nuihc went into the world and shortly thereafter the children of Sinanju, no longer children, were returned. That was all the village ever saw of Nuihc's work. No money came from his efforts and I was unable to venture forth to investigate this matter because then there would be no one to protect the children from Wu Ming Shi, who ached to avenge the insult I inflicted upon his person."
"What insult?" Remo asked curiously.
"A minor unimportant detail," Chiun said. "And so it was for many years until word reached me that Wu Ming Shi had passed from this earth, his long-deferred dream unattainable. Nuihc found other clients. Still no money came. This was the early days of what you called the Cold War. I had resigned myself to remaining in Sinanju, the last worthy Master of Sinanju, when the American Conrad MacCleary came, offering gold if I would train a white. It was an insult, but after so many cruel blows, what was one more? I had trained a traitor, why not a white? Or a monkey? It was all the same to me. Sinanju was over. I would accept the gold so that the village would survive a few years longer. The rest you know. Nuihc found us and now Nuihc is no more. But Wu Ming Shi lives."
"Why didn't you tell me any of this when you found out he wasn't dead?" Remo wondered.
"I dared not. Wu Ming Shi threatened all that was dear to Sinanju before. I knew that if he knew of your existence, he would threaten you in order to make me his vassal once more, now that Nuihc had perished."
"Really?" Remo said. "All this was to protect me?"
Chiun nodded. "Truly. I pretended to this man that you were an unimportant servant."
"But he was going to execute me, and you were going to stand by."
"Do not be ridiculous, Remo. You-executed by a hopping masked lacky? This Sagwa is better than one might expect, having been trained by Nuihc. But you would have figured out his trickery in time. As you did."
"With your help."
Chiun nodded. "With my help. This is a subterfuge we must continue, for the time being. Until I know the full extent of Wu Ming Shi's power. No doubt he had servants who are under orders to strike at Sinanju should he come to harm at my hands."
"So what's next?"
"Wu Ming Shi covets the treasure of Temujin, no doubt for the same reason Zhang Zingzong does. Both men see it as the instrument through which they will impose a new order on China."
"So you're going to cut him in for a piece?"
"No, I will make a present of the final skull to him."
"You, willingly giving up a treasure?" Remo asked incredulously.
"It is the only solution. I will offer this to him to atone for the insult done to Wu Ming Shi, and all will be well."