Serialized Science Fiction.

Strange Origins
Tom Haynes

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(overview)

Half-truths are better than lies, "I had tried all of my life to open it. But I never had the luck. Today I got the luck, but everyone I know is gone."

Hung thought about it - he did not completely trust this Qian Arthur, but his actions so far were good. "You have to feed yourself and contribute to my family's upkeep. I can't teach you any spiritual energy arts - just Kung Fu. But I can let you sleep in the studio."

The trio started off to first Quaizmoe and then the Devil Dog Martial Arts Studio.

Chapter 6: The Quaint City of Quaizmoe, or life without a sewage system, my god, what is that smell?

Arthur thought there might be a fee collected to enter Quaizmoe, but the gate guards saw Tang Hung and averted their gaze. Hung murmured, "I taught them Kung Fu when they were kids." You could see a war on their face between disgust at this trash and respect for their former Master.

The stalls and shops were interesting and there was a waft of fresh bread being baked somewhere. The prices were in copper and silver coins. Arthur didn't remember how much silver The Duck had given him. "Are their any cultivator shops?"

Hung stared at him, "If you had enough silver to spend there, you wouldn't need to beg Kung Fu lessons from me!"

Arthur let his grin be his reply.

They eventually came to a run down building in a still nice part of town. Tang Hung was apologetic, "It costs more to run than we bring in. I'd sell it, but there is no way I could make enough to keep us fed. If it could open Bo's Dantian, perhaps, but I don't have that type of luck any more."

A younger man came out of the building, "Master Hung, you are back!"

"Qian Arthur, meet my helper Liu Peter.", Hung introduced the two. "Peter, Hung is a new student, please start him in the white class in the morning."

The young man stammered, "Master, the morning white class?"

"Yes. Come the two of you, tonight I'll buy us a meal to celebrate our return." Of course, Hung was not offering to take them out, he just meant he would prepare a meal. They all entered the dojo.

As Hung busied himself in the kitchen, Bo and Peter guided Arthur through the studio. There were several small rooms with prayer mats and rolled up mattresses. Arthur was assigned one.

Other than the gym with some practice weapons, there really was not that much. There was no safe room, no apothecary, no library, no armory, in short, it was nothing like what Arthur imagined a Wuxia dojo would be like.

Dinner was rather sedate, Arthur was still not that hungry yet, but he forced himself to eat.

After dinner, Arthur excused himself to his room. He wanted to hide his silver and his jade box, but it looked like the best thing was to keep them with him.

He quietly practiced the kata that Bo had showed him, focusing on form

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(overview)

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