CB-ST2: Midnight Lungmen

CB-ST2 Midnight Lungmen	Code of Brawl: Downtown Previous CB-8 (Story) Next CB-9 (Story)

Rumor has it that at midnight, you can encounter ghosts on the streets of Lungmen who can usher you to a glorious, bygone era. However, you have to take some time to discern whether these "ghosts" are actually living or dead.

Characters

Fillet

Mafioso

Backgrounds

Lungmen Streets

1

Lungmen Back Alley

2

Lungmen Cemetery

3

“

The duel between Gambino and Capone is once again interrupted by Waai Fu and Fillet. The two Lungmen youths are committed to making the reckless Mafia pay the price. Meanwhile, the Rat King meets with an old friend at the cemetary.

”

<Background 1>
0:00 AM \ Dusty Downtown Lungmen, Busy Street
Fillet	...
Waai Fu	Hey, you're doing the whole "triad face" thing again, you know?
Fillet	...Welcome back. Did you look into those people for me?
Waai Fu	I came up with a rough sketch. As much as I'd like to bring these evildoers to justice, it looks like it's not going to be a one woman job.
Waai Fu	I may have to ask for help at the office. Seems they're not your run of the mill punks. And that Aak wasn't exactly forthcoming. He has to go and make everything so complicated...
Fillet	I'm sorry, who?
Waai Fu	Aak.
Fillet	Ah?
Waai Fu	...His name is Aak.
Fillet	Oh... Okay, well, since it's not so simple, I'll help out.
Waai Fu	...You were listening, weren't you? A bunch of street thugs is one thing, but if we're dealing with a large-scale organized syndicate, we can't just go in there and start throwing punches.
Fillet	We have other options besides going in there and starting to throw punches, don't we?
Waai Fu	Are you really going to nail me on semantics?
Fillet	I'm not joking.
Waai Fu	...Is Uncle Tung okay?
Fillet	He wasn't hurt badly. But that's not the point.
Waai Fu	Right. It's not. If this were just some underworld spat, I wouldn't get involved. But when I see the wicked strike the innocent before my very eyes, I can't sit idly by and let them run amok.
Fillet	...Thanks. You've earned some finballs. On me.
Waai Fu	I don't need finballs... By the way, This business tonight has something to do with Penguin Logistics. They're not even trying to cover up their involvement.
Fillet	They're good people. They probably just got mixed up in it somehow.
Waai Fu	They've gotten "mixed up in things somehow" dozens of times this year alone. They need to be a little more careful, and stop making trouble for everyone. If we run into them, we'll have to give them a warning.
<Background 2>
Capone	Sand Originium Arts. Hmph. Guess the freak running Lungmen's underworld had to have some teeth to him.
Mafioso	Mr. Capone, you don't mean...?
Capone	He ain't the kinda guy you wanna piss off, capiche?
Mafioso	The Rat King? But we're facing off against the boss, Penguin Logistics, and...
Capone	And half of Lungmen. Yeah, the outlook ain't so rosy. No room for mistakes.
Mafioso	What're you doing, Mr. Capone? Put down the crossbow!
Capone	You thought going against the Family would be easy? I remember the face of every last man who agreed to follow me to Lungmen, who's ready to betray Gambino for the sake of survival. And you ain't one of 'em. Take a dirt nap, Gambino dog.
[Capone forces the mafioso to leave...]
Capone	Get outta here.
[...as Gambino approaches him.]
Gambino	Here I thought you were just an ungrateful cazzo. Now I see you learned to buy and sell men.
Capone	Who do you think taught me?
Gambino	Sure as hell wasn't me.
Capone	You earned my loyalty. Then you let me down harder than anything ever has. I won't make that same mistake.
Gambino	You know what betrayal means, don't you?
Capone	It's Siracusa's greatest crime. But too bad for you, your honor and glory ain't worth shit in Lungmen.
Gambino	Take it.
Capone	...the Jack of Spades?
Gambino	I told you. You deal too slow!
[Gambino strikes Capone with his sword, but the latter dodged it.]
Capone	You're even slower with that sword, Gambino. You get hurt in your fight with the Penguins? Or are we openin' old wounds?
Gambino	Seeing you turn coward like this makes me sick. I'm stuck thinkin' about how I should kill a traitor like you.
Capone	You're the Joker here now.
[Capone retaliates by firing several shots from his crossbow, but Gambino dodges them.]
Capone	What's next? What're you gonna do? You take out Penguin Logistics? You take out the Rat King? You take out the LGD? You take out Wei Yenwu? You're dreaming. Why not fall asleep forever?
Gambino	Don't worry, I'll send your ashes back to Siracusa. Maybe I'll have the old village grind your corpse up.
[Gambino and Capone continues fighting, but were unaware that the mafioso is being attacked.]
Mafioso A	Woah, what're you...?!
Gambino	...What?
Capone	Sounds like we got party crashers.
Gambino	...I shoulda killed you quicker. But now we gotta play host.
[Waai Fu attacks the mafiosi with her kung fu...]
Mafioso A	Stop 'em! Aagh! My toe...
Mafioso B	What's this, kung fu?! Can't even touch her!
[...knocking them all down single-handedly.]
Mafioso A	They're unarmed, just get 'em... Oof!
[Waai Fu approaches Capone and Gambino.]
Waai Fu	...Phew. So, it's you two?
Gambino	I don't like to go around pickin' on weak little ladies, but... You tore through my boys, walked right up to me, and you don't got a speck of dust on those pretty clothes of yours. You the Rat King's people?
Fillet	...Were you in the slums?
Capone	You broke up a fight between Sicilians and you got the balls to ask questions?
Fillet	...Yeah. I'd say it was you two.
Capone	—?!
[Fillet attacks Capone...]
Capone	This mook, argh—!
[...who easily overpowers the Lupo mafioso.]
Waai Fu	Are you just going to watch?
Gambino	Don't get me wrong. It's always a good idea to borrow a knife to off somebody, but I gotta deal with this cazzo myself. On the other hand... You look like you're a handful.
Waai Fu	I think you should surrender. Really.
Gambino	Hah!
[Gambino and Waai Fu fights, but they are evenly matched.]
Gambino	You're about as good as that wolf. Who knew the Rat King had cards like you up his sleeve!
Waai Fu	What cards? What are you talking about? Just get down on the floor and turn yourself in!
Gambino	Nng!
[Meanwhile, the fight between Fillet and Capone enters a deadlock.]
Capone	Hey, I remember you. I met you before. You dressed up like a seafood salesman. Played like you were making finballs. Funny. I never thought I'd have to give you a second look.
Fillet	No, I really am a... never mind. Right now, just for tonight, I am what you think I am.
Waai Fu	Hai-yah!
Gambino	Hmph!
[Gambino fights back.]
Capone	You gettin' beat by a girl over there, Gambino.
Gambino	Oh I'm still gonna kill you. Wipe that smile off your face.
Fillet	...You've been looking for chances to take a low blow, dirty fighter.
Waai Fu	How can you hope to win if you strike with the wrong part of your fist? You will pay for the harm you have done.
<Background 3>
Uncle Tung	...You had me wait so long just to bring me here? What is this about? Are we looking at grave plots? You want to be my neighbor even in death?
Rat King	After so many years in business, how do you keep such a sharp tongue?
Uncle Tung	I don't talk to my customers like this. But you're not a customer.
Rat King	I'm hurt.
<Background fades out and in>
[The Rat King and Uncle Tung arrives at someone's grave.]
Rat King	......
Uncle Tung	...This is Ah Faat's grave. You probably don't know him. This one's Rascally Chan's, and over here is Fake Yama. Then in the back is Old Wu and the Steel Psycho, plus Lucky On. Lucky On's family was rich, so he got the hillside plot.
Rat King	So many.
Uncle Tung	At least they're all neighbors. We should think about where we'll stay too.
Rat King	I think it's still too early for that. Or are you trying to tell me you've got some terminal illness?
Uncle Tung	It's not early. We don't live long enough, so it always feels like we've been through tough times. Like me. Our brothers gave their lives for us. But now that I've settled down, I look back and reflect on my life... And nothing seems like that big a deal anymore. If there was anything really that big, I wouldn't be able to enjoy a peaceful life.
Rat King	Oh my. Did selling finballs bring you such enlightenment?
Uncle Tung	Honestly, food price inflation is a lot more dangerous to me than the mob. ...Dai Lo, won't you be my neighbor here? The Feng Shui is excellent, and I hear you get a better deal buying the plots in pairs.
Rat King	Are you done?
Uncle Tung	I'm joking. It's a joke. Aiya. At least you have a daughter. I'm going to die alone.
Rat King	You have all the kids in the slums with you, don't you? And that Ah Fil boy.
Uncle Tung	But there's no blood. It makes a difference when you get old. ...So you have to outlive me, a bit. Not too much. Just a bit. I'll wait for you down there.
Rat King	Are you always looking for ways to needle me? By the way, I'm meeting an old friend later tonight. Would you like to join us for a drink?
Uncle Tung	No thanks. I'm worried Ah Fil is off getting himself into trouble. I'd better look into it.
Rat King	I'll look into it for you.
Uncle Tung	And how many old friends do I have left? I think they're all down there.
Rat King	You have one.
Uncle Tung	I can't talk with the one called Wei. I've been dealing with him a long time. It would be very short-lived.
Rat King	But you took a bullet for Wei Yenwu. It's why you can't walk straight anymore.
Uncle Tung	You think I don't know? Feh, I don't want to talk about this. It always makes me feel wretched. ...But at least Lungmen can walk straight. At least she's not wretched.
Rat King	You're the same as you ever were. And I guess that's a good thing. If you've really seen enough of him, then you better be on your way. And even if he did see you, he probably wouldn't know what to say.
Uncle Tung	You finally let me go, Lin, this poor old wounded man.
Rat King	...... Mr. Tung.
Uncle Tung	What's that?
Rat King	Live a while longer. Sell some more finballs. Buy yourself a building, open a restaurant, take a few apprentices, and then maybe think about where to put your coffin. There's no rush. The Rat King still lives. It's not your turn to die yet.
Uncle Tung	...fine.