Episode 3 (The Mystic Nine)

**Episode 3 (The Mystic Nine)** is the third episode of the television series The Mystic Nine.

## Synopsis

Qi Tiezui, Lieutenant Zhang, and Zhang Qishan found a tourist lodge and gained information on the Japanese's visit to the mining town. Er Yuehong and Chen Pi Ah Si become involved with a Japanese special agent.

## Story

   Chen Pi set up a new rule on his dock that goods can no longer be inspected before being purchased. The businessmen complained. Chen Pi assured them that he had already checked the goods and if anyone didn't like the new rule, they can leave. One of the businessmen offered to buy some and opened a crate. The antiques inside were shiny and too well preserved which raised the suspicion of the men. Chen Pi became angry and demanded to know why they doubted him. He told them it so well preserved because the bronze good had been sealed inside the tomb for at least a thousand years. It was way better than the goods they were used to and asked them to take another look. The businessmen tried to calm him down and offered to buy more goods. They claimed Boss Chen will make them rich. Chen Pi claims himself to be the king of tombs and that all those items inside the tombs are his. They tell him that he's wasting his talents just being a subordinate to Er Ye. And that everybody knows him in the Changsha antique world and is competing to work with him. They also say he is being too softhearted by providing part of his earnings to Er Ye. However, one businessman went as far to say that others in Chen Pi's place would have stolen the whole business and embraced Er Ye's wife into their arms. Chen Pi becomes angry at this and attacked him with his Nine Fingered Claw weapon. Chen Pi warned the others that they will meet the same end if they speak of Er Ye and Ya Tou like that again. The businessmen got on their knees and promised not to do it again.

    Er Ye was in his secret room taking measurements of a model that sat on a table in the middle of the room. He seemed to have found something out.

Fo Ye, Ba Ye, and Lieutenant Zhang spoke to the people who were making food. Though they offered to pay, the patron refused saying there was barely enough food for the people already there. They offer even more money and the man there finally agrees to serve them.

Chen Pi is cleaning off the bloodied weapon he used earlier and thought back to a conversation between him and Ya Tou. He was being punished by Er Ye for buying an object for Ya Tou at the black market. He was angry with Er Ye and his rules about items from tombs being banned when many things in the house were also from tombs.

While Fo Ye, Lt. Zhang, and Ba Ye were talking with the men, they asked about Train 076. The men acted suspicious but said they knew of no trains passing by. They made excuses and quickly left. The three of them slept at the inn and when the other men woke up at dawn, they followed. They were led to a field where a fight ensued. The men they encountered turned out not to be one of the villagers and Fo Ye asked them what they knew about the train. Before they could answer anything they ingested poison that was hidden in their mouths and died. Ba Ye tried to use his compass but some object nearby seemed to be causing interference. As they walked further they discovered new train tracks laid down by the Japanese which were made from the materials in the mines and had magnetic properties. They speculated that a tomb should be nearby.

Tanaka Ryoko, the head of the Japanese special agents, was connected to the mining mountain. She and a fellow agent bribed a servant to get tickets to one of Er Ye's performance. The manager of the opera house informed Er Ye that the servant was bribed and the Japanese agent was going to attend the show. Er Ye instructed the manager to tell the Japanese agents that he's gone home. The Japanese agents tried to contact Er Ye but the manager was able to stop them and told them not to come to the opera house again. The two agents wanted to ask Er Ye for help with something but the manager told them the answer was already no.

The two agents discussed their dilemma of not being able to meet with Er Ye. They mentioned their employer, Hendry Cox, who wanted Er Ye's cooperation. They accepted that they could not get Er Ye to help, so they looked towards Chen Pi Ah Si. Since, Chen Pi had been looking for a way to cure Ya Tou, they believed they could use the cure as a bargaining chip.

At Chen Pi's dock, he was discussing a foreign medicine that could cure a hundred illnesses with Tanaka Ryoko, the Japanese agent from before. In return for the medicine, Tanaka Ryoko wanted Chen Pi to arrange a meeting with Er Ye. Chen Pi grabbed her by the neck and threatened to kill her. He took a piece of paper from her pocket with Er Ye's performance information. Chen Pi then knew she already tried to see Er Ye but he refused to meet with her. She reminded him of the medicine and Chen Pi reluctantly agreed. Ya Tou was making noodles, again, when she dropped a bowl and started coughing. Chen Pi raced in to make sure she was okay. It seemed like Ya Tou's sickness was getting worse.

Fo Ye, Ba Ye, and Lt. Zhang continued to follow the train tracks but happened upon a man nearby. The man started to run and they all chased after him. They lost sight of him so they decided to wait for him to return to the area.

## Characters

* Fo Ye
* Lieutenant Zhang
* Ba Ye
* Chen Pi Ah Si
* Ya Tou
* Er Yuehong
* Tanaka Ryoko

## Locations

* Qingguan Town
	+ Yong An Tourist Lodge
* Tongtai Dock
* Hong Manor