Master Plan of Fu Manchu
A HOI C.O.R.E. AAR by The Yogi
Follow this link to hear some background music while you read!
A HOI C.O.R.E. AAR by The Yogi
Follow this link to hear some background music while you read!
DISCLAIMER: While this work has been inspired by the characters and stories of Sax Rohmer (and a few others, as will soon become apparent), it makes no attempt to be consistent with the original Fu Manchu (or other) stories. This is an alternate history world, and anything that differs from the original in it, simply didn’t happen that way here.
1935
Prologue
Nanjing, China – November 1935
Nanjing, provisional capital of China in 1935
‘Generalissimo, there’s a Mandarin here to see you.’
Chiang Kai-Chek raised his eyes from the great map of China he and his Generals were leaning over, and let his annoyed stare bore into the Guomingdang Lieutenant standing at attention at the entrance to the war room. ‘Have him wait, damn it, or even better, throw him out! I cannot interrupt a session with my General Staff to listen to the whining of any old petty aristocrat!’
The Lieutenant swallowed, began to turn, then stopped. ‘Generalissimo, I dare not.’
That got Chiang’s attention all right. Furious, he rose from the map table, all thoughts of the war against the communists forgotten. ‘What?’ he said in a dangerously level voice.
The Lieutenant began to sweat profusely and blanched to the point of resembling one of the foreign devils. ‘Generalissimo, there’s something about this man that… I mean…’
‘Do not blame your underling, Chiang, it’s not his fault’, a dark rich voice chided as a man walked with supreme self-confidence and arrogance into the room. ‘Opposing me is beyond the ability of lesser men, such as him.’ The young Guomingdang officer looked as if he was about to faint with terror.
Chiang took stock of the visitor. He was Chinese, tall, lean and high-shouldered, in the prime of his life, and dressed in robes of black silk (obviously of the highest quality) with a rampant dragon in red and gold on the chest. The shaved head was crowned with a black skullcap, adorned with a single coral bead which indicated the rank of Mandarin. But the man could have worn rags and still commanded the attention of every man in a room bristling with Generals, such was the raw power that emanated from his face. Under the high brow, and inlaid in a face that could only be described as Satanic, two eyes of emerald green shone with the very fires of Hell. Chiang’s face drained of blood as he realized who this man must be – a man whose name was never spoken aloud but whispered in fear among the black alleys of the underworld, the Lord of the feared Si-Fan secret society, that terrifying genius of crime and science…
‘Fu Manchu!’
‘Dr. Fu Manchu if you please, Generalissimo. Now, if you send out the servants,’ the man answered with a nod towards the flabbergasted members of the General Staff, ‘you and I have grave matters to discuss, as Master to Master. The future of our country is fraught with peril. China needs you, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Check. And you, whether you know it or not, need me.’
For a second, Chiang knew just how Faust must have felt when Mephistopheles handed him the quill. Then he collected himself. That was just a man standing before him. Just a man, but what an ally that man would make!
‘Everybody out!’ Chiang roared. ‘Out! Leave us alone!’
Fu Manchu smiled and his emerald eyes shone with unholy mirth.
Last edited: