Kowloonfront (FRONT4)

What was that noise just now?

I heard a strange stone appeared on the second floor of the Twin Centre.

You should be able to get in from the qigong school building. There's a connecting passageway. Ask the opium dealer about it.

Far as I see it, the taxidermist was another of the Snakes' pawns.

You got a life orb off of him? A life orb has the power to revive the buried horses, but the taxidermist was abusing it for his selfish gain.

You! Go get help from the horses! Don't you ever lose that life orb!

The taxidermist has gone too far...!

You still have that dancer's wig I gave you earlier, don't you?

If you get caught by the taxidermist, try throwing that wig at him.

That wig was made from a woman's head hair. Not his cup of tea at all. He's fixed to merge with Yun, a guilü. Surely the full merge won't be instant. If you kill the guilü first, maybe... Wait. What am I hearing...?

That's the old side merchant. It sounds like he's having a meltdown!

Is that stone the one the taxidermist had been hiding? It's upstairs in the Twin Centre. Well, not that I've seen it, but I've heard about it.

There should be a terminal up on the Twin Centre's second floor.

But I heard something about people getting warped elsewhere via Hyper-Comm...

You defeated the taxidermist, huh...

And a life orb rolled out of his body?

Maybe that orb... was a solidification of the wish to survive, made from all of the animals the taxidermist killed.

A life orb has the special power to resurrect any slaughtered animal. Use it when things are at their worst.

It's the taxidermist! He's finally merged!

The taxidermist merged with a guilü!

It was a guilü he loved very much. I think he named it "Yun"? Gee. The taxidermist and Yun... Pretty gross, if you think about it. To hear more, ask the wig merchant.

I lit my fuse! Y'know what I mean? Feels like I struck my arse on the floor and built up heat like a match! Once that fire crawls up my spine, I'll blow away like the wind!

Hehehe, I'm still feeling charitable, strangely enough. I mean, I do feel a little funny, but... still nice.

... Oh, my favourite food? I have one, but I don't have an appetite anymore. Maybe you can use some to hunt guilü, just not the guilü that ran down the way just now. I doubt he'd eat it. He seemed plenty satisfied as-is, hehe.

... Sorry, I don't feel so charitable anymore. In fact, I feel terrible...

An extraordinary guilü ran down the way just now.

If devil-warding powers work on him, maybe you can get him to roll over on the ground like a... pair of dice....? ... Sorry, what was I going on about? Something about "dice"? That's weird. Did you bring that out of me?

Still have all that money, do you? Hehe, that stuff doesn't matter now. No place here will take it anymore. ... Did you seriously think golden sand was something money could buy?

THE CACTUS WOMAN TOOK THE GOLDEN SAND AND FLED, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. ... Get it? There's nothing we can do!

UP LIKE A FLY CROPS THE CACTUS WOMAN, DRIPPING WITH OLD WINE IN THE DESERT.

TO KEEP HER OLD WINE FROM SPILLING, SHE GETS MEN DRUNK ON GOLDEN SAND. ... "Women", am I right? Hahahaha!

Die, die, dieeee! Go, go, gooo! Where it stops, nobody knooows!

Look at me: a harmless nobody who's turned into an innocent little die.

But die float in water, don't they? 'Cuz I don't feel like siiinking!

Are you trying to get to the taxidermist from this side? I see you...

Before you do that, have you talked to the wigmaker? He's dying to tell you about the taxidermist's weakness.

Would you look at that... The taxidermist joined bodies with that guilü of his at last. He named that guilü "Yun". Exorcise that guilü first thing. Then, take out the taxidermist. If you don't, you'll be possessed by Yun's lingering malice.

The magician guy went up this way. He'll give you the rundown.

The taxidermist was collecting malice in order to create his own guilü, was he?

Ah-hah! That's how that hack was REALLY making his living!

He must have been hired by the Snakes to do all that!

Tell me, which do I look like? A woman? Or a man? It's fluid, right? First I'm a woman, then a man, and then sometimes... I'm both! It's funny, how it works like that.

The mushroom dealer told me about you. Here. It's that lump of ice he found. Unfortunately, my freezer broke, and the ice seems to have melted... Do you have a bottle to put it in?

Also, Mr. Wei's been calling. He's in Room 312... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I wonder what's gonna happen to us. ... And what was that light just now?

I haven't seen such a light in years. What a radiant light it is!

I've been feeling... strange lately. Feels like I'm not myself right now. Hehehe... Like I'm something else. Oh, but you want to get out of here...

Well, I don't know what's stopping you from using Hyper-Communication, bud.

Hahaha... I'm... not myself. I must be... something else.

Handed over Deluxe Bottle.

Full Bottle acquired.

That life orb you have is a mass of life essence, stripped from the animals stuffed and mounted by the taxidermist.

His obsession with life took this shape, which could be of use to you.

Now that the taxidermist is gone, I suppose I'm free to go too...

Truth is, thanks to my abilities, I was hired to spy on the taxidermist,

but now you see 'em, now you don't. Next time you see the old man in the big hat, tell him I said, "Salud".

I've never seen a life orb before. If you use it, animals that lost their lives will be resurrected.

What gives? I feel the delusion in Wangren Road getting stronger. Seriously! At this rate, it will flood all of Kowloonfront! The more you delude, the closer you get to becoming an object.

Whoosh... It's getting sucked in. The delusion is getting sucked in from Kowloonfront at a tremendous rate. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... I'm going to become the wind.

Suddenly, there's no sign of anyone. What's going on down the street?

On top of that... I don't quite feel like myself anymore, but I know my job is to guide people.... How about you?

The Dragon Hotel is a circus right now!

I've been hearing a voice for a while. Its words keep surging into my head... You! You hear it, don't you?! There isn't a moment to lose!

Has anyone checked on Rich? I hope the Dragon Hotel is all right.

Just shake my head, and roll! Hehehe! All right, if I really am a die now, the number of pips on my next roll will seal my fate! Hehehehe... See? Round and round I gooo!

The die is cast! Hahaha! But on what side will it land? Nobody can say!

DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE! DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE! DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!

Hey, you! Tell me something! Can a die float on water? ... Well? Can it or not?

I know what this feeling is. This is... delusion!

Yes! The delusion is overflowing, and now... I... I can't think about anything else!

Something happened on Wangren Road. A strong power at work... Hahaha...

A voice... is calling. It's for you... Can you hear it? I can hear it, even from here!

Monster ROM acquired.

When it comes to phones, I feel, how should I say... "untethered"? That's one way to describe it. Yes, I love feeling one with the phone. Phone, phone, phone... Hahaha...

Everyone's moving on in their own way, and we're all the happier for it! Hahaha... I'm a phone...

How long do you plan to keep that form? If you ask me, it isn't "you" enough. Yeah, you need something... more.

It's too much...! The delusion has reached its limit.

A tremendous energy is surging on Wangren Road. It's really bad! An access card won't help us! Without something stronger, you'll become a wangren in an instant!

This can't go on! It's no use now! Wangren Road is about to explode! It oozes with tremendous delusion. This will be breath-taking...

What is that thing? It's making my head split... Is it stronger than a card?

My brain is swelling...

Haah, haah, haah... You have something strong on you. Not the card! I can't! I can't...!

I don't know what that is, but I'll let you through. I can't hold it in... Whoosh, whoosh. I am the wind.

I see. In the end, both Mafei... and that Connie woman are...

But what's that about taking that "Xuanji" wangren back to where he belongs?

I don't know for sure, but my sister mentioned something about "reconnecting the severed history."

To do that, we need to "return" Xuanji. Return him where? To where she is? And what did she mean by "severed"?

Xiaohei, even if you really do have a sister...

What the heck does she care about Xuanji? He's a wangren, isn't he?

You'd better find him fast then. The delusion saturation in the district's amping up as we speak.

Even he won't be able to hold out much longer in this environment.

Wangren Road was already swept up by the delusion, even when I was there.

If Monitor Man didn't lend me his body, I wouldn't have stood a chance!

I'm sure you've caught all this by now, but mingli is the precious power that the Snakes want to take for themselves. The only power they have is jiaming. The one true wielder of genuine mingli in this city is Xiaohei, so her power is what the Snakes really want.

Xiaohei's safe in our barrier. You should go to Mr. Wei.

The Snakes are stooping to new lows. That explosion was only one of them.

... Was I... talking just now?

Odd. It's like someone entered my head. Did I mention a stone? What stone would that be? Stone... Stone, stone...

Seems you ran into someone you didn't exactly want to.

I knew that taxidermist was shady, but to find out he made a guilü... Trouble follows you everywhere, huh.

It's not just the guilü and the wangren making this city so unsafe anymore. I should be getting outta here...

Wait! I bet you still have my card! My magic cards, remember? Mind giving it back to me, por favor?

If you do, I can open this door. ... This is your next destination.

Wait! I bet you still have my card! My magic cards, remember? Mind giving it back to me, por favor?

If you do, I can open this door. ... This is your next destination.

So, you know what to do, right? That the taxidermist gets his power from the guilü, Yun?

If you don't expel Yun's malice first, you won't stand a chance against them.

Isolate the taxidermist, comprende? The rest should be a cinch.

With that, I'm done with this place! I'm going back to being a magician. You should get going too. Vamanos!

Seems you're too late. Heehee, the laoli is all ready.

Look at my body, granted eternal life thanks to the power of laoli!

Eeheehee! It's real sad what became of that dancer from Lung Chun Road. You couldn't save even one person.

I've merged with Yun now. All of Yun's malice is mine.

You're not going to bug us anymore. Yun will savor your flavour plenty!

Huh?! Yun! But how...? Dammit! Why did you have THAT?!

Eeeheehee! I get it now! You're the one who turned ol' Chen back into a corpse!

Then here, I'll give you a taste of my finest guilü ball yet, made from the Three Corpses that YOU captured!

I worked hard on this, and now... Heehee! This baby can turn any living thing into a guilü!

Life Orb acquired.

This is the last seal stone. Break it. Once this seal stone is no more, I shall be set free.

The seal stones... are gone. Finally, by your Divine Choice, I shall become Baihu.

But alas, my, no, Baihu's power... cannot last long if awakened alone.

Like Xuanwu in the Qing Dynasty, feng shui cannot rise from one Divine Beast's efforts alone.

Hurry. Awaken the other candidates before the ill-boding power that transformed me strikes again.

Won't you begin? I am ready... for you to use the supreme compass.

What was that sound?

Oh, I found some green ice earlier. Maybe if you melted it, it would turn into a guilü or something.

I gave it to the hotel receptionist at the Kowloon Hotel to hold for you.

He said he'd toss it in the fridge. Go check it out if you want, h'okay? Okay, this is goodbye for real now.

If the fate to meet again is mine, it's thine! But, if this is it... adios, mi cielo, and farewell!

You've made a Divine Choice, eh? Feng shui may finally prevail yet.

The den that opened in Wangren Road is either Xuanwu's, or it's Zhuque's.

That dragon den's emergence may be a sign of Yin and Yang regaining balance. Could it be the natural order at work?

What's weird-outta-ten is... there are no candidates ready for the Divine Choice out there!

The dragon's den is welling up with a power greater than laoli.

Without a Divine Beast appointed to control that power as its fountainhead,

we fear that Yaodi will harness and steer that power towards evil.

If only we knew where the dragon vein on Wangren Road actually came from... or when.

Hear me out: what if, at some point in the timeline, the qi succession from one of the Divine Beasts was severed?

Unfortunately, Wangren Road is off-limits as of right now...

I have an idea, but we'll need to run a quick search for anything that can withstand intense delusion saturations.

If we have something to shield us, we'll be able to enter Wangren Road despite the critical state it's in.

That was BRILL! You made a crackin' Choice for Baihu!

BUT! No tell of any fountainhead yet where Xuanwu's den emerged. That's the den o'er in Wangren Road.

With the last of its power, Xuanwu is trying to reconnect its dragon vein with the distant past.

If the den stays open like this, balance of Yin and Yang will once more run askew. Should that happen,

that precious den will be forced to CLOSE, and that's goodnight, sweetheart!

Before that happens, you must prepare the next candidate.

As much as I would like to offer advice... I'm sorry! I haven't the foggiest!

Hey, there! We meet again!

It's me! Xuanji! I can't believe how bad things have gotten for Wangren Road...

I heard a dragon's den has emerged, and that it's gushing out delusion faster than a flash flood.

Knowing how I am, I got too frozen up in my own thoughts on what to do.

By the time I came to... BAM! I found I'd frozen myself solid!

I don't remember anything that happened while I was frozen, but it's clear you found me yet again.

It's like we're connected, in a way.

Wangren Road is at its tipping point. Let me come with you. Please!

I won't get in your way.

This delusion is out of hand. Just look at the way it's gushing into Kowloonfront.

Everyone's delusions are whirling about in the air, just like in Wangren Road.

Any normal wangren would lose themselves in this environment.

I can just feel the delusion saturation, and it's skyrocketing by the minute!

The nightclub has a sister branch?! Well, I'll be...

Oh! It's you! You finally came! I got so tired of waiting for you, I could've melted on the spot!

By the way, I now know that there is still one more Day of the Fire!

Listen closely: the era is 1920. The place? Shanghai! Shang! Hai!

I assure you, that's what it says in my ancestors' database!

May 22nd, 1920! That's the exact same date as today! Now... to Shanghaiii!

I'd hate to burst your bubble, old sir, but today is May 23rd.

Old? Old?! Old WHAT?! What are you, a wangren?!

I've heard the rumours, but I've never seen one up close like this. Very well. What day IS it today?

It's not May 22nd anymore. Today's the 23rd.

What? May 23rd?! Oh, I see now! It's the 23rd, which explains why the armillary sphere didn't line up!

But May 22nd, 1920, huh... How do you suppose we get you to that era, eh?

As the records show, you were supposed to be there, so how come...

Do you know about the dragon's den that opened over on Wangren Road?

Supposedly, the fountainhead that makes up the connection's source awakened in some ancient era.

I'm not the sharpest toy in the cot now, but something tells me you want to pass through that dragon's den.

Ah-hah! The dragon's den! That word's unheard of in my field. Is that a feng shui thing?

Well, that IS one way to cross time.

I'll work with the armillary sphere a little longer to tighten the scale.

It'll take a little longer for me to tighten the scale on the armillary sphere. Please wait.

That loud noise at the Dragon Hotel sure sounded di... cey...

... Sorry, what was I rolling on about? ... That noise! Y-Yeah... the noise...

A DRUNKARD OF GOLDEN SAND FILLS TO HIS BRIM THE AMBER COLOURS OF OLD WINE.

... I'm floating in a lake of old wine. Floating, floating... but... why...?

"Why"... "Die"... "Dice"? Hahaha... Dice...

Did you hear that loud bang? It sounded like an explosion!

Hey... the delusion... feels lighter now, for some reason. As if it's getting sucked away.

That includes the delusion that was sustaining me. It's thinning so much. It's a one-eighty from earlier.

Hey, you! Another dragon's den opened up here!

Two dens, huh... That must be why the delusion is draining at such momentum! It's fading away as we... speak...

Oooh, I don't feel so... good... Augh, this is bad... It's running out! Get me... out of here. Quick...!

What is he doing here?!

Haahaahaa, my head is... Heehee... getting liiighter... All the delusions filling up my head are getting whiiisked away... But it helps... It's nicer here...

Mayday! Everyone's disappearing! The dragon's den swallowed them!

Xiaohei, the Hongtou, everyone!

Apparently, TWO dens opened in Kowloon! Leaving them open has to be how Yaodi planned to take all of their power!

And now... because her older sister's mingli was calling to her, Xiaohei got sucked into one of those dens!

If she and her sister reunite inside, they'll BOTH disappear!

You have to do something to get Xiaohei out of the dragon's den!

Look, we can't get out like this! What's the plan?!

Window Man... turned into a complete object, and at this rate, I might too. I can't stick around here any longer!

Geez, who knew Hyper-Communication could be so life-threatening!

Well, you look all right, at least. I managed to adjust the scale on my armillary sphere, but...

try as I might to adjust it to the 22nd, it's not acting very stable!

Xiaohei was sucked into that dragon's den that just emerged.

Her sister's call from the inside must have drawn her in, but for both girls' sakes, we can't let them meet in there!

What? Xiaohei? She got swallowed up?!

That's awful! Absolutely "taihen" out of ten!

Well, you don't happen to have anything that could represent her, would you? Something like... Oh! That photograph!

You have her photograph, don't you! You do, don't you?! Do you have it?! Surely you do! Here! Let me see it!

If we see Xiaohei, are we supposed to catch her inside of that photo or something?

Right! It's a race against the dragon's den!

You need to get through before Xiaohei does, and let the photograph take her in!

I have an ancestor there who, like my Qing ancestor, is a GENIUS!

He'll help you back to this era. Now, I'm about to make RE-KI-SHIII!

... Oh, no time for theatrics. Give me that photograph!

All right, you're next to go! Hurry, find the photograph I just sent while there's still time.

Wait, you're going too, slimy one? I do wonder what would happen if a wangren were to time travel...

I've never thought about it!

It can't be worse than out here! The way things are now, there's no way I can stay on Wangren Road.

Whelp, time's out! I can't wait to see how this goes! Is everyone ready? Course you are! Let's go!

Handed over Xiaohei's Photograph.

Wei and Kidz ran off somewhere. They left you a message, though. Here, give it a listen.

...her delusion will wear down.

Listen! I found the date! It was in Xia's access card after all!

It's the date Yaodi tried to awaken Qinglong in himself!

Mr. Wei and I can make do once we plug the card's data into the onmyoji's time machine.

We just have to try...

We might never meet again,

but I left a peace-out gift for you: a read-only memory card of all the monsters I beat playing video games. It should help you on Wangren Road.

If you use it against that delusion incarnate herself, her delusion will wear down.

Wei and the Hongtou checked out of their room, but I left the door unlocked for you.

Mobile Phone received.

Returned Mobile Phone.

Heeey, wuzzat f-face ferrr? It's mmme, Rich... I was jus' looking for youu.

... Damn, way to sh-shake things up! Before I coulda... put two-and-two, I was rollin' behind the counterrr.

Urp! I've got... alotta booze in me nnnow than I know what to d-do with. Swish, urp...! Whaddabout-chuu?

Nnnada? Then you... wanna might be careful, urp! Goin' ta Wangren Road. Real sure the place went... bluh...!

S-Saaay, what happened to Xiaoheeei? I heard sommme loud noises upstairs.

Urp...! Not that I can do anything abouddit. Y'know how I worry, buuuh... what else can I do? Urp! Swish...