Midnight Never Comes - PC 04 (v5) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Jack Higgins
of many years spent in fasting and meditation.'
'That is true. All this is but a Japanese development of the ancient Chinese art of Shaolin Temple Boxing. We are told that it first came from India with Zen Buddhism in the sixth century and was developed by the monks of Shaolin Temple in Honan Province.'
'A martial art for priests surely?'
'A necessary accomplishment in those wild times. We have a saying in my province. A prudent man avoids warfare only by being prepared for it. In my own family the art has been handed down from father to son for seven centuries. There are many schools, many methods, but without ch'i they are all nothing.'
Chavasse frowned. ' Ch'i? '
' Ch'i is the power which you in your Western world might term intrinsic energy. When it is accumulated in the tan t'ien, a point just below the navel, it has an elemental force, an energy which in application, is infinitely greater than physical strength alone.'
'Let me get this straight,' Chavasse said. 'Are you saying that when you strike, it isn't the weight of the blow which causes the damage, it's this inner energy.'
'Precisely. The fist is simply a focussing agent. There is no need for the tremendous punches used by your Western boxers. I strike, often from only a few inches away, punching against the internal organs, screwing my fist slightly on impact. This way one may rupture the liver or spleen with ease or break bones.'
Remembering the crunch of bone breaking back there on the wharf, Chavasse shuddered. 'Having seen it in action, I can believe you. But McGuire kicked you in the stomach with all his force and you were not affected. How do you explain that?'
Yuan Tao laughed gently. 'Practice, my friend. Forty years of practice.'
'I'm afraid I haven't got that long,' Chavasse said, getting to his feet.
Yuan Tao stood up and passed him a towel. 'One may accomplish a great deal in a month or two with discipline and application.'
Chavasse paused, the towel bunched in his hands. 'Are you saying you would be willing to teach me?'
Yuan Tao looked at him critically. 'You have been ill, my friend, your ribs show. The big scar--it was a knife, I am right?'
Chavasse nodded. 'It poisoned my whole system. I was in and out of hospital for months.'
'Forgive me, but I must ask this. The scars on your body, the gun you carried, speak of no ordinary man.'
'Until this evening I was employed by my country's intelligence service.'
'And now?'
'Pensioned off. They don't think I'm up to it any more.'
'And you would like to prove them wrong?'
He took another robe from behind the door and Chavasse pulled it on. 'I'd like to be a man again. I'd like to be able to sleep through the night, go for a walk without feeling like a broken down old hack after quarter of a mile and take a drink without being sick after it. That would be enough to start with.'
'And the other?'
Chavasse shrugged. 'I'll leave that to fate.'
Yuan Tao nodded. 'Good, you are a wise man.' He frowned and then seemed to come to a decision. 'I can help you, but only if you place yourself completely in my hands. You must obey me in everything. Is that understood?'
'Perfectly. When do we start?'
'Tomorrow. You are prepared to stay here?'
'What about Su-yin?'
'She will not object. I am the head of the family since her father died. I told her I would stay two months. I think that should prove sufficient. If I am not mistaken, you have already studied judo ?'
Chavasse shook his head. 'I concentrated on karate. '
'What grade?'
'Black belt, fifth dan. '
'This means nothing unless gained under the tutelage of a Japanese master.'
'It was. Yamakura.'
Yuan Tao's eyes widened with respect. 'A master indeed.' He smiled. 'I have a feeling we shall accomplish much, my dear Paul. But now we must eat. It is necessary to put flesh back upon your bones again.'
They left the bathroom and he led the way along a narrow corridor into the living-room at the far end. It was superbly furnished, a mixture of
'That is true. All this is but a Japanese development of the ancient Chinese art of Shaolin Temple Boxing. We are told that it first came from India with Zen Buddhism in the sixth century and was developed by the monks of Shaolin Temple in Honan Province.'
'A martial art for priests surely?'
'A necessary accomplishment in those wild times. We have a saying in my province. A prudent man avoids warfare only by being prepared for it. In my own family the art has been handed down from father to son for seven centuries. There are many schools, many methods, but without ch'i they are all nothing.'
Chavasse frowned. ' Ch'i? '
' Ch'i is the power which you in your Western world might term intrinsic energy. When it is accumulated in the tan t'ien, a point just below the navel, it has an elemental force, an energy which in application, is infinitely greater than physical strength alone.'
'Let me get this straight,' Chavasse said. 'Are you saying that when you strike, it isn't the weight of the blow which causes the damage, it's this inner energy.'
'Precisely. The fist is simply a focussing agent. There is no need for the tremendous punches used by your Western boxers. I strike, often from only a few inches away, punching against the internal organs, screwing my fist slightly on impact. This way one may rupture the liver or spleen with ease or break bones.'
Remembering the crunch of bone breaking back there on the wharf, Chavasse shuddered. 'Having seen it in action, I can believe you. But McGuire kicked you in the stomach with all his force and you were not affected. How do you explain that?'
Yuan Tao laughed gently. 'Practice, my friend. Forty years of practice.'
'I'm afraid I haven't got that long,' Chavasse said, getting to his feet.
Yuan Tao stood up and passed him a towel. 'One may accomplish a great deal in a month or two with discipline and application.'
Chavasse paused, the towel bunched in his hands. 'Are you saying you would be willing to teach me?'
Yuan Tao looked at him critically. 'You have been ill, my friend, your ribs show. The big scar--it was a knife, I am right?'
Chavasse nodded. 'It poisoned my whole system. I was in and out of hospital for months.'
'Forgive me, but I must ask this. The scars on your body, the gun you carried, speak of no ordinary man.'
'Until this evening I was employed by my country's intelligence service.'
'And now?'
'Pensioned off. They don't think I'm up to it any more.'
'And you would like to prove them wrong?'
He took another robe from behind the door and Chavasse pulled it on. 'I'd like to be a man again. I'd like to be able to sleep through the night, go for a walk without feeling like a broken down old hack after quarter of a mile and take a drink without being sick after it. That would be enough to start with.'
'And the other?'
Chavasse shrugged. 'I'll leave that to fate.'
Yuan Tao nodded. 'Good, you are a wise man.' He frowned and then seemed to come to a decision. 'I can help you, but only if you place yourself completely in my hands. You must obey me in everything. Is that understood?'
'Perfectly. When do we start?'
'Tomorrow. You are prepared to stay here?'
'What about Su-yin?'
'She will not object. I am the head of the family since her father died. I told her I would stay two months. I think that should prove sufficient. If I am not mistaken, you have already studied judo ?'
Chavasse shook his head. 'I concentrated on karate. '
'What grade?'
'Black belt, fifth dan. '
'This means nothing unless gained under the tutelage of a Japanese master.'
'It was. Yamakura.'
Yuan Tao's eyes widened with respect. 'A master indeed.' He smiled. 'I have a feeling we shall accomplish much, my dear Paul. But now we must eat. It is necessary to put flesh back upon your bones again.'
They left the bathroom and he led the way along a narrow corridor into the living-room at the far end. It was superbly furnished, a mixture of
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