Chapter 53: "Chinese Robin Hood"

On this day, Tony Monet attended a social gathering, and he returned home quite late. As he passed by a street corner near his house, he suddenly saw police officers conducting inspections. The officer conducting the inspection happened to be Randall, a subordinate of Chief Klein. Curious, Tony asked him, "Officer Randall, what's going on?"

Randall replied, "Oh, it's Mr. Monet. We're trying to apprehend the Chinese Robin Hood. We managed to injure him nearby earlier, but we're not sure where he's hiding. So, we're conducting a search."

The "Chinese Robin Hood" mentioned by Randall was a recently notorious criminal. He earned this nickname due to his resemblance to the legendary Robin Hood, as he targeted unscrupulous merchants and gangs, specifically those who had mistreated Chinese people. Every time, he left a card at the scene with evidence of the victims' wrongdoing, signed as "Chinese Robin Hood" (akin to the 1912 American version of a "death notice").

Law enforcement and the criminal underworld alike were eager to catch this "Chinese Robin Hood." Despite his unlawful acts, it was believed that justice should be served through the legal system rather than vigilantism.

However, he proved to be incredibly intelligent and cautious. He always wore a mask and left no traces behind. Tony had even been invited to create a portrait of him, but due to the scarcity of clues provided by the victims, an accurate portrait remained elusive.

Due to Tony's relationship with the police, Randall didn't inspect him thoroughly. After a brief exchange, Tony was allowed to pass.

Yet, upon arriving home and locking his car, Tony sensed a slight movement from the trunk. He opened it to find a figure dressed in black, wearing a Robin Hood mask. It was unmistakably the "Chinese Robin Hood" whom the police were pursuing. How had this person ended up in his trunk?

Considering his moniker, Tony addressed him in Chinese, "Mr. Robin Hood, please calm down. Rest assured, I'll cooperate with you. Frankly, without my intervention earlier, it wouldn't have been so easy for you to escape the police, right?"

The "Chinese Robin Hood" stared at Tony and asked in a cold voice, "Who are you? Why can you speak Chinese? And what's your connection with the police? How come they let you go so easily?"

"I am an external sketch artist for the police," Tony began explaining.

Before he could finish speaking, the "Chinese Robin Hood" interrupted, "Are you Mr. Tony Monet?"

Tony nodded and confirmed, "Yes, that's me! How do you know me, Mr. Robin Hood?"

After a moment's hesitation, the "Chinese Robin Hood" slowly responded, "Since you're Mr. Monet, could you do me a favor?"

"Please, go ahead," Tony cautiously replied.

"Could you help me find some clothes and then take me to the Yuanqi Clinic?"

"Do you mean Yuanqi Clinic? Are you looking for Dr. Chen Yuanqi to treat your injuries? But are you sure this won't cause trouble for him?" Tony Monet asked with a furrowed brow.

Removing his mask, the "Chinese Robin Hood" chuckled and replied, "I'm sure it won't cause trouble. Because I am Chen Yuanqi. It's been a while, Mr. Monet!"

Indeed, Tony was acquainted with Dr. Chen Yuanqi. His Chinese restaurant's chefs, the Shan sisters, were currently interning as nurses at Chen's clinic. When Tony initially dropped off the sisters and visited them at the clinic, he had met Dr. Chen Yuanqi twice. Little did he expect that the genteel doctor he knew was the infamous "Chinese Robin Hood."

While driving Dr. Chen Yuanqi back to the clinic, Tony asked with a smile, "Dr. Chen, aren't you afraid I'll take you straight to the police station?"

Shaking his head, Dr. Chen Yuanqi replied, "Not afraid. I learned from the Shan sisters that you, Mr. Monet, are a British man who greatly appreciates Chinese culture. In fact, if it weren't for your skin color and hair, they would suspect you're Chinese yourself. So, I don't think you'd report me as the Chinese Robin Hood!"

"But in reality, I've drawn a portrait of you for the police!" Tony countered.

Dr. Chen Yuanqi exposed his reasoning, saying, "Yet, at this moment, you're helping me. I can tell we're on the way to my clinic!"

Seeing through his defense, Tony shrugged, admitting, "Although I don't condone violence, after reviewing your case files, I believe you're doing the right thing. Most importantly, you've never killed anyone, which suggests you have your limits. That's why I'm helping you today."

Curiously, Tony asked, "By the way, many Chinese people don't call you Robin Hood, but rather a hero. Do you know traditional Chinese martial arts, like in the legends, such as Huang Feihong?"

Unexpectedly, Dr. Chen Yuanqi shook his head and replied, "Actually, I've wanted to learn Master Huo's 'Mystical Fist,' but I've never had the opportunity."

Tony questioned further, "So, what kind of martial arts do you use? Many victims have mentioned that you can easily defeat a strong man with just a few moves, using techniques completely different from boxing."

"Actually, I've learned Bartitsu, the British martial art. It's the one Mr. Holmes uses in his stories!" Dr. Chen Yuanqi explained.

The "Bartitsu" Dr. Chen Yuanqi referred to was a martial art created by Edward William Barton-Wright in 1898. It combined Eastern and Western fighting techniques and gained popularity in Britain from 1898 to 1902. The influence extended even further when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle bestowed it upon his fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.

"How did you learn British martial arts in the United States?" Tony inquired.

At this point, Dr. Chen Yuanqi answered with a touch of embarrassment, "Um, it was taught to me by Sir Gordon!"

Tony recollected and asked, "Sir Gordon? The Olympic fencing champion?"

Dr. Chen Yuanqi didn't respond verbally but merely nodded. Tony understood his situation – Cosmo Duff-Gordon, the real-life Sir Gordon, hadn't enjoyed a favorable reputation since surviving the Titanic. It wasn't because he committed any illegal acts, but rather due to his public perception. Being a fit athlete and a knight, people believed he should have given up his seat in the lifeboat to women and children, similar to how Astor IV did. This moral judgment had tainted his reputation.