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The Laughing Man
TheLaughingManwasoneforkeepinganeartotheground,andinnotimeatallhehadpickedupthebandits’mostvaluabletradesecrets.Hedidn’tthinkmuchofthem,though,andbrisklysetuphisown,moreeffectivesystem.Onarathersmallscaleatfirst,hebegantofree-lancearoundtheChinesecountryside,robbing,highjacking,murderingwhenabsolutelynecessary.Soonhisingeniouscriminalmethods,coupledwithhissingularloveoffairplay,foundhimawarmplaceinthenation’sheart.Strangelyenough,hisfosterparents(thebanditswhohadoriginallyturnedhisheadtowardcrime)wereaboutthelasttogetwindofhisachievements.Whentheydid,theywereinsanelyjealous.Theyallsingle-filedpasttheLaughingMan’sbedonenight,thinkingtheyhadsuccessfullydopedhimintoadeepsleep,andstabbedatthefigureunderthecoverswiththeirmachetes.Thevictimturnedouttobethebanditchief’smother—anunpleasant,hagglingsortofperson.Theeventonlywhettedthebandits’tastefortheLaughingMan’sblood,andfinallyhewasobligedtolockupthewholebunchoftheminadeepbutpleasantlydecoratedmausoleum.Theyescapedfromtimetotimeandgavehimacertainamountofannoyance,butherefusedtokillthem.(TherewasacompassionatesidetotheLaughingMan’scharacterthatjustaboutdrovemecrazy.)
