The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires

My god.

Who dare to disturb the sanctity of Dracula?

Who are you?

Wretch, I do not Grant favors.

I do not accede to the requests of minions.

Know you not Dracula commands

even from the confines of this miserable place?

This miserable place.

Yet, you can serve me, kah.

I need your mortal coil.

I need the form of your miserable carcass.

I need your vile image.

I need to walk this earth again.

Freed from these walls.

Freed from this mausoleum.

I will return to your temple.

In your image, kah.

I will recall the seven golden vampires as my own host.

Tools of my vengeance on mankind.

I will take on your mantle.

Your appearance.

Your image.

Your image, kah.

Kah, your own image.

But beneath the image,

the immortal power of count Dracula.

The legends of ancient China

have their roots in the mists of time.

Some are awesome and terrifying in their implication.

Some are real and have their foundation in truth.

There is a doomed village somewhere in the vast

center of China that becomes cursed each year

at the time of the seventh moon.

It cringes in fear as it listens to the

half-heard cries of souls in torment

and the terror strikes deep into

the hearts of the inhabitants.

The whispered word is vampire.

And the horror is real and very close.

Once in a while, throughout the ages,

some brave man, tortured with grief

and angry frustration, will fight and conquer

his own fearful dread and venture outside

the walls of his village to do battle

with the monsters that torment his people.

Some years ago there was such a man.

A poor farmer who had lost his most

treasured possession to them.

His name, so they say, was hsi tien-en.

No, no!

No, no, no!

I believe the legend to be true.

I believe that this is the way the farmer died,

and in dying, he destroyed the seventh vampire.

One of the cursed creatures that live

enshrouded in an aura of fear and terror.

I do not know the location of this village

or where it can be found, but I know it exists,

still cursed, still doomed.

For of the seven vampire creatures, six still survive.

Now, my studies and research into this subject

and my own confrontation with an arch-vampire

leave me in no doubt whatsoever

as to the validity of this particular story.

If vampirism exists in eastern Europe,

and I can assure you it does,

there is no reason to question its existence

in other parts of the world.

Its foundation, its very beginnings,

may have stemmed from ancient China.

No one knows better than you,

the faculty of Chinese history at this renowned university,

that many of your legends are based on

truth and documented experience.

Professor Van Helsing, we have heard

of your research in transylvania and the reports

of your confrontation with a certain count Dracula,

an undoubted madman.

Excuse me, sir.

Dracula was not a madman.

At least not in the accepted sense.

He was the most grotesque creature,

the arch-vampire, lord of the undead.

These monsters may find sanctuary

in the imagination of the peasants of transylvania,

but China has a sophistication that has

flowered and bloomed over the course

of more than 3000 years.

You cannot diminish that sophistication

with vacant tales of devil monsters

and grotesque fiends.

Credit us with some intelligence, sir.

But I do.

That is why I am here now.

I would like to continue my research with your help.

To use your knowledge, your facilities.

Work with you, have access to your documents.

Vampires do exist.

I know they exist.

I beg of you to listen to me, take me seriously.

I am an outsider, I accept that

but I have experienced the horror.

And the aftermath.

No one has a greater respect

for professor Van Helsing than I, leyland.

But your father is a dedicated, outspoken man

and I fear he is becoming somewhat unpopular

with the university people.

Because of his theories on the vampire legends?

Well, these are difficult times.

As the British trade consul in chungking,

I have to warn compatriots to tread carefully.

I'm only allowed to remain here

by the grace of the local authorities.

Any embarrassment could destroy

all the goodwill I've built up.

And when there are people like leung hon in the city...

Who is he, sir?

A sort of tong leader.

Awful blackguard.

How very jolly!

Unfortunately, I cannot pick

and choose my guests these days.

There must be some you did choose, sir.

Ah, yes.

Mrs. Vanessa buren.

A Scandinavian lady.

Her husband died about two years ago, I believe.

Left her well-provided-for.

Evidently.

Those earrings must be worth a fortune.

She's on a world tour.

Actually traveling alone.

Can't say I approve.

I mean, dash it all, they'll want the vote next.

She has mine, sir.

I do wish she wasn't wearing all that jewelry.

If I were a thief, it wouldn't be the diamonds I'd covet.

There are some here who would covet

both the jewels and the lady.

I'll introduce you.

Mrs. buren, may I present Mr. leyland Van Helsing.

How do you do?

Delighted to meet you.

You are the son of the famous professor Van Helsing?

I am so very interested in your father's work.

Many people in my country

have a great respect for his reputation.

He'd be delighted to hear that, Mrs. buren, at this time.

= t would so much like to meet him.

I'm afraid we won't be staying

in chungking much longer, but perhaps before he leaves...

He's here?

Oh yes, if I could meet him.

I read his books about count Dracula

and his travels in transylvania.

And to meet a vampire catcher in person...

In point of fact, Mrs. buren,

my father is primarily an anthropologist.

And I fear one does not catch a vampire.

Who's there?

Who are you?

What is it you want?

My name is hsi ching, professor.

I come to apologize for the behavior of my countrymen.

Their ignorance is to be pitied and then dismissed.

You were at the lecture.

Jt was.

And I listened most attentively to your words.

Well, thank you.

The truth deserves respect.

You believe the legend

of the seven golden vampires?

= of course.

And I imagine you are the only person

in chungking who does, Mr. hsi.

Forgive my intrusion into your rooms.

I want to speak to you alone.

Please, sit down.

May I offer you some refreshment?

Thank you, no.

I understand you are soon to leave chungking.

Yes. I shall go to Hong Kong

and catch the packet boat back to Europe.

Had you heard the story of the vampires before?

The name of the farmer who destroyed

the seventh golden vampire was hsi tien-en.

The name of the village is ping kwei.

Hsi tien-en?

Hsil

that is your family name?

Hsi tien-en was my grandfather.

Ping kweli is my ancestral village,

and the vampires still rule it.

I don't think I disapprove of ladies

traveling the world unaccompanied

but I would say it has its hazards, Mrs. buren.

Danger and excitement are like food and drink to me.

And I am fortunate, I can indulge myself.

I shock you?