The Concession Code

[Archived old work, not entering the rankings and not going premium]

In the nineteenth century, Shanghai opened its ports, and civilization from around the world swept in.

The foreign concessions, where gold seemed to lie everywhere, were a refuge for the powerful and wealthy, a thriving city that never slept.

Yet during the isolated-island period, as the rest of the world fell to World War II, countless horrifying things became commonplace in Shanghai's foreign concessions. Amid the seemingly prosperous lanes, haunted houses abounded and strange incidents never ceased.

Nineteen-year-old Shen Ke came to Shanghai for the first time in his life. Haunted houses and uncanny happenings were not what frightened him most. He was afraid of only one thing: being poor.

One day, he unexpectedly discovered that he had a supernatural ability: he could drive evil spirits out of haunted houses.

Shen Ke: Since I have a special skill, I'm going to live like a member of the upper class!

Senior apprentice Xu Shichu: That's fine too. Having a livelihood to rely on is pretty good.

And so the two opened a foreign trading firm together. They bought haunted houses at low prices, drove out the evil spirits, then sold the properties at a high price. The profits were considerable. It was dangerous, but the returns were enormous. Shen Ke was determined to use this business to turn his life around and enter upper-class society.

But in his naivety, he never wondered why he had been given such an ability. The appearance of every haunted house seemed connected to the unorthodox factions of the martial world. One sinister secret after another came to light, while the blood-mirror symbols on him and his senior apprentice surfaced only intermittently...

Blood means the strong prey on the weak, and wealth and splendor abound.

The mirror means clarity that reflects the heart, and caution in upholding what is right.

Shen Ke and Xu Shichu seem to belong to two different worlds.

The words “Blood and mirror restrain each other, the two forces oppose one another” thrust them into the heart of a conspiracy. Now, in the perilous Shanghai Bund, the two are venturing ever deeper into danger.

Theme: In a world where extravagance and wealth are celebrated, hold fast to the clarity of a mirror that reflects the heart.