Chinese Gothic Horror (Temp)
Step into the shadows of 1920s China, where whispers of ancient horrors twist through the glamour of the Republic Era. Inspired by classic gothic tales and the cosmic dread of eldritch lore, this story subverts the trope of the helpless victim. Instead, it offers a heroine armed with grit, greed, and a dash of reckless ambition.
Myna, a seasoned thief and con artist, isn't your typical hapless lady trapped in a haunted mansion. She's here for a prize – the Shao Family's fabled "Endless Chest." Her enigmatic employer, Lord Kai, has paved the way, and all she must do is infiltrate the Shao household as its newest concubine. Strange house rules, an enigmatic doctor, and a graveyard of former concubines are mere obstacles to a woman with her eye on a life-changing reward. Superstition holds no sway over Myna: she's here to do a job, and even the creeping tendrils of otherworldly evil won't deter her. After all, a hundred thousand silver Yuan was a hell of a motivator.
Chinese Gothic Horror is a standalone story. The draft is completed and is currently going through the editing process.
Myna
An unfinished portrait for Myna
Myna isn't your damsel in distress, nor is she a virtuous maiden thrown into gothic peril. She's the architect of her own twisted fortune, a seasoned con artist who thrives on deception and the thrill of a well-executed heist. Forget damsels in distress – Myna orchestrated her own invitation into the shadowy heart of the Shao Estate.
Her tools aren't swords or fists, but cunning, observation, and a ruthlessly pragmatic heart. "If I'm start punching people," she'd say, "I'm doing it wrong." For years, she's slipped into wealthy homes, a chameleon disguised as a maid, casing vulnerabilities and escaping with her spoils. The Shao Estate, however, offers more than mere riches. It's a labyrinth of ancient secrets, lurking evils, and a cutthroat competition of concubines. Add in a mysterious doctor with an unsettling interest in her, and a surprising warmth kindling for her "lord husband's" daughter, and even Myna's well-laid plans might falter. Still, a hundred thousand silver yuan, and the intoxicating pull of a truly impossible heist, are motivations only a fool would ignore.
People of Shao Family
In the opulent yet decaying Shao Estate, Myna found herself a pawn in a dangerous game. Dr. Wen, the enigmatic American doctor, observed her with a gaze that spoke of hidden knowledge and uncertain intentions. Eileen, the master's headstrong daughter, carried the weight of a family curse, her determination to unravel its secrets as captivating as her haunted eyes. Master Shao, Myna’s “beloved husband,” exuded a cruel charm, delighting in the poisonous rivalries he fosters among his concubines. These jealous women saw Myna as a threat, and their whispers were a chorus of malice in the opulent halls. And then there was Mr. Xia, the ever-present head butler, his silence more ominous than any spoken threat, for in this house, every shadow hid a listener, every whisper an echo.
Jin Sheng Tang, The Shao Estate
The Shao Estate, a once-magnificent monument to wealth, clung to the hillside, its sprawling form a stark silhouette against the barren landscape. Only the east wing remained in use, the rest swallowed by disrepair. No life stirs within its walls or on the desolate grounds – not a bird's cry nor even the rustle of insects. This decaying labyrinth blended the architectural styles of Tai Yuan residences and Yao Dong dwellings, despite Master Shao’s numerous attempts to renovate and modernize, including wiring the east wing with electricity, rot sept through. Something was wrong in this house.
