El Dragón de Fuego, Episodio 12: El Monasterio Tenebroso

This Spanish-language pulp magazine contains the opening chapter of "El monasterio tenebroso" (The Dark Monastery) by Fidel Prado Duque, a serialized adventure tale. The narrative follows Professor Karus, his servant Regis, and a Chinese companion named Kao as they infiltrate a Chinese Buddhist temple at night seeking a mysterious key or "clave." The chapter details their stealthy approach, circumventing locked doors, scaling the temple's exterior using iron decorative elements, and entering through an upper window via a statue. Inside the cavernous temple illuminated by a hanging lamp, they locate a marble tomb topped with a demonic mask and flanked by ceramic columns. After failed attempts to open the sealed catafalque, Regis discovers that pressing the emerald eyes of a colossal Buddha statue triggers a mechanical lock, revealing the tomb's hidden compartment—only to find it completely empty, suggesting someone has preceded them. The narrative breaks off mid-sentence.