¡KIAI! #43: Infierno de Bambú

Catalog Note *"Death in Canton,"* the opening chapter of Curtis Garland's adventure novel, follows an elderly Chinese man named Tsun Feng fleeing through bamboo forests near Canton, carrying a mysterious bundle. Pursued by three masked assailants—martial arts experts employing kung-fu techniques—Tsun Feng briefly defends himself with a steel shuriken before being fatally struck by a karate blow. His killers discover the bundle contains only darkened bamboo stalks, yet preserve it carefully before departing. The narrative then shifts to an airplane departing San Francisco for Hong Kong, carrying three protagonists collectively known as the "Three Golden Dragons"—a blond American named Frank Cole, a young Chinese man, and a Black woman. These self-styled defenders of justice employ martial arts as their exclusive weapons, operating from a strict ethical code. They are traveling at the invitation of an acquaintance connected to the film industry, beginning what promises to be a recreational visit that evidently intersects with the mystery surrounding Tsun Feng's death.