"That's another group dispatched, Master Wu," the hooded young man reported into his headset. It was only within the last decade that the monks of the White Lotus had taken to adopting modern technology to help form a vast network of Earth's defenders with the U.S. Special Forces and Lin Kuei. And the archer was grateful for it. If he'd had to report each successful extermination in person, this task would have been far more tedious. It still was tedious, of course, but not so much so that he would shirk his responsibilities.

"Very good, Kung Jin," Master Wu replied on the other end of the headset.

Master Wu was the master most accepting of Jin's... nature. It may have simply been because Jin was a prodigy with a bow and had inherited Master Wu's hunter spirit the most of all of his students. In fact, it was this hunter's spirit, this understanding of the circle of life, that led Master Wu to allowing his student to kill the invading Outworlders that intended to disrupt the natural order in a most profoundly unholy manner. But, regardless of the reason, Jin was happy for the acceptance.

"Oh. Spoke too soon. One second."

The arrow struck the intruder square in the back. He, like his eight fellows, fell with a thud into the grass of the Wu Shi Academy's grounds. Closer inspection of the corpse revealed the unmistakable black and white mask of Shang Tsung's personal guards. Jin couldn't help but hope that these men had been among those that had attacked the academy alongside the tarkatans ten years prior, and managed to escape.

Of the seventy-three minions of the evil sorcerer that had thus far infiltrated the academy grounds, this man had gotten by far the closest to completing his objective. He had infiltrated as far as the bridge leading into the tomb of Liu Kang. It seemed that Kung Lao had been right on the money.


"I am off to meet with Lord Raiden, Masters."

"Good luck, Kung Lao," Master Wu replied with a respectful bow. "May the Elder Gods watch over you on your journey."

Kung Lao had been disenfranchised with regards to the incompetent Elder Gods for years. A mindset that had rubbed off onto his younger cousin, who stood in wait outside the Chamber of Masters, where Kung Lao had just reported Raiden's plan of action.

"Cousin!" the fourteen-year-old called out as soon as Lao exited the chamber.

"Jin. Come to see me off?"

"No, Cousin. I came here to ask you to take me with you."

Kung Lao cocked his head. "To Outworld?"

"Yes. Without Cousin Kang, you will need all the help you can get."

"Jin, traversing Outworld is not like fending off a mere gang of bandits. There are creatures far more powerful than anything you have ever faced."

"I've got all the power I need, right here. You've seen what I can do with this thing." Jin's weapon was a thick hybrid of a bow and a staff (a 'bow staff', Johnny Cage had once quipped).

"I will not deny that you have skill enough to make me proud, but you are not going. I have another task for you instead."

"Whatever it is can wait. I'd be far more useful going with you to fight the sorcerers!"

"No, Jin. You are to stay here and guard Liu Kang's tomb."

"But I'm ready, Cousin Lao!"

"Even so, you are staying here."

"Is it because I'm too young?"

"No."

"Too impatient?"

"No."

"What is it then!?"

Lao whirled around and snapped viciously. "Shang Tsung once resurrected Queen Sindel under mind-controlling sorcery! He now has our cousin's soul within him!"

Jin's eyes widened in understanding.

Lao sighed and calmed himself. "Look. This battle will be difficult enough without our cousin by our side, Jin. The last thing we need is for Shang Tsung to turn his mighty kombat skills against us. I am not asking you to stay here to protect you or to keep you from getting in the way. I am asking this of you because you are the only one I trust to keep our cousin's grave safe. Can I rely on you to do this?"

"I-I'm sorry, Cousin-"

"Can I. Rely. On you?" Lao reiterated, more forcefully.

"Y-Yes, Cousin. You can rely on me." Jin had never seen his cousin so serious or intimidating. Clearly, he had taken Liu Kang's death far harder than Jin had.

"Good. Then, I have nothing to worry about on this end, and can put all of my focus into ending Shang Tsung and freeing the souls of our dishonoured ancestors." Lao gave off a heroic grin, which Jin couldn't help but return.

"Go give 'em hell, Cousin."

"That is precisely the plan, Jin."


Jin pulled his hood down and removed his face mask. Despite his eagerness to fulfil his role, killing the intruders now was no less sickening than it had been the first time. He took a few deep breaths of fresh air, as Lao had advised before leaving, as he himself had experienced this sensation the first time he had killed.

He heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind him. At this hour, and with the invading Outworlders, Jin knew that no one from the academy or village should be out right now, so as not to get in his way while he worked. He drew an arrow and turned to take aim in one fluid motion, just as Master Wu had taught him.

"You shouldn't be out here," he warned, drawing the bowstring back just a little bit more to produce that threatening stretching sound bowstrings liked to make.

As the man stepped into the light of the nearby lantern, Jin lowered his weapon.

"You're back. But, where is Cousin Lao?"

"Why are you out here, Kung Jin?" the other man asked.

Although concerned that his own question was being ignored, Jin felt it prudent to answer, regardless. He turned and pointed towards the tomb entrance. "Cousin Lao asked me to watch over Cousin Kang's tomb while you all were away. But, why are you...?" He trailed off as he turned back, finding that the other man was gone. "What the hell...?"

A sharp electrical pain ran through Jin's body from his lower back, as if struck by a taser. In just a few seconds, Jin fell to the ground and quickly lost consciousness. As the darkness overcame him, he swore he heard the words, "I am sorry, Kung Jin, but I do what must be done."


Not much to really say about this one. Just that if Jin's old enough to have idolised Lao before his 2011 death, he must be in his mid-teens by the 3D trilogy's events a decade later. Not old enough to take part in the major events, but old enough for important tasks back home.