[Part Eleven] The Secret of Miao Village: Working Cut Scene & Team Battle Event Discovered!

It is time to add to our Miao Village series with the announcement of an exciting discovery of a working section of cut game play, making this the first time we have ever experienced Miao Village cut content in a playable form!

This incredible finding was discovered by Brian Park, who runs the Shenmue Park account on X/Twitter, after intense efforts. On a recent Shenmue Dojo stream, Brian commented that he had "checked through thousands of entry points" (referring to the debug menu available on certain prototypes of the game) over the last few months before finding it.

The part of the story relates to Ryo's meeting with Zhang regarding the whereabouts of Yuanda Zhu, and Brian has made a video that captures everything. Not only does it contain a brand-new cut scene and QTE event, but (depending on the outcome of the event) it can even develop into a team battle with Ryo and Zhang taking on a gang of thugs!

The dialogue in the ending cut scene matches exactly with the Zhang meeting subtitle text for the Miao Village storyline that we examined previously. However we now see additional interactions between the two prior to this discussion - and it also reveals that their meeting place was not the Dou Jiang Diner, as had been assumed, but Lotus Park in South Carmain Quarter.

Video

Watch the incredible footage of the full cut scene from the Game Jam prototype, from Brian Park, which includes the QTE success & fail scenarios as well as other variations of the scene found on Disc 2 and in the unreleased US Shenmue prototype:

You'll note that the voices are not those of the official voice actors for the release. Due to the scene being still under development at this point, stand-in voices were used (for example, those of staff or developers) as placeholders until the scenes were finalized.

Credit for screen shots in this post to Brian Park (taken from his video).

Cut Scene, QTE and Team Battle: Synopsis & Dialogue Translation

Here is a synopsis of the interactions that occur in this extended cut scene, which also includes a QTE interaction and - depending on whether you succeed or fail at this - a team battle together with Zhang against the loan sharks!

Ryo enters Lotus Park, which appears to be empty, and looks around as if searching for someone.

A few seconds later, a man in a brown suit walks out from behind a tree, and bows. It is Zhang.

Ryo (surprised): Hm? 

Zhang: I've been expecting you. 

Ryo: Who are you?

Before Zhang has a chance to reply, a group of six men surround them. It's the loan sharks.

Ryo: Have you set me up? 

Zhang: N... no! What are they doing here? 

One of the men steps up behind Zhang and seizes him, wrenching his arm behind his back. Ryo grimaces and moves forward but finds a knife thrust in front of his face.

Thug 1: Woah there... behave, kiddo. 

The cut scene fades into a brief flashback as Ryo recalls the moment in Zhangyu's barbershop where he remained calm and didn't flinch when the razor blade was held to his neck. 

Ryo (to himself): DAN...

Another thug threatens Zhang with a knife.

Thug 2: We've been looking for you, Zhang. Where is that rat, Yuanda Zhu? 

Zhang (struggling): Ugh! You bastard!

While the attention of the thug guarding Ryo is momentarily diverted, Ryo twists his wrist, causing the knife to drop towards the ground, which is shown in slow motion. A QTE prompt ("A" button) flashes up.

 Here there are two possible outcomes.

If the player successfully completes the QTE: Ryo kicks the falling knife and it flies away, embedding itself in the tree with a satisfying "twang", as the thug stumbles over. Zhang uses this diversion to break free of the hold. He strikes the arm of the thug who releases his hold on the knife and falls over. Zhang snatches up the knife and holds it up to the thug who had been threatening him.

Zhang: It looks like the tables have turned. 

Thug 2: Damn you! (Gesturing to the others) You lot! Skedaddle! (To Zhang) This won't be the end of it!

The men flee from the park. Ryo and Zhu look around them to make sure everyone has left.

Zhang: DAN... Be brave and stay calm to make the right decision. 

Zhang: "DAN... Be brave and stay calm to make the right decision"

In the case the player fails the QTE: Thug 2 turns and rushes towards Ryo with the knife, which Ryo kicks out of his hand. A Team Battle Event with Zhang then begins! They must defeat all thugs to progress.

Fighting the thugs alongside Zhang!

Variation: Ryo Loses the Battle

Thanks to the further investigations of Stuart Peacock of the fantastic Shenmusings blog, it has been confirmed that there is even a cut scene variation for the case where Ryo is defeated in the battle (Zhang is seemingly unable to be defeated).

Images from this section are from Stuart's video capture.

Ryo: Urgh...

Thug: Hey, where'd that damned Zhang go!

The thugs look around them.

Thug: What?! He's gotten away! Find him! He's got to be around here somewhere!

Others: Yes boss!

"Hey! Where'd that damned Zhang go!"

They all disperse, leaving Ryo groaning on the ground. He tries to lift himself up but collapses back.

Ryo: Urr... ugh...

Then we see a pair of feet approach him.

It's Zhang! From Ryo's viewpoint, we see him bending down to help Ryo.

(The scene fades out, and the scene changes to Xiuying's room at the Da Yuan Apartments, at 11 pm.)

Here is video footage of the above scene, from Brian's Shenmue Park YouTube channel:

In all other cases, the dialogue for both QTE outcomes continues on as follows.

Zhang: Well done! 

Ryo (modestly): It was nothing. You know Yuanda Zhu, don't you?

From here, the dialogue follows the subtitles previously discovered in Part Eight (which has now been updated with the above additional dialogue):

Tap for Original Dialogue (日本語)

張「…あなたは？」

涼「俺は芭月涼といいます。」

張「これは…朱元達の手紙…

この芭月巌という方は、＆あなたの…？」

涼「父です。

藍帝という男に＆殺されました…」

張「蚩尤門の手が、もう日本にまで…

私は張…朱元達の側近です。」

涼「朱元達さんはどこに？」

張「蚩尤門に狙われ、身を隠されました…」

涼「なぜ蚩尤門に？」

張「武林書です…」

涼「武林書？」

張「朱は蚩尤門がある拳法に、

強い関心を持っていることに＆気づきました。

武林書には、蚩尤門の秘密が＆隠されているのです。」

涼「秘密？」

張「そう、ある古い鏡に＆まつわる秘密が…」

涼「しかし、上巻にそんなものは…

ということは下巻…

下巻は今どこに！？」

張「朱は、苗村の羅孔征という男に＆託されたと…」

涼「…苗村の…羅孔征…」

張「蚩尤門が気づく前に、＆武林書を取り戻さなければ…

私は顔を知られています。＆できれば、あなたに…」

涼「…わかりました。

苗村に行くには？」

張「苗村はワンチャイの南にある＆少数民族の村です。

また豆将軒で会いましょう。」

涼「はい…」

Zhang: You are...?

Ryo: My name is Ryo Hazuki.

Ryo hands him the letter from Yuanda Zhu to his father.

Ryo passes over the letter to his father (Game Jam prototype)

Zhang examines the letter (release version)

Zhang: This is Zhu's letter. Iwao Hazuki is your...?

Ryo: My father. He was killed by a man called Lan Di.

Zhang: The Chiyoumen's power has already spread to Japan...

Zhang passes back the letter. 

Zhang: My name is Zhang. I work closely with Zhu.

Ryo: Where is Zhu?

Zhang: At the moment, I don't know where he is. He has hidden himself from the Chiyoumen.

Ryo: Why is the Chiyoumen after him?

Zhang: For the Wulinshu...

Ryo: The Wulinshu?

Zhang: Zhu realized that the Chiyoumen is strongly interested in a particular martial art. The Wulinshu contains the Chiyoumen's secret hidden inside.

Ryo: A secret?

Zhang: Yes, a secret surrounding certain old mirrors...

Ryo: But there was nothing about that in the first volume... So it must be in the second volume... Where is this second volume?!

Zhang: I believe Zhu entrusted it to a man named Kongzheng Luo in Miao Village.

It is surreal to see Miao Village being mentioned in a live cut scene!

Ryo: Kongzheng Luo... in Miao Village...

Zhang: I must retrieve the Wulinshu before the Chiyoumen realize... My face is known. Would it be possible for you to...?

Ryo: Very well. How do I get to Miao Village?

Zhang: Miao Village is an ethnic village located south of Wan Chai. Let's meet again at the Dou Jiang Diner.

Zhang: "Miao Village is an ethnic village located south of Wan Chai"

Ryo: Alright...

After this fantastic discovery of new content out of the blue, hopefully this may open the floodgates for further scenes or playable content relating to the magical Miao Village storyline to be found!

Parts in the Miao Village Series:

1. Village Screenshots Analysis
2. Village Content Left Behind
3. The House in Xiuying and Ziming's Flashback
4. Temple Screenshots Analysis
5. Temple Content Left Behind 
6. The Original Plan for Miao Village in Shenmue II
7. Content Reborn
8. Dialogue Revelations & Sequence of Events
9. Dialogue Revelations & Sequence of Events (Cont.)
10. Extra Dialogue & Facts Collected
11. Cut Scene Discovered! (this post)

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