Food for the Dragon

A high priest from a Chinese temple in Lambeth enlists the help of a man called the Peddler to open a sealed dragon idol. The Peddler approaches a fixer named Mason, who sends his associate Cannon on the job, armed with tools and explosives. Upon arrival, Cannon encounters a young woman named Tunhua, who informs him that the dragon's mouth is jammed shut. After a brief attempt to open it manually, Cannon decides to use explosives. When the Dragon's mouth blows open, they discover a woman named Grace Dalton inside, who had been drugged and placed there by the high priest, Tong, to hide her while smuggling drugs inside the idols. As Cannon and Inspector Bottomley investigate, they realize they're trapped inside the temple when the dragon's mouth closes again. With time running out, Mason uncovers that Tong plans to escape through a hidden trapdoor, leading to a sewer. Mason and the police apprehend Tong, saving Dalton as Cannon and Bottomley exit the temple, cementing the tale of deception and smuggling in a web of intrigue.