NgGung is a master of Centipede-style kung fu and a former Cangzhen monk. His name literally means "Centipede" in Cantonese Chinese.
Appearance
NgGung is described as ugly, filthy, and generally strange-looking. Despite being average height, his arms and legs are rather short and stubby, working double time just to move at a normal pace. NgGung has long, thinning hair which is matted with bits of leaves and twigs. Likewise, he has a long, thin mustache that hangs almost to his chest. NgGung has a tiny mouth and an extremely wide, flat nose. He wears little more than rags, first seen in a tattered vest and threadbare silk pants which are torn off at the knees. His whole body is covered in streaks of dirt, giving him a foul odor.
Personality
"One new thing you'll know for every solid blow!" -NgGung in Snake, Ch. 1
NgGung is generally very cheerful, even in the midst of battle. He laughs off injuries that would bring down most men, due to his Iron Shirt training (see below). He is also somewhat of a trickster, and often makes jokes that no one else finds funny. Despite his jovial nature, NgGung knows when to be serious, as shown when he helps Seh during their first meeting.
Skills/Abilities
General
- Iron Shirt Kung Fu- NgGung is trained in Iron Shirt, a style of kung fu in which the student toughens their upper body in able to withstand strong attacks. His abdominal muscles in particular are thick and perfectly formed, like the segmented armor of an insect, and as hard as iron bands.
- Chi Mastery- While NgGung, as a Centipede stylist, does not possess a huge amount of chi (life energy), he has the supernatural ability to sense the chi of others who do.
Attacks
- Palm Strike- a quick, powerful strike performed by lunging forward to slam the heel of the palm into the center of an opponent's chest. Used against Seh in Snake.
Weapons
NgGung prefers to fight with his bare hands, and has not been shown to use or be proficient with any sort of weapon.
History
According to NgGung, he has been playing his information-trading game with travelers for years.
Book Three: Snake
NgGung does not appear until Snake.