The Special Correspondent · Character

Kinko

A stowaway Romanian acrobat whose devotion to the woman he loves turns him into the unlikely hero of a trans-Asiatic railway adventure.

major

Also known as Brave Kinko, friend Kinko, the fraudulent Kinko, machine poor Kinko

First appearance: i

As a major figure in The Special Correspondent, Kinko is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mysterious passenger hiding in a box in the luggage van; Claudius attempts to communicate with him.

In the storyKizil Arvat and the Transcaspian RailwayOpen this moment free

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Kinko travels hidden aboard the Grand Transasiatic, enduring hunger and discomfort for the sake of Zinca Klork, the young Romanian woman waiting for him in Peking. When bandits threaten the train's imperial treasure, his courage saves the day — yet he is hauled before a Chinese magistrate and sentenced to prison for his irregular passage. His fate becomes the emotional test of the novel's middle stretch: whether a selfless act can outweigh a broken rule.

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Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how Kinko sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Friendship
Social
Other

Character groups

Central characters and companions
Protagonist

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the narrator awakens from his dream, which vividly depicts th…

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Relationships

Zinca Klork
romantic · positive
Kinko is deeply infatuated with Zinca Klork, pursuing her with persistent devotion. How this plays out →
Claudius Bombarnac
friendship · positive
Faruskiar
social · positive
Claudius Bombarnac
friendship · positive
Zinca Klork
romantic · positive
Kinko is deeply infatuated with Zinca Klork, pursuing her with persistent devotion. How this plays out →
Zinca Klork
romantic · positive
Kinko is deeply infatuated with Zinca Klork, pursuing her with persistent devotion. How this plays out →
Claudius Bombarnac
friendship · positive

Zinca Klork
Kinko is deeply infatuated with Zinca Klork, pursuing her with persistent devotion.
Claudius Bombarnac
Claudius Bombarnac, the journalist, befriends Kinko and often accompanies him on the journey.
Faruskiar
Faruskiar interacts with Kinko as a fellow passenger on the train, with no deep connection.
Claudius Bombarnac
Claudius Bombarnac, the journalist, befriends Kinko and often accompanies him on the journey.
Zinca Klork
Kinko is deeply infatuated with Zinca Klork, pursuing her with persistent devotion.
Zinca Klork
Kinko is deeply infatuated with Zinca Klork, pursuing her with persistent devotion.
Claudius Bombarnac
Claudius Bombarnac, the journalist, befriends Kinko and often accompanies him on the journey.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

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In the story

Kinko appears across 13 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Kizil Arvat and the Transcaspian Railway
Mysterious passenger hiding in a box in the luggage van; Claudius attempts to communicate with him.
XIII
The young Romanian hidden in a packing case, traveling to Peking to marry Zinca Klork.
XIV
Hidden in the baggage van; Claudius thinks of his love for Zinca Klork and plans to bring him provisions.
XV
Hidden in the baggage van; receives provisions from Claudius and is warned about the danger at the Chinese frontier.
Chapter XVI
Claudius worries about Kinko's hidden case during the customs inspection; not discovered yet.
XVII
Sleeping in the front van, dreaming of his Romanian fiancée; Claudius does not wake him.
Chapter XVIII
Visited by Claudius at night; in high spirits, getting fat in his box.
The Aftermath of the Attack
Hidden in a box in the luggage van; checked on by Claudius.
XXIII
Hides in the train; Claudius brings him provisions and agrees to help with the box.
XXIV
Hidden in a crate; heroically climbs onto the engine and causes an explosion to stop the train.
XXV
The Romanian who sacrificed himself by causing the locomotive explosion to save the train; his body is not found.
XXVI
Survives the train explosion and arrives in Peking in his box, but is discovered and arrested by police after the box is damaged in a collision.
XXVII
Arrested for fraud but saved the train; sentenced to six months in prison but later freed and triumphantly returns.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Kinko unlock in the free preview.

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