Weißer Morgenmantel

Kapitel 15

“Very good, now the question is, who goes back?” Situ Xiang looked around. The members of 'Blood Wolf' were all hesitant. Qin Wen felt her blood rushing, patted her chest, and said, “I’ll go.”

Marcie glared at her as if she'd been slapped, saying, "When did it become your turn, a woman? If anyone's going, it's us men!"

Qin Wen rolled her eyes. It's not like it's anything good, so what's the point of arguing?

“Qin Wen will stay and take care of Xiao Li.” Situ Xiang looked at Miller. “Mr. Min doesn’t know martial arts, so he’ll stay here too. The rest of the men will go back to fetch water.” He paused. “Any objections?”

“That’s unnecessary.” Caesar cocked his Beretta 92F pistol, which made a crisp click. “If I don’t go, won’t these two beauties look down on me?”

Qin Wen looked at him in surprise and found that he was looking at her too. Her face turned red instantly. Caesar smiled and leaned close to her ear, saying, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Qin Wen's facial muscles twitched twice: "I'm sorry, I've never worried about you. Whether you live or die is none of my business."

Caesar wanted to say something more, but saw Miller's displeased expression: "What time is it? You're still in the mood for flirting? I agree with Mr. Situ's opinion, but we must make arrangements first. The girls can go back and rest, the rest of you stay."

“I have a problem with that.” Min Eun-joon smiled strangely. “How could I not go to something so interesting?”

Situ Xiang glanced at him coldly: "Since Mr. Min is not afraid of death, I have nothing more to say. Xiao Li, you two go back to the car first."

Yin Li nodded and, supported by Qin Wen, walked to the door. Suddenly remembering something, she turned back and said, "Mr. Marshall, did you take something from that monster?"

All eyes turned to Marcie. He gave an awkward laugh and reluctantly took the gold medal out of his jacket pocket, cursing inwardly. He had finally found something valuable, and it had just slipped away. This deal was a real loss.

Upon seeing the item, both girls' expressions changed slightly. Yin Li reached out to take it, but was forced back by Miller's murderous gaze: "Miss Yin, it seems you recognize this badge."

“I don’t recognize it.” Yin Li smiled bitterly. “I only recognize that Buddha statue and that snake.”

Everyone exchanged glances, and Qin Wen continued, "Situ, don't you think that snake looks familiar?"

Situ Xiang was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "Salang snake?"

“That’s right, that’s the sacred object worshipped by the Shaluo cult – the Salang snake!” Qin Wen’s face paled slightly. More than half a month ago, they were attacked by this kind of snake in Princess Zhaoling’s tomb. Now, she still remembers it vividly.

The Kshatriya religion was an extremely ancient religion in the Western Regions, originating very early and existing for a long time during the primitive society period. It is said that their leader held a position in the Western Regions comparable to that of a medieval pope. However, later, with the rise of other religions, the kingdoms of the Western Regions, unwilling to be ruled by the Kshatriya religion any longer, began a long campaign to destroy it. Countless priests were killed, countless scriptures were destroyed, and some kings even spent twenty years eradicating the religion until nothing remained. By the Spring and Autumn Period in Central China, the Kshatriya religion had finally disappeared from the land, leaving no trace. Only a few records remain in epics passed down orally through generations. Some historians even believe that this religion never existed.

Princess Zhaoling's maid, Feng Yuan, became a follower of this religion in her later years, so traces of the Kshatriya religion can be seen everywhere in her tomb. Now that the Salang snake has reappeared in this desert oasis, could it be that those underwater monsters also follow the Kshatriya religion?

Or perhaps they were originally one of the spirits worshipped in the Kshatriya religion?

Qin Wen seemed to see through her thoughts, shook her head, and said, "My maternal grandfather was somewhat knowledgeable about the Kshatriya sect, but he never knew that such a creature was mentioned in the doctrine. Besides, how do you explain that Buddha?"

"Wait, there seem to be words on the back." Yin Li took the gold medal from Ma Xie and indeed saw a string of strange symbols engraved on the back of the Buddha statue. Qin Wen only glanced at it before exclaiming, "Khotanese script! This is Khotanese script!"

Everyone was shocked. The Khotanese script was the script used by the Sek people, and the Volgili people who founded the Mano Kingdom were a branch of the Sek people.

“What does this Khotanese script mean?” Miller asked.

"Houmochen, son of King Godan of Mano and brother of King Ebony," Qin Wen translated, a hint of surprise flashing across her face. "This gold medal belongs to Prince Houmochen of Mano! Could that monster, neither human nor ghost, be the prince of Mano?!"

“Impossible!” Miller interrupted her. “Putting aside whether the prince of Mano could live for more than two thousand years, even if he did, how could he have become such a monster?”

“It’s not difficult to explain,” Min Eun-jun suddenly said. “Perhaps something huge happened more than two thousand years ago. The Mano Kingdom was destroyed, and most of the Volgilians died. But a small number of people survived. To avoid the disaster, they hid in the water. Over time, they adapted to life in the water and evolved into an amphibious monster.”

Everyone looked on with suspicion, as if they were listening to a fairy tale.

Chapter Seventeen: The Secret from Three Years Ago

The cold moon gradually rose into the sky, the sandstorm was still fierce, sweeping up yellow sand from the ground, and the weather was getting colder and colder. Yin Li sat in seat H1, carefully looking at the gold medal. The appearance of the Salang snake was extremely ferocious, with a domineering and demonic aura, while the Buddha sat on the lotus platform with his eyes closed, his peaceful face showing a hint of helplessness.

It seems that the battle between Buddha and Salamander has ended in victory for Salamander.

"That's strange," Yin Li said. "Isn't Mano a Buddhist country? Why would its prince wear such jewelry?"

Qin Wen rested her chin on her hand, thought for a moment, and said, "Could it be an anti-Buddhist movement?"

"Suppress Buddhism?" Yin Li looked at her strangely. "You mean, the Mano Kingdom no longer believes in Buddhism, but instead believes in the evil cult of Kshatriya, so they made these kinds of jewelry to express their determination?"

“That’s right.” Qin Wen nodded. “However, why Mano Kingdom wanted to destroy Buddhism remains a mystery. It is said that after the Kshatriya cult was destroyed in ancient times, many of its followers went into hiding, hoping to one day restore its former prosperity. The descendants of these followers traveled around the Western Regions for a long time, approaching the rulers of various countries under different identities, all in order to bewitch the monarchs and revive the Kshatriya cult. Perhaps the king of Mano Kingdom was bewitched by such people, which is why he launched the anti-Buddhist movement.”

Yin Li remained silent. All of this was merely speculation; the truth had long been lost to the annals of history.

She flipped over the gold medal, carefully examining the string of Khotanese characters, silently reciting the three words 'Ebony King' in her heart, her hands trembling slightly. The first time she heard Xiaowen utter those three words, her heart couldn't help but clench. This name was so familiar, as familiar as a nightmare from a past life.

Could it be that this Ebony King has some connection with her past life?

But wasn't her previous incarnation Princess Zhaoling? King Wumu and Princess Zhaoling lived hundreds of years apart, so it was impossible for them to have any connection.

Perhaps, this is just an illusion.

“Xiao Li.” Qin Wen suddenly grabbed her wrist and said very seriously, “If my past life really was Kui Ji, then the destruction of Mano Kingdom is largely related to me. Perhaps… those people in the oasis were also harmed by me…”

A flicker of pain crossed her eyes. Yin Li grasped her hand and said, "So what if it is? That's all in the past. Right now, you are just Qin Wen. You shouldn't be bound by your past life in this one. Otherwise, why would we reincarnate?"

Qin Wen gave a bitter smile. She understood the reasoning, but she still couldn't shake off the ever-present sense of guilt.

“I want to know what happened after Kui Ji returned to Mano with the resentment of Saka City,” she said. “But no matter how hard I try to remember, I can’t recall anything.”

"Perhaps not being able to remember isn't a bad thing," Yin Li comforted her.

"I want to know," Qin Wen said firmly. "This uncertainty is torture."

She leaned on Yin Li's shoulder. Xiao Li hesitated for a moment and said, "I know a method to dream about your past life. I read it in a comic book, but it may not work."

Qin Wen was overjoyed: "Really? Tell me quickly!"

"Come on, lie down first." Yin Li gestured for her to lie on his lap. Qin Wen hesitated for a moment, "Your injury..."

"Don't worry, the injuries are all on my calves."

Qin Wen lay down, and Yin Li said, "Close your eyes and try to recall the past twenty years. First, recall what you look like now, then what you looked like at nineteen, then eighteen, and so on. After recalling what you looked like as a baby, fall asleep, and you will be able to see your past life."

Qin Wen closed her eyes and listened quietly. Then she began to recall her past. Scenes flashed before her eyes like a movie, as if she were experiencing life all over again. This feeling was truly mysterious.

She had only seen what he looked like as an infant in photographs. Recalling the last image, she felt a wave of sleepiness wash over her, her body seemed to sink, and the world turned into darkness.

Then, a series of strange scenes unfolded before her. She saw a group of ragged Sekha people emerge from the other side of the desert. The leader appeared to be of high status, wearing a gold medal around his neck. Upon seeing the oasis, they were overjoyed, rushing towards it and plunging into the water, happily drinking from the lake. Just then, dark red clouds drifted out from the poplar forest. The people scattered in terror, and the clouds transformed into red rain, pouring down on them and into the water. Upon contact with the red rain, their bodies underwent strange changes: fish-like scales grew, their cheeks split open and gills sprouted, and webbed fingers grew between their toes. After the red rain subsided, they all stared blankly, as if they had lost their souls, and one by one, they walked in unison into the water, sinking to the bottom.

At that moment, the water turned a dizzying red, as if stained with blood.

A sharp laugh came from the sky. She looked up, but saw nothing. But the voice was very familiar, appearing again and again in her hallucinations.

It is Kui Ji.

Qin Wen exclaimed and sat up. Yin Li looked at her in surprise: "What's wrong? What did you see?"

“It was Kui Ji who did it.” Qin Wen’s face turned ashen. “These Volgili people escaped from Mano Kingdom and found this oasis. They thought everything was over, but Kui Ji’s curse and resentment did not let them go. It was Kui Ji who turned them into monsters!”

Yin Li frowned. This Kui Ji was truly powerful. Who exactly was she? Why did she possess such power? If her power was so great, why couldn't she save that person named Zhen Yan before?

Who is Zhenyan?

She became increasingly curious about what had happened more than 2,500 years ago.

“Xiao Li… I did all of this…” Qin Wen’s face was ashen, she gripped her hand tightly, her nails digging into her flesh, “They are all ruined because of me…”

Yin Li sighed, hugged her, and said, "There's no need to blame yourself. That happened more than two thousand years ago. If you keep dwelling on the past, how can you see the future? Besides, they might have deserved what they got."

When she said the words "deserved punishment," a strange anger and hatred suddenly arose in her heart, as if she really had a deep-seated grudge against the Volgilians.

Qin Wen looked at her with some surprise, feeling that she was very familiar, extremely familiar, as if she had known her for thousands of years.

She murmured, "Xiao Li, have you heard that legend?"

"What legend?"

"People who are destined to meet in this life must have had some kind of relationship in their past lives," she said. "Xiao Li, did we meet in our past lives?"

Yin Li trembled slightly, picked up the gold medal, and stared at the three words "Ebony King." Her heart pounded violently. She felt that she had forgotten something very important, and fear, sadness, anger, and despair spread rapidly through her body.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, and strange, blurry images began to appear before my eyes. It was a field of flowers in full bloom with red blossoms. The vibrant flowers resembled lotuses, yet they were different. They swayed in the wind, exuding a bewitching charm.

A vibrant red figure twirled and danced in the flower field. She was so beautiful, her long shawl fluttering in the wind as if a pair of red wings had sprouted from her back. Another woman, dressed in white, her features indistinct, held a konghou (a type of Chinese harp), her fingers flying across the strings as she sang a beautiful song.

She recognized that language; it was the Sanskrit chanting sung by nuns in temples. This woman in white spoke even purer Sanskrit, melodious and lingering, her voice sweet and gentle. It was the chanting of some unknown era, a Buddhist sound that soothed the soul, transporting one to the Western Paradise, bringing clarity to the mind.

Yin Li felt herself floating. She closed her eyes, and all she could hear was the beautiful singing. Gradually, she began to sing. She didn't even know what she was singing. The awkward words jumped out of her throat, yet they came out so naturally, as if she had sung them countless times and knew them by heart.

She didn't know how long she sang, but when the song ended, she opened her eyes and saw Qin Wen staring at her with wide eyes. Situ Xiang was standing outside the car door, quietly watching her. Min Enjun and the members of 'Blood Wolf' looked astonished, as if they couldn't believe that such a heavenly voice came from the mouth of such a little girl.

Such music does not belong to this world.

Situ Xiang laughed: "It sounds great. Where did you learn it?"

Yin Li was taken aback. She didn't know where she had learned it from; it was all so natural, like breathing, something she had been able to do since birth.

"Your maternal grandfather taught you, didn't he?" Situ Xiang sat down next to her, closed the car door, took a pistol from his waist, and handed it to Yin Li. "Take this."

Yin Li stared blankly at the gun and said, "This is..."

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to come back. Use this for self-defense while I’m gone.” He paused. “Do you know how to use a gun?”

"Yes." Yin Li nodded. When her grandfather was bored when she was little, he would teach her how to shoot. Situ Xiang nodded: "Very good. You all need to take good care of yourselves. If we can't come back, the remaining water will be enough for you to get back."

Looking at his seemingly indifferent expression, Yin Li felt a pang of pain in her heart. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "There's a question I want to ask you. If I don't ask, it might become a knot in my heart for the rest of my life."

Situ Xiang gave a surprised smile: "What is it?"

"Why..." Yin Li's expression turned serious, "Why are you so familiar with this oasis?"

Situ Xiang's face stiffened, then darkened. He stared silently out the windshield, his gaze unfocused. After a long while, he pulled out a bottle of strong liquor from somewhere, took a sip, and said, "I came here three years ago."

Yin Li was startled and exchanged a glance with Qin Wen; both of their expressions changed slightly.

“The police sent to arrest the tomb raiders lost contact with us. The chief sent my partner Huang Ming and me with a team to look for them. Halfway there, we rescued a college student in the desert. He said his name was Zheng Hao, a tourist who had gotten lost. Huang Ming and I discussed it, and I decided I would take him back.” A flicker of pain crossed his face. “Even now, I regret my decision. If I hadn’t left, perhaps I would have known the whole truth.”

Yin Li grasped his hand and asked, "What happened next?"

"Zheng Hao and I hadn't even left the desert when we lost contact with Huang Ming and the others." Situ Xiang took a big gulp of his drink. "The walkie-talkies we were using were very advanced; they could communicate even between the two ends of the desert. But no matter how many times I called them that day, Huang Ming didn't answer. There was only a static sound coming from the walkie-talkie. I was very worried about them, so I took Zheng Hao and we caught up. Then, we saw this oasis."

Qin Wen hurriedly asked, "Have you found them here?"

Situ Xiang shook his head: "I found their footprints by the lake. It seems they weren't attacked by those monsters."

"If that's the case, why didn't you chase them all the way to the Buddhist cemetery?" Qin Wen interrupted him. Yin Li quickly tugged at her sleeve and said, "Let Situ finish speaking."

Situ Xiang's pain intensified. He downed his baijiu in one gulp and said, "I originally intended to chase him to the cemetery, but Zheng Hao developed a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius and was unconscious. If we didn't save him, the consequences would be unimaginable!" As he spoke, he punched the car wall, denting a piece of the steel. Yin Li saw the deep regret in his eyes. He spoke in a hoarse voice, each word distinct, "I truly regret not letting Huang Ming take Zheng Hao back then! If only..."

“He will suffer just as much as you.” Yin Li sighed. “Everything has its destiny, and fate is so unpredictable. People can never foresee what will happen next. So, never have regrets!”

Situ Xiang smiled bitterly. He understood this principle, of course, but emotions always prevailed over reason. Letting go was easier said than done.

Seeing that neither of them spoke, Qin Wen thought for a moment and then spoke her mind: "Situ, do you know what happened to Zheng Hao in the end?"

Situ Xiang was taken aback: "His high fever subsided quickly, and he later returned to the mainland..."

“He’s dead,” Qin Wen said. “Zheng Hao was our classmate. He died not long after returning to school. The cause of death has never been found, but when he died, he was bleeding profusely, and the blood flowed out in the shape of an Indian stupa, with a pair of scarlet wings on his back!”

"Is it exactly the same as the one on this?" A voice came from behind. The three of them were shocked and turned around at the same time. They saw Caesar sitting in the back seat, holding the parchment in his hand. The winged stupa on it was very clear.