Iron Bull taucht wieder auf

Kapitel 81

This is a strange, nonsensical statement. What does "the sky collapses and the earth opens" mean? Does it mean that opening the twelve locks will cause a massive earthquake and annihilation? If that's the case, it's better not to open them, lest all living beings suffer further devastation.

"Suren, do you believe that kind of thing?" I asked with a smile.

"Perhaps! My brother once said that Xi'an and Xianyang are places where the dragon veins of the world converge. Every blade of grass, every grain of soil, and every drop of water there has immeasurable research value. More than 99% of the legends about Xi'an have their own magical origins, and they are worth studying with a lifetime of energy."

I scoffed, expressing my skepticism about that statement.

In Xi'an, apart from the actual Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, there is nothing else that can attract the attention of tomb raiders.

Suren smiled again on the other end of the phone: "This sentence is just my brother's paraphrase. The person who truly summarized this sentence is—'King of Tomb Raiders' Yang Tian."

I was filled with shame and felt I should disappear. I had been too arrogant. I shouldn't have blindly doubted even the words of my elder brother Yang Tian, let alone a surgeon. These two senior figures had developed tomb raiding into a highly sophisticated art. Every word they spoke was a brilliant and profound truth. How could I, a mere junior, dare to ridicule them so casually?

When my gaze fell on the fireplace again, Suren asked worriedly, "According to Xiao Xiao, you had a strange experience in Xunfu Garden? Or... were you too tired and hallucinating?"

Xiao Keleng definitely didn't say anything nice about me, and of course, she wouldn't take the sound of bubbles seriously either.

I gave a vague reply, and after a few more words, we ended the conversation.

Xiao Keleng stood in front of the mural, arms crossed, lost in thought. Offending Watanabe Castle was indeed a headache for her; she would definitely have to put in some effort to mend this mess.

I wanted to tell her about the bubbling sound coming from behind the statue, but when I thought about her attitude towards the whole thing, I immediately held back the words that were already on the tip of my tongue.

The day passed quickly and I went through all the documents and materials related to Xunfuyuan. They were just routine government documents and did not help in uncovering the secrets of the villa.

Xiao Ke's brows remained furrowed, and even her short hair lost its lively spirit, looking listless.

At dusk, the Anzi sisters set out dinner in advance, and then the three of them prepared to leave.

This villa lacks even basic amenities like a television, refrigerator, and kitchen, which I find very unusual. Of course, the mountain of books on the second floor is more than enough for me to read, but I'm not interested in them right now.

Xiao Ke forced a smile: "Mr. Feng, if there are any problems at night, please call the police. The number is 110—"

In fact, everyone knows that in such a remote place, if something really happens, it will have already happened before the police arrive.

She pointed to the coffee table surrounded by the sofa: "There are emergency weapons under there, which should hold out for a while. If there's any commotion here, I'll be there to help immediately, so please don't worry."

Before this, she had invited me to stay overnight at the neighboring villa to avoid giving potential enemies an opportunity, but I politely declined. I am not a cowardly person, and besides, my goal is to become the new "King of Tomb Raiders." The more major events I encounter, the more I can hone and unleash my potential.

Xiao Keleng and the other two left, and the manor gates slowly closed.

I turned on the main light in the living room, went back to the sofa, and bent down to feel under the coffee table. I could tell by touch that under the coffee table, there was a single-barreled five-shot shotgun and a box of extended ammunition, taped together.

The shotgun was manufactured by the German military industry, specifically designed for hunting large animals in the forest. Equipped with these genuine military-grade bullets, it was incredibly powerful. Many security personnel in European factories were equipped with this type of weapon; it was powerful, had a low failure rate, and was very easy to use.

The Japanese government has very strict controls on firearms and ammunition, but this is only in a few international metropolises such as Tokyo and Osaka. In remote mountainous areas of Hokkaido, the police force is simply insufficient to monitor all aspects, so the rate of private gun ownership has reached an alarming level.

I had no appetite, so I leaned back on the sofa, facing the fireplace.

"What was originally in the box containing this statue? Judging from the magnificence of the box's interior, it doesn't seem like it was just made for show." I scratched my head, completely puzzled, and got up to go upstairs. The bronze sword hanging at the samurai's waist didn't seem like it was just for show either; I felt I could definitely pull it out.

As a martial artist in the martial arts world, I have a special fondness for cold weapons, especially the sword, which is known as the "king of weapons." I haven't practiced swordsmanship extensively; my philosophy is basically a blend of East and West—I like ancient Chinese swords, but in terms of swordsmanship and combat, I prefer the practicality of Western swordsmanship.

Two years ago, in Chinatown in Los Angeles, I saw a pair of bronze swords priced at $100,000. The swords consisted of two swords, one long and one short. According to the antique shop owner who sold the swords, these were the legendary "Mandarin Duck Swords" bestowed by King Goujian of Yue after his victory and restoration of his kingdom, as a reward to his meritorious minister Fan Li and the beauty Xi Shi.

The bronze sword was exceptionally sharp. When the owner demonstrated it on the spot, he draped a brand-new, heavy-duty, high-density towel over the blade, swung the sword in the air, and the towel snapped in two. This was far more impressive than the ancient description of famous swords as being able to "cut a hair with a breath"...

My thoughts are a bit jumbled up, and many unrelated memories are surfacing in my mind.

Past experiences are like detailed notebooks, clearly recorded in my mind, and easily remembered. When I was a child, my teacher was amazed by my ability to "remember everything I saw." After memorizing an entire book, I could recite it word for word for six months.

I don't know if my older brother Yang Tian has any extraordinary physical abilities, but my hearing, vision, and memory always surprise me.

The clock face was still open, and I couldn't help but chuckle: "I was too flustered when I went downstairs! Did I really long to hear Suren's voice so much after leaving Egypt?"

Compared to Tina, Suren wasn't as passionate or open, but I was drawn to her refined, classical Chinese charm. Although I wouldn't admit it, subconsciously, I started missing her as soon as we parted.

The lights were off on the second floor. Dusk had fallen, and the room was slightly dim. The bronze statue gleamed with a chilling light, giving it a somewhat eerie and terrifying feel.

I stood in front of the statue, kicking his right leg, and mocked myself, "Friend, can't you show your sword to others? It's not anything special, why keep it to yourself?"

The leather shoes slapped against the bronze, making a "slap slap slap" sound. This was a genuine bronze artifact; a statue like this would weigh over a ton, and moving or turning it over would be no easy task.

My gaze inadvertently drifted to the window, and there was someone walking towards the villa's gate, peering in our direction with suspicion. A kilometer south of the gate, at the fork in the road, stood the stretched Mercedes-Benz. Strangely enough, the person walking to the gate was none other than the famous actress Kwan Po-ling, who had visited the villa that morning.

"How could it be her?" I rubbed my eyes, almost doubting my eyesight.

However, something even stranger happened. After confirming that no one was in the yard, Guan Baoling actually reached out and grabbed the iron bar on the door. She nimbly did a pull-up and slowly climbed up the iron gate, stepped inside, and then let go and landed.

In her film career, she once collaborated with the famous Hong Kong action star "Big Brother" on a martial arts film. If it weren't for her somewhat indecent attire, her action of scaling the iron gate would certainly have been much more graceful and agile. At this moment, she was still wearing high heels, and it was obvious that she twisted her ankle when she landed. As she walked towards the main entrance, her right foot was already limping.

The second floor is dimly lit, so she definitely won't notice that I'm watching her from the window.

"What is she going to do? Such a beautiful woman, is she going to steal?" I muttered to myself, extremely puzzled.

The tree-lined path was dimly lit, but she walked straight toward the main entrance, head held high, not at all like a sleazy thief.

I rushed downstairs, walked to the door, and flung it open, letting the light from inside spill down the steps.

Guan Baoling seemed taken aback, but continued walking straight forward until she stood at the bottom of the steps. Then she looked up and asked in a soft but calm tone, "Are you Mr. Feng?"

Under the lamplight, her watery eyes shone like two exquisite, rare gems, radiating a captivating charm. When she raised her head, her snow-white neck was exposed, revealing a resolute determination to face death.

I was surprised by her attitude, as if the Xunfuyuan Villa was a bloody slaughterhouse, and she was willingly throwing herself into it, like a fawn waiting to be slaughtered, outwardly calm but inwardly extremely anxious and nervous.

I have no intention of playing games with anyone. Besides, her beauty is her own business and none of my concern. If I accidentally spread any gossip about her romantic affairs, Xiao Keleng would definitely report it to Su Lun immediately, putting me in a difficult position. At least for now, I have no interest in any girl other than Su Lun, regardless of whether she is beautiful or not.

"It's me, Miss Guan. It seems we didn't invite you here, especially at this time."

I carefully examined her face for a few moments to confirm her identity. If I were superstitious enough, I might mistake her for a mountain spirit or tree monster that comes out at night to seduce men.

In Japanese mythology, there are legends of "Oni-masked demons" and "fanged demons."

Some demons, after dusk, transform into beautiful women and relentlessly knock on the doors of single men. Once the men are aroused, the demons attack, killing and sucking their blood. Similarly, in the monumental Chinese classic *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, chapters depicting female ghosts committing murder are numerous.

Therefore, it's best to avoid getting involved with unexpectedly beautiful women after dusk.

Guan Baoling stepped onto the two steps and smiled, "Could you please invite this uninvited guest in and have a seat?"

I was stunned for a moment, but she had already walked up to me without any politeness, passed by me, and entered the living room.

As dusk settled, the courtyard fell into silent darkness. Guan Baoling's mysterious appearance made me uneasy. Thankfully, she went to the fireplace and sat in the armchair, while I could easily return to the sofa and grab my gun for self-defense at any time.

The darkness always brings unrealistic fears. For example, even though we know that she is a real person, Guan Baoling, we still have questions like "Is she a human or a ghost?" popping up from time to time.

She covered her face with her hands, her hair cascading forward, looking utterly exhausted. Suddenly, she looked up, still forcing a smile: "Could you... start a fire? I'm so cold..." Her clothes were beautiful, but clearly not warm enough, and her lips remained very pale, as if they were frozen.

I walked silently to the fireplace and lit the firewood.

As soon as the fire started burning, she immediately reached out and warmed her hands over the flames, overjoyed.

I returned to the sofa, intentionally or unintentionally placing my hand on the edge of the coffee table, ready to draw my gun and fire at any moment. If the "person" in front of me really was Guan Baoling, and I wasn't mistaken, she had come to buy Xunfuyuan. But this kind of midnight intrusion was truly unexpected.

Suddenly, a strange thought occurred to me: "If there's another sound of bubbles tonight, I won't be the only one listening, will I?"

Guan Baoling is a celebrity in the entertainment industry. If she testifies that there was a "bubble sound," Xiao Keleng would really believe it.

The flickering firelight illuminated Guan Baoling's eyebrows, giving her black hair and black clothes a faint golden edge. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Given the dark and chaotic nature of the entertainment industry, it would have been almost inevitable that she would be kept by tycoon Ye Hongsheng—a "normal story." On the contrary, it would have been stranger for such a beautiful girl not to be kept.

The entertainment industry is a big melting pot; anyone who tries to survive in it has to sell something of themselves, more or less. Girls are judged by their looks, and boys are no exception.

Guan Baoling rubbed her hands together and slowly said, "Mr. Feng, I need to buy your villa—Miss Xiao already said this morning that you are the new owner of the villa. As long as you say the word, the villa will change hands with just a word, right?"

Her long, black, satin-like hair swayed gently, forming a beautiful waterfall shape on the side of her shoulder. I swear I've never seen such perfect long hair. Compared to it, the hair of those shampoo models in TV commercials is a complete mess and should be ashamed and disappear from the face of the earth.

"Yes, I am the new owner of the villa, but I have no intention of selling it."

The black waterfall shifted its angle again, and Guan Baoling's voice rose slightly, adding a heavy, sweet tone that became incredibly seductive, almost magnetic: "You'll sell it... for five hundred million US dollars... as long as you agree..."

I felt a sudden dizziness; the price she offered seemed utterly absurd. Five hundred million US dollars, 2.5 times what Watanabe Shiro had asked for, was indeed an extremely good deal.

"Haha, hahaha..." I laughed awkwardly to hide my shock and embarrassment.

Guan Baoling turned around, raised both hands at the same time, and made a gesture of gently combing her hair backward. Her smile and voice were doubly charming as she looked at me: "How about it? Mr. Feng, would you consider it?" Every flutter of her long eyelashes seemed to stir and ignite the masculine desire hidden within me.

Volume Two: The Tower of the Dead

The first book, The Mysterious Villa

— Chapter 8 - The Mysterious Disappearance —

I suddenly burst into laughter, finding this windfall utterly ridiculous. All I owned was this villa in Xunfu Garden, a villa that had always been unremarkable, and suddenly it had become a coveted prize. "Thank you for your kind offer, Miss Guan, but I will not sell the villa. Please do as you see fit."

Guan Baoling's face immediately showed an expression of extreme frustration. With her beauty, she should have never been rejected by a man so bluntly before.

The firewood in the fireplace was burning brightly, and the blue tiles on the roof were being blown about by the north wind, making a clattering sound.

In early winter, the mountain winds mix with the sea winds from the northwest, making them extremely strong.

"Mr. Feng, do you perhaps think... this price is too low, or that I... am not sincere?" Guan Baoling whispered, a blush rising from her neck to her cheeks and brows, making her look charming and shy.

I stood up and walked towards the door, not wanting to look at her anymore. It was late at night, and we were alone together. I'm not Confucius or Liu Xiahui, who could remain unmoved even with a woman in his lap; I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control my desires.

Guan Baoling is very beautiful, almost flawlessly beautiful. If I hadn't already unknowingly fallen for Su Lun, I'm afraid I would have been captivated by her beauty and shyness in an instant.

The sky outside was overcast, with no stars or moon in sight.

There were no streetlights installed on the tree-lined avenue, so the entire estate was shrouded in a gray haze.

“Ms. Guan, you’ve misunderstood. This villa was left to me by my brother. Price isn’t an issue, but it holds profound sentimental value. If you like, you’re welcome to visit anytime, but please don’t bring up the property transfer again. Of course, next time you come, please call me first, and I’ll open the door to save you the trouble of climbing over the iron gate.” I tried my best to be polite; after all, we’re all Chinese, and being in a foreign country, we should be considerate of each other.

Besides, climbing iron gates is something men should do; I wonder where that pretty boy has disappeared to again.

Guan Baoling sighed three times in succession: "Mr. Feng, my purchase of the villa was not for myself. My... friend is suffering from a strange illness that has been difficult to cure. I came to Fengge Temple to beg the centenarian monk there to save him. I have sincerely pleaded more than ten times, but the information shown to me by the 'Well of Spirits' is to buy your Xunfuyuan Villa, demolish it entirely, and replace it with an open canal that encircles Muwanzhou Mountain..."

I couldn't help but laugh out loud, shrugging my shoulders as I looked at her. Who would believe such nonsense? Really—

Guan Baoling frowned, her eyes filled with melancholy: "I know you're laughing to yourself... This is the last resort. The two eminent monks of Fengge Temple have already calculated the cause of my friend's illness in detail. This is the only solution."

The "friend" she mentioned must be the tycoon Ye Hongsheng, and the cause of his illness is a curse from "black magic"—I fully understand the method the high monk of Fengge Temple used to break the curse; curses and feng shui are inherently interconnected. Demolishing Xunfuyuan and replacing it with an open channel might indeed change Ye Hongsheng's fate. However, the villa is mine, and there's absolutely no need to blindly demolish it because of someone's nonsense.

Compared to the importance the surgeon placed on Seeking Happiness in his will, five hundred million dollars held no appeal.

I shook my head and told her firmly, "I'm sorry, the villa will not be sold, much less demolished. I'm very sorry."

Although Ye Hongsheng is an old friend of the scalpel, I find it despicable that he, as a well-known figure in the martial arts world, would make his woman appear in public and sacrifice her sexuality to obtain the solution.

The roof tiles are rattling again, indicating that the wind is gradually picking up tonight, and who knows, freezing clouds might gather and snow might begin tomorrow. The snowscapes of Hokkaido are a major attraction for tourists in Japan. Once I've finished what I'm doing, I'd like to take a few days to find a ski resort and relax. If Suren can join us in time, it will definitely be a romantic snow trip.

Suren holds an increasingly important place in my heart. Even when faced with the stunningly beautiful Guan Baoling, I still think of her from time to time, far away in Cairo.

Guan Baoling was disappointed and remained in her armchair, refusing to get up: "Mr. Feng, please reconsider. Saving a life is a great act of kindness..."

I smiled politely and interrupted her, "No need to say more. Actually, there are many ways to break 'black magic.' For example, there is a master of witchcraft in mainland China—Zhang Baisen. He is the most famous monk, Taoist, and witch in the mainland in recent years. You can ask him for help..."

Zhang Baisen's lineage is said to be that of a descendant of the authentic "Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain" in Jiangxi. His most skilled techniques are "breaking, dissolving, severing, shocking, and killing," making him a natural adversary to various cults and evil arts.

Guan Baoling began to shake her head: "I've already contacted Master Zhang. He came to Hong Kong a year ago to perform a ritual for my friend. Unfortunately, not only was it ineffective, but the poison from the black magic spread to the master's left hand, forcing him to cut off his little finger to escape—"