Histoires de fantômes

Chapitre 262

My inspiration came from this old notebook, because the one my older brother left me was also in such a tattered state, and my brother had been here before, which made me clearly feel the power emanating from him.

Tang Xin hummed in response but did not answer immediately.

"He's dead? No, he'll never truly die. A man of unparalleled stature, living a life of great renown, will never depart in obscurity. This world exists for him, just as the moon depends on the sun's light to appear in human sight."

I was excited inside, but I didn't show it at all in my expression or words, as if I were telling a story that had nothing to do with me.

"Mr. Feng, you're mistaken. While Yang Tian, the 'King of Tomb Raiders,' may be invincible, he was still human, not a god. Humans die of old age, illness, violent death, or sudden death—he is truly dead, right there in the cave we just visited. In truth, we will all die; it's just a matter of sooner or later. Looking back, a day, a year, a hundred years—in the grand scheme of Earth's history—is merely a fleeting moment. What difference is there between that tiny difference and no difference at all?"

The flames leaped up, almost licking her fingernails, which startled her slightly. She leaned back abruptly and stood up with a whoosh.

Chapter Three: Who is the Savior?

I didn't want to argue with her, so I just gave her a silent smile. On the question of whether Yang Tian is alive or dead, I have more right to speak than anyone else.

The fireplace was black and very large, which reminded me of the fireplace in the Xunfuyuan villa, and naturally brought to mind the days I spent with Guan Baoling. The reason we met and grew close was because of the strange bubbling sound in the fireplace, and of course, the "Guatemalan black magic" that the tycoon was under. It's been so long since I left Xunfuyuan, I wonder if Xiao Keleng has completely restored Xunfuyuan to its original state?

Tang Xin walked deeper into the room. I dragged a recliner forward, slowly sat down, and stared blankly at the firelight. The reason I didn't look at the notebook immediately was that I wanted to wait until my excited emotions had completely calmed down before doing so, lest my thoughts become chaotic and I do something inexplicably foolish.

Alpha has not reappeared, and there are some mysteries in my mind that only he could solve, such as the constituent elements of the metal door, the details of the trap behind the door, the significance of the Asian gear, and so on.

In Tang Xin's eyes, Alpha is omnipotent; if there's a problem even it can't solve, then it must be utterly unsolvable. This is a common attitude girls have towards their lovers, and I bet Tiger has never experienced such a blessing. So, what about Suren's feelings for me? What am I like in her eyes?

Thinking of Suren, a warm current seems to slowly surge in my chest. "It is better not to meet than to meet if we cannot be close," the ancient poem has long clearly explained my emotional state at this moment.

She must be there! My left hand rested on my forehead, and I felt a little drowsy. The blurry figure I had seen before reappeared before my eyes.

"Mr. Feng, the wine is here." Tang Xin returned gracefully, carrying a brown, short-necked, small-mouthed wine jar in each hand, and placed it lightly between two reclining chairs. The mud seals on the mouths of the jars were also brown, with a blurry square vermilion stamp on them.

She took two bronze cups from the wine cabinet above the fireplace and handed one to me: "The wine is 'Three Days of Spring on the Huai River,' personally supervised and sealed by Li Si, the Prime Minister of Qin. The cup was taken from Xiang Yu's luggage by Liu Bang, the founder of the Western Han Dynasty, after his great victory at Gaixia. One is a dragon-head cup, and the other is a phoenix cup. Should we suspect that these were used by Xiang Yu and Yu Ji when they drank together? Take a sniff, and it seems to still clearly retain the fragrance of the beauty's lips from back then."

Since ancient times, the Huai River has been known for its famous wines, and the Northwest for its beautiful women—these two phrases were written by historians specifically to mourn Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King, and Yu Ji. According to connoisseurs in the drinking world, "Huai River Three-Day Spring," also known as "Fragrance that travels ten miles from the door, enough to intoxicate a horse to death in the wind," is a top-grade strong liquor. In this day and age, only a small amount can be occasionally unearthed from some Qin and Han dynasty tombs, but these are just liquids without the aroma, having slowly spoiled during long-term cellaring.

The bronze dragon-head cup in my hand was heavy and extremely crude, weighing at least two kilograms. Judging from its feel and weight, it was a genuine artifact from the Qin and Han dynasties.

Tang Xin picked up a wine jar and gently shook it. The jar, which could hold five kilograms of liquid, made a "clattering" sound, indicating that only half a jar of wine remained. During the aging process, even with the most airtight sealing procedures, trace amounts of air will always seep in, reacting chemically with the alcohol and continuously evaporating moisture. Therefore, the more tightly sealed the jar, the more potent the wine will become, and the more fragrant its aroma will be.

"This isn't really a good time for drinking, Mr. Feng. I understand you have many worries, but you'd better understand that only by maintaining good health can you have the energy to save others. Before we drink, let's make a gentleman's agreement: as long as there isn't a super earthquake outside, and as long as this building doesn't collapse, no one can leave their seats until we finish two jars of wine. How about that?"

She looked at me with a sly smile, the expression of a little girl who hadn't fully grown up yet.

I lightly tapped my wine glass: "Alright, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond."

She's right. When your mind is filled with distractions, it's best to temporarily step out of the tangled mess of thoughts and come back to solve the problem once your mind is clear. This is a famous quote from Dale Carnegie, the world-renowned motivational guru, and it's a universal truth.

Once sealed in mud, the mellow and rich aroma of the wine immediately wafts out. This is a truly top-notch ancient Chinese wine. Compared to the various "national wines" that are currently most popular among the people, this one is in the clouds, while the others are relegated to the level of thirst-quenching drinks sold by vendors.

"Indeed, fine wine." I couldn't help but exclaim.

Tang Xin poured wine from the jar, and a few drops splashed out, landing on my sleeve and quickly soaking it. The aroma of the wine became even stronger and more intense. Before I even tasted it, I was already intoxicated by the fragrance alone.

I raised my sleeve, took a gentle sniff, and exclaimed in admiration again: "The ancients loved to say, 'A handshake amidst a sea of flowers leaves my sleeves fragrant for three years.' I'm afraid my sleeve will retain its wine fragrance even after three washes. It would be such a pity to drink such fine wine only once. I really wish I could store several large wine cellars and drink it constantly throughout my life."

Scalpel had cellars in all his villas in Cairo, but he only collected the finest cognacs from England, Scotland, and the southern mountains of France. Ancient Chinese wines remained out of reach, and he never had a top-quality collection that he could be proud of.

"Cheers! To all of us who left the Egyptian desert without saying goodbye and parted on bad terms, and now sit here peacefully, to find Miss Suren, and for the sake of this fine wine!" Tang Xin's toast was casual and unrestrained, but all her feelings were actually infused in the wine. The ancient bronze wine cup and the beautiful woman beside her were the perfect reasons to raise a toast.

The hot liquor slid down my throat, and a burning sensation immediately rose in my chest, as if I had swallowed a mouthful of burning gasoline. But only a few seconds later, the lingering fragrance wafted out from thousands of pores all over my body at the same time, making me feel extremely comfortable and pleasant.

"Good wine, good wine." Tang Xin's face flushed instantly, her beauty as radiant as a peach blossom, adding seven points of alluring charm. She was indeed very beautiful, otherwise Tiger wouldn't have been so infatuated.

After three cups, the first jar of wine was finished, and Tang Xin immediately opened the second jar and filled both cups.

The fire in the fireplace burned brighter and brighter, the fine pine firewood crackling and sputtering, occasionally emitting a wisp of white smoke accompanied by a sizzling sound, and carrying the strange smell of pine resin.

"Mr. Feng, a thousand cups of wine are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend. How about I tell you some strange stories as a snack with your wine?" Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were filled with crisscrossing red lines. The alcohol had already taken effect.

I put down my wine glass, leaned back in the recliner, and then smiled happily: "Alright, I've been ready to listen attentively. Please go ahead."

The core question I most want to understand now is "who exactly is Shui Lan?" In any case, this name has been spoken twice by different people, and I must find out her background.

Tang Xin placed the Phoenix Cup next to the Dragon Cup, crossed her arms behind her head, and huddled in the recliner.

“Since my mother’s death, these memories have been sealed away forever, and no one can take them away. Mr. Feng, you are the first to unlock them, and I hope you will not just listen to them as a story or an anecdote, but rather absorb the meaningful fragments within them. Strictly speaking, it is not only Miss Suren who urgently needs saving; now is a matter of life and death—”

She paused, smiled sheepishly, and further explained, "What I'm about to say will be a bit disorganized because I can't quite distinguish the order of events. Often, I feel like an outsider, a mere spectator caught in the throes of emotion, unable to truly participate in what I'm seeing—"

I politely raised my hand to interrupt her: "Ms. Tang, please speak freely. You don't need to worry about how to sort out the relationships between so many fragments. I will listen carefully."

From my humble beginnings in the Egyptian desert to now, having experienced over a dozen bizarre events, I have clearly witnessed my progress. Those rough, impulsive edges of my personality have all been smoothed out; I no longer act rashly without reason. Now, the image I present to others is one of calm and composure, my actions and words revealing no flaws whatsoever.

“Okay, the first point I want to make is ‘Who am I?’ In daily life, only people with severe amnesia ask this question because they have no memory of anything before this second and only live in the present moment. When someone asks them who they are, of course they can’t answer. I am different from them because I have all my memories from the moment I was born to this second, but there is no answer to this question in any of my memories.”

She was in pain; I could tell.

Undoubtedly, a large part of life's pain can be released under the cover of alcohol. Perhaps the question "Who am I?" has troubled her for too long, and every time she says a word, her shoulder twitches painfully.

“I’ve read all your information, Ms. Tang. Would you like me to recite a passage for you?” I kindly reminded her.

The moment Tiger and Tang Xin first appeared at the Scalpel's villa, Su Lun thoroughly investigated all their information, using firsthand intelligence data from the Pentagon.

"Father, Tang Junshi, nicknamed 'Eighteen-Armed Demon,' was a direct descendant of the Tang Clan, skilled in using small, light, and highly poisonous hidden weapons. He once had the extraordinary record of poisoning 1,900 bandits from 15 bandit dens in the Funiu Mountains of Henan in one night. He was volatile and bloodthirsty, and died in 2003 from cancer. Mother, Yu Baifan, of unknown origin, had no martial arts skills and was not involved in the Tang Clan. Tang Xin, born on September 4, 1989, was exceptionally intelligent and skilled in lightness skills, hidden weapons, and poisons. From a young age, she had lofty ambitions to unify all masters of hidden weapons and poisons in the world and create an armed system belonging to the Tang Clan of Sichuan."

The above are official records from the US intelligence system. In addition, Su Lun also unearthed and meticulously compared various legends about Tang Xin from the underworld.

"Those are all appearances, meaningless symbols. What I want to talk about now is something related to one's inner world. Mr. Feng, in your eyes, the person standing in front of you now is 'Tang Xin,' an assassin belonging to the Tang Clan of Sichuan. But before I was 'Tang Xin,' who was I?"

Her gaze suddenly became incredibly deep, as if it had pierced through the fireplace, the firelight, and the walls of the small building, looking towards the infinite distance.

"I woke up in the darkness, unable to speak, but able to understand everyone's words. Many women were whispering excitedly, saying, 'She's given birth! She's given birth! Go tell the master, the lady has given birth!' This was the scene of my birth, in the 'Heavenly Soldiers' Hermitage' behind the Tang Clan in Sichuan, the sect leader's villa where Tang Junshi and Yu Baifan lived. A second before waking up, I was in a huge gray tent, with a chaotic clamor outside, the sound of thousands upon thousands of people wailing and lamenting. I saw a cold, gleaming bronze sword turned horizontally, slashing towards my neck. When the blade touched my skin, it was chillingly cold. Then, a spray of blood splattered, and the wound made a 'hissing' sound. I knew very well that it was my own blood. Pain and fear jolted me awake from the dream..."

I listened carefully, and as she narrated, I slowly pieced together her thoughts: "Being killed in the big tent, that's your past life memory?"

A renowned psychologist once said that a sudden, intense stimulus can cause a dying person to lose their memory instantly, and their brainwaves will leave the body in an inexplicable way, shooting off to any corner of the universe without any pattern. This is what is known as "out-of-body experience."

The existence of brainwaves is indefinable and unimaginable, and their existence may last as long as the universe itself. They can easily merge with the brainwaves of other people, and under certain circumstances, they can transform into the recipient's own thoughts, which is what folklore refers to as "spirit possession."

According to experts, Tang Xin's belief that she was "born with memories of a past life" is simply that the wandering brainwaves in the universe happened to enter the newborn's body.

"Yes, but that was only part of it. After I started crying, nursing, and sleeping normally, more of my consciousness returned. The terrifying adventure in the large tent wasn't a simple matter of life and death, but a massive war. I saw the two banners of the two sides clearly written in seal script: 'Han' and 'Chu.' The Han army wore white clothes and white armor, while the Chu army wore black clothes and black armor. I myself was on the Chu side, riding a peach-colored horse, wearing peach-colored armor, and also a peach-colored cloak—"

I nodded slowly: "Yes, the Chu-Han Contention should be the war between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu after the fall of the Qin Dynasty."

In that epic battle, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King, made unforgivable mistakes in his personnel management and strategy. Overconfident in his own prowess, he completely disregarded the enemy, ultimately leading to his defeat at the Wujiang River, where he committed suicide. He was a widely praised invincible hero, and naturally, he was surrounded by beautiful women, including Yu Ji, whose death "shocked the world."

But how does all this relate to the "aqua blue" we were originally going to discuss?

I hoped Alpha would appear so we could all discuss the matter and open the sealed gate. The room was filled with the aroma of wine, but my mood gradually grew heavy.

"Mr. Feng, please don't be distracted. Although this passage is lengthy, it lays the groundwork for all the stories that follow—"

I smiled apologetically and sat up straight: "I'm sorry, Ms. Tang, please continue. I will listen carefully."

Tang Xin touched her forehead and sighed worriedly: "Mr. Feng, these words sound very strange. In the past, I would be scolded by my parents as soon as I started to say them. Once, I was even beaten by my father and forbidden to talk nonsense anymore. So, these words have been buried in my heart. I hope you can listen to every word. I think they must have meaning. They are trying to tell me something and ask me to take on some kind of mission."

"What mission?" I immediately asked.

The scalpel often mentions that "in life, some unruly and powerful figures are ordained by Heaven; their existence is due to a special mission." The "powerful figure" he refers to is, without exception, his elder brother Yang Tian. So what is Tang Xin's mission?

“The Savior—my mission is to find the Savior and then tell him a secret.” She turned to look at me, her dark eyes fixed on my brow.

“Miss Tang, are you sure those memories are real? Or are they just fragments of unfounded thoughts? The Tang Clan deals with poisonous insects and drugs day and night. Among the poisons that can be found in China, there are at least sixty kinds that can cause strange hallucinations. As far as I know, among your Tang Clan's 25th, 52nd, and 53rd generation disciples, there are victims who suffered from paranoia after consuming ‘Soul-Separating Grass,’ ‘Heavenly Feather,’ and ‘Dream Order.’ Can you say that you didn’t ingest those three poisons while cultivating the ‘Hundred Deaths Divine Skill’?”

The light in her eyes suddenly dimmed: "Yes, I took it."

According to historical records, Tang Da, a disciple of the Tang Clan of the 25th generation, took the "Soul-Separating Grass" and fantasized that he was the sword immortal Li Bai. He drank wine, wrote poems, and practiced swordsmanship every day, completely forgetting his previous poison skills. In the end, he died in the turbulent waters of the Three Gorges, meeting the same fate as Li Bai who chased the moon in the water.

After taking "Xintianling," Tang Jin, a 52nd-generation disciple, always thought of himself as a sheep grazing in a mountain valley in northern Shaanxi. He could only look up at the sky and bury his head in grass. He couldn't speak a word of human language and could only express his feelings with the "baa" of a sheep.

After taking the "Dream Order," Tang Bu, a disciple of the 53rd generation, developed severe daydreaming disorder. He would dream with his eyes open every day, and then ramble on to others about strange stories such as extraterrestrial visitors, ancient underwater cities, or snow mountain monsters. However, these were all fabricated by him and had no basis in fact.

The Tang Clan of Sichuan is nestled deep within the rugged mountains and strange waters of Sichuan. Many of its rules and training methods have led to the irreversible path of demonic possession, which is why its disciples are becoming increasingly isolated.

"Miss Tang, did you say these words to Tiger?" I hoped to change the subject.

"No, I'm saving these words for the savior. Tiger is just an ordinary man; he'd never understand anyway. Like that 'Azure Heaven and Yellow Springs Scripture,' what others see as useless tadpole-like scribbles, I see as a miraculous cure, instantly dispelling all my troubles. In fact, those so-called 'mystical scripts' are utterly insignificant in Mr. Feng's eyes—"

It seemed as if two flames were rising from the depths of her eyes, burning away the large patch of shadow that had formed before.

"You flatter me. Like a tiger, I'm just—"

She abruptly raised her hand to stop me: "No, you are not the same. You are the savior, the ultimate rescuer of this world. Mr. Feng, the process of destruction is nearing its end. Don't you feel it?" She leaned forward and grabbed my left arm, tightening it like a steel hook.

I didn't resist at all, letting her tighten her grip with her fingers. It was clear she was extremely nervous, on the verge of a hysterical breakdown.

“Ms. Tang, you’re too nervous. Why don’t you try to relax a bit? Smile, have a drink, maybe that will make you feel better.” I tried to calm her down.

“Look at the sky. The ‘Cross,’ a symbol of death, has long been formed. It’s a sharp sword piercing the heart of the earth. It’s not that it’s blocked from falling, but rather that it’s carefully choosing its angle, waiting for the best moment.” She looked up, revealing her snow-white neck, her chest heaving violently.

As she moved, I looked up and noticed that the building had no floor divisions; the entire twenty-meter-high structure was continuous, allowing a view all the way to the roof. However, the roof wasn't completely enclosed; instead, it had a circular opening three meters in diameter, revealing the dark sky.

That wasn't the sky we Earthlings usually see when we look up; it was the real world of space. Alpha's construction of this triangular building was incredibly ingenious; a high-precision astronomical telescope was hidden in the roof, allowing direct observation of the starry sky. This dark black area was the primordial color of the vast universe. Ten dim, lifeless stars slowly rotated, aligning in a line from afar. From the seventh star in front of us, a bright star appeared on each side, like the hilts of a sword. This structure resembled both a drawn sword and the holy cross used by Christians to slay the devil.

"Cross conjunction, doomsday" is a terrifying prophecy by European astrologers, much like the "King of Terror descending from the sky in 1999" recorded in "The Centuries," both pointing definitively to a catastrophic future for Earth. Just as many stars and planets in the universe are destroyed, Earth will follow the same trajectory, only the timing of that destruction is uncertain.

"The 'Cross conjunction' in 1999 did not trigger a global crisis because a strange force temporarily prevented the sword from piercing through. However, that lingering force has already caused a global warm winter and a pandemic. Mr. Wind, the drums of death are approaching..."

Tang Xin sighed and pointed out the closed window. As if to echo her melancholy, the captivating sound of African drums faintly rose again.

“That’s not a war drum, but—” I couldn’t find a suitable name to describe the mysterious Saturnian, Tu Liehan. His disappearances and appearances were always unpredictable, silent and invisible. If I revealed his identity and he didn’t appear as expected, wouldn’t that cause Tang Xin even more confusion?

“Those are war drums, Mr. Feng. Many strange and unusual phenomena have already appeared in my mind. It must be the enemy coming, it must be. Please remember this, they are the enemy.” Tang Xin tensed up again, leaning forward and staring intently at me.

I nodded subconsciously. In this situation, we could no longer provoke her, lest we trigger a complete mental breakdown.

"In 2007, the next destruction will arrive as scheduled, and nothing can be avoided." Tang Xin rubbed his hands anxiously.

Part Two: Asian Gears, Chapter Four: On Which Planet is Water Blue?

I suddenly realized that there must be another reason why she was so stubborn. The wisdom of an individual is always limited, which is why the ancients had the saying, "The stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade." I guess she must have really seen something to insist on her opinion time and time again.

"Miss Tang, are you referring to the 'Great Seven' prophecy in Europe? In your view, how does the Great Destruction occur? Is it impossible for Earthlings with their limited wisdom to devise a way to avert it?"

Earthquakes, tsunamis, and meteorites have always caused our planet great suffering. If destruction were to occur, it would begin from these three areas: sea, land, and air. At least with humanity's current ability to prevent natural disasters, we will do our utmost to make effective defenses and will certainly not reach the point of "destruction."

"Alright, Mr. Feng, I will continue my story. After you finish listening, you will understand what the 'Great Seven' and the 'Savior' are—"

She slowly exhaled, her face pale and ashen, and sat back down in the recliner.

"Okay, I'm all ears." I nodded with a smile.

Whether there is a savior in the world is another matter, but I know I am not one. If a superhero who saves the fate of the earth really appears, I would rather believe that it is my brother Yang Tian.

"When I saw the battle between the Chu and Han armies, I immediately understood that I was on the side of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King. Sure enough, when certain fragments of memory pieced together, I saw him in black iron armor, riding a black horse, wielding a long black iron spear, sweeping through the Han army's ranks, unmatched by anyone. The scene of that ancient battle was simply too gruesome to bear; his weapons, armor, and horse were stained with the blood of the enemy, looking extremely terrifying. He turned back to look at me amidst the thousands of troops, calling out my name loudly, 'Yu Ji, Yu Ji, watch me slay generals and capture flags for you'—Mr. Feng, when I discovered that my past life was actually the most stunning woman in that period of history, I couldn't tell whether I was excited or terrified, only unable to suppress a tremor."

When Tang Xin mentioned the black-armored general who fought for her amidst the vast army, her dark eyes shone with a tearful gleam. Every girl hopes her lover is an invincible hero, and Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King, is precisely the war god revered by everyone for thousands of years. She had every reason to be extremely excited about him.

"After that battle, the Han army lost seventy generals and more than thirty thousand soldiers, and was forced to retreat two hundred li. However, King Liu Bang of Han, along with his strategist Zhang Liang, commander-in-chief Han Xin, and renowned general Fan Kuai, had already arrived, along with eighty thousand Qin cavalrymen who had surrendered when they captured Xianyang. They firmly surrounded the Chu army on a hill, a place formerly known as Gaixia, and also called 'Regret Slope'."