Iron Bull taucht wieder auf

Kapitel 278

A snowflake landed on my eyelid, quickly melting into a few drops of icy water that trickled down the corner of my eye.

"Is there no other way... to change all this?" The tiger looked at the neat rows of short arrows in his chest, his expression somber, his arms outstretched, but he dared not touch them.

Unwilling to witness the tragic separation of this martial arts couple, I silently stepped back a few paces, looking up at the two locked in fierce combat. In the hazy sky, Alpha's spinning body suddenly stopped, the golden sword pressed against the neck of the Earth God, the shimmering crystal light illuminating his face.

The great god Tu Liehan laughed loudly, "Friend, I've finally made it up! No matter how powerful your 'Heaven and Earth Spinning Dragon Control Formation' is, it can't truly trap me. So, this time we only managed a draw, didn't we?"

"Wrong, you lost, but I can give you a chance to go back into the ley lines and stop interfering here. How about it?" With just the slightest movement of that crystal sword, the Earth God's head would fall to the ground, with no way to avoid it.

"What if I say no? Do you want to monopolize the energy of the 'Asian Gear'? To be honest, since that energy can sustain the entire Earth, it's certainly enough for us all to share equally. I'm not greedy; just enough to launch the large spacecraft back to Saturn is sufficient. As for the rest, you can do whatever you like with it." The laughter of the Earth God grew louder and louder, probably audible even in the ruins of the Epang Palace.

It seems that, just as "people die for wealth and birds die for food" on Earth, their wars and peace also revolve around the struggle for energy interests. Energy, like their "oxygen" and "food," is an indispensable part of their lives.

“Take my advice and go back to where you came from. This world is not for you to interfere in—” Alpha was polite and calm, but the sword remained unmoved, firmly pressed against the opponent’s throat.

"Your ambitions are far too great. You merely attempt to absorb the power of the Illusion Demon, recreate your own spacecraft, and return to your original space travel trajectory? I can only tell you that is absolutely impossible. The Martian spacecraft is also severely damaged and unable to perform long-distance flight missions. Even if you subdue them, you will not be able to obtain their flight modules, let alone return to their past trajectory."

The great god Tu Liehan bluntly exposed Alpha's disguise, and I gradually realized that Alpha had a lot of selfish motives in choosing the gentle sealing method to deal with the illusion demon.

"Those who boast are most likely to bring about their own destruction, do you understand? Now, go back to your ley lines, I never want to see you again—" Their tempers were escalating, and they might erupt like a volcano at any moment.

"Haha, you think you can control this world? Listen—" the great god Tu Liehan pointed towards the cave behind him, "He's about to break out, and your end is nigh..."

A loud clang came from the cave, followed by a second, a third, and a fourth, the sounds growing increasingly frequent—the commotion of the illusion demons attacking the sealed gate. With such earth-shattering impacts, the metal gate surely wouldn't last long.

Part Three: Mirror Illusion

Chapter Ten

Earth-Cracking Khan's Ambush

I've always believed that our true enemy is the Illusion Demon, not the two factions fighting for energy and their lives. It's a pity that Alpha and the Great God Tu Liehan couldn't peacefully join forces to fight and eliminate the Illusion Demon. Earthlings are prone to infighting, and these two non-Earthlings are just as belligerent.

"So what if we break down the door? Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king. With this crystal golden sword, any evil spirits and monsters will bow down and die."

Alpha cut off Tu Liehan's words with a deep, low shout, but the latter immediately responded with a series of cold laughs: "Die and surrender? Your energy has also depleted to its lowest point. If you can't enter the world of 'Asian Gear' to replenish it, you'll soon reach zero. At that time, you'll just be a vulgar and clumsy ordinary person. Will you still be so arrogant then?"

The tiger lay on its back, eyes closed, seemingly lifeless. Tang Xin knelt before it, head bowed in silence, like a meditating monk. Her grief-stricken stillness contrasted sharply with the tense standoff between the two above her, creating two completely opposite emotions, and I was caught in the middle, unable to reach out to help either of them.

Between Tiger and Tang Xin, their mutual trust and reliance turned into hatred and suspicion, changing faster than turning the page of a calendar. But just before I stepped into the golden egg, Tiger was still vowing to die for Tang Xin, with no regrets in his life.

Their emotional shifts gave me much to reflect on regarding human nature. Perhaps we earthlings are too adept at lying, and ultimately, the lies we tell become thick cocoons, binding us tightly, from which we cannot escape. Only at the moment of our death can these cocoons automatically peel away.

"Wind, can you hear my voice?" I recognized it as the call of the great god Tu Liehan, which I had heard countless times before.

"Answer me a question: In the Egyptian desert, if I tell you the planar coordinates of a certain location, but only the three-dimensional depth coordinates are missing, are you confident you can find that point? In other words, what is the limit of the depth you can dig in the desert? Five hundred meters, eight hundred meters, or one thousand meters?" He spoke quickly, clearly wanting to express his meaning clearly in the shortest amount of time.

After a moment's thought, I immediately looked up and replied, "Eight hundred meters—that's the limit for digging in the sand. Going any further would likely trigger a chain reaction of sand collapses. What are you trying to say?"

Yelan, an expert in desert construction, had boasted about his work experience to me and Suren more than once. It's a pity he died in Xunfuyuan; otherwise, given time, he would have been a great desert expert.

"That coordinate is the location where 'King of Tomb Raiders' Yang Tian last disappeared. I've said before that if the two of us cooperate, the future will be bright, won't it? Of course, you also have to do me a favor and hold off Alpha for more than thirty seconds. Then you can get those two Earth coordinates. Isn't that a good deal?"

In this emergency, he didn't bother with preamble and revealed his trump card directly. When I spoke with him in Hokkaido earlier, the energy in the spacecraft was already nearing its lowest point. Now, obtaining the secret within the "Asian Gear" would be his last chance to survive.

"Good deal, transaction." I said those four words, and then darkness fell over my head. His body plummeted like a leaden ball.

Just half a meter behind his neck, Alpha's golden sword, radiating a captivating, divine light, relentlessly pursued him. The Great God Tu Liehan swept past me, crashing through the rooftop and falling to the ground. Before the dust kicked up by the shattered rubble could rise, I had already forcefully drawn my sword, catching the murderous intent emanating from that golden light.

At first, I could distinguish the clanging sounds made by the "Exceeding Distance Blade" and the crystal sword each time they clashed. Within seconds, the frequency of the clanging sounds exceeded the human ear's ability to distinguish them, turning into a blurry mess. In an instant, after exchanging countless blows, I felt as if I were trapped by a golden tower. No matter which direction I swung my blade, it was always blocked by the golden sword, resulting in a brilliant burst of golden light.

I immediately closed my eyes, relying solely on my keen hearing to search for an escape route, and focused my attacks only on Alpha's lower body, below his belt. Ever since I first saw him, I had countless times suspected that he had a problem with his knees, a huge weakness in his movements. But during his fight with the Great God Tu Liehan, he had remained suspended in the air the entire time, without needing to make any "knee-bending" movements, cleverly concealing this weakness.

In a battle between experts, every second counts. If he really has a leg disability, his attack will be greatly weakened, and I may not be able to secure victory even with my all-out offensive.

Alpha suddenly flashed away, and the golden tower that had trapped me vanished instantly, giving me a chance to catch my breath. Holding him off for thirty seconds amidst his relentless barrage of attacks was no easy feat.

"Why help him? Feng, do you know? As the core of the Earth, the Asian Gear has a fixed energy level. If he takes away a portion of it, who will fill the gap? You? Me? Or the four billion fools on Earth who are just sitting around waiting to die? Hey, use your brain and think about it! If something goes wrong this time, you will be the biggest traitor among Earthlings, a sinner for all time!"

He was very excited because at that moment, the Great God Tu Liehan had already passed through the door downstairs and headed straight for the "earth vein" exit. If I hadn't intervened with my sword, the Great God Tu Liehan would have been torn to pieces by now.

"He's going back to the ley lines, back to his own flying vehicle, and he'll never come back to bother us again. Isn't that better? As for us, we still need to prepare and gather our strength to deal with the illusion demons' attack." I'm telling the truth; there's no point in wasting resources on each other.

"Can you guarantee it? Nobody can guarantee it—" He rushed straight toward the empty courtyard, his speed so fast that people could only watch him with awe.

Indeed, I cannot guarantee anything; in this battle for energy, humanity's power is far too insignificant. But I am willing to do my utmost.

"So you finally...feel guilty?" the tiger asked, panting heavily.

“Yes, don’t blame me, because I can’t let you hurt him. On the contrary, I don’t want you to kill the enemy and then die at his hands.” Tang Xin’s expression was painful but resolute. Killing the tiger was not his intention, just like when I fought with Alpha.

"So, you'd rather kill me, rather...let me die in your hands..." The tiger struggled on the snow, reaching for his pistol.

Tang Xin watched him silently until he found the Desert Eagle under the snow, then smiled faintly: "This is the day I die, the end of my destiny. Fire."

She turned her face away, staring at the empty courtyard, indifferent to her own life and death.

In an instant, I seemed to see into her heart. Having transcended life and death, love, despair, and hope, her heart was clear and pure, devoid of both self and the world before her.

Tiger raised his gun, slowly pointing it at Tang Xin's temple, his index finger firmly gripping the trigger. Suddenly, he burst into laughter: "Hahahaha, I finally understand that the person I fell in love with was nothing more than a puppet whose soul had been stolen. Be careful, you and Tang Qing are actually living like zombies, controlled by someone else's thoughts. So-called 'fate' is just poison planted in your brain by someone else. Don't you understand?"

His voice was still full of energy, and there were no signs of poisoning whatsoever.

I sighed: "Tiger, since you're wearing a bulletproof vest, why are you pretending to be injured and making Miss Tang worry?"

I thought of this as soon as he was hit by the arrow. The poisoned arrow was almost lethal. If he was hit by ten arrows at the same time, he would only survive for about thirty seconds to a minute, instead of continuing to talk and make his declarations.

“No one cares about me, Feng. Men are always so easily fooled. They give their all but get nothing in return. Their devoted service only earns them a handful of air. I will no longer be obsessed with anything. Imperial ambitions and a beautiful land are what I should pursue for the rest of my life.” His index finger trembled incessantly.

I doubt whether he had the resolve to fire that bullet. After all, he wasn't Tang Xin. In crucial moments, men are never as decisive and persistent as women.

Finally, the tiger lowered his gun and slowly shook his head: "I won't kill you. One day, you'll understand."

"I don't understand. This is the final destination. I have no time left," Tang Xin replied coldly.

A thin layer of snowflakes had fallen on their heads. It's easy to imagine how disappointed Tiger must have been to part ways in such weather.

“Miss Tang, why can’t we all sit down and talk this out? Our common enemy is the six-armed monster, the Illusion Demon. Once the enemy breaks free, this world will be destroyed and cease to exist. Perhaps you should persuade Alpha to stop this battle?”

I have always maintained a neutral stance and have never abandoned my position.

“He can’t stop. Look, the other side has already laid a series of traps. They’re just trading time for space, destroying the Qimen Dunjia formation before launching a foolproof attack…” Her eyes were filled with helpless sorrow, which was heartbreaking to see.

The great god Tu Liehan retreated to the vicinity of the well, but Alpha had already taken the lead and occupied the well, blocking his way.

That location was precisely the most inauspicious in Feng Shui, described as "a well behind, yin and yang clashing; an ox on the left, a dog on the right, treacherous and desolate." He was so focused on his pursuit that he overlooked this fact. No wonder, the courtyard's walls had collapsed, leaving only rubble and ruins. This was only visible from a high vantage point; those caught in the middle were completely unaware.

"I'm leaving now, goodbye, my farewell!" Tears streamed down her face. Neither Tiger nor I had any reason to stop her. We watched helplessly as she jumped off the small building and ran towards the well.

"What?" the tiger asked blankly.

"She's gone." Only I could answer him. If Alpha had been ambushed, he would have been either killed or seriously injured. Tang Xin rushed over and might very well have died for him. Perhaps this was the kind of worthy death she sought, her ultimate destiny.

“Wind, if I die, take us to that mirror—” He blew lightly on the muzzle of his gun, his expression becoming a little more relaxed. “It’s the mirror that Situ Qiu and Lei Aobai were talking about. We, we all came from the mirror, so I always believe that, under any circumstances, even after passing through the mirror, I will still be the bearded man who commands the world, and I will still exist vividly in the vast sea of historical records.”

Although I was extremely shocked, I didn't show it on my face and glanced at the two corpses that were gradually disappearing into the snow.

“They’re already dead. Even if they were forced to go back, they’d just be dead anyway, it would be pointless. There’s no need to worry about them.” He laughed, a faint sadness appearing on his haggard face.

"Do you know your fate?" I asked in a low voice.

Historians say that when Qiu Ran Ke first met Li Shimin, they played chess and discussed strategy, winning three games in a row. In each game, Qiu Ran Ke was the one who suddenly lost despite having the upper hand. Afterwards, he competed in martial arts, strategy, and military discussions with Li Shimin's top general Yuchi Jingde, top strategist Xu Maogong, and top military strategist Qin Shubao, but was defeated in all of them. At the same time, his most admired third sister, Hong Fu Nu, also secretly fell in love with Li Shimin. He came to the capital with the dream of ruling the world and controlling the universe, but Li Shimin easily defeated him. In anger, he set up an ambush in and around the Lingyan Pavilion, intending to assassinate Li Shimin and eliminate this major threat.

The anecdote he recited is found in many Tang and Song dynasty anecdotal novels, and it was not unfamiliar to me.

“The assassination attempt failed, but there was a reason for it. It wasn’t that the assassin was incompetent, but rather that a huge accident happened, right?” I pointed to the corpse lying on the snow.

Tiger gave a somber, bitter laugh: "A mirror changed an entire dynasty. Otherwise, I would be the one who stands alongside Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizu of Song, and Genghis Khan, the great conqueror of his time, not Li Shimin."

"What happened next? As far as I know, after the assassination failed, Qiu Ran Ke joined Li Shimin's forces and contributed the most to the 'Xuanwu Gate Incident.' Unfortunately, after the great success, he was besieged by ninety-nine elite soldiers of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng at the East Gate of Chang'an and died from a poisoned arrow to his eyebrow. You are here, so who was the Qiu Ran Ke who died in history?"

Historians believe that when all unofficial historical records share more than 80% similarity, they cease to be mere absurd unofficial history and rise to the same level as official history. I have read at least a dozen versions of this history, with slight differences in wording and sentence structure, but the statement that "the bearded man died from an arrow wound" is an undeniable fact.

"I don't know. After walking through the mirror in Lingyan Pavilion, I only thought about the future and not the past. Perhaps it was the trick of fate. With the antiques and famous artifacts I brought from there, I raised more than nine billion US dollars and repeatedly stirred up unrest in Southeast Asian island nations, but I never succeeded. I have no idea what the outcome will be this time. Perhaps only when the Azure Dragon Society soars to new heights can I use other people's glory to glorify my own life."

He smiled and nodded: "I'm leaving too. Take care of yourself."

I was taken aback: "Where are you going? Are you leaving with Tang Xin?"

His words clearly implied a farewell between life and death, almost identical to what Tang Xin had just said.

"Go do what you have to do." He also jumped down from the small building, paused briefly in front of the two corpses, and then turned and ran towards the empty courtyard.

At that moment, the fierce battle in the empty courtyard reached its final stage. The two curved blades in the palm of the Great God Tu Liehan were plunged diagonally into Alpha's left chest and pierced through his shoulder blades from behind. Alpha's golden sword was poised on the Great God Tu Liehan's Adam's apple; just two inches further forward, the tip of the sword would pierce his throat, leaving him dead on the spot.

Alpha was not a cruel and bloodthirsty person. He had several opportunities to eliminate his enemies, but he always hesitated.

Behind him, four gray-robed figures slowly emerged from the well, their collars pulled up to completely cover the back of their heads and ears, making it impossible to tell whether they were male or female.

Tang Xin was about to reach the well when she shouted, "Watch out behind you—"

The four men paused by the well, then suddenly leaped up and instantly locked Alpha's arms and legs in place. The martial arts they used were entirely based on the wrestling techniques of the Mongolian nomads, but their skill was extremely profound. Once they touched the enemy's body, their limbs tightened simultaneously, making them unbreakable.

Four other men leaped into the air and shot towards Alpha's head. With a loud "Hey!", the four men simultaneously struck Alpha's head, back of the head, and temples with their right palms. This was the "Sand Slap" move from Muay Thai, which was fierce and powerful, and the essence of a killing move.

This is an ambush by the great god Tu Liehan. The reason he wanted me to hold off Alpha for a few dozen seconds was so that I could escape back to the ley lines and create the illusion of being exhausted, thus luring the enemy into a trap.

Tang Xin cried out "Ah!" and her body moved with the grace of a swallow returning to its nest. The crossbow she held in her hands hissed and whistled as dozens of poisoned arrows were released, striking eight enemies simultaneously. When she landed, the eight men had already fallen to the sides, their legs struggling for a moment before they lay still.

Even so, it was too late; Alpha had already fallen into the trap.

From this distance, I couldn't see Alpha's injuries clearly, but the record for "Sand Slapper" is that twenty bricks would break with a single slap. If it were human bones, he would have to wait to see a doctor.

The ambush didn't end there. Just as Tang Xin was checking Alpha's injuries and speaking to him tenderly, another gray shadow rushed out of the well, whizzed past Tang Xin, and then Tang Xin suddenly let go of Alpha's arm, her knees buckled, and she slowly knelt on the snow.

Judging from the shadow's agility and lethality, it must be Sahan without a doubt.

Four gunshots rang out in quick succession, and the tiger finally began its killing spree. This series of events happened so fast that before I even got downstairs, Tang Xin had already fallen.

The impact that suddenly rang out behind me was even more ferocious and powerful. When I turned around, the entire mountainside seemed to be trembling with the clanging sounds, and even the whole world and the entire earth were shaking. The illusion demon was about to rush out, but Alpha, the only one who could possibly defend against it, had been ambushed.

In that instant, I recalled that passage from *The Centuries*:

July 1999

To resurrect King Angorumoa

The King of Terror will fall from the sky

At that time, Mars will rule the world.

It is said to be for people to achieve a happy life

To ordinary people, wouldn't the six-armed monster Phantom Demon appear as a high and mighty god, albeit an extremely evil one, who brings no benefit to humankind?

"Watch out—" the tiger suddenly roared, its voice lingering, like a song that was both mournful and poignant.

I rushed downstairs, my mind a jumble of thoughts. Tang Xin was finally hurt, about to enter the "fateful ending" she had set for herself. If she were to die peacefully, perhaps it would be a satisfactory ending for her, but it would only cause Tiger immense suffering. In any case, Tiger truly loved her; those carefully nurturing little gestures couldn't be faked.