Iron Bull taucht wieder auf

Kapitel 135

Guan Baoling smoothed her hair and sighed heavily: "Not greedy for money, not seeking fame, not coveting high-ranking positions—a man like you seems to be the rarest creature of this era..."

It's better to part on a sunny day than in the pouring rain; at least Guan Baoling can still joke around and say goodbye with a smile.

"That's all for now, goodbye in advance." She shrank back and gently closed the door with a "whoosh".

I smiled bitterly and muttered to myself, "Goodbye, goodbye."

Goodbye sometimes means "never to see each other again," not "see you again." A sense of desolation welled up again. Guan Baoling is gone, and Su Lun will be gone soon too. Apart from Xiao Keleng and Xiao Lai, it seems that I am all alone again.

Xiao Lai always appeared at the right time, holding the Nokia phone: "Mr. Feng, Mr. Sun has arrived at Xunfuyuan Villa and will be heading this way in a few minutes. Should we make some preparations?"

The phone rang again. I answered it, and it was Sun Long's usual hearty and carefree voice: "Feng, I'm coming right away, in about thirty minutes. This is your turf, shouldn't you treat me to a good drink?"

He was known for his enormous capacity for alcohol, and once held the superhuman record of not getting drunk even after drinking two large bottles of strong vodka.

“My territory? What do you mean?” I had almost forgotten what Master Shenbi had said.

"Major Japanese newspapers have already reported the news of the change of ownership at Fuge-ji Temple, with a Chinese person taking over as abbot—the first time in nearly twenty years in Japan. This has made headlines in newspapers across East Asia, serving as both entertainment and political news. Congratulations, my good brother! So, I definitely have to celebrate with you properly this time. I brought you a gift..."

I could tell Sun Long was unusually excited. I really didn't know what benefit I would bring him by hosting the event, but I still reminded him very seriously: "A big shot from the Japanese Imperial Family is in the temple right now. You can imagine that the tentacles of the special police have already penetrated every corner of Fukichi-ji Temple. Is it unwise to come now?"

If it were me, there would be no need to make a show of myself at Fukatsu-ji Temple; there would be plenty of opportunities in the future. After all, everyone is developing their careers in Japan, and offending the most powerful figure in the Imperial Family is practically like throwing an egg against a rock.

Sun Long laughed heartily, "If the important person isn't here, I have no reason to delay your important business—"

He changed the subject halfway through his sentence: "Feng, you've seen the recent uproar in the newspapers about the 'comfort women compensation claims,' haven't you? We're both Chinese, can't you step aside, put aside your personal gains and losses, and do something practical for the Chinese people?"

"Patriotism and serving the country" is a vast and boundless topic, and I was not fully prepared for it.

"The story surrounding the magical gem 'Wrath of Apollo' is incredibly complex. Remember the plan we discussed in Venice? At this point, it's not a question of whether we should implement the plan, but rather that the Japanese have preemptively seized the gem and are preparing to launch a full-scale attack on nations worldwide. Feng, I have a lot of information; I've left it with Hawke for now, and you can take a closer look when you arrive—"

It wasn't convenient to talk on the phone, but he said it didn't seem to be a sensational, magical legend. Whoever possesses the 'Wrath of the Sun God' will have the power to dominate Asia and look down upon the Pacific Rim region. Not to mention the ambitious Japanese, even the small, scattered nations of Northeast and Southeast Asia would probably be eyeing this tempting prize.

"Wait for me to come over, then we'll talk slowly and see what the Japanese can do to me! Hahahaha..."

He ended the conversation with a series of carefree laughs, completely disregarding the tense special police officers near Muwanzhoushan.

Xiao Lai's face turned ashen: "Mr. Feng, is there no way to stop Mr. Sun from coming? Last night I discovered that a group of armed personnel with high-precision rockets were stationed on the east side of Fengge Temple. The American-made 'Spiral Crocodile' rockets they use can easily destroy air and ground targets within a range of 500 meters. Whether Mr. Sun comes by car or helicopter, he will inevitably be under their fire control."

All I can say is that Xiao Lai doesn't fully understand the weaponry of the special police. Actually, you don't even need to look at the troop deployment at Fuuki-ji Temple; the Coast Guard's long-range strike system alone can lock onto any active target in the Hokkaido region with an accuracy of no more than seventy centimeters.

The moment Sun Long set foot on Japanese soil, he was likely already targeted by the special police. With just a single order from a powerful figure, Sun Long could be made to disappear from the face of the earth a hundred times over.

He dared to come, of course not rashly walking into a trap to die, but what did he rely on to be so fearless in provoking the big shot?

I am neither Sun Long nor a member of the Sharpshooter Society, so of course I have no way of knowing what he's thinking.

Xiao Lai was already panicked, his hands in his pockets, his arms stiff and trembling. In this state, the gun might accidentally go off at any moment and injure someone.

"Xiao Lai, give me the phone. When Mr. Sun arrives, do not make any rash moves, and under no circumstances should you fire your weapon. Important matters will be handled by important figures. Your task is to stay in this courtyard, take good care of Miss Guan, and make sure she doesn't disappear again, understand?"

I must at least ensure that Guan Baoling is safe before she leaves Fengge Temple, and that she will not end up like Wang Jiangnan, who was supposed to send her away but ended up losing her instead.

Xiao Lai hesitated for half a minute, then took out two pistols from his pocket, trembling as he removed the magazines. He smiled apologetically and said, "Mr. Feng, my hands are shaking so badly, I'm afraid they might go off accidentally." Only someone extremely loyal to the Divine Gun Society would be so nervous about Sun Long's safety. This shows that Sun Long's methods of winning people over are very effective.

I stepped out of the courtyard gate, weighed the direction I was going, and then headed east, intending to go see Suren.

Two young monks, each holding a broom, were hurrying out of Suren's courtyard. One of them took out a huge copper lock and turned to lock the door.

I was suddenly startled: "Hey, is no one inside? Is Miss Suren still inside?"

The sunlight made the brass lock shine with a golden luster, making it particularly dazzling.

The young monk politely replied, “Mr. Feng, the guest has already taken his leave and gone down the mountain after breakfast. However, there is a letter for you.” He took out a white envelope from his pocket and handed it over. On the cover were five small characters that read “To Brother Feng,” in Su Lun’s handwriting—“Brother Feng, I’m leaving. The ancients said, ‘Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.’ I hope our differences are only temporary. People of the martial world are powerless against the vortex of politics, especially in the sensitive region of Northeast Asia. I only hope that in a few months, you will come to join me unharmed. Some Japanese have wolfish ambitions and should never be trusted, just as I did not approve of you going down the well to save Tengjia in the Egyptian desert.”

"Life is precious. We should risk our lives for the greater good of justice, not just for a woman—including myself. If one day I were to venture out alone and my fate were unknown, I hope you would live well, act cautiously, and use your limited life to create an infinite future. Of course, finding the great hero Yang Tian is the most important thing to accomplish right now. As for the rest, we should give them up. There's nothing to regret, right?"

"The world is full of storms, let us all take care of ourselves."

I quickly read the text message in front of the courtyard gate and immediately dialed Su Lun's number. At that moment, a sense of bewilderment flashed through my mind: "Regarding the search for my elder brother, none of the clues seem real or credible—"

The phone rang four or five times before Suren finally answered, her voice weary and listless.

I carefully chose my words: “Suren, I read your letter. There are still no leads on the search for my elder brother. Tengjia promised to give me the translation of the ‘Blue Heaven and Yellow Springs Sutra,’ but the seal can only be lifted after her death. Yesterday’s conversation was too rushed. I just thought of someone who might know something about my elder brother’s whereabouts, but unfortunately, he is already dead.”

Suren coughed softly, immediately realizing what was happening: "Plague? Is it?"

I sighed deeply: "Xiao Xiao reported it to you? Yes, it's the plague."

That expert from the "Angel of the Night" gang had already been severely wounded and died in the gang's siege. Xiao Ke and I watched helplessly as he was stuffed into a body bag. Death is the end; the secrets hidden in his mind are gone forever, impossible to uncover. To this day, I still remember his small, beady eyes, his lewd and cunning expression, and his treacherous, fickle, cruel, and greedy nature.

Suren reacted even faster: "I've arrived at Sapporo Airport and will board in fifteen minutes. Here's what you need to do: inform Xiao Keleng to find all the information related to the plague, especially the most detailed information from fifteen to twenty years ago. If he had any contact with Master Yang Tian, it must have been during this period."

What she said is exactly what I want to do.

I heard a Japanese announcement from the airport waiting area through the receiver, and I realized that her departure was irreversible, which made me feel sad.

"Brother Feng, Xiao Xiao will soon tell you her whole past. Trust her, just like you trust me. I hope you two have a pleasant working relationship!"

It's easy to say, but it's not so easy for me to believe Xiao Keleng, just like I can't accept Schiller and always feel that although he has regular features, he is repulsive.

"Suren, stay and help me finish the story of the 'Underwater Tomb,' okay? Okay? Okay?" I asked three times in a row, eliciting three long sighs from Suren, and then both of us fell silent on the other end of the phone. I refused to utter any weak pleas. It would be great if Suren stayed, but if she insisted on leaving, I could only say "I give up."

"Brother Feng... if I beg you to come with me, will you leave Hokkaido?" She answered with a question, and I couldn't find the answer, so I could only shake my head and smile bitterly.

“You can’t, and you won’t, right? Actually, I can see that you’ve been blinded by the word ‘love.’ Brother Feng, I’m warning you one more time: don’t touch Guan Baoling. She is—Da Heng’s woman! There’s no need to elaborate on what kind of person Da Heng is or what kind of temperament he has. If it were any other girl, whether it were Miss Teng Jia, General Tina, or even Xiao Xiao, I wouldn’t say anything. Honest advice is hard to hear, so please consider your own judgment…” Su Lun spoke a long string of words, then suddenly coughed violently and gasped weakly.

"Are you sick?" I asked apologetically.

“I’ve been sick… for a long time. I caught mild pneumonia on the first day I arrived in Xianyang, but you didn’t know it.” After coughing seven or eight times, Su Lun’s voice finally calmed down, but there was no complaint at all: “I have to board the plane now, Brother Feng, everyone take care.”

Su Lun left. I had a chance to keep her, if only I had shown her my determination to completely sever ties with Guan Baoling, but I did nothing.

Through the crack in the door, I could see the stone table and benches under the cherry blossom tree, and I could imagine her slender face and short hair. Girls always love long hair; it's in their nature to love beauty. Actually, I should have realized that unless there were special circumstances, Suren would never have cut her long hair. Even in the sandstorm-swept desert last time, she took meticulous care of her long hair every day, treating it like a precious treasure.

I slammed my fist hard on the door, making a loud "bang".

Pneumonia patients are often lethargic, so doctors always advise them to cut their long hair to conserve blood and energy, thus facilitating oxygen absorption. This is common knowledge in hospitals, and I completely overlooked it. No wonder Su Lun was angry, no wonder Schiller had the opportunity to stay by her side—I'm such an idiot! Was I really so infatuated with Guan Baoling?

The phone rang again; it was Sun Long's number.

"Feng, I'm almost at the entrance of Fengge Temple. You wouldn't mind coming out to greet an old friend, would you?" His voice remained calm, but I noticed the atmosphere at Fengge Temple had suddenly become like frozen clouds in the dead of winter—cold, heavy, and as if facing a formidable enemy. Looking up at the layers of buildings, eaves, behind chimneys, and atop giant trees, I could see the dark muzzles of sniper rifles, all pointing towards the southwest temple gate.

"More than a hundred sniper rifles, all pointed at the entrance of Fengge Temple. Mr. Sun, do you still insist that your trip was the right one?" I smiled bitterly and touched the top of my head, at a loss for words.

Volume Three, The Well of Spirits

Part 1: Clash of Titans

— Chapter 5 - The Smiling, Proud Wanderer —

In the eyes of the Japanese, Sun Long was already a target of public criticism, and they could shoot him dead from the shadows at any moment. I admired his courage in going to the meeting alone, but I did not approve of his risky actions.

"Don't worry about me. The world will keep turning no matter who's gone, and the Sharpshooter Society will still hold high the banner of 'anti-Japanese' even without me, Sun Long." The background noise from the receiver was very quiet; apart from the slight sound of a car engine, there was no other noise. I was almost certain that he had come alone, or at most with a driver, otherwise there would definitely be other people breathing or coughing around.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Looking again at the gun barrels blatantly protruding from the corners, I smiled wryly and walked towards the temple gate. I had made up my mind that if a fierce battle broke out, I would protect Sun Long and rush out first. The important figure still needs my help; surely he wouldn't harm me?

From the small courtyard to the temple gate, a distance of over 600 meters, I didn't even need to observe carefully, but I already discovered at least forty ambushes. There was almost one person every ten steps, with a gun in hand. Everywhere I looked, there were unfamiliar, cold-faced people, their faces full of murderous intent.

When I walked into the small courtyard of the "Well of Spirits", I slowly stopped and stood in front of the pond.

The water surface was still rippling, and it could be determined that the ripples were formed because water droplets were silently rising from the bottom at all times, like a huge spring that was rolling day and night.

"A thousand years ago, Master Jianzhen and his ten disciples must have leaped into the water from here, right?" I sat silently by the pool, dipping my hand into the water and feeling the bone-chilling cold. The water was so clear and so deep that it always made me feel dizzy, as if it were a huge whirlpool on a vast ocean, and before anyone could jump in, its pull would drag them deep inside.

"Although the lungs of merfolk are powerful, they are not true fish and cannot live in water for long periods of time. If they are caught in a whirlpool and torn to the deep, dark bottom of the water, the final result will definitely be that their bodies will be reduced to nothingness."

Fujika surely understands this principle now. Her master and fellow disciples didn't willingly remain underwater forever; they were caught in unpredictable whirlpools and lost their lives as soon as they entered the water. Even skilled swimmers drown; how could a mermaid with two lungs possibly resist the wondrous power of nature?

There was no one in the courtyard, but I knew that my every move would be exposed to the sniper's scope, a feeling that sent chills down my spine.

If this is the entrance to the "Underwater Tomb," will I one day jump off from here? And what will the result be? Will I follow in the footsteps of the martyrs, like Master Jianzhen and others?

I instinctively shook my head. I wasn't about to be foolish enough to act recklessly, risking my life for Sun Long or the Japanese—that would be the greatest failure of my life. As far as I knew, the Japanese Navy had over four thousand top-tier divers, their diving skills second to none among the Pacific Rim nations. With them around, why should I overstep my bounds? As for the Sniper Association, they had an abundance of diving experts, too many to count. In any case, it wasn't my turn to die.

My bitter smile was reflected on the water. I waved my arm and smashed that melancholy face.

"I must live well—"

A withered white birch leaf drifted in the wind, tumbling into the pond. It floated on the water, rolling a dozen times before finally reaching my hand without sinking.

Following the direction the leaves came from, I saw two gun barrels protruding abruptly from the two withered birch trees separated from the courtyard by a wall. Behind the gun barrels were sniper scopes gleaming with a ghostly blue light, and behind those scopes, of course, were highly alert Japanese snipers. They had no longer bothered with disguise; they clearly didn't take the Sharpshooter Society seriously and were prepared to kill anyone, no matter how many men Sun Long brought.

I raised my hand to greet the two snipers with a friendly smile, just to avoid them accidentally pulling the trigger in their tense state. At a vertical distance of twenty meters, my 1.78-meter-tall figure in the scope was no less than that of a massive African elephant; it would be impossible for me to miss.

This courtyard is the only way to enter Fengge Temple. It is believed that every second after Sun Longyi steps into the temple gate, he will be exposed to dozens of sniper cameras.

In the sixty years following World War II, weapons research experts from various countries had developed sniper weapons to an absolute "one-shot kill" level. Even inferior products from third-rate weapons factories could accurately shatter a three-centimeter-diameter glass at a straight-line distance of 300 meters. Moreover, the people stationed at Fengge Temple at this time were all top-notch special police officers from Japan.

I took my phone out of my pocket and waved it in the direction of the sniper to avoid any misunderstanding.

"Who should I call? Sun Long? It's no use, he'll be here soon—Xiao Keleng? Wang Jiangnan? Hawke? Zhang Baisen?" I flipped the phone in my palm a few times before realizing that when such an intractable crisis occurs, you can't rely on anyone but yourself, and then adapt to the situation and deal with whatever comes your way.

Sun Long is a top figure in the Chinese world, while the big shot directly represents the Japanese Imperial Family. If the two sides were to have a direct conflict, apart from the US president who calls himself the "Pacific Policeman," it seems that there is no other prominent figure who can mediate between them.

I stroked the smooth, fine keyboard, and thought of a number that even I found laughable, so I dialed it without thinking.

"Hello, who is this?" the other person replied in fluent English.

I took a deep breath and cautiously replied, "It's me, Feng."

"Haha, haha!" The other person chuckled twice, then immediately switched to an extremely enthusiastic tone: "I didn't expect you to call. Is there anything I can help you with?"

I took another deep breath, because I hadn't expected the call to go through so quickly, and for him to answer it personally. The person on the other end of the line was an important figure, perhaps speaking to me right now in front of "Youhuang Shuijun," just a few courtyards away.

"I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Sun Long is here to see me. He is my guest and has no ill intentions towards anyone, nor does he intend to disturb your presence. Could you please give me some face?" I tried my best not to sound weak in my voice. Since Sun Long dared to come alone, he probably already had a magic weapon to defeat him. I just did what I should do. If the important person was unwilling to make an exception, there was nothing I could do.

"Haha, let me think about it... Mr. Sun Long's ridiculous prejudice against the Yamato people is known all over the world. He has publicly published fallacies criticizing Japan and belittling our Yamato people in several independent media outlets in the United States and Europe, using extremely strong language. Feng, if I, in this position, do not stand up for the Japanese people, our party will soon be drowned in the angry spittle of the people. Can you understand that?"

He took a roundabout approach, transforming the Japanese government's hostility towards Sun Long into the collective will of Japan's 130 million people.

I understand, otherwise I wouldn't be silently forcing a bitter smile at all those sniper rifle muzzles.

"Mr. Sun Long's actions have severely damaged the self-esteem of the Japanese people. Therefore, the Yamato people do not welcome such a person setting foot on Japanese soil."

I didn't have time to beat around the bush and interrupted him directly: "What do you plan to do? If you dare to shoot and kill someone, I will notify all the media outlets around the world to expose this blatant murder. Japan already has too many enemies in Asia; does it really want to offend this sole superpower as well?"

Actually, I didn't need to remind him; he knew better than I did how influential Sun Long was among the Chinese community.

Another leaf drifted down, and as it passed in front of me, I suddenly reached out and caught it, slowly crushing it into crumbs in my hand and scattering them into the pond.

In Asia, the Japanese truly have "no relatives or friends left," which is why they are extending goodwill to the United States across the Pacific and turning a blind eye to certain "unseemly" actions of US troops stationed in Japan. Killing Sun Long would be an open provocation to Chinese people worldwide, something they don't seem to have the courage to do.

"Hehe, Mr. Feng, what is your relationship with the Divine Gun Society? Why bother getting involved in this matter?" He laughed again, a cunning and confident laugh.

I regulated my breathing and spat out each word through my teeth: "Because I am Chinese."