Ghost Stocks

Chapter 50

The woman then said, "No wonder you dared to use soul-controlling techniques. So you already knew the Rebirth Mantra. You wouldn't use it to send me away too, would you?"

The man replied, "Of course not now. I haven't fulfilled my promise to you yet. Don't worry, I will keep my word... I will naturally send you off when it's time to do so."

The two men chattered away, completely ignoring Sun Weidong. Sun Weidong, who had never been treated like this before, shouted at them, "What are you two up to! Tell me what happened, or I won't be polite!"

The man sneered, "You were shameless as a human being, and now you're still so arrogant even as a wandering ghost. Sun Weidong, who do you think you are now!"

The woman beside her said calmly, "Let it go. Let go of everything you had in this life, and you will naturally depart."

"Let go? Let go of everything I own! How is that possible!" Sun Weidong cried out in his heart. Who was Sun Weidong? He was the infamous boss of Binhai, with his hands on both the legal and illegal sides of the law, wielding immense power. How could he just let go like that? Sun Weidong was unwilling, extremely unwilling. He rushed out and roared at everyone he encountered on the street, "Do you know who I am? I am Sun Weidong!" Unfortunately, no one could hear him. He was like the most insignificant wind in the world, unable to even stir up a speck of dust.

...

The mysterious death of Sun Weidong in a car accident put the Binhai police on high alert for a while. According to the driver, there were no cars on the road at the time, so he was driving very fast. Unexpectedly, someone suddenly rushed out like a madman, and he couldn't avoid it, hitting the person. By the time the ambulance arrived, Sun Weidong was already dead. However, during the investigation, the police discovered that Sun Weidong was not wearing an outer garment, and his residence was not far from the accident scene. His front door was wide open, the coffee table was overturned, and there was a broken emergency light in the bedroom. However, there were no signs of a power outage or a struggle at the scene. The cause of death was undoubtedly a car accident, but why Sun Weidong suddenly rushed out of his house in the middle of the night remained a mystery.

...

"Sun Weidong is dead just like that? It's so inexplicable." Lin Zhenzhen looked at Chang Wu, who brought the news of Sun Weidong's death, with a complicated expression.

Chang Wu: "It's very strange. The police investigating this case don't know how to explain it either, but Sun Weidong is indeed dead."

Lin Zhenzhen lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. Sun Weidong was a demonic figure in her heart, a shadow she couldn't believe would end so dramatically, so hastily and abruptly. She muttered to herself, "This kind of person shouldn't die like this!"

Upon hearing her words, Chang Wu seemed to retort, "Then how do you think he should die? Does being arrogant and domineering in life necessarily mean dying a spectacular death?"

Lin Zhenzhen: "I don't know either. I always feel that this kind of person should be brought to justice and sent to the execution ground."

Chang Wu: "Feng Junzi burned the document that recorded Sun Weidong's crimes in order to protect you. If we send someone like that to the execution ground, the price we pay will probably be too high. Anyway, it's all the same—death. There's really no difference."

Lin Zhenzhen: "Sun Weidong died such a pathetic death; perhaps it was a better punishment for him."

Chang Wu: "There's no such thing as being cowardly or not. The reason we think that way is because of the power and influence a person had in life. In fact, a person who has money, status, power, and privileges may appear very strong, but once you remove that outer shell, their heart is just as fragile as an ordinary person's, and their life is not any more noble because of it!"

Lin Zhenzhen: "Why are you talking more and more like Feng Junzi?"

Chang Wu: "These words were spoken by Feng Junzi."

...

While Chang Wu and Lin Zhenzhen were discussing Sun Weidong's death, Feng Junzi was sitting in Old Master Xiao's study, head bowed, listening attentively to the old man's teachings: "Feng Junzi, I don't know if you were born with special abilities or if you had a fortuitous encounter. You don't belong to any sect, nor are you a figure in the martial arts world, so there are some things no one has told you. But I am, after all, your elder, and now it is necessary to tell you about the rules of conduct for cultivators in this world..."

Feng Junzi: "Old sir, I don't actually have any special abilities. I've just had some strange encounters. But I still hope to hear your guidance."

Old Xiao glanced at him, then said thoughtfully, "If someone could use a little trick to bring someone like Sun Weidong to his current state, then they must have used forces outside of this world. There may be people in this world with extraordinary abilities, but their actions are subject to rules. That is, they cannot use these abilities for worldly power struggles, nor can they use them to influence the lives and destinies of ordinary people..."

Feng Junzi: "Old sir, you must have misunderstood. I didn't, and I didn't. Although I know a ghost, I haven't used her to do anything harmful. The Taomu father and son sought their own death; they stole the chopsticks themselves and went into the air-raid shelter to be fatally exposed to radiation. As for Sun Weidong, he wasn't killed by a ghost; he died in a car accident in the real world... Besides, rules are made for gentlemen, and people like Sun Weidong and the Taomu father and son have to be eliminated! I just didn't expect it to be so easy."

Old Xiao sighed: "The rule for those with superpowers is that they cannot disrupt the balance of worldly forces, and the world itself has a distinction between good and evil, which is not something you can change. Sun Weidong's fate can be seen as retribution for his many evil deeds; it's not as simple as it seems on the surface. You took a great risk. Actually, you didn't do anything wrong, and I don't mean to blame you. So why did you come to see me today?"

Feng Junzi: "I do have something to discuss. You've led troops in battle, sir, and I've come to ask you about a military matter." As he spoke, Feng Junzi took out a map of the coastal peninsula and placed it on the table. He drew a striking circle in red around the location of Longwangtang on the map!

Part Four: A Pair of Chopsticks, Chapter 48: The Wolf Cub Still Practicing Wild Fox Zen

"This is a topographical map of the coastal peninsula. The center of the circle is Longwangtang. It was at this location that the Japanese buried a secret sixty years ago. You investigated this secret back then, and the Taomu father and son also came to search for it sixty years later, but we still don't know what it is. Whatever this secret may be, do you see anything special about this place from a military perspective?"

Old Xiao stood up and pointed to the map, saying, "It is indeed very special. Longwangtang is located in the middle of the isthmus of the Binhai Peninsula. This section of the terrain is bordered by the sea on the east and west sides, and is situated between Pingyou Port and Binhai City. You can see the shape of this land area; it is long and narrow from north to south, with only the Longwangtang section being wide and having mountain ranges. If an army is ambushed in the Longwangtang area, it can cut off the connection between Pingyou Port and the mainland. If an army is sent to attack Pingyou Port at this time, the port will not receive reinforcements from the Binhai direction."

Feng Junzi also looked at the map: "You're saying that Longwangtang is the land barrier of Pingyou Port?"

Mr. Xiao: "Yes, you may not understand the strategic significance of Pingyou Port. This port controls the entire Bohai Bay, is the gateway to Beijing and Tianjin, and is also a springboard and transit hub for entering Northeast China. Historically, the Japanese and Russians have clashed many times over the control of Pingyou Port."

Feng Junzi: "According to the old gentleman, ambushing a surprise force at Longwangtang would be equivalent to controlling Pingyou Port. But now that we have the strength of the navy and air force, cutting off the peninsula's land seems to have little effect."

Mr. Xiao: "Any strategy is formulated based on the war conditions at the time. The Japanese arrangement at Longwangtang was sixty years ago. Longwangtang is a place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the beaches on both sides are not suitable for landing. Under the combat conditions at that time, controlling Longwangtang was equivalent to controlling Pingyou Port, and controlling Pingyou Port was equivalent to controlling a key hub of the war. This was probably a preparation for a counterattack."

Feng Junzi: "But nothing happened at Longwangtang that year that affected the battle."

Mr. Xiao: "That was determined by the general trend. The Japanese did not expect the United States to use atomic bombs, did not expect the Soviet army to enter Northeast China, and did not expect the Japanese Emperor to surrender so quickly. However, if there really was an ambush in Pingyou Port, it also shows that there is a group of people whose ambitions have not died and whose ghosts have not been dispelled."

Feng Junzi: "According to the old man's speculation, the most likely secret of Longwangtang is weapons and equipment, but weapons from sixty years ago are probably useless now. What are Taomu and his son doing here?"

Old Xiao: "That's what I don't know. Perhaps there's something else buried in Dragon King Pond, or perhaps the Peach Wood Father and Son are still those people with undying ambitions. Do you also want to find this secret?"

Feng Junzi: "Hearing what the old gentleman said, I also feel very curious and really want to go and see."

Old Xiao: "Go ahead, the mystery will be solved eventually. But you can't do it alone, you need to find someone to help you. Go find Zheng Rong, he might be able to help you."

...

Zhou Song was dead, Sun Weidong was gone too, and the Taomu father and son had returned to Japan; even if they weren't dead, their days were probably numbered. The flounder fishing grounds in Jinsha Village had returned to their desolate state, and the contents of the air-raid shelter were long gone. The reorganization of Nanjing University of Science and Technology thus died silently in its infancy, and no one knew why. Feng Junzi returned to Longwangtang. He didn't come alone; Xiao Zhengrong and Chang Wu accompanied him.

The desolate mountains had been uninhabited for a long time. Chang Wu, carrying a machete, led the way, while Xiao Zhengrong, with a map, compass, and theodolite, constantly confirmed their location. Of the three, only Feng Junzi was relaxed, carrying a shovel and bringing up the rear, occasionally pulling up some weeds and probing the soil. The three had set off at nine in the morning, and by the time the sun was high in the sky, they still hadn't found anything.

"Xiao Zhengrong, are you even capable? You still haven't found a spot." Feng Junzi finally got a little impatient and shouted at Xiao Zhengrong.

Xiao Zhengrong frowned as he looked at the map without saying a word, but Chang Wu, who was walking at the front, turned around and called out, "Feng Junzi, don't just stand there and talk like you don't know what's going on. This road is too difficult to walk on. Why don't you come up and clear the way?"

Feng Junzi: "Sure, do you know anything about archaeology?"

Chang Wu: "Forget it, you're just a low-level tomb raider, don't act like an expert."

Xiao Zhengrong, who had been silent until now, said, "I feel we're very close. Why don't we take a break? There's a flat area ahead; let's have lunch there and continue our search this afternoon."

As they spoke, the three emerged from a locust grove, revealing a flat area in the valley. The area was covered in lush green grass and dotted with yellow wild chrysanthemums. Chang Wu and Xiao Zhengrong unloaded their loads, took out plastic sheets, bottled water, and canned goods from their packs, and set up for a picnic. They turned to call Feng Junzi, only to find him standing there, staring blankly at the grassy field, his eyes glazed over.

"Feng Junzi, what's wrong with you? You've seen a ghost in broad daylight!" the two shouted.

Feng Junzi muttered to himself, "That's right, it really is a ghost."

Chang Wu walked over, touched his forehead, and pointed to the sky, saying, "It's noon now, the sun is shining brightly, where is the ghost you're talking about?"

Feng Junzi pointed to the open space in front of him: "The ghost I was talking about is right here."

Xiao Zhengrong, who was sitting in the middle of the open space, jumped up: "Are you kidding me? Look carefully, I'm not a ghost!"

Feng Junzi: "I'm talking about this open space. I've been here before. Back then, Feng Xingzhi and Aoba Yako died here."

Xiao Zhengrong: "Really? When did you come here?"

Feng Junzi: "I came here in my dream in April this year. At that time, I saw the scene from sixty years ago. That's right, it happened on this open space."

Chang Wu touched Feng Junzi's forehead again: "You don't have a fever either!"

Xiao Zhengrong waved his hand at Chang Wu: "This kid doesn't seem to be talking nonsense. Feng Junzi, are you sure this is the place?"

Feng Junzi: "I'm certain, this is the place."

Xiao Zhengrong: "Then we're very close to our goal. Let's eat and rest first. We should be able to find it this afternoon."

After lunch, the three packed their things and set off again. Feng Junzi said to the other two, "Don't look at the map anymore, just head in that direction." The direction Feng Junzi pointed to came from his memory in a dream. He remembered that in that dream, when Feng Xingzhi arrived at this open space, Momoki Ken'o and the Japanese soldiers appeared in that direction.

Part Four: A Pair of Chopsticks, Chapter 49: Iron Chains Hanging in the Dark, Calling Back to Dreams

“This is fertile soil, and there are traces of artificial paths here,” Feng Junzi said, holding up a Luoyang shovel.

"Artificial road? I don't see it at all. What is 'composted soil'?" Chang Wu asked.

Feng Junzi: "Sixty years of rain erosion, plus the growth of vegetation, it's normal that you can't see it. But look at this valley, there seems to be a discontinuous, narrow, and gently sloping terrain, which couldn't have been formed naturally. As for the topsoil, it's an artificial soil layer. Let alone sixty years, even six thousand years would be noticeable. Of course, you, an amateur, can't tell."

Xiao Zhengrong: "This whole area is fertile soil. What exactly are we looking for?"

Feng Junzi: "Do you remember the legend of the Black Dragon Well? I have a feeling we're looking for something resembling a well opening, and this opening is likely sealed under a mound of earth." As he spoke, Feng Junzi walked towards an inconspicuous mound, quickly cleared away the weeds, and probed it a few times with a Luoyang shovel. After examining the core of the mound, he added, "This large mound was artificially created a long time ago. The appearance of such an artificial mound deep in the mountains suggests only two possibilities: either this place is a large tomb, or something might be buried underneath."

Chang Wu said with some concern, "What if we dig up someone else's grave?"

Xiao Zhengrong: "Whether it's a grave or not, we'll know once we dig it up and take a look."

Feng Junzi: "No rush, let's find out the situation below first."

Xiao Zhengrong stopped Feng Junzi: "Be careful. What if this is really a military facility? What if there are landmines?"

Feng Junzi: "If there really are landmines, they should be expired in sixty years."

Xiao Zhengrong: "That's hard to say, it could very well detonate. I brought a metal detector with me, let's test the surface first."

Xiao Zhengrong took out a coil-like device from his backpack, connected it to a long metal rod, then to his portable battery box, and carefully probed the surface of the mound. The beeping sound continued steadily, without any unexpected discoveries. Xiao Zhengrong nodded to Feng Junzi, indicating that he could begin.

Xiao Zhengrong's cautious demeanor made Feng Junzi nervous. He took out several sections of something resembling a fishing rod from his backpack, connected them together to form a pole several meters long, attached a Luoyang shovel to the top, and began digging a probe hole little by little, keeping his body as far away from the mound as possible. It was a rather tedious and monotonous task. Chang Wu and Xiao Zhengrong both found a shady spot far away to rest, leaving only Feng Junzi to work mechanically.

As the sun gradually set, Feng Junzi dug dozens of exploratory holes of varying density around the mound, each over two meters deep, some straight and some slanted. Around three o'clock, he finally wiped the sweat from his face and packed up to rest. Seeing him stop, the other two asked curiously, "How was it? Did you find anything?"

"More than two meters down there is a truncated cone-shaped object, with a diameter of one to two meters. It seems to be covered by a stone slab. It looks like my feeling was right, it really does look like a well opening."

Xiao Zhengrong: "Then let's dig it open."

Chang Wu: "It's getting late, let's get started." He took out two military shovels from his backpack and handed one to Xiao Zhengrong.

Both men were skilled at physical labor, and they quickly leveled the mound with a shovel. Around five or six o'clock in the afternoon, as the mound was dug away, Xiao Zhengrong's military shovel suddenly made a clanging sound, revealing the surface of a bluestone slab.

"There really is a stone slab below. What do you think we should do, Feng Junzi?"

Feng Junzi: "A master is a master. Isn't this how you dig trenches in the past? This is such a big pile of soil. I couldn't dig it even in three days. It's getting dark now, and we've found the place anyway, so let's come back tomorrow."

The next day, the three returned to the same spot, fully equipped. Chang Wu's gear was the heaviest, carrying two helmet-style headlamps, a powerful flashlight for filming, and a battery box—likely obtained by Tuolin Zhenzhen. Chang Wu also brought a bunch of ammeters and ohmmeters, as well as clips, a knife, and wires; Feng Junzi joked that he looked like he was there to defuse a bomb. Xiao Zhengrong brought a complete set of climbing ropes and equipment. Of the three, only Feng Junzi's backpack wasn't heavy, but he carried a longsword with a jade pendant attached to its tassel. Feng Junzi had a feeling that if Yazi wanted to see Feng Zhixing or Momoki Kenjiro again, today might be her last chance. He couldn't explain why he thought this.

The mound was quickly leveled, revealing a flat, large rock with a pitted and uneven surface, seemingly a natural mountain stone. Chang Wu was dumbfounded and said to Feng Junzi, "Your skill level is probably not even as good as that of a tomb raider. There's no well platform down there. This stone is probably not the stone slab you're talking about."

Feng Junzi also found it strange: "This is indeed fertile soil. This rock is probably a disguise. No one would randomly pile up such a mound of earth in the wilderness. Think about it, if someone accidentally dug up this mound and found that there were rocks underneath, they probably wouldn't dig anymore."

Xiao Zhengrong said, "Whether it's a disguise or not, we'll know once we move it aside and take a look."

Chang Wu: "We don't know what's down there. This rock alone probably weighs over two thousand pounds. How are we going to move it? Are we going to have to bring a crane?"

Xiao Zhengrong glanced at the large rock, rubbed his hands together, and said, "You two stand back a bit, I'll try." Chang Wu was about to speak when Feng Junzi pulled him aside. Xiao Zhengrong steadied himself beside the rock, slightly bowing and reaching down to grip the edge. He adjusted his breathing, remaining motionless for a long time, his hands seemingly rooted to the rock. The two onlookers were growing impatient when they saw Xiao Zhengrong suddenly spread his hands outwards, and the large rock silently lifted from the ground, flipped over, and crashed back onto the excavated mound of earth. Xiao Zhengrong's feet sank into the soil, up to his ankles. His face was slightly flushed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

“Look at him! You’re a martial artist too, but you’re nowhere near as good!” Feng Junzi patted Chang Wu on the shoulder, then turned to Xiao Zhengrong and said, “You finished it so quietly? I thought you were going to tie on your red belt, strike a few poses, and then give a big shout at the end…”

Xiao Zhengrong interrupted him, "It's just a matter of using your luck; it's not like you're showing off on a bridge. Come and take a look at what's going on down there." The large stone had been lifted, revealing the side facing down, its surface unusually smooth and flat—clearly an artificially crafted stone slab. After this disguised slab was removed, a dark well opening was revealed. Not far from the well opening, within easy reach of the well wall, was an iron ring the size of a bowl, from which hung an iron chain as thick as an arm. The rusty chain dangled into the well, its length unknown.

Part Four: A Pair of Chopsticks, Episode 50: Tracing the Origins and Discovering the Hidden Path

"The legendary Black Dragon Well!" Feng Junzi murmured. Standing by the well, Xiao Zhengrong saw the iron chain and instinctively reached out to pull it, but the two people beside him shouted at the same time, "Don't touch it!"

Xiao Zhengrong stood up: "What's wrong? Can't I take a look?"

Feng Junzi: "There's always a reason behind legends. Do you remember the legend of the Black Dragon Well? It's said that pulling this iron chain will summon a roaring black dragon from underground. I don't want to see any monster crawl out."

Chang Wu: "I'm afraid Black Dragon won't. What I'm most afraid of is that there are tripwires attached to this chain. If he pulls it rashly, he might detonate the explosives and seal the entrance to the hole."

After discussing for a long time, the three finally decided to climb down with ropes to check the situation. Once the stagnant, foul air in the cave had mostly dissipated, Xiao Zhengrong tested the air in the well with a torch. Finding nothing unusual, he decided to go down. When they reached the well, Xiao Zhengrong showed no reaction. Chang Wu felt a chill and tightened his clothes, but Feng Junzi felt a wave of eeriness wash over him, his chest and abdomen tingling as if stimulated by ice. He stumbled back a few steps before regaining his footing.

"The yin energy is so heavy, I can't even get close. Why aren't you two reacting?" Feng Junzi exclaimed.

Chang Wu: "Of course it's damp underground. With your physique, you'd better exercise more in the future."

Xiao Zhengrong: "In that case, Feng Junzi, you don't need to go down. The two of us will go down, and you can stay outside and watch over the well and the rope."

Feng Junzi had originally planned to go down and take a look, but it wasn't appropriate for him under the circumstances. Besides, someone needed to stay at the wellhead, so he had no choice but to agree to the suggestion. The rope that Xiao Zhengrong brought was over 300 meters long when strung together. The three of them decided that Xiao Zhengrong would go first to scout ahead, with Chang Wu following behind to protect him. No matter what the situation was below, if the rope ended, they would immediately turn back.