King of Tomb Raiders

Chapter 99

I handed the slip of paper with the address and phone number to Xiao Keleng: "Xiao, a friend of mine is in some trouble at the Crowne Plaza casino in Tokyo, and I hope you can help bring him back here. Put all the expenses on my tab."

Xiao Ke thought it was a small favor, but when he heard the words "Crown Plaza," he gave a bitter laugh: "Oh? Your friend really knows how to pick a place. That's Yamaguchi-gumi territory. This chain casino is one of their most profitable channels. It might be inconvenient for me to show up."

She revealed her suspicious nature again, lightly tapping the note with her fingers, lost in thought. Compared to Suren, although she was younger, she was just as composed and experienced, no less capable than Suren.

"At this critical juncture, your friend's sudden appearance... could it be...? You know, Watanabe Castle has deep ties to the Yamaguchi-gumi and is one of the three major shareholders of the Crowne Plaza casino..."

I don't want to put Xiao Keleng in a difficult position. If all else fails, I can make a trip to Tokyo myself; Japan's highway network is incredibly advanced and extensive. If it's merely a matter of money, I don't believe Yelan's predicament is related to the underworld forces coveting the Xunfuyuan villa.

Xiao Ke bit her lip, noncommittally put away the note, and sighed as she sat down.

This is a rare moment of peace lately. Listening to the clanging and clattering of cutlery, glasses, and knives and forks downstairs, I feel this empty villa is gradually starting to feel like home. If I were its master, which girl in my life would I choose as the mistress of the house?

Part 3: Ghostly Villa

— Chapter 5 — The Second Epang Palace on Earth —

My gaze unconsciously fell on Xiao Ke's cold face—"Could it be her? No, impossible. It would be more like Su Lun or Guan Baoling..." No matter how much I denied it, Guan Baoling had already entered my heart, and no amount of force could shake her off.

"Can we go down now?" I asked tentatively, though my real purpose was to see what Guan Baoling was doing. I was somewhat unwilling to let her be accompanied by Wang Jiangnan so closely.

Xiao Keleng stood up, slightly disappointed: "Alright, let's go downstairs. This dinner is really late..."

The clock had already struck nine, two hours past dinner time, but I wasn't hungry at all, and was feeling restless and distracted by all sorts of strange questions.

Just before heading down the stairs, I glanced back into the study and a strange feeling suddenly welled up inside me: "This place... why does it feel so familiar... so familiar! I've been here before, I'm sure I have! But the bookshelves don't seem to be arranged like this, but rather, rather..."

A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I grabbed the handrail on the stairs, which made Xiao Keleng turn her head to look at me strangely.

My memory is like a sudden tide; a wave crashes over me, and when it recedes, my mind is blank again.

"Xiao Xiao, I feel something's off about the study... Have those bookshelves, their arrangement, been changed?" I stopped going downstairs and turned to walk to the study door.

The bookshelves are arranged east to west, with a two-meter gap between the two rows, which seems to be perfectly normal.

Xiao Keleng replaced the ceiling light with a high-powered European brand light, and the snow-white light evenly illuminated every corner of the study.

I angrily slapped myself on the head, hating myself for not seizing that fleeting moment of inspiration.

“No, the bookshelves have been arranged like this ever since I received Mr. Scalpel’s permission to participate in the management of Xunfu Garden. They haven’t been moved at all,” Xiao Ke answered my question clearly.

I looked up at the ceiling, gently tapping my temple with my right index finger, hoping the memory would flash back, even for just a tenth of a second. But it didn't reappear. After waiting five minutes, I could only turn and go downstairs, disappointed.

The situation just now was somewhat like the fragments of memories about my elder brother and the "Epang Palace" that appeared in my mind after Master Xianyun held my hand.

According to physiologists, human memory begins after the sperm and egg unite to form an embryo, including the time spent in the amniotic fluid inside the mother's body, until birth, sitting, walking, and growing up. All memories are a continuous record. However, because this data cannot be described or recorded by the recipient in vivid language, it is easily overwritten by later new memories, but this does not mean that they do not exist.

I understand that many latent memories in my mind have been stimulated by Master Xianyun. Although they cannot be properly strung together into complete paragraphs, they will pop up from time to time to give me a "wake-up call".

Guan Baoling was sitting on the sofa by the window, her left hand supporting her cheek, lost in thought, leaving only Xiao Keleng and me with her back to her.

Wang Jiangnan stood not far behind her, still silently standing with his hands behind his back and his chest out. Even a fool could see that his eyes and attention were fixed on Guan Baoling's perfectly proportioned shoulders.

Xiao Keleng glanced at me, shook her head with a wry smile, then took out the note and walked towards Wang Jiangnan.

The hall was filled with the aroma of various dishes. A golden-brown roasted chicken took center stage on the table, accompanied by at least seven different kinds of seafood sushi, pink tuna slices, dark caviar, and a colorful salad...

I was really hungry, and seeing Nobuko busy at the food counter made me feel especially warm and fuzzy.

Relationship experts say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and that's certainly true. When a man is hungry, he genuinely appreciates someone who prepares food for him, except for Nobuko.

"Thirteenth Brother—" Xiao Keleng called to Wang Jiangnan in a low voice, ten steps away. Breaking his quiet appreciation of Guan Baoling seemed like a cruel act, and I sensed a deep sense of guilt in Xiao Keleng's voice.

Wang Jiangnan turned around as if in a daze. After a few seconds of regaining his composure, he finally composed himself. His face was etched with endless melancholy. The Book of Songs says, "I seek her but cannot find her; I yearn for her day and night." He would likely spend the rest of his night tossing and turning, longing for Guan Baoling.

"Thirteenth Brother, I have a favor to ask you. There's someone trapped in the 'Crown Plaza' casino in Tokyo. Could you make a call, get them out, and bring them back to Xunfu Garden? Is that alright?" Xiao Ke's tone was very gentle, and she treated Wang Jiangnan with the friendliness of a close sibling.

She handed over the note, and Wang Jiangnan glanced at it before turning his gaze directly to me.

He was a smart man and immediately recognized that it wasn't Xiao Keleng's handwriting: "Is this... Mr. Feng's friend?"

I forced myself to walk over and said, "Yes, I hope Mr. Wang can help me out." I rarely ask for favors, but I made an exception for Yelan's sake. My ultimate goal was to wake Tengjia. As long as she can wake up smoothly, I would give her anything, even if it meant adding a zero to the twenty million US dollars.

Wang Jiangnan readily agreed. In front of Guan Baoling, he seemed more eager to have the opportunity to show himself: "Tomorrow afternoon, you will see this person appear at the villa."

Hearing my voice, Guan Baoling slowly turned around, looking up at me with her long, dark eyelashes fluttering slightly. She didn't smile, but that intentional or unintentional blink deeply touched my heart once again.

"Cough cough..." Wang Jiangnan coughed heavily twice, his gloved hands clenching together slightly, making a cracking sound as his knuckles twisted. To reach such a high position in the Divine Shot Society, it was impossible to rely solely on connections and Sun Long's patronage; his own martial arts skills and competence must be among the best in the world.

“Mr. Feng, I just talked to Mr. Wang about the villa. He said he would find a way to get you to give it up generously, right?” Guan Baoling stood up, her supple waist swaying gracefully.

Xiao Keleng's guess had become a reality. Wang Jiangnan's face suddenly turned red, and he coughed back into his throat.

"Really? Perhaps. The villa is inanimate, but people are alive. Everything is negotiable." I smiled, giving Wang Jiangnan ample face. He could try to influence Sun Long, but the final decision rested with me.

Guan Baoling laughed, her laughter like a string of silver bells suddenly tugged by the wind, her long hair undulating in waves as her body trembled.

Xiao Ke touched her nose and forced a bitter smile. She could have predicted this, but she was powerless to stop it and could only watch helplessly as Guan Baoling's little trick succeeded.

With the capabilities of the Sharpshooter Society, getting Yelan out shouldn't be too difficult. Anywhere in Japan, Yelan is a stranger from another country; there's no need to worry about others knowing his hidden secrets until they're sold to me. Since I've already given Wang Jiangnan face, I'm sure he'll reciprocate.

During the meal, I saw Zhang Baisen again. He had regained his composure, and the calm demeanor of the master of special abilities had returned. He was chatting and laughing with Wang Jiangnan the whole time.

The group of people at the table came from different walks of life, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, and all the guests were happy.

Looking at everyone present, so jubilant, a strange sense of loneliness suddenly welled up inside me: "They're all happy, each with their own goals and calculations, but what about me? When will this pursuit of my brother's actions ever end—"

It was Master Xianyun who stirred up many of my dormant memories. In the past half day, I have spent countless moments thinking about my elder brother.

I put down my napkin, politely said goodbye to everyone, and went outside. I just felt really bored and wanted to be alone.

Xiao Keleng's efficiency was undeniable. In half a day, she had installed lighting fixtures in all the rooms on both wings, furnished them with all the necessary furniture, and converted them all into guest rooms. It seemed she intended to turn this villa into her main base of operations, no longer caring about the ominous layout of the "Nine-Headed Bird Struggling for Its Life."

According to advanced theories in destiny and feng shui: when human energy surpasses earth energy, it is enough to restrain an inauspicious feng shui pattern and transform malevolent energy into harmony, which can unexpectedly help those in danger.

Xiao Keleng is a smart woman, and all her actions must have been meticulously planned. If she could join forces with Su Lun, the two intelligent and capable girls together would surely be like a tiger with wings, complementing each other perfectly.

I dialed Su Lun's number. When I feel lonely and isolated, listening to her is the best comfort.

The phone rang for a long time before being answered. Suren's voice sounded incredibly tired: "Brother Feng, how is it? Any new developments at Fengge Temple? Any news about Yelan?"

The receiver picked up a loud thud from the sofa, followed by a long sigh from Suren, who had clearly collapsed heavily onto the sofa.

I briefly recounted Yelan's story, and she seemed somewhat distracted: "Okay, let's hope to wake Miss Tengjia up as soon as possible. Actually, our goal is to find clues to track down the great hero Yang Tian in the 'Blue Heaven and Yellow Springs Scripture'... I've made a very surprising discovery here, though only based on ancient records—someone has discovered the ruins of the Epang Palace..."

My gaze was aimlessly drifting over the eaves of the main building toward the pagoda when I suddenly heard the words "Epang Palace," and my heart lit up.

"Oh no, not 'ruins,' but the original palace of the Epang Palace... which means the Epang Palace has been discovered!"

From her confused voice, I knew there was something strange about this, so I immediately pressed her for details: "What? The Epang Palace—the Epang Palace that existed on Earth in 2005? Tell me slowly, tell me slowly..."

Suren cleared her throat, and the sound of pages turning came through the microphone.

I saw Guan Baoling appear on the steps by the door, glance in my direction, and slowly walk down the steps. Wang Jiangnan followed behind, about five steps away, clearly playing the role of her protector.

Their inseparable bond instantly reminded me of Tiger and Tang Xin, who had disappeared in the desert. Wasn't Tiger just as cautious and subservient towards Tang Xin?

I looked up at the hazy night and sighed, "Alas, even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman..."

Suren was taken aback and asked with a laugh on the other end of the phone, "What? What are you talking about?"

If Xiao Keleng reported everything to her, my repeated lapses in composure after meeting Guan Baoling would probably have reached Su Lun's ears. I blushed and vaguely tried to cover it up: "It's nothing, just a fleeting feeling."

Guan Baoling walked gracefully towards the withered grass on the side. In the center of the grass stood a Japanese-style pavilion with bird-wing design. The water had dried up, and the scene was utterly desolate. Watching Wang Jiangnan very gentlemanly catch up with her and take Guan Baoling's arm to prevent her from slipping on the grass, a surge of jealousy welled up in my heart again.

“Oh, this is it—the Epang Palace was discovered by two farmers nearly thirty years ago in winter, and the location was…” she hesitated.

"Location? There's no doubt about it, it's Xi'an, of course!"

The Epang Palace was the most magnificent palace built by Qin Shi Huang. Unfortunately, it was burned to the ground by Xiang Yu after he entered Guanzhong, leaving only ruins. The location is Epang Village in the western suburbs of Xi'an, China.

Throughout history, numerous poems and essays have praised the Epang Palace. The Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu wrote in his "Epang Palace Rhapsody": "Covering over three hundred li, isolating the sun and sky. It stretches north of Mount Li and then westward, leading straight to Xianyang. Two rivers flow gently into the palace walls. Every five steps a pavilion, every ten steps a tower; winding corridors, soaring eaves; each embracing its own terrain, interlocking and vying for prominence." This demonstrates that the Epang Palace was indeed a very grand architectural complex for its time.

Two years ago, when I visited Xi'an, I saw both the Terracotta Army Museum and the Epang Palace Ruins. I toured them in the light spring rain, which was very pleasant. Even now, it remains a wonderful memory.

"It's not Xi'an, but rather heading southwest, deep in the mountains and forests where Sichuan and Tibet meet. Ah, Brother Feng, this matter is simply... simply utterly bizarre. Anyone who hears it would laugh and refute it, but the information I found was handwritten by a very old village teacher, in neat small characters dipped in vermilion ink, on bamboo slips. I've already photographed all the text with a digital camera..."

I was speechless for a moment before I snapped out of my daze and interjected, "What? The border between Sichuan and Tibet? Bamboo slips? Tell me more details, tell me more details..."

Xi'an is not very close to the Sichuan-Tibet border, and the journey between them is described as "the road to Shu is more difficult than ascending to heaven." I don't believe that the magnificent Epang Palace could sprout wings and be directly "moved" to such a distant place. Furthermore, there is no record in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian that "Qin Shi Huang built two Epang Palaces."

Suren cleared her throat again and, with a slightly hoarse voice, began a rapid narration that lasted over three minutes.

"The bamboo slips were handed over by the security captain in charge of museum security. After the museum was robbed, this man surnamed Li, in order to atone for his crime, stole the bamboo slips and this antique from his father back home and gave them to me..."

(I couldn't help but interrupt and ask, "What antique? What kind of antique is it?")

"The antique is... a compass, a giant compass. I can only say that. From any angle, it's an intricately designed compass. Please don't interrupt, let me continue—besides recounting how two farmers accidentally wandered into a valley, fell into the 'Cloud Pit,' and stumbled upon the long-forgotten Epang Palace, the bamboo slip also contains a drawing... a simplified world map. I've found this elderly teacher surnamed Li and obtained the original map. I'm currently searching for clues at the Xianyang City Historical Archives..."

Having said so much in one breath, my thoughts were completely jumbled. After clearing my head a bit, I chuckled and asked, "Su Lun, there's a huge flaw in your statement. Since the old village teacher is literate, he must have knowledge of classical Chinese and be familiar with Du Mu's 'Ode to the Epang Palace.' Surely he knows that the Epang Palace was burned to the ground by Xiang Yu's army, leaving only scorched earth? How could he possibly believe that another palace is hidden deep in the mountains? What evidence do you have, just a compass that was mistaken for an antique?"

I might find it believable that the tomb of a Tibetan king was discovered at the border of Sichuan and Tibet—but the Epang Palace? Let's not get ahead of ourselves! Of course, I also know that Suren isn't a fool who blindly follows the crowd; the clues she pursues must be of great value.

“Brother Feng, I should have flown to Hokkaido to meet you all long ago. If it weren’t for discovering this map… The map clearly marks the extent of the Japanese archipelago, and on a straight line about 30 degrees west of south of the northernmost point of Hokkaido, roughly 200 to 300 kilometers from the coastline, there’s a circular marker. Hmm, Brother Feng, could a circle with an embedded cross symbol be considered a spacecraft landing site? I think this discovery is closely related to your research at Fuuki-ji Temple…”

The cross-shaped ring is indeed a professional symbol used for spacecraft landings, but I was increasingly confused, feeling that Suren's discovery was simply "a fantasy." Just then, my phone issued a low battery warning, forcing me to briefly end the call: "Suren, send all the data to my email address first; I'll review it tonight—"

The sudden, strange news excited my weary nerves. I stomped my foot on the ground, ignored Wang Jiangnan's disapproving cold look, and strode up the steps.

Xiao Keleng prepared the latest Sony laptop for me, and I chose my favorite color, silver-gray.

"If there is a second intact Epang Palace on Earth, what would be inside? Would there be an immortal Qin general?"

I know that there's a long-standing legend about an elixir of immortality—after Qin Shi Huang sent Xu Fu eastward to Japan to obtain the elixir of life, he feared it might be poisonous, so he forced his most loyal general to test it first. As a result, the general who took the elixir became an immortal, otherworldly being, forever living in some dark underground tomb on Earth…

If there are generals who "tested medicine and survived" in Qin Shi Huang's underground tomb, then wouldn't there be immortal concubines and palace maids hidden in the Epang Palace? My idea is not extreme, because Qin Shi Huang built the Epang Palace to house beautiful palace maids for his own debauchery.

I connected my laptop to the internet on the coffee table on the second floor, opened my email, and waited to receive the pictures from Su Lun. Xiao Keleng managed everything in the villa; I didn't have to worry about anything.

This time, I resisted my curiosity and didn't go to the window.

I know that Guan Baoling is still sitting in the pavilion and will be glancing at my window, intentionally or unintentionally.

Forget it—Wang Jiangnan's liking for the tycoon's woman is none of my business. Anyway, a tycoon with such an iron fist wouldn't tolerate anyone sleeping soundly beside him. Judging from Wang Jiangnan's behavior, he's already deeply, deeply, and hopelessly "poisoned" by Guan Baoling's beauty.

I waited for a full hour, but Suren's picture still hadn't arrived.

I went downstairs and hurriedly called Su Lun. She told me apologetically, "The internet connection here is a bit unstable. It should be working normally around 1 a.m. Anyway, I'll send it to you tonight because this is too strange, and I need someone to help me figure it out."

Frustrated, he hung up the phone. The lobby was empty except for the faint whirring of the Mitsubishi floor-standing air conditioner Xiao Keleng had just installed in the corner. Outside, the manor was deathly silent, while the sound of waves crashing against the rocks echoed from the beach several kilometers away.

Xiao Keleng, the An sisters, Zhang Baisen, Wang Jiangnan, and others all had their own bedrooms in the guest rooms on both sides. The thought of the phrase "protracted war" suddenly made me feel depressed. Time is of the essence. With each day we move forward, humanity may be one day closer to the terrifying "Great Seven." If we don't seize the time to do something, we won't have the chance to do it later.

When I gazed at the bronze statue above the fireplace, I no longer felt any mystery or confusion. Compared to the sacred water beneath the "Tower of the Dead" and the "heavenly fire" that burned the innocent monks of Maple Temple, what did the sound of bubbles matter? In any case, Guan Baoling's account remained ambiguous between credibility and unbelievability.

"Unless... unless I can also mysteriously disappear once, I would rather follow Xiao Keleng's idea and believe that Guan Baoling is deliberately fabricating certain facts."

Bored, I went back upstairs and saw that the clock had just struck midnight; there was still at least an hour to wait.