King of Tomb Raiders

Chapter 158

“Mr. Feng, since leaving Fengge Temple, the tycoon has been very calm. He seems quite at ease keeping Miss Guan by your side. I suspect there might be some conspiracy involved, so I'm just giving him a little hint.” This was her true, unspoken concern.

I turned to look at Guan Baoling, who was already snoring softly, and replied with a wry smile, "I understand, thank you for your concern."

Xiao Ke cleared her throat awkwardly: "Okay, take care."

I replied, "Take care."

The night wasn't long. I remember that after adding the last charcoal, I fell asleep on the table to the side and didn't wake up until I was chilled to the bone.

The sky was already bright, and the paper door was bathed in the bright sunlight.

There were only embers left in the brazier, so I quickly added some more charcoal. At the same time, I felt a sharp numbness in my arms and legs.

Guan Baoling was still fast asleep, half of her face covered by the blanket, her hair scattered on the pillow.

Psychologists have said that the most direct way to know if you truly love a woman is to see if you like how she looks when she's just woken up in the morning. Stripped of makeup and perfume, a woman is at her most authentic when she's snuggled in bed.

Part 3: Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain

— Chapter 8 - The Black Silver Ring (Part 2) —

I tiptoed to the bedside, and before I could even bend down to examine her closely, Guan Baoling slowly opened her eyes and asked sleepily, "What time is it?"

I checked my watch: "9:30 a.m."

"I had a strange dream, about... that glass box." She tossed her hair, trying to make herself more comfortable. Actually, sleeping fully clothed for a night was more tiring than staying up all night; her complexion wasn't good, and her lips looked even paler.

The brazier gradually burned brightly, filling the room with warmth once again.

I moved the brazier closer to the bed and asked casually, "The glass box? That matter is long over, there won't be any more problems."

Guan Baoling sighed and pointed to the table: "Feng, give me that ring. I keep feeling uneasy, like something bad is about to happen."

After I obediently handed her the ring, she examined it for a while and suddenly asked, "At the time, which finger did you see Reese wearing it on?"

Without hesitation, I answered, "Left index finger." The first time I saw the black and silver ring, it gave me a tremendous shock, so I remember that scene very clearly and have never forgotten it.

“I want to wear it in my dreams, and then I’ll see all sorts of strange things.” She was asking for my opinion in a gentle, consultative tone.

I smiled uneasily. "Alright, whatever you want. But I have to warn you beforehand that any black silver items related to Guatemalan black magic might carry some kind of mysterious power. If you feel anything wrong, remember to take them off immediately, so you don't cut your finger like you did yesterday."

Guan Baoling tentatively put on the ring, turning her hand over and over in front of her eyes, examining it carefully.

A girl's passion for jewelry is entirely innate, just like a man's love for luxury cars, swords, and guns. There's no reason behind it; they simply dream of possessing it all.

"It's just a dream, why take it so seriously? I want to know if you can see through my thoughts again, like what I'm thinking right now?" The scene where she drew the aerial view of Xunfu Garden last night still shocks me.

Her attention remained fixed on the amber, and she gently shook her head: "No, don't speak, I'll tell you about my dream—"

Her expression at this moment was very similar to how she looked that night after reappearing in the restroom at Xunfuyuan—her eyes were lost, her voice low, making me unconsciously a little nervous. However, it was a bright, sunny daytime, which made me feel a bit more at ease.

"I saw a crystal-clear square piece of crystal, embedded in the middle of a square pillar not far in front of me. Inside the crystal was a red gem the size of a cherry, perfectly round, like a glass marble that a child plays with, but I knew very well that it was a gem, and that it was unique in the world."

"I approached the square pillar and reached out to touch the crystal. It was so smooth, more flawless than even the finest Swarovski crystal. It had warmth, unlike the cold, lifeless crystal products we usually encounter. Strangely, I kept thinking about prying it off, feeling that it was very important to me, as if I had come to this dream just to get it."

I began to concentrate and listen carefully.

“I didn’t have any tools to pry or knock it, so I had to do it with my bare hands. I concentrated all my strength on my right knee, suddenly jumped up, and gave it a hard push.” She reached out and patted her knee through the blanket.

I blinked, finding it hard to understand: "You're not a master of external martial arts, aren't you going to get seriously injured?"

Guan Baoling gave a wry smile: "The crystal and the square pillar are the same size, about a foot square, and the height they were placed at was about chest level with me. Without any wires or harnesses, I didn't expect to jump so high, like a martial arts master from a legendary novel. The crystal was very firmly embedded, and my impact had no effect. Fortunately, I wasn't injured, but I felt very frustrated because I so desperately wanted it."

"I looked up, hoping to find a way to move the square pillar pressing down on the crystal, but the pillar was incredibly straight, at least five stories high. At the end of the pillar was a strange, enormous dome, its color extremely dark. I realized I was in an incredibly spacious environment, like a super-large truss factory building, with the dome looming down in an exaggerated way..."

I pulled the paper and pen from the table and shoved them into her hand: "Quick, draw that place, I'm really interested!"

Guan Baoling's drawing skills far surpassed her ability to describe things verbally. She turned over and, with a few strokes, clearly drew out the passage she had just spoken.

The most striking thing in the picture is a tall, thin square pillar. The crystal is indeed neatly embedded between the two pillar sections, and the dot in the middle is definitely the "ruby" she mentioned.

The entire environment was extremely empty, consisting of nothing but a flat expanse of land. The dome's structure was unremarkable, and compared to some of the world's largest spherical buildings, it was no more astonishing.

Judging from the scale she described, the height of the square pillars would be between twenty and twenty-five meters. The full curvature of the dome's surface is not clearly visible, making it impossible to calculate its coverage area.

"I was anxious, constantly worrying about time, feeling that something was about to happen, and I had to get the crystal down before it did. I sprinted straight ahead, convinced I could find the tools I needed in that direction. I'd never realized I could run like that before; I was full of energy, agile, and all my muscles were strangely tense and brimming with vitality. But after running about fifty meters, I suddenly heard a very brief sound behind me, like... like the sound of a key turning in a lock, and then I felt the whole world filled with red light, everything in sight was blood red—"

She stopped speaking, a bitter smile appearing on her face: "Red light, like the red light we see when we're in a glass box."

I pursed my lips, and my mind quickly recalled the scene of the red light suddenly appearing inside the glass box.

Guan Baoling chuckled softly: "I've been asking myself, is it possible? Is it that kind of red light again?"

I know that anyone who has had such a bizarre experience will have some kind of shadow left in their heart, and will remember it from time to time. What you think about during the day, you dream about at night. So I softly replied, "Actually, you should forget about it, forget it forever—"

She twirled the black and silver ring on her index finger, offering no rebuttal, only looking at me with an extremely sorrowful gaze.

I could clearly see the third tooth mark appearing unsurprisingly below her neck, as if an invisible demon had eerily visited the house while we were asleep.

She raised her left hand, wiggled her index finger, and continued in a low voice: "I was searching for my ring, as if it were my talisman, something very important, but I couldn't find it. I just futilely groped my finger over and over again. The red light came from the gemstone in the crystal, and when I turned around, the entire space under the dome was filled with red light. I ran back quickly, close to the pillar, my heart pounding, my whole body trembling violently—"

My phone rang, accompanied by a buzzing vibration, like an uninvited guest suddenly intruding. The number displayed was Xiao Keleng's.

"Then the earthquake struck. I clung tightly to the square pillar, and the ground beneath my feet collapsed and vanished in a matter of seconds. The square pillar was so stable that it gave me an immense sense of security. At that moment, I was holding onto the crystal part, which was equivalent to holding the source of the red light in my arms. I looked down—the wind, I understood. The huge scaffolding below and the super gears on the platform were definitely what we saw in the glass box."

She was very nervous; even though she was only recounting a strange dream, her body was still trembling under the covers.

The phone rang for a few seconds, then rang a second time.

Up to this point in the narrative, I hadn't noticed anything particularly strange. We had previously seen everything inside that massive building through the glass floor, but we hadn't noticed this square pillar. This dream could be interpreted as Guan Baoling subconsciously being very interested in everything below, which is why she dreamt of entering it.

I answered the phone, and Xiao Ke's slightly anxious voice came through: "Mr. Feng, the defense setup in the villa is complete, and the combat teams are all in position. If possible, I would like to ask you to come back and personally inspect it, since the counter-terrorism experts' arrangements are not as detailed as yours."

Xiao Keleng's words clearly had ulterior motives, which I could tell, so I could only vaguely reply, "I understand, I'll be there soon."

Actually, the tycoon should quickly contact the extortionists, hand over the 1.5 billion US dollars, and break the curse on Guan Baoling first. In any case, this is the first rope binding our hands. I can't see the tycoon's intentions. Does he want to find the mastermind behind it all, and at the same time pay the money, wipe them all out?

“Mr. Feng, Sister Suren called again. She’s used her connections to send all the special items she found on this trip to Villa No. 13 in Cairo. She said she’s going on a risky mission and needs to make some preparations beforehand. If anything happens, she wants you to see those items and the search notes she left behind. I feel things are not good. Can you think of a solution?”

Xiao Keleng's voice grew increasingly urgent, presumably because he thought Su Lun's words contained some kind of dying wish.

I strolled to the door, opened it a crack, and the air outside was still cold and fresh.

"Xiao Xiao, don't worry too much. Su Lun is Master Guan Nan Wu Lang's last disciple, have you forgotten? A martial arts expert like her wouldn't easily put herself in danger, and her ability to handle emergencies is countless times better than that of ordinary people. Don't worry, she'll be fine."

Suren doesn't make decisions rashly, but once she's made a decision, she won't be easily swayed by others. Even when the scalpel is still on her, nothing can change her stubbornness.

Xiao Keleng suddenly raised his voice: "Mr. Feng, so what if Guan Nan Wulang is a disciple? Does that make him invincible and immortal? No, no, you've been in your lap of luxury for too long, and you've probably forgotten everything about the outside world. Anyone who flips through the latest issue of National Geographic magazine from the end of 2005 will know that 'Lan Valley' has replaced Brazil's 'Valley of No Man' as the tenth most terrifying valley in the world. The flying snakes there have been confirmed by biologists to be a standard hybrid mutation of tropical cobra and American rattlesnake, and their lethality is so bizarre that it cannot be explained by normal theories..."

Part 3: Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain

— Chapter 9 - Project Sunrise (Part 1) —

My mind was somewhat dazed by Guan Baoling's strange dream. Most importantly, if Su Lun had already made the decision to move forward, no one could persuade her otherwise.

After Xiao Ke finished venting her anger, I smiled tolerantly and said, "Su Lun is a person who is capable of great things. She doesn't need others to tell her what to do or how to do it. Xiao, you are too excited. Besides, she has formed an expedition team over there. She won't set off alone."

"Guan Nan Wulang's last disciple"—these words alone are a prestigious title, which is why I felt so at ease with Su Lun. I believe that before entering "Lan Valley," she must have given it several days of careful consideration and made thorough preparations.

Xiao Keleng suddenly sighed, "Mr. Feng, I really don't understand what you're trying to do? Your current actions are completely pointless..." This was the harshest criticism she had ever given me since we met.

I knew exactly what I was doing and was able to stick to my guiding principles. It was Su Lun's obstinacy in exploring the Epang Palace that baffled me.

Xiao Ke hung up the phone helplessly. She didn't understand. I stayed here not for Guan Baoling, but to wait for Teng Jia's final enlightenment. Whether there is a second Epang Palace on Earth is not the most important thing to me. Compared with the treasure, I care more about the whereabouts of my elder brother Yang Tian.

The shocking secret beneath the meditation hall is the real reason why I find it hard to leave Fengge Temple.

Guan Baoling had already gotten up and was bending over at the table, continuing to draw something.

I was astonished by her extraordinary sensitivity; it could be a dream, or some kind of strange mental illusion, just as she could disappear in the restroom of Xunfu Garden, something no one else could do. From this perspective, she must possess some kind of mysterious quality.

"The bottom of the square pillar was surrounded by scaffolding, at least twenty meters high. I was terrified. Looking around, all I could see were countless flat passageway entrances..." In her writing, those flat doorways that were very close together were exactly the same as what I saw in my hallucination.

"Keep talking, don't be afraid, those are just dreams and hallucinations, there's no danger," I whispered to comfort her, pulling over a chair for her to sit down.

"Did you see any people or moving creatures? Writing? Symbols? Badges? Drawings? Hmm—or some kind of strange spaceship or something?" I hoped to inspire her and get more information about the building.

"No, I was so scared I couldn't even scream. I just clung tightly to the pillar, refusing to let go. Strangely, I felt like I was a different person. Long strings of numbers kept flashing through my mind, along with images of dozens of weapons. For example, I imagined a long rope with steel spikes shooting out from my body, hitting the dome, and then sliding down the pillar—I had a lot of memories of the desert in my mind, tanks spraying the Stars and Stripes emblem churning up the sand, constantly moving in a straight line according to the compass..."

Her pen moved swiftly, and she actually drew a state-of-the-art American tank.

I wiped my tense face haphazardly and softly told her, "You seem a bit confused. Why don't you relax and go for a walk? You can recall this dream later when you've really calmed down."

I'm eager to determine the relationship between the underwater structure and the two doors beneath the meditation hall; at the very least, they both feature flat, open passageways. This puzzles me, because passageways dug for human passage would be tall and slender, not strangely shaped like a wide mouth. Unless the purpose was to transport something wide and flat, the meticulously regular shape suggests that the people who once lived in this structure employed extremely advanced excavation techniques, carving out the cavern as effortlessly as a master chef slicing tofu.

"So, who would build this space and then leave it unused, wasting resources?"

According to international practice, any military building constructed by any country will prominently display the country code and military unit number, without any negligence or overlooking of any detail. However, Guan Baoling's words do not mention the presence of such markings.

I spent the whole day in a daze, and neither Xiao Keleng nor the tycoon called, which I found strange.

After dinner, Xiao Keleng took a stack of papers, sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, and scribbled aimlessly, while I sat by the brazier, staring blankly at the flickering embers.

Just past eight o'clock, she held up a painting and held it across her chest: "Feng, look at what I drew, this is Reese."

Sure enough, dressed in an elegant pantsuit, head tilted slightly, blonde hair flowing freely, it was the lively and cheerful Reese. On the index finger of her left hand, she wore a black and silver ring, the part of which was noticeably thicker.

“Feng, it’s strange, I feel like there’s some kind of connection between me and her, both physical and mental. Could you please look up her information?” She marked “Reese” in the corner of the painting and continued to paint on Reese’s face.

Would she be shocked if she found out Resica's true identity?

When I think of the code name "Silver Dandelion," I can't help but think of the Iraq War in 2003... I remember Xiaoyan once said she would send some information to my email, so I immediately turned on my laptop and prepared to go online and access my email.

I know several Asian publishers are currently searching for materials and planning to publish historical biographies about the Iraq War. Since 9/11, the series of swift and decisive counterterrorism operations by the United States have opened a new chapter of fierce warfare in the 21st century. The Republican government has been holding up the banner of "counterterrorism to protect the country" for three years. Even if the president is not tired, the American people are already fed up.

It is conceivable that the US government is shifting from a large-scale counterterrorism operation involving the army, navy, and air force to a smaller-scale counterterrorism operation focused on unit breakthroughs and decisive kills. At this critical juncture, Reese's unusual actions are bound to put the Pentagon on high alert.

“Feng, look again—” Guan Baoling raised the painting again. I saw the long, slightly upturned eyelashes and clear black and white eyes of the person in the painting. It was clearly a painting of herself.

I've already logged into my email inbox, and a document with a swallow as its background icon is flashing incessantly in my inbox.

"Have you noticed any similarities between my face and Reese's face?" Guan Baoling pondered, then lowered her head and began drawing on another piece of paper.

I opened the file Xiaoyan sent me, and a password input box immediately popped up on the screen, with a short prompt: "Yan Xun, Su Lun, Xiao Keleng? Whose name will you enter first?"

Xiao Yan is young after all, and she can't help but be a little mischievous at any time. Without hesitation, I typed in Yan Xun's name, and sure enough, it was decoded smoothly. A lengthy document with pictures and text appeared on the screen, a long electronic document of more than a hundred pages. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to finish reading it even if I spent the whole night looking through it.

I got up and made myself a strong cup of tea to try and rouse myself, hoping to find something from the information.

If Tengjia's comprehension continues without end, and the American spy "Pompeii" arrives, there's a risk of further unrest. I must seize every possible lead and gain the upper hand.

“Feng, look at this one—” Guan Baoling suddenly became very interested in painting, and held up another one, a portrait of a tycoon deep in thought. She placed her own portrait next to the one she had just finished, looking at me seriously, waiting for my judgment.

Holding my teacup, I stood in front of her, staring at the two paintings for a few minutes, and couldn't help but laugh: "At least five of your facial features are more than 95% similar to Mr. Ye's face, namely the center of your eyebrows, cheekbones, corners of your lips, nostrils, and earlobes."

Guan Baoling laughed too: "Yes, the answer is completely correct. So, what about Reeseka and me? I've only met her once, but I always feel a very intimate sense of déjà vu. Please analyze it again." She pointed to the self-portrait that was altered from Reeseka's face, her face full of confusion.

I shook my head and looked away. Even without seeing the picture, I knew she bore no resemblance to Reese with a single feature. According to internationally accepted police facial recognition standards, each person's face is automatically divided into one hundred equal parts by computer, scaled proportionally, and compared one by one. Reese was American, and her facial features leaned towards a masculine, resolute strength, completely incomparable to the classical beauty of Guan Baoling.