King of Tomb Raiders

Chapter 177

This world-renowned teenage hacker always does whatever comes to mind without any regard for human relationships or social norms.

"The password is gone, or Xiao Xiao can explain everything to you, OK?" I gave Xiao Keleng a look, signaling her to take Xiao Yan away first, so as not to cause trouble and be impolite in front of Gu Qingcheng.

Xiao Keleng walked over, took Xiao Yan's hand, and despite Xiao Yan's struggles, headed straight for her room on the right.

Wang Jiangnan and Xiao Lai quietly retreated. In front of a tycoon, almost all men would feel inferior and embarrassed, so it was better to retreat early to avoid making a fool of themselves.

The Fifth Undersea Mystery

— Chapter 7 - The Five Lakes Ancient Qin (Part 2) —

The tycoon strode over with an air of arrogance, pointed at the guqin with his cigar, and smiled domineeringly again: "Feng, I'm going to buy it and give it to Baoling as a souvenir of her trip to Hokkaido. Or Miss Gu might be in the mood to bid. In any case, I'll double the amount she offers and write you a check."

Only Gu Qingcheng, Daheng, and Guan Baoling remained on the scene. Under the midday sun, Daheng, with his imposing presence and domineering air, stood tall.

I am no longer jealous of his relationship with Guan Baoling, because I have understood the secret hidden deep in her mind, and I have completely severed the ties in my own heart.

"Senior Ye—" Gu Qingcheng pushed up her glasses again, bowed humbly, and quickly put away her checkbook. To compete with a tycoon in wealth, one would probably need the net worth of Bill Gates to even have a chance, and even then, most of Bill Gates's assets are real estate, while a tycoon's are cash checks that can be written instantly.

The tycoon waved his hand, bit the mouthpiece, took a big drag, and slowly exhaled, letting the aroma of the fine cigar drift towards me on the wind.

"I have long admired Senior Ye's reputation and have witnessed your majesty from afar in Hong Kong. I never expected to meet you here—" At any time, Gu Qingcheng always seemed to be neither humble nor arrogant, and always knew how to advance or retreat. She seemed to always have a bright future and be able to handle any unexpected event.

Sunlight shone down from behind her, and those few strands of blonde hair, half-hidden among her black hair, stood out like a delicate and captivating gold in an Apple computer advertisement, a testament to her ingenuity.

The tycoon's face was flushed; he must have been eating and sleeping well these past few days, living a life of luxury, and even his belly was noticeably protruding. He swept his hawk-like, ruthless gaze across Gu Qingcheng's face: "Little Gu sent you, didn't he? Back in Hong Kong, I helped him with his business several times, making him quite wealthy. Here's what you do: give him a call and say I've reserved the guqin, and no one can take it from me. Or, when Baoling gets tired of it, I'll send someone to give it to him, free of charge."

That's what a tycoon is like. Every word he utters leaves a deep impression, implying that others have no choice but to obey and cannot resist or bargain.

I glanced at his profile and realized that his features weren't as unpleasant as before; on the contrary, they seemed rather endearing.

"Guan Baoling is a tycoon's woman"—I thought of that phrase again, but at this moment I just find it ridiculous.

Gu Qingcheng smiled faintly, took out a folded pink letter from her purse, and respectfully presented it to the tycoon with both hands: "Senior Ye, this is a letter from 'Pink-Eyed Dragon Granny' to you. She asked me to pass it on. Please take a look." Every time she said that she met someone by chance at Xunfu Garden, but the preparations she made were extremely thorough, which showed that she had already considered all the people she might meet in the local area.

Guan Baoling was not a member of the underworld, so she was naturally clueless about the name "Pink-Eyed Dragon Lady." Daheng and I were both taken aback. Daheng even took a half-step back in shock, using the action of taking a deep drag on his cigar to hide his unease.

Pink-Eyed Luang Phor is the largest drug smuggling tycoon in Asia. Her influence extends to drug production bases in the Golden Triangle, smuggling routes through Myanmar, transit points in Hong Kong, and transit points in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, plus all seaports leading to major drug-demanding cities in the United States. Major drug buyers in the underworld must treat "Pink-Eyed Luang Phor" with utmost respect, considering themselves "juniors," lest they offend her and have all their supplies cut off, forcing them to withdraw from the lucrative drug market.

On the other hand, the Pink-Eyed Dragon Lady is the supreme leader of all kinds of evil and strange practices in Asia, including physiognomy, divination, spiritualism, the Five Poisons Sect, black magic, and Miao witchcraft. If she wants to scheme against someone, that person has no choice but to wait for death.

"I've never had any connection with 'Pink-Eyed Dragon Lady,' so why...would she send me a letter?" The tycoon was somewhat flustered, which was understandable. Given the other party's methods of poisoning, this single letter alone could kill him a hundred times over.

"This junior doesn't know, but I was asked by Granny Long to do this, so I just followed her orders." Gu Qingcheng's trump card instantly suppressed the tycoon's aura, but there was no smugness on her face.

The tycoon looked around, but there wasn't a soul in sight; even the men in the watchtower had retreated. He swallowed hard, his neck turning red, and made no move to accept the letter.

Guan Baoling, unaware of the implications, stepped forward and asked with a smile, "May I take a look? This senior must have a refined taste and a fondness for pink, which is why they used such exquisite stationery..."

In that instant, I felt as if the air in the courtyard had frozen. Watching Guan Baoling's hand reach for the letter, without thinking, I reached out and touched it before she could, saying hastily, "I'm receiving this letter on behalf of Mr. Ye. I've long admired the esteemed Long Po—"

Gu Qingcheng released her slender, white fingers, and the letter, slightly chilled, fell into my hand.

“Mr. Feng is truly understanding, something we in the martial arts world should learn from. For that reason alone, I’ll have to offer an even higher price so you can make as much money as possible. What do you say?” Gu Qingcheng smiled, the edges of her hair gilded golden by the sunlight. She raised her left hand to smooth her hair, the platinum diamond bracelet on her wrist and the diamond ring on her index finger radiating an exaggeratedly dazzling, cold light.

I replied with a cold laugh, "No need."

If I were to unfortunately be poisoned by the "Pink-Eyed Dragon Lady," it would be something I would do willingly for Guan Baoling, without the slightest complaint. I turned around and presented the letter to the tycoon. After this exchange, even if the letter had been altered or cursed, I had deflected it all.

The tycoon frowned, pursed his lips, and blew on the letter, causing it to flip open and revealing four or five lines of fluent Chinese characters. To avoid suspicion, I immediately turned my head away, refusing to peek.

This interlude brought about by the guqin left me a little frustrated. It seemed unnecessary to waste so much thought and time on it. I just wanted to figure out what role the guqin played in the search for the "Underwater Tomb". The most important thing to do right now is to dismantle Xunfuyuan.

Of course, this matter needs to be discussed and communicated with Suren, and at least her consent needs to be obtained first.

"Hmph, 'God of Black Magic' Kunna? Can he break the curses cast by others? I doubt it!" The tycoon muttered to himself, his imposing aura greatly diminished.

The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly changed. The moment the word "black magic" was mentioned, Guan Baoling's face immediately darkened, and even the usually composed and imposing tycoon began to back down. Only Gu Qingcheng remained calm, smiling at me: "Actually, there's nothing secretive about this letter. Mr. Feng can take a look. We can learn from others' experiences. There's more than one way to break black magic. The reason why Granny Long asked the 'God of Black Magic' to intervene was simply because she didn't want a master like Senior Ye to be constantly constrained, thus tarnishing the reputation of Asian metaphysicians."

Her voice made people unconsciously obey and willing to do as she said.

I looked down at the letter, which was written in the flowing, Wang Xizhi-style regular script, with ink still dripping. It was authentic traditional Chinese calligraphy, demonstrating profound skill.

"Kunna has found the one who cast the curse and will arrive in Hokkaido in ten days. In the world of martial arts, anything can be discussed. How about giving this old woman some face? The martial arts world is everlasting. If I can help Brother Ye with his troubles, it would be my honor." The words were written in one breath, and at the end was a pink seal with the character "Dragon" in seal script.

The cigar was quickly finished, and the tycoon was suddenly choked, coughing violently. Annoyed, he took off the mouthpiece and stubbed out the cigarette on a nearby dead tree.

"I'm taking the zither. Miss Gu has come all this way, it must have been a long and tiring journey. I can write you a check to compensate you and your siblings for your loss." The tycoon's imposing manner was somewhat suppressed, but his words could not be easily changed. Guan Baoling looked bewildered. After all, whether she kept the zither or not was not important to her, so why create more trouble?

Gu Qingcheng sighed softly and reached out to retrieve the letter.

Guan Baoling opened her mouth to say something, but the tycoon grabbed her wrist and turned to walk back to her room, leaving Gu Qingcheng and me behind.

This change was unexpected, and the several questions that had been swirling in my mind were instantly disrupted. When my gaze instinctively drifted towards the hall, the menacing "nine-headed bird struggling for its life" layout of the villa's main building once again came into view—"Or is the oracle on the water true? Will breaking this bizarre villa layout affect the curse within the tycoon? But what effect will the oracle of Fengge Temple and Xunfuyuan Villa have on the 'black magic' far away in Guatemala?"

These questions were enough to make one's head spin. Under the sunlight, I felt dizzy and took two steps back, leaning against the car door.

During my time at Fengge Temple, I couldn't sleep well every night. My mind was completely exhausted. I thought of the soft bed in my bedroom on the second floor and really wanted to go upstairs and collapse onto that bed right away.

"Mr. Feng, Mr. Feng, are you alright?" Gu Qingcheng's voice was faint and distant, and her face was close to mine, blurry as if through a thin veil. I wanted to walk towards the hall, but my heart was pounding, and my feet felt like they were walking on clouds. I couldn't struggle and only managed to move half a step before I stumbled forward and helplessly fell onto her shoulder.

The sound of the wind rustling the strings of a zither reached my ears clearly. When I regained consciousness, I felt someone sitting at the edge of the bed. It wasn't Su Lun, Xiao Keleng, or Guan Baoling. She sat there with an air of aloofness, holding a book in her hand.

"What... is wrong with me?" I groaned, my head throbbing terribly.

"It's just a common cold, I'll be fine soon," she replied. It turned out to be Gu Qingcheng.

I struggled to turn over, not knowing how I got to the bed, but I finally realized I was in the second-floor bedroom. Beyond the door was the bronze warrior holding the clock, and the next room was a study filled with books. If the decision was made to demolish the villa, everything could be moved to the villa to the east—no big problem. But this bronze warrior statue would definitely require a crane to transport.

"Is there any necessary connection between the lotus key, the underwater door, and the warrior statue?" I wanted to call Suren, but my phone was already flooded.

"Don't move. You just took your medicine and need to rest in bed." I tried to sit up, but her hand was already on my shoulder.

I forced a weak, bitter smile: "How is Miss Guan...? Is she also suffering from a cold? I'd like to go see her..."

Xiao Ke's voice, tinged with anger, rang out: "Let's skip it! She's fine. With the tycoon's protection, no illness can defeat her."

The lights were a bit dazzling, and I closed my eyes helplessly, not in the mood to argue with Xiao Keleng.

"Hmm, Mr. Feng, you're too tired, probably due to chronic sleep deprivation. Just get a good 24-hour sleep, and you'll be full of energy again. Don't worry about the others." I like listening to Gu Qingcheng speak; she's gentle and refined, completely different from Xiao Keleng.

I remembered the guqin incident and smiled apologetically with my eyes closed: "Miss Gu, I didn't expect so many changes regarding the guqin. I've made you come all this way for nothing."

This remark elicited laughter from both Gu Qingcheng and Xiao Keleng. Xiao Keleng quickly added, "The tycoon has already let go, allowing Miss Gu to take the piano. Even the President of the United States would give face to a personal letter from 'Pink-Eyed Dragon Lady,' so how could the tycoon be so ignorant of the rules of the underworld? Moreover, Dragon Lady mobilized all her forces to help the tycoon deal with the curse of 'black magic.' If he still doesn't know what's good for him, then he'll be quite unwise!"

I couldn't help but frown. Xiao Keleng's words were too blunt and carried a lot of personal emotion. If they got out, they would inevitably cause unnecessary misunderstandings among the tycoon.

Gu Qingcheng smiled and asked calmly, "Miss Xiao seems to have a deep-seated prejudice against the tycoon? Actually, in the world of martial arts, it's all about mutual respect and support. Everyone has their own territory, and everyone has things they can and cannot do. Granny Long also respects Senior Ye very much. They have always been friends in the martial arts world who share information. So, as a junior, I can only be grateful that the tycoon is willing to give me face because of Granny Long."

She spoke eloquently and subtly flattered the tycoon, demonstrating exceptional social skills.

Just before I drifted off to sleep again, it suddenly occurred to me: "If the 'Pink-Eyed Dragon Lady' could break the curse of the black magic, would we not have to dismantle the Xunfuyuan Villa?"

The Fifth Undersea Mystery

— Chapter 8 - The Debate Over the Guqin (Part 1) —

Although I lay in bed, the splitting headache never subsided. In my hazy sleep, I realized the sun had risen again; I had actually slept for half a day plus a whole night?

I woke up at dusk, and my gaze passed through the bedroom door to the bronze warrior statue. The yellowish sunset shone on his face, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of an old photograph, carrying an indescribable sense of leisurely vicissitude.

From the very beginning, I had doubts about the orientation of his map. Facing northwest instead of due west or due north felt somewhat incongruous. Seeing the sword at his waist naturally reminded me of the mysterious ancient map stolen by the Koga ninja—"How long ago was that?" I muttered to myself as I got up. After the series of tense events at Fuuki-ji Temple, I felt I had grown a lot, and my mindset had unconsciously matured.

"What would we find if we really disassembled this building piece by piece?"

I closed my eyes, recalling once again the events that unfolded after I arrived at Xunfu Garden: the mysterious sounds of bubbles appearing and disappearing, Guan Baoling's mysterious disappearance and reappearance in the bathroom… I was almost certain that my elder brother had a profound reason for building such a dangerously shaped villa. But how could someone with such surgical wisdom have come up empty-handed?

The splitting headache had disappeared, and I felt my body filled with boundless energy again.

Suddenly, someone coughed softly in the study, and I immediately recognized it as Gu Qingcheng's voice. Regarding the ownership of the guqin, she was no match for the tycoon, so her trip was destined to be in vain.

A ringtone played electronic music as the phone rang. She lowered her voice and answered, "Well, I know time is precious, but Mr. Feng is still unconscious. I have to be polite, don't I? The authenticity of the guqin is beyond doubt. As for the price, it can be raised a little. I know what I'm doing. Besides, the sea supply line has been unobstructed. What's there to worry about with just a few Japanese people?"

Her voice was full of confidence, possessing the air of a master swordsman who could traverse a forest of swords with ease. If the other party on the other end of the call was Gu Zhijin, it seemed that he and his sister were also determined to acquire the guqin. So, what abilities did they have to stand against the tycoon's absolute power?

After the cord was hung up, the sound of pages being turned could be heard again from the study.

Outside, all was quiet. The villa was shrouded in a heavy sense of oppression, which was amplified by the approaching night.

I slowly got out of bed, having already changed into a cotton bathrobe. In my drowsy state, I completely forgot who had helped me change.

"Mr. Feng, how are you feeling?" Gu Qingcheng appeared at the study door at just the right moment, holding a Russian book in her hand. Her gaze was calm and serene, and she looked at me with a slight smile through the crystal lenses of her non-prescription glasses. Her posture was that of a typical female office worker in a Hong Kong office building, but her refined and elegant demeanor was unmatched even by many female CEOs of large companies or female members of the Hong Kong government.

I smiled apologetically: "It's alright, it's just that the guqin matter delayed Miss Gu's schedule, I'm really sorry."

The living room was spotless, probably due to Nobuko's diligent cleaning, especially the samurai statue, which was wiped clean.

Gu Qingcheng patted the book in her hand lightly, smiling meaningfully: "The most beautiful flowers are only appreciated by travelers who are good at waiting, aren't they? For the sake of the Five Lakes Ancient Qin, what does it matter if we stay in Hokkaido for ten days or half a month?" Her eyebrows, though delicate, were extremely graceful, occasionally fluttering with her scholarly words. Every sentence she spoke carried the rhythm of reciting poetry, unlike the ordinary conversation of ordinary people.

I sat down on the sofa, tightened the belt of my pajamas, and thought of the tycoon's decisive and imposing aura. I felt that Gu Qingcheng's scholarly air was no match for his domineering and kingly manner. It would be more appropriate for her to adopt Gu Zhijin's mercenary air.

"Mr. Feng, do you have any further objections regarding the price of the guqin?" she asked leisurely, leaning against the doorframe of the study.

The balance of power in the living room was tipping in her favor again. Realizing this, I leaned back heavily and adopted a serious expression: "Miss Gu, the tycoon, like you, comes from the Hong Kong underworld. You're probably familiar with his methods, so for your safety, it's best not to confront him. I greatly admire your brother's principle of 'harmony brings wealth,' and I hope you share the same insightful view, is that alright?"

Gu Qingcheng smiled, turned and went back to her study to put away her books, leaving behind the words, "Thank you for your concern, but I know the tycoon is a reasonable person—"

The original Russian book was the Soviet translation of "The Centuries." Of all the books available, she chose this particular one, which was quite difficult to read, which surprised and puzzled me.

When she walked back, she first looked at her watch and said with great certainty, "It's almost time. I ordered a set of rosewood violin cases, which should have arrived at Sapporo Airport by now. Of course, if the transaction goes smoothly with Mr. Feng, I can return to Hong Kong Island before noon tomorrow. Then my brother and I will express our deepest gratitude to Mr. Feng."

The diamonds on the Vacheron Constantin watch radiated a dozen dazzling rays of light, illuminating the bronze warrior statue opposite me. Her casual gesture of smoothing her hair conveyed a sense of composure and strategic brilliance.

I know that something must have happened while I was unconscious, and the tycoon had let go, which is why she started to arrange the retreat with the guqin.

"Mr. Feng, don't you want to ask anything?" She didn't sit down, but paced back and forth in the living room with her arms crossed, like a dancer who hadn't heard enthusiastic applause and was inevitably a little disappointed.

"Where is the zither?" I asked.

She was taken aback for a moment, but still answered promptly: "In an empty room on the right wing, I need to place it in a space with a room temperature of about twelve degrees Celsius to maintain the linear deformation of the soundboard." This question was irrelevant and not what she expected me to ask.

"Then, what is the origin of the zither? What secrets does it hold that would warrant such an exorbitant price from a shrewd antique dealer like your brother?" Before she could answer, I raised my hands and solemnly added, "Miss Gu, please tell me the truth. If it's just some nonsensical excuse, it's better not to say anything at all, so as not to waste everyone's time."

I noticed that the study was also spotless, with all the books neatly arranged. Anko was dead, and Nobuko was still doing the same work all by herself, which must have been very tiring—I had never lessened my suspicions about the sisters. Yelan and Anko's deaths came quite suddenly, and I preferred to believe that Anko's unusual behavior led her mastermind to kill her, while Yelan was merely a convenient scapegoat to divert people's suspicions.

"Cough cough..." Gu Qingcheng coughed softly.

My gaze fell on the samurai statue, and the direction he was facing seemed increasingly bizarre. The fact that the sword couldn't be drawn suggested the existence of some kind of special mechanism. Was the mechanism controlling the sword? Or did the sword's movement control the mechanism?

There is no inscription on this warrior statue, so we can only assume it originated in China. China has a history of countless masters of mechanical design, capable of creating even lifelike jade cicadas that could fly and chirp – they had long since reached a level of unparalleled skill and mastery. For such a massive and heavy warrior statue, installing a dozen or so mechanisms inside would have been a simple matter.

“Mr. Feng, actually knowing the origin of the Five Lakes Ancient Qin is of no use to you. You don’t want to hear lies, and I don’t want to tell the truth, so what should we do?” She adjusted her glasses with difficulty, looked up and thought for a while, and came up with a compromise: “I can only say in general terms that its strings can produce a certain special sound, hiding a huge secret—it’s just a guess, and I haven’t been able to get a definitive answer yet. Are you satisfied with this answer?”

Suddenly a commotion broke out in the courtyard. I got up and looked out the window. Six gray reinforced police cars drove up one after another on the road outside the gate. Each car was filled with armed special police officers wearing helmets and with serious expressions.

The snipers on the watchtowers didn't dare fire at the police cars, so the six vehicles drove straight in, stopping abruptly at the bottom of the steps in front of the villa's hall. The car doors swung open, and thirty SWAT officers carrying submachine guns jumped out. They scattered, one team entering the hall, one team controlling the tree-lined path from the main gate to the steps, and the other four teams advancing towards the watchtowers at the four corners.

No matter what, gangsters wouldn't dare to openly confront the police; if they lose the initiative, they'll be immediately at a disadvantage.