King of Tomb Raiders

Chapter 225

"Don't shoot? Your order is too late, and I'm not under your command, Mr. Feng..." He bit his lower lip hard, the muzzle of the gun slowly pointing to the ground, and kicked the spent cartridge case on the ground as if in a fit of rage.

“Mr. Feng, the target is the order, the gunshot is the order. In the world through the scope, everything is under my control. Do you understand?” His shoulders trembled slightly, and a terrifying dark red color quickly filled the skin of his neck and rapidly advanced, enveloping his face in the blink of an eye.

That face, with its distinctly European features, looked like a crab scalded with boiling water, carrying an indescribable strangeness.

"I...I...I feel so bad..." He clutched his chest, threw away the spear, and a terrifying white foam appeared at the corner of his mouth. He then slowly collapsed to the ground, curling up in a ball next to the wheel.

I sighed helplessly, squatted down, and forcefully poked his jaw with two fingers to prevent him from losing control of his teeth and biting his tongue to death. More and more white foam flowed from the corners of his mouth, his eyes rolled upwards, revealing stark whites, and the muscles in his face twitched convulsively.

This strange illness, known in China as "epilepsy," has been found in many famous snipers and shooting athletes, and is referred to by professional sports medicine professors as "excessive tension neurosis." Shooting is a sport that requires the coordinated operation of the whole body. Although it appears to be just the single action of "pulling the trigger," a person's bones, muscles, mind, breathing, organs, and limbs must all be fully engaged to complete a brilliant shot.

Just as football players experience muscle cramps during long runs with high intensity, sharpshooters almost always suffer from the strange condition of "epilepsy".

Gu Qingcheng had already started the jeep and was waving frantically at me: "Feng, hurry, let's go check it out—"

Uncle Wei, his face grim, leaped into the passenger seat. The car roared to life and sped past me as I jumped through the open back door.

"It's one problem after another..." Uncle Wei's complaints were quickly drowned out by the roar of the engine. Gu Qingcheng had already stepped on the gas pedal to the floor, and the speedometer needle suddenly climbed to the red danger zone at the top.

Tang Xiaogu died, which was an expected outcome.

When the three of us hurriedly jumped out of the jeep and stood around her body, we realized that Kaku's powerful exploding shells had already blown several holes through her body.

Uncle Wei's face grew increasingly grim, presumably realizing what was happening inside the tent from Fei Yue's cries. He lightly kicked Tang Xiaogu and muttered, "The clues have all gone cold..." Perhaps everyone who suspected Tang Xiaogu was intentionally stalling for time, hoping to find the mastermind behind her. Gu Qingcheng and I were like that, as were Fei Ying, Uncle Wei, and Liang Wei.

Gu Qingcheng breathed a sigh of relief: "Uncle Wei, tell them to bury her properly."

Although he was just a child, his status immediately became very delicate as soon as he got involved with the Tang Clan of Sichuan, because we never knew when someone from the Tang Clan would show up to collect a debt. For the expedition team, that would be another disaster that would be close to annihilation.

Kaku's shooting skills, the "sniper god," actually backfired this time. But getting these foreigners to understand the Chinese mindset of "casting a long line to catch a big fish" will be extremely difficult, and it can't be explained in just a few words.

"Feng, what exactly happened inside the tent?" Gu Qingcheng frowned. "Could something have happened to Li Kang?"

She also had a keen sense of danger and clearly recognized that Li Kang was the most important person at this moment. Unraveling the mystery of the "square-eyed monster" depended on him willingly handing over the original copy of the Li family's picture album. However, unfortunately, whether they were poisoned by Tang Clan's Gu poison or by some kind of hypnotic technique, with Tang Xiaogu's death, it would likely all become an unknown forever.

"All three of them have become completely unresponsive and demented, only slightly better than being in a vegetative state." I could only tell the truth, feeling deeply apologetic for Gu Qingcheng's sudden change in expression.

"What? Li Kang too—this is troublesome, how could this happen?" Gu Qingcheng suddenly tossed her hair, a hint of anger unexpectedly appearing on her face. After a whole night of fruitless labor, she had just returned to the camp and was about to catch her breath when she suffered such a heavy blow. One setback after another would discourage anyone.

I gazed at the distant tunnel entrance, and everything that had happened inside the cave last night replayed in my mind. The appearance and disappearance of those stone pillars were not, as we would naturally imagine, a process of rising and falling, controlled by mechanisms, to complete their intermittent appearances and disappearances.

The stone pillars are alive, possessing some kind of life, freely transforming between liquid and solid states. Are they still just ordinary stones from Earth? Have they been transformed by "them," becoming something entirely new, thus acquiring incomprehensible properties? And what about the Dragon Witch? If her powers come from "them," can she still retain her human nature? At least, she still remembers her older brother Yang Tian, still has feelings for him, and always thinks of him… I really want to find out who "them" are. Even if they are a group of alien monsters with square eyes, I must see their true faces and bring Suren back.

Cases of aliens abducting humans as test subjects are published every now and then in the European magazine "UFO Exploration." I have to hurry up and investigate, rather than waiting for the story of Suren's disappearance to become a legendary example in the magazine.

"Feng, could that mysterious woman from last night be Tang Xin?" Gu Qingcheng couldn't stay silent any longer and brought up the question.

I shook my head decisively in denial: "It can't be her, I'm 100% sure."

Gu Qingcheng swept her messy hair back, squinted at me, and stared at me without moving for more than ten seconds before suddenly smiling: "What if your judgment is completely wrong? I heard that she mysteriously disappeared in the Egyptian desert, and even took the Egyptian president's special envoy with her?"

These aren't just hearsay; they come from the autobiography Tina wrote for me. The mysterious Tang Clan of Sichuan has always been a favorite gimmick for horror movies, and those unscrupulous writers Tina hired certainly enjoyed it too.

“Yes, she disappeared, but it has nothing to do with the Longo witch in the tunnel. That woman is definitely not Tang Xin!” I turned my face away, not wanting to continue discussing this issue.

"Where's the evidence? Feng, I only believe in evidence—" Gu Qingcheng's tone became more and more resolute, but her words were both familiar and unfamiliar to me. I couldn't help but smile faintly and reply, "Miss Gu, your words don't sound like those of an expert in the antique world. They sound more like the methods used by American military and police when they interrogate people."

"Hehehe..." Gu Qingcheng laughed, brushed the dust off her sleeves, and turned around easily. "Okay, I believe you, invincible warrior from Egypt."

Her expression seemed a little unnatural, which puzzled me slightly.

People with overly keen intuition can sometimes be misled by their own feelings, leading to significant distraction. In fact, I completely believed everything Gu Qingcheng told me—about the "Return of the Phoenix" guqin piece, about her parents in a vegetative state. This is something I've never seen in any other girl.

Every word, every sound, every smile of hers brings me peace and joy. In a dangerous environment that changes every day, this is undoubtedly the most effective tranquilizer.

Uncle Wei took off his walkie-talkie, preparing to call the people in the camp over.

Tang Xiaogu suddenly moved, and I shouted, "Back off, watch out—"

The two of them were completely unsuspecting of a dead man, but only I knew that even when the people of the Tang Clan in Sichuan died, they would die in a way that was completely different from others.

Gu Qingcheng shrank behind me, her face pressed against my shoulder, her tension rising again: "What's wrong?"

Beneath Tang Xiaogu's body, a pink worm slowly emerged, as soft and flexible as an earthworm after the rain.

Uncle Wei exclaimed in surprise, reaching for his gun, but his hand stopped just touching the handle, as still as a clay or wooden sculpture.

"Uncle Wei, go find some dry branches and firewood, and while you're at it, pump out half a liter of gasoline. Maybe we should hold a cremation ceremony for this little bug," I calmly instructed.

Uncle Wei paused for a moment, then pulled out a pistol and handed it to me: "Mr. Feng, take this for self-defense."

I shook my head and refused him: "No need. When the 'Red, White and Black Three-Inch Worm' gets vicious, bullets can't completely eliminate its poison."

The worm wriggled forward, and the second segment of its body, which was exposed, was snow-white, like a peeled shrimp. Its third segment must have been pitch black, and each segment was exactly one inch long, which is why it was called the "three-inch worm" by people in the martial arts world.

That's a sophisticated technique in Sichuan's "insect gu" culture. The person who raises insect gu can put it on someone else, and that person will never grow taller or bigger again, and will become the gu master's medicine man, obediently serving his orders at all times.

After finding the medicine packet in Tang Xiaogu's hair, who was in a daze, I was deceived by her first impression and thought she was an absolute victim. I did not consider the deeper implications, nor did I regard her as a major enemy, which ultimately led to the situation where Flying Eagle and the other two were controlled today.

Uncle Wei sighed with deep regret, "Seeing how clever Tang Xiaogu is, I should have thought of this kind of insect sooner!"

He cautiously and slowly retreated to find firewood.

Almost all Gu worms fear fire, but the flames from ordinary firewood have little effect on some sophisticated insects. Their bodies are covered with hard scales that can seal themselves at any time, resisting burning for more than fifteen minutes. If gasoline is poured on the insect to increase the burning temperature, it should be completely destroyed.

After the insect was fully exposed from under Tang Xiaogu's body, its red, white, and black body stood out vividly against the blue ground. According to the ancient teachings of the hundreds of Gu-breeding tribes in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, the sharper and brighter the colors of a Gu insect, the more extraordinary its toxicity, ferocity, and spirituality. Apart from the Gu insect's owner, it is absolutely difficult for outsiders to subdue it.

Gu keeper is one of the most mysterious and ruthless professions in the martial arts world. Even the Beggars' Sect, which is known as the number one gang in the world, does not dare to easily provoke the masters from the Yunnan-Guizhou region.

"Feng, Tang Xiaogu has poisoned Li Kang and the others with Gu poison. Should we spare the life of the three-inch worm? Perhaps it will help in treating them?" Gu Qingcheng whispered in my ear, her fragrance wafting over me, her hair constantly brushing against my neck.

Haven't I thought the same thing? But the power of the three-inch worm was recorded in hundreds of entries in the book "Gu Poison Under Heaven" by the great hero Long Juanfeng in the late Qing Dynasty. Once the worm leaves its dead host, its temperament becomes unpredictable. Even Gu masters rarely expect to retrieve it for reuse.

The tornado once solemnly marked in red ink: There are ten Gu worms in Miao territory that cannot be recovered. Those who harbor greedy thoughts will surely be harmed by the worms. Remember this well.

The Three-Inch Worm ranks third on the "unrecoverable" list, its ferocity second only to the "Bewitching Dragon" and "Spring Nod." Neither Gu Qingcheng nor I are Gu Masters; in front of the Three-Inch Worm, we should only seek self-preservation and absolutely not entertain any other thoughts.

I shook my head instead of answering Gu Qingcheng, but she continued, "Some Gu worms have a natural affinity for the sound of the zither, just like how snake charmers in India use flutes to make cobras dance. Maybe I can give it a try?"

She was eager to try, but I stopped her with my arms outstretched: "Miss Gu, your brother and I are good friends. If something happens to you while you're with me, he will definitely not let me off the hook. So, you'd better be careful."

Part Four: The Star Array, Chapter Seven: The Red, White, and Black Three-Inch Worms

Gu Qingcheng chuckled: "When did you become so cautious?"

I stared intently at the three-inch worm, trying hard not to pay attention to the deeper meaning behind her words.

The inchworm crawled two steps south, then suddenly straightened up, leaving only its black tail supporting it on the ground, and emitted a strange "chirping" sound, like a cricket grinding its wings on a summer night.

Uncle Wei hasn't returned yet, and I'm already prepared to grab Gu Qingcheng and retreat at any moment.

The reason they stopped here to monitor the Gu worm was because they didn't want to let it escape. Once it entered the mysterious tunnel ahead, it would only make traversing the stone formation more difficult. Everything was for the purpose of successfully reaching the end of the tunnel and rescuing Suren from "them."

With two "whoosh" sounds, the red and white segments of the three-inch worm suddenly opened up with a layer of triangular transparent scales on each side.

"Oh no!" Gu Qingcheng suddenly grabbed my arm; she too could not help but sense the approaching danger.

If we consider the area where the scales are spread as the neck of the worm, its current behavior is exactly the same as a cobra's neck becoming doubly flattened when it is angry. The only difference is that the cobra has a slender body and can seize the tail to counterattack after dodging the first attack, while this strange worm may have its entire body as a weapon of attack, with no weak points.

"If it moves, I'll stop it. You go quickly," I commanded Gu Qingcheng briefly. This wasn't the time for tender, gentle conversation; only concise sentences could make my companion understand everything.

In the face of danger, every man must have the courage and action to protect a woman; otherwise, he would be seriously violating God's original intention in creating man by deliberately separating men and women. Men are fierce and brave, while women are gentle and fragile; sudden sexual danger is the touchstone for testing this difference in character.

If it were any other girl, I would have protected her first, and it's not just Gu Qingcheng; it's my consistent principle in life.

"I want to try..." she persisted, but the three-inch worm had already leaped up like lightning and shot towards my chest and heart. Its sharp scales emitted a sharp whistling sound as they tore through the air, like a fishbone dart shot by a martial arts master.

Before I could dodge, I took a deep breath, and the muscles in my chest and lower abdomen contracted and solidified like steel plates. Just as the insect was about to touch my clothes, I let out a long "Ah!" and my muscles suddenly sprang outward, knocking the three-inch insect to the ground.

This combination of the "Eighteen Falls with Clothes" technique, along with the protective divine skill and the Lion's Roar Shaolin secret technique, consumes a great deal of internal energy, making it impossible to perform a second energy cultivation in a short period of time. However, the Three-Inch Worm rose immediately after falling, letting out a "beep" sound, and leaped onto my left knee.

The Gu worm craves human blood and can hardly live without its nourishment, so it has an innate sensitivity to the blood vessels flowing through the human body. In less than half a second, its red tip had moved to the thickest blood vessel behind my knee. Even through my clothes, I felt my hair stand on end, sending a short, electric shiver through me.

Uncle Wei abandoned the firewood in his hand, drew his gun, and ran towards them.

Bullets are not only insufficient to eliminate the three-inch worm, but once its body is shattered, its fluids will splatter, spawning even more uncontrollable worms. Since ancient times, only fire has been the sole means to eradicate these worms.

“Mr. Feng, don’t worry…” Uncle Wei stopped five steps away from me on the enemy’s side, holding his pistol steadily in both hands.

I had complete confidence in his shooting accuracy, but the outcome of shooting at a tiny insect was unpredictable. I quickly tensed the muscles in my legs and waved to Uncle Wei, "Don't move rashly—"

If there is no complete contingency plan before firing, and the problem is addressed after the shooting, the resulting huge trouble could lead to the annihilation of everyone in the camp.

"Zheng zheng zheng zheng zheng," Gu Qingcheng took a step back, and the sound of the zither suddenly rang out on her clothes, stirring and undulating, it was actually a generous and tragic piece called "General's Command".

She held the hem of her dress with her left hand, while her right hand swept rapidly across the ordinary fabric, and the music soared and poured forth. This skill of producing music without relying on the strings was unprecedented.

The tiny bug stopped wriggling and lay quietly on my knee. The three of us and the bug were immediately locked in a relatively calm and peaceful standoff.

As the final note of "General's Command" faded into the air, the second piece, "Spring River Flower Moon Night," began to play. Gu Qingcheng's piano skills were superb; her rhythm was well-paced and graceful, each note clear and beautiful, blending harmoniously into the background of the howling north wind.

After playing only a third of the second piece, Gu Qingcheng changed her technique, and the third piece became obscure and profound, with disproportionately large leaps between adjacent notes, making it difficult for the listener to breathe and gradually leaving them breathless.

Uncle Wei slowly retreated, put away his pistol, and covered his ears with both hands.

The notes of the piece tinkled for nearly five minutes when Gu Qingcheng suddenly shouted, "The road to Shu is difficult, more difficult than ascending to heaven! Go—" At the same time, she swept her right hand horizontally, tearing her entire garment open with a strange "ripping" sound. The three-inch worm fell to the ground with her shout, shrinking into a ball, no longer lively and fierce.

"Cough, cough..." Gu Qingcheng coughed softly, grabbing my right wrist, "Feng, are you alright...?"

Bright red blood was seeping from the corners of her mouth, and her forehead and neck were also flushed red.

I put my arm around her slender waist and felt her body convulsing. I immediately grasped her hand and channeled my inner energy into her body.

With a "whoosh," Uncle Wei poured out gasoline, then lit a lighter and threw it at the three-inch worm.

Flames shot into the air, engulfing the worm. The gathered dry twigs were thrown into the fire one by one, crackling and popping. This time, the worm should be completely dead, and I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm so tired, I want to go back to the tent and sleep for a bit. This piece... 'The Road to Shu is Hard' is very demanding. Every time I play it, I fall seriously ill..." Gu Qingcheng lay weakly in my arms, her body as soft as a brand new cotton ball.

The fire burned for a full half hour, during which Uncle Wei poured gasoline four more times, filling the air with the strange smell of gasoline being burned and evaporated.

That tiny worm never crawled out again until the flames went out.

Uncle Wei rummaged through the ashes with a twig but couldn't find any dead insects. He frowned and muttered to himself, "They were probably burned to a crisp. Those wretched insects..."

As I watched the wisps of smoke drift towards the tunnel, I suddenly felt something was amiss. If the Dragon Witch had some connection with the Tang Clan of Sichuan, would the deaths of Tang Xiaogu and Three-Inch Worm have enraged her and triggered her insane revenge? Judging from her skillful use of hidden weapons, it was exactly the same as that of the Tang Clan. If it wasn't Tang Xin, could it be another master from the same era as Tang Xin?

I'm thinking about so many things, my brain feels like it's about to explode.

The three jeeps that came from the camp carried more than a dozen team members and began to clean up Tang Xiaogu's body, while I carried Gu Qingcheng and got into the car that was driven back to the camp, driven by Uncle Wei himself.

Gu Qingcheng kept her eyes tightly closed, her eyelashes drooping, looking sickly and on the verge of death.

The car had barely started moving for a minute when I suddenly heard the sound of a piano again. I immediately called out, "Uncle Wei, please stop the car! I can hear the piano again!"

With a screech, the jeep came to a stop, and Gu Qingcheng suddenly opened her eyes: "What? Where did that piano music come from?"

I pointed behind me with my left thumb: "It's right behind us, right in the tunnel."