El amor es venenoso

Capítulo 19

The desert wind blew, whipping up yellow sand that swept past the four men, and they immediately felt sand filling their mouths and nostrils.

"Pah, pah." Marshall spat out two mouthfuls of sand-filled saliva, cursed, and said, "Police kid, let me tell you, someone will die on every mission. We've been prepared for this since we entered this line of work."

“Even without the antidote, I still have a few months to live,” Miller said calmly, but the rising sun casting his shadow on him gave him a touch of poignant heroism. “I will make sure that this commission goes into the accounts of every brother’s family member.”

Situ Xiang thought of his partner Huang Ming. If he could, he would also like to make it up to his elderly parents, but in the past three years, he had applied to go undercover and had not even visited them once.

He raised his head and looked at the magnificent city wall. Huang Ming, are you still here?

“We probably don’t have much time to stand here chatting.” Caesar grabbed a handful of sand and let it flow through his fingers like water. “In half an hour at most, a terrible storm will come. We’d better go into the city. If the buildings there are still in good condition, maybe we can escape this disaster.”

The remaining three exchanged glances, as if they had reached a consensus. Situ Xiang turned to help Qin Wen, but Caesar blocked his way: "What are you trying to do?"

"Take her into the city."

“I will carry her on my back.” Caesar gently picked her up and carried her on his back. He didn’t know when it started, but he could no longer tolerate other men touching her.

Situ Xiang was astonished. Did he mean... he liked Xiao Wen? They had only known each other for a few days, was that possible? After thinking about it again, he felt that he had no right to talk about this. He had only known Xiao Li for less than half a month.

The city gate had long been eroded away by the wind and sand over thousands of years. The four of them walked through the gate, and the moment they passed through it, they felt as if they had entered another world, where even the air was different from the outside.

The four of them frowned simultaneously. A wide road stretched out from beneath their feet, disappearing into the houses in the distance. Clearly, this was a once-prosperous metropolis, with rows of buildings adorned with brightly colored paintings that remained unchanged for over 2,500 years.

"What kind of paint is this?" Caesar approached the door of a house and reached out to touch the painting on it. "How can it not have faded after so many years?"

"The houses here haven't been damaged either." Situ Xiang also looked puzzled. He pushed open the door and saw that all the furniture was intact, and there were several small plates on the table with fresh food inside. "Am I dreaming?"

“This place is so strange,” Marcie shook his head in disbelief. “Is time stopped here?”

“It seems so.” Miller picked up his gun. “It’s like we’ve entered the underworld.”

“Regardless of whether this is the Demon Realm or not,” Situ Xiang said as he walked out of the house, “I suggest everyone go and take a look at that building.” He pointed to the tall building standing behind many houses, which seemed to be a blend of Persian and ancient Indian styles, and looked quite magnificent from a distance.

"Is that the palace?" Masha was overjoyed. Perhaps they could find something valuable there, since that treasure was so hard to get rid of.

“Perhaps,” Caesar said, taking the lead. “Everyone be careful. This city is too strange; there may be some lurking danger.”

The road wasn't wide, but it was very long, winding and turning like a maze. After walking for two hours, the palace was still in the distance.

“The compass is broken.” Marcel turned off the compass function on his watch. “There’s a terrible magnetic field down here.”

“All planes that fly over Manor will crash,” Situ Xiang said. “It’s definitely because of the magnetic field.”

"Could this magnetic field also interfere with our brains, making it impossible for us to discern directions?" Miller frowned. Marshall's time was running out, and it was almost impossible to eliminate the resentment. If that treasure was really as its followers believed, perhaps it could save their lives.

“Only the sun can guide us.” Caesar aligned the hands of his pocket watch with the sun’s angle, searching for the south. “Everyone follows me.”

Even after they figured out which way to go, the road was still long. Three hours later, they finally stood in front of the palace. The walls were painted with beautiful geometric patterns and even mythological figures. The semi-circular door was made of fine wood, symbolizing an artistic masterpiece from a thousand years ago.

"You all stay here, I'll go check it out." Situ Xiang cocked his AK47 and walked towards the door, when Miller suddenly called out to him, "Police kid, you better not try anything funny."

Situ Xiang smiled but did not answer. He tried pushing the door, which was not locked and slowly opened inward, making a teeth-grinding grinding sound from the hinges.

Inside the gate was a marble-paved path, flanked by gardens planted with rare flowers and trees. He composed himself and walked in step by step, every cell in his body on high alert.

The journey was peaceful. He pushed open the main hall door, and at the end of the colorful carpet stood a throne made of jade. He gasped, walked to the throne, and touched it. It was cool to the touch, like touching a treasure made of solidified water.

Without a doubt, this is an unparalleled treasure. Not to mention the treasure in the tomb, this jade chair alone is enough to shock the whole world.

“This place is really beautiful.” A voice sounded from behind him, his face full of displeasure. “Marcie, I remember telling you to wait outside.”

"I'm sorry, you're not my superior." The remaining three had already gathered in the hall. Caesar gently placed Qin Wen on the carpet, took off his coat to cover her body, and Marcie whistled, teasing, "What a gentle boyfriend, it's just a pity that his affections are unrequited..."

“It’s ‘The falling flowers are willing, but the flowing water is heartless,’” Miller reminded him. He rolled his eyes. “It’s all the same anyway.”

Situ Xiang ignored them and carefully examined the jade throne. The backrest was carved with the image of Buddha being bitten by the Salamander, indicating that a campaign to suppress Buddhism had indeed taken place here, and even the king was a follower of the Kshatriya cult. His gaze shifted to the armrests, where two butterflies were carved so lifelike that they seemed ready to fly off the throne at any moment.

That butterfly was three times larger than a normal butterfly, with twisted lotus patterns on its wings, and a wide-open eye in the center of the lotus. It was very beautiful, yet very eerie.

"What is this?" He touched the butterfly, which looked very similar to the yellow butterflies in the oasis, but the patterns were completely different.

Suddenly, his fingers felt as if they had been touched by something, and he quickly pulled his hand back. The butterfly on the jade throne fluttered its wings twice and took flight. It was a jade-like emerald green, burning with green light, and flew slowly and lightly in the air.

The two Blood Wolves members who were putting the bronze wine vessels into their bags had obviously also noticed the two butterflies. Miller now loathed butterflies and drew his gun to fire, but Caesar stopped him: "Let's take a look first."

Two butterflies flew toward the mural on the wall, which depicted large and small emerald green butterflies in geometric patterns. After being touched by the two butterflies, they both took flight. Before long, the entire hall was filled with a greenish-blue color, which together resembled a Milky Way stretching across the night sky.

"What are they trying to do?" Before Marshall could finish speaking, Miller had already drawn his gun and started firing into the air. Situ Xiang was shocked as he watched the broken butterflies fall to the ground. The colorful carpet immediately burst into flames, and a heat wave swept through the entire room in an instant.

"It's the Heat!" Situ Xiang roared, running towards the side door of the main hall. "Everyone, run! Otherwise, you'll all turn into charcoal!"

Caesar tried to save Qin Wen, but the carpet was already ablaze, and the intense flames had engulfed her body. He felt as if he were burning as well, and he lunged at her recklessly. Miller and Marcey grabbed him on either side and dragged him toward the side door, yelling, "She's dead! You can't save her!"

"No—" he roared. As soon as the three of them stepped out of the palace, the main hall was engulfed in flames. When Situ Xiang saw that they had not brought Qin Wen out, he felt a chill in his chest. He wanted to rush in to save her, but he was thrown to the ground by the heat wave. His handsome and resolute face turned completely black.

"Xiaowen..." he murmured the name. If he saw Xiaoli, how would he explain it to her? He failed to protect her best friend, and he would spend the rest of his life in guilt.

"This isn't real!" Caesar cried out in anguish, clutching his hair. "Xiao Wen! Answer me! Xiao Wen—"

A heavy punch landed, and he felt a sharp pain in his jaw, sending him flying and crashing heavily into the flower field. The flower field was still blooming, purple, like lavender, but the scent was quite different. He struggled to his feet, spitting out a mouthful of pus and blood; his jaw seemed dislocated. Before he could even get it back in place, Situ Xiang rushed forward, grabbed his collar, and lifted him from the ground, roaring, "You said you'd protect her, but what did you do? You left her alone in the fire! You beast!"

“Officer, calm down!” Miller came over and pulled him away. “This has nothing to do with him. The butterflies are all around Miss Qin. Unless it’s God, no one can save her.”

Situ Xiang punched him in the stomach with his backhand. He groaned, took a few steps back, and couldn't say a word.

"I told you to wait outside the palace!" Situ Xiang shouted, pointing at him. "Why didn't you listen to me? This palace is full of dangers, why didn't you believe me!"

“You’re right, I’m the one who killed Wen.” Caesar tossed him the gun. “Use this gun to kill me and avenge Wen.”

Without a second thought, Situ Xiang threw the gun on the ground: "I have no right to kill you, but if you really care about her, you won't have a good life in your next life."

"Quiet!" Miller interrupted him. "There seems to be some noise."

Situ Xiang looked up and saw a swarm of emerald green butterflies flying out of the palace and hovering in the air. The four men immediately pointed their guns at them, but none of them had the courage to fire.

The butterflies seemed to have no intention of swooping down to attack them; instead, they flew together into the sky, disappearing into the clouds and never being seen again. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but it was only much later, when they learned that wildfires of unknown cause had caused enormous damage all over the world, that they felt a chill run down their spines.

Although the fire butterflies had all left, the shadow of death had not left them. They sat down helplessly. After going through so much, they needed to rest, even if it was just for a quarter of an hour.

At that moment, Masha's expression froze on his face, as if he had seen something terrifying. He stared straight at the still-burning hall. For some reason, the fire in the hall did not spread to other places. The towering flames and thick smoke rolled into the sky and were eventually swallowed up by the blue sky and white clouds.

"Marcie, are you seeing a ghost?" Miller's expression changed immediately after he finished speaking. For a moment, the four big men stared blankly at the hall in the flames, their mouths agape, almost big enough to fit a chicken.

A graceful figure slowly emerged from the flames, each step seemingly treading on their heartbeats. The hazy flames behind her created a strange shape, resembling a pair of outstretched, fiery red wings. The figure grew clearer and clearer until she stepped out of the raging fire, and everyone's faces turned as white as snow on the Tianshan Mountains.

It's Qin Wen! It's actually Qin Wen!

Her clothes were burned off, and her snow-white body was dazzlingly beautiful. Her open eyes were still lifeless, like a soulless walking corpse.

Caesar blushed and quickly took off his clothes to drape over her. The moment he touched her, she trembled, collapsed limply, and closed her eyes.

"A miracle, truly a miracle," Miller exclaimed. "Is this girl an angel?"

“No, she is Garuda.” Caesar took the trousers Situ Xiang handed him. He always carried his backpack with him, clearly a good habit. “Do you know why I brought him with me to search for the Mano Kingdom cemetery? It’s because she is Garuda! Garuda is the Buddha’s protector in Buddhist legend, never leaving the Buddha’s side. Ever since the Buddha attained enlightenment, she has always been there, wings outstretched, guarding him. Therefore, only she can obtain that treasure!”

Caesar found it incredible: "You mean she is the reincarnation of Garuda? But don't forget, not long ago you said that her previous life was Kui Ji, your beloved concubine."

Recalling his experience in the Devil City, Caesar's heart felt like it was being squeezed by a hand, a sharp pain shooting through him: "Although I have no memory of it, Uncle Manra once told me about the legend of Mano Kingdom. It was a legend that circulated in various countries of the Western Regions after Mano Kingdom defied the world by carrying out an anti-Buddhist movement."

"Let me tell you the story." Caesar felt a movement in his arms, and Qin Wen had already stood up, her dark eyes unusually bright.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Loss of Reason

"When did you wake up?" Caesar asked in surprise.

Qin Wen put on the clothes and pants that weren't hers, her eyes sparkling, clear as water: "Just now."

"How did you get out of the fire?" Situ Xiang asked.

Qin Wen turned around and looked at the gradually dying fire. Her face changed drastically in shock, filled with disbelief: "You mean... I just came out of that place?"

“Yes, you emerged from the flames like Hephaestus from Greek mythology.” Miller’s tone was calm, but his gaze towards her changed; he didn’t know whether to see her as a goddess or a demon. “Apart from your clothes being burned off, you are almost unharmed. Can you tell us what exactly happened to you?”

She watched the fire slowly disappear without any external force, until finally the magnificent hall was reduced to ruins. The air was filled with the stench of burning.

“Mr. Marchey, may I ask you to come over?” she suddenly said. “I have something to tell you.”

Marcie was taken aback and didn't suspect anything for a moment. He walked up to her, and she suddenly swung her hand hard. Marcie quickly raised his hand to block, but it turned out to be a feint. She kicked him in the stomach. He groaned and felt a tearing pain in his stomach. All his strength was drained in an instant, and he could only bend over.

"What are you doing?" Miller pressed his AK47 against her temple. She sneered, "I remember very clearly that before I lost consciousness, this bastard slapped me!"

Caesar's lips twitched twice, a bad feeling creeping over him. Given Qin Wen's vengeful nature, he wondered what method she would use to retaliate against him.

Marcel lay on the ground for a long time, unable to get up. Finally, he stood up, his stomach still cramping. He cursed and yelled, "You woman!"

"I kicked your dantian." Qin Wen revealed a harmless smile. "I didn't use much force, but it can instantly incapacitate someone. Learn from this; it might be useful in the future."

“You…” Marcie gripped his gun tightly, glanced at Situ Xiang and Caesar, knowing he was no match for them, and gritted his teeth. How could he be so unlucky as to be humiliated by this woman before he died?

"Don't stoop to the level of a little girl." Miller patted him on the back with the butt of his gun. "If you make it back alive, remember to take a few more combat training courses."

A surge of passion rushed to his head, and Marcie almost lost his mind, even mocking the captain he had always respected!

“Now that you’ve avenged yourself,” Caesar said, “shouldn’t you tell us about your dream journey?”

Qin Wen's gaze sharpened instantly. After a moment of silence, she said, "After that strange tree drained Hughes's blood, I suddenly felt as if some force had sealed my consciousness, leaving me mired in darkness. It was pitch black, like the pure blackness of the beginning of creation. Memories flashed through my mind like a movie, but many were blurred, and I could remember very little. However, I know very well that those memories were extremely cruel and sorrowful, like the death of my dearest loved one." Her brow furrowed slightly, and after a pause, she continued, "Then I seemed to see a beam of light appear in the darkness, and I flew out following that light. When I woke up, I was..." She glanced at Caesar, her face inexplicably flushed, "...right here."

“Wait, you said ‘fly’?” Situ Xiang interrupted her. She nodded. “That’s right. Not like a soul drifting, but like having a pair of wings. I could even hear the sound of wings flapping.”

The crowd exchanged glances, each harboring some doubts. Could she truly be the reincarnation of Garuda?

Is there really such an absurd thing in the world?

“You just mentioned a legend,” Caesar reminded her. She paused, then said, “Yes, this legend is one of the memories I recall in my dreams. More than 2,500 years ago, King Ebony of Mano ascended the throne. Unlike his father, he was not a devout Buddhist and even doubted Buddhist doctrines. At this time, a mysterious missionary came to the palace, claiming that Buddhism was a heresy and that only his own Kshatriya religion was the greatest and most correct. The people of Mano thought he was a madman, but King Ebony believed him, kept him in the palace, appointed him as the royal preceptor, and launched a massive anti-Buddhist campaign. Buddhists were persecuted, Buddhist scriptures were burned, and Buddha statues were smashed. In just seven years, people's minds were warped, and they began to believe in the Kshatriya heresy. But tyranny always attracts criticism and resistance. The Western Regions regarded Mano as a heretic, and a legend began to circulate among the people.” "Speak," she said. "King Ebony will be punished by Buddha. The omnipotent Buddha will send Garuda and Kinnara, two of the Eight Legions of Devas and Asuras, to punish King Mano and to save the Volgilians, who have been poisoned by the Kshatriya cult. Soon after, two dancers from the East appeared in the Western Regions. One was named Kui Ji, skilled in dancing, and the other Zhen Yan, skilled in playing the konghou and singing. They made a living by performing, and no one knew where they came from or where they were going. They were always wandering, like two rootless duckweeds." Her eyes dimmed, and her chest filled with sorrow. "I don't remember what happened after they arrived in Mano, but judging from the events in the Devil City, they were probably mistaken for the two gods who were supposed to punish King Ebony and were executed by him. It was only by chance that Kui Ji escaped and vowed to avenge her beloved sister, whom she depended on for survival, which ultimately led to the destruction of both countries."

“I don’t think it makes sense.” Situ Xiang thought for a while and said, “If Kui Ji really had the power to destroy a country, then how could she not have saved her good sister?”

Qin Wen bit her lower lip, unable to answer. No matter how she thought about it, the events that happened between the two dancers in Mano Kingdom remained a blur.

Why is this happening? Is it simply that the time isn't right?

"Wait a minute," Miller interrupted them, asking with a blank look, "What are the Eight Legions of the Heavenly Dragons?"

Qin Wen rolled her eyes. Luckily, Caesar and Situ Xiang were there, otherwise she would have been talking to a brick wall: "The Eight Legions of Heavenly Dragons, also known as the 'Eight Legions of Dragon Gods' or 'Eight Legions of Beings,' are terms that come from Buddhist scriptures. Many Mahayana Buddhist scriptures describe how the Buddha preached to bodhisattvas, monks, and others, and the Eight Legions of Heavenly Dragons often participated in listening to the Dharma. For example, in the Devadatta Chapter of the Lotus Sutra: 'The Eight Legions of Heavenly Dragons, humans, and non-humans all saw the dragon girl attain Buddhahood from afar.'"

'Non-humans' are beings that resemble humans in appearance but are not actually human. The Eight Classes of Devas and Nagas are all 'non-humans,' including eight kinds of divine monsters. Because the 'Devas' and 'Nagas' are the most important, they are called the 'Eight Classes of Devas and Nagas.' The eight classes are: 1. Devas, 2. Nagas, 3. Yakshas, 4. Gandharvas, 5. Asuras, 6. Garudas, 7. Kinnaras, and 8. Mahoragas.

The term "Devas" (天众) refers to gods, including prominent figures such as Mahamaya, Indra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and Skanda, among the Twenty Guardian Devas. In Buddhism, deities do not hold the highest position; they simply enjoy greater and longer-lasting blessings than humans. Buddhism teaches that all things are impermanent, and even deities die when their lifespan ends. There are five signs that a deity is nearing death: soiled clothes, withered flowers on their head, foul body odor, sweating under their armpits, and displeasure with their seat (the fifth sign is sometimes described as "the separation of children"). These are known as the "Five Signs of Decay of Devas," the greatest sorrow for them. Indra is the leader of all devas.

The "dragon" in the term "dragon pack" is roughly similar to the "dragon king" or "dragon" in Chinese legends, except it lacks feet; some large pythons are also called dragons. In fact, the Chinese concept of dragons and dragon kings mainly comes from Buddhist scriptures. Buddhist scriptures mention five, seven, eight, etc., dragon kings, etc. Ancient Indians greatly respected dragons, believing them to be the strongest of all creatures in the water. Therefore, people of high virtue were respectfully called "dragon elephants," such as "Westward Dragon," referring to a high-ranking monk from the West. Ancient Indians believed that rain was caused by dragons drawing water from the heavenly sea and sprinkling it on earth. The Chinese also accepted this belief, noting in almanacs how many dragons drew water to indicate the amount of rainfall that year. Among the dragon kings, there was one named Sagara, whose youngest daughter, at the age of eight, went to Vulture Peak, where Shakyamuni Buddha preached, and was transformed into a male, manifesting as the Buddha. When she attained Buddhahood, she was seen by the eight classes of gods and dragons.

'Yaksha' is a type of demon in Buddhist scriptures, with terms like 'Eight Great Yaksha Generals' and 'Sixteen Great Yaksha Generals'. The original meaning of 'Yaksha' is a god who can devour ghosts, and it also carries connotations of agility, courage, lightness, and secrecy. The Vimalakirti Sutra commentary states: Kumarajiva said: There are three kinds of Yakshas: 1. On earth; 2. In the sky; 3. Heavenly Yakshas. Nowadays, when we talk about 'Yaksha,' we usually mean evil spirits. However, in Buddhist scriptures, many Yakshas are benevolent; the Eight Great Yaksha Generals' mission is to 'protect the realm of sentient beings.'

The Gandharva, also known as the "Fragrance God," is a deity who does not consume meat or alcohol, but nourishes themselves solely through fragrance. They are one of the celestial musicians who serve Indra and are responsible for performing secular music. They emit a strong, lingering fragrance. In Sanskrit, "Gandharva" also means "unpredictable" or "mysterious." Magicians are also called Gandharvas, and mirages are called "Gandharva Cities." Both fragrance and music are ethereal and elusive, difficult to grasp.

The Asuras are a very special kind of deity; the men are extremely ugly, while the women are extremely beautiful. The Asura King often leads his forces in battle against Indra. Because the Asuras have beautiful women but no good food, while Indra has delicious food but no beautiful women, they are mutually jealous and vie for it. Every battle is fierce and devastating. The term "Asura field," referring to a battlefield littered with bombs and corpses, originates from this. In the end, the Asuras are often defeated. With nowhere to escape, they transform themselves and hide within the pores of lotus roots. The Asura King is irritable, stubborn, and jealous. When Shakyamuni Buddha preached the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Asura King preached the Five Foundations of Mindfulness; when Shakyamuni Buddha preached the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Asura King added one more, preaching the Thirty-Eight Factors of Enlightenment. Most of the myths in Buddhist scriptures are metaphors. The Asura King wielded immense power and ability, but he was prone to acting with an "I don't believe in evil" mentality and a "the more chaos, the better" attitude. Furthermore, the Asuras were extremely suspicious. The *Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra*, Volume 35, states: "Because the Asuras' minds were not upright, they constantly doubted the Buddha, believing that the Buddha sided with the gods. When the Buddha spoke of the 'Five Assemblies,' he claimed there were six, not explaining even one; when he spoke of the 'Four Noble Truths,' he claimed there were five, not mentioning a single thing." The "Five Assemblies" refer to the "Five Aggregates," and the Four Noble Truths are fundamental concepts in Buddhism. The Asuras, listening to the Buddha's teachings, suspected that the Buddha favored Indra and deliberately omitted one aspect.

'Garuda' refers to the 'Golden-Winged Bird God'. This is a large bird with wings adorned with various magnificent colors, and a large growth on its head, which is a wish-fulfilling jewel. This bird's cry is mournful, and it feeds on dragons. Old tales say that Yue Fei was the reincarnation of the 'Golden-Winged Garuda,' and Garuda is the Golden-Winged Garuda. It eats one dragon and five hundred smaller dragons every day. When it dies, it vomits poison and can no longer eat. It then flies up and down seven times, finally reaching the summit of Mount Vajra Wheel to die. Because it has fed on dragons (large poisonous snakes) its entire life, it has accumulated a great deal of poison in its body, and at the moment of death, the poison causes it to spontaneously combust. After its body burns away, only its heart remains, which is a pure blue-green color.