Alma Espejo Antigua

Capítulo 23

"Such a thing is possible? That's incredibly bizarre."

"I will send someone to Songlang Village to verify this."

Chen Chen nodded, still finding it unbelievable, and muttered, "Summoning undead to kill?"

Xu Haicheng returned to his office and immediately deployed the criminal police officers. Detective Wu was sent to Songlang Village, Detective Fang was sent to the TV station to investigate, Detective Hong went to the Shenzhouxing card sales point, and Detective Tong went to check the personnel of the Nuo dance troupes from various places... He and Pan Xiaolu went to the Nanpu City Archaeological Research Institute together.

While in the car, Xu Haicheng studied the members of the organizing committee.

Honorary Director: Mayor of Nampo City.

Director: Yu Congrong.

Executive Deputy Director: The Deputy Mayor of Nampo City in charge of culture.

Deputy Directors: Huang Yisen, Deputy Director of the Nanpu Archaeological Institute; Lei Yunshan, Professor of the Department of Archaeology, Nanpu University; Gan Guodong, Director of the National Nuo Culture Research Center; and Tu Chunfang, Dean of the School of Humanities, Nanpu University.

The organizing committee has four subcommittees: the Strategic Planning Working Committee, the Policy Guidance Working Committee, the Professional and Technical Working Committee, and the Secretariat. These subcommittees have a considerable number of members, and these are the people who actually do the work.

Then I saw the TV station faxed me the program schedule for the cultural festival interviews. This program started nine days before the festival's opening and continued until its conclusion, from November 1st to November 25th. Before the opening, the interviews mainly focused on members of the organizing committee; during the festival, they featured interviews with prominent figures from the Chinese and international cultural circles participating in the festival. The first interview, airing on November 1st, featured the festival's executive vice-chairman, who was also the vice-mayor of Nanpu City in charge of culture. The interview mainly covered the significance of the festival. The second interview, airing on November 2nd, featured the director of the Strategic Planning Working Committee, focusing on the festival's concept. The third interview, airing on November 3rd, featured Yu Congrong, a highly respected businessman. The interview covered his contributions to culture and his personal business experiences. The fourth and fifth interviews featured Lei Yunshan, focusing on the discovery and excavation of the Manxi ancient tomb. Due to popular demand, a hotline and SMS platform were also added.

Section 44: Chapter Eight, Part One of the Calamities (4)

Xu Haicheng noticed that only the episode featuring Yu Congrong did not have a live audience, so he called producer Feng to ask why.

"This is what Mr. Yu requested."

"Oh? Why would he make such a request?"

Producer Feng hesitated for a moment, "Well, how should I put it? It's the problem with rich people. When he came to our TV station, he brought four bodyguards, one of whom was always with him, even accompanying him to the restroom."

Xu Haicheng was even more confused after hearing this. Because Fang Li was close to the Yu family and often mentioned Yu Congrong and Guan Shuxian, he knew a little about the two of them.

Guan Shuxian goes without saying; she is a typical virtuous wife and loving mother who puts her husband first.

Yu Congrong is much more complex in comparison. He is a shrewd businessman with excellent relations with the government, an active philanthropist, and is hailed as a leader in the business community of Nanpu City. Of course, the business world is like a battlefield, and it is inevitable that he will offend people for the sake of interests. Whenever this happens, he will show his iron-fisted side and always manage to nip danger in the bud.

Fang Li mentioned that Yu Congrong had a bodyguard who had been disguised as an assistant and followed him for nearly ten years. In other words, for ten years, he had only one bodyguard and had always been safe and sound. Now, his status, wealth, and position haven't changed, and there's been no news of him being kidnapped or threatened, yet suddenly he has three bodyguards. Could there be something else going on?

Xu Haicheng suddenly felt it was very necessary to visit Yu Congrong as soon as possible.

Just as Xu Haicheng had figured out the connection between the cultural festival organizing committee and the cultural festival interview program, the archaeological institute arrived.

Huang Yisen received the two men in his office. He looked just as Xu Haicheng remembered him, with dark skin and a touch of dust on his skin. After exchanging pleasantries, the three men took their seats.

"Director Huang, you must know about Professor Lei Yunshan's passing, right?"

Huang Yisen nodded, his face etched with grief. He and Lei Yunshan had always collaborated seamlessly, excavating the ancient tombs of Manxi together, organizing the Manxi Cultural Festival, and of course, working together on many other projects. Suppressing his sorrow, he said, "I just saw the news. Did Professor Lei really die of a heart attack?"

This was the publicly announced cause of Lei Yunshan's death, and his family believed it. Therefore, Huang Yisen's question seemed suspicious. Xu Haicheng pondered for a moment and asked, "Chief Huang, what are you suspecting?"

Huang Yisen thought for a moment and said, "To be honest, our organizing committee has received threatening emails."

When did this happen?

"That is, the day before yesterday, November 1st."

"Oh? Why wasn't the police called?"

Huang Yisen sighed and said, "I didn't take it seriously."

What did the email say?

"It's pretty much what Professor Lei said on the phone last night," Huang Yisen repeated in a low voice. "The soul is immortal, life goes on forever. You have blasphemed a noble soul and will be punished by the god Amansi. The god will tear your throat, destroy your will, take your life, and condemn you to eternal darkness."

God will tear your throat, destroy your will, take your life, and condemn you to eternal darkness.

This statement does fit the circumstances of Lei Yunshan, He Qing, and Xu San's deaths. Xu Haicheng's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Professor Lei also knows about this email?"

Huang Yisen nodded.

No wonder Lei Yunshan turned pale when he heard those words on the hotline; perhaps he realized that the email was not a prank.

"Did Lao Lei really die from a sudden myocardial infarction?" Huang Yisen asked again.

Xu Haicheng nodded and said, "Yes." He didn't mention that Lei Yunshan suffered a sudden myocardial infarction after being frightened, mainly because he didn't want to cause unnecessary panic.

Huang Yisen still had some doubts, saying, "Old Lei has always been in good health."

"Director Huang, please tell me the email address used for that email."

Huang Yisen gave his email address, and Xu Haicheng told Pan Xiaolu to send it to the technical department as soon as possible to search for the IP address of the threatening email.

"Director Huang, we suspect that someone might not want the cultural festival to go smoothly and could potentially harm the organizing committee members. So please be careful when you go out and try not to be alone." Huang Yisen had just breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Lei Yunshan had died of an acute myocardial infarction, but upon hearing Xu Haicheng's words, his heart jumped into his throat again. He nodded.

"Director Huang, I heard you went to the Tongtianling altar for archaeological work this summer."

Huang Yisen's expression changed visibly, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes. Although he calmed down, his fingers, resting on his knees, kept tapping, a gesture that conveyed unease. "Yes, it's still the information you provided," he said with a forced smile.

"That underground cave of heads on the second basement level is a truly terrifying place, isn't it?"

Section 45: Chapter Eight, Part One of the Calamities (5)

"A little..." Huang Yisen lowered his head to hide his expression.

"Director Huang, when did your team of ten from the Archaeological Institute depart this summer? When did you arrive at the Tongtianling Altar? And when did you return?"

Huang Yisen thought for a long time before saying, "We set off from Nanpu City on August 5th and stayed overnight in Songlang Village; we arrived at Tongtianzhai on the evening of August 6th, set up camp at Tongtianling the next morning, and began archaeological work that afternoon. We left Tongtianling on August 11th."