La reaparición del toro de hierro

Capítulo 11

What do these gestures mean? If Lu Shaohuai didn't set them up, then who did? Why were these gestures made? Why are they the key to breaking Miss Peng's curse? And if they're broken, will Miss Peng's soul truly be freed?

Ah, could it be the white-haired man who saved Zhang Xiaodi and Liu Bin?

If those gestures are sign language...

Xu Xian searched his memory for sign language gestures.

1942------Lin Mei------Female------Gesture:

"When we took the handcuffs off, we saw that right hand, which was nothing but bones, raised up, as if pointing at the person opposite..."

1962------Xiao Xiao------Female------Gesture:

"She also made a gesture; it was the same struggling gesture she made when she died, with her hands raised above her head. But everyone assumed it was her struggling, so they didn't notice."

1982------Liu Ye------Female------Gesture:

"It was a female student, hanging in the air, but one of her hands, which should have been at her sides, was instead covering her chest. That should count as a hand gesture, right? Four hand gestures in total, what does it all mean?"

2002------Xiao Tong------Female------Gesture:

"The thumbs and forefingers of both hands are pinched together, forming a circle with each hand. It feels like the movement in a peacock dance, except that the circles of the two hands are interlocked, like a chain."

2002------Yang Tao------Male-------Gesture:

"With the left hand, clench the four fingers except for the thumb, as if making a gesture of praise, raising the thumb. Gently place the right palm on the left hand."

Ah! I see. Xu Xian sorted out the clues about the gestures. Suddenly, he remembered seeing a similar gesture in a TV series about people with disabilities. Thinking about it carefully, it was almost the same, although the expressions of the gestures had changed a little over the past hundred years, but the general meaning should be similar.

So the first puzzle is solved. Now the question is, who would use this gesture?

Throughout this entire incident, only two people knew sign language and could give such an answer. If it wasn't him, then could it be "she"?

No way! How could it be her?

Even if the assumption is correct, what is her purpose? Is she trying to imply something to him? Or is there something else at play?

"I can't let them go!" Lu Shaohuai's roar pulled Xu Xian back to reality.

Some mysteries have been solved, but many more remain unsolved. Xu Xian composed himself. He now knew the answer to Lu Shaohuai's question, so he wasn't too worried about Liu Bin and Liu Quan's danger for the time being. Of course, getting them safely away would be the best outcome. If not… he would find a way to stall him until they were both safe.

"Shall we make a deal?" Xu Xian said calmly to the exasperated Lu Shaohuai.

"trade?"

“Yes. You can start asking questions now. But for every question I answer, you have to grant me one request.” Xu Xian stared intently at Lu Shaohuai, calculating his own thoughts.

"But I only have one question to ask you."

"Hehe, now that I've answered the first question, you're bound to have a second one to ask," Xu Xian said half-jokingly.

"Oh? You're so sure?" Lu Shaohuai looked at Xu Xian, who seemed completely different, with some surprise, thinking: Could it be that he really has the answer I'm looking for?

"Yes," Xu Xian said confidently and affirmatively.

"Okay, I promise you." Lu Shaohuai was impressed by Xu Xian's confidence.

"You should make a vow using the Promise Spell first, otherwise I'm afraid you won't keep your promise," Xu Xian cautiously requested.

"You... alright, as long as you can answer one of my questions, I can grant you one condition. If you go back on your word, your soul will be scattered and you will never be reincarnated." Lu Shaohuai's mood grew increasingly anxious, and it wasn't surprising that he was so impatient. Only he knew that today was the last day of the hundred-year period. If there was no answer by then, Xinrui's soul would be gone forever. He couldn't let all his efforts go to waste. Having seen countless people, he believed that the young man before him was a man of integrity.

“Okay, go ahead and ask,” Xu Xian nodded to Lu Shaohuai.

"It's still the same question, what did those gestures mean?" Lu Shaohuai stared intently at Xu Xian, as if he would make sure Xu Xian met a terrible end if he dared to deceive him.

"Don't you understand the meaning of those gestures?" Xu Xian retorted, then gestured with his hand as he spoke.

"The first gesture is like this, which represents..."

"Everything?" Before Xu Xian could speak, Lu Shaohuai blurted out the answer.

Xu Xian nodded in affirmation, then made a second gesture.

"The second gesture is like this..."

"because?"

"The third gesture is like this."

"I!"

"The fourth gesture is like this."

"like!"

"The fifth gesture is like this."

"you!"

“Yes, the full meaning of these gestures is ‘Everything because I love you.’” Xu Xian repeated the meaning of the last gesture in a complete and coherent manner when Lu Shaohuai said it, and at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief that he had not guessed the answer wrong.

Actually, these answers are quite simple for someone who knows sign language. It's just that Lu Shaohuai never thought about these gestures in a coherent way after using the Soul Separation Technique, which is why he's so puzzled here. Perhaps this is the principle of "the one involved is confused, while the bystander sees clearly."

"How could this be the answer?" Lu Shaohuai found it hard to believe.

"I've already answered one of your questions, shouldn't you also keep your promise and grant me one request?"

"Go ahead and say it," Lu Shaohuai replied, neither daring to break his promise.

"Undo Liu Bin's soul-capturing spell," Xu Xian thought. If Liu Bin's soul-capturing spell could be broken, at least he could help take care of Liu Quan.

"Well... okay."

Lu Shaohuai walked up to Liu Bin and murmured a few words before returning to his original spot.

"Huh??? Where am I?" Liu Bin, who had just come to his senses, seemed a little bewildered by everything in front of him.

"Are you alright?" Xu Xian asked with concern.

"Huh? Xu Xian? Wu Xi? Where is this? Didn't we go into the basement? Hey, look at Liu Quan, how come he can fall asleep like that? And why do you look so disheveled? Wu Xi, why are you making such a cool face all year round..." Liu Bin rambled on, his nerves as thick as Zhang Xiaodi's, he didn't notice the faint smell of blood in the air.

“Liu Bin, stop fooling around. This is the basement. The Wu Xi in front of you isn’t the real Wu Xi anymore; he’s the mastermind behind this—Mr. Lu Shaohuai. Don’t ask any more questions. Liu Quan has fainted; you just need to take good care of him.” Xu Xian gave a brief explanation to the bewildered Liu Bin, his eyes constantly fixed on Lu Shaohuai, fearing he might do something harmful to Liu Bin and the others.

Liu Bin didn't know who Lu Shaohuai was, but seeing Xu Xian's expression, he knew now wasn't a good time to ask questions. So he quickly dragged Liu Quan to a relatively safe place, keeping a close eye on Xu Xian and "Wu Xi's" movements, while also sorting out his own thoughts.

"Alright, I've fulfilled my promise now. May I ask my second question?" Lu Shaohuai had to admit that after receiving that answer to his first question, he, as Xu Xian had predicted, wanted to ask a second one.

This kid is quite capable. Although his magic isn't very advanced, he's very clever. If it were a hundred years earlier, he could probably be a guest of honor for me, Lu Shaohuai.

"Of course, go ahead and ask," Xu Xian replied generously. He already knew roughly what the other person was going to ask, even though he wasn't entirely sure of the answer. But he was still willing to take the gamble.

"Do you know who created those gestures to follow me?" Lu Shaohuai asked, although he had a vague idea in his mind, but he dismissed it because it was too impossible.

"Who else do you think could make this gesture without you noticing? Who else do you think would use this meaning to hint at something to you?" Xu Xian countered.

"Could it be...!!! Impossible! Impossible!" Xu Xian's question brought back the thought that had been suppressed.

"You guessed right, it's Miss Peng, the woman you love and want to save—Peng Xinrui," Xu Xian said, revealing the name that could never be true.

"But wasn't her soul sealed? Why could she still make those gestures? Could it be that she didn't? But why won't she see me?" Lu Shaohuai was so shocked by this answer that he was somewhat incoherent. He did think it might be her, but there was no way she could have done these things.

"Okay, for my answer to the second question, you must fulfill one more condition of mine."

"Go ahead and tell me," Lu Shaohuai said, already somewhat agitated. He just wanted to know the truth. A hundred years... why did things turn out differently than expected?

"Get them there safely. I'll stay here." Xu Xian just wanted to get Liu Bin and the others out of danger as soon as possible. Although apart from the earlier slight loss of control, there was basically no real danger, but as long as they stayed here, there would still be a risk. Getting them out of danger first was the most important thing. Then he would figure out how to get Wu Xi and himself out of danger. But before that, he had to permanently resolve all the grudges.

"Okay, but you have to swear you'll help me rescue Xinrui." In his desperation, Lu Shaohuai actually asked Xu Xian for help. This statement surprised both Xu Xian and Lu Shaohuai themselves.

Xu Xian thought: Lu Shaohuai isn't a very bad person. Although he now possesses the power to destroy the world, he hasn't done so. He's just a devoted lover waiting to rescue his beloved. Although he has killed many people, many grudges and entanglements are difficult to judge as right or wrong by worldly standards.

"Okay. I promise you." Xu Xian solemnly promised Lu Shaohuai.

After Lu Shaohuai finished his incantation, Liu Bin and Liu Quan disappeared into a raging storm.

Outside the library, Jiang Yu anxiously watched the library doors, hoping Xu Xian would run out safely and wave and hug them. But three hours had passed since Xu Xian's only report that he was safe. Xu Xian had said that if he hadn't returned in four hours, it meant he was...

Pshaw... What nonsense are you thinking? He'll be fine.

"No, I have to go find him. It's all my fault. I'll sort it out myself." Zhang Xiaodi was an impatient person. Watching the time tick by without any news from Xu Xian, the guilt and self-blame in his heart made it hard for him to breathe.

"Calm down. Don't you think things are going to get complicated enough?" Li Ke's good temper had completely worn out by this point.

Are they just going to stand by and watch Xu Xian leave? No way, they've promised to be good brothers. Besides, it wasn't his fault in the first place. Li Ke clenched his fist.

"Time is running out. We can't wait until four hours have passed before we go to get reinforcements. Xiao Di, Captain Jiang, you two go to Shaolin Temple to find Master Yuanyin. Make sure you're back by tomorrow morning. I'll stay here and keep watch." Li Ke decisively assigned the tasks.

"No, it's too dangerous here. I'm a police officer, I should stay. You two go, and come back quickly." Jiang Yu knew she couldn't leave Li Ke alone in this suspicious campus.

Just then, a strong wind arose, blowing the three people who were arguing back and forth wildly.

Not long after, the strong wind stopped. With a "thud," two people fell from a tree not too high up next to the three of them.

Li Ke looked closely and shouted with joy.

"It's Liu Bin and Liu Quan."

It was indeed the two of them. Liu Quan was still unconscious, while Liu Bin was still in a daze due to a series of events.

"Wow, they're back." Zhang Xiaodi was about to run over and give them a big hug, but Jiang Yu stopped her.

"Wait, their appearance is too strange. You'd better be careful, it might be a trap." Jiang Yu, as expected of the criminal investigation captain, always knew that caution was always wise.

“That’s right. Let’s test them,” Li Ke whispered to them.

"Okay, I'll go first." Zhang Xiaodi loved playing pranks on people. "Liu Bin, where did you hide my black socks the day before yesterday?"

"You? Black socks? Haha, come on, are you out of your mind? Everyone in our dorm knows you hate black socks the most, and I also know you only ever wear white socks. You have the nerve to say I hid your black socks?" Liu Bin was a little confused by Zhang Xiaodi's sudden question.

"It seems he really is Liu Bin," Zhang Xiaodi whispered to Li Ke.

“I have a way.” Li Ke pulled a small mirror out of his pocket.

"Isn't this Xu Xian's demon-revealing mirror? How did it end up here with you?" Zhang Xiaodi asked curiously.

“When I left this morning, I noticed he forgot to take it. I was planning to give it to him when we came together, but I was in such a rush that I forgot. Now it’s come in handy.” Li Ke said, glancing at Liu Bin, who was dragging Liu Quan toward them.

"They're all fine, but Liu Quan seems a bit strange," Li Ke said, frowning.

Zhang Xiaodi, who had just heard Li Ke say that everything was fine, was about to take Liu Quan from Liu Bin's hands when he heard the second half of Li Ke's sentence, and he jumped back a big step in fright.

"Is there a problem?" Zhang Xiaodi asked nervously.

“I didn’t say he had a problem. I just said his coma seemed a bit strange.” Li Ke rolled his eyes at Zhang Xiaodi, who was making a big fuss, and went to Liu Bin, taking Liu Quan from his hands.

"Captain Jiang, I don't think Liu Quan is doing very well. I need Xiao Di to take Liu Quan to the hospital for a check-up. I hope you can send one or two people with him so they can take care of him. Liu Bin, stay behind and explain the situation inside," Li Ke calmly instructed.

"Okay. That's how it is now." Jiang Yu quickly made a phone call. Then, she had Zhang Xiaodi, who was unwilling but had no way to argue, carry Liu Quan to the hospital.