Histoires de fantômes

Chapitre 37

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that her courage in taking action far surpassed that of most men.

Tiger chuckled, "No wonder she's a top student from West Point. Perhaps one day she'll become the strongest contender for the next president!" His tone clearly conveyed admiration.

Tiger and I went into the tent, and almost simultaneously burst out laughing at each other: "What a pity! What a pity there's no wine!"

Meeting up with good friends without a glass of wine always feels incomplete. But what he said next inspired me even more than any alcohol—

"The secret of the Turkic pyramids should lie in the *Birakha Sutra*, so the most urgent task is to obtain the ancient texts, by any means necessary! You and I both know that those ancient texts were brought back from India by the great Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang. The secrets they contain are not about the rise and fall of Buddhism in the 'Mahayana and Hinayana' schools, but rather... but rather..."

The tiger was touching its nose again, seemingly searching for a suitable word to describe it.

The story of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang's journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures is familiar to every Chinese person, because the classic novel "Journey to the West" is based on this history and anecdotes.

Buddhist scriptures are profound and extensive, and no one has ever truly explored their infinite and far-reaching meaning. For example, there is a saying among Buddhist believers that has been passed down to this day: "Reciting the Diamond Sutra 100,000 times can eliminate karmic obstacles, overcome calamities, and quell evil spirits." No one can recite these "100,000 times" in their lifetime with a clear mind. Even monks who have entered the Buddhist order from birth and practiced until they are a hundred years old dare not claim with certainty that they have recited the "100,000 times" with trepidation and boundless devotion.

Buddhist disciples believe that "monks do not lie," so no one says "I've recited enough," which means "I haven't recited enough."

A Japanese Buddhist scholar once posed the question: "If one truly recites it 100,000 times, will one attain the supreme spiritual power described by the Buddha?" Furthermore, monks from four Buddhist temples in Hokkaido have already begun experimenting with this question, selecting one hundred five-year-old children recognized as having "wisdom potential," ordaining them as monks, and having them wholeheartedly recite the Diamond Sutra...

My thoughts drifted a little further away, and Tiger had already come up with a suitable metaphor: "That is the alien's 'heavenly book,' which could not be deciphered in India. So, after a vote by ten thousand monks, it was handed over to Master Xuanzang to take back to the Tang Dynasty in the East, hoping to use the wisdom of the monks of the Eastern Continent to decipher it."

Part 4: The Battle Between Heaven and Man

— Chapter 1 - Stealing the Scripture —

The tiger's claim is probably just another load of nonsense.

There are no fewer than a thousand legends about the "Biluo Huangquan Jing" in the martial arts world. Some say it is an ancient Buddhist book, some regard it as a Taoist classic, some say it is a record of the national history of ancient India... Now, the "heavenly book" theory of tigers has been added.

“Feng, actually, proving this is very simple. Just take it back and take a look, right? And you can make a copy in a few minutes. Then you can browse through it as you please and no one will care, right?” He waved his hand nonchalantly, as if taking that set of scriptures was just a matter of lifting a finger, as easy as taking something out of a bag.

"Tiger, how much do you really know about that ancient book?" I stood up to make coffee and heard Tiger sigh deeply, seemingly preoccupied with something. Stealing scriptures is no small matter. Since Gu Ye dared to bring the scriptures to the desert, he must have a way to protect them. Acting rashly could result in losing everything.

The coffee was ready, and Tiger sipped it silently, avoiding my earlier question, and changed the subject: "Feng, the world is a dangerous place. Someone as pure as you shouldn't have stepped into it. If you could join the academic archaeological organization in Italy, your future would definitely be bright..."

The academics do all the theoretical work, standing outside and talking big; that kind of stuff isn't for me. What I find strange is Tiger's current behavior—he hesitated several times, clearly harboring a lot of grievances.

"I'm going to steal the scriptures, Feng. If this involves you, please forgive me." He stated his intentions directly and frankly hoped that I would keep it a secret for him.

"Since you've already made up your mind to steal the scriptures, why bother telling me?" I was a little puzzled. With his, Song Jiu's, and Tang Xin's skills, stealing the scriptures shouldn't be difficult. Especially Song Jiu, who has an eccentric appearance but is exceptionally agile, seemingly a master of light-footed movement techniques. I believe that the special forces led by Gu Ye wouldn't be a match for them.

"Feng, with so many experts and gunmen in the camp, it's easy to see that she's only wary of you, even more so than of Scalpel and his sister. Heh heh, in all these years, I've never seen her so guarded against anyone. Congratulations, brother..." He inadvertently let slip that he and Tang Xin had been on the same side for years, I just didn't know it. It seems Tang Xin wasn't lying when she mentioned not using any poison on the tiger.

Lu Jiacan's voice blared through the camp's loudspeakers: "Attention all soldiers, from now on, block all traffic in the camp. No one is allowed to enter or leave freely until the control order is lifted."

Immediately, the sounds of Rainbow Warriors running and heavy weapons clashing rang out.

The tiger's expression changed slightly. He walked to the door, lifted a corner of the curtain, and peered outside. If the camp was truly under military control, even if they succeeded in stealing the scriptures, they probably wouldn't be able to escape safely.

I tried hard to recall the first time I saw Tengjia flipping through the scriptures; her expression was so focused and urgent, as if she were someone facing a difficult problem, consulting a dictionary for answers. "Could the secret of Tu Liehan really be..." The strange events occurring beneath the tomb were only circulating among a small group of us key members; Tang Xin and the other two weren't yet qualified to know. Since the tiger didn't ask, I naturally wouldn't reveal the secret.

"Wind, I want to tell you that in these seven years of wandering the world, you are the friend I value most. If one day I meet with misfortune, remember to come to my grave and pour a few cups of wine. Let's be brothers again in the next life!" Tiger's words were inexplicable, as if he were saying goodbye on his deathbed, and his expression was extremely serious, not like he was joking.

He must have been hiding a secret in his heart, otherwise he wouldn't have said goodbye to me so solemnly.

My heart warmed. Having a friend like him is one of the greatest joys in my life.

He lifted the curtain, stepped out, his steps unusually heavy. I called out urgently, "Tiger, what do you need me to do? What can I do to help you? Tell me!"

Since he's my brother, and since he's been honest with me about his next move, I have to do something to repay him.

He stopped outside the tent and answered in a low voice through the curtain: "If there are any unusual changes, I would be very grateful if you could slow down Gu Ye's movements for a few seconds."

It was another ambiguous statement full of doubt, just like what Tang Xin said to me last night, leaving me completely confused.

I paused, then chased after him, only to see Tiger's figure already inside Tang Xin's tent. I couldn't help but frown and let out a long sigh. This meeting, from Tiger's initial strangeness to his recent earnest words, was shrouded in mystery at every turn. Especially the sudden appearance of the three of them at Scalpel's villa, their erratic behavior, and the fact that they were looking for such a bizarre thing as the "Millennial Corpse Worm"—it was all truly baffling.

There was movement again from the direction of the well. The squad of soldiers led by Tina had come out of the well and then sealed the well with a huge iron lid.

The soldiers removed their gas masks and let out a series of scattered cheers, indicating that the disinfection mission had been completed relatively smoothly.

Tina saw me, waved vigorously, smiled broadly, and walked quickly towards me. Coincidentally, Suren also came out of the valley's tent, heading straight for me. Unexpectedly, the three of us stood together at the tent entrance.

The sun had moved directly overhead, bringing a warm and pleasant feeling.

The huge temperature difference between day and night in the desert is like traveling between the Arctic and the equator every twelve hours, which is extremely headache-inducing.

"Mr. Feng, what are your thoughts on the special meeting this afternoon?" Tina smiled charmingly and without a hint of guile, but I could sense the raw hostility between the two girls. If this hostility stemmed from me, it was certainly not my intention.

Suren was smiling at me too, a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth. In her left hand she carried a state-of-the-art black men's field jacket, and in her right a large bag of field rations. Her demeanor seemed to exude an understated yet captivating charm; the items she carried unmistakably indicated our intimate relationship. More importantly, since the series of strange events, we had been sharing a tent, and to outsiders, our relationship naturally appeared far more intimate than most.

"I'd like to hear more from Mr. Scalpel and High Priest Natura, but—Tina, your disinfection team didn't tamper with the ancient well, did they?" I said with a wry smile, secretly worried for Tengjia. It would be a huge joke if he survived the mysterious pyramid encounter only to be killed by the Egyptian army's disinfectant.

Tina's laughter grew even more unrestrained, her slender waist swaying like a willow in the spring breeze: "Mr. Feng, it seems... you care more about Miss Tengjia's safety than anyone else. Could it be that she is also your confidante? Internationally, everyone knows that Chinese men are gentle and affectionate, and know best how to be considerate of women. Now, we can see just the tip of the iceberg in you—alas, it's a pity that Miss Tengjia can't hear your concern for her..."

She glanced at Suren intentionally or unintentionally, with a mocking smile.

I had absolutely no interest in Ms. Fujika, and besides, my sense of "Greater China" wouldn't allow me to develop feelings for a Japanese girl. As for Tina's provocations, I could only offer a wry smile.

After Tina's laughter stopped, seeing that Suren was only smiling and silent, she had no chance to press further and simply ended her sentence: "I specifically instructed the soldiers to spray the medicine several times near the ancient well. We can't worry about what's below for now; ensuring the safety of the camp is the most important thing."

I stomped my feet twice to vent my frustration. It was a pity that I had already exhausted myself yesterday, otherwise I would definitely have insisted on going down the well to search.

Su Lun picked up the conversation: "Brother Feng, the matter of going down the well must be carefully considered, and it can only be implemented after everyone's approval and support. Otherwise, no one will agree to your reckless actions." Although her voice was soft, her words became increasingly serious.

“That wasn’t reckless action, but rather… Of course, I believe the Rainbow Warriors could do the same thing, but I heard that mysterious call—a call only I could hear—so I had to go down the well myself to see for myself before I could feel at ease!”

I would rather stubbornly stick to my own ideas. That mysterious calling had firmly gripped my curiosity, and I would regret it for the rest of my life if I could not go down the well myself.

From the watchtower in the center of the camp, four rapid-fire machine guns and six snipers held a commanding view, controlling all four sides of the camp. In particular, the latest heavy sniper rifles from European weapons companies could take down a fast-moving rabbit within a kilometer as easily as child's play.

Therefore, with Lu Jiacan's command, no one could escape this vast desert. One can imagine the immense risk a tiger would have to take if it had even considered stealing the scriptures and trying to escape.

Under the sunlight, the scope of the sniper rifle occasionally reflected a blinding white light.

This was Tina's territory, so she had every reason to be arrogant and domineering: "Alright, since Mr. Feng insists on going down the well to take a look, then after our all-powerful Egyptian Rainbow Warriors have cleaned up the scene at the bottom of the well, I will send someone to escort you down, how about it? Hahahaha..."

Before I could answer, she had already swaggered toward Tanino's tent. It had now been converted into Scalpel and Natura's temporary office, with only a small section at the back serving as Tanino's private bedroom.

Suren stared silently at the watchtower for a while, then lowered his head, blinking repeatedly as he muttered something.

I haven't fully recovered and have no interest in Tina and Suren's work. Now that Scalpel and Natura have arrived at the camp, their authority and responsibilities have been significantly reduced.

Back in the tent, Suren placed the leather jacket on my bed, smiling. "This is the latest ultra-lightweight bulletproof vest, a gift from your brother. It might come in handy if you really need to go down to the ancient well." As she spoke, she let out a long, melancholy sigh, covering her face with her hands, as if she were under immense pressure and on the verge of collapse.

Everyone experiences stress, just to varying degrees. For example, right now, I'm constantly worried about Tiger. I really don't want my only friend to be shot to death by a sniper rifle bullet and left to rot in the wilderness.

Part 4: The Battle Between Heaven and Man

— Chapter 2 - Top Secret Meeting —

“Brother Feng, I’m so… so confused, you know? I suspect there’s something wrong with your mind, or maybe something mysterious has invaded your brain. He’s… he’s a different person now… a complete stranger…”

Suren's words startled me; the sorrow and grief on her face were like cumulonimbus clouds before a storm, thick and heavy.

I heard these words only once, and I remembered every single one clearly, but I still don't understand what she meant.

"Don't understand?" Suren smiled wryly, opened the food bag, took out a small bag of compressed biscuits, tore it open, took out a piece, and held it tightly in his hand.

"I don't understand." I went to pour her some water, using the pacing motion to release my pent-up shock.

"Actually, this matter is indeed hard to understand. Brother Feng, if... you don't understand, just take it as a joke. However, before coming to the camp, I sealed some information in the largest bank vault in Cairo. The serial number is 218, and the password is 'Even the waters of the Nile that flow from the canal cannot wash away my love for you.'"

I placed the paper cup in her hand, forcing a casual smile: "Why are you telling me?"

She tilted her head back, and deep in her eyes, glistening tears rolled incessantly.

"Don't worry, we'll all be fine. We'll finish the excavation soon and get out of the desert," I reassured her, even though I knew these words didn't really mean anything.

"Brother Feng, can you... hug me..." Her face was pale, showing no trace of girlish shyness.

I was startled, opened my arms, and leaned down to put my arm around her shoulder, feeling her body trembling violently. When my face touched her left cheek, all I felt was an astonishing chill.

"I'm so cold... I'm so scared..." She put down the paper cup, wrapped her arms around my waist, and held me tightly.

I gently patted Suren's back, my mind racing with the words she had just spoken: "What exactly happened to the scalpel? Is Suren just being paranoid, or...?"

The embrace lasted a full five minutes. Suren buried her head in my chest, her voice incredibly low: "Brother Feng, I know that what I'm saying will only make the situation in the camp more chaotic. However, never completely trust anyone, especially when it comes to matters in the tomb. Even the most insignificant thing could lead to an irreparable mistake. Promise me—"

I tried to burst out laughing to break the heavy, oppressive atmosphere in the tent, but a forced smile wouldn't come. If even the mastermind behind this whole thing malfunctioned, how could the excavation work proceed?

Time always passes by unnoticed. When we finally separated from our embrace, the sun was already setting, and the start time of the top-secret meeting was fast approaching.

"Suren, what exactly is it that makes you start to have doubts?" I hope to prove her wrong.

Suren took out a handkerchief to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and silently shook her head: "Brother Feng, remember the password I left behind, perhaps... perhaps..."

Before the series of bizarre changes in the camp had even ended, Suren suddenly brought up this strange topic, which really made my head spin and I couldn't adapt.

By the time the meeting began, Suren had regained her composure.

There were nine people present: myself, Suren, Scalpel, Natula, Tina, Lu Jiacan, James, Cheney, and Elder Sahan, who looked indifferent. The core topic of the meeting was the procedures for searching the secrets underground after disinfection.

Natura, high above, was a world apart from Sahan, who sat silently in a corner. In particular, the smug and arrogant smile on his face made everyone present feel an indescribable sense of oppression.

“Sahan, tell me about the inscriptions on the well wall! You are the wisest man in the Egyptian desert, I'm sure you can offer some brilliant insights, right?” Natura held a cup of Nescafé that the guards had just prepared, looking down at Sahan with the tone of ordering a nameless henchman.

Youlian did not have the right to attend the meeting and should currently be kept far away by the guards outside the security line of the large tent.

Sahan shook his head and replied indifferently, "No comment."

Natura gave a tolerant smile: "Oh? Didn't you claim in the oases of the western desert that you have the superpower of 'divine eyes' and can see through the past five hundred years of our entire African continent? Could it be that all that was just nonsense you told to fool the people?"

It was clear that they didn't see eye to eye.

In reality, the relationship between the leaders of the two major religious sects is like that of the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States—aside from constant open and covert struggles, there are no other amicable interactions. If it weren't for the scalpel's insistence, Sahan would likely have been excluded from this top-secret meeting.

Sahan stood up, his right hand hidden under his left armpit, and bent forward, giving Natura a strange bow.

Natura chuckled coldly: "Sahan, are you trying to 'challenge' me?"

After bowing, Sahan sat down without saying a word.

Natura slammed the cup he was holding onto the table with a loud bang, sending brown coffee flying everywhere.

The term "questioning" is commonly found in Chinese Buddhist anecdotes, and is equivalent to a "challenge" between martial arts masters. However, the way monks question each other is more gentle, using the verbal skills of "meditation and enlightenment".

The meaning of Sahan's earlier etiquette was no different from saying, "I don't understand, please explain."

Natura let out another cold laugh, revealing a pair of gleaming white canine teeth on either side of his mouth, instantly exuding a ferocious aura: "My way of solving problems is like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, with overwhelming force. I send our finest rainbow warriors from the Egyptian desert down to the bottom of the well. What do we care about demons and monsters? Do they think they can withstand our heavy machine gun fire?"

Sometimes, this brute-force approach is the only way to solve a problem, and the only one who might suffer is Fujika himself, who is stuck in the well.

Elder Sahan nodded: "Very good, wise." His tone was extremely sarcastic.

Natura burst into wild laughter, and the wooden chair beneath him creaked and groaned. He wasn't particularly large or muscular, but the fierce and wild aura emanating from his eyes and gestures made me feel uncomfortable even from ten paces away.

Within Egypt, the High Priest wields immense power, second only to the President. The President often needs him to reassure the people, so Natura's arrogance is understandable; anyone in his position would likely be equally disdainful.