Histoires de fantômes

Chapitre 176

The sun was already high in the sky when I noticed a black reef protruding from the sea in the southwest direction of Shentou Town. It looked like a newly ripened lotus seedpod, about twenty meters square, standing alone in the sea.

The travel magazine calls that reef "Ghost Eye Lotus" because it only emerges from the water when the tide recedes in winter. At other times, it is hidden underwater, and when viewed from a helicopter, it looks like a ghost eye hidden underwater.

When I first passed through Shentou Town, I was shocked by its strange layout, but after a series of earth-shattering changes in Fengge Temple, I became used to it and felt at peace.

Xiao Lai tried hard to break the silence in the car, pointing at the "Ghost Eye Lotus Seedpod" and looking at me in the rearview mirror: "Mr. Feng, every year when the cherry blossoms bloom, a kind of giant crab called 'Sadako Crab' appears on those rocks over there. Each one is the size of two palms. After you pry open its belly button, the female crab will reveal a face like Sadako's ghost, while the male crab looks like the back of a woman's head, with long, black hair..."

Guan Baoling let out a soft "Ah!" and grabbed my sleeve. Sadako's terrifying image, spread globally with the release of the DVD of *The Ring*, has become synonymous with Japanese horror films; no wonder she was so frightened. I really wonder if anyone would eat food with such a disgusting name?

Xiao Lai and Xiao Keleng turned around to look at her almost simultaneously, and the atmosphere became extremely awkward.

"Really?" My face must have turned red, especially after seeing the strange indifference in Xiao Ke's eyes.

“Really.” Xiao Keleng answered for Xiao Lai, but then immediately changed the subject: “Mr. Feng, after entering the temple gate, I felt a strong, eerie wind coming towards me. It was more than level six according to the wind force standard. I saw with my own eyes that the two monks in front of me were blown away by the wind and fell into the snow.”

She tapped her hand on the dashboard, pondered for a moment, and continued, "The powerful airflow formed by ghostly energy and killing intent has a very clear origin and trajectory. It comes from the 'Tower of the Dead' and rushes out of the temple gate. Can you feel it?"

I frowned, and waited for Guan Baoling to sit up again before cautiously speaking, "No, I was at least thirty meters behind you when I entered the temple gate."

The car was now on the straight road leading to Xunfuyuan, and we would be back at the villa in a few minutes. Because of what Xiao Keleng had said earlier, I no longer felt like I was "going home," and I had a feeling that this old house in front of me would soon be razed to the ground and cease to exist.

The most pitiful people are those without a home, but compared to us, Xiao Keleng must feel even more desolate. Not only is he homeless, but he has also been exiled by the country and is now wandering in Japan in anonymity.

Xiao Lai glanced uneasily at the rearview mirror, then continued Xiao Keleng's topic: "Mr. Feng, I felt it too. It was a whirlwind with more than a dozen different types of torque—"

This sentence was hard to understand; at least Guan Baoling didn't quite get it. She shrugged and made a confused "what does that mean?" expression. The car's air conditioning was very strong, so even though we were soaked to the bone, we weren't shivering from the cold. However, her hair was completely wet and hanging down her back, making her look a bit disheveled.

I nodded without saying anything. Xiao Lai's meaning was clear: it wasn't natural wind, but some kind of "artificial wind" controlled by a special force. His thinking was very sharp; he must have connected it to a skill like the most advanced "splitting palm" technique in Chinese martial arts.

Xiao Keleng suddenly called out softly, "A taxi?"

Sure enough, a yellow taxi drove up towards us, its "for hire" light clearly lit. As the two cars passed each other, the driver even nodded kindly to us. This road leads directly to the villa with no other side roads, so an empty taxi should prove that outsiders had arrived at the villa.

Guan Baoling smiled: "It's Miss Gu, isn't it?"

My phone is still in my pocket, but it's been soaked and is beyond repair. Even if someone calls it a thousand times, there won't be any response. Judging by the timeline, it really could be Gu Qingcheng. If I go out in this completely soaked state, people will laugh at me.

The car drove into the villa gate. On the steps outside the hall, Wang Jiangnan, dressed neatly, was exchanging pleasantries with a girl. Xiao Lai turned the steering wheel and drove the car towards Guan Baoling's room on the right. He was smart; he didn't want anyone to see Guan Baoling and me in our disheveled state.

Xiao Keleng and Guan Baoling got out of the car, leaving Xiao Lai and me inside for the time being. She took Guan Baoling to change her clothes and brought them back for me. As soon as we returned here, her status as the head of the household became apparent without her even realizing it.

Xiao Lai looked around and exclaimed in genuine amazement, "The villa has changed so much. It was more than a hundred times more powerful than it was before we left."

Indeed, the four camouflaged watchtowers stood tall, each topped with four sniper rifles arranged in a cross shape, along with four assault rifles and four submachine guns. I expected that they would also contain concealed shoulder-fired rocket launchers, specifically the third-generation Azuka model currently used by the U.S. Army, capable of penetrating the side armor of light tanks in close to medium-range combat.

The U.S. military's counterterrorism experts are not just empty names; without them, the casualties of the multinational forces in the counterterrorism war in Afghanistan and the postwar administration in Iraq would have increased by hundreds of times.

The Fifth Undersea Mystery

— Chapter 6 — Gu Qingren City (Part 2) —

A cold glint flashed incessantly from the watchtower; someone was observing us from above with binoculars. Xiao Lai frowned, a helpless wry smile on his face: "It seems most of the brothers from the gang we've gathered this time don't know each other well. Managing them will be difficult. I'm really worried that Brother Thirteen will cause trouble again..."

He turned his head to look back, muttering with slight dissatisfaction, "Thirteenth Brother is good in every way, except he always loses his composure when he sees a pretty girl. How can he be the leader of the Japanese branch like that?"

I know he didn't mean it that way and didn't mean to be sarcastic, but it still sounded a little harsh to me.

"Xiao Lai, tell me your opinion on that gust of wind. Is it similar to the 'Five Dragons Capturing Crane Hand' or 'One Hand Covering the Sky Claw' in Chinese martial arts? Those are Master Guan's two most prized skills. You must be familiar with them, right?" Everyone in the martial arts world holds Master Guan in high esteem, especially in the dozens of martial arts sects south of the Yangtze River in China, where they regard him as a god.

Xiao Lai nodded heavily, tilted his head back and pondered for a while, then couldn't help but nod again: "You're absolutely right, it's practically a replica of the 'Five Dragons Capturing Crane Hand' technique."

As the scalpel once said, when Master Guan was traveling in Los Angeles, he accidentally clashed with the local "Vietnamese Green Gang". He faced nine opponents in a crowded city and with just one move, he caused nine of the gang's leaders to suffer broken bones, broken limbs, internal injuries and vomiting blood, or be thrown ten meters away. However, he did not harm any innocent people.

His "Five Dragons Capturing Crane Hand" can simultaneously generate eleven forces with completely different directions, strengths, and functions, and can be used at will, allowing him to freely move his opponent around within a ten-meter range.

“I suspect that someone took advantage of the chaos to suddenly strike, perhaps to prevent you from entering the temple—but what would be the point?” I raised my hand to wipe my dry face, feeling a little regretful. If I hadn’t lingered outside the temple gate and had rushed in immediately, I might have been able to find the person who launched the sneak attack.

Xiao Lai couldn't help but slam his hand on the steering wheel, then suddenly shouted with delight, "Mr. Feng, I understand! We're just nobody, why would they bother us? From beginning to end, their target was you, and Miss Xiao and I just happened to run into each other. That 'Five Dragons Capturing Crane Hand' strike was definitely meant to attack you..."

Xiao Keleng returned carrying a large plastic bag. As she opened the car door, she overheard Xiao Lai's words and immediately interjected, "Mr. Feng, that palm strike could have easily injured Xiao Lai and me, but we easily dodged it. My opinion, though, is that you are the real target. No matter how you look at it, as long as you are injured, the people from Xunfuyuan will naturally scatter like birds and beasts, posing no threat to anyone, right?"

I had just closed my eyes, needing to think quietly for a while, when Wang Jiangnan's hearty laughter drifted over from afar: "Miss Gu, you're a woman of wit and charm, who in Hong Kong's cultural circles doesn't know that? Please come in and sit down, we have some excellent Blue Mountain coffee, perhaps we should taste it and ask you for your advice?"

This time, even Xiao Lai couldn't help but frown: "Thirteenth Brother has a new target!"

Xunfu Garden is my territory. Even if I don't consider myself the owner, it should be Xiao Keleng who calls the shots. When did it become Wang Jiangnan's turn to arrogantly usurp my place? But I had no time to argue with him. I was just concentrating on thinking about Guan Baoling's strange behavior in front of the temple gate.

"Soul possession? Could that eerie wind, like the 'Five Dragons Capturing Crane Hands,' have been caused by some kind of soul migration? Who controlled her when she broke free from my 'Dragon Gate Three Waves' move and used her lightness skill to dash into the temple gate?" Clearly, after entering the courtyard, she showed no signs of martial arts prowess; even when running at full speed, her speed was extremely slow. I was trying my best to excuse her, because deep down, she was always pure and innocent, like flawless, transparent crystal.

Xiao Keleng suddenly exclaimed in a low voice, "Huh? Mr. Feng, Miss Gu is walking this way. What does she want? What should we do?"

I opened my eyes and turned to look back. The gray-clad girl who had been exchanging pleasantries with Wang Jiangnan quickly descended the steps and headed towards our car. A small, matching gray leather bag was slung across her chest, bouncing with each step. Her hair, draped over her shoulders, was slightly dyed, with a few golden streaks occasionally peeking out from its jet-black color, revealing a remarkable intelligence.

Wang Jiangnan followed awkwardly behind, muttering something under his breath, but the girl walked straight over, her black-rimmed glasses flashing brightly, a polite smile on her face, but she ignored Wang Jiangnan behind her.

I simply opened the door and walked out, casually tossing my hair back a couple of times with a generous smile on my face.

“Mr. Feng?” Five steps away, the girl paused slightly, but then confidently extended her right hand. A flash of light appeared on her wrist—the gleam of diamonds on her classic Vacheron Constantin tonneau-shaped women's watch.

“Miss Gu Qingcheng?” I took a step forward, grasped her hand, and then quickly examined her delicate eyebrows, phoenix eyes, straight nose, and cherry lips. She was completely different from Gu Zhijin. If they hadn’t introduced themselves, no one would have believed that the two were siblings.

“My brother said that Mr. Feng is a handsome man with unparalleled martial arts skills, a man of great righteousness, generous and magnanimous, and regards money as dirt. I hope he is not mistaken, and I hope our cooperation will go smoothly.” Her voice was somewhat low and suppressed, as if she had suffered some kind of internal injury and was unable to speak with full force.

She leaned forward slightly towards me, making a half-bow gesture, then withdrew her hand. The two diamond studs on her earlobes sparkled at that moment, becoming the new focal point in my sight.

Wang Jiangnan hurriedly said, "Mr. Feng, it's so good that you're back. Miss Gu is the younger sister of Mr. Gu Zhijin, a famous collector in Hong Kong. Shall we hold a welcome reception or something?" He was still wearing snow-white gloves, which made me remember that he had a strange iron hand.

It had been a few days since I last saw Wang Jiangnan, and he seemed to have lost some weight. The arrival of the tycoon must have made his previously settled heart anxious again.

Gu Qingcheng quickly shook her head: "No need to be so polite. In front of Mr. Feng, my brother is just a nobody in Hong Kong, and I am even more insignificant. If it's convenient, please show me the goods, Mr. Feng. My brother is waiting anxiously for my call back in Hong Kong." Her voice was neither humble nor arrogant, displaying the demeanor of a university professor, but the watch, diamond earrings, top-tier Versace clothing from Paris, and matching handbags and shoes—this entire purchase probably cost over three million Hong Kong dollars, something that even ten university professors couldn't afford.

I could feel Xiao Keleng's jealous gaze fixed intently on Gu Qingcheng. If a girl could be so noble as to arouse such envy in another outstanding girl, it must be because she herself is exceptionally excellent.

A gust of cold wind blew, and I couldn't help it. I turned to the side and sneezed seven or eight times, which made Wang Jiangnan chuckle.

Gu Qingcheng maintained a respectful distance from me throughout, smiling as she stared at my face. It was clear that even if I sneezed until I could barely breathe, she wouldn't give up on her idea; she wanted to see the guqin as soon as possible. This stubbornness was something she shared with Gu Zhijin.

I pointed to the trunk, and Xiao Lai immediately understood and came over, quickly taking out the tightly bound, bulky package and placing it flat on the roof. He didn't understand the value of the guqin, so his movements were a little too rough.

Gu Qingcheng took two steps forward, smiling as she raised her hand to stop Xiao Lai: "Let me do it, no need to bother."

Her smile seemed to carry an irresistible force, causing Xiao Lai to obediently release her hand and take two steps back. This would definitely make Wang Jiangnan uncomfortable. He snorted angrily, turned his face away, and arrogantly raised his chin, as if Xiao Lai's betrayal made him openly express his shame.

Gu Qingcheng unzipped her small bag, took out an elegant gray wallet, pulled out two US dollar bills, and handed them to Xiao Lai, smiling and nodding, "Thank you for your hard work." It was clearly the standard procedure for a distinguished guest to tip a waiter, and Xiao Lai obediently accepted them, saying very cooperatively, "Thank you."

I also felt a sense of oppression. Gu Qingcheng's appearance, from the moment Wang Jiangnan began chasing after her to curry favor, to the moment she tipped Xiao Lai, seemed to instantly sway the atmosphere. Although she appeared neither humble nor arrogant on the surface, she actually possessed a silent but powerful control. As the owners of Xunfu Garden, Xiao Keleng and I were also unconsciously suppressed by her noble aura.

"Such a way of bandaging would make the ancients want to cry but have no tears, and die a violent death. What a pity, what a pity..." She shook her head and sighed softly. She took out a small ivory-handled paper cutter from her bag and gently reached for the rope binding the package. With just a simple cut, the thumb-thick nylon rope broke instantly.

I can imagine that someone as outstanding as her would have something of great significance in everything she owns. This knife must be a special edition from the Swiss brand Victorinox, its sharpness comparable to a US military tactical combat knife. I've rarely heard Gu Zhijin talk about his sister before, but now it seems that Gu Qingcheng is definitely a more hidden master than Gu Zhijin.

As Gu Qingcheng removed the sponge and blanket, her movements became increasingly gentle, as if she were not holding a wooden guqin, but a sleeping infant in swaddling clothes, and any rough action could harm the delicate child.

The guqin was finally revealed in full to the sunlight. The purplish-black soundboard reflected a light that instantly attracted Wang Jiangnan's greedy gaze. He kept clicking his tongue in admiration: "Ah... a good thing, a really good thing! Not bad, not bad!"

He stepped forward and brazenly reached out to touch the strings, but Gu Qingcheng deftly twisted a small knife under her wrist, blocking his wrist. She smiled politely and said, "Mr. Wang, this zither is part of a major transaction between Mr. Feng and me. Please do not make any moves without permission."

The glint of the blade flashed across Wang Jiangnan's brow, illuminating his embarrassed expression. For someone of his skill to fail to dodge the knife in time was undoubtedly a most humiliating defeat.

The Fifth Undersea Mystery

— Chapter 7 — The Five Lakes Ancient Qin (Part 1) —

Wang Jiangnan took a step back, his face suddenly changing color. Although there weren't many more members of the Divine Gun Society present, he already felt somewhat embarrassed.

Gu Qingcheng continued calmly, "My elder brother said that Mr. Wang's ancestors were renowned in the martial arts world, and that I should ask Mr. Wang for advice when we have the opportunity to meet. This time I came in too much of a hurry, and the border procedures were too complicated, so I didn't have time to bring the gift my elder brother prepared for Mr. Wang. I remember it was two pistols that Rommel used in the early days of World War II, with Hitler's signature cast on them. I hope that Mr. Wang will have time to hand them over when he passes through Hong Kong next time."

Wang Jiangnan paused for a moment, then forced a smile: "Rommel's sidearm? It's too valuable; I dare not accept such a gift without having done anything worthwhile."

Xiao Ke sighed softly, "It seems Miss Gu came prepared, even bringing the famous gun that Brother Thirteen has been so eager to obtain."

The shortcut to any communication relationship is simply to "cater to their preferences." By observing Wang Jiangnan's expression and having Rommel's pistol as a gift, Gu Qingcheng wouldn't care how much she offended him.

Gu Qingcheng adjusted her glasses, lowered her head, and gently blew on the strings. Immediately, a delicate melody floated up. She listened intently, blinking rapidly, until the music faded away. Only then did she raise her head in satisfaction, examining the soundboard and strings once more, murmuring a soft sigh, "Truly a peerless masterpiece, unparalleled... unparalleled..."

She seemed to have forgotten that I was still wearing wet clothes, and was so engrossed in the piano that her eyes were almost glued to the instrument, but she didn't reach out to strum the strings.

Guan Baoling opened the door. She had changed into a white tracksuit, which must have been Xiao Keleng's clothes. The size was slightly small, but her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, giving her a unique dynamic charm compared to her elegant fox fur dress. Perhaps due to some fatigue, she swayed slightly as she stepped out, reaching out to hold onto the threshold, her breathing a little rapid.

Gu Qingcheng sensed something, suddenly looked up, and met Guan Baoling's gaze.

This is a silent contest between two great beauties. Guan Baoling wins with her stunning and beautiful appearance, while Gu Qingcheng has a deeper inner beauty. Every move she makes reveals the transcendent elegance of a well-bred lady, and her inner and outer beauty is also evident.

"Superstar Guan Baoling?" Gu Qingcheng smiled and nodded as a greeting.

"Miss Gu, it's been a long time." Guan Baoling's expression was somewhat cold, presumably in accordance with their previous gentleman's agreement.

Under the dazzling light of the two women, Xiao Keleng paled in comparison, like a dull pebble placed next to a pearl and a piece of jade, no longer able to attract anyone's attention.

Gu Qingcheng took out a clean white handkerchief and carefully wiped her ten fingers four or five times before raising her hand and intermittently stroking the strings. The sound changed from low and soft to high and bright, with clear and distinct layers, making it extremely pleasant to listen to.

She stopped playing, tilting her head back and listening intently to the lingering notes of the strings. Suddenly, she let out a long sigh: "What a beautiful 'Kunshan jade shatters, phoenix cries'—only a guqin like this can produce such divine and spiritual sounds. The ancients were right to seek kindred spirits through 'high mountains and flowing water'... truly right..."

When Guan Baoling approached, Wang Jiangnan's eyes lit up again, but I could guess what he was thinking. With the formidable Daheng as a formidable obstacle, he wouldn't be courting death again. Besides, Guan Baoling was now unmistakably getting very close to me; if he dared to interfere again, he would be disrespecting me.

"Miss Gu, is the zither alright?" Guan Baoling asked with a smile.

Gu Qingcheng looked up and keenly realized Guan Baoling's unspoken meaning: "What? Miss Guan, you're not going to help Mr. Wang inflate prices again, are you? No wonder the price of the guqin keeps rising. My brother knew there was an expert secretly giving advice, but he didn't expect it to be Miss Guan. If I had known you were interested in the guqin, I would have given up earlier."

She was playing hard to get; the entranced look on her face when she saw the guqin just now had already revealed her true feelings.

Actually, Guan Baoling misunderstood me a bit. The price of the zither doesn't matter. I just want to know its wonders and find out what secrets are hidden behind these seemingly unrelated clues, such as the sound of Master Jianzhen's xiao, Xu Fu's destination after his eastward voyage, and the zither's many twists and turns.

Japan has a very strict system for managing cultural relics. Even if I were willing to transfer the instrument, it would still be a difficult problem to get it safely out of customs.

Guan Baoling raised her chin and smiled slightly: "Miss Gu thinks too highly of me. As the ancients said, 'Rouge is given to a beauty, and a fine sword is given to a hero.' When it comes to the guqin, no one in all of Asia is more knowledgeable than Mr. and Miss Gu. Therefore, only in your hands will it not be buried. I am not a businessman, and Mr. Feng is even less so, so we hope for a fair and reasonable price, right?"

Gu Qingcheng seemed surprised by Guan Baoling's quick agreement, and was momentarily taken aback. However, she then opened another compartment in her small bag, took out a checkbook, and politely asked me, "Mr. Feng, can we close the deal? We can sit down and discuss all the information about the guqin in detail, is that alright?"

I wasn't particularly interested in the check, but only after accepting it would Gu Qingcheng be in the mood to discuss its origin, so I readily nodded: "Okay, deal!"

Suddenly someone burst into laughter: "What? Such a fine item, instead of taking it to Sotheby's to get a good price, it was sold to that cunning antique dealer Gu Zhijin. It's like casting pearls before swine. Feng, I'm going to have this guqin. Whatever price Miss Gu offers, I'll always pay double."

The two men, hand in hand, strode out of the hall and stood calmly on the steps. One of them held a gleaming, two-inch-long gold cigarette holder in his right hand, a thick Brazilian cigar just half-burned, its smoke drifting in the wind. That was the tycoon, and he was the one who had opened the bidding.

The other one stood there slouching, his shoulders crooked, his worn-out jeans looking like they hadn't been washed in weeks, the original color unrecognizable. His hair was a mess, like a bird's nest that had just been attacked, and only his sleepy, strange eyes stared at me, his face full of a wicked, ambiguous smile.

"Xiao Yan? You've already... arrived?" I couldn't hide my surprise. His whereabouts and speed were simply unbelievable. When we talked on the phone, he was still hiding in Kuwait, but now he's right here.

Xiao Yan yawned wearily, shook off Daheng's hand, and skipped over. Ignoring me, she bowed deeply to Xiao Keleng: "Third Sister, Eldest Sister asked me to give you her regards. She also said she bought you a whole bunch of designer shoes, handbags, jewelry, and cosmetics, and asked if she wanted them sent to Second Sister's place in Egypt or directly to this Xunfuyuan—um, she also said that once you have a boyfriend, you should send him photos via email first, and only after she agrees can things progress further. And...and..." He chuckled strangely, scratched his "bird's nest," and shut his mouth embarrassedly, clearly having forgotten the rest.

I roughly understand the relationship between Su Lun, Xiao Keleng, and Yan Xun. Yan Xun is the oldest and is the eldest sister of everyone; Su Lun is the second oldest, Xiao Keleng is the third oldest, and Xiao Yan is the youngest. They are called "eldest sister, second sister, and third sister" in order.

That mysterious Yan Xun, though we only spoke on the phone once, left a very deep impression on me.

Xiao Keleng reached out to help him up, smiling happily, "No need for formalities! No need for formalities!" At this moment, she was truly relaxed and happy, showing that the four of them formed a close-knit group that was even closer than siblings.

Xiao Yan laughed heartily without any restraint, then stared at me with wide, strange eyes: "Feng, where are those passwords? I've been traveling for twenty-four hours straight just for them, so hurry up and give them to me!" He stretched out his withered, bird-claw-like hand and rudely reached it in front of me.