Histoires de fantômes

Chapitre 287

"Okay." That was my only response.

“Very good.” Suren sighed. “One of the twenty-six elites of ‘Somali Fire’? I’ve heard so much about you.”

This surprising news didn't make Suren and me lose our composure; it was just a little unexpected.

"My mission is to search for the 'Pandora's Box' and hunt down the traitor Resica. Of course, she's also a code name within the organization, like a jumping character on a computer screen, meaningless in itself. To make a long story short, the so-called 'Pandora's Box' is actually a pair, with completely opposite effects. One has a strong attraction to poisonous creatures on Earth, while the other strongly repels them. According to the information faxed from 'Area 51,' the first box broke and destroyed a long time ago, turning into a highly toxic liquid that polluted a large area of the soil. This explains why so many poisonous insects gathered in the pentagram array, while what you carried was a protective charm."

"Now, I can calculate the location of an exit, right at the core of this set of caves, leading to the place Miss Suren mentioned. I love the guqin, but after I turned fifteen, work became the absolute core of my life, and the guqin was just a hobby. Mr. Feng, it's an honor to know you, to know that even today, there are still true heroes on Earth who can spend money without batting an eye. Let me give you a heads-up: the organization is quite interested in you, and someone will be contacting you soon, hoping you'll join this elite group of the elite—"

Suren and I listened quietly until Gu Qingcheng handed over the pocket watch: "Mr. Feng, the operating principle of 'Somali Fire' has always been 'If you don't work for me, you will die.' Taking this might be of some benefit to you."

She stretched her hand out in front of me, but I raised my hand to block it: "Miss Gu, there's no need."

“Next time, it might be ‘Meteorite’ and ‘Student’. You can’t escape from their pursuit. For your own safety, it’s best to…” Gu Qingcheng’s face turned pale.

"What is its function? Is it the latest product from the American Institute of Physics, the 'Cosmic Positioner'?" Su Lun interjected at the right moment, relieving Gu Qingcheng's embarrassment.

Gu Qingcheng nodded: "Yes, its powerful computing system can find invisible wormholes on Earth, allowing one to enter another space without the naked eye."

I flatly refused her: "Miss Gu, I won't accept anything without merit. What will become of Reese? Is she also doomed?"

I've never had a deep conversation with Resica, but she carries a lead on Guatemalan black magic, and I hope to find some information that might be useful to the tycoon.

"Is that even a question? An organization without iron discipline cannot survive in the fierce world of espionage. Since the Cold War, global espionage activities haven't decreased, but rather increased significantly. Since you two won't accept my offer, then farewell—"

She put away her pocket watch, glanced back at where Yesak had stood, and asked thoughtfully, "Miss Suren, what are your true thoughts about your master's heroic act of saving the Earth? The Pentagon has a lot of secret intelligence that is detrimental to him. You two should be careful. In this world, apart from those who are truly close to you, there is no outsider you can trust, is there?"

Suren smiled and said, "I feel the same way, I feel the same way."

As her little finger continued to write "Do you believe me?" in my palm, I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine—the kind of feeling one experiences when highly sensitive individuals are targeted by a sniper scope. In my observation, several of the seventeen Qi Refiners had bulging backs, likely carrying some kind of equipment or assembleable firearms.

“Miss Suren’s intelligence is renowned throughout the land. I hope my words will be of help to you.” Gu Qingcheng smiled, but then sighed regretfully, “You two are a perfect match, a golden couple, destined to be role models for the wealthy. It’s a pity I won’t have the chance to attend your wedding. This mission is extremely dangerous; perhaps—” Her pocket watch chimed softly. She looked up, her face darkening. “The passage is open. It seems we don’t need to trouble Miss Suren to lead the way. Farewell.”

At that moment, a small red dot suddenly appeared between her eyebrows, the inherent mark of a laser sight. Just thirty paces away, a man in a white robe knelt down, holding a compact sniper rifle horizontally in both hands, pointing it at our position.

Suren shifted her footing, immediately blocking the red dot and temporarily relieving Gu Qingcheng's crisis.

"Goodbye—" Gu Qingcheng leaped up and jumped down from the cave entrance.

Originally, Gu Qingcheng and Guan Nanwu's forces relied on each other, forming a seemingly unbreakable alliance for exploration, and she was also the one who contributed the guqin. Only a master musician could play the most exquisite music, and Gu Qingcheng was precisely that kind of master.

The change from enemies to assassination happened in an instant. Yesak, like a soaring eagle, swooped down, skimming over a field of spinning gears. His lightness skill wasn't the best in the world, but it was at least in the top ten. What was even more astonishing was that while he was rushing down, he took out four or five sections of tubing of varying lengths from his hiding place and assembled them with ease. In the blink of an eye, it had become a gray "one-eyed crossbow."

This weapon, a special invention of the U.S. Navy SEALs, is powered by ten strong springs. These ten forces are twisted together and applied to a steel dart with triangular flanks, the tip of which is coated with a potent anesthetic. In deep-sea combat, this weapon can often decide the outcome of a battle, making the hunting of any medium-sized creature an easy task.

I pulled Suren aside, avoiding the red dot on the laser sight.

“Brother Wind, the changes are happening too fast. I really need to calm down and think it over carefully to understand them.” She squinted her eyes in pain, looking back at Yesak in mid-air.

"Miss Gu, wait! Wait!" A flash of light from a lens appeared in mid-air; Yesak had completed the final step, attaching a sight to the one-eyed crossbow and immediately aiming at Gu Qingcheng. Simultaneously, the red dot on the sniper's laser sight pointed towards the cave entrance, locked onto the back of Gu Qingcheng's head. An ordinary sniper wouldn't be qualified to join the Azure Dragon Society; judging by this person's skills, he was undoubtedly a battle-hardened expert.

Gu Qingcheng suddenly turned around, and the red dot flickered and pressed firmly between her eyebrows.

“If it were me, I’d probably surrender without a second thought, but she’s not me, Brother Feng. The legendary story of ‘Pompeii’ is the most numerous and exciting among the twenty-six elites of the ‘Somali Fire’ organization. She has always been General Tina’s idol—” Suren’s mind was truly quick; he even thought of the Egyptian female general Tina at such a critical moment.

Gu Qingcheng waved to me, but this was merely to attract the enemy's attention. At that moment, her left hand, which was hanging by her side, made an extremely subtle finger-flicking motion.

Two soft "snap, snap" sounds rang out, like someone had crushed two ripe grapes. The sniper abandoned his rifle, clutching his right ear as blood trickled down between his fingers. Yesak, suspended in mid-air, was in even greater danger. He didn't have time to fire his crossbow; his body lurched, nearly tumbling onto the spinning gears. Fortunately, he managed to lightly tap his toes on the ground, using the force of the gears to somersault to the left before landing with a limp.

His wound was on the back of his neck; he covered the wound with both hands and roared repeatedly.

This change caught Suren somewhat off guard. After I whispered the words "water droplet bomb," she rushed forward, leaped into the air, and chased after Gu Qingcheng.

The biggest advantage of the water droplet bomb, as the latest product of the US spy system, is that it is always "invisible" and can be planted on a person without them noticing until it is detonated. Compared with its predecessor, the "liquid bomb", its level of advancement is obvious.

Fortunately, Gu Qingcheng did not kill him outright; otherwise, Yesak's neck would have been severed, making him the second dead man in the "Asian Gear" world.

"Miss Gu, please have mercy—" I started moving later than Su Lun, but we appeared at the cave entrance at the same time.

Gu Qingcheng had already darted into the depths of the passageway, about twenty paces away from us, and slowly waved: "Goodbye, goodbye, you two." Her other hand had already reached into the stone wall blocking the way, as if poking tofu with a chopstick, and her body followed suit.

"So these stone doors are just a manifestation of wormholes, opening and closing at any time—" Suren seemed to be under a spell, striding forward, determined to follow in Gu Qingcheng's footsteps.

I rushed forward, grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her tightly into my arms.

"Brother Feng, that's a wonderful world over there. I want to go in again. I want to go in again." Su Lun struggled with all her might, but I held her tightly. I had already lost her once, and I couldn't bear to watch her disappear from my sight again.

“Mr. Feng, do you know what my biggest regret is?” Gu Qingcheng, with half of her body still outside the stone wall, suddenly smiled shyly. “I really wish someone could hold me like this and cherish me wholeheartedly. Miss Su Lun, I really envy you. In this life, you have found the man who loves you the most, and you can have no regrets.”

A figure flashed at the cave entrance, and Yesak rushed in. Before he even arrived, gunshots rang out. Two shots rang out as bullets struck the stone wall to Gu Qingcheng's side, scattering brilliant sparks.

"Su Lun, grab her! Grab her!" he shouted hoarsely, but Gu Qingcheng smiled and disappeared without a trace.

Yesak rushed forward and banged on the stone wall haphazardly, but found nothing.

"Senior Brother, that wormhole can only open and close once at a time, don't waste time." Suren turned and walked out, and I held her hand tightly, not leaving her side for a moment.

"Heh, heh—Gu Qingcheng is such a cunning little girl, what do we do now? What do we do? What do we do?" he roared, like a bear whose food had been stolen.

The silver dome remained unchanged, and the gear-like mechanical body continued to spin independently. The seventeen white-robed figures stood in a row again, silent.

Without Gu Qingcheng, a skilled pianist, it's hard to imagine how Guan Nan Wulang will complete his work. Su Lun stared at her fingertips, then suddenly flicked her index finger: "Brother Feng, Miss Gu—no, the female spy 'Pompeii'—she entered the third Epang Palace. Does that foreshadow Resica's death? I've heard Yan Xun mention that the Pentagon's spy network is under the jurisdiction of at least three powerful figures, who are both partners and fierce enemies. And 'Somali Fire' is in charge of punishments and rewards. I'm afraid something might happen to Resica. Actually, I get along quite well with her."

This worry seems unnecessary. If Resica had many secrets that others needed, she wouldn't have died, and she would have received even better treatment.

As we all know, the Middle East wars of the past decade have concealed too many unspeakable secrets. If these secrets were to be exposed to countries opposed to the United States, they would cause a global uproar and deal an immeasurable blow to the political image of the United States.

When discussing Reese's experiences, it's inevitable to think of Guan Baoling. Before I could answer Su Lun's previous question, she changed the subject: "Brother Feng, how are Daheng and Guan Baoling doing now? Xiao Xiao once said that you and Miss Guan are the closest of friends, and Daheng really admires you—"

I smiled and shook my head, raising my hand to stop her from continuing: "Suren, I'm sorry, promise me, you'll erase those two names from our world forever, okay?"

Suren smiled: "Can it be done? The tycoon is richer than a country, and Miss Guan is stunningly beautiful—"

I silently took her hand and deliberately changed the subject: "Suren, what will your master do about 'Asian Gear'?"

At this moment, Goro Kanan stood atop the mechanical structure with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the dome as if contemplating a crucial question. His white robes almost blended into the silver backdrop of the dome, creating a mysterious and magnificent sight.

To anyone, such a massive metal ceiling, nestled deep within a mountain, seems utterly beyond the capabilities of humankind. Like the colossal Egyptian pyramids, it appears to be a divine creation, a relic of the heavens. However, even gods have their limitations. Take, for example, the great god Turks, who, too, exhausted his energy and perished at the hands of Alpha.

Suren sighed deeply: "His plan is to first stop the spinning gears, and then restart them with the 'strongest sound in the universe,' which is equivalent to restarting a supercomputer. However, doing so will be somewhat harmful. For at least ten to twenty seconds, the Earth will lose all its kinetic energy—Brother Wind, all its kinetic energy. The consequences are truly unimaginable."

Her face was unusually melancholy, her long eyelashes drooped down, casting heavy shadows on her cheeks, and the fingertips holding my hand slowly grew cold.

Yesak left the cave and strode after us, his voice filled with impatience as he hissed, "Suren, what did Gu Qingcheng say? Where did she go? Is it that world of the Epang Palace you've been mentioning?"

The blood was still flowing, and he looked both disheveled and frustrated.

“Yes, Senior Brother, she has the ability to search for wormholes on Earth. Perhaps Master underestimated her strength.” Suren always respected Yesak and spoke very seriously.

"Why didn't you stop her? You knew she was the most crucial person in Master's operation this time?" He glanced at me sideways, breathing heavily through his nose, and snorted loudly.

This accusation is completely unfounded. Before Gu Qingcheng revealed her identity, Su Lun had not received any instructions to keep a close watch on her. What reason is there to blame her for the setback in the operation?

"I'm sorry, Senior Brother, it was my slow reaction." Su Lun immediately lowered his head, willingly accepting the blame.

The Japanese are the most hierarchical and senior-oriented people in the world. On average, each person bows more than fifty times a day. Therefore, the disciples under Guan Nan Goro were all more or less influenced by Japanese etiquette, and even Su Lun was no exception.

Yesak sneered: "If you want to apologize, go talk to your master! He has always taught us that in any situation, we must consider the big picture, not be elated by external gains or saddened by personal losses, and not prioritize personal gains or losses. Now that you have someone you love, you've even forgotten your master's teachings?"

He removed his hand from his neck again, and all five fingers were stained red with blood.

Part 4: Resurrection Battle

— Chapter 10 — Princess Tengjia's Final Tribulation —

I gave a faint, cold laugh: "Mr. Ye, you've gone too far off track."

When Scalpel was alive, he was incredibly accommodating to Suren, never uttering a single word of reproach. Now, Yetesak keeps nagging and insists on pinning the operational mishaps on her. I swore to protect her, which of course included ensuring she suffered no injustice.

"Feng, what did you say?" Yesak's right arm suddenly made a "crack" sound, a prelude to a powerful attack.

"I say, if you were so capable, you would have arranged for seventeen Qi Refiners to trap Miss Gu long ago. Why would you have this regret now?"

I've heard about Yesak's character from several military personnel: greedy, autocratic, treacherous, and never considering the consequences of his actions, only seeking his own selfish gain. The closer you get to such a person, the easier it is to be harmed.

"Are you accusing me? Feng, don't think that just because your master thinks highly of you, you can—" His right hand launched an attack with incredible speed, like a king cobra with a flat neck poised to strike, planning its move before making its move, attacking and retreating in an instant.

That move incorporated four techniques: tiger claw, snake pincer, eagle beak, and leopard thrust. Of course, it also combined the immense power of grappling, pressure point striking, intercepting force, and heavy crushing. For a foreigner to have mastered Chinese Kung Fu to this extent was an absolute miracle.

I didn't move, I just stared at him coldly.

In the final stage of this attack, his five fingers, poised like an eagle's beak, stopped on my right temple, the fingertips pressed against my skin, sending a chill down my spine.

"You dare not fight back?" he grinned maliciously.

"It's all a feint, why retaliate? Mr. Ye, your forte isn't Chinese Kung Fu. If you're determined to strike hard, why not use Muay Thai? Besides, you're half Thai, and several top Muay Thai fighters are well aware of your lethality." I pushed his hand away, not wanting to get entangled any further.

He is indeed the senior disciple, but I am Guan Nan Wulang's guest. He can still distinguish between these different social statuses.

Yesak paused, then his face suddenly darkened: "Feng, I know what you're thinking. Don't think that just because your master is making an exception to accept you as a disciple, you can—"

I slapped his shoulder, and even after he dodged, retreated, and twisted his waist to avoid it, I still managed to land a "smack" on him. Then I looked him straight in the eye and said, "You're wrong. I never thought of becoming a disciple of Master Guan Nan Wu Lang. In the rules of the Chinese martial arts world, if someone wants to join another school, they have to ask their master first. So, your status in the school is unmatched. Don't worry, don't worry."

His feelings at that moment were like an owl that has caught a rotten rat but is afraid that a phoenix will come and steal it; what he values is something I wouldn't even bother to think about.

"Feng, who is your master? Is he greater or more famous than my master?" he cried out unwillingly.

I shook my head: "No comment."

Suren had been watching silently from the side, his right hand in his pocket. He pulled it out and handed it slowly to Yesak: "Senior Brother, stop the injury first."

Yesak's face turned extremely ugly. He howled angrily, pushed her hand away, and strode towards the metal steps.

"Brother Feng, who exactly is your master? My elder brother has never mentioned this question before. Could it really be an unspeakable secret?" She took my arm and walked towards the guqin that was still lying on the ground.

"He was a reclusive wanderer of the martial world who had lived in seclusion for many years and did not want to mention the past. Therefore, when I entered his tutelage, I swore a solemn oath never to reveal my lineage." This is my personal principle, and I will never transgress it without a reason.

Suren smiled and said, "I see."

Now, her left arm is linked with mine, while her right hand remains in her pocket, making a "click" sound—the sound of her secretly locking the safety of her pistol.

I casually asked, "Suren, just now, the moment Yesak launched his attack, I heard you release the safety pin. Are you going to help me or him?"

In the world of martial arts, if you can't keep your eyes open and ears at the ready, one day you'll die a gruesome death with your eyes wide open in disgrace.

The strong wind emanating from Yesak's fingers did not prevent me from paying attention to Suren's every move, especially since she had a military pistol in her pocket, which was enough to kill her at close range.

She slowly withdrew her right hand, showing me her palm, which was covered in cold sweat.

Yesak climbed the steps, approaching Guan Nan Wulang's direction, while the seventeen white-robed men stood silently, their necks slightly hunched. The life-or-death chase that had just taken place seemed to have no effect on them. Facing the spinning gears, they showed neither fear nor retreat, but simply stood there silently, like seventeen indifferent stone pillars.

“I’m very worried, Brother Feng. Every time I face a major change, I can hardly tell what’s right and what’s wrong, nor am I sure if my upcoming actions will have an immeasurable negative impact on the overall situation. When my elder brother was around, I could wholeheartedly trust him, rely on him, and consult him. But during the search for the Epang Palace, I suddenly realized that no one can be trusted forever. At that time, Schiller was always with me, carefully doing everything for me, but I knew very well that he and I were parallel lines that would never intersect. He could only be a friend in my life, and an insignificant one at that, like a dandelion seed blown by the summer wind—”

I held that fair hand tenderly, and all my words could be summed up in one sentence: "I'm sorry."

She smiled through her tears and gently shook her head: "No, Brother Feng, you didn't promise me anything, so there's no need to apologize."

Looking back, while she was traveling through the impoverished mountains and rivers of the southwestern border, I was with Guan Baoling, engrossed in another world that had nothing to do with her.