Непревзойденная наследница

Глава 13

“You mean—” Min Eun-joon paused, then said, “The resentment of the people of Saka City was carried to the Kingdom of Mano by that person named Kui Ji?”

“That’s right, she said she would use that resentment to destroy the Volgili.”

Hughes laughed dismissively: "If resentment could kill, we would have been torn to pieces long ago."

“It’s not entirely impossible,” Miller suddenly said. Hughes was taken aback; hadn’t their captain always been an atheist?

"Human emotions are actually a kind of magnetic field. Whether it's joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, they will affect others." Miller's words were startling, and his subordinates looked at him strangely. "So when you sense other people's emotions, you will also fall into joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness yourself. If this magnetic field is strong enough, it can also kill people."

No one refuted this reason; although it was far-fetched, it was nonetheless scientifically sound.

"So, if I don't want to die, the only way is to eliminate the resentment of the Mano Kingdom as well?" Marcie's head started to ache. What a hassle. It would have been much quicker to just blow his head off.

Yin Li and Qin Wen exchanged a glance and nodded silently.

"Shit!" Marshall kicked the steel side of the car. Hughes, somewhat helpless, tossed him his flask. Hughes took two big gulps, and the light in his eyes slowly dimmed.

Miller gritted his teeth and after a long silence, said, "Get in the car. There are still a few hundred kilometers to go. We need to get there as soon as possible."

No one spoke again. Situ Xiang and the other two walked back to their car. As soon as they opened the car door, everyone was stunned.

The Hummer H1 was completely empty; there was nothing inside.

A chill ran through the three men. Where was Caesar?

Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind her shoulder. Qin Wen instinctively elbowed him in the stomach, but he easily caught it, twisted his hand, and pinned her hand behind his back.

A cold blade pressed against her neck, and Qin Wen's scalp tightened as she was pulled into someone's arms. A familiar voice whispered in her ear, "You'd better not move, Qin Wen, or this knife might end up in your throat."

Caesar!

Qin Wen shuddered, raised her hand, and looked at her watch. He should still have twenty minutes before he woke up, how could he…?

"Caesar, let her go!" Yin Li roared. "Aren't you poisoned enough?"

Caesar's hand twitched, the blade slightly cutting the skin on Qin Wen's neck, drawing a drop of bright red blood. Yin Li's face turned deathly pale, and she hurriedly said, "Stop!"

“Actually, I should thank you.” Caesar’s lips curled into a chilling smile. “Your poison put me in a vegetative state, and because of that, I’ve come to understand many things.”

Yin Li and Situ Xiang exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes: "What have you figured out?"

"Originally, I planned to head back home as soon as I left Saka City." Qin Wen tried to struggle, but his knife went in a little deeper. The young girl cried out in pain and bit her lower lip. This man's skills were too high and too fast; she was no match for him at all.

Clearly, Situ Xiang is not one of them either.

“But I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to the Holy Buddha Kingdom Cemetery.” Caesar’s gaze suddenly turned cold, his eyes revealing a complex and unfathomable expression. “To find the truth.”

"The truth?" Situ Xiang narrowed his eyes slightly. "What truth?"

“The truth of my past life.” Caesar looked at Qin Wen, who was glaring at him angrily in his arms. “She has probably told you all my story with her. Although everything unfolded before my eyes, I still have no memory of it. I want to know what happened in the Mano Kingdom more than 2,500 years ago that made Kui Ji hate this people so much, even to the point of killing hundreds of thousands of people in Saka City.” He paused, a resolute light flashing in his eyes. “Zi Yin was a fool, and I don’t want to be as cowardly as him! If I am truly the reincarnation of that Shang Dynasty king, and I have killed my people again today, I want to know why all of this was for. At least, I don’t want them to die without knowing why!”

Sitting in the military off-road vehicle, Miller watched the commotion next to H1 and said, "Mr. Min, should we go help?"

"Is it necessary?" Min Eun-joon smiled eerily. "No need to worry unnecessarily, they'll handle it themselves."

Qin Wen's heart wavered slightly. Caesar did not seem to remember his past life, but he was still guilty for betraying his people twice, all for a woman he did not know.

“I killed your people,” she said. “You can kill me now to avenge them.”

"Kill you?" Caesar seemed to find the suggestion laughable. "Would killing you bring them back to life? I don't want to do anything for people from two thousand years ago; I just want to know the truth!"

Yin Li glanced anxiously at Situ Xiang, who remained calm: "What do you want to do?"

"I will go with you to the sacred Buddhist cemetery."

“We originally wanted to do this.”

"Give me the map," he said, enunciating each word clearly. Situ Xiang and Yin Li were both taken aback. It seemed he had been awake for quite some time. They had to admit that his acting skills were truly superb.

Seeing that they didn't move, Caesar slashed a bloody gash across Qin Wen's neck with his knife. The blood flowed down her snow-white skin and into her T-shirt, turning the white T-shirt bright red.

"I don't want to say it a second time." With a cold, emotionless voice, Yin Li gritted her teeth and tossed the parchment to him. He caught it and pushed Qin Wen in front of them. Yin Li examined the wound on her neck with concern, tears welling in her eyes. "Xiao Wen, don't worry, I will definitely avenge you!" Then, she glared fiercely at Situ Xiang and said, "Where's my first-aid kit?"

Before Situ Xiang could answer, Caesar's voice came through: "You mean this?"

Yin Li was startled, staring dumbfounded at the small canvas bag in his hand. She turned around angrily and yelled at the headache-stricken Situ Xiang, "You actually put it in the car!"

Situ Xiang was speechless. He admitted that he had made a mistake this time.

"I'm sorry, I'll have to keep this for now." The vampire-like handsome young man revealed a wicked smile, opened the door and got into the car. "Thank you for the map, I'll study it carefully. Mr. Situ, how about you drive?"

Situ Xiang had an even bigger headache. Yin Li gritted her teeth and cursed him for being a scoundrel. Meanwhile, the injured Qin Wen touched the wound on her neck and stared blankly at Caesar.

Why did she have such a strange feeling just now? Her heart was pounding, yet she wasn't afraid at all, as if she truly believed this seemingly cold and ruthless man wouldn't hurt her. He had clearly held a knife to her neck just now, so why did she feel something like being in love? Could it be…?

Does she have masochistic tendencies?

Qin Wen clutched her head in despair, speechless as she questioned the heavens.

Good heavens, please don't play such a ridiculous joke on me!

The Hummer H1 continued its journey, the atmosphere inside becoming somewhat eerie. Caesar sat alone in the last row, flipping through the parchment. No one spoke; the only sound was Qin Wen chewing chocolate.

Turning grief and anger into appetite has always been her philosophy of life.

Yin Li glanced at Caesar in the rearview mirror and said coldly, "No need to look anymore. I've looked at that parchment countless times. I've watered it and baked it with fire, but it's no use. It's just an ordinary parchment."

Caesar's lips curled upwards: "Thanks for the reminder, but this thing dates back to 1921. Do you know what that means?"

In the corner of the parchment, there was a year written in ink. Yin Li was taken aback: "This was left by the team of archaeologists who discovered the Buddhist cemetery more than eighty years ago?"

Caesar's eyebrows twitched: "Didn't you say that the woman named Dona lives in Hak village on the edge of the desert, which is the only way to the Holy Buddha Kingdom Cemetery?"

Yin Li glanced at Situ Xiang and saw his serious expression: "You mean, the person who fell into trouble back then was one of the members of the archaeological team?"

"Very likely."

“I have a question,” Qin Wen, sitting in the second row, suddenly spoke up, “Did all the archaeologists from back then die in the desert? If they all died, how did the secret of the cemetery become known to the world?”

An eerie atmosphere slowly permeated the car. After a moment of silence, Situ Xiang said, "Of the archaeological team from back then, only one person survived. This person returned with very few artifacts, severely injured, and reportedly also inexplicably contracted an incurable disease. He was interviewed by a journalist in Italy, mentioning the Sacred Buddhist Cemetery, but not saying much. That night, he died. I heard that his death was very strange. At midnight, the villa where he lived suddenly lost power, and five minutes later the lights came back on. The adventurer was already dead, bleeding from all seven orifices. His blood drew a stupa on the bed sheet beneath him, with a pair of wings growing from its back."

"What's that person's name?" Qin Wen asked.

“I don’t know his full name,” Situ Xiang said. “Three years ago, I searched through all the records but couldn’t find any relevant information. I only know that his surname is Chen, he is 27 years old, from the East, and has a five-year-old daughter.”

Chen? Qin Wen's expression changed drastically: "Are you sure his surname is Chen?"

“That’s exactly what the newspapers reported at the time.” Caesar looked at her. “The girl was later taken back to China by her mother, and we haven’t heard from her since.”

Qin Wen's face turned even uglier, her eyes filled with disbelief: "Where in Italy does that person surnamed Chen live?"

"Milan East Street".

Qin Wen gasped, her nails digging into the sofa beneath her, making a hissing sound as she scratched the cushions. Her face was deathly pale. The other three noticed her unusual condition and their gazes focused on her. Yin Li turned around, took her hand, and said, "Xiao Wen, are you alright?"

Qin Wen frowned and looked blankly at her friend: "My maternal grandfather's mother's surname was Chen. She was born in Milan, Italy. I have seen the photos she kept. The villa she lived in was on East Street, in a place with a steeple church behind the house."

Caesar and Situ Xiang's expressions changed. They had seen the photograph taken in 1921, showing the place where the adventurer surnamed Chen lived, with a steeple church right behind the house!

15. An inexhaustible oasis

The car fell silent again. Qin Wen was somewhat lost. She had memories of her past life in the Devil City, and Mano Kingdom was her final resting place in her past life. Her great-grandfather was the only archaeologist who returned alive from the Buddhist cemetery. Were these all just coincidences?

“Mr. Chen wasn’t the only one who survived back then,” Yin Li suddenly said. “The person who was seriously injured and saved by Duna’s ancestors was also a member of the archaeological team. Unfortunately, his injuries were too severe, and he died at Duna’s home.”

“It’s strange. If something happened to the archaeological team in the cemetery, and most of them were killed, why didn’t Mr. Chen bring his teammates back?” Caesar examined the parchment in his hand, suddenly noticing Yin Li glaring at him. He immediately realized he had said the wrong thing, glanced at Qin Wen, and shut his mouth. Qin Wen’s face was clouded with worry. Yin Li was about to comfort her when she heard her say, “There are many possibilities. One of them is that the archaeological team discovered the treasure in the cemetery, and my great-grandfather, tempted by the wealth, killed his teammates and escaped alone. But he didn’t realize that there was another person alive.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Situ Xiang said. “If that person was truly a survivor, he would have told Dona’s ancestors who killed him before he died, even though he knew they couldn’t help. It’s human instinct to let others know who killed you. But he didn’t tell his benefactors anything except the map.”

“So this map is the key.” Caesar continued to study the parchment, but no matter how he looked at it, it was covered with densely packed stupas.

As dawn broke, Qin Wen remained frowning and head bowed. Yin Li didn't disturb her any further. At times like this, what she needed most was to be alone and sort out her thoughts.

She had a premonition that this trip to the cemetery was part of a terrible conspiracy.

Golden rays spilled from the distant horizon, instantly illuminating the sky and turning the clouds a vibrant red, a breathtaking sight. The Hummer H1 rolled over a small sand dune, and Yin Li froze, her eyes widening as she stared straight ahead.

"Look, what's that?"

The three people in the car looked in the direction she was pointing. At the edge of the horizon, there was a poplar forest oasis, faintly visible in the heat of the desert, yet like an ancient beauty standing on the desert, graceful and full of alluring power.

"Is it a mirage?" Qin Wen asked doubtfully. Situ Xiang shook his head. "I once checked the satellite map. There is indeed a strange oasis on the way to the Buddhist Cemetery. This oasis appears abruptly in the heart of the Gurbantunggut Desert and has never dried up for thousands of years. It's like a green gem given to the desert by heaven. Moreover, because the tectonic activity in this area is relatively frequent, there are also hot springs inside."

Yin Li became excited. Hot springs! There were hot springs in the desert! This place was like a paradise inhabited by immortals. She said happily, "We've been traveling for so many days, why don't we go soak in the hot springs?"

Caesar looked at her strangely and smiled, "Miss Yin, you really have some leisure time. This is the desert, we're going on an adventure, and we might even be in mortal danger. How can you still be in the mood to soak in a hot spring?"

The car sped up, catching the three off guard. Caught completely off guard, the acceleration nearly sent them flying onto the windshield. Yin Li glared at him angrily: "Situ, what are you doing?"

“Soaking in a hot spring is a great idea,” Situ Xiang said with a mischievous smile. “But I have one condition: we have to bathe together.”

Yin Li immediately turned into a tomato sitting upright, her face turning red from her forehead to the base of her neck. After pausing for a few seconds, she grabbed something nearby and threw it at Situ Xiang's head. Situ laughed and dodged. Qin Wen sighed and shook her head. These two were actually so intimate. It was one thing for Xiao Li, but Situ, at his age, would actually make such a ridiculously boring joke.

However, she could tell that he cared a lot about Xiao Li. People who study medicine often have a bit of a cleanliness obsession, and living with her for a long time had made her develop it too. In such hot weather, not showering for days was a terrifying thing. Thinking about it, her body started to itch, and she could smell a sour stench, making her feel maddened.

Xiao Li is even better than her.

Did Situ Xiang think of this too?

Two off-road vehicles drove into the poplar forest. This was the first time in days that everyone had seen plants and water, and they were all quite excited. In the dense poplar forest, there was a lake that covered several square miles. Like the world-famous Crescent Lake, it had never dried up despite the fierce sandstorms that had swept through it for thousands of years.

The lake water was very clear, reflecting the image of the poplar trees. The sky was blue and the water was clear. If it weren't for the desert outside the forest, everyone would think that this was a water town in southern China.

The group rushed into the water, which was warm and had soft algae swaying gently at the bottom. Yin Li scooped up the clear water and splashed it on her face, feeling as if she had been resurrected in an instant, and the fatigue of the journey had lessened considerably.

An arm reached out from behind and wrapped around her waist. She turned around and saw Situ Xiang standing behind her, grinning mischievously. "There's an open-air hot spring on the east side of the lake. Because of the hot spring, the water in this lake is always warm. Honey, let's go soak in the hot spring together?"

Yin Li blushed and punched him in the chest: "What nonsense are you spouting? Don't you want to live anymore?"

"What, you want to prick me with needles again?" Situ Xiang leaned in and bit her ear. "I first got pricked by you at the Princess's Mausoleum half a month ago. The feeling was really amazing. Why don't we try it again sometime?"

“I will definitely fulfill this request.” Yin Li smiled very gently, raised her hand, and a silver needle appeared between her index and middle fingers. Situ Xiang was stunned: “You actually carry this with you.”

"With a lecher like you around, of course I have to carry something with me for self-defense." Yin Li laughed smugly. "Do you think you can do whatever you want without poison?"

Situ Xiang smiled and was about to speak when he suddenly heard Qin Wen call out from not far away, "Xiao Li, come here quickly, the water here is very hot!"

Yin Li was overjoyed, glared at Situ Xiang, and said, "Xiao Wen and I are going to soak in the hot springs. If I find out you dare to peek, I will definitely not forgive you." After saying that, she ran towards where Qin Wen was. Situ Xiang's lips twitched. Did she think he was so despicable?

Yin Li and Qin Wen found a secluded corner, took off their clothes, and began soaking in the hot spring. The water temperature was indeed quite high, with steam rising and swirling in the air. Yin Li raised her arm, and the water flowed down her arm like pearls, rolling down her skin without leaving a trace. Her skin was so smooth it was unbelievable.

She gently touched the hollow of her shoulder, where there was a brown birthmark, like a string of words, yet blurry and indistinct. She remembered her mother saying that when her grandfather first saw this birthmark, he marveled at it, saying that his granddaughter was no ordinary person, and even if she wasn't a celestial being, she must have had a thrilling past.

But even now, no one has figured out the meaning of those birthmarks.

Perhaps it has some connection to her past life.

She found it strange. In the desert, her skin should have become rougher and darker, but for some reason, she was even more beautiful now. Was it just an illusion?