《Daomu Biji: The Southern Archives》


 Chapter 1: The Origin of The South Sea Archives

    Chapter 1: The Origin of The South Sea Archives


    The Flower Reef case was such a famous case in 1906 that most people in the South Sea (1) had heard about it. Throughout 1906, a total of twenty-seven ships went missing on the route from Xiamen to a, twelve of which were passenger ships with more than a hundred people.


    All these missing ships had passed near Flower Reef. There were no warning signals before the disappearances, the weather was good, and there werent any debris, corpses, cargo, or extortion demands from pirates afterwards. Everything was silent, as if these ships had never existed.


    People said that there was a flood dragon entrenched in the sandy sea near Flower Reef that swallowed boats, ate people, and made the sea muddy, which was why the fleet avoided going near it.


    In November of that year, a fog settled on the seas surface. Most of the ships on the a route had been diverted to Mayu, so only a few cargo ships carrying the sacrifices and worship goods for the dragon mother still passed through Flower Reef.


    The crews on those ships started to witness strange phenomena.


    Some of them saw numerous peoples shadows standing on Flower Reef amid the thick fog. There were thousands of them standing there with their heads down, just like water ghosts looking at their hometowns. The sight was enough to make people shudder.


    In order to find out the truth, the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office established the South Sea Archives. They investigated strange things that happened in the South Sea and gathered the stories into volumes, which became known as the South Sea Volumes. They recruited sailors and merchants from all over the world to ry news and information. The first major case they handled was the Flower Reef case.


    Zhang Haiyan, whose original name was Zhang Hailou, was among the first group of spies to enter the South Sea Archives. He was trained at the age of sixteen, and originally thought he would go into maritime inspections to work for foreigners in the concession (2). What he didnt expect was to be sent to Perak (3) to work as a foreign agent on such short notice.


    When people in Perak pronounced the word lou, it sounded like yan, so his name became salty (4). His nickname had also changed from Lou Ghost (probably because he liked to work at night and rest during the day) to A Bin.


    He was tall, so the military uniform he wore made him look like an outstanding man in Xiamen, but to the people in Perak, he looked like a mad man wearing strange clothes.


    He was stationed in a with Zhang Haixi during the same period, so in order to have Zhang Haixis name match his own, he gave him the nickname Zhang Haixi (5). The two were about the same age and worked together, so it felt extremely fishy whenever they gave out their names.


    When the two of them set foot on Flower Reef, it was already 1916. Zhang Haiyan jumped onto the reef, straightened his military cap, and lit a cigarette. The sea breeze was very strong and ended up blowing the smoke he exhaled into a thin line that passed through the corner of his mouth.


    Zhang Haixia followed close behind, dragging a fisherman with him, who ended up getting thrown onto the reef.


    Even after traveling on a boat for two weeks, Zhang Haixias skin waspletely unaffected, and he looked more youthful and handsome than before. It annoyed Zhang Haiyan to no end. Meanwhile, the other party was staring at the cigarette in his mouth with an annoyed look on his face. It was obvious that Zhang Haixia disagreed with his bad habit of smoking while investigating.


    Don''t worry, these things happened ten years ago. Any clues that can survive here for ten years wont be destroyed by a single cigarette.


    Your cigarette Zhang Haixia still kept his eyes on the cigarette in Zhang Haiyans mouth. I already rmended some other tobo to you that wont make me feel so disgusted. The smell of your cigarette is going to distract me.


    Zhang Haiyan sighed. He had no other choice but to toss his cigarette down onto the reef.


    The fisherman had obviously been abducted and looked around at the reef, shivering. This person was named Chen Libiao, and he was one of the crew members who had witnessed the water ghosts looking at their hometowns from this reef ten years ago.


    There was a reason he had been brought back to this reef. Ten years ago, a drunk Chen Libiao was with another fisherman when they saw hundreds of ghosts on the reef looking at their hometowns. His colleague dared to get closer and see what was going on, but Chen Libiao wasnt as drunk as him and sobered up once he got close. The other fisherman went onto the reef, but after the fog subsided, both he and the ghosts had disappeared. The fellow never appeared again.


    ording to Chen Libiao, when you approached the reef, you could see the water ghosts standing next to the water. They were covered in salt-encrusted scabs, and their faces were blue. They were all dead and coated in salt, but hadpletely disappeared after the fog had cleared.


    After Chen Libiao returned to China, he informed the South Sea Archives that he was the only one who had been on Flower Reef at the time of the incident. Ten yearster, he was the only informant they could find.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Chen Libiao, Where are the ghosts?


    It''s been ten years. Maybe they got tired of standing, so they all left this ce.


    Stop lying. I bet you killed your fellow back then and threw him into the sea. Then you lied that he was taken away by ghosts. Based on the way youre talking now, you look more and more like a murderer. Maybe I should just shoot you on the spot, so I can go back and close the case.


    Chen Libiao looked at Zhang Haiyan fearfully and immediately shook his head.


    Call out the ghosts if you don''t want to die! Zhang Haiyan shouted.


    Although it was almost dusk, the visibility around the reef was still very high. Not only were there no water ghosts, but it could be said that there was nothing around at all.


    Chen Libiao was trembling all over, and obviously terrified of this reef. He looked around and said softly, Thest time I was here, I saw the ghosts in the fog. Once the fog subsided, there was nothing.


    Fog? When does it be foggy?


    The wind will stop before the sun goes down, and then the heavy fog will show up. Around midnight, the wind will rise again, and the fog will be blown away. It was at this time when we saw the water ghosts before.


    Zhang Haiyan took out his pocket watch and looked at it. There was still about half an hour before sundown.


    This pocket watch was the standard equipment of the South Sea Archives, and all the maritime personnel were given one. There was a hermit crab pattern on it, and the watch was considered priceless in this era. But his pocket watch was blue while Zhang Haixias was white.


    Zhang Haiyan nced at Zhang Haixia, who was already carefully examining the cracks in the reef and ignoring them.


    Chen Libiao was covered in a cold sweat as he anxiously looked between Zhang Haiyan, the setting sun in the west, and the sea around him. He was obviously very terrified.


    After watching this back and forth a dozen times, Zhang Haiyan became a little irritated and waved his hand. Chen Libiao quickly fled back to the barge that had brought them over. Thank you, sir, for having mercy on me!


    As Chen Libiao jumped onto the boat, the boatswainwho had been cursing the whole time turned and shouted to Zhang Haiyan, Sir, how long are you going to stay on the reef?


    Why, boatswain, are you afraid as well?


    Sir, were more afraid of you. Please let us anchor three hundred steps out. When you want toe back, just call us over again. If you refuse, well wait here, but we wont ever go up on the reef."


    Zhang Haiyanughed. Since the establishment of the South Sea Archives, he had encountered lots of incredible things, such as Maleficium (6) and keeping little ghosts (7). But most of them were man-made tricks, and all the strange situations and bizarre magic had actuallye from the human heart. He didn''t believe that what had happened on Flower Reef could escape this pattern.


    After you toss some bottles of wine up to us, youre free to do whatever you want. But if you dont arrive here thirty minutes after I send a smoke signal, youll never get another job in a.


    Before Zhang Haiyan finished speaking, the boatswain had already thrown all the wine and rice bags onto the reef. By the time Zhang Haiyan went over to pick them up, the boat had already left the reef.


    Without a boat, there was no way to get to any of thend around the reef. Zhang Haiyan suddenly found himself trapped on an isted ind surrounded by the sea.


    When all you could see in the distance was endless water and you were alone on an isted ind, it didnt matter if you had excellent skills. In the face of nature, people were so small.


    When the waves hit, Zhang Haiyan suddenly became a little unsteady. He immediately shifted his eyes and found that his feet were still stable, but the rolling waves caused the illusion that the reef was moving.


    He opened a bottle of wine and took a sip before he heard Zhang Haixia shout in the distance, Can you go downwind?


    Zhang Haiyan secretly cursed in his heart as he turned to sit behind a section of reef and waited for the fog toe.


    He and Zhang Haixia had been working together for a long time, so he was very familiar with his temper. Zhang Haixias nose was very sensitive, so Zhang Haiyans smoking and drinking habits were pure torture for him. A lot of times, Zhang Haixia wished he could wash Zhang Haiyans body and get rid of all the smells. They could usually live in peace as long as Zhang Haiyan sat downwind of him.


    As expected, Zhang Haixia left him alone after that. Zhang Haiyan watched the sun slowly sink into the sea in the distance as thick clouds gathered on the horizon. The dying rays of light slowly turned red as they were hidden by the clouds, making it seem as if the clouds were on fire. The sea breeze also gradually died down.


    He still missed bits and pieces of Xiamen. He hadnt returned for many years. He remembered that before he left the maind and came to a, his master the woman he called godmother asked him if he could live alone in a for thirty years. He agreed, thinking it wasnt a big deal. Now that he thought about it, however, he realized that he had been too naive. At that time, he didnt understand what thirty years meant to a person.


    Even if he had received enough training and could get along well with the local people, a person floating in a foreignnd couldntpletely settle down. There was always a strange feeling that made him think he didnt belong here.


    If it hadnt been for the fact that Zhang Haixia was with him, he would have escaped and returned to China many years ago.


    He had forgotten what his godmother had said at the time, and could only remember that Zhang Haixia wouldnt let him agree. But at the time, he only knew that his godmother had been very kind to him, so he would do what was asked of him.


    After he nodded, his godmother handed him a piece of paper, which he drew a circle on. His godmother looked relieved as she touched his head, and then went to see a y. The next day, he was put on a ship to the South Sea and traveled all the way to Perak.


    After boarding the ship, he found that Zhang Haixia was already there. When he asked why, it turned out that Zhang Haixia had be extremely anxious when he found out Zhang Haiyan had drawn a circle, and felt like he was going to lose a lot of hair. Zhang Haixia had a weird personality and didnt have any friends besides Zhang Haiyan. He couldnt ept that he wouldnt be able to see his best friend for thirty years, so in the end, he had no other choice but to draw a circle and follow Zhang Haiyan.


    Zhang Haiyan was rather happy when he found out the truth. He thought that Zhang Haixia was just being a loyal friend, but now he understood that this wasnt Zhang Haixia being loyal. It was Zhang Haixia willing to go to hell with him.


    When the two of them were on the boat to a, Zhang Haixia was furious and wouldnt talk to him. As a result, neither side addressed the issue. At that time, he was too young to care at all, but now that he was older, he realized how long thirty years were and why Zhang Haixia didnt want him to leave.


    <em>That fucking white piece of paper had me sign my life away!</em><em>If I vite it, Ill go to jail when I return to Xiamen.</em>


    As he was thinking this, the sea in front of him slowly became hazy. He took a deep breath and found that the air was thick and saltythe fog was about toe.


    He stood up, took a sip of wine, and straightened his military cap. It was already dark by this point, and the sun was only a thin line on the horizon. He lit antern and turned his head, finding that Flower Reef had instantly been covered in a thick fog that had drifted up from the sea.


    Zhang Haixia was already engulfed in the thick fog, so Zhang Haiyan couldn''t see him clearly. He raised thentern and started to walk towards him while saying, Dont start looking for the ghosts, we have to stick together when it gets foggy. But as he spoke, he suddenly saw that where there had only been Zhang Haixias shadow in the fog before him, now there were dozens of shadows. They were all standing there with their heads down, just like ghosts.


    As Zhang Haiyan narrowed his eyes and froze for a moment, more and more shadows appeared in the fog. He couldn''t see clearly in the imprable fog, but he could tell that the densely packed figures had him surrounded.


    <Table of Contents><Chapter 2>


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Its called Nanyang in Chinese. It is a sinocentric Chinese term for the warmer and fertile geographical region along the southern coastal regions of China and beyond, otherwise known as the South Sea'' or Southeast Asia. Wiki link


    (2) Foreign concessions were enves upied by a foreign power in China in the 19th and 20th centuries. Wiki link


    (3) Perak is a state of Mysia on the west coast of the My Penins. Wiki link


    (4) In Chinese, hai means sea, and yan means salt. Therefore, the Chinese characters of Zhang Haiyan literally look like Zhang Sea Salt.


    (5) Zhang Haixi. Xi() has the meaning of hero. Xi () means shrimp. Therefore, the Chinese characters of Zhang Haixi literally look like Zhang Sea Shrimp. (Ill just use Zhang Haixia in the future because its easier that way.)


    (6) Maleficium is an act of witchcraft performed with the intention of causing damage or injury. In general, the term applies to any magical act intended to cause harm or death to people or property. Wiki link


    (7) Keeping little ghosts, or raising ghosts, refers to the act of adopting and supporting the soul of a child who has died or died prematurely. People who do this worship little ghosts and hope their wishes wille true. It is considered sorcery.

 Chapter 2: Cured People in The Fog

    Chapter 2: Cured People in The Fog


    People had an instinctive fear of human-shaped figures when they couldnt see clearly. In addition, Zhang Haiyan could clearly tell that the postures of these shadows were different from those of living people.


    All the shadows were standing upright with their heads down, and any human would know that it was very difficult for a living person to maintain that kind of posture. Plus, these shadows were almost as motionless as zombies.


    Haixia, are you still here? Zhang Haiyan shouted into the thick fog.


    At the moment when the thick fog hade up, there was a faint worry in his heart. If ghosts were really behind this, it wouldnt matter that Zhang Haixia was the number one lethal weapon in the South Sea.


    Im here. Zhang Haixias calm voice came from within the thick fog.


    Zhang Haiyan breathed a sigh of relief and asked, What do you think?


    The smell of corpses is everywhere. Zhang Haixia said. They really don''t seem to be alive.


    Should we meet up first or something?


    Are you scared?


    No. Can you stop arguing with me? Zhang Haiyan looked around. Those figures werent close to him, but it was getting darker and darker, and the dense shadows were creepy. He raised thentern. As the light split the fog, he unhesitatingly walked straight to the nearest figure.


    After getting closer, the figure gradually became clearer, and he found that it really was a person standing there. But this persons posture was very strange.


    Zhang Haiyan had seen many processed corpses in the South Sea before. Since the degree of muscle rigidity in corpses was different during such a process, it wasmon to see weird postures, such as the wrists turning out, the head slumping against the chest, or the upper and lower body distorting excessively. It appeared this was the case with the corpse here. Its mouth was opened so wide that it seemed to be dislocated, and its whole body was covered in crusty white salt.


    Its been cured (1). Zhang Haiyan shouted. This is a big lump of ham. <em>Fuck, </em>he thought to himself.<em> Is it possible that someones been having fun curing people on the reef for more than ten years?</em>


    He was suddenly taken aback and felt like something was wrong with the corpse. He moved thentern closer and immediately found that the corpse standing in front of him was actually Chen Libiao.


    He was only frozen for half a second before he realized something. <em>No! The boat!</em>


    Chen Libiao had been on the boat just now, which should have already anchored some distance away. But now he had suddenly appeared on the reef covered in salt, which indicated that something must have happened to their boat.


    Shrimp (2), something is wrong with our boat.


    They both knew what it meant to lose a boat on an isted ind.


    It''s ok. People are the only ones who can do things like blocking the way back. Since its not haunted, it means that humans are behind this and there must be another ship nearby. Zhang Haixia said from within the thick fog. He leisurely walked out of the fog, passed through the ghosts, and returned to Zhang Haiyans side without even lighting antern.


    I''m a little worried about the boatswain. He has parents and children to look after.


    And looking at this situation, it seems like they want to scare us so well continue spreading stories that this ce is haunted. That means they must have a way for us to get back. Zhang Haixia said.


    Come out! Zhang Haiyan shouted into the dense fog.


    No answer.


    Zhang Haixia stared at the dense fog and found that it was getting thicker and thicker. The shadows of the corpses also became more erratic and kept flickering in and out of sight.


    Zhang Haiyan continued, I am Zhang Haiyan, the South Sea Maritime Affairs Supervisor. If you keep this up, I will punish all of you. If you surrender within three minutes, we will only arrest the leader. Once three minutes have passed, all of you will be arrested.


    After speaking, Zhang Haiyan looked at his watch and began to unbutton his cor.


    Zhang Haixia also stretched his neck.


    After three seconds had passed, Zhang Haiyan put down thentern and started walking forward. Zhang Haixia said, It hasnt even been three minutes yet?


    Zhang Haiyan straightened his military cap,pletely baffled by the question, I cant believe youd trust a word I say. Hurry up. Lets attack while theyre thinking it over.


    The two quickly entered the dense fog and crouched low, walking on tiptoes. Zhang Haiyan sighed when they saw the boatswains body, but didnt bother approaching. It was clear to see that all the corpses had been cured with salt, and some were extremely dehydrated.


    Zhang Haiyan quietly muttered to Haixi, They seem to be the passengers who disappeared ten years ago, but now theyve be bacon. But before he finished speaking, both men suddenly felt like something was wrong.


    They turned their heads and found that something was actually moving in the dense fog. Without a seconds thought, Zhang Haiyan rolled his tongue and spit out three objects that glinted in the light. At the exact moment those things shot out, he had already bent down and rushed over.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) He means like cured meat. You know, to help keep it from spoiling. Packing meat in salt is a way to preserve it by drawing out the moisture from the meat, preventing the meat from spoiling due to bacteria growth.


    (2) Remember, the xia in Zhang Haixias name means shrimp.

 Chapter 3: Out to Sea

    Chapter 3: Out to Sea


    Many people knew that Zhang Haiyan had des in his mouth, but no one knew where the des were usually hidden, how he could shoot and hurt people with so much force, or even how he could use them to prate threeyers of iron.


    ording to Zhang Haiyanster exnation, training the tongue and mouth muscles was very important, especially when it came to the trick of sucking in air and making the mouth into a kind of vacuum.


    The reason why he particrly liked to hurt people in this way was because when he looked at someone, his mouth was facing that person at almost the same time.


    Anyone who did archery knew that you could aim urately with the help of your mouth. And when trying to shoot arrows, the fletching would definitely have to be close to the mouth. In addition, it was extremely difficult for people to notice how your mouth was moving when you turned to look at them.


    That was why when Zhang Haiyan started to act aggressively, people fell whenever he looked at them.


    This was also the case here. When he looked in that direction, the des had already been forcefully spit out.


    Moreover, he was never in the habit of waiting to see if his prey had been hit. Whether they seeded in evading or not, Zhang Haiyan would have already appeared right in front of them.


    Zhang Haiyans movements were already considered fast, but by the time he arrived at his intended target, Haixia had already shown up before him. He hadnt even sensed Haixia move.


    In the end, they found that there was nothing in the area. Zhang Haiyan found two of his des embedded in the reef at his feet, so he pulled them out and put them back in his mouth, wondering where the third one was.


    Haixia moved his nose, knelt down, struck a match, and saw blood on the reef.


    Someone was hit. Zhang Haiyan became excited.


    Sure enough. Its human. Zhang Haixia sighed in disappointment.


    Their training was very strict and arduous, but most of what they had learned didnt seem to be something they could use to deal with people. But even when they arrived in the South Sea, they didnt see a single zombie, let alone any monsters or ghosts.


    Every time they went out to work, the two people hoped to encounter a real major event. Zhang Haiyan was bored, and Zhang Haixia hoped to be transferred back to China for meritorious service. But after so many years, the cases they investigated had been closed because they were just rumors.


    At this time, they didnt know whether it was because they were too fast, or if the opponent had be disoriented. They both heard various soundse from the thick fog.


    When the two stood up, they saw the figures in the thick fog begin to disappear one by one. The speed was so fast that they really looked like ghosts.


    Within just three or four seconds, all of the shadows receded into the depths of the mist and disappeared.


    Whats going on? Zhang Haiyan squinted. He felt the sea breezeing and watched the thick fog start to dissipate.


    They hastened to give chase, but found that none of the corpses were in the mist. The sea breeze grew stronger as they searched, and they could even see the fog start to move with the naked eye. After a few minutes, all the fog was blown away, and it was as if nothing had happened on the reef.


    A bright moon lit up the sky, the sea breeze gradually rose, and the waves began hitting the rocks again. The moonlight shining on the sea in the distance looked just like scales. They didn''t see any ships or people.


    Zhang Haiyan went to look in the direction their own ship had headed in before, only to find that there was nothing there. The ship was really gone! If not for the bloodstains, it would be like everything that had happened just now was all an illusion.


    These fake ghosts are quite kind-hearted. Zhang Haiyan murmured.


    Zhang Haixia returned to where the bloodstains were and squatted down.


    This is magic.


    Whered they go? Can you find them with the bloodstains? If it was magic, then these corpses should still be on the reef, just hidden somewhere. Nevertheless, when they searched carefully just now, they didn''t find anything like a hidden door.


    Blood isnt a particrly good scent marker. The transmission distance isnt far enough.


    Zhang Haixia turned his head and sniffed the air. The sea breeze here was strong, so many smells would be quickly blown away, but he suddenly looked at the ce where Zhang Haiyans cigarette butt was. Both of them went over and found that it had been trampled.


    Someone stepped on this cigarette butt. Zhang Haiyan picked it up. I put agarwood in this cigarette. The smell is very strong, so as long as you pass through here, youll have the smell all over you. Since its so pungent, you can definitely trace it. With that said, Zhang Haiyan held it under Zhang Haixias nose. Be a good boy and smell it.


    Zhang Haixia gruffly took the cigarette butt, sniffed it, and then threw it aside before closing his eyes and sniffing the air. He did this for a while before opening them again. I cant do it. The smell of alcohol and tobo on your breath is too stinky.


    Zhang Haiyan didnt know whether tough or cry. Since I started hanging out with you, Ive had to wipe my butt three times. Youll know if I only wipe it once. Its even a death sentence if I fart. Life is too difficult. You might as well find a ce to smash your nose so we dont have to torture each other anymore. With that said, he walked away.


    Zhang Haixia ignored him and closed his eyes. After a moment, he looked to the sea on one side.


    It was the edge of the reef, where the ck sea was like rolling obsidian under the moonlight. Zhang Haixia pointed to the front. Theyre at sea.


    The waves were so huge that there were no boats in sight.


    You mean to tell me that these people quickly moved all those bodies to the sea? And then went far away from the reef? What kind of ship is that fast?


    Maybe its not a boat, but something else. If you want to know, just go and have a look. Zhang Haixia looked at the darkness in the distance. There must be something there.


    A big wave hit the reef. For ordinary people, jumping into the sea at a time like this was tantamount to suicide. But the two men looked at each other, took off their military uniforms, jumped into the sea together, and swam forward.

 Chapter 4: Unlucky Smell

    Chapter 4: Unlucky Smell


    Swimming skills were the first thing the Southern Archives considered whenever they selected trainees.


    People either liked water or were afraid of it. Zhang Haiyans and Zhang Haixias heartbeats would slow down when they were in the water, and they felt morefortable in it than when they were on shore.


    That was why the word hai (1) was included in their names, so people could better distinguish who they were. In the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office, those who had hai in their names would have an extra bundle of bacon for lunch and an extra steamed bun, which was very enviable.


    The two people were like fish in the water. Every time they went underwater, they advanced more than ten meters before poking their heads above the surface again. They seemed to do it effortlessly based on their movements, but only they knew how they had achieved such skills.


    On the reef west of Gng Ind in Xiamen, there was a pit about twenty or thirty meters wide that was so deep, it seemed bottomless. The pit would be full of water whenever the tide rose, and would be a deep pool whenever the tide ebbed. Even though this deep pool and the sea werent connected, fish and shrimp came and went with the tide every day.


    Zhang Haiyan remembered that there were so many crabs in the deep pool, they couldnt catch them all. At that time, his godmother would fish a snapper out of the sea and throw it into the deep pool after the tide had receded. She would then have them try to catch the snapper with their bare hands. If anyone seeded, they got to sleep in the bed with her.


    How could you possibly catch something like a snapper with your bare hands?


    Eight monthster, these childrens shoulders and abdominal muscles looked as if they had been chiseled with knives. Of course, no one had ever caught the snapper, and it often ended up being scared to death.


    What Zhang Haiyan still remembered most clearly was that under the blue sky by the blue sea, a group of little kids gradually grew into adults. They stood on the edge of the deep pool, no longer feeling frustrated that they couldnt catch the snapper. Those years were so wonderful, and he often found himself missing those days. These experiences also enabled him to move among the sea waves like a fish.


    Soon, they could no longer see Flower Reef. They werepletely surrounded by the sea, and the waves were bing bigger and bigger. Every time Zhang Haixia surfaced from the water, he would correct his position and continue moving forward without hesitation. They swam about four or five kilometers before they saw lights on the sea.


    The lights were a cyan color, and were used by pirates during sneak attacks. The lights were made from dried rotted eggs that were mixed with oil. When seen from a distance, they looked like the moon reflecting on the seas surface, so they werent easily noticeable.


    The two of them approached slowly and found that it was arge iron passenger ship. They could see that there was more than one of them, and they were all of varying sizes. Four or five of the big ones and more than a dozen small ones were chained together to form a ship formation.


    The ships were very old, and obviouslycking maintenance since they had barnacles and rust all over them. They could vaguely see that the ship closest to them had the word Ru Sheng painted on it. Zhang Haiyan remembered that it was one of the passenger ships that had disappeared ten years ago. More than two hundred passengers had disappeared with the ship at that time.


    A dozen anchors had been thrown into the sea around the ship formation. The waves here werent very high, so Zhang Haiyan knew that the water was shallow and there were reefs on the seabed below.


    The two of them used one of the anchor cables to climb out of the water, and while they were hanging upside down, they heard someone talking on the ship. The two climbed to the ships railing and stepped on the anchor cable to investigate. First, they saw four or five guards on top of the passenger cabins, all wearing military uniforms and holding rifles.


    Various words could be hearding from different ces on the ship, and they listened intently.


    Why are they talking with a Guixi ent? Zhang Haixia asked.


    There were many warlord factions in Guixi that were constantly plotting against each other. They had heard of warlords ordering fishing boats from the Gulf of Tonkin to conduct piracy and collect military pay and provisions, but this ce was too far from the Gulf of Tonkin. What did the Guixi warlordse to a for?


    The two listened attentively for a while. They didn''t understand the Guangxi dialect, but they were sure that these soldiers worked for a warlord.


    Zhang Haiyan saw that their rifles were all German-made Mausers, and not Hanyang-made. This was a big deal among the warlords and indicated that the soldiers here had a high rank.


    A closer look showed that the soldiers were even equipped with German-made pistols. Zhang Haiyan had taken over the import of these kinds of pistols during one of his missions. Twelve of them had been transported from a back to Xiamen for the officers in the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office to use, so he knew how powerful they were.


    A Guixi warlord came to a to be a pirate. Is it possible theyre the remnant forces of a defeated warlord, and they hijacked these ships to make a living? Zhang Haixia asked.


    Zhang Haiyan took a closer look at the ship formation. The ships had been hijacked ten years ago, but were still here. The hijacking was already a strange case back then, but it was even more strange to chain these ships together into a formation. And they had even managed this ce for ten years. They were able to hide the cases that took ce on international routes for ten years, and were still active at the crime scene.


    If they were conducting things on such arge scale, then the boss behind the whole thing should be some sort of conspirator! How could a man with this kind of ability be a defeated warlord? Moreover, the chains and ship formation looked very logical, and the sentries were clearly distributed and strictly on guard. For ten years, the sentries on Ru Sheng didnt ck off for one bit, which showed that the boss here certainly wasn''t an ordinary person.


    Zhang Haiyan said to Zhang Haixia, Look at the ship formation. Theres no ship in the center, and its shaped like a square. It seems like the ships are surrounding something in the middle.


    The two of them boarded the ship. Zhang Haiyan hid in the shadows and looked up at the sentry above. The sentry''s position was well designed and the deck was clearly illuminated by sixteen reasonably distributed lights. It would be impossible to pass without being noticed.


    Zhang Haiyan calmed himself down, took a deep breath, and spat out three des, managing to extinguish three of the blue lights. The guards were immediately attracted by the sudden change in lighting, and as soon as their attention had shifted, the two men sprinted without hesitation. They ran across the deck, reached the other side of the passenger ship, and retreated into the darkness.


    There was another ships railing right behind them, which was where the area surrounded by the ship formation was. They could see that the lights on the outer edge were denser here, and there really was something in the center.


    The two secretly investigated and found that the ships were surrounding a reef. A huge hole had been dug in the reef, and there were mining equipment and scaffolding all around it. This hole seemed to have been dug by people, and it went very deep.


    These soldiers used so many ships to surround a reef in this area, and then dug a hole in it.


    There were a lot of people in non-military uniforms and shackles working on the reef. Zhang Haixia covered his nose.


    What do you smell? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Theres an unspeakable smelling from that hole. Zhang Haixia said. It smells very unlucky.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Hai means sea in Chinese.

 Chapter 5: South China Sea Plague Ship

    Chapter 5: South China Sea gue Ship


    Zhang Haiyan poked his head out again, but didnt glean any more information. He retreated back into the darkness and wondered, What''s under this reef?


    What do you think? Have they just been digging one hole on this reef for the past ten years, or have they been digging holes all over the reefs here?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded. He knew what Haixia meant, but what could be under this reef? Reefs were structures formed by coral reefs on top of undersea mountains, after all.


    If they had dug all over the reefs here, then did that mean there were special minerals in the reefs? Or did it mean that precious treasures were stuck in the aged coral reefs?


    Should we go down and have a look?


    Its not possible. Look. These guard posts form a ring. There arent any blind spots, and the lighting is very sufficient. Zhang Haiyan said. He wondered if the workers were passengers from ten years ago. If so, it was truly miserable to be abducted and then ordered to work here for ten years. Well do the usual. Catch someone and ask whats going on.


    Both of them looked around. There was only one conning tower (1) on the deck of this steamship, along with two huge chimneys. The main superstructure was arranged in the middle of the hull, and the cargo hold was ced between it, the bow, and the stern. The bow was straight and shaped inward just below the waterline, which was typical of North Antic bows (2).


    The guard tower was on top of the superstructure and there were about seven or eight guard posts around the tworge chimneys. There were probably hundreds of ropes hanging down, all connected to the ships railings, and clearnterns had been hung three or four meters apart. The deck was very clean and no one was around.


    They could see that in addition to the bow, the windows of the cabin and superstructure were both dark. It seemed like no one was around, but Zhang Haixia shook his head. I can smell them moving around inside. There must be people in the cabin.


    Youre smelling people going to the toilet again? Zhang Haiyan looked at Zhang Haixia empathetically.


    Zhang Haixia huffed, Its the smell of wine. As he enunciated each word, he pointed to the bow, where someone just so happened toe out to check the extinguished lights. But the bow was quite far away from them, so it was very easy to be spotted if they tried to go over there.


    The person who hade out was dressed in a military uniform. They looked at the broken ss on the ground in confusion, and then said something in the Guixi dialect to the guards posted above.


    These people were also Chinese, and it was well known that when it came to Chinese and Mys, Chinese were more difficult to deal with. The closer the Chinese were to the maind, the harder they were to deal with. But Zhang Haiyan was able to understand a few words this time. They were saying that they had just met two people with amazing skills on the reef over there, and now that there was a strange situation here, it was probably rted to them.


    After they were done speaking, the sentries nodded and raised their guns, aiming them at the deck. Soldiers with loaded pistols also appeared on the deck and started searching.


    Zhang Haixia looked at Zhang Haiyan sullenly. It was obvious that he had an opinion on Zhang Haiyans reckless handling of the lights.


    Zhang Haiyan listened to the approaching footsteps in the dark. Although the two of them had incredible skills, he also knew that they had absolutely no chance of fighting back against those kinds of automatic pistols. It was the sorrow of the changing times.


    Mind racing, Zhang Haiyan quickly raised his head and took aim at the cyan-coloredntern hanging in the middle of the hole on the reef. He spit out a de, and the precise hit caused thentern to shatter. Sparks and ss fell to the ground, causing amotion below.


    The most interesting thing about Zhang Haiyan was that he never made a fuss like normal people and almost never came prepared for situations. But while normal people always thought one step ahead when something happened, he didnt. He lived in those twenty or thirty seconds right before people coulde up with another idea. In those twenty and thirty seconds, he was the absolute king.


    The reef below was more important than the ship, so if the light on the reef had been broken, that meant someone may have snuck over there. Everyone would be nervous, which would create a twenty-second cognitive buffer.


    Twenty seconds was enough.


    As all the guards and search team members looked towards the reef, Zhang Haiyan grabbed Zhang Haixias hand and pressed his other hand against the ground. With a move that was extremely difficult for humans to do, Zhang Haiyan threw Zhang Haixia out.


    Zhang Haixianded on the bow of the ship, pressed his hands against the deck, and then slid into the nearby door.


    Zhang Haiyan followed behind with a barrel roll, but their movements were too conspicuous. A sentry upstairs turned his head and almost caught the both of them, but Zhang Haiyan quickly spit out a de. It flew across the deck and hit the sole of another soldiers shoe. Ouch! the soldier cried out.


    When the sentry turned his head towards the cry, Zhang Haiyan used that moment to slide through the door.


    Zhang Haixia caught him. Theyll discover us in a minute.


    Is a minute not enough?


    They were in the ships observation room, where they could see a set of stairs in the middle leading down to the cabin area below. That was also where the cargo hold was. The two of them went down and discovered countless salt-covered corpses standing there.


    The hundreds of corpses were covered in salt scabs, which created a sight that was both spectacr and terrifying. The corpses were of varying shapes and sizes, and ranged from men, women, children, and old people. Their eyeballs had withered away due to dehydration, and the empty sockets were looking down at the ground, which was very creepy.


    There werent any lights in the cargo hold, and all the windows had been sealed shut from the inside, preventing any external light froming in. There was only one light source they could make out, which wasing from the deepest part of the cargo hold where a door had been set in a partition. The door was open, revealing an orange-colored light that was very bright and warm.


    The two of them walked through the pile of corpses and went towards the partition, where they saw a man with a significantly different military uniform and rank.


    He was wearing a mask and gloves, and injecting something into a corpse. Zhang Haixia covered Zhang Haiyans mouth and whispered very quietly, The smell is very pungent. I don''t know what kind of concoction it is. What is he doing?


    Zhang Haiyan pushed Haixias hand away and also whispered quietly, Ask him directly. Just as he was about to move forward, however, he heard the phone ring.


    The officer picked it up and took off his mask, revealing a very young and handsome face. He listened to the person on the other end of the phone for a while before saying in Mandarin, No one can swim here from Flower Reef. If they can, they must be working for Zhang Qishan, which means you wont be able to find them like this. Get the submachine guns out. The phone call seemed to be from the people on deck.


    <em>Zhang Qishan?</em>


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned, but didnt hesitate. Whenever someone answered the phone, they were at their second most vulnerable.


    He immediately burst into thepartment and rushed in, but the officer suddenly turned his head just as Zhang Haiyan was about to subdue him. The officer drew his pistol and aimed a shot at Zhang Haiyans head. A loud bang sounded, but Zhang Haiyan reacted very quickly and leaned his head to the side to avoid it.


    The scorching bullet grazed his face, causing him to break out in cold sweat. It wasnt the bullet that made him sweat, but the fact that the officer didnt hesitate. Based on his actions, it appeared he had been prepared and waiting for Zhang Haiyan to attack.


    It was in that moment that Zhang Haiyan realized he had underestimated the enemy. He didnt know how long it had been since he had been in this kind of situation, but at that moment, the mentality of underestimating the enemy made him feel a deep fear.


    The source of his fear didnte from the enemy, but from how his godmother had taught him before. She would always give out the most terrible punishments for underestimating the enemy, because for their n, doing such a thing was an absolutely unforgivable mistake. Yet he had still forgotten that ten years after he had left.


    While Zhang Haiyan was dodging the bullet, he reflexively shot the de out of his mouth. It prated the officers mouth and went through the back of his head in an explosion of blood. The officer stumbled and fell to the ground.


    Zhang Haiyan knew he hadnt controlled his strength well. He immediately supported the officers neck with his hands, kicked the gun away, and asked, Who are you guys?


    The officers mouth was full of blood, and he looked at Zhang Haiyan with pain in his eyes. When he tried to push Zhang Haiyan''s hands away, Zhang Haiyan said, If I let go, youll die. Tell me the truth, and Ill sew the wound up for you. In the future, youll just have to go to the toilet several times at night. Everything else will be fine.


    The officers eyes fluttered. He kept looking at a cab on one side of the room that was full of formalin bottles and drawers. Zhang Haixia leisurely walked in, closed the door, and started looking through the drawers, which were full of documents.


    The officer''s blood was flowing all over the floor, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as if he was about to go into shock. Zhang Haiyan had no choice but to let go.


    Zhang Haixia found a stack of documents from the cab and flipped through them. The soldiers above wille down soon. You''d better prepare for that. One more thing. Look at this. I know what theyre looking for. He tore one of the documents out and showed it to Zhang Haiyan. The words written on it were Research on the Ming Dynasty gue Ship in the South China Sea.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Its a raised tform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer in charge can conn the vessel, controlling movements of the ship by giving orders to those responsible for the ship''s engine, rudder, lines, and ground tackle.


    (2) Its a bulbous bow (aka a protruding bulb at the bow of a ship just below the waterline). The bulb modifies the way the water flows around the hull, reducing drag and thus increasing speed, range, fuel efficiency, and stability. Looks like this:

 Chapter 6: Things in the Sunken Ship

    Chapter 6: Things in the Sunken Ship


    In thete fifteenth century, something called the ship of fools appeared in Germany. Each city gave all their lunatics to passing sailors, who gathered them onto ships and wandered from town to town.


    There were many philosophers and poets among these lunatics, and the sailors would sometimes take them into the wilderness between towns and banish them there. As a result, a group of lunatics would gather and stare into space in the wilderness.


    But things werent so romantic afterwards. Leprosy began to spread inrge numbers, and those afflicted with it were also sent to the ships of fools. But in those cases, they were left on isted inds to fend for themselves. These kinds of ships were famously called leper ships.


    Coincidentally, a gue was running rampant around the end of the Ming Dynasty, and someone had a simr idea. People sent their critically ill rtives to ships that set off from Dongying. There were a total of sixty-seven ships that sailed along the eastern coast, heading for the South Sea.


    At that time, everyone knew that once the ships were in open water, the South Sea sailors might throw the afflicted into the sea to drown, but they still sent them anyways. The gue had ravaged northern China for so long that everyone just hoped that this disaster woulde to an end.


    Based on the historical records, the prevalent gue at that time was probably the bubonic gue<em>.</em> County records and documents mentioned that the rats behavior was very strange, and they were seen crossing the river one right after another.


    But there were also various gues called big head gue and green line gue, and it was even said that there were dozens of other gues breaking out at once. At that time, a few people were standing around talking when they suddenly shook their heads and died. Everyone else scattered, leaving thousands of corpses on disy as they rotted in the streets. The smell was unbearable.


    These kinds of ships that set off from Dongying were called gue ships, and each one held more than a hundred patients. The patients were all crammed into the cargo hold, and forced to endure the rotting corpses of those who died alongside them until they could be thrown into the sea a few dayster. But historical records stated that many gue ships didnt abandon the sick and actually sailed to the South Sea andnded ashore. Some of them even recovered from their illness and settled in the South Sea.


    It made sense that the people here were looking for a gue ship. If a ship from that time went to the South China Sea, ran aground, and sank here, then the entire ship would be buried under hundreds of years worth of coral reefs.


    There were many hidden reefs here, so it was easy to see how it would take them ten years if they were searching one reef after another. And based on the scene Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia had witnessed just now, those people might have found it.


    The officer seemed to be dead, and Zhang Haiyan could hear footstepsing from outside. He used the officers clothes to wipe the blood from his hands and said to Zhang Haixia, Keep reading. Try to find something interesting for me. With that said, he pulled three golden needles from his belt and jabbed them into his throat.


    He coughed a few times after the golden needles pierced his throat, and then his voice changed. He tried to say something in a low voice, but had to adjust the position of the golden needles before he sounded like the officer.


    Zhang Haixia continued, Look at this. An ancient book is quoted here. A doctor in Dongying recorded a gue that came from the south. It was called wudou disease, and it spread very quickly. After they discovered the first case, it only took a month before everyone in the vige died. Could it be that the gue ship the people here are looking for had patients with wudou disease on it?


    Zhang Haiyan touched his neck and then took the information, while Zhang Haixia went to hide in the corner. Zhang Haiyan put on the officers clothes, went to stand behind a table so that his pants would hide the corpse, and then turned his back to the door.


    At that moment, the sentry above who had heard the gunshot came in and asked, Why was there a gunshot, Lieutenant?


    Someone came in just now, but they already ran away. Zhang Haiyan turned his back to the sentry, seemingly focused on flipping through the papers in front of him. His voice was almost the same as the officers. Gather a team to search the whole ship. We have to speed up. What''s the situation right now?


    The sentry immediately gave the other soldiers a look and continued to report, Were about to reach the bottom. Were being more careful now for fear that the things inside wille out.


    Zhang Haiyans was racing as he thought to himself, <em>what things mighte out? </em>He turned his head slightly and looked at Zhang Haixias face in the dark. Zhang Haixia also seemed very interested in this new piece of information.


    Zhang Haiyan continued to question the sentry, Let me give you a test. If youre worried that those things wille out, what should you do to prepare?


    You said that we should make thoseborers do the work. As long as we put the concoction on our bodies, well be fine. Isnt that enough? Youve tested it on those people who have died these past few years and sealed them with salt. We thought that was enough.


    Zhang Haiyan didn''t understand, but his mind was still racing. He knew it wasnt good to stall anymore, so he waved his hand. Tell them that no matter what method they use, they have to reach the bottom tonight. Zhang Qishans people are already here.


    The sentry was relieved and immediately left. As Zhang Haiyan flipped through the papers for real this time, he found it odd that they didnt mention what was in the gue ship. If something woulde out, and the ship hadin there on the seabed for hundreds of years, then what kind of monsters could possibly survive inside?

 Chapter 7: Wudou Disease

    Chapter 7: Wudou Disease


    While Zhang Haiyan was thinking things over, he suddenly had an idea. Seeing that the sentry hadnt walked far away from him, he immediately stopped him.


    Wait.


    Zhang Haixian was very ufortable hiding in the corner, but just as he wanted to step out, he heard Zhang Haiyan call out. He had no choice but to shrink back and continue to hide.


    When the sentry came back, Zhang Haiyan still didnt turn around, but pretended to fiddle with the bottles and cans on the cab as he said, Theres something I didn''t tell you before, but Ive thought it over. Since the situation is critical, I cant lie to you anymore.


    Im listening, Lieutenant.


    Have you heard of a man called Zhang Haiyan? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Of course, there was no way the sentry would know of him. He shook his head. Ive never heard of him.


    Zhang Haixia, who was still standing in the dark corner, frowned. He had no idea what Zhang Haiyan was trying to do at this time.


    This person works in the South Sea Archives under the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office. He specializes in investigating strange cases in the South Sea area. Hes a famous master. The person who was on the Flower Reef just now was him. Hes my mortal enemy. Ive lived in his shadow for a long, long time.


    The sentry was extremely puzzled, and hesitated before cautiously saying, Oh. I understand. But didnt you just say that it was Zhang Qishans people?


    I said that because I didnt want to scare you. This Zhang Haiyan is a thousand times more troublesome than Zhang Qishan. I said it was Zhang Qishan because I was afraid you would piss your pants if you knew it was Zhang Haiyan. Zhang Haiyan lowered his voice, trying his best not tough. He looked at Zhang Haixia, who rolled his eyes in the darkness.


    It was obvious the sentry was more afraid of Zhang Qishan, so he was utterly confused at this time. Soyou want us to


    Blow the reef up. We cant wait any longer. Even if the things inside are scary, we have to finish our work tonight and leave here!


    The sentry looked uncertain. But


    Ill take responsibility for everything. Im ten thousand percent sure that Zhang Haiyan is already among us. If we can''t finish it tonight, well all die here.


    The sentry had no choice but to nod and quickly retreat. It seemed that he had been very well trained.


    Zhang Haiyan turned around and closed the door before saying, See? Theres a problem with being trained too well. If you had treated me like this, I wouldve drop-kicked you a long time ago. Theres no way Id let this kind of trick seed.


    Zhang Haixia came out of hiding, unwilling to talk to Zhang Haiyan at the moment.


    Zhang Haiyan thought for a while and then pulled the needles from his throat. Of course, ordinary people wouldnt believe that someone could be this shameless. I also have to admit that Im quite gifted.


    There are still a lot of prisoners here. If youre giving out orders indiscriminately, all those people might die. Zhang Haixia said.


    This ce is heavily guarded. These soldiers are well-trained and equipped with fearsome automatic pistols. Theyve made hundreds of hostages work asborers. You still think we can get out of this unscathed? Zhang Haiyan took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. In this kind of situation, well all die. We wont stand a chance unless we cause some trouble.


    Zhang Haixia inspected the corpse that the lieutenant had been handling before. The matter isnt as simple as you think. What do you think is locked in the ship?


    Water ghosts? The yaksha Ye Sha? Nezha (1)? Oboi (2)?


    The Dragon King of the East Sea is called Ao Guang (3). Zhang Haixia corrected him. He picked up a pair of rubber gloves from the side and saw a stack of surgical masks nearby. He took one for himself, and then put a few in his pocket before he opened the mouth of the corpse on the table.


    It was the scrawny female corpse of a Southeast Asian woman who had yellow hair due to long-term malnutrition. Her eyes were sunk so deep into the sockets that she no longer looked human, and there were wounds all over her body and feet that were caused by barnacles on the reef.


    The female corpses mouth waspletely damaged, and she had yellow and ck decayed spots on her teeth. Her tongue had been cut out, and her exposed throat was filled with salt. As Zhang Haixia took a sniff, his face turned serious. You''d better rescind your order.


    Why?


    This female corpse should be a passenger from one of those ships ten years ago. She was forced to work on the reef here, but she didnt starve to death. She died of illness. The salt and concoctions are used to disinfect, which means the workers get sick and die during excavation. The lieutenant thought that the disease might be contagious.


    Zhang Haiyan thought for a while. Are you saying there arent any living monsters on the gue ship, but only


    The gue.


    It was wudou disease, the most rapidly spreading gue.


    Zhang Haiyan took a deep breath, immediately inserted the golden needles back into his throat, flipped through the phone book on the side, and said to Zhang Haixia, Help me grab the phone. Ill tell them to stop


    Before he finished speaking, there was a loud noise outside, and the whole ship shook. All the bottles and cans were thrown to the ground, and the corpses outside swayed. The both of them had to hold onto the female corpse to steady themselves.


    The two looked at each other, and then heard someone on the deck shout, We made it! We made it! Countless footsteps could be heard above, as if numerous people had rushed over to look.


    Were screwed. Zhang Haiyan rushed out, climbed the stairs, and went onto the deck that was now full of people ranging fromborers to soldiers.


    The guards up top were no longer focused on keeping watch, and were all looking at the center of the reef. No one noticed as Zhang Haiyan squeezed through the crowd.


    The heat from the explosion was still there, and someborers were slowly leaning towards it.


    It was obvious that the bombed hole was rapidly exchanging air with the outside, and the smoke kept getting sucked into it before being expelled again. The smoke and dust were visible to the naked eye as they started spreading towards the entire ship. Zhang Haiyan felt a burning in his eyes and fear in his heart. Many people started to cough.


    Zhang Haixia, who had been behind him, helped him put on a mask before handing him the gloves.


    Did I do something wrong?


    No, you were right. Well die either way, but now is the time to clean up this mess. If we don''t go to hell, who else will? He rubbed disinfectant on his hands, revealing three or four buckets full of it at his feet. Let''s go.


    I understand now. I was too reckless. Stop talking and let me reflect on it. Zhang Haiyan picked up a bucket, and the two of them squeezed through the crowd, headed towards the reef.


    Zhang Haixia said, What you did just now wasnt reckless. Signing your life away and going to the South Sea was reckless. Do you know godmother fooled you?


    She had a reason for doing so.


    Godmother fooled you because youre easily fooled. Why didnt she try to fool me then?!


    As the two of them arrived at the reef, they found that the heat from the explosion was still scorching. Some people started to react, but when they saw the two of them carrying the disinfectant so casually, they thought they were there on lieutenants orders. As a result, those people remained silent.


    When the two reached the edge of the big hole, Zhang Haixia poured a bucket of disinfectant water down first. Based on the sound, they figured the bottom wasnt particrly deep. They then proceeded to wipe the disinfectant water on their masks and bodies, before looking at each other and jumping down.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Zhang Haiyan started to name the characters in the story Nezha Conquers the Dragon King. Nezha is a warrior deity. The yaksha (aka malevolent spirit) Ye Sha worked for the Dragon King and found children for him to eat. The plot can be found here


    (2) Oboi was a prominent Manchu militarymander and courtier. Wiki link


    (3) Ao Guang is the Dragon King in Chinese folklore. Basically, Zhang Haiyan wanted to say Ao Guang, the Dragon King mentioned in Note (1), but he said it wrong and said Oboi lol.

 Chapter 8: Mortal Enemy

    Chapter 8: Mortal Enemy


    In thepartment of the ship called Rusheng, the blood-soaked officer suddenly trembled and opened his eyes. The severe pain made him want to groan, but even the slightest movement was painful. The blood that had pooled under his body had slowly dried. For some reason, arge blood scab had formed over the wound on the back of his head.


    He got up and opened a nearby cab door, where a mirror had been ced. He wanted to look at the back of his head, but found that he couldn''t see it. He touched it with his hand and found that it was a terrifying wound. He knew he wouldnt survive.


    He looked out the window and happened to see Zhang Haiyan walking towards the center of the reef, carrying a bucket of disinfectant water. Based on the onlookers and the dust flying through the air, he already knew what was going on. After thinking about it, he took out a sealed steel tank from the cab and walked calmly towards the deck.


    The people on the deck were all focused on the reef, so he blew a whistle to get their attention. Several sentries noticed himing up and found that he had been seriously injured.


    Lieutenant, did Zhang Haiyan do this to you? The sentry from before asked.


    When the lieutenant only squinted at him, the sentry added, Your mortal enemy?


    The lieutenant tried to make a sound. Zhang Haiyan? He looked to where the reef was and tried to keep himself from falling. Get the boat ready, were going to leave.


    When the sentry nodded, the lieutenant added, All the people here are already infected, so go and take some antibiotics. Well leave theseborers here. Theres no time to deal with them. Dont attract their attention. Have twenty people bring submachine guns and dynamite. Theyll be following me to get the gue water. Sink all the ships except for ours.


    The sentries went to grab their guns, and soon, twenty people were lined up. As they went down to the reef, the lieutenant felt that the wound on the back of his head was bleeding again.


    <em>I wont fail you. I will bring it back to you no matter what happens!</em> He swore silently through clenched his teeth. He didnt know where the strength came from, but he managed to walk faster than usual.


    When everyone saw the blood-covered lieutenanting, they quickly got out of the way and stood on both sides. His blood dripped steadily on the ground as he walked forward, and soon, the group of people reached the entrance of the hole.


    Ill go down and get the gue water. Everyone else, arrange the explosives. The lieutenant ordered calmly.


    Some of the workers saw the explosives in their hands and started retreating.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia had reached the bottom of the gue shipwreck. As they investigated, they made sure to sprinkle the disinfectant water everywhere.


    The ship had beenpletely calcified, and the coral reefs had grown in from the holes to cover the inside. The ships hold was totally deformed, but hundreds of sacks could be seen hanging from the beams of the original ship.


    These sacks used to hold the corpses back then, but now the corpses should havepletely dposed. Due to the rapid influx of outside air and oxidation, the sacks quickly turned ck.


    There was a pool of coal-ck, fungus-like threads under each sack, which was actually caused by liquid dripping from the rotten corpses. It had all flowed to the low-lying part of the ship and pooled in the center.


    These ck ink stains were like a huge sr radiation map, and the pool was the sun in the center.


    They walked up to the edge of the pool, and Zhang Haiyan said quietly, This is the essence of the entire ship, the concentrated liquid of all those who died from illness.


    The water in the pool was surprisingly clear, and they could see their reflections along with the light from theirnterns.


    Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia looked at each other and silently agreed to pour the disinfectant water into the pool.


    Suddenly, there came the sound of a gun cocking behind them. The two immediately dodged and rolled into the darkness, finding that the ce where they had just been standing was riddled with holes.


    They turned their heads and saw that the lieutenant from before had brought a group of people with him. They were all basically firing indiscriminately into the darkness. Zhang Haiyan immediately dropped to the ground, but just when he was about to fight back, the other side fired two or three rounds at the same time. He rolled over, stepped on the coral reef, and climbed up one of the beams, but the bullets followed him all the way to the top.


    The lieutenant had already walked to the edge of the pool, squatted down, and filled a jar with corpse water. He then sealed the jar, turned around, and left.


    His subordinates gave up attacking Zhang Haiyan and immediately lit all the bundles of dynamite before tossing them everywhere. There were a few professionals highly skilled at setting up explosives, who put the heaviest bundles beneath the keels crucial point. Once they were done igniting all the dynamite, they quickly evacuated.


    Zhang Haiyan knew that the situation was bad. He thought about cutting off all the fuses with his des, but when he looked around, he realized there were hundreds of sparks. He shouted, Shrimp, lets go!


    The two rushed to the exit together, but were met with a heavy barrage of bullets and had to retreat. They heard more gunshots ring out, indicating that someone had hit the scaffolding outside the hole. It fell with a loud crash, making it impossible for them to climb up. The fuses behind them were still hissing as the sparks got closer and closer to their target.


    I should have hit that bastard one more time to make sure he was dead! Zhang Haiyan fumed. That was so stupid of me!


    He immediately turned around, picked up a few of the explosives nearest to them, and then threw them into the depths of the ship. Once a small space had been cleared, he grabbed a few sacks and handed them to Zhang Haixia. Use these to protect yourself from the explosion. Our fate is in Gods hands now.


    Zhang Haixia looked at the sacks, shook his head, and then asked, Do you want to return to Xiamen?


    I do!


    Zhang Haixia grabbed all the sacks and put them on his back as protection. He then pushed Zhang Haiyan into the corner before he opened his arms to cover him. Thats good.


    What are you doing?


    Zhang Haiyan, I don''t want to go back to Xiamen. I dont miss anything about it. Youll go back for me.


    Before he had finished speaking, there was a loud noise and a huge st of air pushed Zhang Haixia onto Zhang Haiyan. Zhang Haiyans head seemed to m against something, and he knew nothing more.

 Chapter 9: Case Closed

    Chapter 9: Case Closed


    The lieutenant sat on the side of the ship, watching the reef explode and the other ships sink into the sea one by one. He was sitting ramrod straight as he clung to the airtight jar.


    Since they were heading home, all of the soldiers were very happy, and no one had noticed that the seated lieutenant had actually died.


    Everyone was destined to meet someone, and their lives would change because of it. Afterpleting his mission, no one knew what the lieutenant had been thinking as he sat there dying.


    Zhang Haiyan pushed the rubble away and climbed onto the reef, finding that the ships around him had already been sunk. There were only a few hundredborers left on the reef, and they were all huddled together like penguins.


    He coughed violently, and pulled the unconscious Zhang Haixia up. He couldnt hear a thing at all, and knew there was blood trickling out of his ears and nose. He felt as if his chest had been hit by a pile driver more than a dozen times, and thought that his internal organs had probably be something like mushy watermelon. Despite all this, he still desperately shouted Zhang Haixias name several times.


    His hands suddenly started to feel unbearably itchy, and he pulled his clothes up to find that his body was covered in ayer of blood blisters.


    But they werent burns from the explosion. He turned to look at the otherborers and saw that they had also discovered they had blood blisters on their bodies, and were starting to scratch them.


    Zhang Haiyan felt cold all over. He knew this was the result of the disease infecting their bodies after the explosion.


    On such a small reef, the next few months would be a real hell on earth without any boats or food. To him, gue and hunger always seemed to follow him wherever he went. (1)


    Even though the Flower Reef case was closed, there were still some unsolved mysteries. But even to this day, Zhang Haiyan never revealed the details.


    Six monthster, Chen Libiaos family took a fishing boat out to look for them. They found Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia on the reef, but no one else was with them. They took the two back to a.


    No one knew where the other people on the reef had gone, except for those who read the confidential telegram from the Southern Archives.


    In the end, the Flower Reef case was marked as unresolved. The so-called "unresolved case" meant that there was a result, but they couldnt publish it.


    A single piece of information entered the archive room in the basement of the Southern Archives, while all the other files were destroyed.


    The Southern Archives Southern Xinjian branch had taken over the investigation as to why a Guixi warlord wanted to look for a gue ship in the South Sea and obtain the source of the wudou disease that was inside. Whether they found the answer or not, Zhang Haiyan would never know.


    Three yearster. The Southern Archives.


    It was dusk, and Zhang Haixia was sitting on a wicker chair as Zhang Haiyan silently washed his feet. Zhang Haixia looked towards the sea, and saw a bunch of children running up and down the beach.


    Just let me lie on the bed. Why bother moving me around every day? He was still a little embarrassed to see Zhang Haiyan washing his feet with so much care.


    A person who is paralyzed will develop bed sores if they dont turn their body.


    I dont feel any pain. Zhang Haixia said.


    Whether you feel pain or not, the bedsores are still there. Zhang Haiyan took the water that had been used to wash feet and poured it downstairs.


    The official residence of the Southern Archives in a was actually a two-story Indian building with a small courtyard and an arched door that looked quite spectacr.


    The buildings at the back were very simple, but had been built like small European-style vis. There were many kinds of these buildings in Gngyu (2), so Zhang Haiyan was quite familiar with them.


    Since both of their rooms were on the second floor, they could view the sea from the corridor. There was also arge room on the second floor that acted as a conference room, but it had never actually seated more than three people. Telegraph instruments and arge sea map had been ced inside, but the sea map had be moldy and curled after so long, rendering it as more of a decoration.


    There were three rooms with the same structure on the first floor, but one was an archive room, and the other two were filled with groceries.


    Since they had a spectacr arched door, people who came and went thought that there were foreigners living inside, so they didnt dare make too much noise.


    Zhang Haiyan had set up a stall to sell some imported products. His English was very good, so his stall was often visited by foreigners.


    The sign of the Southern Archives still hung on the arched door, but the locals had no idea what it meant.


    Theres still no news from the Archives?


    Zhang Haiyan massaged Zhang Haixias feet and shook his head. Not only is there no news, but the payment hasnt been issued either. If it werent for the fact that we''ve been saving money since a few years ago, we wouldve already been begging for food by now.


    What about the telegram?


    Theres no response. Zhang Haiyan stood up and stretched his waist. I heard that the Cantonese fraction (3) has full control of Xiamen now. Will the Archives be implicated? Or did they withdraw or disband?


    What are you going to do if they disband?


    We don''t know anything besides being spies. With all those wars going on, I dont believe spies like us cant find jobs. Zhang Haiyan said. Well go back to Xiamen, find godmother, find a new boss, and continue to mess around.


    Zhang Haixia smiled. If it weren''t for me, you would have been promoted and gone back to Xiamen by now.


    Stop it. Im the reason you signed your life away. Since we came here together, well go back together. Zhang Haiyan leaned on the railing and saw ck smoke rising up in several ces along the distant coast. He didnt know if it was because of a fire or something else.


    What did that Maleficium (4) master on east street say about your legs when he was doing fortune telling? Can he treat them?


    He said that he cant treat my legs. He also said that Im dying, and I wont be able to rest in peace because Ill be a monster. Zhang Haixia said. I wont die because of my legs, but Ill die because of other things.


    Zhang Haiyan was angry upon hearing this. That stupid guy doesnt know what hes talking about. Ill burn his houseter and see if he dares talk nonsense.


    Zhang Haixia interrupted him, He said Ill die for what I should have died for before.


    Zhang Haiyan was silent for a while, and then sighed. He knew that Zhang Haixia was upset about what happened on the reef, but he didn''t want to talk about what happened back then.


    Oh yeah. Zhang Haixia took a newspaper clipping from his shirt pocket, Look at this and see if its what I think it is.


    Zhang Haiyan took it, and found that it was a simple article. There was a strange disease in Penang and its nearby viges that was spreading very fast. It was suspected to be an infectious disease brought by foreigners, much like how syphilis had been brought over back then.


    But the newspaper clipping described the patients as having many tiny blood blisters in the early stages of the disease.


    Zhang Haiyan frowned. Wudou disease?


    Although theres no payment from the Southern Archives anymore, we still have a duty to warn the locals. Its convenient to travel by boat in the South Sea now, so thousands of people end up traveling between Xiamen and a every day. If it really is wudou disease, then it can easily spread all over the world. Shouldnt you go and check it out?


    Zhang Haiyan lit a cigarette, which was a brand Zhang Haixia had rmended to him. He took a puff and faced the wind, vaguely feeling like something was wrong.


    If it really was wudou disease, then the unresolved case from that year would have to be reopened. What kind of conspiracy was behind it?


    Zhang Haiyan said, Penang isnt it that guys territory?


    Zhang Haixia nodded. Yes, exactly. Its that guy, so you have to be careful when you go there. In Penang, people are rewarded with a thousand dors if they can kill someone from the Southern Archives. Youd better change your appearance before you goOh, and by the way, take a proper shower.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Zhang Haiyan had the nickname gue God, and it was mostly because he was famous for killing people when he was in the South Sea area.


    (2) The Gngyu, Gng Ind or Kngsu is a pedestrian-only ind off the coast of Xiamen. Wiki link here


    (3) This refers to Cantonese warlords.


    (4) Just think of him as a witch doctor. If you dont remember, Maleficium is an act of witchcraft performed with the intention of causing damage or injury. In general, the term applies to any magical act intended to cause harm or death to people or property.

 Chapter 11: Zhang Ruipu

    Chapter 11: Zhang Ruipu


    Zhang Haiyan really didnt care about Zhang Ruipu, and didnt think Zhang Haixias hunch was all that urate.


    Penang was indeed Zhang Ruipus territory, and the gue this time must have caused a lot of damage to him, but using the gue to deal with a specific person was really a little too overdramatic.


    Moreover, assassinating Zhang Ruipu was their first mission when they first arrived in Perak, and they had investigated the Flower Reef case several yearster. The two missions were set far apart in time, and werent rted to each other at all. To insist that they were connected was really too far-fetched.


    Zhang Haiyan had his own theory that all the conspiracies and tricks in the world had to be full of ws, because the people behind them were unreliable. As to why so many conspiracies werent discovered, it was because people didnt know where the conspiracies led to. Most conspiracies were crude, but this crudeness was obscured by the enemies carelessness andck of awareness.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head to show that he disagreed. The two were silent for a while, and then Zhang Haixia asked, Whyd you stop talking? Are you afraid sensitive topics wille up and it won''t end well?


    Hmm. Zhang Haiyan nodded.


    Since the clues lead to Nanan, why not get on the ship and investigate? When will the ship reachnd again? Zhang Haixia asked.


    Zhang Haiyan took a big puff of his cigarette, Next week.


    Nanan is heading to Xiamen, so if you board the ship and investigate the case, youll have to stay on board for the entire journey and disembark in Xiamen. Zhang Haixia said. The ticket is very expensive, so even if we get the cheapest cabin, we can only afford a one-way ticket at most. In other words, if you arrive in Xiamen, it may be more than a year before you cane back."


    Exactly. It doesnt make sense for me to leave.


    I think its a good idea. You can go back and check why we havent received our pay, and also meet our godmother. Youre going back to Xiamen to investigate a case, so it doesnt count as a vition, right? If the Southern Archives is gone, then don''te back. Just send me a telegram and we wont have to see each other again.


    We made a promise that well go back together. Its weird if I go back alone. Besides, the money belongs to the both of us.


    Zhang Haixia rubbed his legs. This is the South Sea. I wont freeze to death even if I sleep on the streets. Im familiar with the things in the sea and the fruits in the woods. If I go back to Xiamen, I wont live a better life. I made my decision a long time ago. Im not going back. You go back to Xiamen for me. Theres no need to waste your life here because of me.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head. Forget it. Ill check on Zhang Ruipu. Maybe your hunch is right and there wont be a need to go back to Xiamen.


    Zhang Haixia didnt say anything more, and they sat there for a while before Zhang Haiyan helped Zhang Haixia back to his room.


    That night, neither man slept well. When Zhang Haiyan got up in the morning, he found that his military uniform and a neat stack of money had been ced by his bed.


    Zhang Haiyans first reaction was, <em>the idiots legs are cured?</em> But when he got up, he found Zhang Haijiao packing. It turned out that she was the one who had folded the clothes and ced the money there, obviously following Zhang Haixias instructions.


    Zhang Haiyan picked up his military cap. They had been trained to maintain their military uniforms, so his always looked immacte.


    He sighed and looked at the little girl, You switched sides already? Have you even thought about who rescued you and brought you back?


    Uncle Shrimp said that you really want to go back to Xiamen. Its not easy to have something you want to do, and he envies you very much."


    So? You guys are forcing me to leave?


    Didnt you say that you brought us back because you wanted us to be Uncle Shrimps pets? Ill take care of Uncle Shrimp. You can leave without worrying.


    Zhang Haiyan squinted and reared his head back, looking at Zhang Haijiao as if she were a monster. <em>W</em><em>omen</em><em>no, this isnt even a woman, shes just a girl. Girls are really terrifying creatures.</em><em>She found the fastest way to improve her status in this family.</em>


    Did Zhang Haixia teach you to say that?


    Its also my own idea. From now on, we and Uncle Shrimp will depend on each other and live together. Well work hard and save enough money toe to Xiamen so that we can reunite with you. You can leave without worrying. We wont die without you.


    Zhang Haiyan''s head reared back even more, as if he had been pped. He slowly stood up, collected the money, and yelled, Zhang Haixia, what the He rushed to Zhang Haixias room and suddenly found that there was more than one person inside.


    In other words, Zhang Haixia wasnt alone, but had a lot of people standing in his room.


    These people stood tall and straight without any expressions on their faces. Most of them appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Their leader was a middle-aged man, who appeared to be checking Zhang Haixias legs.


    Zhang Haiyan wasnt afraid of the crowd and stepped forward immediately. He flicked the des onto his tongue, and said to the middle-aged man, If you like ying with cripples, youll have to get in line.


    Zhang Haixia immediately stopped him and shouted, Don''t be reckless, Hailou. This is Mr. Zhang Ruipu.


    Almost at the same time, all the young people present bent over backwards to avoid the des, and Zhang Haiyan immediately stopped what he was doing.


    The middle-aged man tapped Zhang Haixias legs, shook his head, and got up.


    He was a very strong middle-aged man. So strong, in fact, that there was a dazzling light in his eyes that showed he clearly wasnt an ordinary man. When he looked at you, it was as if needles were piercing your body.


    I heard that youre investigating things regarding the gue. Zhang Ruipu said. Im here to help.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: I cant remember if the author confirmed this, but Zhang Ruipu might have been in the same generation as Fo Yes grandfather (Zhang Ruitong) because they had the same generation name Rui. Based on how badass they acted, they might just be from the main Zhang family. Or maybe this is all just a coincidence lol.</em></strong>

 Chapter 11: Zhang Ruipu

    Chapter 11: Zhang Ruipu


    Zhang Haiyan really didnt care about Zhang Ruipu, and didnt think Zhang Haixias hunch was all that urate.


    Penang was indeed Zhang Ruipus territory, and the gue this time must have caused a lot of damage to him, but using the gue to deal with a specific person was really a little too overdramatic.


    Moreover, assassinating Zhang Ruipu was their first mission when they first arrived in Perak, and they had investigated the Flower Reef case several yearster. The two missions were set far apart in time, and werent rted to each other at all. To insist that they were connected was really too far-fetched.


    Zhang Haiyan had his own theory that all the conspiracies and tricks in the world had to be full of ws, because the people behind them were unreliable. As to why so many conspiracies werent discovered, it was because people didnt know where the conspiracies led to. Most conspiracies were crude, but this crudeness was obscured by the enemies carelessness andck of awareness.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head to show that he disagreed. The two were silent for a while, and then Zhang Haixia asked, Whyd you stop talking? Are you afraid sensitive topics wille up and it won''t end well?


    Hmm. Zhang Haiyan nodded.


    Since the clues lead to Nanan, why not get on the ship and investigate? When will the ship reachnd again? Zhang Haixia asked.


    Zhang Haiyan took a big puff of his cigarette, Next week.


    Nanan is heading to Xiamen, so if you board the ship and investigate the case, youll have to stay on board for the entire journey and disembark in Xiamen. Zhang Haixia said. The ticket is very expensive, so even if we get the cheapest cabin, we can only afford a one-way ticket at most. In other words, if you arrive in Xiamen, it may be more than a year before you cane back."


    Exactly. It doesnt make sense for me to leave.


    I think its a good idea. You can go back and check why we havent received our pay, and also meet our godmother. Youre going back to Xiamen to investigate a case, so it doesnt count as a vition, right? If the Southern Archives is gone, then don''te back. Just send me a telegram and we wont have to see each other again.


    We made a promise that well go back together. Its weird if I go back alone. Besides, the money belongs to the both of us.


    Zhang Haixia rubbed his legs. This is the South Sea. I wont freeze to death even if I sleep on the streets. Im familiar with the things in the sea and the fruits in the woods. If I go back to Xiamen, I wont live a better life. I made my decision a long time ago. Im not going back. You go back to Xiamen for me. Theres no need to waste your life here because of me.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head. Forget it. Ill check on Zhang Ruipu. Maybe your hunch is right and there wont be a need to go back to Xiamen.


    Zhang Haixia didnt say anything more, and they sat there for a while before Zhang Haiyan helped Zhang Haixia back to his room.


    That night, neither man slept well. When Zhang Haiyan got up in the morning, he found that his military uniform and a neat stack of money had been ced by his bed.


    Zhang Haiyans first reaction was, <em>the idiots legs are cured?</em> But when he got up, he found Zhang Haijiao packing. It turned out that she was the one who had folded the clothes and ced the money there, obviously following Zhang Haixias instructions.


    Zhang Haiyan picked up his military cap. They had been trained to maintain their military uniforms, so his always looked immacte.


    He sighed and looked at the little girl, You switched sides already? Have you even thought about who rescued you and brought you back?


    Uncle Shrimp said that you really want to go back to Xiamen. Its not easy to have something you want to do, and he envies you very much."


    So? You guys are forcing me to leave?


    Didnt you say that you brought us back because you wanted us to be Uncle Shrimps pets? Ill take care of Uncle Shrimp. You can leave without worrying.


    Zhang Haiyan squinted and reared his head back, looking at Zhang Haijiao as if she were a monster. <em>W</em><em>omen</em><em>no, this isnt even a woman, shes just a girl. Girls are really terrifying creatures.</em><em>She found the fastest way to improve her status in this family.</em>


    Did Zhang Haixia teach you to say that?


    Its also my own idea. From now on, we and Uncle Shrimp will depend on each other and live together. Well work hard and save enough money toe to Xiamen so that we can reunite with you. You can leave without worrying. We wont die without you.


    Zhang Haiyan''s head reared back even more, as if he had been pped. He slowly stood up, collected the money, and yelled, Zhang Haixia, what the He rushed to Zhang Haixias room and suddenly found that there was more than one person inside.


    In other words, Zhang Haixia wasnt alone, but had a lot of people standing in his room.


    These people stood tall and straight without any expressions on their faces. Most of them appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Their leader was a middle-aged man, who appeared to be checking Zhang Haixias legs.


    Zhang Haiyan wasnt afraid of the crowd and stepped forward immediately. He flicked the des onto his tongue, and said to the middle-aged man, If you like ying with cripples, youll have to get in line.


    Zhang Haixia immediately stopped him and shouted, Don''t be reckless, Hailou. This is Mr. Zhang Ruipu.


    Almost at the same time, all the young people present bent over backwards to avoid the des, and Zhang Haiyan immediately stopped what he was doing.


    The middle-aged man tapped Zhang Haixias legs, shook his head, and got up.


    He was a very strong middle-aged man. So strong, in fact, that there was a dazzling light in his eyes that showed he clearly wasnt an ordinary man. When he looked at you, it was as if needles were piercing your body.


    I heard that youre investigating things regarding the gue. Zhang Ruipu said. Im here to help.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: I cant remember if the author confirmed this, but Zhang Ruipu might have been in the same generation as Fo Yes grandfather (Zhang Ruitong) because they had the same generation name Rui. Based on how badass they acted, they might just be from the main Zhang family. Or maybe this is all just a coincidence lol.</em></strong>

 Chapter 12: Killers In Poverty

    Chapter 12: Killers In Poverty


    Zhang Haiyan had seen many particrly intense scenes.


    Anyone who hadbat training knew that if you had learned the basics, you would look at ordinary people differently.


    Even if your opponents were much taller than you, the difference in behaviors would make them seem like three-year-olds in front of people who knew how to fight. This sense of difference would bring you considerable confidence.


    For the first time in a long time, Zhang Haiyans confidence disappeared in the face of these people. Although they seemed rxed, their gestures didnt reveal any ws like ordinary peoples would.


    Zhang Haiyan knew he wouldnt stand a chance if he got within three feet of someone like this and they raised their hand. And the room was now full of these kinds of people, which was why he didn''t attack.


    As soon as he hesitated, Zhang Haijiao, who had followed behind him, was pulled away by a young man who took her out and closed the door behind them.


    Zhang Ruipu sat down by Zhang Haixias bed and motioned to his men to give Zhang Haiyan a rattan chair. He then looked at the simple room. Killers in poverty, huh?


    Mr. Zhang, if you want to kill or fight, just do it. Why bother mocking us? Zhang Haixia said.


    I just think that your spirits aremendable. Youre already living in poverty, but still choose to be killers. Zhang Ruipu paused briefly, and the young man next to him took out arge paper bag and ced it next to Zhang Haixias pillow. To make a long story short. I already checked your backgrounds when you tried to kill me the first time. But with your abilities, I didnt think the two of you would be able to kill me in this lifetime, so I didnt bother killing you. If I did, the Southern Archives might actually send some reliable ones to kill me, and then I wouldnt find any peace in Penang. In the end, youve lived up to my expectations. Youre even more ipetent than I predicted.


    Actually, our main job in the Southern Archives is investigating cases. The killings are just incidental. Zhang Haiyan exined. Were not professional in that regard.


    What do you know about this gue? Zhang Ruipu sat on the bed cross-legged. Dont waste my time, Zhang Haiyan. When you came to Penang, you acted like it was nothing to walk among the dead. As far as I know, only people who have had wudou disease and survived it were able to do such a thing. And wudou disease had disappeared for hundreds of years. How did you get infected with it? With that said, his subordinates turned Zhang Haixia over and revealed his back.


    His back had a huge wound that looked like a butterfly. It was a pattern that had been formed by countless burns and st marks. Zhang Ruipu urately touched his spine in the middle of his scap. The vertebrae below had almost beenpletely shattered by the explosion.


    I know the Southern Archives doesnt allow you to reveal any information, but your friend became disabled because of you. Youve been taking care of him until now, but if theres an identsay for example, if I help you kill himwill your life be easier? Zhang Ruipu looked at Zhang Haiyans expression as he spoke.


    Zhang Haiyan slowly fiddled with the des on his tongue, trying not to reveal any expression. Or so he thought.


    Zhang Ruipu looked at him for a moment and thenughed. How touching! He said to Zhang Haixia. Your friend does care about you. Then I can force a confession out of him. With that said, he touched Haixias spine. Make it short. Youll answer my questions, or Ill start to crush his spine all the way up. If you answer even a minutete, Ill crush an extra piece. Right now he can feel his hands, but seven minutester he wont be able to move except for his head


    Theres no need. Ill tell you. It was a cold, dark night Zhang Haiyan lit a cigarette, and quickly revealed everything that had happened on Flower Reef before Zhang Ruipu could even react.


    Zhang Ruipu was a little surprised, and started frowning after listening to the story. You didnt put up a struggle.


    Well, killers in poverty have very flexible principles.


    So, the gue in Penang really is man-made?


    Youre the only one worth attacking in Penang. Its not worth it to attack anyone else there. You might as well think about it. Have you offended anyone?


    What you know is only one aspect of it. After the wudou disease outbreak in those three viges you investigated, there was an outbreak in fifteen viges throughout a one right after another. I was already being careful at that time, and had arranged people in each vige. Those who were infected have been taken care of. The viges have also been disinfected several times, so theres no outbreak in those areas.


    Zhang Haiyan sat up straight and looked at Zhang Haixia, who was lying on his stomach. You mean to say this attack was aimed at the whole of a, but Penang was chosen first by ident? Zhang Haixia asked.


    The outbreak urred in Penang first because it was the closest to the port, but fortunately, Im in Penang. I have people stationed in the viges and junctions around it. Thats why youre all fine in Perak. But I find something odd. You say that the people who spread the disease are warlords from Guixi, but whats their purpose?


    We don''t know. Zhang Haiyan said. If you already know so much about it, then you should also know about the Nanan ship. We havent had the opportunity to investigate it. Mr. Zhang Ruipu might as well concentrate on fighting the gue. Give us a few days. Well have someone send a telegram to you when we find out whats going on.


    This is precisely why Im here. Zhang Ruipu picked up the paper bag next to Zhang Haixias pillow and threw it to Zhang Haiyan. My nsmen and I have vowed to never set foot in China again, but someone has to help me investigate this matter. Seeing how youve even had to set up a stall to make up for the money you havent made from killing people, I bet youre not able to get onto Nanan. Heres the remuneration, as well as a ferry ticket. Go and investigate the case, and Ill help take care of your friend. If you cant find anything within half a year, your friend will be fertilizer for my rubber trees.


    Zhang Haiyan opened the paper bag, which contained a letter of invitation, a ferry ticket, and a stack of money.


    Zhang Haixia looked at Zhang Haiyan, who put away the paper bag and nced at him.


    Zhang Haiyan said to Zhang Ruipu, I know it''s easy for you to kill us, so what you said should be true, but I have additional conditions.


    Like what?


    My friend needs to rinse his mouth with shark fin soup in the morning. During lunch, hell have eight dishes and a bowl of soup. In the evening, he can eat something that is a little under seasoned, so hell have five dishes and white porridge, but the porridge must contain cordyceps flowers and Jinhua ham slices. You need to massage his legs three times in the morning and at noon. Hes afraid to sleep alone at night, so its best to have three or five girls with him. Also, you have to tell me why the Southern Archives wants to kill you. Who are you exactly?


    Zhang Ruipu smiled, stood up, and walked to Zhang Haiyan.


    Were you brought up by a woman named Zhang Haiqi?


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned. Zhang Haiqi was his godmothers name. How did this old scoundrel know?


    Zhang Ruipu said, Ill take care of your friend better than you can imagine. If you want to know who I am, you can ask Zhang Haiqi.


    He then looked at the serious young man beside him, who pped his hands.


    The door opened, and someone came in carrying a military uniform. It seemed that Zhang Haiyan needed to leave now.


    The ship wont arrive until next week.


    The ships reachednd ahead of time. Its in a now. Theres a gue in Penang, so the ship wont stop there this time. That means you only have a day to catch up with it. Zhang Ruipu said. Go, Zhang Hailou. My people will take you to the dock.


    Zhang Haiyan didnt want to leave at all, and couldnt help but worry about Zhang Haixia. Zhang Haixias eyes were also full of veryplicated emotions, but he didnt speak.


    Ille back. Zhang Haiyan put on his military uniform and cap, and turned to leave, escorted by two young men.

 Chapter 13: He Jianxi, A Man Who Cant Be Beaten To Death

    Chapter 13: He Jianxi, A Man Who Cant Be Beaten To Death


    Zhang Ruipu watched as Zhang Haiyan walked down the corridor without looking back, and then said to the young man beside him, Look at him. Once this young man makes up his mind, he wont let any emotions get the best of him. But he''s sentimental and loyal, which is rare to see.


    The young man beside him asked, Will he obediently board the ship and investigate the case?


    Its hard to predict what he''ll do since his friends life is in our hands. Schemers always try ande up with ways to solve practical problems, so he''ll find an opportunity to rescue his friend. He wont necessarilyply with the rules we''ve set. Zhang Ruipu looked at his pocket watch. But it should be difficult for him to escape with our people escorting him to the dock.


    Master, dont you think hes uncontroble? What if he neveres back, or cant solve the case and decides toe back?


    Zhang Ruipu smiled. While he''s on his way to the dock, those people will tell him clearly what his best option is.


    With that said, Zhang Ruipu looked up and saw Zhang Haijiao staring at them from the other side of the corridor. The little girl didnt look afraid at all, as if the gue had made her numb to life and death.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Haiyan was being escorted by two people. His mind was very clear as walked along the streets.


    The two men escorting him had already exined how things would go as soon as he had walked out the door. Zhang Haixia and the others would be taken away from the Southern Archives'' a branch, and all traces of them would be removed. If Zhang Haiyan boarded the ship and then snuck off, he would only see an empty house when he returned.


    Zhang Haiyan knew how big the rubber ntations in Penang were. Moreover, Zhang Ruipus informants were on the ship. If Zhang Haiyan didnt board and Zhang Ruipu received a telegram about it, Zhang Haixia would be fed to the indigenous headhunters.


    That meant that the time he could act was very short. He would have to kill the two people behind him when he reached the next crossroad, and then immediately go back and rescue everyone.


    But just as he saw the crossroad and was preparing to do something, the young man next to him spoke up, I know what youre thinking, but theyll already be gone by the time you make it back. Not only is the master watching you, but we also have eyes and ears on this street. Once you pass this crossroad, behave and focus on investigating the case.


    Zhang Haiyan let out a long sigh, straightened his military cap, and quickly dropped the idea.


    He wasnt the type of person who would be torn between things. As long as there was a way out, he would choose the most reasonable method as quickly as possible. But Zhang Haixia was a fastidious person, and it was impossible to say whose way of thinking was right. Over the past few years, both sides had been right and wrong, but now both of them could only rely on whatever Zhang Haiyan coulde up with.


    If I die during the investigation, will you let Shrimp go? Zhang Haiyan asked the young men beside him. When they remained silent and didnt answer, Zhang Haiyan smiled bitterly.


    There was a suddenmotion on the nearby street corner, and he stopped. The two people beside him were very nervous and immediately inched closer to him. Zhang Haiyan didnt even get the chance to see what had happened clearly before they pushed him forward.


    He frowned, thinking that something was wrong if these extraordinary young people were afraid of something on the street.


    He looked over, but found that everything was the same as usual.


    The scariest thing in this world wasn''t the tigering towards you, but the tigering towards you and then retreating when it looked behind you.Zhang Haiyan suddenly felt that he was in this kind of situation, but when he looked around, he didnt see anything.


    When He Jianxi was pushed onto the street, he knocked over several pedestrians and caused amotion.


    He stood up, patted his clothes, and picked up the ount book before walking back into the shop and getting thrown out again.


    He moved to go inside again, but was unsessful because the other party came out and beat him directly.


    When the other party spoke in My, He Jianxi scolded them in English.


    Those who knew what was going on knew that He Jianxi was here to collect money, but those who didnt might think he was an adulterer who got caught.


    He Jianxi was an ountant in a British pub that was on the corner of the street. British ounting wasnt easy to learn, and a only had its first Chinese ountant sixteen years ago.


    In fact, there were smugglers training Chinese ountants in a during the era of the East India Company. This group of ountants understood stocks, dividends, and positive and negative bnces.


    He Jianxis master belonged to this group of ountants who helped with smuggling. His master had been hanged, but He Jianxi was acquitted because he was too young. The main product that was smuggled back then was bootleg wine, which was what this British pub specialized in. He Jianxi knew all about the smuggling trade, so he went to work as an ountant there.


    This tavern also supplied wine to other smuggling spots. Some of the smuggled wines ended up getting intercepted at customs, so some people didnt want to pay and the tavern would have problems collecting their money.


    But He Jianxi could always get the money back. He knew that as a Chinese, the only way for him to survive was to work in ces like private wineries, where there was a big flow of money and the owners couldnt hire foreigners. But if an ountant only knew how to count money and didnt know how to get the money back, then the owners would lose money and the ountant would soon be fired.


    <em>I wont give in!</em> He Jianxi thought to himself as he was knocked down again.


    He was only a little over 1.7 meters tall and also very thin.


    If he didnt get the money, he would be fired when he went back. An ountant who helped with smuggling would die sooner orter if he was out of a job, so he couldnt give in.


    He Jianxi stood up again. At this time, he couldnt see the people in front of him clearly, but he said loudly in English, If you dont want to be hanged, just settle the ount.


    When he was knocked down again, he bumped into a kind of vehicle that wasprised of a wicker chair with wheels. Someone was sitting in it, and there were a lot of people around him. There was a strong, middle-aged man leading the procession, and a little girl standing beside the wicker chair.


    The group of people picked him up, and the disoriented He Jianxi quickly apologized to them.


    But just as he was apologizing, the people from before came over and kicked him so hard that he went flying towards the little girl.


    The young man in the wicker chair pulled the little girl away so she wouldnt be knocked over.


    He Jianxi found that he was having trouble getting up this time as his aggressors bypassed the group and continued beating him. He Jianxi held the ount book and curled up into a ball as the fists rained down on him.


    The little girl looked at the scene and asked the young man in the wicker chair, Uncle Shrimp, will he be beaten to death?


    Zhang Haixia looked at Zhang Ruipu. He could tell that these people had lost control. Those who had never really beaten someone before were often prone to identally killing them because they didnt know how fierce they were, or how fragile the human body was.


    Zhang Ruipu didnt want to interfere and said, When you look at someone, look at their appearance. Hes got a strong body thats special. This kind of person cant be beaten to death. With that said, he started to walk away.


    Zhang Haixia frowned and said to the group of people in My, Stop it. Ill help you pay the bill. Then he handed Zhang Haijiao a stack of money.


    The group of people were stunned and slowly lowered their hands. When Zhang Haijiao looked at Zhang Haixia with a puzzled expression, Zhang Haixia said, If the ntation owner is willing to let us go, hell return the money to us. Its not much. If we cant go back, the money will be of no use to us. Its better to save this little brother.


    Zhang Haijiao walked over and handed the money to He Jianxi, who looked up at Zhang Haixia. He then stood up and shook his head. Youre not the one who owes the money. Thats not how it works. I dont want it.


    He really didn''t look like he was seriously injured.


    Zhang Haijiao looked back at Zhang Haixia, obviously not expecting the other party to say something like this.


    Zhang Haixia said, Young man, no matter how good you are at enduring the beating, youll die if this goes on.


    He Jianxi shook his head and looked at the people who had been beating him. Its time for you to pay. Xiguo Winery has a total of forty-seven yuan to collect. Today, you have to bnce the ount. You can either pay with money or goods.


    Those people immediately stepped forward to continue beating him again, but Zhang Haijiao grabbed one of thugs hands, ced the money in it, and then moved the thugs hand towards He Jianxi.


    Why even bother? The moneys been given to him, and hell give it to you. Is the ount settled? Zhang Haijiao asked him softly.


    He Jianxi thought it over. His whole body hurt and he knew he couldnt persist anymore, so he took the money, opened the crumpled ount book, and then marked a line out on it.


    Zhang Haijiao returned to Zhang Haixia, who was a little surprised at how clever the girl was.


    He Jianxi looked at Zhang Haixia and nodded. But just as he wanted to ask him something, Zhang Haixia and the others had already moved forward.


    He Jianxi wanted to chase after them, but found that after taking a few steps, he couldnt move anymore. He squatted on the side of the road and watched them walk away, unable to do anything.


    At that time, He Jianxi didnt know that something was hidden in the money, or how his life would change because of it.


    *****


    <strong><em>Please note, Tiffany and I identally started working on the author''s first draft instead of the final version, so chapter 14-28 will have 2 versions. Chapters that have 14.2, 15.2, 16.2, etc. will be the final version until we''re caught up to chapter 29. Sorry for the confusion!</em></strong>


    <strong><em>The first draft of Chapter 14 is here if you''re interested.</em></strong>

 Chapter 14: Nan’an

    Chapter 14: Nan¡¯an


    As we get to this part of the story, some things that happenedter need to be mentioned first.


    We all know that Zhang Haiyan definitely went through a series of adventures after he boarded the Nanan, and it would inevitably be some time before he and Zhang Haixia were reunited.


    Since it would take at least a few months to travel between a and Xiamen, he wouldnt get any news from Zhang Haixia during that time.


    In fact, just when Zhang Haiyan gave up resisting and was about to board the ship toply with the contract, Zhang Haixia was sent downstairs and out to the streets.


    At that moment, two things happened almost simultaneously.


    During that ten-minute period of time just before they met He Jianxi, we can infer that Zhang Haixia had discovered some abnormalities from which he perceived a certain danger.


    Its important to know that Zhang Haixia graduated as the most outstanding crucial talent in the Southern Archives. If it werent for Zhang Haiyan, he would have entered the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office as a chief officer, and might have been in charge of a confidential department by now.


    But during the time he hung out with Zhang Haiyan, he seldom encountered strong opponents, so he didnt get the chance to show off. Even Zhang Haiyan had almost forgotten how smart this little brother was. He was so smart, in fact, that he could be considered a monster.


    Due to his current position, the situation, and other reasons, he didnt warn Zhang Ruipu about the danger, but obviously thought that it was very serious.


    In those few minutes, he wrote something down and hid all the information in the stack of money. He ced it among the pile of banknotes and handed it to He Jianxi. At that time, he had no other way to convey the information.


    Later, after Zhang Haiyan learned about the theory Zhang Haixia hade up with in those few minutes, hepared it with what he had discovered and found that they were almost consistent. That was when Zhang Haiyan truly realized what kind of effect Zhang Haixia had on his life, and how he had always been there to protect him.


    Coincidentally, when He Jianxi settled the ounts, he heard the news that the ban on alcohol had been lifted. As a result, there wasnt a huge profit in smuggling alcohol anymore. His tavern closed, and the severance pay he received contained that stack of money.


    It actually took a while for He Jianxi to notice that there was something wrong with the money, since he kept thinking about what he was going to do with his life.


    He eventually decided to go to San Francisco to find his cousin who was panning for gold. That was probably the only ce where foreign firms needed Chinese ountants.


    At that time, small barges leaving from a to San Francisco were called coffin ships. The conditions on the ships were extremely poor, so many people fell ill and died, or went missing because of fighting, robbery, or pirates. The ship owners were known for extortion, human trafficking, and restricting the freedom of the boat passengers. People would also be thrown into the sea whenever shipwrecks urred. As a result, various tragedies happened one after another.


    The purpose of founding the South Sea Archives was mainly to investigate these mysterious maritime cases. When dealing with the ship owners and sailors who killed Chinese people, Zhang Haiyan and the others would resolutely put them to death.


    Since they were very good at swimming, they liked to get on the ship in the middle of the sea, and then jump into the water after killing people. That was how they came to be called the "gue gods of the sea". Even to this day, many South Sea legends mentioned a water ghost with des in its mouth, which was actually Zhang Haiyan.


    In the end, He Jianxi bought a ticket that could get him onto a barge called Baoen. The ship was very old, and there were so many passengers that the word crowded couldnt even begin to describe it.


    The gue in a meant that these kinds of ships would check the passengers before taking them on. They would even stop at the outermost reefs by the port, where small boats would pick up and drop off the passengers.


    He Jianxi arrived at the dock to board the ship the day after he met Zhang Haixia.


    Zhang Haiyan, who had been queuing up all night to board the Nanan, also began boarding.


    The dock was crowded with people and all kinds of goods. A huge heat wave engulfed everyone, causing the smell of human sweat to fill the space. The most terrifying thing was the noisy voices, which made it impossible to hear anything.


    The sea breeze fluctuated between strong and weak. Zhang Haiyans military uniform was soaked and he was fanning himself with his cap. Zhang Ruipu had been very generous to give him a boat ticket and a letter of invitation, which meant that he was able to stay in the best guest room.


    When the huge Nanan appeared in Zhang Haiyans field of vision, he couldnt help but be amazed at the behemoth. He looked up at the ck hull and the fourrge chimneys above, and began to realize that this world waspletely different from when they had first arrived at the South Sea.


    Xiamen used to be a distant shore that Zhang Haiyan couldnt reach and dearly missed. But with this kind of huge ship, Xiamen didnt seem so far away anymore.


    Zhang Ruipus entourage didnt follow him on board, but watched him go silently. Zhang Haiyan pretended that they were there to send him off and waved vigorously as if he was bidding farewell to his rtives, but the two young men almost immediately disappeared into the crowd.


    Neglected, Zhang Haiyan felt bored and had no other choice but to board the ship alone.


    He took the VIP passage, where the sailor checked his ticket repeatedly before letting him through. The civilian passage below was very crowded. He looked down and realized that it would be impossible to be idle on the Nanan this time around. The investigation would be more difficult than he had initially thought.


    He looked around calmly, and saw a group of white people in front of him, who seemed to be Americans. Their clothes were very dirty, and there was only one young white man among them wearing a suit and sses. He seemed like the type who specialized in paperwork.


    There were many local porters walking up with their luggage. The group of white men was already veryrge, and the ships passage became extremely crowded with the addition of the porters and luggage.


    The pile of luggage was very huge, and Zhang Haiyan wondered what was in them. The young white people checked them over carefully and told the porters not to be careless with them.


    The white people were very rxed as they talked andughed amongst themselves. Some of them were even saying that the pieces of luggage that would be brought upter were even bigger than theirs.


    Zhang Haiyan followed their gazes and saw a lot of huge, wooden boxes in the warehouses loading area that would be pulled onto the ship with slings.


    Zhang Haiyan habitually wanted to lean back and discuss this with Zhang Haixia, but was a little disappointed when he realized that Zhang Haixia wasnt behind him.


    When he nced back, however, he saw that the sailor who had checked his ticket just now was talking with several police officers on the dock, and they kept looking at him.


    Zhang Haiyan narrowed his eyes and cursed silently. His outfit had apparently attracted too much attention. Since he was going to stay in the first-ss cabin, the sailor probably thought he had stolen the ticket.


    He pressed his military cap further down on his head. He knew evading would make things worse, so he decided to head down there and exin to the sailor and the police. But as soon as he moved to leave, someone unexpectedly put their hand on his shoulder.


    He turned his head and saw that the blonde American with sses was shaking his head at him. He looked at the sailor below, who looked back at him in surprise.


    Your country is still developing. There will be people who dont trust the Chinese. Dont be offended. The blonde American youth said in fluent Chinese. If you go down and exin, it will be considered a provocation, and may make things worse.


    When Zhang Haiyan looked at him, the young American hooked his arm around his shoulders and greeted the sailor below. Please let our team pass. My friend and I are in a hurry for tea. Can we get on board first?


    The young American obviously had a high status, since the sailor knew him and immediately came up to apologize. Im sorry, Mr. Steven. The sailor looked at Zhang Haiyan, a little surprised. Is this your friend? You guys


    Yes, we have to go up quickly. Steven nodded.


    The sailor immediately notified the people above, who stopped the queue and had the people stand aside.


    Steven winked at Zhang Haiyan, and then said to the sailor, No worries.


    With this special treatment, the two bypassed everyone waiting to get on the ship. Zhang Haiyan looked down, and saw that the crowd was still quiterge. As soon as Steven went up, someone brought tea over.


    He patted Zhang Haiyan and took a sip of the tea. We can always talk in our free time, Chinese man. We have a lot of time on this ship. With that said, he walked away.


    Zhang Haiyan leaned against the ships high railing, a little puzzled. Why did this white man help him all of a sudden? Was it possible that the white people in the first-ss rooms were well-educated? He thought for a while and eventually decided to be more careful, and act as soon as possible.


    He lit a cigarette and saw a lonely barge out at sea. It was the Baoen, but he didn''t know that yet.


    His cigarette butt suddenly dropped to the ground as he clutched his chest and fell. The sailor beside him immediately came over to help, and Zhang Haiyan said in fluent English, I need to go to the infirmary. I dont feel very well. Its my heart. Can you take me there?

 Chapter 14.2 The Na’an

    Chapter 14.2 The Na¡¯an


    As we get to this part of the story, some things that happenedter need to be mentioned first.


    We all know that Zhang Haiyan definitely went through a series of adventures after he boarded the Nanan, and it would inevitably be some time before he and Zhang Haixia were reunited.


    Since it would take at least a few months to travel between a and Xiamen, he wouldnt get any news from Zhang Haixia during that time. As a result, he would have to try his best. Although these superfluous thoughts wereforting to the heart, the results were disastrous.


    In fact, just when Zhang Haiyan gave up resisting and was about to board the ship toply with the contract, Zhang Haixia was sent downstairs and out to the streets.


    At that moment, two things happened almost simultaneously.


    During that ten-minute period of time just before they met He Jianxi, we can infer that Zhang Haixia had discovered some abnormalities from which he perceived a certain danger.


    Its important to know that Zhang Haixia graduated as the most outstanding crucial talent in the Southern Archives. If it werent for Zhang Haiyan, he would have entered the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office as a chief officer, and might have been in charge of a confidential department by now.


    But during the time he hung out with Zhang Haiyan, he seldom encountered strong opponents, so he didnt get the chance to show off. Even Zhang Haiyan had almost forgotten how smart this little brother was. He was so smart, in fact, that he could be considered a monster.


    Due to his current position, the situation, and other reasons, he didnt warn Zhang Ruipu about the danger, but obviously thought that it was very serious.


    In those few minutes, he wrote something down and hid all the information in the stack of money. He ced it among the pile of banknotes and handed it to He Jianxi. He hoped that the message could be delivered to Zhang Haiyan even if there was only a slight chance.


    Later, after Zhang Haiyan learned about the theory Zhang Haixia hade up with in those few minutes, hepared it with what he had discovered and found that they were almost the same. That was when Zhang Haiyan truly realized what kind of effect Zhang Haixia had on his life, and how he had always been there to protect him. He had also realized that Zhang Haixia must have felt that they would never meet each other again.


    The process of how this farewell banknote arrived in Zhang Haiyans hands was very legendary, but we wont talk about if for the time being.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Haiyan, who was waiting in line to get on the ship, also officially started boarding. At that moment, the Nanan entered the berth from the outer harbor.


    The dock was crowded with people and all kinds of goods. A huge heat wave engulfed everyone, causing the smell of human sweat to fill the space. The most terrifying thing was the noisy voices, which made it impossible to hear anything.


    The sea breeze fluctuated between strong and weak. Zhang Haiyans military uniform was soaked and he was fanning himself with his cap. Zhang Ruipu had been very generous to give him a ship ticket and a letter of invitation. Even though it meant that he was able to stay in the best guest room, he still couldnt skip waiting on the dock that was looking more and more like a battlefield.


    When the huge Nanan appeared in Zhang Haiyans field of vision, he couldnt help but be amazed at the behemoth. He looked up at the ck hull and the fourrge chimneys above, and began to realize that this world waspletely different from when they had first arrived at the South Sea.


    Xiamen used to be a distant shore that Zhang Haiyan couldnt reach and dearly missed. But with this kind of huge ship, Xiamen didnt seem so far away anymore.


    Zhang Ruipus entourage didnt follow him on board, but watched him go silently. Zhang Haiyan pretended that they were there to send him off and waved vigorously as if he was bidding farewell to his rtives, but the two young men almost immediately disappeared into the crowd.


    Zhang Haiyan breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his head and saw a sailor walking toward him. The sailor nodded to him and said, Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhang. You are Mr. Zhang Ruipus nephew, right? Im here to serve you exclusively.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the sailor, who looked back at him with a crafty gleam in his eyes. <em>Its so nice to be rich. You can have informants working for you everywhere.</em>


    He took the VIP passage, where the sailor checked his ticket repeatedly before letting him through. The civilian passage below was very crowded. He looked down and realized that it would be impossible to be idle on the Nanan this time around. The investigation would be more difficult than he had initially thought.


    The ship is like a small society. Youre now walking to heaven, while the area down below is the mortal realm, the sailor said.


    <em>No. I dont think Ill get to enjoy living in heaven. </em>Zhang Haiyan was well aware that it was impossible for him to enjoy anything during these first three days before the ship departed. He couldnt even get a good nights sleep.


    Tell me about the ship so I can finish what Mr. Zhang Ruipu has asked of me.


    The sailors job included working as a guide and giving introductions about the ship, so he was familiar with the process. While looking for passages for Zhang Haiyan to pass through faster, he said, The Nanan is a huge ship. Its the biggest ship on this route, which means that it hasrger steam engine boilers and can sail very fast.


    Like all ships, it has three types of cabins: first-ss, second-ss, and third-ss. In essence, there are passages connecting the first-ss and second-ss cabins so personnel can walk through. Many people in the second-ss cabins are those who wanted to book rooms in the first-ss cabins but couldnt get tickets. The third-ss cabins are rtively independent with isted activity areas. The conditions of the third-ss cabins are way below those of the second-ss cabins. The sailor smiled at Zhang Haiyan. But you can have some fun in the third-ss cabins, so some guests may not necessarily choose to stay in the first-ss cabins.


    Oh? Zhang Haiyan sort of knew what he was talking about.


    Its lonely living on the sea, after all. Moreover, the sea changes people. Good people be cruel, and good women be sluts. This is what living on the sea is like. The sailor said softly. Trust me, it''s different. With that said, he pointed at the third-ss cabin area where some women were dressed in bright colors. They work on the shore and go back to Xiamen once a year. They dont stay idle on the ship. Their husbands tacitly approve of it.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at them from a distance. Those women were pretty, but the man with luggage beside them had a rickety body and dark eyes.


    Because the ship has structural problems, the stability of the bow and stern is worse. The third-ss cabins are distributed among these areas. Theres a four-story building on the ships deck with cabins that are basically the first-ss activity areas. The ballroom, swimming pool, salon, and all kinds of facilities are located there. There are bridges, observation decks, and a reporting room at the top. There are dressing rooms, restaurants, terrace bars, and indoor courts below. The sailor said as he described the first-ss area. I dont like these ces anyway. The people in the first-ss cabin may be more interested in them.


    Zhang Haiyan looked up and saw that the first-ss cabin had a coat of white paint on it that made it look much cleaner.


    If he were investigating the case with Zhang Haixia, he would definitely enjoy it all and let himself go. But now the sailors words were merely a way to help paint a clear picture of the ship in his mind.


    He began to form a simple n.


    Thest time the Nanan had docked at a port was when it sailed from Xiamen to France. The ship went to four ports along the a route, and stayed in Mysia for a whole month while it waited for cargo from all over Mysia to fill the ship. The crew members even had a chance to take a vacation, so anyone who disembarked from the ship spread the gue all over a.


    Judging from the situation on the ship, there hadnt been an outbreak on the ship itself. So why did the Nanan keep spreading the gue, but nothing happened to her?


    There were two possibilities:


    1. Those people were infected on the ship, but someone controlled the situation so they didnt get sick until they got off the ship.


    2. Whoever spread the gue had the ability to make people get sick when they disembarked and left.


    Those who got sick lived in viges that were in different areas, so that meant they had been carefully selected. These people were low-level businessmen, so they all stayed on the lower deck. That meant that the person spreading the gue should be hiding in the lowerpartments, and should be someone who was good at talking and bing familiar with others.


    It was a simple deduction. Even if there wasnt a gue on this kind of ship, the spread of diarrhea and dysentery in the bottompartments was also amon urrence.


    The ships doctor would regrly give the guests pills and concoctions, which could easily control the time at which they would get sick. In addition, a ships doctor would glean a lot of information from them because people respected them. Based on all this, the ships doctor was the first suspect, so Zhang Haiyan had to go to the infirmary as quickly as possible.


    But he only had three days!


    Who are those people in front of us? Zhang Haiyan noticed that the way was blocked, and there was a long line in front of them.


    The sailor followed his gaze.


    There was a group of white people in front of them, who seemed to be Americans. Their clothes were very dirty, and there was only one young white man among them wearing a suit and sses. He seemed like the type who specialized in paperwork.


    There were many local porters walking up with their luggage. The group of white men was already veryrge, and the ships passage became extremely crowded with the addition of the porters and luggage.


    The pile of luggage was very huge, and Zhang Haiyan wondered what was in them. The young white people checked them over carefully and told the porters not to be careless with them.


    The white people were very rxed as they talked andughed amongst themselves.


    These are valuable guests of some valuable guests. Theyre all Mr. Warners entourage. The sailor said. He was doing an inspection of relics in a, but now theyre going to Xiamen. They have an entire floor of first-ss cabins booked for themselves. Look at their luggage. The sailor whispered. We all know that there are muskets, rifles, and submachine guns inside. Its been said that theyre going to South China to do research. These Americans are all veterans. Look at the foreigner with sses. Hes afraid that the gunpowder inside will identally light itself.


    Im talking about that woman. Zhang Haiyan stared at a Chinese woman standing among the group of foreigners.


    She was a petite Chinese woman who was curvy and slim, but not tall. A sari was wrapped around her face and hair, and seemed to be used for sun protection.


    When the sailor finally noticed the woman, his expression changed a little. Why is she only getting on the ship now? We thought she was already on.


    Who is she?


    The sailors tone changed. This is the shipowners daughter, Miss Dong. Shes our young boss. This time, she arrived in a from other ces, so shes taking her familys ship back to Xiamen. Thanks to her, the food on the ship is European wine and cured meat from the a shipping warehouse, so we dont have to eat fooding from the gue areas.


    Zhang Haiyan squinted. Is she friends with Warner?


    If theyre not friends, how can he board the ship with firearms? The sailor said. Dont mess with her. Shes a Datuk (1) in a. Even Mr. Zhang Ruipu has to get customs clearance orders from her.


    Zhang Haiyan squinted his eyes even more. You all have to listen to her?


    "Of course. All the ships on half the route listen to her.


    Zhang Haiyan patted the sailor on the shoulder. He already had a bold idea in his head.


    They waited in line for about an hour before they finally reached the waiting area under the ship decks open awning. As all the first-ss guests rested there, the sailors gave them some wee tea. They also had them take a disinfectant while they disinfected the carry-on luggage.


    Miss Dong didnt take advantage of her special privileges, but also took a break and had tea in this area.


    The Americans were all sitting at one table while she had a table all to herself. She was staring out at Peraks tropical scenery with her beautiful eyes.


    When Zhang Haiyan made a move to go up, the sailor motioned for him to rest. He told him that there was no possibility of cutting the line, so he had to wait patiently here. The sailor then left to go and receive the next batch of guests.


    As soon as Zhang Haiyan saw the sailor leave, he immediately stood up, walked to Miss Dongs table, and sat down next to her.


    Everyone was shocked. Zhang Haiyan immediately saw that all the Americans beside him were looking at him and had put their hands in their pockets. He could hear the sounds of guns being cocked.


    <em>Oh,</em> Zhang Haiyan found it interesting. <em>Rich people.</em><em>Miss Dong should be an extremely wealthy person. She has a lot of bodyguards.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Miss Dong''s eyes. She didn''t look at him at all, but continued looking out at the tropical scenery in the distance. A big white man stood up and walked towards them.


    "Friend, are you sitting in the wrong ce?" The big guy asked.


    Zhang Haiyan ignored the big man, and said to the woman in front of him, "Miss Dong, I''m here to save you. Youre in great danger."


    Miss Dong turned her head and looked at Zhang Haiyan just as the big white man grabbed Zhang Haiyan''s neck.


    "Miss Dong, do you want me to throw him out?"


    Zhang Haiyan felt the mans grip strength and knew he could break his neck in three seconds. All he would need to do was grab the mans wrist, turn around, and twist the wrist directly up behind the man. Then, he would reach around with his other hand and hook his neck. When he pulled the mans wrist in one direction and his neck in another direction, the mans neck would snap.


    But he couldnt do this, because he would immediately be shot to pieces by those around him.


    Miss Dong looked at Zhang Haiyan and shook her head, "You may not be able to get him off the boat, Mr. Hudson. And hes s a first-ss guest." As she said this, Miss Dong leaned back in her chair. "Please exin what you just said."


    "I''m from Penang, Miss Dong. I see youre trying to keep a low profile, but youre heavily guarded." Zhang Haiyan looked at the Americans nearby. "If Ive guessed right, you must have a particrly valuable item with you that has to be transported back to Xiamen. Thats why youve taken your own ship and secretly prepared so many people to guard it."


    Miss Dong didnt speak, so Zhang Haiyan continued to spin his tale, "It''s true that this news has been leaked out long ago. I came from Penang, and when I was there, I happened to hear a group of people in a pub say they wereing to hijack this thing. Im the kind of person who''s enthusiastic to help others, so Im careful to eavesdrop and watch out for things. I memorized what all those people look like."


    Miss Dong was still looking at him, and seemed to show a glimmer of amusement at the corner of her eyes. "And then?"


    "Then, I thought about it for a long time. I can''t let these people seed, Miss Dong. Im a first-ss guest, as well as an officer. I have an obligation to protect the safety of Chinese people. So, for your safety, I have a proposal. Lend me a few people to walk around the ship and help me widen the search area. Ill definitely find those people for you. Before the ship leaves, lets get rid of the hidden dangers."


    Zhang Haiyan patted the big man behind him, "I think this one is good."


    Zhang Haiyan was confident. First of all, he had analyzed Miss Dongs situation. There were more than ten foreigners around her that were personally protecting her, and they had all responded very quickly. Miss Dong was just a rich second generation, so it was unlikely that she was afraid of a vendetta. That meant she probably had a very special thing on her body, which was extremely valuable. The defensive measures werent set up for revenge, but for a robbery. So, even though his statement appeared to be abrupt, Miss Dong would take it seriously if the piece of property was really valuable. In this way, he could use her privileges to investigate the ship as much as he wanted without having to sneak around.


    To be honest, if he wanted to detect the gue in three days, he had to get assistance from the ship.


    Miss Dong turned her head and looked out at the scenery again. If Zhang Haiyan could see her face, he would realize that she was impatient, but she still acted just as Zhang Haiyan had expected. She thought for a while, and then said, "You''re sure? You talk a big talk. If you can''t find those people, how will this gentleman exin this matter?"


    "Hahaha, if I can''t find it, then well just say it was a bunch of drunks talking nonsense. Ill punish myself with three cups of wine, and Miss Dong can just treat me as being wrong and diligent."


    "This kind of statement makes it sound like you want to use this excuse to investigate what you want to investigate while on board, hoping to defraud the privileges I give you. Its quite convenient." Miss Dong looked at Zhang Haiyan, who was shocked and embarrassed.


    This was a little too urate.


    Zhang Haiyan was biased when it came to wealthy daughters. He was willing to admit that he never thought Miss Dong would humiliate him without hesitation. While he sat there not knowing how to answer, Miss Dong beckoned to one side. The white man with sses who had been checking over the goods when he was queuing up before came over.


    "Steven."


    When the white man named Steven approached, Miss Dong whispered a few words to him and then said to Zhang Haiyan, "No matter what your purpose is, sir, I dont have the time to y games with you. But adhering to the principle of transportation safety first, Ill give you three days to enjoy this privilege. If you cant find the people youve mentioned before the boat leaves in three days, then Ill use the shipowners power to arrest you and send you to jail in Xiamen. If you resist arrest, Ill have my people kill you on the spot. Do you agree?"


    Zhang Haiyan was shocked.


    At this time Miss Dong''s room was ready. She took the key, stood up, and then looked at Zhang Haiyan, "You have ten seconds. Answer me."


    The situation was originally under Zhang Haiyan''s control, but now Miss Dong had taken control of everything.


    Zhang Haiyan didn''t have time to think about it as he saw Miss Dong turn around and move to leave. He immediately stood up and said, "Im confident. What if I find those people?" At this time, he was willing to put up a strong front.


    "Well talk about it then. If you can even find them. Steven will follow you and help smooth things over." Miss Dong drifted away, and the Americans followed close behind. Once they were gone, only the white man with sses was left looking at him coldly.


    Zhang Haiyan waited until he couldn''t see Miss Dong anymore before rxing. He then said to Steven, "Wealthy daughters have be clever recently."


    "Yourst name." Steven asked in very fluent Chinese.


    "Myst name is Zhang."


    "Mr. Zhang, Im going back to my room to clean up now. Well meet back here in an hour. Thats when Ill officially start timing. You have to find that group of thugs you mentioned within those 72 hours." Steven grabbed his luggage, saluted, and then walked into the first-ss cabin.


    Zhang Haiyan sighed and looked out at the scenery. Seagulls were flying, the sun was beating down, and the third-ss guests were still getting on the ship. "Well, bad-guy-spreading-the-gue. I''m here."


    Room 345 was the first-ss room on the third floor. It was only when he entered the room that he truly realized what first-ss entailed.


    The room was too luxurious.


    It was a suite that had a separate dining room in addition to the living room. This was very luxurious for a ship with limited space. A waiters room was located opposite his room, which made it very convenient formunication. If the rooms were all the same style, then based on the size of his room, there could only be one on each floor.


    The sailor from before knocked on the door and brought in another package. "These are some daily necessities thate when the room is booked. Mr. Zhang Ruipu asked me to give it to you when you boarded the ship."


    Zhang Haiyan opened the package and saw a design drawing of the ship inside. There was also a telegram address and two packages of cigarettes, which were the foul-smelling ones he liked best before switching to the ones Zhang Haixia rmended.


    A note was attached: We look forward to your good news. Feel free to contact us by telegram. Ill take care of them.


    Zhang Haiyany down on the spring bed, opened one of the cigarette packs, and put one in his mouth while he looked at the ceiling.


    What Zhang Ruipu said was right. He knew his every move, so everything Zhang Haiyan did on the ship wouldnt escape his eyes.


    He got up and took a shower, then washed his clothes and fixed his hair. For Zhang Haixia, he had to be a model detective.


    *


    Steven also put on a military uniform, making it obvious that he was a soldier. He didn''t want to give off the impression of a clerk when he and Zhang Haiyan were standing next to each other.


    The two went to the sailor''s cabin first.


    The sailors were very busy and scattered across several locations on the ship, so there werent many people in the cabin. Zhang Haiyan wasnt afraid to use this time to run around and familiarize himself with the environment. Like usual, his first step was to try his luck. In an enclosed space like this, there would definitely be a lot of gossip. Sometimes there were hidden clues in these tidbits of gossip, so you couldnt go wrong listening to it first whenever you went to a ce.


    His behavior waspletely inconsistent with what he had said before, but Steven remained patient. Zhang Haiyan originally prepared another set of excuses, butter found that he didn''t need to use them at all. Steven merely introduced him and then asked the others to cooperate with him.


    In addition to the kind of strange stories that all ships had, there were three stories about the third-ss cabins. But Zhang Haiyan only cared about one of those stories, because it was mentioned a lot and everyone said it had happened not that long ago. These two factors meant that it had happened very recently.


    There was a sailor named Song Chai who suddenly disappeared.


    Song Chai was a Vietnamese, who disappeared the second week after arriving in a. At that time, the ship was sailing from one port to another. He was there when the ship had set off from the previous port, but then he suddenly disappeared after that. (After the Nan''an arrived in a, it docked for a month. But it didnt always stay moored at the dock during this time. Sometimes it had to sail to other shallow water ports on the maind to receive bulk cargo. After sailing here, it wasnt immediately going to Xiamen, but bypassing Singapore''s deep-water port and loading heavy goods for thest time.)


    (At that time, the status of Singapore''s deep-water port had begun to threaten a. Those familiar with this history may know it well, so Ill just mention it here for the time being.)


    Many people said that Song Chai had been at sea for too long and jumped into the water. It was understandable that he would do that if he was depressed, but when they were tidying up his room, they found a rattan box under the bed. There was a wide-mouth bottle full of flies inside this rattan box.


    Most of the flies were alive, and had been caught by Song Chai on the ship. It was easy for rats and flies to survive on this kind of big ship, so there were many different types.


    This behavior was very strange, and many people thought it had something to do with witchcraft since it was a a ship. At that time, his roommate told others that Song Chai had been a little weird since the third week after arriving in a. He often went out in the middle of the night, but no one knew what he was doing. It was only a spection, but they guessed that Song Chai was out in the middle of the night catching these flies.


    Theter development was a bit outrageous and rumors started spreading that Song Chai had caught the flies to eat himself. Someone had put a spell on him, and he was going to be a lizard.


    It was also said that Song Chai thought he was seriously ill and had nted maggots on his body to eat the saa. There was a ghost in that saa that would grow into a person if the maggots didnt eat the saa.


    The most bizarre thing in all that gossip was the box of flies. And based on the information in the archives, the flies in that box were real.


    This matter appeared to be true.


    He didnt know if it was a psychological effect, but after Zhang Haiyan heard this, he felt as if there were more flies on this ship than any other ship he had taken before.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Datuk (or its variant Dato or Datu) is a My titlemonly used in Brunei and Mysia. Wiki link.

 Chapter 15: Doctor Steven

    Chapter 15: Doctor Steven


    The sailor was obviously very annoyed. It was extremely busy when there were a lot of guests on the deck, and then this Chinese man got sick within three seconds of getting on the ship. It wasnt a good sign. Moreover, they all knew that a gue was running rampant in a.


    The word disease put a lot of pressure on the ships crew, but due to his rtionship with Steven and the professionalism of the first-ss service, the sailor still held Zhang Haiyan up.


    This was exactly what Zhang Haiyan wanted. It would take a while for the ship to leave port, so if he moved fast now, it might be possible toplete the investigation before the ship officially entered open waters.


    Zhang Haixia had been taken away by others, and no matter how Zhang Haiyan thought about it, he felt that things might go wrong if he left a and then returned in a few months.


    Thest time Nanan had docked at a port was when it sailed from Xiamen to France. The ship went to four ports along the a route. People who disembarked from the ship carried the gue and spread it all over a. It was just that the areas outside Penang were controlled by Zhang Ruipu so that the gue didnt spread any further.


    Judging from the situation on the ship, there hadnt been an outbreak on the ship itself. If someone on board had contracted the disease, something wouldve gone wrong on the ship a long time ago. So why did the Nanan keep spreading the gue, but nothing happened to her?


    This meant that the people who spread the gue were on the ship. They mustve had the means to control the gue, and the development of things was nothing more than the following:


    1. Those people were infected on the ship, but someone controlled the situation so they didnt get sick until they got off the ship.


    2. Whoever spread the gue had the ability to make people get sick when they disembarked and left.


    Those who got sick lived in viges that were in different areas, so that meant they had been carefully selected. These people were low-level businessmen, so they all stayed on the lower deck. That meant that the person spreading the gue should be hiding in the lowerpartments, and should be someone who was good at talking and bing familiar with others.


    It was a simple deduction. Even if there wasnt a gue on this kind of ship, the spread of diarrhea and dysentery in the bottompartments was also amon urrence.


    The ships doctor would regrly give the guests pills and concoctions, which could easily control the time at which they would get sick. In addition, a ships doctor would glean a lot of information from them because people respected them. Based on all this, the ships doctor was the first suspect, so Zhang Haiyan had to go to the infirmary as quickly as possible.


    But the sailor didnt immediately send him to the infirmary. Zhang Haiyan put his best efforts into his performance and even worked up a sweat on his neck, but the sailor looked to the other side instead. Just as Zhang Haiyan was feeling puzzled, he looked up and saw Steven walking back.


    The sailor said, Mr. Steven, your friend isnt feeling well. Youre a doctor. Do you think he should be sent to your room or to the infirmary?


    Steven looked at Zhang Haiyan, annoyed. It was as if he was trying to help an old woman cross the road, and the old woman turned out to be a swindler. But he still checked Zhang Haiyans pupils and counted his heartbeats with a strange expression.


    Get him to my room. Steven sighed.


    Zhang Haiyan knew the situation wasnt good. He didnt expect this amodating white man to be a doctor.


    He wanted to immediately stand up and say he was fine, but felt like that would look too deliberate, so he decided to recover gradually on his way to Stevens room. Once he entered the room and sat down, he would act like he waspletely recovered, show his gratitude, and then leave.


    But as soon as they entered the ships hull, they turned a corner and reached Stevens room. He was just about to act like he had made a quick recovery, but waspletely shocked when he saw the room.


    Stevens room was veryrge, and could be considered the VIP of VIP rooms. It even had a balcony, where the sun shone in from the outside. The interior had beenpletely done in a European-style. His suitcases seemed to have been sent up earlier, for they were all open and looked to be stuffed full of books and papers.


    Zhang Haiyan was still clutching his chest as he was ced on the green velvet sofa. When he sat down, the springs made a soft creaking sound. The velvet cushions molded to his body, making him feel as if the devil himself was embracing him.


    He had been in and out of the rainforests and sea for years, sleeping on tree branches and ships decks. He didnt know how long it had been since hed slept in a soft bed with springs, and involuntarily let out a groan.


    When Steven had the sailor leave, Zhang Haiyan reacted immediately and started to act as if he had recovered. In the end, Steven poured a ss of whiskey, took a sip, and said directly, Stop pretending. Dont you know your heart is on the other side?


    Zhang Haiyan froze for a moment and then looked down at his hand. It was only then that he remembered he was different from others, and his heart was on the opposite side. A doctor had told him about it during their adult physical examinations, but he hadn''t cared.


    Why didnt he care? Because all the children like them had hearts on their right side. It even seemed to be the reason why they had been chosen.


    Dextrocardia isnt an illness. You dont need to be afraid. Steven said. But what are you trying to do? Friend, I thought you were just dressed frugally and looked down upon by others, but now it seems that you do have an ulterior motive for getting on this ship.


    Zhang Haiyan was still clutching his chest, and realized that he had really made a mistake this time. He sighed and told himself he was getting rusty. If he had known this would happen, he wouldve pretended to have a stomachache.


    He looked at Steven and thought that the whole thing was troublesome. If others knew about his investigation, that would double the difficulty. Not to mention the fact that the Southern Archives was an obscure department. Even if these foreigners believed that he was here on business to investigate the gue, the news that the person responsible for spreading it was still on the ship would be enough to cause mass panic and ruin their journey.


    He had to make up a story.


    Zhang Haiyans mind was racing as he thought, <em>I was fine when I boarded the ship alone. My ticket was real. But why did I pretend to be sick? </em>


    <em>Got it!</em>


    The person I like works as a doctor on this ship. I miss her very much. Zhang Haiyan said. I''m sorry that I bothered you. Im a little too childish.


    In the past, ships usually only had one or two general practitioners on board. But because of the gue in a, Nanan has three doctors and four nurses. As far as I know, the doctors are all men. The person you like is a man? Steven frowned.


    <em>How do you know everything?!</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    He didnt dare spout anymore nonsense for a while, and was still wondering how best to keep lying, when Steven said, Stop pretending. You got on the ship because of me, right? Where did you learn about us?


    Zhang Haiyan was still perfecting his next lie, so when Steven suddenly said something like this, he was dumbfounded. <em>Huh? What? Whats going on with you?</em> He thought to himself.


    Steven turned around, opened his suitcase, and said, Say it. How much money will it take for you to get off the ship?


    Zhang Haiyan reared back and thought to himself, <em>weird. Is this a gift from heaven, or the awakening of the earth? It seems this ship is full of stories. </em>He was so touched, he shed a few tears in his heart.


    This Steven had some sort of secret, and he thought Zhang Haiyan was here to reveal it.


    Zhang Haiyan tried to speak up twice, but didnt know how to exin it. He suddenly found that there was something wrong with Stevens hand movements, but just when he wanted to get a closer look, Steven suddenly turned around with a revolver in his hand.


    He raised the gun and fired, but Zhang Haiyan immediately dodged it. The bullet hit the sofa behind him, sending the springs and cotton flying.


    Zhang Haiyan kept moving around as Steven unhesitatingly fired all the bullets at once. They hit the mahogany furniture and bedding in the room, causing sawdust and cotton to fill the air.


    Normal people wouldnt shoot so frequently, but Stevens hand was very steady as he fired all seven rounds in an instant. He spun the revolvers chamber, dropped the spent casings onto the ground, and already started reloading.


    Zhang Haiyan wanted to approach him, but before he could even take two steps, Steven had already raised the gun again and fired. Zhang Haiyan dodged again, fully understanding how strong this opponent was.


    This guy was clearly an expert gunman.


    Zhang Haiyan rolled to dodge the second shot and jumped out onto the balcony, where he stepped onto the ships railing and leaped into the sea. Steven shot the remaining bullets into the sea, returned to the room, and then picked up the phone. Notify Mr. Warner that the whole ship is under martialw. Someone jumped into the water on the left side of the ship. He must be captured.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Haiyans head popped out of the water. When he saw his cap floating next to him, he grabbed it and looked towards the shore. The police had gotten onto a boat and were rowing towards him.

 Chapter 15.2 Flies

    Chapter 15.2 Flies


    Zhang Haiyan wasnt sure if this story was rted to what he wanted to investigate. Butpared to not knowing where to start, this thread at least gave him a direction to go in.


    Flies also had something to do with the gue.


    The timing of the sailor catching flies in the middle of the night coincided with the time the gue started to spread as the ship arrived in a.


    Could Song Chai be the one who spread the gue? Instead of jumping into the sea, did he get off the ship with flies that carried the virus and spread it everywhere?


    No, it couldnt be that coincidental. In all the ces where the gue had urred, the first people who started to show symptoms all happened to be passengers on the Nanan. If the flies had been the ones to spread the gue, then the results wouldnt be so precise and the gue would probably be everywhere.


    The gue must have been spread by people.


    With the help of Stevens forcible privilege, Zhang Haiyan entered Song Chais cabin andy on his bed, hoping to get some inspiration from his perspective.


    But it was fruitless. The bed was very clean. There werent any flies, bloodstains, or any signs of graffiti. He had no way to interpret whether Song Chaisst moments were full of pain, depression, or worry.


    While he was lying on Song Chais bed and staring into space, Steven was sitting on the other bed looking at him. Zhang Haiyan focused all of his attention on the case.


    <em>I cant be distracted. Its all a waste of time if I start to worry about Zhang Haixia, or what I stand to gain or lose.</em>


    <em>Not even a single minute can be wasted.</em>


    He got up and realized that it was wrong to look into Song Chai, because he could see two faint letters engraved on the nk in front of him while he was lying on the bed. (They were bunkbeds so that four people could sleep in a room.)


    The two letters were: NP.


    There were a lot of possible meanings behind these two letters, but there was only one if they were rted to flies.


    Nepenthes pharmakon.


    It was a potion that the Queen of Egypt gave to Helen. Ne meant forgetting and penthes meant sorrow. This potion could make people forget their sorrows.


    In Mysia, these two letters represented a nt called Nepenthes.


    Song Chai was smuggling Nepenthes, and the flies were food for it. This nt was abundant in Penang, so Song Chai must have encountered the gue when he got off the ship and went there. As a result, he had probably died there.


    If he was smuggling nts, then he probably couldnt remember the Latin spellings based on his academic qualifications. The letters NP may have been written on the bedboard when he packed it at night so as not to forget it.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at his watch. He had wasted four hours. The other stories had happened too long ago, so he didnt think those were worth looking into.


    He lit his sixth cigarette and nced at Steven, who was looking at him patiently.


    Brother, during these three days, youll help me with anything, right?


    Steven sat up straight, and seemed to press the pistol at his waist. Zhang Haiyan didnt know what he was going to do.


    *


    Meanwhile, He Jianxi had just gotten on a boat called the Baoen, which was anchored at the outermost part of the port. The Baoen was a small barge heading to San Francisco.


    The gue in a meant that these kinds of ships would check the passengers before taking them on. They would even stop at the outermost reefs by the port, where small boats would pick up and drop off the passengers.


    At that time, small barges leaving from a to San Francisco were called coffin ships. The conditions on the ships were extremely poor, so many people fell ill and died, or went missing because of fighting, robbery, or pirates. The ship owners were known for extortion, human trafficking, and restricting the freedom of the boat passengers. People would also be thrown into the sea whenever shipwrecks urred. As a result, various tragedies happened one after another.


    The purpose of founding the South Sea Archives was mainly to investigate these mysterious maritime cases. When dealing with the ship owners and sailors who killed Chinese people, Zhang Haiyan and the others would resolutely put them to death.


    Since they were very good at swimming, they liked to get on the ship in the middle of the sea, and then jump into the water after killing people. That was how they came to be called the gue gods of the sea. Even to this day, many South Sea legends mentioned a water ghost with des in its mouth, which was actually Zhang Haiyan.


    As one of thest passengers, He Jianxi was feeling a little overwhelmed.


    When he had returned to the winery yesterday, the ount room was closed.


    He was a little sulky because it meant that the ounts he had collected during the day couldnt be settled that same day. This made him feel frustrated since he ced importance on making ns in advance.


    He dragged his bruised body back to his rooma small attic on the second floor of the building across the streetand began to sort out the ounts.


    He counted the money and ttened the banknotes with a book clip. That was when he found a fly stuck between the stack of banknotes.


    The fly had been crushed to death by two banknotes, and was all dried out because of the hot weather. He carefully scraped it off with a knife and discovered that a pattern had been drawn on the paper currency with nails. It was a simple sketch of a gue god mask with a de in its mouth.


    The gue god had the body of a snake, and was coiled around an unknown flower. The fly just so happened to be on that flower.


    He Jianxi didnt understand what it meant and didnt care. Not only was it normal for money to get dirty, but it was alsomon that some people scribbled on it. As long as it was money, it was valuable no matter what.


    He was about to take a shower and go to sleep when someone knocked on his door. He Jianxi looked out the window and saw the winery owner standing down below. He was holding some wine and asking He Jianxi to open the door.


    He Jianxi was a little surprised. Although the boss often asked him to drink with him, he would usually tell him about it in advance. Why did hee here all of a sudden?


    He Jianxi opened the door to let the boss in. The boss was an Englishman, and he was covered in blood when he came in. The door was closed immediately.


    Just as He Jianxi wanted to ask something, the boss took a sip of his wine and pushed He Jianxi into the corner. He leaned against the door and said, Its all over, He.


    He Jianxi was puzzled as he watched the blood drip down from the boss body.


    Youre hurt?


    This isnt my blood. The boss said. This is Baixi and the others blood.


    Baixi was his colleague, and another Chinese ountant who was older than him.


    What happened to Baixi? He Jianxi was suddenly a little frightened. The boss looked at the money on the table and He Jianxi exined, Its todays ounts that Ive collected.


    The bossughed. You can even collect this kind of ount. He, you never let me down."


    He Jianxi was still leaning against the wall, and the boss smile made him feel even more frightened. The boss looked around. There was nothing in He Jianxis ce, but whatever he had looked very tidy.


    For some reason, the boss was a little touched. This Chinese was different from everyone else. His soul was pure.


    The boss pointed to the money on the table. Thats your severance pay. Our winery is gone.


    He Jianxi was so shocked that he couldnt immediately take in the information. Boss, whats going on? He asked. Where are Baixi and the others?


    His boss suddenly pulled out a pistol from behind, put it in his mouth, and fired.


    The huge destructive power blew the back of the bosss head off, and all the brain matter and shrapnel sprayed on He Jianxis door.


    He Jianxis face was pale, and he was so shocked that he copsed to the ground.


    What He Jianxi didnt know was that on that day, the British bootleg ban had been lifted, so smuggling alcohol wouldnt bring in huge profits anymore. British loan sharks wanted full payment of the loans they had given to the bootleg dealers. A British businessmans private tavern in a went bankrupt. After learning the news, his Chinese ountants notified the a authorities of his ounts.


    The announcement of the bootleg ban being lifted officially arrived in a one monthter. The British businessman had all of his property confiscated within a month of learning that the decree came into effect. He killed his Chinese ountants and their families with a gun, and then went to another ountants ce andmitted suicide by putting a gun in his mouth.


    He Jianxi didnt know why the boss didnt kill him. Maybe it was because he didnt participate in Baixis betrayal, or maybe it was because he had collected thest ounts.


    But everything disappeared.


    All he could think about was what he was going to do with his life. He eventually decided to go to San Francisco to find his cousin who was panning for gold. That was probably the only ce where foreign firms needed Chinese ountants.


    Fortunately, he was able to buy a ticket for the Baoen.


    He Jianxi hurriedly embarked on his journey after sunrise. The time for boarding the boat was tight, so he didnt even have time to take a good look at the street where he had lived before getting on the Baoen.

 Chapter 16: Baoen

    Chapter 16: Baoen


    One evening in a, Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia had a big fight on the beach at dusk.


    He had forgotten the reason, but he still remembered that Zhang Haixia had told him he shouldnt handle dangerous situations with a cheeky attitude.


    If the opponent wasnt strong, he would be fine no matter what he did. But if he encountered situations that went againstmon senselike skilled masters hiding among low-level civiliansthen he would be putting himself in danger.


    The Americans were simply radical and straightforward, but there could be some experts among them who had established themselves in China.


    Now Zhang Haiyan had finally learned his lesson.


    The ships side was too high for him to climb back up, and there were a lot of people on shore watching the scene, so he had even less of a chance of getting close to it. But the boat that was trying to capture him was quickly approaching.


    It wouldve been fine if he had just gone back to his room and thought things through earlier. It was only now that Zhang Haiyan deeply regretted his actions.


    The rules Zhang Haiqi had taught him back then suddenly came to mind. For many years, he had forgotten the rules that his godmother had instilled in him when she cut the skin under his tongue with scissors so that he could remember better.


    When you made a mistake, the most important thing was to make the right choice afterwards and not regret your past mistakes or missed opportunities.


    What happened had happened.


    Zhang Haiyan dove down and quickly swam towards the open sea. There were a lot of ships outside the port relying on small boats for supplies since they didnt dare stop by the dock.


    He swam very fast and quickly made it far away from those boats trying to capture him. When the people on the boats began to shoot at him, Zhang Haiyan dove for a long time before he surfaced again. As soon as his head breached the surface, he had only taken two or three breaths before the bullets arrived, and he had to dive again.


    The sea waves by the port became so big that they were almost like floating hills. Not only was the view poor, but there was some distance between Zhang Haiyan and the boats. The snipers were also blocked by the waves, so they had to stop their pursuit.


    As soon as He Jianxi got on the Baoen, he heard the sound of firecrackersing from the huge ship behind him. He looked back in surprise, thinking that there was some kind of religious ceremony going on.


    He was suddenly pushed to the ground from behind by the people who had just gotten on the boat.


    The Baoen was a small barge heading to San Francisco. It had two masts, the sails were in tatters, and the deck was now full of cargo. The crew also raised chickens and ducks, so the feces and urine were everywhere and the smell was horrific. Both of He Jianxis hands hadnded in chicken shit, which felt greasy and moist.


    He Jianxi quickly got up and checked whether there was any dirt on him. He was wearing his more decent casual clothes, which were far more suitable for life on a boat. He didnt want to get them dirty as soon as he had gotten on the boat.


    A nearby sailor came to collect his ticket and said to him, If you add a silver dor (1), you can have a woman apany you at night. He pointed to a woman standing nearby. She seemed to be in a daze and was leaning against the cargo. This woman is one silver dor short, so she doesnt have enough money to buy a ticket. Brother, do her a favor. Pay her silver dor, and shell apany you to San Francisco. Im also a good person. Shell definitely die if she stays in a.


    He Jianxi looked at the woman, who seemed to notice his gaze. It appeared she had been rejected many times and had lost all hope. There was only despair in her eyes.


    He Jianxi thought about it and went to grab the money in his pocket. He had one silver dor since the owner of the winery had given him a lot of money. But things were expensive in San Francisco, and the money had to be spent very carefully. He thought it over and walked up to the woman.


    Do you have any rtives in San Francisco?


    The woman instantly came to her senses, stood up straight, and said, Yes, a little brother. My brother is there.


    I dont do perverted things. My mother said that I shouldnt help people indiscriminately when Im out and about, but if youre willing to return this silver dor to me in the future, Ill lend it to you, He Jianxi said.


    It took the woman a while to realize that someone was willing to help her. She couldnt believe her eyes and immediately nodded. I, Ill definitely pay you back. Thank you, little brother.


    He Jianxi took out the silver dor, held it out half an inch, but didn''t let go. You need to write me an IOU and press a fingerprint on it.


    The woman froze for a moment. Little brother, such things are so troublesome! I dont have anything. In fact, I was married, and my husband is dead. If you want me to apany you, I wont care since Im experienced and not so young anymore.


    He Jianxi shook his head. You have to promise to pay me back, or I wont lend you the money.


    For some reason, the woman was perplexed. She looked to the sailor, who came over and said, Come on. How can she possibly pay you back? Itll be a very lonely journey. You two can look after each other. Moreover, dont you know that a widows butt is rounder than beautiful girls?


    When He Jianxi still shook his head, the sailor lit a cigarette and pushed him. Go away. You two had a fateful meeting, but it didnt work out. The nearby sailors roared withughter. He Jianxi didnt know what they wereughing about. The sailor seemed to be embarrassed and pushed He Jianxi again, Go and wash the chicken shit off. Are you saving it for dinner? When he pushed him this time, his hand pressed onto He Jianxis pocket, which contained the silver dors.


    His banknotes were hidden in his waistband, but the silver dors had been sewn into the inner pocket of his clothes. With this push, everyone heard the sound of coins clinking together, and could tell the amount was quiterge.


    The people standing around suddenly became very quiet, and everyone turned to look at He Jianxi.


    He was startled by the change in atmosphere. The sailor stopped pushing him and patted his pocket again. The clinking sound of coins became even clearer.


    The sailor wasnt being polite and even looked down inside his pocket. The other sailors looked at him with interest, and even the woman was looking at him.


    He Jianxi grabbed his luggage and looked into the other''s eyes, but didnt know what they meant. He immediately closed his pocket and walked away. When he looked back, he found that the sailor was watching him, but didnt follow him.


    After taking a few steps, he looked at the chicken feces on his hands and started searching for the ships toilet. At this time, all the sailors behind him stood up and slowly followed.


    The toilets on the ship were usually on the side at the tail end of the deck. They were basically wooden boards with several holes in them. There was a bucket attached to the rope on the side that could be put into the sea to draw water up, which people could use for washing. And they could pee or take a dump by sitting above the holes since the sea was right below.


    All the toilets on the ship were rtively clean. He Jianxi went in, looked behind him, and decided to pick a hole where he could conveniently sit down, and then fetch water to wash his hands.


    He thought about which hole to choose for a long time. There were four of them, and he chose the second one from the left because it looked the cleanest. He had just taken off his pants and was about to turn around and sit down when he saw a persons head poking out of the hole.


    Brother, hold it. Zhang Haiyan poked his head out and then climbed out of the hole with difficulty.


    Who are you? A stowaway? He Jianxi asked in shock. It was a serious crime back then, and he might be thrown into the sea if he was incriminated.


    How can you think that? Zhang Haiyan waspletely soaked. He looked around and tossed his hair back. When I was in the toilet just now, I suddenly took a nap and fell off. Im sorry, so sorry. I get sleepy whenever Im taking a dump. I even feel sleepy whenever I smell shit.


    There was no way He Jianxi would believe this nonsense. But just as he was about to leave, the toilet door opened and a group of sailors walked.


    They were all carrying daggers and went right up to He Jianxi. They grabbed his hair, had him kneel on the ground, and then someone immediately grabbed his arms. He Jianxis mouth opened because of the pain, but someone quickly covered it.


    His pocket was instantly torn open, and the silver dors scattered all over the floor. They rolled towards the crevices on the side, which caused everyone to panic since the sea was right below. Someone immediately stepped on them, and the scene became chaotic.


    Quickly. Lets get his money before the boatswain finds out about it. The sailors leader said. Don''t mess up.


    They obviously didnt think there was another man in the toilet and froze when they looked up and saw Zhang Haiyan.


    Zhang Haiyan looked down at the silver dor under his foot, picked it up, and said a little awkwardly, Ill buy a ticket with this.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Its called Da Yang in the Chinese text, and one Da Yang equals 1,000 pennies back then. They are silver coins that looked like this:

 Chapter 16.2 Zhang Haiyan Flying Above Shit

    Chapter 16.2 Zhang Haiyan Flying Above Shit


    Steven was wearing a robe that had been modified from pajamas, and Zhang Haiyan had written a lot of small English words on his face. Steven was holding a sign in his hand that had a big English word painted on it: Psychic.


    They were in Zhang Haiyans room, where he had just finished putting makeup on Steven. He circled around Steven twice, and decided he looked rather convincing as someone who had some kind of European magic.


    What are you trying to do? Im a man of science. I dont believe in this kind of stuff, Steven said. Even though he was extremely mad, he still cooperated politely. He seemed like a very rule-abiding person.


    Foreign monks are good at reciting scriptures (1), Zhang Haiyan said.


    In a, those ship doctors with advanced western medical skills made people form the notion that western doctors could treat illnesses better. Witchcraft and Taoism were also popr, so a lot of people pretended to engage in it. On the ship, superstition and science were different things, so a western warlock who looked like a doctor and a magician could generate a lot of stories.


    I dont understand.


    You don''t need to understand. You just need to know that you have to read the Bible to me for the rest of the day. Zhang Haiyan went to the toilet and started putting makeup on his own hands.


    He painted the Wudou disease measles on his arms. He had seen many people infected with the disease, so he was able to draw the measles vividly. He covered them up before wandering outside with Steven.


    Zhang Haiyan wandered around until it was dark out, and deliberately greeted a lot of people along the way. He was very conspicuous in his military uniform, and a lot of people were impressed by him. He asked Steven to follow behind him where others could see him, but not to walk with him.


    Steven looked grim as everyone pointed at him and whispered to each other, but he didnt get angry. He even became a little curious since he didnt know what Zhang Haiyan was trying to do.


    Around eight oclock that evening, Zhang Haiyan arrived at the third-ss cabins activity area. Some goods had been piled up there. It was said that a part of the cargo hold was changed into the third-ss cabin, so the cargo had been piled on the deck. Even so, there were still a lot of people in the activity area looking out at the sea and chatting with each other.


    Steven was really tired by this point and ended up leaning against the ships railing. He had to admit that he couldnt keep up with Zhang Haiyan, who was still full of energy and didnt look like he had been walking around all day.


    Steven was looking into the distance when he was suddenly attracted by an Asian woman next to him. She was a girl with a wonderful figure who was walking past him.


    Steven looked at the girls legs and found that they were very long. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a little sleepy. When he turned his head again, he saw that Zhang Haiyan was gone.


    He hurriedly walked over to where Zhang Haiyan had been before and saw everyone walking in the same direction. After taking a few more steps, he saw Zhang Haiyan lying on the ground, constantly twitching.


    Steven walked over,pletely puzzled. He saw that Zhang Haiyans arms were exposed, and his hands were full of rashes. When everyone saw them as well, they didnt dare step forward. One person screamed, gue!


    This person obviously had seen people infected with Wudou disease. After the person screamed, a few people moved forward to get a closer look. Once they did, they immediately retreated and shouted, gue! He has the symptoms! Dont get close to him.


    All the onlookers began to retreat, but Steven didnt. In fact, Steven was now standing at the forefront of the crowd in his psychic clothes.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Steven in pain and stretched out his hand, Master. Save me, Master.


    Steven looked around, puzzled. He saw Zhang Haiyan wink at him and sighed in his heart before walking over and squatting down.


    Read the Bible to me. Hurry up, Zhang Haiyan said.


    Steven looked at the people around them. He was very embarrassed, but he still read the Bible perfunctorily.


    Zhang Haiyan worked hard to perform. He tried to put his head in Stevens arms so that he could wipe off the makeup on his hands in an instant.


    Then hey t on the ground and began to gasp. With everyone watching, he stood up and looked at his hands in surprise.


    Everyone saw that there was nothing left on his hands and that they now looked very smooth.


    The onlookers looked at Steven in surprise. Zhang Haiyan got up and hugged Stevens thigh. Thank you, Master! Thank you!


    Steven helped Zhang Haiyan up and said softly, What are you trying to do?


    Zhang Haiyan said, You only gave me these few days, so I have to use a special method. Smile.


    The two people smiled at those around them, and Zhang Haiyan continued, I''m going to kiss your hand. You have to look like you have supernatural powers.


    No. I refuse.


    Youre breaking your promise.


    Steven sighed. When Zhang Haiyan kissed his hand, Steven patted him on the head.


    Steven was so exhausted when they returned to the room that he immediately copsed on the sofa and took off the psychic clothes. Zhang Haiyan poured him a ss of wine.


    He could tell by the looks on those peoples faces that their performance was effective. Although the scam was rough, it was a white man saving an Asian man.


    In this world, no one thought that white people and Asian people would work together to deceive others.


    But the scam wasnt over yet. Steven would go back to his room soon, so Zhang Haiyan gave him the psychic clothes.


    Please take these. Ill go to your room tomorrow. There will be a lot of peopleing to find you.


    Why?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded. If were lucky, we can catch the bad people tomorrow. Please?


    Steven gave Zhang Haiyan a long look before grabbing the clothes and leaving.


    That night, Zhang Haiyan didnt sleep at all. He went into the third-, second-, and first-ss cabins and randomly painted the Wudou disease measles on the passengers bodies.


    When he went to Stevens room around nine oclock the next morning, some people were already there kowtowing to Steven. They were the people in the first-ss cabin. Those in the third-ss cabin had all been stopped by sailors at the hatch to the first-ss cabin, and the conflict between the two sides was very intense.


    Steven looked at Zhang Haiyan, obviously having no idea what to do. Zhang Haiyan made a chanting motion and then waited by the side with some alcohol. After Steven chanted for a while, Zhang Haiyan wiped the measles off.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at everyones faces. He remembered all the people he had paintedst night, and they were appearing one by one. Since there were too many guests in the third-ss cabin who couldnt enter the first-ss cabin, they could only run a psychic treatment facility in the salon.


    Zhang Haiyan watched it all silently. He knew that everyone on the ship would soon know about this incident. Moreover, the criminals who spread the gue would soon know that there was an American psychic who could cure the gue in no time.


    He remembered all the people he had put makeup on. Most of them were children, old people, and foreigners. He was basically certain that the group of soldiers on Flower Reef had something to do with this. That group had all been Chinese, so he mostly avoided the Chinese sailors.


    He believed that no matter what kind of criminals they were, they would definitely look into and try to understand what was going on once they heard the news. If the gue could be cured, then their actions would soon be meaningless.


    He only needed to pay attention to two kinds of people: the ones he painted but didnt show up, and the ones he didnt paint but showed up anyways.


    The treatmentssted until the evening. Steven was about to faint, but Zhang Haiyan didnt gain any specific clues.


    Those who showed up were the ones hed painted.


    As Steven went back to his room that night, he clutched his sore back and said to Zhang Haiyan, I will arrest you the morning after tomorrow. You can do whatever you want before that.


    Zhang Haiyan was still confident that night, but the situation remained the same the next day. Steven stopped talking, and Zhang Haiyan realized for the first time that he had been too optimistic.


    These murderers were very patient.


    He didnt fall asleep all night, but walked around the ship instead. His mind was a mess, but it was toote to change the strategy now. He couldnt understand why the murderers werent interested in this matter.


    Were the measles not realistic enough? Or had the murderers seen the measles and knew that it was a scam?


    Zhang Haiyan was very confident about his makeup skills. Ordinary people couldnt tell that they were fake, nor could they be wiped off with other concoctions. He was the only one who knew how to do it, so there basically shouldnt be any problems with the scam.


    <em>Why arent theying?</em>


    At dawn, Zhang Haiyan realized that his n with Miss Dong was going to fail. The ship would sail today, and time was running out. Maybe what he should be considering right now was how to avoid Steven instead of investigating the case.


    At that moment, Zhang Haiyan suddenly thought of something.


    Even though the murderers werent interested in this matter, someone who should be interested in this matter didnt show up.


    Zhang Haiyan sat up from the bed. The ship''s doctors.


    The ships doctors were able to give the guests pills, which meant that they could easily control the time at which the guests would get sick if they mixed the diseased pills in with the other pills.


    If there was someone on the ship who could cure the disease,mon sense dictated that the patients would go to the ships doctors first. When the ships doctors learned that there was a gue outbreak, they would normally stop the ship from leaving port. That also meant that Zhang Haiyan could continue his investigation, which should have been the side effect of his n.


    But the ships doctors didnt do anything.


    They didnt want the ship to stay here any longer.


    Zhang Haiyan checked his watch, went to the salon first, and asked the waiter, Did any of the ships doctors show up when we were seeing the patients?


    The waiter told him that the ships doctors had been resting in the salon and looking at them. Four ship doctors in total had appeared in the salon.


    Zhang Haiyan pped his thigh and moved to rush to the infirmary. As soon as he left the salon, however, he saw Steven walking over and looking at his watch. Mr. Zhang, you are under arrest.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Steven, clutched his chest, and suddenly fell to the ground. Infirmary. You can arrest me after sending me to the infirmary first.


    Zhang Haiyan put his best efforts into his performance and even worked up a sweat on his neck. Even the sailor standing beside them couldnt stand looking at the scene anymore and said, Mr. Steven, your friend isnt feeling well. Youre a doctor. Do you think he should be sent to your room or to the infirmary?


    Steven looked at Zhang Haiyan, annoyed. It was as if he was trying to help an old woman cross the road, and the old woman turned out to be a swindler. But he still checked Zhang Haiyans pupils and counted his heartbeats with a strange expression.


    Get him to my room. Steven sighed.


    Zhang Haiyan knew the situation wasnt good. He didnt expect this amodating white man to be a doctor.


    He wanted to immediately stand up and say he was fine, but felt like that would look too deliberate, so he decided to recover gradually on his way to Stevens room. Once he entered the room and sat down, he would act like he waspletely recovered, show his gratitude, and then leave.


    But as soon as they entered the cabin, they turned a corner and reached Stevens room. He was just about to act like he had made a quick recovery, but waspletely shocked when he saw the room.


    Stevens room was veryrge, and could be considered the VIP of VIP rooms. It even had a balcony, where the sun was shining in from the outside. The interior had beenpletely done in a European-style. His suitcases seemed to have been sent up earlier, for they were all open and looked to be stuffed full of books and papers.


    Zhang Haiyan was still clutching his chest as he was ced on the green velvet sofa. When he sat down, the springs made a soft creaking sound. The velvet cushions molded to his body, making him feel as if the devil himself was embracing him.


    He had been in and out of the rainforests and sea for years, sleeping on tree branches and ships decks. He didnt know how long it had been since hed slept in a soft bed with springs, and involuntarily let out a groan.


    When Steven had the sailor leave, Zhang Haiyan reacted immediately and started to act as if he had recovered. In the end, Steven poured a ss of whiskey, took a sip, and said directly, Stop pretending. Dont you know your heart is on the other side?


    Zhang Haiyan froze for a moment and then looked down at his hand. It was only then that he remembered he was different from others, and his heart was on the opposite side. A doctor had told him about it during their adult physical examinations, but he hadnt cared at the time.


    Why didnt he care? Because all the children like them had hearts on their right side. It even seemed to be the reason why they had been chosen.


    Dextrocardia isnt an illness. You dont need to be afraid. Steven said. But what are you trying to do? Friend, I thought you were just attracted to Miss Dong and wanted to get her attention by using special methods. But now it seems that you do have an ulterior motive for getting on this ship.


    Zhang Haiyan was still clutching his chest, and realized that he had really made a mistake this time. He sighed and told himself he was getting rusty. If he had known this would happen, he wouldve pretended to have a stomachache.


    He looked at Steven, thinking that the whole thing was troublesome. If others knew about his investigation, that would double the difficulty. Not to mention the fact that the Southern Archives was an obscure department. Even if these foreigners believed that he was here on business to investigate the gue, the news that the person responsible for spreading it was still on the ship would be enough to cause mass panic and ruin their journey.


    He had to make up a story.


    Zhang Haiyans mind was racing as he thought, <em>I was fine when I boarded the ship alone. My ticket was real. But why did I pretend to be sick?</em>


    <em>Got it!</em>


    The person I like works as a doctor on this ship. I miss her very much. Zhang Haiyan said. Im sorry that I bothered you. Im a little too childish.


    In the past, ships usually only had one or two general practitioners on board. But because of the gue in a, the Nanan has three doctors and four nurses. As far as I know, the doctors are all men. The person you like is a man? Steven frowned.


    <em>How do you know everything?! </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    He didnt dare spout anymore nonsense for a while, and was still wondering how best to keep lying, when Steven said, Stop pretending. You got on the ship because of Miss Dong, right? Where did you learn about us?


    Zhang Haiyan was still perfecting his next lie, so when Steven suddenly said something like this, he was dumbfounded. <em>Huh? What? Whats going on with you? </em>


    Steven turned around, opened his suitcase, and said, Although Miss Dong asked me to arrest you, I think its a bit too much. So, how much money will it take for you to get off the ship?


    Zhang Haiyan reared back and thought to himself, <em>weird. Is this a gift from heaven, or the awakening of the earth?</em>


    He wanted to make more excuses when he suddenly found that there was something wrong with Stevens hand movements. But just when he wanted to get a closer look, Steven suddenly turned around with a revolver in his hand.


    He raised the gun and fired, but Zhang Haiyan immediately dodged it. The bullet hit the sofa behind him, sending the springs and cotton flying.


    Zhang Haiyan kept moving around as Steven unhesitatingly fired all the bullets at once. They hit the mahogany furniture and bedding in the room, causing sawdust and cotton to fill the air.


    Normal people wouldnt shoot so frequently, but Stevens hand was very steady as he fired all seven rounds in an instant. He spun the revolvers chamber, dropped the spent casings onto the ground, and already started reloading.


    Zhang Haiyan wanted to approach him, but before he could even take two steps, Steven had already raised the gun again and fired. Zhang Haiyan dodged again, fully understanding how strong this opponent was.


    This guy was clearly an expert gunman.


    Zhang Haiyan rolled to dodge the second shot and jumped out onto the balcony, where he stepped onto the ships railing and leaped into the sea. Steven shot the remaining bullets into the sea, returned to the room, and then picked up the phone. Notify Mr. Warner that the whole ship is under martialw. That strange man is a liar. He jumped into the water on the left side of the ship. He must be captured.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Haiyans head popped out of the water. When he saw his cap floating next to him, he grabbed it and looked towards the shore. The police had gotten onto a boat and were rowing towards him.


    The sea waves by the port became so big that they were almost like floating hills. Not only was the view poor, but there was some distance between Zhang Haiyan and the boats. The snipers were also blocked by the waves, so they had to stop their pursuit.


    *


    As soon as He Jianxi got on the Baoen, he heard the sound of firecrackersing from the huge ship behind him. He looked back in surprise, thinking that there was some kind of religious ceremony going on.


    He was suddenly pushed to the ground from behind by the people who had just gotten on the boat.


    The Baoen was a small barge heading to San Francisco. It had two masts, the sails were in tatters, and the deck was now full of cargo. The crew also raised chickens and ducks, so the feces and urine were everywhere and the smell was horrific. Both of He Jianxis hands hadnded in chicken shit, which felt greasy and moist.


    He Jianxi quickly got up and checked whether there was any dirt on him. He was wearing his more decent casual clothes, which were far more suitable for life on a boat. He didnt want to get them dirty as soon as he had gotten on the boat.


    A nearby sailor came to collect his ticket and said to him, If you add a silver dor (2), you can have a woman apany you at night. He pointed to a woman standing nearby. She seemed to be in a daze and was leaning against the cargo. This woman is one silver dor short, so she doesnt have enough money to buy a ticket. Brother, do her a favor. Pay her silver dor, and shell apany you to San Francisco. Im also a good person. Shell definitely die if she stays in a.


    He Jianxi looked at the woman, who seemed to notice his gaze. It appeared she had been rejected many times and had lost all hope. There was only despair in her eyes.


    He Jianxi thought about it and went to grab the money in his pocket. He had one silver dor since the owner of the winery had given him a lot of money. But things were expensive in San Francisco, and the money had to be spent very carefully. He thought it over and walked up to the woman.


    Do you have any rtives in San Francisco?


    The woman instantly came to her senses, stood up straight, and said, Yes, a little brother. My brother is there.


    I dont do perverted things. My mother said that I shouldnt help people indiscriminately when Im out and about, but if youre willing to return this silver dor to me in the future, Ill lend it to you, He Jianxi said.


    It took the woman a while to realize that someone was willing to help her. She couldnt believe her eyes and immediately nodded. I, Ill definitely pay you back. Thank you, little brother.


    He Jianxi took out the silver dor, held it out half an inch, but didnt let go. You need to write me an IOU and press a fingerprint on it.


    The woman froze for a moment. Little brother, such things are so troublesome! I dont have anything. In fact, I was married, and my husband is dead. If you want me to apany you, I wont care since Im experienced and not so young anymore.


    He Jianxi shook his head. You have to promise to pay me back, or I wont lend you the money.


    For some reason, the woman was perplexed. She looked to the sailor, who came over and said, Come on. How can she possibly pay you back? Itll be a very lonely journey. You two can look after each other. Moreover, dont you know that a widows butt is rounder than beautiful girls?


    When He Jianxi still shook his head, the sailor lit a cigarette and pushed him. Go away. You two had a fateful meeting, but it didnt work out. The nearby sailors roared withughter. He Jianxi didnt know what they wereughing about. The sailor seemed to be embarrassed and pushed He Jianxi again, Go and wash the chicken shit off. Are you saving it for dinner? When he pushed him this time, his hand pressed onto He Jianxis pocket, which contained the silver dors.


    His banknotes were hidden in his waistband, but the silver dors had been sewn into the inner pocket of his clothes. With this push, everyone heard the sound of coins clinking together, and could tell that the amount was quiterge.


    The people standing around suddenly became very quiet, and everyone turned to look at He Jianxi.


    He was startled by the change in atmosphere. The sailor stopped pushing him and patted his pocket again. The clinking sound of coins became even clearer.


    The sailor wasnt being polite and even looked down inside his pocket. The other sailors looked at him with interest, and even the woman was looking at him.


    He Jianxi grabbed his luggage and looked into the others eyes, but didnt know what they meant. He immediately closed his pocket and walked away. When he looked back, he found that the sailor was watching him, but didnt follow.


    After taking a few steps, he looked at the chicken feces on his hands and started searching for the ships toilet. At this time, all the sailors behind him stood up and slowly followed.


    The toilets on the ship were usually on the side at the tail end of the deck. They were basically wooden boards with several holes in them. There was a bucket attached to the rope on the side that could be put into the sea to draw water up, which people could use for washing. And they could pee or take a dump by sitting above the holes since the sea was right below.


    All the toilets on the ship were rtively clean. He Jianxi went in, looked behind him, and decided to pick a hole where he could conveniently sit down, and then fetch water to wash his hands.


    He thought about which hole to choose for a long time. There were four of them, and he chose the second one from the left because it looked the cleanest. He had just taken off his pants and was about to turn around and sit down when he saw a persons head poking out of the hole.


    Brother, hold it. Zhang Haiyan poked his head out and then climbed out of the hole with difficulty.


    Who are you? A stowaway? He Jianxi asked in shock. It was a serious crime back then, and he might be thrown into the sea if he was incriminated.


    How can you think that? Zhang Haiyan waspletely soaked. He looked around and tossed his hair back. When I was in the toilet just now, I suddenly took a nap and fell off. Im sorry, so sorry. I get sleepy whenever Im taking a dump. I even feel sleepy whenever I smell shit.


    There was no way He Jianxi would believe this nonsense. But just as he was about to leave, the toilet door opened and a group of sailors walked.


    They were all carrying daggers and went right up to He Jianxi. They grabbed his hair, had him kneel on the ground, and then someone immediately grabbed his arms. He Jianxis mouth opened because of the pain, but someone quickly covered it.


    His pocket was instantly torn open, and the silver dors scattered all over the floor. Everyone panicked as they rolled towards the crevices on the side, since the sea was right below. Someone immediately stepped on them, and the scene became chaotic.


    Quickly. Lets get his money before the boatswain finds out about it. The sailors leader said. Dont mess up.


    They obviously didnt think there was another man in the toilet and froze when they looked up and saw Zhang Haiyan.


    Zhang Haiyan looked down at the silver dor under his foot, picked it up, and said a little awkwardly, Ill buy a ticket with this.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Foreign monks are better than local monks. It means that people dont trust those they are familiar with, and often feel that foreign peoples ideas are more fascinating.


    (2) Its called Da Yang in the Chinese text, and one Da Yang equals 1,000 pennies back then. They are silver coins that looked like this:

 Chapter 17: Despicable Plague God

    Chapter 17: Despicable gue God


    <strong><em>Merebear Note: This didn''t change from the author''s first draft of the story so you can skip past it if you''ve already read it.</em></strong>


    ****


    The sailor looked back at his aplices, winked, and they all moved to surround Zhang Haiyan with their daggers raised.


    Zhang Haiyan counted the number of sailors and found that there were seven of them. For this kind of small barge, seven was arge number.


    <em>I cant kill them. I cant cause a panic again. In addition, if I kill them all, this boat will never set off, and then I might affect a lot of peoples lives.</em>


    But the other party obviously didnt want to let him go, and started surrounding him in a half circle.


    Killing Chinese passengers on a ship. Arent you afraid of being pestered by the gue god? Zhang Haiyan asked with a smile.


    Back then, they killed the sailors who killed Chinese people at sea. For a long time, the Chinese on this route gained some sort of respect. But as the murders decreased, their missions had also decreased, so their reputations seemed to have gradually faded.


    The gue god isnt that well informed and this person doesnt have anypanions. In this corner, no one will see him getting killed. The leading sailor was a man with an Indian-style cloth wrapped around his head. Zhang Haiyan listened as he continued, Im afraid its the same for you. Since youve witnessed the scene, I guess well have to kill you, too.


    Now Zhang Haiyan understood why there were so many sailors.<em> Theyre obviously in a group, and even came to the toilet to kill someone. It seems that my reputation is still lingering here. This young man should be on the boat alone without rtives, so they targeted him.</em>


    He looked at the silver coins and thought to himself, <em>hes quite rich despite being so young.</em>


    The sailors surrounding him were getting closer and closer. These people had been working on the water for a long time, so they were quite observant. They saw that this young man looked calm even though he was drenched and seemed a little absent-minded. As a result, they didnt dare move forward rashly.


    Zhang Haiyan calcted the time. After a while, the police would definitely board the boat to investigate. To be on the safe side, he couldnt let things get any more out of control, so he decided to solve the problem quickly. He sneered before suddenly stepping forward, falling to his knees, and saying to the sailors, Masters, please have mercy on us.


    The sailors were startled and took a step back. Zhang Haiyan took out a roll of money from his pocket and offered it up with both hands. This person is my cousin, and there are only two of us left in our family. If we both die, our family will have no descendants. Take the silver coins and the money. We promise not to tell a soul about it. Please have mercy on our cheap lives.


    When the sailors looked at each other, Zhang Haiyan continued, Its not robbery. Were giving you the money out of respect. You dont need to be afraid that the gue god will find out about it. Now that the gue is running rampant, you dont want to be condemned by the heavens, right?! Were all just trying to make a living.


    Zhang Haiyans eyes became red and watery as he spoke. The leading sailor frowned, took the money, and flipped through it. It wasnt a small amount, so he smiled and said, Little brother, youre quite talented. Youre not like those who want money but dont want their lives. You know that you have to worship a mountain when you see one.


    As Zhang Haiyan nodded tteringly, the leading sailor winked at the people behind him. They didnt want to kill people and cause trouble, either. They released their hold on He Jianxi, who started coughing after being painfully strangled.


    The sailor patted Zhang Haiyan. My name is Er Erlong. You can call me Brother Long. I will protect you on this boat. The money will be handed over to the brothers. With that said, he turned around. Give them a single room. Ourdies are theirs. They can pick whoever they want.


    The sailors were anxious to get out of the toilet, and hurriedly picked the silver coins up. It seemed that they wanted to go and divide the huge amount of money.


    Zhang Haiyan breathed a sigh of relief and then turned to help He Jianxi up with a grim look on his face. Theyre pathetic. He said. These people dont even know that they barely saved themselves just now. If they had been tougher, their lives wouldve ended


    He Jianxi punched Zhang Haiyan in the face. Those silver coins are mine. How could you give them my stuff? We cant give in to these kinds of people! As soon as he finished speaking, he moved to chase after the sailors.


    Zhang Haiyan grabbed him and gently moved his head to the side. He Jianxis head hit the boats wooden wall quite heavily, and he immediately passed out.


    Zhang Haiyan touched his face. This guy has quite a temper.


    He Jianxi was young and still looked childish, almost like a teenager. Zhang Haiyan picked him up with one hand and put him on his back.


    When He Jianxi woke up again, he was already in a single room.


    The single room was actually a small space that had been separated from the passenger cabin. It had a little privacy, but there was only a curtain instead of a door. Two door panelsid out on the ground were their beds.


    Bedding had already been spread out on He Jianxis bed. Zhang Haiyan was sitting on the other bed without his shirt on. He was smoking a cigarette and looking at him. Zhang Haiyans bed didnt appear to have any bedding on it, and lookedpletely bare.


    Of course there was nothing. All the special treatment he could get was on the Nanan, which was a kilometer away. Zhang Haiyan suspected that it was his fate to never get to sleep on a bed with springs.


    He Jianxi sat up and found that he was still very dizzy. After a while, he remembered what had happened before he passed out.


    You


    Shut up. Zhang Haiyan looked at him coldly.


    I dont even know you. Im going to get my money back. Ouch! He had a terrible headache, and felt the area where his head had been hit.


    Youre a passenger on this boat. You want to get justice, and then what? Are you going to get off the boat? If you fight them, they wont let you stay on the boat, Zhang Haiyan said.


    I worked hard for that money. They cant just easily take someones hard-earned money.


    Zhang Haiyan pulled He Jianxis waistband and dug out the banknotes. He flipped through them and found that a lot of words had been written on them. Isnt there a lot of money? To the people on this boat, youre like someone who helped put their shoes on. Dont n on dying if you can survive. Human life is so precious.


    He Jianxi instantly panicked, and quickly grabbed his waistband. Give it back to me!


    Zhang Haiyan released his waistband and threw the money back to him. Stay on the boat and hide your money. This ferry ticket is for entering the ghost gate, but your silver coins can at least give you a better chance at getting out. Its worth it.


    He Jianxi immediately put the money back into his waistband and adjusted it.


    Let me ask you a question. Wheres this boat going?


    Since Zhang Haiyan gave the money back to him just now, He Jianxi calmed down and lowered his guard a bit. To San Francisco.


    San Francisco? Can this kind of small boat make it that far? As far as I can tell, the sailors on this kind of small boat will kill you all and throw you into the sea. It happens a lot.


    After the legend of the gue god surfaced, theres no such thing. He Jianxi said. Its how my brother got to San Francisco sessfully. Of course, it will be a difficult journey, but Im used to it.


    All your quilts have been infused with Chinese medicine. Youve obviously made a lot of preparations. Zhang Haiyan took a puff of his cigarette, and He Jianxi covered his nose with a very pained expression. Whats wrong?


    Your cigarette smells really bad.


    The sailors had given him these cigarettes, which just so happened to be the kind he liked to smoke back in the day. Since Zhang Haixia found them unpleasant, he had switched to another brand. It was rare that Zhang Haixia wasnt around, so he could finally let himself go, but he didnt expect hed be judged again.


    Zhang Haiyan couldnt help but smile bitterly and think to himself, <em>Ill stink you to death. </em>He deliberately took another puff. Cousin, lets discuss something and make a deal, ok?


    I dont want to make a deal with you. You gave my money to someone else. Can I do business with someone like you?


    Ah, it has something to do with your money. If I can get your money back before I get off the ship, will you do me a favor? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    He Jianxi was stunned for a moment, unsure what Zhang Haiyan was nning.


    Look outside. Zhang Haiyan said.


    He Jianxi looked outside the curtain and saw that there were a lot of police officers in the cabin that were interrogating the guests. As he was looking, Zhang Haiyan crawled over and hid under his quilt.


    Hey, hey, hey, hey. What are you doing? He Jianxi was furious. He hated it when others got under his quilt. He was very sensitive to smells, and couldnt fall asleep on a bed that others had slept in.


    Zhang Haiyan covered his head with the quilt. Remember, Im your wife. You just had sex with me. We arent dressed properly. With that said, Zhang Haiyan immediately opened He Jianxis cor, quickly messed up his hair, and then shrank back under the quilt. He took a few gold needles out of his pocket.


    Before He Jianxi could figure out what was going on, Zhang Haiyan whispered, Help me with this, and Ill help you get the money back. Otherwise, Ill say youre my aplice and well die together.


    Just as He Jianxi finally understood what was going on, the curtain was suddenly opened. The police came in to take a look and asked He Jianxi, Who are you talking to? Get up. We need to see your faces.


    There was no way He Jianxi could improvise, so he started to panic. Just as his face flushed, he suddenly heard a female voice that sounded like silver bellsing from under his quilt. Oh, who is it? Im not wearing any clothes.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys note: He Jianxi officially joins the being-bullied-by-the-Zhangs club. Lets wee him lol</em></strong>


    <strong><em>Merebear note: If you want to keep reading the "first draft", then here''s Chapter 16s link and Chapter 18s link. </em></strong>

 Chapter 18: The Plague God’s Kiss

    Chapter 18: The gue God¡¯s Kiss


    The policemen looked at each other and thenughed. Why so anxious? Doing obscene activities during the daytime?


    He Jianxis face was flushed, but it was because he was angry and frightened.


    When did he have a woman in his bed?


    He was positive that there definitely wasnt anyone else under the quilt just now. Zhang Haiyan was the one who got under it. He saw it with his very own eyes. How did he suddenly be a woman?


    Could it be that Zhang Haiyan was a man disguised as a woman? Wait, that couldnt be right. Wasnt he half-naked just now?


    He Jianxi was utterly perplexed. Moreover, what did he say to him just now? He would im he was his aplice? There was too much information, which almost made He Jianxi break out in a cold sweat.


    The policemen just thought that the kid was being shy, and they ended upughing even harder. Then, they heard the woman under the quilt say, Its not daytime. Theres no such thing as daytime in the world.


    You even dared touch a woman on this kind of boat. Watch out, or you might get syphilis. The police lowered the curtain and continued their investigation.


    He Jianxi listened to the sound of the policemen walking away. He wanted to flip the quilt over immediately to see what was going on, but when he turned around, Zhang Haiyan had already returned to his previous position. Not even his cigarette had been extinguished.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at him coldly. You dont know how to lie to people. How have you even survived up until now? He was still talking in that sultry female voice.


    He Jianxi looked at Zhang Haiyans chest. Well, he had never seen a womans chest since he had started to learn the ways of the world, but in his mind, a womans chest was bound to have something. Zhang Haiyans chest, however, had nothing but pectoral muscles.


    Zhang Haiya looked like all of the men he had seen before.


    <em>Is it possible that hes one of those intersex people (1) Ive heard about before?</em>


    He Jianxis mind was blown. At that time, he didnt understand the concepts of gender equality. His first reaction was that an intersex person had slept in his bed. He didnt know if it was because his head had been hit earlier, or because he couldnt handle the situation before him, but he started to feel dizzy.


    Zhang Haiyan touched his bed and said, How am I supposed to sleep on this? I found that your bed was veryfortable as Iy on it just now. Can we sleep together? Ill only be staying here for a few days anyways.


    His voice sounded beautiful and charming, as if he was the only orchid in an empty valley.


    He Jianxi tilted his head and fainted on the bed.


    Zhang Haiyan sat there stunned for a while. It was his first time seeing someone faint while he was still talking to them.


    He sighed.


    At this time, he heard the sound of the Nanans horn. He looked out from a crack in the boats nking, and saw the Nanans chimneys emitting smoke. It seemed like the ship was about to set sail.


    <em>Damn it. </em>Zhang Haiyan knocked on the boat nks. There were police officers outside, so he couldnt leave yet. And it was still bright out, so he couldnt get into the water again, either.


    In any case, hed have to wait until evening to find a way. Moreover, it was impossible for the barge to keep up with the iron ships speed, even if he hijacked it to chase after the Nanan.


    He didnt know if Zhang Ruipus men had seen him diving into the water just now. If they did, he was worried that Haixia would be in danger.


    He closed his eyes and began to recall the old sea map from the conference room that contained information on the various sea routes. His mind raced through it quickly and it only took him a short amount of time to find that he still had one more chance.


    If the Nanan departed now, it would go to the deep-water port in Singapore and then turn back.


    The route to San Francisco and the route to Xiamen were headed in the same direction. Brother Long had told him that the Baoen would set off at dusk, so based on his calctions, they would enter the open sea earlier than the Nanan.


    As long as he dove into the area where the coastal water met the open sea, he could float on the Nanans route. If he was lucky, the Nanan would arrive an hour after that. Although it was impossible to estimate the distance between the two ships urately at that point, it wouldnt be more than four kilometers.


    In addition, it might happen tomorrow at midnight when the surrounding sea was dark and the lights on the Naan would be bright. He could swim toward it.


    The iron ship moved very fast, so he had only one chance to swim right in front of it and wait for it toe. The Nanan had very steep sides, so hed have to find a way to climb up. All of this could only be done if there weren''t any idents.


    Zhang Haiyan really regretted his reckless behavior, and swore secretly that if the gods had mercy on him this time, he would be extra cautious in the future.


    When He Jianxi woke up again at dusk, Zhang Haiyan was no longer across from him. There were various sounds outside that were noisy, but they were different from before. Moreover, the ship was shaking badly. He immediately checked his waistband, and felt relieved when he found that the money was still there.


    He left the small cabin and understood why the sounds had changed. It was because they had already set off. The voices on the shore were no longer audible, the sea breeze was stronger, and the half-sail had been lowered to full-sail.


    The people on the ship had be quiet as they tried to adapt to their new life at sea. Whether it wasfortable or not, this broken ship would be their home for the next few months.


    The sea at dusk was very beautiful. The waves were neither big nor small, and the ship looked strangely beautiful under the soft light.


    <em>Where is that intersex person? Was it just a dream? No. My silver coins are still gone. </em><em></em>


    He Jianxi was captivated by the dusk and the setting sun in the distance. At this moment, he suddenly didnt want to think about anything else. <em>Ill just appreciate the beautiful scenery first, even though I know Ill face this same scene every day for the next few months.</em>


    As he was thinking this, he suddenly heard a cking sounding from off to the side. He turned and saw the intersex person ying mahjong with a few passengers.


    <em>Fuck, it wasnt a dream after all. </em><em></em>


    Zhang Haiyan had just won. He flipped the tiles and waited for the passengers to give him the money. There were a lot of silver coins sitting in front of him, and the sailors were all watching him very closely.


    He Jianxi walked over. Once Zhang Haiyan saw him, he counted out a pile of silver coins and handed them to him. Take them. Ive returned the money to you. With that said, he counted out another pile of silver coins for Brother Long. Brother Long, here. Give them to your brothers.


    Brother Long had obviously been rewarded more than once, for he took them and said, How generous of you!


    Zhang Haiyan put a cigarette between his lips. My cousin isnt sophisticated, so hell definitely bring some trouble to Brother Long. Please take care of him.


    Brother Long immediately took out a match and lit the cigarette for Zhang Haiyan. Dont worry, Brother Yan, I didnt know you were such a great man before. If I had known you were Mr. Ruipus apprentice, I wouldnt have been so presumptuous.


    Remember to keep the things that Ive written. When my cousin arrives in San Francisco, you can take the slip and go to Mr. Zhang Ruipu to get the money. Its a simple errand. Dont mess it up.


    Brother Long nodded. His behavior was so ttering that it was almost sickening.


    He Jianxi was puzzled as he looked at the silver coins. You won these. I want my own money back.


    You and your money are already that familiar with each other? Do you have feelings for it? Zhang Haiyanughed. Brother Long. Look at this kid. Hes Mr. Zhang Ruipus ountant. Hell never do anything wrong. Hes a piece of work, isnt he?


    Yes, he is. Hes a piece of work.


    Zhang Haiyan handed the silver coins to Brother Long and asked him to pass them to He Jianxi, who finally epted them. He immediately gripped the coins tightly before he turned around to leave.


    Zhang Haiyan won again this time.


    The passenger on the side was covered in a cold sweat and going crazy. He nced at the other passengers. A middle-aged woman came up to pull him away. Stop it, old man. Youll lose everything if you keep going.


    The passenger shook the woman off. Go away. Im losing because you cant fucking stop talking. With that said, he took out another silver coin and looked at Zhang Haiyan.


    He Jianxi felt like something was wrong. He raised his hands and sniffed them, and found the faint smell of turmeric. He turned around, looked at Zhang Haiyans hands, and instantly became furious when realized what was going on.


    When he went back again and saw that Zhang Haiyan had a set of good tiles in his hands, he immediately asked him, Youre cheating?


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned. He Jianxi grabbed his hands and smelled them. <em>Thats right. Its the smell of turmeric.</em>


    He has turmeric, he said to everyone. Hes cheating by marking these tiles with it. Whose money here isnt hard-earned? If you cheat and steal their money like this, theyll die. Youre treating these people improperly. Are you not afraid of the gue goding after you?!


    Everyone looked at Zhang Haiyan, who was dumbfounded in the face of He Jianxis usations. But before he got the chance to answer, the passenger on the side grabbed Zhang Haiyans cor and cried, Youre cheating?!


    Zhang Haiyan was knocked over by a punch. He Jianxi also fell since Zhang Haiyan bumped into him. Then he saw the other three mahjong yers get up and surround Zhang Haiyan.


    Brother Long immediately came to help Zhang Haiyan up, but the other passengers gathered around to watch the scene. The sailors and the passengers were suddenly divided into two factions.


    You sailors are working with this liar to cheat and steal our money while were on the boat. You better give us an exnation today, and return our money to us! The leading gambler yelled.


    The other people on the boat had been bullied by the sailors before and were already very angry, so they immediately agreed.


    He Jianxi was overjoyed as he saw everyone unite. He stood up and said, They also rob and kill people. Were passengers who have paid for our tickets. We want our rights!


    Everyone shouted.


    There were more guests on the ship, which meant more people surrounded the sailors.


    The sailor immediately panicked and looked at Zhang Haiyan, Brother Yan, youre in the wrong because you cheated.


    I didnt cheat. Zhang Haiyan said with a smile, The three of them are the ones who used turmeric. My hands just happened to touch it. Cousin, if you dont believe me, you can sniff them and see who has the strongest smell of turmeric on them. Is it me, or them? Theyre professional scammers who have scammed enough money in a. Now theyre ready to go to San Francisco and cheat more people. Theyre clever and have sufficient capital. If you keep them on board, youll all be unlucky.


    While he was speaking, He Jianxi had found that something was off. Since the two fractions had separated, he clearly smelled the strong scent of turmeric on his side.


    He moved his nose and was just about to say something when the passenger punched He Jianxis nose and knocked him to the ground. How can you believe his nonsense? Dont be polite to them. From now on, were the bosses of this boat. There are more of us! Look, who has most of our money? Do we look like liars?


    Everyone looked at Zhang Haiyan. To be honest, he was the one who looked the most like a liar.


    One of the passengers who was there to watch the show said, This person has apartment to live in, while we all have to sleep on a wide bed together. Hes young and rich enough to live in apartment. He must have swindled the money. Everyone started moring all at once.


    The leader of the passengers sneered, looked at Zhang Haiyan, and then shouted, Thats right. Its all dirty money. You must still have a lot of money with you!


    Brother Long saw that the situation wasnt good, and immediately pushed Zhang Haiyan out. Dont act rashly. Solve your own grievances by yourselves. Dont disturb the boatswain. Otherwise, no one will get to San Francisco.


    Brother Long, you have no loyalty. Zhang Haiyan took a big puff of his cigarette and looked at the crowd. He was surrounded by a lot of people, but they all stayed on the sidelines, unwilling to attack first. They were professional scammers, after all. They werent good at inciting others, so they didnt know how to end it.


    There was a stalemate for a while, before the woman from earlier suddenly said, You wicked person, let the gue god of the sea take care of you.


    It was as if the leading passenger had a sudden epiphany, and he immediately agreed. Yes. Well take the money back and throw him into the sea. The gue god of the sea will take him. There are des in the gue gods mouth. Let him cut off your lying, stinky mouth!


    <em>What a weak bastard! I deal with these kinds of people all day long, so of course Ill get rusty. </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    When the leading passenger saw that no one was willing to make a move, he winked at the other two mahjong yers. The three people pulled out daggers and moved to surround Zhang Haiyan on all three sides.


    The first one rushed behind Zhang Haiyan, who dodged slightly and smashed the mans nose in with his elbow. As the person went flying, Zhang Haiyan swiftly moved to face the second one, patted his head directly, and knocked him to the ground.


    He moved so fast that no one could see him clearly. By the time the leading passenger showed up in front of him, Zhang Haiyan had already squeezed his neck, lifted him up, and kissed him.


    Everyone was extremely shocked. The passenger was kissed to the point that his hands were iling, but he couldnt break free.


    When Zhang Haiyan finally let go of him, the person dropped to the ground, covered his throat, and started to heaving.


    The woman rushed towards him, You bastard! Youve harassed my man!


    The leading passenger pushed the woman away, grabbed his neck, and started vomiting. He spat out copious amounts of blood, along with two or three des. When the des fell onto the deck, all those gathered took a step back.


    Didnt you want to see the gue god? Zhang Haiyan turned his back to the setting sun, put his hands in his pockets, and opened his mouth. The des in his mouth reflected the light. It''s been a long time, everyone.


    <em>s, Zhang Haixia is not by my side. Im being a bit reckless, but it feels so good. Being reckless truly makes people happy, after all.</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    As He Jianxi dropped to the ground, hisst thought was: the hero he admired, the gue god of the sea, the hero who protected the Chinese on this sea route, was an intersex person.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Can also be called androgynous, hermaphrodite, or a whole slew of other politically and not politically correct terms. Heres more info


    ****


    <strong><em>Merebear note: I have absolutely no idea if this follows the book, but chapter 1 of the untranted manhua for the Southern Archives is here. It''s got some of the stuff from this chapter if you just want a pretty picture to look at lol</em></strong>

 Chapter 18.2 An Intersex Person

    Chapter 18.2 An Intersex Person


    The policemen looked at each other and thenughed. Why so anxious? Doing obscene activities during the daytime?


    He Jianxis face was flushed, but it was because he was angry and frightened.


    When did he have a woman in his bed?


    He was positive that there definitely wasnt anyone else under the quilt just now. Zhang Haiyan was the one who got under it. He saw it with his very own eyes. How did he suddenly be a woman?


    Could it be that Zhang Haiyan was a man disguised as a woman? Wait, that couldnt be right. Wasnt he half-naked just now?


    He Jianxi was utterly perplexed. Moreover, what did he say to him just now? He would im he was his aplice? There was too much information, which almost made He Jianxi break out in a cold sweat.


    The policemen just thought that the kid was being shy, and they ended upughing even harder. Then, they heard the woman under the quilt say, Its not daytime. Theres no such thing as daytime in the world.


    You even dared touch a woman on this kind of boat. Watch out, or you might get syphilis. The police lowered the curtain and continued their investigation.


    He Jianxi listened to the sound of the policemen walking away. He wanted to flip the quilt over immediately to see what was going on, but when he turned around, Zhang Haiyan had already returned to his previous position. Not even his cigarette had been extinguished.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at him coldly. You dont know how to lie to people. How have you even survived up until now? He was still talking in that sultry female voice.


    He Jianxi looked at Zhang Haiyans chest. Well, he had never seen a womans chest since he had started to learn the ways of the world, but in his mind, a womans chest was bound to have something. Zhang Haiyans chest, however, had nothing but pectoral muscles.


    Zhang Haiyan looked like all of the men he had seen before.


    <em>Is it possible that hes one of those intersex people </em>(1)<em> Ive heard about before?</em>


    He Jianxis mind was blown. At that time, he didnt understand the concepts of gender equality. His first reaction was that an intersex person had slept in his bed. He didnt know if it was because his head had been hit earlier, or because he couldnt handle the situation before him, but he started to feel dizzy.


    Zhang Haiyan touched his bed and said, How am I supposed to sleep on this? I found that your bed was veryfortable as Iy on it just now. Can we sleep together? Ill only be staying here for a few days anyways.


    His voice sounded beautiful and charming, as if he was the only orchid in an empty valley.


    He Jianxi tilted his head and fainted on the bed.


    Zhang Haiyan sat there stunned for a while. It was his first time seeing someone faint while he was still talking to them.


    He sighed.


    At this time, he heard the sound of the Nanans horn. He looked out from a crack in the boats nking, and saw the Nanans chimneys emitting smoke. It seemed like the ship was about to set sail.


    <em>Damn it</em>. Zhang Haiyan knocked on the boat nks. There were police officers outside, so he couldnt leave yet. And it was still bright out, so he couldnt get into the water again, either.


    In any case, hed have to wait until evening to find a way. Moreover, it was impossible for the barge to keep up with the iron ships speed, even if he hijacked it to chase after the Nanan.


    He didnt know if Zhang Ruipus men had seen him diving into the water just now. If they did, he was worried that Haixia would be in danger.


    He closed his eyes and began to recall the old sea map from the conference room that contained information on the various sea routes. His mind raced through it quickly and it only took him a short amount of time to find that he still had one more chance.


    If the Nanan departed now, it would go to the deep-water port in Singapore and then turn back.


    The route to San Francisco and the route to Xiamen were headed in the same direction. Brother Long had told him that the Baoen would set off at dusk, so based on his calctions, they would enter the open sea earlier than the Nanan.


    As long as he dove into the area where the coastal water met the open sea, he could float on the Nanans route. If he was lucky, the Nanan would arrive an hour after that. Although it was impossible to estimate the distance between the two ships urately at that point, it wouldnt be more than four kilometers.


    In addition, it might happen tomorrow at midnight when the surrounding sea was dark and the lights on the Naan would be bright. He could swim toward it.


    The iron ship moved very fast, so he had only one chance to swim right in front of it and wait for it toe. The Nanan had very steep sides, so hed have to find a way to climb up. All of this could only be done if there werent any idents.


    This was what happened when ying a dangerous game. From the moment Zhang Haiyan talked to Miss Dong, he understood that this may be the result.


    Before, he could always manage to make a narrow escape. But he was alone this time and had failed at thest moment.


    He had to react faster and think moreprehensively. He was on his own now.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Can also be called androgynous, hermaphrodite, or a whole slew of other politically and not politically correct terms. Heres more info


    ****


    <strong><em>Merebear note: I have absolutely no idea if this follows the book, but chapter 1 of the untranted manhua for the Southern Archives is here. Its got some of the stuff from this chapter if you just want a pretty picture to look at lol</em></strong>

 Chapter 19: A Man With A Clear Conscience

    Chapter 19: A Man With A Clear Conscience


    When He Jianxi woke up for the third time, it was already dark out and he was in a cabin in the ships hold. Instead of the previouspartment, he found that he was in arge cabin.


    He and Zhang Haiyan looked at each other. There were medical herbs on his nose, which smelled very pungent. He Jianxi wanted to peel them off.


    As soon as he sat up, he saw that all the crew and sailors were on the other side of the cabin. They were squeezed into a corner and watching the two of them.


    It was such a big cabin, but the room was divided into two sides. Two people were on one side, while everyone else was on the other side.


    Whatwhats going on? He Jianxi asked. Zhan Haiyan looked at the crowd that was keeping far away from them and said, Youve been in aa for a day. Isnt this the treatment that the gue god should have?


    Are you really the gue god of the sea? He Jianxi asked. He touched his nose and hissed in pain.


    Your nose is precious, so protect it if you can. You could even smell the subtle scent of turmeric that those scammers worked really hard on. As Zhang Haiyan spoke, he threw He Jianxi a package. He Jianxi found out that it was his own luggage.


    Check your things. Ive already packed everything for you except the bedding. Is there anything missing?


    He Jianxi flipped through his luggage. His things were very simple. Except for the necessities, there wasnt anything extraneous, so he could see everything clearly at a nce. Why did you pack my luggage?


    Because were leaving. Zhang Haiyan looked at the distant crowd. Do you think we can still stay on this boat?


    What do you mean, we? He Jianxi was confused and thought to himself, <em>if someone has to leave, shouldnt you be the only one who cant stay on this boat any longer?</em>


    Im the gue god of the sea, and youre the gue gods cousin. Do you know how many people wille after you? Youll be arrested when you reach shore. Theyll dig out your little friend and force you to tell them where I am, Zhang Haiyan said.


    But Im not your cousin.


    Do you think others will believe it? Zhang Haiyan sat down and looked at the dark sea outside.


    Youre a hero who protects ordinary passengers. Why are they hiding from you? Why are they afraid of you? He Jianxi was a little surprised.


    Zhang Haiyan turned around and looked at the people on the opposite side without a care. A hero? Im not a hero. I kill those who feel guilty. Its inevitable that ordinary people will feel guilty. Zhang Haiyan looked at He Jianxi with interest. Are you not afraid of me? Do you have a clear conscience?


    My conscience is clear. He Jianxi felt as if the wound hurt more and more, but he still tried to endure it.


    Those who have a clear conscience are either extremely kind, extremely evil, or extremely stupid. Which kind are you?


    None of those. He Jianxi said. Is it so difficult not to do bad things?


    Zhang Haiyan pointed to the people on the opposite side, who all flinched back. You ask them.


    He Jianxi certainly wasnt stupid enough to go and ask them, but he didnt understand why Zhang Haiyan said they were leaving. This was the ce where the outer sea met the coastal waters. The blue sea was endless, and there wasnt even a reef. Where could they possibly go?


    Zhang Haiyan got closer to He Jianxi and asked, Let me ask you a question. Have you been so upright since you were young? How have you lived until now?


    Im an ountant, He Jianxi said. An ountant should always be persistent. My job requires me to be honest. If you encounter something that needs to be negotiated, there will naturally be other people to take care of it. I think I can survive because ounting jobs have been around since ancient times.


    Chivalry. Zhang Haiyan was somewhat surprised. Some white people cared about this, but no one in a did. But there were a lot of British people in a, and those British people might like this kids attitude. But when he arrived in San Francisco, Zhang Haiyan figured hed probably only be able to work on building railways.


    He Jianxi wouldnt do well on this boat, either.


    Zhang Haiyan reached a decision. He could have left He Jianxi here and gone off by himself since Zhang Haiqi had also taught them how to be heartless. He had seen several stubborn people over the years who weren''t worthy of sympathy, but for some reason, he felt that He Jianxi was different.


    It was difficult to describe what it was. If Zhang Haiyan was forced to describe it, he could only say that He Jianxi was very lucky. But why was that the case? After He Jianxi got on the boat, he did countless things that were considered taboo while being out and about, but he still came out unscathed. Moreover, he had always had this kind of attitude, but was still alive even after all these years. Did this mean that he was an extremely lucky person?


    Zhang Haiyan needed as much good luck as he could get right now. Moreover, he didnt want his mistakes to affect innocent peoples lives. Zhang Haiyan was fine with sacrificing others for profit, but he couldnt ept that others were paying for his mistakes.


    He looked at his watch, and found that it was almost time. Zhang Haiyan did a few stretches before saying to the people on the opposite side, Good times always pass so fast. Ill remember your faces, ande back at any time. Ill know if you dare say a single bad word about me. Every bad thing that you do will be ryed to me. Tell others what youve seen. Everyone has to tell ten of their friends about it. Otherwise, youll see me every time.


    With that said, he handed He Jianxi his luggage. He Jianxi still didnt react, so Zhang Haiyan grabbed him and threw him over the side of the boat. As He Jianxi fell directly into the sea, everyone on board screamed.


    Zhang Haiyan stood on the side of the boat, flipped over backwards, and jumped into the sea.


    When He Jianxi popped his head out of the water, he saw Zhang Haiyan falling down as well. What are you doing?! He scolded. Why do you, the gue god, always have to do unexpected things? Were going to drown!


    Zhang Haiyan floated along the waves and looked into the distance. There was a small spot of light on the distant sea. It was the Nan''an. This was exactly what he had calcted.


    Were not going to drown.


    I''m going to San Francisco! I don''t want to die here!


    You arent going to die here.


    Zhang Haiyan threw out a rope, and He Jianxi grabbed it. My bedding!


    Zhang Haiyan pulled the rope and started swimming towards that spot of light, thinking to himself, <em>goodbye, door panel bed.</em><em>Spring bed, here Ie.</em>

 Chapter 19.2 The Plague God’s Kiss

    Chapter 19.2 The gue God¡¯s Kiss


    <strong><em>Merebear Note: This is the rest of chapter 18''s "first draft". Nothing changed, so you can skip past it if youve already read it.</em></strong>


    ****


    When He Jianxi woke up again at dusk, Zhang Haiyan was no longer across from him. There were various sounds outside that were noisy, but they were different from before. Moreover, the ship was shaking badly. He immediately checked his waistband, and felt relieved when he found that the money was still there.


    He left the small cabin and understood why the sounds had changed. It was because they had already set off. The voices on the shore were no longer audible, the sea breeze was stronger, and the half-sail had been lowered to full-sail.


    The people on the ship had be quiet as they tried to adapt to their new life at sea. Whether it wasfortable or not, this broken ship would be their home for the next few months.


    The sea at dusk was very beautiful. The waves were neither big nor small, and the ship looked strangely beautiful under the soft light.


    <em>Where is that intersex person? Was it just a dream? No. My silver coins are still gone. </em>


    He Jianxi was captivated by the dusk and the setting sun in the distance. At this moment, he suddenly didnt want to think about anything else. <em>Ill just appreciate the beautiful scenery first, even though I know Ill face this same scene every day for the next few months.</em>


    As he was thinking this, he suddenly heard a cking sounding from off to the side. He turned and saw the intersex person ying mahjong with a few passengers.


    <em>Fuck, it wasnt a dream after all. </em>


    Zhang Haiyan had just won. He flipped the tiles and waited for the passengers to give him the money. There were a lot of silver coins sitting in front of him, and the sailors were all watching him very closely.


    He Jianxi walked over. Once Zhang Haiyan saw him, he counted out a pile of silver coins and handed them to him. Take them. Ive returned the money to you. With that said, he counted out another pile of silver coins for Brother Long. Brother Long, here. Give them to your brothers.


    Brother Long had obviously been rewarded more than once, for he took them and said, How generous of you!


    Zhang Haiyan put a cigarette between his lips. My cousin isnt sophisticated, so hell definitely bring some trouble to Brother Long. Please take care of him.


    Brother Long immediately took out a match and lit the cigarette for Zhang Haiyan. Dont worry, Brother Yan, I didnt know you were such a great man before. If I had known you were Mr. Ruipus apprentice, I wouldnt have been so presumptuous.


    Remember to keep the things that Ive written. When my cousin arrives in San Francisco, you can take the slip and go to Mr. Zhang Ruipu to get the money. Its a simple errand. Dont mess it up.


    Brother Long nodded. His behavior was so ttering that it was almost sickening.


    He Jianxi was puzzled as he looked at the silver coins. You won these. I want my own money back.


    You and your money are already that familiar with each other? Do you have feelings for it? Zhang Haiyanughed. Brother Long. Look at this kid. Hes Mr. Zhang Ruipus ountant. Hell never do anything wrong. Hes a piece of work, isnt he?


    Yes, he is. Hes a piece of work.


    Zhang Haiyan handed the silver coins to Brother Long and asked him to pass them to He Jianxi, who finally epted them. He immediately gripped the coins tightly before he turned around to leave.


    Zhang Haiyan won again this time.


    The passenger on the side was covered in a cold sweat and going crazy. He nced at the other passengers. A middle-aged woman came up to pull him away. Stop it, old man. Youll lose everything if you keep going.


    The passenger shook the woman off. Go away. Im losing because you cant fucking stop talking. With that said, he took out another silver coin and looked at Zhang Haiyan.


    He Jianxi felt like something was wrong. He raised his hands and sniffed them, and found the faint smell of turmeric. He turned around, looked at Zhang Haiyans hands, and instantly became furious when realized what was going on.


    When he went back again and saw that Zhang Haiyan had a set of good tiles in his hands, he immediately asked him, Youre cheating?


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned. He Jianxi grabbed his hands and smelled them. <em>Thats right. Its the smell of turmeric.</em>


    He has turmeric, he said to everyone. Hes cheating by marking these tiles with it. Whose money here isnt hard-earned? If you cheat and steal their money like this, theyll die. Youre treating these people improperly. Are you not afraid of the gue goding after you?!


    Everyone looked at Zhang Haiyan, who was dumbfounded in the face of He Jianxis usations. But before he got the chance to answer, the passenger on the side grabbed Zhang Haiyans cor and cried, Youre cheating?!


    Zhang Haiyan was knocked over by a punch. He Jianxi also fell since Zhang Haiyan bumped into him. Then he saw the other three mahjong yers get up and surround Zhang Haiyan.


    Brother Long immediately came to help Zhang Haiyan up, but the other passengers gathered around to watch the scene. The sailors and the passengers were suddenly divided into two factions.


    You sailors are working with this liar to cheat and steal our money while were on the boat. You better give us an exnation today, and return our money to us! The leading gambler yelled.


    The other people on the boat had been bullied by the sailors before and were already very angry, so they immediately agreed.


    He Jianxi was overjoyed as he saw everyone unite. He stood up and said, They also rob and kill people. Were passengers who have paid for our tickets. We want our rights!


    Everyone shouted.


    There were more guests on the boat, which meant more people surrounded the sailors.


    The sailor immediately panicked and looked at Zhang Haiyan, Brother Yan, youre in the wrong because you cheated.


    I didnt cheat. Zhang Haiyan said with a smile, The three of them are the ones who used turmeric. My hands just happened to touch it. Cousin, if you dont believe me, you can sniff them and see who has the strongest smell of turmeric on them. Is it me, or them? Theyre professional scammers who have scammed enough money in a. Now theyre ready to go to San Francisco and cheat more people. Theyre clever and have sufficient capital. If you keep them on board, youll all be unlucky.


    While he was speaking, He Jianxi had found that something was off. Since the two fractions had separated, he clearly smelled the strong scent of turmeric on his side.


    He moved his nose and was just about to say something when the passenger punched He Jianxis nose and knocked him to the ground. How can you believe his nonsense? Dont be polite to them. From now on, were the bosses of this boat. There are more of us! Look, who has most of our money? Do we look like liars?


    Everyone looked at Zhang Haiyan. To be honest, he was the one who looked like a liar the most.


    One of the passengers who was there to watch the show said, This person has apartment to live in, while we all have to sleep on a wide bed together. Hes young and rich enough to live in apartment. He must have swindled the money. Everyone started moring all at once.


    The leader of the passengers sneered, looked at Zhang Haiyan, and then shouted, Thats right. Its all dirty money. You must still have a lot of money on you!


    Brother Long saw that the situation wasnt good, and immediately pushed Zhang Haiyan out. Dont act rashly. Solve your own grievances by yourselves. Dont disturb the boatswain. Otherwise, no one will get to San Francisco.


    Brother Long, you have no loyalty. Zhang Haiyan took a big puff of his cigarette and looked at the crowd. He was surrounded by a lot of people, but they all stayed on the sidelines, unwilling to attack first. They were professional scammers, after all. They werent good at inciting others, so they didnt know how to end it.


    There was a stalemate for a while, before the woman from earlier suddenly said, You wicked person, let the gue god of the sea take care of you.


    It was as if the leading passenger had a sudden epiphany, and he immediately agreed. Yes. Well take the money back and throw him into the sea. The gue god of the sea will take him. There are des in the gue gods mouth. Let him cut off your lying, stinky mouth!


    <em>What a weak bastard! If I have to deal with these kinds of people all day long, it''s no wonder Ill get rusty. </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    When the leading passenger saw that no one was willing to make a move, he winked at the other two mahjong yers. The three people pulled out daggers and moved to surround Zhang Haiyan on all three sides.


    The first one rushed behind Zhang Haiyan, who dodged slightly and smashed the mans nose in with his elbow. As the person went flying, Zhang Haiyan swiftly moved to face the second one, patted his head directly, and knocked him to the ground.


    He moved so fast that no one could see him clearly. By the time the leading passenger showed up in front of him, Zhang Haiyan had already squeezed his neck, lifted him up, and kissed him.


    Everyone was extremely shocked. The passenger was kissed to the point that his hands were iling, but he couldnt break free.


    When Zhang Haiyan finally let go of him, the person dropped to the ground, covered his throat, and started to heaving.


    The woman rushed towards him, You bastard! Youve harassed my man!


    The leading passenger pushed the woman away, grabbed his neck, and started vomiting. He spat out copious amounts of blood, along with two or three des. When the des fell onto the deck, all those gathered took a step back.


    Didnt you want to see the gue god? Zhang Haiyan turned his back to the setting sun, put his hands in his pockets, and opened his mouth. The des in his mouth reflected the light. Its been a long time, everyone.


    <em>s, Zhang Haixia is not by my side. Im being a bit reckless, but it feels so good. Being reckless truly makes people happy, after all.</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    As He Jianxi fell to the ground, hisst thought was: the hero he admired, the gue god of the sea, the hero who protected the Chinese on this sea route, was an intersex person.

 Chapter 20: Changing Ships

    Chapter 20: Changing Ships


    For He Jianxi, the four hours in the sea were like hell. The sea was cold at night, and although it wasnt the kind of bitter cold that could take peoples lives, his feet were still spasming.


    But it was as if this gue god could breathe underwater. When he couldnt swim anymore, Zhang Haiyan would swim with one hand and pull him forward with the other without decreasing his speed at all. When he was having cramps, Zhang Haiyan would hold his chin above the water so that he could take a break.


    Even so, four hours was still too long. He Jianxis consciousness immediately became blurred and he couldnt remember how he got on the Nan''an. He only remembered that a huge pce was sailing towards them on the sea. It was so huge, and the lights were so beautiful that it was just like a fairnd. He even thought that he was dead and had sank into the Crystal Pce (1).


    After that, his back met a solid deck. This was the first time he had felt at ease lying against a hard surface. And the most amazing thing was that the deck was still warm.


    Since the water was too cold, even the deck felt warm.


    It was only when Zhang Haiyan dragged him to a corner and made him drink from a finger-sized bottle of spirits that He Jianxi slowly recovered.


    His whole body was weak, and it felt as if all of his bones had been removed. Even his muscles hurt like they had been pricked with needles.


    Where are we? He asked weakly.


    Were on the Nan''an. Its a steamship heading to Xiamen.


    Why Xiamen? Im going to San Francisco. Big Brother, what are you doing exactly?


    Im saving your life.


    Zhang Haiyan felt that this kid was truly lucky. Such a difficult n had seeded so smoothly.


    The ship was very quiet. The Nan''an wasnt a warship, so no one was patrolling on deck. Zhang Haiyan was extremely tired and also drank a bottle of spirits as he began to observe their surroundings.


    He Jianxi slowly came back to his senses and suddenly understood what Zhang Haiyan said. He grabbed Zhang Haiyan, You bastard. Im going to San Francisco. I dont want to go to Xiamen as a stowaway. My cousin is still waiting for me.


    Zhang Haiyan covered his mouth. Shut up, or you can swim back.


    He Jianxi became enraged. Im going to report you. Im going to report you!


    Zhang Haiyan took out his ferry ticket and waved it. Don''t be silly. <em>You</em> are a stowaway on this ship. Im a valued guest here. You can only report yourself.


    He Jianxi looked at the ticket, clutched his heart, and almost had a heart attack.


    As he was feeling utterly aggrieved, Zhang Haiyan patted him. Dont worry. No one believes that anyone can sneak aboard a ship in this area. There arent any bad sailors or crooks on this ship, so dont be afraid. After arriving in Xiamen, Ill let you go to San Francisco. Youre just taking a detour. Thats it. Lets go back to my room, and Ill exin it to you in detail. But behave. With that said, he helped He Jianxi up, recalled the location of the first-ss cabin, and then moved forward.


    He Jianxi had no physical strength to resist, and could only submit. As he walked, he asked, "Who are you exactly?


    They had only taken two steps when they saw more than a dozen corpses piled up further behind their hiding ce. They were all crew members whose throats had been pierced.


    The two of them immediately retreated, and He Jianxi looked at Zhang Haiyan, Didn''t you say that there arent any bad sailors or crooks? Whats going on?


    Zhang Haiyan was speechless. As he was thinking, he suddenly heard someonee up on the deck.


    A girls voice said, Dump all the bodies into the sea. That woman is very shrewd. We mustn''t let her be suspicious.


    The two people shrank back and hid in the shadows. Zhang Haiyan saw two girls dragging a new corpse towards them.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) A cast iron and te ss structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More info here

 Chapter 20.2 Changing Ships

    Chapter 20.2 Changing Ships


    He Jianxi was patted awake by Zhang Haiyan. It was already dark out and he was in a cabin in the ships hold. Instead of the previouspartment, he found that he was in arge cabin.


    He and Zhang Haiyan looked at each other. There were medical herbs on his nose, which smelled very pungent. He Jianxi wanted to peel them off.


    As soon as he sat up, he saw that all the crew members and sailors were on the other side of the cabin. They were squeezed into a corner and watching the two of them.


    Whatwhats going on? He Jianxi asked. Zhan Haiyan looked at the crowd that was watching them from a distance and said, Youve been in aa for a day. Isnt this the treatment that the gue god should have?


    Are you really the gue god of the sea? He Jianxi asked. He touched his nose and hissed in pain.


    Your nose is precious, so protect it if you can. You could even smell the subtle scent of turmeric that those scammers worked really hard on. As Zhang Haiyan spoke, he threw He Jianxi a package. He Jianxi found out that it was his own luggage.


    Check your things. Ive already packed everything for you except the bedding. Is there anything missing?


    He Jianxi flipped through his luggage. His things were very simple. Except for the necessities, there wasnt anything extraneous, so he could see everything clearly at a nce. Why did you pack my luggage?


    Because were leaving. Zhang Haiyan looked at the distant crowd. Do you think we can still stay on this boat?


    What do you mean, we? He Jianxi was confused and thought to himself, <em>if someone has to leave, shouldnt you be the only one who cant stay on this boat any longer?</em>


    Im the gue god of the sea, and youre the gue gods cousin. Do you know how many people wille after you? Youll be arrested when you reach shore. Theyll dig out your little friend and force you to tell them where I am, Zhang Haiyan said.


    But Im not your cousin.


    Do you think others will believe it? Zhang Haiyan sat down and looked at the dark sea outside.


    Youre a hero who protects ordinary passengers. Why are they hiding from you? Why are they afraid of you? He Jianxi was a little surprised.


    Zhang Haiyan turned around and looked at the people on the opposite side indifferently. A hero? Im not a hero. I kill those who feel guilty. Its inevitable that ordinary people will feel guilty. Zhang Haiyan looked at He Jianxi with interest. Are you not afraid of me? Do you have a clear conscience?


    My conscience is clear. He Jianxi felt as if his wound was hurting more and more, but he still tried to endure it.


    Those who have a clear conscience are either extremely kind, extremely evil, or extremely stupid. Which one are you?


    None of those. He Jianxi said. Is it so difficult not to do bad things?


    Zhang Haiyan pointed to the people on the opposite side, who all flinched back. You ask them.


    He Jianxi certainly wasnt stupid enough to go and ask them, but he didnt understand why Zhang Haiyan said that they were leaving. This was the ce where the outer sea met the coastal waters. The blue sea was endless, and there wasnt even a reef. Where could they possibly go?


    Zhang Haiyan got closer to He Jianxi and said, Let me ask you a question. Have you been so upright since you were young? How have you lived until now?


    Im an ountant, He Jianxi said. An ountant should always be persistent. My job requires me to be honest. If you encounter something that needs to be negotiated, there will naturally be other people to take care of it. I think I can survive because ounting jobs have been around since ancient times.


    Chivalry. Zhang Haiyan was somewhat surprised. Some white people cared about this, but no one in a did. But there were a lot of British people in a, and they might like this kids attitude. But when he arrived in San Francisco, Zhang Haiyan figured hed probably only be able to work on building railways.


    He Jianxi wouldnt do well on this boat, either.


    Zhang Haiyan reached a decision. He could have left He Jianxi here and gone off by himself since Zhang Haiqi had also taught them how to be heartless. He had seen several stubborn people over the years who werent worthy of sympathy, but for some reason, he felt that He Jianxi was different.


    It was difficult to describe what it was. If Zhang Haiyan was forced to describe it, he could only say that He Jianxi was very lucky. But why was that the case? After He Jianxi got on the boat, he did countless things that were considered taboo while being out and about, but he still came out unscathed. Moreover, he had always had this kind of attitude, but was still alive even after all these years. Did this mean that he was an extremely lucky person?


    Zhang Haiyan needed as much luck as he could get right now. Moreover, he didnt want his mistakes to affect innocent peoples lives. Zhang Haiyan was fine with sacrificing others for profit, but he couldnt ept that others were paying for his mistakes.


    He looked at his watch, and found that it was almost time. Zhang Haiyan did a few stretches before saying to the people on the opposite side, Good times always pass so fast. Ill remember your faces, ande back at any time. Ill know if you dare say a single bad word about me. Every bad thing that you do will be ryed to me. Tell others what youve seen. Everyone has to tell ten of their friends about it. Otherwise, youll see me every time.


    With that said, he handed He Jianxi his luggage. He Jianxi still didnt react, so Zhang Haiyan grabbed him and threw him over the side of the boat. As He Jianxi fell directly into the sea, everyone on board screamed.


    Zhang Haiyan stood on the side of the boat, flipped over backwards, and jumped into the sea.


    When He Jianxi popped his head out of the water, he saw Zhang Haiyan falling down as well. What are you doing?! He scolded. Why do you, the gue god, always have to do unexpected things? Were going to drown!


    Zhang Haiyan floated along the waves and looked into the distance. There was a small spot of light on the distant sea. It was the Nanan. This was exactly what he had calcted.


    Were not going to drown.


    Im going to San Francisco! I dont want to die here!


    You arent going to die here.


    Zhang Haiyan threw out a rope, and He Jianxi grabbed it. My bedding!


    Zhang Haiyan pulled the rope and started swimming towards that spot of light, telling himself that he only needed one more day. Just one more day. After he got on the ship, he could get the evidence, catch the criminals, and learn the truth behind the gue. Then he could steal a lifeboat and go back to save Zhang Haixia.


    For He Jianxi, the four hours in the sea were like hell. The sea was cold at night, and although it wasnt the kind of bitter cold that could take peoples lives, his feet were still spasming.


    But it was as if this gue god could breathe underwater. When he couldnt swim anymore, Zhang Haiyan would swim with one hand and pull him forward with the other without decreasing his speed at all. When he was having cramps, Zhang Haiyan would hold his chin above the water so that he could take a break.


    Even so, four hours was still too long. He Jianxis consciousness immediately became blurred and he couldnt remember how he got on the Nanan. He only remembered that a huge pce was sailing towards them on the sea. It was so huge, and the lights were so beautiful that it was just like a fairnd. He even thought that he was dead and had sank into the Crystal Pce (1).


    After that, his back met a solid deck. This was the first time he had felt at ease lying against a hard surface. And the most amazing thing was that the deck was still warm.


    Since the water was too cold, even the deck felt warm.


    It was only when Zhang Haiyan dragged him to a corner and made him drink from a finger-sized bottle of spirits that He Jianxi slowly recovered.


    His whole body was weak, and it felt as if all of his bones had been removed. Even his muscles hurt, like theyd been pricked with needles.


    Where are we? He asked weakly.


    Were on the Nanan. Its a steamship heading to Xiamen.


    Why Xiamen? Im going to San Francisco. Big Brother, what are you doing exactly?


    Im saving your life.


    Zhang Haiyan felt that this kid was truly lucky if such a difficult n had seeded so smoothly. Kid, there may be a reason why youve been able to survive even though youre so stubborn. Your ancestors must have saved a lot of people in their previous lives.


    <em>Would I have encountered you if my ancestors had done so many good things?</em> He Jianxi thought dazedly.


    The ship was very quiet. The Nanan wasnt a warship, so no one was patrolling on deck. Zhang Haiyan was extremely tired and also drank a bottle of spirits as he began to observe their surroundings.


    He Jianxi slowly came back to his senses and suddenly understood what Zhang Haiyan had said. He grabbed Zhang Haiyan, You bastard. Im going to San Francisco. I dont want to go to Xiamen as a stowaway. My cousin is still waiting for me.


    Zhang Haiyan covered his mouth. Shut up, or you can swim back.


    He Jianxi became enraged. Im going to report you. Im going to report you!


    Zhang Haiyan patted him. Dont worry. No one believes that anyone can sneak aboard a ship in this area. There arent any bad sailors or crooks on this ship, so dont be afraid. After arriving in Xiamen, Ill let you go to San Francisco. Youre just taking a detour. Thats it. You can go to my room first while I go handle something else. Ill exin it to you in detail when Ie back. Just behave for now. With that said, he helped He Jianxi up and gave him the key to his room.


    But He Jianxi didnt have the strength to stand up at all. He tried for a few seconds, but ended up copsing on the ground. He looked up at Zhang Haiyan and asked, Who are you exactly?


    Zhang Haiyan calcted the time. If he was going to use the lifeboat to return to a, he couldnt wait any longer. When the ship got into the outer ocean currents, he might end up in Borneo if his hands slipped while he was heading for shore.


    He looked around and realized that he couldnt just leave He Jianxi on the deck, so he helped him up and said, Alright. Ill take you to the restaurant first.


    The two of them walked towards the passage below the first-ss cabin. It was already veryte, so the restaurant was closed. The room was dark as Zhang Haiyan pushed the door open and went inside.


    The ships infirmary was just below the corridor at the other end of the restaurant, so he could reach it within three minutes.


    <em>Ill find a booth and put him there,</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. <em>If anyone discovers him, theyll just think hes drunk.</em>


    They walked into the pitch-ck restaurant, where Zhang Haiyan put He Jianxi down. Once he was settled, Zhang Haiyan tried to make himself walk calmly towards the infirmary.


    The medical staff consisted of ten peoplethree doctors and seven nursesand whoever was spreading the gue on the ship was among them. At least four people were involved in this matter, and they all slept in the infirmarys cabin. But based on the current time, they hadnt fallen asleep just yet.


    Their equipment had to be in the infirmary, because it was the only ce where people wouldnt be suspicious upon seeing those kinds of things.


    Take one and kill the other three, Zhang Haiyan showed a vicious smile. He nned to grab someone and then take some bread and wine from the restaurants bread box and head straight for the deck where he would lower a lifeboat down to the sea. If everything went well, he would see the shore by this time tomorrow.


    The lights in the infirmary''s corridor were very dim, so Zhang Haiyan moved very lightly and cautiously.


    He found that the infirmary waspletely dark, which didnt make any sense since hospitals never turned off their lights.


    He opened the door and swiftly moved into the infirmary. He had only taken two steps before he noticed that the chairs and beds looked very strange under the light shining in from the doorway.


    He took a closer look and felt his heart thump. There were people sitting on the chairs or lying on the infirmary beds.


    They were all motionless, but he couldnt see what was going on since the lights werent turned on.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately calmed himself down and tried to listen for the sound of heartbeats, but didnt hear anything.


    <em>Shit</em>, he thought to himself<em>.</em> He carefully approached and saw that there were more than a dozen corpses piled up further in the room. They were all the ships medics. Their throats had been pierced, their mouths were wide open, and they were all lying in the dark.


    At that moment, Zhang Haiyan saw a corpse among them that wasnt a ship''s medic. It was the sailor who had showed him around the ship before. His mouth was also wide open, and there was an envelope ced on his body.


    Zhang Haiyan looked around the area and realized that this was a trap.


    He immediately turned around to leave, but suddenly heard a hissing sound as poison gas started pouring out of the corpses mouths.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately covered his mouth and rushed back to the door. He looked through the doors small ss window and saw three men wearing gas masks standing outside. They waved at him under the dim light.


    As those men continued to watch him, he mmed the door with all his strength, but it remained motionless.


    Zhang Haiyan rushed back to the medical room and checked the venttion ducts, but found that they were all locked. There were no windows, and anything that could provide a way out had been blocked.


    He rushed back to the door and looked at those people, suddenly understanding what was going on. All the strange things he had felt during his investigation were answered in this moment.


    But it was toote. He was going to die.


    He let out a yell and used all his strength to m against the door, but the lock held firm. As the people outside looked at him amusedly, all his anger exploded. He shattered the small window with a punch and then grabbed one of the mens clothes.


    The man didnt struggle, but looked at Zhang Haiyan with a sneer and slowly grabbed his hand. Zhang Haiyan realized that he couldnt use any of his strength at all.


    At this time, they heard footsteps at the entrance of the corridor, and then He Jianxi shouted, Thats him!


    The man with the gas mask immediately turned around and saw several police officers rushing down from the entrance. The police officers immediately drew their guns upon seeing the scene, What are you doing?!


    At this moment, Zhang Haiyan took advantage of that quarter of a second when the man who grabbed him wasnt paying attention. With thest bit of his strength, he immediately grabbed the persons neck.


    The person also reacted very quickly and inserted his fingers between Zhang Haiyans palm and his own throat as Zhang Haiyan tried to snap his neck.


    At almost the exact same time, the other two men rushed towards He Jianxi and the police officers.


    Zhang Haiyan grinned evilly and flexed, crushing both the mans fingers and his throat. He then pulled the mans head toward the window so that he could take the gas mask and put it on himself.


    On the other side, the two men immediatelyunched their attack. They threw daggers at the policemen, killing them before they even had time to react.


    He Jianxi was pressed up against the wall and watching it all in surprise when he suddenly saw the two peopleing right at him.


    Zhang Haiyan put on the mask and took a few deep breaths before he finally felt better. He then dislocated his shoulder and elbow joints before sticking his hand out of the window again. His outstretched hand reached the door handle, but found that an iron rod had been jammed through it. He pulled the iron rod away and finally opened the door.


    Zhang Haiyan rushed out of the infirmary full of poison gas and tore off the gas mask.


    The two killers were just about to reach He Jianxi when they heard someone behind them say coldly, Come to daddy. Daddy will love you properly.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) A cast iron and te ss structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More info here

 Chapter 21: A Little

    Chapter 21: A Little


    The two girls were both quite young. They walked over calmly, dragging the corpse as if they had done it several times before.


    Zhang Haiyan and He Jianxi were right on the path where they would dump the corpse, so they had to keep retreating. The girls were approaching quickly, but the corpses lying on the ground made it difficult for the two men to retreat any further. They ended up having to lie down among the piled-up bodies.


    He Jianxis face wound up pressed directly against a cold corpse. He was so frightened that he wanted to get up instantly, but Zhang Haiyan held him down.


    It was only after the body was discarded that the girls started talking again, but the sea breeze made it difficult for Zhang Haiyan to hear anything clearly. When the breeze blew, the headlights on the ships mast moved, and the lights shed across the area.


    Zhang Haiyan saw that the two girls were very simr in shape, and they were wearing tight-fitting shirts and short tops. Their figures and arms were amazingly good and looked very delicate and slender. They had shoulder-length hair and were wearing masks on their faces.


    He recognized the masks. When he worked as the gue god of the sea, he used to wear this kind of mask. It only exposed the mouth, so the people on board remembered that the gue god had des in his mouth whenever they thought of him.


    The dragon princesss face (1) was painted on the mask in many different patterns. There were a lot of stalls selling them during the coastal worship rituals, and he had bought a lot of them.


    One of the girls started to search the bodies, taking out the identification documents and money before putting them in her pocket.


    The lights turned again and illuminated the scene for a brief moment.


    Zhang Haiyans position allowed him to take a peek. The woman who was squatting down had longer hair that was blowing in the sea breeze. That, coupled with her mask, made her look very beautiful.


    At this distance, Zhang Haiyan could directly spit out his des and pierce through that face that might be good-looking. After that, he could raise his head, and the other girl wouldnt even be able to make it further than three meters.


    But for some reason, he felt that the girls standing posture was a bit familiar.


    He didn''t do anything.


    The two girls didnt stay. After putting something beside the corpses, they turned around and walked away.


    Zhang Haiyan and He Jianxi sat up. He Jianxi crawled out of the pile of corpses, leaned over the side of the ship, and vomited into the sea. The smell of blood and dead bodies made him feel extremely disgusted. Zhang Haiyan, on the other hand, stood among the pile of corpses feeling awfully puzzled.


    Whats going on with this ship? He Jianxi asked him.


    Zhang Haiyan inspected the wounds on the corpses and found that they all had small, but very deep wounds on their necks. The wounds almost prated all the way through their necks and hit their brainstems.


    He felt that the wounds looked familiar. He had all sorts of questions in his heart, but he couldnt remember what kinds of weapons would cause these kinds of wounds. He just thought that they looked very familiar.


    They might be pirates. These girls are so ruthless but handle things so neatly. I can tell that theyre trained at first nce, Zhang Haiyan lied.


    Unlike pirates in the Caribbean, pirates in the South Sea often didnt have ships. They would sneak onto merchant ships and pretend to be performers or merchants before hijacking the ships and demanding a ransom from the owners.


    Generally, if themunication between the pirates and owners went well, the pirates wouldn''t harm the passengers lives. But they would definitely kill all the able-bodied guards without exception. It was very simr to what they had seen just now.


    Piracy in this region was a hereditary lifestyle. There were children killing people with knives, so it wasnt surprising that young girls were doing it as well.


    But these two girls didnt look like pirates at all. Moreover, the Qing dynasty and the warlords carried out several attacks more than a dozen years ago that almost defeated all the pirates in the South Sea. It didnt make any sense that they would suddenly appear again, and on the Nanan, no less.


    Pirates? He Jianxi fell down, wiped his mouth, and said weakly, Then we have to inform the people on board.


    Wait a minute. Theyve killed so many people but didnt throw them into the sea. There must be other reasons. Zhang Haiyan looked at where they had gone, which was the inner cabin of the ship.


    The VIP guests stayed in the buildings on the deck of the ship, while the inner cabins were filled with the workers and lower-ss guests. The two young girls had walked down there.


    The way one of the girls walked was giving Zhang Haiyan a sense of dj vu. Where had he seen it before?


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) The dragon princess is the dragon kings daughter. The dragon king is a Chinese water and weather god. People will worship them for good luck if they go out on ships.

 Chapter 21.2 Nepenthes

    Chapter 21.2 Nepenthes


    Zhang Haiyans attacksted for seven minutes. Based on his previous experience, the battle should have been over in an instant, but he didnt expect that the two assassins were able to ward him off. Even though it was absolutely clear that Zhang Haiyan had the upper hand, the two killers didnt panic at all.


    For ordinary people, two fists, two feet, two elbows, and two knees were just a few of the parts that could be used to kill their opponents. But Zhang Haiyan also had des under his tongue.


    When Zhang Haiyanpletely focused on attacking, he was like an animal. Not only would the des suddenly shoot out from his mouth, but they would also sh the opponents throats and wrists. It was impossible to fight him using ordinary peoples reaction speed. But seven minutester, the two killers already had more than a dozen injuries and still weren''t panicking.


    Because he had inhaled the poison gas, Zhang Haiyans attack soon came to a halt. His lungs started to burn, and his movements gradually slowed down. The two assassins finally found a chance and threw their daggers. As soon as Zhang Haiyan dodged, the two immediately rushed out of the corridor, ran to the restaurant, and started pping their hands.


    Zhang Haiyan chased after them. There were numerous doors to the restaurant, so the two killers had quickly separated and rushed into the darkness.


    Zhang Haiyan picked one of them and moved to give chase, but his lungs suddenly hurt and he knelt down. He took a few deep breaths, coughed a few times, and instantly calmed down.


    His opponents were too well-organized.


    <em>I shouldnt chase them. Since they pped their hands just now, there may be a second trap. Moreover, I''ve been exposed and my internal organs are hurt.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan immediately returned and helped He Jianxi up. He Jianxi leaned against the wall, looked at the policemens bodies, and started to throw up.


    You really went and reported me, cousin, Zhang Haiyan said.


    They found me when they were patrolling. Stowaways are going to be incarcerated. I dont want to be incriminated because of you. Im going to San Francisco. I dont have the money to buy another ticket.


    You should realize that<em> you</em> are the stowaway on this ship. I have a ticket. Zhang Haiyan pulled the ticket stub from his pocket and looked down at the policemens bodies. They had all been killed in an instant. You had no intention of killing them, but they died because of you.


    He Jianxi was obviously shocked and sad, and didnt know what else to say.


    What happened on this ship? He Jianxi asked him. What the hell is going on? Who are you?


    I already said that I would tell you. These people might be pirates. We have to put aside our personal grievances for now. Otherwise, the money on the ship will be stolen, and the women will be ruined.


    The women wont be ruined, He Jianxi said. "Those people were women."


    Women? Zhang Haiyan froze for a second. The fight was so intense just now that he didnt even notice.


    I can tell that theyre women by their smell.


    Zhang Haiyan clutched his chest as he looked at He Jianxi and asked, What do women smell like? He had no idea what kind of life people with a good sense of smell were living every day.


    He Jianxi stayed silent as he watched Zhang Haiyan pick up the gas mask and drag the policemens bodies into the infirmary.


    If theyre pirates, we have to warn the people on the ship. What are you doing?


    Keep dreaming, cousin. Zhang Haiyan said. We may die before we get the chance to warn anybody.


    He Jianxi was shocked. He pulled himself up, stood against the wall, and took a deep breath.


    Zhang Haiyan put the bodies down and stood right outside the infirmary, watching the poison gas dissipate. He could tell that it was a trap as soon as he saw the sailors corpse. The people who set up this trap knew about his rtionship with Zhang Ruipus sailor, and had their eyes on him ever since he stepped foot on the ship to investigate the gue.


    If it hadnt been for the fact that Steven wanted to kill him, which resulted in him jumping into the sea to escape, then he wouldve been anxious to go to the infirmary before the ship set off. He couldve been dead by now. The gods had blessed him by having Steven interrupt his investigation. As a result, he was nearly two dayste when he reached the trap those people had set up for him.


    This was a difference between heaven and earth. The assassins knew that he would fall for the trap at that time and were ready. But after he jumped into the sea, the assassins waited for a long time and didnt see him. The situation became one where they didnt know when the prey would show up.


    They had been hyper-aware during the initial situation, but would start to lose focus and gradually ck off during thetter situation.


    The biggest difference was that when he returned to the ship, he brought back stubborn He Jixani who insisted on reporting him.


    If this series of coincidences didnt ur, he would be dead right now.


    But what surprised him the most was that all the ships doctors were dead.


    During his previous investigation, he suspected that three of the ships doctors were spreading the gue. But now these people were all dead. In other words, in addition to the ships doctors, there were people on the ship who also participated in spreading the gue. These people had very strongbat skills and were very ruthless. It was possible the ships doctors may have just been taken advantage of, but either way, they had all been killed.


    As the poisonous gas in the infirmary gradually dissipated, he put on the gas mask and told He Jianxi not to go in. He then went in himself and opened one of the ship doctors mouths, which had a gas cylinder stuffed inside. The cylinders pin had been punched through the back of the corpses head and was connected to a steel wire that led from the foot of the chair to the door.


    When he first came in, the people outside pulled the steel wire, and the poison gas poured out of the corpses mouths.


    He reached a hand into the corpses throat and pulled the gas cylinder out. There were German words written on it, and he could tell that it was military-grade poison gas produced in Germany.


    He looked at the gas cylinders and thought for a while before he finally had a sh of inspiration. He started searching everywhere and finally found a lot of these gas cylinders in the room''s medicine cabs. There were fifty or sixty of them, and they had all been ced in various corner cabs.


    Zhang Haiyan understood what was going on.


    When he walked out of the infirmary carrying the gas cylinder, He Jianxi asked, Tell me, can I still go to San Francisco?


    Zhang Haiyan showed him the gas cylinder. This is a military-grade gas cylinder. Its very difficult toe by and is worth a lot of money.


    If the murderers noticed him investigating the gue on the ship and wanted to kill him, then they would shoot him or poison his food at most. Why would they use professional gas cylinders?


    He could tell that these had been specially prepared in advance. It meant that the murderers targeted him and wanted to kill him from the beginning because they knew he had excellent skills. That was why they had nned to kill him like this.


    But why? Zhang Haiyan couldnt figure it out. He hadnt been thinking in that direction at all. Could it be that Zhang Ruipu and the other party agreed to kill him? But if it was the case, Zhang Ruipu could have killed him before he got on the ship.


    If it wasnt Zhang Ruipu, then


    When Zhang Haiyan saw that there were more gas cylinders in the cabs, he had a sudden epiphany and finally understood the logic behind everything.


    What if he wasnt the only person that the killers were after?


    What if the killers wanted to kill all of those who were investigating the gue on the Nanan?


    If so, the obvious clue he had found wasnt identally left by the murderers. Instead, it was a honey-coated thread that was deliberately ced (Nepenthes secrete a sweet thread in order to hunt insects. Ants will follow this thread and enter the Nepenthes cage).


    So those who investigated the gue would eventually board the Nanan, find this clue, and then enter their poison gas trap.


    If that were true, then he had an even more terrifying thought.


    He ignored He Jianxi and the corpses and said, Find a ce to hide.


    He rushed all the way to the sailors duty room that was opposite his room. The sailors inside had already gone out to patrol the buildings, so he found the list of their names and began to flip through it.


    <em>Song Chai. Song Chai. Song Chai.</em>


    He found the name Song Chai. There was a note saying that he was of Chinese and Vietnamese descent. His Chinese name was Zhang Haiyun.


    This was the naming rule the Southern Archives used. Theirst name was Zhang and the character in the middle was hai. Thest character woulde from a poem.


    The Nanan was a Nepenthes! Song Chai had been warning the spies who showed up after him that the entire gue incident was a Nepenthes thread used to lure the spies sent by the Southern Archives and hunt them down.

 Chapter 22: The Clothes Don’t Fit

    Chapter 22: The Clothes Don¡¯t Fit


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the freshly discarded corpse, and found that it was still warm. It appeared the person had just recently been killed.


    Those girls were very professional.


    But there was one thing that immediately caught Zhang Haiyans attentionthe corpses clothes didnt fit.


    Zhang Haiyan pulled the corpses sleeves and found that the clothes definitely didnt belong to the person. They had been put on forcibly.


    But why do this? Were they treating this corpse like a doll?


    As Zhang Haiyan examined the other bodies and found that they all had the same problem, he suddenly realized that something wasnt right.


    These people arent part of the crew, he said to himself.


    He Jianxi was still vomiting, so he didnt hear a word Zhang Haiyan said.


    <em>These are passengers, not crew members. </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. <em>For some reason, the killers put the crew members clothes on them after they were killed, and then left them here.</em>


    <em>What exactly is going on?</em>


    Zhang Haiyan listened carefully to the sounds of music and voicesing from inside the ship. Everything seemedpletely normal, and there were bright lights everywhere. But there were so many corpses piled up before his very eyes. After thinking about it, he suddenly understood why they didnt throw the corpses into the sea.


    The ship was still sailing along the ocean current, so everything would be washed back to the ports beach. If the corpses were thrown into the sea now and someone discovered that they were from the Nanan, they might send a telegram to the ship, which would alert everyone on board.


    It was a big deal to be killing so many passengers on the ship. And they even dared dump the corpses directly on the deck, which indicated that they were very confident no one would discover them in a short amount of time.


    <em>Did they rob the first-ss passengers one by one? Or. </em>As he was thinking this, two more people dragged another corpse over. But this time, it wasnt those two girls.


    Zhang Haiyan once again dragged He Jianxi back to the pile of corpses and hid.


    The two men put the corpse down and immediately headed back. One of them stepped in He Jianxis vomit, but it was so dark on the deck that he didnt realize he had stepped in something.


    When Zhang Haiyan stood up again, He Jianxi also got up and started vomiting again. This time, however, there was nothing but bileing out of his mouth.


    Zhang Haiyan thought it over for a while and decided that no matter what their reason was, he would destroy their n first. He immediately picked up a corpse and threw it into the sea.


    He Jianxi was shocked when he saw Zhang Haiyan helping those people destroy the evidence. He wondered whether Zhang Haiyan was doing it for the virtue of being a fellow killer, but he had be numb to Zhang Haiyans strange behaviors, so he didnt bother questioning him.


    After dumping the corpses, Zhang Haiyan pulled He Jianxi onto his back and followed the vomit footprints. He was hungry, cold, sleepy, and tired, but there was no other way to do it. Even if he was allowed to investigate freely after tonight, he wouldnt know who transported the corpses.


    Moreover, he was full of curiosity. <em>What the hells going on? Is this boat really so lively? </em>He wanted to know now.


    The following story requires you to have a very thorough understanding of the ships structure. Its difficult to exin the structure here, so youll have to use your imagination.


    This ship was smaller than Titanic, and had a building on the deck with arge chimney above it. This building was where the high-ss guest rooms, restaurants, and ballrooms were located.


    The best guest rooms were ced on both sides, where they had balconies and views of the sea. Swimming pools and restaurants were located below the first-ss cabins deck. In other words, the upper and lower floors of the middle section of the ship all belonged to the area of the first-ss cabin.


    The middle section of the ship had passages and cargo holds exclusive to those in the first-ss cabin, meaning that the first ss-cabin wasnt at the bow of the ship.


    What kind of ce was the bow of the ship? It was an open activity area for the third-ss cabin, so there wasnt a direct passage between it and the first-ss cabin area.


    Of course, you could climb over the bows wall and get to the first ss-cabin area that way, but that has nothing to do with the structure of the ship.


    Although the bow was the third-ss open tform, it was now full of goods. In other words, the Nanan used the third-ss open tform to transport overloaded cargo.


    Zhang Haiyan and He Jianxi were currently in this open area full of goods.


    The people who had dragged the corpses over had gone down a nearbydder, which was a verticaldder that could reach the bottom of the ship.


    Adder had been ced on both sides of the deck, and people could use them to enter the space below the deck. That was where the true colors of the ship really showed.


    The second-ss cabin had four people to a room, while the third-ss cabin had a variety of wide beds, boiler rooms, and cargo holds. All of these ces were located below the deck.


    You can understand how much filth needs to be hidden in order to maintain the luxurious appearance on deck.


    The first two floors next to thedder were the third-ss cabin and crew members quarters, but the doors leading to the corridor were locked. This meant that people couldnt reach the third-ss cabin by using thedder, and those in the third-ss cabin couldnt use thisdder, either.


    The lower floors were made up of two levels of cargo holds, while the bottom was the fire-fighting passage and pipeline level.


    Zhang Haiyan followed the wet and smelly footprints to one of the cargo holds. There werent any lights on in the hold, so it was pitch ck. Before going in, Zhang Haiyan understood what was going on.


    The third-ss people couldnt use the open deck at the bow of the ship because it was full of goods. As a result, the door next to thedder that led to the open deck was locked. In this way, no one except for the crew could entire cargo area (unless there was someone from the first-ss cabin who jumped off the building and fell to their death on the bows deck).


    This area was closed off. As he snuck into the pitch-ck cargo hold, he heard someone say, The bodies have been disyed. The fake wounds and clothes have all been set up. As soon as day breaks, the people on the observation deck will see the bodies and alert the ship and that woman about it. That woman will definitely examine the bodies. Our people have taken pills that can fake their deaths, so they wont wake up before they enter the morgue. But once theyre moved, the devices in their stomachs will be activated, and the antidote will slowly be released. Theyll all wake up after an hour. As long as the woman enters the morgue by then, it will be her death.


    Zhang Haiyan thought for a while and felt that something was wrong. After thinking about it again, he suddenly showed a horrified expression.


    Those people werent corpses. They were killers who faked their own deaths in order to kill some woman.


    <em>No. Oh, no. All, all of them were thrown into the sea!</em>


    ****


    <strong><em>Merebear note: Lord have mercy. Haixia,e get your boi. Little Brother Zhang is a hot mess without you reigning him in. He literally just (unintentionally) killed a bunch of killers lol</em></strong>

 Chapter 22.2 Where To?

    Chapter 22.2 Where To?


    <em>Song Chai was a Southern Archives field agent. He was just like me. But he went missing while he was working and investigating the gue on this ship.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan searched for the full roster of passengers and started to read through it once he found it. He deliberately looked for the rooms where guests didnt consume any drinks when the waiters went to replenish them, because this meant that there werent any passengers in them.


    He found neen rooms where the guests didnt need the waiters to replenish their drinks for a long time. Zhang Haiyans heart was filled with numerous doubts, but there were goosebumps all over his body. At least half of the passengers in the neen rooms had the surname Zhang.


    He copied the room numbers, took the keys hanging in the sailors room, walked past those sailors who were making their rounds, and went directly into several of the rooms he had copied down. No one was in the rooms and they were very tidy, as if nobody had ever stayed there.


    He stood inside one of the rooms and saw a fly buzzing by. When it stopped on a piece of felt, he walked over and touched the material.


    There was blood on it.


    This was why Song Chai was catching flies. He had been looking for blood stains. There had been a fierce fight in the room, and someone was seriously injured.


    Zhang Ruipus surname was also Zhang. People from the Southern Archives had been trying to kill him, which meant that he had some connection to them. As a result, he had Zhang Haiyan get on the ship instead of doing it himself. The Nanan was a battlefield.


    Spreading the gue was a way to attack all the Southern Archives field agents in a. There were neen agents in the first-ss cabin, but it was difficult to say how many were in the third-ss cabin.


    He had investigated the Flower Reef, gue ship, and Wudou disease case under the Southern Archives supervision. Between the gue in Penang and the Nepenthes Nanan, most of the Southern Archives field agents who lived in a had probably been killed. Was this revenge for destroying Flower Reef?


    Who was behind this? Who would use such a serious gue to avenge an organization?


    Zhang Haiyan sat on the sofa in the empty room, his mind a mess. <em>Zhang Ruipu knew that this was a trap, but he still made me get on the ship. Was it simply because he wanted me to investigate the case?</em>


    <em>Impossible. His purpose was to make these killers think that Im him, because everyone from the Southern Archives used a pseudonym when boarding the ship. In other words, that bastard Zhang Ruipu wanted me to get on the ship and die for him. He had no intention of letting me get off the ship.</em>


    <em>What about the deal? What about Zhang Haixia, who''s still a hostage? If theres no transaction at all, what will happen to him?</em>


    Im going to make this ship turn around. Zhang Haiyan said as he looked at the vast ocean outside.


    He Jianxi didnt even try to hide at all. He squatted on the ground for a long time and looked at the corpse whose neck had been crushed. He thought of numerous possibilities, but none of them could exin why he appeared on the ship, and why there were so many corpses when he showed up.


    Zhang Haiyan returned. The bodies in the infirmary would soon be discovered, and there was no way they would be able to exin what was going on. Moreover, the ships security would tighten if people found out about the murders, which would make his n even more difficult.


    He carried the doctors and policemens corpses on his back and then threw them into the sea, along with all the gas cylinders. Then, he picked up the body of thest killer and said, Follow me, He Jianxi.


    Where to?


    The situation has changed. Zhang Haiyan lit a cigarette. Now he had two goals: kill the nepenthes killers and hijack the ship so he could return to a.


    Lets catch the bad guys, Zhang Haiyan said, while silently adding, <em>and then well hijack the ship.</em>

 Chapter 23: Three People, One Bathtub

    Chapter 23: Three People, One Bathtub


    Not only had the ship sailed from the area where the outer sea met the coastal waters, but its hold was almostpletely enclosed. No one would have thought that someone would climb onto the ship from the sea.


    Zhang Haiyan also never wouldve thought that those corpses turned out to be fake. Moreover, they were all killers who had taken pills to fake their deaths.


    More than a dozen people had now be poor ghosts. They were martyrs who were willing to risk their lives. Zhang Haiyan guessed that they had probably drowned before it was time for them to wake up.


    He sighed in his heart. Between that woman and this group of killers, he hadnt figured out which side was good and which was bad.


    He had drowned more than a dozen people, so now it seemed like hed have to choose to be on that womans side. Otherwise, it would really be embarrassing.


    But it was disgraceful for killers to pretend to be dead. Killing people should be simple and straightforward, after all. Their method right now was equivalent to performing a big show, which wasnt in line with the principle at all.


    Nevertheless, they seemed to be quite professional, so there was only one possibility it was too hard to kill this person using conventional methods.


    Based on their descriptions, the woman they wanted to kill seemed to be giving them a lot of headaches, so much so that it was difficult for them to even see her face.


    As the conversation in the ships hold continued, Zhang Haiyan cautiously found a corner and squatted down. He nned to put He Jianxi down so that he could keep eavesdropping, but quickly discovered that He Jianxi was asleep.


    He Jianxis long eyshes almost made him look like a woman as hey there asleep. Zhang Haiyan thought he had died from the exhaustion, so he quickly checked his pulse.


    <em>Hes not dead.</em> He sighed inwardly. <em>Mortals</em>.


    He continued to eavesdrop and heard another person say, How can you be sure that woman will examine the bodies herself? Weve boarded the ship from various ces and have been here for so long, but she hasnt taken a single step out of the room. Dont you think shes definitely aware that something is off?


    Dont you know thats just how she is? Moreover, the American named Warner escorted her to the ship, and theres a team with submachine guns patrolling outside her room. She must have expected there would be risks and made considerable preparations. She doesnt leave the room because shes a cautious person. This Warner is probably her concubine. Shes very good at seducing men, so theres no shortage of manpower around her. Zhang Haiyan heard the first person say.


    Now that you mention it, whats this Warners background? You two, find a way to check him out.


    A girls voice answered, Why do we need to know so much about them? Arent things finished as long as we kill her? Youve been after her for four years, and shes still unscathed. How many of you have showed up to kill her, and how many are still left? Dont you think she can predict all your moves? In my opinion, your method wont work. Those fake corpses outside will be real corpses sooner orter.


    Zhang Haiyan rubbed his forehead and thought to himself, <em>girl, theres no such thing as sooner orter. All of them are probably dead by now.</em>


    The first voice was a little unhappy, Little girl, if we hadnt spread wudou disease in the South Sea, you wouldnt have even seen Miss Dongs shadow just now. You saying things like this makes you sound ungrateful. Our two families have agreed to benefit each other. Even if you want to say something bad, you should hold your tongue.


    Zhang Haiyan shook a little. What did he hear? gue? The gods truly favored those who worked hard! Sure enough, these people had something to do with the gue.


    He immediately tried to listen carefully, afraid that he would miss a word.


    But it wasnt meant to be.


    Maybe it was because this girl had said something wrong, but they all suddenly stopped talking. The ensuing silence made the cargo hold seem extremely quiet, eerily so.


    Zhang Haiyan held his breath, afraid that his breathing could be heard in the quiet the environment. It waspletely silent all around, when suddenly, he heard a high-pitched snorte from behind him. Hoo~ shoo. Hoo~ shoo.


    Zhang Haiyan looked back in surprise and saw He Jianxis mouth wide open, snoring.


    <em>Fuck you! </em>Zhang Haiyan felt cold all over. He didnt hear any whistles and suddenly felt puzzled. Then, he found that everyone hade to a tacit understanding and was moving to outnk them.


    Zhang Haiyan couldnt see clearly in the dark, so he put He Jianxi on his back and started running wildly towards the exit.


    Seeing that he wasnt far from it, he rushed out in an instant. At almost the exact same moment he jumped onto thedder, he saw one of the masked girls appear out of the corner of his eye.


    It was the girl with shorter hair. She had spikes in each hand, and used them to pierce Zhang Haiyan right on the ass.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately released his hold on He Jianxi, whose bodynded directly on the girls face. With her vision blocked by He Jianxis ass, the spikes pierced thedder, causing sparks to fly.


    The girl felt embarrassed and immediately became furious. Zhang Haiyan grabbed He Jianxis neck and pulled him back, but the girl started stabbing at whatever was in front of her. When the spikes pierced He Jianxis pants, the girl immediately twisted them and hooked the pants directly.


    Zhang Haiyan was up there pulling He Jianxis neck while the girl was down there pulling his pants. He Jianxs whole body was stretched straight as an arrow.


    Desperate, Zhang Haiyan unfastened He Jianxis belt, and the pants were immediately ripped off.


    Zhang Haiyan saw that the belt was about to be pulled off along with the pants, so he immediately stepped forward, grabbed it, and hauled He Jianxi up.


    As the girl fell over, Zhang Haiyan pulled the now pantless He Jianxi onto his back and leaped onto the deck as if he were flying.


    Without looking back, he jumped directly onto the outer wall of the first-ss cabin and climbed up level by level like a monkey.


    There were balconies on both sides.


    His room number was 345, which should have been on the third floor. <em>But wheres the third floor? Screw it</em>!


    Zhang Haiyan picked a random balcony that looked pleasing to the eye and then jumped to it directly.


    The balcony lights were still on, so he rolled into the room. That was when he saw Stevening out of the bathroom, naked and shaving his beard.


    <em>What a coincidence!</em> Zhang Haiyan looked around. <em>Its Stevens room. No wonder the balcony looks so familiar.</em>


    He had unexpectedlye back again.


    The two men were stunned. Steven looked at the topless man carrying a pantless man standing in front of his naked body.


    Its you!


    Zhang Haiyan didnt give Steven a chance to yell and immediately threw He Jianxi at him. Although He Jianxi wasnt heavy, this throwing method still managed to knock Steven back into the bathtub.


    Steven was very strong. Although he looked like a gentleman, he had a surprising amount of strength and was able to stand back up almost immediately.


    Zhang Haiyan charged at him without warning and pressed him back into the bathtub. As all three of them fell into the tub, Zhang Haiyan headbutted Steven and knocked him out.


    Everything happened so fast.


    He Jianxi seemed to wake up a little at this time, and saw that he and two other men were squeezed into a bathtub full of foam.


    He didnt speak, but looked as if he was on the verge of tears.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes:</em></strong><em><strong>He Jianxi takes the definition of sleeping like a log to a whole new level lol. Goodbye, He Jianxis pants, you have been through a lot.</strong></em>


    <strong><em>Merebear''s Notes: That chapter title, though</em></strong> ( ) <strong><em>Not only is He Jianxi lucky, he makes for a good battering ram too lol</em></strong>

 Chapter 23.2 Three People, One Bathtub

    Chapter 23.2 Three People, One Bathtub


    Zhang Haiyan wanted to carry the assassins corpse, grab He Jianxis hand, and go to the third-ss cabin.


    Zhang Haiyan was very sensitive to people''s microexpressions, so if he did something unexpected while in the same space as the hidden killers, then he should be able to find them. This was because sudden actions made peoples minute emotions immediately appear on their faces.


    He was thinking that the killers definitely wouldnt expect him to carry the body and show up alone in the third-ss cabin after their failed assassination attempt.


    But he couldnt carry the corpse himself. He had to hide among the crowd; otherwise, he would suffer a lot since the corpse would get in the way if there were any conflicts. Moreover, there would be blind spots if he carried the corpse on his back. Zhang Haiyan wasing up with specific strategies while also making up lies to tell He Jianxi.


    There are a lot of pirates here. Were going to the third-ss cabin to expose them.


    But the police werent on par with them at all. We should find more police officers right now.


    Its toote. Theyll get rid of the evidence soon. But dont worry, there are too many people in the third-ss cabin, so they wont dare do anything. We can go to the third-ss cabin and intercept them. That way, they wont have the opportunity to throw the evidence into the sea.


    He Jianxi was nomittal. He felt that what Zhang Haiyan said seemed to make sense, but he also felt like something was wrong.


    There were two parts to the third-ss cabin area: one was the steerage (1) area and the other was the private cabin area. There were four people to a private cabin, while the steerage area was actually the cargo hold.


    Many people slept on big beds in the cargo hold because it created more space to amodate as many people as possible.


    When they first arrived at the steerage area, Zhang Haiyan looked around and saw that there were shoddily-dressed civilians and vendors. He pulled the corpse from his back and directly passed it to the startled He Jianxi.


    As He Jianxi started to struggle, Zhang Haiyan held him still and said, Now, just walk in. Dont worry. Those pirates dont know the real situation, so they wont act rashly. Itll keep them from destroying the evidence.


    Whwhy?


    Because they don''t know who you are. Theyll definitely think this is a provocation. If I stay in the dark, they wont dare do anything for fear of being discovered. Theyll only observe you.


    <em>And I will observe them,</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. He patted He Jianxis ass and then pinched it. Just as He Jianxi screamed and stepped forward to dodge, Zhang Haiyan moved to blend into the crowd.


    Everyone in the steerage area heard He Jianxis scream and looked at him. He stared back at them and then reflexively walked into the crowd in a daze.


    Someone immediately discovered that the person he was carrying was dead. Everyone eximed and started retreating when they saw that the corpses throat had been crushed.


    Zhang Haiyans tongue pressed against the des in his mouth as he hid amongst the crowd. He observed He Jianxis surroundings with a swift gaze, scanning as many faces as possible.


    The most conspicuous person in the crowd was Hudson. Not only was he an American with a long beard, but he was also a member of Miss Dongs weapons team. Zhang Haiyan had met him when he was on the ship before.


    Based on the look on his face, Zhang Haiyan knew he was looking for prostitutes in the third-ss cabin.


    There was a girl with long hair beside him, who seemed to be having a conversation with him. There was another girl with short hair standing close to them with her arms crossed in front of her chest and looking around warily.


    When He Jianxi walked over, the two women were taken aback. Their reactions were obviously differentpared to everyone else.


    Zhang Haiyan narrowed his eyes. He tried to carefully recall the gestures and movements of the two opponents hed fought just now.


    The two women had almostpletely erased their femininity when they fought him. These two girls in front of him had obvious feminine characteristics, so it was hard to associate them with the killers. But peoples postures and habits couldnt be changed.


    It was them.


    Zhang Haiyan looked around, but couldnt see anyone else who was suspicious. <em>Is it possible that there are only two people?</em>


    If there were only two people, then he could directly take care of them. But there were still too many blind spots that kept him from seeing things clearly.


    Zhang Haiyan kept his distance from He Jianxi and slowly approached the two girls by wading through the distracted crowd. While one of the young women wasnt looking, he passed by and stole a handkerchief from her waist.


    Hudson was also looking at He Jianxi. The three people had stopped talking and were curiously waiting to see what would happen next.


    He Jianxi was still walking through the middle of the crowd. He wanted to find out where Little Brother Zhang had gone, but he had already lost sight of him.


    The short-haired girl had already discovered Zhang Haiyan by this point but didnt do anything. Zhang Haiyan also pretended not to notice her. He walked behind her and grabbed her left wrist before she had time to react, Elder sister, Ive been looking for you for a long time!


    For a brief moment, the girls right hand subconsciously started to make a defensive movement, but then she abruptly retracted her hand. The muscles of her captured left arm bulged slightly. Zhang Haiyan remained silent as he watched everything, ensuring that nothing went unnoticed. The foreigner and the long-haired girl also looked back.


    Zhang Haiyan smiled gently at them and even bowed slightly. I was walking behind you and saw that you dropped your handkerchief. I thought I should return it to you quickly. With that said, he took the handkerchief from his pocket.


    The short-haired girl looked at it and smiled. When she raised her hand and brushed her hair back, Zhang Haiyan stared at the calluses on her purlicue (2) and fingers.


    This isnt mine. I think youve misunderstood, Mister.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the handkerchief confused, and then looked at her. Its not yours Well, it seems like it wont reunite with its original owner now. Since Ive met you, Ill give it to you.


    Thank you, Mister, but Ive never used sandalwood-scented handkerchiefs. I''m afraid Ill have to decline.


    What do you mean you wont use it? Ah, whats that? Theres a bloodstain on your back! As soon as Zhang Haiyan finished his sentence, the short-haired girls expression immediately changed.


    Zhang Haiyan smiled. Hey, everyone, look! Isnt there a blood stain on this girls back?


    Zhang Haiyan called everyones attention over and quickly wiped his finger against his lips while they werent looking. He cut his finger with the des in his mouth and then touched the short-haired girls back.


    The people around them immediately saw that there was indeed a blood stain on her back. The girl with slightly longer hair, who had been talking to Hudson, frowned imperceptibly and thenughed. Bai Zhu, look at you. When we were in the kitchen just now, I told you to be careful or your clothes might get stained. See? Your clothes got dirty.


    The girl named Bai Zhu alsoughed. I wasnt being careful. Mister, thank you for pointing this out.


    Zhang Haiyan nodded. The blood stain is rather fresh. You might want to wash it off now so it wont set. Your clothes are beautiful and shouldnt be ruined. With that said, Zhang Haiyan winked at Hudson and gave him an ambiguous look.


    Hudison instantly understood and immediately said, Miss Bai Zhu, I have very good washing equipment in my room. Just go to my ce to take care of it. I guarantee youll have clean clothes afterwards.


    After hearing his words, Zhang Haiyanughed and grabbed Bai Zhus hand before she could refuse. Ill take thisdy to your roomYour room is


    Zhang Haiyan pulled Bai Zhu and started to walk away, but the long-haired girl also pulled Bai Zhus hand at the same time. Bai Zhu didnt move, and the two sides were in a deadlock.


    All of a sudden, more than a dozen people who had been watching He Jianxi among the crowd stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes to where Zhang Haiyan was. As they looked over warily, Zhang Haiyan moved his eyes and quickly identified them all.


    <em>1,2,3,4,5. There are so many people.</em> He froze for a moment. The number was much higher than he had expected.


    While he was counting how many people there were, he noticed that some of them had secretly drawn their weapons.


    At this time, Zhang Haiyan saw the long-haired girl next to him move her fingers slightly and make a gesture.


    Everyone started to gather towards them once she made the gesture.


    <em>Uh-oh,</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. <em>Things arent looking good.</em>


    The long-haired girl looked at Zhang Haiyan and said in Chinese, Mister, were with our foreign friend. This has nothing to do with you, right? Or do you want to join us, too?


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Hudson and said, No. Im just enthusiastic to help since Im worried that our foreign friend wont be able to enjoy yourpany. After all, your foreignnguage skills arent good."


    The long-haired girlughed and said, Its a shame you won''t live much longer. She put her arms around Hudson. Lets go. Bai Zhu, since this gentleman wants to pursue you, you should try to get along with him. She winked at Bai Zhu before she said to Hudson, I have clothes to wash, too. Ill wash them for my sister. Is that ok?


    Zhang Haiyan wanted to follow them, but Bai Zhu stopped him.


    At this time, He Jianxi suddenly smelled something familiar. He followed the scent and saw Zhang Haiyan and the two girls. He walked towards them with the corpse on his back and asked Zhang Haiyan, What do we do now? Have you found them? Well, I can smell them.


    He Jianxi looked at Bai Zhu, got a whiff of her scent, and immediately said, Thats her. She was the one who fought you. She smells the same as the killer.


    Zhang Haiyan turned to look at He Jianxi. Do you know how embarrassing it is right now? With that said, he patted the corpse on He Jianxis back. When the corpse fell to the ground, they noticed all the killers gathering around them.


    Zhang Haiyan counted the number of people and knew he couldnt defeat them. Moreover, there were too many of them. As long as they surrounded the two of them and said it was a brawl, those on the outside wouldnt even be able to see what was going on inside.


    Without an ounce of hesitation, Zhang Haiyan grabbed He Jianxi and started running wildly towards the cargo holds exit.


    Since he wasnt far away from it, he managed to rush out in an instant and make it to the corridor. It was really dark, and there werent any people around. There was adder there that would lead to the upper deck, but at almost the exact same moment he jumped onto it, he saw Bai Zhu appear out of the corner of his eye.


    Bai Zhu had spikes in each hand, and used them to pierce Zhang Haiyan right on the ass. Zhang Haiyan immediately released his hold on He Jianxi, who lost his bnce andnded directly on the girls face. With her vision blocked by He Jianxis ass, the spikes pierced thedder, causing sparks to fly.


    The girl felt embarrassed and immediately became furious. Zhang Haiyan grabbed He Jianxis neck and pulled him back, but the girl started stabbing at whatever was in front of her. When the spikes pierced He Jianxis pants, the girl immediately twisted them and hooked the pants directly.


    Zhang Haiyan was up there pulling He Jianxis neck while the girl was down there pulling his pants. He Jianxs whole body was stretched straight as an arrow.


    Desperate, Zhang Haiyan unfastened He Jianxis belt, and the pants were immediately ripped off.


    Zhang Haiyan saw that the belt was about to be pulled off along with the pants, so he immediately stepped forward, grabbed it, and hauled He Jianxi up.


    As Bai Zhu fell over, more people came out and chased them. Zhang Haiyan pulled the now pantless He Jianxi onto his back and leaped onto the deck as if he were flying. Without looking back, he jumped directly onto the outer wall of the first-ss cabin and climbed up level by level like a monkey.


    There were balconies on both sides.


    His room number was 345, which should have been on the third floor. <em>But wheres the third floor? Screw it!</em>


    Zhang Haiyan picked a random balcony that looked pleasing to the eye and then jumped to it directly.


    The balcony lights were still on, so he rolled into the room. That was when he saw a naked Stevening out of the bathroom while shaving his beard.


    <em>What a coincidence! </em>Zhang Haiyan looked around. <em>Its Stevens room. No wonder the balcony looks so familiar.</em>


    He had unexpectedlye back again.


    The two men were stunned. Steven looked at the topless man carrying a pantless man while standing in front of his naked body.


    Its you!


    Zhang Haiyan didnt give Steven a chance to yell and immediately threw He Jianxi at him. Although He Jianxi wasnt heavy, this throwing method still managed to knock Steven back into the bathtub.


    Steven was very strong. Although he looked like a gentleman, he had a surprising amount of strength and was able to stand back up almost immediately.


    Zhang Haiyan charged at him without warning and pressed him back into the bathtub. As all three of them fell into the tub, Zhang Haiyan headbutted Steven and knocked him out.


    Everything happened so fast.


    He Jianxi seemed toe to his senses a little and saw that he and two other men were squeezed into a bathtub full of foam.


    He didnt speak, but looked as if he was on the verge of tears.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Basically like an open-space dormitory in the cargo hold


    (2) The web between your thumb and forefinger

 Chapter 24: Too Sleepy

    Chapter 24: Too Sleepy


    He Jianxi thought that he had his own philosophy of survival. For so many years, he had a clear conscience. Although the world was full of unhappiness and unfairness, the little world in his heart had never been invaded or shaken. In addition, his greatest confidence was that he had never met any bad guys doing bad things that he didnt seeing.


    As a result, this world couldnt scare him.


    Unfortunately, this confidence was destroyed in a moment. Ever since he had met Zhang Haiyan, he had been unable to foresee any of this series of illogical incidents. Plus, the way things were developing kept getting more and more absurd. He didnt know what he would see the next time he opened his eyes.


    His grievances and fear rushed at him like water breaking a dam, and he started to cry. He wasnt wailing, but crying in a low voice because he was so scared.


    Zhang Haiyan was exhausted, so hey in the bathtub and rested for a while. Then, he slowly stood up and turned on the hot water so the sound would mask He Jianxis sobbing.


    Zhang Haiyan stepped out of the bathtub, grabbed a clean towel, and wiped himself clean.


    Stevens dinner had been ced on the side of the sofa, untouched. There was borscht soup and bread, which Zhang Haiyan used to dip into the soup. He took a few bites and thought for a while before drinking the rest of the soup. He left only two slices of bread for He Jianxi, but after thinking about it again, he ate another slice, leaving only one left.


    Next, he dragged Steven out of the bathtub, tore off his bath towel, and used it to tie him to a chair. Then, he put a hand towel in Stevens mouth.


    Ordinary people were capable of spitting out hand towels, but Zhang Haiyan was very experienced. He pressed the towel firmly to Stevens throat and tongue, and then tied a bath towel around his face so that he could only make a noise that sounded like a mosquito.


    He Jianxi watched it all silently. He turned off the faucet when the water was about to overflow and then continued sitting there, staring off into space.


    Zhang Haiyan walked over and threw Stevens pants at him before leaning against the wall and peeking out the window.


    It was pitch ck outside, and nothing could be seen. The group of killers definitely wouldnt dare go to the first-ss cabin. In addition, they had probably discovered by now that the trap they had set up had been thrown into the sea, so things might be getting chaotic on their side.


    Zhang Haiyan closed the window and turned off the light before tying themp cord to the window handle and putting a chair against the door.


    He Jianxi had just put on the pants when he saw a bath towel lying nearby. He silently took off his shirt, wrung out the water, and then set it aside. After he had dried his body with the towel, Zhang Haiyan came up and pinched his neck, causing him to pass out in an instant. Zhang Haiyan caught him and then threw him onto the bed.


    He wrapped himself in a bathrobe and alsoy down. <em>Spring bed! Oh my god!</em>


    Zhang Haiyan listened to the sound of the waves and thought that the previous day was like a dream. This moment was what the original n should have been like.


    <em>Zhang Haixia. Ah, Zhang Haixia. It isnt easy trying to save you.</em>


    He slowly fell asleep. In his dream, he returned to his childhood when he was in Xiamen. There he had learned the basics of making masks and putting on disguises, which was essentially drawing.


    Zhang Hailou, what is this?


    Godmother, this is a Chinese Huamei (1). I drew this for you.


    Why did you draw a Chinese Huamei?


    Because its beautiful?


    Zhang Haixia, what happened to your eyebrows?


    Zhang Hailou did this.


    Godmother, since I was drawing a Chinese Huamei, of course I had to paint the eyebrows. I painted his for practice.


    Zhang Haixia, go and wash your eyebrows.


    Ok, Zhang Haixia said. As he turned around to wash his face, their godmother quickly drew a giant snake beside the Chinese Huamei.


    Zhang Haiyan asked, Whats this?


    This is your true form. His godmother said. You have to ovee it.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) The Chinese hwamei or melodiousughingthrush is a passerine bird of eastern Asia. The name hwameies from the Chinese  (hu-mi) and means painted eyebrow, which refers to the distinctive marking around the bird''s eyes. Wiki link here

 Chapter 24.2 He Jianxi Cried

    Chapter 24.2 He Jianxi Cried


    He Jianxi thought that he had his own philosophy of survival. For so many years, he had a clear conscience. Although the world was full of unhappiness and unfairness, the little world in his heart had never been invaded or shaken. In addition, his greatest confidence was that he had never met any bad guys doing bad things that he didnt seeing.


    As a result, this world couldnt scare him.


    Unfortunately, this confidence was destroyed in a single moment. Ever since he had met Zhang Haiyan, he had been unable to foresee any of this series of illogical incidents. Plus, the way things were developing kept getting more and more absurd. He didnt know what he would see the next time he opened his eyes.


    His grievances and fear rushed at him like water breaking a dam, and he started to cry. He wasnt wailing, but crying in a low voice because he was so scared.


    Zhang Haiyan was exhausted, so hey in the bathtub and rested for a while. Then, he slowly stood up and turned on the hot water so the sound would mask He Jianxis sobbing.


    Zhang Haiyan stepped out of the bathtub, grabbed a clean towel, and wiped himself clean.


    Stevens dinner had been ced on the side of the sofa, untouched. There was borscht soup and bread, which Zhang Haiyan used to dip into the soup. He took a few bites and thought for a while before drinking the rest of the soup. He left only two slices of bread for He Jianxi, but after thinking about it again, he ate another slice, leaving only one left.


    This was a very well-nned operation. The other party definitely wasnt full of amateurs, and he didnt expect them to have so many people.


    Those killers must have seen him escape to the first-ss cabin and knew he was hiding there, but they probably didnt know which room he was in, let alone that he was in Stevens room.


    They wouldnt risk starting an attack in the first-ss cabin, but it wasnt because they couldnt kill the passengers. If it were him, he would set up secret sentries at all the passages in the first-ss cabin to wait for the target toe out, which meant that he was already trapped.


    There were killers among the waiters, so they would definitely check each room.


    <em>What to do? </em>If it were him, he would act immediately and kill the target tonight.


    The only good news was that he was on the third floor and the shipowners daughter was staying on the fourth floor.


    <em>Miss Dong. She''s also difficult to deal with, but she has lots of firearms.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan originally wanted to kill the assassins before he abducted Miss Dong to make the ship turn around so that he could save Zhang Haixia. But based on the situation now, it was impossible for him to kill the assassins by himself.


    He thought for a while. Since he was alone and didnt have any backup, he could only rely on his shamelessness.


    He dragged Steven out of the bathtub, tore off his bath towel, and tied him to a chair. Then he walked back over to the bathtub and pulled He Jianxi out of it before finding amp and ripping the chord out.


    When Steven woke up, he found himself tied to a chair with both feet in the bathtub.


    Zhang Haiyan was holding themp cord, which was resting on the edge of the bathtub and cushioned with a towel. The end of the cord was wrapped around a ss with whiskey in it.


    The edge of the bathtub wasnt t, so the whiskey ss could slip into the water at any time.


    If you dare scream for help, Ill kick the bathtub as soon as you make the first sound, Zhang Haiyan said.


    Mr. Zhang. Steven was very calm. Youre still on the ship. Have you found the bad guys that you mentioned?


    Ever since he was a child, Steven had a mental state that almost seemed like an illness. It was extremely difficult for him to be nervous. No matter what happened, it was hard for him to feel scared or anxious. This made him a very good surgeon, but it also made it difficult for him to develop bad habits such as drinking, smoking, and being a racist. He didnt need those habits.


    He had been pursuing a sense of nervousness all his life, so he went to the battlefield. He then met Warner, followed him on expeditions in East India and Southwest China, participated in the Tusi (1) riots in southern China, and sold firearms.


    Having no anxiety meant that he was free of good and evil, faith and morality. He easily seeded at everything he did. At a young age, he became Warners most promising student.


    But Zhang Haiyan didnt care about that at all. He flipped through the passport and documents that he had found in Stevens luggage.


    Lets keep things short. I know you and Miss Dong dont trust me, but Ive really found the culprits. They chased me here.


    Steven looked down at himself. Can you let me go so we can go and investigate together?


    Zhang Haiyanughed Do you think Ill believe you? With that said, he read what was on the passport. Steven. American. Professor Landon Warners student. Youre funded by the Fogg Museum of the United States and are going to China to purchase ancient documents and murals. You serve as the expedition teams doctor and secretary, Zhang Haiyan continued flipping through the passport. Youre the shipowners VIP guest. Zhang Haiyan kicked the suitcase on one side and opened it. There were bullets and guns inside, as well as various surgical instruments and field equipment.


    Youre apanying Ms. Dong to protect her. I read through your luggage list. There are more than thirty people in your team, with eighteen machine guns and tens of thousands of bullets that you had to pass through special customs. It seems that Miss Dong has arge number of enemies, and the firepower is very fierce. Will a team doctor suddenly start shooting people as soon as a deadly attempt is made?


    Steven seemed to be plotting something and remained silent.


    I dont care if youre a doctor or not, but you must have ulterior motives for going to China. Whether its smuggling or really protecting Miss Dong, Im not interested. Im telling you that this ship is in extreme danger right now. Theres no way the marine police can handle it. I need your help.


    Well help you. Well, Ill at least help you negotiate. But not like this. Steven looked down at himself again.


    Steven, that Miss Dong won''t help me. Zhang Haiyan said. I only trust myself. You have to find a way to get her to your room. I want tomunicate with her in person.


    Get her to my room? Stevenughed heartily as if he had suddenly heard a funny joke. No, Miss Dong wont go anywhere. Shell only stay in her room.


    Youre her person. You should know her well. Theres always a way. Zhang Haiyan flicked the whiskey ss and smiled as it started sliding towards the bathtub. Steven froze for a moment. He seemed to notice the des in Zhang Haiyans mouth.


    Wait a minute, He said. Are you the gue god of the sea? Zhang Haiyan didnt have time to talk nonsense with him. As the whiskey ss fell closer to the bathtub, Steven continued, Mr. gue God, I think youve misunderstood. Up to now, no one knows anything about that woman. Weve never seen her real face. No one can tell her to do anything.


    What do you mean?


    Steven told Zhang Haiyan a brief story.


    When Steven first met Miss Dong, he was digging up Buddha statues in Johor (2). The British had been interested in the center of as tropical rainforest for the past ten years. Although they didnt understand what was inside of it, his teacher Warner still fought for the funds topete with the British.


    Johor was even poorer than Perak. The excavation site was a rebuilt site of a Buddhist temple. A lot of sixteenth century Buddha statues had been discovered while the foundation was being excavated. Since they didnt know what the British were looking for, Warner had no choice but to find some decent monuments so that he could report to the top.


    The ancient temple was actually a day away from the town and three hours away from the nearest vige.


    Usually, no one came to the excavation site except for the local porters. They cut down the rainforest and built a small workstation that consisted of four wooden houses, two dormitories, a warehouse, and an office.


    One night at dusk, that woman appeared at the construction site without any warning. When she appeared, there were a dozen hands hanging from her body. The womans petite body was wrapped in an Indian sari, and her face was also wrapped. She came out of the rainforest and passed by the ruins of this ancient temple.


    At that time, all the workers stopped what they were doing. Since the gue was running rampant, the smell of those rotting hands on the woman scared everyone.


    The woman saw the unearthed Buddha statues and stopped. She could tell from the details that they had been carved by Chinese craftsmen who must havee here some time during the sixteenth century. The woman put the hands down in front of the Buddha statues and chanted sutras so that the dead would be blessed in the afterlife.


    Then she went to a firece on the construction site where workers could dry their bodies and threw the severed hands in it.


    It was dusk at that time. The light of the setting sun shone through the gaps of the rainforest and illuminated this horrible sight. The womans enchanting and exquisite curves presented a great sense of story. Steven was leaning against the door of the dormitory with a beer in hand,pletely dumbfounded.


    At that moment, the woman saw the Americans who had heard the news and gathered around to watch her. She nced at their guns and walked towards them.


    The Americans had heard the rumors about sorcerers before. When the terrified locals started shouting, Witchcraft! Witchcraft! and scattered and retreated, the Americans also raised their guns, fearing that there was some aboriginal witchcraft on the woman.


    They didnt expect the woman to speak in fluent English. I want to make a deal with the person in charge here.


    Warner was a very dedicated person with far-reaching ambitions and execution capabilities. He was absorbed in his own research, so it was usually very difficult for him to be interrupted and persuaded. But it only took the woman twenty minutes to make himpletely change his ideas.


    Since this wasnt normal storytelling, Steven didnt tell Zhang Haiyan what Miss Dong said to Warner, since he didnt know what their conversation was about.


    He was a secretary, so he was only there afterwards when the woman unreservedly made it very clear that she needed people to protect her on her way back to China. Otherwise, she would be killed halfway during the journey. She hoped everyone involved would be made aware of this.


    Those who wanted to kill her were very skilled. She needed plenty of weapons and foreign faces, because those who wanted to kill her were able to steal other peoples appearances and pretend to be those close to her. But it was more difficult for them to imitate foreign faces.


    That woman also told them that she was the shipowners daughter, and the Naan was hers. As long as she arrived in Xiamen safely, she could provide Warner with something as payment.


    At that time, Warner wanted something from China. They discussed it for three hours before Warner finally believed the woman and agreed to the deal.


    As a result, they used the remaining funds to buy arms, abandoned the construction site and Buddha statues, took the woman, and boarded the Nanan. But so far, the woman seemed to have never taken off her mask and rarelymunicated with them except in front of Warner.


    Of course, they still obeyed Warners orders. Warner hoped that their only job was to protect the woman. Since the condition was limited to protection only, the price would need to be increased if the woman had any other ideas. As a result, the rtionship between the two parties was also very delicate.


    After Zhang Haiyan listened to Stevens words, he looked down at his hands and thought to himself, <em>a Bodhisattva who chopped hands off.</em><em>What does it mean? This Miss Dong isnt ordinary. Shes</em><em>really different from others. </em>


    Are you sure shes the owner''s daughter?


    How do you think we could get on the ship with so many weapons? Steven asked. All the crew know her and she arranged all the customs procedures.


    Zhang Haiyan was deep in thought. If its as you said, then this woman isnt all that difficult to cooperate with. Didnt she reach an agreement with your boss? Moreover, shes so persistent in going back to Xiamen. I just need to tell her that there are idents urring on this ship that will prevent her n from going through. She should pay attention to them.


    At least it would be like how she took his words seriously when they first got on the ship.


    I already told you that she wonte to my room. Steven said. You can go and find her. Even if you perform a show or make any moves, she wont open the door for you. You cant see her at all, so how can you talk to her about cooperation? You need me to be the messenger.


    Once Steven finished his words, he looked at the notes sitting nearby.


    Telephones on ships hadnt yet be popr, so there were small notes that could be sent between the cabins to transmit messages.


    I can pass through the guard post on the fourth floor, put the note between the newspaper, and get it to her room. This is her only way tomunicate with the outside world now. Asian people cant walk past the guard post.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Steven, who had a cunning look in his eyes. <em>F</em><em>oreigners really cant hide anything</em>, he thought to himself


    She actually doesnt trust us, either. In order to prevent people from poisoning her food, she prepares it all herself. Shes kept enough food in her room. Steven continued, Mr. gue God, I dont think you can verify if what Ive said is true no matter how hard you try. You can only trust me and take a risk. The result will basically be the same to you anyways, right?


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Steven andughed. Im sorry, but I actually can verify if what youve said is true. Which room is Miss Dong in?


    444, but Steven hadnt finished speaking before Zhang Haiyan pinched him, making him pass out. Zhang Haiyan then put a hand towel in Stevens mouth.


    Ordinary people were capable of spitting out hand towels, but Zhang Haiyan was very experienced. He pressed the towel firmly to Stevens throat and tongue, and then tied a bath towel around his face so that he could only make a noise that sounded like a mosquito.


    He Jianxi watched it all silently.


    Zhang Haiyan walked over and threw Stevens pants to him before leaning against the wall and peeking out the window.


    It was pitch ck outside, and nothing could be seen. He didnt know where the killers were.


    Zhang Haiyan closed the window and turned off the light before tying themp cord to the window handle and putting a chair against the door.


    He Jianxi had just put on the pants when he saw a bath towel lying nearby. He silently took off his shirt, wrung out the water, and then set it aside. After he had dried his body with the towel, Zhang Haiyan came up and pinched his neck, causing him to pass out in an instant. Zhang Haiyan caught him and then threw him onto the bed.


    Howe Ive unknowingly picked up so many things? Zhang Haiyan looked at the two people and sighed.


    Under themplight, Zhang Haiyan spread out his personal package that contained a set of special equipment.


    This kind of equipment was used to make different faces. Human skin masks were the core technology of the Southern Archives secret service, after all.


    Zhang Haiyan began to measure Stevens face carefully. He had different models that could quickly be revised, but it was indeed more difficult to imitate foreigners faces. As a result, he gradually became absorbed.


    When he was in Xiamen, he had learned the basics of making masks and putting on disguises, which was essentially just drawing.


    Zhang Hailou, what is this?


    Godmother, this is a Chinese Huamei (3). I drew it for you.


    Why did you draw a Chinese Huamei?


    Because its beautiful?


    Zhang Haixia, what happened to your eyebrows?


    Zhang Hailou did this.


    Godmother, since I was drawing a Chinese Huamei, of course I had to paint the eyebrows. I painted his for practice.


    Zhang Haixia, go and wash your eyebrows.


    Ok, Zhang Haixia said. As he turned around to wash his face, their godmother quickly drew a giant snake beside the Chinese Huamei.


    Zhang Haiyan asked, Whats this?


    This is your true form. His godmother said. You have to ovee it.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Tusi, often tranted as headmen or chieftains, were hereditary tribal leaders recognized as imperial officials. They ruled certain ethnic minorities in southwest China on behalf of the central government. Wiki link here


    (2) Johor is a state of Mysia in the south of the My Penins. It hasnd borders with the Mysian states of Pahang to the north. Wiki link here


    (3) The Chinese hwamei or melodiousughingthrush is a passerine bird of eastern Asia. The name hwameies from the Chinese  (hu-mi) and means painted eyebrow, which refers to the distinctive marking around the birds eyes. Wiki link here

 Chapter 26.2 Deduction

    Chapter 26.2 Deduction


    In the sky at dawn, clouds gathered to build a castle in the air. The castle referred to a mirage, and Hailou meant mirage.


    Later on, Zhang Haiyan was very grateful for his salty nickname. Otherwise, his life may not be what he wanted if it was like a mirage.


    Zhang Haiyan walked out the door, thinking that the killers shouldnt have arrived on this floor yet so he should still have some time.


    He had no confidence that He Jianxi could guard Steven properly. Steven was a shrewd man and He Jianxi definitely wasnt on par with him. But he believed that He Jianxi could hold out for at least an hour. It wouldnt be a big problem. Zhang Haiyan only needed an hour.


    He moved his feet in the direction of the fourth floor. Since he was now disguised as Steven, he shouldnt be stopped by any guards.


    He arrived at the fourth floors stairwell and looked around, realizing what Steven had been trying to say before hed knocked him out. They had gotten rid of the room numbers.


    <em>How ruthless!</em>


    But he found it funny that he could immediately tell which room Miss Dong was in without having to look at the room numbers. There were more than twenty American guards sitting at the door with submachine guns. They all had their eyes closed, and were resting. He could tell at a nce that they had excellent skills.


    When he walked over to the guards, someone immediately picked up their gun. Steven, answer this question. Why did the white swans father disappear after swimming in the Mississippi?


    Zhang Haiyan was taken aback for a moment, and the other party said, You have to answer immediately. Otherwise, well have to shoot you. With that said, he pulled the guns bolt back. Three, two, one.

 Chapter 27: Miss Dong

    Chapter 27: Miss Dong


    This kind of ciphering method was called the cutting path method, which was used in ancient military camps.


    The lights in ancient barracks werent very bright, and the soldiers were mostly dressed the same way. With so many people unfamiliar with each other, they would have to say the password whenever they met. There were many kinds of passwords, and they were different each time, which made it difficult for the enemy tounch a raid.


    It was unlikely that foreigners would use the cutting path method, so that meant Miss Dong must have been the one who taught them how to do it.


    Zhang Haiyan judged how far he could retreat as he looked at the opponents submachine guns.


    It was impossible for him to escape under such firepower no matter how good his physical skills were. And looking at the other people''s behavior, he knew that they would shoot without hesitation if he couldnt answer the question.


    It was a simple, but very effective defensive measure. This Miss Dong was truly a ruthless character. It was only the first round, but he had underestimated the enemy once again.


    Zhang Haiyan only had a second, so he made the best decision under the current circumstances. He scratched his own tongue with the des in his mouth, and then forcefully squeezed out the blood. He coughed and spit out both the des and the blood.


    He then staggered and fell to the ground, letting the blood flow out along the corners of his mouth as he acted like he was having a seizure.


    The group of guards was taken aback. They looked at each other for a while before they realized what had happened and all stood up.


    Everyone was shocked to see that his mouth was full of des. What is this technique? All the guards pulled the bolts on their guns.


    The leading guard said, Notify Mr. Warner. As his subordinates immediately moved to obey, he continued, Shoot anyone who approaches us more than ten meters.


    Everyone began moving to their own defensive positions. The leading guard looked serious as he nced down at Steven. A deputy next to him asked, Should we call the ships doctor over? In this situation, Steven shouldnt be able to save himself.


    The leading guard touched Zhang Haiyans neck and asked softly, Did you swallow any des?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded, trying to act like the pain from having his tongue cut and swallowing des was sending him into shock. Like this, he hoped he could be sent to the infirmary so that he could find a chance to run away.


    The guard thought for a while, sighed, and then said, You cant call the ships doctor. Hes bait. He was sent here after his tongue was cut. If we call a ships doctor toe here, their people will definitely be mixed in among them. If we send him over to the infirmary, those escorting him are likely to get ambushed on the way over.


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned for a moment, and said to himself, <em>big brother, what are you getting at? Itspletely wrong.</em>


    But the others were immediately persuaded and ced their hands on Zhang Haiyan, as if they were saying goodbye. The leading guard said to Zhang Haiyan, Don''t worry, brother. God will bless you. I will personally send you to rest in peaceter.


    Waitwait a minute, I


    The guards ignored him and started to move, while the so-called notify Warner person was knocking on the next door over.


    The door opened, and more Americans walked out carrying carbines. Those Americans knocked on more doors, and then the corridor was suddenly full of Americans.


    Zhang Haiyan broke out in cold sweat and thought to himself,<em> Ive made a fool of myself. No wonder those killers couldnt make it here. The guards didnt even try to assassinate people. The woman knew that someone was going to kill her, so she dug a trench here.</em>


    He was picked up, sent to a room, and ced on the sofa. Zhang Haiyan peeked around and found that the room was full of old drawings. He wondered what the owners job was.


    He squeezed his tongue so hard that the blood kept flowing. Anyone who saw it would think he was dying. At this moment, he saw a fat white maning out of the back room.


    Even though Zhang Haiyan called him fat, he had seen a lot of people and knew that this wasnt puffiness. If anything, this person was very burly so his little bit of fat made him look very big.


    The man had a long beard, and was wearing what appeared to be made-to-order suspenders and a suit.


    The leading guard lit a cigar for him and said, Mr. Warner, hes a goner.


    <em>Dont fucking jump to conclusions, dumbass. </em>Zhang Haiyan thought angrily.


    Warner took the cigar with piercing eyes, sat opposite Zhang Haiyan, and then said, Steven, do you know what you should do now? Tell me what happened.


    Help me. Zhang Haiyan pretended to be weak. A man with des in his mouth had godlike skills and attacked me.


    Zhang Haiyan originally wanted to say, He wants me to bring a message to Miss Dong. Im not allowed to say anything until I get to see her in person. But he thought about it and felt that it would be too dangerous if he took more risks in the current situation. If he died, Zhang Haixia wouldnt be able to survive, either.


    <em>Get out of this situation first.</em>


    He changed his mind and said, He wants to negotiate with you guys. I can take you to the designated ce. He said hell find a way to keep me alive as long as I take you there.


    Where is it?


    Mr. Warner, he said that I must abide by the agreement and take you there. I dare not disobey him. Zhang Haiyan stared at Warners eyes.


    Warner thought for a while and said to the leading guard, Hudson, did Mr. Steven just say negotiate with you guys in that sentence? Mr. Steven has worked with us for many years. Grammatically, he shouldve said negotiate with us after all, right?


    Zhang Haiyan broke out in a cold sweat all over and tried to suppress his surprise. It wasnt that this foreigner was too smart, but that his way of thinking was really surprising.


    Warner was looking for ws in Zhang Haiyansnguage, but there was something particr about the way he tried to find ws. People who said things like this knew about human skin masks.


    This foreigner knew that there were such things as human skin masks in the world and was wondering if he was really Steven.


    Im just repeating what the other party said, Zhang Haiyan stalled.


    Warner looked at Zhang Haiyan, touched his face suddenly, and then scolded, Ridiculous. Its really ridiculous. I can''t believe that I fell for that womans nonsense. How could anyone in this world be able to change faces? That woman is really good at bewitching people.


    Hudson said, Do you think shes lying to scare us?


    Asian people like to lie and act all mysterious. Warner said. We represent the advanced party. Most of these silly things are all smoke screens. Now I only believe in the thing shes shown us since it validates the research Ive conducted over many years. That building is located somewhere underground in Xiamen.

 Chapter 26: Deduction

    Chapter 26: Deduction


    In the sky at dawn, clouds gathered to build a castle in the air. The castle referred to a mirage, and Hailou meant mirage.


    Later on, Zhang Haiyan was very grateful for his salty nickname. Otherwise, his life may not be what he wanted if it was like a mirage.


    Zhang Haiyan walked out the door. It was sunny outside the cabin and there were already children ying on the deck. He could see the sea from the corridor, and the sunlight reflecting off of it was so bright that it was impossible for people to look at it directly.


    He could also see the deck from the corridor. If those corpses hadnt been thrown into the water yesterday, they probably would have been discovered by the guests passing by in the corridor, and those peoples n would have already begun.


    There was nothing but some blood-like stains on the deck in front of him. They werent very noticeable from this height, and looked more like rust.


    He was in a good mood as he faced the sea breeze and sorted out his thoughts.


    He had no confidence that He Jianxi could guard Steven properly. Steven was a shrewd man and He Jianxi definitely wasnt on par with him. But he believed that He Jianxi could hold out for at least an hour. It wouldnt be a big problem. Zhang Haiyan only needed an hour.


    First and foremost, his top priority was that woman.


    When he was eavesdropping yesterday, the other party had mentioned a causal rtionship: if it hadnt been for someone spreading wudou disease in the South Sea, Miss Dong wouldnt have appeared.


    In other words, the gue was merely a plot to lure this woman out?


    It was estimated that thousands of people in the South Sea had died from the gue. If it was just to lure her out, then what was her background?


    The second question was why could the gue be used to lure her out? Was she a doctor? Was she someone who wanted to see corpses? Or was she someone who loved gues?


    With regards to the third question, a man named Warner was protecting this woman after she got on the ship, which meant that she had foreseen that there would be killers when she came here. If so, could it be said that she knew there was something off about the gue and knew that it had been spread by people wanting to lure her out? Whatever the case, she still came anyways.


    This was a majestic woman who was confident in the fact that others were willing to spread a gue and kill thousands of people in order to lure her out.


    This Miss Dong from Xiamen clearly had a lot of power. Zhang Haiyan knew how much effort it took to find the origin of the gue and spread it, so based on this, Miss Dong shouldnt be an ordinary person. He had to meet her.


    Of course, after Zhang Haiyan observed the terrain, he remembered what Zhang Haixia had said and didnt act rashly.


    He wandered around the first-ss cabin area. In the restaurants waiting area, he saw a model of the Nanan, along with the Nanans design drawing on the wall behind it.


    He stopped to look at it carefully and discovered that the first- and second-ss cabins shared a post office. On the second floor below the deck, there was a small room where guests could send telegrams through this post office.


    The second- and third-ss cabins shared a fire escape, which was at the bottom of the ship. It was designed this way because there was always rainwater and seawater entering the ship. Part of it was directly discharged into the sea through the ships sewer system, but some of it would slowly umte at the bottom of the ship, which could be used to fight fires.


    He came to stand in front of room 345 on the third floor of the first-ss cabin, which was his original room. But he hadnt imed the key back then. He looked at his ticket, cleared his throat, and stopped a waiter who was passing by.


    My friend has been sleeping in my room since he got on the ship and hasnt gone back to his original room. He forgot to im the key. This is his invitation. Can you give me the key? Ill pass it to him.


    The waiter looked at the invitation. It was obvious that this was against the rules, but Steven apparently had a special status on the ship.


    The waiter thought for a while, ording to the regtions, that person shoulde and pick up the key himself, but Miss Dong has said that we must satisfy all the needs of Mr. Warners friends. Ill get the key for you.


    Thank you. Im sorry for causing you trouble. Ill wait for you here. As soon as Zhang Haiyan nodded, the waiter trotted off and soon returned with the key.


    Zhang Haiyan did the math. The key room was at the bow of the ship in the middle of the crew''s quarters, which the waiter had to ess using thedder on deck. It had taken about ten minutes for the waiter to run over ande back.


    If he was Miss Dong and knew that he had to find someone to protect him, he would definitely live on the fourth floor of the first-ss cabin, which was the top floor of the ship.


    Since the waiter took ten minutes to get to the key room, it may only take three minutes at most to travel from the third floor to the fourth floor.


    The three floors could be reached easily, but those killers just couldnt make it through thest three minutes needed to reach the fourth floor?


    Why?


    He moved his feet in the direction of the fourth floor. Since he was now disguised as Steven, he shouldnt be stopped by any guards.


    When he reached the fourth floors stairway and didnt see any guards, he turned his head and looked around.


    He immediately knew which room was Miss Dongs, because there were more than twenty American guards sitting at the door with submachine guns. They all had their eyes closed, and were resting. He could tell at a nce that they had excellent skills.


    When he walked over to the guards, someone immediately picked up their gun. Steven, answer this question. Why did the white swans father disappear after swimming in the Mississippi?


    Zhang Haiyan was taken aback for a moment, and the other party said, You have to answer immediately. Otherwise, well have to shoot you. With that said, he pulled the gun''s bolt back. Three, two, one.

 Chapter 26.2 Deduction

    Chapter 26.2 Deduction


    In the sky at dawn, clouds gathered to build a castle in the air. The castle referred to a mirage, and Hailou meant mirage.


    Later on, Zhang Haiyan was very grateful for his salty nickname. Otherwise, his life may not be what he wanted if it was like a mirage.


    Zhang Haiyan walked out the door, thinking that the killers shouldnt have arrived on this floor yet so he should still have some time.


    He had no confidence that He Jianxi could guard Steven properly. Steven was a shrewd man and He Jianxi definitely wasnt on par with him. But he believed that He Jianxi could hold out for at least an hour. It wouldnt be a big problem. Zhang Haiyan only needed an hour.


    He moved his feet in the direction of the fourth floor. Since he was now disguised as Steven, he shouldnt be stopped by any guards.


    He arrived at the fourth floors stairwell and looked around, realizing what Steven had been trying to say before hed knocked him out. They had gotten rid of the room numbers.


    <em>How ruthless!</em>


    But he found it funny that he could immediately tell which room Miss Dong was in without having to look at the room numbers. There were more than twenty American guards sitting at the door with submachine guns. They all had their eyes closed, and were resting. He could tell at a nce that they had excellent skills.


    When he walked over to the guards, someone immediately picked up their gun. Steven, answer this question. Why did the white swans father disappear after swimming in the Mississippi?


    Zhang Haiyan was taken aback for a moment, and the other party said, You have to answer immediately. Otherwise, well have to shoot you. With that said, he pulled the guns bolt back. Three, two, one.

 Chapter 27: Miss Dong

    Chapter 27: Miss Dong


    This kind of ciphering method was called the cutting path method, which was used in ancient military camps.


    The lights in ancient barracks werent very bright, and the soldiers were mostly dressed the same way. With so many people unfamiliar with each other, they would have to say the password whenever they met. There were many kinds of passwords, and they were different each time, which made it difficult for the enemy tounch a raid.


    It was unlikely that foreigners would use the cutting path method, so that meant Miss Dong must have been the one who taught them how to do it.


    Zhang Haiyan judged how far he could retreat as he looked at the opponents submachine guns.


    It was impossible for him to escape under such firepower no matter how good his physical skills were. And looking at the other people''s behavior, he knew that they would shoot without hesitation if he couldnt answer the question.


    It was a simple, but very effective defensive measure. This Miss Dong was truly a ruthless character. It was only the first round, but he had underestimated the enemy once again.


    Zhang Haiyan only had a second, so he made the best decision under the current circumstances. He scratched his own tongue with the des in his mouth, and then forcefully squeezed out the blood. He coughed and spit out both the des and the blood.


    He then staggered and fell to the ground, letting the blood flow out along the corners of his mouth as he acted like he was having a seizure.


    The group of guards was taken aback. They looked at each other for a while before they realized what had happened and all stood up.


    Everyone was shocked to see that his mouth was full of des. What is this technique? All the guards pulled the bolts on their guns.


    The leading guard said, Notify Mr. Warner. As his subordinates immediately moved to obey, he continued, Shoot anyone who approaches us more than ten meters.


    Everyone began moving to their own defensive positions. The leading guard looked serious as he nced down at Steven. A deputy next to him asked, Should we call the ships doctor over? In this situation, Steven shouldnt be able to save himself.


    The leading guard touched Zhang Haiyans neck and asked softly, Did you swallow any des?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded, trying to act like the pain from having his tongue cut and swallowing des was sending him into shock. Like this, he hoped he could be sent to the infirmary so that he could find a chance to run away.


    The guard thought for a while, sighed, and then said, You cant call the ships doctor. Hes bait. He was sent here after his tongue was cut. If we call a ships doctor toe here, their people will definitely be mixed in among them. If we send him over to the infirmary, those escorting him are likely to get ambushed on the way over.


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned for a moment, and said to himself, <em>big brother, what are you getting at? Itspletely wrong.</em>


    But the others were immediately persuaded and ced their hands on Zhang Haiyan, as if they were saying goodbye. The leading guard said to Zhang Haiyan, Don''t worry, brother. God will bless you. I will personally send you to rest in peaceter.


    Waitwait a minute, I


    The guards ignored him and started to move, while the so-called notify Warner person was knocking on the next door over.


    The door opened, and more Americans walked out carrying carbines. Those Americans knocked on more doors, and then the corridor was suddenly full of Americans.


    Zhang Haiyan broke out in cold sweat and thought to himself,<em> Ive made a fool of myself. No wonder those killers couldnt make it here. The guards didnt even try to assassinate people. The woman knew that someone was going to kill her, so she dug a trench here.</em>


    He was picked up, sent to a room, and ced on the sofa. Zhang Haiyan peeked around and found that the room was full of old drawings. He wondered what the owners job was.


    He squeezed his tongue so hard that the blood kept flowing. Anyone who saw it would think he was dying. At this moment, he saw a fat white maning out of the back room.


    Even though Zhang Haiyan called him fat, he had seen a lot of people and knew that this wasnt puffiness. If anything, this person was very burly so his little bit of fat made him look very big.


    The man had a long beard, and was wearing what appeared to be made-to-order suspenders and a suit.


    The leading guard lit a cigar for him and said, Mr. Warner, hes a goner.


    <em>Dont fucking jump to conclusions, dumbass. </em>Zhang Haiyan thought angrily.


    Warner took the cigar with piercing eyes, sat opposite Zhang Haiyan, and then said, Steven, do you know what you should do now? Tell me what happened.


    Help me. Zhang Haiyan pretended to be weak. A man with des in his mouth had godlike skills and attacked me.


    Zhang Haiyan originally wanted to say, He wants me to bring a message to Miss Dong. Im not allowed to say anything until I get to see her in person. But he thought about it and felt that it would be too dangerous if he took more risks in the current situation. If he died, Zhang Haixia wouldnt be able to survive, either.


    <em>Get out of this situation first.</em>


    He changed his mind and said, He wants to negotiate with you guys. I can take you to the designated ce. He said hell find a way to keep me alive as long as I take you there.


    Where is it?


    Mr. Warner, he said that I must abide by the agreement and take you there. I dare not disobey him. Zhang Haiyan stared at Warners eyes.


    Warner thought for a while and said to the leading guard, Hudson, did Mr. Steven just say negotiate with you guys in that sentence? Mr. Steven has worked with us for many years. Grammatically, he shouldve said negotiate with us after all, right?


    Zhang Haiyan broke out in a cold sweat all over and tried to suppress his surprise. It wasnt that this foreigner was too smart, but that his way of thinking was really surprising.


    Warner was looking for ws in Zhang Haiyansnguage, but there was something particr about the way he tried to find ws. People who said things like this knew about human skin masks.


    This foreigner knew that there were such things as human skin masks in the world and was wondering if he was really Steven.


    Im just repeating what the other party said, Zhang Haiyan stalled.


    Warner looked at Zhang Haiyan, touched his face suddenly, and then scolded, Ridiculous. Its really ridiculous. I can''t believe that I fell for that womans nonsense. How could anyone in this world be able to change faces? That woman is really good at bewitching people.


    Hudson said, Do you think shes lying to scare us?


    Asian people like to lie and act all mysterious. Warner said. We represent the advanced party. Most of these silly things are all smoke screens. Now I only believe in the thing shes shown us since it validates the research Ive conducted over many years. That building is located somewhere underground in Xiamen.

 Chapter 27.2 Miss Dong

    Chapter 27.2 Miss Dong


    This kind of ciphering method was called the cutting path method, which was used in ancient military camps.


    The lights in ancient barracks werent very bright, and the soldiers were mostly dressed the same way. With so many people unfamiliar with each other, they would have to say the password whenever they met. There were many kinds of passwords, and they were different each time, which made it difficult for the enemy tounch a raid.


    It was unlikely that foreigners would use the cutting path method, so that meant Miss Dong must have been the one who taught them how to do it.


    Zhang Haiyan judged how far he could retreat as he looked at the opponents submachine guns.


    It was impossible for him to escape under such firepower no matter how good his physical skills were. And looking at the other peoples behavior, he knew that they would shoot without hesitation if he couldnt answer the question.


    He hadnt yet thought of a way before the guard pretended to fire his gun. Bang. Bang. Bang. All the surrounding guards startedughing.


    That was when Zhang Haiyan realized that they were just joking.


    That womans approach is quite the bluff. Steven, do you have any other thoughts about her?


    Zhang Haiyan didnt know what to say, so he smiled. Newspaper and notes.


    Are you still writing love letters? The guardsughed uproariously again. Let me tell you, theyre all just rumors. Asian women arent as conservative as you think.


    Zhang Haiyan froze for a moment. Steven looked like a gentleman, so why were these guards discussing these things with him?


    He had no choice but to smile as he walked up to the door they were guarding and stuffed the newspaper and notes through the crack under the door.


    Because there were so many drawings inside, he had to separate them into two stacks and push them in.


    <em>Ok. This means that what Steven said was right. </em>He was just about to leave when the door that he had just pushed the notes through suddenly opened. A big bulky white man walked out of the door and looked down at the newspaper on the floor.


    Steven, what are you doing?


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned for a moment and heard the guards roaring withughter again, This kid is so shy and nervous that he even picked the wrong door, Mr. Warner.


    Zhang Haiyan froze and started to break out in cold sweat. <em>Arent they guarding Miss Dongs door?</em>


    Mr. Warner didntugh, but picked up the newspaper and the sketches of the faces. His expression changed as he flipped through them. What are these? He asked. Steven would never pick the wrong room.


    Zhang Haiyan had already started walking away quickly when he heard everyone stopughing. It was only a moment before he heard the sound of the guards raising their guns.


    Zhang Haiyan had no choice but to stop. Steven, dont leave just yet. He heard Warner say. Why did the white swans father disappear after swimming in the Mississippi?


    <em>Shit. My covers blown.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan only had a second, so he made the best decision under the current circumstances. He scratched his own tongue with the des in his mouth, and then forcefully squeezed out the blood. He coughed and spit out both the des and the blood.


    He then staggered and fell to the ground, letting the blood flow out along the corners of his mouth as he acted like he was having a seizure.


    The group of guards was taken aback and looked at each other for a while before they realized what had happened. Then, some of them started walking towards him.


    Everyone was shocked upon seeing the des he had spit out. Whats this technique?


    Warner pushed through the crowd and then looked down the stairs with a serious look on his face. Call everyone over. Shoot anyone whoes within ten meters of us.


    Everyone began moving to their own defensive positions. The lead guard opened Stevens mouth and took a good look. Warner then had him bring Steven to his own room.


    Zhang Haiyan was picked up and sent to Warners room, where he was ced on the sofa. Zhang Haiyan peeked around and found that the room was full of old drawings. Warner was very cunning and didnt approach him at all; otherwise, Zhang Haiyan could suddenly get up and subdue him.


    He squeezed his tongue so hard that the blood kept flowing. Anyone who saw it would think he was seriously injured.


    Warners gaze was piercing as he lit a cigar and sat down opposite Zhang Haiyan.


    The lead guard came over to inspect the wound and used tweezers to pull the des out of his mouth. Zhang Haiyan pretended to be in aa since he would have to tell them why the swans father had disappeared if he was awake.


    He wont die, but it may take a few days before hes able to talk. The lead guard said.


    Both Warner and the lead guard looked at Zhang Haiyan. Warner continued flipping through the notes.


    In addition to the face sketches, the notes also said, These are the robbers on your ship. You can see if what Ive said is true once you investigate them.


    Hudson, did that strange man Steven couldnt catch say there were robbers on the ship? It appeared Warner could read Chinese.


    The lead guard, whose name was Hudson, nodded. Thats what the strange man said.


    Warner looked at Zhang Haiyan again. It seems that Steven was coerced by that person to deliver this letter.


    But Ive never seen such a coercion method.


    The two men looked at each other before Warner said, That woman said that those who want to kill her might change faces. Check him out.


    Hudson swallowed and came to stand beside Zhang Haiyan. He began tugging on Zhang Haiyans face while Warner raised the machine gun on the other side and pointed it at Zhang Haiyans head.


    Zhang Haiyan broke out in a cold sweat and tried to suppress his surprise. It wasnt that this foreigner was too smart that was so surprising, but that he knew there were such things as human skin masks in the world.


    But they couldnt tear the mask off because Zhang Haiyans masks had to be torn off from his corbone. This was a decision he had made after hearing what Steven had said.


    Hudson tugged on his face for a long time, but didnt seed.


    Warner looked at Zhang Haiyan for a long time before suddenly touching his face and scolding, Ridiculous. Its really ridiculous. I cant believe that I fell for that womans nonsense. How could anyone in this world be able to change faces? That woman is really good at bewitching people.


    Do you think shes lying to scare us? Hudson asked


    Asian people like to lie and act all mysterious. Warner said. We represent the advanced party. Most of these silly things are all smoke screens. The only thing I believe in now is that she can help me smuggle those ancient works of art. I dont know what else shes nning.


    ****


    <strong><em>Merebear note: Oh ho, we''re almost caught up</em></strong> ( ) <strong><em>Thanks for bearing with us</em></strong>

 Chapter 28: The Building From Three Thousand Years Ago

    Chapter 28: The Building From Three Thousand Years Ago


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Warner. The other party hadnt fallen for his trick at all. He thought that as long as he could leave here and reach a narrow area or ce where the machine guns couldnt sweep, he could find a way to escape. But that would only work as long as his words could get him out of this situation.


    But Warner didnt want to continue the conversation at all, and Zhang Haiyan couldnt rush him, either. As a result, he pretended he was going to pass out.


    What do we do now? Hudson asked. Since the other party wants to make a deal with us, do they also know how to enter that building?


    Warner nodded. Its possible. When I was doing research on that building in China, I spread a lot of news. Maybe some of them recognized us.


    "If we also reach an agreement with them, then it wouldnt matter which of the two parties wins because it would all work out for us, right? Hudson asked.


    Warner shook his head. There''s a hidden danger in being preparing for everything in advance. Miss Dong is alone. We have more than thirty people, and shes able to provide us with various firearms. We have eighteen submachine guns, but the other party has arge number of people. If we eventually get the same result from both parties, who do you think Id like to work with under the circumstances?


    But you said this woman is a monster. Instead of dealing with monsters, it seems better to work with normal people.


    Warner touched his pistol. Even monsters cant rule the world now.


    Zhang Haiyan was lying on the sofa and didnt know if he should stop breathing at this time. <em>A</em><em>re you two done talking?</em> He thought to himself.


    Warner finally turned his gaze back to Zhang Haiyan. If it weren''t for her promise to take us to the building, her life and death wouldnt be our main priority. Now, in order for the contract to be executed, we still need to follow her n and stay here. Tell the gunmen in the other cabins to walk in groups whenever possible. Warner looked at Zhang Haiyan. Steven, if you dont want to tell us the details, then your journey should end here. With that said, he nodded to Hudson. After he dies, let the woman take a closer look at him and see if its a technique that group of people shes mentioned uses. Also, let him die morefortably.


    Hudson picked up a sofa cushion on one side and put it over Zhang Haiyans nose. Zhang Haiyan raised his hand and touched Hudsons gun, but rethought it and put his hand back down once he heard Warners words.


    <em>You want to smother me, right? </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. He was going to act like he was smothered to death, but he didnt see Hudson draw his pistol, put it against the cushion, and shoot.


    The bullet hit his nose directly, and the huge impact caused the blood in his mouth to spray out.


    That building has three thousand years worth of history. Its been mentioned in legends from Chinas Ming Dynasty. Three of them have interpreted its location, but we havent found it yet. Were so close now, so such a little sacrifice is worthwhile.


    Zhang Haiyans ears buzzed, and then he was dragged off the sofa.

 Chapter 28.2 The Building From Three Thousand Years Ago

    Chapter 28.2 The Building From Three Thousand Years Ago


    Zhang Haiyan still pretended to be in aa. He knew that he could wake up now that Warner had dismissed the thought that he wasnt Steven. But it would seem too suspicious if he immediately woke up.


    What do we do now? Hudson asked. That womans been hoping wed agree to a bigger deal. Why didnt you agree, Mr. Warner? I heard that she promised to take us to look at an ancient underground building from three thousand years ago. Isnt that our purpose?


    She only promised to help us enter, but we couldnt take anything out. Whats the point of that?


    Warner continued smoking his cigar. At this stage, we cant easily agree to anything she offers. We have to wait for her patience to run out, and then shell show us some sincerity. At that point, itll be easier for us to get more generous terms. We cant think about what she can give. We need to think about what we want so that we can move forward without any obstacles. Before she can agree to our additional requirements, were only responsible for bringing her to Xiamen alive. We absolutely wont take another step before that.


    Hudson nodded.


    Find a doctor to wake Steven up. Ask him what exactly happened. Warner thought for a while before he handed the newspaper, notes, and sketches to Hudson. Give these to her and see what shell do next.


    Hudson nodded again. As youve said, Mr. Warner, this woman is a monster. I cant help but feel that shell definitely do something.


    Warner touched his pistol. Even monsters cant rule the world now.


    Hudson wrote down a note and sent someone to find a ships doctor.


    <em>Something will go wrong if this continues. Since the ships doctors are all dead, a disguised killer might show up instead.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan immediately took this opportunity to groan, trying to act as if he was about to wake up. The person who jumped into the sea did this to me. He muttered. Hes still on the ship. He coughed violently.


    Hudson immediately poured a ss of water so that Zhang Haiyan could rinse his mouth. What exactly is going on? Warner asked.


    The man who said there were robbers on the ship made me swallow a bag of something. Zhang Haiyan said with difficulty. He said that if I didnt do as I was told, he would cast a spell and break the bag so that the des inside would prate my stomach. Its sorcery. He wanted me to deliver the notes.


    Hudson and Warner looked at each other, and Hudson said, Indeed, it seems like theres something off about this man. Maybe we should look into it?


    Absolutely not. Otherwise, we may fall for that womans trap. Well give the information to her. Whether its true or not, shell feel greater pressure, which will force her to negotiate the terms with us. Warner leaned back in his chair and looked at the sea outside.


    Can I go find the ships doctor myself? Zhang Haiyan was really lucky this time, and Warner let him go.

 Chapter 29: Steven’s Plan

    Chapter 29: Steven¡¯s n


    When he returned to the room, Zhang Haiyan was limp.<em> She got the message, right? Now it all depends on her response.</em>


    Do you have any cigarettes? Zhang Haiyan asked Steven, while ignoring He Jianxi''s cold look.


    Steven looked at Zhang Haiyans face and said, Its so amazing. I knew what that woman said was true.


    Do you have any cigarettes?


    When Steven looked at a corner of the room, Zhang Haiyan walked over, found a pack of cigarettes, and lit one. Where did the swans father go? Zhang Haiyan asked him.


    Stevenughed. Thats a joke. Miss Dong asked us to use this method, but we refused. The joke at that time was this puzzle. In fact, Im the only one who believes most of what she said.


    Why didnt you tell me that all of the room numbers are gone?


    Steven shook his hand. You were too anxious and wouldnt let me finish speaking. We need tomunicate more.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at He Jianxi. He didnt act rashly, did he? He Jianxi shook his head.


    Zhang Haiyan wanted to cover Stevens mouth again, but Steven obviously didnt want that anymore and immediately said, Did you send the slip of paper to her?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded, and Steven said, You should continue to send the second one now.


    Zhang Haiyan looked out the window and began to y with Stevens guns and explosives.


    As he was waiting for Miss Dongs feedback, the killers were getting closer and closer. At this time, their best bet was to go to the fourth floor and stay next to Miss Dong.


    So far, these Americans couldnt tell who was who. As long as they made any kind of move on the fourth floor, the Americans would kill everyone.


    He was about to sacrifice Steven since the man wanted to kill him any chance he got. <em>Why dont I let him try to defend himself?</em>


    Steven could feel that Zhang Haiyan wanted to kill him, so he continued talking, When pursuing women, you have to express your feelings again and again. You cant stop.


    Zhang Haiyan raised his hand and hit the back of Stevens head, knocking him out for the third time.


    Will he die if you keep doing that? He Jianxi asked.


    He wont die like this, Zhang Haiyan said. He was about to say more when the doorbell suddenly rang.


    Zhang Haiyan was taken aback and quickly dragged Steven to the blind spot behind the door while signaling He Jianxi to hide behind the curtain.


    He held the table knife in a reverse grip as he stood behind the closed door and asked in English, Who is it?


    The sailor on the other side said, Im here to deliver an invitation card.


    "I dont need it.


    It doesnt matter. You only need to take one look at it and sign it.


    Zhang Haiyany down on the ground and saw a pair of leather shoes through the door crack.


    Im taking a shower, He said. You may slide the invitation card through the door crack.


    Yes, sir. A piece of paper was slid into the room. Zhang Haiyan picked it up and the sailor left.


    Based on the sound of his footsteps, he seemed like an ordinary person. Zhang Haiyan breathed a sigh of relief and opened the card, which turned out to be an invitation to a ball.


    And the host of the ball was Miss Dong.


    The line of ink appeared a little smeared when the card was opened, indicating that the ink hadnt dried yet. The invitation had just been written.


    Miss Dong, who had stayed behind closed doors, was about to hold a ball immediately after receiving a letter from him.


    Zhang Haiyan smiled. This Miss Dong certainly moved very fast. He had written in his note that Miss Dong should respond to him by holding a banquet. It seemed that she had believed in the sincerity of his note.


    He and Miss Dong would be at the banquet, where they would look for opportunities to meet each other.


    He opened Steven''s wardrobe and started looking for an evening suit.

 Chapter 30: Mo Yungao In Southern China

    Chapter 30: Mo Yungao In Southern China


    Lets turn our attention back to China. Beihai Port in southern China was one of the most important ports for people traveling from the Gulf of Tonkin to Southeast Asia.


    The weather there was very hot and humid. Mo Yungao had a veryrge mansion there that used to belong to the businessman, Ma Youbao, after the British opened the port (1). There wererge manors, palm trees, and bananas, and the main building alone had more than sixty rooms.


    The Ma residence hadnt been repaired for a long time. After the warlords melees, the Guangxi factions had fought each other many times in Beihai, causing the ships to stop sailing there. All the ships were turning to Xiamen, so fewer foreigners came, which meant that there were fewer monks who could repair such houses.


    This kind of European-style Catholic mansion was very rare in Guixi. Mo Yungao had seen it when he first entered Beihai and chose it as his headquarters. He hadnt left since.


    After a long time, a lot of the mansion keys had been lost. The housekeeperined about it several times, which led Mo Yungao to think of Chen Xifeng. When he had taken over here, Chen Xifeng was the one archiving everything. If Chen Xifeng was still around, it wouldnt have been so troublesome.


    Chen Xifeng was an important person who helped him conquer Beihai andter nned out Beihais defense. As his lieutenant, Chen Xifeng helped him umte a very solid ruling foundation when he was still alive.


    Unfortunately, he died on the ship that was heading back to a three years ago. Although Chen Xifeng had kept his promise and brought back what Mo Yungao wanted, his body was already swollen when he returned.


    Mo Yungao used to think that people like Chen Xifeng would never die, so when he saw Chen Xifengs corpse, he couldnt believe it for a long time.


    The violent stench made him unable to open his eyes.


    There was no doubt that Chen Xifeng was a very capable person, but his smell after death was just as unbearable as the other idiots who worked and died for him.


    The airtight jar was in Chen Xifengs hands at that time. It was said that the lieutenant was holding the jar so tightly that the others couldnt pry his hands open. He had said that he needed to personally hand it over to his superior.


    For a few seconds, Mo Yungao was a little touched and felt as if he had lost something. But his interest in that jar soon surpassed all that Chen Xifeng had done. He covered his nose, ordered the people to cut off Chen Xifengs fingers, and then retrieved the jar.


    As Chen Xifengs body fell to the ground, Mo Yungao evaded the body fluids and ordered the others to quickly burn the corpse. At that time, those who were close to the lieutenant asked if he was going to be given a military funeral, but Mo Yungao had already left. He never asked about Chen Xifeng again.


    The body was hastily burned in the yard.


    In addition to the jar, there was also a letter that Chen Xifeng had written. He had ced it at the bottom of the jar and wrote down detailed information about Zhang Haiyan and the a branch of the Southern Archives.


    Chen Xifeng had been killed by a man named Zhang Haiyan.


    <em>His surname is Zhang?</em>


    For some reason, Mo Yungao was particrly sensitive to this surname. As a result, he became extremely interested in the Southern Archives.


    This incident was a huge reflection of the workings of fate. Zhang Haiyans naughty words were carefully recorded by Chen Xifeng and passed to Mo Yungao.


    The series of events piled up, revealing a magnificent picture.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Treaty ports were port cities in China that were opened to foreign trade mainly by the "unequal treaties" with the Western powers. Wiki link here

 Chapter 31: Fear

    Chapter 31: Fear


    Zhang Haiyan didnt expect things to go so smoothly.


    He thought Miss Dong would at least check it before giving him any kind of response. She had probably already known some of the information, which was why she had reacted so quickly.


    When he went to the ballroom and saw that the preparations were already under way, he couldnt help thinking that Miss Dongs orders were very efficient.


    He looked at his watch. The ball would begin this afternoon. All the posters had already been put up and the first-ss guests could attend the ball for free.


    The most conspicuous spot on the posters read: Miss Dong will personally award the best dressed at the ball.


    <em>Miss Dong.</em>


    Her image on the poster had been reced with a ck silhouette. Since no one knew what she looked like, it made her seem especially mysterious.


    The ballroom was actually the restaurant, so there were booths upstairs, a dance floor downstairs, and a lot of dining tables ced all around. There was even a singing stage and a ce for a band to sit on the side. Zhang Haiyan carefully looked at the structure and realized that this ce only had two exits, which wasnt suitable for their meeting.


    Miss Dong would be surrounded by those gunmen. If he approached her rashly and didnt handle the situation well, she might use this opportunity to arrest him or even have him killed immediately.


    <em>I have to think of a particrly ingenious way for me tomunicate with Miss Dong on even ground. Its best if we can be alone.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan was a killer, so he thought the whole thing was simr to plotting a murder.


    The second floor of the restaurant here was directly connected to the fourth floor of the first-ss cabin, so it would only take Miss Dong about a minute to reach the ballroom after leaving her room. The possibility of her being ambushed on the way was very slim, so if the killers wanted to do something, they had to do it in the ballroom.


    He couldnt pretend to be a crew member, service staff, or some other guest from the first-ss cabin since Warners gunmen on the fourth floor would stop those kinds of people. In addition to that, the second floor was full of booths, so those people could only enter from the dance floor on the first floor. The whole setup was just like a jar. If there were any idents, they wouldnt be able to get out.


    His best chance was when she came down to dance. But this was something that everyone would think of. Whether she came down to dance or not, he wasnt even sure if she would dance with him since he was pretending to be Steven.


    He needed an ident that would plunge the entire ball into chaos. When that happened, he could go up to Miss Dong and look for a chance to be alone with her.


    He thought it over for a while and finally had a sh of inspiration.


    The gue.


    Zhang Haiyan had walked up and down the stairs twice, when he suddenly saw a girl walking past him. The way she walked was familiar. He took a closer look and realized that she was one of the killers from that time.


    He didnt know why, but when he saw her walking, he felt a sense of fear surge up in his heart. It had nothing to do with the murder that was about to take ce, but felt more like a different kind of fear that he didn''t understand.


    Why didnt he care that this girl was a killer? Why did he care more about the way she walked instead?


    This sudden thought made Zhang Haiyan very anxious as he looked at the girls back. He wanted to go up and push her into a corner so that he could study her carefully in order to figure out what he was so afraid of.


    But he held himself back.


    He quickly left the ballroom and returned to his room, where he found the poison gas cylinders that he had emptied. There was only one of them that still had a little gas left in it, so he put it in his bag.


    Zhang Haiyan entered the ballroom early that afternoon and put the bag on his seat. The ball had started about half an hour ago, and the rxing music in the beginning had changed into a more joyous and cheerful melody.


    He had been to upper ss balls before. The foreigndies were mboyant as they looked for dance partners among all kinds of well-dressed men. There were some rich Chinese people, but they rarely danced. In principle, no matter how rich the Chinese were, it was more difficult for them to find a dance partner on this asion.


    People were showing up one right after another, and the corridor leading to the ballroom was packed. Many people were watching the sea and chatting while they waited for the fireworks that would be set off from both sides of the ship at the climax of the ball.


    The environment was veryplicated and he was feeling a great deal of pressure. He habitually turned his head again and saw a beautiful young woman behind him.


    She walked over when he smiled at her. Zhang Haiyan nodded, and the two of them started to dance. It was Zhang Haiyans first dance of the night.


    While spinning on the dance floor, Zhang Haiyan looked at the second floor from time to time.


    The young womanughed, Sir, are you curious about the mysterious Miss Dong? I heard that all the men from the first-ss cabin are talking about her.


    Yes. Its said that no one has seen this Miss Dong, and her bodyguards take things very seriously. She must be really ugly if shes so afraid of meeting people, Zhang Haiyan said in fluent English.


    The young womanughed again, In your mens eyes, are women only ugly and beautiful?


    Then maybe shes extremely beautiful, but shes so proud that she feels like her face cant be easily shown, which is also very annoying.


    It didnt matter what he said. At that moment, there was amotion in the ballroom, which immediately drew Zhang Haiyans attention. He turned his head and saw a beautiful but indifferent Chinese woman appearing on the stairs to the second floor.


    Ms. Dong was wearing a satin cheongsam, and her shoulders were covered with a small gold silk openwork shawl (1). She looked very gorgeous. The close-fitting skirt showed her good figure, and the legs where the skirt didnt cover were straight and slender. Her expression was cold and majestic as her eyes swept across the entire ballroom indifferently. Her aura was so strong that many people looked up at her for a while.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Its a kind of shawl that looks like this (could maybe loosely be considered a vest):

 Chapter 32: Miss Dong 2

    Chapter 32: Miss Dong 2


    <em>Is she the mysterious Miss Dong? Well, she doesnt look that special. </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself as he looked at the crowd. Several of the killers he had identified in the third-ss cabin were in the ballroom pretending to be waiters and musicians.


    If he had shown up with his real face, he probably wouldve been targeted by now. He remained silent as he watched Miss Donge downstairs and nod to the people below.


    The gunmen had alle to the railing on the second floor. He could see that the hands in their pockets were all pointing downstairs. These people must have been the best marksmen. This Miss Dong really took her own safety seriously.


    When Zhang Haiyan looked up, the gunmen greeted him since they all knew him. He responded back out of politeness.


    Miss Dong is the shipowners daughter and she just so happened to be on the ship this time. The Dong family is the wealthiest family in Xiamen. They have good rtionships with various leaders. Both the Revolutionary Army (1) and the rulers from the Qing Dynasty would also give them face, someone said.


    Zhang Haiyans dance partner was a little jealous. See? Shes not ugly. Shes a good-looking girl. All you men have the same expressions on your faces when looking at her.


    Zhang Haiyan politely let go of her hands. Im just stunned by Miss Dongs entourage. Im sorry if I upset you. I apologize, but I have to serve my teacher now.


    Steven, where have you been these past few days? Warner called out to him after following Miss Dong down.


    Zhang Haiyan cleared his throat and walked up to him. Teacher, my throat hasnt been feeling well recently.


    Its not like youre dancing with your throat, Warner said. Come sit with me. Lets eat quickly and then we cane back down to have some fun with thedies.


    Zhang Haiyan nodded. This was a banquet and a ball, after all. The two politely greeted everyone on the first floor before going back to the second floor.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the second floor and saw that the gunmen hadnt rxed at all. Both the first floor and the stairs were within the range of their firepower, so Zhang Haiyan had no choice but to follow Warner obediently and go to one of the booths on the second floor.


    The door of the booth wasnt closed, and it was easy to see some exquisite appetizers inside. Miss Dong and Warner sat down, and then the three of them decided what drinks they should order.


    I heard that theres a special wine for the ball, Warner said. Give us a ss of it.


    When Zhang Haiyan looked around and didnt see any attendants, he knew that Warner was talking to him.


    He cursed secretly in his heart and stood up. It turned out that he was sitting with them so that he could act as their waiter. He approached the wine cab in the booth and saw that a bottle of wine had already been opened. There was also a box next to it. Zhang Haiyan was a little puzzled and nced back at Warner, who winked.


    Zhang Haiyan took the box and wine to the table.


    Miss Dong, what do you think about the matter I mentionedst time? Warner asked as put his napkin in hisp.


    I already told you. The deal we made when we got on the ship is the final version. I cant satisfy any of your extra requests. Miss Dong lit a cigarette and looked at Steven a bit contemptuously.


    Zhang Haiyan was still looking at the two gunmen outside the open door. He could just knock Warner down and abduct Miss Dong, but he knew those skilled marksmen could still hit him directly even if he kept Miss Dong close.


    He really didnt want to kill Miss Dong. He just hoped that she could help him fight against the killers.


    He had to find a way to close the door.


    Its not an extra request. Its an additional transaction. Warner opened the box, revealing a piece of jade inside. I know that money is of no use to your family. This is a piece of jade found in Central Asia. The Arabs imported it from Myanmar through China at the time. I know that your family has been collecting this kind of stuff. Your father will definitely like it. This kind of stone is the most difficult one toe by. I hope this can make you rethink our terms.


    As Zhang Haiyan listened to his words, he couldnt help thinking that foreigners were really straightforward. The dishes hadnt even been served yet and he had already cut to the chase.


    Miss Dong looked at Warner. It is indeed very expensive. But using this in exchange for the smuggling channel is basically making our family exchange a stone for peoples lives. I think it may be difficult for my father to agree. Plus, I havent arrived in Xiamen yet. Our first deal hasnt even beenpleted yet. Why so anxious?


    When you arrive in Xiamen, Im afraid that one stone wont be enough, Warner said. What I want you to do is ept this stone now and send a telegram to your father. Open the smuggling channel for us before we arrive in Xiamen. Once youve arrived, the channel can be closed again. I only need this short amount of time.


    Miss Dongughed. This feels like youre using me to threaten my father.


    Warner shook his head. Its business, Miss Dong, just business. The ship is yours, but Im the one with the most firepower on it. Moreover, youre the one who allowed us to get on the ship. Everything happens for a reason. Why dont you think about whats scaring you enough to get you to ask me for protection?


    Miss Dong seemed to be touched by Warners words. She thought for a while and then said, Mr. Warner, youve said that the people on your team are the kind of devils who kill without batting an eye. Is that right?


    Warner nodded. Yes. Those who listen to my orders are devils who kill without batting an eye. Am I right, Steven?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded.


    Zhang Haiyan poured wine for the two of them and also poured a little for himself. He secretly leaned towards the door, preparing to close it.


    Warner looked at Miss Dong, Youve been stalling for a long time. You have to give me the answer today. Otherwise, we may all be frightened today.


    Miss Dongughed. Oh, youll definitely be frightened. She then turned to Zhang Haiyanwho had managed to close the door halfwayand said to him in Chinese, Mr. Fake Face, even if you close the door, what you want to do wont seed.


    Zhang Haiyan was stunned, but he didnt stop trying to close the door. Warner didnt have time to react before Miss Dong suddenly put one hand on the table, jumped up, and kicked the box on the table. The box went flying through the crack in the door and over the railing, dropping to the first floor below. As a result, Zhang Haiyan didnt get to close the door.


    Zhang Haiyan didnt expect Miss Dong to be this fierce. He had just turned around when he saw that Miss Dong was about to drop kick him. He opened the door wide and did a backflip.


    Miss Dong wasnt any slower than him and followed him out. The gunmen still hadnt figured out what was going on before Miss Dong was already in front of Zhang Haiyan.


    Zhang Haiyan thought to himself, <em>shes very ruthless. How is she the shipowners daughter? She might as well be my daughter.</em> He immediately said in Chinese, Im here to discuss business. Im the one who passed you the notes.


    Miss Dong didnt care at all and just moved to poke his eyes out. Zhang Haiyan turned over and jumped down from the second floor. But before he had evennded, Miss Dong had almost jumped down right next to him.


    <em>Youre definitely not a rich second generation, </em>Zhang Haiyan said in his heart. <em>Is it popr among shipowners to send their daughters to Shaolin Temple </em>(2)<em>?</em>


    As Zhang Haiyan rolled on the floor, the dance floor below descended into chaos. Zhang Haiyan had a chance to look up and saw the chandelier above his head. He dodged as Miss Dong moved to poke his eyes out again. This time, she came very close. He managed to lift his head and shoot a de at the ceiling, directly cutting the chandeliers wire.


    The chandelier didnt fall, but sparks flew everywhere and the lights went out in an instant. The dance floor immediately became dark and everyone fled.


    Zhang Haiyan went to a corner, immediately took his coat off, tore his mask off, and threw it to the middle of the dance floor.


    At almost the exact same time, the artificial lights on the dance floor came on. They were very bright and everyone seemed toe to their senses.


    Zhang Haiyan saw that Miss Dong had stopped giving chase. She walked up to where the mask was, picked it up, and then stuffed it into her skirt. She then lifted the box that had the jade in it.


    Warner ran downstairs and looked at Miss Dong. What happened to Steven? Wheres my jade?


    Steven stole your jade.


    Whats the matter with Steven? He was just like a monkey, The gunmen asked from the back.


    Warner grabbed the skin mask and threw it to the gunmen behind him. Miss Dong, Ive lost something on your ship. You need to take responsibility.


    Miss Dong lit another cigarette. That doesnt sound right. Didnt your subordinate steal your thing?"


    Warner became angry and drew his pistol, aiming it directly at Miss Dong. Did you fucking set up a trap? That wasnt Steven. If Steven can run after jumping down like that, Ill lick your feet.


    Miss Dong watched him coldly and then took a single step forward. The pistol in Warners hand suddenly disappeared. He was stunned, but Miss Dong had already put the pistol back in his holster.


    Since his purpose is the jade and were on a ship, the jade will still be here before we dock. What are you worried about? Miss Dong continued, Start the investigation now, and inform everyone of the news. All passengers have to stay in their rooms and wait for Mr. Warners inspection.


    Zhang Haiyan was in the corner, looking at Miss Dong and wondering what the woman was going to do.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) The National Revolutionary Army was the military arm of the Kuomintang (KMT, or the Chinese Nationalist Party) from 1925 until 1947 in the Republic of China. Wiki link here


    (2) Shaolin Kung Fu is one of the oldest,rgest, and most famous styles of kung fu. It originated and was developed in the Shaolin temple in China. Wiki link here

 Chapter 33: Lose Control

    Chapter 33: Lose Control


    Zhang Haiyan soon got an answer.


    There were about eight hundred people on the ship. If four people shared a room, then that meant that there were about two hundred rooms. In the event of an emergency, the captain of the ship had the right to impose a curfew and require all passengers to stay in their cabins in order to control the situation.


    As the ship began to broadcast the news non-stop, Zhang Haiyan could already feel that this matter had be very troublesome.


    Everyone rushed to their rooms, and Zhang Haiyan mixed in with the crowd and walked out. He saw Warner directing Hudson to check the fourth floor of the first-ss cabin.


    This meant that they were going to check Stevens room, which He Jianxi and Steven were still in. During the ship-wide curfew, everyone had to stay in their own rooms. Otherwise, they would be arrested and possibly shot on the spot, whether they were suspects or not. (It was war time after all.)


    Everyone had to have a legal room to stay in. Even if he immediately brought He Jianxi and Steven back to his own room, Warner would definitelye to check. All he could do now was break Stevens neck and throw him into the sea. He Jianxi had to return to the third-ss cabin immediately, or they would all suffer.


    But Warner and the others moved very fast, and he didnt dare run for fear of arousing suspicion. There might not be any way to do it so seamlessly.


    <em>He Jianxi, ah, He Jianxi. If it were Zhang Haixia, he would definitely react and do something. But He Jianxi cant be counted on.</em>


    As Zhang Haiyan followed the crowd, he passed by a killer who was disguised as a waiter. They both looked at each other, but neither took action.


    When Zhang Haiyan made it to the corridor, he suddenly realized something. He looked back and saw Miss Dong walking out of the ballroom with the gunmen. They had submachine guns in their hands and were pulling the bolts back.


    Warner followed her. If Miss Dong cant find what Ive lost, we might not go to Xiamen. Miss Dong, your father will have to pay more to get the boat back to shore.


    You used the Egyptian Museums collection to make a deal with me. Youre such a scoundrel. Do they know youre doing this?


    To exchange one Central Asian national treasure for the smuggling rights to Chinas ten national treasures is certainly a suitable deal. But its not appropriate if the jade is lost.


    Then you cant go to Central Asia anymore. Youll be a wanted criminal in the United States. Your academic status will be destroyed, Miss Dong said. Which means youre doomed if you lose the jade.


    <em>We </em>will be doomed, Miss Dong.


    Miss Dong took out a stack of notes from her clothes, which turned out to be the notes Zhang Haiyan had given her. She looked at them and said, Well, since well have the same fate, Mr. Warner, please give me the right tomand the gunmen. Ill help you get the jade back tonight and well talk about our new deal afterwards.


    When Warner looked at the people behind them and nodded, Miss Dong said to the gunmen, Gentlemen, there are no rules. Whether they are children, adults, old people, or women, as long as I give themand, you will shoot immediately. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee your safety.


    The gunmen looked at each other and Miss Down moved forward quickly. Zhang Haiyan decided to take a break and lit a cigarette. He noticed that all the killers were looking at him from among the crowd, but they didnt dare attack him.


    This was a truly interesting situation.


    Zhang Haiyan had confirmed a few things after this most recent series of events. First, Miss Dong had been in a state of house arrest before tonight, but she gained control of the gunmen because of his actions. Second, she knew a lot of things that happened on this ship. Thirdand most importantlywas that whether he wanted to cooperate with her or abduct her to control the ship, he didnt want to hurt her. But Miss Dong was theplete opposite. For her, Zhang Haiyan and all those who might kill her needed to be eradicated tonight.


    There was nothing wrong with her line of thinking. He would do the same if it were him.


    But he didnt know why Miss Dong would think someone on the ship wanted to kill her. She had taken advantage of the gunmens strong firepower and the killers weakness to make this move. It was very risky, but also very clever.


    If the killers assembled and fought against the gunmen on the deck, they would be wiped out by a barrage of bullets in an instant.


    That was why the gunmen hadnt separated since they got on the ship. It had always been a fixed concentrated firepower advantage. Until now, this group of people still had all their guns together.


    As a result, separating the gunmen and slowly consuming their firepower wouldnt work.


    Since they couldnt do it the hard way, the killers now had two options.


    One was to stay outside and get caught because of the ship-wide curfew. If they resisted, they would be shot on the spot.


    The other was to go back to their rooms, where they would be divided into groups of two or three because of the room limitations. With the firepower of dozens of submachine guns, they were basically waiting for Miss Dong to go from room to room and kill them.


    <em>The second one will work as long as she knows who the killers are, and she knows who they are because I told her.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan felt very conflicted about this. His n of abducting Miss Dong and using her to deal with the killers couldnt be executed anymore because she was already on it. Her n was more well-rounded than his, and with her skills, it would be very difficult for the killers to fight back. They would definitely be killed this time.


    Another problem was that Zhang Haiyan was also seen as a killer. And based on the direction they were walking in, he was likely to be the first one killed.


    Zhang Haiyan rushed back to his own room. He had already figured out a general n. <em>Steven. I have to deal with Steven first.</em>


    He didnt want to kill Steven, but if he didnt, the three of them would have to go on an adventure and stay away from the ship for several hours.


    Cousin, pack your things. Weve got to jump into the sea. Zhang Haiyan walked into the room and found that Steven and He Jianxi were gone.


    He froze for a moment and discovered that themp chord that had been wrapped around Steven had been cut by a knife.


    He recalled that when he left the room, He Jianxi didnt say much but Steven kept talking. He didnt think there was a problem at the time, but now that he thought about it carefully <em></em>


    <em>He Jianxi, this idiot. Is it possible that he was fooled by Steven and let him go? </em>


    Zhang Haiyan suddenly felt like he was Wu Dng (1). <em>These two adulterers</em>.


    Just as he was thinking this, he heard He Jianxis screamsing from the balcony. He went up to the window, looked around, and saw Steven and He Jianxi.


    The both of them had been knocked to the ground and Warner was tugging on Stevens face. Off to the side, Hudson drew his gun and put it to the back of He Jianxis head.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Wu Dng, also tranted as Wu the Elder, is a major character in the ssic Chinese novel The Plum in the Golden Vase, and a minor character in the Water Margin, another ssic. In both novels, he is murdered by his adulterous wife Pan Jinlian. Wiki link on him here

 Chapter 34: Killing Spree

    Chapter 34: Killing Spree


    In the records of the Southern Archivester on, this was what happened on the Nanan that night:


    Miss Dong took Warners gunmen with her andunched a total of fourteen attacks. The sporadic fights wont be mentioned here. The biggest one was in the cabin that had the wide beds.


    The wide-bed cabin was the area where the cargo hold had been converted into a passenger cabin. Many people stayed in this cabin, and there were small vendors sleeping on the floor there.


    Even the Nanan had such a cargo hold in order to expand the number of passengers they carried.


    The killers initially didnt know that Miss Dong had their information. The materials Zhang Haiyan had provided werentprehensive, but Miss Dong went through the crowd, catching one killer after another like an eagle catching a chicken. They only realized something was off when she asked them to kneel down and face the wall.


    In many cases, as long as people won fifty percent of the fight, the remaining fifty percent would follow. This was the case on the Nanan that night. The remaining assassins thought that Miss Dong had the entire list, so they desperately rushed at her, hoping to take hostages to protect themselves.


    It had seemed like Miss Dongs actions were risky at the time, but she was actually the one who was most likely to win. If someone had informed the other killers of Miss Dongs performance at the ball, then those who rushed towards her wouldnt have been so surprised to find that she wasnt someone who could be subdued so easily.


    Miss Dong merely took a few steps backward, preventing those poor people from grasping her clothes. She then grabbed the first persons wrist, twisted it, and blocked the hidden weapon that was shot out from behind.


    The gunmen raised their submachine guns, and a bloody mist bloomed like lotus flowers as the four people rushing over were instantly sted full of holes.


    The remaining ones grabbed some women and children from the side to use as hostages, but they grossly underestimated the skills of Warners gunmen. Those gunmen had trained the speed and uracy of their short-range shooting skills during the Westward Expansion as they fought the Native Americans.


    They found gaps in the hostages shoulders, armpits, and sides and shot the killers without any hindrance.


    The Southern Archives didnt have any records on whether manughter or idental injuries urred during the whole process.


    Based on the result, about thirty-four assassins had been killed on the ship by the time dawn came. Seven assassins jumped into the sea to escape and one lifeboat was missing.


    Only one killer was captured, and his name was He Jianxi. It was determined after the trial that he had been coerced, so he was eventually acquitted.


    Five of the gunmen died.


    After the ship arrived in a, the gue began to spread. A total of neen passengers were missing, thirty-four assassins and five gunmen had died, and seven assassins had jumped into the sea to escape.


    At that time, it was a major criminal case that took ce on the sea, so the newspaper extravagantly reported on it. All the southern countries were shocked.


    Another thing that should be mentioned is that Zhang Haiyan was neither on the list of missing people nor on the list of those who were killed.


    So where did Zhang Haiyan go? Why didnt He Jianxi die?


    At that time, Steven briefly exined everything that had happened as Miss Dong looked at He Jianxi. Warner looked at Miss Dong in challenge, wanting to know if this woman was bluffing.


    But she didnt hesitate at all.


    Kill him. With that said, Miss Dong moved forward with the team.


    He Jianxi watched in horror as Hudson pulled out his pistol. Turn your head. Dont look at the person shooting you.


    At this moment, Steven pressed Hudsons hand down. Keep a few people alive. What if this woman staged the whole thing herself and is killing people in order to shut them up?


    By this time, Zhang Haiyan hade out onto the balcony and climbed onto the pipes above the corridor. As long as Hudson fired, he would immediately shoot the des from his mouth and drag He Jianxi into the sea with him.


    But Hudson thought it over for a while and then put his gun away. He let Steven tie He Jianxi up and then moved to follow after Miss Dong.


    Zhang Haiyan breathed a sigh of relief and then moved along the pipes as he followed the people who had abducted He Jianxi. When they arrived at a corner where no one was around, he shot the chandelier down. He then grabbed He Jianxis neck from above and pulled him onto the pipes.


    As the two of them ran wildly along the pipes and reached an inner cabin, they heard gunshots. Miss Dong wasnt joking. She had really gone on a killing spree. Zhang Haiyan thought of how he wanted to kill people whenever he was in a bad mood and suddenly realized that he was an absolutely kind person. This woman was truly an example of a person of action.


    Cousin, you sold me out, Zhang Haiyan said. Ive been so good to you, you Pan Jinlian (1).


    He suddenly had a heart attack. I was afraid he was going to die. I didnt know he was faking it, He Jianxi said anxiously. He was still terrified over what had happened earlier. He had already seen his boss brain matter and the thought that his own brain was almost smeared across the ground made him break out in goosebumps.


    Now the whole ship is searching for you. Can you listen to me for once?


    They are searching for you! He Jianxi said angrily. Im just someone you hired to catch flies.


    Zhang Haiyan did some quick calctions. They were on an enclosed ship and Miss Dong was especially fierce. She certainly wouldnt let him off the hook.


    At this time, he saw a lifeboat on the distant deck.


    In the midst of the vast sea, he certainly wouldnt think about going to Xiamen by lifeboat. But now that he knew exactly what Zhang Ruipus n was, he had to return to Perak as soon as possible to check on Haixias safety.


    He couldnt care too much about anything else right now. He had toe up with a n.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) In thest chapter, Zhang Haiyan felt that he was like Wu Dng, a character in a ssic novel who was killed by his adulterous wife Pan Jinlian. Therefore, Zhang Haiyan was basically saying, Youre my wife, and Ive been so good to you. How can you cheat on me? lol

 Chapter 35: The Apple Scam

    Chapter 35: The Apple Scam


    Zhang Haiqi put seven apples on the table across from where Zhang Haixia and Zhang Haiyan were sitting.


    She wasnt wearing many clothes since Xiamen was very hot in the summer. If it wasnt for the fact that Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia had reached puberty, Zhang Haiyan thought that their godmother would have definitely stripped all of her clothes off by now.


    Yes, he remembered that his godmother used to go around naked in front of them when they were little.


    Zhang Haiqi was eating the eighth apple by herself. Her words were slurred, her face was red, and she seemed to have drunk a lot of alcohol. I only made a meal for one person, she said to the two of them. Now, Ill ask you a question. Whoever answers it first gets to eat. She hupped and Zhang Haiyan got a whiff of chicken soup.


    He looked at what was on the other side of the table and knew very well that the meal consisted of a piece of tbread and a fried egg.


    When he and Zhang Haixia looked at each other, Zhang Haiqi became angry and immediately threw the apple at Zhang Haiyans face. Youre grown men now. Stop making eyes at each other!


    Zhang Haiyan immediately sat up straight and Zhang Haiqi continued, Alright. These apples on the table are mine. Youre going to steal them away from this room. Both of you are going to do it, but you must find a way to prevent me from being suspicious of you. This is an independent task, so you cant collude with each other.


    Zhang Haiyan gave an affirmative response, but he didnt even understand the question.


    He reflexively wanted to turn and look at Zhang Haixia, but when he thought of how he was hit by the apple earlier, he immediately stopped himself.


    Zhang Haiqi looked at him and lit a cigarette. Ill say it again. The apples on the table are mine. Youre going to steal them away from this room. Both of you are going to do it, but you must find a way to prevent me from being suspicious of you. This is an independent task, so you cant collude with each other.


    Zhang Haiyan understood the question this time and his mind raced as he thought about it carefully. He soon came up with a rough idea of how to do it.


    But just as he was getting ready to n out more details, Zhang Haixia spoke up from beside him, Ill give six apples to Zhang Haiyan and let him run out first. Ill stay here and take thest apple. When youe back, Ill tell you that Zhang Haiyan took all seven apples.


    Zhang Haiqi looked at Zhang Haixia.


    For Zhang Haiyan, it doesnt matter whether he takes six or seven apples because youll already be angry enough. And he wont bother rifying how many apples hes taken since hell definitely be beaten either way, Zhang Haixia continued.


    Zhang Haiyan turned his head to look at Zhang Haixia. You monster, how can youe up with this method? I was going to say it was the kid next door who stole the apples.


    Zhang Haiqi motioned Zhang Haixia to eat the meal before saying to Zhang Haiyan, While youre hungry, think over this issue very carefully. When you need to get out of a sticky situation in the future, you have to know how to get yourself acquitted.


    Zhang Haiayn clutched his belly while he watched Zhang Haixia eat the tbread. Zhang Haiqi headed upstairs. A few seconds after she was gone, Zhang Haixia immediately tore the tbread in half and tossed it to Zhang Haiyan.


    The situation right now was the same. The number of bodies and crewmen on the ship was fixed, so if he wasnt among either of them, then he had to be on the ship.


    He needed everyone to see that a lifeboat had fallen into the sea so that people would think that some of the killers had used it to escape. That way, he could continue staying on the ship. When the ship arrived in Xiamen, he could return to a as quickly as possible.


    But an empty lifeboat was useless. In other words, he wouldnt be helping Miss Dong in this situation. He was going to help one or two killers escape.


    <em>Its going to be difficult, but Im not backing down. </em>He looked at He Jianxi, Can you hold on and hide for twenty minutes?


    What are you doing now?


    I dont have time to exin. Go hide in the lifeboat. The two of us have to survive that crazy woman. Zhang Haiyan stuffed He Jianxi into the lifeboat and then followed the sounds of gunfire all the way to the cargo hold.


    When he snuck close, he heard the gunmen running past and falling to the ground in the distance. It was obvious that the killers had started fighting back.


    Three people have retreated into the cargo hold, one of the gunmen said. We were blocked at the door. They have hidden weapons, so Miss Dong wouldnt let us in. She went in to handle it herself.


    Being in a dark ce wasnt good for a group of people with heavy firepower, since they could easily be targeted and separated. This Miss Dong was really bold if she thought she wouldnt have any problems dealing with three killers by herself. It was easier for one person to hide in the darkpared to three, so Miss Dong must have been very confident in her stealth abilities.


    <em>Shaolin Temple doesnt teach this, either. I wonder where Miss Donges from?</em>


    Zhang Haiyan climbed like a gecko to the vicinity of the cargo hold and saw that the door was full of gunmen. It was basically positional warfare at this point. Not only were all of the guns facing the inside of the door, but they were all submachine guns, too. Those inside couldnt rush out and those outside couldnt rush in.


    Zhang Haiyan looked around and saw that someone else was hiding on the same pipe as him. The two looked at each other very awkwardly.


    The killer froze for a moment, and then suddenly moved and raised his hand, shooting a nail from his sleeve. When Zhang Haiyan turned his head to avoid it, the nail hit the metal wall with a ng. The gunmen immediately looked back.


    Zhang Haiyan motioned for him to stop making any noise and then mouthed, Brother, lets fight hand-to-hand.


    The killer climbed towards him like a gecko, and then he and Zhang Haiyan began grabbing each others throats in the small space.


    They wed at each other a few times before they stopped and pulled back. Zhang Haiyan motioned for him to wait and then mouthed, Brother, if you grab me, Ill definitely scream, and well be killed by the gunmen. If I grab you, youll definitely scream, and well be killed by the gunmen. Theres no need for that. Were both fools now. We have to work together.


    The other party couldn''t read lips and was frowning in confusion. Zhang Haiyan suddenly spit out a de and watched it slice through the killers throat. He had controlled the strength well, so only a third of the de came out of the back of the killers neck. But even though the de didnt go throughpletely, the killer had still died instantly.


    Zhang Haiyan crawled forward and quickly caught the dripping blood as the gunmen passed by below them. He then took off the killers shirt and wrapped it around his neck to absorb the blood.


    ****

 Chapter 36: Bai Zhu

    Chapter 36: Bai Zhu


    ****


    <strong><em>Merebear note: This is the censored version from here, which skips a few big points (especially towards the end)</em></strong>


    ****


    He Jianxi hid in the lifeboat. The ce was very cold as he huddled in the corner next to the seat.


    He had been an ountant for a private winery. Every day, he had to withstand other peoples negative emotions whenever he collected the ounts. Then, his boss suddenlymitted suicide. After getting on a barge, he was quickly robbed and then thrown off the ship. He floated on the sea for a long time with no ind in sight. He then climbed onto an iron ship and became a stowaway. Ten minutes after that, he witnessed a mass murder and then turned into an abductor.


    He had been cautious all his life. There were some ws with working in the bootleg business, but he was frank and had a clear conscience. But in the span of three or four days, he hadmitted a lot of serious crimes.


    No matter how honest he was, he didnt have the confidence to exin everything clearly.


    He couldn''t even imagine how this kind of situation would end anymore. He could still me Zhang Haiyan in the beginning, but now that he was in a daze, he understood it all clearly. He had encountered this kind of change because he was born unlucky.


    What else would happen? Would he be shot dead? He thought of his boss. Death wasnt unusual in this kind of world, right? Or could he get away and act as if everything had been a dream?


    At this moment, he suddenly heard a noise outside. He secretly opened a gap in the canvas covering the lifeboat and saw Steven walking outside. He was dragging a girl behind him.


    When Steven reached the corridor, it happened to be the moment Zhang Haiyan killed the assassin.


    The gunmen walked by, not realizing that there were people on the pipes. As Zhang Haiyan breathed a sigh of relief, he noticed that the assassins eyes were wide open, seemingly ring at him. Zhang Haiyan shook his head and thought to himself, <em>you were even fooled at such a critical moment. You deserve to be short-lived.</em>


    At this time, he suddenly realized that something wrong. It wasnt the gunmen who were walking by. It was He Jianxi.


    The bastard was leaning against the wall and moving forward with trembling limbs. He was just a few steps away from the entrance of the cargo hold. If he reached it, the gunmen would riddle his body full of holes.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately hung from the pipe, grabbed He Jianxi by the neck, and quickly pulled him up.


    He Jianxi was startled and wanted to scream, but then he saw that it was Zhang Haiyan.


    Cant you listen to me for once? Zhang Haiyan scolded him.


    I cant kill people, He Jianxi said.


    Zhang Hayian sighed. He never expected He Jianxi to kill people, either.


    He Jianxi finally noticed the gunmen up ahead, What are they doing? Stop looking at them. You should go back quickly and figure out what to do.


    "This is the cargo hold. The killers fled and went in there, so Miss Dong followed after them. Im trying to find a way to put a few corpses on the lifeboat. You did a good job earlier. If that Bai Zhu woman has died in there, then thats one less person for me to kill, Zhang Haiyan said while pointing to the corpse nearby.


    He Jianxi was no longer surprised, but at this moment, he suddenly thought of something. Wait a minute, cargo hold?


    He wanted to say, The cargo hold is a trap, but just as he was about to speak, he suddenly smelled something strange. He became tongue tied and ended up blurting out, Theres a burnt smell.


    What?


    He Jianxi looked above Zhang Haiyans head and asked, Whats burning in there?


    Zhang Haiyan looked back and found that there was an iron cover above the area where he was lying. He also smelled something at this time and immediately opened the cover. There was a fuse box inside, on top of which was a string of earthenware pots with sparksing out of them.


    It was a string of six or seven old-fashioned grenades. They were used by warlords to attack watchtowers during melees.


    Zhang Haiyan was shocked when he realized that the killer hadnt been hiding here. He was nning on blowing up the fuse box instead.


    ****


    Uncensored version of Chapter 36 is here.

 Chapter 36.2 Bai Zhu

    Chapter 36.2 Bai Zhu


    ****


    <strong><em>Merebear note: So um, don''t hate us, but apparently the raw version we used for yesterday''s Chapter 36 was censored to shit. Like major pieces of the plot were missing. Tiffany caught it as she was getting chapter 37 ready for you. (I was also kind of confused reading yesterday''s chapter since it seemed like stuff was skipping around but we know how the author loves digging holes lol). So, here is the full, uncensored version of Chapter 36. Tomorrow should be back on track with Chapter 37. We''re sorry</em></strong> () . <strong><em>Thank you for sticking with us</em></strong> (  `)


    ****


    He Jianxi hid in the lifeboat. The ce was very cold as he huddled in the corner next to the seat.


    He had been an ountant for a private winery. Every day, he had to withstand other peoples negative emotions whenever he collected the ounts. Then, his boss suddenlymitted suicide. After getting on a barge, he was quickly robbed and then thrown off the ship. He floated on the sea for a long time with no ind in sight. He then climbed onto an iron ship and became a stowaway. Ten minutes after that, he witnessed a mass murder and then turned into an abductor.


    He had been cautious all his life. There were some ws with working in the bootleg business, but he was frank and had a clear conscience. But in the span of three or four days, he hadmitted a lot of serious crimes.


    No matter how honest he was, he didnt have the confidence to exin everything clearly.


    He couldnt even imagine how this kind of situation would end anymore. He could still me Zhang Haiyan in the beginning, but now that he was in a daze, he understood it all clearly. He had encountered this kind of change because he was unlucky.


    What else would happen? Would he be shot dead? He thought of his boss. Death wasnt unusual in this kind of world, right? Or could he get away and act as if everything had been a dream?


    At this moment, he suddenly heard a noise outside. He secretly opened a gap in the canvas covering the lifeboat and saw Steven walking outside. He was dragging a young girl behind him.


    The girl had been shot and was tied up with a belt, but she wasnt dead yet.


    He Jianxi recognized her. He had met her when Zhang Haiyan asked him to smell the people in the third-ss cabins steerage area.


    She was one of the two girls who had attacked Zhang Haiyan after the two of them had climbed onto the ship. At that time, he remembered one girl had shoulder-length hair and the other girl had hair that reached her ears. This girl had shorter hair, so her name should be Bai Zhu.


    Bai Zhu gritted her teeth through the pain as Steven pointed a gun at her head and furtively looked around. When he saw that no one was around, he took a deep breath and said to Bai Zhu, Youre my first Asian woman. I hope well both feel impressed at the end of the day. With that said, he pushed Bai Zhus upper body against the lifeboat that He Jianxi was in and started to take off her pants.


    Bai Zhus figure was very good, and people could tell at a nce that she was good at swimming since she had long legs.


    Bai Zhu clenched her teeth as Steven began to take off his pants. The pain made her break out in cold sweat and He Jianxi wondered if she even had the strength to sense what was about to happen next. He then heard Bai Zhu say, Kill me first.


    I heard that Native American women used to say things like this as well. Steven was so excited that he was panting. My uncle told me that I cant cut the scalp first. I have to grab the woman by the hair while I fuck her. Otherwise, the flies will soon show up. As he lifted Bai Zhus shirt up, her blood began to flow down the side of the ship. When Steven saw the blood, he decided to put Bai Zhus upper body into the lifeboat.


    Bai Zhu saw He Jianxi inside the lifeboat. He Jianxi looked at her, but didnt know what to do.


    Steven was still trying to take off his pants. When he finally seeded, he spit in his hands, looked around again, and then put the gun on the edge of the lifeboat. From He Jianxis position, all he had to do was raise his hand and he could reach it.


    Bai Zhu didnt know who He Jianxi was, but she didnt scream. Instead, she looked at him calmly and said, Kill me.


    Ill shoot you in the back of the head the moment I feelfortable, Steven said from outside the lifeboat. I heard youll squeeze tightly if I do that.


    He Jianxi looked at Bai Zhus face. <em>What a beautiful girl! Although she killed without batting an eye</em>, <em>now shes no different from all the other girls who are bullied in a.</em>


    Kill me. Bai Zhu repeated with watery eyes.


    He Jianxi suddenly made up his mind. He quickly grabbed the gun, flipped open the canvas, and aimed the gun at Steven.


    Steven was just about to take the first step when he was startled by He Jianxis sudden appearance. He tripped over his pants and almost fell.


    Everyone has the right to a trial, He Jianxi said.


    Steven immediately turned around and pulled up his pants, using the opportunity to grab the dagger on his belt with one hand. But at that moment, he saw a sh of white light as Bai Zhus two slender legs came up and mped around his neck. With a twist and a snap, Stevens neck immediately broke. Bai Zhu twisted forcefully and threw his body directly off the ship and into the sea.


    Bai Zhu fell to the ground and curled up in pain. She clenched her teeth and looked up at He Jianxi, who was still pointing the gun at where Steven had been just a moment ago. After he realized Steven was dead, he immediately pointed the gun at Bai Zhu.


    Bai Zhu gritted her teeth and moved to get up, but closed her legs when she remembered that she wasnt wearing any pants. After several more attempts, she finally passed out.


    He Jianxi was so stunned that it took him a moment before he cautiously crawled out of the lifeboat. He found that Bai Zhus shirt was stained with blood, but the blood had stopped flowing.


    Were going to the cargo hold. Were going to kill that woman. We can win this. Bai Zhu was delirious as she looked at He Jianxi, seemingly mistaking him for someone else. Dont let others know about us. Everyone on the ship needs to die. She said intermittently.


    He Jianxi looked at the gun in his hand. It was absolutely impossible for him to kill people. But if he left her lying here, she would be found by the gunmen sooner orter. At that time, she would be either raped or killed. There was no chance that she would be interrogated.


    For some reason, He Jianxi didnt want this girl to die. He didnt know many girls, after all. Maybe it was because he didnt have much experience in this world, but he had an inexplicable affection for beautiful girls.


    <em>Wheres the gue god? He seems like someone people can negotiate with.</em> He Jianxi put the pistol in his back pocket, helped Bai Zhu put on her pants, and then ced her in the lifeboat. He took out the bottle of spirits Zhang Haiyan had given him earlier and poured it on the wound. Bai Zhu didnt react at all.


    He had to find the gue god. And since the gue god had followed the sound of gunshots, He Jianxi would follow them as well.


    When he reached the corridor, it happened to be the moment Zhang Haiyan killed the assassin.


    The gunmen walked by, not realizing that there were people on the pipes. As Zhang Haiyan breathed a sigh of relief, he noticed that the assassins eyes were wide open, seemingly ring at him. Zhang Haiyan shook his head and thought to himself, <em>you were even fooled at such a critical moment. You deserve to be short-lived.</em>


    At this time, he suddenly realized that something was wrong. It wasnt the gunmen who were walking by. It was He Jianxi.


    The bastard was leaning against the wall and moving forward with trembling limbs. He was just a few steps away from the entrance of the cargo hold. If he reached it, the gunmen would riddle his body full of holes.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately hung down from the pipe, grabbed He Jianxi by the neck, and quickly pulled him up.


    He Jianxi was startled and wanted to scream, but quickly realized that it was Zhang Haiyan.


    Cant you listen to me for once? Zhang Haiyan scolded him.


    Something happened while I was hiding in the lifeboat, He Jianxi said. That Bai Zhu girl was captured. Steven wanted to rape her, but I stopped him. But before I could do anything, Bai Zhu killed him. Then she passed out, so I pulled her into the lifeboat. If I stayed with her, I was afraid that she would kill me. If I left her on the deck, I was afraid that someone would rape her. I I didnt know what to do, so I came to find you.


    Just throw her into the sea, Zhang Haiyan said. A little girl like Bai Zhu, who had killed too many people, didnt need mercy. She needed a quick death.


    I cant kill people, He Jianxi said.


    Zhang Hayian sighed. He never expected He Jianxi to kill people, either.


    He Jianxi finally noticed the gunmen up ahead, What are they doing? Stop looking at them. You should go back quickly and figure out what to do.


    This is the cargo hold. The killers fled and went in there, so Miss Dong followed after them. Im trying to find a way to put a few corpses on the lifeboat, so good job. If that Bai Zhu woman dies in there, then thats one less person for me to kill, Zhang Haiyan said while pointing to the corpse nearby.


    He Jianxi was no longer surprised, but at this moment, he suddenly thought of something. Wait a minute, cargo hold?


    He wanted to say, The cargo hold is a trap, but just as he was about to speak, he suddenly smelled something strange. He became tongue tied and ended up blurting out, Theres a burnt smell.


    What?


    He Jianxi looked above Zhang Haiyans head and asked, Whats burning in there?


    Zhang Haiyan looked back and found that there was an iron cover above the area where he was lying. He also smelled something at this time and immediately opened the cover. There was a fuse box inside, on top of which was a string of earthenware pots with sparksing out of them.


    It was a string of six or seven old-fashioned grenades. They were used by warlords to attack watchtowers during melees.


    Zhang Haiyan was shocked when he realized that the killer hadnt been hiding here. He was nning on blowing up the fuse box instead.


    <em>Fuck.</em> By the time he realized what was going on, the sparks had almost burned out. Zhang Haiyan grabbed He Jianxi and the corpse and then flipped over. He used his back to cover He Jianxi while he raised the corpse up to cover his front.


    The first pot exploded, riddling the corpse full of holes. The nearby gunmen were immediately rmed. Zhang Haiyan got up and saw the gunmening, but he couldnt care about them right now. He grabbed He Jianxi and rushed towards the gunmen, but the second pot exploded just as they raised their guns.


    A huge explosion rushed out from behind. Zhang Haiyan hugged He Jianxi and grabbed his head before doing a barrel roll. The gunmen fired, but at that moment, the cabin lights went out.


    The rain-like bullets shone in the dark, sending sparks everywhere. As the pots exploded one right after another, the gunmen immediately dropped to the floor. After six more explosions, all the circuits on the floor had been blown up. The gunmen got up and turned on theirnterns, finding that the ce where they had been shooting was now full of body parts.


    Werent there two people just now? Shouldnt there be more traces of them? A gunman asked surprised.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Haiyan had rushed into the cargo hold.


    It was so dark inside that it could almost be considered pitch ck. The only sources of light were the lighting in through the door and the moonlight streaming in through the big, ball-sized windows.


    With He Jianxi on his back, he flipped andnded in the gap between the two boxes of goods. He covered He Jianxis mouth tightly and hid, feeling a burning sensation on his back. He must have been injured by the pots just now.


    Unlike his previous spections, Miss Dongs counterattack didnt seem to disturb the killers. Instead, they were still resisting.


    He was using so much strength to cover He Jianixs mouth that He Jianxi almost suffocated to death. When He Jianxi patted his hand lightly, Zhang Haiyan let go of him. He realized that He Jianxi was breathing heavily and looked terrified, but he wasnt as frightened as before.


    <em>This guy is probably used to it.</em>


    He grabbed He Jianxis hand and wrote in English: Dont make any noise. There are killers.


    When He Jianxi nodded, Zhang Haiyan turned to listen to their surroundings. There was nothing but silence in the warehouse. He couldnt hear any sounds from Miss Dong or the killers. It was so dark that he wouldnt even know whether someone was standing right in front of him. If he couldnt hear anything, then that meant that both parties were hiding.


    Zhang Haiyan understood that bombing the fuse boxes had been nned, which meant that plunging the cargo hold into darkness had also been nned. In other words, these killers had originally nned to resolve the battle in the cargo hold. If Miss Dong hadnte in alone and brought all the gunmen in with her, then the killers would have won by now. The darkness was way too suitable for ambushes.


    But now the situation was very awkward because only the clever Miss Dong came in. Since she wasnt moving, the killers didnt know where she was. And since the killers wouldnt move, Miss Dong didnt know where they were, either. They were all sly foxes.


    <em>Im in an even more awkward situation. I was only going to find a few corpses, but not only am I injured now, Im also trapped in the final round.</em>


    The blood on his back began to drip to his waist, and then flowed along his waistline to his butt. Zhang Haiyan exhausted all his strength as he strained his ears to the limit.


    Even though the ship was shaking, the goods were strapped down. As the ship swayed, the wooden boxes were pulled in various directions, making a faint sound of wood rubbing together.


    These people must have eased their breathing and slowed their heartbeats, hiding the noises they made among the sounds of wood rubbing together.


    Only four or five minutes had passed, but the absolute quiet made Zhang Haiyan feel as if fifteen minutes had passed.


    He tried to move and inch upward very slowly. He wanted to reach the top of the stack of goods. He had just climbed past two boxes when his hand suddenly touched something hanging above the goods close to where he was hiding.


    He almost instinctively stopped moving, but forced himself to touch it again very lightly.


    It was hair.


    He held his breath, but didnt hear any sounds of a heartbeat. He felt something drip onto his hands as he was wondering why there was hair in this kind of ce.


    He knew as soon as he touched it that it was blood.


    When he reached his hand out, he touched a corpse that was still warm. It was a man who had died here quietly. His jaw had been torn off.


    Miss Dong hade in alone, so that meant that this man was a killer.


    <em>Impressive. Shes already killed one person.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan wiped the blood off and was just about to move on, when He Jianxi suddenly stopped him and wrote some words in English on his palm, Left. Smell. Men.


    Zhang Haiyan looked to the left, but it waspletely dark.


    He Jianxi continued to write, There are at least a dozen people in the cargo hold.


    Zhang Haiyan replied with a question mark.


    He Jianxi wrote, There are a lot of smells.


    ****


    <strong><em>Merebear note: Ripping jaws off? It''s official, Miss Dong is a Wang! lol</em></strong>

 Chapter 37: Farewell

    Chapter 37: Farewell


    Zhang Haiyan retreated to the original gap.


    He tried to breathe calmly as he took off his military uniform and pants. He was left only in his shorts since his other clothes were soaked in blood.


    The pottery fragments were embedded in his flesh and he wouldnt be able to get them out for a while. He moved a little and found that it hurt a lot, but it wouldnt affect his movements.


    He believed what He Jianxi had said. Even though the man had caused all kinds of troubles, the past few incidents made Zhang Haiyan feel that He Jianxi was really lucky. He even began to suspect that He Jianxi was a walking bodhisattva sent by the heavens. When this whole thing was resolved, he would probably turn into a plume of smoke,ughing as he disappeared.


    If there were more than a dozen people in this cargo hold, then that proved a few things.


    First, there were more killers on the ship than he had expected. The killers he had found in the steerage area and third-ss cabins were only some of them.


    Second, this cargo hold was a trap so that they couldunch their counterattack.


    He wouldnt be worried about Miss Dong if it was one on three, but it was impossible for anyone to deal with more than a dozen people by themselves. He was the only one in history who could do it.


    But Zhang Haixia hadnt been very impressed with him when he did it. It was the concept of winning small in the casino a dozen times in a row. There was a chance that it would happen, but it would never happen a second time.


    That was why Miss Dong had erased her presence. She had stepped into a trap now, so she needed to protect herself instead of hunting the killers.


    Of course, he had to help Miss Dong. It didnt matter whether he wanted to hijack the ship or leave by lifeboat, he couldnt let the people who killed his Southern Archives colleagues win. Otherwise, the entire ship might be blown up to hide the evidence of the gue.


    But he wasntpletely sure that he would win. In fact, he was considered an interloper to both the killers and Miss Dongs ns. But even if he and Miss Dong had a tacit understanding, the two of them wouldnt make a big difference in this cargo hold.


    But He Jianxis existence changed things.


    If Zhang Haixia had been around, he would have been able to smell a lot of things. He and Zhang Haiyan would have definitely been moving slowly by now, approaching those people who were emitting an odor. The two of them would kill their opponents one by one until they had killed them all.


    But He Jianxi didnt have that kind of tactic understanding with him. To be honest, those killers were very skilled. Although many opponents couldnt get used to the fact that Zhang Haiyan attacked half a second earlier than they expected, it was difficult to kill them instantly if he couldnt manage the same thing in the dark.


    And since this was a trap, the other party mustve had a way tomunicate with each other in the dark. If he couldnt kill the opponents quickly, then they would surround him after his third or fourth try.


    Zhang Haiyans mind raced. When a person named Wu Xie talked with him many yearster, he would always point out that Zhang Haiyan could use more subtle tricks on such asions. But Zhang Haiyans behavior at the time was more in line with his own heroism.


    Zhang Haiyan decided to go all out. He counted the des in his mouth with his tongue and walked towards the area He Jianxi had pointed out.


    The fine hair on the human body had the ability to sense objects, including other peoples temperature, heartbeat, and breathing. As long as the distance was close enough, the hair could feel something even if the consciousness didnt sense it.


    It may sound ridiculous, but after Zhang Haiyan took off his clothes, he used the hair on his body to sense the airflow around him.


    He soon felt the first killer in the dark and used all his strength to spit a de in that direction


    But at that moment, something embarrassing happened. Just as he rushed forward, lights suddenly came on in all four directions.


    They werent the artificial lights in the cargo hold, but spotlights. But they werent the kind of lights that cameras had, either. Instead, they were spotlights that were used to send signals at sea and could stay lit for twenty seconds.


    The sudden bright lights almost made Zhang Haiyan go blind.


    The killer on the opposite side had been ready for this and kept his eyes closed. But when he opened his eyes, he suddenly saw a naked man rushing towards him.


    The two people immediately shed. After exchanging three blows, the lights went out again.


    The shing lights almost made Zhang Haiyan go blind and he didnt know what was going on. But when the lights immediately came on again, Zhang Haiyan realized that this was their tactic. They were controlling the lights in this dark space.


    When the lights turned on again, Zhang Haiyan could no longer see, but the killer could. He walked around Zhang Haiyan and stood behind him.


    Zhang Haiyan quickly tried to hide, but he couldnt see the cargo box that was off to the side. He mmed into it directly, scattering the goods inside across the ground and feeling as if he had injured his internal organs.


    The lights went out again.


    Zhang Haiyans eyes immediately felt morefortable. He quickly closed them and ran to go hide, but he had already lost his sense of direction. He mmed into a box of goods again. It was so heavy that it shattered when it hit the ground and he was also sent rolling.


    The lights came on again.


    He squinted and took off his sses, smearing his blood on the lenses so it wasnt as bright as before. When the killer didnt immediatelye at him, Zhang Haiyan looked around and suddenly realized that the goods he had mmed into werent actually goods. They were corpses. Their faces had turned blue and they appeared to have undergone antiseptic treatment.


    There was a familiar smell of disinfectant, which was the same kind they had smelled on Flower Reef.


    <em>Is this the ce where they hid the missing South Sea spies?</em><em></em>


    Zhang Haiyan steadied himself first and then blended in among the cargo boxes. He could see human shadows everywhere. He didnt know how things were on Miss Dongs end. As the lights went out again, Zhang Haiyan pushed more boxes to the ground. Whether they could see or not, he would make it difficult for the killers to walk around.


    When the lights came on again, Zhang Haiyan had pushed more than a dozen boxes to the ground. Not all of them contained corpses, but there were six or seven of them.


    The corner of the cargo hold was now aplete mess. The killers stepped on the goods and rushed towards him from all sides, but Zhang Haiyan had finally adapted to the lights. He licked the des under his tongue and decided to risk it all.


    At this moment, he suddenly saw a corpse in front of him.


    He was stunned. He recognized the face of that corpse. It was Zhang Ruipu. <em>Why is he on the ship? And why is he dead?</em>


    Then he saw another corpse next to Zhang Ruipu.


    He didnt recognize the face at first nce, but then he took another look at the corpse.


    His blood ran cold and his brain buzzed. Zhang Haixia! He shouted.

 Chapter 42: The Zhang Family In The Northeast

    Chapter 42: The Zhang Family In The Northeast


    Zhang Haiyan ate a cookie andughed. His military rank was so much lower than Zhang Haixias, so if Zhang Haixia was considered a small character, then he was afraid he was even less important. But he had never paid attention to this kind of thing before. Compared to everything that had happened, werent ranks and levels all a joke now?


    Miss Dong, to be honest, I have a lot of questions, He said. My first question is: Did the South Sea Archives really exist?"


    Miss Dong moved to speak, but Zhang Haiyan interrupted her, Do you know that the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office told me that theyve never had any affiliated institutions called the South Sea Archives and theyve never even heard of it? I checked through all their information, and theres really no record of it. Do you know whats going on?


    Miss Dong lit a cigarette, Thats why I said youre a low-level agent.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at her and said to himself, <em>are you going to use rank to evade the question? Even if Im not qualified to know the truth, it seems ridiculous to use such a big scam to lie to their own low-level employees.</em>


    The South Sea Archives never had anything to do with the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office. We only said that because the South Sea Archives origin was tooplicated for you people to understand. Its just easier to tell you that its a government-run agency. Miss Dong pushed the ashtray over, indicating that Zhang Haiyan could smoke if he wanted to. In fact, the origin of the South Sea Archives is veryplicated. The fact that it wasnt an official agency doesnt mean that it didnt exist.


    If it wasnt run by the government, was it a privately-owned agency?" Zhang Haiyan asked. Was it a gang? Did we belong to a subordinate organization of the Green Gang (1)?


    Ill have to tell you a story. Miss Dong stood up and opened the cab behind her, revealing a passage inside. When she motioned for Zhang Haiyan to follow her, he lit a cigarette and walked over,


    Miss Dong continued, Next, I want to show you the truth about the South Sea Archives. Youre still an ordinary person, so you can choose to leave now. These things arent easy to take in. After you know of them, many things will change.


    Zhang Haiyanughed. He had been on the reef full of gue-infected patients and had survived without food and fresh water. He swam thirty kilometers and scaled ships to kill people before jumping into the sea and leaving. He had cut the flesh under his tongue so that he could put des in his mouth. All these things had long made him someone who wasnt ordinary.


    Moreover, if the South Sea Archives was gone, then what did that make him? Did it even matter whether he was ordinary or not?


    He had to know the truth.


    I know what youre thinking, Miss Dong said. When ordinary people do some extraordinary things, they always think that theyre out of this world. Ive seen too many people like you over the years. Lets go. Miss Dong walked in first, with Zhang Haiyan following close behind her.


    The first thing he saw was a lot of human skin masks on both sides of the passage that had various beasts tattooed on them. What is this?


    Do you know why most people in the South Sea Archives have the surname Zhang? Miss Dong asked.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head. He only knew why those who had the surname Zhang had the character hai in their names (2), but he had never been interested in why their surname was Zhang. In his opinion, the higher-ups didnt want their surname to attract attention, so they chose amon surname like Zhang. It was a lot better than having a surname like Baili (3), which people would naturally know had a story behind it.


    Theres a Zhang family in northeastern China, who live in Baishan. They do a special kind of business. Miss Dong stopped in front of a human skin mask. Her eyes seemed to go distant, as if she was dreaming of something that happened a long time ago.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) The Green Gang was a Chinese secret society and criminal organization. They were prominent in criminal, social, and political activity in Shanghai during the early to mid-20th century. Wiki link here


    (2) Hai means sea in Chinese. Foreign/overseas Zhangs would have hai in their names.


    (3) Baili () is an ancient Chinesepound surname that was rarely found in modern times.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys notes: Were going to know more about the Zhang family. Hehehe.</em></strong>

 Chapter 39: Return Home

    Chapter 39: Return Home


    Zhang Haixia and other corpses were properly arranged in the cargo hold and embalmed (the specific details wont be stated here). All in all, everything went on as usual.


    Zhang Haiyan stayed in Stevens room afterwards. Arrangements were made so that He Jianxi would be in the same room as him.


    It was as if the gue god had lost his soul. He didnt eat or drink and just sat by the window, watching the sea.


    Whether he ate or not, He Jianxi still took care of him for the rest of the journey. He Jianxi could no longer feel the gue gods former happiness. He didnt know what had happened, but pain was something that was simple and universal.


    For some reason, Miss Dong let them go and even treated them courteously. But nothing mattered to Zhang Haiyan anymore, so he had no idea what happened during that period of time.


    The lifeboat that Bai Zhu was in was missing. There was a chance some killers were still on the ship, but there shouldnt have been many of them left.


    The storm gradually died down after Miss Dongunched several investigations. The details of what happened between Warner and Miss Dong afterwards is also unknown.


    Zhang Haiyan started eating again when the ship was near Xiamen, but he was already too thin by that point. He dreamed of Flower Reef and Zhang Haixia every night. When he lit a cigarette again, he realized that things werent over yet.


    Many of the weapons used to kill people on board were used by the military. Moreover, some warlords excavated the gue ship on Flower Reef several years ago. The gue was running rampant in a now, and there were people hunting the Southern Archives secret agents on the Nanan. There had to be a mastermind behind this.


    Since the truth behind the gue was still unclear, the Flower Reef case wasnt closed.


    And he couldnt let Zhang Haixia die in vain.


    Zhang Haiyans throat was dry after not eating for a long time, but he forced himself to eat all kinds of foods in order to restore his strength.


    He tried tomunicate with Miss Dong, but she never gave him the time of day.


    Miss Dong never showed up again, but she had someone deliver a note and Zhang Haixias body to him before he got off the ship in Xiamen. The note contained the Dongs address and the following content: The rules in this word are difficult. We shouldnt see each other again, but if you find your thoughts still overwhelming and iprehensible, you can go here and discuss it with me. Remember, its best not to see each other. Theres been nothing to say from the start.


    The content of the note was very interesting, but Zhang Haiyan didnt have time to y charades with her. He ironed both his and Zhang Haixias military uniforms and then dressed them both neatly. He carried Zhang Haixias body on his back as he got off the ship with He Jianxi.


    After so many years, he had finally set foot on Xiamen again. See? You were wrong. We came back together, Zhang Haiyan said to Zhang Haixia.


    After they left the port, he realized that everything had changed. There were cars, carriages, and rickshaws going up and down the road. Even the peoples clothes were very different from when he had left here.


    The air in Xiamen was moist and clean, but it wasnt as hot as it was in a. The weather here made people feel refreshed andfortable.


    Since Zhang Haiyan was carrying a corpse on his back, he couldnt go to the roadside vendor stands to have his childhood snacks. He and He Jianxi looked at each other as they stood by the side of the road.


    Zhang Haiyan took out some money from his pocket and counted it before giving it to He Jianxi. He Jianxi, you were in danger on that barge, so I took the liberty of bringing you with me. Heres the money for all the pain that Ive caused. Were even now. The money is enough for you to find a bigger ship to go to San Francisco. We wont see each other again.


    He Jianxi looked at the corpse on Zhang Haiyans back.


    Now that weve spent some time together, dont you want me to help you send your friend off? He Jianxi could kind of guess what had happened to Zhang Haiyan. As long as there were emotional reasons, it was always easy to figure out why people did what they did.


    I dont. Zhang Haiyan carried Zhang Haixia as he moved towards the streets from his memories.


    He Jianxi stood on the road side, looking between the sky in Xiamen and the money in his hands. He suddenly felt a bit dazed.


    He had nned on going to San Francisco, but it felt so good to be stepping on realnd again.


    After walking for a while, Zhang Haiyan soon came to an old street. It was still the same as his memories, and nothing had changed. He could vaguely recognize a few people around the neighborhood.


    He came to Zhang Haiqis residence and found that it had be a lozenges shop. The owner of the shop was a neer whom Zhang Haiyan didnt recognize.


    Zhang Haiyan went up to ask where the previous residents had gone. The owners face turned blue and he was a little scared when he saw Zhang Haiyan carrying a corpse on his back. He said that the ce had been sold several times. No one knew where the previous residents had gone after such a long time had passed.


    Zhang Haiyan knew his godmothers temper, so it wasnt surprising that she had moved away without notifying anyone. But he couldnt find a hotel to stay in since he was carrying a corpse on his back. In the end, he went to the South Sea Archives where they had undergone training several years ago.


    The South Sea Archives was on public lease on the east side of the South Sea Maritime Affairs office. When he went there, he discovered that it had be a bank called Haili. He figured the owner must have been a foreigner.


    Zhang Haiyan carried the corpse and entered the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office. He put the corpse aside on the waiting bench, tidied his military uniform, and then asked the clerk at the door, Excuse me, where has the South Sea Archives moved to?


    There were more than a dozen clerks filling in forms by the windows who all looked up and stared at him. Pardon?


    The South Sea Archives. I can see that its already moved. Where has it moved to? Im a field agent. I havent returned for a long time.


    The South Sea Archives? Two of the clerks looked at each other, and then shook their heads. I haven''t heard of it. What archives? This is the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office.


    Heres the thing. The South Sea Archives is an institution under the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office. You and I are colleagues. Im a field agent who has returned to the country. It seems that the institution has already been moved, so thats why Im here asking about it. Can you check it for me?


    His military uniform was very particr, so the clerk didnt dare offend the officer. He stood up and walked upstairs. After a while, the clerk came down with a stack of documents and said to Zhang Haiyan, Sir, I asked more than twenty supervisors who have worked here for a long time. They said that since the establishment of the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office, there has never been an institution called the South Sea Archives. Did you make a mistake?

 Chapter 40: Hermit Crab

    Chapter 40: Hermit Crab


    Zhang Haiyan ran to the second floor of the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office and sat in front of an old supervisor who stated the facts three times. Each time, Zhang Haiyan shook his head.


    Thats absolutely impossible. I underwent training at the South Sea Archives and have been a maritime supervisor for a long time. Zhang Haiyan pushed his ID card towards the old supervisor.


    The man turned the card over and shook his head. Weve never issued such an ID card. Moreover, were in charge of shipping. We dont do any investigations.


    When the old supervisor looked at him again, Zhang Haiyan continued, The person who trained us is called Zhang Haiqi. She raised us.


    Its obvious that this person who raised you has lied to you. The old supervisor took out a key and handed it to a clerk. Sir, I dont know what youve been through. This is the key to our archive room. You can check all the information. I can guarantee that you wont see any paper with the words The South Sea Archives written on it. Zhang Haiyan looked at the old supervisor and then took the key.


    When youre finished, please put the documents back where they belong, the old supervisor said to him. Weve been kind to you, so dont cause us any trouble.


    The clerk apanied Zhang Haiyan to the archive room, where he stayed until dusk.


    There wasnt a single piece of paper with the words The South Sea Archives written on it. There werent even any records of the Maritime Affairs Office having any subordinate agencies since its establishment.


    Zhang Haiyan quietly thanked the clerk and then put Zhang Haixia on his back and left. The sky was a bloody red and his mind was nk as he wandered to the Haili banks entrance.


    The bank was closing, but he walked in anyways. Under the watchful eyes of the employees, he found that all the decorations had changed and even the structure itself waspletely different.


    If it hadnt been for the fact that some of the details outside still looked the same, he wouldve really wondered if he had gone to the wrong ce.


    When the security guard asked him to leave, he walked to the corner of the street opposite the bank and sat down. As he and Zhang Haixia leaned against the wall, he looked at the bank and started to recall his childhood.


    The South Sea Archives was a direct subordinate of the Maritime Affairs Office, so he only needed to report to his godmother.


    Since they were little, their sries, benefits, clothing, and education had all been provided by the South Sea Archives. They never doubted that they might not be working for an official agency of the Maritime Affairs Office.


    Is it possible that Godmother lied to me? Zhang Haiyan couldnt understand it.


    <em>Why would she lie to me? If I never worked for the government and I killed all those people over the years, does that mean Im just a killer like those assassins on the ship?</em>


    <em>Now way. A giant entity must havepletely erased the South Sea Archives. Are they also the ones behind the gue?</em>


    <em>That old supervisor seems like a good man, and Ive checked all the information myself. But can the South Sea Archives really be erased so thoroughly?</em>


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Zhang Haixia.


    <em>I must be really stupid, </em>he thought to himself. He went to light a cigarette and suddenly saw the note in his pocket.


    Miss Dongs note.


    Miss Dong wasnt an ordinary person. She must have known that there were killers on the ship. Otherwise, she wouldnt have killed without an ounce of hesitation. She even took advantage of his presence to directly take over Warners gunmen and clear the ship.


    When this woman got on the ship, she didnt have any helpers by her side. She waited patiently for an opportunity and then used Warners greed to achieve her goal.


    But this matter originally had nothing to do with her. The assassins wanted to kill people from the South Sea Archives, so why did she take such a big risk to kill them all?


    Could it be that she was also rted to the South Sea Archives, just like Zhang Ruipu?


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the note. Since the bank was closed, there was nowhere else for him to check right now. But if someone really was trying to erase traces of the South Sea Archives, then surely the bank wouldnt have anything there. There wasn''t even a single clue in the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office to begin with.


    Zhang Haiyan felt as if he had been abandoned as he looked at the note again. This was something he really hadnt expected.


    Just as he was thinking he needed to figure out what to do next, he saw a simple sketch drawn at the corner of the note. It was very abstract, but easy to identify. It was a hermit crab.


    He looked at his watch, which also had a hermit crab on it. This was the South Sea Archives logo.

 Chapter 41: Low-Level Agent Zhang Haiyan

    Chapter 41: Low-Level Agent Zhang Haiyan


    The Dong residence was arge manor in Xiamen that had a mixture of Western and Chinese-style buildings.


    There was a Western-style building at the front gate where the concessions provisional government was located. A wealthy businessman surnamed Ma had the idea of making it look like a small-scale copy of Buckingham Pce, but it wasnt very sessful. It only roughly looked like it, and now it was covered in vines.


    There were three houses in the back that had been renovated, which missionaries had originally bought to be used as orphanages. Since the two sides were connected, the buildings spanned arge area and looked like a haphazard mixture of Chinese and Western styles.


    The Western-style building at the front gate had a huge front yard, where giant trees had been nted. There was a fountain outside the front gate, which people could park their cars around.


    It was said that Ship King Dong liked the quiet, so there werent many servants in the mansion. He also didnt like to move around much, so unless banquets were going to be held, only the lights in the left and right wings of the Western-style building were on most of the time.


    The renovated left and right wings were specially made to resemble the Nanan, with balconies protruding from them. Zhang Haiyan was now in one of the rooms that had the lights on and Miss Dong was making coffee for him.


    The decor in the room was almost the exact same as that of Nanan. <em>Don''t they get tired of it?</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. <em>After getting off the ship and returning home, normal people would definitely hope that their homes would bepletely different. This mansion makes people feel as if theyve returned to the ship again.</em>


    Your father really likes that ship, Zhang Haiyan said. He didnt like drinking coffee because he was already very active and didnt need the caffeine to catalyze himself.


    Ship owners are always particr when ites to feng shui. The Nanan is the head ship of the Dong family fleet, and the Dong mansion is also the leader of all shipping businesses in Xiamen. They were designed by the same feng shui master, so both ces look simr. Miss Dong was in her pajamas. When she handed a bunch of melons and fruits to Zhang Haiyan, he began to eat. He hadnt eaten anything all day, so the sweets helped calm him.


    I thought you would stay outside for a few weeks beforeing to find me. I didnt expect you toe so soon. I havent even sorted out my luggage. Miss Dong sat on the sofa opposite him. Are your wounds healed?


    All your ship''s doctors are dead, so I had to treat the wounds myself. I dont think theyll heal very well. Zhang Haiyan stared into Miss Dongs eyes, not at all distracted by her calves and corbone, which werent covered by her pajamas. I just dont understand why you werent willing tomunicate with me on the ship. You waited until we disembarked before inviting me, and he handed over the note. Since you know how to draw this hermit crab, does that mean youre a friend of mine?


    I know you have many questions, which Im ready to answer since I let youe here. You dont have to be subtle.


    Zhang Haiyan nodded. Miss Dong didnt seem like a difficult person to talk to. He was just about to start asking his questions, when Miss Dong said, Youre right. I work for the South Sea Archives.


    Zhang Haiyan hadnt even closed his mouth when Miss Dong continued, The South Sea Archives is gone. During yourst year in a, it was wiped out. The perpetrator was a southwest warlord named Mo Yungao. He also nned the tragedy on the Nanan in order to eliminate the South Sea Archives overseas influence.


    <em>Youre so straightforward that I didnt even get the chance to ask my questions, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    Miss Dong continued, For the time being, the two of us are the only agents left in the South Sea Archives. ording to the rules, the Archives can be rebuilt as long as there are two high-level agents. But unfortunately, youre a low-level agent, so in essence, the South Sea Archives no longer exists.

 Chapter 42: The Zhang Family In The Northeast

    Chapter 42: The Zhang Family In The Northeast


    Zhang Haiyan ate a cookie andughed. His military rank was so much lower than Zhang Haixias, so if Zhang Haixia was considered a small character, then he was afraid he was even less important. But he had never paid attention to this kind of thing before. Compared to everything that had happened, werent ranks and levels all a joke now?


    Miss Dong, to be honest, I have a lot of questions, He said. My first question is: Did the South Sea Archives really exist?"


    Miss Dong moved to speak, but Zhang Haiyan interrupted her, Do you know that the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office told me that theyve never had any affiliated institutions called the South Sea Archives and theyve never even heard of it? I checked through all their information, and theres really no record of it. Do you know whats going on?


    Miss Dong lit a cigarette, Thats why I said youre a low-level agent.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at her and said to himself, <em>are you going to use rank to evade the question? Even if Im not qualified to know the truth, it seems ridiculous to use such a big scam to lie to their own low-level employees.</em>


    The South Sea Archives never had anything to do with the South Sea Maritime Affairs Office. We only said that because the South Sea Archives origin was tooplicated for you people to understand. Its just easier to tell you that its a government-run agency. Miss Dong pushed the ashtray over, indicating that Zhang Haiyan could smoke if he wanted to. In fact, the origin of the South Sea Archives is veryplicated. The fact that it wasnt an official agency doesnt mean that it didnt exist.


    If it wasnt run by the government, was it a privately-owned agency?" Zhang Haiyan asked. Was it a gang? Did we belong to a subordinate organization of the Green Gang (1)?


    Ill have to tell you a story. Miss Dong stood up and opened the cab behind her, revealing a passage inside. When she motioned for Zhang Haiyan to follow her, he lit a cigarette and walked over,


    Miss Dong continued, Next, I want to show you the truth about the South Sea Archives. Youre still an ordinary person, so you can choose to leave now. These things arent easy to take in. After you know of them, many things will change.


    Zhang Haiyanughed. He had been on the reef full of gue-infected patients and had survived without food and fresh water. He swam thirty kilometers and scaled ships to kill people before jumping into the sea and leaving. He had cut the flesh under his tongue so that he could put des in his mouth. All these things had long made him someone who wasnt ordinary.


    Moreover, if the South Sea Archives was gone, then what did that make him? Did it even matter whether he was ordinary or not?


    He had to know the truth.


    I know what youre thinking, Miss Dong said. When ordinary people do some extraordinary things, they always think that theyre out of this world. Ive seen too many people like you over the years. Lets go. Miss Dong walked in first, with Zhang Haiyan following close behind her.


    The first thing he saw was a lot of human skin masks on both sides of the passage that had various beasts tattooed on them. What is this?


    Do you know why most people in the South Sea Archives have the surname Zhang? Miss Dong asked.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head. He only knew why those who had the surname Zhang had the character hai in their names (2), but he had never been interested in why their surname was Zhang. In his opinion, the higher-ups didnt want their surname to attract attention, so they chose amon surname like Zhang. It was a lot better than having a surname like Baili (3), which people would naturally know had a story behind it.


    Theres a Zhang family in northeastern China, who live in Baishan. They do a special kind of business. Miss Dong stopped in front of a human skin mask. Her eyes seemed to go distant, as if she was dreaming of something that happened a long time ago.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) The Green Gang was a Chinese secret society and criminal organization. They were prominent in criminal, social, and political activity in Shanghai during the early to mid-20th century. Wiki link here


    (2) Hai means sea in Chinese. Foreign/overseas Zhangs would have hai in their names.


    (3) Baili () is an ancient Chinesepound surname that was rarely found in modern times.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys notes: Were going to know more about the Zhang family. Hehehe.</em></strong>

 Chapter 43: Those Who Are Favored By Gods

    Chapter 43: Those Who Are Favored By Gods


    The human skin mask that Miss Dong looked at was obviously much older than the other human skin masks. It had started to turn ck in the ss cab and had cracks all over it. There was a very simple ancient tattoo on it that was monochromatic.


    This mask has several thousand years worth of history. Everyone in the Zhang family has tattoos, but the locations vary. This family has been around for many generations, Miss Dong said. They established the Western Archives more than a thousand years ago to investigate strange events that took ce in Tibet and established archives everywhere after that. The South Sea Archives was thest one established and has only been around for sixty years.


    Why is the Zhang family in so many peoples business? Wouldnt Empress Dowager Cixi stop them? (1) Is there no farm work in the northeast viges or something? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    No one knows why the Zhang family does these things. Some people say that they have something to do with grave robbing. Since they go tomb robbing all year round, they need to know about the legends and news surrounding the tombs. Thats why they set up the archives. In the beginning, the people in the archives were all from the main branch of the Zhang family. But ever since thest century, the number of the people in the Zhang family has decreased. They started to adopt orphans from the remote parts of Southeast Asia, Miss Dong said.


    Zhang Haiyan was silent as Miss Dong kept walking. In fact, the people like us who work for them only know that there are tons of records sent to the northeast every year. In addition to helping the Zhang family collect information from various ces, we also adopt orphans, train them, and then have them hunt down the traitors of the Zhang family. Zhang Ruipu was one such traitor. All of these traitors are difficult to deal with, which I believe you have experience with since youve dealt with him.


    <em>It sounds just like a gang,</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. <em>The Zhang family in the northeast is just a northeastern gang. They sound like an organization of hereditary bandits with a long history. Its a bit like Elder Brothers Society </em>(2)<em>. There may even be mysterious religious customs, so thats why the archives were set up everywhere. Theyre worshiping Huang-Lao</em>(3)<em>and catching ghosts while recruiting members at the same time.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan continued following her, and they soon reached a dark room. Zhang Haiyan nced at the dcor and saw that it was all archive cabs. They were the same ones that were used by the South Sea Archives.


    This ce was originally a part of the South Sea Archives expansion n, but these are the only things left now, Miss Dong said. She pulled at a white cloth that was in the middle of the room, revealing Zhang Ruipus body lying on a table.


    Miss Dong hung an incandescentmp over the corpse and took the corpse''s hand before showing it to Zhang Haiyan. He saw that the corpse had three fingers that were very long, and there was a hint of deformity.


    One of the characteristics of the Zhang family is that they have some fingers that are long. Zhang Ruipu had three, so he was considered rtively mediocre among the Zhangs. The fingers are said to be used to break mechanisms when they rob tombs. Their fingers can reach smaller ces that way. With that said, she grabbed a file that was sitting off to the side. This is Zhang Ruipus file. She flipped through a few pages until she reached a photo.


    An official from the Qing dynasty and Zhang Ruipu were both in the photo. This was taken in the twenty-fourth year of Daoguang (4). Qiying was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and the Minister of Trade and Industry. The photo was taken in Macau during Qiyings negotiation with France (5). This person is Zhang Ruipu, and this person is Qiying.


    Zhang Haiyan could tell that Zhang Ruipu was in his fifties in the picture, and he looked almost the same as he was now. Zhang Haiyan took the photo andpared it with the corpse. The picture was taken almost seventy years ago, so even if Zhang Ruipu was only twenty at that time, he should have been ny by now. But Zhang Ruipus corpse still looked like he was in his fifties.


    Why didnt he grow old? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    People in the Zhang family almost never grow old. Miss Dong took off Zhang Ruipus clothes, grabbed a bottle of brandy from nearby, soaked the clothes in the alcohol, and then lit them on fire. She put them on the corpses shoulder and patted them more than a dozen times before the fire went out. Zhang Haiyan saw a Qilin tattoo appear on Zhang Ruipus body.


    Miss Dong then turned a page in the file, revealing a sketch of a Qilin tattoo.


    They all have tattoos on their bodies that are made from a special mixture of herbal medicine and poultry blood. The tattoos will only appear when the body temperature rises. Since everyones tattoos are different, this is the rubbing of his tattoo to verify that he is indeed Zhang Ruipu from the Zhang family.


    When Miss Dong held the document up to Zhang Ruipus body, Zhang Haiyan realized that the details of the tattoo were exactly the same as those in the document. The person in the picture was really the same person that was lying right before his eyes.


    You mean to say people in the Zhang family are immortal? Its a group of monsters?


    There are rumors that they rob ancient tombs and set up archives to find the immortality elixir in ancient tombs, Miss Dong said. Theyre all rumors, of course. It isnt a good thing to be immortal. Whats the point of living if everyone you care about is dead?


    Zhang Haiyan remained silent. If he had heard this before he got on the Naan, he might have been extremely excited, thinking that his superiors were a group of gods and he was their apprentice. But he only learned that people were able to be immortals after Zhang Haixia was dead, so now he had doubts and found the whole thing ridiculous.


    <em>Whats so good about being immortal? Zhang Ruipu was immortal and he ended up dead anyway.</em>


    There arent any immortals in the world, Zhang Haiyan said. Ive seen many sorcerers in the South Sea. They all said that they had survived the Portuguese era (6) and wouldnt die even if they were buried in the ground. But after they were buried, I didnt see theme out of the ground at all. The rice grew very well, though. Theres a possibility that this photo is forged.


    Miss Dong flipped through the file. All the photos were taken during the negotiation that Qiying conducted at that time. Zhang Ruipu was circled with a red pen in each photo. Zhang Ruipu participated in this negotiation and obtained the exclusive right to manage all the rubber businesses. These photos are all from the French archives at that time. They wouldnt help him deceive people.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head. He wished he could believe these things, but all the mysterious things he had encountered in the South Sea over the years were scams. He had be a realist.


    You have to have more direct evidence, Zhang Haiyan said. If it were me, I could make a fake face based on the photo and you wouldnt even be able to tell.


    Miss Dong smiled, Of course theres direct evidence. With that said, she started walking again.


    Then what do you think? Zhang Haiyan asked. If you had toe up with a theory, what do you think the Zhang family set up the South Sea Archives for? Is it really for immortality? Do you really believe that?


    Theyre waiting for something to happen. Something major. I guess they knew more than a thousand years ago that this thing would happen, and have been waiting ever since. They also must have known that there might be various clues in various ces before it happened. Those clues were rumored to be incredible events, so they set up archives to monitor the possibility ofrge-scale unexinable phenomena.


    This was how Mo Yungao took advantage of the characteristics of the South Sea Archives and spread the gue.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head, but Miss Dong said, You told me toe up with a theory, and thats what I did. I already told you that no one really knows what the Zhang family is trying to do.


    Since the Zhang family is so mysterious, will I be in any danger now that youve told me about them?


    Miss Dong didnt answer.


    The two of them continued walking, passing by numerous rooms that were all empty. By the time they reached the end of the passage and saw an iron door, they had gone deep.


    Zhang Haiyan suddenly thought of a question and asked, You said that the both of us are the only people left in the South Sea Archives. Do you know where a person named Zhang Haiqi is?


    When you were in a, Mo Yungao led troops to raid the archives. No one besides me survived, Miss Dong said. She should be dead.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head again. Impossible. My godmother is the most formidable woman Ive ever seen. She wouldnt die so easily.


    Isnt your good friend also dead? Miss Dong sneered as she looked back at him. Why would you think that the people you know are those favored by gods?


    Zhang Haiyan felt very ufortable. He knew that he would still deny everything, no matter how convincing the things behind the iron door were. This was because he knew that if he believed Miss Dongs words, then he was really alone in this world.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Empress Dowager Cixi was a Chinese empress dowager and regent who was the de facto supreme ruler of China in thete Qing dynasty for 47 years, from 1861 until her death in 1908. Wiki link here. Basically, Zhang Haiyan thought that the authorities wouldve stopped the Zhang family if they were doing things on such arge scale.


    (2) Gohui, usually tranted as Elder Brothers Society, was a secret society and underground resistance movement against the Qing Dynasty. Every member allegedly carried a small hatchet inside their sleeve. Wiki link here.


    (3) HuangLao was the most influential Chinese school of thought in the early 2nd-century BCE Han dynasty, having its origins in a broader political-philosophical drive looking for solutions to strengthen the feudal order as depicted in Zhou propaganda. It is generally interpreted as a school of syncretism, developing into a major religion  the beginnings of religious Taoism. Wiki link here.


    (4) The 24th year of Daoguang = 1844 AD.


    (5) Keying, also known by his Chinese name Qiying, was a Manchu statesman during the Qing dynasty of China. He concluded the Treaty of Whampoa (1844) with France. Wiki link here.


    (6) Portuguese India Afonso de Albuquerque conquered the city of a in 1511. Wiki link here.

 Chapter 44: Zhang Haiqi

    Chapter 44: Zhang Haiqi


    When the iron door was opened, it waspletely dark inside.


    He wasnt afraid that Miss Dong was plotting against him since she couldve killed him a hundred times over on the ship, but this dark room looked as if it was underground. Even though he was reckless sometimes, he should still be more cautious now that he had entered such a dark ce.


    <em>She let me see the corpse, so could there be beasts in this room? Are there more corpses or the remains of the Archives?</em>


    Although Miss Dong didnt kill him, it wouldnt be a good thing if she closed the iron door when he entered the room. Then he would be locked up and that wasnt any fun.


    Zhang Haiyan thought about it and decided he wanted Miss Dong to go in first so that he could walk in behind her. As a result, he slowed down.


    Miss Dong walked in without hesitation and said to him, Close the door.


    <em>Its fine, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. <em>Everythings fine</em><em>.</em>


    Miss Dong always acted before he had time to think, as if she knew him very well. He kept feeling like his various thoughts were inadvertently being seen through.


    The room was very warm, and he could hear the pleasant sound of running water. There was an echo in the space that made him feel as if a girl was breathing ethereally.


    Zhang Haiyan came in and closed the door, but he didnt close it all the way in case something happened and he needed to make a run for it.


    He noticed that there were stone stairs leading down. He took a few steps and found that the stairs actually led to warm water.


    It was a hot spring.


    Miss Dong was still walking up front, but now it sounded like she was wading through water. She soon lit a candle holder in the depths of the space, and their surroundings lit up.


    It was a big candle, so the light was very bright.


    He could see that they were in a small stone room with a hot spring flowing in from the wall, forming a pool. There was a stone table in the middle of the pool that had corners covered in sulfur which had converged and turned into something like stctites. The table had obviously been ced here for a long time.


    There were numerous tools on the table that were wrapped in linen, but other than that, there was nothing else in the room.


    Wheres the evidence? Zhang Haiyan asked. Isn''t this just a bathhouse?


    Miss Dongs pajamas were now soaked as the hot springs steaming water flowed along the absorbent material. Zhang Haiyan watched her approach the table and start fiddling with the tools. As the heat engulfed them, tattooed patterns started to appear on the exposed parts of her body.


    Since the heat went from the bottom up, all the tattooed patterns appeared to grow from Miss Dongs arms like flowers. Her tattoo was very colorful, and Zhang Haiyan was stunned by the sight of it.


    He soon discovered that it wasn''t a flower, but a Qilin.


    The pajamas were now molded to Miss Dongs body, showing off her figure. The two of them looked at each other.


    So, this is the evidence you mentioned. Youre from the Zhang family, Zhang Haiyan said. I don''t believe it. You dont seem like youve lived that long at all. Plus, isnt your surname Dong?


    People in the Zhang family use a pseudonym if theyre over a hundred years old. They also use Dong as their surname. My pseudonym is Dong Zhuohua, Miss Dong said. You dont seem all that curious about why Im the Ship Kings daughter even though Im also an agent of the Southern Archives.


    Im guessing the Ship King doesnt know that his daughter isnt his daughter anymore. This probably isnt your original face. At this time, Zhang Haiyan was already feeling like something was wrong. Miss Dong looked like she was only in her early twenties, but the way she talked both here and on the ship made people feel like she was older than that.


    Moreover, Miss Dong was too patient and talkative even though he had discredited her words the whole way. It made no sense for her to keep lying to him patiently after she decided not to kill him on the ship.


    Plus, the calmness in her eyes wasnt something that could be faked.


    It would be easier to exin the whole thing if she was wearing a mask. Moreover, her figure looked like a woman in her thirties. It was possible that she was so calm because of everything she had been through before.


    <em>She must be lying to me because she wants something from me. I hope she can be more direct about it.</em> Zhang Haiyan was now like someone who had lost his family. <em>If some girl is willing to be kind to me in this way, it would be foolish for me not to listen to what she has to say. Otherwise, I might end up wandering around and really turn into a beggar.</em>


    So, Zhang Haiyan said to her, Since Sister Zhang didnt kill me on the ship, if there is anything you need me to do, you can just say it directly. You dont need to force me to believe this story. I just need to know that the Southern Archives actually meant something so that Zhang Haixia didnt die in vain. Its fate that hes gone now, but Im afraid that everything weve done is all just a pipe dream and no one even remembers us.


    Miss Dong flipped open the linen wrapping that was on the table, revealing some things that looked like pens inside. Zhang Hailou, how many times have I told you that you need to hide your motives whenever you do things? Zhang Haixia was so much better than you when it came to hiding his motives, she said.


    Zhang Haiyan froze, and Miss Dong continued, I thought that you and Zhang Haixia could have a good life after you went to a. Before you left, I told you that only those who remember my words are able to survive. You keep saying that you miss me, but you didnt even follow my rules. You broke your promise and came back before the thirty years were up. Everything happens for a reason. You chose to be a coward after all.


    She straightened her hair, pulled at her chin, and tore a human skin mask off her face.


    As Zhang Haiyan naturally retreated, he saw an extremely young face appear in front of him. He was stunned for a long time before he managed to say, Mother?


    The young woman looked at him so calmly that he couldnt tell what she was thinking behind those eyes.


    You have chosen your path. There is no chance for you to leave this matter now, so you should just ept your fate directly. Zhang Haiqi threw the mask aside.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at her in surprise. This womanhis master, his godmother, his superiorlooked exactly the same as she did when he had left Xiamen. Even her skin was still like that of a young girl.


    It was his godmother, Zhang Haiqi.


    His heart warmed, and then he felt panicked and stunned as his mind came to a screeching halt. He wanted to say something, but he suddenly felt dizzy and Zhang Haiqis image in front of him became blurred. He saw Zhang Haiqi open an earthen jar on the table, which seemed to contain paint. Zhang Haiyan staggered, a little unstable.


    Mother, its great that youre alive. What happened to me? II didnt get to save Haixia. What happened to me?


    No matter how tough a man was, he would immediately return to that young boy when he saw the woman who raised him. All the countless grievances, loneliness, pain, and the memory of having to deal with it all on his own surged up in Zhang Haiyans heart before rushing away.


    But he couldnt even say a word. He didnt know if it was because of the excitement or the water here was too hot. Maybe it was because he felt that the Zhang Haiqi in front of him was a little strange and differentpared to what he remembered from his childhood memories.


    The hot spring here has been infused with medicinal drugs. People with ordinary blood wontst long.


    Zhang Haiyan suddenly fell to his knees in the hot spring. Zhang Haiqi came to stand behind him and began tattooing him. From now on, you feed your body with blood, and the tattoo will appear when your body temperature rises. Starting now, youll be surrounded by chaos, and youll stand by and let it happen.


    Zhang Haiyan felt confused as he lost consciousness.

 Chapter 45: Reunion

    Chapter 45: Reunion


    Zhang Haixias corpse sat silently in the Dongs living room. He was no longer alive. His life had broken away from the world and was heading towards reincarnation.


    Zhang Haiqi wiped the paint from her hands and came to stand in front of Zhang Haixia. She squatted down and touched his cheek. He looked as if he was merely sleeping.


    Time<em>. </em>She couldnt count the number of times she had sent her children off.


    Lets go home, Shrimp, she whispered to Zhang Haixia.


    This child had been quiet and obedient since he was little. Other than spoiling Zhang Haiyan, he had never caused any troubles. He always looked at Zhang Haiqis eyes during ss or when he was about to fall asleep. He never fought to be her favorite child. He only observed and recognized what his mother needed.


    The flowers by the bed had never withered and the children she brought with her had never been lost. The neighbors had neverined and they had never burnt food.


    When Zhang Haixia was around, everything worked precisely like clockwork.


    Zhang Haixia was afraid of losing that kind of peace and happiness, so he guarded everything firmly.


    Zhang Haiqi ced her forehead against his. Her childs forehead was as cold as a northern winter and not at all warm like a Xiamen summer.


    She picked Zhang Haixia up and walked towards the backyard. She buried him in the cemetery amidst the numerous tombstones. Each one was another farewell. There were countless times when she thought she had gotten used to it.


    Truth was, she never liked this kind of moment, no matter how long she had lived.


    Zhang Haiqi stood in the cemetery for a long time that night, listening as the wind blew past the tombstones. It almost sounded like people were crying all around her.


    When Zhang Haiyan woke up, he was lying naked and face down on a bed.


    He tried to think about what happened earlier. Most peoples imaginations would run wild if they were in his position, but he immediately thought of Zhang Haiqi.


    Mother. He muttered to himself in a daze. He saw Zhang Haiqi reading the newspaper on the sofa opposite the bed, ignoring him.


    Zhang Haiyan felt pain on his back and arms, but when he looked back, he found that there was nothing there.


    Mother, what happened to me? What did you do to me? With that said, he pulled the nearby nket over to cover himself.


    I helped re-treat the wounds on your back, Zhang Haiqi said.


    Zhang Haiyan had just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the door was open and a servant was bringing breakfast in. Since Zhang Haiqi wasnt wearing a human skin mask, Zhang Haiyan reflexively wanted to spit out a de, but he found that there werent any des in his mouth.


    The servant left quickly, and Zhang Haiqi said, Stop it. I can use both mine and Miss Dongs faces here. Im Miss Dongs friend now.


    Zhang Haiyan wrapped himself in a bedsheet and got out of the bed to look for his clothes. There was a set of pajamas by the bed, so he hid in the corner to put them on and then said, Mother, whats going on? How can you be Miss Dong? Why didnt you reunite with me on the ship? Are all the things youve told me yesterday true?


    Zhang Haiqi flipped through the newspaper. If Im not Miss Dong, do you think its possible for me to be Mrs. Dong? How could I be sure you didnt be a traitor like Zhang Ruipu while you were in a? You were mixed up with his people, so I highly suspected that you had be disloyal. Of course I had to observe you for a while.


    You have so little confidence in me. Would I really be disloyal to you, my mother? Zhang Haiyan said.


    Of course I wouldnt have confidence in you when you show up alone. Zhang Haiqi put down the newspaper.


    Zhang Haiyans eyes dimmed, I didnt get to save Haixia.


    Thats enough. Eat. Zhang Haiqi sat at the dining table. Didnt I tell you a story when you were little? I told you that its essential to look at how things will turn out in the long run. Do you still remember that?


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head. He was familiar with his godmothers routine. When she usually said something like this, she must''ve never told the story before, and would make it up on the spot.


    Youll eventually die in a hundred years. Long-term regrets and repeated sorrows dont mean much toter generations. Those things will ultimately disappear, so you can get over them now. You just need to know that nothing can change the fact that the two of you once existed at the same time and in the same space, Zhang Haiqi said.


    Zhang Haiyan thought for a while. As usual, he didnt understand her words whenever she said something for the first time. Zhang Haiqi handed him a stack of materials. Give yourself a deadline to be sad. During this period of time, you can be as sad as you want. But after that, youll have to get down to business.


    Zhang Haiyan looked through the materials. They contained the same information about Zhang Ruipu that he had read yesterday, but there was also information about Mo Yungao. There were even photos of him wearing a military uniform, which made him look like a very capable person. The words the toon leader of the Southwest Phnom Penh (1) Army were written in the materials.


    This is before he got promoted. He was quickly promoted to divisionmander and took control of Beihaiter. Now he is a warlord under the jurisdiction of the coalition military government, but he still autonomously controls the army. His rtionship with the government is very delicate.


    So what you said yesterday is true? Zhang Haiyan still didnt believe her.


    Do you think I look any older? Zhang Haiqi retorted.


    Zhang Haiyan took a closer look. Not only did Zhang Haiqi not grow old, but she also looked younger for some reason. Maybe it was because she never went outside when she was on the ship?


    But such a thing was impossible. She had been out and about for so long that there was no way there wouldnt be any signs of her aging.


    Youre over a hundred years old? That would put her at like a great-grandmothers age. He didnt believe her one bit.


    Zhang Haiqi obviously didnt expect him to believe her, so she didnt bother exining it. Its fine. Youll believe it someday.


    If the Zhang family is so powerful, wouldnt they send people from other archives to seek revenge after the South Sea Archives was wiped out?


    We havent been able to contact the Zhang family in two years, Zhang Haiqi said. But there have been several times in history when weve only contacted each other again after more than ten years. The Zhang family will enter a state of silence from time to time. You cant count on them.


    Argh, the bosses are really capricious. Zhang Haiyan ate some bread, feeling ufortable eating without des in his mouth. For me, Mother is the South Sea Archives, so youre the boss. What are you nning to do, Mother? Should we avenge Haixia?


    Mo Yungao has been managing his forces in Beihai for many years. The way he does things is very mature. He isnt like ordinary warlords who just want to collect taxes for a few years and then leave after upying a ce. Thats why the coalition military government is so focused on appeasement and wont specifically stimte him. Since theres only the two of us, itll be very difficult for us to deal with a city full of soldiers. Besides, there are many ethnic minority masters around him, Zhang Haiqi said. But he spread the gue in the South Sea, so no matter how I look at it, I feel like hes doing some experiments. What he really wants to do hasnt been revealed yet, but Im worried hell


    Youre worried hell spread the gue in China?


    Zhang Haiqi nodded. His purpose is unknown, but this Mo Yungao is behaving pervertedly. If we dont investigate this matter, Im afraid it wont be a simple matter of revenge.


    When we reported the Flower Reef case to the top, didnt the Archives continue investigating it at the time? Zhang Haiyan had been thinking about this question for a long time.


    Zhang Haiqi looked out the window. The Zhang family shut the case down.


    Why? <em>Since the Zhang Family monitors strange urrences, why stop investigating such a strange thing? This northeastern gang is too willful.</em>


    Zhang Haiqi didnt speak. She actually knew that there was only one possibility for the Zhang familys interference with the investigation: the case was shut down because it had something to do with the Zhang familys patriarch.


    We have to rebuild the Archives and get rid of Mo Yungao. He already knows of the South Sea Archives existence, so logically, he cant be left alive anyways. But the two of us arent strong enough right now. We must go to Changsha first and find someone to help us.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Phnom Penh is the capital and most populous city in Cambodia. Wiki link here.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: The part where Zhang Haiqi described what Haixia was like when he was a child hit me right in the feels. </em></strong>()


    <strong><em>And I wonder who they can possibly look for in Changsha</em></strong>(   )

 Chapter 46: Running Accounts And A Thousand Years Between The Mountain And The Sea

    Chapter 46: Running ounts And A Thousand Years Between The Mountain And The Sea


    A few events will be briefly mentioned here. In fact, many things had happened in Xiamen. There were still some interactions between Zhang Haiyan, Zhang Haiqi, and He Jianxi, but these incidents will be skipped.


    After Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haiqi rested for a while, they set off immediately.


    For Zhang Haiyan, reuniting with Zhang Haiqi was like a dream that ignited a new hope in his heart.


    The train to Changsha was traveling through the southeastern mountainous areas in rainy weather. Even though vast mountains were covered in mist and the inside of the carriages felt cold and humid, Zhang Haiyan felt a warmth in his heart.


    He looked outside the window, watching the frequent rain bursts and lightning strikes as he thought of Zhang Haixia. He had always assumed that Haixia wouldve been here with them.


    Both Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haiqis feelings wereplicated, so neither spoke.


    Zhang Haiyan carefully considered how he should interact with Zhang Haiqi. The easiest way tomunicate normally was to talk about work. When he first saw her again, he was surprised and had too many questions, so themunication had initially been very smooth.


    But once they had settled down, he realized that their rtionship was a little distant. The mother and son hadnt seen each other for many years and it had been a long time since they lived together. His mother was the type of person who wasnt nostalgic and was unwilling to talk about family life. It wasnt easy for Zhang Haiyan to get along with her well.


    If it were other people, Zhang Haiyan would normally go with the flow and not worry about it. But he couldnt do that when it came to Zhang Haiqi.


    When they were little, every child who faced Zhang Haiqi wanted her love and attention. They would all use different approaches, but Zhang Haiyan was the one who was responsible for not letting the situation be awkward.


    Zhang Haiqi had been reading over the materials again. The person they were going to visit this time was called Zhang Qishan.


    Zhang Qishan was the head of the Mystic Nine, which referred to the nine tomb robbing families in Changsha (the Mystic Nines specific background is veryplicated, so theres no need to know much about them here). Zhang Qishan was also Changshas defense officer. Not long after he took office, the Japanese activities in the southwest ramped up, so his transfer must''ve been rted to confining the Japanese spies activities.


    They werent looking for him because Zhang Haiqi knew him personally, but because Zhang Haiyan had recorded in the Flower Reef case report that the lieutenant had mentioned him. This was what had prompted Zhang Haiqi to investigate Zhang Qishan and learn something about him.


    At that time, everyone already knew the name Zhang Da Fo Ye. But for Zhang Haiqi, a person whose surname was Zhang and had the word shan (1) in their name was someone she would definitely pay attention to in other aspects.


    But Changsha was full of Zhang Qishans informants, and all the spies who went there to investigate were all tied up and sent out of the city the very next day. After this had happened twice, Zhang Haiqi received the Ningxiangs specialty Weishan Maojian tea that was sent from Changsha to the Dong residence. There was a note saying: I wont allow it to happen a third time.


    As a result, she had stopped investigating him. Zhang Haiqi didnt know how Zhang Qishan had learned of her existence, but it was kind of futile to conduct more investigations on him since he was the incumbent defense officer and someone who the criminals in the Flower Reef case were wary of. Plus, she might ruin whatever he had nned by doing so. As a result, she also sent a gift back to him that consisted of candied olives from Xiamen.


    Her going to Changsha to visit him showed that she was desperate. If she had guessed right, then Zhang Qishan must have also been rted to the Zhang family.


    But if the other party really was rted to the Zhang family, then their generation name must have been shan.


    There are a thousand years between the mountain and the sea. They are rted, but they must not see each other.


    In the Zhang familys proverb, the mountain and the sea were two groups of people who could never meet each other for the rest of their lives. When the mountain and the sea met each other, it meant that the Zhang family was certainly going extinct. This was a saying that she had heard a long time ago.


    She didnt know what unpredictable consequences would ur if she met Zhang Qishan. In fact, she was far away from the core force of the Zhang family and had lost power as one of the few people with the generation name hai. She didnt understand much about the Zhang family, so she was both nervous and a little expectant about their meeting this time.


    Meanwhile, He Jianxi had already stayed in a small hotel by the dock for three days. He watched peopleing and going every day and quietly settled down. He eventually decided to stay in Xiamen.


    He didnt want to wander around anymore, but Xiamens development had far exceeded his expectations. An ountant like him wasnt umon in concession regions, so it wasnt easy for him to find a job. Moreover, foreign banks in Xiamen didnt particrly trust Chinese people to be their ountants.


    His money couldst him for a while, but the prices in concession regions like Xiamen were very high. If he returned to his hometown, he knew that he could only do physicalbor instead of something he was good at, which made him a little anxious.


    As he spent the money, he habitually began to sort it so that he could count it and see how much he had left. That was when he saw the sketches on the money again.


    At this time, he was surprised to find that the sketch of the gue god with des in his mouth was Zhang Haiyan.


    He had put these two things together a long time ago, but the things that had happened on the ship were so tragic that he only reacted now.


    He felt strange all of a sudden. <em>Why did this happen?</em><em>Could it be that the person who prevented me from being beaten up knew the gue god?</em>


    He Jianxi thought about it carefully afterwards. He was grateful for what Zhang Haiyan had done. If it werent for Zhang Haiyan, he mightve died a long time ago and wouldnt have been alive toin to him about what had happened. But Zhang Haixia was actually the first person to save him, because the money he had received from him may have been the key to his boss not killing him.


    This seemed to indicate that He Jianxi might not have recognized Zhang Haixias body since the details of a corpse were so different from the demeanor of the living. But none of that mattered now.


    He Jianxi thought of Zhang Haixias eyes at that time.


    <em>What does this sketch mean? Did he draw this randomly? Did he draw his friends face?</em>


    He Jianxi began to look at all the money carefully and soon found that there were sketches on almost all of it. It looked like Zhang Haixia had drawn it all in haste, so the sketches werent as obvious as the one of the gue god. There were even English words on one of the sketches that read: Pls deliver letters.


    He Jianxi sat up and realized that this was the information the man in the wheelchair wanted him to help deliver.<em> But deliver to whom? Deliver them to the gue god?</em>


    He looked at the money and saw that the pictures were all different. Some had English words, while others only had patterns. He found one that had a lot of English words on it that read: Killers are not ordinary people.


    <em>Killers are not ordinary people.</em>


    <em>What does this mean?</em>


    <em>Did he mean those killers?</em>


    For He Jianxi, anyone who was able to kill people was definitely not an ordinary person.


    There was also a picture beside the words on the money. It was a child with an adult on his back, and there was a bigger person on the adults back. A strange face had been drawn on the childs hand. No, it was actually a human face in the childs palm.


    <em>Children carrying adults? Adults carrying giants on their backs? Or is it a small person carrying an adult, and a very small person carrying a small person. What kind of symbol is this?</em>


    <em>What is the human face on the hand supposed to mean?</em>


    He Jianxi was puzzled. He thought for a while and then started copying all the patterns that were on the money. He was going to find Zhang Haiyan.


    The money he received from Zhang Haixia wasnt charity but a delivery fee, so he had to be sure to give the letters to Zhang Haiyan.


    In this way, He Jianxi opened the riddle box Zhang Haixia had left before he died. No one knew how rich the information inside this box was. He Jianxi had just started to analyze and guess what it was, but the information he analyzed would change the course of this story many dayster.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Shan means mountain. Hai means sea in Chinese.

 Chapter 47: Good Fortune In Changsha

    Chapter 47: Good Fortune In Changsha


    The ind city of Changsha wasnt like Xiamen. It was humid, there was no breeze, and the smell of stinky tofu and spices from various stands filled the air. Something like oil fumes, fog, or firewood smoke floated up in the air.


    There were peddlers, merchants with their mules, and ethnic minorities in western Hunan garb. Among the monks and beggars with unkempt hair, wealthy people sat on three-wheeled rickshaws. It was difficult to describe Changsha in one word.


    After they got off the train at Changsha Station, they ate a bowl of spicy rice noodles. Zhang Haiyan had also eaten spicy food in a, but it was never this spicy. As he tried to finish it all, his head ended up drenched in sweat


    Changshas bustling main street was hardly any different from the concession regions. The alleys wereid with bluestones and there were many overcrowded teahouses.


    The sounds of Xiang Opera, Huagu Opera, and Tanci (1) were flooding into the streets. At that time, there were more than fifty theaters in Changsha with various operas performing around the clock. Lanterns were lit everywhere, showing an atmosphere full of joy and merriment that was unique to the Hunan people.


    This environment was very different from the one Zhang Haiyan had grown up in, so he was feeling a sense of freedom and freshness. He felt that everything was so different, vibrant, and energetic.


    Zhang Haiqi seemed to have been to Changsha before and was a bit emotional, as if she was revisiting an old ce. Zhang Haiyan wondered if it had been half a century since she hadst visited here.


    The two of them finished their meal and took a walk to digest their food. Before they came here, they had sent telegrams warning that they wereing since they were worried that they would be mistaken for spies when they arrived.


    The hotel they stayed at was called Good Fortune Hotel, which was one of the best in Changsha. Now that it was the off-season, there werent any prostitutesing and going, so it was very quiet.


    While they walked along the streets, Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haiqi discussed what to do when they met Zhang Qishan. Since he was a special figure, they had to achieve their goals while avoiding any possible changes.


    Mother, under this kind of situation, what mentality should we have in order to deal with it? Zhang Haiyan asked. In fact, this question was actually very difficult to answer.


    If we make an analogy, its like were the poor rtives from the country who areing to gain favor from our wealthy rtives, Zhang Haiqi said. It was rare that they were all surnamed Zhang, so they had to take advantage of it.


    So, were going to kiss his ass. Zhang Haiyan lit a cigarette.


    No, Zhang Haiqi said. <em>Youre </em>going to kiss his ass.


    Should we take action first in case there are any problems? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Zhang Qishan has been merciful several times. Ive already informed him that wereing, so I dont think hell change his behavior so suddenly, Zhang Haiqi said. But we can onlye to a conclusion after we meet him. Then well act as we see fit.


    To their surprise, Zhang Qishans lieutenant was already waiting for them at the hotel door when they arrived. As soon as they entered, they saw an officer in a military uniform looking at a horizontal calligraphy painting on the wall in the hotel lobby. He seemed to be contemting something.


    <em>The way they do things is really efficient, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    As Zhang Haiqi and Zhang Haiyan walked towards him, servants came to take their coats. Then, the guards outside closed the doors and windows and started lighting themps in the room.


    <em>This person must be Zhang Qishan, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    As Zhang Haiqi walked to the sofa in the lobby, she saw that the western-style firece on one side had also been lit.


    Zhang Qishan looked back, eyeing the two of them.


    Zhang Haiyan knew how to read people. When he looked at Zhang Qishan, he knew that this man was the embodiment of his name. His aura was just like an unshakeable mountain (2).


    Generally speaking, Im not fond of people from the Zhang family (3). But since youre already here, its impolite to make you leave right away. Are we going to talk about the past or discuss business first? Zhang Qishan asked as he sat on the sofa and motioned for them to sit down. Miss Zhang must have a lot to discuss with me, but Im busy with official duties so its better to make it short.


    Zhang Haiqi also looked at Zhang Qishan. <em>Nothing major has happened considering the so-called mountains and seas must not see each other. Are we really meeting just like that?</em>


    Are you also from the Zhang family?


    Actually, I dont want to reminisce about the past. I used to be from the Zhang family, but now Im not.


    Is it really possible to choose not to be one of them?


    Ive tried it and its possible, Zhang Qishan said. If youre here to tell me I cant do that, then I suggest you not speak.


    Zhang Haiyan observed the hotel carefully, noting that it was probably full of Zhang Qishans people. It was abundantly clear that Zhang Qishan was wary of them. Zhang Haiyan felt as if the other man was giving off the same kind of vibes as Zhang Ruipu, but this was his first time being surrounded by a regr army.


    Zhang Haiqi sensed the tense atmosphere and also looked around. I dont know about your rtionship with the Zhang family or your past, but they definitely have nothing to do with me. Hailou, you can tell him why were here.


    Zhang Haiyan nced at her and said to himself, <em>I wanted to see how Mother would reveal our purpose without embarrassing herself. I didnt expect that she would make me do it.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan coughed as Zhang Qishan looked at them coldly.


    Well, were all surnamed Zhang, Zhang Haiyan said. Were actually here to seek shelter from our rtives. Weve encountered a tricky matter in Xiamen and are short of people. We were hoping you could lend us a few military divisions since were all rtives.


    Zhang Qishan looked at Zhang Haiyan and then at Zhang Haiqi at the door. He put his hands together, moved his fingers, and said to the lieutenant, If this person is still joking when he opens his mouth again, take both of them away.


    The lieutenant nodded and put his hand on the gun at his waist.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately felt distressed when he realized that this was a serious person. They had actually heard about Zhang Qishans style of doing things on their way here, but he didnt expect him to be so direct.


    Zhang Haiqi spoke up at this time, Whats the rtionship between you and Mo Yungao?


    Zhang Qishan tilted his head and looked at Zhang Haiqi, obviously a little surprised. As he thought about it, Zhang Haiqi continued, I know youre investigating him. Ill tell you what we know, and youll tell us what you know. Our goals are the same. Theres no need to waste time. With that said, she nced at Zhang Haiyan.


    Then, Zhang Haiyan told Zhang Qishan everything that had happened.


    His ount was very brief, but Zhang Qishan listened very carefully. He fell silent after listening to their story and then tilted his head and looked out the window. The Southern Archives was destroyed by a southwestern warlord, and you think he might continue to spread the gue. This Mo Yungao has no clear purpose and acts strangely.


    As Zhang Haiyan nodded, Zhang Qishan sat up and said, Its true that Im investigating Mo Yungao. Too many people have gone missing in Beihai, so the people up top want me to investigate him in a low-key manner. But I havent made any progress. If you can provide actual evidence of what you said, I can forcibly seize his right tomand the troops and stop what theyre doing. At that point, you can deal with him however you want. But if theres no evidence, Im afraid the people up top wont want anything to happen. The current political situation is chaotic enough as is. This means that itll be impossible for me to mobilize Changshas defense troops to attack Beihai.


    Zhang Haiyan realized at this time that although their dialogue was very awkward, it was still effective. This Zhang Qishan was a person who didnt pay attention to the atmosphere, but ced an emphasis on directmunication.


    If youre willing to work with us, well provide you with evidence, Zhang Haiqi said. But you must give us Mo Yungao in the end.


    Zhang Qishan stood up and nodded, I actually met Mo Yungao many years ago. His behavior was very strange. He said that he admired my surname and then told me a story. It was during a fight between southeastern warlords when the gue was running rampant through the southeastern regions. He was still a toon leader back then and entered a gue-infected area. All of his troops died because of the gue. As he was hiding in a gue-ravaged vige, a young man surnamed Zhang used his blood to save Mo Yungao. From then on, Mo Yungao believed that he had met an extraordinary person.


    An extraordinary person?


    Combined with your statement, I believe he might have met a person from the Zhang family. He saw that the person had special abilities, so he spread the gue in order to see people from the Zhang family again. Zhang Qishan took the military cap that the lieutenant handed him. I dont know much about it, but since I already told you what I know, its safe to say weve reached an agreement. Ill wait for your evidence. When the mountain and the sea meet each other, it means that things are chaotic in the northeast. Since we have the same ancestors, Changsha can take you in if youre willing to serve the country. In addition Zhang Qishan paused for a moment before adding, Mo Yungao is on his way to Nanjing now. Officers from all over the country are going to Nanjing to report to the people up top. I can assist you in Nanjing with whatever youre nning to do.


    With that said, Zhang Qishan left the hotel and got in a car. As it drove away, the lieutenant told the hotel staff to treat them with hospitality, good food, and to let them rest. He also informed them that there were guards outside who would protect them.


    <em>Why are they so busy? Is this what they do when poor rtives visit them?</em> Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. He was just about to speak up, when Zhang Haiqi said, Mo Yungao has met the patriarch.


    The patriarch?


    He thought that the patriarch was an extraordinary person, Zhang Haiqi said. This either means that Mo Yungao knows of the Zhang familys existence, or he at least knows something about it. Hes done so many things because he wants to know more about the Zhang family.


    That was why the killers on the Nanan were bringing all the bodies back.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1)Xiang Opera is a major local opera in Changsha. Huagu Opera is basically Flower-Drum Opera. Tanci is a narrative form of song in China that alternates between verse and prose.


    (2) Remember, Shan means mountain in Chinese.


    (3) Although Fo Yes surname is Zhang, he wants nothing to do with the Zhang family that Poker-face is from (i.e., the main branch).

 Chapter 48: Nanjing

    Chapter 48: Nanjing


    Zhang Haiqi knew that Zhang Qishans inference was correct, and it wasnt just based on his own thoughts. He mustve had other evidence, but he didnt want to say more, so he only revealed some details to them.


    If so, this Mo Yungao was really a formidable person.


    Zhang Haiyany on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, unable to sleep because of how humid Changsha was.


    He had felt strange all day after Zhang Haiqi had said the word patriarch.


    Ever since he was a child, Zhang Haiyans sense of the world had withered, and he had never experienced being a mediocre person in a crowd. But the word patriarch suddenly made him realize that this was a big andplicated family, and a lot of the family affairs were unexpectedly rushing toward him.


    <em>I have a patriarch, which means that I have a big family.</em>


    In this long-standing human world, this was a feeling that made people feel inexplicably safe.


    <em>Although the wealthy rtives treat me badly when I visit them, theyre still my rtives.</em>


    <em>Patriarch I wonder what hes like?</em><em>Hes clearly the type of person who can inspire someone to spread a huge gue and risk hundreds of thousands of lives just to see him again.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan sat up in bed. He couldnt sleep, so he went out onto the balcony. He saw that Zhang Haiqi was standing on the adjacent rooms balcony in her pajamas, smoking a cigarette.


    The moon was very big and the Xiang River was visible to the naked eye, with little dots of light scattered across it.


    So, is Zhang Qishan helping us or not? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Finding evidence was certainly easier than killing Mo Yungaoespecially considering how they were spies in the first cebut when he thought about it carefully, the evidence for such a meticulous n should be in Mo Yungaos mansion. This meant that they would still have to go to Beihai and sneak into his headquarters without being seen.


    It wasnt much different from killing Mo Yungao directly.


    What Zhang Qishan meant was that Mo Yungao was heading to Nanjing, so we should directly capture him there. We should interrogate him about where the evidence of the gue is and then send a telegram to Zhang Qishans people in Beihai so that they can arrest his people and shut his headquarters down.


    Were going to capture him in Nanjing?


    Hell help us get close to Mo Yungao, Zhang Haiqi said.


    Zhang Haiyan stayed silent. He had to admit that this was an ingenious n only a soldier woulde up with.


    It could be inferred that Zhang Qishan wanted topletelypromise Mo Yungaos defense areas and allow the coalition forces to enter Beihai. By doing so, he could prevent Mo Yungaos capture from creating a power vacuum that would divide the country.


    But if they tried to capture Mo Yungao when he was in Beihai, then those in the system he had managed for so many years might not immediately surrender. It was possible that they and Mo Yungao would be trapped in Beihai together with no way out.


    Since ancient times, it was necessary to capture vassals in the capital.


    Can we trust him?


    If we manage to capture Mo Yungao, we can take care of him however we want as long as we finish interrogating him. Zhang Qishan doesnt trust us, either. With his n, he can take over Beihai, and Commander Mos life will be in our hands. Zhang Haiqi took a puff of her cigarette.


    If this is such a perfect n, then why cant you sleep? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Ill test you. What do you think?


    Im thinking about why Mo Yungao is going to Nanjing, Zhang Haiyan said.


    This person had beenying low among the southwestern warlords whilepletely destroying the South Sea Archives. Not only should his n be in full swing now, but he had such a delicate rtionship with the coalition army. Why would he be going to Nanjing? If it were Zhang Haiyan, he would go as far as breaking his legs to get out of going anywhere.


    <em>Whats in it for him to go to Nanjing?</em>


    Beihai and Nanjing are quite distant from each other. Maybe it isnt Nanjing that hes aiming for, but a certain ce on the road? Zhang Haiqi spected.


    Zhang Haiyan jumped from his balcony to Zhang Haiqis balcony. She looked at him and then continued, If he sets off from Beihai, he must first go to Guangzhou by boat before taking a train through Changsha, Wuhan, and finally Nanjing.


    Zhang Haiyans mind raced and he suddenly thought of something. He entered Zhang Haiqis room to get a pen and a piece of paper and started drawing.


    These are the locations of the viges where the gue broke out in a, and this is what the shape looks like when I draw lines between them. These are the locations of Guangzhou, Changsha, Wuhan, and Nanjing.


    After the lines were drawn, the shape created by the an viges was exactly the same as the shape created by the four cities of Guangzhou, Changsha, Wuhan, and Nanjing.


    Zhang Haiyan fell silent. Mo Yungao really had been doing experiments in those an viges.


    Mo Yungao had specially found viges that were at a simr distance from each other to release the gue so that he could study the transmission efficiency. And now he was going to y the real game in China.


    The gue in these an viges broke out at the same time. In other words, the epidemics in these four cities will also break out at the same time, Zhang Haiyan said. Its important to know when Mo Yungao will arrive in Nanjing since thats where hell send the signal from. Once the signal is sent, the gue will break out in these cities at the same time.


    Zhang Haiqi nodded in agreement. At this moment, they saw a car arrive downstairs.


    Who is that? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Theyre picking us up. I had the same idea as you, so I already had the guards ry it to Zhang Qishan. As Zhang Haiqi put her cigarette out, Zhang Haiyan noticed that her luggage hadnt been unpacked at all. Lets go to Nanjing.


    ***


    Mo Yungao sat in the trains dining car, looking at a small bottle in front of him.


    There was a beetle in the small bottle that was a kind of seven-spotteddybug from the southwest.


    A young man stood beside him, looking bewildered.


    Mo Yungao held a needle in his hand and pricked the young mans index finger very carefully. He pushed the needle in so slowly and deeply that the young man felt as if it wasing out from the other side. The young man was in pain, but there were soldiers behind him, so he couldnt move.


    Then, Mo Yungao pulled the needle out. As the blood dripped from the wound, Mo Yungao squeezed it out very seriously and then dripped it into the small bottle.


    The beetle inside wasnt affected at all.


    Mo Yungao put the needle down and looked at the young girl sitting in front of him. Its not working.


    A mountainous area shed by outside as they passed through the hilly areas between Changsha and Wuhan. In the distance, the setting sun was shrouded by fog.


    You need to be patient.


    I am patient, Mo Yungao said to her. Do I look impatient? He tipped the beetle out of the bottle and put it on his finger, watching as it seemed to flounder.


    He then squished it.


    I dont like it when others define me casually. Mo Yungao looked at the young girl again. Have you found your sister?


    The young girl shook her head.


    "Ive sent some people to ask around at the major piers, which is embarrassing me a lot. In return, I hope you can find what Im looking for as soon as possible.


    Mo Yungao stood up and gestured to a soldier, silently telling him to take care of things. The soldier came up behind the young man and snapped his neck, dropping him to the ground.


    When Mo Yungao returned to his room, he carefully took off his military uniform, pants, and cap. After arranging them neatly, hey on the bed like a corpse.


    When he closed his eyes, he saw that young man. Was he a young boy or a young man? Mo Yungao couldnt tell.


    It had been so long ago, but every time he closed his eyes, he could see the young man looking at him with eyes as deep as a pool.


    Im going to die, Mo Yungao, who had still been a young man at the time, told the young man weakly. Youd better not stay in this ce for a long time, or youll die as well.


    I wont die, the young man said to him. I need to go into the mountain quickly. Do you know how to get there?


    I also used to think that I wouldnt die. Mo Yungao smiled. What are you going to do on that mountain? He looked around. He was lying on a dirt slope where the fighting had just ended. All his soldiers were dead.


    Theres somethinging out of the mountain, The young man said to him.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: This is it. Poker-face is so charismatic that someone is willing to spread the gue for him. Meanwhile, Little Brother Zhang is there thinking, A, I have a patriarch. Sweet. lol</em></strong>

 Chapter 49: A Quick Plan

    Chapter 49: A Quick n


    Mo Yungao looked to where the young man was looking. Shiwan Mountain and several other mountains next to it rose up behind the big mountain.


    A glimmer of hope suddenly surged up and he clutched the gunshot wound on his shoulder. If you carry me on your back, Ill show you the way.


    The people in the vige here were simple and honest. Although this man seemed toe from the north, it should be possible to deceive him since he was young.


    As long as Mo Yungao left this battlefield and threw away his military uniform, he should be able to survive.


    The young man ignored him and focused on sorting out his equipment instead. He had a wound on his left hand that he wrapped with a bandage he had taken from a corpse. Its not toote for you to leave, he said before continuing to move forward.


    As the young man left, Mo Yungaos hope slowly turned into despair. He sneered when he saw that the young man was walking toward a crevice in the mountain where they had been ambushed by bandits before.


    If you were a good person, you shouldve saved me. Now you deserve to die. He startedughing as he grabbed a grenade. There was a chance it could save him from being tortured after he was captured. He knew the bandits would skin him alive and hang his body at the entrance of the vige to scare the vigers.


    He waited on the hillside until dark, and by the time dawn came, only a wild boar hade to gnaw on the corpses.


    No bandits came to clean up the battlefield.


    Mo Yungao was somewhat surprised. Once he noticed that his wound had stopped bleeding, he got up. His energy was somewhat restored, so he busied himself taking dry food and water from the corpses. He took off his military uniform and nned to run for his life.


    But Mo Yungao was a bit different from ordinary people. He took a few steps to leave the mountain, but suddenly thought about why the bandits didnte down the mountain.


    It was obvious that he and his soldiers had all been defeated. In the past, the bandits would never show mercy when they ambushed the soldiers who were trying to capture them.


    He thought of the young man.


    That kid who was unwilling to save him was probably dead.


    As he kept walking, he inadvertently started to turn back and head towards the crevice in the mountain. He wanted to see what was going on.


    The sun had juste out, the sky was incredibly blue, and Mo Yun could clearly remember how crisp the air was that day.


    As he walked into the crevice and his surroundings became very dark, the blue sky stretched out endlessly overhead. The scenery was truly wonderful.


    Not long ago, the blue sky here had been blocked by rifles. The bandits had been stationed at the top of the mountain and were shooting down into the crevice. Mo Yungao and his men could only rely on the protruding rocks as cover. They raised their heads to shoot at the targets overhead, but it was very difficult to take aim.


    Afterwards, the bandits dropped grenades on them. They couldnt hold out anymore and had no choice but to flee.


    Now the crevice was eerily quiet.


    The more he walked forward, the quieter it became. When he finally reached the other end of the crevice about three hourster, he saw all the bandits corpses lying in a radial shape right at the exit. It looked as if they had suddenly fallen to the ground and died after rushing out of the gap.


    What was even more bizarre was that there were flies all over the corpses in a much greater quantity than those on his own soldiers corpses.


    He looked closely and found that most of the bodies were highly dposed. It didnt seem like they had just died.


    He was a little surprised, but suddenly realized that he had slept for a few days.


    He didnt see the young mans body.


    The locals knew that the other side of the crevice was controlled by bandits, so no one knew what was on the other side except for the women who had been abducted into the mountain. And now him.


    As Mo Yungao continued to walk forward, he smelled a terrible stench. After taking a few more steps, he saw that there was a vige behind the crevice. It was practically covered in flies and there were corpses everywhere.


    The bandit vige behind the crevice waspletely rotten.


    More flies had gathered in the vige, and there were maggots and corpse fluid everywhere.


    Mo Yungao didnt know what was going on, but he walked towards the back of the vige anyways. There he saw most of the bandits bodies piled up in a big pit with flies swarming over them like clouds.


    As he approached slowly, the flies kept hitting his face.


    He suddenly found something among the flies that wasnt a fly. But just as he was about to take a look at it, someone unexpectedly grabbed the back of his neck and lifted him directly onto a nearby tree.


    That person carried him like a sack all the way to the highest branch. He took a look and saw that it was the young man he had met before.


    What happened here? Mo Yungao raised his head and asked him. Did you kill them all?


    The young man looked at the pile of corpses below and said, Stop talking. That thing ising out soon.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Yungao saw something amidst the pile of corpses move.


    The train shook, and Mo Yungao woke up. He opened his eyes and looked at the panel overhead.


    After a long time, he eventually sat up. Where are we? he asked.


    The guard outside immediately opened the door and replied, Weve just passed Changsha. While the train was stopped, Zhang Qishan asked some people to bring you gifts.


    Dont bother showing me useless gifts like food and drink, Mo Yungao said. Has Zhang Qishan set off?


    I heard that he wont set off for two or three days, the guard said. He didnt send food. He said that its something themander has been dreaming of. The guard lowered his voice, Its a woman surnamed Zhang.


    Mo Yungao paused before slowly putting on his military uniform and following the guard out.


    This was a special train that Mo Yungao had reserved. It normally had ten cars in the station, and they would rent the engine car before they got on the train from Guangzhou. At that time, Zhang Zuolins (1) special train had twenty-eight cars, so Mo Yungaos pomp was that of a rtively small local warlord.


    Even so, Mo Yungaos office and bedroom were still quite spacious, and his guards and entourage had rooms on both sides of his room.


    When Mo Yungao came to his office, he saw Zhang Haiqi tied up on his sofa.


    He didnt approach her immediately, but took Zhang Qishan''s note that the guard handed him.


    This person came to my house and asked me to help her find evidence of your misconduct in Beihai. Were colleagues, so I dont want to disturb you. Ill let you handle it. In addition, this woman has a Qilin tattoo on her body that will appear when her body temperature rises. I heard that youve been looking for someone like this for a long time. Now you can get what you want.


    Mo Yungao sat in his office chair and asked the guards to close both the front and rear doors.


    As he stared out the window, the guard asked him, Commander, what do you think?


    Zhang Qishan seems polite on the surface, but hes actually been investigating me. Why would he kindly send someone from the Zhang family to me? Was he afraid that Id suspect hes from the Zhang family, so he did this to clear up any suspicion? Mo Yungao didn''t care. What he had been looking for was never simple power or something like it.


    He looked at Zhang Haiqi, took out a report from his desk drawer, and then flipped through it. Youre from the South Sea Archives, right?


    There was a needle ced among the reports pages, which he set aside as he took out a small bottle from another drawer that held adybug.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Zhang Zuolin was an influential Chinese bandit, soldier, and warlord during the Warlord Era in China. Wiki link here

 Chapter 50: The Hints On The Money

    Chapter 50: The Hints On The Money


    When Mo Yungao sat next to Zhang Haiqi, she looked at him coldly. The legendary man behind the conspiracy had apparently been suffering from insomnia for a long time. He appeared very weak, but his eyes seemed to sh with multi-colored lights like colored ze, full of all kinds of changes.


    You couldnt see through this kind of person because they had no fixed form.


    Mo Yungao stroked Zhang Haiqis ear before grabbing her earlobe and piercing it with the needle. He squeezed the blood out and dripped it into the bottle.


    As the blood fell into the bottle, thedybug inside began to frantically run around.


    Mo Yungao couldnt believe his eyes and shook the bottle. Thedybug fell, got up, and started flying around in the confined space. It constantly hit the wall in an attempt to get out.


    Mo Yungao looked at Zhang Haiqi. You really are from the Zhang family.


    He dropped to the ground in front of the sofa where Zhang Haiqi sat, covered his face, and remained silent for a while. Then, he knelt down and kowtowed respectfully to her.


    Zhang Haiqi didnt expect things to develop like this and stared at Mo Yungao, who didnt get up for a long time. He seemed very pious, as if he had seen a deity performing a miracle.


    But he didnt untie Zhang Haiqi.


    <em>This person is a psychopath. He loves putting on a show.</em>


    After he sat back on the sofa, he said, Ive read a lot of ancient books. Thest time an ordinary person caught a person from the Zhang family was during the Ming Dynasty. I dont know if the novelist fabricated it, but its said that a great genius would pose a threat to the Zhang family every once in a while.


    Theres no such genius in this era, Zhang Haiqi said. The only reason you can even pose a threat to the Zhang family is because theres something wrong with the family itself.


    I heard that you people are immortal? Mo Yungao looked at Zhang Haiqis face.


    Nothing can live forever. Even people in the Zhang family had their own lifespan. Nothing in the world was eternal.


    Mo Yungao nodded. Youre right. But why did Zhang Qishan give you to me? What do you have nned with him? Mo Yungao asked as he suddenly took out a pistol and pointed it at Zhang Haiqi. Its easy for people in your family to untie ropes and handcuffs, right?


    The rope and handcuffs on Zhang Haiqis body were still tight and locked.


    She didnt move. You should be asking him this question instead. Maybe hes sending you gifts because he wants to make a deal with you.


    Mo Yungao took out a note from the side, wrote a telegram, and asked the guard to send it to Zhang Qishan.


    Youve caught a person from the Zhang family, so can you not release the gue in those other ces? We can talk to each other properly. What do you want to know?


    Mo Yungaoughed. You can predict what Im going to do, eh? He looked out the window, Youre wrong. Im not looking for some random person from the Zhang family. You guys arent qualified to discuss those things with me. I want to meet <em>that</em> particr person.


    Zhang Haiqi looked at him. How can you be sure hell even show up?


    Because everyone else that shows up disappears. Hell know that Im looking for him. As long as your people disappear one by one, I can force him toe out and see me.


    The image of that pile of corpses shed before Mo Yungaos eyes. They arched up, as if something was about toe out of them.


    He was dazed for a moment. Dont be mistaken. Youre not the first person from the Zhang family Ive found. In fact, Ive met three of you. But I have a lot of respect for your people, so your body wont be wasted.


    As Zhang Haiqi looked at him coldly, Mo Yungao continued, Why hasnt my guarde back yet? Do you think he got lost because its his first time being my guard?


    Zhang Haiqi frowned, finally noticing that the closed doors on both sides of the carriage had electric-powered locks.


    Youre here to distract me. Someone changed his face and pretended to be my personal guard in order to find evidence of my n, yes? Mo Yungao said, Zhang Qishan has always liked these kinds of parlor tricks.


    Zhang Haiqi moved her wrists, pulling the chain on the handcuffs to the limit. If she pulled any harder, it would break.


    Mo Yungao continued, Since I can fight against the Zhang family, do you think you can use ordinary peoples methods against me? You cant get what you want.


    **


    Zhang Haiyan, who was posing as a guard, took the telegraph and pushed open the door to the next train car. It was very dark inside and there werent any guards. The telegraph room was just behind this car.


    He lit a re and found that the train car was full of bottles and jars that had various organs soaking in them like wine.


    He took a closer look and saw that there were hands in many of the bottles and jars. Some of the hands had very long fingers.


    Then he saw a huge jar that had half of a persons body in it. Considering how pale the soaked corpse looked, this person mustve been dead for a long time. He didnt know what method was used, but he could see that the person had a Qilin tattoo.


    They had died from an explosion.


    Zhang Haiyan looked around. When he saw that the coast was clear, he lit a cigarette.


    The re went out, so he lit another one and nced at the reflection in the jar. There was a girl standing behind him.


    He turned around. He didnt know when the girl had shown up behind him, but she was slender and tall, and looked exactly the same as the one he had seen on the Nanan.


    He was stunned for a moment before he realized that something wasnt quite right. They didnt look exactly the same, but were very simr. They were twins.


    Im here to send a telegram, Zhang Haiyan said quietly.


    Can I have you? The girl suddenly asked him.


    Hmm? Zhang Haiyan said. <em>Is the guard having an affair with this little girl? Are we doing it now?</em> He asked himself.


    Themander is still waiting, Zhang Haiyan said. Give me a moment.


    I want you now, the girl said.


    Zhang Haiyan touched the girls hair. <em>Oh, my!</em> He thought to himself. <em>Shes so young. She shouldnt mess around like this.</em>


    Suddenly, the little girl grabbed his hand.


    **


    He Jianxi took the money out and looked at it under the sun. He saw a smaller person carrying a bigger person who was carrying an even bigger person.


    What did it mean?


    In this sequence, the smaller the person, the greater the weight they carried, which in turn made them stronger.


    **


    Zhang Haiyan felt an immense pressureing from the girls hand. This kind of strength wasnt like that of humans, but more like some kind of animals.


    Zhang Haiyan had engaged in too many fights and knew things werent looking good as soon as he felt the signs of her strength.


    He immediately opened his mouth wide, exposing the des under his tongue. When the girl was distracted by the des, Zhang Haiyan ripped his sleeve off and flipped over backwards.


    The girl was already in front of him by the time hended, fully prepared to grab hold of his hand again.


    Ill have your hand first, she said.


    Zhang Haiyan suddenly felt a pressure on his hand and looked down to see that his wrist was now deformed.


    He immediately felt pain and used his elbow to hit the girl with all his strength. She dodged a little to the side and then quickly grabbed his other hand.

 Chapter 51: The Hai Generation

    Chapter 51: The Hai Generation


    Ever since Zhang Haiyan became an adult, he didnt know how long it had been since hed met such an incredibly strong opponent.


    He knew how to defeat those weaker than him, but when it came to those stronger than him, he instantly knew why he couldnt defeat them. But despite the unfavorable circumstances, he would immediately start thinking of ways to try and win.


    The problem with these so-called incredibly strong opponents was that he had no idea what happened.


    In other words, no matter how many times he fought with them, he would never understand what transpired. It basically meant that the difference in strength between the two sides was too great.


    Although it wasnt that difficult to understand what was going on with this girl, he was almost unable to figure it out.


    It wasnt a matter of moves.


    To be honest, this girls moves didnt matter since she was so strong that she only needed to rely on her ligaments to deliver the blows. And not only was she strong, but she was fast, too.


    Zhang Haiyan quickly tore off his other sleeve, knowing that he couldnt underestimate his opponent. He shot the des directly at the young girls throat at close range.


    Twelve des shot out in a row, covering almost every position the young girl might dodge to.


    It was essentially impossible to dodge at such close range, so the girl didnt even bother. Instead, she directly pped Zhang Haiyans face.


    Zhang Haiyans neck almost snapped from the force of it. All the des hit the jars on one side, instantly breaking them.


    But this brief moment gave Zhang Haiyan the chance to free one of his hands. He reached into the antiseptic liquid and directly flung it at her.


    The young girl let go of his other hand so she could protect her eyes, enabling Zhang Haiyan topletely free himself from her grasp. After he rolled away, he didn''t dare pause for a second and took more than a dozen steps back.


    The young girl took the handkerchief that was sitting nearby and wiped the liquid off her body.


    It was said that Mo Yungao had many ethnic minority masters around him. Based on what He Jianxi had said, this girl should be the twin sister of that girl on the ship whose surname was Bai.


    <em>This isnt an ethnic minority master, but an ethnic minority goddess.</em>


    What did you eat to grow up like this? Zhang Haiyan held his wrist. One of his wrist bones was broken and his hand was already starting to swell.


    I eat people like you. The young girl licked the liquid from her hand and Zhang Haiyan realized that it wasnt antiseptic. It was alcohol.


    What he had seen just now wasnt liquid for preserving specimens, but medicated liquor? Were they drinking wine that had been infused with the flesh of people from the Zhang family?


    <em>Do people from the Zhang family have Tang Sanzangs flesh? </em>(1)


    He was stunned for a moment, but the girl didnt even give him a chance to catch his breath as she rushed at him again. The train shook, and Zhang Haiyan saw her stagger a little.


    <em>She has no basic skills</em>. <em>Shes just fast and strong.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan immediately decided to engage in psychological warfare. He retreated first and counted the distance, quickly reaching the wall by the next train car. Miss Bai, he said, Bai Zhu was actually the one who asked me toe here.


    The young girl was visibly shocked, so Zhang Haiyan quickly added, She said that she misses you very much and hopes to see you as soon as possible. If you kill me, you wont get to see each other.


    The young girl approached him, looking at him coldly. As Zhang Haiyan watched her, he suddenly heard someone knocking on the door to the telegraph room. Bai Yu, whats the matter?


    Something broke, she immediately said. Im cleaning it up.


    Suddenly, the door to the telegraph room started opening. Bai Yu quickly came over to Zhang Haiyans side, took off his coat, and wrapped it around his hand.


    A guard came in and looked between Bai Yu, the guard standing next to her, and the mess on the ground. Are you two alright?


    Zhang Haiyan nced at Bai Yu before handing the note to the guard. Send a telegram to Zhang Qishan.


    The guard took the note and left. Zhang Haiyan looked at Bai Yu and was just about to speak, when she grabbed his other hand again. Wheres my sister?


    **


    Zhang Haiqi and Mo Yungao stood in the train car that had been converted into an office. Mo Yungao didnt appear to be afraid of Zhang Haiqi at all.


    You locked the two of us in here. You do know I can kill you directly, right? Zhang Haiqi asked him.


    Can you not kill me now? Mo Yungao asked. It may put everyone at risk.


    She saw snakes slithering out of every corner of Mo Yungaos office.


    They were all green and flicking their tongues out, and each one was about as thick as an arm.


    The owner of these snakes is next door. He has a way of controlling them to protect me, Mo Yun Gao said. I dont understand these Southern Xinjiang tricks, but Chen Xifeng found them all for me. You shouldve already heard that there are many capable and extraordinary people around me. You know that I definitely wouldnt dare find ordinary people to fight against you.


    Zhang Haiqi looked out of the corner of her eye at all the snakes in the room. They were everywhere, including all the most inconspicuous ces. She hadnt even noticed them until now.


    Snakes have a good sense of smell. It''s useless to use masks around me.


    So, youve known for quite a while that he isnt your guard.


    Its said that this kind of snake is called a letter snake. It can alert you to other peoples presence, but I don''t know if I remember that correctly. Mo Yungao looked behind him. Wait for my people. Tell your friend toe back and well discuss what to do next.


    <em>Dont let me down, son, </em>Zhang Haiqi thought to herself.


    Of course, if you can throw something over and hit my throat directly like your Zhang Haiyan. Mo Yungao looked at Zhang Haiqi. The snakes arent that fast. So He pulled a box out from under the sofa that was slowly emitting a gas.


    This is a kind of nerve gas. It was ced under your sofa cushion. When I sat down on the sofa, my weight pressed on the mechanism below, triggering the gas to start releasing. I had a cup of coffee with a neutralizing serum in it beforeing here, but youre in trouble. You may not even be able to raise your hand now. Mo Yungao motioned for Zhang Haiqi to raise her hand. Arent you a little unsteady?


    Zhang Haiqi moved her hands without any difficulty. She thought about it for a while and then said to him, Too bad. My generation name is hai (2). One of our special skills is to take very small breaths. We can dive in water for a long time after taking a single breath. We usually dont need to take deep breaths like ordinary people.


    With that said, Zhang Haiqi grabbed the sofa with one hand and pulled it to the side. It was fixed to the floor, but she pulled it so hard that all the nails were ripped out. Once the sofa was shoved aside, the hidden gas cylinder below was finally revealed.


    Mo Yungao immediately ran away.


    An image shed through his mind of that young man jumping from the tree like an elf and falling onto the shadowy figure that wasing out of the pile of corpses.


    Mo Yungao couldnt see what it was. A bear? Or was it a zombie? But either way, it was too big. He was so frightened that he pissed his pants.


    The young mannded on the ck shadows neck and pressed both of his knees down. As soon as the ck shadow knelt to the ground due to the pressure, the man twisted his waist.


    The ck shadows head twisted at an unnatural one-hundred-and-eighty-degree angle. Then, the young man drew the knife from his waist and pierced the ck shadows throat. He moved it around the ck shadows neck until he could pull the head off directly.


    The young man gripped the head and looked at his twisted and bent knife. He threw the knife into the pile of corpses and then raised his head to look up at Mo Yungao.


    Mo Yungao discovered that the insects in the air actually werent flies, and they were starting to approach him. These insects were actually flying from where the ck shadow was.


    The young man raised his hand and opened his palm. Fresh blood spilled from the open wound. All the flies and cicada-like insects on the pile of corpses frantically fled, making the entire area look as if it was being attacked by a storm.


    Then, everything suddenly became quiet.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Remember, Tang Sanzang is a central character in Journey to the West. In the novel, it is said that people can be immortal once they eat his flesh, so all monsters crave it.


    (2) Hai means sea in Chinese.

 Chapter 52: I Am Your Mother. I Am Also Your Grandfather.

    Chapter 52: I Am Your Mother. I Am Also Your Grandfather.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Bai Yu. The girls feelings for her sister were sincere, but based on her behavior just now, both sisters appeared to be murderous monsters.


    Zhang Haiyan had never been biased when it came to beautiful girls, nor did he agree with the saying that minors shouldnt die formitting major crimes.


    The girls childish expression and worry in her eyes as she waited for news of her sister would normally make people feel pity for her. But in Zhang Haiyans eyes, she was a venomous snake with its head lowered. He couldnt afford to take his eyes off the snakes heart now.


    Your sister is still in Xiamen. Her life is in our hands, Zhang Haiyan lied without hesitation. Dont worry, shes well taken care of. But youve killed so many of us. If I cant go back alive this time, your sister will die a miserable death.


    How do I know if what youve said is true?


    Bai Zhu had probably died at sea. She mightve escaped from the ship using the lifeboat, but the probability of her being able to go ashore and arrive in Xiamen was too low.


    You can trust me because I got off the Nanan alive. Its impossible anyone else would know of her whereabouts, Zhang Haiyan said.


    Bai Yu looked at him resentfully. I can let you go. What should I do to get my sister back?


    You wonte to a good end if you betray Mo Yungao, Zhang Haiyan said. Even though she had such strong skills, it was still very easy to manipte her since she was so young.


    He wont know. Ill say that you jumped off the train.


    Zhang Haiyanughed and looked at the rm bell beside him. I wont leave until I achieve my goal.


    <em>Im just like a good-looking yboy, </em>he thought to himself.<em> If I keep pushing for what I want, this little girl wont be able to think carefully.</em>


    People who killed their opponents without hesitation definitely werent good at handling real pressure, after all. And no matter what the asion, the pressure of letting their opponent survive was surely greater than killing them once and for all.


    Bai Yu looked at him, What do you want?


    I want to know where you n on releasing the gue in each city, Zhang Haiyan said. If you let the gue break out in these cities, I guarantee that your sister will be infected as well. Do you see, Bai Yu? Im doing something good. Im a good person whos trying to help you reunite with your sister.


    <em>If your sister is still alive, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself,<em> Ill kill you both so that you can reunite with each other.</em>


    Bai Yu continued looking at him. After they stood in this deadlock for a while, she finally asked, You want to prevent the gue from breaking out?


    Correct.


    Our team is going to bring the gue water and pour it into each citys main water source. The people in our team are free to move around, so the division will send them a telegram when its time to act. Theyll wait a day after they receive the telegram before starting the process.


    What if they dont receive the telegram?


    Theyll release the gue next Monday at noon. Im to lead the team in Nanjing, Bai Yu said. But it certainly wont happen then."


    Why?


    You just handed the telegraph room the telegram that will release the gue.


    What?! Zhang Haiyan was stunned.


    The telegram you just gave the guard was a secret order, Bai Yu said. Since themander gave it to you, he wanted you to be the one to deliver it. Thats the kind of person he is.


    Zhang Haiyan turned around and rushed to the door. The wind blew in as soon as he opened it and he immediately pushed the door to the telegraph room open, only to find Zhang Haiqi there. She had snapped the transmitters neck.


    Mother, what are you doing here?


    Mo Yungao ran away, Zhang Haiqi said.


    She went to chase after him as soon as he ran, but the snakes were very fast and attacked her. By the time Zhang Haiqi ran out of the door, Mo Yungao was long gone. Her next thought had been to kill the transmitter.


    Zhang Haiyan rushed over to see if the telegram had been sent and was relieved to find that the telegraph hadnt been turned on yet.


    Zhang Haiqi asked him what was wrong, so Zhang Haiyan quickly exined the whole thing while Bai Yu looked at them from door of the other train car.


    Zhang Haiqi looked at Bai Yu and then said to Zhang Haiyan, Its better to get rid of her.


    Bai Yu immediately retreated into the darkness and Zhang Haiyan said, I still have things Id like to ask her.


    Shes a little liar, Zhang Haiqi said.


    Zhang Haiyan froze for a moment and Zhang Haiqi continued, Trust me, a woman knows these things at a nce. Theres nothing to say to her.


    Zhang Haiqi picked up the corpse with one hand and threw it off the train, but she suddenly heard the guards voices. Mo Yungao mustve notified them of the situation, which meant that their surprise attack had failed.


    Hold them off for three minutes, Zhang Haiqi said to Zhang Haiyan before immediately sitting in front of the telegraph and starting to send a telegram to Zhang Qishan.


    Zhang Haiyan stepped out and closed the door to the telegraph room, noticing that the lights in the opposite car were on. The car was full of guards armed with Browning M1910 pistols, which were called Flowery Little Guns at the time. This kind of gun looked elegant, but packed a lot of power.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately ducked his head, avoiding the four or five bullets that hit behind where he had been standing just now. He flipped under the train and unscrewed the coupling that connected the train cars together.


    The two cars immediately separated, but the inertia kept them from quickly breaking away from each other.


    Zhang Haiyan turned over, aware that his feet were almost touching the railway ties. A guard moved to jump to the telegraph car, but Zhang Haiyan grabbed his feet and caused him to fall directly onto the rails.


    The sound of bones being crushed made everyone shiver.


    The people behind him didnt dare make any more attempts to jump and focused on firing at the bottom of the train car instead. Zhang Haiyan use his deformed and aching hands to climb to the bottom of the Zhang family liquor car.


    A guard stuck his head down and shot at him, but was instantly blinded when Zhang Haiyan shot a de out. He died right on the train cars coupling, while Zhang Haiyan almost fell off himself.


    The engine car was on the other side of the liquor car, so the two cars moved further and further away.


    Zhang Haiyan flipped over and climbed to the top of the car. He wanted to take a running jump onto the top of the telegraph car, but the distance was too great. Seeing that he was about to fall onto the rails and be crushed to death by the iing telegraph car, Zhang Haiqi opened the door and came out. She had the telegraph wire in her hand and quickly threw it to him.


    As soon as Zhang Haiyan caught it in mid-air, Zhang Haiqi jumped off the train. The train was traveling over a tall wooden bridge that had ake below it. Zhang Haiqi reached out her hand and pulled Zhang Haiyan into her arms, hugging him as they fell headfirst into theke.


    The guard above fired at theke, but pistols had a limited range and lost power in the water. The guard yelled for the train to stop.


    The two people floated to thekes surface and immediately swam to shore. They had excellent swimming skills, so they reached the shore quickly.


    So that girl was lying to me? Zhang Haiyan asked Zhang Haiqi.


    Yes. She had a face that looked like shed been lying since she was a child. Zhang Haiqi took out her cigarettes, but they were all wet. She wasnt going to tell you the truth. She just wanted to know the information about her sister.


    Fortunately, Im also a liar. What did you send to Zhang Qishan?


    I didnt send anything. I just rigged and adjusted the frequency of the telegraph stations, Zhang Haiqi said as she looked at the train.


    Back on the train, the two disconnected sections came to a halt. Mo Yungao went to the telegraph car and told a guard to send a telegram. The situation has changed. Inform all our people in the cities that the time and method for executing the n are adjusted as follows.


    As the guard began to send the telegram, all the telegraphers in the telegraph room of Zhang Qishans residence began to copy Mo Yungaos orders.


    Its been confirmed that the telegram was sent from Mo Yungaos military frequency, the lieutenant said. All ns and personnel information are avable to us.


    Zhang Qishan looked at the telegram. Notify those in Nanjing that I wont be going. Lets go to Beihai. Before dawn tomorrow, we need to capture Mo Yungaos people in Guangzhou, Changsha, and Wuhan in one fell swoop. Before we reach Beihai, well spread false news of a strange disease.

 Chapter 53: A Man On A Lone Boat

    Chapter 53: A Man On A Lone Boat


    Zhang Haiqi and Zhang Haiyan hadnded in the South Lake of Yueyang. They headed towards the lights in the distance, walking along the river bank until they saw Yueyang City. But it was still far away, so they boarded one of the many fishing boats that were in the area. The fisherman took them all the way to Yueyang Tower, and once they disembarked, they realized they were in the downtown area.


    Lights were hanging from Yueyang Tower, but they didnt know what festival it was for. Since the two of them were soaked, they found a tailor shop on the street and bought some ready-made clothes. Once they changed, they finally got to walk around in Changsha-style clothes.


    Zhang Haiyans mind was full of thoughts, but he didnt voice them. He wasnt sure if Zhang Haiqi was really quick-witted, or if she had made a back-up n with Zhang Qishan a long time ago. If it was thetter, didnt that mean she had already expected him to mess things up?


    But Mo Yungao was much more difficult to deal withpared to whatever was happening in a. Zhang Haiyan somewhat suspected that Zhang Haiqi had sent him to a because she knew there was no way he could survive in China with his intelligence.


    It was only a days journey from Yueyang to Changsha, but the two of them had suffered injuries from the previous fight. Zhang Haiqi began to cough after she got on the boat and Zhang Haiyans hands were very swollen, so they went to find a doctor. The doctor set Zhang Haiyans bones, but couldnt find anything wrong with Zhang Haiqi. He hesitated and looked like he wanted to say something, but stopped himself for some reason.


    Zhang Haiyan was a little worried, but Zhang Haiqi shook her head. That kind of poison gas would definitely have an effect on her, but the doctor didn''t have a cure for foreign nerve gas. It must not have been particrly terrifying if Mo Yungao dared to stay in the room with it, so they could only wait until after they saw Zhang Qishan tomorrow to ask the military doctor.


    The doctor gave Zhang Haiqi some licorice to put under her tongue, and then she and Zhang Haiyan went to find a restaurant. They ordered some side dishes and started eating.


    Zhang Haiyan asked for an extra pair of chopsticks and set them aside. He was a little annoyed because he didnt get to avenge Zhang Haixia this time.


    Zhang Haiqi put the extra pair of chopsticks back and said, Dont always make yourself so obvious. It might feel good when youre doing something special, but you dont know what trouble it might cause in the end.


    Did all this happen because I said my name on Flower Reef? Zhang Haiyan asked. This was the question that had always been on his mind.


    While I was spending some quality time with Mo Yungao, I had the feeling that he had lost his mind. Zhang Haiqi shook her head. You had every right to give out your name. Even if you hadnt done that, Mo Yungao still wouldve fought against us. We know his conspiracy, after all.


    But


    Lets drop this topic. I was patient enough tofort you once, so shut up and eat, Zhang Haiqi said.


    Zhang Haiyan sighed. He had no choice but to swallow the next ten thousand sentences.


    He looked at Zhang Haiqi and suddenly felt that her state wasnt quite right. Was she also unsatisfied with the result?


    The two of them ate silently. The Yangtze River and Yueyang Tower were outside, while countless people wereing and going. Zhang Haiyan felt a little distant from them all. They didnt even know what had happened just now.


    After dinner, the two of them took a walk and asked some people for ways to get to Changsha. They boarded a night boat that would take them from the Yangtze River to Dongting Lake. After that, they transferred to the Xiangjiang River at Laogang and took the waterway the rest of the way to Changsha.


    After they got on the boat, Zhang Haiqi suddenly became very tired and fell asleep. Zhang Haiyan couldnt sleep, so he watched the fishing lights on the dark river.


    Those who lived on the river knew that the river breeze, fishing lights, and boats were going to another shore. Even though there were so many wonderful things, no one was waiting for you on the other side. Those people knew the kind of freedom, loneliness, unlimited possibilities, and anxiety that was brought about by wandering.


    They didnt talk that night. Zhang Haiyan leaned against the side of the boat and fell asleep. When he woke up at dawn, Zhang Haiqi was already awake. She leaned against the fishing boats shack as they approached Changshas port.


    At this time, the sun was bright and all the shops were open for business.


    As the two helped each other ashore, Zhang Haiyan felt as if Zhang Haiqi was a little different.


    They walked onto the dock and Zhang Haiyan suddenly stopped. He looked at Zhang Haiqi and saw that she suddenly had several gray hairs.


    Mother, whats got you so stressed that your hair is turning gray overnight? Why do you have gray hair?


    Zhang Haiqi froze, Where?


    Zhang Haiyan pulled a strand out and Zhang Haiqi looked at it with a very strange expression on her face.


    She clutched her chest and coughed a few times as they stopped a passing rickshaw. Zhang Haiqi had never had gray hair before, so she quickly calcted her age. Although people in the Zhang family still grew old, she hadn''t lived long enough to start thinking about this problem.


    She wasnt too worried about it and asked Zhang Haiyan, Would you believe me if I told you Im over a hundred years old?


    But Zhang Haixia also had gray hair? He pulled it out every day. Zhang Haiyan said as the two made their way to Zhang Qishans defense headquarters.


    Knowing that Zhang Qishan had left for Guangzhou overnight, Zhang Haiqi knew she had seeded.


    In the next series of chain reactions, countless changes would take ce, but the two of them were unable to keep up with them. They went back to the hotel and waited for news from Zhang Qishan. The military doctor gave them both checkups, and they also received food and lodging as a free courtesy.


    When Zhang Haiyan recalled this periodter, he found that these were the happiest days. Although he couldnt really get used to the weather in Changsha, therd noodles and various kinds of spicy pressed duck, fish head, and chicken dishes were so delicious that he felt as if he might take flight.


    The newspapers had a lot of sporadic reports every day, and the various discussions and gossip about Beihai headquarters had also begun to increase. For them, this news meant that there were intense undercurrents beneath it all.


    But Zhang Haiyan was a little confused at this time. In his memory, Zhang Haiqi had always been energetic and never looked tired. Over the past few days, however, she kept sleeping longer and longer.


    At first, he just thought that his godmother wanted to sleep longer.


    But the amount of time she spent sleeping was getting longer and longer, and started to exceed the reasonable amount of time ordinary people would sleep.


    Zhang Haiqi began to sleep ten hours a day, then fifteen, and the time just kept increasing.


    Zhang Haiqi herself also found it very strange, because she would feel incredibly sleepy after only having been awake for a short period of time. She couldnt fight the drowsiness at all.


    Finally, one day, Zhang Haiqi fell asleep and didnt wake up. Zhang Haiyan waited a whole day, but she still wasnt awake by the time afternoon came. When he knocked on her door and didnt get a response, he jumped to her balcony to check on her.


    With all the fierceness gone from her face, the sleeping Zhang Haiqi looked like a child. Zhang Haiyan sat on the bed and held her hand, finding that her pulse was still strong at this time. It was in this moment that Zhang Haiyan finally realized that he was already an adult.


    Holding Zhang Haiqis hand on such asions no longer felt like a child holding his mothers hand. Instead, it was more like a father holding his daughters hand.


    The sunlight shone in and happened to cast the shadow of the window frame on them. That was when Zhang Haiyan realized that there were too many gray hairs on Zhang Haiqis head to exin it away as stress-rted. Although she didnt have a head full of gray hair, it was definitely impossible to try and pull them all out.


    Moreover, he saw a few looming wrinkles at the corner of Zhang Haiqis eyes for the first time.


    He suddenly understood the truth.


    His godmother was getting old?

 Chapter 54: Case Closed

    Chapter 54: Case Closed


    When Zhang Qishan returned, the Flower Reef case was closed.


    Mo Yungao was on the verge of death when he met an extraordinary person. This person didnt seem ordinary and even used his own blood to save Mo Yungao.


    Afterwards, Mo Yungao set up his headquarters in Beihai and life went on. The years passed by, but he still couldnt forget about that extraordinary man.


    At that time, he asked the extraordinary man if his remarkable abilities were congenital or acquired. When the young man told him they were acquired, Mo Yungao felt that it was unfair. After he gained power, he had obtained many things that he was afraid of losing. As a result, he hoped to meet that extraordinary man again and ask how he had acquired those abilities. It was for this reason that he spread the gue and did whatever it took to force the extraordinary man to appear again.


    In order to obtain the same gue that had broken out that year, he studied various materials and hijacked ships in the South Sea in order to dig up a sunken ship by the reef. In the end, he managed to obtain a strain of the Wudou disease.


    But the South Sea Archives obstructed his efforts, so he nned the Nanan incident to test the spread of the disease and ughter the Archives agents.


    Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haiqi were the lucky survivors, and they obtained evidence of Mo Yungaos actions on the train that year.


    Changsha defense officer Zhang Qishan went to Beihai, took over Mo Yungaos territory, reced the soldiers with his own men at lightning speed, and killed the ones Mo Yungao trusted.


    After Mo Yungao returned to Beihai from Nanjing, he found that Beihai had undergone a change in leadership. When Zhang Qishan surrounded him at the dock, Mo Yungao fled into the depths of the Guangxi mountains. No one knew what became of him after that.


    Mo Yungao was keen on researching nerve gas, which meant that many unnamed corpses were found in his mansion. Several of the corpses were believed to be people from the Zhang family, but their hands were cut off and they were so dposed that they were unrecognizable.


    Now that the story has developed like this, we can breathe a sigh of relief.


    Zhang Qishan returned to Changsha, hoping to incorporate Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haiqi into his defense force and help them rebuild the South Sea Archives. But Zhang Haiyan didnt feel that he could be a soldier. He couldnt bear the weight of the real military uniform, so he rejected the job offer. But he did gain a somewhat formal uniform, so he could be considered aw enforcement officer.


    They didnt get to avenge Zhang Haixia since Mo Yungao escaped capture and went deep into the mountains, but there would be a series of follow-up events to wrap it up.


    Despite all this, the threat was ultimately lifted. All the gue teams and disease strains were confiscated and burned.


    Meanwhile, He Jianxi was looking for Zhang Haiyan in Xiamen. As he was searching, he happened to find Haili Bank and got hired as an assistant there. He was still trying to crack the mystery sketches that Zhang Haixia had left on the money. He Jianxis story has just begun, and these sketches y a very important role in the follow-up story.


    But I have to emphasize again that this isnt the time to tell this story.


    If this is truly the end of the story, then its too perfect. There are always painful moments here and there throughout life.


    Zhang Haiqi slept for seven days and seven nights. The military doctor gave Zhang Haiqi nutrient solutions to prevent her from bing dehydrated. He also told Zhang Haiyan that she was in a deepa.


    Zhang Qishan brought back all the information Mo Yungao had left in Beihai, which was how they discovered what was causing Zhang Haiqis condition. But because the records were missing some volumes, they couldnt identify the specific information they needed. They could onlye up with a general guess about what had happened, but there was a chance the facts were moreplicated.


    It turned out that what they thought was German nerve gas wasnt produced in Germany at all. They didnt know where it came from, but it seemed to specifically target the Zhangs family blood. Mo Yungao only briefly mentioned in the records that he acquired this by ident, and he only found one cylinder of it. They could only figure out what the specific situation was if Mo Yungao was captured.


    The way Zhang Haiqi was aging at an rming rate was just like those mysterious and strange folktales. Based on the military doctors estimations, she only had two months to live.


    It was difficult to figure out where the Zhang family came from and why they could live so long. Even people from the Zhang family probably didnt know the truth.


    Zhang Qishan reminded Zhang Haiqi and Zang Haiyan that they had lost contact with the Zhang family in the northeast. The only way they could turn this thing around was to find the patriarch, and luckily, they knew where he was.


    Zhang Haiqi didnt want to go to Southern Xinjiang anymore. She had lived a long and wonderful life, and now that she was suddenly facing death, she felt calm and expectant.


    Long-term youth was an endless enjoyment. In fact, longevity wasnt that disturbing. But when you had lived long enough to see lots of people leave you, you would more or less look forward to the time when you would be able to meet them again on the other side. You wouldn''t fear death at all by that point.


    But Zhang Haiyan couldnt ept it. He had juste to terms with the fact that his godmother would stay young forever, but now this miracle was going to end in two months.


    Zhang Haiqi hoped to be buried in a cemetery in Xiamen with those she had sent off. She also hoped that she could help Zhang Haiyan rebuild the South Sea Archives before her death so that he had a ce to return to.


    Zhang Haiyan was devastated. He had been all alone before he met Zhang Haiqi. Many people hade and gone in his life, but only one or two had a special ce in his heart. Now they were drifting away from him like duckweeds. He stared at the Xiang River nkly, unable to understand it all.


    At this time, a fortune teller friend of Zhang Qishans made a prediction about this matter.


    Those familiar with him know that his name is Qi Tiezui.


    Qi Tiezui told the two people that the north, east, and west were ces of death, and the south was a dangerous ce. They should go to Southern Xinjiang. There was no chance of finding resurrection in the ces of death, but there was a chance of survival in a dangerous ce.


    The hexagram said: The old woman blooms. As the fallen leaves meet the spring, the branchese alive. You gain something as you lose something. All the grievances and love return to the sea. The dead branches fall under the tree and roll three times. This journey is full of gains and losses.


    This was the most mystical hexagram in Qimens Eight Calctions. Qi Tiezui had seen this no more than three times in his life. This hexagram meant that Zhang Haiqis best and worst states of her life would reach their peaks at the same time.


    If you have an understanding of people, fate, and life, you can probably infer what this kind of state was. But Qi Tiezui also knew that people who could have such a life must not be ordinary. It was like killing the one you loved the most in order to get what you wanted most.


    When Qi Tiezui checked Zhang Haiyans fortune, all he saw was an unpredictable situation.


    Qi Tiezui advised Zhang Haiqi that it was fine is she wanted to die, but she wouldnt have asked him to make a prediction if she really wanted to. Those who asked for their fortune to be told usually still had a desire to live. She wanted a reason to live no matter what that may be, and since she knew what she was looking for, she should go to Southern Xinjiang. People and things changed, so if she suddenly didnt want to die, it was best that she was already on her way to trying to save herself.


    In the end, Zhang Haiqi agreed to go to Southern Xinjiang with Zhang Haiyan. They made an agreement not to talk about her illness as they made their way there. They would treat it like they were going on a trip. Zhang Haiqi had no choice but toply.


    Southern Xinjiang covered a vast territory and there were hundreds of thousands of mountains, so it wouldnt be easy to find the patriarch.


    If Mo Yungao had to release the gue across the country in order to feel just a glimmer of hope, Zhang Haiyan could only take it one step at a time.


    The two prepared enough dry food and money for the journey while Zhang Qishan gave them the customs clearance documents so others could help them along the way. Thest two agents of the Southern Archives embarked on the road to find their boss.


    At this point, the Flower Reef case was closed and the Southern Xinjiang Potluck case had officially begun.


    If we look closely at Qi Tiezuis hexagram, there are still many oddities that can be analyzed.


    How would Mo Yungao, He Jianxi, and everyone else interact with each other under fates arrangement?


    What was it about the tusi (1), the bride, and the Yi vige? What was the real purpose of the mysterious Zhang family? Would they be able to find the patriarch? Why was the truth about Potluck Capital hidden for hundreds of years?


    We will slowly watch the events unfold.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Tusi, often tranted as headmen or chieftains, were hereditary tribal leaders recognized as imperial officials by the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties of China. Wiki link here.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: Mwahahaha, this is the end of Flower Reef Case. Its okay if you find thest paragraph a bit confusing because the author is just dropping hints here and there about the next story, which is New Years Special 2018. (Its actually an unfinished story. Can you see the tears running down my face? lol)</em></strong>

 Introduction

    Introduction


    This is the spin-off case of the Southern Archives. It was one of the cases that Zhang Haiyanpleted independently.


    This case belongs to the Southern Archives a Volume, File No. 013.


    Those who are familiar with the Southern Archives and the Daomu Biji system can start reading the next chapter.


    This is a story that may cause intense difort. Reader discretion is advised.


    During the middle and end of the 1870sspecifically from 1877 to 1878 China experienced catastrophic famines. There were more than thirty types of associated disasters within a year and nearly half the poptionalmost two hundred million peoplewere affected.


    Mothers and children ate each other, human flesh became amodity in cirction, and corpses covered the ground for thousands of miles.


    More than ten million people were dead. Some starved to death, some were killed, and others died of illness. Refugees everywhere murdered and ate people, and the gue ran rampant.


    It was hell on earth.


    This disaster was called Dingwu Qihuang (1). Our protagonist, Zhang Hailou, (people called him Zhang Haiyanter in the South Sea) became an orphan during this disaster.


    This story involves a lot of people and ces, including the Mystic Nine in Changsha, a in the south, and the southwestern border between Myanmar and China.


    (In case some people arent familiar with the stories, Im going to briefly introduce the history of the old Mystic Nine in Changsha.)


    The old Mystic Nine were nine tomb-robbing families in Changsha. They were called the Mystic Nine Leaders by the people because they controlled Changshas underground tomb-robbing business. Any underground business had to go through one of the nine families before they could leave Changsha.


    The southern Xinjiang part of this story is rted to one of the nine families and the Crescent Hotel''s origins.


    (The entire rtionship between the Mystic Nine and the Crescent Hotel is veryplicated, but you dont need to study it deeply before reading this story since it wont affect your understanding. When I get to that part of the story, I will naturally exin this in detail.)


    The story begins in the tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia.


    Ill write quickly. ording to the existing records of the Southern Archives, the story will consist of four parts.


    The incidents urred in the southern jungle of Perak (located in Mysia), on the Nanan ship sailing from a to Xiamen, and in the viges deep in the mountains of Chinas southern Xinjiang. Eventually, these stories will converge to reveal the truth about Dingwu Qihuang.


    The Authors Notes:


    I havent written a novel for a long time. In recent years, script writing has hurt my use ofnguage and my writing isnt as good as before. Im a little sorry about that.


    Every chapter will be published in three thousand words. This story will be very unrestrained and free. Ill write whatever I want, thus returning to the original state of online writing.


    Im going to write stories based on my original intention. When I first started writing, I wanted people to praise me. After fame and fortune came to me, I didnt really have a sense of enlightenment.


    As Im writing now, I begin to have a concept of why Im writing and what Im writing for. There are really too few good stories in the world.


    There arent many differences between all the stories that have been passed down from ancient times. If theres a new way of writing stories, I wont feel so bored before falling asleep at midnight.


    Exploring new story types and character types, and exploring creative ways of writing are my purposes for writing this book.


    I was an online writer twelve years ago, after all. Its hard to say whether I can still keep up with the ideas of contemporary writers. If I fail, please criticize me.


    =============================


    The following poems are for the characters in this book:


    He Jianxi:


    A young child is holding a melon under the willow, a dog is chasing butterflies in a narrow alley. The world is prosperous and full ofughter, yet I am the only one who is alone.


    Zhang Haiyan:


    The leaves of the willow tree in Jiangnan are too small to form a proper shade. The leaves are simply so new that people cannot bear breaking them. The branches are so soft that birds cannot bear stepping on them when they sing. They wait until the springes.


    She is now fourteen or fifteen, ying the flute in her free time. When she was little, she used to y games on the steps. I was fond of her back then, and adore her even now.


    Zhang Haiqi:


    There arent any birds in the mountains, there arent any people in sight. A fisherman is on a lone boat, fishing alone in the cold snowy river.


    Zhang Qianjun Wanma:


    Flowers are blooming, leaves and branches are all over the steps. The birds are singing, yet they sound so sad! We have just met, but now we are parting again. The bird that flies alone lives alone.


    When are we going to meet again? Who knows if we will ever meet again? Will it be difficult for us to meet again? How can I possibly express my feelings for you? I can only give you love words and a love poem.


    The rain falls on the flowers, the door is tightly closed. Our youth is forgotten, our youth is gone. Who is there to talk and share happiness with? My soul is lost as I stand next to the flowers, my soul is lost as I stand under the moon.


    Sorrow gathers every day, making me frown. I have shed a thousand tears, I have shed tens of thousands of tears. I look at the sky at dawn, I look at the clouds at sunset. I think of you when I walk, I think of you when I sit.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Also called The Northern Chinese Famine of 18761879. It urred during thete Qing dynasty in China. Wiki link here. Dingwu means <strong>Ding</strong> Chou Year (1877), and <strong>Wu</strong> Yin Year (1878) since the drought conditions were the worst during 1877 and 1878. Qihuang means great disaster.

 Side Story 1: The Most Despicable Man In The South Sea

    Side Story 1: The Most Despicable Man In The South Sea


    This story is about two people and a corpse.


    As usual, I wont cut to the chase. Ill start with something minor.


    There were thousands of My aboriginal tribes scattered in the southern jungles of Perak. These southern jungles covered a wide expanse, including areas around Johor. The vast expanse of primitive rainforests gave birth to several fleeting civilizations.


    Among these thousands of tribes, the natives in one tribe had a special tattoo. The extremelyplex pattern hadsted for more than two thousand years. Western explorers who did research on tattoos and local customs couldnt deduce the origin of this pattern. It wasnt a symbol of productive activity, a mythological story, or an obscure spell or symbol.


    In the seventeenth century, a piece of human skin with this tattoo on it was sold to Ennd and identally seen by a priest in the Cardinals Court. This priest had been a cartographer before he decided to follow God. He was surprised to see the traces of advanced map-drawing skills on this tattoo that had been passed down generation by generation for two thousand years.


    Thats right. The tattoo pattern was actually a two-thousand-year-old map that showed the entire archipgo around Borneo before the sea level rose.


    At the end of the seventeenth century, research on ice ages appeared in Europe. During the third ice age, the water level was much lower than it was now and the shapes of all the inds at that time were different from the current ones. This information was enough to prove that this map was drawn very early.


    In the nativenguage of the local people, this tattoo was called gonka. Gonka was actually a psychedelic drug there. After taking it, the native people would rush into the fire and dance in it until they died.


    Gonka was highly addictive and most people wouldmit suicide after taking it for three consecutive years. It was said that if those who tried to kill themselves were saved in the end, this map would appear in their minds. As a result, there was a saying that this picture came from the underworld.


    The gonka basically went extinct eight hundred years ago and was rarely seen in the rainforests. Maybe there were still some in the depths of the rainforests, but no one had confirmed it. There were few people who remembered the process for preparing and consuming it. The question of whether they could see this map in a hallucination had also be a mystery that could never be verified.


    What made people very concerned was that there was a strange mark on this human skin map.


    The person who drew this map two thousand years ago made a mark at a certain location that was in the depths of the rainforests. What was there?


    Since the seventeenth century, a total of five expedition teams had entered the rainforests in southern Perak to find this location. Three expedition teams didnt reach their target destination before the rainy season. The other two teams didnt reappear after entering the rainforests, so the final result was unknown. After that, people called the location ghost spot, and the expeditions stopped ever since.


    At the end of the eighteenth century, the western countries rekindled their interest in the gonka map after gonka was re-discovered in western Perak. The Westerners took the gonka powder and saw the map when they were dying. Moreover, it was said that they even saw some images that had never been passed down in the world.


    In order to reach the ghost spot on the gonka map and verify whether those images were true, gonka rewards were established.


    In the end, the rewards were exchanged for two thousand photos. The rewards were then cancelled and these photos were sealed in the archives.


    Thats it. Our story has an inextricable link with the gonka rewards.


    *****


    At the end of the twentieth century, a, Perak.


    Zhang Haiyan, who was known as the most despicable man in Southeast Asia''s history, was perverted, spoke before thinking, and had no credibility at all.


    His famous pet phrase was: Im so shameless that I can carry a tree on my face and theres big shit under mens knees. (1)


    He wasnt like other Chinese people after he went to the South Sea. He didnt start a family or run a business. He lived in the city, but no one knew what he was doing every day. Sometimes, he didnt show up for three or four months, but once he did, he often shocked everyone with his actions.


    Zhang Haiyan had done countless notorious deeds, but they were all undignified or disgusting. The most infamous incident was him robbing the dung truck. He robbed the dung trucks for six consecutive weeks, but no one knew what his purpose was.


    Some said that he was actually very decent in private. Others had seen him looking at the sea from a big tree. China was on the other side of the sea in that direction, but no one knew who he was thinking about.


    In physiognomy (2) terms, Zhang Haiyans eyebrows were curved like willow leaves, which made him look charming instead of frivolous. His eyes were as deep as bottomless pools, remaining smooth so long as it didnt rain. If he felt touched, the ripples would go straight to the bottom of the pools.


    Inymans terms, you would see waves of emotions in his eyes, but his eyebrows rose and sank in a way that was provocative. As a result, his face gave off a sinister appearance.


    Hua Qingzi, a Chinese fortune teller who built the first Taoist center in the South Sea, said that Zhang Haiyans face seemed like he was someone who carried a huge secret but didnt reveal it.


    A Chinese medicine doctor named Lao Ka, who was from Fragrant Herb Hall and lived next to Hua Qingzi, said that Zhang Haiyans face showed he had shenkui (3). He thought a lot and was often anxious, which damaged his heart and spleen. This became an illness that inhibited the blood flow in his veins.


    This all implied that although he looked handsome, he had a dysfunction down there.


    These rumors and criticisms werent important anymore because Zhang Haiyan was looking at the onlookers from the execution stage. He was naked and had his butt sticking in the air because his head was stuck in the guillotine. This guillotine had been used for a long time and was actually a soil slope in a market square. It was said that a wooden base guillotine would be built here in a few years.


    Youve guessed it. He was about to die.


    The executioner hadnt arrived yet. ording to Zhang Haiyans previous experiences of watching people get beheaded, the executioner would arrive about an hourte since the sun was too bright today.


    By the time the executioner showed up, most of the prisoners would be dehydrated and exhausted because of the sun. They would all be confused and unaware of what was happening the second before they died, so they wouldnt make too many desperate moves. The audience would feel bored and leave quickly, which meant that the executioner could head back sooner.


    There was a broken basket below him, which his head would fall into after it was chopped off. Without this basket, his head would roll all the way into the crowd.


    The guillotine was surrounded by flies. Although the blood sprayed forward and the guillotine would be washed after that, there was always old blood stuck in the cracks of the wooden boards after years of use. It attracted a mass of flies, which were constantly buzzing next to Zhang Haiyans ears.


    <em>There are lots of flies today. Several people mustve already been executed this month, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. He knew why he was here.


    Three months ago, some Chinese people were arrested for smuggling foreign wine. The four aplices were released two weekster and continued smuggling foreign wine.


    Zhang Haiyan knew that they must have shared a cut of the smuggling money with the white people in prison. Later, high-ranking officials somehow learned about this situation and the four people were arrested again. They were to be beheaded, but only three people were actually executed.


    It was apparent that one of them had bribed the sheriff. Since it was a gang of four, they simply needed to cut off four heads. It wasnt like the white people at the top could tell the differences between Chinese faces.


    As a result, Zhang Haiyan, an aplice who had shipped foreign wine to the gang several times, was arrested. He could make up for theck of the fourth person.


    Zhang Haiyan usually behaved pervertedly, so now he was reaping what he sowed. He had no way to ask for help and could only silently ept his death.


    Just as Zhang Haiyan was feeling ufortable under the scorching sun, the executioner finally arrived. There was amotion among the crowd.


    Zhang Haiyan saw the girl who lived next door to him standing there in the crowd and greeted her. A Bu was a girl who walked with a limp. She didnt respond to him, but turned and hid in the crowd instead.


    Watching someones head get cut off was exciting, but seeing your neighbors head get cut off was a bit too exciting.


    A Bin, remember to talk before you think when you get to the other side. Otherwise, they wont allow you to have a good reincarnation. You might reincarnate as a pig and deal with shit again in your next life, someone shouted from below, causing the crowd to erupt inughter.


    Zhang Haiyan was unpopr and infamous, so everyone was here to watch him get executed. His execution had be a kind of entertainment for them.


    Zhang Haiyan even saw that a turnover pancake apam balik (4) stall that he used to frequent had been moved to the side of the guillotine. The stalls owner was an old man who watched Zhang Haiyan while he sold the pancakes.


    Zhang Haiyanughed and looked at the old man. Its a long way home for me. Ill have to pass the Dragon Kings (5) territory when I go to theherworld from the South Sea. Since Im so handsome, the Dragon King might take a liking to me and Ill be his son-inw. Youll need to watch out when you go back to your hometown because I might climb onto your ships and drag you into the sea to be my guests.


    Everyone was shocked when they heard him say such an unlucky thing.


    The other party had been mocked and wanted to scold him some more when Zhang Haiyan said, Im about to die. Im so thirsty. I know some of you often do despicable and uwful things. Perhaps its time for me to reveal what youve done since no one can verify your deeds after Im dead. If you dont want me to talk, go and get me some water.


    The expressions of many people in the crowd immediately changed and some looked at the execution officer, hoping that Zhang Haiyan would die soon.


    The execution officer was a My who was checking the documents. It was obvious that he was still sleepy, so he ignored the confrontation.


    Zhang Haiyan continued, Wheres the water? Wheres water?


    The old man finally came back to his senses. He had probably thought of all his misdeeds and felt that Zhang Haiyan wouldnt know them, so he regained his confidence and scolded, Bullshit. Say whatever you want. You even talk shit before you die. The Dragon King will cut your head off again.


    Zhang Haiyan felt absolutely delighted andughed as he scanned the crowd. That was when he saw someone he didnt recognize standing there.


    They looked at each other. The other party was a white man in a monastic robe, which meant he probably worked in the monastery here.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the man and shouted, Hey, you! Who are you, friend?


    The white man ignored him and just kept staring at him.


    At this time, the executioners attention was finally pulled back by all the noise. He squinted and looked around before he shouted a few times in My and walked to the guillotine with a machete in his hand. This machete was used to chop off the rope attached to the guillotine. With one swift cut, the de of the guillotine would fall. After the blood was drained, they would bury the corpses with the soil on the side and that would be the end of it.


    Zhang Haiyan had no choice but to turn his attention back to the final moment of his life. He took a deep breath and continued to look over the crowd. He discovered that the white man had disappeared and all the others were silent.


    As the executioner came to stand next to the rope, Zhang Haiyans heart started beating faster and both of his hands held onto the wooden posts on both sides of the guillotine.


    Now he understood what it was like to be executed. Now he realized that thest few seconds were the longest.


    The execution officer obviously didnt want to waste time, so he read through the death penalty statement quickly, his words slurring.


    Zhang Haiyan stared at the crowd, looking at each individual face. Then, the machete swung and the guillotines de fell in an instant. Almost at the same time, a man jumped onto the stage and caught the rope in mid-air.


    The de stopped right before it was about to cut through Zhang Haiyans neck. If it had been a quarter of a secondter, the de wouldve hit him.


    At the same time, he heard a voice say, How much is this person?


    Zhang Haiyan looked up with much difficulty.


    Because of the backlighting, he could only see the silhouette of the person who was pulling on the rope that could end him.


    Despite this, he was still able to recognize that it was the white man in the monastic clothes just now. He had long hair and a slender figure.


    In a, if the death row prisoners didntmit very serious crimes, they could be redeemed with money. The charges against them were clearly marked with prices, but the price of death penalty crimes like selling illegal alcohol was very high.


    The price to redeem Zhang Haiyan was twenty-one shillings, which was about the price of two pints of rum. The white man obviously thought it was a high price since he began bargaining with the executioner.


    The white man spoke very horribly about Zhang Haiyan and found countless reasons to belittle the merchandise. The most outrageous reason he came up with was that Zhang Haiyan had shenkui.


    Throughout the whole process, he had been pulling on the rope. As long as the transaction failed, he would probably let it go immediately.


    Finally, Zhang Haiyan was sold for ten shillings. As the crowd dejectedly dispersed, the white man flipped open the lock of the guillotine and released Zhang Haiyan.


    Zhang Haiyan sat back against the guillotine. His neck was red and his entire back was sunburned and peeling. The white man smiled at him.


    Zhang Haiyans first thought was to run before the other party started exining why he wanted to buy him and why he wanted to save him. That way, the whole thing could be over. But when he looked at the shackles around his feet, he felt that he could wait until the other person started talking and uncuffed the shackles before he ran away.


    The white man came to stand in front of him and introduced himself, Im Madison. Im a missionary. Are you Mr. A Bin?


    Can you uncuff me first? Zhang Haiyan smiled at him, appearing very gentle and harmless. There was a dazed look in his eyes as if he couldnt believe he got to survive this.


    No. The shackles are worth six shillings. Youre only worth four shillings. Breaking these means that its a failed transaction. You have to carry them with you until we reach an agreement, Father Madison said as he squatted down and looked at the ces where Zhang Haiyans hands had been gripping. The wooden posts werepletely cracked.


    Father Madison said, It seems that Mr. A Bin didnt need our help since he could have saved himself. Youve got some skills. I shouldnt have thought youre only worth ten shillings. I should have agreed to buy you at twelve shillings just now.


    Zhang Haiyan squinted his eyes. Indeed, as Madison had said, he did have ulterior motives for doing this. It was risky to try and dodge the guillotines de with his ability, but it wasnt as risky as ying with fire.


    But the people here had regarded him as a perverted madman for a long time. How did the white man know that he was actually an incredibly amazing boy?


    What do you want? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Father Madison continued, Mr. A Bin, Ill cut to the chase. I bought you because I hope that you can give birth to a child for me.


    Zhang Haiyan had originallye up with a hundred possibilities of what this man would say, such as taking him to the rainforests to be his bodyguard or guide. This was because Zhang Haiyan had gathered a lot of information before, which could be useful should he choose to divulge it.


    But when he heard such a request, he was still stunned.


    Huh? What? What do you mean?


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) There is a Chinese idiom, There is gold under mens knees, which means that men have dignity and shouldnt beg others easily. I suppose Haiyan tweaked the idiom because he didnt care about any of that.


    (2) Physiognomy is the practice of assessing a persons character or personality from their outer appearanceespecially the face. Wiki link here.


    (3) Shenkui was an idiopathic form of anxiety seen in China, which is apanied by backache, fatigability, insomnia, vertigo and weakness; it is attributed to excess loss of semen or passage of whitish urine, sexual dysfunction, excess masturbation, intercourse, and nocturnal emissions. Link to dictionary definition here.


    (4) Apam balik is a dessertmon in many varieties at specialist roadside stalls throughout Brunei, Indonesia, Mysia and Singapore. Wiki link here.


    (5) The Dragon King, also known as the Dragon God, is a Chinese water and weather god. Wiki link here.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: The award of dramatic entrance once again goes to Zhang Haiyan lol.</em></strong>

 Side Story 2: The Angel Who Attracts the Plague God

    Side Story 2: The Angel Who Attracts the gue God


    In the pub, Zhang Haiyan ordered some bread and dipped it in his beer before slowly eating it.


    There were a lot of Chinese people both inside and outside the pub who were unwilling to leave. They obviously wanted to know how things would develop.


    The long-haired priest Madison had his chin in his hand as he looked at Zhang Haiyan. It was making Zhang Haiyan increasingly ufortable.


    As he ate, Zhang Haiyan felt his appetite slowly disappear.


    His shackles hadnt been removed yet, and many people around them were pointing at them. It didnt matter to Zhang Haiyan since he had always lived like this, but Madisons gaze was making him feel unsettled for the first time.


    Youre a precious gem in this world, Madison eximed after he had stared at Zhang Haiyan for a while. He then pinched the bridge of his nose and continued, Youre really a precious gem in this world. Its fortunate that I rescued you; otherwise, there wouldve been one less gem in the world.


    As Zhang Haiyan chewed on the bread, the sound of the others around them became more irritable.


    Im a despicable man, Father Ma (1). If youre a collector of despicable people, then youve reached the peak of your achievements today. Otherwise, Im useless to you, Zhang Haiyan said.


    Madison ordered another ss of beer and pushed it over to Zhang Haiyan before saying, Mr. A Bin was almost beheaded just now. But now when youre drinking beer, every sip you take is the same amount. Although Ive been watching you for a long time, every sip you take is the same. Deep down, Mr. A Bin is an extremely cautious person. That critical moment between life and death had no effect on you.


    Zhang Haiyan looked down at his beer ss and thought to himself, <em>is that so?</em>


    He didnt show any reaction in front of Madison, but he immediately knew that the other man was right. He was drinking his beer like this because he nned to make a run for itter. He didnt want to drink too fast in case he messed things up. Moreover, his mouth wasnt like that of others. He couldnt drink in gulps.


    He had developed this habit of eating steadily when he was in Xiamen.


    A thought suddenly shed through his mind, <em>m</em><em>aybe I shouldnt make a run for it. I can just kill this foreigner instead.</em>


    Madison had no idea that the other person was nning to kill him and kept on talking, Many people cant see that. A Bin, Im the only one who knows you arent an ordinary person. You must have made many stories in China before you came to the South Sea.


    <em>I didnt even want toe here in the first ce, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.


    Madison ordered another beer and pushed it over to Zhang Haiyan. Have you made a decision? Do you want to give birth to a child?


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the Chinese people around him and whispered, Let me repeat it again. That word is pronounced interrogate, not give birth. They mean totally different things. (2)


    Zhang Haiyan was almost frightened to death when Madison asked him to give birth to a child earlier. He thought he had some supernatural constitution which enabled him to get pregnant. Or that Madison wanted him to have a baby with a woman in order to practice some kind of western sorcery. He had heard a lot of these western legends before. Simr to some Chinese herbal medicines, the key to this kind of sorcery was goat horns or the skin of five-legged lizard skins, which were things that you couldnte by at all. Maybe Madison needed a biracial child descended from an Asian man and an ind woman.


    Zhang Haiyanter discovered that Madison meant interrogate.


    Zhang Haiyan had an unfortunate childhood and didnt like to force children to do things, so he didnt n on helping Madison.


    But Madison had been keeping his eyes on him as he waited for an answer.


    Zhang Haiyan saw that there were still a few pieces of bread and a ss of beer left, so he didnt want to run away immediately. As a result, he asked Madison, Why do you want to interrogate this child? Just give them something to eat, and theyll tell you everything.


    No, she cant. Madison looked at Zhang Haiyan before taking a ck and white photo from his pocket.


    The photo showed a beautiful little Chinese girl who was about ten years old. Madison was holding her in his arms while more than a dozen Chinese children stood around him. There were both boys and girls of varying ages. The youngest ones seemed to be only three or four years old, while the oldest ones were fifteen or sixteen. In the photo, Madison was smiling happily in front of a simple church, which must have been his church.


    I was a messenger when I was in Ennd. One day, I had a dream that I was ill and an old man with a white beard was praying for me. I went to the hospitalter and found that I had a tumor in my left lung. Because it was discovered early, I was cured. I saw that old man in the hospital. Madison pointed at his cross, He was on the cross and looked to be in more pain than I was, so I became a priest and came here.


    He pointed at the church in the photo. Its very small, but it took me three years to build it. There are houses in the back, which can amodate more than twenty people. When I first came here, these children were still very little. I heard that there was a high rate of people abandoning babies here, so I told the people in the vige that if they didnt want children, they could bring them to the church instead of putting them in the river. I adopted all of these children. This girl was called Nanre. She was the most sensible and beautiful child. The other children had some disabilities, but her illness was cured, so she was very grateful to God.


    Madison looked at the photo and continued, She called me Dad. I was going to go back to Ennd after a year here, but Nanre called me Dad. I ended up staying. She was a really good girl and the crepes she made were delicious. If I had brought her back to Ennd with me, she definitely wouldve been able to support herself by making crepes.


    You want me to interrogate this child? What happened to her? Is she possessed by the devil?


    Shes dead. Madison looked at Zhang Haiyan. She died two weeks ago.


    He took out another photo, which showed a group of white people.


    This is my friend, Mr. Herman, and his friends. Hes the consul of a. These are his English friends. There are twelve people in total. This is a cobbler, this is a brewer, and this is an actor. Theyre going to the depths of the southern rainforest to find a strange ce. Its said that Mr. Herman got a strange map from an old English library. This map enabled him to get funding from the Royal Academy of Sciences. Two weeks ago, they passed by my church before entering the rainforest. They came to visit me and drank the beer I brewed. They saw Nanre. There was a birthmark on Nanres scalp behind her ear that looked like an angel. They thought Nanre could bring them good luck, so I asked her to pray for them. But they drank too much at that time and gang-raped her in front of me. Then, the cobbler cut the birthmark from her scalp and sewed it on his saddle.


    Madison looked at Zhang Haiyan with a smile.


    My children heard Nanres crying from outside the door and attacked Herman with manure forks. Herman and his friendstwelve people in totalkilled my children with guns. Now all my children are dead.


    After that, Herman gave me a hundred shillings to keep my mouth shut. They took Nanres scalp and went into the rainforest. Madison was still smiling, but Zhang Haiyan slowly lowered the bread in his hand.


    Guess what? Nanre loved white people very much. She thought that all white people were kind-hearted, just like her father. As a result, she didnt know what was going on before her scalp was cut off. She was very scared, but she didnt resist at all.


    Zhang Haiyan looked into Madisons eyes. For the first time, he realized that the long-haired foreigners eyes werent turbid. Instead, there was a bitter hatred in his eyes.


    It took me twenty shillings to get here, ten shillings to redeem you, and thirty shillings for this meal. I still have forty shillings left, which is enough for us to go back to my church. Mr. A Bin, I hope you can interrogate my poor Nanres corpse and find out where my friend and those white people are going. After that, I hope you and I can go to the rainforest and kill these twelve white people. Well kill them all and bring their scalps back with us.


    Zhang Haiyan frowned. He wasnt good at handling these kinds of scenes.


    I hope you remember that the ten shillings that saved your life today were exchanged for a girls scalp. The least you can do is go and see Nanre. Once you see her beautiful hair, youll agree to help me.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Nanre in the photo. She was truly a very beautiful girl. She had short ck hair and looked like a typical Chinese person. He returned the photo to Madison. I can agree to your terms, but you have to tell me in detail about how you found me and where you learned of my existence.


    When Zhang Haiyan lived in Penang for a period of time, the locals called him A Bin. He spected that Madison learned about him from Penang.


    In Perak, Zhang Haiyans nickname was the most despicable man in the South Sea. But in Penang, Zhang Haiyan was sometimes called the Yellow gue. Yellow gue referred to the gue spread by the Chinese, but could also refer to the mass poption of Chinese immigrants. Either way, it was a very derogatory term. Zhang Haiyan had this name because he did a unique job there.


    He interrogated corpses.


    In other words, Zhang Haiyan could hear the sounds of corpses.


    Of course, this was total nonsense. He couldnt hear the sounds of corpses at all. But it didnt matter. As Madison had spected, Zhang Haiyan always had his own ideas.


    Zhang Haiyan didnt know what his job was exactly. How he came to be in the South Sea and what he did there could be written and made into a lengthy tome.


    He had summed it up once: he was actually a spy.


    He didnt work for any authorities and no one had hired him. But someone would give him some missions every month and he wouldplete them. Then he would send the results and the information he found back to China via arge ship. But the things he investigated had nothing to do with political interests. What he investigated were all strange phenomena and rumors in various ces.


    The organization he worked for was called the Southern Archives. It wasnt clear as to who established it or what its background was.


    He was only a few years old when the Archives took him in. He only remembered that the person who had trained him told him that this Archives contained all the facts in southern China.


    There was a very simple purpose for collecting these facts: the creator of the Archives believed that there were big conspirators in the world, so there had to be treacherous actions, strange phenomena, and legends that came about because of them. If someone was trying to hide andmit big conspiracies, then investigating all the strange phenomena was the best way to expose them.


    When he thought of his experiences back then, Zhang Haiyan still felt sad. He hadnt returned to his homnd for many years. He would stand by the sea and stare off into space for a long time, not knowing when he could return. But he had to admit that there were indeed too many unbelievable things happening in the South Sea.


    When he first came here, most of what happened were rumors and some folk conspiracies. But in recent years, countless strange things had happened explosively. It seemed that the thing the Southern Archives was waiting for was about to happen.


    A group of white people suddenly entered the southern jungles of Perak, looking for a ce on an ancient map. As a member of the Southern Archives, he had to look into it.


    It took the two of them three days to return to Madisons church, where Zhang Haiyan saw Nanres body. The little girls eyes were closed and her body was covered in blood stains.


    Madison looked at Zhang Haiyan. Can you hear her?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded. She said, Dad, thank you. Zhang Haiyan picked the stiff corpse up and then walked towards the house. Dont follow me. Let me ask her questions alone, Zhang Haiyan said, but Madison was already squatting on the ground with tears streaming down his face.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Nanres face. The little girl had been beaten violently and the bruises on her wrists had turned ck. Arge piece of her scalp had been stripped off.


    An angel who brings good luck. But the scalp of this angel will attract the gue god. Zhang Haiyan put the little girls body on the ground and opened his bag that contained a set of special instruments. He then began to calmly measure the little girls facial features.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Madison had been talking to Zhang Haiyan in Chinese. To Zhang Haiyan, Madison sounded like Ma Dison. Thats why he called him Father Ma.


    (2) Madison didnt pronounce the Chinese words correctly. The Chinese word for giving birth is pronounced as shng, and the word for interrogate is pronounced as shn.

 Side Story 3: Two People and a Corpse

    Side Story 3: Two People and a Corpse


    Zhang Haiyan put makeup on Nanres face. This was probably the first time this little girl had ever worn makeup. He added some blush to her childish face, almost making it look as if she were breathing again. He used special leather to make a new scalp for her and put a wig on her, all while recording the details of her face.


    After about an hour, the wounds on Nanres body werepletely covered.


    After that, he applied an antiseptic and deodorant potion on her and then walked out of the room with her in his arms.


    Do you already know where theyre going? Madison asked him.


    Zhang Haiyan nodded. Shell take us there.


    Herman and hispanions had been in the jungle for two weeks, so it wouldnt be easy to catch up with them. But it wasnt currently the rainy season, so traces of their march would be very obvious for people like Zhang Haiyan.


    Madison looked at Nanre in surprise and started trembling a little bit. It almost looked as if she were asleep.


    What happened to her? What did you do to her?


    This is Chinese sorcery. Zhang Haiyan put the corpse on his back. The little girls face leaned against his shoulder. Lets go. Shes urging us to go.


    Madison looked at them incredulously and stood there for a while. It was only when Zhang Haiyan looked back at him that he started to follow.


    The two of them prepared luggage, pickled all the food in the church, and then packed it.


    Madison took out all the iron tools in the house. Zhang Haiyan looked them over and found that they were all iron machetes that werent particrly good. The jungles here grew very fast and machetes were often needed to clear out hardy bananas, wildly growing vines, and thick bushes. But these machetes were chipped and would definitely shatter if they were used in a fight against the Englishmens sabers.


    After Zhang Haiyan looked through the various tools for a long time, he noticed a pen hanging from Madisons shirt. He took the pen and weighed it in his hand. This is it.


    This one?


    Yes. If the weapon in your hand is too long, youll depend on it too much. If the opponents weapons are stronger than yours, youll be at a disadvantage. When the weapon in your hands is short and difficult to use, youll have to use something else. In other words, your brain. Zhang Haiyan continued, When we want to kill someone, the more powerful the opponents are, the less importance we ce on physical weapons. He handed a short knife to Madison. There are twelve people, and they all have sabers and guns. We have to get close to them before we kill them. So, we cant directly reveal our purpose when we meet them.


    The two people put the other childrens bodies in the church and then burned it down.


    It was almost as if the cross in the fire had a special meaning.


    The huge mes evaporated in Peraks humid air. The dry, humid heat scorched the pores on Zhang Haiyans face as the sun started to set. Around them, those who were passing by had stopped to watch the burning church.


    Madison knelt down in front of the fire to pray, making the whole scene appear like something out of a poster.


    Zhang Haiyan was a little surprised at himself for following Madison so resolutely, and now he was even willing to follow the man again.


    Maybe it was because Nanre looked somewhat like her.


    Zhang Haiyan suddenly understood.


    Nanre looked like his mother from his homnd.


    The memories of what his mother was like and the details about her had all disappeared. Now, all he could remember was a rough image and her short hair that was embedded deep in his memory.


    <em>I miss you so much, Mom.</em>


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the burning red clouds in the sky.


    One day at the end of the neenth century, Zhang Haiyan patted the corpse on his back, turned his feelings of missing home into murderous intent, and left with Madison.


    Two people and a corpse embarked on a journey to the depths of southern Peraks rainforests, where giant ancient tropical trees soared into the sky. It was a ce that almost no one had ever reached.

 Side Story 4: The Sorcery Temple

    Side Story 4: The Sorcery Temple


    Madisons church was in Wenxiena, so they had to pass through a vige called Wubang and a logging station built by the Dutch before they entered the rainforest.


    The logging station was now a distribution center where the English were stationed. The center provided supplies for people who were going into the rainforest and was also in charge of transporting mahoganies and fur out of the rainforest. There was even a post office for expedition teams to transport specimens back to their countries.


    The two men were silent as they walked. Madison had be quiet and taciturn because of Nanres body. Zhang Haiyan didnt ask him to help carry the body as they continued moving forward silently. That first days itinerary didnt require any tracking skills since they just had to focus on getting to Wubang. Once they reached Wubang, it would take another day for them to get to the logging station.


    They were staying the night in a temple outside Wubang Vige. The local monks had felt very sympathetic towards them when they found that there was a corpse on Zhang Haiyans back.


    They chanted sutras for Nanre all night long while Zhang Haiyan sat on the temples roof and watched the sun set over the nearby rice fields.


    He noticed that there was a very small building across from the temples door. It was about half a person high and also looked like a temple. The South Sea styles characteristics were more obvious and there was something being worshiped in it.


    Thats a sorcery temple. Madison said from behind him. Ive been here before. That temple worships a piece of skin from an unknown animal. The whole piece of skin is wrapped in a strange kind of grass that forms a cocoon around it. A sorcerer put it there more than two hundred years ago.


    Zhang Haiyan looked back at him. Do foreigners believe in sorcery as well? Oh, you basically work in the same business.


    There was a kind of mysterious sorcery that was popr in Southeast Asian regions such as Thand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Mysia, Indonesia, and Africa. There werent any written records about it and it was very obscure. The legends of this sorcery technique were often incredible, and no one was able to exin what it was or what it could aplish.


    Sorcery was an extremely mysterious profession. In other words, it was so mysterious that the practitioners were often demonized. Most of the time, sorcerers in folklore were more like evil ghosts instead of human beings.


    Madison''s long blond hair was tied up in a bun as he sat down next to him and said, Its not like that, A Bin. I''m a registered priest. I serve God and listen to peoples confessions, but I dont help people solve practical problems.


    Zhang Haiyan stared at the sorcery temple. It looked like a tomb with multiple mountains around it.


    I know what this sorcery temples purpose is. The locals told me that the rainforest is right on the edge of this temple. After the Dutch came, they began to cut down the rainforest and turned these ces into rice fields. As a result, many strange corpses would flow out of the forest after the rainy season. They carried the gue with them and many people died. So, a sorcerer built this temple here to keep the gue in the forest, Madison continued.


    Have you ever entered the rainforest? Zhang Haiyan asked him.


    I have gone into the rainforest, but I didnt go far. I visited some of the tribes there, Madison said. I made some notes about it. Would you like to read them? I heard that your English is very good.


    Zhang Haiyan shook his head. Madison was right. He could speak manynguages and dialects due to his job, but he didnt need any notes about the rainforest. He was already aware of the dangers hidden in southern Peraks rainforests.


    It was an unknown territory. The tropical rainforests grew wildly at a speed that even the human body could perceive. There werent any paths orndmarks to refer to, and even the path you took a week ago would bepletely different a weekter.


    Madison was silent for a while before he offered his wine to Zhang Haiyan. This was the wine he liked to drink before, but he had stopped drinking a long time ago.


    After Nanres death, he broke his promise and started drinking again. Since you can make Nanre look like this, are you a sorcerer?


    Zhang Haiyan looked at the wine and almost couldnt conceal his panic. <em>Oh, no, </em>he thought to himself.<em> He wants a closer rtionship.</em>


    Zhang tried to smile, No.


    Foreigners were either very unsociable or extremely enthusiastic. Madison obviously belonged to thetter. The enthusiastic foreigner needed to absorb energy from the crowd, which was why he had gone to Perak to help children.


    But Zhang Haiyan wasnt that kind of person. He needed to be alone to restore his energy.


    Madison looked at the sunset and then at his bottle of wine. It seemed he was ready to have a heart-to-heart with him. Zhang Haiyan quickly jumped off the roof, walked towards the sorcery temple, and came to stand in front of the strange little building. He saw the grass cocoon, which was about the size of a swaddled baby.


    When they left the next day, Madison discovered that there was a baby-sized package beside Nanres body on Zhang Haiyans back. When the two reached the edge of the rainforest, the package was moved and Madison realized that it was the grass cocoon from the sorcery temple.


    Madison was overwhelmed again and pointed at the cocoon. Youyouyou


    Rx. Ive reced the cocoon with a stone wrapped in grass. They look exactly the same on the outside, so no one will discover it. Two hundred years have passed. I bet none of them has dared touch it. Who can possibly remember whats inside of it?


    You even dared steal the offering from the sorcery temple? Arent you afraid of being possessed by evil spirits?


    Dont worry about it. Im the evilest spirit youll ever meet in your entire life. No one is more wicked than I am. Zhang Haiyan patted the grass cocoon behind him with satisfaction. This thing is very powerful, so you shouldnt irritate me. Otherwise, Ill have you eat it.


    This this isnt right. Madison was so shocked that he lost the ability to speak Chinese.


    Maybe I should send you back. Do you want to seek revenge or not?


    Madison was stunned for a moment. Zhang Haiyan ignored him and walked faster, leaving Madison behind so that he had to chase after him.


    What are you going to do with this kind of thing?


    Trust me. Theres a special reason as to why this thing is outside the rainforest. Itll fuckinge in handy if we bring it with us.


    What do you mean?


    It was as if the grass cocoon had pushed Madison to be chattier. He kept talking the whole time, so Zhang Haiyan picked up his pace. As a result, they arrived at the logging station in less than a day.


    By this point, Zhang Haiyan was certain that this guy was born to be a priest. Madison talked way too much, but he mustve been a great father. Nanre must have been happy during those ten years she was alive.


    This was a foreigner with childlike curiosity.


    A Bin, when I asked around about you, I heard that you were a very energetic person in Penang. What have you been through all these years that made you be someone like this?


    Nothing happened.


    A Bin, Im a priest. You can confess to me. I wont tell anyone what youve told me.


    Well see about that.


    A Bin, A Bin, A Bin, A Bin!


    Zhang Haiyans face was solemn as he walked toward the logging station. He patted Nanre and whispered to her, Dont be scared, little girl. After we enter the rainforest, Ill send your father to the underworld so he can reunite with you. Then I will avenge you.


    A Bin!


    Zhang Haiyan couldnt help feeling annoyed and looked back at Madison. But just as he was about to get angry, he saw that Madisons expression had changed.


    Madison was looking at a pile of goods outside the post office where a fat white man was teasing a little My girl. The man was teaching the little girl how to tie knots. The little girl seemed to be only eight or nine years old. The fat man sometimes looked at the girls ankles and then at her parents who were off to the side. The little girls parents didnt notice the looks that Madison and Zhang Haiyan were giving them.


    Whats wrong?


    Its him, Madison said. Hes one of twelve people. His name is Wade. Hes a farrier (1). Madison put his hand on the knife by his waist. Why didnt he enter the rainforest?


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Person who takes care of horses'' hooves (like trimming them) and puts shoes on them.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: Someone managed to be more talkative than Zhang Haiyan. Thats surprising lol. I cant believe Haiyan was like, Oh, he wants to be sentimental with me. Id better jump off the roof.</em></strong>


    <strong><em>Merebear''s Notes: Tiffany''s being all positive while I''m over here like "KILL HIM!!!!! Save the little girl, Haiyan!!!" lol</em></strong>

 Side Story 5: Dirty Faces

    Side Story 5: Dirty Faces


    Zhang Haiyan pressed Madisons knife down when saw that Wades musket had been ced on a branch close to him. In fact, there were a lot of broken logs in the logging yard. Can he speak Chinese?


    No, Madison said.


    Zhang Haiyan patted Madison. Put the knife down.


    Why?


    There are certain rules in this business. This kind of thing is done at night. Zhang Haiyan winked at Madison.


    Wade heard someone talking and turned his head, but Zhang Haiyan blocked Madison in a way that was very natural. Wade figured it was two Chinese people, so he didnt pay them any mind.


    Zhang Haiyan pushed Madison into the post office, which was a simple twenty-square-meter house built from local wood. There were transaction counters inside with windows on three sides. Benches and tables had been ced on both sides of the windows for people to drink beer and fill out envelopes.


    There was a big canopy outside the post office that was full of packaged goods, including furs, herbs, and other things. Horse-drawn caravans were alsoing in and out.


    Madison stared at Wade through the window, hardly able to take his eyes off of him as he trembled in rage.


    This wasnt good. Any person who wasnt slow would definitely feel this kind of burning gaze. Zhang Haiyan squeezed Madisons shoulders to try and get him to rx, but he found that it waspletely useless. In the end, he ran his fingers across Madisons shoulder des and squeezed his neck. Madisons body instantly softened and he passed out on the bench by the window.


    Zhang Haiyan put the grass cocoon in Madisons arms and then took off his own shirt and covered Madisons face with it.


    The topless Zhang Haiyan then poked his head out to look at Wade, who was staring at the little girls ankles from time to time with a smirk on his face. Wade made himself look like a very kind person, but Zhang Haiyan noticed that his crotch was bulging.


    Zhang Haiyan put Nanres body on the bench outside the house, leaned her head on one side so that she looked like she was napping, and then swaggered towards Wade.


    (The following conversation was all conducted in English.)


    When Zhang Haiyan sat next to Wade, his bodynguage had be that of the local people. The spirit in his eyes disappearedpletely as he whispered in a perverted manner, Sir, do you have five shillings?


    Wade turned to look at him in disgust, obviously ming him for interrupting his lustful thoughts.


    Zhang Haiyan looked into this persons demented eyes and found that they were a little nk. Zhang Haiyan immediately knew that this person wasnt particrly smart.


    Get lost. The other party was very irritated.


    Do you like girls who are eight years old, ten years old, or thirteen years old? Which age do you prefer? Zhang Haiyans fluent English made Wade freeze for a moment.


    What are you talking about?


    Zhang Haiyan moved his body so that Wade could see Nanres body.


    This is my daughter, Zhang Haiyan said. Five shillings for one night.


    Shes Chinese?


    Yes.


    Wadeughed, stood up, and hooked his arm around Zhang Haiyans shoulders. Friend, let me tell you something. Little Chinese bitches are only worth two shillings. Little My bitches are worth five shillings. With that said, he patted Zhang Haiyan. Do you know why?


    I have no idea, sir.


    Because you can always bargain with the parents of little Chinese bitches. The parents of My ones dont know the concept of bargaining. As a result, Chinese ones are only worth two shillings because I get to bargain with the parents. Wadeughed heartily and picked up his gun before getting up and moving to leave. Come find me again if you can do two shillings.


    Two shillings, sir. Her voice sounds good when she cries. Zhang followed him. You wont regret it. Dont be stingy, sir. You wont find someone better than her after you enter the forest.


    Wade stopped and looked at Zhang Haiyan. Im not entering the forest because Im missing my toenail. You know, thest little bitch caused me to knock my toenail off, so I cant walk properly until it grows back. Two shillings or get lost.


    The two of them had arrived at the post office while they were talking. Wade pushed Zhang Haiyan away. At this time, he saw Nanres face and was taken aback.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at him pervertedly. Five shillings. Shes attractive, sir.


    Wade stared at Nanre for a full two minutes. He seemed to think that she looked familiar, but he couldnt remember where he had seen her before.


    Zhang Haiyan knew very well that a little makeup on Chinese peoples faces would make it difficult for white people to identify them.


    Wade looked back at Zhang Haiyan. Five shillings. Tonight.


    *****


    Madison was extremely exhausted and didnt wake up until evening. Under the sunset, all the gadflies (1) in the rainforest flew out and surrounded the whole logging yard, but none of them approached Madison.


    When Madison was awakened by the buzzing sounds the swarming gadflies made, he realized that he was on top of a big tree. When he turned his head, he could see the rice fields and tropical rainforest that had turned a golden color in the suns dying rays.


    He was taken aback when he discovered he was holding the grass cocoon.


    Zhang Haiyan wasbing Nanres hair quietly.


    Wheres Wade? Madison asked him.


    Zhang Haiyan looked up at him. Todays your big day.


    My big day? Madison didnt understand.


    Zhang Haiyan continued, You should pray to God right now. Youre going to kill your enemy tonight. Have you ever killed someone?


    Madison understood what was going on, Were going to do it tonight?


    Zhang Haiyan nodded and looked at the tent in the distance. He walks too slow because his toenail fell off. Herman didnt let him enter the forest, so he stayed here to help with the supplies.


    Ive never killed anyone before, but Im ready. Madison looked at that tent. Ive killed turkeys before. Is killing turkeys the same as killing people?


    Zhang Haiyan said, Dont worry. Ill teach you step by step. But I have something else that I need to discuss with you first.


    What is it?


    Do you know why people call me the gue god?


    Madison shook his head and couldnt help but sit up straight, surprised that Zhang Haiyan started to sound serious.


    Sometimes, my job requires me to do some very cruel things, Zhang Haiyan said to him. As a result, Im not able to truly believe that Im a good person. But you know, some people are naturally kind-hearted and born as good as angels. Im someone like that, but I have to aplish something that only the gue god can do. This troubles me a lot, so my mother taught me a method.


    What is it?


    Dirty faces, Zhang Haiyan said. Ill dress myself up in a different way. That side of me is extremely vicious and can do anything. When I was in Penang, I always used my dirty face to meet people. Thats why you heard those rumors about me. The truth is that I havent let him out for a long time. Ill let my dirty facee out tonight, but you need to know that he may not be willing to go back.


    Isnt thisisnt this a kind of illness? Madison looked at Zhang Haiyan pityingly.


    No. Its just a kind of indulgence. Do you know that its much easier to be a bad guy than it is to be a good guy? Although youre aware youre doing something bad, your body will be addicted to it.


    What are you trying to say?


    My dirty face isnt as good-tempered as I am, Zhang Haiyan said. You have to give him what he wants no matter how outrageous his requests are. You must satisfy him. Otherwise, youll be miserable. He doesnt keep his word and has no sympathy. Well, I hope you can show your dirty face tonight. Dont suddenly regret it just as were about to kill him.


    Madison nodded obediently. Do people really forgive their enemies as theyre about to kill them?


    Youre the kind of person who might. Zhang Haiyan turned Nanres body over. This is why I brought her here. Shell be with us tonight.


    Ill listen to your instructions.


    Zhang Haiyan continued, Its easy for you to distinguish between my dirty face and my clean face. The tone of my dirty face is different and calls himself Little Brother Zang (2). Dont call him by the wrong name.


    When Madison nodded, Zhang Haiyan sighed and thought to himself, <em>this idiot is so fucking gullible.</em>


    What he said wasnt all lies. The two sides werent actually split personalities. Dirty faces and clean faces were indeed a method his mother had taught him. He could switch between both sides easily and freely. This training was actually rted to another skill their family had. With this kind of skill, Zhang Haiyan could easily change his personality and adapt to different groups of people, but I wont get into the details for the time being.


    The two of them climbed down from the tree and walked towards Wades tent with Nanre on Zhang Haiyans back.


    It waspletely dark now and there were more gadflies than before, which was a little abnormal.


    At that time, Zhang Haiyan didnt know that he had underestimated Wade. Moreover, he had also underestimated this expedition teams purpose for going to the jungle.


    In the tent, Wade took out four or five gunsall loadedand lit a cigarette. His previous nk expression had disappeared and now there was a strange look in his eyes.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) A fly that bites livestock (think like horseflies, warble flies, or botflies).


    (2) Zang () is the Chinese pronunciation of dirty, so it would literally trante as Little Brother Dirty. Since his nickname is Little Brother Zhang (), he deliberately put a different word there. Its a joke. He was messing with Madison lol.

 Side Story 6: Wade’s Past

    Side Story 6: Wade¡¯s Past


    When Wade was about sixteen, he realized he was different from other boys.


    At that time, he weighed almost a hundred and twenty kilograms, but he was only half his peers height.


    His younger cousin who was staying at their home already looked like an adult. A poor rtive from the country would always have various conflicts living with a cousin who grew up in a rtively good environment.


    Wade was proud of the fact that his family was wealthy. But as he stopped growing taller, his pride gradually diminished because of his younger cousin who was tall and handsome.


    When puberty hit, Wade started to realize he was ugly. Because of his obesity, his eyes appeared dull and he also had a difficult time concentrating on things. But what he cared about the most was his height.


    Year after year, he always hoped that he could grow taller. But his height never changed and the gap between him and his peers continued to get bigger and bigger.


    When he was eighteen years old, his cousin left their home and started his life in the city by opening a smithy there.


    In order to thank them for taking care of him, the cousin would send some gifts to their family. Over the span of a single year, the cousins gifts got better and better. Everyone in the family began to wonder whether the cousins business was doing very well or if he was in a rtionship with a richdy.


    The truth was that the cousin really was in love, but the other party was a maid who worked in a bakery. Although she was a little older and had a daughter, she was very beautiful and had some savings.


    One day, Wades family had dinner with his cousin. The maid dressed up properly and brought her daughter with her. Even though she wore cheap perfume, the smell had a magical charm to it. Later, Wade thought about it and realized that this perfume made people feel that something so beautiful and cheap could been thrown away after using it.


    Wade had a wet dream that night. From that day on, he became aware of sex. At the same time, he also realized that his genitals were like that of a baby. Discovering he wasnt a normal person hurt him more than his height and he broke downpletely. He suddenly understood that he had nothing to be proud of from the beginning. In the eyes of his cousin, he had always been a poor disabled person.


    Wade began to shut himself off from the world and put away all the mirrors in the house. He hated his appearance whenever he saw it. Several years after that, he started bing obsessed with books about sorcery in hopes of changing his body.


    His familys business, however, was getting worse and worse as his parents grew older. From upstairs, Wade could clearly feel that his cousins voice whenever he visited them was getting louder and louder while his parents voices were getting weaker and weaker.


    The maids daughter grew older. She was nine or ten when they first met, but after several years, she was already thirteen or fourteen. These few years were the critical periods where girls grew into women. This particr little girl was full of curiosity and wondered why her uncle had been hiding in the attic and what had happened to him.


    One day, the little girl secretly went to the attic while the adults were busy chatting. She opened the door to Wades room and saw him shing his arms. He was already covered in wounds that he had made before. The little girl went up to him full of curiosity and silently helped him bandage the wounds.


    Wades room was full of books about ck magic and countless materials on sorcery, which attracted the little girl very much. She was obsessed with these strange things and would secretly go upstairs every time Wades cousin visited them.


    This young girl opened a window to Wades life. He talked about ck magic with her and described himself as a magician. He told her he was a prince who had be like this because someone had cast a spell on him.


    Of course, the attention of young girls wouldntst very long. As the little girl gradually grew up, these things no longer attracted her. Her body continued to develop and Wade also slowly discovered that her body began to have a female curve.


    The niece visited him less and less frequently. One day, when he was looking out of the attic window, he saw his cousin bring the girl over. He waited happily for his niece toe upstairs, but she ran out of the house instead.


    In the twilight, he saw a tall, thin boy holding his niece by the hand and pulling her into the alley. The moment the niece entered the alley, she looked up at the attic.


    Wade had a total breakdown. He took the knife that he used to sh himself with, went downstairs for the first time in many years, and entered that alley. When he saw the young couple stealing the forbidden fruit, he went up and killed them.


    As the knife was thrust into the little nieces chest, her clothes were cut open. Wade saw the mature female body and began to vomit violently.


    <em>Girls are angels before they grow up. What do you do if theyve grown up? Kill them! </em>A terrifying thought appeared in his head.


    Afterwards, Wade went back to his home and killed his parents because he resented them for giving birth to an ugly son. He then killed the maid and his cousin because they made him appear ugly and pathetic. After that, Wade fled to the countryside and worked in a stable as a farrier for three years.


    During those three years, Wades body miraculously started to develop. His desire became stronger and stronger and his body grew taller and taller. His appearance also changed. The police from the city hade to the countryside to look for him, but they ignored him because of his height. That was when he realized that he was safe, because he didn''t look the same as the little ugly fat man who killed people back then.


    But whenever he saw little girls who were going through puberty, he would bear a nightmarish grudge against them. This kind of resentment couldnt be dissolved and ended up torturing him night after night.


    At that time, the owner of the stable also had two daughters. The two girls were going through puberty and started to develop female features during the third year he was working there.


    As a result, he killed the two little girls and fled. To his surprise, he discovered he would quickly grow taller every time he killed someone. It was as if the ck magic he had practiced back then was actually working.


    But he wasnt as lucky as thest time. He was arrested in the woods and sent to the prison to be hanged.


    Herman was the warden at the time. He discovered that the tattoos on Wades body were ck magic totems and that Wade had killed those girls.


    Herman thought he was a wizard and took him to Perak, hoping to go into the rainforest with him. Herman knew about sorcery in the South Sea, so he needed his own wizard.


    After Wade arrived in Perak, he realized he was in heaven. He was the first person who took a liking to Nanre, because the little ck-haired girl fascinated him. He told Herman that the little girl had magical powers and he could use ck magic to manipte this kind of magic power to bless them.


    Since he was so obsessed with this ck-haired girl, how could he not recognize her when he saw her again? He was certain that the girl was dead, but now she had reappeared and looked as if she was just asleep. <em>Does this Chinese man know sorcery?</em>


    A man who knew sorcery had found him and even brought Nanres body with him. His purpose was obvious: he was here for revenge.


    So, Wade went back to his tent and took out all the guns he possessed and started loading them.


    He didnt have ck magic. He had heard about how formidable South Sea sorcery was, so now he was trembling in fear. But he was also very furious.


    He hated Herman for leaving him here and he hated those who wouldnt let him do whatever he wanted.


    He was looking at the gun in his hands when he heard movement outside. He didnt want to beat around the bush, so as soon as Zhang Haiyan pulled the p open, poked his head in, and wanted to talk, Wade fired.


    The gun was loaded with iron bullets. Zhang Haiyan could only feel surprised for a quarter of a second before he instantly tilted his head to dodge the first shot.


    Wade immediately fired again with his left hand. Even though he had just killed people a few days ago, he seemed to have endless energy. The second shot hit Zhang Haiyan right on the forehead, sending him flying out of the tent where he fell on the ground outside.


    Wade rushed out and fired another shot at where Zhang Haiyan had fallen down, but he soon realized that no one was on the ground outside the tent. At that moment, he suddenly heard a girl call out. He turned his head and saw Nanre standing in the darkness, holding a grass cocoon and staring at him.


    Wade pointed his gun at her.


    Someone said behind him, When ites to achieving goals, its more effective to make people feel fear than to change them with kindness.


    Wade turned his head and saw Zhang Haiyan lying on his stomach in a nearby tree, his whole facepletely damaged. He slowly tore off his face and revealed a sinister face underneath.


    It turned out that his face was actually a human skin mask and there was another face behind the mask.


    The face was so sinister that it made people feel physically nauseous. It represented his dirty face, which was hidden under his usual mask and had steel tes inside of it.


    When Zhang Haiyan revealed his dirty face, he could show the ugly side of his nature however he wanted.


    It was a side of him that came to be when everyone ate each other during Dingwu Qihuang.

 Side Story 7: The Huge Secret In The Rainforest

    Side Story 7: The Huge Secret In The Rainforest


    It was the face of a snake, but its eyes were incredibly long and thin. It didnt look like facial makeup or other masks. It looked like the face of a real snake.


    What is this? Wade looked at him in horror as Zhang Haiyan slowly climbed down from the tree with a strange, reptilian movement.


    What are you? Wade raised his gun, but that snake face seemed to have some kind of charm that made it difficult for him to move.


    What do you think I am? When Zhang Haiyan stood up, his figure was very slender. He began to circle Wade with a creepy smile on his face.


    Are you a devil? Are you the devil who made that deal with me? Wade suddenly realized that he was seeing a real demon. This was the demon who made him grow taller and be a man, the master of ck magic who let him escape punishment time after time.


    Zhang Haiyan had no idea what Wade was talking about, but he took great pleasure in other peoples fear. And the fear that was spreading all over Wade was so amazing that it made Zhang Haiyan feel really excited. Youve got the wrong person.


    The first time he got addicted to fear was when he ate people for the first time. At that time, the famine had reached a stage where there was no hope. Zhang Haiyans father cooked a neighbors youngest daughter who had died of starvation.


    That was the first time his father had cooked a human, so he wasnt skilled. The pot was full of hair, which got stuck to Zhang Haiyans teeth when he ate. But Zhang Haiyan was very happy while eating.


    There were two groups of people in the vige at that time: those who had eaten humans and those who had never eaten humans. Zhang Haiyan switched to another group after eating a human. Whenever he walked the streets, uncles and aunts who usually doted on him gave him weird looks.


    It took him a long time to realize that it was fear.


    Those who had eaten humans and those who hadnt eaten humans were two kinds of creatures. Those who had eaten people didnt belong to the human world anymore.


    But he found that it was actually thrilling to have everyone fear him, especially when he wanted to do something that people couldnt usually do. At that time, no one woulde out and stop him and he seemed to be absolutely free. For the first time, he dominated his whole world without restrictions.


    Wade looked at him. Then what are you exactly?


    Zhang Haiyan turned his head and looked behind him. Wade immediately turned his head and saw Madison standing behind him with a knife.


    Wade immediately realized who he was. Its you. Why are you here?


    He went to draw his gun out of reflex, but when he raised his hands, he found that all of his fingers were missing. As he lowered his head to find them, he saw Zhang Haiyan circle around and lean forward under his armpit, holding Wades fingers right in front of him.


    Wades fear reached its limit. He wanted to run, but found that he couldnt move at all.


    A pen had been inserted into his cervical joint, damaging all the nerves. He could only sit there, probably unable to sit properly anytime soon.


    ording to Madisons memoirs, he never saw how Zhang Haiyan did these things. But it was so amazing that it was like a magic show.


    Zhang Haiyan looked back at Madison before stepping aside.


    Madison trembled as he came to stand in front of Wade.


    Wade looked at him and grinned. I get it now. Youre here for revenge. Is an Asian child worthy of you doing this? You can always adopt arge group of children again. You need to remember that youre a priest who cant kill people. And if I confess to you, God will forgive me.


    Madison grabbed the cross in front of his chest, tore it off, and moved to throw it away.


    Zhang Haiyan came up to stand behind Madison, gripped his hand, and then put the cross in Madisons pocket.


    Dont be so serious, Zhang Haiyan whispered as he grabbed Madisons wrist and ced the knife against Wades throat. Human skin is very tough. If the knife isnt fast enough, the skin can''t be cut. The trick is to sequentially use the strength in your wrists, elbows, shoulders, waists, and ankles. You have to imagine yourself as a whip. When you apply your strength, start from the ankles. Your strength must be increased as you make your way up. When ites to applying strength to your wrist, you need to point the knife at the neck, sh it, and cut through both the trachea and artery.


    Madison nodded as he kept his eyes on Wade.


    Wade started to feel scared. Youre a priest. You cant kill people. Youll go to hell.


    Its fine. Hell confess to other priests and God will forgive him, Zhang Haiyan said.


    Zhang Haiyan found that Madisons body was stiff and he couldnt move his knife. He adjusted his vocal cords and said Dad in a girls voice right next to Madisons ear.


    Madisons eyes immediately turned red with rage. Zhang Haiyan held his wrist as Madisons whole body turned and he swung the knife, cutting through Wades artery directly.


    Blood spurted out very far and countless gadflies flew over in an instant, hovering over Wade.


    The trachea the trachea isnt cut! Madison shouted.


    Zhang Haiyan sighed. Its not bad for your first time. He walked over to where Wade had copsed in the mud. Wades body was covered in gadflies and his blood was constantly spurting out of the artery.


    Who are you exactly? Wade stared at Zhang Haiyan.


    Zhang Haiyan pulled the pen out of the back of Wade''s neck and pointed it at his heart. Youre so annoying. Why should I tell you who I am?


    Dont kill me and Ill tell you a secret, Wade said with hisst bit of strength. Theres a huge secret in the rainforest. Herman told us not to reveal it. Dont kill me and Ill tell you about it.

 Side Story 8: Gadflies

    Side Story 8: Gadflies


    The air was filled with the sound of buzzing gadflies, the edge of the rainforest was very wet, and the ground was full of mud puddles that would never dry up.


    The trees here were all perennial yellow eucalyptus and banyan trees with huge trunks. Wades tent had been erected next to one of the huge banyan trees.


    Wade was now sitting against that very same tree after Zhang Haiyan had temporarily stopped the bleeding. He was already extremely weak and his face looked pale.


    Next to Wade, Nanres body and the grass cocoon sat side by side. This grass cocoon seemed to have some kind of magic power, for all the gadflies didnt dare fly near it. Instead, they focused on sucking up the pool of blood that had spurted out of Wade just now. Even the locusts were rushing out of the mud and straight into the pool.


    It was still very hot and humid at night, so Little Brother Zhang tore off his dirty face. He even started to fan himself with it right in front of Wades widened eyes.


    Madison was leaning on the other side with his head lowered and his long hair covering his face. He was trying to recover from what had just happened.


    How do you feel? Zhang Haiyan asked him.


    I feel very bad, Madison said slowly.


    Guilt, shock, and the copse of your faith? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Too many things have happened recently. My daughter and children were all killed, I burned down my church, and now Im going to kill someone.


    Dont do this to yourself. If you think this matter is very serious, then its very serious to you. But if I beat you so hard that you be dumb, then you can still live to ny-five while drooling.


    Thats easy for you to say.


    I have a way to temporarily relieve you of this self-pressuring emotion.


    What is it?


    You can get yourself off while watching this fat man called Wade. That way, you can make the serious and logical self-hatred be something ridiculous. Then, youll be able to let go of it.


    Wades eyes went even wider and he turned his head.


    Madison raised his head,pletely puzzled (1). What did you just say?


    Get yourself off. y with the snake. y with the whip. How do you say it?


    No! Im not doing that. Madison covered his head with his hands.


    Zhang Haiyan sighed and looked at Wade, who immediately shook his head, No, please.


    Come on. Tell me. What is this huge secret in the rainforest?


    Will you let me go if I tell you? And one more thing, who are you exactly?


    Ah, youre so annoying. Zhang Haiyan was running out of patience and looked at Madison. Forget it. I dont want to know about the secret. Lets continue practicing. He still has an artery. Dont waste the opportunity.


    Alright, alright. Ill stop asking. But you need to let me go if I tell you the secret.


    Youre basically paralyzed. How about you tell me the secret and Ill give you a swift death?


    No, I want to live. You get that, right? I dont want to die. Wade started to cry.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Nanres body and felt disgusted. He could recognize bad people who treated every life the same way. If you felt that peoples lives werent worthy of anything, then youd better feel that your own life wasnt worth a thing, either. But if you felt that your life was worth something and other peoples lives werent, then Zhang Haiyan felt that this mindset was too disgusting.


    This fat man was an undeveloped evil, just like a child who didnt know how to properly treat others lives. Humans were like beasts. When their consciousness began to develop, they used killing to determine their ce in the food chain. But this kind of desire would quickly be restrained by human consciousness. It seemed that Wade, however, didnt go through this because of his bodys deformity.


    This man was broken.


    Fine. I wont kill you. Talk.


    Wade looked at Zhang Haiyan, Youre lying to me, right?


    Im not lying. We sorcerers ce the utmost importance on honesty. I can swear to God.


    Wade looked into Zhang Haiyans eyes.


    If you keep waiting, I wont be interested in the secret anymore, Zhang Haiyan said.


    Ill talk, Ill talk. Wade coughed a few times. They entered the rainforest to look for a valley. Theres a tribe in that valley whose people blink vertically.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) The original text actually mentioned this is what Madison looked like upon hearing Zhang Haiyans words:

 Side Story 9: Gonka

    Side Story 9: Gonka


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Wade. Only creatures like lizards blinked vertically. It was absolutely impossible for humans to blink vertically.


    Why do you want to find these kinds of people? Are they valuable?


    The Europeans appetite had long been erged by the diamond mines in the Borneo rainforests. Even though the cost of funding expedition teams was high, it was unlikely that the Royal Academy of Sciences would take part in projects where they captured a few strange people and made them join the circus.


    Wadeughed. Do you think those people blink vertically because of eyelid deformities? Have you ever seen such a deformity?


    Exin it properly. Whats your reason? Zhang Haiyan asked.


    Wade coughed a few times and said, Its just a piece of skin. Theyre not the ones who blink vertically, its the things in their skin that blink vertically.


    Zhang Haiyan frowned and Wade continued, We arent an expedition team seeking truth or treasures. Were a suicide squad. Were all murderers and scumbags. That tribe is parasitized by devils. Were going to destroy those devils.


    Why didnt you follow them? Zhang Haiyan looked at Wade.


    Wadeughed. Because Im a coward. I tore off my toenail and made myself unable to walk so that I could stay here. Im not going to give up my life.


    Wade looked at Madison. Now you understand. Theyll do anything along the way to reward themselves because theyre going to fight the devils and most wonte back alive.


    Madison looked at Wade coldly, but Zhang Haiyans eyes lit up. His instincts told him that although the information Wade had told him wasnt necessarily true, it certainly wasn''t without reason. There had to be real information hidden in this legend of devils.


    He straightened Wades body and looked at him. Come on. Tell me more.


    You want to know more? Wadeughed. Then you have to fix me since I cant move my hands or feet. After that, youre going to send me back to Perak.


    Zhang Haiyan immediately pped Wade''s face, but Wade continued tough. Now that I have a bargaining chip, no matter how you torture me, Ill force you to fulfill your promise. I can read the messages that your eyes are conveying. This information is very important to you, so you have to cooperate with me.


    Zhang Haiyan looked at Wades expression. He had honestly never seen such an annoying person before. He stared at Wade for a while, his expression slowly turning cold and indifferent.


    Wades smile slowly disappeared as he realized that this person had lost interest in the story he was about to tell. In other words, Zhang Haiyans disgust in having tomunicate with him had exceeded his desire to know the truth.


    Wade immediately said, Im sorry. I understand now. Ill talk.


    Zhang Haiyan said coldly, Start from the beginning and finish the whole story in one go.


    Wades eyes zed over as he seemed to recall everything that had happened before he came here. Eventually, he started telling the whole story.


    Contrary to what Madison had heard, the thing Herman obtained from the old library wasnt an ancient map.


    A few years ago, Herman returned to his country and was honored for his outstanding performance in Borneo. He stayed in the UK for six months before he was transferred to Perak. The diamond trade in Borneo had made his family rich, so his next target was the precious woods in the Perak rainforests.


    Herman was a very cautious and meticulous person. Everyone who knew him thought that he was decent and reserved. Everything he did was carefully nned and almost foolproof. This was also how he got along with people. He would smile politely at everyone while keeping afortable and friendly distance from them.


    Before going to Perak, Herman visited all the old libraries in London to find research reports that the first generation of explorers had written about the distribution of nts in Perak. It was in these books that he saw the record of the magic drug called gonka for the first time.


    He was very curious about this drug, but he also knew that gonka waspletely extinct. It was possible that there were strains in the depths of the rainforests even though it couldnt be obtained elsewhere.


    At that time, the opium trade profits made him unable to forget about this miraculous drug. On that day, he found a small description in a library report.


    In addition to ingesting it, gonka had a wide range of functions. The local natives used it to dye leather and other things. It was at this time that Herman discovered that the cover of the book that had recorded these things had a strange red color to it.


    Herman had a sudden sh of inspiration and cut off the strange cover. He then scraped the red off of it, poured it into his red wine, and drank it.


    Half an hourter, his vision began to distort. Then, he saw an illusion that changed everything he had ever believed in.

 Side Story 10: The Desire To Eat People

    Side Story 10: The Desire To Eat People


    After seeing these hallucinations, Herman drew the map himself and then let the people from the Royal Academy of Sciences take gonka.


    For a total of seven days, there were about twenty people who reported the incident to their superiors. Everyone was terrified of what they saw in the illusion. After that, the Royal Academy of Sciences couldnt decide what to do about this absurd, but frightening fact.


    First of all, it was an illusion. Everyone knew that this was just a reaction to the drug, but why did everyone have the same reaction? Plus, the things they saw were so real that people couldnt convince themselves that such things came from their own brains.


    In the end, the Royal Academy of Sciences issued a small sum of money to Herman and let him take his team to the location on the map that appeared in the illusion. They wanted Herman to see what was there first. If there really was something, then they would destroy it.


    They saw this as apromise, but for Herman, it was a golden opportunity. The treasured wood in the rainforest, the gonka drug, the support of the Royal Academy of Sciences, and the opportunity to remove those devils for God were all the makings of a legendary story.


    From the beginning of the story to the end, Wade never said what was in the hallucinations. When Zhang Haiyan asked him about it, Wade looked down at his jacket pocket.


    Zhang Haiyan took out a small leather bag and opened it. The inside was filled with red powder.


    Try it. Wade looked at Zhang Haiyan and smiled. Just a little bit is enough since its your first time.


    Zhang Haiyanughed, You think I would be so stupid as to take a strange drug youve carried with you just because you told me some story?


    You can let me take it. Itll start working within half an hour. The hallucinationse very quickly. Although you may only hallucinate for a few minutes, you still see everything.


    Zhang Haiyan thought it over for a while. He looked at Madison and then squeezed Wades mouth open and poured some of the powder in.


    Wade kept coughing and panting before he looked at Zhang Haiyan and smiled. Youre going to thank me.


    <em>Youre so fucking annoying, </em>Zhang Haiyan thought to himself as he smiled back at Wade.


    Wades face gradually started to turn red, as if all of his blood was rushing to his head. Then, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and the whites began twitching back and forth constantly. Saliva kept flowing from the corner of his mouth and down to his neck.


    Zhang Haiyan put a hand to his pulse point. Although Wades heartbeat was very fast, it was stable and showed no signs of failing.


    Slowly, after about three or four minutes, his heartbeat gradually returned to normal and he started to regain consciousness.


    After the drug kicked in, he was slow to respond and had a mouth full of saliva. He couldnt speak as he looked at Zhang Haiyan, but his eyes were full of anticipation.


    Zhang Haiyan used his pinky finger to touch a little bit of the red powder and then put it under his tongue.


    It was only a small taste, but he immediately realized that this wasnt a drug extracted from nts.


    He was extremely familiar with this taste.


    It was the taste of human flesh.


    The powder melted the instant it touched his tongue and then quickly dissolved.


    Zhang Haiyan wanted to spit it out, but it was toote. He put a hand over his throat. This kind of taste was something he wanted to forget for many years, but now his mouth was filled with it.


    <em>It tastes so good.</em>


    Because of the extreme hunger at that time, tastes were infinitely amplified, which led to the desire to eat people.


    And now, that desire had reappeared in Zhang Haiyans heart.


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: This is the end of The Map in the Dream for now.</em></strong>

 Extra 1: The Profile Of The Members In Perak

    Extra 1: The Profile Of The Members In Perak


    (This is Wu Xies POV)


    People in the Zhang family always acted in a secretive manner. It was rare for them to have someone like Little Brother Zhang who had his own legends in the South Sea. It was because of how he acted in the South Sea that many legends about the gue god were all rted to his behaviors.


    ording to his own personal ount, Zhang Haiyan had worked on sixty-eight cases during his thirty years in the South Sea. At that time, his only partner in a was another man named Zhang Haixia. All sixty-eight cases had been solved perfectly and became known in history as the Sixty-Eight Winning Streak.


    Little Brother Zhang was clearly much more reliable back thenpared to how he was now.


    Based on his performance when acting alone, I couldnt imagine what kind of change would enable him to have such a steady output given his unpredictable character.


    Later, I focused on finding information about his partner, Zhang Haixia. He was an unknown figure, but he yed a very important role.


    I carefully collected any information about that person. Even though things had happened a long time ago, I was able to piece together the scattered information and figure out that the person behind Zhang Haiyan had a huge mysterious charm.


    Zhang Haiyan acted like apletely different person when he was with Zhang Haixia.


    Later, I suspected that the hidden key to the Sixty-Eight Winning Streak was Zhang Haixia.


    ording to the remaining volume records, Ive collected eleven major cases, four of which were rted to Dingwu Qihuang. They were called the Four Cases of Qihuang. The other cases were rtively independent.


    The time it took to close these eleven cases varied. The shortest time was about ten days, while the longest onested for more than five years.


    Most of these cases were interesting, but I prefer to talk about a smaller, more South-Sea-style case first. This one had a cheesy name called Perak Stilt Houses.


    The incident took ce in Perak and the beginning of the story is very interesting. The corpse of an eleven-year-old girl named Nuruhuda was cut into pieces. The murderer was considered a lunatic because her body parts were repeatedly thrown away sixty times after he cut her corpse up.


    I need to rify that the little girl was cut into fourteen parts. Theoretically, the body parts could be thrown away fourteen times at most. But ording to witnesses and the murderers own confession, there were sixty ces where he dumped the body parts. This didnt add up. What had he been throwing away those other forty-six times?


    Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia searched the ces where the body parts had been thrown away. In addition to the human limbs, they found that there were many houseponents packed into the same sacks.


    At that time, the stilted houses in Mysia were very simple thatched houses that used roughly processed tree branches to elevate the houses.


    The sacks they found were filled with thatch, wooden boards, and parts of wooden pirs. Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia found it very strange.


    When they asked the murderer about it, he insisted that the houseponents and the little girl were the same thing, so when he mutted the little girl, he also mutted parts of the house.


    Everyone thought he was crazy, but when Zhang Haixia was sorting out the houseponents, he found that the cracks were leaking grease.


    Zhang Haixia put all of theponents together and found that they formed a quarter section of a house. It was a corner of a thatched house near the roof. In the process of doing this, he noticed that there was a lot of hair in the thatch of this house. The hair and the thatch appeared to have grown together.


    He thought about it carefully and realized that the houseponents werent fixed with ropes or nesting structures, butpletely merged. The hair was growing in the folds of these wooden structures. The hair was yellow, which was the same color as that of the little girls hair.


    There were countless pieces of evidence and various spections.


    Zhang Haiyan believed that the final possibility was that parts of the thatched house grew out of the little girls body. For unknown reasons, parts of the house grew out of the little girls body, which corroded the original housesponents and reced parts of the house.


    But after Zhang Haixia studied and thought about it, he felt that things might be the opposite. This little girl grew out of the house like some kind of mimicry of evil.


    The two people argued for three days.


    If that was the case, the location of that house was very important.


    ording to the murderer, the house was in a veryrge vige instead of in the depths of the rainforest like we might have thought. But the murder couldnt remember where the house was, nor could he remember why he suddenly cut the girl into pieces.


    After Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia reconciled, the two people began to look for that thatched house in Perak.


    I dont know if this story has been exaggerated, and the way they dealt with this incidentter is unclear, but I can always write about it in detailter.


    The stories that took ce in the South Sea were very strange, unusual, and very interesting.


    I dont know where Zhang Haixia went since there werent any records of him in the end. When I asked Zhang Haiyan about it, he seemed to be at a total loss. He only said that the incidents happened a long time ago, so he couldnt remember them clearly.


    Zhang Haixia is like a ck hole, and the only person who can help me understand things about him is Zhang Haiyan.


    For some reason, I feel that Zhang Haixia and I have some things inmon. What happened to him in the end?


    Im very curious about whether his ending has any reference to my own ending.

 Extra 2: The Research About The Southern Archives

    Extra 2: The Research About The Southern Archives


    The archives system is a special system that was called volumes in ancient times and archivester. The names are different, but the function is the same.


    If theres such a thing as the Southern Archives, then theres definitely going to be the Central, Eastern, Western, and Northern Archives.


    The emergence of the archives system surfaced when the Zhang family was sorting out their system.


    The appearance of Little Brother Zhang and the gradual development of his past deeds made the division ofbor between the Southern Archives and the entire archives system gradually clear.


    To give a simple example, the Western Archives was set up in Motuo, mainly to deal with matters in Nepal and Kangbaro. It was essentially the Zhang familys monitoring and collection agency for local information.


    The Central Archives was eventually rebuilt by Zhang Qishan, mainly to monitor the Mystic Nine.


    Theter generations named it the volume system. It was unknown how these systems were named within the Zhang family, but lets just call it volumes for now. The Zhang family used this system to live on the dark side of Chinese history.


    In addition, Little Brother Zhang contacted the remaining forces of the Zhang family and built thetest archives in Hangzhou. They called it the Hangzhou Archives.


    They were ready to start business and wanted to build a Fei Kun Balu (1) Temple first, but this behavior was sessfully banned by West Lake District Urban Management.


    I actually always wondered where the Zhang familys ie came from. Although they didnt spend much money, it was really annoying for me to raise this big family.


    This may be the biggest mystery in the Southern Archives research.


    The words are written on the first page of Wu Xies research notebook about the Southern Archives.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Its a Poker-Face temple lol. Mentioned in Chapter 7.14 of the Potluck Case


    ****


    <strong><em>Tiffanys Notes: Little Brother Zhang is acting like he is going to start a cult. Meanwhile, Wu Xie is giving them financial support lol.</em></strong>

 Extra 3: Notes About Our Leisure Time

    Extra 3: Notes About Our Leisure Time


    I helped organize the Zhang familys annual party. Since we would have to pass through Shanghai after departing from Yangcheng Lake on our return trip, I had the sudden idea of taking the Zhang family members to Disnend.


    I had been thinking about how to be a good event organizer the whole time and was at wit''s end. We didnt have a good time while eating at the crab restaurant I had selected (1). Moreover, they ate way too fast, so this activity didnt really feel like an activity. But it was also difficult for me to exin how long it should take for people to eat crabs or what kind of mood they should be in when eating crabs.


    After they finished eating, they were waiting to hear what the next activity would be. The atmosphere was very heavy, which made me feel like they were actually a group of leaders who were testing my ability to receive people. So, I decided to take them to Disnend.


    After I brought them into the theme park, I left them to their own devices. I went and squatted down near the shady jungle restaurant where all the exhausted rough guys had also gathered.


    My mentality at the time was: <em>Ive brought the fresh-out-of-the-jungle Tarzan to the human world. Ive brought the T-Rex to Columbia City. I have to see what happens and let myself have some fun.</em>


    But the truth was that people from the Zhang family understood the ways of the world. Disnend may have been a rtively unfamiliar ce to them, but it didnt mean that they didnt know what to do here.


    I knew that I would definitely be rejected if I offered to show them around. I also knew that I definitely wouldnt have to organize next years annual party unless they still didnt have any ie by then.


    I hoped they could either make enough money to organize annual parties themselves, or make enough money to leave Hangzhou.


    After a long time, I fell asleep in that cool, shady ce. When I woke up, the fireworks disy had just begun and Qianjun Wanmas clothes were draped over me.


    I stood up and found that there was already a different group of people around me. Many children were already asleep at this time and various strollers had been lined up next to me. I cautiously left the area to go and watch the fireworks disy.


    I saw the people from the Zhang family in the crowd. Little Brother Zhang and Zhang Qianjun Wanma were wearing Mickey Mouse headbands and talking to each other. There was a little girl next to them who was also wearing a headband, but hers was the kind that glowed.


    I turned my head to look for their patriarch in the crowd, but couldnt find him amid the shing fireworks going off above us.


    The end of the Hangzhou Archives first annual party was marked by the sound of the theme parks paging system announcing a missing person.


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) Yangcheng Lake is famous for having crabs.

 Extra 4: Ways To Make A Living

    Extra 4: Ways To Make A Living


    Zhang Haike and I were sitting in the corner of a Starbucks. He came to Hangzhou on a business trip, so he was quite busy.


    The overseas Zhang familys properties in Hong Kong had been preserved to this day. The story of how they became wealthy was like something wed only see in a TV show. The Zhang family didnt invest in real estate with any specific purpose in mind, but after many years and several financial crises, anyone who invested in real estate in Hong Kong became incredibly wealthy decadester.


    The overseas Zhang family had no obligation to financially support the main branch, but the Zhang familys power system wasnt maintained by money anyway.


    But during this time, if someone were to provide the living expenses of these people, the overseas Zhang family should have priority over me.


    Zhang Haike and I were starting to look different. It was obvious that he hadnt been trying hard to look like me for the past few years, but we still looked like brothers when we were together. He even looked a little younger than me.


    I can make some investments in Hangzhou. Itll save us some trouble if they can support themselves. Meanwhile, you can rest assured that people from the Zhang family wont be so poor as to have to beg for food.


    <em>Bullshit. Look at how your patriarch is doing now</em>, I thought to myself.


    I knew that they all had abilities to make some quick money, but times had changed. The rural mountainous areas and ancient forests were gone and antique trading was very strict now. If they didnt go down to the tombs and find goods, then they would have to deal in general antique trading, which wasnt as easy as before.


    Moreover, the post-90s generation had gradually taken the lead, so old-school socialworking methods had been reced by WeChat inte merchants. Even those who sold stinky tofu in physical stores would find it difficult to survive, let alone selling antiques in physical stores.


    Your thinking makes sense. Zhang Haike nodded after listening to my thoughts. Then, how about I invest in an online store?


    Cant you invest in something that I wont need to worry about so much?


    Zhang Haike thought for a while. His phone kept ringing with notifications and I wondered who he was talking to. He nced at it and his expression turned somewhat sweet.


    Are you in love? If you dont solve my problems, Ill have your patriarch order everyone in your n to castrate themselves.


    Zhang Haike put away his phone, his expression turning serious again. The Zhang familys ancestral teachings dont allow anyone to fail, he said to me. Theyll surely fail if we ask them to run a business. Plus, I heard that they insisted on building a temple and receiving incense money (1) before, which shows that they have a strong sense of autonomy. They prioritize whatever they want to do, because its important to them. How about this? Ill go back and think about it for two weeks and then give you an answer. With that said, Zhang Haike stood up and walked away. He seemed to be in a hurry to meet someone.


    I found it strange. People said that when old men were in love, they loved fiercely. But his behavior was just too extreme.


    I wondered what was going on. I took out my phone and looked at his WeChat moments, but he had set his ount so that people could only see his posts for the past three days. As a result, anything before that was gone.


    <em>Well.</em>


    But he was right about something. These people did whatever they wanted to do.


    I texted him and asked, How about we set up an online temple for them?


    ****


    TN Notes:


    (1) When people go to temples, they put money in an offering box to show respect to the gods.


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