Volume 3 Winter Solstice Chapter 46: Under the Lake
Zhuang Zekun walked up to Tang Butian and asked, "It's been almost three years since you came out. How do you feel about it? "
"Good."
“Life is not just about cultivation.”
"I am a sword cultivator. My goal is to reach the end of the road that my predecessors have walked, and then take one more step forward," Tang Butian thought for a moment, "or two or three steps, or even a little more."
"Do you think living like this is meaningful?"
“It’s very meaningful.”
“If you focus too much on one thing , you’ll miss a lot.”
"Senior Zhuang, this is my life," she raised her head slightly, "There are many hard-working people down the mountain. There are runners who keep running to save a few tenths of a second, painters who practice the piano, and mathematicians who spend years or even decades working on an idea."
"It's good that you think so."
“They will also encounter obstacles and need to work, or make some compromises before continuing their pursuit.”
"You consider joining the Special Operations Department an obstacle?"
"Yes," Tang Bu Tian nodded, "I have also thought of other ways to improve myself and make up for the lack of training resources and time."
Tang Butian glanced at Zhuang Zekun and said, "But there is one problem that cannot be solved."
"What's the problem?"
"There are too few opportunities for actual combat," she glanced at Zhuang Zekun again, "there are no suitable opponents."
Zhuang Zekun felt his eye twitch, and he changed the subject, "When will Taoist Qingyang come?"
"A little later. I want to know what happened in the Special Operations Department 13 years ago." Tang Butian brought the topic back.
Zhuang Zekun smiled bitterly, "It's very complicated."
"I'm very free today."
"Did someone say anything to you?" Zhuang Zekun asked tentatively.
Tang Butian lowered his arms that were folded in front of his chest, "You mean you refuse to answer?"
"This matter is confidential, and you don't have sufficient clearance."
"oh."
"I promise, when the time is right, I'll tell you everything I know."
"Wait till I get promoted?"
"Xiao Tang, you should try to trust me a little..."
"Where are the resources you promised to give me?" Tang Butian interrupted Zhuang Zekun. She pursed her lips and said, "I don't understand what you said. You asked me to investigate the matter of the statue and the attack on Guan Nuo. The clues I found all pointed to the matter of the Special Operations Department 13 years ago, but you refused to answer. I don't know what to do."
Zhuang Zekun pondered for a moment and said, "16 years ago, Sang Xu, a member of the Special Operations Group, died in a mission. He was Guan Nuo's father. When I was investigating the cause of his death, I discovered something, a very secretive organization. As I kept digging deeper, I thought I had found some clues. These clues formed a trap. I made a mistake, which led to the disbandment of the Special Operations Group."
He sighed, "At that time, the style of the Special Operations Group was indeed a bit arrogant. When they found something wrong with me, many people followed suit and added insult to injury..."
Tang Butian turned around and said, "I know."
"How are you going to investigate?" Zhuang Zekun asked.
"I think Guan Nuo might be attacked again. Next, I will try my best to follow him and catch the master behind the ghost." Tang Butian walked forward on the thick fallen leaves.
——
A field passed by outside the car window, and soft music flowed into Jiang You's ears. He pulled his seat belt and adjusted his sitting position.
Tao Tao saw that he had woken up, and she said, "We're almost there."
Jiang You took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put them back on, "My shoulders hurt a little from sleeping."
"I'll press it for you when I get there."
"Okay." Jiang You yawned.
"Did you sleep late last night?" Tao Tao asked.
"No, I just feel tired. It may also be that my body is too weak and I need to take some supplements..."
More than ten minutes later, Jiang You saw the gate of Xueshan Lake Resort. After the car drove in, it turned several corners and drove into an underground tunnel.
The light suddenly went dark.
"Mr. Lei is waiting for you downstairs." Tao Tao explained to Jiang You.
"And what's below?"
"At the bottom of the lake."
"Do you know what I'm going to do this time?"
Tao Tao shook her head. "I am only responsible for picking you up and making you satisfied."
She pulled into the parking spot and she said, "It's right in front."
Jiang You followed her out of the car.
Tao Tao walked in front.
The white light from the spotlight fell on her.
The high heels made a crisp sound when they stepped on the ground.
After walking forward about fifty or sixty meters, Jiang You heard the sound of water, and then the light became brighter. The walls around him became transparent, and fat-looking fish swam in them.
Jiang You's fingers traced across the wall.
After walking past the fish wall, Tao Tao opened a door and turned on the light. A study room decorated in Chinese style appeared in front of Jiang You.
Jiang You walked in.
He looked around and sat down on an octagonal chair.
"I'll make you a cup of tea."
Tao Tao took off her coat and hung it on the hanger, then she walked to the tea room on the side.
Huang Hu stood in front of a transparent wall. On the other side of the wall, Jiang You sat on the Eight Immortals Chair with his back to them, looking down at his cell phone.
Jiang Yunxian stood behind Huang Hu.
"He is Jiang You?"
"It's him."
"Killing Luo Chengyuan made Sun Xiu jealous," Huang Hu said softly, "I'm going to avenge your Master Luo. How are you going to thank me?"
Jiang Yunxian lowered his head and said nothing.
"What did Lei Yao tell you?"
"Lei Yao suspected that he was controlled by a powerful ghost."
Huang Hu took out a compass, and the needle shook for a while and then returned to stability.
Tao Tao bent down and placed the plate with the teapot and teacups on the square table next to the Eight Immortals chair. Then she walked behind Jiang You and put her hand on his shoulder.
"No ghosts were detected." said Huang Hu.
"That……"
"Either Lei Yao guessed wrong, or," Huang Hu turned his head and glanced at Jiang Yunxian's face, "you and her teamed up to deceive me."
"No, I haven't..."
Huang Hu took a step forward and said, "Prove it to me."
He stepped into the transparent wall.
At the same time, a woman fell in front of Jiang Yunxian from above. It was Lei Yao.
There was black tape on her mouth and her limbs were folded unnaturally, as if she had been through great torture.
Jiang Yunxian squatted down, "Sister Yao..."
Lei Yao looked at him angrily.
After hearing the footsteps, Jiang You turned his head and saw Huang Hu.
Tao Tao bowed slightly to Huang Hu, then left the study.
Huang Hu walked up to Jiang You and said, "Let me introduce myself. I'm Huang Hu."
"Jiang You."
"You look very calm." Huang Hu pulled the eight-immortal chair on the other side of the square table to his side. He sat down, clenched his fists, leaned forward and examined Jiang You.
"It's okay. I thought there would be some surprise, like an octopus crawling in or something."
"You said I'm an octopus?"
"Really?" Jiang You looked a little happy. "The pink one?"