Hua Jiu'er, Do You Have Any Sisters?

Over thirty corpses lay scattered on the ground. Of the fifty-odd members of the Boundless Battalion, only thirteen managed to flee the battlefield. Liao Zihui originally intended to pursue them, but Shuiyun Road and even the banks of the Qingtian River were already thrown into chaos. Although Liao Zihui had tried his best to contain the scale of the fighting, a battle could never be waged in silence. The surrounding civilians were terrified. It would have been fine if they had stayed huddled inside their homes, but many were fleeing through the streets carrying bundles and bags, making the mess rather difficult to clean up. Just as Liao Zihui was fretting over what to do, Zheng Siyi came forward to report: Li Qi had rushed over with He Yuxiu, and the remnants of the Boundless Battalion would soon be dealt with. Liao Zihui quickly had to shift roles into that of a peacemaker, ordering his subordinates to maintain order and urge all the civilians back into their homes. Amid the flurry of activity, a man in his fifties named Fu Qingguang approached Liao Zihui and said in a low voice, "Chief Envoy, the magnetic field around here is unusual." Zheng Siyi watched from the side, unsure of Fu Qingguang's exact role. Fu Qingguang had come with Liao Zihui from Lushui City. His rank was not high, yet he never showed any restraint when speaking to Liao Zihui. Liao Zihui took Fu Qingguang's words very seriously. "Could it be a trap?" He worried the Light Chasing Society had left behind some contingency. If a trap were triggered right now, who knew how many would die on this street alone? Fu Qingguang said, "Hard to say if it's a trap. I sensed magnetic monopoles." Magnetic monopoles: particles that exhibit only a single magnetic pole. Sensing the presence of magnetic monopoles proved there was an invisible space nearby. Liao Zihui instructed his men, "Bring the equipment. Investigate immediately." A group bustled into action, first propping up a flatbed cart and mounting photovoltaic panels onto it. After adjusting the angles, they connected the solar panel output to a "cannon barrel." This barrel was not used to fire artillery shells; it was specialized equipment for locating spatial rifts. In Puluo Province, electrical energy could not be transmitted over long distances, so the "cannon barrel" had to bring its own power supply. Fu Qingguang stood behind the barrel, observing the fluctuating data. After searching back and forth for over half an hour, he pointed to a pavilion on the roadside. "Chief Envoy, the entrance is right here." This pavilion was normally a gathering spot for sedan chair bearers, but during the recent commotion, the bearers had all fled. Liao Zihui first ordered everyone to fall back, leaving Fu Qingguang to operate the apparatus for the next step. The so-called apparatus was still that flatbed cart, only without the "cannon barrel." Fu Qingguang produced a steel needle fifteen centimeters long and drove half of it into the crown of his head, leaving the other half exposed above his scalp. He disconnected the power output wires from the barrel and wound them around the steel needle in his head. A burst of static hissed in his ears. *Screeech—crackle—* The reception was poor. Fu Qingguang shook his head to the left, then leaned forward. The static receded, and a woman's faint voice drifted into his ears: "As all our male listeners know, once you turn fifty, you may feel your vigor flagging in certain areas. A gentleman surnamed Luo once called in to say he had tried many medications, but with little noticeable effect..." Fu Qingguang muttered, "That radio station is causing trouble again." Even so, he was very tempted to keep listening. The topic discussed on the radio was quite important to him; the words 'vigor flagging' hit him right where it hurt. *Could that caller surnamed Luo be Luo Zhengnan? He's about that age too.* The host rambled on without getting to the point, just spouting nonsense. He could not keep listening. So many people were waiting on-site, so Fu Qingguang gave his head a shake and tuned out the broadcast frequency. Readjusting his position, Fu Qingguang picked up a faint, sharp ringing. Facing the direction of the sound source, Fu Qingguang attached a homemade searchlight to the top of his head. A cyan-blue beam shone from its casing. Under the beam's illumination, within two minutes, a deep-purple halo materialized beside a pillar of the pavilion. This was the entrance to an invisible space. Liao Zihui asked in a low voice, "Is it a dark-dimension space?" Fu Qingguang looked closely at the color of the halo and shook his head. "It's a stealth space." Liao Zihui let out a sigh of relief. Stealth spaces were also very rare, but far safer than dark-dimension spaces. He waved his hand, signaling his men to get ready. Six subordinates donned heavy combat suits, put on fully sealed helmets, strapped on oxygen cylinders, and stepped into the halo. Watching from the shadows, Chu Shaoqiang's lips curled into a faint smirk. He had entered this stealth space just once before, and he knew it was the residence of the local spirit. There was an extremely crucial item inside, but he could not take it out just yet. The six subordinates remained in the halo for over half an hour before five of them walked out first. Liao Zihui frowned and asked, "Where's Xiao Meng?" One subordinate answered with a trembling voice, "Xiao Meng touched something inside. He didn't mean to. I told him not to touch it anymore, but he said since things had already come to this, he might as well bring it out..." Liao Zihui's frown deepened. "What did you touch?" Before the words faded, the subordinate named Xiao Meng emerged. In his hands, he carried a red-copper ornament. It was a lotus flower with tightly closed petals. Xiao Meng's face was deathly pale as he asked, "Chief Envoy, is... is this the Xuansheng Red Lotus?" He was terrified. Liao Zihui thought back to photographs of the Xuansheng Red Lotus and looked at the ornament in Xiao Meng's hands, momentarily struck speechless. *Isn't the Xuansheng Red Lotus in Li Qi's possession? How could it be here?* While everyone stood in stunned silence, Xiao Meng's body, still cradling the Red Lotus, suddenly began to glow. Tears streamed uncontrollably down Xiao Meng's face. "Chief Envoy, what should I do?" *** "Old Seven, look, what is that?" He Yuxiu peeled open the skull of a Boundless Battalion member, tossed the corpse aside, and looked toward the street ahead, where a beam of light was plummeting from the sky. Li Banfeng knew this light all too well. "Heavenly light." He Yuxiu nodded. "Looks like it to me too. Which poor bastard got struck by heavenly light?" Li Banfeng led He Yuxiu toward the beam of light. By the pavilion on Shuiyun Road, Liao Zihui was shouting at his men, "Quick, fetch the guiding agent! Hurry!" Using the last ounce of his strength, Xiao Meng placed the Red Lotus onto the pavilion's stone table. Immediately afterward, his body stiffened, and he fell motionless to the ground. Li Banfeng watched from among the crowd, thoroughly astonished. Outwardly, the Red Lotus on the stone table looked identical to the one in his companion dwelling. *Could this Red Lotus draw down heavenly light too?* Li Banfeng tugged the brim of his hat lower. Beneath the brim, his face was full of doubt and confusion. The guiding agent arrived: a syringe filled with a yellowish-green liquid. No one dared approach Xiao Meng. Liao Zihui took the syringe and personally injected the guiding agent into Xiao Meng's vein. This was the first time Li Banfeng had seen an outer-province guiding agent. In terms of effect, it was likely similar to the Peddler's medicinal powder. Liao Zihui helped Xiao Meng sit up, murmuring continuously, "You'll be fine, lad. You're going to be fine." Xiao Meng panted for a moment before saying, "Chief Envoy, I couldn't keep my hands to myself. It was my fault. I... I feel much better." "You'll be alright in a bit." Liao Zihui supported Xiao Meng and called for a stretcher. Xiao Meng said, "I feel like I can move. I probably don't need a stretcher." Liao Zihui said, "Don't move around. Rest a little longer. After getting struck like that, you'll need to rest for months no matter what. First—" *Bang!* Xiao Meng exploded, splattering blood and flesh all over Liao Zihui. The outer provinces' guiding agent was clearly inferior to the Peddler's powder. Blood trickled down Liao Zihui's hair. He stood frozen in place. A crowd of men wanted to rush forward to protect their Chief Envoy, yet were too frightened to move. The Red Lotus on the stone table slowly bloomed, sweeping all of Xiao Meng's flesh and blood into its center. The petals closed, and streams of luminescence drifted upward along the lotus. Liao Zihui was stunned speechless. Equally astonished was Li Banfeng. He Yuxiu muttered beside him, "Good heavens, so that's the Xuansheng Red Lotus. Old Seven, we have to stay far away from that thing. Absolutely cannot touch it. Old Seven, what are you thinking about?" Li Banfeng turned to look at He Yuxiu. "Xiur, let's go home." He Yuxiu cast another glance at the Red Lotus and followed Li Banfeng away. *** Inside the Garrison Office, Liao Zihui sat in his office, listening to Zheng Siyi's report. "Chief Envoy, we've used machinery to seal the Xuansheng Red Lotus inside a stone box." "Will that work?" Liao Zihui felt that using mechanical tools could not block the Red Lotus's negative effects. Zheng Siyi said, "The personnel operating the machinery have shown no abnormalities so far, and professional medical staff are monitoring them in real time." Liao Zihui nodded. "Has the report been submitted?" "It has." "Any word from above?" "I inquired around. They're still holding a meeting to study the matter." "Studying it for this long?" Liao Zihui chuckled. "Can you guess what they're studying?" Zheng Siyi thought for a moment. "They must be studying how to transport the Red Lotus out of Puluo Province." Liao Zihui shook his head. "That's not their main focus." Zheng Siyi was taken aback. "That's still not the main focus?" Liao Zihui sighed. "To you and me, that is paramount. But to them, it has never been the main focus. Dispatch more men to watch over the Red Lotus. The moment news arrives from above, notify me immediately." At two in the morning, Zheng Siyi knocked on the office door. Liao Zihui had stayed awake the entire time; he knew news would surely come tonight. "Director Du is on the line." Liao Zihui went to the communications room. Before picking up the receiver, he took a moment to steady his breathing. "Director Du, I... we have been... waiting for your word." In just that one sentence, Liao Zihui's breath hitched several times. Director Du asked with concern, "Old Liao, what's wrong with you? Are you overly fatigued? You must look after your health. Our meeting just concluded. We hope to transport the Red Lotus to the outer provinces as quickly as possible, but at the same time, we must handle the aftermath at Yesong Bridge properly. Security during this operation was not adequately maintained, and we worry it may create a poor impression in Yesong Bridge or even throughout Puluo Province. Therefore, we must place great importance on both tasks." These words were shrouded in bureaucratic fog, but Liao Zihui understood them crystal clear. They wanted the Red Lotus sent over, but they would prefer that person not be Liao Zihui. They wanted Liao Zihui to clean up the mess in Yesong Bridge, doing work akin to toilet paper. They wanted to leave the more rewarding work to more favored individuals. This incident had caused a major stir, and Director Du had already pointed out the problem: poor confidentiality. Whoever handled the aftermath, no matter how hard they worked, could never wrap it up without controversy. Just like some messes, no matter how much toilet paper you used, it never came completely clean, and you would only end up smelling like it yourself. Safely delivering the Red Lotus to the outer provinces was an entirely different story. Framed properly, that merit could even surpass discovering the Red Lotus in the first place. Director Du worried Liao Zihui might not comply and was preparing to persuade and steer him further. Liao Zihui knew full well: he would not fight for the merit, but he had no intention of being toilet paper either. He coughed twice and said, "Director Du, please arrange the remaining matters as you see fit. I was affected by the dark matter flow, and my body is still experiencing stiffness. I may need to return to the outer provinces for treatment." Director Du sounded astonished. "Old Liao, you were injured during the operation? Why didn't you report this sooner?" Liao Zihui said, "The situation was urgent, and there were casualties among my subordinates. For... for a time, I really didn't notice..." "Say no more, Old Liao. I'll dispatch a dedicated train at once to bring you back to the outer provinces for treatment tonight." After hanging up, Director Du let out a long breath. He picked up the phone and dialed another number. "Teacher, the issue is resolved." "Little Du, the key is not when the Red Lotus is brought back, but who brings it back. In this operation, we achieved a very significant accomplishment, but one thing must be made clear: this accomplishment was not achieved by Liao Zihui alone!" "Teacher, you are entirely correct. The mission to escort the Red Lotus will certainly not be given to Liao Zihui. Due to health reasons, Liao Zihui must leave Puluo Province for medical treatment. The next phase of work will be handed over to Xia Shumin." "I think this arrangement is very good. Since Liao Zihui is ill, let him recuperate for a good while. I don't know much about Puluo Province's situation, but I know Little Xia's capabilities. It's about time we heap more burdens onto driven young people!" *** At the Yesong Bridge Railway Station, Liao Zihui was wheeled aboard a carriage along with his bed. Zheng Siyi came to see him off. "Chief Envoy, you were fine earlier. At such a critical moment, how could you..." Liao Zihui dismissed the people around them and whispered to Zheng Siyi, "Go back right now and guard the Garrison Office. Until Xia Shumin arrives, you are not permitted to take a single step away from the Garrison Office. "With you there, the men will stay sharp, the Garrison Office will look like something proper, and the Red Lotus can be guarded. If you leave, the Red Lotus will vanish in the blink of an eye. "When Xia Shumin sends people to transport the Red Lotus, remember: conduct the handover inside the Garrison Office. Once the handover is done, you and your people are not to leave the office, nor are you to have any further contact with the Red Lotus." Zheng Siyi felt this might be inappropriate. "When Xia Shumin arrives, I won't even go to the station?" "No need. He has plenty of hands around him. You only need to do two things for me: "First, Xiao Meng's condolence compensation must be delivered in full. Keep a sharp eye on it. If anyone dips into Xiao Meng's money, I'll take their life when I get back. "Second, while I'm away, watch over yourself, and watch over your own men. When it comes to the Red Lotus, there is no need to vie for merit. There is no merit to be had there, but you must not let the dirty water splash onto you." *** Inside the companion dwelling, Li Banfeng went to Room Nine, gently stroking the lotus heart as he asked, "Hua Jiu'er, do you have any sisters?" The Red Lotus spoke in a soft, delicate voice. "If you keep being this impudent, I'll..." The lotus heart suddenly clenched tight, making Li Banfeng shudder. "Don't, don't pinch my finger!" Pulling his finger out, Li Banfeng blew on it for quite a while. The Red Lotus said, "I don't have any sisters." "I saw a copper lotus that looks identical to you. It can summon heavenly light, and it can also refine pills." "Heh heh," the Red Lotus gave a cold chuckle. "There are many pill furnaces in this world, and many that look like lotuses. But there is only one true Xuansheng Red Lotus." Li Banfeng touched the lotus heart and asked, "So, only you are real?" "If you don't believe me, you might as well ask that shrew in your house. She knows me." The gramophone had never questioned the Red Lotus's identity. Hong Ying knew the Red Lotus, and the companion dwelling knew the Red Lotus; none of them had ever doubted it, which proved the Red Lotus in the companion dwelling was indeed real. Then what was the deal with the Red Lotus that Liao Zihui obtained? Was that pavilion the sedan chair bearer's dwelling? Was that the Red Lotus the bearer used to refine pills? It seemed the bearer truly had not lied; in terms of pill-refining function, the copper lotus in his possession was remarkably similar to the real Red Lotus. *** Xia Shumin arrived at Yesong Bridge aboard a dedicated train. Following Liao Zihui's instructions, Zheng Siyi did not go to the station to welcome Xia Shumin, choosing instead to remain on guard at the Garrison Office. Xia Shumin expressed approval of this. "From this small detail, one can see Old Zheng's sense of duty. The more critical the moment, the more one must hold their post!" Several newcomers in the Garrison Office thought Old Zheng's big break had come; since the future Chief Envoy appreciated him so much, he would probably be transferred to the central bureau within a couple of days. Yet the veterans knew better: Zheng Siyi's days ahead would not be easy. By failing to greet the train, he showed no respect to Xia Shumin. Once the matter of the Red Lotus passed, Xia Shumin would surely settle scores with him. Upon arriving at the Garrison Office, Zheng Siyi received Xia Shumin in the main hall. Xia Shumin inspected the Red Lotus's condition, inquired with concern about the wounded, offered condolences to the families of the fallen, and immediately ordered the Red Lotus transported to the train station. Xia Shumin had summoned hundreds of elites from garrison offices across various regions. They first used specialized machinery to extract the Red Lotus, then sealed it within a glass containment unit using arts from various pathways to prevent it from drawing down heavenly light. Throughout the handover, Zheng Siyi ordered the entire process recorded on film to preserve evidence. With the Red Lotus handed over, Xia Shumin ordered martial law along the route, setting up layer upon layer of security, and personally led his personnel in bringing the Red Lotus onto the train. As a subtle reprimand to Zheng Siyi, Xia Shumin forbade Zheng Siyi from seeing him off when departing, instructing him to continue holding his post. Zheng Siyi wanted nothing more. Exchanging a couple of polite pleasantries, he stayed inside the Garrison Office and never stepped out the door. Once Xia Shumin's entourage boarded the train and left, Zheng Siyi let out a long breath and instructed his subordinates that starting tomorrow, everyone would take turns on leave, each getting a two-week break. *** Xia Shumin's dedicated train made no intermediate stops. Of its five carriages, the Red Lotus was placed in the third, heavily guarded front and rear, with Xia Shumin personally keeping watch over the Red Lotus in the third carriage. Just like that, it was transported all the way to Yuezhou City and delivered to the experimental center. Experts of various disciplines spent the first day observing the Red Lotus from outside the glass containment unit. On the second day, under strict protection, technicians operated robotic arms to lift the multiple seals, preparing to inspect the physical Red Lotus directly. After all, the details one could observe through glass were limited. The moment the glass containment unit was opened, everyone was struck dumb. They found that the Red Lotus had vanished. It was a miraculous phenomenon: whenever the cabinet door of the glass container was opened, the Red Lotus disappeared. Yet the moment the cabinet door was closed, the Red Lotus reappeared. What was the mechanism behind this? The experts convened an emergency meeting, engaging in thorough research and discussion. After a meticulous inspection of the glass containment unit, they discovered a mirror mounted on the cabinet door. An art had been placed on the mirror to project the image of the Red Lotus into the glass container. In other words, there was never any Red Lotus inside this glass containment unit to begin with. When on earth had the Red Lotus disappeared from the container? Xia Shumin was dumbfounded. The only statement he could offer was, "I don't know. I never touched it." Indeed, he had not touched it. From the moment the Red Lotus entered the glass container, no one had touched it. Even after sealing it with formations, nobody dared lay a finger on it, for everyone feared the heavenly light. Yet how on earth had the Red Lotus been lost? *** Director Du dialed the telephone. "Teacher, something went wrong with the Red Lotus. It was lost en route..." A demanding voice came from the other end of the line. "What on earth was Liao Zihui doing? In a matter of such importance, how could such a failure occur?" Director Du offered a gentle reminder. "Teacher, Liao Zihui wasn't in charge of this..." "He wasn't in charge of the escort, but isn't he in charge of Puluo Province? For such a critical assignment, shouldn't Liao Zihui have made proper defensive preparations beforehand?" "Teacher, Liao Zihui is currently receiving medical treatment in the outer provinces. During this period, the overall work in Puluo Province has also been Xia Shumin's responsibility." "So what if he's sick? Is that an excuse? Regardless, he cannot wash his hands of this matter!" *Click!* The phone was slammed down in fury. Director Du let out a long sigh, wondering how he was going to account for what came next. How could such a massive Red Lotus simply vanish without a trace? *** At Yuezhou East Station, Chu Shaoqiang boarded Train 1160 carrying a briefcase. He held a briefcase that was very small and narrow, seemingly capable of holding only a few documents. Once inside his carriage, Chu Shaoqiang cradled the briefcase and sat quietly in his seat. A day later, the train arrived at Haichiling. Chu Shaoqiang disembarked without leaving the station, transferring to Train 1165 bound for Qishuiyao. While waiting in the waiting hall, a man approached Chu Shaoqiang and coughed twice. "Mister, got a light?" Chu Shaoqiang produced a match and handed it to the man. The man lit his cigarette, took a drag, returned the match to Chu Shaoqiang, and said in a conversational tone, "How about you leave this briefcase with me, and I leave you your life? What do you say?" Chu Shaoqiang stared at the man for a moment, then asked, "May I know your esteemed name?" The man smiled. "I'm Ye Jianhuang. Anyone who likes smoking is a friend of mine." Ye Jianhuang, the Smoke Cultivator grandmaster. "So it is Senior Ye! Forgive my disrespect!" Chu Shaoqiang hurriedly handed the briefcase over to Ye Jianhuang. Ye Jianhuang took the briefcase and glanced inside; the Red Lotus was right there. How could such a large Red Lotus be crammed into such a small briefcase? Such was the marvel of craft cultivation. Ye Jianhuang took a drag of his cigarette and said to Chu Shaoqiang, "By right, given my status, I shouldn't take something from a junior like you. Why don't you pick a good item from me as compensation?" Chu Shaoqiang shook his head repeatedly. "I wouldn't dare. This is my sincere respect offered to you, Senior." "Sensible." Ye Jianhuang chuckled, picked up the briefcase, and left the waiting hall. Chu Shaoqiang remained seated in the waiting hall, unmoving. When Train 1165 pulled into the station, Chu Shaoqiang boarded immediately, entered his carriage, and once again sat quietly in his seat. Before long, a new briefcase appeared in his hands. *** Carrying the briefcase, Ye Jianhuang entered the newland of Haichiling. After walking for a short while, he suddenly felt the weight of the briefcase was off. He opened the briefcase to look again, and his brows knitted together. The Red Lotus was gone. "Good lad, daring to play tricks on me!" Ye Jianhuang tossed the briefcase aside, his body transforming into a cloud of smoke that vanished into thin air. *** Upon arriving at Qishuiyao, Chu Shaoqiang disembarked and hurried straight into an abandoned factory. Shi Gongxing, the local spirit of Qishuiyao, was repairing a bearing. Chu Shaoqiang stepped forward, pulled two pairs of pliers from the briefcase, and respectfully presented them to Shi Gongxing. "Master, this disciple has a request." Shi Gongxing took the pliers, inspected them closely for a good while, and gave a slight nod. "Go on." These two pairs of pliers were rare spiritual items of craft cultivation. Carrying his briefcase, Chu Shaoqiang walked straight toward the far end of the workshop. Reaching the ladder, Chu Shaoqiang saw the pool beneath it. Just as he was about to jump into the pool, he suddenly discovered that his left foot had turned into a cloud of smoke. Chu Shaoqiang was horrified, only to see Ye Jianhuang's silhouette materialize before his eyes. "Who gave you the guts to play your schemes on me?" Ye Jianhuang's brow twitched, and Chu Shaoqiang's right arm turned into smoke, dropping the briefcase to the ground. "Master!" Chu Shaoqiang looked back toward Shi Gongxing. Shi Gongxing held the pliers in his hand, looking at Ye Jianhuang. Ye Jianhuang glared, barking at Shi Gongxing, "What are you looking at? You've disgraced your master entirely! It would serve you right if I killed you too!" Shi Gongxing lowered his head and resumed repairing the bearing, not daring to take another look. Ye Jianhuang opened the briefcase and inspected it closely for quite some time. The Red Lotus was inside the briefcase, appearing clear and unmistakable from the outside. Yet Ye Jianhuang worried Chu Shaoqiang had left behind another trick to retrieve the Red Lotus again. "Young man, I originally intended to spare your life, but you dared play me for a fool. You brought this death upon yourself." Ye Jianhuang's brow twitched once more, and Chu Shaoqiang's remaining arm and leg turned into smoke, dispersing into the air. Other parts of his body were smoking as well, though they did not dissipate immediately. "You're quite resilient, boy." Ye Jianhuang smiled, pulled out a hand-rolled cigarette, popped it into his mouth, and lit it. He exhaled a puff of smoke at Chu Shaoqiang. Chu Shaoqiang swayed, on the verge of dissolving into ash and dust, yet after a moment of wobbling, the smoke gathered back together. Surprised, Ye Jianhuang blew another puff of smoke at Chu Shaoqiang. Chu Shaoqiang let out a burp. *Glub-glub-glub.* A burst of soap bubbles spewed from his mouth. They first blocked the smoke, then covered his entire body. After a minute or so, encased in the soap bubbles, Chu Shaoqiang's limbs grew back. His hands were somewhat short, about twenty centimeters. His legs were not long either, roughly a foot in length. Looking up along his thighs, the thing was considerably smaller, but still all there. Ye Jianhuang heightened his guard and asked, "What kind of technique is this?" Chu Shaoqiang could not speak; bubbles were still pouring from his mouth. A person nearby chimed in, "That certainly isn't his technique. Where would he get such skill?" "Then who could have such—" Ye Jianhuang paused, turning his head toward the speaker. A middle-aged man sat squatting on the ground with his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking thoroughly unassuming, and said to Ye Jianhuang, "Keep fighting him. I want to take a closer look and see whose technique this really is!" Ye Jianhuang spat out his cigarette, drew his tobacco pipe, and stared nervously at the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man chuckled. "Fight! Keep fighting him! Once you two finish fighting, I'll make my move. Isn't that exactly what you did back then?"