Chapter 8 Chapter Seven: The Fantasy Kingdom of the Tenth Century
Pietro Daqui Gabbio's white shirt with wide sleeves and collar is soaked with sweat.Panting slightly, he retracted the long sword pointing horizontally forward.
He sat cross-legged in the center of the huge stone dungeon, put the long sword horizontally on the floor, and looked at it carefully.
Dakui not only possesses superb sword skills that can be called "No. 1 in Europe", but his sword-making craftsmanship is by no means inferior to Takahashi Ryuichiro.In just one day, he had precisely modified the replica long sword given to him by Kang Zhefu according to his own ideas.
As he told Kang Zhefu earlier, the arc of the blade has been enlarged; a layer of steel hoop has been reinforced at the junction of the base of the blade body and the hilt, so that the power of the arm swing can be more fully transmitted to the tip of the blade.
The brilliance of the torches at the four corners of the stone prison reflected on the silver-white sword in front of him, shining brilliantly.
What Da Kui saw was the strange sword move that killed Chen Changde.After a full four hours of trial, he has already seen the clues of this sword-slashing style, but he still hasn't fully grasped the overall operation method.
After looking at Jianguang for a while, Dakui felt his eyes were a little tired.He simply turned over and lay on his back on the ground, using his palms as a pillow, closed his eyes and meditated.
His spirit has reached a detached state of extreme concentration, and his state of mind is similar to Eastern yoga meditation.
There was silence in the empty stone prison.
The walls of the stone prison are covered with various traditional weapons from the Western world: Western swords of different shapes, lengths, and weights; ancient two-handed swords as huge as the crosses on the roof of the church; spears and thick shields used by knights for riding horses; Axes, hammers, halberds...
A figure stood in the corner of the stone prison.It is a replica of the royal armor of King Carlos I (Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) who was famous for his military achievements in Spanish history.The real one is housed in the Arms Exhibition Hall of the Royal Palace of Madrid.
At the waist of the armor is a long sword with finely carved gauntlets and emeralds on the breech. It is the sword that Daqui used to assassinate bullfights on the festival of St. Isilo.
Dakui still lay on his back and meditated.
He learned from Kang Zhefu that the murderer struck Chen Changde from behind and hit his throat in the front.This action has been roughly imitated successfully by Dakui.
But he firmly believes that this strange move is not so simple: if you sneak attack from the enemy's back, you don't need to go around to attack the opponent's front, and there are more than ten fatal weaknesses in the back and neck.
Da Kui thinks: The expert who created this style must have imagined launching it in front of the enemy, but counterattacking his back by surprise!
"If this is really the case... no, there are too many gaps when the body jumps...but if you lure the enemy to draw the sword first, and then make your own moves according to the timing... put the sword on the left shoulder, and add more when the left leg jumps up. With some strength, the waist is slightly tightened forward..."
Da Kui suddenly opened his eyes, jumped up from the ground, and took the long sword into his hand.
He pointed the tip of the blade straight forward again, adopting a western sword fighting posture to meet the enemy.
If Takahashi Ryuichiro's Iai slashing posture is as stable as a rock, Dakui's posture against the enemy can be compared to a calm lake: although the lake is as static as a rock when viewed from a distance, there are slight fluctuations in the water when viewed closely , does not stagnate in things.
Dakui's body posture is the same, the point of the sword pointing forward fluctuates slightly in an irregular rhythm: the toes of both feet crawl slowly, constantly adjusting the distance... Dakui's posture is as unpredictable as water, and cannot be trapped. limit.
The calm lake suddenly rushes down like a waterfall--
Dakui's body jumped up like a flying swallow, and rushed forward at a strange arc angle!
Dakui spun his body along the leaping momentum.The sword edge cut out from an unexpected angle.
A sharp sound of breaking wind cut through the stagnant air in the stone prison.Dakui then landed on the ground, but because he hadn't fully grasped the forward momentum, he staggered slightly and almost fell down.
The handsome face showed a bright smile.
"Success!" He stared at the long sword in his hand, his thoughts immersed in the joy of comprehending a new sword skill.
——Zeff, you must compete with me this time!
Applause suddenly came from a dark place next to the gate of the stone prison.
Dakui sighed.Just now I was concentrating on thinking about sword skills, but I didn't realize that someone sneaked in!
"Please." Dakui stretched out his left hand to move towards the dark corner without losing his aristocratic elegance.
A man in a long gray raincoat slowly stepped out from the darkness, his steps faintly carrying a very serious aura.
The man's height and physique were almost the same as Kang Zhefu's, his hands were hanging down, and he was striding forward. His posture and demeanor were like those of a vanguard general standing in front of millions of heroes in ancient times.
Dakui sighed.The overwhelming aura exuded by a man is really rare in this world.
He carefully looked at the man's face: his dark complexion was full of vitality, his cheeks were slightly thinner, his straight nose and prominent cheekbones were like weathered rocks, but his eyes were very young; his long black and brown hair was tied into a ponytail Braids, short black beard on lips and strong chin.
A face that looked nothing like a twentieth-century human being.
"Your Excellency and that Chinese friend are very good." The man's bold voice echoed in the stone prison.The accent of English is rather strange. "In a short period of time, with a few clues, I can restore the secret technique that I have worked hard for many years. The slash just now has 70% of its appearance."
Da Kui was unmoved on the surface, but he was shocked in his heart:
——The mysterious murderer that Kang Zhefu is looking for is actually this mighty man in front of him at this moment!
——He definitely doesn't look like an assassin... Capture him first before asking questions!
Dakui regained his charming smile full of confidence, just like when facing a bull in the bullring.
"Mr.'s accent is a bit special. I wonder which country the distinguished guest is from?"
"You'll never have a chance to know." The man grinned proudly, and put his left hand into the lapel of his raincoat.
Dakui immediately grasped the long sword tightly, ready to go, watching the movement of the man's left palm under the lapel.
Dakui relaxed again.From his rich swordsmanship experience and knowledge, it has been concluded that the man's action is not drawing a gun.
A long sword with sheath appeared from under the raincoat.The hilt is one foot long and is wrapped with fine rattan; the sheath is three feet long and is made of black leather, with copper-colored metal wrapped at both ends. The decoration of the whole sword is extremely simple, and the sword guard is just a piece of primitive metal Horizontal bars, no engravings.
The man holds the sword in his right hand, and draws out the blade with a vigorous movement.
The shape of the blade is almost identical to the replica in Daqui's hand.
Dakui was speechless, and put on a posture of confronting the enemy.
The action of the man drawing his sword expresses the meaning more clearly than any words.
——Show it off!
The man threw away the scabbard, held the sword with both hands, and put on a strange posture Dakui had never seen before.
Dakui has studied ancient European sword skills for half his life, and has restored many lost moves from countless classic books and pictures. His ability to analyze and interpret sword skills has almost reached the level of professional science.
He immediately saw that the opponent's posture contained the consciousness of luring the enemy to attack.
There are thousands of schools of swordsmanship and other martial arts, but in summary, the strategies adopted in the confrontation are no more than the following five types:
1.Direct Attack: Attack the enemy with the fastest, most powerful, and shortest moving moves.
2.Continuous attack: Combining moves from different angles, attacking the enemy intensively in a series, making the opponent unable to parry.
3.Blocking attack: clamp the enemy's body, limbs or weapons, and then deal a head-on blow.
4.False attack: Use fake body or weapon movements to make the enemy react wrongly, and then launch a real attack.
5.Lure the enemy to attack: intentionally expose flaws, lure the enemy to make a move, and I just counterattacked at the opening that was exposed when the opponent made a move.
The man standing in front of Da Kui is obviously using the fifth tactic.
"Do you want to lure me to attack?..." Dakui thought silently. "Could it be that he wants to use that trick to detour and counterattack?"
Dakui understood what the man was thinking and couldn't help smiling at him.
The man also knew from Dakui's eyes that he understood what was in his heart.
"That's right! I want to show you the true face of this secret technique!"
The two swordsmen have completely forgotten the honor and disgrace of life and death, and are completely intoxicated in the excitement of holding swords and confronting each other.
For a real warrior, this kind of joy is more exciting than sex!
The two of them didn't move on the surface, but in fact, the four legs were gradually closing the distance between each other with tiny steps.
Dakui's right wrist holding the sword trembled slightly.
--it is good!Let you experience the unparalleled stabbing of Western swords!
Da Kui stepped forward quickly with his right foot, pulling his whole body into a straight line, and the sharp sword pierced the man's right chest like a bee needle!
——In fact, Dakui's sword still retains 40% of its power, in case it is expected to counterattack and come back.
Da Kui's estimate was wrong—the man's reaction was much faster than he imagined!
The man disappeared from Da Kui's eyes without a trace.
--rear!
Dakui couldn't figure out the opponent's position at all, but relying on his understanding of that strange move, he instinctively rushed forward and lowered his head, taking advantage of the opportunity to cut his long sword backward and low!
Dakui felt a sharp gust of wind across the back of his neck.He jumped far away along the forward momentum before turning around.
The man stood in front of him.
Dakui stroked the back of his neck.There was no damage to the flesh, but a strand of long hair had been chopped off by the opponent's sharp knife.
But the corner of the man's long raincoat was also cut by Da Kui's back cut!
The man looked down at the torn hole in his robe, with anger flashing in his eyes.
——The fire is burning with a strong ambition to win!
"My secret technique is called 'Panaan'." The man said a strange word. "In our language, that means 'Rounding Crow Slash'."
"'Return to Crow Slash'..." Dakui pondered, looking at the replica long sword in his hand.
The man raised his eyebrows.
"Isn't it right? Please change the sword."
Dakui nodded and threw away the long sword.
——He believed that the man in front of him would never take the opportunity to sneak attack.
Sure enough, the man propped his sword on the ground and stood quietly.
Dakui walked to the armor of Carlos I in the corner of the stone prison, and gently pulled out the bull-killing sword from the armor's waist.
The silver blade reflected dazzling brilliance.
"Good sword." The man couldn't help admiring.
Dakui stared at the emerald on the tsuba. "This sword is called 'Tears of the Virgin'."
After holding the precious sword in his hand, Dakui showed a mixture of pride and sadness.
That look was exactly the same as when he was about to assassinate a strong bull in the bullring.
When the man saw it, his face suddenly became solemn.
Dakui walked back to the center of the stone prison with a steady pace, facing the man.
"The real death fight is about to begin." Dakui said enchantedly, his voice still as moving as music. "Let one of us die beautifully and violently - in the youngest and most vigorous, like the martyr Sabaszin..."
The man is stunned.Dakui in front of him is almost like two people just now.
The man put on the stance to seduce the opponent again.
"Let me make the first move again?" Dakui raised his sword. "This time you will regret it."
The silver light flashed rapidly.Dakui once again stabbed the sword at the man's right chest.
The man sneered, ready to evade and counterattack again with swift movement.
But Dagui twisted his body faster than him, and his movements were like graceful dances.
"Dance of Death"!
Dakui stabbed three swords in different graceful postures, the angles were all unexpected, the man only had to dodge and raise the sword to fight.
Dakui's various fast, ingenious and beautiful spinning and moving movements were originally postures used in the bullring to avoid the impact of mad bulls, but now they are coherent as a set of deadly dances for intensively chasing the enemy!
The man couldn't fathom Dakui's movement like a butterfly wearing a flower at all, so he could only keep backing away.
Dakui's "dancing steps" became more and more urgent.
The sharp silver light of "Tears of the Virgin Mary" kept passing in front of or on both sides of the man.The man's raincoat had four more rips.
The "dancing steps" kept pressing the man's body that retreated sharply.
The man took three steps back—his back stuck to the stone wall!
The "dancing steps" came to a sudden stop.
The man felt a sense of foreboding.
A beam of extremely prosperous silver light came head-on!
The man instinctively turned his head to dodge, and jumped out horizontally!
The man leaped up again with the "Crow Back Slashing Method", but this time it was a pure dodge. Not only was he unable to turn around and slash back, but he had to take advantage of the momentum and roll away.
Just a moment later, the "Tears of the Virgin Mary" pierced into the stone wall by as much as an inch!
The man rolled several meters away from Da Kui before he stood up, blood was streaming from his right ear, staining the beard of his chin.
Dakui's body paused for a long time before he pulled out the sword from the stone wall and made an extremely piercing scratching sound.
He turned to look at the man with a regretful expression.
The man touched his right ear and looked angrily at the blood stained fingers.
The man raised his sword to the sky with one hand and roared violently!
"Do you think I only have the secret technique of 'returning the crow'?" the man pointed his halberd sword at Dakui, and said angrily.
He held out his bloody other hand. "You have to pay for this blood! I want to teach you how vulnerable your European sword skills are!"
"Oh?" Dakui looked at him with the eyes of a furious pit bull.
The man's expression suddenly calmed down.He raised the sword overhead with both hands, the point pointing straight up.
"This is the last sword move you will look up to in your life." The man closed his eyes, and slowly retreated step by step.
Da Kui felt strange, but he didn't snipe forward, but raised his sword again and put on the graceful posture of "Dance of Death".
The man continued to back away.The distance between the two was more than twenty steps.
"The name of this secret technique is 'one step at a time'." The man stopped and opened his eyes. "It is one of the highest sword skills in our country's sword world."
Dakui was unable to understand and analyze the man's simple gesture of raising his sword.This stance is full of gaps all over the body, and the sword can only be slashed vertically with both hands raised above the head, and there is no strange change at all.
Da Kui didn't even understand why the man took such a long distance.
He had no choice but to wait for the man to make a move.
The man's posture is like a steep and towering mountain.
The man stared directly into Da Kui's eyes.
Da Kui only felt that the man's eyes were extremely deep and sharp, and there seemed to be a constant frenzied flow of things inside...
Dakui saw it.It's the waves.
It is the surging, spinning, inexhaustible waves under the hurricane...
The man started at this moment, took extremely wide and extremely fast steps, and went straight to Da Kui!
Dakui's elbow holding the sword was bent, ready to attack.
While running, the man gently lowered the long sword he held high, pointing the tip at Dakui's throat.
The movement of the sword blade lowering was so light, but what Da Kui saw in his eyes was a mountain that collapsed head-on with a thousand hectares of momentum in an instant!
For the first time, a trace of fear surged in Dakui's heart.
When the man ran six feet in front of Da Kui, the long sword in his hand thrust out silently.
The fangs with sharp blades like poisonous snakes went straight to Dakui's throat.
Dakui's eyes were bloodshot, staring at the stabbing blade in front of him.
He decided to cut off the enemy's long sword with the "Tears of the Virgin Mary", which has been tempered and sharpened!
Silver light draws out.
"Tears of the Virgin Mary" was cut to the front of the man's long sword five inches - Dakui knew very well that this part of the opponent's sword was the most vulnerable!
The two swords are about to clash——
"Whoosh!"
"Tears of the Virgin" cut only the air.
The man who was charging forward at full speed stopped suddenly before the two swords collided, his shoulders shrank back strongly, and the long sword in his hand only missed Dakui's slashing blow.
The man's previous violent attack, like a huge wave hitting the shore, suddenly turned into a quiet and soft pause like still water.
The momentary jet lag exposed irreparable flaws in Da Kui's reaction nerves.
The man's completely still body jumped out again at the moment when the opening appeared, and the speed was twice as fast as before!
And the cunning speed with which the long sword in his hand retracts and stretches is far beyond Da Kui's dream!
The tip of the long sword sank two inches into Dakui's throat.
"Tears of the Virgin" sword-pointed on the stone floor.
The man lowered his blood-stained long sword and looked down at Dakui who was kneeling slowly.
Dakui tried his best to support his body with the sword and not to fall, to preserve the knight's pride.He looked puzzled.
"I know what you want to ask?" There was a hint of pity in the man's voice. "My name is Kaerta, a swordsman of Shuo Kingdom's "Suppressing Soul Flow"."
Da Kui couldn't understand the strange-sounding nouns in the mouth of the man "Karta".
The greenhouse is hot and humid, and Kang Zhefu feels as if he is in the tropical rainforest of Belize. Professor Josie Mendoza, who was wearing a laboratory white robe, led Kangzhefu through the path in the center of the greenhouse, passing hundreds of plants that ordinary people cannot name. Kang Zhefu put his suit jacket on his left arm, carried his briefcase in his right hand, and silently followed Mendoza, who was quiet and full of scholarly demeanor. Brilliant sunlight pours into this greenhouse on the southern outskirts of Toledo through transparent ceiling glass.Kang Zhefu raised his head. He remembered the first time he met Tilia at the "Sleepless" bar in Roppongi, showing a warm smile. After arriving at Professor Mendoza's air-conditioned office, Kang Zhefu breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the wooden chair in front of the professor's desk. "If it wasn't for the protection of the computer, there wouldn't be an air conditioner installed here." Professor Mendoza sent the ice water in a wooden cup to Kang Zhefu. Kang Zhefu took a sip of ice water and looked around the furnishings in the office.Most of the indoor furniture is very old. The wooden tables and chairs are scratched and the paint is peeling off. They may have been used for more than 20 years; It is the whole old bookcase, full of books and files, big and small, and there are five or six stacks of books and papers stacked on the floor and on the desk; Close-up photos of exotic flowers and plants, microscope photos, etc., and dozens of small transparent plastic sealed bags nailed to the wall, containing colorful petals, leaves, and seed specimens. Apart from the personal computer terminal, stationery, and simple laboratory equipment on the desk, there is no other equipment in the room.The rest of the space is filled with different potted plants, making the office look very small. It's hard to imagine: Professor Mendoza's academic achievement is as high as that, but he lives in such a small and dilapidated office and immerses himself in research without even showing his academic certificate.Kang Zhefu thought of Chen Changde's luxurious study. Forty-six-year-old Professor Mendoza sat at the other end of the desk, with thin, half-white hair disheveled.But that tanned, wrinkled face smiled gracefully, making one feel that there was nothing lacking in his life. "Zeff, why haven't you come to visit me for a long time?" Mendoza rested his left elbow on the table, resting his fingers on his cheek. "I plan to come many times." Kang Zhefu smiled happily. "But every time I think about it, I'm afraid you went to Sumatra or Peru again, and it's better not to be rejected." "No. Recently, I have mainly been doing research work in Zaire." When Mendoza mentioned "research", his pupils shone brightly. Botanist Professor Mendoza was a well-known name in the academic world more than ten years ago. His doctoral dissertation published at the age of 27 was already a blockbuster. Afterwards, he went to many universities in the United States for further studies, lectures, and research for several years. Kang Zhefu met him when he was studying at MIT. But on the eve of publishing a groundbreaking paper at an important academic conference, he suddenly disappeared, abandoned all his positions and status, and lived in seclusion in the rainforests of Borneo, Belize, Madagascar and other places to conduct research. "Friends" and other international environmental protection organizations. Over the years, his name has disappeared from the academic world, and his classmates have overtaken him. Two years ago, Mendoza returned to Spain and established this research center on the outskirts of Toledo at his own expense. The financial situation is quite tight. "I know what I'm doing." Whenever someone advises this crazy man who is regarded as a "waste genius", he simply replies. Kang Zhefu turned his head away and looked at the blackboard hanging on the wall. There are only two lines of white powder writing on the blackboard, the handwriting is blurred, obviously it has been written for a long time and has not been erased: "More than half of all species on Earth live in tropical rainforests." "Tropical rainforest is disappearing at a rate of 46,620.8 hectares per day." Kang Zhefu looked at Mendoza who was still the same. — This man really knew what he was doing. Kang Zhefu couldn't help sighing: Looking at the many "pseudo-scholars" who are opportunistic and seeking fame in today's academia, aren't people like Mendoza disappearing faster than the tropical rainforest? ... "You won't come to chat with me for no reason?" Mendoza scratched his hair and said. "There is one thing to trouble you." Kang Zhefu took out a piece of paper from his briefcase. Mendoza took a look.The text on the paper is printed and compiled by computer, with the names of more than 50 chemical substances on it, and the proportions of the ingredients are indicated next to it. "This is the composition of an unknown plant." Kang Zhefu said. "Can you find out what it is? I need to know the name and variety of the plant, and where it came from. The earlier the source can be traced, the better." This is the information analyzed from the piece of paper left between Chen Changde's fingers. "This is a bit difficult." Mendoza stared at the document intently. "Actually, you don't have to come in person." "I know that if the CIA finds you, you will definitely not want to take over this job." Kang Zhefu said with a smile. "It's better for me to ask you personally. In terms of remuneration..." Mendoza is in awe. "If you're asking me in a personal capacity, don't talk about money." "No." Kang Zhefu waved his hand. "The money belongs to the CIA anyway. It makes more sense to fund your research than to have them spend it on other frivolous things." "That's right." Mendoza also smiled. "The government of Madrid won't give me even a peseta. Zeff, will you stay in Spain?" "I don't know how long I'll stay. Maybe I won't leave forever." "what?" "This is the last time I will work for the CIA." Kang Zhefu thought of Tilia. "I will settle down in Spain from now on. It's not too far from here, so I can visit you from time to time." Mendoza observed Kangzhefu's smiling face for a long time. "What? Find a woman worth living with for a lifetime?" Kang Zhefu answered with a laugh. "That's right." Kang Zhefu suddenly remembered something. "Did you know there is a green flower?" He recalled what Tilia said on the phone that day: "The petals are dark green, with emerald-like blemishes, and the stamens are bright yellow..." Mendoza scratched his hair again and thought for a while. "I haven't seen it in my memory. If you want to find out, you can..." "No. I just heard about it. It seems to be a wild flower that bloomed somewhere a long time ago..." "Somewhere a long time ago..." Mendoza stopped scratching his head suddenly. "...That's right! On that book!" "Book?" Mendoza rushed to the bookcase on the wall at almost galloping speed, searching around. "Where is it..." He looked for the books stacked on the ground, but couldn't see them, so he looked up again. "I remember, it's on top!" Mendoza moved the chair he was sitting on just now to the bookcase and stood up. From the top shelf of the bookcase, he pulled out a book about two inches thick with a blue hardcover. Mendoza patted away the dust accumulated on the book, and stepped down from the chair while flipping through it. "It's right here, look!" He handed one of the opened pages to Kang Zhefu. Kang Zhefu took the book and read it following what Mendoza pointed out. It was a poem titled "The Hunt". ...carrying a hornbow Hold the saddle tightly we swing swords and ride horses fly by blown on fire by the may wind The land full of Tilian Logie (Note 5) Straight to the end of the South... Seeing the word "Tilien Luo Ji", Kang Zhefu was stunned. Mendoza pointed to the edge of the page. "Note 5 is here. Tilian Luoji: Shuo language means 'green wild flower', with dark green petals and yellow pistils. It blooms in summer and is most beautiful from June to August." "What is Shuoyu?" Kang Zhefu looked at the cover of the book.He initially thought the book was just a collection of poems.The design of the cover is very simple, with a white crescent in the center, notched to the right.The title of the book is printed above the pattern: The Legend of the Crescent Kingdom Below the crescent pattern, there is a small print that reads "by John Holmes". "What kind of book is this?" Kang Zhefu asked eagerly, flipping through the inside pages. "This is a very strange book." Mendoza searched for memories in his mind. "Sent to me by this author. It's about an island nation that is said to have existed before the middle of the tenth century." "Is it a legendary lost civilization like Atlans?" "It can be said to be so. But the strange thing is that Mr. Holmes described the history and culture of this kingdom in great detail in the book, which does not seem to be fabricated. Common sense, this kind of chatting It is said that no one has the leisure time to drill down and attach so many details." Kang Zhefu nodded.At a glance, the book is divided into several parts, describing the history, folk customs, culture, technology, literature, etc. of this "Suoyue Kingdom". "If it's just a kingdom of fantasy..." Kang Zhefu said, "there won't be any literature at all, right?" "Hmm. Are they all fabricated by later generations?" Mendoza pointed to the pages of the book. "But there are more than forty poems published here. This is totally unreasonable... unless..." "Unless this country really existed?" Kang Zhefu closed the book. His mind was in utter disarray. "That's a wonderful country..." Kang Zhefu remembered Tilia's words. "It existed a long time ago, but there are only a few people left today..." He suddenly remembered something, took out the handheld computer from his briefcase, and pressed the keys to find out the information. "...13.5 centimeters wide and 20 centimeters long." He immediately measured the cover size of this "Legend of the Moon Kingdom".exactly the same. What is missing from Chen Changde's bookcase is this book.Kang Zhefu was shocked. "Professor Mendoza, do you know this Mr. Holmes?" Mendoza nodded. "Holmes is a grotesque old man." Kang Zhefu noticed that he used the past tense when saying "yes". "He is dead?" "Just a few months after the book was published. It was two years ago." Kang Zhefu closed his eyes. "Holmes is an Englishman. He was a well-known historian and naturalist in his early years. He was not very interested in history and cultural relics after the Middle Ages, but he was interested in ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire, Greece, Persia, and China. , India, ancient Egypt, Babylon, as well as the Inca Empire in South America, the Mayan civilization, and even the civilizations of Japan’s semi-reliable historical era recorded in "Kojiki" and "Nihonshu". Mendoza sat down and continued: "As for Atlantis, the legendary country that has been widely discussed, it was a research project that he was obsessed with in his early years. He always wanted to prove that Atlantis once really existed, but later gave up. After the age of forty, he stopped publishing and lived in seclusion in an ancient castle in Scotland. It was rumored that he engaged in many illegal underground transactions during this period. Unexpectedly, he wrote this book again after twenty-six years. At that time He has lung cancer, and the doctors are helpless. "This book was just published, and it caused a small commotion. But Holmes has always refused to accept interviews on the content of the book, and the book has never provided evidence of the existence of the New Moon Kingdom, and the enthusiasm quickly subsided. There are not many people who remember this book now." "Did he die of illness?" Kang Zhefu raised his eyebrows. Mendoza shook his head. "Killed. Someone broke into his castle. I heard that the police classified it as robbery and murder, but the murderer has never been found." Kang Zhefu stood up and raised the book. "Can you lend it to me?" "For you."
Sitting in the driver's seat of the car, Kang Zhefu tried his best to organize his thoughts, and did not start the engine for a long time. He took out the handheld computer and wireless phone from his briefcase, and found a small modem from a small compartment in the bag, and connected the computer to the phone. Using a wireless phone line, he connected the handheld computer to a large computer database of the Scottish news media, where he retrieved reports of Holmes' murder. Kang Zhefu focused on the LCD screen of the computer. "On August 14, 199X, John Holmes was murdered in his residence in Antista Castle. He was 66 years old...The murderer cut Holmes' throat with a sharp knife..." Kang Zhefu guessed right.He picked up the phone connected to the modem again and dialed another series of numbers.This time the computer was connected to the archives network of the CIA.After checking his identity by the security system, he successfully entered the archives. The CIA does have Holmes' files.As Mendoza said, Holmes has indeed been engaged in the black market antiques trade, and the scope of activities is very wide, including the Asia-Pacific region... Kang Zhefu remembered that Asia was Chen Changde's base.According to the information, in addition to selling arms, Chen Changde also had a hand in the black market art trade.Kang Zhefu once saw several paintings and calligraphy in Chen Changde's study. A line became clearer and clearer in Kang Zhefu's mind, but this line led Tilia... Just after Kang Zhefu removed the modem, the wireless phone rang. "Is it Kang?" Xia Wei Oxun's majestic voice came from the microphone. "Are you alone now?" Kang Zhefu felt at a loss.He has not yet decided whether to tell Orson what he knows. "Yes. I was alone in the car." "Kang, are you okay?" "What do you mean?" Kang Zhefu had an ominous premonition in his heart. "Have you seen a bullfighter named Pedro Daqui Gabbio?" "It's... exactly..." "He was killed last night. Throat stabbed with a sharp knife." Anger and sorrow did not affect Kang Zhefu's ability to think.He has lost too many close relatives and friends. ——How did they find Dakui? Kang Zhefu quickly searched his briefcase, and finally found a finger-sized metal disc under a layer of leather lining. Kang Zhefu put it on his left palm and gave it a strong grip.The high-performance bug exploded with a bang.The fragments pierced Kang Zhefu's palms to bleed.He feels no pain. "What's that sound?" Oxun asked urgently on the phone. "Nothing..." "Kang, I know how you feel, but don't be impulsive and leave the murderer to us." Oxun said in a commanding tone. "Are you in Toledo? Ask the Toledo police to protect you, and we will notify them. Peter Kanos and his men will arrive in Madrid in about three hours." Toledo is only 70 kilometers away from Madrid. Kang Zhefu was silent. "Kang, the woman who came to Spain with you is very problematic. The Japanese passport she used is named 'Mizuno Kyoko', which is fake after our inspection. If you meet her, use all means to keep her. Kang , this is purely official business." — not anymore. Kang Zhefu thought so, and started the engine of the car. He is determined to find Tilia before the CIA personnel arrive.
The greenhouse is hot and humid, and Kang Zhefu feels as if he is in the tropical rainforest of Belize. Professor Josie Mendoza, who was wearing a laboratory white robe, led Kangzhefu through the path in the center of the greenhouse, passing hundreds of plants that ordinary people cannot name. Kang Zhefu put his suit jacket on his left arm, carried his briefcase in his right hand, and silently followed Mendoza, who was quiet and full of scholarly demeanor. Brilliant sunlight pours into this greenhouse on the southern outskirts of Toledo through transparent ceiling glass.Kang Zhefu raised his head. He remembered the first time he met Tilia at the "Sleepless" bar in Roppongi, showing a warm smile. After arriving at Professor Mendoza's air-conditioned office, Kang Zhefu breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the wooden chair in front of the professor's desk. "If it wasn't for the protection of the computer, there wouldn't be an air conditioner installed here." Professor Mendoza sent the ice water in a wooden cup to Kang Zhefu. Kang Zhefu took a sip of ice water and looked around the furnishings in the office.Most of the indoor furniture is very old. The wooden tables and chairs are scratched and the paint is peeling off. They may have been used for more than 20 years; It is the whole old bookcase, full of books and files, big and small, and there are five or six stacks of books and papers stacked on the floor and on the desk; Close-up photos of exotic flowers and plants, microscope photos, etc., and dozens of small transparent plastic sealed bags nailed to the wall, containing colorful petals, leaves, and seed specimens. Apart from the personal computer terminal, stationery, and simple laboratory equipment on the desk, there is no other equipment in the room.The rest of the space is filled with different potted plants, making the office look very small. It's hard to imagine: Professor Mendoza's academic achievement is as high as that, but he lives in such a small and dilapidated office and immerses himself in research without even showing his academic certificate.Kang Zhefu thought of Chen Changde's luxurious study. Forty-six-year-old Professor Mendoza sat at the other end of the desk, with thin, half-white hair disheveled.But that tanned, wrinkled face smiled gracefully, making one feel that there was nothing lacking in his life. "Zeff, why haven't you come to visit me for a long time?" Mendoza rested his left elbow on the table, resting his fingers on his cheek. "I plan to come many times." Kang Zhefu smiled happily. "But every time I think about it, I'm afraid you went to Sumatra or Peru again, and it's better not to be rejected." "No. Recently, I have mainly been doing research work in Zaire." When Mendoza mentioned "research", his pupils shone brightly. Botanist Professor Mendoza was a well-known name in the academic world more than ten years ago. His doctoral dissertation published at the age of 27 was already a blockbuster. Afterwards, he went to many universities in the United States for further studies, lectures, and research for several years. Kang Zhefu met him when he was studying at MIT. But on the eve of publishing a groundbreaking paper at an important academic conference, he suddenly disappeared, abandoned all his positions and status, and lived in seclusion in the rainforests of Borneo, Belize, Madagascar and other places to conduct research. "Friends" and other international environmental protection organizations. Over the years, his name has disappeared from the academic world, and his classmates have overtaken him. Two years ago, Mendoza returned to Spain and established this research center on the outskirts of Toledo at his own expense. The financial situation is quite tight. "I know what I'm doing." Whenever someone advises this crazy man who is regarded as a "waste genius", he simply replies. Kang Zhefu turned his head away and looked at the blackboard hanging on the wall. There are only two lines of white powder writing on the blackboard, the handwriting is blurred, obviously it has been written for a long time and has not been erased: "More than half of all species on Earth live in tropical rainforests." "Tropical rainforest is disappearing at a rate of 46,620.8 hectares per day." Kang Zhefu looked at Mendoza who was still the same. — This man really knew what he was doing. Kang Zhefu couldn't help sighing: Looking at the many "pseudo-scholars" who are opportunistic and seeking fame in today's academia, aren't people like Mendoza disappearing faster than the tropical rainforest? ... "You won't come to chat with me for no reason?" Mendoza scratched his hair and said. "There is one thing to trouble you." Kang Zhefu took out a piece of paper from his briefcase. Mendoza took a look.The text on the paper is printed and compiled by computer, with the names of more than 50 chemical substances on it, and the proportions of the ingredients are indicated next to it. "This is the composition of an unknown plant." Kang Zhefu said. "Can you find out what it is? I need to know the name and variety of the plant, and where it came from. The earlier the source can be traced, the better." This is the information analyzed from the piece of paper left between Chen Changde's fingers. "This is a bit difficult." Mendoza stared at the document intently. "Actually, you don't have to come in person." "I know that if the CIA finds you, you will definitely not want to take over this job." Kang Zhefu said with a smile. "It's better for me to ask you personally. In terms of remuneration..." Mendoza is in awe. "If you're asking me in a personal capacity, don't talk about money." "No." Kang Zhefu waved his hand. "The money belongs to the CIA anyway. It makes more sense to fund your research than to have them spend it on other frivolous things." "That's right." Mendoza also smiled. "The government of Madrid won't give me even a peseta. Zeff, will you stay in Spain?" "I don't know how long I'll stay. Maybe I won't leave forever." "what?" "This is the last time I will work for the CIA." Kang Zhefu thought of Tilia. "I will settle down in Spain from now on. It's not too far from here, so I can visit you from time to time." Mendoza observed Kangzhefu's smiling face for a long time. "What? Find a woman worth living with for a lifetime?" Kang Zhefu answered with a laugh. "That's right." Kang Zhefu suddenly remembered something. "Did you know there is a green flower?" He recalled what Tilia said on the phone that day: "The petals are dark green, with emerald-like blemishes, and the stamens are bright yellow..." Mendoza scratched his hair again and thought for a while. "I haven't seen it in my memory. If you want to find out, you can..." "No. I just heard about it. It seems to be a wild flower that bloomed somewhere a long time ago..." "Somewhere a long time ago..." Mendoza stopped scratching his head suddenly. "...That's right! On that book!" "Book?" Mendoza rushed to the bookcase on the wall at almost galloping speed, searching around. "Where is it..." He looked for the books stacked on the ground, but couldn't see them, so he looked up again. "I remember, it's on top!" Mendoza moved the chair he was sitting on just now to the bookcase and stood up. From the top shelf of the bookcase, he pulled out a book about two inches thick with a blue hardcover. Mendoza patted away the dust accumulated on the book, and stepped down from the chair while flipping through it. "It's right here, look!" He handed one of the opened pages to Kang Zhefu. Kang Zhefu took the book and read it following what Mendoza pointed out. It was a poem titled "The Hunt". ...carrying a hornbow Hold the saddle tightly we swing swords and ride horses fly by blown on fire by the may wind The land full of Tilian Logie (Note 5) Straight to the end of the South... Seeing the word "Tilien Luo Ji", Kang Zhefu was stunned. Mendoza pointed to the edge of the page. "Note 5 is here. Tilian Luoji: Shuo language means 'green wild flower', with dark green petals and yellow pistils. It blooms in summer and is most beautiful from June to August." "What is Shuoyu?" Kang Zhefu looked at the cover of the book.He initially thought the book was just a collection of poems.The design of the cover is very simple, with a white crescent in the center, notched to the right.The title of the book is printed above the pattern: The Legend of the Crescent Kingdom Below the crescent pattern, there is a small print that reads "by John Holmes". "What kind of book is this?" Kang Zhefu asked eagerly, flipping through the inside pages. "This is a very strange book." Mendoza searched for memories in his mind. "Sent to me by this author. It's about an island nation that is said to have existed before the middle of the tenth century." "Is it a legendary lost civilization like Atlans?" "It can be said to be so. But the strange thing is that Mr. Holmes described the history and culture of this kingdom in great detail in the book, which does not seem to be fabricated. Common sense, this kind of chatting It is said that no one has the leisure time to drill down and attach so many details." Kang Zhefu nodded.At a glance, the book is divided into several parts, describing the history, folk customs, culture, technology, literature, etc. of this "Suoyue Kingdom". "If it's just a kingdom of fantasy..." Kang Zhefu said, "there won't be any literature at all, right?" "Hmm. Are they all fabricated by later generations?" Mendoza pointed to the pages of the book. "But there are more than forty poems published here. This is totally unreasonable... unless..." "Unless this country really existed?" Kang Zhefu closed the book. His mind was in utter disarray. "That's a wonderful country..." Kang Zhefu remembered Tilia's words. "It existed a long time ago, but there are only a few people left today..." He suddenly remembered something, took out the handheld computer from his briefcase, and pressed the keys to find out the information. "...13.5 centimeters wide and 20 centimeters long." He immediately measured the cover size of this "Legend of the Moon Kingdom".exactly the same. What is missing from Chen Changde's bookcase is this book.Kang Zhefu was shocked. "Professor Mendoza, do you know this Mr. Holmes?" Mendoza nodded. "Holmes is a grotesque old man." Kang Zhefu noticed that he used the past tense when saying "yes". "He is dead?" "Just a few months after the book was published. It was two years ago." Kang Zhefu closed his eyes. "Holmes is an Englishman. He was a well-known historian and naturalist in his early years. He was not very interested in history and cultural relics after the Middle Ages, but he was interested in ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire, Greece, Persia, and China. , India, ancient Egypt, Babylon, as well as the Inca Empire in South America, the Mayan civilization, and even the civilizations of Japan’s semi-reliable historical era recorded in "Kojiki" and "Nihonshu". Mendoza sat down and continued: "As for Atlantis, the legendary country that has been widely discussed, it was a research project that he was obsessed with in his early years. He always wanted to prove that Atlantis once really existed, but later gave up. After the age of forty, he stopped publishing and lived in seclusion in an ancient castle in Scotland. It was rumored that he engaged in many illegal underground transactions during this period. Unexpectedly, he wrote this book again after twenty-six years. At that time He has lung cancer, and the doctors are helpless. "This book was just published, and it caused a small commotion. But Holmes has always refused to accept interviews on the content of the book, and the book has never provided evidence of the existence of the New Moon Kingdom, and the enthusiasm quickly subsided. There are not many people who remember this book now." "Did he die of illness?" Kang Zhefu raised his eyebrows. Mendoza shook his head. "Killed. Someone broke into his castle. I heard that the police classified it as robbery and murder, but the murderer has never been found." Kang Zhefu stood up and raised the book. "Can you lend it to me?" "For you."
Sitting in the driver's seat of the car, Kang Zhefu tried his best to organize his thoughts, and did not start the engine for a long time. He took out the handheld computer and wireless phone from his briefcase, and found a small modem from a small compartment in the bag, and connected the computer to the phone. Using a wireless phone line, he connected the handheld computer to a large computer database of the Scottish news media, where he retrieved reports of Holmes' murder. Kang Zhefu focused on the LCD screen of the computer. "On August 14, 199X, John Holmes was murdered in his residence in Antista Castle. He was 66 years old...The murderer cut Holmes' throat with a sharp knife..." Kang Zhefu guessed right.He picked up the phone connected to the modem again and dialed another series of numbers.This time the computer was connected to the archives network of the CIA.After checking his identity by the security system, he successfully entered the archives. The CIA does have Holmes' files.As Mendoza said, Holmes has indeed been engaged in the black market antiques trade, and the scope of activities is very wide, including the Asia-Pacific region... Kang Zhefu remembered that Asia was Chen Changde's base.According to the information, in addition to selling arms, Chen Changde also had a hand in the black market art trade.Kang Zhefu once saw several paintings and calligraphy in Chen Changde's study. A line became clearer and clearer in Kang Zhefu's mind, but this line led Tilia... Just after Kang Zhefu removed the modem, the wireless phone rang. "Is it Kang?" Xia Wei Oxun's majestic voice came from the microphone. "Are you alone now?" Kang Zhefu felt at a loss.He has not yet decided whether to tell Orson what he knows. "Yes. I was alone in the car." "Kang, are you okay?" "What do you mean?" Kang Zhefu had an ominous premonition in his heart. "Have you seen a bullfighter named Pedro Daqui Gabbio?" "It's... exactly..." "He was killed last night. Throat stabbed with a sharp knife." Anger and sorrow did not affect Kang Zhefu's ability to think.He has lost too many close relatives and friends. ——How did they find Dakui? Kang Zhefu quickly searched his briefcase, and finally found a finger-sized metal disc under a layer of leather lining. Kang Zhefu put it on his left palm and gave it a strong grip.The high-performance bug exploded with a bang.The fragments pierced Kang Zhefu's palms to bleed.He feels no pain. "What's that sound?" Oxun asked urgently on the phone. "Nothing..." "Kang, I know how you feel, but don't be impulsive and leave the murderer to us." Oxun said in a commanding tone. "Are you in Toledo? Ask the Toledo police to protect you, and we will notify them. Peter Kanos and his men will arrive in Madrid in about three hours." Toledo is only 70 kilometers away from Madrid. Kang Zhefu was silent. "Kang, the woman who came to Spain with you is very problematic. The Japanese passport she used is named 'Mizuno Kyoko', which is fake after our inspection. If you meet her, use all means to keep her. Kang , this is purely official business." — not anymore. Kang Zhefu thought so, and started the engine of the car. He is determined to find Tilia before the CIA personnel arrive.