Chapter 7.2 (1/2)
Chapter 7.2
Chapter 7.2 — A Dense, Impervious Light (2)
“Do you know what ‘fate’ is?” Sitting on the stone steps inside a dilapidated temple, the person beside him spoke as though to himself. “It is when ‘one gives a kowtow.’ When you finally realize you cannot fight it, you naturally will… willingly bow in submission to it and completely believe in it.”
“Oh? Is that so?” Cheng Muyun’s unique smile danced in his eyes, a smile of disdain. Actually, that description was not very accurate. It should be described as one where he always a.s.sessed you from the stance of a bystander.
Meng Liangchuan raised his brow and gave a sigh. “I’m just sighing here for my country’s prime minister.”
Nepal’s king had once more dismissed the cabinet.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com
This habit of his from these last few years had cropped up yet again.
Kathmandu’s telephone and internet lines had all been cut, let alone smaller locations. The United Nations, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States had begun once more to criticize the King of Nepal.
“In any case, our king believes that foreign governments will not put any true pressure on him.”
“Such a pettish, willful man.” Cheng Muyun did not have much interest in Nepali politics.
“Now it’s going to be even harder if you want to leave Nepal.” Done with his rueful sighs, Meng Liangchuan tossed to Cheng Muyun a small plastic bag of anti-inflammatory drugs that he had been carrying on him. “According to the original plan, you should have already arrived in India one week ago. But now, have you thought about how you’re going to get there? And especially under the circ.u.mstance where you’ll be bringing along someone who is nothing but a burden to you?”
As Meng Liangchuan thought about the fact that he had given up his opportunity to rejoin the police force and had once more gone undercover, only to be ordered to go buy something as ordinary as anti-inflammatory drugs, he felt a little irked. So, when he had the chance, he of course wanted to enjoy the satisfaction of a squabble.
Cheng Muyun gave a low laugh. “That is not something you should concern yourself with.”
Meng Liangchuan evidently knew that Cheng Muyun would not tell him what was on his mind and also did not think that he would be able to get any answers from his inquiring either, so instead, he switched over to ask a question he had always been curious about. “That day, when I said I had abducted w.a.n.g Wenhao, why did you send Zhou Ke to the emba.s.sy to bring the girl away again?”
“That night outside the smuggling base in the mountains, no one knew she was with me. That is why I sent her to the emba.s.sy. But then you arranged for someone to go to the emba.s.sy to interrogate her. From that moment, she was already exposed. w.a.n.g Wenhao is not that stupid. He would surely hand her over. When faced with staying alive or not, I do not really trust that man to still hold on to his fanatical love,” he stated, rather calmly explaining this matter. “Even though she does not actually know any useful information.”
Other than knowing that his name was Cheng Muyun and that there was a young man with him named Zhou Ke.
He frowned. That night, those few had let down their guard too much that they would actually call out Zhou Ke’s name.
Meng Liangchuan understood now. “If I were you, I’d rather give her to one of my comrades to protect her, or confine her, or any other method. Any of those would save effort and time when compared with bringing her along with you.”
He did not reply.<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordp
ress[dot]com
Aside from having one-hundred-percent trust in a man named Cheng Muyun, everyone in that group was suspicious of each other and keeping a close watch and monitoring one another. This included Cheng Muyun himself, who had his own suspicions. Several years ago, his good friend, because of a mission, had died in that smuggling base in Nepal. Had it truly been only an unintended mishap?<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.
All of a sudden, a gold light flashed in front of his eyes.
He and Meng Liangchuan cut off their discussion. This position where they were sitting was the safest corner in this temple.
The light had come from a few Westerner tourists. They were in the midst of enthusiastic dialogue and were running their hands over the prayer wheels, seemingly immersed in the atmosphere of this rundown temple and utterly unaware of the two men in the corner who were staring at them.
As he watched them, Cheng Muyun suddenly felt that this moment seemed very familiar.
Soon, he found the source of the memory—Wen Han.
It was like the reason Buddha had attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree and not any other tree. It could only be explained as something that was fated.
And so, Wen Han’s encounter with him could only be explained in this way as well.
Had it not been for that brief moment on the Tibetan Plateau, when she had pressed her palms together reverently in greeting to him, he would not have recognized her later in Nepal.
And then, he had been suspicious of her, probed and tested her, gotten close to her, and even, in the end, had no choice but to take her away with him.
“The goods have already crossed the border. I hope that ten days from now, you and your woman will also be there.”
With a laugh, Meng Liangchuan tossed out this final sentence.
Cheng Muyun offhandedly slipped that bag of medicine into his pocket. Pulling on the hood of his hiking jacket, as if he wanted to s.h.i.+eld out the sun, he left this place. And behind him, there was no longer anyone.<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.
The sun’s rays pa.s.sed through the dust that floated in the air and shone on the side of her face.
Her face, which had been soaked with tears for an entire night, was a little sore. Waking, she moved her fingers, then saw the already-cool breakfast that was set on the floor by the door, just as it had been every day for these past six days.
How long would they need to keep staying in this place?
Only this one question remained in Wen Han’s mind.
He had given her only simple undergarments to wear. Each day, he would personally bring her her three meals, or, when he was away, the mistress of the home would bring them to the door. It was to the point where she even felt she was his personal property that could only wait until he grew bored of her and returned her freedom to her.
“s.h.i.+t!”<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com
From somewhere on the other side of the door, this curse rang out.
Wen Han’s shoulders gave a quiver, and incredulously, forcing her mind to clear, she p.r.i.c.ked up her ears and continued listening.
It was English.<>Please support the original translation at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead
She got off the bed. There was still a dull ache in her chest. Treading over to the doorway, she pressed her ear against the door and listened carefully. Yes, it was indeed English. It was a conversation between several men and women. Their speech was extremely fast and she could not understand all of it, but it really was a language she could communicate in!
In that instant, countless thoughts crossed her mind.
This opportunity that had arisen so suddenly caused her to tremble slightly with excitement.
If she could seek help from these travellers and escape from this place in those few hours every day when he was away from the room, then as long as she could return to Kathmandu and get to the Russian emba.s.sy, she would be saved.
As she thought about this, she closed her eyes and tried to make herself find some of the courage needed to escape.
Wearing only undergarments, the only clothing she possessed, she s.h.i.+fted herself over beside the window and gave it a little push. It was not locked!<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.
With the opening of the window, the morning breeze a.s.sailed her face.
She squinted her eyes, somewhat unable to bear this sudden rush of light. After remaining frozen in a long moment of panic, she hugged her arms against herself, leaned her body out the window, and cried out in English at the window of the adjacent room, “Help!”