Chapter 14: Illuminated by the Heavenly Light

This was a copper lotus, with lotus leaves as the base, about ten centimeters in diameter, the bud resting directly atop the leaves—unopened, yet you could feel the gaps between the petals.

So it was this much copper—no wonder the thing was so heavy!

Though Li Banfeng had no expertise in antiques, he could tell this was an exquisitely crafted ornament.

But was this ornament really that important?

What did He Jiaqing mean by insisting I bring it back to my hometown?

Did that Xiao Captain really want to shoot me dead over this thing?

What secret is hidden inside this lotus?

Having slept too much these past few days and with nothing else to do, Li Banfeng kept studying the copper lotus.

He studied it from dawn until two in the afternoon, yet the copper lotus still wouldn’t open.

Squeak~

The announcer said: “Train approaching Yaowanggou Station. Passengers alighting, please collect your belongings and prepare to disembark.”

We’ve arrived!

We’re at Yaowanggou!

Li Banfeng quickly grabbed the silk, yellow paper, and other items, wrapped the copper lotus, stuffed it into his backpack, added the remaining three boxes of instant noodles, one bag of chips, and half a pack of spicy strips, then pushed open the door and stepped out of the carriage.

Since boarding, this was Li Banfeng’s first time leaving his carriage—and his first time seeing other passengers on the same train.

At first, Li Banfeng felt uneasy, fearing he might encounter some unknown creature with three heads.

Many people stood waiting at the door to disembark, but they all seemed perfectly normal—at least, they looked normal.

Some shouldn’t have gotten off at this station, but they had to, because they were about to starve to death.

A man in a suit, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a suitcase, stood beside Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng glanced at him—the man was at least 1.9 meters tall but weighed no more than fifty kilograms.

Such a gaunt frame—easily blown away by the wind.

Behind him followed a woman, the exact opposite: under 1.4 meters tall, easily over seventy kilograms.

The train jolted; the man quickly steadied the woman beside him. From their distance and body language, they were clearly husband and wife.

The woman held a child, about one or two years old, but it was impossible to tell who the child resembled.

Hiss!

Waaah!

A long whistle—the train arrived at Yaowanggou Station.

The conductor lowered the steps; Li Banfeng followed the crowd off the train.

The moment he stepped out, the fresh air intoxicated him—even mixed with coal dust and engine oil, it was far better than the air inside the carriage.

The sky was overcast, but still better than the dim yellow lights inside the carriage, let alone that those lights would vanish entirely in the coming days.

After disembarking, Li Banfeng noticed the clothing of those around him.

Their attire differed greatly from his own.

Many wore suits—black, white, striped, plaid, every style imaginable.

Many wore Zhongshan suits, some with upright collars, others turned up.

Some wore vests over shirts, with neckties knotted at the collar.

Others wore long gowns, similar to the robes of folk performers.

Many wore hats—various styles, mostly top hats, but also plenty of caps.

Some hats resembled caps but had slightly narrower brims, with a single button on the front.

What kind of hat is that?

It’s called a Forward Cap, I think.

Li Banfeng thought: Everyone’s wearing hats—should I take out my own hiking cap?

But my hiking cap looks nothing like theirs.

And it’s not just the hat.

After boarding the train, Li Banfeng had taken off his shirt and suit pants, swapping them for a T-shirt and sweatpants—now, he stood out like a sore thumb.

Should I just change back into my shirt and suit pants now? After all, I’ve changed clothes on the subway—changing on the platform shouldn’t be a problem.

Nah, better not. Why must I dress like them? Isn’t it better to have my own style?

Li Banfeng felt he was the most striking man on the entire platform.

Really striking—he even got the illusion that his body was glowing.

“Mommy, that man’s glowing!” A child behind him stared at Li Banfeng.

See? Even the child says I’m glowing—that proves…

That proves it’s not an illusion!

Li Banfeng raised his right hand. In the dim daylight, his right arm emitted a pale, dazzling halo.

Not just his arm—his entire body was glowing.

But after watching closely for a while, Li Banfeng realized the light wasn’t coming from him—it was a beam shining directly onto him, like a spotlight on stage.

Where was this beam coming from?

Li Banfeng looked up at the sky—the light pouring down was so intense he couldn’t open his eyes.

Is this a helicopter’s searchlight?

Is a helicopter tracking me?

The light on his body suddenly vanished. Li Banfeng panicked and rushed toward the ticket gate.

The ticket gate had been crowded, but everyone had just been turning to stare at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng was desperate to leave the station, but now these people willingly parted for him.

“Move aside, all of you! He’s been touched by the Heavenly Light!”

“Could he be a White Lamb?”

“Stay away from him—don’t get splattered with blood!”

What does that mean?

Do they also know there’s a helicopter above?

Li Banfeng grew even more nervous, pulled out his ticket, and handed it to the attendant.

The attendant used a clipper to cut another notch into the ticket, then returned the stub to Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng didn’t bother with the stub—he rushed out of the station and saw a crowd waiting at the entrance.

They wore vests, but no shirts—nothing underneath the vests.

They also wore hats, made of some material he couldn’t identify, but the style was nearly identical to his hiking cap.

Is this their uniform?

Are they coming to arrest me dressed like this?

One man stepped forward and spoke up: “Sir, need a ride?”

Li Banfeng gripped his spicy strip tightly and replied with high alert: “Where to?”

“Anywhere you say!”

So he was a rickshaw driver.

Li Banfeng was in a hurry—he told the driver: “I’m going to Yaowanggou.”

The driver smiled: “Sir, this *is* Yaowanggou. This whole area is called Yaowanggou. Which part? Inner Gou or Outer Gou?”

Inner Gou or Outer Gou?

Li Banfeng remembered the message He Jiaqing had sent him.

He Jiaqing had once sent him an address—those words stirred a faint memory.

“Inner Gou. A place called Paifang Street.”

“Paifang Street, right?” The driver grinned. “Easy. Eight yuan.”

“Eight yuan? Fine!”

The driver beamed even brighter—this passenger was refreshingly straightforward, no haggling.

Li Banfeng really didn’t want to haggle—eight yuan wasn’t expensive! Just a taxi fare.

The driver led Li Banfeng down the square to his vehicle.

Li Banfeng looked at the vehicle.

It had two wheels, one seat, two shafts connected by a crossbar.

“Is this thing fast?”

“Fast!” The driver tossed his towel over his shoulder and pointed at the cart. “Ask around the station—whose rickshaw’s faster than mine?”

This driver was a rickshaw puller.

There were still rickshaw pullers in this era!

But he’d ridden a steam train, seen a three-headed creature—riding a rickshaw wasn’t that strange.

Still, Li Banfeng thought it was too slow.

“Is there anything faster?”

“You want a horse cart?” The driver waved his hand. “Horse carts aren’t allowed here—they’re filthy. Only for unloading cargo. You wouldn’t fit riding one.”

Li Banfeng meant to ask if he could find a motor vehicle—but his jaw wouldn’t move, his mouth wouldn’t open.

Not just his mouth—his limbs were frozen too, as if his body had turned to solid cement.

Seeing Li Banfeng rigidly standing there, the driver asked: “Sir, what’s wrong? Sir… sir… you haven’t been touched by the Heavenly Light, have you?”

PS: At five o'clock tonight, still

(End of chapter)