Chapter 259: Slang

"Miss Han, our big brother invites you to come along." Xiong Ge's face was stern as he coldly said to Han Duo.

"Who are you? Who is your big brother? Why should I follow you?" Han Duo frowned at the tall, burly man.

"Miss Han wants to know who it is; she'll find out when she goes." Xiong Ge's face was icy, and he had no intention of explaining further to Han Duo. As soon as Xiong Ge finished speaking, seeing Han Duo still reluctant, the surrounding burly men snorted and moved closer to us.

In this situation, not going is not an option.

The fortune-tellers setting up stalls by the roadside, affected by the tense atmosphere, hastily grabbed their stools and scattered. A minivan drove off, squeaked as its door opened, and Xiong Ge gestured for us to get in.

Helpless, I and Han Duo had no choice but to submit to their intimidation and obediently boarded the minivan. The point is, in this situation we had no choice—how could two weak people stand against a bunch of burly men?

The minivan drove all the way to the suburbs and stopped in front of a villa. After getting out, Xiong Ge remained silent, leading the bewildered me and Han Duo into the villa's main hall.

"Master Han, long time no see." A middle-aged man in Tang-style clothing, his hair slightly graying and face somewhat worn, about fifty years old, slowly descended from the upstairs staircase.

Seeing this man, Han Duo couldn't help exclaiming, "Boss Chen, how could it be you?"

The Tang-clothed man gave a hollow laugh, his smile forced and his face still tinged with sorrow. He waved to Han Duo and said, "Miss Han, please sit down; let's talk slowly."

Han Duo and I followed him to the dining room. From the start to now, I couldn't help wondering how Han Duo could be involved with someone like this. Though the old man appeared refined and genteel on the surface, his bones held a street-fighter's viciousness.

People like him are invariably tough nuts; no matter how their attire changes, that temperament is ingrained in their marrow and doesn't fade with time. Looking at the villa's entourage, some have the slickness of street ruffians, while others are ruthless enough to kill without blinking.

"What's the background of this Mr. Chen? How did you meet him?" I whispered, tugging at Han Duo's sleeve.

Han Duo leaned close to my ear and whispered softly: "This Chen Xiao is a big boss of the Fragrant Harbor gang. Half a year ago, an intermediary introduced him to me. Seeing three-needle broken seal on his forehead, I knew he'd soon be entangled in lawsuits, so I had him request a deity statue to dispel the misfortune. But that was half a year ago, and I don't know why Chen Xiao is summoning me now."

The so-called three-needle broken seal is a term in physiognomy. When three needle-like lines appear on the glabella, that is the three-needle broken seal. If the lines are distinct, it's an innate facial feature—life is full of setbacks, drifting without support. If the lines are faint, they stem from acquired fortune. As ancient physiognomy texts say: "Heaven listens to the human face; round and full features govern fate. Three needles pierce the heavenly hearing, breaking the official seal—before and after come ten trials. Official disputes always involve oneself; a life of poverty is predestined."

Innate three-needle broken seal governs one's life force; acquired broken seal foretells legal entanglements. If the acquired glabella shows three-needle broken seal, invoking a deity statue to pacify the residence is a good remedy.

But Han Duo already said this happened half a year ago. Now, half a year later, why is Chen Xiao seeking her out again, and with such a formidable show of force...

Could it be that Han Duo has swindled him out of too much money?

After sitting, Chen Xiao pondered for a long while; I beside him could barely breathe. And the topic began with his sigh.

"To be frank, Master Han, I asked you here this time to request a favor of you," Chen Xiao said.

Han Duo sat up straight, yet dared not presume: "Boss Chen, I don't know why you summoned me; I'm not sure I can be of any help!"

Ah... Chen Xiao's face fell into sorrow, and he let out an inexplicable sigh, gesturing to his attendant: "Go, bring it up."

Following Chen Xiao's orders, several attendants went outside; a few minutes later, four of them carried in a stretcher covered with a white cloth, underneath which lay something unknown.

"Boss Chen, what is this?" Han Duo frowned and asked.

Chen Xiao didn't answer right away; instead, he silently walked to the window. In the stillness, minutes felt like centuries, and unable to suppress her curiosity, Han Duo rushed to the stretcher and flung open the white cloth.

"Ah!" A piercing scream shattered the villa's silence; the nearby attendants jumped but dared not approach. Seeing Han Duo, the moment she lifted the cloth, she recoiled in terror, stepping back several steps.

Seeing her like that, I too felt doubtful; I stood up, puzzled—but when I saw a head protruding from the stretcher, I couldn't help but be violently shocked.

"Dark arts—someone must be practicing dark arts."

That was the first thought that flashed through my mind when I saw the corpse. The body on the stretcher was a child's; his face had turned black, especially the area from glabella to browbone. Even harder to accept: at the center of his skull was a roughly five-centimeter round hole, as if a awl had been viciously driven into his cranium.

When I stepped closer for a detailed look, I couldn't help but frown more deeply. Peering through the hole, I saw the flesh inside had long since dried up. Of course, after death flesh dries, but this boy's corpse is different: around the cavity in his brain lies a white ring. This means that before he died, someone had sucked out his marrow.

"This is my son, Xiao Zhi." Chen Xiao suddenly turned, his face showing a hint of grief: "Miss Han, I hope you can help me find the killer of Xiao Zhi. No—not just find him; I want you to kill him, to avenge my son." His voice burned with hatred.

"No... I cannot agree." Before Han Duo could speak, I stepped forward and made the decision for her.

What a joke—Han Duo's magical power hasn't recovered at all; she's no match for me in two rounds. Sending her to fight sorcerers would be tantamount to suicide. Moreover, killing is illegal; in today's law-abiding society, you'd be shot.

Han Duo crouched beside Xiao Zhi's corpse, silent for a long while. Chen Xiao seemed angered by my words; his tear-streaked face suddenly darkened.

"I, Chen Xiao, always follow two rules in my dealings: those who serve me I never shortchange; those who cannot serve me meet only one fate..."

"What? Death?" I sensed the thick threat in his words, and the villa filled with a synchronized swish as the burly men stepped forward in unison, some already slipping a hand into their jacket pockets—clearly preparing to draw guns.

"Hair not yet dry, born late; poor and little read of the Five Classics; I hope elder brother will guide me, remembering our oath at the flower pavilion." My sudden utterance left everyone inside stunned.

At that moment, I curled my little and ring fingers, extended thumb, index, and middle fingers, making a gesture.

This is an internal Red Gate passphrase; Fan Wuchang taught it to me back in Aomen. The poem is the Red Gate members' greeting when they meet; the gesture represents the heavenly aspect of the heaven-earth-human triad. Han Duo said Chen Xiao is the boss of the Fragrant Harbor gang; being a gang, it's highly likely tied to Red Gate. In this situation, all I can do is test my luck.

As soon as I spoke the passphrase, I knew I'd guessed right. Not only did the indoor attendants stay still, but even Chen Xiao, whose face had just borne a heavy threat, flickered with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"Where do you live?" Chen Xiao's face showed deep suspicion, yet he hoarsely asked me, simultaneously making a gesture with his hand.

The Red Gate gestures are three; curling the little and ring fingers while extending thumb, index, and middle fingers signifies the "heaven" character.

Bending the thumb and index fingers while extending middle, little, and ring fingers signifies the "earth" character.

Extending thumb and index fingers straight downward represents the "human" character.

Together they form the heaven-earth-human triad; I just showed the heavenly gesture, and naturally Chen Xiao responded with the earthly one.

"Wave after wave, my home originally lay at Five Finger Mountain; I earnestly sought the Aunt-Uncle Temple, the third mountain to left and right."

"How many people came,"

"Three!"

"And who are the other two?"

I answered without hesitation: "Li Fusheng and Wan Yunlong." (Note: founders of Red Gate)

Chen Xiao then asked: "Where are we headed?"

"To Wood Poplar City."

"Do you have official travel permits?"

"Yes," I nodded firmly, left hand slightly bent showing three fingers, right hand open, saying: "Left hand is the permit, right hand is the badge, palms together make the seal, heart is the voucher, mouth is the command."

After Chen Xiao finished speaking, he suddenly fell silent, frowned at me for a moment, then pondered and asked: "What are you holding in your hand?"

I blinked, then reacted instantly, ran to the wall, grabbed a broom, and declared, pointing at a deer to call it a horse: "I'm holding a knife."

"What knife?"

"This knife is not an extraordinary blade; it is the Red Gate Righteousness Blade, which harms not a brother's hair and slays Qing soldiers with high spirit." Having just finished reciting the poem, I couldn't help wiping the cold sweat from my forehead. Fortunately, I had listened carefully when Fan Wuchang said it, otherwise I'd surely have forgotten such a lengthy thing.

While I was racking my brain to match all the signals, Chen Xiao immediately waved his hand; the surrounding attendants dispersed and sat back to the sides. I thought the test was over.

Unexpectedly, after Chen Xiao sat down, he then picked up the teapot beside him, poured a cup of tea into each of two cups, placed one before himself and the other opposite, and gestured for us to sit.

This appearance seems to be inviting guests to drink tea, but in fact, this is the Vast Gate's archenemy's top-secret code phrase. One slip, and you'll lose your head, stepping into a realm of endless calamity.