CLX Book 4 Chapter 15 – Part 1

Chapter 15 – False Alarm

The funeral ceremony was simple but solemn.

It was water burial. _{Translated by foxs}

Although Buddhist disciples paid particular attention to cremation, since Gao Yanan and that young girl did not insist, other people naturally had nothing to say even more.

Chu Liuxiang now knew that the girl’s name was Hua Zhenzhen.

Hua Zhenzhen [‘hua’ magnificent, abbr. for China, ‘zhenzhen’ real, genuine].

Not only her person was beautiful, her name was also beautiful. Only she was too timid, and also too shy.

Ever since she left Chu Liuxiang’s embrace, she no longer dared to cast a single glance at him again.

As soon as his gaze moved toward her, her face would immediately start to blush.

On the front piece of his clothes, there were still traces of her tears, but in his heart, there was a faint melancholy mood.

He did not know whether there would be the next time when he would have the chance to hold her in his arms again.

Gao Yanan did not cast a glance at Hu Tiehua even more, neither did she speak.

Yuan Suiyun also asked her, “Did lingshi make any last words before her death?”

Although at that time she just shook her head, the expression on her face was very peculiar, and her fingertips were trembling, as if she was a little panicked and a little afraid. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

But why …?

Did Kumei Dashi tell her some secrets before her death, but she did not want to tell others, and she did not dare to tell others?

The sky was very gloomy, it seemed like another storm was coming. In short, there was absolutely nothing pleasant on that day …

This day was simply so maddeningly depressing.

The most depressed person was naturally Hu Tiehua.

In his heart, there were so many things he wanted to ask Chu Liuxiang, but all along he did not have the opportunity. Until the evening, after dinner, they returned to their own cabin.

As soon as the door was closed, Hu Tiehua could not help saying, “All right, you can finally talk now.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Talk about what?” _{Translated by foxs}

Hu Tiehua said, “Kumei Dashi died inexplicably like this, could it be that you don’t have anything to say?”

“That’s right,” Zhang San said, “I think you should have more or less seen a bit or clues.”

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Chu Liuxiang said, “I saw it, and you must have seen it too.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Why don’t you tell us?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “The first point, those female pearl-divers who committed the violent act are definitely not the mastermind.”

“That’s right,” Hu Tiehua said, “I can see this too, but who is the mastermind?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Although I don’t know who he is, he must be aware that Lan Taifuren was Kumei Dashi.”

Hu Tiehua nodded his head and said, “That’s right, I could also see that the one they wanted to kill was Kumei Dashi.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Just like Lan Taifuren, Kumei Dashi had not moved about in Jianghu for many years, all her former enemies are dead.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Therefore, the most important key is still what Yuan Suiyun said – why did these people want to kill her? What is their motive?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “The motives for killing people are no more than a few: hatred, money, and sex — these points definitely do not have anything to do with Kumei Dashi.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

“That’s right,” Hu Tiehua said, “Kumei Dashi did not have enemies, she was not rich, she could not possibly be involved in dispute between lovers even more …”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Therefore, other than these motives, there is only one possibility remains.”

Hu Tiehua asked, “What possibility?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Because the murderer knew that if he did not kill Kumei Dashi, Kumei Dashi would kill him!”

Stroking his nose, Hu Tiehua said, “Are you saying that this murderer is the one who sold the secret of the ‘Qing Feng Shisan Shi’ [Thirteen Styles of Cool Breeze]?”

“That’s right,” Chu Liuxiang said.

Hu Tiehua said, “And he is also from the Bat Island? Is that right?”

“That’s right …” Chu Liuxiang said, “They have also discovered that Lan Taifuren was Kumei Dashi, and they knew that Kumei Dashi‘s trip was to expose their secrets, hence they had to act first and did not hesitate to use any means not to let her alive and go to the Bat Island.” _{Translated by foxs}

Hu Tiehua said, “In this case, they must also know who we are, hence they ought to kill us as well, but why haven’t they made their move?”

Zhang San spoke indifferently, “Perhaps they already know that to kill us is not an easy task, perhaps …”

Chu Liuxiang continued for him, saying, “Perhaps they already have a plan, and they have confidence that they can kill us all, so there is no need to rush.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Could it be that they are going to wait until we arrive at Bat Island before making their move?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “That is also very possible, because that is their territory, that will be the right time, the right place, and the right mix of people. No matter which aspect, they occupy the absolute advantageous position, while we …”

He heaved a sigh, and then smiling wryly, he said, “If we want to know what kind of place it is, we can only ask one person.”

Hu Tiehua could not help asking, “Ask who?”

Zhang San said, “Ask you.”

Hu Tiehua was taken aback; blurted out laughing, he said, “Did you see a ghost again? I haven’t even been to that place in my dreams.”

Zhang San blinked, he laughed and said, “Although you haven’t been there, Jin Guniang has. If you go and ask her now, she will definitely tell you.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

He has not finished speaking, Hu Tiehua already sprang up and said with a laugh, “I still have a date with her, if you hadn’t mentioned it, I nearly forget.”

As he was rushing out the door, Hu Tiehua suddenly remembered that Jin Lingzhi had not shown up all day today, he did not know whether she deliberately wanted to avoid Gao Yanan, or she fell asleep.

He only hoped that Jin Lingzhi would not forget this date.

Perhaps he did not take this date very seriously, hence he forgot about it, but if Jin Lingzhi also forgot, it would definitely be very hard for him to take.

Between a man and a woman, when they first started dating, the situation was a bit like ‘beating a wolf with a hemp stick, both parties were scared’, they would guard against each other, both were afraid that the other party might miss the appointment.

Some, because they were afraid that the other party would miss the appointment, they themselves did not want to arrive first.

Hu Tiehua almost wanted to turn around, but this moment he was already rushing up the stairs. _{Translated by foxs}

He had just gone up the stairs when he heard a cry of alarm.

It was a woman’s voice, could it be Jin Lingzhi?

The voice was also brimming with panic and fear.

And then, there was another ‘splash’ sound, like the sound of a heavy object falling into the water. Hu Tiehua’s heartbeat almost stopped again — could it be that this boat was the same as Hai Kuotian’s boat, there was a murderer hiding on board?

Could it be that Jin Lingzhi was like Xiang Tianfei, she was the first to be killed and then was thrown into the water?

Using his fastest speed, Hu Tiehua rushed up the stairs and onto the deck …

He immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Jin Lingzhi was still standing there, on the same place as last night, facing the ocean.

Her long hair was fluttering in the breeze, she looked so gentle and soft, she looked so confident and at ease.

There was no one else, there was no other sound either.

But why did she scream just now? Did she see something terrifying?

Hu Tiehua walked over quietly, he walked behind her and said with a laugh, “Am I late?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Jin Lingzhi did not look back, nor did she speak.

Hu Tiehua said, “Just now I seem to hear something falling into the water, what was it?”

Jin Lingzhi shook her head.

Her hair was fluttering in the breeze, carrying whiff after whiff of sweet fragrance.

Hu Tiehua could not help stretching out his hand to gently hold her hair, he said softly, “You said you have something to tell me, why haven’t you said anything?”

Jin Lingzhi hung down her head.

Her body seemed to be trembling.

The night scene on the sea always seems to be particularly gentle and soft, particularly easy to move people’s hearts.

Hu Tiehua suddenly felt that she was so delicate, so adorable. He suddenly felt that he really ought to love her, to protect her.

He could not help wrapping his arm around her waist, and spoke softly, “In my presence, you can say whatever you want; actually, between me and that Gao Guniang, there is not the least bit of relationship, we are only …” _{Translated by foxs}

‘Jin Lingzhi’ suddenly pushed him away, turned around, and looked at him coldly.

In the dim of the night, her face looked as if it was devoid of blood, even her lips were pale.

Her lips were also trembling, she spoke with trembling voice, “Only what?”

Hu Tiehua was also stunned, his whole person was stunned.

The one standing in front of him at this moment was unexpectedly not Jin Lingzhi, but Gao Yanan.

The night scene on the sea not only always easy to move people’s hearts, it was also easy to make people’s heart in chaos.

Hu Tiehua’s heart has been in chaos for a long time, he was only thinking about Jin Lingzhi, only about their date, unexpectedly forgetting that Gao Yanan and Jin Lingzhi have the same long hair and the same build.

Gao Yanan stared at him without blinking, she bit her lip hard, and asked again, “Only what?”

Hu Tiehua had been holding back his breath for a long time, only this moment he let it off; smiling wryly, he said, “Friends … Could it be that we are not friends?”

Gao Yanan turned around again to face the ocean. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

She did not say another word, but her body was still trembling, only it was not clear whether it was because of fear, or because of grief.”

Hu Tiehua said, “You … have you always been here just now?”

“Mm hmm,” Gao Yanan said.

Hu Tiehua said, “There was no mishap here?”

“No,” Gao Yanan replied.

Hu Tiehua hesitated, he muttered, “Also no one else came here?”

Gao Yanan was silent for half a day, suddenly she laughed coldly and said, “If you made appointment to meet someone here, then let me tell you, she practically did not come.”

Hu Tiehua hesitated again for a long time, finally he still could not help saying, “But I … I seem to have heard another sound just now.”

Gao Yanan asked, “What sound?”

Hu Tiehua said, “It sounded like something fell into the water? Also someone cried out in fear.” _{Translated by foxs}

Laughing coldly, Gao Yanan said, “Maybe you were dreaming.”

Hu Tiehua did not dare to ask any more.

But he believed that his ears definitely did not hear wrong.

He could not help asking in his heart: Who actually was screaming just now?

That ‘splash’ sound, what exactly was that?

He was also convinced that Jin Lingzhi definitely would not miss the appointment, because it was she herself who said the appointment.

But, why did not she come? Where did she go?

Suddenly a terrifying picture appeared before Hu Tiehua’s eyes. He seemed to see two long-haired girls arguing and taunting each other. Then, one of them pushed the other into the sea.

The palm of Hu Tiehua’s clenched fists already emitted cold sweat, he suddenly grabbed Gao Yanan’s hand and rushed back to the cabin.

Gao Yanan was startled and angry, she said, “What are you doing?”

Hu Tiehua did not answer, he kept pulling her to the door of Jin Lingzhi’s cabin, and banged the door.

There was no response from inside the cabin. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

“Jin Lingzhi is not in the room …”

Hu Tiehua’s eyes turned red, as if he already saw her dead body floating in the sea.

He only felt a surge of hot blood in his breast, he could not help slamming the door open.

He froze again.

Sitting on the bed alone, combing her hair slowly, if not Jin Lingzhi, then who else?

Her face was also pale, she stared at Hu Tiehua coldly.

Gao Yanan was also staring at him coldly.

Hu Tiehua really wished he could just knock his head against the wall and die, and be done with it. Smiling wryly, he spoke loudly, “You … why didn’t you open the door just now?”

Jin Lingzhi replied coldly, “In the depth of the night, why did you knock on the door?”

Hu Tiehua felt as if he was slapped on the face, his face was burning, and his heart was burning too. After staring blankly for half a day, he still could not help asking, “So … you really did not go at all.” _{Translated by foxs}

“Go where?” Jin Lingzhi asked.

Hu Tiehua was a bit angry as well, he said loudly, “You asked me out yourself, how could you not know where?”

Jin Lingzhi’s face did not have the least bit of expression, she spoke indifferently, “Did I ask you out? … I completely forgot.”

Suddenly she stood up and ‘Bang!’ she closed the door.

Since the door bolt was broken, she dragged a table over and pushed it against the door.

Hearing the sound of her dragging the table, Hu Tiehua felt like a dog, an alive, big groundhog, with a piece of rope tied around his neck, being dragged around by others, while he was still intoxicated with himself.

Fortunately, no one else came out, otherwise he might have really banged his head and died here.

Hanging his head down, he suddenly realized that he was still holding Gao Yanan’s hand.

Surprisingly, Gao Yanan did not shake him off either.

In his heart, he was grateful, but unbearable as well. Hanging his head, he said, “I was wrong … I blamed you wrongly.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Gao Yanan spoke softly, “In any case, this is your old temper. In any case, I have seen it a lot.”

Surprisingly, her voice has become gentle and soft.

Hu Tiehua started to raise his head, only then did he realize that her eyes had also become very gentle and soft, as she was looking at his eyes, and spoke gently, “Actually, you don’t need to feel uncomfortable, what girls say should not be counted on, perhaps she did not mean to lie to you either, she just thought it was amusing, that’s all.”

Naturally she wanted to comfort him, to make him feel a bit better.

But hearing these words in Hu Tiehua’s ears, it was really even more unbearable than if she scolded him or cursed him.

Hanging her head low, Gao Yanan said, “You still feel unhappy, I … I can accompany you to have a drink or two.”

Hu Tiehua really needed to drink two cups.

Only at this time did he know that as far as friends are concerned, indeed old friends are still better than new friends. _{Translated by foxs}

He felt that he was really an a**hole to the eighth degree. He clearly had such a good friend, yet he clearly still wanted to find someone else, he clearly wanted to break her heart.

Even the rim of his eyes turned a bit red, his nose was a bit sour.

“Who the hell was screaming just now? And why?”

“What the hell was that ‘Splash!’ noise?”

“Why did Jin Lingzhi not go to meet the appointment? What made her change her mind?”

All these questions, Hu Tiehua had already forgotten completely.

As long as there was an old friend like Gao Yanan by his side, why should he care about other things?

Stroking his nose, Hu Tiehua said, “I … I’ll find a way to find wine, where are you going to wait for me?”

Gao Yanan laughed, and then said sweetly, “You are exactly the same as you were seven or eight years ago, you haven’t changed at all.”

Fixing his gaze at her, Hu Tiehua said, “You haven’t changed either?”

Gao Yanan hung her head even lower, she sighed softly and said, “I … I am already old.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Red cloud appeared on her cheeks, under the dim lantern light, unexpectedly she looked younger than seven or eight years ago.

One lonely person meeting his former lover, how could he control himself?

Gao Yanan was like this, why can’t Hu Tiehua be the same?

So much so that he had just bumped the nail was completely forgotten; he could not help pulling her hand, and said, “We …”

These two words [‘wo men’] had just out of his mouth, suddenly, ‘Boom!’, there was big explosion.

Big explosion like the heaven fell and the earth rent!

The whole ship seemed to be tossed up, the copper lamp embedded in the wall was flickering, it was about to go out.

Gao Yanan let out a soft cry and fell into Hu Tiehua’s arms.

Hu Tiehua himself could not stand steadily, he staggered back, and bumped into someone.

Nobody knew since when, but Zhang San had opened the door and walked out.

He came so fast. _{Translated by foxs}

Could it be that he has been standing at the door and eavesdropping?

Even in this busy moment, Hu Tiehua did not forget to glower at him fiercely, he said in a low voice, “Looks like your thief nature cannot change, watch out or you would have big sore on your eyes.”

Zhang San grinned and said, “I did not see anything, I did not hear anything.”

Before he even finished speaking, like a wisp of smoke he already flew up the stairs.

The heaven and earth were pitch black.

The stars and the moon were hiding behind thick dark clouds, the lanterns were also blown out by the howling wind.

The hull of the ship was tilting sideways, the strong wind brought huge waves rolling onto the deck.

Even the sound of shouting was drowned.

Other than the sound of the wind and the waves, nothing could be seen, nothing could be heard.

No one knew what actually happened!

Everybody had crowded onto the deck, all of them were ashen-faced due to fear. The mighty power of heaven and earth, no one could resist. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Everyone was holding on to something tightly, for fear of being swept away and swallowed by the huge waves.

Only a few people were still standing steadily. Although their clothes were soaked by the huge waves, their expressions were still very calm.

Especially Yuan Suiyun.

He was even calmer than Chu Liuxiang. In fact, he just stood there and listened quietly.

No one knew what it was that he could hear!

The waves rolled over, a sailor was knocked down by the waves.

As soon as Yuan Suiyun stretched out his hand, he caught him up. “What happened?” he asked in heavy voice.

The sailor cupped his hands around his mouth to shout, “The boat hit a rock, and the bottom of the boat has started to leak.”

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