Chapter 269: Digging For Treasure In The Mountains (1/2)

The abbot issued a cough, his expression turning kind and amiable once more. ”Benefactor, the Buddhist temple has its own rules. You are not allowed to do as you please. Control yourself.”

I knew this wasn’t the time to shed all pretences. If they were to join hands, we certainly wouldn’t be able to leave. ”Fine then!” I grumbled. “I'll have to endure it for tonight. Why do you have so many stupid rules?!”

”Stay in your rooms and don’t wander about at night,” the abbot sneered. “There are wolves on the mountain.”

Bingxin walked to the room next to ours. However, she couldn’t resist turning back to look at me as if frightened so I gave her a look of assurance.

It was getting dark and Dali was about to turn on the lights when I stopped him. I scanned the room, looking for tools I could use. My eyes laid upon a bamboo chair that seemed perfect for my plan. Breaking off one of the chair legs, I proceeded to pull out some cotton from the quilt and wrapped both ends with a cloth.

Dali curiously examined my DIY equipment which resembled a large cotton swab and asked, ”What is this for? A weapon?”

”Why would I wrap both ends with cotton if I wanted to kill someone?” I laughed. “If that were the case, I would sharpen them!”

I placed one end against the wall and stuck my ear to the other end. This little tool was actually a homemade listening device, but I wasn’t the one who invented it. The first stethoscope prototype in the 17th century looked like this as well.

Behind one of the walls was Bingxin's room and I heard no movement from her end. Another wall seemed to be connected to the woodshed that was in front of the abbot's meditation room where Zhu Xiaohao was resting. Through my listening device, Zhu Xiaohao and the abbot’s fervent discussion about Buddhism was perfectly clear to my ears. The abbot continued with his take on Buddhism, making up a bunch of nonsense he paraded as words of wisdom. ”Buddha once said, ‘Heart in heaven, heart in hell.’ Actually, heaven and hell exist in everyone’s hearts.” Zhu Xiaohao lapped up his bullshit with great enthusiasm and continued echoing his words.

If I were the monks, the first one I’d laid my hands on would definitely be the prejudiced, ignorant Zhu Xiaohao who had the word ”idiot” written all over his face.

Unfortunately, I was a police consultant and I couldn’t allow my biased opinions of him affect my decisions. I couldn't just watch the man suffer because I hated him. I had to enlighten him when the opportunity arose.

Dali crowded around me anxiously. ”Song Yang, what did you hear? I want to listen too!”

I placed my finger on my lips, gesturing for him to keep quiet. After a while, when the abbot left Zhu Xiaohao’s room, I said, ”Dali, I'm going out to do something but I'll be back soon.”

The eerie hoots of an owl sounded from the woods, breaking the silence of the night. Dali shivered, ”You must hurry back! This place gives me the creeps! I’m afraid to be here alone!”

”I’ll get Bingxin to accompany you!”

I looked out the window and noticed the deserted yard–the coast was clear! I gently pushed the door open and sneaked towards Bingxin's room.

The meditation rooms in the temple didn’t have locks on the doors so a slight push was all I needed to open Bingxin’s door. The room was pitch black with not a soul in sight. Anxiety gripped my heart as I did a double-take, almost afraid to confirm Bingxin’s disappearance. But all of a sudden, I heard a whoosh and felt movement on the side.

I quickly reached out to block the attack but a heavy blow landed on my arm, the pain so excruciating I thought I had perhaps broken a bone. Then, to my utter relief, I saw that it was Bingxin standing behind the door, body trembling but still as tenacious as ever, a chair leg in her hand.

The darkness rendered her vision blurry so she couldn’t recognize it was me. Just when she lifted her arms, ready for the second attack, I quickly called out, ”Bingxin, it's me!”

Bingxin’s fear turned to shock and then relief, her outstretched hands frantically groping all over my body. ”Song Yang-gege, I was so afraid they would barge into the room!” she cried. “I’ve been hiding behind the door the entire time. Did I hurt you?”

”It’s alright,” I assured her.

”I'm so frightened!” she sobbed, throwing her arms around me. “I want to go home now!”

I patted her on the back and comforted her, ”It's okay. No one will hurt you with me around.”

I told her to wait while I stuffed a pillow into her quilt in an attempt to mislead the monks. Then, I looked out the window once more and walked Bingxin to my room as soon as I confirmed no one was lurking in the yard.

After we regrouped, I instructed Dali to watch over Bingxin while I went to get Zhu Xiaohao to come over. After all, leaving him alone was too dangerous.

”Who cares about that guy?!” Dali retorted. “He’s the kind of character who’d die first in a horror movie. Even a screenwriter can't save him!”

”Shut up!” I rebuked. “The four of us came in together so I’m making sure we leave together. I can’t just watch him die!”