Chapter 567
Illuminati Team Building, Temples and Civilizational Relics
Chapter 567 Illuminati Team Building, Temples and Civilizational Relics
The twilight in the suburbs was exceptionally tranquil, free from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Only the occasional bark of a dog and the chirping of birds returning to their nests could be heard in the distance.
As several cars arrived one after another, the once quiet Yunlin Xiaozhu suddenly became bustling with activity.
Two large barbecue grills had already been set up in the yard, and the charcoal fire had just been lit, still emitting wisps of black smoke.
He casually rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and squatted by the oven, fanning himself frantically with a palm-leaf fan.
He was the first to arrive here after receiving Fang Cheng's call.
This guy clearly put a lot of thought into participating in the team-building activity.
He had styled his hair into a slicked-back, shiny style, wore a sharp dark blue suit, and his leather shoes were polished to a shine.
He stood out from the crowd of people dressed in casual clothes or even bandages, looking like a real estate agent who had just finished get off work.
But he didn't feel embarrassed at all; on the contrary, he was extra diligent and eager to take on the work of the head chef.
Even as he coughed from the smoke, he still grinned at Fang Cheng, who came to help him:
"President, I can handle this little thing, you can rest!"
On the other side, Xu Hao had already become familiar with Pang Hu, Fei Ying, and a few other roughnecks.
This guy had the air of a gangster, holding a freshly opened bottle of beer, and was boasting about his "legendary" past in the underworld.
Fat Tiger listened with great interest, occasionally bursting into loud laughter, clearly enjoying the rough and tumble atmosphere.
The women gathered around the long table to prepare the ingredients.
Lin Chuqiao, Jiang Yun, and Xiaoya were busy picking vegetables, cutting meat, arranging them on plates, and skewering them.
Douzi was a little uncomfortable in such a lively setting.
Like a frightened little quail, she huddled tightly behind Jiang Yun, only her big eyes peeking out as she secretly observed the strangers around her.
Just then, the roar of an engine came from outside.
A red convertible sports car was parked steadily at the entrance of the yard.
Bai Ling jumped off the car, seemingly having hitched a ride.
The girl had her hair tied in a high ponytail and was dressed in sportswear. She looked like a happy little bird and started chattering nonstop as soon as she entered the room.
He first greeted Fang Cheng and the professor, then his eyes lit up and he went straight to Jiang Yun's side.
Wow, finally a new person has arrived!
She wasn't shy at all, curiously observing Jiang Yun and Douzi huddled behind her:
"Sister, your skin is so fair! And this little sister is so cute, but she's a bit too thin."
"Don't be afraid, I'll buy you lots of snacks from now on and fatten you up!"
Immediately afterwards, the driver's side door of the sports car opened, and a well-built young man stepped out.
He was dressed in limited-edition trendy clothes, with a Patek Philippe diamond necklace on his wrist. As soon as he got out of the car, he took off his sunglasses, revealing a handsome but somewhat cynical face.
It was Lin Chuqiao's cousin, Pan Wendi.
"Wow! This is our Illuminati's new base? It's quite well hidden!"
Pan Wendi looked around, finally fixing his gaze on Lin Chuqiao, and exaggeratedly complimented her:
"Cousin, should I start calling you Minister now?"
"This is just a temporary base."
Lin Chuqiao rolled her eyes at him, annoyed.
Fang Cheng stepped forward and greeted him with a smile:
"You're here?"
"Absolutely!"
Pan Wendi bumped fists with Fang Cheng, then his eyes lit up with excitement as he glanced at the barbecue grill.
"I turned down two invitations for this barbecue, even turning down the invitation from that newly famous starlet. So, plenty of food and drinks tonight, right?"
After saying that, this guy didn't consider himself an outsider and turned around to join the men's group.
"Dude, you've got some great muscles! Were you in the army, or did you box professionally?"
Although Wendi Pan is a second-generation rich kid, he is very down-to-earth.
In addition, being a chatterbox by nature, he quickly became familiar with Xu Hao, Pang Hu, Fei Ying and others, and they became friends.
Not long after, a pickup truck covered in mud arrived and stopped at the gate of the yard.
As soon as the car came to a stop, the door was pushed open, and Li Dingjian jumped out of the driver's seat.
He was wearing a gray jacket and carrying a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Two people followed behind, each carrying a jar of rice wine.
However, it was Big Hammer and Monkey who were in charge of monitoring the apartment building.
Li Dingjian had made a detour to Jiuchang Street earlier and specially picked up the two of them.
"uncle."
Fang Cheng quickly went to meet him and took the heavy basket from him.
"Acheng."
Li Dingjian patted Fang Cheng on the shoulder and looked him up and down.
Seeing that there were no signs of injury, a smile finally appeared on his face:
"I also brought some vegetables that I grew at home. They were freshly picked and are fresher than the ones I bought from outside."
"President!"
Big Hammer and Monkey also came forward to greet them.
Fang Cheng nodded to the two of them and replied in a gentle tone:
"Thank you for your hard work, please go inside first."
With everyone present, Yunlin Xiaozhu became incredibly lively.
After spending some time together, everyone gradually became familiar with each other.
Everyone felt like a member of a big family, and naturally got busy with their tasks.
Xu Kuan was not good with words, but he was very skillful. He quietly arranged all kinds of equipment for the party and made the scene very orderly.
Jiang Yun and Xiao Ya were washing fruits and vegetables around the sink, the sound of rushing water accompanied by their hushed conversation.
Xiaosa is the busiest one.
He moved through the crowd in a suit and tie, sometimes tending the grill and turning the skewers, sometimes running to the kitchen to get seasonings.
A thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.
As dusk fell, several strings of yellow camping lights were strung up in the yard.
Under the dim light, the charcoal fire glowed red.
Cumin and oil dripped onto the charcoal fire, making a sizzling sound, and the aroma wafted far away on the evening breeze.
"Don't just stand there, Wendy, go inside and get a few cases of beer and drinks. The meat's ready! Let's get it on the table!"
With Lin Chuqiao's crisp call, more than a dozen plates of golden-brown, oily roasted meat skewers were brought to the table.
Everyone took their seats, and the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly reached its peak, with cheers and laughter rising and falling.
Fang Cheng sat in the main seat, and Lin Chuqiao naturally sat beside him.
She didn't touch the chopsticks; instead, she wiped her hands with a wet wipe first.
Then, he picked up a skewer of chicken wings, carefully removed the burnt edges, and gently placed it on Fang Cheng's plate.
Her movements were skillful and natural, and she didn't say much, yet she exuded a tacit understanding and consideration like a hostess.
The dashing man next to him had a keen eye and immediately got up to refill Fang Cheng's empty glass.
"President, this rice wine is just the right temperature, please have a taste." He held the wine cup with both hands, bowed slightly, and then diligently filled the cups for Lin Chuqiao, the professor, Li Dingjian, and others.
He looked exactly like a loyal personal secretary.
On the other table, however, the style was completely different.
"Come on, let's have a toast!"
Pan Wendi had one foot on a beer crate, a mug of draft beer in his hand, and his face was flushed from drinking.
This rich young master had completely abandoned his usual refined manners and was boasting to Fat Tiger beside him, spitting as he spoke:
"Brother Tiger, I'm not bragging, but in this whole Dongdu area, which street don't I know well?"
"Once things calm down, I'll take you to the best nightclubs; the girls there are absolutely hot..."
"Hehe, girl, I don't understand. I still prefer eating skewers and drinking."
Fat Tiger's mouth was dripping with oil, he held a handful of meat skewers in his left hand and a bottle of liquor in his right, eating with a bold and unrestrained manner.
He wasn't interested in Wendi Pan's scheming ways, but he was extremely satisfied with the barbecue feast.
Xu Hao, sitting opposite, was also a reckless fellow. Suddenly, he slammed his glass on the table and, emboldened by the alcohol, shouted:
"Young Master Pan, Tiger, Afei, from now on we're brothers who'd risk our lives for each other!"
"With our leader guiding our Illuminati, we're the undisputed masters of Dongdu! Anyone who dares to challenge us, I, Xu Hao, will be the first to take them down!"
Fei Ying listened to their boasting with some speechlessness, occasionally raising his glass to clink glasses, but a relaxed smile remained on his lips.
Compared to the hustle and bustle over there, the table of Lao Chen, Eagle Eye, Big Hammer, and Monkey showed a kind of composure unique to older men.
The four men were all middle-aged and did not make a loud noise.
They sipped their rice wine slowly, occasionally picking up a couple of peanuts, eating a skewer of grilled meat, and chatting leisurely about their past experiences.
The atmosphere wasn't particularly lively, but it exuded a sense of ease and comfort.
The most relaxed and cheerful group was undoubtedly the women's table.
Like a tireless little sparrow, Bailing held a small piece of toasted bread in her hand and enthusiastically teased the little white mouse on Douzi's shoulder.
"Look, it even holds its food with both paws!"
"The lark exclaimed in surprise."
Douzi was amused by her. Although she was still a little shy, her body was no longer as tense as it had been at the beginning.
She held the glass of juice that Jiang Yun handed her, taking small sips, her eyes curving into crescent shapes.
While occasionally putting food on Douzi's plate, Jiang Yun chatted quietly with Xiaoya.
Meanwhile, the mouse named Xiaobai was comfortably perched on Douzi's shoulder, happily munching on a small biscuit.
After a few rounds of drinks, Fang Cheng, holding a wine cup, turned his head to look at Li Dingjian beside him.
"How are things back home lately?"
Li Dingjian put down his chopsticks, took a tissue, wiped his mouth, and spoke calmly:
"Acheng, don't worry."
“Wanghu Town is a small, remote rural place, and with me there keeping an eye on things, nothing will go wrong.”
After a pause, his expression became very serious, and he added:
“Your mother and grandfather are both in good health. Acheng, do whatever you want to do. Don’t worry too much about home.”
Fang Cheng nodded and reached out to refill his drink:
"I'll have Big Hammer and Monkey go over there in the next couple of days to set up a few surveillance points in town and build an intelligence network, so that I can know immediately if anything happens."
"Row."
Li Dingjian did not refuse, and took a sip of the wine:
"It's always good to have a few more eyes watching. With their help, I can be more at ease, and you can focus on your work with more peace of mind."
The two clinked glasses, and everything was understood without a word.
Setting down his wine glass, Fang Cheng turned his head and looked at the professor across from him who was slowly peeling edamame.
"professor."
Fang Cheng called out.
The professor looked up at the sound, peering through his glasses, and waited quietly for what was to come.
"You are very knowledgeable, there's something I'd like to ask you."
Fang Cheng sat up straight and then slowly said:
How much do you know about the "remains of an ancient civilization"?
Upon hearing this word, the professor, who was shelling edamame, paused slightly.
A glint flashed in his eyes, hidden behind thick glasses, seemingly containing both reminiscence and lingering apprehension.
"President, you want to ask about the 'other world' that the Masked Man mentioned on the rooftop, right?"
The professor put the shelled edamame into his mouth and chewed slowly:
"Actually, Lao Chen already mentioned this to me last night."
“You’ve come to the right person. In this area of Dongdu, apart from the special search team and high-ranking military officials, there are probably not many people who know the ins and outs of it better than me.”
"why?"
Fang Cheng couldn't help but press for an answer.
The professor picked up the rice wine on the table, took a sip, as if using the alcohol to suppress the turmoil in his heart, and then slowly exhaled:
"Because more than ten years ago, I was fortunate... or rather unfortunate, to have been inside once."
At this point, he adjusted his glasses, his tone becoming more serious:
"At that time, I had only been in exile in Southeast Asia for a few years, and I was working with an international mercenary group in a war-torn country to make a living."
“That team had all sorts of people, veterans, desperados, and everyone had blood on their hands. I managed to get a position by relying on my knowledge of astronomy and geography.”
“Once, we took on a huge job from a local warlord. The price was outrageously high. It was just one job: to escort a scientific expedition team deep into the rainforest of Borneo in search of the ruins of an ancient temple.”
The professor's eyes became somewhat unfocused, as if piercing through the embers before him and returning to that humid and bloody rainforest.
"That rainforest is very evil; three people died in the first three days after we went in."
"Either they get infected by miasma and develop festering sores that rot until their bones are exposed, or they encounter venomous snakes and insects and don't even have a chance to be treated."
“Everyone on the expedition team was tight-lipped. When asked what they were going to the temple for, they only said they were looking for ‘ancient jungle kingdoms’ and wouldn’t say another word.”
"After finally finding the location of the temple ruins, we discovered that it was not something that an ancient civilization could have built."
The professor paused, as if reliving the shock he had felt at the time:
"The entire temple is built of huge, dark stones, and it is so tall that you can't see the top of it."
"The main gate consists of two huge stone doors, carved with some kind of ferocious beast pattern, exuding an indescribable sense of oppression."
“On both sides of the stone path stood stone figures as tall as a person, each with a ferocious face, as if staring at everyone who approached.”
"As we walked in, led by the research team, we saw that the stone walls along the way were covered with a dense array of strange symbols, unlike any ancient script we know of today."
"At that time, I could barely guess a few words, which were related to 'sacrifice' and 'passage'."
"The inside is shrouded in mist, and there are skeletons everywhere on the ground. Judging from the degree of calcification of the bones, they are not from recent times, but at least thousands of years old."
"We followed the research team through several stone corridors and finally found a huge stone platform deep inside the temple."
"The stone platform was carved from a single massive rock, standing over ten meters tall. The surface of the platform is engraved with symbols and patterns that echo those on the stone wall, and a crystal sphere the size of a fist is placed in the very center."
"The sphere was slowly rotating, emitting a faint blue light."
"When I get close, I feel dizzy, like something is drilling into my brain from between my eyebrows."
(End of this chapter)